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Zhang Heng finally understood what Jiang Congxian meant by “cat.”
He had simply bandaged his bleeding head. Enduring the severe pain, he said with a troubled expression, “I believe Brother Xian is a reasonable person. Just give us a pass this time. If we don’t catch the person, it’ll be hard for us to report back.”
Jiang Congxian nodded. “Since you call me brother, I should give you face.”
Hearing this, Zhang Heng breathed a sigh of relief and reached out to grab Lin Wangshu’s arm.
Lin Wangshu instinctively dodged behind Jiang Congxian. Zhang Heng grabbed at empty air and looked at him with a fawning smile.
He was wary of Jiang Congxian.
The latter seemed to be gentle to everyone and never looked down on anyone just because of his high status.
But Zhang Heng knew that Jiang Congxian didn’t take rats like them, who lived in the shadows, seriously.
Bad people are scary, but people like him, who don’t show their emotions and have a lot on their mind, are even scarier.
The man raised his hand and unbuttoned his cuffs. His voice was slow and leisurely. “Jiang Yuan, take these gentlemen out and have a ‘reasonable’ talk with them.”
He chuckled, reminding him, “Don’t be too rough. Be gentle.”
...
After that group left, the quiet bar became even quieter.
He Jingyang’s brows were slightly furrowed in pain, but he still didn’t forget to go over and ask Lin Wangshu if she was okay.
In his haste, he grabbed her hand. “Are you hurt anywhere?”
Jiang Congxian looked indifferently at the delicate hand held in the man’s palm.
Lin Wangshu calmly pulled her hand away. “I’m fine.”
Her tone was not warm, but she asked with a hint of apology, “Are you okay?”
Afraid that Lin Wangshu would worry, he endured the pain. “I’m fine, it’s just a small injury.”
Seeing his forced bravado, Lin Wangshu felt guilty. If it weren’t for her, he wouldn’t have been caught in this dangerous situation.
Even in the dim light of the quiet bar, Xun Ya still recognized that the man in front of her was the same one she had seen in the private room at the gathering.
Judging by Lin Wangshu’s relationship with him, they must have known each other for a long time.
At least they knew each other before that encounter in the private room. So why did they pretend not to know each other back then?
She looked at Lin Wangshu in confusion. “You two...”
Lin Wangshu tightly gripped her cuff, unsure of how to explain the scene in front of her.
She shouldn’t have lied.
Once you tell one lie, you have to tell countless more to cover it up.
Jiang Congxian intimately wrapped his arm around Lin Wangshu’s waist, pinched her face, and softly asked for her opinion. “How should I introduce myself to your friends, as your brother? Or your man?”
Xun Ya’s jaw was about to drop in shock. The voice was indeed identical to the one on the phone.
He Jingyang looked at the scene in front of him, as if his acupoints had been hit.
His expression was even uglier than before.
“Lin Wangshu, if you... if you have some difficulties, you can tell me. I can help you!”
He spoke urgently, as if he had concluded that she was not there voluntarily.
Someone as proud as her, how could she be with a man like this?
What difficulties? Was she forced to sell her body and live under his wing because her father had borrowed from loan sharks and she had nowhere to turn?
Lin Wangshu couldn’t say it.
It was exactly as Jiang Congxian had said. No matter how down on her luck she was, she still valued her integrity and pride dearly.
The upbringing she received since childhood prevented her from calmly telling her friends the truth.
Lying was a bad thing, but she didn’t have the courage to tell the truth.
Her voice was weak. “He’s... my boyfriend.”
She endured her emotions, feeling disgusted with herself.
She was too bad, just too bad.
________________________________________
For a moment, everyone’s expressions were a colorful mix of emotions.
Only Jiang Congxian remained calm as usual.
He glanced at the empty table. “Isn’t it a birthday? Why isn’t there a cake?”
He said to Jiang Yuan, who had just finished ‘talking sense’ into the men, “Go order a cake.”
Xun Ya looked at Jiang Congxian with a guilty expression.
His voice was clear, but his eyes were gentle. “Miss Xun, would you mind showing me your ID? Otherwise, I won’t know how many candles to order.”
“I... I’m 21.”
Jiang Congxian smiled. “It’s safer to check the ID. Miss Xun can forget her own birthday, so it’s possible she might forget her age, too.”
He was refined, and his entire demeanor was gentle, like a green bamboo after the rain, with its own unique grace.
But Xun Ya felt an inexplicable sense of oppression. In front of him, all her disguises and lies had nowhere to hide.
She was afraid of him.
It was a fear that came from the bottom of her heart.
So much so that her words started to stumble. “I... I’m sorry. It’s not my birthday today. I just wanted you to let Lin Wangshu come out, so I... I lied.”
She confessed everything in one go.
She finally understood why Lin Wangshu was so apprehensive in front of him.
This man was truly terrifying.
In front of him, she didn’t even dare to hide anything, even though the smile on his face was gentle and kind.
“In that case, I’ll be taking Shushu home first.”
Jiang Congxian’s tone was not forceful. Instead, he was asking for her opinion at every turn. “Is that okay?”
“Yes... yes, that’s fine.”
He didn’t hold Lin Wangshu’s hand; he just held her wrist.
He led her out of the quiet bar.
It was dark outside. A black Maybach was parked at the door.
He had only brought Jiang Yuan with him this time.
They were just a few rats. Besides being smelly and dirty, they posed no threat.
But the young girl, who was usually pampered, was probably scared to death right now.
Jiang Yuan went to a nearby convenience store and bought a bottle of water. Jiang Congxian handed it to Lin Wangshu and told her to wash her hands thoroughly.
Lin Wangshu didn’t ask why; she just lowered her head and did as she was told.
The car got on the overpass. Jiang Yuan closed the window. With the sound of the wind gone, the car became even quieter.
She didn’t say a word the entire time. It was clear she hadn’t recovered from the fear she had felt earlier.
Jiang Congxian asked in a cold voice, “Are you scared now?”
Lin Wangshu was lost in thought, her eyes not even blinking. She just sat there blankly, as if she were possessed.
Fear, guilt, and various other emotions were all mixed together. She couldn’t describe what she was feeling right now.
Her heart had started to die a long time ago, ever since the first time Jiang Congxian pinned her to the bed.
Just as Jiang Congxian had said, her pride wasn’t worth anything.
All her secrets were exposed in front of her friends, and she had even dragged them into it.
The girl couldn’t hide her thoughts, especially from Jiang Congxian.
Nothing escaped his eyes.
He glanced at her slightly scraped chin, which must have been accidentally injured during the chaos.
“Does it hurt?”
She didn’t answer.
Jiang Congxian opened the storage compartment and took out a tube of ointment from the first-aid kit.
He squeezed a little onto his hand and applied it to her injured area.
It had a minty component and felt cool.
It was similar to the temperature of his fingertips.
Lin Wangshu instinctively tried to pull away, but he held her face firmly.
His hand held her cheek, forcing her to turn her face and look directly at him.
“Don’t move. I’m not done yet.”
His movements were not gentle, but he tried his best to avoid hurting her.
Sometimes, he would still accidentally touch her.
His fingers were fair and long, and though they were beautiful, there was a thin callus on his thumb.
Lin Wangshu had heard some things about him. Jiang Congxian’s everything was built by himself.
Unlike the second-generation heirs who were just waiting to inherit their fathers’ fortunes.
He was smarter, more ruthless, and had a deeper mind and more complex schemes than them.
Lin Wangshu thought that he must have suffered a lot.
Few people his age could have gone from having nothing to being where he was now.
But he never spoke about these things, not for the sake of integrity or grace, which were worthless.
He never cared about those things.
The only reason he didn’t say anything was because he didn’t need or want anyone’s sympathy or pity.
After the ointment was applied, the car was filled with a pungent minty smell.
Jiang Congxian didn’t like it.
He lowered the window a little to air it out.
Lin Wangshu hesitated for a long time before taking out her phone, wanting to send a message to Xun Ya.
Before she could open WeChat, her phone was taken from her.
Jiang Congxian looked at the profile picture on the screen. It was a cartoon figure that looked a lot like her—big eyes, a small nose, and a small mouth.
He knew Lin Wangshu disliked him and refused to add him on WeChat. She only contacted him by phone calls and text messages.
“Did you draw it yourself?”
She didn’t answer. “Give it back to me.”
Jiang Congxian nodded, not seeming to care, but the hand holding the phone slowly lifted and moved toward the car window.
He held it precariously, and the wind made it seem like it was about to fall.
When Lin Wangshu saw his actions, her heart clenched.
The voice messages and videos in that phone were her only solace now.
“Give it back to me.”
She was so afraid he would actually throw it away that tears welled up instantly.
She got up to grab it.
She was crying so pitifully.
Jiang Congxian looked down indifferently. “Are you willing to talk now?”
“I drew it myself.”
She had drawn it when she was in high school. The clothes on the drawing were what she wore when she participated in her first competition representing the school.
To commemorate that occasion, she had never changed her profile picture.
Jiang Congxian didn’t actually want to throw it away; he was just trying to scare her.
Who knew the girl would be so easily frightened?
“Cry.”
He threw the phone back to her. “Crying isn’t embarrassing.”
Lin Wangshu had been holding back since the beginning.
She was not a strong person. As a wealthy young lady who grew up pampered, how much could she endure?
This past year had been the most difficult time of her life.
She hadn’t given up and had been trying her best.
But she still couldn’t see the end. Her future seemed to be a gray haze.
She didn’t know how long this life would last. A person living in a castle cannot be strong enough.
She hated her current self. She cried louder, her slender shoulders trembling, as if to vent all the grievances and sadness she had felt these past few days.
Jiang Congxian put his arm around her shoulder, pulled her into his arms, and held her.
He gently patted her back, trying to calm her down and prevent her from crying until she was exhausted.
Lin Wangshu didn’t cry for long. When she got tired, she stopped.
The shirt on Jiang Congxian’s chest was soaked with her tears.
The screen of the phone in her hand lit up with a message from He Jingyang.
[He Jingyang: Are you okay?]
[He Jingyang: I’m at the hospital. The doctor said everything is fine except for a broken rib. You don’t have to worry.]
Jiang Congxian glanced at the content. “Do you feel sorry for him?”
Lin Wangshu didn’t say anything.
He let out a cold chuckle. “Baby, shouldn’t you feel more sorry for me? Being lied to and cheated on, how pitiful.”
“He and I are just regular classmates.”
“You lied to me and wove him a sweater just to go out with him.” He pinched her chin, his thumb slowly rubbing against it. “That’s a pretty ‘regular’ classmate.”
Lin Wangshu held her breath and didn’t say anything else.
After all, she was indeed in the wrong and had no ground to stand on.
The car was silent for a long time until Jiang Yuan drove into the compound.
He hit the brakes and waited quietly.
Jiang Congxian had no intention of getting out of the car, and Lin Wangshu didn’t dare to move.
“Drive in.”
His slightly deep voice echoed in the darkness.
Jiang Yuan obediently did as he was told.
The car drove into the underground garage and automatically parked in a spot further in. Then he opened the car door and left.
There were all kinds of limited-edition sports cars and large-displacement heavy-duty motorcycles.
Jiang Congxian had a passion for these extreme sports. It seemed he could only relax a little when he was gambling with his own life.
Compared to living, death was the easiest thing.
After all, once a person dies, there’s nothing left. How great is that?
He slowly pulled the hem of his shirt out of his waistband, unbuckled his belt, and his thin lips landed near her ear, his voice hoarse and low. “You’re not being a good girl. You need to suffer a little to learn your lesson.”
________________________________________
Xiao Lian was waiting in the living room with some worry.
Mr. Jiang had just come back from the company tonight, but he didn’t stay for long and left with a grim look on his face.
Her intuition told her that something had happened.
She was worried all night until Jiang Yuan came into the living room, and she breathed a sigh of relief.
She looked behind the door for a long time but didn’t see anyone.
“Where are Mr. Jiang and Sister Shushu?”
Jiang Yuan was silent for a moment and didn’t answer her question.
Xiao Lian continued to wait uneasily. About an hour later, Jiang Congxian pushed the door open and came in.
His shirt was full of wrinkles, as if someone had crumpled it forcefully.
He was always meticulous about his clothes and appearance. When had he ever looked so disheveled?
Xiao Lian didn’t see anyone behind him. She stood up hesitantly. “Sister Shushu...”
He said indifferently, “Run a bath for her and take her clothes in there, too.”
He rubbed his hand on his shoulder. The little girl was ruthless. She had scratched him, and it was a deep scratch.
When he took his hand away from his shoulder, there were even skin and blood in the gaps between his fingers.
A wolf cub that can’t be tamed.
Xiao Lian nodded. “Okay.”
Lin Wangshu came in much later, walking awkwardly.
To hide her discomfort, she walked slowly.
Xiao Lian was simple and couldn’t see what had happened. She came down from the second floor. “Sister Shushu, I’ve run a bath for you and taken your pajamas in there.”
Lin Wangshu thanked her. “Can I trouble you to make me a cup of hangover tea?”
The alcohol content wasn’t high, but the aftereffects were strong, and she was a little dizzy now.
Xiao Lian smiled. “You don’t have to be so polite with me. I’ll make it and bring it up to you later.”
“Thank you.”
The bath took a long time. Lin Wangshu lay in the bathtub, looking at the marks on her body.
Her skin was fair, making the marks even more noticeable.
Jiang Congxian, on the other hand, was not a good person. He had deliberately chosen conspicuous places to bite.
It was as if he was marking his territory and declaring his ownership.
Lin Wangshu’s move just now was a little ruthless.
He was at the peak of his excitement and didn’t push her away. The pain stimulated his senses, making him even more aroused.
In these moments, Jiang Congxian was always exceptionally tolerant of her.
Lin Wangshu was doing it on purpose, as a way to vent her anger.
After her shower, she changed into her clothes and went back to her room. A steaming bowl of hangover tea sat on her desk.
She finished it in small sips.
Her study materials were still out on the table. The school holiday was coming up on the 11th, which was the perfect time to catch up on her missed classes.
As usual, she video-called her grandma in the evening. She only showed her face, not daring to expose her neck.
Even if her grandma was slow, she might still ask about the marks on her neck.
“Xiaoyue ate two bowls of rice today and said he missed his sister. I just managed to get him to sleep. You have a school holiday these days, don’t you?”
“Yes, seven days.”
“Seven days, huh? Do you want to come back for a few days? Xiaoyue’s school is on holiday, too.”
Lin Wangshu wanted to go back, of course.
But Jiang Congxian would definitely not allow it.
Her grandma could see her difficulty. The little girl had always been the type to only share good news and hide bad news, enduring everything herself for fear of worrying her.
Although her grandma was old, she wasn’t blind.
Her relationship with Jiang Congxian was not at all what she said it was.
Fortunately, he seemed to treat her well and didn’t make her life difficult.
“How about this? I’ll let Xiaoyue come play with you for a few days. He’s been missing his sister and refusing to sleep. You know how stubborn he can be.”
Lin Yue’s health was not good, so he couldn’t stay up late.
Hearing her grandma’s words, Lin Wangshu was also worried. After a moment of thought, she nodded. “I’ll go talk to Jiang... to Congxian about it.”
After she hung up the phone, she was about to leave when she looked at her thin pajamas. Just to be safe, she put on a jacket.
The study room door was ajar, not fully closed. Lin Wangshu politely knocked.
There was no sound from inside. After a moment of hesitation, she said, “I’m coming in.”
Then she pushed the door open.
Jiang Congxian was sitting on the nearby sofa, taking off his clothes.
His exposed upper body was lean and strong.
His skin was fair, and the scars on his body were clearly visible.
Lin Wangshu had noticed a long time ago that he had many large and small scars on his body.
Judging by the color, depth, and size of the scars, it wasn’t hard to imagine how severe the injuries were at the time. Most of the wounds were even in a position that could have been fatal.
The fresh wound on his shoulder was the one she had just scratched.
Jiang Congxian glanced at her, wrapped up tightly, and let out a cold laugh.
She was really treating him like a rapist and guarding herself against him.
“I have something to talk to you about.”
“I don’t want to hear it.”
Unexpectedly, he refused so bluntly. Lin Wangshu hesitated for a moment.
Footsteps sounded outside the door. A man came in with a first-aid kit.
It was a familiar face.
The person Jiang Congxian had assigned to be around her.
He had a bruise on his face. When he saw Lin Wangshu, he lowered his head, which was a form of greeting.
He then placed the first-aid kit on the desk and left.
Lin Wangshu frowned. “Did you hit him?”
He calmly retorted, “Shouldn’t I? He’s a useless person who can’t even keep up with someone.”
So, that person was beaten because of her.
Lin Wangshu lowered her eyes, remaining silent.
She was indeed a well-mannered young lady, feeling compassion for everyone.
Jiang Congxian couldn’t help but sneer. Lin Youwei wasn’t a good person, but he was good at raising his daughter.
“Help me apply the medicine.”
He had hurt her, and she wanted to pay him back.
The car was dark and unlit. She had no idea how hard she had scratched him.
Her soul was so far away, she couldn’t have possibly controlled her strength.
Now that she saw it up close, she realized she might have been a bit too aggressive.
She was timid, especially afraid of such gory scenes.
How could she possibly go over there?
“Why don’t you just let Dr. Zhao come over?”
“You’re the one who scratched me, not Dr. Zhao.”
Her voice was small, like an accusation. “If you did that to Dr. Zhao, he would scratch you, too.”
Jiang Congxian’s eyebrows furrowed. “Why would I do that to Dr. Zhao?”
...
In the end, Lin Wangshu obediently applied the medicine for him.
After all, she was the one who scratched him.
Afraid of hurting him, she moved carefully. After disinfecting the wound, she dabbed the medicine onto the cotton swab and gently rubbed it on his injury.
Occasionally, she would lean close to the wound and blow on it for him.
His warm breath sprayed onto her.
She had just showered, and she had the scent of shower gel on her, mixed with her own natural fragrance.
The smell was intoxicating when she smelled it for a long time.
Jiang Congxian looked away, his muscles tensed and his breathing a little uneven.
This feeling was a bit unfamiliar and out of his control.
He had always had great self-control. His lecherous behavior was only a pretense to scare her.
It was difficult for overly rational people to be led by their emotions.
Jiang Congxian was certainly not so sentimental as to fall head over heels in love.
He would even go as far as to say that he would never let himself fall for someone.
He hated anything he couldn’t control.
Lin Wangshu threw the cotton swab into the trash can and moved away from him. “It’s done.”
Jiang Congxian glanced at her, put his shirt back on, and buttoned it up from top to bottom.
Lin Wangshu was staring at the scars on his body, lost in thought.
After a moment of contemplation, she finally mustered the courage to ask, “Are you very familiar with those people just now?”
He looked up. “What, are you worried I’m in a gang?”
Lin Wangshu looked at his scars and didn’t say anything.
It was as if she was silently agreeing.
His familiarity with that group of people, coupled with all the scars on his body, made it difficult not to think that way.
The little girl had no ulterior motives. All her emotions were directly on her face.
Jiang Congxian could tell what her expression meant now.
Even though the Lin family had fallen and she was nothing now, she still habitually saw others from the perspective of an upper-class person.
This was a common flaw in people like them.
He seemed to be smiling, but there was no warmth in his gentle eyes. “Are these scars on my body disgusting?”
Before Lin Wangshu could speak, he continued, “Lin Wangshu, everyone in the world can find me dirty, but not you.”
Lin Wangshu had always had a feeling that Jiang Congxian was singling her out for a reason.
There were so many beautiful women around him. He didn’t need to keep a burden like her by his side.
And now, this feeling was even stronger.
She was eager to confirm her suspicions but was too afraid to ask.
She was afraid that the answer she got was not what she wanted to hear.
Time passed slowly. Lin Wangshu’s expression was ugly, and she stood there motionless.
Jiang Congxian didn’t pay attention to her anymore. He still had work to do.
After standing for so long, her foot started to hurt again.
She had been feeling a faint pain in her foot since she was in the quiet bar.
She didn’t notice anything unusual in the shower. It must have been an accidental bump during the chaos.
She took a deep breath, shook off her negative emotions, and limped out.
“Wait.”
The man’s deep voice sounded in the study. Lin Wangshu hesitated and looked back.
He was looking down at a document, not at her. He just said, “Come here.”
She didn’t know what he wanted to do, but Lin Wangshu still went over obediently.
Even she hadn’t noticed that she had started to subconsciously listen to him.
The computer was connected to a voice call. The person on the other end was reporting his work to him.
The topics were somewhat technical. Lin Wangshu didn’t understand them and didn’t try to listen.
The proposal was sent over via email. Jiang Congxian slid the mouse to open it and paused on the page the person was reporting.
He occasionally spoke up to point out the errors that needed to be corrected.
He leaned back, leaving enough space, and patted his leg. “Sit here.”
The cold voice of the big boss came through the headphones. He Qu, who was nervously reporting his work, froze for a moment. “What?”
“I wasn’t talking to you.”
Thinking of those three suggestive words, He Qu’s face turned red.
He felt that the scene right now must be extremely provocative.
Lin Wangshu refused to sit, so Jiang Congxian’s face turned dark. “I don’t like to repeat myself.”
The man on the other end of the computer didn’t even dare to breathe.
He could only hear a rustling sound coming from there. After a moment, it finally fell silent.
The work report resumed. Jiang Congxian took off Lin Wangshu’s shoes, put his hand on her sprained and swollen ankle, and slowly massaged it.
“Who were you making that wronged face for just now?”
He Qu paused, waiting quietly for them to finish talking.
Jiang Congxian said, “Continue. I’m listening.”
The big boss could still focus on work with a beautiful woman in his arms.
As the man’s voice continued to leak from the computer, Jiang Congxian increased his pressure slightly. “You want me to feel sorry for you?”
“No.”
He let out a deep, soft chuckle that fell near her ear. “Lying isn’t being a good girl.”
Lin Wangshu thought that it was no wonder those people were deceived and bewitched by him.
He was too good at pretending. When he was gentle, he was completely intoxicating.
If she hadn’t spent every day with him, she might have been fooled by his facade, too.
His long, pale, beautiful hands were now cupping the woman’s small feet, warming them in his palms. He lowered his eyelashes to look at her. “Didn’t you have something to tell me?”
At his reminder, Lin Wangshu finally remembered the important matter.
She softly spoke her request. The man’s face was calm, but he didn’t say a word.
She felt unsure, worried he would refuse, and her hands tightly gripped the hem of her jacket.
Jiang Congxian saw her action. He held her hand and laughed softly. “Didn’t I tell you? In the future, you’re only allowed to hold your brother’s hand.”
A moment later, his smile became even more ambiguous. He slowly guided her hand down. “Of course, you can grab other places on your brother, too.”
Her hand touched the cold belt buckle. She was so scared that she tried to pull her hand away.
But he held her tighter. “Why are you hiding? It’s not like you haven’t grabbed it before.”
He was skilled at saying such things to make her blush.
The more the proposal progressed, the more flaws it had. Jiang Congxian completely lost his patience and interrupted his report in a cold voice. “That’s enough. I’ll mark the parts that need to be changed in red and send them to you later.”
He Qu suddenly felt very nervous. “O-okay.”
There was no response from the other end. The voice call was hung up.
He Qu wiped the sweat from his forehead in fear.
________________________________________
Lin Wangshu didn’t have much hope to begin with. She was planning in her head how to tell Lin Yue so he wouldn’t be sad.
Jiang Congxian held her, his head buried in the soft curve of her neck, sighing softly. “Why are you looking so wronged again?”
She was stubborn. “I’m not.”
Jiang Congxian just laughed. “I didn’t say no.”
The girl wasn’t wearing any perfume, but she smelled so good.
And she was so soft, like a ball of cotton.
He held her and didn’t want to let go. He coaxed her in a low voice, “Call me ‘brother,’ and I might consider it.”
In the end, Lin Wangshu didn’t call him “brother,” but he held her for a while and seemed to be in a good mood.
He finally nodded in agreement.
“You should contact that classmate of yours less from now on.”
Lin Wangshu pursed her lips in silence. After a long pause, “Are you going to tell me who I can be friends with now?”
“Not necessarily, but I’m just giving you some advice. Whether you listen or not is up to you.”
Overly foolish people, even if they’re not bad at heart, always cause a lot of trouble.
Lin Wangshu’s friend was a prime example.
________________________________________
By the time she left the study, it was very late. Fortunately, she didn’t have class the next day.
She leaned against the door, feeling as if all the strength had been drained from her body.
She was breathing heavily from fear.
Even if she acted calm in front of Jiang Congxian, she was still afraid of him.
He was too temperamental. One second he could be smiling gently, and the next he could have a dark expression on his face.
Lin Wangshu was always walking on eggshells around him.
She hated this kind of life.
She was a soulless doll with no self, placed in his castle for him to admire and play with.
________________________________________
During the seven-day National Day holiday, many people were traveling home, and it was difficult to buy plane tickets.
Lin Wangshu only managed to buy a ticket for the morning of the third day.
This way, Lin Yue could still come and play for four days.
She called her grandma and asked her to remember to pack Lin Yue’s homework.
She had originally wanted her grandma to come along, but her grandma had recently found a new job.
She was helping a family with their kids. It was a relatively easy job with a good salary.
If she left now, this job would quickly be taken by someone else.
Her grandma said, “After this busy period, grandma will bring Xiaoyue to see you and make you your favorite sauerkraut.”
Lin Wangshu nodded. “You have to take care of yourself at home and not work too hard, okay?”
“Grandma knows. Don’t worry about me. Take good care of yourself.”
________________________________________
Jiang Congxian rarely had time off. He had to go to social events even during the holidays.
After that incident, Xun Ya had contacted her a few times, but they only talked about daily life.
She didn’t bring up the incident.
It was obvious to anyone that Lin Wangshu was resistant to Jiang Congxian.
Xun Ya knew that a lot must have happened between them.
Since Lin Wangshu didn’t want to talk about it, she wouldn’t ask.
After chatting for a while, Xun Ya asked her, “Have you contacted He Jingyang recently?”
“I gave him a call.”
After all, he got hurt because of her, so she felt she should check on him.
But He Jingyang said he was recovering well and had no problems.
Lin Wangshu, however, could tell that he was only saying that so she wouldn’t worry.
After the call, Lin Wangshu went to the bathroom with her clothes. Her phone rang several times on the desk.
The door blocked the sound, and she didn’t hear it.
________________________________________
Outside the villa, He Jingyang looked at the phone that had hung up automatically because no one answered.
He was a little worried.
He had snuck out of the hospital because he wanted to see her.
He had regretted letting her go so easily after Jiang Congxian took her away that day.
Her expression clearly showed that she was not there willingly.
She was resistant, fearful, and wary of that man, but there was no sign of love.
If it was about money, he could help her.
He Jingyang had used his authority to find Lin Wangshu’s address in the student council’s membership application.
He had gotten the candles after escaping from the hospital and being stopped by a lady selling them.
She said the candles had a nice scent and that all young girls liked them.
He didn’t know what came over him at the time, but when he heard the words “all young girls like them,” he bought a few in a rush of emotion.
No one answered the phone. She must be taking a shower.
He took out a lighter, lit the candles, and placed them on the ground, thinking that when she finished her shower, she would be able to see them when she opened the window.
Xun Ya had told him that Lin Wangshu had not been in a good mood lately.
He hoped he could do something to cheer her up.
The streetlights in this area had been broken by lightning a few days ago, so it was dark on the side of the road. Only the faint light from the villa leaked out.
A black Maybach stopped in front of the courtyard. Jiang Congxian glanced at the man not far outside the car window who was focused on arranging the candles.
His eyes then moved up, indifferently stopping at the lit window on the second floor.
After a moment of silence, he loosened his tie and said in a cold voice, “Smash them.”
________________________________________
He Jingyang had only arranged half of the candles when a tall man, about 6’3”, walked over. His face was obscured by the backlight.
Thinking he was from the house, he was about to ask him if Lin Wangshu lived there.
Before he could speak, the man expressionlessly kicked over the pile of candles. “This is a private residence. Please leave, sir.”
Kicking them over wasn’t enough. He stomped on the candles, smashing them.
He Jingyang’s surprise for Lin Wangshu was ruined before she could even see it. He was about to say something.
The car door opened, and a clear, low voice came from inside. “Jiang Yuan, don’t be rude.”
Jiang Congxian adjusted his tie and walked over with a gentle smile. “Are you looking for Wangshu?”
He Jingyang seemed surprised that they lived together.
He hesitated for a moment and nodded.
“Perfect. She’s home today. If you don’t mind, why don’t you come up for a cup of tea before you go?”
Faced with his invitation, He Jingyang clenched his fists, tightened them, and then released them.
After a long time, he said hoarsely, “Okay.”
It wasn’t too late. At least it wasn’t Lin Wangshu’s bedtime yet. The lights on the first and second floors were on.
A maid came out with tea and poured some for He Jingyang.
Jiang Congxian said with a smile, “It’s Fu Yuan Chang Round Tea. A client gave it to me. See what you think of the taste.”
He Jingyang took a sip. “It’s very good.”
His tone was polite.
“If you like it, take some with you when you leave. I don’t like drinking tea, and the little girl at home doesn’t either, so it’s a waste to let it sit.”
Hearing the words “little girl,” He Jingyang subconsciously froze for a moment.
His first thought was Lin Wangshu.
Jiang Congxian asked the maid, Xiao Lian, next to him, “Is Wangshu asleep?”
Xiao Lian shook her head. “Not yet.”
“Then go ask her to come down.”
“Okay.”
He Jingyang’s teacup was empty, and Jiang Congxian poured him another cup. “Wangshu is quiet and a bit introverted. I’m usually busy with work and don’t have much time to spend with her. Luckily, she has friends like you to keep her company.”
His tone was not at all flirtatious. It was so natural, as if he was used to this kind of close, daily relationship.
He didn’t sound at all like a person who had forced Lin Wangshu.
Lin Wangshu was called downstairs halfway through blow-drying her hair. A dry towel was on her head.
Her semi-dry long hair was loose. A small part of her white pajamas was damp.
There was a guest in the living room.
Jiang Congxian was always gentle and humble to others, but he never truly opened up.
It seemed he didn’t have many friends, or perhaps he didn’t need any.
In his world, people were only divided into two types: useful and useless.
He rarely had guests at home.
Lin Wangshu glanced over, and when her eyes met the man’s face, she froze for a moment.
“He Jingyang?”
He Jingyang wanted to say hello to her, but he fell silent when he saw her clothes.
She was wearing comfortable loungewear. Her dark hair was semi-dry, and a gray towel was on her head.
She must have just showered, and she had a faint scent of shower gel on her.
She lived here and didn’t seem at all uncomfortable from being forced. Instead, she seemed very at ease.
“Why did you come here?”
Lin Wangshu’s question brought him back to his senses a little. He was about to speak. “I...”
Jiang Congxian interrupted him with a soft laugh. “I ran into him downstairs. He must have come looking for you.”
He looked at her still-dripping hair and beckoned with his hand. “Come here.”
Lin Wangshu paused for a moment and then obediently walked over.
He took the towel from her head and gently dried her hair. “Why didn’t you dry it before coming down?”
“Xiao Lian said a guest came, and it seemed like they were looking for me.”
She had thought it was Xun Ya.
“Even so, you should’ve dried it before coming down. You’ll catch a cold.”
His tone was gentle, as if he genuinely worried about her catching a cold.
Lin Wangshu didn’t know what he was up to.
He Jingyang’s expression was a mix of disappointment, embarrassment, and anger. Maybe he realized things weren’t what he thought they were, or maybe he felt that their show of affection made his actions look like a complete joke.
He was so worried about her that he snuck out of the hospital to take her away.
But what he found was that she was here of her own free will.
Not only was she here willingly, but they also seemed to be quite in love.
He Jingyang stood up and forced a smile. “Lin Wangshu, I’m glad to see you’re okay. I have some things to take care of at the hospital, so I’ll be heading back now.”
Lin Wangshu asked with concern, “How’s your injury recovering?”
“It’s good.”
“That’s good.”
He Jingyang looked like he wanted to say more. “I...”
Jiang Congxian glanced at Jiang Yuan beside him and gently interrupted, “Why don’t you see our guest out?”
Jiang Yuan walked over to He Jingyang. “Mr. Xu, please.”
He Jingyang’s words were cut off. He looked at Lin Wangshu one more time before turning to leave.
Suddenly, only the two of them were left in the living room.
Jiang Congxian continued to dry her wet hair. “He likes you.”
Lin Wangshu was slightly stunned. “What?”
“Can’t you tell?”
Lin Wangshu was silent.
She couldn’t say she didn’t see it at all. His feelings were too obvious.
However, Lin Wangshu was unsure if she was overthinking it and tried her best to keep her distance from him.
“He’s still too young to handle a setback.” A drop of water dripped from her long hair behind her ear. Jiang Congxian carefully and gently dried it for her. As he moved away, his thumb lightly pinched her round earlobe.
“But after this, he probably won’t bother you again.”
He was a master at manipulating people.
He also knew how to easily destroy a person’s heartfelt passion.
He was a bad person, wasn’t he?
But being a bad person was far more comfortable than being a good one.
After all, being disliked from the start was a million times better than being loved and then abandoned.
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