After leaving the hotel, Jiang Li learned that her uncle and aunt were headed to another banquet. She couldn’t help but exclaim, “Are people really hosting so many events today?”
Her aunt smiled and explained, “People in the same social circle usually try to avoid overlapping events. But the one we’re going to next is a birthday banquet for your uncle’s teacher, and their social circles don’t really overlap with the Qin family’s.”
Jiang Li nodded, “That’s good. It must be hard if we have to spend the whole day going from one event to another.”
After Eldest Uncle and his wife left, Feng Bai looked at Tong Yi and said, “Big Nephew, here’s your mission—give me and Xiao Jiang Li a ride home.”
Tong Yi nodded, “No problem. Are we heading back now?”
Just as Feng Bai was about to reply, his phone rang. After a few brief exchanges on the call, he turned to Jiang Li, “I have something to take care of, so I won’t be heading back with you.”
Jiang Li asked, “Who was that? I thought you didn’t have to go to the office today.”
Feng Bai responded with an air of mystery, “I’m not telling you.”
Jiang Li grinned mischievously, “It’s just my future sister-in-law calling, right? You might not tell me now, but you’ll have to tell me eventually, so I’m not in any hurry.”
Not wanting to banter with her, Feng Bai turned to Tong Yi and said, “You go ahead and take her home, so she doesn’t have to call a cab.”
Tong Yi immediately nodded, “Sure, no problem.” Once Feng Bai left, he turned to Jiang Li and asked, “It’s still early—do you want to hang out somewhere before heading back?”
Jiang Li thought for a moment and replied, “I don’t have any plans today, but I’m not sure what we could do.”
Tong Yi quickly suggested, “How about we go to the park in the western suburbs? We can ride roller coasters and visit the haunted house.”
Jiang Li raised an eyebrow. “Don’t you think that’s a bit childish?”
“Jiang Xiao Li, you’re not scared, are you?” Tong Yi showed an exaggerated shock.
Jiang Li shot him a look. “Even if you’re scared, I wouldn’t be.”
Tong Yi paused for a moment before quickly retorting, “W-who, me? Scared of a haunted house? You’re kidding!”
Noticing his slightly off expression, Jiang Li pressed on, “Really not scared?”
Tong Yi quickly composed himself. “Of course not! Why would I be afraid of that? But if you don’t want to go to the haunted house…”
“No, we’re going,” Jiang Li interrupted. “You’re the one who suggested it, didn’t you? I’ve been busy with driving lessons lately and haven’t had time to relax. The haunted house sounds like the perfect way to unwind.” To be honest, she was looking forward to seeing how this Big Nephew of hers would react in the haunted house!
“We’re really going?” There was hesitation in Tong Yi’s expression.
Jiang Li nodded. “Of course.”
He was silent for a few seconds before agreeing, “Alright, let’s go.”
“You see, Big Nephew, do you know what your aunt’s favorite thing to do is?”
“What?”
“To drive a duck onto a perch!” she replied with a grin.1
Tong Yi shrugged. “Fine, I’ll be your duck this time.”
Jiang Li couldn’t help but feel that his comment deserved a good punch.
Noticing her expression, Tong Yi reached out to ruffle her hair. “What’s wrong? I’m letting you boss me around, and you still have a problem with it?”
Jiang Li shook her head, her face expressionless. “No problem at all.” Forget it—Big Nephew certainly had no clue about the double meaning of ‘duck,’ considering he didn’t even know what 2D characters were. Such a boomer!
As Tong Yi reached for the car door, Jiang Li raised an eyebrow. “Neither of us has a driver’s license yet. Are you planning to drive yourself?” Although he had a license from abroad and could drive just fine, it would be a hassle if they got stopped by the traffic police.
Tong Yi quickly shook his head. “Let’s just get in the car. I’ll call someone to drive us.”
As he said this, Tong Yi couldn’t help but think: People really shouldn’t get too full of themselves, or they’re bound to slip up. He had almost forgotten the lie he had told Jiang Xiao Li in order to join her driving lessons!
…
After Assistant Bai arrived in Minjiang, he immediately contacted Jiang Huai and learned that his former boss was ill and hospitalized, so he bought a fruit basket and went for a visit.
Upon arriving at the hospital, Assistant Bai discovered that both Jiang Huai and Jiang Zhou were lying in hospital beds. Jiang Huai had bandages wrapped around his face and arms and was in particularly poor spirits, while Jiang Zhou lay on the next bed, looking flushed and seemingly running a high fever.
Assistant Bai first expressed his concern for the father and son’s health, then explained his purpose for visiting. Just as he finished, Jiang Zhou weakly spoke up, “The person who followed Ruoruo to jump into the river was Bai Guolin.”
His voice sounded weak and hoarse, clearly indicating that he had not fully recovered from his illness.
“What do you mean—jumping into the river?” Assistant Bai panicked immediately.
Knowing that he knew nothing about the incident at the Minjiang River, Jiang Zhou briefly recounted the events.
Upon hearing this, Assistant Bai anxiously paced back and forth in the hospital room. He had already been aware that his son had escaped to see Jiang Ruo, and initially, his main concern was that the boy might be incited by Jiang Ruo into committing illegal activities. But he also knew that even if his son was foolish enough to do so, it wouldn’t be possible to commit a crime in a short time, so he wasn’t particularly worried.
However, once Jiang Zhou informed him about what had happened, he immediately realized the gravity of the situation. The upstream currents of the Minjiang River were so strong that even a skilled swimmer could be carried away, not to mention someone like his stupid son who had issues with one of his arms. The fact that Bai Guolin recklessly followed Jiang Ruo into the river revealed just how much she meant to him.
Assistant Bai’s restless pacing made Jiang Huai’s eyes dizzy, “We’ve already reported it to the police. A’Zhou joined the rescue team and searched the river all night yesterday, but they found nothing. The two should be safe.”
Assistant Bai replied bluntly, “As long as he’s still with Jiang Ruo, there is no way he’s safe.”
Jiang Huai frowned, “What are you talking about? Your son is so burly, almost two meters tall. What can Ruoruo do to him?”
Assistant Bai snorted coldly, “Your Jiang Ruo may look petite, but she’s very cunning. While she can’t do anything to my son physically, she’s certainly more than capable of leading him by the nose.”
Seeing his former assistant being so rude, Jiang Huai was furious, “Bai Qiming, be polite when you speak!”
Assistant Bai, not backing down, retorted, “I’m no longer your assistant, and you cannot boss me around. If you hadn’t manipulated your wife to raise your illegitimate daughter and treated your legitimate daughter so harshly, things wouldn’t have turned out like this.”
Jiang Huai’s eyes widened, and he started panting heavily, almost unable to catch his breath.
Jiang Zhou weakly spoke up, “If you want to contact Bai Guolin, it’s actually quite simple. Use Ruoruo to threaten him, and he will definitely come back to you on his own.”
Assistant Bai immediately grasped what Jiang Zhou was trying to convey. He also knew that now was not the time to argue with Jiang Huai, so he hurriedly left the hospital room.
Right—that stupid brat was completely obsessed with Jiang Ruo. Using her to threaten him was certainly the most effective method!
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