347: Chapter 347 Inner monologue - 2

...

Jiang Ye looked at the three women before him, their eyes flickering as they stood rooted to the spot, and called them out, one by one, with a huff:

"Hey, hey, hey! What kind of looks are those? I'm warning you all, don't you dare get any crooked ideas!"

He stepped forward and grabbed the arm of Tian Lijuan, who was still grinning foolishly, fantasizing about going "commando":

"Especially you! Comrade Tian Lijuan! Don't you dare think about such nonsense before you get into college! Get in there now; didn't Second Aunt say she had something to tell you? Go inside and get lectured!"

With that, he shoved her toward the corridor leading to the women's bathing area without giving her a chance to argue.

"Hey, hey, hey? Uncle! Don't push me!"

Tian Lijuan struggled and looked back, shouting unwillingly, "Then remember to send me a WeChat message when you come down later!"

"Got it, got it. Just get in there!"

Having gotten rid of one, Jiang Ye glanced back at the remaining Jiang Shuang and Ms. Qin, then turned to head to the front desk to book a room.

Seeing that Tian Lijuan, her "potential competitor," had left and that only Ms. Qin, whom she knew inside and out, remained, Jiang Shuang immediately lost all inhibitions.

She sashayed up to Jiang Ye's side and patted his shoulder with a smile:

"Jiang Shu~ Can I go up with you? I... um... accidentally got a small cut yesterday and need to treat it. You have a first-aid kit in your room, right? Would you mind helping me apply some medicine in your room?"

"..."

Jiang Ye was amused by her rather creative excuse and shot her an annoyed side-eye: "If it's that time of the month, go buy some pads yourself. What's the use of coming to me? I'm not a Band-Aid."

"..."

Jiang Shuang's mouth twitched violently. Catching a glimpse of Ms. Qin beside her, who seemed to be struggling to hold back laughter with her shoulders trembling slightly, she felt her face burning with embarrassment and glared at him in a fit of shame and anger:

"Hmph! Lan Lan! Let's go! No point in wasting breath on such an uninteresting person!"

She reached out to pull Ms. Qin's arm, but found she wouldn't budge: "...Lan Lan?"

"Xiao Shuang, you go in first."

Ms. Qin maintained her gentle, shallow smile and waved the phone in her hand: "I just remembered an important call I need to make. I'll come find you once I'm done."

Jiang Shuang froze, instantly realizing what her "good friend" was planning—she wanted to get rid of her to go after Jiang Ye alone!

Her expression darkened instantly, and she lowered her voice: "Ms. Qin, what do you mean by this? Trying to cut in line?"

Seeing that Jiang Shuang seemed genuinely angry, Ms. Qin quickly leaned in close to her ear and whispered rapidly:

"Xiao Shuang, don't be anxious! That's not what I mean! It's just that tattoo on my inner thigh... If that gets discovered once I'm inside, the 'lady' act I've been putting on will be completely ruined, won't it? I'm just borrowing his place for a quick shower and to change into a bath robe. It'll be over quickly!"

Jiang Shuang glanced at Ms. Qin's thighs, wrapped in jeans, and her expression softened slightly, though it still looked unpleasant. She shook her head, signaling with her eyes, "I don't believe you."

"Oh, come on! We're best friends! You don't trust me?"

Seeing this, Ms. Qin quickly upped the ante: "How about this... If he really takes a liking to me and insists on doing something, I'll split the first month's money with you! How's that?"

Jiang Shuang was stunned. She instinctively looked at Jiang Ye, who was booking the room at the front desk, then glanced at her friend, whose skill level did indeed seem a cut above her own, and quickly weighed her options.

As for the money, she didn't believe a single word of it.

That slut Ms. Qin never said a word of truth. If she actually hooked him, she'd probably turn around and tell her she "found true love," that it was pure affection, and that she didn't take a single cent.

However...

Letting her test the waters wasn't necessarily a bad idea.

Given Jiang Ye's current unyielding, erratic nature, Ms. Qin's "traditional lady" combined with "secret seduction" combo was bound to have a success rate approaching zero.

It would be the perfect opportunity to observe Jiang Ye's methods and reasons for rejecting her, so she could avoid the same pitfalls and adjust her own strategy later.

Thinking this, Jiang Shuang deliberately furrowed her brow, feigning reluctance, and nodded: "...Fine, but make it quick."

With that, she turned and made a show of heading toward the women's bathing area.

Passing the front desk, Jiang Shuang paused, intending to pat Jiang Ye on the shoulder and leave him with a look that was thirty percent aggrieved and seventy percent resentful, but just as she raised her hand, he grabbed it.

While Jiang Ye appeared to be booking the room, he had actually been watching the two women whispering together the whole time.

Although he didn't know exactly what they were talking about, looking at their shifty behavior, he knew even with his eyes closed that he was being targeted by these two professional "gold diggers" who were coordinating internally.

To be honest, this was the first time in his life that Jiang Ye had encountered "professional players" up close in reality, and he was genuinely curious.

He wanted to see what kind of advanced tactics and scripts these people had, and whether he could learn a trick or two to enrich his own "arsenal."

After all, tactics are like the art of war; it’s all about gathering the best from everyone, learning as long as you live.

However, curiosity aside, safety comes first.

If Ms. Qin were to walk into the room, strip, and demand money, then run out screaming "sexual assault" if he didn't pay, that would be a huge problem.

While this tactic was low-level, it was often very effective and hard to defend against.

By comparison, it was safer to keep Jiang Shuang, whom he knew well, by his side.

Although Jiang Shuang also wanted his money, they had been classmates for three and a half years, so there was still some camaraderie; she wouldn't resort to such underhanded methods to harm him.

Having made up his mind, Jiang Ye looked past Jiang Shuang to Ms. Qin and asked directly:

"Ms. Qin, you want to borrow my guest room, is that it?"

Ms. Qin was stunned by the question; she hadn't expected him to be so direct.

"Um... it's not convenient for me to go to the bathing area."

She could only nod, a flush appearing on her face at just the right moment, her voice soft:

"I don't know... is it convenient for you, Mr. Jiang? I... I just need a quick shower, it won't take long, I won't disturb you too much."

"It is exactly what I desire, though I dared not ask."

Jiang Ye chuckled, putting on a display of gentlemanly grace: "It is my honor to be of assistance to Ms. Qin."

With that, he glanced at Jiang Shuang, who looked disgusted and was about to throw up from what she'd heard, and changed the subject:

"Hey? Jiang Shuang, didn't you also say you wanted to treat your wound? Come on, let's go together; go to the room and I'll take a look for you."

"Huh?"

Jiang Shuang was stunned again, but immediately felt wild joy and nodded decisively: "Ah! Okay! Let's go, let's go! Together, together!"

Together?

Of course, together is even better!

Although the success rate of that slut Ms. Qin was approaching zero, what if?

It would be perfect to monitor in real-time, and if something really did happen, she could join in immediately—"In a group of three, there must be a teacher for me!"

Ms. Qin's smile stiffened slightly. She cursed Jiang Shuang for being a nuisance, but kept her expression gentle:

"Then... I'll trouble you, Mr. Jiang."

The three of them reached a "pleasant" consensus.

Jiang Ye took the room card from the front desk, glanced at the two women, and walked straight toward the elevator, pressing the up button.

Jiang Shuang and Ms. Qin waited on the spot for five minutes, tacitly understanding that Jiang Ye must have entered the room. Only then did Jiang Shuang check the room number information Jiang Ye had just sent to her phone—"609"—and then, pulling Ms. Qin along, headed to the elevator.

The waiter, who had been silently observing the whole process, watched as two women with good figures and looks followed the man upstairs one after another, his back teeth nearly shattering from envy.

But he only sighed gloomily and didn't do anything stupid like asking, "Which room are you ladies going to?" or "You can't go upstairs without registration."

He just silently believed the "too big" excuse Jiang Ye had given earlier by another percent.

Yeah, the remaining ninety-nine percent was pure contempt for these "rich people"!

Bastard!

Dressed like a human, but claiming it's "too big"?

Shameless! Three centimeters at most!