YXJ - 4

He spoke these words close to her ear, the volume just enough for her to hear.

Bai Lan was startled by the commotion. When she turned around, she saw Lin Wangshu falling into Jiang Congxian’s arms. The latter was supporting her waist, asking with concern if she was hurt from the fall.

Hypocritical. It was clearly him who deliberately tripped her.

Lin Wangshu bit her lip tightly, saying nothing. This was because Jiang Congxian’s right hand was currently placed in an unseen spot, caressing her slowly.

Bai Lan unhappily rolled her eyes. Usually, she acted so high and mighty, yet she still actively threw herself into a rich man’s arms the moment she saw one.

Jiang Congxian’s voice was clear and smooth as he said to Bai Lan: “It seems your friend twisted her ankle. How about she sits here with me?”

Bai Lan didn’t want Lin Wangshu to steal her prey. She let out an “ah” and feigned difficulty: “Should I take her to the hospital?”

Jiang Congxian chuckled: “It’s not serious enough for a hospital visit. I’ll just rub it for her.” The word “rub” was drawn out, as if deliberately meant to invite suggestive thoughts.

“Then... then I’ll trouble you.” Fearing that saying more would leave a bad impression on Jiang Congxian, she nodded. There was nothing else she could do. Bai Lan found an empty seat and soon blended into the atmosphere.

Jiang Congxian turned off a few lights, leaving only the dim ones. The private room instantly plunged into a seductive ambiguity. Close by, someone was deeply kissing, the squishy sounds clearly audible. Lin Wangshu suddenly regretted attending this party today.

She lowered her eyelashes, pressing her lips together, not wanting to look at Jiang Congxian. He didn’t seem to mind, smoothing out her skirt. She completely fit his aesthetic. Just biting her lower lip was enough to arouse his desire.

Jiang Congxian leaned close to her ear in the dim light, his hushed voice deep and husky: “I really fucking want to take you right here.”

Lin Wangshu trembled, afraid he would actually go through with it: “My senior sister is still here.”

He merely chuckled, his fingers twirling her long hair, then slowly releasing it. He seemed to greatly enjoy her startled expression. He nodded obediently, his voice doting: “Then we’ll talk when we get back.”

Of course, he was just scaring her. He was different from the horn-dog bosses beside him who could just start anywhere, anytime. If it weren’t for business, he wouldn’t even step into such a place. Too dirty.

Bai Lan successfully got the contact information of a man she found somewhat agreeable. Thinking that enough time had passed, it was time to go back. So she told Jiang Congxian.

Lin Wangshu finally escaped his clutches.

Bai Lan still had a slight yearning for his body and didn’t want to miss out on such a prime catch. So she invited him: “Why don’t you come with us? After all, there isn’t much age difference, we can have fun together.”

Lin Wangshu: “...”

Jiang Congxian glanced at Lin Wangshu, then smiled and politely declined: “Your junior doesn’t seem to welcome me much.”

Bai Lan quickly said: “She’s like that with everyone, it’s fine. I’m in charge of this party, so my welcome is all that matters.”

Under her repeated persuasion, Jiang Congxian finally “reluctantly” nodded in agreement: “Then I shall impose.”

Outside the private room, Lin Wangshu walked ahead, maintaining a distance from Jiang Congxian. Bai Lan, to maintain her persona as a pure female university student, feigned innocence and asked knowingly: “Were all those people in the private room couples?”

“No.”

She gasped: “Then... boyfriends and girlfriends?”

Jiang Congxian said: “Not that either.”

She blinked in confusion: “Then those girls are...”

Jiang Congxian patiently answered her question: “They are girls like you.”

“They’re also students?”

He shook his head, his smile faint, his tone gentle: “They’re girls like you, who can sleep with anyone for money—cheap girls.”

Bai Lan’s face instantly turned ashen. She froze, unresponsive for a long time. Jiang Congxian ignored her, pushed open the private room door, and followed Lin Wangshu inside.

Bai Lan felt chilled to the bone, trembling with fear. This man was terrifying, like a demon from hell. His gentleness seemed to be merely a facade to mislead people.

They had been gone for so long that the people in the private room were guessing they might have been rejected. Someone said: “How could that be? The campus belle herself went, who could resist?”

Xu Jingyang was worried something might have happened to them. Just as he was about to go check, the private room door opened. Seeing Lin Wangshu, he breathed a sigh of relief, a smile appearing on his face. Before he could speak, the private room door opened again.

But it wasn’t Bai Lan who entered; it was a stranger. Fresh, handsome, like jade and bamboo.

The boys were wary, but the girls were excited. Xun Ya went up and pulled Lin Wangshu’s arm, whispering: “Who is that? He’s so handsome!!!”

Jiang Congxian smiled gently and gave a brief self-introduction, then politely asked: “Am I disturbing you all?”

The girls all shook their heads: “No, no, not at all.”

He was still smiling: “That’s good then.”

After he casually found a seat, Bai Lan finally arrived, belatedly. Compared to her arrogant demeanor when she left, she now looked like a rooster whose spirit had been crushed. Wilted.

Xun Ya probed Lin Wangshu for information: “Why does she look half-dead? Could she have been discouraged?”

“No.” She had seemed quite normal just a moment ago.

After she spoke, she glanced at Jiang Congxian beside her. He happened to be looking at her as well. The spot where he sat was just out of the light’s reach, so Lin Wangshu couldn’t clearly see his expression, but she could feel that he was watching her. Perhaps he had said something to Bai Lan.

Jiang Congxian seemed very interested in Lin Wangshu: “Do you have a boyfriend?”

Lin Wangshu didn’t speak. Xun Ya, beside her, answered for her: “Our Wangshu is the campus belle, and she’s still single.”

He smiled gently, his tone meaningful: “How impressive, a campus belle.”

Xu Jingyang came over with a fruit platter, offering some to Lin Wangshu to line her stomach: “Xun Ya said you didn’t eat anything this afternoon.”

She politely refused: “No, thanks. I’m not very hungry.”

“Are you thirsty then? I specially got you a cup of hot milk.”

Lin Wangshu still refused: “Water is fine for me.”

Xu Jingyang chuckled, scratching the back of his head: “If you’re hungry, just tell me.”

She nodded: “Thank you.”

Youth truly is wonderful. Even a casual remark can make one blush. Jiang Congxian felt quite emotional looking at the scene before him, even though he wasn’t much older than them.

To distance herself from Jiang Congxian, Lin Wangshu voluntarily offered to join the game. Her luck seemed poor; she kept losing. Xu Jingyang played the role of her protector throughout, drinking glass after glass for her.

The others cheered: “Campus belle, why don’t you just get together with our president? Talented man, beautiful woman, what a perfect match!”

“Yeah, our president is a loyal dog. He’ll guarantee he won’t say no if you say yes, and he won’t go west if you tell him to go east.”

“Get together! Get together! Get together!”

Lin Wangshu actually didn’t like this kind of attention. She frowned slightly. Before she could speak, the sound of breaking pottery came from behind her.

The cheering of the crowd temporarily ceased as everyone shifted their gaze towards the source of the sound. What shattered was a dried fruit dish. Jiang Congxian’s left arm hung down, with a rather long scratch on it, bleeding.

Xun Ya was startled for a moment and asked him: “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” He glanced at the mess on the floor and apologized softly, “I’ll pay for the broken items. All expenses today will also be on my tab.” He looked at Lin Wangshu: “Could I trouble you to take me to the hospital?”

Thorough in his actions, elegant in his speech, considerate of others at every turn. This was Xun Ya’s second impression of him. But she was still a little uneasy about Lin Wangshu taking someone she had just met to the hospital and was about to say she would go with them.

Lin Wangshu, however, nodded: “Okay.”

She didn’t refuse because she knew Jiang Congxian never did anything without confidence. Even if he wasn’t confident, once he did something, he always found a way to make it so.

Outside the private room, Jiang Congxian said: “Did you see the square handkerchief in my chest pocket?”

“Yes.”

“Take it out. You know how to stop bleeding, right?”

Lin Wangshu didn’t answer him. She silently took out the handkerchief and tied it tightly around his wound.

He hissed lightly, still smiling: “Naughty girl.”

Seeing him come out, the driver opened the car door, quietly waiting for them to get in one after another, then closed the door. Their destination was the hospital.

The hospital was still very crowded at this hour. Lin Wangshu registered and waited with Jiang Congxian on a chair outside the department. She asked him: “Were you deliberate?”

The heating in the hospital was strong, and her fair earlobes began to show a faint pink blush. Her throat felt a little dry. Jiang Congxian straightened up: “I’m not that foolish.”

She clearly didn’t believe him: “Then how could you get scratched by these shards?”

He just chuckled: “It’s all because I saw you with other men. I was so upset I couldn’t even hold the plate steady.”

“You think I’ll believe you?”

Jiang Congxian rested his chin on her neck, sighing softly but with an undertone: “Being too smart isn’t cute, you know.”