Did the Tsundere Miss Get Slapped in the Face Again Today? - Chapter 12

Chapter 12: “I’m Leaving.”

 

“Didn’t you say it would be better by the next day?” Lin Anran looked sternly at the person whose limp had worsened.

 

Anyone who has experienced leg pain knows that muscle soreness after strenuous activity often hurts even more after a night’s sleep.

 

Now, Jiang Zhi had truly become “lame.”

 

“It’s fine, it will heal in a couple of days.”

 

“How can it heal if you don’t rest?!”

 

Lin Anran was angry. She called her “lame” several times, then unilaterally started sulking, ignoring her and refusing to speak.

 

Jiang Zhi felt somewhat helpless. The young lady’s concern was strangely stressful.

 

If it were just that, Jiang Zhi could handle the pressure, but…

 

Lin Anran was currently making a scene in the editor-in-chief’s office, demanding that Jiang Zhi no longer be assigned fieldwork.

 

Faced with this unreasonable tantrum, Jiang Zhi rubbed her forehead, quickly dragging Lin Anran out despite the pressure.

 

Jiang Zhi: “What are you doing? The recent fieldwork is part of my duty. How can I not do it?”

 

Lin Anran ignored her, remaining silent, maintaining the cold shoulder. She was still sulking and refusing to speak to her.

 

Jiang Zhi’s forehead was covered in black lines.

 

Although Lin Anran wasn’t speaking, it didn’t stop her from preparing to go back and continue the fuss, determined to get Jiang Zhi’s fieldwork canceled.

 

Seeing her determination, Jiang Zhi quickly grabbed her.

 

“Alright, alright, don’t cause trouble. I’ll take a few days off from my evening part-time job. Will that be enough?” Jiang Zhi had no choice but to compromise.

 

Hearing this, the coldness in Lin Anran’s expression finally eased a bit.

 

She looked down at Jiang Zhi’s feet: “A lame person.”

 

After cursing her, she left, but she seemed to have decided not to continue bothering the editor-in-chief.

 

Jiang Zhi let out a sigh of relief.

 

Lin Anran’s way of showing concern was too stressful… almost unbearable.

 

The staff at the convenience store were fixed, so taking time off would be a little troublesome, but Xiao Man had time off recently and should be willing to cover the shift, especially since she could earn double wages.

 

Jiang Zhi contacted Xiao Man on her phone, and the other person readily agreed. After thanking her, Jiang Zhi finally relaxed.

 

This level of leg soreness didn’t really require rest; she wasn’t that delicate.

 

She looked towards the young lady sitting at the office desk, admiring her manicure with outstretched hands, and smiled with resignation.

 

Taking advantage of this opportunity to take a break occasionally is also nice.

 

On the way home after work, Lin Anran observed the road conditions very cautiously.

 

“Why are we taking this road? Isn’t this the way to the convenience store? Didn’t you take time off? Are you lying to me?!”

 

Jiang Zhi laughed with exasperation: “Yes, this is the way to the convenience store, but it’s also the way home.”

 

Lin Anran choked, grudgingly saying, “Oh.”

 

Jiang Zhi shook her head and chuckled. Who would dare to lie to her? With her temper, one lie would cause a huge scene.

 

Jiang Zhi wouldn’t dare try.

 

In the past, she was always in a hurry after work, rushing to her part-time job. Time was so tight that she had no time to enjoy the scenery on the way.

 

Now, she had a rare amount of free time, and she was unusually relaxed. She drove the scooter while appreciating the sights along the road.

 

The person sitting behind her, pinching the corner of her clothes, also seemed to be enjoying the scenery with her.

 

Her mood was calm and peaceful. Jiang Zhi thought, If only every day could be like this—commuting to and from work with someone, accompanying each other.

 

Jiang Zhi sighed heavily. Forget it. Meetings and partings between people are too frequent. It was better to remain alone, so there would be no hurt or lament.

 

Especially with Lin Anran, someone who didn’t belong here at all.

 

They passed a street market lined with stalls, one after another, displaying all sorts of merchandise.

 

Lin Anran seemed captivated, staring unblinkingly at the items.

 

Every time they passed here before, Lin Anran would look intently. Jiang Zhi had noticed, but she was rushing to her part-time job and didn’t have time to stop and let Lin Anran browse.

 

Today, she had time, and plenty of it.

 

Since that’s the case…

 

Jiang Zhi put her feet down, slowly stopped the scooter, and looked back: “This place looks quite interesting. Want to get off and have a look around?”

 

Lin Anran’s eyes immediately lit up.

 

“I don’t really want to go. I’m not interested in those things. They’re messy. I definitely don’t like them,” Lin Anran said, chin up.

 

“Is that so? Then let’s not go. Let’s just go straight home,” Jiang Zhi intentionally teased her.

 

Predictably, Lin Anran became anxious, her speech quickening: “Didn’t you want to go? Fine, I’m a very considerate person. I’ll reluctantly go with you since you want to.”

 

Jiang Zhi continued to tease: “I don’t want to go now.”

 

Lin Anran was so angry her chest heaved.

 

Jiang Zhi was afraid she’d become a pufferfish out of rage, so she quickly relented: “Okay, okay, I really want to go. Come on, get off the scooter, let’s go browse.”

 

Hearing this, Lin Anran’s pent-up frustration subsided. She scoffed, took off her helmet, and got off the scooter haughtily.

 

But soon, Jiang Zhi regretted bringing her here because this person wanted to buy everything she saw.

 

“This one, buy it for me.”

 

“I don’t have money.”

 

“You pauper!!”

 

Lin Anran reluctantly and unwillingly put the item down.

 

This scenario repeated several times. Lin Anran wanted to buy something; Jiang Zhi shut down the idea with two blunt words, I don’t have money, dashing her hopes.

 

How could Jiang Zhi possibly buy things for her? Perhaps the young lady had a unique eye, but even though it was a street stall, the items she picked were always ¥1000 and above. She accurately chose the most expensive items and then demanded to buy them.

 

Every time Jiang Zhi heard the price, she was scared and immediately said she had no money, absolutely none. Don’t even think about it.

 

“If you’re not buying anything, then why did you bring me here? Why are you browsing, you pauper?!” Lin Anran was about to turn into a pufferfish again.

 

This time, she had chosen a pink plush bear. The price was finally less outrageous—about ¥200. Jiang Zhi thought she could probably buy it if she clenched her teeth.

 

Jiang Zhi asked her: “Do you really want it?”

 

Lin Anran subconsciously wanted to say no, but seeing Jiang Zhi’s stinginess, she didn’t dare to be stubborn and immediately nodded: “I like it. Buy it for me.”

 

As she spoke, she hugged the pink plush bear tightly, looking like she wouldn’t let go.

 

Jiang Zhi was amused by her demeanor. The miser was generous for once and scanned the QR code to pay.

 

“Alright, stop hugging it so tightly. No one is going to snatch it. It belongs to you now,” Jiang Zhi teased.

 

Seeing that Jiang Zhi had paid, Lin Anran’s tone became defiant: “It’s just this lousy thing. I don’t even like it that much…”

 

Before she could finish, Jiang Zhi immediately interjected: “You don’t like it, huh? Perfect. We haven’t left yet, we can return it right now.”

 

Lin Anran defensively clutched the bear to her chest: “You pauper! You bought it already, why would you return it?”

 

She sped up her steps and ran away.

 

Jiang Zhi watched the running figure and couldn’t help but laugh out loud, her shoulders shaking.

 

“Stop running! I’m not returning it,” Jiang Zhi called after her.

 

Lin Anran ran even faster, terrified of being caught, and having the plush bear genuinely returned.

 

Jiang Zhi chased for two steps, but her feet were still sore. She couldn’t keep up and stopped.

 

She watched as Lin Anran ran farther and farther away, gazing at her fading silhouette.

 

A sudden sense of panic unexpectedly washed over her.

 

It was an abrupt emotion, as if she had predicted something.

 

Lin Anran stopped after running a certain distance. Jiang Zhi endured the soreness in her feet and jogged over.

 

“What are you looking at?” Jiang Zhi saw that she was staring intently at a spot.

 

Following her gaze, a gray Bentley was parked by the roadside. The driver got out and respectfully opened the car door. A woman in a white suit, with an elegant face and a cold demeanor, stepped out of the car.

 

The woman’s aura was completely different from Lin Anran’s, but their features bore some resemblance.

 

The next second, Lin Anran spoke: “Why is Big Sister here?”

 

Lin Anran was the third child in the Lin family. She had two older sisters. The eldest, Lin Han, received an elite education and was the future successor to the conglomerate. The second, Lin Yishu, was a renowned dancer, often appearing on international stages.

 

Lin Anran, as the youngest daughter of the Lin family, was free from the pressure of inheriting the family business. Because of her age, she was indulged and grew up greatly pampered.

 

Everyone in the Lin family was an influential figure, appearing only in financial magazines—a social tier that common people like Jiang Zhi simply couldn’t access.

 

Lin Han walked up to them, a cold and distant person, yet her indifferent eyes held a touch of softness for her sister, who was ten years her junior: “The time is up. Come home with me.”

 

Lin Anran pouted: “You threw me out for so long, and now you tell me to come back whenever you want? I’m not going back.”

 

Lin Han frowned slightly: “Don’t throw a tantrum here. My company is very busy; I don’t have time for your drama.”

 

Lin Anran: “…”

 

As they spoke back and forth, Jiang Zhi, standing nearby, should have been able to hear their conversation, yet oddly, she didn’t catch a single word.

 

It wasn’t until Lin Han nodded to her, a gesture of polite distance, and thanked her: “Thank you for the trouble this past while, Miss Jiang.”

 

Jiang Zhi snapped out of her daze: “No trouble…”

 

I was paid for it. Jiang Zhi didn’t get to say the second half of the sentence.

 

Because Lin Anran shoved the pink bear she had been protecting so fiercely into Jiang Zhi’s arms without any reluctance.

 

Leaving only the words, “I’m leaving,” she followed Lin Han away.

 

They got into the expensive sedan, which slowly drove out of sight.

 

Jiang Zhi didn’t remember if Lin Anran had waved goodbye to her. She just looked down at the pink plush bear in her arms, staring blankly.

 

Her departure was so sudden.

 

Like a gust of wind, sudden when it came, and equally sudden when it left.

 

She couldn’t describe her feelings at that moment, but the last thought in her mind was, Maybe I should return this bear. It costs over ¥200, which takes two days of my part-time earnings. Earning money is hard work.

 

How very realistic.

 

Jiang Zhi knew from the start that Lin Anran would eventually leave, and that she and Lin Anran belonged to two different worlds.

 

Lin Anran was a princess in a pink castle, carefree and privileged. Jiang Zhi was an ordinary person scrambling for a few dollars in reality, living an unremarkable life.

 

She just hadn’t expected her to leave so abruptly, without any warning.