Chapter 21: Chapter Nineteen

Jiang Jie knew, but why did “divorcing” her become so agonizing and so utterly unwilling for him.

“Cousin, I know you’re furious that Yu Siqi chose Chen Shi back then, because you simply couldn’t understand how an orphan painter could snatch the princess everyone adored from your grasp—so you hate women, and you refuse to understand them. But Bai Ziling is different. In two months, she’s already troubled you, she’s already walked into your heart, so you’ve lost your composure—you have no idea what to do with her.” Di Zhiwei’s analysis was 100 percent correct.

“A couple days ago… I went to see Yu Siqi,” Jiang Jie said, then poured himself another full glass of wine.

“How did she look?”

“Happy.”

“Really happy?”

“I’m certain it was genuine.”

“Cousin, doesn’t that give you any insight?” Di Zhiwei hoped to jolt him awake. “Yu Siqi believed Chen Shi suited her better, so she made her choice.”

“Do you think Bai Ziling is the same as Yu Siqi?”

“I don’t know. I only know Bai Ziling believes she won’t find happiness with you,” Di Zhiwei admitted honestly.

“She told you that?!” Jiang Jie’s eyes tightened.

“She gave me that impression.”

“So she’s already treating you as her ‘successor crow.’” Jiang Jie drank another glass, emptying it to the last drop. “She wastes not a single moment!”

“She didn’t mean it that way.”

“So now what she wants from me is just freedom?” Jiang Jie was slightly drunk, his mood worsening.

“Cousin, you’re determined to twist her intentions.”

“She wants freedom… then she’ll pay a price.”

“It’s you who still owes her one point five million!” Di Zhiwei protested.

“Who owes whom…” Jiang Jie burped. “It’s already too hard to tell.”

Half-asleep and drifting toward dreams, Bai Ziling was jolted awake by frantic knocking. She glanced at the bedside clock, then out the window—middle of the night. What the hell did Jiang Jie mean?! Disturbing her sleep!

Angry, she got out of bed and yanked the door open—hopefully he had something important to say…

“Is there a fire?” Bai Ziling snapped.

Jiang Jie merely squinted at her, reeking of alcohol, radiating a dangerous, wild aura.

Bai Ziling felt a flicker of panic, a touch of fear, confusion—but she faced him calmly. After all, Jiang Jie was a gentleman; from start to finish, he’d never been disrespectful. Though he reeked of liquor, she trusted him.

“What do you want?” she asked, steady.

“I have something for you.” His voice was hoarse.

“What? It’s the middle of the night—can’t you wait until morning…?”

Jiang Jie handed her the check, watching her reaction.

Bai Ziling stared at the check: one point five million. He’d paid her final installment. So now what? “Jiang Jie, this…”

“Final payment.”

“I know. Do you want me to leave right now?” she asked, melancholy. She’d stayed over two months. This man… she wanted him but couldn’t have him. Saying she could leave gracefully? That was a lie.

Jiang Jie pushed the door open slightly and stepped into her room. “You can leave tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow…” She bit her lip, refusing to say more.

“I have one request.” Jiang Jie looked at her face.

“Request?”

“You can refuse.”

“What do you want?” Bai Ziling asked, startled and furious.

“I want you.”

“You…” She hadn’t been wrong.

“I won’t force you. I won’t use violence.” Though drunk, his reason and humanity remained clear. “I want you to give yourself willingly.”

“You’re dreaming!” She hurled the check at him. “I don’t need this final payment—I’m leaving now.”

But Jiang Jie gripped her shoulders, forcing her to meet his eyes. “Just one night.”

“Go to hell—”

“That night you had nightmares… I held you to sleep. You slept so deeply, so peacefully. I never imagined I could hold a woman’s body so purely without making love to her. You trusted me so completely—you gave yourself to me so easily.” He spoke softly.

“I was just…” She couldn’t explain.

“You… have feelings for me.” He smiled.

“I’m not stupid enough to…” She denied it. She wouldn’t give him a chance to hurt her. “Jiang Jie, you’re a man without a heart. I only want to earn this three million!”

“Bai Ziling, I can give you more—if you…” His eyes burned with desire. His hands, once on her shoulders, now moved to her neck, massaging gently, as if trying to ease her tension.

“I said I don’t ‘sell’ myself!” Her voice held no anger now—only fragility.

“You don’t need to ‘sell.’ You just give yourself to me.”

“I don’t want to…” She pleaded like a child. “You don’t care for me—you just want to be my first man.”

“I’m your husband.”

“A fake husband!”

“Then make me your real one.” He coaxed her. “Bai Ziling, at least I’m honest with you. I let you see the truth.”

Bai Ziling wavered. “And tomorrow?”

“If you give me tonight, you can leave with the check tomorrow. Otherwise, we keep dragging this out.”

She didn’t break down, didn’t cry—only tears filled her eyes. This man was honest with her. He only wanted her virginity. At dawn… she’d leave with the check, a month early. In just over two months, she’d earned three million.

“Aren’t you trying to go home to your mother?”

“Jiang Jie, you even made up an excuse for me.” Bai Ziling smiled bitterly, her eyes cold. “I don’t know how many more men I’ll meet, but I’m certain you’re the coldest, cruelest, most heartless one of them all!”

Jiang Jie offered no retort, no answer. He only stared at her, expression certain—he wanted this girl.

“One night!” she suddenly demanded harshly.

“Just one night.”

“Fine! I’ll give it to you!” she said coldly.

“Bai Ziling…” He was truly awed by her blunt honesty. “Are you sure?”

“If not you, then someone else. I can’t be a virgin forever.” She removed his hand from her neck. “Where do we start? What do I do first?”

Jiang Jie said nothing. He simply began removing his suit jacket.

“Take off clothes first?” Bai Ziling didn’t hesitate. Without a second thought, she stripped off her nightgown. Since she never wore underwear to bed, she was now bare except for her panties.

Jiang Jie’s eyes widened, fixed—but he made no further move.

“Next?” she asked, humiliated.

“Get on the bed.” He ordered.

Bai Ziling obeyed—but she said one thing: “I’ll hate you until I die!”

【Chapter Eight】

At a charity fundraising dinner, Jiang Jie encountered Lei Hanyu and his wife. When he noticed Xia Zhen’s gaze toward him was anything but friendly, he wasn’t surprised.

Finally catching Xia Zhen alone, Jiang Jie immediately approached her. Even if she gave him the cold shoulder or humiliated him, he didn’t care—compared to the pain inside him, which he couldn’t control, a little humiliation meant nothing.

Xia Zhen saw Jiang Jie coming. She didn’t turn away, didn’t smile—only looked at him with a gaze full of condemnation.

“Where’s your precious son?” Jiang Jie asked, feigning casual small talk.

“At home with the nanny.”

“He should… be crawling by now?”

“He’s crawling.” Xia Zhen nearly launched into details about her beloved child—but remembered he was just making conversation. What he truly wanted to ask was certainly not about her darling. “You’re just making small talk, aren’t you?”