The Woman I Was Flirting With Turned Out To Be A Chaebol Heiress - Chapter 34

Jiang Ji felt a light tug, as if her whole body had been gently pulled. In the next instant, like a scene transition in a movie, her vision suddenly filled with the fabric of Li Nianyi’s chest. It took her a few seconds to realize she had been swept into a bear hug by Li Nianyi, her cheek pressed tightly against her body.

This woman always did this touching her out of nowhere without any warning, making her jump every time.

Though she complained in her heart, Jiang Ji still couldn’t help but smile. She set the mango mousse down in the narrow gap between the car seats, freed her hands, and wrapped her arms around Li Nianyi’s waist.

The posture was honestly kind of awkward, but neither of them felt uncomfortable. If anything, they wished they could stay wrapped around each other like this forever.

That’s just how it is for newly official couples like two big cats, glued together, sprawled out and entangled. Two pieces of a not-quite-perfect mortise and tenon joint, slowly adapting to each other’s rhythm.

“What’s going on, Nian nian chan? I didn’t even finish what I was saying, and you’re already hugging me like that.”

Her voice was muffled through the layers of clothing and flesh between them, but still held a clear trace of delight. For a moment, it gave Li Nianyi the strange illusion that the voice was coming from inside her own body.

Soon, Li Nianyi felt Jiang Ji’s fingers quietly drawing little circles on her waist. The pressure was light, but noticeable ticklish.

This girl was picking up these kinds of things surprisingly fast.

“Well, it’s your fault. You’re just so good to me. Makes me feel like I’ve lucked out big time.”

Jiang Ji laughed at her words. “I’m your girlfriend. Who else should I be good to if not you?”

It seemed like a simple logic, but Li Nianyi still found a little loophole in it.

“No, it’s not just that. It’s because you’re a good person that’s why I like you.”

She wasn’t sure if she truly meant that, or if she was trying to convince herself. Even though Mugen had given her strong evidence and solid reasoning, Li Nianyi just couldn’t bring herself to see Jiang Ji as some criminal with blood on her hands.

But the person in her arms suddenly fell silent.

“Jiang Ji? Why aren’t you saying anything?”

The small space around them suddenly felt a little too warm.

“You’ve got it wrong. You see me as someone good but other people might not… It’s been so many years, and this is the first time someone’s praised me like that.”

Jiang Ji’s voice was small, her tone unusually cautious.

Somehow, the dull ache in Li Nianyi’s chest one she hadn’t even realized was there rose up like a slow but unstoppable tide, bringing with it a tangled mix of strange, complicated emotions.

She let go of Jiang Ji and gently squeezed her cheeks. “Well then, it’s perfect. If no one else sees it, then your goodness is mine alone. You’re stuck with me for life.”

Li Nianyi knew deep down, they were similar. Both used to wearing masks.

Jiang Ji pushed people away, used to playing the role of a powerful heiress. But Li Nianyi could see past the armor to the soft center inside.

At fifteen, a person’s basic personality is already formed.

That’s why she believed really believed that Jiang Ji wasn’t the type to get her hands dirty. If all the chaos they’d been caught in recently really was a giant conspiracy, then Jiang Ji couldn’t possibly be the one who started it.

And the truth was, despite their vastly different backgrounds, both she and Jiang Ji had never really been in control of their own fates.

“Nian-nian, what’s wrong?”

Even Jiang Ji, who could be oblivious at times, could tell something was off.

“Nothing.”

“Liar.”

You’re crying.

Jiang Ji didn’t call her out just leaned in and gently kissed the salty trails away.

They hadn’t spent that long fooling around in the car, but the sun had been setting earlier and earlier these days. By the time Li Nianyi got home, the sky was already completely dark.

Jiang Ji, like always, wanted to walk her to the door any extra second together was a gift.

But Li Nianyi said, “Let’s stop here. All that walking up and down is such a hassle.”

Jiang Ji paused, one foot already out of the car. “Alright. Then hurry home, Nian nian. And remember to think of me when you eat the cake, okay?”

“And hey, if there’s something you can’t figure out, you can talk to me about it too.”

Leaning against the car, Jiang Ji waved to her. She didn’t fully understand why Li Nianyi had been in a strange mood that day maybe some lingering sadness over her past?

She wasn’t sure if her guess was right.

But she really, really wanted to be by her side in these moments to share in her joy and her sorrow.

Still, when Nian nian had clearly asked for space, Jiang Ji wouldn’t selfishly push her way in.

Li Nianyi tugged at her coat collar. The wind tonight was surprisingly chilly.

“When have I not been thinking of you? Seriously… I’m going. Bye.”

“Mm. See you tomorrow.”

She finally pulled her gaze away from Jiang Ji and turned into the stairwell. She deliberately ignored the last thing Jiang Ji had said.

Li Nianyi still didn’t know how to talk about it.

Stupid girl never wants to tell me anything, so I have to keep guessing and guessing without ever being sure.

Her low heels echoed steadily on the stairs, the sound grating on her nerves. For the first time, she found the noise of her own shoes incredibly annoying. She was in a bad mood, so even an innocent pair of shoes got blamed.

She entered, closed the door, shoved the cake into the fridge, and dumped her coat and bag onto the couch. Then, like a diver, she plunged face first into bed.

She spaced out for a few seconds, then suddenly remembered that dumb Jiang Ji was probably still downstairs waiting, so she jumped up and yelled out the window for her to hurry up and go home.

After all that, she rushed to the bathroom to wash her face like that would somehow clear her head.

She didn’t go back to sulking in bed. Instead, she grabbed her laptop and sat at her desk.

She really did have work to do.

Just some basic corporate marketing copy, but enough to pull her out of her thoughts for a bit.

Work really was most useful in moments like this.

A folder arrived it looked like it was for some kind of business dinner event. Tons of guest profiles inside. Li Nianyi flipped through them quickly, barely scanning.

Then suddenly, she stopped.

Isn’t that my professor, Tanaka?

Surprised, she quickly remembered that Professor Tanaka had her own studio outside of university and supposedly collaborated with several companies. So it wasn’t that strange to see her at an event like this.

Still, Japan really was small.

She focused more intently on Tanaka’s profile, thinking she should at least write this part well since it involved her own professor.

She clicked through, the soft sound of her mouse echoing in the quiet room.

Then her eyes landed on a particular line of text.

Li Nianyi adjusted her glasses and leaned closer to the glowing screen.

“Professor Tanaka has close personal ties with the Saionji Conglomerate and previously served as Ms. Saionji Kiriko’s private psychological consultant.”

The rest talked about some business collaborations between them.

She couldn’t help but frown.

Why does it feel like no matter where I go, I keep running into the Saionji name? Is it just because of Jiang Ji that I’m extra sensitive to it, or is there something more?

A strange unease settled over the screen. But no matter how long she stared at it, she couldn’t figure it out. It was like something in her mind flashed for a second something important but too fast for her to catch.

It was maddening. Like an itch she couldn’t scratch.

Still, she pushed through the discomfort and forced herself to finish writing. She had intended to work thoroughly, but in the end, she just rushed through it.

After sending it off, she did a quick and lazy round of washing up and flopped back into bed.

She didn’t turn on the lights just lay there, staring blankly at the moonlit ceiling.

She kept telling herself not to overthink things. Just go to sleep.

But the moment she closed her eyes, in the instant the darkness hit

She suddenly remembered something Mugen had said earlier that day.

She sat straight up in bed.

She had finally grasped the end of that strange, fraying thread.

Jiang Ji had been on her way home, but a phone call redirected her to Midnight Paradise.

As she stepped out of the car, she casually scanned the area.

This district was as lively as ever faces of all races milling about.

Lately, the area around Midnight Paradise had gotten much busier. Jiang Ji did a rough mental count: some were cops, others remnants of the Kurosaki-kai… and then, faint traces of Dai.

This little casino had somehow become another chaotic vortex in Tokyo.

Walking through the door, a net of hedonistic sound wrapped around her. Inside: the usual cacophony of lust and greed. Outside: a storm brewing quietly beneath the surface.

Jiang Ji exhaled softly and responded to the many greetings of “Good evening, Miss Jiang” with her usual composure.

Once she stepped into her office, the noise was shut out instantly.

Her meticulously groomed secretary bowed and told her the guest had been waiting a while before quietly stepping back out.

Jiang Ji glanced at the visitor and spoke calmly: “Since you’ve been waiting so long, why didn’t you just call me?”

“How could I dare interrupt your date, Sis? If you yelled at me like last time, I’d have nowhere to cry.”

The girl wore an elaborate black Gothic dress. Her sweet tone was dripping with sarcasm and mockery.

Jiang Ji found her exhausting.

She frowned and ignored the jab. “So? Why are you here?”

There was a pause.

“Jiang Ji you knew all along, didn’t you?”