Chapter 22: Insatiable?

Jiang Mingyue laughed. There really were people who chased after others just to give them money.

“Alright then, how much compensation would be appropriate?” Jiang Mingyue pondered for a moment, then tilted her head and asked Qi Ze,“Qi Ze, do you think fifty thousand is enough?”

Qi Ze adjusted the ice pack slightly and replied flatly: “Even five hundred thousand wouldn’t be enough.”

Qi Moyang widened his eyes. “Five hundred thousand, you guys are really daring…”

“If you can’t afford it, then get out.” Qi Ze interrupted him calmly, his gaze emotionless as he looked at him.

Qi Moyang was momentarily stunned by that look. Then he suddenly sneered. “Fine, five hundred thousand it is.”

“Wow.” Jiang Mingyue found it a bit unbelievable. Was this what it meant to be rich?

She had only said it casually at first.

Qiang Wei quickly tugged at Qi Moyang, whispering a reminder for him not to act impulsively.

Qi Moyang swallowed his anger. “Don’t worry, I’ll pay it for you.”

He turned to Jiang Mingyue and said: “Take out your phone. Scan the code.”

Jiang Mingyue raised her eyebrows and sighed. “You want to give me money, and I don’t even want it. Who knows if after I take it, you’ll turn around and accuse me of extortion?”

“Don’t judge a gentleman’s heart with a petty mind.”

Jiang Mingyue didn’t want to bother with him and turned to Qiang Wei.

“You didn’t do it on purpose, so you don’t owe me anything. There’s no need to feel guilty, and this small injury doesn’t need compensation either. What I need now is rest. Could I ask you and him to leave first?”

“I’m truly sorry. Then have a good rest.” Qiang Wei said, then pulled Qi Moyang away with her.

Qi Moyang gave her a fierce glare as he was dragged away.

After the swelling had gone down and the wound was bandaged, Qi Ze helped Jiang Mingyue back to the classroom.

The classroom was on the third floor.

They had only gone up one flight of stairs before Jiang Mingyue couldn’t jump any further.

With one hand holding onto Qi Ze and the other gripping the railing, Jiang Mingyue was panting heavily.

Qi Ze supported her as she hopped up step by step. “How about I carry you up instead?”

Jiang Mingyue, short of breath, nodded. “Alright. Since you’re so sincere about carrying me, it would be rude of me to refuse.”

Qi Ze said: “…Since you’re being so reluctant, forget it. Let’s keep going, one hop at a time.”

With that, he held her and was about to continue climbing.

Jiang Mingyue knew when to yield. She grabbed his arm and begged,  

“Hey, hey, hey, I’m not reluctant, not at all. It would be an honor to be carried by you. Please carry me, I’m exhausted.”

Qi Ze let out a helpless smile and crouched in front of her.

He lifted her effortlessly onto his back.

Jiang Mingyue lay on Qi Ze’s back, the fresh and pleasant scent around him lingering at the tip of her nose.

The boy’s back was lean and warm. His neck was fair and slender, and his ears looked like sculpted pieces of art—well-shaped and symmetrical. His earlobes were fair, tender, and tinged with a bit of pink.

“Qi Ze.” Jiang Mingyue suddenly spoke.

Her warm breath fell on his ear, causing it to redden slightly in an instant.

Qi Ze paused for a moment, then responded in a soft voice: “What is it?”

Jiang Mingyue also lowered her voice, as if whispering into his ear. “Will you be carrying me up and down the stairs like this for the next few days?”

Qi Ze’s ear tickled a bit. He tilted his head slightly. “Aren’t you getting a bit greedy?”

“How can you call it greedy when it’s between friends?”

“Then what would you call it?”

“Mm… taking advantage of affection?”

“……”

“…That doesn’t sound right either, haha.” Jiang Mingyue laughed awkwardly.

His ear tickled even more. Qi Ze could no longer bear it. “Shut up.”

“Oh.”

By this time, class was about to start, and many students were already seated in the classroom.

As soon as the two of them entered, everyone’s eyes turned to look at them.

Earlier she hadn’t thought much of it, but now, under the scrutiny of all those curious gazes, Jiang Mingyue’s face couldn’t help but grow warm.

Qi Ze calmly placed her in her seat and then returned to his own.

Chen Xiangyi immediately turned around, her eyes gleaming with gossip. “What’s going on between you two?”

Liu Wenqi also looked at her with curiosity.

Jiang Mingyue felt a little embarrassed.

She pulled up her pant leg and motioned for them to look. “Nothing’s going on. I twisted my ankle, and he kindly carried me upstairs.”

Chen Xiangyi instantly shifted her attention. “What happened?”

“Just bad luck. I slipped on a chopstick in the cafeteria at lunch.”

Liu Wenqi asked: “Is it serious?”

“Not really. The doctor said it’ll heal in ten days or half a month.”

Chen Xiangyi said: “That’s good then. If you need water or need to go to the restroom later, just call me.”

Liu Wenqi added: “You can call me too.”

Jiang Mingyue smiled. “Mm-hmm, I will. I’ll definitely be troubling you both. Thanks in advance.”

Liu Wenqi smiled lightly.

Chen Xiangyi waved her hand, but then changed the subject,  

“But… there’s still something off between you and Qi Ze. You’re getting closer and closer.  I’ve never seen him treat anyone else with that much enthusiasm.”

“I think so too.” He Jiaqi suddenly popped up from behind. “I’ve long felt there was something unusual between you two.”

Jiang Mingyue touched her slightly warm face. “You’re all reading too much into it. The relationship between us is very pure—just friends.  

Actually, Qi Ze is a really good person. If you’re willing to spend time with him, you’ll see that too.”

Chen Xiangyi nodded. “I think he’s a good person too.  

We ran into each other at the comic convention last time, and I thought he was really thoughtful and gentle, and he has a strong sense of justice—he even stopped a pervert. And.”

Chen Xiangyi’s eyes sparkled: “he’s so handsome!”

Jiang Mingyue wholeheartedly agreed. “Absolutely gorgeous.”

He Jiaqi curled her lips. “Tch, shallow women.”

Jiang Mingyue said: “What, are you jealous?”

He Jiaqi replied: “As if.”

Jiang Mingyue chuckled: “Hehe.”

Chen Xiangyi said: “Ignore him.”

The class bell rang, and the biology teacher walked in with a textbook.

Jiang Mingyue pulled herself together and focused on the lesson.

After studying for some time now, the knowledge she had forgotten from high school was gradually coming back to her bit by bit.

But she was still a poor student.

Firstly, because the knowledge taught in this world was slightly different.

Secondly, because she had always been a poor student to begin with.

When the school bell rang signaling the end of the day, students began packing up and leaving.

Chen Xiangyi finished packing her bag. “Little Mingyue, let’s go. I’ll help you downstairs.”

“Mm-hmm, wait a sec, I need to pack up.”

Jiang Mingyue took out her homework notebook. “By the way, today we only have English and math homework, right?”

Chen Xiangyi replied: “That’s right.”

“OK.” Jiang Mingyue packed up her homework and zipped her backpack.

“Let’s go, I’ll walk you downstairs.”

A gentle, clear male voice sounded.

“Hmm?” Jiang Mingyue looked up in surprise. Qi Ze stood nearby, backpack slung over one shoulder, arms crossed.

Her eyes widened with delight. “You… you’re going to carry me downstairs?”

Qi Ze raised an eyebrow. “Weren’t you the one who asked for it?”

Jiang Mingyue said: “I thought you wouldn’t agree.”

“Then…?” She looked between Chen Xiangyi and Qi Ze.

Chen Xiangyi immediately put on an “I understand” kind of expression. “Then what are you waiting for? I’m not going to carry you, you know.”

With that, she waved. “I’m heading off. See you tomorrow.”

Qi Ze carried her downstairs, then supported her as they walked to the school gate.

“Where’s your family’s driver?”

“Aiya.” Jiang Mingyue suddenly remembered: “I just remembered—Uncle Driver is sick. I told him not to pick me up after school and to rest at home for a couple of days.”

“Then how are you getting home?”

Jiang Mingyue was about to say she’d call a taxi, but her eyes shifted, and she asked Qi Ze: “How are you going back? Riding your motorcycle?”

Qi Ze replied: “Mm.”

“Then…” Jiang Mingyue tilted her head and looked at him. “Which direction is your home? Is there any chance I could hitch a ride?”

Qi Ze glanced at her. “You’re pushing your luck again?”

Jiang Mingyue pouted. “I was just asking.”

Qi Ze: “……”

She didn’t expect him to agree anyway. “Let’s walk a little farther ahead. I’ll just call a taxi.”

Qi Ze supported her as they walked forward. Suddenly, he said: “There’s only one helmet on the motorcycle. I can’t take you.”

Jiang Mingyue was stunned for a moment, not expecting him to explain out of nowhere.

Then she laughed and said: “It’s fine. I was just asking. I was planning to take a taxi anyway.”

After a few more steps, Qi Ze spoke again. “Forget it. Wait here for me. I’ll go buy another helmet.”

“Huh? Isn’t that too much trouble?”

Jiang Mingyue said that with her mouth, but the corners of her lips curled up high.

Qi Ze let out a short laugh through his nose. “Good that you know it’s trouble.”

He helped her sit down at the nearby bus stop. “Sit here. I’ll be back in about twenty minutes.”

“Is there a shop selling helmets nearby?”

“There’s one.”

“Alright, then go ahead. No rush.”