The moment those words fell, even the air seemed to freeze for several seconds.
Jiang Chen finally couldn’t take it anymore.
“Eldest Young Miss Jiang, are you all right?”
‘Damn it! Is this ever going to end? I already did exactly what these people wanted, took the money, and left.’
‘What else do they want from me?’
However, when Jiang Qingli saw the cold indifference in his eyes, something inexplicably stabbed at her heart.
Jiang Chen had never looked at her like this before.
For some reason, the moment she saw that distant gaze, one that seemed determined to keep her thousands of kilometers away, an inexplicable murderous irritation surged inside her.
“Aren’t you going to explain your relationship with Su Zhenyue?”
“And… why did you… block my phone number?”
Jiang Qingli suppressed her anger as she questioned him coldly.
When she reached the last sentence, however, she stumbled slightly over her words, unwilling to admit that she had actually tried calling Jiang Chen.
“Su Zhenyue?”
Hearing her mention Su Zhenyue, Jiang Chen finally began to feel a little guilty.
‘Damn, don’t tell me this woman saw everything?’
‘Then the fact that I’ve been a Simp for nine different women… No!’
‘Not enough time has passed yet. They probably don’t know about one another, and they haven’t had the opportunity or time to investigate.’
‘Don’t panic! I’m the one in the right here.’
‘I was only simping for nine women. It’s not like I was dating all nine at the same time.’
Jiang Chen coughed lightly. “She’s my friend. Isn’t it perfectly normal for friends to take care of each other?”
“You should’ve heard it yourself. She doesn’t like me, and I don’t like her either.”
“It’s only because… because her family paid me to take care of her. I needed money, so I looked after her for the sake of the money and our friendship.”
“As for all those rumors about me silently sacrificing everything for her, they’re nothing more than rumors.”
“I even have the payment records. You can check them yourself.”
What Jiang Chen said was half true and half false, but it would still hold up under investigation.
Jiang Qingli narrowed her eyes dangerously, still only half convinced.
“Friends? For money?”
“Was the money I gave you not enough?”
“And in the past, no matter who you became friends with, you always told me. Why have I never heard you mention this friend?”
“Is she your classmate or your friend? When did you meet her? How much did she pay you? Where did you meet?”
“And this is your excuse for blocking me?”
Jiang Qingli bombarded him with questions one after another.
For the first time, Jiang Chen truly experienced the suffocating pressure of a Yandere.
“Believe whatever you want. I still have things to do, so I’m leaving.”
The corners of Jiang Chen’s mouth twitched as complaints erupted wildly inside his head.
‘Impressive! So this is a Yandere? I finally got to experience one firsthand today.’
‘But even if she’s a Yandere, why does she have to act like this toward me?’
‘Isn’t Jiang Haotian her First Love?!’
‘Damn it, don’t tell me that brat can’t even keep Jiang Qingli under control?’
‘What happens later when all nine Yanderes show up? How is Jiang Haotian supposed to handle all nine by himself?!’
‘Little Brother Hao! Little Brother Hao! Where are you?! Your Brother is suffering because of you!’
His eyes instantly lit up.
He was so moved that he almost cried. Right there and then, he excitedly began waving toward Jiang Haotian in the distance.
“Little Brother Hao! Little Brother Hao! My dear little brother! Are you looking for Eldest Sister? Eldest Sister is right here with me!”
Jiang Chen was so excited that he practically danced on the spot.
Even from far away, Jiang Haotian heard Jiang Chen shouting.
Seeing that warm, affectionate smile, one even more enthusiastic than if Jiang Chen had just seen his own mother, Jiang Haotian couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.
‘This bastard is definitely up to no good!’
Even after noticing Jiang Qingli standing beside him, Jiang Haotian instinctively didn’t want to approach. He turned around and prepared to leave.
However, now that he was already here, how could Jiang Chen possibly let him escape?
Jiang Chen immediately hooked an arm around Jiang Haotian’s shoulders and dragged him over with one powerful pull, like Zhong Kui activating his ultimate ability.
Jiang Haotian couldn’t help giving him a disgusted look.
‘Seriously? Who the hell are you putting on this act for?’
‘You were just pretending to be pitiful and playing the manipulative bastard in front of Su Zhenyue, and you even screwed me over.’
‘Now you actually have the nerve to put your arm around my shoulders?’
‘How the hell are you this good at acting?’
‘What a complete bastard.’
However, Jiang Haotian quickly composed himself. He smiled and turned toward Jiang Qingli.
“Sister, so you’re here.”
“I’ve been looking for you for a while. I wanted to tell you that Miss Su agreed to let me join Su Corporation.”
“Miss Su also said that she wants to discuss further cooperation with our company. Mom and Dad said that would be a major boost for our company.”
“It’s great that I can rely on my friend to help the family. It’s just…”
“It’s just that something Brother Chen said earlier seemed to make Zhenyue a little angry.”
“She said she doesn’t want to see Brother Chen… It looks like Brother Chen will have to put up with living outside for a little longer…”
Jiang Haotian had clearly mastered the art of twisting the truth and fabricating things out of thin air.
As he spoke, he didn’t forget to cast Jiang Chen a provocative glance.
‘Hmph. You think pretending to be pitiful will let you shamelessly cling to the Jiang Family and worm your way into the Su Family?’
‘Unfortunately for you, my parents care far too much about the company.’
‘Once they hear that Jiang Chen offended Su Zhenyue, there’s no way they’ll let him enter Su Corporation, much less work there and get close to Su Zhenyue.’
‘When the time comes and he has no one left to rely on, won’t he be completely at my mercy?’
Jiang Haotian was immensely pleased with himself.
He completely failed to notice that Jiang Chen, standing beside him, practically wanted to give him a huge thumbs-up.
‘Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!’
‘As expected of the Protagonist from the original novel!’
‘I was just worried that the Jiang Family and Su Zhenyue might refuse to let me escape.’
‘And here comes the perfect solution!’
‘Little Brother Hao, I knew I could count on you!’
‘What the hell are you smiling about?’
Seeing Jiang Chen grinning like a man possessed, Jiang Haotian couldn’t help secretly cursing him.
‘I didn’t… say anything wrong and somehow fall into his trap, did I?’
What he didn’t know was that Jiang Qingli’s gaze toward him had already become somewhat strange. Find the original chapter at g.com.
‘Su Zhenyue said she didn’t want to see Jiang Chen?’
But from what Jiang Qingli had heard earlier, Su Zhenyue clearly seemed somewhat grateful toward Jiang Chen.
Her younger brother, the True Young Master of the Jiang Family, had actually lied?
Before this, she had believed that although Jiang Haotian had grown up away from the family, he had still developed a kind and generous personality.
She hadn’t expected…
Perhaps spending so many years away from the family without proper guidance had ultimately left some flaws in his conduct and character.
She would have to hire someone to teach him properly in the future.
However, Jiang Haotian’s words did at least support Jiang Chen’s claim that he and Su Zhenyue were merely ordinary friends.
That made Jiang Qingli feel slightly better.
“I understand. I’ll handle it.”
Jiang Qingli replied coldly before turning her gaze back toward Jiang Chen.
“How do you intend to explain what he just said?”
“And what about the questions I asked you earlier about Su Zhenyue and why you blocked me? Aren’t you going to explain those clearly?”
“Explain?”
Jiang Chen was so angry that he actually laughed.
“Why do I need to explain anything to you?”
‘Is this ever going to end?’
“Eldest Young Miss Jiang, as far as I’m concerned, I left the Jiang Family exactly as all of you wanted.”
“You were also the ones who said you wanted to cut ties with me and told me never to return to the Jiang Family.”
“I did exactly that. I also blocked every way any of you could contact me. What else do you want from me?”
‘Seriously? I’ve already been kicked out of the Jiang Family, and this woman doesn’t even like me.’
‘I’m just a Simp, aren’t I?’
‘Why does she keep clinging to me and insisting that I explain everything about Su Zhenyue?’
‘Does she seriously need me to perform the whole “Simp finally lets go” routine before she’ll believe me?!’
“I…”
Jiang Qingli had just opened her mouth to respond when Jiang Chen cut her off.
“Fine. Since you insist on an explanation, let’s make everything clear today.”
Jiang Chen let out a long breath.
“I admit that I wanted to stay in the Jiang Family before. And because I liked you, I wanted to stay there even more.”
“But now, I don’t like you anymore.”
“Do you understand? I don’t like you. I don’t like you. I don’t like you! I don’t like you anymore!!”
“I can’t win your heart anyway, so I’ve given up. I’ve given up pursuing you, and I don’t want to return to the Jiang Family either.”
“From now on, I’m cutting all ties with the Jiang Family.”
“I won’t bother any of you, and I hope none of you will bother me again, especially you, Eldest Young Miss Jiang.”
“I hope we can stay out of each other’s lives from now on. Neither of us should cause trouble for the other. Do you understand?”
“All right, I’ve made myself clear. Goodbye!”
Jiang Chen believed he had explained everything perfectly clearly.
His tone hadn’t even been particularly harsh, so it shouldn’t have been enough to offend her.
However, after he finished speaking, Jiang Qingli stood completely frozen in place, like a wooden statue.
“What… did you say?”