Chapter 218: Want a Taste…?

By the time Jiang Ning and Du Xinrui returned to the villa, night had fully fallen.

The villa was dimly lit, with only a single figure moving about in the main hall, busy with something.

Since Miss Jiang had come straight from school, she hadn’t brought her villa key. She stepped forward, ready to knock on the door.

Just then, Du Xinrui handed her a key from behind.

Seeing this, Miss Jiang suddenly remembered and turned back with a sheepish grin.

She stepped up and unlocked the villa door.

And walked right into Aunt Hu, who was tidying up the shoe cabinet.

“Boss, you—”

“Aunt Hu, long time no see.”

Halfway through her greeting, another figure caught Aunt Hu’s eye, and disbelief spread across her face.

When she saw that all-too-familiar face, she hurried forward, grabbing Du Xinrui’s hands, looking her over from head to toe. Her eyes reddened slightly.

“Rui Rui, you’ve lost so much weight.”

“No way, Aunt Hu. You don’t know—I’ve actually gained a little,” Du Xinrui replied gently.

But before she could finish, a hand suddenly reached out from behind and pinched her waist.

“Aunt Hu!”

“I can confirm it!”

“Teacher Du has definitely gained weight!”

“Look, she’s even got a bit of softness around the waist!”

Caught off guard by the sneak attack, Du Xinrui’s cheeks flushed. She swatted away the mischievous hand at her waist, then pulled Aunt Hu aside to chat.

Seeing this, Miss Jiang chuckled to herself.

Though Aunt Hu and Du Xinrui had once shared an employer-employee relationship, after years of living together, their bond had long since deepened—more like mother and daughter now.

So, Miss Jiang didn’t interrupt them.

Instead, she glanced around the living room and, relying on memory, headed straight for a certain evil secretary’s room.

As for what she was planning…

Hehehe…

Wang Jianguo returned half an hour later.

Her heart, however, shattered five minutes after that.

Especially when she discovered that even the official game cartridges had been hidden away by a certain unscrupulous boss.

She nearly burst into tears.

Sprawled on the couch, clinging to Jiang Ning’s leg, she wailed:

“Boss!”

“You can’t do this to me!”

“You took all of them away—it’s like you took half my life!”

“Only half?” The shameless boss patted Wang Jianguo’s head like she was petting a dog.

“You’ve still got the other half.”

“Ganbatte!”

Just then, Du Xinrui walked out of the kitchen wearing silk pajamas, carrying a bowl of freshly cut fruit.

When she saw Wang Jianguo draped all over Jiang Ning, she smiled and asked:

“What’s going on?”

At the sound of her voice, Wang Jianguo lit up like she’d found her savior.

She turned and clung to Du Xinrui’s arm.

“Sister Du…”

“Help me…”

“You’ve got to help me…”

Watching Wang Jianguo act so pitiful, Miss Jiang gave a cold snort and briefly explained why the game consoles had been confiscated.

When Du Xinrui heard that Wang Jianguo could play all night without stopping, her smile faded. She gently admonished:

“Sleep is very important for girls.”

“You can’t sacrifice your health for a moment of fun.”

“Understand?”

Listening to that soft, soothing voice, Wang Jianguo replied pitifully:

“I know, Teacher Du!”

“I’ve already been cutting back a lot these past few days!”

“But everything takes time, right~?”

Du Xinrui was being shaken so much she had no choice but to look at Miss Jiang for help.

Seeing this, Miss Jiang let out a dramatic sigh.

She wasn’t planning to go easy on her, but Concubine Rui’s words couldn’t be ignored.

After all, they hadn’t had much time together these past couple of years.

“Secretary Wang!”

“Just this once!”

“If I catch you pulling an all-nighter again…”

“Hmph…”

“If it happens again, I won’t complain if Boss confiscates my Little Tyrant!” Secretary Wang thumped her chest and swore.

But Miss Jiang just gave her a crooked smile.

“If it happens again…”

“Don’t blame your boss for putting you on the casting couch!”

…

At 10 p.m., Miss Jiang returned to the dorm. Her roommates had just gotten back as well.

“Where’d you run off to, Miss Busybody Jiang?”

Yang Ke was brushing her hair, smiling as she greeted her.

“Family stuff,” Miss Jiang replied casually, stepping over Xiao Mai, who was sweeping the floor, and heading quickly toward the bathroom.

But when she got there, she found the door locked.

No surprise—someone was probably showering inside.

As for who it was—

Jiang Ning glanced back.

Just in time to see Little Qi returning with a washbasin full of freshly laundered clothes.

“Wenwen~”

Jiang Ning called out.

But the other girl ignored her, cheeks puffed out, and as she passed by with her basin, she let out a barely audible snort.

Yikes…

Probably forgot to tell her about taking leave.

She’s mad, huh?

Seeing this, Miss Jiang chuckled awkwardly and followed along, pretending to help hang up the clothes.

But as soon as she hung up a T-shirt, her eyes landed on two very familiar-looking bras.

She glanced at Qi Wen’s figure for comparison.

And immediately felt a pang of regret.

“Wenwen, why did you wash my bras?!”

“What?” Qi Wen replied curtly, clearly annoyed.

Jiang Ning looked exasperated as she pointed at the two bras hanging to dry.

“I only have three…”

“You washed two of them.”

“I need to change the one I’m wearing.”

“So what, am I supposed to go to class commando tomorrow?”

Qi Wen’s mind immediately conjured up Jiang Ning’s figure.

Then her face.

Then her popularity.

If Jiang Ning really showed up to class without a bra…

She’d probably set off a frenzy among the boys.

At that thought, Qi Wen’s cheeks flushed red. Her irritation vanished, replaced by a sheepish expression.

“Th-then what should we do?”

“I could use a hairdryer to dry one for you?”

Dry it?

“You’re not afraid the Dormitory Auntie will come knocking?”

Seeing that Little Qi was at a loss, Jiang Ning chuckled mischievously.

“How about…”

“I wear yours?”

The moment she said that, Qi Wen realized Jiang Ning was teasing her. She immediately turned her head away and declared a five-minute friendship break.

Seeing Little Qi act so tsundere, Jiang Ning grinned and was just about to say something more—

But at that moment, the bathroom door swung open.

A cloud of steam rolled out, and Yuan Lu’s figure gradually emerged from within.

Only…

Jiang Ning swallowed hard and rubbed her suddenly itchy nose.

“Yuan Lu…”

“Hm?”

“Brown…”

At those words, Yuan Lu raised an eyebrow and straightened her posture.

“Wanna try?”

???

“Ahem, sorry for interrupting…”

Miss Jiang made a hasty retreat…

…………

Du Xinrui left the country on the morning of the 13th.

In fact, the moment she heard about the Twin Towers incident—around the early hours of the 11th—she had planned to fly out immediately.

But thanks to Aunt Hu and Jiang Ning’s firm intervention, Du Xinrui delayed her departure by a day. Only after confirming her advisor and roommates were safe did she stick to her original plan and leave on the 13th.

Miss Jiang didn’t see her off at the airport.

Not because she didn’t want to—

But because she was absolutely swamped with things to do.

“Old Guo—oh no, I mean, Teacher…”

“Old Guo?” Guo Ming looked at the bright, youthful girl in front of him with a half-smile.

“Do I look that old to you?”

Faced with that meaningful grin, Miss Jiang’s face froze.

“Ahem, that’s not the point.”

“Um, Teacher Guo, I really don’t think I’m cut out to be Class Monitor…”

“Have you ever seen a Class Monitor who asks for leave every other day?”

But to her surprise, Guo Ming remained as calm as a meditating monk and chuckled:

“I have.”

“You.”

Jiang Ning: “…”

(End of chapter)