"Are you going to help your younger brother find a job or not?"
Jiang Li lowered her head and saw Zhou Ningyun clutching tightly at her arm. Finally, unable to contain her emotions any longer, she shook the woman off.
"He has hands and feet. Why should I help him?" Jiang Li's voice began to tremble. "First, I was asked to help him pay off his huge debts, and now I'm supposed to help him find a job. Am I that indebted to him?"
If it weren't for Jiang Yi's debts, the money she earned at Jiangyu would have been enough for her to start her own company a long time ago.
At the very least, she wouldn't have been in such a tight financial situation.
The commotion they were causing was quite a spectacle, and many people had already noticed them, pointing and whispering.
Seeing the onlookers, Zhou Ningyun reacted even more strongly than Jiang Li. She immediately covered her face with a silk scarf and said in a low voice, "As the eldest sister, you're like a mother. It's your responsibility as an older sister."
Jiang Li felt a pang in her heart. "He doesn't even recognize me as his sister."
She twitched the corner of her lips, laughing at herself. "In his eyes, I'm just an ATM, and the lowest kind at that."
After saying that, before anyone could recognize her, Jiang Li lowered her head and quickly left the scene.
She fled like a panicked deserter.
Jiang Li walked away quickly. Zhou Ningyun stamped her foot in annoyance and didn't stay any longer. She quickly left as well.
"Sir, what would you like to drink?"
The waitress walked over and asked the man sitting diagonally behind where Jiang Li and her mother had been with patience.
"Thank you, I don't need anything."
Xiao Yanzhi immediately got up from his seat. As soon as he stepped out of the coffee shop, he happened to run into Qin Yaoyao, who had been looking for him for a long time.
"A Yan, didn't you say you were going to the restroom?"
She glanced at the place where Xiao Yanzhi had just come from and asked curiously, "Why did you come out of the coffee shop?"
"I wanted to buy you a drink, but I suddenly forgot what you like." His tone was calm, and there was no trace of emotion in his eyes. "Do you want an Americano?"
His gaze was very straightforward, and Qin Yaoyao didn't suspect anything. She said cheerfully, "You forgot. I like strawberry milkshakes the most. Americanos are too bitter."
Hearing this, Xiao Yanzhi's eyebrows twitched slightly. He simply replied, "I'll remember in the future."
-
After leaving the mall, Jiang Li didn't know where to go for a moment.
In just a few hours, the joy and excitement from the morning had vanished. All the happiness and anticipation had turned into mockery.
She should have known better.
Zhou Ningyun usually didn't even bother to make a single phone call. How could she really want to go shopping with her?
It was all about self - interest.
Not long after leaving, Jiang Li already felt exhausted. She returned to the area near her apartment, grabbed a quick lunch outside, and then dragged herself home.
She was absent - minded. It wasn't until the elevator reached her floor and she walked up to her door that she noticed someone standing there.
It was Xiao Yanzhi.
Jiang Li instinctively took two steps back, her eyes filled with caution. "What are you doing here?"
Xiao Yanzhi sneered. His tone was clearly mocking. "Weren't you out shopping with your mom? You're back quite early."
"So, how was it? Did you have a good time?"
Jiang Li pursed her lips and didn't say a word for a long time.
It was just an ordinary sentence, but it felt like a resounding slap in the face.
It mocked her meager family affection.
Look, Jiang Li.
You always thought you were loved, but in fact, you were just deceiving yourself.
The motherly love you craved and the affection you clung to were actually worthless.
Jiang Li didn't even lift her eyelids. She walked past Xiao Yanzhi as if he wasn't there and rummaged through her bag for her keys.
She was so tired.
All she wanted to do now was to forget everything, crawl under the covers, and have a good sleep.
After sleeping, she would forget everything.
"Jiang Li, I'm talking to you." Seeing that she was ignoring him, Xiao Yanzhi's face darkened, and his voice became cold and stern. "Are you so rude?"
Jiang Li looked up at the man standing in front of her.
Xiao Yanzhi was tall. He almost blocked her entire body, covering her completely.
"Didn't you say that whether you can talk nicely depends on who you're talking to?" Jiang Li said calmly. "When you, Mr. Xiao, learn to be polite to me, I'll be polite too."
She was in a bad mood and didn't have the time to deal with him.
Xiao Yanzhi stared at her with his dark eyes. Seeing that she didn't want to say another word to him, he simply grabbed her wrist and dragged her into the emergency stairwell next to the elevator corner.
"What are you doing!"
Jiang Li finally lost control of her emotions and roared. Her voice was hoarse. "Haven't you had enough fun watching me today? Do you still have to come and humiliate me?"
There was a cool, aloof look in his deep eyes.
The light in the stairwell wasn't very bright. It cast a long shadow on him, outlining his perfect and tall figure with a cold and aloof contour.
"Why are you throwing a tantrum at me?" Xiao Yanzhi said coldly. "Did I cause the problems in your family?"
Every word he said was filled with coercion. "Or did I persuade your good - for - nothing younger brother to go bad?"
Jiang Li's body stiffened.
She lowered her head and gritted her teeth tightly to hold back her tears.
Xiao Yanzhi looked up at the thin - framed Jiang Li in front of him and said indifferently, "Jiang Li, all you can do is act tough with me. What else can you do?"
"None of your business." Jiang Li spat out four words and pushed Xiao Yanzhi away. "My business has nothing to do with you."
After saying that, she rushed out of the stairwell in a hurry. She held the key and tried to unlock the door, but her hands were shaking so much that she couldn't insert the key into the keyhole.
The man slowly followed her out and stood behind her. "You're just too stupid and overly kind, which is why people keep taking advantage of you."
"You think you're being kind to them out of family affection, but in fact, you're just an easy - to - manipulate softie."
Xiao Yanzhi walked up behind her step by step. He grabbed her wrist with his big hand, gently steadied the back of her hand, and easily inserted the key into the lock.
The familiar, cool scent of cedar hit her nostrils, making Jiang Li tremble all over.
The man's cold voice came from above her head. "Don't think everyone is so nice, Jiang Li."
Seeing the door open, Jiang Li gasped for breath. She struggled out of Xiao Yanzhi's embrace. "What right do you have to lecture me?"
After saying that, she slammed the door shut.
She shut Xiao Yanzhi out as well.
Xiao Yanzhi narrowed his eyes. He stood upright in front of the door, his face gradually turning cold and stern.
Just then, the door across from Jiang Li's opened.
"I didn't expect that even the great Mr. Xiao would be shut out."