Jiang Zhirou was stunned for two seconds. After reacting, her face showed a bit of panic as she forced out a couple of dry laughs.
"Third Master Si, don't make such jokes. I don't have the mind for a relationship now. I'm in a hurry to find that old guy who took me away back then. If I marry you, and you end up with someone who doesn't focus on you and may not even be home often, wouldn't that be a waste of your time? Am I right?"
"Moreover, what happened when we were kids was just a joke from the elders. Why do you take it seriously? It's not worth it."
Jiang Zhirou rattled off a long string of words in one breath.
Si Moshen watched her eager attempt to reject him. A flicker of loneliness involuntarily flashed across his eyes.
"I'm just joking with you."
Hearing this, Jiang Zhirou was taken aback.
The next second, she visibly relaxed a lot.
She reached out and gave Si Moshen a heavy pat on the shoulder. "Really, how can you joke about such things? I'll let it slide this time, but don't do it again."
Si Moshen didn't refute. He just nodded in agreement.
"Okay."
"Remember to carry the jade pendant with you at all times."
Seeing his persistent insistence, Jiang Zhirou knew it was useless to keep declining. She carefully put the jade pendant into her pocket.
After Jiang Zhirou left the study, Uncle Shen pushed open the study door, carrying a bowl of brown medicinal soup.
As soon as he entered the room, Si Moshen smelled a strong odor of traditional Chinese medicine and involuntarily frowned.
"Next time, wait until Zhirou is asleep before bringing it to me."
"The smell is too strong. She might easily notice it."
Uncle Shen nodded. "Understood, Third Master." He placed the bowl on the table in front of Si Moshen.
"Third Master..."
Uncle Shen glanced at the man sitting upright in front of him, hesitating to speak.
"If you have something to say, just say it."
"Third Master, perhaps you should tell Miss Zhirou about your illness. If you keep it a secret from her and she finds out by herself one day, she'll surely get angry with you."
Si Moshen picked up the bowl in front of him and drank the medicine in one gulp.
Then he slowly said, "Zhirou isn't a doctor. Telling her would only make her sad for a longer time. Why bother?"
"Moreover, if you don't say anything, Zhirou won't know."
Si Moshen's gaze fell on Uncle Shen. His eyes no longer held the usual sharpness but instead showed a newfound calmness.
Uncle Shen knew that once Si Moshen made up his mind, there was nothing that could change it. So he didn't say anything more.
He just heaved a heavy sigh.
"Get rid of this jade pendant."
Si Moshen handed the jade pendant he had just given to Uncle Shen.
Uncle Shen tightened his grip on the jade pendant. "Does Miss Zhirou believe that you have two jade pendants?"
As soon as the words were out, Si Moshen let out a soft laugh. "Yes."
Jiang Zhirou wasn't mistaken. There was indeed only one such jade pendant, which was a family heirloom of the Si family.
The one in Uncle Shen's hand was just a fake that Si Moshen had specially prepared to make her accept it.
She didn't know that this jade pendant wasn't left to him by his father. According to the family tradition, it would be passed on to the new generation's head of the Si family.
Since Si Moshen's father was the previous head of the Si family, Jiang Zhirou subconsciously thought that it was something left to him by his father.
"Third Master, those people may not let Miss Zhirou take over the Si family's business."
Uncle Shen's worry wasn't unfounded.
In the first few years after Si Moshen took power, he had experienced no less than a hundred assassinations, big and small.
He was worried that Jiang Zhirou would also encounter the same thing.
Si Moshen sneered. He leaned back slightly in his chair, slowly closed his eyes, and his voice was extremely cold.
"Those people don't even have the right to say no."
...
After Chi Yu left the backyard, he wandered around Yue Lan for a few circles. He didn't notice when he had walked to the outside of that single small villa.
Chen Yixia had just finished her class. Standing outside the second - floor classroom, she saw Chi Yu standing in the distance at a glance.
She was stunned for a moment, rubbed her eyes, and then was sure that it was indeed Chi Yu standing not far away.
Then she waved her arms at him.
"Professor Chi!"
Hearing the sound, Chi Yu looked up and saw Chen Yixia standing on the second floor at a glance.
A faint smile appeared on his lips as he greeted Chen Yixia.
Chen Yixia quickly walked downstairs in a few steps. Looking at Chi Yu's lack of enthusiasm, she probably guessed what had happened.
"Professor Chi, when did you come?"
"Just these two days."
Hearing this, Chen Yixia instantly understood that he had come specifically to find Jiang Zhirou.
"Professor Chi... She..."
She wasn't Qingmian, and she no longer remembered Chi Yu.
These words were on the tip of Chen Yixia's tongue, but she just couldn't say them.
After all, she had watched the two of them grow to this point. Such words were too cruel, and she couldn't bring herself to say them.
"She isn't Qingmian, and she doesn't remember me anymore."
Chi Yu filled in the words that Chen Yixia hadn't said.
Chen Yixia looked a bit embarrassed, and her eyes towards Chi Yu were full of helplessness.
Uncle Shen had said that this time it was Jiang Zhirou's own choice.
She didn't know what had happened, but since Jiang Zhirou had chosen to forget Chi Yu, there must have been something she couldn't accept.
Chen Yixia's fingers curled slightly. "Professor Chi... Do you think Zhirou will remember you?"
Thinking of Jiang Zhirou's defensiveness and aloofness towards him, a bitter smile appeared on Chi Yu's face as he shook his head.
"I don't know..."
When he made the bet with Si Moshen, he was full of confidence.
If he could make Qingmian fall in love with him once, he could make her fall in love with him a second time.
But he had forgotten that the person in front of him wasn't the Qingmian who used to rely on others easily, but the more independent Jiang Zhirou.
The biggest difference between Jiang Zhirou and Chen Qingmian was that Jiang Zhirou would straightforwardly express her displeasure or liking, and she was more independent.
While Qingmian wouldn't. She would often hide her emotions, say nothing, but was more likely to rely on someone than ordinary people.
This was also the reason why Qingmian had mistaken her dependence on Chen Yu'an for love at that time.
Qingmian needed him.
While Jiang Zhirou needed herself more.
In Chen Yixia's memory, Chi Yu had always been high - spirited. Whether at school or outside, he was always the one who attracted everyone's attention and seemed to be in control of everything.
This Chi Yu, who seemed so helpless and unable to do anything, was strange to Chen Yixia.
She also felt sorry for him.
After a long while, she finally said, "Professor Chi, do you love Zhirou?"
"Not because she's Qingmian or Jiang Zhirou, but just looking at her as a person. Do you love her?"
Chi Yu was stunned for a moment. He didn't expect her to ask such a question suddenly.
If it had been before, he might have hesitated a bit, but now he clearly knew where his heart lay.
"I love her."
As soon as the words were out, a faint smile appeared on Chen Yixia's face. Her voice followed closely. "Professor Chi, I'll help you."