Did the Tsundere Miss Get Slapped in the Face Again Today? - Chapter 23

Chapter 23: “Jiang Zhi Doesn’t Like Me.”

 

It was clearly already autumn, but Lin Anran felt like she was experiencing the exclusive heat of mid-summer.

 

It was like being scorched by the midday sun, as if she were about to melt.

 

Eventually, she was awakened by the heat. She was covered by a blanket full of laundry detergent scent. Jiang Zhi wasn’t beside her, yet she felt Jiang Zhi’s presence everywhere.

 

She stared blankly at the ceiling, her face radiating heat, unable to detach herself from the dream for a long time.

 

She kicked the blanket off the bed. It was all the fault of this blanket full of Jiang Zhi’s scent, which made her have weird dreams…

 

No, I shouldn’t blame the blanket. I should blame Jiang Zhi.

 

That’s right. Thinking it over and over, it was all Jiang Zhi’s fault.

 

Lin Anran successfully straightened out her logic and placed the blame squarely on Jiang Zhi.

 

“Knock, knock”

 

The door was knocked.

 

Jiang Zhi’s voice came from behind the door: “Are you awake? Breakfast is ready. If you’re up, come eat.”

 

Hearing the familiar voice, which inexplicably overlapped with the dream for a moment, the heat that had just subsided on Lin Anran’s face surged back up. She “popped” up from the bed.

 

As soon as Jiang Zhi opened the door, she saw Miss Lin standing barefoot on the bed, her eyes full of alertness, like a startled, agitated kitten.

 

Jiang Zhi: “What are you doing? Don’t jump on the bed. My bed’s quality isn’t that good. A couple of jumps and it might collapse.”

 

The phrase “What are you doing” seemed to trigger Lin Anran’s sensitive nerves, causing her voice to suddenly rise.

 

“What do you mean, ‘what am I doing’? I didn’t do anything! Stop talking nonsense!”

 

Jiang Zhi fell silent, but she was already accustomed to Lin Anran’s nervous state: “Fine, stop fussing. Come eat breakfast. And I’m warning you, don’t jump on the bed.”

 

Jiang Zhi left. Lin Anran poked her head out. Once she confirmed Jiang Zhi was gone, she patted her chest and let out a sigh of relief. Her tense body relaxed slightly.

 

No, I have to leave quickly. This place is unbearable.

 

Lin Anran hastily put on her shoes and jacket. She didn’t comb her hair or wash her face, ignoring everything. She was determined to sneak out immediately.

 

She reached the doorway, and Jiang Zhi saw her, calling out: “Where are you going? Aren’t you going to eat breakfast?”

 

Lin Anran didn’t look back, opened the door, and ran as if someone was chasing her.

 

A moment later, the person who had run off voluntarily turned back.

 

Jiang Zhi stood by the dining table, holding a bowl, quietly watching this erratic behavior.

 

Lin Anran: “I didn’t get my bear.”

 

She dashed to the sofa, snatched the pink plush bear, and then left again without looking back.

 

Half a minute later, the person who had left returned again, but this time didn’t come inside. She stood at the doorway, chin lifted, looking arrogant:

 

“Jiang Yi, I now think you’re absolutely awful. You smell bad, you stink. Your mouth looks like a pig’s mouth, it’s ugly. I don’t like you, not one bit. Don’t think for a second that I would like you,”

 

“Also, I don’t want to talk to you for a while. Don’t message me, and I won’t message you. That’s it. I’m leaving.”

 

After saying that, she left without waiting for Jiang Zhi’s reaction. This time, she was truly gone and didn’t come back.

 

Jiang Zhi sniffed herself, lowering her head. What bad smell? Do I stink? I don’t smell anything. She then ran to the mirror to look at her mouth. Where does it look like a pig’s mouth? It looks perfectly normal…

 

What kind of tantrum is the young lady throwing now? She curses me out and then runs away. I don’t understand.

 

She silently sat down to eat breakfast. The only thing that troubled her this morning was that Lin Anran hadn’t eaten the extra portion of breakfast she’d made. She couldn’t eat that much herself, so it was inevitably wasted…

 

As for why Lin Anran had put on this show first thing in the morning, Jiang Zhi didn’t think too deeply about it. Mainly because Lin Anran was frequently like this, often doing things with peculiar logic.

 

It was impossible to analyze her behavior, and she couldn’t figure it out, so she simply stopped trying.

 

Lin Anran had said not to contact her or message her for a while, yet only a few hours after saying that, her messages began flooding in.

 

Her phone in her pocket was vibrating non-stop with a “buzz, buzz, buzz.”

 

Jiang Zhi was busy with her work and didn’t check her phone immediately, but she knew without looking that the messages were definitely from Lin Anran.

 

No one else would send twenty or thirty messages at once.

 

After finishing her current task, Jiang Zhi took out her phone. Looking at it, she saw 99+ unread messages.

 

Jiang Zhi raised an eyebrow. She was getting more and more exaggerated. She managed to send a message count usually only seen in group chats.

 

I surrender. What did she even say? How does she have so much to talk about every day…

 

Jiang Zhi scrolled the messages to the top and read them one by one. After reading them, she concluded that nothing important had happened. She had simply been spamming stickers.

 

You are a pig jpg

 

You are an ugly creature jpg

 

You are a miser jpg

 

Where did she find so many insulting stickers?

 

Jiang Zhi tapped the screen and started typing: You shouldn’t keep spamming stickers…

 

Before she could finish the message, a notification popped up showing a transfer of ¥10,000.

 

Jiang Zhi’s expression froze. She deleted the original message and replied: Why did you suddenly transfer money?

 

The other side replied instantly.

 

Ah!

 

Ahhhhhh

 

You really did it on purpose! You saw my messages and deliberately didn’t reply, but you replied immediately after a transfer! You money-grubbing ugly creature!!

 

Jiang Zhi choked. She’s actually quite clever, trying to test whether I was deliberately ignoring her messages with a transfer.

 

Not replying again? Are you unhappy that I exposed your greedy nature? How dare you be unhappy?

 

Reply to me, quickly

 

Did you hear me, reply to me.

 

Transfer ¥10,000.

 

Using the same trick repeatedly, she was testing again with a transfer to see if Jiang Zhi was checking her messages.

 

Jiang Zhi smiled helplessly: I’m at work. I don’t have time to constantly check my phone and reply to you.

 

Lin Anran stopped sending text messages, possibly thinking text attacks weren’t strong enough, and switched to voice messages: “Again, you reply immediately after a transfer. Heh, heheh…”

 

“Not replying to me again?”

 

“Why aren’t you accepting the transfer? Stop being pretentious. Accept it quickly. Stop putting on airs. Don’t you think I know your ridiculous, money-obsessed appearance?”

 

“Where did you go? Why aren’t you replying again? Did you take the money and then ignore me??”

 

I can’t go looking for Jiang Zhi. Absolutely not. I need to break up with her for a while.

 

Five minutes ago, Lin Anran had made this decision. Five minutes later, Lin Anran started selecting pretty little dresses.

 

Which one should I wear to see Jiang Zhi?

 

This one? No, too plain.

 

This one? No, no, too bright.

 

In the dressing room, clothes were strewn everywhere. By the time she finally selected a suitable outfit, the dressing room was a mess.

 

“Let’s go. Go find Jiang Yi.” Lin Anran sat in the car, looking into a small mirror. She had applied a very exquisite and beautiful makeup look today.

 

But what’s the use of wearing makeup? That bumpkin with no taste, Jiang Zhi, won’t be able to tell the difference.

 

The driver was confused: “To find Miss Jiang Yi? But didn’t you say this morning that you were breaking up with her?”

 

Lin Anran’s reflection-checking paused. Did I say that?

 

I don’t remember. If I don’t remember, I didn’t say it.

 

Lin Anran looked at him unhappily: “You talk too much. Hurry up and drive. Don’t talk nonsense.”

 

“Yes, yes.” The driver quickly nodded, not daring to say anything more.

 

At this time of day, Jiang Zhi was usually working her part-time job at the convenience store. Lin Anran instructed the driver to go straight there.

 

As soon as they arrived, she eagerly got out of the car. Her steps became lighter, skipping a little, because she was about to see Jiang Zhi.

 

She had just seen her this morning, but that didn’t stop Lin Anran from missing her a tiny bit…

 

No, I don’t miss her. It’s impossible to miss her. I was just passing by.

 

She reached the convenience store window and peered in, looking towards the cash register. She spotted Jiang Zhi immediately. Lin Anran’s eyes instantly sparkled, and she became visibly happy.

 

Why does Jiang Zhi wear the same clothes every day? Always a white shirt, jeans, and white sneakers. Doesn’t she have any other clothes?

 

Well, Jiang Zhi’s closet really didn’t have other clothes. She had only two sets that she rotated.

 

Lin Anran pressed her face against the glass, staring intently at Jiang Zhi.

 

She was currently checking out a customer. A strand of hair fell across her forehead, blocking Jiang Zhi’s vision. She occasionally brushed the hair aside, but the strand was exceptionally stubborn, always popping back to block her view.

 

Lin Anran watched the disobedient strand, placing her finger on the window glass, making the motion of tucking the hair behind Jiang Zhi’s ear across the distance.

 

Her finger traced her face. As she traced, her lips unconsciously curved into a smile. Her heart felt like it was bubbling with joy, boiling happily.

 

Just then, a woman walked into the convenience store.

 

The woman stopped in front of the cash register and, instead of buying anything, started talking to Jiang Zhi.

 

Lin Anran didn’t know what the woman said to Jiang Zhi, but Jiang Zhi immediately asked the boss for leave and left the convenience store with the woman.

 

The smile on Lin Anran’s face vanished, and her brow furrowed.

 

Jiang Zhi usually refused to take time off and would only leave work when her shift was over. How could this woman show up, say two words, and Jiang Zhi immediately agree to take leave and leave early?

 

Watching Jiang Zhi about to leave with the woman, Lin Anran anxiously hurried after them.

 

But before she could catch up, Lin Anran first noticed the red string bracelet on the woman’s wrist.

 

It was the same plain bracelet as Jiang Zhi’s.

 

The bracelet Jiang Zhi wore all the time like a treasure, the one she would immediately turn cold about if mentioned—that woman was wearing the same one.

 

Lin Anran stopped dead, staring blankly at the two people walking away.

 

Their backs looked very compatible: similar height, both wearing white shirts, like… a couple.

 

Lin Anran suddenly remembered that she had never asked Jiang Zhi if she had someone she liked.

 

But that question didn’t seem necessary anymore. How could she not? She definitely did, or she wouldn’t wear matching bracelets every day.

 

Lin Anran stood frozen at the convenience store entrance, watching the two leave. Slowly, she lowered her head, her nose tingling.

 

There was some sense of grievance, but mostly helplessness.