After Being Targeted By A Sweet Girl With Big Eyes - Chapter 12
Chapter 12: Fate
“What the heck? What don’t you agree with? Do you get a say in this? Stop scratching for a second! Hold these, let’s go home and scratch them. I have something to tell you.”
Jiang Ruyi grabbed Fu Tian and rushed out of the shop and back to the car. Then, with a flourish, she shoved the scratch-off ticket in Fu Tian’s face, pointing with her finger to the 200,000 amount in the corner, exclaiming happily, “Fu Tiantian, look at this! 200,000! We won the lottery! We won the lottery!”
“Your luck is incredible!”
It was true that a whole booklet was guaranteed to have a prize, but winning the big prize was beyond both of their expectations.
The two were so excited they clapped their hands. They had genuinely never encountered anything like money falling from the sky. This was great news!
Jiang Ruyi immediately video-called her sister. Fu Tian took a photo of the scratch-off ticket on the side, documenting the moment. “A prize this big must be a good omen for me to pursue you, right?”
It was late after dinner, and with the rain, night had fallen quickly. Inside the locked car, the only sound was the rustle of their clothes rubbing together. Fu Tian stared intently into Jiang Ruyi’s eyes, hoping to see something beyond the expected surprise and delight, though she knew it was probably impossible.
“A big prize is a big prize; I can’t say anything about the rest,” Jiang Ruyi shifted her eyes. She was still trying to process Fu Tian’s affection. The call connected. She shushed Fu Tian and yelled at Wang Rumeng, “Wang Rumeng, guess what good thing happened to me?”
Wang Rumeng rolled her eyes dismissively. “What? Did you step in dog poop on the street?”
“Get lost! Only you would be happy about stepping in dog poop! Can you be more civilized? My friend is next to me.”
Jiang Ruyi turned the camera towards Fu Tian. Fu Tian, caught off guard, looked up and made eye contact with Wang Rumeng on the small phone screen. Both were startled. Fu Tian twisted her body in the driver’s seat and gave a slight bow. “Hello, Sister.”
“Hello.”
…
“Hehe.” The wicked Jiang Ruyi only retrieved the phone after the two were silent and “crows were flying.” “I’m telling you, you’ll never guess…”
Wang Rumeng elegantly stood up to pour herself a glass of water. Taking a sip, she knew Jiang Ruyi was waiting for her to ask out of curiosity, but she refused. “Go ahead and tell me. You’ll tell me anyway…”
Fu Tian stifled a laugh on the side. These two fighting-lane sisters were really entertaining.
Jiang Ruyi was impatient, urging Wang Rumeng to ask her. “Tsk, ask me! Hurry up and ask me what happened, what good thing I ran into!”
“Fine, fine. Miss Jiang Ruyi, what good thing did you run into?”
“Ta-da-da-da!” She pulled out the scratch-off ticket and shoved it in front of the screen, using the same trick again. “I won the lottery! We won 200,000! My luck is unmatched! Look! It’s 200,000! Have you ever seen that? Have you ever won that, Wang Rumeng, I ask you!”
“Jiang Ruyi, don’t you dare be disrespectful to me again!”
Jiang Ruyi immediately sat up straight, not daring to be too reckless even through the screen. She answered obediently, “Okay.”
Wang Rumeng curled one side of her mouth in satisfaction. “Do you know that you’ve been lucky since you were a child?”
“Really? I didn’t know that! Did I play scratch-offs when I was little? Did you pocket my money?”
“…I mean that you are very lucky to be my sister. You should be very happy.”
“Ugh, you are so annoying! I’m happy because I’m Mom and Dad’s daughter! Who wants to be your sister? Why don’t you be my sister? I’ll let you feel what a real sister’s happiness is like.”
The two sisters bickered. Fu Tian listened quietly on the side. She had two older brothers, both much older, and they weren’t very close. She truly envied how well Jiang Ruyi got along with her sister, joking and sparring with her.
Jiang Ruyi’s infectiousness was that strong. Just listening to her made one feel like they were floating on clouds, immersed in that harmonious family relationship.
She had far more vitality than her photos and videos suggested.
“Let’s go. Time to go home,” Jiang Ruyi said to Fu Tian after hanging up, leaning over to buckle her seatbelt.
Fu Tian didn’t move. She looked at Jiang Ruyi with unconcealed affection. “Ruyi, stretch out your hand.”
It was the first time Jiang Ruyi had heard Fu Tian call her that. Before she could speak, her hand shot out first. “You suddenly calling me Ruyi really threw me off. I’m one year older than you. You should call me Jie-jie (Sister), got it?”
She thought about it. The term ‘Jie-jie’ was perhaps too ambiguous between them. Her face flushed slightly, and she added, “Forget it. You’re not allowed to call me Jie-jie either. Either call me by my full name or call me Sister Jiang.”
Seriously, what is this little straight girl learning online? Seeing others call people ‘Jie-jie,’ she just imitates them, does she? Doesn’t she know ‘Jie-jie’ is an aphrodisiac for gays?
“Okay, Jie-jie.”
Fu Tian slowly winked at Jiang Ruyi. The next second, she placed the scratch-off ticket in Jiang Ruyi’s hand, then immediately covered half of it with her own hand. A flash of light filled the car. A photo more impactful than a simple couple’s hand-holding picture was created. No one could deny the excitement of winning 200,000.
“Are you done?”
Jiang Ruyi was very professional; she didn’t pull her hand away immediately. After Fu Tian finished snapping away, she asked, “Why are you taking pictures of this?”
Fu Tian looked smug. “Documenting the starting point of our love, of course.”
“Oh, go roll yourself away! Who is the starting point of your love? Did I agree? You’re just happily getting ahead of yourself. Hurry up and drive! I need to go home. I have things to do tomorrow.”
Fu Tian started the car and repeated, “A prize this big is definitely a good omen.”
Jiang Ruyi laughed, threatening, “What if all the luck was used up on the prize, and there’s none left for anything else?”
Fu Tian joined her in laughter, giving her a quick glance. “Whether this thing works out is up to you, not luck.”
“Oh, it’s not determined by luck. It’s determined by cash power.”
Fu Tian was quite interesting. She liked her, wanted to pursue her, and even gave her a proper heads-up. Whatever, I don’t care. Plenty of people pursue me. If she wanted to go back home with her to herd cattle, then she could. They had the most cows in their family. She’d just consider it bringing home free labor. Hehe.
At the entrance to Jiang Ruyi’s neighborhood, Fu Tian obliged her request not to get out of the car, watching her slowly stroll home while playing on her phone, not rushing at all.
Fu Tian took a deep breath, giving herself a silent pep talk. At least she could pursue her openly before Jiang Ruyi completely got tired of her. That was a huge win.
Fu Tian, Fu Tian, you’ve done well. She cheered herself on silently. Everything else would have to be taken one step at a time.
Jiang Ruyi stepped into the elevator, pondering the text message Fan Ling had sent her. She entered the password to her apartment, threw her phone on the sofa, and headed straight for the bathroom this time.
Fan Ling: They want to meet one last time, to give the fans some closure.
Jiang Ruyi: Fine.
In the steamy bathroom, Jiang Ruyi’s black hair clung to her back, and water streamed into her ears.
Tsk, I regret it. Thinking about that despicable person made her sick. Closure? What closure? Haven’t I been updating my social media every day for the last two days? Isn’t that enough closure? The band is disbanded, why should they pretend to show fans their fractured, spiderweb-like relationship?
…
The next evening, Jiang Ruyi still showed up as promised and pushed open the private room door.
She gave a cold glance, and the few people in the room dared not speak.
Tsk, she wasn’t even the last one to arrive.
She thought, If that b1tch is late beyond the agreed-upon time, I’ll use it as an excuse to flip the table, take the group photo immediately, and leave. Staying with this group was simply a waste of oxygen. Since they were disbanded, there was no awkwardness about the future.
With one minute left, Jiang Ruyi and Fan Ling waited quietly, playing on their phones, for the last person to arrive.
Some people grew impatient and asked the member who organized the gathering, “Has she not arrived yet? I’m suffocating.”
Jiang Ruyi and Fan Ling clearly heard her but wouldn’t even give her a look.
The person who organized the gathering was named Wang Shan. She was the most dedicated member of the band but also the least successful. Neither her appearance nor her peacemaking personality stood out. She gently coaxed the complaining person, “It’s still a few minutes before the agreed time. Don’t worry. Everyone just arrived early.”
Hehe. Her attempt at mediation is mediocre too, Jiang Ruyi thought. I don’t know how she managed to survive in the entertainment industry all these years.
Wang Shan continued to try and spark conversation with the person. “Is it true that after you signed with Sanai Pictures, they immediately got you the female lead in a web drama? That’s amazing!”
She spoke a bit slowly, which, to someone like Jiang Ruyi who had a fast output speed, sounded like Flash from Zootopia—exaggerated expressions but slow movement.
Jiang Ruyi laughed and messaged Fan Ling to complain about her: Oh, I see what’s going on. She got a female lead role. Now she’s pulling a big-shot act here. She’s got some nerve.
Fan Ling: I can’t be bothered. When will this farce end? I still can’t believe you agreed to come.
Jiang Ruyi: If I don’t come, where will the drama be?
Suddenly, the door opened. Xia Lin pushed it open, leaning against the frame, slightly out of breath. “Just in time. Glad I’m not late.”
Jiang Ruyi’s fingers moved faster than her brain. She typed out a message and sent it to Fan Ling. Fan Ling looked down and burst out laughing.
Jiang Ruyi: She thinks she’s in a girl group, still doing the ending pose.
Xia Lin’s eyes glowed as she looked at Jiang Ruyi, but Jiang Ruyi had her head down and didn’t spare her a glance.
Jiang Ruyi was busy. She was busy complaining about everyone present to Fan Ling, and she was busy replying to Fu Tian’s messages.
Fu Tian: What’s the weather like at your place? Are there any must-haves?
Jiang Ruyi: A green oxygen bar, natural pastures, blue skies, white clouds. Bring whatever clothes you think look good.
Fu Tian: What style do you prefer me to wear?
Jiang Ruyi: Get lost! Don’t push your luck and try to tease me.
Jiang Ruyi: But let me warn you, my grandma and grandpa are home, so be careful not to wear anything too revealing. Don’t want them thinking what kind of friends I’m making. But tank tops and vests are fine. I wear them myself.
Then Jiang Ruyi thought and added: I don’t like your fake eyelashes. They are banned in my presence. If I see them, I will burn them.
As soon as she sent the text, Jiang Ruyi felt someone sit down next to her. She looked up and saw Xia Lin with her dyed red hair. She looked around at the empty seats and was met with the astonished stares of the entire table.
In a flash of lightning, everyone saw Jiang Ruyi stand up. “Squeak—” The chair scraped against the floor with a harsh sound. Then she lifted her foot, ready to kick Xia Lin, but Fan Ling, beside her, held her back.
The entire scene was comical and chaotic. The others quickly separated the two.
Jiang Ruyi gasped, looking at Xia Lin, who again had a wronged expression, and cursed, “B1tch! Put away that pathetic fake look! How dare you sit next to me? Did my good temper recently give you the wrong idea?”
“Ruyi, I just…”
“Shut up! You slut are not fit to say my name! Stay away from me, got it? The company isn’t protecting you anymore! I have money. I can afford the compensation!”
Naturally, Jiang Ruyi couldn’t eat this meal. The others had to quickly calm her down and place Jiang Ruyi and Xia Lin at opposite ends of the table to take a few photos.
Wang Shan said miserably, “Ruyi, could you smile a little? Xia Lin, don’t look so tearful.”
Jiang Ruyi’s face was flushed with anger. She stared straight ahead. It was only her self-control that kept her from rolling her eyes. “Tsk, I can’t smile when I see something disgusting.”
Wang Shan, who was used to reading people, was not accustomed to Jiang Ruyi’s blunt, spoiled temper. She let out a dry laugh, didn’t push the matter, and quickly snapped the photos.
After the photos were taken, Jiang Ruyi left without a word of farewell.
Fan Ling followed her out. Wang Shan tried to persuade them to stay, but the result was predictable.
Burning Heart didn’t break up today. It had broken up years ago.
Someone muttered, “Rich people disdain eating at low-end restaurants like this with us.”
“No! She was willing to come! Xia Lin, why on earth did you go sit next to Jiang Ruyi? Did you forget everything she said to you before? Are you out of your mind?”
“Those two are inseparable all the time. I even suspect they might be dating.”
“Hey, did you know Jiang Ruyi broke up? She’s been changing her couple’s profile picture for a while.”
“I hadn’t noticed that. No wonder she blew up. Given the type of person she likes, suddenly seeing Xia Lin would definitely cause that…”
“Squeak—”
Xia Lin also stood up and walked out without a word.
The people in the private room…
They started shifting the blame to each other.
“It’s all your fault.”
“You were the one who started that topic.”
“No, it was you, it was you!”
“Hey, do you know what Xia Lin has been up to lately? I heard someone mention…”