Cheng Xiyu frowned tightly, somewhat irritably loosening his collar. When he looked down and saw the dark gray striped tie, he seemed to recall something and asked, “Has Jiang Shu called recently? She probably has a cold—go ask if she’s taken any medicine.”
Wang Ye replied, “She hasn’t called. Miss Jiang is quite reserved and usually doesn’t like to trouble others with personal matters. I’ll contact her.”
Cheng Xiyu nodded and closed his eyes to rest.
Wang Ye glanced through the rearview mirror and hesitantly said, “Sir, you’ve been visiting Miss Jiang quite often lately. Should we send over some clothes and daily work materials?”
He couldn’t quite figure out his boss’s feelings toward Miss Jiang and decided to test the waters indirectly, determining whether he needed to pay more attention to Miss Jiang’s affairs in the future.
Had he been going to Jiang Shu’s place more often recently? Cheng Xiyu thought about it and realized it was indeed more frequent than in the past two years.
However, he just felt she was somewhat pitiful alone—waiting so diligently, deeply in love with him—and he couldn’t bear it. Besides, he didn’t really want to return to the old residence either, where he’d only end up angered unnecessarily. He found it more peaceful and comforting at Jiang Shu’s place.
“Send whatever you see fit.”
When Wang Ye called, Jiang Shu had just gotten off work and was at home unsealing last year’s batch of Strawberry Wine.
She poured the bright red, translucent liquid into the sink, turned on the faucet to wash it away, and began cleaning the glass jar. Then she placed the freshly prepared Strawberry Wine from yesterday into the cupboard.
After wiping her hands, she picked up the phone to answer the call.
“Miss Jiang, hello, I’m Mr. Cheng’s personal assistant.”
“What is it? Is something the matter?”
“It’s like this—Mr. Cheng is on his way back to Nan City. He mentioned you might have a cold and asked me to check if you’re still feeling unwell. If needed, I can send some medicine over.”
Jiang Shu paused. “No need, I have spare medicine here.” He knew she was sick? Jiang Shu was somewhat surprised, her heart swelling with an indescribable feeling—uncomfortable and heavy.
“Is that so? Actually, Mr. Cheng isn’t feeling well either. He might rest at the military-assigned residence tonight and won’t be coming over. You could come here—I’m sure Mr. Cheng would be pleased.”
“No need.” Jiang Shu glanced at the cleaned glass bottle, where a small water droplet rolled down, round and glistening.
On the other end, Wang Ye was somewhat exasperated by Jiang Shu’s obtuseness. What a perfect opportunity—to comfort the boss while he’s in a bad mood! Her favorability would skyrocket in no time!
Besides, wasn’t this Miss Jiang desperately in love with the boss? How could she resist coming over upon hearing he was unwell? If she came immediately to take care of him, cook a meal, share a intimate moment, and show some tenderness, even his feigned affection might turn somewhat genuine. Who knows—one day the pretense could become real, turning a sponsor-lover relationship into boyfriend-girlfriend!
Miss Jiang was beautiful, but why was she so clueless? She wouldn’t even take such a handed-on-a-silver-platter chance to deepen their bond.
After the call ended, Jiang Shu left the kitchen, turned off the living room light, and went up to the second-floor study, switching on only a small desk lamp…
The weather outside remained gloomy, the lavishly decorated house enveloped in darkness, with only the study emitting a faint glow.
In two days, she had a business trip—Bai Shuxi said she needed to accompany him to an auction to assess the actual and derivative value of a blue gemstone.
It was only a little past 7 p.m. Jiang Shu organized the gemstone appraisal materials on her desk and decided to do a short livestream.
She had discovered back in her sophomore year that online appraisal livestreaming was quite popular as a side hustle. The viewership was substantial, and it not only broadened her knowledge but also earned her some extra income. Many seasoned professionals in the field were even making a living from it.
Though it was a weekday, many office workers had already clocked out, so the number of viewers remained high.
She never showed her face, keeping her phone camera off. Viewers could only hear her voice—clear and crisp, like a breeze from the south of the Yangtze River, refreshing and soothing to the soul.
“Fake.”
“Show me the other side. Try a different angle.”
“There are cracks, and the color isn’t pure.”
“Looks counterfeit at a glance. You can get it rechecked offline.”
There were many requests to join the stream, but Jiang Shu declined the new ones and took a small sip of warm milk.
“Wow, newcomer here. Do you get to keep the jewelry you appraise?”
“Why are there so many fakes today? Did you all buy from the same seller?”
“Can you show us some real treasures? The host might get upset soon.”
“Wuwuwu, I didn’t mean to tease you. I really bought a fake.”
“Host, is it even possible to buy genuine jewelry online?”
“Don’t buy recklessly. It’s better to shop offline for guaranteed authenticity,” Jiang Shu reminded.
She didn’t outright claim that those jewelry livestream sales were scams, only hinting at it. After all, impulsive purchases were common in live sales, and few might actually heed her advice.
Gift effects flashed across the livestream screen.
[Heartthrob Xiao Zhang] sent the host a Carnival.
[No Fakes Please] sent the host a Private Jet.
She stared for a few seconds. “Thank you… um, [Baili] for the Guanghan Palace.”
Livestreams focused on educational appraisals like this usually had a niche audience, and few viewers gave monetary gifts. Jiang Shu was an exception in this regard.
Though she never revealed her face, her ethereal voice alone won her many admirers. After all, a young woman with such a pleasant voice probably wasn’t bad-looking. More importantly, her professional expertise was solid, and she made a point of sincerely reading out the names of those who sent gifts, earning the goodwill of many in the chat.
Because—sincerity is the ultimate weapon.
The “Guanghan Palace” was a newly introduced gift on the platform, equivalent to about 5,000 RMB—a substantial amount.
Though she often received gifts, this was the first time someone had given such a large one.
Thanks to this 5,000 RMB gift, the viewer with the ID [Nanfang] quickly leveled up in her livestream room.
Jiang Shu felt a bit embarrassed. She hadn’t appraised anything for this viewer, nor did she possess the talents of other streamers. Accepting such a gift made her somewhat uneasy.
She proactively asked, “Is there anything I can help you with?” Since she couldn’t return the gift, she wouldn’t feel right keeping the money without offering something in return.
[Nanfang]: “Next time. Rest early today.”
It was completely dark outside, and it was indeed time to call it a day. She still had some external tasks to handle tomorrow.
Jiang Shu followed the user with the ID “Nanfang” to make sure she could find them later.
Over at the Xiang family villa, the lights were ablaze. A man with clear, handsome features sat cross-legged in gray pajamas beside a low table, staring blankly at the live stream that had just ended.
Recalling the girl’s clear, lively voice, his face remained expressionless, but a faint blush crept up the tips of his ears.
Next time,
There would be a next time…