Just a few steps away, Jin Jing still didn’t know that she had already been spotted.
She had only seen Jiang Xuli in photos. Afraid of missing him this time, she stared unblinkingly at the school gate.
Fortunately, it didn’t take long before she saw two tall boys walk out of the campus. One of them looked strikingly similar to the boy in the photo!
Jiang Xuli usually walked home with Chen Xunliang, but today Chen Xunliang was going to his maternal grandmother’s house. The two had just parted ways when Jiang Xuli was stopped.
“Xiao Li?”
The woman in front of him had a pale complexion and a slender figure, as fragile as a willow swaying in the wind. Even her smile looked gentle and harmless. “I’m Jin Ran’s older sister. In terms of seniority… you’d count as my nephew.”
With that reminder, Jiang Xuli finally remembered.
He had seen this woman at home last time. She was said to be Jin Ran’s cousin.
However, the atmosphere between the two women back then hadn’t been pleasant—there had even been a faint sense of confrontation.
Thinking of that, the boy’s attitude cooled a few degrees. “If you have something to say, say it directly. I’m in a hurry.”
The curve of Jin Jing’s lips stiffened.
She had long heard that Jiang Mingzuo’s son had a difficult temperament, mingling all day with the Chen family’s good-for-nothing playboy. Still, she hadn’t expected him to be this ill-mannered—truly someone born of a mother but not raised by one.
Disgust surged in her heart, yet on the surface she remained gentle. “…It’s nothing important. I was just passing by and thought I’d stop to see you.” She paused, as if carefully choosing her words. “It’s been a while since I last saw Ranran. I don’t know how she’s been lately. My younger sister was spoiled and pampered growing up—she’s so delicate she can’t endure even a little hardship. After she got married, Grandpa and Uncle and Aunt have been very worried about her.”
?
No matter how hard Jiang Xuli tried, he couldn’t associate the words “spoiled and delicate” with the woman who practiced on the lawn every morning.
If she counted as delicate, then there probably weren’t any delicate people left in this world.
Moreover, because of his upbringing, he was especially sensitive to malice from others. It was easy for him to detect the emotions Jin Jing was hiding in her eyes.
Instead, Jiang Xuli grew curious and couldn’t help asking, “So?”
“So if she’s done anything wrong, I hope you’ll all be more understanding.”
Jin Jing wore the expression of a good elder sister worried about her sibling. The reason she had come to find Jiang Xuli was entirely because, after Jin Ran had kicked her out of the Jiang residence last time, not only had Jin Ran blocked all her contact information, she had even instructed the residential property management to bar Jin Jing from entering!
Raised by Old Master Jin, Jin Jing had never suffered such humiliation. She had sworn to make the other party pay the price.
“You might not know this, but the one who was originally supposed to marry your father was me. After Ranran found out, she cried and made a scene and snatched this opportunity away. Since childhood, if she liked something, she had to get it—no one could stop her…”
Jin Jing looked at Jiang Xuli with an apologetic gaze, even showing a faint trace of worry. “She married your father as revenge against me. I’m afraid she might… deliberately bully you.”
Not far away, Jin Ran’s face revealed an expression that shifted from surprise to shock.
What did she mean by “snatching the chance to marry”?
Could it be that the original host’s marriage to Jiang Mingzuo hadn’t been a union of mutual affection? And if it could be snatched away, then it was very likely a contractual alliance.
Coupled with her own behavior during this period, Jin Ran’s face went completely lifeless.
All her past doubts were suddenly resolved. No wonder the novel’s couple treated each other with icy courtesy. No wonder Jiang Mingzuo was always testing her attitude. From beginning to end, it had all been the original host’s one-sided wishful thinking.
Then what had all her daily carefulness amounted to?
Jin Ran gave a bitter smile and could only comfort herself: It’s fine, it’s fine. Even if she acted poorly, at least Jiang Mingzuo hadn’t sliced her open to check whether she was real, right?
As Jin Jing spoke, she carefully observed the boy opposite her.
She was confident she could persuade Jiang Xuli. Children this age lacked firm opinions. Having never seen his biological mother, with his father suddenly marrying a young and beautiful stepmother, his heart must be filled with anger and unease.
If he were to learn that behind this seemingly perfect marriage lay a carefully orchestrated act of revenge, how would he feel?
Of course—
Jiang Xuli looked Jin Jing up and down as if she were an idiot. “Do you take me for a fool?”
Jin Jing: “?”
Jin Ran, eavesdropping from afar: “?”
Wait—why isn’t this going according to the usual script?!
Jiang Xuli genuinely thought Jin Jing was an idiot.
Even if it were a business marriage, someone like his father would never allow a woman to climb all over his head. At the very least, he would never calmly discuss “job placement quotas” with her at the dinner table, nor would he personally pick Jin Ran up and drop her off every day just because it was “on the way.”
The incident with Aunt Zhang last time had already infuriated him. He hadn’t expected someone else to dare come forward and sow discord.
Did he really look that easy to manipulate?
A surge of hostility rose in the boy’s heart. He leaned his brows back slightly, revealing the brashness and unruliness unique to youth, and then said in an extremely disdainful yet curious tone, “Are you jealous of Jin Ran?”
Jin Jing: “?”
Jealous of Jin Ran? Jealous of what?
“Jealous that my dad likes her and not you, obviously. Otherwise, I really can’t figure out why you, as a cousin, keep staring at your cousin’s husband and kid every single day. Or…” Jiang Xuli gave a malicious grin, “are you trying to be my stepmom?”
It had to be said—he’d nailed the essence of the matter. Jin Jing, however, refused to admit it. So angry that her eyes reddened, she said, “Xiao Li, you—how could you think of me like that? I’m truly worried she’ll hurt you. You don’t know—she used to complain to me about you all the time…”
No way. Is this big sister’s tattling coming back like a boomerang?
Jin Ran, who had been quietly enjoying the drama, finally couldn’t sit still. The math squad leader she’d worked so hard to get along with couldn’t be scared off by this little schemer.
Just as she was about to step in and cut the conversation short, she suddenly heard Jiang Xuli snort with laughter. “Auntie, you’re really something. If you’re jealous of her, go take it up with her—what’s the point of yapping at me? But honestly, I don’t think being jealous will help you anyway. You don’t look as good as her, your mouth’s foul when you talk, and compared to her you’re worlds apart. My dad has high standards—he definitely wouldn’t be interested in you.”
Auntie…
In an instant, Jin Jing’s eyes went blank, her mind looping endlessly on those two words.
Jin Ran was stunned too. That mouth—sweet as if dipped in poison.
But why did it feel kind of satisfying?
Seeing Jin Jing reeling as if about to collapse, Jin Ran nearly burst with glee. Still, worried the woman might pull some sort of stunt on Jiang Xuli, she decisively stepped in. “Oh! Xiao Li, so you’re here—I’ve been looking for you forever. Huh? Cousin, what are you doing here too?”
Her deliberately soft, affected voice immediately drew both their attention.
Thankfully, most of the students had already left, and with the three of them standing off to the side, no one noticed the farce for the moment.
“Heh… hehe. I was nearby, so I stopped by to see Xiao Li.”
Seeing who had arrived, Jin Jing clenched her fist, her fingertips turning faintly white. She had deliberately come to the school to avoid Jin Ran—only to run straight into her anyway.
As if she hadn’t noticed Jin Jing’s breakdown, Jin Ran swayed closer with a catlike gait. “Oh right—by seniority on my side, you’d be Xiao Li’s big aunt.”
She deliberately stressed the word “big,” and, sure enough, Jin Jing’s face turned ashen.
After indulging her mischievous pleasure for a moment, Jin Ran finally spoke unhurriedly. “Cousin, ordinarily we should invite you to come sit at our place. But today is a family outing for us, so it wouldn’t be appropriate to bring an outsider along. You’re so understanding—you can empathize, right?”
Then she turned to Jiang Xuli. “You kid—didn’t we agree to go to the supermarket together? Why are you wasting time here?”
At those words, Jiang Xuli froze. Jin Jing froze too.
It had only been a few days—had their relationship already progressed to the point of shopping together?
A wave of sour jealousy surged up in Jin Jing’s chest. Unable to control herself, her nails dug into her palm, nearly drawing blood.
Why? They were both from the Jin family—why were people lukewarm toward her, yet accepted a woman who was both stupid and malicious?
In the blind spot of Jin Jing’s vision, Jin Ran winked at Jiang Xuli.
Jiang Xuli: “……”
He found it a bit amusing—especially seeing the other woman flushed red with rage. It gave him a nervous thrill, like teaming up with friends to do something naughty as a kid. “Oh, and you said you’d buy me the new TC game console.”
Jin Ran: You little punk really know how to push your luck.
But when it came to pushing one’s luck, she still had him beat.
“Fine, fine—your dad’s paying anyway. Oh right, let’s hurry. Don’t keep your dad waiting too long. When I came to find you earlier, he wouldn’t even let me—said he was worried my feet would hurt from walking.”
Even without a mirror, Jin Ran could guess how punchable she looked right now. She smiled shyly. “Honestly, your dad is just too love-brained—can’t be away from me at all. No wonder people say marriages that start first and fall in love later last longer than free-love romances.”
Jiang Xuli: “……”
Jin Jing: “……”
Jiang Mingzuo, who had just gotten out of the car: “……”
His steps halted for a moment. For an instant, he wondered if he’d come to the wrong place.
That was, until he saw Jin Ran turn her head and, in an extremely strange voice—as if caught in a mousetrap—ask him when they were going to the supermarket.
Him: “……”
Alright. Definitely not the wrong place.
Though he found the situation exceedingly odd and couldn’t tell what the woman was scheming, as the president of a company he had long mastered the art of keeping emotions off his face. He walked over calmly. “Sorry I’m late. Let’s go now.”
Nearby, Jin Jing stared in disbelief.
This… was Jiang Mingzuo?
Wasn’t he a divorced man in his thirties?!
Jin Jing had met many successful people in elite circles. Being young and accomplished was rare; most who made it to president were potbellied and greasy. As for the young and handsome ones, they usually lacked ability. That was why, all these years, she’d insisted on settling for nothing less.
But now, looking at the tall, handsome man before her and thinking of the marriage that should have belonged to her, the jealousy in her heart was like oil poured onto a fire, burning even more fiercely.
By the time she reacted, she had already stepped past Jin Ran, the legitimate wife, and walked up to the man. “President Jiang, it’s been a long time. Grandpa’s birthday is coming up soon. I originally wanted to invite you to come over for a gathering, but the message was intercepted, and I haven’t been able to reach you.”
Jiang Mingzuo glanced at her, somewhat puzzled. “And you are?”
Jin Ran almost burst out laughing. Weren’t you saying your marriage opportunity was snatched away? From the looks of it, the two of them didn’t seem all that familiar after all.
Jin Jing hurriedly explained, “You don’t remember? Back when the two families arranged a marriage alliance, the one you originally chose was me.”
“Oh, so it’s Miss Jin,” Jiang Mingzuo nodded in acknowledgment. “I’ve already received the invitation for your grandfather’s birthday. If I have time, I’ll attend. As for the marriage alliance…”
His tone was calm and detached. “You were indeed the initial choice, but after meeting you, I found I didn’t quite like you, so I switched.”
“……”
This time, even Jin Ran felt a twinge of sympathy for Jin Jing.
No wonder he was Jiang Xuli’s father—their razor-sharp tongues when putting people in their place were exactly alike.
Just that one plain, unadorned sentence was enough to leave Jin Jing, who had been speaking in that faux-gentle, insinuating manner moments ago, so aggrieved she couldn’t say a word.
Clearly, Jiang Mingzuo had struck her where it hurt most. From their very first meeting, Jin Ran had already sensed Jin Jing’s ulterior motives toward Jiang Mingzuo. She hadn’t understood the full story before, but now she did.
Yet she felt no guilt at all.
First, that had been a deal between the original host and Jin Jing. Whatever the outcome, the two must have already reached an understanding back then.
Second, the original host was the original host, and she was herself. She had never had the habit of sacrificing herself to fulfill others.
Noticing Jiang Mingzuo looking over, Jin Ran sent him a satisfied “well done, you’re teachable” look.
Then she stepped forward and, in full view of everyone, affectionately looped her arm through his, ignoring the man’s momentary stiffness as she spoke quickly, “Cousin, we’ll be heading off first. We’ll chat another time when we’re free.”
With that sweet, coquettish tone, she drew a perfect close to today’s one-sided crushing defeat.
…
Today, Jiang Mingzuo wasn’t driving his usual Porsche, but another car from the garage—a Rolls-Royce Phantom.
Just the lavish, luxurious color scheme and those smooth, flying-fish-like lines were enough to make passing vehicles instinctively give way.
The family of three walked up to the car.
Without a second thought, Jiang Xuli pulled open the front passenger door. One was his dad, the other his stepmother—sitting with either of them felt awkward.
Jin Ran and Jiang Mingzuo didn’t think much of it and naturally took the back seat.
As soon as she got in, Jin Ran felt the difference. If the Porsche had been a comfortable sports car, then this Rolls-Royce was on the level of a luxury cruise ship. She couldn’t help asking curiously, “This car isn’t cheap, is it?”
Jiang Mingzuo nodded. “About eight figures.”
Eight figures? Tens of millions!
In an instant, Jin Ran felt a deep respect—not just for the car, but for the person who owned it. Judging by her own career plans, she probably wouldn’t be able to afford one in this lifetime. Her body was very honest as she settled more firmly into the seat. Well, if she couldn’t afford to buy it, at least she could afford to sit in it—she might as well enjoy it properly.
Without showing it, Jiang Mingzuo glanced sideways.
Jin Ran sat straight and proper, her long hair tied into a low ponytail. The tips of her hair swayed lightly with the movement of the car, occasionally brushing against the hollow of her curved neck.
His gaze involuntarily followed that curve—unlike a man’s prominent Adam’s apple, a woman’s neck was smooth and fair, like fine white jade, glowing with a gentle luster in the dim cabin.
It was just hard to understand how such a place could produce that kind of sound.
Only when Jin Ran seemed to sense something and tilted her head slightly did he withdraw his gaze, turning instead to look out at the flowing night scenery beyond the window, as though that earlier scrutiny had been nothing more than an illusion.
Of all this, Jin Ran noticed nothing.
Watching the unfamiliar scenery outside the window, a trace of doubt arose in her heart. “Where is this road heading?”
Jiang Mingzuo replied calmly, “Didn’t we say we were going to the supermarket to buy things? There’s a large supermarket over in Pingtin—better selection there.”
Although he’d arrived late, he had still heard most of their conversation. When they got into the car, he’d already instructed Xiao Sun to set the destination to the supermarket.
Hearing this, Jin Ran’s eyes flickered.
Those words had only been said casually to irritate Jin Jing. She hadn’t expected Jiang Mingzuo to take them seriously. Just as well—since coming to this world, she hadn’t been to a supermarket yet and was curious whether things would be different inside. Out loud, though, she said, “Then you have to pay. Your son wants a TC game console.”
Jiang Xuli, suddenly dragged into it: “……”
He really wanted to say he didn’t want it anymore. When he was younger, whenever he wanted to buy a game console, his dad always felt those things were a waste of time. Unexpectedly, he then heard Jiang Mingzuo nod and say, “That’s fine.”
“You said it yourself—we need a proper balance between work and rest.”
He pressed his lips together, swallowed the words of refusal, and relaxed back against the seat.
Well, no point turning down something free.
At this moment, Jiang Xuli effortlessly grasped Jin Ran’s philosophy of life.