Read Novel Full Chapter 119 – A Perfect Excuse
Chapter 119 – A Perfect Excuse
Jiang Li was acting so strangely that even Wen Wan noticed something was off. Naturally, Tong Yi could tell something wasn’t right with her either. Just as Jiang Li was linking arms with Wen Wan and preparing to leave, he grabbed her. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing.” Jiang Li raised an eyebrow. “I just want to get back to the hotel and rest.”
Her tone sounded completely normal—too normal, in fact, which only made Tong Yi feel something was really off. He asked uncertainly, “Are you upset?”
Jiang Li shook her head. “I’m not upset. I’m just tired.”
Tong Yi frowned. “But I feel like you are upset.”
He had known Jiang Xiao Li long enough to sense her moods, but he couldn’t figure out why she was unhappy. She was the one who called him rude, so why would she be the one sulking?
Jiang Li frowned. “I said I’m tired and want to go back to the hotel. If you don’t let go, I’ll punch you.”
Wen Wan quietly slipped her arm out from Jiang Li’s grasp, stepped back to Lin Zhao’s side, and gave him a whisper, “Why did Jiang Li suddenly get angry?”
Lin Zhao shook his head, puzzled. “No idea. But if she’s angry, it’s definitely got something to do with Tong Yi.”
“Go ahead, hit me. Just make it a good one in the back. I won’t fight back.” Tong Yi obviously realized Jiang Li was mad at him, but he still didn’t let go of her arm. He suspected she had seen through his earlier act. If that was the case, this one punch was indeed justified.
“…” Jiang Li frowned. Thinking back to how Tong Yi had unhesitatingly picked her up and spun around to protect her, while she was the one who got hurt by that girl—her annoyance suddenly seemed ridiculous.
“I’m not angry. You’re overthinking it.”
“You’re really not mad?” Tong Yi still didn’t quite believe her.
“Really. I just feel a little tired and want to go back to the hotel to rest,” Jiang Li muttered.
Tong Yi reached out and ruffled her hair. “Then let’s go back together.”
No one could figure out why Jiang Li had suddenly gotten angry, and now that she wasn’t angry anymore, everyone was even more confused.
The girl who had just bumped into Tong Yi blinked. Seeing the two had reconciled, she suddenly stepped forward, carefully approaching Jiang Li and asking, “Sister, are you mad at me?”
Jiang Li: …
Who the hell is your “Sister”?
The girl looked at her with a soft, delicate expression and said, “I really didn’t mean to hurt your boyfriend. I only asked to add his contact because he insisted on paying for the medical bill. I felt bad, so I wanted to treat him to a meal to apologize. Sister, please don’t misunderstand.”
“You were mad because of that?” Tong Yi looked at Jiang Li in disbelief.
If that’s really the case… could it be—just maybe—Jiang Xiao Li was jealous?
“Of course not!” Jiang Li immediately denied it. “You’re not even my boyfriend. Why would I be mad about that?”
The girl’s eyes lit up. “So I misunderstood…”
“Can you shut up?” Tong Yi snapped, unable to bear it any longer. Then he hurriedly said to Jiang Li. “Even if you weren’t mad because of this, I still want to clarify—I don’t know this girl at all, and I had no intention of adding her contact info.”
Jiang Xiao Li’s thought process had always been a bit odd. Years ago, she had mistakenly thought he liked her orphanage friend Jiang Tang. So maybe it wasn’t that strange for her to now think he had a crush on a girl he’d just met for the first time.
Jiang Li gave a noncommittal “oh” and didn’t say more.
Tong Yi had no idea what she was thinking and could only go on, “I told you before—I like smart, beautiful girls who are good at arguing. As for her…”
He glanced at the girl. “I’d never like a green tea girl like her.”
1
Calling her ‘Sister’ at every turn, constantly apologizing, clearly assuming Jiang Xiao Li was his girlfriend but still trying to exchange contact info and offer to treat him to a meal—none of it made any sense.
And the way she had just spoken, it sounded like she was trying to solve the misunderstanding, but she was actually emphasizing how the medical bill had been paid by him. If Jiang Xiao Li had really been angry because of that, this would’ve made her even angrier. This kind of girl was exactly the type Jiang Xiao Li had warned him about before—fake, green tea-ish girl—and he intended to steer well clear of them.
Tong Yi’s words were so blunt that the girl’s expression changed instantly. She had indeed intended to add fuel to the fire, but she thought her words were safe—she never expected the guy would see right through her.
Seeing how firmly Tong Yi stood his ground, Jiang Li looked slightly embarrassed. She glanced at the now-speechless girl and asked with a puzzled expression, “Then why did you rush to pay the bill earlier?”
“So you did get upset because of that?” Tong Yi carefully watched Jiang Li’s expression, not wanting to miss her reaction.
Jiang Li replied with confidence, “Back when we were deskmates, you always made me pay you back anytime I used your meal card or ate your snacks.”
“…” At this, Tong Yi was completely stunned. ‘So that’s what she was upset about?! I really got my hopes up for nothing…’
With a sigh, he quietly explained, “Back then, we barely knew each other, and I didn’t have much money. If you insisted on paying me back, of course I accepted it. As for the snacks—they are not healthy. I didn’t want you eating too much of them, so I made you pay.”
Jiang Li raised an eyebrow. “Are you serious?”
Tong Yi nodded at once. “Of course I am. I was just worried you’d turn into a Chubby Li, so I charged you. You know I wasn’t hurting for the money.”
“Then why didn’t you let her pay for the medical expenses?” Jiang Li asked curiously.
The question circled back, but Tong Yi had already prepared his answer. “I already said I was fine, but you still dragged me to get the X-ray. I don’t even know her. If I let her pay for it, I’d feel like I owed her something.”
Only then did Jiang Li realize she had truly misunderstood. Honestly, the moment Tong Yi called that girl a “green tea girl,” she had already started to doubt herself.
Jiang Li suddenly felt a bit guilty. She grabbed the ointment from the table and said, “Let’s go back. Later, ask Lin Zhao to help you apply this. It’ll help the bruise on your back fade faster.”
Tong Yi nodded eagerly. “You are absolutely right.”
Seeing the two of them ‘bury the hatchet,’ Wen Wan bumped Lin Zhao lightly with her arm and whispered, “Why do I feel like Jiang Li was just jealous?”
Lin Zhao pondered a little, “It’s probably just possessiveness. Jiang Li sees herself as Tong Yi’s best friend, so she can’t stand seeing him be nice to someone else.”
“But I think her reaction was totally out of jealousy,” Wen Wan insisted.
Lin Zhao chuckled. “You used to get mad and ignore me too when I got too close to other classmates. Jiang Li’s behavior is just like yours, so I think she wasn’t jealous.”
Wen Wan: “…”
No, no, she had absolutely been jealous back then—it’s just that a certain blockhead hadn’t figured it out!
Seeing Wen Wan speechless, Lin Zhao assumed he’d convinced her and continued, “I used to think Jiang Li was really mature and rational, and I couldn’t understand how she and you became friends. But now, I think I kind of get it.”
Wen Wan snorted. “Two people can become friends as long as they enjoy each other’s company. They don’t have to be exactly alike. You just don’t get it.”
“Alright, alright. I don’t get it. Wanwan and Jiang Li’s friendship is the greatest. Okay?” Lin Zhao readily appeased her.
His tone was clearly the kind people used to coax children, but Wen Wan found it very satisfying. “That’s more like it.”
After returning to the hotel, the group went straight to the suite Tong Yi had booked earlier. The suite had two bedrooms: one for Tong Yi and Lin Zhao, the other for Jiang Li and Wen Wan.
Once they were alone, Wen Wan immediately grabbed Jiang Li and pressed, “Tell the truth—why were you really mad at Tong Yi today?”
Jiang Li was momentarily stunned, then raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t we just clear that up?”
Wen Wan shook her head. “Not really. I know you were mad because you misunderstood why Tong Yi paid the bill. You thought he wanted to exchange contact info with that girl, and that’s why you got upset.”
Jiang Li nodded. “Yeah, but Tong Yi already explained himself.”
“But why were you upset in the first place?” Wen Wan’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. “Even if Tong Yi had exchanged contact info with that girl and they became friends, you and Tong Yi would still be friends. That wouldn’t change.”
The question clearly caught Jiang Li off guard. She paused for a long moment before replying, “I didn’t really think about it like that.”
“Well, think about it now,” Wen Wan said, eyes full of expectation.
Jiang Li narrowed her eyes slightly and, after several seconds, suddenly said, “I think I just can’t stand seeing Big Nephew waste money. And that girl had a green tea vibe. She’s not the kind of person Big Nephew should be friends with.”
Wen Wan was speechless. ‘That explanation is even more ridiculous than the one Lin Zhao had made up!’
That girl really did have a green-tea vibe, and she hadn’t liked her either. But she’d only started acting that way after Jiang Li got mad. There was no way Jiang Li could’ve predicted it ahead of time!
Wen Wan wanted to cradle her head—four people were staying in this suite, but it felt like she was the only one with any sense! It must be what ancient people meant when they coined the phrase: everyone else is drunk, and I alone am sober.
“I suddenly feel like Tong Yi is actually kind of pitiful.” In the end, Wen Wan gave Jiang Li a pat on the shoulder.
“Why do you say that?” Jiang Li was puzzled.
Wen Wan solemnly shook her head. “I just feel that way. I really sympathize with him right now.”
Jiang Li: “…”
‘This Wen Wan kid is acting really weird today. Did spending too much time with Lin Zhao fry her brain from excitement or something?’
‘Oh well, kids who are eager to fall in love always come up with strange ideas. I should try to be more understanding.’
…
After Old Master Feng lashed out and injured Feng Qi in a moment of anger, he regretted it almost immediately. But with his youngest son refusing to come home and his own pride keeping him from making the first move, the standoff between them dragged on.
His close friends hadn’t noticed anything wrong with him. They still invited him out every day to enjoy their retired lives.
As usual, Old Master Feng went to one of his friends’ homes. The group of elderly sat together, playing chess and chatting idly, sharing the latest gossip.
Old Master Feng quickly picked up on the strange looks the others were giving him. He frowned and said, “If you’ve got something to say, spit it out. No need to beat around the bush.”
One person cleared his throat, “Since your Feng Yang married the eldest daughter of the Tong family, things must’ve been going well, right?”
Old Master Feng raised an eyebrow. “Why bring that up out of nowhere? Yangyang and Niannian are childhood sweethearts. It’s only natural they’re doing well after getting married.”
“I heard your family’s been taking good care of the Tong family’s second son?” the man continued.
When he mentioned Tong Yi, Old Master Feng’s face turned relatively gentle.
“Xiao Yi has always been sharp and capable. No matter what rumors are going around, he’s a well-mannered boy who knows how to handle himself. His parents passed away young, so it’s only right that our family stepped in to help a bit. Not that he needed it—he’s the kind of kid who would’ve made something of himself either way.”
The group exchanged looks, their expressions growing even more peculiar.
Old Master Feng asked, confused, “What is it you all are trying to say?”
After a moment of silence, one of them finally spoke. “Sure, your family’s been good to Tong Yi, but if he really did set Jiang Zhou up, that’s a pretty shady thing to do.”
Old Master Feng frowned. “Jiang Zhou brought that on himself. What’s that got to do with Xiao Yi?”
The elderly man who spoke hesitated. “Sounds like you really don’t know. Lately, there’s been a rumor going around our circle—people are saying Tong Yi, to win over your darling granddaughter, used a classmate with a rare blood type as bait to trap Jiang Zhou and get him locked up.”
Old Master Feng was silent for a while before he gave a cold snort. “Nonsense. This has nothing to do with Xiao Yi. Don’t go spreading baseless rumors.”
The others clearly hadn’t expected that kind of response.
One of them said in surprise, “How can you be so sure it has nothing to do with Tong Yi? We asked around. That student who almost got his kidney robbed is definitely Tong Yi’s classmate, and they’re supposedly very close. I think you ought to look into it.”
Old Master Feng: “…”
He couldn’t exactly tell them that his son actually had a hand in getting Jiang Zhou locked up, could he?
He couldn’t say it—even if he did, no one would believe him.
After parting ways with his friends, Old Master Feng went straight home and called for his trusted housekeeper. He first recounted the rumors he’d heard, then gave his instructions. “Find out who spread this story.”
It took less than half a day before the housekeeper returned with a report: “The rumor came from the Tong family’s eldest son, Tong Xu.”
Old Master Feng gave a cold laugh. “Of course it was him. His father, Tong Bingran, is unscrupulous enough—but he’s even worse. It’s one thing if he’s targeting Xiao Yi, but dragging our Feng family into it? Does he really think I’m that easy to fool?”
“What do you plan to do about it, sir?” the housekeeper asked.
“Contact the eldest—no, contact A’Qi. Tell him to come home right away. Say I have something important to discuss with him.”
Seeing how awkward the old master looked, the housekeeper didn’t dare say a word and simply followed the order to contact Feng Qi.
Old Master has clearly been looking for a reason to reach out to Third Master for some time. This incident just gives him the perfect excuse.
Not a bad outcome, really.
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