After Being Targeted By A Sweet Girl With Big Eyes - Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Confession

“I don’t want to.”

This was absolutely preposterous.

Jiang Ruyi rejected the idea without a care or any burden. “Oh, come on. Start a band? With you? Impossible. I’m telling you, absolutely impossible. If you’re so hardworking, go renew your contract with the company. Before they forget you, pitch this idea to them. Let them convince your former bandmates, or they’ll assign you new ones. Me? No way. I finally got some peace. I’m too lazy for any of that. Going back home to herd cattle is actually quite nice.”

It was Jiang Ruyi who had initially clamored to join the company, and then it was Jiang Ruyi who had clamored to leave.

That’s why her eldest sister intercepted the money her family was going to give her for the contract termination. She’d called, launching into a furious verbal assault, saying things like, “Jiang Ruyi, you’re something else! You jumped into this niche sexuality track without telling your family, and you can’t judge people! Look how pathetically she’s playing the victim online! You didn’t try to pull some rich bully move on her, did you?”

Jiang Ruyi explained multiple times, even crying from the unfairness, but Wang Rumeng remained stone-hearted. “If you’re tired of arguing with me, I’m tired of arguing with you… Yes, I just don’t believe you… ”

“Get lost. Can you compare yourself to me? Deal with your own mess. We won’t intervene. What did I tell you before? I told you to go work at the company honestly. At least there, people would respectfully call you the Second Miss. What are people calling you online now? Ugh, I can’t even look! With your awful temper, even the cows back home would be annoyed with you, and you think you can storm the entertainment industry? What a joke…”

“Anyway, if you have money, terminate the contract yourself. If you don’t, then endure it. If you don’t feel guilty about this whole mess, you shouldn’t leave, got that? You should stay right where you are, with dignity. And don’t provoke that person anymore. We are decent people. We can’t afford to mess with her, you hear me?”

Honestly, if her family hadn’t refused to give her the money back then, she would have impulsively quit ages ago, and who knows what the internet would have said about her then.

Fu Tian spoke softly, “Do you really have to go back? I’m going to miss you. I think we get along really well.”

Jiang Ruyi was delighted. “Wow, I was just thinking the same thing! Even though you… you’re a good person. We definitely get along.”

We get along so well, so why not date?

Fu Tian pressed her lips together. Liking someone is much harder to say than disliking them.

She knew what Jiang Ruyi was omitting. Looking back on the times they had “clashed,” it felt funny now. Just being able to sit in the same car and talk about anything with Jiang Ruyi was already far better than what she had envisioned that day.

Fu Tian parked the car in the mall’s underground garage and unbuckled her seatbelt. “There’s a Vietnamese place upstairs. It smells amazing. And right next to it is a dessert shop. The jasmine shaved ice is super delicious. What do you think? If you don’t like it, we can go somewhere else.”

“That works! I think I’ve been to that shaved ice place you mentioned. Is the sign matcha green? I ordered matcha then, so I’ll try the jasmine flavor today.”

Thinking about it, Jiang Ruyi suddenly felt a pang of reluctance to leave, mainly for these local desserts. She planned to eat out more in the next few days before she left, so she wouldn’t miss them when she went back to her hometown where there wouldn’t be a single takeout shop for miles.

She asked Fu Tian, “Where are you from? What are you going to do after your band breaks up? Are you staying here?”

“I’m from Nanjing. I’ll rest for a while, and we’ll see about my future plans later. Maybe I’ll just relax at home, or maybe I’ll fly around and travel.”

“Hey, Fan Ling, my former bandmate who was with me the other day—she’s also from Nanjing. I’ll hit you two up when I go back there!”

“Okay.” Fu Tian answered vaguely, avoiding the main point. Her relationship with Fan Ling wasn’t something to hide, but it was difficult to talk about.

“Wow, this shaved ice flavor is really good! It’s icy cool with the fragrance of jasmine. I’ve fallen in love with jasmine all over again.”

They ordered two portions of shaved ice and ate them at the restaurant while ordering their main meal.

Jiang Ruyi said, “I’m in love with jasmine again, you know? The last time I saw someone eating jasmine flower scrambled eggs, I was craving it so bad. I bought some to make myself. The first time, I bought dried flowers, and it tasted bitter when I cooked it. I didn’t give up! The second time, I bought fresh flowers. People said you have to remove the stem and soak them in salt water for half an hour—it’s essential. The second time was also bitter. Since things never work out the third time, I figured some money is just meant to be spent. I even made a special trip to Yunnan! I wanted the authentic experience. Guess what happened?”

Jiang Ruyi left a cliffhanger, posing the question to Fu Tian.

Fu Tian clapped her hands, amused. “It was still bitter! Hahaha! I know. I spent a few months there. Jasmine flower scrambled eggs just taste like that. It’s like bitter melon. You don’t like bitter melon either, do you?”

“Exactly! I hate bitter melon! I find it so strange that people insist on eating that vegetable. Later, I started working out, and people recommended bitter melon juice for a refreshing, fat-cutting, anti-inflammatory drink. Even with all those benefits, I wasn’t willing to drink it. Everything that touches its flavor makes me feel nauseated, like a knife that cut garlic and wasn’t washed properly before cutting a watermelon.”

“Ah, that’s a disgusting comparison.”

The two ate and chatted, quickly finishing their meal to satisfaction. Fu Tian suggested they walk around the mall before heading back, and Jiang Ruyi agreed.

A faint sense of parting melancholy crept into Fu Tian’s heart, but Jiang Ruyi was still casually promising future plans. She walked into a random shop and pulled out a mixed-color, plaid, resort-style outfit. “Hey, isn’t this a Thai brand? When did they open up in China? Look at these clothes! They’re perfect for a vacation together. I’m buying both colors. Which one do you want? It’s on me.”

The sales associate stood nearby, smiling brightly. “Miss, you have an excellent eye! We just opened a few months ago. Thank you for your support. Here, I’ll hold these for you. Would you two like to look around more?”

“We’ll look around ourselves. You don’t need to follow us.”

Fu Tian didn’t say anything. Jiang Ruyi led the associate away, then asked Fu Tian, “Why are you quiet? Are you tired?”

“No, I’m not tired.” Fu Tian could clearly sense the difference in Jiang Ruyi’s attitude after they had warmed up to each other. Even in just one day, she felt that once Jiang Ruyi recognized you as a friend, she was genuinely good to you. It was no wonder Fan Ling had been friends with her for so long. “I just think you make promises too easily.”

Jiang Ruyi apologized quickly. “I’m sorry. I’m the kind of person who just says things impulsively. You’re someone who takes promises seriously, right? I apologize. I didn’t know beforehand. I won’t say things casually next time. Others have told me this many times before, but my feelings were genuine at the time; I just lacked follow-through. Forget it, no excuses. This is my fault. Don’t feel burdened by it.”

Some people genuinely valued commitment. That was rare. Although she herself was at one extreme, it didn’t stop her from thinking this was a good trait in Fu Tian.

“No, it’s not a burden. It’s an expectation. If I asked you to fulfill your promise to travel together, would you agree?”

Fu Tian’s eyes were shining. She didn’t secretly put in eyedrops just now, did she? Is this the natural talent of a big-eyed cute girl?

“Yes, of course! If we’re both interested, we can definitely travel together.”

“That’s wonderful!”

But it’s not enough.

Jiang Ruyi suddenly held up a hand signal to Fu Tian and ran to a nearby corner to answer a phone call. Fu Tian watched her retreating figure wistfully. Who is calling her? Could it be her ex-girlfriend? Did she regret it? Does she not want to break up with Jiang Ruyi?

What will I do then?

Jiang Ruyi returned after the call. “Sorry about that. It was the moving company calling to coordinate the time and schedule the pickup. You weren’t impatient, were you?”

“No.” Fu Tian hooked her arm through Jiang Ruyi’s and led her to the elevator. She asked Jiang Ruyi, “Do you remember the first time you met me and talked bad about me, and I caught you? You owe me one request.”

It had only been a few days. How could Jiang Ruyi forget?

Well, she actually had forgotten, but Fu Tian’s reminder brought it back instantly. “Sorry, sorry! Hey, are you trying to settle our debt quickly by bringing this up now? Say it, say it. I’ll fulfill whatever you ask.”

“I like you.”

“Ding!”

The elevator reached the first floor, and the doors slowly opened.

“Wha… What?” Jiang Ruyi was being pulled along by Fu Tian, her mind still reeling. What did Fu Tian say? Who does she like? Isn’t she straight?

She stammered, trying to speak, but Fu Tian cut her off. “Don’t rush to reject me. Let’s play a game. This is my request. We’ll play a scratch-off lottery ticket. If we win a cash prize, please allow me to pursue you. If we don’t win a cash prize, then we’ll…”

Jiang Ruyi knew what she was implying. She had thought she’d found a very compatible friend, but it turned out the other person… was only being nice to her because she liked her.

But this person wasn’t like this when they were sparring with each other! How did this cute girl suddenly turn gay? Oh, no, is it her own damned charm? In that case, there really was nothing she could do.

“That’s very interesting. I accept this challenge to determine the direction of our fate.”

I’m only agreeing to let her pursue me, not agreeing to date her. Plenty of people try and fail to woo someone. She couldn’t be accused of backing out. Fu Tian probably knew that herself.

“Good.”

Fu Tian smiled, scanned a QR code, and said to the vendor, “Hello, I’ll take a whole booklet.”

The vendor replied, “Alright.”

Alright?! Jiang Ruyi was not alright. She turned back in shock to look at the “insidiously” smiling Fu Tian. “No, Fu Tian, are you despicable or what?!”

“But, I really, really want to go back home with you to herd cattle.”

Ah, she couldn’t take it! Fu Tian’s sudden show of affection completely extinguished any anger Jiang Ruyi had. What could she do? When an adorable cute girl is being affectionate, no woman can refuse her.

“You’ve already set up the whole thing. Do I even need to scratch it?”

“Hehe, scratch it anyway. Just for fun.” Seeing Jiang Ruyi resigned but not refusing, Fu Tian knew the first step was secure.

Jiang Ruyi split the booklet with Fu Tian. The two of them, each with a scratching tool, huffed and puffed as they scratched the tickets.

“Fu Tian!” Jiang Ruyi suddenly jumped up and exclaimed.

“What is it?”

Fu Tian asked, confused. Wait, did she suddenly realize something and want to back out?

So, she immediately said without thinking, “I don’t agree!”