Jiang Zao expressionlessly pulled her wrist back and used her finger to straighten the watch. “Where else would it come from? Of course my fiancé gave it to me.”
Jiang Shan’s eyes turned red with jealousy.
They weren’t even married yet, and Brother-in-law Shuisheng had already given her a Longines watch. Judging by the style, it cost at least 150 yuan.
Why was Jiang Zao’s fate so good?
Why did she get Xiao Shuisheng?
It was getting late. Jiang Shan put on her chef’s hat, washed her hands, and went to work.
“Jiang Shan, what’s wrong with you? Still haven’t remembered the fermentation time for bread? Yesterday you wasted a whole batch of dough, and today you over-fermented it again. Do you even want to pass your probation?”
Qin Xuehua dragged Jiang Shan out of the fermentation room and scolded her harshly in front of everyone.
As the team leader, she had accepted a red envelope from Jiang Shan’s family and agreed to look after her.
But helping was one thing—she couldn’t risk her own position for it!
This idiot couldn’t even handle the simplest tasks. Qin Xuehua’s patience was wearing thin.
Jiang Shan bit her lip in humiliation. “Sorry, it won’t happen again.”
The fire of jealousy burned stronger in her heart. She couldn’t stop glancing at Jiang Zao’s wrist.
For convenience at work, Jiang Zao had tucked her watch into her pocket. Jiang Shan saw nothing.
The watch chosen personally by Brother-in-law Shuisheng… carrying his scent…
Why, why?!
Why couldn’t that watch be hers?!
A vicious gleam appeared in Jiang Shan’s eyes. If she couldn’t have it, she would destroy it. It wasn’t her fault for being ruthless—if anything, it was Jiang Zao’s fault for flaunting it.
At lunchtime, Jiang Zao put the watch back on.
She had just sat down with her lunchbox when, from the corner of her eye, she saw Jiang Shan approaching from behind with a cup, her gaze cold and sinister.
Jiang Zao lowered her head and ate, but every nerve in her body was alert.
Seeing Jiang Zao off guard, Jiang Shan tightened her grip on the cup and aimed it at Jiang Zao’s left wrist.
If she poured it, the watch would be ruined by water.
A watch worth over a hundred yuan breaking right after she got it—how wasteful Jiang Zao would look. Brother-in-law Shuisheng would surely be angry.
Heh…
The cup was filled with boiling water. Not only would the watch be ruined, Jiang Zao’s wrist would be scalded, leaving large scars.
Just thinking about it made her want to scream.
Jiang Shan stopped about a meter behind Jiang Zao.
Chang Sanxi, carrying her lunchbox, came over to eat with Jiang Zao. Seeing Jiang Shan’s twisted expression, she sensed something was wrong and was about to warn her.
Jiang Shan tilted the cup forward—the water about to spill—
But suddenly, Jiang Zao stood up, turned around, grabbed the cup on the table, and splashed its contents straight onto Jiang Shan’s face.
The warm water hit her unexpectedly. Jiang Shan shut her eyes and raised her hands to shield herself, forgetting she still held her own cup. It slipped from her grasp, and the boiling water poured all over her body.
Scalded, Jiang Shan jumped around, clutching her clothes and screaming.
“My eyes—ah!”
“My chest—it’s so hot, it hurts!”
“Jiang Zao, you’re so vicious! You used hot water on me!”
Holding her empty cup, Jiang Zao smiled lightly. “What are you talking about? My cup had warm water. You were burned by your own cup—how is that my fault?”
Seeing Jiang Zao had already been prepared, Chang Sanxi let out a breath of relief and immediately exposed Jiang Shan’s lie. “Of course it’s not your fault. I saw it clearly—Jiang Shan was trying to pour water on your watch. Luckily you stood up in time, or you’d be the one burned.”
The water that splashed into Jiang Shan’s eyes wasn’t serious and quickly subsided. The real pain was where the boiling water had hit her chest.
She grabbed her clothes, breathing heavily, her hair sticking to her face as she glared at Jiang Zao.
“Chang Sanxi, don’t stir trouble. I just came to talk to my sister—who said I wanted to splash her?”
Knowing she couldn’t win with Chang Sanxi there, Jiang Shan shot them a vicious look, then went to Qin Xuehua to ask for leave so she could change clothes, clutching her chest as she left.
Chang Sanxi placed her lunchbox beside Jiang Zao, mopped the floor clean, and sat down to eat.
She winked at Jiang Zao. “Looks like you’re not as harmless as you seem. That’s how it should be. Jiang Shan has a crooked mind—you need to stay on guard.”
Jiang Zao swallowed a mouthful of egg fried rice—fragrant, slightly crispy, each grain coated in oil.
“Don’t worry. I’m always on guard against her.”
Under the blazing sun, Jiang Shan walked home with a gloomy face.
Lost in anger, she didn’t watch the road or hear the ringing bicycle bell at the corner.
A sturdy bicycle rushed out. The man kept ringing the bell. Normally, pedestrians would stop and let it pass.
But Jiang Shan suddenly stepped out.
Just as he was about to hit her, the man quickly turned the handlebars, brushing past her—but she was still struck and fell to the ground.
Her palm scraped against a stone, tearing the skin. She cried out in pain.
The man hurriedly stopped his bicycle and ran over. “Miss, are you alright?”
Jiang Shan was about to curse, but when she looked up, she saw a face somewhat resembling Xiao Shuisheng.
The man looked mature, around thirty, wearing a white shirt and light-colored trousers, with a wristwatch on his arm. He appeared refined and handsome, looking at her with concern.
The words of anger stuck in her throat. “I’m fine.”
Xiao Mingsheng sighed in relief. “My apologies. Let me help you up.”
Jiang Shan nodded shyly.
He wasn’t as handsome as Brother-in-law Shuisheng, but he resembled him—and that made him attractive enough.
She placed her hand on his arm, pretending her leg was weak.
“Oh—”
“Sorry, I think I twisted my ankle.”
She leaned into his arms, blushing. “I didn’t mean to bump into you. My ankle hurts too much.”
Xiao Mingsheng glanced thoughtfully at her ankle. “I’m a surgeon at the county hospital. Let me take a look.”
Jiang Shan nodded, blushing, and limped with him to a nearby stone under a tree.
She sat down and lifted her skirt to her knees, revealing her slender ankle. It wasn’t twisted—just scraped.
Xiao Mingsheng examined it briefly. “There’s no swelling, no damage to the bones or tendons. I’m sorry about earlier—it was my fault. The hospital is nearby. Let me take you there to apply some medicine.”
Jiang Shan was frustrated she couldn’t have Xiao Shuisheng, and unwilling to settle for an ordinary man with average looks and background.
She was quite satisfied with this man and wanted to get closer to him.
Her damp clothing faintly revealed the white undergarment beneath. In a soft, coquettish tone, she said, “Sorry to trouble you, big brother~”