Chapter 25: Legs Turned to Jelly

The man in front of her stood with his back to the light, making his tall figure even more striking, with his straight legs adding to his imposing presence.

He wore a pair of business-style suit trousers, paired with a dark-colored shirt. The cuffs were rolled up, revealing long, toned arms. The watch on his wrist gleamed under the crystal chandelier’s light, and every detail of the watch strap spoke of undeniable luxury.

Looking up further, she was met with a face so mesmerizing it almost took her breath away.

His nose was sharp, and his brow bones were defined. His long, narrow eyes were half-closed, exuding an overwhelming air of authority and superiority.

Jiang Wanyi’s heart skipped a beat.

She had heard this man’s name countless times, both in financial magazines and from her boyfriend’s mouth.

In the capital city, Pei Heng was at the pinnacle of the financial world, a top-tier magnate who looked down upon everyone with an air of cold indifference.

Her boyfriend, whom she had worked hard to attach herself to, had often said that if he could build a connection with Pei Heng, even a small favor from him would be enough to make him wealthy for life.

This was Pei Heng.

The real Pei Heng!

Jiang Wanyi’s eyes gleamed, and she could hardly feel the pain anymore. Her mind was swirling with excitement, and a stream of perfect thoughts echoed in her mind, almost pushing her to the peak of joy.

She didn’t even hear her mother calling her name behind her, nor did she notice Jiang Yaoyao, who had upset her earlier. All she could see was this tall, handsome man.

Rich, powerful, and with a face like that…

Jiang Wanyi was stunned.

She heard herself, with great skill, changing her voice to a soft, delicate tone. She even let a tear linger in her eyes as she softly called out to him:

“Sir…”

But the man who made her heart race didn’t even spare her a glance. His attention was entirely on the small figure of Jiang Yaoyao, and his low voice carried a hint of tension:

“How is it, Yaoyao? Are you hurt?”

Jiang Wanyi clenched her fingers tightly, her gaze filled with venom as it landed on Jiang Yaoyao. She wished she could break her long fingernails.

Why was he only concerned about Jiang Yaoyao?

For the first time in her life, someone was standing between her and Jiang Yaoyao and had chosen the fool!

Couldn’t he just lower his head?

Couldn’t he look at her for a moment?

With her looks, how was she any less than Jiang Yaoyao?

Jiang Wanyi’s jealousy almost drove her mad.

But she knew she couldn’t act on it.

Since childhood, she had cultivated the image of a gentle and virtuous woman, perfect for a family.

Even if she was ignored now, she couldn’t let her character slip.

Jiang Wanyi didn’t care about her mother behind her. She slowly got up from the floor, weakly supporting her injured arm, and softly spoke:

“Sir, I think there’s been a misunderstanding…”

She explained with a carefully controlled, delicate voice: “We’re family, Yaoyao is my sister. She’s taken a wrong path, and my mother and I are trying to teach her…”

Her soft voice echoed in the air, and something she said caught Pei Heng’s attention. Finally, he slightly turned his head, giving her a cold profile.

He finally saw her!

Jiang Wanyi held back her joy, sending him a look full of longing.

She heard the man’s cold voice, devoid of emotion:

“Wrong path?”

Jiang Wanyi quickly nodded, her brows furrowed as she put on a worried expression:

“Yaoyao… she…”

Jiang Wanyi knew how to speak just enough to pique curiosity.

She sighed lightly, pretending to be embarrassed, and softly added:

“Never mind, it’s a family matter. I wouldn’t want to trouble you with it…”

The delicate beauty, with her cheeks flushed and soft voice laced with a hint of anger, spoke:

“Jiang Wanyi, stop spreading lies and slandering people!”

The overweight woman on the floor had no one to help her. She got up on her own, angrily shouting at Jiang Yaoyao:

“Jiang Yaoyao, is this how you speak to your sister? Truly uncultured! How could I have given birth to such a daughter—”

The delicate beauty, who had been angered again, stepped forward, about to speak, when a large hand suddenly grasped her slender wrist, gently patting the back of her hand in an attempt to calm her.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Yaoyao’s anger began to subside.

She glanced at Pei Heng, silently closing her mouth.

The woman standing opposite them, seeing their intimate gesture, grew even more furious:

“Jiang Yaoyao, your father and I spent a lot of money sending you to college, and then into the entertainment industry, just for you to latch onto a man!”

Jiang Wanyi, who had been staring at Pei Heng’s face, flinched when she heard these words.

She knew her mother was foolish, but she hadn’t expected her to be this stupid.

Jiang Wanyi quickly reacted, grabbing the woman’s arm to stop her from saying something that might offend Pei Heng.

“Mom, this is Mr. Pei…”

Jiang Wanyi gave her a meaningful glance.

But the overweight woman ignored her, opening her large mouth, “I don’t care who this Mr. Pei is—”

Jiang Wanyi quickly covered the woman’s mouth.

Looking at the foolish woman before her, Jiang Wanyi suppressed her deep disgust, turned back to Pei Heng, and smiled sweetly.

“Sorry, Mr. Pei. My mom has been upset by Yaoyao; please don’t mind her…”

This time, before he could speak, she continued:

“Yaoyao just graduated from college this year, but she’s too young to resist material temptations. She took the wrong path, thinking that being kept by older men was a shortcut…”

Jiang Yaoyao was almost laughing at the absurdity of this green tea act in front of her.

After hearing this, the handsome man raised one eyebrow, a half-smile forming on his lips.

“Being kept by older men?”

Jiang Wanyi quickly nodded, her face full of feigned concern.

“Mr. Pei, I’m not afraid of you laughing at me. Our family wanted to train Yaoyao to be independent after graduation, so we stopped giving her financial support…”

She raised her well-groomed eyes and glanced at her surroundings, then sighed deeply.

“With the cost of living here, she simply can’t afford it.”

“If she’s not being kept, then what else could it be?”

The handsome man smiled slightly at the sound of her words.

But the curve of his lips was too cold, sending a chill down the spine.

Jiang Wanyi was too absorbed in her performance to notice his expression, still wallowing in self-blame:

“It’s all my fault. I knew Yaoyao was a person driven by instant gratification, but I didn’t get Mom and Dad to discipline her more. As her sister, I’ve really failed her.”

A light chuckle rang out in the air.

The man’s lips curled up, the smile distant and cold.

But his voice was deep and magnetic, smooth and alluring, and when it reached Jiang Wanyi’s ears, her legs turned to jelly.

Having earned Pei Heng’s approval, Jiang Wanyi finally mustered the courage to continue talking:

“Mr. Pei, I’m not sure how Yaoyao got involved with you, but she has a difficult personality and might cause trouble for you. As her sister, I’m here to apologize on her behalf.”

“By the way, Mr. Pei, how did you end up here…?”

She lifted her eyes, her voice sweet and sticky.

The handsome and noble-looking man in front of her was cold and lazy, his gaze lowered to look at her side, yet his expression seemed empty.

His cold, sharp eyes flickered with the chilling sharpness of a blade, and he spoke in a calm, indifferent tone:

“How unfortunate,”

“I am the ‘old man’ you all are talking about.”

Jiang Wanyi smiled faintly, stunned for a long while before realizing what he meant.

Jiang’s mother didn’t understand why her precious Wanyi was speaking so submissively to the man in front of her, but since Wanyi had always been smart and capable, there must be a reason behind her actions.

So, Jiang’s mother patiently listened from the side.

But who would have thought that this person would accuse her of keeping Jiang Yaoyao!

Jiang’s mother’s anger instantly flared, unable to contain her rage.

But when facing the man’s unapproachable aura, she felt a bit intimidated.

She quickly shifted her gaze and decided to target the softer target:

“Jiang Yaoyao, is this how you repay me and your father?”

“If I had known you would bring such shame, your father and I would never have brought you home!”

“You’re young and already ruining our family’s reputation. How could I give birth to such a disgusting daughter? How could you still carry my blood—”

“You’re just in time!”

Her peripheral vision caught sight of the security guards rushing over, and Jiang’s mother hastily ordered them:

“Throw this woman out!”

At the same time, the elegantly handsome man merely raised his chin slightly, and the group of uniformed men quickly approached, stuffing a towel into the fat woman’s mouth.

The fat woman struggled violently, unable to speak.

Jiang Wanyi watched the scene from the side, waiting for Pei Heng to show disgust on his face, but she didn’t expect things to unfold this way.

She looked at her mother and then quickly realized she should plead with Pei Heng,

“Mr. Pei—”

The man took a step sideways with Jiang Yaoyao in his arms, leaving Jiang Wanyi to crash into the nearby wall.

Before she could stand up, security guards had already grabbed her arm.

The manager, informed of the situation, rushed over.

Seeing the wrathful killer, the manager wiped the sweat from his forehead and lowered himself in front of the man, his eyes landing on the woman in his arms.

He quickly bent down:

“Sorry, Mr. Pei, did the madam get hurt?”

The mention of “madam” made Jiang Yaoyao’s eyelids twitch.

Pei Heng lazily lifted his eyelids, and his mood suddenly brightened.

“From now on, be more strict and don’t let people who shouldn’t be here enter.”

The manager quickly bent over and nodded eagerly.

Meanwhile, Jiang Wanyi and her mother were still struggling violently.

Pei Heng gently patted Jiang Yaoyao’s back, his eyes showing gentle comfort.

When he turned around again, the tenderness in his eyes turned into a cold, killing intent. His lips, pressed thin, held displeasure as he glanced at the fat woman who was nearly driven mad with anger.

“You’re Yaoyao’s mother. Considering your blood relation, I’ll let you go this time.”

His voice was cold and deep, his tone carrying an undercurrent of chilling threat.

“But, Ms. Jiang, if I hear similar things again, you might want to consider having your vocal cords removed.”

His tone was unusually calm.

Such bloody words coming from him felt as casual as asking about the weather.

His cold gaze showed unmasked hostility, sending a chill down the spine of anyone who met it.

Jiang’s mother, still struggling, trembled and avoided his gaze in fear.

Meanwhile, Jiang Wanyi, trying to act as delicate as an Eastern beauty, didn’t even get a glance from the man.

The man, with his slightly lowered eyes, had an air that was as cold and sharp as a blade. His gaze made her feel like an insignificant ant.

The overwhelming presence almost crushed her.

Along with the fear, a boundless pleasure from the power surged within her.

Jiang Wanyi’s eyes grew wilder.

Her obsession with Pei Heng almost reached a new peak at this moment.

So this is the kind of power that allows one to do as they wish…

So this is the kind of existence that makes people kneel and look up to…

The man’s cold voice broke the silence again, lazy and indifferent:

“The place at the door is dirty.”

“Make them both leave.”

The moonlight was soft and watery.

The manager, still apologizing, escorted the unapproachable killer and the beauty at his side out.

In all these years, it was the first time the manager had seen a woman beside Pei Heng.

As they were about to leave, the manager, showing great tact, presented a gift to express his apologies.

The gentle moonlight bathed the ground, stretching the two shadows long.

Jiang Yaoyao held the compensation gift given by the manager, walking beside Pei Heng, occasionally glancing at him.

Her ear tips had a faint blush, and her curled lashes fluttered.

Pei Heng had already stopped holding her wrist, but the spot above her wrist still felt warm, as if it had been scorched by his palm.

Not just her wrist.

Even the spot on her back, where Pei Heng had held her, still felt warm.

The sensation rising in her chest was odd—slightly sour, full, and unmistakably sweet.

She wasn’t unaware that Pei Heng had just defended her.

But why would he defend her?

Oh… he said he liked her…

The little beauty fluttered her long lashes, her pretty, moist eyes briefly showing a hint of shyness.

“Be careful—”

The man’s deep, clear voice sounded.

When Jiang Yaoyao finally reacted, her nose was already filled with the sharp scent of wood, and she saw his dark shirt collar and prominent Adam’s apple.

A strong, firm arm wrapped around her shoulder.

Pei Heng once again pulled her into his arms.

The little beauty’s lashes fluttered a few times, hearing a young, innocent voice from behind.

“I’m learning to ride a bike, sorry, brother and sister!”

The man smiled lightly, his chest vibrating with a muffled sound, which seemed to reach Jiang Yaoyao’s heart through the thin layers of clothing.

Her heart raced nonstop, pounding strongly with every beat.

It was as if a little rabbit was inside her chest, almost leaping out.

The place where she was held felt hot, and Jiang Yaoyao’s face also grew warm. The night breeze from afar brought a touch of coolness, landing on her flushed face.

Jiang Yaoyao belatedly realized what had happened, quickly escaping from the man’s embrace, looking at the wrinkled shirt she had grabbed, her face turning rose-red.

“Mr. Pei, I’m sorry…”