Chapter Four: Jiao Jiao, You Wouldn’t Want to be Forced into an Engagement Either, Right? (1/2)
Was that string of text a novel title? Or just garbled characters?
Wen Zhijiao couldn’t help but dwell on it, her heart still racing from the unsettling dream. Just as she took a deep breath to ease herself, her throat seemed to ache. Suddenly, she had a bad premonition. With a sense of unease, she swallowed quietly. The next second, she found herself struggling, feeling a sharp pain piercing her throat.
….She caught a cold?
That wild dream must have probably caused her illness to trigger—or perhaps it was also because of the madman lying next to her, frightening her out of her wits again last night. She hadn’t even had a proper sleep for years! Why on earth does fate keep tormenting her like this?
Wen Zhijiao was feeling a little frustrated as she turned to Jiang Yuancheng’s direction. Compared to her, he was sleeping soundly with dark bags beneath his eyes, his black hair spilling all over the pillow. Even though he looked completely exhausted, his mixed-race features still managed to make his skin look healthy and smooth as a marble. However, this also made him naturally appear cold and indifferent, even in his resting state.
For a moment, her breathing quickened. Lowering her eyes, she tried to search Jiang Yuancheng’s arm under the quilt. It took awhile before she managed to get a grip of it; and once she did manage to find his arm, she immediately pinched it. However, just as her fingers dug into his skin, a sharp pain surged up her back. It was as if she got pulled back into that crazy dream again, the smell of gasoline overwhelming her senses. She could also feel the accompanying smoke drowning her in, choking her with its searing heat.
While the sensation did vanish in an instant, it was still enough to frighten Wen Zhijiao. Her eyes widened, and she instinctively tried to pull her hand away. But in the next moment, she found her wrist being wrapped by a cold force.
At the touch, Wen Zhijiao’s body jerked. Suddenly, she was like a startled cat whose fur had suddenly stood on its end. She was trembling for a moment, only stopping when she realized a few seconds later that it was only Jiang Yuancheng. She couldn’t tell when he had woken up, but he was still lying down when she turned to him, his gray eyes noticeably hazy.
There was a frown on his face. “What’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?”
Wen Zhijiao shifted her gaze elsewhere. Her voice had turned small as she also only echoed the question back to him, “Why are you still awake? Did you have a nightmare?”
Jiang Yuancheng tilted his head back, the green veins in his neck becoming more pronounced in the morning light, while his voice, on the other hand, still carried a trace of hoarseness to it. “Well, you pinched me awake.”
Wen Zhijiao: “…”
She didn’t reply to that. Instead, she suddenly leaned in and gently stroked his cheeks while softly whispering, “I just wanted to see if you were still sleeping fine. Anyway, you can go back to rest now. Have a nice sleep.”
“You’ve caught a cold.” Jiang Yuancheng was not listening to her words at all, as he had immediately perceived a key difference in her voice. However, before he could even say something more, she gently brushed his hair aside and cut him off with a soft, soothing tone. “You were so exhausted last night. How about you go and rest well today, even if it’s just for me? Okay?”
He hesitated at first. Eventually though, he decided to open his mouth and simply replied with a “Mmm.”
Wen Zhijiao breathed out a sigh of relief. Just as she was about to get up though, Jiang Yuancheng suddenly wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his arms, making her slightly curl up against his chest. Amidst his embrace, she could almost feel the steady beating of the heart in his chest. Trying to shift her head away, he immediately held it still, gently cradling it. Being imprisoned by him like this, she couldn’t help but feel a little drowsy.
By the time she woke up again, it was almost noon. Jiang Yuancheng had already left, and the room that was once chaotic and messy had now been carefully tidied up.
Wen Zhijiao was still holding her head when she got out of bed and walked her way toward the bathroom. Still groggy, she thought about the burning sensation and that strange dream. It was so strange. Was it all just an illusion? But everything had felt too real, especially the words that she had seen in her dream—Xinpu Road. She remembered that there was a commercial street in City A that goes by that name. It was also connected to the upscale Tingfei Street in the city center.
Based on her observations, the car accident that she had witnessed in her dream seemed to be described in a book. The only difference was that its title had been obscured by asterisks and chains, much like a locked web novel. Could it be that she had read so many novels to escape reality that her brain was finally malfunctioning? Was the car accident that she had seen just a part of a narrative?
Wen Zhijiao was absorbed in her thoughts for a few seconds. She then reached out for her phone to search for answers. But just as she did, she suddenly felt her head starting to ache again.
Wait, what does it mean by Total Temptation? Could it be that Total here was referring to the word CEO1the character 总 (zǒng) means total or general. But 总 can also be used as an abbreviation for CEO because the characters used for CEO is 总裁 (zǒng cái).? The CEO’s Temptation? The CEO’s Wife’s Temptation? The CEO…
“Could it be those stories about resisting temptation? Always being tempted? This should be one of those CEO novels, right?”
She scratched her disheveled, fluffy curls while typing in the keywords: Xinpu Road car accident, novel, CEO story.
【First and Exclusive Release on Mouqie: 《Letting Me Eat Soft Rice2让我吃软饭 (ràng wǒ chī ruǎnfàn) literally translates to “let me eat soft rice,” but it’s a slang phrase in Chinese that means “living off a woman” or “being financially supported by a woman.”? I’ll Just Buy Xinpu Road and Tingfei Street Instead!》Author: XXX. Content Summary: While working as a migrant worker on Xinpu Road, I got involved in a car accident, and then suddenly…】
【First and Exclusive Release on Moudian: 《Conquering City A by Starting to Work as a Security Guard for the Wealthy Women of Xinpu Road》Author: XXX. Content Summary: Once I am reborn, I will definitely…】
【 [The prosperity and vibrancy of City A has never really appealed to me. I’ve always felt like a ghost in this bustling metropolis, drifting aimlessly, carelessly. But then a car accident suddenly happened, changing everything. I unexpectedly found myself crossing paths with the CEO of my life…] Source: Jiang Yuancheng Fan Club】
…Wait, what?
Jiang Yuancheng actually has fans?
Wen Zhijiao stared at the phone in shock, her eyes wide as she immediately clicked on the third link in disbelief.
【The Jiang Yuancheng Fan Club is a discussion forum dedicated to the devoted fans of Jiang Yuancheng (One of the shareholders of Meijie Liuju International Bank and current chairman of Jiang Industrial Group. He is also currently involved with Huayue Technology… [Expand])】
Wen Zhijiao: “…”
How does someone like him even have fans?!
From the newfound discovery, she couldn’t help but disdainfully squeeze her phone with two fingers. Carefully turning off the screen, she tossed her phone onto the table beside her. Finding that novel might prove too challenging for her, but perhaps the answer itself lies on Xinpu Road. Maybe she only had to take a trip to Xinpu Road to be able to check it out?
It was clearly just a dream, and yet some instinct seemed to compel her to take action.
After she had made up her mind, Wen Zhijiao proceeded to finish her morning routine. Washing up and eating her breakfast, she then took some cold medicine before heading downstairs. Just as she was about to reach the bottom of the stairs though, she spotted one of the servants waiting for her. There were a few books in his hand.
For a moment, she was stunned. It took her a few seconds to realize that she actually had some class scheduled for today.
After transferring from a regular high school to an international institution, Wen Zhijiao found herself struggling to adapt to a new learning environment, resulting in her being placed back in the first year again. After some time, she seemed to have given up and decided to switch to homeschooling. As a result, while her former classmates might have graduated for a year or two now, she hadn’t made much progress at all. She was still in college, receiving her education at home.
The servant led Wen Zhijiao to the study on the first floor. As the heavy door swung open, the first thing that caught their eyes were the arched windows that were several meters high, a landscape of lush greenery filling in the view. Contrary to the vibrant scenery outside, the dim light within the study cast a gloomy atmosphere over the atmost. This faint illumination was brought about by an old chandelier that hung from the vaulted ceiling. The room was stacked with shelves of books. At the long table stationed in the center, a figure sat with a laptop in front of him, surrounded by a pile of documents and pens.
—Jiang Yuancheng.
He sat at the far end of the table, looking as though he had just washed up. His black hair was still slightly damp, clinging to his pale skin, and the open collar of his shirt exposed the curve of his neck. The shirt itself hung loosely on him, while his lips appeared a bit pale in the dim light of the room. His gray eyes seemed even darker and more intense in the dreary atmosphere.
Wen Zhijiao was not surprised at all upon seeing his appearance in the study area. Whenever he had some time to spare, he would always come to visit her during her class sessions.
Since the lecturer hadn’t arrived yet and there was still some time before class started, she was not in a hurry to take a seat. At first, Zhijiao was hesitating to take a move, but she eventually reluctantly made her way over to Jiang Yuancheng and took a seat near him.
While Wen Zhijiao was running her fingers along the cover of the textbook, she couldn’t help but softly make a request. “Yuancheng, I’m starting to get a bit bored staying at home. I want to go out for a walk.”
After a brief pause, she added, “If you want, you can come with me, or you can also let the servant accompany me if you want.”
She felt confident that the arrangement she made was completely foolproof and that there was no reason for him to deny her this request. But as she turned to glance at Jiang Yuancheng, she immediately perceived the grave seriousness in his eyes.
“I have a meeting this afternoon,” he merely said, his voice firm. “Don’t go out, not even around the residential area.”
Wen Zhijiao was simply stunned at his behest. Her lips parted as if to speak, but it took her a few moments before she could actually manage to say her words. “What? You mean that I can’t even leave my room?”
“It’s just for a few days.” Jiang Yuancheng lifted his hand to cup her cheek and gently rubbed it. His voice softened as he whispered, “You’re not in good health, and now you’ve caught a cold again. You should get some rest first and take good care of yourself.”
Wen Zhijiao couldn’t help but place her hands on her knees as she unconsciously clenched her fists again. She bit her lower lip before trying to softly coax him again. “I know how to take care of myself. I’m not helpless. I just want to go to the mall on Xinpu Road and buy some clothes and perfume for myself. After all, I haven’t been there in such a long time…”
“Have them close the shop and pick a model to try the clothes on for you. Just send it over once you made up your mind.” Jiang Yuancheng’s fingers were gently tracing the corners of her eyes as he said all these words. Suddenly, he leaned in closer and smiled at her. “And as for the perfume, they already know all the scents you like. They already sent over their new collections.”
Wen Zhijiao wanted to open her mouth, but she found herself silenced because Jiang Yuancheng had already pressed his thumb firmly against her lips, preventing her from speaking.
“Jewelry, artwork—or anything that you ever want, just inform me and the butler,” he reminded her. “But for now, you can’t leave. Just think of it as…for the sake of our engagement party. I don’t want you suddenly getting sick again. So for now, focus on your health, and try not to cause any more trouble, okay?”
The two words “engagement banquet” were like a thousand-pound iron weight striking Wen Zhijiao right on the head and leaving her momentarily stunned. Her mind went blank, and she forgot the words she had intended to say. It was as if all her thoughts had slipped away, leaving her dumb right at the very moment. Her vision seemed to also slightly go dim; she almost felt like she was going to faint at any time.
“Isn’t that supposed to be held next year—”
Jiang Yuancheng immediately cut her words off with no hesitation. “Well, I changed my mind. I think next month would also be a good time to hold our engagement.”
“Next month?”
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