Jiang Ji’s face turned completely red.
But this time it wasn’t entirely from embarrassment. His eyes were dark and intense, and he suddenly grabbed Su Qian’s wrist.
“Liar.”
Su Qian frowned. “How have I lied to you?”
Jiang Ji gritted his teeth. “You said you were going to pursue me, but this morning you not only didn’t bring me breakfast, you didn’t even like my Moments post.”
Su Qian suddenly understood.
So that was why Jiang Ji was angry?
She burst out laughing and took his hand.
“It’s my fault. I got up late today, and when I knocked on your door, no one answered. Then I happened to see your Moments post—you were working out. I was so happy that you let me see your Moments that I forgot to like it.”
Su Qian held up three fingers.
“I swear, from now on I’ll reply to your messages instantly, and I’ll be the first to like every Moments post you make, okay~”
But Jiang Ji didn’t believe her.
He pulled his hand away. “You know my door code. Why didn’t you come in this morning?”
“Because I was afraid you’d mistake me for a thief.”
“How could that happen?”
“Really?” Su Qian blinked. “What if your underwear went missing and you said I stole it?”
Jiang Ji’s face flushed. “Su Qian!”
He turned his head away. “A smooth player like you is all sweet talk. Anyway, I’m not going to fall for you.”
Su Qian: “?”
Did she really come across as a smooth player?
No—she had only learned all those flirting techniques in order to pursue Jiang Ji.
Su Qian explained, “I’ve really never pursued anyone before. You’re the first.”
Jiang Ji said through gritted teeth, “Liar.”
“Really.” Su Qian swore. “I’ve never chased anyone before. If I’m lying, may I get hit by a car when I step outside—”
Before she could finish, a hand covered her mouth.
Jiang Ji’s eyes darkened. “Su Qian, don’t you know about averting a prophecy?”
Su Qian froze, then smiled. “A-Ji, you really do care about me.”
“I don’t.” Jiang Ji said coldly. “I just don’t want to bear your karma.”
“Oh, oh. So I was flattering myself.”
Jiang Ji said nothing.
Then Su Qian remembered Xia Jie’s words.
—”Don’t wear rose-colored glasses. All men are the same. They only like the flirty type.”
Was that true?
She wasn’t sure.
Maybe she should test it?
With that thought, Su Qian took hold of the hand covering her mouth and pecked a kiss into his palm.
Instantly, Jiang Ji’s palm trembled.
She promptly pressed down the hand that was trying to pull away, then wrapped her arms around his and blinked up at him.
“What’s ‘averting a prophecy’? I don’t know about that. A-Ji, you can teach me slowly later, okay?”
Jiang Ji’s whole body went stiff.
There was hope.
Su Qian shifted her position, kneeling on the sofa with both knees.
She placed both hands on Jiang Ji’s legs and leaned her upper body toward him, her waist dipping slightly.
She had come straight over after work, still in her work clothes—a cream-white silk blouse paired with a dark gray pencil skirt.
The hem had originally sat just above her knees, professional and sharp.
But with her current movement, her knees bent and the skirt rode up considerably, outlining the smooth, lovely curve of her waist and hips.
“A-Ji, can I eat it?”
“E-eat what?”
Su Qian leaned in even closer, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
Beneath the collar of her beige silk blouse, a silver diamond-studded pendant dangled and swayed above her slender, snow-white collarbone.
Noticing Jiang Ji’s gaze, Su Qian leaned in, her voice soft and sweet.
“A-Ji, I came straight here to explain as soon as I got off work today. There’s nothing to eat at home—let’s go out for dinner tonight, okay?”
“You mean… dinner?”
“What else?”
“Nothing.”
“A-Ji, why is your face red?”
Su Qian curled her lips, her eyes narrowing like a fox’s, a hint of mischief glinting in them. “What did you think I meant by ‘eat’?”
“Nothing.”
“Really now…”
Su Qian sighed and lowered her head. “That’s such a blow to my ego. I was deliberately trying to make you think dirty thoughts just now, and yet here you are, perfectly fine, while I’m the one all nervous, heart pounding like crazy. Don’t believe me? Listen.”
With that, Su Qian took Jiang Ji’s large hand and let that burning palm rest against her chest.
Jiang Ji froze.
Through the thin fabric, he could feel every single beat of her heart, clear as day.
And yet, it was as if Jiang Ji couldn’t feel that frantic pounding at all.
There were only two words in his mind—
So soft.
His brow furrowed, and he yanked his hand away. His eyes were dark and heavy, like the surface of black water frozen over.
“Get out.”
Su Qian stared, stunned.
This was the first time Jiang Ji had ever used the word “get out.”
She silently sat up from the sofa, her mind a muddled mess, embarrassment and shame flooding up to her face all at once.
In the scenarios she’d rehearsed before coming over, when she seduced Jiang Ji, he would blush, or keep a straight face and tell her to stop fooling around.
Never once had she imagined he would tell her to get out.
Su Qian shuffled to the entryway, her limbs like a rusted robot—heavy and stiff.
She looked back. “Then… I’ll go now. Remember to eat.”
The only answer she got was the sound of Jiang Ji slamming a door.
He had gone back into his bedroom and shut the door hard.
Su Qian did not give up.
She didn’t love Jiang Ji.
She only wanted to make Su Luoluo suffer.
Rather than pursuing Jiang Ji, it was more like conquering him.
Su Qian went home, read a psychology book for a while, then took out her diary.
Tong Yue had once teased her: “Who even keeps a diary these days?”
Su Qian’s eyes flickered. She opened a new page and began writing, expressionless.
…
[Su Qian’s Diary]
Monday. Sunny.
I chatted up the same person again, again, and AGAIN. So embarrassing!
First time I saw him, he was a sporty young athlete.
Second time, a trendy fashion guy.
Third time, a cold, polished elite.
A different style every time we meet.
Is he a character from a dress-up game or what?
Oh, and I found out his name. It’s Jiang Ji. Such a nice-sounding name~
…
Tuesday. Cloudy.
Jiang Ji broke up with his ex-girlfriend.
I’m a little happy about it. Is that wrong?
…
Friday. Sunny.
A coworker told me today that guys like it when you’re flirty.
I figured Jiang Ji probably wouldn’t.
I tried. It didn’t work, just as expected.
Not only did he not like it—he told me to get out.
So humiliating. He denied my appeal as a woman. I should hate him for it, but what can I do? I still like him so much.
So much.
So, so, so much.
If only Jiang Ji could like me, even just a little.
…
As she wrote, Su Qian’s head began to feel heavy.
Maybe she really had caught a cold.
She got up and went to the medicine cabinet, wanting to mix a packet of cold medicine.
Only when she saw the empty shelf did she remember—she’d given all her medicine to Jiang Ji yesterday.
Su Qian returned to her desk and kept writing:
[I think I’ve caught a cold. My eyes sting a little.
That’s good, though.
That way A-Ji will recover faster.
I hope he gets better soon.]
…
After writing the final sentence, Su Qian closed the diary, her eyes devoid of emotion.
Only this time, she didn’t leave the diary in the study.
She brought it into the bedroom instead.
She placed it beside her pillow.
In a very conspicuous spot.
Then she opened a delivery app and ordered a large quantity of fever-reducing medicine.
There was a 24-hour pharmacy on the app, but she didn’t choose it. Instead, she scheduled delivery for tomorrow morning.
Delivery drivers couldn’t enter the residential compound directly—the security guard would take over and hand the package to the resident personally.
And the guard on duty tomorrow.
Just happened to be the same one who had helped carry Jiang Ji home last time.
With everything done, Su Qian habitually browsed her social media feed before bed.
Su Minghua had just posted an update.
It was a photo of their family of three at a show.
In the picture, Su Luoluo was dressed head to toe in luxury brands, young and beautiful.
At twenty-two, she was in the prime of her youth.
Yet she didn’t look happy.
Why was that?
Troubled by love, perhaps?
Su Qian had noticed that when Jiang Ji was just going to sleep, his phone lit up—a message from Su Luoluo, begging to get back together.
She regretted it. Regretted impulsively breaking up with him.
Su Qian didn’t dwell on it further.
She quietly closed her eyes and waited for tomorrow to come.