43 Kisses to You
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Sun Nan’s lecherous smile deepened a few degrees. “So it’s you.”
Jiang Ci ignored him. Seeing the same grin on Sun Nan’s face as before, her stomach churned violently.
The night before leaving the Sun family, Jiang Ci stood in front of the kitchen fridge, intending to grab an extra bottle of water to avoid encountering Sun Nan when she went downstairs for a drink in the middle of the night.
“Sis, why not get your brother a bottle too?”
Sun Nan appeared behind her without warning, a malicious smile playing on his lips. His gaze toward Jiang Ci grew increasingly lecherous.
Startled, Jiang Ci dropped the two bottles she was holding with a clatter. The bottles rolled near Sun Nan’s feet.
“Did I scare you?” Sun Nan took a couple of steps closer. “How about your brother makes it up to you?”
Jiang Ci’s pupils trembled slightly as she coldly replied, “Get lost.”
Sun Nan’s oily grin remained as he leaned in, catching the scent on her skin, feeling his blood reverse flow.
He reached out, pretending to wrap his hand around her waist, but Jiang Ci slipped aside.
Seeing this, Sun Nan’s expression stiffened briefly before a sly thought crossed his mind. He grinned even more lecherously. “Don’t be like that, sweet sister.”
Ignoring her attitude, he closed in on her.
Jiang Ci’s face remained cold, a wave of nausea rising in her stomach. Unable to bear it, she was about to slap him.
At that moment, the housekeeper raised her voice despite the risk of being fired. “Miss Jiang Ci, didn’t you say you wanted me to help tidy your room upstairs?”
Sun Nan frowned and shot the housekeeper a glance.
The housekeeper pretended not to see, though inwardly nervous, maintaining a smile. “Miss Jiang Ci, shall we go?”
Jiang Ci caught the implied meaning behind the words.
Seizing the moment of his distraction, she pushed Sun Nan away, feeling repulsed even after touching him.
Back in her room, she thanked the housekeeper.
That afternoon, after packing her belongings from home, Jiang Ci asked Jiang Nanyan to drive her back.
When the car stopped below her apartment complex, Jiang Ci was about to open the door when she heard Jiang Nanyan say, “I’ll transfer you fifty thousand in a few days.”
Jiang Ci paused, then replied, “Up to you.”
Jiang Nanyan had long expected this attitude and said nothing more. After Jiang Ci got out, she drove away.
Jiang Ci called her grandmother in advance to say she was coming home. Upon arrival, she saw her grandmother standing at the door, waiting.
Jiang Ci smiled gently. “Grandma, you didn’t have to wait for me.”
“It’s cold outside,” her grandmother said. Jiang Ci quickened her pace, supporting her grandmother as they went inside and closed the door.
“It’s been a while since I last saw you. I missed you a lot,” her grandmother said, stroking her hand. “You look thinner, and you have dark circles.”
Jiang Ci shook her head. “Maybe I just wasn’t used to being over there.”
Her grandmother, worried for her granddaughter, promised to cook a nourishing meal.
After dinner, her grandmother suddenly remembered something and pulled a red bracelet from her pocket.
“Tomorrow is your birthday. Grandma wants to give you your gift early,” she said. “Here, let me put it on for you.”
Jiang Ci held out her hand. Examining the intricate woven pattern, she smiled. “Thank you, Grandma.”
After nine o’clock, when her grandmother went to bed, Jiang Ci turned off the TV in the living room.
Back in her room, Zhang Heyu called. Jiang Ci picked up her phone and answered.
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Every time Jiang Ci spoke, Zhang Heyu listened attentively, responding perfectly and providing great emotional support.
Suddenly, with a lazy voice, Zhang Heyu asked, “A’ci, do you want to go on a date tomorrow?”
Tomorrow was her birthday, and he wanted to spend it with her.
Jiang Ci was momentarily stunned. Thinking it over, she realized she hadn’t seen Zhang Heyu for many days. Smiling gently, she replied, “Okay.”
Since dating Zhang Heyu, they often spent time apart, and Jiang Ci wasn’t very clingy.
On the contrary, Zhang Heyu was often clingy with her.
After hanging up, Jiang Ci wanted to finish her holiday homework quickly to have enough time to go out with Zhang Heyu the next day.
She wrote until 12:15 a.m., then raised her head and relaxed her shoulders.
At that moment, her phone vibrated repeatedly on the table. Checking it, she saw Yu Xijin bombarding her with messages.
[Yu Xijin: My CiCi, happy birthday!! I should have sent this before the genius Zhang, right? Praise me! Praise me!]
[Yu Xijin: I timed this perfectly. I don’t care, the first birthday wish has to be from me!]
Jiang Ci smiled and typed back.
[Jiang Ci: Thanks, Jinjin, I got it! Love you!]
The next morning, Jiang Ci saw many birthday wishes from classmates.
Most were from classmates, though Jiang Ci hadn’t told many people about her birthday, yet they still sent her greetings.
[Zhi Jiangwen: Happy birthday, Jiang Ci.]
Since that day, Jiang Ci had rarely seen Zhi Jiangwen, even though they were in the same building. It was as if he was avoiding her.
Jiang Ci didn’t understand his thoughts but recalled they had known each other a long time and he had helped her before.
[Jiang Ci: Thank you for your wishes.]
Without waiting for a reply, Jiang Ci exited the chat and turned off her phone, getting out of bed.
She and Zhang Heyu agreed to meet in the afternoon. Jiang Ci woke early, finished freshening up, sent him a message, then left her room.
Her grandmother’s biological clock was usually around six in the morning; now nearly nine, she was probably at the market buying vegetables, chatting with peers in the neighboring complex.
Since her grandmother was busy, Jiang Ci didn’t stop her.
After preparing to go out, Jiang Ci saw Zhang Heyu standing not far away.
After more than a week apart, he noticed she looked much thinner.
Zhang Heyu extended his hand, palm up, a playful smile in his deep black eyes. “Come here, baby.”
Meeting his gaze, Jiang Ci’s heart raced wildly. She stepped closer and placed her small hand in his palm.
Her fingertips scratched lightly on his palm. “Zhang Heyu, where are we going?”
He didn’t tell her.
“To spend my little birthday star’s birthday with her,” Zhang Heyu said sweetly, never breaking eye contact.
His words set a rosy heat blooming on Jiang Ci’s cheeks.
She was one year younger than Zhang Heyu, entering elementary school earlier, making her a year younger than her peers.
On her seventeenth birthday, Zhang Heyu promised to spend it with her.
He kept the entire day’s plan a secret, maintaining an air of mystery along the way.
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As long as his baby was happy, she didn’t need to worry about anything else.
In the past, Zhang Heyu would never have planned anything in advance or held expectations.
He simply showed up, and the rest was arbitrary.
Since meeting Jiang Ci, he had changed.
He thought to himself that falling for Jiang Ci meant repaying all the old debts of hurting girls’ hearts.
But if it was Jiang Ci, he was more than willing.
He would give her his life if needed.
Zhang Heyu hailed a car and took Jiang Ci to a DIY pottery studio.
It was Jiang Ci’s first time in such a craft shop, which was quite crowded. They arrived just as a table finished and left.
Jiang Ci was still wondering how others worked on their pieces when the person beside her called her name, “A’ci.”
Looking up, she saw the apron in Zhang Heyu’s hand and immediately understood his intent.
She reached to take it, but he bent down and slipped the apron on her.
Suddenly close, Jiang Ci’s breath caught.
Noticing her dazed expression, Zhang Heyu’s lips curved slightly. His strong arms wrapped behind her, tying a knot in the apron slowly and deliberately.
Embarrassed, Jiang Ci turned her face away, avoiding his alluring gaze.
“All done,” Zhang Heyu smiled. “Baby, help me tie mine, will you?”
He lowered his head, the smile unwavering, his eyes openly tempting.
Jiang Ci noticed his black hair was soft and smooth, the kind described online as slightly tousled.
On impulse, she reached up and ruffled his hair.
Zhang Heyu was momentarily surprised.
Looking at her flustered face, he suddenly laughed aloud.
A deep chuckle slipped from his throat, his left hand covering his mouth as he struggled to contain his laughter.
Hearing his laughter, Jiang Ci’s face flushed even deeper.
“Stop laughing!” she said, patting him, cheeks burning, softly complaining, “You’re so mean!”
This side of Jiang Ci was absolutely adorable.
Every time he saw her like this, Zhang Heyu couldn’t help but tease her.
Dragging out the tone, his voice low and amused, he said, “You hate me now?”
“Mm-hmm!” Jiang Ci nodded.
Zhang Heyu stroked her head. “Then can I kiss you so you don’t hate me anymore?”
Before she could react, a faint scent of tea filled her nostrils, followed by a warm touch on her cheek.
Jiang Ci was stunned.
Meanwhile, Zhang Heyu’s sly smile deepened with satisfaction.