Сhарtеr 5: We Don’t Listеn tо Dоg Ваrks, Okay?
Whеthеr it was beсause thе оthеr раrtу was tоо сlоse or thе fervor in their eуеs, Ji Tingсhаn fеlt аn inеxрliсаble sensе оf discоmfort.
Very fеw pеople аpрroасhed her withоut malice.
“Ноlу сrap! Ноlу сrap! Нolу craр! She’s so bеautiful!”
Thе girl’s delicatе, оvаl-shaреd face wаs fair аnd smоoth, with elеgant, crеscеnt-shарed еyebrоws and beаutiful реach-blossom eyes that sееmed slightly dazed. Неr thick eyеlаshes resembled two small fans, and her crimson lips were slightly pursed.
“Tsk tsk tsk, this is what a sculpted face looks like! With such a delicate little wife, the male lead should be secretly delighted! If he dares to mistreat her, I’ll kneel down and beg for mercy on her behalf!”
“Wah, I’m so envious! Goddess Nuwa, I’ve always been kind, friendly, and warm-hearted. I’ve never cursed at anyone, let alone laid a hand on anyone! Please let me have this face in my next life!”
Jiang Zhengzheng continued her prayer-like monologue, her eyes glued to Ji Tingchan’s face as if nailed there, unable to look away.
Never laid a hand on anyone?
Ji Tingchan glanced at the girls across from her who were still pulling each other’s hair because of someone, and couldn’t help but feel a hint of amusement.
“Stop it, all of you! Get away!” The girl called Qianxi, seeing the scene before her, slammed her compact powder down hard, furious to the extreme.
“What are you all doing? Instead of going after Ji Tingchan, you’re fighting among yourselves? Are you insane?!”
“Come on, Xia Qian, aren’t you the one who hates her the most? Stop pretending to touch up your makeup—you just don’t want to get your hands dirty! So it’s always us who do the dirty work while you maintain your high-and-mighty, kind-hearted, good-student image, huh?”
A girl with disheveled hair who had just finished fighting retorted angrily.
She couldn’t take it anymore. Xia Qian, relying on her family’s wealth, had been subtly hinting at them to do this and that at school, treating them like maids. The recent fight had pushed her over the edge, making her lose her composure and speak her mind.
But the moment the words left her mouth, the girl felt a wave of regret, silently cursing herself for being irrational.
What? “Always”? This is infuriating! How long has the female lead been bullied by these nobodies?
Jiang Zhengzheng seized on the key point in her words. The thought of such a beautiful and well-behaved female lead being bullied made her anger flare up instantly.
“Li Zhen, do you have the guts to repeat what you just said?” Xia Qian approached the girl with a smile, but her eyes were filled with icy coldness.
The surrounding girls stopped their actions, staring blankly at the scene before them, not daring to make a sound.
“Ji Tingchan, that bitch, is at least an unloved child from a wealthy family. I can bully her a little if I feel like it, but you? You’re nothing but an ant. With just a snap of our family’s fingers, you—and your entire family—will disappear from Shangjing City!”
“You’re the bitch! Your whole family are bitches!”
Jiang Zhengzheng yelled angrily in Xia Qian’s direction. Realizing the other couldn’t hear her, she felt a bit deflated.
“Chanchan~ We don’t listen to dog barks, okay!”
Even though she knew no one could hear her voice, Jiang Zhengzheng, fearing Ji Tingchan might be unhappy, instinctively leaned closer to her face and advised:
“Chanchan, baby, she’s just a crazy woman! Don’t pay any attention to her~”
Ji Tingchan was slightly taken aback. It had been a long, long time since anyone had spoken to her in such a gentle tone.
Apart from her late mother, who used to call her by her nickname, only the female ghost before her had ever called her “Chanchan.”Xia Qian cast a disdainful glance at the distracted Ji Tingchan not far away, sneered coldly, then leisurely took a lighter from her bag.
With a flick, the flame leaped up. She pulled Li Zhen’s head close and used the flame to set her messy hair ends on fire.
“Ahhh!” Li Zhen trembled with fear all over. The moment Xia Qian released her, she knelt on the ground, begging for forgiveness while patting out the flames on her hair ends.
“She’s done for! She’s done for! She’s playing with fire—she’ll definitely wet the bed tonight!”
Jiang Zhengzheng pointed at Xia Qian, gleefully gloating to Ji Tingchan.
This ghost… is quite cute.
Watching her childish antics, Ji Tingchan thought to herself.
“Ji Tingchan, it’s your turn now.”
As Xia Qian crossed her arms and walked toward Ji Tingchan, the targeted Ji Tingchan showed no worry at all. Instead, she coolly watched the approaching figure, discreetly slipping a small blade from her sleeve into her palm.
“Don’t worry, Chanchan baby! Big sister will protect you! I won’t let this bully hurt you!”
Jiang Zhengzheng rolled up her nonexistent sleeves and charged forward.
Hearing this, Ji Tingchan’s gaze faltered for a moment.
Jiang Zhengzheng swiftly floated behind Xia Qian and kicked the back of her knee hard.
No mercy for bullies.
“Ahhh!”
In pain, Xia Qian fell to her knees, right in front of Ji Tingchan, who watched coldly.
“Pfft!”
“Don’t laugh, or you’ll be next!”
The girls standing nearby whispered among themselves.
Xia Qian felt utterly humiliated by the surrounding chatter. She had no idea why the back of her knee had suddenly hurt so much.
“Shut up, all of you!”
Her shout silenced everyone around.
“Are you feeling smug, Ji Tingchan?”
Xia Qian spoke as she tried to stand up.
“Think again—you’ll have to ask your daddy for permission first!”
Jiang Zhengzheng pressed Xia Qian’s head to the ground.
Instantly, the sound of knocking heads and Xia Qian’s screams reached everyone’s ears.
“Oh my god! Why is Qianxi kowtowing to Ji Tingchan?”
“Yeah, doesn’t she hate Ji Tingchan?”
“This is so weird, not like Qianxi at all. Is she possessed?”
Hearing this, Jiang Zhengzheng released Xia Qian and stood aside, laughing uncontrollably.
Ji Tingchan, meanwhile, was puzzled—why was this ghost helping her?
After giving Jiang Zhengzheng a deep look, Ji Tingchan turned and walked away.
She thought Jiang Zhengzheng must be a lonely ghost wandering near the bridge, kindly lending a hand.
Perhaps next time, she could bring some offerings for her to eat.