Chapter 30: Old Fox Ji

“Don’t just eat the radish; have some porridge too,” Ji Ming said as Wen Ya picked up her fourth piece of radish with her chopsticks.  

Ji Ming moved the plate away, leaving Wen Ya’s chopsticks hanging in the air.  

“This radish is really tasty. Last time my friend returned from abroad, Ye Xinrui highly recommended this small radish when we met at the Jiaren Club. Sadly, it was limited, and each person only got a small plate. I didn’t expect to find it here too. I wonder if it’s also limited here?” Despite saying this, Wen Ya obediently took a few sips of porridge.  

“Do you like it?” Ji Ming smiled. “I know the chef here. Getting more shouldn’t be a problem.”  

Wen Ya looked at Ji Ming, surprised. “You really know a lot about food. Not only do you know where to find delicious dishes, but you’ve even befriended chefs. I won’t hold back, then.”  

Ji Ming moved the radish aside and placed a small plate of greens in front of Wen Ya. “It’s pickled, after all. Eating too much isn’t good for you.”  

The fresh green vegetables looked appetizing. Wen Ya picked up a piece with her chopsticks. Though it was just stir-fried, she found it fragrant and delicious. The slight sweetness in the juice was exactly to her liking, making it as enjoyable as the radish.  

“Did the chef change today? This tastes even better than before,” Wen Ya remarked after finishing a bowl of porridge with the greens. Feeling warm and energized, she finally thought to ask, “Where’s Assistant Wang?”  

She glanced at her phone—it was almost 2 a.m. Had Ji Ming been taking care of her all this time?  

“I came because I heard you were unwell. Assistant Wang is handling something urgent at your company,” Ji Ming explained, handing her a towel to wipe her mouth and hands. “Are you still feeling unwell?”  

“Much better. Thank you,” Wen Ya replied, wiping her hands. She stole a glance at Ji Ming, slightly annoyed. “Have you dealt with those people?”  

This time, she had been careless. Back in South City, she always had Uncle Li and Ah Yong with her, fearing retaliation from those individuals. This trip to Yangcheng had been impulsive. It was a bustling international city, and she hadn’t gone anywhere remote. With so many people around, she thought nothing could go wrong. She hadn’t expected them to be so bold.  

In short, her guard had been down, or perhaps the recent peaceful life had made her too relaxed.  

It seemed that security had to be prioritized when returning to South City this time. Ah Yong alone might not be enough; she needed to add more people. After this incident, Wen Ya realized she was still afraid of death.

“There are too few clues. This is all we’ve found so far. Do you have any suspects in mind?” Ji Ming also felt things weren’t that simple.

It might be true that the senior executive resented Wen Ya, but it was unlikely he would recklessly hire someone to attack her. If he lacked brains, he wouldn’t have become a senior executive in such a large company. Didn’t he understand the consequences of offending Wen Ya? Even if he didn’t care for himself, he had to consider his family.

The claim that the two men were sent by General Manager Lin was even more absurd. Ji Ming had dismissed General Manager Lin before. He was an old fox who knew how to assess situations. Now that Wen Ya had full control of the Wen family, Lin wouldn’t cause trouble for her at this time.

Moreover, the framing was too crude, as if they hadn’t bothered to plan carefully, as if it didn’t matter whether it succeeded or not. It felt like they were toying with Wen Ya.

Wen Ya felt the same way, and a name immediately came to mind: Bai Yunzhu.

Yes, she now suspected Bai Yunzhu was behind all this. The earlier individuals were just a distraction, and the two behind them were the real threat. Teaching her a lesson was entirely different from kidnapping and assaulting her.

Wen Ya suddenly thought of something and said to Ji Ming, “Can you ask your people to find out if those two intended to disfigure me after capturing me? Also, have you found the person who followed me at the night market?”

“We’re still looking, and we’ve made some progress,” Ji Ming replied. He had the dishes and chopsticks cleared away. “Don’t overthink it. Whoever it is will lie low after this failure. But you must bring a bodyguard with you next time you go out.” Ji Ming noticed Wen Ya seemed to have only one bodyguard, so he added, “I’ll have Lao Chen and a few others follow you for now. When you find the right person, send them back to me.”

Wen Ya was genuinely scared this time and didn’t bother being polite with Ji Ming. It was a rare trip to Guangzhou, and she couldn’t let it end on such a sour note.

After sleeping for a whole day, she felt refreshed. Ji Ming had taken care of her for half the night, and Wen Ya noticed the fatigue in his eyes. She quickly urged him to go back and rest.

“You’re not fully recovered yet, and I won’t feel at ease leaving. I’ll sleep in the outer room tonight. Call me if you feel unwell,” Ji Ming said, placing a neatly folded bathrobe next to her. “You’ve been sweating from the fever. Take a bath before going to bed.”

His familiar tone and natural movements left Wen Ya stunned, even after she finished her shower.

“No,” Wen Ya muttered, drying her hair. The more she thought about it, the more something felt off. She didn’t deny her crush on Ji Ming, especially after he came to her rescue yesterday, which deepened her feelings for him. The ruthlessness he showed when stepping out of the car completely overturned his usual serious demeanor, but it was a huge plus for Wen Ya. At least it made her feel safe.

Wen Ya’s unique upbringing had left her feeling insecure. Yesterday was the first time she felt protected by someone, and it was also the first time she felt truly safe.

Many say that a sense of security comes from within. Wen Ya didn’t deny this, but even the strongest people need a harbor sometimes. If that person happens to appear, why pretend to be strong and ignore them?

She had considered exploring things with Ji Ming, but sharing a room felt like moving too fast.

There was a door in the middle of the suite. Wen Ya opened it a crack but couldn’t see anything. She opened it a little wider, still seeing no one. She opened it even wider…

“Do you need something? Or are you feeling unwell?” Ji Ming stood there in a bathrobe, drying his hair with a towel, a faint smile on his face.

Wen Ya glanced at his open collar, resisted the urge to close the door, and told herself: Hold on, don’t be a coward!

“I’ve troubled you enough yesterday, and you’ve taken care of me for so long today. You’re so busy; I can’t trouble you further. Let Assistant Wang take care of me,” Wen Ya said, her hands nervously scratching the door behind her back.

Ji Ming smiled. “Being bothered by you isn’t a bother. It’s late; go to bed early. Or are you afraid of being alone? Do you want me to stay with you?”

“No need,” Wen Ya immediately closed the door, threw herself on the bed, and muttered, “Old rogue.”

She thought she wouldn’t be able to sleep with Ji Ming outside, but she slept soundly until dawn. Unconsciously, she had let her guard down around him.

“Are you up? Have breakfast first,” Ji Ming knocked on the door, hearing rustling inside. He smiled, prepared breakfast himself, and waited for Wen Ya to come out.

Hotel, a room, two people sitting together for breakfast…

Wen Ya looked at Ji Ming, who seemed completely at ease across from her, and drank some milk to calm herself.

“Not to your taste?” Ji Ming asked, raising his chin.

“It’s delicious,” Wen Ya replied, lowering her head. She felt confused ever since Ji Ming confessed his feelings.

After breakfast, Wen Ya was still thinking about how to fight back. When they went downstairs together, employees from both companies exchanged knowing looks.

Wen Ya: We’re not like that. Nothing happened. I haven’t even fought back yet, and now you’re defeated?