Gu Wangxuan lowered his eyes, the smile at the corners of his lips fading away. The grip he had around Ji Xixing loosened slightly, but he remained silent.
Seeing that he was ignoring her, Ji Xixing secretly gritted her teeth. Another extremely ingratiating smile appeared on her face as she took the initiative to move closer.
Holding onto Gu Wangxuan’s arm, she deliberately acted spoiled. “Please, please, just help me.”
Gu Wangxuan still didn’t speak, but Ji Xixing clearly felt his body stiffen for a moment, and the gaze resting on her face became noticeably hotter.
Knowing she had a chance, she hurriedly pressed on.
“Mr. Gu, think about it. Although it seems like helping me won’t bring you any benefits…”
“If I graduate successfully, it won’t just prove that you’re exceptionally capable, it’ll also prove that you’re kind and charitable.”
“You’d be helping a flower of the motherland. That’s another contribution to the future of the country.”
“And most importantly, if you help me, I’ll remember your kindness for the rest of my life. I’ll keep it in my heart forever.”
“How exactly will you remember it for a lifetime? Tell me in detail.” Gu Wangxuan was obviously interested now, smiling as he looked at her.
Caught off guard by the question, Ji Xixing’s train of thought broke off. After a moment of hesitation, a line of gratitude suddenly surfaced in her mind.
Without thinking, she blurted out, “Mr. Gu, meeting you is like a humble concubine encountering her beloved. For the rest of my life, every time I think of it, I shall never forget. In life, I’ll repay you with pearls in my mouth, and in death, I’ll repay you with grass in my grasp. If you fall ill, I’ll attend to you and bring your medicine. If you die, I’ll watch over your coffin…”
Under Gu Wangxuan’s increasingly dark gaze, Ji Xixing didn’t dare continue reciting.
Feeling guilty, she rubbed her nose, shifted her eyes away, and asked quietly, “Is my sincerity still not enough?”
Gu Wangxuan endured it again and again. Looking at the innocent face before him, he finally sighed and relented.
“Get up and hand me the computer.”
“Huh?”
Ji Xixing froze for a moment before realizing she was still sitting on his lap.
Blushing, she hurriedly got up and handed over the laptop.
At the same time, she couldn’t help thinking that acting spoiled really was useful. No wonder Ji Chenhuan, the original heroine, could so easily win everyone’s affection.
Besides being beautiful and scheming, Ji Chenhuan had another quality that made her extremely likable. In front of outsiders, she knew exactly when to be soft and when to be strong.
Acting spoiled was one of her favorite tactics. All her jealousy and disgust were hidden deep inside.
Even if she loathed someone to the point of wanting to throw up, as long as that person still had value to her, she could greet them with a smile.
Take Ji Lifeng for example. Ji Chenhuan clearly didn’t cherish their father-daughter bond all that much, yet she always played the role of the sensible daughter, making Ji Lifeng feel heartbroken for her.
Resting her chin on her hand as she crouched beside the sofa, Ji Xixing sighed inwardly.
Women who know how to act spoiled really can steal a man’s soul.
“Tsk.”
Because she was too absorbed in recalling those disgusting things Ji Chenhuan had done, she unconsciously clicked her tongue.
Gu Wangxuan paused his typing and shifted his gaze from the laptop to her, frowning slightly.
“What are you taking for?”
Ji Xixing broke into a smile, her eyes curving.
“Nothing.”
“I just didn’t expect Mr. Gu to fall for this sort of thing too.”
Before she had even finished speaking, he flicked her forehead.
His eyes returned to the computer.
“Those tricks don’t work on me.”
“When it comes to me, it depends on the person.”
Ji Xixing blinked, pretending not to understand the implication and feigning ignorance.
Gu Wangxuan said nothing more unrelated and only occasionally explained design terminology to her.
After spending most of the night revising, the graduation project finally had a rough framework.
Compared with the hopeless mess she had before, Ji Xixing couldn’t help marveling at how wonderful it was to have a brain.
As dawn approached, she packed up her things, intending to return to the Ji residence before that family woke up.
Gu Wangxuan sat quietly to one side, watching her pack. The light and shadows cast across his face made his features appear even more sculpted.
Feeling somewhat irritable, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. But the moment he saw Ji Xixing standing nearby, his fingers paused, and he casually tossed the cigarette pack back onto the table.
After finishing up, Ji Xixing sincerely thanked him.
“Mr. Gu, thank you for helping me.”
“But my family is very strict. I sneaked out, so I have to hurry back. I won’t disturb you any longer.”
It was merely a polite remark. Gu Wangxuan knew more or less about the situation within the Ji family.
He knew Ji Xixing didn’t get along with Ji Lifeng, so he hadn’t tried to keep her.
The sound of the door unlocking echoed loudly through the quiet suite.
Suppressing the irritation in his heart, Gu Wangxuan said calmly, “There’s something I’ve wanted to tell you.”
Ji Xixing stopped walking, though her back remained toward him. Somehow, she already had a premonition.
“Please go ahead, Mr. Gu.”
“If you’re willing, I can help you break free from the Ji family at any time.”
The man’s deep voice slowly entered her ears, making her heart tremble unconsciously.
Ji Xixing neither agreed nor refused.
“Thank you. I’ll think about it.”
After leaving the hotel, Ji Xixing finally remembered to send Jian Yao a message, telling her she no longer needed help.
But as soon as she opened WeChat, she saw a flood of random shocked emojis from Jian Yao.
Then her friend generously informed her that she’d already canceled the room and fully understood and supported her actions. Seeing that she’d finally moved on from Cheng Songjin, that scumbag, made her extremely happy.
Ji Xixing: “……”
Her speechlessness practically overflowed from the screen.
She sent Jian Yao a death-smile emoji to express her dissatisfaction.
The reply came instantly, and it only made her more speechless.
Jian Yao: Darling, why are you playing on your phone at this hour?
Jian Yao: Shouldn’t you be spending sweet moments with your man?
Ji Xixing: …
Jian Yao: Don’t tell me you’re this speechless because he’s not capable?!
Before Ji Xixing could even respond, another string of messages arrived.
Jian Yao: Darling, listen to your sister’s advice. A man who can’t perform is no different from rotten cabbage.
Jian Yao: Ordinary women don’t want rotten cabbage, so neither should you.
Ji Xixing: …
Too exhausted to explain, Ji Xixing really wanted to pry open Jian Yao’s head and see what on earth was inside.
Meanwhile, Jian Yao was equally puzzled. Looking at the six dots on her screen, she asked again:
Jian Yao: Darling, what are you speechless about this time?
Ji Xixing’s teeth itched with frustration. Her fingers flew across the keyboard, every word full of accusation.
Ji Xixing: I’m speechless because of you.
Ji Xixing: I wanted you to come save me, and you gave me an OK sign and abandoned me. What was that supposed to mean?
Ji Xixing: Can you be a little more reliable, darling?
Ji Xixing: Can you have even the tiniest bit of understanding with me?
Ji Xixing: Can you have the slightest clue what I’m trying to say?!
Ji Xixing: [Angry] [Angry]