At the entrance of the banquet hall.
The waiter looked at the approaching young man with surprise. His features were delicate yet somewhat unruly, and his legs, which supported him as he walked, trembled almost imperceptibly.
"Who are you looking for?" the waiter asked cautiously.
Jiang Cuo looked up at the closed doors of the banquet hall: "Is the engagement banquet over?"
The waiter nodded hurriedly: "Yes."
Jiang Cuo's breath hitched, his body swayed, and then everything went dark. He leaned against the cold wall and tried to catch his breath, but he couldn't ease the sharp pain in his chest.
A waiter stepped forward and asked, "Are you alright? I'll call an ambulance for you..."
"Need not."
"Are you here for the engagement party?" the waiter paused and asked in a low voice.
Jiang Cuo smiled strangely: "Participate? I just didn't have time to destroy it."
Unable to ruin the engagement party, they decided to ruin the wedding party instead.
The waiter muttered, "But... the engagement party has been cancelled."
Jiang Cuo was taken aback. The engagement banquet was canceled?
Suddenly remembering something, he staggered toward the banquet hall.
In the luxurious banquet hall, only Shen Fang, dressed in a formal gown, sat there, looking utterly dejected.
Jiang Cuo chuckled. The formal attire he was wearing didn't match Jiang Fei's attire as well as his own.
He turned to leave, but his gaze froze when he saw the large screen next to him. The image was of Jiang Fei and Shen Fang sitting opposite each other in the restaurant.
Jiang Cuo slowly stepped forward and, after a long while, pressed the play button.
The video was very short, just a few sentences, and it ended in a short while.
Jiang Cuo turned off the video and looked at Chen Fang with a gloomy expression. He was still standing there with his head down, seemingly oblivious to everything around him, lifeless.
Is this the person Jiang Fei once liked?
Shen Fang? For him, she'd even go so far as to get close to Song Yan?
Shen Fang, the culprit behind all of this.
Now, who is this love-struck drama for?
It's disgusting.
Jiang Cuo's phone rang, and he looked down to answer it.
"Did you call the police?" The police officer's voice was stern. "So far, we've only found Jiang Lin unconscious in the villa area. We need you to come to the station to give a statement..."
Jiang Cuo agreed.
Before going to the police station, he went back to the villa and retrieved a hard drive.
Jiang Lin had regained consciousness and was sitting in the police station. Even though he was covered in a mess, he still maintained a refined and polite demeanor. No one could associate him with an old madman.
Even when facing Jiang Cuo, Jiang Lin was confident.
He assumed that Jiang Cuo couldn't do without his protection, that this was just a fight between the two of them, and that Jiang Cuo had no evidence whatsoever.
However, when Jiang Lin saw the contents of the hard drive, he completely panicked.
The hard drive contains records of Jiang Lin beating Jiang Cuo every year since he was ten years old, a beating that was commonplace for him.
There is also a document detailing Jiang Lin's exploitation of legal loopholes in his business dealings.
Jiang Lin never imagined that Jiang Cuo, who was only ten years old at the time, already possessed the ability and evidence to ruin his reputation.
Jiang Cuo, as a perfect victim and a person acting in self-defense, was properly protected. Only before leaving the police station did he turn to Jiang Lin and smile, saying, "I told you long ago, don't hurt people you shouldn't hurt."
Jiang Lin has many rival companies, and the video was leaked by someone, causing a huge uproar among the public.
Jiang Lin was completely disgraced.
After leaving the police station, Jiang Cuo was taken back to the Jiang family home.
Jiang Fei is not here.
Jiang Cuo thought that Shen Fang had better pray that Jiang Fei was alright, otherwise, he would definitely not let him off easily.
...
On the other side.
Jiang Fei was taken directly to a villa by Song Yan from the engagement banquet.
The villa is not large; it is a two-story white building nestled among lush trees in a tranquil setting.
An unfamiliar living room, unfamiliar decor, and an unfamiliar bedroom.
The bedroom door was slammed shut with a bang. Before Jiang Fei could react, Song Yan suddenly turned around and pinned her against the door, kissing her forcefully. Their bodies were pressed tightly together, leaving no gap between them.
Jiang Fei chuckled softly, her lips muffled by his kiss: "So enthusiastic?"
He was silent the whole way, I didn't expect him to be so reserved, he became so passionate as soon as he got back to his room.
Song Yan's hands, which were around her waist, trembled slightly. His body was tense as he tried harder to taste the sweetness on her lips, as if he wanted to swallow her breath whole. His heavy, trembling breaths echoed in her ear.
After a long while, he finally ended the kiss, took her hand, wrapped it around his waist, and hugged her tightly.
"Jiang Fei!" The voice, strained through gritted teeth and tinged with a barely perceptible sob, was squeezed out slowly and deliberately from the throat.
At this moment, dressed in an engagement gown that matched someone else's, she could still smile as if nothing had happened.
She was so close, so very close, to becoming someone else's fiancée.
She never thought about him.
He never thought about what he should do after being tormented like this by her.
Jiang Fei tried to break free with a slight effort, but Song Yan tightened his grip and exerted even more force.
Unable to break free, Jiang Fei simply leaned against him, her voice soft and gentle: "Classmate Song, don't you think you're acting strangely?"
Song Yan remained silent.
“Back then, when I forced you, you wanted to sever all ties with me at all times. Now that you’re finally free, you’re putting ‘shackles’ on yourself again,” she said, turning her head from his embrace to look at his lips stained with her lipstick. “It’s not too late to regret it now.”
Song Yan lowered his head, looking at her so close to him, her red lips so luscious.
He didn't answer her question, but said hoarsely, "Not long ago, I helped the Song family close a deal."
"Um?"
"The money I received was used to buy this house," Song Yan's Adam's apple bobbed. "There will be bigger ones in the future, but you can stay here for now."
Jiang Fei understood: "So you're planning to... keep a mistress in a gilded cage?"
Song Yan's hand, which was tightly holding hers, trembled slightly: "Jiang Fei, I've said it before, love or people, if you want them, just reach out. If you want to play with me, there's Grandma at home, there are too many people at school, this is the most convenient place."
"I owe you something that I can't pay back with money. I will pay it back slowly, little by little in the future."
Jiang Fei slowly straightened up from Song Yan's embrace. He still had his arm around her waist, and their lips were only a finger's width apart: "What if I don't need you to pay me back?"
Song Yan's face turned pale, then she pursed her lips and calmly said, "No."
Jiang Fei raised her eyebrows.
“You must pay it back,” Song Yan stared intently into her eyes. “Jiang Fei, from now on, if you want to go to school, I will accompany you; if you want to go home, I will go back with you. The rest of the time, don’t leave here.”
"The repayment will end when it's all paid off."
Jiang Fei pondered for a moment: "When will it be paid off?"
Never in this lifetime.
Song Yan swallowed his words: "I will bring all the documents here."
"So, you're basically locking me up here?" Jiang Fei asked.
Song Yan murmured, "It was you who locked me here, Jiang Fei."
He never knew when he would leave her side and she would turn her back on him, as if she had never known him at all.
He could never guess which of his words would suddenly anger her, and in the blink of an eye, she would be seen with someone else.
He could only stay by her side, guarding her every step of the way.
He felt he might be going crazy, but he didn't regret it.
All that former aloofness and self-restraint has vanished like smoke.
He doesn't need to break free from the so-called "shackles." He just needs to stay by her side, watch over her, kiss her, and feel her warmth.
Seeing Song Yan's expression, Jiang Fei suddenly shifted his body.
Song Yan tensed up, his eyes fixed on her.
"It's just my phone," Jiang Fei said, taking out her phone and waving it in front of him. She frowned the next second and said, "Be gentle."
Song Yan paused for a moment, then subconsciously loosened his grip.
Jiang Fei dialed a number, then lazily looked up at Song Yan: "Regret it?"
Song Yan was puzzled and just shook his head.
Jiang Fei didn't look at him again, and the phone was quickly answered.
“Dad,” Jiang Fei said, raising her voice slightly, “I’m fine. You and Aunt Wen don’t need to worry. Everything is fine.”
"Don't worry, my engagement with Shen Fang has been dissolved."
“By the way, Dad,” Jiang Fei smiled, “I want to be alone for a while, somewhere near the school. Don’t ask me anything. I’ll definitely come back in a while. Okay, don’t worry.”
After exchanging three sentences, Jiang Fei hung up the phone, looked up at Song Yan, and then tossed her phone aside.
Song Yan was still somewhat taken aback: "You..."
Jiang Fei laughed: "Just kidding."
As soon as she finished speaking, she reached out and hooked her arm around the back of his neck, kissing his lips, which were still stained with her lipstick.
That night.
Song Yan sat at the desk looking at documents, while Jiang Fei leaned lazily against the sofa, watching his profile.
The system, which had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke.
[System: Host, Song Yan's favorability rating has been reached...]
Jiang Fei raised an eyebrow and thought to himself, "The little pervert is still a bit short."
[System: Then you should go back to the Jiang family.]
Jiang Fei asked helplessly, "How's the little pervert's favorability rating?"
[System: The system has been fluctuating wildly, and Jiang Cuo is constantly trying to find a host.]
Jiang Fei laughed, thankful that she had removed the tracking device from her phone beforehand.
"When his affection fluctuates the most, all I need to do is appear in front of him peacefully."
To praise, first suppress; to capture, first let go.
An eternal truth.
【system:……】
Jiang Fei didn't say anything more, and then realized that Song Yan had been sitting at his desk for too long, so long that... he hadn't turned a single page of the documents in front of him, as if he was waiting for something.
Jiang Fei narrowed her eyes, chuckled, and stepped forward. She rested her chin lightly on his shoulder and whispered in his ear, "So absent-minded?"
Song Yan's body tensed.
Jiang Fei sat lazily on his lap, leaning against his chest: "Waiting for me?"
Song Yan's breath hitched for a moment, and he instinctively protected her as she moved down, pursing his lips and stubbornly saying, "...I'm looking at documents."
"I don't like liars." Jiang Fei snorted and tried to get up from his embrace.
Song Yan quickly grabbed her, and after a long silence, said, "...Yes."
"Hmm?" Jiang Fei pretended not to understand.
Song Yan looked up at her, his voice steady, but the tips of his ears were red: "I'm waiting for you."
Wait for her to lean against him like last time, wait for her to get close to him.
Jiang Fei smiled and sat back on his lap, giving him a rewarding kiss on the cheek.
Song Yan froze, his breathing becoming heavier than usual.
Jiang Fei turned around in his arms and picked up the document he hadn't finished reading and started flipping through it.
Song Yan was stunned: "You..."
Jiang Feiying: "I'm looking at the documents."
Song Yan was speechless, and looking at her serious expression, he felt a tightness in his chest. After a long while, he bent down, put one hand under her knees, and picked her up.
Jiang Fei turned her head: "What?"
Song Yan didn't say anything, but simply put her on the bed and muttered, "I'm not watching anymore."
Jiang Fei suddenly laughed, leaning comfortably against him, her eyes full of smugness.
Song Yan stared blankly at her smile, then leaned down and gently kissed the corner of her lips: "Get some rest."
Jiang Fei settled down in Song Yan's small villa.
I didn't go home, and I also took leave from school for the time being.
However, she kept in touch with Jiang's father and Aunt Wen every day, and with Song Yan as her "private tutor," she didn't fall behind in her studies.
Song Yan was not idle. Every day, he prepared breakfast and went to his study in the morning to handle some company matters online. The old master of the Song family had some complaints on the first day, but later he rarely said anything.
At lunchtime, they would be there on time at the restaurant.
Despite Jiang Fei's several tactful suggestions that he didn't need to appear every day—after all, she preferred to be alone unless required by a mission—Song Yan always agreed and then immediately appeared.
In the evenings he would tutor her, which was nothing more than the usual school stuff.
When Jiang Fei got annoyed, she would turn around and leave, while Song Yan would diligently follow behind her. After this happened many times, Jiang Fei simply turned around and covered his mouth.
Song Yan would then behave himself.
In the evenings, Song Yan would read documents until late at night. When Jiang Fei had nothing to do, she would tease him. After a while, Jiang Fei stopped teasing him, and instead, he would pick up the documents and glance at her casually.
Jiang Fei goes to bed early at night. When she wakes up, Song Yan always hugs her tightly from behind.
Jiang Fei complained of the heat, but Song Yan never relaxed his grip. He always felt that if he let go, Jiang Fei would disappear again.
He...couldn't stop her.
Jiang Fei was an easygoing person, and this kind of life was very leisurely. She was waited on hand and foot, and had a "toy person" to keep her company. It wasn't boring at all, so she stayed.
Until this day, Song Yan was in his study, and Jiang Fei was leaning lazily against the bed when the system suddenly said...
[Host, Jiang Cuo is in danger.]
...
"Near the school".
All Jiang Cuo knew about Jiang Fei were these four words.
He searched almost every place near the school that everyone could go.
The tracking device on her phone was removed, and she never returned to the Jiang family. Even her father didn't know her exact location, and... although she called him every day, she never contacted him again.
But what he has no shortage of is patience.
It's nothing more than increasing the surrounding distance, and then increasing it even more.
Jiang Lin is already in prison, and the people who may have harmed her have disappeared.
What Jiang Cuo found laughable was that the old madman had actually left all his assets to him.
He naturally accepted everything; otherwise, wouldn't all those beatings over the past ten years have been for nothing?
The only thing that surprised Jiang Cuo was that Wen Juan appeared in court and accused Jiang Lin.
She has always been a gentle to the point of being weak. She was so weak that when Jiang Lin beat her, she could only hold him and cry when he was still a child. She was so weak that she could abandon and disown her own son in order to escape Jiang Lin.
But when Wenjuan appeared in court, Jiang Cuo felt as if he had come to terms with something.
He no longer hated anyone; he only wanted to be with Jiang Fei for the rest of his life.
However, the weather was gloomy that day, and a downpour could happen at any moment.
Jiang Cuo found a small villa area near the school, but at the entrance of the villa area, he encountered some of the people he had fought with at that bar.
Seeing him alone, the group grinned maliciously and stepped forward, unleashing a barrage of punches and kicks.
The rain started to fall, hitting them.
Jiang Cuo himself didn't know how many punches he had taken, but he knew that the person he had pinned down and beaten was already begging for mercy.
What's even funnier is that those who provoked him first called the police.
Jiang Cuo's consciousness was momentarily dazed when he was hit on the back of the head with a blunt object. He fell dazedly into the rainwater, his vision flickering, yet his thoughts raced through his mind at that moment.
His face was stained with blood from the rain, and he breathed heavily before finally taking out his phone.
He thought of that night, the first time someone had rescued him from Jiang Lin's clutches. The girl helped him out of the villa and took his phone, telling him, "This is my number. I've even set a speed dial. You can call me by dialing 1 from now on."
1.
Jiang Cuo dialed the number.
He thought she still wouldn't talk to him, but the phone rang, and a familiar female voice came through: "Hello?"
...
When Jiang Fei received Jiang Cuo's call, Song Yan was tutoring her.
The sound of rain outside the window was irritating to Jiang Fei, so she rested her chin on her hand and looked at Song Yan. When she saw that the tips of Song Yan's ears were getting redder and redder, she chuckled softly.
"Pay attention in class." Song Yan turned to look at her.
Jiang Fei shrugged helplessly: "I don't want to hear it."
“You said the same thing yesterday.” Song Yan pursed her lips. “Today we must…”
Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Fei kissed him on the lips: "Bribery."
Song Yan paused, then coughed softly after a long pause: "Even so, it still can't..."
Jiang Fei then decided to use the same trick again.
Song Yan quickly stopped her, his voice hoarse, "Don't you dare..."
Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Fei's phone, which was lying to the side, lit up. The phone was on silent, with only the screen flashing.
Jiang Cuo.
Song Yan also saw it, and his expression tightened slightly.
With the system's notification, Jiang Fei answered the phone directly. The sound of rain hitting the phone was clearer on the other end, followed by Jiang Cuo's weak but obedient voice: "Sister."
Jiang Fei remained silent.
Song Yan, who was opposite her, was also looking at her.
“So dialing 1 really does lead to you…” Jiang Cuo chuckled.
Jiang Fei paused for a moment, and then heard sirens and a flurry of footsteps from the other end of the receiver.
Jiang Cuo chuckled softly, "Sister, I've never regretted what I did before..."
"But now... I seem to be having some regrets..."
"If it weren't for what happened at the bar that night, the person next to you now... would be me, right?"
"Where are you?" Jiang Fei paused and asked.
Jiang Cuo didn't answer, only smiled: "I want to be with you forever..."
"But I'm too ugly right now... Once I've healed, I'll find you..."
The sound of the phone falling to the ground rang out, and the call ended.
Jiang Fei glanced at her phone, then looked at Song Yan in front of her: "Where were we?"
Song Yan's Adam's apple bobbed. He put the book in his hand aside and walked up to her: "Speaking of which, I accepted your bribe."
As soon as he finished speaking, he leaned down, cupped her cheeks in his hands, and gently pecked at the corners of her lips, his actions filled with a cautious, pleading tone, as if each peck was a pleas for her to "stay, stay."
Jiang Fei looked at him quietly, smiled after a long while, reached out and hooked her arm around the back of his neck, deepening the kiss.
Song Yan felt a warm sensation on his lips and teeth, and that familiar fragrance enveloped him once again, but his consciousness became increasingly wandering, and his vision grew darker and darker...
He suddenly grabbed Jiang Fei's sleeve: "You...you always treat me like this..."
“Yes,” Jiang Fei placed him on the bed, just like the first time he brought her here, and asked again, “Do you regret it?”
Song Yan stared intently at her, his eyes seemingly about to bleed. This time, he didn't utter a word. Finally, his gaze gradually became unfocused, and he lost consciousness.
Jiang Fei turned to leave, then paused a second later.
Song Yan was still clutching his sleeve.
She lowered her head, glanced at his hand, and after a long while, gently pulled it away before getting up and leaving.
...
Police station.
Jiang Cuo sat on a bench, his hands clasped together in front of his knees, his head buried between his hands. His white shirt was stained with rain and blood, and his messy hair was still dripping water.
It was already dark, and the rain was still falling outside.
The surroundings were noisy.
Parents came and bailed out the other troublemakers one by one. One parent, in a fit of rage, started beating and cursing the other person at the police station, but was quickly stopped by the police.
Jiang Cuo remained sitting there quietly, listening to the chaotic sounds around him.
"Don't fight anymore. If you encounter any trouble, hide first and then call the police, understand?" The police officer was looking at him sternly.
Jiang Cuo slowly raised his head, just as a raindrop from his hair fell onto his cheek, flowing down to the corner of his lips, along with the blood from his lips.
A delicate and fragile young man.
The police officer's gaze softened slightly, and his tone became gentler: "Your parents didn't come to pick you up?"
Jiangcuo paused for a moment.
Parents?
He should heal his wounds on his own before appearing in public, otherwise, even if he does appear, he will only be a dirty stain, polluting even a clean person.
He shook his head: "I didn't..."
Before he could finish speaking, a policeman in a raincoat ran in from the doorway: "Jiang Cuo? Your family has come to bail you out."
Jiang Cuo was stunned for a moment, and only after being nudged by the policeman next to him did he react, slowly standing up and walking towards the door.
"Wait," the policeman called out to him.
Jiang Cuo turned around blankly.
The policeman handed him an umbrella: "Hold on tight, or you'll catch a cold."
Jiang Cuo took the umbrella blankly, his expression still dazed. He stopped the moment he stepped out the door.
Under the bright lights in the police station courtyard, a girl in a white dress stood there, holding an old blue-gray checkered umbrella, her eyes serene and beautiful, waiting for him.
Hearing the noise, she looked up, pursed her lips, but still gave him a smile.
Jiang Cuo's favorability rating: 100.
[System: Congratulations, host, mission complete.]
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