My Girlfriend is a Cold and Aloof Sickly Beauty 165

Chapter 165: One Dares to Ask, the Other Dares to Answer

Because Xiao Luo was used to saving money, Jiang Xue had deliberately chosen first-class seats instead of the more comfortable and service-oriented business class for both their trips.

She also understood the reason behind Xiao Luo’s habit of recording every expense.

In Dr. Qi’s words, this was a “subconscious awareness” shaped by Xiao Luo’s past environment. Life in the cold palace had taught her that it was difficult to survive without money.

So even after coming to the Jiang family, where she could have anything she wanted, she still restrained her desires, only spending money on what she deemed necessary, carefully recording every expense.

Jiang Xue was happy to spend money on Xiao Luo, but she didn’t want her kindness to become a burden, so before Xiao Luo could truly feel at ease accepting larger expenses, she would try to minimize the costs.

High-speed trains were usually punctual. After hearing the announcement, the two went to the boarding gate, queued up, and took the escalator down to the platform.

Although she had ridden the subway many times, when the white bullet train appeared in the distance, Xiao Luohan instinctively took out her phone and took a picture as it pulled into the station.

This was the vehicle that could travel across the country, regardless of the weather…

The seats Jiang Xue had chosen were in the front row, with plenty of space. They could even stand the guqin case upright against the wall, but in the end, they placed it on their laps.

Unlike the subway, which mostly traveled underground, the high-speed rail ran on outdoor tracks, like riding in a car and passing by houses, fields, and mountains, although the scenery was far from the tracks, only visible from afar.

Unfortunately, the sun was too strong today. Xiao Luohan could only look out the window for a while before drawing the curtains, putting on her earphones, and listening to the demo of the song rearranged by the Non-Dream studio.

While she was “working,” Jiang Xue also took the opportunity to study—she hadn’t finished the required reading list Dr. Qi had given her!

The two turned their first high-speed rail ride into a forty-five-minute study session.

But Xiao Luohan’s diligence was soon rewarded. After arriving at the Non-Dream studio’s recording studio, she only needed one trial run before achieving the desired result on her second try, a perfect performance.

The sound director felt like she had found a treasure, but unfortunately, this treasure was still young and had to attend school. Otherwise, she would definitely try to recruit her.

After the recording, she couldn’t help but say to Xiao Luohan, “No wonder Ms. Silin was so confident in recommending you! Your talent and aura are truly unbelievable for someone who just passed the intermediate-level guqin exam!”

Xiao Luohan politely thanked her, and when they left the Non-Dream studio, she even received some merchandise as a gift from the sound director.

Seeing that she didn’t seem to want to linger, Jiang Xue, although a little surprised, didn’t ask.

It wasn’t until they were waiting for their ride that she tentatively asked, “Can you tell me why you don’t want to stay longer?”

Xiao Luo’s behavior today was indeed different, as if she was solely focused on the collaboration, even showing little interest when they passed by the studio headquarters, seeing the staff working and the Non-Dream merchandise everywhere.

“Although this is the ‘birthplace’ of my favorite work, since I’ve already declined their invitation, I’m only here for the collaboration, not to join them as a member, so I think it’s better to maintain a distance and not get my hopes up,” Xiao Luohan said, clutching the small, exquisitely made gift bag, looking at the Non-Dream studio building. “Possessing the talent and skills they recognize, yet unable to contribute, even if no one blames me, I still feel guilty.”

So she would just fulfill the tasks stated in the contract and follow the agreed-upon procedures for promotion.

Jiang Xue understood. Xiao Luo didn’t want to raise expectations unintentionally, only to have them dashed later.

After all, Xiao Luo planned to focus on her studies for at least the next four years, and even if she wanted to officially join the Non-Dream studio, she would have to wait until after graduation.

In September, as the summer heat subsided, universities were about to reopen.

Xie Xitong’s Y University was far away. She had already agreed on a departure date with Dan Yuanyuan, planning to go a week early to settle in.

Before that, she specifically invited Jiang Xue and Xiao Luohan for hot pot.

The non-smoking private room had good soundproofing. Now that everything was settled, the three ordered a yuanyang hot pot with spicy broth on one side. After the waiter served the food, they closed the door, adding ingredients to the pot while chatting.

“Although the ‘girlfriend experience card’ has expired, Mei-jiejie agreed to ‘renew’ it,” Xie Xitong said with a smile. “It seems that after returning from Mingjing Taoist Temple, she suddenly had a change of heart and is even willing to accept my advances.”

Jiang Xue carefully recalled what Jiang Mei had told them. “My sister did go to Mingjing Taoist Temple to find the origin, but Xiao Luo and I don’t know the details. She asked Taoist Master Xuan Nuo after we left.”

“It’s okay, if she wants to tell me, she’ll tell me eventually,” Xie Xitong added a few fish balls to the pot. “And if she doesn’t want to tell me, it doesn’t matter. If I’m curious one day, I’ll definitely pester her until she tells me.”

Staring at the bubbling red broth for a while, she suddenly smiled. “Renewing the ‘girlfriend experience’ and upgrading to a ‘long-distance relationship’ was within my expectations, but I don’t know if Mei-jiejie will be able to adapt. After all, I’ve been with her for the entire summer vacation.”

Despite saying this, she knew that her “plan” had greatly deviated from her expectations.

She hadn’t expected Mei-jiejie to “realize her feelings” so quickly. This wasn’t the Mei-jiejie she had known since childhood. She didn’t know whether Taoist Master Xuan Nuo or Xiao Jiejie deserved more credit.

Regardless, she had to carefully plan how to repay them for their “assistance.”

“What stage have you two reached?” Xiao Luohan asked curiously. “How’s the ‘interaction’ experience?”

Jiang Xue, who was eating tofu from the spicy broth, almost choked, coughing from the spiciness.

Unexpectedly, the two were equally bold, one daring to ask, the other daring to answer: “Just kissing and sleeping together, and the sleeping together was only at Uncle Seuss’s place, and it was really just sleeping, Mei-jiejie is very reserved.”

“As for kissing… neither of us knew how to do it, we even had to search online and learn,” Xie Xitong said, giggling. “I won’t go into details. Here, have some beef rolls, they look cooked.”

She still wanted to save some face for Mei-jiejie.

Their kisses had mostly happened in the office, occasionally at the Moonlight Bar, and the office sink even had two sets of toothbrushes and cups now.

But regardless, Jiang Mei was usually the more passive one.

—Saying “passive” was actually an embellishment. Xie Xitong felt that Mei-jiejie was probably just trying to learn from her, to gain experience and then reciprocate, which was why she indulged her.

She had truly been unrestrained, from light pecks to the point where Jiang Mei had to push her away.

Compared to her, Jiang Mei’s responses were cautious and reserved. Every time she sensed Xie Xitong’s advances, Xie Xitong had wondered if she should take the initiative.

Fortunately, this cautiousness had provided valuable experience, and now they could switch between different kissing styles and even maintain it for two or three minutes.

“I’m leaving the day after tomorrow. Xixi will be under your care while I’m at university,” Xie Xitong said after eating for a while, starting a new topic. “Although my goal is to make Mei-jiejie ‘miss me by seeing the cat,’ if you also want to experience raising a cat…”

“No, no! Let the cat play its role at my sister’s place!” Jiang Xue hurriedly refused. “Xiao Luo and I are also in a ‘long-distance relationship,’ but thanks to Shizhu Jiejie’s help, we might be able to live together during the evenings… anyway, we’re not good at taking care of cats! And Shizhu Jiejie also has a part-time job, she won’t be home all the time.”

After successfully transferring majors, Cheng Shizhu had applied for a one-year leave of absence. A year later, if nothing unexpected happened, Xiao Luohan would also be admitted to N University and could truly live with her in the new apartment, without having to go back and forth between the new apartment and the Jiang family villa.

“Going back and forth is indeed tiring,” Xie Xitong nodded. “It’s a pity that Xiao Luo has to change teachers for the advanced certificate. Otherwise, you could discuss it with Teacher Sui. I remember the guest room in your new apartment is quite spacious, right?”

“That won’t work, Teacher Sui and Dr. Qi would be in a long-distance relationship then!” Jiang Xue immediately objected. “Teacher Huang was just driven away, if we do this, she might come back!”

“Not necessarily, although Teacher Huang lives here, she’s a teacher at N University’s traditional Chinese medicine program, right?” Xie Xitong said. “The distance from N University to Dr. Qi’s home should be the same.”

She had only mentioned it casually, but it triggered Jiang Xue’s biggest worry.

“Speaking of which, I haven’t contacted Teacher Huang since the ‘incident’ at the bar,” Jiang Xue sighed. “Dr. Qi did promise that if Teacher Huang affects my studies in university, she’ll take me under her wing after I graduate—that’s also the Qi family’s intention.”

“Then you already have a backup plan, what are you worried about?” Xie Xitong asked, surprised.

Jiang Xue was silent for a few seconds, then confessed her “wild” worry to her friend and girlfriend, “I’m afraid I’ll become part of their play!”

Hearing this, Xiao Luohan, who was picking up food, froze and looked at her with a puzzled expression, while Xie Xitong tilted her head, her face and eyes filled with question marks.

“It’s… revenge! Teacher Huang using me to get revenge on Dr. Qi!” Having already said it, Jiang Xue mustered her courage. “Teacher Huang dislikes Teacher Sui for resigning from her stable university teaching position to open a hair salon, doing this ‘insignificant’ freelance work, so will she push me to study hard, and after I graduate, have me work at a large hospital to spite Dr. Qi?”

“…That’s a bit of an elaborate revenge plan,” Xie Xitong raised an eyebrow. “And no matter how you look at it, the final result is beneficial for you, right? After you’ve mastered the skills, the choice is yours.”

“If you want to work at a large hospital, then go ahead, if you want to follow Dr. Qi, then follow her. Why worry about their relationship drama?”