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Under the night sky, a few faint stars twinkled above.
The line of cars entered the city of Gangcheng, gradually dispersing.
In the end, only Jiang Yanci’s off-road vehicle remained driving along the road.
In the passenger seat, Wen Jiu had fallen asleep with her head tilted adorably. Occasionally, she’d grumble and shift positions from discomfort, her loose hair covering her face—yet it didn’t block Jiang Yanci’s gaze.
He kept slowing down the car, again and again, silently wishing the road could stretch on a little longer.
“Jiang Yanci…” Wen Jiu opened her drowsy eyes. “Drive faster. I want to go back and sleep.”
“If you can’t manage, I’ll do it.”
Amused by the blatant disdain in her voice, Jiang Yanci immediately sped up and headed toward the hotel.
Ten minutes later, the car stopped.
Stretching and yawning, Wen Jiu finally came to her senses and opened the door to get out.
“I had them prepare you a hawthorn drink,” Jiang Yanci said as he walked over, taking a paper bag from someone waiting by the door and handing it to Wen Jiu.
“But only drink half. Too much might upset your stomach.”
“Okay, Young Master Jiang,” Wen Jiu nodded while holding the bag. “I’m heading up first. Text me when you’re home. Bye-bye~”
Waving, she walked into the hotel without a second thought.
Only after her figure completely disappeared from view did Jiang Yanci turn back and drive away.
*A few days later*
Somewhere in Gangcheng, hoarse and weak pleas echoed from a dark and gloomy basement.
The iron door at the entrance creaked open. A man who had been waiting handed over a pair of gloves.
“Yan-ge, we couldn’t get the mastermind’s name, but all the photos they took have been taken care of.”
“How many did they take?” Jiang Yanci’s eyes were half-lidded, faintly red at the edges. The strands of hair on his forehead veiled the coldness in his gaze, but his detached tone still made people tense up.
Chen Xiao handed him a phone. “Just some everyday photos of Miss Wen.”
The hotel she was staying at was fairly secure, so they hadn’t managed to infiltrate further.
Jiang Yanci took the phone, flipping through the photos one by one. His lips curled ever so slightly when he saw her relaxed expression while enjoying good food.
But when he thought of how dirty the means were by which those photos were taken, the warmth in his eyes quickly turned into a dark fury.
He patiently deleted each photo, making sure there’d be no future trouble, then asked Chen Xiao:
“Any progress on the mastermind?”
Chen Xiao: “It was Zhao Zhexin, the eldest grandson of the Zhao family.”
“He happened to be at the bar the same night Miss Wen was there. That guy’s a notorious pervert, and with Miss Wen’s looks, it’s no surprise he targeted her.”
“It’s not about her looks,” Jiang Yanci said coldly as he strode toward the room at the end of the corridor, his face turning frigid.
“He had her stalked and photographed because he’s a scumbag.”
Chen Xiao went silent—then realized what Jiang Yanci said made perfect sense.
Inside the room, Jiang Yanci personally interrogated the men who had been soaking in water. After confirming there was nothing else to uncover, he took off his gloves and tossed them to the floor.
With a faint thud, a drop of blood rolled off one glove.
He ignored the pained screams behind him and turned to leave.
“Send everything they’ve done and the evidence along with them,” he said. “This is a nation of law—let the authorities handle it.”
The rest was to be left to the higher-ups.
Chen Xiao followed behind. “Yes, sir.”
“Oh, and arrange a meeting with the Zhao family’s old man. Since he can’t control his people, I’ll do it for him.”
“Understood.”
Dark currents stirred in the still night, yet Wen Jiu slept soundly and undisturbed.
*The next day*
Still half-asleep, Wen Jiu curled up under her blanket for a long time, unable to open her eyes. Eventually, she cocooned herself entirely in the covers.
It wasn’t until her phone buzzed that she was reluctantly forced to wake up.
She groped around for a while before finally finding the phone she’d thrown somewhere the night before, squinting as she answered the call.
“Hello?” Her voice was drowsy and weak.
Wen Zhenyu sounded a little surprised. “Still sleeping?”
It should’ve been noon back in China by now.
Wen Jiu yawned. “Mm, I slept too well last night. Don’t want to get up.”
“Lazy pig.” He scolded with a chuckle before continuing:
“I got word from people in Gangcheng that someone’s been following you the past few days. As soon as I heard, I had them investigate.”
“Mm.” Wen Jiu hummed, signaling she was listening.
Since she was still safe, it meant Wen Zhenyu had already handled it.
But in the next second, he said, “A few days ago, the people following you suddenly disappeared. Just now, my men found out—they were all turned over to the police.”
“Huh?” Wen Jiu’s eyes flew open. “That wasn’t your people?”
Wen Zhenyu’s tone turned serious. “No.”
Wen Jiu frowned. If it wasn’t Wen Zhenyu’s men… then who else?
She thought for a while, and a few familiar faces popped into her mind.
Could it be… him?
After a pause, Wen Zhenyu sensed something and asked directly:
“You know who it might be?”
“I have a guess,” she admitted. “Jiang Yanci, along with Qi Qin—I know them. I had dinner with them last night. But I’m not sure it was them.”
“Why would they help you? Because you’re from the Wen family in Beijing?”
“I don’t know,” Wen Jiu said, then added playfully, “Maybe… Jiang Yanci wants to pursue me?”
“……”
A strange silence followed. After thinking it over seriously, Wen Zhenyu actually found it… not impossible.
But why Jiang Yanci, not Qi Qin?
With that thought, he asked it out loud.
This time it was Wen Jiu’s turn to fall silent.
After a moment, she replied, “Maybe because Jiang Yanci is more handsome?”
She couldn’t possibly recount everything that had happened these past two days—it’d sound like she was bragging.
“……”
“Jiang Yanci is a complicated man,” Wen Zhenyu sighed deeply. “He’s the current head of the Jiang family. Not someone ordinary people can afford to cross.”
“Jiujiu, are you sure you want to get involved with someone like him? And… what about Jian Yue? Have you really let him go?”