Accidentally Marked My Ex’s Crush, the Ice-Cold Goddess O - Chapter 22: Registration

Chapter 22: Registration

“Hello.” Fu Ruanyi answered the phone and walked away.

The people in the meeting room let out a sigh of relief, quickly grabbed their documents and belongings, and left without stopping.

Fu Ruanyi’s assistant stayed behind, seemingly to escort them out of Shengding Group. Although Fu Ruanyi didn’t give them a warm reception, appearances still had to be maintained for outsiders.

Once outside the Shengding Group, Jiang Ci turned slightly and said, “Thank you.”

Li Shuwen smiled lightly, “You’re too polite, President Jiang. I’ll leave you here. If there’s anything, you can contact me directly later, and I’ll pass it on to President Fu.”

Jiang Ci said, “Alright.”

Li Shuwen nodded at Jiang Ci and turned to leave.

After an afternoon of meetings, the group only had time to grab a few cups of water during a bathroom break. They were still very thirsty, clutching their throats, which felt dry as if they were about to smoke.

The company driver pulled the car up, walked around from the driver’s side, opened the passenger door, bent down, and grabbed a few bottles of mineral water from the seat, handing them over.

“Mineral water? Is there any in the car?” Without thinking too much, they quickly took the bottles, twisted off the caps, and gulped the water down.

Jiang Ci reminded, “Don’t drink too fast if you’ve been thirsty for a long time. You might choke. It’s better to drink slowly.”

“Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough.”

As soon as she spoke, coughing sounds reached her ears. The driver, seeing this, walked behind them and gently patted their backs.

The water was something Jiang Ci had texted the driver to buy during a break. Talking for so long without water would be unbearable for their throats and themselves, so they needed to drink immediately after leaving.

This Miss Fu was really hard to deal with. The only good thing might be that she was all business.

After drinking enough water, the group got into the car and returned to the company.

These past few days, Jiang Ci was busy with work and attending classes at school. The engagement cancellation issue had cooled down, with fewer people discussing it online and less media following her.

Qiao Yunchi announced a new urban romance drama these past two days, set to start filming mid-next month. After becoming single again, her fans were overjoyed, celebrating wildly, almost setting off fireworks.

Early Thursday morning, Jiang Ci drove to Dr. Gu’s neighborhood entrance to pick her up for the registration office.

On the way, she stopped at a breakfast shop to buy some food.

Shrimp dumplings, durian puffs, pineapple buns, and fresh milk egg tarts from Li’s, plus a cup of latte coffee.

From delivering meals to Dr. Gu these past few days, Jiang Ci noticed she didn’t eat much per meal but kept snacks in her office for protein and sugar, suggesting a habit of eating small, frequent meals.

Jiang Ci waited about ten minutes near the neighborhood. When her car window was tapped, she instinctively pushed the door to get out but paused when she touched the handle, glancing at the rearview mirror to confirm no one was there before opening the door.

Jiang Ci walked to the other side, and the moment she saw Dr. Gu, her eyes flashed with surprise, sparkling brightly.

For the registration, Jiang Ci wanted to avoid attention, so she wore casual clothes: a simple white T-shirt, long pants, sneakers, and a low-brimmed cap.

As for Dr. Gu, she dressed even more casually, in a cool white sleeveless top, clean and crisp, with white wide-leg pants and white sneakers.

Her tall, slender figure was perfectly complemented by the outfit.

The highlight was Dr. Gu’s loose, dark hair, cascading over her shoulders, glossy and voluminous, with a layered look that gave her an effortlessly stunning aura.

In all the time they’d known each other, this was the first time Jiang Ci saw Dr. Gu with her long hair down. It was quite different from when it was tied up, but both styles looked good.

“Shall we go?” Gu Feiran asked.

Jiang Ci let out an “oh” and quickly nodded, “Go, go.”

She stepped forward to open the passenger door. Gu Feiran said thanks, holding her bag and a thin jacket, bent down to get in, and reached for the seatbelt. The car’s console suddenly showed a successful Bluetooth connection, and music started playing.

Gu Feiran turned to look.

Jiang Ci closed the door, jogged to the driver’s side, bent down to get in, and heard the music but didn’t say anything.

After starting the car and merging into traffic, Jiang Ci looked ahead, handed the breakfast to her with one hand, and said, “I passed a breakfast shop on the way and bought some food. I don’t know if you’ll like it.”

Gu Feiran said, “I already ate at home.”

“Oh, alright.” Jiang Ci put the breakfast back.

They stayed quiet, with occasional navigation prompts and a series of English songs playing in the car.

The registration office opened at 8 a.m. It was now 7:40, so they’d arrive just in time for opening.

Since Monday, when Jiang Ci gave Dr. Gu the contract to sign, she’d been waiting for any changes Dr. Gu might want. Though the contract followed standard procedures, it might not suit Dr. Gu’s preferences, so Jiang Ci pinned her WeChat to the top, expecting edits. But until today, nothing came.

Before the official registration, Jiang Ci asked, “About the contract, Dr. Gu, do you have anything to say?”

Gu Feiran said, “I had professionals review the contract. No issues. It’s detailed and doesn’t need changes.”

Jiang Ci nodded, “Oh, okay.”

They didn’t talk after that until they reached the registration office.

Dr. Gu was too aloof, and Jiang Ci didn’t know what to say.

The registration required an appointment, which Jiang Ci made for 8 a.m. yesterday. No one was ahead, so they were first.

Jiang Ci parked, unbuckled her seatbelt, got out, and walked beside Dr. Gu into the registration office hall.

The hall was air-conditioned, cool, and comfortable, with potted plants like fiddle-leaf figs, monstera, and blue snow flowers against the walls, adding life to the empty space.

A staff member sat at the front reception, focused on typing. They didn’t notice the two approaching.

Jiang Ci adjusted her cap, pulled up her mask, and said, “Hello, we’re here to register. This is the appointment code.”

She showed her phone screen to the staff.

The staff glanced at her phone, scanned the code to confirm, and entered the information into the computer, which displayed their details.

Jiang Ci: Ordinary alpha, pheromone scent: None.

Gu Feiran: S-level omega, pheromone scent: Mandala.

Seeing Gu Feiran was an S-level omega with a mandala scent, the staff’s heart skipped a beat. An S-level omega registering here was unbelievable.

According to past data, top-tier omega and alpha registrations had dropped significantly, with only a dozen last year and no S-level omegas. This year’s first S-level omega registration was a shock.

Curious, she glanced at the two.

Jiang Ci, with her cap and mask, was hard to see, but Gu Feiran’s beauty stunned her—snow-white skin, bright eyes, perfect teeth, a long swan neck, and exquisite collarbones. Truly a rare S-level omega.

But…

The staff leaned forward, staring at Jiang Ci’s info.

Ordinary alpha, pheromone scent: None.

Wasn’t that pheromone or gland dysfunction? How could she mark an S-level omega?

Was the extreme negative somehow a match?

After entering the data, the staff stepped out from behind the counter, her gaze subtly landing on Jiang Ci.

Though masked and capped, Jiang Ci had an air of charisma, even a youthful college vibe. It had been a while since such a well-matched alpha and omega came to the registration office. Regardless of how ordinary her pheromones were, marking an S-level omega proved even a broken tool could fit a hole.

The staff, seeing the beautiful pair, felt her morning shift brighten. She said, “Please follow me. The AO marking registration is different from marriage registration. For marriage, you just need ID and documents to get a certificate. For AO marking, we need a brief Q&A session with standard questions, so don’t worry. You can check the official website later and file a complaint if anything seems improper.”

Gu Feiran said, “Alright.”

The staff led them to Room 001, pushed the door open, and said, “Please enter.”

Gu Feiran and Jiang Ci went in one after another, saying, “Thank you.”

The Q&A room was small, just a few square meters.

A low tea table sat in the middle with a pot of blue flowers. Black leather sofas flanked it.

The room was quiet, suitable for conversation.

The staff said, “Sit anywhere.”

They bent down and sat on the left sofa.

Jiang Ci took the inner seat, Gu Feiran on her right. The staff closed the door, came over, and sat across from Gu Feiran.

Looking at them, the staff said, “Relax. If any question feels offensive, you can stop me. First question: since you’re here, you’ve already marked. Do you have plans to marry, or do you have other intentions?”

This question… Jiang Ci turned to Gu Feiran.

Gu Feiran took the signed contract from her bag, placed it on the table, and said, “We’ve signed a contract but have no plans to marry.”

The staff glanced at the contract without picking it up and replied, “Since you have no marriage plans, I need to clarify some contract details with the alpha. By regulation, if the alpha marked the omega willingly, there’s no criminal liability. But if the omega believes the alpha violated or deliberately marked them, you can inform us anytime, and we’ll detain the alpha on the spot. Our department has that authority.”

Her last sentence was firm.

Gu Feiran said calmly, “It was voluntary.”

Since they came to register in person, it didn’t seem like a forced marking. Still, as staff, she had to ask and follow protocol.

The staff continued, “Since it’s voluntary and there’s no marriage plan, per regulation, the alpha must pay the omega one million annually, whether single or married, until the omega marries. If the omega divorces, payments resume. Any objections from the alpha?”

This rule stemmed from years ago when inhibitors weren’t developed, and some alphas deliberately released pheromones to trigger an omega’s heat and force marking.

An alpha could mark multiple omegas in their lifetime, but an omega could only be marked once. To protect omegas, authorities created this policy.

In early years, severe punishments like death penalties for marking multiple omegas deterred forced markings. The situation calmed, and the rule persisted. Now, non-forced markings could be resolved with payment.

Of course, if an omega deliberately seduced an alpha, they’d face legal consequences too.

“I have no objections,” Jiang Ci said.

“Good,” the staff stood up. “Since there are no issues, I’ll get a colleague to review the contract. If it complies, we can process the marking registration. But I must clarify, our registration only records alpha and omega data and has legal effect to some extent, but it’s not a legal marriage. You’re not legally wives.”

Jiang Ci nodded, “Understood.”

The staff said, “Good, please wait.”

In less than three minutes, the staff returned with two lawyers who reviewed the contract thoroughly, made copies, and verified the bank account.

Once all procedures were done, Jiang Ci and Gu Feiran left the room, went to the reception to finalize registration, and signed the contract copy for filing.

Compared to the Q&A, the paperwork was quick, taking less than five minutes. They left with the contract.

Afterward, the AO matching system would no longer list Jiang Ci and Gu Feiran, sparing them from pheromone matching, and their data would remain confidential.

With everything done, Jiang Ci asked, “You took leave today. Should I drive you back to the hospital now?”

Gu Feiran, holding the contract, walked toward the car, “I’m going home to nap. I rarely get a half-day off, so I can’t waste it. I have surgeries all day tomorrow.”

Jiang Ci quickly followed, saying, “Another surgery day tomorrow? Time flies. I’ll pick you up tomorrow evening. Anything you want to eat? I can make it and bring it.”

Gu Feiran stopped abruptly.

She stopped so fast that Jiang Ci couldn’t brake in time, crashing into her and banging her forehead. Luckily, it wasn’t the injured side, but it still hurt.

Gu Feiran turned, her voice cool and pleasant, “The staff said after the contract takes effect, we’re not in a real marriage. You just need to pay me annually on a fixed date. You won’t go to jail, and you can chase your ex or find someone else to marry. You don’t need to follow me.”

Jiang Ci scratched her neck lightly, saying, “Do we have to draw the line so clearly right away? Also, my ex is my ex. I definitely won’t chase her again.”

Gu Feiran asked, “Are you going to chase me then?”

“Of course not,” Jiang Ci denied firmly, “I absolutely have no such thoughts. Don’t worry, Dr. Gu, I won’t disturb your life.”

Gu Feiran looked at her for a while, then turned and walked away.

Jiang Ci hurried after her, asking again, “So, anything you want to eat tomorrow evening? I’m making something for Little Aunt, so I can bring you some too.”

Gu Feiran said, “No need. I’ll eat at the cafeteria.”

Jiang Ci said, “Don’t worry, I’m not trying to bother you. I just tend to make too much and can bring you some.”

Gu Feiran reached the car, tugged the door, but it didn’t open. She said, “Unlock the car.”

“Oh, alright.” Jiang Ci pulled the car key from her pocket.

She pressed unlock, the side mirrors opened, and Gu Feiran got in, closing the door quickly.

Jiang Ci looked at the key, thinking it had a sensor to unlock automatically when close to the car. Why didn’t it work? It might need repairs.

After getting in, Jiang Ci set the navigation to Dr. Gu’s neighborhood and drove her there.

When dropping her off, Dr. Gu left without looking back.

Jiang Ci glanced but didn’t think much, heading back to school for classes.

These days, company matters were settled, the engagement cancellation calmed down, and Dr. Gu’s issue was resolved.

So, Jiang Ci gave herself a day off on the weekend, silenced her phone, ignored calls, and slept over twenty hours, waking up past 8 p.m.

After waking, she drank a glass of water, returned to her bedroom, and checked her phone for WeChat messages.

Almost everyone had messaged her.

Little Aunt: What are you doing tonight?

Little Aunt: Make braised shrimp in a clay pot. I haven’t had it in ages.

Aunt Liu: Um, Xiao Ci.

Aunt Liu: I heard from Dr. Gu you asked about my relationship with her. Sorry, I didn’t mean to hide it.

Aunt Liu: I’ll explain to your Little Aunt when I get the chance.

Qiao Yunchi’s friend request message: You deleted me already?

Qiao Yunchi: Thought you wouldn’t.

Jiang Ci first replied to Little Aunt: Not cooking tonight. I’ll make it next week when I’m free. I haven’t tried braised shrimp in a clay pot yet.

To Aunt Liu: It’s fine, Aunt Liu.

Jiang Ci: I misunderstood first. Sorry.

As for Qiao Yunchi’s message, Jiang Ci ignored it. She said they were done, so it had to be clean. But whether Qiao Yunchi liked Dr. Gu was unclear—true or not, she never mentioned it when they were together.

Right after replying, Little Aunt messaged again: Dr. Gu, your Aunt Liu, and I are at a hotpot restaurant. I’m sending you the location. Get over here.

Jiang Ci: What?

Didn’t we just eat last weekend?

Little Aunt: It’s not me insisting. Your Aunt Liu told me to call you. She said if it’s just the three of us, Dr. Gu feels like a third wheel.

Jiang Ci wanted to ask: Why call Dr. Gu then?

Little Aunt: You think I want to? On a weekend, dragging people to dinner for no reason? The hospital was busy the other day, and I couldn’t handle it. Dr. Gu covered an hour for me. I offered to cover her shift next time, but she said no need. So, I thought I’d buy her a gift to thank her.

Little Aunt: The gift arrived this afternoon. I gave it to Dr. Gu, but she refused it and told me to take it back. Just then, I noticed she was booking a hotpot place on her phone. Curious who she was eating with, I asked, and she said she was eating alone.

Little Aunt: Dr. Gu rarely eats with others at the hospital. She’s always alone, so eating hotpot solo seemed normal, and I didn’t say anything.

Little Aunt: Then, right after leaving her office, I got a message from your Aunt Liu saying she’d pick me up for hotpot tonight. By chance, we ran into Dr. Gu at the restaurant.

Since we met, it felt awkward to eat separately, so we sat together, changing the 2-3 person set to a 3-4 person one.

Little Aunt: Now, get to the hotpot restaurant immediately. If I don’t see you in half an hour, you’re dead.

Jiang Ci looked at the messages, rubbing her forehead.

Half an hour later, at the hotpot restaurant.

Jiang Ci walked in, searching, and found them at the back by the wall.

The food was already on the table, and the three were eating with chopsticks.

“Little Aunt, Aunt Liu, Dr. Gu.” Jiang Ci greeted them, bending to sit in the empty seat next to Gu Feiran.

Jiang Lan picked up a piece of tripe, saying, “If you want to eat, get your own dipping sauce. If not, just sit there.”

She was here, so why not eat?

Jiang Ci put her phone on the seat, got up, and asked the waiter where the sauce station was. The waiter pointed it out.

Jiang Ci said thanks and hurried over.

Aunt Liu ate while watching Jiang Ci leave, saying, “Xiao Ci dresses like this in private?”

Gray loose short-sleeve shirt, jeans, and sneakers—too casual.

Jiang Lan nodded, “She’s still a student. At the company, she dresses like an adult in suits and heels. In private, she wears what’s comfortable.”

Aunt Liu said, “True.”

Lately, she’d seen Xiao Ci in shirts and suits so often, she forgot she was still a college student.

Jiang Ci returned with her dipping sauce, holding a bowl of green onions and cilantro in her left hand and a full bowl of sesame paste in her right. Hotpot wasn’t hotpot without sesame paste.

She set the sauces down, picked up chopsticks, and started eating.

Jiang Lan teased, “Didn’t you say you weren’t coming? Now you’re eating eagerly.”

Jiang Ci retorted, “As the saying goes, I’m here, so why not?”

“Hmph.” Jiang Lan gave her a side-eye.

Jiang Ci had been to this hotpot place with classmates a few times. Besides the spicy-mild split pot, it had mushroom broth. She grabbed so many green onions and cilantro for this broth—it was incredibly fresh.

Aunt Liu, sitting across from Jiang Ci, saw her finish two bowls and said, “Is this mushroom broth that good? I can’t taste much.”

Jiang Ci finished the last sip of her second bowl, put down the spoon, and said, “Really? I think it’s fresh. You can tell it’s freshly made, not overnight broth.”

Aunt Liu smiled, “No wonder our Xiao Ci loves cooking. Turns out she’s quite a chef.”

“Don’t say that. Xiao Ci always dreamed of being a chef. As a kid, she loved chopping in the kitchen, watching cooking shows. In middle and high school, living near school, she refused the family’s hired help, bought groceries, and cooked herself. Even now, she loves cooking at home,” Jiang Lan said.

Aunt Liu was surprised, “I wouldn’t have guessed.”

Jiang Ci smiled, lowered her head, and kept eating.

After sleeping all day, she didn’t feel hungry at first, but now her appetite was ravenous, wanting to try everything.

As the meal went on, the three were stuffed and stopped eating, but Jiang Ci was only half full and didn’t want to stop.

Seeing this, Jiang Lan used serving chopsticks to add noodles to the pot for her, then asked the waiter for more tripe and tender beef. That should fill her up.

After adding the noodles, Jiang Lan took out her phone to reply to work messages, focused on it, not looking over.

Aunt Liu seized the chance to signal Xiao Ran with her eyes, pointing to her phone.

Gu Feiran, puzzled, opened her phone. Ten minutes ago, Little Aunt sent: Xiao Ran, after dinner, say you want to walk a bit. I’ll have Xiao Ci go with you.

Gu Feiran: Little Aunt wants me to explain things with Miss Jiang?

Aunt Liu glanced at her partner, placed her phone to the left, and typed with one hand: Yes, and tell Xiao Ci not to tell Dr. Jiang. It’s not just hard to explain to Dr. Jiang—if your mom finds out, she’ll hunt me down to the ends of the earth. So, it absolutely can’t get out.

Gu Feiran: Alright, I understand.

Aunt Liu: OK.

They secretly finished chatting and put down their phones.

Jiang Lan, replying to work messages, didn’t forget Jiang Ci’s noodles, stirring them lightly before continuing to type.

The hotpot meal lasted an hour and a half, and everyone got up.

It was supposed to be Jiang Lan’s treat for Gu Feiran as thanks for covering her shift, but Aunt Liu quietly paid the bill.

Neither Gu Feiran nor Jiang Lan said anything.

Jiang Ci, watching, thought, good thing she already knew Dr. Gu and Aunt Liu had no special relationship, or she’d misunderstand again.

After paying, the four left the restaurant.

The night breeze was gentle, feeling nice on the skin.

Aunt Liu offered, “Let’s go. I’ll drive again and drop you three off.”

Gu Feiran, having seen Little Aunt’s message, said, “Dr. Jiang, I ate too much and want to walk a bit. You guys go ahead.”

Jiang Lan, concerned, said, “It’s late. It’s dangerous for you to walk alone at night. Why don’t we drive you home, and you can walk there?”

Gu Feiran declined, “No need. You go.”

She turned and walked away.

Jiang Ci glanced at Gu Feiran’s back, then headed to the parking area. Aunt Liu quickly stopped her, saying, “Xiao Ci, it’s not safe for Dr. Gu to walk alone at night. Go with her, and when she’s done, take a cab to get her home.”

Jiang Lan, catching on, grabbed Jiang Ci’s arm, saying, “Go walk with Dr. Gu. If she doesn’t get home safely, you’ll hear from me.”

Jiang Ci frowned, “I…”

“What ‘I’? Go!” Jiang Lan pushed her forward. Jiang Ci couldn’t argue—she had to wake early to write a paper, and summer break was a month away.

Jiang Lan, arm-in-arm with Aunt Liu, waved, “Hurry up. Make sure Dr. Gu gets home safely.”

“Alright, fine.” She went.

Jiang Ci jogged a few steps to catch up with Gu Feiran, their shadows stretching under the streetlights.

Gu Feiran said, “No need to force yourself. Once your Little Aunt leaves, you can take a cab and go. You don’t have to stay with me.”

Jiang Ci walked slowly, explaining, “It’s not that I don’t want to. It’s just that summer break is coming, and my paper and project aren’t done. If I fail, I’ll flunk. If I flunk, I’ll have to retake. If I fail again, I won’t graduate, and Grandma will kill me.”

Gu Feiran said, “School comes first. Go.”

Jiang Ci didn’t dare leave, saying, “If I don’t get you back, Little Aunt will know and kill me too.”

Gu Feiran stopped.

This time, Jiang Ci didn’t crash into her, stopping quickly and stepping back, cautiously asking, “What’s wrong? Not walking?”

Gu Feiran pulled her phone from her pocket, unlocked it with her face, opened a ride-hailing app, and sighed, “To keep you from getting killed in various ways, I’ll book a ride home now.”

“No, no need!” Jiang Ci grabbed Gu Feiran’s phone to stop her, “That’s not what I meant. Let’s walk. It’s not a big deal, just a little time.”

Worried Gu Feiran would book the ride if she let go, Jiang Ci turned off the screen before letting go, then held Gu Feiran’s hand and phone, slipping them into her pocket. She reassured, “I really didn’t mean it like that. I was just venting about Grandma and Little Aunt, nothing else.”

Gu Feiran gripped her phone, exhaled deeply to release her frustration, and kept walking, “Venting about your Grandma and Little Aunt? You probably have something to vent about me too.”

Jiang Ci thought seriously, “No, honestly, Dr. Gu, you’re pretty perfect. There’s nothing to vent about.”

Gu Feiran said, “That’s because we’re not close enough.”

Jiang Ci glanced at her, “Even if we were, I’d still think you have nothing to vent about. Just your gentleness is a virtue none of us in the Jiang family have.”

“Isn’t Dr. Jiang gentle enough?” Gu Feiran asked.

Jiang Ci laughed as if she’d heard the funniest joke, scoffing, “When I was a kid, Little Aunt hit me the hardest. Our whole family—she only hit me. Before and now. You haven’t seen her argue with Aunt Liu. Aunt Liu doesn’t dare say a word.”

Gu Feiran’s expression softened, “Really?”

Jiang Ci nodded, imagining, “If our Jiang family had half your gentleness, it’d be great.”

Gu Feiran said, “You seem pretty easy to talk to.”

“Me?” Jiang Ci thought she misheard. Dr. Gu thought she was easy to talk to? But thinking about it, it made sense, “Maybe because I grew up getting hit, I don’t know how to say no, so I became easy to talk to.”

Gu Feiran slowed her pace, her voice soft, “That night, did you also not know how to say no and just went along?”

“That night, which…”

Jiang Ci realized what she meant mid-sentence, quickly looking away from Gu Feiran.

Gu Feiran wasn’t pressing for an answer, just asking casually. It didn’t matter if she answered; the answer wasn’t important. They walked in silence for ten minutes.

“Dr. Gu,” Jiang Ci suddenly called.

Gu Feiran said, “Hmm.”

Jiang Ci asked, “What’s your pheromone scent like?”

Gu Feiran was puzzled why she jumped to this but answered, “Mandala flower.”

“Mandala.”

So that day in front of the hotel elevator, the scent on her wasn’t perfume but her pheromone.

Gu Feiran didn’t hear clearly, “What did you say?”

Jiang Ci smiled, “Nothing, didn’t say anything.”

After about half an hour, Gu Feiran stopped and said to Jiang Ci, “Your Aunt Liu didn’t feel comfortable telling you, so she asked me to pass on that regarding our situation, please don’t tell Dr. Jiang yet. When the time comes, Aunt Liu will tell Dr. Jiang herself.”

Jiang Ci nodded, suddenly understanding, “No wonder Aunt Liu wanted me to walk with you. So that’s why. Your walk was her idea, right?”

“Thinking that much?” Gu Feiran didn’t answer directly.

Jiang Ci said, “So I’m right.”

Gu Feiran said, “Think what you want. I’ve passed on the message. Now, we go our separate ways.”

“I’ll take you home,” Jiang Ci grabbed her hand again, took the phone from her pocket, and booked a ride to Gu Feiran’s neighborhood, “I said I’d get you back. I keep my promises.”

Gu Feiran looked up at her, “I won’t snitch to your Little Aunt. I can take a cab myself.”

“It’s already booked,” Jiang Ci held her hand firmly.

Gu Feiran refused, “No need.”

Jiang Ci insisted, “I’ll take you.”

Gu Feiran: “…”

If Little Aunt knew she didn’t get Dr. Gu home, she’d really hit her—lightly or heavily, but better to be safe and take her home.

The car arrived in under three minutes, pulling up to the curb. Jiang Ci held Gu Feiran’s hand, walked over, opened the back door, and gestured for her to get in. Refusing now would waste time, so Gu Feiran didn’t resist, got in, and slid over.

Jiang Ci followed, gave the driver the last four digits of the order number.

They didn’t talk much on the ride, sitting quietly.

Jiang Ci, having slept all day, wasn’t tired and was reading papers on her phone, planning to stay up until dawn to write her paper.

At the neighborhood, the car stopped.

Jiang Ci got out and walked Gu Feiran to the entrance.

Before going in, Gu Feiran turned to Jiang Ci and said, “I’ll tell Dr. Jiang honestly on Monday. Thanks for seeing me home, Miss Jiang.”

Jiang Ci chuckled, “You’re quite polite.”

Gu Feiran said, “No, just don’t want you to get beaten to death.”

Jiang Ci’s smile froze, “…”