It was past nine when they finally returned to Xiaoyanglou. Jiang Haoyan, clutching Coriander, waited eagerly for Jiang Ci. The moment he saw his father enter, supporting a flushed and unsteady Su Yue, the little boy dropped Coriander and rushed forward. “Dad, what’s wrong with her?”
“She drank some wine; she became a little madman,” Jiang Ci replied, his arm casually around Su Yue’s waist, letting her lean limply against him.
“Crazy?” Xiao Haohao swallowed, fear widening his eyes. “Will she hit someone?”
Jiang Ci’s gaze fell, recalling Su Yue’s fierce bite in the car just moments before. He twitched the corners of his mouth, a pleasant hum in his voice. “She won’t hit people, but she will bite.” He licked his lips, still feeling the crisp, numb sensation, as if a faint lotus fragrance lingered.
“Oh, Dad, will she bite you when she’s drunk? What should I do?” Xiao Haohao frowned, utterly worried.
Jiang Ci guided Su Yue towards the large bed. “It’s okay; Dad will bite back,” he said lazily.
Xiao Haohao’s eyes widened. Would Dad and Su Yue fight? Su Yue didn’t hate him as much before anymore, and he… he really liked her, especially when she touched his head, hugged him, and wished him goodnight. “Dad, she’s not well. Don’t bite her so hard,” Xiao Haohao pleaded in his milky voice. “Just scold her; don’t fight.”
Jiang Ci paused, an eyebrow raised. “Fight?” He gently lowered Su Yue onto the bed, a laugh in his voice. “Go to bed, we won’t fight.”
Hearing his father’s words, Xiao Haohao exhaled a shaky sigh of relief, as if a great burden had lifted from his small heart.
After the door closed, silence settled in the room. Jiang Ci crossed his arms, his dark eyes unfocused yet catching faint flickers of light. Remembering the little boy’s words, he scoffed, “A fight? Are two fairies fighting?” It wasn’t impossible, but not now.
Su Yue, sprawled on the bed, opened her eyes. “Jiang Ci,” she mumbled, looking at the man hazily. “I want to take a bath.”
Jiang Ci didn’t immediately reply. After a moment, he leaned closer. “What did you say?”
“Jiang Ci, I want to take a bath,” Su Yue insisted, tugging at her dress. “A bath. I can’t sleep without a bath.”
Warm, fragrant air wafted from her towards Jiang Ci’s face. He curved his lips, recalling the lotus-scented taste of her mouth just moments ago. It was so good, that soft, slippery tongue made him want more. “You’re right. You can’t lie on the bed if you’re dirty,” Jiang Ci said, raising an eyebrow. “So, do you want me to wash you?”
Su Yue blinked, her eyes misty with water, making her look pitiable and adorable. “No, I’ll wash myself.”
Jiang Ci twitched the corners of his mouth, a hint of regret in his tone. “Oh, you’re sober at that point.” He extended his hand, letting Su Yue take it. “Get up.”
Su Yue obediently grasped his hand. Leading her to the bathroom, Jiang Ci murmured, “Hurry up and wash. I need to hold you to sleep.”
Drunken Su Yue was surprisingly well-behaved, never making a fuss. She simply nodded. “Okay.”
Jiang Ci walked out, satisfied, and closed the door with a rare, considerate touch.
Time stretched on. After a while, with only the sound of running water from the bathroom, Jiang Ci grew impatient. “Su Yue, have you finished washing yet?” he called out. Still no movement. Jiang Ci frowned, twisted the doorknob. “I’m coming in.”
“Su Yue.” As Jiang Ci stepped into the bathroom, a gush of warm, humid steam enveloped him. Water from the shower poured relentlessly onto the floor, quickly soaking his clothes. He frowned. “Su Yue?” He reached out, his fingertips brushing delicate, warm skin. “Why didn’t you hum when you were standing here?” His voice was annoyed. He’d worried she’d fallen asleep or collapsed.
“I don’t have any clothes. I forgot to bring them,” Su Yue whispered, her dark eyes, wet with water, now even more luminous. “It’s so pitiful and cute, that he want to take a bite.”
“Why didn’t you hum when I called you?” Jiang Ci stiffly pulled back his fingers, the moist, smooth sensation lingering on his fingertips.
“I was worried you’d be angry,” Su Yue confessed, her eyes flushed with worry, gazing at Jiang Ci helplessly.
Jiang Ci was silent for a moment, his voice growing a little heavier. “Come out, get your clothes, and put them on yourself.” She usually changed clothes in front of him without a thought, but now, drunk, she’d become shy.
“I can’t go out without clothes,” Su Yue mumbled.
Jiang Ci scoffed. “Is there any difference between the bathroom and the room? You’re not wearing any clothes anyway.”
Su Yue’s head spun, but she insisted. “You can’t go out.”
Jiang Ci yawned lazily, his patience wearing thin with the drunken little lunatic. He stepped forward, leaned down, and scooped her up in a princess carry. What he held was warm, moist skin, a soft body in his arms. “Go out and wear them.”
Su Yue gasped, quickly grabbing Jiang Ci’s clothes lest she fall. She pouted, aggrieved, as Jiang Ci carried her out.
It was getting late, almost eleven, by the time they settled into bed. Jiang Ci, now in black pajamas, pulled her into his arms. Su Yue still squirmed and groaned. He firmly clasped her slender waist with one large hand and hooked a leg over hers, pinning her in his embrace. “Don’t wriggle like a fish. Sleep obediently. If you mess around again, Su Yue, I’ll…” His thin lips curved, and he lowered his voice in a soft threat, “I’m going to bite you.”
Su Yue instantly closed her eyes, frightened. “I won’t move.”
Jiang Ci hummed, holding her tightly in his arms.
The next day, Su Yue woke up close to noon, her head clear and refreshed. As she sat up, she noticed she seemed to have lost weight again. Had she gotten drunk last night and angered Jiang Ci? How had she coaxed him back?
Su Yue grabbed the scale and smiled at the ninety-five pounds displayed. She was both happy and a little sad. She was satisfied with her current figure, but she didn’t want to get any thinner. After weighing herself, Su Yue hurried to the bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror and took a deep breath. Even as someone who’d once been a celebrated beauty, she was stunned by her reflection.
Beautiful.
Her features were so exquisite, without a single flaw. Her large, watery eyes seemed dotted with starlight, her nose small and delicate on her snow-white face, and her small mouth was naturally red. Her complexion was snow-white and translucent, soft and tender. Even her hair, thick and straight, fell naturally over her shoulders. Not just others, even she herself was mesmerized.
No woman disliked being beautiful. Su Yue gazed at her reflection for a while before leaving the bathroom, filled with joy.
In the pavilion, Lu Chenli examined Jiang Ci’s eyes. He couldn’t find any medical explanation for the changes. “Although I can’t find the reason, given your situation, Jiang Ci, you have a good chance of regaining sight.” He hadn’t dared to make such a judgment last time, nor this time, but Jiang Ci’s condition was indeed improving. He suspected Jiang Ci already realized it.
“You don’t need to take the medicine I prescribed for the time being,” Lu Chenli stated. Jiang Ci’s self-recovery was beyond his comprehension.
Jiang Ci raised his eyelids. This morning, the light he perceived, which was only a mere flicker yesterday, had expanded.
“Jiang Ci, at this rate, I truly believe it’s possible for you to see again,” Lu Chenli said, pushing up his glasses, a happy expression on his face.
Recover on his own? Jiang Ci leaned lazily back in his chair, his expression unreadable.
“Jiang Ci,” a woman’s soft voice sounded.
Jiang Ci twitched the corners of his mouth. He’d noticed a pattern: each time his vision improved, it was the day after he’d kissed Su Yue. The first time, the second time, could be coincidences, but what about the third? After kissing her last night, his eyes had changed again today. Therefore, it wasn’t a spontaneous recovery; it was because of Su Yue.
“Jiang Ci.” Su Yue reached the pavilion and greeted Lu Chenli, Jiang Ci’s ophthalmologist.
Lu Chenli was startled. Then he realized the woman before him was Su Yue. He pushed up his glasses to hide his shock. The last time he’d seen Su Yue, she had indeed lost a lot of weight, but this time, her transformation was complete. The difference was like night and day.
“What’s wrong with Jiang Ci’s eyes?” Su Yue couldn’t help but ask.
Lu Chenli lowered his gaze, not daring to look directly at the captivating face before him. “This…” He paused, and receiving no reaction from Jiang Ci, continued, “As usual.”
“Really?” Su Yue’s voice dropped slightly. She should have known. The book never described Jiang Ci’s eyes recovering before his death as cannon fodder.
Lu Chenli felt his conscience ache at lying to such a stunning face. Tsk, he’d sympathized with Jiang Ci several times for marrying a woman like Su Yue, thinking it was a grave injustice. Now, it seemed Jiang Ci had gotten quite the bargain.
After Lu Chenli left, Su Yue walked over and sat on the long bamboo chair next to Jiang Ci. “Did I make you angry last night?” she asked.
On the ground, Xiao Haohao, holding Coriander’s ear, piped up in his milky voice, “You bit Dad, and Dad got angry.”
“Ah, I bit someone?” Su Yue was stunned. She hadn’t drunk much before and didn’t know what she was like when drunk. Had she really bitten Jiang Ci? No wonder he was angry.
“You forgot?” Jiang Ci turned his head, expressionless.
“I only remember you picked me up. And we seemed to chat for a while in the car?” After that, she couldn’t recall anything.
Jiang Ci smiled. “Oh, so that means you bit my mouth, and you’ve forgotten that you had me accompany you to take a bath.”
“You… you’re talking nonsense! How could I…” Just thinking about it made Su Yue blush uncontrollably.
“Didn’t you forget? How do you know I’m talking nonsense?” Jiang Ci twitched the corners of his mouth, speaking lazily.
Her eyelids fell, and her long eyelashes fluttered shyly. “Jiang Ci, I’m sorry.” Su Yue’s attitude was sincere. “I will never drink again.” It seemed even with the original owner’s good tolerance, she still got drunk.
Jiang Ci’s long leg stretched out, the other bent at will. He whispered, “It’s not that you can’t drink…”
The 20th-anniversary banquet of Hengyuan Group was held at a grand hotel, encompassing the entire venue and hosting the wealthiest and most powerful figures in B City. Even before the banquet officially began, many guests had already arrived, eager to show face to the Jiang family.
In the splendid, opulent hotel, guests in suits and elegant gowns mingled. The air was filled with enticing aromas of food and exquisite perfumes.
“Have you heard? Not only will the current head, Jiang Muhang, be here today, but Jiang Ci as well. He hasn’t shown his face since he went blind. I didn’t expect him to be here,” a guest remarked.
“What’s a blind man doing at a banquet? Doesn’t he still want the limelight?” another guest next to him chuckled.
“Jiang Ci still holds shares in Hengyuan Group. Even if he’s blind and out of power, he still earns money. As a major shareholder, it’s perfectly normal for him to attend.”
“The mighty Jiang Ci fell from the altar and turned into mud. I’m truly curious to see how embarrassed he looks.”
“It’s just blindness; it’s not that bad. I’m more curious about Jiang Ci’s wife. Isn’t he married to the Su family’s daughter? A blind, ugly pair, a perfect match.”
Jiang Ci’s mere attendance, even before his arrival, ignited a flurry of discussions. He was, after all, once the most criticized, feared, and taboo figure among B City’s elite. Many yearned to witness the downfall of a man once so dazzling. No one disliked the thrill of seeing a ‘child of heaven’ stumble.
At that moment, two striking figures appeared at the entrance of the hall, instantly drawing the attention of countless guests. The man was tall and handsome, his sapphire blue suit enhancing his aristocratic charm. The woman beside him was equally pure, soft, and remarkably beautiful. Under the lights, her long white dress seemed to glow with a halo. Their combined appearance left everyone awestruck.
“That’s Jiang Muhang. With such an outstanding appearance, it’s no wonder so many daughters in B City admire him.”
“Jiang Muhang is truly capable. I heard he secured the Shengtian project for Hengyuan Group recently. It seems Hengyuan Group’s profits will at least double this year.”
“Jiang Ci’s ability is undeniable, but his methods are too ruthless, like a madman who bites anyone he encounters. The Jiang family truly needs people like Jiang Muhang to inherit.”
“You’re right. And is that Jiang Ci’s former fiancée beside him? She looks so innocent, and she’s lucky enough to marry Jiang Muhang.”
“Isn’t it fate? You wouldn’t believe how many young ladies gnashed their teeth when Jiang Xuan married Jiang Muhang. But now, looking at her, Jiang Xuan is indeed worthy of Jiang Muhang…”
The whispers buzzed in her ears. Jiang Xuan’s hand, holding Jiang Muhang’s arm, tightened slightly. The initial joy of wearing her beautiful dress faded. Especially as she caught the jealous glances from around her, Jiang Xuan lowered her eyes. She had always known her marriage to Jiang Muhang was envied and resented by many, but tonight, she truly felt a strange unhappiness.
“Nervous?” Jiang Muhang asked, a shallow smile on his handsome face, looking at his wife. “Don’t worry, I’m here.”
Jiang Xuan’s soft eyes met his, her fair face blushing. She smiled. “I know.”
Across the hall, Song Nianyue, an early arrival, slowly swirled a glass of red wine, her gaze fixed on the newly arrived Jiang Muhang and Jiang Xuan. Compared to Jiang Ci’s disfigured appearance, she much preferred Jiang Muhang. The original male protagonist, Jiang Muhang, perfectly fit her aesthetic. It was a pity her best friend had changed the novel’s setting and made Jiang Ci the male lead. Otherwise, she would have preferred to pursue Jiang Muhang.
Taking a sip of red wine, Song Nianyue narrowed her eyes. Her main focus tonight was Jiang Ci.