The wet uniform jacket and shirt fell onto the carpet with a soft sound.
Jiang Si stood with his back to her, not far away. His tall figure cast a shadow under the bright crystal chandelier, and it fell right at her feet.
Xu Jingran quickly picked up the light yellow underwear.
Her fingers paused when they touched the lace edge.
The size fits perfectly.
So it really was planned in advance.
The clasp was hard to fasten. She tried twice before it clicked softly into place.
Jiang Si faced away from her, but in the frosted decorative mirror on the opposite wall he could see a blurry, slender reflection.
He turned the black obsidian ring on his finger without thinking. His cold amber eyes caught the image in the mirror.
When she raised her pale arms, the curve of her waist tightened.
When she lowered her head to fasten the clasp, the deep line along the center of her back showed.
And the faint dimples at her lower back…
“Do you need help?”
Jiang Si’s voice suddenly sounded behind her. He was closer than before. His voice was hoarse and restrained.
Xu Jingran paused slightly and quickly put on the shirt and uniform jacket.
“No.”
The size was a little tight. She barely closed the buttons at her chest.
The skirt was very short. When she adjusted it, she could feel that it only just covered her.
“I’m done,” Xu Jingran said softly, her voice a little breathless and nervous.
Only then did Jiang Si turn around.
His gaze moved from her wet hair downward.
The shirt he chose was tighter, clearly showing her shape.
His eyes moved lower, past her slim waist, and stopped at her straight, pale legs under the skirt. Because they had been wet, her skin had a soft shine under the light. There were still faint traces of water on her calves.
His throat moved slightly.
No one knew he liked legs.
Xu Jingran’s legs matched his preference perfectly.
“It fits well. I have good taste,” he said.
Xu Jingran lowered her eyes. Her thick eyelashes trembled like frightened butterfly wings, casting a small shadow.
Her hands had nowhere to rest, so she lightly held the sides of her skirt. Her knuckles turned slightly white.
“Thank you, Vice President,” she said softly, her tone gentle and grateful, with a hint of shyness.
[Don’t you think Xu Jingran looks too good? And she’s always bullied and got soaked—this is too much…]
[Jiang Si! Look at my eyes! Did you peek just now?]
[Who put the water there? Hard to guess. Jiang Si is clearly getting benefits for himself.]
[I don’t care about the female lead anymore. You two hurry up already!]
[Our female lead has better chemistry with the male leads. It will be explosive when they meet.]
[Xu Jingran, stop pretending. She just got thirty thousand and still wants more.]
[To be fair, that money should have been Xu Jingran’s. She really ranked first.]
[Jiang Si is satisfied, but I’m not. I wish I were him…]
Jiang Si lifted a strand of her wet hair with his finger. “Your hair is still wet…”
Xu Jingran’s body trembled slightly, but she did not step back.
She looked up and asked in confusion,
“Vice President, I don’t understand. I ranked first, but I didn’t get the scholarship.
Usually the scholarship goes to the top ten students. I don’t understand why this time…”
Jiang Si took a clean towel and dried her wet hair. His tone was lazy.
“There’s no choice. The new special-admission student is poorer than you, so the money was given to her.”
“This was a decision made by the student council. Lu Ran was there too.”
Jiang Si narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze playful.
Xu Jingran asked, “How poor is she? My dad died when I was three.”
Jiang Si paused his fingers. “Her father had brain cancer, her mother is disabled, she has a gambling-addicted older brother and a younger brother in elementary school.”
Xu Jingran let out a quiet “oh,” her voice full of sadness.
“So I really can’t compare. My parents and grandfather passed away, and at home, there’s only my sick grandmother, who’s eighty, and my three-year-old brother.”
Jiang Si’s heart felt a sharp sting, and he stopped drying her hair.
His eyes fell on her lowered lashes. Her shoulders trembled slightly, like a little bird shivering in the cold wind.
My father died early, grandfather passed away, my grandmother, three-year-old brother…
“Is that so?” He actually felt a little uneasy.
“The scholarship list has already been announced. Changing it would be complicated.”
He forced himself to look away from her legs under the short skirt, still glistening from the water.
Opening a drawer, he took out a file. “Considering your special situation, I applied for an extra targeted scholarship for you. The amount is the same, just under a different name.”
He opened the file and handed her a pen. “Just sign here. This is specially approved and doesn’t need other student council members’ consent.”
His fingers brushed over her hand, and he controlled his desire.
“Really? Won’t it be too much trouble?” Xu Jingran asked, her voice full of gratitude.
“No trouble. Once I propose it, it’s done. There are just a few conditions,” Jiang Si said lightly, winking at her.
“You will need to report your studies and daily life to me regularly, to make sure the money is used properly. You’ll also need to move dorms and keep this special privilege a secret.”
Xu Jingran smiled to herself. So that’s what they were waiting for.
The map of Yan Kingdom was too short.
The dagger emerges at the end of the map.
Xu Jingran didn’t mind playing emotional games with these nobles.
As long as there was a benefit, it was fine.
Who is the hunter and who is the prey would only be revealed in the end.
Still grateful and unaware, Xu Jingran signed the paper. A bit of trust and reliance shone in her eyes.
“Thank you, Jiang Lijin.”
Jiang Si’s confident smile froze, his handsome face twisted slightly in anger.
Many people had mistaken him for his brother, but he had never been this angry!
He pulled back the signed file, lifted her chin with the pen, his smile not reaching his eyes.
“Xu Jingran, I am Jiang Si.”
Xu Jingran blushed and looked down.
“Ah, sorry, Jiang Si.”
“You two look too much alike. I couldn’t tell the difference.”
Jiang Si’s anger eased a little. “It’s okay. Many people mistake us for each other.”
“Will you tell Lu Ran about this?”
He guided her gently: “Lu Ran said you don’t need money, so when the replacement was chosen, we all voted in favor.”
Xu Jingran’s face went pale. She bit her pink lips.
“I see. Ah Ran has given me a lot of living expenses. He probably wants the money to go to someone who needs it more. I won’t tell him about this.”
She looked up. “Thank you, Jiang Si. I’m glad you were here.”
Her sparkling eyes showed trust and happiness, shining like stars.
Jiang Si’s heart raced faster and faster.
“Rest for a while. I need to handle something,” Jiang Si said, his tongue brushing over a slightly sharp left tooth. If he stayed longer, he would not resist kissing her.
The game had just started. He couldn’t reveal all his cards so early.
The door closed.
Xu Jingran kept her grateful, trusting smile, but her eyes casually scanned the corner camera.
She smiled softly at the red dot on the monitor.
Jiang Lijin… are you satisfied?