Domineering Sponsor (GL) - Chapter 43

Without realizing it, Wei Xia had stirred up another night of chaos. Ji Haolan reflected on herself a bit as well. By the second half of the night, she had completely lost control. Tangled with Wei Xia under the sheets, they managed only two hours of sleep before rushing to get up. Ji Haolan’s condition was far from ideal.

She glanced gloomily at Wei Xia. Today was just a half day of classes, yet Wei Xia still came to pick her up for work. She had promised she would not do that anymore. Still, whenever Wei Xia had free time, she would show up anyway. Classes in their third year were more relaxed, often finishing by noon. Wei Xia always claimed her timing was just right, but Ji Haolan suspected she deliberately made time to come.

In the car, the driver sat silently at the wheel. Wei Xia, as always, held company documents in her hands. Ji Haolan tried to review her lecture notes, but her focus was slipping. The printed words blurred before her eyes, and her eyelids trembled with drowsiness.

Wei Xia saw her nodding off. Ji Haolan’s head slowly tilted until it landed softly on her shoulder, followed by a quiet snore.

Wei Xia turned her head slightly. She could just see the bridge of Ji Haolan’s nose and her long lashes fluttering. Her hair looked soft and fluffy, matching her gentle, slightly vulnerable personality.

She reached out to ruffle Ji Haolan’s hair, gently brushing the ends. Her brows furrowed. The tips were splitting again. Ji Haolan never cared much about appearances. Wei Xia had repeatedly reminded her to condition her hair after washing, but Ji Haolan often found it troublesome. When unsupervised, she washed carelessly and rubbed her hair roughly with a towel. It was hard to keep it in good condition that way.

It was clearly time for a proper haircut.

Since the afternoon schedule was light, Wei Xia told the driver, “Take us to Miss Ava’s place.”

By the time Ji Haolan woke up, she was told she was getting her hair cut. Her expression was dazed. She had no say in the decision, but she did not really mind. She blinked a few times and asked, “Didn’t I just get it cut?”

For her, visiting a salon once every year or two was already plenty. She usually trimmed her own ends or went to a small salon near campus. A haircut only cost a few hundred yuan. Returning to a salon that charged thousands after just a few months felt absurd.

She had no idea that Wei Xia visited Ava almost weekly for hair care, full-body spa treatments, and nail services. For Wei Xia, it was a form of indulgence.

“I saw your hair was getting long and splitting, so I brought you to get it cleaned up,” Wei Xia said, nudging her to stop stalling and get out of the car.

After some coaxing, Ji Haolan’s hair was cut even shorter. It was now cropped close to her head, shorter than the shoulder-length waves she had before. Her naturally wavy hair gave the new cut a sharp and clean look.

She had never worn her hair this short before. Looking at herself in the mirror, she ran her fingers through her hair and turned her head at a few angles. Then, she surprised herself by saying, “Not bad.” It was convenient.

Wei Xia came over to admire the result. Ji Haolan’s sharp features suited the style perfectly. As she fondly rubbed her head, her eyes settled on two faint shadows under Ji Haolan’s eyes.

Ji Haolan never wore makeup. Even Ava, while cleaning up her tools, asked, “Did you sleep badly last night?”

Ji Haolan yawned. “Went to bed late.”

Wei Xia clicked her tongue. “You really have no stamina.”

Ji Haolan shot her a dissatisfied glance. Wei Xia looked fair and radiant, her complexion glowing. They had gone to sleep at the same time. Neither of them had gotten more than three hours of rest. How did Wei Xia still look this good? It was baffling.

It never occurred to her that Wei Xia was wearing concealer. There was no way she would show up looking tired in front of her employees. In fact, her makeup was a little heavier than usual today.

Under Ji Haolan’s wide, questioning gaze, a rare flicker of guilt crossed Wei Xia’s mind. She changed the subject quickly. “I’ll get off work early today. Let’s go relax.”

Ji Haolan was not too eager. “If we’re getting off early, I want to go home.”

Wei Xia narrowed her eyes. “No.”

Ava, overhearing their conversation, found it entertaining. She had already sensed how favored Ji Haolan was the last time they came. Now they seemed even more natural together. It was astonishing to witness someone reject Wei Xia’s suggestion.

Then came something even more surprising. Ji Haolan added, “Let’s go home early, and I’ll cook fish for you.”

Fish?

“I said no,” Wei Xia responded with a straight face.

But Ava could swear she caught a flicker of hesitation in her tone.

After sending them off, she watched their retreating backs. The longer she looked, the more perfectly matched they seemed.

Not much was happening at the company today. A new group of interns had arrived. Usually, Wei Xia left orientation matters to other departments. But since Jiayan was among them this time, she made sure to come.

Ji Haolan naturally stayed by her side. Wei Xia kept her distance without interfering. The new interns were too nervous to speak, silently following their supervisor as she introduced them to the office. The company environment was undeniably impressive. The students looked full of admiration and treasured their hard-won internship.

Since she was already present, Wei Xia skimmed through the roster handed to her by the secretary. Only top students were selected for internships here. Ji Haolan glanced at the list too and commented thoughtfully, “I was actually planning to apply for an internship here in my senior year.”

Wei Xia’s interest was instantly piqued. “Oh? Why? Tell me.”

Ji Haolan replied calmly, “Yihua Group is one of the top 100 companies in the country. I heard the internship program is very professional. If you do well, you can even earn a full salary. When applying for jobs after graduation, this internship gives you an edge. Even if I don’t work here, having interned at Yihua increases my chances at other companies. It’s one of the most competitive placements at school.”

Everything she said was true. Wei Xia knew how strong her company was, and she took pride in it. But hearing it from Ji Haolan made her unusually happy. Her lips curved with satisfaction. When she heard Ji Haolan had once considered applying here, she teased playfully, “Looks like there’s no escape. Sooner or later, you’ll be working under me.”

“What are you talking about?” Ji Haolan gave her a sidelong glance. How did the topic shift to that?

Wei Xia looked pleased, enjoying the hint of fate in their future.

Ji Haolan said seriously, “After graduation, I can work in sales or planning. I’ll earn money for you. I’ll pay you back for everything you’ve spent on me.”

“Alright. Be sure to repay every cent,” Wei Xia said with a smile. Her eyes narrowed slightly.

Ji Haolan was sincere, but in Wei Xia’s view, that debt could never be repaid. The amount was more than an average person could earn in a lifetime. She also planned to keep increasing what she spent on her.

There was no way Ji Haolan would ever be able to pay it all back.

Wei Xia found her innocence endearing. As long as Ji Haolan avoided getting tricked by others, that would be enough. Wei Xia had no real expectation of her becoming wealthy. In truth, she hoped Ji Haolan would always stay this pure, come home with her every day, and cook her fish.

Just then, the intern orientation concluded. The newcomers were given free time. Jiayan, who had spotted Wei Xia and Ji Haolan earlier, ran over with a face full of excitement.

“Sister Wei! And Haolan!”

The sound of that single name, Haolan, left both women stunned as it echoed between them. Ji Haolan blinked and pointed at herself. “You mean me?”