55: Ye Cheng Line - 1

Ye Cheng, standing nearby, had a strange expression on her face. She waited until Su Ning had walked away before letting out a soft snort: "That 'friend' she mentioned... that's you, isn't it?"

Jiang Ye was taken aback: "Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Did you pretend to be a Delivery Courier and go to that Girl's place... to secretly 'inspect the goods'? Not bad, Jiang Ye, you're really clever!"

"Don't talk nonsense. What 'inspect the goods'? I didn't..."

Ye Cheng shot him a 'stop pretending' glare and lowered her voice: "So, is this a Girl you met online, or is she that streamer you support?"

"???"

Jiang Ye was genuinely shocked this time.

What the hell? What's up with this woman?

Is she possessed by Conan? Reincarnated as Poirot? Or is she the Holmes stationed in Sheng Tian?

Seeing his stunned expression, Ye Cheng didn't bother saying more. She grabbed his arm and dragged him toward the elevator: "Come on, come on, I'm starving! Let's go eat! I'll interrogate you while we eat!"

Jiang Ye was pulled by her up to the third-floor dining area.

Ye Cheng looked around and randomly chose a nice-looking Western restaurant.

The two found a quiet spot to sit and ordered a couple's set meal for two.

After the Waiter left, Jiang Ye looked at Ye Cheng, who was idly fiddling with her knife and fork across from him. Remembering her unfinished words earlier, he asked:

"By the way, what were you going to tell me earlier? As long as I give you 100,000 a month, you'll... what?"

Bringing this up only made Ye Cheng even angrier.

She put down her knife and fork and glared at Jiang Ye: "What 100,000! It's 1,000,000! Not a single cent less! We stick to the original agreement! You jerk!"

Jiang Ye was a bit baffled by her sudden outburst and clicked his tongue: "Student Xiao Ye, such a big reaction... are you really jealous?"

Ye Cheng said indignantly:

"Hmph! Originally, seeing how you behaved before was passable—even if you're a bit of a Pervert, at least you were loyal. I was thinking that if you behaved properly, I'd go the pure love route with you and help you save some money."

Her tone shifted, and her eyes turned 'ferocious': "But since you chose the harem route yourself, then you can't save a single cent! I want to see exactly how you'll manage to juggle multiple Girls while scraping by!"

Looking at Ye Cheng's puffed-up, angry face, Jiang Ye suddenly found it a bit funny and felt an inexplicable stir.

He shook his head, put away his joking expression, and spoke more seriously: "Ye Cheng."

Ye Cheng looked up irritably: "What?"

"If you're really bothered by it..."

Jiang Ye looked into her eyes: "Then our previous agreement can be canceled. I can still give you your allowance as usual, and we can just maintain this 'diner and customer' relationship. That's fine too."

Ye Cheng was slightly taken aback, as if she hadn't expected him to say that. It took her a few seconds to react:

"Buddy, are you crazy? Giving me tens of thousands for free every month? What's in it for you?"

"It's not exactly for free, is it?"

Jiang Ye smiled and threw her own words back at her: "Didn't you give me such private, intimate things? I did so many... um... embarrassing things with them. I have to take responsibility."

Ye Cheng's face flushed red. Just as she was about to retort, the Waiter came over with the appetizers, so she had to swallow her words for the moment.

After the dishes were served, she cut into the steak on her plate, hesitated for a moment, then looked up at Jiang Ye with a complicated expression:

"What? Did you meet someone prettier, more obedient? So you want to quickly get rid of me, this 'ex-reserve,' so I won't be in the way?"

"You know that's not what I meant."

Jiang Ye shook his head and put a piece of steak in his mouth: "I just think that if you're bothered inside, it'll be awkward for us to get along later, and neither of us will be happy. It's better to clear things up early. Being friends is good too."

Ye Cheng pouted: "Friends? What kind of friends are always thinking about each other's stockings?"

Jiang Ye felt a bit embarrassed by her words and rubbed his nose: "So, are you bothered or not?"

Ye Cheng let out a heavy snort: "Bothered! Of course I'm bothered! How could I not be bothered?"

"Okay, I understand. Then from now on, we'll just be good friends."

"...But if you can really give me 1,000,000 a month, then I won't be as bothered."

Jiang Ye: "..."

He sighed helplessly and held his forehead: "Sis, I was being serious just now!"

Ye Cheng put down her knife and fork, picked up her water glass, and took a sip: "Jiang Ye, I'm serious too. I don't dislike you."

She paused, then extended her index finger and thumb, gesturing a tiny distance: "I even... have to admit that I like you a tiny, tiny bit."

Jiang Ye curled the corner of his mouth slightly and listened quietly.

"But!"

Ye Cheng continued: "I want to live a good life in the future, one where I don't have to worry about money. So, even though I don't dislike you, you have to be able to support me for us to be together."

Her tone turned a bit odd: "However, if you want to juggle multiple Girls and be a player, then I'll have higher standards for you as my 'caretaker'! Because that means you need to have the ability to shoulder 'multiple futures' at the same time."

Jiang Ye blinked, completely not expecting Ye Cheng to give such a realistic and... insightful answer.

"Got it?"

Ye Cheng looked at his dumbfounded expression, picked up her napkin, and wiped the corner of her mouth: "I, Ye Cheng, always mean what I say. As long as you can fulfill our original agreement—1,000,000 a month... then I can accept up to five."

"More than five is a different price. More than ten... hmm..."

She tilted her head and thought for a moment, showing an 'you'll never manage it' expression: "If you can really get ten, I won't raise the price. I'll admit you're amazing, and I'll accept defeat."