A Fight, a Rescue, and a Drunken Kiss

For a moment Li Shangrao thought this man had some manners.

But before she could even look up at him—

The man continued calmly,

“Even animals might not do something like this.”

“If you call them beasts, you’re insulting beasts.”

Li Shangrao: “……”

She finally understood.

These two men were clearly on Jiang Jibai’s side.

Meanwhile—

Jiang Jibai had trained in Sanda and Muay Thai for three years.

These street punks were no match for him.

In less than two minutes, every one of them was lying on the floor groaning in pain.

Jiang Jibai calmly straightened the slightly wrinkled hem of his shirt.

Before he could even lift his head—

A soft figure suddenly crashed into his arms.

“Jiang Jibai!”

Wen Xi wrapped her arms tightly around his waist.

Jiang Jibai held her shoulders with both hands, trying to push her away.

“My clothes are dirty.”

“Wen Xi.”

But Wen Xi didn’t move.

She simply hugged him tighter.

Jiang Wangzhi had just walked closer when he saw a stunning girl rush into Jiang Jibai’s arms like the wind.

He was stunned.

Even if Jiang Jibai had saved her, she shouldn’t just throw herself into his arms like that without knowing his personality.

He could already imagine Jiang Jibai’s cold expression and the distance the girl would be pushed away.

But when he reached Jiang Jibai’s side—

The girl was still in his arms.

And Jiang Jibai still hadn’t pushed her away.

Jiang Wangzhi’s expression became extremely strange.

He turned and looked at Bai Yu behind him.

His eyes were full of shock.

What the hell?

Did a ghost possess him?

Bai Yu easily understood his expression.

He patted Jiang Wangzhi on the shoulder.

“Didn’t you just say you wanted to meet your sister-in-law?”

Jiang Wangzhi’s eyes slowly widened.

He still didn’t fully understand, but he seemed to understand a little.

“Huh?”

Bai Yu smiled.

“Isn’t she right in front of you?”

Jiang Wangzhi’s pupils instantly widened.

He stared at the girl in Jiang Jibai’s arms.

“…Holy shit.”

“WHAT?!”

Soon after, Jiang Wangzhi used his authority as the club owner to open a private room on the third floor.

Wen Xi followed Jiang Jibai into the room.

Jiang Wangzhi was incredibly curious about her and tried to follow them inside.

But Bai Yu raised an arm and blocked the doorway.

“What are you doing?” Jiang Wangzhi asked.

“Let the married couple talk alone for a bit.”

“What are you going in for?”

“…I’m just curious about my sister-in-law!”

Bai Yu replied calmly,

“You can be curious later.”

“Come downstairs and have a drink first.”

Jiang Wangzhi could only reluctantly leave the door.

Inside the private room—

Wen Xi followed behind Jiang Jibai quietly.

Jiang Jibai was holding a spare shirt he had taken from the car.

The shirt he was wearing had gotten dirty during the fight.

It was stained with alcohol and dust.

As soon as he entered the room he began unbuttoning it.

He didn’t even bother avoiding Wen Xi.

He simply turned his back toward her while changing.

After buttoning the new shirt and turning around—

He saw Wen Xi squatting by the door.

She looked like a small mushroom.

Jiang Jibai walked over and sat on the sofa.

He opened a bottle of mineral water on the table and took two sips.

Only then did he look at her.

“What happened just now?”

Wen Xi turned her head.

She glanced at him and then quickly turned away again.

“It was just—”

“I can’t hear you.”

Jiang Jibai interrupted her.

“Oh.”

Wen Xi stood up and walked over.

She sat down beside him on the sofa.

“Sit a little further away.”

Jiang Jibai lowered his eyes toward the girl sitting right next to his leg.

“I want to sit next to you.”

Wen Xi said softly.

“You make me feel safe.”

She had always thought Jiang Jibai was just a pampered rich young master.

Even though his body looked strong, she assumed it was just the result of going to the gym.

But after watching him fight five people alone downstairs—

She finally realized something.

Jiang Jibai was not weak at all.

He was powerful.

Just sitting next to him gave her a strong sense of security.

Jiang Jibai looked at her with dark eyes.

He didn’t comment on the distance anymore.

“Today is my roommate’s birthday.”

“She asked me to come and give her a present.”

“I thought I would just drop the gift off and leave.”

“But she dragged me inside and said I should at least eat a slice of cake.”

“I didn’t expect… her friend had actually taken a liking to me.”

Jiang Jibai looked at her calmly.

“Surrounding a girl with several thugs is what you call ‘taking a liking’?”

“……”

Wen Xi didn’t know how to respond.

“What’s the situation with your roommate?”

“You didn’t know what kind of person she was?”

Jiang Jibai asked.

“She hasn’t really done anything bad before.”

“Most people just say she’s arrogant and likes to show off.”

“She just…” Wen Xi hesitated.

Jiang Jibai waited patiently.

“She just doesn’t really like me.”

“She said she wanted me to help her with a small favor at her birthday party.”

“Something to satisfy her vanity.”

Wen Xi lowered her head as she spoke.

“I didn’t want to fall out with her.”

“And to me it really was just a small thing.”

“We’re only third-year students.”

“If she did something seriously wrong, she’d ruin her own future.”

“She just doesn’t like me, it’s not like we have some deep hatred.”

“In the past two years we’ve never even argued.”

“I thought she wouldn’t go that far.”

“I really didn’t expect her to do something like this.”

Her voice became softer toward the end.

“I just don’t want to fall out with people around me.”

“And I don’t want to create trouble for myself over small things.”

“Jiang Jibai… did I do something wrong?”

After her parents divorced when she was twelve, her mother didn’t want her.

Her father was busy with work and had no time to take care of her.

There was no one behind her who would help solve problems for her anymore.

She had money.

So when something could be solved with money, she usually chose that option.

Cheng Cheng often praised her for having a good personality.

But the truth was—

She simply disliked conflict.

Because in the end, she was always the one who had to deal with the consequences alone.

This time was the same.

Li Shangrao had a bad temper and a strong sense of revenge.

If Wen Xi refused to help her with such a small favor, the trouble that followed might be endless.

She might deliberately bump into her in class.

Spread rumors about her on school forums.

Or even encourage other classmates to isolate her.

Wen Xi had experienced such things before.

So she preferred to eliminate trouble before it started.

Agreeing to help seemed easier.

After all, it was only a little money.

“No one said you did anything wrong.”

Jiang Jibai’s voice was calm.

“Don’t apply victim-blaming logic to yourself.”

Seeing the dejected expression on Wen Xi’s face, Jiang Jibai opened another bottle of water and handed it to her.

“Have you eaten?”

“No.”

Wen Xi took the bottle but didn’t drink.

“I’ll have someone bring food up.”

“You can sit here for a while.”

Jiang Jibai stood up.

Before he could take a step—

The hem of his shirt was suddenly tugged.

He looked down.

Wen Xi was sitting on the sofa, looking at him pitifully.

“If you go back out… don’t leave me here alone.”

Jiang Jibai looked at the faint vulnerability hidden in her eyes.

“I won’t.”

Only then did Wen Xi release his shirt.

Jiang Jibai left the private room and returned to the second-floor booth.

Jiang Wangzhi and Bai Yu were leaning against the railing drinking.

From there they could see Li Shangrao and her boyfriend downstairs, surrounded by security guards.

“Is sister-in-law alright?” Jiang Wangzhi asked.

“Tell the staff to bring food upstairs.”

“Female staff.”

Jiang Jibai said.

“Got it.”

Jiang Wangzhi waved a manager over and passed along the instructions.

Then he asked again,

“What about those two downstairs?”

“Send me the surveillance footage from your club.”

Jiang Jibai replied.

“I’ll have the manager prepare it and send it to you.”

Jiang Wangzhi asked curiously,

“Are you going to report it to the university for sister-in-law?”

“Can the girl get expelled for something like this?”

Bai Yu took a sip of his drink and answered instead.

“Wen Xi wasn’t injured.”

“Not even a scratch.”

“The school will probably just give the girl a major demerit and publicly criticize her.”

“That result would only happen if Jiang Jibai reported it.”

“Because the school values both his achievements and the donations the Jiang family made.”

“But if Wen Xi reported it herself…”

“The school might try to smooth things over.”

“They’d probably say she wasn’t injured and suggest reconciliation since they’re classmates.”

Jiang Wangzhi frowned.

“That’s too light a punishment.”

Bai Yu shrugged.

“A demerit means if she causes trouble again, she could be expelled.”

“Wen Xi still has two years of school left.”

“If that girl wants to graduate normally, she won’t dare provoke her again.”

“It’s basically a warning.”

Jiang Jibai remained silent.

His thoughts drifted back to the moment Wen Xi had looked up at him on the sofa.

The faint vulnerability hidden deep in her eyes.

Half a month ago, when their families met, Jiang Jibai had received Wen Xi’s personal information.

Her parents divorced when she was twelve.

Her father remarried the same year.

She no longer lived with him.

At thirteen she gained a half-brother and half-sister.

Her father had a busy career and a new family.

Even if he loved his daughter, he couldn’t devote much time to guiding her.

Which meant—

Since she was thirteen, Wen Xi had basically lived on her own.

Without close guidance from elders, she had to figure out how to deal with people and life’s problems by herself.

Jiang Jibai suddenly thought about Qiao Zhinian’s experiences when he was younger.

He sat back on the sofa and slowly took a sip of his drink.

He seemed to understand something.

Why Wen Xi liked Qiao Zhinian so much.

Why she could impulsively marry a stranger just for the chance to meet him.

Ten minutes later, Jiang Jibai returned to the private room.

Behind him was Jiang Wangzhi, who had been dying to meet Wen Xi.

The food on the table had barely been touched.

Jiang Jibai sat down beside her.

“Why aren’t you eating?”

Wen Xi’s mood had already improved a lot.

After all, nothing serious had happened earlier.

Her small face had regained its color.

When she saw him return, her deer-like eyes lit up again.

“Jiang Jibai, I thought you went back on your word and left me here.”

Jiang Jibai glanced at her but didn’t respond.

Instead Jiang Wangzhi spoke excitedly.

“Sister-in-law, you’re Jiang Jibai’s wife.”

“How could he possibly leave you alone here?”

Wen Xi blinked at him.

“Hello.”

“Hello, hello.”

“Let me introduce myself.”

“My name is Jiang Wangzhi.”

“I’m Jiang Jibai’s good friend.”

“This club belongs to me.”

“You getting frightened here tonight is my fault.”

“To apologize, I prepared a gift.”

He took out a small gift box from behind his back.

“This was actually one of the prizes prepared for the club’s opening event.”

“I’ll give it to you instead.”