Accidentally provoking the spring tide

Chapter 121. A Ring? A Gift from My Lover
The sudden loud noise startled Xiao Mo, causing her wrist to tremble.

The originally straight lines on the paper instantly twisted and became jagged and menacing.

Xiao Mo didn't care and hurriedly ran up the stairs.

The floor was a mess, and the woman standing with her back to the stairs was shrugging slightly. Xiao Mo's expression changed slightly: "Sister Jiang, let me clean up..."

"It's okay, you go and do your work first."

Jiang Jixu's tone remained unchanged.

But Xiao Mo could inexplicably sense the anger hidden beneath that calm.

She swallowed hard. "Okay... Sister Jiang, call me if you need anything."

The sound of footsteps gradually faded away before Jiang Jixu glanced at the messy ground again.

The design drafts, art supplies, books, and even the leaf carving she made for Lu Lishen... were all knocked to the ground by the other party.

The girl turned her gaze away and looked at the person opposite her, her voice as clear and cold as the porcelain-white moon at night.

"pick it up."

Jiang Jixu always thought he had a soft personality, but even a clay figure has some temper, not to mention that this whole thing was absurd and ridiculous from beginning to end.

She couldn't take it anymore.

If Jiang Wang were here, upon hearing this tone, he would immediately realize that Jiang Jixu was serious, and he would definitely kneel down faster than anyone else.

Unfortunately, the person in front of me is oblivious to everything.

He Yongwen was stiff all over, feeling a little flustered, but she still stubbornly stared at her with her neck stiff and refused to move.

Jiang Jixu nodded expressionlessly.

"Okay, I guess I've already given you a heads-up."

A bad feeling welled up in He Yongwen's heart, but she was more stubborn than anyone else: "What do you mean—"

The remaining words were drowned out by screams.

He Yongwen looked at the person who had easily restrained her. The delicate and gentle face no longer had the warmth of their first meeting, but a cold and sharp look that was unfamiliar.

Like icicles forming under the eaves in winter.

Dangerous, yet alluring.

He Yongwen stared blankly, forgetting even to resist.

Jiang Jixu pressed the person down onto the chair, a thin layer of frost appearing in his brown pupils.

"Ms. He, I advise you to calm down before you speak."

"You say I come from a good family, am good-looking, and have many suitors. Are these reasons why I have to give myself to you?"

He Yongwen opened her mouth: "You..."

“Ji Yanci and I have had nothing to do with each other for a long time, believe it or not.”

"It's his problem that you can't find him, not mine. What do you mean by coming here to throw a tantrum?" Jiang Jixu looked down at her. "Or is it because you think I'm easy to talk to and bully because I didn't get involved in your and Ji Yanci's affairs before?"

He Yongwen's pupils contracted slightly.

"you know--"

"Yes, I know."

Jiang Jixu said calmly, "I didn't contact you back then because the crux of the matter wasn't with you."

Ji Yanci is the one who chose to have ties and connections with He Yongwen. If a cow doesn't want to drink water, are you going to force it to?
Therefore, she never caused trouble for He Yongwen, and in some ways she even felt sorry for the girl.

She was used as a stand-in.

Even the value of an individual's existence has been erased.

He Yongwen met Jiang Jixu's gaze, stared blankly for a moment, and then asked incredulously, "Jiang Jixu, are you pitying me?"

Jiang Jixu didn't say anything, he just kept staring at her.

In an instant, the girl, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, bared her teeth and roared angrily.

"What right do you have to pity me?! You're nothing but a simp who's been following a man for over twenty years! A pathetic wretch who's been abandoned and ignored! What gives you the right to pity me?!"

Get out of here! Don't look at her like that!

She shouted and yelled, but tears streamed down her face.

"I just like someone..."

Is it wrong to like someone?

Is it wrong to like someone?
That's absolutely right.

But there's more than just liking one thing in the world.

Propriety, righteousness, integrity, and a sense of shame; values ​​and morality.

It's more important than liking it itself.

After He Yongwen had finished making a scene and was too tired to shout anymore, Jiang Jixu slowly said, "No one can stop you from liking him, but you can't let others pay the price for your liking."

She lowered her eyes, her expression calm: "Clean up the mess you made."

Then let go of the girl.

Even though she hadn't even retorted, He Yongwen couldn't help but tear up, crying and yelling, "Jiang Jixu, are you sick in the head?!"

Why doesn't she hate her? Why doesn't she hit or scold her?
They had to be so calm to make her look like a clown.

Jiang Jixu gazed at her quietly.

Watching the girl cry as she squatted down and picked up the things on the floor one by one, putting them back on the table—

It was placed in the exact same position as before.

When it was time for the leaf carving, He Yongwen's choked sobs paused.

Even if she were not fully conscious, she could tell that the person carved on the leaf was not Ji Yanci.

He Yongwen suddenly remembered what her friend had told her before she came: "Miss Jiang is married now, so don't cause trouble for others because of Ji Yanci."

At the time, she didn't take it seriously and just gave a perfunctory reply.

They just felt that it was Jiang Jixu's way of playing hard to get. If he were really that easy to fall in love with someone else, the other party wouldn't have chased after Ji Yanci for so many years.

Upon seeing this leaf carving, He Yongwen's previously firm resolve suddenly wavered somewhat.

She couldn't help but ask herself:

Is Jiang Jixu really so desperate for Ji Yanci that she's willing to risk her marriage?

But if what Jiang Jixu said is true, and they no longer have a relationship, then why did Ji Yanci break up with him?
He Yongwen's mind was in complete turmoil.

In a moment of surprise, a slender, white hand appeared in my field of vision and picked up the leaf carving.

The ring on her ring finger gleamed.

The woman paused, then spoke in a hoarse voice, almost as if possessed, "This ring is..."

"It was a gift from my wife."

Jiang Jixu carefully brushed away the dust from the leaf carving.

Fortunately, it wasn't damaged.

He looked up and met He Yongwen's slightly complicated gaze.

"You..." The woman's lips trembled slightly, as if in disbelief, "You're really married?"

Jiang Jixu found it somewhat amusing: "Do you need me to show you our marriage certificate?"

He Yongwen remained silent for a moment.

She had seen the photo on the marriage certificate.

I was just trying not to let Ji Yanci find out, so I deleted it without looking carefully.

A hand holding a tissue came into view.

A cool, clear female voice reached my ears.

"Wipe your tears first."

He Yongwen looked at the clean, soft paper, bit her lip, and slapped her hand away, feeling somewhat annoyed: "I don't need your fake kindness!"

She deliberately raised her voice sarcastically, "Who knows if you put something on that tissue to ruin my face?"

Seeing the red marks on the back of his hand, Jiang Jixu became annoyed.

Anyone would get annoyed if they were offended like this again and again.

She threw the tissue into the trash can, her expression turning indifferent.

"If there's nothing else, please leave."

Seeing her actions, He Yongwen's eyes dimmed. She wiped away her tears, her delicate makeup completely ruined, but she still tried to straighten her back, staring at the girl who had sat down again, and said, word by word:

"Jiang Jixu, I will not lose." With that, she turned and left haughtily.

Before stepping down the steps, I heard a sound.

"and many more."

He Yongwen paused, turned around and looked at her warily: "What?"

Jiang Jixu said calmly, "Before declaring war, you should at least find out who the enemy is."

The woman frowned: "What do you mean?"

The other person just looked at her and said, "Ji Yanci must really enjoy staring at your face."

He Yongwen's pupils contracted slightly.

The arms hanging at the sides of the body were trembling slightly.

"Jiang Jixu, don't even think about trying to sow discord between me and Aci!"

The harsher and more stern the words, the more it reveals the vulnerability of one's psychological defenses.

Jiang Jixu did not answer again, but continued to do his own thing.

If He Yongwen has any doubts, she will find a way to find out the truth without her having to say anything. If she still has hope for Ji Yanci, then no matter how much she says, it will be a waste of breath.

After the woman left, Jiang Jixu raised his hand and rubbed his temples.

This is nothing.

Xiao Mo sneaked up to him and said, "Sister Jiang, that person just now looked kind of familiar to me?"

Although He Yongwen wore sunglasses when she came in and left, it couldn't hide the fact that she was a face that frequently appeared on the big screen.

Jiang Jixu tapped her forehead: "You still have time to worry about other things? Have you finished drawing yet?"

Xiao Mo muttered, "It's all because of that guy. He made such a big commotion just now, and ruined my lace."

Jiang Jixu looked at her amusedly, resting her chin on her hand: "You seem so aggrieved."

"Isn't that right~"

Xiao Mo pouted at the girl, clutching her chest and lamenting, "My drawing was 60% complete! Now I have to start all over again."

"Sister Jiang, you understand me, right?"

Jiang Jixu crossed his arms, seemingly lost in thought: "What you said seems to make sense."

Xiao Mo nodded repeatedly.

It's not just that it seems to make sense; it's clearly very reasonable.

"Okay then, I'll give you Wednesday off as compensation!"

Xiao Mo blinked: "Paid leave?"

"Or do you want your salary docked?"

"No, no, no!" Xiao Mo was so excited she almost knelt down before Jiang Jixu. "Long live Sister Jiang! Long live the boss!"

With four days on and three days off, who could be happier than her?
Xiao Mo was humming a song as she prepared to go downstairs, but before she left, she stopped, turned around, and winked at Jiang Jixu.

"Sister Jiang, Wednesday is May 520th, you actually want to spend some time alone with your boss, right?"

"Xiaomo!"

"I did not say anything!"

The girl stuck out her tongue and quickly slipped away.

Jiang Jixu looked at the date circled in red on the calendar next to him, his lips curving slightly. As if he had thought of something, he opened WeChat and sent a message to Bai Xiaoxiao.

Send me his WeChat contact.
-
He Yongwen left Wish in a disheveled state and returned home. She leaned against the wall as if she were exhausted, staring blankly at herself in the mirror in the entryway, and took off her sunglasses.

The person in the mirror has delicate and pretty features, the kind of innocent and delicate beauty.

In the entertainment industry, this isn't actually very popular.

Before entering the entertainment industry, He Yongwen worked in bars to earn tuition and living expenses.

Her family wasn't short of money, but after she turned 18, her parents told her directly and bluntly: "According to our legal obligations, we will only support you until you turn 18. The money and house in the house belong to your younger brother. Don't even think about it."

He Yongwen did harbor resentment.

But what can we do about it?

She finally got into university; she had to survive.

Tuition fees can be covered by student loans, and living expenses can be earned through part-time jobs.

However, with such a tiring work schedule, it's impossible to balance studies at the same time.

She skipped classes more and more often, received more and more public reprimands, stopped participating in dormitory activities, and her roommates' gazes towards her gradually became strange.

These were like knives, slowly severing He Yongwen's nerves.

To balance her life and studies, she could only try to find a job that paid faster. Fortunately, by chance, someone posted her photo online, and a talent scout from an entertainment company took a liking to her and wanted to sign her.

He Yongwen asked Sister Man for an advance on her salary, thinking that her life would be different from then on.

But reality told her that it wasn't like that.

Training, acting, announcements, running around, targeting and squeezing out competitors.

She has even less time for herself than before.

Not only that, her parents, who had told her they would only support her until she turned 18, contacted her again, implying that now that she was a star and successful, she shouldn't forget her roots and should also help her younger brother.

He Yongwen really wanted to laugh.

She had 300 yuan left in her card.

In order to get along well with her roommates, she had to spend more than 200 yuan to treat them to a meal.

In the end, she only had a few dozen yuan left. She sent her mother screenshots of her bank card, but was instead met with a barrage of accusations of being unfilial.

She wanted to cry, but there was no time to cry.

They have to get up in the early hours of the morning to continue rushing to the film set. Newcomers have no say and are even dragged into drinking with customers.

The newlyweds who were traveling with the couple could refuse because their families were powerful and influential.

She tried to ask Sister Man for help.

Sister Man just told her helplessly, "Newcomers all go through this. It's an unspoken rule in this industry. You'll be fine once you become famous."

It'll be fine once it becomes popular.

But when will it become popular?

It wasn't until she was almost drugged and taken away that Ho Wing-man finally made up her mind.

If she has to find a sugar daddy in this industry, then she has to hook up with the best and most powerful one.

That was the original idea I had.

But fate had other plans to make Ji Yanci appear in that way.

He was so gentle with her and easily relieved her of her predicament.

How can I make her not be tempted?
The fairytale-like encounter masked the unsavory truth hidden behind it all.

Jiang Jixu's words were like a sharp pair of scissors, tearing through the surface concealment and forcing He Yongwen to confront and reflect.

Why is Ji Yanci so good to her?

At first, she didn't even want her body.

What makes me think I can do this?
He Yongwen looked at the increasingly pale face in the mirror.

She knew that Ji Yanci liked looking at her face.

She has taken advantage of this more than once.

But it was only at this moment that she realized for the first time that there might be other secrets hidden within.

This secret may also be related to Jiang Jixu's choice to give up Ji Yanci.

He Yongwen forced herself to cheer up, used her phone to contact that friend to go out for dinner, and then touched up her makeup before going out.

They arranged to meet at a high-end restaurant.

He Yongwen took a deep breath and stepped into the restaurant amidst the smiling faces of the staff.

Actually, it was Ji Yanci who brought her to this restaurant.

She waited a while before her friend finally arrived.

They met at a party organized by Ji Yanci's associates. Since the male celebrity he was pursuing was in the same company as He Yongwen, they introduced them, and from then on, the two started to interact more.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with her, He Yongwen, holding her knife and fork, tentatively began to speak.

"Baby, I want to ask you something."

Thank you to Garlic Pork Belly, Bobodo, Book Friend 708081, Mermaid in Dolphin Bay, Book Friend 107517, and Book Friend 4344 for the Red Sleeve Tickets!
Thank you 钤_DC, I really want to eat fish! (with monthly pass)
Thank you to syringa, 沅.yuan, 春风秋雨158, 徐珊珊Jennifer, 王码电脑, 想327, 好好13, Nancy Lin, 梦知春, 兮の, 扑空, 归零*, 呜皮爱吃麦麦, 签到教兽, 喋喋, 书友20250115604, 司予汐, 林纤凝, and 橘星 for their recommendation votes!