Chapter 009 – Shen Qingli Actually Didn’t Appreciate It

After finishing her rant, Madam Jiang finally turned to Shen Qingli and said,
“Ali, aren’t you and Awen in the same school? You’re both first-years, and you even share some general courses. Can you help me keep an eye on him? If he skips class, just message me right away.”

As she spoke, Madam Jiang pulled out her phone and opened her WeChat QR code.
“Here, let’s add each other. If he dares to skip class again, I’ll break his legs!”

In truth, Madam Jiang wasn’t angry because Jiang Junwen skipped class—
She was angry because he skipped class to go on a date with Luo Shuyao.

This had happened in her past life too. Madam Jiang had asked Shen Qingli to keep an eye on Jiang Junwen. But back then, Shen Qingli liked him, so she told him everything.
Jiang Junwen would go to the classroom just long enough for her to snap a photo as proof, then leave immediately after.

Eventually, Madam Jiang found out and took it out on Shen Qingli, accusing her of being a seductive schemer using dirty tricks to ensnare her son.

But this time, Shen Qingli had no intention of helping Jiang Junwen.

She pretended to look troubled and didn’t immediately add Madam Jiang on WeChat. In a soft voice, she said,
“Sorry, Madam. Our class schedules are quite different. I’m afraid I won’t be able to help you with the photos.”

Besides, what kind of person follows someone around every day just to snap pictures of them?
Even imagining it, she found it extremely annoying.

Madam Jiang sat back, giving Shen Qingli a sidelong glance with a half-smile.
“Oh, really? I didn’t know taking a picture could be so hard. How about this—send me your class schedule. If the times really don’t match, it’s fine if you’re late. I’ll call your advisor to explain.”

Shen Qingli frowned. She clearly caught the threat in Madam Jiang’s words.

Her expression darkened. In her past life, after she got together with Jiang Junwen, Madam Jiang constantly made her life miserable.

But in this life, she hadn’t even been with Jiang Junwen—and she certainly wasn’t a servant of the Jiang family.
What right did Madam Jiang have to order her around?

Just as Shen Qingli was about to refuse, Liu Lifen nudged her in the back and quickly chimed in,
“Oh come on, it’s just snapping a few pictures of Young Master Jiang—not hard at all! Don’t worry, Madam. Ali can definitely handle it.”

As she spoke, she took out her own WeChat, scanned Madam Jiang’s QR code, and sent Shen Qingli her contact info.
“Ali, go on—add Madam Jiang’s contact!”

Shen Qingli’s face darkened. She glanced at Madam Jiang.

Madam Jiang stood up, smiling as she turned to Liu Lifen.
“I heard from the housekeeper that the garden is short a deputy supervisor. You’ve been with the Jiang family for many years, haven’t you? Why don’t you take that position?”

She patted Liu Lifen’s shoulder.
“Do a good job.”

Liu Lifen was overjoyed.
“Thank you, Madam! I’ll do my best to serve you!”

Once they left the villa, Shen Qingli looked at Liu Lifen, who still had joy on her face, and said coldly,
“I’m not taking pictures. You’re the one who agreed to it—so you go.”

Then she turned and went back to her room, closing the door behind her.

She resumed tending to her Neon Haworthia, brushing it clean, misting it with water, and staring at it under the light for nearly 20 minutes.

During that time, Liu Lifen knocked on her door repeatedly. Shen Qingli ignored her.

Eventually, Shen Guiqi returned, and Liu Lifen ran to him crying and tattling.

After the noise from the next room finally quieted down, Shen Qingli picked up her phone and opened her chat with Pei Songjiang, carefully re-reading the “Neon Haworthia Care Guide” several times like she was preparing for an exam.

Half an hour later, Shen Guiqi knocked on her door—Liu Lifen trailing behind him.

Liu Lifen’s eyes were red from crying. As always, she played the victim in front of Shen Guiqi.

“Ali, I’m sorry, really. I didn’t have a choice this afternoon. When Madam Jiang gives an order, I can’t just say no…”

Shen Guiqi gave her a look, and she fell silent, though still clearly resentful.

She couldn’t bear to give up the deputy supervisor position—it came with a 2,000 yuan raise!

Shen Guiqi turned to Shen Qingli.
“Ali, don’t worry about what your Aunt Fen agreed to. If you don’t want to do it, then just say no. Tomorrow, I’ll speak with Madam Jiang.”

And if that didn’t work, he would go to the old master.

If Madam Jiang wanted someone to keep tabs on Jiang Junwen, she had plenty of options. Why did it have to be his daughter?

Shen Qingli stayed silent for a long while.

She understood exactly what Madam Jiang was trying to do.

Since she had been proactively trying to get close to Jiang Junwen lately, Madam Jiang was bound to be wary.

And knowing Jiang Junwen’s personality—he hated being monitored—Madam Jiang’s request wasn’t really about surveillance.
It was a trap. Once Jiang Junwen found out Shen Qingli was secretly taking photos of him, he’d definitely start resenting her.

In doing so, Madam Jiang would both make Jiang Junwen dislike her and keep him away from Luo Shuyao.

It was a calculated move.

Shen Qingli looked at her father—his hair graying, fine lines around his eyes. In her past life, he had already suffered enough under Madam Jiang for her sake.

This time, how could she let him speak up on her behalf again?

She sighed softly.
“Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll handle it.”

---

Around 10 p.m., Jiang Junwen finally returned.

As soon as he walked into the villa, he and Madam Jiang started arguing.

The shouting went on for nearly an hour. Then Jiang Junwen stormed out, fury on his face, walked through the garden, and sat smoking in the pavilion of the smaller courtyard.

The pavilion faced Shen Qingli’s window.

In the past, she often peeked at Jiang Junwen through that window.

When it rained, she would even go out to bring him an umbrella.

Jiang Junwen lit a cigarette and stood there in the pavilion, eyes cold as he stared at her window.

He silently counted in his head. Every time he reached twenty, the “well-behaved girl from the driver’s family” would appear—

Either bringing him food, an umbrella, or simply coming out just to see him.

Then—“bang”—the window he was staring at suddenly shut.

Immediately after, embroidered yellow curtains were drawn tightly shut, completely blocking the view inside. Only the faint glow of light shone through.

Jiang Junwen: “???”

His cold, brooding gaze faltered in disbelief. He was so stunned, he didn’t even notice when the cigarette slipped from his fingers.

He frowned deeply and stormed up to the window, knocking on it several times.

Inside, Shen Qingli had just drawn the curtains and wasn’t expecting a knock so soon.

She froze for a second. Then her first instinct was to quickly hide the Neon Haworthia—just in case this rich young master took a liking to it and tried to steal it.

Once the plant was safely hidden, Shen Qingli walked outside, around to the side of the small building, and stood in the courtyard.
“Young Master Jiang? Were you looking for me?”

Jiang Junwen turned to look at her, leaning against the window, a complex expression on his face.
“Why did you shut your window?”

Shen Qingli looked sweet and obedient on the surface, but her words were sharp.
“I closed it for privacy, of course. It’s not appropriate to let people see inside.”

Normally no one lingered in the courtyard, so her words were practically aimed directly at Jiang Junwen—who liked to sit out there smoking.

Jiang Junwen’s expression turned cold. He didn’t know why, but Shen Qingli was acting so differently from her past self.

But whatever this was—
He was sure it was just another one of her little tricks to get his attention.

Jiang Junwen coldly snorted,
“In that case, keep your window shut from now on. Don’t open it again!”

Shen Qingli: “???”

What the heck?!

She glared at his back. This hot-tempered rich boy was seriously annoying.

As Jiang Junwen turned to leave the courtyard, he suddenly paused and looked back at her, asking,
“Gao Xuanzhen asked you to take pictures of me in class, didn’t she?”

Shen Qingli was stunned—she had been planning to talk to him about that!
“How did you know? Don’t worry, I’m not going to secretly take your photo.”

She hadn’t done it in her past life, and she wouldn’t do it now either.

Jiang Junwen snorted through his nose. No one knew what he was thinking, but his expression while looking at her was a bit odd.

After a few seconds, he finally said,
“You can take them. If she asked you to, just do it. I won’t skip class anyway.”

Then he turned to leave.

He remembered that in their past life, Shen Qingli had helped him fool Gao Xuanzhen, and she ended up getting yelled at for it.
This time, he didn’t want her to go through that again.

He didn’t realize it was because he cared.
He just thought—it was unnecessary to let it happen when it could be avoided.

But then, Shen Qingli suddenly called out to him,
“Hey, wait a second!”

Jiang Junwen stopped. His face showed a “knew it” kind of look.
So she still liked him.
Trying to get his attention, as expected, huh?

He turned around, looking arrogant,
“What is it?”

Though he wore a proud expression, he didn’t even realize there was a trace of expectation in his eyes.

Then he saw Shen Qingli raise her phone, pointing the camera at him.
“Young Master Jiang, you just said I could take pictures of you, right? Can you say it again? I need proof in case someone tries to scold me later.”

In her last life, she had been cursed at by his fans for ages.
She wasn’t about to go through that again.

Jiang Junwen: “……”

His face darkened as he glared at her, gritting out,
“I said you can take pictures. Take them if you want. Happy now?”

Then he stormed off, furious.

Shen Qingli, completely satisfied, saved the video and casually got ready for bed.

What she didn’t know was—Jiang Junwen was so angry he didn’t sleep a wink all night!

---

The next morning, Jiang Junwen had early classes.
He hadn’t slept at all—half from being mad at Shen Qingli, half from racking his brain about how to be with Luo Shuyao.

His mother wouldn’t approve no matter what he did, which made him even more rebellious.

He was even starting to resent her.

Shen Guiqi had driven the car out early. Jiang Junwen didn’t even eat breakfast—he just got in.

He glanced instinctively to his left.
That spot used to be where Shen Qingli sat obediently, always holding a warm bottle of milk for him.

Today—she wasn’t there.

He raked a hand through his hair, fuming, and slammed his phone down on the seat.
“Drive,” he snapped.

Shen Guiqi started the car calmly and drove out of the villa area.

Jiang Junwen’s temper was intense. Even Shen Guiqi found him hard to deal with.

He used to drive for the old master, who was gentle and easygoing. That job had been a breeze.
But now, with Jiang Junwen?
Every day was walking on eggshells.

As they were heading down the hill, they saw Shen Qingli walking.

She wore a white T-shirt and jeans, a pale yellow crossbody bag, holding a phone in one hand to check the bus schedule, and two bottles of milk in the other.

Shen Guiqi spotted his daughter first but didn’t plan to stop.

Jiang Junwen had a bad temper, and his daughter was such a good kid—letting them ride together would only mean she’d be bullied.

He was starting to feel that letting her live in the dorm might be the right call after all.

He should never have listened to his wife and brought her to the Jiang house in the first place.

Jiang Junwen also saw her—and his eyes went straight to the milk in her hands.

Shen Qingli loved warm milk in the morning.
She always soaked the bottles in warm water as soon as she got up, and by the time she left the house, it was the perfect temperature to drink on the way.

That milk… he hadn’t had it in a long time.

He stared at it for a few seconds, then suddenly said,
“Uncle Shen, stop the car.”

Shen Guiqi: “……”

He hesitated, but eventually stopped the car.

Jiang Junwen rolled down the window and called out,
“Shen Qingli, get in.”

Shen Qingli turned and looked at him.
She shook her head. “Thanks, Young Master Jiang, but no need. I’ll just take the bus.”

Jiang Junwen: “……”

That was his first time trying to be nice—
and she didn’t appreciate it.

His face turned colder.
He gave her milk one last look, then said stiffly,
“Whatever.”

He rolled up the window and told Shen Guiqi to drive.

Shen Guiqi was worried.
Ali just rejected Young Master Jiang.
He looked furious—would he take it out on her later?

Meanwhile, Shen Qingli jogged to the bus stop and got there just in time.

Sure enough, Pei Songjiang was on the bus too.

Shen Qingli’s eyes lit up. She walked over with a smile.
“Good morning, Senior!”

Pei Songjiang quickly put away his phone.
If she had been a little taller, she might have seen that he had just been scrolling through her Moments feed.

He wore a white baseball cap and light blue shirt today. He nodded politely.
“Morning.”

Shen Qingli handed him a bottle of warm milk.
“Have you had breakfast, Senior?”

Pei Songjiang glanced at the milk and saw she still had one for herself.

Only then did he accept it and nod.
“Yes.”

After a moment, he added,
“I made some roasted potatoes with butter this morning. They turned out quite well.”

Shen Qingli gave him a big thumbs-up.
“Senior, you’re amazing. You even grow your own potatoes?!”

A true all-round farming student!

Pei Songjiang’s ears turned red at the compliment.
He shyly replied,
“It’s nothing special—I’ve only learned how to grow vegetables, really.”