Chapter 46-Part 3

“What surpassing?” Suddenly, a loud voice came from behind.

Xia Jiangming walked over, holding a cup of bubble tea. After taking a sip, he looked at them with a disgusted expression and said, “Wen Qianxia, you’re doing feudal superstition with our sister Ran again.”

Wen Qianxia immediately disagreed, saying, “What feudal superstition? Ranran ranked second in the grade this time, and I…I entered the top 200 in the grade. It works quite well.”

After chewing the pearls in his mouth, Xia Jiangming thought for a moment and immediately said, “Damn, it really seems a bit effective.”

Xu Yihang couldn’t stand him. “Are you brain-dead? You believe whatever people say.”

Shen Zhi, who was originally standing behind, didn’t know when he had strolled over to Ji Ran’s side. She turned around and saw the person next to her.

He lowered his voice and said, “Do you really believe in this?”

Ji Ran gave him a glance, her expression seemingly asking, “Do you think I look like a fool?”

Unexpectedly, Shen Zhi nodded instead, casually saying, “I’ll call you on Saturday.”

The topic transitioned so quickly that Ji Ran was momentarily stunned. She pondered, wondering why he would call her.

“For a date,” Shen Zhi said succinctly.

Ji Ran was immediately reminded. She quickly said, “No, it doesn’t count as a date.”

Shen Zhi was amused by her reaction, a hint of mischief in his eyes. He gently pinched her earlobe and said in a low, husky voice, “No playing dumb with me. That’s a date.”

It’s a date between the two of us.

Under Shen Zhi’s forced arrangement, their Saturday appointment was set.

So much so that in the remaining days, Ji Ran felt a bit absent-minded. It wasn’t until she returned home after school on Friday that she found the living room lights on. When she entered, not only were Jiang Liqi and Jiang Yi, the mother-daughter duo, present, but even Ji Qingli had returned from his week-long business trip.

Ji Qingli had an obvious smile on his face. When he turned to Ji Ran, he immediately said, “Ranran is back; come over and see what Dad brought you.”

Ji Ran walked over slowly and saw the items on the living room coffee table.

This time, Ji Qingli brought her a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace, and it was a limited edition with diamonds.

Ji Ran took a glance and said softly, “Thank you, Dad.”

“You did well in this mid-term exam; these are well-deserved.” Ji Qingli smiled.

Ji Ran glimpsed at a suitcase by the side; it was a pink suitcase, definitely not brought back by Ji Qingli. It must be Jiang Yi’s suitcase.

At this moment, Jiang Yi was also looking down at the bracelet on her wrist. It was a Tiffany bracelet, her first high-end piece of jewelry. Now, no matter how she flaunted it on social media, she wasn’t afraid of others discovering it.

Just as Ji Ran was still guessing, Jiang Liqi slowly spoke: “Ranran, Auntie has something to discuss with you. You know the weather is getting cold now, and the dormitory environment at school is really not good. Xiaoyi also can’t really live there, so I want her to come back and live with us.”

Without waiting for Ji Ran to say anything, she immediately continued, “You can rest assured; Xiaoyi won’t disturb your studies in the future. You did so well in the exam this time; I believe you have completely adapted to life here, and there won’t be such large fluctuations in your grades again, right?”

Ji Ran quietly looked at her.

Jiang Liqi’s words were quite clever. By saying this, she essentially wanted to tell Ji Qingli that if Ji Ran’s grades fluctuated significantly again, like the last monthly exam, it would be her deliberately using her academic performance to threaten them.

Ji Ran didn’t want to play along with her and engage in mutual pleasantries. She directly said, “There are so many boarding students in school. Why is the dormitory environment so bad? Others can live there; why can’t Jiang Yi? If you really pity her for the winter, I think it’s better for her to stay in the dormitory, so she doesn’t have to run back and forth every day.”

Jiang Liqi didn’t expect Ji Ran to not give her any face, directly refuting her. Jiang Yi was even more anxious; she had brought back her luggage. If she couldn’t make her stay back at home, it would be too embarrassing.

So she nervously looked at Jiang Liqi.

Fortunately, Jiang Liqi already had a trump card in hand and remained calm. She gently glanced at Ji Qingli and said softly, “Ranran, we are all family, and we should get along well in the future. You and Xiaoyi will soon become sisters, and you should set a good example for your little brother.”

Ji Ran was instantly stunned, as if she had been struck by lightning, standing still for a long time without moving.

Jiang Yi saw this scene and felt too delighted. Indeed, as her mom said, once her mom was pregnant, Ji Ran was nothing at all.

Ji Ran was just a daughter, but her mother’s belly carried a boy.

Ji Ran turned to Ji Qingli, her voice trembling as she asked, “She’s pregnant?”

Ji Qingli also felt somewhat awkward. After all, he hadn’t expected Jiang Li Qi to get pregnant so quickly. However, during his business trip, Jiang Liqi called him, informing him not only of her pregnancy but also that she had done a checkup. It was a boy.

Ji Qingli, even if he pretended to treat sons and daughters the same on the surface, couldn’t hide his joy when he heard that Jiang Liqi was pregnant with a boy. He was overjoyed and would agree to anything she wanted.

“Ranran, your Aunt Jiang also said that in the future, Jiang Yi will definitely get along well with you, and you…”

“So, just because she’s pregnant and she said a few words in your ear, you softened?” Ji Ran raised her voice.

When she heard Jiang Liqi say, “Set a good example for your little brother,” Ji Ran couldn’t believe that Jiang Liqi had kept her pregnancy a secret from her for over three months.

Ji Qingli didn’t seem pleased with Ji Ran’s words. He sternly said, “Ranran, watch your language. Have I been too lenient with you? How can you speak to your elders like this?”

“What’s wrong with how I speak?” Ji Ran felt nauseous at this moment.

Just because Jiang Liqi was pregnant, he effortlessly overturned his previous promises to her and even planned for Jiang Yi to come back and live, creating a fake harmonious family environment.

So, in her seventeen years of existence, she was worth less than a three-month-old embryo?

Suddenly, Ji Ran found it ridiculous—too ridiculous to continue pretending with them.

“Did I say something wrong? You promised me before that Jiang Yi wouldn’t live here. Now, with a few words from Jiang Liqi about her pregnancy, you immediately change your mind. Don’t you find it ridiculous?”

“You’ve never considered things from my perspective, untrustworthy; how are you qualified to be a father…”

When Ji Ran finished the last word, there was a crisp sound. Ji Qingli slapped her across the face.

After the slap, Ji Qingli was also stunned.

He stared at his hand, thinking Ji Ran would dodge. However, she didn’t move, standing in place, having taken the slap.

As for Ji Ran, she didn’t feel pain—just a burning sensation on her face, scorching hot.

She looked straight at Ji Qingli, her voice unusually indifferent. “You always say my mother suppresses you and wants to control you. But do you think you’re free now?”

“Others comfort you with a few words, and you believe them. How pitiful you are.”

After saying that, Ji Ran turned around and left, leaving Ji Qingli trembling with anger in his spot.