The most confusing thing about this was the system - it couldn't understand at all why Jiang Yan had suddenly become the victim when everything had seemed normal. The system's programming nearly crashed as it gloomily went to find its superiors to resolve the problem.
The next most confused person was Jiang Yan herself. She had only wanted to pretend to be pitiful to get out of the task, she hadn't expected the Jiang family to react so strongly. Especially Jiang Zhi - he seemed to think she had been bullied and was insistently trying to lift up her skirt.
It seems I overdid it...
Or rather, I underestimated how important I am in the Jiang family's eyes.
"Did they really not hit you?" Jiang Zhi held up her arm, looking back and forth for any sign of injury.
"No." Feeling guilty, Jiang Yan was extremely patient with Jiang Zhi.
Still worried, Jiang Zhi bent down and gently lifted her up onto the windowsill. The tailored white shirt had obvious wrinkles from when he had almost lifted her skirt and she had struggled.
Jiang Yan didn't know what to say, so she just put her arm over his shoulder and let him examine her.
Jiang Zhi carefully lifted up her calves, inspecting them thoroughly before setting her back down, not having found any injuries.
However, Jiang Yan's overly well-behaved attitude made him realize something was off. Jiang Zhi's eyebrows jumped up and he slowly regained his senses, staring into Jiang Yan's talkative eyes.
Feeling uneasy under his gaze, Jiang Yan couldn't help turning her head away. She felt Jiang Zhi was too perceptive.
The more Jiang Zhi thought about it, the more he felt something was wrong. Suddenly, he let out a "heh" and went to lock the bedroom door. The "click" cut off Jiang Yan's escape.
Jiang Zhi walked in front of the helpless Jiang Yan and propped her against the wall. He threw himself down on a chair, casually leaning his forehead on one hand, with a half-smile, half-not smile as he asked "Did brother look good crying?"
He had looked good, beautifully heartbreaking, his handsome and refreshing face covered in painful tears - it was a gorgeous scene. But Jiang Yan knew he had seen through her lies, and that there would be consequences, so she didn't dare make a sound.
Seeing her silently lower her head without responding, Jiang Zhi almost laughed from frustration. He calmly folded his cuffs before continuing "I never knew our little Jiang Jiang was so good at pretending to be pitiful!"
"What's wrong Jiang Jiang, why aren't you talking?" His tone grew more and more demanding.
Jiang Yan knew that if she let him continue, he would take advantage of the situation. Suddenly looking up at him, her eyes still red from her earlier tears, she complained with a sob caught in her throat "I didn't ask you to cry!"
Perhaps she really was aggrieved - she continued earnestly "How was I supposed to know you would cry! I didn't know you all would react like this, I just wanted to get back at He Xingyi, she's so annoying..."
Jiang Zhi was stunned for a second. Seeing the little girl on the verge of tears actually gave him a malicious sense of gratification, mixed with heartache and satisfaction. The two feelings collided, yet his reason remained calmly frightening.
He reached out and gently pulled the little girl to his side, gently patting her back as he breezily said "Brother knows Jiang Jiang is pretending to cry again, but brother forgives her."
Jiang Yan immediately stopped making noise when she realized he had seen through her act. She looked at Jiang Zhi in disbelief before hurriedly forcing herself to continue crying.
Jiang Zhi did not bother keeping up pretenses. He let out a muffled laugh before pointing out "Jiang Jiang is taking advantage of brother's fondness for her." She was using his affection as bait, enticing him to pity and indulge her again and again, even knowing it was a trap.
Yet he still couldn't control the overflowing love he felt for her. Even knowing she hid ruthlessness behind that innocent face, doing extremely sly things, he still had to test that "fondness".
Of course Jiang Yan thought it was just a big brother's affection for his little sister.
Jiang Zhi was not discouraged. Reassuming the role of big brother, he gently lectured her "In the future, if something like this happens, tell me right away. Or dad, mom, or Jiang Xian. Anyone is fine."
"You'll always be part of the Jiang family - we will always take your side, understand?"
"You don't need to overthink things. When you're outside, just act like you do at home. Don't let others take you for a pushover! Got it? Nod if you understand."
Jiang Yan hurriedly nodded, her dark round eyes completely sincere as if she was afraid of his lecture.
But Jiang Zhi was unaffected as he continued "What exactly happened?"
Fortunately the system wasn't here right now, or else its muddled mind might realize something was off. How could Jiang Yan willingly play the villainess?
Jiang's father and mother were so nice, Jiang Zhi was so nice, Jiang Xian was so pretty, He Xingyi was so annoying.
When He Xingyi had messaged her, she had pretended not to see it - that had already changed things.
Later when they plotted against Jiang Xian, she used choking on food as an excuse to make herself seem pitiful so He Xingyi wouldn't suspect her. Also in the video she was passive the entire time, only nodding when He Xingyi impatiently ordered her to agree.
He Xingyi was accustomed to arrogance. But here, the situation was already different. Jiang Yan was now the victim.
Of course Jiang Zhi could see she was pretending to cry, but what He Xingyi had done was indisputable - she had angered the Jiang family.
"She thought I didn't like Jiang Xian and made me join her plot against sister..." Jiang Yan briefly explained what happened.
Jiang Zhi added "But you didn't want her to get away with it easily. So you pretended to go along with her plan so you could tell our parents, right?" He suddenly stopped, looking suspiciously at Jiang Yan "Hm? Did you actually plan to tell our parents?"
Jiang Yan had to claim she did - she reacted swiftly, complaining resentfully "I did! I was trying to find you earlier but you kept ignoring me!"
Jiang Zhi had been avoiding her so he couldn't explain that. He cleared his throat and continued "You went to Jiang Xian but before you could explain, the video was already playing in the lobby."
"Mm." Jiang Yan nodded and asked "Who recorded the video?"
Jiang Zhi indifferently replied "Don't try to change the subject. Why were you crying?"
Mentioning the tears made Jiang Yan nervous, especially since she had just touched his tears earlier. But Jiang Zhi refused to let her dodge the question. Having no choice, she glanced around shiftily and dully explained "I choked on a twisted cruller."
Jiang Zhi almost choked. Exhausted, he asked again "Who was recording the video?"
Jiang Yan had to claim she knew - she reacted swiftly, complaining resentfully "Someone named Song came today."
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