Pay up

Ye Mian stepped forward, a vicious impulse surging in her heart. She wanted to beat the living daylights out of her right then and there while no one else was around—dirty hands or not.

Yet, a tiny, final thread of reason still held her back.

She sighed and looked at Dong Yulian with boundless pity. "You are the truly psychological distorted one. I suggest you visit a psychiatric hospital. Truly, I am not insulting you; I am making a sincere suggestion. You don't look like a normal person at all. You are too vile, so vile that it is nauseating. Someone like you deserves to rot for the rest of your life."

Since childhood, no one had ever taught her how to handle such a person, nor had she ever used vulgar language.

Everything just happened naturally.

Even after scolding this woman, she felt thoroughly refreshed from the inside out.

Her definition of beauty was rooted in that exact moment at seventeen when she first met Jiang Chen.

Now, someone was calling that memory sordid.

She was filled with anger and heartache.

She had witnessed Jiang Chen’s arduous and bitter youth, yet restricted by her age, there was so little she could do for him.

However, some things were never too late to do.

Watching Dong Yulian, who stood there dumbfounded and still unable to process what had just happened, Ye Mian said calmly, "If I were you, I would hide far, far away. Seriously, you've seen the methods those bosses use yourself; Jiang Chen has even more power and means than they do. There were quite a few people around the place you went to alone that day, weren't there? Do you suppose someone might be willing to do it for money... let alone taking your life, what if they just wanted one of your arms? Do you think Jiang Chen can afford the compensation?"

Dong Yulian snapped back to her senses and retorted, "This is a society governed by law."

Ye Mian lowered her gaze. She did not know when she had also acquired a touch of Jiang Chen’s aloofness, her bearing growing increasingly similar to his.

"Ms. Dong, does no one commit crimes in a society governed by law?"

"..."

"Seriously, if you bully him again, I actually want to spend that money. No, I will definitely spend that money."

The evening breeze carried a chill sharper than a young girl's words.

At that moment, she felt that she was no longer the muddle-headed and cowardly Ye Mian of her past life, no longer filled with vague uncertainty, ignorance, and apathy toward everything.

Although she was trying to frighten Dong Yulian, her tone carried a genuine edge.

Beneath the darkness, there were always corners that the moonlight could never reach.

She began to understand why some people were driven to tragic ends by life.

She also comprehended why Jiang Chen's gentleness never quite reached his eyes.

In a life so barren that not a sliver of light could be seen, worldviews and values were utterly worthless.

She was fortunate enough to have been born standing in the light.

Yet, she would rather walk into the deepest darkness to rescue that lonely, struggling boy who was still clawing his way upward.

Whether such a rescue was right, she did not know.

At any rate, making sure he was spared from harm was the right thing to do.

Finally, she took out her phone, intending to ask Qin Feifei to drive over and pick her up.

It was as if heaven favored her just a little bit.

A black Rolls-Royce suddenly stopped in the middle of the avenue. Ye Mian paused, her eyes brightening.

However, it was Lin Shan who stepped out of the car.

Catching sight of Dong Yulian, Lin Shan's expression darkened. Remembering his boss's instructions, he turned to Ye Mian and said, "Hello, Miss Ye. I am here to take you home."

In the spring of that year, a sporadic, drizzling rain fell from the sky. Ye Mian said nothing more and got into the car with Lin Shan.

Who knew what plants were quietly sprouting in the corners, filling the air with a faint herbal fragrance.

Neither of them paid any more attention to Dong Yulian.

Anyway, Ye Mian meant what she said: the next time she saw Dong Yulian coming to bully Jiang Chen, she would definitely give her a sound beating.

Outside the car window, the boundless moonlight remained hidden behind the curtain of rain, refusing to show its face.

She thought to herself that Jiang Chen had been lonely for far too long. Once upon a time, her memory had lacked this person, causing her to overlook all the kindness he had shown. Now, even if it meant repayment, she wanted to treat him well without holding anything back.

---

The car drove away from the commercial district surrounding Wanda University and headed toward Yunge Lake. The radio played a soothing, stress-relieving light melody. Glancing at Lin Shan in the driver's seat, Ye Mian asked softly, "Mr. Lin, did Jiang Chen send you?"

"Yes."

Lin Shan had a favorable impression of Ye Mian. Ever since their first meeting, he had thought the young woman was truly beautiful; though her personality was hard to pin down, she was extremely polite.

The boss was genuinely good to her as well, willing to travel all the way to the remote Bridge Town despite his injured leg.

It was only later that he learned this young woman was the boss's white moonlight. The boss possessed a unique vision for investments, so his judgment in matters of the heart surely wouldn't be too bad either.

Ye Mian tilted her head. "Then how did you know I was here?"

Lin Shan replied, "Some people were watching when you two argued. I just asked around and figured it out."

Near Wanda University, he had once lingered for two months, thoroughly memorizing every single intersection.

When the boss was overseas, he was entangled in numerous complex interests. Even though he knew those people's reach couldn't possibly stretch this far, he still dared not let the young girl fall into any danger.

Ye Mian nodded. "Why did he suddenly send you to pick me up?"

Lin Shan did not know the answer to that and only said, "Then you'll have to ask the boss."

Ye Mian blinked and stopped asking.

Back at Yunge Lake, Ye Mian got out of the car and was about to say goodbye to Lin Shan when he also stepped out.

Holding the car keys, he trotted around the front of the car, handed the keys to Ye Mian, and said, "The boss said this car is for you to keep and drive."

Ye Mian was somewhat surprised, then realized it must have been because she had previously revealed her fondness for cars.

Well...

Jiang Chen had always been lavish with her.

Yet she didn't want it; this car... well, to be honest, it was simply too flashy.

She didn't want to attract excessive attention from her classmates; it would be a huge headache.

However, Lin Shan insisted on leaving the car behind, wearing an expression that seemed to say, "If you don't want it, take it up with the boss. I'm just following orders, please don't make things difficult for me."

With no other choice, Ye Mian took the car keys and went upstairs.

Stepping inside and kicking off her shoes, she noticed that the slippers Jiang Chen used to wear when he stayed here were still left in the apartment.

She didn't throw them away, simply letting them occupy the scarce space in the shoe cabinet.

Lying on the sofa, she took out her phone and initiated a video call with Jiang Chen.

Ye Mian already realized that Jiang Chen had intentionally sent Lin Shan to pick her up, but as for the reason, she felt she ought to ask.

The video rang for over ten seconds before it was connected.

Just as Ye Mian was about to speak, she noticed that his surroundings were unusual. He was clearly at a banquet; golden light bathed his profile, and though his posture was relaxed and lazy, he still maintained a poised and solemn appearance.

Behind him was a magnificent background with a heavy European style.

The faint, bustling murmur of conversation suggested people were discussing something.

Seeing Jiang Chen stand up and walk into a quiet space, she finally asked, "Was it you who had Lin Shan pick me up today?"

Jiang Chen rested his chin in his hand and nodded. "Mm, yes."

"Why?" Ye Mian rolled over and hugged a cushion. "President Jiang, you usually don't pick me up, why today?"

Jiang Chen smiled. "Zhou Yu said someone was pestering you."

Hearing this, Ye Mian's eyes widened in disbelief. Good grief, that troublemaking little demon had actually seen Fu Ziheng asking for her WeChat in public today?!

It was completely normal that he hadn't stepped in to rescue her! Ye Mian could understand that.

Yet he had actually gone to snitch to Jiang Chen?!

What was the meaning of this?!

Trying to sabotage a couple's relationship, was he?!

Calming down and thinking it over, however, she extracted the key point from his words, and her eyes instantly curved into crescent moons: "So you were jealous, which is why you had someone come pick me up?"

She had expected Jiang Chen to deny it, but instead, he raised an eyebrow and nodded. "Mm, that's right."

The house-moving had nearly broken her back, dearies, but for some reason, today everything suddenly became wonderfully clear.

She was back to the state of being the cherished white moonlight, sob sob sob, I'm back in the game.

(End of this chapter)