The Jiang residence.
Jiang Zhen sat on the sofa playing a video game, taking a brief moment to glance upstairs.
"Where is my sister?"
A servant spoke up cautiously, "Miss said she won't be coming down to eat."
Jiang Zhen furrowed his brows tightly. "Why is she skipping meals again?"
His fingers familiarly pressed the buttons on his controller. He clicked his tongue impatiently, stood up, and headed upstairs.
"Sis, are you going on a hunger strike or something?"
Jiang Zhen opened the study door without any hesitation.
Jiang Shiyi didn't look at him, quietly continuing with what she was doing.
"Just eat by yourself."
Jiang Zhen sighed and tossed his game console aside. He sat cross-legged and propped his chin on his hand. "Don't tell me it's because of Ji Zhaoxi again."
When he called Ji Zhaoxi her jinx, she had even gotten upset.
See? It came true.
Jiang Shiyi lowered her eyes and remained silent.
Jiang Zhen lay back on the sofa, crossing his legs. "Didn't you speak up for her? Have you guys still not made up?"
That shouldn't be the case.
Ji Zhaoxi might be an awkward, stubborn person, but his sister wasn't.
He raised an eyebrow at Jiang Shiyi. "Do you want me to set up a get-together for you two? We can have some drinks, play some games, and clear the air."
Jiang Shiyi's face immediately fell. "Don't treat her like those sketchy friends of yours."
Jiang Zhen, annoyed, buried his face straight into a throw pillow. "Fine! Just pretend I'm being a busybody!"
She was always so gentle in front of others, but fierce as hell when it came to him.
The next day, Ji Zhaoxi was cornered in a familiar spot.
She silently looked at Jiang Zhen, who was leaning against the wall.
Jiang Zhen would only seek her out for one reason: his sister.
Jiang Zhen was also dealing with a massive headache. He frowned. "Let's go, I'm taking you to see my sister."
Ji Zhaoxi refused flatly, "I am not going."
Jiang Zhen choked on his words for a second before shouting, "What right do you have to refuse? With all the things you've done to my sister, you deserve to die ten thousand times over, you know that?"
"If my sister hadn't protected you, do you think you'd still be standing here?!"
Ji Zhaoxi kept her head down, not saying a word.
Jiang Zhen tried to drag her along, but she hugged a tree tightly with her other arm, refusing to budge.
The two of them were locked in a stalemate.
Jiang Zhen couldn't stop sighing. He couldn't just sling her over his shoulder and carry her back like he would with anyone else.
He squatted on the ground, looking at her in bewilderment. "Ji Zhaoxi, my sister has been loyal enough to you. I really don't think you're the kind of person who has no conscience."
"Do you know that my sister isn't even eating because of you? If we ask, she just says she's in a bad mood. She comes home looking miserable every day. Would it kill you to just go and say thank you to her?"
He couldn't understand what she was being so stubborn about!
Ji Zhaoxi knew that if she didn't give Jiang Zhen an answer, he wouldn't let it go.
"This is already the best ending for Jiang Shiyi and me. She walks her sunlit path, and I'll just watch her from the shadows. We will keep this distance, neither too far nor too close."
Jiang Zhen's head throbbed upon hearing this. "No, who asked you to watch her from the shadows? Can't you just stand next to her and watch her? Why must you hide in a corner?"
Ji Zhaoxi was silent for a moment, keeping her head down. "You don't understand."
Jiang Zhen laughed out of sheer anger. Since she wouldn't do this the easy way, he would have to do it the hard way.
He stepped closer to Ji Zhaoxi, looking down at her from above. "I beat you up, or you go see my sister. Pick one."
Ji Zhaoxi tried to escape from the side, but Jiang Zhen slammed his fist against the wall, blocking her path.
Just as Ji Zhaoxi fell into despair, a voice suddenly rang out.
"Jiang Zhen."
Jiang Zhen cursed under his breath and let her go.
Jiang Shiyi walked up to Ji Zhaoxi, her eyes devoid of any emotion. "You'd rather take a beating from Jiang Zhen than see me?"
Ji Zhaoxi kept her head lowered, her hair obscuring her expression. Jiang Shiyi felt a stifling anger in her chest. She gently tucked Ji Zhaoxi's hair behind her ear.
"Ji Zhaoxi, you've done so many terrible things to me behind my back. Do you really not have a single word to say to me?"
Ji Zhaoxi's eyes grew red. Not daring to look at her, she whispered, "I am sorry."
Jiang Shiyi looked at her quietly. "Just because you apologized, does that mean I have to forgive you?"
"Should I learn from you? Just like the person who stole the class funds, and the one who made that forum post, should I also drive you out of High School A?"
Ji Zhaoxi's face instantly went pale. She stared blankly at Jiang Shiyi, biting her lip. "You wouldn't."
Jiang Shiyi sneered. "Why wouldn't I?"
Ji Zhaoxi fell silent for a moment. "Because you're a good person. You wouldn't do that to me, just like how you were still willing to speak up for me a few days ago."
Lies again. Coaxing her again. Just to what extent was she going to use her?
Jiang Shiyi was so angry she couldn't speak.
"Just because I'm nice doesn't mean I don't get angry."
"How about this? I'll slap you once, and I'll forgive you for everything you've done to me."
She enunciated every word clearly.
Jiang Zhen stared at Jiang Shiyi in absolute shock.
Holy crap, did his sister really just say that?
This Ji Zhaoxi was an absolute bastard, pushing someone like his sister to this point.
Ji Zhaoxi's eyelashes trembled. She closed her eyes and clenched her hands tightly. "Hit me then."
Once the slap landed, this whole thing would be over.
Watching Ji Zhaoxi's fearful demeanor, Jiang Shiyi suddenly found it all extremely dull.
Why on earth was she trying so desperately to care?
Ji Zhaoxi waited for a long time, but the burning pain she imagined never arrived on her cheek. She hesitantly opened her eyes, only to see the retreating backs of the two siblings.
"You don't have to feel guilty. This is what I deserve," Ji Zhaoxi called out.
"If you want to punish me some other way, I can accept that too."
Jiang Shiyi remained silent for a long time.
"Ji Zhaoxi, I've never had a shortage of friends. I won't concern myself with your matters anymore."
Jiang Zhen gave Ji Zhaoxi a warning shake of his fist.
Ji Zhaoxi also felt a pang of distress.
She didn't understand why Jiang Shiyi insisted on being friends with her. She had a bad temper and didn't have anything worth caring about.
Besides, why would anyone want to be friends with someone who hurt them?
After returning home, Jiang Shiyi cried her eyes out and tore up all the letters Ji Zhaoxi had written to her.
She was truly the stupidest person in the world.
Jiang Zhen sighed, sitting on the floor to gather up the torn pieces of letter paper.
He knew his sister too well; once she finished crying, she would regret tearing these things up.
"Jiang Shiyi, you twisted your ankle during P.E. class today and were limping when you walked. Why didn't you go to the infirmary to get it checked? Are you waiting for your injury to get worse so others will pity you?"
"Jiang Shiyi, I just saw you yawn. Why are you still explaining problems to those people? Aren't you tired? Are you just doing it to get a good reputation?"
"You were clearly unhappy just now, but you still smiled at others, pretending to be cheerful. I really hate people like you. Fake!"
"Did you forgive him just because his family is poor? Just wait for more people to bully you in the future!"
"Do you think people will always like you just because you do those thankless tasks? You're wrong. There's someone who will always hate you."
After piecing the notes back together, Jiang Zhen looked at the contents, his mouth twitching.
This Ji Zhaoxi... is she sick in the head?!
