Chapter 234: The Eighteen Martial Arts

At the first light of dawn, Chen Che and the family of three, Jiang Lan, returned to Tianxie Manor, leaving the remaining matters to be handled by Shen Qi and Long Jiu.

After returning to Tianxie Manor, Chen Che carefully checked on the conditions of Jiang Kui and Jiang Xiaoguo again, once more employing the Needle Technique of "Miraculous Hands Rejuvenating Spring" to treat them.

Once the treatment was finished, Chen Che came to the living room, with Jiang Lan following behind, her beautiful eyes staring at him with anticipation.

"Jiang Kui was caught in the aftermath of the battle and has a slight concussion, but overall there is no major problem; he needs to rest and recuperate for a period of time."

Chen Che sat on the sofa, pinching the bridge of his nose, his face full of exhaustion. "Xiao Guo has no external injuries, but she is young after all, and having experienced such a thing, the trauma in her heart is more severe.

However, I have already used True Qi to interfere with her brain, blurring the experience of tonight as much as possible and disguising it as a dream.

When she wakes up, just don't deliberately mention what happened tonight."

Jiang Lan nodded like a pounding pestle, her hanging heart finally settling completely.

She watched Chen Che's profile quietly; at this moment, he was languid and weary, yet delicate and gentle, bearing no resemblance to the overbearing and decisive man he was at the factory.

Such a strong contrast left Jiang Lan dazed, stirring intense curiosity and heart-fluttering feelings.

Chen Che rubbed his forehead, his fatigue reaching its peak at this moment, and the side effects of using his techniques while affected by the Great Red Sun Poison also flared up.

The burning sensation in his body grew more intense, and his fatigue made his resistance weak, his consciousness gradually becoming hazy and blurred.

"Where is the bathroom? I need to take a bath."

Chen Che opened his eyelids and said to Jiang Lan.

Jiang Lan noticed his complexion was very poor, and her heart tightened immediately as she hurriedly asked, "Are you injured?"

Chen Che shook his head: "No, just tired."

"I'll take you."

Jiang Lan got up to lead the way, while Chen Che inserted a Ghost Gate Needle into his Baihui Acupoint, forcibly stimulating a sliver of consciousness to follow her.

The villa had two floors, with several empty rooms and plenty of accompanying bathrooms.

Yet, without even knowing how, Jiang Lan was guided by some impulse to lead Chen Che into her own room.

Chen Che could not spare the thought for anything else at this moment; after ducking into the bathroom, he immediately stripped off his clothes and jumped into the bathtub, where the showerhead overhead sprayed clear water, drenching his entire body.

Chen Che deliberately adjusted the temperature, the icy water quenching the burning in his body by a fraction, but the turbid Qi of the Great Red Sun Poison was still finding every opening to erode every single Acupoint.

Sitting cross-legged in the cold water, he plunged all the Ghost Gate Needles into his acupoints, circulating his True Qi to flow through every meridian and Acupoint, suppressing the turbid Qi inch by inch.

"Hoo—"

Five minutes later, the Great Red Sun Poison was suppressed. Chen Che let out a breath, and the weary look on his face dissipated slightly.

He put away the Ghost Gate Needles, drained the cold water from the tub, replaced it with warm water, and lay back comfortably.

Jiang Lan stood outside the bathroom door, listening to the splashing water inside in a daze, until she finally made up her mind, moved to the wardrobe, and picked out a wine-red nightgown.

She took off her dirty office attire, and, bare-skinned, slipped directly into the thin, gauze-like camisole nightgown, revealing her fair shoulders and sexy collarbones, her chest high and firm, with alluring scenery vaguely visible.

Her pair of straight, long legs were full and firm, dazzling to the eyes, and paired with a pair of crystal-clear jade feet, the overall effect was one of fatal temptation.

She stood in front of the mirror to examine herself carefully, then used her hands to simply tidy her messy hair, bit her red lips a few times, and stepped toward the bathroom.

"Creak—"

The bathroom door opened, and Chen Che turned his head subconsciously to look; Jiang Lan walked in slowly and stood prettily in front of the bathtub.

"You... what are you doing?"

Chen Che widened his eyes, his Adam's apple bobbing several times before he suppressed the heat that had suddenly flared up.

However,

Jiang Lan's outfit was already tempting enough to commit a crime, and with the bathroom filled with steam, the thin gauze nightgown on her body gradually became wet, clinging to her skin, its transparency no different from wearing nothing at all.

And that striking wine-red color brought a violent visual impact, like a soft punch hitting the heart, yet simultaneously opening fingers to scratch it delicately.

Chen Che's body shuddered, ripples forming on the surface of the water in the tub; he swallowed again, but it had little effect.

Jiang Lan bit her red lips, her face flushed with shame, and she raised her eyes to look at Chen Che; her natural charm paired with shy tenderness was simply intoxicating.

"I... I'll help you wash."

As Jiang Lan spoke, she stepped one foot into the bathtub, and without waiting for Chen Che to refuse, she had already climbed in completely, crouching down to sit on Chen Che.

Chen Che frowned as he gazed at her and said, "Actually, you don't have to do this. Since I promised to keep you safe, I will not go back on my word."

Jiang Lan's face was so red it was almost bleeding, but her eyes looked at Chen Che with absolute clarity as she said, "I believe you, and you have already proven it with your actions tonight. With your protection, Xiao Guo, Xiao Kui, and I will be safe and sound in the future, living ordinary lives."

Just as Chen Che was about to say something, a fair palm covered his mouth, blocking his words.

"Let me finish first."

Jiang Lan's eyes were like water, and many emotions flowed out without any concealment or reservation:

"My plan is already complete, but now I want to live for myself once. You are right; I have indeed become accustomed to relying on others. Compared to being the Empress, I would rather be a little woman who stays at home, looking forward to her husband coming home.

After my husband, Tianxie, died, I had no choice but to shoulder the heavy burden, pretend to be strong, and become the Beauty Scorpion.

Now, it is because of you that I am able to completely put down this burden and be the most authentic version of myself!"

Jiang Lan smiled shyly, looking delicate and charming. "It's strange to say; we haven't met many times, and we haven't had much contact, but you are so fascinating to me.

Besides Tianxie, you are the second man I have wanted to rely on with my whole heart, yet you are only a few years older than my younger brother, but you bring me an unprecedented sense of security."

Jiang Lan suddenly took a deep breath, staring fixedly into Chen Che's eyes, and said word by word: "Chen Che, I like you. To be precise, I love you."

"Perhaps it was when you went to save us tonight, firmly saying you chose me when facing Bai Xiangjin's provocation, or perhaps it was when you held my hand to establish your authority to others, using your actions to tell them I am your woman.

Or perhaps it was at the funeral, when you comforted Xiao Guo and stood up for me, or maybe even earlier... In any case, I can no longer figure out when it started, but I have just fallen for you, fallen in love with you!"

Jiang Lan let out a breath, her face flushed with shyness, her red lips curving into a heart-stirring arc. One hand reached under the water and placed it on the man's scorching chest, feeling that vigorous heartbeat, while the other hand rested on her own high chest, over her heart.

"I am not a young girl who hasn't experienced the world; I know very well what this heartbeat means. I don't need you to promise me anything, nor do I need you to give me any status. As long as I can see you and know that I am your woman, that is enough."

After Jiang Lan poured out what was in her heart, she gazed at Chen Che with beautiful eyes full of anticipation and longing.

Chen Che gazed at her lovable eyes, the infinite tenderness and natural charm within them making him sink deeper, especially given their current position.

Chen Che sighed, lamenting: "Truly, beauty is a man's undoing!"

The flush on Jiang Lan's face deepened, but endless joy appeared in the corners of her eyes as she asked, "Did you agree?"

Chen Che curled his lips into a smile and asked in return, "They say online that married women understand everything, and that their tricks are countless; is that true?"

Jiang Lan was stunned, her face turning so red it reached her earlobes, looking as delicate and dripping with charm as a ripe cherry.

She naturally understood the meaning behind his words, which also proved that he had accepted her.

The joy and warmth of happiness filled her heart; even though she was still bashful, Jiang Lan plucked up her courage, gradually revealing the allure of a married woman, and teased with a charming smile, "Of course, I am proficient in all eighteen styles of martial arts!"

"Then let me experience your eighteen styles of martial arts!"

Chen Che rose abruptly, and amidst Jiang Lan's exclamation, the roles were reversed.

The surface of the water in the bathtub was no longer calm; waves crashed against the shore, thunder rolled across the sky, and the earth shook and the mountains swayed.