Did the Tsundere Miss Get Slapped in the Face Again Today? - Chapter 97

Chapter 97: “Why Am I Always The One Who Is Given Up First?”

“I’m sorry, the number you dialed is currently unavailable. Please try again later…”

The mechanical prompt repeated incessantly from her phone. From before boarding the plane until long after landing, Jiang Zhi had been calling Lin Anran continuously, but the calls never went through. She couldn’t tell if Anran truly wasn’t answering or if her number had been blacklisted.

Her mind was filled with Lin Han’s voice on the phone—that light, nonchalant tone describing Lin Anran going on a hunger strike, doing something stupid, wanting to jump off a building. Lin Han had spoken so casually that Jiang Zhi suspected she was merely watching a drama unfold. She couldn’t judge if Anran was just throwing a tantrum or was truly in despair… but regardless, Jiang Zhi was consumed by worry.

Upon leaving the airport, she immediately hailed a taxi and rushed to the Lin residence. She kept calling Anran, no answer. She called Lin Han, but Lin Han stopped answering too. The situation was a mess, and Jiang Zhi was frantic.

Gazing at the clear road ahead, she urged the driver, “Sir, there’s no traffic. Can you go a bit faster?”

The driver looked relaxed, his phone mounted on a stand playing a noisy audiobook. He replied in a thick local accent, “Can’t do it, miss. Speed limit here, y’know.”

Jiang Zhi rubbed her aching forehead. “I’ll pay you double the fare.”

The driver shook his head. Jiang Zhi leaned forward and held up three fingers: “Triple.”

The relaxed driver instantly sat up straight, turned off the audiobook, and said, “Hold on tight.” He floored the accelerator, doubling the speed.

Jiang Zhi stopped trying to call; it was useless. She just stared at her phone, biting her lip in agitation. She was terrified Anran had actually done something. She couldn’t understand Anran anymore—the one who was cold was her, and the one who didn’t need her anymore was also her. If so, wasn’t her leaving a good thing for both? What was this display for?

With the incentive of triple fare, a trip that usually took an hour was cut to thirty minutes via shortcuts. Jiang Zhi rushed out of the car and found the Lin residence—a three-story Chinese-style estate that exuded luxury. Jiang Zhi had no heart for the scenery. As she arrived, she looked up and saw Lin Anran standing on the third-floor balcony.

The fragmented sunlight hit the balcony, making the person standing there look precarious. She remembered Lin Han’s words about her jumping…

Jiang Zhi’s pupils dilated. She shouted, “Lin Anran!”

Anran looked down. Their eyes met, and time seemed to freeze for a second.

“What are you doing? Get away from the edge and go inside! Do you hear me?!” Jiang Zhi scolded urgently.

The person on the balcony stared blankly at the woman below. Instead of going inside, she leaned out even further. Anran was uncertain—the person who shouldn’t be here was suddenly appearing? To make sure, she leaned out to get a better look.

That movement made Jiang Zhi’s heart leap into her throat. “Don’t move! Wait for me! I’m coming up!”

Angry and terrified, Jiang Zhi sprinted into the house. She ran up to the third floor, out of breath, and frantically searched for the balcony. The Lin house was huge and unfamiliar. Just as she lost her bearings, a door creaked open.

Lin Anran appeared, wearing pink pajamas, her long straight hair cascading over her shoulders. Jiang Zhi immediately rushed over and grabbed her.

“Are you crazy? Why were you standing on the balcony? Were you really going to jump? Do you think this is a joke? How old are you? You’re playing games with your own life!”

Anran was stunned by the shouting. When she finally processed it, she pouted. “Why are you being so mean?”

Jiang Zhi didn’t want to waste words. She grabbed Anran’s arm and hiked up her sleeve to check for injuries. Her right wrist was fine. She grabbed the left one. Also fine.

Anran pulled her hand back in annoyance. “What are you doing? You’re hurting me.” She rubbed her sore wrist.

Jiang Zhi stared at the unblemished skin, confused. Lin Han said she had done something stupid, like cutting her wrists. But looking at Anran’s state and her lack of injuries, she didn’t seem like someone who had attempted self-harm.

So, Lin Han lied? Why?

“What were you doing on the balcony just now?” Jiang Zhi pressed.

“What do you mean ‘what’? I was watering the flowers. I heard someone shouting below, so I leaned over to look.” Anran looked at her as if she were the strange one.

The tension in Jiang Zhi finally snapped. Although she didn’t know why Lin Han had told such bizarre lies, she was relieved Anran was safe. That was all that mattered.

Once calmed, she noticed Anran’s relaxed state—pajamas, loose hair, a watering can in hand. For months, Anran had been “too busy” to see her, “too busy” for a phone call, and indifferent to their Saturdays. Yet here she was, days after the breakup, sleeping in and watering plants.

Did this mean she was never actually busy? Was “busy” just an excuse for her growing coldness?

Jiang Zhi lowered her eyes, her heart filled with a bitterness she couldn’t express. Anran didn’t look heartbroken; she looked refreshed. Had Lin Han tricked her here just to let her witness how happy Anran was without her? To make her give up all hope?

If so, it was unnecessary. Jiang Zhi wouldn’t have come back anyway. Humans are strange; Jiang Zhi didn’t want Anran to suffer, but seeing her completely unaffected by the end of their relationship made her heart ache with a different kind of pain.

She turned to leave, her pace quick. Being here was humiliating.

“Jiang Zhi,” the voice called from behind.

Jiang Zhi didn’t stop.

“Jiang Yi!”

Jiang Zhi paused on the stairs, struggling to control herself. She bit her lip and forced herself to keep moving. Then, footsteps hurried behind her. Before she could react, arms wrapped tightly around her waist from behind.

Anran’s face pressed against the back of Jiang Zhi’s neck. Her voice was muffled: “Don’t go.”

Jiang Zhi’s breath hitched. She stood frozen for several seconds. Finally, she reached down to pry Anran’s hands away. When they wouldn’t budge, Jiang Zhi frowned. “Let go.”

Instead of letting go, Anran held on tighter. Jiang Zhi felt a sudden warmth and wetness on her neck. Her movements stopped. She turned around hurriedly to find Lin Anran’s eyes were bloodshot. Tears were streaming down her face, her nose red from crying. She looked utterly pitiful.

Jiang Zhi’s heart softened instantly. Her resolve vanished, and she instinctively reached out to wipe the tears. “Don’t cry.”

At the gentle tone, Anran cried even harder. Tears poured out as if they cost nothing. Jiang Zhi felt her heart breaking in two. “Stop crying, stop…”

Anran started to hiccup from sobbing, her watery eyes full of grievance. Jiang Zhi wanted to embrace her, but her hands hovered, rising and falling in hesitation.

While Jiang Zhi was debating whether to hold her, the sobbing girl suddenly leaned in and, without warning, kissed her.

Jiang Zhi’s pupils contracted. She tried to push her away, but Anran kissed her again, her hand firmly gripping the back of Jiang Zhi’s head, refusing to let the kiss end.

The kiss tasted of salt and tears. It was forceful, almost violent, even nipping Jiang Zhi’s lip. Jiang Zhi felt the pain but stopped resisting, silently accepting the kiss as a form of venting.

When Anran finally let go, Jiang Zhi looked at her with a complex expression. “Lin Anran, are you just doing this because you’re unwilling to let me be the one who dumped you? Do you feel you lost face and want to win one back?”

Jiang Zhi couldn’t think of any other reason. Maybe Anran wanted to break up, but her pride couldn’t handle Jiang Zhi initiating it.

“If that’s what this is, there’s no need. Even if I said it first, technically I’m the one being discarded. You can tell everyone that. I don’t mind. You don’t have to lose face…”

Anran started crying again. Jiang Zhi stopped mid-sentence, sighed, and softened her voice. “Why are you crying again? What did I say wrong? Whatever you want, I’ll cooperate.”

Anran looked at her with red eyes, tears clinging to her cheeks, her voice choked with emotion.

“Jiang Zhi, do you even love me at all? Why do you always abandon me? Why, whenever there’s a problem, am I always the one who is given up first?”

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