Chapter 3

Jiang An’s birthday was approaching.

One of his roommates suddenly asked what present I had prepared for him. I had not intended to give him anything. After all, I was a fake simp, not a woman genuinely in love.

On second thought, though, perhaps I should curry favor with my boss. Workplace relationships mattered. How could I ignore my employer’s birthday?

His roommates crowded around me, chattering in my ears.

“Wanyue, you can’t let Lu Xue outdo you!”

“I heard she’s going all out for Campus Prince Jiang’s birthday!”

“Apparently, she designed and made a brooch by hand. Real jewels, too. It cost a fortune!”

My head began to ache.

There was no way I could bring myself to spend a fortune on Jiang An. That would defeat the entire purpose of working for him.

I posted online: “Friends, my boss’s birthday is coming up. What kind of gift should I give him?”

The replies all suggested gold bars, two bottles of Moutai, or premium Tieguanyin tea.

Something was off.

So I tried again. “Friends, the dream guy I have a crush on is having a birthday. What should I give him? P.S. He’s extremely rich and I’m extremely poor. Cheap suggestions, please.”

This time, the replies were nothing but ridicule.

“Are you okay? Why chase a rich hottie when you’re broke?”

“Poor and stingy. Great combination.”

“I recommend a luxury apartment in Shanghai.”

Among the abuse, I finally found one merciful suggestion.

“Give him something handmade. Knit him a scarf or whatever.”

A scarf was a good idea—cheap and practical.

The problem was, I had no time to knit one.

So I opened the all-purpose Taobao marketplace and typed: “Hand-knitted scarf commission.”

People actually sold those?

There were even packages where you could choose between a beginner and an expert knitter.

In the end, I selected the complete-beginner package. The seller guaranteed a crooked, uneven scarf that looked unmistakably handmade.

I swear, all I wanted was to demonstrate my loyalty to Jiang An with an ugly scarf.

How could I have known he would actually wear it?

Sir, was the beige Louis Vuitton scarf I sent to the dry cleaner last week not soft enough? Were the two Burberry plaid scarves I ironed the other day not fashionable enough?

Why would you place a coarse pumpkin-orange cable-knit scarf, commissioned from Taobao for 29.9 yuan, beneath that noble head of yours?

To make amends, I hurriedly ordered a 69.9-yuan expert-knitter package.

When Jiang An received the second scarf, his expression turned complicated.

“Nicely knitted. Don’t knit any more.”

Only then did I notice the small red welts on his neck.

Heavens! Had the cheap synthetic scarf irritated his precious skin?

My sins were grave indeed.

I bought ointment and presented it to him with both hands. “I’m sorry!”

Jiang An remained seated in frosty silence, making no move to take it.

After a long wait, he finally spoke. “Lin Wanyue, what are you waiting for? Do you expect me to apply it myself?”

“Oh.” I hurriedly unscrewed the cap and scooped up a cool dab of ointment.

I smoothed it gently over the reddened skin, and my fingertip accidentally brushed his Adam’s apple.

Jiang An swallowed. “Actually… perhaps I should do it myself.”

As I left, however, I noticed that his ears were so red they looked ready to drip blood.