Jiang Baiwan was half pulled and half dragged into the car by Ji Chen. She didn’t react until he fastened her seat belt. “……No, wait, where are you taking me?”

“Dinner.” Ji Chen replied simply and started the car right away. “What would you like to eat?”

“Hold on.” Jiang Baiwan took a deep breath. “Why did you suddenly come down and abruptly dragged me to eat?”

Hearing this, Ji Chen remained silent for a while, then stepped on the brakes. Sitting on the passenger seat, Jiang Baiwan was driven forward by inertia. “What are you doing? Are you unhappy being a company president, so you want to be the White Ghost of Akina^[1]from 《Initial D》, a Japanese street racing manga series?”

“I’m jealous.” Ji Chen suddenly spoke.

These two words were too shocking that for a moment, Jiang Baiwan doubted her ears. “……What did you say?”

“I said, I’m jealous.” Ji Chen’s tone was still calm as he let go of the wheel and turned his face towards Jiang Baiwan. “Can’t you tell? I’m very unhappy right now.”

With a dumbfounded look on her face, Jiang Baiwan subconsciously replied, “I…… I can’t tell.”

Ji Chen nodded in all seriousness. “Well, I usually don’t express my emotions too easily so it’s normal for you not to see it. That’s why I chose to tell you this matter directly. I’m jealous right now because I saw you and Luo Xiao talking alone.”

Jiang Baiwan felt shocked by Ji Chen. She wanted to say something to lighten the mood, but she couldn’t open her mouth.

“Maybe you won’t like this kind of jealous behavior, because I don’t know you even in the past.” Ji Chen continued, “But I do feel very uncomfortable when I see you talking with Luo Xiao and there’s also a feeling of jealousy. I think…… I still want to convey this emotion to you.”

He explained under his breath, his eyes appearing dark and bright, and his tone gradually began to waver. “That’s why I acted like that on impulse, and for that, I apologize.”

Jiang Baiwan said falteringly, “It’s okay…… It’s fine.”

Ji Chen breathed a sigh of relief. “En, it’s good that you don’t blame me.”

Then, Ji Chen restarted the car. “What do you want to eat for tonight?

“W-whatever……” Jiang Baiwan shrank her neck while secretly despising herself in her heart—— Why do I have a guilty conscience? I did nothing wrong!

Ji Chen drove the car in silence all the way. Ultimately, he still stopped downstairs Jiang Baiwan’s house.

Jiang Baiwan was inexplicably relieved and thanked Ji Chen. She had just gotten out of the car when she heard Ji Chen call out to her from behind, “Xiao Wan, did I scare you today?”

“It’s better to say I was surprised.” Jiang Baiwan didn’t turn around. “But to be honest, Ji Chen, when you are saying you’re jealous…… you look pretty cute.”

After saying that, Jiang Baiwan hurriedly ran into the building. Ji Chen stared at her back and a smile slowly appeared on his face.

———

After having a tacit understanding with Ji Chen, Jiang Baiwan let go a lot. She happily went to the shop every day to look after it and then contacted Ji Chen to connect with each other. The days were peaceful and increasingly realistic. Occasionally, when she had time to think about it, she felt that the events of her previous life were like a lifetime ago.

On that day, Jiang Baiwan was washing up at home in the early morning when she received a call from Ji Chen. With her toothbrush in her mouth, she indistinctly asked, “What is it?”

“Are you free tomorrow?” Ji Chen asked on the other end. “There’s a banquet that can’t be put off, naming you and me to both attend.”

Jiang Baiwan was stunned that she spat out the foam in her mouth. “What banquet?”

“It’s the Gu family’s banquet.” After Ji Chen said these words, he quickly explained, “Gu Dongcheng is no longer a member of the Gu family and will not appear at the reception. The main thing this time is to sign the share transfer agreement with the Gu family. You only have to follow me.”

Jiang Baiwan rinsed her mouth and pondered for a while. “Okay, but I’ve never attended a banquet before. Aren’t you afraid that I’ll embarrass you?”

“As long as you’re by my side, who dare say anything?” Ji Chen was so domineering at this moment.

Immediately afterwards, Ji Chen said, “That’s it then. There are some things to be prepared before the banquet. Ji Ying will come to you in the afternoon. If you don’t understand anything, just ask her.”

After listening to Jiang Baiwan on the other side responding readily, Ji Chen hung up the call. Ji Ying was standing next to him looking at her younger brother with a disdainful expression. “Why are you not romantic at all? Calling Xiao Wan like giving a task, at least say something nice.”

Ji Chen glanced at Ji Ying, somewhat helpless. “I’m not good at it.”

“If you’re not good at it, you have to learn.” Ji Ying had no intention of letting him off the hook. She spread her hand and held it out at Ji Chen. “Come on, let me see what you want to give her.”

Ji Chen sighed and dialed the internal line. “Tell Assistant Xu to see if the item has arrived. Bring it into the office when it’s here.”

At two o’clock in the afternoon, Ji Ying arrived at Jiang Baiwan’s house. She knocked on the door and Jiang Baiwan opened it soon. “Sister Ji, you’re here.”

“Afternoon.” Ji Ying greeted Jiang Baiwan and entered. “Ji Chen asked me to come and help you…… Your current appearance is really not suitable.”

Jiang Baiwan looked on blankly. She followed Ji Ying’s eyes and looked down at the coral velvet pajamas she was wearing, then it dawned on her. “Okay, so what do I have to do?”

Ji Ying reached out and poked Jiang Baiwan’s forehead. “First, change out of your pajamas and go out with me. Today, I’m going to turn the ugly duckling into a big white swan.”

An hour later, Jiang Baiwan followed Ji Ying and stood inside a styling studio that was obviously very expensive. Someone was waiting for them there. Seeing Ji Ying and Jiang Baiwan coming, the person took off the big sunglasses on her face. “You’re finally here? You’re the only who dare to keep me waiting for a long time.”

“Tan Mi?” Jiang Baiwan eye’s widened slightly. “You’re here too?”

“I’m a regular customer here. Ji Ying asked me to make an appointment.” Tan Mi pulled Jiang Baiwan over and pushed her straight towards another door. “Hurry up, hurry up, move quickly. You’ll be very busy today.”

Jiang Baiwan still didn’t understood what she was going to face next, when Tan Mi dragged her into the big bathroom inside, Jiang Baiwan was alerted. “No, wait a minute. Do I have to take a shower first to get styled?”

“Not only that, you need a facial, a full body spa and various other services.” Tan Mi explained to her. “That’s why I said you’ll be very busy today.”

“Wait, wait, wait!” Jiang Baiwan tugged at her jacket with both hands in a last ditch attempt to struggle. “Is it too late for me to back out? I don’t want to go to the banquet!”

Ji Ying and Tan Mi looked at each other and the same grin appeared on both women’s faces. “Too late!”

“Ahhhhhhh!!!!!” From the bathroom came the sound of Jiang Baiwan’s scream, resounding on the place and spreading everywhere.

———

When Ji Chen arrived, he indistinctly saw a slender figure in the inner dressing room. He was familiar with that silhouette even from the back, it was Jiang Baiwan.

He wanted to go in and have a look, but was blocked by Ji Ying. “Wait a minute. She isn’t finish with her make-up yet. You can come in when it’s all done.”

Ji Chen had no choice but to honestly wait outside.

The wait lasted two hours. Ji Chen sat on the sofa outside, flipping through the magazines on the coffee table because he had nothing to do. Just when he was feeling bored, he suddenly heard a noise coming from the inner room door.

Ji Chen looked up and immediately froze in place.

He saw Jiang Baiwan, who was wearing the latest style Dior dress with a pinched waist and a large skirt, her hair that was normally loose was combed in a flowy and playful hairstyle, and with her elegant makeup, she looked completely different from her usual appearance.

Jiang Baiwan felt Ji Chen’s gaze and she stood there uneasily, clutching her skirt with both hands. “Do I look a strange?”

Ji Chen’s eyes moved slightly. “……Very beautiful.”

When Jiang Baiwan heard his affirmation, she breathed a sigh of relief and lifted the hem of her skirt to step towards Ji Chen’s direction. Ji Chen’s sharp eyes saw a glimpse of the sneakers on Jiang Baiwan’s feet and a pair of bright red leggings inside.

Ji Chen: “……You aren’t wearing high heels?”

“Won’t it be covered?” Jiang Baiwan looked down at her feet in confusion. “Plus high heels are so tiring. I heard from Sister Ji that the banquet will involve standing for a long time, that’s why I specifically chose a dress that will cover my feet so that I can wear sneakers openly.”

Ji Chen’s gaze passed Jiang Baiwan to Ji Ying, who was behind her. She saw Ji Ying covering her face, her expression was so indescribable.

Ji Chen silently withdrew his eyes. “En, you’re right, this method is indeed good.”

Tan Mi and Ji Ying rolled their eyes together, expressing their disdain for Ji Chen lying with his eyes open.

“I also think it looks pretty.” Jiang Baiwan was also very happy in her heart. Although she felt like a doll being manipulated during the prep stage, now that the whole look was complete, Jiang Baiwan felt that it was all worth it when she looked at the person in the mirror.

Ji Chen picked up the gift box he had brought from the coffee table and walked up to Jiang Baiwan. “This is for you.”

“What is it?” Jiang Baiwan took it curiously and after opening the box, she was stunned.

Lying quietly inside was a luxurious diamond necklace.

Jiang Baiwan was at a loss for words as she glanced at Ji Chen, and then at the gift box in her hand. “This…… this is too precious.”

“It’s okay.” Ji Chen reached out and picked up the necklace. “It’s designed by my company. All I need is to pay for the materials.”

Jiang Baiwan was about to say something, but Ji Chen had already come around behind her. He looked at the mirror in front of Jiang Baiwan and said softly, “I’ll put it on for you.”

Jiang Baiwan stood still, only feeling as if she was being embraced by Ji Chen as the cologne on his body slipped over the tip of her nose. Goose bumps rose up on her neck from the cold diamond necklace.

“Is there anything you want to say?” Ji Chen’s voice sounded in Jiang Baiwan’s ear. There was a faint smile on his face.

Jiang Baiwan raised her hand and touched the necklace, took a deep breath, and said in a voice full of emotion:

“That day, Duanmu took me to Metersbonwe and picked out a lot of clothes and shoes for me, but when I looked in the mirror, I don’t even know who the girl in there is^[2]the female lead’s line from the 2009 drama 《Meteor Shower》.”