279: Chapter 279 Cousin?

Ye Cheng followed his gaze and quickly stood up to wave. "Xiao Qing! Over here!"

Hearing her voice, the girl turned her gaze. Upon seeing Ye Cheng, she pursed her lips into a sweet smile and walked over.

Before she reached them, Ye Cheng quickly lowered her voice and whispered to Jiang Ye:

"I asked two classmates to help today. This is the first one, Xie Qing. I heard that outside... it's at least 3,000 a time."

Jiang Ye was startled. "Holy crap, is she diamond-encrusted? Don't consumers report her to the Consumer Association?"

"Hmm?"

Ye 'Thirty Thousand' Cheng's eyes narrowed instantly, her gaze turning dangerous. "Student Jiang Ye, are those words... aimed at me? Thinking I'm too expensive?"

Jiang Ye then realized that the one in front of him was the true representative of being 'diamond-encrusted.' He coughed awkwardly and quickly tried to make amends:

"No way! We have feelings; it's a mutual attraction! How can that be the same? Feelings are priceless!"

Meanwhile, Xie Qing had ordered a matcha latte at the counter and walked over with her coffee.

Her gaze fell on Jiang Ye, and she sized him up with interest. "Cheng Cheng, this must be your cousin? He's quite handsome."

Jiang Ye: "???"

Ye Cheng hummed in affirmation without changing her expression, nudging Jiang Ye with her elbow. "Yes. Xiao Ye, let me introduce you. This is my university classmate, Xie Qing. You can just call her Sister Xiao Qing."

She turned back to Xie Qing. "Xie Qing, this is my cousin, Jiang Ye."

Although Jiang Ye was full of questions, he still cooperated by showing a slightly shy smile and extending his hand to Xie Qing:

"Hello, Sister Xiao Qing. I'm the cousin, Jiang Ye."

Xie Qing looked at his hand, smiled, and only lightly grasped his fingertips before letting go.

"Cheng Cheng, your cousin is quite cute."

Ye Cheng smiled. "Alright, you two can talk. I'll go browse the shops nearby and buy some things."

With that, she picked up her bag, stood up, and walked out of Starbucks.

Jiang Ye watched Ye Cheng's retreating back and blinked.

To ensure things were 'natural,' he hadn't asked for specific details after hearing Ye Cheng say she had already 'laid the groundwork' with her classmate.

But this 'cousin' thing, and the way the woman across from him was resting her chin in her hand, sizing him up with a half-smile... why did it feel so strange?

Xie Qing followed his gaze and looked back at where Ye Cheng had disappeared, then turned back and lowered her voice with a smile:

"Xiao Ye, it seems you really are... a bit of a Mother Complex, huh?"

"Pfft—cough, cough, cough!"

The mouthful of coffee Jiang Ye had just taken almost sprayed out. He coughed violently, his face turning red.

"No... Sister Xiao Qing, what nonsense are you talking about?"

"Relax, relax, don't get so worked up."

Xie Qing waved it off dismissively with an 'I understand' expression. "Every man has some strange fetishes more or less. I've seen plenty; I understand."

Jiang Ye was speechless looking at her 'experienced' demeanor.

Seen plenty? More like sold plenty, right? Are you proud of your good business?

Xie Qing observed his expression and clicked her tongue. "Xiao Ye, don't look at me like that. This big sister came today because your cousin asked me to help you."

As she spoke, she reached out and lightly patted the black tights on her legs. "Do you want these?"

Jiang Ye was about to nod when Xie Qing immediately added:

"Since I'm here, these things are naturally negotiable. However... the conditions... we have to make them clear beforehand, right?"

He immediately frowned.

"Conditions?"

If he could negotiate conditions, would he need to go through all this trouble? Wouldn't it be easier to just throw money at it?

He had two million in his pocket right now; who couldn't he crush with that?

What? You don't believe it?

Two million one-yuan coins weigh a full twelve tons. That's equivalent to a small truck running over someone, okay!

"Xie... cough, Sister Xiao Qing, what exactly did my cousin tell you?"

Seeing that he seemed a bit impatient, Xie Qing thought her talk of conditions had upset him and quickly explained:

"I know you hate straightforward transactions. Cheng Cheng told me you have a 'mental cleanliness' complex. But Little Brother Xiao Ye, think about it—if I give you such private items, I'll be shy too! There has to be some... compensation, don't you think?"

Jiang Ye's eyelid twitched violently.

You're actually capable of being shy?

If I hadn't been going to Bubble Forest so often lately, I'd suspect you've seen more naked men than I have!

Suppressing the urge to roast her, he continued to press, "Sister Xiao Qing, don't get sidetracked. I just want to know, what exactly did my cousin tell you?"

Seeing him ask repeatedly, Xie Qing tilted her head and thought for a moment, counting on her fingers:

"Cheng Cheng said you have a bit of a... well, you like older sisters; your Mental Cleanliness Complex is very severe; she also said you're a 'Love-brain,' a Pure-hearted Puppy... oh, right, right, most importantly, she said you have a crazy fetish... especially for things that were just taken off."

"..."

Jiang Ye nodded expressionlessly. "Yes, that's me. Very accurate."

"Hehe~ That's more like it. Xiao Ye, don't be resistant; I'm here to help you."

Xie Qing leaned forward slightly, her voice dropping lower. "I also heard from your sister that you researched Foreign Exchange and Futures on your own and made a fortune, right? So young and so impressive!"

Jiang Ye nodded woodenly again. "Yeah, just lucky."

"Then... how about this?"

Xie Qing smiled, finally revealing her true intentions. "In the future, I'll save all my worn clothes for you. As for the price, I'll definitely give you the best discount. Just think of it as sponsoring me to buy new clothes, how about it?"

"..."

Looking at her face full of shrewd calculation, the last shred of hope in Jiang Ye's heart vanished.

He sighed helplessly and waved at Ye Cheng, who had been stealthily hiding outside the Starbucks glass door, peeking in.

Seeing this, Ye Cheng quickly pushed the door open and walked in.

Jiang Ye looked at Xie Qing and said coldly, "Sister Xiao Qing, sorry, I think you might have misunderstood. I'm not interested in your proposed 'long-term cooperation'."

"Hey, don't be so quick to refuse!"

Xie Qing was stunned and quickly waved her hands to explain. "Your sister asked me to help you and said I wouldn't be mistreated afterward, so you'll definitely show some appreciation, right? Wouldn't it be more convenient for everyone if we agreed on the price and method beforehand? You..."

Ye Cheng walked over, understood what was happening upon hearing the second half of the sentence, and looked at her speechlessly:

"Xiao Qing, didn't I tell you? He doesn't like straightforward transactions. I asked you to just help out as a friend, and you said you were sincerely coming to help. Why are you talking about money again?"

Xie Qing looked at Ye Cheng, then at the cold-faced Jiang Ye, and felt a bit unhappy herself:

"Didn't you say I wouldn't be mistreated after things were settled? He likes that kind of stuff, so wouldn't it be easier to agree beforehand and have a long-term cooperation? It's not like I'm trying to scam him—isn't 200 a piece fair?"

"..."

Ye Cheng glanced at Jiang Ye's expression and knew the deal was off. She helplessly held her forehead and waved her hand:

"Forget it, it's fine. Xiao Qing, thanks for coming today. You can go back now. I'll send you the taxi fare via WeChat in a bit."

Xie Qing stood up in confusion, picked up her bag, and muttered under her breath, 'So hard to please,' with a look of dissatisfaction as she walked out of Starbucks.