CHAPTER 240: LET’S GIVE IT A TRY ON FEBRUARY 28TH

Tian Sangsang still decided to challenge herself. She stood on tiptoe, reaching up for the books. Randomly aiming for one in the middle, her fingers grazed the book but refused to take it down.

Always just a little bit short.

It was as if she were locked in a battle with the book. After several tries, she was still unsuccessful, leaving her flushed, breathless, and slightly embarrassed.

Jiang Jinghuai watched her struggle to pick the book with amused curiosity, letting out a light chuckle. His eyes gradually became deeper with an unreadable expression. This woman was the same whether she was dressed or not. The movements had caused her clothes to ride up, exposing her waist. She wore a pair of breezy shorts. Her long legs, though slightly tanned, looked enchanting bathed in the light, as if vibrating with an unspoken allure that made his vision blur... and those slippers on her feet were a style he’d never seen before.

He didn’t laugh often. This particular laugh was clearly mocking. Hearing his chuckle, Tian Sangsang turned around with wide eyes and snapped, "I’m getting a chair!"

"Why go to all that trouble?" Jiang Jinghuai reined in the depth of his dark gaze and suddenly stood up. He walked to stand behind her, arms reaching over her head. Slowly, he selected a book that matched her description, his arm brushing against her body as he placed the book in front of her.

They were standing very close—so close, in fact, that even the thin fabric separating them couldn’t block the heat radiating steadily from his body.

Tian Sangsang’s hands trembled as she held the book to her chest. "Th-thank..."

Suddenly, one of his hands rested on her waist. She couldn’t help but flinch, her voice cutting off abruptly. For the first time, she was touched at her waist by a man, and her whole body was overwhelmed with an uncontrollable quiver.

Tian Sangsang froze, her body stiff as a board, and after what seemed like an eternity, managed to ask in a broken tone, "What... are you trying to do?"

No sooner had the words left her mouth than she felt her waist encircled by a strong arm. His other hand slowly worked its way up to her shoulder.

"Is this okay?"

What? Was he being indecent? Making suggestive comments? Yet she was embarrassingly spineless and didn’t dare reply with insults.

"Tian Sangsang," he said, his deep voice resonating with a certain allure. "Why don’t we give it a try?"

His tone became even huskier, alluring, tempting her. "You’ve said before, both parties must agree for this to work. Now, do you agree?"

Agree? Never!

Tian Sangsang bit her lip lightly, pried his hand off her waist, and escaped without hesitation.

But after only a few steps, her wrist was seized. He pulled her back, facing her directly, inches apart, his firm and decisive grip making it impossible for her to break free.

"Look at me and answer. Do you agree or not?"

How was she supposed to respond? Saying yes felt too shameless; saying no felt as if it wasn’t truly no. A normal person would have been angry, would have shoved him aside, sputtered a few words, and ran away.

But... was she really normal?

Tian Sangsang couldn’t help but look into his eyes. In the depths of his dark pupils, she saw her own reflection completely, and her previously flustered heart inexplicably calmed down in this moment. She had never considered this scenario before.

Tian Sangsang bowed her head, let out a heavy sigh, and forcefully removed Jiang Jinghuai’s hands. Her lips parted slightly. "Buddy, you need to calm down. We were born as humans, and what sets us apart from animals is our ability to control ourselves."

"Seriously, chill out. Impulsiveness is the devil, and you don’t want to do something you’ll regret later. One wrong step leads to another, and before you know it, it’s the source of countless tragedies. You’ve read books before—turning back is always an option."

"I’ve always been on the right path," Jiang Jinghuai’s expression suddenly turned icy, his previously blazing gaze dimming. He slowly released her and raised a hand to knock lightly on her head. "If you don’t agree, just say it straightforwardly. Don’t lecture me."

What on earth! She was only trying to preserve his pride. Tian Sangsang considered herself a meticulous person, always careful to nurture and protect others’ little nuances of emotion.

"By the way," Jiang Jinghuai paused, speaking stiffly, "if you can’t hold it in, you can come find me."

This guy hasn’t given up yet!

Tian Sangsang stood there awkwardly as Jiang Jinghuai returned to his seat and began reading, completely devoid of the predatory demeanor he had displayed earlier, as if nothing had happened.

"Buddy." She approached him. Angry, perhaps?

Jiang Jinghuai slowly lifted his eyes, a flash of dangerous intent within them. "What did you call me again?"

"Jiang Jinghuai." Tian Sangsang chuckled sheepishly. "I mean, you’re not really going to hold a grudge, right? If things don’t work out between us, we can at least be friends. After everything that just happened, surely you don’t want to stop being friends too, do you?"

"If you have something to say, just get to the point." Jiang Jinghuai’s gaze hardened.

Tian Sangsang picked up her notebook and handed it to him slightly obsequiously, her eyes sincere. "Could you help me take a look at this? As someone rooted in the pastoral genre, I still don’t have much confidence in myself. I’m humble and eager to learn, so I would genuinely appreciate any insights you might have. I know you’re a cultured guy—you definitely won’t disappoint me."

Jiang Jinghuai silently took her notebook, while Tian Sangsang rested her chin on her hand and studied him from across the desk.

Time ticked by, second after second... drip, drip, drip...

At first, Jiang Jinghuai flipped through the pages casually, but gradually his expression grew serious.

Tian Sangsang started to panic. As everyone knows, words aren’t just words. They carry ideologies, they can be weapons. Even what’s written comes with responsibility; you can’t write whatever you feel like without considering its implications.

"Don’t stare at me."

Recognizing the remark was directed at her, Tian Sangsang coughed awkwardly. "I’m not staring at you; I’m staring at the notebook in your hand."

Jiang Jinghuai closed the notebook, leaned casually back in his chair, crossed his arms, and looked at her with an enigmatic expression.

"A certain country?"

"Yeah, I invented a fictional country."

"Art comes from life; any creation can find threads of reality to anchor itself. Even in fiction, there’s always a prototype."

"There’s no prototype, okay? Stop overthinking. Can’t we just be simple people?"

Jiang Jinghuai let out a mock laugh. "As far as I know, there haven’t been many nations suffering air strikes in recent years—only a handful. By eliminating geographic possibilities, there seems to be only one left resembling the one in your writing..."

"..."

"Furthermore, you focused on the children of landlords? A pair of siblings raised in privilege succumbing to death amidst the turmoil of war... In wartime, suffering knows no boundaries. Everyone endures hardship. Why specifically choose the landlord’s children?"

"Because they’re representative," Tian Sangsang thought for a moment and replied.

"Since when have landlords been representative? What exactly are you trying to say—or are you questioning something? Do you think our progress needs scrutiny? Landlords are a part of history; don’t try to reverse the tides of change!"

Tian Sangsang fell silent, tongue-tied by his words. Especially the tone he was using—it sounded far more like commanding his soldiers than offering critique. She bowed her head in grievance. Was it really that serious? All she wanted was to convey a simple wish—her wish for world peace.

"No." Tian Sangsang asked seriously, "Don’t you think it’s touching? Don’t you think they’re pitiful? Don’t you think they deserve compassion? They’re only children!"

"Save your excess sympathy. The country will care for every individual, and history prioritizes the majority. But we absolutely can’t permit class privileges. I understand what you’re trying to express—but you can find another way to say it."

"Even if your intentions aren’t insidious, it doesn’t mean everyone else is as pure-minded as you," Jiang Jinghuai said gravely.

"Oh." Tian Sangsang wanted to flip the table. Did she write all that for nothing?

"But, of course," Jiang Jinghuai stood up, "the writing itself is quite good."

It was indeed well done. He could feel the bond between the siblings she wrote about—but only that much. As for world peace, wasn’t it something people strived for their entire lives? It’s not about what’s spoken but what’s done. It’s not about what’s achieved but what’s sacrificed.

Because of his words, Tian Sangsang’s mood lifted greatly. The study room returned to silence, broken only by the rustle of paper. She turned to glance at him, inexplicably noticing a touch of loneliness in Jiang Jinghuai’s silhouette.