Chapter 98: A Night of Marriage, a Hundred Days of Affection
Jin Shi Yue said in a deep voice, “Tell me the difference.”
“If you like me, I’m sorry, I don’t like you. I like your brother, Jin Yan Ting.”
Lian Li’s finger twitched with pain without warning. She said dismissively, “If you want to sleep with me, there are plenty of people eager to solve your physiological needs. Stop toying with me.”
Her life was a mess right now, and she had to deal with things one by one. She didn’t have the time or energy to play with Jin Shi Yue.
He was too uncontrollable; she couldn’t handle him.
At least in terms of romance, she couldn’t handle him.
Jin Shi Yue was silent for three seconds, his voice still carrying its usual lazy tone, “Do you think I like you, or do I want to sleep with you?”
Lian Li’s gaze was unfocused as she looked at the couple on the TV screen, saying calmly, “Neither.”
Jin Shi Yue let out a meaningful laugh, his tone tinged with a hint of disappointment, “Neither?”
“You knew a long time ago that I liked Jin Yan Ting, and you also knew about the scandals outside about Jin Yan Ting and me. Jin Yan Ting is your brother, and you two have a good relationship,” Lian Li analyzed calmly and rationally. “Whether it’s for your brother’s reputation or the Jin family’s interests, you have many reasons not to like me.”
“I don’t like you, yet I’ve helped you time and again. Do you think I’m doing charity?”
“The reason you help me is also simple: you’re bored and looking for someone to amuse yourself with, and you’re also looking out for me on Zhong Yang’s and the others’ behalf.”
Jin Shi Yue scoffed at her absurd words, “Lian Li, who is heartless, me or you?”
Lian Li didn’t care about such things. “As long as you don’t make me responsible, you can call me ungrateful.”
Lian Li never thought of herself as a likable girl.
Lian Jingcheng lied to her, saying her mother liked her, but she knew her mother didn’t.
The mother who should have liked her the most in the world didn’t like her. Why should she expect others to like her?
After nine years of interaction, Lian Li thought Jin Yan Ting liked her, but he didn’t.
She didn’t care if Jin Shi Yue, whom she had known for four months, disliked her.
Yes.
She didn’t care.
Lian Li’s voice was soft and gentle, yet it felt like a hard rock blocking Jin Shi Yue’s heart, causing a dull ache in his chest.
Both of them were people on the verge of collapse.
The difference was that Lian Li was desperately struggling to fly upwards, while Jin Shi Yue was letting himself fall downwards.
“That’s all I wanted to make clear to you.”
Lian Li was about to hang up after speaking, but she heard Jin Shi Yue’s deep voice, “Don’t you want to know my answer?”
Whether he liked her or wanted to sleep with her.
Lian Li said decisively, “No, your answer is no longer important to me.”
Whichever answer it was, it would be the same to her.
Jin Shi Yue’s thin lips curved into a mocking smile, “What am I lacking compared to Jin Yan Ting?”
Lian Li didn’t understand why he was asking that, but she replied, “I never said you were inferior to Jin Yan Ting.”
Jin Shi Yue snorted coldly, “Then you like him?”
“Jin Yan Ting appeared when I was helpless and took care of me for nine years, always fulfilling my requests,” Lian Li thought he was asking a foolish question. “If I don’t like Jin Yan Ting, would I like you?”
Unexpectedly, Jin Shi Yue said righteously, “Yes, you like me.”
Lian Li: “…”
Lian Li couldn’t reason with him. Anyway, she had made her point clear. She left him with, “The money you transferred to me earlier will be given to you by Brother Zhong Yang in the form of a check.”
With that, she hung up the phone directly, lest he say something inappropriate again.
After resolving the issue of responsibility, Lian Li found that her mood wasn’t as relieved as she had imagined.
It was definitely because there was still one problem to solve – the offer from Princeton University.
Lian Li put it aside for the moment and got up to take a shower.
After coming out of the bathroom, she walked to the living room while drying the water droplets from her hair ends with a hair towel.
The TV series was still playing, and the chatter of many people filled the house, creating a lively and bustling family atmosphere.
Lian Li’s fingertip tapped on the mobile phone on the table, checking her WeChat messages.
Brother Zhong Yang: 「Li Mei, I heard your birthday is coming up. We have to stay home these days and can’t go out. We’ll make up for your birthday party another day! 」
Brother Zhong Yang: 「It’s a bit rushed, so no gifts were prepared, but there must be a red envelope! 」
Lian Li counted carefully; Zhong Yang had sent her a total of eighteen red envelopes.
Full of sincerity.
Lian Li replied: 「My birthday hasn’t arrived yet, the red envelopes are early. 」
Brother Zhong Yang: 「Not early, your birthday this year is on the first day of the Lunar New Year, double happiness, the more the merrier! 」
Regardless of whether Zhong Yang held a birthday party or not, Lian Li wasn’t planning to go, as she would run into Jin Shi Yue.
But she could still accept the red envelopes.
Lian Li was amusedly collecting the red envelopes. After tapping the last one, she turned off the TV and prepared to go back to her room to organize the information Professor Lu Huier had sent her.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
Lian Li hesitated and turned her head to look at the door. Confirming she hadn’t misheard, she opened her phone to check the surveillance feed.
Seeing who it was, it was hard not to be surprised.
Their conversation just now was still vivid in her mind; it could hardly be called pleasant, let alone friendly.
Lian Li felt her attitude had been quite vile.
Jin Shi Yue wouldn’t be here to settle scores with her, would he?
For her own safety, Lian Li pretended not to hear the doorbell, gracefully walked to the wall, and turned off the living room lights.
With a “snap.”
The surroundings were instantly plunged into darkness, making the light from her phone screen particularly striking.
Eldest Young Master: 「Stop pretending. 」
Eldest Young Master: 「You’re not asleep. Come and open the door. 」
Logically, text is cold and emotionless.
Lian Li’s apricot eyes reflected the two simple messages, yet she sensed an imperceptible ruthlessness.
It made her heart tremble.
Lian Li’s fingertips repeatedly pressed the power button on the side of her phone. The screen turned off and then on, then off and on again.
After the sixth time the screen went dark, she walked towards the bedroom. After three steps, she suddenly stopped.
Lian Li pondered for a moment and replied to Jin Shi Yue: 「I’m going to sleep. You should go back. 」
Lian Li had lied to Jin Yan Ting before, saying she was going to sleep. At that time, Jin Yan Ting had told her to rest well and left.
However, Jin Shi Yue was not Jin Yan Ting.
Eldest Young Master: 「Is hiding from me interesting? 」
He was truly… knowing she disliked the cello, knowing she was avoiding him, yet he insisted on pointing it out so directly.
He wasn’t annoying; it was simply outrageous.
Lian Li even wanted to block Jin Shi Yue.
She tapped on the surveillance feed.
Jin Shi Yue was extremely sharp. Almost simultaneously, he slightly raised his eyelids to look at the camera, raised an eyebrow, and smiled faintly, exuding an air of arrogant nobility.
Lian Li: “…”
Why was he the same as before? Had her phone call been in vain?
Lian Li hesitated for a moment, turned the living room lights back on, walked over slowly, and opened the door, wanting to ask Jin Shi Yue what exactly he wanted.
The moment the door opened, the man outside hooked his arm around her slender waist, pulled her into his embrace, and walked inside while holding her.
Jin Shi Yue stretched out his long leg, and the door closed behind them with a soft click.
Lian Li was still stunned. Her face was buried in Jin Shi Yue’s firm and warm chest. As soon as she came to her senses, she heard him say in a low voice, “I’m in a bad mood.”
He needed to find amusement when he was in a bad mood. Was she the amusement?
Lian Li leaned back slightly, frowning, “What does my being in a bad mood have to do with you? Let go.”
Jin Shi Yue was covered in frost and snow, his cheeks cold. He lowered his head, his cheek pressing against her warm face, absorbing her body heat.
“A night of intimacy is worth a hundred days of affection.”
Lian Li turned her face away, “Who had a night of intimacy with you?”
