Chapter 8: Encountering a Benefactor

Jiang Zhe finally lifted her eyes slightly, a touch of red at the corners of her eyes appearing exceptionally alluring. "I want to call off the engagement."

"Very well." Qin Jingchen leaned forward slightly toward her. "Give me a reason."

"Fine, you give me a reason to keep the engagement first." Jiang Zhe remained nonchalant.

Feng Ye watched the two of them in shock. Qin Jingchen had always possessed a powerful aura; wherever he was, he was the one in control.

Yet, in front of him, Jiang Zhe hadn't lost the upper hand in the slightest.

"I want to—that is the reason." Qin Jingchen revealed a faint smile.

"I don't want to—that is also a reason." Jiang Zhe’s expression was cold and indifferent.

"I respect your opinion on not wanting the engagement, Jiang Zhe. Are you also willing to respect my opinion on wanting it?" His tone was perfectly polite, one could even say gentle and accommodating, but his stance was extremely firm.

This man, truly, was gentle as water on the surface, but hidden beneath were treacherous undercurrents.

Dangerous.

"Since we don't see eye to eye, there is even less reason to keep the engagement." Jiang Zhe’s tone remained flat.

The sound of the prayer beads in Qin Jingchen’s hands had never ceased. He chuckled softly: "What to do? I don't agree."

In his tone, Jiang Zhe actually detected the kind of stubbornness only a child would show when throwing a tantrum.

Jiang Zhe: "..."

Feng Ye didn't dare to drink his water anymore.

Had the man in front of him been possessed?

Jiang Zhe picked up her teacup without a care, continuing to sip her tea, looking completely detached and unbothered.

However, the atmosphere at this moment was entirely controlled by Qin Jingchen and Jiang Zhe; Jiang Yaowang and Jiang Xiruo didn't dare to speak.

After a long while, Qin Jingchen finally compromised and leaned back. "Eighteen. Wait until you are eighteen to make a decision."

"How can I trust that you won't refute my decision then?" Jiang Zhe asked.

"You already have the ability to reject me now. Giving you another year is an opportunity for me."

It was clearly a statement of compromise and concession, yet his aura was so powerful that it still felt as if he were in control of the entire situation.

Jiang Zhe twirled her phone with her slender fingers, too lazy to continue this endless argument with him. "Suit yourself."

"Then it's settled." A smile appeared on the corners of Qin Jingchen’s lips, looking as harmless as a lamb.

If Feng Ye hadn't known him since childhood, he would have truly taken him for a pushover.

Jiang Yaowang and Jiang Xiruo exchanged glances; they had no objections to what Jiang Zhe had decided for herself.

Since both sides had reached an agreement, they simply had a meal together.

As they were leaving, Feng Ye reminded Qin Jingchen: "Brother Chen, then these gifts..."

Jiang Yaowang and Jiang Xiruo hurriedly glanced at the mountain of precious gifts and waved their hands: "We really cannot accept these gifts."

"Very well." Qin Jingchen agreed very gently.

Jiang Zhe glanced at those items. Truly, rich people—they bought things as if money meant nothing.

The group walked out together.

She was used to being alone, so she quickly put some distance between herself and the others.

Jiang Fanyue and Gu Jiaheng were just seeing Master Yue out. Seeing Jiang Zhe, Jiang Fanyue couldn't help but frown.

She couldn't possibly be trying to recommend herself to Master Yue, could she?

Jiang Fanyue stood in front of Master Yue without a sound, blocking his line of sight to Jiang Zhe.

Watching Jiang Zhe get closer and closer, Jiang Fanyue gripped her palms anxiously, wondering how to deal with this nuisance, when she saw Jiang Zhe walk past Gu Jiaheng and Master Yue, heading forward without even glancing their way.

She breathed a sigh of relief; it was fortunate that Jiang Zhe hadn't seen Master Yue.

"Master Yue, thank you for taking the time to come today. It must have been tiring." Jiang Fanyue relaxed, her face full of smiles.

"It’s only right. Jiaheng has recommended you to me several times, and I also wanted to see your talent with my own eyes..." Master Yue said with a smile.

Suddenly, his gaze shifted forward, and he became pleasantly surprised.

"Master Yue? Master Yue?" Jiang Fanyue looked in the direction of his gaze. "What is it?"

"I saw a distinguished guest... Never mind, perhaps I was mistaken." Master Yue withdrew his gaze. Why was the young master of the Feng family in Jincheng?

That person was an unreachable existence in the capital; Master Yue had only seen him at social events.

If Jiang Fanyue hadn't blocked his view just now, he might have even had the chance to go up and greet that young master of the Feng family.

As for the others beside Feng Ye, Master Yue had no idea who they were.

But why was Feng Ye acting so respectful toward one of them?

"A distinguished guest? In Jinyuan today, who could be more distinguished than you?" Jiang Fanyue complimented him tactfully.

Jiang Zhe walked quickly and was out of Jinyuan in a blink.

Qin Jingchen and the others arrived at her side a moment later.

"Xiao Zhe..." After Feng Ye called her by this name out of habit, he felt himself being locked onto by two gazes.

A chill ran down his back; it was September, but it suddenly felt like winter.

He immediately changed his address: "Miss Jiang, shall we give you a ride?"

"Just call me Jiang Zhe. No need for a ride, the bus is very convenient."

She was standing right at the bus stop.

Qin Jingchen walked to her side and handed her a small, exquisite brocade box, speaking in a calm voice: "Accept one thing, just as a gesture."

Having refused the pile of gifts earlier and their offer of a ride, Jiang Zhe didn't refuse this one. She took it and tucked it into her bag. "Thanks."

The bus arrived as soon as it was mentioned, and the three of them quickly boarded.

"She’s way too arrogant. Forget about you, Brother Chen, even I—when have I ever been rejected like that?" Feng Ye said, feeling somewhat indignant.

Qin Jingchen, however, was intrigued. His fingers continued to flick the prayer beads as his gaze rested on the departing bus.

"Though, she did say the word 'thanks' this time. We helped her out of a tight spot earlier and she didn't even thank us; I thought she wouldn't thank anyone at all."

Qin Jingchen’s eyes were like water: "She didn't need to thank us for helping her out."

"Why not?" Feng Ye didn't understand.

"If it was something she could solve herself without our help, why would she need to thank us?"

Listening to Qin Jingchen’s words, Feng Ye was puzzled. She could have solved it?

...

Jiang Xiruo remained somewhat uneasy about Qin Jingchen keeping the engagement.

"Dad, what do you think he is actually planning?"

"That man has always had his own way of doing things. Since Xiao Zhe agreed, let it be. Besides, there will still be chances to call it off in the future."

Jiang Zhe listened to their hushed conversation, her expression not changing in the slightest.

It wasn't until she was packing her school bag before bed that she casually flipped through the gift Qin Jingchen had given her.

She opened it and took a look, only to find a rare jade bracelet worth over a hundred million inside.

The value of this gift was a bit excessive.

Fortunately, she had exchanged WeChat contacts with Qin Jingchen that night.

The next day, Qin Jingchen messaged her on WeChat, asking to meet that evening.

"My grandmother is coming today," he added.

Jiang Zhe happened to want to return the item to him, so she agreed without much thought.

She hadn't officially reported to No. 1 High School yet today. As she walked out of the alley, a Lincoln pulled up directly beside her.