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Join the ServerAfter Jiang Yi’s words fell, there was a brief silence in the air.
Lin Zhiyan’s heart skipped a beat.
Ambiguity was a wonderful thing. It meant that anything that happened could be blamed on the atmosphere. But taking another step forward involved responsibility; taking a step back involved relationships—especially with someone like Jiang Yi.
Him, Lu Weixi, even Zephy… fundamentally, they were people who already possessed power. They were completely different from people like Le Mans and Li Siheng, who lived under the protection of power.
No matter which direction she moved, it wouldn’t be appropriate.
Lin Zhiyan’s mind raced for a long time. She glanced at Jiang Yi. His expression hadn’t changed much, so she pretended not to notice anything either and smiled.
“Thanks for the reminder, but it isn’t important.”
“When I first met him, he was just an ordinary person in my eyes. So now, naturally, I can accept that he’s still an ordinary person.”
Her gaze rested on Jiang Yi as she joked, “And besides, I can live my own life just fine.”
Something flickered in Jiang Yi’s eyes.
“So that’s how you think. It suits your personality.”
He continued, “No matter what kind of situation you’re in, you always seem to think it’s not so bad.”
“Otherwise?”
Lin Zhiyan raised an eyebrow, then leaned forward and stretched out her hand in front of him.
“You want me to be like this instead? ‘Please have mercy on me! My life is so hard! I’m so miserable! I can’t go on anymore!'”
She laughed and brushed the topic away with a few words.
“Wouldn’t that just make me seem even more pitiful?”
Jiang Yi’s brows shifted slightly.
Lowering his eyes, he caught the faint scent of mint and nicotine again.
The hand was about to withdraw, but his own moved first, wrapping around her wrist.
Lin Zhiyan’s eyes darted around rapidly, but her expression remained unchanged.
“What? Going to read my palm?”
Jiang Yi’s hand was the complete opposite of his face—warm, dry, and lean. The calluses from firearms training and the strength in his grip enclosed her wrist.
His fingers slowly tightened.
His dark eyes fixed deeply on her.
“Mm.”
Damn it, why are you playing along?!
Lin Zhiyan was utterly stunned but kept smiling.
“So what do you see?”
“Your nails are trimmed regularly. There are no obvious calluses on your palms. The calluses on your thumb, index finger, and middle finger indicate years of writing.”
“Your skin is slightly pale. Your body temperature is lower than average. There are signs of anemia and malnutrition.”
Jiang Yi lowered his head, carefully examining her fingers without looking at her face.
After a pause, he continued.
“There are faint traces of smoke staining. You have a habit of smoking.”
“There are traces of orange residue on your fingertips. There’s a high probability you ate something similarly colored today.”
Even he wasn’t sure why he was saying all this.
Perhaps he simply wanted an excuse to openly study her hand.
Or perhaps…
To hold her slender wrist and savor that brief touch.
But excuses only lasted so long.
Lin Zhiyan pulled her hand back.
Jiang Yi’s eyes followed it automatically before shifting to her face.
Lin Zhiyan: “…”
He looked a bit like a dog waiting to have its head patted.
She suddenly felt speechless.
After all, some dogs would consider even a slap to the face a form of affection.
All she could do was shake her wrist and say,
“Then guess what I ate.”
Jiang Yi was still staring at her wrist.
His grip had been a little too strong, leaving a faint pink ring around it.
The mark faded quickly.
Only then did he seem to come back to himself.
“Maybe carrots?”
This time Lin Zhiyan was genuinely surprised.
“It was. You can figure that out too?”
Now it was Jiang Yi’s turn to be surprised.
He had only guessed randomly.
After a moment, he replied,
“Of course.”
Lin Zhiyan blinked.
“…What?”
Jiang Yi smiled faintly but said nothing.
At that moment, a dining cart arrived.
One dish after another was placed on the table.
The slightly strange atmosphere between them dispersed, leaving only the gentle sounds of knives and forks touching plates.
Jiang Yi only ate a few bites.
Food had never mattered much to him. Most of the time, he simply relied on nutritional solutions designed for his body.
Lin Zhiyan, however, ate seriously and attentively.
A faint satisfaction appeared on her face, and her lips gleamed from the food.
Jiang Yi took a sip of water and looked away.
He thought:
Her conclusion had been correct.
A restaurant truly was a manifestation of desire.
Whether it was hers…
Or his.
The meal gradually came to an end.
Dessert arrived.
A beautiful cherry ice cream sat between them, carrying the fragrance of vanilla and fruit liqueur.
Jiang Yi checked the time.
“The parking garage is undergoing system maintenance. It may take a while before we can retrieve the car.”
He continued,
“Want to take a walk and digest? The courtyard isn’t large, but the scenery is nice at night.”
Brother, you’d better not suddenly say something like, ‘Lin Zhiyan, would you like to be my woman?’
No, wait. People in your circle don’t say that.
More like: ‘Lin Zhiyan, would you like to become one of my followers?’
Actually… ‘Would you like to follow me?’
This is so annoying.
Interacting with these Celestial Dragons is like working overtime. While trying to get them to do things for you, you constantly have to stay alert in case they suddenly cross some line.
Lin Zhiyan thought for a moment.
Then she smiled.
“Sure.”
After a pause, she called a waiter over.
“Could you help us split the ice cream?”
She looked at Jiang Yi.
“I want to share it with him.”
Jiang Yi was slightly surprised.
Thinking she was worried he hadn’t eaten much, he said,
“I normally don’t eat very much.”
Lin Zhiyan smiled.
“It’s not like I can finish a whole ice cream by myself.”
“I’m already full, but it looks so good.”
Jiang Yi lowered his eyes.
His expression softened.
“Alright.”
Not long afterward, they left the restaurant.
The night had grown deeper.
The air carried a hint of chill.
Trees rustled gently in the breeze.
Floating lamps hung overhead like fireflies, giving the path a warm atmosphere.
They walked along the trail, maintaining a distance of one or two steps.
Lin Zhiyan absentmindedly scooped at her ice cream.
She had barely eaten a few spoonfuls before Jiang Yi expressionlessly consumed mountain-sized scoops one after another.
She stared at him.
“Don’t your teeth freeze?”
Jiang Yi nodded.
“They do.”
“Then why are you eating so fast?”
She couldn’t help laughing.
Jiang Yi didn’t answer.
The warm yellow lights softened his handsome features.
Lin Zhiyan didn’t press further.
She scooped up another spoonful.
The peaches, cherries, and ice cream mixed together, bursting with fresh juice.
She felt pleasantly satisfied.
The alcohol in the dessert slid coolly down her throat before warming her stomach.
She moved her lips, about to look for a napkin.
Then a beautifully patterned cup appeared in front of her.
Looking up, she found Jiang Yi bending slightly toward her.
Holding the cup.
Watching her.
Even in casual clothes, he still carried the aloofness of someone born above everyone else.
Yet now he was leaning toward her, holding the cup at her lips.
Lin Zhiyan lowered her head and spat the fruit pit into it.
Jiang Yi stood with the lights behind him.
His dark eyes seemed even deeper.
His gaze swept briefly across her lips, stained red from fruit juice and white cream.
His expression remained calm and cold.
The next moment, she looked up.
Their eyes met.
Jiang Yi looked like an insect burned by fire.
His gaze immediately flew elsewhere.
Lin Zhiyan seemed completely unaware.
Taking the cup from his hand, she said,
“Thanks. I’ll hold it myself.”
“Otherwise, if someone sees this, they’ll think I’ve been sentenced to death and you’re giving me hospice care before the execution.”
The same lazy joking tone.
Jiang Yi couldn’t tell whether she genuinely hadn’t noticed his intentions…
Or had noticed and was rejecting them gently.
Either way, it didn’t matter.
At least tonight, he didn’t want to overthink everything.
“There won’t be any information leaks.”
“You can relax.”
Only after speaking did he realize his voice sounded hoarse.
Thicker than usual.
Lin Zhiyan looked puzzled.
“What’s wrong with you?”
Then realization dawned on her.
“Oh, right. This ice cream contains alcohol.”
“Are you drunk?”
Jiang Yi stared blankly for a moment.
“It contains alcohol?”
“You couldn’t taste it?”
Lin Zhiyan was genuinely curious.
“My sense of taste is… relatively dull.”
He paused unnaturally before looking at her.
“Are you alright?”
“My alcohol tolerance is pretty good.”
Lin Zhiyan continued eating.
“Actually, it used to be terrible.”
“But there was a period when I was under a lot of pressure and constantly suffered from insomnia.”
“So I started drinking.”
She sighed.
“At first, a few drinks would help me sleep.”
“Later, I needed several bottles.”
Jiang Yi’s eyes trembled.
“And now?”
They happened to be standing beneath a floating lamp.
He could clearly see the faint blush on her cheeks.
Her eyes curved into crescents.
“Now my sleep quality is pretty good.”
“Sometimes when I can’t sleep, I call someone and chat for a while.”
Who does she talk to before bed?
The answer was obvious.
Jiang Yi’s heart, already unsettled from the alcohol, suddenly stopped.
Then began pounding again.
His temples throbbed.
His mouth felt dry.
Even his saliva tasted bitter.
Only then did he realize:
He really was drunk.
Otherwise…
Why did he feel so irritated and angry?
Why did he feel disappointed?
Jiang Yi said,
“Sounds like Li Siheng serves the same purpose as alcohol.”
Lin Zhiyan looked at him.
“What does that mean?”
“Other than helping people escape reality temporarily, it doesn’t do much.”
Jiang Yi was clearly drunk now.
His words lost all restraint, reverting to his usual arrogance.
“It can’t change anything.”
“It only provides cheap and distant comfort.”
“And sometimes the damage outweighs the happiness.”
He smiled and looked at her.
“You can tell me you rejected all his help because that’s how you prefer things.”
“But from what I can see…”
“All I see is his incompetence.”
You can think that.
But you’re not allowed to say it!
Lin Zhiyan instantly switched into protective-wife mode and used the opportunity to attack.
Her expression turned cold.
“That’s enough.”
“My relationship with him isn’t something you should comment on.”
“Thank you for tonight’s dinner.”
“It was delicious.”
“I’m leaving.”
She turned away angrily.
But Jiang Yi grabbed her wrist.
His expression remained cold.
A faint blush lingered on his face and ears.
His voice carried a slight nasal tone.
“Then tell me.”
“Are you really satisfied with your current life?”
“Or are you simply unable to face the fact that he’s useless?”
“A capable person shouldn’t let you live in a place like that.”
“They wouldn’t let Zephy or Lu Weixi trouble you.”
“They wouldn’t leave you eating bread for meals.”
“So what?”
Lin Zhiyan tried to shake off his hand but couldn’t.
“And who are you to decide what I need?”
“You can criticize Li Siheng all you want.”
“You can think whatever you want about him.”
“But you don’t get to belittle him in front of me.”
Her eyes remained calm.
Her voice lowered.
“At most, we were teacher and student before.”
“Now we’re barely friends who have met a few times.”
“Nothing more.”
The moment those words landed, strength vanished from Jiang Yi’s hand.
He lowered his eyes.
After a long silence, he said,
“I’m sorry.”
Lin Zhiyan didn’t answer.
“I drank too much.”
“I didn’t mean anything else.”
His lips parted slightly.
In the end, all he could say was:
“I just think you deserve more.”
Lin Zhiyan gave him a way out.
“I know.”
“Maybe you’re speaking up for me as an outsider.”
“But I’m sorry.”
“My life doesn’t need anyone else’s judgment or pity.”
“Let’s leave it at that.”
She paused.
“Still, thank you.”
“I really enjoyed dinner tonight.”
Jiang Yi curled his fingers.
After several seconds, he said,
“I’m glad.”
“I’ll take you home.”
Lin Zhiyan shook her head.
“No need. I’ll call a car.”
“Are you still angry?”
His voice sounded strained.
But she simply exhaled and said,
“You just admitted you’re drunk.”
“Am I supposed to let you drive drunk?”
Jiang Yi felt as though his heart had been carried away by that breath.
“It’s fine.”
“The car can drive itself.”
Lin Zhiyan raised an eyebrow.
Her tone softened again, as though their argument had never happened.
“I’m worried…”
She didn’t finish.
Jiang Yi assumed she meant safety.
But since she left the sentence unfinished, he could imagine whatever ending he wanted.
In the end, he let the blank remain.
“Alright.”
“I’ll arrange for someone to drive you home.”
She nodded.
The parking garage wasn’t far away.
Neither of them spoke.
They walked in silence until they reached it.
A car rolled forward.
The driver opened the door.
Jiang Yi’s feet felt rooted to the ground.
Watching her get inside, he suddenly reached out and pressed a hand against the door.
Bending slightly, he stared into the car.
When exactly would tonight end?
At midnight?
But midnight had already passed.
At dawn?
Yet dawn refused to come.
Alcohol clouded Jiang Yi’s thoughts.
His gaze drifted.
From the hair pinned up with a ballpoint pen…
To his own blurry reflection in her glasses.
Then he found the answer.
The night would end…
The moment she closed the car door.
“I want to ask you something.”
He paused.
“Do you usually wear glasses?”
Lin Zhiyan blinked.
The polite refusal she had prepared nearly slipped out before she swallowed it.
She shook her head.
“They’re blue-light glasses.”
“I’ve been researching things all night.”
Jiang Yi smiled faintly.
“What about the ballpoint pen?”
“What ballpoint pen?”
She looked confused.
Jiang Yi raised a hand toward her ear.
She froze and leaned back slightly.
The next second—
he pulled out the pen.
Her black hair cascaded down instantly.
Only then did she realize.
“Oh.”
“I do that absentmindedly when I’m thinking.”
After answering, her heart started pounding.
What exactly is he trying to do?!
Jiang Yi nodded.
Then he took out his wallet.
Holding the pen, he appeared to write something.
A minute later, he handed her a card with a password written on it.
Lin Zhiyan was completely bewildered.
“What is this?”
“A… nameless authorization card.”
His speech was slightly uneven from the alcohol.
“All purchases will be charged to my account.”
“It works throughout several cities in the Central District.”
“There won’t be any records.”
Holy crap.
Benefits like this exist?!
If I’d known earlier, I’d have let him eat all the ice cream!
Joy exploded inside Lin Zhiyan.
Yet she frowned.
“That’s not appropriate.”
Jiang Yi shook his head.
A drunk person’s smile appeared on his face—slightly dazed but stubborn.
“This is recognition for your work helping me.”
“At the same time, it’s a subsidy and investment from a senior to a junior.”
“Your abilities are worth this small effort to win you over.”
Is this recruitment, or are you trying to use a small bait to catch a big fish? You know the answer yourself!
That was what Lin Zhiyan thought.
Outwardly, however, she looked deeply moved.
“Really?”
Jiang Yi nodded.
Straightening up, he grasped the door.
Then he began closing it.
But at the last second—
he opened it again.
The damp night air, carrying the scent of flowers, rushed into the car.
Brother, are you done yet?!
Lin Zhiyan was on the verge of collapse.
Yet Jiang Yi’s expression was serious.
His eyes were complicated.
Fixed firmly on her.
Her body stiffened.
Is it finally happening?!
“Lin Zhiyan.”
She looked up.
“What?”
His lips moved slightly.
“Your name…”
“It sounds beautiful.”
“I like it very much.”
Lin Zhiyan smiled.
“Thank you.”
Then she added,
“Your name is beautiful too.”
“‘Jiang’ to soar, and ‘Yi’ to shoot waterfowl and geese.”
“The person who named you must have hoped you’d succeed in everything.”
Brother, I’ve already gone full ancient-poetry maiden mode and quoted the Book of Songs.
Surely there’s no way you can continue this conversation now, right?
Lin Zhiyan was anxious.
Terrified he’d accidentally say something that crossed the line.
Yet Jiang Yi lowered his eyes thoughtfully.
Come on! If you don’t understand, just let me leave!
What are you thinking about?!
Then she saw it.
His expression became serious.
Ripples seemed to bloom in his dark eyes.
And he replied with a line of praise:
“You too…”
“Face as lovely as the shunhua flower.”
The next second, he finally shut the door.
“Travel safely.”
Lin Zhiyan: “…”
Now you want to be an ancient-style scholar too?
How did he even manage to answer that?!
She felt speechless.
Fortunately, the car slowly pulled away.
Jiang Yi’s figure receded into the distance.
Only then did she let out a long breath.
Taking out her terminal, she noticed several new messages from Lu Weixi.
[May I have your contact information?]
[This matter is urgent. Please contact me immediately when you see this.]
[I’m not a scammer. I really have something important to discuss.]
You’re not the scammer. I am.
The more Lin Zhiyan thought about it, the funnier it became.
She didn’t reply.
Right now, she wasn’t in the mood.
She just wanted to go home and sleep.
Acting through an entire production of “Absolutely Cannot Let Him Confess” with Jiang Yi tonight had been exhausting.
Leaning back in the seat, she closed her eyes.
Then suddenly sat upright.
Wait.
“Face as lovely as the shunhua flower”… where was that from again?
She searched it.
The source appeared almost immediately:
“A lady rides in the same carriage, her face like the shunhua flower.
Soaring and gliding, jade pendants ringing.”
Lin Zhiyan: “…”
In the line she had quoted, “soaring and gliding” referred to drawing a bow and taking aim.
But in this poem, it meant moving together, fast and slow, while jade ornaments chimed.
“…”
Damn it.
In a certain sense, he still secretly confessed!
Forget it.
She’d pretend she didn’t understand.
Lin Zhiyan felt utterly exhausted.
After returning home, she collapsed onto her bed, pulled the blanket over herself, and prepared to sleep.
Then suddenly—
her eyes snapped open.
Wait.
Jiang Yi stole her ballpoint pen!
Why are these Celestial Dragons all such thieves?!
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