Ruthless

Returning to her room from the terrace, Ye Mian immediately answered Jiang Yuan’s call. Jiang Yuan had no particular agenda, merely checking in on her as usual. Ye Mian replied that she could barely manage to walk and would be returning tomorrow. This delighted Jiang Yuan, whose voice, already slightly distorted over the phone, climbed even higher in pitch.

"Mianmian, I’ll come by your place tomorrow to see you! I’ll bring you some delicious treats. Since you’re not in a state to get around, I’ll stock you up on plenty of things."

Ye Mian agreed, "Alright, come over."

—

It was a gentle summer morning. Ye Mian hadn’t expected to sleep so soundly the night before, and it was nearly noon before she cautiously maneuvered herself out of bed. After she finished washing up, Jiang Chen came over from the room next door to help her change her bandages.

As Ye Mian sat on the sofa, she caught the faint, clean scent of medicine in the air. She found herself lingering in this atmosphere, not just because of the environment, but because her mental strain over the past two days had been immense, and it was a rare luxury to be so close to Jiang Chen.

When the time finally came to leave, she limped into the car with Jiang Chen’s support. Watching the beautiful mountain scenery blur past the window, she murmured, "I really don’t want to go back."

The morning breeze rustled the branches, quickly vanishing from sight. Jiang Chen leaned against the door, his posture relaxed, meeting her gaze.

"Your father must be worried. You can come back whenever you like; I’ll always be here." His tone was casual, like someone soothing a wayward child.

Ye Mian knew she had been away for a long time, but hearing him coax her made her feel even more reluctant to leave. She looked at Jiang Chen, cradling her face in her hands, and asked with a smile, "Oh, then you must remember to miss me, okay?"

The car drove along the mountain road, stirring up scattered fallen leaves. This was the second time she had spoken such words to him. Jiang Chen turned his head and studied Ye Mian for a long time before saying slowly, "If I miss you, can you sense it?"

Ye Mian blinked. "That depends on whether you're missing me casually, or if you're missing me every single day."

Jiang Chen smiled, though his thoughts were unreadable. After a moment, he said softly, "What’s the difference?"

"Casual thoughts don't count. If you miss me every day, I might be able to feel it."

"..."

Seeing his lack of reaction, Ye Mian felt aggrieved. "I’ve made a mistake."

Jiang Chen turned back at her words, raising an eyebrow slightly. "What mistake?"

"I’m at a loss for how to handle loving you."

"..."

Jiang Chen took a breath and reached out with those long, slender fingers, pressing his fingertips to her cheek. "Ye Mian, has anyone ever told you that your lines are very stiff and hard to respond to?"

"No one has," Ye Mian replied, looking at him calmly while secretly laughing inside. "After all, this is my first time at this. I still need to grow, so you’ll just have to bear with me."

"Actually, you could choose to let yourself off the hook," Jiang Chen advised with measured calm.

Ye Mian wouldn't hear of it. "One still has to learn the art of language."

Jiang Chen put down his phone and gave a low chuckle. "Fine."

Under the gentle morning sun, the car traveled from the mountains into the city. The winding mountain roads had made Ye Mian carsick, and even as they reached flatter ground, she still felt uneasy. Overcome by a wave of exhaustion, she fell asleep in Jiang Chen’s car once again.

—

She didn't know how much time had passed until she felt a pinch on her cheek, causing her to slowly open her eyes. Jiang Chen had already stepped out of the car, opened her door, and was standing there, watching her calmly.

"Are we here?" Ye Mian rubbed her groggy eyes, her stomach feeling unsettled. Once she regained her senses, she picked up her phone. "I’ll head back now, then."

Jiang Chen gave a soft "Hmm." Ye Mian still felt a pang of reluctance. She looked at him twice, but in the end, said nothing, and stepped out of the car with his assistance. The trees in the Birch Garden swayed, gently blowing her hair.

After she had limped a few steps, she heard Jiang Chen call out to her.

"Ye Mian."

She turned back. Jiang Chen was still standing by the car door, his gaze obscured and inscrutable under the direct glare of the sun, devoid of any worldly trace. He spoke gently:

"If anything bad happens, tell me immediately."

Ye Mian froze, then her arched brows curved into a sweet smile. "Okay."

Receiving her answer, Jiang Chen checked his watch. "Go on then."

—

Back home, she didn't call out for her father but walked lightly toward the balcony. Looking down, she saw Jiang Chen’s car still parked there, as if he wanted to ensure she had arrived home safely before leaving. Ye Mian thought for a moment, took out her phone, opened Jiang Chen’s profile, and sent a message: "Home safe, don't worry."

A moment later, the black car slowly pulled away from the main road.

If it had been before, hearing Jiang Chen’s words would have left her conflicted for a long time. But now, she understood what he meant. However, she didn't want to worry him, so she could only pretend to know nothing. What she needed to think about now was how her uncle—that man who was lower than a dog—had been dealt with.

The light flickered, and the morning sun was not yet scorching. Ye Mian limped over to the sofa to rest. Before long, Ye Haisheng heard movement in the house and came out from his study. Seeing Ye Mian back with an injured foot, he frowned. "You went out to have fun and ended up hurting your foot? Let me see."

Ye Mian pulled her foot back, masking the truth. "The doctor has already looked at it, Dad. No need to check."

To be honest, Ye Mian wasn't sure if she should tell her father about that beast. If she were still a teenager and her father were by her side, she might have chosen to complain without hesitation. But she was an adult now, and her father had a short temper and loved her dearly. She couldn't be certain that if her father found out, he wouldn't do something impulsive that would give the other party leverage.

But not saying anything... she felt stifled. She didn't want her father to continue associating with that man like a fool. It was a dilemma.

Ye Haisheng saw his daughter lost in thought and moved to check her ankle anyway. Seeing it wasn't anything serious, he sighed. "Our family has two casualties all of a sudden."

Ye Mian paused, feigning a casual tone. "Who else is hurt?"

"Your uncle. He was beaten up and is still lying in the hospital."

She hadn't expected the beast to still be in the hospital after all this time. Ye Mian frowned. "Is it serious?"

"Serious. Who knows who he offended? His head was smashed open with a rock, and his hand was broken. Setting it is a troublesome business; the bone fragments require surgery. He won't be out of the hospital for months. I don't know who hates him so much, but in this society governed by law, he doesn't even dare to say who did it."

For a moment, Ye Mian felt a surge of panic. It wasn't fear of taking responsibility, but the realization that his hand had been broken. She didn't need to guess to know this was Jiang Chen’s doing. Compared to the past, the matured Jiang Chen was far more ruthless.

She didn't dare to imagine what would have happened if she were still as helpless as she was in her past life, and if Ye Changlin had succeeded. What would Jiang Chen have done?

Would he have... taken his life?