Chapter 39: You’re Just A Gold Digger
Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=5310224
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com
Ji Lianxing handed Jiang Shu a cup of iced water and told her to drink quickly.
Jiang Shu took the cup, lifted her head, and drank a sip. The liquid slid down her throat and soon drove away the restlessness. With the ice cubes, she finally felt a bit better.
“Is your nose still bleeding?”
Jiang Shu shook her head, pulled out the paper ball, and tossed the bloody tissue into the trash bin.
Ji Lianxing passed her a wet tissue so she could wipe it clean.
“Your diet’s been light lately. That shouldn’t be it.” Ji Lianxing kept thinking about what Jiang Shu ate. She felt the only heaty food was the crayfish from a week ago.
Jiang Shu wiped the blood around her nose, forcing herself not to stare at Ji Lianxing. She said casually, “Maybe the lychee lollipop made me heaty.”
“This…the lollipop won't be happy hearing that.” Ji Lianxing took the water cup from Jiang Shu’s hand, knowing she was talking nonsense. “Wipe clean and hurry to sleep. Maybe you just stayed up late these days.”
“Yeah, I stayed up late last night. When you weren’t here, I often had insomnia and didn’t sleep well.” Jiang Shu followed her words. The more she said it, the more it made sense.
The two turned off the light and lay down again. Jiang Shu, whose nosebleed had just stopped, was very restrained. She didn’t even hug Ji Lianxing, thinking she should take it slow.
She lay on her side, one hand under her head, facing Ji Lianxing. She asked, “The day after tomorrow I’m going on a business trip, about a week. Are you free tomorrow? Go shopping with me to buy a set of clothes.”
“During the day is fine.”
“Then daytime.”
As Jiang Shu spoke, her hand rested on Ji Lianxing. It was an unconscious move. After two seconds she realized it, so she pulled her hand back.
Ji Lianxing thought she was strange but couldn’t tell why.
“I’m a little sleepy.” Jiang Shu said. She turned over, lay flat, and stared at the pitch-black ceiling. “Good night, Little Hedgehog.”
“Good night.”
Ji Lianxing was waiting for Jiang Shu to hug her, but the hug never came. Tonight she wasn’t being an octopus? It's so odd.
At last, sleepiness won and Ji Lianxing quickly fell asleep.
But Jiang Shu lost sleep again. In the past, every time she had insomnia it was always because of work, but tonight was clearly different.
How should she describe that feeling? Jiang Shu thought it was like a person who always traveled by land suddenly went by water tonight. What she saw and felt were completely different.
That unfamiliar feeling rose from the tip of her heart, like a sharp and vicious snake, bringing the final judgment, making Jiang Shu doubt herself greatly.
She wondered, could it be that she had become the fool she spoke of? That foolish gold master who fell for her canary?
In the sticky night, staring at the dark ceiling, the more Jiang Shu thought, the more chaotic her heart was, the more flustered she felt. In the end she forcefully cut off that thought and made herself sleep.
In the middle of the night the temperature dropped. Half asleep, Jiang Shu turned over and pulled Ji Lianxing into her arms.
Ji Lianxing also leaned into her embrace, resting on her arm, finding a comfortable position. The two slept soundly together.
In the morning, when Ji Lianxing opened her eyes, the person beside her was gone. She reached out, hugged the pillow next to her, and pressed her nose against it to smell. It still carried Jiang Shu’s lingering fragrance.
When she went downstairs, she heard the sound of running. After countless times of marveling at Jiang Shu’s self-discipline, Ji Lianxing understood her success was no accident. Just from running alone, one could see it.
While Jiang Shu was out running, Ji Lianxing slipped into the kitchen to prepare breakfast.
Besides the usual dishes Jiang Shu liked, Ji Lianxing decided to make one more thing to reduce her internal heat, so she wouldn’t get a nosebleed again.
So when Jiang Shu finished her run, she found Ji Lianxing standing in the kitchen making breakfast.
She was wearing that nightgown, the skirt just short of her thighs. Her legs were bare in the air, slender and straight, with smooth lines. A pair of beautiful legs.
Jiang Shu’s gaze dropped lower, landing on her clean ankles. They had a fragile bony beauty. Just one look stirred the urge to hold them in her hands and take good care of them.
The kitchen let out a bubbling sound. A sweet aroma floated over. Jiang Shu walked to Ji Lianxing’s side, curious about what she was cooking.
“Rock sugar snow pear, it clears internal heat.” Ji Lianxing stirred with a spoon, then turned the flame down to a simmer.
Speaking of clearing heat, the scene from last night flashed in her mind. Okay, that awkward feeling came back again.
“I’ll go take a shower.” Jiang Shu couldn’t stay even one more second. She turned and quickly escaped.
When she finished her shower, breakfast was just about ready.
Breakfast was avocado toast with fried eggs, and Jiang Shu’s coffee was replaced with rock sugar snow pear.
The two sat at the table eating, while the TV in the living room played the financial news channel.
Jiang Shu would listen from time to time. Even though most so-called experts were probably just cutting leeks, her sharp instincts could always catch something useful.
Ji Lianxing was also listening. Both of them had majored in finance, so some things were easier to understand.
As she listened, Ji Lianxing suddenly remembered something. “Right, President Jiang, when I analyzed DS Group’s data two weeks ago, I felt something was off.”
“What do you mean?” Jiang Shu set down her food and looked at Ji Lianxing.
“The stock price issued by DS Group has very subtle fluctuations. It looks like a big dealer is up to something. Tomorrow at the office, I’ll send you a report.”
“Really?” Jiang Shu didn’t expect Ji Lianxing to pay attention to this even during work. “The major shareholder of DS Group is Zhang Mingyue’s wife. That Zhang Mingyue, I just talked business with him last week. Now his own company also wants to cooperate with us.”
Zhang Mingyue was no stranger to Ji Lianxing. Just thinking of him now made her feel sick. And he even had a wife, yet acted so brazen outside.
“Uh...” Ji Lianxing thought about whether to mention the tipping incident. But thinking of Jiang Shu’s personality, she gave up.
If Zhang Mingyue tipped fifty thousand, Jiang Shu could just as well tip a hundred thousand, and in the end it would only be Jiang Shu’s money wasted.
So she swallowed the words that almost slipped out.
Ji Lianxing cleverly shifted the topic. “Didn’t you say you’re buying clothes today? When are we heading out?”
“After breakfast. There are fewer people in the morning.”
****
Jiang Shu’s way of buying clothes was always simple. Usually just those few stores, the same ones Ji Lianxing would never have stepped into before.
The store was filled with bright white lights, creating a modern and luxurious feel.
When the saleslady saw Jiang Shu, she smiled from afar. With her years of sales instinct, she could tell this woman had money, just from the handbag in her hand.
“Hello, ladies. What kind of clothes are you looking for this time? I can recommend some.”
“Coats.”
“Of course. This way to the second floor.” The saleslady made a polite gesture and led them upstairs, all the while introducing the newest and most popular coats of the season.
Once on the second floor, she continued, “Miss, what do you think of this Trench series coat? It’s a single-breasted loose fit, with a cinched waist design. You have a great figure, it would suit you very well.”
Jiang Shu glanced at it. “I already have this one. Do you have other recommendations? Something in a lighter color.”
“Oh~ you already own this one.” The saleslady smiled even brighter, quickly fetching another piece. “How about this one? Also from the Trench series. It’s made of fine worsted gabardine, classic khaki, with this suede belt loop. It really highlights your style.”
Jiang Shu didn’t even think before saying, “This one then. Wrap it up.”
The saleslady was smiling so wide her face nearly split. “Alright, I’ll wrap it right away. Do you need anything else?”
Jiang Shu’s eyes fell on Ji Lianxing’s face. She smiled. “Buy her one too.”
Ji Lianxing froze in horror in one second. “No no no no, I don’t want it!”
She wasn’t being polite, she really didn’t want it. She knew the price in this store. Any random piece of clothing would definitely be five figures. The one Jiang Shu just bought was twenty thousand.
Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=5310224
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com
The saleslady of course wouldn’t miss the chance to earn commission. She chimed in, “Miss, you’re so pretty. Let me recommend one for you. You’ll definitely like it.”
She held up another piece and said to Ji Lianxing, “This light coffee-colored coat matches well with the one this lady just bought. It would look good on you.”
Standing at the side, Jiang Shu heard the words “matches well.” In her mind she already pictured her and Ji Lianxing walking side by side in those coats. It really did look like a couple outfits.
“Nice. Wrap it up.”
Ji Lianxing’s face turned pale with fright. “President Jiang! I don’t want it!”
“You have to. Wrap it up.”
The saleslady, of course, listened to Jiang Shu. Smiling, she said, “You’ll look beautiful in it! I’ll pack it right away.”
No matter how many times Ji Lianxing said no, the saleslady pretended not to hear. She hurried to pack it and led Jiang Shu to checkout. After payment, she still kept praising how good Ji Lianxing would look.
Ji Lianxing thought, good-looking my foot. What a waste of money. Inside, she was already crying in a storm.
She had just seen the price list. Her coat cost 16,500, Jiang Shu’s was 20,500. Together that was nearly forty thousand.
From start to finish, Jiang Shu’s shopping didn’t even take twenty minutes. It felt easier than buying a bag of salt. Ji Lianxing, carrying the bag, was anxious.
“Can we return it? President Jiang, I really don’t want to wear it.”
Jiang Shu stopped walking. “I bought it for you. Can’t you just keep it?”
“No.” Ji Lianxing shoved the bag back to her. “It’s too expensive. It doesn’t suit me.”
“What’s not to suit? It’s just clothes. No matter how you wear it, it’s still wearing clothes.” Jiang Shu couldn’t understand. From her experience, giving a canary clothes, none had ever been unhappy. Yet today, one really was unhappy.
“Exactly because it’s clothes, I think spending sixteen thousand five hundred for one piece isn’t worth it. It’s a heavy burden on me. I can’t wear it.”
Ji Lianxing’s face was more serious than ever. Her eyes showed no fear. “Also, President Jiang, I hope you can understand me. Wear clothes that match your economic condition. I’m fine wearing clothes for two or three hundred.”
Jiang Shu looked at her and saw she was serious. She couldn’t help but answer seriously too. “This is just my way of showing I like you.”
Ji Lianxing paused, then said, “I understand you, but don’t do this next time. You can’t force your view of money on me, and I won’t tell you not to wear expensive clothes. We understand each other, okay?”
Jiang Shu felt like she’d spent money and was getting lectured, but she knew Ji Lianxing was right. Sometimes what she thought was good wasn’t good for others.
“Alright, I’ll listen. No buying next time. But keep this one. It can’t be returned.”
Ji Lianxing had to agree, but felt heartbroken. For Jiang Shu, wasn’t money just money?
Ai!
The two of them each carried a bag and went out. They barely took two steps when they heard someone arguing at the entrance.
“Zhao Ningqian, you’re way too vain!”
“How am I vain? You’re my boyfriend. Is it wrong for you to buy me things?”
“I just spent three months’ salary on you for a bag recently. What more do you want?”
In public, the woman didn’t lower her voice, speaking loudly, “Winter’s coming. I wanted a coat and you can’t even do that. I don’t know why I even liked you. As a man, can’t you have some ambition?”
The man was clearly provoked. Pointing at her face, he cursed, “A twenty-eight-thousand bag, a sixteen-thousand-five hundred coat, are you crazy? You’re just a gold digger, a gold digger, do you understand? Meeting you is the worst luck in eight generations!”
The woman froze for a moment when she heard that. Seeing the growing crowd, her eyes shifted and landed on Jiang Shu and Ji Lianxing.
The three of them made brief eye contact. Mia panicked instantly, quickly looked away, and turned her back.
Ji Lianxing had no interest in watching either and pulled Jiang Shu in the opposite direction.
From behind came the man’s shouting: “From today on, see whoever you want! Don’t come ruin my life!”
Ji Lianxing walked while thinking. So Mia’s real name was Zhao Ningqian. What just happened was obvious too, her boyfriend couldn’t satisfy her shopping cravings.
But she didn’t care about that. The main thing was, Mia saw her walking with Jiang Shu. She wondered if Mia would start gossiping. It's really a narrow road for enemies, running into her everywhere.
“Don’t you think she’s kind of weird?” Jiang Shu suddenly said.
“Mm.” Ji Lianxing nodded. “I saw that bag her boyfriend mentioned last week.”
“Oh, I get it.” Jiang Shu wasn’t relaxed and added, “Keep your distance from her from now on.”
