Did the Tsundere Miss Get Slapped in the Face Again Today? - Chapter 28

Chapter 28: “Does Lin Anran Like Me?”

 

“At most, I won’t poke your bracelet anymore,” Lin Anran promised in a small, aggrieved voice.

 

“You can poke it,” Jiang Yi shook the bracelet on her hand, puzzled: “It’s fine, why are you so nervous?”

 

Meeting Jiang Yi’s confused look, Lin Anran tilted her head to carefully judge whether she was angry.

 

She didn’t seem to be angry.

 

Yes, she wasn’t angry.

 

Since she wasn’t angry, Lin Anran immediately felt confident again. She became self-assured and fierce: “Who’s nervous? I poked the bracelet, and I will poke it again in the future! I’ll poke it, and you can’t control me!”

 

Jiang Yi was stunned by her fierceness, then chuckled under her breath: “Alright, alright. If you like it, you can poke it. Is that okay now?”

 

Lin Anran’s eyes became even fiercer: “Who likes poking it…”

 

She opened her mouth, ready to curse that it was a broken bracelet, but she swallowed the words hard.

 

She had cursed the “broken bracelet” once before, and Jiang Yi, like a petty miser, immediately got angry and gave her the cold shoulder, which made Lin Anran hesitant to curse it a second time.

 

Jiang Yi saw her stop mid-sentence and asked in confusion: “What?”

 

Lin Anran pouted and snapped: “Nothing!”

 

Jiang Yi shook her head, not dwelling on it. This young miss often had a peculiar way of thinking, and occasional bursts of eccentric behavior were perfectly normal.

 

Her head was still a bit heavy, but compared to earlier, she was much better.

 

Jiang Yi rubbed her temples.

 

Lin Anran watched her nervously: “Are you still not well?”

 

Jiang Yi put down her hands: “I’m much better. What time is it now?”

 

She looked outside; the sky had already darkened.

 

“It’s past six in the evening,” Lin Anran said.

 

“Have you eaten?” Jiang Yi asked her: “You haven’t gone the whole day without eating, have you?”

 

Lin Anran had indeed gone the whole day without eating. She was too busy worrying about whether Jiang Yi would die… anxious and worried all day, she had no time to think about food.

 

Now that Jiang Yi mentioned eating, her stomach seemed to awaken, letting out a timely gurgle.

 

Lin Anran’s expression was unnatural, and she immediately tried to deflect: “Why is your stomach growling?”

 

Jiang Yi was speechless for a moment: “Yes, my stomach is growling. I haven’t eaten all day, and I’m hungry.”

 

She took out her phone and opened a food delivery app: “I’m not strong enough to cook, so let’s order takeout. I don’t have much appetite, so I’ll just order some congee. What do you want to eat?”

 

After ordering her congee, Jiang Yi handed the phone to her: “I’ve finished ordering mine. Take a look and see what you want to eat.”

 

Lin Anran took the phone, browsed for a long time, and finally handed it back to Jiang Yi: “I don’t want congee. I randomly ordered some other things. Let’s just make do.”

 

Jiang Yi took the phone and looked at the screen. Her finger hovered over the payment button as she silently counted: ones, tens, hundreds, thousands…

 

“Seriously, what did you order? You’ve racked up a bill of $5,888,” Jiang Yi asked, utterly shocked.

 

“I eat from this restaurant often. That’s just the price of their takeout,” Lin Anran said, accustomed to it.

 

Jiang Yi was silent for a moment, then smiled: “You really are too polite. You know my financial situation. You’re asking me to treat you to this? That’s half a month’s salary in one meal. If you want to eat this, order it on your own phone.”

 

Lin Anran glared angrily: “Beggar!”

 

Lin Anran scoffed, took out her own phone to order, cursing while she placed the order.

 

Jiang Yi, the beggar, was unmoved. She only bought her own congee and wouldn’t pay for the extravagant $5,888 meal; she couldn’t afford it.

 

After ordering the takeout, Jiang Yi stood up to stretch her body. Lying on the sofa all day had made her feel like her body was falling apart.

 

She rotated her neck, twisted her waist, and finally stretched her arms.

 

Lin Anran sat on the small stool, watching her movements and offering a critique: “Ugly freak.”

 

Jiang Yi was used to it.

 

Half an hour later, the takeout arrived. The two sat facing each other at the small wooden table. Jiang Yi drank sweet congee, and Lin Anran ate…

 

Two dishes and one soup: steamed chicken chunks, stir-fried yellow beef, plus a pork rib soup.

 

Jiang Yi was thoroughly confused. They were just these three dishes. The presentation and packaging were high-end, but no matter how high-end, the cost was what it was. How did it sell for $5,888?

 

She couldn’t understand it. She was simply too poor, and her understanding was being challenged.

 

“Don’t give me that unsophisticated bumpkin look,” Lin Anran glared at her, then pushed the pork rib soup toward Jiang Yi: “You drink this. People online say sick people should drink this to get better faster.”

 

Jiang Yi: “You’re not going to ask me to split the bill after I drink it, are you?”

 

Lin Anran rolled her eyes at her: “Hurry up and drink it. Stop talking nonsense. Get well quickly. You know you’ve caused me a lot of trouble by being sick.”

 

She finished speaking and directly put the spoon in Jiang Yi’s hand.

 

Jiang Yi: “Understood. Drinking it now. Thank you for the generous gift, Your Highness.”

 

Lin Anran rolled her eyes at her again.

 

Jiang Yi scooped up a spoonful of soup, blew on it, and put it in her mouth. The soup was rich and milky white.

 

“You don’t think it’s expensive now, do you? There’s a reason for the high price. Doesn’t it taste great?”

 

“As long as you don’t make me pay for it, it tastes great.”

 

Lin Anran’s eye roll turned into a dagger stare, and the dagger stare carried a hint of “killing intent” as it landed on the red string bracelet.

 

Jiang Yi was oblivious, continuing to drink the soup sip by sip.

 

When the soup was nearly finished, Lin Anran spoke: “He who takes gifts has soft hands; he who takes food has a soft mouth. Now that you’ve eaten, it’s time to pay the price. There’s something I want to ask you. You must answer, and you cannot get angry during the process.”

 

Jiang Yi paused drinking the soup, with a bad feeling: “I feel like I might throw up what I just drank.”

 

To ask a question so seriously, and even preface it with a warning not to get angry, suggested it wasn’t a pleasant topic.

 

“You’ve already drunk the soup. You must answer!”

 

“First tell me what you want to ask.”

 

Lin Anran’s gaze fell on her wrist. A moment ago, she was eager to ask, but now she couldn’t get the words out.

 

She was afraid the answer would be what she dreaded.

 

Jiang Yi noticed her gaze, looked down at the bracelet, and seemed thoughtful.

 

“You want to ask about this,” Jiang Yi said, shaking the bracelet on her wrist.

 

Lin Anran’s expression froze, and she subconsciously straightened up.

 

Jiang Yi frowned: “Why do you want to know about this?”

 

“Because you’re nervous and you care about it deeply.”

 

“I’m nervous about it and care about it because it’s important.”

 

Lin Anran replied with an “Oh,” lowered her head, and idly poked the rice with her chopsticks: “Important. Who doesn’t have important things? I have important things too, a hundred times more important than yours.”

 

Jiang Yi looked at her helplessly. Why was she competing now?

 

Lin Anran stopped poking the rice and looked up at her: “Who gave it to you? You still haven’t answered me.”

 

“Can you show a little understanding? There are some things I don’t want to talk about. Don’t keep pressing me.”

 

“Why should I show you understanding? I will keep pressing! Who gave it to you? Can’t you even say that?”

 

Jiang Yi sighed, not getting annoyed. This was just her personality. She didn’t know when to stop, didn’t understand the meaning of a subtle refusal, and always insisted on getting to the bottom of things, accustomed to acting as she pleased.

 

“Everyone has their own little secrets. You have things you don’t want to say, and I have things I don’t want to say,” Jiang Yi patiently reasoned with her.

 

Lin Anran frowned: “I don’t have secrets. I can talk about everything. I’m not like you, being all mysterious.”

 

Jiang Yi put down her spoon and adopted a serious expression: “Then I ask you, what was the reason you were sent out by your family for ‘training’? What trouble did you cause?”

 

“I asked you about this before, and you didn’t want to talk about it, did you? That’s your secret. That’s something you don’t want to talk about. The bracelet is something I don’t want to talk about.”

 

“I can talk about it! I can answer. If I tell you, can you tell me too?” Lin Anran was stubbornly determined to know the answer: “An exchange of secrets. Do you dare?”

 

Why was she using reverse psychology now…

 

Jiang Yi shrugged: “Then tell me, what trouble did you cause before?”

 

Lin Anran scoffed: “I didn’t cause trouble. I just deliberately splashed a glass of water on the housekeeper, and my eldest sister just happened to see it.”

 

“My eldest sister said the housekeeper had taken care of me for over ten years, and for me to treat her like that was arrogant bullying, showing no empathy.”

 

“I didn’t agree with her. My eldest sister said I was incorrigible and would definitely cause big trouble later, blah blah blah. Then I talked back, and then this happened.”

 

Jiang Yi grabbed the key point: “So why did you deliberately splash water on the housekeeper?”

 

Lin Anran lowered her eyes, her mood dipping slightly.

 

“I don’t think you would splash water on her for no reason,” Jiang Yi said. Lin Anran’s nature wasn’t bad. Her difficult behavior and complaints were mostly verbal; she rarely resorted to physical action. There must be a reason for splashing water.

 

“Because she was speaking ill of me behind my back, gossiping about me. I heard it and got angry.”

 

“Since there was a reason, why didn’t you explain to your eldest sister?”

 

Lin Anran bit her lip: “If I told the truth, my eldest sister would definitely fire her.”

 

Jiang Yi was puzzled: “She was speaking ill of you, and you still don’t want her to be fired?”

 

“She’s been taking care of me since I was little. Although she probably only did it for the salary and secretly had a lot of issues with me, otherwise she wouldn’t gossip, but her daughter is sick, and she really needs this job. Splashing water was just to vent my anger. I didn’t want to truly cut off her income…”

 

Hearing this, Jiang Yi completely understood.

 

Despite knowing the servant’s intentions were not pure and that she spoke ill of her behind her back, Lin Anran still cherished their long-standing connection. She only splashed water to vent, unable to bear the thought of the other person losing her high-paying job.

 

“The water you splashed on her, was it cold water?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“You should have splashed hot water.”

 

Lin Anran was startled: “How could I use hot water? It would scald her.”

 

Jiang Yi smiled and stroked her head: “Even like this, you’re afraid of scalding her and afraid she’ll lose her job. Our little kitten, Lin, is truly a kind baby.”

 

Suddenly being stroked on the head and called “baby,” Lin Anran was stunned for a moment, followed by happiness. She even wanted to lean her head in, but then, snapping out of it…

 

She smacked her hand away and deliberately made a sour face: “What are you doing? Who allowed you to touch me? Also, why are you calling me Little Kitten Lin and ‘baby’ and all that? Stop giving me random nicknames!”

 

“You can call me Jiang Yi. Can’t I call you Little Kitten Lin? I’m calling you that.”

 

“You can’t!”

 

“Little Kitten Lin.”

 

“I said you can’t!”

 

“Little Kitten Lin~”

 

They argued childishly for a while.

 

“I’ve told you mine. What about yours?” Lin Anran didn’t forget her initial goal. She looked at the bracelet first, then stared intently into Jiang Yi’s eyes.

 

She wanted to gauge her true feelings.

 

Jiang Yi, who was just laughing, suddenly fell into a long silence.

 

Lin Anran shot up: “I’ve told you my secret! Don’t try to go back on your word!”

 

Jiang Yi rubbed the bracelet between her thumb and forefinger, finding it hard to understand why Lin Anran was so obsessed with knowing the origin of the bracelet.

 

It wasn’t some unspeakable secret, hardly a secret at all, but some things had been buried in her heart for too long and were difficult to put into words.

 

“It was…” Jiang Yi took a deep breath: “It was given to me by my grandmother. It’s something she left for me.”

 

Lin Anran’s expression froze. She had considered many answers: a gift from someone she liked, a crush, a girlfriend, or even an ex-girlfriend who still loved her. In short, she never expected it to be from her grandmother…

 

Lin Anran was first astonished, then engulfed by immense pleasant surprise. Didn’t this mean Jiang Yi didn’t have anyone she liked?!

 

But just as her smile began to curve, she met Jiang Yi’s downcast eyes.

 

Jiang Yi was looking down at the bracelet, her eyes lowered, revealing an intractable sadness.

 

Is Jiang Yi’s grandmother deceased? Lin Anran guessed this possibility.

 

She opened her mouth, wanting to ask more, but Jiang Yi looked up and smiled at her: “Alright, let’s stop this topic here and not discuss it further. Let’s continue eating.”

 

Jiang Yi picked up the spoon and continued drinking soup, but Lin Anran could tell she was not in a good mood.

 

“Oh, right, speaking of things we don’t want to talk about, you still haven’t explained one thing,” Jiang Yi suddenly changed the subject, the sadness in her eyes completely gone.

 

“What?” Lin Anran was a little slow to react.

 

Jiang Yi narrowed her eyes slightly: “You forced me to reveal the origin of the bracelet, and I told you. Now I have to force you to tell me something.”

 

Lin Anran was unconcerned: “Ask whatever you want. There’s nothing this young lady can’t talk about.”

 

Jiang Yi raised an eyebrow slightly: “Is that so? Then I’ll be bold and ask: Why did you disappear for a month—not replying to messages, not answering calls, completely vanishing?”

 

Lin Anran’s confident expression that she could answer any question froze.

 

“Well, say it. Why aren’t you talking now?”

 

“Jiang Yi, don’t be so petty. Don’t bring up old scores.”

 

Jiang Yi found it amusing: “I don’t want to bring up old scores, but you should give a reasonable explanation.”

 

Lin Anran lowered her head and ate, not speaking.

 

After a short while, Jiang Yi let it go. Lin Anran, however, suddenly remembered something: “Wait, if that’s the case, why was that woman wearing the same style of bracelet as you?”

 

Jiang Yi was bewildered: “What woman? What matching style? What are you talking about?”

 

“Just a month ago, a woman came looking for you at the convenience store. You took leave without a word and left with her, looking all lovey-dovey. You were practically glued to her! I saw all of it!” Lin Anran said through gritted teeth.

 

Jiang Yi’s mind short-circuited for a moment. It took her a long time to barely recall that she did take time off a month ago because of someone.

 

But, heaven was her witness, she wasn’t being lovey-dovey with anyone, and certainly wasn’t glued to anyone.

 

“Why do you always exaggerate when you talk? Who was being lovey-dovey? I don’t even know her name.”

 

“Lies! Would you take time off for someone whose name you don’t even know? Before, when I waited for you at the convenience store, you wouldn’t even leave work half an hour early for me! What? You can take time off for her, but not for me? You’re playing favorites! I’m not as important as her!”

 

“No, where are you pulling this from? I took time off because she had an emergency at home and needed my help. She had helped me before, so I had to return the favor. What legitimate reason did you have for me to take time off? You were just tired of waiting and wanted to go home. How could I agree to that…”

 

Lin Anran was dissatisfied: “Me being tired of waiting and wanting to go home isn’t a legitimate reason? I was anxious too! You’re just playing favorites! You simply like her more!!”

 

Jiang Yi raised her hand to interrupt: “Wait a minute. You disappeared for a month because you were mad at me about this?”

 

She had considered many reasons: the young miss got bored and found it meaningless, she was playful and the playfulness wore off—many logical reasons—but Jiang Yi absolutely never thought of such a ridiculous reason.

 

It was utterly absurd.

 

All because she helped someone else, took time off for someone else, and didn’t take time off for her…

 

Jiang Yi put a hand to her forehead, speechless: “If you really felt I was playing favorites, you should have just told me! Why disappear? If you had told me, I would have just taken time off for you too.”

 

Lin Anran: “Go away! It’s too late! I don’t need it anymore!”

 

Jiang Yi felt like laughing and getting angry at the same time, but laughter won out in the end, and she couldn’t help but chuckle.

 

Lin Anran was already furious, and hearing the laughter made her even angrier. She slammed her chopsticks onto the table, making the small wooden table wobble. Fortunately, the table was sturdy, or she would have smashed it.

 

“Doesn’t slamming your hand like that hurt?”

 

“No.”

 

“You really are something. You sulked over such a small matter for a whole month. Since you’ve been sulking for so long, why did you suddenly figure things out and come back to me?”

 

“Go away.”

 

Lin Anran glared at her, puffing out her cheeks.

 

Jiang Yi conceded and coaxed her: “Alright, alright, my fault. I shouldn’t have played favorites. I shouldn’t have taken time off for someone else.”

 

Lin Anran was both angry and wronged, snapping fiercely: “Jiang Yi, you can only have me as a friend! You are not allowed to be nice to anyone else!”

 

Jiang Yi laughed: “That’s too possessive. Who only has one friend?”

 

“I don’t care! You promise! You can only have me as a friend, and you’re not allowed to like anyone else.”

 

“Alright, alright. Just you as a friend. I won’t like anyone else. I only like you.” Fearing that this young miss would throw another tantrum, she quickly appeased her.

 

Jiang Yi was just trying to pacify her casually, but upon hearing Jiang Yi say, “I only like you,” Lin Anran suddenly became quiet. A blush flashed across her cheeks, and she looked away, avoiding eye contact.

 

Jiang Yi looked at her confusedly. Why had she suddenly become so coy and shy? How strange…

 

A thought suddenly flashed through her mind: last night, when she went to her room to check if she had a fever, she inadvertently heard a line from her dream.

 

“Jiang Yi, put your clothes on quickly. Stop trying to seduce me.”

 

At the time, she was confused and bewildered when she heard the sleep-talking, but she didn’t take it too seriously.

 

But now, seeing Lin Anran’s shy, blushing face, and combining it with that line of sleep-talk, and recalling Xiao Man always nonsensically imagining that the atmosphere between her and Lin Anran was off, like they were dating…

 

A never-before-considered idea arose in her heart.