《Blossoming Flowers》


 Chapter 1锛歂ew Novel by Tinalynge

    Hello!


    Blossoming Flowers has been ended for some time, and as most of you know, Webnovel has begun a contest.


    This contest says that you have to write a new story to join, and I would really like to do my utmost to rank highly.


    But it is not enough if it is just me who works hard, I need help from every one of my readers!


    I have begun a novel called "Forsaken by Love" and it is in the "Sweet Romance" category.


    I will be posting 16 chapters within the first 24 hours, after which I will publish 2 chapters a week, one at 12.00 and another at 00.00 GMT+8.


    If you are looking for a novel to read, please give it a try!


    And without further ado, I will give you the summary:


    Both were named He Lixue, and while one encountered a traffic accident that made her lay in a coma for three years, the other was stabbed in her back and died a miserable death alone.


    The orphan woke up in the body of the princess, her mind containing the memories of the body.


    Having gained a second lease on life, He Lixue fought back against the world with relentless fierceness, and she was never giving up.


    Want to make her look bad? Don''t worry, even if she had to go down, she would take all her enemies down with her! She swore that she would never let the ones who had caused the accident go free


    Lu Nanfeng, the most eligible bachelor in the capital, met He Lixue at the sanatorium. Here he felt as if he had picked up a small pet, and decided to take care of her. She was innocent, adorable and pitiful, unfortunately his feelings slowly changed from normal adoration to love. He was stubborn and used to having things his way, so he brought her home, but who would have guessed that the woman would be unmoved, even when he used his own body to seduce her.


    Thank you all, and have a good day!

 Chapter 2锛歅rologue

    "Hurry, hurry up! There are some complications with the birth; one of the twins are not breathing! We need to move fast!" Someone called out in the hospital''s maternity ward while rushing through the corridors.


    A group of people kept flowing in and out of the delivery room as the healthy cries of a baby reverberated out of the room. But, while this child was closely embraced by their father, the other lay lifelessly on a surgery table.


    The doctors and nurses surrounded the table as they initiated emergency procedures, and not long after, a weak scream came from the child. The mother, who was lying on the delivery table, tensed up and slowly exhaled a deep breath of air. She was exhausted, both mentally and physically, and her face looked fatigued.


    The father, who was holding the other child in his trembling arms, handed the child over to one of the midwives and then collapsed on a nearby chair. It was clear that this had not been a simple birth, but at least now both children were alive and safe.


    Time went by, and the two twins grew up. They were named Jiang Yingyue and Jiang Fengmian. Jiang Yingyue was a healthy girl who grew up strong and stubborn, while Fengmian was a sickly boy who had to spend most of his days at home or in the hospital.


    When he finally went to kindergarten, he was often bullied because he looked like a girl, but when that happened, Jiang Yingyue would step up and protect him, often ending up in fights.


    When Jiang Yingyue was five years old, she started training in martial arts. Every day, after kindergarten ended, she would go to the nearby dojo and train. This was the place where she met her new best friends, Li Qiang and Zhou Yan. The two boys were also training there frequently, and the three of them shortly became very close, even ending up going to the same school after kindergarten.


    In the beginning, they would protect Jiang Fengmian together with Jiang Yingyue when people tried to bully him. But as time went on, Jiang Fengmian became weaker and weaker. He could no longer leave their home, and every night Jiang Yingyue would stay together with him; they often slept together in the same bed, and she told him stories about the events that happened in the outside world.


    Jiang Fengmian was now always at home, so he did not get much interaction with the outside world except for the stories he heard from his sister, but he never envied her. He always listened to her stories with great curiosity, and his eyes would always be glowing with wonder and amazement.


    Jiang Yingyue started going to school soon after, and she found out that Li Qiang and Zhou Yan were in the same class as her; and because of their friendship, they were soon known as the three musketeers. Everyone tried to get closer to them, but because of their years of childhood friendship, it was impossible to get anywhere between them.


    Some of the children tried to bully Jiang Yingyue, but because of her stubbornness and strength, no one managed to succeed. She was also always supported by Lin Qiang and Zhou Yan, so no one could even get close to her.


    "It is your ninth birthday in a few days," Zhou Yan said with a smile on his face as he was looking at Jiang Yingyue, who was casually skimming through their math textbook. Her chin was resting on her palm while her other hand flipped the pages casually.


    When she lifted her head, the long black hair that framed her feminine and adorable face left a longstanding impression on everyone in their class. Zhou Yan and Lin Qiang both smiled at her and pulled over their chairs to sit down by her table.


    "I am going to celebrate with Fengmian," Jiang Yingyue said with a smile on her face. "I am going to skip the training on that day. I just want to be together with my brother."


    The two friends exchanged glances and nodded their heads with a smile. Since they had become Jiang Yingyue''s friends, they knew that she treasured every moment she spent with her twin brother. Although he was sickly and rarely stepped out of his room, she and her twin brother were closer to each other than they were with anyone else. As a result of that, Jiang Yingyue was filled with excitement about planning the birthday that she and her brother shared.


    "So what are you giving him this year?" Lin Qiang asked curiously. Jiang Yingyue flashed a brilliant smile at her friend. "I already have the perfect gift prepared for him," she said with a serious face while nodding her head.


    "Fengmian is always locked up in the house because of his condition, so he does not have the strength to go outside. I have taken pictures of everything in my everyday life, and I am going to gift him a photo album with all the places I have been telling him about all the time."


    "So that''s why you have been taking pictures all the time recently. I was wondering what was going on with that." Zhou Yan chuckled with a nod of his head.


    "I don''t get a lot of pocket money." Jiang Yingyue sighed. "My parents are hard-strapped with paying for the medicinal bills and my tuition on top of that. All I can do is work hard to make Fengmian smile." Jiang Yingyue smiled so brightly that it made her look much more mature than an almost nine-year-old child.


    Soon, the bell rang and all the students rushed out of the classroom. Jiang Yingyue went with Lin Qiang and Zhou Yan to the dojo where the three of them trained together for a couple of hours before returning to their respective homes.


    During the practice, Jiang Yingyue was unable to focus as she usually did. She was constantly preoccupied, and she had a nagging feeling in her heart that kept making her feel uncomfortable.


    Jiang Yingyue was eager to go home. She felt restless and uncomfortable. There were only a few days left until their birthday, but at the same time, she felt as if something was wrong. Her nose was itching, and she felt as if she was walking on pins and needles.


    A sudden panic erupted in her body, completely unexplainable, and her face paled like a sheet. She started running towards her home. She shoved the door open at her arrival and rushed up the stairs towards their room.


    Usually, she would be calm and collected, every step taken gently and cautiously, so as to not cause any panic for Jiang Fengmian, but right now she was gripped by an unexplainable fear that something was wrong. When she burst into the room, her worst fears were proven right.


    Inside, her mother and father were sitting down with tears streaming down their eyes and holding onto a limp and lifeless Jiang Fengmian.


    A smile hung on his pale lips, curved into a sad smile filled with exhaustion. This expression would be forever carved into Jiang Yingyue''s mind as the world before her eyes blackened and she collapsed on the floor.


    The cause of death was proven to be a virus that would give most people a simple cold, but because of Jiang Fengmian''s weak health, it had proven lethal to him.


    When Jiang Yingyue woke up again, she could barely breathe. She felt as if someone had taken a knife and twisted it inside her heart, and at the same time emptied her entire mind.


    All she could think about was that her Fengmian was gone. She felt as if she had lost her own life, and she was feeling listless and depressed. She never cried, but the sadness within her had taken root and refused to let go.


    The world which had previously seemed full of color and happiness was suddenly grey, and she did not believe that she would ever feel happiness again.


    Lin Qiang and Zhou Yan often came to visit her, but they always found her sitting on the bed in her bedroom looking out the window with an empty gaze. She would not even look at them anymore, nor would she speak.


    She felt that without Jiang Fengmian in her life, she had no reason to continue living.


    When the funeral was held, very few people were gathered together and said their farewell to Jiang Fengmian. Their family was not big, and there were only a few friends present.


    It was a grey day, and the rain fell heavily from the sky, blanketing the entire entourage in a heavy atmosphere. No one interrupted the priest who held the sermon and spoke about how Jiang Fengmian had been weakly from birth but had experienced the love of a family; that although he died young, he was fortunate, and that now he would return to the embrace of God.


    Jiang Yingyue felt it all to be very ironic. Although she wished for him to be in a better place, she was aware that it was impossible. Death only meant that one vanished from this world, and this was something that frightened her. How could she ever allow Jiang Fengmian to vanish, to be gone forever?


    If time did indeed heal every wound, would it also mean that as time went by, she would eventually forget about him too? That she would be happy and live a great life without thinking about the twin brother who meant the most to her? She could not accept it.


    Jiang Yingyue was like a ghost. Her entire world was destroyed, and she felt as if she had lost half her life, half her soul, half of everything she was. She often went to the grave to offer her respects, or to just spend time together with her brother who was now far away from her.


    "Darling, we already lost one child. We cannot lose our second one!" One day, when Jiang Yingyue came back from the grave, she overheard her parents discussing her.


    "I don''t know what to do," her mother cried. "I love Fengmian and Yingyue with all my heart. We always knew that Fengmian''s life would not last long, but now even Yingyue has given up on living. What can we do to bring her back?"


    Hearing the worry and sadness in her parents'' voices, Yingyue''s eyes finally focused again. Her eyes swept across the staircase and went into the room where she had had all the precious memories of herself and her brother.


    Looking around, she found all of Fengmian''s clothes, and then she slowly dressed into these boy''s clothes. Afterwards, she went to the drawer and picked up a pair of scissors. After looking at them for a short while, she nodded her head with a determined look on her face.


    Without hesitation, Jiang Yingyue took her long braided hair and started cutting it shorter and shorter using the scissors.

 Chapter 3锛欸raduation

    Jiang Yingyue was smiling slightly at a group of girls that were looking towards her with blushing faces, and their faces turned even more crimson as they gathered their courage and started approaching her.


    "Senior Jiang," one of them called out with a soft and tender voice as she stepped forward, encouraged by her friends, "I would like to congratulate you on graduating from high school. I was wondering if it is possible for me to take a picture with you?"


    The more the girl spoke, the redder her face became, making Jiang Yingyue''s lips rise up even more.


    Jiang Yingyue, or Jiang Fengmian as she was now known as, had been famous throughout the entire high school. She was known as the enemy of all the male students and the prince charming of all the females.


    When she flashed her smile at the young women, they would all feel their legs go wobbly and their faces heat up.


    Nine years ago, when Jiang Yingyue had cut her hair, her parents did not try to discourage her. Instead, they had almost instantly sold their house and moved to the capital, which was a very long distance away from where they had lived before.


    They had not said their farewell to anyone, nor had they informed them where they would be moving to. One night, they all just vanished without a trace, and no one knew what had happened.


    When they arrived in the capital, they found and purchased a small house, spending their remaining money to purchase fake registration papers for Jiang Yingyue so that she could attend school and live life as her brother.


    In the beginning, her parents thought that it would only be a temporary phase that would help her cope with her depression, and that she would stop pretending to be a man as she matured, but nine years had passed since then. With the passage of time, her body had gone from an undeveloped child to a feminine and attractive, shapely figure, but no one could see it underneath her clothes, as even her chest was bundled up with bandages keeping her jade rabbits tightly hidden.


    Because of the bandages and the fact that her body was not masculine like other men, Jiang Yingyue had to wear a lot of clothes to hide her figure, and she never got physically close to anyone.


    Although she was friendly to everyone, she did not feel especially close to them, and all the high school students decided that she was their prince, the one that everyone looked at and admired from a distance but no one could actually get close to.


    There had been a few girls who had tried to seduce her, but even though she was living her life as a man and although she found girls very cute, she was not a lesbian and had no romantic feelings for them.


    Still, she felt lucky to have not fallen in love with anyone yet. In fact, she was quite certain that she would live out her life alone, living for the memory of her beloved brother with the goal to see and explore the world he could not experience; to take care of her parents and be happy.


    Noticing that she had been deeply immersed in her thoughts, Jiang Yingyue shook her head and gave a mildly self-deprecating smile to herself.


    Fortunately, the girls did not notice anything being off about her, and Jiang Yingyue posed for the picture together with the group of girls before she apologized and left them.


    She was wearing her school uniform as she walked down the streets of the high school. The girls were looking at her with adoration in their eyes, while the boys had looks of envy and jealousy written all over their faces.


    She had never gotten close to a lot of the people; she had not been part of any groups or gangs; nor was she close to any of the girls who admired her.


    Although the girls had found her interesting and attractive, they had never gotten the chance to get closer to her. All those who tried to do that in the past were held at bay by Jiang Yingyue herself in her characteristic gentle and soft manner that still made them sigh with delight.


    Because of her being so antisocial, none of the guys had really bothered dealing with her either, and she had been allowed to live her high school life in peace.


    As she was walking down the streets, she stopped in front of a building and looked at her reflection in the window.


    She was around a hundred and seventy-five centimeters, rather tall for a woman, but not too tall for a guy. Her body was thin and lean, and she wore slightly baggy clothes to hide her shapely figure.


    She had a devilishly handsome face, her features striking, and her black eyes sparkled like the night sky.


    Her black hair was messy and gave her a lazy feeling, and her lips were always curved upwards in a charming and flirting smile.


    Although she was so handsome that every woman in the high school dreamt about her and her gentleness, she never wanted to get involved with anyone. So even though she liked flirting, she still kept her distance.


    As she passed the school gate, she turned around one last time and looked at the place where she had spent the last three years of her life. Now, this part of her life was over, and it was time for her to begin the next chapter in her life.


    "I hope you can feel it," she muttered to herself, "because, no matter where you are, I will never forget you, dear brother."


    Having said this, she smiled as she raised her head high and started moving towards the subway. It was time for her to return home and show her graduation certificate to her parents.

 Chapter 4锛歒oung Master, Watch Out!

    Jiang Yingyue felt a sense of satisfaction when she left the high school, and her eyes were glistening with excitement.


    Her grades were the best amongst everyone in her class, and she was feeling proud as she placed her graduation certificate in her bag and started moving towards the subway.


    To be able to study at this high school, Jiang Yingyue had to qualify for a scholarship. And to be proven worthy, she needed to keep getting good grades.


    Her parents had spent almost all the money they had gotten from selling their old home to provide Jiang Yingyue with fake papers stating that she was Jiang Fengmian, and barely had enough left to pay the down payment for their new home.


    Now they were both working extremely hard every day to pay for the mortgage and bills. Living in the capital was much more expensive than living in a smaller city in the countryside. Everything cost so much more money, but they still wanted to provide Jiang Yingyue with the very best.


    Jiang Yingyue was grateful towards her parents. She was happy that she would be able to live Fengmian''s life, to never forget him, and that they never pressured her to return to the life of Yingyue.


    As Jiang Yingyue was deep in thought, she suddenly heard a scream, and when she looked up, she saw a bunch of limited edition sports cars coming down the road at a rapid speed. Unfortunately, the lights were red and some pedestrians were still crossing the road.


    One of them was a girl who seemed to be around twelve years old. Her body was frozen in fear when she saw the cars coming towards her, and tears were welling up within her doe-like eyes.


    Jiang Yingyue''s eyes widened in surprise, and on instinct, she ran onto the road and pushed the young girl as hard as she could, getting her out of harm''s way. A grunt escaped the girl as she landed on the sidewalk, but Jiang Yingyue was not as lucky.


    She knew that it would be impossible for her to get back to the sidewalk in time, so she sighed. In fact, she was not afraid of death. If she died, would she not be reunited with her brother?


    But she did not die. The cars hit the brakes very fast, and the scent of burnt rubber could be smelled in the air alongside the squealing sound of tires being dragged over the road.


    Jiang Yingyue was prepared to die, but her body disagreed, and as soon as she had pushed the young girl away, her body twisted in a beautiful manner and started rushing towards the sidewalk as well.


    Unfortunately, she was not fast enough, and just as she almost got to safety, a black Porsche collided with her and sent her flying like a kite with a broken string.


    She felt her body spinning in the air, and a dull pain overcame her senses as she finally came to a standstill around five meters away.


    A painful hiss escaped her pretty lips as she sat up from her position. Her school uniform was dirtied and was hanging in tatters. Her messy hair became even messier than before, but her bright eyes were shining brilliantly on her handsome face. Her mouth was pursed tightly as she tried to withstand the pain that was coursing through her body.


    The cars had all stopped by now, and a group of young men and a few accompanying women stepped out of the vehicles.


    The women had pale and fearful expressions on their faces while looking at Jiang Yingyue, who was seated on the asphalt and checking her body to see whether or not she was fine in a rather casual manner.


    After noticing that there were no broken bones, just a lot of bruises and slight cuts, Jiang Yingyue felt incredibly fortunate and lucky to be in one piece. Then she stood up from the ground and dusted the dirt off her clothes in a carefree manner.


    "Excuse us." The man who had driven the black Porsche looked at Jiang Yingyue as if he had seen a ghost. "Are you okay? Someone call an ambulance already, this young man just got hit by our car!"


    "No need," Jiang Yingyue hated going to the hospital as she needed to depend on her female ID to be examined. She was clearly a woman so she always had to use the ID of Jiang Yingyue when she went to the hospital, which was something she hated to do.


    She took a few steps towards the young men and women before casually picking up the bag that she had dropped in the collision prior.


    "I am fine. Really." Jiang Yingyue was not in a mood to stay here any longer. So after saying that, she flashed her most genuine and attractive smile at the young man before turning around to leave, while the other man was left dazed.


    Unfortunately, things were not going to end that easily. The onlookers had all awakened from their stupor and started crowding towards Jiang Yingyue, especially the young girl she had pushed away who was rushing over with tears all over her little face.


    "Thank you so much!" she stuttered while bawling her eyes out. "You saved my life!"


    "That was no problem," Jiang Yingyue said gently as she reached out and gently tugged a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. "It was my pleasure to help a beautiful girl like you."


    The girl''s face turned crimson as she listened to Jiang Yingyue''s words, and the young men and women who had exited from the cars were all watching with dumbstruck faces.


    "Young Master Shan, don''t waste any more time on this pleb. He is clearly okay since he is capable of flirting like this with a girl right after being hit. Give him some compensation and let us be on our way, we have to reach the horse paddock soon or the others will begin without us."


    The man who was known as Young Master Shan was looking rather uncomfortable when he saw how this young man, whom he had just knocked down, was behaving. Should he not be more aware that he could have died just now?

 Chapter 5锛欳ompensation

    Sensing that the others were in a rush to leave, Han Qingshan sighed deeply. They had been racing down the streets as usual, but who could have expected that something like this would happen?


    When he looked at the youngster he had just struck with his car, he felt rather guilty, mainly because he had seen how this person had thrown all caution to the wind to save a complete stranger.


    Han Qingshan was rather curious about this kind of person. He had grown up in a very loving family, but apart from his family members, everyone who got close to him did it because he was the heir to the Han Corporation and all their assets.


    He had always believed that no one would do something without some personal benefits unless they were family, but now he saw something that had shocked him and his view on this world. He could not help but be slightly curious about this strange person.


    But now was not the time for him to socialize with a person of unknown origins. He had promised his friends to go to the horse paddock with them, and many of them had brought their temporary lovers along. Even a few socialites would be present at the gathering.


    Sighing, he took out his wallet and started writing a check, which he then reached out to give to Jiang Yingyue.


    "I am sorry for running over you," he said with a good-natured behavior. "I never expected for such a thing to happen. Here is a token of my apology. Please accept it, and please go to the hospital to get checked up."


    Her beautiful eyes turned cold, and although she was glaring at him, Han Qingshan felt a weird tingling sensation in his body. He even thought that the young man looked somewhat cute in his behavior.


    "I do not need your compensation!" Jiang Yingyue said curtly. "Although I might not be a rich young master like you, I know that life is valuable even to the poorest of people. To be racing down such a narrow street... have some common sense!"


    Han Qingshan had never been spoken to in this way before. He was quite shocked when he heard his harsh words, but he could say nothing in return. He had been racing in a place that was not meant for racing, and he had almost taken away a life in the process.


    With a last glance at the young masters, who were all looking insanely stunned at Jiang Yingyue, and then one last word to the little girl, she turned around and walked away, her figure vanishing into the crowd in merely a few seconds.


    "Young Master Shan, don''t worry about it," a young man said as he walked up and placed his hand on Han Qingshan''s shoulder. "That was just a common pleb. Although he was wearing the school uniform of Riluo High, there was no way he could have been from one of the noble families.


    "If he was of noble heritage, he would have been picked up by a car, and would not be walking through the streets on his own legs. It is obvious that he should be a scholarship student who has good grades and a shrewd view of the world.


    "To think that he even dared to scold and reprimand Young Master Shan, he clearly knows nothing about the upper classes, at most he only heard about the royal families."


    Han Qingshan nodded his head absentmindedly. He was stunned that someone actually dared to raise their voice against him and speak without trying to flatter him. His interest in this young man seemed to become more and more profound.


    "Let us go," Han Qingshan said as he returned to his black Porsche. After getting inside the car, he picked up his phone and made a phone call.


    No one outside the car could see what he was doing, nor could they hear the conversation between him and the recipient on the other side of the phone call.


    "I need you to get me information about someone," he said with a low voice. A smile hung on his face and his eyes flashed with interest.


    "Who?" The voice on the other side of the phone was not flattering; it was cold and sounded even slightly callous.


    "A young man. I just hit him with my car. He is from Riluo High. He was around a hundred and seventy-five centimeters tall and incredibly handsome. I did not get his name or know anything else about him. I will have to rely on you to get me the information."


    "Did he dent your car?" The voice no longer sounded as cold as before, but instead it sounded rather amused. "Did he somehow offend you, and you cannot take action in public, so you want me to do it for you? Should I wipe him off the face of the earth or just beat him up?"


    "None of that," Han Qingshan did not seem troubled by the suggestion that the cold voice proposed; on the other hand, he smiled. "I am interested in him. He seemed different from anyone else I have ever met."


    "Are you turning human, caring about another person?" The cold voice was still amused, but the words made goosebumps appear all over Han Qingshan''s body. "I have always been human!" he argued back with annoyance in his voice. "I am just curious about this young man. I want to see if I could understand more of the world by talking with him."


    "I will look into it." The voice was once again completely cold and detached. It no longer held any warmth, and the call was cut off as soon as the final sentence had been uttered.


    Han Qingshan smirked when he thought about how this little boy had seemed so hostile earlier, but in fact, the hostility felt more like a cute cat brandishing its claws, like someone who could cause a slight scratch but no serious damage.

 Chapter 6锛歅sychology

    Jiang Yingyue hurried home. Her entire body was aching, and although she knew nothing was broken, she was still in a great deal of pain. What a graduation day this had been.


    She could not help but grumble about how the young masters of the upper society were spoiled and selfish, not even caring about the life of the commoners, making her mood turn foul.


    As she arrived home, she knew that her parents were still at work. So she went to the market to buy groceries so that she could start cooking dinner, getting everything ready for when her parents returned home from their jobs.


    This was how life had been going since they had moved. Jiang Yingyue''s parents were working long hours to provide for them, while she would help out by taking care of all chores at home before studying. Her life was simple, but she felt it was rather fulfilling.


    After she returned home from the market and started preparing the food, Jiang Yingyue was singing happily in the kitchen, cooking their dinner: sweet and sour pork with a side of leafy vegetables and rice.


    "My dear, it smells heavenly!" her dad''s voice sounded from the entrance along with the sound of the door opening and him entering the house. Her father worked as a guard in a mall, while her mother worked in a convenience store. The jobs were less lucrative than what they had worked as before, but neither of them ever complained.


    Not long after her dad came home, through the door came her mother. A gentle smile hung on her beautiful but haggard face when she smelled the food.


    "My baby is the best," she smiled gratefully, and after washing their hands, the family sat down and began eating.


    "Dear, what are your plans now that you have graduated from Riluo High?" her father could not help but ask. Jiang Yingyue smiled, eyes sparkling.


    "I am going to apply for The Imperial University and study psychology." This had been her primary choice for a long time now, and she was still certain about it. She had debated between studying psychology and medicine, but in the end, psychology won.


    Mother and Father Jiang were both happy to hear that she had made up her mind. They had previously had the exact same conversation with her and had heard of her wishes before, but they were still unsure whether or not she would actually stick to it.


    "I will do my best at the entrance exams," Jiang Yingyue promised. "I will apply for a scholarship too so that we won''t have to pay too much tuition, and then I will look for a part-time job to do while studying."


    "Don''t worry, we can take some extra shifts too," both her parents promised. They looked at their daughter with tender eyes and emotion-filled expressions.


    Jiang Yingyue nodded her head happily and continued to eat before she cleaned the table and washed the bowls and dishes. She knew that her parents approved of her studying psychology because they wanted her to return to her own life, but she was still incapable of doing so.


    She had lived as Jiang Fengmian for as long as she had also lived as Jiang Yingyue. Not only this, she feared that if she let go of his life, she would lose him forever; this feeling was always nagging at her heart, strangulating her whenever she saw cute girls and wished to be like them.


    While Jiang Yingyue started studying and preparing for the next step in her life, Han Qingshan could not get the young man''s figure out of his mind. He was constantly fiddling with his phone at the horse paddock while waiting for the cold man to return a call with the information he asked for.


    "Young Master Shan, come ride with us," one of the socialites said coquettishly and fluttered her eyelashes in a tempting manner.


    "Young Master Shan is a dragon amongst men," another socialite said while covering her mouth with her hand and laughed lightly. "He will become a leading figure in the country later on. No, in the entire world. He must be very busy; we should let him be."


    The women had all rushed to the horse paddock when they heard that Young Master Shan would be present, even the temporary lovers of the other young masters were looking at him with starry eyes and greed.


    The Han Corporation was the biggest corporation in the entire country, and the richest family was the Han family, which had a hand in controlling both the foreign and inland economy.


    Everyone knew that Young Master Shan was not keen on getting together with young women or socialites, but all of them still wished to become the young madam of the Han Corporation so they followed him around wherever he went.


    Young Master Shan had a friendly personality and he seemed easygoing. As long as no one touched his bottom line, he would maintain a certain level of amity with everyone; but if his bottom line was touched, no one knew what might happen.


    However, a few women had previously tried to drug Young Master Shan to get into his bed that way, only to have their entire families come crashing down because of their actions.


    Even though everyone knew that Young Master Shan was difficult to deal with, it did not stop the socialites and young women from fantasizing about him, all of them wanting to become his one true love, wasting every single opportunity they could to get close to him.


    Just as Han Qingshan was about to answer the two girls, the phone in his hand started ringing, and a light shone in his eyes as he went to a secluded area and answered the phone call.


    "That was fast," he said excitedly, but the voice on the other end of the phone just snorted.

 Chapter 7锛欼mperial University

    "The person who you asked me to investigate was rather interesting," the cold voice said.


    "Name is Jiang Fengmian, just turned eighteen. A former student of Riluo High who graduated this year. According to his papers, he is going to apply for psychology at Imperial University, so you might see him there.


    "He is from a poor background, lives together with his mother, Xun Huiyin, and his father, Jiang Wei. Both of them have low-paying jobs, just enough to scrape by.


    "The reason that Jiang Fengmian has been able to study at Riluo High, taking into consideration his family''s status, is because of the scholarship he was receiving. He was the best in the entire year and has been so ever since he began studying there.


    "He was known as the school prince, someone that all the girls adored and idolized, while the boys pretty much ignored his existence.


    "Although he even had a fanbase at their school, no one actually got close to this boy, and it seems that he prefers sticking to himself and not making any friends.


    "But I think I know the reason for that." The voice suddenly revealed some interest and continued, "The family moved here when he was nine years old. As to where they came from, no one knows. The identity that Jiang Fengmian is using is likely fake. There is no information about him from before he was nine years old."


    "Fake identity?" Han Qingshan raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You can''t find out where they came from, or what the reason for this fake identity is?" he asked, slightly surprised.


    One has to know that the man he was calling had access to all sorts of information channels; if even he could not find it, then it was hidden very deeply.


    "I don''t know, all my trails went cold," the cold voice said, a minute hint of interest in its tone.


    "Well, make sure he gets the scholarship and enters Imperial University," Han Qingshan said after some contemplation. He felt that, although he now had a name and some basic information, his curiosity in this young mystery man had become much greater. Just who would need a fake ID when they were a normal, law-abiding citizen?


    Deep in thought, Han Qingshan returned to the horse paddock. He could not understand why he was so curious about this young woman, but he felt a great interest towards her. He passed it off as him being different from all the others he had met before, and he wanted to understand how such a person viewed the world around them.


    Han Qingshan was smiling slightly as he thought about how he would be able to run into that young woman at the university in the future. And although this young woman had declined his compensation, he would still help her behind the scenes.


    Like this, the days went by. Han Qingshan continued to live a life filled with luxury and lavishness while Jiang Yingyue was still thrifty and kept studying.


    She took the university entrance exam, and once again her scores were so high that she left the rest of the students in the dust. Although the university higher ups had been tasked with handing her a scholarship, none of them felt that it was wrongly given out. All of them were quite eager to have this brilliant student be enrolled in their school.


    And thus the first day of university began. Jiang Yingyue had been accepted to the faculty of psychology, and she was both happy and excited to begin studying there.


    As she appeared at the university entrance, a lot of people were looking at her; many of the other students from Riluo High had also decided to go to Imperial University.


    Because of this, a lot of the girls were excited when they saw Jiang Yingyue and started rushing towards her to take pictures together or just to converse with her.


    "To think that a Prince Charming has appeared at the university; do you think he is rich too? We already have Young Master Shan and his friends. If there is another young master attending school, we will have an even bigger chance of marrying rich," a sophomore girl said as she looked at Jiang Yingyue like a tiger looks at its prey.


    Jiang Yingyue could feel the attention that was being showered onto her, and she was quite happy. As long as she had the status of a school prince, no one would want to get too close to her, and thus she should be safe.


    Although she felt lonely sometimes, she had to acknowledge that it would be impossible for her to be close to anyone with her secret, so she couldn''t make any good friends. Being close to someone was the same as risking the exposure of her secret, and this was something she could never allow to happen.


    Jiang Yingyue went to her new classroom, making sure to flash smile after smile at the cute girls, even stopping from time to time to flirt with them.


    It was not before the bell rang that she had finally reached the room where her course would be introduced. Here, she found a seat at the back and looked at the people in her class. Two of them she recognized from Riluo High, while the rest were new faces.


    Many of them were looking at Jiang Yingyue with curiosity. She was simply standing out from the crowd too much. She was incredibly handsome, and she also seemed so casual and elegant, as if she had no nervousness about starting university. Her entire demeanor was so dazzling that even the boys were stunned.


    Soon, the professor appeared, and he started the first class with an introduction to the course they had picked, including the optional ones, and the rules of the university.

 Chapter 8锛歒oung Master, Back Off!

    The day was long, and the first class was spent as an introduction to the course. It was to prepare every student for what they should expect and what was expected from them.


    "Then, let us introduce ourselves," the teacher said, glancing at his watch. It turned out that he had finished his planned material earlier than expected, and as he did not want the students to leave early, he could only suggest that they start to introduce themselves.


    It just so happened that the person on the back row was Jiang Yingyue. With a sigh, she straightened her back. "I am Jiang Fengmian," she began her introduction, "eighteen years old and a graduate of Riluo High."


    When she introduced herself, the entire classroom turned completely quiet before mayhem broke out.


    "He is Jiang Fengmian!?" someone asked with a slightly high-pitched voice. "How can that be? The one who reached the highest score in the entrance tests for the last two years is this boy? I thought he was just a pretty face, but it seems he is also smart!"


    "I only picked this subject so that I could study together with Prince Fengmian," one of the girls from Riluo High said with a smug look on her face. "Although Prince Fengmian is a scholarship student, he will surely become someone important one day. I believe in him."


    "He is a scholarship student?" One of the guys asked, a slight disdain in his voice. But before he had the chance to say more, all the girls glared at him as if he was the murderer of their fathers.


    "Prince Fengmian is considerate and works hard. There is nothing wrong with being a scholarship student; he is gentle and friendly towards everyone. It is every girl''s dream to become Prince Fengmian''s lover!"


    "I thought you wanted to be the lover of Young Master Shan," someone muttered, but no one dared to say more when they saw how crazy the girls had become in protecting their ''Prince Fengmian'', who they considered to be their most prized possession.


    All the while, Jiang Yingyue was seated in her chair, looking as if it was not her they were discussing. Elbow propped up on the table, she rested her head on a hand. She looked casual and elegant, so attractive that just sitting there made the girl''s hearts race.


    The conversation caused the teacher to feel stumped, but he said nothing in the end. He too had been curious about the genius who had joined their course, and he was stunned when he saw Jiang Yingue''s handsome face.


    He had expected many things, from a fat little girl to a young woman with a cold temperament, but this flirtatious and casual person was not one of them.


    The conversation continued until the bell rang, where Jiang Yingyue was one of the first to leave the classroom. She had left a positive impression on all the students, and she had gotten all the information she needed about her course.


    Fortunately, it was allowed to have a part-time job while studying, and she was wondering where she should start looking while walking around, not paying too much attention to her surroundings.


    As she walked around a corner, she bumped directly into a human wall, her nose colliding straight into the other person''s chest, and both of them recoiled severely, taking a few steps backward to stabilize themselves.


    As Jiang Yingyue lifted her head, she was stunned to see that she recognized the young man in front of her. It was the one known as Young Master Shan, the one who had ran her over with his car on her graduation day.


    The words "I am sorry," that she had been about to say were swallowed back, and the apologetic look in her eyes turned cold. She was like a small hedgehog coiling up to reveal its spikes.


    Han Qingshan was rather surprised when someone walked into him, and he turned around just in time to see how the change of the young woman''s face in front of him was happening.


    He saw how she looked as if he wanted to say ''I am sorry'', but then her lips pursed and her eyes turned cold. Clearly, this young woman still had a bad impression of him.


    Then again, anyone who had almost lost their life in a car accident would be rather displeased with the culprit, so Han Qingshan did not take it to heart. Instead, he flashed his most professional smile.


    "We meet again, what a coincidence," he said, as if it was an actual coincidence that he had appeared around the psychology faculty''s classrooms.


    The many people who were nearby saw how the always serene Young Master Shan suddenly smiled at Jiang Yingyue; with a friendliness that was rarely seen.


    Although Han Qingshan was a friendly person, he never really bothered interacting with other people. To see him take the initiative to contact someone, that person in question had to be rather special. And what did he say? They had met before? Who was this handsome young woman that no one had the impression of seeing before?


    Seeing that Jiang Yingyue was not answering, but instead getting ready to walk past him, Young Master Shan suddenly blocked her way. The smile on his face was still as gentle and friendly as before, but somehow it just made Jiang Yingyue annoyed.


    Who was this person, and why had he decided to annoy her?


    "We were lucky to meet one another again, so why don''t we become acquainted with each other? I know of a good cafe, let us go there and have a cup of coffee. I also want to apologize for what happened last time." Han Qingshan was not going to give up, but Jiang Yingyue was no pushover either.


    Looking at him with some annoyance, Jiang Yingyue stepped to the side, but no matter where she went, Han Qingshan kept blocking her.


    "Young Master Shan, back off!" Jiang Yingyue said through her gritted teeth.

 Chapter 9锛歅icked up by the Young Master

    "I won''t back off before you agree to have a cup of coffee with me," Han Qingshan said with a brilliant smile on his face. He was acting shamelessly, and he clearly did not mind doing it at all.


    Jiang Yingyue glared at the young man, but it was clear that he was completely undisturbed by the glare and instead found it rather endearing. His lips curled even further, causing the smile to spread across his entire face.


    Sensing that there was no way to escape, and not wanting to jeopardize the reputation she had built up during the lesson just now, she gave Han Qingshan a helpless look before nodding her head.


    Seeing the annoyed expression on his face, Han Qingshan somehow felt incredibly elated and filled with excitement. Reaching out, he tried to grab the younger woman''s hand to prevent her from running away, but the moment he touched Jiang Yingyue, the other pulled her arm back so fast that he only touched the skin slightly.


    The cool touch of his skin was so smooth and soft that Han Qingshan was shocked when he felt it, leaving him stunned for a moment. His brief lapse in thought prevented him from grabbing hold of the arm.


    "I will follow, no need to touch me," Jiang Yingyue said with a sullen expression on her face. She had very rarely been touched by anyone since she had taken over the life of Jiang Fengmian, so although it had been a brief touch, the feeling lingered on her wrist, making her heart beat erratically.


    Han Qingshan looked at Jiang Yingyue''s wrists and hands, and he could not help but click his tongue in admiration. Those slim fingers were truly exquisite. They were even more beautiful than what most females had; the nails were not decorated and painted like the socialites, but they were trimmed neatly and clean.


    Although he had wanted to drag Jiang Yingyue with him towards the cafe, he could sense that this young woman was very uncomfortable with physical contact, so he did not push it. Instead, he smiled slightly and gestured for Jiang Yingyue to follow him.


    Jiang Yingyue was in a foul mood. Why did she have to run into this young master, and why was he even interested in her? This was a bad situation for her no matter how she looked at it, and she could not help but consider just running for it, but she feared things would become worse if she did.


    This man seemed strangely set on drinking coffee with her, and she had no option other than to comply. At least he was likely to leave her alone later. Didn''t young masters like him always have weird and fickle ideas all of a sudden?


    Unaware of the fact that Jiang Yingyue had determined Han Qingshan''s interest in her as a fickle and temperamental idea, the young master was feeling rather pleased with himself.


    He went to his black Porsche and gestured for Jiang Yingyue to step in. At the sight of that car, Jiang Yingyue''s mood was further befouled, and she glared at Han Qingshan. "I am only sitting in this thing if you drive properly," she declared, her words causing the young man to laugh out loud.


    "I will drive safely," he promised. He entered the car, buckled up the seatbelt and waited for Jiang Yingyue to step in as well.


    Sighing to herself, Jiang Yingyue could not help but shake her head and get into the car as well. This was a rare chance to drive in a Porsche so she supposed she could just relax and enjoy the ride.


    Seeing her step into his car, the smile on Han Qingshan''s face widened. He nodded his head before he reached out and picked up the seat belt to fasten it for her.


    The moment he got close to her, he could smell a sweet and refreshing scent of flowers. It was very different from the perfume that all the socialites and other girls who were chasing him were wearing. It was also different from the smell of his male friends and their cologne; it was so gentle and comforting that he spaced out for a bit.


    "I can do it myself!" Jiang Yingyue said through gritted teeth that were clenched tightly, so tightly that they almost shattered. This man! Would he die from not trying to take advantage of her? First, he tried to grab her hand, and now he almost buried his face in her chest to put her seatbelt on.


    Pushing him away, she quickly picked the seatbelt and fastened it, before she turned to glare at Han Qingshan who was looking at her with narrowed eyes.


    Worried that he might have noticed something, Jiang Yingyue shrunk into the seat, her eyes looking slightly alarmed.


    Han Qingshan shook his head after a bit of consideration. Shower gel and shampoo often had the scent of flowers; most likely this was what had caused him to feel this refreshing aroma coming from her.


    After reaching this conclusion, he focused on the road ahead and stepped on the accelerator. The car started driving onto the roads, but because they were still on university grounds, they were driving rather slowly, not to mention that the traffic was rather busy because of the number of visitors that came for the opening of the school year, so it was impossible to drive fast.


    Many saw the black Porsche and recognized Young Master Shan rather quickly, but to their surprise, they found a handsome young woman sitting in the passenger seat. This handsome young woman had her arm leaning on the door with her head resting on her hand.


    She looked breathtakingly beautiful as she sat there with only her side profile visible to the crowd.


    Many were curious about this young woman, and quite a few secretly took pictures of the scene before uploading it to their university forum under titles such as ''New Prince Charming Appeared'', ''Young Master Shan''s New Friend'', ''Prince Charming of Unknown Origins''.


    Han Qingshan was the dream guy of every girl on campus, and the idol of all the boys. Everything that had to do with him was being posted everywhere all over the forums, and everyone followed it, as they knew he was a young master from a prominent family. Most even knew he was the heir to the Han Corporation, so when Jiang Yingyue got into his car, she was unaware of what waves she had made.


    Before the time it took for the two handsome people to leave the school grounds, the rumors about them had already spread, and some of the students from the psychology major had also shared all the information they knew about Jiang Yingyue, making her a very famous person in the university within minutes.

 Chapter 10锛欼nvited for Coffee

    Jiang Yingyue had thought that they would go to a cafe close to campus, but when she sat in the car, she noticed that they drove to one of the most upscale shopping areas within the entire capital.


    Looking slightly sulky, she shot a glance at Han Qingshan before saying with a curt voice, "I have no money. If you want me to join you for coffee, it has to be your treat."


    Han Qingshan looked at Jiang Yingyue with curiosity. He knew that the girl was not lying; she was a scholarship student and someone who had parents that worked very hard to be able to pay back the mortgage on their home.


    "Don''t worry," he assured her, "since I invited you, of course I will foot the bill."


    Jiang Yingyue nodded her head and approved of what he had said. It seemed that he was not completely unreasonable, but then again, he was a rich young master from what she had gathered. It would be nothing for him to buy a cup of coffee for her.


    When they reached the parking basement of the shopping mall, Han Qingshan parked the car and went out. Following behind him, Jiang Yingyue felt slightly annoyed and out of place.


    Despite Jiang Yingyue being dressed as a young man, her clothes were somewhat trendy and fashionable, but none of them were of any famous brands. She always went for the cheaper stores to save money.


    Standing next to Han Qingshan who was wearing only brand name clothes, she seemed very misplaced. When she looked at the other cars in the parking lot, she also noticed that all of them were rather expensive; it was obvious that this shopping mall was a place for the rich.


    "Come on already," Han Qingshan laughed when he saw how she had stopped in her tracks and looked around with a rather dazed and absent-minded expression on her face.


    She could not help but look at him; her eyes glistening with a strange gleam. Who was this person, and why did he have so much interest in her all of a sudden? Did he just feel bad for almost running her over with his car? It was hard to say, but she had to be extra careful around him.


    Her trademark carefree smile appeared on her lips, making her seem regal yet flirtatious.


    It was her protection. The more approachable she seemed on the outside, the more she hid her real emotions and fears on the inside.


    Han Qingshan was unaware of this, but when he saw the young gal by his side send winks and smiles at the girls that were passing by, he felt strangely annoyed. He had never gotten treated this well by her.


    These girls were all wearing brand name clothes and expensive handbags as they were strolling the shopping mall. There were also groups of students who had just come out of their university, socialites who were out gossiping with their friends, and even career women who rushed from one place to another.


    All of them would look at Han Qingshan with starry eyes, and when they saw the handsome Jiang Yingyue by his side, they would display looks of shock and curiosity.


    Every person from the upper ranks in the capital knew about Han Qingshan, but amongst the people here, although they were considered socialites and nobles, they were ranked far below the Han group and were incapable of striking up a conversation with him.


    This time he was with a young woman, who was smiling at the girls, causing many of them to blush when they saw her black eyes glisten with mischief.


    Han Qingshan could only laugh when he saw how easily the girls started blushing; it was as if they had completely forgotten about him while looking at his companion. This was a first for him.


    "That''s enough, stop looking. Who knows, they might get pregnant," he joked as he shook his head in resignation.


    "As if you can get pregnant from a glance," Jiang Yingyue muttered, but she stopped doing it. It was clear from his behavior that he had not noticed anything, so there was no reason for her to become so alarmed.


    "Young Master Shan." The manager came out as they reached the cafe, and he personally led the two of them towards an empty table to sit down and handed them a menu.


    "Order whatever you please, it is my treat," Han Qingshan said casually as he handed the menu over to Jiang Yingyue.


    She liked sweets a lot, but because they were usually expensive, she rarely ate them. Instead, she would cook healthy food every day, to ensure that her parents were fed well when they worked as hard as they did.


    "A caramel macchiato and a slice of strawberry cheesecake," Jiang Yingyue said as she handed the menu back to Han Qingshan, who raised an eyebrow in surprise. So this girl had a sweet tooth? He would never have expected this.


    "A coffee latte and a slice of strawberry cheesecake for me as well," he said, and for the first time, he got to see a gentle smile on Jiang Jingyue''s face. She was childlike when smiling like this, clearly excited about getting some sweets for the first time in a month.


    Looking at the gentle smile on Jiang Jingyue''s face, Han Qingshan found himself completely spellbound. He was unaware of what exactly he was doing, where he was, and who was around him, all he saw was that gentle smile.


    After returning to his senses, he frowned. What was wrong with him? Being entranced by the smile of a man seemed rather bad for him. Maybe he had been more curious about this person than he had initially thought.


    In the end, none of them spoke before the coffee and cake arrived. Jiang Yingyue was looking out the windows at the crowd outside, while Han Qingshan was looking at her with great curiosity.

 Chapter 11锛欴ifferent Groups of Society

    "Here you go." The waiter arrived and gently placed the drinks and plates of strawberry cheesecakes in front of the two young men that were seated next to the window. Their appearances were so stunning that he felt nervous.


    This waiter was aware of Han Qingshan''s identity. He was often at the mall, and this cafe was one of the places he would often visit, so anyone who worked there already knew him and was always ready to provide him with the best treatment.


    Han Qingshan was used to being treated as a heavenly sent genius, someone that everyone looked up to and adored. Even at home, no one would ever scold him or complain about him. He had free reins to do whatever he wished to do, with full support from his family.


    He was after all the heir to an empire. The Han corporation was the biggest in their country, its wealth so overwhelming that no one would be capable of ever spending that much money in their entire lifetime, even if they tried.


    He was like a god descending to the mundane world, someone who held the fate of normal citizens in his hands.


    But Jiang Yingyue was a commoner through and through. Whereas she had gone to the illustrious Riluo High, Han Qingshan had instead been studying abroad.


    Jiang Yingyue had no interest in the upper class of society. They lived different lives from her, and they had nothing to do with one another, so she had never bothered attempting to actually understand them. Even now, she only knew that the young man in front of her was referred to as ''Young Master Shan''. What kind of family he came from was unknown to her.


    Glancing at the man in front of her, she had to admit that he was handsome. Even more handsome than herself.


    Where she had a rather androgynous face, her body seemed lean and slim. Although she could trick people into thinking that she was a man, she would never become a masculine man.


    Han Qingshan was the kind of young man who looked lean on the outside, but if one were to strip him of his clothes, then they would find that he had some rather outstanding abdominal muscles.


    His face also had some masculine charm. It was well defined, and his dark eyes were as deep as a bottomless abyss. It was easy to get drawn into this eyes and forget about everything else while looking at them.


    Sensing that he was being looked at, he raised his head and sent an enigmatic smile towards Jiang Yingyue. However, she did not get blinded like the majority of other girls. Instead, she snorted and looked away, pretending to ignore him.


    It was not that Jiang Yingyue was prejudiced against the rich upper-class kids, but this man had almost cost her her little life, and she could not help but have an impression of him being too careless with human life. Racing on a small road was so unreasonable; it was simply the same as asking to kill someone.


    Han Qingshan felt rather frustrated as well. Usually, he would not drive that fast in such crowded and narrow streets, but they were running late, and he hated being late. Who would have thought that the accident would have happened?


    "Tell me, why did you save that girl?" Han Qingshan looked at Jiang Yingyue with curiosity as he began asking his questions.


    "Would you not save someone when you saw that they were about to die in front of you?" Jiang Yingyue returned the question with another question, but where he was asking with a gentle and friendly voice, hers was curt and rude.


    Fortunately, Han Qingshan did not feel insulted. Instead, he just smiled and shook his head. "I would, but I would also be scared if something like that were to happen in front of me. You did not seem to consider the danger, jumping right in front of a speeding car to push that little girl away.


    "When you were hit, you did not panic; you even took the time to check whether or not you broke anything, and you did not even want to go to the hospital.


    "You refused the compensation I offered you, and you even ignored my existence. It is not something most people can do, so can you tell me, why are you so different from everyone else?"


    Han Qingshan looked at Jiang Yingyue with curiosity, his eyes gleaming with interest. "From what I have seen, no one does something without personal benefits. No one says ''no thank you'' to more money, and no one ignores a young master like me. So tell me, why are you so different?"


    Jiang Yingyue finally understood what it was that made Han Qingshan so interested in her. She had done something selflessly, and it had stirred his interest. This was fine. As long as she answered his questions, he would stop pestering her, so it was no problem for her to entertain his curiosity.


    Although she had been hostile towards him earlier, she now smiled slightly and shook her head.


    "It might be that you, and people amongst your rank, only see from the lens of personal benefit, but we who live at the bottom of society know how much a human life is worth. We are friendly towards each other and want to assist one another when we can.


    "When we experience difficulties, it is obvious that we will gather together and support one another. It is true that there are a lot of bad and scummy people even amongst ourselves, but as a whole, we are more united.


    "At the same time, we have our dignity. I cannot take your money when there was nothing wrong with me. True, I got some bruises and cuts, but it was my own decision to jump out and save the girl, so taking your money would feel wrong.


    "And honestly, although you and your friends are young masters and misses of the upper class, I do not feel the need to fawn over you.


    "I am from a completely different demographic than you are, so I will never have anything to do with you young masters. The fact that I am sitting here today is already a once in a lifetime event."

 Chapter 12锛歐hite Lotus

    Han Qingshan did not speak right after hearing what Jiang Yingyue had said. He pondered on his words and thought that they made sense. Nothing he said sounded unrealistic.


    Those who were rich were often scared of losing what they had, always aiming for more and more, never satisfied, while many of the commoners knew that their lot in life was different, and thus they were mostly content with what they had.


    "I quite like your way of thinking," Han Qingshan said with a smile on his face. "Why not spend more time with me in order to enlighten me about the life of commoners? I am so used to the world of capitalists, so it would be quite interesting to see what the commoners experience. Maybe I can even improve my personality this way."


    "It is not really my responsibility to help you improve your personality," Jiang Yingyue said with pursed lips and a slightly bewildered expression on her face. Were they not done with their discussion now? Had he not understood that she was basically saying that they were so fundamentally different because of their heritage?


    Seeing her expression turn bewildered, a cunning flash flickered past Han Qingshan''s eyes. He did not know why, but he felt comfortable around this younger girl who seemingly did not like him.


    She was not pretentious, nor was she flattering. She was completely honest and straightforward. She did not mask his thoughts at all, every cell in her being was shouting to leave her be, but it was impossible for Han Qingshan to leave her be now that she raised his interest.


    Just as Jiang Yingyue was about to say that she was not willing to socialize with him, a few women came towards the table. Their bodies were dressed in brand name clothes of the most expensive kind, and those clothes accentuated their figures, making all of them seem very seductive, but in a more prudent way. They were not showing off a lot of skin, but the figure-wrapping clothes were not leaving much to the imagination.


    Her eyes were focused on Han Qingshan as if she did not even notice Jiang Yingyue, who was sitting across from him, and without even asking for permission, she slipped onto the chair next to Han Qingshan and wrapped her arms around his.


    Seeing the girl, a bit of annoyance was evident on Han Qingshan''s face, and he released his arm from her grip before he glanced at Jiang Yingyue, who was just casually observing what was happening in front of her with interest.


    For some unknown reason, he felt rather bad about being so close to the woman when he was in front of Jiang Yingyue, but he figured that it was because he did not want this young woman to misunderstand him as one of those rich young masters that used money to solve every issue; that he was not one of the stuck up arrogant men from high society.


    "He Yuyan, please behave!" Han Qingshan said with a bit of impatience in his voice.


    "Young Master Shan, I am just so happy to have met you today, why don''t we spend some time together?" the woman who was named He Yuyan asked, her voice filled with seduction. Han Qingshan was used to women behaving like this so it made no impact on him.


    He had known He Yuyan for many years, as the He family was also in the upper layers of society, but he had never paid her much attention. She was not his type at all, and even now when she was purring in his ear, he only felt annoyance towards her.


    "He Yuyan, I was busy conversing with my good friend here, and I have yet to settle with you about interrupting me. Now you want me to ditch him? You have not even glanced at or greeted him yet; is this how you were brought up?" Han Qingshan was rather indignant when he heard her speak, and he could not help but scold her.


    As expected, He Yuyan could not handle the scolding. Tears welled up in her eyes. Then she glared fiercely at Jiang Yingyue.


    "His clothes are shabby and his hair is a mess. He might be pretty, but he is clearly a commoner. Why spend your time on someone that can''t be of help to you at all?" she asked, with disgust in her voice. She had not spoken softly at all, and many started stealing glances at their table.


    Jiang Yingyue wanted to applaud this He Yuyan. The very things she had thought herself and mentioned to Han Qingshan were now being said out loud.


    Shockingly enough, when the words escaped He Yuyan''s mouth, the expression on Han Qingshan''s face turned solemn and cold.


    Everyone knew that Han Qingshan usually had a good temper, but they knew even better that touching his bottom line would transform him into a demon.


    This He Yuyan had touched his bottom line. Sensing the air temperature suddenly dropping and seeing the cold expression on Han Qingshan''s face, not only was He Yuyan shocked, so was Jiang Yingyue.


    The two of them could not be considered friends or even acquaintances. They had only met twice so far; the first time when she almost lost her life and then now.


    It did not make sense for Han Qingshan to become so upset on her behalf, but it proved that reality was different from what she had expected. The young master was indeed upset on her behalf.


    "Young... Young Master Shan, please forgive me." He Yuyan seemed to understand that she had indeed gone overboard, but although she was pleading for forgiveness, she did not forget to send a deathly glare towards Jiang Yingyue.


    Her demeanor seemed to say that she was only being admonished because of Jiang Yingyue and that if she had behaved, nothing like this would have happened.


    Feeling slightly wronged, Jiang Yingyue took the fork and placed some of the strawberry cheesecake within her mouth while quietly observing the scene play out in front of her.


    He Yuyan had tears in her eyes. Her sidekicks finally piped up.


    "Young Master, Miss He meant no harm. She was just surprised to see you with a commoner," one of them said in an attempt to defuse the situation.

 Chapter 13锛欶riendship is Blooming

    Unfortunately, those words did not calm Han Qingshan down at all. In fact, they just made him even more sullen.


    He glanced at the woman who had spoken. She clammed up like an oyster, not even daring to breathe loudly afterwards.


    The other women were also hesitant now. They all wanted to bring some clarity to the situation, but none of them seemed to understand why Han Qingshan was furious.


    Was it because they had called his friend a commoner? It could not be, she was clearly a commoner, so saying this should not be considered an insult.


    Was it the tone they had used? Although it had been slightly overbearing and arrogant, they were all noble born misses, while this commoner was born out of normal citizens. The fact that they had even mentioned her should already be an honor for her.


    So what could it be? They could not figure it out, and since they could not figure it out, they decided to just keep quiet.


    He Yuyan was uncomfortable when she saw that Han Qingshan was truly unhappy with her. Her aim was to get married into the Han family, as only then would she be the most revered and respected woman in the entire country. So right now she needed to ensure that the anger that Han Qingshan was carrying for her would be removed.


    Gnashing her teeth and glaring at Jiang Yingyue for the umpteenth time, she pretended to be a pitiful white lotus as she clung onto Han Qingshan''s arm, pressing her breasts on him and tearing up, albeit making sure she did it without destroying her heavily applied makeup.


    "Brother Shan... Young Master Shan, I didn''t mean to insult your friend," she said pitifully. Although she was speaking like this, she was forcing the words out unhappily, and it was plain as day that there was no sincerity behind them.


    She had never wanted to acknowledge any mistake, as she was an honorable young woman, someone who multiple men looked up to and adored. But now she was forced to lower herself in front of a mere commoner. This was the most humiliating thing she had ever experienced. But to ensure that Han Qingshan was not angry with her, she had no other choice.


    Jiang Yingyue was rather surprised when she saw that Han Qingshan was mad on her behalf, and she could sense that it was not a pretense on his part; he was in fact very upset at how the woman had referred to and treated his alleged friend.


    She had expected that Han Qingshan would be like every other noble-born son, arrogant and whimsical, but now she started to realize that he really meant it when he said that he wanted to treat her like a friend. She could not help but flash a genuine smile at him.


    Han Qingshan was surprised when he saw that Jiang Yingyue suddenly had a change in her opinion of him. Although he was still feeling indignant, his mood improved drastically.


    He looked seriously at Jiang Yingyue, before he focused on the woman who was pressing her bosom on his arm. He once more withdrew his arm from her grasp and almost pushed her away, before he remembered his manners and steadied her on her own seat.


    "Jiang Fengmian is my friend," he said seriously as he looked at the woman. "His origins have nothing to do with who he is, and I feel rather pleased having him as my friend. Now that you are insulting him, is it not the same as insulting me and my taste in friends?"


    Han Qingshan was taking a strong stance. He was not happy, and everyone could feel his unhappiness from the words he had spoken.


    The entire cafe had gone quiet, and everyone was listening in on the conversation. This was a place for the rich and affluent, so when they heard the woman mention the name ''Young Master Shan,'' alongside his response, all of them were filled with curiosity towards this person who he was protecting.


    Jiang Yingyue had never been close to anyone before, and this was also the first time that someone had stood up for her like this. She could not help but feel a bit of warmth in her heart when she heard him refer to her as his friend. Right then, she wondered if it would be okay having just one friend.


    Even though Jiang Yingyue had that thought, she was still quite uncertain. She would like to have a friend. She would like Jiang Fengmian to experience having a friend instead of just being alone all his life. But if she got too close to this man, was it not rather risky? Could he realize that the real her was not a man but in fact a woman?


    Han Qingshan saw that Jiang Yingyue was deep in thought, but he did not interrupt her. Instead, his steely gaze was focused on He Yuyan.


    "I will let you be because of the longtime friendship between our two families," Han Qingshan said coldly, "but don''t question my taste in friends ever again. Now please leave and let me continue my conversation with my friend. Also, don''t hang onto my arm. It is not fitting for a young, unmarried woman to hang onto a man like this. One might think you are desperate for company."


    His words were harsh, and they tore away He Yuyan''s face. Having been told that she was desperate for company made her seem cheap. Her face alternated between blood red and sheet white.


    Her friends also glared at Jiang Yingyue before they rushed after her. They all felt that it was his fault that things had escalated so badly. Who had permitted such a tasteless person to be near their Young Master Shan?


    "Sorry about that," Han Qingshan said, a genuine expression of being sorry written all over him.


    "Did you really mean what you said?" Jiang Yingyue did not dwell on the apology but instead asked him about what he had said earlier.


    "What do you mean?" Han Qingshan asked with a frown on his face. He was sure that he had meant everything he said, but what did Jiang Fengmian refer to?


    "Are you sure that you want to be my friend?" she asked hesitantly, her voice rather low.

 Chapter 14锛歒oung Masters New Friend

    Han Qingshan could not help but feel his heart soften when he heard Jiang Yingyue''s soft-spoken and gentle voice. The reason eluded him, but this voice touched his heartstrings. He quickly nodded his head.


    "Of course I meant it," he said with a serious expression on his face. "I feel that I can learn so much more about life from being your friend. I also feel that you are a great person to befriend, so why should I not go with my hunch?"


    Jiang Yingyue was surprised. She narrowed her eyes as she looked at Han Qingshan. Was this man serious? She could not help but wonder what exactly was happening.


    However, she had always wanted a friend, but she could not befriend girls out of the fear that they would get too close and unmask her. Boys, on the other hand, had always treated her as if she was the plague, so finding a male friend had been impossible for her as well.


    She had always felt slightly lonely, and she also felt regretful that this by proxy would mean that Jiang Fengmian lived his life alone. He had been such a wonderful person who deserved to have a good friend, but she could not change the fact that she had a great secret to keep; one that no one was ever allowed to know of.


    Just as she realized that she might be able to find a good friend, her heart started beating erratically. She was extremely happy and excited about the prospect.


    A slight blush crept onto her cheeks, and she looked rather bashful. It was an expression that reached straight into Han Qingshan''s heart, and the man in question could not help but stare at the younger girl in front of him.


    Jiang Yingyue said no more. Seeing that she did not object, the smile on Han Qingshan''s face turned warmer. He could not help appreciate the appearance of the other sitting there, slowly eating the strawberry cheesecake as if it was the most delicious meal she ever had.


    Han Qingshan understood that Jiang Yingyue came from a poor background. It was obvious that she did not get to eat sweet things very often, if at all, especially some as delicious as the ones made in this cafe, which was famed throughout the entire capital for their cakes and coffees.


    "We can come here as many times as you want," Han Qingshan said, with a smile so great it reached his eyes. He too enjoyed the strawberry cheesecake, but not as much as seeing his newfound friend enjoying it.


    In fact, he found that this new friend of his was extremely pleasing to the eyes. He was very curious about her and her reasons behind having a fake ID, but he did not want to chase her away or corner him out of the blue, so he stayed silent about the background check he had done on him.


    He had, of course, requested the cold man to look out for more details and information, but the latter had not returned with any results yet. It was quite surprising that such poor people could hide a part of their past, but it seemed that they had done something rather substantial to hide it.


    Jiang Yingyue finished the cake, and took care of the fresh strawberries last, slowly enjoying its taste. She loved strawberries, but it was almost impossible to get her hands on them at a reasonable price.


    Seeing her happy expression, Han Qingshan rested his head in his arms and the smile on his face also intensified.


    "I am sorry for almost killing you before," he sighed, realizing that his apology that day had been rather rushed because he was panicked and focused on having Jiang Yingyue be sent to the hospital for a check-up.


    Now that they were friends, and since they were still seated in front of one another, it was the perfect time to sincerely apologize.


    "It''s fine already," Jiang Yingyue waved her hand at him to show that she really did not mind.


    Although she was indeed a commoner, she still had her pride and dignity. To have this Han Qingshan protect her dignity was indeed something that made her feel grateful towards him.


    Not to mention, he had bought her a slice of cake. As a foodie, it was obvious that it made her opinion of him rise drastically.


    When she finished her drink and cake, Han Qingshan got up from his seat, and together they went back to the car.


    "Let me drive you home," he said, curious to see in what kind of living conditions this gal and her family lived in.


    Jiang Yingyue just assumed that he was being friendly, so she flashed him her trademark smile and nodded her head.


    "Then I will have to trouble Young Master Shan," she said gratefully. This way she could save on the bus fare.


    Hearing her refer to him as Young Master Shan, Han Qingshan frowned. "Just call me by my name directly��Han Qingshan."


    "Is that not a bit too intimate?" Jiang Yingyue could not help but ask, but Han Qingshan somehow really wanted this younger woman to call him by his name directly, so he quickly shook his head.


    "I don''t have that many real friends," he started explaining. "Now that I have found someone who has not befriended me because of my social position, I hope you will approve my request."


    Jiang Yingyue was not used to being close to anyone anymore, as she never had any friends since her transformation, so she could only frown slightly. Did friends really refer to each other with their given names? She did not know or remember, but it was not like she would lose anything by using his name. So if he was not embarrassed, why should she be?


    "Okay, Han Qingshan it is then," she readily agreed. Han Qingshan felt a flutter in his chest as he heard her say his name like that. He could not help but wonder if this Jiang Yingyue was like a white sheet of paper, completely inexperienced with social relationships. Although she seemed somewhat experienced and mature, their interaction so far had proven that she really didn''t know how to interact with friends.

 Chapter 15锛歒oung Masters First Market Visit

    Jiang Yingyue said no more as she entered Han Qingshan''s black Porsche. Neither of them spoke on the way home. Instead, the man was focused on driving while smiling slightly, feeling very pleased with himself. Jiang Yingyue was busy contemplating what she should make for dinner that night.


    "You can stop at the market instead of driving me all the way home," she said. Her voice sounded pleasant to his ear. To him, it was a voice that he would never be tired of listening to.


    "Why the market?" he asked in confusion. Jiang Yingyue gave him a perplexed look. "I need to shop for tonight''s dinner, how else am I supposed to cook?" she explained.


    She had thought it would be obvious, but then she was reminded that the man in front of her was not a simple person. He likely had chefs that catered to his every need and cooked whatever he wanted to eat. Their groceries were likely delivered to his mansion, or he would eat outside of the home in fancy restaurants every day.


    "You can cook?" Han Qingshan raised an eyebrow in surprise when he heard that Jiang Yingyue was shopping for dinner. When he saw her nod her head, he was surprised.


    This young woman by his side was like a treasure trove filled with wondrous surprises.


    She was a smart student who always got a scholarship, and now he found out that she even knew how to cook.


    "Well, if you are cooking, why don''t I stay over for dinner?" Han Qingshan suddenly asked. His question made Jiang Yingyue''s eyes widen in surprise and shock.


    "Excuse me, my dear young master, I live in a very small house with my hardworking parents. My entire home is probably even smaller than your room!"


    "I won''t look down on you just because of that." Han Qingshan grinned when he heard his words. "I just want to taste your cooking. I am sure it will be delicious."


    "Of course it is delicious, but it is also very simple. I cannot make such an esteemed person like yourself eat my cooking!"


    "I am easily pleased."


    "No, really, it would be too much."


    "I will pay for the food, you can buy any ingredients you want."


    Seeing the sudden change in behavior, Han Qingshan''s lips twitched slightly. He had never thought that Jiang Yingyue was so simple to convince; a simple mention of paying for the ingredients made her change her mind so rapidly.


    Fortunately, Han Qingshan had so much money that he would never run out, so paying for ingredients would be even cheaper than going to a restaurant to eat.


    "Let us go to the market then." Han Qingshan was not going to give Jiang Yingyue an opportunity to change her opinion and drove straight to the market.


    This was the first time that Han Qingshan had ever been to a market, and he was quickly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of noise and people.


    Stalls were everywhere, and the people in the stalls were calling out, trying to sell their wares.


    "Hey, handsome, I will give you a good price if you come to my shop!" one of them called out when they saw Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan.


    The ones on the road had noticed them quite early. Seeing them walking down the roads made them all feel excited. All the middle-aged women were smiling and tried to get closer to look at Han Qingshan. All his clothes were branded, and he did not seem to fit in very well at the market.


    "Youngster Jiang, come, come, I have some fresh vegetables, newly harvested this morning!" a stall lady called out, her face radiated with happiness when she saw Jiang Yingyue coming towards her stall.


    "Grandma Meng, thank you, I will need to get some extra things today," she said with a smirk and picked up a mountain of vegetables and fruits.


    Since Han Qingshan said that he would pay for the meal, she was going to make a big scrumptious meal with many dishes. Her parents rarely got to eat good food, so she was quite happy.


    After purchasing the vegetables, she started lamenting out loud, "I wanted to make a seafood feast, but we live so far into the country that getting seafood is extremely expensive and very hard to find."


    Seeing the disappointment on Jiang Yingyue''s face, Han Qingshan felt slightly surprised. Was it really difficult to get seafood here? He often ate seafood at restaurants after all, but when thinking about it, he realized it was indeed different for the common people.


    "Let us go to a supermarket," he suggested. "They ought to have fresh fish."


    Upon hearing Han Qingshan saying this, the depressed Jiang Yingyue''s mood rose again, and she could not help but smile at him. "Thank you!" she exclaimed happily, her joyous mood spreading to Han Qingshan.


    "You are the one cooking, so you ought to be allowed to decide what we eat." He grinned at the smiling Jiang Yingyue. Without realizing it, he reached out his hand and ruffled her hair.


    Jiang Yingyue was surprised and slightly alarmed, but after remembering that her head was the same whether she was a woman or a man, she quickly relaxed again and just pouted slightly. But deep inside, she felt warm.


    Han Qingshan withdrew his hand, but he was shocked to find out that Jiang Yingyue''s hair was soft like silk. He really wanted to comb his hand through her hair and feel that softness again, but he held back. They had just become friends, and it was not appropriate to touch her too much.


    He had also seen the brief flash of panic in Jiang Yingyue''s eyes when she was touched, so he could not help but wonder what kind of past this young woman was hiding, and what had happened to her that made her so cautious of others.


    Together, they returned to the car, only to find that a bunch of people had crowded around it, admiring it. Both girls and guys had gathered around hoping to see the owner of the car.


    "Look, look, it''s those two handsome young men, they must be the owners of the car," someone whispered as they walked forward.

 Chapter 16锛欻ome of a Commoner

    Han Qingshan had never experienced a situation like this before. He only frequented upper scale establishments, so for him to encounter a scene where everyone was looking at his car with such great reverence was something that had never happened to him before.


    Jiang Yingyue seemed to have expected it to happen and felt quite helpless. She went towards the car, and the moment she stepped forward, a young woman collapsed right in front of her.


    "Oh young masters, I just twisted my ankle, please help me get to the hospital," the woman said seductively and with tears in her eyes. Jiang Yingyue was completely unaffected. She was a woman after all, and Han Qingshan also ignored her. He had seen every trick in the book from all the people who tried to get close to him, so this was nothing new.


    Jiang Yingyue walked straight past her and placed all the groceries in the car trunk, and then she went towards the passenger seat, while Han Qingshan walked towards the driver''s seat.


    "I should not bring you to such a place in the future," Jiang Yingyue sighed as she considered the dangers. "You are a very important person so coming to such a place could be rather dangerous. I guess you should stick to your upper-class places."


    "I''m not a flower vase," Han Qingshan complained. "I can experience your true life, and that''s exactly what I want to see, so don''t worry about me. Also, there is always a car of bodyguards following me everywhere I go. I will be safe."


    "Rich people''s problems," Jiang Yingyue muttered, but she said nothing out loud. Han Qingshan drove the car towards the closest supermarket, where he could buy the seafood that the woman was craving for.


    Their time in the supermarket was simple; they entered and went straight for the seafood counter. Jiang Yingyue was so happy to buy everything that she could, like shrimps, prawns, scallops, lobsters and mussels.


    After buying everything, she held the bag close to her bosom with excitement. She could not wait to see her parents'' faces once they saw the feast she had planned for them.


    Seeing her getting so happy from merely buying a small bag of seafood, Han Qingshan started to reflect on himself. Had he ever been happy because of the everyday small things that he got or happened to him?


    He had a black credit card and could buy anything he pleased whenever he pleased.


    He did not have a limit to how much he could spend, so if he fancied something he would buy it straight away. But he would never make this kind of happy expression on his face that this Jiang Yingyue had made so naturally.


    He also suddenly felt that he was becoming incredibly happy just by looking at this new friend of his. Seeing Jiang Yingyue''s happiness was enough to make him happy too. Something new had started to take root inside him. A feeling of accomplishment for making someone happy appeared in his heart, and it made him very pleased with himself.


    He was starting to feel anticipation about tasting the feast that Jiang Yingyue was going to prepare. He had never had someone who was not a professional chef cook for him, so he was very curious to see how good homemade food would taste like.


    After picking up all their groceries from the trunk, Jiang Yingyue guided Han Qingshan back to her home. It was a small, simple house, located around an hour away from the university.


    It looked old but was surprisingly well maintained. The car was parked on the sidewalk, and Jiang Yingyue gestured for the young man to follow her inside her house.


    It had been true when she said that the entire house was smaller than Han Qingshan''s room alone. After they passed through the door, they entered straight into the living room. The place did not even have a hallway. The bedroom that belonged to Jiang Yingyue was so small that it only had space for her single bed, a dresser filled with her clothes, and a small desk where she did all her studying.


    It was not possible to even move around in the room, but fortunately the door opened outwards. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to even open it.


    Although it was small, everything was kept neat and tidy. Han Qingshan was looking around with curiosity. He had never been in such a small building before.


    Seeing that Jiang Yingyue removed her jacket and rolled up her sleeves, Han Qingshan could not help but glance at the slim girl in front of him. Her arms were like lotus roots, delicate, and gave him a very feminine feeling.


    The skin was so white and carried the semblance of the purest jade. Even the slim fingers were beautiful. He could not help but remember the feeling he got when he touched her hand earlier.


    When Han Qingshan looked at Jiang Yingyue, his immediate thought was that this young woman was too skinny for her own good. Was she not eating enough?


    He suddenly started worrying endlessly about Jiang Yingyue, feeling that she was in need of someone to look after her. At least they were now considered friends, so it wouldn''t be too strange for him to get closer and help out, and ensure that she was not starving anymore.


    Truthfully, Jiang Yingyue was not skinny to a malnourished level. Her body was perfectly proportioned. Not an ounce of excess fat was found anywhere on her body. But because of her small waist, her silhouette was rather small, making her seem slightly undernourished when one looked at her from a distance and assumed that she was a man.


    Jiang Yingyue did not notice the odd expression on Han Qingshan''s face when she picked up the bags of groceries and took them to the kitchen.


    She quickly started cooking the vegetables and the seafood, making a table full of food. She ended up preparing a bit of everything, making a full set of twelve dishes. The familiarity with which she wielded the knife and the kitchen utensils was amazing, and her cooking was like watching an artist draw. Han Qingshan was astounded when he saw how Jiang Yingyue was cooking so skillfully, and he started to feel hungry as he smelled the delicious scent of the food that wafted up from the table.

 Chapter 17锛欻ome Cooked Meal

    As the final dish was placed on the table, the front door opened and in came a man and a woman.


    Both of them were removing their jackets and shoes, before they stopped in their tracks as they noticed a stranger, in the person of Han Qingshan, in their sitting room, next to Jiang Yingyue.


    "Mother and Father, this is my friend, Han Qingshan." Jiang Yingyue introduced the boy to them, her expression was one filled with warning, and they instantly caught onto her signals.


    "Han Qingshan studies at the same university as me, we met today and hit it off. He offered to give me a cup of coffee, and since he insisted on driving me home, I invited him to stay for dinner."


    Although this was not completely correct, it was the easiest way to explain their relationship. If Jiang Yingyue truly said that this was the person who almost killed her, then her parents would never approve of him.


    "This is the first time our baby has taken someone home from school!" Xun Huiying said with tears in her eyes. "To think that our child is growing up so fast."


    Han Qingshan was surprised. Although he had heard from the cold man that she never got close to anyone, he was still surprised to find out that she had never invited anyone home before. Was this not a great honor for him to be the first then?


    "Han Qingshan bought the groceries for tonight, so we are having a great seafood feast," Jiang Yingyue said with a great smile on her face, displaying her canine teeth, looking incredibly handsome and pleased with herself.


    "Oh, you invited him to dinner; why would he have to pay the groceries?" Xun Huiyin was instantly unhappy, but Jiang Yingyue just waved her hands, "He''s got more money than dirt, so I just let him pay for it."


    Both Jiang Wei and Xun Huiyin were skeptical, but Han Qingshan just smiled and nodded his head, "It was indeed my own offer to pay for the groceries, in order to be fortunate enough to taste Fengmian''s cooking."


    They were not aware of Han Qingshan''s background, but they had seen the Porsche that was parked outside their home, and when they saw the overwhelmingly large feast of dishes that were placed on the table, they could not help but feel a bit worried.


    They could guess that this man was not a simple person, but how had their Jiang Yingyue gotten familiar with him? Also was their daughter finally starting to notice those of the opposite sex?


    The two parents were filled with mixed emotions. On one hand, they wanted their daughter to return to her female life for her own sake, but on the other, they knew that if she did return to her own life, they would have a lot of explaining to do, maybe they would even have to leave behind everything they had here in the capital.


    Still, they were willing to leave it all behind, but what would their daughter want to do? If she really fell in love, would she be able to accept having to leave her lover to begin life anew somewhere else?


    They were worried, but they said nothing. Maybe he really was just a friend. Seeing their child finally making a friend was quite amazing, and they were becoming much more relaxed and happy.


    Han Qingshan was used to dining outside the mansion, and he would eat with his family only a few times in a year. Both his parents were usually busy with their own thing, so eating together, even as a family, rarely happened.


    Han Qingshan could not help but take some pictures of the food and post it on his WeChat moments, with a text of ''Eating homemade cooking is the best'' before he put away the phone with a smile on his face.


    All four of them were quite eager to eat the food, each of them feeling the meal was a new experience in one way or another. Jiang Yingyue and her parents had not had a seafood feast like this in a very long time, and Han Qingshan had never experienced homemade food before.


    Although Jiang Yingyue had bought many more ingredients, than she thought would be needed, in the end, the four of them polished off all the plates, all of them were enjoying the meal while laughing and chatting.


    Han Qingshan was polite and friendly. He did not try to belittle Xun Huiyin nor Jiang Wei. Instead, he told them a bit about the university that Jiang Yingyue had just started attending, helping them get a better understanding of the place where she would spend almost every single day of her life for the next three years, if not longer.


    Jiang Yingyue saw how well Han Qingshan was managing her parents, and she could only shake her head. He had managed to pacify her just as easily, simply by standing up for her slightly when others were insulting her.


    Noticing that the youngster was staring at him, Han Qingshan flashed a brilliant smile at Jiang Yingyue, who returned it with a smile of her own and a shake of her head.


    After the meal, Xun Huiyin went to do the dishes, while Jiang Yingyue walked Han Qingshan to his car.


    "Thank you for today," she said with a smile, and Han Qingshan just smiled back, "I should be the one thanking you," he said, with a big grin on his face. "The meal was very delicious. I have never experienced anything like it before."


    "I might not be good at many things, but I take pride in my cooking," Jiang Yingyue laughed sweetly, as she was being praised for something she had practiced for a long time.


    "Let us exchange numbers and WeChat contacts," Han Qingshan picked up his phone, but Jiang Yingyue just shook her head, "I don''t have a phone," she said honestly.


    Once again Han Qingshan was surprised by the difference in their worlds. He could not imagine a life without a phone, but even then, finding out that someone as old as Jiang Yingyue actually did not have a phone, left him stunned.


    He then finally decided on what to give the younger woman as a thank you for the delicious meal he had just eaten.

 Chapter 18锛欼t Is A Guy

    As Han Qingshan returned home, he picked up his phone, and looked at his WeChat, only to see that many had messaged him.


    The picture did not show anything of the surroundings, it only showed the homely looking dishes and the old fashioned plates they were plated on, and many were curious as to where he had gone to eat and who had cooked for him.


    Many felt that there was some gossip here, and they did everything they could to dig out this secret, but Han Qingshan was tight-lipped, only answering all of them that it was his friend who had cooked for him.


    Suddenly he received a message from someone he had not expected to hear from, "My dear son, who was it that made homecooked food for you? Is it a young lady? We are really not picky; if you like the woman then bring her home and let us see her."


    "It is just a friend, and he is male." Han Qingshan answered with a smile on his face. He had to admit that Jiang Yingyue was more like a housewife than most of the females he knew. She was keeping the small home tidy and clean, and she was good at cooking. If ''she'' was a woman, she would be the ideal housewife, someone any man would take home in an instant, especially when looking at her beautiful face.


    "I see, but it is good that you have found yourself a friend," Han Qingshan''s mother was texting back rather fast, her face flushed with happiness. Han Qingshan was a friendly person that everyone could talk to, and he never put on airs of being superior, but those who really knew him, knew that he was almost impossible to get close to.


    Although he was friendly to everyone, he kept them at a distance. He never allowed anyone to get really close to him. In fact, he was a very cold and callous person hiding behind a cheerful and friendly mask.


    To hear her son acknowledge someone as his friend, this was the first time for her, so she was quite surprised.


    Unfortunately, when she tried digging more into it, Han Qingshan just stopped answering her. Still, a smile played on Han Qingshan''s lips as he returned to his condo.


    Han Qingshan had many residences throughout the capital, but there were two places where he mostly stayed. It was either this condo or at the Han mansion, his family''s home.


    Today he wanted to be alone, and he did not want to have the maids and servants clamoring all around him, so he went to the condo where he quickly went inside. The condo was more than ten times bigger than Jiang Yingyue''s home, but he suddenly felt that it was nowhere as homely.


    He went to the bathroom and took a shower before he laid down on his bed. Throughout the entire day, a smile had played on his lips, and even now it had not vanished.


    He was very happy with how he had managed to befriend this Jiang Yingyue. He could not wait to see the look on her face when he would bring her a surprise the next day.


    The day after, dawn broke, and Jiang Yingyue woke up and prepared to go to the university again. She was taking the subway like usual, and it took her an hour and a half to arrive, as the crowd was really atrocious.


    When she finally made it to campus, she found that everyone was looking and pointing at her. She furrowed her brows in confusion, her handsome face displaying incomprehension when some people suddenly walked up to her.


    It was someone from Riluo High, so she was somewhat familiar with them. Although they had never been close, they still knew each other.


    "Prince Fengmian, how do you know Young Master Shan?" one of them asked, with an infatuated expression on her face, the question making Jiang Yingyue understand what was going on.


    It seemed that she had underestimated the spreading speed of rumors at school. Since she had left with Han Qingshan the day before, everyone seemed to know about it now.


    Smiling gently at the girls, she answered, "Han Qingshan and I are friends," she answered casually as if it was something simple, but what she did not expect was that the moment she had spoken, someone snorted behind her.


    When she looked, she seemed to think that this person was somewhat familiar, but she could not place where she had seen her before.


    It was not long before he remembered the cafe from the day before, that she realized that this was the woman who had clung onto Han Qingshan''s arm and eventually left crying.


    "What is it to you how I refer to him?" Jiang Yingyue asked with a slight smile on her face, looking completely unperturbed.


    The woman, He Yuyan, looked hatefully at Jiang Yingyue, her eyes indicating that she wished to tear her apart.


    "You are just abusing Young Master Shan''s friendliness, but don''t go too far! Just because he had lowered himself to drink coffee with you, does not mean you are special. No one is special to Young Master Shan!"


    Jiang Yingyue crossed her arms above her chest and looked mockingly at He Yuyan.


    "You have no right to comment on our friendship," Jiang Yingyue answered casually, "I can call him Qingshan all I want, and if you have a problem with it, take it up with him and not me."


    He Yuyan was close to exploding in anger. Her face was twisted into a sinister expression; she did not look like a noble socialite at all.


    "What is happening here?" A professor came towards the group of people, his expression rather solemn. When he saw that it was He Yuyan he instantly regretted stepping forward.


    Unfortunately, now that he had already made his presence known, it was impossible for him to retreat again, and he was just about to put all the blame onto the one who had insulted He Yuyan. Everyone knew that the He family was a royal family, so antagonizing them would be rather suicidal.

 Chapter 19锛歐inter Has Come

    "Miss He, is this delinquent causing you problems?" the professor asked, as he looked at Jiang Yingyue with hostile eyes.


    He had long since noticed that the clothes he was wearing were not from any famous or expensive brands. He was clearly a normal student, so putting all the blame on him was the easiest thing to do, and it seemed that he might even be praised by miss He if he did so.


    She had seen how the professor was clearly getting ready to punish this young man purely because he was not as rich or important as her, something that greatly pleased her vanity.


    "You there, how dare you be rude to a miss and cause problems in the middle of the university grounds!" The professor was turning all his anger onto Jiang Yingyue, who just stood there quietly with slightly narrowed eyes and a cold smile on her lips.


    Seeing that Jiang Yingyue did not instantly grovel in front of He Yuyan and himself, the professor instantly felt unhappy and mad, and he was even more certain that Jiang Yingyue should be punished.


    "Follow me to the office," the professor ordered Jiang Yingyue, and seeing this, He Yuyan was snickering with happiness and pride. She felt that she was finally getting back at Jiang Yingyue.


    In fact, He Yuyan did not think that Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan had a good relationship. She thought that Han Qingshan just needed to chat with him about something important, and that was why they were at the cafe the day before.


    Now that he was no longer by Han Qingshan''s side, he could no longer strut around like he owned everything, and pretend to be close to Young Master Shan.


    When Jiang Yingyue arrived at the office, she was instantly suspended from the University on the grounds of being a troublesome student.


    Throughout the entire process, Jiang Yingyue tried to explain, but no one listened to her at all. She was thoroughly ignored, and her mood turned foul.


    Jiang Yingyue never thought about complaining to Han Qingshan. Although she had been suspended for a period of time, it would be quite unlikely that she would be kicked out of the university as there were no grounds to do so.


    She was the highest scoring student that year, so kicking her out because of He Yuyan was not very likely, but being suspended at the beginning of the year was already enough to get her in a bad mood.


    "Go home and reflect on your behavior for the next month," the professor said, with a stern and unhappy voice, "You should know better than to be rude to Miss He. Miss He''s father is one of the shareholders of this university, to go against her is the same as going against the principal!"


    Jiang Yingyue glanced at the professor but said nothing in the end, she picked up her bag and left the office without looking back. She was fuming with anger but had no one to take it out on, so instead, she left the university right away, not even bothering to look back.


    Some students had been close to the office and overheard the entire conversation. Those who had been present had also spread the news over the entire University, that He Yuyan had looked for trouble with Prince Fengmian, and claimed that he was being rude and disrespectful towards Han Qingshan.


    Many were quite surprised and wondered what was going on. The day before was still fresh in everyone''s mind, there were pictures of Han Qingshan picking up Jiang Fengmian, so how could he suddenly be rude and disrespectful towards him?


    Jiang Yingyue paid no attention to anything and went straight home. She was so furious that she went home and changed her clothes to a fitness outfit, before leaving the house to go for a run close to the river.


    At this time, at the University, Han Qingshan was driving his black Porsche towards the parking lot, a smile playing on his lips as he was reminded of Jiang Fengmian''s expressions the day before, and he was excited to gift him the phone as a thank you present for the meal.


    Instead of going towards his own classroom, he headed towards the psychology course''s location, and he had a bag in his hands from the apple store with the newest iPhone within.


    As he reached the class, he waited for the lesson to end before entering. As he entered the classroom, everyone stopped in their tracks and looked at him with a mixture of expressions. There were adoration and greed, envy, jealousy, and even respect.


    He looked around but no matter where his eyes landed there were no signs of Jiang Fengmian. Han Qingshan could not help but frown.


    He had not known Jiang Fengmian for a long time, but he already knew that he was very dutiful. He would not skip class, so where was he?


    "Young Master Shan, what are you doing here?" The teacher could not help but ask when he saw that Han Qingshan was present.


    "Is Jiang Fengmian not here today? Is he on sick leave?" Han Qingshan frowned and felt slightly uneasy when he imagined that the guy who seemed okay the day before might be sick today.


    "Young Master Shan does not know?" One of the girls could not help but speak out loud in disbelief. "Does not know what?" Han Qingshan''s voice suddenly turned cold, and his eyes narrowed.


    "He Yuyan had a confrontation with Jiang Fengmian earlier today. She was very upset with him insulting you, being disrespectful and mentioning your name without an honorific, resulting in him being suspended for a month."


    "What?" Han Qingshan''s always smiling face was now cold as ice, the temperature within the classroom was dropping drastically; it was like winter had arrived.

 Chapter 20锛歒oung Master is Furious

    "Repeat what you just said." Han Qingshan was not pleased when he heard what the young woman said, but looking at his cold and bloodthirsty expression, the woman stuttered and dared not repeat the words she had said just before.


    Looking at the faces of everyone present, Han Qingshan soon understood that this had in fact happened, and his mood was turning increasingly bad.


    He had never expected that something like this would happen. He knew that He Yuyan was very spoiled and acted without thinking, but he never thought she would be so out of control. His eyes darkened, and he could not help but feel very annoyed.


    He turned around and left the classroom with large strides, but at the same time as he left, it felt as if the temperature in the classroom would never rise again.


    Han Qingshan went straight to the administrative office. On the way, he was fuming with anger as he could easily imagine what had transpired earlier that day.


    He was even more annoyed that Jiang Yingyue did not have a phone, so he could not call to hear if she was okay. He was so frustrated and helpless, but at least he knew where she lived.


    Although Han Qingshan was a student at their university, he was also the heir to the Han corporation, their largest shareholder.


    "What brings you here?" the principal asked rather worriedly, his face was rather ugly, and he felt how cold sweat was starting to flow from his back.


    He could see that Han Qingshan was unhappy, severely unhappy, and as such he could only hope that it wasn''t the fault of anyone in the leadership, or it was likely that there would be a great change in the upper echelon of the university.


    "Who was it that suspended Jiang Fengmian?" He asked right away, his voice like ice and his face not friendly at all.


    The always smiling Young Master Shan was not smiling, his eyes were cold, and it seemed as if he was out to slaughter someone.


    The principal was stunned at first, "Suspended Jiang Fengmian?" he asked, perplexed.


    "He got suspended earlier because of He Yuyan, who seems to have a blast with causing problems. I want the suspension to be canceled right away, and I want her to apologize to Jiang Fengmian."


    "This��" The principal was in a tight spot. He Yuyan was also the child of a shareholder, and to force her to apologize to a commoner would be the same as asking for her to throw away her face, but looking at the murderous Han Qingshan he dared not decline.


    "I am expecting that he will be able to return to school starting tomorrow, and the professor that suspended him had better own up to his crimes and quit the position he has right now."


    Han Qingshan did not wait for them to answer, before he turned around and left the office, his face still dark and gloomy.


    Han Qingshan did not go to find He Yuyan right away, neither did he attend his own seminar. Instead, he went towards his black Porsche and drove to Jiang Yingyue''s home.


    When he arrived he found that there was no light on, and it looked empty as if no one was home. This was further proven when he knocked on the door, but no one answered.


    Han Qingshan was feeling worried about Jiang Yingyue. He knew how much her university degree meant to her, so to suddenly be suspended must have made her both frustrated and depressed.


    He started panicking, thinking about how she would react, and he started blaming himself for not having fetched the phone faster, so that he could have been there before and helped her out.


    Han Qingshan really considered Jiang Yingyue his friend. He considered her his only real friend, and thus he felt extremely protective of her.


    He started panicking. He knew nothing about her habits or where she might frequent, and since she had no phone, how was it possible to contact her?


    A deep frown was on his face, and he was about to call the cold-sounding guy when a melodious voice was heard behind him.


    "Han Qingshan? What are you doing here; don''t you have a seminar to attend?"


    Hearing the voice was like sprinkling water on a withering flower. All of Han Qingshan''s negative thoughts evaporated like mist, and an apologetic smile appeared on his lips as he turned around to face that voice.


    When he turned around, he was surprised by what he saw. Right in front of him was Jiang Yingyue, bending slightly forward, her hands resting on her legs, while a sheen of sweat was visible on her forehead.


    She was breathing rapidly, and her clothes stuck to her body, making her seem even more petite than she actually was.


    Han Qingshan could not help but gulp slightly when he saw the other, but after shaking his head, he was returned to his senses.


    "How can I attend a seminar when I heard about your problems?" Han Qingshan asked, the friendly smile on his face had returned, and he seemed like a good-natured boy from next door.


    "That He Yuyan is quite a vindictive type of person. She seems to have decided that she dislikes me, so it is to be expected that I would be suspended. If she could, I am sure she would have me kicked out of university already, and I am not too surprised if she is working on that at this very moment." Jiang Yingyue spoke casually as if it was not her studies that were in jeopardy.


    Sensing her casual approach to this, Han Qingshan was feeling much more relieved. He knew by instinct that Jiang Yingyue was very upset, and felt unfairly treated, but she had accepted her lot in life. She knew that she could not go against a noble family, so she could only accept what was happening to her.


    Fortunately, Han Qingshan could go against any noble family.

 Chapter 21锛歒oung Master is Bashful

    "I will ensure that He Yuyan gives you a personal apology," Han Qingshan promised, with a domineering and cold expression on his face.


    Although he was very curious about Jiang Yingyue''s world of commoners, he would never belong to this world. He was a young master, the most influential young master in the entire country, and he would be able to use power to suppress others.


    "No need," Jiang Yingyue waved her hand quickly as she declined his offer. "Making her apologize to me will just make her hate me even more. I don''t want to become the target of her extreme ire."


    Han Qingshan looked at the petite and sweaty figure in front of him. He could not understand why, but he felt that because they had become real friends, he should do anything in his power to support her and give her all the best that he could offer.


    How could he accept that a simple He family was stepping all over his first real friend?


    "Well, I need to take a shower and change my clothes, so if there was nothing else..." Jiang Yingyue looked at Han Qingshan, her eyes somewhat urging him to leave so that she could go and change her clothes. It was uncomfortable to be soaked in sweat after getting rid of all her frustrations by running.


    "I have something for you," Han Qingshan reached into his car and took a bag out which he then tossed at Jiang Yingyue.


    She caught it rather awkwardly and was surprised when she saw it was a bag from the Apple store, her eyes widened when she looked into it and saw the box of the newest iPhone model.


    Lifting her head she looked at Han Qingshan confusedly, and he just snickered when he saw her confused and slightly dazed expression, finding it incredibly cute.


    "It''s for you," he said with a smile on his face, not the usual calm and casual smile, but a smile that came from his heart.


    "For me?" Jiang Yingyue was surprised and rather shocked. Why would this be for her? She did not remember doing anything that warranted such an expensive gift.


    "I wanted to thank you for the meal yesterday. Eating homecooked food was something I had never experienced before, and now after what happened at the university, I feel it even more of a necessity than I previously thought. If you could have called me, all this could have been avoided." Han Qingshan started explaining his reasons for why he had bought a phone for her, and he felt slightly bashful, even a little worried that she would not accept it.


    "I would like to accept it," Jiang Yingyue began, "but it is not that easy since I can''t afford a subscription, so I won''t be able to use it."


    "Oh don''t worry," Han Qingshan grinned, "the phone has already been set up, and the subscription is paid for by me. You can use it as you want, but you have to promise me that if you encounter a situation like this again, then you call me first of all."


    Jiang Yingyue was rather dazed and felt that there was something wrong with this situation. Although Han Qingshan was rich, was it really a good idea to spend his fortune on her?


    She was practically lying to him about her identity, and she could not help but feel slightly guilty.


    Seeing Jiang Yingyue hesitate, Han Qingshan felt nervous. He was never nervous, no matter what he did, but this seemingly small thing was making him feel uncomfortable and impatient.


    Jiang Yingyue glanced at Han Qingshan, who was intently looking at her with hopeful eyes, and she could not bring herself to disappoint him, so she felt herself nod her head hesitatingly.


    "Okay," she muttered, somewhat shy, but also very happy. She knew that her life was very different from other families because of her not being able to get close to anyone, and her parents working hard to pay their mortgage, not having much money to spend on anything frugal at all.


    But somehow this Han Qingshan was forcing his way into her heart as her very first friend in recent years. This was someone she wanted to keep as a friend for her entire life. He was a guy, and two guys should not get too close, so she was safe in this way, but previously she did not want other guys to get close to her because she was different.


    Even if she wished to pretend to be a man, she was not one. Her behavior and way of thinking were fundamentally different, so she was not good at dealing with guys, while she was an expert at pleasing girls.


    Han Qingshan was unaware of what Jiang Yingyue was thinking, but he could see that he was deep in thought. He did not disturb him, but he did not leave either, he just waited patiently for him to return to his senses.


    "Please keep me company for lunch today." Han Qingshan stated a request after a while, and Jiang Yingyue was stunned when she heard it. Then she narrowed her eyes and looked at him with suspicion.


    "I am going out to eat, but it is not nice to eat alone, and food always tastes better when you have someone to share it with." Although he said this, Han Qingshan had another reason to invite Jiang Yingyue out to eat.


    Jiang Yingyue had left the University in the morning and had been running for a few hours since then. Now it was already noon, but it wasn''t likely that she had eaten anything since breakfast, and if he left her alone, she would likely not eat anything either since she wanted to save money.


    Now that he was here, he was not going to let her go hungry, so he instantly invited her out to eat.


    It would be rude to decline now that she had just taken a new phone from him, and Jiang Yingyue hesitated for a moment only.


    "Sure," she said after thinking it through, "but I need to take a shower first."

 Chapter 22锛欴iscovery! Twin Sister!

    "No problem," Han Qingshan sent her a brilliant smile that would make any girl''s knees go weak, including Jiang Yingyue''s, but she quickly calmed herself down again.


    They entered the home, and while Jiang Yingyue went to fetch some clothes, Han Qingshan started to look through the flat.


    When he had been here the last time, he had not seen much of the photographs and small items that were placed on the shelves and cabinets, but this time he was out to investigate.


    Jiang Yingyue thought nothing of it and entered the bathroom. Fortunately, all the bandages she used to bundle up her jade rabbits were within the bathroom, so she did not have to bring them with her, and thus Han Qingshan saw nothing that he was not expected to see.


    The sound of running water could be heard in the entire home, the isolation was poor, and Han Qingshan was somewhat surprised. He had never waited for someone to shower before, and the passing of time seemed very long.


    To not think about the fact that Jiang Yingyue was currently showering, Han Qingshan started looking at the different photographs. He saw a lot of photos that seemed to be aged.


    It was of two children, both of them looking very adorable. One was clearly a girl while the other was a boy. They looked so much alike that he could instantly tell that they were twins.


    There were a few pictures of the boy and girl alone as well, most of the girl''s photos were taken outside while she was beaming like the sun, while the pictures of the boy were mainly taken inside. Although the boy also smiled, it was never as brilliant as the girl, as if there was a shadow hanging at the corner of his mouth.


    "So he had a sister." Han Qingshan could instantly tell that this boy was Jiang Fengmian, and the girl who looked so much like him was likely his sister. Unfortunately, he had not seen any traces of her since he had gotten to know this Jiang Fengmian, so she had probably died.


    Glancing at the door to the bathroom, Han Qingshan moved to a corner of the sitting room, fished out the phone from his pocket, and started to make a phone call.


    "I still have no news about that Fengmian," a grumpy and ice cold voice sounded on the other end of the call before Han Qingshan could even introduce himself.


    "I have some information for you," he said instead, and the cold voice paused. "Information for me?" he asked with doubt evident in his voice.


    "Yes, this guy has a twin sister. She is likely dead since I have not seen any pictures of her from being older than around ten years old. It should make it easier for you to find his background." Han Qingshan did not know why, but he really wanted to know everything there was to know about his new friend.


    "You are aware that his ID is fake. It is highly likely that his real name has nothing to do with Fengmian, so even if I find someone named Fengmian with a twin sister, it is highly possible that it is not him." The voice on the other end of the phone said, sounding slightly impatient.


    "I know," Han Qingshan sighed. "Oh, got to go!" he said, as he hung up without waiting for the cold man''s answer. The water in the bathroom was shut off, and while Han Qingshan was waiting for her to emerge, time slowly ticked by.


    He started frowning. Why was it taking Jiang Yingyue so long to come out from the bathroom?


    Truth was that after the bath, Jiang Yingyue needed to dry herself, and then she had to bundle up her chest so that it was no longer visible.


    This process usually took her a full fifteen minutes. She was rather well endowed, her chest was in no way small, so to bundle it up took a lot of effort, and it was also a slight pain until she got them to sit perfectly.


    After that, she rushed to dress up. Her clothes were ordinary, a simple t-shirt, followed by a loose sweater, and a pair of washed out jeans.


    Jiang Yingyue looked like a pop star, her handsome face was framed by her still damp hair, her eyes glistening like starry skies, and the trademark casual smile hung on her lips.


    "If you really want me to eat lunch with you, it has to either be your treat or if you let me treat you, then we will go to a spicy hotpot stall I know, just around my old high school."


    "You would treat me to lunch?" Han Qingshan was surprised. He knew that Jiang Yingyue loved money as much as she loved herself, so to treat someone to lunch was quite a splurge for her.


    "You just bought me a cellphone, not to mention you are going to be paying the subscription for me. The least I can do is offer to pay for your lunch, but I don''t have a lot of money, so a spicy hotpot is all I can afford."


    Jiang Yingyue was not ashamed of her words. She knew she was poor, and Han Qingshan knew she was poor. There was no need to hide and pretend anything, she could be honest with her first real friend, and this honesty made her very happy.


    "I have never had hotpot before," Han Qingshan said while contemplating, but in the end, he still changed his mind. "Invite me for hotpot next time," he said. "I have already reserved a table at a very famous place for lunch. It is, of course, my treat since I am forcing you to follow me."


    Was it really okay for her to go to some upscale restaurant looking like this? As if he sensed Jiang Yingyue''s thoughts, Han Qingshan knocked her on the forehead, "Stop overthinking," he said gently.

 Chapter 23锛歂ew Hobby?

    Shrugging her shoulders, Jiang Yingyue decided not to overthink like she had been told to, and then followed him out of the house and into the sports car.


    The poorer area where Jiang Yingyue lived was located towards the western part of the city, while the university was located in its center. The restaurant that they were going to was also located within the city center, it was an upscale restaurant that specialized in Chinese cuisine, and their chef prides himself with having studied under the most renowned chefs in all of China.


    Han Qingshan had been unsure about where to order their meal, as he did not know how Jiang Yingyue would feel about international cuisine, so he had gone for the safe option, Chinese cuisine.


    When they arrived, Han Qingshan handed the keys over to the parking attendant who accepted them with reverence and carefully parked the car in the parking lot.


    Han Qingshan seemed very used to this, but it was the first time that Jiang Yingyue had attended such a fancy place, and everything was new to her. She looked at the restaurant with wonder, even the idea of a parking attendant was something novel to her.


    As they entered through the front door, a waiter was already awaiting them. He was wearing a classical waiter suit, which made a sharp contrast compared to the casual wear of Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan.


    "Young Master Shan, this is?" he asked, as he looked at Jiang Yingyue with surprise. Han Qingshan often came to this restaurant, he was considered a regular, and he even had a room specially reserved for whenever he came to visit to ensure his privacy.


    "This is my friend, Jiang Fengmian," Han Qingshan answered, and gestured to the waiter.


    The waiter did not continue asking any other questions; he opened the door, ushering them in and led the way for them. No one said anything about the casual clothes they were wearing. No one dared to tell Han Qingshan off for wearing casual clothes, and being a guest of this young master made Jiang Yingyue welcomed. She could probably enter even if she had been wearing just a leather sack.


    The private room was rather big. It was the best room in the entire restaurant, and it had floor-to-ceiling windows that allowed for one to overlook the entire city; the view was stunning as they looked out over the busy streets and tall buildings of the capital.


    The restaurant was located on the top floor of the building, so no one could look through the windows from the outside. The entire room seemed very beautifully decorated.


    Jiang Yingyue''s eyes widened in surprise when she saw the room. She knew that some of the higher-ranked restaurants had rooms for certain VIPs, but she had never before been inside one of these rooms before.


    Now, because she had befriended Han Qingshan, she was seeing a whole new world, the world of the rich and famous.


    The two sat down at the table in the middle of the room, sitting opposite to one another, and while Jiang Yingyue was busy looking all around the room like a typical country bumpkin, Han Qingshan accepted the menu from the waiter and ordered a large number of dishes.


    Han Qingshan wanted to let this new friend of his experience what restaurant food was like, but the truth was that he was actually craving the taste of homecooked food instead.


    He had always thought that the food made by professional chefs was unquestionably the best, but after experiencing the seafood feast made by this new friend of his, he realized that he actually liked the feeling of eating a homecooked meal. It might not be as lavish, but it had a feeling to it that made him relaxed, and he truly enjoyed it.


    After Han Qingshan had ordered the dishes he wanted, the waiter bowed deeply and left while still feeling puzzled about the guest that Han Qingshan had invited.


    Who was this person who dressed like a commoner? Han Qingshan was a very friendly person, and he would often dine with other people, but this waiter had never before seen him dine with someone that was not part of the royal or noble families.


    Maybe this was a new hobby amongst the rich young masters, pretending to be a commoner to experience another kind of life.


    He dared not ask, neither did he dare to be negligent in his treatment of the young man. Based on the fact that Han Qingshan had brought him, he was already considered a VIP at their restaurant.


    "Open the box and have a look at the phone." Han Qingshan wanted to see if this Jiang Yingyue even knew how to handle a smartphone. It was likely that she had never owned one before, so it was only natural for him to assist her with getting used to it.


    Jiang Yingyue did not need to hear his explanations more than once. She was quite curious about the phone, and she knew that it would lighten her life incredibly, but she did not know how to make the device work.


    She happily unpacked it and looked at the white and silver phone in her hand. It felt lighter than she had expected, and she could not help but turn it around to look at it adoringly.


    Seeing her this happy about something so simple as a phone, Han Qingshan could not help but chuckle.


    He leaned over the table and touched the on-and-off button; he turned it on for her and started explaining how to set it up and how to use it.


    He was surprised at how fast Jiang Yingyue was learning how to use it. By the time the food arrived, she had already created a WeChat and a Weibo account.


    Both were made under the guidance of Han Qingshan, who quickly added her to his contacts on WeChat and followed her on Weibo.


    Han Qingshan now felt a slight relief when he thought about how Jiang Yingyue would be able to contact him, should she encounter another problem, like the one earlier that day.


    At the same time, he was quite happy that they could now exchange messages to further increase his understanding of Jiang Yingyue''s life and sights on society.

 Chapter 24锛歋he Was a Foodie

    The food that was being placed on the table had a wide variety of everything the restaurant had to offer.


    Han Qingshan was unaware of what kind of dishes Jiang Yingyue preferred, and thus he just ordered a little bit of everything.


    Jiang Yingyue looked at all the dishes with wide opened eyes, and she could almost not believe that he had ordered so much. There was no way that they would be able to finish it all, was it not a waste?


    When Jiang Yingyue cooked, she would make something small and delicious, just enough for all to get their fill. Yet here everything was lavish, even the food looked like it was glistening in the light of the room.


    Just looking at the dishes made Jiang Yingyue feel like salivating, she could not wait to dig in, and she even forgot about her new phone. All she could think about was the food on the plates in front of her.


    From the smell of the dishes alone that started spreading through the room, she could tell that this was the top of the top, the most delicious dishes she had ever tasted.


    Han Qingshan often came to this restaurant to eat so to him, a meal here was nothing special, but when he saw the glistening eyes of Jiang Yingyue, he could not help but find the meal even more fragrant than usual.


    While Han Qingshan was drinking red wine with the dish, Jiang Yingyue only drank tea. She refused to touch alcohol, as she knew that one would let go of their worries and might reveal important secrets when one got drunk.


    Han Qingshan did not push her to try the wine either, he just ordered her a pot of tea, and together they started digging into the meal.


    None of them spoke while eating, Jiang Yingyue was filled with bliss. It was as if the food melted on her tongue, making her experience an explosion of flavors in her mouth. It was without a doubt the best meal she had in her entire life, and she was savoring it.


    Han Qingshan was glancing at Jiang Yingyue while eating the food. Her eyes were locked onto the dishes, and it was clear that she was considering what to eat next.


    There were simply too many dishes to pick one out from the others; all of them were so delicious. It was so clear that she was wondering whether or not she could sample all the dishes before she would be full.


    Chuckling, Han Qingshan took his chopsticks and picked up some dumplings with seafood filling, and placed them in her bowl.


    "These are the specialty here and they are very good. Even if you cannot try everything, you should at least taste them." he said, while smiling warmly at Jiang Yingyue, as he continued to eat from a few of his favorite dishes.


    The waiter entered with another tray full of dishes, and what met him was a scene that shocked him to the core. He had served the young master for a long time and knew him well. Young Master Shan was always polite towards others, but he had never seen him being so friendly, not to even mention using his own chopsticks to pick up food for someone else.


    Those were the chopsticks he had eaten with! And the young man who was receiving the food did nothing else than smile at Young Master Shan, displaying his cute canines and clearly thinking nothing inappropriate!


    More than ever before, this waiter was curious about the identity of Jiang Yingyue, but he understood his position; he was not going to question anything.


    As time went by, the meal was finished, but more than half of the table was still filled with food. Jiang Yingyue looked longingly at the dishes, feeling it was such a waste not eating them, but she could not stuff even a single dumpling down her stomach anymore. It was so filled that she felt overwhelmed.


    Looking at her longing expression Han Qingshan could not help but laugh out loud; his entire chest was rumbling with happiness. Having a friend was indeed a great experience. It felt so much better than having those pretentious people surrounding him, who just wanted to benefit from his family.


    "Enough, you can''t eat more, I will have the rest packed up, and you can bring it home and share it with your parents," he said. Normally he would never bring food home with him. What was not eaten would be thrown away, but he could sense that Jiang Yingyue was quite adamant about not wasting food.


    Since it made her happy, why not allow her to take it home? Jiang Yingyue was also touched when she heard that she could bring the food home, and her face lit up in a great smile.


    "My parents are both working double shifts today, they will not come home before the morning, but if I have something good ready for them when they come home, they will be happy."


    "You are going to be alone all day?" Han Qingshan asked surprised, and Jiang Yingyue just absentmindedly nodded her head, as she gestured for the waiter, whom they had summoned, to start packing down the rest of the food.


    It was not before the waiter had finished, that she returned her focus to Han Qingshan, "It is normal," she said, with a smile on her face. "My parents are taking double shifts whenever they can. I am used to it, and so are they."


    Han Qingshan nodded his head. He too had parents that worked long hours, so he was used to having his family never at home. He also had quite a few responsibilities which he took care of, so there was nothing wrong with working a lot, but having someone waiting at home for them to return with something delicious was new to him. He had never experienced that before, and he could imagine that Jiang Yingyue grew up in a warm family.

 Chapter 25锛歒oung Master Says "Join Me"

    "Since you do not have anything to do today, come with me this afternoon," Han Qingshan said. "I need to go to the office and get some papers, after which I have a meeting with the other noble scions at the horse track."


    "I don''t think I should," Jiang Yingyue was rather hesitant. She knew that although she had befriended Han Qingshan, it was not that easy to be accepted by the rest of the high society, and she would be looked upon unfavorably.


    She might even cause people to misunderstand, or look oddly at Han Qingshan, saying that he was surrounding himself with dirt, when he was, in fact, a heavenly sent son.


    "It will be fine," Han Qingshan did not seem to understand where Jiang Yingyue''s worries came from, but when he thought about Jiang Yingyue spending the rest of the day alone, he was quite eager to bring her along to his appointments.


    "Are you really sure?" Jiang Yingyue frowned, "I am not the kind of person who is allowed into the Han Corporation, neither should I socialize with the scions of the noble and royal families. I am, after all, a mere commoner."


    "Who dares to look down upon you because of your background?" Han Qingshan became rather sullen just thinking about it, but then he flashed a brilliant smile and patted Jiang Yingyue on the top of her head.


    "Stop worrying, I will be there backing you up. Don''t you want to ride a horse?" he asked, trying to tempt his good friend.


    Truth was that Jiang Yingyue really did want to try to ride a horse. She loved animals and she liked sports. Putting them together seemed like a brilliant idea, but riding was a very expensive pastime, so she had never tried it before.


    "Do you go riding often?" Jiang Yingyue asked curiously. She suddenly remembered that the last time, when he had almost run her over, he had also been on the way to the horse track. Was he good at horse riding?


    "I don''t really go there often," Han Qingshan answered while scratching the back of his head. "One of our comrades just came back from England, and she is very keen on riding horses, so she always uses any excuse to make us meet at the horse paddock.


    "But we also often go to the shooting range, and the tennis or badminton courts. We also go swimming and lots of other sports, and sometimes we meet up at bars or restaurants.


    "There are many things that we need to keep into account, and it is not that simple. Even if I don''t feel like it, I still have to socialize with the other scions."


    Jiang Yingyue nodded her head. She had always known that life was not simple for the rich people, but after hearing Han Qingshan talk about it, she understood that it was truly a world where one could not trust their friends too much; or in the future they might find themselves stabbed in the back.


    Han Qingshan had a few people he considered close friends and allies, but even they were his friends only because of his status and rank. Only Jiang Yingyue was different, and this was also why Han Qingshan was treating her differently.


    Jiang Yingyue had invited Han Qingshan into her world, she had shown him how she lived, and he had even seen her parents. Now he wanted to return the favor.


    "My father already knows about you," Han Qingshan said, with a smile on his face. "My mother saw the picture of the food from last night and started questioning me about who had cooked me such a scrumptious meal, and when she heard I found a new friend she became ecstatic.


    "Since she knows, my father will clearly know as well, and he would be very happy to meet you. He is extremely easy going and friendly, so you don''t have to be worried.


    "I already met your parents, so there is no need to feel too uncomfortable. They are all the same anyway. Since I could handle it, then you can too."


    Jiang Yingyue was about to say that there was a fundamental difference. Han Qingshan had ordered her to invite him home for dinner, so it was his own fault that he had met her parents, but now he wanted her to meet his father, was this not a little bit awkward? She was not his girlfriend, so why would she have to meet his parents?


    Right, she was not his girlfriend, so why was she embarrassed about meeting his parents? It would be just a casual meeting, so there was nothing special about it.


    Thinking like this she calmed down and nodded her head to Han Qingshan. Anyway, she had nothing better to do today, she was just going to be sitting at home, waiting to go to the university the following day, so why not live out one of her dreams and try horseback riding?


    Seeing that her resistance had lowered, Han Qingshan was pleased and took out his phone.


    He sent a message to his father, "I am bringing a good friend with me to the office today."


    Not long after, just as the waiter returned to the room with all the food packed up, Han Qingshan''s phone beeped.


    "Is it the young man who cooked for you yesterday?" The reply sounded short, but Han Qingshan was used to his father. The fact that he responded this fast meant that he was quite curious.


    "Yes, his name is Jiang Fengmian. He is from my university." Han Qingshan did not hide anything and answered straight away, before fishing out a black credit card and handing it to the waiter, who reverently picked it up and swiped it on the terminal, paying their meal.

 Chapter 26锛歒oung Master is Smug

    Han Qingshang stood up and picked up his windbreaker before he gestured for Jiang Yingyue to follow him. Picking up the two bags filled with food, Jiang Yingyue hurriedly followed behind him.


    She was somewhat apprehensive about going to see Han Qingshan''s father at the office, but she understood that it was just a stop on the way towards the horse paddock.


    They reached the basement parking lot, and the car was delivered right next to them. Han Qingshan stepped inside, quickly followed by Jiang Yingyue.


    The car drove out of the basement and into the busy streets. The car was extremely conspicuous; its sleek design looked extravagant while driving on the roads surrounded by all the other cars.


    At first, Jiang Yingyue had felt uncomfortable sitting in this car, but now things have changed. She was pretty used to the luxurious leather seats, and the wooden instrument board. One could only say that she was adapting quite quickly to the situation.


    The Han Corporation''s office was located deep in the center of the city, in one of the most upscale areas for businesses, and the building stood towering far above the rest of the surrounding buildings.


    It was a western style building, a big skyscraper, and every floor had floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing the employees to overlook the entire city as they pleased while they were working.


    Although they were already in the downtown area for eating, the traffic was horrid, and it took them a full three-quarters of an hour to reach the office from the restaurant.


    When they arrived, they once more drove into a parking lot underneath the building. The basement was already filled with cars everywhere, and there were no parking assistants, but just as Jiang Yingyue thought that they wouldn''t be able to find a place to park, they arrived at the second closest position to the elevator, and here she saw an empty parking space.


    There was a sign next to it with a name on it, and when she looked closer, she could only shake her head. How could she have been worried about finding a parking spot? In bold letters, on the wall, right above the empty spot was a sign with the characters for ''Han Qingshan''.


    Han Qingshan sensed the differences in Jiang Yingyue''s behavior and chuckled slightly. Every time he managed to surprise the younger person he would feel accomplished, and right now he was also slightly proud of his status.


    Seeing his smug face, Jiang Yingyue snorted, but she could not conceal her smile. It was nice to have a friend.


    Together they got down from the car and went to the elevator. There was a whole row of elevators, but Han Qingshan went for the one closest to the car, and pressed a button, calling it down to the parking basement.


    This elevator seemed slightly different from the others, having a different color scheme, and it was clearly less used. Looking curiously at why this one was so special, Jiang Yingyue glanced at Han Qingshan. Could it be an exclusive elevator?


    The elevator arrived with a ding, and Han Qingshan went in, quickly followed by Jiang Yingyue.


    She saw that Han Qingshan pressed the button for the top floor, and then leaned against the wall, looking at her with interested eyes.


    It was true that since they had arrived at the Han Corporation, she had looked at everything with big wide eyes and had been full of wonder and surprise.


    She had never been to such a place before, so it was natural for her to want to see everything and get an impression of this place that was at the top of the country.


    "Is it that interesting?" Han Qingshan could not help but ask when he saw how she was looking around, inspecting even the elevator, as if it was made from the most wondrous of materials, but Jiang Yingyue did not mind that he was amused because of her and she nodded her head.


    "This is a place I would never have gone to were it not for you," she said happily as the elevator continued going upwards.


    Hearing that someone found an office novel and interesting, Han Qingshan could not help but feel rather amused, but he just shook his head and chuckled slightly.


    As they reached the top floor, Han Qingshan stepped out as usual, but he did not walk far as he ensured that Jiang Fengmian was always within a meters distance, so that he would not get lost.


    "Welcome, Young Master Shan," one of the secretaries said. This entire floor was Han Qingshan''s father''s office. The outside was filled with secretaries and their desks, while his head secretary was located right next to the doors leading into his inner office.


    The secretaries all greeted Han Qingshan as he walked past, their eyes looking inquiringly at Jiang Yingyue.


    The Han Corporation was the cream of the crop within the country and even ranked as one of the biggest companies in the world, and to be hired by this corporation one needed amazing skills and a clean background.


    They had been in the company for a long time, working in other departments to display their ability before they managed to become secretaries in CEO Han''s office, thus they were very familiar with Han Qingshan and the rest of the Han family.


    They were aware that Han Qingshan seemed friendly on the surface but was in fact very hard to get close to. It was also well known that he would only work with things that would bring benefits to him or to his family. So they could not help but wonder, who was this young woman who seemed rather plain, but was capable enough to be able to walk so close to the heir of the Han Corporation?


    She seemed rather young, must have just come of age, and she was also rather short when standing next to Han Qingshan. But he had an aura that was not diminished at all when compared to the young master; in fact, they seemed to compliment one another as they walked in together, side by side.


    The secretaries were very curious about this young woman. Who was she? Where did she come from? How had she gotten to know Han Qingshan?


    They could quickly remove the thought of her being a client, as they saw her looking incredibly cute as she was observing everything around her with wide open eyes. It seemed that she had never been inside a company like this before, so the likelihood of her having something to do with business was rather small.


    Then finally, they could not help but wonder, was this a friend? But Young Master Shan had never before brought friends to the company, neither had he introduced them to his father, so what was so special about this girl?


    In this country, there were parallel societies. Although they all lived in the same country, it felt different depending on whether you were a commoner, or from a royal and noble family.


    In these two groups, there were obviously various other layers as well. In the noble families, they were split into circles, depending on the heritage of the family, their wealth, and the range of their influence.


    Han Qingshan was at the very top of society, no one could climb over the heads of the Han family, and his circle only consisted of the richest and most influential families in the country.


    Beneath them were another three circles of influential families, and the further down the hierarchy one came, the more families were in those circles.


    At the same time, it was a relatively similar situation for the commoners. There were rich commoners, middle-class commoners, and poor commoners.


    Jiang Yingyue was between the poor and the middle class. Although her family had no money to spare, they could afford their mortgage and meals every day, alongside proper clothes to wear.


    But there was still a huge gap between Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue''s social status. In fact, they should not have had anything to do with one another, but fate had brought them together.


    Thinking about this, Han Qingshan glanced at Jiang Yingyue and could not help but smile. There was a world of differences between this young woman, who was so honest towards him, and the young woman who had raised all her hackles whenever she saw him. Han Qingshan was very pleased that he had managed to befriend this person and turn her opinion around.

 Chapter 27锛歒oung Master is Nervous

    The secretaries kept greeting Han Qingshan, but none of them said anything to Jiang Yingyue. They were not sure of how to refer to her, or what her purpose here was. So she was being glanced at by all the secretaries, yet none of them were speaking.


    Although she did not care, she could instantly feel that she was like a monkey in a zoo.


    In truth, she felt completely aware of the fact that she did not belong in such a renowned company. She even looked slightly uncultured as she continued to look at everything around her, but she was not usually this uncultured. This was all new to her, so she was curious about everything around her, and she was the kind of person who would act on her impulses. She was honest and straightforward.


    Han Qingshan went towards the office at the back of the floor, and Jiang Yingyue followed behind.


    Every secretary was watching on with great curiosity and were waiting for Han Qingshan to stop the youngster, tell her to wait outside for him, or in some way make it clear that she should no longer follow. This way, they would have a bigger chance at talking with this youngster, getting some information about her identity.


    While she was incredibly handsome, these secretaries knew that in this world beauty only went so far, one needed capabilities to succeed, and Han Qingshan was not one to be blinded by beauty, so what other capabilities or talents did this young woman have?


    Jiang Yingyue might not be rich or even belong to the middle class, but she was rather sharp when it came to understanding others, especially women, as she was one herself, and she understood the subtle changes in their behaviors. She understood their curiosity towards her, and she already felt a headache coming her way, about having to think up an explanation for them. She hoped Han Qingshan would deal with these secretaries for her.


    When the secretaries looked at Han Qingshan, they gazed with respect and reverence, yet when they looked at Jiang Yingyue, there was only curiosity and a certain degree of uncertainty. Although they tried their best to hide it, the emotions were clearly seen on their faces.


    Jiang Yingyue could not help but shake her head and sigh. Society sure was cruel. Even these secretaries were uncertain about her background, so they didn''t dare to act out of bounds. Life was especially difficult for the middle and upper class where everything that mattered was the brands one put on their bodies and how much money they had in their accounts.


    This kind of world, where your friends would stab you in the back for their own profit, made Jiang Yingyue feel glad that she did not belong to this circle of people.


    "Dad should be waiting for us," Han Qingshan said, and pushed the doors open into the office, not even knocking first, and then strode inside, followed by Jiang Yingyue.


    When the door closed behind them, murmurs erupted amongst the secretaries. "Who was that young man?"


    "He was so handsome, do you think he is a new talent from Imperial World?"


    "Do you perhaps think that Young Master Shan likes men?"


    "What are you talking about?! How can Young Master Shan like men?! It is obviously a newly found talent for Imperial World!"


    While the secretaries were busy gossiping amongst one another, Jiang Yingyue had followed Han Qingshan into the office.


    She tried to hide behind his rather large frame so that no one noticed her, but just as she slipped behind him, a large hand came from the front and grabbed her wrist, dragging her to his side.


    She shrunk into herself, but could not hold herself completely back, and she started peeking at the office they had entered.


    "Are you nervous?" Han Qingshan asked with amusement evident in his voice, and Jiang Yingyue nodded her head subconsciously before realizing that she had answered him.


    A chuckle escaped Han Qingshan''s lips, it came all the way up from his chest, and he could feel happiness seeping through his entire body, but he too was slightly nervous. He did not know why, he just really wanted his father to like this Jiang Yingyue.


    When she was no longer so nervous, she started looking at everything in the office. The office was very minimalistic. There was a sofa located against a wall, next to a door that led to some other room, but the door was closed so Jiang Yingyue, did not know what was behind it.


    In the middle was a massive mahogany desk and a black leather chair. There was a computer on the desk, a normal table phone for business calls, and many folders and reports were placed on the letter trays.


    There was also one picture on the desk, a picture of a very beautiful woman who seemed to be in her twenties, and next to her was a small boy. That unmistakably was Han Qingshan from when he was a child.


    The wall behind the desk had a large painting hanging on it. The painting was depicting a beautiful landscape of a road, that went through a field of flowers, and on the road was a beautiful young woman dressed in a red dress riding a bicycle. It was an incredibly tranquil and stunning painting.


    The final wall consisted of floor to ceiling windows, allowing for one to overlook the other buildings, but Jiang Yingyue dared not move towards the windows out of fear. Although she did not have a fear of heights normally, this massive skyscraper was much taller than what she had expected. Just thinking about looking at the ant-like humans beneath was enough to make her feel dread.


    Han Qingshan seemed to sense her fear, but he did not bully her. Instead, he just took her over to the sofa.


    He was still holding her wrist, seemingly not having any intention of letting go. The skin was so soft and cool to the touch, it gave him a pleasant sensation, and he could not help but tighten his grip slightly.


    Jiang Yingyue was currently too focused on being in the actual office of CEO Han, to actually realize that she was being held by the wrist.


    Han Qingshan looked at the slim and long fingers. They were so pretty and pale, they seemed so perfect that he could think they were carved from jade, but a slight warmth was being emitted from them, so he knew that these perfect hands actually belonged to someone else.


    Just as both of them were deep in thought about their own thing, Jiang Yingyue about observing the office of CEO Han, and Han Qingshan about the hands of his good friend, the door suddenly opened and a man stepped through it.

 Chapter 28锛歒oung Masters Punishment

    "Oh Qingshan, you are here already," he said, as he looked into the room and his eyes scanned over Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue.


    His eyes paused slightly at Han Qingshan''s hand that was grasping Jiang Yingyue''s wrist before his lips hooked up into a knowing smile, and his eyes landed on Jiang Yingyue''s face.


    "Qingshan, I have some documents here for you," his father said after returning his gaze to his son. "You have been doing well as the CEO of your own business recently, and I would like you to start slowly taking over the Han Corporation."


    Jiang Yingyue wondered if she was supposed to be present for such an important conversation. Currently, the only ones present were Jiang Yingyue, Han Qingshan, CEO Han, and CEO Han''s assistant.


    While the other three made good sense to be here, she was clearly an outsider, but they continued to speak as if it was no big deal.


    "I have left most of the work with Imperial World to my assistant," Han Qingshan said, as he sat down on the sofa, dragging Jiang Yingyue with him and pulling her onto the sofa as well.


    "I will not need to work on Imperial World for some time unless something unexpected happens."


    "I have forcibly taken over three companies in the industry and merged them with Imperial World, making it currently the biggest and most famous agency on the market."


    "But we cannot look down on the Su Corporation. They are used to being heavyweights and controlling everything in this industry, so to suddenly share their business with someone else they are far from pleased."


    "That is business," CEO Han said, with a slight smile on his face, he had observed every tiny movement that Han Qingshan had been doing, and he found this young man known as Jiang Fengmian very pleasing to the eye, especially his clearly puzzled and slightly panicked expression that he had on the face right now.


    Everyone within the office was talking about business, but they were also secretly observing Jiang Yingyue. The assistant of Han Qingshan''s father felt rather sorry for Jiang Yingyue.


    Being suddenly included in such important conversations, it was clearly not for most commoners; this was the battle of giants, something that she should never even hear about.


    But Jiang Yingyue was shocked when she heard that the elusive CEO of Imperial World was her newfound friend Han Qingshan.


    Imperial World was a business that had appeared three years ago in the entertainment industry. They appeared one day and started swallowing other businesses. They were aggressive and offered some incredibly favorable deals to the artists, so many jumped ship to join them.


    Many had thought that this was a business that would never last, but after three years it had become the leading agency within the entertainment industry, and it produced award-winning films, series, and artists in those three years.


    Han Qingshan had opened this business? That was quite amazing considering his tender age, and the fact that he was still in school. Wait, did this not mean that he was already a CEO, although he was a university student?


    Rich people were really different. Jiang Yingyue shook her head slightly and felt that he was working hard to earn the money he had. He was not just a wealthy scion that lived off of his family''s fortune. He was truly working for it.


    Seeing that there was no greed in the eyes of Jiang Yingyue, only enlightenment, CEO Han felt much more at ease with their relationship. In fact, he felt that this girl was different from the masses, and he started to approve of the friendship that Han Qingshan had forged with her.


    The assistant was also quite surprised to see that Jiang Yingyue was capable of being so casual in this situation. She had not caused any problems or situations and was just casually sitting on the sofa by Han Qingshan''s side, saying nothing, but looking at her friend with slight admiration in her eyes.


    Han Qingshan had not expected that his father would sell him out like this, telling Jiang Yingyue who was the real CEO of Imperial World, but he did not mind it. Just as Jiang Yingyue was honest to him, he would be honest towards her.


    "Stay here, I need to look at some papers," Han Qingshan said to Jiang Yingyue, finally releasing her wrist before heading to the desk and picking up a document folder filled with reports.


    "By the way, send a small punishment to the He family," Han Qingshan suddenly said absentmindedly, while reading through the file in his hand.


    "Have they done something wrong?" CEO Han did not seem to mind, in fact, he looked like someone who wanted to get some juicy gossip instead.


    "I ran into He Yuyan when I took Jiang Fengmian out for coffee. She created a scene and ran off crying. Later she took out her anger on Jiang Fengmian, getting him suspended from the university. I had already made my stance clear, and she still dared to touch my friend, how can I not dish out a small punishment?" Han Qingshan was getting annoyed just thinking about it, as he flipped through the document, and finally placed it on the table, picking up another file and read through it.


    "Well, we were going to have a collaboration with the He family, but I will cancel it and give it to the Wang family instead. I will make sure to leave a message from you with it so that they know that their big missy is the cause behind the change." CEO Han nodded his head when he heard what Han Qingshan said.


    He did not think that it was taking it too far. He Yuyan might not have caused much damage, but the fact was that she had completely ignored the face of Han Qingshan when she decided to act out, resulting in them being in their rights to dish out punishment.


    On the sidelines, Jiang Yingyue was watching the father and son pair being extremely shameless, their actions making her mouth remain open in surprise. Good thing she was their friend and not an enemy.

 Chapter 29锛欻e? More Like She

    Time ticked by slowly in the office. Jiang Yingyue knew that she should behave like a wallflower, and try not to listen too much on the conversation between the father and son pair, so she picked up her newly gifted phone and started playing with it.


    Jiang Yingyue found the school forum and looked at the different threads that had been opened.


    She quickly found out that she had become a school celebrity. Half of the threads that had been started were about her and her suspension from the University, or about her getting a ride from Young Master Shan the day before.


    ''News flash! Teacher resigns after suspending Prince Fengmian!'' was currently the hottest new topic on the list, and when she clicked on it, she found it was about a tale of friendship between two guys, and how Han Qingshan had protected and gotten revenge for his good friend.


    Seeing that the entire forum was talking about her, she could only chuckle and feel that although she had never been low profile, she also never had people following her every move before.


    Oh well, she did not mind it though. The more unattainable she was, the safer she felt. And being friends with Han Qingshan was also quite an enjoyable experience.


    He protected her when she needed it, saved her when she felt hopeless. He was a bit forceful, but considering everything he had done for her, she could accept this slight flaw of his.


    Han Qingshan had a marker pen in his hands and highlighted over different proposals that he approved of, and after two hours, he finally got through every document that he had to read.


    He was feeling slightly bad about having brought Jiang Yingyue to his father''s company because she had been neglected for a full two hours, but when he saw that she was quietly sitting on the sofa, playing with the phone in her hands, he was relieved.


    "You seem rushed," CEO Han could not help but say with a smirk on his face, as he glanced towards Jiang Yingyue as if implying that Han Qingshan was hurried because he did not want his friend to wait any longer.


    "We have an appointment at the horse track," Han Qingshan said, without really caring about being seen through. "That is the only reason I brought Jiang Fengmian here with me since it was on the way."


    "You are bringing him with you to the horse track? Beware that He Yuyan will also be there since she is a good friend of Zhu Guiying." CEO Han gave a friendly reminder to Han Qingshan.


    "I know," Han Qingshan nodded his head, his face slightly solemn whenever he thought about He Yuyan. She had truly overstepped his limits this time, and he was still rather sullen whenever he thought about her.


    Han Qingshan looked at Jiang Yingyue, who was still pretending to be a wallflower. She was completely focused on her phone, and did not notice what they were talking about, nor did she feel it had anything to do with her, so she stayed away from it all.


    Seeing her behavior, CEO Han had a very favorable impression of her. She did not try to interrupt them, nor did she complain about being left alone on a sofa for a full two hours, without even being offered tea or coffee. She did not rush Han Qingshan to hurry with finishing his work. She just sat there patiently and waited for him.


    "Let us get going," Han Qingshan spoke out, after placing the final document on the table again, after having decided on a specific business proposal amongst five.


    CEO Han read through the files, after Han Qingshan had finished the selection, and nodded his head in approval. "The projects and proposals you have picked are the best amongst the ones available," he praised his son, but Han Qingshan just snorted, and smiled self-assured. He already knew that he was very skilled as a businessman, but being praised in front of Jiang Yingyue was not a bad feeling.


    After hearing Han Qingshan say that they should go, Jiang Yingyue locked up the phone and stood up, straightened her clothes, and flashed an enigmatic smile at her newfound friend.


    Seeing the interactions between the two people made CEO Han narrow his eyes, but the smile on his lips did not diminish.


    Seeing the weird smile on his father''s lips, Han Qingshan glared at him, went over and grabbed Jiang Yingyue''s wrist, and started tugging and dragging her out of the office.


    Jiang Yingyue bowed slightly, and barely managed to say, "Goodbye CEO Han," before she was dragged out of the office, and past all the secretaries, towards the elevator.


    Seeing his son behave like this made CEO Han laugh out loud before he gestured for his assistant to leave him.


    When the door closed, he picked up his phone and started dialing a number.


    "My dear?" he asked when it connected, and soon after, the melodious and gentle voice of his wife sounded through the speaker of the phone.


    "Hello, hubby. Did you meet that friend of Qingshan''s? How is he? Was he a gold digger?" She asked curiously, shooting out a lot of questions at once, and she heard her husband chuckle slightly on the other end of the phone.


    "He? Well ''he'' is not a golddigger, but our son needs to get better at seeing through people. Although she dressed like a man and had wrapped up her chest, she was unmistakably a woman," he explained, his words filled with amusement.


    "What!? You said he was a girl? How can that be?" The wife was shocked, but CEO Han just chuckled. "She was indeed a girl."


    "Did you tell Qingshan?"


    "No."


    "Do you plan on telling him?"


    "No, he can figure it out on his own. It can be seen as good training for him to learn how to see through people. And it will be quite amusing to see him keep mistaking his friend''s gender."

 Chapter 30锛歒oung Master Said "Change Your Clothes!"

    "Tell me about her then, what was she like? How did you realize she is a woman?" The wife was quite curious about this friend of Han Qingshan. She had never seen him close to anyone before, so for him to suddenly claim to have a friend, it was quite surprising.


    "She is very good at masquerading as a guy, her mannerisms and appearance is spot on, but she can''t change her figure, so she is wearing loose clothes that don''t show off her curves."


    "Her hands are long and slender; you never see men with such fair hands, they were almost as beautiful as yours."


    "When I saw her hands, I had a nagging feeling that something was not right, and as I observed her, I noticed that she had no adam''s apple."


    "With hands so slender, so beautiful, and no adam''s apple, alongside her loose clothes, figuring it out is quite simple. But who would have thought that our dear son did not even look at it like that? He was even holding that slender hand without realizing the fact that her skin is far too smooth to be a man''s."


    "He held her hand?!" The beauty on the other side of the phone exclaimed in shock, her eyes widened in surprise when she heard what her husband had said.


    "He never touches anyone, and he keeps his distance from people both emotionally and physically. So what could this girl have done that broke through his barricaded heart?" The mother sounded too overwhelmed, but also happy. However, CEO Han just laughed slightly when he heard how his wife described his son.


    "Maybe he knows instinctively that it is a woman," he suggested, but even he himself did not believe in it.


    "My little boy has been surrounded by the most outstanding beauties from the entertainment industry while working as the CEO of Imperial World. He never even glanced at them. Don''t tell me my son is gay!" The woman started panicking, but once again, her behavior just seemed endearing to CEO Han, who just chuckled and shook his head.


    "He has also seen all the attractive men, but hasn''t ever shown interest in them before," he calmed her down with his words, "and even if he was gay, this is a woman. She might be able to turn his sexuality around."


    "You''re right," the woman was calm again, and then she began to think through everything that her husband had said. Heaving a heavy sigh of relief, she was filled with happiness thinking that her son might have found someone special to him.


    While CEO Han and his wife were busy talking about Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan, the two, who had no idea of what was happening in the office, were driving towards the horse track.


    "Have you ever ridden a horse before?" Han Qingshan asked curiously. He knew that Jiang Yingyue was from a commoner''s family, so riding a horse was something she was unlikely to have done, but who knew what she had done in those nine years before she suddenly appeared in the capital.


    "Never," Jiang Yingyue was quite honest. She had always wanted to try horseback riding, but she just never had the opportunity or the funds to do so.


    "Oh okay," Han Qingshan nodded his head, as he started wondering how to best teach Jiang Yingyue how to ride. He was suddenly worried that his good friend would be thrown off the back of the horse and get injured. Without realizing it, he was already starting to worry about every little thing.


    Jiang Yingyue said nothing else on the way towards the horse track. She was smiling slightly, really looking forward to trying out riding on a horse.


    The horse track was located just outside the city, so it took them quite a long time before they arrived, and when they finally reached their destination, it was already almost evening.


    They had already spent an hour and a half eating their lunch together, then they spent two hours at the office, and not to mention the long drive to the horse track, it was quite understandable that it was late.


    Multiple cars were parked in the parking lot, all of them were extremely expensive, and Jiang Yingyue recognized some of them from the day when she was almost run down by Han Qingshan.


    She did not know why, but she was not too eager to see these young scions. Their attitude towards her that day was not too commendable.


    Still, for the sake of riding a horse, and because she was already here, Jiang Yingyue said nothing, even her expression remained unperturbed.


    Han Qingshan got down from the car, and Jiang Yingyue followed suit. They left the car and headed towards the stables. There were rustic tracks going through small patches of woods and fields. There were also fenced up tracks for riding on, even riding halls were on the location so that one could ride even when it was raining.


    When Jiang Yingyue looked around, she found that there was no one present, the only thing she could see were a few horses and attendants that were moving back and forth.


    "I guess that they have already started riding in the woods," Han Qingshan said, but he did not sound very disappointed.


    Instead, he went to one of the attendants and spoke with him after pointing back at Jiang Yingyue with his hands. Jiang Yingyue could not hear what was being said, but moments after, the attendant left, making her slightly puzzled.


    "You cannot ride in those clothes," Han Qingshan said. "I doubt you have any riding gear, so I had the attendant go and prepare it for you. Come with me to the changing rooms, there should be some clothes waiting for you."

 Chapter 31锛歒oung Master Said "I Will Guide You"

    Just as Han Qingshan had said, clothes were waiting for her inside the room. Jiang Yingyue quickly locked the door and found the pants, her eyes narrowing and her lips pursing.


    The pants she was supposed to wear were incredibly tight-fitting. If she really wore them, they would be showing off her curves and making her seem like an enchantress.


    The top was a shirt, it was quite thin and rather tight-fitting. If she really was going to wear these clothes, her secret would be exposed right away.


    Jiang Yingyue was aware of her body''s shape. When she was younger, it was quite easy to pretend to be a boy because her body was still underdeveloped. But now that time was over, and her body was not that easy to mask anymore.


    Looking around, Jiang Yingyue considered her options. If she declined to wear the clothes, then Han Qingshan would find it somewhat odd, at the same time he would also be disappointed, and Jiang Yingyue did not want to disappoint him.


    But wearing the clothes and exposing her gender? That was also impossible. After looking at the many clothes, her eyes landed on her jacket as if seeing her lifeline.


    It was fall, so not many were wearing thick jackets yet, but the jacket she had was puffy and would only display her legs; it could cover her hips and waist.


    Hesitating for a bit longer, she started changing into the clothes she had been provided with.


    Wearing the riding boots and looking at herself in the mirror, she felt that all her earlier excitement about riding was going out the window. How could she possibly maintain her secret with such a figure?


    Resigned to her fate, Jiang Yingyue prayed that Han Qingshan was a little blinder than the average person, and she left the changing room.


    When she saw Han Qingshan dressed up in riding attire she felt even more self-conscious, but fortunately, Han Qingshan did not observe her legs. Instead, he looked at her with a puzzled expression.


    "Do you want to wear a jacket while riding?" He asked confused, but Jiang Yingyue nodded her head like a chicken pecking rice.


    "I am cold," she said, sounding anything but convincing. "And if I am thrown on the ground, then I will have some clothes to soften the fall."


    Her reasoning was all over the place, but she was fortunate that Han Qingshan had already accepted her gender as male and did not seem to be suspecting anything.


    Seeing that his eyes were as trusting as before, she decided to wisely change the subject.


    "Where are the horses?" she asked curiously. Han Qingshan chuckled when he saw her impatient and excited look. He could not help but feel that it was slightly cute, but he had always thought that this Jiang Yingyue was a very likeable young woman.


    "Let us go to the horse paddock and pick out a horse each," Han Qingshan said, and started walking towards the back of the facilities, behind the stables, where the horses were waiting for their riders to arrive.


    Some of the young scions had their own horses stabled at the horse track, while others belonged to the facility itself. Han Qingshan had no personal horse as he had not been visiting the horse track as often as his peers.


    Jiang Yingyue definitely did not have a horse, so she too needed to borrow a horse belonging to the facility.


    An assistant was waiting for them at the paddock with a horse tack in his hands, ready to capture the horse that the young master had decided upon.


    "Young Master Shan, would you like the chestnut stallion you used last time?" the attendant asked, making sure to sort a horse for Han Qingshan first and then he would attend to his companion afterwards.


    "Get me that Palomino horse," he said, and the attendant was somewhat surprised. "The American Quarter Horse?" he asked perplexed, as if he wanted to ensure that he was not mistaken.


    "Right," Han Qingshan nodded his head, but the attendant was even more confused. "Young Master Shan, you usually ride a Dutch Warmblood Horse, why would you suddenly want an American Quarter Horse?"


    "It is not for me but for my friend," Han Qingshan explained. "He has never ridden a horse before, so I think the Dutch Warmblood would be a bit too temperamental. I know the American Quarter Horse you have here at the facility are usually trained to be used by children, to teach them how to ride."


    Hearing Han Qingshan''s words, Jiang Yingyue felt slightly embarrassed. So she would be riding a horse that was meant for children? The worst part was that she could not say anything about it; everything that Han Qingshan said was true, she truly had never ridden a horse before.


    "I understand, but what would you like to ride then?" the attendant asked, but Han Qingshan just waved his hand, "I won''t be riding for now, I will guide Jiang Fengmian on how to ride and show him from time to time. The American Quarter Horse will be enough for us."


    Just as the attendant looked at Jiang Yingyue perplexed, wondering how this young woman had managed to cause Han Qingshan to give her such preferential treatment, a voice could be heard from the back of the horse paddock, a voice that made Jiang Yingyue feel the anger rise uncontrollably within her.


    "Young Master Shan, you are late." The voice sounded coquettish, and when Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan looked towards the voice, what greeted them was He Yuyan coming towards them. She was riding on a great Belgian Warmblood, and following her was a whole entourage of rich scions.

 Chapter 32锛欻e Yuyan is Arrogant

    There was a fawning expression on He Yuyan''s face when she looked at Han Qingshan, yet moments after, when her eyes spotted Jiang Yingyue, those eyes turned hostile and filled with malice.


    Her elegant demeanor was scrunched up and ugly. Her face, which had make-up heavily applied all over, was so filled with disgust, loathing, and hatred that it was impossible to hide it in time.


    "I say, Young Master Shan, yesterday you had brought this commoner to the cafe to give him a cup of coffee, but does he really have what it takes to appear here? He is clearly freeloading off your money and reputation, and he would obviously not even be allowed inside were it not for you.


    "Tell me honestly, does this commoner have something you need from him? Does he have some sort of hidden treasure that can assist Imperial World or the Han Corporation somehow?"


    The scions behind He Yuyan were all stupefied when they heard her voice turn from being coquettish to becoming shrill like a shrew.


    The words she spoke were even more unbelievable. During the ride today, He Yuyan had informed them about the fact that Han Qingshan had started hanging out with a commoner, but they had not paid much attention to it, thinking that He Yuyan was just causing problems again.


    However, when they looked at the handsome young woman standing behind Han Qingshan, they were all acutely aware that Han Qingshan had actually brought someone from outside of their circle to their gathering. This was something that had never happened before, and even now, he was standing protectively in front of the handsome young woman with a frown on his face and ice cold eyes, that made him seem as if he was ready to rip He Yuyan''s mouth to thousands of pieces.


    Everyone was stunned by the sudden outburst of He Yuyan, and they could sense that things were going the wrong way.


    "Young Master Shan, don''t take her words to heart, you know she is a spoiled girl, she doesn''t know better," Zhu Guiying tried to save the situation. She was a good friend of He Yuyan, and she had just returned from overseas, so she was likely to be the best person to speak up.


    Unfortunately, He Yuyan was not too smart. She was from the very top of society, the most influential circle in the country, and she was used to being spoiled and having everything go the way she wanted.


    She had forgotten that although Han Qingshan was friendly on the surface, his real personality was cold and ruthless.


    The other scions had not forgotten this, and when they looked at the cold expression on Han Qingshan''s face they felt a chill run down their spine, they shrunk their heads back and dared not speak.


    Although all of them were rich scions, there was a major difference between the power they wielded and the power that Han Qingshan commanded.


    When He Yuyan was about to speak again, her phone suddenly rang, and she glared at Jiang Yingyue before she picked up, and with a sweet voice said, "Daddy, what is wrong? Yuyan is out riding with her friends, please don''t disturb... What did you say?! The Han Corporation? No, I have done no such thing... I am next to Young Master Shan right now, let me ask him... Yes, father, I will behave��"


    The surrounding atmosphere chilled when they heard the conversation. Although they only heard half of it, they could understand certain things from the conversation, and it seemed that this Han Qingshan was set on protecting Jiang Yingyue.


    "Young Master Shan!" she exclaimed angrily, as she dismounted the horse and left it to its own devices. Fortunately, they were quite close to the horse paddock, and an attendant came rushing over to take the horse tack and lead the steed away.


    Completely ignoring the horse, He Yuyan began crying out loud as if she had been subjected to the most horrendous grievance, and she staggered towards Young Master Shan as if he was her saving grace.


    "Young Master Shan, that collaboration was very important for the He family, how could you give it to the Wang family instead?" She asked while collapsing on the ground.


    When the rest of them heard the words, they all sucked in a cold breath of air. A collaboration with the Han family was worth at least five billion yuan, and while it could be considered just a figure to the Han family, it was a fortune to any other family in the country.


    Wang Feihong was also present, and when he heard the words of He Yuyan, his eyes widened. Even he had not heard about the collaboration going to his family, so it had to be something very sudden.


    Looking at Jiang Yingyue, he instantly understood the reason behind the sudden change in partners. It was a warning to the He family. It seemed that this was not the first time Han Qingshan had seen He Yuyan behave like this towards Jiang Yingyue, but for him to go this far, it seemed that Jiang Yingyue was truly considered a good friend.


    Most of the scions from the noble families were rather smart. At first, they thought that Han Qingshan had just brought Jiang Yingyue here to have fun and try horseback riding, but now they all understood that he was here to warn them all.


    If they behaved like He Yuyan, Han Qingshan did not mind using his power to beat them down.


    As to what the reason behind this was, no one seemed to know, but all of them were curious.

 Chapter 33锛欳ommoners and Nobles

    Everyone was watching what was happening with some caution. They dared not make a move or speak up about anything without knowing the full story, so they wisely kept their silence.


    Even Zhu Guiying, who was a good friend of He Yuyan, did not further speak up after the first attempt, she understood that she could not afford to offend Han Qingshan.


    Han Qingshan stood protectively in front of Jiang Yingyue, so no one was able to fully grasp her full appearance. They could only see that she was shorter than him by a head and that her body was rather lithe.


    "I made it clear that Jiang Fengmian is my friend. To go against him is the same as going against me. Yet today, the moment you met him in the morning you instantly caused trouble, even going so far as to get him suspended from University? Is this how you take my words?"


    Han Qingshan truly sounded angered, and the others started to understand where he was coming from.


    The punishment of moving the collaboration was not because He Yuyan had insulted Jiang Yingyue, but because she had not taken his words into account and caused problems, even after he had stated that this youngster was under his protection.


    They felt relieved, but at the same time they all continued to look at Jiang Yingyue with curiosity, their eyes were glancing all over her, making her extremely uncomfortable. She hid even more closely behind Han Qingshan''s back, wanting to turn invisible.


    Sensing how his friend was relying on him to protect him, Han Qingshan felt like he was given a boost of energy. He was suddenly ready to do anything for the sake of protecting his newfound friend, and his cold aura quickly dissipated as his mood improved.


    "You cannot do this!" He Yuyan cried out. "I am the eldest daughter of the He family, I am a noble existence, how can you side with such a vile creature like a commoner!?"


    Before Han Qingshan had the time to answer, a young woman rode her horse closer, and it almost stepped on the collapsed He Yuyan.


    "Watch it, Sister He," she said casually, her voice chillingly cold. "If we did not have commoners, we would be nowhere. Our businesses rely on the work of the common people, and our wealth can only exist because everyone within our country works hard together to do so.


    "Although he might not be from a prestigious background as us, that does not mean we have the right to look down upon him. He has gotten to where he is today on his own two feet, while we have gotten to our position mainly by our luck to be born from wealthy parents."


    Hearing her speech, Jiang Yingyue almost wanted to applaud her. The words were brilliant, and they truly slapped the woman where it hurt.


    The woman who had spoken was incredibly beautiful. She was the kind of woman that one would consider an ice queen. She was not smiling and her entire demeanor was cold, but it was not uncomfortable.


    "Well, it seems that time has flown by, it is already time for dinner. Why don''t Young Master Shan and your newfound friend join us for a good meal somewhere?" Wang Feihong asked politely.


    Han Qingshan considered it for a moment, but he found that he was actually not too keen on sharing Jiang Yingyue with the rest of his so-called peers.


    He glanced behind him and saw that Jiang Yingyue was looking horrified She was shaking her head, looking like that would be the worst kind of torture for her. So Han Qingshan quickly declined with the excuse that they had still not tried riding yet.


    Han Qingshan nodded his head to the others in farewell. The group then rode to the stables where they dismounted, and let the attendants take care of the horses.


    Everyone was ignoring He Yuyan who had been bawling on the ground, pretending to be a poor and delicate person. Unfortunately, her thick make-up was now destroyed, and her previous elegant and beautiful demeanor had changed into that of a roadside shrew.


    Seeing that she was being ignored, He Yuyan slowly rose to her feet. A cold gleam appeared in her eyes as she observed Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue, who were walking away from her.


    She gritted her teeth in anger; her hands were clenched so tightly that her decorated nails dug into her palms, and the acute pain woke her up from her hatred-induced stupor.


    While Jiang Yingyue was slightly worried about the way that Han Qingshan was handling the situation, she did not say anything. She trusted her friend was capable enough to know how to deal with a woman such as He Yuyan, and since she had been punished for the suspension event earlier that day, Jiang Yingyue also felt quite pleased.


    But Jiang Yingyue quickly stopped thinking about He Yuyan as they soon reached the indoor riding hall.


    The horse was already waiting for them inside alongside an attendant, and two riding helmets were provided for Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan.


    The next couple of hours were spent in the riding hall. Although the horse was extremely good-natured and rode very slowly, Jiang Yingyue was still having a lot of fun and was entertained.


    Han Qingshan had not ridden a lot. Instead, he was observing Jiang Yingyue, and seeing her splendid smile and the happiness that was oozing out of her expression; he too felt happiness, and his heart got warm.


    How could he not dote on such a friend who was so honest and natural? He was someone who displayed his emotions openly on his face, and he was simply so different from all the others.


    Even that woman, who had stepped up for Jiang Yingyue earlier that day, had likely done it to leave a friendly impression on Han Qingshan.

 Chapter 34锛歒oung Master is Appalled

    Han Qingshan drove Jiang Yingyue back home after they had finished the riding session. He had wanted to take her dining for dinner, but she declined politely, saying that she already had the leftovers from lunch.


    Seeing that he had already spent the majority of the day together with Jiang Yingyue, Han Qingshan did not push it and instead conceded defeat.


    "Make sure to attend the lectures tomorrow since the suspension has already been canceled." With these words, Han Qingshan turned around and left, leaving Jiang Yingyue in front of her home, looking at the figure that entered the car and slowly drove into the distance, out of sight.


    It was not before she entered her house that her legs went wobbly and her heart started racing incredibly fast. She was finally relieved.


    Up until now, she had not expected that she would almost get discovered today when she wore the riding attire. Fortunately, none of the scions had enough time to look at her properly as she had been hiding behind Han Qingshan, and the whole situation with He Yuyan had taken them by surprise, leaving little time to consider her gender.


    "This is the last time I am going to go riding with Han Qingshan," she muttered to herself. Although she had a lot of fun riding, it was so nerve-wracking that she could not fully enjoy it.


    Jiang Yingyue shook her head and felt as the adrenaline in her body all vanished, her frightened heart slowly settled and her taut nerves relaxed.


    She finally managed to feel much more at ease after being home alone. She picked up the leftover dishes and headed into the kitchen to heat a portion of them for herself for dinner.


    Her mood turned stellar as she thought about the delicious food she was going to be eating, and she even started humming a popular song.


    While Jiang Yingyue was in a great mood, as someone who had just seen the light after a disaster, Han Qingshan suddenly felt that he had far too much free time to spend.


    Normally he would join a business dinner with some important figures at night, or he would group together with the other scions to eat and drink. But today there were no business dinners scheduled, and it was not appealing to find the other scions to dine with. So instead, he found himself heading towards the area where the Han mansion was located.


    The Han family was a family that went back many, many years. It had produced businessmen, politicians and army commanders. The family was revered amongst all the families, and even now it was known to be the most influential family in the entire country.


    Han Qingshan''s father, Han Liqiang, was the current head of the Han family, but although he was the current family leader, he only had one child, Han Qingshan, who had been treated as the most favored child of heavens since he was born.


    It was not that Han Liqiang and Yan Meilin had not wished for more children, but they had been incapable of conceiving again.


    Since they had not been able to get more children, they had decided to spoil their son even more; giving him anything he might want.


    When Han Qingshan realized where he was heading to, he had already arrived at the mansion, and he decided that he might as well stay for dinner. His father was not likely to be home, but his mother should be home for now, before she flew out again on another business trip.


    "Greetings, Young Master." The servants he came across all greeted him respectfully. As he walked further into the house he saw that everything seemed devoid of his mother''s presence.


    Could it be that she had already left on another trip? He furrowed his brows and felt perplexed.


    Yan Meilin was a world-renowned designer. She traveled the world with her collections on various runways to various shows. She designed for special events and even for royalties in certain countries.


    It was quite rare for her to be home, but Han Qingshan was certain that she should be at home right now.


    Suddenly it hit him, could she perhaps be busy in the studio? Usually, when the house was like this, it was when she was hit by a flash of inspiration.


    Heading towards the studio, he soon heard the sound of a sewing machine and music flooding out from within the workshop, and a smile appeared on his lips. His mother was not young anymore, but she still had a great passion for her work.


    When he opened the door, he saw that his mother was sewing on what appeared to be a dress in a soft baby blue color with white lace. It looked as if it was inspired by the vintage dresses, but with a cute and youthful flair.


    This dress was very different from what his mother usually made, and it was clearly targeting a young woman. Any woman wearing this dress would seem amazingly cute; the style alone was quite adorable.


    "Oh, I am making a dress," she said absentmindedly. As she continued to work on it, her entire focus was on the dress, not on her son.


    "Is it a commission piece? It is quite different from your usual style," Han Qingshan continued to ask. He was quite curious about who could make his mother change her style.


    "Oh no," she said smilingly, and finally put down what she was working with. "It is for your new friend. I heard he should be incredibly handsome and have a lithe figure. I cannot wait but see him wearing a dress that I have made."


    "Mother, he is a boy!" Han Qingshan was appalled when he heard her words, and he could not help but frown.


    "Yes, but even pretty boys will look stunning in one of my dresses," Yan Huiying mumbled, as if it did not matter what gender Jiang Yingyue had.

 Chapter 35锛歒oung Master Reminiscing

    Han Qingshan could not help but feel stunned by his mother''s rather odd answer.


    Looking at the dress, the image of Jiang Fengmian popped up within his mind, and suddenly he was wearing the dress.


    The sight he had thought would be horrendous suddenly looked so natural in his mind. Thinking like this, he could not help but feel his heartbeat change its pace. As to whether or not it was slowing down or quickening, he was not sure.


    He had some strangely mixed emotions growing in his heart, but before he had time to actually investigate what these emotions were, his mother interrupted his train of thoughts.


    "Well, have you had dinner yet?" Yan Meilin asked her son, as she lifted her head and looked at him. Her face was gentle and her features strikingly beautiful as she sat in the studio with the setting sun outside the windows, casting its rays of light into the room.


    Han Qingshan looked slightly annoyed but he still shook his head, "I have not eaten yet," he answered, and his mother broke into a gentle smile that was like a spring breeze softly caressing the blooming flowers.


    It would take some time for the meal to be prepared, so Han Qingshan found a chair to sit down on in the studio.


    "I assume Father told you about Jiang Fengmian?" Han Qingshan asked, using his hand to rub his throbbing head. They must have spoken together, for his mother to think about doing something so outrageous as sewing a dress for a man.


    Yan Meilin smirked, "He did," she readily admitted, her face showing a faint smile, as she remembered the words her husband had told her earlier that day.


    "He must have told you that he is a boy," Han Qingshan continued, slightly annoyed by the fact that he did not dislike the thought of seeing Jiang Fengmian wearing female clothes.


    The words that Mrs. Han wanted to say were stuck in her chest, and instead, she started laughing slightly.


    "Yes, he did mention the gender of your new friend," she answered with a low chuckle.


    At first, she had thought of informing her son about the real gender of his new friend, which was also why she started sewing the dress. But now that Han Qingshan was in front of her, she was actually not willing to spill the beans.


    "Your father said that you were quite protective of this new friend of yours, any specific reason why you suddenly like him so much?" Mrs. Yan asked, with curiosity in her voice. She knew her son best, and he was not someone to suddenly open up for someone''s friendship, neither was he someone who would protect others unless he truly felt that they were worthy of his friendship.


    Han Qingshan had even gone as far as to ask his father for help, just to teach the young miss of the He family a lesson; this was not the normal way that he would behave.


    "I am not sure what is going on either," Han Qingshan said honestly. He trusted his family and could be honest with them. He knew that his mother respected his wishes and truly wanted the best for him, so he held nothing back.


    "First time I met him, I hit him with my car," he began explaining, "I thought he was seriously hurt and wanted him to go to the hospital, but he declined. His enigmatic behavior was so different from anyone else I have ever met.


    "At first I thought I was just curious about the background of a person who dared to talk back at me, even disdained me, so I had Hei Yi investigate him, but all I found out was that he is using a fake ID and that he appeared in the capital when he was nine years old.


    "He comes from a somewhat poor family, but his dignity and pride are stronger than even that of the noble-born scions. I became intrigued the more I heard.


    "I planned to help him get accepted into Imperial University, but the truth was that he did not need my help. He was able to get accepted with the highest scores since I entered, so it caused a lot of attention from the teachers, and he was allocated a scholarship.


    "When I met him again, he was like a small hedgehog with raised hackles, he was so fragile and easy to squash for someone like me, but he is also set on living his own life, living life according to his beliefs.


    "I can''t really explain it, but life suddenly got interesting. Before it was just business and school, but now I feel that the grey world has colors. I am having fun when I am with him, he is brightening up my day, and I feel like he can understand me like no other."


    Han Qingshan got silent as he looked into the air, his eyes filled with splendor, and a happy smile adorned his face, something which was seen very rarely.


    Yan Meilin looked at Han Qingshan with complex emotions on her face. She had never really known much about his feelings for Jiang Yingyue, but hearing what he said, were these not signs of early love?


    She was slightly worried. If her husband was correct, then Jiang Yingyue was a woman masquerading as a man, but that also meant that she was lying to Han Qingshan.


    One of the things that Han Qingshan could not handle was people lying to him, so was their romance going to end before it even started?


    She could not approve of this, and she swore to herself that she would work hard to pair the two of them. Her eyes glistened with happiness and cunningness.


    "Why don''t you invite Jiang Fengmian to come to visit and have a meal with me and your father? We would love to spend some quality time with your new friend and really get to know him."

 Chapter 36锛欳onsequences of Lying

    Han Qingshan glanced at his mother with narrowed eyes. Why was she suddenly so eager to meet Jiang Yingyue? Was it purely because she knew that he rarely befriended anyone, or did she have some ulterior motive?


    Although Han Qingshan had grown up and spent much time together with his mother, Yan Meilin, he knew that it was impossible to tell what she was thinking.


    She was an artist through and through and on top of that a woman. Her thought process was fundamentally different from Han Qingshan''s, and she had often pulled pranks on him, so he dared not be too accommodating to her wish of meeting Jiang Yingyue. What if she caused problems?


    He did not know why, but whenever he thought about Jiang Yingyue returning to the hostile person he had been before, he felt rather uncomfortable.


    Sensing her son''s hesitation, Yan Meilin just smiled and did not rush him. Instead, she waved her hand and said, "Don''t rush it. I understand that you became friends just recently and you are not fully familiar with him just yet, but later on, make sure to bring him over."


    "Okay," Han Qingshan finally agreed, when he heard that it did not have to be right away. In the future he also wanted his friend to come over, he wanted his parents to approve of Jiang Yingyue, and he wanted to share his life with this newfound friend. That, of course, also included introducing her to the place where he grew up.


    Thinking about it, Han Qingshan had a smile on his face, a gentle smile, and then he shook his head. "Let us go eat," he said to his mother, and together they exited the studio.


    The following morning, Jiang Yingyue was grinning happily as she was walking down the street, towards the subway.


    She had woken up early this morning to prepare some dishes with the remaining leftovers from the restaurant for her parents.


    Just as she was about to leave, they arrived home. After opening the door and entering the house, they were instantly greeted by a wonderful scent of food wafting out from the kitchen.


    They quickly headed inside and found the delicious food waiting for them to eat on the table.


    "Han Qingshan invited me out to eat yesterday, but he ordered way too much food, so I brought the leftovers home with me. They are really very delicious, so you should taste the dishes too. I already ate, and I am running slightly late for class, so make sure to eat and do the dishes before heading to sleep."


    As she thought about it, Jiang Yingyue could not help but smile. She had to thank Han Qingshan for the meal and the leftovers once more, now that she saw how happy her parents were with the food that had been waiting for them.


    She rarely cooked food for them when they came home from night shifts, as she usually had to attend school, but today she only had to reheat the food, which did not take long, so she could handle it.


    "It''s not such a bad thing to have a friend," she muttered to herself while squeezing into the crowded subway. But she was aware that the closer she got to other people, the more likely her secret was to be exposed.


    If her secret was exposed, then she might have to face jail time, and so would her family. It was illegal to use a fake ID as it was considered fraud, and living her life as another person was not permitted.


    Although she could go back and live her life as Jiang Yingyue, she was aware in order to do that she would likely have to move away and start life anew again.


    She was not sure if she wanted to do so. She had many hopes and dreams for her future. She wanted to study psychology in order to help others who suffered a loss and hopefully also help herself in passing.


    Her parents had already sacrificed so much for her once, moving away from everything they held dear, from all their friends, and they even left behind a home that had been handed down through generations, just so they could move to the capital for her sake.


    They had given up their decent jobs and had taken simple and low paying jobs, to ensure that they were laying low and that no one paid too much attention to them and their IDs, as they too were using fake IDs now. No one was capable of tracing them back to Jiang Yingyue''s family from the countryside.


    Jiang Yingyue was solemn as she thought about how many things her parents had given up. She was even slightly regretful when she remembered the risk her parents were taking every day just from living with fake IDs, and she was worried about their future, but she was still incapable of giving up her life as her brother.


    When she finally cleared up her mind from the fog of doubt and worry, she was already at the university, and she quickly straightened out her thoughts.


    As long as she did not get too close to anyone, then she should be fine. Although she wanted to be friendly with Han Qingshan, she knew that they were both men, so she should be safe as men did not get too close to one another physically, even though they were friends.


    When she arrived in her classroom, she found that everyone was looking at her with curiosity.


    Frowning, she could not understand what had happened. Could it be that they did not know she was no longer suspended or was there something else behind their obvious stares?


    Figuring out that there was only one way to find out, Jiang Yingyue hooked a smile on her lips and went to a group of three girls that were sitting together, looking at her with dreamy eyes and a slight blush on their faces.

 Chapter 37锛歒oung Master is Gay

    The girls looked at Jiang Yingyue with big eyes, filled with a slight nervousness but also happiness from seeing her coming towards them.


    "Are you surprised to see me?" She asked, with her slightly hoarse voice, her smile quite mischievous and her charm off the charts.


    The girls had been blushing slightly before when they saw her going towards them, but now their faces were so red that they resembled tomatoes. Seeing them like this made a chuckle escape from her lips, they were simply too cute.


    "Pri-prince Fengmian... We aren''t surprised to see you��" one of the girls lowered her head and said with a quiet voice that trembled slightly, she even stuttered slightly.


    "Then why are you behaving like you did not expect to see me, hmm?" she continued to ask while moving her face closer to the girl.


    She knew that she was safe with these girls, as long as they did not touch her chest or crotch, she would not be discovered. Not to mention she liked flirting with the three girls, having a lot of fun seeing their expressions, finding them incredibly cute.


    "We... We were just wondering about your relationship with Young Master Shan," the girl suddenly blurted out, but after she had said it, she took her hands and covered her mouth, her face so warm it was almost steaming.


    Hearing the question, Jiang Yingyue was taken aback. The relationship between herself and Young Master Shan? What was there to question about them? Weren''t they just ordinary friends?


    Seeing his puzzled and not quite understanding expression, the girls felt that he was incredibly cute, but they also understood that he was not angry, and thus they gathered some courage.


    "Yesterday when you were suspended, Young Master Shan came here to look for you. When he heard what had happened, his expression turned so grave that even the temperature dropped.


    "Young Master Shan is always friendly and smiling, but yesterday he was furious beyond belief. We have never seen him like this before.


    "Not only was he furious, but he also instantly fired the teacher who had suspended you. All of us saw him packing up his items and leaving the academy with a desolate back, he was clearly feeling aggravated, but what could he do? It was Young Master Shan who made the decision.


    "But the forum has been going wild with rumors about the relationship between the two of you since then," the girl continued, her eyes filled with mischief and curiosity.


    "There are some who are starting to ship the two of you together, the Young Master of the country together with the new school prince. Some even say that the only reason for Han Qingshan''s rage was because of someone hurting his dearest man."


    The more the girls spoke, the more elated they became, and they even started giggling amongst one another, their faces no longer red.


    Jiang Yingyue was surprised when she heard the words that the girls said. So even when she pretended to be a guy, she was doomed to be paired with another guy. That was troublesome, but she did not mind it too much.


    It was only gossip and the dreams of a few girls who had nothing better to do, but this could help her in the long run. If someone thought that she was gay, then they would definitely not get close to her. Although the country claimed to approve of one''s sexual orientation, not many were actually so open about it, so she would definitely become disliked by the majority of the students.


    The more she thought about it, the more brilliant the thought seemed. If she was gay, then the girls would not chase her anymore, and if she was gay, then the guys would stay away from her even more than they already did.


    A smile broke out on her lips, but she quickly contained it. The other part of her so-called romance was her only friend after all, so she had to consider her next step carefully.


    "He helped me out because we are friends," Jiang Yingyue said, with a gentle smile on her face. "He got angry because I was being treated unfairly due to a teacher''s favoritism, and he wanted to settle scores for me as a friend. Don''t go filling your heads with silly gossip."


    When the girls saw his gentle behavior, even after they accused him of being gay, their hearts fluttered, and they started hoping that he was, in fact, a couple together with Han Qingshan. The two of them looked so attractive together when they walked side by side.


    What Jiang Yingyue managed to get information about, Han Qingshan also knew the moment he appeared at school. He was feeling mixed emotions, unsure of what to say.


    To the ones who had stated that Jiang Fengmian was his ''dearest man,'' he could not say anything because this was, in fact, the truth. Ever since he had met Jiang Fengmian, he had felt an unnatural protectiveness and closeness that he had never felt before.


    Sighing, both of them were busy with their own thoughts while listening in on the first lecture of the day. Jiang Yingyue busy deciding on how to best turn gay, while Han Qingshan was worrying about how to salvage the situation in the best way so that his newfound friend would not break away from him again.


    Like this, the day went by. Jiang Yingyue got used to being stared at by everyone during the lectures, and when lunch arrived, he found a place where he could eat his homemade lunchbox.


    Although the food at the cafeteria was cheap, it was more expensive than making a lunchbox herself, and saving money was one of Jiang Yingyue''s hobbies.

 Chapter 38锛歒oung Master was Cool

    Han Qingshan went to the cafeteria as usual. The cafeteria was split into two levels, the ground floor with the more affordable food, and the upper floors with much better food at a much higher price point.


    He had never before considered where to go eating, but today he was wondering if he might run into Jiang Yingyue if he stayed at the lower levels of the cafeteria.


    Then a smile broke out on his face and he shook his head. Since when had he, the young master of the Han family, ever considered how to have a chance encounter with someone like this before?


    He went to the upper floors where he saw Wang Feihong was sitting with a group of other scions. Some of the upper-class children from commoner families were also dining at the second-floor cafeteria. All of them were there for the purpose of being noticed by the noble-born scions so that they could raise their family from being upper-class commoners to enter the real upper classes of society.


    "Young Master Shan, come sit with us," Wang Feihong said smilingly, as he saw Han Qingshan picking up the meal he had ordered.


    Remembering that Han Qingshan''s father had sent the business deal, that should have been given to the He family, over to the Wang family, he wanted to show his gratitude.


    Although the Wang and the He families were rather similar in status, the Han family had not worked much with the Wang family, as they had close ties to the He family and they were specialized within the same industry.


    Now that He Yuyan had truly and utterly annoyed Han Qingshan, he was wondering if he should try and open up more collaborations with the Han family. Their family would not lose out on working with both of them, and the He family would lose a bit of their status this way.


    That would be a fitting punishment for He Yuyan. Hopefully, her father would scold her enough, so she would behave the next time she saw Jiang Fengmian.


    "Young Master Shan, I heard that the Zhou family is returning to the country soon," Wang Feihong did not talk about Jiang Fengmian, although he was very curious about him.


    He wanted to know if the gossip was true, but he did not have the guts to ask Han Qingshan whether or not he was gay, so instead, he started a topic that was the talk of the town for all the higher-ranked noble families.


    "It is said that their heir has been raised in a village here in the country, but no one knows where. He did not even grow up together with the rest of his family," Huang Sicheng said, while leaning forward as if the gossip was the best-kept secret.


    Han Qingshan just smiled, "I will welcome them back," he said, with a friendly expression on his face. "When they give up their focus on the overseas market, it will open up a chance for the others to expand in the international scene."


    "There will be some losses nationally, having to share with another hegemon of the business world, but I look forward to trying." Han Qingshan was arrogant because he had the rights to be arrogant.


    He was the supreme leader of the younger generation within the country. He had been taught from childhood on how to be a businessman, and even now, when he was busy studying, he was a CEO as well.


    Even if the Zhou family could maybe rival the Han family, was their young master really capable of fighting against Han Qingshan?


    It was integrated into every single youngster of their generation, that Han Qingshan was the most outstanding person. It was a known fact that anyone who challenged Han Qingshan would be defeated.


    But hearing him being so casual, about the fact that the Zhou family were returning to the country, made them all feel as if they had punched cotton.


    They had expected some sort of hostility or worry, but Han Qingshan was as calm and friendly as always; something that put his behavior the previous day into contrast even more.


    What did Jiang Fengmian have that could have caused Han Qingshan to become so upset on his behalf?


    Not sure how to breach the subject, all the scions ate their food in silence. It was only the guys who had gathered together, the women were sitting at another table, and their conversation was going on about Han Qingshan and Jiang Fengmian.


    While the commoner girls mainly thought it novel and fun that Han Qingshan was so nice towards Jiang Fengmian, these girls were slightly worried.


    All of the girls dreamt about marrying into the Han family, but if their young master was gay, was that not the same as saying that the Han family would end with him?


    "It is not that Young Master Shan actually wanted to stand up for that Jiang Fengmian, but because he felt that his dignity had been trampled on."


    She paused slightly to build some tension; the other girls were holding their breaths while waiting for what she had to say.


    "Some time ago when Young Master Shan was heading for the horse track together with his friends, he almost ran down a young girl. Fortunately, a young man jumped out to save her and got hit instead.


    "That young man was Jiang Fengmian. At that time he behaved rudely and did not listen to Young Master Shan at all. Later on, he met this Jiang Fengmian again, here at the University, and invited him for a cup of coffee.


    "At this time I was with He Yuyan who saw this, and you know her temper, she could not handle it and had to talk back at him. She was mostly trash talking him for being poor.


    "Young Master Shan was likely there to apologize to this Jiang Fengmian, and then she came to cause problems, so he said that she should be polite when talking to his friend.


    "The following day she completely disregarded what he said and caused Jiang Fengmian to be suspended. How could he swallow this down? Young Master Shan had just declared their friendship and then she did such an insane thing.


    "So to say, Young Master Shan is not treating Jiang Fengmian especially well, it was He Yuyan who went seeking her own death."

 Chapter 39锛歅oaching of Stars

    The other women surrounding Liu Lihua were shocked upon hearing this. They had never thought that there was such a twist in the relationship between the two men.


    "So you are saying that Young Master Shan is just treating him well because he feels guilty for hitting him with a car?" One of the ladies asked stunned, and Liu Lihua nodded her head solemnly.


    "So this Jiang Fengmian is abusing Young Master Shan''s guilty conscience to stick to him, and even makes such disgusting gossip as them being a gay couple?"


    "He is likely thinking that, if he sticks to the name of Young Master Shan, he will be famous," another girl said with disdain.


    All of them had forgotten the main part of what this woman had said. She had been together with He Yuyan earlier when they had run into Jiang Fengmian and Han Qingshan drinking coffee together, did this not mean that she had a good relationship with He Yuyan?


    If she had a good relationship with He Yuyan, her relationship with Jiang Fengmian was strained, so of course, she would do all in her power to make the rest of their circle dislike Jiang Fengmian as well.


    At the same time, in a small garden behind the faculty that Jiang Yingyue belonged to, a young handsome-looking boy was seated on the grass eating his lunch while feeling blissful.


    Although Jiang Yingyue had eaten the leftovers from the restaurant for dinner on the previous night and had prepared leftovers for her parents, there were still some left, and she had packed them in her lunch box.


    The food was good, and she was in a great mood as she finished her meal before playing with her phone. She had some time to kill before it was time for the afternoon lectures, so she opened WeChat and sent a message to Han Qingshan.


    ''Thank you for the meal,'' was sent, together with a picture she had taken of the lunch box before she had started eating it.


    She was rather skilled at making food look delicious, and the lunchbox had looked enticing with vibrant colors, and the food was delicately portioned.


    Han Qingshan was still seated in the cafeteria, smiling politely while listening to the other scions discussing their businesses, when his phone vibrated.


    The phone was his personal phone, not the one that he used for business purposes, so he was quite surprised. Not many had this number, even most of the scions did not have it.


    Han Qingshan quickly replied to the message, and moments after, when he looked up, he saw all the others at the table looking at him in an odd way.


    "What is it?" He asked curiously when he saw their expressions, but none of them dared to ask what kind of fairy had sent him a message to warrant such a look from their perfect young master.


    "Nothing," Wang Feihong had an idea of who it might be that was contacting him, but he hoped that he was mistaken. If the heir to the Han corporation truly turned gay, then the whole country would be turned upside down.


    Han Qingshan did not leave, but he kept his phone in his hand and sent messages from time to time, replying to Jiang Fengmian.


    Time flowed like water, and soon the two-hour long break was over before it was time for the afternoon lectures to begin.


    Han Qingshan continued to study, but just as the day was ending and he wanted to go find Jiang Fengmian, his work phone rang.


    It was very rare that people called him. Usually, they would send a text message out of fear of interrupting him, but this time it was an actual phone call, so Han Qingshan quickly picked it up.


    "CEO Han, there is a problem at Imperial World that I cannot make about decisions on my own." It was his assistant that called, so Han Qingshan''s face instantly turned solemn.


    Imperial World was his work for over three years. He had worked hard for this business to flourish, so he was not willing to see it encounter troubles.


    He scrapped the idea of going to find Jiang Fengmian, and with a last glance towards the faculty where his friend was likely to appear from, he sighed and headed towards his car.


    He hurried through town, towards the main office of Imperial World, where he was greeted by a flustered assistant.


    "Song Liwei, brief me on the way," Han Qingshan said, as he headed towards his office.


    "The Su corporation has poached five of our A-listing celebrities." Song Liwei said right away, passing five reports over to Han Qingshan. "They were all signed with us three years ago, their contracts should have been renewed next month, but instead of starting to engage in discussions with us, they all informed us that they had decided to head for Su Corporation because they gave them a good offer.


    "Some of them seemed truly sorry while others were arrogant, but what was common in all of their cases, was the fact that they refused to talk terms with us."


    Song Liwei felt horrible. He had been tasked with looking after Imperial World, but now things had progressed out of the scope that he could control.


    "The Su corporation should not have enough capital to make them join them, they must have worked together with someone else," Han Qingshan said, while scanning through the documents he had gotten from Song Liwei.


    He took out his personal phone and dialed a number; his face was stern. "Hei Yi, figure out who is backing the Su family now. I want to know how they have managed to poach my stars."

 Chapter 40锛歒oung Master, Help Me!

    Song Liwei was incapable of hearing the response on the other end of the phone, but he saw that Han Qingshan spoke no more and that he had disconnected the call before taking a seat in his office chair.


    His face turned more and more solemn the more he read, and he felt that something was amiss.


    The Su Corporation was controlling Starry Sky Entertainment Agency, the oldest agency in the entire country. But while they had a renowned name, the Su Corporation which was behind the firm, was nothing more than a family business in the middle tiers of the noble class.


    They did not have not the same kind of capital and funding as Imperial World, who had the Han Corporation behind it, neither did it have the same convincing powers.


    Anyone within their minds right would pick Imperial World over Starry Sky Entertainment Agency, but now five of his golden geese had suddenly decided to go to the competitors. He had to figure out the reason behind this.


    Were they unhappy at his agency? Had they not been treated with the respect they needed, had someone taken their resources away from them, what could have happened to cause so many to leave at the same time?


    Was this a problem stemming from his company not running as smoothly as he had planned, or had the opposing side come up with some strategy that made them convince his artists to jump ship?


    Han Qingshan cleared his mind. He was a businessman, and a very good one at that, so when he started working he became focused and concentrated. He began to go through every artists'' calendar and checked who they had meetings with, to ensure that no other artists had contact with the Starry Sky Entertainment Agency.


    He also contacted the managers of the artists who had quit, but all he found out was that these managers had followed their artists to the other company, handing in their letter of resignation.


    He became quite puzzled, then his thoughts were led towards the conversation he had at lunch with the other scions. The Zhou family was returning to the country, could this perhaps be their hands stirring up trouble?


    However he had no reason to assume so, when all came to it, he had not had any dealings, good nor bad, with the Zhou family. Although they would end up as competitors when they returned to the country, it was not the same as them needing to cause problems for him like this.


    While Han Qingshan was busy attending the problems at his agency, Jiang Yingyue left the university on her own and headed to the closest convenience stores.


    In her hands were her CVs, as she was planning on handing them in to the shops. She hoped that she could be given a part-time job, so that she could help her parents provide for the food, clothes, and other expenses.


    She entered the first convenience store that she found, and headed to the counter. "Excuse me is the manager in?" She asked gently, while winking at the girl standing behind the counter, making her blush as she nodded her head.


    Moments after, a middle-aged man appeared, his expression stern, but he had a mild aura around him.


    "What can I do for you?" he asked, neither polite nor rude. Jiang Yingyue bowed to him and handed him a CV, "I am currently a university student looking for a part-time job," she introduced herself, "I am available for evening and night shifts, so if you are looking for someone, then please take me into consideration."


    "Oh, we could use one more person on the evening shifts," the manager said right away. He seemed very pleased with Jiang Yingyue, and instantly helped her into the office to fill out the employment papers.


    Smiling happily she left the store, after agreeing to show up the following day after university to have her first shift.


    But just as she left the store, and was about to cross the road, the sound of screeching tires made her lift her head and look at a car that came speeding towards her. The car was driven by a young woman, her eyes were filled with malice as she looked at Jiang Yingyue.


    Instead of attempting to avoid her, she stepped on the accelerator and sped the car towards Jiang Yingyue, who had turned around and started running for her life.


    The car landed a hit on her, and unlike last time, where she had only bounced off the ground a few times without too much damage, she felt all the bones in her body creaking upon impact, and a large gash appeared just above her waist, causing blood to seep out through the clothes.


    She gasped in pain and looked at the car. The woman within was laughing out loud when she saw the wounds of Jiang Yingyue''s body and how her clothes were stained red before she drove away.


    Gasping for air, Jiang Yingyue sat down on the ground; she knew she had to get to the hospital.


    Unfortunately, she was not in a state to go there, and if she were to call an ambulance, that would be incredibly expensive.


    In the end, she fished the phone out of her pocket, and with trembling hands, she called Han Qingshan.


    Although she had to use her female ID at the hospital, in the current situation, she could only rely on him.


    Back at Imperial World, Song Liwei was currently holding both of Han Qingshan''s phones, to ensure that he did not get interrupted while working.


    When he saw the phone ringing, with a name he had never seen before he frowned, he contemplated if he should go to inform his boss about it. But when he looked into the office and saw Han Qingshan fully focused on the task at hand, he changed his mind, rejected the phone call and shut off the phone.

 Chapter 41锛歒oung Master Yan

    Jiang Yingyue called Han Qingshan once, but he did not pick up. She tried once more but found out that his phone had been shut off and she smiled wryly.


    She started to feel lightheaded as she pressed on the wound on her side, trying to stop the bleeding, but not daring to take a look at it.


    There were black dots in front of her eyes, and she was feeling uncomfortable. She could not think straight, but fortunately, other people at the scene had filmed what happened, and some had even called the police. A witness even had the foresight of calling an ambulance.


    In the end, the police arrived first, and some of the witnesses who had filmed what happened spoke with them, while one of the officers stood by Jiang Yingyue''s side, his face slightly worried when he saw how pale this young man was.


    The ambulance arrived shortly after, and the paramedics quickly surrounded Jiang Yingyue.


    Seeing the blood loss she had suffered from the crash, they were quite worried about her and hurried to put her into the ambulance and drive her to the hospital.


    "Do you have any ID on you?" They asked her, as soon as the stretcher entered the ambulance, and Jiang Yingyue nodded her head weakly. She then gave her information details for her real identity, Jiang Yingyue.


    "You said you are a woman?" The paramedics looked at her with doubt in their eyes, but Jiang Yingyue was in too much pain to care about their reactions.


    Hearing this, they had nothing else to say and started cutting her shirt into pieces to display the deep wound she had gotten on the side of her body.


    "We will need to try to stop the bleeding and check that no internal injuries have appeared."


    On the way to the hospital, Jiang Yingyue lost consciousness because of her overwhelming blood loss.


    They soon arrived at the hospital, but the attendants were incapable of finding any information about her closest kin, and Jiang Yingyue had not left any emergency phone numbers for them to contact either. They began to stitch her up and made her go through all the tests that were needed, to ensure that she was not in any life-threatening danger anymore.


    When she woke up, she found that she was lying in a hospital bed wearing a hospital gown. She had not been unconscious for long, just long enough for them to finish all the examinations.


    She still felt a dull pain on her side, and could not help but feel a headache coming her way.


    She was happy that she had applied for a credit card before beginning university. The credit card was in her real name, and it was meant to help her buy the things she needed for university, but now it seemed that she had to use it for the hospital bills instead.


    Just as she woke up, a doctor entered the ward. "Good day," he said with a friendly voice, "I am here to give you some information about your situation. Although you were lucky and did not receive any internal injuries, the wound on your side is rather bad, and we suggest that you stay here for observation for a few days."


    "A few days?" Jiang Yingyue frowned, but the doctor was certain as he nodded his head. "Yes, it is quite necessary; you need to heal up properly. We need to observe you for a bit longer before it will be safe to let you out into the wild again."


    Hearing the certainty in the doctor''s voice, Jiang Yingyue did not argue, and just weakly nodded her head.


    As he saw that she accepted what he had said, the doctor looked much kinder. He then left her alone with the parting words of telling her to sleep and rest a lot to recover her strength.


    Taking her phone, Jiang Yingyue called her mother to inform her that due to a slight accident, she had been forced to go to the hospital and had to stay there for a few days. She told her mother not to worry and that they should not visit her because of their current situation.


    She also said that she would contact them from time to time, but she would not leave the phone turned on, other than at the times when she was going to call them.


    At the same time, in a country far far away, a young man ran through a magnificent modern mansion. He ran towards a specific office, and when he reached it, he barged inside without even knocking.


    Inside the office was another young man. He was seated in front of a laptop, clearly in the middle of a meeting through a video call. But when he saw the expression on the intruding young man''s face, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he spoke in a foreign language to the ones on the other side of the conference before closing it down.


    "Have you found her?" He asked with bated breath, as he looked at the young man who nodded his head, his eyes shining with excitement, and his expression showed that he was very proud of himself.


    "I found her! The ID of Jiang Yingyue has finally been used for the first time in nine years!" He said excitedly, and the man in the main seat breathed in heavily.


    "Where is she?" He asked. His voice was low and worried, but the young man was too excited to answer.


    "Right now she is in a hospital, in the capital of your home country," he said, slightly less excited after mentioning the fact that she was in a hospital.


    "She is in a hospital?" He was stunned when hearing this, and suddenly his heart started hurting, what could have happened to her in order for her to be hospitalized?


    "We leave immediately! I cannot let her vanish in front of me once again," he said decisively, and the young man did not even try to dissuade him, instead, he nodded his head, "Young master Yan, we will do what you order!"

 Chapter 42锛歒oung Master is Uneasy

    Han Qingshan worked all the way into the night before he finally picked up his phones from Song Liwei and went back to his condo.


    He had not checked his phones before he reached home, and when he tried checking the time, he found that the phones were shut off.


    Frowning, he could not help but wonder why the phone would be shut off, but after turning it on, he found that he had an unanswered call from Jiang Yingyue.


    When he first saw the unanswered call, he felt a tinge of guilt, but then he felt giddy. Jiang Yingyue had called him of his own accord, and he could not wait to hear what this young woman had wanted to tell him.


    Unfortunately, it was in the middle of the night so he would not be able to contact her now, and he had to wait for the next day in order to hear what he had to say.


    So on the next morning, Han Qingshan rode his car to the university with excitement in his heart. He had already done everything he possibly could with the company for now, so he could fully focus on Jiang Yingyue.


    Thinking like this, he sent a text to Jiang Yingyue asking her to meet up with him on the lunch break, but he never got a reply.


    Seeing no reply, even as lunch was rapidly approaching, he was starting to get rather uncomfortable.


    As the lunch break began, he headed to Jiang Yingyue''s classroom, deciding to meet up with her instead of waiting for a reply.


    When he reached the faculty, he saw no signs of Jiang Yingyue anywhere, and he could not help but frown.


    It was currently break time, so he took out his phone and tried calling her, but the phone went straight to the answering machine, indicating that the phone had been shut off.


    By now, he was starting to get worried. Multiple thoughts ran around in his head. First of all, he was wondering if Jiang Yingyue had gotten mad at him for not answering last night, but knowing her personality that was not likely to happen.


    She was one of the girls who had shipped the two of them together earlier, and seeing that Han Qingshan was here, was it not the same as saying that Jiang Yingyue was special to him?


    "Prince Fengmian has not been to school today," she said with a trembling voice. This was the first time she spoke to Young Master Shan, and she was slightly hesitant about it. But seeing him looking for Jiang Yingyue was also a shame, so she decided to gather her courage and talk to him.


    Han Qingshan looked at her perplexed, before nodding his head and saying a thank you. He started heading back towards his own classroom, wondering what might have happened to Jiang Yingyue.


    He could not call Hei Yi at this point in time; Hei Yi was currently working on figuring out who was backing up the Su Corporation, so he did not have time to deal with Jiang Yingyue.


    Han Qingshan calmed himself down. Just because Jiang Yingyue had not appeared at University today did not mean that she was harmed, or something had gone wrong with her.


    But just to make sure, he went to the house belonging to the Jiang family, only to find that no one was home.


    He waited until evening came since there wouldn''t be anyone else who could inform him about what happened before Jiang Wei and Xun Huiyin arrived home.


    "Aunty, uncle, what happened to Jiang Fengmian? He did not show up at University today, and he has shut off his phone." Han Qingshan asked hurriedly, his eyes displaying his worry.


    Xun Huiyin panicked slightly when she saw Han Qingshan, but she quickly calmed herself down again. Unfortunately, Han Qingshan managed to catch the worry and panic in her eyes, which made him feel even more uncomfortable.


    "He had to go visit some family," Jiang Wei said, after considering for a moment. "There was an emergency, and neither of us was capable of leaving, so we asked him to help solve it."


    Han Qingshan narrowed his eyes. He was used to seeing through people who lied to him, and he could instantly tell that this was a lie.


    Still, he wanted to keep a good relationship with these two, so he did not call them out on it right now, and instead, he nodded his head as if he had understood it.


    "Well then, can you tell him call me when he is available?" Han Qingshan asked. As long as he heard from Jiang Yingyue, he did not mind if she was doing something secretive. He only wanted to know that she was okay.


    "We will try," Jiang Wei answered, but he seemed somewhat hesitant. Seeing his hesitance, Han Qingshan''s chest clenched slightly. Nothing bad could have happened, right?


    Seeing that he should not pressure the two parents any longer, Han Qingshan bid his farewell and left. His heart had grown uneasy, and his body restless.


    It was as if he felt that something was wrong, but he could not put his finger on what it was.


    Han Qingshan did not go out to eat but went straight back to the Imperial World building to work. The sooner he managed to get this under control, the sooner he could task Hei Yi with looking for Jiang Yingyue.


    He buried himself in work and did not even notice when Song Liwei came by and placed some food on the desk.


    It was late into the night when he stretched his back and moved from the chair. He had managed to analyze how Imperial World had been doing since Song Liwei had taken over, and although he had not done as badly as he had initially thought, many things had spiraled out of control.

 Chapter 43锛欴ischarged from the Hospital

    Although she had been ready to admit her real gender to him before, now that she had reached the hospital and gotten more clear-headed, she instantly decided that it was not a viable option.


    If he could forgive her for lying to him, then that would be good, but if he couldn''t and went to the police, then both she and her family would be in for a lot of trouble.


    Since this was the case, it would be best for her to leave the hospital as soon as possible.


    She stood up, feeling the dull pain at her side, and forced herself to continue moving.


    Her shirt and bandages had been cut open when they had to access her wound, and her family had not visited her, so she did not have any clothes that she could change into.


    She quickly went out to find a shop to buy some cheap clothes. She then returned to the hospital and changed her clothes. Finding something to wrap around her chest, she proceeded with the payment for the medical expenses, so that she would be free to leave.


    Although the doctor was slightly hesitant, he could see her determination. Since she had already been sewn up and paid the hospital fees, he decided to let her go after cautioning her multiple times to take it easy and to not lift anything heavy.


    As she walked out the door, she saw an extremely handsome young man coming towards her, followed by three bodyguards and an assistant. This man seemed to be of the same quality as Han Qingshan, but he gave her a different feeling. Where Han Qingshan was like a breeze of fresh air, a sunshine boy that always smiled and was incredibly gentle, this man was cold and seemed callous.


    His black hair was slightly messy, his dark eyes deep like a bottomless well. His thin lips were pale and thin, and he was tall, at least as tall as Han Qingshan.


    He was walking with the same confidence that Han Qingshan had when he walked. He had an air of nobility and elegance around him; he was clearly no ordinary person.


    Looking at him, she could even feel how the temperature in the air was getting lower and lower. There was some insane tension in the air around him.


    Jiang Yingyue did not think too much about it. He had likely lost someone dear to him or was about to lose someone dear to him so the tension could be understood.


    With a final glance at his handsome face, she furrowed her brows as she thought he looked somewhat familiar, but after laughing at herself in reproach, she moved out of the hospital and started walking down the street.


    How could she have known such a handsome young man? It was already enough to know Han Qingshan.


    When she left, the young man took a deep breath before entering the hospital. His hands were clenched into fists, and he was feeling slightly uncomfortable. What if it was not her?


    He went through the front door and towards the counter. Time was flowing so slowly that it made him feel like everything around him was happening in slow motion.


    "Can I help you?" the secretary behind the counter asked, but before Zhou Yan could ask anything, his assistant spoke up.


    "We are looking for a patient of yours. Her name is Jiang Yingyue. She should have been hospitalized a little while ago," he said with a smile on his face, seeming very gentle and friendly, but the eyes remained cold.


    "Oh, you mean the tomboy?" she asked while smiling at them.


    "Tomboy? That sounds about right," the assistant laughed. "So, where is she?"


    "She was discharged from the hospital a few minutes ago," the secretary responded, with a friendly expression on her face.


    "The doctor suggested that she should stay longer, she was hit by a car after all and needed a full twenty-three stitches, but she was in a hurry to leave." The secretary seemed to have forgotten everything about her responsibilities of not telling anything about a patient''s history.


    The temperature was getting colder in the hall, Zhou Yan''s brows furrowed and his eyes glistened with coldness. She had been hit by a car?


    "Can you tell us a bit about the accident?" the assistant asked, and the secretary nodded her head.


    "The police were here to talk with this Jiang Yingyue because according to the witnesses it was not an accident, but someone intentionally attempted to harm her! It was really quite gruesome, and the poor girl was almost killed."


    When he heard this, Zhou Yan''s face was cold, and a murderous air started spreading in the hall. The secretary finally seemed to understand that there was some anger behind the man''s cold expression, and she quieted down. The aura that he was releasing was so overwhelming that she had problems even breathing.


    "What does Jiang Yingyue look like now?" the assistant asked, as if he had not sensed the killing intent that was seeping out of his master; the smile ever present on his lips.


    "She-she loo-looks like a-a boy," the secretary answered, as she felt trepidation from being stared at by Zhou Yan; she even stuttered slightly.


    "A boy?" The assistant raised an eyebrow in surprise. Why would Jiang Yingyue look like a boy when she was clearly a girl? She used to be a very delicate and beautiful child, it was obvious that she would grow into a fine beauty, so why would she look like a boy?


    "Yes��" the secretary was certain that she looked like a boy. "I can bring you to the surveillance room, she just left so you should be able to see what she looks like."


    This time the assistant did not answer but looked at Zhou Yan, who after contemplating for a moment, nodded his head.


    The secretary breathed a heavy sigh of relief and began leading them to the room where all the cameras were located. She felt that her life was just spared.

 Chapter 44锛歍aking You Home

    Following the secretary into the surveillance room; Zhou Yan, his assistant, and the bodyguards were standing dumbstruck while looking at the images on the screen.


    It was clearly a boy they were looking at. From the clothes, to the hair, and to the facial expression, all of it seemed to resemble a young boy around eighteen years old.


    Even Zhou Yan was shocked when he saw what Jiang Yingyue had turned into, but then brightness appeared in his eyes, and he said a name out loud that made the assistant look enlightened: "Jiang Fengmian."


    Without saying anything else, Zhou Yan turned around and left the hospital, closely followed by his assistant and the bodyguards.


    As they reached the main road, Zhou Yan turned towards the assistant, "Lin Qiang, find out who hit her with a car. Figure out if you can find a recording of it as well. Also start searching for every Jiang Fengmian in the capital, especially the ones who appeared after she vanished. I think she is using her brother''s identity."


    Lin Qiang was a little surprised when hearing what Zhou Yan said, but he quickly nodded his head, and as they entered the car, he started making various phone calls.


    They were heading toward one of Zhou Yan''s properties in the capital, but even before they arrived, Lin Qiang had managed to get his hands on the recording that had been taken of Jiang Yingyue being hit by the car.


    "I am sending it to you now," he said, slightly hesitating. He had felt his own heart clench when watching the video; it was nothing compared to how Zhou Yan would feel.


    Lin Qiang had been with Zhou Yan since they were born. It was his life''s purpose to look after the young master of the Zhou family. Ever since they were children, they had been stationed in the countryside to mature, before they had been called back at the age of ten.


    While living in the countryside Zhou Yan and Lin Qiang had gotten to know Jiang Yingyue, and they were very fond of her, Zhou Yan mostly so.


    But one day, she had suddenly vanished without a trace, and even when he used all the power available to him, he had been unable to track her.


    Lin Qiang had expected Zhou Yan to get better as the years went by, but instead, things had gotten worse. He was frantically searching every lead he could find in hope that it would lead him to her, but during these nine years she had never even once used her ID. It was impossible to find even a trace of her until she suddenly appeared at a hospital in the capital.


    When Zhou Yan received the email containing the video, the air within the car was as if they had entered an ice age. It was so cold, that even Lin Qiang who usually feared nothing, started fearing Zhou Yan.


    "Find the culprit," was all he said. His voice emotionless, but Lin Qiang knew that he was seriously angered this time.


    Jiang Yingyue was unaware of the fact that her old childhood friend had tracked her down and started to close in on her. Instead, she was walking down the street with a sheen of sweat on her forehead and her pretty face scrunched up into a painful grimace.


    She had no other option than to go home, but taking the subway and squeezing amongst other people did not feel so tempting right now. She found a secluded area and a sat down, wondering if she should call a taxi.


    Just as she turned on her phone, she found that she had seventy one missed phone calls from Han Qingshan, and a stream of warmth appeared in her heart.


    She had only been missing for a little more than a day, but he had still called her so many times, clearly he was worried about her.


    Without realizing it, she had already redialled the number and put the phone to her ear.


    It only rang once before it was picked up and a worried voice sounded on the other end of the phone, "Jiang Fengmian? Are you okay? Where have you been? Why has your phone been turned off?"


    So many questions barrelled towards her, but instead of getting annoyed, she felt a sweetness erupting in her chest, and she giggled slightly. Yet the moment she had giggled, she also hissed in pain.


    "What is wrong?!" Han Qingshan on the other side of the phone heard her hiss and was very worried, but Jiang Yingyue just said weakly, "It is nothing," but even she herself did not feel that her voice was convincing.


    "Where are you?" Jiang Yingyue could hear that Han Qingshan was fiddling with some papers and then she heard the sound of keys being picked up.


    Sighing, she felt that getting a lift from the great young master was not such a bad thing, so she replied with her current location and leaned back against a wall.


    Not even ten minutes later, a worried voice called out to her, and she opened her eyes, only to see a very worried and uncomfortable Han Qingshan standing in front of her.


    He saw that her usually rosy complexion had turned pale, her lips which were usually very bright red were now almost white, and sweat was on her forehead.


    "Let me take you to the hospital," Han Qingshan said, but Jiang Yingyue weakly shook her head. "I just came from the hospital," she said, "I have been there since the day before yesterday, it was fine to leave now, so I was discharged."


    Han Qingshan looked at Jiang Yingyue''s face. She did not seem fine, but he could not say anything about it seeing her stubbornness. "Okay, but I am taking you home with me then. You are not in a state where you can be left home alone."

 Chapter 45锛欽iang Yingyue is Bashful

    Jiang Yingyue went home with Han Qingshan. Although she was not too keen on doing so, she felt that it was indeed better to be with her friend, rather than being home alone.


    When they arrived at the condo, Han Qingshan parked the car in the underground parking lot and used his keycard to open the elevator.


    He wanted to help Jiang Yingyue by supporting her, but he soon found that she refused even the slightest touch.


    "We''ll be there soon," Han Qingshan said worriedly, wondering why he had been convinced to not help Jiang Yingyue back to the hospital. It was obvious that this person was not suitable to be discharged; what had the hospital been thinking when they let her go?


    "Do you have any bandages?" Jiang Yingyue asked through gritted teeth. When she looked down at her newly bought clothes, she could see that her moving around had caused the wound to open up and bleed again.


    Following Jiang Yingyue''s line of sight, Han Qingshan''s eyes turned solemn, and he felt furious at heart. Why was this kid so stubborn? She was seriously injured but still refused the hospital''s help. Was it because she did not have the money to pay for it?


    Feeling like this, he was about to say that he could pay the hospitalization fee, but when he saw the stubborn expression on Jiang Yingyue''s face, he swallowed back the words before they could escape his lips.


    "I have some," he said, and went to find his first aid kit. When he returned, he saw that Jiang Yingyue was even paler than before. Although she was usually handsome, now that she was so pale she looked like a carved jade figurine, her beauty ethereal.


    "Do you have some cheap clothes I can borrow?" Jiang Yingyue continued to ask, and Han Qingshan went to find some casual wear. He picked a pair of pants and a shirt.


    "Thank you," Jiang Yingyue replied gratefully, then started looking for the bathroom to tend to her wounds and change her clothes.


    "I will get some painkillers ready for you," Han Qingshan said, seeing the adorable little face scrunched up in pain. He felt his own heart was hurting whenever he looked at it.


    Jiang Yingyue nodded her head and went to the bathroom. She gently peeled her clothes off and saw that the bandage on her body had been soaked in blood, and she slowly removed it.


    Every single movement was painful, so she was grateful for Han Qingshan''s consideration.


    She finally managed to shed off all the old bandages and took the new ones, which she wrapped around her wound. Now both her chest and her waist were bundled up; she could not help but chuckle as she looked at her completely bandaged upper body. She resembled a mummy.


    That slight chuckle made her wince in pain, and she shook her head resignedly before she looked at the clothes that Han Qingshan had given her.


    Although she was tall for a woman, she was still rather short compared to Han Qingshan. The clothes were also too big for her, but she could not dress in her bloodied clothes, so instead, she took the shirt and put it on.


    It was made from black silk; it was cool to the touch and felt so comfortable on her skin. The shirt went all the way to her knees, and the arms were also far too long, so she decided to wrap up the sleeves so that they reached her elbows.


    Under the shirt, she wanted to wear a pair of pants, but they were simply far too big. Although she had the hips to keep the pants in place on top, they were so long that if she tried to take a step in them, she was likely to fall flat on her face.


    She was contemplating what to do, feeling a bit unsure. She could not wear her old pants, they had blood on them too, but she could not wear his pants either, and she could definitely not go out without any pants on.


    Just as she was deep in thought, she heard the door to the bathroom open, and Han Qingshan entered inside.


    She felt flustered and shocked when she saw him enter. The only thing she was wearing was her underwear, a mountain of bandages and a black shirt.


    Han Qingshan looked at the kid in front of him, and his eyes paused on the slim and shapely legs.


    They did not seem like the legs of a man, but right now Han Qingshan had no mind to pay attention to the nicely shaped legs of Jiang Yingyue. Instead, he passed over a glass of water alongside a pill.


    "This is a strong painkiller," he said, as he gave it to Jiang Yingyue, "It might make you very sleepy afterward, so I have prepared a guest room for you. Take it and go get some rest. When you wake up, I will have some food ready for you."


    Han Qingshan saw that Jiang Yingyue''s face, which previously had been as pale as the snow was now crimson, her expression bashful.


    As to why she was suddenly so embarrassed, Han Qingshan did not know, but the appearance was rather cute, so he chuckled and rushed after his friend.


    "The room is over here," he said, and went towards a room not too far from the bathroom.


    Jiang Yingyue followed him and entered the bedroom. The curtains were pulled close, so it was very dim. There was a bed in the middle with black bed sheets, giving her a very comfortable feeling as she headed towards it.


    She was exhausted, so without even caring for Han Qingshan, she laid down on the bed, found the blanket and covered her body. The painkillers were slowly starting to take effect, and she was starting to feel exhausted.


    "Thank you," she mumbled with a low voice, while slowly falling into a deep slumber.

 Chapter 46锛歒oung Master is Confused

    Glancing at Jiang Yingyue who had fallen asleep instantly, Han Qingshan shook his head and closed the door gently.


    Just as he had closed the door, his private phone rang, startling him, and he moved away from the room fast so that the ringtone could not awaken the sleeping beauty within the room.


    When he reached the sitting room, he answered the phone call. "What is it?" He asked. His voice which previously had been warm and friendly, filled with indulgence towards Jiang Yingyue, was now completely emotionless.


    Han Qingshan listened in on the information he was given over the phone, his expression turning heavy the more he heard.


    "Are you sure it is them?" he asked, but after getting the answer, he was quite certain about what had happened. "We will strike back then. Although they have allied with the Su Corporation, that does not mean that they are bound to win. We are still backed by the Han Corporation, and I am not a pushover either. Let us begin to show each other what exactly we are made of."


    Han Qingshan was about to put the phone down when he suddenly thought of something. "Jiang Fengmian was injured two days ago. I need to know what happened and who did it."


    Although he had not seen the wound itself, he observed that it was very serious. The amount of blood that had seeped through his clothes when he arrived was not little.


    After hearing a confirmation sound from the opposite end of the phone, Han Qingshan went back to his study room where papers were strewn across his table. Anyone else would be incapable of finding anything in this mess, but it was as if Han Qingshan knew exactly where every single thing was.


    When he was working a chuckle suddenly escaped his lips as he was reminded of the sudden bashful expression on Jiang Yingyue''s face earlier.


    His mind started to float around, and he once more thought of the thin and slim legs that Jiang Yingyue had. She had such fair skin, so smooth that no other could rival her.


    Her limbs were slim and subtle, definitely not masculine at all. It made him suddenly understand why she liked wearing baggy clothes to hide her underdeveloped frame.


    "I guess he did not get enough nutrition while growing up," Han Qingshan thought, convincing himself that this was the reason behind his friend''s lack of masculinity.


    The more he thought about it, the more oddly he was feeling. The legs were so long and slender. They had been so shapely, not an ounce of excess fat anywhere.


    Han Qingshan found himself wishing that the shirt had covered less of the legs so that he would have been able to see even more, but the moment this thought flashed in his mind, he frowned.


    Why would he want to see Jiang Yingyue''s legs? He frowned at his sudden urge to go into the guest room and remove the blanket to examine his friend''s body once, and for him to see just how feminine she was.


    Although he managed to calm himself with the many boring papers, he still had a lingering feeling of temptation for entering the guest room. What he wanted to do, even he did not fully understand. So, in the end, he just decided to ignored it; trying to press down the weird feeling of restlessness and dryness he was feeling.


    Jiang Yingyue had a calm and deep sleep. She did not move in her sleep, and her tensed up body slowly started to relax as the pain was getting less and less.


    One had to admit that the painkillers that Han Qingshan had managed to get his hands on were quite effective. When she woke up, the previously dim room was now completely dark.


    On a chair next to the bed were the clothes she had been wearing before, but the bloodstains had been cleaned off.


    Jiang Yingyue felt grateful towards Han Qingshan for having helped her so much. Just as she was finished dressing in the clothes, she felt her stomach growling. She had eaten nothing that day, and now she was hungry, but she was afraid of disturbing Han Qingshan.


    Leaving the room, she walked on tiptoes towards the sitting room to look for him, but he was not there. Then she went to the kitchen only to find out that he was not there either.


    She dared not randomly open the doors to the other rooms, so instead, she returned to the sitting room, picked up her phone and sent a text message to Han Qingshan, informing him that she had awakened and that she was in the sitting room.


    Not even a minute later, Han Qingshan appeared in the sitting room as well, looking at Jiang Yingyue with slightly worried eyes. "How are you feeling?" He asked with a bated breath, and Jiang Yingyue contemplated for some time before she answered.


    "It is not comfortable, but I am feeling much better than I did before," she replied honestly, and Han Qingshan nodded his head.


    "You slept for seven hours," he said after, looking at the clock. "It is already very late, will your parents worry when you do not come back home tonight?"


    "They don''t know I have been discharged from the hospital yet," Jiang Yingyue said, shrugging her shoulders, looking completely casual. "I did not tell them, I just said I would return home after a few days."


    Hearing this, Han Qingshan nodded his head. He had wondered why Jiang Yingyue''s parents would not tell him where he was, but it made sense if they had known nothing either.


    He had to keep in mind that all three of them were likely to use fake IDs, so it would be best to not keep in touch when being hospitalized.

 Chapter 47锛歓hou Yans Anger

    "We found her," Lin Qiang''s voice sounded in a dark room only lit up by two laptops placed on a table.


    There was a handsome man sitting in front of each laptop, one was Lin Qiang, the other was Zhou Yan.


    "Where is she?" the chillingly cold voice of Zhou Yan was heard, and Lin Qiang felt his entire body trembling when he heard it.


    "She fled overseas. She received a payment of three hundred thousand yuan the day before she tried to kill Jiang Yingyue; on the same day she hit her, she escaped overseas."


    "Which country?" Zhou Yan asked, his eyes glistening coldly in the light from the computer screen that was reflecting in his deep eyes.


    "The same country as our main base is currently located." Lin Qiang said; a snicker could be heard in his voice. "Do you want us to kill her? We can let her experience the pain of being hit by a car herself."


    "No," Zhou Yan was speaking slowly as he was swirling a wine glass in his hands, looking like a royal from ancient times. "Death is too simple, make her experience a life that is worse than death. If she can''t handle it and commits suicide, then so be it, but I want her to suffer."


    Once again Lin Qiang was reminded of the ruthlessness of Zhou Yan. It was as if he was turning into a devil whenever there was something that involved Jiang Yingyue. He would hold nothing back.


    "Where is she now? Did she go home?" Zhou Yan continued to ask. But this time, the ''she'' he was referring to was Jiang Yingyue, and not the woman who had driven the car.


    "About this��" Lin Qiang was silent for some time, scratching his head, not completely sure how to continue.


    "Well, she has not gone home. We had someone go past her home and check, and no one was there. Her parents claim that she has gone to visit family and will be gone for a few days. We do not know where she has gone to."


    "She just left the hospital, and she was not even ready to be discharged. Where could she possibly go if not home? Does she have any friends? What have you found out after digging up information about her?"


    Lin Qiang was even more hesitant about speaking, but he knew that he had to tell him these things, so it was just a question about an early or a late death.


    "I have investigated her life quite thoroughly and found all the information I could about her. She graduated from Riluo High this year, and she was never close to anyone in high school. She was seen as the school''s Prince Charming that they all shared, so no one tried to get close to her, but��"


    "But what?" Zhou Yan narrowed his eyes. "Well, she started attending Imperial University just recently. And there is quite a lot of gossip about her on the university forum."


    "Gossip such as?"


    "Well, there are those who claim she is gay." Lin Qiang was ready to be killed after uttering that sentence, and as he had expected, Zhou Yan was furious when he heard it.


    "Gay?" He asked, his voice was no longer cold, but emotionless. His hands clenched tightly; it was clear that he was trying his best to hold something back.


    "I am not sure how or when they have gotten acquainted, but on her first day of university, she was seen leaving together with Han Qingshan in his car. The following day, she was suspended because some He Yuyan was mad at her for being too close to Han Qingshan, and he then punished her severely. He also fired the professor who had caused her to be suspended."


    Lin Qiang sighed. "There are also rumors about Han Qingshan bringing her to the riding track, out drinking coffee and even dining."


    "If she really got help from someone, there is only Han Qingshan as a friend whom she is close to."


    Lin Qiang was silent after delivering the news. His face was slightly pale, and cold sweat started appearing on his forehead.


    "You said she is close to Han Qingshan? The young master of the Han corporation?" Zhou Yan''s voice did not sound threatening, it was quite gentle, but the tension in the air was so dense that Lin Qiang felt strangulated and had trouble answering.


    Swallowing hard, he nodded his head, he dared not even open his mouth. A resounding crack could be heard in the room as the wine glass in Zhou Yan''s hand was crushed, blood starting to ooze out of the cuts the shattered glass had made in his hands.


    Lin Qiang quickly woke up from his stupor and rushed to find a first aid kit. When he returned to the dark room, he found that Zhou Yan was sitting on the chair, looking completely casual, but a storm was brewing in his black eyes.


    "Figure out a way to know if this Han Qingshan knows about Jiang Yingyue''s gender. Also, figure out what their relationship is like. Until we have answers, make sure to put even more pressure on the Imperial World Agency. I want Han Qingshan to be so busy that he does not have time to care for Jiang Yingyue."


    Lin Qiang instantly accepted the orders given to him by his master and started making one phone call after another.


    His face turned ugly. "I just got someone to talk with the entrance guard at Han Qingshan''s condo. After giving him some benefits, he admitted that Han Qingshan brought a friend over today and that this friend has been there for more than ten hours now. It is already the middle of the night, and I doubt she will go home before tomorrow unless she plans on staying there for a few days in order to recuperate."

 Chapter 48锛欼 Want to Help Him

    "What would you like to eat?" Han Qingshan asked gently as he looked at Jiang Yingyue right in front of him.


    He just remembered that he had not eaten anything for a long time either, so he decided to order some food for them.


    "I can''t eat spicy food right now," Jiang Yingyue grumbled unsatisfied. "So you can decide. As long as it is not spicy, I can eat anything you feel like eating."


    Han Qingshan thought about it for some time. "You can''t eat anything too greasy, neither anything too fatty. There is a new congee shop that is selling some top-grade congee; I will have someone fetch a few servings.


    "You can watch some TV until it arrives," Han Qingshan said, and Jiang Yingyue nodded her head obediently as she went to the couch and sat down.


    She found the TV remote on the table and turned on the TV. Nothing interesting was on right now, so she just found a channel which presented the news.


    She listened with little interest until they started talking about Imperial World''s loss of five A-listing celebrities. Then her eyes could not help but glance towards the open kitchen, where Han Qingshan was standing with the phone in his hand, in the middle of a phone call.


    His brows were furrowed, his hand pinching the space between his eyes, and his demeanor was anything but positive.


    She began to feel slightly worried when she saw his stressed-out appearance. She had not known him for a long time, but when she usually saw him, he was a sunshine boy, always happy and smiling. Now that he seemed troubled, she felt her heart ache for him.


    Ever since meeting him, Han Qingshan had helped her time and time again without asking for anything in return. She was unsure of what exactly she was capable of doing for him since she was just a normal commoner, but she wanted to help him with his troubles.


    Thinking about what she could do, she continued to listen intently to the reports made by the news agency on TV.


    "Imperial World, which is backed by the Han Corporation, has taken the first hit to its foundations for the first time in the three years it has been established.


    "We, like many others, are starting to wonder what the Su Corporation has done to entice these celebrities. Have they gone the legal way, or have underhanded deals been offered under the table?


    "It is hard to say what exactly the reason is behind the leaving A-listers, but it is obviously a great loss for Imperial World. Now they only have twelve A-listers left in their company, while the Starry Sky Entertainment Agency has gone from seven to twelve as well.


    "This makes the two companies even, but no one is sure whether or not this will be the last of the celebrities leaving Imperial World. Only time will tell who will emerge on top, and only time will announce who will become the new leader in the entertainment industry."


    Han Qingshan was calm and collected in the kitchen as he was talking with Song Liwei on the phone.


    "Are you telling me that half of my artists are considering jumping ship?" He felt exhausted and annoyed when he heard that the numbers were suddenly becoming that large.


    "I do not understand what happened either," Song Liwei said on the other side of the phone, slightly panicking.


    "An hour ago half the artists suddenly called the office with the purpose of ending their contracts prematurely. They were even willing to pay the penalties for breaching their contracts. They just want to leave instantly."


    "It is the Zhou family''s young master that is supporting the Su Corporation," Han Qingshan said with a sigh. "Money is not an issue for them right now, but I never thought he would suddenly behave so crazily. What could have made him lose all rationality and start an all-out war with us?"


    "I am not sure, it seemed that they wanted to take it slowly at first, causing us to lose our artists as their contracts ended. But now they are throwing caution to the wind, and they are even willing to throw money out the window just to cause problems for us." Song Liwei sighed. "Have you done anything since yesterday? Anything special that could make him suddenly see you as his true enemy rather than just an opponent?"


    Han Qingshan was also feeling helpless. "I haven''t," he said, slightly annoyed. "My friend was wounded, so I have been at home ever since I left the company."


    Both Song Liwei and Han Qingshan became silent. While the whole situation was slightly annoying, Han Qingshan was also a tiny bit excited. He never had anyone who could really fight against him in the younger generation, so this Zhou Yan was a welcome rival; as long as it was done in a friendly way. Right now, where it had turned into a war, he was not too happy.


    On the side, Jiang Yingyue was looking worriedly at Han Qingshan and wondered how she could cheer him up and help him. She was not studying business, and she was not experienced in the business world either.


    Just as she was lost in thought, while looking at Han Qingshan, the man in question turned around to look at her, wanting to see if she was behaving well. When he saw that she was looking at him, worry written all over her face, his heart suddenly trembled.


    "I will deal with it tomorrow," Han Qingshan said, absentmindedly to Song Liwei before he ended the call in a trance.


    Just as the call ended, the phone started ringing, and he saw that it was Hei Yi who was calling. Returning to his senses, he quickly answered. "Yes?" He asked, remembering the last task he had given him.


    He had seen that Jiang Yingyue was not willing to talk about the injury she had gotten so he would not push her to answer. However, he was not willing to just leave it be, so he had asked Hei Yi to investigate the incident, and now he apparently had an answer for him.

 Chapter 49锛歐as it Because of Me?

    "I have bad news and some worse news, which one would you like to hear first?" Hei Yi''s apathetic voice sounded on the other end of the phone, but Han Qingshan was not in the mood to joke around, so he growled with a low voice, "Hei Yi!"


    "Alright, alright, don''t get mad," the man said, before he continued to explain why he had called him, and what he found out. "Your friend, Jiang Fengmian was hit by a car. It was not an accident, someone was most likely trying to kill him.


    "The car was heading straight for him, it chased after him, there were no signs of braking or trying to avoid him at all. I have a video of the whole process; I will send it to your email as soon as the phone call is over.


    "Since I knew you would ask me to find the person, I already tracked her down. She fled overseas after getting a payment of three hundred thousand yuan. Also, within the last hour, she was seen getting surrounded by a group of black-clothed men, whose origins are still unknown. From what I could observe, it was clear that they had no good intentions regarding her.


    "I saw it after hacking into the surveillance cameras of that country, so it certainly was not an easy task. These black-clothed men did not even care about being found on camera, it seems that they are employed by some rather big shots.


    "That friend of yours, could he perhaps have another backer? If he doesn''t, then does his enemy have such strong backing that they could silence the witness in this way?" Hei Yi asked worriedly. Although the Han Corporation was one of the leading families in the world, they would never do such a thing in broad daylight, so those who managed to do so were not easy to deal with.


    Han Qingshan looked at Jiang Yingyue, who was still observing him with worry in her eyes, and a thought suddenly struck him.


    "Could he have been targeted because of me?" He asked with a hushed voice, intentionally keeping it low so that only Hei Yi could hear him.


    "That is a possibility," Hei Yi answered, this time his apathetic voice sounded slightly worried.


    "With everything that is going on with Imperial World right now, Zhou Yan might have made a move."


    Han Qingshan''s eyes turned cold. "Figure out who paid for the hit, and send me the video," he ordered. He then stopped the phone call and walked into the sitting room where Jiang Yingyue was seated on the couch, looking at him as if in a daze.


    When Han Qingshan looked at Jiang Yingyue, his eyes scanned the handsome face in front of him. She was handsome, something that he was already aware of. But seeing her slightly pale and very dazed expression, he could not help but feel that she was quite adorable.


    "Am I that handsome?" He asked, with a smile on his face. He expected Jiang Yingyue to just laugh about it, but contrary to his expectations, she blushed and looked embarrassed while nodding her head.


    Suddenly, he had a weird thought, could this Jiang Yingyue be gay? She had always been a Prince Charming at school, someone that all girls dreamt about, but she had never engaged in any relationships with any of them.


    At the same time, she never participated in classes where she had to work hard or to change clothes together with the rest of boys. He got all this information from the investigation carried out by Hei Yi. Jiang Yingyue was clearly bad at contacting other men.


    When Jiang Yingyue noticed the smile of Han Qingshan, she felt her face heating up, and a blush that she could not control appeared on her cheeks.


    Although she was embarrassed, after thinking it through, she did not mind it too much. She had planned on pretending to be gay anyway so that Han Qingshan would keep a certain distance from her, but she was also worried about how he would take it.


    Looking at him right now, she saw that he had a smile on his face, but his eyes were narrowing while he was observing her expressions as if trying to see through her secrets.


    Shaking his head, Han Qingshan decided not to ask. Even if he was gay, it was Jiang Yingyue''s choice in life. Although many looked down on gay people, he could not find it in his heart to hate her for this reason.


    Just as Jiang Yingyue was about to speak, the doorbell rang, and Han Qingshan went out to retrieve the food that he had ordered.


    Once again, Han Qingshan had ordered a large number of dishes. Way too many for them to be able to finish eating in only one sitting, but it did not seem as if Han Qingshan really minded.


    "You are wasting a lot of money buying this much food," Jiang Yingyue scolded him caringly. Although he had far too much money, there was no need to throw it out the window, not to mention being careful about the food waste.


    "You can eat the rest tomorrow when I go to work," Han Qingshan said carelessly. "Congee is the best dish for when you are sick. Also, in order to ensure that you will not get sick of it, I ordered many different versions and flavors so you can eat something different during each part of the day."


    "You want me to stay here tomorrow?" Jiang Yingyue asked, she was surprised when she heard this. Was it not only for tonight? Was she not going home the following day?


    "Call your parents and tell them you will stay at my place for a few days until you are feeling better. I dare not let you roam free when you are this injured. I will contact the University for a leave of absence, and get them to send your study plan. This way, you won''t get bored staying inside, and you can catch up on your studies."


    Jiang Yingyue opened her mouth to answer him, but she was somewhat unable to say anything. Han Qingshan had already made the decision, and it was impossible to change his opinion when he was this dead set on something.

 Chapter 50锛欴oesnt Want to Let Go

    Like this, Jiang Yingyue was about to cohabitate with Han Qingshan. She was quite surprised about the whole situation and felt slightly odd about it, but she did not know what else to do. She could not very well say no.


    "What about my things?" she asked, slightly stunned. Things had gone forward so fast, she could not fully comprehend it, but at least it was only going to be for a few days. "I need clean clothes and toiletries. And bandages. Lots and lots of bandages."


    "I will get all of it ready for you," Han Qingshan promised, but Jiang Yingyue shook her head. "Can''t you just go and pick it up at my place?" she asked, feeling a slight headache coming her way. Was he planning to buy everything for her? He really did not care about spending money at all.


    Han Qingshan was about to say that he did not mind buying things for her, but then he saw that she looked slightly uncomfortable. Han Qingshan was used to everyone loving receiving gifts, so why was this good friend of his so different from everyone else he knew?


    "Something happened at Imperial World, so I am not able to focus during university classes right now," Han Qingshan explained and Jiang Yingyue nodded her head, not wanting to be a nuisance.


    "I don''t know when I will come home tomorrow, but you can use anything you please from the flat. You can place it anywhere you want too, and even mess it all up. I don''t really care. I will position two bodyguards outside and give you their numbers. If you happen to need something, ask them to bring it to you.


    "They already have a card that is attached to my account, so don''t worry about paying for the things you want or need. Just make sure that you won''t get bored while waiting for me."


    Seeing Han Qingshan being so overly worried about her, Jiang Yingyue could not help but laugh. Her pearl-like laughter resounded in the sitting room, stunning Han Qingshan, making him entranced as he looked at the brightly lit expression of his good friend.


    "I will leave the room where you slept to you; you can redecorate it as you please as well," he continued, making Jiang Yingyue smile and nod her head. "I understand, you want me to peacefully wait for you to come back home. Don''t worry, I won''t be bored. There is a massive TV here, there are also game consoles, and you have already ordered a mountain of congee so I will not go hungry.


    "You also said that you will help me get the study schedule so I will also be able to study. Since all my books are at home, I''ll be able to do that from tomorrow onwards, when you get back here with my things."


    Jiang Yingyue smiled, and it seemed as if she had forgotten all about the pain from the wound on her side. One has to say that the painkillers that Han Qingshan had gotten were extremely effective. Any normal person would be unable to get them without a prescription. But with him being the young master that he was, it was a simple feat for him to obtain them with his connections.


    Together, the two friends sat down on the coffee table and started eating the congee. While eating, none of them spoke any words, but the silence was not awkward. Instead, it was incredibly calming and relaxing, both of them felt comfortable, and the meal tasted even better than they had expected.


    When they finished, Jiang Yingyue gathered the bowls and the leftover food and went towards the kitchen. There, she started to pack the rest of the food into sealed containers and then placed it in the fridge. Afterwards, she started washing the bowls and left them to dry. Han Qingshan had been the one paying for the meal, so the least she could do was to help him with the cleanup like this.


    Han Qingshan was about to stop her, but then he heard her humming a song happily while busying herself in the kitchen, So, in the end, he just sat there with a smile on his lips feeling happy.


    He had never lived together with someone before; so he was a little confused about why he suddenly felt like being part of a newlywed couple, and he could not completely get over the emotions.


    Jiang Yingyue smiled when she saw that he allowed her to clean after their meal. She was very happy now. Although she had been worried at first about staying over, she got over it quite quickly.


    She kept thinking that they would be sleeping in different rooms and that Han Qingshan would not be home as much. It would truly be better for her to remain at his house, rather than stay home alone, where she might become a burden to her family.


    Just as she finished cleaning up, she returned to the sitting room and saw that Han Qingshan was, once again, staring at a few reports that he had in his hands.


    Feeling bad, Jiang Yingyue went towards him and placed a cool hand on his arm. When Han Qingshan felt the cool touch, it was as if electricity was coursing through his body and he looked at Jiang Yingyue in surprise.


    "Yes?" He asked, looking confused when he saw the pained expression in Jiang Yingyue''s eyes.


    "Can I do anything to help you?" She asked uncomfortably, her hand squeezing Han Qingshan''s arm tightly.


    Han Qingshan''s worried and tired heart was suddenly uplifted. The headache he had felt coming earlier towards him, had suddenly vanished completely.


    A smile spread on his face as he lifted his other hand and placed it on top of Jiang Yingyue''s. He tightened his hold when he felt how small the hand was compared to his, also noticing how smooth the skin was to the touch. He suddenly felt an urge to never let go again.


    "Thank you," he said gently as he looked into Jiang Yingyue''s eyes. "But I won''t be so easily toppled. Although everyone only sees problems for me, all I see are possibilities. I can still handle this, so you don''t have to be worried for my sake. You should focus more on treating your injury and getting better soon."

 Chapter 51锛欸ood Luck, Work Hard!

    Jiang Yingyue nodded her head, feeling slightly pampered. This was a feeling she had not felt for many years, and a sweetness arose within her as she looked at Han Qingshan with grateful eyes.


    Seeing his friend looking at him with such trusting and grateful eyes, he almost lost himself. Unsure of what he wanted to do, he just tightened his grip on the hand that was resting on his arm.


    Finally, after a few moments, he realized what he was doing, and he retracted his hand, releasing Jiang Yingyue''s hand from the iron grip it had been in earlier.


    When she moved her hand, he could not help but feel that something left his heart; that the hand which had been cool to the touch had woken some sort of emotions in him. It was a feeling that he could not understand.


    Jiang Yingyue was embarrassed when she realized that she had actually placed her hand on his arm, and her heartbeat rose rapidly. Her face was red, and she avoided eye contact.


    "I better get some rest," she muttered with a low voice, and rushed towards the room he had prepared for her, closing the door behind her in a hurry.


    Seeing Jiang Yingyue behave like a scared rabbit, with a red face and a bashful demeanor, he could not help but chuckle. He felt that he had been given renewed energy, and he moved down the hallway towards his study room.


    When he walked past the room where Jiang Yingyue was located, his steps slowed and his ears perked up, trying to catch any sound coming from it; but all he could hear was the rustling of covers. It appeared that she was really going to sleep as she had said she would.


    Shaking his head at his own odd behavior, Han Qingshan buried himself in work the rest of the night while Jiang Yingyue was getting even more rest, which helped to heal her wound.


    When she woke up the following day, she found that the condo was already empty, Han Qingshan had left for work and left a few notes on the table for her.


    The first note contained the phone numbers of two bodyguards who were stationed outside his condo, ready to do anything at her bidding.


    The second note was an apology for not waking her up. Knowing that she was injured, Han Qingshan decided to let her sleep for as long as she could as it would help her heal faster.


    And the last note was a reminder for her of all the dos and don''ts when one was injured. It also contained information about where everything was located in the apartment.


    These three notes should have taken quite a long time to write, but there was no impatience to be found in the characters on the paper. They had been written with a careful and steady hand, making her heart swell with happiness as she read through them.


    There was even a last note saying that she could enter his room to find some clothes to wear and that she could wash, but she was not allowed to get the wound wet, so she had to be careful.


    She went to wash in the bathroom, after which she decided to wear the same clothes again. It would only be until Han Qingshan returned home that evening with the rest of the clothes that she would have to wear them.


    She could avoid wearing her pants, but here it would cause complications as she remembered how Han Qingshan had stared at her legs the day before, and she could not help but feel slightly embarrassed.


    Although she lived life as a man, she was a woman through and through. Having a man looking at one''s legs like that, any woman who was as innocent as her would find it embarrassing.


    After washing up, she went to the kitchen and opened the fridge which was stocked with mineral water, leftovers from the day before, fruit, and vegetables.


    She picked one of the dishes from the meal last night and started heating it up. After it was done, she grabbed the food, together with a bottle of mineral water, and sat down on the couch with the coffee table in front of her.


    She turned on the TV and watched the news, hoping that a reversal had appeared in the situation with Imperial World. Unfortunately, what she found was that half of the B and C-listing celebrities were also leaving the company, rushing to join the Starry Sky Entertainment Agency.


    Feeling worried, Jiang Yingyue took out her phone and sent a text message to Han Qingshan.


    "Good luck, I believe in you!" Was all she wrote, but she felt that she had to at least do something to lighten his mood. Watching the people that he had poured time and effort into grooming betraying him like this, he could not be feeling happy at all.


    Jiang Yingyue was depressed when she saw the news, and she quickly changed the channel to a historical period drama.


    Suddenly, she heard the door lock click as it was getting unlocked, and as she jumped up and was about to go greet Han Qingshan, she was met by the unfamiliar face of another person instead.


    The other person was a woman, she seemed to be around twenty years old, a bit older than Jiang Yingyue, but just a tiny bit younger than Han Qingshan.


    When facing each other, both women were stunned. Their expressions displayed utter disbelief and confusion.


    Jiang Yingyue could not help but wonder who this beautiful woman was. There were supposedly bodyguards standing guard outside the door, but they had let her in; not to mention that she even had the key to open the door herself.


    Somehow a sour feeling appeared in her heart, but before she had time to consider it, the woman went forward and started looking at Jiang Yingyue with critical eyes.


    She went around her twice, looking her up and down a few times, and then snorted.


    "So you are that Jiang Fengmian I have heard so much about?" She asked, with a voice thick with disdain.

 Chapter 52锛歒ou Do Not Deserve It!

    Jiang Yingyue was surprised when she heard this woman''s voice. Heard so much about her? Was it someone close to Han Qingshan since he had told her about herself?


    Was she perhaps his lover? Girlfriend? Rumors had it that scions of prominent families got engaged to famous debutantes of society to further increase their family''s standing? Could this be his fiance?


    Without understanding why, the moment Jiang Yingyue thought about this, her heart felt stifled and uncomfortable, and her nose started itching. But she quickly fought back the feeling of dread and looked alarmed at the beautiful woman in front of her.


    "I am, and who are you?" She asked tentatively. She had already reached her own conclusion, but she wanted to hear it from the woman herself. There was always a small hope that she had misunderstood.


    Unfortunately, this woman was not willing to answer her questions; all she said was, "You do not deserve to know."


    Feeling slightly annoyed, Jiang Yingyue said nothing in return. She felt hostility towards this woman, who had appeared in Han Qingshan''s home out of nowhere, with her own key to the condo.


    After looking at Jiang Yingyue for some time, the woman took out a blank check and placed it on the table together with a pen.


    "How much do you want?" She asked with a haughty voice, completely stunning Jiang Yingyue. She did not want or ask for money, okay? So why would this woman, who clearly hated her, throw money at her?


    "I don''t want your money," Jiang Yingyue answered cooly, not really too warm or happy about what was going on.


    "So you want Han Qingshan''s money, but not mine? Have you suddenly grown a conscience saying that you can''t take money from a woman? Just quit your act, I know you got close to Han Qingshan because you wanted money, so state your price, and I will pay it. Just get the hell out and leave Han Qingshan alone."


    Hearing the harsh words, Jiang Yingyue''s already pale face turned even paler with anger. She had known that there were some people at the top of society who were arrogant and rude, but this really took the bill. In fact, this woman was even more upsetting than He Yuyan.


    Did she look like some sort of a beggar? Just because they had money did not mean that they could do anything they wanted to ordinary people. Everyone had the right to live the way they wanted as long as it did not harm anyone. But apparently, the society was against her befriending Han Qingshan.


    "Watch your words," Jiang Yingyue said through gritted teeth as she looked menacingly at the woman. She had already started to dislike her, but now it had grown into some major disgust.


    Jiang Yingyue felt annoyance listening to her voice. The voice, which some men would find pleasing to the ear, was like a shrill scream in the ear of Jiang Yingyue. Her appearance, which was considered a beauty, became twisted and ugly in her eyes.


    It was noon-time right now, so Jiang Yingyue knew that there would be quite a few hours before Han Qingshan would return to the condo. If this woman stayed for this long, then the time would not be enjoyable at all.


    Since she could not talk reason with this woman, Jiang Yingyue turned around, went to the couch and sat down. She turned on the tv and watched what was happening on the news, hoping for a new reversal of the Imperial World''s situation.


    Seeing herself being disregarded like this, the woman was simply livid with anger.


    "I tried the soft way!" she exclaimed. "I tried making you leave on your own, but you did not appreciate my offer and decided to make things difficult!"


    She walked towards the door, and just as Jiang Yingyue thought that she would stomp out of the flat, leaving her alone again, she saw her summoning the bodyguards that were waiting outside instead.


    "Kick this plebeian out!" she ordered them, her face so filled with anger and hatred that even the bodyguards were shocked to see it.


    "Kick him out?" the bodyguards asked. They were shocked and looked at one another with doubt clearly showing in their eyes.


    "Yes! He is polluting this condo! He is a bad influence on Han Qingshan. He is a gold digger!" She hesitated for some time while considering what to say, in order to convince them and then a cunning smile flashed in her eyes. "He stole Han Qingshan''s things!" she declared, her words making Jiang Yingyue tremble with anger.


    "I did not!" she exclaimed in defense, but the two bodyguards had already changed their demeanor towards her.


    Although they had been tasked with looking after Jiang Yingyue on behalf of their young master, they were not too pleased with the task, and now that the young miss was claiming he stole things, they would gladly chase him out.


    "Please follow me," the biggest of the bodyguards said, gesturing for Jiang Yingyue to leave the house, not even letting him pick up his keys which were in the guest bedroom.


    These bodyguards were unaware of the fact that Jiang Yingyue was injured, and she was simply too tired to even bother discussing with them. They were the ones who would get in trouble when Han Qingshan returned.


    She believed in him. Even if this woman was his fiance, he would still never throw her out when she was as injured as she was. But unfortunately, he was not here right now to help her.


    She picked up her phone and was about to give him a call when the woman grabbed the phone from her hand and threw it on the ground before stomping on it.


    "This was something he gave you wasn''t it?" she asked with a menacing grin on her face. "You do not deserve anything that he bought using his hard-earned money!"

 Chapter 53锛欿icked Out

    Seeing the present that Han Qingshan had given her be destroyed like this made her temper flare up.


    "Who are you to decide what Han Qingshan can and cannot do with his own money?" Jiang Yingyue ridiculed. "If Han Qingshan listened to you, would I be here today? Would he consider me a friend? I am glad that he is more level-headed than a big idiot like yourself; all you can think of is money money money and being a Scrooge!"


    "Get out! Leave right this instance!" The woman screamed, livid with anger. Her appearance was filled with ferociousness, and the two bodyguards simultaneously advanced towards Jiang Yingyue with expressions on their faces that showed that they too were anything but pleased with her.


    "Don''t regret this!" Jiang Yingyue sneered at them before she turned around and left the condo.


    Jiang Yingyue left the building, still fuming with anger and unsure of how to vent it.


    She was starting to feel pain again because she had not taken her painkillers after waking up. She also had no keys to go back home, neither a phone to call Han Qingshan. She did not even have her wallet as it had been laying, together with her keys, in the spare bedroom.


    At least she was downtown. Han Qingshan''s condo was located in the center of town, and it was not so far from the office building of the Han Corporation and the Imperial World Office.


    Contemplating for a moment about what to do next, Jiang Yingyue realized that she had started to rely on Han Qingshan more than ever before. Maybe she really was getting too addicted to the kindness he showered her with. Maybe she was slowly forgetting what life was like before when she only had herself and her parents.


    Knowing this, she decided to kill time until Han Qingshan would return home in the evening and went towards one of the parks that were located close to the condo.


    The park was filled with people. Couples were walking hand in hand, mothers were playing with their children, and the elderly were practicing tai chi and qigong in small groups.


    Finding a bench, Jiang Yingyue sat down and looked up at the blue sky. She was feeling rather uncomfortable, and her anger had nowhere to be vented, so all she could do was sit and contemplate.


    She thought about how she had met Han Qingshan. She thought about their short time together, and about how dependent she had already become. She started to realize that he had a much bigger influence on her than anyone else she knew. He could make her heart a mess, and make her happier than ever before; but he could also be the cause of her unhappiness and sadness.


    Right now, she was frustrated and sad. Why did Han Qingshan give his keys to such a frustrating young woman? Who was she to him? Just thinking about it made Jiang Yingyue''s heart ache, and that pain was even worse than the pain she felt from the wound on her side.


    Sighing, she closed her eyes and tried to think about happy things. As always, when she was depressed and close to giving up on everything, she would return to the days of her childhood.


    The days where she was with her beloved brother, telling him about the world or taking her friends to visit him so that they could all play together.


    Thinking about these memories, her mood lifted somewhat, and her lips were tucked up in a smile. Yet somehow, the moment she smiled, she had an overwhelming urge to cry again.


    Even her fondest memories were not enough to remove the sense of impending doom and dread she had in her heart right now.


    At the same time, at Imperial World''s main office, Han Qingshan sent a text message to check up on whether or not Jiang Yingyue had eaten anything yet, but he never got a reply.


    He assumed that she was sleeping; the wound was deep, so it made sense for her to sleep for a long time, and thus, he once more buried himself in work.


    After a few hours, he sent a message again, but just like before, it was like throwing a pebble into a deep well; nothing was heard.


    It was now afternoon, and Han Qingshan had not heard anything from Jiang Yingyue. His heart started to feel uncomfortable. Was something wrong?


    He had known that she was injured, so sleeping a lot was reasonable, but getting no reply for a full day was not.


    He was not capable of leaving the company right now since he had some paperwork that was important, but he was very worried about Jiang Yingyue, and thus he picked up his phone and dialed the number of the bodyguards he had placed at the condo.


    "Good day, CEO Han," the voice of the bodyguard sounded through the phone, and Han Qingshan was somewhat relieved about hearing the voice of the bodyguard.


    "I have been unable to contact Jiang Fengmian all day, go to the condo and ensure that he is fine."


    "CEO Han does not need to worry about that thief. Young Miss Tang was here and confronted the little thief, throwing him out of your condo. He should not be causing you problems in the future."


    The more he spoke, the smugger the bodyguard became, but he was not close to Han Qingshan, so he did not sense the sudden drop in temperature, neither could he see the sunshine boy''s face turning menacing.


    "Tang Meixing came by and kicked out my guest?" He asked with a low voice, and the bodyguard finally sensed that something was wrong.


    "Yes��" he slowly answered, not sure of what they had done wrong. Was Tang Meixing not always pampered by Han Qingshan? Why would he suddenly become so furious from such a small thing?

 Chapter 54锛歒oung Master Says "Find Him!"

    "Where did he go?" Han Qingshan asked through gritted teeth as he stood up from his chair, letting the papers be papers and picking up his keys.


    "We don''t know," the bodyguard answered trembling, remembering the words Jiang Yingyue had said before she left, about them regretting their actions.


    "Why is he not answering his phone?" Han Qingshan had a nagging feeling that something was wrong. If Jiang Yingyue really encountered such a problem, would she not have tried to contact him? Why would she just leave without saying anything?


    "About that��" the bodyguard paused, not sure about how to go on. But when he heard the silence on the other end of the phone, he had no other option than to answer. "Young Miss Tang grabbed his phone and broke it," he finally admitted.


    Han Qingshan''s narrowed eyes widened in shock. He had indeed spoiled Tang Meixing, but for her to behave like that towards his guest, was it not way too overbearing?


    "Did he at least bring his keys and wallet with him when he was leaving?" Han Qingshan asked through gritted teeth, but the bodyguard''s silence answered the question quite clearly.


    "Find him!" The order was given, and Han Qingshan pulled his windbreaker over his body before he left the room in large strides as he ended the phone call.


    Then he called Hei Yi, and before the recipient even had the time to greet him, Han Qingshan gave an order: "Hei Yi, find Jiang Fengmian as soon as possible."


    "What happened?" Hei Yi asked curiously, but the only answer he got was silence.


    "What clearance level do I have to find him?" Hei Yi understood that it was a serious situation, but depending on the clearance level, he was not sure about what resources and people he could use.


    "Just find him as soon as possible without alerting the authorities. I don''t want anyone to know about us looking for him, but I want him to be returned to me as of right now."


    Han Qingshan was about to answer that she did, in fact, belong to him, when he realized what he was about to say. Han Qingshan almost bit his tongue to swallow the words again.


    He did not understand why he suddenly felt this way about Jiang Yingyue. It was as if the young woman could affect his emotions with the smallest of gestures, and although he was always aloof from the world, he had found himself dragged down to the mortal world time and time again after meeting her.


    "I care about him," Han Qingshan finally said casually, but the words just caused Hei Yi to laugh out loud. "Right," he readily agreed, "that is the funny thing. So far only your family has been in the category of people you care about, but now someone from outside appeared. Tell me, if those are not the signs of love, then I don''t know what is."


    "It is friendship!" Han Qingshan declined any thoughts about it being romance. Him falling for another man? Absurd!


    "If you say so..." Hei Yi, who was usually cold and apathetic was having a lot of fun recently. He felt that his master, who usually had a facade of being a sunshine boy, was finally revealing his real possessive nature.


    "Okay, I have deployed some of the hidden guards to find him, alongside the normal bodyguards. I sent a picture of him to all of them so they should find him shortly." Hei Yi reported before he said, "I''d better stop the phone call now, they were all told to contact you when they found him, so don''t keep the phone line busy."


    Without even waiting for Hei Yi to say farewell, Han Qingshan ended the phone call right away.


    He was not able to focus on work now. Although he knew that his guards would find Jiang Yingyuefast, he felt immensely guilty when he thought about how his friend had been chased out of his home just like that.


    Anger and indignation burned in his chest, as he swore that he would scold Tang Meixing when he was sure that Jiang Yingyue was safe.


    He was worried about how Jiang Yingyue would treat him in the future. Would she hate him? Would she blame him? Would she no longer be his good friend? His heart was uncomfortable when he thought about it, and he was suddenly rushing to find her, even more than before.


    He grumbled to himself and swore that in the future, he would not let anyone have the keys to his condo. Although it was a special case with Tang Meixing, he would never let her have it anymore either. She was already spoiled rotten by him, and now she was behaving unacceptably.


    Time went by slowly, and it felt as if every second took an eternity. Han Qingshan had no other option than to start driving around town aimlessly, trying to find his friend. But to search for one person in the middle of a crowd was simply the same as looking for a needle in a haystack.


    It took half an hour before he got a message from one of his hidden guards that Jiang Yingyuehad been found, and requested further orders.


    Han Qingshan instantly dialed up the number. "Where is he?" He asked, and the hidden guard respectfully replied, "He is in the park next to your home. He is not looking too healthy, his face is overly pale, and a thin sheen of sweat is beading on his forehead. He is resting on a bench, but his breathing is hurried. He seems to be in pain."


    The more the guard spoke, the more painful Han Qingshan''s heart felt. He could easily guess that Jiang Yingyue had not been able to take the painkillers and was currently experiencing extreme pain from the injury.

 Chapter 55锛歄nly Rightful Place

    Han Qingshan ignored the speed limits as he drove towards his home as fast as he could, worried about what he had heard from his guard.


    When he arrived at the park, he parked the car on the side of the road, not caring about the fact that it was a no-parking zone. He rushed into the park itself looking at every single bench, searching for Jiang Yingyue.


    When he finally located the young woman, his heart trembled in his chest. Seeing Jiang Yingyue looking that weak, he felt guilty. If not for Tang Meixing, she would have been relaxing at home and feeling much better.


    Jiang Yingyue was leaning back against the backrest of the bench. Her eyes were tightly closed, and her brows furrowed; she was feeling pain both physically and mentally, and she was not happy at all.


    She was stunned, and her eyes opened up wide, staring into the handsome, but very worried, face of Han Qingshan.


    "What are you doing here?" She could not help but ask in surprise when she saw him, her face completely displaying her shock. That expression just made her seem even more adorable in the eyes of Han Qingshan who chuckled when he saw it.


    "Someone told me that there were problems at home. So, of course, I had to appear as the knight in shining armor and save the princess," he joked, but his words just made Jiang Yingyue blush and pout her adorable little mouth.


    "I am not a woman, so how can I be a princess?" She muttered, but her blushing face betrayed her sour words.


    The more Han Qingshan saw her behaving like this, the more he started to feel that she was adorable, and he squeezed her to his chest, feeling that she was incredibly soft to the touch.


    He was very careful not to touch the wound on her side, but he refused to let her down, carrying her towards the car.


    When they reached the car, he gently placed her on the passenger seat, and buckled up the seatbelt before getting in on the driver''s side and started to drive the car away.


    In the park, many had observed the scene of a young handsome man carrying another handsome man, and many had taken photos of it. Most of the people who cared about fashion and wealth knew the appearance of Han Qingshan, and amongst the people in the park, quite a few had recognized him.


    The pictures quickly made it to the tabloids and the news agencies, and suddenly everyone in the news world was suffering from a great headache.


    They wanted to publish the story, wanting to display proof that Han Qingshan was, in fact, gay, but they dared not. If the Han Corporation became displeased with them, then their companies would be incapable of surviving.


    Since this was the case, they had to be very careful with how to go about doing it.


    Many journalists started digging into the identity of the other man in the picture, and they came across an interesting post, on the Imperial University''s forum, about him and a young man named Jiang Fengmian.


    They tried digging into the background information about this Jiang Fengmian but found that everything had been sealed off. So all they managed to get was that he was a scholarship student at Imperial University; everything else about him was unknown.


    Journalists hurried to the Imperial University, trying to figure out more information about him, and soon they found that he had graduated from Riluo High.


    After figuring out that he came from Riluo High, they also heard that he was a scholarship student and that he came from a family with below average income.


    Instantly, their eyes shone with excitement. If this Jiang Fengmian had been a woman, it would be the ideal Cinderella story that everyone would love to read about.


    Contemplating how best to break the news about Han Qingshan having fallen for a poor youngster from his university; the journalists wrote many articles, but all of them were declined by the higher-ups out of fear for insulting the Han Corporation.


    In the end, the journalists could not handle it anymore. They started posting their articles on the different forums around town, and even on Weibo under secondary accounts.


    While the journalists were busy, Jiang Yingyue was being brought back to Han Qingshan''s flat where she was being observed while consuming the painkillers, and then she was placed on the couch before Han Qingshan went to the study.


    What he was doing when he was in there, Jiang Yingyue did not know, neither did she care. She was focused fully on the feeling of no longer having pain in her side. She closed her eyes and rested her head against the top of the couch, feeling sleepy again.


    She was unsure of how long it took, but she heard the footsteps of Han Qingshan coming back towards the sitting room. Even hearing his footsteps calmed her down, and a smile flitted across her lips.


    Han Qingshan looked around the living room, and upon seeing Jiang Yingyue on the couch with a cute smile on her face, his palpitating heart finally calmed down again.


    Things were finally the way they were supposed to be; having Jiang Yingyue at home, where he knew where she was. It felt like it was the only right thing to do.


    Thinking back to the conversations he had just had, his mood turned slightly sour. Jiang Yingyue opened her eyes and looked at Han Qingshan, seeing his slightly annoyed expression she could not help but wonder if something was wrong, and whether or not she had caused him problems. But she was really not to blame this time.


    Before Jiang Yingyue had the time to say anything, a knock was suddenly heard on the door, and Han Qingshan went toward the hallway to open the door.

 Chapter 56锛歒oung Master Says "Take the Keys"

    Curious as to who it was, but aware that it would be considered snooping, Jiang Yingyue was torn between the urge to go check it out or behave properly and stay on the sofa.


    She heard some faint voices, and she perked her ears, but she was incapable of understanding what was being said.


    After around ten minutes, Han Qingshan came back into the living room; in his hand was a set of keys that seemed sparkling new.


    He took one key out of the bundle and handed it over to Jiang Yingyue. "Take this," he said. "Since you will be staying here for a bit, you ought to have a key to the place so that you can come and leave as you please."


    Jiang Yingyue was stunned when accepting the key. The person who had just arrived was a locksmith?


    Seeing her silly expression, Han Qingshan chuckled, and explained, "I can''t have the same thing happening again. So I will be more careful about who gets a key to my home in the future."


    Hearing his words, she could not help but glance at the key in her hand, but she was reminding herself that she would return it as soon as she moved out.


    Hearing that his voice was not sounding too sweet, Jiang Yingyue was somewhat relieved. But after hearing the words that made them sound very close, her mood soured again, and she looked away from Han Qingshan.


    "Your girlfriend wasn''t very nice," she muttered, her voice unintentionally full of resentment.


    Han Qingshan was stumped when he saw the resentful expression of Jiang Yingyue, and then he started laughing slightly. Why was this Jiang Yingyue so cute?


    "She isn''t my girlfriend, she is my cousin," he said. "Her father died when she was young, so our family has taken extra care of both her and her mother since she was without a father. She grew up like a sister to me."


    Jiang Yingyue''s heart suddenly beat faster than before when she heard his words that were filled with amusement. She blushed and looked away from him, embarrassed by her behavior, which made her seem jealous.


    As that realization hit her, she was stunned by her own thoughts. Was she really jealous? Just because she had found a friend did not mean that she had exclusive rights to him. She had to learn how to share, and a brilliant man like him was bound to have plenty of women by his side, and one day he would marry one of them.


    Although she was trying to calm herself down, she was still feeling uncomfortable when she realized that Han Qingshan one day would belong to some woman; most likely a rich miss from the upper class much like He Yuyan.


    Seeing that she was avoiding his eyes, Han Qingshan said nothing, but he could not help but feel that she was extremely adorable as she was seated there in front of him. Her cheeks blushed red, her lips slightly pursed, and her brows furrowed as if she was thinking about something uncomfortable.


    Was this friend of his really gay? If he did not know better, he would think that there was some jealousy in her voice before. Otherwise, why would she put so much focus on Tang Meixing being his girlfriend, and have such an obvious reaction when she was told that she wasn''t?


    Oddly enough, he was not grossed out by it. Instead, he felt his heart getting somewhat warm. Although he was certain that he was not gay, he was not as averse to that sexuality as he had been before.


    Jiang Yingyue was unaware that her behavior had caused her to be misunderstood as gay in Han Qingshan''s world, but if she knew she would have rejoiced.


    Being viewed as gay, even if they were good friends, there would forever be a certain distance between them, or so she would assume.


    "I need to take a shower, I''ve been working all day," Han Qingshan suddenly said. "If anyone appears while I am in the shower, just open the door for me; my assistant should be bringing some documents for me to work on tonight."


    Jiang Yingyue nodded her head absentmindedly as Han Qingshan went to the bathroom.


    Leaning back on the couch, Jiang Yingyue turned on the TV again, watching the news, but there had been no change in the situation. In fact, everyone was puzzled as to why Imperial World was so passive.


    They had said nothing, made no official statements either. They had accepted all the fees for the breach of contracts, but they had not even tried to keep a hold of the artists that wanted to leave. It was as if it did not matter to them who left and who stayed.


    It was a messy scene, but Jiang Yingyue was very worried about Han Qingshan. She knew that he had not given up, but so much had happened with her recently that had taken up much of his time, causing her to feel guilty.


    She was about to pour herself a glass of water when someone knocked on the door. She heard that the water from the shower in the bathroom was still running, and remembering what he had asked her before he entered, she moved towards the door, opening it.


    Outside was a young man who seemed to be in the middle of his twenties. He was wearing a neat suit, and a pair of glasses was placed on the bridge of his nose.


    He looked surprised when he saw Jiang Yingyue in the door, doing a double take when he saw how handsome and elegant this person looked.


    Being Han Qingshan''s assistant, he had obviously heard about Jiang Yingyue before. Now that he was face to face with her, he had to admit that she seemed rather likable, but this person had also caused quite some troubles for Han Qingshan, so he was rather conflicted about his emotions.

 Chapter 57锛歒oung Master is a Hooligan

    "Are you Han Qingshan''s assistant?" Jiang Yingyue was the first to speak. She had been told that his assistant was coming, but she had never seen him before, so she was slightly hesitant. Was this the one?


    The man pushed his glasses up and nodded his head. "That would be me," he answered with a flat voice, feeling a little uncomfortable. How was he supposed to talk to this young person in front of him?


    "Han Qingshan is taking a shower," Jiang Yingyue said, her face flashing a brilliant smile at Song Liwei, who was blinded by her beauty and only regained his senses after a moment.


    "He told me you would be coming with some papers, and that I should accept them from you," she relayed his words, and Song Liwei was even more shocked when hearing that.


    The papers he had brought were very important documents. They were even confidential, but now he was supposed to hand them over to this person of ordinary background whom his CEO had only known for a very short amount of time?


    Was this a wise choice? Still, he could hear the sound of the water in the bathroom, and seeing how Han Qingshan had dropped everything in his hands earlier for the sake of this young woman, he did not doubt her.


    Clearing his throat, he ruminated through his briefcase before finding a stack of papers that he handed over to Jiang Yingyue, who accepted them readily.


    "Should I do something special now? Sign some papers to prove that I have accepted them or something?" She was not familiar with the transfer of papers, so she was somewhat confused. Was this it?


    Hearing her somewhat naive question, Song Liwei started to understand why his CEO had taken such a liking to this person. It was obvious that she was like a breath of fresh air, not at all stuck up, and quite cute too.


    Song Liwei was horrified when he thought like that. How could he, a man, consider another man cute? Frowning he shook his head, "It is enough that you ensure that they get given to CEO Han as soon as possible. The company is in quite a tight spot."


    Jiang Yingyue nodded her head as she heard this, and she said her farewell to Song Liwei before closing the door and entering the condo once more.


    She went towards the bathroom and knocked on the door. "Yes?" She heard Han Qingshan call out from amongst the sound of the cascading water.


    "Where should I place your papers?" She asked, with a slightly embarrassed voice. "Put them on the table in my study," he answered. "You should know where it is."


    Jiang Yingyue made a sound of acknowledgment and went towards the study. She pushed open the door and went to the desk, placing the documents on the top of the table.


    She was in deep thought throughout the entire time. She really wanted to help Han Qingshan with the situation, but what could be done?


    It suddenly dawned upon her that there was one thing that most of them had seemed to forget. A smile flitted across her lips, and she had a brilliant idea.


    She returned to the couch and sat down, eager to tell Han Qingshan about her sudden epiphany. And when she heard the door to the bathroom open she ran there, without caring about anything else than sharing her sudden idea.


    "Han Qingshan, I thought up an idea!" she said excitedly before she came to a sudden halt.


    She was stumped, all thoughts vanished from her mind, and she suddenly opened her eyes wide; her mouth gaped, and she looked absolutely horrified. She lifted her head and looked into the eyes of Han Qingshan, who seemed as if he was testing something with her reaction, but she never caught this particular glean in his eyes.


    "Hooligan!" she said shocked, and her face suddenly blushed red before she turned her back towards him.


    "Why am I a hooligan? We are both men," Han Qingshan said smilingly, trying to figure out whether or not the person in his house was actually gay. He had wanted to test her reaction, but from what he had seen, there was no question about it.


    He could not help but feel rather smug about the way that Jiang Yingyue had been unable to drag her eyes away from his body. He had felt it was quite some praise, but he also felt he had overdone it when he saw how she was blushing all the way to her ears which were completely red. They were visible even after she had turned around, having her back facing him.


    Jiang Yingyue suddenly thought about her idea, and her previous eagerness returned. "Quickly, go get dressed," she chirped happily. "I thought of something that might help you, so don''t waste any more time!"


    She did not turn around, but she was visibly relieved when she heard the sound of footsteps moving away from behind her.


    She raised her hand and put it over her beating heart. It was beating so fast that she could not help but take a deep breath trying to calm herself down. However, whenever she closed her eyes, all she could see was the perfect image of an almost nude Han Qingshan.


    Slapping her cheeks lightly, she muttered to herself: "Don''t think!" before she went to get yet another glass of water. She was suddenly feeling oddly thirsty.

 Chapter 58锛欳ooking for the Young Master

    After drinking her water, Jiang Yingyue was feeling much better. She managed to completely disregard her own embarrassing situation earlier, and instead focused on the idea she had about helping Han Qingshan getting his company back on track.


    She felt giddy at the thought of being able to help him, but also slightly worried that it would not be useful as Han Qingshan was a brilliant businessman, so maybe he had already thought about it.


    Hearing the door open, Jiang Yingyue happily went over. Han Qingshan, having changed his clothes, exited his room and was met by the sight of Jiang Yingyue coming running towards him with a sweet smile on her face. She resembled a small puppy; had she had a tail, then it would definitely be wagging, and his heart melted slightly at the sight.


    "Han Qingshan!" Jiang Yingyue exclaimed happily when she saw him, grabbed his hand and dragged him to the sitting room, where she pushed him down on the couch and sat down in front of him.


    "Since Starry Sky Entertainment can steal your artists, who can stop you from stealing theirs back?" She asked with a glimmer in her eyes.


    "Think about it!" she said happily, "The Starry Sky Entertainment Agency might have the backing of some rich person, but they are still only starting to move upwards. They cannot have as many resources as you do, and now they have so many people who need to share the same resources.


    "To be lured over, they must have been promised some serious benefits, not just money but also resource wise. Otherwise, they would never have budged as fame is what they want; money is something they already have.


    "So, the older artists, the ones who are already in the company, will be deprioritized for the newer stars.


    "Now is your time to strike! Contact their old stars. You have a lot of resources now which are ownerless so you won''t be taking from others. Although you might not be able to guarantee them as much as what the ones who jumped ship got, it should still be enough to make them waver.


    "Especially when you consider that they have to suddenly share their resources with others.


    "So what I wanted to tell you was, why not just think of it as an eye for an eye? Go after their artists and get revenge! At the same time, you will be able to stabilize the company!"


    Jiang Yingyue looked immensely pleased with herself as she thought about how she had come up with this idea, even Han Qingshan was somewhat surprised.


    It was not that he had not planned on going this road, but to hear Jiang Yingyue suggest it, he suddenly felt his heart turn warm.


    "Mhm," he agreed, "I am planning on doing that. That is not a bad idea."


    Hearing this, the face of Jiang Yingyue lit up even more brilliantly than it had done before.


    "Okay, I better start working now," Han Qingshan said as he rose from the couch. "Watch some TV or play some games," he ordered her. "If you need anything come to fetch me, and I will get someone to retrieve it for you. You are not allowed to leave the flat before you are healthy again."


    It was only earlier that day that she had been in serious pain because of her wound, but she was a simple character, out of sight, out of mind.


    But she understood that he had to work a lot, so she did not argue with him. Instead, she just waved her small hand and went to the couch; she sat down and started watching a drama on TV.


    The drama was named Blue Phoenix, and it was about a novel she had read once before. Although she was not reading a lot of books that weren''t related to her classes, she still did so from time to time, and she had found that web novels were a pleasant way to relieve her boredom.


    Since she rarely spent time together with other people, reading had been a great joy of hers. She enjoyed a wide variety of novels, from cultivation novels to modern romances.


    Seeing that the novel on TV was Blue Phoenix, she was quite happy. She had always liked the main character in Blue Phoenix and the adventures. So she happily found a blanket and some pillows and laid down in a comfortable position on the couch.


    While Jiang Yingyue was happily watching Blue Phoenix, Han Qingshan''s mood had also lifted. He contacted Song Liwei, and together the two of them began planning the counter-attack.


    Like this, the time went by slowly. It was not before Blue Phoenix had finished airing three episodes that she realized that it had gotten late.


    She had not yet had dinner, and neither had Han Qingshan. She looked around the kitchen and found that Han Qingshan had quite a lot of fresh ingredients.


    He was not one to cook, so why would he suddenly have a fridge filled with vegetables and fruits? There were even some prawns and shrimps?


    She found all of the ingredients she needed and began making some crystal prawn dumplings.


    Although it was more of a snack than an actual meal, she assumed that Han Qingshan had been working all evening, up until now. So even if he had a full meal he might not have the time for it. Instead, she planned on making some simple crystal prawn dumplings first, and then make a proper meal later on, when he would be done working for the day.


    It took her around half an hour to make the food, and when she was done, she hurried towards the study with a plate full of crystal prawn dumplings.


    As she stood outside the door, she suddenly became nervous. Would she disturb him if she entered now?

 Chapter 59锛歀ike a Newlywed Wife

    After contemplating for a moment, she knocked on the door. He had said that if she needed anything, she should just come and ask him, so it should be the same now.


    "Come in," he said in a somewhat absent-minded voice, and Jiang Yingyue quickly pushed open the door and entered with a plate full of crystal prawn dumplings.


    The scent of the food wafted into the room, and Han Qingshan, who had been buried in his work, lifted his head when the scent reached him.


    Jiang Yingyue was not certain, but suddenly she thought she could hear the sound of a stomach growling, and a relieved smile came onto her lips. She had done the right thing to cook him some food.


    She stepped forward and reached out the plate. "Eat something," she said with a soft voice, "You have worked hard, but you haven''t gotten anything to eat yet. You can''t treat yourself this way. I know it is important to get things done, but it is also important to treat yourself well."


    Hearing the words, and the soft voice that said them, Han Qingshan felt incredibly moved. Although his family loved him, they were used to working hard, and it was not rare for them to skip meals when working.


    He had never before experienced what he was experiencing now; that someone was cooking for him and reminding him to look after himself as well, softened his heart.


    Seeing him taking the plate gratefully, Jiang Yingyue felt successful. "Do you also want a cup of tea?" She asked as well, before gesturing behind her, "I was going to make a cup for myself so I would make you one too, but I was afraid of disturbing you.


    "Also, I used the ingredients in your kitchen to cook these. I hope you don''t mind. It is just something simple, and I did not cook a proper meal, because I doubt you would have the time to eat it all. But a few dumplings are better than not eating anything at all."


    Jiang Yingyue felt rather flustered, so she started rambling on about whatever came to mind. Her face had heated up again because she felt like she was behaving too much like a newlywed housewife, but she really was worried about him.


    "Thank you," he said smilingly, shaking his head at how cute Jiang Yingyue was behaving.


    Hearing his thank you, she stopped talking and slowly nodded her head. "Well, please enjoy the food. If you don''t mind, I will cook a proper meal that can wait for you when you have finished working," she offered, and Han Qingshan''s eyes lit up in happiness.


    "Would you really cook a meal for me?" He asked, incredulously. He was not used to someone doing such things for him, so when he heard her offer it, he was touched.


    "Of course!" Jiang Yingyue smiled sweetly, unaware of how mellow her attitude towards him had become. "I have nothing to do, and you are already helping me a lot by letting me stay here, so the least I can do is cook for you."


    "I stocked up on groceries after eating at your place," Han Qingshan said casually. "I wanted to cook food, but after trying to make some braised pork ribs, I gave up again. It was nowhere near as easy as I had expected," he lamented.


    Hearing this, Jiang Yingyue laughed slightly. "Cooking is an art, and it takes time to learn," she explained. "I can teach you one day if you would like to learn," she promised before she looked around.


    "Anyway, let me fetch you a cup of tea, you need something to keep you awake while working," she said, and then she turned around, heading towards the kitchen once more.


    After handing over the cup of tea, Han Qingshan munched on the crystal prawn dumplings before he once again focused on work. Seeing him so focused, Jiang Yingyue also left the room, allowing for him to work in peace.


    She went back to the kitchen and found all the different ingredients. She found two whole chickens alongside some vegetables. Wondering what Han Qingshan wanted to do with this much food, she picked the two chickens and some vegetables and started cooking.


    She made a chicken corn soup, soy sauce chicken, saut��ed chili and garlic greens with a side of rice. The meal was very simple, but it was hearty and delicious.


    Packing the dishes so that they were easy to reheat later, she returned to the couch to watch more TV. She was not willing to watch the news anymore; she had complete faith that Han Qingshan would solve the problem, so listening to the news would do nothing more than sour her mood.


    She kept watching dramas all night. Some of them were romance dramas, and others were period dramas. Time flew by, and by the time Han Qingshan came out of the study, it was already the middle of the night.


    He walked into the sitting room and saw that the TV was still on. A variety program was running at that point in time, but he heard no noise coming from Jiang Yingyue.


    When he looked at the couch, he found that Jiang Yingyue was laying there, sleeping peacefully with a pillow under her head and another pillow in her arms, serving as a teddy bear.


    Chuckling slightly, Han Qingshan moved to the kitchen where he saw that the chicken dishes, the greens, and the rice had been prepared for him, only needing to be reheated.


    The smile on his face deepened. But before he started eating, he went to the couch, lifted the sleeping Jiang Yingyue and carried her to the guest room.


    The moment he lifted her up, he suddenly felt that the body in his arms was incredibly soft. It was slim and not at all masculine.


    He had previously seen it being thin, and initially, he had excused it with malnutrition, but now he realized that she was also very soft and tender.

 Chapter 60锛欻ome Alone

    When they reached the bed in the guest room, Han Qingshan placed the sleeping Jiang Yingyue on the bed. Seeing that she had not woken up during the entire time, a gentle smile flitted across his lips, but it was quickly replaced by a sudden emptiness in his heart.


    As he looked down on Jiang Yingyue, his heart clenched, and he suddenly felt an indescribable feeling in his innermost being. He could not put into words how he was feeling, nor did he understand it.


    It was a faint fear, but also slight happiness. It was hard to explain, he had never in his life felt this way before, and it was causing him to feel panicked for a short moment.


    However, after glancing at Jiang Yingyue''s relaxed expression and her slightly parted mouth, he felt calm again. The heart which had felt empty was full, and he suddenly reached out a hand and stroked the young woman''s forehead ever so gently.


    Feeling the lingering warmth on his fingertips, he unwillingly pulled back his hand and looked at Jiang Yingyue for a bit longer before he sighed, shook his head and left the room. As to what he was thinking, no one knew.


    When Jiang Yingyue woke up the following morning, she rubbed her eyes, wondering how she had managed to get into the guest room. Her body was feeling light and much more comfortable than it had the day before when she had woken up.


    She saw that there were some clothes laid out for her; it was not her own clothes, but they were surprisingly in her size. So she quickly deduced that Han Qingshan had bought her clothes, although she had told him to just fetch her own.


    She was somewhat embarrassed by having Han Qingshan spending so much money on her, but she understood his choice this time. He simply did not have the time to go to her home in order to fetch her clothes, so he had likely asked his bodyguards to find some clothes for her.


    Thinking about bodyguards, Jiang Yingyue could not help but wonder what had happened to the two who had been told to look after her, but in the end, kicked her out.


    When she returned back with Han Qingshan that day, she seemed to recall seeing some new bodyguards, but she did not seem to notice the faces of the old ones among them.


    She had been sleeping with the bandages on her chest, so she was feeling slightly uncomfortable. Usually, nighttime would be the only time of day when she could be without bandages, but while being at Han Qingshan''s home, she dared not remove them.


    She quickly changed into the clothes that Han Qingshan had prepared for her. The clothes she usually wore were quite baggy on her, while the clothes that Han Qingshan had ordered seemed to fit her perfectly.


    Fortunately, he had also gotten her an oversized sweater. So although the pants were figure-hugging, the curves were in turn hidden by the oversized sweater, so she felt relieved. All that could be said was that she had very slim legs, but although they were slim, it was not unheard of for men to have slim legs, and the pants were male styled too, so it did not look as if she was a woman.


    When she exited the room, she found that Han Qingshan was not present. On the coffee table was a small note which stated that he had to go to work. Next to it was another new iPhone which had been set up like the last one.


    She picked up the phone, sent a text to Han Qingshan to say that she was awake and to thank him for the phone, and then she went to wash. She still had to ensure that no water hit the wound, but she could at least wash herself.


    After washing and rebandaging her chest and her waist, she once again put the new clothes on before going to the kitchen again.


    The fridge was still stocked with food, so this time she cooked a wide variety of easy-to-eat snacks such as small crispy spring rolls and dumplings. She even made some scallion pancakes and some steamed pork buns.


    She spent the whole day in the kitchen cooking. She did not take any painkillers as the dull pain was manageable now, and she decided to discuss with Han Qingshan about her returning home the following day so that she could resume going to the university again.


    She had just begun studying, and she was already absent for a few days. Although there was no requirement to show up to lessons, she still had exams and assignments she needed to prepare for and hand in.


    She was not a genius like Han Qingshan. She was working hard to be able to maintain her position at the top of the class.


    After finishing the mountain of quick and easy foods, she began prepping and cooking the dinner for her and Han Qingshan.


    She had been snacking on the things she had cooked all day, so she was not really hungry. But thinking about Han Qingshan who had been out working all day, she doubted he had the time to eat a meal yet, so she wanted a hearty tableful of food ready for his return.


    In the end, she had used almost all the seafood, and last night she used up the chickens, so now a pork belly was all that was left, alongside fruits and vegetables.


    In the end, she made red braised pork alongside a pork and vegetable soup, steamed rice, and an apple salad.


    After cooking, she started cleaning up the kitchen before she began cleaning the condo. Although it was already rather clean, she liked having something to do, and now that she was better, her hands were itching to move.


    She was still wearing an apron as she was washing the floors, and it was not before she was almost done that she heard the front door open.

 Chapter 61锛歐ithering Flower

    When Han Qingshan opened the door, what greeted him was not the usual cold and unfeeling condo as he was used to. But instead, the sound of music playing, alongside the delicious scent of food.


    When he walked in, he quickly took his jacket off and hung it in the hallway. He then took off his shoes and entered the sitting room where he located Jiang Yingyue.


    The moment his eyes landed on her, he was stumped for words. She was wearing an apron she had found in his kitchen, her messy hair was even messier than usual, but a brilliant smile adorned her face.


    She had just finished washing the floors in the study and the guest room; she had not entered his bedroom, nor had she gotten to clean the bathroom just yet.


    But the rest of the flat was sparkling clean, and when he saw Jiang Yingyue standing like that, cleaning his home, cooking food for him, it was truly like coming home to a loving wife.


    Even worse was it when the smiling Jiang Yingyue opened her mouth and said sweetly, "Welcome home, good work today!"


    "Mhm, I am home," Han Qingshan said with a smile on his handsome face and stepped into the house.


    "Have you eaten yet?" she asked, not noticing the scene was rather unusual, nor noticing Han Qingshan''s odd gaze at her while she was wearing the apron.


    A sudden urge to take the person into his arms and remove the apron washed over Han Qingshan, stunning him in his tracks. The urge was so strong that it took all his willpower to stand against it.


    Without noticing the predatory gaze that Han Qingshan had in his eyes, Jiang Yingyue quickly began to pack up the things she had used, cleaned the tools, and washed her hands.


    "Go wash your hands and get into some comfortable clothes, I will prepare the meal while you do so," Jiang Yingyue said, slightly concerned about Han Qingshan.


    Han Qingshan nodded his head. He had originally wanted to soak in the bathtub to help soothe his tired body, but when he entered and smelled the delicious food, he quickly changed his opinion and decided that it was time for a meal first.


    After washing up and changing his clothes, Han Qingshan entered the kitchen and saw that the dining table had some delicious-looking dishes on the table, while Jiang Yingyue was busy brewing tea at the kitchen counter.


    Sitting at the table he wondered how Jiang Yingyue knew exactly what he wanted. Any one of the friends from his circle would have found a bottle of wine because that was more luxurious. But after a hard day''s work, what he needed was not wine, but instead tea.


    Jiang Yingyue was unaware of what was going through the mind of Han Qingshan. She was frugal and could not see the purpose of drinking wine on a working day. Wine was expensive and should only be drunk when celebrating something.


    Not to mention, she only dared to drink it with her parents. And since she wasn''t drinking wine, then she completely forgot about Han Qingshan maybe wanting some alcohol with his meal.


    As they sat down at the table, Jiang Yingyue quickly poured some tea for Han Qingshan and started scooping up food for him.


    "Quickly, eat while it is still hot," she said with a smile that displayed her two canine teeth, making her seem unbridled and handsome.


    When looking at her, she undoubtedly looked like a handsome young man. But even so, this handsome young man managed to make Han Qingshan feel some emotions he had never felt before.


    Being completely clueless, Han Qingshan could not help but muse that it must be because he had never had a real friend before, that Jiang Yingyue was someone he treated specially because she was his first real friend.


    Seeing that Han Qingshan was eating obediently, Jiang Yingyue felt happy and began preparing about how to ask for permission to go back home and begin university again.


    "Han Qingshan, I am feeling much better now, I don''t even need to take the painkillers anymore. While I enjoy being here, I think it is about time for me to go home again and return to university." She spoke hesitatingly because she noticed that the more she spoke, the blacker Han Qingshan''s face became.


    Her voice had turned very low by the time she finished speaking, but she couldn''t help but wonder why he would get so upset about her returning home. Surely he was not too used to living together with someone either, so he should be grateful to go back to his usual lifestyle.


    "You still haven''t had the stitches taken out," he pointed out. "So living at home could be inconvenient since your parents work all the time, and they do not have the ability to rush home, should something happen."


    Jiang Yingyue was about to comment that he too worked a lot, but then she remembered that he had stationed bodyguards outside the doors to cater to her every need, so she never had any problems.


    "What about university then?" she pleaded. "I am not in too much pain anymore, and I really can''t continue to skip classes if I want to maintain my scholarship."


    Han Qingshan did not answer her immediately. Instead, he glanced at her hopeful face and sighed.


    "You can attend university on the condition that you bring the two bodyguards with you," he finally relented. "Someone was out to hurt you intentionally, so you have to be careful when you move around in the future. Until I have caught who did it, you will have to accept being protected by bodyguards."


    Jiang Yingyue frowned. She was not some delicate flower who could be crushed with the slightest effort, but Han Qingshan truly treated her like a treasure.

 Chapter 62锛欸entleness

    Jiang Yingyue felt that it was a bit too over the top to have bodyguards protecting her at all times, but she was quite excited about returning to class, so she readily agreed to his request.


    She did not doubt that with Han Qingshan''s power, figuring out who had harmed her would be a simple task. And that probably the only reason he did not have answers yet, was because he had been too busy dealing with Imperial World.


    She was unaware that he had, in fact, looked into it, but the information had been blocked by whomever it was that had captured the woman overseas.


    He had used every means possible, but it had proven futile, and even Hei Yi was currently incapable of finding any leads.


    This, however, was enough to make Han Qingshan doubt Zhou Yan even more. Although he was unaware of what he had done to cause such enmity, he was one of the very few people who could hide information from him overseas.


    Jiang Yingyue was unaware of what Han Qingshan was thinking about, but she saw his expression darkening. Could it be that he was changing his mind about letting her go back to university?


    She quickly said, "No worries, I will accept even ten bodyguards if they were sent by you!"


    Unfortunately, her words made Han Qingshan''s eyes brighten. Ten bodyguards was not a bad idea.


    Seeing his brightening face, Jiang Yingyue quickly moved her hands in front of her. "Just joking!" she quickly said, with a smile on her face.


    "But I would prefer it if they were not the same bodyguards as the ones who were here before," she muttered. "Those two who kicked me out, I don''t really want to have them following me around."


    It was not that she was against anyone Han Qingshan prepared for her, but she had lost all faith in them. What if they encountered He Yuyan, would they then step aside again?


    "Oh, don''t worry about those two," Han Qingshan''s expression turned somewhat cold as he was reminded about their behavior. "I already ensured that they will not work for me again. In fact, I doubt they will be able to find work in the bodyguard industry in the entire country."


    Hearing this, Jiang Yingyue felt curious about what happened, but she knew better than to pry into things that had nothing to do with her.


    "The new men are much more focused on protecting you, and they will not dare to let anyone harm you, no matter how high their social status is."


    The reason he had ordered this was precisely because he feared Zhou Yan''s unreasonable attacks, and any bodyguard who worked under Han Qingshan had by now understood the importance of Jiang Yingyue in their master''s mind.


    After all, he had even severely scolded Tang Meixing for her; this was something that had never happened before.


    Like this, the rumors about the fate of the two bodyguards were passed down through the news vine for all bodyguards in the company. And they were all suddenly aware that it was not a good idea to insult Jiang Yingyue. Neither was it a good idea to not take Han Qingshan''s words seriously.


    Like this, the two spent the rest of the evening together. Han Qingshan went to the study and began working, while Jiang Yingyue cleaned the dishes before she went to the couch to watch some more episodes of her dramas.


    The following day she woke up early, so early that even Han Qingshan had not left when she came out of her room.


    Jiang Yingyue was not always very active when she woke up. In fact, she preferred sleeping in and slowly waking up, but when she had to go to university that was not an option.


    She was like a zombie, walking as if she was still asleep. When she saw Han Qingshan, she nodded at him to display that she had seen him, but she went straight to the bathroom to wash.


    She quickly undressed, took the bandages off her chest, and took a deep breath. The feeling of freedom was always the best. Unfortunately, she could not keep it for long, so she hurried to wash before she wrapped up her chest and her wound again.


    Jiang Yingyue took a full half hour to wash her face, wash her body, brush her teeth and hair, followed by rewrapping herself and changing her clothes.


    Han Qingshan had bought a closet full of clothes for her alongside any necessity she might need.


    When she left the bathroom, she had expected that Han Qingshan would already have left, but he seemed to be waiting for her.


    Lifting an eyebrow, Jiang Yingyue went towards him. He could not have changed his opinion about letting her go to school, could he?


    "I have left a car for the bodyguards, they will drive you to school," Han Qingshan said when he saw her nervous gaze; he could easily guess what she was thinking.


    Hearing this, Jiang Yingyue''s eyes sparkled, and she resembled a puppy as she looked at him with happiness. Her eyes sparkling and filled with excitement.


    The sudden display of affection made her heart beat rapidly, and she was feeling emotions she had never felt before.


    In her entire life, had anyone ever been so loving towards her with the exception of her parents?


    She felt warm and happy when she looked at Han Qingshan, her eyes displaying complete faith and trust in him, making him feel lost in her eyes.


    Finally, ten minutes later, the two both realized that they had been staring at one another for a period of time; and while Jiang Yingyue''s face flushed red, Han Qingshan also felt slightly embarrassed.


    "Well, I have to go to work now," he muttered. He then withdrew his hand and turned around, almost fleeing from the house.

 Chapter 63锛歍wo Young Masters

    As she arrived at the university, Jiang Yingyue was followed by two bodyguards, who were hired by Han Qingshan.


    The university students were not aware of the fact that Jiang Yingyue had been injured previously by a hit and run car accident. They only knew that she had been away for some time, and when she returned, she was suddenly followed by bodyguards.


    As to what had happened, no one knew, but many guesses were made. One thing was certain, these bodyguards belonged to Han Qingshan, so the relationship between the two had to be better than they had expected.


    The university forum was on fire; everyone had their own theories, and they were doing all in their power to convince the others that their theory was the correct one.


    Jiang Yingyue did not care what others thought about her, so she went into the auditorium where their lecture would be held, and even here the two bodyguards followed her.


    The two of them sat on either side of her after she found a place to sit down. She decided to sit at the back so as to not trouble the others.


    While she was busy with her lecture, He Yuyan heard about the fact that Jiang Yingyue had attended school again, and that she had two bodyguards with her, causing the woman''s expression to turn extremely unsightly.


    She picked up her phone and sent a series of texts to three different people, and when she received responses, she smiled with a menacing smile, her eyes flashing with coldness.


    Sending a text to Han Qingshan about her shopping, she soon focused on what to eat that day.


    While Jiang Yingyue was busy thinking about food, He Yuyan went to a secluded industrial district in the city where she met up with three other people.


    If Jiang Yingyue had been here, she would have recognized all three of them. Two of them were the bodyguards that had been fired by Han Qingshan, while the last person was the professor who had been told to take his leave after having suspended her.


    The four of them met each other. No one said a word, they just looked to one another with wariness and hostility, before their eyes landed on He Yuyan.


    He Yuyan smiled at them before she found a chair and sat down. She did not find chairs for the others, letting them stand and look at her sitting down.


    "I have summoned you here today because we all have one common enemy," she began, "Jiang Fengmian has begun causing problems for all of us since he started socializing with Young Master Shan.


    "We have met misfortune because of him, so we should return the favor!" He Yuyan was doing her utmost to convince them to join her, but she had never had to convince anyone of anything before, all she needed was to order them.


    Now she knew that ordering would get her nothing. She had to be quite humble, but humble was not something she knew the meaning of, and thus, she decided to solve the problem in another way she knew how to. With money.


    "I will pay you good money to get rid of Jiang Fengmian. Disfigure him, kill him, humiliate him, I don''t care what you do, as long as he will leave Han Qingshan forever in the future."


    "My wife already fell to your convincing and tried killing him by a hit-and-run accident, but look at what happened to her!" The professor was rather terrified, his eyes darting from side to side.


    "She fled overseas, but she got caught by someone, I don''t even know who that someone is, I just know that she was caught, and now I don''t know where she is anymore or if she is alive even!"


    Just as they were speaking a chuckle could be heard reverberating within the empty abandoned factory they were waiting in.


    "You want to harm her?" the voice asked mockingly, "I wonder if you really have what it takes to harm her when I am around."


    The four people in the hall all froze in their tracks, their eyes widening in shock and they started noticing that there were people coming towards them from all sides, completely surrounding them.


    There were a full twenty-five men in black suits, their faces were cold and indifferent. They were clearly emotionless as if what they were about to do was commonplace for them.


    The speaker was immensely handsome, and when He Yuyan lifted her head, she was stumped. She had seen pictures of this handsome man before who could rival Han Qingshan, but she had never seen him in real life.


    Why was he here? And what had he said? Who was he talking about?


    "So it was you who tried to harm Jiang Fengmian?!" another voice sounded at the same time. This voice was awfully familiar to He Yuyan, and she shrunk her neck.


    What bad luck, both Zhou Yan and Han Qingshan had met at the same time.


    Han Qingshan had twenty men with him, five less than Zhou Yan.


    "Young Master Yan, is this your accomplice?" he asked with a heavy but incredibly cold voice.


    Seeing Zhou Yan here made him feel that it was, in fact, Zhou Yan who was behind the attack on Jiang Yingyue. But to his surprise, Zhou Yan looked at him as if he was the biggest enemy of his life.


    "Idiot," he said with clear disdain in his voice, "I am here to protect that guy," he continued. "No one is allowed to touch Jiang Fengmian when I am around, and since you are clearly incapable of keeping him safe, you should just leave it to me to look after him."


    Han Qingshan''s mind exploded. What did Zhou Yan mean? He could not be serious that he was actually here to protect Jiang Yingyue!?

 Chapter 64锛歍wo Young Masters Said "Beat Them!"

    While Han Qingshan was shocked, so were He Yuyan and the three men she had summoned.


    Who was Zhou Yan? He was an existence as high as Han Qingshan, and even more difficult to get into contact with. He had not been part of their circle for long as he grew up far away from the capital, and later he spent all his time in foreign countries, dealing with their family business.


    Now this Zhou Yan claimed to know Jiang Yingyue, was that not too shocking?


    Han Qingshan''s eyes narrowed, and he suddenly felt a sense of dread and hostility.


    "I can protect him just fine," he said coldly. "Aren''t I here now, even though you managed to take away that woman and hide every trace of her and her background?"


    Han Qingshan was quiet; this was something he could not argue against, and it made him feel terrible.


    "And the reason he was harmed is because of some woman who is intoxicated with you," Zhou Yan continued. "If you had not shown up in his life, then he would not have been so injured."


    "Do you know, when I saw his medical report I wanted to tear you apart for stepping into his life. He does not need you when he has me!" Zhou Yan''s face turned menacing.


    The four people who were the original targets had been somewhat forgotten by Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan, but the men they had brought had not forgotten about them and were keeping them in place so that when these two tycoons stopped their bickering, they could deal with them.


    "Now you have caused problems to my plan again!" Zhou Yan said through gritted teeth. "With you around, there is no way I can punish them as I wish, leaving evidence behind is not the way I do things."


    Zhou Yan had not planned on leaving even one of these four people alive, but while he could kill them, he knew that it was impossible for him to kill Han Qingshan and his entourage, so killing was completely off the list. If he left a witness, then it was obvious that he would be leaving his future in the hands of Han Qingshan, and that was what he wanted to see the least.


    "Beat them up!" He called out to his men. "Beat them so badly that they will stay in the hospital for a few months, let us see if they are more behaved then."


    "Go beat them up too," Han Qingshan was not going to be left behind and ordered his men. "Break a few bones, and let He Yuyan feel the pain of getting beaten up for a long time, so she knows who she is dealing with!"


    Han Qingshan was from the biggest corporation in the country, and while it had a lot of legal business, they also had a few shady ones, including dealings with the underworld.


    Han Qingshan was no stranger to seeing people beaten up, and this time, he felt that they truly deserved it, so not an ounce of pity could be seen in his eyes.


    While their men started beating up He Yuyan, the professor, and the two bodyguards, Han Qingshan looked at Zhou Yan again, only to see that he was glaring at him with hostile eyes.


    "Jiang Fengmian is mine," Zhou Yan said with a low voice as he stepped closer to Han Qingshan. "I can''t take him back right now, because I have some things I need to deal with, but you ought to know that one day he will return to my side and won''t stay with you. Until then, watch him closely and make sure he does not get injured again."


    Han Qingshan felt the strong possessiveness of Zhou Yan. It was not the kind of feelings one should have for a friend, it was much more like one''s feelings towards a... lover?


    Thinking like this, Han Qingshan''s face turned ugly. He had already assumed that Jiang Yingyue was gay, but had she already hooked up with Zhou Yan before? Why had Jiang Yingyue never told him about this before?


    Zhou Yan did not mind being labeled as gay; all he wanted was for Han Qingshan to know his position. He was, after all, aware that Jiang Yingyue was a woman, and he had full faith in her being able to return to the life of a woman one day; so even if he was misunderstood now, it would not be forever.


    Also, for her sake, he did not mind being misunderstood. If he could not even accept this for her, how could he claim to want to do anything for her?


    Seeing Zhou Yan''s completely expressionless face, Han Qingshan''s eyes narrowed, and he was feeling uncomfortable at heart.


    Just as he was about to ask into the relationship between Zhou Yan and Jiang Yingyue, the bodyguards returned to his side. They were as spotless as before, but the four people who had been beaten looked so pitiful that Han Qingshan fished out his phone and made a phone call to an ambulance.


    If the ambulance did not arrive, they might die from their wounds, so this was the only way. With a final glance at Zhou Yan, Han Qingshan turned around and left the empty industrial hall followed by his bodyguards.


    While Han Qingshan left right away, Zhou Yan did not. He went to the four people who were filled with pain and agony, unable to collapse, but unable to bear the pain as well.


    "Let me warn you," he said with a malicious smile on his lips. "If you dare to touch even a hair of Jiang Fengmian''s again, I will make it so that you will never be able to touch anything again. In fact, I will ensure that you all will die a rather agonizing death."

 Chapter 65锛歒oung Master is Jealous

    Returning to the house, Han Qingshan was filled with unease. What was the relationship between Zhou Yan and Jiang Yingyue?


    Although he did not know what exactly was going on, he could not help but feel uneasy. He could not help but rush to get answers, but if he pressured Jiang Yingyue too much, would she get upset at him?


    While he was thinking like this, the car returned home, and he found that there was a light on in the condo; Jiang Yingyue was home.


    The trip from the parking basement up through the floors on the elevator and into the condo felt like it happened in slow motion.


    Han Qingshan continued to consider how to phrase his question, but in the end, nothing sounded right. He could not help but be worried about it.


    When he made it into the condo, the delicious scent of food wafted towards him, and once again Jiang Yingyue was standing in the kitchen preparing food, a content smile was on her lips, and she was clearly having fun preparing dinner.


    Jiang Yingyue heard the door opening, and she turned around with a flourish, a smile on her face and a ladle in her hand. "Welcome home," she said, and her words made Han Qingshan feel warm at heart, but he was still uneasy.


    When she looked at him, she saw that he looked uneasy, and she was worried if something had happened, her smile slowly vanishing. She turned the stove off and placed the ladle in the soup, before moving towards Han Qingshan.


    "Do you know a Zhou Yan?" He asked, taking her completely by surprise, and she could not help but answer reflectively: "Ah? Yes! I knew a Zhou Yan when I was a little kid," she admitted, but then her eyes widened, and she was uncomfortable.


    She knew Zhou Yan when she was Jiang Yingyue, not as Jiang Fengmian. Had this guy figured out her identity?


    Her heart beat rapidly filled with fear, but Han Qingshan did not say anything, he just narrowed his eyes, and looked at her as to see if she was speaking the truth.


    "I know you are using a fake ID," Han Qingshan said, his words causing Jiang Yingyue''s heart to beat rapidly filled with fear. Was it coming now? Was he going to declare that he knew her real gender? She was worried, fearful but at the same time also slightly relieved.


    "I will not dig too much into why you needed a new ID," Han Qingshan continued, allowing for Jiang Yingyue''s suspended heart to calm down, at least for a little bit "But I need to know what your relationship with Zhou Yan is."


    Jiang Yingyue contemplated for a short while before nodding her head. She did not understand why it was important for him to know of their relationship, but she did not mind explaining it since they were just childhood friends.


    "Zhou Yan was one of my two childhood friends," Jiang Yingyue explained, "I spent a lot of time with him and Lin Qiang. We would go to the dojo to learn martial arts, and we would play outside together. But since you know that I use a fake ID, then you ought to know that I left my old life behind when I turned nine years old.


    "Since I moved away from our old home, I have never seen him again, nor do I know where he is or what he is doing."


    Jiang Yingyue was honest with her words, saying exactly how it was. Han Qingshan could see the honesty in her eyes and knew that she was not lying; somehow, he too felt much calmer after hearing her words. So they were only childhood friends.


    "You seem tired, go take a shower and get some casual clothes on," Jiang Yingyue went over and helped to take Han Qingshan''s coat off him. "I am almost done cooking the dinner, so after you are done cleaning up, you can eat a bit and fill your stomach."


    Although Jiang Yingyue was confused as to why Han Qingshan was asking about Zhou Yan, she dared not ask anything about it. Had he guessed she was a woman but kept it a secret since she had not said anything?


    It was simply too difficult to decipher his thoughts, all she could do was continue life as she had done previously. Also, as long as he pretended that she was a man, and allowed her to live life like one, then she was happy.


    Without thinking more about it, she returned to the kitchen, and Han Qingshan went to the bedroom to find some clothes before heading to the bathroom.


    After finishing, he felt refreshed. He was still somewhat uncomfortable about the fact that Jiang Yingyue actually knew Zhou Yan, but when he thought that they had not met for nine years and that she was unaware of his current status, he felt better.


    Jiang Yingyue saw Han Qingshan come out of the shower, his hair was wet, and a few drops of water fell from the tips of his hair, down his throat, and soaked the collar of the t-shirt he was wearing.


    Jiang Yingyue found herself looking at Han Qingshan as if in a trance, and it took a long time for her to withdraw her gaze, her cheeks flushing slightly red before she quickly started scooping up food in bowls. "Come, sit down," she called out, "The food will go cold if you don''t eat it now."

 Chapter 66锛歄ne True Love

    The following day, Jiang Yingyue found that Han Qingshan had already vanished when she woke up, but she was not too worried.


    It had happened quite a few times so far. Han Qingshan was quite busy and started working from early morning, so she went to the bathroom and began her daily ritual of changing her bandages, washing and looking at her wound.


    The wound was still not healed, and she was not able to shower as the doctor had told her to not wash the wound.


    After washing and brushing her teeth, she prepared to exit the condo, only to find that the two bodyguards from the day before were waiting for her outside.


    "We have prepared a car to take you to the university," one of the bodyguards said respectfully, "Young Master Shan has also ordered us to take you for a check-up at the hospital after you finish your lessons," the bodyguard continued, but Jiang Yingyue frowned when she heard it.


    At least it was not Han Qingshan who was following her. Maybe she could leave the bodyguards in the car and then have the check-up done without them figuring out her real gender.


    That was something to take into consideration later, but now she had to return to school.


    Just as they arrived at the campus, Jiang Yingyue noticed that many were looking at her with a strange expression in their eyes.


    Mutters started running around, and no one tried to get close to her. Seeing this, Jiang Yingyue picked up her phone and started searching the school''s forum for clues as to what could have caused such alienation from the others.


    It did not take her long to find a thread about He Yuyan being admitted to the hospital alongside the old professor and two bodyguards.


    All three had been beaten up to the point where not even their mothers could recognize them and had they not been sent to the hospital in time, then they would have died, or at least suffered some serious consequences.


    He Yuyan was a woman that many other women were jealous of. She had everything in the eyes of others; she was rich, had the support of a noble family, and her life was that of a spoiled princess.


    To be beaten like this was without a doubt the biggest grievance she had ever experienced; but even so, there was no movement on the He family''s side. This could only mean one thing - the one who was behind the beating was someone they could not afford to offend.


    Everyone was thinking the same thing, and the forum was filled with rumors and theories about how Han Qingshan had stood up for Jiang Fengmian, protecting him from some sort of insidious trick that He Yuyan had planned.


    "He stood up because the man he cared for the most was harmed," was what one of the messages said, while another said, "Young Master Shan found his true love and would not allow for him to be bullied."


    Even men were joining the discussion, but while they did not say anything about them being gay, their message was still clear. "He cared because he has mutual respect towards Jiang Fengmian. He would not allow for his friend to be wronged."


    Like this, more and more comments ticked in on the screen, and no matter what they were saying, Jiang Yingyue could feel her heart beat rapidly. Could it perhaps be that Han Qingshan liked her?


    But Jiang Yingyue was almost ninety-five percent certain that Han Qingshan did not know that she was a woman. How could he possibly have feelings for her when he thought she was a man like himself?


    Jiang Yingyue closed the phone and was musing about what she had read. Han Qingshan had not mentioned facing off against He Yuyan to her, so what could perhaps be the reason behind this?


    Had he not trusted her enough to tell her, or did he not want to worry her? Was it perhaps not even him who had done something? It was complicated.


    Since he had not mentioned it, Jiang Yingyue decided not to bring it up either. She just felt warm in her heart when she thought about how Han Qingshan likely had protected her once more, without her even being aware of it.


    She went to the auditorium and listened to the lecture of a guest professor throughout the entire day. She took many notes, and although it was uncomfortable to sit on the wooden chairs all day with her wound, she prevailed and was finally feeling better when the class ended.


    The bodyguards were still waiting for her to go to the hospital, and it was now that Jiang Yingyue had to come up with some sort of excuse to get away.


    Wracking her brain, she finally found a plausible excuse, "I will be happy if you let me enter on my own," Jiang Yingyue said smilingly, "I have some private things to discuss with the doctor."


    Although these two bodyguards were rather worried, they wanted to ensure that Jiang Yingyue was happy. After being with Han Qingshan for years, they had never seen him be so friendly towards anyone before, so being in Jiang Yingyue''s good graces was without a doubt the better option.


    So when they arrived at the hospital, the two bodyguards waited in the parking basement while Jiang Yingyue took the elevator up to the upper floors, a smile on her face as she felt that she had successfully managed to get there without exposing her identity.

 Chapter 67锛歒oung Master Loses Control

    The check-up went smoothly, with the exception of the doctor looking rather shocked at her ID when she said that she was a woman.


    But everyone had the choice to live life as they pleased, so although he was shocked, he did not comment.


    After finishing the check-up, she returned to the car and the bodyguards that were waiting underneath the building. She also sent a WeChat message to Han Qingshan to tell him that she was completely fine and healing well.


    After that she made the bodyguards follow her to the convenience store where she had previously been given a job, but due to the injury been unable to show up.


    Although she had called and told him the situation, she still felt that she should go and apologize in person.


    The manager was grateful for her apology, but he had fired her nonetheless. It was impossible to say when she would be able to return to the job, and she had not even had her first day yet, so he had decided to let her go.


    The bodyguards which followed her heard everything, but they stayed quiet until they entered the car and the one in the passenger seat picked his phone up and sent an update to Han Qingshan.


    Han Qingshan was at Imperial World''s main office working on the situation at hand. Before, he had not been too keen on the fight with the Starry Sky Entertainment Agency, but after meeting Zhou Yan, he was very unhappy and wanted to do his best to beat him black and blue.


    First, he got the message from Jiang Yingyue, and a smile appeared on his face, however not long after another message appeared, making him frown.


    It was a dilemma. Jiang Yingyue wanted a job quite badly, but right now she was too injured to take on just any job.


    She was majoring in psychology, and he did not know about any study jobs that focused on this subject. Although his family had some connections with hospitals and mental institutions, he was not in a position to get her a job as she had not yet graduated.


    He could offer her a job at Imperial World. She was definitely handsome enough for it, but she was not interested in the industry.


    He was mulling over what to do and how to do it best when a thought hit him. He had been very busy recently and could definitely use an assistant.


    Han Qingshan was incredibly happy with himself for thinking up this scheme, being able to keep Jiang Yingyue by his side, at the same time as he was able to provide her with a job.


    He did not know why, but every time he thought about Zhou Yan knowing her, his heart would clench slightly and he would feel uncomfortable.


    Especially when he remembered the eyes that were filled with bloodlust as he looked at He Yuyan and the others. It was obvious that had Han Qingshan not been there, the four of them would not have just been beaten badly, they would likely have been incapable of surviving.


    However, Han Qingshan did not feel anything wrong with this. He too had wanted to kill them at that point in time. Only because he knew that the Han family would be impacted if they died, as everyone knew about the dispute between him and the victims, did he stop.


    Zhou Yan did not need to have such worries. No one apart from him was aware of the fact that he knew Jiang Yingyue, so even if an investigation went underway, it would still be impossible to determine his involvement.


    Han Qingshan suddenly realized that the pen in his hand had snapped from him using excessive strength to grip it. His mood was too easily influenced when it concerned this Jiang Yingyue, and he could only chuckle darkly in self-mockery before he found another pen and buried himself in paperwork.


    That night Han Qingshan returned home rather late. It was already midnight by the time he walked through the door into the condo, and what greeted him was the sound of the television.


    He took his jacket off, went into the kitchen and saw that food had been prepared for him and was neatly wrapped up, ready to be heated and eaten.


    He then went to the sitting room where Jiang Yingyue was laying on the couch, sleeping deeply, her lips slightly parted and her eyelids fluttering gently.


    A patch of skin on her waist was revealed as she had been moving in her sleep, messing up her clothes.


    This patch of skin was so fair and tender that just looking at it made Han Qingshan''s Adam''s apple bob up and down in his throat. He suddenly started to feel hot and thirsty.


    He was not sure if his heartbeat was increasing or decreasing; it was beating at an irregular speed.


    Without realizing it, Han Qingshan reached out, his hand gently landed on Jiang Yingyue''s face. It gently traced her cheekbones and jawline before they landed on her lips, rubbing them slightly.


    Han Qingshan was completely in a trance, unable to pull himself away, he leaned closer and closer as his thumb caressed Jiang Yingyue''s red and soft lips.


    Han Qingshan could feel the breath of Jiang Yingyue on his lips as they were stuck close together, and he leaned down even further, his lips gently touching Jiang Yingyue''s.


    At this point in time, he finally realized what he had been doing, his eyes widened in surprise and he backed up, unable to contain the shock in his eyes. What had he been doing?

 Chapter 68锛歋haring a Bathroom

    Han Qingshan''s eyes widened in shock as he realized that he had just kissed a man.


    What made him even more petrified was that he had not disliked it. He had, in fact, reveled in the feeling of the kiss; it had been brief, but now he wanted to experience it again.


    It had been as if someone had released an electric current in his body, and all his nerves had been electrocuted. The feeling of those soft lips on his was so enjoyable that he did not want to withdraw.


    But he understood that this was not normal. One does not simply kiss their friends; even if they are good friends, you do not kiss them.


    The more Han Qingshan looked at Jiang Yingyue''s parted lips, the hotter he felt. His body was not listening to him, and he was starting to have a reaction in the lower regions of his body.


    With a final glance at Jiang Yingyue, he turned around rapidly and went straight for the bathroom where, after a short while, the cold water could be heard running.


    The following morning, Jiang Yingyue woke up with a pain in her neck after sleeping on the couch, and her throat was hurting from not sleeping with a blanket.


    She coughed slightly as she stood up and looked down on her crumpled clothes.


    She quickly returned to the room to find a new set of clothes and headed to the bathroom to change her clothes and bandages. She had seen no signs of Han Qingshan, and it seemed that he had gone out again, so she did not bother to lock the door as she started to undress.


    She had managed to completely wrap up her chest and wound by the time she took a shirt on, and suddenly she heard the door opening. She instantly panicked and pulled the shirt down to cover her chest, her heart beating like a frightened bunny, her eyes wide open, and glassy from the slight fever she had gotten after sleeping in a sitting room without heating on and without a blanket.


    Han Qingshan had entered the bathroom out of habit only to see that slim waist once again, those slender hands and the long legs.


    Jiang Yingyue was not wearing anything on her legs currently, and the shirt pooled over her hips and on the top of her legs, making her seem petite and weak.


    Han Qingshan''s eyes could not help but be drawn to the long slender legs that in no way resembled a man''s, his mind once again drifting back to the soft touch he had felt the day before.


    His heart started to beat erratically again, his eyes turned predatory, and it took all the energy within him to keep the beast in his heart from escaping. He desperately wanted to take Jiang Yingyue into his embrace, to touch those slender legs, and to kiss those plump red lips.


    Han Qingshan felt uncomfortable. He could not deny his feelings, but he knew that he was not gay. He had never before had any interest whatsoever for the same sex, so why could he hardly control himself when it came to this friend of his?


    This desire had also appeared rather suddenly. Although he had cared for Jiang Yingyue before, it was not before last night that he had the urge to touch her, had the urge to hold her. Wanting to hear her voice call out his name.


    But now the feeling was there, it had taken root in his heart, it was impossible for him to get rid of it and he could only accept it. He wanted Jiang Yingyue, and he wanted her more than he had ever wanted anyone else in his entire life.


    After giving a final glance at Jiang Yingyue, Han Qingshan smiled his usual sunny smile, but Jiang Yingyue could not help but feel that something was wrong.


    "Sorry, sorry, I did not notice you were here," he excused himself as he moved towards the sink, taking a toothbrush and began brushing his teeth, completely ignoring Jiang Yingyue''s presence.


    Jiang Yingyue was rather uncomfortable, but she quickly picked up the pants, and while he was busy focusing on brushing his teeth, she jumped into the pants.


    After putting on the pants, she also began brushing her teeth, unaware that Han Qingshan continued to glance at her.


    As soon as Jiang Yingyue finished her morning cleaning routine she escaped from the bathroom Her cheeks were red, and she was flustered.


    Han Qingshan had been wearing his pajamas, but the buttons on the top had been opened, and his honey-colored chiseled chest could be seen.


    Jiang Yingyue had been able to hold it together while being in the bathroom without seeming too bothered, but now she was flustered and embarrassed.


    Although she lived as a boy, she was not close to any boys, and she was, in fact, a woman. She was not familiar with the male body and seeing one so close had made her feel quite some pressure; even her knees had turned weak.


    It was not making it any better that she had turned slightly sick throughout the night, that she had gotten a cold from sleeping without a blanket, so her face was flushed red from the cold, and the embarrassment.

 Chapter 69锛歒oung Master Offers a Job

    "Jiang Fengmian," Han Qingshan called out as he exited the bathroom, looking at the flustered Jiang Yingyue, and smiling slightly when he saw the awkward expression on her face.


    Jiang Yingyue was indeed surprised. She had been looking for a job so that she could pay back the money she had withdrawn from her credit card, but she had not been able to find something that she could do with her wound.


    Hearing his offer, Jiang Yingyue instantly became a lot more serious, and her embarrassment was quickly forgotten.


    "What does the job require from me?" she asked tentatively. She was still a university student, and she could not afford to quit her studies to be his assistant, but if it was a part-time job, then she would be more than pleased to accept the job.


    "All you have to do is join me after university ends and assist me in my tasks throughout the evenings."


    Jiang Yingyue was slightly hesitating, she had to have some free time left for studying in order to keep up her scholarship, but she knew that Han Qingshan was helping her a lot, and the offer of working as his assistant was also the best offer she had been given.


    "Okay," she decided after a bit of contemplating. She could not deny that she actually wanted to be closer with him for longer, but mainly she wanted to thank him for his help all these times.


    Han Qingshan suddenly had a smile on his face and went to his briefcase from which he took out a paper and a pen.


    It was a contract written in the name of Han Qingshan and Jiang Fengmian. It was an employment contract, and he gave it to Jiang Yingyue, allowing for her to read through it before signing it.


    Accepting the contract, Jiang Yingyue read through every clause with rapt attention, and it was not before she found that everything was in her favor, even the salary was incredibly high, that she accepted the pen and signed her name.


    Han Qingshan quickly signed his name and gave a copy to Jiang Yingyue before carefully keeping the contract away.


    After this, Jiang Yingyue looked at Han Qingshan and could not help but smile slightly as she saw how his lips had been raised into a satisfied grin.


    Shaking her head smilingly, she already forgot about the episode earlier where he had looked at her long slender legs, and she was sure that he was still under the impression that she was a man.


    Jiang Yingyue mixed up a fast breakfast that they shared before she once more found the familiar-looking bodyguards outside the door and headed to the university.


    The day went by fast, and as usual, Jiang Yingyue kept focusing on her studies, while everyone else was busy gossiping about her.


    He Yuyan had been taken out of the hospital and sent to recuperate at a facility for the rich, and no one could get more rumors about her. But some of the more nosy students with too much time on their hands had gone to the hospital to see the two bodyguards and the professor.


    They were shocked and took pictures of their beaten up appearances which they then spread over the entire university forum.


    Looking at the faces of these three, they could all guess how He Yuyan looked, and while some of the guys were very upset as their dream woman had been beaten, most were gloating and jeering at her with alternative accounts that did not display their real names.


    Jiang Yingyue was unaffected. All that was on her mind was the lectures from that day alongside her thoughts of what Han Qingshan perhaps could be asking from her in her new job.


    She was fully focused on her own thoughts and did not notice that someone was standing in front of her as she walked straight into the back of someone tall. Her nose was hit hard against the back, and she almost fell to the ground as she staggered backward.


    "Oh, are you harmed?" a familiar voice sounded in her ears, and Jiang Yingyue looked up as she rubbed her nose, and tears were brimming in her eyes from the collision.


    In front of her was Han Qingshan. His eyes turned predatory when he saw the innocent and wronged expression of Jiang Yingyue with tears in her eyes and rubbing her nose slightly.


    It took everything in his power to not reach out and wrap his arms around the smaller girl, taking her into his embrace and kissing her tears away.


    Tightening his fists, he kept his smile on his lips and pretended to be completely unaffected, but the clenched hands were betraying his emotions.


    "What are you doing, you klutz?" Han Qingshan asked endearingly. "You have to look where you walk."


    "Sorry," Jiang Yingyue muttered, feeling slightly stupid. How could she not even watch where she was going?


    Han Qingshan found her so adorable as she was looking down on the ground, her demeanor apologetic, and slightly confused. It was simply too cute for him to not reach out his arm and rustle her hair.


    Jiang Yingyue looked up surprised when she felt the ruffling of her hair, her big eyes opened wide, filled with surprise.


    The smile on Han Qingshan''s lips grew even wider, and he could not help but linger slightly on the head of Jiang Yingyue before he slowly withdrew his hand unwillingly.

 Chapter 70锛欶irst Day at Work

    Jiang Yingyue looked at Han Qingshan with a smile on her face. "What are you doing here?" she asked confusedly. Was he not busy with the whole drama concerning Imperial World?


    "I was here to pick you up, we are going to work," he said casually as he looked at the watch on his wrist.


    "Oh, okay," Jiang Yingyue nodded her head and thought no more of it as she followed behind Han Qingshan out of the university grounds towards the parking lot and into his car.


    During this time, neither Jiang Yingyue nor Han Qingshan were capable of noticing that someone was standing in the distance, snapping pictures of their interactions.


    In the photos, one could see Jiang Yingyue smiling gently, her eyes brimming with happiness, and Han Qingshan looking at her dotingly. Even the photos of him patting her head had been caught, showing the endearing behavior of them both.


    Without knowing what was happening, both of them started driving out of campus and drove towards Imperial World.


    Jiang Yingyue was new to places like these. She had been to the Han Corporation once before with Han Qingshan, but that was all she had seen, so as they arrived at the parking basement of the Imperial World headquarters, Jiang Yingyue looked around curiously.


    They made it to the elevator and took it to the highest floor of the building where Han Qingshan''s office was located.


    On the highest floor was the office for Song Liwei, a single secretary, and then Han Qingshan''s office.


    Jiang Yingyue was looking at everything with excitement, and it was not before Song Liwei appeared that she reined in her curiosity.


    Song Liwei was well aware that Han Qingshan had hired Jiang Yingyue to be a temporary assistant, as he had been the one to make the contract, but he was still slightly surprised when he saw how good a mood this simple thing had caused Han Qingshan to be in.


    Although everyone thought that Han Qingshan was a sunshine boy, a person who was always happy and easygoing, Song Liwei had been by his side long enough to know that this was just a mask he was wearing in front of others.


    But looking at the smile on Han Qingshan''s lips, it was obvious that it was not fake. It was, in fact, his innermost emotions.


    No one else in the office knew about Han Qingshan hiring another assistant, so the secretary was rather stumped when she saw the two of them arriving together; even more surprised was she when she heard the order that was given to Song Liwei.


    Song Liwei did not complain about this task. He was aware that it was a show of utmost trust to be designated to the task of showing Jiang Yingyue around.


    Jiang Yingyue was special to Han Qingshan. He was not just the usual friend; even Song Liwei could feel this. Although he was not aware of the fact that Han Qingshan had some improper thoughts about Jiang Yingyue, he could feel the weight that this young girl had on his master''s heart.


    "Well then, Young Master Jiang, please follow me," Song Liwei said smilingly as he led Jiang Yingyue towards the elevator once more.


    When they stopped by the secretary, Song Liwei introduced them to one another, "Secretary Qing, this is Jiang Fengmian. He is a friend of Young Master Shan and also his newly hired part-time assistant."


    Secretary Qing was surprised when she heard this, her eyes glistening with an urge to know whether or not there was some gossip to be picked up upon.


    Jiang Yingyue flashed her most brilliant smile at Secretary Qing and reached out her hand, shaking the hand of the secretary.


    "You are a friend of Young Master Shan?" The secretary asked, and Jiang Yingyue nodded her head. "Han Qingshan and I are indeed good friends," she answered without much thought to it, but in the ears of the secretary, all that mattered was the fact that Jiang Yingyue was allowed to call his name, not having to refer to him as Young Master Shan.


    The soul of the woman suddenly stirred. Could this young woman perhaps be the reason that Han Qingshan was so unfeeling towards women?


    Being in Imperial World, she was aware of the extreme amount of women who had tried to climb into his bed in an attempt of getting better resources, but all of them had been politely blocked as long as they had not gone over the top. Those who had been too desperate had been dealt with swiftly, and now everyone knew that Han Qingshan was not someone you could sleep with just for the sake of easy benefits.


    Because of this, a rumor had sprung up about Han Qingshan being gay. But he had no relationships with the male artists either, and he was as clean as a white sheet of paper.N. No one had been able to dig up any dirt on him.


    But now he was suddenly being friendly to a young and extremely handsome young man.


    This young man even referred to him by his name. How could her fujoshi soul not start screaming? The moment that she shook Jiang Yingyue''s hand, a cunning grin flashed on her face before she took a casual photo of Jiang Yingyue as she got ready to leave again.

 Chapter 71锛歒u Xiulans Dream

    While Jiang Yingyue and Song Liwei went towards the elevator to be shown around the headquarters, the secretary opened her phone and found the WeChat group for the employees.


    As soon as she opened it, she sent the picture she had taken before and explained everything that had happened in detail.


    All the employees of the company were in the group, and while not all of them checked it instantly, a few did, and they quickly spread the news from mouth to mouth, and soon everyone had checked their phones.


    Han Qingshan had hired a temporary part-time assistant. This assistant was young and attractive, and he was a boy. At the same time, this assistant could refer to Han Qingshan by his name, and even Song Liwei had been tasked with accompanying him to see the headquarters. One would expect Song Liwei to be superior, but looking at his polite and rather humbling appearance, it was clear that this new assistant was nowhere near ordinary.


    Everyone was curious, and although the secretary had not said anything directly, many could understand her insinuations that there was something more between these two people.


    The celebrities of Imperial World were not in the company WeChat group, however many of the managers were, and one of these managers managed the A-listing celebrity Yu Xiulan.


    Yu Xiulan was a young woman who came from a humble background. She had been scouted by Han Qingshan three years prior when he just started Imperial World, and she was the one he gave the most resources from the first day.


    There had been many rumors about the two of them having some sort of relationship since he was giving her so much attention, and she herself had grown to think that she was special to Han Qingshan.


    It was also because of this that she had refused to leave him when the Starry Night Entertainment Agency came to talk with her about joining them.


    She would never leave the Imperial World who had groomed her from being a poor girl into a superstar.


    When she was poor, she did not wish for much in life. She wanted to be given food every day and to be able to provide for her family. Now that she could do this, she was no longer as humble as before. She wanted to be with Han Qingshan for real, not just in a rumored relationship as she had heard rumors about.


    She had never approved of the rumors out of fear of Han Qingshan''s annoyance, but she had not declined them either, and he had never said anything about it before.


    Yu Xiulan was very close to her manager, and when the manager received the message from the secretary, her eyes narrowed.


    "I think I have a way for you to get closer to Young Master Shan," the manager said, slightly excited.


    "There is a new part-time assistant working for Young Master Shan," she continued, "this part-time assistant is a good friend of the young master, and apparently they are so close that he refers to him by his own name instead of ''Young Master Shan'' like everyone else.


    "If you become good friends with him, then you can use him to get closer to Young Master Shan too. Just make sure never to take it too far, only be friends with him, Young Master Shan will not look at you if you become an item with his friend."


    Yu Xiulan listened intently and her eyes flashed. "What does he look like?" She asked curiously, and the manager quickly handed over her phone, allowing for the artist to see the picture.


    "He is very handsome," Yu Xiulan praised Jiang Yingyue with a nod of her head. "He could make it big in the entertainment industry. I wonder why he only accepted becoming an assistant instead."


    The woman looked at Jiang Yingyue''s photo and her brows furrowed slightly. She did not know why, but she had an innate dislike towards this handsome young man.


    "Let us go back to the headquarters and casually run into him," Yu Xiulan said after considering her options. "I think he might be the missing link to connect me to Young Master Shan. When Young Master Shan gets to know me, he will fall for me right away."


    "Do you honestly think that the only descendant of the Han family could be gay?" Yu Xiulan cut in fast and with a cold voice. "Even if he liked a man, he would never act on these instincts. He understands his responsibility towards his family, and he will do what is expected from him."


    The manager thought about it and understood that what Yu Xiulan said was absolutely correct. Even if he was gay, he would not act on the impulse. He had to ensure that his family would continue to grow and to do so he would have to marry and have kids.


    Yu Xiulan had long since decided that the one person who was supposed to be Mrs. Han was her. Han Qingshan had done a lot for her, and although he was very friendly in general, it was rare for him to do so much.


    Thinking like this, the two, manager and artist, got into the brand-new sports car and drove towards the headquarters.


    While they were driving, and while rumors were spreading all over, Song Liwei was showing Jiang Yingyue around the headquarters.


    They went to different departments, and Jiang Yingyue familiarized herself with the different places and people.


    Everyone was friendly towards her, and although they were very curious, they all behaved incredibly politely and respectfully, not doing anything out of the ordinary.

 Chapter 72锛歂ew Talent?

    Jiang Yingyue was walking on the ground floor of the building. Song Liwei had just introduced her to the secretary at the front desk, and many of the artists that were walking in and out of the headquarters were surprised to see this young man being personally led by Song Liwei.


    These artists were not aware of the relationship between Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue; neither were they aware of the insinuated relationship between them. All they thought was that it was a new talent in the company, a talent with outstanding background since she could make even Song Liwei show her around.


    Just as they were on their way back towards the elevator leading to Han Qingshan''s office, a melodious and very pleasant voice sounded from behind.


    Jiang Yingyue also turned around to look at the woman. The woman was rather petite. Although she was wearing high heels, she was still half a head shorter than Jiang Yingyue, but her appearance was so cute and adorable that any man would have an urge to protect her.


    When seeing her, Jiang Yingyue frowned. Although she was not a big fan of the entertainment industry, she knew that this person was Yu Xiulan, an internationally renowned actress.


    "This is a new junior?" She asked with a friendly voice, while looking at Jiang Yingyue with her big amiable eyes, an enigmatic smile on her lips, and all in all, a hospitable atmosphere around her.


    Although everything about her, from her looks to her pleasant sounding voice, said that she was friendly, Jiang Yingyue could not help but frown. There was something fake about her.


    Although Jiang Yingyue had only just started to study psychology, it was a subject she had found interesting for a very long time, and she had read a large number of books on the subject.


    She had also spent much time observing other people, not to mention she was a woman herself. She had her own female instincts, and these were telling her that the woman in front of her was as fake as a snake.


    However, Jiang Yingyue was aware of the tough situation that the company was currently facing, and she could not afford to insult one of the few A-listing celebrities that had stayed, so she reached out her hand.


    "Miss Yu is mistaken," Jiang Yingyue said with her gentle voice. "I am not a new talent that the company has contracted. I am a temporary assistant for Han Qingshan."


    Hearing the fact that she truly did not refer to him as Young Master Shan was enough to make Yu Xiulan clench her fists slightly in jealousy, but her face never once changed expression.


    "So you are a new assistant!" she exclaimed as if she was shocked to hear this. "Such a handsome face and you do not wish to debut? That is surely a waste of good looks," she joked. A playful smile was on her lips, but Jiang Yingyue just smiled politely in return, causing Yu Xiulan to feel slightly upset.


    She had never tried to tease and joke with another male before, but in order to get closer to Han Qingshan, she was willing to do so with this person.


    "Are you heading for Young Master Shan''s office?" Yu Xiulan asked, and Jiang Yingyue nodded her head, wanting to get away from this woman fast, but unfortunately it was not that simple.


    "We are," Song Liwei answered, feeling that although Jiang Yingyue had been very serious before, she had at least spoken with the different employees of the corporation, but the moment she came into contact with this celebrity, she was suddenly a lot less outspoken and not even smiling as much. Was it just his imagination?


    Without thinking about it anymore, Song Liwei gestured for Yu Xiulan and her manager to follow them into the elevator.


    Throughout the whole time, Yu Xiulan tried her best to converse with Jiang Yingyue. But while Jiang Yingyue was polite in her answers and friendly when speaking, everyone could feel that there was some sort of tension in the air.


    Yu Xiulan was feeling uncomfortable. She had complete faith in her own appearance and every man she usually spoke to would fall head over heels for her, but this young boy was clearly unaffected.


    As they reached the top floor, the four people went towards the office. Song Liwei knocked on the door, and after hearing an affirming sound from within, he opened it and led Jiang Yingyue and Yu Xiulan inside, followed by the manager.


    When they entered, they found that Han Qingshan was standing next to the floor-to-ceiling windows and was in the middle of a phone call, so all of them quieted down, no one saying a single word.


    Han Qingshan raised his eyebrows when he saw that it was not only Jiang Yingyue who had appeared but also Yu Xiulan, and even more surprised was he when he saw how close Yu Xiulan was standing next to Jiang Yingyue, clearly trying to get her attention.


    Yu Xiulan was not really interested in seducing Jiang Yingyue, and she had prepared to discard him when they came into the office. But she had felt inferior all through the time after joining up with them, as Jiang Yingyue had not shown any interest in her, and now, even when they were in front of Han Qingshan, she still put all her focus on Jiang Yingyue.

 Chapter 73锛歒u Xiulans Plan

    Yu Xiulan''s complete focus was on Jiang Yingyue, who was focused on Han Qingshan. Han Qingshan''s focus was on Yu Xiulan, and like this, all of them were looking at another person.


    Jiang Yingyue felt a tinge of pain in her heart when she noticed that Han Qingshan''s eyes were glancing at Yu Xiulan, and she was surprised to sense this sudden discomfort.


    Jiang Yingyue was not stupid, and she understood these emotions quite well. It was not that she had experienced them before, but she had heard about them.


    Although she had not fallen in love with Han Qingshan yet, she understood that this was the prelude to love, and it was as if she had gotten an epiphany.


    A red tint appeared on her cheeks, and she lowered her head as she was deep in thought, every action caught by both Han Qingshan and Yu Xiulan.


    However, both of them had different reactions to the display of bashfulness that Jiang Yingyue was currently showing.


    Han Qingshan had previously thought that Jiang Yingyue was gay, but now he started to reevaluate his impression. He thought that it was because of Yu Xiulan that he was blushing and his heart felt uneasy and uncomfortable. In his heart, Jiang Yingyue could only be his. Maybe not a lover, but he was at least his personal friend.


    Yu Xiulan saw it differently. She had observed Jiang Yingyue since they met earlier on the ground floor, and no matter what she had done, she had been completely unmoved. Now that she was in front of Han Qingshan, she was blushing like a small school girl experiencing her first love. Were these not the signs of a gay couple?


    Yu Xiulan was not feeling happy; in fact, she felt sour. She suddenly understood why her appearance had no way of influencing Jiang Yingyue; because she liked men!


    She suddenly remembered the insinuations of the message that the secretary had sent out, that Jiang Yingyue was in a relationship with Han Qingshan, and her face twisted for a brief moment before she quickly changed it back to her usual friendly mask.


    She also noticed that Han Qingshan had his usual friendly smile on his face as he reached out his hand and gently ruffled Jiang Yingyue''s hair. A chuckle rumbled through his chest, and he spoke up. "Sit on the sofa," he said to him, "I will be done soon, then we can go shopping before going home. I do not think we have any more groceries left in the fridge."


    Although it sounded very casual, Han Qingshan was doing everything in his power to make Yu Xiulan understand that this person belonged to him, that they were in some sort of ambiguous relationship, and that they even lived together.


    Song Liwei felt like face-palming himself. He could not help but think that his dear young master was starting to become far too obsessive over this young man that had appeared out of nowhere a short while ago.


    Yu Xiulan''s face paled when she saw the intimate gesture that Han Qingshan made, and even more so when she heard the words he spoke.


    Han Qingshan was a sacred person in the hearts of many women. It was well known that he was not a lustful man who was easily swayed by beautiful women. In fact, no beautiful woman had ever managed to succeed in climbing into his bed, and he usually kept a distance from them.


    But now, Yu Xiulan was told that he was living together with a young woman? And the tenderness in his eyes when he was caressing her head was simply not something you would see from a friend.


    Jiang Yingyue was too busy thinking about her emotions to consider what Han Qingshan''s actions meant.


    She just obediently nodded her head and went to the sofa, sat down, rested her elbows on her legs, and her head in her hands.


    Her eyes did not leave Han Qingshan as she was busy analyzing all the encounters she had had with him, and she could not help but sigh. It made sense that she had fallen for him.


    He was so friendly and warm towards her, he protected her, cared for her, and was closer to her than any other person she had known for the past nine years, not counting her parents.


    Han Qingshan also sensed her gaze that never left him, and he saw that she was sitting deep in thought, so he smiled slightly. As long as her gaze never parted from him, he would feel much more comfortable.


    Yu Xiulan noticed it as well, and although she was still smiling warmly, her hands were clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her palms, blood almost oozing out.


    She originally had the plan of using Jiang Yingyue to get close to Han Qingshan, but now she was wondering if this was even possible.


    She was unsure of how to move forward. What should she do to become Mrs. Han? She was not sure, but she would not give up.


    After contemplating, she decided to keep her original plan. Even if Han Qingshan had a relationship with Jiang Yingyue, then she could use Jiang Yingyue even better than if they did not have a relationship.


    Making Jiang Yingyue say positive things about her to Han Qingshan would be very useful, not to mention, she might even end up visiting his house since they seemingly lived together.

 Chapter 74锛欳ounterattack Begins

    Jiang Yingyue returned to her senses and looked at Han Qingshan.


    Having finished his phone call, Han Qingshan had used some time to observe Yu Xiulan and Jiang Yingyue''s behavior, and he was quite uncomfortable.


    Sitting back behind the desk, Han Qingshan observed Yu Xiulan. "Why are you here today?" he asked, his voice neutral, not displaying any emotion at all.


    Usually, Yu Xiulan would use any excuse she could think of to come and converse with Han Qingshan or use any means to grab his attention, and today was no exception.


    The moment she heard his voice, Yu Xiulan awoke from her stupor, and the smile on her face bloomed.


    "Young Master Shan," she almost purred, her voice so soft and warm that almost any male would feel their knees weaken, but Han Qingshan was completely unaffected.


    Seeing that he did not react, she grit her teeth and continued to speak, "I have received a few scripts offering me the role of the female lead," she continued. "I am wondering which one I should take, and after considering the company''s current situation, I cannot help but want to ask for your opinion."


    Having said this, she gestured for her manager. The manager opened her briefcase before taking out seven scripts and placing them in front of Han Qingshan.


    Frowning Han Qingshan could only sigh, and take a look at them one after another. He did not read the scripts but checked the sponsors to see which of the scripts were most suitable.


    Out of all the scripts, he found that three of them had support from either Starry Night Entertainment Agency or the Zhou family, and thus he quickly put them away and handed the other four scripts back to the manager.


    "You can pick any of these four," he said. "Just go with whichever one you prefer."


    Seeing that he had rushed through the job, Yu Xiulan was not pleased, but she understood that he was currently very busy with the war against Starry Night Entertainment Agency, so she quickly excused his actions which were bordering on being rude.


    Jiang Yingyue sat quietly on the sofa. She was feeling rather uncomfortable about realizing her own emotions, and she was fighting an inner battle.


    She wanted to stay friends with Han Qingshan, but she had a premonition that if she kept spending time with him, then she would fall head over heels for him.


    If that was the case, would it not be for the best to stop their contact? She could not afford to fall in love with her current identity.


    She was very well aware that it was not possible for her to continue living as a man. It had become more and more obvious to her, but she was not sure how to put an end to it.


    The last nine years had been spent as a boy; all her school results were under the name of Jiang Fengmian. If she were to give up, she would have to begin from scratch.


    She was so deep in thought that she had not even heard the conversation between Han Qingshan and Yu Xiulan. She was just feeling gloomy. Most of all, she had the urge to tell the truth to Han Qingshan, but she dared not.


    She knew that Han Qingshan was currently treating her as a special person, but if he found out that she had lied to him all this time, would he not be upset and start hating her instead?


    Just that thought made her heart feel painful, and she quickly decided to think about her emotions later. Right now she was at work, so it was not a good idea to waste time thinking about her own problems.


    She lifted her head and saw that Song Liwei was leading Yu Xiulan and her manager out of the office, and she gathered her thoughts.


    "What am I supposed to do?" Jiang Yingyue asked curiously, and Han Qingshan looked at her for some time. He had not actually thought of anything for her to do, so this was a tricky question.


    "For now, just observe me and Song Liwei, and get used to the work here in the office. Follow me anywhere I go and help me when I ask for it."


    Jiang Yingyue nodded her head and looked at Song Liwei with glowing and excited eyes. It was a look of worship, and Song Liwei could not help but feel a shiver run down his spine. This person who he was treating like his ancestor was suddenly looking at him with such fervor. It was not something he was comfortable with.


    "How is our plan about the counterattack going?" Han Qingshan asked Song Liwei, finally focusing on his job, and Song Liwei went towards the desk, handing over three contracts.


    "We have finalized three contracts and have their signatures on them. They have already canceled their previous contracts with Starry Sky Entertainment Agency, but no one has heard about it yet, I am of the impression that Starry Sky has kept quiet.


    "The media has not caught wind of it yet, and knowing the people from Starry Sky, they have not told the Zhou Corporation yet.


    "We are also contacting another five of their people, whereas one is a member who left us. She was the one who contacted us, not the other way around.


    "We have not told her too much, but she seems to understand the current situation and wants to go with the one who is offering the best deal."


    Han Qingshan nodded his head as he listened to the report, and he contemplated for a moment.

 Chapter 75锛歒oung Masters Guest

    Jiang Yingyue listened to Han Qingshan giving instructions to Song Liwei, and she could not help but feel happy that she was allowed to be an insider, knowing what was happening with the company, and seeing that Han Qingshan was not hiding anything from her.


    Jiang Yingyue was happy, but she also felt incredibly useless. She had nothing to do; all she could do was sit on the sofa, observing the other two working together in an experienced way.


    Sensing her helplessness, Han Qingshan found a stack of papers and handed them to Jiang Yingyue. "Can you tidy these for me?" he asked with a smile on his face. "These are contracts from the newest members of my agency, just put them in order according to the date when they joined us," he said, pointing at a date that was stamped at the top of the documents.


    Jiang Yingyue''s face brightened in excitement when she heard that she had something to do, and she nodded her head vigorously, her expression and appearance making Han Qingshan have a hard time holding back from touching her head again.


    Song Liwei, who was standing by the side, wanted to cry but had no tears. He had been an assistant for Han Qingshan for a long time, but he had never been asked so gently to work for him before.


    It was obvious for someone who was with Han Qingshan often, that the way Jiang Yingyue was being treated was very different from anyone else.


    Even Song Liwei was starting to worry about his boss'' sexuality, but being a normal assistant, it was not his position to care about such details.


    Jiang Yingyue was not noticing that something about their relationship was odd. She had long since forgotten about how the relationship between normal friends was, and thus, she had nothing to compare it to.


    Jiang Yingyue spent the time organizing the contracts she had been given before the light slowly started to vanish and evening arrived.


    "Do you want to eat out tonight, or should we go to the market and buy groceries?" Han Qingshan could not help but ask for Jiang Yingyue''s opinion as dinnertime approached.


    "It is expensive to eat out," Jiang Yingyue said seriously, and glanced at Han Qingshan. Although he was footing the bill, it did not mean that she enjoyed spending his money.


    "Okay, we will go to the market then." Han Qingshan stood up from the chair and stretched slightly before finding a stack of papers and handing them over to Song Liwei.


    "You can finish the work tonight," Han Qingshan instructed him. "Get some contracts finalized with the artists from Starry Sky. Don''t let them evade our grasp."


    Song Liwei looked at Han Qingshan with dispirited eyes. So his boss was going home to eat a home-cooked meal, while he was forced to work overtime?


    He felt like an abandoned puppy, and he could only bury himself in his work, looking forward to the moment he could go home and spend time with his wife.


    Han Qingshan led Jiang Yingyue out of the office, and together, the two of them went to the elevator, down to the parking basement and into the black Porsche.


    After arriving at the market, Jiang Yingyue was happily getting the freshest of ingredients and planning what to cook that evening. She was going to make a feast, considering that it was her first day at work, and she wanted to celebrate with Han Qingshan.


    In the end, she bought enough ingredients for a few days worth of dishes, and she was smiling like a Cheshire cat when they finally started to head back to the condo.


    "I will go take a shower," Han Qingshan said, his facial features displaying a bit of exhaustion, and Jiang Yingyue nodded her head in acknowledgment. "Take a warm shower, I will cook some food in the meantime," she promised.


    Washing her hands and finding an apron, Jiang Yingyue began cooking the feast of the day. While cooking, she was humming a few children songs that she remembered, her mood very good, until she suddenly heard someone knocking on the door.


    Jiang Yingyue was unsure of what to do. Should she open it? Should she ignore it? It seemed that no matter what she did, it would be wrong.


    In the end, she went to the bathroom and knocked on the door. "Han Qingshan," she called. "Someone is at the door, what should I do?"


    "Open it for me." Han Qingshan''s voice could be heard amongst the running water from the shower.


    Hearing that Han Qingshan wanted her to open the door, Jiang Yingyue finally gathered her courage and went to open it. As she opened it, she was stunned to see a mature but incredibly attractive woman standing outside. She did not seem much more than thirty years old, and a gentle smile was on her lips.


    "Qingshan! Why were you so late?" The woman blurted out before she managed to see who it was that opened the door. When she saw who it was, she was stunned, but then a cunning smile flashed past her lips as she observed Jiang Yingyue with interest.


    "You are Jiang Fengmian?" she asked curiously, and Jiang Yingyue nodded her head surprised. This lady knew her?


    "You are such a cutie!" the woman said as she clasped her hands together. "Okay, where is Qingshan? And you are wearing an apron? How adorable, are you cooking dinner?"

 Chapter 76锛歍he Mature Lady

    Jiang Yingyue had never before encountered such an energetic woman before, and she was at a loss for what to do or say.


    She just stood there blankly staring at the mature woman, her eyes wide open and her jaw had dropped.


    The ladle in her hand reminded her that she was, in fact, in the middle of cooking dinner, and seeing that this woman had gotten past the bodyguards, she was likely someone familiar with Han Qingshan.


    "Please come in." Jiang Yingyue invited her inside, and hurried back to the kitchen to make sure that the food did not burn.


    As soon as the woman entered the condo, that usually was rather cold and lifeless, she was greeted by a scent of delicious food, and everything seemed much more homey.


    She followed Jiang Yingyue into the kitchen, and her eyes opened wide when she noticed that Jiang Yingyue was cooking a great feast. Drool almost fell from her mouth as she imagined their taste; the scent alone was heavenly.


    "Where is Qingshan?" The woman asked while looking around. She had expected to see him in the kitchen, helping her with the cooking, but Jiang Yingyue flashed her most polite smile at the woman and answered readily.


    "He is taking a shower. He had a busy day today, and he needs to relax and unwind. I will cook some delicious food in the meantime. I hope you can wait for him to finish. It is not easy for him to get time to himself, so he should loosen his tensed-up muscles."


    Hearing the consideration in Jiang Yingyue''s voice, the smile on the woman''s lips grew larger and larger, and her eyes flashed with happiness.


    "I heard you had an accident and that you have been living here since?" the woman asked curiously, and Jiang Yingyue frowned. How was it that this woman seemed to know everything about her, but she didn''t even know who this woman was?


    Putting down the knife she was using to cut vegetables, Jiang Yingyue turned around and looked at the woman, a bit of hesitation and worry was evident in her eyes.


    "You seem to know a lot about me?" she asked, her voice was still polite, but there was a bit of worry within.


    "Of course." The woman was straightforward and answered her thoughts. "I am quite interested in my son''s life. He is not very good at finding friends, so I am very happy that he has found you."


    Hearing that this was Han Qingshan''s mother, Jiang Yingyue''s eyes widened in shock and then narrowed as she observed the woman from head to toe. She clearly did not look a day over thirty, but Han Qingshan was already in his twenties. It seemed that their genes'' ability to maintain their appearances were rather evolved.


    Jiang Yingyue felt a little bit of worry in her heart when she realized that this was Han Qingshan''s mother. Would she like her? Would she look down upon her?


    Realizing that she was worried about something useless, Jiang Yingyue smiled wryly at herself, before she returned to cooking and answered the question his mother had asked before.


    "Yes, I have been living here since I had an accident. Han Qingshan was kind enough to take me in so that I do not cause problems for my family in the meanwhile."


    The mother snickered, as she wondered whether or not there was a selfish reason behind Han Qingshan''s wish to have Jiang Yingyue living with him.


    She had personally come today for the sake of seeing this Jiang Yingyue, and to figure out what kind of person she was.


    She had heard that Han Qingshan had taken her home with him, and ordered her to live at home with him, and she could not help but be slightly surprised by this.


    Han Qingshan was, in the eyes of many, a generous and friendly prince charming, but she knew him well, and knew that he was not actually generous, neither was he friendly deep down.


    Being a gossiping person, Yan Meilin had instantly dropped her work and rushed over to the condo to get answers, and now that she was here, she could not help but see a newly wedded marriage lifestyle.


    Jiang Yingyue was just like an anxious new wife, cooking food and waiting on her husband, while Han Qingshan was the husband who was going to work to provide for her.


    The smile on Yan Meilin''s face grew increasingly bright as she thought about this. Although Jiang Yingyue was standing in front of her as a man, Yan Meilin lived off measuring people''s figures and dressing them up. She had seen any kind of man and woman, and just as Han Liqiang had said, it was obvious that Jiang Yingyue was a woman.


    As to why her dense son could not see this, Yan Meilin had no clue, but she knew that he would not have known, or he would not have invited her to live with him. Although he was not old fashioned, asking a woman to move in with him was not something he would have done on an impulse.

 Chapter 77锛欴augher-in-Law

    Jiang Yingyue was busy cooking food while Yan Meilin sat next to her, observing every single movement she made.


    Being observed like this was very uncomfortable, but at least she was used to being observed in school, so she managed to cook without any issues.


    "Do you like Qingshan?" Yan Meilin suddenly asked out of nowhere, her question making Jiang Yingyue stagger, her eyes widening in shock and horror as she turned around and looked at Yan Meilin with trepidation.


    "Now now, don''t be scared," the mother said with a chuckle when she noticed the extreme reaction that Jiang Yingyue had. "I was just wondering if you and Han Qingshan got along well."


    Jiang Yingyue''s heart was beating rapidly, her actions were staggering, and she looked like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. Although Jiang Yingyue had not answered the question, she was simply incapable of hiding her emotions well, and Yan Meilin''s smile widened so far that her eyes turned to crescent moons; she was going to support this gutsy girl in getting in a relationship with her son!


    Jiang Yingyue felt a blush creep up on her cheeks, she was incapable of holding it back, and she quickly turned her back towards Yan Meilin, trying to explain her emotions and flustered behavior.


    "Han Qingshan is a good... friend... of mine," she said with a voice so low that it sounded like a mosquito.


    Yan Meilin noticed that her teasing had truly been a little over the top, and she smiled knowingly but said nothing more.


    The sound of the water had stopped some time ago, and it was at this moment that Han Qingshan exited the bathroom. His body was draped in a sleeping robe that was slightly open, displaying his chiseled chest, and one could even vaguely see his abdominal muscles.


    His black hair was messy, and small drops of water ran down the tips, down the neck, and onto the clavicle.


    The drops of water played well against his skin that was colored like honey. His appearance was so attractive that Jiang Yingyue felt flustered just looking at him.


    Yan Meilin was ecstatic. She noticed the suppressed glance that Han Qingshan sent towards Jiang Yingyue.


    Usually, he would never be dressed so sloppily, neither would he walk around with wet hair, but now he was doing this, was it not the same as tempting the young girl he lived with?


    Yan Meilin might look youthful, but she was a shrewd woman who knew a lot about tricks that others might pull. She had seen any trick that women had tried to pull on her husband, and she had been involved in multiple intrigues to stay at the top, and Han Qingshan''s current behavior was so different from his usual self. The only thing that could be behind this was Jiang Yingyue.


    Jiang Yingyue''s behavior earlier had made Yan Meilin think that the girl liked Han Qingshan, and seeing her son, he clearly wanted something from this girl as well.


    "Mother, why are you here?" Han Qingshan was shocked when he saw his mother had arrived, and he could not help but feel slightly worried. Had she arrived with that dress she said she would sew for Jiang Yingyue?


    He suddenly felt worried as well. What had they spoken about while he was in the bath? Had his mother said something she should not have said?


    Seeing that Jiang Yingyue was burying her head in the cooking, he felt relaxed.


    "Qingshan, why did you not tell me that Jiang Fengmian is living here now?" she asked smilingly. "And why did you not tell us that he can cook? You should have invited us over for dinner or let us invite you two home for dinner!"


    "Mother, he is my friend, and he is just staying for a short while. He already met father, so there is no need for him to come home to the mansion." Han Qingshan felt slightly helpless. He could not understand why his mother was so nosy; she had not usually cared about his relationships.


    "Well, this is like I am visiting my daughter-in-law," Yan Meilin sighed with happiness, but her words caused a clattering to sound in the kitchen as Jiang Yingyue dropped the ladle she had in her hands.


    "Sorry," she muttered, not daring to turn her head around, but her ears were so red that even Han Qingshan could see it, and for some reason, a feeling of pride swelled in his heart.


    "I am staying here for dinner tonight," Yan Meilin declared. "There is so much food, and Liqiang is not coming home tonight. Instead of eating alone, I will eat together with my beloved son and his dear friend."


    The more she spoke, the more awkward Jiang Yingyue became. She dared not say no since it was Han Qingshan''s mother, but she felt that something was wrong. Why was it daughter-in-law and not son-in-law? She was pretending to be a man, alright!


    Han Qingshan had originally wanted to chase his mother away. But after seeing the fumbling and clumsy side to Jiang Yingyue, and her embarrassed and bashful expression; he felt as if a small cat was pawing at his heart, an uncontrollable itch he could do nothing about was within him, and all he wanted to do was drag Jiang Yingyue into a tight embrace and place his lips above hers.

 Chapter 78锛歁others Idea

    He did not stop in his tracks, but pushed down his urges and went to help her set the table. He did not answer his mother, but he took three plates, and three pairs of chopsticks alongside three cups.


    Jiang Yingyue brewed some tea and said nothing since she was a guest at Han Qingshan''s place. She was not the one to decide whether or not he should have his mother eating over.


    Also, when she said that she would be all alone, even Jiang Yingyue''s heart turned soft. Even her parents, who were poor, were able to spend their time together. Although she was not home at the moment due to staying with Han Qingshan, she knew they would spend their time together.


    After she finished preparing the food, Jiang Yingyue placed the plates and bowls on the table, and both Han Qingshan and Yan Meilin were excited to see the dishes that were placed on the table.


    Jiang Yingyue was proud when she saw their amazement, and a soft smile flitted across her lips.


    Sitting down, somehow Jiang Yingyue ended up sitting in the middle of Han Qingshan and Yan Meilin. Both of them looked at her, and she could not help but feel uncomfortable when she felt how the two pairs of eyes were glancing at her all the time.


    Food was being scooped into their plates, and they started eating slowly, no one spoke, but the atmosphere was rather awkward and stiff.


    "My dear, you are a wonderful cook!" Yan Meilin said after tasting the different dishes, her eyes glowing with excitement.


    "Thank you, madam," she said humbly, hoping that the conversation would end there, but Yan Meilin was not done.


    "Why don''t you move in here with Qingshan?" she continued. "If you live here I would be much more at ease. If you were to stay by Qingshan''s side, I would be relieved to know that he would be eating proper food every day, and someone would be here to ensure that he does not work too hard."


    Jiang Yingyue felt that her eyes were widening all the time from shock. She had never expected such a request, but as she thought about it, she was quite interested.


    Although it would be dangerous for her, and her identity might be exposed, it would be beneficial for her parents.


    Her parents had never adjusted to life in the capital. They had to give up everything they had before, for the sake of low paying jobs and night shifts at work.


    Not only was their job hard and their lives exhausting, but they had also constantly lived with the fear of being exposed and with the worry of being sent to prison.


    If she could live with Han Qingshan, she would be able to send her father and mother back to their old village. Although it would take time for them to settle again, it would be a much more enjoyable life for them.


    Not to mention if they sold the house, then they would have quite some savings to live off from. And if she had a job, she would be able to help provide for them.


    However, all of this depended on Han Qingshan. Her life would depend on whether or not she would have a good relationship with him, and she had to be careful of her gender being exposed.


    But somehow, she did not feel any dislike about the thought of living together with Han Qingshan. In fact, she felt quite excited about it, and she was more than willing.


    Yan Meilin noticed that she was not against the idea, and her lips curled into a cunning smile. Then she looked at Han Qingshan, who was looking at Jiang Yingyue, he was clearly deep in thought.


    Han Qingshan suddenly broke into a low hoarse laughter as he reached out his hand and gently rubbed Jiang Yingyue''s head. "You should move in," he agreed, his voice carrying with it conviction and warmth.


    "I am very happy having you living with me," Han Qingshan continued, his words were so gentle that Jiang Yingyue felt her heart melt.


    "It is sad being alone, and all I eat is restaurant food; the condo is cold and soulless, but when you are here, it feels much more like home."


    Hearing her son speaking like this, Yan Meilin''s eyes widened in surprise. She had never expected that he would be so honest and straightforward, trying to coax the other into moving in.


    "I feel that it would be much easier for you too," Han Qingshan said. "You will be able to go with me to University in the morning, and we can go to work together afterward, not to mention when work is over, I can take you back home."


    "As long as you cook me meals most of the time, I will provide you with groceries, and I will not charge you for rent or transport fees."


    Han Qingshan knew that Jiang Yingyue was easiest to move when it came to food and money. He also knew that she was using a fake ID right now, and so were her parents, so she should want them to return to their original identities for safety, and also for their future.


    Although he knew this, he could not say it straight away, so he tried beating around the bush instead.


    The offer was truly great, and Jiang Yingyue could not help but wonder if it was worth it. Her brows were furrowed, and she was torn between the risk of being noticed, and the urge to live with him.

 Chapter 79锛歂ightly Visit

    "Let me speak with my parents about it first," Jiang Yingyue said after considering her options.


    Feeling that his mother had done something good with her visit here, Han Qingshan was generous and allowed her to eat even more of the food that Jiang Yingyue had cooked.


    After eating, Jiang Yingyue began clearing the table, while Yan Meilin went to talk to Han Qingshan.


    "Qingshan, you have to know that your father and I will support you in anything you do," she said, her voice filled with excitement as she glanced at Jiang Yingyue in the kitchen. "But you also need to take the first step sometimes. You cannot just wait for others to take the initiative; sometimes you have to grab onto it. If you like Jiang Fengmian, then be bold about it!"


    "Mother!" Han Qingshan was shocked when he heard it, his eyes bulging out in surprise. "I am just friends with Jiang Fengmian," he said. But even though he was saying so, his heart was not feeling too comfortable as he remembered the kiss he had stolen from the youngster earlier.


    Even now, he felt the urge to push her down, feel her, and kiss her with all he had. The kiss he had before had left him wanting more, the feeling of those soft lips were driving him insane.


    Thinking about it again, Han Qingshan was getting frustrated, and Yan Meilin smiled knowingly.


    "Don''t worry. We will not be disappointed in you," Yan Meilin said with a smile on her face, as she patted her son on the shoulder before heading to the kitchen to say her farewell to Jiang Yingyue and thanking her for dinner. She left the condo right afterward.


    Han Qingshan was left alone in the sitting room, his back was turned to Jiang Yingyue, but he could hear the rustling sounds from the kitchen.


    Jiang Yingyue was indeed the perfect wife. She was cooking and cleaning without feeling upset about having to do such chores.


    In fact, she was quite happy because there was a dishwasher in the condo, so cleaning was actually quite simple compared to cleaning at home.


    While cleaning, she was busy thinking about her options. Truthfully she was stuck in a dilemma. Did she want to return to the life of Jiang Yingyue? But if she did, how was she supposed to continue living?


    Everything she had was under the name of Jiang Fengmian. If she were to really give up this identity, she would have to give up her future dreams.


    While thinking too much she dropped a plate, which fell to the ground and shattered. The loud crash brought Jiang Yingyue out of her messy thoughts, and she bowed down to collect the shards.


    She felt somewhat guilty for breaking a plate, and she was a bit flustered over having shattered it, that she did not really pay attention to how she grabbed the shards, making them cut one of her fingers, and causing her to flinch.


    Han Qingshan had heard the ruckus that came from the kitchen and walked over. He soon saw the glaringly red blood on her porcelain-like white skin.


    A feeling of distress appeared in Han Qingshan''s heart, and he hurried over. He grabbed the finger and lifted it to his lips, allowing for his tongue to run over the shallow wound.


    A tremor ran through both Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan at the same time. The warm hand was so soft and gentle to the touch, and although the metallic taste of blood was within his mouth, Han Qingshan did not mind. Instead, he felt excited from touching Jiang Yingyue, his tongue flickering across the finger, making the skin moist.


    Han Qingshan''s eyes turned feverish, his eyes branded onto Jiang Yingyue''s expression, and when he saw how her face turned red as she resembled someone who wanted to dig herself into a hole, a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.


    "Be careful," he warned with a low, magnetic voice that made Jiang Yingyue tremble even more than she had before. Perhaps it was too dangerous living together with Han Qingshan.


    "I''m sorry," Jiang Yingyue muttered, her eyes glued to the floor and she hurriedly withdrew her hand from the large palm of Han Qingshan, suddenly feeling an emptiness in her heart.


    Without thinking too much on the topic, she quickly picked up the shards on the ground, threw them into the bin and started sweeping and vacuuming the small shards up, cleaning the floor thoroughly, while constantly being observed by Han Qingshan.


    She was not used to being looked at with such an intense gaze, so when she finished, she quickly hid in her room. She found some clothes and some bandages before she went to wash and prepare to sleep.


    That night, when Jiang Yingyue was deep asleep, the door to the guest room suddenly opened, and Han Qingshan snuck inside. His eyes were like two calm bottomless wells, his breathing shallow as if he was afraid of waking her when he walked inside.


    He leaned down over the bed, touching Jiang Yingyue''s forehead slightly with his palm as if to check if she had a fever. But after checking, his finger slowly slid down her face, down her cheeks, and landed on her lips.


    He rubbed the lips slightly, and he felt as if an electric current was running through his body. The lips were slightly parted as she breathed through her mouth while being asleep, but to Han Qingshan, it was more like an invitation, and without being able to restrain himself, he leaned over, capturing her lips with his own, mixing up their breath and invading her parted lips with his tongue.

 Chapter 80锛欶eeling Insecure

    The kiss was hot, and Han Qingshan was drawing out all the air in Jiang Yingyue''s body, he was feeling more and more aroused, and he plunged deeper and deeper into the kiss; his hands resting on the bed, on either side of her head, wanting to engrave her taste into himself.


    It was not before Jiang Yingyue started to stir from lack of air that Han Qingshan unwillingly released her lips and straightened his back.


    His eyes were burning with a fervor that he had never experienced before, his tongue gently licking his lips as if to savor the lingering taste of Jiang Yingyue, and he then knew that he was a lost cause.


    "I never thought I''d turn gay," he muttered to himself as he observed the sleeping girl slowly fall into a deep slumber again. Her soft lips were slightly swollen, and her cheeks were adorably flushed red from the lack of oxygen she had experienced before.


    Han Qingshan was struggling. He was not doubting the fact that he liked women and had no interest in men, but there was a man in front of him whom he could not help but want to own completely.


    Never once had it crossed his mind that Jiang Yingyue was a woman, he was so certain that she was a man, that he did not even notice the many hints and signs that were surrounding them.


    Jiang Yingyue was sleeping peacefully, unaware of the stormy emotions that were swirling within Han Qingshan''s mind. She was blissfully resting, not knowing that he was struggling with the thoughts of having been turned gay.


    Looking at her, he could not help but snort. "Heartless guy," he muttered to himself as he traced his finger down her face, once again landing on her lips.


    His eyes turned red, and it took all his willpower to rush out of the bedroom, going into the bathroom. There, he allowed for the cold water to cascade down his body, trying to exterminate the heat that had been rushing in his body.


    The following day, Jiang Yingyue woke up unaware of what had happened the previous night. She felt rested and energetic, and it was still early in the morning, so she rushed to the bathroom to wash up before she would cook a delicious breakfast for Han Qingshan. She knew that he had not left yet, as it was simply too early to do that.


    So humming a children''s song, Jiang Yingyue went to the bathroom to wash up, change her bandages, and get dressed.


    When she finished, she went into the sitting room, on the way to the kitchen, and she was stunned when she saw that Han Qingshan was sitting on the couch, bending over his laptop, and working fully focused.


    Jiang Yingyue looked at his face, and saw that he had dark circles under the eyes; he had clearly been working throughout the night, and he seemed exhausted.


    Without hesitation, she quietly entered the kitchen, made a cup of coffee for Han Qingshan, and went next to him.


    "Drink some coffee," she said, her voice soft as she felt pity towards Han Qingshan who had so much work that he did not even get a proper night''s sleep.


    Han Qingshan jolted when he heard Jiang Yingyue''s voice, and his hands trembled slightly.


    "Thank you," he said, his voice emotionless, and he did not look at her, making Jiang Yingyue feel slightly uncomfortable.


    "I will make some congee," she said. "It seems you have worked all night, but I doubt you have eaten anything yet, so you should have something to fill your stomach, but it has to be quite gentle, or your system can''t handle it."


    Han Qingshan nodded his head as he continued to look at the documents on his laptop, his attention was seemingly all on the papers, but only Han Qingshan himself knew that he was sensing every small change in Jiang Yingyue.


    Feeling slightly dejected, Jiang Yingyue cooked breakfast, but Han Qingshan did not look at her even once. All day, Han Qingshan continued to look away from her, he treated her well, and gave her simple tasks at the office.


    But although she had been given certain tasks, he was spending most of the time ignoring her, neither of them spoke much. Whenever Jiang Yingyue tried speaking with him, he would answer in one word, or with just a sound.


    Being unaware of what she had done wrong, Jiang Yingyue was saddened, but she quickly accepted that Han Qingshan was likely tired of her. She was, after all, a commoner, and he was a noble. It was natural that he would grow tired of her.


    Thinking like this, she sighed and felt at a loss, but she was willing to end it all if that was what would make Han Qingshan happy again.


    "Han Qingshan," she called out, after gathering her courage, feeling like a knife was slicing her heart. "Yes?" Han Qingshan asked, without raising his head from the papers.


    "I was thinking, I am getting much better, and the stitches will be removed soon," she said hesitatingly. "I wonder if it is time for me to return home, I can''t continue to trouble you."


    The more she spoke, the lower her voice became. She looked down and fidgeted with her hands, her eyes were burning slightly, and she was feeling very uncomfortable, waiting for Han Qingshan to agree with her.

 Chapter 81锛歒oung Master is Gay

    Han Qingshan stared at Jiang Yingyue, a storm was brewing in his eyes, and he was anything but pleased.


    The temperature of the room was plummeting to freezing degrees, and it was hard for Jiang Yingyue to hold back the tears that were swirling in her eyes.


    The silence was nerve-wracking, and finally, Jiang Yingyue lifted her head, only to see the angry expression of Han Qingshan.


    Her face turned terrified, and the tears in her eyes swelled. Seeing her looking like this, so innocent and like a scared white rabbit, Han Qingshan felt an inexplicable urge to grab her and hug her until the tears vanished.


    But when he thought back to the words she had said before, the urge to destroy her also appeared.


    "You want to leave after you are done using me, huh?" Han Qingshan suddenly asked with a dangerously low and emotionless voice, but when Jiang Yingyue heard it, she lifted her head in shock and looked at him perplexed.


    "No... I��" She tried to explain, but before she had the time, Han Qingshan stood up from the chair and went to the floor-to-ceiling windows. He looked down upon the view of tall buildings and at the tiny humans walking like small ants down at the street.


    "Then why are you so eager to get rid of me?" He asked, his voice sounding playful, but although it sounded playful, Jiang Yingyue was scared by it. She had never seen Han Qingshan like this before.


    "But you clearly don''t want me around you anymore," Jiang Yingyue suddenly blurted out, her voice trembling slightly from the fear and trepidation she was currently experiencing.


    Usually, she was not weak. She could deal with almost anything without flinching, but right now, when thinking about how Han Qingshan had been treating her with the cold shoulder, she was truly at a loss and felt so hurt and abandoned that she could not help it.


    Han Qingshan frowned. "Why would I not want you around me anymore?" He asked, and Jiang Yingyue took a deep breath to steady her emotions.


    "You have not looked at me at all today. You are not answering me when I try to talk with you, and when you do respond, it is one-word answers or just sounds. Clearly, you do not want to speak with me anymore. Even the sight of me is enough to cause you to feel upset. Just look at you now; you are clearly very angry with me."


    Hearing her answer, Han Qingshan was surprised. He had, as a matter of fact, tried to ignore her for some time, but that was to clear his mind.


    He was still struggling with the fact that he had turned gay, and that the man in front of him was able to twist him around his pinky finger. But he had never expected that his behavior would be misunderstood like this, nor had he thought that Jiang Yingyue would be so upset because of him.


    Right at this moment, Han Qingshan could no longer hold back, and he strode towards Jiang Yingyue with big steps.


    He wanted to plant his lips on top of Jiang Yingyue''s. He wanted to suck out the air in her lungs, taste her sweet taste, and invade the inside of her mouth. But he knew that if he did this, it was likely that their relationship would end, so instead, he just reached out, grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his embrace.


    The small woman in his arms was so soft and petite. Although Jiang Yingyue was not small for a woman, she was a lot smaller than Han Qingshan, and she fit perfectly within his arms.


    Feeling the sensation of having her in his embrace, Han Qingshan''s heart was relaxed. All the thoughts and worries vanished in mere moments, and he no longer cared about anything else, as long as he could keep Jiang Yingyue by his side.


    Jiang Yingyue, on the other hand, was stumped when she felt herself dragged into his arms. She was not sure about what was happening, her mind was turning blank, and her body was trembling slightly from sensing the two arms wrapped around her waist and pressing her against his chest.


    She could not help but think that for once, she did not want to think about anything else, she just wanted to enjoy what was being given her, so she leaned against his chest and closed her eyes, trying to push the tears back.


    Looking down at her, Han Qingshan buried his head in her hair, and without her noticing, he kissed the top of her head gently.


    While they were deep in each other''s embrace, the door suddenly opened and Song Liwei came back inside, but the moment he opened the door and saw them embracing each other, he seemed to have understood that he had done something wrong, and he was frozen in shock.


    Was he supposed to enter now? Was he supposed to leave, and hope that they had not noticed him?


    Unfortunately, both Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan had noticed him, and while Han Qingshan sent him a fierce glare, Jiang Yingyue tried to free herself from the strong arms around her waist.


    "Assistant Song, please go and fetch some food," Han Qingshan said with a domineering voice, and Song Liwei instantly bowed before closing the door again.


    He was no longer unsure about his boss'' sexuality, it was quite obvious that he was gay! And he was even feeding him a great bowl of dog food.

 Chapter 82锛歁oving the In-Laws

    "Still thinking about moving back home?" Han Qingshan asked with his low and magnetic voice, not showing any signs of wanting to release Jiang Yingyue.


    Feeling a sweetness in her heart she had not felt before, Jiang Yingyue shook her head, but she said nothing.


    "Let me talk with my parents," she said after contemplating for a bit of time. "If I can live with you, I will send them home," she said honestly.


    "Home is not the capital?" Han Qingshan could not help but ask, and Jiang Yingyue shook her head. "There is only one place that can be considered home for me," she sighed. Her eyes were filled with pain as she once more remembered the great loss she had suffered when Jiang Fengmian had died.


    Sensing that her emotions were in turmoil, Han Qingshan tightened the grasp around her waist and pulled her deeper into his embrace.


    "Don''t think about anything else," he said gently. "I will help Auntie and Uncle if I can," he promised. "But it might be a good idea to let them start over somewhere else."


    The whole fake ID was a problem that needed to be solved as soon as possible. If the two parents were able to return to their original homes and their original identities, then there was only Jiang Yingyue left with a fake ID, and this would make things much easier, not only for her but also for Han Qingshan.


    Jiang Yingyue nodded her head. "I will call them," she said decisively. "They ought to be at home at the current point in time, and they should leave for their night shifts soon."


    "Do that," Han Qingshan agreed, but Jiang Yingyue was somewhat embarrassed. "You will have to release me first," she muttered, her cheeks red.


    But Han Qingshan was incredibly shameless. Instead of releasing her, he gently pushed her to the sofa and placed her down upon it, before he gestured for her to call, while he sat down next to her, holding her other hand in his own.


    Jiang Yingyue felt it was a bit weird. Why would Han Qingshan hold her hand all of a sudden? Was it not a bit too intimate? Did friends hold each other''s hands like this?


    Jiang Yingyue felt that something was out of place, but she was not sure what it was, and could only take her phone and dial her father''s number.


    The moment she got through, she quickly explained the situation.


    "Dad, I think we should sell the house, and you and mother should return to the village." she began. "Han Qingshan has offered that I can live with him, and I will not have to worry about you two.


    "You have never actually liked the life here in the capital, and have only been putting up with it for me.


    "I feel that it is time for you to return to your roots, not to mention he has been alone for a long time. You have been protecting me and looking after me for all this time, but now, it is time for him to be looked after by you."


    When Jiang Yingyue said this, tears once more welled up in her eyes and started dropping. Her brother had been buried back in the village, but after they left, they had not returned even once. It was truly unfair to Jiang Fengmian.


    Han Qingshan did not understand what Jiang Yingyue was talking about, but he did not ask either. He felt that this was, perhaps, the reason for them to use fake IDs.


    "Will it really be okay?" Jiang Wei could not help but ask. "You know, with your... identity... is it really suitable to live together with Young Master Shan?"


    Jiang Yingyue thought about it for a moment, but she had decided to live as a man, so it should be fine.


    "It will be fine," she said, trying to pacify him, "I have my own room and everything."


    Han Qingshan could only hear the words that Jiang Yingyue spoke, so he was quite curious, but he restrained his curiosity as he looked at Jiang Yingyue who was much happier now than she had been before.


    Jiang Yingyue spoke for a bit with her father about the practicalities of selling the house and moving back.


    Han Qingshan understood that it was quite far away, at the other end of the country, so it was not something that was done easily.


    "I will help you out," Han Qingshan said smilingly. "I know a few real estate agents who can help you sell the house at the best possible price," he promised.


    Jiang Yingyue had been a little lost about what to do, but then Han Qingshan took his phone and started calling around. He had quickly found an agent, and they had agreed to go to the house two days later to see it, and planned to put up a listing for it.


    It was not that Han Qingshan wanted Jiang Yingyue''s parents to leave fast, it was just that he truly wanted to ensure that she did not back out on her promise of moving in together with him.


    As long as she had no other home, where could she turn to if not him? The feeling of having her depending on him was so marvelous that he could not contain the smile that slipped onto his face.


    "Come in," Han Qingshan called out as he finally withdrew his hand, albeit rather regretfully.


    Song Liwei came inside with a carrier bag from the local sushi restaurant. "Young Master Shan, Mister Jiang, I brought you some food."

 Chapter 83锛歎se Them

    Jiang Yingyue felt that she was suddenly hungry now that she was no longer worried about Han Qingshan''s mood, and her eyes shone with excitement when she saw that it was sushi.


    Sushi was expensive, really expensive. It was something she could not afford very often, but around once a year she would cook it for her family.


    But bought sushi from famous restaurants was supposed to be heavenly, so when she saw that Song Liwei came in with sushi, her sorrows were all tossed to the back of her head, and she was excited.


    Seeing her happy little face, Han Qingshan could not help but chuckle as he shook his head.


    Seeing that she was so happy to have sushi, Han Qingshan nodded approvingly to Song Liwei. He bought so many dishes that all three of them could eat together.


    Usually, Han Qingshan would not eat while working, he would be fully focused on the task at hand, but when he did eat, he would not usually eat with Song Liwei. However this one time, Song Liwei was invited to dine with them.


    Although he was incredibly honored and proud of being allowed to eat with them, he could not help but feel like he would become a massive light bulb and thus he quickly took a package of sushi and said, "I will eat with the secretary," before fleeing the room.


    Seeing Jiang Yingyue''s perplexed expression, Han Qingshan snickered. Although he had invited Song Liwei to eat with them, he did, in fact, want to spend time alone with Jiang Yingyue.


    Now that they were alone, Jiang Yingyue had taken the carrier bag that Song Liwei left behind and went towards the coffee table in front of the sofa.


    She quickly started to unpack the food, and the more she looked, the more her eyes shone. She had completely forgotten her previous sadness, and the attitude that Han Qingshan had towards her. All that mattered was the food she could now eat.


    Seeing her obsessed little face, Han Qingshan felt that she was the cutest person he had ever seen.


    After opening the different boxes, preparing the soy sauce and the wasabi, she called for Han Qingshan, only to notice the infatuated expression on his face.


    Seeing it, she was suddenly very aware of her actions, and she was embarrassed by her greed.


    "Let''s eat," Han Qingshan said when he saw her embarrassed expression, and he sat down on the sofa, gesturing for her to sit next to him.


    As she sat down, she found that suddenly Han Qingshan''s leg was touching hers, and she felt as if she was electrocuted.


    She slowly moved her leg slightly, but Han Qingshan''s leg followed, and no matter how much she tried moving it, he followed.


    She was, in the beginning, not sure it was done intentionally, but after feeling it happening a few times, she understood that he was intentionally touching her legs with his own.


    Jiang Yingyue''s face was red like the crimson sky during sunset. She dared not look at Han Qingshan, and quickly took the chopsticks and propped a bit of food into her mouth, trying to pretend that nothing was wrong.


    Looking at her flustered expression, Han Qingshan smiled sweetly, and soon, the food was slowly being eaten by the two of them.


    Jiang Yingyue was unable to calm down. Her thigh was hot where it was in contact with Han Qingshan''s leg. She could not focus on anything, and all her focus was on her leg.


    Han Qingshan did not go over the top though. When he finished eating, he slowly stood up and stretched his body before returning to the desk and starting to work once more.


    "Keep eating," he told Jiang Yingyue, as he continued working. Jiang Yingyue had been given a few tasks, but nothing special. She finished eating what she could and then started packing the rest down and cleaning the table after use.


    When she finished, she took out a laptop she had been given by Han Qingshan and started sorting through information about the exodus of artists from Imperial World.


    She found that although the subject had somehow died down, there were still hot searches on Weibo about the artists'' escape from Imperial World, and the theories about why they had made such a controversial decision.


    "Han Qingshan," Jiang Yingyue suddenly called out, and Han Qingshan lifted his head curiously to see what she wanted to say.


    "I see that the theories about the exodus are still ongoing," she began. "Why not use this to our own benefit?"


    Han Qingshan had at first not expected much from Jiang Yingyue as an assistant, but she was working seriously, and was constantly thinking up new ideas and plans to help him.


    "I think, is it not going to be quite obvious that there will be a war between Imperial World and Starry Sky Entertainment? Why not start a topic stating that these artists broke their contracts with Imperial World and that in the future, Imperial World will not invest in a TV-series, a drama, or a movie these artists feature in?"


    "I know that Starry Sky is getting a lot of money, now that they have a new supporter, but money is not everything, it will take them time to be able to fully confront you in the entertainment industry."

 Chapter 84锛歋trike First

    Han Qingshan had not had any intention of actually commenting on the mass leave of artists, but thinking about it, there was no way that he would not start a war with the Starry Sky Entertainment Agency, so taking a strong stand would be quite good.


    If he then used the public relations department to smear the artists, saying that they had betrayed their original company for the sake of riches, then he would be able to paint a positive view of himself and his company.


    The idea was not bad, and he instantly picked up his phone and gave a call to the public relations manager.


    The two discussed the rest of the plan in detail until it was finalized, and then the public relations team suddenly started working.


    Not only did they post on Weibo explaining that the artists had broken their contracts, betrayed the company that raised them, and jumped ship; they also announced that due to the way it had been done, which was in no way proper, they would no longer support any show or movie that featured these artists.


    At the same time, they also made a public announcement stating that since the Starry Sky Entertainment Agency had publicly started snatching their agents, they would no longer work together with the Starry Sky Entertainment Agency.


    Finally, they extended an invitation to all artists in Starry Sky, reminding them that now they had to fight hard for their resources, so if they were willing to look for a new home, with more resources, then Imperial World would welcome them with open arms.


    These three messages were sent out one after another, and the netizens quickly started commenting.


    The public opinion was quickly supporting Imperial World. To turn against a company that had raised oneself, solely for the sake of earning money, this was something that no one would approve of.


    Even more, they were outraged by Starry Sky''s behavior of poaching people who still had ongoing contracts.


    However, those that supported Starry Sky were unable to throw mud at Imperial World.


    They used the words of free market and competition, so what Imperial World did was basically just the same.


    A few were complaining about their intention to blacklist these artists that left, but when there was someone who commented on it, the supporters of Imperial World all started returning their words, saying that since they had the choice of deciding where to sign a contract, then Imperial World had their own right to refuse to work with them.


    At the same time, some started saying that these artists should have considered their options better. If they had spoken with Imperial World, then they should have been able to increase their resources or income, but in the end, they chose to leave and did not give Imperial World a chance.


    So while the netizens were all split between what they thought of this subject, no one was capable of finding fault with Imperial World. Starry Sky, on the other hand, was being blamed for many things, and the common people saw them in a much more negative light.


    At this point in time, every artist from Imperial World forwarded the messages, displaying a united front, while it was the Starry Sky Entertainment Agency''s turn to be silent.


    Imperial World had been quiet for so long that Starry Sky Entertainment Agency had expected them to not comment on the subject, but now that they had come out, their stance was hard to handle. If they truly wanted to block the artists, then no one would dare work with them.


    Although the Zhou family had promised the Su family glory and wealth, the truth was that they were just starting to focus on the national market, and while they could offer a lot of money, they had no connections built yet.


    The Su family had been too eager to trip Imperial World. They had thought that they would not be able to lash back if they took all their artists, but facts now told them differently.


    Not only was Imperial World returning the favor, but they were also starting a war, something that was never before seen in the entertainment industry.


    When the Starry Sky Entertainment Agency got wind of the Weibo posts, they were feeling rather jittery and frustrated. They had been given almost unlimited support from the Zhou family, but it was impossible to help their artists who had just joined, and Su Wan, the current CEO of Starry Sky Entertainment Agency, was feeling the urgency.


    Not only would he have problems keeping the artists who had just joined, but he would also have problems keeping his original artists, as they were now fighting for resources.


    While everything was ongoing, Jiang Yingyue was obediently sitting on the sofa, working on the laptop, sorting through different documents and archiving them as she finished.


    In the meanwhile, Han Qingshan was also busy working on his own documents, but from time to time, he would turn around and look at Jiang Yingyue with surprise and appreciation.


    It was quite rare for him to not think of the best way to solve a problem, but this time he had been assisted by Jiang Yingyue. Her idea was in no way bad, and as she said, since the war was impossible to avoid, why not be the one to initiate the first attack?


    While thinking like this, his eyes turned slightly complex. Was Jiang Yingyue aware of the fact that their current opponent was someone who claimed to be her good friend? Someone who was willing to fight for her. Someone who clearly treasured her deeply.

 Chapter 85锛歋tealing the Artists

    Looking at her shining eyes as she was surfing Weibo, looking at the many positive comments about Imperial World, he was quite certain that she had no idea.


    Even if she did not consider this person as someone close to her, it was obvious that she would not feel as gleeful as she did now if she knew that he had done so much for her.


    Although Jiang Yingyue deserved to know about it, Han Qingshan was not willing to tell her that another man had done something so protective for her.


    He wanted to be the only one who was protecting her; he wanted to monopolize her.


    Jiang Yingyue was unaware of the possessiveness of Han Qingshan; all she could do was feel gleeful about how Imperial World was on the lips of every netizen, and how it had managed to take over the first eight slots on the hot search on Weibo; only the ninth and tenth was not about Imperial World, but was about Starry Sky Entertainment Agency instead.


    Han Qingshan quickly finished his paperwork, and then he stood up from the chair. "We are going to meet with a few artists now," he said with a smile on his face. "I am going to sign a few new artists today. Four of them are A-listing celebrities, so they might be a little arrogant, but we will see how they behave," he warned Jiang Yingyue.


    Although no one dared to be arrogant towards Han Qingshan, some might be towards Jiang Yingyue as she was a mere assistant, so he warned her before, but he was already ready to protect her. If someone was not respectful towards his Jiang Yingyue, then they should not dream about getting any resources.


    As they exited the office, Song Liwei appeared with a briefcase that he handed over to Han Qingshan.


    "I have planned the seven meetings today, with half-hour intervals between them," he explained fast. "They are all scheduled at the hotel you usually use to plan business meetings."


    Han Qingshan nodded his head and contemplated for some time. "Stay here," he said to Song Liwei, who was not especially surprised by this order.


    "I will deal with it together with Jiang Fengmian, you keep contacting the artists. Let us see if we can steal all their artists."


    Jiang Yingyue felt slightly surprised when she heard how he did not want Song Liwei to follow, but she was also proud of the fact that he trusted her enough to just have her following him.


    They left in Han Qingshan''s black Porsche, and when they arrived at the hotel, they were greeted by a parking assistant who accepted the car, and Han Qingshan strode into the hotel itself, followed closely by Jiang Yingyue.


    Jiang Yingyue had never been to a hotel before. She had not needed to visit them as they had their own home, and she never went traveling before, but now she was astounded by the sheer grandness of this place.


    The crystal chandeliers in the ceiling were glistening in the light, and a low murmur of rushing water could be heard from the fountain in the middle of the lobby.


    The hotel had a conference room, and this was what Song Liwei had reserved for Han Qingshan.


    Han Qingshan walked to the front desk. His aura was powerful as he walked through the lobby of the hotel, everyone looked at him with reverence; everyone present knew who he was.


    Some were looking curiously at Jiang Yingyue. They all knew he had Song Liwei as an assistant, so those who did not attend Imperial University knew nothing about Jiang Yingyue.


    "Young Master Shan, Mister Song already contacted us, we have reserved the conference room for you, and as always, we will remain fully confidential about whom you are inviting."


    Jiang Yingyue''s eyes widened slightly when she heard this. It was clear that Han Qingshan was like a god to them, he had not even needed to ask, and they had already assured him of full confidentiality.


    The clerk behind the desk glanced at Jiang Yingyue. There was curiosity in her eyes and a bit of infatuation. To work for Han Qingshan, this youngster had to be quite special, and at the same time, the pay Han Qingshan gave was in no way low, so to work for him was enough to make any person wealthy.


    If she could somehow hook him, would she not be set for the rest of her life? Unfortunately, Han Qingshan was glaring at her when she was looking at Jiang Yingyue with infatuation, and she felt a chill run down her spine. Why would he look so murderous?


    "Fengmian, let''s go," he said with a cold voice, stunning Jiang Yingyue. She had never before been called so intimately, and her face started blushing as she hurried after Han Qingshan, leaving the clerk shocked.


    It could not be that they were in a relationship? The clerk could not help but think so, her eyes widening, and her hands covering her mouth. Had she just discovered the biggest secret of Han Qingshan? Was he actually gay?


    "You act as if you have never seen a hotel before," Han Qingshan laughed, and Jiang Yingyue pouted slightly. "I have not," she admitted readily. She knew that Han Qingshan would not laugh at her.


    "Oh, you have never been at a hotel before? Then we will stay here tonight," Han Qingshan suddenly declared.

 Chapter 86锛歁iss Xie and Manager Zheng

    The words caused Jiang Yingyue to widen her eyes. Staying at a hotel tonight? She did not have her clothes, nor did she have any bandages.


    "Is that a good idea?" she asked with a slight feeble voice, "We do not have any clothes, and I need bandages for my wound."


    "I''ll send someone to get them," Han Qingshan said, clearly satisfied with himself.


    "This will give you a new experience in life, don''t reject me," he continued. He was quite satisfied with his plan.


    Jiang Yingyue thought about it and finally nodded her head. "Okay," she said after a bit of time.


    Thinking about it, they were likely to get a room each, and then it did not matter if she was in the hotel or at the condo, either way would be the same.


    Han Qingshan''s lips curled upwards when he heard that Jiang Yingyue had agreed, and his mood was suddenly brilliant. He had no intention of reserving two rooms, he planned on booking the presidential suite, and then sharing a bed with Jiang Yingyue.


    Thinking about this, his mood could not get any better, but he knew that telling Jiang Yingyue about his plans would ruin it all, so he would wait until the last minute.


    Jiang Yingyue smiled sweetly when she noticed that Han Qingshan was in a great mood.


    They reached the conference room, and as they entered, they found that water, tea, coffee, fruit, and snacks had been placed on the table. There was enough space to sit a full fifty people within this conference room, and it was the smallest conference room in the entire hotel.


    Han Qingshan sat down and opened the briefcase he had gotten earlier from Song Liwei.


    "The first artist is Xie Lijie, she is an A-listing celebrity, and has been with the Starry Sky Entertainment Agency since her debut five years back. She is mainly starring in TV-series and dramas, but has won a few awards for her movies." Han Qingshan quickly introduced the first person who was to appear.


    Jiang Yingyue accepted the papers that Han Qingshan handed her, and she looked them over. Twenty-seven years old, dating another artist from an independent company, debuted five years ago, and then followed a list of all the dramas, TV-series, and movies she had been part of, alongside a list of her nominations and the awards she had won before. There was even an introduction to her manager Zheng Chang.


    She was a true A-listing celebrity, and Jiang Yingyue was slightly worried as to how their visit would go.


    It only took ten minutes before a knock could be heard on the door, and Jiang Yingyue rose from her seat to open the door for them.


    Outside were Xie Lijie and her manager. Both of them looked perplexed when they saw Jiang Yingyue.


    "We are here to see Young Master Shan," the manager, Zheng Chang, said hesitatingly. Had there been some sort of misunderstanding? Was this not where Han Qingshan was waiting?


    "He is waiting inside. Miss Xie, Manager Zheng, please enter." Jiang Yingyue flashed them her most professional smile and opened the door wide, gesturing for them to enter.


    Xie Lijie and Zheng Chang sat down opposite of Han Qingshan, and Jiang Yingyue sat down next to him. The two newcomers were both incredibly curious about Jiang Yingyue, but they had not come to pry into Han Qingshan''s workers. They had come to finalize the contract with Imperial World, and both of them were incredibly serious about this particular matter.


    "We have both paid the breach-of-contract fee," Manager Zheng began, "and currently, neither Miss Xie nor I are hired anywhere. We are looking to join Imperial World, but we hope that the contract will allocate certain resources to my artist. She is an A-lister, and has been so for a period of time. She has had no scandals in her entire career, and she has always been honest and upfront about her relationships. She is able to bring much to the company, but only if the company is willing to invest in her."


    One had to admit that Manager Zheng was incredibly good at talking her case. She had brought out a lot of facts and also described which benefits she could bring with her. She had only put up one demand, and this demand was something that they knew Imperial World could easily fulfill.


    Jiang Yingyue was silent, listening to what was being said. She was quite interested in the conversation and the result of bargaining with one another.


    Han Qingshan looked at her and saw her eyes sparkle as she looked down on the documents in her hands as if she had thought of something important.


    "Fengmian, what do you think?" Han Qingshan suddenly asked, and both Jiang Yingyue and the other two were surprised when he suddenly asked her.


    "Well, how many resources are we talking about? We will definitely allocate certain resources to Miss Xie as she is an A-lister with a great reputation, but we cannot guarantee, nor will we guarantee that she will get the most resources of our company.


    "At the same time, we can see that both Miss Xie and Manager Zheng have appeared here with goodwill, and are very understanding, so naturally we have to be as welcoming.


    "Miss Xie focuses on TV-series and dramas, and it just so happens that this is one of the major investment parts of Imperial World. We cannot guarantee that every role will be the female main lead, but we can strive to get you as many as possible."

 Chapter 87锛歍he Bad Boy has Arrived

    Manager Zheng and Xie Lijie were shocked when they heard what Jiang Yingyue said. Although she was an A-lister, not all her roles were the main lead now either, so she was not opposed to taking the role of a second female lead, or even a third female lead.


    What she was worried about was that there were no roles for her to pick up, as all of them would be allocated to the oldies from Imperial World, but according to the words of Jiang Yingyue, it sounded like they were willing to even invest in shows for her sake.


    Unable to believe that what she said was true, both Xie Lijie and Manager Zheng looked at Han Qingshan with sparkling eyes.


    Seeing their behavior he chuckled slightly. Jiang Yingyue had the same idea as him, and the way she said it was so eloquent that he was very pleased.


    "Since my Fengmian said so, then obviously it will be so," Han Qingshan admitted readily, and once more Jiang Yingyue realized that he was referring to her by purely Fengmian. This time he even added a ''my'' in front of her name, and her face blushed red.


    Hearing his words and seeing Jiang Yingyue''s bashful expression, both Xie Lijie and Manager Zheng understood a thing or two.


    They smiled knowingly but said nothing, and not long after a contract was signed. Han Qingshan had already added the clause about her gaining a certain amount of resources each year, as he knew she would request it, and upon seeing the contract both Manager Zheng and Xie Lijie heaved a heavy sigh of relief.


    In total, the two had been there for twenty minutes when they left. It was all about business, and it had been solved fast and without any hiccups.


    "Did I do okay?" Jiang Yingyue asked nervously when looking at Han Qingshan. She had not expected that he would call her out like this, so she had been shocked, and could only say what she thought after having read the information about Xie Lijie.


    "You did great," Han Qingshan said as he rubbed her head tenderly, a smile playing on his lips.


    He reached into the briefcase afterward and found the next person''s papers. This was another A-listing celebrity. This one was of a man named Peng Jiang.


    Peng Jiang was twenty-three years old and was mainly starring in movies. He was different from Xie Lijie, and while she had had almost no scandals, this man was riddled with them.


    He had scandals about women left and right, even scandals about some having been paid to have abortions, and others about him being involved with a number of women at once.


    However, even though there were scandals about him everywhere, none of them truly managed to bring him down. He was a second-generation heir, and he had been able to pay the right people to shut up at the right time.


    As to why he wanted to meet with Han Qingshan, Jiang Yingyue could guess it was his family''s idea.


    He had debuted just before Imperial World was founded, and he had been unable to join them as no one was willing to break their contract and be seen as a traitor in the industry, neither to be labeled as one in the society too.


    But now things were different. For a short while, it was okay to break one''s contract and join Imperial World, and he had taken advantage of this.


    His family wished to work together with the Han Corporation, and if their son got close to Han Qingshan, this would be much simpler.


    Unfortunately, even his family had a hard time controlling Peng Jiang and were aware that he would try to be mischievous when meeting Young Master Shan, so they had threatened him with taking away his money, should he not be behaving well.


    There was another knock on the door, and Jiang Yingyue once more rose to her feet, went to open the door and was stunned when she saw the tall man outside.


    Peng Jiang was incredibly attractive. Not as attractive as Han Qingshan, but attractive in a bad-boy way, and he had an aura around him that made people relaxed and comfortable.


    "Hey cutie, we are here to see Han Qingshan," the tall, handsome Peng Jiang said while smiling as he reached out to touch Jiang Yingyue''s face.


    Jiang Yingyue was stumped for words when she heard him, and she quickly stepped backward, her face slightly unsightly.


    She had not disliked being touched by Han Qingshan, but the thought of this man touching her was making her feel nauseous. Even if he was handsome, she would not let him touch her.


    Fortunately, he did not continue when he missed her face, and instead, he shrugged his shoulders and strode into the room.


    Behind him was a shorter man, the manager, who was hired by his family to try and keep him under control.


    "I apologize for Young Master Jiang," the manager said, as he had seen the entire process before. "He is a little touchy and has a weakness for handsome and pretty things. It seems he took a liking to your face."


    "No problem," Jiang Yingyue answered, trying to avoid causing problems, but she was much more alert afterward and went straight back next to Han Qingshan, not willing to be close to Peng Jiang.

 Chapter 88锛歀end Him to Me

    Han Qingshan was looking rather ugly as well. He did not act, but his appearance was showing that he was anything but pleased.


    Peng Jiang sat down on the chair and smiled at Han Qingshan, but his eyes were focused on Jiang Yingyue, looking at her as if he was trying to look through her clothes.


    "Young Master Shan, we are here today to try and discuss the move to Imperial World," the manager opened up. "We have already terminated the contract with the Starry Sky Entertainment Agency, and are currently without a company. We have two options: one is to join Imperial World; another is to make an independent company for ourselves.


    "Of these two options, the best is obviously to work together with Imperial World. This is the place with most resources and also the place with the most prestige.


    "We do not require much in return for joining, but we do hope that you will cultivate Young Master Jiang''s reputation."


    Han Qingshan looked at them with narrowed eyes. "Your reputation is already tarnished, and rather terrible. To cultivate a new reputation for you will exhaust our public relations department, but it is doable."


    Jiang Yingyue had been sitting with a hope that Han Qingshan would not sign Peng Jiang, but she knew she could not say anything as this was work. Personal opinions and feelings should not be mixed with business.


    Han Qingshan had prepared two contracts for each person he was meeting: one was a generous contract which included a certain amount of resources, while the other was much harsher. It did not include any resources as a standard, and everything would have to be fought for depending on one''s attitude and performance.


    The contract that Han Qingshan picked was the harsh contract. He placed it in front of Peng Jiang and his manager and allowed them to read it through.


    The manager was slightly unhappy with the fact that no resources had been allocated to him from the beginning, but he also understood that this might not be possible when they were accepting so many new artists.


    The main reason for them to join Imperial World was not for the sake of further improving Peng Jiang''s career, but for the sake of allowing the Peng family to get closer to the Han family.


    Jiang Yingyue was silent this time, and Han Qingshan asked nothing of her either. He could feel that she was slightly uncomfortable being next to Peng Jiang, and he did not want to put her on the spot in front of someone she did not like.


    Peng Jiang had a small smile on his lips as he had leaned back in the chair. He did not say anything, but his eyes stayed on Jiang Yingyue, he stared at her so openly that Jiang Yingyue could only look down onto the table, not wanting to lift her head at all and meet his eyes.


    She disliked him from when she first read his papers. Forcing women into abortion with money, switching girlfriends as often as changing clothes, and causing problems left and right, only to solve them with money again.


    She disliked the ones who wanted to solve everything with money. She wanted people to be responsible for their actions, and know that each decision would have consequences.


    Unfortunately, he was not the kind of person who would honestly accept his responsibility, so Jiang Yingyue had a bad impression of him.


    But her current job was as Han Qingshan''s assistant. She should consider what was best for the company, and that was unmistakably to sign Peng Jiang.


    Han Qingshan and the manager discussed the clauses in the contract, added a few, and deleted a few before they agreed on a contract that was accepted by both.


    After that, Peng Jiang casually signed his name, not caring for what the contract said. In fact, he had not looked away from Jiang Yingyue since he had entered the room. Clearly, he had not had any interest in the contract at all.


    "Young Master Shan," Peng Jiang spoke out just as they were about to leave, his eyes glancing at Jiang Yingyue again, "When you are tired of your assistant, please send him to me. I will take extra good care of him, he is just my type."


    Han Qingshan''s face frosted over when he heard the words, a chilling atmosphere appearing in the room, and Peng Jiang''s smile stiffened slightly.


    "Fengmian is my friend, not just any other assistant," he said with a low and dangerous voice. "If you dare to have any ideas towards him, then the Peng family does not need to stay in this country anymore."


    Hearing the domineering words, Peng Jiang finally understood that he had stepped over Han Qingshan''s boundaries and he quickly apologized, "I am sorry, I did not mean it like that." he muttered, but the eyes that looked at Jiang Yingyue were still lecherous.


    Jiang Yingyue''s fists were clenched hard, and her teeth were grinding against one another, but she said nothing. She just waited. Currently, she did not have the power to deal with Peng Jiang, but she would definitely do something to him when she got the chance.


    The manager saw that things were moving in a different and wrong direction, and he quickly grabbed Peng Jiang''s arm and dragged him out of the conference room.


    As they vanished, Han Qingshan turned around and looked at Jiang Yingyue. He lifted his hand and patted her head.


    "Don''t worry," he said gently, "I will take revenge for you."

 Chapter 89锛歅residential Suite

    Jiang Yingyue was quite surprised. What did he mean with wanting to take revenge for her? She was confused as she turned around and looked at Han Qingshan with puzzled eyes.


    Then she noticed that a storm was brewing in his eyes. He seemed anything but happy, his lips were tightly drawn in a straight line, and his eyes were flashing with anger.


    Jiang Yingyue was surprised. Had Han Qingshan signed him for this sake? But was that not rather bad? It might even backfire on him later, and she grew worried, but at the same time, she was also warm at heart that he had been thinking about it.


    Han Qingshan saw her sweet smile, and the clouds of anger which had been occupying his mind suddenly vanished. He felt as if spring had come, and he was much happier now than he had been before.


    After this, they had another five meetings with other celebrities. All of them signed with Imperial World, but where some were given certain resources, others were not. As to what lay behind the decision, Jiang Yingyue was not sure, but Han Qingshan seemed to know.


    When they finished, Han Qingshan picked out the phone from his pocket and gave Song Liwei a call.


    "They are all signed, go on and announce it," he said smilingly, and after hearing Song Liwei''s answer, he quickly put down the phone and turned to Jiang Yingyue.


    "Well then," he grinned. "You have never been to a hotel before, so going back to the condo seems to be a waste."


    "Not at all," Jiang Yingyue shook her head like a rattle-drum. "If we stay at the hotel, you will have to spend money for a room, but if we stay in the condo, then it is free."


    "This is free too," Han Qingshan instantly shot down her argument. "The hotel is owned by the Han Corporation, everything within it belongs to me, so even if we book the presidential suite, then it will cost nothing."


    Jiang Yingyue''s eyes widened in surprise, and although she wanted to be frugal, she could not help but be quite tempted. The presidential suite. That was not something she had ever experienced before.


    Seeing the small stars that shone in Jiang Yingyue''s eyes, Han Qingshan chuckled. He wrapped up all the papers and then took her hand and led her to the hotel counter.


    "Young Master Shan!" The clerk behind the counter bowed when she saw Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue walking towards them.


    "Is the presidential suite booked for tonight?" Han Qingshan asked politely. The clerk quickly went to check, and after checking, she shook her head. "No, it is free until next weekend," she said honestly, wondering why Han Qingshan would ask such a question.


    "Then book it for me tonight," Han Qingshan said with a smile on his face, completely stunning the clerk, making her unable to comprehend the order that was given to her.


    "I would like to stay in the presidential suite tonight," Han Qingshan repeated, and the woman finally nodded her head, booked the room and handed the keycard over to him.


    "It is our pleasure to have Young Master Shan staying over at our humble establishment for the night," she said humbly.


    "Thank you." Han Qingshan smiled at her, grabbed Jiang Yingyue''s hand, and dragged her out of the hotel''s lobby, out onto the street.


    "Where are we going?" Jiang Yingyue could not help but ask. Han Qingshan did not answer, but smiled at her with an enigmatic smile and just kept pulling her.


    They did not fetch the car, but instead walked down the street on their own two feet, puzzling Jiang Yingyue further. Were they not going far?


    Soon she was pulled down the busy main street of the capital and into a posh-looking shop that specialized in male clothing.


    Han Qingshan did not seem to really explain himself to Jiang Yingyue but dragged her towards a shelf where he picked a few t-shirts, sweaters, and jeans.


    After he picked them, he quickly spread them out and measured them on top of Jiang Yingyue''s body before he nodded his head approvingly and then slung them over his arm.


    Jiang Yingyue was completely confused and lost in what he was doing, but without explaining anything, Han Qingshan let go of her hand and started searching through more of the casual clothes, picking some random pieces out.


    In the end, he was standing with ten sets of clothes and was finally satisfied. He then proceeded to the counter where he picked up his black card and swiped it casually as if it was the most natural thing to do in the world.


    When he received a few bags of clothes, the smile on his face was so brilliant that the shop assistant who had helped him check out his purchase was blinded, her entire being stunned.


    At this point in time, Jiang Yingyue was standing behind him, so she noticed nothing, apart from the confused expression on the shop assistant''s face.


    When they finished, Han Qingshan took all the bags in one hand, and grasped Jiang Yingyue''s hand again, starting to pull her with him out the store and back to the hotel.

 Chapter 90锛歒oung Master is Devious

    As they reached the hotel, Jiang Yingyue was still perplexed. What was the point of dragging her out of the hotel and towards a store to buy some clothes, and then back to the hotel? Did Han Qingshan have something planned?


    Everything happened fast as Han Qingshan dragged her towards the elevator and into it. He smiled happily when he saw her confused expression.


    As they reached the top floor, Han Qingshan used the keycard to open the door, and Jiang Yingyue''s eyes widened in shock.


    In front of her was a large lounge area. This area was filled with elegant and magnificent furniture, and it was clear that it was made for someone to enjoy life. There was even a bar in one of the corners which had every single type of beverage that one would want.


    Jiang Yingyue looked around with wonder in her eyes and filled with excitement. She then noticed that Han Qingshan had released her, so she started going through the overwhelmingly large lounge area.


    The lounge led into another room that served as the bedroom, and when she entered it, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.


    The bed was as big and magnificent as she had expected, but there was only one bed. Although it was an oversized king size bed, it was still only one, and Jiang Yingyue''s excitement was suddenly dampened. Was she supposed to sleep with Han Qingshan?


    She was suddenly quite nervous and wanted to retreat from the bedroom - out of sight out of mind, but when she backed away, she suddenly stumbled into Han Qingshan who was standing behind her.


    His large arms wrapped around her slim waist and he pressed her back against his chest. "Why are you walking into my embrace like this?" he asked, his voice rumbling in his chest, and against her back.


    The feeling was so warm and comfortable that Jiang Yingyue was feeling herself leaning back against his sturdy chest, her eyes closed in delight. But moments after she realized what had happened, and her eyes opened fast and wide before she stepped forward, broke free of his embrace, and turned around.


    Seeing her blushing face and the bashful expression, he felt as if someone was nudging his heart, an unexplainable itch growing in his chest.


    Jiang Yingyue was unaware of what Han Qingshan was feeling. She herself was much more muddleheaded when thinking about the fact that she was in a presidential suite with Han Qingshan, and that there was only one bed.


    Was one of them going to sleep on the couch or sofa in the lounge area? Thinking like this, she calmed down again.


    Han Qingshan was not aware that Jiang Yingyue had already decided that they would not sleep together, and was mightily pleased with his plan. Like this, he would be able to spend the night together with Jiang Yingyue.


    He was quite proud of himself and his plan that he had concocted in a moment when Jiang Yingyue had said that she had never before stayed over in a hotel, and he could not control the smile on his lips.


    Jiang Yingyue continued to examine the suite. The bedroom led out to a balcony that had a view over the most expensive streets in the capital, and another door led into the bathroom.


    The bathroom was as big as the entire house that Jiang Yingyue''s parents lived in. It had a great bathtub, a shower, and every necessity that one could want.


    When Jiang Yingyue entered the bedroom, she looked behind her and saw that Han Qingshan had appeared. He reached out his hand and handed her two bags that he had gotten in the store previously.


    Slightly startled, Jiang Yingyue accepted the bags before realizing what was happening.


    "Change clothes," Han Qingshan said with a cheeky smile on his face. "I am bringing you out to have some fun tonight."


    Jiang Yingyue was slightly confused. Going out to have some fun? Was this really a good idea? But when she considered the alternative, being in a room alone with Han Qingshan, she quickly nodded her head.


    Han Qingshan gave a final glance at Jiang Yingyue, his eyes turning into crescent moons from smiling too much, and he turned around to leave.


    Seeing him leave, she felt relieved and quickly locked the door before she opened the bags. The jeans that Han Qingshan had purchased were washed out and looked to have been worn a lot, but she knew they were new. On the back was the brand name, and those with better experience would be able to recognize it right away.


    They were rather tight fitting, quite different from what Jiang Yingyue usually wore, but not to the point where it was like a second layer of skin, so she quickly changed into them.


    Then she looked at the shirts. There was a t-shirt from the same brand, and it was on the slightly larger side, and finally came an oversized sweater.


    Wearing it, coupled with her starry eyes and hair like raven-wings, she looked immensely handsome, even more so than a member of a Korean boy band.


    Jiang Yingyue looked at herself in surprise, she had previously gone for cheaper brands that were easily available, but now she was wearing branded clothes, and she could not help but see that she was indeed much more attractive now than she had been before. Even her own heart started beating faster when she saw her own reflection in the mirror.

 Chapter 91锛歐ang Feihong is Surprised

    She exited the bathroom, only to find that Han Qingshan was in the bedroom, his back facing her, the back was completely bare, displaying his chiseled muscles and sturdy frame.


    Her heart instantly skipped a beat, her eyes widened in shock, and she retreated a few steps, unsure of what to do.


    She had pretended to be a man for quite a long time, but she was in fact a woman, so when she suddenly faced with such an overwhelmingly attractive, half-naked man, she was at a loss for what to do.


    Han Qingshan had heard the door opening and turned around, completely casual, a teasing smile hung on his lips, and the corners of his mouth curled up when he saw her shocked expression.


    "What''s wrong?" He asked when he looked at her, but Jiang Yingyue was incapable of answering.


    "Don''t worry, if you train enough, you will get muscles too," he said gently, as if he thought that Jiang Yingyue was actually worried about not being masculine enough.


    Jiang Yingyue finally returned to her senses when hearing his husky voice, and her face instantly flushed red.


    Seeing her adorable expression, Han Qingshan quickly found his clothes and wore them, although he had wanted to tease her, he did not want to be over the top.


    Jiang Yingyue placed a hand on top of her chest and tried calming herself, but the image of the half-naked Han Qingshan kept flashing in her mind and she felt both hot, frustrated, and annoyed at herself at the same time.


    The honeyed skin had been so smooth, and without the slightest bit of impurity, it had seemed so tempting to touch.


    Shocked by her own sudden impure thoughts, her face was so red that even her ears seemed as if they could drip blood, and she dared not look at him. She had never before had thoughts like this, so why was it that she suddenly could not control her thoughts?


    Han Qingshan was unaware of her current thoughts, but if he had known, he would have been elated. Still, he recognized her blush easily, and smirked, pleased with himself.


    He then found his phone, dialed a number, and placed the phone next to his ear.


    "Wang Feihong?" he asked when the phone connected. On the other end of the phone, the young heir of the Wang Group was shocked to see that Han Qingshan had called him.


    Although they had some connections, it had been a long time since they had contacted one another personally, and even though he had invited him for a party that night, he never expected that Han Qingshan would call him.


    "What can I do for you, Young Master Shan?" Wang Feihong asked on the other side of the phone, slightly apprehensive.


    "You invited me to a party tonight, and I would like to make an appearance," he began, making Wang Feihong''s heart beat rapidly. If Han Qingshan made an appearance, then his party would be considered an amazing success.


    Han Qingshan was invited to numerous parties every single day, but usually, he would attend business meetings in the evenings, or be in a private room, partying with his closest friends.


    Wang Feihong was amongst the top of the society, but he still had a large distance from the Han family; even a large distance from the He family, which now was narrowing slightly as Han Qingshan had offered the latest collaboration to them instead of the He family.


    He had invited Han Qingshan out of habit, but now that Han Qingshan finally called and said that he was willing to show up, he could not help but be extremely excited.


    "Although I want to show up," Han Qingshan continued, "I am currently together with Jiang Fengmian, so if I am to show up, then I will be bringing him with me."


    Wang Feihong was quite surprised when he heard that Han Qingshan was together with Jiang Yingyue again. It seemed that they were always together these days, how important was this Jiang Yingyue to him, for him to even bring him to a party in their circle?


    Still, although Wang Feihong was incredibly curious, he was not going to follow He Yuyan''s footsteps. He, alongside everyone else in their circle, knew that she had been beaten half to death, and was still recuperating.


    Although she had not said anything about who had caused her to look like this, everyone was well aware that the only person she had insulted recently was Han Qingshan, and thus they knew it was under his order that she was now beaten into a pig''s face.


    Hearing that Wang Feihong instantly replied that it was fine for Jiang Yingyue to tag along, Han Qingshan immediately had a much better impression of Wang Feihong.


    Originally he had picked the Wang family to work with, simply because they specialized in the same things as the He family, but now it seemed that he should consider working with them more seriously in the future.


    When looking at the scions of the two families, it was obvious who was the most intelligent of the two.


    Fortunately for the He family, they also had a son. If they were left with He Yuyan, their legacy would surely die out.

 Chapter 92锛欽oin the Party with Me

    Jiang Yingyue was standing to the side, looking completely unappreciative. Although she was quite nervous about spending time with Han Qingshan alone, she was not keen on participating in a party for the upper classes of society.


    She was very well aware of her own position, and the fact that she could attend was only due to her close relationship with Han Qingshan.


    Seeing her apprehensive expression, Han Qingshan walked over and reached out his hand, gently caressing her head.


    "Don''t worry, it will be fun," he mouthed out while still being on the phone with Wang Feihong.


    "Send me the address and time, and I will come with Jiang Fengmian after we''ve had dinner," Han Qingshan said before he ended the call.


    When the call was over a silence enveloped the hotel room. Jiang Yingyue had no idea what Han Qingshan was planning, but she felt it was necessary to be on high alert at a party. Parties were not made for people with secrets, and she could in no way allow herself to drink alcohol. If she did, would she not end up uncovering her secrets personally?


    "It is a party in the circle. Wang Feihong is celebrating the cooperation with us, and it would be weird if I did not show up." Han Qingshan sounded very reasonable, and Jiang Yingyue, who had not heard the shock of Wang Feihong, fully believed what Han Qingshan was saying.


    "Since we are together, I cannot leave you alone. It would be wrong of me to go and have fun while leaving you here to your own devices, so I went out to buy some clothes for you, and I plan on bringing you with me. I am sure we will have much more fun when we are together."


    Jiang Yingyue, who had planned on declining the invitation and staying alone in the hotel room, was rendered speechless.


    First Han Qingshan said that he was doing this for her own sake, then he said it would be much more fun for the both of them if she was together with him, and thus she could not say anything in objection.


    "I won''t drink any alcohol," she said sternly while glancing at Han Qingshan. "I will not be pressured into drinking either, and if anyone is being judgemental or rude, I am leaving."


    Hearing that she had agreed, albeit, with some conditions, Han Qingshan quickly nodded his head. He was okay with it as long as he convinced her to join him. As for someone forcing her to drink alcohol? That would not happen. Even worse, someone being judgemental and rude, that was the same as being like so towards him. He would never accept it.


    He did not want others to see her like this. In fact, he wanted to just keep Jiang Yingyue locked away somewhere at home in the condo, and be the only one who saw her, but he knew that she would never approve of this, and thus he had to pave a road for her in society.


    Using his own fame to pave a path for Jiang Yingyue was something he did not mind doing. In fact, he wanted everyone to know that Jiang Yingyue was his person. Since he could not hide her away, he wanted to shout to the world that she belonged to him.


    Jiang Yingyue glanced at Han Qingshan before she quickly changed into the shoes and got ready to leave. "Let us find a restaurant," Han Qingshan said while smiling at her, and checked the address of the party.


    "We have two hours before it is time for the party. Fortunately, it is just around the corner in a rather famous nightclub. I am sure he has reserved one of the private rooms, so you do not have to be troubled by the noisy people in the open room down on the ground floor.


    "So what do you want to eat? Do you want to eat sushi? Perhaps Italian? Maybe Mexican?"


    Seeing the excited face of Han Qingshan, Jiang Yingyue shook her head slightly and smiled. Seeing him so excited was heartwarming, and she quickly let go of all her last reservations about going to the party. If it could make him that happy, then she did not mind suffering a little.


    "What do you want to eat?" She asked with a laugh. "You are the one paying, so we should eat what you like."


    Han Qingshan narrowed his eyes when he saw her laughing. The laughter seemed genuine, and he felt relieved. He had felt that she was quite apprehensive about joining the party, but now she was happy and seemed settled.


    "Then why don''t we go for some Italian?" Han Qingshan suggested. "I have not had a good Italian dinner for a long time, and I know a good restaurant here, on the way towards the nightclub."


    Jiang Yingyue had no opinion and just nodded her head. She was fine with anything, but she felt a little excited.


    Usually, she would only cook Chinese food, as this was the only thing that she knew how to make, so to eat something that was not Chinese was quite rare for her.


    Han Qingshan took her hand again as if it was the most natural thing to do, and together they left the hotel, hand in hand, stunning the people who worked in the hotel. Many could not believe their eyes as they were suddenly reminded of the online rumors that had sprung up recently, the rumors about Young Master Shan being gay.

 Chapter 93锛欼talian Cuisine

    Han Qingshan had done nothing to stop the rumors, and although many had expected him to take some sort of action, no one had done anything; both the Han Corporation and Imperial World had been completely silent on the matter.


    Was this a tacit way of approving of the rumors? Was Han Qingshan really gay, and this kid was his lover?


    Everyone felt that they had suddenly found some sort of unspeakable secret. They truly wished to share it, but no one dared to do so.


    When they walked down the street, Han Qingshan kept holding Jiang Yingyue''s hand and kept bringing her with him towards the restaurant.


    When they arrived, they were met by a waiter who instantly greeted Han Qingshan with a deep bow. He was dressed in a suit and had an apron wrapped around his lower body. He seemed very professional and posh, his uniform was definitely not cheap, and the entrance even had two guards standing in front of it, ensuring that only the most prominent people could enter.


    Jiang Yingyue would never be able to enter on her own. The only reason she was capable of entering right now was Han Qingshan, and she knew it. But as a foodie, she was extremely excited about getting good food.


    Seeing her almost salivating, Han Qingshan was laughing out loud and took her arm to guide her after the waiter, into the restaurant itself.


    They walked through the first floor of the restaurant where many tables were placed, and all of these tables were occupied. They were led towards the middle of the room where a magnificent set of stairs led up to the floors above.


    They walked up the stairs and found themselves in a long hallway. Doors were on both sides of the hallway, and they were led into a room. Jiang Yingyue almost had stars in her eyes as she looked at the lavish room that was decorated in a European Victorian style.


    It was somewhat garish, so it was a bit overdone. The chairs were made in the image of thrones, and the table was made from oak wood and carved with intricate designs.


    A chandelier hung from the ceiling, clearly made from crystals, and even more overwhelming were the paintings of nobles hanging on the walls.


    Seeing this, Jiang Yingyue wondered how anyone would be able to eat a proper meal in such settings. She was used to a much more minimalistic style, but at the same time, it did have some charm.


    Jiang Yingyue was led over to one of the throne-like chairs. Han Qingshan pulled it out for her, led her to sit down, and pushed it back under her.


    He was the best gentleman that he could be right now, and Jiang Yingyue could not help but feel spoiled. A sweet smile was on her lips, and her eyes glistened with happiness.


    Seeing her this happy, Han Qingshan just wanted to provide her with anything and everything that might keep this expression on her face.


    He found that he was addicted to her smile, addicted to her happiness. It was like a drug making him float on cloud nine; he was simply incapable of controlling it, and all he wanted was to see her happy by his side forever.


    When they sat down at the table, Han Qingshan gestured for the waiter who brought two sets of menus, handing them over to Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue.


    "Order whatever you want," Han Qingshan said when looking at the menu himself. "If you want to sample a few different things, then I would suggest you to order a few different dishes. You do not have to finish all of them, just try as many as you please."


    There was a big difference between Chinese and Italian cuisine. When one ate Chinese, they would order a wide variety of dishes, and share these dishes with each other while sampling them all. When one had Italian, one would order one plate of food and enjoy that one dish.


    Looking at the dishes, Jiang Yingyue was lost. All of them were introduced with a small description of what they consisted of, but the majority of them were nothing like what she had expected.


    "I thought Italian food only consisted of pasta and pizza," Jiang Yingyue mumbled, feeling enlightened.


    There were soups, bread, pasta, risottos, fish, meat, and vegetable dishes. The names of the dishes were written in Italian, so she had no idea what was what. Fortunately, there were small introductions in their own language.


    In the end, she was completely lost, and could only go with something she recognized.


    "It is a three-course meal," Han Qingshan said. "So I would suggest you order a bread or soup dish for an appetizer. A meat, fish, or pasta dish for mains, and obviously one of the sweet dishes for dessert."


    Seeing this, she could only pick something she was used to, and in the end, she picked a minestrone soup for an appetizer, a carbonara for mains, and tiramisu for dessert.


    Seeing that she had picked these dishes, Han Qingshan ordered bruschetta as his appetizer, a spaghetti ai frutti di mare, and finally some panna cotta for dessert.


    After accepting the orders, the waiter instantly left the room and allowed for Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan to talk in private, just the two of them.


    But just as Jiang Yingyue was about to open up the conversation, Han Qingshan''s phone rang.

 Chapter 94锛欶oodie Heaven

    While Han Qingshan answered the phone, Jiang Yingyue also picked up her phone and started surfing the internet.


    She found that the most famous subjects on Weibo were about the artists who had joined Imperial World and left Starry Sky Entertainment Agency.


    Further down the list were the statements that Imperial World had shared with everyone else, and finally, after scrolling a bit more, she found a topic that made her frown.


    But their specialty was to announce the news, and this was a groundbreaking discovery, so eventually, it would gain some fame.


    Jiang Yingyue was flabbergasted when she found that there was, in fact, even a picture of Han Qingshan lifting her like a princess from the time when she had been wounded, and kicked out of the condo by his cousin.


    The picture did indeed seem very romantic, but because she knew the actual reason behind it, she was indignant.


    She suddenly realized that this was likely the reason why he had gotten a phone call, and she started to feel guilty. It was because of her and her problems that he was suddenly framed like this, and it was all her fault that he was viewed as a gay man now.


    She suddenly did not feel like eating anymore and felt incredibly bad about herself, but moments after, Han Qingshan returned to the room, a handsome smile on his face, and a soft and pampering gleam in his eyes.


    There was no blame, no hostility, and no disgust in his eyes; only affection, and warmth.


    Seeing this, she felt even worse. She had done nothing but cause problems for him since they had gotten to know one another, and she could not help but wonder what she should do to make up for it.


    Seeing her puffed up cheeks and her slightly red eyes, Han Qingshan noticed the phone which was by her side, and he instantly guessed what had happened.


    "Don''t worry," he said with a smile as he reached over the table and gently patted Jiang Yingyue''s head. "I have already dealt with it, it will be taken down shortly," he promised.


    Nodding her head, Jiang Yingyue was incapable of answering. She just felt bad about the whole situation, but whenever Han Qingshan was so warm towards her, it was harder and harder for her to extricate herself from it.


    Just as Jiang Yingyue was about to say something, the door of the room opened, and the waiter appeared with their appetizers.


    Looking at the food, Jiang Yingyue still felt somewhat guilty, but she also felt hungry, and her stomach growled, making her embarrassed, and flushed red with shame.


    "Let''s eat," Han Qingshan laughed, finding her extremely adorable. He did not bring up the subject of his sexuality; mainly because he did not want Jiang Yingyue asking about whether or not he was actually gay.


    Even he himself was still unaware of his actual sexuality, so how could he possibly explain himself to Jiang Yingyue?


    Jiang Yingyue did not bring up the subject either after hearing that Han Qingshan said he would deal with it. She had complete faith in him.


    Since he was clearly still in a good mood, Jiang Yingyue also became happy, and the happier she became, the more she started to enjoy the food.


    The soup was simply divine; the taste was so good that she did not want to think about anything else other than eating, and eventually, she was in a world of her own.


    Han Qingshan was having fun watching her eat with such delight, and he quickly let go of the remnant dissatisfaction he had about someone publishing his relationship with Jiang Yingyue.


    He had already contacted Hei Yi to solve the problem, not only for his own sake but also for his friend, who was currently the target of all the gossip.


    Jiang Yingyue did not notice that the final ice in Han Qingshan''s eyes was thawing as he was looking at her. He slowly ate his food, and somehow, it felt much more delicious than when he usually ate here.


    Eventually, the meal came to a close, and Jiang Yingyue leaned back on the throne-like chair and rubbed her stomach with pleasure.


    "Han Qingshan, you are a wonderful friend!" she exclaimed excitedly. "Not only are you helping me get great food, but you are also supporting and protecting me. You are simply amazing!"


    Han Qingshan was feeling ecstatic hearing Jiang Yingyue praise him as amazing, and his mood soared even higher than before.


    "Let us get going." Han Qingshan rose from the chair and looked at his watch. "We still have some time," he continued. "So let us go for a walk before we meet at the nightclub."


    Jiang Yingyue looked at Han Qingshan with a bit of uncertainty on her face. "Is this a good idea?" She could not help but ask. "With the rumors surrounding us right now, is it really a good idea to be seen going around the streets together?"


    Han Qingshan looked at Jiang Yingyue, and the excitement in his heart slowly cooled down. Was Jiang Yingyue upset about the rumors? Did she hate being paired together with him?


    Jiang Yingyue looked genuinely worried, but Han Qingshan started feeling uncomfortable, and he could not help but blurt out, "Are the rumors a problem for you?"

 Chapter 95锛歒our Reputation Matters!

    Jiang Yingyue''s eyes widened when she saw a bit of displeasure in his face, and she could not help but shake her head, wondering if he had misunderstood.


    "I am fine," she started explaining, "I am a nobody who manages to get by with scholarships and part-time work, so it will at most influence what job I can get. However, you already gave me a job, so that is not an issue anymore.


    "You, on the other hand, are the young master of the Han family. Young Master Shan being gay is not something that can easily be ignored, and the netizens will not let this gossip go unhindered."


    Seeing her genuine and worried face, the angry beast within Han Qingshan''s heart suddenly turned soft and warm. It was as if spring had come to the room, and Han Qingshan smiled as he reached out, grasped Jiang Yingyue''s arm, and pulled her into his embrace, hugging her tightly to his chest.


    "Don''t worry about me," Han Qingshan said kindly. "I can look after myself, so you should not spend time fearing for my situation."


    Jiang Yingyue''s heart was beating rapidly as she felt his chest rumble as he spoke. His voice was hoarse and magnetic, the arms that encircled her waist were so strong and protective that she could not help but lean against his sturdy chest.


    Feeling her obedience, Han Qingshan was excited, and he buried his face in her hair, pressing his lips against her head and gently kissing her, without her noticing anything.


    They stood like this for a few minutes before Jiang Yingyue finally pulled herself away from him with a face flushed red.


    "We should go, right?" she asked meekly, feeling that her personality was changing from being a careful young man to becoming an infatuated young woman.


    She even remembered how she had been hateful towards Han Qingshan in the beginning, but now her heart ached whenever she thought about life without him.


    Han Qingshan let go of Jiang Yingyue as she pulled herself out of his embrace, but he soon reached out and held her small hand in his. He felt comfortable and slightly excited, not at all as a young master of a prominent family. Instead, he felt so common as could be.


    Jiang Yingyue did not withdraw her hand and allowed for him to keep holding it. She kept feeling that her current situation was temporary. She was lying to him about her real gender, she was pretending to be someone she wasn''t, and sooner or later, she would have to leave him.


    Since she had to leave him, she wanted to feel no regrets at all until that time came. She wanted to live life to the fullest for once, to ignore all the consequences, and just be happy with where she was in life.


    It was as if Jiang Yingyue had shed some sort of uncomfortable and fearful feeling, and her entire body was suddenly radiating with a brilliant aura that went straight into the heart of Han Qingshan, especially when he felt how she tightened her grasp on his hand.


    Together, the two of them left the restaurant and started aimlessly walking down the roads of the capital.


    Gay people were very rare in society, and they were often looked down upon, but here were two extremely handsome men holding hands, and walking down the street openly.


    Both of them were incredibly handsome, one was taller than the other by a head, and it seemed as if they were very compatible when they stood next to one another.


    The most average person might not know what Han Qingshan looked like, but there were certain people present, from various levels of society, who knew him, and their eyes widened in shock from what they saw.


    They had all seen the news on Weibo, but no one had really truly believed it, not before now.


    They walked down the streets and looked at the windows like a cute little couple.


    Neither of them felt anything amiss even though they were holding hands, and although many were looking at them, they did not even react.


    The more they moved, the more people glanced at them, but after around half an hour, the party was about to begin, and Han Qingshan led Jiang Yingyue towards the night club.


    With a final glance at Jiang Yingyue, Han Qingshan was pleased. She was wearing high-quality clothes, so no one could fault her when it came to the party. She was also looking so handsome that any woman would want to target her. However, this thought made Han Qingshan slightly annoyed rather than excited.


    It was obvious that the Han family was taking action. No one dared to re-upload the news, but it had already been there for a long time, and most people had already seen the news; so even if it was deleted, everyone was gossiping about it.


    Han Qingshan did not really mind it too much. He was not averse to the rumors, but he knew that it would have a bad influence on his family, and thus he asked Hei Yi to deal with it.


    Seeing that the Han family had taken a shot at the people who were spreading gossip, they all held their breath waiting to see if he planned on suing them for slander, or if he planned on letting them go with a warning.

 Chapter 96锛歍he Party Begins

    They reached the night club, and Jiang Yingyue saw that there were two ways to enter the premises.


    One door was for the normal guests while another was for VIPs. There were bouncers and guards at both entrances, and they guarded them zealously.


    The normal entrance already had a long queue of people who were waiting to be let into the nightclub, while the VIP entrance was completely empty.


    Han Qingshan went straight for the VIP entrance and dragged Jiang Yingyue with him. As they arrived, the bouncers were incredibly polite towards him.


    "Young Master Shan." The guard politely opened the door for him. "Please enter. The VIP suite upstairs has been booked by Young Master Hong. Do you want us to ask the manager to lead the way?"


    "That will not be necessary," Han Qingshan said with a polite smile on his face. "I have been there before, and I know the way, there is no need to trouble Manager Zhang."


    The guard nodded his head and returned to guard the door after opening it for Han Qingshan.


    The moment they entered, Jiang Yingyue felt as if someone had blown out her brain. Loud music came crashing into her mind as she looked around the slightly dim dance hall with flashing lights.


    She had never before been to such a chaotic or noisy place. Usually, she lived her life very low-key. She would spend it at home studying or out, working a part-time job.


    Now she was here, and the moment they entered, many turned around to look at them to see who was so amazing that they could enter through the VIP gate.


    What met them was the sight of Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue, two extremely handsome figures, albeit in their different ways.


    Han Qingshan was masculine, tall, muscular, and attractive with everything a man ought to be. The women in the club could not help but want to be in his arms, feel his protectiveness, and know that he was there for them.


    She looked languid, casual, and so tempting to them. She looked quite like a bad-boy in the clothes that Han Qingshan had picked for her, and her facial expressions pulled it off perfectly.


    Looking at these two, many recognized Han Qingshan, and by recognizing him, they quickly guessed the identity of Jiang Yingyue. Was he the alleged lover of Han Qingshan?


    Some of the women who had been eying Jiang Yingyue with greedy eyes quickly looked away, their hearts beating rapidly while wondering if they would become the love rivals of Han Qingshan.


    Just the thought alone was enough to make their hearts race in fear. To compete with Han Qingshan? They were not Zhou Yan, so how could they dare do that?


    Han Qingshan was not looking around. He was holding onto Jiang Yingyue''s hand, and a satisfied smile was playing on his lips as he led her towards the stairs leading to the second floor.


    Jiang Yingyue allowed for Han Qingshan to drag her to the floor upstairs as she was observing everything with curiosity. She found that the night club looked very much like she had expected.


    It looked just like it did in the many movies she had seen. The atmosphere was much more boisterous and energetic than she had expected. But she was unaware that right now was actually considered quiet and peaceful as everyone was busy looking at her and Han Qingshan instead of dancing, drinking, and playing different games, or chatting with one another.


    As they left the lower floor, the sound of the loud music was slightly lower. The second floor had another two guards standing in front of a big set of doors, and when they saw Han Qingshan, they both bowed.


    "Young Master Shan, Mister Jiang, please enter. Young Master Hong informed us of your arrival beforehand."


    Han Qingshan nodded his head and entered the room together with Jiang Yingyue. Music was also playing within this room, and the flashing lights in different colors were reminding Jiang Yingyue a bit of Christmas.


    The room was not as big as the dance hall downstairs, and there were small boxes on the sides so that one could sit in a bit more private environment if they wished to do so.


    Jiang Yingyue also saw that there was a bar in the room alongside a dance floor.


    There was a boisterous noise in the room, and when the door opened and Han Qingshan entered together with Jiang Yingyue, everyone glanced at the entrance to see who it was.


    Seeing that it was Han Qingshan and that he arrived with Jiang Yingyue, surprise flashed in the eyes of many.


    Wang Feihong had not informed them that he would show up tonight. Usually, it would be difficult to invite Han Qingshan to a gathering such as this, especially with Wang Feihong''s circle being slightly below even that of the He family.


    But here he was, and he had brought the commoner with him; everyone was shocked to their core. Everyone, apart from Wang Feihong, who knew that they would show up; and when he saw them entering, he quickly moved towards them.


    "Young Master Shan, Mister Jiang, it is a great honor to have the two of you at my humble party," he said flatteringly, but not to the point of it being too subservient.


    While Wang Feihong went to greet them, the rest of the people were starting to chatter amongst themselves, and in one of the booths was a young handsome man who seemed to be around twenty-five years old.


    His lips were curled into a smile, but his eyes remained cold. "So that is the infamous Jiang Fengmian?" he asked with a chilling voice.

 Chapter 97锛欻e Julong

    Jiang Yingyue looked at Wang Feihong. She recognized him from that day at the horse track, but she had no actual interactions with him yet.


    This time she was not wearing super tight fitting riding pants and shirts, and the cardigan she was wearing right now was somewhat hiding her curvy figure, so she was not as panicked as she had been before.


    She stretched out her hand and shook it with Wang Feihong, whose eyes widened when he saw the slim and attractive hand of Jiang Yingyue. This was not the hand of a man, but he did not doubt her gender, he just thought that she was incredibly effeminate.


    He was getting more and more worried about Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan''s relationship.


    Others thought the same; they were all worried that Han Qingshan had truly turned gay.


    At the same time, the young man who seemed to be twenty-five years old was smiling slightly when he looked at Jiang Yingyue with great interest.


    The woman nodded her head, which was turning adorably red. She was attractive and very adorable. Her petite figure made men want to pamper her and protect her. Her appearance was like a small white lotus that no one could bear to be harsh towards.


    "Go and try to hit on either Han Qingshan or Jiang Fengmian," the young man said with a grin on his face. "I do not care which one of them you pick, so you can have fun on your own."


    The woman looked indignantly at the young man, wondering if this was a test. Was he testing her dedication to him to see if she would pick the rich young master, or go for the more beautiful face?


    She was a little worried about who to pick, but eventually, she decided not to go for Han Qingshan. There were a few reasons behind this. First of all, because he might be harder to deal with than this other person, but secondly, because he was richer, more handsome, and more famous than the man beside her. If she went for him, would she not indirectly make him jealous?


    She was unaware that he was just using her, not caring at all about her affection, nor testing her limits.


    What he wanted was to see the reaction Han Qingshan had, if a woman went up to Jiang Yingyue, or her reaction, if a man went up to Han Qingshan.


    He was the young master and the heir of the He family, and his name was He Julong. Currently, his father was the leader of the He family, and he had two younger brothers and one younger sister.


    In the entire He family, there was only one He daughter, and she was precisely He Yuyan. It was because daughters were so rare in the family that she had been spoiled rotten from an early age.


    He Julong also doted on He Yuyan, but it was within the limits of reason. However, what he cared about right now was not He Yuyan and her injuries; what was getting to him was that the He family had lost their face multiple times because of her actions.


    Everyone had known that Han Qingshan had harshly reprimanded her for the sake of Jiang Yingyue, and later, her actions ended up losing an important cooperation between the He family and the Han family.


    Finally, she had even been beaten up to the point of resembling a pig-head. Although no one knew exactly who was behind this, as He Yuyan had refused to even tell her own family, everyone assumed it was Han Qingshan.


    He Julong knew his little sister''s personality rather well. She was quite a pushy young woman, and she would not have any morals or ethics when it came to fighting for what she wanted.


    It was obvious to him that she had done something, but as to what it was, no one seemed to know. Han Qingshan had said nothing, and those who had searched for Jiang Yingyue''s situation, they did not find out what had happened either.


    The woman who had been sitting next to He Julong took a deep breath, steadied her mind, and moved towards the two handsome figures that were standing out from the crowd.


    "Young Master Shan," the woman greeted Han Qingshan. She was not aware of the gossip about Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue. If she was, she would never have come towards them, but she was blinded by her affection towards He Julong and was sure that she had been given a task to prove her worth.


    "This friend of yours is?" she asked with a sweet voice, her eyes coquettishly looking at Jiang Yingyue.


    Seeing her expressions, Han Qingshan''s smile stiffened slightly, but it quickly turned back to normal. "This is my friend Jiang Fengmian," he said, putting a bit of pressure on the ''my friend'' part.


    "Oh, so it is Mister Jiang," the woman said, not noticing the hidden danger in Han Qingshan''s eyes, and she moved towards Jiang Yingyue.


    "Mister Jiang, it is my pleasure to meet you today, I was wondering if you would do me the honor of coming with me towards a booth and share a drink with me."


    Jiang Yingyue looked at the woman with narrowed eyes. She was slightly puzzled. Although the woman was seemingly coquettish and rather flirty, she could not sense any real intentions of picking her up. There was a lack of real attraction in her eyes, and she was curious as to why this woman suddenly wanted to get close to her if she was not interested in her.

 Chapter 98锛歎nexpected Guest

    The woman was slightly startled when she saw that Jiang Yingyue kept her carefree smile on her lips but did not answer.


    Instead, she looked at Han Qingshan''s hand that was still holding on to her and snickered. It was obvious that they had arrived together, so inviting just one of them was simply rude.


    At the same time, Jiang Yingyue felt that since this woman had no actual interest in her, then it was likely that her real target was Han Qingshan, and she would not allow these women to get too close to him when she was around.


    Realizing the sudden thought that was appearing in her mind, Jiang Yingyue was stunned at first, but then she chuckled slightly. It was clear that she was in too deep to get out now without being hurt, but still, she was going to do what she could to keep Han Qingshan by her side as long as she possibly could.


    However, hearing her chuckle, the woman thought that she was laughing at her, and her face turned crimson, and she felt embarrassed.


    She wanted to lose her temper, but she was not sure if it was a good idea since she had been tasked with attracting him. If she did not live up to He Julong''s expectations, then she was likely going to be replaced fast.


    He Julong was famous in the circle for changing his female companions all the time, but even though he changed them all the time, there were always women ready to queue up to be his next partner.


    Gritting her teeth, she looked at the two hooked hands of Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue, and a rumble sounded in her mind. Did they hold hands? What kind of friends were holding hands like this; unless there was some sort of relationship between them?


    Although she wanted to be the woman beside He Julong, she was not willing to challenge Han Qingshan because of this.


    Her hairs stood on end when she saw that Han Qingshan was looking at her curiously. His lips were curled into a smile, but his eyes were completely cold and ruthless.


    "We apologize, but we have something to discuss with Wang Feihong," Han Qingshan said as an answer to the offer that she had brought forth earlier. "We have to discuss the cooperation with him, and thus we cannot drink with you now. If time permits us to drink later, then we will gladly join you for a glass of wine."


    The woman felt relieved when she heard that he was not killing her, or even chasing her out, so she quickly curtseyed to them, and rushed back to He Julong''s side, her nerves frazzled and her body trembling in fear.


    She had already given up on being He Julong''s female companion. She knew that she had not done what she was expected to do, but she would rather value her life than clash with such a man like Han Qingshan.


    She had seen her own death in his eyes, and she was very worried that if she had not withdrawn, then it would not have ended as simply as being thrown out of the night club.


    When she returned to her seat, she glanced at He Julong, but he seemed to be quite deep in thought, a slight smile on his face. He was clearly contemplating what to do next.


    At this point in time, the door behind them opened once more, and in came two young men; one walking ahead of the other.


    Looking at them, Jiang Yingyue frowned. She had seen them before when she had left the hospital, but she was not aware of who they were. Although they seemed slightly familiar, she could just not think of where she might have encountered them before.


    The two men were dressed in handsome suits, and their aura was in no way inferior to Han Qingshan. The moment they appeared, Jiang Yingyue felt the hand that held hers was tightened, and she almost winced in pain.


    Fortunately, Han Qingshan seemed to notice and quickly loosened his hand, but he did not release her. In fact, he drew her even closer to him so that they were standing shoulder to shoulder.


    Zhou Yan, who just entered, looked at Han Qingshan, and a slight smile appeared on his lips. This smile grew even more prominent when he saw Jiang Yingyue, but there was a cold flash that surfaced in his eyes when he saw them holding hands.


    "If I had known that Young Master Shan was here, then I would likely not have appeared," Zhou Yan replied smilingly.


    Although the two were smiling, everyone could sense the tension in the air, and it seemed that it was much more intense than what anyone had expected.


    Everyone knew that the two most prominent families in the country were the Hans and the Zhous. And although they did not have any big interactions between one another, one would expect that they would still retain a semblance of cordiality when conversing; however, both Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan were ripping the other''s face off.


    "I see that you are still doing well as my substitute," Zhou Yan suddenly said, stunning everyone present, and everyone was curiously listening, eager to know more gossip.


    "I will take him back sooner or later, so look after him well for me until then."

 Chapter 99锛歊ecognition

    No one understood what Zhou Yan was saying to Han Qingshan. It was clear that they were talking about something or someone, but who could be so important that both Zhou Yan and Han Qingshan wanted him?


    Wang Feihong could not help but glance at Jiang Yingyue, wondering if this person had something to do with it, but he shook his head quickly. She was just a commoner, so knowing Han Qingshan was already a stretch; getting to know Zhou Yan was even more unlikely.


    Jiang Yingyue looked at Zhou Yan and Lin Qiang, wondering who these two newly arrived people were, and why they were so familiar to her. She frowned slightly.


    "This is?" Zhou Yan looked at Jiang Yingyue with a smile on his face. The smile was like spring bringing warmth, melting away the ice.


    Those who observed were all stunned. Zhou Yan was never before seen smiling like this. He was a cold person who, unlike Han Qingshan, was never really smiling. He was cold and unapproachable, but now he was actually smiling genuinely to a small commoner.


    The words that he had just said echoed in the ears of the people who were present. He had said that he would take someone back, could this someone really be Jiang Yingyue?


    "Oh, this is my good friend, Jiang Fengmian," Han Qingshan answered, pretending that Zhou Yan did not know her, and introduced her as if they were strangers, stunning many of those who had a theory about the two men fighting over Jiang Yingyue.


    "Oh, it is a pleasure to meet you," Zhou Yan said as he reached out his hand to shake it with Jiang Yingyue.


    "I am Zhou Yan, and this is my assistant Lin Qiang." The moment they introduced themselves, Jiang Yingyue felt a boom explode in her mind.


    Zhou Yan? Lin Qiang? If it was just one of them, this could have been a coincidence, but both names together, and the nagging feeling of familiarity told her that these two people were her childhood friends.


    Her face paled, and panic flashed in her eyes. Han Qingshan, Zhou Yan, Wang Feihong, and Lin Qiang were the only ones who could see Jiang Yingyue''s face from where they were seated and standing, and all of them noticed the fleeting panic in her eyes.


    Jiang Yingyue withdrew her hand from the handshake; it was trembling in fear. If it was them, then they were likely to blame her for vanishing as she did back in the day, but maybe they had not recognized her since she lived as a man now.


    Looking at Zhou Yan, he seemed friendly, but there were no signs of him recognizing her, so she quickly calmed herself down.


    "It is a pleasure to meet such noble people such as yourselves," she said politely before she returned to Han Qingshan''s side. She hid by his side, clearly slightly uncomfortable with the attention Zhou Yan was giving her.


    Wang Feihong was smart. He had already realized that this Jiang Yingyue actually knew Zhou Yan, and thus, the person that Zhou Yan said he would take back was definitely this one.


    The others were all behind them and were incapable of seeing the expressions of Jiang Yingyue, so they did not expect anything special.


    Wang Feihong, on the other hand, was so shocked that he did not know what to do. He could not help but glance at Jiang Yingyue, and wonder what this person had to intrigue and capture the hearts of those two young masters.


    Han Qingshan exchanged a few pleasantries with Zhou Yan before he led Jiang Yingyue away from Wang Feihong and the other two people.


    He found a small booth that was empty and sat down together with Jiang Yingyue. He was feeling incredibly uncomfortable when he thought about the panicked expression on Jiang Yingyue''s face when she saw the other man.


    Although he knew that they were likely to know one another, he had not wanted to see the recognition in her eyes, but he quickly calmed himself.


    Jiang Yingyue had seemed panicked; she had seemed uncomfortable with meeting him, and she had hidden behind Han Qingshan, so it was likely that she was not willing to socialize with him at the current point in time.


    It was obvious that she had recognized them, but she had ignored their connection, and even hid behind Han Qingshan in an attempt at not being noticed or recognized.


    Zhou Yan had been looking for her for nine years, and now that they were finally reunited, she pretended she did not know him. This was making the mood of Zhou Yan turn volatile and aggressive; the temperature around him dropped, and Lin Qiang could feel that his master''s mood was so terrible that it was impossible to even say anything to improve it.


    Lin Qiang nodded to Wang Feihong, and quickly followed behind Zhou Yan towards the booth that was next to the one Han Qingshan had sat down in.


    The music was so loud that it was impossible to hear what was said from one booth to another, but when they walked past Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue; Zhou Yan could not help but look inside, and what he saw made his teeth itch in anger.


    Jiang Yingyue was seated casually, leaning against the back of the cushioned benches, while a soft and gentle smile hung on her lips as she was joking with Han Qingshan.


    At that exact moment, she was swatting his hand away after it was rustling her hair in an intimate way.

 Chapter 100锛歀iu Lihuas Gossip

    Jiang Yingyue dared not look at Zhou Yan as he walked by; she was behaving like a little mouse looking at a massive cat. All four of them were aware of her trying her very best to not be noticed, and no one said anything about it.


    Zhou Yan moved to the booth next to Han Qingshan''s, and he sat down, his face still completely black. Lin Qiang started regretting inviting him to this party, and even more so when the guests started coming towards their booths.


    Many of the guests were shocked that both Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan were appearing at the same place at the same time, and many wanted to discuss business with them both, or at least get some better relationship with them for the sake of their families in the future.


    Many of the women felt that although Han Qingshan was attractive, Zhou Yan was not worse. He was the complete opposite of Han Qingshan, but he was still so attractive in the eyes of the women; his cool and cold aura was enough to make them interested.


    So when he sat down, and Lin Qiang was about to finally gather his courage to speak with Zhou Yan, the timid voice of a woman sounded next to them, "Excuse me, I am Liu Lihua, I saw you entering earlier, and wish to offer a toast to you." She had gathered all the courage she had as she stepped towards them and raised her glass, but then she realized that neither Zhou Yan nor Lin Qiang had a glass of wine yet.


    Her face was instantly flushed red in embarrassment. She had been too fast in moving, but to her surprise, Zhou Yan looked at her with his cold eyes and considered it.


    "Lin Qiang, get us something to drink so that we can toast with this young woman," he ordered, and Lin Qiang, who was completely puzzled by his master''s order, nodded his head before he headed to the bar and fetched a bottle of wine alongside two glasses.


    When he returned to the booth, he found that the woman, Liu Lihua, was seated next to Zhou Yan. Her face was red; she was clearly drunk, and she was almost leaning against him. Her face was flushed, her eyes betraying the greed she felt when looking at the handsome young man.


    He also faintly heard their conversation.


    "So you are telling me that Han Qingshan is interested in this commoner because of guilt?" he asked in a friendly manner, and Lin Qiang suddenly understood what was going on.


    His master had invited her in so that she could spill all the gossip about Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue!


    Lin Qiang saw that Zhou Yan was angry. In fact, angry was too mild a word to use, but he dared not say anything, and just placed the glasses and the wine on the table.


    The wine that had been in Liu Lihua''s glass was already empty, and she greedily poured another glass of wine for herself when she saw the bottle that Lin Qiang left on the table.


    "Young Master Yan, you are much more noble," she began slurring; her words were getting hard to understand. "You would never let such a poor and annoying person get close to you. It is lowering your value!"


    Zhou Yan was at his limit. He could handle her trash-talking Han Qingshan, but of all people, she had to talk bad about Jiang Yingyue.


    Seeing that his master was nearing his limit for what he could handle listening to, Lin Qiang stepped forward.


    "Miss Liu, please leave the booth," he said politely. "We are going to discuss some private affairs, so I can only ask you to step out for a moment."


    "No!" she exclaimed, her eyes widening like bronze bells, and her head shaking like a rattle-drum.


    "I will not leave, you are just jealous of me!" The woman was completely losing her usual composure and was completely sure that Zhou Yan actually fancied her.


    "Young Master Yan has yet to ask me to leave, who are you to step in? You are clearly jealous! Are you also a gay who wants to screw your own boss?"


    Lin Qiang''s face turned solemn the more she spoke, and her shrill shrieks were so loud that everyone could hear them.


    In the booth next door, Jiang Yingyue had been drinking some juice while looking at Han Qingshan who was discussing the cooperation with Wang Feihong, but when she heard Liu Lihua''s words, she almost choked on her drink.


    Not just her, even Han Qingshan and Wang Feihong stopped their conversation, and Wang Feihong quickly excused himself. He had to fix this problem. Fast.


    He quickly went to all of Liu Lihua''s friends and managed to find a few who were willing to take her home.


    Afterward, he rushed to the booth with Lin Qiang, Zhou Yan, and Liu Lihua.


    "Miss Liu, please go home for the night," Wang Feihong said politely, but who would have thought that Liu Lihua was so stubborn? She just glared at Wang Feihong and moved closer to Zhou Yan.


    Annoyed by the woman, Zhou Yan quickly left the booth and went for one opposite Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue instead.


    Seeing that he had abandoned her, Liu Lihua felt indignant, and just as she was about to head over to him again, her friends came and simply dragged her out of the hall, while she kept screaming and yelling about them having to let her go.

 Chapter 100 - Lets Talk

    Everyone within the room was watching with interest. Even Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue observed how Liu Lihua was being dragged out of the room by her friends in a less-than-flattering manner.


    "He is dangerous," Han Qingshan suddenly said as he looked at Jiang Yingyue with a pair of black eyes filled with worry.


    "Who?" Jiang Yingyue''s eyes were trailing after Liu Lihua, so she did not catch the change in topic from Han Qingshan, only after blurting out the question did she realize who he was talking about.


    "He won''t ever harm me," she said with conviction. Although they had not seen each other for nine years, she believed that he would protect her if it ever came to it. To her, he was like an older brother figure, someone whom she trusted.


    Han Qingshan''s face turned ugly for a moment when he heard her words, but he quickly controlled his expression again.


    "But I never expected him to be some sort of famous young master," she continued. "We grew up together in the rural countryside. What kind of rich family would send their young master so far away?"


    The more Jiang Yingyue spoke, the more uncomfortable Han Qingshan felt. They were childhood friends? Did she trust him unconditionally? Why was it not him who had grown up together with her? Why was it not him she trusted that much? The beast within his heart was baring its fangs and brandishing its claws.


    He wanted to be the most special person to this young woman. He wanted her to think only about him, and to care only about him.


    He had already started to feel the need to possess her for himself, to lock her away so that no one else could see her, and to keep her all for himself, but he knew that she was bound to be a brilliant star, and stun everyone else with her shining light. She could not be locked up.


    Just as Han Qingshan was about to say something, his phone rang, and he frowned. Looking down, he found that it was Hei Yi, and he knew he had to pick it up.


    "Excuse me for a moment," Han Qingshan said as he left the room to find a silent place to accept the phone call, and Jiang Yingyue nodded her head.


    When she was alone, she was looking at the young men and women who were dancing on the dance floor or seated in the booths talking about various things.


    Many of them looked curiously at Jiang Yingyue too, but none of them went towards her to converse.


    No one dared go to Zhou Yan either, fearing that they would be the next Liu Lihua, but suddenly He Julong stood up, went to the bar, got two glasses of wine, and surprisingly went towards Jiang Yingyue.


    "Mister Jiang, it is an honor to meet you," he started with a smile on his face, however, the smile did not reach his eyes.


    Jiang Yingyue was alert. She did not know this man, but she was aware that he could not possibly have any good intentions by coming over right now.


    "Can I help you?" She asked while raising one eyebrow, her appearance so handsome that even He Julong felt his heart beat rather rapidly.


    But although it was unconsciously increasing its pace, it quickly slowed down again, and He Julong felt rather annoyed that he had not been able to control his own heartbeat.


    "I have heard so much about the famous Jiang Fengmian," He Julong said with a smile. "Everyone within our circle knows of Young Master Shan''s new friend, and I am very curious about what kind of person you are. So here I am, ready to offer a toast to you."


    Jiang Yingyue''s eyes narrowed slightly. The man wanted to know her, but he had not even introduced himself. It was clear that he felt superior.


    However, Jiang Yingyue was not willing to cause too much trouble. She knew that since she was invited by Han Qingshan, her actions reflected on him, so all she could do was to be polite and friendly.


    "Yes, it is indeed a pity," a voice suddenly sounded behind He Julong, and the man''s eyes finally changed slightly. What was Zhou Yan doing with this commoner?


    "I hope you will allow me to have a private conversation with this young man," Zhou Yan said as he looked at Jiang Yingyue with his usually cold eyes filled with warmth.


    He Julong did not see the eyes that looked at Jiang Yingyue, he only heard the emotionless words, and he snickered.


    Was Zhou Yan here with the purpose of buying Jiang Yingyue over? This would cause problems for both major families, and maybe the He family could be the fisherman fishing in troubled waters, so he quickly turned around, looked at Zhou Yan, whose eyes once again were completely cold, and nodded his head.


    "Since Young Master Yan has something to talk with Mister Jiang about, then I will naturally retreat," he said, and turned back to his own booth.

 Chapter 101 - You Better Explain

    Jiang Yingyue sighed. She knew she could not escape this time, and she looked at Zhou Yan and Lin Qiang who sat down next to her.


    No one said anything, they just looked at one another, and she could sense some indignation in Zhou Yan''s eyes.


    Finally, after a few minutes of awkward silence, she sighed, "Long time no see."


    "That''s all you have to say? After all these years and you think that''s enough?" Zhou Yan asked, his voice trembling with anger.


    "What do you want me to say?" Jiang Yingyue asked, perplexed. This boy was clearly still as hot-tempered as before; she could not help but think to herself.


    "You should explain why you left like that," Lin Qiang said seriously as he looked at her. It was rare for his master to show emotions, but as soon as it was something that had to do with Jiang Yingyue, he would become extremely emotional.


    "Looking at me now, is it not easy to guess why I left?" Jiang Yingyue asked, raising her eyebrows in surprise.


    Lin Qiang could not help but curse. Jiang Yingyue might have taken over her brother''s life, but she was simply the same as before. Arrogant and domineering, carefree and casual.


    "Jiang Yingyue!" Zhou Yan spat her name out through gritted teeth, and Jiang Yingyue finally tensed. She had not heard that name being said like this in nine years, and she could not help but have tears well up in her eyes as she was reminded of everything she had given up, and what she had left behind.


    "Don''t cry!" Zhou Yan had been looking at her all the time, and his eyes widened in horror when he saw how her eyes started to turn red at the rim, and tears welled up within them. He was panicked. Although he was angry with her, he was not willing to see her cry.


    "I am not that weak!" Jiang Yingyue said with a low and trembling voice, clearly struggling to keep her tears in check.


    "Okay, okay, I will not yell at you, just tell me what exactly is going on." Zhou Yan had no other option than to compromise. He was angry, but his heart ached with pain whenever he saw her eyes, which were looking like she would cry at any moment.


    "You know I could not get over Fengmian''s death," Jiang Yingyue sighed and calmed down, "I decided to live his life for him. I decided that it was time for me to let him experience life outside the house. His memory was not to be forgotten.


    "I couldn''t very well take over his life back in our old village, so we moved to the capital, cutting all ties to the lives we had before."


    Jiang Yingyue explained it all in detail, and both Zhou Yan and Lin Qiang listened intently.


    "What is your relationship with Han Qingshan?" Zhou Yan finally asked the question he wanted to ask the most. But when he asked, he saw that her face turned crimson, a delicate blush flushed on her face, and she lowered her eyes.


    The bashful expression made his jealousy rise to uncontrollable levels, but he knew that he could never let her know about his emotions; he knew that he had to keep it hidden if he wanted to stay by her side.


    "So the two of you are a couple?" He asked, but Jiang Yingyue shook her head. "He does not know I am a woman," she said with a low voice. "He is treating me very well because we are friends, but he does not know that I am a woman, so it can''t be more than that."


    Zhou Yan suddenly felt as if spring had arrived. So Han Qingshan did not know of her real gender. Then he still had a good chance to win the battle.


    "Well, it has been a long time," Zhou Yan said, but before he could continue, he quieted down as he saw that Han Qingshan had returned to the room.


    Han Qingshan''s eyes went straight for Jiang Yingyue, and what he saw made his expression turn ugly. What was Zhou Yan doing next to his Jiang Yingyue?


    He had taken a short break outside to deal with a few things, but now, when he returned Jiang Yingyue was already crowded by some other men.


    He felt indignant and unhappy. Even more so when he saw that her eyes looked as if she had cried. He was not dumb, he could guess it was because of Zhou Yan that she had cried, and he quickly walked towards the table.


    "Young Master Yan," Han Qingshan smiled as he greeted him, but there was something cold about his atmosphere, which made even Jiang Yingyue tremble slightly.


    "Young Master Shan," Zhou Yan nodded his head in greeting but still stayed next to Jiang Yingyue.


    Lin Qiang was seated opposite from Jiang Yingyue, and Zhou Yan was sitting next to her. Seeing this, Han Qingshan sat on the other side of her.


    The rest of the people within the room were all discussing one thing: Jiang Yingyue.


    She was sitting between Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan, and most people were feeling slightly curious as to how she could sit in the same booth as the both of them.


    Others were also very eager to step forward to talk with Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan. This was the best chance to discuss business with both of them, and they were quite eager, but no one dared to be the first.


    An awkward silence enveloped the booth, when Zhou Yan looked at Han Qingshan and finally opened his mouth, "I was shocked to know that my good old friend Jiang Fengmian has become acquainted with such a big shot as yourself, Young Master Shan."

 Chapter 102 - Our Fengmian

    "You don''t say? I was also quite shocked to know that he once knew someone like yourself." Han Qingshan was not going to allow for Zhou Yan to intimidate him.


    Where Zhou Yan said that he was a long time friend with Jiang Yingyue, Han Qingshan said that he was someone she once knew, as such the two of them were battling with words, neither willing to back down.


    "Okay, that''s enough!" The one who spoke out, in the end, was Jiang Yingyue. "Both of you are my friends, so you should get along well with one another."


    Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan glared at one another, but when they heard her words, they both put on flattering smiles on their faces and pretended to be friendly towards one another.


    Jiang Yingyue was, however, studying psychology. How could she not see through their thoughts? But she thought they were both being quite childish.


    It was like watching two roosters getting ready to fight, and she understood their competitiveness. They were both from the most prominent families in the country; one specialized in the international market while the other specialized in the national market.


    They were equally big and equally prominent, and they often fought against one another for the right businesses and contracts, so it was natural that there was some sort of hostility between them. But she knew both Zhou Yan and Han Qingshan, and she had thought them more mature than that. Unfortunately, she did not know that because of her, their relationship was now sinking rapidly.


    "Fengmian, this party is boring," Han Qingshan suddenly said. "Why don''t we return to the hotel, I want to show you all the wonders that our room has to offer."


    As he spoke, he could not help but look at Zhou Yan, his eyes slightly mocking as if to say, look, we are so close that we share a room.


    His provocations were working. Zhou Yan was seeing red, especially when he imagined that they were sharing a room. Even if it was a room with twin beds, he was not willing to let Jiang Yingyue share a room with someone else.


    "To think that Young Master Shan is so rich but can only afford one room for the two of you, that is quite shocking," he taunted, but the taunt fell off instantly as Han Qingshan just laughed out loud.


    "I don''t mind spending money, but the relationship between Fengmian and myself is very good, why waste money when we can easily share a bed?"


    Once again he said the things on purpose to piss off Zhou Yan, but Jiang Yingyue was getting more and more flustered. She was a woman alright! Sharing a bed with a man was not acceptable until she was married, or at least had a lover, and Zhou Yan was aware of her real gender so he would definitely think that she was doing something illicit.


    But she could not very well say anything. She was planning on staying on the couch or sofa in the lounge of the presidential suite, but if she said that now, would Han Qingshan not be embarrassed? She''d rather be the one to be embarrassed.


    However, all of the words Han Qingshan was saying were making Zhou Yan more and more frustrated. He had a hard time controlling himself and his anger, but looking at the pale and frowning Jiang Yingyue he held back.


    "It seems that you should spend more time solving the problem with Imperial World instead of partying together with our cute Fengmian," Lin Qiang could not stay quiet when he saw that Zhou Yan was about to blow his top in anger, and Han Qingshan frowned when he heard the man say ''our Fengmian''.


    All three of them were staring daggers at one another while Jiang Yingyue tried her best to lower her presence. She knew that their current arguments were because of her, but she did not know how severe the misunderstandings between the two men were.


    Jiang Yingyue cleared her throat and sent an apologetic glance at Zhou Yan before she nodded her head. "Let''s head back," she said, with a voice so low that it was nearly inaudible.


    Han Qingshan''s face was filled with happiness when he heard her. He felt that he had won the battle against Zhou Yan, and his heart was warm. The feeling of fear that had been there earlier when he saw how she was sitting with Zhou Yan was slowly fading, and instead, happiness filled him. He felt as if she had picked him.


    Jiang Yingyue was unaware of his thoughts; all she wanted was to get out of this death trap as soon as possible. Not only was it filled with young masters and mistresses, but it was also the place where Zhou Yan and Lin Qiang were observing her every move, making her extremely uncomfortable.


    They had been at the party for an hour at most, but so much had already happened.


    When Zhou Yan heard that she wanted to leave, he felt as if someone had sliced open his heart, but he said nothing, and his face remained expressionless.


    He observed them leave, and his eyes darkened drastically, he then turned to Lin Qiang, and his lips curled up into a chilling smile.


    "Meeting Little Yue was only one part of my reason to come here," Zhou Yan said, his voice calm and collected, emotionless, but at the same time, Lin Qiang was trembling in fear.


    "I also wanted to help her vent against the He family.. They dared touch her so they will have to stop existing."

 Chapter 103 - Fight Between The Developers

    Zhou Yan was not pleased with Han Qingshan. He wanted to compete against him, he wanted to cause trouble for him, and he wanted him to finally understand that Jiang Yingyue was not someone that could be touched by others than Zhou Yan himself. However, he would never do anything that would make Jiang Yingyue uncomfortable or unhappy.


    Seeing that Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue had been chatting with Zhou Yan for some time and left, many of the people within the room started gossiping.


    They all felt that their conversation had to have been about business, likely about the drama between Imperial World and Starry Sky Entertainment Agency as these two companies were backed by the two respective young masters.


    No one would have guessed that the conversation within the booth had been about Jiang Yingyue, neither would they have believed it if anyone told them so.


    Seeing that Zhou Yan stayed in the booth and leaned back, a sinister smile playing on his lips, they all wondered what had happened and were very curious, but they knew better than to go and ask.


    "Let us go talk with He Julong," Zhou Yan said after contemplating his next step for some time. "I am going to make their family vanish from the upper class in this country, so it is a good idea to know what I am up against."


    Lin Qiang made an obeisance and turned to lead him towards the booth belonging to He Julong.


    He Julong was shocked when he saw that Zhou Yan and his assistant were moving towards him. He was supposed to feel pride and happiness, but all he could feel was unease.


    Everyone else at the party was eagerly observing every move of Zhou Yan, and they had their own theories as to why he was heading towards He Julong; most of these theories were the same more or less.


    "So after Han Qingshan stopped working together with the He family, it looks like the Zhou family wants to take over," someone muttered, and the others nodded.


    In another booth, Wang Feihong was starting to feel worried. If Zhou Yan truly started working together with the He family, then they would never be able to overtake them.


    Zhou Yan narrowed his eyes as he looked at He Julong. Perhaps he would have waited with his revenge for the sake of Jiang Yingyue, but he had seen how He Julong had tried striking up a conversation with her earlier, so he knew that he had no choice other than to deal with him as soon as possible. The more he waited, the more dangerous things would become for Jiang Yingyue.


    He Julong was unaware of Zhou Yan''s goal, but he was still uncomfortable. He had an inner voice screaming danger at him, but his rational thoughts suppressed this feeling.


    He knew of the war between Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan with the two entertainment agencies, and his rationality told him that he was here to cause even more trouble for Han Qingshan.


    Unfortunately, He Julong did not know that to Zhou Yan, although it was fun to cause problems for Han Qingshan, and although he wanted to trouble him, it was nothing compared to Jiang Yingyue.


    Jiang Yingyue would always be the most important person to him, so if she was in trouble, he would throw everything away and help her. Now that the He family had dared to hire someone to run her over, it was obvious that he would never let them go.


    "Young Master Yan, what can I do for you?" He Julong asked with a flattering smile on his face. Although he was one of the most famous people in their circle, he was still not above the Han and Zhou families, and thus he had no other option than to humble himself.


    "I heard that the Han company changed their opinion about working with you on a specific contract," Zhou Yan began, and Lin Qiang instantly knew what he was planning. His heart almost ached for He Julong.


    "That is true," He Julong nodded his head, feeling a bit better. "The Han family had planned on giving us a contract and work with a certain collaboration with us, however, due to a certain misunderstanding, they decided to work with the Wang family instead.


    "It just so happens that this party is hosted by the Wang family to celebrate their success."


    Zhou Yan nodded his head. "Then what does the He family plan on doing now? Seek other companies to collaborate with, or just slowly wither away?"


    He Julong narrowed his eyes as he looked at Zhou Yan who sat down next to him, his eyes were cold and his features expressionless.


    "We will obviously look for other companies to work together with," He Julong answered honestly. "Our family specializes in the construction industry, and so does the Wang family. Both of us develop and renovate the new and old parts of the city, and as long as there is money flowing around, we will be needed."


    "I see," Zhou Yan nodded his head. "Well then, why not go to our side?" He asked casually. "I own a piece of land at the outskirts of the city, it is laying rather well, and the feng shui is good. It is named the Heavenward District, and I could use someone to develop it into a residential area."


    He Julong''s eyes shone when he heard what Zhou Yan offered. The Heavenward District was well known to all developers, but no one had managed to find out who owned it, nor what the plans were for it.


    If the He family truly got their hands on a contract within the Heavenward District, they would be benefiting from misfortune. This district was even better than the Cloudsoar District they had lost to the Wang family!

 Chapter 104 - Young Masters Possessiveness

    Jiang Yingyue said nothing as she followed behind Han Qingshan out of the night club. She had not been looking forward to clubbing anyway, and she had mixed emotions about meeting Zhou Yan and Lin Qiang.


    She felt happy to have reunited with her two friends, and even quite relieved that they had recognized her and promised to keep her secret, but at the same time, she was also saddened.


    She was reminded of life as it was when Jiang Fengmian had still been alive, and her heart ached. At the same time, she was also realizing that she was, in fact, keeping a great secret from Han Qingshan and that this could not go on.


    She felt an intense pain in her heart whenever she was reminded of what she was keeping from him, and she could not help but feel guilty and depressed.


    Han Qingshan was aware of her emotions. She did everything in her power to try and hide them, but the air around her was gloomy and depressed.


    Seeing her so listless, Han Qingshan was also rather upset. He was regretting taking the phone call from before and not being there when Jiang Yingyue had been talking with Zhou Yan. He did not know what they had spoken about, but he knew it had left an everlasting impression on Jiang Yingyue, and the thought of her thinking of another man was enough to drive him insane.


    He wanted nothing more than to ensure that everything she was thinking about was him, he wanted to press his lips over her soft thin lips and make her filled with his breath, he wanted to touch her, to make her forget all the things that made her sad, and at the same time also make her know who she belonged to.


    That''s right. Han Qingshan felt that she belonged to him. He was not willing to let her go, he would fight to keep her by his side, and Zhou Yan''s interference made him even more certain about this.


    But Han Qingshan held himself back. He knew better than to suddenly kiss her, touch her, and claim her for himself. Although there was nothing he wanted more, he had to accept that she was not ready. Just touching her slightly would make her head red as a tomato, he dared not think about what her reaction would be if he truly kissed her.


    Thinking like this, he sighed, reached out his hand, and grasped Jiang Yingyue''s in his own before he walked slowly towards the hotel.


    Jiang Yingyue felt her heart warm up from the touch, and she couldn''t help but tighten her grip on his hand slightly, holding on to him, feeling that he was her safe haven.


    Neither spoke as they made their way to the hotel, and they just kept holding hands as they entered the elevator, went to the hotel room, and closed the door behind them.


    "Go wash up," Han Qingshan said as he raised his hand and caressed her head. "I will order some light snacks for you when you finish."


    Jiang Yingyue nodded her head, but before she could enter, she suddenly felt Han Qingshan pulling on her arm and dragging her into his embrace.


    He buried his head in her hair and closed his eyes as he greedily inhaled her personal scent of flowers.


    It was never enough for him, and he wanted nothing more than to mold Jiang Yingyue into his own body. He finally realized that what he truly wished for was to spend the rest of his life together with Jiang Yingyue, and he could only sigh slightly as he accepted his fate. He would rather be gay than give up on Jiang Yingyue.


    Having come to terms with his emotions, he knew that he had to somehow make Jiang Yingyue need him as much as he needed her.


    He would spend all the power in his hands to keep her by his side, and he would not allow for Zhou Yan to steal her away.


    He could not help but chuckle slightly. It was quite shocking that both he and the Zhou family heir had fallen in love with the same person. And in Han Qingshan''s mind, this person was a man, so it was quite depressing and would cause havoc to both families.


    Han Qingshan had closed his eyes as he felt the woman in his arms tremble slightly, and he understood that he might have overdone it slightly. She was not doing anything to move away from his embrace, but when he opened his eyes again, he saw that her ears were so red that they could be dripping blood.


    Chuckling, Han Qingshan released her, and Jiang Yingyue darted into the bathroom, no longer looking at him, not daring to face him with her flushed face; feeling as embarrassed as she did right then.


    She entered the bathroom, made sure to lock the door, and started undressing. It was only when she had already taken the bandages off that she remembered that she was no longer at home; there were no extra bandages in the bathroom!


    Feeling slightly scared, she wondered what she should do. She could not use the bandages she had just taken off. They were dirty, and the wound needed a clean fabric to protect it from becoming infected.


    The bandages around her chest could be reused, but she did not have enough to cover both her chest and her wound, and she was wondering what to do.

 Chapter 105 - Hot And Bothered

    Gritting her teeth, she took the bandages and wrapped them around her chest again, before picking up the white bathrobe that was in the bathroom and wrapping it around her body, followed by her opening the door again.


    Her long and slender legs could be seen underneath the robe, and her feet, which were like sculpted from jade were walking on the floor. She was tightly clutching the robe to ensure that it did not open and display her otherwise naked figure.


    She was very embarrassed, but she had no other option. She knew that Han Qingshan had likely gone to fetch some light snacks for her as he said he would, so she did not expect to run into him as she was looking for the first aid kit.


    Unfortunately, Han Qingshan had not left the room, he had merely called for room service, and when he looked up, he saw the long and shapely legs that were bare underneath the bathrobe.


    His heart trembled as he looked at Jiang Yingyue with eyes that deepened the more he saw.


    It was obvious that Jiang Yingyue was wearing nothing underneath the bathrobe, and although she was clutching the robe to keep it closed, it would be so easy to slip his hands inside the robe and feel the soft and tender skin.


    He felt that his body was starting to react. He was feeling hot and bothered from fantasizing about touching her skin, and he could not help but clear his throat, causing Jiang Yingyue to almost jump in fear.


    Her watery eyes widened and her small mouth opened as if she was about to say something, yet when she noticed the deep eyes Han Qingshan were using to look at her with, she dared not say anything at all.


    "Didn''t you go to wash?" Han Qingshan asked, his magnetic voice was low and husky, and he could not help himself from walking towards her, his eyes growing deeper and deeper the closer he got.


    "I... I did not have any bandages," she said, not daring to look at him, her face red and her eyes downcast.


    Han Qingshan could have sworn that she was doing it on purpose. If he wasn''t so sure of her naivety and lack of common sense when it came to interacting with other people, he would have bet on her testing his limits on purpose.


    He pinched the bridge of his nose and felt that his self-control was rather poor. He was using all his reasoning to not jump at her, rip the bathrobe off her body, and touch to his heart''s content.


    He had previously stolen a kiss from Jiang Yingyue, and her taste had lingered in his memory. Even now, he still remembered the delicious and addictive sweetness, and his mouth was dry as he wanted nothing more than to ravage those soft lips of hers.


    Jiang Yingyue was blissfully unaware of the thoughts that were swirling in Han Qingshan''s head; all she could think about was to find the bandages and get back into the bathroom.


    She quickly found the first aid kit and picked a few packages of bandages before she turned and almost ran into the bathroom, locking the door behind her and holding a hand over her beating heart.


    She was not sure why, but the look in Han Qingshan''s eyes had made her self-conscious and feeling rather hot and embarrassed. She was unsure of how to get the feeling out of her mind, and she had to shake her head a few times to return to a somewhat normal state.


    While she was washing, Han Qingshan was feeling more and more riled up. He knew that she was currently only a wall away, completely naked. He could hear the water running, and he was glaring at the door that was keeping him away from her.


    Han Qingshan was a normal young man. Although he had never been with a woman, or man, before, he was not unaware of the process, and right now he wanted nothing more than to pin the mischievous woman beneath him and ravage her.


    Jiang Yingyue emerged from the bathroom after what felt like forever but was in fact only twenty minutes. Seeing her face with a healthy blush from the warmth, and a soft smile on her face as she was wearing soft white pajamas, he could not help but chuckle.


    Her appearance was like a small white rabbit, her wet hair dripping drops of water that slid down her cheeks, down her neck, and gently wetted the collar of the pajamas.


    The sight made Han Qingshan feel the fire within him which had just been slightly extinguished burst forth with renewed vitality.


    "There are some snacks in the lounge," Han Qingshan said as his burning eyes were looking at every part of Jiang Yingyue''s body, branding her appearance in his eyes and mind. "Go eat a bit, I will be done soon."


    After this, Han Qingshan strode into the bathroom, where he quickly undressed and went under the cold shower.


    He could not handle it anymore, and the cold water started to trickle down his body. He let the ice cold water wash over his head and took a hand to handsomely run it through his hair, pushing it back and could not help but sigh.


    The more he felt like this, the more frustrated he became.. The cold water was not helping much; the scent of Jiang Yingyue was all over the bathroom, and without being able to control himself, his hand went further down and grabbed his member.

 Chapter 106 - Sleeping Together

    Jiang Yingyue was waiting for Han Qingshan. She went to the lounge and sat down on one of the sofas, looking at the room with a bit of intimidation. It was such a magnificent place, and she had truly never expected that she would ever visit a place like this.


    On the table in the lounge area were different snacks of varying sizes. She munched on a bit of them, but she did not have much of an appetite.


    It felt as if the time was going slowly, the minutes ticked by, and she would snack a bit from time to time, but her eyes rarely left the door to the bedroom.


    Slowly, her eyes started closing. Her muscles had been taut the entire day, and she had experienced one scary situation after another. She had even encountered Zhou Yan and Lin Qiang, and it was as if the adrenaline in her body finally subsided.


    Her eyelids got heavier and heavier before she finally succumbed to her tiredness, and she collapsed on the sofa, falling into a deep slumber.


    When Han Qingshan finally made it out of the bathroom, he found that the bedroom was empty, and when he reached the lounge area, the first thing that landed in his sight was Jiang Yingyue who was curled up into a ball on the sofa.


    Her lips were slightly parted, her eyes shut tightly, and her breathing even. She was dressed in the white pajamas, her body seemed so lithe and frail, not masculine at all. In fact, he could not help but think that the shape was extremely feminine.


    When he saw her like this, he slowly moved towards her, and his hand reached out, starting to gently touch and play with her hair as he squatted in front of her.


    As if she felt the touch in her sleep, Jiang Yingyue leaned against the hand, and a happy smile appeared on her lips.


    The fire which had just been extinguished flamed up once more, but Han Qingshan had to hold back. He could not very well attack her while she was asleep.


    So instead, he straightened himself, grabbed her body, and carried her like a princess towards the bedroom.


    He gently placed her down on the bed, and then took the blanket and wrapped it around her, feeling that his throat was dry.


    Looking at her sleeping face, he leaned down, and placed his lips on top of her soft plump ones; his tongue gently licked the soft lips, before diving in through the slightly parted lips.


    His eyes were closed as he felt how she was responding subconsciously to him while sleeping, her tongue was being sucked on and played with, entangling with his, and it was not before she started whimpering from lack of oxygen that he finally released her.


    She was still deeply asleep, but her lips, which previously had seemed extremely kissable, were now looking swollen, red, and with moisture on them. It was obvious to anyone that she had been kissed.


    "I need to sleep," Han Qingshan muttered to himself while shaking his head."This is not good for me, and my self-control is seriously lacking."


    He knew that if he did not stop now, he would be incapable of stopping himself, so with a final glance at those tempting lips, he sighed and turned around to the other side of the bed. He laid down and covered himself with the other half of the blanket.


    As he was laying down in the bed, he looked beside him and saw the sleeping beauty, his heart feeling at ease. Yet moments after, the thought of her sitting with Zhou Yan appeared in his mind, and he instantly turned annoyed.


    Grumbling, huffing, and puffing, Han Qingshan was in a foul mood, however, whenever he turned to the side and looked at Jiang Yingyue, his mood would brighten, and it did not take long for him to feel his eyelids turn heavy, and he allowed for his body to fall asleep.


    It was early in the morning when Han Qingshan woke up again. What woke him up was not his phone as usual, but because his arm was numb; however, his heart was feeling warm and comfortable.


    Blinking slightly, what he saw stunned him, and his body instantly went stiff. In his arms was Jiang Yingyue snuggling against his chest, using his arm as a pillow.


    Her small dainty hands were pressed against his sturdy chest, and somehow the pajamas had been unbuttoned during the night, so her hand was right on his skin, feeling as if a piece of burning metal was pressed against him, currents of electricity running through his body.


    When he looked down he could not help but frown. The woman was fitting right in his arms, it was as if she was molded after his embrace, her shape was simply perfect to hold.


    When he looked at the sleeping woman, he tried to move slightly, but she just followed him, her head snuggling on his shoulder, a slight murmur escaping her lips.


    "She is too feminine," Han Qingshan muttered. "This is not the body of a boy."


    As the thought suddenly struck him, he felt stunned. This was indeed not the body of a boy. How could a boy be so feminine? How could a boy have such dainty and delicate hands? How could a boy be so elegant and refined?


    Everything was confusing him at this moment, and doubt was in his eyes as he looked down on the woman in his arms. His hands grew restless and gently moved towards her chest area.

 Chapter 107 - Man Or Woman?

    Before Han Qingshan''s hands could touch her chest, Jiang Yingyue stirred in his arms, her hands reaching her eyes and rubbing them, and she slowly opened her deep and profound eyes, looking confused at the scene in front of her.


    What greeted her was the sight of Han Qingshan''s body at very close range, she even felt the heat in her hands, and when she looked down she was shocked to see that she had her hands plastered on his chest, gently caressing his muscles; her face instantly turned crimson and she withdrew her hands in an instant.


    When the hands removed themselves from his chest, Han Qingshan felt as if something had gone missing in his heart, but he did not have the time to ponder on this feeling. For now, all that was in his mind was the doubt that had surfaced. Was Jiang Yingyue truly a man or a woman?


    Jiang Yingyue was unaware of what had happened. Last night she had fallen asleep on the sofa, so how did she end up sleeping in Han Qingshan''s embrace? Her face was flushed red, and she was perplexed, confusion painted all over her face.


    Han Qingshan was lazily lying down on the bed. He was resting his head on the arm that had been used as a pillow before and looked curiously at Jiang Yingyue, who had sat up on the bed.


    He could not see whether or not she was a woman, and all that he could see was that the frame of her body was definitely not as masculine as his was.


    Something inside of him was screaming in hope that this was, in fact, a woman, while a rational voice was telling him that he should not get his hopes up, that he was just dreaming about her being a woman because he could not accept being gay.


    Jiang Yingyue dared not look at Han Qingshan. She was so embarrassed with herself for snuggling up to him like this, and she could not help but wonder how she could not have noticed anything.


    The rest of the morning was a blur to Jiang Yingyue. She somehow managed to enter the bathroom, change her clothes and bandages as she washed up, and then eat breakfast.


    Seeing her dazed and embarrassed expression, Han Qingshan put the thoughts of her gender aside and felt rather refreshed. In the end, her gender did not matter to him. He knew that he wanted her, whether she was a man or a woman, she could only belong to him.


    He had ordered a scrumptious meal for their breakfast, but it was as if her soul had been spirited away, her shell remaining like a doll, eating mechanically. Her thoughts were definitely not present.


    Knowing what she was thinking about, and seeing her face sometimes blushing, alongside her being incapable of even looking at him, he was rather satisfied. Although he wanted her to look at him boldly, this already meant that he was a special person in her heart, for her to react like this.


    After they finished eating, they left the hotel and went straight to Imperial World''s main office.


    As soon as they stepped in through the entrance, they both noticed that everyone was glancing their way. It was obvious that although Han Qingshan had deleted all the gossip about him being gay, it was impossible to undo the damage that had already been done, and everyone viewed him with curiosity.


    At the same time, they looked at Jiang Yingyue with mixed emotions. Some looked at her with envy and jealousy, others with disdain and disgust, and yet some with curiosity.


    It was obvious that many wanted to take the position next to Han Qingshan, and even more wanted to be his assistant. However, he had chosen Jiang Yingyue who was but a mere university student.


    As to why no one had understood it before, after seeing the gossip about Han Qingshan allegedly being in a relationship with the young scholarship student, everyone started to gossip and come up with their own theories.


    Many disdained those who got their position through the backdoor instead of getting it through their qualifications and hard work, but no one dared say anything as they understood that Han Qingshan would definitely side with his newfound love for now.


    Some were even jealous of Jiang Yingyue, wishing that they were the ones receiving such affection. But they now knew that it was too late. Almost all of the women in the company had given up after coming to the conclusion that he was gay. There were, however, still a few who refused to give up.


    One of these women was Yu Xiulan. She refused to believe that Han Qingshan was actually gay. In fact, she was of the impression that the whole situation was something he had started for the sake of getting peace and quiet from other women.


    So when Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue reached the top floor, ready to enter the office, what greeted them was not Song Liwei as Jiang Yingyue had expected. Instead it was Yu Xiulan and her manager.


    Seeing that it was them again, Han Qingshan frowned slightly. He had not forgotten how the last time Yu Xiulan had shown attention to Jiang Yingyue, and he had just fended off Zhou Yan; he was not willing to also have to see Jiang Yingyue entangled with this actress.


    Still, he had no other option, and invited them inside the office, wondering what exactly their purpose was.

 Chapter 108 - Condemned By The Masses

    Fortunately, Yu Xiulan was not standing next to Jiang Yingyue. Instead, she was glancing at Han Qingshan with her big sparkling eyes and a slight blush on her face.


    Han Qingshan found her appearance rather annoying, and he could not explain why. When he saw her blush, he was annoyed. However whenever he saw Jiang Yingyue blushing he found it endearing.


    However, he would rather have Yu Xiulan blushing at him than blushing at Jiang Yingyue, so he said nothing.


    Jiang Yingyue noticed the change in Yu Xiulan too. She had seen through her last time, and now it seemed that she had given up on her endeavor of using her to make Han Qingshan jealous and getting closer to the young master.


    Yu Xiulan took a few steps towards Han Qingshan. Her small hands reached out and grabbed his arm, and she somehow managed to wiggle her entire body around, so that she was hugging his arm intimately.


    Han Qingshan''s face instantly turned solemn and unhappy. He extricated his arm from her grip and took a few steps away, his usual sunshine expression turning grave.


    "I... I am sorry," Yu Xiulan said, stunned when she saw his reaction, "I was just so happy to see you again, I did not think that I would lose control of myself."


    She looked pitiful with tears welling up in her eyes. Anyone who looked at her would feel an urge to protect her and make her feel treasured, but Han Qingshan was different. Although he was friendly and gentle towards all, he was only genuine to a limited few, and behind the friendly and gentle exterior was a cold, hard beast, filled with ruthlessness.


    Having seen Yu Xiulan cling onto Han Qingshan, Jiang Yingyue had a bit of pain in her chest, and she felt stuffy and unhappy. However, when she was feeling down, she suddenly felt a warm hand wrap around her slender fingers, squeezing tightly, letting her feel strong again, and when she looked at Han Qingshan a splendid and brilliant smile grew on her face, blinding everyone present, men and women alike.


    Sensing her happiness, the gloom in Han Qingshan''s heart dissipated like dew in the sun, and soon after his face also shone with a brilliant smile.


    "Miss Yu, I am sorry, but what is your purpose here?" Han Qingshan, who had been smiling brilliantly at Jiang Yingyue frowned as he turned around and looked at Yu Xiulan instead. The tenderness and affection in his eyes suddenly vanished and were replaced with a bit of impatience and annoyance, which he did not even bother to hide.


    Yu Xiulan was shocked and felt saddened, but also frustrated. She had not believed that Han Qingshan was gay, and even if she considered that he had started these rumors to get rid of annoying women, she had realized that it was not the case in the moment she saw his brilliant smile.


    That smile had been filled with love and affection. Even she, who was just observing, felt her heart beat rapidly; it was impossible to say how Jiang Yingyue, who was the direct recipient of the smile, must have felt.


    Jiang Yingyue was indeed shocked and bashful. Her heart was beating rapidly, her eyes widened with shock, and her face was so flushed that she was unable to control it.


    Lowering his head, Han Qingshan impatiently waited for Yu Xiulan to answer, but she was saying nothing. Her face was pale, and she bit her lip slightly, shocked by what she had seen and unwilling to accept it.


    Her initial plan of using Jiang Yingyue to get close to Han Qingshan seemed ridiculous now, and she was suddenly filled with anger and indignation, alongside shame.


    Seeing that Yu Xiulan was incapable of saying anything, her manager took over at the right time, her voice professional and calm.


    "Xiulan felt worried about you and her new friend Mister Jiang," the manager explained. "She heard about the unsavory rumors that are currently discussing the two of you and your relationship, tainting your friendship and making it seem like something dirty," the manager continued, trying her best to make it seem as if a male and male relationship was completely frowned upon by all, that it was disgusting.


    "Since she cares about both you, Young Master Shan, and views Mister Jiang as her newfound friend, she obviously had to come and check how the two of you are doing."


    The manager succeded to condemn a gay relationship, but also paint Yu Xiulan in a great light, making it seem as if she was a saint that was worried about her friends.


    Unfortunately, the more she spoke, the darker Han Qingshan''s face became. Eventually he was so furious that even Yu Xiulan felt worried.


    In truth, her heart was rejoicing. She wanted her manager to sacrifice herself for her, and she wanted the manager to make Han Qingshan know that the common people would never accept a same-sex relationship, that there really was no way for him to be together with Jiang Yingyue.


    Unfortunately, Han Qingshan was not the common person, and he did not care at all about what anyone thought. He wanted to be together with Jiang Yingyue, and anyone who got in his way was his enemy.


    Jiang Yingyue, who had been standing on the side, was observing everything with a bit of curiosity. She had calmed down, and she had started to accept her feelings towards Han Qingshan.


    She could easily see through Yu Xiulan, who was half-heartedly trying to stop her manager.

 Chapter 109 - Proof

    "You say that Yu Xiulan was worried for us?" Jiang Yingyue''s melodious voice suddenly sounded, stunning all present.


    Yu Xiulan had always thought Jiang Yingyue was a timid and silent kind of person who would not speak much, as she had been quite withdrawn the last time she saw her.


    However, she was not familiar with her at all. Han Qingshan, on the other hand, knew Jiang Yingyue well already. Right now, her expression seemed quite similar to the expression she had had when she scolded him after he hit her with a car.


    Her appearance was clearly shouting that she was in a bad mood, and she was indignant about the way the other person was speaking to them.


    Although she was not a guy, and although she knew deep inside that Han Qingshan was not gay, she also knew that he was treating her very well. Even if Han Qingshan was truly gay, was it really something for a small manager to comment on?


    Jiang Yingyue took a step forward; her entire body suddenly seemed so elegant and overwhelming that the manager held her breath as she looked at the severe expression of the woman in front of her.


    However, after calming herself, she smiled at Jiang Yingyue, swearing in her heart that if this kid did not have a good relationship with Han Qingshan, she would never have even paid her any attention.


    "That is right," the manager nodded her head, "Xiulan feels that it is a big issue, and it might even affect the company badly if rumors about Young Master Shan being gay were to spread."


    She paused for a moment while she glanced at Yu Xiulan, who nodded her head slowly, indicating for her to continue.


    Imperial World had just lost so many A-listing celebrities, they could not afford to lose more, so Yu Xiulan dared to step over the boundaries of subordinate and superior.


    "Do we really need you to worry about our affairs?" Jiang Yingyue asked with a frown on her face, her impeccable face seemingly filled with disdain.


    "Mister Jiang," the manager sighed and shook her head, "I understand that you are a commoner and not used to the entertainment industry, and neither do you know anything about the noble families, so perhaps you should consider your position more and let Young Master Shan be. You are clearly being cursed everywhere as being a gold digger, and although Xiulan is being kind and befriended you, we still have to keep in mind that you are not in a good position. Staying by Young Master Shan''s side, you will cause problems to his work and private life."


    Jiang Yingyue''s face was as emotionless as before. There was no one who could know what she was thinking, but Han Qingshan was about to go ballistic when he suddenly felt Jiang Yingyue tighten the hold on his hand as if to stop him.


    He looked surprised at her, and she turned to him, winked an eye and flashed a smile, not at all trying to disguise that she was flirting with him.


    "Listen, I already asked you, who you are to interfere with our relationship?" Jiang Yingyue asked, releasing her hand from Han Qingshan''s grip, and crossing her arms over her chest.


    "Han Qingshan and I are in a mutual relationship," she said seriously, not mentioning anything about it being love, but the words were like suddenly being sent from heaven for Han Qingshan.


    He had been as black as the bottom of a pot before, but now he was much calmer and was even amused by Jiang Yingyue. His heart even skipped a beat. What was this cute fox going to do next?


    Hearing Jiang Yingyue say that their relationship was mutual, Yu Xiulan''s face turned pale in an instant before a malicious gleam flashed in her eyes.


    Even the manager was shocked, and they both looked to Han Qingshan for confirmation, but he said nothing, and just looked with indulgence upon Jiang Yingyue, clearly waiting for the continuation.


    "Mister Jiang, this is not something to joke about!" The manager said with a grave and serious tone. "Rice can be eaten indiscriminately, but words cannot be said casually. If the media were to know of your relationship, Imperial World is done for, and even the Han Corporation will have serious problems."


    "Do you honestly think that a single thing, like who Han Qingshan is with, will bring down a corporation that is as old as the dynasty itself?" Jiang Yingyue ridiculed, her eyebrow rising, and a smug smile appeared on her lips, clearly mock��ng the thoughts of the manager.


    "Mister Jiang, we can be considered friends," Yu Xiulan suddenly cut in, her face filled with a gentle smile and refined as could be.


    "I understand that my manager insulted you, but you really should not joke about matters like this. She did not mean to insult the homosexual community. However, some people are just incapable of being gay."


    Yu Xiulan had reached the conclusion that Jiang Yingyue was gay, and that she was pursuing Han Qingshan, and the words spoken by her manager had insulted her. But her words, which were meant to diffuse the situation, just made things worse.


    "Do you not believe me?" Jiang Yingyue asked with a snicker on her face.


    "I can prove it."


    After saying this, Jiang Yingyue went towards Han Qingshan.. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed his face downwards before gently pressing her lips on top of his.

 Chapter 110 - Shocked Yu Xiulan

    Jiang Yingyue''s heart was beating rapidly. She was betting on the fact that Han Qingshan was being lenient towards her, but she really wanted to stake her claim on Han Qingshan when she saw Yu Xiulan.


    The kiss was innocent and gentle, but it was enough to make Han Qingshan''s head explode in shock. It was not that he hadn''t kissed her before, but never when she was awake, and she had never been the one to take the initiative.


    The innocent kiss was enough to make his entire body react, and when Jiang Yingyue was about to retreat, the arms of Han Qingshan snaked around her waist and pressed her against his chest as he completely ignored the surrounding people and deepened the kiss.


    Jiang Yingyue''s eyes widened. She was shocked. She had bet that he would not beat her, but for him to deepen the kiss, she was shocked.


    Her hands were hooked around his neck, rendering her completely immobile, and she was unable to free herself from his grip.


    Yu Xiulan was shocked and backed away a few steps. She was not inexperienced and had seen that the kiss Jiang Yingyue placed on Han Qingshan''s lips was innocent and naive, filled with youthful embarrassment. Clearly, she was not used to kissing Han Qingshan.


    However, when she saw Han Qingshan''s response, she knew it was over. His kiss was hot and urgent, plundering her entire breath away.


    It felt as if it took an eternity before Han Qingshan reluctantly released Jiang Yingyue.


    They were in the office, so the only ones present were Han Qingshan, Jiang Yingyue, Yu Xiulan, and her manager. Three were stunned and completely shocked while the last was feeling smug.


    Jiang Yingyue felt as if her soul had flown away. She was feeling as if everything she knew was suddenly wrong. She knew Han Qingshan was not gay, so why had he kissed her like this? Was it to make their act seem much more real?


    At this point in time, Jiang Yingyue was dazed, and her addled brain was incapable of figuring out what was happening; her head was pressed against his chest as she tried to breathe slightly, feeling the strong heartbeat in his chest.


    "Impossible!"


    Yu Xiulan was as pale as a sheet of paper, her eyes were widened in horror, and she was not even able to maintain her usual expression of calmness and superiority.


    The manager''s face was not better than hers either, her expression ugly. She just spent a long time talking about how gays were universally unaccepted; but even so, Han Qingshan had kissed a man, and it was not an innocent type of kiss either.


    Han Qingshan completely ignored Yu Xiulan and her manager, and rubbed his finger on Jiang Yingyue''s swollen lips. A smile appeared on his face, and he chuckled slightly.


    What a foxy little creature, he thought to himself, so seductive and so tempting, delivering herself at his doorstep to be ravished.


    The feeling he had felt when she had kissed him was so delicious and sweet, his every nerve was frazzled, and his body had trembled in shock.


    Never in his wildest imagination would he have imagined that Jiang Yingyue would kiss him, but he gladly accepted the kiss. He even wished that it would happen more often.


    Jiang Yingyue was so embarrassed, but she quickly gathered herself again, and since Han Qingshan refused to let go of her, she leaned against him, shooting a suggestive and disdainful gaze at Yu Xiulan and her manager.


    "You have been so busy trying to tear us apart. Telling us that we are destroying the company''s reputation, that I should not try to aim for something above me, but in fact, aren''t you all just jealous?"


    Jiang Yingyue did not sugarcoat her words and said what she thought directly. "Han Qingshan is mine, leave him alone, and don''t try to interrupt our relationship!"


    Jiang Yingyue was only daring enough to say these things because she was alone in the room with these two figures and Han Qingshan. No one would ever expose what happened inside, as it would not be beneficial for any of them.


    Currently, Yu Xiulan was known to be a friend of Han Qingshan, someone he valued, so many would try to gain her favor or at least help her, but if she leaked the news of what she had just seen and heard, then she would, without a doubt, die without knowing what had happened to her.


    The manager was even less likely to say anything. She was hired by the company and if she leaked information like this, not only would her workplace suffer, she would too. She could not easily find a new job as only Starry Sky Entertainment Agency was in the same category, but if they heard she had told gossip about her superior, and resulted in her being fired, then she would never get in.


    At the same time, both Yu Xiulan and the manager wanted to build a relationship with Han Qingshan, and neither of them were willing to give up on their dream to enter the Han family.


    Jiang Yingyue was starting to feel much calmer. Although her heart was still fluttering in her chest, she had had enough time to collect her thoughts, and she glanced at Yu Xiulan.


    "If you truly consider yourself our friend, should you not congratulate us?" she could not help but ask, happiness evident in her voice.

 Chapter 111 - Leave Us Alone!

    Jiang Yingyue was acting like this for two reasons. She had accepted her own emotions some time ago, and knew that what she felt for Han Qingshan was love.


    Since she was in love with him, she ought to take a few unfair advantages while she was still near him.


    She knew the time she could be close to him was limited, and thus while she was here, she had better enjoy being as close to him as she could.


    Since she had already seen through Yu Xiulan, there was no way she would allow the other woman to snatch the man she liked; especially not right in front of her eyes, and thus she acted rashly.


    She was relieved that Han Qingshan had acted with her, and now she could let go of her worry, and simply focus on agitating Yu Xiulan as much as possible.


    The other reason was because she wanted to see Han Qingshan''s limits. She wanted to know what he felt about her and how far he indulged her. So far, it had seemed completely limitless.


    Her heart softened when she thought of this, and she looked at the horrified Yu Xiulan and her manager.


    "Do you believe us now?" she snickered, as her hand started trailing down Han Qingshan''s chest in an intimate manner, feeling the muscles on his body.


    The roaming hands caused Han Qingshan to almost curse underneath his breath. The little woman in his arms was so seductive, and touching his body like this was definitely fanning the flames of desire in his lower body.


    "Leave for now," Han Qingshan said with a low, husky voice, that was filled with sexiness, and every woman who listened would have her legs turn to jelly.


    The three women present were no exception, and Han Qingshan was not in the mood to deal with the two intruders anymore. He did not even care what exactly their real purpose was, all he wanted was to eat the small rabbit that was nestled in his embrace, eat her clean, enjoy the feeling of having her legs wrapped around his hips, and see her body sway alongside his movements.


    As to whether or not she was a man or a woman, right now, Han Qingshan had already found that he did not care; what mattered was that the person was Jiang Yingyue, everything else was unimportant.


    Yu Xiulan looked pitifully at Han Qingshan, but all she saw was his deep eyes staring at the woman in his arms, his eyes resembling those of a beast, ready to rip the clothing on her body to shreds. It was obvious what would happen when they left the room.


    Obvious to everyone apart from Jiang Yingyue. Jiang Yingyue was not used to flirting with anyone, and she had absolutely no experience; just as she knew nothing about relationships between men and women, so she did not know that she was playing with fire, slowly but surely making Han Qingshan unable to suppress himself.


    Seeing that neither Yu Xiulan nor her manager had left the office, Han Qingshan''s mood was turning worse and worse. "Are you planning on staying here?" he asked with a dangerously low voice, suddenly causing both of them to awaken from their stupor.


    "Ah, Young Master Shan, we did not mean that!" the manager scrambled to deny. "We were just shocked that the relationship between yourself and Mister Jiang truly was so... special."


    "Young Master Shan, we will come back later." Yu Xiulan knew that there was nothing else to say, and it was impossible to stay there for now, but she refused to give up.


    She was certain that if she could somehow sneak into Han Qingshan''s bed, she would, without a doubt, become Madam Han, especially now that she knew that he was gay.


    As they left the office, the manager was uncomfortable, and they rushed back to her own office where they began discussing.


    "Are you sure you do not wish to give up on Han Qingshan?" the manager asked, feeling that they had truly lost this time. However, Yu Xiulan shook her head.


    "I will become Madam Han, right now it is even more likely than it was before," she said with certainty; a certainty that stunned the manager.


    "Han Qingshan is the heir to the Han Corporation. He might have a man he loves, but he will have to marry and get a descendant for the sake of his family. If I am capable of keeping a good relationship with Jiang Fengmian, and he convinces Han Qingshan to pick me, there is no problem."


    "Do you really think that Jiang Fengmian will allow his lover to find a woman?" the manager asked hesitantly, but Yu Xiulan shook her head.


    "He won''t, but if I manage to get into Han Qingshan''s bed and conceive a baby, then it is another matter." she said smugly, her words causing the manager to widen her eyes in shock.


    "How will you do that?"


    Yu Xiulan inched closer and started whispering into the ears of her manager, who slowly widened her eyes even further. The plan actually seemed plausible!


    While Yu Xiulan and her manager were planning, Jiang Yingyue was finally starting to find out that she had stepped out from the ashes and into the fire.. She had started something she could not control, and as she looked at the smoldering eyes of Han Qingshan she started to feel her heart race in her chest, her mouth turned dry, and she nervously licked her lips.

 Chapter 112 - Innocent Kiss

    As Jiang Yingyue licked her lips, the caged beast within Han Qingshan''s chest almost jumped out and swallowed her whole into his body, to ensure that she was never parted from him again.


    "Fengmian!" The voice of Han Qingshan was quite low, sexy, and sensual. He looked at the petite figure in his arms, and tightened the grip on her waist, pressing her towards his chest.


    Jiang Yingyue was getting confused, her entire being felt like it was flying on a cloud, her body hot from every part that was touching him. She could not focus on anything, her eyes were glazed over and dazed, even her lips were quivering as she opened and closed her mouth.


    Han Qingshan refused to let go of the delicious-looking woman in his arms, and his hands started roaming up and down her spine, sending shivers through her entire body, feeling how she was trembling in his arms.


    "Han... Han Qingshan��" Jiang Yingyue tried to ask him to stop, but the only thing that came out of her mouth was his name, her voice tremendously soft and mellow, so pleasing to the ear that a tingle appeared in his body.


    When Jiang Yingyue placed her hands on his chest and tried to push him away, Han Qingshan bent down and placed his lips on top of hers. He started licking her lips and nibbling on them before he bit down.


    Jiang Yingyue gasped in pain, and when she did, Han Qingshan used the opportunity to invade her mouth. His hot tongue was entangling with her own, sucking on her tongue, and completely rendering her a hot mess, incapable of even the slightest thought.


    At this point, Han Qingshan felt his body stiffen. He felt himself swell and harden, and he wanted to take her right then, right there. But he knew that, although she was currently completely dazed and confused by the sudden pleasure he brought her, she would never forgive him if he went too far.


    He also wanted to make sure; he wanted to know whether or not he was undressing a man or a woman. Not because it actually mattered to him, but he felt he should be prepared for her sake.


    Sighing, Han Qingshan slowly retreated, released her lips, and lifted his finger to gently touch her swollen lips. A gleam of satisfaction could be seen in his eyes as he saw how her lips were red and plump because of him.


    He noticed that her face was completely red, her eyes still dazed, and her expression so naive and stunned that he could not help but chuckle. She was simply too adorable.


    He swept her up from the floor and lifted her towards the sofa in the office, placing her down and sitting next to her.


    Her head leaned against his shoulder, his arms wrapped around her, and they seemed like a loving couple as they sat together like this.


    After a bit of time, it was as if Jiang Yingyue''s soul returned to her body, and she started trembling in fear and nervousness.


    She had been impulsive and kissed him, but why would he kiss her back like that? It was so overbearing that she had lost her senses, floated to cloud nine, and felt complete bliss.


    When she finally realized that she had been feeling ecstatic, she was stunned and embarrassed. She should not feel like this. It was too brazen and too crude for a woman to feel like this. Even if she was currently masquerading as a man, she was, after all, a woman, and she was supposed to be more reserved!


    When Jiang Yingyue thought like this, her cheeks were as red as the crimson morning sun, and she dared not look at Han Qingshan. Her bashful and completely embarrassed attitude just mesmerized Han Qingshan even further.


    "Are you shy now?" He whispered into her ear amusedly, but Jiang Yingyue shook her head in a frenzy.


    "If you aren''t shy, then look at me," he said laughingly, and Jiang Yingyue''s head instantly lifted. Her eyes filled with defiance as she glared at him. Who had told Han Qingshan to kiss her back? Everything would have been fine if he had just let her finish her innocent kiss.


    Seeing the look in Jiang Yingyue''s eyes, of refusing to back down and show defeat, was so endearing. She truly was the person he had fallen in love with!


    Jiang Yingyue was unaware of his thoughts. All she thought was that he had been teasing her, and her cheeks puffed up in indignation and anger.


    Being able to see through her thoughts, Han Qingshan chuckled slightly, but he said nothing to correct her misunderstanding.


    "If you continue to look at me like that, I will kiss you again," Han Qingshan said as he looked at Jiang Yingyue, a slight trace of hope and greed shining in his eyes.


    "Look at you like what!?" Jiang Yingyue asked furiously, slightly angered from embarrassment. "Looking at you as if I want to chop you up into pieces?"


    "You can''t blame this on me." Han Qingshan found her adorable when she was sitting there like a dog with raised hackles.


    "You kissed me first, I just felt we were supposed to make it seem more real," he argued innocently. "Your kiss was so innocent, it would never make Yu Xiulan believe you," he continued, and Jiang Yingyue felt even her ears flush red.


    "I have no experience, of course, it would be innocent!" she blurted out, aggravated.

 Chapter 113 - Selling A House

    Hearing Jiang Yingyue say that she had no experience felt like spring rain on withering flowers. His mind blossomed instantly with happiness.


    Had he perhaps gotten her first kiss? If this was the case, then he would truly feel happy and honored. He might not be her first, but he wanted to be her last for everything intimate, such as a kiss.


    He had managed to calm himself down again, but it was difficult. Fortunately, before neither Jiang Yingyue nor Han Qingshan could speak further, a knock came on the door, and Song Liwei entered.


    "We have an appointment with a real estate agent today," he reminded them. "They are here for the sake of selling the house belonging to Mr. and Mrs. Jiang."


    Hearing this, Jiang Yingyue was finally reminded that they were selling the house, and her parents were returning to their real identities.


    Thinking like this, she was slightly nervous, but also relieved. Han Qingshan gave a long glance at Jiang Yingyue''s lips before he turned to leave the office together with her, and they headed towards the house where she had lived in the last nine years.


    The formalities of selling the house were done easily and fast. Everything was planned in moments, and after they looked at the house, they even gave Jiang Wei and Xun Huiyin a good price, much more than they had paid originally. In the end, they would be able to earn a rather large amount of money from selling their house, even after the rest of the mortgage was paid off.


    Finishing off the rest of the paperwork, they returned to the office. Now they could only wait for someone to appear who would be willing to pay for the house.


    Returning to the office, Jiang Yingyue was not able to enter without blushing slightly, but Han Qingshan was completely unaffected. However, from the slight glance he sent towards Jiang Yingyue, a smile flitted across his lips as he too was reminded about the wondrous moment they shared earlier.


    Having ensured that Jiang Yingyue was truly going to stay with him in the future, Han Qingshan was feeling much more relaxed and happy.


    He buried himself in the work he had in front of him with a good mood, and when he gave Jiang Yingyue tasks, he would be even happier.


    Jiang Yingyue was happy to receive her tasks from Han Qingshan and Song Liwei. She ran from one end of the company to the other, delivered documents, fetched documents, and confirmed certain appointments.


    In the afternoon, she went to a meeting with Han Qingshan at a fancy restaurant, and here they met with various directors who were rather big in the industry.


    These directors were at first shocked to see that it was not Song Liwei that kept him company, but a youngster who seemed to be even younger than Han Qingshan himself, and then they were reminded of the rumors about Han Qingshan which had surfaced recently, but had been deleted again.


    Could it perhaps be true that Han Qingshan was gay? If he was, were they going to be more popular if they sent more pretty boys his way?


    Many had previously tried to tempt him with beautiful women, trying to win his favor, but he had maintained an appearance of complete and utter disregard for such plans. However, now he was dragging a youngster around with him, clearly someone who had no experience. Was this not the same as officially approving of the rumors?


    No one dared to slight this youngster, but deep inside, most of the directors present looked down upon her. In their minds, she was clearly a poor bumpkin who was trying to reach the higher levels of society through underhanded means.


    They felt that she was disgusting as a gay person, who had turned their honorable Han Qingshan gay too.


    Jiang Yingyue could sense their hostility. She knew what they thought about her, but she did not really care much about it. What mattered to her was what Han Qingshan thought about her; what everyone else thought was completely unrelated to her.


    The meeting took a few hours, and in the end, Han Qingshan''s Imperial World ended with the main lead roles in every new drama, shows, and movies that these directors were filming.


    As the meeting ended, Han Qingshan contemplated what to do next. The friends from his circle were having a meeting that night at a bar, and he felt the need to go because he wanted to know what exactly was going on with Zhou Yan.


    During the day, he had heard rumors of the He family taking over the development of Heavenward District, and this had confused him greatly. He knew more than anyone else the hatred Zhou Yan had against the He family, so why suddenly assist them?


    However, at the same time, he was not willing to take Jiang Yingyue with him. If she met up with Zhou Yan, he feared that he would end up as a third wheel, as they would begin talking about their past together, a past he knew nothing about.


    Contemplating what to do next, he glanced at Jiang Yingyue who was looking out the large floor-to-ceiling window.


    "Fengmian," Han Qingshan called out, and Jiang Yingyue turned around to look at him. The lights outside the window were shining in behind her, making it seem as if she were standing before a glittering starry sky.


    "I have something going on tonight," he said after reaching a decision, "so I can''t really stay home together with you tonight. I will drop you off at home, but I have to go out after."


    Jiang Yingyue was slightly disappointed, but she said nothing and nodded her head nonetheless.. She did not want to hinder him when he had something he needed to do.

 Chapter 114 - Stay Out Of It

    Jiang Yingyue was delivered back home to the condo, and Han Qingshan freshened up, changed clothes, and left again while Jiang Yingyue had nothing to do.


    Han Qingshan, on the other hand, hurried to the bar where the others had reserved a private room and were discussing the newest changes in the circle.


    As he arrived, he found that the bar was filled with people, and he walked with familiar steps up the stairs to the second floor where the rooms were located.


    A guard instantly directed him to the right room, and as he entered, he found that it was the biggest of all the rooms present.


    Inside were not only the young scions; there were also a few unrelated famous people who were trying to get the attention of these people.


    Han Qingshan noticed that Yu Xiulan was also present, and he was surprised.


    She was not usually present at such occasions. But now she was strangely enough here, and he could not help but wonder who was her target. He was not blind and knew that she had often looked for him, so he was extra careful not to give her any illusions of hope.


    He nodded to her in greeting when their eyes met, but he did not walk towards her, or in any other way pay attention to her, something which made her face crack slightly, but she quickly changed back to her normal expression.


    She had expected that Han Qingshan would not give her any extra attention, but seeing it in person was not the same as knowing it in her heart. It was truly hurting her, feeling as if someone had taken a knife and stabbed her chest.


    Han Qingshan did not have time to deal with Yu Xiulan. Instead, he wanted to speak with Zhou Yan.


    Although he disliked Zhou Yan, he had to know what his plans were, so that they could cooperate. Planning individually would end up with giving the He family a chance to escape, and if that happened, he, Zhou Yan, and Jiang Yingyue would have left a dangerous group of people that might cause problems later.


    Since this was the case, he needed to speak with Zhou Yan, and it seemed that the young master from the Zhou family was aware of this, as he had appeared at the evening gathering for the sake of meeting Han Qingshan.


    Unfortunately, everyone was gathered around the same table, so talking to one another was rather uncomfortable.


    Han Qingshan was sitting opposite from Zhou Yan, and the rest of the scions sat down next to the two of them, all of them curious as to what had brought these two tycoons together.


    "How''s Fengmian?" Zhou Yan asked as the first thing when Han Qingshan sat down, his words not low and everyone at the table heard him, their interest suddenly piqued, their eyes shining with excitement. Was there something going on here that they did not know about?


    "He is at home, waiting for me to return," Han Qingshan answered with a sneer.


    Both Zhou Yan and Han Qingshan had unpleasant expressions on their faces, it was obvious that there was something going on between them, but as to what it was, they had no clue.


    Zhou Yan''s mood plummeted when he was reminded that Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue were living together, but Han Qingshan was not in a better mood as he was reminded of the past between Zhou Yan and Jiang Yingyue.


    "What are your plans?" Han Qingshan asked annoyed, and Zhou Yan glanced at him before saying, "I will deal with it, just stay out of it. You are busy enough dealing with Imperial World anyway."


    "I can manage these small flies," Han Qingshan said, about to get frustrated. He had to take revenge for the woman back home, and he could not let Zhou Yan take all the glory away from him.


    "You will just be in the way," Zhou Yan continued. "Instead, until everything is done, make sure that Fengmian does not suffer from any harm."


    The scions who were sitting at the table were all shocked. It seemed that something big was happening, but even more puzzling was that both Zhou Yan and Han Qingshan had an unnatural attraction towards this Jiang Yingyue.


    What was so special about her? Was she some sort of Helena of Troy, able to cause two dominating families into an all-out war against one another for the sake of winning her favor?


    No one understood, but Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan were both more than capable of understanding the other''s thoughts. It was obvious that the other felt more than just tender friendship for Jiang Yingyue.


    The gossip instantly spread in the room, and everyone soon knew that both Zhou Yan and Han Qingshan were keenly aware of the situation of Jiang Yingyue. She was protected by the two most outstanding figures of the younger generation, so moving against her would be dangerous.


    Even He Julong, who was sitting at the table, was shocked to know that Zhou Yan also had a relationship with Jiang Yingyue. If they had a good relationship, why would he hand over Heavenward District to his family?


    He suddenly had a bad premonition, but it was too late to withdraw; the two families had already signed all contracts.


    On the side, Yu Xiulan also heard the rumors, and her eyes sparkled as she looked at Han Qingshan with undisguised love and affection in her gaze. Unfortunately, he did not even glance her way, and she was left all alone.


    Gritting her teeth, she saw that Zhou Yan rose from his chair and got ready to leave, so she quickly went up to him to hear if he could assist her.

 Chapter 115 - Underhanded Means

    "Young Master Yan," she purred as she walked close to him. Her eyes were looking at Han Qingshan with longing, which was easily noticed by Zhou Yan.


    "What can I do for you, Miss Yu?" He asked as he stopped in his tracks, his eyes flashing slightly with curiosity.


    "Young Master Yan is familiar with Jiang Fengmian?" she asked, but the moment the question left her lips, Zhou Yan''s countenance turned ugly.


    "What is it to you if I know him?" he answered with another question His mood was horrible after being reminded of Jiang Yingyue currently living with Han Qingshan.


    "He is always stuck to Young Master Shan, I am not pleased with it, but I do not wish to harm Mister Jiang at all," she said with a gentle but hushed voice. "However, I need Han Qingshan to look at me instead of Jiang Fengmian, and thus, I have purchased something that could make him want only me."


    Zhou Yan looked at her with disdain. It was no wonder that Han Qingshan had picked Jiang Yingyue over the other people surrounding him. Even this insignificant artist was planning on drugging him.


    "Sorry, I have no interest," Zhou Yan said as he stretched his back, completely carefree. "I don''t care what you do, but do not harm Jiang Fengmian. Also, if you want to commit a crime, do it on your own, don''t try to drag me down with you. I might dislike Han Qingshan, but I am not interested in using underhanded means to win."


    After saying this, Zhou Yan left the room, leaving a stunned Yu Xiulan behind, her eyes slightly red and her teeth clenched so tightly that they were almost shattering.


    Her plan was simple. She had attended the gathering tonight for the sake of getting closer to Han Qingshan. She had even purchased some aphrodisiac drugs so that she could get his baby, but she had never really planned ahead on how to give them to him.


    When she saw the disagreement between Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan, she thought she had found her way, but now it seemed different. Han Qingshan was only drinking drinks he himself had personally fetched from the bar, so there was no chance of getting a glass of wine or something similar for him and having him drink it.


    There was only one other way, and Yu Xiulan went to the bar. The bartender was coincidentally a young fan of Yu Xiulan. He was a new employee of the bar, and it was only his fifth time attending work here.


    Normally it would never be such a young person serving in the bar upstairs, but all the experienced ones were currently all off on vacation, or on sick leave, and thus he had been picked.


    Seeing that it was a young man, Yu Xiulan went towards him. She spent the next half hour flirting with him and eventually she managed to convince him to drug Han Qingshan for her, in return for two hundred thousand yuan.


    Han Qingshan kept looking at his watch, wondering when it was time for him to return home, but he had a few more business things to deal with, and thus he went for another drink.


    Yu Xiulan and the bartender were both so nervous that their hearts felt as if they could burst, but they pretended that nothing happened and gave the drink to Han Qingshan.


    When he took the first sip of the wine, he frowned. He could feel that it was not the usual taste, and he put down the glass, not taking a second sip.


    However, the drug was strong. Not strong enough to make him lose control, but he was starting to feel hot and uncomfortable, and he eventually excused himself as he went to call for Song Liwei to come and drive him home.


    Song Liwei was used to driving Han Qingshan around everywhere and at any time, so he appeared rather quickly, and when he saw the frowning expression of Han Qingshan, he knew that something was wrong.


    "Investigate the recordings of the room tonight, find out who had dealings with the bartender and who drugged me," Han Qingshan said with a raspy voice, his eyes turning red from anger.


    With the normal bartenders, no matter how much they were offered, they would never do such a thing, but now a new person had the audacity to attempt drugging him?


    He had to understand the consequences of his actions. "Do you want to head to the hospital?" Song Liwei asked worriedly, but Han Qingshan shook his head. "No," he said, "It is just an aphrodisiac, it''s not the first time a woman has tried this trick. I will go home and take a cold shower; it should be manageable."


    Having heard what Han Qingshan said, Song Liwei nodded his head in obedience, but he could not help but wonder why he had a bad feeling about this. Wasn''t Jiang Yingyue back at the condo? Would something bad happen between the two of them?


    But Song Liwei dared not ask anything about it. He knew that Han Qingshan would not appreciate anything he said.


    Instead, he buckled up the seatbelt, and then they went back to the condo, not noticing that there was someone standing in the shadows.


    Yu Xiulan saw them get ready to leave, and her face had an ugly and hateful expression, which in no way matched her position as a young goddess in the hearts of many.

 Chapter 116 - The Cure

    Yu Xiulan had not missed the words of Han Qingshan when he said that Jiang Yingyue was waiting for him at home. Now that she had given him this drug, even if he consumed just a tiny bit of it, would it not benefit Jiang Yingyue instead of her?


    Yu Xiulan was so mad that her hands were tightly clenched and her freshly painted nails dug into the palm of her hands. Unable to control it, deep marks were left in her palm.


    Han Qingshan was completely unaware of this and was instead focused on trying to calm his body down, the restlessness within it was incredibly uncomfortable, and he had nowhere to vent it.


    His eyes had turned red, and his teeth were grinding against each other. He was clenching and loosening his hand into a fist time and time again; he felt so uncomfortable, but he held back.


    When they arrived at the condo, he instantly took the elevator up to his home, opened the door, and rushed into the bathroom.


    Jiang Yingyue, who had been in the kitchen only heard the door open, and before she had the time to enter the hallway, all she saw was Han Qingshan dashing into the bathroom.


    Looking puzzled, she saw that Song Liwei was standing by the side, his brows wrinkled in a frown, and his head shaking. He could guess that Han Qingshan had been in such a hurry so that he did not meet Jiang Yingyue. Maybe he would have lost the last trace of reason if he had met her.


    "Mister Song, what happened to Han Qingshan?" Jiang Yingyue could not help but ask worriedly when she heard the water running already. He could not even have had enough time to undress, but the water was already running. Had something happened?


    "This��" Song Liwei considered if he should tell her the truth, but after considering her position in Han Qingshan''s heart and knowing that she might be able to help him, he relented and decided to tell her.


    "Someone drugged Young Master Shan at the bar tonight," he said with a sigh, and was surprised when he saw Jiang Yingyue''s face turn completely pale.


    Drugs were bad, and something she had never encountered before. Her heart was in disarray, and her eyes widened with tears welling up. Drugs were serious!


    "He has to go to the hospital then! Why is he back home?" She was completely shocked when she heard it, and her heart ached for him, but Song Liwei just shook his head. "Not that kind of drug," he explained, and then he was silent for a moment, awkwardly looking towards the bathroom.


    "It is an aphrodisiac," Song Liwei said, feeling somewhat embarrassed. He was not comfortable talking about such subjects, but he hoped that Han Qingshan could somehow be helped.


    Jiang Yingyue had been informed, Han Qingshan was in the bathroom, and thus Song Liwei felt he would just be in the way if he stayed. He quickly said his farewell and left the condo.


    Jiang Yingyue walked next to the bathroom, her steps hesitating, and her eyes somewhat worried. What could she do to help him?


    She knocked on the door after a bit of contemplating, "Han Qingshan? Are you okay in there?" She could not help but call out, but she heard no answer. All that replied to her was the sound of cold water running down.


    Feeling worried, she knocked again. "Are you awake? Is something wrong?" But no answer was heard, and her heart was feeling more and more restless.


    What if he had collapsed due to the drugs? She had no other option than to call out again, "I am coming in. I hope you are okay."


    At this moment she did not have the time to consider that Han Qingshan was in the shower. She was seriously worried about him, and she pushed the door open, happy to find that it was not locked and entered.


    The bathroom was filled with cold air, and the first thing she saw was Han Qingshan seated in the shower, leaning against the wall. The ice cold water running down his body while he was still wearing clothes that were plastered to his body.


    His face was flushed red, but his eyes were closed. He looked to be very uncomfortable, and Jiang Yingyue felt her heart constrict in pain. Who would be so ruthless and drug him? This was truly unacceptable.


    She hurried to his side and turned the shower off. When the water stopped running down his body, the eyelids finally opened, and his unfocused eyes slowly focused on Jiang Yingyue''s body and face. The heat that had been forcefully suppressed started burning again, and the usual impulses came back even worse than usual.


    He struggled to stand up, but the cold water had rushed over his body for some time, the heat impossible to get rid of. It was as if ants were crawling all over his body, and an unexplainable itch was driving him insane.


    Jiang Yingyue was unaware of all this. She rushed to his side, found some towels, and began drying him. The more her hands were fiddling with his body, the hotter he became, and the more restless his body felt.


    "You have to look after yourself," Jiang Yingyue''s concerned voice sounded next to Han Qingshan''s ear, her voice was the sweetest voice he had ever heard, and without really being able to control anything, his wet arms reached out, grabbed Jiang Yingyue''s arm, and dragged her into his embrace.


    Having been kneeling by his side to dry him, she was not able to keep her balance and fell directly into his arms.. When she raised her head to see what was happening, the thing that greeted her was Han Qingshan''s face as his lips landed on hers, pressing hard against her.

 Chapter 117 - Help To Self-Help

    Jiang Yingyue''s mind went blank. She was in the arms of the drenched Han Qingshan, but all she could feel was an electric current rushing through her body from where he was touching her.


    She felt how his tongue licked her lips, trying to pry open her mouth and invade into her wet cavern, but she was too stunned to react, and his kiss became smoldering hot and urgent. His teeth started nibbling on her lips and seeing that she did not grant him access, he bit hard on her lower lip causing her to yelp in pain, and his tongue invaded her mouth, entangling her tongue and tasting her sweetness.


    Jiang Yingyue was kissed until her mind was completely dazed. She was unaware of what was going on around her, she just felt that everything was hot, everywhere his fingers touched her body was burning, even though it was on the outside of her clothes.


    Jiang Yingyue felt her heart grow weak. She leaned against Han Qingshan''s body, trembling uncontrollably in his arms.


    Sensing the petite and soft body in his arms, Han Qingshan felt that the fire in his body that he had suppressed earlier was suddenly bursting again, trying its best to find a place to escape. His entire body was feeling hot and bothered, and he was not satisfied with just kissing Jiang Yingyue.


    However, suddenly, he felt her trembling body in his arms, and his reasoning slowly returned to him. If he was not careful, then she would become scared of him, and he could not afford that.


    If she became scared of him, he would lose her, and this frightening thought was enough to make him sober up. His body was aching and hot, but his mind was clear again.


    He looked at the dazed and teary Jiang Yingyue in his arms and dragged her into a warm embrace.


    "Sorry," he whispered in her ear with a low, hoarse voice. Jiang Yingyue also seemed to awaken at that moment, her entire face flaring red in embarrassment.


    Being in Han Qingshan''s arms, she could feel his body being hot, and when she was being hugged tightly she could feel his hard stick poking her. Even so, she knew it was because of the drugs he had been tricked into taking, and she quickly excused him, not at all blaming him for what happened.


    "How are you feeling?" Jiang Yingyue was worried about him.


    Seeing the worry in Jiang Yingyue''s eyes, Han Qingshan felt relieved. She was not scared of him. In fact, he felt somewhat pleased by the fact that she was seemingly not bothered by the kiss she had been given just before, but her lips were now red and swollen.


    "It''s manageable," Han Qingshan said through gritted teeth. His mood was complicated. He was reveling in the feeling of having Jiang Yingyue in his arms, having kissed her and knowing that she worried about him, but at the same time he felt incredibly uncomfortable that it was because of someone drugging him.


    Han Qingshan wanted to let go of Jiang Yingyue, but his arms were not releasing her. They circled around her waist and pressed her against his chest, their bodies so close together that he could feel her heart beating rapidly.


    "You should leave me alone," Han Qingshan finally said with a sigh. "I need to solve this problem, and I doubt you want to be present when I deal with it."


    Hearing this, Jiang Yingyue was even more embarrassed, but she was also worried about him. She was caught in a dilemma.


    "I''ll wait right outside the door," she said eventually. "If anything happens, make sure to call for me. Also, make sure that you have some warm water to heat up your body so you won''t catch a cold, and get those cold, wet clothes off."


    Hearing all the worried words of Jiang Yingyue, Han Qingshan felt incredibly soft at heart, and without controlling himself, he leaned down and pecked her lips slightly.


    "I''ll be careful not to catch a cold," Han Qingshan said as he finally released Jiang Yingyue from his embrace. When she stood up, she found that her clothes were also damp and wet from having been hugged by the drenched Han Qingshan, and she hurried to change.


    When she returned, she knocked on the door. "Han Qingshan, are you okay?" she called, and she heard a sound of acknowledgment from inside the bathroom.


    Her face was incapable of regaining its original color, it was red like a tomato as she thought about what Han Qingshan was doing inside the bathroom. She could not help but feel that it was too embarrassing, but at the same time, she also admitted that it was because of someone drugging him so it could not be helped.


    She sat down against the wall, waiting for Han Qingshan to come out. From time to time she would call his name, and he would acknowledge that he was still awake and doing fine.


    It took a full two hours before he returned from the bathroom. His body seemed somewhat exhausted but also glowing.


    All he was wearing was a towel wrapped around his lower body.. The rest of his body was on full display, and a smile tugged on his lips when he saw how Jiang Yingyue''s eyes widened in shock upon seeing his naked body, her hands covering her mouth and her horrified-but-not-able-to-look-away expression truly tickled his heart.

 Chapter 118 - Woman

    Jiang Yingyue had not expected to see a naked body like this, in the middle of the house, but when she thought about it, it was reasonable. Han Qingshan had rushed straight into the bathroom when he came back, not bringing clean clothes with him, and those that he had been wearing ended up completely soaked.


    Han Qingshan''s hair was still wet. Drops of water were trailing down his neck, leaving unrest within Jiang Yingyue as she watched. She couldn''t take it anymore, and rushed past Han Qingshan, into the bathroom, found a towel and stood on her tiptoes to dry his hair.


    Han Qingshan could feel the fire in his body, which had been subdued more than once, start moving as Jiang Yingyue stood in front of him. Her soft and lithe body was almost plastered against his to be able to reach his head.


    She was so focused on drying his hair that she did not notice that Han Qingshan''s eyes turned much deeper. A slight smile flitted across his lips as he raised his arms and dragged Jiang Yingyue closer to him, so close that their bodies were stuck together.


    "Han Qingshan!" she exclaimed in shock, but Han Qingshan completely ignored her as he buried his head in the nape of her neck.


    His hot breath caressed her skin, and a shiver ran through her body. "What are you doing?" she asked, exasperated, unable to contain her shock.


    Han Qingshan''s hands were roaming up and down her back, and he could feel the bandages that were underneath the clothes. His mind was completely clear, and he knew instantly that this person in his arms was a woman.


    His eyes were filled with shock, his heart restless, and he was feeling very confused. He would never have guessed that Jiang Yingyue was a woman, had it not been for the many clues left behind by both his parents, and Jiang Yingyue herself.


    However, Han Qingshan said nothing. Since Jiang Yingyue had decided to live as a man, then he would respect her choice and support her. So what if the world thought he was gay? Now that he knew he wasn''t, he felt a lot of relief.


    The arms that hugged Jiang Yingyue held her even closer as if he wanted to merge their bodies together.


    Jiang Yingyue was squirming in his grip, trying to avoid too much contact between their bodies, but she quickly felt helpless.


    "Han Qingshan, what are you doing?" she asked, trying to suppress the tremble in her voice.


    "Hugging you," Han Qingshan answered honestly, as he tightened the grip around her waist, his head buried even deeper into the nape of her neck, his lips touching her skin now.


    "This is not very suitable, is it?" she could not help but ask, feeling nervous and slightly giddy.


    "It is just you and me here," Han Qingshan answered, "so who cares if it is suitable or not? Also, you already kissed me in front of Yu Xiulan and her manager, but you can''t even handle that I am hugging you now?"


    The more he spoke, the weaker Jiang Yingyue''s knees became. She felt his lips tracing over her skin with each word, and a shudder went through her body.


    Jiang Yingyue was aware that Han Qingshan was quite likely to know of her real gender by now. They were so close, and her body, although bundled up, was still the body of a female.


    She was trembling all over, and although she was scared, she also felt a strange relief in her heart. The psychological stress of having to hide her gender from Han Qingshan would soon be over, but would she be able to continue living her life as she had so far?


    Han Qingshan''s hands continued to touch her back, tracing down her spine and feeling her body, touching her hips, circling her waist; everywhere she was touched she was feeling as if it was electrified and she almost turned into a puddle in his arms.


    "Han... Han Qingshan��" She gasped out his name and was feeling addled again.


    Han Qingshan was in a great mood when he heard her gasp his name. When he saw her dazed and confused eyes his heart melted completely. Unable to control it anymore, he bent over and kissed her lips softly.


    "Do you have something to tell me?" Han Qingshan asked, completely ignoring the fact that he was actually naked, holding the woman in his arms. The frustrating fire from before had vanished and instead was replaced by sweetness and gentleness towards Jiang Yingyue.


    Hearing Han Qingshan''s question, Jiang Yingyue sobered up, and her eyes flashed in a complicated light.


    "You already know, don''t you?" She asked, her face pale, and she could not help but bite her lip slightly because she was far too nervous.


    "I want to hear you say it," he insisted, his hot breath spraying over her face, the minty scent startling Jiang Yingyue.


    Looking down, her hands were wringing the large sweater she was wearing, and she hesitated before muttering with a low voice, "My real name is Jiang Yingyue, I am a woman."


    Han Qingshan had already guessed that she was a woman, but hearing her say it to him, and the fact that she even introduced her real name, made him feel so warm and fluffy inside. She trusted him!


    "Okay, enough," She said with her face so red that Han Qingshan thought blood would drop from it.. "You''re naked, please don''t stick this close to me."

 Chapter 119 - We Should Talk

    It was not before now that Han Qingshan finally realized the fact that he was wearing no clothes, but instead of feeling embarrassed, a sly smile curved on his lips.


    "Well, I guess you aren''t familiar with the male body," he began saying, and Jiang Yingyue breathed a heavy sigh of relief as she heard this, thinking that he would leave her alone. But then he continued, "Why don''t you take this time to look at my body, touch it and familiarize yourself with the male anatomy, since you are pretending to be one?"


    Hearing this, Jiang Yingyue was so shocked that her heart skipped a beat, and she could do nothing apart from watching with horror as he grabbed her slender hand and placed it on his sturdy chest. She could even feel his strong heartbeat underneath the skin.


    "What are you doing? Hooligan!" Jiang Yingyue could finally not handle it anymore, and although she was worried about Han Qingshan, she was too flustered to deal with this rascal.


    Withdrawing her hand and stumbling to her feet, she turned around and ran towards her bedroom where she quickly closed the door behind her, sat down, and placed her hands on her beating chest.


    She knew that she needed to have a serious conversation with Han Qingshan now that he knew that she was a woman, but she was not able to do so when he was naked, wearing only a towel, and teasing her like this.


    It was already very late at night, so all she did was grumble and then she quickly changed her clothes. Since she was already discovered, she also took the bandages off her chest, allowing the jade rabbits to regain their freedom.


    She felt exhausted, and with a last hesitating look at the door, she climbed into bed. Although Han Qingshan had been under the influence of the drugs earlier, she was confident that he was fine now.


    After a good night''s sleep, she awoke from her slumber and felt much more comfortable than she had for a long time since she did not have to have her chest bundled up while sleeping.


    She exited the room, found a lot of bandages, and headed for the bathroom, only to run into Han Qingshan on the way.


    Han Qingshan could not help but look at her, astounded. Although she was still wearing male pajamas, he could see her figure was curvy, her beautiful face was feminine, and the two protruding soft buns on her chest made it impossible to see her as a male.


    It looked more like a woman wearing her boyfriend''s clothes, and the thought alone made Han Qingshan feel sweet.


    "Slept well?" he asked gently as he reached out, and affectionately rubbed her head.


    "I did." Jiang Yingyue nodded her head as she was asked and answered straightforwardly. She had slept so well that she did not feel like waking up at all this morning, but it was time for her to attend University again, so she had no other option than to get out of bed.


    She was not looking at Han Qingshan; she was still half asleep, so she did not notice how he was observing every inch of her body and starting to scold himself. How had he ever been able to see this woman as a man? And even thought himself gay? She was very clearly female, and then it dawned upon him.


    His parents. They had always been referring to her as a daughter-in-law, saying that they supported their relationship, and asked interesting questions about her, that all hinted at her gender.


    He had just been too block-headed even to notice, and now that he did, he understood all the hints that had been there from the beginning. He had only been incapable of putting them together.


    Feeling slightly dumb, he wondered what he could do to convince Jiang Yingyue of going back to being a female again. Not because he wanted her to be a female, but because he was worried about her.


    If his parents had seen through her gender instantly, then what about others? If she was found out to have a fake ID, did it not mean that she would end up in a pickle, especially if the police found out?


    Considering what to do, he decided to call his mother and ask for her assistance later. Although she was quite an interesting character, she was reliable and truly liked Jiang Yingyue. She would help her as much as she could.


    While Han Qingshan was deep in thought, Jiang Yingyue had entered the bathroom, and she had come out looking like a man again. Her breasts were bundled up and the clothes she wore made her seem like a Korean pop star.


    Han Qingshan could not help but marvel at her transformation. That curvy and attractive body was now hidden beneath the layers of clothes. It was impossible to see her real gender unless one knew it, or was extremely observant.


    "I''ll take you to University," Han Qingshan said with a gentle smile on his face. "When we come back from work today, we should have a conversation about this identity crisis you are having,"


    "It''s not an identity crisis," Jiang Yingyue muttered, but she still agreed to his suggestion. They needed to talk, but they could not be late for University.. She had already missed out on a whole lot of lessons from being injured, and now that she was healthy enough, it was time for her to focus entirely on her studies.

 Chapter 120 - Kept As A Pet

    As Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue arrived at the academy, many of the pedestrians and the driving students observed them curiously.


    It was now common knowledge that Han Qingshan had a good relationship with Jiang Yingyue, but as to exactly what their relationship was like, many had developed theories and would make guesses, but no one knew the specifics.


    Jiang Yingyue was seated in the black Porsche together with Han Qingshan, and behind them, in a van, were the bodyguards. Although Jiang Yingyue was allowed back at the University, Han Qingshan still felt worried and ordered the bodyguards to follow her.


    Suddenly, as they drove into the parking lot, a young man jumped in front of the car, his face filled with panic and his movements erratic.


    His sudden appearance caused Han Qingshan to stomp his foot on the brakes, making the car instantly come to a standstill. The young man was unharmed, as he sat down right in front of the car with a vacant expression in his eyes.


    They had not been driving very fast as they were on campus grounds and were just about to find a parking lot, but the sudden braking had caused Jiang Yingyue to be stunned.


    She hurried out of the car to see if the young man was okay, and Han Qingshan followed as well.


    Looking at the young man, Jiang Yingyue felt a little puzzled. She had never seen this young man before, but from his haircut to his clothes and even his demeanor was very similar to her own.


    Han Qingshan went to the man to see if he was okay. "Who do you think you are, driving like a madman on campus?!" the man scolded, his face flushed red from anger, but everyone who observed was dumbfounded.


    Han Qingshan had been driving well; he had not been speeding, nor had he been inattentive. The reason that this accident had happened was definitely because of the young man jumping in front of the car.


    Han Qingshan frowned, and so did Jiang Yingyue. This was weird; she almost had a sense of deja vu while listening to the young man. From his words to his appearance, everything resembled how she had looked during the first time she had encountered Han Qingshan. Was this indeed a coincidence?


    Han Qingshan seemed to be reminded of the same, but where Jiang Yingyue had been in the right back then, this man was clearly causing a fuss without being in the right. This was not admirable but annoying instead.


    "If you feel that we did something wrong, why don''t we go look at the surveillance cameras to see whether or not you were at fault?" Jiang Yingyue suddenly asked before Han Qingshan had the time to say something.


    Hearing this, the expression of the young man turned slightly pale, but he arrogantly raised his chin and looked at Jiang Yingyue with disdain in his eyes.


    "You have no right to talk to me," he said. "You have sold your integrity for money. As a fellow citizen, I cannot look at you without feeling disgusted. There is much more in this world than money, but for the money, you do not mind following another man."


    Jiang Yingyue chuckled when she heard how this man was speaking, something that completely enraged him, but he did not know what to say.


    "I am befriending Han Qingshan for the sake of money?" She asked, as if she had heard the best joke in the world. The young man could not help but feel that there was slight darkness in her voice, the kind of darkness that made one feel fearful.


    However, when one was riding a tiger, it was impossible to jump down, and thus, he had no other choice than to continue his barrage of insults.


    "Yes! If it was not for money, why would you degrade yourself to follow around this young master as a lackey? If it was not for money, why would you allow him to keep you under control, even observing your every move through his bodyguards? You are obviously just a little pet being kept by a rich man, yet you dare to laugh at me? At least I am living freely and doing what I please!"


    Jiang Yingyue shook her head, "If you truly think that I am being kept as a pet, then so be it, but why are you so upset about it? Don''t tell me you are jealous and want to be kept as a pet too? Looking for a rich young master to take you home?"


    The eyes of the man widened in shock, clearly feeling slightly guilty when he heard the words, but the expression only stayed for a short while before he flew into a rage out of embarrassment.


    "Who would want to be kept as a pet?! That''s disgusting and against any man''s dignity. You might have no bottom line and are willing to become a mere pet, but I will never succumb to such a situation!"


    Having said this, the young man turned around and left. He pushed his way through the crowd that had gathered around him and the others, and when he came out of the group, he headed for a location where there was no one present.


    He fished out a phone from his pocket and dialed a number.


    "I did as told," he said, after checking that no one was near him.. "I made sure to intrigue Han Qingshan; he will soon be head over heels for me, and at the same time I tarnished Jiang Fengmian''s reputation, making people think that he is a pet being kept by Han Qingshan."

 Chapter 121 - Greetings From Zhou Yan

    Many had observed the scene that had happened earlier, and Han Qingshan''s mood was foul whenever he thought about how this man referred to Jiang Yingyue as a pet.


    Although he had some thoughts of keeping her for himself, it was not at all as a pet. He wanted her to be his most important person, he wanted her to be his better half, he wanted her to be his wife.


    Unfortunately, he could say nothing as Jiang Yingyue was currently living her life as Jiang Fengmian, and since she preferred to pretend to be a man, he had no right to interfere with her decisions, but his mood turned glum.


    Jiang Yingyue was not in a great mood either. She had never thought of herself as being Han Qingshan''s pet. She knew that Han Qingshan was not the kind of person who would treat others as a pet, but it still struck a chord within her heart. Was this how others saw her? As a gold-digging person who was willing to let go of all her dignity?


    "Fengmian," someone suddenly called out. Both Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue lifted their heads to see who was calling for her, and while her expression turned somewhat awkward, Han Qingshan''s turned chilly.


    In front of them was Zhou Yan. His cold face was somewhat warm when he looked at Jiang Yingyue as he walked over, completely ignoring the crowd of people who were standing by their side, observing everything with wide open eyes and filled with a gossipy nature.


    They knew that Jiang Yingyue was someone Han Qingshan valued, but the common people were unaware of who Zhou Yan was. Thus they were quite shocked when they saw a handsome man appear, calling her name so familiarly, and even more shocking was the hostility that the ever-smiling Han Qingshan was showing.


    "Zhou Yan, what a surprise to see you here," Han Qingshan said through gritted teeth, as he reached out and took Jiang Yingyue''s hand into his own, dragging her to his side and staking his claim with his actions.


    Seeing the actions of Han Qingshan, a cold gleam shone in Zhou Yan''s eyes, but since he saw that Jiang Yingyue said nothing, just blushing faintly, he did not initiate a conversation concerning the inappropriateness of his behavior.


    The people who were present could sense the tension in the air. They could sense that Jiang Yingyue was the one they were fighting for, but something felt wrong with the scene in front of them.


    If it was a female, then they could understand that two men were fighting for her, especially two such outstanding men, but she was, according to everyone''s understanding, a young man.


    The scene was so out of everyone''s expectations that they could not wholly process it in a short amount of time.


    Jiang Yingyue was feeling somewhat embarrassed. She understood people''s expressions rather well, and she could see that Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan were having a standoff.


    She understood that their respective positions in society made them rivals, but there was no reason for them to have such hostility towards one another, unless something had previously happened between them.


    The only thing that could have happened was her. She was not narcissistic, but she understood that the only thing that could have caused this cold war was her.


    Thinking like this, she also felt it was her job to mediate between the two, but she was unsure of what to do or what to say.


    She assumed that their petty jealousy was childlike in nature, that they disliked their rival also being her friend. She would never have guessed that it was due to their wish to possess her completely, not allowing for others to take over her time or person.


    "Zhou Yan, I did not expect to see you here," Jiang Yingyue said with a stiff smile on her face as she allowed for Han Qingshan to hold her hand.


    "I have begun studying in this university," Zhou Yan said with a smile on his face. "We will encounter each other quite often in the future, so you better make sure to greet me when you see me. We are old friends, after all, our past goes way back, and it can''t be measured in such a short time."


    Han Qingshan tightened the grip on Jiang Yingyue''s hands and felt annoyed when he listened to Zhou Yan. Was this annoying person referring to the fact that he had not known her for long? Did he think that his relationship with her was better just because they had known each other as kids?


    "I will make sure to greet you," Han Qingshan was the one who answered before Jiang Yingyue even had the time to say anything, his words were cold, and there was no attempt at hiding his hostility.


    "I don''t need to be greeted by you," Zhou Yan also snapped back at him, not saving his face at all.


    "Jiang Fengmian is my person," Han Qingshan said with a smile on his face, "if he is to greet you, naturally I must do the same."


    Everyone who was watching was holding their breath. This was indeed a clash between titans. Han Qingshan was known by all in the entire country, and they knew his might, so the other person also had to have some backing to dare face off against him. Either that, or he was incredibly dumb.


    Looking at his handsome and cold face, there was no way he was dumb.

 Chapter 122 - Charity Auction

    Jiang Yingyue decided to stay quiet. She was not going to involve herself in their display of superiority, and she just bit her lower lip slightly, filled with reluctance, wishing she could make her friends get along better.


    Zhou Yan was a good friend from her childhood, and although they had not seen each other for nine years, they were now reunited and were able to become friends again.


    Han Qingshan was the most important person in Jiang Yingyue''s heart. He had treated her exceptionally well from the beginning, making her understand what warmth felt like again, a warmth that she could not get from her parents.


    "Oh, look at the time!" Jiang Yingyue said as she saw that Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan were about to begin another round of showing off, and she quickly escaped Han Qingshan''s hand that was holding her.


    "It is time for lectures to start shortly, I better get going, and so do the two of you."


    Having said this, Jiang Yingyue did not look behind her but turned around and rushed towards her faculty, not willing to stay for even a moment longer as the atmosphere was simply too explosive.


    Zhou Yan and Han Qingshan both looked at her running away with flustered steps, and then they looked at one another.


    "He will never be yours," Zhou Yan said seriously. His eyes were cold, and his mouth was curled up into a sneer.


    "He has some secrets you will never know about, and this will determine who will get him in the end."


    "You mean Yingyue?" Han Qingshan asked with a snicker, his face turning menacing. "I know about her," he continued. Although no one who was standing around them knew who this Yingyue was, Zhou Yan''s pupils abruptly shrank, his anger rising to indescribable levels.


    "You do not deserve to say her name!" he growled, before he too turned around and left.


    Seeing that Zhou Yan was leaving, and that moments after Han Qingshan also left, the audience also vacated the parking lot. But all of them felt that they had gotten a lot of gossip, and soon the university forum was bombarded with threads about the love triangle between the new student, Jiang Yingyue, and Han Qingshan.


    The main characters were not even inclined to check the forum out. Instead, they were busy focusing on their lectures, all of them being proper and serious students.


    During the lunch break, Jiang Yingyue found a small place to sit and consume her lunchbox, trying her best to lower her presence, hoping that no one would find her.


    She had just sat down behind a large oak tree when her phone buzzed, and she saw a WeChat message from Han Qingshan of his lunchbox and a thank you emote.


    Although Han Qingshan usually bought lunch in the cafeteria, this had changed after Jiang Yingyue moved in. Now he had nutritious lunchboxes made with love every day.


    Receiving the message, Jiang Yingyue smiled sweetly before she dug into her meal. After a bit of time, she returned to the classroom, where she found that there was still some time before the next lecture was scheduled to begin. Thus she was idly chatting with the bodyguards that were still following her everywhere.


    While Jiang Yingyue was busy talking with the bodyguards, Han Qingshan found an empty place and picked up his phone, dialed his mother''s number, and called her.


    "Qingshan? What is wrong?" The absentminded voice sounded on the other end of the phone after it had rung a few times.


    "I realized her gender," he said with a heavy voice filled with helplessness, but his heaviness was greeted with a chuckle from his mother. "Took you long enough," was her only reply, not at all trying to make him feel better.


    A brief moment of silence appeared on both ends of the phone call before Yan Meilin finally cleared her throat and became serious. "What do you plan on doing now?"


    "I will make her mine," he said with determination, "I did not care that she lived as a man before, and even more so now that I know that she is a woman. She can only be mine!"


    As she heard this, Yan Meilin cheered silently in her heart. Her son was finally starting to become interested in the opposite gender!


    "Well then, why not convince her to do you a giant favor next week?" Yan Meilin asked, her face filled with excitement; she clearly had a plan. Hearing her like this, Han Qingshan felt a shiver run down his spine, but he still asked her, "What is your plan?"


    "Well, the big charity auction is taking place next week, right?" Yan Meilin asked. Han Qingshan was suddenly reminded of this, but he could not help but frown.


    "What does that have to do with us?" he asked, puzzled. "I rarely attend the charity auction which you and father attend every year."


    "Why not convince her to be your female companion and go to the party with her? I will deal with her appearance, make a dress for her, personally style her, and do her make-up.


    "I can promise that no one will guess her real identity, but at the same time, you can show off your affections for one another. Not to mention, you will also be able to kill the rumors about you being gay."


    The more Han Qingshan heard, the more excited he became, but he could not help but feel a little helpless.. Although he would be more than ecstatic to spend a day with Jiang Yingyue as the woman she was, he would not want to force her to do something she did not want to do.

 Chapter 123 - Entering The Han Estate

    "How do I convince her, though?" Han Qingshan could not help sighing, but Yan Meilin just laughed out loud.


    "Come to the house after university ends today. Make sure to bring Jiang Yingyue along," she said with a mysterious tone in her voice. "I will convince her."


    Han Qingshan was a little hesitant, but he seemed to be tempted by the thought of having her as a woman by his side and being able to stake his claim on her, so he quickly made a decision. "We''ll come after the final lecture is over and we''ll stay for dinner, so make sure to have something delicious waiting for us at home."


    After finishing the phone call with his mother, Han Qingshan was in a great mood. He had managed to win against Zhou Yan in a verbal spar earlier that day, he was living together with the woman he fancied, and he was going to be able to see her dress as a woman soon. He would be able to take her out to show the world that she was his.


    Han Qingshan was calm and collected, but everyone could sense that his mood was much better than usual. They could not help but wonder what exactly was happening to him, but no one dared to ask.


    The day was ending and the sun was setting when Jiang Yingyue finally emerged from the library. She had an assignment that needed her attention, and thus she had finished her day later than Han Qingshan; however, he had been waiting patiently for her, while working on some paperwork he had brought with him.


    "Are we going to the office now?" Jiang Yingyue asked confusedly when she saw the pleased smile on Han Qingshan''s face, but he just shook his head.


    "I''m bringing you somewhere else," he said, and gestured for her to enter the car.


    Feeling puzzled as to what was happening, Jiang Yingyue entered the car, and soon they took to the busy roads of the capital. Han Qingshan drove in the opposite direction of the office, and they soon reached the Golden River district, the most upscale area in the entire city, and also the most expensive one.


    There were guards stationed outside the gates to the district, ensuring that only guests or residents could enter. When the guards saw the black Porsche of Han Qingshan, they opened the gates and allowed him to enter without even stopping him. It was clear that he came here often and Jiang Yingyue was even more puzzled as to what was going on.


    "My mother has something important to talk with you about today." Han Qingshan finally felt it was time for him to warn her and prepare her slightly. His mother was a fountain of energy, and she tended to be a bit overwhelming when she was excited about something.


    "I have to tell you though, my father and mother already know your real gender. I did not tell them about it; they guessed it on their own."


    Hearing this, Jiang Yingyue''s eyes flashed with panic. How could she possibly meet his mother again? Although she had been friendly towards her before, she had intimidated her greatly with her personality. And to meet her again on her own home turf was frightening.


    Seeing Jiang Yingyue''s panicked expression, Han Qingshan reached out his hand and gently patted her head. "Don''t worry," he assured her, "Mother is a good person. She will not cause you problems."


    Feeling the big hand gently caressing her head, Jiang Yingyue felt calmer, and her heartbeat returned to a normal pace.


    Looking at her like this, Han Qingshan smiled, before retracting his hand. They soon drove up to a massive Spanish-style mansion that seemed to be able to house hundreds of people - the Han mansion.


    Although Jiang Yingyue was feeling slightly apprehensive, they had already arrived, so there was no point in trying to turn around. Even if she did, there was no way she could walk back to the condo, so her only option was to follow Han Qingshan inside.


    Her heart quickly calmed down, and although her palms had been sweaty earlier from nervousness, she was now much calmer.


    Together they made their way up to the front door which was quickly opened by the housekeeper.


    "Welcome home Young Master Shan, welcome Mister Jiang!"


    The people in the house had not been enlightened to her real gender, and they all assumed she was a man. However, no one dared to show her any disrespect. They had, from the online rumors, understood that Han Qingshan treated her differently, and they had also heard many praising words about her from Yan Meilin and Han Guiying. It was only proper to treat her with due respect.


    Han Qingshan reached out and took her hand, directly dragging her into the mansion after seeing her staring with wide open eyes at the lavish mansion. Her expression was one filled with disbelief.


    The vases on the ground were magnificent, and the floor was made from marble. Walking on it she truly worried if she would stain it or something like that, but Han Qingshan just chuckled and dragged her towards a set of grand stairs that were in front of them, leading them towards the upper floors.


    "Mother is likely to be waiting for us in her atelier," he said with a smile on his face, "so let us head towards her. I am sure she also asked the maids to prepare some light snacks for you since I doubt you have eaten anything since you had your lunch box a few hours ago."


    Han Qingshan had a novel feeling of bringing his future bride home to see his family, and a small smile tugged on his lips as he gently led Jiang Yingyue towards the atelier by the hand.

 Chapter 124 - Female Companion

    They walked through long corridors and hallways; everything was grand and had an atmosphere of overwhelming riches.


    After walking for some time, they finally reached a door at the back of the mansion, leading into the atelier where an entire wall was a window, allowing for a lot of sunshine to enter the room.


    Inside, Yan Meilin was seated on a small chair in front of a working table; her hands were adding pins into a piece of clothing, clearly getting ready to sew it.


    When she heard the door open, she gently placed the fabric in her hands down on the table and turned around.


    She smiled gently, and her eyes paused on the two hands that held each other, her smile deepening slightly.


    "Welcome, welcome my dears!" she said as she stood up and went over, hugging Jiang Yingyue, completely ignoring her own son.


    "Qingshan, go to the kitchen and prepare some snacks with the chefs, I need to talk with Jiang Fengmian." She turned around and looked towards her son, urging him to leave as soon as possible.


    Han Qingshan was aware of her plan to convince Jiang Yingyue to become his female companion at the charity auction. So since this was the case, he released her hand and patted her head. "Spend some time with Mother," he said with a gentle voice, "I will come back in a bit. Don''t be scared of her; she will do nothing to harm you."


    Hearing this, Jiang Yingyue was a bit more relaxed, but it was still somewhat awkward for her to suddenly be alone with his mother. What if she started asking strange questions?


    Also, Jiang Yingyue was worried that after knowing she was a woman, they might have some other impression of her. She was completely unaware that the parents knew from the very start that her gender was that of a female.


    "Don''t be scared." Yan Meilin moved towards Jiang Yingyue and dragged out two chairs next to another table. "Come sit down, I need to talk with you about something important."


    Jiang Yingyue was puzzled. What important thing could they need to talk about? They hardly knew each other.


    Still, she dared not be respectless and quickly sat down, looking at her with a curious demeanor.


    "I don''t know what you think about Qingshan, but I have never seen him so set on someone before, he truly cares a great deal about you." Yan Meilin began talking as she sat down. "He is willing to give you all the best, but he would never ask you to suffer. However, I wonder if you are willing to do something for him as well?"


    Jiang Yingyue was puzzled and her brows furrowed in confusion. If she could help him, should he not ask her for it? Why was it Yan Meilin bringing up the subject?


    Sensing her confusion, Yan Meilin smiled and shook her head in defeat. "Qingshan will never ask you," she admitted. "He would never want to put you in a tight spot, so he would rather suffer alone than ask you to help him out."


    Jiang Yingyue remained silent. She knew that what Yan Meilin said was correct, Han Qingshan would never ask her of something that might trouble her, so this was the only way.


    Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Yan Meilin, "What can I do to help him?" she asked, feeling slightly excited. He had already done so much for her, so it was only natural that she should do something for him as well.


    "You know he is the CEO of Imperial World," she began, "so he has to participate in quite a few social gatherings. At these gatherings, you are expected to bring a female companion, but because he does not wish to give any woman a wrong impression of their relationship, he just stays away."


    "However, in two weeks is the yearly Charity Auction, the biggest of them all, and it is a place where crouching tigers and hidden dragons appear. It is a place where everyone tries to show off their might, make connections, and also donate to charity."


    "Not going is a great loss, and it even reflects on the stocks of Imperial World. Unfortunately, he has no one to go with, and he is very stubborn." Yan Meilin sighed and shook her head.


    "So this is where you come in, why don''t you dress as the woman you are, and accompany him? I will help you with the styling, the clothes, the makeup, and even find a wig for you. No one will notice it is you, and I will guarantee that you will have a good time."


    Jiang Yingyue was stunned. What kept repeating in her mind was female clothes. Female companion. Female clothes and female companion.


    Although she was willing to do everything for Han Qingshan, this was something she was apprehensive about. But after considering what he had sacrificed for her, considering that people now believed he was a gay man because of her, this was the least she could do for him.


    Clenching her fists, she nodded her head, a serious expression on her face. "I will do it," she said thoughtfully, and Yan Meilin was very surprised. Was it this simple to convince her? Han Qingshan meant more to this young woman than what she had initially expected.


    Yan Meilin snickered happily.. Ah, how wonderful it was that her son had found himself a little wife, and she was clearly as head over heels for him, as he was for her.

 Chapter 125 - What Happened?

    "Oh, how wonderful!" Yan Meilin was ecstatic, and she rapidly rose from her chair and went towards her working table, where she found a measuring tape.


    "Take your bandages off behind the screen," Yan Meilin said, and Jiang Yingyue, who had already decided to help, had no other option than to move behind the screen and remove the bandages around her chest.


    "Stand on this podium," she ordered Jiang Yingyue, who was surprised but quickly did as she was told.


    She stood on the podium, and Yan Meilin fussed around her, taking her measurements, while giving her compliments, "Your legs are so long and slender, we need to highlight them."


    "What a nice figure you have, we have to display it,"


    "Your shoulder blades are attractive. Oh, it would be perfect if you could go nude."


    "Madam!" Jiang Yingyue was horrified, but Yan Meilin just waved her hand. "Don''t worry, I will make sure you look elegant, magnificent, and in no way scampy or cheap."


    Jiang Yingyue had no experience dressing as a woman, so she stood still like a doll, allowing for Yan Meilin to do whatever she wanted.


    Soon she was coming with a large quantity of fabrics. Some were red with golden embroideries of dragons, another was white with silver embroideries of clouds.


    These fabrics were made of the most beautiful silk, and she dared not even touch them out of fear that she would spoil them. But Yan Meilin seemed not to care as she draped one on each shoulder while stepping away, contemplating which one to go with.


    "The red and golden surely gives you the feel of a demoness, a seductress that can ruin cities," Yan Meilin mumbled to herself as she paced around her looking at all the options she had.


    "The white and silver one makes you seem like an otherworldly fairy that has descended to the mundane world. To pick between the two is going to be very difficult."


    At that time, a voice came from the door, a voice that was faintly familiar to Jiang Yingyue, but as she was standing with her back to the door, she could not see who it was.


    "Why not make one of each?" the voice asked. "She is likely to be dressed as a woman at other times too, and then she would have something to wear."


    "Darling what a brilliant idea!" Yan Meilin exclaimed as she clasped her hands.


    Hearing Yan Meilin referred to the man as darling, Jiang Yingyue instantly recognized the voice as belonging to Han Liqiang, Han Qingshan''s father.


    "Welcome to our home," he said towards Jiang Yingyue who was feeling quite uncomfortable. The whole family was back, but she did not know exactly what she should say. She was nervous.


    "Oh right, Fengmian dear, what is your real name?" Yan Meilin asked casually, as if she wondered what tea she wanted to drink, and Jiang Yingyue''s lips twitched by how easily they said it.


    "Jiang Yingyue." She decided to be honest with them and tell them the truth. She was aware that these people would do nothing to her for the sake of Han Qingshan, so she might as well be honest with them.


    "What a beautiful name!" Yan Meilin said with a nod of her head while she continued busying herself with the dress as if it was a normal subject that did not require too much attention.


    "Okay, I am done." Yan Meilin wrapped up her measuring tape and placed it on the table along with the piece of paper on which she had written down all Jiang Yingyue''s measurements.


    Just as Yan Meilin withdrew, Han Qingshan entered the room. "The chef has finished cooking the meal, why don''t we all enjoy it together?" He did not seem particularly surprised to see his father there.


    "What a brilliant idea, then Yingyue can tell us your story!" Yan Meilin said. Again, her words were so straightforward that Jiang Yingyue started wondering how exactly she had managed to be viewed as a national treasure designer.


    "Mother, don''t pressure her," Han Qingshan said, as he walked over to her side, removed the fabric that was strewn upon her body, and helped her down from the podium.


    As she was back on the ground, he kept her hand in his, not willing to let go as he led her towards the dining room.


    Here, he placed Jiang Yingyue by his side and looked at her with happiness as he saw her eyes open wide in surprise. There was a massive feast in front of her; a feast filled with traditional food, but there was a minimum of twenty dishes. It would be impossible to finish it all, even tasting it all would become difficult.


    Han Qingshan sat on one side of Jiang Yingyue, and Yan Meilin rapidly sat down on the other.


    Both Han Qingshan and Yan Meilin hurried to place food on her plate, making sure that she would in no way starve.


    "Try this dear," Yan Meilin said, as she placed a sticky pork rib on her plate.


    "Don''t forget to try this," Han Qingshan said, as he placed sauteed vegetables on the plate as well.


    Han Liqiang was seated alone on the other side of the table, but instead of feeling left out, a chuckle escaped his lips as he shook his head. His son and wife were too excited, Jiang Yingyue was being drowned in their goodwill.


    "Let her relax a little, and let us hear her story," Han Liqiang said with a friendly smile to Jiang Yingyue. He was interested as to what could have happened that would cause a young woman to give up her life as a female and live as a man instead.


    Jiang Yingyue paused for a moment before she picked the napkin, wiped her mouth, and began explaining what exactly had happened to her in the past.

 Chapter 126 - The Past

    "I was born in a small village together with my twin brother Jiang Fengmian," Jiang Yingyue began explaining. "Already on the day we were born, there were specific problems with his body. The doctors did not think he would be able to survive at all.


    "A miracle happened, and he survived. He was my everything, my rock, my confidant. But he was pitiful. He was spending all his time in the hospital or at home in bed. He never managed to leave for the outside world, and all he knew about it was from what I told him.


    "We were inseparable. I spent my spare time together with him whenever I was not training. He could not sleep unless I slept by his side, and without his words to guide me, I could never get through the day.


    "One day, when it was our ninth birthday, he caught a virus. He was weaker than usual, and he refused to let me see him in such a fragile state. Yet when I returned home from school, I was informed that he had not managed to survive, that the virus had claimed his life.


    "I could not manage to keep a clear mind. I was being eroded by the grief and sadness. It felt as if someone had pulled out half of my soul." Jiang Yingyue sighed as she thought back to it. Even now, she would feel uncomfortable whenever she thought about how she had lost Jiang Fengmian.


    "I could not cope with the loss, and my family was incapable of bringing me back up. That''s when I decided that since Jiang Fengmian had died, I would never allow the world to forget him. I would make his memory live on forever by living his life.


    "Unfortunately, things were not that easy. We sold our family home, bought fake ID''s, and moved to the capital. But because of the fake IDs we could not do anything that might catch attention, so my parents were unable to use their credentials and educational degrees as they were in another name, only taking jobs that required no diplomas.


    "It is also my problem right now," she could not help but sigh slightly as she thought about it, "I have been living as Jiang Fengmian for the last nine years. All my results and grades are in the name of Jiang Fengmian. I am nothing as Jiang Yingyue. It is like riding a tiger; you cannot dismount before the ride is over."


    Han Liqiang pondered for a moment, but he already had various solutions in mind. Unfortunately, this was his son''s problem, so he would let Han Qingshan deal with it.


    "I can help you regain everything you have," Han Qingshan also had some solutions. "But it will require you to redo the first year of university."


    Jiang Yingyue thought about it. Sacrificing one year for the sake of returning to the life of a woman was not a big deal, primarily since she had now understood many things.


    "But do you not feel guilty towards Fengmian anymore?" Yan Meilin asked. Her eyes were clear and bright, but a cunning light shone deep within. She wanted to hear the answer to this question.


    "I do feel guilty towards Fengmian," Jiang Yingyue said with a nod of her head, "but not because I can''t continue to live life as him. I feel guilty because I forced our family away from him, I even took away what should have been his life. They were not there to look after his tomb, they have never gone back because of me. This, I am incredibly guilty about."


    "I know my brother well. He would never have wanted me to take over his life, but I could not cope with the sadness and made a rash decision. Now that my parents have returned to their original identities, and moved back home, it is time for me to do the same."


    "You plan on moving back?" Han Qingshan suddenly got worried; his heart began hurting, but fortunately, Jiang Yingyue shook her head. "I will stay in the capital," she promised.


    "I am a woman, so I should find somewhere to live; it might not be suitable staying with you, but I hope I can retain my job as your assistant."


    "Living with me is no problem," Han Qingshan quickly said. "It is just like cohabitating with friends! We have our individual rooms, so there is no problem. It is not like we have to share a room."


    Jiang Yingyue thought about it for some time before she hesitantly nodded her head. "Okay," she said after thinking it through, "I don''t have anywhere else to go anyway."


    She had already put up her parent''s house for sale, so she could not return there, and she did not have money to buy another place; also, as she had not been given her first paycheck yet, she did not have money to rent anything either.


    "But how do you plan on letting me return to the university next year as myself?" Jiang Yingyue asked, confused. But Han Qingshan just patted her head. "Just trust in me," he said with a gentle smile on his face, and she could only nod her head.


    After they finished eating, Han Qingshan took Jiang Yingyue out to the car and drove back to the condo. They did not go to the office at all that day.. Instead, Han Qingshan had ordered a whole lot of female clothes after seeing Jiang Yingyue''s sizes in his mother''s atelier, and they all arrived later that night.

 Chapter 127 - Stay By His Side

    "Yingyue, tomorrow you should go and drop out of university," Han Qingshan said, "Mother is going to find a wig for you to use, and then you should slowly get used to being a woman again."


    Han Qingshan did not force her. Instead, he found the clothes and handed them over to Jiang Yingyue, gesturing for her to move into the bedroom with them.


    As she placed them in her closet, she could not help but feel a slight anticipation in her heart.


    She had long since understood that it was not a viable situation to continue living as Jiang Fengmian, but she had been helpless. She had not been able to regain her grades or chase her dream if she had changed her identity back, so she had to stay in a dangerous situation.


    But now she had met Han Qingshan, and she could not help but feel excited. He had, at first, arrived as the villain, causing her problems, and made her upset. But after she got to know him, he had become her knight in shining armor.


    She looked at the clothes he had bought for her. There were clothes in all styles, and all of it would fit her perfectly. There were evening gowns, casual wear, and even regular outfits to wear outside.


    She was tempted to start wearing them already, trying them out, and looking at herself in female clothes in the mirror. But she withstood the urge and shook her head as she gently placed them in the closet.


    She was not going to transform back into a woman before she had handed over her resignation at the university.


    Han Qingshan was quite curious as to whether or not she was trying out the clothes in the room, but he knew better than to open the door and check it out. If she was truly changing clothes, then she deserved some privacy, but if she wasn''t, it would be awkward.


    Jiang Yingyue finished placing the clothes in the closet and then she went to the bathroom. Her body was now feeling much better than before; her wound had started to heal up nicely. Also, the stitches were about to be removed in a few days; she had healed so much that she was not even troubled by the wound any longer.


    Unfortunately, she was quite sure that there would be a glaring scar just above her hips in the future. She did not mind it too much. It was in a place where people would not see it, so she felt quite relaxed about the whole thing.


    After washing up, Jiang Yingyue headed to sleep. She could hear Han Qingshan speaking in the study, so she did not trouble him. She guessed that he was busy with a meeting.


    After laying down in the bed, she thought about what she had experienced today. She also started contemplating her own emotions.


    She had long been feeling guilty towards Jiang Fengmian because she knew that he would never have approved of the way she was currently living. She knew that she had been selfish, swallowed up in her grief and her inability to manage the loss she had experienced.


    But now she had found a way out of this darkness. She trusted Han Qingshan completely. So when he promised to help her, she did not doubt that he would indeed help her return to her own life.


    Thinking like this, her heart could not help but flutter slightly. Han Qingshan had become increasingly important to her. In fact, he was so important that she could hardly explain how much he meant to her.


    She had known for a long time that her relationship with Han Qingshan was not simple, but she could not help but wonder what she wanted from him.


    She had no doubt that she had fallen in love, but was this just a temporary crush or was it true love? She wasn''t sure if there was even a point in trying to differentiate between them, as she was not sure if she should act on her emotions.


    She understood that they were worlds apart. Usually, she never felt ashamed or frustrated over her background, but now she realized that she was not good enough for the man she loved.


    It was harsh to accept, and to acknowledge it was even harder. Her eyes started to sting, and her heart was aching. But she slowly bit her lower lip, forced the tears in her eyes back, and took a deep breath.


    Since she was currently Han Qingshan''s friend, she would stay as his friend. She would forever be close to him and support him from the side with anything she could. Even if she could not have him, she would never leave him. But she felt that her heart was breaking whenever she thought about how he would one day marry one of the socialites.


    Her heart was already feeling as if it would be torn apart when thinking about it, but she knew that there was no other option. Although Han Qingshan had kissed her before, Jiang Yingyue was not stupid enough to believe that he fancied her.


    The first time, he let her kiss him for the sake of getting rid of Yu Xiulan, and the second time was when he had been under the influence of the aphrodisiac.


    She was still unaware that Han Qingshan previously snuck into her bedroom and kissed her while she was asleep.


    She wanted the best for Han Qingshan, so she decided just to enjoy the time she had with him now, and hopefully, he would allow her to stay by his side in the future.

 Chapter 128 - Dropping Out

    The following morning, Jiang Yingyue woke up, dressed as Jiang Fengmian as usual, and headed to the university.


    Here, she went straight to the office where she was greeted by the secretary. "What can I do for you?" she asked with a pleasant voice. After what had happened last time, no one dared cause problems for Jiang Yingyue. Everyone had heard that the professor who had suspended her had recently been beaten half to death.


    As to whether or not he had insulted someone else, they did not know, but it was a warning to all that Jiang Yingyue was a special person, one that no one could touch.


    "I am here to drop out of university," Jiang Yingyue said with her calm and collected voice, as if she was discussing the weather.


    The secretary was stumped when she heard what she said, had they done something wrong?


    "You wish to drop out?" she repeated the answer, and Jiang Yingyue nodded her head. "Yes," she said determinedly. She had decided to trust in Han Qingshan, and since he said he had a way to make her appear in university as herself, then she would never regret the decision she was making right now.


    "Does Young Master Shan know about this?" the secretary could not help but ask, and her question made Jiang Yingyue burst out in laughter. It seemed she was indeed treated differently because of her friendship with Han Qingshan.


    "Don''t worry, he is aware of it and supports me," Jiang Yingyue said and smiled at the secretary, who quickly nodded her head and approved of the procedures for withdrawing from university.


    She had been inside the office for a mere half hour, and then she was no longer a student at the university. She could not help but feel a slight sense of unease, but she quickly bounced back, feeling excited about the future.


    Han Qingshan was currently in a lecture, so Jiang Yingyue left the campus on her own. She had no money; all she had was her credit card, but she was not willing to spend any money from it.


    She walked towards a park that was not far away from the university and found a bench to sit down on.


    She picked up her phone and started texting with her parents. They were going to be moving in a few days, back to their old home, and she was planning on going to say her goodbyes to them later that day.


    She was browsing the internet and found that the news about Imperial World and the Starry Sky Entertainment Agency were starting to die out. Instead, there were mentions of random things such as online gaming tournaments, the charity event that she was invited to, and different situations that had happened in the last few days.


    Jiang Yingyue did not pay much attention to them and sighed. She leaned back against the bench and closed her eyes for a moment.


    "Excuse me, young man," suddenly a voice sounded from next to her, and she opened her eyes, seeing a middle-aged man standing by her side.


    He was wearing a set of golden glasses, his hair was cut short, and he was in a black suit. A confident smile hung on his lips.


    "Hello," Jiang Yingyue greeted him with a nod of her head, but she was not too interested in him.


    "I was wondering if you would be interested in becoming a celebrity?" the man asked out of nowhere, as he rummaged through his pocket and found a business card.


    "I am a manager. I am currently looking for youngsters who are interested in becoming idols. If you can''t sing, then you can act. With your appearance, you will make it big."


    Jiang Yingyue smiled wryly and shook her head, "No, thank you," she said seriously.


    "Don''t say no before you hear what I have to say," he continued, but Jiang Yingyue stood up from the bench. "I am not interested," she said with a stern voice, but the man was not willing to let go.


    He felt that he had been slapped across the face when someone dared to decline his invitation.


    His smiling face stiffened, as he leaned forward and tried to grab ahold of Jiang Yingyue''s collar. Fortunately, she had been prepared. In the moment his face turned stiff, she had known that he was not willing to give up, and she narrowly escaped his grasp.


    "Sorry mister, I am not available to join any entertainment agency. I already have a job, and I am very pleased with it."


    The man was even more enraged after hearing the words of Jiang Yingyue, but their exchange was not done with low voices, and many of the people walking around had noticed that something was happening, gathering around, and observed as if watching a play.


    Jiang Yingyue noticed that no one was willing to step out for her, but having them all surrounding her was in itself a kind of protection, as everyone was watching his behavior, pointing at him and laughing at him.


    "It is your loss then!" the man sneered as he turned around, pushed his way through the crowd and left the park, letting the crowd slowly disperse.


    Jiang Yingyue was certain that this would be a one time encounter, but life had proven to be unexpected, and this manager was going to appear in front of her time and time again.

 Chapter 129 - Farewell

    Jiang Yinyue waited for a few hours before Han Qingshan''s lectures were over for the day. She was waiting for this time, but she was nervous.


    "Han Qingshan," she called out as soon as they sat down in the car, "I am a little worried and scared," she admitted.


    "What if I get recognized by the people of Imperial World? Would they not make it difficult for me?"


    Hearing this Han Qingshan chuckled. "What can they do? Just get rid of your fake ID right away, and they have no proof that you are the same person as long as you deny it."


    Jiang Yingyue thought about it and realized that it was actually true. Even if people knew that she was Jiang Fengmian, without proof, there was nothing they could do.


    Thinking like this, she realized that action was better than thought. She picked up a pair of scissors from her backpack and her fake ID and started cutting it into pieces and dumping the shards in her bag so she could incinerate them later.


    It was as if a heavy stone, that had been pressing on her shoulders, suddenly vanished. She felt light and free. Her heart was fluttering with happiness.


    Seeing the genuine and happy smile on Jiang Yingyue''s face, Han Qingshan also smiled. "I will drive you to your parents," he said. "Say your farewell to them, and then I will fetch you when I am done with my work at the office."


    Jiang Yingyue nodded her head and accepted the suggestion. She had been missing her parents after not having seen them for some time, so she was not going to complain over getting one day off.


    When she was at home, she saw her parents looking at her with worry in their eyes. Having not seen them for some time, she noticed that they were no longer as young as they had once been.


    Her father''s hair was starting to turn grey, and her mother had wrinkles around her eyes. It was clear that the life they had lived was harsh, and it had taken a significant toll on their vitality.


    "Go back home," Jiang Yingyue said as she hugged her parents. "Go back and look after Fengmian''s tomb. Tell him that I am sorry for having been selfish all these years, I will return to the life of Jiang Yingyue."


    Hearing this, tears welled up in the eyes of Xun Huiyin, but she forced them back as she nodded her head and hugged her daughter.


    Jiang Wei was also emotional. He did not know how to deal with the situation, so he just stood by the side with a slight smile on his lips. As a father, he should be against any man who came too close to his daughter, but Han Qingshan had managed to loosen the knot in her heart, while at the same time allowing her to return to her own life.


    He felt they owed Han Qingshan a lot, but he would not force his daughter to be with him if she did not like him. Thinking about it, he could only sigh and leave it in the hands of the two youngsters.


    Jiang Yingyue was unaware of her father''s thoughts. If she had known, she would become bashful and unable to reply, as she was clear about her own emotions, but she was unsure about Han Qingshan''s.


    "Little Yue, we are leaving tomorrow," Jiang Wei said. "We have signed over the house to Han Qingshan, and we have nothing more holding us back. We have gotten rid of our fake IDs, and I suggest you do the same soon. Live life with your head held high, and if the life in the capital is not suitable for you, then come back to us. I am sure Fengmian would be happy to see you again."


    Jiang Yingyue''s eyes turned red, and she nodded her head. She felt that her heart was being torn in two, one part of her wanted to go home, another wanted to stay with Han Qingshan.


    Sensing her indecisiveness, Xun Huiyin smiled and patted her arm. "Keep Han Qingshan company," she said with a smile on her face. "He has done so much for us already; the least you can do for him is to look after him."


    Jiang Yingyue nodded her head. This was just a temporary goodbye. Her parents were moving back home, and if she ever missed them, then she could always return and visit them.


    Like this, Jiang Yingyue spent the day with her parents, and when evening came, Han Qingshan was there to pick her up. The day was over, and the following morning, they would be leaving.


    Han Qingshan could sense the slight sadness in Jiang Yingyue, and on the way back to the condo it was completely quiet; no one spoke a single word.


    As they reached the condo, Jiang Yingyue saw that there was a wig placed on the table. The wig was long, the hair went down to her waist. It was straight and black, very traditional looking.


    Looking at it, some of her sadness vanished. She hurried into her bedroom with the wig in her hands, closing the door behind her, not even giving a second glance at Han Qingshan.


    Seeing her rushing in like that, he chuckled and went into his own room to change into some casual wear.


    It would be just perfect if he could enter the room just as she had finished dressing as a woman.

 Chapter 130 - Female Clothes

    Jiang Yingyue hid in her room and sat on the bed, her hands touching the soft and natural wig in her hands she was unsure of what exactly to do with it.


    She had not seen herself in female clothes for the past nine years; she had not dared to wear them at all, so she was quite worried.


    When she had put her new clothes into the closet, she had seen that he had been so polite and even bought her lingerie, and her face flushed red as she looked at it.


    She could not imagine what he had thought when buying it, but she had already cut her fake ID into pieces. It was no longer possible to be used. She was a woman through and through now.


    It was already late, so there was no time for them to leave the condo again. Since it was late, she was likely going to sleep right after washing up. She had spent too long with her parents that day, and now it was time for her to return to the life of a woman.


    Since this was the case, she picked a set of white lingerie with pink laces and a nightgown before heading to the bathroom.


    Her heart was beating rapidly as she went towards the bathroom. She felt anticipation and excitement.


    The nightgown was made from white silk. It was fitted on her bosom, but the skirt was a wide A-line dress, flowing around her legs.


    She washed up and changed into the dress. When she looked in the mirror, she was stunned.


    Although she had a boyish haircut, there was nothing about her that seemed boyish.


    Her body was so curvaceous that she was stunned. It was much more attractive than she had thought, and although she believed that the nightgown was rather conservative, she looked like a seductress while wearing it. It was highlighting her figure far too much, and she was suddenly very self-conscious.


    She could not help but wonder what Han Qingshan would think when he saw her like this, and her cheeks turned red. She felt a slight confusion as to whether or not she wanted him to actually see her like this.


    After considering for a bit of time, she realized that she had no other option. She had brought no other clothes with her in the bathroom, apart from the dirty clothes, and she had just washed so wearing dirty clothes was not even an option.


    In the end, she sighed and opened the door. She exited the bathroom and got ready to rush towards her room.


    Unfortunately, she was not looking around and ended up walking straight into the arms of Han Qingshan.


    Han Qingshan had been walking towards the sitting room from the office, and when he saw the door to the bathroom open, he waited to see Jiang Yingyue in her female clothes.


    Who would have thought that she''d be walking with her head held down, not noticing him there, and walking straight into his arms?


    The only thing Han Qingshan felt was the soft and fragrant body colliding into his arms, and out of reflex, his arms tightened around her body, dragging her against his chest.


    It was not the first time he hugged her, but usually, when he did, she would have her chest bundled up. Now he could feel her soft breasts pressing against his body, and his blood began to become restless.


    Jiang Yingyue was shocked, and she felt slightly embarrassed, but she did nothing to get out of the embrace. She was nervous, but sweetness was in her heart when she felt the strong arms hooked around her waist, pressing her against his chest.


    She could not help but take her own arms and wrap them around Han Qingshan''s waist. Her cheek and head were resting on his chest, and she was feeling blissful. If time could stand still, then she would be happy.


    Feeling her return his embrace, he felt ecstatic and tightened his grasp. They felt their hearts grow closer, and Jiang Yingyue closed her eyes. All the nervousness of having Han Qingshan seeing her in female clothes was gone. Instead, only comfort was left in her entire being.


    Han Qingshan was not satisfied with just having her in his arms. He wanted more of her. Unfortunately, he knew that he had to be careful and not pressure her, but sensing her arms wrapping around his waist, he was quite confident that their emotions were mutual.


    He looked down at the woman in his embrace and released her with one arm. The hand lifted her chin, making Jiang Yingyue look up at him.


    Her eyes were like the starry sky. They were so beautiful that he almost lost his breath looking into them.


    Han Qingshan''s fingers caressed her chin, and then he leaned forward. He planted his lips on top of hers, and their breaths mingled with one another.


    The hand that had been under her chin slid behind her head, holding her in place as he deepened the kiss.


    "Close your eyes," he reminded Jiang Yingyue as he dove in for another kiss. He licked her lips, nibbling and exerting a slight force on them so that she opened them in a yelp of pain.. Then his tongue began invading her mouth, entangling with hers, dancing together, mixing their breath, and allowing her to taste him.

 Chapter 131 - Do You Like Me?

    Feeling the passion from Han Qingshan, Jiang Yingyue began trembling. Everywhere she was touched by him was scalding hot, her breathing became ragged, and her mind shook.


    Han Qingshan wanted more and more. He suddenly took a step forward and pressed her against the wall, as his hands started to roam all over her body, which was only covered by a thin nightgown.


    The fingers left a hot trail on her skin, her mind became mush, and her legs were starting to become soft.


    Sensing her body''s reaction, Han Qingshan used his own to press against her, so that she was trapped between the wall and him. He lifted her legs and placed them around his waist as he deepened the kiss.


    He felt that a powerful beast within him had awakened; it was as if he was no longer in control of his own body. All he wanted was to swallow Jiang Yingyue whole; his body was acting purely on instinct by now.


    Jiang Yingyue''s brain was confused, she had no idea what was going on, neither had she expected anything like this to happen. All she could do was wrap her arms tightly around Han Qingshan''s neck, her legs around his waist and hang onto him for dear life.


    Soon Han Qingshan''s hands found their way under her dress; the skin was soft and smooth, so perfect without the slightest impurity.


    The more he touched, the more he wanted to feel. He could never get enough, and the feeling of touching her was driving him insane. He was even more aroused than when he had been drugged with the aphrodisiac.


    Jiang Yingyue could feel something pressing against her lower body; it was big, hot, and throbbing.


    As she looked down, she was frightened. The manhood of Han Qingshan had proudly risen to an unexpected size, making a tent in his pants and poking her.


    Sensing that Jiang Yingyue was stunned, Han Qingshan took the chance to kiss her again, adding to her already addled brain, and making it so that she could no longer think about anything else than him.


    He wanted to possess her; he wanted to be her everything. If he could, he would keep her at home at all costs, not allowing for anyone to see her. He would just tie her to the bed and ravish her however he wanted, but he knew that this was something she''d never accept.


    He was aware that she was an independent person. She had dreams and hopes for the future, and she should be allowed to spread her wings and chase her aspirations.


    He sighed as he regained his rationality. He saw how Jiang Yingyue''s eyes were glazed over, her expression dazed.


    He knew that if he had his way with her now, she would likely not be ready, and thus, he forced himself to calm down. He carried Jiang Yingyue in his arms into the bedroom where he placed her on the bed. His eyes were red from trying to suppress his desires, but in the end, he just gave her a slight kiss on her forehead before he headed to the bathroom in an attempt to cool off his body.


    Jiang Yingyue was unable to think comprehensively for a long time afterward, her body was soft and felt like someone had run an electric current through her entire body that had made her body numb, but it also felt incredibly good.


    At that moment, she had not minded if he had continued. But now, when she was slowly becoming clear-headed, she started to understand that this had been a dangerous episode. If Han Qingshan had not held back, she would have lost her virginity.


    She knew that he was not one to play around, so was he serious about her? This time he had not been under the influence of a drug, neither had she, but they had still been entangled with one another.


    She was starting to wonder, could it be that Han Qingshan shared her feelings? Could it be that he liked her, just as she loved him?


    She was unsure, but Jiang Yingyue was a woman of action, and after straightening out her clothes, she rose from the bed. Her legs felt like jelly, but she still went to the hallway outside the bathroom to wait for Han Qingshan.


    The water was running in the bathroom, even Jiang Yingyue could hear it outside the door, and she waited for a full hour before she worried if anything was wrong.


    "Han Qingshan?" she asked while knocking on the door. And finally, the water stopped.


    After another five minutes, the door opened, and Han Qingshan appeared with a towel around his waist, water dripping down his body.


    The fire he had spent an hour to suppress was ignited again just like that when looking at Jiang Yingyue, and he could only sigh as he shook his head.


    "What is it?" He asked with a deep and hoarse voice that made Jiang Yingyue''s already jelly-like legs turn even softer.


    "Do you like me?" She gathered her courage and asked up front. She could not help but gently bite at her lower lip, and her hands twisted together in nervousness.


    Jiang Yingyue dared not look at Han Qingshan, but she wanted an answer. If he liked her back, she would do anything in her power to stay by his side, but if he was just toying with her, then she would leave him right away.. She was not willing to sacrifice her emotions on being toyed with.

 Chapter 132 - Mutual Feelings

    Han Qingshan looked at Jiang Yingyue and tenderness flashed in his eyes. He could not help but feel that she was somewhat ditzy, and he reached out his hand to caress her head, but she retreated from his grasp, her eyes slightly red.


    "Tell me first!" she demanded, and Han Qingshan could only shake his head in defeat.


    "Has anyone ever told you that you are quite slow sometimes?" he asked her, his words causing Jiang Yingyue to frown. Why was she slow?


    Han Qingshan could feel her puzzlement, and he sighed. She was indeed slow.


    "Come with me," he said and went into the sitting room. Jiang Yingyue followed, her heart was beating rapidly, and she was nervous.


    Still, she followed him into the sitting room and slowly sat down next to him, wondering if he would give her an answer or keep her hanging.


    "You asked me if I like you," Han Qingshan started, "I want to ask you the same question, do you like me?"


    Hearing the question, Jiang Yingyue''s face flushed red, and she was unable to control the tremor that ran through her body. If she did not like him, would she have asked such a question?


    Still, she was not willing to be the first to answer, so she calmed her nerves, twisted her hands in her lap, and said curtly, "I asked first, so you answer first."


    Hearing her answer, Han Qingshan once again chuckled as he suddenly reached out and dragged her into his embrace. He gently stroked her hair and planted a kiss on the top of her head.


    "Do you think I would touch you like I do if I did not like you? Do you really think I am some scumbag who just wants to use you?"


    Jiang Yingyue''s eyebrows furrowed as she tried to decipher whether or not this meant that he loved her, but after thinking about it, he was indeed not such a person.


    So that could only mean one thing.


    Thinking like this, her heart skipped a beat and almost broke out of her chest. She no longer dared to look at him, her face was as red as a tomato, and she was incredibly bashful.


    Although she had asked this question, now that she had the answer, she was not sure what to do with it. Were they a pair? What was their relationship? Lovers? Were they in a romantic relationship? Sugar daddy?


    No matter how she thought about it, she was uncomfortable. She wanted them to be boyfriend and girlfriend. To be in a purely romantic relationship, not one where it was an exchange of benefits or the like, but was he going to agree to this?


    Was she even fit to be his girlfriend? She was from a poor background, and her last nine years had been lived with a fake ID. Was it not too scandalous to become the girlfriend of the number one desired young man in the entire country?


    Han Qingshan looked at Jiang Yingyue and saw her nervousness. He sensed that she was not feeling confident, and he cupped her cheek with his hand as he placed a gentle peck on her lips.


    "Don''t overthink, I already know that you like me, just like I like you," he said. "So, in the end, why don''t we make it official? Be my woman, and I will protect you. Be mine, and I swear to never turn my back to you, to never let you down, and to never disappoint you. If I betray you, I will gladly let you chop me into pieces. I will only have you in my eyes, so have faith in me."


    Jiang Yingyue''s eyes turned teary as she listened to Han Qingshan and without overthinking, she hooked her arms around his neck and buried her face in his naked chest, her tears streaming down her cheeks.


    Han Qingshan felt the fire in his body being ignited, but he held back as he just hugged her to his chest, allowing her to vent all her worries and fears.


    She kept crying for a full half hour before her tears finally stopped and she almost fell asleep from exhaustion.


    Han Qingshan was feeling how his heart was filled at that moment. Although he felt pain from seeing her cry, he knew that he would make it so that, in the future, she''d not shed tears. So he allowed her to vent her emotions this time.


    When the tears hung from her eyelashes, he leaned forward and captured them with his lips, kissing away the trails of tears on her face.


    "You''re my girlfriend now, and I''ll be only yours," Han Qingshan whispered to her with a tender voice filled with affection. "Be proud of being yourself, and don''t be scared of anything, I will look after you and protect you."


    Jiang Yingyue nodded her head, and her eyelashes fluttered as she looked into the eyes of Han Qingshan. Boundless love was displayed in these eyes, and Han Qingshan''s own eyes widened in shock. Never before had he seen such a meaningful gaze from her, and although he had seen many people being infatuated with him, this was the first time he felt that it was terrific to be looked at with so much love.


    "Don''t look at me like that, I can''t hold back," he said with a hoarse voice as he leaned in and captured her lips with his own, sealing any protest or defense that Jiang Yingyue might have had.

 Chapter 133 - A Dream

    The kiss was soft and tender, filled with endless affection. It lasted for so long that the lack of air caused Jiang Yingyue''s face to turn red.


    "Go to bed," Han Qingshan said with a sigh. "If you don''t I am not sure I can hold back any longer," he muttered to himself, but the voice was loud enough for Jiang Yingyue to hear it, and her already red face flushed in a deeper crimson shade.


    She stood up in a flurry, and her body trembled slightly as she escaped towards her bedroom, leaving her back view to Han Qingshan, her escape was accompanied by his chuckle.


    As Jiang Yingyue reached her bedroom, she was incapable of falling asleep. Her heart was beating way too fast, and she was feeling so blissful, knowing that their emotions were shared. She felt as if she had won the biggest prize in the world.


    While Jiang Yingyue laid down on the bed, she could not completely calm herself, and thus she picked up her phone and started searching the internet, trying to figure out what was happening in society.


    She found out that not much had been going on, the day had been uneventful. The biggest news was of the Heavenward District and the Cloudsoar District being developed, and the two companies that had gained the deals.


    Reading about the Heavenward District and the Cloudsoar District being developed at the same time, she was somewhat surprised.


    Many specialists had commented on the plans and started making prognoses about which project would finish first, and which one would be most successful.


    Most pointed towards the He family being more experienced in this kind of development, and that they had the Zhou family behind them, someone who would do everything in their power to gain a steady foothold in the country again.


    A few pointed towards the Wang family being more advantageous because they were working with the Han family, and the Han family had previously developed many districts and areas.


    Jiang Yingyue was a little annoyed. She knew that Han Qingshan had wanted to cause problems for the He family, and thus they had been punished with having the Cloudsoar District taken away from them, but somehow they had managed to snatch the Heavenward District instead?


    She pursed her lips and wondered if she should read a bit more about it, and when she saw it was the Zhou Corporation behind them, she could not help but frown.


    Zhou Corporation? That was Zhou Yan, right? Why would he help the He family? Was he unaware of the situation between her and He Yuyan, or did he simply not care, wanting the most suitable family to take over their project?


    She was deep in thought, but then she realized that she actually did not feel much disappointment knowing that her friend had made a move that would strengthen her enemies.


    Having scrolled the internet for a few hours, her eyelids finally turned heavy. She was still embarrassed whenever she thought about the acts she had shared with Han Qingshan earlier, but it was a sweet embarrassment, and she was blissful as she fell asleep.


    Han Qingshan was suffering much more than her. His body had been thoroughly aroused, and he had wanted nothing more than to press her down under him, but he knew that she was not ready yet, and thus, he held back.


    Unfortunately, he knew that she was inside the room next to him, wearing the thin and fluttering nightgown �� her shapely and curvaceous body resting on the bed that looked identical to his own.


    Did she think about him? Did she have problems sleeping too? Was she happy? The thoughts spiraled in his mind as he laid down on his bed. But then he remembered how she had allowed him to hold her, touch her, and kiss her, and he suddenly felt much better.


    Jiang Yingyue was finally his. Even if she and Zhou Yan were childhood friends, she had chosen him. Although their relationship had a sour start, he was now her most important person.


    Thinking like this, he calmed down, and a tender smile flitted across his lips.


    "We have a long time ahead of us," he muttered, trying hard to suppress the urge to enter her room and watch her sleep.


    It was late at night when Han Qingshan managed to calm down enough to get some sleep. When he awoke in the early morning, he felt as if everything that had happened the day before was a dream.


    Had Jiang Yingyue truly agreed to be with him? He had to figure it out as soon as possible. His heart was suddenly beating rapidly, and he exited the room, only to be greeted by the scent of breakfast.


    He followed the scent and ended up in the kitchen where Jiang Yingyue was cooking. She was wearing a beautiful floral dress in a vintage cut, her calves and lower legs exposed. The dress had a plunging neckline that displayed her shoulders and the top of her chest. She looked absolutely ravishing as she stood there.


    It was not before then that Han Qingshan accepted that Jiang Yingyue was truly a woman now, and she was his woman.


    "I will ask the driver from the old house to come to pick you up," Han Qingshan said. "While I am at university you should head to the old residence and spend some time with Mother. She would like you to try out the dresses she has made, and she wants to see you with the wig on."


    Jiang Yingyue was slightly taken aback. She was in a relationship with Han Qingshan now, was it not reasonable that her future mother-in-law would dislike her?

 Chapter 134 - Madam Han

    Sensing the hesitation of Jiang Yingyue, Han Qingshan quickly guessed her thoughts, and he went over to hug her in his embrace.


    "Don''t worry, Mother dotes on you the most," he said. "She left hints about your gender everywhere and even told me straightforwardly that she would support my relationship with you. She will definitely be happy when you come over."


    Jiang Yingyue thought about it for a bit. She did remember Yan Meilin referring to her as her daughter-in-law and other similar situations, although they had only met for a short while. So perhaps she did not mind her background?


    Thinking like this, she was much calmer and quickly accepted Han Qingshan''s arrangements.


    "I don''t want others to see you as a woman," Han Qingshan sighed as he looked at the woman in his embrace. "You are too stunning. You will definitely attract the bees and butterflies outside."


    Although he was joking, there was a seriousness in his voice. She had already attracted Zhou Yan, who knew who else she might draw in the future.


    Jiang Yingyue was unaware of the fact that she already had a suitor, other than Han Qingshan, so she laughed when she heard what he said. "Not everyone has bad taste like you," she chuckled.


    She was unable to see anything special about herself; she was quite troublesome and had an unclean past. Who would fall for a person like that?


    Unfortunately, she was utterly blind to her charm.


    "Let''s eat," she said as she saw that Han Qingshan was about to say something, and she skillfully changed the subject.


    After eating, Han Qingshan stood up from the table. He picked up his phone and called his mother while Jiang Yingyue was busy cleaning the plates and utensils she had used.


    After finishing the phone call, Han Qingshan entered the kitchen. He saw Jiang Yingyue in her floral vintage dress, with a white apron in front of him and he was instantly struck by the thought of living a married life.


    This was how he wanted it to be for the rest of his life: waking up to see Jiang Yingyue by his side, knowing that she was happy and that she belonged to him.


    He strode forward and dragged her into his embrace before gently placing a kiss on her forehead. "I am off then."


    He was very reluctant to part with Jiang Yingyue, but she had already dropped out from the university, so she had nothing to do there anymore, and all she could do was to be entertained by his mother.


    Jiang Yingyue too felt quite insecure within. She was wearing female clothes and looked like a woman, but it was a significant change for her. Her entire life was turned upside down, and it would take some time for her to get used to it.


    After Han Qingshan left, Jiang Yingyue quickly went to wear the long wig. The hair was waist-long and seemed as natural to her as if it was her real hair.


    The already-attractive woman turned many times more beautiful, and the hair was like the icing on the cake, making her seem as feminine and charming as a fairy.


    Not long after, she received a phone call from the driver, and she locked the door before heading to the underground carpark.


    Here she found a Maybach was waiting for her, and the driver was shocked when he saw her. He had never expected that the woman that Han Qingshan was involved with was so beautiful.


    But he was also worried. Was this woman perhaps using Han Qingshan for benefits? Was she trying to hook herself a rich man?


    Although he was worried, he dared not say anything as he had seen that his madam, Yan Meilin, was delighted with her. So it was clear that if she had the intention of joining the house, then she would end up as the future Madam Han.


    He knew that he was not the only worried one. Everyone in the Han mansion had been informed earlier that day that Han Qingshan''s girlfriend would be coming by, and all of them had been taken by surprise.


    No one knew he had a girlfriend, or what was up with her coming by on her own. Han Qingshan was even letting her deal with his mother alone; this was highly improper for a first meeting.


    So they all concluded that they had met before, but how and where? The many people who were working for the Han family were incredibly loyal, so while they were ecstatic that Han Qingshan had found a partner, they still felt worried that he had been tricked. Although he was incredibly smart, he tended to be slow from time to time, and if he had reached a conclusion, he would be quite adamant about it.


    But the staff were still wholly determined to keep an eye out for this person, ensuring that she was in no way going to abuse the relationship and the boy they had all witnessed growing up.


    Apart from the old loyal members of the household, there were also a few younger ones, and they too felt defeated when they heard about Han Qingshan having found himself a girlfriend.


    Some of the maids had kept the hope that one day they too would experience the Cinderella story, that he would notice them, take care of them, and make them the next Madam Han.

 Chapter 135 - Cinderella Story

    Unfortunately, now another woman appeared who was apparently the young master''s girlfriend. They felt hostility towards her and were incredibly jealous and envious.


    Jiang Yingyue could feel the many glances that were sent her way the moment she stepped in front of the door to the house. Her floral dress and cute white stilettos made her seem like a refined young woman, especially so when she was wearing her long-haired wig.


    Her face was incredibly beautiful. She was so attractive that everyone sucked in a deep breath of air when they saw her; it was clear that she was not only stunning men but also women alike.


    Her appearance was indeed worthy of being with Han Qingshan, but all of them had heard about her poor background and knew that she was nothing more than a pretty face.


    Although she dressed like this, she was not a socialite. She did not have what the other young women in the circle had, and she would not bring any benefit to the family if they ended up marrying.


    The background they knew of was that Jiang Yingyue came from the countryside and had poor parents. No one had gotten hold of the information about her living her life as a man for nine years.


    Even so, there was still displeasure about this young woman. She was not fit to be with their young master, and they were not satisfied with her. Who was she to come strutting into their house like this?


    If Han Qingshan had to go for a Cinderella story, why not focus on his own maids? That would have been much better, and they would have a chance to shine, but Han Qingshan had never done anything illicit towards his maids.


    When Jiang Yingyue arrived, she was dropped off right in front of the open main doors of the mansion. She went up, knocked on the door, and waited at the doorstep for a time, but no one came to greet her.


    She could not help but frown as she looked into the mansion where she saw maids and butlers alike standing around. Some were chatting, some were working, but one thing they all had in common was that they were all ignoring her completely.


    She pursed her lips but said nothing. She had not been given his mother''s number so she could not text her to tell her that she had arrived, and as a result, all she could do was wait.


    She was new to stilettos and high heels in general, and after standing for ten minutes outside the door her feet started hurting, but she did not show her discomfort on her face; her expression was serene.


    In the end, she was aware of who was going to have problems when the madam noticed that she had been ignored for this long.


    Jiang Yingyue was not one to insult others, but if people were rude to her, she would not be polite. She did not believe in returning evil with good.


    If anyone were rude to her, if anyone was harsh towards her, then she would get her revenge.


    These people were ignoring her, letting her stand outside the door for as long as they did. Clearly, she was going to tell on them. She could not help but wonder if they were idiots. Did they truly think she would not dare to offend them?


    The housekeeper finally arrived, his eyes widening in shock when he saw that Jiang Yingyue was standing outside the door, and when he looked at her, he saw a trail of blood on her feet. The shoes had dug into her skin and left a cut, but when he looked at her, her face was as serene as before. There was not the slightest trace of pain on her face.


    He instantly knew that this woman was not simple, and his gaze became complicated. He was in charge of every person in the household, but they had already done such a thing without consulting him first.


    "You must be Miss Jiang." The housekeeper was not keen on this woman either, but he knew that they could not go against their masters, and Madam Han had asked for her to be brought to the atelier as soon as she arrived.


    In an attempt to save the maids and butlers around, he rushed to scold them. "Did you not see Miss Jiang?!" he exclaimed with an angry voice. "She is an esteemed guest of the Han family, and you treated her like this? This is truly unacceptable, all of you come and apologize right away!"


    He was attempting to make them apologize so that Jiang Yingyue''s anger would dissipate and then she would not complain to Yan Meilin. Unfortunately, he had underestimated Jiang Yingyue entirely.


    "There is no reason to apologize," Jiang Yingyue said with a slight smile on her face, a smile that made all of them stunned by her beauty.


    "I am a mere commoner after all, how can I afford to get an apology from such esteemed personnel?"


    Hearing this, the housekeeper''s heart sank. He had accidentally displayed his dislike of this woman, and the others had seen that as an acceptance of them making it difficult for her.


    He felt cold sweat appear on his body. "Miss Jiang, please be magnanimous, these servants were unaware of your esteemed status." He tried his best to save them, but a ruthless gleam appeared in Jiang Yingyue''s eyes.


    "Were they really?" she asked with a brilliant smile on her face and a cold chill in her eyes.

 Chapter 136 - Telling On Them

    The housekeeper was shocked when he saw her brilliant smile. But instead of feeling appeased, he felt a shiver run down his spine, and he suddenly broke into a cold sweat.


    "Let me take you to see the Madam," he said after thinking about the best way to solve the issue, but he could not come up with any solution. They had indeed been in the wrong, but Madam Han could not fire all her maids and butlers just because of this one mistake. That was the only assurance he felt.


    He led Jiang Yingyue to the atelier, knocked on the door, and announced her arrival.


    The moment Yan Meilin heard that Jiang Yingyue had arrived, she rushed over, ripped the door open, and looked at the young woman who was standing in front of her.


    Her eyes shone with excitement. Jiang Yingyue had the ideal body. Her curvaceous figure was like that of a seductress, but her face resembled a fairy who had descended to the mundane world.


    She seemed so otherworldly as she stood in front of Yan Meilin, and the older woman could only smile as she looked at her. However, as her eyes landed on her feet, she frowned.


    "You are bleeding," she pointed out, and Jiang Yingyue sent a sweet smile to her. "Yes," she said, pausing slightly, causing the housekeeper to feel incredibly uncomfortable.


    "Your maids and butlers were very busy and did not have the time to invite me inside." Jiang Yingyue said casually, as if she were making small talk about the weather. "They were so busy that I was left outside for more than ten minutes, and my feet are not used to stilettos, so they have been injured in the process."


    Jiang Yingyue could have decided to suck it up and say nothing. She could also have decided to remain silent and dealt with them herself, but she felt they were too insignificant for her to do that. It was enough that Yan Meilin dealt with them, especially since they were her people. She was not willing to overreach and teach the Han family''s servants a lesson if it could cause some friction between herself and their family.


    Hearing the words that left Jiang Yingyue''s mouth, the housekeeper could not help but glance at Yan Meilin''s face, and he instantly knew that it was over.


    He had never expected that this woman would be so important to the Han family. He had thought that Yan Meilin was only excited about her, and felt that she was novel because Han Qingshan had never dated anyone before. But he could see the genuine fury in her expression, something that did not bode well for the maids and butlers in question.


    "Come in dear." Yan Meilin reached out and supported Jiang Yingyue to a chair where Jiang Yingyue leaned down and took off her stilettos. They had been digging into her ankle, and the white ribbon that held the shoe in place had turned crimson from the blood.


    As she looked at the wound, she noticed it was in no way serious. However, the shoes were ruined. They had been white originally, and now the blood had seeped into the fabric, dyeing it red. She could not help but feel some regret because of this; she had really liked the shoes.


    Yan Meilin felt upset knowing what Jiang Yingyue had gone through. It was apparent that the girl was already slightly worried if she was good enough for Han Qingshan, and now this happened. Would it not just frighten her away?


    This was something Yan Meilin could never accept. "Don''t just stand there old Li! Fetch the first aid kit! Can you not see that your sloppiness has caused my dearest Yingyue to be wounded?"


    The housekeeper quickly bowed and went to fetch the first aid kit. He dared not delay as he saw how Yan Meilin had seemed furious when she looked at him, and he was wondering what he should do to bridge the gap that had appeared between the madam and himself.


    "Dearest Yingyue, don''t you worry," Yan Meilin was incredibly uncomfortable, "I will deal with the servants, don''t you worry about their behavior, it is not commendable."


    Jiang Yingyue nodded her head. A smile flitted across her pale face. She knew that Yan Meilin was slightly eccentric, and Jiang Yingyue had guessed that she hated when someone was scheming against her.


    This was also why she had taken the risk of complaining. It was a risk of offending Yan Meilin, but after having met her a few times, Jiang Yingyue had a good impression and understanding of her personality.


    Not long after, the housekeeper appeared again, this time with a first aid kit in his hands.


    He seemed somewhat sheepish as he saw how Yan Meilin looked in the bag. She was not sure what to do. Should she bandage the feet? Should she use band aid on them?


    The cut was just too big for the bandaid, but did it not seem over the top to bandage it?


    After thinking it through, she took out medical dressing and some gauze bandages.


    "I can do it myself," Jiang Yingyue said with a smile on her face. "I am very experienced in bandaging things," she said bitterly. Yan Meilin was stunned for a moment, but then she started laughing.


    "Right you are," she agreed after laughing for a short while. "Here you go. Make sure to wrap it properly."


    Nodding her head, Jiang Yingyue took the medical dressing and placed it on the wound before wrapping it up neatly with experienced hands.

 Chapter 137 - Qingshans Grandfather

    "Can you stand up, dear?" Yan Meilin asked, and Jiang Yingyue chuckled. "It is not too bad," she said as she rose from the chair, "but I have no other shoes, so I am not sure what to do."


    She was indeed in a slight pickle. She had no other shoes to change into, so her bare feet, which were so dainty and seemed as if they had been carved from jade, so white that they appeared as if they had been soaked in milk, were walking on the floor.


    "Your feet are so small," Yan Meilin praised her. "They are too small to use my shoes. Old Li, go and purchase a pair of shoes for her. Preferably some comfortable sneakers considering she has just wounded herself. Wearing stilettos will not be good for her."


    Housekeeper Li nodded his head and went to send a few people out to purchase shoes for her. He was not willing to go on his own, as he had to observe this woman''s behavior and personality to determine if she was good enough for the family.


    However, this time, he had ensured that the ones who were sent out to buy shoes were aware of the importance of these shoes and that it was in no way okay to screw up. This was a direct order from Madam Han, so if they failed, then he could not save them.


    "Little Yingyue," Yan Meilin called out. "I like you a lot," she began, "but there is something I have to warn you about.


    "Qingshan is currently the heir to the Han Corporation, where his father is the current CEO. He is presently the CEO of Imperial World, but there is one person behind the scenes you have not seen before.


    "Liqiang''s father, Qingshan''s grandfather, is the current Chairman of the Han Corporation. When Qingshan takes over, then Liqiang will become the Chairman.


    "The CEO is the number one, the most important person in a company, but the Chairman is the one who presides over the shareholder''s meetings. The CEO is elected through these shareholder meetings, and obviously, the majority determines who sits on the position.


    "The Han family has the majority of shares in the Han Corporation. However, these shares are split between the three men in the family, and Qingshan''s grandfather has the majority of the shares.


    "He is going to be making a share transfer agreement when Qingshan takes over, he is old after all, and needs to enjoy the remainder of his life.


    "However, I am warning you because, although Liqiang and I are very open and positive about you, he will likely not be as open.


    "His name is Han Weisheng. He is quite old fashioned, and he is not easy to handle. He was always adamant about marrying into your own circle, for the sake of benefitting the family as much as possible.


    "I know that telling you all this might worry you, but I feel that you deserve to know about Qingshan''s family situation.


    "Qingshan is true to you, I can see it in his eyes; he truly wants to be with you. Although it might be too soon to talk about engagement and marriage, I hope that when you are with him, you wish to stay with him in the future too.


    "Although Han Weisheng is very old fashioned, if he starts to accept you, he will do anything in his life to protect you, so you have to gain his approval somehow. Both Liqiang and I will help you!"


    Hearing the words that Yan Meilin told her, Jiang Yingyue was shocked. She had heard about the Han family head before, but she had forgotten all about him after encountering Han Qingshan because she had never met him.


    "We have not told Han Weisheng about you," Yan Meilin said, "but since you are going to be Qingshan''s female companion at the yearly charity auction, he will get wind of it, so you need to be prepared for when he summons you."


    Jiang Yingyue nodded her head. She had never expected that the entire Han family would like her. Han Liqiang had a few brothers and a sister. They also had their own children, and these children were Han Qingshan''s cousins.


    Apart from having aunts and cousins, Han Qingshan also had great aunts and uncles, alongside their families.


    The Han family was massive. Jiang Yingyue had never expected to be well received by them all. In fact, she was quite sure that there would be many who would dislike her, many who would not believe she was with Han Qingshan out of pure love but because she was a money-grubber.


    She had already prepared for this, and she clenched her fists in determination. Although she had hoped that Han Qingshan''s grandfather would approve of her, she was not desperate to be liked.


    She was stubborn and steady. She would be true to herself, and if others could not like her like this, then they did not deserve her.


    Seeing that she was not dejected but filled with fighting spirit, Yan Meilin nodded her head in approval. The woman that Han Qingshan had picked was indeed not weak, and would not be pushed down by other people''s thoughts.


    Thinking like this, Jiang Yingyue smiled at Yan Meilin in gratitude. "Come here, my dear," she said as she suddenly walked towards her work table.


    "I need you to try on the dresses, so I know which one to focus on!"

 Chapter 138 - Lets Go Shopping!

    Jiang Yingyue nodded her head, and Housekeeper Li left the room knowing that the young girl would be undressing, but it seemed that Jiang Yingyue still had not understood this part.


    She stood stunned in the middle of the room, unsure of what she was supposed to do when Yan Meilin handed her the two dresses.


    The dresses were magnificent. They were both qipao dresses, clearly inspired by the Chinese trend. They looked so small in Jiang Yingyue''s hands, and she could not help but wonder if she would be capable of fitting them.


    There was a screen-like room divider in the atelier, and Yan Meilin rushed her behind it.


    "Here is a chair, put your clothes on there, and change into the dress, you can pick the one you like yourself first, and then we''ll see how it suits you."


    Jiang Yingyue was stumped for words, but as she was being ushered behind the screen, she noticed that no one could see her so she might as well change her clothes.


    She took off the floral vintage dress she had been wearing and looked at the two qipaos in front of her, wondering which one she preferred.


    One was red with golden embroideries of dragons. It was overbearing, extravagant, and overwhelming. The other was white with silver clouds embroidered on it. It was clean and fresh, elegant, and classy.


    Both of them were beautiful but considering that it was a charity auction and that she was not the main lady of the party, Jiang Yingyue quickly picked the white qipao with the silver clouds.


    As she wore it, she quickly found that it fitted her perfectly. It was as if it had been glued to her body; it fit so perfectly, like a second layer of skin.


    It was comfortable to wear, and it displayed her curves. Her long attractive legs could be seen under the short skirt of the dress. As she left the cover of the room divider, Yan Meilin looked over, and she became stunned silly when she saw how gorgeous this young woman looked.


    Her figure was attractive, like a succubus, her face innocent and beautiful like a fairy. The dress gave her an otherworldly feel. She seemed somewhat hard to approach, as if she were an immortal that had descended to the mundane world. She appeared utterly unspoiled by the dirty deeds of the world.


    "Brilliant!" Yan Meilin was ecstatic when she saw how Jiang Yingyue looked. She was too attractive as a woman. To think this woman had to live as a man for so many years; it was indeed a loss!


    "Okay, we will pick this dress." Yan Meilin did not even need her to try on the other dress as she had already decided. Instead, she ordered Jiang Yingyue to stand on the podium while she walked around her to ensure that the dress fit perfectly.


    Although Jiang Yingyue had thought it was already a perfect fit, Yan Meilin was not satisfied, so the time afterward was spent on the podium where the older woman was circling her, putting pins in the dress and making the final changes.


    "Okay, you can change your clothes back now." Yan Meilin was finally satisfied and nodded her head. "When it is time for the day of the auction, then make sure you come here. I will make sure to have jewelry, clothes, and shoes ready for you. I will style you and get your makeup ready."


    Jiang Yingyue was slightly nervous; it would be her first appearance with Han Qingshan while looking like a woman. It would be weird if she was not worried.


    Jiang Yingyue went to take the qipao off and put the other dress on again. She felt strange wearing dresses like this, but she also felt happy. Being feminine and dressing up was something she had not done for nine years, and now that she could do it, she would enjoy it to the fullest.


    Jiang Yingyue returned to Yan Meilin''s side while contemplating what to do now. Han Qingshan was at university and was likely to go to work afterward. She should go to work with him, but the office was far away from the residential area where the Han family mansion was located.


    If she were to walk, it would take her more than two or three hours, and that was in no way a good idea. There were also no taxis around this area, and she would have to call for one. However, if she did this, it would be quite expensive, and she had still not gotten her first paycheck.


    Was she supposed to stay with Yan Meilin until Han Qingshan finished work? Pondering, she went to Yan Meilin''s side and saw that she was ecstatic.


    "Little Yingyue, we are going to the city to shop!" Yan Meilin suddenly exclaimed as she took Jiang Yingyue''s hand and started dragging her out of the atelier.


    "Qingshan will be at the university for another two or three hours before he is going to work. You should meet up with him at the office, but that means we have a few hours to spend before then.


    "You lack a lot of necessities. Although I bet Qingshan has already bought you clothes, he does not know of all the necessities required by a woman.


    "You cannot buy it together with Qingshan, you need a woman to go with you, so I will do it!"


    Yan Meilin was having so much fun thinking about spending a day together with her daughter-in-law.

 Chapter 139 - Madam He

    "Shopping?" Jiang Yingyue was perplexed. She had a hard time following Yan Meilin''s train of thought. But she also understood that there were many things she needed to buy in person, such as skin-care products and lingerie. Although Han Qingshan had bought some, it was simply too embarrassing to use it.


    But currently, she did not have the money to buy these things. So far her skin had been fine, even with the minimum amount of maintenance, and Han Qingshan had already bought some lingerie for her, so she did not need to spend money on it.


    Yan Meilin seemed to understand her thoughts, and her eyes grew tender. Jiang Yingyue was such a filial girl, and so humble. It was no wonder that her parents were so proud of her.


    "Dear, you are my daughter-in-law," Yan Meilin sighed. "All that is mine will one day become yours, and all that is Han Qingshan''s, will also become yours.


    "Stop thinking about money, our Han family does not lack that little sum, so do this old woman a favor and come out shopping with me."


    When Yan Meilin put it like this, it was impossible for Jiang Yingyue to say no, and thus she nodded her head, slightly embarrassed.


    "Good girl!" Yan Meilin said with a grin on her face. She locked her arms together with Jiang Yingyue''s, and like this, they went out of the mansion where a driver was waiting to take them to an upscale mall in the city center.


    As they reached the mall, Yan Meilin stepped out from the car with Jiang Yingyue, and they started shopping. Jiang Yingyue had never been shopping much in the past, but now, when she saw how Yan Meilin shopped, she was stunned.


    Yan Meilin entered a shop, and as soon as she saw something that she just remotely liked, she would ask the saleswoman to pack it up for her.


    The first shop they entered was an accessory store. Here she packed up hairpins, ribbons, bows, jewelry, and anything else that she found stunning.


    Eventually, she had to pay the bill, and the eyes of the saleswoman shone when she asked for the seven-hundred thousand yuan payment. She was shaking as she thought about her own commission for expediting such a massive scale. Even the entire counter was filled with goods.


    Yan Meilin just withdrew a black card, swiped it as if it was nothing, and gave an address to the store.


    "Deliver it here," she said, and the saleswoman quickly nodded her head. Although this was a high-end mall, it was rare to encounter such a big spender, especially one with a black card!


    It was not rare for the shops to deliver the items for them, but Jiang Yingyue had heard the address, and she could not help but frown. The address was clearly Han Qingshan''s, not her own.


    "Madam Han," Jiang Yingyue was about to complain, but Yan Meilin had taken her hand and started dragging her towards another store instead, and she could only smile and shake her head. Yan Meilin seemed so much happier than she had ever seen her before, so she was not willing to dampen the mood.


    At this point, a voice sounded from behind, "Madam Han!"


    Yan Meilin stopped in her tracks and turned around. Jiang Yingyue followed suit, but the moment she turned around, her eyes narrowed, and a dangerous gleam appeared in her eyes.


    In front of her were He Yuyan and a middle-aged woman. It was clear that she was her mother as they resembled each other slightly. Both of them were smiling at Yan Meilin while looking at Jiang Yingyue with curiosity but also slight arrogance.


    "Madam He," Yan Meilin greeted them with a nod of her head. She had heard about He Yuyan''s deeds from her husband, and she had an awful impression of her. She was not willing to be seen together with them unless absolutely necessary.


    "Madam Han, this is?" Madam He looked at Jiang Yingyue with curiosity. She had never seen this woman before and was curious where she came from.


    He Yuyan also looked at her and felt that she had seen her before, but she could not pinpoint where this familiarity came from. She could only feel hostility towards this unfamiliar woman.


    "Oh, this?" Yan Meilin looked at Jiang Yingyue, her face flashing a happy smile. "This is my daughter-in-law," she said straightforwardly, causing Jiang Yingyue to blush, but she did not decline it. It was the truth, after all.


    Unfortunately, the He mother and daughter pair were filled with amazement, alongside hatred and resentment.


    The He family were amongst the strongest in the country, and they had always hoped for a marriage relationship with the Han family, but now Yan Meilin was telling them that Han Qingshan already had someone in his heart?


    "I am not sure what your name is?" He Yuyan asked, and Jiang Yingyue looked at her before she answered with a voice, so beautiful and clear as the stream in spring.


    "My surname is Jiang," she said, and the moment the words escaped her lips, He Yuyan stared at her with a pale face, her eyes filled with hatred. "Are you related to Jiang Fengmian?" she asked through gritted teeth, and her hatred was so intense that it could almost be felt.


    "I have no obligation to answer you," Jiang Yingyue answered lazily, as she looked at Yan Meilin. "Mother, why don''t we continue our shopping?" she asked.


    This was her first time calling Yan Meilin ''Mother,'' but the words caused the older lady to beam with happiness as she clapped the back of Jiang Yingyue''s hand and said happily, "Good! We should continue shopping!"

 Chapter 140 - Respect Yourself

    Madam He and He Yuyan were staring blankly at them. One with shock in her eyes, while the other had so much malice and hatred in them, that if looks could kill, then Jiang Yingyue would have died many times over.


    Jiang Yingyue naturally noticed this hate-filled gaze, but she did nothing. She just smiled and shook her head before she turned around and got ready to leave.


    Just as she turned around, He Yuyan could no longer hold back, and she rushed at Jiang Yingyue. Her hands and finely painted nails were used as sharp claws to scratch at Jiang Yingyue.


    Fortunately, Jiang Yingyue was rather swift on her feet, and she managed to dodge in time, but He Yuyan did not give up. She kept chasing after Jiang Yingyue, her face distorted with hatred, but she was still not completely fit after the beating she had taken the last time.


    As a result, she was quite slow at moving and allowed for Jiang Yingyue to easily avoid her. But Jiang Yingyue also understood that now she had the chance to pay her back for what she had done to her before.


    Jiang Yingyue slowed down and allowed for He Yuyan to come close to her. Then, when she reached out to push her hard, Jiang Yingyue collapsed on the ground before He Yuyan even had the time to touch her.


    The fall was magnificent; it looked as if she had been pushed insanely hard, and her head even seemed to hit the floor with a loud bang.


    Jiang Yingyue laid motionless on the ground; her body was limp. Seeing her not stand up again, a snicker appeared on He Yuyan''s face, but Madam He was petrified.


    They had just been informed that this woman was the daughter-in-law of the Han family, and she still had acted like this. Had her brain taken damage when she was beaten?


    "Madam Han��" Madam He was scared, and she slowly called out the name of Yan Meilin in the hope that she would be merciful, but Yan Meilin had hurried to Jiang Yingyue''s side, where she tried waking her up.


    "Mo... Mother?" Jiang Yingyue slowly opened her eyes, but then she hissed in pain. Her acting was first class; even Yan Meilin was tricked.


    "My dear, are you okay?" she asked tenderly. When she saw Jiang Yingyue slowly rise to her feet and nodded her head, she finally felt assured.


    Many had gathered to see what was happening. It had not taken a short time for He Yuyan to catch Jiang Yingyue, and many guests in the mall had been alerted.


    They knew who Yan Meilin was, and they were also familiar with the He family and their socialite daughter.


    Security came rushing over when they heard that there was a dispute in the mall, and when they saw the angry expression on Yan Meilin''s face, all of them felt scared.


    The Han corporation owned the mall, so for her to have been in dispute here was simply unexpected.


    "Madam Han, what happened here?" The manager had come as soon as he heard Yan Meilin was here, and he ran into the security guards on the way.


    "That inhumane creature saw that I was shopping with my daughter-in-law and got so jealous that she started attacking her. Fortunately, my dear Yingyue was fast on her feet and avoided the attacks, but who would have thought that the creature was not satisfied and pushed her so hard that she fell and fainted from the shock her head received when it hit the floor!"


    The manager felt his entire body drenched in cold sweat. The Han family''s daughter-in-law was injured in their mall? Was there any way he would be able to keep his job?


    "Madam He, Miss He is a top socialite, she ought to know how to behave," the manager said with a frown on his face. "If she is here to cause trouble, then our mall is not open to her. This is a place for relaxation and enjoyment, not a place to fight! You have already lost enough, keep your image as clean as you can."


    Madam He''s face flushed red in embarrassment. Everyone knew that He Yuyan had insulted someone and thus she had ended up in hospital after being beaten severely. She had already lost almost all her face, and after this encounter, she not only lost her own face, but also the face of the He family. Madam He had been present after all.


    "Who says she is the daughter-in-law of the Han family?" He Yuyan sneered, her face filled with madness. She was so frustrated that no one could understand what was going on.


    "I am sure that everyone knows the rumors that Han Qingshan is gay, so his mother found some cheap sl*t to pretend to be her daughter-in-law just to get the rumors washed away."


    Yan Meilin''s eyes turned cold when she heard this, but Jiang Yingyue slowly and elegantly walked towards He Yuyan.


    "Miss He, keep some dignity," Jiang Yingyue was furious, and she slapped He Yuyan hard on the face. Her slap was so fast that no one noticed it coming, and not before the five fingers were printed on her face could they react.


    "Jiang Fengmian is my twin brother," Jiang Yingyue said, her eyes blazing with anger. "What is wrong with Han Qingshan protecting his brother-in-law?" she asked.


    Hearing her words, He Yuyan''s eyes narrowed dangerously, and she finally understood why she had disliked this woman from the first glance. She resembled Jiang Fengmian too much!

 Chapter 141 - Yingyues Might

    He Yuyan was stumped for words, and everyone surrounding them was also somewhat surprised. The man that was allegedly Han Qingshan''s lover was, in fact, his brother-in-law? That was a completely new development.


    "Don''t you worry about seeing Fengmian again," Jiang Yingyue continued. "He has left and won''t be back for a very long time. He was looking after Han Qingshan for me, but now that I am back, he had no reason to stay and decided to travel the world, doing what he pleases."


    He Yuyan was utterly stumped for words. She did not know what to say anymore, nor what to think.


    She just felt silly. She had taken the relationship between Han Qingshan and Jiang Fengmian seriously when the one she should have looked out for was this Jiang Yingyue.


    She was, of course, unaware that Jiang Yingyue was Jiang Fengmian.


    Yan Meilin was standing aside letting Jiang Yingyue handle it. When she had leaned down and looked at her, she had quickly understood what was going on. Since Jiang Yingyue wanted to deal with it, then she would indulge her, and only offer support if she could handle it no more.


    Seeing the pampering expression of Yan Meilin, Madam He was worried. The He family had already been thrown out by the Han family, but they had not been excessive in their punishment.


    If they insulted the Han family even more, their good days would have ended.


    And now He Yuyan was doing just that. She was telling the world that the Han family and the He family were at odds with one another. Even if the Han family did not say anything, with so many witnesses, it would be impossible to avoid.


    The He family was doing okay because no one knew what He Yuyan had done. They did not overthink about the fact that Han Corporation had stopped one single partnership with them. But seeing this, it was evident that they would become outcasts by the upper classes in society.


    He Yuyan was feeling complicated. She was happy that Jiang Fengmian had vanished, but now an even more formidable enemy had appeared.


    How to get rid of this woman who claimed herself to be Han Qingshan''s girlfriend? The Han family had even approved of her. This was shocking, but then something popped up in He Yuyan''s mind.


    "You are Jiang Fengmian''s sister? He is a mere commoner, and a poor one at that!" she yelled out loud, as if she was worried that people could not hear her.


    "If you are his sister, then you too are some poor ant that is dreaming of climbing up and marrying rich!" He Yuyan was completely disregarding her own image as she shouted in the mall like a shrew, but her words made everyone look curiously at Jiang Yingyue.


    They could see that Jiang Yingyue was wearing beautiful clothes of an expensive brand. She was stunning, but perhaps the reason she looked so good was because of the clothes she was wearing.


    Jiang Yingyue was not bothered by the way others were looking at her. As long as Han Qingshan and his family were not against her, she would not care about anyone else.


    However, Yan Meilin was anything but pleased. She had finally found a daughter-in-law, was she supposed to look at them insult her now?


    But Jiang Yingyue did not care. She just stood casually in front of He Yuyan and looked at her, a taunting smile was on her lips, and she slowly took a few steps forward, towards He Yuyan. Her steps were filled with strength, momentum, and intimidation.


    He Yuyan retreated a step before realizing what she was doing, and then she paused, her face flushed red in embarrassment.


    "I am a commoner, that is true," Jiang Yingyue nodded her head, her every action exquisite, not at all like what one would expect from a poor person.


    "But are we poor commoners not also people? Do we not have the choice of loving who we love and being with the ones we hold dear? Just because we have another heritage, does it mean we have to give up on our emotions when they are mutual?


    "Not to mention you. You are a top socialite, one of the most prestigious people in the upper-class. You grew up being spoiled and money ruined you so much that even today, you stand here, resembling a shrew in the markets, throwing profanities at others.


    "I might be a commoner, but at least I have some common sense and know how to behave.


    "You, on the other hand, try to use violence, you shout, and point fingers. Is this truly how a rich daughter should behave? Remember, you do not only represent yourself; you also represent your entire family."


    The more Jiang Yingyue spoke, the more the others felt that she made sense. He Yuyan had indeed gone over the top, and her behavior was in no way acceptable. She had become violent and tried to do anything in her power to destroy Jiang Yingyue. This was not the behavior of a top socialite.


    "You are pouring dirty water over me.. I am a role model for all young women and men worship me! I have everything while you are nothing! Han Qingshan will be tainted if he is together with you! But don''t you be too proud of yourself, you are just a toy for him. He would never marry someone who does not benefit the Han family!"

 Chapter 142 - Mad Woman

    Listening to the words of He Yuyan, Jiang Yingyue''s hands clenched, and she felt that both herself and the Han family were insulted.


    She had guessed that Yan Meilin allowed for her to deal with this, but if she did not do it properly, it would cause problems for the Han family. So Jiang Yingyue decided that it was time to shred all semblance of cordiality and completely trash her.


    However, she was not going to use her fists. Instead, she would make everyone look down upon her with words.


    "So this lady, the noble daughter of the He family, is a role model for all socialites? In that case, I am relieved that I was born to a commoner. I am not willing to let go of my manners and stand in a mall yelling profanities like some shrew in the market.


    "I have always learned that you need to be polite to others and carry yourself with dignity. You, on the other hand, do not seem to understand such basic knowledge.


    "I might be poor, but does that mean that my character is bad? You are arrogant and haughty, looking down on others. Do your workers know of this? Do all the people, that the He family relies on to earn a living, know that their big missy only sees them as slaves?"


    The more Jiang Yingyue spoke, the paler the face of Madam He became. The He family relied, like many others, on the commoners and ordinary people. Without the commoners and ordinary workers, they would never be able to achieve what they have today.


    To be told that they looked down upon them, although some would not care, others would strike or quit their jobs, and right now was a very important and delicate period for them. They had just started working together with the Zhou family, and if the development of Heavenward District was delayed, they would genuinely be in a tight spot.


    So the claim of looking on their workers as slaves was a hat they could not afford to wear, but how could they refute it when things had gotten so far?


    "Sl*t!" He Yuyan lost her mind when she heard how eloquently Jiang Yingyue was dealing with her. She could not refute it in any way, and she felt as if she was getting slapped across the face time and time again.


    She could no longer hold back and charged towards Jiang Yingyue with brandished claws in shape of her nails, and she was filled with hatred.


    At this point, Yan Meilin stepped forward. "Stop her!" she yelled out. "How can such a person be allowed into our mall?!"


    The guards had been standing back, not sure of how to act, but in the end, they were hired by the Han Corporation, and when Yan Meilin spoke out, they quickly ran forward and blocked He Yuyan, locking her arms behind her back and rendering her immobile.


    Madam He was starting to regret that she had taken He Yuyan out with her. He Yuyan had changed over the last few months. She had become like a mad woman. She was obsessed with Han Qingshan, and she was resorting to using extreme measures to deal with anyone she deemed an obstacle.


    She had lost her cool and her ability to hide her real emotions behind a facade. Instead, she had become ugly and scheming.


    "We do not welcome He Yuyan and the rest of the He family in our malls any longer," Yan Meilin said with a grave voice. "They insulted the Han family, they insulted our daughter-in-law, and they feel that they were high above anyone else. Let us drag them down to earth and let them taste a bit of humility."


    This was the first time that the malls under the Han Corporation had ever blocked someone from entering. Also, the Han Corporation ran all the upscale malls in the entire country, so the face of Madam He turned extremely ugly.


    She had lost much more than just her face this time. When her husband was to know that the He family had lost their right to enter the Han Corporation-run malls, he would become furious.


    He would be even more furious when he realized that his beloved daughter had torn such a massive rift between the He and the Han families that it could never be mended again.


    Unfortunately, there was no cure for regret. Now they had acted like this, and there was no way to change it.


    The security guards ''guided'' them outside of the mall and left them to their own devices; no one paid them any more attention. However, everyone remembered the words that Jiang Yingyue had spoken.


    The public opinion about He Yuyan had turned incredibly bad. The rumors about what had happened in the mall were quickly spread online, and someone even recorded a video.


    The words that Jiang Yingyue spoke were harsh and straightforward, but they were honest, and the netizens enjoyed her response.


    They saw how she had been attacked, fallen unconscious, and had even been so rational when she woke up. She was bullied, but she stood up for herself and protected herself against this mad woman.


    Everyone started to have an interest in this daughter-in-law of the Han family who had appeared out of nowhere, and the topic even managed to reach the top ten hot searches on Weibo.


    Many referred to Jiang Yingyue as the coolheaded beauty, while He Yuyan had turned into a mad woman.

 Chapter 143 - Girlfriend

    The rumors started spreading like wildfire. After they had encountered He Yuyan and Madam He, Yan Meilin was in a bad mood, and she spent all her pent-up frustrations on shopping.


    She purchased anything she laid eyes on, and her mood gradually brightened.


    "Try this, dearest."


    "Do you like this color, dear?"


    "Little Yingyue, this will suit you perfectly!"


    Yan Meilin was eager to try everything on Jiang Yingyue, and she was spending millions of yuan on clothes, creams, items, and anything else that Jiang Yingyue could possibly need.


    Jiang Yingyue was incredibly overwhelmed. She was frugal and knew how to save money, but Yan Meilin did not hold back and was spending millions filling a whole walk-in closet with everything from casual wear to cocktail dresses.


    While they were shopping Song Liwei was suddenly called by the public relations department of Imperial World.


    "Assistant Song, we have some issues." The manager of the public relations department was the one who made the phone call. His face was pale, and he was feeling slightly scared, thinking about the rumors that were going around right now.


    "What has happened?" Song Liwei needed to get a full understanding of the problem to know if he should inform Han Qingshan right away or if it could wait until university had ended. However, considering that the manager had called, it was likely that it could not wait.


    "Videos and rumors are going around about the Han family''s daughter-in-law," the manager said, horrified. "She was being bullied by the He family''s big missy, but we don''t know what exactly is happening. We do not know if she is genuinely the daughter-in-law of the Han family, but she was accompanied by Mrs. Han, and it seems that she really likes the girl.


    "We are unsure of what exactly is going on. If she is indeed the daughter-in-law of the Han family, then this is a dire situation. Fortunately, everything is in this young miss'' favor, but if she is pretending to be his partner, then I am afraid that we need to clear this up as soon as possible."


    Song Liwei was shocked when he listened to the manager. Was Han Qingshan not gay? How had he suddenly gotten himself a female partner?


    He was unsure, but this was indeed a serious situation, so he quickly hung up the phone call with the manager before calling Han Qingshan.


    Han Qingshan was in the middle of a lecture, but he quickly excused himself and went out of the room to pick up the phone. He knew that Song Liwei would never call for nothing when he was in university, so he was rather solemn.


    "CEO Han, I assume you have not had enough time to check the online rumors yet?" he asked hesitantly, not sure where to begin. He had gotten the shock of his life when he thought that Han Qingshan was gay, but he had just accepted it, only to be told he might have a female companion. His thoughts were tangled and confused.


    "Which rumors?" Han Qingshan was unaware that his sexuality had caused his assistant to be incredibly confused and unsure of what to think.


    "Someone is claiming to be your girlfriend. She was out shopping with Mrs. Han today, and unfortunately, they ran into Miss He and Mrs. He. Miss He caused a ruckus, and now there are videos online about the controversy.


    "The woman claiming to be your girlfriend was pushed and lost consciousness for a short while, poor girl, but she managed to return the grievances to Miss He quite well.


    "Currently, the entire online community is commenting on the top socialite and her lack of manners. She has become a mad woman, while this alleged girlfriend has become a noble existence.


    "This is all very good, but is she really your girlfriend? If she is, then there are no problems, but if she is not, then we need to quickly diffuse the rumors so that you do not get a reputation of being loose with women."


    Han Qingshan was listening, and he suddenly felt upset. Since the woman had been together with Yan Meilin, then it was evident that it was Jiang Yingyue.


    He thought that he had already dealt with He Yuyan and she would not dare to cause more problems. But to think that she was so brazen as to attack Jiang Yingyue like this. It was simply unacceptable.


    "She is my girlfriend," Han Qingshan generously admitted. "She is the love of my life, and she was treated like this?" A dangerous gleam appeared in his eyes and a perilous aura was starting to swirl around him.


    The temperature was slowly turning cold, and even Song Liwei could sense the dangers on the other end of the phone call.


    "Got to go," Han Qingshan said before he hung up the phone. He then found the video, but he did not return to his own classroom. Instead, he headed to another one where he knocked on the door and looked inside.


    "I need to speak with Zhou Yan," he said, and Zhou Yan, who was somewhat surprised, quickly excused himself as he exited the classroom.


    "What do you want?" He asked with a frown on his face as he looked at Han Qingshan.


    "Weren''t you going to deal with the He family?" Han Qingshan asked with a bit of impatience in his voice, and Zhou Yan nodded his head. Had they not already agreed on this during that night at the bar?

 Chapter 144 - Taking Responsibility

    "Then how do you explain this?" Han Qingshan took his phone and passed it over to Zhou Yan who accepted it while looking puzzled.


    He and Han Qingshan were not friendly with one another in any way. In fact, they were incredibly hostile towards each other. But there was one thing that could make them work together, and that was Jiang Yingyue.


    Seeing that Han Qingshan had come to find him, it must have had something to do with Jiang Yingyue, so Zhou Yan took the phone and watched the video.


    His hands were clenching the phone with more and more strength as he saw how she had been physically assaulted. Even worse was it that she had been pushed and also lost consciousness for a brief period.


    Although the ultimate winner was Jiang Yingyue, the process had been painful, and she had suffered. Han Qingshan would never allow her to suffer any losses, and he had only let the He family be because Zhou Yan had promised to deal with them.


    At first, when Zhou Yan saw the video, his first reaction was heartache. This woman had claimed to be Han Qingshan''s girlfriend. Were the two of them an item now? Did he truly have no chance?


    But after getting to see the actual video, the initial heartbreak quickly turned to anger. He had already wished to deal with the He family, but apparently, he had been too slow. They had caused problems first.


    "I will deal with this," Zhou Yan said with a stern expression on his face as he handed the phone back to Han Qingshan. "But just because she has acknowledged you as her current partner does not mean that I will approve of you. If I get the chance, I will steal her away. As long as you are not married, there is nothing to be afraid of."


    Han Qingshan was aware of this as well. Although he had obtained a victory right now and was currently in a relationship with Jiang Yingyue, it was not guaranteed that they would end up together. One could always change their partner. Even after marriage was the possibility of a divorce, so he had to be very careful and not allow her to be taken away from him.


    But, even though both Zhou Yan and Han Qingshan were desperate to end up with Jiang Yingyue, neither of them would ever harm or hurt her. They would fight against one another to show off their good sides, but they would never do anything disrespectful to her, or harm her in any way.


    Han Qingshan had done what he needed to do. Glancing at Zhou Yan, he knew that the other man was not going to let the He family off easily. So he said no more, turned around on his heels, and left with swift steps.


    Although he could have smashed his relationship with Jiang Yingyue in Zhou Yan''s face, he did not do so. He knew that Zhou Yan was true to Jiang Yingyue, and if he had been the loser, he would not be able to handle it, so him doing the same would be unacceptable.


    They did not like one another, but they respected one another deeply. Han Qingshan was gone and did not see the complex expression in Zhou Yan''s face. He was struggling with his emotions before he sighed deeply, picked his own phone out of his pocket, and made a phone call.


    "It''s me," he said, not introducing himself more than that. "I know we originally wanted to start the plan when they had built half of the district, but things have changed. Freeze them now."


    Having said this, Zhou Yan did not return to the classroom. Instead, he went to find Lin Qiang. He was not in the mood to continue with his lessons.


    Han Qingshan was in a good mood. Although he was distressed over Jiang Yingyue and what she had encountered, he was also happy that she had been telling the world that she belonged to him.


    His heart was filled with excitement as he took his phone and dialed his mother''s number. "Where are you?" he asked the moment she picked up.


    "We are at our mall that''s located next to Pine Park Station. You can come and pick up your girlfriend. I think she is starting to become exhausted from walking around with me."


    Jiang Yingyue, who could hear Yan Meilin''s words, blushed when she realized that her mother-in-law was teasing her and she could not help but feel rather bashful, but she was also excited about Han Qingshan picking her up.


    Soon they left the mall itself; only a few bags were in their hands as everything had been ordered to be delivered to Han Qingshan''s condo later.


    The only things they had with them now were a few smaller items that Yan Meilin had insisted on her getting, including some jewelry that she should wear during the Charity Auction.


    "Let us get an ice cream cone while waiting for Qingshan to arrive," Yan Meilin said. And without waiting for Jiang Yingyue''s answer, she dragged her towards an ice cream cone stall.


    Even the ice cream in the mall was of the highest quality. It was gelato imported straight from Italy, which was known to be some of the best ice cream in the world.


    As they exited the mall, they spotted an empty bench and sat down while waiting for Han Qingshan to come by and pick them up.


    Yan Meilin also contacted the driver who had been waiting for her to finish shopping.

 Chapter 145 - Brought A Woman To The Office

    Not long after they sat down to wait, did the black Porsche appear in front of them. Behind it was another black car, a black Maybach, that Jiang Yingyue instantly recognized as being the car that had driven them there earlier that day.


    "I''ll take these with me," Yan Meilin said as she looked at the jewelry in the bags in their hands, "I need to prepare it for the Auction, you on the other hand, just need to accompany Qingshan."


    Jiang Yingyue''s face flushed red when she heard this, but she still nodded her head.


    "Come on," Han Qingshan had not heard the conversation between his mother and Jiang Yingyue, but he had lowered the window and gestured for Jiang Yingyue to enter the car.


    Jiang Yingyue hurried into the car, and together they made their way to Imperial World. There was still work to be done, and the original contract between them had already been replaced with a new contract, one with Jiang Yingyue''s name on it.


    Now she could stand by his side with her rightful identity. The thought alone made her excited and happy. Thinking like this, Jiang Yingyue smiled shyly and looked out the window as they rode the Porsche through town.


    From time to time, Han Qingshan would glance at Jiang Yingyue, but he mostly focused on driving. He had already caused one car accident involving Jiang Yingyue; he was not willing to create another one.


    As they arrived at the office, everyone was shocked when they saw the breathtakingly stunning woman that was walking behind their CEO. Her face was impeccable, and her entire demeanor showed grace and elegance as she moved.


    She was not wearing high stilettos, but even though she was wearing flat shoes, no one felt it was out of place. In fact, it just made her seem even more youthful and slightly playful, giving a casual feel to her outfit.


    Jiang Yingyue was unaware that the moment she had arrived with Han Qingshan, everyone had started their scrutiny of her. Many felt that she was somewhat familiar but could not think of where they had seen her before. However, they all thought that it was good to see Han Qingshan pay attention to a woman rather than a man.


    Soon, the staff WeChat group exploded with messages once again, every one displaying blurry pictures they had taken of Jiang Yingyue as she was following Han Qingshan into the office.


    It did not take long for Song Liwei to arrive, his appearance displaying shock as he saw Jiang Yingyue.


    Many might not be able to recognize her as she had very little interaction with them, but she had interacted much with Song Liwei, and he recognized her almost instantly. Although her hair was long now, and she was dressed in female clothes, she was without a doubt the person he knew as Jiang Fengmian!


    Was this kid a man or a woman? It was too confusing. However, after glancing at her figure slightly, he understood that it was simply impossible for her to be male. Her figure could be considered perfect; it was well proportioned and perfectly sized. It was simply too outrageous to consider her a man.


    Jiang Yingyue could somewhat guess what Song Liwei was thinking, but before she had the chance to say anything, Han Qingshan blocked Song Liwei''s eyes that had been glancing at Jiang Yingyue.


    "She''s mine," he said domineeringly. "Don''t look so much at her body; I will get jealous."


    Hearing Han Qingshan admit to it so openly, Jiang Yingyue felt embarrassed, and she lowered her head, not daring to look at anyone.


    At the same time, the staff chat was busy guessing her identity. Everyone had heard rumors about Han Qingshan''s ''girlfriend'' from the incident with He Yuyan by now, as a few had found the news earlier when surfing Weibo on their break, and everything was uploaded to the staff chat.


    "Do you think this woman will be our future madam?" someone suddenly asked, and many of the women felt their hearts shatter. Even if they knew they had no chance with a man such as Han Qingshan, they had still dreamt and hoped since he had been single for so long.


    It seemed that their dreams were about to shatter, but they could do nothing about it. Thinking like this, they could only sigh and shake their heads regrettably, but there was one manager who was not comfortable.


    Yu Xiulan had rushed to an event that morning, for a product she was endorsing, and she had not heard anything about the woman claiming to be Han Qingshan''s girlfriend.


    The manager had heard about it through the staff chat, but she dared not tell Yu Xiulan before she finished her program.


    As soon as they finished, and she walked down the stage, the smile on her face vanished, and a haughty and arrogant expression appeared on her face.


    "Yu Xiulan, no matter what I am about to tell you now, do not get upset," her manager warned, but the lips of Yu Xiulan pursed tightly. She could feel that this was something she did not wish to hear about, but she also knew she had no choice but to listen.


    "What is it?" she asked with a low voice as she sat in her changing room, getting the makeup removed from her face with a few damp towels and some natural makeup removal.


    "There is a woman who went shopping with Madam Han. She claimed to be Han Qingshan''s girlfriend, and Madam Han acknowledged it.. I thought it might just be a stunt, but just now Han Qingshan brought a woman to the office."

 Chapter 146 - How Could You?!

    Yu Xiulan''s face alternated between red and white, her face both fearful but also filled with anger.


    She had already thought that as long as Han Qingshan was with Jiang Fengmian, he would not get close to any woman, so she had taken it slow, carefully planning her next steps. Unfortunately, it was not that simple, and now he had already brought a woman with him to the office? Was this not the same as making their relationship public?


    She was so frustrated and filled with hatred that she did not know what to do. She had failed when she tried to drug him, but she was still not willing to give up.


    She had planned on improving her relationship with Jiang Yingyue and getting close to Han Qingshan this way, but it seemed that this plan was over.


    "Let us head back," she said through gritted teeth. "I need to have a talk with him as Fengmian''s friend, trying to make him understand that he can''t just find a fake girlfriend as it will hurt Fengmian''s feelings."


    "That''s a brilliant idea!" her manager exclaimed. "You can pretend to care about Fengmian and leave a good impression on him at the same time."


    And thus they returned to the office. Yu Xiulan was forced to wear a smile on her face as she walked to the elevator and up to the top floor where Han Qingshan''s office was located.


    Song Liwei was conversing with the secretary outside the office, and when Yu Xiulan came up, she walked with familiar steps towards the inner office where Han Qingshan was present.


    Seeing that Song Liwei was not inside the office, she felt relieved. Although he was a formidable assistant, he was also someone that Yu Xiulan disliked.


    She had previously tried to convince him to be on her side by offering him various benefits, but to no avail. He was fully loyal to Han Qingshan, and thus she had no way of controlling him or using him for her own benefit, and as a result, she saw him as an eyesore.


    "Miss Yu, you cannot enter the office right now," Song Liwei said as he saw Yu Xiulan go towards the office, and he quickly went to block her path.


    "This is important!" Yu Xiulan said. Her voice was filled with urgency as if she felt that it could not wait even a moment longer, and Song Liwei frowned.


    "CEO Han ordered that no one is allowed to interrupt him," he said gravely, but Yu Xiulan was even more eager to enter the room when she heard that. What could be happening inside that she was not allowed to interrupt?


    The more she thought about it, the worse she was feeling. She looked at her manager, who understood her thoughts and carefully blocked Song Liwei before she swiftly went around them and rushed to the door of the office. Ripping it open, she looked into the office, her eyes burning with fiery anger, but what met her eyes made her completely stunned.


    Han Qingshan was seated behind the desk, his face buried in a stack of papers, clearly reading with full focus, while a woman was sitting on the sofa not far from him, reading a book. She looked leisurely as if this was her own home, and just looking at her made Yu Xiulan wish to gnash her teeth in anger.


    They were not doing anything unbecoming, but seeing them like this was already a great trial for her.


    The moment she entered, both Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan looked up from what they were doing, feeling puzzled. They had been very strict with Song Liwei, telling him not to let anyone enter; mainly because Han Qingshan was unsure if he could withstand the urge to touch her.


    He had a whole mountain of work he needed to deal with, and thus he had not been able to focus on Jiang Yingyue just yet, but he still had her at the back of his mind all the time.


    As long as she was within his sight, he was happy. The fact that he could glance at her from time to time satisfied him. Knowing that she belonged to him and that she had admitted their relationship, he was no longer as scared as before, and did not feel the same urgency of making her his.


    Looking up, Han Qingshan''s eyes turned impatient. He had been accepting Yu Xiulan''s unruly behavior for far too long. She had been causing problems time and time again.


    "Miss Yu," he said with a slightly cold voice, "I am rather busy today, could you find another time to come here?"


    Yu Xiulan saw that Jiang Yingyue said nothing. Her legs were up on the sofa, she was resting against the armrest, and her legs were bent with a book placed on top of them, as she was reading before.


    She looked curiously at Yu Xiulan, but in the other woman''s eyes, it seemed much more like being mocked.


    Yu Xiulan looked behind her where she saw that Song Liwei was looking at her with defeated and slightly mad eyes, but she still closed the door behind her and strode into the office.


    "I am sorry for disturbing you," she said earnestly, gnashing her teeth. She did not have to fake her anger, indignation, and hostility; it was all natural.


    "But how could you do this to Fengmian?" she asked again, her eyes aggravated as she looked at Han Qingshan. "He loves you so much, and now you are cheating on him! How can he be at ease?"

 Chapter 147 - Go To Jail

    Han Qingshan''s eyes turned dark as he listened to Yu Xiulan''s words, a dangerous aura pressing onto her, making her tremble in fear.


    She knew that Han Qingshan was dangerous, but she had never seen him like this before, and to see him so angry, she felt hesitant.


    But anger was burning within her. She was not willing to stand down, and the fury had overtaken her rational thoughts.


    "Fengmian was willing to be condemned by the public, he would throw his pride away for you, but you are playing around with a little girl instead?! Is this how you display your sincerity?!"


    "Can you shut up?" Han Qingshan said through gritted teeth. His face was dark as a thundercloud, and he was clearly anything but pleased with what she was doing and saying.


    Yu Xiulan was stunned by his words, but she quickly thought she had hit a sore spot, that he was feeling guilty, and she promptly continued.


    "You should be faithful to one''s lover, you should not have two at once! I understand you want to make your family reassured that you are not gay, but think about how he must be feeling right now, think about his emotions!


    "He might have already hidden somewhere, trying his best to not cry his eyes out due to a broken heart! Everyone knows you are a man with a girlfriend now; it is not suitable!"


    "Are you done?" The one who spoke this time was not Han Qingshan but Jiang Yingyue. She slowly placed her feet on the floor, took the book and gently laid it next to her on the sofa, and stood up.


    Yu Xiulan was shocked to see how tall she was, and her appearance was simply stunning. Even calling her a stunner was not enough to fully explain just how attractive this woman was.


    But there was a bit of familiarity over her appearance, and Yu Xiulan frowned. Where had she seen this woman before? She was not a celebrity, so how could they know each other?


    "You are saying that Jiang Fengmian is crying in some corner and feeling sad?" she asked with a chuckle, as if she had heard the best joke around. But Yu Xiulan nodded her head thoughtfully. How could this woman be so calm when she had just heard that her lover was actually in love with someone else, and this someone was a man?


    "Well, let me tell you a secret," Jiang Yingyue smiled. "Jiang Fengmian is not a man," she said as she took the wig off casually, revealing her youthful face which was instantly recognized.


    Yu Xiulan stopped in her tracks as she had been walking towards the woman, her jaw dropped, and her eyes widened.


    "You... You... This... No!" she exclaimed, and suddenly she lunged towards Jiang Yingyue. Her hands were arched like claws, swiping forth as if she wanted to scratch her to death.


    Han Qingshan rose to his feet, but he was too late as Yu Xiulan had already reached Jiang Yingyue by the time he stood up.


    However, Jiang Yingyue was not weak. She had been running and training daily. And although her nails were not overly decorated and large, and were unable to scratch, she was still capable of grasping the other''s wrist and hold her hands in place.


    "Behave," Jiang Yingyue said with a smile on her face. "Han Qingshan is mine, why don''t we try to agree on some terms right now?"


    "Terms?" Yu Xiulan was stunned and didn''t know what was going on, but Jiang Yingyue continued to smile as she dragged Yu XIulan to the sofa and pushed her to sit on it.


    "Right. You will never mention that I am Jiang Fengmian. You will stay in Imperial World, and you will do your work well. You will no longer dream about becoming Madam Han, you will only focus on your career, and when you meet a handsome man that you like, you will settle down."


    "Why would I do that?" she snorted, clearly unsatisfied with what Jiang Yingyue had said. "I am going to expose you; I am going to make your life a living hell."


    "What do you think the prison sentence for drugging someone with an aphrodisiac is?" Jiang Yingyue suddenly asked, a chilling smile was on her face as she stood with her arms crossed over her chest, looking down on Yu Xiulan.


    Her words caused Yu Xiulan to be caught by surprise. She was feeling guilty and scared, but she did not know what she could say to defend herself. They already knew she had drugged him before.


    "So to keep myself out of prison, I am to cooperate with you?" she asked through gritted teeth, and Jiang Yingyue beamed a smile at her. "You are not so dumb after all," she said with a praising voice as she nodded her head.


    Yu Xiulan felt mortified and humiliated. She was being threatened, but she could do nothing about it. She would have to accept it.


    However, her thoughts kept revolving inside her mind. She was thinking of ways to get even with Jiang Yingyue, of ways to make her suffer.


    As long as she did not go to prison, she would still have a chance. However, if she ended up in jail, then she would have lost all the opportunities she had, and thus she decided to accept the bargaining chip that Jiang Yingyue had brought up.


    Although she claimed she would give up all her thoughts on Han Qingshan, she only said so to placate Jiang Yingyue.. She knew very well that she would never give up on being ''Madam Han.''

 Chapter 148 - I Am Not Okay With It

    Jiang Yingyue was studying psychology. She was skilled at seeing through people, and she could easily see that, even though currently, Yu Xiulan agreed on the surface for the sake of not going to jail, she wasn''t going to keep this promise, and her smile just widened from this thought.


    Did Yu Xiulan honestly think that she had what it took to seduce her, Jiang Yingyue''s, man?


    Han Qingshan was unaware of what Jiang Yingyue was thinking, he did not understand why she would show off her real identity to Yu Xiulan, and he was even less sure of why she would threaten her like this.


    If he had been in control, he would already have called the police and sent her to prison. That way, she would no longer be able to cause problems. But looking at Jiang Yingyue, it seemed that she had something planned, and he was not willing to spoil her fun.


    A doting expression was evident on his face, and while Jiang Yingyue did not notice it because her attention was on Yu Xiulan, Yu Xiulan noticed the loving gaze that Han Qingshan sent to Jiang Yingyue.


    Her teeth were grinding so hard against each other that she thought they would shatter at any moment, but Jiang Yingyue just snickered. Yu Xiulan was an artist, but when she got upset, it was impossible for her to handle her emotions well.


    Jiang Yingyue contemplated for a moment before she decided what to do next. She was not used to scheming against others, but she figured that dealing with Yu Xiulan could be seen as a trial run for her.


    Also, Yu Xiulan was currently needed for Imperial World. Although the company had managed to snatch a lot of artists from other companies, the truth was that they had to prove their standing and they still had to keep Yu Xiulan. If she had a big scandal now, or if she left, then it would be terrible for the entire company.


    These were the thoughts behind Jiang Yingyue''s actions, and she quickly felt quite satisfied with it.


    "Did you have something important to speak with Han Qingshan about?" Jiang Yingyue asked afterward, not masking her intention of driving the other woman away. And Yu Xiulan had no other option than to grit her teeth.


    "Nothing!" she growled, her hatred so deeply rooted in her body that she was trembling.


    "Well then." Jiang Yingyue stepped back and allowed for Yu Xiulan to pass her and leave the room. The wig was back on her head, and she looked like a demure lady once more.


    As Yu Xiulan left the office, she slammed the door behind her and strode out of the Imperial World headquarters without even talking to her manager.


    Her face was so dark and hostile that the manager dared not speak with her either, but the ones who had caused her mood to plummet like this were completely ignoring her now.


    "Why''d you reveal yourself?" Han Qingshan asked, defeated, as he started to feel as if someone had scratched his heart.


    "She insulted you," Jiang Yingyue said, her eyes downcast and her expression bashful.


    "I can handle being insulted," he said, but he still felt warmth in his heart from hearing that she was willing to protect him.


    "Even if you are fine with it, I am not," Jiang Yingyue said, her face serious. "You have already sacrificed so much for me; I do not want you to also be known as a promiscuous person just because you can''t tell her who I am."


    Han Qingshan could sense her helplessness, and he felt happiness bubble inside of him. To see her this protective of him and his reputation made him feel extremely excited.


    He stood up and moved to Jiang Yingyue''s side, where he dragged her into his embrace without saying a word.


    Jiang Yingyue was taken by surprise, not at all expecting it, and when she realized what had happened, her lips had already been sealed by Han Qingshan, the words of questioning pressed back down her throat.


    Jiang Yingyue felt an overwhelming assault of masculine pheromones. The scent of Han Qingshan was all over her, invading all her senses.


    She quickly lost all sense of reasoning, her mind went blank, and her arms grabbed onto his clothes while her legs turned soft.


    Han Qingshan took his arms and hooked them around her waist, holding her up as he deepened the kiss. His tongue was adeptly prying open her mouth and invading her sweet cavern, tasting her sweetness and dancing with her tongue.


    He felt that he could not get enough. Every time he tasted her, he would want more; every time he touched her, he was struggling against himself and his willpower to hold back.


    Like this, the two of them were pressed against one another. Their bodies were plastered together as their tongues entwined. Neither of them was willing to let go.


    Han Qingshan could feel Jiang Yingyue''s rapid heartbeat. He had his eyes open and looked at her red face. She was still so shy, even though they had kissed before.


    She was an innocent young woman, and Han Qingshan wanted to protect her innocence, but he also wanted to eat her right up. He was struggling with his complicated emotions, and after considering what to do, he could only sigh and release her from his kiss.


    Jiang Yingyue felt as if she was returning from cloud nine.. She leaned against Han Qingshan and felt his steady and reliable heartbeat, which slowly made her calm down.

 Chapter 149 - Gou Chen

    The two of them were standing in the middle of the office, holding each other around the waist. Jiang Yingyue''s head was resting against Han Qingshan''s chest, and his lips were gently kissing her hair.


    It was a picturesque scene; no one would be able to watch it without sighing in admiration. However, no one was around to see them.


    Han Qingshan had never felt that anything was missing in his life before, but after holding her in his arms, he was finally able to feel complete. It was as if he had been missing half of his soul before, and now it was full.


    Jiang Yingyue was feeling the same way. She had spent so many years where she had been scared and filled with uncertainty about her future. She had been worried and knew that it could not go on, but she also knew it was impossible to change anything.


    Now she, who was used to standing firm for both herself and her parents, was suddenly protected by someone else, and she suddenly felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulders.


    She was so relieved that Han Qingshan had appeared in her life. He had swept her off her feet, and although she had been against him at first, his gentleness had won her over.


    Now he was her knight in shining armor. He was the one who had brought her out of her constant fear and worries; he had promised her a new and bright future.


    Jiang Yingyue was feeling excited and happy when she was within his embrace. She felt as if she had finally found her home, somewhere she belonged. She could be herself at last.


    No one knew how much time passed like this. Both of them were feeling at peace and happy, so they were reluctant to let go. They did nothing special; there was not even a kiss. Instead, they just hugged one another, feeling their closeness and the fact that their emotions were mutual.


    Suddenly a knock was heard at the door, and Han Qingshan finally, reluctantly, released Jiang Yingyue before he moved back to his chair and called out, "Come in."


    Song Liwei entered moments after, only to see that Jiang Yingyue was moving towards the sofa once more.


    There was not even a slight bit of discomfort in Han Qingshan''s expression. In fact, he seemed rather relaxed and pleased, so Song Liwei was relieved.


    He had thought that after the blunder of allowing Yu Xiulan to enter, he would be chastised harshly, but it seemed as if Han Qingshan had no intention of doing so at all.


    Song Liwei was puzzled, but seeing that he was not being scolded, he did not mention anything and handed some papers over to Han Qingshan. Jiang Yingyue was once more reading her book, not paying attention to Han Qingshan and Song Liwei. She seemed exactly like the madam of the company.


    He could not help but shake his head, but he quickly put his focus back on Han Qingshan.


    "CEO Han, the shares fell rapidly when our artists left us. However, after our strike at Starry Sky, they have managed to regain their original level, and even surpassed it after a few days. Now we are at an all-time high, and our shares are still steadily rising.


    "It seems that our company came out, not only unscathed, but also improved compared to before. The shareholders who previously expressed their displeasure have all sent an apology. They also stated that they were too rushed due to nervousness and that they hope you will overlook their previous behavior.


    "There were two shareholders who previously sold their shares. Together, they held three percent of the shares, so it is something to be aware of. The shares were all bought by one person, the second largest shareholder in Imperial World, Guo Chen.


    "I am not sure what Guo Chen''s aim is. However, he is now in control of a full seventeen percent of Imperial World, whereas you are still the shareholder with the most shares. You do own seventy-two percent after all.


    "This is where I do not understand Guo Chen. If he is trying to gain power in the company, then he needs to take over some of your shares too. However, you are not in a position where you need to sell your shares to earn money, so getting his hands on your shares is simply impossible, and if he collects all the other people''s shares, he will still only have twenty-eight percent, not nearly enough to threaten you."


    Song Liwei frowned as he spoke, and both Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan had listened curiously. What he said was correct, so what was Guo Chen doing?


    "Maybe he trusts in Han Qingshan''s judgment," Jiang Yingyue suddenly said. "Those two sold their shares because they thought Imperial World was a sinking ship. However, he might have had faith that Han Qingshan could turn it around, and make a small investment this way?"


    This was the only reason she could think of. If he genuinely wished to seize power in Imperial World, he had to do something to Han Qingshan, and no one was that brazen. Han Qingshan was not only the CEO of Imperial World, but he was also the heir to the entire Han Corporation.


    Hearing Jiang Yingyue''s words, the men both felt that there could be some reasoning in what she said. It was entirely plausible that this was the truth.. Guo Chen had worked with Han Qingshan since he established the company, and it was only reasonable that he trusted in his longtime companion.

 Chapter 150 - Dinner Time

    After having reported what he had to report, Song Liwei instantly left the office again.


    He was not willing to stay around and be fed dog food, nor did he want to be a third wheel for Han Qingshan.


    Jiang Yingyue smiled slightly when she saw him leaving that fast, but she said nothing and buried her face in the book once more.


    She was unaware that Han Qingshan was staring at her with a bit of longing in his eyes.


    When she looked up, her eyes were locked with his, and she suddenly felt breathless. She felt stunned and dizzy, as if her soul was being sucked out of her body, her entire being turned numb.


    Seeing her being so ditzy and dazed from looking at him, Han Qingshan was quite pleased. He was delighted that his looks could entrance her like this.


    There was nothing he wanted more than to make her his own, but he understood that it had to be done correctly. She was a young girl, and he had to cherish her first time. He could not allow her to ever have regrets or fears, so he did not act on his impulses.


    He did not even dare to kiss her, fearing that the beast within his heart would jump out and devour her. So all he could do was wait until they got home, but as his eyes locked onto her lips, the gaze in his eyes turned fiery and passionate.


    Jiang Yingyue could not help but blush as she felt the gaze that had locked onto her.


    She quickly buried her face into the book and pretended to focus on reading. However, she was too flustered and could not concentrate at all.


    Seeing her, this flustered, Han Qingshan felt as if a cat had pawed his heart. He was trying his hardest not to chuckle from her adorable expression, but he could not help it.


    "You are laughing at me," Jiang Yingyue said as she pouted, burying her face even further down the book so that he could not see her red face, yet the red ears were still visible.


    "You are very adorable," Han Qingshan answered thoughtfully. He found her a bit silly, a bit childish, and a bit ditzy, but most of all, he found her behavior incredibly endearing.


    Still, he had a lot of work to catch up on. He had been absent for a few days, and it was now time for him to return to being the CEO of Imperial World fully.


    He had responsibilities here, and a duty to work hard for the company. Many shareholders were expecting that he would do his utmost for their benefits, so he could not just slack and fool around with Jiang Yingyue.


    And truthfully, although he wanted to, he knew that the office was not the right place to do so. He would embarrass her immensely.


    Since this was the case, he could only turn his unvented frustrations towards the work in his hand, and he started putting all his focus on the papers, signing and reading through them at a rapid pace.


    A few hours went by like this. Jiang Yingyue glanced at the time, only to realize that it was rapidly approaching dinner time.


    She had eaten lunch together with Yan Meilin, and it had been a scrumptious meal, so she was not hungry. But Han Qingshan had been at university for lunch, so his meal was, at most, from the cafeteria.


    If he skipped dinner, his stomach would likely start to hurt. She was uncomfortable thinking about this, and without a second thought, she put the book down on the sofa and stood up.


    Han Qingshan was so busy with a specific contract that he was unaware of her suddenly standing up. He was fully buried in his work, and with a tender glance at him, Jiang Yingyue left the office.


    Outside, Song Liwei had set up another desk for himself and was also working seriously on some paperwork, forgetting about dinner time. Even the secretary was immensely busy.


    Seeing this, Jiang Yingyue could only shake her head as she went to the elevator and left the building.


    Not long after, she returned with four servings of takeout food. It was nothing special, but it would be able to fill one''s stomach.


    When she reached the top floor, she placed a box in front of Song Liwei, another in front of the secretary, and entered the office without looking back.


    The scent of the food had awakened both the secretary and Song Liwei, and they paused what they had been doing and sent a grateful look at Jiang Yingyue. However, she had already closed the door to Han Qingshan''s office.


    Inside, Han Qingshan was standing next to the floor-to-ceiling windows, one hand was in his pocket, the other was holding the phone to his ear, and a string of foreign words was being spoken.


    It was clear that he was speaking with someone from another country, but things did not seem to be going as he wanted. A frown was evident on his handsome face, and his eyes were dark and filled with annoyance.


    Seeing this, Jiang Yingyue felt her heart ache. She had only seen him when he was in complete control, but now he was experiencing troubles, and she could do nothing to assist him.


    Sighing, she placed the two servings of food on the table and walked towards Han Qingshan.. She gently stood behind him, and wrapped her arms around his waist, holding him tight and trying to impart her warmth and faith into him.

 Chapter 151 - Feeding The Young Master

    Han Qingshan was slightly startled when he felt the slender arms wrap around his waist, but upon looking down and seeing her worried expression as she pressed her head against his back, he felt his heart melting into a puddle.


    He then continued the conversation with renewed energy. He had been ready to throw in the towel and accept a loss from the investment he had made before. But now, after feeling the warmth of Jiang Yingyue, he felt everything was possible.


    Jiang Yingyue could feel that Han Qingshan''s mood was lifted drastically, and a gentle smile erupted on her face as she was about to release him. But the hand that had previously been in his pocket held her hands in place around his waist, almost asking for her to keep the same position.


    Sensing his intention, Jiang Yingyue''s face flushed red, but she did not object and continued to stay that way, holding on to him, and leaning against his back.


    It took him a full half hour of talking before the conversation finally ended, and by then, it was past dinner time. The food that Jiang Yingyue had bought was cold by now.


    "Do you have a microwave oven?" she asked as she wondered where to reheat the food. She would not let him starve.


    Han Qingshan finally picked up on the scent of food in the air and looked at his desk where the two containers were placed.


    "They have one in the tea kitchen on this floor," he said. "I will get Song Liwei to come and reheat it for us. But when did it arrive here?"


    "I went to buy it when you were too busy," Jiang Yingyue said with a brilliant smile on her face, which made Han Qingshan feel incredibly honored that she had thought about him and even spent some of the very little money she had on him.


    But at the same time, he felt guilty. He had been so preoccupied with work that he had not even noticed that she had gone away.


    As soon as this thought flickered in his mind, Han Qingshan felt incredibly uncomfortable, and he quickly swore to himself to pay more attention to Jiang Yingyue.


    Jiang Yingyue did not mind. She knew he was busy working, and this was why she had rushed to find food for him. She wanted to be of assistance to him and not just a decorative piece to stand by his side.


    Song Liwei came back inside the office, took the food and went to the kitchen to heat it. The food was the same as the one she had bought for the secretary and Song Liwei, taking the assistant by surprise.


    He had expected that she would buy something special for Han Qingshan, but she had purchased the same food for all of them, showing no signs of favoritism.


    Jiang Yingyue was unaware that Song Liwei felt a mix of complex emotions just because of the food she had bought. She was too busy watching Han Qingshan sort the papers so that they could use his desk to eat at.


    It only took a few minutes to reheat the food, and by the time Han Qingshan had sorted and stacked his papers, the food was brought back again.


    Han Qingshan looked at it and was slightly surprised. It was street food, something he would usually never eat because it was unsanitary. But knowing that Jiang Yingyue had purchased it for him, the scent suddenly smelled enticing, and the food looked delicious.


    Han Qingshan took his chopsticks and began eating slowly while observing Jiang Yingyue, who also ate carefully and with elegance.


    Looking at her enjoying the food like this, he could not help but feel that she was adorable.


    Suddenly, he had an urge to eat her food. Since she was eating with such a blissful expression on her face, could it be that her food tasted better?


    He snickered as he reached out with his chopsticks and sneakily stole a bite from her box.


    Noticing it, Jiang Yingyue raised her head and looked at Han Qingshan quizzically. What had gotten over him to eat from her portion, instead of his own, suddenly? It was identical after all.


    Han Qingshan tasted the food, and his face went into a brilliant smile that blossomed like a thousand flowers.


    Seeing his incomprehensible reaction, Jiang Yingyue was feeling surprised and somewhat confused. What exactly was the point of stealing her food? Was he starving?


    Still, she did not mind and ate a bit of her food, before noticing the longing expression on Han Qingshan''s face while looking at her food.


    Chuckling, she picked up a portion with her chopsticks and placed it in front of his mouth.


    "Don''t just look at it," she laughed. "If you want to eat it, just go ahead, I won''t be able to finish a full portion anyway."


    Hearing this, and seeing that she was feeding him, Han Qingshan suddenly felt that spring had come early and that flowers were blooming in his mind.


    He quickly opened his mouth, allowing her to feed him, and with a slight shake of her head and some resignation, she placed the food she had picked up into his mouth.


    After doing this, she continued to eat her food, but when she glanced at Han Qingshan he looked like an abandoned puppy, and she could only smile wryly as she continued to feed him her food.


    Soon her food was finished, while his box was still filled, so Jiang Yingyue replaced her own box with his and continued to feed him and eat on her own.. In the end, they finished both portions, and Han Qingshan was ecstatic after being fed so much by Jiang Yingyue.

 Chapter 152 - Sleeping Beauty

    After eating, Jiang Yingyue continued to clean the desk, while Han Qingshan once more buried his head in the paperwork that he needed to deal with.


    He needed to participate in a few video-conferences on the laptop and take another few phone calls, but it was turning late.


    Jiang Yingyue was seated on the sofa and was reading through various books while he was working, and soon she felt her eyelids turn heavy.


    Jiang Yingyue fell asleep seated on the sofa, and soon Han Qingshan moved over to place her down on it so that she could lay down and relax better.


    It was evident that Jiang Yingyue was tired; she did not wake up at all while he was moving her. Instead, she just mumbled a little while readjusting into a comfortable position.


    Han Qingshan leaned over and placed a kiss on her forehead, found a blanket, wrapped it around her, and then went back to the desk to focus on his work once more.


    During this evening, while Han Qingshan was joining the different online conferences, people would see a sleeping beauty in the background. Han Qingshan had intentionally positioned himself so that everyone could see her laying behind him, and he felt amazingly proud.


    When he was not on the phone, he would make sure a lot of people came to his office to deliver documents for him, and they too would see the sleeping beauty on the sofa. All of them were aware that Han Qingshan was showing off, but were unable to do or say anything about it. He was their boss, after all.


    Han Qingshan saw that the time had reached eleven at night, and he finally felt that he could not drag it on any longer. He had made many of his employees work overtime this day to deal with as many things as possible, and also to allow Jiang Yingyue to sleep as long as she could. But it was almost midnight, and he had to let her return home to continue sleeping.


    Han Qingshan called Song Liwei. "Let them retire for the day," he ordered, and Song Liwei was incredibly happy when he heard it, almost thanking the gods for the directive he had been given.


    Without waiting, he rushed over to the different departments with the news of their day finally coming to an end. While he was doing this, Han Qingshan was going towards Jiang Yingyue wanting to wake her up.


    He gently placed a hand on her shoulder and shook her slightly. Leaning down, he saw her eyelids flutter before she finally opened them, looking incredibly dazed.


    Her dazed expression was simply too adorable, and Han Qingshan could not handle it, so he leaned down and placed his lips gently on top of hers, kissing her tenderly, softly, and smoothly.


    The kiss was not deep, but more like the touch of a butterfly wing. It was so subtle and gentle that Jiang Yingyue did not know if she had awakened or if she was still dreaming.


    Her eyes, which had been dazed and confused, suddenly focused as she felt the soft touch on her lips was not what she had expected. It was not a dream, it was real, and a sweetness appeared in her heart. Even when she was sleeping, Han Qingshan liked her.


    Jiang Yingyue was quite uncomfortable about her background earlier. She was feeling incredibly unsure of her right to be next to Han Qingshan, but now she was not feeling much more doubt or uncertainty.


    Han Qingshan was the one she loved. She had never bowed in front of anyone before, and she would never do so in the future either. When she made a decision, she would stick to it, and she would give her everything for it.


    Han Qingshan was the most important person she had met, apart from her family, and for him, she would give it her all. She wanted to protect him and be by his side proudly in the future.


    Her eyes were brimming with affection while looking at Han Qingshan, and although he could not understand what she was thinking about, he knew it was about him. He felt so happy that he once more captured her lips and deepened the kiss, turning it into a hot kiss; his tongue ravaging her mouth, entwining with her tongue and making Jiang Yingyue breathless.


    When he finally, and reluctantly, released her lips, they were red and swollen. He smiled in satisfaction as he rose to his feet. "Come, it''s time for us to go home and sleep," he said with a soft and gentle voice.


    Jiang Yingyue was somewhat in a trance after experiencing such a hot kiss just after waking up, and she was once again thrown into a dazed state.


    Seeing this, Han Qingshan chuckled. He bent down and placed his arms under her and started carrying her like a princess.


    Jiang Yingyue was entirely taken by surprise by the sudden movement, and she could not help but yelp in shock as she was being lifted. Her arms automatically wrapped around his neck as she held onto him tightly, afraid that she''d fall.


    He carried her out of the office, and Jiang Yingyue was feeling so embarrassed that she hid her face in his chest, burying it so that no one could see her blushing expression.


    Fortunately, no one was present in the office anymore. All of them had left while he was waking her up, and thus, no one saw their display of affection.


    Even so, Han Qingshan had no intention of telling her this.. He enjoyed the feeling of her burying her face in his chest, and he felt excited when he felt her rubbing her small head against him.

 Chapter 153 - Young Masters Breakfast

    As they reached the car, Han Qingshan placed Jiang Yingyue in the passenger seat, reached over her, and fastened the seat belt.


    Jiang Yingyue was dazed and lazily like a cat. She was relaxing and leaning back against the seat, her eyelids heavy and closing slowly.


    It did not take long before her breathing turned even, and she had fallen asleep. Seeing her like this, Han Qingshan smiled slightly as he drove slowly towards the condo.


    When they arrived at the condo, she was even deeper asleep, and he could not bear to wake her up. So instead, he carried her like a princess to the elevator and up to their home.


    He had some trouble opening the front door while he was carrying her, but after trying a few times it finally worked out, and he closed the door with a kick of his feet after entering.


    Jiang Yingyue was nestling in his arms, her head was rubbing against his chest, and she was mumbling a few words from time to time.


    Han Qingshan moved her into her room, placed her on the bed, and took her shoes off her before he removed the jacket and left her in the vintage dress.


    He then placed a gentle soft kiss on her forehead and covered her with the blanket before he turned around and left her deeply asleep.


    It was apparent that she had been filled with excitement all day long, and that so much had happened. It was her first real day as a woman, so it was natural for her to be so exhausted.


    Han Qingshan went to wash up before he changed his clothes and returned to the study room. He had a few more documents he needed to work on before he could go to sleep.


    Jiang Yingyue slept the entire night in the vintage dress. When she woke up, she found that she had been wearing the dress, and she felt quite uncomfortable.


    She quickly went to find some new clothes, but when she opened the closet, she discovered that there were no male clothes anymore, there were only dresses.


    She picked an A-line floral dress this time. It was white with a yellow sunflower print. It was a long one that was very elegant and classy, and it suited the weather perfectly.


    Jiang Yingyue went to the bathroom and quickly showered. Her wound was almost completely healed by now, and her body was relieved that it was now possible to take actual showers again, instead of just washing up.


    She felt the warm water batter her body as it fell from the showerhead, and she felt incredibly relaxed as it kneaded her tensed up muscles.


    Today she had woken up before Han Qingshan, and she quickly went to the kitchen where she started cooking breakfast. It was a simple traditional breakfast, including fried bread sticks and stuffed buns with soup and meat.


    The day before she had soaked some soybeans, and now she picked them up and started to make soy milk. Freshly made soy milk tasted very different from the commercial milk one could buy in the grocery stores. It was also incredibly cheap and easy to make, so Jiang Yingyue had often made it before.


    When Han Qingshan woke up and headed to the bathroom, this was what met his eyes. Jiang Yingyue was standing in the kitchen, and an apron was covering her beautiful floral A-line dress.


    "Yingyue," Han Qingshan suddenly called out, and Jiang Yingyue turned around to look at him. "I am going to get an appointment at the hairdressers today," he said, "We are going to either get you extensions, or cut your hair in a page hairstyle, so consider what you prefer while waiting."


    Jiang Yingyue was taken by surprise as she reached up and touched her hair. It was not long, but it was not incredibly short either. She had usually cut it herself, but it was a few months since she last cut it, so it grew somewhat lengthy.


    "Maybe extensions first?" she said as she considered it. Her hair was too short to be able to be cut into a page haircut, but why was Han Qingshan suddenly saying this? Did he not like her short hair?


    Truthfully, Han Qingshan did not care about her hair, but he pitied her for having to use a wig all the time. He also felt it was hazardous.


    As a result, he came with these two options for her, and she had decided on the hair extensions, so he nodded his head.


    Thinking it through, Jiang Yingyue understood his thoughts. Han Qingshan was taking her to a charity event. If she lost her wig there, it would be disastrous, so to have permanent hair extensions was indeed a better idea.


    Seeing that she had not misunderstood his words, Han Qingshan breathed a heavy sigh of relief as he closed the bathroom door behind him, quickly washed up, and changed his clothes.


    When he came back out, the scent of food had filled the condo, and he quickly went to the table, looking at the delicious breakfast that was spread in front of him.


    Jiang Yingyue walked to his side, giving him a cup of coffee and a glass of soy milk.


    "Drink the milk first," she said caringly. "It is good for you, so finish all of it, okay?"


    Han Qingshan nodded his head and drank the soy milk.. He was surprised by the taste that was completely different from what he was used to, but it was not distasteful at all.

 Chapter 154 - Second Encounter

    After eating the food, Han Qingshan once more went to the university while Jiang Yingyue was busy cleaning at home. She had initially planned on reading a bit, but after a few moments, she lost her focus and felt restless. As a result, she ended up cleaning the entire flat, making it sparkle.


    Jiang Yingyue was so busy cleaning that she forgot the time, and it was not before it was late into the afternoon that she realized she had not eaten anything for lunch yet.


    She would usually have cooked some food. However, things were different this time. It was already so late, and if she was going to prepare the food now, it would become very late before she could eat.


    Sighing dejectedly to herself, Jiang Yingyue left the condo and started moving down the road, going towards a small market that had a wide variety of food stalls.


    Although the food could be considered unsanitary, Jiang Yingyue had eaten it quite often and had turned entirely immune to the bad stomach aches one could get from eating this kind of food.


    Jiang Yingyue was very straightforward when it came to what kind of street food she would buy. If it looked good and smelled good, then she would buy it. If it tasted good, she would eat it. If it was, in fact, lousy tasting, she would spit it out right away and never again buy from that stall.


    This was her trick for not getting food poisoning, and it was incredibly accurate. There had been a scandal about some places using recycled gutter oil at below market value, and other scandals about stalls which sold rat meat.


    Jiang Yingyue was quite reasonable. She did not care if it was rat meat as long as it tasted good, but she was quite worried about the gutter oil, and thus she was always alert when she ate street food for the first time at a new stall.


    When she finally reached a market, she found a few stalls that sold food which made her mouth water.


    She was torn between having jianbing or fried rice, but eventually the jianbing won, and she found a place where she could sit down and consume the food she had bought.


    First, she took a small bite to ensure it was good, when she had taste it and realized it was delicious, she did not hold back at all as she began eating it all.


    When she was done eating, it was already four in the afternoon. She felt it would be too late to go back to the condo, especially considering that when Han Qingshan was done at university, then she would have to go to Imperial World to work.


    Jiang Yingyue found her phone in the small purse she had with her and sent a text to Han Qingshan saying that she would wait for him outside the university.


    After that, she started moving towards the university. She could have taken public transport to shorten the distance, but she did not expect Han Qingshan to finish for a few hours, and thus, she decided to walk there.


    As she was walking, she suddenly felt someone grab her hand from behind and pulled her back. Taken by surprise, Jiang Yingyue withdrew her hand fast and turned around to see who had dared to grab her, her eyes lighting with anger.


    Behind her was a man she had seen once before. He was the manager who had tried to poach her back then, and his eyes were shining lasciviously while glancing at Jiang Yingyue.


    "Pretty lady, I can make you famous," he said with a sleazy smile on his lips.


    "Sorry, I am not interested," Jiang Yingyue answered before she turned her back at him and started walking away.


    "Don''t rush like this," the man said as he suddenly bypassed her and blocked the road in front of her.


    Jiang Yingyue frowned. They were on a busy street, and many had already started looking at them, but no one had stepped forward to save her just yet.


    "Sorry, I am sure I am not interested in becoming famous," she said gravely. But the man continued to push forward, forcing her to take a few steps backward to avoid him touching her.


    "A fine lady like you must have all the riches you want," he said with a nod of his head, "but what I can give you is much more than that. I can make the world adore you. I can make you the queen in every man''s mind and the role model for any woman."


    "I already have a boyfriend, and as long as I am his queen, I do not need others," Jiang Yingyue said. "As for women, why would I want to be their role model? Please leave me alone."


    The man''s face turned sinister the more that he was rejected, and he reached out to grab her once more. Jiang Yingyue retreated while she suddenly yelled as loudly as she could, "Pervert! Someone is trying to molest me!"


    Many had observed what was going on but hadn''t heard what the words were, and yet many had been moving on without really caring. However, when such a charming voice sounded out, everyone suddenly stopped to look at them.


    What greeted their eyes was precisely the view of the man trying to capture her, his face filled with menace and his eyes sinister.


    "Leave her alone." A few people finally stood up for Jiang Yingyue, and under the disdain and hate-filled gazes of the crowd, the manager could do nothing else than to grit his teeth.. Staring once more at Jiang Yingyue, he turned around, leaving in defeat once again.

 Chapter 155 - You Will Be Held Accountable

    Jiang Yingyue was puzzled as she thanked the people who had stood up for her.


    She glanced at the direction where the manager had vanished as she frowned. She had met him twice now, and he had used the same forceful way to try and compel her into becoming a celebrity.


    If he was this forceful, would he manage to convince anyone to pledge their loyalty to him? His stars were likely to have abandoned him when they managed to start tasting the stardom that the entertainment circle could offer.


    Jiang Yingyue could guess that this man was so forceful because he was desperate. He had likely been a manager for a big name in the entertainment industry, and that person had left him, causing him to be desperate to find new young talent to nurture.


    Shaking her head, she decided not to bother with it anymore and continued towards the university.


    As she reached it, she stood outside and waited patiently for her boyfriend to emerge.


    Many who came by looked at her with surprise, and a few guys were taking glances at her, before whispering to their friends.


    The guys decided not to leave right away, but instead, they stayed, wanting to know who could make such a stunning and beautiful woman wait for them.


    None of them dared to hit on her. They all felt that she was part of the upper class. She was so elegant, and the clothes she was wearing were also quite upscale. She did not look like a simple person at all.


    Jiang Yingyue was fiddling with the phone in her hands, texting Han Qingshan to let him know that she had arrived. It took half an hour, and during this time, more and more people had gathered at the entrance before Han Qingshan emerged.


    Everyone was looking at Jiang Yingyue, and when they saw the brilliant smile that lit up her face, they all followed her gaze and saw that the one she was looking at was Han Qingshan.


    Everyone had seen the video of the virtuous maiden and evil witch online, the video of Han Qingshan''s girlfriend and He Yuyan. Unfortunately, no one had been able to really see her face, as the video quality was rather poor. When they saw the smile that had spread on the beautiful woman''s face, they all understood instantly. This woman was the rumored girlfriend of Han Qingshan.


    Although rumors had it that she was a commoner, she had a bearing that in no way lost out to the young women from affluent families. She was as poised and elegant as the noble-born women. She was simply a joy to look at, and many men were observing her with feverish gazes.


    Han Qingshan quickly saw the gazes that these men were giving her, and he felt slightly uncomfortable as he walked towards her. He possessively placed an arm around her shoulder and dragged her into his embrace, hugging her close to show the people present that this woman belonged to him.


    He glanced at all the people who were present, which made all of them bow their heads and quickly move away.


    Seeing them moving away like this, Han Qingshan was pleased. He leaned down and kissed Jiang Yingyue on the top of her head. He then released her, took her hand into his, and the two of them moved towards the car.


    "How was your day?" Jiang Yingyue asked gently, a slight blush on her face.


    "It was normal," Han Qingshan answered, his heart sweet from hearing her ask about his day. This was the best; having a wife like this, who cared so much about him, was a feeling that was impossible to beat.


    Jiang Yingyue nodded her head and asked nothing else. They reached the car, and suddenly they noticed that a young man was waiting for them. He had his head down as he looked at his phone. This was the young man that Han Qingshan had almost crashed into before, the one who had copied Jiang Yingyue, and he looked upset as he was standing next to the car.


    Seeing him, Han Qingshan frowned, but the moment the young man saw Han Qingshan, a brilliant smile appeared on his lips, and he instantly moved towards them.


    The man was utterly ignoring Jiang Yingyue; his eyes were solely on Han Qingshan.


    "Young Master Shan," the man said as he looked at Han Qingshan who was moving towards them.


    Seeing that he was speaking to them, Han Qingshan nodded his head, but his face was expressionless.


    "I am sorry about last time, but I need to speak with you about something important," the young man said as he glanced at Jiang Yingyue. "It is about your young girlfriend. I am sure you would like to hear it."


    Hearing his words, Han Qingshan frowned. Was this man threatening him? He was curious as to what the young man had to say, but at the same time, he also felt repulsed by this person.


    "I''ll be fine," Jiang Yingyue said as she smiled at him and patted his hand. "I will wait here, just go talk to him."


    After a final glance at Jiang Yingyue, Han Qingshan unlocked the car and gestured for her to go in. He then followed the young man to another side of the parking lot to hear what he had to say.


    "Young Master Shan, I am not one who usually gossips, but I have to tell you about this," the young man sighed as he looked at Jiang Yingyue who was seated in the car not too far away from them. His eyes flickered with a mysterious light, and he was about to resume talking when Han Qingshan stopped him.


    "I don''t know who is behind you," he began, "but I have no interest in what you have to say. Yingyue is with me, and I know everything about her. I do not need someone to come with bad rumors or try to get between us. I am here to warn you.. If I hear any rumors about Yingyue spreading, I will make sure that you will be held accountable."

 Chapter 156 - It Was For Him

    The young man was utterly shocked by hearing Han Qingshan''s words. He had many things he had wanted to say, many stories he had wanted to spin about the young lover of Han Qingshan, but never would he have thought that this young master was so faithful towards his girlfriend, that he would trust her completely.


    Seeing him stunned, Han Qingshan did not wait for him to recover and went back towards the car. He got in and drove out of the parking lot without a second glance at the young man.


    As soon as Han Qingshan had left, the young man gritted his teeth as he fished his phone out of his pocket and dialed a number that he had not saved in contacts.


    "Hello?" A lazy, decadent voice resounded on the other end of the phone, and the young man quickly relayed what Han Qingshan had said to him.


    "So he has that much trust in his girlfriend? This will be troublesome then."


    After saying this, the one who had spoken on the phone paused slightly before a chuckle was heard. "Well, it is more interesting this way. You have done what you could. Unfortunately, you can not return for a while. Han Qingshan is likely to follow you for now as he is probably worried about your purpose, so lay low until I contact you again."


    The young man quickly assured the speaker that he would do what he could to lay low, and he promptly ended the phone call before the flattering smile that had been on his face the entire time vanished, and a ruthless light shone in his eyes.


    Meanwhile, Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan went to a hairdresser who gave Jiang Yingyue a set of extensions that transformed her short hair long. The extensions were sewed in; they were fragile, but Jiang Yingyue was happy with them.


    When the hairdresser was finished, a long time had passed. The sewn in hair extensions were from human hair, and they were very long, so long that they reached to her back, just above her waist.


    She had also been given a straight hair bangs that was just above her eyebrows.


    She looked so feminine and so stunning that when Han Qingshan looked at her, he was completely stumped for words.


    Jiang Yingyue was slightly nervous when she looked at him. She wanted to be praised by him, and she could not help but bite her lower lip slightly.


    Seeing her nervous expression, Han Qingshan''s heart softened into a puddle, and he quickly went forward. He placed his hands on both sides of her face, and without hesitating for a moment, he leaned forward and kissed her on the lips, right in front of the stunned hairdresser.


    Jiang Yingyue''s face instantly turned red, but she did not push him away. Even so, the moment he released her, she buried her face in his chest, not daring to look at anyone, not wanting anyone to look at her either.


    Seeing her behavior, the hairdresser chuckled slightly. It was rare to see such an innocent and shy girl nowadays, so it was like a breath of fresh air.


    Han Qingshan also felt it was adorable, and he quickly paid the bill before leading her to the car and towards the office.


    At the office, Han Qingshan once more buried himself in work while Jiang Yingyue was sitting on the sofa and reading.


    She had previously complained to Han Qingshan about her job. She wanted to do proper work, not just sit as an ornament in his office, but he had told her that the most important role she had was to stay within his sight.


    After discussing it for quite some time, Jiang Yingyue had no other option than to give up. He had been adamant on this, and she had no other choice than to accompany him.


    Han Qingshan was busy working, and Jiang Yingyue was reading up on anything and everything she could. She would broaden her horizons and read a lot of different types of books, journals, and magazines.


    She was currently reading medical and psychological magazines and journals. She had previously been reading books on business and art.


    She was not born a young noble lady. She was unaware of so many of the things that Han Qingshan knew, and that the other ladies of influential families knew. She was unaware of them, and thus she had decided to give her all in trying to learn it.


    Han Qingshan was aware of her thoughts. Although his heart ached when he saw how serious she was on learning all these things, he said nothing.


    He did not want for her to be bullied later on for being unaware of certain things. Therefore he had no other choice than to let her continue studying on her own, continue gaining knowledge, and continue learning the things that others took for granted.


    Right now, although Jiang Yingyue had educational credentials, they were in another''s name. She had none in her own name, and it would take between half a year and a year for her to get them back in her own name with Han Qingshan''s plans.


    During this year she could learn as much as possible. Han Qingshan would supply her with anything she might need, and he would help her turn into a true matriarch of the family.


    He knew that the Han family was immense. It was so incredibly vast, and most of them would definitely be against his relationship with Jiang Yingyue.. The more she could learn, the easier it would be to convince them of her abilities.

 Chapter 157 - Explaining The Auction

    The days before the auction went by in a blur. Han Qingshan would be entirely focused on work while Jiang Yingyue would study everything she could.


    Everyone at Imperial World had gotten used to her presence; whenever they entered Han Qingshan''s office, they would see that she was seated on the sofa, reading something.


    When they were home alone, Han Qingshan would be touchy and shameless. He would try to convince her that they could shower together; he even tried to sneak into her bed a few times, but Jiang Yingyue was simply too embarrassed, and they never went further than kissing.


    The day of the charity auction came before Jiang Yingyue even knew it. It was a Friday, and Han Qingshan had taken a leave from university and even informed the office that he would not show up that day.


    When Jiang Yingyue woke up, she found that Han Qingshan had ordered breakfast for her.


    "I didn''t know what you wanted," he said gently as he pecked her cheek when he saw her dazed look as she left her room in her nightgown.


    Looking at the table, she found a wide variety of dishes. There was tofu pudding, noodles, steamed glutinous rice, wontons, and dumplings.


    It was way too much food, but it seemed that whenever Han Qingshan was ordering food, he would always buy a lot out of fear for not having something that Jiang Yingyue felt like eating.


    Jiang Yingyue looked at the table and nodded her head. "That''s fine," she said happily as she continued towards the bathroom.


    She had to wash her hands and face before eating; then she could shower and change clothes afterward.


    Han Qingshan quickly put out the plates and chopsticks. He quickly found some coffee and soy milk and waited for Jiang Yingyue to come out and eat with him.


    Although he had been officially dating Jiang Yingyue for some time now, they had never gone out together. They had been at work most of the time, and when they weren''t at work, they were home.


    Now they would be able to go out together, and he would be able to show her off. He could not wait to tell the world that this woman belonged to him.


    Jiang Yingyue was still wearing the nightgown when she left the bathroom. She was looking so beautiful that Han Qingshan had to keep a tight hold on himself to not take her into his arms and eat her instead of the breakfast.


    After eating, Jiang Yingyue quickly finished her morning routine, and the two of them left the condo and went towards the Han Residence.


    On the way, Jiang Yingyue was asking questions about the auction. She had never before been to an auction, neither a charity event, so it was all new to her, and she wanted to understand as much as possible.


    Han Qingshan was patient as he explained the ins and out of it and Jiang Yingyue listened intently.


    "Everyone has to take their own item with them to the auction and donate it to the charity. Then these items, which have been donated, will be auctioned off. People will not care about the items; they will do what they can to support the charity. But truthfully, they are trying to show off their wealth and make connections with others.


    "The ones who have money are expected to spend a lot here, and the ones who are not ranked as high in the hierarchy of the noble families will try to get others to notice them by spending a large quantity of money on this day.


    "There will be a banquet after the auction. This is the real reason that people fight for the tickets to this event. It is a place where everyone can mingle and create connections."


    Han Qingshan was explaining so patiently that Jiang Yingyue was feeling happy. She had not understood it completely from the beginning, but now she had a much clearer understanding of what it was she was going to attend.


    They arrived at the Han residence, and both Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan frowned the instant they arrived.


    Especially Han Qingshan was surprised and shocked. The entire house had changed their servants and maids. None of the ones who were usually there were present.


    The housekeeper, who had been rather hostile last time Jiang Yingyue saw him, was now incredibly polite and friendly.


    Could it be that Yan Meilin had replaced them all for the sake of venting her frustrations?


    She was not going to ask; this was something that they could deal with themselves. But she still felt happy that she did not have to see those people who had caused her to bleed before.


    Jiang Yingyue had not mentioned the episode to Han Qingshan before, so he was incredibly puzzled as to why the servants were suddenly replaced. But looking at their behavior and ingratiating attitudes towards Jiang Yingyue, he got a slight idea.


    "Let us go meet Mother," Han Qingshan said as he took Jiang Yingyue''s hand and dragged her towards the upper levels of the house.


    As they left, the housekeeper looked bitterly at Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan, and he shook his head resignedly.


    He was not keen on this young woman who had gotten close to his young master, but he had nothing to say.. He was, after all, just an employee, and he was in no position decide on Han Qingshan''s partner.

 Chapter 158 - A Fairy

    Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan completely ignored the thoughts of the housekeeper and continued up the stairs and down the hallways until they reached the atelier.


    Han Qingshan did not even knock on the door before he pushed it open and entered.


    "Qingshan and Yingyue dear!" Yan Meilin did not seem to care about the fact that he had not knocked on the door and turned to look at the two people who had arrived. A brilliant smile flashed on her face.


    "Okay, Qingshan dear, go get yourself ready. Hand over this beauty to me, and I will make sure you get back the most stunning woman to accompany you at the auction tonight!"


    Saying this, Yan Meilin took Jiang Yingyue''s hand and dragged her to another room. Yan Meilin had been prepared for a long time. She had hired a whole set of spa attendants to help her, and they had a private spa area in the Han mansion.


    Taking Jiang Yingyue there, they ended up getting a hot stone massage and a facial treatment before giving her a manicure and pedicure.


    It was not before the middle of the day that they finished with the spa treatment, and Yan Meilin took Jiang Yingyue, who was only wearing a bathrobe, to her atelier again.


    Here clothes were waiting for her, and Yan Meilin sent her behind the screen to get dressed.


    When she stepped out from behind the screen, Yan Meilin nodded her head approvingly.


    "It suits you perfectly!" she praised before she took her hand and went to another part of the mansion. Waiting for them here was a hairdresser who was in charge of styling her hair. It ended up with most of the hair loose while a bit of it was placed in a bun behind her head, held up by jade hairpins.


    The hair was framing her head, and it gave her a beautiful profile while still showing off the hair. She looked elegant, yet refined.


    After finishing with the hair, Yan Meilin had wanted to do her makeup herself; however, after considering it, she decided to get a professional to do it instead.


    This professional was very skilled, and she was so astounded when she saw Jiang Yingyue. Even without makeup, she was so beautiful, so she only gave her a light and natural makeup.


    When she was finished, it was already around five in the afternoon; the time had gone by so fast that day that Jiang Yingyue could not comprehend it.


    While it had taken Jiang Yingyue a full seven hours to prepare and get ready, Han Qingshan had been ready a long time before, but he had not done anything to rush her.


    Instead, he had been dealing with work matters, and time flowed by like water. None of them realized that most of the day had passed before Jiang Yingyue descended from the stairs like a Disney princess.


    She was elegant, refined, beautiful, and stunning. Anyone who looked at her could not help but take another look. It was evident that her appearance would enthrall both men and women.


    When Han Qingshan saw her, he was stumped for words, his eyes were glued to her figure, unable to look away and he was completely entranced with what he saw. He had always known that Jiang Yingyue was beautiful, but he had never seen her dress up before, and now that she did, she was simply like a fairy.


    Jiang Yingyue was focusing on walking down the stairs. She did not have much practice walking in high-heeled shoes, and the stairs were a big challenge for her, so she had not noticed the look Han Qingshan was giving her.


    Her shoes were white, high-heeled, diamond-studded stilettos with a big white ribbon on the back of the shoes. They were elegant and feminine, complementing the white and silver qipao she was wearing.


    Her long slender legs were on display, and her thin and frail arms were also shown.


    Han Qingshan could not help but feel that this was too revealing. The clothes showed off her fantastic figure, and her elegance was brought out. She looked much nobler than most of the noble ladies in the circle.


    After what seemed like an eternity, Jiang Yingyue reached the end of the stairs, and Han Qingshan had managed to get himself together. He walked towards her and stretched out his hand, taking hers in his own and smiling gently at her.


    "You look ravishing tonight," he said honestly, "No other woman will ever be able to stand out as much as you do."


    "Take the driver today," Yan Meilin suddenly said. She had been entirely ignored by Han Qingshan who only had eyes for his girlfriend, but when he heard her speak, he looked at her, with eyes that clearly stated: ''are you also here?''


    However, after thinking about what she had said, he agreed. It was a charity event; it was only natural that they took a driver to send them on their way.


    Since they were going with a driver, they picked a comfortable Rolls-Royce. Although it was quite different from the car Han Qingshan usually drove, it was not suitable to drive a sports car to the charity auction.. He was young, but he was also responsible, and his image was the image of Imperial World and Han Corporation.

 Chapter 159 - First Battleground

    "Qingshan, dear," Yan Meilin called out, "your father and I will not be going to the auction tonight, so you are responsible for donating money, not only for Imperial World but also for the Han Corporation."


    "You are not going?" Han Qingshan was surprised. As long as he could remember, his parents had always gone to this particular charity auction.


    It was the most prestigious charity auction in the country, and it was held once a year.


    In the beginning, his grandfather and grandmother would also go. However, after his grandmother passed away, his grandfather stopped attending different social functions. The only thing he went out for was when a shareholders meeting happened in the Han Corporation, where he was the Chairman.


    Soon he would be enjoying his retirement and handing the Han Corporation over to his son and grandson.


    Han Qingshan looked at his mother with narrowed eyes. She likely had some plans, but he did not know exactly what the plans were.


    Jiang Yingyue could see that they looked at one another, communicating without words, and she felt puzzled, but she said nothing and just observed them while smiling.


    "Well it is time for you to leave," Yan Meilin said with a smile and ushered them out the door where the driver was already waiting for them with the car.


    As they entered the back seat, Han Qingshan gently helped Jiang Yingyue inside. The car was extremely luxurious, and clearly, custom-designed to cater to any need one might have.


    As soon as they entered, the driver raised the partition so that no one could see what was happening in the back, leaving some privacy for Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan.


    When they sat down, they were seated close to one another, and Han Qingshan did not let go of Jiang Yingyue''s hand. He played with his fingers on her palm, stroked it gently, and felt the softness of her skin.


    It was not enough for him to just touch her hand. He slowly trailed up her arm, before his hand secured its position behind her neck and pressed her face towards him, kissing her deeply.


    He dared not be too unbridled as he knew that they were going to a public event, but he could simply no longer hold back. He had to kiss her, to feel her, and to know that she was indeed his.


    Jiang Yingyue was stunned when he suddenly leaned forward without any warning, but she did not retreat and even clumsily replied to his kiss.


    Feeling her obedience, he deepened the kiss, holding her so close that it felt as if he wanted to merge her into his bones.


    Jiang Yingyue''s lips were finally released after a long time, a red flush was on her face, and her lips were swollen. She looked like a blooming lotus, so captivating that even Han Qingshan felt utterly bewitched by her appearance.


    He raised his hand and gently rubbed her lips; a predatory light shone in his eyes as he was about to consider another kiss. However, just as he did, the car came to a standstill.


    Cursing slightly under his breath, Han Qingshan quickly helped Jiang Yingyue straighten her clothes and hair. She looked so tempting with the slight red blush that had crept up on her face, her plump and cherry-like lips and her eyes that resembled a starry sky.


    Han Qingshan took a deep breath and fought the urge to take her home right away. He exited the car and went to open the door for her, stretching out a hand to help her get out of the limo.


    Jiang Yingyue closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them again, they were filled with resolve and a charming light. She reached out her hand, placed it on top of Han Qingshan''s, allowing him to help her exit the car.


    As they exited the car, thousands of flashes of light shone towards them. Reporters were not allowed inside the venue, but outside, both sides of the red carpet were filled with reporters who took pictures.


    Jiang Yingyue had not expected it to be so overwhelming, but she kept a gentle smile on her face as she held onto Han Qingshan''s arm with a familiarity that seemed as if she had done so multiple times before, and together, the two of them strode towards the venue.


    Every step she took exuded elegance, and her entire being was so immensely graceful that everyone was taken by surprise. They had heard about the woman from a poor background. She was a real-life Cinderella, and it also turned out that she had the same poise and bearing as a rich young miss.


    Jiang Yingyue held a slight smile on her face, and as they reached the venue, a valet arrived to take the jackets from the two of them.


    Han Qingshan first helped Jiang Yingyue to take hers off before he removed his own, and then he handed both of them to the valet.


    If he had a choice, then he would have wanted Jiang Yingyue to keep wearing the jacket throughout the entire night. He did not want her to show off her curvaceous body, but he understood that he could not be too possessive. It was okay if others looked, as long as they held no other ideas towards her.


    Han Qingshan once more offered his arm to Jiang Yingyue who gently took it, and together, the two of them moved into what could be considered Jiang Yingyue''s first battleground.

 Chapter 160 - Uncomfortable Jiang Yingyue

    When they entered into the venue, many turned to look, curious to see who had made an entrance now, and many were stunned by what they saw.


    Jiang Yingyue was stunning, just like an immortal fairy, and Han Qingshan was as handsome as a deity. The two of them, next to each other, were indeed a perfect couple.


    As they entered, many businesspeople suddenly brought their dates with them to give Han Qingshan a toast and to start discussing various projects they might be needing financial aid for.


    Han Qingshan might be the CEO of Imperial World and thus not the one they should look for. However, he was also representing the Han Corporation, and they were investing in many different sectors. They were not specializing in just one.


    Seeing that so many men were rushing towards them, Jiang Yingyue fell slightly, and the grip on Han Qingshan''s arm tightened. Feeling her nervousness, Han Qingshan looked at her face, but nothing was betrayed in her expression.


    He gently patted her hand to give her some assurance before he engaged in some in-depth business talk with various people from the different sectors who came to offer their ideas, in exchange for financial aid.


    Originally, the plan was that they would be mingling like this after the auction was done. However, since they had seen Han Qingshan, they could not contain their eagerness.


    Jiang Yingyue looked at the big round clock hanging on the wall and noticed that there was still half an hour before the auction would begin.


    "I am going to touch up on my makeup," she whispered to Han Qingshan. She did not wait for his reply before she found the way towards a washroom.


    As she found a washroom, she quickly washed her hands and looked in the mirror. She had never thought that she would end up as a woman again, and she sighed in wonder of how fate works in mysterious ways.


    After looking in the mirror, she found that her makeup was still flawless and her hair was sitting perfectly. So after taking a few deep breaths, she calmed herself and got ready to deal with the businesspeople who were waiting for their turn to talk with Han Qingshan.


    As she left, she quickly found Han Qingshan again. He was at the center of attention, so it was impossible to miss him.


    A group of young women was standing by his side, some of them were even trying to coil themselves around his arms, and their faces were filled with such pretentiousness and flattery that Jiang Yingyue felt like puking.


    It was apparent that these women, although nobles, were of the lower-ranked ones.


    Their parents had paid a hefty sum for them to be able to be there today, and they were here to try and gain benefits for their families, preferably from the higher-ranked families.


    Seeing that Han Qingshan suddenly paid attention to women, those people started feeling that they held a chance. And now, because he was too gentle to show any form of hostility, they had taken his kindness as a sign of approval for their behavior.


    Jiang Yingyue felt upset. Looking at the women who were touching Han Qingshan she could not help but frown, especially when these women were the first to see her return, and a smug smile was plastered on their faces as they continued to act with such indecency.


    Her lips pursed slightly as she walked towards them calmly. Jiang Yingyue did not doubt Han Qingshan''s love for her, but she was not willing to see other women throw themselves at her man. And although a gentle smile still hung on her lips, it did not reach her eyes, which had turned terrifyingly cold.


    Han Qingshan had not thought anything about these women who gently patted his arm, or tried to touch him. Although he disliked their touch, he was a gentle person with a sunny personality. He could not very well get mad at them for something so little.


    However, when he saw them giggle as they looked behind him, he was curious as to what they were giggling at, and he turned around to see Jiang Yingyue standing there.


    At first, he could not see what was different from before, but after looking a bit closer, he saw how cold her eyes were.


    She gently returned to the circle of people who were talking, but she said nothing to Han Qingshan, neither did she look at him. Instead, she accepted a glass of juice from a waiter that walked past and slowly sipped at it while observing what was happening.


    Han Qingshan felt uncomfortable. He could feel that Jiang Yingyue was not pleased, and he felt slightly panicked. Could something have happened to her while she went to wash up?


    Jiang Yingyue and the other women were more than clear about what was going on, but she was not going to let them feel proud of what they had achieved, so she kept the polite smile on her lips and greeted the few people that came forward to greet her.


    Everyone liked looking at beautiful things, and all of them were curious about Jiang Yingyue, especially all the men of the younger generation who came to greet her.


    Suddenly a commotion broke out at the entrance, and when Jiang Yingyue looked over, she saw that Zhou Yan and his female companion had arrived.


    Where Han Qingshan had allowed for Jiang Yingyue to hold his arm, these two had no physical interaction at all.. Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan were also wearing matching outfits, while these two were wearing stunning clothes, but they were clearly not matched.

 Chapter 161 - Not Worth It!

    There were two equally popular men in the entire country right now, and they were Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan.


    Seeing that both of them were present at the same place, many were stunned and looked to one another. It was no secret that the two of them did not like each other, but as to why, no one knew the real reason.


    In the middle of the crowd was Wang Feihong. He was looking at Jiang Yingyue with curiosity, and he quickly narrowed his eyes. He was ninety percent sure that this person was Jiang Fengmian, but to be completely sure he needed to see Zhou Yan''s reaction.


    If it genuinely was Jiang Fengmian, then everything could be explained, and he felt that things were making much more sense.


    He had to admit that Jiang Yingyue was stunning, and he felt that it was a pity that although Han Qingshan was smart, he had moments where he was dumb.


    Seeing him being besieged by other women, which girlfriend would be happy with this? But instead of stopping them, he tolerated it for the sake of his image while Jiang Yingyue turned sadder and sadder.


    Although the gentle smile on her face did not change, Wang Feihong could guess that on the inside she was not as cheerful as she seemed on the outside, and without knowing why he walked towards her in an attempt to cheer her up.


    He glanced at Zhou Yan, but he had been stopped by influential figures of the domestic business world and was unable to advance, so he was not able to cheer Jiang Yingyue up.


    Since this was the case, Wang Feihong went to help her. He felt absolutely no romantic feelings towards this woman, but he was very curious about her and the circumstances that could lead to her living life as a man for so long.


    "Pretty lady, do you want to share a toast with me?" Wang Feihong asked as he reached Jiang Yingyue''s side, and Jiang Yingyue was taken by surprise when she saw him. She recognized him right away and was slightly worried.


    "Don''t look at me like that." Wang Feihong smiled. "I am not someone who goes around sharing secrets, and what I know will go with me to the grave."


    He had come to cheer her up, not to make her even more worried, so he quickly promised to tell no one anything, and he saw how she visibly relaxed after hearing his words.


    "Young Master Hong is very kind," Jiang Yingyue said smilingly, and Wang Feihong also smiled when he saw that he had successfully made her stop looking at Han Qingshan.


    "Please, just call me by my name," he said. "I felt that you are like a younger sister to me. Although I do not know you too well, you feel very much like the younger sister I never had."


    Jiang Yingyue was surprised when she heard this and nodded her head. She once had a brother, but she lost him. She was not so opposed to finding another brother, especially since she had a good impression of this Wang Feihong.


    "You have to be patient with Young Master Shan," he continued as he glanced at Han Qingshan who was looking puzzled at Jiang Yingyue and Wang Feihong. "He has never actually been in a relationship before, and he never knew what was expected from him, so please slowly teach him that flirting with other girls in front of your girlfriend is terrible."


    "You seem to be quite protective of Han Qingshan?" Jiang Yingyue asked, as she glanced at Han Qingshan, and their eyes met, but she instantly looked away again, not bothering to look at him any longer.


    Even if Han Qingshan was unaware of romantic relationships, he knew she was mad at him. Nothing had happened before, so the only options were when she had been in the washroom or when she came back.


    Seeing her happily chatting with Wang Feihong but not willing to even glance at him, he suddenly felt a stifled emotion in his heart, making him feel a bit uncomfortable.


    Then it hit him. He was only seeing her chat with another man, but he was already this unsettled. Imagine if a group of men was touching her, flattering her, coaxing her right in front of him. How would he feel then?


    The thought alone made him feel sick to the stomach, and he quickly extracted his arm from the women who were surrounding him.


    "Excuse me, I need to go talk with my girlfriend," Han Qingshan said as he got ready to leave, but the girls had already gotten in way over their heads, thinking that his gentleness was to be taken for granted.


    "Why do you want her? She is just a vixen. She might be pretty but look at her seducing Young Master Hong right now. Are you sure you want a woman like this?" one of the girls asked with a coquettish voice. But in the moment the words escaped her lips, she felt a terrible and cold aura sweep over her as she saw that Han Qingshan''s eyes which had previously been gentle were now filled with so much malice that she flinched.


    "She is chatting with a friend, and you consider it as seducing? Then what about you? Were you not trying to seduce me before? Hanging on to me like that? Let me tell you, if a woman throws herself at a man who is already in a relationship, then she is not worth it!"

 Chapter 162 - Malicious Yu Xiulan

    The woman was utterly stunned when she heard Han Qingshan''s words, but she could not refute him in any way. What he said was correct; she had indeed tried to seduce him.


    Without waiting for her to answer, Han Qingshan strode towards Jiang Yingyue and wrapped her up in his embrace. The sudden show of affection caught them all by surprise, but the many business tycoons had all been young once, and thus they just smiled good-naturedly while the girls who had followed him before had faces filled with ugly expressions.


    Jiang Yingyue was taken by surprise. She had not seen Han Qingshan move towards her as she had her back facing him, and suddenly she felt someone wrap her in a warm embrace while she was talking with Wang Feihong.


    She quickly relaxed as she recognized the scent on him, but she was not leaning into the embrace; in fact, she completely ignored Han Qingshan.


    He felt his heart hurt when he noticed that she was completely ignoring him, and he turned her around so that she was facing him.


    "My lady, I''m sorry," he said gently. "I will never let another woman touch me, please don''t be mad at me. I promise that I will keep myself completely clear of other women, so you don''t have to feel sad anymore."


    Jiang Yingyue''s heart melted, but she was not willing to forgive him just like that, and she glanced at his eyes where she saw the sincerity. Sighing, she knew that she had lost. When she saw that he meant every word, her eyes softened, and she nodded her head.


    Many had heard the words Han Qingshan said, and they were shocked. None of them had thought that he was willing to be lorded over by a woman like this.


    Although it was no longer the ancient times, many thought that there was nothing wrong with men having mistresses or having many different women. However, Han Qingshan was clearly doing everything for this one woman.


    When they understood this, they all suddenly changed the way they looked at Jiang Yingyue. If she had this overwhelming control over Han Qingshan, then it would be possible to try and use her to get closer to him.


    Jiang Yingyue was happy, and the smile on her lips turned brilliant, stunning everyone who saw it.


    "Yingyue," someone suddenly called out her name, and everyone turned to see Zhou Yan walk towards them.


    A small smile was on his lips as he looked at Jiang Yingyue, but it cooled when he saw Han Qingshan hugging her like that.


    "Zhou Yan," Jiang Yingyue called out with a pleasant voice, but when she was about to take a step forward to greet him, she felt the arms that had her wrapped in an embrace tightening, and she could no longer move.


    "You look stunning tonight," Zhou Yan said with his enigmatic smile, and then he turned to Han Qingshan. "Han Qingshan, you cannot let Yingyue suffer even the slightest bit of grievances, as her childhood friend I wish her only happiness."


    Han Qingshan knew that Zhou Yan was speaking like this to boost Jiang Yingyue''s social standing. Although many were interested in her and saw her as a person to watch out for, no one really respected her or saw her as an essential person. Without Han Qingshan, she would be nothing.


    Now it seemed as if things were not as simple as they appeared. She was not only connected to Han Qingshan, but she was also linked to Zhou Yan, both of these two giants were on friendly terms with her, and it was clear that they were looking out for her.


    Thinking like this, everyone''s eyes widened in surprise. Who was this woman that had managed to convince the two most illustrious men of the country to be so protective of her?


    Everyone suddenly looked at her with even more complex emotions. She was too outstanding tonight.


    At the same time, Yu Xiulan arrived at the charity auction. There were famous people from all sectors and celebrities were also invited. They mainly came because it was very beneficial for their image to donate to charity.


    The only problem was that it was no easy feat to be invited to this charity auction. It required more than just money; one had to have a specific reputation as well.


    Yu Xiulan had brought a male partner with her, but her eyes were already roaming the entire hall in search of Han Qingshan from the moment she arrived.


    Her eyes were quickly drawn towards the center of everyone''s attention, which was Zhou Yan, Jiang Yingyue, and Han Qingshan.


    Han Qingshan was still wrapping Jiang Yingyue in his embrace, and the two of them seemed to be in a pleasant conversation with Zhou Yan.


    Her hands suddenly clenched as she saw how Jiang Yingyue was smiling sweetly within Han Qingshan''s arms, and she suddenly swore that she would make Jiang Yingyue regret it. She would pull her wig off her in front of everyone and make her lose face.


    Although she was malicious and filled with hatred, no expression had been seen on her face, and she quickly smiled at her partner. "Let us go greet CEO Han," she said. "He is, after all, our boss, so he should be the first we greet."


    The partner felt that it was reasonable, and the two of them set off to meet Han Qingshan.


    "CEO Han, it is an honor to work at Imperial World," the partner of Yu Xiulan was not aware of her plans, so he stood by her and offered Han Qingshan a toast.

 Chapter 163 - Road Of No Return

    Han Qingshan looked at the male artist who was standing in front of him and nodded his head as he gave a toast.


    The artist felt rather flattered to see Han Qingshan greeting him, and a smile surfaced on his face as he drank his wine and got ready to leave.


    Unfortunately, Yu Xiulan did not agree with his idea about leaving. She was here for the sake of embarrassing Jiang Yingyue, and she was not going to leave before she had succeeded.


    She walked towards them and was also about to make a toast to Han Qingshan when she suddenly "stumbled" and dropped her wine glass on the floor, shattering it into thousands of small shards and the wine flowed as a result.


    "Oh no!" she exclaimed as she looked stunned, "I am so sorry, are you okay?" she asked as she moved towards Jiang Yingyue, who had been standing in front of her.


    Some of the wine had splashed on her legs, but fortunately, neither the dress nor the shoes had been dirtied.


    Narrowing her eyes, Jiang Yingyue was curious to see what her plans were, and she quickly regained her friendly expression as she shook her head. "Celebrity Yu need not worry about me," she said with a voice so gentle that everyone saw her as an angel.


    Seeing her behaving so innocently, Yu Xiulan was furious, but she could not do anything, and thus, she just smiled back at her.


    "Let me help you wipe the wine off your legs," she said, but Han Qingshan stopped her before she even had the chance to get closer to his girlfriend.


    "Don''t worry about it," he said. His voice was somewhat dangerous, and it was clear that he was displeased with Yu Xiulan.


    Zhou Yan, who was standing on the sidelines, remembered the conversation between himself and Yu Xiulan at the bar. He remembered that she had asked for his help to cheat Han Qingshan, and he also became more alert about her.


    If she was chasing Han Qingshan, then she was going to cause problems for Jiang Yingyue.


    Han Qingshan called a waiter, and soon after he arrived with some wet tissues. Bending down, Han Qingshan quickly wiped the wine of her feet, and during this time, other waiters had appeared to clean the floor.


    "Miss Gou, the auction is about to begin, we better get going," Zhou Yan said to his female companion, who quickly glanced at Jiang Yingyue before she flashed a smile at Zhou Yan, nodded her head, and followed him into the auction venue.


    Han Qingshan glanced at the woman whom Zhou Yan was walking with, and his eyes narrowed dangerously.


    He had not thought Zhou Yan would show up today due to one needing a female companion, but now it seemed that he had brought Miss Gou with him, and this woman was someone that Han Qingshan had a faint memory of.


    Miss Gou was Gou Chen''s daughter. Although Gou Chen was not considered a noble, he was a very crafty business tycoon, and many were looking at him favorably.


    He had built an empire on his own, and his might was in no way inferior to the noble families; all he lacked was a history to his name.


    To see Zhou Yan together with Miss Gou made Han Qingshan slightly alert. She could not have come here without her father''s permission, but she had come with the biggest shareholder in Starry Sky, not with someone from Imperial World, where he himself was a shareholder.


    Zhou Yan was aware of the glance that Han Qingshan gave him, but he did not care. Right now, he was not caring at all about what clues he was leaving for Han Qingshan. His mood was foul, and his eyes once more glanced at Jiang Yingyue with a hidden pain deep within. Why''d she let Han Qingshan touch those legs of hers like that? Why did she admit that they were girlfriend and boyfriend?


    It was crushing his heart, and he could barely breathe, the only thing he could do was escape.


    Han Qingshan saw that Zhou Yan entered the venue and breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Miss Yu, Mr. San, we will also have to enter now," Han Qingshan said to Yu Xiulan and her male partner, not at all caring about Yu Xiulan''s ugly expression.


    The man he had referred to as Mr. San seemed to have understood that something was not right. He did not know what exactly Yu Xiulan was planning, but looking at her ugly expression, he noticed that something had not gone according to her plan.


    He contemplated for a short while before he looked at Yu Xiulan. "Xiulan, you and I have been friends for a long time. I understand your character better than most of our peers, and although you are a popular artist, you have a stubborn streak to your personality.


    "I know you want to be with Young Master Shan, but he is clearly not looking at you. Do not make things awkward or challenge his bottom line.


    "I don''t know what you have in mind, but it is definitely not a good idea to start looking as if you want to rip his female companion to shreds. I have never seen Han Qingshan this protective of anyone before; he clearly has a heart for this woman.


    "I do not want you to walk down a road of no return. You will be harmed greatly.. You know as well as I do that Young Master Shan is not to be taken lightly."

 Chapter 164 - Miss Gou

    Yu Xiulan looked at her friend with a condescending look in her eyes. "I don''t need you to worry about my matters," she said, without trying to hide the hostility in her voice.


    The male artist who had been next to her all this time shook his head. "Well, I cannot follow you," he said decisively. "I can help you with many things, but going against Young Master Shan is something I won''t do. He found me when I was a nobody and raised me to what I am today. I am not so ungrateful that I will repay his kindness with hostility."


    Yu Xiulan was stumped for words when she heard what her partner said. However, before she had the chance to react, the male artist had already turned around and was leaving the venue, not willing to stay and accompany Yu Xiulan any further.


    Yu Xiulan was caught between a rock and a hard place. If she entered, people would look and mock her for being alone. If she stayed away, she would never get the chance to disgrace Jiang Yingyue.


    At this point, Yu Xiulan was already filled with hatred, and she could no longer think straight. All that was on her mind was Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue.


    She wanted to have Han Qingshan, and she wanted to kill Jiang Yingyue. She believed that if Jiang Yingyue were gone, then Han Qingshan would be able to see her wholesomeness and loyalty towards him. She completely neglected the fact that she would have been the cause of him losing his beloved, and hence create a great rift between them.


    Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan had found their seats. They were seated in the center of the first row. They were the very best seats in the entire auction.


    Next to Jiang Yingyue were Zhou Yan and Miss Gou. They had arrived before Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue, and somehow Miss Gou was the one sitting next to Jiang Yingyue.


    Miss Gou was glancing at Jiang Yingyue, trying to see what was so special about her that she could be not only the girlfriend of Han Qingshan but also a childhood friend of Zhou Yan.


    She had thought that by being the female partner of Zhou Yan, she would have been showered with praise and jealous looks.


    She was sure that Zhou Yan had invited her because he had taken a liking to her and wanted to get closer to her, but after he saw how Zhou Yan looked at Jiang Yingyue, she felt as if someone had slapped her across the cheek. She was nothing special to Zhou Yan.


    But she could not accept that the woman that gained the most jealousy at the auction was not her but Jiang Yingyue. This Jiang Yingyue was truly a succubus, able to charm every single man that laid eyes on her, and this upset Miss Gou.


    Fortunately, her father had let her borrow his card, and she knew that she would be able to bid for things. She felt that it would be possible to show this Jiang Yingyue, who was the real phoenix.


    Everyone knew that the girlfriend of Han Qingshan was poor. No one had mentioned it to her face, but looking at her elegant poise, she did not seem to be a poor country bumpkin. Miss Gou thought it was merely because of her clothes that she had such an overwhelming presence.


    Jiang Yingyue completely ignored the woman by her side and started chatting with Han Qingshan.


    Their hands were interlocked, placed in Jiang Yingyue''s lap. When she looked into Han Qingshan''s eyes, she saw such a deep affection that she almost teared up, but she quickly got ahold of herself again.


    After talking for a bit of time, the light in the hall dimmed, while the spots that were pointing at the stage shone with a much more brilliant light.


    A middle-aged woman made her way onto the stage. Her hair was raised in a bun on top of her head, and she was wearing a beautiful evening gown.


    She was the host of tonight''s auction. Her voice was extremely pleasant to listen to, and as she looked out over the hall that was filled with extinguished persons, she smiled and was in no way feeling nervous or rushed.


    "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen." She began her speech while standing with a straight back right in the middle of the stage.


    "Today is the annual charity auction founded by the Sunflower Society, a charity organization which reaches out to different charity causes each year.


    "This year, we have decided that all profits will be donated to The Children''s Trust Fund. Depending on the amount raised, we will help orphanages across the country; we also wish to help fund the children living under the limits of poverty with education, medical treatment, and so on.


    "This year is a crucial year. The children of today are the workers of tomorrow. We rely on these children to look after us when we grow old, so it is now our responsibility to look after them.


    "Every guest has brought an item with them, which we will put up for sale during the auction. Apart from this, certain organizations and private persons have donated even more items to our auction, which will also be sold to the highest bidder. All profits will be donated to charity."


    As the host finished speaking a unique atmosphere enveloped the entire hall. Everyone felt that it would be good to help these children with their daily lives, and thus, they did not care much for the items up for sale.. They just wanted to prove that they had what it took to donate to charity.

 Chapter 165 - Imperial Ming Wase

    "You must make sure to spend a lot of money here," Miss Gou said to Jiang Yingyue, a sinister smile playing on her lips.


    "I heard you came from an impoverished background, so it is only natural that since you now have the ability, you should definitely display your newfound riches."


    Miss Gou''s voice was not low, and both those who were seated at the sides and those behind heard her.


    Some frowned when they listened to the condescending tone of her voice, but most just snickered. They were curious as to how Jiang Yingyue would reply to such an infuriating woman.


    "I am indeed not rich," Jiang Yingyue said casually while looking at the stage, as if it was fascinating, and that Miss Gou was unimportant.


    "But although I do not have money, I am here to broaden my horizons. Even if I do not have the money needed to bid on these items, being here can make me understand Han Qingshan''s world and make me more aware of what is expected from his girlfriend.


    "Of course it is important to bid on items and donate money, but frankly, that is not my task, that is my partner''s responsibility, while all I need to do is start to understand his world."


    The words were spoken softly and gently, but there was a hidden meaning within every word and a conviction that could not be questioned.


    Everyone who listened was stunned, and then they had to agree with her words. Jiang Yingyue was not a rich young lady. She was new to this whole thing. So for her, this was not a place to show off her riches or anything like that, but a place to understand and see the world that Han Qingshan was a part of.


    And after considering it, she was the female companion of Han Qingshan. Should she really need to show off her value? She was sitting next to a man who was worth more money than anyone else present.


    Miss Gou''s face alternated between pale and red. She was feeling incredibly embarrassed and insulted when she saw the casual demeanor of Jiang Yingyue, and even more so when she heard the words that came out of her mouth.


    But she was not willing to give up just like that. "Oh yes, you are not a rich young miss," she continued, clearly looking for more trouble. "Have you not heard that one should stick to one''s own class? You are clearly a complete novice, do you even know what brand you are currently wearing? Do you know how much your outfit is worth? Have you ever dressed this magnificently before?"


    The words were completely ruthless and tried to tear open Jiang Yingyue''s face, but Jiang Yingyue just glanced at the miss by her side and chuckled slightly.


    "Of course I know where the clothes I am wearing are from," she chuckled. "My mother-in-law personally made them for me, so it is obvious that I know their origin.


    "Not to mention the jewelry and accessories, I personally picked them out together with my dear mother-in-law. If I did not know about fashion, how could I possibly pick this?"


    Although the two of them were speaking, the host was utterly professional. She ignored them and continued the auction, and only the first couple of rows could hear the disagreement between Jiang Yingyue and Miss Gou.


    Miss Gou was about to speak again when Zhou Yan placed a hand on her arm. "Shut up."


    His voice was dangerously low, and a cold flash appeared in his eyes. He was not pleased with what Miss Gou was doing. He was even less happy with her trying to pick a fight with Jiang Yingyue, after hearing that she was his childhood friend, and even less pleased with her intention of insulting her.


    Miss Gou was stunned when she heard the words of Zhou Yan, and she was about to retort when she saw the dangerous gleam in his eyes and the tightly drawn lips.


    She quickly understood that this was not the time to joke around, and she could only snort and turn her focus back on the stage, attempting not to pay attention to Jiang Yingyue.


    Item after item was presented on stage, and they were sold for many millions each.


    Han Qingshan was bored as he bid on random items and purchased a few gadgets.


    "If you see anything you want, make sure to tell me," Han Qingshan said generously to Jiang Yingyue with a pampering smile.


    Jiang Yingyue smiled back, but she did not answer. She was not very materialistic, and the things that were shown were simply so expensive that she could not want them even if they grabbed her attention.


    The next item was taken onto the stage, and Jiang Yingyue''s eyes lit up with interest. It was a beautiful imperial Ming vase, clearly an antique treasure.


    This vase was a floor vase, it was a full fifty centimeters tall, and had a beautiful phoenix drawn upon it.


    Jiang Yingyue felt a connection with this item, but she also knew it would not be cheap, so although she liked it, she was not going to tell Han Qingshan. She was not going to make him waste money.


    Unfortunately for Jiang Yingyue, Han Qingshan had kept his eyes on her all the time, and he saw the sparkle in her eyes.. A smile tugged on his lips, and his eyes were filled with unprecedented affection.

 Chapter 166 - Tan Jingyao

    "Dear, do you like this Imperial Ming Vase?" Han Qingshan whispered in Jiang Yingyue''s ear, and her face gained a red tint because of the air that was being blown onto her ear.


    Jiang Yingyue had an attractive blush on her face. Her eyes sparkled like the starry sky, as she looked at Han Qingshan, not at all hearing what he had said before, and only focusing on his handsomeness.


    Seeing her lost in his beauty, Han Qingshan chuckled and reached out, gently caressed her head, and placed a kiss on her forehead.


    The action was natural, but everyone who saw it could not help but feel that they were fed a bowl of dog food.


    Zhou Yan''s eyes had cooled immensely when he saw the gestures of intimacy between the two others. He felt that someone had sliced open his heart, but he could not afford to do anything to Han Qingshan right now.


    His hands clenched into fists, his mood foul. He was starting to regret that he had come to the charity auction. However, when his eyes gazed at Jiang Yingyue, the coldness melted slightly, and he felt calm again.


    Her face was filled with happiness, and he could not bear to take this happiness away from her.


    Miss Gou, who was seated next to Zhou Yan, noticed his gaze. At first, she thought it was her he was looking at, but after glancing at him through the corner of her eyes, she noticed it was the woman by her side that he was staring at so intently.


    Suddenly she felt incredibly uncomfortable. Han Qingshan was already a heavenly sent genius and a remarkable man, and he was her boyfriend.


    Suddenly another person who ranked as high as Han Qingshan had appeared, and this person was her childhood friend. Had she saved the universe in her previous life or what had happened to make it possible for her to be this lucky?


    Jiang Yingyue was paying attention to the auction and did not notice the many envious, jealous, and hostile glances that were sent her way.


    Almost every female was looking at her like this, while their partners glanced at her from time to time with bright eyes, clearly appreciative of her appearance.


    Jiang Yingyue could not help but bite her lower lip slightly when she saw that the price for the Imperial Ming Vase was above five million yuan.


    Although this price was already incredibly low for a vase from the Ming Dynasty, Jiang Yingyue''s heart was hurting when she saw how everyone continued to bid.


    Soon the price had risen to ten million, but no one was showing signs of stopping. It was at this point that Han Qingshan lifted the number in his hands.


    "Twelve million," he called out, instantly jumping the price with two million, something no one else had done before.


    Although it was a charity auction and people wanted to prove their economic foundation, no one was willing to throw money out like this.


    At this point, the hall turned slightly silent, and the people were suddenly unsure if they wanted to continue to bid.


    Seeing this, Han Qingshan felt slightly helpless. He had not wanted to cause problems, but he wanted to win this Imperial Ming Vase for Jiang Yingyue, so he had to play a bit dirty to get it.


    Seeing that he had called twelve million, one of the other CEO''s of a smaller company suddenly got a strange idea. If he managed to make a lasting impression on Han Qingshan, would he be able to make Zhou Yan work with him later on?


    He then raised his number and called out his bid, "Twelve million and two hundred thousand."


    Many looked at him as if they were watching an idiot. Han Qingshan was good-natured and would not be insulted by someone trying to outbid him, but this person had not even shown interest before, yet now he was bidding. He had decided to bid against him. Was this not the same as asking for a beating?


    Both Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan looked behind them to see who this person was, and when they saw who was seated by his side, they both knew what was going on.


    The man was named Tan Jingyao. He was the CEO of a firm that had risen rather drastically over the past ten years. Although he was not part of a noble family, it was still a family that had managed to climb up the scales and mingle with the noble families.


    By Tan Jingyao''s side was a stunning lady, but neither Han Qingshan nor Zhou Yan thought she was anything special; that lady was Yu Xiulan.


    Tan Jingyao''s female companion was seated at his other side. Her face was pale, and she looked nervous after seeing her partner bid against Han Qingshan.


    Tan Jingyao was not paying any attention to her, all his focus was on Yu Xiulan, and it was evident to those in the know-how that it was she who had enticed him to bid.


    Although she was a celebrity, she was not able to fork out that much money without feeling pain, and thus, she could only rely on others to do the dirty work for her.


    She did not want the vase, she just wanted Han Qingshan to notice her, and she wanted to ensure that Jiang Yingyue would not get it.

 Chapter 167 - Returning The Favor

    Tan Jingyao was completely unaware that he was being used. He was smiling at Yu Xiulan while paying attention to the auction.


    Han Qingshan had frowned slightly when he saw that Yu Xiulan was seated next to this CEO, not because he was jealous, but because he felt she was up to no good.


    Still, this was just a matter of money, and even if Tan Jingyao would continue to raise the price, it was not like he could not afford it.


    "Fourteen million yuan," Han Qingshan retracted his gaze and casually raised his number, calling out another price, no longer paying attention to the ones behind him.


    Tan Jingyao was uncomfortable. He was rich, but even if he was rich, he had once been of common origins. To him, fourteen million was a lot of money.


    Still, he had begun this, and he could not back out. If he only bid once, then he would be made out to be a joke. So he lifted his number and said with a casual voice that did not betray his inner pain, "Fourteen million and two hundred thousand yuan."


    "Fifteen million," Han Qingshan said right away, and suddenly Tan Jingyao understood that Han Qingshan really wanted this Imperial Ming Vase very much, so he could bid as much as he wanted. When it got high enough, he could drop this hot potato on his head, making him spend an immense amount of money, while also making everyone understand that he was a gutsy man who dared to face off against Han Qingshan.


    Jiang Yingyue had glanced at Tan Jingyao when this thought flashed in his mind, and she understood his ideas right away.


    She placed her slender and delicate hand on Han Qingshan''s arm and whispered a few words to him.


    Han Qingshan frowned when he looked at her as if he wanted to see into her soul, but she just flashed him a smile.


    "I would rather see him suffer than pay an outrageous amount of money for a vase," she muttered into his ear, her breath tickling him, making his eyes deepen, and his hand clenched into a fist.


    His ears were sensitive, but the woman had whispered into them. He wanted to ''punish'' her, but there was no chance for that now, so all he could do was vent his frustrations on this CEO who did not understand the situation.


    He continued to bid, increasing the bid with two hundred thousand each time, while Han Qingshan always increased up to a million.


    When the price reached forty million and two hundred thousand yuan, Tan Jingyao had completely forgotten that this was real money he was playing with, and this was precisely what Han Qingshan had wanted.


    "Well then, since CEO Tan is so interested in this Imperial Ming Vase, I will reluctantly give it to him," Han Qingshan said with a smile on his face, as if he had not suffered any grievances. "To pay forty million and two hundred thousand yuan for an Imperial Ming Vase worth around fifteen million; CEO Tan is surely extravagant. One can say that he is a selfless man, doing so much for the charity, we ought to learn from him."


    Although the words were flowery and very lovely to listen to, everyone who heard it were aware that Han Qingshan was mocking him.


    One did not have to be smart to see that Tan Jingyao had been challenging Han Qingshan, but none of them had thought he would return the favor like this.


    Tan Jingyao had had a smile on his face most of the time. He had felt like he was on top of the world, but now he was suddenly not so comfortable anymore. This was forty million and two hundred thousand yuan!


    He was not even sure if he had that much money in liquid assets; he could only rely on his card and hope he could overdraft enough money. It would be much too embarrassing if he was unable to pay after the auction ended.


    Han Qingshan looked at Jiang Yingyue and saw her brilliant smile and her starry eyes shining with happiness. She did not look like someone who was sad about having missed out on the vase, and he finally felt relieved.


    He genuinely wanted to buy the vase for her, but seeing her idea was quite fun, he relented.


    But he still wanted to spoil and pamper her. He wanted to buy her many things, so he leaned over and whispered to her, "If you see anything you want, you have to tell me. I am bound to spend at least a hundred million here, so it would be good if you find something you like. Otherwise, I will just go home with junk, and Mother will scold me."


    Jiang Yingyue chuckled and nodded her head. She would not stand on ceremony, but she was a bit scared of these items. They were simply too expensive for her to even dare touch them.


    The auction continued, but whenever Han Qingshan bid on something, others would be careful. If he wanted it, then they would not be able to get it, and if they went against him, they might end up scorned like Tan Jingyao.


    As a result, he successfully won quite a few things and had already spent more than fifty million yuan at the auction without even batting an eyelid.


    This was something Jiang Yingyue found utterly insane. She always knew Han Qingshan was rich, but she never thought it was to this degree.. To spend so much money in one go was simply something she had never expected.

 Chapter 168 - This Is Charity

    Seeing the mortified expression on Jiang Yingyue''s face, Han Qingshan could not help but chuckle slightly, but deep down inside he was worried. Would he scare her away by spending so much money?


    He knew that she was a frugal person. So, to suddenly see this much money being thrown around, would she not feel indignant?


    Fortunately for Han Qingshan, Jiang Yingyue did not think like this. If the money were spent in a store, then yes, she would have felt it was indeed a waste. However, this was a charity auction. Every single coin could be used to help someone live a better life. This was for a good cause, and although she was stunned by the sheer amount of money that was being thrown around, she felt it was for a good cause, and thus it was not wasted.


    The auction continued, and finally, it was time for the last three items, the highlights of the auction, to be auctioned off.


    One of the items was a magnificent platinum and diamond necklace. It consisted of more than a hundred diamonds, all of them being of the finest quality.


    When looking at the necklace, Han Qingshan''s eyes suddenly shone. He could imagine how these beautiful stones would look on Jiang Yingyue''s slender and white neck. The image in his mind was already this stunning, how wonderful would it be to see it in real life?


    The moment the necklace was put up for bidding, the host mentioned the starting price was a full twelve million yuan. But before anyone else had the time to bid, Han Qingshan lifted his number and said very clearly, "Thirty million."


    Everyone was stunned. The price was likely to reach thirty million, but to jump to it straight away; he was showing everyone that he genuinely wanted it.


    Others started to consider if they wanted to fight Han Qingshan for the item, but then Zhou Yan lifted his number. "Thirty-five million," he called out, his words calm and collected, his eyes cold, as he glanced at Han Qingshan without hiding the challenge in his eyes.


    "Forty million," Han Qingshan was not going to let go and continued to bid, followed closely by Zhou Yan. Both of them raised the price with five million at a time, driving the price up to seventy million in no time.


    Although this was for charity, Jiang Yingyue''s eyes had widened in shock by the actions of these two guys.


    Although they had money, did they have to burn it like this? Neither Han Qingshan nor Zhou Yan backed down. Both of them had their family''s fortune backing them, not to mention their current salaries as CEOs of their existing businesses.


    Han Qingshan''s monthly income was above a million yuan. On top of this, he was earning a lot of money monthly on the stock market, and he held a lot of shares in different companies.


    Even if he did not have the fortune of the Han family to fall back on, he still had enough money to waste as he pleased.


    Jiang Yingyue was unaware of this. She knew that he was rich, but as to how rich he was, she did not know, nor could she fully comprehend it. For someone who had been frugal and had always done all she could to save money, it was simply unexpected to suddenly see these high amounts of money being called out.


    After a bit of time, the host could sense that both Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan were unwilling to give up the item and she started to feel worried.


    Although money was necessary, they did not want the atmosphere at the auction hall to become stagnant or awkward.


    "Young Master Shan and Young Master Yan seem to be rather set on getting this item," the host laughed gently after receiving a bid from Han Qingshan.


    "Yes, my girlfriend would look stunning in it," Han Qingshan said smilingly, not at all afraid of acknowledging Jiang Yingyue; his words causing Zhou Yan to grit his teeth in anger.


    "Young Master Yan also wants it for his girlfriend?" the host asked curiously, but Zhou Yan shook his head. "My future girlfriend," he answered, stunning all those present. For someone he had not even made his own person, he was willing to spend so much money?


    The bidding continued until it reached a hundred million yuan. At this point, Zhou Yan glared at Han Qingshan like he was ready to kill him, but he did not raise his number again. In the end, the item would belong to Jiang Yingyue so who cared which person ended up paying for it.


    Although he tried to explain this to himself, it did not go very well, and he was feeling incredibly sullen. Miss Gou, on the other hand, was feeling excited. Since she was with him here at the auction, she had to be his ''future girlfriend.'' If he had another woman he was close to, then he would have invited her.


    At this point in time, everyone was mumbling to one another; it was truly spectacular.


    Han Qingshan looked at Zhou Yan, his eyes filled with annoyance and he announced, "I will add an extra fifty million yuan on top of my one hundred million bid. This is for charity, so I should do my duty as a fortunate citizen."


    The words had been spoken, and they shocked every single person in the entire hall.. To spend so much money on a necklace was a waste, but as he said, it was for charity, so he was not being mocked but revered by everyone instead.

 Chapter 169 - Two Hundred Million

    Zhou Yan gritted his teeth and felt utterly annoyed. It was not a question about being able to afford the money; it was about how Han Qingshan had completely and utterly embarrassed him in front of Jiang Yingyue.


    Miss Gou was also feeling immensely regretful. She wanted the necklace so much, and she was convinced that Zhou Yan was bidding on it for her.


    In the end, Han Qingshan won it, and he smiled sweetly to Jiang Yingyue by his side, who was utterly stumped by his overwhelming display of goodwill by donating such a massive amount of money.


    The final two items were not as impressive. Although the last piece, a jade figurine from the Warring States Period, a genuine antique, should have been the main attraction of the night, it did not manage to beat the exciting bidding war for the diamond necklace.


    After the final bid was over, the host invited every successful bidder backstage to pay for and to leave an address for where the items should be delivered.


    It was unlikely that these people would walk around with their purchases as there was a banquet afterward. So instead, the things would be delivered to their declared addresses in a few days, after ensuring that the payment had cleared.


    Han Qingshan took Jiang Yingyue''s hand and led her backstage. He had purchased many items, and these items were all rather magnificent. In total, he had spent nearly two hundred million yuan.


    It was an amount of money that Jiang Yingyue had never even imagined before, and she was sure that if she had even a hundred million yuan, she would be able to live her entire life comfortably. However, Han Qingshan had spent nearly two hundred million in a few hours, just like that.


    Jiang Yingyue quickly collected herself. This was indeed an eye-opener for her. She had always known that Han Qingshan was rich, but he was rich to this degree? She had never thought that anyone could be this rich, but now she understood that there were people who could afford anything in this world.


    Han Qingshan had been somewhat worried that he would scare Jiang Yingyue with all the money that was being thrown around, but after thinking about it, he had nothing to be scared about.


    She would get used to the lavish lifestyle eventually. He had no intention of ever letting her go, so he had to make her understand his actual value was not low. He wanted her to be proud of him.


    On the way backstage, they encountered Tan Jingyao and Yu Xiulan.


    Tan Jingyao''s face was pale, and his eyes were listless. He was clearly displeased with the situation he had ended up in.


    Seeing this, Jiang Yingyue felt it was quite interesting. He had been so busy trying to pick a bone with Han Qingshan, but he had picked up a stone and dropped it on his own foot.


    Jiang Yingyue could not help but narrow her eyes when she looked at him, but she quickly shook her head and returned her gaze to the path in front of her.


    Seeing that she was not at all merciful towards her enemies, Han Qingshan''s eyes shone with happiness. To handle the business world, one had to be ruthless and shrewd.


    As they reached backstage, Han Qingshan took out his card and handed it over to the attendant, who was in charge of receiving the payments.


    The card he was showing was a black card. Jiang Yingyue had no idea what this meant, but the attendant was very well aware that this was the most exclusive credit card in the entire world. Money alone was not enough to get one of these cards.


    With a respectful gaze, the attendant swiped it and then handed it back with both hands.


    Han Qingshan wrote down the address of the condo in order to have the items delivered there, but before they could pack away the necklace, he picked it up.


    He then replaced the simple necklace on Jiang Yingyue''s neck with the overly magnificent diamond and platinum necklace he had just won, and he put the old necklace into the case, instructing them to deliver it back to the condo instead of the one she was wearing.


    Jiang Yingyue felt the heavy necklace pressing on her neck, and she could not help but feel slightly horrified. This was a necklace worth more than a hundred million yuan!


    Still, she felt a sweetness rise in her heart, and her entire body turned warm.


    She flashed a brilliant smile at Han Qingshan, who was satisfied and led her out of the backstage area, towards the location of the banquet.


    On the way, they came across a small corridor that was somewhat dark, and when no one was looking, Han Qingshan dragged Jiang Yingyue into the small corridor.


    They went rather far inside, so far that the darkness surrounded them, and no one could see them.


    When Jiang Yingyue was about to open her mouth and ask what exactly was going on, Han Qingshan leaned down, and his tongue invaded her mouth, tasting her sweetness and plundering her breath.


    All Jiang Yingyue could sense was the scent and taste of Han Qingshan, the overwhelming masculine smell and flavor that robbed her of her breath.


    The kiss was filled with urgency and desire.. Han Qingshan had been a gentleman for so long, but now he could no longer hold back, so his teeth were gently nibbling on her lips, as his tongue entwined with her own tongue, not at all willing to let go.

 Chapter 170 - Cannot Pay

    Jiang Yingyue was stunned by the domineering and overwhelming kiss of Han Qingshan. It was not the first time he had acted like this, but she had thought that he would behave when they were in public. Little did she know that his self-control was always crumbling in front of her; he could never hold back.


    Jiang Yingyue did not fight back. Instead, she placed her arms around his neck to hug him and allowed him full access to her mouth. She could feel his discomfort, and although she did not know why he was so urgent, she knew that she could make him feel calm again.


    What had caused this sudden bout of aggressiveness was partly Zhou Yan. Although Miss Gou had thought that she was the ''future girlfriend'' that he mentioned, Han Qingshan was very well aware that he was referring to Jiang Yingyue.


    He was feeling upset and uncomfortable. Where did Zhou Yan''s confidence come from? Why was he so sure that he could hook Jiang Yingyue?


    Han Qingshan felt how obedient Jiang Yingyue was, and he slowly felt calmer. He started to relax and think it through. Jiang Yingyue had never done anything to make him believe that she would go for Zhou Yan.


    Why did he not trust in her and their feelings? He believed that their relationship could not be broken that easily, so he should not be so agitated.


    Thinking like this, the oppressive kiss turned gentle and lingering, before he finally withdrew, looking at the dazed and confused Jiang Yingyue in front of him.


    Her long hair that reached to just above the waist, her big watery eyes that resembled the starry sky, her lips which had been kissed so hard that they had turned swollen. Everything about her was so enticing that he could hardly hold himself back, and he sighed in resignation. This woman was clearly his nemesis; she only existed to rile up his emotions.


    His thumb gently caressed the plump, swollen lip, and a satisfied expression appeared in his eyes. She was so attractive right now, so elegant and bewitching that he leaned forward and pecked her lips slightly.


    "Let''s go," he said as he took her hand, leading her out of the corridor and back towards the banquet hall.


    When they arrived, they found that most of the people had returned already. Only a few people were missing, Tan Jingyao being one of them.


    What Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan were unaware of, was that Tan Jingyao had been dawdling while walking towards the backstage.


    He was not sure if he would be able to afford the Imperial Ming Vase he had purchased. He genuinely did not know if his card would validate the payment.


    The female companion he had been walking with was annoyed by his speed. She tried to hurry him towards the backstage so they could attend the banquet and mingle with the many people who were eager to enhance their businesses further.


    The partner was a young miss from one of the less famous families, and she was here for the sake of mingling with the more prominent names.


    Tan Jingyao was somewhat older when compared to her, and while he was a decent choice for her to use, she would rather he acted as a spare wheel for her, someone she could use when needed, but not rely on as her main goal.


    Tan Jingyao was not in the mood to consider her thoughts, and he said, "Go to the banquet, I will come when I have paid for the item."


    The woman was ecstatic as she nodded her head and rushed towards the banquet hall. If Tan Jingyao did not always accompany her, she would be able to find other men easier.


    At this point in time, she was even starting to dream about Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan. They were both so attractive and wealthy. They were every woman''s dream.


    Tan Jingyao glanced coldly at her, but he had no energy to focus on her case. He entered the backstage where he tried paying for the item, only to find out he was unable to pay.


    His face was red from embarrassment, and he felt humiliated. The host was also quite stunned by this and wasn''t sure about how to handle this problem.


    She had never before seen someone bid for something in this type of auction without being able to pay for it.


    "We will have to forfeit the bid. Please invite CEO Han here and ask him if his last bid is still counted, then sell it to him at that price."


    Tan Jingyao was so humiliated that he could not wait to leave. He wanted to dig a hole and hide in it, but there was no chance to do so, and he could only watch as the assistant left to fetch Han Qingshan.


    Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue had already returned to the banquet. Jiang Yingyue was holding Han Qingshan''s arm while looking elegant and refined.


    The assistant came to them and whispered something into Han Qingshan''s ear. He looked surprised, and then he nodded his head. Leaning towards Jiang Yingyue, he patted her head gently and said, "I will be back shortly." After making his promise, he followed the waiter back the way he came from.


    When Han Qingshan left, Jiang Yingyue suddenly felt a little lost. What was she supposed to do when he was not around her? But she was not going to let it show.. She was going to make Han Qingshan proud.

 Chapter 171 - Dropping The Wine Glass

    Jiang Yingyue took a glass of juice from a waiter and positioned herself against a wall. She was not feeling secure here, so she felt that the best solution was to be somewhere where she could overlook the banquet hall, and no one could sneak up behind her.


    She was not willing to drink alcohol, and thus she had picked a glass of juice. The waiters had many different types of drinks to choose from, both with alcohol and without.


    There were a few tables filled with food. Some had light canapes, and others had small refined desserts.


    Many had gathered around these tables to chat with one another, and the businessmen were walking around, mingling, discussing their business plans, and the options they had.


    When Jiang Yingyue saw this, she felt a little out of place, but she said nothing. A gentle smile was on her lips all the time, making her seem innocent and attractive as if she was a confident young woman taking a stroll in her garden.


    No one went to talk with her, but many were observing her, considering if they should try to make a connection.


    Everyone was aware that she was a commoner, so they were tentative. Could they really benefit from befriending her, or was it just a waste of time?


    Zhou Yan was also looking at her. She was so much more stunning now than when she was a child, and he wanted to protect her, but he also understood that right now, she was Han Qingshan''s girlfriend, and he did not want to spread rumors about them. That would be unfair for her.


    While many were considering what to do, Wang Feihong suddenly walked up to her and gave her a toast. Many inched closer and tried to eavesdrop on the conversation.


    The Wang family had become much more prominent recently after starting to work with the Han family on Cloudsoar District, and Wang Feihong was the heir to the family.


    Since he was working with the Han family, did he have some sort of insider information?


    "Miss Jiang, it seems you are all alone once more," Wang Feihong said with a smile on his lips, and Jiang Yingyue nodded her head. "Han Qingshan was called by someone and asked me to wait for his return."


    She did not hide what had happened, and Wang Feihong frowned. It was rare for someone to be summoned by the host of the banquet. Had something gone wrong backstage?


    "I see, well, in that case, I can keep you company," he said smilingly. "This is your first charity auction. If you have any questions, why not ask me?"


    Jiang Yingyue glanced at him. She was quite sure that Wang Feihong knew of her being Jiang Fengmian, but he had not said anything, and he had been quite friendly towards her since she met him for the first time.


    "Is it usual for someone to spend this much money at charity events? I imagine they have earned more than a billion yuan in one night. It is quite an outrageous amount of money." Jiang Yingyue was quite curious.


    "This is quite normal." Wang Feihong nodded his head. "But the reason it can reach this amount is not just because of it being a charity event, but because it is the most renowned charity event in all of the country. Although other charity events happen, they would never be able to reach a billion yuan like this one."


    Jiang Yingyue was suddenly enlightened. She had seen the most exquisite charity event right off the bat. It was no wonder she was stunned.


    Jiang Yingyue and Wang Feihong started casually chatting about the auction and the things that had been put up for sale. Wang Feihong explained the items and their history while Jiang Yingyue listened curiously.


    He also began explaining about the different events that were as magnificent as this charity auction. Where the wealthy gathered, and where she would be expected to participate.


    Jiang Yingyue was curious and listened intently. Many girls kept looking at her with envy, hostility, and jealousy.


    She had a relationship with Han Qingshan, and rumor had it she also knew Zhou Yan. Now she was taking all of Wang Feihong''s attention. Was she some kind of a succubus that entranced men one after another?


    Amongst the people in the hall, Yu Xiulan was standing with a group of women, staring at Jiang Yingyue with hatred.


    Noticing her hatred, the women were stunned, but they quickly understood. It was no secret that Yu Xiulan was admiring Han Qingshan.


    These women were all on good terms with Yu Xiulan, and she was complaining about Jiang Yingyue and her background, her inadequateness of being with Han Qingshan, and how she was a seductress who enticed any man she came across.


    The more she spoke, the more indignant the other women became. They too had a good eye for Han Qingshan, and to think about him being paired with such a piece of cow manure, they could only feel upset and frustrated.


    "Han Qingshan is not around at the moment," one of the women suddenly said, and she looked around with a smirk as she picked a glass of wine and started walking towards Jiang Yingyue.


    "Miss Jiang," she said as she reached her. "Your name has long reverberated through the entire circle. It is an honor to finally see you, so let me offer you a toast."


    She reached out the glass of red wine and tried to convince her to take it, but Jiang Yingyue narrowed her eyes and said elegantly, "I am sorry, I do not drink."


    Ignoring this, the woman dropped the wine glass. She pretended that it was an accident, and it had toppled towards Jiang Yingyue.


    As it fell, the wine started spilling, and it landed on the floor right in front of Jiang Yingyue, splashing her white, diamond-studded, high-heeled stilettos.

 Chapter 172 - Barking Dog

    Jiang Yingyue frowned and quickly stepped back, while the rest of the wine spilled and the wine glass shattered on the floor. The crash resounded throughout the entire banquet hall, and everyone looked over.


    "Oh my, I am so clumsy," the woman said without sounding apologetic at all. "Please accept my sincere apology. I was not aware that the wine glass would slip like this."


    Everyone present was able to tell what had happened, but no one stepped out to berate the woman. Jiang Yingyue was just a commoner after all, so it was natural that she would be bullied.


    Unfortunately, Jiang Yingyue was not willing to suffer a loss. She smiled elegantly and stepped over the broken shards of glass on the floor, closing the distance to the woman.


    She then emptied her glass of juice right above the head of the woman, the smile on her face growing even more intense.


    "Oh, I am sorry," she said, her voice was clear and crisp, enjoyable to listen to. "I slipped, and my hand could not hold onto my glass. Please accept my sincere apology. I was not aware it would end up like this."


    Hearing her words, the face of the woman turned pale and then red. She was humiliated, and she was stunned that Jiang Yingyue actually dared to deal with her like this.


    One has to know she might not be from one of the wealthiest families around, but she was still from a noble family, a family with two hundred years of history, but now she had lost face in front of everyone.


    She could not even say something in return. Jiang Yingyue had returned every single word to her. Even if she said that Jiang Yingyue''s act was intentional, was that not the same as saying hers had been intentional too?


    The observers were stumped for words when they saw how Jiang Yingyue took her revenge. Ten years was not late for a gentleman''s vengeance, but it seemed that this woman was not willing to suffer any losses, she would deal with those who crossed her right away.


    At that moment, all the people present started to understand that although Jiang Yingyue was a mere commoner, she was not simple, nor was she easy to deal with.


    Wang Feihong had been staring with his jaw dropped. He felt mad when he saw how the woman had caused Jiang Yingyue to be in a bad situation, but before he even had the time to speak up for her, she had turned the situation around.


    "I say, my big sister, that was awesome!" he exclaimed happily, not at all caring about how many people heard his voice. "That was so satisfying that I don''t even know how to describe it."


    The woman was completely stunned when she saw that the young master of the Wang family was not feeling sorry for her. Even worse was it when she saw the mocking and disdainful gazes that were thrown her way, and with tears streaming down her cheeks, she turned and ran out of the banquet hall.


    "Well, my dear big sister, let us find another place to stand," Wang Feihong grinned, clearly happy with his new nickname for her, "this place has to be cleaned."


    Then he looked down and noticed that the beautiful shoes she had been wearing were now stained with wine, and he could not help but frown.


    It was truly a wicked scheme to embarrass her at her first official event.


    Just as Wang Feihong was considering what to do, Han Qingshan appeared behind him. He saw the shattered glass next to them, alongside the wine and juice on the floor, and then his eyes narrowed when he noticed that her previously beautiful shoes had been stained.


    "What happened?" he asked with a chilling expression on his face, and Wang Feihong quickly retold the situation. Han Qingshan''s face was getting uglier and uglier the more he listened, and his eyes scanned the people present.


    Especially the group of girls where Yu Xiulan was standing was scrutinized by him, and they all felt immensely uncomfortable.


    "My dear, don''t worry. I will get justice for you," Han Qingshan said as he gently patted her head.


    Behind him came the host of the auction, and she could sense that something was not right. Seeing that the usually sunny face of Han Qingshan was dark as a thundercloud, she felt worried.


    He had just solved a problem for her, but in his absence, his female companion had been bullied. This was simply not acceptable.


    Jiang Yingyue was unaware of the thoughts of Han Qingshan. She felt she had already given the lady back what she owed her, but it seemed that Han Qingshan was not willing to let it go that easily.


    "I would like to apologize as the host of this event," the host said, and while the other woman had completely disregarded Jiang Yingyue, this woman was humbling herself quite a bit.


    Jiang Yingyue felt that it was not her fault either, so she smiled at her and waved her hand. "Just because a dog barks does not mean we should pay it any attention," Jiang Yingyue said smilingly. "I do not feel that this has anything to do with you as a host; she was just not very civilized."


    Jiang Yingyue''s words had torn the face of that other woman entirely. She had called her a barking dog, and even said she was uncivilized. Being scolded like this by a commoner, it was indeed not a good thing, but no one could say anything against it.. She had indeed acted like a barking dog, and her actions were anything but civilized.

 Chapter 173 - Sun Qingyuan

    The audience was all stunned by Jiang Yingyue. She was a commoner, a person whom everyone


    present could look down upon, but the way she carried herself had already amazed them. Now they saw how easily she managed to deal with that other woman, and they understood that she was no ordinary commoner.


    Han Qingshan was proud of Jiang Yingyue when he heard how she spoke, and he clearly felt that she was the best companion he could ask for. Even when he had not been by her side, she had been domineering and decisive. She had not let herself be bullied.


    But when he looked at her shoes, he could not help but frown. These shoes were no longer usable, but he had brought no other pair with him.


    He was the heir to the Han Corporation, so he ought to be present for the banquet, but he could not let his partner walk around like this. It was a disgrace.


    "Let us take Miss Jiang backstage," the host suddenly said, "we can get a pair of shoes sent over. It is, after all, our responsibility as hosts."


    Han Qingshan looked at Jiang Yingyue and nodded his head before he handed her over to the host. Although he was hesitant to leave Jiang Yingyue, he did not want her to suffer either, so he quickly let them bring her away, and then he waited for her to come back to him.


    Meanwhile, he began mingling with other businessmen and women, hearing various pitches for projects that they were interested in working with him on.


    At the same time, the host was immensely respectful towards Jiang Yingyue. The event was held at a large hotel, and she quickly led her to one of the better rooms where she let her sit down in the lounge.


    "We will get a pair of shoes sent to you," she said, but then she frowned. "I am afraid they cannot be as luxurious as the ones you wear now, we are after all a charity organization, so if we were to spend money on such a thing, people would frown upon it."


    Jiang Yingyue was surprised when she heard that it was the charity that would pay for her shoes, and she quickly nodded her head. "I don''t care for the brand or the price," she said honestly, "as long as they are white or silver, anything goes."


    Hearing this, the woman nodded her head in approval. Jiang Yingyue did not need to wear expensive shoes to stand out. Everyone at the banquet knew what had happened to her, so they would not look down upon her for wearing cheap shoes.


    The host was in a dilemma, though. She had intended to spend a few thousand yuan on shoes for Jiang Yingyue, but it seemed that she was satisfied with shoes that cost even less than a hundred yuan.


    "I do not want to take money away from the charity," she said honestly.


    Hearing this, the host had a good feeling for Jiang Yingyue. She was not pretentious at all. Instead, she was gentle and well mannered.


    In the end, the host managed to buy a pair of shoes for a thousand yuan. They could not be considered expensive, but they were not cheap either.


    While they were being sent to the hotel, Jiang Yingyue and the host ended up talking together.


    The host was named Sun Qingyuan. She was a young woman at twenty-six years old. She came from a prominent family too, but where the other women often became socialites, she became a businesswoman.


    She was from a family of doctors, and she had been a philanthropist and came from a family that often worked for charities and the greater good of society.


    She was not at all stuck up like many of the other people that Jiang Yingyue had met in the circle so far, and she quickly found that this person was enjoyable to speak with.


    Soon the time had passed, and a knock was heard at the door. The person outside held a pair of shoes for Jiang Yingyue, who quickly picked them up and wore them.


    Together, the two women went back to the banquet hall, where the chatter had increased, and many were starting to get slightly tipsy from the constant influx of wine.


    Especially Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan had been drinking a lot. Many wanted to give them a toast and to discuss with them, and thus, they were the objects of attention.


    Many women had also tried to approach them, but where Han Qingshan remembered the promise he made to Jiang Yingyue and refused to let any woman near him, Zhou Yan was instead shielded by Miss Gou, not allowing any woman near him.


    Therefore the two bachelors were able to avoid the many women that tried to get close to them.


    When Jiang Yingyue returned to the banquet, she saw that a group of middle-aged men surrounded Han Qingshan. They were all flattering, fawning over him as their faces were filled with worship. It was as if they had seen a person made from gold right in front of them.


    Jiang Yingyue could not help but chuckle slightly when she saw their reactions, and then she bid her farewell to Sun Qingyuan before elegantly moving towards Han Qingshan again.


    She had almost reached him when she suddenly felt a pull of her hair, and she stood still.. Unfortunately, the tug did not lessen; instead, it increased, and she started to hurt.

 Chapter 174 - Pulling Tricks

    Jiang Yingyue stopped in her tracks. She was acutely aware that although the hair extensions were sewed in, if someone pulled too hard, they might go loose or even fall off.


    She slowly turned around only to see another young lady holding her hair and pulling on it, her face displaying confusion.


    Jiang Yingyue had previously seen this lady together with Yu Xiulan, and she did not need to think twice to know who had put her up to this. The scheme was simply too obvious, and the evil woman''s antics so easy to see through.


    "What are you doing?" She asked with a voice laced with iciness, the temperature in the hall dropping drastically.


    Many were once again observing Jiang Yingyue and this new woman who had thrown herself at her to cause trouble. Although Jiang Yingyue had done nothing wrong, it seemed as if she was a magnet for jealousy and envy, causing many of the people to attack her, not just verbally but also physically.


    "Why won''t it come off?" The woman tugged at the hair a bit more, and Jiang Yingyue suddenly screamed in pain, exaggerating the situation, making it seem as if the pull had truly caused her damage.


    The real situation was that although she had pulled the extensions, it was impossible to pull them off with her feeble strength. She was a lady and had never harmed anyone before, so although she had been coaxed into doing this, she dared not use too much force.


    She had never expected that Jiang Yingyue suddenly would cry out in pain, tears brimming in her eyes, and her ample chest heaving as if she was enduring great suffering.


    Those who had not already noticed the situation all turned around to look at where the outcry came from, and what met them was a socialite who was pulling on the seemingly innocent Jiang Yingyue by the hair.


    Han Qingshan had also looked over, and the moment he saw the situation, an unstoppable cold, and domineering aura swept out from his body. He completely ignored the businesspeople he was talking with and headed towards Jiang Yingyue with large strides.


    His usually smiling face held a grave and sinister expression, something that no one had ever seen before, and everyone held their breath in fear of what was going to happen.


    "What happened here?" Han Qingshan asked with a low and immensely dangerous voice.


    "I don''t know her," Jiang Yingyue said aggravated as if she had been bullied, her eyes were big as a doe, her voice trembling slightly.


    "I was on my way towards you, and she suddenly grabbed my hair and began tugging at it. It hurts so bad."


    Jiang Yingyue was pouting and frowning. She seemed like someone who had truly been wronged, and she was so innocent and adorable that any man at the banquet had the urge to jump out in front of her and protect her, much less Han Qingshan, who was her boyfriend.


    The woman was in shock. She had not noticed that Han Qingshan had appeared. Instead, she looked at the hair in her hands.


    "Why did it not fall off?" She muttered to herself, but everyone close by could hear it, their faces dropping slightly. Fall off? Was she so sure that she pulled hard enough to rip it off her head?


    Only Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue knew she had expected it to be a wig. There was only one person who could be behind this, and Han Qingshan had no intention of letting Yu Xiulan go any longer.


    She had caused him problems time and time again, and her actions were still as provoking, even after being threatened by Jiang Yingyue.


    Han Qingshan had initially been waiting for Jiang Yingyue to deal with it, but now he was not willing to wait anymore. He instantly fished out his phone and dialed Song Liwei''s phone number.


    Song Liwei had significantly been confused when he received a phone call from his boss at this point in time where Han Qingshan was supposed to be at the charity auction, but he dutifully answered.


    "CEO Han, what can I do for you?"


    "Release the information to the police, have them come here and take her into custody right away." Han Qingshan''s voice was incredibly cold and filled with menace.


    Song Liwei was stunned at first. He knew precisely who Han Qingshan was referring to, but he had already been told to keep it sealed for now.


    Something had to have happened at the auction for him to make this decision, so he dared not be negligent.


    He instantly contacted the police and handed over all the proof that they had against Yu Xiulan. He also emphasized that it was Han Qingshan who was the victim and that he wished for the police to act right away.


    The police were no foreigners to Han Qingshan, and thus they quickly dispatched a group of officers to head to the auction in order to deal with Yu Xiulan.


    The phone call took less than a minute, and by the time he finished, no one understood what he had planned.


    Han Qingshan looked at the young lady who was holding onto Jiang Yingyue''s hair, his eyes as cold as a millennium-year-old iceberg.


    "What is your name?" Han Qingshan asked, his eyes sweeping over the hair in her hands, and she let go of it in a hurry as if she felt an indescribable pain in her fingers.


    "I... I am Dong Jingjing.." Without understanding what had happened, she had already answered the question.

 Chapter 175 - White Lotus

    "Dong Jingjing?" Han Qingshan looked at the woman to check if she was lying, but then a brilliant smile spread across his lips. "So it is the young miss of the Dong family. From the weakest tier of noble families, and you still dare to act so atrociously towards my female companion by pulling her hair?"


    Dong Jingjing was stunned when she realized what she had done. She had not actually considered it before; she had just been tempted by Yu Xiulan when she said that Jiang Yingyue used a wig and that she would be immensely embarrassed if someone saw it.


    Now she realized that there was no way that Han Qingshan was going to let her go, and her face turned pale as she started trembling. There was a chance that she had even caused her family to be damned by her reckless behavior.


    Han Qingshan gave her a long glance, "How long are you planning on holding onto her hair?" he asked icily, and she let go as if she had touched scalding iron.


    Jiang Yingyue held the back of her head, trying to feel whether or not the extensions had loosened, but fortunately, it felt like they were still okay.


    At this point in time, Yu Xiulan was standing in the corner of the banquet hall. Her eyes were ablaze with anger and disbelief. She knew better than anyone else that Jiang Yingyue was using a wig, she knew that this person was Jiang Fengmian, so how could she suddenly grow hair that long?


    She was gritting her teeth hard, unable to contain the hatred in her heart. Just as she was about to cook up another scheme, she and everyone else at the banquet noticed that there was some movement at the entrance. They all turned their heads over there, only to see that several police officers entered the room.


    Looking at the officers, all of the guests stopped in their tracks, completely puzzled as to what their purpose was.


    Even Yu Xiulan was curious as to what their actions signified. She had not expected the drugging of Han Qingshan would cause this many people to find her at all.


    Sun Qingyuan had been on the way towards Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue again, but when she saw the police officers, she understood that this was a bit more severe than someone tugging at another person''s hair and she rushed towards the entrance.


    "Officers, sirs, I am Sun Qingyuan, the host of this charity event. Might I ask what brings you here?"


    "We are looking for miss Yu Xiulan." The officer did not hide his purpose at all, neither did he lower his voice, so many heard what he said, even Yu Xiulan herself heard it, and her face suddenly turned pale.


    Although Jiang Yingyue had previously threatened her with the police, she would never have thought it was this severe. However, she now understood that it was, in fact, not just a threat.


    Yu Xiulan had gone against Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue a few times this evening, and now it was time for her to face the consequences.


    Yu Xiulan was clearly aware of what crimes she had committed against Han Qingshan. She knew that he was not going to go easy on her, and considering his illustrious reputation and standing in society, the police were going to give her a hard time.


    Suddenly she started regretting. She was not regretting that she liked Han Qingshan and wanted him for her own, but she was regretting that she had acted so impulsively after being threatened by Han Qingshan.


    She looked around thinking about whether or not there was another way out of the banquet hall, but then she would become a fugitive. Life on the run was impossible for someone like her, a woman who was used to living in luxury. However, residing in jail was just as hard.


    She gritted her teeth as she wondered what options she had remaining, and there was only one person she could turn to. Thinking about what she was about to do, she felt like vomiting, but she understood that she had no other option if she wanted to save herself.


    With the last strand of dignity, Yu Xiulan raised her head up high, looking arrogant and proud as she stepped towards the officers.


    "I am Yu Xiulan," she said, as if she was not at all bothered by the fact that the police were here to find her. She hoped that they would not speak about her actions, but unfortunately for her, the police were aware that Han Qingshan was not willing to let her go.


    "Miss Yu Xiulan, we have proof that indicates that you have drugged a person. Thus we are here to arrest you."


    Yu Xiulan''s face turned visibly pale when she heard this, especially since the police did not mince their words at all. Everyone could hear that she had drugged someone, and they all looked at her with shock and disbelief.


    Yu Xiulan was famous in their circle for being a beautiful, kind, loving, and innocent young woman. She had not let fame get to her head, and she was still as polite and gentle as when she had entered the business.


    Now the police had claimed that she had drugged someone. Was she a white lotus from the very beginning?

 Chapter 176 - Yu Xiulan Arrested

    "Drugged? I have not drugged anyone," Yu Xiulan pretended that she knew nothing about it. She understood that if she wanted to stay outside of prison, she had to refuse any involvement.


    "Are you sure?" The police officer sneered when he heard the young woman refused to be involved. "We have, amongst other proof, video recordings alongside a testimony that states your involvement. Of course, videos can be faked, and statements can have been lied about, but we already checked every single proof, and they are genuine."


    Yu Xiulan''s face turned pale when she heard that the police did not even care about her trying to save face.


    "I am sure there must be some sort of misunderstanding," Yu Xiulan still tried to save her reputation, "but at the same time, I am a responsible citizen, and I will follow you back to the police station to solve this misunderstanding."


    Although Yu Xiulan sounded quite positive, everyone could see that her face had turned pale, and her hands were clenched into fists.


    It was evident that she was nervous, and the fact that the police had found her like this, even saying such things, just proved the seriousness of the situation.


    The police went up to Yu Xiulan, fished out a pair of handcuffs and handcuffed her before leading her out of the banquet hall without uttering any further words.


    One of the officers turned to the host and apologized for their sudden arrival, but said they had to catch the criminal when they had the chance.


    Sun Qingyuan was quite stumped for words. This charity event could be considered a success at funding their charity, but the banquet had been a disaster. First, someone had caused problems for Jiang Yingyue, then another person had tried to cause problems, and now Yu Xiulan had been arrested in front of everyone.


    But although this banquet could be considered a failure for the host, everyone else was buzzing with energy and excitement.


    Dong Jingjing, who had pulled Jiang Yingyue''s hair, was filled with despair when she saw that Yu Xiulan was taken away, and she suddenly thought about who had edged her towards doing such an unforgivable thing.


    "It was her!" she said in a shrill voice, trying to reason with Han Qingshan.


    "It was Yu Xiulan who said that Miss Jiang was wearing a wig. She said that she was parading around like a queen, insulting us noble-born ladies and that she deserved to be embarrassed, so she knew her position!


    "All night, she has been talking bad about her, spurring others on to cause problems for Miss Jiang. I don''t know what her problem is, but it is clear that she hates Miss Jiang and wanted her to lose face in front of everyone."


    The more Dong Jingjing spoke, the more upset the listeners became. All of them had thought that Yu Xiulan was a true innocent and gentle young lady, but now everyone could guess that she was a shrewd woman who excelled at scheming behind others'' backs.


    Jiang Yingyue felt nothing after hearing this. She had already guessed that this was the case, but she showed nothing on her face.


    When the others heard it, they were stunned and felt that it was far too upsetting. They had invested their time and energy in a woman who was so calculating.


    "So, you think I will let you go just because of you being tempted by Yu Xiulan?" Han Qingshan''s voice sounded in the middle of the hall, his voice cold like ice, and his demeanor frozen in hostility.


    "You might have been coaxed into doing it by Yu Xiulan, but in the end, your own heart had some kind of urge to deal with my Yingyue. Otherwise, you would never have been tempted. Since you felt an urge to harm her, I feel an urge to retaliate."


    Han Qingshan was speaking like an asura that had risen from the underworld, his few words causing an eternal chill to appear in Dong Jingjing''s heart.


    She finally understood who she was dealing with. This was Han Qingshan, the heir to the Han Corporation, a business empire that no one could control or shake.


    With a final glance at Dong Jingjing, Han Qingshan took Jiang Yingyue''s hand and led her towards a place where they could sit down. It was not before he took her hand that the frozen expression on his face softened slightly.


    The other guests at the banquet hall could all guess that Han Qingshan was going to move against the Dong family unless they gave him a satisfactory answer to what had happened today.


    The Dong family was rather small, and they had only managed to get one ticket to the auction. This ticket had been given to their socialite daughter in the hope of her managing to mingle with some of the young masters and misses.


    It was obvious that most business deals were dealt with by the older generation. However, making connections was necessary, so when they took over the position as CEO of their family firm, they would have links to other families that could help them improve their business in the future.


    Never would the Dong family have expected that Yu Xiulan would hoodwink their most treasured daughter and convince her to do such a suicidal thing as to insult Han Qingshan.


    Dong Jingjing already feared about what to tell her parents when she got home, and she slumped onto the floor in defeat.


    "Please appease your anger, Young Master Shan!" she yelled as she saw him walking away with Jiang Yingyue''s hand in his. "I will make sure to give you a satisfactory answer to what happened tonight!"

 Chapter 177 - Banquet Ends

    Han Qingshan paused for a moment before he nodded his head. Although he was angry, he was not unreasonable. If the Dong family had a way to appease his anger, he would give them the chance to do so. If their attempt proved to be futile, he would take his revenge.


    Jiang Yingyue was stunned when she saw how upset Han Qingshan was, and she leaned against his shoulder when they found somewhere to sit down. "I''m really okay," she said with a slight smile on her face. "It was slightly painful, but I''ve experienced worse."


    Han Qingshan''s eyes were overflowing with tenderness as he looked at her. He felt indignant and annoyed with the Dong family, but he also knew that if he genuinely acted against them, others would scold Jiang Yingyue for being too overbearing, abusing Han Qingshan''s power for her own use.


    What Han Qingshan could think of, obviously Jiang Yingyue was aware of as well, and she said nothing, neither did she feel that it was particularly upsetting. She felt relieved that Yu Xiulan was out of the picture, but she was slightly nervous about what might happen to Imperial World now that their main actress was involved in a drug scandal.


    But looking at Han Qingshan, he seemed to be fully prepared for it. When he had made the call, Song Liwei was already aware of the problem that Imperial World would face, and he had started taking measures against it.


    While Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue were sitting and resting at the banquet, Song Liwei had already started writing up a statement for Imperial World.


    This statement was sent to the public relations department after he finished writing it, and they read it through, slightly altered it, and moments after it was posted on Imperial World''s Weibo.


    The statement was very blunt. It revealed that the police currently detained Yu Xiulan on the charges of being involved in a drug case. They quickly apologized for their artist''s behavior and expressed shock and sincere regret. They also said that this artist had acted against everything they approved of and that they would terminate her contract with them in the future. Most shocking was that they released proof that the actress had tried to drug another person of their own company and that this was the reason for their ruthless behavior.


    One might have thought that Imperial World was just trying to cut their losses short, but after realizing that the drugging incident had targeted another member of Imperial World, it seemed that they had sided with the victim and acted with proper behavior.


    One had to admit that Song Liwei and the public relations department of Imperial World were extremely competent and very skilled at turning the public''s opinion around.


    All of this happened without Jiang Yingyue knowing anything about it. She had stood by Han Qingshan''s side the rest of the evening, a slight smile on her face as she greeted various members of the society.


    Many of them had at first been sure that she was merely a plaything for Han Qingshan, but after experiencing the night''s events unfolding, they all realized that this woman might just be their ticket to working with Han Qingshan. If they could convince her to do some pillow talk for them, would their business not manage to become amazing?


    Jiang Yingyue saw the greed in these people''s eyes when they looked at her, and she instantly guessed that they were trying to use her to enhance their own businesses further, so although she was polite and acted perfectly, she did not warm up to any of them.


    The banquet lasted all the way until midnight before people started leaving. The auction itself had been a massive success, so Sun Qingyuan was smiling from ear to ear, feeling extremely pleased. Yet when her eyes landed on Jiang Yingyue, she could not help but feel apologetic.


    This woman had been insulted time and time again by other members at the banquet, yet she had not caused a ruckus even once. Even when her astoundingly beautiful diamond-studded stilettos had been destroyed, her only reaction was a slight smile.


    For someone to be able to handle herself with such calmness, Sun Qingyuan was astounded and felt that she was indeed a woman worth knowing.


    Just as they were about to leave, Sun Qingyuan handed her business card over to Jiang Yingyue. "Give me a call if you ever feel like chatting," she said with a smile on her face, "I am aware that I am a few years older than you, but I feel that you are a person who is enjoyable to talk with. If you do not mind, then I would like to be your friend."


    "Please," Jiang Yingyue returned her smile while putting the business card away, nodding her head, "I already consider you as my friend."


    Sun Qingyuan nodded her head, her eyes shining with happiness. "Make sure to call me," she reminded her, "we can go out for some coffee or a cake."


    Jiang Yingyue nodded her head, and the two of them shook their hands before Han Qingshan finally dragged Jiang Yingyue out to the Rolls-Royce that was waiting for them outside, ready to take them back to the condo.


    Han Qingshan was feeling tipsy. He had been toasted to by every single person at the banquet, men and women alike. Some of them had even chatted with him for a more extended period of time, and then he was forced to drink with them.


    Now that he was seated in the car, he finally felt some calmness return to him, and he closed his eyes.


    "Come here," Jiang Yingyue said as she patted her lap. "If you are tired, take a nap," she added, her voice soft and sweet.. "You have been busy all day, and you must be exhausted now. It is around half an hour till we get home, so why don''t you take a short nap?"

 Chapter 178 - Driving Home

    Han Qingshan narrowed his eyes as he looked at Jiang Yingyue, unsure of what her intentions were. His stare made her blush, and she looked away, speaking with an embarrassed voice, "If you don''t want to, that''s fine too."


    She had no ulterior motives; she had just seen how tired Han Qingshan was looking and wanted to help him out. By the time the words had escaped her lips, she already regretted them, but she had no other option than to hold onto them, and her little face had turned entirely scarlet.


    Han Qingshan smirked when he saw her like this, and he moved even closer to her, so close that their bodies were stuck together, and she could feel his muscular chest pressing against her arm.


    She glanced at the driver, feeling slightly awkward, but as if he had noticed her glance, the partition in the car rose and ensured that no one would be able to hear or see what was happening inside the back of the vehicle.


    "Compared to laying down, I''d much rather eat you clean," Han Qingshan whispered next to her ear in a sensual voice. His eyes were shining with intoxication, and his lips touched her earlobe as he spoke. The air spraying into her ear was feeling itchy, and a strange tingle was running through her body.


    Jiang Yingyue shivered as Han Qingshan enveloped her in a warm embrace. He wrapped his arms around her waist, placed his head on her shoulder, and buried his head at the crook of her neck.


    Her lithe frame was pressed against his big body, and her hands tried to push him away in defiance, only to realize that she had no strength left in her arms. All she could do was sit there and allow him to touch her as he pleased.


    The arms that had looped around her waist and pressed her against his sturdy chest suddenly started to rummage across her body. His hands were trailing her spine, drawing circles on her back, and making her feel so weird that her body was incessantly trembling in his arms.


    Jiang Yingyue was wearing a qipao, so slipping under the clothes was not possible, but his hands found the slit on the dress and touched the skin on her thigh, making her shake. Even more, biting her lower lip as a whimper escaped from her mouth.


    The whimper sounded heavenly in the mind of Han Qingshan, and he felt as if he had been given permission to touch her. His hands reached further and further up under the dress, touching her legs, and feeling how the soft skin was even smoother than that of a baby. It was so pale as if it had been drenched in milk, and the softness was so addictive that he could not retreat.


    Jiang Yingyue was feeling muddle-headed; she could not really understand what was going on. Every time Han Qingshan was acting like this to her, she felt a strange sensation in her body, but she did not hate it.


    It was foreign and slightly scary, but at the same time, the tingling was somewhat addictive. She felt as if she were floating on cloud nine, and her entire body was set abuzz.


    Jiang Yingyue was feeling more and more befuddled, and Han Qingshan, who had been nibbling on her earlobe, heard her whimpers and moans. His eyes were ablaze with desire, and he glanced at the partition, his lips quickly covering Jiang Yingyue''s.


    Although there was a partition and the car was soundproof, Han Qingshan did not want anyone else to hear her sounds, they were exclusively for him.


    He suddenly realized that the dress had been pushed so far up that he could see the white lace lingerie that his mother had given Jiang Yingyue, and although the heat in his body was getting stronger and stronger, he forced himself to stop.


    He could not be with her in the car like this. She had already said that she belonged to him, why was he rushing like this?


    He sighed as he lowered his head and deepened the kiss. He had been filled with desire, the kiss had been urgent and filled with hegemony, but now it turned lingering and soft. He was filled with love and tender care.


    Suddenly, before they realized it, they had come to a standstill. The partition stayed up, and Han Qingshan slowly stopped the kiss. It took all his willpower to pull away from those plump and delicious cherry-like lips.


    The sound of a door opening and closing could be heard, and Han Qingshan knew that the driver had left the car, quickly leaving so the two lovebirds could be alone.


    He sighed deeply as he looked at his own body and the reaction he had. Jiang Yingyue was still not clear-headed, so she noticed nothing. She was leaning against his chest, her breath making him warm, and he was getting more and more stimulated, but he continued to hold back.


    Jiang Yingyue slowly regained her mind, and when she looked at Han Qingshan she was blushing furiously, her entire mind was blank as she saw the tent in Han Qingshan''s trousers.


    She was fully aware of what it was, but she had not seen it like this before. She did not know what she should do or should not do, sitting as still as a frozen figurine.


    Seeing her act like this, Han Qingshan laughed, and he reached out, picked her up, and sat her on top of him, her legs spread on either side of him and she could feel something hard and scorching pressing against her.

 Chapter 179 - Intimate Moment

    Jiang Yingyue''s mind went blank at that moment. Her eyes widened in shock, and even her mouth opened in protest, but she never got to say anything before Han Qingshan placed his lips on top of her mouth.


    He began kissing her, nibbling gently on her lower lip, sucking and dancing with her tongue, and tasting the sweetness of Jiang Yingyue. He could not get enough, and his hard member started throbbing, the heat so scorching that Jiang Yingyue was unable to think clearly.


    All she could do was wrap her arms around his neck and mutter small words of dissatisfaction.


    Han Qingshan found her small struggle adorable. He knew that he should not take things too far, but feeling her pressing against him like this made him almost lose his last strand of rationality.


    He could not understand how it could be like this. Such a small girl was making him lose all rationality, making him wonder where the self-control he had always been so proud of had vanished off to. Because of her, he was feeling so easily swayed.


    Jiang Yingyue was unable to sit still on Han Qingshan. The thick warm member that was pressing against her made her feel odd. It was as if a hot iron rod was pressing against her, and she could not help but fidget around, grinding against him.


    The more she moved, the hotter the flames of desire burned in Han Qingshan, and unable to hold himself back, he placed his hands around her waist, holding her against his member, as he started rocking his hips, grinding against her body.


    Jiang Yingyue was like a ship on a stormy sea; her body was swaying with his movements and her hands holding on to him for dear life.


    Han Qingshan was moving more and more rapidly, and a strange sensation started spreading inside Jiang Yingyue''s body. She was feeling herself twitching, and her entire body was trembling with the strange sensation that she had never before encountered; even her most private parts were out of her control.


    Jiang Yingyue''s qipao had been pulled up for her to be able to sit on Han Qingshan''s lap, and her alluring white lace lingerie was visible as it was pressed against his suit trousers.


    She started feeling a strange wetness beneath her. Her lingerie was beginning to feel soaked. She knew this wetness came from her, but she also felt the twitching of the member that was pressing against her, and the pants that were pressing against her turned damp from both sides'' arousal.


    Han Qingshan could not hold back much longer, sweat was beading on his head, and he bit down on Jiang Yingyue''s lip. His eyes were deep and dark, filled with desire for the woman in his arms.


    Jiang Yingyue did not know what was happening; it just felt like she was floating in heaven before a moan of pleasure escaped her lips. The moan spurred Han Qingshan on, and a growl escaped his lips as he delivered a final thrust, after which he cooled down.


    He looked at the dazed and confused woman in his arms. Unable to hold back, he held her close and lowered his lips, kissing her deeply, savoring the sweetness he had just experienced. Although they had not actually become one, Han Qingshan was still incredibly pleased and felt incredibly good.


    Jiang Yingyue slowly came to herself, but when she did, she was filled with bashfulness, embarrassment, and horror.


    Seeing her expression, Han Qingshan could not help but chuckle. He gently helped her down from his lap, but after she got off, he felt as if he had lost a part of himself. Jiang Yingyue''s legs were like jelly. She could hardly stand on them; her entire body was feeling weak and listless.


    Han Qingshan quickly helped her straighten out her dress before helping her out of the car. He then carried her in his arms, striding towards the lift and entering the condo in a few moments.


    When he entered, he slammed the door behind him and walked into the bathroom. He placed Jiang Yingyue down on a chair before turning the tap on in the bathtub.


    When the tub was filled, he went into the shower, closed the glass door, and soon the sound of running water could be heard. Moments after, his soaking wet clothes were being tossed out of the shower.


    Jiang Yingyue had slowly managed to regain her senses, and she felt so embarrassed by their previous behavior, to the point where she wanted to scold Han Qingshan. But in the end, she could not do it; after all she had not disliked what he did to her.


    Still, to undress in the same bathroom where Han Qingshan was showering, was she really able to do this? She felt her body was sticky with sweat and her lower regions were numb, and tingling. She could not help but grit her teeth and take her clothes off in a hurry before jumping into the bathtub.


    The warm water was gently soothing her tensed muscles and her strange emotions. She leaned against the back of the tub and gently played with the many bubbles of soap that were stacked in the bathtub, covering her entire body with them.


    Neither Han Qingshan nor Jiang Yingyue was speaking. Both of them were just enjoying the baths and the afterglow of their intimate episode earlier. Both of them had different emotions and different thoughts about it.. But one thing they both shared was the tenderness and happiness they felt by getting closer to one another.

 Chapter 180 - Goodnight My Darling

    The bathroom was blurred by the mist that came from the warm water that was steadily pouring out of the showerhead.


    Han Qingshan was underneath the shower, cleaning himself, and feeling quite satisfied. He knew that Jiang Yingyue was in the bathtub relaxing, and somehow, his heart was filled with happiness, knowing that she accepted him enough to be this close to him.


    Jiang Yingyue was also very comfortable. Her weak and soft legs were no longer trembling. She released a sigh of pleasure as she leaned against the back of the tub, closed her eyes, and just focused on the sounds of running water.


    After twenty minutes, Han Qingshan exited the shower. He saw that Jiang Yingyue had her back to him, she was completely relaxed, and she almost seemed as if she was asleep.


    He quickly grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist before he went to look at the adorable face of Jiang Yingyue, who was blissfully unaware that she was being stared at.


    He reached out his hands and cupped her cheek, feeling that she was leaning her head against his hand and was slowly opening her eyes.


    She no longer looked dazed, her eyes were focused and deep, resembling the starry sky at night. They were so breathtakingly beautiful that he felt as if his soul was sucked out of his body, and he leaned down and placed a peck on her cheek.


    "Don''t stay in the water too long," he said with a husky voice before he turned around and left the bathroom.


    Jiang Yingyue raised an eyebrow as she heard the door open and close behind her. She was sinking a bit deeper into the water while wondering what exactly she should feel about the current situation.


    Although she had not had sex with Han Qingshan, their intimate relationship was quite close, and she felt that it was a bit too soon. She was not ready to go further.


    She was deep in thought for a long time, and she did not notice that the water was cooling down; it was not before it became cold that she realized that she was freezing, and she quickly rose from the bath. She found a big bath towel and wrapped it around her body before she drained the bathtub and left the bathroom.


    When she exited the bathroom, she heard sounds coming from the study and was wondering what Han Qingshan was doing, but she did not go to him. Instead, she entered her own room.


    Here she quickly dressed up again. She was wearing a beautiful A-line lace sleeping gown that flowed down to the floor.


    She had dressed conservatively on purpose; the dress was one that covered her the most from what she could find in her closet.


    She exited her room and went to the kitchen to get a glass of water before she would return to the room to sleep. She was exhausted after being at the charity auction, followed by the banquet that evening.


    Although she had mainly just smiled and stood by Han Qingshan''s side, she had never attended an event like that before, and thus she was on high alert throughout the entire time; especially after seeing those few women pulling some tricks to embarrass her.


    After drinking, she contemplated to enter the study and say goodnight to Han Qingshan, but as she headed towards the study, she heard him speaking on the phone. Although she could not hear what he said, she could listen to his indistinct voice, and she turned back and headed to her room, where she gently lowered herself onto the bed.


    A sigh of comfort escaped her lips as she felt her body slowly sinking into the soft mattress, it was like she was laying on a cloud, and her eyes already felt heavy.


    Jiang Yingyue had a gentle smile on her face, and she almost succumbed to sleep when she suddenly heard her door creaking.


    "Yingyue, are you asleep?" a gentle voice sounded, and Jiang Yingyue, who did not have the energy to open her eyes, gently hummed in reply.


    Han Qingshan seemed not to have heard her. The door gently closed again, and Jiang Yingyue thought he had left, only to be taken by surprise when her mattress suddenly sunk at the opposite end.


    Her eyelids, which had been heavy and hard to lift, suddenly opened in shock, and she turned around to look at Han Qingshan, who was seated on the side of the bed, looking at her with loving eyes.


    "Can I sleep here tonight?" Han Qingshan asked gently. His voice was low and magnetic, his eyes sparkling with light, as he looked into her eyes, everyone could see the hope that he held.


    "Sleep? Sleep with me?" Jiang Yingyue was stunned, and she suddenly woke up from her sleep. "You can''t sleep with me!" she exclaimed in shock, but Han Qingshan had already flipped his body and laid down on the bed next to her.


    "We were so close in the car, why can''t we sleep together? Hmm?" Han Qingshan asked with an alluring smile on his face as he leaned towards Jiang Yingyue.


    He placed her head on his arm and wrapped her in his embrace as he held her close. "I won''t do anything, don''t worry," he said gently as he placed a kiss on her forehead. "I just want to hold you in my arms, to sleep like this.. I need to know you are by my side, or I cannot fall asleep."

 Chapter 181 - Imperial Worlds Leadership

    Jiang Yingyue could see the hopeful light in Han Qingshan''s eyes. She could also sense his nervousness, and although she had felt somewhat worried and slightly uncomfortable about sharing a bed with a man, she could not make herself decline his request.


    She sighed deeply and shook her head as she looked at Han Qingshan with a helpless expression in her eyes. "You better not try anything," she warned him. "If you do, then I won''t let you sleep here another time."


    Han Qingshan lit up with a brilliant smile, his nervousness vanishing, and he was so ecstatic that he rushed under the blankets like a good boy.


    Jiang Yingyue felt exasperated and unable to control him, but her lips were curved upwards, and she slowly turned to look at Han Qingshan.


    He dragged her into his embrace and let her rest her head on his chest, the two of them suddenly feeling blissful and complete.


    They did not need to do or say anything. Lying like this, with Jiang Yingyue''s head on Han Qingshan''s chest, listening to his steady and reliable heartbeat, and Han Qingshan feeling the petite and dainty woman in his arms. The two of them suddenly felt as if the world was perfect.


    Like this, the two slowly drifted to sleep. Neither of them spoke; they just savored the delightful feeling of being together.


    The following morning, Han Qingshan woke up first. His eyes opened slightly, and he felt that the bedroom was different from usual. Looking around, he quickly remembered that he was sleeping with Jiang Yingyue, and when he looked at the small woman who was nestling in his embrace, his heart felt so full that he could not control the smile on his face.


    He tightened his grip around her waist, but when he realized what he was doing, he quickly let go, afraid that he was waking her up.


    He could feel her breath on his chest, he could feel her body so close to him, and he knew that this was happiness. To be close to the woman he loved, he could not think of anything else than holding on to the happiness he was currently feeling.


    Han Qingshan was lying down and reveling in this feeling for a long time before Jiang Yingyue finally woke up.


    Her eyes were glazed, and she was feeling slightly disoriented. However, she quickly grasped the steady heartbeat against her ear, and she was feeling much more secure.


    Although she had woken up, her body did not want to move, she was feeling incredibly comfortable in Han Qingshan''s arms, and she could not help but rub her face against his chest and nestle even closer to his warm body.


    She was still half-asleep and not completely aware of what she was doing. Her behavior was like a small kitten, her actions so adorable that Han Qingshan could not help but feel as if someone was gently scratching his heart.


    He tightened the arms around Jiang Yingyue, and the two engaged in a deep embrace before Jiang Yingyue finally sobered up.


    As she did, she pushed Han Qingshan away, feeling slightly embarrassed and bashful, but after considering it a bit more, she became a bit calmer. Han Qingshan was her boyfriend, and he belonged to her, there was nothing wrong with being touchy.


    After convincing herself about this, she jumped out of bed, found some clothes to change into, and headed to the bathroom, where she quickly washed up and changed her clothes before heading towards the kitchen to cook a nutritious breakfast.


    Han Qingshan quickly went to the bathroom afterward to wash up and get dressed. By the time he finished, Jiang Yingyue had cooked a simple and plain congee, and they quickly consumed it before leaving the condo.


    Today was a busy day. It was a weekend, so there was no university. However, there were some things at Imperial World, which needed to be dealt with, and Han Qingshan headed straight for the office with Jiang Yingyue.


    As they arrived, they found that Song Liwei was already waiting for them in the office, his face somewhat pale as he had spent the entire night dealing with the public relations about the whole drugging incident with Yu Xiulan.


    "Assistant Song," Han Qingshan called out as he sat down in the chair. "I previously gave you free reins to Imperial World, and I plan on making you the one in charge again. If anything happens to the company, feel free to contact me, but if you can handle it on your own, then do so.


    "I have a few other businesses I need to put my focus on in the next couple of months, and although I created Imperial World, it is now running without any overwhelming problems. This will also be a trial run for you," Han Qingshan said thoughtfully as he looked out the window.


    "I will take over the Han Corporation and become the CEO. I cannot be the CEO of both Imperial World and the Han Corporation, and thus I need someone else who can take over here.


    "You have experience running the business, so my thoughts are to leave it to you. If you manage to keep it under control and do a good job, then you will become the new CEO of Imperial World.. However, if you are against it, then I can find someone else to take over the job, and you can become his or her assistant, keeping your current job."

 Chapter 182 - Punishments

    Song Liwei was considering his options. Although it sounded grand to be the CEO of a company, it also meant that he had to take full responsibility. Although it was daunting, it was also a chance, and as Han Qingshan had said, he understood the business well. Han Qingshan was still a student, and he had a lot of other things to deal with at the same time, so he was not often at the office unless something went wrong.


    "I will do it!" he said with determination. He did not have the educational background one would expect from a CEO; neither did he have a background as an entrepreneur.


    However, he knew that this was the only option he had if he wanted to soar in the world. He had to look after his family and to do so he needed money. Although the salary as a personal assistant for Han Qingshan was not bad, he knew it would be even better if he was the CEO.


    It was not only the money that made him interested; he also felt proud that Han Qingshan had so much faith in him. He wanted to challenge himself and prove that he was worth this trust, that he was actually capable enough to take over this position.


    Han Qingshan nodded his head when he saw Song Liwei''s determined eyes, and he patted him on the shoulder, "I will leave it to you for now," he said with a smile on his face. "If you encounter any issues, you can always look for me, but if you are able to deal with it on your own, do so. Also, challenge yourself and have faith in your abilities. I trust in you, so you are definitely not an ordinary person."


    Hearing Han Qingshan''s high praise of him, he could only smile sheepishly and nod his head. He felt proud and warm at heart. Han Qingshan was indeed a man that made others respect him. He knew how to delegate work to the useful and talented subordinates.


    "You dealt with the Yu Xiulan situation well. There is just a bit of tidying up needing to be done afterward, and I am sure you know how to do so."


    Song Liwei solemnly nodded his head. He knew that Han Qingshan was giving him a massive responsibility, and he had to prove that he was worthy of it. He would make Han Qingshan proud.


    After handing the responsibility to Song Liwei, Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue left Imperial World''s office and headed down the elevator towards the parking basement where the Porsche was waiting for them.


    Here they entered the car, and while Jiang Yingyue was unaware of where they were going, Han Qingshan''s face had turned somewhat serious, his expression grave.


    "We need to meet with my grandfather," he said with a sigh after a moment of silence. "He knows about you, and he requested me to bring you over."


    Jiang Yingyue nodded her head. She had been told about this Chairman of the Han Corporation before, and she was slightly nervous. From what she had heard from Yan Meilin, and what she could guess from Han Qingshan''s demeanor, this man was not very pleased with her.


    She still knew that this was a battle she could not avoid, and she nodded her head as she looked at Han Qingshan.


    "I''ll be fine," she assured him. "Even if he does not like me, that is fine too," she continued. "I am not a noble lady, but I am not together with him either. As long as you do not abandon me, I have no intention of giving up on you either."


    Hearing her words, Han Qingshan''s pained expression eased slightly. "Don''t worry," he said, "I will protect you. I will not let anyone embarrass you."


    What Jiang Yingyue was unaware of was that the two people who had caused problems for her during the banquet the evening before had already been punished.


    Han Qingshan had given both an ultimatum: give him a satisfactory explanation, or he would take action.


    The Dong Jingjing woman had been sent overseas without a return ticket. She was to study abroad, and while her parents would pay for her studies and expenses while studying, when she finished, they would withdraw their support.


    She had become an outcast and could not return to the country ever again.


    The other woman, who Jiang Yingyue did not even know the name of, had also been punished by her family. Although she had not been punished as severely, her allowance had been removed, and she was grounded for a year.


    All of this had been done without Jiang Yingyue''s knowledge, but everyone else in the circle had long since heard about it. And although the punishments were harsh, no one could say anything about it, since it was the families themselves who had given out these punishments, mostly out of fear of dragging their whole family down if Han Qingshan was unhappy.


    Han Qingshan did not want Jiang Yingyue to suffer even the slightest grievance, and this was also why he was so uncomfortable about her meeting his grandfather.


    Although he respected the old man and looked up to him, he knew better than anyone that he was a stuck up old man who did not like him mingling with commoners.


    The fact he had fallen for one would definitely not get his approval, and he did not know how to protect her.. If it were anyone else, he would not hesitate to use his might, but in front of his grandfather, he truly was just a youth.

 Chapter 183 - Need Evidence

    "Miss Yu, we have evidence that indicates that you have hired a bartender to drug Young Master Shan," one of the officers said as he looked at Yu Xiulan with a complicated look in his eyes.


    He was not too old, only thirty years old, and he often watched TV with his wife. He had seen Yu Xiulan in movies and TV-shows, and she had been a dazzling star that many looked up to, and many men and women viewed her as a goddess.


    However, after considering her actions, he could not help but feel a bit of disgust towards her. To have done such a vile thing was simply out of line, and she had even pretended she had done nothing when they had proof that showed otherwise.


    "I have done nothing," Yu Xiulan was stubborn and refused to acknowledge her involvement. "It was that slut Jiang Yingyue! She has been using a fake ID all this time; she pretended to be a man! If you have to investigate someone, investigate her!"


    Yu Xiulan was going mad from thinking that she might be put in jail, and she no longer cared about the consequences. If she was going down, then Jiang Yingyue was going down with her.


    "Where is your proof?" The police officer looked annoyed at Yu Xiulan. He did not care about this matter; even if it was true, it was not his problem.


    First of all, because Han Qingshan was protecting her, secondly, they had no proof. There was no proof that Jiang Yingyue and Jiang Fengmian were the same person.


    "She admitted it to my face!" Yu Xiulan said, her voice was high-pitched and filled with menace. "I am the witness, she said it to me, I am the proof!"


    "Miss Yu, you are aware that you are currently arrested and going to court for having drugged Young Master Shan. Anything you say about his companions will be viewed as invalid due to your bias behavior."


    "That slut cannot go free!" Yu Xiulan had shed all sense of being a small white lotus, and she was more and more like a shrew. She was yelling profanities, and her eyes were almost popping out of her head. She was filled with hatred; even her hair was disheveled, and her clothes messy.


    "Miss Yu, if you have any concrete evidence, we would look into it, but you do not so we can only work on the cases where we do have evidence, such as the case against you.


    "You will be put into detention and presented in court. The judge will determine if the information presented supports the charge by looking at the evidence and present a verdict accordingly."


    Yu Xiulan slumped into her chair. Her eyes turned listless, and her body was on the verge of breaking down.


    "Let me make a phone call," she suddenly said. "I need to make a phone call."


    The police officer narrowed his eyes. "You can not be bailed out," he said seriously. "This case is too serious, so while you might be allowed to contact someone, do not dare to dream of getting out of here."


    Yu Xiulan had not heard his voice, and all she could think about was to call someone. She was allowed to make a phone call, and she dialed a number she knew by heart but had never really dialed before.


    "Yes?" A deep and mature voice sounded at the other end of the phone, and when she heard it, her entire body shuddered in disgust.


    "Mister Gou, it is me, Yu Xiulan," she said through gritted teeth.


    "Oh, little Xiulan, what do you want?" The voice was tinged with a bit of laughter, and there was some intimacy in the voice, causing the small hairs to stand on Yu Xiulan''s body.


    "I need your help," she finally managed to say it, after calming herself a bit. She felt the utmost disgust towards this man, but being in her current predicament, he would be the only one with enough power who could be willing to save her.


    "What have you been doing?" he lightly asked as if he was completely unaware of what was going on.


    "Don''t act as if you don''t know!" she exclaimed angrily, unable to keep her cool. "I know what you want, and I''ll give it to you as long as you get me out of here. Oh, and I want revenge against Jiang Yingyue. I want her to suffer a fate worse than death!"


    Hearing her hate-filled words, Mister Gou laughed out loud on the other end of the phone, and he paused for a moment, considering if it was worth helping the woman.


    "I do want you," he admitted. "But getting you out will be immensely hard," he continued. "You have insulted Han Qingshan, and you even drugged him. Who do you think can handle his revenge?"


    "Can you do it or not?!" Yu Xiulan did not want to waste any more time speaking with him. She wanted to be saved and was even willing to give up her body as a token of appreciation, but even then, he had paused.


    "I can help you, but it will take a few days," he said while laughing lightly. "Don''t forget to make me pleased afterward, or you will end up where you are now, without a way of escaping."


    Yu Xiulan gritted her teeth and said her thanks before she hung up the phone.


    She moved back to her cell, where she was seated on a small hard bed, her eyes ablaze with anger and hatred; her entire body trembling from the feelings she could no longer suppress.. She had to get her revenge on Jiang Yingyue, and then she had to get rid of Gou Chen.

 Chapter 184 - Never Become A Phoenix

    The car slowly arrived at the Han family mansion. Although Han Qingshan''s grandfather had his own estate, he had arrived at the parent''s place early in the morning, kicking up a fuss because of the news about Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue.


    Han Qingshan''s face was black like a thundercloud, and his mood was not very good.


    He understood his grandfather well. He was conservative and stubborn. If he was truly against him and Jiang Yingyue being together, he would cause havoc on earth, and it would be challenging to deal with it.


    But Han Qingshan was not willing to give up. Even if it came down to it, then he would rather leave his family. He would not let his lady suffer even the slightest grievance.


    Thinking like this, he felt calmer inside, and his eyes showed determination. Although he was not the only grandson that Han Weisheng had, he was the most talented. He was also his parents'' only son. Even if Han Weisheng wanted to give the position as the heir to one of his other grandsons, he had to consider Han Qingshan''s father''s feelings as well.


    Although things were not simple, Han Qingshan knew better than anyone that his grandfather was immensely stubborn.


    He had been a business tycoon for a long time, it was obvious that he would use some underhanded means to get Jiang Yingyue away from him, and this was something that Han Qingshan would never accept.


    They arrived at the mansion, and Han Qingshan parked the car before they exited, heading straight for the mansion. His face was solemn and dark, ready to fight against Han Weisheng.


    Jiang Yingyue had not spoken for some time. She understood that her being with Han Qingshan was something that his grandfather was against and that the reason he was against it was because of her background.


    But although she understood this, she was not willing to give up. Han Qingshan had allowed her to start life anew; he had given her hope and dreams and managed to make her live life for herself again.


    The servants were waiting for them and quickly bowed their heads when they saw them. All of them seemed frightened and slightly uncomfortable as they glanced at Jiang Yingyue.


    Had it been the previous servants, then they would all have had smug and gloating expressions, but these new ones had already understood that their predecessors were fired because of their lack of respect towards Jiang Yingyue. So even if they felt happy for her misfortune, none of them dared display it on their faces.


    Han Qingshan reached out and grasped Jiang Yingyue''s hand in his, squeezing it slightly, making her feel secure.


    Although she was nervous, she did not want him to see it, so she smiled at him to reassure him and squeezed back.


    Jiang Yingyue took a deep breath, and together, the two of them made it to the study on the second floor.


    Here the door was already open, and inside was an elderly gentleman. His eyes were sharp and cold, and his expression stoic. He glanced at Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue, his eyes pausing at the interlocked hands.


    His expression turned ugly, and he snorted before he looked out the window. He did not say anything, and Han Qingshan just stood in front of him, holding Jiang Yingyue''s hand and said nothing, just waiting for the old man to speak up.


    The seconds felt like hours and the minutes like days. Jiang Yingyue felt her palm turn sweaty, and her heart started picking up its pace.


    Finally, when the silence and the wait became unbearable, the old man turned and looked at Han Qingshan again.


    "This is the toy you found?" he asked disdainfully as he looked at Jiang Yingyue.


    "She is not a toy; she is my girlfriend and future wife." Han Qingshan was solemn while speaking, his eyes flashing slightly with unhappiness.


    "She is a commoner, she will bring nothing to the Han family, and she has nothing that can provide us with benefits. She has grown up in a household where they were frugal; she has not learned etiquette, nor does she know how to play an instrument or how to write calligraphy.


    "She lived as a boy for many years, and although she might be pure, she has a messy background and history.


    "She was bullied last night, and that alone is a show that people will no longer take the Han family seriously if we were to let fowl enter in our midst. No matter how much she trains, a chicken will never become a phoenix.


    "The Han family has a Millennium old history. We are the main family of our country, and even the international market will shake if we stomp our feet. But you, the heir to this empire, have completely disregarded your position and decided to accept such a common person?"


    Han Weisheng did not hold back. He was not mincing his words; neither did he care about how Jiang Yingyue felt after hearing these words.


    Calling her a fowl and a chicken was simply over the top, and Han Qingshan''s eyes were flaming with anger.


    He had not interrupted while Han Weisheng was speaking, but now that he was quiet, Han Qingshan got ready to talk.


    No one was allowed to bully his little girl; no one was allowed to make her sad or painful.. And although she did not care about what others thought about her, it was impossible for her to be utterly unaffected after being spoken to in this way.

 Chapter 185 - Old Man

    "Grandfather, I respect you as my elder," Han Qingshan began, "but I am also an adult now. I can make my own decisions and determine what is best for me.


    "You say that she brings nothing to the Han Corporation, but honestly, which family can possibly bring us anything? Most families are below our notice, and if they manage to connect to us through marriage, they will only become a burden later �� someone who will rely on our family to raise themselves, while we do not get any benefits.


    "You say she doesn''t know the etiquette, how to play an instrument or calligraphy, but these are all things that can be taught.


    "You say that she is a chicken and that she can never become a phoenix, but I disagree. She might come from a humble background, but the truth is that her innermost core is much more beautiful and brilliant than any of the ladies from our circle.


    "You want me to be with a noble lady, but these noble ladies are nothing compared to my Yingyue. Their entire beings can not even be compared to a single finger of hers.


    "I will only ever marry Jiang Yingyue. She is the love of my life and the woman I have dedicated my heart to. I will never take it back, nor will I allow her to suffer any grievances. You have been insulting her time and time again, but I cannot accept it.


    "Grandfather, Jiang Yingyue is a brilliant woman. She is not weak, nor is she overbearing. She knows how to handle the problems we might encounter in our circle, and she can protect herself while ensuring that she does not suffer a loss.


    "She has every single talent needed for one to become Madam Han."


    Han Qingshan had never before faced off against his grandfather. Before, he had always submitted to any request the old man might have had.


    Now things were different. This was something that truly mattered to him, and he was not willing to give up on Jiang Yingyue.


    Han Weisheng heard the words Han Qingshan said, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he looked at the two people in front of him.


    "Qingshan, leave us for a moment, I need to speak with this... lady... alone."


    Han Qingshan looked immensely dismayed, but Jiang Yingyue smiled at him. "It is okay," she assured him. "I am sure that he just wishes to speak with me. There is no way he would ever harm me, so do not worry."


    Han Qingshan was not assured, but when he looked at Jiang Yingyue''s trusting and bright eyes, he could only sigh and nod his head hesitatingly.


    "I will be just outside," he said and released her hand before he exited the room and closed the door behind him.


    Jiang Yingyue straightened her back and looked at Han Weisheng in front of her. She held no hostility towards the man, but she was wary. She understood that he was not very keen on working together with her and that his biggest wish was that she would vanish from Han Qingshan''s life.


    "Young miss, I understand that Han Qingshan is quite the trophy to catch, but you need to realize that for a commoner such as yourself, it is much better to be with another of the same circle. After all, equal children suit each other more.


    "You currently blind Han Qingshan, but this is also because he is young and naive. He is being controlled by his urges and doesn''t understand the severity of the situation.


    "I will give you two hundred million yuan, and then you will leave Han Qingshan alone. It should be enough to last you and your family for a long time, so do not try to haggle with me about getting more."


    Jiang Yingyue, who originally had a neutral impression of this old man, suddenly felt disgusted.


    "Master Han, I respected you as an elder and agreed to listen to what you had to say, but I would never have expected that what you wanted to say was such a mountain of trash."


    Jiang Yingyue was the one who did not mince her words this time, and her eyes were flashing with coldness.


    "I am with Han Qingshan, not because of money, but because I love him as a person.


    "Money might be useful to have, but the truth is that what matters is one''s personality. Han Qingshan and I have pledged our love for one another, and even if you were to offer me the entire Han Corporation in exchange for Han Qingshan, I would not take it.


    "I would much rather be with him and be poor than to be rich and without him. Money can buy many things, but it is incapable of buying love. I have found someone whom I cherish and love after many years of fear and hopelessness, and now you wish to take him away from me?


    "I can tell you this, as long as Han Qingshan does not abandon me, I will not abandon him either."


    Jiang Yingyue''s words carried with them a strong momentum. Her entire aura was so overwhelming that Han Weisheng was shocked. He paused and placed his hand on his chin, rubbing it slightly.


    Never before had he seen a commoner who dared go against him like this, neither had he seen one with such an aura and such determination.


    Although he was not pleased with her, he had to admit that she was no ordinary person, but this did not mean he was willing to give up.

 Chapter 186 - Displeased Han Weisheng

    Han Weisheng glanced at Jiang Yingyue one extra time, but he could not help but scowl in displeasure.


    She was attractive, the way she was bearing herself was passable, and her aura was outstanding. Unfortunately, she was born as a commoner, and would never be able to mingle in their circle.


    "Go now," Han Weisheng knew that he could not chase her away with money, and although he was in a rather foul mood because of this, he also felt that she deserved some due respect for this reason.


    Jiang Yingyue nodded her head and turned around, leaving the study with her back straight, and her head held high.


    When she exited, she saw that Han Qingshan was waiting for her, his face filled with worry, and he did not seem to relax before he saw Jiang Yingyue.


    He rushed to her side and checked her from every angle, to ensure that she had not suffered any injuries while she had been together with his grandfather.


    "I am okay," she laughed lightly when she saw his strange behavior. She raised her head and placed a gentle peck on Han Qingshan''s cheek, the gesture making the young man stunned.


    Although he had kissed Jiang Yingyue many times now, it was quite rare that it was her who took the initiative. So every time she did, he would feel a strange sweetness, and at the same time he froze slightly, unable to reply to her actions.


    Sensing him freezing up like this, Jiang Yingyue chuckled slightly. It was a rather pleasant feeling to see him stunned due to her actions, and she felt happiness all inside of her.


    The slight unhappiness she felt from Han Weisheng''s words vanished when she felt his reactions.


    "Let us go home," Han Qingshan said gently. He did not want to stay with Han Weisheng right now as he could guess that the old man had said something upsetting to Jiang Yingyue, and he was less than pleased with it.


    "We should greet your parents since we came all the way out here," Jiang Yingyue smiled and shook her head. She did not care much about the words said by Han Weisheng.


    Han Qingshan would naturally not go against her wishes, and he nodded his head indulgently.


    Together, the two of them went to the atelier, where Yan Meilin was working. Han Qingshan''s father, Han Liqiang, was at the Han Corporation working.


    When Yan Meilin saw them enter the atelier, she was apologetic. She liked Jiang Yingyue a lot, and she wanted her as her daughter in law. However, she also knew that she had just married into the Han family. Although she was a member of the Han family now, she had previously been part of the Yan family, and thus she could not change the traditions of the Han family.


    Jiang Yingyue did not know much about the traditions of the noble families, but she could see the slightly forlorn and rather uncomfortable expression on Yan Meilin''s face.


    "It is fine. Mister Han might not like me now, but one day he might change his opinion." Jiang Yingyue did not really care too much about what they might have to say about her. As long as Han Qingshan liked her, then she did not need others to like her.


    Yan Meilin could hear that although Han Weisheng had made it difficult for Jiang Yingyue, she had not seemed to take it to heart, and she breathed a heavy sigh of relief.


    Han Qingshan was the same. He had felt worried and uncomfortable that she would not be satisfied with the way she had been treated, but she had not shown any displeasure at all.


    Jiang Yingyue understood their worries. It would be a lie if she said she did not mind at all, but she realized that Han Qingshan could not control his grandfather, and she understood that he was worried about her.


    He already had a lot of things on his plate; if she added to it, then he would not even be able to sleep at night, so she stayed strong and pretended to be okay.


    She was a master at seeing through people, and she knew how to hide her own feelings so that no one could read them. No one would be capable of seeing through the barrier she placed around herself, and after calming her emotions down, she believed that it was not such a significant matter.


    Han Qingshan glanced at Jiang Yingyue a few times, trying to understand her mood, but he saw nothing out of the ordinary, but a nagging feeling told him that she was not as calm as she seemed.


    "Mother, we will head out now. I don''t want to be around Grandfather for now, so we will not be staying for lunch." Han Qingshan did not want to give Han Weisheng a chance to talk down to Jiang Yingyue, so he was ready to leave.


    Like this, the two of them left the mansion, and the rest of the day was free for the two of them. "Why don''t we go shopping?" Han Qingshan suggested, but Jiang Yingyue looked at him and shook her head.


    "Last time I went shopping with your mother, and we bought a mountain of things I have not even used yet." She shuddered as she was reminded of that experience.


    Han Qingshan was also thinking about it and remembered the day He Yuyan had insulted her, hit her, and caused problems.. However, it was also the first time when Han Qingshan had heard her admit to being his girlfriend.

 Chapter 187 - Date

    "If you don''t want to go shopping, then what do you want us to do?" Han Qingshan asked gently. He wanted to have a date with Jiang Yingyue, to enjoy some romantic time together, but he was completely green when it came to relationships and was unaware of how to make romantic gestures.


    Jiang Yingyue looked at Han Qingshan. She had never before really considered what kind of date she wanted. Before meeting Han Qingshan, she thought it was impossible to find a boyfriend. She thought she would live her entire life as Jiang Fengmian, and thus she dared not even dream about going on a date.


    Now that it was possible for her to date, she was even more clueless than Han Qingshan. What did she want? What were her wishes?


    "Can we perhaps go to the cinema?" she asked hesitatingly after thinking for a bit of time. "I have never been to the cinema before. Going alone is too sad, and going with my parents is not a possibility. Where I lived before was a village, and we did not have a cinema, so before I turned nine, it was not possible to go see a movie."


    Han Qingshan narrowed his eyes when he heard this. He had gone to the cinema a few times, but it was not a place he often frequented. It was crowded, and he did not enjoy going there with his friends as he felt bored. If he wanted to watch a film on a big screen, he would go home to his parent''s place where there was a home theatre.


    But seeing the hopeful eyes of Jiang Yingyue, he did not want to disappoint her, and he nodded his head, his eyes oozing with tenderness and affection.


    So what if he didn''t like the cinema? Even if she asked him to walk into an active volcano, he was likely to do it.


    "What movie do you want to watch?" he asked gently, and Jiang Yingyue shrugged her shoulders.


    "I don''t know," she said. "Let us see what options are available when we reach the cinema; they likely have some posters outside showing off what''s currently running."


    Han Qingshan nodded his head, grabbed her hand, and led her out of the mansion, down the stairs and towards the car.


    After they entered, he drove downtown, found a mall, and parked the car, before he started walking through the streets with Jiang Yingyue by his side, her hand tightly grasped in his.


    The two of them caused quite a stir in the city. They were both incredibly attractive as they walked down the streets, the men were admiring Jiang Yingyue, while the women were salivating over Han Qingshan.


    Even the couples would look at the two with stunning eyes, neither blaming the other for viewing, as both sides were equally entranced.


    Han Qingshan felt slightly nervous. He held Jiang Yingyue''s hand in his own and felt his heart flutter in excitement.


    "It is still some time before evening," he mused. "So although we can go to the cinema, we should wait a bit. I know you don''t want to shop, but let us go to a few stores to browse their goods, then we can eat our dinner at a restaurant and then we will head to the cinema."


    Jiang Yingyue considered it for some time and nodded her head. Her initial displeasure about shopping was not as strong as before. In fact, she was more interested in just spending time with him.


    The main reason she was against Han Qingshan''s idea of shopping was because she felt that they wasted too much money on useless stuff, but browsing was always fun, as long as they did not actually buy something.


    The two did not return to the mall where they had parked the car. Instead, they walked the streets, observing the different windows of the shops they passed and chatted about whatever they saw.


    Most of the stores were clothing stores, and their display was for high-end customers. The clothes that were put on display were magnificent, and of excellent quality. However, it was far out of Jiang Yingyue''s price range, and she had already been equipped with a whole lot of clothes from when she went shopping with Yan Meilin last time.


    Han Qingshan did not feel like buying things either. He just wanted to stroll down the streets while holding Jiang Yingyue''s hand, feeling like a completely normal couple.


    Jiang Yingyue was feeling slightly bashful, but at the same time, she was feeling like any young girl who had experienced her first love, and she could not help but blush slightly.


    Seeing her like this, Han Qingshan felt as if there was a small itch in his heart. He could not help but drag her into an embrace and hug her in the middle of the street, the display of affection stunning not only Jiang Yingyue but everyone who was passing by as well.


    Han Qingshan did not mind the many stares, and he hugged her close to his chest, feeling how she was like a small petite figure that fit perfectly within his embrace.


    Jiang Yingyue was unaware of what had caused him to act like this suddenly, but she did not wish to push him away, and she slowly raised her arms and returned the embrace.


    Han Qingshan closed his eyes as he inhaled her scent, feeling the restlessness and discomfort that had remained in his body since they went to visit his grandfather, was slowly dissipating.

 Chapter 188 - A Resounding Bang

    Jiang Yingyue stood still for some time, allowing Han Qingshan to embrace her as he pleased, but the longer they stood, the more embarrassed she became and the redder her face turned.


    "Enough already," she whispered to him, as she could no longer stand the glances that were sent their way.


    Han Qingshan understood that it was not the right place to be touchy, so he reluctantly let go of her, sighing when he felt her figure leave his embrace. But he was not pushy and took her hand, smiled at her, and led her down the road.


    Time flowed like water, and they had soon been walking for two hours. Their pace had been slow, and the majority of their time was spent looking at the displays in the windows.


    "Let us find some food," Han Qingshan said, and they started looking for a restaurant. They were on one of the busiest streets in the entire capital, and thus, it was not hard to find a good restaurant.


    Han Qingshan was the one who picked the place. It was one that Jiang Yingyue did not know, but when she saw what they offered, her eyes lit up in excitement.


    Seeing her excited, Han Qingshan chuckled. He had noticed that she liked sushi before, and he had remembered that one of the best sushi restaurants in the capital was situated close by. So he led her there intentionally, just to see her smile.


    "Young master Shan," the waiter came towards them and bowed deeply in apology. "We were not aware that you were visiting our humble establishment today. We have no spare private rooms available today. I am afraid we only have one free table on the floor."


    Han Qingshan had been prepared for this and nodded his head. "Do you mind?" he asked as he turned his head, looking at Jiang Yingyue, who just shook her head.


    "In that case, please lead us to the table," he said smilingly, and the waiter breathed a heavy sigh of relief.


    Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue went to the table that could seat four people, and they started looking over the menu.


    It was a novel feeling for Han Qingshan to sit on the open floor, seeing the many people surrounding them, hearing the bustling background noises, and looking the waiters and waitresses walk around with trays of food and beverages.


    Usually, he would always eat in the private rooms, and when he did, he would never experience this sensation that he was feeling now.


    Most of the people on the floor were regular commoners who had saved up for an extended period of time, or who had gained a sudden windfall and wished to celebrate at a high-end restaurant.


    Han Qingshan looked around, his eyes shining and noticing that even Jiang Yingyue was sitting with a gentle smile on her face as she observed all that happened around them.


    Her hand was placed on top of the table, and he put his own on top of hers, perceiving how the heat from her hand transmitted into his palm, and he felt a strange calmness encompassing him.


    "What would you like to eat?" he asked gently, and Jiang Yingyue pondered for some time before she picked a few different maki and sashimi.


    Han Qingshan did not order as many dishes as he usually did, but there were still many more different types of sushi on their table than on the others.


    Many looked over with curiosity when they saw the sheer amount of dishes that this table had ordered, all of them curious as to how it was possible to pay for that many dishes. One has to know that this place was immensely expensive to dine at.


    When they looked, they saw that Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan were both wearing branded clothes, their demeanor and aura were so overwhelming that they could not help but take a second glance and they quickly understood that these two people were proper VIPs of the store.


    Even more apparent was it when the manager walked over, his face showing a fawning expression, and his eyes were filled with adoration.


    "Young Master Shan and Miss, I hope the food is to your taste," the manager said with a smile on his face as he saw that they had been consuming a bit of the dishes, "if there are any issues at all, do not hesitate to contact me."


    Han Qingshan politely said his thanks, and the manager, who did not wish to be a bright light bulb, quickly vanished to the side, feeling quite happy that Han Qingshan had not minded eating on the open floor today. It had solved some severe problems for him.


    While eating, the two were chatting and laughing together. Seeing the happiness on Jiang Yingyue''s face, Han Qingshan also felt warm and fuzzy inside.


    Suddenly a loud bang resounded in the entire restaurant. It sounded as if it had come from upstairs, where the private rooms were located.


    Everyone on the floor was quiet when they heard the loud noise, worrying that something had gone wrong, and even Han Qingshan was frowning.


    Not long after, a young figure was seen charging down the staircase; his face was pale, and his expression livid.


    He was unaware that in the middle of the first floor''s visitors were Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue, but even if he knew, he would not have paused for a moment.


    Both Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue recognized him right away.. He was He Julong, the older brother of He Yuyan.

 Chapter 189 - Young Masters Secret

    Not long after He Julong''s rapid retreat, another two figures walked down from upstairs. These two were also immediately recognized by Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue.


    The two figures that walked down were precisely Zhou Yan and Lin Qiang. Their faces seemed solemn, but a slightly mocking smile could be seen on the corners of their lips.


    Seeing this, Han Qingshan was not the least bit in doubt. Zhou Yan had started to move against the He family.


    While He Julong had noticed nothing when he exited the restaurant, Zhou Yan glanced over the entire floor to see what the reactions were of the drama he had staged, but his eyes suddenly widened abruptly before narrowing dangerously.


    He had spotted Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan.


    Unsure of what to do, he finally heaved a sigh and walked towards them. It would be weird if he left without greeting them now that he had obviously seen them, but if he went to them, Han Qingshan would definitely be hostile.


    It was a bit of a pickle, but he felt that he had no other option than to greet them, and Han Qingshan''s foul mood was not foreign to him anyway.


    "Young Master Shan and Yingyue," he greeted when he saw them, "it is a surprise to see the two of you here, especially on the ground floor. One would think that it is below your status to be eating in the open hall of a restaurant."


    Many on the tables close by were listening in on the conversation. It was rare to see two such attractive men, such as Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan, at the same time and in the same place, so they were very curious as to what was going on.


    Most of these people were commoners and were unaware of who the Young Masters were, and those who recognized them said nothing but just widened their eyes in shock.


    "I am here on a date," Han Qingshan answered proudly, glancing at the ugly expression on Zhou Yan''s face and feeling rather happy upon seeing it. "When on a date, why not try something new? It is just like being a normal couple, going to a restaurant, eating amongst others, and feeling the atmosphere."


    "Oh, so the two of you are on a date?" Zhou Yan''s voice was dull and slightly pained. Jiang Yingyue was surprised when she heard it, and she looked up from the food she had been happily munching down, only to see the discomfort on Zhou Yan''s face.


    "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice filled with worry. Hearing her concern about him, Zhou Yan instantly felt better. Even if she did not love him, she still cared about him, and this was like a spring breeze in the middle of a snowy landscape.


    Han Qingshan was not pleased to hear her worry, but he understood that Zhou Yan had been part of her childhood, and someone whom she cared about. He was not in a position to tell her who she could have as friends.


    "I am fine," Zhou Yan answered with a slight smile. For the first time since he had returned from overseas, did he feel content.


    Yes, Jiang Yingyue did not love him right now, but she cared about him as a friend. As long as she cared, he felt that he had hope and that there was a chance to change things.


    Seeing the eyes filled with tenderness when they looked at Jiang Yingyue, Han Qingshan was in a foul mood, but he said nothing, and strangely enough, it was Zhou Yan who was the first to bid farewell.


    "I should not be a light bulb on your date," he said smilingly. "Since you have something planned, then I will leave you to it and go on with my business."


    Just as he was about to leave, he turned to look at Han Qingshan. "I have started taking action. I will be extreme, so I hope that you will not get involved."


    Han Qingshan knew that he was talking about the He family since He Julong had caused quite a scene earlier after all.


    "I won''t get involved," he promised, his eyes layered with a sheen of ice. He was clearly not going to feel pity for a family that had caused harm to Jiang Yingyue.


    Zhou Yan nodded his head, and then he left together with Lin Qiang. Lin Qiang was feeling slightly puzzled. He had seen the mood of his master being incredibly low when he first went to them, but after just hearing a few words of worry from Jiang Yingyue, it was as if he was reborn.


    Unable to really comprehend what was going on, Jiang Yingyue glanced at Han Qingshan, but he did not seem as if he wanted to comment, and she respected his decision. It appeared that he and Zhou Yan had been keeping some secrets from her, but after considering the secret she had hidden from Han Qingshan for so long, she did not feel that she had the right to pry into his own.


    It did not take long before the mood turned happy again. Jiang Yingyue asked many questions about Han Qingshan''s life, about his circle of friends, and about his work.


    Everything she asked, he would answer right away, and he felt so warm that he did not guard against her.


    Like this, the meal was quickly eaten, and while Jiang Yingyue went to the bathroom, Han Qingshan paid the bill.

 Chapter 190 - Going To The Cinema

    As they left the restaurant, both Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue saw that the day had turned to evening, the sun had set, and the darkness was looming.


    Although it was dark, the streets were lit by the streetlamps, and with the many neon lights that were such a typical sight within the capital,it was still possible to see each other''s faces.


    "Should we head to the cinema?" Han Qingshan asked, and Jiang Yingyue nodded her head. She was feeling giddy and excited.


    This date was not something she might have wanted, but after spending time like this with Han Qingshan, she felt like she was an ordinary girl again. She also felt that life was simple and ordinary, and all the negativity she experienced before had quickly vanished.


    Sensing that her mood was lifting, Han Qingshan smiled. Although Jiang Yingyue had said nothing and acted indifferently, he could tell that she had been bothered by the words his grandfather had said to her.


    They strolled calmly through the streets towards the cinema. The cinema was lit with many bright lights, shining on the different posters, making it possible for people to decide on what to watch.


    Looking at the different movies, they were slightly overwhelmed. There were martial arts movies, action movies, dramas, romance movies, comedies, and even cartoons and documentaries.


    In the end, Jiang Yingyue felt completely confused.


    Then a thought hit her, and she looked at Han Qingshan with narrowed eyes. "Have you seen any of these before?" she asked, but Han Qingshan shook his head.


    "Is Imperial World not heavily invested in many of them?" she continued, but her question just made Han Qingshan laugh. "Although we are sponsoring them, I do not watch them."


    After looking a bit closer at the posters, Jiang Yingyue frowned. "The romance movie is out of the question," she concluded as she continued to watch the other advertisements.


    Curious as to why she had made this decision, Han Qingshan looked at the romance poster and chuckled. The lead actress was Yu Xiulan.


    Quickly determining that the romance movie was out of the running, they observed the other ones, and eventually, Jiang Yingyue picked a historical drama known as Overthrowing Fate.


    It was a fantasy and historical drama inspired by a webnovel with the same name; a typical Chinese fantasy novel. Although Jiang Yingyue had not read many of these kinds of stories, she had still read a few and found them enjoyable.


    "Are you sure you want to watch this one?" Han Qingshan was somewhat surprised when he heard Jiang Yingyue''s choice, but he was not against it. He had not seen many fantasy movies during his life.


    "I am sure," she said, her eyes shining with excitement and her hand grasping Han Qingshan''s by reflex.


    Noticing how she was holding his hand, a softness flashed in his eyes, and he quickly pulled her to the ticket booth to buy tickets.


    They quickly bought the tickets and entered the cinema. "What would you like to eat?" he asked gently. He knew that when one went to the cinema, one should have snacks with them, snacks and drinks.


    "Popcorn!" Jiang Yingyue was like a small child filled with happiness and anticipation. This was her first time in the cinema, and although she knew how they worked and had an idea of what they looked like, it was nevertheless different from experiencing it herself.


    Hearing what she wanted, Han Qingshan looked around and found the queue where one could buy snacks.


    "Want to come with me to queue, or do you want to move towards the hall alone?" he asked softly, unsure of what Jiang Yingyue preferred.


    After thinking for a short moment, Jiang Yingyue decided to stay with him. She wanted to experience the whole thing, and their seats were not running anywhere.


    Seeing her big eyes filled with wonder and how she was observing everything that was happening around them, Han Qingshan reached out and caressed her head; a gentle smile was on his lips as he did so.


    It was the evening, and also the weekend, so the cinema was filled with couples, friends, and families who had come to watch movies.


    Many of them were stunned when they looked at Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue. The two of them were simply stunning as they stood next to each other, even the surroundings turned picturesque as if it was a painting.


    Seeing them together, many started feeling inferior and not good enough. The men were jealous of Han Qingshan, wanting to be the one next to Jiang Yingyue, while the women were envious of Jiang Yingyue, wanting to be showered with care and love by Han Qingshan.


    The families that were there were not envious of the two handsome and beautiful figures. Instead, they were reminded of their youthful days when looking at the apparent love that was within their eyes, and they too could not pull their focus away from them.


    Han Qingshan was feeling utterly unaffected by the many people who were observing them. As a member of the Han family, he was used to being watched no matter where he went. However, it was different from Jiang Yingyue.


    Sensing how everyone present was looking at her, she felt slightly uncomfortable, but she was not willing to let it show. She knew that after entering Han Qingshan''s world, she had to deal with situations such as this, so she held her head high and her back straight.


    She was not going to become the soft underbelly of Han Qingshan; she would become the person he could confide in, the person he could trust, and the person who would stand by his side through thick and thin.

 Chapter 191 - Zhou Yans Trap

    While Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan were in the queue, He Julong had rushed back home, his face dark and his mood horrible.


    The moment he entered through the door to the He mansion, he did not go to find his father. Instead, he went upstairs to a room decorated as if it belonged to a princess. Everything was filled with frills and lace, everything was in pastel colors, mainly baby pink and light blue.


    As he entered, his face turned as black as the bottom of a pot. Inside he saw his little sister lying in bed, her hands playing with her phone. She seemed as if she had no care in the world.


    "He Yuyan!" he called out loudly, his words were like thunder in the sky, shocking her greatly and making everyone in the house quiet down. Even the old madam, the current madam, and the grandfather were rushing towards the bedroom when they heard how the young master was shouting at their little princess.


    "What is wrong, Big Brother?" He Yuyan was shocked when she heard her brother''s thundering yell. Her eyes had widened in shock, and her hands were trembling slightly.


    By now, the others had arrived at the room and looked inside in shock and confusion as they saw the dark face of He Julong, and they could not understand what was happening.


    He Julong was taking wide strides towards He Yuyan, and when he reached her, he lifted his hand and slapped her hard across the face.


    His actions took everyone present by surprise. Although He Julong was usually calm and collected, they all knew he had a temper, but he had never before flared up at He Yuyan.


    "Julong!" Madam He exclaimed in shock, unable to hold back anymore, so she rushed to her daughter''s side and quickly took a look at the red mark that was brandished on her cheek. Her entire face was swollen, and tears were streaming down her cheeks, but she dared not say anything. She could feel the hatred her brother was currently feeling towards her.


    "Julong, first tell us what is going on here?" Old Master He, He Julong''s Grandfather, had also arrived, and his eyes were raised in surprise as he looked at his two grandchildren who were looking so different from usual.


    "Ask her," He Julong said through gritted teeth, his voice was seething with anger, and the hostility was evident in his voice.


    "Ask her what?" Old Master He was still unaware of what was going on.


    "Ask her who she has offended," He Julong continued, his eyes so filled with an intense hatred that they could burst into flames at any given moment.


    Realizing that things were not as simple as they had thought, Old Master He looked at his granddaughter. Although he was feeling pity towards her for having been slapped, he understood his grandson. Something serious must have happened.


    "Who did you offend?" he could not help but ask gently, but He Yuyan just hung her head low and was wondering. Who had she upset?


    "No one," she answered confidentially and lifted her head. "I offended Han Qingshan, but he already took his revenge against me. I am sure that it is in the past, so I don''t know what you are talking about!"


    "What about Zhou Yan?" He Julong asked, his voice was dangerously low, his eyes were filled with annoyance.


    "Zhou Yan?" He Yuyan turned pale when she heard his name. She had forgotten everything about the cold man whom she had seen when she had been beaten black and blue. Why would he suddenly be mentioned again?


    Seeing her pale like this, everyone knew she had thought of something, and even Madam He, who had been pale and worried, felt a hint of dread.


    "Tell us how you insulted him," He Julong sneered, his patience was running thin, and his anger was not diminishing in the least when thinking about the conversation he had with Zhou Yan earlier that day.


    "It is because of that man whore Jiang Fengmian!" He Yuyan sneered. "I tried to get rid of him a few times, but both Zhou Yan and Han Qingshan are incredibly protective towards him.


    "I can understand that Han Qingshan is protective considering he is his future brother-in-law, but what about Zhou Yan? Why is he so protective of this slutty commoner that only knows how to grab the legs of those powerful people?"


    Hearing her words, He Julong closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, they were filled with enlightenment.


    "Jiang Fengmian is Jiang Yingyue," he said with certainty in his voice. "She is the lover of Han Qingshan, and likely has some connection to Zhou Yan too.


    "You tried to get rid of her without checking her background first. Do you know what situation we are in now?"


    He turned around and looked at his mother; his eyes were filled with disappointment. "Not to mention Yuyan, even you, Mother. Why did you allow her to bully Jiang Yingyue at the mall? Right now, our family might be on the verge of bankruptcy."


    Hearing the severity of the situation, everyone''s faces turned solemn, their expressions grave.


    "What happened?" Old Master He was suddenly anxious about what he heard, and his eyes focused on his grandson, nervous to listen to what he had to say.


    "I think that Heavenward District was a trap set up for us," He Julong finally admitted what he had felt since he encountered Zhou Yan earlier that day.

 Chapter 192 - Cinema Hall

    At the time that Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue reached the cinema hall, they found that many had already found their seats. There was still around ten minutes before the movie started, but many had come early.


    The movie was mainly popular amongst young men, and thus most of the audience were men who had come to watch it together with their friends.


    Since the movie had not yet started, all of them were observing the others within the hall, looking at the few girls present and commenting on their appearance to their friends, since they had nothing better to spend their time on.


    When Jiang Yingyue entered the hall that was brightly lit, the eyes of every boy shone with excitement. This was a woman of high quality.


    When they looked at her, their eyes could not help but contain a bit of greed and lust.


    The first thing that their eyes were drawn to was the ample bosom that was looking rather large in the tight-fitted top of her vintage dress. Then their eyes went further down and saw the slim and soft waist where the dress was hugging her figure. Finally, they saw the puffy skirt that ended just around her knees, exposing her shapely calves and her petite and exquisite feet in the high heels.


    This woman had indeed some of the best qualities that men desired, but not many had taken the time to look at her face, her body alone had already made the young men restless.


    They could not help but raise their eyes to see if her face could be as stunning as her body, and their eyes almost popped out of their sockets when they saw the beautiful and elegant face, framed by the long hair.


    It was indeed the face of an angel and the body of a succubus. Everyone present sucked in a breath of cold air when they saw her appearance, but Jiang Yingyue, who was reflected in everyone''s eyes, noticed nothing.


    She was too busy observing the surroundings. She was looking at the massive projection screen, and her eyes widened in surprise when she saw how big it was. A giddy feeling erupted within her.


    The biggest television screens she had seen so far were the ones in the city that were placed on the buildings, and apart from them, it was the one at Han Qingshan''s condo.


    Although she had always thought that those screens were huge, she now felt that she was in a completely different world.


    Although Jiang Yingyue was too busy observing the surroundings and the projection screen, Han Qingshan noticed the gazes of the other men, and he instantly felt sour inside, his mood plummeting. Why had he approved of this movie? It was clearly a movie for men, and these men were looking at Jiang Yingyue as if she was a small lamb in front of a pack of wolves.


    Not willing to waste any time explaining anything, Han Qingshan reached out, his arm wrapping around Jiang Yingyue''s thin waist like a snake bringing her into his embrace, and then he started moving towards their seats.


    The men in the cinema all shook their heads in regret. Although they were appreciating Jiang Yingyue, none of them wanted to go too far, especially not when they saw that by her side was an equally handsome man.


    Seeing that they were taking their eyes back, and once more began discussing various things, Han Qingshan felt better.


    He had picked two seats at the very back of the cinema, and with his arm around Jiang Yingyue''s waist, he gently guided her towards their reserved seats.


    Jiang Yingyue was not aware why Han Qingshan had picked the back seats, but she did not consider it either, all she could think about was her excitement.


    As they sat down, Han Qingshan took her hand into his, and gently rubbed her palm with his fingers.


    The feeling of her soft skin was so addictive that he did not want to stop. Jiang Yingyue felt ticklish when he was touching her palm like this, and a peal of low laughter escaped her lips.


    Hearing her voice was as if someone had tickled his heart, and Han Qingshan looked around only to see that people were still stealing glances at them, so he had to hold back for now, but he could not wait for the movie to begin, so everyone''s attention would be diverted and he would not have to care so much about what they did.


    Jiang Yingyue was utterly unaware of the thoughts that Han Qingshan was having.


    After around ten minutes, the bright light within the hall dimmed, but it did not turn off completely. Instead, it remained dim while advertisements were running on the big projection screen.


    The advertisements were some she had not seen before. Most of them were of other movies that would be screened in the cinema, others were of some specific products, and there was even a government made advertisement that tried to convince the audience to be more focused on the environment.


    Jiang Yingyue was watching the advertisements with excitement. She had never expected that even those would be interesting to watch on the big screen.


    After the advertisements, the already dimmed lights completely turned off, and the darkness shrouded them all.


    The movie slowly began, but now that the room was dark, Han Qingshan leaned forward and placed his lips on top of Jiang Yingyue''s.. He had waited for this opportunity for a long time, and he was not willing to wait any longer.

 Chapter 193 - Ambush

    Jiang Yingyue was taken by surprise when she felt Han Qingshan''s looming figure and even more as the sensation of his lips pressing against hers suddenly emerged.


    Her eyes widened, and her breathing turned hurried, but Han Qingshan did not withdraw. Instead, he pressed her into the seat and deepened the kiss.


    No one was close to them, and the entire cinema was dark. Even if someone were to turn around, they would be incapable of seeing what was happening between the two figures.


    Knowing this, Han Qingshan became more and more unbridled in his actions. His mouth was starting to kiss everywhere on her face. It reached her earlobes, which had already turned entirely red from embarrassment, and he could not help but lick them gently, sucking them into his mouth and nibbling on them.


    "Enough," Jiang Yingyue whispered, her voice low and trembling, so soft that it sent a shiver through Han Qingshan''s body.


    He knew that he had to reign in his desire. They were, after all, in public, and he did not want her to be so embarrassed that she would never leave the condo again. So he gave her a last kiss before he straightened his back and returned to his seat.


    Although he had returned to his seat, his hand had grasped Jiang Yingyue''s, his fingers entwined with hers.


    Jiang Yingyue was flustered and embarrassed, but she did not retract her hand. Instead, she kept it on the armrest between them and squeezed his hand slightly.


    Sensing her attempt to give him some comfort, Han Qingshan felt over the moon once more, his heart fluttered, and his eyes shone with happiness.


    Han Qingshan ended up not paying any attention to the movie at all; all his focus was on the little woman by his side. He looked at her face, which was slightly illuminated by the reflection of the screen, and he saw her display many different expressions he had never seen before.


    Seeing her on the verge of tears, he felt his heart constrict, and a painful expression appeared in his eyes. Seeing her laugh out loud with her pearl-like laughter, he felt joy in his innermost being. Seeing her bite her lower lip in nervousness and how she had fumed in anger, Han Qingshan had been filled with a mixture of emotions too.


    Now that the film was done, Jiang Yingyue slowly regained her previous calm, and she sighed deeply.


    "I never knew that a movie would be so much better when seen in the cinema," she concluded. "I have never seen something on such a big screen before, and when I saw it, I really got caught up in the movie, it was brilliant."


    Her eyes were shining with excitement as she looked adoringly at Han Qingshan.


    Without caring about their surroundings, she took a step forward, wrapped her arms around his waist and placed her head against his chest, embracing him happily.


    "Thank you," she said with a low voice. "Thank you for everything."


    Hearing the words, Han Qingshan was somewhat stunned, but then he smiled gently and hugged her back. "Between you and me, there is no need to say thank you," he said. "You are my girlfriend; I will naturally do anything for you."


    Jiang Yingyue was touched when she heard his words, and tears welled up in her eyes, so she buried her face in his shirt, smelled his unique fragrance, and felt calm in her heart.


    As long as she could be together with Han Qingshan, she would be happy. They stood close together, embracing each other for a few minutes before Jiang Yingyue got ahold of her emotions and withdrew from the embrace.


    Hand in hand, the two left the cinema, completely unaware of the many glances that had been thrown their way during the time they had been embracing.


    Although the country was getting less and less conservative, it was very rare to see two such stunning people in a tight embrace. The entire scene was picturesque, the other visitors of the cinema had not been able to wrest their eyes away from the scene without an extra few glances.


    As they exited the cinema, the sky was already completely dark, but the city never slept, and the streets would never be shrouded in darkness as the bright lights lit up every corner.


    The car was parked at a shopping center that was a few streets away, so Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan slowly made their way towards the shopping mall, chatting casually about everything and nothing.


    It was not before they had reached halfway that Han Qingshan suddenly frowned and stopped in his tracks, surprising Jiang Yingyue, who also stopped to look at him puzzled.


    "Are you coming out on your own?" he suddenly asked with a loud voice, making Jiang Yingyue even more puzzled. It was in the middle of the evening, rather late in fact, and there were not many people on the streets.


    Those who were there looked at Han Qingshan quizzically, but suddenly a group of seven young men stepped out from the shadows of a side alley.


    Two of them were wielding metal bats, three had knives in their hands, and the final two had two broken bottles.


    Looking at them, it was obvious that they were there for a fight. Their eyes were shining with greed as they looked at Han Qingshan, and when their eyes landed on Jiang Yingyue, they lit up with lust.. They could not help but look at her all over, clearly envisioning her without clothes on, their gazes causing Han Qingshan''s face to turn completely black.

 Chapter 194 - Different Worlds

    Jiang Yingyue was frowning and feeling apprehensive and also regretful. These thugs were clearly not commissioned by anyone to deal with Han Qingshan. They had just seen his high-quality clothes and that he was alone with Jiang Yingyue.


    Seeing that they had ended up in such a dangerous situation because of her selfish request of having them going to the cinema, Jiang Yingyue felt guilty and uncomfortable.


    "Don''t worry," Han Qingshan could sense her unease and stood in front of her, blocking the eyes of the many thugs, so that they could no longer see her.


    Jiang Yingyue''s frown deepened when she saw this. She was willing to fight together with Han Qingshan; she did not need him to protect her.


    But before she had the time to do anything, a large group of black-suited bodyguards appeared. They emerged from all over the street. There were twenty of them, and all of them were wearing solemn expressions on their faces.


    They surrounded the seven young thugs, their faces expressionless, and their eyes glistening with hostility.


    Jiang Yingyue was surprised when she saw the twenty bodyguards appear from out of nowhere, but Han Qingshan seemed carefree and casual as if he had known they would emerge.


    Han Qingshan tugged on the hand that he was holding, and Jiang Yingyue was dragged into his embrace. "Don''t be scared," he muttered while placing a kiss on her forehead before he turned to the leader of the bodyguards.


    "Call the police and make them deal with these thugs. They are guilty of attempted **** and attempted murder. Just look at the weapons in their hands."


    Han Qingshan had not suffered any grievances, neither had Jiang Yingyue, but the words he used made it sound like they had just barely survived it.


    The bodyguard''s leader did not hesitate and left ten people to deal with the seven thugs while the remaining ten followed Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan back to the mall parking lot.


    When they entered the Porsche, Han Qingshan glanced at Jiang Yingyue, curious as to what she was thinking. "Are you okay? Did it scare you?"


    Jiang Yingyue shook her head, but she said nothing. Looking at her, Han Qingshan was feeling slightly uncomfortable. Was she starting to feel unhappy being with him?


    Jiang Yingyue was unaware that her silence had caused Han Qingshan to get worried. She was silent and contemplating because she was once again reminded of how they were of different worlds.


    She was worried. Was she really able to enter his world? Was it okay that she stayed beside him?


    Both of them were in their own thoughts, deeply affected by what had happened that night, and none of them spoke on the way home to the condo.


    When they arrived, Han Qingshan was unable to hold back his words, "are you mad?" He asked with a low and timid voice, but Jiang Yingyue looked at him, shocked.


    "No," she said as she shook her head, "I''m worried."


    "About what?"


    "Us."


    "How so?"


    "Will we really be able to be together? I am a simple commoner, but you are a noble young master. I can''t enter your world. Am I even good enough for you?"


    Jiang Yingyue was worried and unwilling. She had finally found the man she loved, but their circumstances were so different. Could it truly work out?


    Han Qingshan listened, and his heart constricted when he looked at the tears that welled up in Jiang Yingyue''s eyes. It was obvious to everyone that she was unwilling, but she was truly scared that she could not fit in in the upper-class.


    Jiang Yingyue only ever showed her weak side to Han Qingshan, but he was able to make her feel like a vulnerable young girl.


    Han Qingshan reached out and cupped her head in his hand. He felt as if he had the whole world on his back as she leaned her head against the palm of his hand, the salty tears wetting his skin.


    "My dear, I will never leave you," Han Qingshan said honestly, his heart aching for her when she was showing her inferiority like this. "I know that you will be able to be the next madam of the Han family. You are better than many of the people in our circle. You are special, even others can see how special you are. I love you, and I will love only you for the rest of my life, don''t leave me alone."


    Jiang Yingyue was feeling uncomfortable when thinking about having to leave Han Qingshan. She was genuinely unwilling, but seeing the bodyguards tonight made her understand that they were fundamentally from different worlds.


    However, now that she heard what Han Qingshan was telling her, she felt much better. So what if they were from different worlds, their love could conquer all.


    Sensing that she felt touched and not as worried as before, Han Qingshan suddenly experienced it as if a stone had been removed from his shoulders, and the hand that had grasped his heart was letting go.


    He felt as if he was finally free when he knew she was not leaving him, and he hugged her tightly to his chest, not at all willing to let her go, feeling an urge to make her merge with his body, wanting to bring her with him everywhere he went.


    Lowering his head, he saw the tear streaked cheeks, and the eyes glistening with water. She was so attractive that he could not hold back, and he gently lowered his head and placed his lips on top of hers.


    Unlike usual, it was a gentle and soft kiss; their lips danced on top of each other, their touch was soft like the caress of a butterfly''s wing.

 Chapter 195 - Not Ready

    Jiang Yingyue felt sweet when she sensed the tender and soft touch of Han Qingshan.


    Without knowing it, her arms had circled his neck, and she was holding onto him as she leaned into his embrace.


    Han Qingshan''s arms were holding her by the waist, pressing her against his sturdy chest, and he felt complete as she was in his embrace like this.


    Sensing the tremble that ran through her body when his hand caressed the slim waist, Han Qingshan was addicted. Seeing her like this, unable to control her body, he felt that he had full control over her and that she was drowning in the pleasure he was bringing her.


    Jiang Yingyue was nervous when she felt the big hand touch her waist. She felt how one of the hands slipped up the spine, and although it was outside the clothes, Jiang Yingyue felt as if the hand was made from hot iron, her body was burning under his touch.


    Unable to control herself, she pressed herself against Han Qingshan, trying to avoid the hand that was rummaging on her back, but when she moved, the hand followed.


    Han Qingshan was looking down at the face, which was red like the crimson morning sky. Her head was fully buried in his chest, and he felt a tickle in his heart.


    Hugging her to his chest, he felt so happy. It was evening, but it was not so late that they should go to sleep already, but Han Qingshan picked up Jiang Yingyue and started striding towards the bedroom.


    Seeing where he was taking her, Jiang Yingyue''s eyes widened in shock; her heart was beating rapidly. What was this man planning by taking her to the bedroom now?


    As they reached the bedroom, Han Qingshan gently laid her on the bed and looked at the confused and furiously blushing woman beneath him.


    Jiang Yingyue was very confused. She could not make herself refuse Han Qingshan, but she was nervous and slightly scared. She was not used to living as a woman, and even less used to being treated like one.


    Jiang Yingyue was blushing like a little girl looking at her first crush, but she said nothing, just gently biting on her lower lip, her eyes watery but clear as they looked at Han Qingshan, waiting to see what he was planning on doing.


    Seeing her expression, Han Qingshan''s heart melted. He did not want to rush with her, but he truly wanted her to become his; however, from what he could see, she was not ready just yet, so all he did was bend down and place a kiss on her lips before he began undressing.


    Jiang Yingyue''s eyes widened in surprise, and she buried her face in the pillow. Out of sight, out of mind as they say, but the sight of his attractive upper body with the chiseled abdominal muscles was replaying under her closed eyelids.


    Cursing under her breath, Jiang Yingyue started to feel like a hooligan. Why would she think about Han Qingshan''s naked body?


    Her cheeks were immensely red, and it felt as if steam was coming out from the top of her head, she buried her face in the pillow refusing to look up, but her behavior just made Han Qingshan chuckle.


    Han Qingshan was unaware of what Jiang Yingyue was thinking, but had he known he would have been ecstatic.


    He wanted Jiang Yingyue to be used to him, but she was still very shy. It was not easy to get used to being with someone of the opposite gender all the time, especially not when she had not been close to anyone for nine years.


    "I am going to take a shower," the sound of Han Qingshan''s voice drifted towards Jiang Yingyue, who muttered a reply with her head buried in the pillow.


    It was not before she heard the door close, that she dared to look up and glance around the room to make sure that she was alone.


    When she saw that Han Qingshan had indeed left, she heaved a heavy sigh of relief and sat up, holding a hand over her rapidly beating heart.


    Images from their last act of intimacy emerged in her mind, thoughts of Han Qingshan being in the shower was weaved in together with it, and she felt herself becoming more and more out of control, her head shaking from time to time in an attempt at forgetting. Although she had never thought herself to be a demure lady, she still did not imagine that she was that lascivious.


    Seeing that Han Qingshan had gone to take a bath, she too found a set of pajamas, and then she went to the sitting room to watch TV while waiting for the bathroom to be free.


    Han Qingshan took a full half hour before he emerged from the bathroom, his body on display once more, only a towel was wrapped around his waist, drops of water was dripping down his bronze and chiseled chest.


    Seeing him like this, Jiang Yingyue''s eyes widened, and she gulped. He was far too handsome for his own good, even she could not wrist her eyes away from him, her entire being seemingly stunned.


    Han Qingshan raised his head when he heard the dainty footsteps of Jiang Yingyue, but when she stopped in her tracks, he looked at her, only to see her stunned, staring at his body.


    It was not the first time she saw him like this, but now they were a couple and had shared some intimate moments, so her thoughts were no longer as innocent.. She was truly amazed by his handsomeness and the sexiness he radiated.

 Chapter 196 - Trap

    When she finally returned to herself, she realized that she had been staring, her face flushed red in embarrassment. She quickly grabbed her clothes and went to the bathroom, rushing past Han Qingshan without even glancing at him again.


    He chuckled and shook his head when he sensed how flustered she was, but he said nothing allowing her to escape.


    Like this, the days went by. Han Qingshan would tease Jiang Yingyue so much that her face would turn so red, making it seem as if it would drip blood.


    He would act shameless, touch her all over and sneak into her bed at night, but he never took it past the last boundary.


    While Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan''s life was filled with bliss and happiness, the He family was being pushed further and further into a tight spot.


    "What do you mean the materials failed to be delivered on time?!" He Julong was furious as he spoke on the phone. He was seated in the home office at the He mansion, and he could not help but rub his forehead in exasperation.


    It had all started the day he had met with Zhou Yan. He had met him because he requested an extension on the delivery date for the Heavenward District, but who would have thought Zhou Yan was adamant on keeping to their contract.


    Since then, everything had gone wrong. One contractor after another messed up their orders. Not only this, some of their factories were suddenly being closed down due to inspections made by the government. So, although they had just started developing Heavenward District, they were already hopelessly behind.


    He Julong had done what he could to ask for extensions, but Zhou Yan was impossible to move. Seeing that they had nothing to gain there, he had started to hire even more contractors. Amongst these, there were some he had never worked with before. In the hope of being able to finish the project on time, he had gone all out, but issues kept cropping up one after another.


    Currently, he had received three cancellations on the shipments of materials needed to build the residential houses. The companies behind all apologized and paid the fine for breaching their contract. Even so, he could hear the lack of sincerity in their voices. He could not help but wonder what exactly was going on.


    Suddenly a thought hit him, and his blood ran cold. Zhou Yan had said that the He family was not able to change his mind on extending the contract, could it be that he was also exerting revenge on them?


    Raising them high, only to let them fall much more heavily when he reeled in the net?


    Zhou Yan had mentioned that He Yuyan had insulted him. Was this entire collaboration a trap that Zhou Yan had made for the He family?


    One has to know that if the He family breached the contract, or failed to deliver on time, then they would have to pay so much money in compensation that they would be declared bankrupt.


    This was not something they had considered when signing the contract. They had developed many districts before, and they had a handpicked team of contractors, alongside their own factories to produce the materials needed. It really was no problem for them to handle a deadline like this.


    But things had gone wrong for them from the beginning. Right now, it seemed much more unlikely that they would finish on time, and He Julong was feeling very uncomfortable.


    He had to speak with He Yuyan again; he needed to know the severity of the insult she had made towards Zhou Yan.


    He Julong went to find his father to discuss his fearful thoughts with, and when Mr. He heard the details, his face turned pale, his body staggering.


    If Zhou Yan truly planned to be in the way of their construction, then they actually had no option other than to file for bankruptcy.


    "Do you think we have to sacrifice Yuyan?" Mr. He asked his son, his eyes displaying a ruthlessness that was normal within the upper classes of society.


    As the only daughter, He Yuyan was pampered and loved by her family, but she was, after all, only a woman. One day she would be married off to another family and leave the He family.


    Not to mention, if she caused this situation, then it was only natural that it was her who should solve it. For her to drag their entire family down, it was something they would never allow.


    "Let us go to talk with her first," He Julong said with a sigh. "I don''t know the extent of her insult. If it was something small, then it will be enough to kick her out of the family, and he should feel good again, but if it was something that has touched his bottom line, I am afraid that we will have no other path of return."


    He Yuyan was in her room. She had been under house arrest for the last couple of days due to her somehow causing problems with both Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan.


    The He family dared not let her wander outside as they feared that she would cause even more troubles for them, so when she saw her father and brother enter, she was hesitant. Were they here to scold her even more, or perhaps they would let her go out and play again?

 Chapter 197 - The He Familys Next Step

    He Julong and Mr. He looked at He Yuyan with contemplating eyes. They did not rush to speak, and their behavior was making her feel even more nervous.


    "What brings my dear brother and father here?" she inquired, her voice trembling slightly, and her eyes narrowed.


    "How did you insult Zhou Yan?" He Julong finally asked after looking at her fidgeting for some time.


    "Zhou Yan?" He Yuyan thought that that subject had already been finished, but it seemed that she had been too naive.


    Thinking back on the beating she received because of Jiang Fengmian, she was gnashing her teeth in anger, and she could not help but scold, "It is all because of that slut who seduced Han Qingshan!


    "I had taken a few actions against Jiang Fengmian, but it turned out that he was protected not only by Han Qingshan but also Zhou Yan. His men were the most ruthless when beating me!


    "You have got to understand, I did not know that Jiang Fengmian was merely the brother to the bitch who seduced Han Qingshan, I thought he was the mastermind, so I had to get rid of him. He is not worthy of being amongst our circle."


    He Yuyan was sneering when speaking. She clearly hated Jiang Fengmian with a vengeance; even Jiang Yingyue was not as hated as Jiang Fengmian in her world.


    He Julong was listening to the words He Yuyan were saying. So Zhou Yan was upset because of Jiang Fengmian?


    He had only met this infamous person once. He had seen him at the party and wanted to get to know more about him, only to be disappointed, he was unable to get any information what-so-ever.


    But now that he thought about it, he was reminded that Zhou Yan had looked for this person at the party when Han Qingshan had left for a short while to answer a phone call.


    Could it be that they really knew each other?


    Thinking back on the news he had gotten on the night before, it seemed that Han Qingshan''s female companion, Jiang Yingyue, was the twin sister of Jiang Fengmian, and even Zhou Yan seemed to know her and claimed that they were childhood friends.


    Did this mean that the two Jiang siblings were close to Zhou Yan? That both Han Qingshan and the latter were trying their best to exert revenge because of this?


    Wait, was it reasonable for Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan to act like that because of a boy? He needed to do some more snooping around, to figure out the background of both Jiang Yingyue and Jiang Fengmian.


    He Yuyan was unaware of the consequences of her actions. She did not understand what it meant to think before acting, that it was her dysfunctional behavior that would bring with it the downfall of their entire family.


    He Julong was much smarter than his sister, and when he heard that the one behind all their issues was Jiang Fengmian, he started searching for every possible information he could find about him.


    Unfortunately, it turned out that the person had emerged nine years ago in the capital. That it was a person with a fake ID and a person who could not be tracked no matter how much he tried.


    Seeing that this yielded no results, he began from Jiang Yingyue''s past, and when he was given the documents containing her information, his eyes grew wide before a frown furrowed his brows.


    Jiang Yingyue. Eighteen Years. Born in a small village together with her twin brother Jiang Fengmian. Brother died at the age of nine. Vanished from the surface of the earth until suddenly appearing by Han Qingshan''s side.


    When Jiang Yingyue vanished, Jiang Fengmian appeared, and when Jiang Yingyue returned, Jiang Fengmian disappeared.


    Even his stupid sister would be able to connect the dots. It was evident that it was Jiang Yingyue who had pretended to be Jiang Fengmian all these years.


    Although he had this information in his hands, it was not evidence that could be used in court, especially not since she had the support of both Zhou Yan and Han Qingshan, so he was not suicidal enough to try and coerce her into helping them.


    The best solution would be to make Zhou Yan and Han Qingshan understand that they did not approve of He Yuyan''s behavior and that they would punish her. They needed to appease their anger somehow.


    The only way he could think of was to sacrifice He Yuyan. Although she was his sister, he was not willing to have the whole family suffering because of her and her actions, but he feared that it might not be enough.


    When the episode at the mall had happened, where He Yuyan had hit Jiang Yingyue and confronted her, his mother had been present. Although she had not approved of the actions, she had not stopped her either. This attitude was clearly remembered by Han Qingshan, Jiang Yingyue, and Zhou Yan.


    If they would not accept their apology, it was likely that He Yuyan and Madam He would drag the entire family down with them.


    He Julong felt uncomfortable and unhappy. His sister and mother were useless when it came to the business, but they were truly masters at causing problems.


    Although He Julong was the heir to the He family, and slowly started to take over most of the business, he dared not make any decisions on his own after realizing what had transpired, so he quickly went to find his father to determine their next steps.

 Chapter 198 - Contact Han Weisheng

    Time slowly ticked by, but no matter what the He family did, their results were in vain. Zhou Yan had no intention of letting any of them off, and the only family they could turn to was the Han family.


    "We won''t get anything from trying to reason with Han Qingshan," He Julong deduced after seeing that he had done nothing to assist them. Not even after he noticed that they began to experience troubles.


    "I don''t think that Han Liqiang is going to support us either," Master He said with a sigh. Both he and his son were feeling immensely demotivated, however suddenly He Julong narrowed his eyes.


    "What about Han Weisheng?" he asked tentatively.


    Master He frowned as he thought of the name that had reverberated through the entire business industry some years back. "Han Weisheng might be worth a try," he admitted.


    "Han Weisheng has a good relationship with our He family," He Julong stated. "Not to mention, I can imagine him being displeased with Jiang Yingyue as a granddaughter-in-law. She is a commoner and does not have anything to her name, which can assist the Han Corporation. Initially, he was looking at Yuyan with interest, but due to her current behavior, we cannot expect anything from her.


    "Still, we might be able to get our hands on something useful from Han Weisheng. A common enemy makes us friends."


    Master He nodded his head after thinking for a bit of time. "I have Han Weisheng''s number," he admitted. "But I have never contacted him before. He might not even be willing to hear us out."


    "It is better than doing nothing and waiting for our death," He Julong sighed after considering it for some time.


    Master He was the one who had to contact Han Weisheng. In the end, He Julong was simply too young, and he was not suitable for such a task. As such, Master He went to the study to make the phone call.


    It took him a full twenty minutes before he emerged again, but this time his eyes held a sliver of hope.


    "Han Weisheng has agreed to meet with us to hear our side of the story. I assume that he does not like this granddaughter-in-law that Han Qingshan has found for him, so he is willing to help us to show her that she has no actual say in the family."


    He Julong nodded his head, but where his father was optimistic, he did not feel as hopeful about it.


    Han Weisheng might be the chairman of the Han Corporation and even the Old Master of the Han Family, but Han Liqiang and Han Qingshan now handled the family affairs and everything related to the business. Even if the old Master wanted to intervene, and even if they had to give him face, it was not to the point where he could pressure Han Qingshan to give up his revenge for Jiang Yingyue.


    Not to mention, all their problems were currently caused by the Zhou family, even if the Han family were not to cause problems, could they really reach out to get them out of trouble, when their current contract was with Zhou Corporation?


    Although his father thought that every single problem would be solved if Han Weisheng spoke up for them, He Julong knew it would not be that easy.


    "We need to get rid of Yuyan." He Julong had already hardened his heart. "We can not keep her around when she causes such problems. Also, I will contact Zhou Yan when we have gotten rid of her and ask for him to be lenient. Even if Han Weisheng supports us, he will not be able to help us with this contract as the contract is with the Zhou Corporation."


    Master He was feeling slightly uncomfortable when he heard what He Julong said. He just felt as if he had found a piece of driftwood in a stormy sea, but moments after, his son forcefully dragged it away from him.


    He was not willing to sacrifice his daughter if he had a choice. He Yuyan was his little princess whom he had seen grow up from newborn and until her current age.


    Not only this, but she was also the kid that he loved dearly, and she was groomed to one day bring their family even further through a marriage alliance.


    He even still harbored ideas of having her married to Han Qingshan. If he could get the old man Han Weisheng to approve, would Han Qingshan have any other option than to heed his elder''s orders?


    He Julong could see the unwillingness on his father''s face, and his eyes hardened. He knew that the family loved and doted on He Yuyan, but he was not willing to give up everything for the sake of his sister.


    At this point in time, He Julong was not happy. He knew that his family was sinking, but his father was delusional, and his sister was a pig teammate.


    Sighing, he decided to see what will happen after his father had spoken with Han Weisheng. If he could somehow salvage the situation, then that would be good, but if they could not, then he had to come up with some other solutions.


    He still decided to contact Zhou Yan again.. Although the last visit had ended rather awkwardly and he was uncomfortable, He Julong still felt that Zhou Yan was the only one able to save their family.

 Chapter 199 - Granddaughter-in-law

    Like this, another few days went by. Zhou Yan refused to see He Julong, and no matter how hard he tried, it was simply wasted time.


    The more He Julong attempted to see Zhou Yan, the harsher he became. Soon He Julong had to give up, and he decided that it was not possible to get things done as he wanted. Instead, he waited to see what his father got from meeting Han Weisheng.


    The week passed quickly, and soon it was weekend - the time that Han Weisheng had set aside to meet up with Master He.


    Master He had taken on his finest suit. He had spent a large amount of money on buying a vintage wine he knew that Han Weisheng would like. He felt that everything was sure to go his way as he went to the private room that had been booked for them.


    Here Han Weisheng had already arrived, and Master He felt immensely uncomfortable. To have made Old Master Han wait for him, this was truly a grave mistake.


    Han Weisheng was seated in his chair, sipping some tea, and looking at Master He with a completely expressionless face.


    "Master Han!" Master He exclaimed the moment he saw him, "To think you would come so early! I would never have expected it. I am immensely honored that you had the time to see us, and I implore you to give us your aid."


    "What happened?" Old Master Han asked instantly, not wasting any time for pleasantries.


    The He and Han families had been somewhat close for years, which was the reason that Han Weisheng had accepted their invitation. He was, however, no longer involved in the business, so he did not know what had happened. He was also unaware of the current predicament that Zhou Yan had forced the He family into.


    "Originally, the Cloudsoar District that the Han Corporation is currently developing should have been given to us," Master He began telling the story as far back as he could remember. "But because of a slight misunderstanding amongst the younger generation, Young Master Shan decided to punish our family and took the project away from us, giving it to the Wang family instead.


    "If it was only that, then we could endure, but after accepting to develop the Heavenward District alongside the Zhou family, our contracts and the material deliveries have been continuously problematic.


    "It came to light that the young Master of the Zhou family, Zhou Yan, is a childhood friend of this Jiang Yingyue. It is clear that she has spoken badly about us to him, and he has decided to take his vengeance.


    "But this Jiang Yingyue is genuinely too much! First, she seduced Han Qingshan and made him give the Cloudsoar District to someone else. Then she turns around to enchant Zhou Yan and make him trouble us with the Heavenward District!"


    Han Weisheng was completely silent as he heard the words; his brows were furrowed as if he was in deep thought.


    "What did you do?" He suddenly asked, the question completely taking Master He by surprise.


    Master He was sure that as long as he was implying that Jiang Yingyue had a messy relationship with the Zhou family, then she would instantly be kicked out of the Han family by Han Weisheng. Never would he have thought that he would ask about what they had done.


    "What... What do you mean?" he asked as he gulped slightly.


    "I know my son and grandson well enough," Han Weisheng answered serenely as if he was not at all angry or troubled. "They would be protective of their own, that much is true, but a bit of pillow talk can''t convince them to cancel a collaboration like this. So what did your family do to make them that set on punishing you?"


    Hearing the words, the face of Master He turned pale, and he was not sure how to answer.


    After considering for some time, he gritted his teeth and said, "It was all because of Yuyan," he said, finally willing to sacrifice her. "She simply loved Han Qingshan too much and could not stand another person being close to him. She just wanted to scare her, never would she have thought it would be as severe as it became.


    "Not to mention, your grandson and Zhou Yan had already returned the pain that Jiang Yingyue was inflicted. Is there really a need to bring such childish matters to the business table?"


    Han Weisheng looked at Master He, his eyes turned chilly, and his mood soured.


    "What exactly did your daughter do to that girl?" he asked, this time his voice was stern and his expression stoic.


    "Just... Just made someone hit her with a car," Master He said feebly, trying to downplay the severity of the matter, but no matter how he tried to say it, it was, in fact, an attempted murder.


    Han Weisheng''s expression turned turbulent for a moment, his eyes shone with shock, but it was merely for the briefest moment before he managed to disguise his surprise, and he once more looked expressionless.


    "So your family''s daughter tried to kill someone?" he asked with a heavy expression. Han Weisheng had previously considered He Yuyan as a partner for Han Qingshan, but after hearing this, he only felt loathing when he listened to her name. Although she was a noble lady, she could not even match a toe of his granddaughter-in-law.


    Just as he thought this, he almost wanted to hit himself. What granddaughter-in-law? He had clearly not approved of her yet!

 Chapter 200 - Han Weisheng Explains

    "She did not die," Master He hurriedly said. "She was only injured on her waist and spent a few days at the hospital before she was let out again. It was not too serious, and I am sure that my daughter never planned on actually killing her."


    Han Weisheng''s eyebrows rose slightly, and he could not help but snort in disgust.


    "She has such a black heart that she was willing to harm an innocent person, even if she had not planned for it to become a murder, it could have happened."


    Master He finally understood that Han Weisheng might not have approved of Jiang Yingyue, but he was not as opposed to her as he initially thought.


    Han Weisheng was still completely rational and waited to understand the whole situation before coming up with a decision on what to do.


    After thinking for a bit, Han Weisheng looked at Master He. "I am willing to give a lending hand to the He family on a few conditions.


    "First of all, Jiang Yingyue is never to be touched again. If I ever see any of the He family turn against Jiang Yingyue, I will personally make sure that you cannot remain in the country.


    "Secondly, make sure that He Yuyan gets her punishment. As to how you want to answer to us, I will let you decide on your own, but if it is not a sincere enough answer, I will not help.


    "Thirdly, you hand over the business to your son. I know it is sooner than expected, but He Julong is much more suitable for running a business than you are. He should be able to see what to do and not to do in this situation."


    "I... I understand," Master He nodded his head, but his heart was filled with bitterness.


    Although he was not willing to sacrifice his daughter, he understood that now, he had no other option than to do so.


    At the same time, he had to give up all his power to his son. Even though this would have happened eventually, he was not happy with it happening so soon. He was even less comfortable with being indirectly called useless, or at least worse than his son.


    Han Weisheng understood Master He quite well. He knew that he was displeased with the solution that he had offered, but he was not going to offer anything better than this.


    Master He''s father originally had a good relationship with Han Weisheng, and it was only because of these old ties that he decided to help them, even though they had done something that he could not condone.


    Han Weisheng was aware that by stepping into this mess, he would cause both his son, grandson, and granddaughter-in-law to look at him with hostile eyes, and he was feeling helpless.


    Unfortunately, the Old Master of the He family, who was now dead, had once saved Han Weisheng''s life. He owed him far too much. When the He family was on the verge of dying, he had to reach out a helping hand; given that they dealt with the culprit behind the incident with Jiang Yingyue.


    "I cannot guarantee anything, though," Han Weisheng said after a bit of contemplating.


    "If it were the Han family who was suppressing you, then it would be possible to help you in a heartbeat, but it is the Zhou family. Their influence is as significant as ours, and we are unable to threaten them. In the end, your contract is with them, so if they are suppressing you, we might not be able to do anything.


    "What I can do is to try speaking with their old man," Han Weisheng promised, but he was still slightly unsure if he would actually be able to make a difference.


    A sigh escaped his lips, and he shook his head. Master He was anything but pleased with how things were going, but in the end, he had no other option than to accept the goodwill given by Han Weisheng.


    Their conversation quickly came to an end, and while Master He fumed while returning to the He mansion, Han Weisheng contacted his grandson on the phone.


    "Qingshan?" Han Weisheng inquired when he saw the call was picked up. He dared not assume it was his grandson any longer, now that he had a girlfriend, so he wanted to know who he was speaking with before beginning the conversation.


    "It''s me," Han Qingshan''s melodious voice sounded on the other end of the phone, there was no impatience in his voice, but it did not sound overly friendly either. From his tone of voice, it was easy for Han Weisheng to guess that Han Qingshan still had not forgiven him for looking down on Jiang Yingyue before.


    "I just had a meeting with the master of the He family," Han Weisheng said seriously, "I did not know that their little lass was so outrageous and had done such things to your girl. Anyhow, I am afraid I might have to get involved. The old man of the He family saved my life once upon a time, so watching their family business collapsing is something I cannot do.


    "I gave them a few things I need them to do in case they want my help, though. First of all, they have to give a satisfactory answer about He Yuyan and her behavior. Secondly, I warned them never to touch your girl again. And finally, I wanted He Julong, that kid, to take over the family. I think he can be good support later on, but only if you can control him."

 Chapter 201 - Unhappy Mister He

    Han Qingshan was slightly stunned. He had never expected that his grandfather would bother to explain the situation to him.


    At first, when he heard that he was going to assist the He family, a murderous atmosphere erupted from his body, but moments later, after he heard the reason, he calmed down. When he listened to what he had put up as conditions, he was not too opposed to the issue.


    Still, he feared that He Yuyan would be getting off rather lightly. If it were the He family who was going to punish her, they would never be so ruthless as both himself and Zhou Yan wished to be.


    But when he thought about the fact that the He family had once saved his grandfather, he felt that he was not in a position to put up any outrageous requests, such as sending He Yuyan to jail.


    Han Weisheng heard no reply for a long time, but he did not say anything. He could sense that Han Qingshan was thinking things through, and if he stressed him, then things were likely to become bad.


    "I understand," Han Qingshan finally said after much deliberation. "I will not get involved. You will have to negotiate with the Zhou family yourself, but I will not make things worse either," he promised.


    Hearing this, Han Weisheng breathed a heavy sigh of relief. After contemplating for some time, he finally asked, "Does this animosity between the Zhou and He families have anything to do with your little doll?"


    "The young master of the Zhou family is her childhood friend," Han Qingshan admitted truthfully. He was not going to admit that Zhou Yan was his romantic rival though, but Han Weisheng was rather astute and instantly guessed it.


    To have two such amazing people fighting over her, perhaps he had indeed looked down upon this little girl in the past.


    After finishing the conversation, Han Qingshan hung up the phone and looked at Jiang Yingyue, who was seated by his side.


    She had not been listening in on his conversation. The moment he picked up the phone, she put earplugs into her ears and began listening to music while looking out the car window. She did not want to pry into his private affairs.


    Han Qingshan did not mind if she actually listened, but he respected her choice of not getting too involved with these things just yet.


    Looking at the profile of her face, his heart was filled with love and tenderness. He had never thought that he could feel this way for another being. To him, women were all just lumps of meat that were walking around; none of them looked attractive to him. However, this woman had completely changed his view on everything.


    Now he could not get enough of her, but he quickly returned to look at the road and drove the car to the Han Corporation.


    Seeing that they arrived here, Jiang Yingyue could not help but frown. What was the purpose of going to the office now?


    She did not ask. She had understood that Song Liwei was in charge of Imperial World now, and thus it would make sense for Han Qingshan to return to the Han Corporation, but what was her task? Was she still his assistant? She was not very skilled at this job, nor was she very experienced. She might even drag him down.


    But Han Qingshan showed no signs of stopping. He grasped her hand into his own after they had parked in the basement, and then he led her to the elevator.


    Together, they went to the top floor, where the CEO''s office was located. Although Han Qingshan was going to take over the Han Corporation, it was not something that could be done just like that, neither was it something that he could do before he had finished his studies.


    So, most likely, their purpose for coming here was for him to get started on training in order to improve his performance.


    As they entered the office, they saw that Han Liqiang was seated behind his desk and working. He lifted his head when he saw them and nodded to the young couple, a gentle smile hung on his lips.


    "Sit for a bit. I need to deal with some paperwork." Han Qingshan gently kissed the top of Jiang Yingyue''s head and led her to the couch before going to the desk and gathering a stack of papers.


    After taking them, he moved to the sofa and sat down next to Jiang Yingyue, but he did not pay her any mind and began reading the documents.


    Jiang Yingyue was also understanding. She began scrolling Weibo on her phone, checking if there was anything new and exciting she ought to pay attention to.


    While they were busy, Han Weisheng took a deep breath and gave Zhou Yan''s grandfather, Zhou Jingshen, a call.


    When the call connected, Han Weisheng quickly introduced the problem before assuring that he would take full responsibility, alongside guaranteeing the protection of Jiang Yingyue.


    Zhou Jingshen was at first shocked when he heard about Jiang Yingyue, but unlike Han Weisheng, who had looked down upon her, he was rejoicing in happiness. His grandson had finally shown interest in the opposite sex!


    After discussing for some time, Zhou Jingshen promised to make Zhou Yan release the pressure on the He family - as long as they made sure to keep the promises they had made.


    While all of this was happening, Master He returned to the He family. His face was black as the bottom of a pot, and his eyes were lit with anger.


    He knew that it was his daughter''s fault that made him end up like this, but he could do nothing else than do what the old man had ordered of him.


    When he returned home, he called his lawyer to make an equity share transfer contract so that he could move his shares to his son. That way, he could take full control over the He family.


    At the same time, he began wondering how to deal with He Yuyan.

 Chapter 202 - He Yuyans Choices

    "Father, why are you looking so unhappy?" He Julong entered the study and looked surprised when he saw his father''s unhappy expression.


    "It is all that unfilial daughter''s fault!" Master He sneered. Although in the beginning, he had the intention of saving her, he had never thought that in the end, he could not only not save her, but he also lost all his power.


    "Do we have a chance of survival?" He Julong was mostly interested in this. He had long since been ready to give up on He Yuyan, but he knew that his father doted on her the most.


    "We have a chance of survival," Master He said with gritted teeth. "I have to hand over the He family to you, and we have to punish He Yuyan somehow."


    Hearing this, He Julong was taken back. The big winner of this situation had somehow ended up being him?


    He knew that his father would never give up on his status and rank amongst the noble families, so he would definitely hand over the shares to him.


    Although he was giving up control of the family, he would keep some of the shares for himself, enough to provide him with a decent life until he died.


    He Julong had been taken by surprise, he had never expected that a meeting with the Han family''s elder would cause him to suddenly be the leading person of the He family, but he was quite grateful. It had always been his aim to take over the family, and he had started to try taking over more and more power slowly, but his father had been against it.


    His father was frightened by the thought of giving up his position to someone else, even his own son.


    If not for the sake of saving himself, he would never have agreed to the conditions that Old Man Han had given.


    At this point in time, he was so livid whenever he thought about what He Yuyan had done to his family. He was even filled with hatred towards Jiang Yingyue. Had she not appeared, then none of this would have happened.


    But while he was filled with hatred towards her, he dared not act on this hatred. He had already seen the situation that Zhou Yan had pressed his family into. If something really happened to that woman, it was clear that both the Han and Zhou families would work together to eradicate him.


    "So what are we going to do with my dear sister? Send her overseas with a one-way ticket and let her depend on herself? Chase her out of the family and remove her from the books? Make her bow down to Jiang Yingyue and beg for forgiveness?"


    Master He was unsure. He felt that it was a bit extreme to drive her out of the family. He also doubted that she would be able to look after herself in the outside world without the money that she got from the He family, so his only option was to have her bow to Jiang Yingyue and beg for forgiveness.


    It did not take long before Madam He and He Yuyan arrived at the mansion. They had been out shopping, buying new clothes for an upcoming event.


    Neither of them had any understanding of business. Although they knew that He Julong and Master He were unhappy recently, they did not realize how close to being destroyed they were.


    When they arrived home, Master He and He Julong left the office and headed downstairs to talk with He Yuyan, and get her to acknowledge her mistakes, alongside telling her the decision they had reached.


    "Father!" He Yuyan smiled sweetly as she looked at Master He, but she completely ignored He Julong. She had not forgotten his anger with her, and she kept pretending that she was upset, so that he would not get angry with her again. Unfortunately, it was not successful.


    "Yuyan, I will inquire about the next event that Han Qingshan and his girlfriend attend. You are to show up at this event and publicly bow to his girlfriend while begging for forgiveness for what you have done to her."


    The more Master He spoke, the paler He Yuyan became, her eyes bulged, and her mouth was opening and closing, but no sound came out. She was so shocked that she even forgot to cry.


    After some time, she finally shook her head and screamed, "Never! She stole my boyfriend. Why would I ever bow down to her? It is already enough that I have not killed her yet! I have not even gotten back at her for stealing my boyfriend, and you want me to lower myself in front of her? Never!"


    Hearing her vehemently swearing that she''d never bow down and ask for forgiveness, the expressions on Master He and He Julong turned ugly. This was already the most lenient solution they could think of.


    "You have a choice," He Julong took over. He now held the most power in the He family, so he did not need to discuss with Master He about the decisions he was going to make.


    "You can choose to leave the He family and never again have anything to do with us. You can also choose to go overseas and provide for yourself. Or you can choose to bow down to Jiang Yingyue and beg for her forgiveness.


    "I will give you three days to consider which one of these three options you want to accept," He Julong said sullenly.. He was so tired of his sister''s childish behavior, and he really hoped that she would pick to leave the family, as he feared what other disasters she might bring them in the future.

 Chapter 203 - Time To Eat

    While the leadership of the He family had changed without anyone noticing it, Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue did all the things they had planned for the day.


    After this, they went to a restaurant. Jiang Yingyue had been against it since they still had food at home, but Han Qingshan wanted them to eat outside that day.


    Although he enjoyed watching Jiang Yingyue cooking for him, he did not want to tire her out.


    If Jiang Yingyue knew of this, she would be laughing out loud. She was used to cook every meal for her and her family every single day. Why would she get tired?


    But seeing the determination on Han Qingshan''s face, Jiang Yingyue just shook her head and agreed to eat out that evening. It had also become quite late, so if she were to start cooking when they got home, it would be a late dinner.


    As they arrived at the restaurant, they were quickly given a private room, and Han Qingshan, who knew that Jiang Yingyue enjoyed seafood, ordered a whole seafood feast for her.


    Having such an attentive boyfriend truly made Jiang Yingyue blissful, and her eyes were filled with tenderness as she looked at him. Her love and affection was so obvious that even Han Qingshan could see it, and he was also shocked when he saw it, his blood suddenly boiled, and the urge to drag her into his arms surfaced.


    Unfortunately, they were out, so he could not do anything like that. If the waiter arrived and saw them hugging or kissing, Jiang Yingyue, who was quite bashful, would never want to come back here again out of embarrassment.


    Jiang Yingyue had no idea that her feelings were so obvious on her face, and how she had made Han Qingshan feel restless throughout with a mere glance.


    She bent her head slightly and began eating the food which had been brought in front of them. She was feeling pampered and loved as she went through the dishes, not able to hide the blissful feelings she was having.


    Jiang Yingyue had her head buried in the food, not paying any attention to the guy on her side; she was like a cute little animal happily munching away on the food.


    He shook his head while feeling slightly annoyed by the fact that she was not paying attention to him, but at the same time thinking she was too adorable, Han Qingshan could only feel resigned.


    After finishing the meal, Han Qingshan quickly paid and started rushing back home to the condo.


    He had not forgotten the look that Jiang Yingyue had given him before in the restaurant, and he was indeed not able to hold back much longer.


    Jiang Yingyue was somewhat confused when she saw how Han Qingshan rushed her into the car and quickly drove back to the condo.


    He did not speak to her for the entire duration of the trip. It felt as if he was holding back something painful, and Jiang Yingyue, who was looking at him worriedly, was unsure of what was going on.


    When they parked in the underground carpark, Han Qingshan hurried to take her hand, leading her up to the condo.


    Jiang Yingyue was still puzzled, but sensing the solemn air around Han Qingshan, she did not ask anything, and instead, she just let him drag her into the elevator.


    As the elevator arrived at the top floor, Han Qingshan swiftly went to open the door.


    The moment they had entered, he slammed the door heavily, and before Jiang Yingyue had the time to react, Han Qingshan pressed her against the now-closed door.


    Looking up startled, what appeared in Jiang Yingyue''s eyes was Han Qingshan''s magnified face that suddenly appeared in front of her.


    Her eyes widened in shock when she felt his slightly cold lips land accurately on top of hers.


    She could feel that Han Qingshan had a hard time holding himself back. His hands were gently removing her jacket as he threw it to the floor.


    Knowing that Han Qingshan was different from usual, she was unsure of what she should do. But when she saw how his eyes were red with passion, her heart softened, and she leaned against him, closed her eyes, and responded to the kiss in an unskilled manner.


    Sensing that she was reciprocating to him, he could no longer hold back, and he started kissed her with wild abandon, unable to stop. It was not before he could feel that she was unable to breathe that he slowly retracted his lips.


    Even so, he did not let her go. He bent down and removed her shoes before he kicked his own shoes off and tossed his jacket far away.


    After getting rid of their shoes and jackets, he reached out and carried Jiang Yingyue like a princess towards the master bedroom.


    Although he had slept together with her the night before, they had not crossed the line.


    Jiang Yingyue already knew what was going to happen. Although she had not felt ready the night before, for some reason, when she was looking at Han Qingshan now, she was not feeling so uncomfortable any longer.


    She knew that he valued her, even loved her. She also knew that this was bound to happen at some point, so what was the problem with it happening sooner rather than later?


    Han Qingshan could see that she was not struggling even though he was moving towards the main bedroom, and his heart was racing.


    As they entered, he gently placed her on the bed before he went to close the windows blinds.


    After doing this, he turned back and looked at Jiang Yingyue who was sitting on his bed, her face was flushed red, but she had not tried to run away.

 Chapter 204 - Tingling And Numb

    Han Qingshan slowly walked towards her. His heart was beating furiously, and he could not contain the urges that were springing into his mind.


    His eyes turned dark and deep. His adam''s apple bobbed, and a bit of sweat appeared on his forehead.


    Jiang Yingyue was feeling nervous. She was trembling slightly, and her body was burning from just being looked at by Han Qingshan with his eyes that were filled with lust.


    Jiang Yingyue had never before received a deep look like this, and she was not sure of where to place her hands. Her heart was beating so fast that she thought it''d leave her chest.


    Her face was flushed furiously, her eyes were watery, and her mouth was slightly open as if she wanted to say something but was unable to put her thoughts into words.


    Seeing her like this, the beast within Han Qingshan''s chest was breaking through the cage it had been locked in. He leaned down and pressed Jiang Yingyue onto the bed while he stood on top of her.


    In the darkness, his lips found hers, and an overwhelming kiss ensued. Jiang Yingyue tried to retreat as she was overwhelmed, but Han Qingshan would not let her go, his body pressing heavily against hers and his head following hers.


    His hands started to feel the woman beneath him; his body felt as if it was burning as it pressed against her. Even though they were wearing clothes, he could not help but feel hot and bothered.


    Jiang Yingyue felt as if a strange tingling sensation was spreading through her entire body. She was being kissed to the point where she could no longer think straight, but she no longer tried to retreat.


    Instead, her hands tightly clasped around Han Qingshan''s neck, holding on to him for dear life.


    Han Qingshan used his hands to touch and feel her outside the clothes, but he was not able to feel the same satisfaction as he wished from this, and soon the hands snaked downwards and touched her bare legs before they started moved upwards, under the skirt.


    When his hand touched the smooth skin, Jiang Yingyue jolted. It felt as if electricity was running through her body everywhere the hands roamed.


    It was not only Jiang Yingyue who felt all her senses slowly drift away, but Han Qingshan was also losing control. The sweat was beading on his forehead as he was feeling the velvety touch on his fingertips.


    Kisses rained down on Jiang Yingyue''s body, as she felt how the hands softly opened the zipper on the back of her dress.


    But instead of hurrying to take the clothes off her, he was gentle and soft in his movements, as if he was afraid of frightening her.


    He looked at her half lidded eyes and saw how her cheeks were flushed. She did not seem to be feeling uncomfortable at all, and the hands that were holding onto his neck dug into his hair, gripping tightly, as if afraid of losing him.


    Sensing her insecurity, Han Qingshan hugged the partly undressed Jiang Yingyue tightly in his arms as he rained kisses all over her face.


    "I''m here," he muttered with a hoarse and incredibly alluring voice. "Don''t worry, just enjoy yourself," he continued, while his hands managed to gently remove the dress, revealing the lingerie underneath.


    Seeing her lying on his bed in nothing but her lingerie, with her hair spreading like a fan around her and with her eyes looking glassy, he felt himself tighten. He could hardly hold himself back.


    He removed his shirt, as he looked at Jiang Yingyue who was feverish, a chill ran through her body the moment he straightened up, no longer warming her body with his hands.


    Sensing the sudden chill, Jiang Yingyue wanted Han Qingshan to lower his body over hers once more, but she did not have the strength to move at all. Her entire body was soft.


    Seeing the lust having shrouded her eyes and the tremble that ran through her body, Han Qingshan hurriedly shed his clothes and once more leaned down over the petite woman on the bed.


    When she felt the heat of his body returning, Jiang Yingyue''s arms hugged him tightly and then dragged him closer to herself, their bodies were tightly pressed against each other now.


    Somehow, Jiang Yingyue felt her bra open and fall to the floor, her peaks suddenly covered by a hand, which started touching and squeezing them as if it couldn''t get enough.


    The kisses trailed from her lips to her chin, from her chin to her neck, and further down until it reached the breasts.


    Jiang Yingyue suddenly felt a strange sensation, unlike any she had ever felt before, and it made her back arch. Her chest was suddenly being pressed against his mouth, and a moan escaped her lips.


    Hearing the moan, Han Qingshan had a hard time holding back. He wanted more; he wanted her.


    His hands trailed further down, and numbness spread through Jiang Yingyue''s body as the hand slipped under the last piece of garment she was wearing.


    Touching her most sensitive place, Jiang Yingyue felt as if an explosion took place in her mind. She had never experienced such a feeling before. Her body was trembling nonstop, moans and purrs were escaping from her lips time and time again, testing the limits of Han Qingshan.


    His hands had removed all her clothes, and while one of them were roaming all over her body, the other was entering her deepest parts, opening her up, softening, and making her ready for him to become one with her.


    Jiang Yingyue was feeling soft and unable to control herself.. Her body was reacting to every touch, and her arms were combing through his hair and grabbing it from time to time when the pleasure she was feeling was getting too intense.

 Chapter 205 - I Love You

    Han Qingshan was feeling ecstatic by knowing that he was bringing such pleasure to Jiang Yingyue that she was forgetting herself.


    Hearing her alluring moans and purrs caused him to lose all reasoning. Finally, his last barrier was broken, and he penetrated Jiang Yingyue. The sensation he got when his member was suddenly wrapped up so tightly inside her - it was the best feeling he had ever experienced in his entire life.


    Unfortunately, Jiang Yingyue stiffened, and her clouded eyes turned clear with a tinge of pain.


    Han Qingshan knew it was her first time, but he could hold back no longer.


    At first he was thrusting slowly, but the exquisite feeling was much more delightful than he had thought, and after ensuring that Jiang Yingyue was okay, he started increasing the speed and the force.


    Jiang Yingyue was feeling like a small ship on a stormy sea, rocking without any control over her own body.


    At first, it had been painful, but under Han Qingshan''s constant coaxing, she too started feeling pleasure again and again.


    Their bodies were tightly joined, and the sounds in the room would make anyone who heard them feel embarrassed.


    Han Qingshan was not able to hold back anymore. He had lusted for this little fox known as Jiang Yingyue for a long time, and now that she was finally his, he felt a satisfaction and fulfillment like he had never felt before.


    He wanted to be with her for the rest of their lives. The feeling he had tasted today was something that he already knew he had gotten addicted to.


    They engaged in their intimacy for a full three hours before Han Qingshan was finally satisfied. At this point, Jiang Yingyue was so exhausted that she no longer could move even a muscle.


    She had been brought to her peak so many times that she had lost count. She wanted to just sleep, but her body was sticky, and the sheets were dirty.


    Han Qingshan could see her exhausted expression, and he felt somewhat guilty. He had really gone overboard this time.


    But the feeling of bliss within him did not decrease. He had finally become one with Jiang Yingyue!


    Seeing her exhausted eyes, he leaned forward and placed a kiss on her forehead.


    "I''ll get a bath ready for you," he said before going to the bathroom and filling the bathtub with warm water before returning to the bedroom again.


    Here, he saw that Jiang Yingyue was lying all relaxed under the covers, her eyes half-lidded as if she was about to fall asleep, and his heart ached. When he went over to lift her, he saw the many marks he had left all over her body. Her originally flawless skin had marks all over after his vigorous show of love.


    "Don''t��" Jiang Yingyue was embarrassed by the thought of being seen naked by him, but he just chuckled, lifted her lithe frame into his arms, and carried her to the bathroom.


    Knowing that complaining was meaningless, all Jiang Yingyue could do was hide her face in his chest and pretend nothing was real.


    Gently putting her into the bathtub, Han Qingshan placed another kiss on her hair, before he turned around. "I''ll go change the sheets," he said, and left her to soak in the water.


    Jiang Yingyue was relaxing under the hot water. Her muscles had been aching, and she felt as if her skeleton had been ripped apart and assembled again.


    She was soaking in the water for half an hour before Han Qingshan came back.


    He gently scooped her up from the tub and placed a towel around her before he started drying her, completely ignoring her soft protests.


    When they returned to the bedroom, Han Qingshan could see that although Jiang Yingyue was feeling better, she was still immensely tired, and thus he placed her on his bed and laid down behind her. He dragged her into his embrace and whispered in her ear, "Go to sleep, I will watch over you."


    Hearing his words, which sounded like a spell, made Jiang Yingyue slowly drift off to sleep. Her face was displaying happiness as she slept.


    Han Qingshan was also feeling immensely happy. He felt the happiest he had ever felt before, a feeling of fulfillment made him hug her even closer.


    As Jiang Yingyue awoke the following morning, her entire body was sore. At first, she was unable to recognize the room she was in, but after sobering up a bit, she recalled everything that had happened the night before.


    Her face turned crimson, and she dared not look at the man who was currently lying behind her. She felt his arm that was possessively resting over her waist, hugging her close to his body.


    She was also horrified to notice that the towel that had been draped around her body when she had gone to sleep was nowhere in sight. Her naked body was lying in Han Qingshan''s arms.


    She was horrified, embarrassed, and nervous. She dared not look at him, but she was not sure she could keep staying like this, lying skin to skin with Han Qingshan.


    Something big had risen behind her because of her fidgeting, and she was quite clear about what it was.


    Her eyes widened in shock, and she felt petrified. How could he have so much energy?


    She wanted to sneak away, but the moment she tried moving, Han Qingshan tightened the arm that was holding her in position, and she felt his lips place kiss after kiss on her neck, moving further down her back.


    "I love you," He whispered in her ear, making Jiang Yingyue''s mind go blank, tears welled up in her eyes as she turned around even though she had planned on not doing so.

 Chapter 206 - Sweetness

    What met her was Han Qingshan''s gentle eyes. They were overflowing with love, and when she looked into them, she could sense that he meant every single word he had said.


    The tears that had welled up in her eyes dropped gently down her cheeks, and she forgot all about the fact that they were both without any clothes on as she reached out her hands, hugged him, and buried her face in his chest, feeling content.


    Han Qingshan had not forgotten their current predicament, but he was filled with happiness and a feeling of being complete when he was with her.


    His heart softened, and he was immensely happy whenever he thought about what had happened the night before.


    The arms that were hugging her waist tightened slightly, and a kiss landed on the top of her head.


    "My dear miss, are you planning on torturing me to death?" he asked helplessly as he looked at the woman in his arms.


    She was unaware of what storms she was stirring in his body. Having his beloved woman in his arms, completely naked, was truly a trial for him.


    Although he wanted to turn into a big bad wolf, he was aware that now was not the time. His woman was deeply touched by the words he had said, and thus a little vulnerable right now.


    Although Jiang Yingyue was moved, she soon regained her wits, and her face flushed so red that it resembled a beetroot.


    "Let go of me," she said with a voice so low that Han Qingshan could barely hear it.


    Choosing to ignore her words, Han Qingshan tightened the grip on her waist and pressed her entire body against him.


    They were skin against skin, and her body was tingling; it felt as if thousands of insects were crawling all over her.


    Jiang Yingyue was feeling strange all over. Although the deed had been done, she still was immensely embarrassed and nervous. Her heart was beating rapidly, and she dared not look at Han Qingshan even though she was facing him now.


    Although she did not dare to look at Han Qingshan''s face, she also did not dare lower her head out of fear for what she might see. He was naked after all, and she could feel every inch of his body pressing against her.


    His hands began roaming down her body, following the hollow of her spine and landing on her bottom. Here it groped a few times before he lowered his head to look at Jiang Yingyue.


    He felt that she was over the fragile and sweet moment, that she was once more just embarrassed, and he wanted her to be much more used to this than she was now. So he was going to take the chance and see if he could make her ''exercise'' with him in the morning.


    Jiang Yingyue was starting to fidget again; her body was trembling all over from the touches that were being showered all over her.


    Han Qingshan no longer held back, pushed her down beneath him, and before she had the chance to complain or even say anything, he accurately blocked her lips with his own and worked on her body until she became a puddle in his arms.


    The caged beast within Han Qingshan broke out and ate her clean.


    She did not manage to get any sleep before the clock turned ten.


    After two hours of sleep, she was woken up by her sore body. Every inch of her body was aching and felt as if she had run a marathon.


    Han Qingshan was waiting next to the bed, sitting next to the table and working. He was not willing to have her wake up alone. He feared that she would have negative thoughts.


    Her mood also significantly brightened when she saw the focused Han Qingshan. As she looked down on her body, she saw all the marks and traces that Han Qingshan had left on her skin, and she became embarrassed once more.


    She took the blanket and wrapped it around herself before she slowly started leaving the bed. However, her movements were slow and unsteady, her legs trembling, and she felt somewhat faint. Han Qingshan was a beast!


    Han Qingshan noticed her movements, and he instantly let the papers be papers, placed them on the table, and rushed to her side.


    He took her in his arms and lifted her like a princess. "Want to take a bath?" he gently asked. "I am sure it will help soothe your aching muscles."


    Han Qingshan was immensely attentive and so kind to her that Jiang Yingyue felt blessed, but she was still very embarrassed.


    "It''s okay, I can manage on my own," Jiang Yingyue said with a low voice while she lowered her head and tugged at the blanket, making sure that it did not display her body.


    Han Qingshan saw her actions, but he just chuckled slightly. That Jiang Yingyue still was so bashful was not something that he could change.


    He gently turned on the water, and, under her protests, removed the blanket. His eyes lit up when he saw the marks and traces left on her body, but he did nothing, he just gently lowered her down into the bathtub and added various oils and soaps.


    After putting her into the water, ensuring that it was the right temperature, he slowly and clearly filled with hesitation, left the bathroom.


    "If you need anything call for me," he said. Jiang Yingyue was feeling pampered, and she was truly happy.


    Leaning into the water, she felt how her sore body was slowly starting to relax. Perhaps it was not such a bad thing that it had finally happened. She felt a lot of sweetness and happiness. Being one with Han Qingshan was not too bad. It made her feel so fulfilled.. It was not a decision that she regretted, but she was just feeling a bit embarrassed and needed some time to adjust.

 Chapter 207 - No Chances Left

    Zhou Yan''s brows were furrowed. His eyes were deep and his fingers were pinching the bridge of his nose. He was severely displeased.


    "Did the old man really say that?" he asked, his voice so cold that it felt as if someone found themselves on a Millennium-old glacier.


    "He did," Lin Qiang said with a low voice, nearly not daring to breathe loudly. He could sense the anger, that Zhou Yan was trying his best to suppress, was very close to exploding.


    "That bastard!" Zhou Yan could not help but swear, his words making Lin Qiang stunned. Zhou Yan had always respected his grandfather. He had never gone against his words before, nor had he ever swore at him, but now he had called him a bastard. This proved just how furious he was.


    "Call Han Qingshan." Zhou Yan gave an order, and Lin Qiang quickly found the phone and dialed Han Qingshan''s number before handing back the phone to Zhou Yan.


    The phone rang a few times before Han Qingshan answered it.


    "I heard that your Grandfather got involved in my matters?" His voice was judgemental, furious, and filled with anger.


    Lin Qiang was unaware of what was being said on the other end of the phone, but he saw that Zhou Yan''s expression was not turning any better.


    "Grandfather has ordered me to stop the pressure I am putting onto the He family. Don''t you think that you owe me an explanation for this?"


    Once again, Lin Qiang couldn''t hear what was said on the other end of the phone, even when he tried perking his ears.


    "Well, I understand, but that was not really what I wanted."


    "Your grandfather seems to be against you and Jingyue being a couple, don''t you think it would be much better to just give her to me?"


    While Lin Qiang was waiting for an answer, Zhou Yan lowered the phone. It was clear that Han Qingshan had hung up instead of giving him an answer.


    Zhou Yan did not continue to rage. Instead, he lowered his face and seemed as if he was contemplating some things. It was clear that Han Qingshan had said something that had made him very unhappy.


    But Lin Qiang knew that if Zhou Yan wanted to share, then he would, and if he did not, then he would keep it for himself.


    What had caused the discomfort in Zhou Yan were the last words that Han Qingshan had said.


    "She is mine, and you no longer have a chance."


    What did it mean? Why was Han Qingshan so sure that he no longer had a chance to get Jiang Yingyue back?


    His mood was foul as he straightened his back and looked at Lin Qiang. "Stop the pressure we are putting on the He family, let them develop the Cloudsoar District with no more interference - as long as they do not cause additional problems for Jiang Yingyue."


    "What about He Yuyan?"


    "She has been punished accordingly. Although I feel that she got too easily out of it. It must be torture for her to have lost the backing of the He family." Zhou Yan was rather carefree about He Yuyan''s fate. There was no pity and he no longer felt any hatred. Her future would make her understand that sometimes living could be worse than death.


    "She deserves it," Lin Qiang said, but after that, he spoke no more. He left the room, and went to follow the orders that Zhou Yan had given him about lifting the pressure that was being put on the He family.


    At the same time, in another part of the city, within Han Qingshan''s Condo, Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan were having a big discussion.


    "Why do you still want to sleep in the guest room?" Han Qingshan asked exasperatedly, feeling a headache coming his way from the stubbornness of Jiang Yingyue.


    "We are not married. It is already a lot that we are staying in the same house, but you want me to move my things into your bedroom? That is just too much."


    "What has happened already happened, you can''t undo it. I will be responsible for you for the rest of your life, and if you regret it, then I will make sure you are responsible for me for the rest of my life."


    "I know," Jiang Yingyue blushed, "but even so, isn''t it too much to share a bedroom already?"


    "It is not. I want to hug you to sleep every night. I want the first thing I see when I wake up in the morning to be you. If you are unhappy, then we can go and get our marriage certificates already. Then it should be fine, right?"


    "Wait! Woah! Wait" Jiang Yingyue''s eyes widened in shock when she heard his words, "I am only eighteen, I am not going to get married yet, and especially not for such a simple reason like you hugging me to sleep!"


    "Do you think I only want to marry you so that I can hug you to sleep? I want to spend the rest of my life together with you. I want to be your better half for the rest of your life. I want to pamper you and shower you with love and affection!"


    The more Han Qingshan spoke, the redder Jiang Yingyue''s face turned. She was unsure of what she should say or do.


    In the end, her face was filled with helplessness. She understood that Han Qingshan was a healthy young man, it was only natural that he had certain needs, and it was not easy for him to hold back.


    In the end, she said nothing, and she nodded her head bashfully.. She would not readily admit that she would sleep with him with her actions, but in the end, she could only agree after seeing the hope in his eyes.

 Chapter 208 - Tang Meixing

    The weekend passed quickly. Jiang Yingyue was still as bashful as ever while she realized that, although Han Qingshan had never been infatuated with a woman before, he was, in fact, a big bad wolf.


    He was insatiable, always waiting for a chance to get close to her. This weekend, ever since he had first laid his hands on her, she had barely been able to exit the bedroom.


    All her energy had long since vanished from her body as she was lying on the bed, completely exhausted, not even bothering to grab the blanket to cover her body any longer.


    Han Qingshan was seated on the couch, his laptop was placed on the table in front of him, and he was working on some papers. Yet every time his eyes landed on the bed, a smile would appear on his lips, and he would feel immensely happy and fulfilled.


    The smile on his face was impossible to be diminished. In fact, it just grew in size the more he thought about this weekend. He was so satisfied with himself; he even thought that he should have tried to seduce her earlier if he had known that she would taste this wonderful!


    And whenever he thought about how he was the most important person to Jiang Yingyue now, the happiness within him was almost bubbling over. He was simply the happiest he had ever been before.


    Jiang Yingyue was also feeling the sweetness, but above everything else, she was feeling sore and exhausted. She did not regret what had happened, but she wished that Han Qingshan was not such a vigorous and strong man who could never tire compared to her who was simply incapable of following him.


    The following day, Han Qingshan let Jiang Yingyue sleep for as long as she needed. He had to go to university, but Jiang Yingyue had already dropped out, so she did not need to go out before the afternoon, where they had to work. She was, after all, still his personal assistant.


    When it was near lunch-time, Jiang Yingyue finally awoke from her slumber, her eyes filled with disbelief when she saw how late it was, and she quickly got up and got ready.


    She cooked a simple and light meal for herself and was about to eat when she heard someone knocking on the door.


    Frowning, Jiang Yingyue went to the door to see who the guest might be, but when she opened it, she was filled with regret. She should not have opened the door at all, and just let the person continue banging on it. This was a person she did not wish to see.


    Outside the door was Tang Meixing. The cousin of Han Qingshan, who had previously kicked her out of the flat with the help of the bodyguards who were supposed to protect her.


    Seeing this Tang Meixing again, Jiang Yingyue could not help but frown and feel unlucky. She knew that if she wanted to stay with Han Qingshan, then she would have to meet her sooner or later, but she was not willing to see her when they were alone.


    "Who are you?! Why are you here?" Tang Meixing asked. Her voice was filled with disdain, her eyes were condescending, and her whole attitude was terrible.


    "What is it to you that I am here?" Jiang Yingyue asked with a slight smile on her lips as she leaned against the door frame.


    Her actions unknowingly displayed a part of her neck where a mark had been left by Han Qingshan. Upon seeing this love mark, Tang Meixing''s eyes flared with hatred.


    "Who do you think you are to be together with Big Brother Shan? Do you think you are good enough for him? You bring no value to the Han family, and Grandpa will never allow you through the door. You are nothing!"


    Jiang Yingyue was at first shocked by the sudden violent outburst coming from Tang Meixing. Seeing that she was not looking in her eyes but at her neck, she quickly understood what she was looking at. But instead of turning bashful, her eyes narrowed.


    It was okay to care for your cousin, but to have such a cousin complex that you would flare up like this because he had a lover; this was not natural.


    Jiang Yingyue studied psychology. Although it had been for a short time, it was a subject that she found immensely interesting, thus she had studied it in her spare time before.


    It was evident that the feelings Tang Meixing held for her cousin were more than what was normal to have between cousins.


    Jiang Yingyue was not planning on telling Han Qingshan about this, but she was not going to allow Tang Meixing to mess with her, nor influence the relationship between the two of them.


    "Who do you think you are to decide about my relationship with Qingshan?" Jiang Yingyue asked. Her expression was calm and collected, but her lips were drawn in a playful arc, her eyes displaying mirth.


    "I am his cousin!" she exclaimed, but Jiang Yingyue just snorted. "A cousin? So what, I am his lover!" she said sweetly, knowing that being reminded about this would hurt Tang Meixing the most.


    "Just because he is with you now does not mean anything!" Tang Meixing was not willing to give in. "He will give up on you soon, and then he will throw you away like a used tissue, never caring about you again!"


    "Do you really think so?" Jiang Yingyue laughed as she took out her phone and stated dialing Han Qingshan''s number.


    Right now was noon, he had a lunch break and was seated in the cafeteria eating his meal alongside the other scions when his phone started ringing.


    When he saw that the name of the caller was Jiang Yingyue, he instantly answered it before standing up, intent on walking to the side in order to have some privacy.


    Yet what he heard from the speaker was not Jiang Yingyue''s voice, but Tang Meixing''s.. "You slut! Hang up at this instant. If you dare to say even a word, I will rip you apart!"

 Chapter 209 - Sending Tang Meixin Crying

    Han Qingshan''s expression turned black when he heard the voice of Tang Meixing coming from the phone. The words she said were enough to infuriate Han Qingshan immensely, and he was not willing at all to let Jiang Yingyue suffer from any grievances.


    He was not willing to let her suffer even the slightest pain; how could he allow his cousin to swear at her like this and even threaten her!


    Han Qingshan left the cafeteria fast; he did not say anything on the phone in order not to let Tang Meixing know that he had picked up.


    Instead, he heard Jiang Yingyue''s voice, which sounded lazily and somewhat amused, saying with a mocking voice, "why should I? It was you who said that Qingshan is going to get tired of me. You were also the one who said that he was going to dump me and never have anything to do with me anymore. Is it not natural for me to contact him in order to ask him about this?"


    Han Qingshan, who could hear her voice, was filled with anger. So Tang Meixing had told Jiang Yingyue that he was going to dump her? That he was going to get tired of her?


    Was she trying to make Jiang Yingyue think that he was just playing with her? Although he always had spoiled Tang Meixing, he had been already been upset with her because of what happened last time, but he did not hate her. He just thought she was spoiled and wanted to help him, but now things were different than before.


    He had made it clear to the entire family that Jiang Yingyue was his lover. She was the one he wanted to be with, and that he would forever be responsible for her. But now Tang Meixing had arrived just for the sake of disrupting their relationship.


    This time, he could no longer find any excuses for her, and he did not want to either.


    "You are a little slut! How can Big Brother Shan possibly like you?! You are just a manipulative and annoying little bitch who is using your body to get benefits! You are just a dirty mistress who uses Han Qingshan as a sugar daddy!"


    The words that Tang Meixing was saying were being transmitted straight to Han Qingshan''s ear, but he said nothing. He just kept on listening, wanting to hear what Tang Meixing might say next.


    Jiang Yingyue was aware that Han Qingshan had answered the phone call and that he was listening to the words that Tang Meixing was saying, so she decided to egg her on.


    "So what? Even if I was Qingshan''s mistress, he is the one willing to be with me. So you have no right to say anything about him or me. This is his choice, and his money; you are just his cousin and you have no right to interfere in his relationships." Jiang Yingyue giggled, acting as if she was a real enchantress, but her words were causing Han Qingshan to frown.


    Although he appreciated that Jiang Yingyue was so fast thinking, and even if she was doing this to show him about Tang Meixing''s behavior; he was not willing to ever have Jiang Yingyue refer to herself as his mistress.


    Jiang Yingyue was his lover, his girlfriend, his beloved, and his future wife. She was the one he wanted to give all the best to, the one he wanted to spoil and love. She should not be treated like this by his family.


    Han Qingshan continued to listen, and the next thing he heard made him unable to hold back anymore, cursing out loud, and making Tang Meixing understand that he had been listening.


    The words she had said were, "all you have is some skills in bed; I am his family member, I am someone he will always choose over an unrelated person like you. He might want you for now because your body is attractive, but after he has had you enough times, you will get boring and plain for him, and you will be thrown away!"


    "Tang Meixing, shut your mouth!" Han Qingshan bellowed. Jiang Yingyue had put the phone on speaker mode so that Han Qingshan could clearly hear what Tang Meixing had to say and she clearly heard his angry yell.


    "Big... Big Brother Shan," Tang Meixing''s face turned pale in an instant; her eyes widened in shock. She thought that Jiang Yingyue had hung up the call, instead of putting it on the speaker, since she had not heard any sounds coming from it.


    Now she realized that Han Qingshan had heard all the words that she had said.


    Tears welled up in her eyes, and she looked like someone who had been greatly bullied, her body trembled and her lower lip quivered.


    "Tang Meixing, I am going to have a talk with your mother about your language," Han Qingshan continued with a cold voice. "Also, you are no longer welcome at my condo. I cannot kick you out of the Han Family as you are a member of it yourself. However, I will no longer have the same close relationship with you ever again."


    The more Han Qingshan spoke, the paler Tang Meixing became, and tears fell from her eyes as she turned around and ran away sobbing.


    "She ran away?" Han Qingshan asked when he heard the sounds getting farther and farther away.


    Jiang Yingyue turned the speaker off, placed the phone by her ear, and confirmed. "She did."


    "Leave her be," he said with a sigh. "I thought she was sensible, albeit a bit conceited due to her young age, but now I can see that she was clearly just arrogant, spoiled, and rotten to the core."


    Jiang Yingyue giggled when she heard Han Qingshan''s words.. "Don''t worry about me, why don''t you just return to eat your food and then go back to study? We will meet again later in the afternoon when it''s time for work."

 Chapter 210 - Overseas Phone Call

    Han Qingshan was feeling guilty. He was not pleased with what Tang Meixing had done to Jiang Yingyue, and after finishing the phone call between them, he dialed his mother''s number.


    "Oh, hey Qingshan, it is rare for you to call when you are at the university, what has happened?" The worried voice of his mother could be heard through the phone, and Han Qingshan felt a little calmer.


    "I need to hear your opinion about something," he said with a sigh. He was feeling quite torn. Not because he was unsure of whose side to stand on, but because he was feeling disappointed in Tang Meixing. She had pretended to be such a sweet and gentle person in front of him, but when she was in front of Jiang Yingyue, she had become a much worse person.


    "What is wrong?" Yan Meilin could feel that something was troubling her son, so she asked gently.


    "Tang Meixing went to my condo while I was at the university." He began explaining what he had heard in detail.


    "I cannot cut ties with her since she is my cousin and a part of our family, but I am severely disappointed in her," he sighed. "Also, I do not wish for her to get close to Jiang Yingyue ever again. This was simply too outrageous."


    Yan Meilin was silent for a long time after hearing what Han Qingshan had said before she sighed. "We already knew that she had a strange brother complex," she said, "but that is no excuse for her to behave like this. What she did this time was simply out of line, and I don''t approve of it. I will have a talk with her mother and with your grandfather. Although you cannot cut ties with her, we can still punish her for her behavior."


    Han Qingshan nodded his head. This was what he had hoped would happen.


    While Han Qingshan was speaking with his mother, He Yuyan had not left the He mansion at all since she was given a choice between leaving the He family and bowing down to Jiang Yingyue.


    In the beginning, He Yuyan did not take the words seriously. Still, after realizing that she was under house arrest and that her brother had taken over the family, some of the madness within her mind was slowly diminishing, and she started to understand that this was her last chance of survival.


    Although she would never want to bow down to Jiang Yingyue, she also knew that she had no choice other than doing so.


    Leaving the He family or being shipped overseas was simply impossible for her to accept. Even though she was not willing to bow down to Jiang Yingyue, she would still be the young miss of the He family. Sooner or later, she would be able to deal with Jiang Yingyue and get the affection of Han Qingshan!


    While she was filled with anger, a strange overseas call ringed on her phone.


    At the same time, Yu Xiulan was still in prison. In the past she had called the only figure she thought could assist her, but even he had withdrawn all support and left her to depend on herself. That was when the guards came to fetch her, informing her that she had received a phone call.


    This phone number was from overseas, and although she was in jail, she was still allowed supervised phone calls.


    The moment she received the news her head jerked, and she hoped that it was someone who could save her.


    After spending all this time in prison, she had realized that life outside was indeed heaven, while living inside here was hell.


    She was treated like trash, and everyone would beat or scold her as they pleased. Because she had drugged Han Qingshan, the officers often looked the other way when it was happening.


    As she got the phone call, she was filled with hope once more.


    "Is this Miss Yu?" A gentle voice asked on the phone, and Yu Xiulan quickly answered, "yes, yes, I am Yu Xiulan."


    "Miss Yu, I am under the impression that you have a disagreement with that woman, Jiang Yingyue." the voice continued, and Yu Xiulan felt her heart beat faster. She said nothing, waiting for the gentle voice to continue.


    "You see, this Jiang Yingyue is rather lucky," the voice said with a sigh. "I have been looking for her for nine years, but she had vanished without a trace, and now that she has returned, I can finally deal with her."


    Although the voice was incredibly gentle, there was a bit of tension and heaviness contained in the voice, causing Yu Xiulan to perceive that the speaker was not fond of Jiang Yingyue, even though nothing specific had been said.


    "Jiang Yingyue and I cannot live in the same world," Yu Xiulan growled angrily. Her hatred for the other woman was so overwhelming that it was eating her up from the inside.


    In what way was this woman better looking than her? In what way was she better than her? In what way could she get Han Qignshan''s love when she herself couldn''t?


    "I see." The voice on the phone sounded cheered up, "in that case, I am sure you will agree with my conditions.


    "I will help you to get out of jail, but you will have to do a few things for me. These things I cannot go into details with right now, but they will not bode well for Jiang Yingyue. I will destroy her life slowly, but surely."


    Yu Xiulan heard the voice, and she felt a shiver run down her spine. The owner of this voice was immensely mysterious but also dangerous.. Unfortunately, she had no other option than to follow her.

 Chapter 211 - Begging For Forgiveness

    Jiang Yingyue did not take Tang Meixing''s words to heart. She knew just how much Han Qingshan doted on her, and she was not dumb enough to believe a woman that had shown such antagonism towards her more than once.


    Since she ran away crying, and having displayed her real personality in front of Han Qingshan, Jiang Yingyue was more than pleased with the result.


    She chuckled slightly as she shook her head. This Tang Meixing was simply too stupid. But she felt no pity for her. She had tried to sow discord between herself and Han Qingshan, and thus, she was never going to be a friend of hers.


    Jiang Yingyue closed the door and returned to the kitchen. After having eaten her breakfast and finishing getting ready, she began cleaning.


    She had so much spare time now, that she did not know what to do apart from keeping the condo clean and cooking food.


    She was feeling like a housewife. But she was surprised to find that she did not dislike this feeling. Although she was not going to be living her life as a stay at home wife, it was a refreshing experience.


    Jiang Yingyue finished cleaning before making a few snacks that she wrapped up, and after finding her shoes, she left the condo.


    Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue had planned to meet at the Han Corporation''s main office, but since she had no car, Jiang Yingyue decided to walk.


    The walk was rather long; it would take her around two hours to get from the condo to the office building, but she had nothing better to do.


    When she arrived, there were still fifteen minutes before the time Han Qingshan would appear, so she smiled gently and happily as she went towards the elevator.


    But the moment she stepped into the front hall, He Yuyan appeared out of nowhere and fell onto her knees in front of Jiang Yingyue.


    "Miss Jiang, please forgive me!" she exclaimed loudly, tears were dropping from her eyes, making her look pitiful.


    Everyone within the front hall of the Han Corporation had their eyes drawn to the scene. Some frowned and felt annoyed by the display; others were smiling gleefully, awaiting an exciting show.


    "Miss He, I do not deserve your respect," Jiang Yingyue said casually as she glanced at the woman who was kneeling on the floor.


    "I beg of you, don''t have me chased out of my family. Please forgive me, I beg of you please be magnanimous!"


    He Yuyan did not go into detail about her own evil deeds, only emphasizing that Jiang Yuyan was getting her kicked out of her family.


    Many who were observing had already begun judging Jiang Yingyue as a vengeful spirit that no one could like.


    But Jiang Yingyue just laughed gently when she heard He Yuyan''s words.


    "You tried to have my brother kicked out of university. That I could tolerate. When you failed, you tried to have him run down by a car. And as if that was not enough, you physically assaulted me in an attempt to steal my boyfriend from me. The very first time we met, you insulted me, looked down upon me, and acted as if I was a plague. On what basis can you possibly make yourself come here and beg for forgiveness?"


    When Jiang Yingyue spoke, she spoke with a normal voice, but because of how she did not doubt herself, her voice was heard by almost everyone within the hall, and they were shocked.


    Kicking someone out of university would ruin their future. Trying to hit them with a car was the same as attempted murder. And all of this seemed to be because she wanted the other woman''s boyfriend? Crazy! No wonder she was not willing to forgive and forget.


    Hatred flashed by the eyes of He Yuyan, but thinking about the words said on the phone the day before, alongside her own selfish reasons, she gritted her teeth and started kowtowing on the ground.


    "Please forgive me, I have truly understood my mistake, and I beg of you to let bygones be bygones. Don''t hold on to the hatred anymore and let us both move on!"


    Jiang Yingyue looked at He Yuyan, her expression was apathetic, her words and tears did not move her.


    "What you did is something you have to take responsibility for," Jiang Yingyue said. "But don''t worry, I will not hold it against the He family, unless you once more act against me. If that happens, then no matter how much you beg or ask for forgiveness, I will never let you off."


    What Jiang Yingyue basically said was that she was not going to forgive He Yuyan, but she would not do anything against her either.


    "Oh, I also do not want to see you any longer," she said with a cold voice. "I am tired of seeing your face; you are ruining my mood. If you want me not to bother your family again, make sure to take a detour whenever you see me."


    This might have sounded immensely harsh, but Jiang Yingyue was not happy with He Yuyan.


    She understood the other well. The reason she had appeared here was because she wanted to gain pity so the public opinion would sway towards her.


    She wanted to pressure Jiang Yingyue into forgiving her, but Jiang Yingyue had no intention of doing so.


    She was steadfast and decided not to forgive He Yuyan, even though she had kowtowed. Some might think she was too ruthless, but she was not willing to compromise.. He Yuyan had simply stepped over her limits far too many times.

 Chapter 212 - Miss Mu

    He Yuyan was displeased. She had already kneeled down in front of her and even kowtowed, but Jiang Yingyue was still wholly unmoved.


    This was the greatest humiliation that she had ever experienced, and it would be hard to go on with the plan of her secret backer if she did not gain Jiang Yingyue''s forgiveness.


    But Jiang Yingyue was unmoved. She tried moving away from He Yuyan, if she were gone, then He Yuyan would not be able to put on such a show, but it was hard as He Yuyan lunged forward, her arms latching onto Jiang Yingyue''s legs, almost knocking her over.


    "I am not releasing you before you promise to forgive me!" she cried pitifully, but her behavior just made Jiang Yingyue frown and wonder what exactly could have caused He Yuyan to behave like this.


    Right at that moment, a loud and overbearing voice resounded in the entrance hall, "Where are the security guards? Drag this mad woman out of our building; not only is she embarrassing herself, but she is also embarrassing us as a corporation!"


    Han Qingshan had arrived at that moment, and what greeted him was the sight of He Yuyan clinging to Jiang Yingyue''s legs.


    The security guards that were standing to the side, enjoying the show, were suddenly brought back to reality. What Han Qingshan said was undoubtedly the truth.


    As such, they hurried over and separated He Yuyan from Jiang Yingyue, after which they hoisted her up and dragged her out of the building.


    She tried to put up a fight, but she was simply too weak to go against two beefy security guards.


    She screamed and made a massive scene in the middle of the entrance hall. If she had to rely on the He family to do so, she would never have dared, but because she had the mysterious figure behind her, she was no longer as frightened. She was sure that the mysterious figure could fend off the Han Corporation if that was needed.


    He Yuyan was as stupid as always. If this mysterious person indeed was capable of taking on the Han Corporation, why would it need to rely on her to deal with Jiang Yingyue?


    Han Qingshan''s eyes were cold when he observed how they dragged He Yuyan away, but when the eyes landed on Jiang Yingyue, it was as if spring came and melted away all the ice.


    "Are you okay?" Han Qingshan asked when he saw how Jiang Yingyue was frowning. "I am fine," she said to reassure him, but something was telling her that there was something wrong.


    He Yuyan was an immensely proud person. Even if she had to beg for forgiveness, she was not one to kneel down, much less kowtow to her.


    As long as Jiang Yingyue said that she would no longer hold a grudge against the He family, she ought to have stopped her begging act, but she did not, and this was very unlike her.


    She would only do this if she could get some benefits from it, but what exactly could she possibly get by asking for forgiveness from her?


    She had also noticed the cold and hate-filled eyes alongside the reluctance and unwillingness in her body.


    It was clear that she wasn''t doing this out of her own free will, but who could have convinced her to do it?


    This required some investigation. Jiang Yingyue looked at Han Qingshan and was about to say something when she remembered where they were. It would be better to broach the subject after they reached the office.


    Han Qingshan was a little calmer when he saw that Jiang Yingyue was fine, and he straightened his back before he apologized to the crowd that had gathered, "I am sorry you had to see such an awkward encounter. The woman has one many misdeeds and all we wish for is peace, but she refuses to give in and finds other ways to encounter us and cause problems."


    When Han Qingshan spoke like this, the audience nodded their heads. They had already heard Jiang Yingyue explain some of her misdeeds, and now they heard him condemn her too, the woman was clearly no good.


    At the same time, in a dark room, a young woman was seated reclining in a chair; her head was resting on her hand as she observed the surveillance videos from the Han Corporation''s entrance hall.


    Her face was filled with annoyance, and suddenly, another figure appeared through the door.


    "Miss Mu, I already told you that Jiang Yingyue is not interested in Zhou Yan, why do you have to go this far?"


    The newly arrived person was Lin Qiang. His face was clearly filled with distress, but the woman, who was referred to as Miss Mu, held an emotionless expression.


    "Lin Qiang, are you also feeling sorry for her? Why, because she is your childhood friend?" she asked, and Lin Qiang grimaced.


    "Miss Mu, I already did everything you asked of me, and Jiang Yingyue is in a steady relationship with someone else; she will not come in the way of your engagement, so why don''t you just let her go?"


    "As long as Jiang Yingyue is alive, Zhou Yan will never look at another woman. Only with her death will he accept me." Miss Mu''s voice was icy and filled with impatience.


    "I am not going to help you kill Jiang Yingyue," Lin Qiang said with a horrified expression.. If Zhou Yan found out that he had even considered trying to harm Jiang Yingyue, then his life would be forfeited.

 Chapter 213 - Personal Gains

    Han Qingshan took Jiang Yingyue to the office. He could see that she had something to say, but what it was, he did not know.


    When they were in the office, Jiang Yingyue quickly explained the whole situation to Han Qingshan.


    "I think something is wrong," she concluded. "He Yuyan would never beg me, nor would she ask for forgiveness, kneel in front of me or kowtow in front of me unless she benefits from it in the end."


    Han Qingshan frowned when he thought about it. Jiang Yingyue was correct. Han Qingshan was very well aware of He Yuyan''s personality, and he knew that what Jiang Yingyue said was right.


    He Yuyan would never volunteer to do this, nor would she do it just for the sake of the He family.


    "Don''t worry about this," Han Qingshan said as he smiled. "I am going to deal with this."


    Having said this, he fished out his phone from his pocket and dialed a number that Jiang Yingyue did not know.


    "It''s a long time since I last heard from you, Young Master Shan," an apathetic voice sounded on the other end of the phone, and the voice caused Han Qingshan to grimace slightly.


    "I need you to check up on who He Yuyan has had contact with lately."


    There was a slight silence before a grunt of acknowledgment. Afterward, the phonecall ended, and Jiang Yingyue looked at Han Qingshan with puzzlement. Who was that?


    Han Qingshan smiled wryly when he saw her confusion, but he did not explain it in detail. He was afraid that if she knew the real identity of that person, she would no longer feel so positive about him.


    ''That person'' was the guy who dealt with everything that Han Qingshan couldn''t deal with himself. That could be anything from making people vanish from the face of the earth, to investigate the background of someone and their secrets.


    "He is a hacker," Han Qingshan glossed over the subject, "he usually finds information for me."


    Although Han Qingshan knew that Jiang Yingyue loved him, he was afraid that she would not be able to accept the part of him which was not law-abiding.


    Jiang Yingyue was unaware of what was bothering Han Qingshan, but she caught a glimpse of unrest that flashed across his eyes, making her chest tight and her heart worried.


    Had Han Qingshan kept some secrets from her? Was he intentionally hiding something? The moment the thought arrived in her heart, she pushed it away and shook her head.


    She was not going to doubt Han Qingshan. He had already given her so much, and he had never judged her for her own shortcomings. Who was she to suddenly judge him?


    The smile that had faltered slightly returned to how it was before without Han Qingshan noticing anything.


    Her swift internal conflict ended without Han Qingshan noticing anything, and she felt even more confident than she had before. She had also found a sense of inner peace, and the smile that adorned her face was so sweet that Han Qingshan was lost in it for a short while.


    When he finally regained his wits, a smile appeared on his face, and he dragged Jiang Yingyue into his embrace, tightly embracing her and placing a kiss on the top of her head.


    She was his treasure. He wanted to do anything for her and shower her with affection and love. He only wanted her to know of the bright sides of life and never get involved in anything that might harm her.


    Jiang Yingyue let Han Qingshan hug her as he pleased, a sweet smile was on her lips as she leaned into his embrace. She was genuinely feeling blissful at moments like these.


    Her lithe arms wrapped themselves around Han Qingshan''s waist, and her head was resting against his sturdy chest, his steady heartbeat ringing in her ear, bringing with it tranquility and peace.


    They were standing close like this for a few minutes before they unwillingly released the other. Although they would want to do nothing more than bask in the light of their love, they had a lot of responsibilities that needed to be dealt with.


    Han Qingshan sighed in regret as he moved to the desk, where he flipped through some of the documents on the table before he sat down and began working on them.


    Even Jiang Yingyue was busy. The Han Corporation had many things that Han Qingshan needed to deal with.


    Jiang Yingyue, who was his personal assistant, was always rushing from one department to another to deliver papers, request papers, or order people to deal with specific projects.


    Everyone was very polite towards Jiang Yingyue. They knew that she was not only the personal assistant of Han Qingshan but also his sweetheart.


    While some looked at her with envy, others felt that she was lucky, and yet some were feeling nothing at all.


    But all of them were cautious. Even if she was not their current lady boss, she was still the current lover of Han Qingshan, and if she got annoyed with someone, wouldn''t they end up losing their jobs?


    Jiang Yingyue knew that these people were all looking at her with various emotions. Some held hostility towards her, which originated from jealousy; others held curiosity and a mindset of wanting to see a show. But one thing all of them had in common was that they did not believe that the relationship between Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue would last.


    Their background was too different. Although they were a couple now, there was a chance that the family would not approve of her, and thus, their relationship would slowly die out.


    Also, Han Qingshan was a young man. How could he possibly settle for one woman when he was a young master that could get anything he wanted?

 Chapter 214 - Unexpected Visitor

    Jiang Yingyue was moving around all over the company; she was delivering documents and gathering files.


    Han Qingshan had an office of his own, and he had prepared a desk for her, but she had yet to even sit at her chair, rushing from one department to another.


    The day went by in a blur, Jiang Yingyue was stunned to know that time could fly by so fast, her entire day was spent rushing from one place to another, and her feet were hurting, her legs sore, but she was content.


    She had not planned on working initially but going to university, but she had understood that her dreams had to be postponed. At the same time, she was feeling delighted and fulfilled helping Han Qingshan.


    As the day ended, Jiang Yingyue went to Han Qingshan''s office again. This time she was expecting him to be working, but he was standing by the window, looking out at the bustling city.


    His face held a gentle smile, his body relaxed. When he turned around, the eyes shone like the starry sky, and Jiang Yingyue got lost in his attractive eyes.


    "You are back," he said gently, and Jiang Yingyue nodded her head absentmindedly. Seeing her expression so confused, Han Qingshan felt as if someone tickled his heart, and he chuckled.


    "I finished the work," Jiang Yingyue said as she managed to return her mind to her body. A slight tinge of red was visible on her cheeks.


    "That''s good." Han Qingshan had seen the embarrassment, but he was not commenting on it. Still, he could not help but feel soft within when he thought of how she was still immensely bashful even now.


    "How is your work going?" Jiang Yingyue asked, her eyes sweeping over the desk, which was cleared. Frowning, she was unsure of whether or not he was able to finish all the work he had been forced to do throughout the day.


    His work speed was swift; he was able to complete the documents in a hurry, while still doing it efficiently and correctly.


    "Come here," Han Qingshan moved to the desk again and sat down on the chair, gesturing for Jiang Yingyue to come to his side.


    Puzzled, Jiang Yingyue scurried to his side, her face puzzled, but she still did everything he asked for.


    Seeing her so obedient, the smile in Han Qingshan''s eyes deepened.


    When she was by his side, the strong arm suddenly swept out and grabbed her thin waist, dragging her down on his lap.


    "What are you doing?" Jiang Yingyue asked with a hushed, but slightly panicked voice. What was this man thinking? They were currently at the office, and she was now the personal assistant, not his lover.


    "I am recharging," Han Qingshan said as he buried his head in the crook of Jiang Yingyue''s neck. He inhaled deeply, the floral scent of Jiang Yingyue filling his entire being, bringing with it happiness and a feeling of contentedness.


    Hearing Han Qingshan''s words, Jiang Yingyue froze slightly. Hearing Han Qingshan saying that he was going to recharge and that she was the one recharging him, she was feeling flutters inside.


    She raised her arms and wrapped them around Han Qingshan, hugging him close to her.


    Feeling her gestures, Han Qingshan felt even greedier for being close to Jiang Yingyue.


    He wanted to melt her into his body; he wanted her to always be part of himself, that everywhere he went, she would be by his side.


    His arms tightened around her waist, dragging her so close to him that their bodies were pressed tightly against each other, and since she was sitting right on top of him, Jiang Yingyue felt how Han Qingshan''s little brother woke up.


    Feeling this, she dared not randomly move out of fear for him losing control, her entire body was stiff as a board, and Han Qingshan was chuckling when he felt it.


    His hands, which had been on her waist, easily slipped under her clothes, and the cold fingers gently trailed her back, up and down her spine, sending shivers through her entire body.


    Feeling how Jiang Yingyue was slowly turning into a puddle in his arms, Han Qingshan''s felt himself tremble, his eyes deepened.


    The hands continued to roam all over her back before they slowly moved to the front, the zipper on her back was being unzipped, and her clothes were slowly becoming unraveled.


    Han Qingshan''s breath heated up; his eyes were filled with desire. Although they were at the office, he was not sure he could hold himself back.


    Everyone else had already gone home, only the two of them remained, and he was not sure how much longer he could hold back.


    At the same time, he was aware that Jiang Yingyue was still too uncomfortable with their current location.


    Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to hold back. With his eyes shrouded in desire, he started tidying Jiang Yingyue''s clothes.


    Moments later, he grasped her hand, stood up, and strode out of the office. Jiang Yingyue was perplexed, but she still followed him obediently. She was truly worried about what might have happened in the office if he had not held back.


    As they arrived at the condo, Han Qingshan wanted nothing more than to rush back home and hold Jiang Yingyue in his embrace, but as they exited the car, they were shocked to see that outside the parking lot, Zhou Yan was waiting for them.


    Every intention that Han Qingshan had before had vanished, and his mood turned foul.


    Jiang Yingyue was quite confused as to what was going on. Was Zhou Yan and Han Qingshan actually friends? If not, why would Zhou Yan be here so late in the evening?

 Chapter 215 - Underhanded Deals

    Han Qingshan was also stunned by Zhou Yan''s appearance, but he felt that something serious was happening. Usually, he would only appear in case of something having happened to Jiang Yingyue.


    Thinking like this, the expression of Han Qingshan turned solemn. He looked at Zhou Yan and saw that there was a seriousness in his face, apart from some sadness, and he gently patted Jiang Yingyue''s hand. "Go upstairs," he said, "I will come soon. I need to speak with Zhou Yan about something."


    Jiang Yingyue frowned as she looked from one man to another, but in the end, she did as she had been told. She nodded her head and got ready to go upstairs. Since she had been told to do so, then it was evident that there had to be some sort of reason for it.


    As soon as Jiang Yingyue had left for the elevator, Han Qingshan looked at Zhou Yan, his gentle features changed, and he looked solemn and aggressive.


    "What is going on for you to appear here?" Han Qingshan asked, his voice not at all polite.


    "I have some bad news," Zhou Yan said. "I might cause some problems for Jiang Yingyue; you need to look after her well."


    "What is happening?" Han Qingshan''s face was dignified and very unhappy. Zhou Yan had nothing to do with Jiang Yingyue, so why would he cause her problems?


    Thinking like this, he was in a bad mood, but Zhou Yan still just sighed and felt conflicted.


    "You know of the Mu family?" Zhou Yan asked, after a bit of time, instead of answering right away.


    Frowning, Han Qingshan was not sure of where this was going, so he nodded his head, "I know."


    The Mu family was different from the Zhou and Han families. It was a massive family like them, but where they were more or less illegal. The Mu''s were a family that flourished underground. They were a family of gangs, the largest gang in the country.


    "The Mu family''s youngest generation only has two descendant, a young woman and her older brother," Zhou Yan said, and Han Qingshan nodded his head; he was aware of this.


    "The Mu family wants Miss Mu to marry into the Zhuo family," he continued, "and the Zhou family has been interested in this marriage contract, so some have considered it an engagement already.


    "I just haven''t agreed yet, and neither has my grandfather, so it is not official. The woman just thought so, and she has been hanging onto me for a long time.


    "Miss Mu used to be my good friend, but when she found out that I have no interest in marriage with anyone else than Jiang Yingyue, she started to get strange. I cannot accept her strange behavior, nor the danger she might put Jiang Yingyue under.


    "You know what kind of methods that the Mu family uses, so it is no secret what her plans are for Jiang Yingyue. We need to find a way to solve it."


    "How do you know about this?" Han Qingshan asked with narrowed eyes, and Zhou Yan sighed. "I have made Lin Qiang be by her side, making her think he works for her, rather than me. Fortunately, he showed his real loyalty today, but I am worried about what she might have planned."


    "He Yuyan is involved," Han Qingshan said. "The rest of the He family is likely unaware, but He Yuyan is definitely involved in this."


    "Oh?" Zhou Yan raised an eyebrow, "we should get rid of her then."


    "I plan on doing so," Han Qingshan agreed, "but my original plan was to use her to lure the snake out of its hole, but since you have now told me who is actually against us, I no longer have a use to keep her around."


    "But what should we do about Miss Mu and the Mu family?" Han Qingshan was feeling slightly worried. "Since she wants you, and Yingyue clearly doesn''t want you, why don''t you sacrifice yourself for her happiness and marry Miss Mu? Then she will feel much more at ease."


    Zhou Yan snorted in disdain when he heard this. "That won''t work," he said, annoyed. "She knows what Yingyue means to me, and thus, she will never let her off."


    "This is a problem," Han Qingshan admitted, feeling slightly troubled. "Although our families are mightier than the Mu family, we are mainly following the path of legal actions; it would be tough for us to fight against the Mu family who excels in using underhanded deals."


    Zhou Yan nodded his head. "Will you be able to control the entire Han family to protect her?" he asked.


    "I can," Han Qingshan did not doubt this point. "My grandfather was not a big fan of her at the beginning, but I am sure that he too will protect her from any danger."


    "I see," Zhou Yan''s eyes flashed with pain, as he was reminded of how well she was being treated and how happy she was now that she had gotten rid of him.


    But after contemplating for some time, he took a deep breath. "I can control the Zhou family to look after her too. I owe her a lot from our childhood, and we Zhou family members always repay our debts.


    "If the Han and the Zhou family go together, I am sure that we will be capable of beating back the Mu family. We do not need to defeat them, just enough to make the Elders stop indulging Miss Mu."


    Han Qingshan spent some time thinking about what he had said. They did not need to defeat the Mu family; they just needed to make Miss Mu pull back.. That should be possible if their families worked together to put pressure on the Mu family.

 Chapter 216 - A Real Man

    As soon as the conversation finished, Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan went their separate ways. Han Qingshan went into the building and took the elevator up to the condo.


    Here, he found Jiang Yingyue just coming out of the bathroom, her hair was damp and her body wrapped in a fuzzy bathrobe.


    Seeing her like this, Han Qingshan smiled gently. He felt his heart softening. But a bit of coldness flashed across his eyes, as he was thinking about Miss Mu and her intention of attacking Jiang Yingyue.


    "Go to sleep early," Han Qingshan said as he gently rubbed Jiang Yingyue''s head with affection. "I have a few things I need to solve. I will come to join you later."


    Jiang Yingyue was tired, and she nodded her head. She quickly went to prepare some food for the following morning, before she slowly walked into the bedroom.


    She was unaware of what Han Qingshan was going to do, but she was of the impression that he just had some urgent work that needed doing.


    Han Qingshan went to the study and sat down. He was not in a rush to do anything. Instead, he just thought for a bit. After a deep sigh, he took out his phone, and he dialed his father''s number.


    "Qingshan?" The voice of Han Liqiang sounded on the other end of the phone. He was surprised by the late call from his son, and when Han Qingshan did not answer right away, he could sense that something was off.


    "What is wrong, my son?" He asked with a tint of worry in his voice.


    "Yingyue is in danger," Han Qingshan finally managed to say. His body was taut whenever he thought about who it was that had started moving against his woman.


    "In danger?" Han Liqiang''s voice was dangerously low, shocking Han Qingshan slightly. He knew his father well; if he was talking like this, then someone was going to be in danger.


    "She is a childhood friend of Zhou Yan of the Zhou Family," Han Qingshan decided to explain what was going on. "Zhou Yan is in love with her, but she only sees him as a friend. Unfortunately, the Mu family and the Zhou family have considered a marriage alliance. However, they forgot to ask Zhou Yan''s permission.


    "He declined, but Miss Mu already thinks that they are engaged. When she found out that he had declined marriage with her, she was filled with hatred towards the woman who had stolen his man away, and she put all the blame on Yingyue.


    "I talked with him just now, and we decided on working together to put pressure on the Mu family. We are not aiming to decimate them, but we want Miss Mu to never again have any thoughts on Jiang Yingyue."


    Han Liqiang was quiet for a long time. The silence on the phone was slightly oppressive before he sneered, "why doesn''t that Zhou Yan just marry her? How can he possibly endanger our daughter-in-law?!"


    Hearing the anger in Han Liqiang''s voice, Han Qingshan was feeling much better, but he was also slightly amused by his father''s words.


    "Even if Jingyue had picked another man than me, I would be single, waiting for her forever," he said gravely. "I understand Zhou Yan not wanting to marry anyone else than her, so although they are never going to be together, I can not tell him to marry someone else."


    "I see," Han Liqiang was suddenly incredibly grateful that Jiang Yingyue had picked his son. If not, his family line would have ended up dying out.


    "Zhou Yan has already said that he has the support of the old man from the Zhou Family to put up some pressure on the Mu family. I am planning on using the Han family to do the same. Although it is impossible for our families to go into an all-out war with the Mu''s, we can still pressure the woman to stop her actions."


    Han Liqiang was quiet for some time. "Are you sure that is enough?" he asked, his voice was cold and callous. "Son, I understand that you want to protect our company, but even more than that, Jiang Yingyue is your woman. She will have to be your priority. If you, as a man, cannot protect your woman, then what is the point of having such a magnificent family?


    "The reason we have a family is so that we can protect one another. So, I would say that we are going to go into an all-out war with the Mu family, depending on whether or not the Zhou family will participate.


    "We will never let any danger that threatens our women go!"


    Han Qingshan was quiet for some time. His eyes were glistening with splendor and his lips curved upwards into a smile.


    "I see," he said and felt as if a massive stone had fallen from his heart. "I will contact Zhou Yan, and together the two of us will plan out the solution for dealing with the Mu family."


    "Do that; the Han family will use both visible and invisible powers to pressure them. If they fail, we can always take over their business so it can be considered a business deal as well."


    Hearing this, Han Qingshan was stunned by his father''s shamelessness. They were going to save Jiang Yngyue, but now it sounded like they were greedy for the Mu family''s power.


    "We will share the Mu family''s market equally with the Zhou Family, if they are in," Han Liqiang continued, and Han Qingshan chuckled slightly. "Understood," he said.


    Moments after he finished the conversation with his father he dialed up Zhou Yan''s number.

 Chapter 217 - Teamwork

    It was deep into the night before Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan finished their conversation.


    They had agreed on dealing with the Mu family together, but since it was going to be more than just a mere pressuring but a full out war, many things had to be planned first.


    Han Qingshan was exhausted when he finally dragged his body into his bedroom, but what greeted him made all the exhaustion vanish.


    Jiang Yingyue was sleeping soundly in his bed. Her hair, with extensions, was spread over the pillow, her white face so beautiful in the moonlight that fell through the crack in the blinds in front of the windows.


    She seemed as if she had tried waiting for him but had unknowingly fallen asleep. Seeing her like this, he felt all the efforts he put into it were worth it.


    As he took off his clothes, his eyes did not leave the sleeping figure on the bed, and when he dressed in his pajamas, he quickly dug under the duvet.


    His arms reached out and picked up the sleeping beauty, putting her into his embrace before he placed a kiss on her forehead.


    For this woman, he would do anything, even if that meant that he would become a devil. He was also willing to fight against the number one underground gang in the world for her.


    Soon after, the calming floral scent that was exclusive to Jiang Yingyue made Han Qingshan fall into a deep sleep.


    The next few days were uneventful. Nothing much happened, Han Qingshan went to university and the Han Corporation to work. Jiang Yingyue would go to the office in the morning and work until Han Qingshan showed up. Then she would work even harder when he was there, and they would go home together at night.


    Their life had become very stable and filled with happiness. Every night, Han Qingshan would drag her for ''exercise'', and Jiang Yingyue would fall asleep right after, exhausted and drained of all energy.


    It was at these times, before going to sleep, that Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan would contact one another on the phone to plan further and to give updates on their progress.


    "Han Qingshan, I admire you," Zhou Yan signed, "I hate you, but I cannot help but admire you. I heard that three of the top leaders in the Mu family got arrested yesterday for drug smuggling. Even if they want to get free by using their connections, it''s impossible."


    "This is nothing compared to you," Han Qingshan was modest, as he was reminded of the actions Zhou Yan had made the day before. "Although I got three of them sent to jail, I heard that a whole load of weapons they were smuggling vanished and that their customer was so furious that he had not only demanded to get the money back with compensation, but he also wanted someone to take responsibility. This will harm them a lot."


    The two were praising one another, but where they before would have done it to annoy the other, now it was heartfelt.


    Although they were not keen on the other person, they had found deeply rooted respect towards each other.


    Suddenly a silence lingered in the phone before Zhou Yan finally took the courage to ask. "How is she doing?"


    There was no need to say who ''she'' was, and Han Qingshan was quiet for a long time too. He respected Zhou Yan, and there was no need to harm him unnecessarily.


    "She is good," he answered honestly. "She is sleeping right now; she got exhausted after working all day."


    Although he was not lying, he still felt a little bit guilty in his heart. It was not the work that was tiring her out, but Zhou Yan did not need to know that.


    "That''s good."


    "I plan on making her become a junior at Imperial University next year," Han Qingshan continued. "I have already signed her up to retake the high school exams, this time in her own name. It is a new beginning for her, and she will be able to live as herself in the future."


    "I understand why she picked you," Zhou Yan finally said with a sigh. "I am glad that she got you, but if you ever wrong her, if you ever harm her or hurt her, then I will come and take her away from you, even if I have to force her."


    "Deal," Han Qingshan quickly agreed. "I will never do anything to harm her, hurt her, or let her down. She will be the only woman I have in this life, and I will be with her forever, even my soul will never leave her."


    Zhou Yan sighed when he heard this, but there was not only sadness within the sigh, there also seemed to be some relief.


    Han Qingshan''s respect for Zhou Yan grew even more then. Would he really be able to give up on Jiang Yingyue if he was the one standing on the side? He was not sure, but he knew that it would be immensely hard.


    Just as they were sitting on the phone, with silence on both sides, an email ticked in to both Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan.


    "It seems they finally realized who has targeted them," Han Qingshan said with a sinister smile on his lips.


    The email was sent from the Mu family leaders, asking how the Mu family had offended the two leading families in the world.. It was written politely, but both Zhou Yan and Han Qingshan could sense the tremendous anger that was hidden beneath the exterior of the email.

 Chapter 218 - Kidnapped!

    The following day, Jiang Yingyue awoke only to find herself wrapped up in Han Qingshen''s arms.


    She felt blissful laying in his arms, but she was also frowning. When she woke up in the middle of the night, Han Qingshan was gone, and she guessed he had been working in the study, but when did he come back to the bed?


    She was distressed when she thought about the fact that Han Qingshan needed to wake up in the middle of the night to deal with some work, it was not at all healthy for him, but she also had a nagging feeling that this was something he was intentionally keeping from her.


    Since he was intentionally keeping it from her, she would not ask, but she was feeling strangely concerned.


    Seeing the tired expression on Han Qingshan''s face, she could not make herself wake him up, and instead, she slowly escaped his embrace and left the bed.


    She washed up and got dressed before she left the condo, ready to go shopping for some groceries.


    As she went down the stairs, a strange feeling of being observed washed over her, making her alert, but when she casually glanced around, she saw nothing suspicious.


    Frowning, she stayed on high alert and continued down the road. Not far from her a big black van was parked, and when she passed it, ten strong men appeared from the back.


    These men were clearly trained, and their eyes were immensely cold as they stared at Jiang Yingyue. She could instantly guess that they were there for her.


    Knowing that she could not run away and that it was impossible to defeat all ten of them, she decided to beat down as many as possible. At least she could delay her capture, and hopefully, Han Qingshan would hear about what had happened.


    A fist was thrown out by one of the men; they were not taking her seriously at all.


    Seeing this, a sinister grin spread on Jiang Yingyue''s lips, and she quickly sidestepped the fist, grabbed the arm, and twisted it around, breaking it in the process.


    The sound of broken bones resounded in the area, accompanied by a muffled grunt of pain.


    A kick landed on his abdomen, and the man collapsed onto the ground, unable to stand up again.


    Seeing how quickly Jiang Yingyue defeated this person, the others were filled with shock and surprise. They were not fearful of her, because although she was stronger than they had expected, she was not an opponent for all of them.


    "All up together!" The leader said, and the remaining nine all attacked together.


    Jiang Yingyue was aware that she would lose, but her eyes were filled with coldness as kicks and fists were being used continuously to hit the men that were here.


    She received plenty of hits herself, her body hurting and aching badly from the beating, but she did not give in.


    Many were observing the fight, and some had called for the police, so the thugs hurried to defeat Jiang Yingyue. After around seven minutes, Jiang Yingyue was knocked unconscious, and the men quickly grasped the wounded man, Jiang Yingyue, and the others as they hurried into the van, driving away within a moment.


    When the police arrived, someone gave the driver''s license to the police, and they quickly looked at the surveillance video.


    Unfortunately, no one was aware of who this woman was, and they could not get any information about her.


    At the same time, in the condo, Han Qingshan suddenly woke up because he felt that something was missing. The bed by his side was cold.


    Frowning, Han Qingshan got up, but there was no scent of breakfast in the flat either, and after doing a round through all rooms, he found no traces of Jiang Yingyue. Instead, her shoes were gone.


    Han Qingshan knew that she must have been missing for some time since the bed was still a bit warm, and he instantly called the office to learn if she was there.


    When he was told that she did not show up this morning, he had a bad omen.


    Then he called his mother, but she said that she was not with her either.


    At this point, Han Qingshan began panicking. He then called Zhou Yan, who was equally shocked upon hearing that Jiang Yingyue was missing.


    "Could it be the Mu family?" Han Qingshan asked, murderous air was brewing around him, and his eyes were cold as if they were a millennium-old glacier.


    "If they touch as much as a hair on her head, I will make them all wish that they were dead," Zhou Yan said through gritted teeth.


    They contacted the police to check the surveillance through the roads, and when they saw the videos of Jiang Yingyue fighting ten large men, even beating down one of them, they were horrified.


    Their faces became more and more dignified and solemn; the more they observed the fight. Fists and kicks landed on Jiang Yingyue, she was beaten severely, and eventually, they even succeeded in knocking her unconscious.


    When she was placed in the van, both Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan were so uncomfortable that they felt like smashing the men into pig heads so that not even their mothers would be able to recognize them.


    They were anxious and worried, unaware of what these thugs were planning on doing with Jiang Yingyue, but they knew they had to stay calm.


    Han Qingshan instantly contacted his information network, and Zhou Yan did the same.


    At the same time, they used the surveillance of the public roads to chase the car and see where it was heading.

 Chapter 219 - Dragging You Down With Me

    Pain. Jiang Yingyue felt immense pain all over her body, dragging her from the darkness.


    Her eyelashes fluttered as she started opening her eyes only to see that she was in a dimly lit room.


    The room was luxurious, and she was lying on a massive bed, her clothes untouched. She was aware that the intense pain she was feeling was due to the beating she had received earlier.


    All the light within the room came from the windows; the moon was shining brightly in the night sky and the room was bathed in its silvery light.


    She slowly managed to sit up. She was not bound, but the windows were locked, and bars were all over them, clearly making it impossible to escape that way.


    She did not even try the door, as she assumed that someone would be guarding it outside.


    She started looking through the entire room, but there was nothing in it apart from the bed. Not even a cabinet or closet. There was a toilet attached to the bedroom, but it was as bare as the bedroom. Only a towel and a bar of soap could be found there.


    Contemplating, Jiang Yingyue wondered what these kidnappers wanted with her.


    She did not believe that they wanted to kill her; if they did, she would be dead already.


    She had no value herself, so it was evident that this had something to do with Han Qingshan.


    Since it had to do with Han Qingshan, Jiang Yingyue''s face turned solemn. She was not going to panic and make the scene worse. But she was not going to wait for Han Qingshan to save her either.


    As long as she was in the hands of these kidnappers, they would hold the upper hand against Han Qingshan; she was not willing to become his weakness.


    She was seated on the bed, deep in thought, when she suddenly heard the door opening. Her eyes turned sharp as she observed the young man and woman that entered through the door.


    The man seemed friendly, as if he was harmless, but there were a bloodthirst and madness hidden deep within his eyes. He was not an easy person to deal with.


    The woman was not even trying to hide her hostility towards Jiang Yingyue, her eyes were filled with hatred, and it seemed as if she was planning on ripping her to shreds.


    Frowning, Jiang Yingyue could not help but wonder who this woman was. She had never seen her before.


    "Big Brother, why don''t we let the bodyguards play a bit with her before we strike a deal with Zhou Yan and Han Qingshan?" the woman asked venomously, her words making both the man she referred to as big brother and Jiang Yingyue frown.


    "Sister, please behave," the smiling man continued to speak with a calm voice and wholly ignored the offensive words of his sister. He even spoke as if it was a small joke.


    Jiang Yingyue frowned. So there was not only Han Qingshan, but also Zhou Yan, who was involved?


    "Miss Jiang, I am terribly sorry for my sister''s behavior," the man said, his face holding a smile, but Jiang Yingyue felt as if she was faced with a snake. Someone who would sneak up on you and kill you in your sleep or when you least expected it.


    "You see, my sister has taken a fancy to Zhou Yan and they were about to get engaged when he declined because he had another woman in mind.


    "Of course that woman is you.


    "Now, my sister did not take the rejection well; she wanted to use our family''s power to pressure Zhou Yan into accepting, she even threatened him with you since we all know that you are the reason Zhou Yan declined the marriage proposal.


    "Now the situation has turned rather grim, and we have no other option than to be rude to you. I hope you do not mind."


    At that moment, Jiang Yingyue understood what was going on. This man did not respect her; neither did he care about her well being. What he cared about was his family and their ability to stay alive.


    If something happened to her, then Zhou Yan and Han Qingshan would bury their family together with her. As such, he could not afford to let her get injured.


    At the same time, he also wanted to leave a positive impression. Not because he wanted anything to do with her, but because he wanted her to speak up for them when the deal between Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan was finished.


    Jiang Yingyue looked at the man, mockery evident in her eyes. "To think that a young woman needs to stoop so low to get what she wants," Jiang Yingyue ridiculed. "Forcing a man to marry her, I guess she has no redeeming qualities."


    The man and woman were stunned. They knew nothing about Jiang Yingyue and had expected that she would be a silent and obedient woman. Not someone so sharp-tongued.


    And now that she had spoken, the face of the woman alternated between purple and white.


    "What did you say? Say that once more and I will rip your tongue out of your mouth so you never can speak again!" the woman sneered, but Jiang Yingyue just glanced at her, with eyes filled with disdain.


    "If you had the power to fight Qingshan and Zhou Yan, you would not have to kidnap me. If something should happen to me, I dare not think about what would happen to your family.. We can try it out if you dare. I mean, the worst thing for me is that I die, but dragging a whole family down with me, that is not such a bad feeling!"

 Chapter 220 - Lets Leave

    The eyes of the man were flashing with a mixture of appreciation and anger. Although he was amazed by her brazen behavior and apparent lack of fear of death, he was also sullen over being threatened by a woman with no background.


    But he could understand why Zhou Yan and Han Qingshan were so head over heels for her. She was better than his sister by far.


    But at the same time, he was furious. Who was this woman to say that she would have no regrets if she pulled the Mu family down with her?


    "Well, we will send some food to you later," the man maintained the smile on his face, albeit it was not as brilliant as it was before.


    After that, he dragged the woman out with him, completely ignoring her unwillingness and the hatred that seeped out of her eyes whenever she looked at Jiang Yingyue.


    As they exited the room, the reverberating sound of a slap resounded through the corridor. The slap was not light; it was immensely hard, and five fingers instantly imprinted themselves onto the woman''s cheek as blood rushed to her cheek.


    "Brother, why would you hit me?!" she exclaimed, blood dripping from the corner of her lip.


    "Idiot!" the man scoffed at her. "If you did not kidnap her, do you think things would have ended up in this state?!


    "You wanted to kidnap her and ruin her to vent your anger, but have you ever once considered the consequences of your actions?


    "This woman is protected not only by Zhou Yan but also by Han Qingshan! The truth is that she is a couple with Han Qingshan, so why are you so jealous of her? She is not even with Zhou Yan, and very unlikely to ever be with him!


    "What you have done has caused the Mu family, who has existed through generations, to be on the verge of collapsing! But that was not enough for you; you had to push us over the edge!


    "By kidnapping her, do you really think we will have a chance of talking peacefully with the Zhou and Han families any longer? This is a warzone now!"


    "But brother! If it doesn''t matter then why won''t you let me ruin her? At least my anger can dissipate somewhat then!"


    "Are you a retard?" the man scoffed at her with annoyance and disdain. "As long as she is unharmed and in our hands, we can use her to get at least a little leeway against them. If something happened to her, do you honestly think we could keep our lives?"


    "The Zhou and Han families don''t engage in illegal businesses though," the woman refused to give up. "They might have some guards, but what can they do against us?"


    "You honestly think that they have no underground forces?" the brother laughed mockingly. "This is their country; of course they have hidden forces.


    "Not to mention that this place is not our home turf. We have no real means to fight them."


    "But if we cannot fight them, then they can''t eradicate us either," the woman continued, but the brother shook his head. "Our base and Zhou Yan''s base are in the same country. We have no way of survival."


    The woman was angry and gritted her teeth, unable to hold back. Why was this woman so lucky that two such outstanding men would fight for her?


    At the same time, Jiang Yingyue was listening in on their conversation; her ear plastered to the keyhole in the door.


    She understood more and more of their motive, and she felt a cold chill run down her spine. So the purpose of kidnapping her had been to ruin her? That was simply inexcusable.


    She felt a chill run down her spine and felt lingering fear. Although she felt as if the fear was overwhelming her, she quickly calmed herself down and forced it to retreat. She could be afraid when she had gotten away from this place.


    She dared not believe that the man would be able to hold the woman back for long. She was so obsessed with ruining her, that the longer she stayed, the more dangerous it would become.


    Her eyes flashed with coldness, and she went to the windows to check her surroundings. She was in a mansion, and from what she could see, it was somewhere in the countryside.


    There were no other houses in the surrounding area, and guards were patrolling the ground. Even more guards were guarding the entrance to the mansion.


    A big wall was surrounding the entire plot of land, and one had to enter through a gate that was around three meters tall.


    She was trapped, but she refused to give up easily. Muttering to herself for a moment, she returned to the door to listen, but no sounds could be heard outside.


    When the two siblings had left earlier, she had glanced outside, only to see that there was no one guarding her room. They were not worried that she could escape from such a heavily guarded mansion.


    Even though she knew that she could escape the room, she did not rush. Instead, she sat down on the bed and began planning. She understood that getting out of the mansion and on the other side of the wall would be hard, but she was not going to sit and let others save her. She had to give it her all to escape.


    If she waited too long, her life would maybe not be in danger, but the torture she''d expereince would be grueling.


    After contemplating for some time, a determination gleamed in her eyes, and she slowly left the room.


    Outside the room was a large corridor. The corridor was completely dark as no lights were turned on and there were no windows to let the moonlight shine inside.


    Jiang Yingyue placed her hand on the wall and slowly moved towards a set of stairs she could see at the end of the corridor.


    The stairs led down to the floor beneath. Her goal was to enter the cellar of the house.


    She was not sure what they held in the cellar, but if she was lucky to find some power tools or other items she could use in her escape, then she would be happy.

 Chapter 221 - Creating Chaos

    Sneaking around in a mansion where it was impossible to say what was where, and with no prior experience in sneaking around, Jiang Yingyue''s heart was beating rapidly, and she felt her body trembling with adrenaline.


    She was not sure if she would be killed on sight or if they would lock her up again, she assumed it heavily depended on who managed to catch her.


    If it was the woman, she would undoubtedly die. If it was the man, she was likely to be locked up again.


    Neither of these options was acceptable for her, as she snuck around in the mansion, hiding every time she encountered a guard. Fortunately, not many guards were patrolling inside the mansion, so she was quite quick at finding her way towards the cellar.


    She was not sure what she would find in there, but she assumed that it would be the place where someone could store things they did not use too much, or things that were in the way in the rest of the house.


    As such, she was hoping for power tools. Preferably something sharp so that she could cut the power supply in the house and sneak out amid the ensuing chaos.


    While moving around the mansion, Jiang Yingyue was so nervous that she felt as if her heart was up to her throat. It was beating so rapidly that she feared it would leave her body, even her fingertips were trembling with nervousness.


    As she hid for the umpteenth time, she took a deep breath to calm herself. She did not doubt that if these people caught her, the consequences would be ugly.


    After the guards had passed, Jiang Yingyue continued her movement towards the cellar.


    It was an inconspicuous staircase that led down to the cellar. No one was guarding it, but the patrol in this area was tighter than in the rest of the mansion.


    Slipping down the stairs, Jiang Yingyue came to the cellar beneath the house. Here she found numerous power tools, but what caught her eye was something else.


    It was not the power tools she had initially come for, but instead, she found explosives.


    This mansion belonged to the Mu family; it was one of their main residences within this country.


    As such, with them being an underground power, their cellar was filled with weapons, explosives, and other illegal items.


    Jiang Yingyue glanced at the guns and so on, but quickly decided against picking one up. She had no idea how guns worked, so taking one would be useless.


    Explosives, on the other hand, were quite useful. They even had a timer mechanism. Taking the explosives into her hands, a sinister smile appeared on her lips.


    It seemed she had a plan. Taking the explosives, she slowly started to leave the cellar. Sneaking into an empty room, she exited through a window at the back of the house.


    Here, the security was a lot lighter than at the front of the building, and to solve her problem, the back of the house was the best place to start.


    Jiang Yingyue placed one of the explosives at the wall that surrounded the mansion. Then she set the timer and ran towards the east side of the wall.


    Here she once more placed one of the explosives and programmed it, before she rushed back to the west side and did the same once more.


    By the time the third explosive was placed, a loud boom had reverberated through the entire area, the ground had shaken, and the sounds of chaos ensued.


    All the guards rushed to the back of the mansion, rushing to see what had happened.


    Jiang Yingyue did not go there, but if she had, she would have seen that the wall had exploded and that thousands of big boulders would have been thrown towards the mansion itself, causing big dents and holes to appear in the walls.


    Not long after, a second explosion sounded out, causing the area to tremble again, everyone was filled with horror. Were the Zhou and Han families ignoring the safety of Jiang Yingyue and creating havoc?


    While everyone was puzzled, but also fearful, Jiang Yingyue was observing the gates.


    She had waited for a long time to see the last guards slowly moving away from the gates, heading towards the location of the third explosion.


    Seeing that the gates were unguarded, Jiang Yingyue rushed through them and began running.


    She ran without knowing where she was heading to, just running further and further away from the house. The ones inside the mansion had no time to care about her, and she had no energy to see how many would chase her.


    After two hours, she was exhausted. She could not move even a step further and started looking around her surroundings in an exhausted manner.


    She had reached a small forest. She had been running away from the roads so as not to be caught easily again, but now she was lost and full of worry.


    She did not have her cell phone on her; neither did she have any way of knowing where she was, and it was slowly turning to night.


    Although Jiang Yingyue was unaware of how to survive in a forest, she knew better than to stay on the ground during night time and using the rest of her energy she slowly started to climb a tree where she sat down and relaxed.


    Her body was exhausted, her mind also on the verge of a breakdown. She found a comfortable position and started relaxing.


    Moments after, her eyes closed and she fell into a deep slumber, unaware of how much chaos her escape had caused, not only towards the Mu family but also to Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan.

 Chapter 222 - Rescue

    The news of Jiang Yingyue''s escape landed in Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan''s news network an hour after her escape, and their hearts were beating rapidly when they heard what she had done to the Mu family''s mansion.


    "She''s still quite wild," Zhou Yan commented with a low voice, his eyes displaying his shock. How much courage and guts had she needed to be able to flee like this from an underground force?


    Han Qingshan was equally shocked. The Jiang Yingyue he knew was gentle and loving, she was sometimes dazed, and although she was intelligent, she was always so ditzy when she was together with him.


    Seeing her reacting so fast and decisive was like discovering a new side to her, and he was intrigued.


    While the two of them were talking to one another, Lin Qiang suddenly appeared with a band of bodyguards and two bound up people.


    The two people were the Mu brother and sister.


    "You dared to attack our Yingyue?" Han Qingshan asked with a frown as he looked at her, "but how did you possibly treat her, for her to run away like this?"


    This was what made him most worried. Jiang Yingyue had ran away, had something happened to her in order to go to such lengths instead of waiting for them to save her?


    "We didn''t do anything," Miss Mu snarled, "My brother wouldn''t let me, but I would have her ruined if it was up to me!"


    "You would want her to be ruined?" The eyes of both Zhou Yan and Han Qingshan flashed with murderous intent, neither of them held any good impression of this miss Mu, and with her current words, she had more or less signed a death note.


    "Who asked her to seduce my fiance? It is only natural that I return her in kind. If she doesn''t have enough men, why not give her so many men that she would be unable to hang on!" Miss Mu began laughing out loud, but suddenly a gunshot sounded in the room; her laughter turned to a gurgling and the woman''s eyes were filled with disbelief.


    Had they truly acted against her? Truly wanted to kill her? She was the magnificent miss of the Mu family!


    Unfortunately, it was too late. Blood gushed out of her chest and her mouth. She had not been shot directly in the heart, but very close to it, and she would not survive.


    Fear and regret finally started to spread in her heart, but she was unable to change anything.


    At the same time, young master Mu, her brother, was silently waiting for his own death.


    "You protected her?" Han Qingshan suddenly asked, and the young master raised his head perplexed.


    "She is innocent, I cannot let my insane sister act out on her whims," he said, partly honest.


    Both Zhou Yan and Han Qingshan looked at the young master with penetrating eyes, trying to gauge what his honest thoughts were.


    "Let him go," Zhou Yan said after a bit of thinking.


    "If the Mu family still wants to fight us, then we will follow through till the end, but if not, then we will also let go now that Miss Mu is dead." Han Qingshan did not forget to warn them, and young master Mu understood well what had been happening.


    The rest of the Mu family were likely to hold back now that Miss Mu had died, they were not willing to offend both the Zhou and Han families at the same time.


    Young Master Mu realized that they had not intended to let any of the Mu family go, but because he had protected her, they repaid him and his family in kind.


    Although the Mu family was magnificent, they were not in a position where they could face off against those two families, so anyone with a bit of a brain would know that this was already the best solution.


    While Han Qingshan and Zhou Yan were dealing with Miss Mu and Young Master Mu, they had sent a lot of people out to search for Jiang Yingyue. Both of them were filled with worry as they did not know where she had gone. They searched in every direction, even helicopters were used in the search; thousands of people were out in the forest and in the fields looking for her.


    The ruckus had woken Jiang Yingyue up, but she dared not say a word, she was mum as she tried to lower her presence at the top of the tree.


    It was impossible to say if the people searching for her were indeed from the Han and Zhou families, or if they were from the Mu family, so she was extremely cautious.


    Like this, the hours went by. She was famished and thirsty and feeling faint, but she was holding on while waiting for the people to leave the forest.


    Slowly, the people who had been walking through the forest started to ebb out, and she was feeling relieved until she suddenly heard the sound of dogs.


    These clamoring dogs were not of the wild variety, but instead tracking dogs, who had caught the scent of Jiang Yingyue.


    Her heart went cold and she felt as if she had fallen into a millennium-old glacier.


    It did not take long before the dogs surrounded the tree, barking and jumping at the tree trunk, and the people who were guiding them noticed her.


    "Miss Jiang, please come down," one of them said politely, but Jiang Yingyue shook her head wordlessly. She was horrified that they belonged to the Mu family.


    Like this, time went by, the rescuers dared not force her down, and Jiang Yingyue did not descend from the tree.. Still, after two hours, another helicopter landed outside the forest, and Han Qingshan quickly descended from it, rushing into the forest.

 Chapter 223 - Waking Up

    Jiang Yingyue was huddled into herself in the top of the tree; her heart was beating rapidly as she looked around, wondering what she could do to escape.


    She was terrified. Although she had been calm and collected at the Mu family, now that she had escaped she would never return to that place, and fearing that the Mu siblings had sent these men, her heart could not help but tremble.


    She looked down fearfully, but the dogs were still clamoring, the big black-clothed bodyguards were also still standing there looking up at her with unchanged expressions.


    Amid her horror, she felt as if she was crumbling down, but then she heard a voice that felt like a heavenly song to her, and she lifted her head that had been hidden in her bosom before.


    Looking down, she saw a figure rushing through the forest and coming towards her, his figure all so familiar.


    Her heart skipped a beat, and her chapped lips, which had been dried out from her dehydration, opened and closed as she tried to speak.


    She did not manage to say a single word, but she still pulled on the lips, and blood began flowing from the small cracks.


    Although she could taste blood in her mouth, she did not register it. Instead, her eyes were glued onto Han Qingshan, who was rushing towards her. When he came under the tree, he quickly made the dog''s owners bring them away, and he told the bodyguards to vacate the area as well.


    When only Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue remained, he finally looked up at her, and he felt his heart ache, filled with pain.


    Jiang Yingyue was seated on a large branch, her small body was huddled up in a ball, her arms tightly embracing her legs, and her head was looking down on him, tears flowing freely from her eyes.


    Her lips were chapped, blood was flowing from them, and her eyes were showing a mixture of hopelessness and disbelief.


    Her clothes were messy. Clearly they had been pulled by many branches while she was running away; her feet, which had been without shoes, were also bleeding from running through the dense thicket.


    "You little fool," Han Qingshan said with a gentle voice that was filled with self-blaming. How could he possibly have let Jiang Yingyue become so injured?


    Why would he even let her be in danger? Although it was not his fault, it was not her fault either. She should not have suffered like this.


    Jiang Yingyue looked at the man on the ground beneath her, her body trembled, and she almost fell from the branch.


    "Careful!" Han Qingshan called out before he gently coaxed her to come down.


    Everything was a blur to Jiang Yingyue, from when she saw Han Qingshan, until they were suddenly within the helicopter. All the way Han Qingshan had carried her, and as they reached the safety of the helicopter, Jiang Yingyue suddenly collapsed.


    Her body was trembling, and her brows were furrowed. She was uncomfortable.


    Han Qingshan''s heart was hurting when he saw her like this.


    He quickly dragged her into his embrace and ordered the pilot to leave behind the forest and rush to the first hospital within the capital.


    The helicopter landed on the roof, and by the time it landed, Jiang Yingyue was still unconscious, but many doctors were already waiting for them.


    They instantly made Han Qingshan put Jiang Yingyue down on a stretcher, and hurried her into the VIP ward.


    A nurse appeared and changed her clothes for her, it was also female doctors who tended to her, and after an hour, they exited and went to speak with Han Qingshan.


    "She is still unconscious," the head doctor started. "She was exhausted and stressed. We need to keep an eye on her to ensure that she does not have posttraumatic stress disorder."


    The doctors were aware that she had been kidnapped and had escaped, Han Qingshan had provided them with all the information needed to diagnose her.


    The doctors were aware that Han Qingshan was an upscale person, and even more, they were informed that she was his girlfriend. It was evident that she had been kidnapped by someone who wished to use their relationship to earn money.


    Han Qingshan was seated on a chair next to the hospital bed. He held her hand carefully in his, and his heart was filled with a dull pain as he saw her lying on the bed listless and without any signs of life.


    If not for the low sound of her breathing, and the chest rising and lowering slowly, then he would be afraid that she was dead.


    The night passed in silence, Han Qingshan did not sleep for even a minute, his eyes were locked onto Jiang Yingyue.


    It was not before the sunrise started creeping over the horizon that Jiang Yingyue stirred on the bed.


    She instantly started sitting up when she awoke as if she feared the worst.


    "Calm down, I am here." It was not before Jiang Yingyue heard Han Qingshan''s voice that she calmed down slightly.


    She took a deep breath; then she slowly and hesitantly reached out her hand to touch Han Qingshan''s cheek.


    She was trembling as if she was afraid that he was not real, but when she touched him and felt the touch was real, she let out a deep breath and finally felt safe again.


    "That was scary," she said, her voice still trembling.


    "I know," Han Qingshan nodded his head. "Don''t worry, it will not happen again."


    Jiang Yingyue nodded her head. She noticed that bags had formed underneath Han Qingshan''s eyes, and she knew that he had not slept for a full night.


    "Come here," she said as she shuffled to the side and patted the bed below her.

 Chapter 224 - Letting Go

    Han Qingshan looked at Jiang Yingyue and the bed, his eyes showing some surprise.


    "You seem like you haven''t slept for a full night," Jiang Yingyue said, her heart aching whenever she thought about how Han Qingshan was waiting for her to wake up, even forgetting to sleep.


    "Are you inviting me to share a bed with you?" he asked with a grin on his face, and Jiang Yingyue blushed.


    "Aren''t you tired?" she asked with a meek and low voice. She dared not look at him, her cheeks were crimson as she was embarrassed, but she knew he would not do anything out of bounds as they were in the hospital.


    Since that was the case, she had no scruples caring for him and reached out her hand to tug on his sleeve.


    "You need sleep," she said gently.


    Seeing her like this, Han Qingshan''s heart softened, and he went to her side. He took his jacket off, lifted the duvet, and crawled underneath it.


    He was suddenly feeling immensely exhausted, and he smiled slightly when he saw the worry in Jiang Yingyue''s eyes.


    Dragging her into his embrace, he could smell the scent of her hair, and he instantly felt relieved.


    She was okay. She was by his side. In the future everything would be fine.


    Jiang Yingyue had been sleeping for a long time, so she was not feeling too tired, but upon seeing how Han Qingshan was holding her, she did not move and slowly closed her eyes, enjoying the closeness and the feeling of belonging to one another again.


    When she was in his embrace she was feeling the safest.


    Slowly, by listening to the steady breathing behind her back, Jiang Yingyue also drifted off to sleep. She was in her own world and feeling extra secure. It was as if no harm could touch her, and her lips were tugged into a slight smile.


    This was the scene that greeted Zhou Yan when he came to visit her to see how she was doing.


    Seeing her sleeping so sweetly while being held by Han Qingshan, he suddenly found that he was not jealous any longer. Instead, he felt happiness.


    Seeing her like this, he could not help but smile wryly. Although she was his dream, he would never harm her, and it seemed that she had found her dream somewhere else.


    Giving them an extra glance, Zhou Yan shook his head but said nothing. The smile on his face was tender and filled with affection, and he gestured for Lin Qiang to follow him out of the ward.


    As they left, Lin Qiang was filled with confusion. What was going on? Who was he? Where was he?


    Had someone kidnapped his master and replaced him with a strange creature? Shouldn''t he be flaring with anger and jealousy upon witnessing this scene? Why was he suddenly so casual and calm?


    "Are you very curious?" Zhou Yan''s voice suddenly sounded from in front of him, and Lin Qiang, without realizing, nodded his head.


    Seeing this, Zhou Yan chuckled. "She is happy now. Who am I to try and break down that happiness?"


    Lin Qiang was shocked. So Zhou Yan, the unbeatable Zhou Yan, was stepping back? That was not right, was it?


    But looking at the tranquil expression on Zhou Yan''s face, he knew it was true. He had given up on having a relationship with Jiang Yingyue.


    But he did not seem defeated or unhappy. Instead, a smile was on his always stoic face; he was genuinely happy!


    Lin Qiang was unable to understand what was going on, and he did not even attempt to say what was on his mind.


    He just nodded his head in confusion.


    It was afternoon by the time Han Qingshan awoke from his slumber. He had slept wonderfully with Jiang Yingyue in his arms, and looking into his embrace, he could see her still snuggling up against him, clearly feeling safe and happy.


    A few flowers were placed on the table, and even more gifts were stacked on the floor. Quite a few people had come by while they were sleeping.


    It was clear that they had seen them sleeping together, but none of them had minded it; no one had woken them up, letting them sleep as much as they could.


    Han Qingshan was not embarrassed. Instead, he was feeling happy and contented, but he knew that when Jiang Yingyue woke up, her face would turn scarlet in embarrassment from knowing that someone came in and saw them sleeping together.


    Shaking his head in amusement, Han Qingshan poked Jiang Yingyue''s cheek, causing her to pout her lips in her sleep. Her annoyed expression was too cute, and he placed a gentle peck on her forehead.


    The soft touch made the pout on her lips be replaced by a gentle smile, and she shuffled even closer to Han Qingshan, like a small kitten who was nestling against its parent.


    Sensing her reliance on him, Han Qingshan smiled even brighter than before and gently woke her up.


    If she slept too much, she would not be able to sleep again during the night.


    As she woke up, her eyes were dazed and confused, she was unaware of where she was, but looking at the handsome face in front of her, she did not feel too worried.


    Not long after, her eyes focused, and she remembered where she was. Her adorable expression turned a little more normal until her eyes landed on the gifts that were placed at the table.


    "This... This��" she was stammering as she looked at the gifts placed there.. "How did they get there?" she was slightly panicked as she asked.

 Chapter 225 - Discharged From The Hospital

    "They were left there by our guests," Han Qingshan answered casually, observing how her head turned scarlet, much like he had expected.


    Smiling slightly, he could not help but shake his head as he thought her adorable.


    "We will stay in the hospital for a few more days. The doctors are worried that you have gotten posttraumatic stress disorder, so they need to keep you under observation."


    Jiang Yingyue had guessed that it would be something like this and nodded her head. Although she disliked hospitals, and would much rather hurry home to the condo, she did not make things difficult for Han Qingshan.


    She knew that she had been scared stiff by the Mu siblings, and she was lucky to have walked out of it without any more severe wounds, both mentally and physically.


    Fortunately, that Young Master Mu had been sensible, but Miss Mu was still causing her to feel horrified.


    She would shiver whenever she thought about the woman, and thus she felt it was better to be at the hospital to be thoroughly checked.


    "What happened to you? Why did you not wait for me to come and save you?" Han Qingshan asked worriedly when he looked at Jiang Yingyue.


    Jiang Yingyue felt a shiver run down her spine. "It was because of the woman. She was not going to wait long to make a move on me," she said calmly, but there was a dread in her voice that made Han Qingshan worried.


    He remembered the words Miss Mu had said to him and knew that she was likely not polite at all towards Jiang Yingyue either.


    The fear of what Miss Mu might have done to her had caused her to act so fearlessly and even blow up their courtyard before escaping.


    She was so brazen, but she was forced by the circumstances, so Han Qingshan was marveling in her brilliance and quick wit.


    Holding Jiang Yingyue in his arms, Han Qingshan gave her a sense of security.


    The couple spent the time talking about what had happened from the moment she had been captured until the time when he had found her again.


    It was clear that she had experienced something traumatic, but she was calm about it all.


    "What happened to this, Miss Mu?" Jiang Yingyue asked Han Qingshan, and his face turned solemn. His gaze flickered slightly and he wondered if he should tell her the truth, but he feared that she would not be able to fully accept the fact that he had a hand in killing someone.


    Jiang Yingyue was innocent and sweet. He did not have to share this horrible secret with her.


    "She won''t be causing you problems any longer," Han Qingshan answered in an attempt of escaping the question, but his vague reply just made her frown her brows.


    "Are you sure?" she asked with a confused expression. "She was incredibly stubborn, and I don''t think this would have made her hate me any less."


    "Don''t worry," Han Qingshan squeezed her palm in his hand, "I am sure that she will never cause you any problems again."


    Hearing the certainty in his voice, Jiang Yingyue seemed to understand, yet not understand.


    She knew he had done something, but as to what he had done, she could not guess.


    Never in her mind would she have thought that he and Zhou Yan were the cause of Miss Mu''s death, but even if she knew, she would never condemn them.


    She had lost much of her naivety after this experience; she was no longer thinking the best of everyone, and she knew that some people had to be treated cruelly in order to protect oneself.


    She would never risk her happiness with Han Qingshan, and she would remove anyone who got in the way.


    The next few days went by in a blur. Jiang Yingyue was by Han Qingshan''s side every day, and she was even visited by Yan Meilin and Han Liqiang.


    Her own parents were unaware of the situation, and she did not wish to tell them about it either as it would only worry them, and they had just returned to the countryside.


    After three days, the doctors determined that she did not have posttraumatic stress disorder, and her nerves had just been frazzled after the encounter.


    Han Qingshan was treating her like she was a treasure, he was worried that she was afraid of being alone, so for those three days he had left all work in the Han Corporation to his father to deal with.


    As she was discharged from the hospital, Han Qingshan took her directly back home to the condo, and although it was early in the day, he refused to let her do anything; she wasn''t even allowed to cook.


    Seeing the overprotective appearance of Han Qingshan, Jiang Yingyue could not help but chuckle. It seemed that the one who had suffered the biggest fear from her kidnapping was actually him.


    She walked to his side and placed a kiss on his chin, "You can''t tell me I am not allowed to cook any longer," she happily said. Unknown to her, she had turned slightly coquettish.


    Seeing her like this, Han Qingshan''s eyes deepened, the worries started drifting further to the back of his mind and he reached out, wrapping his arms around Jiang Yingyue''s waist and dragging her into his embrace.


    His body was hot and his breath was scorching as he lowered his head and gently placed his lips onto Jiang Yingyue''s.


    He was gentle with his movements as if she was a doll made from glass.. He gently kissed her, sucking on her lower lip and gently prying open her lips with his tongue.

 Chapter 226 - Becoming One

    Feeling the tongue tracing her lips, prying them open, and invading her mouth, Jiang Yingyue started to soften in his embrace.


    Their tongues entwined, dancing within their mouths, gentle and lingering.


    While Han Qingshan was kissing Jiang Yingyue, he felt an unprecedented gentleness in his heart; he knew that he would do anything in the world to make this woman happy.


    But it was not enough. After the scare he had experienced, he truly needed to touch her, to feel her, to be inside of her again. He needed to feel themselves becoming one to know that she was still here.


    His body was honest, and it was reacting to his thoughts. It was so hot that he was starting to wonder what exactly could have caused him to have such a strong reaction, his member was rising proudly, throbbing, and burning.


    He deepened the kiss, greedy for Jiang Yingyue''s touch. He tightened the arms around her waist, dragging her into his embrace, pressing her against his hard-on.


    The feeling of having her pressing against him made him feel even hotter, his throat was turning dry, and he wanted more. Much more.


    Without hesitating, he placed both his hands on Jiang Yingyue''s waist and pressed her hard against him before he began grinding himself against her.


    He could feel how Jiang Yingyue was trembling in his arms; her breathing was erratic, her eyelashes trembling, and her eyes were dazed and confused.


    Sensing that she was melting into a puddle in his arms, Han Qingshan smirked, his hands that had been pressing her against his lower body suddenly lifted her, before he pressed her against the wall.


    He wrapped her legs around his waist, holding her up against the wall, her trembling becoming even more noticeable as the cold wall was contrasting to the scorching body that was between her legs, pressing against her.


    Her mind was addled, her eyes looking at Han Qingshan, and as he grind against her most sensitive place, he heard a whimper escaping her lips, causing him to lose his rationale as he lowered his head and began nibbling on her neck.


    Stretching her neck, Jiang Yingyue used a hand to cover her mouth, trying to muffle the sounds that were threatening to spill from her lips, but Han Qingshan grabbed her hand and took it away.


    "Let me hear you," he said with a husky and low voice. He grinded his hard-on even harder against her, feeling her becoming weaker and weaker in his arms.


    His lips, which had been placing kisses and sucking on her neck, putting his own unique mark on her skin, lowered even further.


    His hands reached up and ripped open her clothes, revealing her tender and white skin. Her breasts, which were rising and lowering in unsteady breaths were so enticing that he lowered his head and gently bit on her nipple through the bra, the act causing her to gasp and moan in surprise.


    The more these sounds escaped her lips unbidden, the more thrilled Han Qingshan became. Seeing her so confused and in such pleasure because of him, he felt great satisfaction.


    His hands combed through her black hair before pressing behind the back and opening the bra.


    As soon as it was open, he used his hands to remove it from her body before his head dove down and captured her pink spots with his mouth. He was licking, teasing and gently nibbling on them, causing tremor after tremor through Jiang Yingyue''s body, making her unable to withstand the pleasure.


    Han Qingshan''s eyes were shrouded in lust, he wanted her, and he wanted her now. His hands went downwards, and with a strong rip, he broke the stockings that Jiang Yingyue was wearing.


    Even the panties were ripped apart and got tossed to the ground.


    Jiang Yingyue was now fully naked, her black hair cascading down her shoulders and framing her face, a slight sheen of sweat covering her forehead.


    Han Qingshan reached down with his hand, caressing the soft, tender thigh of Jiang Yingyue, sending a shiver down her body, before he followed up the thigh as he reached her most sensitive area.


    A finger penetrated her gently, touching and rubbing, preparing her for what was to come.


    He felt how she was trembling in his arms, the wetness in her lower body was making him throb uncontrollably, he wanted her so badly now, but he had to prepare her well. Otherwise, it might hurt her.


    He placed one of his arms underneath Jiang Yingyue''s bottom and the other behind her back, and carried her towards the bedroom where he put her on the bed.


    The touch of the silk sheets on her skin was so stimulating that Jiang Yingyue arched her back as she nearly cried out. A soft purr escaped her lips instead, and Han Qingshan quickly got rid of his clothes before he pressed down on Jiang Yingyue again.


    Teasing her, groping her, his hands roamed all over her body, igniting her like a fire, playing her body like it was the finest instrument.


    He could no longer hold back, his hard, throbbing member thrust into Jiang Yingyue, who sobered up for a moment. Clung onto Han Qingshan''s back, her weak voice called out in a hoarse and alluring voice, "Qingshan... Ah��"


    The voice was so tender and sensual that Han Qingshan thrust hard into her, feeling the satisfaction of being wrapped up by Jiang Yingyue. He sighed slightly in pleasure before he began moving inside of her.


    He was like an insatiable beast, asking for more and more, never getting enough.. He continued for the entire night, tossing Jiang Yingyue so much that she eventually collapsed while begging for mercy.

 Chapter 227 - Dont Overthink

    When Jiang Yingyue woke up the following morning, she felt her body sore. It was so heavy that even lifting an arm was an arduous task.


    She could not help but glare at the man who was lying next to her, resting as if it was the most natural thing to do, now that he had been satiated last night.


    Trying to climb out of bed and head to the bathroom, Jiang Yingyue found that her body was too exhausted; that her legs were trembling and that her entire body, although washed down by Han Qingshan last night, were still sweaty after having been hugged the whole night.


    While she was moving, she had to hold onto something to stabilize herself, and when she almost made it to the bathroom, she heard a chuckle behind her.


    Glaring back, she found that Han Qingshan had propped his head up, resting it on one arm, and was looking at her in amusement.


    There were no signs of exhaustion on his face, only sheer admiration as he looked at the many marks that were all over her body, placed there by him last night.


    It was a rewarding feeling knowing that she was marked by him; everyone would know that she had a partner then.


    The marks on her neck were so high that she had to wear a scarf to hide them if she was not okay with showing them off.


    Jiang Yingyue did not know how many marks were left all over her body. Right now, the only thing on her mind was to enter a warm bath and soothe her aching muscles.


    The bathtub was enormous, so large that she could lay down in it with no problems, and as she felt the warm water spread all over her body, she was feeling much better, but she could not help but curse Han Qingshan for being a wolf in sheep''s clothes.


    Although he was so friendly and warm normally, he was so demanding at night. She was unable to withstand it all.


    She was resting in the water until it started turning cold. At this point, her body had fully regained its functionality.


    She stood up, dried her body and hair before she began applying her cream. After this she finished, she exited the bathroom all wrapped up in a bathrobe.


    As she returned to the bedroom, she found that Han Qingshan was no longer inside, and she began to dress while feeling calm. Since he was not present, it was natural that she would get dressed without a care in the world.


    She was embarrassed whenever Han Qingshan watched her getting dressed. Even though they were together and had done the deed more than once, she was not used to being seen naked.


    Jiang Yingyue found that Han Qingshan had entered the study. After what had happened to her, and the fact that she had been away for so long, with him by her side and doing nothing for three days; it was natural that he had a lot of things that had stacked up and needed to be dealt with.


    Jiang Yingyue went to the kitchen but there she found that there were almost no fresh products.


    In the end, she made congee with lean pork and century eggs. She had made enough for both herself and for Han Qingshan, and the scent of food managed to drag Han Qingshan from the office.


    "It smells so good," he said gently. Since she had been kidnapped and until she returned, he had eaten nothing. From the time she was hospitalized and until they went home, the two of them had eaten nothing but take-out.


    Now that they were home, he was worried if cooking was too dangerous for Jiang Yingyue, but knowing that she was enjoying it, he said nothing. He also missed her food.


    Not long after, the two of them sat down and ate. "I need to go to the office today," Han Qingshan apologized, but Jiang Yingyue nodded her head obediently. She understood that he had to face a lot of pressure now.


    Seeing her so obedient, Han Qingshan reached out his hand and rubbed her head. "I am taking you to Mother''s place," he said. "Being home alone all day can get boring, so play a little with my mother. She adores you like her own daughter, so I am sure you will have fun together."


    Jiang Yingyue smiled sweetly; she too liked Yan Meilin a lot. She was gentle, open, and always supportive of the two of them.


    After eating, Jiang Yingyue did the dishes while Han Qingshan washed up and got ready. Then they exited the condo and went towards the Han Mansion.


    Here, Yan Meilin was already waiting for Jiang Yingyue when Han Qingshan called her earlier to hear if she could spend time with Jiang Yingyue. She had been so ecstatic and excited.


    She understood her son well and knew why they had to keep her company. If she was alone, it was likely that she would overthink about what had happened to her before and fall into a negative spiral.


    Instead, she should have fun, and Yan Meilin instantly agreed to Han Qingshan.


    "Dear Yingyue!" she called out when she saw the young woman walk towards her. "We are going shopping today," she declared. "There is a big banquet coming up soon, for the entire Han family, and I want to take the chance to introduce you to the extended family as the young partner of Han Qingshan."


    Jiang Yingyue instantly felt nervous, but she knew it had to be done one day or another.. She nodded her head and placed a hand on her heart, trying to calm it down.

 Chapter 228 - "You Blew Up The Mu Mansion?"

    Han Qingshan was also smiling brightly; he wanted the world to know that this woman was his and that they were together.


    They could not get married yet, and thus Han Qingshan could not stake his claim on Jiang Yingyue to the public, but now he could show the family that they were together at least.


    Jiang Yingyue was only eighteen; there were still two years before she could get married.


    Even Han Qingshan had two years before he too could get married, as the law stated that a woman needed to be twenty and a man twenty-two before they could get married.


    Although he could not claim her as his own in marriage yet, he could at least introduce her to his family members and slowly make the entire world aware that he had a woman by his side, a woman he would never let go.


    While Han Qingshan was feeling ecstatic about Jiang Yingyue being introduced to his family, Jiang Yingyue was suddenly reminded of someone.


    "Will Tang Meixing be there too?" she asked a little hesitantly. Although she was part of their family, she had caused problems for Jiang Yingyue more than once, and she was not happy to even see her.


    Noticing that Han Qingshan''s face turned dark and that Jiang Yingyue looked a little pressured, Yan Meilin instantly guessed that something was not as it was supposed to be.


    "What did that silly girl do?" she asked, not sure about how dangerous her actions were.


    "When Yingyue still lived as Fengmian, she was injured by a car. She was chased out of my condo by Tang Meixing, without her purse, and without her medication. She even broke her phone," Han Qingshan said through gnashing teeth.


    "Later on, she came to force her to leave me, she was insulting, and her language was repulsive. She was willing to do anything to chase her out of the condo.


    "I understand that she is willful and considers me her older brother, but that does not give her the right to interfere with my things, nor does it give her the right to insult Yingyue the way she did."


    Yan Meilin''s face had also gotten ugly upon hearing the words of Han Qingshan, and she was deep in thought.


    "We should invite her and make her understand that we, the main family, support you with Yingyue." Yan Meilin''s eyes were serious when she spoke.


    Han Qinghan considered for some time but then nodded his head. "Many of our uncles, cousins, and so on will be unhappy to hear that I have found a girlfriend from a humble background," he analyzed, "so let us use this occasion and make all of them understand that she is the one we have picked."


    Jiang Yingyue knew that the Han family was massive. It consisted of many branches, but it was Han Qingshan''s father, Han Liqiang, who was the head of the family, and the heir to the family was Han Qingshan.


    There were some internal conflicts in the family, but because all of them had their own jobs at the upper ranks in the company, and all branches owned some stocks from the company, the family was somewhat calm.


    But many wished to be the one to matchmake Han Qingshan. Not with their own family members, as that would be incest, but with their connections, so that they could benefit as much as possible.


    Han Qingshan had always been polite to the other members of the family, but he had never followed their ideas, and he could guess that many of them would be unhappy if they knew that he had picked a girlfriend with no background who couldn''t help their company advance.


    Even though the words did not sound good, Jiang Yingyue never doubted if it was okay for her to be together with Han Qingshan.


    They loved one another, and there was no space for anyone else in their relationship. Even though she wasn''t able to help him with his business, she could still help him with making him happy, helping him relax, and feel loved whenever he was down or stressed from work.


    "Well then, I am off," Han Qingshan said smilingly and left the house.


    Yan Meilin also impatiently waved him away so that she could focus on Jiang Yingyue. Looking her over, she found that she was wearing a retro dress in burgundy; her hair was tied in a bun on top of her head and her feet held a pair of black stilettos.


    She was not wearing any jewelry, but she was exquisite and so beautiful that Yan Meilin felt she would be ideal as a model.


    But she understood that her dream was to become a psychiatrist, and thus she said nothing about her thoughts.


    "Little Yue, why don''t we go in and get a cup of tea first? After tea, I will take you shopping at the mallto the shopping mall."


    Nodding her head, Jiang Yingyue followed behind Yan Meilin. The two of them chatted a lot; they talkedit was about everything, their lives, how she was doing, and her future plans.


    Jiang Yingyue could not help but smile as she spoke with Yan Meilin. It was as if she was a friend rather than aher mother-in-law; there was great chemistry between both of them.


    Just as they were talking, an elderly man appeared in the front door, and Jiang Yingyue instantly tensed. It was Han Qingshan''s grandfather, Han Weisheng.


    Seeing her, he was also stunned, but then happiness spread in his eyes.


    "Little girl, you blew up the Mu family''s house, right?" he asked right away, and Jiang Yingyue was surprised by his sudden excitement about her.

 Chapter 229 - Etiquette Lessons

    "Uh," she was not sure how to answer. It was the truth, but was that something to be happy about?


    Yan Meilin was a little worried that Jiang Yingyue would be reminded of the episode, and her mood would turn foul, but upon seeing her bright eyes, all honest and happy, she breathed a heavy sigh of relief.


    "Little girl, I never thought you would be so decisive! You managed to escape the Mu siblings so easily, and without shedding any blood. I was wrong about you, completely wrong about you!" he was not a man who would never admit his mistake, and now he was happy doing so.


    "A woman like you, with quick wits and able to stand your ground, you are fit to be the madam of our Han family!"


    Jiang Yingyue was completely taken by surprise when she heard what the man was saying. It was as if this old man had completely changed his personality!


    Yan Meilin also felt helpless. Han Weisheng was an extraordinary person. He was stern and cold to those he did not like, or those who were not close to him, but upon changing it to those whom he cared about, he was a very energetic and enthusiastic old man.


    He had not liked Jiang Yingyue before, but now she had proven herself worthy he found that, although he had claimed not to like her before, he had long since accepted her.


    Jiang Yingyue was unaware of whether or not it was suitable to laugh at him, but she held back and nodded her head in the end. "I blew up their mansion," she said honestly.


    "Good, good, good!" he said good three times, which showed just how pleased he was. "Those Mu family members are some real rascals!"


    "You do not like them?" Jiang Yingyue could not help but ask.


    "I don''t," Han Weisheng said with a grimace on his face. "When we were young, the old man from the Mu family tried to steal my wife!"


    Jiang Yingyue had expected many answers as to why they were not working well together. Anything from the rivaling of power to business deals that had gone awry, but it seemed that it had nothing to do with that, it was all about two men who were arguing about a woman.


    Smiling slightly, Jiang Yingyue shook her head. She had to say that the Han family was an affectionate bunch, doing everything for the sake of their other half.


    She felt blessed that she would belong to this family in the future.


    "Grandfather, I am planning on introducing Yingyue to the family at the upcoming banquet," Yan Meilin said to Han Weisheng. "We cannot have them married for another two years, but we can at least introduce her first, and then we can get them an engagement ceremony next year, and a year after that, their marriage ceremony."


    Han Weisheng was stroking his beard as he was in deep thought. "Let us do it like that," he said. "The banquet is taking place quite soon, are you sure that you will be able to prepare her for it?"


    "I can do it," Yan Meilin said with a smile on her face.


    Jiang Yingyue, who was standing at the side, was puzzled. Were they going to teach her etiquette, or was there something else that she needed to prepare without knowing?


    Soon she found out that it was indeed etiquette lessons. She was going to be introduced to the entire family, and Yan Meilin refused to allow her to be insulted and made fun of.


    Hence, she had decided that there should be an etiquette lesson every day until it was time for the banquet.


    Later that day, they went to the mall, and Yan Meilin went on a shopping spree, buying everything she laid her eyes on and having it sent back to the mansion.


    It was fortunate that she was from a family of billionaires. Otherwise, her shopping spree would be impossible.


    After shopping, they dined together while Han Qingshan was still at work. And the days slowly started flowing like water; during the day, Jiang Yingyue would go to the Han Mansion to get lessons in etiquette while Han Qingshan was busy at the office working through a mountain of paperwork which had been piled up for him.


    Like this, the time went by fast, and it was soon time for the family banquet to be held.


    All the members of the Han family were looking forward to this day, knowing that it would be the day where they would be able to interact with Han Qingshan and his family.


    Although they held prestigious positions in the corporation, if they managed to get on the right side of Han Qingshan and his father, they might get a promotion or raise in salary.


    At this point in time, the family was aware of the rumors that Han Qingshan had a girlfriend, but they had also heard of the previous rumors about him being gay.


    They assumed that the woman he was currently dating was merely a tool used to curb the rumors about him being gay, and thus no one considered the fact that she might be making an appearance at the banquet.


    "Mother, I am quite nervous," Jiang Yingyue said to Yan Meilin as the mature lady was fussing about her, changing her clothes and setting up her hair alongside fixing her makeup.


    Jiang Yingyue was still quite embarrassed by referring to Yan Meilin as ''Mother'', but she had been rebuked by Yan Meilin when she referred to her as ''aunt''.


    They were going to become family one day or another so it should be fine that she called her mother already; especially since Yan Meilin was extremely pleased with being addressed that way.

 Chapter 230 - Beginning Of The Banquet

    Han Qingshan knocked on the door and opened it when he heard a sound from the inside.


    He was wearing a black suit with a burgundy tie. The burgundy tie was made to match with the color of Jiang Yingyue''s dress, but Yan Meilin had refused to let Han Qingshan see her dress before now, the moment they were supposed to set out for the banquet.


    When he opened the door, Han Qingshan was about to say something, but upon laying his eyes on Jiang Yingyue, every word that was about to leave his mouth turned to nothing, and his body instantly stopped in his tracks, his entire body dumbfounded.


    In front of him was Jiang Yingyue. She was dressed in an evening gown in burgundy. It was a mermaid-like dress, it was tightly fitted on the upper body, but around the knees, it was flowing outwards, like a cloud.


    The dress was backless, showing off Jiang Yingyue''s perfect body, her shoulder blades were exquisite, her spine and the dip in her back were enough to make any man go crazy for her.


    Suddenly Han Qingshan started regretting making his mother take over her appearance today. He honestly did not wish to share such an alluring Jiang Yingyue with anyone else.


    Jiang Yingyue was unaware of how alluring she looked. She was feeling nervous about the entire banquet thing, but also excited. They were going to announce her relationship with Han Qingshan, and it was clear that it was something to celebrate.


    Jiang Yingyue''s hair was tied up on top of her head, showing off her long attractive neck, and the light make up that had been placed on her face was enough to bring out her youthfulness but also her charm.


    "You are here," Yan Meilin said as she saw Han Qingshan completely stunned by Jiang Yingyue. She could not help but snicker slightly when she saw the mixed emotions in her son''s eyes. It was clear that he was not willing to share the woman with others; it was the first time she realized how possessive her son actually was.


    Jiang Yingyue had had her back turned to Han Qingshan, but she was slowly turning around. After going through the etiquette classes, every movement that Jiang Yingyue made permeated with grace and elegance. She was as much of a rich young lady as any of their own circle.


    Although she now had the grace and elegance of a rich young woman, she had not lost her liveliness and splendor that shone brightly, her genuine smile, and her gentle temper.


    To Han Qingshan, this was a fatal allure, her soft eyes, plump lips, white skin. Everything was making it hard for him to hold back from rushing to her side.


    "Well, I will go get ready," Yan Meilin smiled as she looked at her son, who resembled a hungry wolf, who was doing his best to hold back.


    "Don''t mess up her hair or her make-up," she said before she left the atelier, and Han Qingshan advanced as if in a trance, his hands reaching out and grabbing Jiang Yingyue around the waist, pressing her against his chest.


    "You look so beautiful today," he said with a mellow voice, his affection so clear that anyone who looked into his eyes could see undisguised love.


    Even someone as dense as Jiang Yingyue could sense the love in those scorching eyes, her heart beating rapidly as she leaned against his chest. "I hope your family will like me," she muttered slightly.


    Knowing that she was worried, Han Qingshan raised his hand and gently caressed her back. "It does not matter if the rest of my family likes you," he seriously said. "All that matters is that I like you. As long as you have my golden thigh to hug, no one will be able to do anything to you."


    Jiang Yingyu giggled as she enjoyed the feeling of hearing his steady heartbeat against her ear.


    The two of them stood together for an unknown amount of time, just hugging one another, feeling complete and blissful.


    Suddenly a knock was heard on the atelier door, and Han Liqiang''s voice was heard through it, "Qingshan, Yingyue, we are going downstairs now."


    Sighing deeply, Han Qingshan released Jiang Yingyue. It was time for the banquet to begin.


    He held her hand in his, and together they opened the door, only to find that Han Liqiang and Yan Meilin were also wearing matching outfits.


    Where Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan were wearing burgundy clothes, they were wearing midnight blue.


    They looked beautiful together, and Jiang Yingyue could not help but smile when she saw them. She wished that she too would have such a relationship with Han Qingshan, that even when their child, or children, had gotten older and found their own partner, their love for one another would not diminish.


    Seeing her hopeful eyes as she looked at Mr. and Mrs. Han, Han Qingshan smiled slightly and squeezed her hand. He was confident that he would spoil her until the day they no longer lived.


    He would carry her all their lives; he would love her forever.


    Taking a deep breath, Jiang Yingyue steadied herself. She calmed her rapidly beating heart, and her expression softened. A gentle but polite smile appeared on her lips. She was ready to meet the rest of the family.


    When Han Qingshan, Yan Meilin, and Han Liqiang saw how she paced herself and took control of her own feelings, they all felt admiration towards her.


    Together, the four of them descended from the major staircase in the house. When Jiang Yingyue looked at the hall of the Han Mansion, she found that it was now bustling with life and filled with people.


    The moment they started their descent from down the stairs, the many conversations in the hall came to an abrupt end, and they all looked at them curiously, with mixed emotions on their faces.

 Chapter 231 - Going Overseas

    Everyone within the hall had expected to see Han Qingshan, Han Liqiang, and Yan Meilin descend from the stairs together, but this time there was an additional person with them.


    The four people were walking in two pairs; both pairs were holding hands. It was clear that this woman, who had appeared out of nowhere, was important to the Han family.


    The people observing were all stunned by what they saw, but upon a closer look at the woman, they instantly recognized her.


    They had seen her together with Madam Han in the mall, being bullied by He Yuyan. She was the alleged girlfriend, but why would she appear here?


    As they reached the final step of the stairs, they all stopped in their tracks, and Yan Meilin raised her voice.


    "Dear family members, welcome to this year''s family gathering. As I am sure many of you have noticed, Dear Yingyue is with us today, that is because we have an important announcement to make for you all.


    "Jiang Yingyue, Qingshan''s girlfriend, will be introduced to you all today. She is the woman that we, the Han family, has decided upon to be the future madam of the family, and she is now to be introduced to the family.


    "Next year, at the next family banquet, we will be holding an engagement party between Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue.


    "And two years from now, we will be holding their wedding ceremony. We look forward to sharing these happy and intimate moments with you all."


    The words Yan Meilin said, sent a shock through everyone in the Han family. They had never imagined that the woman was so skilled that she would end up as the young madam of the Han family.


    But there was not much objection to this. Instead, they were all looking at Jiang Yingyue as if they had seen a treasure.


    The men instructed their wives and children to try to get closer to her in an attempt to have her help them later on.


    Many of the young misses were somewhat envious, but because they were family members, they did not feel anything special for Han Qingshan, and thus, they were not jealous.


    They just wished they had the same luck, and that perhaps someone of equal status to Han Qingshan would take a fancy to them. Someone like Zhou Yan.


    Jiang Yingyue saw that the majority were polite and friendly towards her, and she took a deep breath in relief.


    Although she was not from a prestigious background, these people did not mind it too much. The Han family was already much stronger than any other family apart from the Zhou''s, and they had no women in their younger generation, so for him to marry the Zhou family, that was impossible.


    Since they could not make ties with the Zhou family, they did not mind too much that Han Qingshan had not picked one of their own suggested partners, because he had not chosen a partner suggested by a rival either.


    There was, however, one person in the hall who was filled with jealousy and hatred. Tang Meixing was standing at the corner of the hall; her teeth were gnashed tightly, her hands clenched into a fist.


    Her nails were digging into her palms; the pain that it brought made her somber up slightly, however before she had the time to change her facial expression, a gentle touch arrived at her shoulder.


    Stunned, Tang Meixing looked up into the eyes of her mother. "Dearest, I understand you have special emotions towards Han Qingshan, but you cannot be with him. He is your cousin, and it is not right to have such feelings towards your own blood-related family.


    "Not to mention, Han Qingshan has always treated you like a sister. Ever since your father died, big brother Liqiang and sister-in-law have been looking after us well, but they have no improper thoughts about you.


    "Now that Han Qingshan has found his own lover it is time for you to face reality. You need to let go and move forward. Otherwise, you will suffer even more in the future."


    Tang Meixing''s mother, Han Yue''er, was very quiet while she spoke, and only the two of them could hear the words she said. However, her words still caused Tang Meixing to feel her heart beat rapidly.


    How did her mother know of her emotions?


    Had she not hidden them well enough?


    Did Han Qingshan know of them too?


    Her face paled noticeably when she thought of this, and she could not help but tremble slightly. Although she was not happy, she had to admit that it was likely that they already knew.


    She looked up at Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue unwillingly; she was not willing to give up, but she understood that her feelings would burden Han Qingshan.


    She had to admit that she had been blinded by jealousy when she saw Jiang Yingyue last time, and looking at the two of them now, they seemed so perfect as they stood side by side; happiness was radiating from them both as their hands were clasped together and their fingers interlocked with one another.


    Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at the two of them. She had a moment of clarity and took a deep breath. "Mother, I wish to go to another country to study," she said with a bleak and saddened voice. "If I stay here, I do not know what I might do.. It is better to leave and come back when I am more in control of my emotions."

 Chapter 232 - Young Master Is Petty

    Jiang Yingyue was unaware of the thoughts that Tang Meixing was having. In fact, she did not even know if she was present due to the many people who had cornered her the moment Yan Meilin had finished talking.


    Many of the people who had surrounded her and Han Qingshan were the younger generation of the Han family, all of which were eager to get to know Jiang Yingyue, and in turn, butter up Han Qingshan.


    And it proved to be quite successful. He was looking immensely pleased as he looked at Jiang Yingyue with tender eyes as he listened to his cousins or relatives praising them as suitable for one another.


    Han Liqiang saw Han Qingshan''s extremely pleased look and knew what was going on, but he said nothing and just shook his head.


    He knew that Jiang Yingyue would not be easy to be fooled into taking advantage of Han Qingshan.


    The group of people were all in a good mood as they mingled. Many of the older generations went to congratulate Yan Meilin and Han Liqiang about finding such a beautiful daughter-in-law, and they politely made small talk.


    It was not before Han Weisheng arrived, that they went to eat their dinner at the banquet hall.


    Jiang Yingyue was not sure what to expect from Han Weisheng. The first time she met him, he had nothing but dislike for her, but the second time he was so friendly and overly enthusiastic.


    This time he was casual and calm. He was not energetic but instead behaved as one would expect someone of his age to act.


    He was overseeing the entire banquet hall with a calmness that made the others revere him; even Jiang Yingyue felt some respect for him.


    It was not easy controlling a family like the Han family. The entire extended family was invited, and there were all of Han Weisheng''s brother''s children with their families, which contained them, their children, and grandchildren.


    Then there were Han Liqiang''s siblings and their extended families; in total, there were between fifty and a hundred people in the banquet hall.


    Even so, he was able to maintain order, and no one seemed unhappy or jealous of Han Qingshan and Han Liqiang. If they were, they were hiding it well.


    It was natural that some more ambitious members of the family wished for more wealth and power, and some even dreamt of taking over from Han Qingshan and Han Liqiang, but they were also realistic.


    Many could understand their own ability, and when they compared it to the father and son duo, they quickly realized that they could just not compare.


    The banquet was pleasant as Tang Meixing did nothing to interfere, and all the others were open and friendly towards Jiang Yingyue.


    Although Jiang Yingyue was very nervous and worried, she soon found that she was treated well. She had also learned a lot in the etiquette lessons, so she did not make a fool out of herself - she was very likable, and the younger generation all found that she was enjoyable to spend time with.


    The one who found the banquet the worst was Han Qingshan.


    He was used to having Jiang Yingyue for himself, but now she was the center of attention. She was so popular that she did not even have the time to look at him;, she was chatting and laughing with the other youngsters, and some of the young men were looking at her with dubious eyes.


    Did they want to fight him for her? He was going to teach them not to have any idea on his girl!


    If the parents knew what thoughts were brewing within Han Qingshan''s mind, they would be horrified. They had made their children approach Jiang Yingyue for the sake of having her say a good word for them, but who would have thought that Han Qingshan was so jealous and possessive in nature that he could not handle the fact that Jiang Yingyue had seemingly forgotten him.


    Han Liqiang sometimes glanced at his son, and muffled laughter escaped his lips. Who would have thought that this sunshine boy was so petty?


    Yan Meilin was also smiling, her eyes shining brightly. She understood her son well, but she was genuinely happy for Jiang Yingyue.


    Although she, Han Liqiang, and Han Qingshan were not worried about her background, many of the members of the Han family were used to look down on commoners.


    It would be no wonder if some of the uncles or grand uncles would have caused havoc at this banquet, but all of them were polite, friendly, and magnanimous.


    After eating, the group went to yet another room. Some went out to linger in the gardens, while others socialized in the hall again. Snacks and drinks were prepared for everyone, and the mood was light.


    Jiang Yingyue was dragged away by some young misses who wished to get to know her better, leaving an exasperated Han Qingshan behind in the hall.


    He was standing with a glass of red wine in his hands, his eyes dark like thunderclouds, and even the trademark smile on his face was nowhere in sight.


    "My dear son, smile. See how well she is being treated, isn''t this her dream? Don''t go breaking her mood by letting her see your black face." Yan Meilin appeared by Han Qingshan''s side, her words stunning the young man.


    It was true that he was petty. He had not considered her emotions at all. He knew she had no real friends because of her previous position, but now that she was getting some attention, who was he to get in the way?


    A sigh escaped his lips as he took a sip of the wine, the angry beast in his chest pacified instantly.

 Chapter 233 - End Of Banquet

    Like this, the rest of the banquet wrapped up. Tang Meixing was silent the entire time and stayed in her seat, waiting for the banquet to end so that she could plan her trip overseas to study in an attempt to get rid of her impure thoughts about Han Qingshan.


    At the same time, the many other younger generation members of the Han family were busy getting familiar with Jiang Yingyue.


    They all found out that she was an ordinary commoner, even one from a poor home, and that her parents were her only family.


    Many of them looked at the beautiful Jiang Yingyue and saw how graceful and elegant she was and could not help but marvel at the fact that commoners were not that different from them. She was acting just like a noble-born lady of a wealthy family.


    Especially one of the girls, Han Zhiqing, was a person whom Jiang Yingyue got along well with.


    Han Zhiqing was the most spoiled princess in the eyes of her parents, but she had never gotten conceited because of this.


    Instead, she had turned straightforward and very adorable. She was one year older than Jiang Yingyue, but because of her sheltered lifestyle, she was not as mature.


    Whenever Jiang Yingyue looked at her, she was reminded of a cat. Mischievous, but adorable.


    The two of them exchanged phone numbers, and Jiang Yingyue instantly felt much better. She was able to have friends now. She was forever grateful to Han Qingshan for dragging her out of her life where she was filled with self-pity, and unable to take even one step forward.


    Now she was an independent young woman, albeit supported by Han Qingshan.


    But she did not mind that he was her support, both physically and mentally. The previous Jiang Yingyue, who pretended to be Jiang Fengmian, would never have depended on someone else or become so used to a person''s presence, but now things were different.


    Han Qingshan was the one who had given her faith to become herself again. He was the one who had been by her side in her hard times, the one who had saved her when she was in trouble.


    She loved him dearly. He was the sun in her life, shining light brightly on even the darkest of days.


    While thinking of this, she realized that because she had been carried away by the excitement of getting new friends, she seemed to have neglected him slightly. Chuckling a bit in guilt, Jiang Yingyue glanced at the hall, only to find Han Qingshan standing alone in a corner a bit away, sipping on a glass of wine.


    Excusing herself to the others of the younger generation, Jiang Yingyue made her way to Han Qingshan''s side.


    "How are you?" She asked gently when she reached his side.


    "I''m okay. Are you done?" he asked with affection heavy in his voice. It was a mellow voice, so comfortable to listen to that Jiang Yingyue almost lost herself.


    "Thank you," she said with a low voice. "Thank you for taking an interest in me. Thank you for not being scared away from me. Thank you for being by my side up until today. Thank you so much for loving me."


    Jiang Yingyue was speaking softly, and only Han Qingshan could hear her voice, but the words she said made all the blood boil in his body. He had a hard time holding himself back.


    This was the family banquet, it would be inappropriate if he kissed her in front of all the ones from the older generation, but his body was becoming restless.


    Fortunately, the guests were beginning to leave one after another. Many came to bid their farewells, and Jiang Yingyue held a pleasant and polite smile on her face as she was still somewhat nervous and reserved in front of the older generation.


    However, her cautious behavior pleased them immensely. She was so polite and sweet, how could they possibly dislike her?


    Finally, the final guests left the house, and Han Qingshan took Jiang Yingyue''s hand.


    "Mother, Father, we are also going to go home," Han Qingshan said to his parents.


    The rest of the night, maids would be there to tidy up the entire manor, so there was indeed no reason for Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue to be present.


    Han Liqiang and Yan Meilin nodded their heads. "Then head home. Drive safely on the roads, and make sure not to get into accidents."


    "Mother, I know how to drive well," Han Qingshan could not help but answer slightly helplessly, but hearing his words, Jiang Yingyue snorted.


    It was true that after getting to know him, he had driven like a responsible person, but she had still not forgotten him racing down a narrow street.


    Hearing the insinuation in her snort, Han Qingshan embarrassedly scratched his head. "That was before, now I drive safely all the time," he assured her, and Jiang Yingyue felt better.


    She did not doubt what he said, hitting her with a car was likely to have traumatized him slightly.


    They had driven Han Qingshan''s black Porsche, and it was the same car they took on the way back.


    In the car, Jiang Yingyue felt her head slightly fuzzy. She had been drinking wine at the party; not a lot, but enough for her to feel slightly tipsy.


    She was not a big drinker, so although she merely had a few glasses, she was now slightly dazed, and the rumbling of the car made her succumb to her sleep.. Her head leaned against the car door, and her steady and soft breath permeated the air.

 Chapter 234 - Sleeping Beauty

    During the drive home, Han Qingshan spotted a familiar figure on the streets. It was He Yuyan.


    She was out alone late at night, her hair was disheveled, and her clothes crumbled. She was currently being guided down the road by three men, all of which were roaming their hands all over her body. Looking at this, a hardened gleam appeared in his eyes, but he did not stop the car to deal with them.


    He Yuyan had acted together with Miss Mu. It was clear that she wished for nothing more than Jiang Yingyue''s demise, and thus she deserved what she was getting.


    Although Han Qingshan had planned on taking care of He Yuyan, he figured that there was no need any longer. After tonight she would maybe be dead. If not, she would have lost something very precious to her.


    It was not that Han Qingshan would usually watch a crime like this unfold, but this was He Yuyan. She had harmed Jiang Yingyue time and time again, never once considering the consequences of her actions.


    As such, he could always argue that she was not currently fighting against the men, and thus he was actually not sure if she was following them out of her own will. He did not care either.


    What mattered to him now was to get Jiang Yingyue home, so that she could get some proper rest on the bed. His heart ached when he saw her nestling up on her seat in the car. It could not be comfortable.


    Han Qingshan was quite surprised, though. So many things had gone according to plan recently that he was slightly worried.


    Miss Mu was dead, and the Mu family stayed silent on the matter. Tang Meixing was leaving overseas; her mother had told that to Han Liqiang and Yan Meilin while Han Qingshan was present. He Yuyan was being taken away by a group of men; she was clearly not going to have a pleasurable night.


    Every enemy that Jiang Yingyue had was being removed one after another, it all went so smoothly that Han Qingshan was worried that something would go wrong.


    Was it possible for things to run so smoothly?


    But no matter how he thought of it, he found that he could not find anything out of place, nothing was suspicious either.


    As they arrived at the parking lot of the condo, Han Qingshan exited the car and went over to the passenger seat. Here, he leaned down, scooped Jiang Yingyue up into his embrace and locked the vehicle remotely before he started moving to the elevator.


    It was not easy for him to use the keycard in the elevator as he was carrying Jiang Yingyue, but with a bit of tenacious will, he succeeded in unlocking the elevator, and it took them up to their home.


    Here Han Qingshan tenderly helped Jiang Yingyue off with her clothes. Seeing a slight sheen of sweat on her white skin, and a frown on her face, he quickly went to get his hands on a towel, which he soaked in water before he wrung it and began washing her down.


    She was still wearing her lingerie, and Han Qingshan could feel his Adam''s apple bob in his throat as he was washing her, looking at her perfect body that was lying right in front of him.


    But she was asleep! He was not so deprived that he would attack her during her sleep. Even so, he really wanted to touch her, and he did not hesitate.


    Her body was being washed and touched all over by Han Qingshan. He felt that he was starting a fire in his own body, and he could not help but curse. This was the same as digging a grave for himself!


    Due to his frustration, his hands were slightly rough, and a moan escaped the sleeping lips of Jiang Yao.


    Although she was asleep, she was still feeling numb from the touch, and her legs rose and rubbed against one another as if she was waiting for something.


    Looking at her like this, Han Qingshan felt defeated. He leaned down and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead before he went to the bathroom where he could take a long cold shower.


    When he returned to the room, Jiang Yingyue was still blissfully asleep. Her face was flushed red from the alcohol and her blanket, which Han Qingshan had placed on her, had fallen to her waist, displaying her stomach, breasts, and head in front of him.


    "I swear you are doing it on purpose," Han Qingshan said with gritted teeth, as he lifted the blanket and snuck under it.


    He reached out his arms and took Jiang Yingyue into his embrace. He had found that he could only sleep if she was within his arms; only then would he feel peaceful and happy.


    He poked her cheek and smiled helplessly. "You are so mean to me today," he muttered under his breath.


    "Not only were you ignoring me at the reunion, but you were also even chatting so happily with people that were not me. Now you have gotten drunk, and you are not even spoiling me. Instead, you are leaving me starved after your seduction."


    Han Qingshan sighed dejectedly as he looked at the petite woman in his arms. She fit perfectly in his embrace.


    Her lips were somewhat raised in a smile, it was as if she was having a sweet dream.


    Shaking his head helplessly, Han Qingshan started drifting off to sleep. Not even a single thought was spared on He Yuyan and her predicament that he had seen earlier.. All he had in his mind was Jiang Yingyue and their blissful future.

 Chapter 235 - He Yuyans Night

    He Yuyan was filled with despair. Not because a group of men was leading her to an unknown location, but because she could not get a hold of her backer.


    She had been so excited about Jiang Yingyue being dealt with. When her backer got her hands on her, she would become a ruined woman, and Han Qingshan would never want her again - or so she thought.


    She had used her connections and found out that Jiang Yingyue was kidnapped. This was the happiest moment she had had in a long time, her mood was flying above the clouds. Yet not long after, the information she gained was that Jiang Yingyue had returned unharmed, and she could no longer contact her backer.


    It was clear that something had not gone according to plan and that the one who had suffered losses was Miss Mu.


    He Yuyan was indeed in love with Han Qingshan. She had fallen in love with him at first sight when she was younger, but he had never spared her a glance.


    In the beginning, she did not mind it too much; he did not spare a glance at any woman, so there was no need to worry too much. However, after Jiang Fengmian and Jiang Yingyue appeared, her love took a turn for the darker side.


    She was willing to do anything to be able to keep Han Qingshan looking at her. If he were a normal man, she would have used her influence to force him into being with him.


    She had always been pure, decided that the only one she wanted to marry was Han Qingshan, but after realizing that her backer was gone, He Yuyan lost control.


    She wanted to be pampered and spoiled, so she went to a bar and began drinking on her own, in the hope of finding Mr. Right.


    She had found these three men who had been friendly and promised to treat her well. At that point, she had drunk far too much and was not against it.


    The men never tried to force her to do anything, but the drunk He Yuyan thought why not accept more men. The more there were, the more spoiled she would become.


    Many who observed her looked at her with disgusted eyes. It was normal that someone would come and find a one-night stand, but for a woman to be so eager to enter a foursome, that was never seen before, and they could not help but be slightly disgusted with her.


    Many unspeakable things happened that night, He Yuyan let go completely, and she felt as if she had found a new purpose in life. Why had she been so stubborn and wait for Han Qingshan when the act was so pleasurable? It did not matter who it was, as long as they could bring her to her climax so that she could forget all about her broken and scarred heart.


    The following morning, He Yuyan woke up with a splitting headache, her body was aching and sticky all over, and she found she was lying in an oversized bed in a hotel.


    Looking around, she saw that three men were also sleeping on the bed, and her eyes widened in shock as fragments of the night''s exercise emerged in her mind.


    Suddenly she was filled with fear and regret. Why had she acted like this? What was she supposed to do now? She was dirty and disgusting now; she felt as if her entire body had ants crawling underneath the skin; she did not know what to do.


    Her movements awoke the other three men. All of them were friendly towards her, but when she looked at them, she suddenly slapped one of them across the face as hard as she could.


    The man who was slapped frowned. As his brows furrowed, anger brewed in his eyes.


    "You raped me!" she screamed.


    "Are you sure about that?" the man who now adorned a handprint on his cheek. "We never force ourselves onto anyone," he continued, "it was you who followed us, and you were the one who was so eager to do this. Now you wake up and blame us? Don''t be insane!"


    "I don''t care! Give me back my innocence!" He Yuyan was furious, her body was trembling, and she did not even care that her naked body was on display.


    "Beauty, you can try and get the court to sue us," one of the men said, "but you have no wounds on your body. Also, the surveillance video clearly shows that you were with us willingly."


    He Yuyan was not willing to stay there even a moment longer. She picked up her clothes from the floor, dressed, and hurried home. She did not even take a shower; all she could think about was to get away from them.


    When she arrived home, she locked herself in her room. The sound of water splashing could be heard as she was trying to cleanse herself.


    No matter how much water she used, she felt dirty, but she was also aware of her thoughts the previous night. She had not really been against it; it was all the alcohol''s fault!


    When she finally managed to get out of the bath, she was feeling so filled with hatred. It was all Jiang Yingyue''s fault for taking Han Qingshan away from her.


    If she had not taken him, she would not have been so sad yesterday, and then she would never have gotten drunk.


    Since she had lost her innocence and was now in a living nightmare, she was going to make sure that no one else was happy either.. That included Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue.

 Chapter 236 - Exams

    Jiang Yingyue woke up in the morning feeling confused. The last thing she could recall was that she fell asleep in the car, but now she was lying on the bed within Han Qingshan''s embrace, breathing in his masculine scent that calmed her down and made her feel safe.


    She rubbed her head against his chest and felt at peace. Her actions managed to wake up the man though, and his eyes glanced at the mischievous woman in his arms.


    She was good at riling him up, making him burn with desire, and then leave him to be on his own.


    Since he knew of her previous record of leaving him alone when he was filled with desire, he clasped his arms around her waist and dragged her closer to him, sniffing the scent that was unique to her, and buried his face in the crook of her neck.


    His hot breath sprayed on her neck, causing Jiang Yingyue to shiver uncontrollably.


    Although they had been together for some time, she was still bashful and embarrassed about certain things, but her adorable appearance just made Han Qingshan even less likely to let her go.


    "Enough, it is early in the morning," she said with a low voice that somehow ended up sounding coquettish, which was in no way her plan.


    But the softness of the voice, made Han Qingshan tighten his hold on her, it was as if he wanted to merge them together.


    "It is the weekend," Han Qingshan said with a slightly hoarse voice after just waking up. His eyes were burning, and Jiang Yao dared not look directly at him.


    Before she had the time to react, Han Qingshan pushed her down, and soon, his hands began traveling all across her skin, feeling her and assuring himself that she was not a dream. She was real. She was okay.


    The two were lying together on the bed, their bodies sticking close as they heard each other''s heartbeat, and silence descended in the room.


    The silence was not uncomfortable; both Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan felt at peace as they just listened to the other breathe and to their heartbeat.


    Han Qingshan was suddenly reminded of something as he caressed Jiang Yingyue''s hair.


    "I have signed you up for the Rilou High School''s examination using your own name," he said gently as he placed a kiss on her forehead.


    "You will need to take the exams once more. After taking them, you will be able to apply for Imperial University again, and once more start studying psychology, but this time as yourself.


    "The only downside is that the time you start will be just after I graduate. We will not be able to spend time together on campus, but it might be for the best. Many on-campus know about my relationship with the so-called Jiang Fengmian. If I suddenly become close to you, someone might be able to add together what is the truth."


    Jiang Yingyue nodded her head, feeling blessed. Han Qingshan did not say it, but she knew that it could not have been easy to open a space for her. Self-studying was not usually approved of.


    Feeling blessed for having him by her side, she rubbed her head against his chest. She knew he would go to great lengths to help her, and she felt immensely grateful.


    She was also not against getting help from Han Qingshan. Although what she could do for him was nowhere as much as he could do for her, she would never say no to helping him if the need ever arose.


    And this was something she needed, so she happily accepted it. There was no reason to stand on ceremony with her own man.


    Seeing her not even pretending not to want it, Han Qingshan''s lips rose into a doting smile and he felt happy when he saw that she treated him as one of her own.


    This was precisely what he wanted. After cuddling for a little longer, Jiang Yingyue finally pushed Han Qingshan away before going to wash up and get dressed, so that she could head for the kitchen where she would begin cooking breakfast.


    She made a fresh noodle-dish today. It was good for waking them up and making them feel energized again.


    The banquet on the previous day had caused Jiang Yingyue to be exhausted from socializing with the other Han family members, but she was also feeling happy that she was so well received by them.


    As they sat side by side, Jiang Yingyue gave her parents a call. The call ended up lasting a full hour as she was chatting with her mother about how they had been well received when they returned to the village.


    They also found that the villagers had been looking after Jiang Fengmian''s grave for them, in the hope that they would return one day.


    Although they had not found jobs yet, they were not dispirited. They had some savings now and had even purchased an apartment with two bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a sitting room.


    One room was for Jiang Yingyue when she came back to visit them. As they spoke together, they were also tearing up, and they were talking about the nostalgic times when Jiang Fengmian was still alive, bringing up their fondest memories, which they had not been able to do for nine years.


    It was not only Jiang Yingyue who ended up crying; her mother also had tears streaming down her face, but although there was sadness in their hearts, there was also a sense of relief and happiness.


    Being able to talk about Fengmian and admit that they missed him was a new feeling, but also a much needed feeling.

 Chapter 237 - Time Flows Like Water

    Jiang Yingyue had been laughing and crying at the same time. She had felt sad and happy, dejected, and ecstatic at the same time; her emotions had been a rollercoaster ride.


    Han Qingshan had been watching her all this while, his heart aching when he saw the tears freely flowing down her cheeks, but he soared in happiness whenever he saw her gentle smile or heard her laughing out loud.


    He felt that the conversation Jiang Yingyue had with her mother was the most taxing experience he had ever experienced.


    He was even more emotional than he usually was when discussing million dollar contracts.


    Jiang Yingyue finished the call, and the last reluctance she had vanished without a trace. Jiang Fengmian was not forgotten.


    Even in the village where they had lived before, although all of them had disappeared like that, he was still remembered, and people looked after his grave for them.


    Her parents had never forgotten him either; they were just doing their best to help her cope with her sadness. Now that things had escalated to this point, she finally saw clearly how the world was.


    Han Qingshan could suddenly sense a mixture of complicated emotions washing over Jiang Yingyue. She was as if she had let go of something that had weighed on her mind for ages. Her back was straight, and her eyes were glistening, but at the same time, she did not seem happy.


    Jiang Yingyue was indeed feeling somewhat lost. She was relieved and happy to know that Jiang Fengmian was finally getting the respect and remembrance that he deserved. Still, she was also reminded of her brother, which made her feel guilty for her selfishness throughout the last nine years.


    Sighing, she calmed herself. She could not change what she had done, and knowing her beloved brother, he would not blame her either.


    Now that things were like this; it was time to make up for it to Jiang Fengmian.


    She looked at Han Qingshan. "When you have time, we should take a trip back home," she said with a low voice and reached out to hold onto his shirt with two fingers.


    Her appearance was very much like a small child trying its best to convince the adult about something.


    Han Qingshan''s heart almost melted when he saw her like this, and he nodded his head. "I am a bit busy recently," he warned her, "but we can take a break later, and during the break, we can return home to meet mom and dad alongside your brother."


    Hearing what Han Qingshan said, Jiang Yingyue''s ears turned scarlet alongside the rest of her face. ''Mom'' and ''dad.'' Was that something he should call her parents already?


    Seeing her embarrassment, he quickly guessed her thoughts. He stood up and strode to her side, embraced her, and sniffed the fragrance of her hair, which was unique to her.


    "We are getting engaged next year and married the year after. It is only a matter of time before I will be your husband, and then we will be a complete family. There is nothing wrong with me calling them mom and dad ahead of time; I am sure that they are okay with it too."


    Jiang Yingyue looked at Han Qingshan and took his hand. "When we go there, we will have to ask for their opinion on our engagement. I cannot say yes to an engagement with you without my parents'' permission."


    Han Qingshan felt elated. She was not rejecting him calling them mom and dad; nor was she complaining about having to get engaged with him. She just wanted her parents'' approval first.


    He swore that he would get them to agree no matter what.


    He would never let Jiang Yingyue have a reason to leave him; he was going to make her parents love him as much as she did so that they would have no reason to decline him either.


    Jiang Yingyue was not aware of Han Qingshan''s sudden thoughts. She was unaware that Han Qingshan would go to unimaginable lengths to make her feel comfortable around him so she would never leave him.


    After her encounter with the kidnappers, he had realized just how important she was to him, how impossible it was for him to live without her, and he would do anything for her to never leave him.


    If he could, he wanted to bring her with him everywhere he went, and no one else to see her. But he knew that she had her own plans for life, her own ambitions, and her own dreams.


    He loved her, and although he was scared of something happening to her, he could not bear to see her saddened. Hence he accepted that she would belong to society, that she would not be a stay at home wife either.


    Time flowed like water, the season changed, and it was almost time for the exam to happen.


    During the changing of the seasons, Jiang Yingyue had been continuing her work as Han Qingshan''s assistant. She was not willing to be provided for by him, but her work hours were fewer than initially planned.


    She had gotten a few close friends amongst Han Qingshan''s cousins, and she was often spending time with them. When she was not with Han Qingshan or her friends, she was at the Han Mansion spending time together with Yan Meilin.


    Her life was fulfilling, and she was happy. She would also call her parents a few times a week to talk with them.


    Both of them had found jobs again and were living much happier than before.


    It was planned that when the exams had ended, Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan would come to visit them back in their old village.

 Chapter 238 - Who Is She?

    Jiang Yingyue looked at the school building in front of her. She had never expected that one day she would return here as a woman. It was so familiar to her, but at the same time it also felt very foreign.


    This was the campus where she had spent three years of her life, but it was as if she was a ghost. No one remembered Jiang Fengmian any longer, it was a figure who was never close to anyone, and while many were enjoying the person''s appearance, no one ever got close.


    The three years spent here seemed as if they had gone in a daze. Jiang Yingyue remembered it, but at the same time, it had left no traces in her life. She never spoke with any of her old classmates; she did not even know how to contact them.


    It had only been one year since she graduated as the persona Jiang Fengmian, but now she was back as Jiang Yingyue to retake that same exam.


    Standing outside the gates to Riluo High, she took a deep breath and calmed her nerves down.


    She did not notice that she was the center of attention as she stood outside the gates. Her dress was fluttering in the wind and her hair was tied into a high ponytail on top of her head.


    She was like an immortal fairy who had fallen to the earth, so beautiful that she was able to draw everyone''s attention towards her.


    Han Qingshan had left early for work, but when Jiang Yingyue thought she could prepare on her own, she was surprised to find that Yan Meilin came to dress her up.


    She had made a beautiful dress; it was red with a few black flowers embroidered on the hem.


    She also gave her a light makeup and told her that the exam room was like a battlefield, that it was not enough to be mentally prepared, she should also have the energy to spoil herself and look good. If nothing else, she could intimidate the others.


    Jiang Yingyue had felt amused, but she said nothing and allowed for Yan Meilin to dress her up as she pleased.


    After calming her heart down, and realizing how many things had happened in the previous year, a sweet smile erupted on her lips.


    It was merely a year since she was still Jiang Fengmian. She had only known Han Qingshan for a year, but he had already become her most important person.


    Jiang Yingyue took a step into the campus where she had studied at before. She felt excited that she could now claim what was rightfully hers.


    There were many students who were going to take the exam together with her, but most of them were looking at Jiang Yingyue as if they had seen a ghost.


    They could not recognize her at all. How was it possible for such a beauty to be unknown in their school?


    Many started gossiping about her, and it was unknown which one of the teachers told the students that she was a self-studying student who was approved to take the exam together with them.


    The students went into a frenzy when hearing this. Riluo High was famous for its rules, and it was never before heard that a self-studying student was able to take the exam together with them.


    Her background had to be outstanding, but no one even knew her name.


    Jiang Yingyue had gotten used to being observed by people after getting together with Han Qingshan. She was not thinking too much about it, a smile was on her lips, and she felt energized.


    When she reached the classroom where the exam was to be held, many were already there. The sounds of conversation buzzed in her ears, and she could feel the people being nervous and excited everywhere.


    This atmosphere was so similar to how she remembered from the year before, but for some reason, she was not too worried this time. She had spent a lot of time reading up on each and every subject, but at the same time, she was also at another place in life than she was a year ago.


    Now she was no longer alone, now she was together with Han Qingshan, and now she had a new lease on life.


    The exam was taken in the gym hall, chairs were set up so that everyone could take the exam together, and many teachers were patrolling between the tables to ensure that no one was cheating.


    Jiang Yingyue fished out her phone and sent a message to Han Qingshan before she shut it off and placed it in her pocket.


    Taking a deep breath, she looked at the table overview and found her seat. She was in the middle of the room. She was going to be observed by everyone, but she still did not feel nervous. Instead, she was calm.


    Everyone found their seats, and the sounds of conversation died out little by little.


    People started fidgeting uncomfortably, and not long after, the big door was closed, the teachers stood like guards, and the papers were being placed on everyone''s desk, faced downward.


    When the papers had been delivered to everyone, they waited for the time to become nine exactly. As the bell rang, the sound of papers being turned could be heard in the whole room, and following it came the scribbling sound of people beginning to answer the questions.


    Jiang Yingyue also started to fill in her answers. Because she had studied this the year prior, and even spent some time reading up on it all, there were no problems for her to answer them correctly.


    Even so, she did not rush through it but took her time and read through the answers multiple times to ensure that they were correct.

 Chapter 239 - Finishing The Exams

    It took some time, but as the final exam finished, Jiang Yingyue felt as if a weight had been removed from her shoulders. She had finally started something as herself. In the future, life would only get better.


    She was excited as she exited the High School grounds, and when she stepped out on the roads, she saw that Yan Meilin was waiting for her.


    Han Qingshan was unable to get away from a few board meetings, but he had sent his mother to fetch her so that she would not feel alone.


    The care and consideration that the Han family showed her was overwhelming, and her eyes stung slightly.


    "Our foolish son is busy finishing off the final work matters so that he can take ten days off and head to your parents place together with you," Yan Meilin said, as if she was afraid that Jiang Yingyue would feel bad about Han Qingshan not picking her up.


    But Yan Meilin was overthinking. Jiang Yingyue, smiled slightly and nodded her head before she shook it, her emotions complex. "Im very happy that you are here," she said gently with a low voice, feeling a little shy.


    "Silly girl, you are also a part of our family now," Yan Meilin said after a short break, her laughter ringing like beads of pearls clinging together.


    Yan Meilin truly liked Jiang Yingyue. She took her out to eat, and after the meal she drove her back to the condo.


    "You will be leaving for ten days," she said with a sigh as she looked at Jiang Yingyue. "I know that Qingshan is very nervous about it; he does not say anything or show it, but he is very nervous deep inside. What if your parents are against the two of you being together?"


    Jiang Yingyue smiled slightly when she heard Yan Meilin''s words. She had noticed his rather stiff expressions from time to time as if he was pondering a very difficult question, but after considering how busy he was with his job, she had assumed that this was what troubled him.


    Now, listening to Yan Meilin, it seemed that he was troubled about her parents!


    Sweetness arose in her heart. Someone like Han Qingshan was capable of making her feel sweet and happy deep inside. He did everything for her, and never even once did she doubt his feelings for her.


    When she entered the condo she found it empty as usual. Han Qingshan would usually be back late, so what she had been doing every day, while waiting for his arrival, was to cook food for him.


    She cooked four dishes and a soup, not too many, but not too few either. All of them were healthy, she was very careful not to feed him junk food when he was so stressed with work. He needed proper food to fuel his body.


    When Han Qingshan returned home that day, it was not too late. He had finished all the work he had at the office, and during the next ten days, Han Liqiang would deal with it all on his own.


    Now he was dragging his exhausted body home, but the moment he opened the door and saw Jiang Yingyue coming to greet him, taking his jacket for him, and preparing the slippers, his mood brightened.


    At the same time he could smell the scent of delicious food, and he was feeling as if he was with his wife, living a fulfilling life together.


    Jiang Yingyue was also ecstatic at seeing him back home at a reasonable time on this day, but her heart ached when she saw the exhaustion evident on his face.


    "Hurry inside," she said. "Wash up and change your clothes, then I will serve the dishes."


    Nodding his head, Han Qingshan went to get some clothes before heading to the bathroom.


    When he was done he went to the kitchen where Jiang Yingyue was bustling about.


    The food was on the table, steam rising from the dishes. He could not help but feel that the two of them had become like a married couple.


    That night, even though Han Qingshan was exhausted, he felt like devouring Jiang Yingyue, tossing her until the early hours of the morning, not letting her rest at all.


    When she finally fell asleep, it was already closer to morning than night, and she could simply not keep her eyes open.


    The following morning, Han Qingshan awoke feeling energized. Having vented all his frustrations last night, he felt immensely relaxed and his body was rejuvenated after being intimate with Jiang Yingyue for so long.


    He looked at the sweetly sleeping Jiang Yingyue and decided to let her sleep. This day was not hectic, their plans were to get their hands on some gifts for Jiang Yingyue''s parents, and they would then depart on the morning of the following day.


    Since they were not in a hurry to go out shopping, it was only natural to let his woman sleep, as she had truly sacrificed herself for his greater good last night.


    Just thinking about Jiang Yingyue''s obedience last night was making pink bubbles appear in Han Qingshan''s eyes as he went to shower, before he ordered breakfast to be delivered to their condo.


    Usually they would cook their own breakfast, but today Han Qingshan wanted Jiang Yingyue to have a morning as smooth as possible.


    The breakfast arrived around five minutes before the confused and slightly dazed Jiang Yingyue appeared in the hallway.


    Her body was sore, but she had gotten much more used to being with Han Qingshan, so although she was sore, she was not in unbearable pain. She could still handle daily activities with no problems.


    Seeing her dazed look, affection was filling up Han Qingshan''s eyes.. "Go wash up," he said gently, "then come eat breakfast before we go out."

 Chapter 240 - Leaving A Good Impression

    As they left the condo, Jiang Yingyue was immensely happy. Her lethargic mood turned joyful, and she suddenly felt that the weather was brilliant, the day was beautiful, and that her spirit was soaring.


    Going to buy gifts for her parents was simply something to celebrate. Although she knew that her parents would love anything that Han Qingshan bought them, she was also enjoying the fact that he put so much thought into what to buy.


    He was very nervous; he felt that no matter what he brought, it would never be enough to show his feelings for Jiang Yingyue.


    So, in the end, they went to the biggest mall in the entire capital.


    This mall was a place that catered to the upper class of society, everything within was expensive, and if it weren''t for the fact that Han Qingshan was by her side, Jiang Yingyue would never have entered.


    Jiang Yingyue had no money. She was not able to buy anything in such a place, and she had no interest in the things either. She understood her situation well, but Han Qingshan was adamant about coming here. He would only get the best of the best items for Jiang Yingyue''s parents, and she understood his thought process, so she did not try to stop him.


    Also, money was just a figure to Han Qingshan, it was truly no big issue for him to buy these items, but Jiang Yingyue still felt slightly guilty about spending his money.


    As they entered the mall, many recognized them. Han Qingshan was well known throughout the entire capital''s upper circles, and while many were tempted to go and say hello, no one did so.


    It was clear that he had come for a purpose and was not to be disturbed.


    Han Qingshan was indeed feeling slightly troubled. He never had these issues when working on business deals, but right now, he was so unsure of what to buy.


    In the end, he bought numerous health tonics and nutritious delicacies. He also bought bags, clothes, scarves, and other clothing items for Jiang Yingyue''s mother. At the same time, the father was getting a lot of fishing gear since Jiang Yingyue had mentioned that he liked to relax and fish when she was younger.


    Having finished their shopping, the two went out to eat. It had been a long time since they had last eaten out, and Jiang Yingyue was feeling lazy.


    Han Qingshan could see that she was feeling lazy, and he did not want to tire her out since they would be leaving early on the following morning.


    One thing was cooking and another was to clean the kitchen after the food was eaten. It was better to eat out today.


    The two found a high-end hot pot restaurant where they could get some spicy food, and Jiang Yingyue was brimming with a smile on her face.


    Han Qingshan shook his head with a smile as he saw her happiness, and the two were in their own world as they enjoyed the meal.


    The two were talking together about anything, from how the exams had gone for Jiang Yingyue, to their itinerary the following day.


    The place they were going to was quite far away, so Han Qingshan had decided that they were going to take the Han family''s private plane.


    They would fly to the nearest airport and from where they would switch to a car and drive the rest of the way.


    They would be on the road for the entire day, but it was a lot faster than when her parents went back. They drove the whole day and night before arriving at their home.


    Even so, the two of them had been excited and happy. For them, the trip was not bad. Instead, it was a much needed escape that would allow them to adjust their emotions, realizing that they were really returning home.


    This was also something Jiang Yingyue needed, and while they were eating, she told everything to Han Qingshan about her life in the village. She talked about Jiang Fengmian and Zhou Yan. She also mentioned the funeral.


    Although she was now much more mature, she could not let go of the sadness; she was simply too hurt by the loss of her brother, so her mood turned sour when thinking about Jiang Fengmian.


    Sensing the change in her mood, Han Qingshan skillfully changed the subject. He began asking what their plans were, what she wanted to see, and so on.


    It was already decided that Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue would stay in a hotel in the small village. Although they were visiting her parents, their new home was not so big that it could accommodate them all. They had merely found a house that fit the two of them, so instead of causing some strange situations, Han Qingshan had booked rooms in the village''s only hotel.


    It was not a five-star hotel as he was used to, but it was not a bad hotel. It was clean and neat, it just lacked certain facilities and services.


    Although Han Qingshan really wanted to share a room with Jiang Yingyue, the two were not married yet, and thus he had booked two rooms next to one another.


    Jiang Yingyue knew that Han Qingshan did all of this because he took her family''s wishes into account.


    She could not help but see Han Qingshan in a new light. He was simply doing everything for her; she was so happy and blessed.


    Han Qingshan could see her happiness, and all his concerns were swept away. He had already met her parents before, and back then they were very gentle and friendly.. He sincerely hoped that it would stay like this now that they were a couple.

 Chapter 241 - Private Airplane

    As the morning broke, Han Qingshan was unable to continue sleeping. He quickly washed and dressed before he began, for the umptieth time, checking their luggage and the items he was bringing with him.


    Jiang Yingyue was woken up by him moving about, and she sat up in the bed and rubbed her sleepy eyes.


    Once again, Han Qingshan had vented his worries the previous night, his energy levels were not at a point where Jiang Yingyue would be able to follow at all.


    But because she knew why he was so worried, she had done everything in her power to accommodate him, she had been gentle like a clear spring, and it had just brought even more energy out of Han Qingshan.


    Seeing Jiang Yingyue tired and rubbing her eyes, Han Qingshan felt that she was simply too adorable when she was dazed like this.


    He quickly went to her side and hugged her to his chest. "Awake?" he asked with his mellow and pleasant voice.


    Jiang Yingyue nodded her head, but after nodding, she rubbed it against Han Qingshan''s chest, taking in the lovely scent that was unique to him, the scent that made her feel at peace.


    Feeling her so dependant on him, Han Qingshan chuckled slightly and enjoyed the scene of intimacy, but after a bit of time, Jiang Yingyue finally woke up completely.


    "We are leaving today," she muttered, feeling slightly excited. Returning home was something she was anticipating, but also scared of. How were the other villagers going to treat her? Were they kind to her parents?


    Han Qingshan could feel her worry, but he just patted her back. "Yes, we are leaving today."


    "Then let us get ready." Jiang Yingyue stood up from the bed and found some clothes in the closet. She quickly went to wash up and get dressed, after which they got ready to leave.


    They would eat their breakfast on the way, and both of them were excited and looking forward to their trip.


    As they left the condo, both of them were feeling the anticipation brewing inside of them; they could not wait to get to their destination. Jiang Yingyue missed her parents, and Han Qingshan was so nervous about their opinion about him that he was almost shaking.


    Since he was so nervous, he was not in a position to drive the car, and Yan Meilin had already guessed her son''s state of mind, so as they left the condo, they saw that the Han family''s driver was standing outside a Rolls-Royce Phantom.


    The white Phantom was resplendent and magnificent. Anyone who looked at it would take an extra glance.


    Han Qingshan quickly helped Jiang Yingyue inside the car before entering it himself.


    The car was spacious, but the two people were seated next to one another, their fingers weaved together by their sides, their shoulders touching one another, finding comfort in the other''s closeness.


    Neither of them was speaking; all they were doing was sitting closely and enjoying the other''s presence. They could feel themselves calm down and feel much more comfortable now that they were together.


    As they boarded the plane, Jiang Yingyue felt as if she was in a completely new world. She had never been on an airplane before. Back when they had left the village, they had driven the entire way. Now that she was in one, she suddenly felt as if she was in another world, especially since her first time was on a private jet.


    Just a year ago, she had been a poor and unfortunate student, trying her best to keep her identity hidden, now she was on a private plane. It had changed too fast!


    The plane''s inside was very different from the regular planes; there were no rows of seats. Instead, one side of the cabin had a couch and a table, while the other side held two very comfortable leather chairs, with a desk in front of them.


    Seeing that Jiang Yingyue had frozen in her tracks, Han Qingshan went to embrace her and dragged her into the cabin. "Don''t worry; we will use this plane often in the future, no need to be unaccustomed to it."


    Jiang Yingyue still could say nothing, but she absentmindedly nodded her head.


    As they sat down on the couch, Han Qingshan dragged Jiang Yingyue''s hand into his own, and he gently lowered his head to place a kiss on her cherry-like lips.


    He simply could not hold back, she was just too adorable as she sat there, her expression puzzled, and her eyes filled with wonder.


    Jiang Yingyue returned to her senses as she felt Han Qingshan''s tongue tracing her lips, trying to ask for entrance into her mouth.


    She was blushing furiously, as she had seen some flight attendants previously. But when she looked around, she found that they had withdrawn, vanishing completely, and Han Qingshan was no longer holding back.


    He wanted much more than a kiss to calm his nerves, but if he really did something to Jiang Yingyue on the plane, she would never forgive him, so he held back, but he still kissed her with wild abandon, as if he was afraid that she would vanish from his sight again.


    After the kiss, Jiang Yingyue was soft, her entire body had melted, and she was slumped in Han Qingshan''s arms. Not wanting to risk their safety, Hang Qingshan took her to one of the seats and buckled her in before going to the one opposite and sat down also.


    It was at this moment that the plane took off, and she could not help but look out the window with excitement.


    Never before had she seen such an intriguing scenario, they were heading far into the sky, and she was feeling slightly nervous but also excited.


    To Jiang Yingyue, the flight was quite nerve-wracking.

 Chapter 242 - Her Inspiration

    When they landed on the runway of the airport, Han Qingshan could see that Jiang Yingyue''s eyes were sparkling with excitement.


    Throughout the flight, there had been some slight turbulence, but apart from that, the trip had been smooth.


    She had felt nervous during the turbulence, her hands having tightly clenched Han Qingshan''s, but now that they were down on the flat ground again, she was so excited.


    They exited the airport, where a car was waiting for them, and Han Qingshan began driving towards the village where her parents lived.


    On the way, Han Qingshan stopped by a fast-food restaurant to buy some food that he brought with him to the car.


    Usually, he would never let Jiang Yingyue eat fast food, but she was quite adamant that when one was on a road trip like this, then one needed to eat unhealthy food.


    And as always, whatever she wanted, he would give to her.


    Jiang Yingyue knew that Han Qingshan was spoiling her. She knew that she could make him do anything for her, and while she was not willing to fully depend on him, his pampering made her feel blessed.


    As they drove on the roads, Jiang Yingyue continued to hold conversations with Han Qingshan. She understood that driving was boring, so it was her task to keep him entertained.


    The long drive was not boring at all, and the two of them were so engrossed in their conversation that the time flew past. Before they knew it, they had arrived at the village.


    "Let us head for the hotel first," Han Qingshan said smilingly, as he followed the GPS towards their destination.


    The hotel was old, but it was well maintained. It did not have many facilities, but the rooms were neat and clean.


    Not many were visiting at this time, and when they entered the hotel''s foyer, only five other people were present apart from the staff.


    Walking to the counter, Han Qingshan announced his name and was given two key cards, one for him and another for Jiang Yingyue.


    Looking at the two cards, he suddenly felt discouraged. Why could he not share a room with his girlfriend? There was nothing wrong with them being open about their relationship.


    But he dared not let his in-laws know that he had already laid hands on their beloved daughter, before they had even given them permission to be together.


    Seeing the depressed expression on Han Qingshan''s face, Jiang Yingyue felt like laughing. She had not had a night where she was not being tossed by him since they began dating, so it was a welcome change for her.


    They got the hotel staff to carry their luggage to their rooms, and they went upstairs.


    After putting their things away, Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue met in Han Qingshan''s room.


    "Do you want to go straight to your mother''s place?" Han Qingshan asked gently. He knew that many things had to be taken into consideration, and he understood that there might be somewhere she''d instead want to go.


    And right he was. "Let us go buy some flowers and head to the graveyard," she said with a sigh. "I miss Fengmian; I should give him my regards and apology now that I am back."


    Knowing that this was something that truly mattered to Jiang Yingyue, Han Qingshan nodded his head. "Let us go then," he said as he gently wrapped his hand around hers, transferring his warmth to her.


    Feeling his warmth, Jiang Yingyue gained more strength, and she quickly nodded her head with a slight smile on her lips.


    They left the hotel and walked down the streets of the village. Although the village was not bursting with life like the capital, it was not a dead area either.


    The village was one of the bigger ones in the country, having just below two thousand citizens.


    The village only had the most basic shops, but it was possible to find a grocery store that also sold flowers, and they bought some beautiful orchids.


    After buying the flowers, the two strolled towards the graveyard. On their way, Jiang Yingyue took in the many different impressions she had of the village. Many of the faces were different, but the roads, the buildings, everything else was so familiar that Jiang Yingyue felt her heart ache. It was as if she had returned to how things were ten years prior.


    It was as if she was once more a small child walking down the streets, waiting to go to the dojo with Zhou Yan and Li Qiang, or when she was hurrying home to visit Fengmian.


    Unfortunately, things could not turn back. She was now an adult and the old days would never return. She would never see Fengmian again, and this thought made tears well up in her eyes.


    Han Qingshan could sense her fluctuating emotions and he felt distressed.


    He knew that this trip back to the village would be hard for Jiang Yingyue, but he also knew that she needed it to get through her long time depression after losing her brother. She had to face her inner demons.


    He could do nothing else than stand by her side and support her. All he could do was to calm her and say that she was strong, to be there to share his warmth with her, and cheer her up whenever she was sad.


    Even so, he was very sad to see her cry, and he squeezed her hand, which made Jiang Yingyue realize that although she had lost much, she had also gained something she would never give up on.


    Han Qingshan was her light in the darkness. He was what made her strive to do her best.. He was her inspiration.

 Chapter 243 - Dear Fengmian

    The cemetery was a tranquil place, it was a place where everyone was silent, and there was a certain heaviness in their steps.


    An oppressive atmosphere was present in the air. At the time they arrived at the graveyard, a funeral was being held; out of respect, both Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue kept a certain distance.


    During the past years, Jiang Yingyue had done everything in her power to stay away from funerals because of the memories that it brought her.


    But now, looking at the funeral entourage, she was still sad and in a slightly heavy mood, but she was not as devastated as she had expected.


    They quickly bypassed the group of people, before Jiang Yingyue walked towards the grave. She knew exactly where Jiang Fengmian was buried, even though she had not been there more than once, the memory was etched into her mind.


    Jiang Yingyue walked down the small trails of the cemetery with a strange familiarity. This was like walking down the memory lane, she remembered vividly how the last time was, she was reminded of all the feelings she had back then, and while she was no longer as devastated, she was still feeling strange.


    Han Qingshan could feel her strange mood, and he squeezed her hand in his to give her strength.


    Feeling the strange emotions, Jiang Yingyue was dragged back to the current time by the warmth of Han Qingshan''s hand.


    Her eyes were misty, but no tears fell from them. She was eager to see Jiang Fengmian''s grave and to get some closure. It had been a long time since she had last felt this conflicted.


    The walk to the grave was not long, but during that time, a lot of thoughts had appeared in her mind.


    The grave was not as worn down as she would have expected. Things were just as her mother had said; although they had left for such a long time, the other residents of the village had taken care of the grave for them.


    Jiang Yingyue felt so grateful that she could not express herself with words. Even in this small village, Jiang Fengmian was never forgotten.


    Even Han Qingshan felt emotional upon seeing how well maintained the grave was; it was no wonder that the tears that had been swirling within Jiang Yingyue''s eyes suddenly started falling.


    She placed the flowers on the grave before she looked at it with sadness, but there was also a bit of relief.


    She could not imagine how guilty she would have felt if she had appeared here, and the grave would have been worn down and broken.


    Placing the orchids on the grave, she had so many words she wanted to say, but she did not know where to start.


    Han Qingshan could see that she was going to stay for some time, and he gently rubbed her head before he left her to be alone for some time.


    "Fengmian... I am sorry." Jiang Yingyue''s words were choked; she was having a hard time continuing.


    "I owe you so much, but I was selfish. I tried to live your life, but all I did was cause suffering to our parents. They followed every whim and request I had, but they lived hard lives for so long.


    "It has been nine years, and I was captured by the sadness. I was unable to escape, but now I met Qingshan.


    "Qingshan helped me realize that I am not you, I am Yingyue, I have my own life which I need to live, and I can never be you.


    "But it was not that bad. I now know that remembering you is the best thing I can do for you.


    "Never forgetting you is the best I can do, to live my life to the fullest, and maybe, one day, have my own family.


    "When I have children, I will tell them about their uncle. I will let them understand that Jiang Fengmian might have had a rough life, but he was the best role model that one could wish for. Even when life was hard, he never got depressed.


    "Even before you died, you were still happy in that morning. You might have been weak physically, but mentally you were the strongest person I have ever encountered.


    "I owe many things to you, but now I am ready to give them back to you. I am also here to thank you.


    "Thank you so much for all the happiness you brought me when I was a child. Thank you for everything you ever did for me. And thank you for being born. Although your life was short, it meant the world to me.


    "You were my light in the darkness, my hope. Your light will never fade, but I found the will to move on.


    "Qingshan is here now; he is by my side. Although it is different, I hope that my happiness will also bring you happiness where you are now.


    "I will do my utmost to fight for my happiness now, I will be a good person, and I will make you proud.


    "No longer will I hide behind your shadow. When we were children, I was always the one who protected you, but over the past ten years, I slowly forgot my real personality.


    "Now, I will be myself. And I beg of you, Fengmian, please, please, please, forgive me for being selfish for all these years.


    "And please forgive me for being selfish now. I want to move on. I want to become a woman who has a family. I want to become myself."


    Jiang Yingyue''s voice was choked with tears, her cheeks soaking wet.


    However, the more she spoke, the more relieved she felt.. All her guilt slowly vanished.

 Chapter 244 - The Old Ladies

    The tears on her cheeks slowly dried, but she did not move. Standing by Jiang Fengmian''s grave, she was oddly at peace.


    A gentle breeze made the leaves flutter. The breeze made her feel comfortable; it was as if an invisible hand was caressing her cheek.


    A soft smile spread on Jiang Yingyue''s face, her eyes glistened, but she was happy. She finally had the chance to say everything that had been on her heart for so long. She had let it all out, and now she was finally able to move on completely.


    Han Qingshan saw that she had finished talking. He quickly went to her side and looked at her. "Why don''t you go and wait for me over there?" Han Qingshan asked, and Jiang Yingyue nodded her head. She expected that Han Qingshan also had some words to say to Jiang Fengmian.


    Seeing that she had gone a slight distance, Han Qingshan looked at the grave and sighed.


    "I never got to meet you. However, when I met Yingyue, she was pretending to be you. You must have been immensely important to her in order for her to take such a life-changing decision and live with it for nine years.


    "I am sad that I never got to meet you, a person so important to her, but I am incredibly grateful to you.


    "You have made her what she is today, and I would never wish for Yingyue to be any different.


    "For you to be so important to her, I am sure that she was equally important to you. Although I have never met you, I can promise you that I will protect her and care for her for the rest of her life.


    "I will give her all the best in the world, and I will be a good son-in-law. I will look after your parents, and you will have nothing to worry about any longer.


    "I hope that you are happy where you are now, that you can look down upon Yingyue and me and wish us all the best in the future. We will never forget about you, and although you might be gone from this world physically, you will live on in us and in the children we will have one day."


    Han Qingshan suddenly imagined how life would be when he and Jiang Yingyue got older. A few years later, they would be married. A couple of years further down the road of time, they would have children.


    Such a future was everything that Han Qingshan wished for. A sweet smile was on his lips as he bowed to the grave to show his respect.


    After the bow, he went to Jiang Yingyue''s side, took her hand, and gently led her out of the graveyard.


    Jiang Yingyue allowed for Han Qingshan to lead her, her eyes were still blurry from tears, but she no longer shed them.


    Han Qingshan took Jiang Yingyue back to the hotel. This time he went into her room with her and found a small handkerchief, which he wetted with cold water and placed on her swollen eyes.


    The cold water was soothing and made Jiang Yingyue''s eyes cool down. The redness slowly receded, and Han Qingshan also got some water for her to drink.


    "You need to rehydrate so drink some water."


    Jiang Yingyue nodded her head as she accepted the drink. Taking a few sips, she felt her parched throat soften. Slowly but surely, she was returning to normal.


    They stayed at the hotel for an hour before Jiang Yingyue was fine again. As she was, the two headed out once more, this time heading for the parents'' place.


    On the way, Jiang Yingyue came across some familiar old ladies. They had been there before when she was a kid, and while they had gotten more wrinkles, they were still as friendly as before.


    "If it isn''t little Yingyue," one of them said gently as she saw the two of them walking down the road hand in hand.


    "It is so good to see your family returning to the village. I see that you have brought a handsome young man with you, who is he?"


    "I am Han Qingshan, ma''am," Han Qingshan was fast in introducing himself, his face held a gentle smile, and he was happy to hear that these people liked Jiang Yingyue.


    "Han Qingshan. Celebrating Goodness. What a nice name. I hope that you will bring happiness to our poor Yingyue. She has had a harsh life!"


    Hearing her words, Han Qingshan nodded his head and said very solemnly, "I will definitely bring her happiness. The purpose of my life is to bring happiness to my Yingyue."


    The old women were very pleased by this, their smiles so wide that their eyes had turned to crescent moons, and they continued to shower the two of them with praise and compliments.


    It was not before the old people noticed that it was late, that they allowed them to go.


    "Come back and visit us soon," they said reluctantly as they let the two people move forward.


    Jiang Yingyue felt her heart warming from seeing how these old people were looking after her. She knew that the main reason that they liked Han Qingshan was not because of how polite and friendly he was, but because he had brought her happiness.


    As they continued forward, they slowly reached the apartment where Jiang Yingyue''s parents were currently living.


    Even here, they came across some people that recognized Jiang Yingyue, and all of them greeted her warmly.


    The walk, which should have been done in half an hour, took them a full two hours to complete.


    But when they finally stood outside the door, ready to knock on it, Han Qingshan suddenly felt that this was the most nervous he had ever been before.

 Chapter 245 - Teasing Han Qingshan

    Han Qingshan subconsciously held Jiang Yingyue''s hand. He was unsure about how her parents would react to the fact that he knew that she was a woman, and even worse, snatched her away from them.


    Jiang Yingyue was also nervous, so when she felt him grabbing her hand, she held on tightly, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door.


    As soon as they had knocked, only a few moments passed before the door opened, and both Jiang Wei and Xun Huiyin were standing in the doorway, looking at them.


    Jiang Wei smiled amiably when he saw them, but Xun Huiyin had tears in her eyes, as she quickly ushered them inside.


    "Dearest, you look stunning as a woman!" she said happily as she looked at Jiang Yingyue, who was now much different from how she looked before.


    Her hair was long now; she still used extensions, although she planned on having them removed soon and getting a page cut, and she was dressed in a beautiful vintage dress with high heeled shoes.


    She looked like a young lady from a prominent family.


    Seeing her looking this beautiful, and seeing how Han Qingshan and her hands were tightly entwined, she felt so grateful towards Han Qingshan that it was hard for her to express her feelings.


    They had done everything in their power to convince Jiang Yingyue of returning to the life of a woman, but no matter what, they had said, she had been unable to do so.


    Now with the support of Han Qingshan, she was able to return to being herself and she no longer had any worries in her heart. Her dear Jiang Yingyue had finally returned to being a woman, and she was even lucky enough to have found her other half.


    Jiang Wei was also very satisfied with Han Qingshan. He knew that it was all thanks to this son-in-law that Jiang Yingyue had changed, but he was not just going to hand her over without scaring this young man a little.


    After entering the apartment, Han Qingshan was led to the living room where he was seated together with Jiang Wei, while Jiang Yingyue went to the kitchen alongside her mother.


    Jiang Yingyue had always been an expert at cooking food, and it was no exception now. Together the mother and daughter duo were creating the most fragrant and delicious dishes.


    At the same time, Han Qingshan was sitting in the living room alongside Jiang Wei. He was nervous and feeling oddly strange.


    He had never felt like this before, but he understood that the reason it truly felt different this time was because it really mattered to him.


    "So, Qingshan." Jiang Wei looked at Han Qingshan and smiled slightly.


    "I know that you were unaware of our Jingyue''s gender when you allowed her to stay with you, but now I need to ask you, have you, perhaps, taken advantage of her?"


    Hearing this, Han Qingshan suddenly choked on the tea he had been served, his eyes darting around in the room, not daring to make eye contact with Jiang Wei at all. He was simply looking as guilty as guilty as one could be.


    Han Qingshan was usually calm and collected. It was impossible to make him flustered, but this time he was frazzled.


    He was not sure what to answer or what to say; he just admired the walls.


    Seeing his reaction, Jiang Wei was almost laughing out loud. There was nothing wrong with being with your partner, he thought it very reasonable, even more so when they were living together, but he was a mischievous person. It was time for him to cause a bit of a problems for Han Qingshan.


    "So you took advantage of my dearest daughter," he said with a sigh, causing Han Qingshan''s back to straighten in fear.


    "I assume you plan on taking responsibility?"


    Hearing this was like receiving a badge of immunity. "Of course!" he exclaimed excitedly.


    "I will be responsible for Yingyue for the rest of her life, never letting her suffer and always giving her the best of the best."


    "So, you did take advantage of my daughter!"


    Hearing this, Han Qingshan knew that he had walked into a trap. If he had denied it, Jiang Wei would not be able to say anything. However, now that he had admitted it, had he not jumped down into the trap with his own two feet?


    Jiang Yingyue and Xun Huiyin were unaware of the talk that was ongoing in the sitting room; they were both talking with one another about how life was treating them now.


    "Dearest, tell me honestly, how are things with you and Han Qingshan?"


    Jiang Yingyue knew her mother well, and she smiled gently. "He is very gentle towards me." she said, "I truly love him with all my heart. He pampers and protects me; he also never let me encounter any danger that can be avoided. I feel at peace by his side."


    Xun Huiyin nodded her head. This was what she had hoped to hear; she only wanted for her daughter to be happy.


    The two conversations in the two rooms continued for some time. In the end, Han Qingshan convinced Jiang Wei that he was genuinely in love with Jiang Yingyue and that he would do anything for her, while Jiang Yingyue managed to convince her mother that her feelings were genuine.


    Both parents did not doubt their relationship, but hearing about their unbreakable bond made them much more at peace, they felt relaxed and safe.. They knew that Jiang Yingyue had found her own place in life and that she was happy there.

 Chapter 246 - The Town

    The conversation throughout the evening was calm and casual. Han Qingshan slowly let go of his nervousness and began enjoying the atmosphere.


    It was late into the night before their visit ended, and when it was finally time for Han Qingshan, and Jiang Yingyue to leave, all of them were somewhat reluctant.


    "We will go out shopping tomorrow," Xun Huiyin said as she held Jiang Yingyue''s hands in her own. "We will have some time without the men, and we can talk about how life is truly treating us."


    "Then we''ll go fishing," Han Qingshan said. "I brought a lot of fishing gear for Mr. Jiang; I am sure that we will each have a good day."


    Just like that, the plans for the next day had been made, and the two youngsters gave their farewells before they returned to the hotel.


    As they reached the rooms, Han Qingshan was sticking closely to Jiang Yingyue, kissing the nape of her neck as he stood behind her, pressing his entire body against her.


    He was needy and very close to her. "We have our own rooms," she reminded him, but Han Qingshan just stuck even closer to her, whispering in her ear, "Your father already knows that we sleep together, there is nothing to hide now, let''s just share a room."


    Jiang Yingyue''s ears flushed red from having Han Qingshan''s mellow and intoxicating voice reverberating in her ear.


    But when she finally understood the words that Han Qingshan had spoken, she was so stunned and embarrassed that she hurriedly pulled him into the room.


    "What do you mean by ''my dad knows we sleep together''?" she asked, unable to look him in the eyes.


    Han Qingshan snickered when he saw her bashful appearance, and he stepped forward, enveloping her in a warm embrace.


    "Your father is not stupid," Han Qingshan said with a smile. "We have been together for so long already, not to mention we are living together under one roof. If I had really not touched you, I think he would question my feelings for you."


    Jiang Yingyue was so embarrassed knowing that her father was aware of how she had been with Han Qingshan, but upon thinking some more about it, she calmed down.


    Han Qingshan was right; they had been together for a long time already, it was indeed weird if they had not gotten physical.


    Han Qingshan could see that she was softening in her attitude, and his hands slowly snuck under her clothes, caressing her skin.


    His face lowered, and kisses rained down upon Jiang Yingyue''s face. Having realized that it was impossible to make Han Qingshan leave her room tonight, she surrendered herself to the pleasure that he brought her.


    The following morning, when Jiang Yingyue awoke, her waist was sore. Han Qingshan was still sound asleep, hugging her possessively in his arms.


    She was also feeling sweet, happiness from being able to share her life together with Han Qingshan was seeping through her entire being.


    Sensing Jiang Yingyue stir in his arms, Han Qingshan awoke as well. His eyes were quickly focused on the petite woman who was standing by the side of the bed and were admiring her body with a heated gaze.


    Sensing the gaze, Jiang Yingyue turned around where she saw Han Qingshan reclining on the side, his head supported by his arm.


    His eyes were heated, a wolf-like smile on his lips. Jiang Yingyue instantly turned flustered and rushed to the bedroom to wash up.


    Seeing her flee in such a flustered state, Han Qingshan could not help but chuckle.


    The two pairs, Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue, alongside her parents, met in the hotel foyer.


    They went to get some food, after which they split up. Han Qingshan and Jiang Wei took the car, which was full of fishing gear, and drove towards a fishing spot, while Jiang Yingyue and Xun Huiyin took a taxi to a town that was close by, to go shopping at the markets and malls.


    The town was the place where Xun Huiyin had studied in college when she was younger. She was very familiar with the place, and after returning to the countryside, she had been there plenty of times.


    Jiang Yingyue, on the other hand, had last been there ten years ago before she took over Fengmian''s life, but everything had changed since then.


    The town had undergone a renovation project. All the old and dilapidated buildings had been replaced with young and tall buildings, making it so that the city could house even more people.


    Jiang Yingyue and Xun Huiyin paid the taxi driver before they entered the town''s biggest mall.


    The town had three malls, but this was the one with most upscale shops and the best quality.


    Jiang Yingyue had been working for Han Qingshan on and off for a long time and had accumulated quite some savings. Not to mention, Han Qingshan had gifted her a subsidiary card to his own card, she could buy pretty much anything she wanted.


    Even Xun Huiyin, who had been poor for so long back in the capital, was quite wealthy now, as they had sold their home and managed to get quite some savings.


    But although they had money, this did not mean that they would just buy everything they fell for. They understood that money was good to have, but it was not what brought happiness.


    When Xun Huiyin and Jiang Yingyue walked side by side, they were filled with happiness, and they were strolling the shops, just spending their time together talking about things that mattered to them.


    Suddenly, just as they were about to enter a shop, a voice reverberated from behind, "Well, if it isn''t Xun Huiyin. When did you return from god knows where?"

 Chapter 247 - Barking Dog

    Jiang Yingyue and Xun Huiyin turned around only to see a woman around the same age as Xun Huiyin standing behind them with a group of other women.


    The other women were behaving as if they were watching a play, while the woman who spoke was in the middle.


    Jiang Yingyue looked at the woman, her eyes turning cold, and her mood plummeting.


    It was clear that this woman was looking for trouble. But Jiang Yingyue was never afraid of trouble.


    Raising her chin, she looked at the woman and snorted, "mother, dear, who is this barking dog?"


    Xun Huiyin was usually a gentle soul, but she was not going to let others insult her, so she glanced at the woman with a bit of shrewdness in her eyes.


    "I do not know her," she said with complete and utter disdain. It was clear that she did not even consider the person important enough to be remembered.


    "You!" The woman was clearly angry, her nostrils flared in anger, and her eyes were bulging out.


    She was unable to hold back her anger as she lifted her hand and pointed at them, her finger trembled.


    "Me? What about me?" Jiang Yingyue laughed slightly as she looked at the angry woman, her eyes displaying utter ridicule.


    "Xun Huiyin, is this how you taught your daughter? To not respect her elders?"


    One of the women who had planned on just observing could no longer help but cut in. She had sensed that they were the ones who were being insulted, and many were giving them strange looks, as the woman who was pointing looked like a shrew in the streets.


    Xun Huiyin looked at them with complete disinterest, but a gleam of something unexplainable flashed by.


    "Who are you to tell me how to teach my daughter?" Xun Huiyin asked casually. But still neither her nor Jiang Yingyue were aggressive, nor were they jumping around or causing a scene. However, they were immensely condescending.


    "Why should I respect you just because you are old?" Jiang Yingyue supported her mother, "if you want to be respected by me, then you have to prove that you are worth my respect! Coming up to my mother, looking for trouble, who do you think you are?"


    The women were tongue tied. They knew that what Jiang Yingyue said was correct, and they began to feel ashamed. Not because they had done something wrong, but because they could not argue back. It was so embarrassing to come looking for trouble but be scolded in return.


    "As to where my mother went? Do you really want to know? We went to the capital to give me the best environment to become a success. Fighting for the best chances for your children, that is what a true parent ought to do!"


    The woman was fuming with anger now, when suddenly a voice came from behind, "Mother, you ought to have a filter. Although you like to bully others, you cannot go out and use your status to pressure others."


    A young man stepped forward and nodded apologetically to Xun Huiyin and Jiang Yingyue before he looked at the woman who had started the whole situation.


    Jiang Yingyue was still in a bad mood because of the woman clearly targeting her mother, but as the young man had spoken out, it would seem petty if she held onto it. Also, the one who had been suffering was not her, nor her mother, but this other woman and her group.


    "In that case, we will leave," Jiang Yingyue said as she nodded to the young man. She had no hostility towards him, but she was not very pleased with his mother. As such, the only result was that she wanted to continue their shopping spree, to cheer up once more.


    Seeing the young woman left in the distance, the young man who had scolded his mother frowned slightly before he turned to look at the women. The amiable and gentle expression on his face had become solemn.


    "I already told you to behave!" he said, annoyed. "This woman has not harmed you, why do you have to use your background to pressure others, not everyone will be intimidated, so you will end up embarrassing yourself!"


    His eyes followed Jiang Yingyue as she was walking away, his eyes deep, and it was impossible to see what he was thinking.


    "Tell me everything you know about them," he ordered his mother.


    He had been observing the argument from it started, and his heart was moved by this woman. She was very different from any other woman he had ever met, she was graceful and elegant, and she was strong and not easy to be bullied.


    He was interested in her.


    His mother was scared of her son, and quickly said everything she knew about Xun Huiyin.


    "That is Xun Huiyin''s daughter. I think her name is Jiang Yingyue. The translation of the title means the reflection of the moon. She had a brother named Jiang Fengmian, but he died, and they left after that, apparently going to the capital according to what they said just now.


    "I just saw them returning, but I assume they are living in Luoyi Village again, as that is where the brother was buried."


    The young man nodded his head. He was not in love with the woman, so he was not desperate to meet her again, but he was very interested in her, and did not mind making some situations happen where he might come across her again.


    It was hard to find an attractive woman in the country, most were either interested in him because of his background and wealth, or because he held political power in the administrative region.


    This woman was different from those fawning over him; this breath of fresh air touched him.

 Chapter 248 - Unknown Man

    Jiang Yingyue and Xun Huiyin quickly forgot about the annoying encounter, and they began playing around once more.


    They went shopping and looked at everything they could think of: shoes, clothes, books, hats, bags, accessories, and even household items.


    Although they looked at many things, they bought some things, but not that many. They only bought the things that they really liked.


    Even so, after shopping for the majority of the day, they had multiple bags in their hands, and after having some afternoon tea, they went back to the Luoyi Village by taxi.


    As they arrived home, they sat down to talk. Not long after Han Qingshan and Jiang Wei returned, they had brought fish with them, and Jiang Yingyue and Xun Huiyin took them over and they began cooking their dinner.


    The dinner ended up being fish soup, ginger soy fish, Cantonese steamed fish, and crispy fried fish.


    The fish dishes were delicious. A scent of food wafted into the nostrils of them all, and they were eager to taste it.


    While eating, they spoke about what they had encountered that day. Still, in order to not worry Han Qingshan nor Jiang Wei, neither Xun Huiyin nor Jiang Yingyue said anything about the encounter with the woman who tried aggravating them.


    After all, the woman had not succeeded and made a joke of herself instead.


    After dinner, they said their farewell, returning to the hotel. Once again, they shared the same room, and Jiang Yingyue had completely given up her resistance.


    While Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan were lying in bed, chatting with one another, and feeling the happiness of being close, the young man, who was the son of the woman from earlier, was using his political influence to find Jiang Yingyue.


    He found her parents'' address fast but also found that the woman did not live with them. Perhaps she was still residing in the capital.


    But if she did not live with her parents, there was only one option left, and that was the hotel.


    As he went to the hotel, he was told that this Jiang Yingyue, that he had taken an interest in, had arrived together with a man, however, they had booked two rooms, so he dared not assume anything.


    If the woman he had finally taken an interest in were already taken, he would be quite upset.


    He got the room number of Jiang Yingyue, but he knew it was too late for him to go and interrupt her now. Instead, he would come back early the next day and meet her.


    The following day, Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue awoke. This day Jiang Yingyue was going to take Han Qingshan around the village to show him her elementary school, and all the places she had played and spent time during her childhood.


    Jiang Yingyue wanted to share her childhood with Han Qingshan, wanted him to know more about her and her life from the times when Fengmian was by her side.


    As Jiang Yingyue went to wash up, a knock was heard on the door, but Jiang Yingyue heard nothing as she was in the shower.


    Han Qingshan was frowning. Who would knock on their door at this point in time? Jiang Yingyue''s parents would not, and they had not ordered room service.


    Han Qingshan took a bathrobe and wrapped it around his body, but his chiseled chest was evident, showing off a few of the marks left by Jiang Yingyue the previous night.


    He was not thinking too much about it as he opened the door, but at the time he opened it, his eyes narrowed, and a dangerous gleam flashed within them.


    Outside was a young and handsome man. He was clearly from a prominent family.


    The young man was equally surprised to see a man opening the door instead of Jiang Yingyue.


    Both men looked into one another''s eyes; silence descended in the air.


    "Is Miss Jiang here?" He finally asked, hoping that the two had merely changed the room and that she was in the other room, but the marks on his chest were glaring at him.


    "She''s not available right now," Han Qingshan answered coldly, his mood complex. Was this guy someone she knew when she was a child? Was he a childhood sweetheart? Who was he?


    "I need to say sorry to her for my mother''s behavior yesterday," the man said, not backing down, his words causing Han Qingshan to frown.


    Yesterday? What happened yesterday? She was shopping with Xun Huiyin, but none of them mentioned anything happening.


    "You will have to wait then," Han Qingshan was not going to let him in, "she is taking a bath, I must have worn her out last night."


    Hearing what Han Qingshan said, the young man paled. He did not even bother with being subtle!


    Seeing the man pale, Han Qingshan''s eyes narrowed further. It was clear that he was interested in Jiang Yingyue, and Han Qingshan would never let anyone who had thoughts on his Yingyue off easily.


    The man also understood that now was not a good time to wait around. He had not expected this outcome, and he felt dejected but unwilling to give up.


    He took out a business card and handed it to Han Qingshan. "Please hand this over to her. I will await her call."


    The man was not worried that Han Qingshan would not give her the business card. If he were in Han Qingshan''s place, he would be very nervous and concerned about his place in her heart, now that a competitor appeared.


    Han Qingshan was indeed nervous, but then he calmed down. He would not doubt his relationship with Jiang Yingyue just because of someone else''s words.. He trusted her.

 Chapter 249 - What Is His Purpose?

    When Jiang Yingyue exited the bathroom, her face had a healthy blush from the water, while her hair was slightly fluffy after being dried with a hairdryer.


    Her entire surroundings were filled with the scent of flowers that came from her shower gel.


    She was extremely pleased, delighted, and in a good mood. However, when she looked at the bed, she saw that Han Qingshan was sitting still, looking solemnly at her, his hands playing around with what seemed like a business card.


    His eyes were unfathomable, his lips curled into a slight smile, but where his usual smiles made Jiang Yingyue feel good, this one gave her a chill down her spine.


    "Qingshan?" She asked, puzzled. What could have happened that made him so mad?


    "What happened when you went shopping yesterday?" Han Qingshan suddenly asked, his voice low, but it was not dangerous. Instead, it sounded as if he was sulking.


    "What happened? Nothing happened, I think?" Jiang Yingyue was at a loss. What could have happened that caused him to be so depressed?


    She had already forgotten about the insults, but when she saw the eyes of Han Qingshan, it surfaced in her mind again.


    "Do you mean when Mother was bullied?" Jiang Yingyue asked with a frown on her face.


    Han Qingshan was also frowning. How could this young man have anything to do with bullying Jiang Yingyue''s mother?


    "Tell me what happened." It seemed that that was the only thing that could have triggered their encounter, but it was quite strange, so he wanted Jiang Yingyue to explain in detail.


    So Jiang Yingyue did. "An old classmate of mother caused problems, but both Mother and I teamed up to create problems for her, so she lost out big time. Then the woman''s son arrived and apologized, so we left.


    "It was a simple encounter, I did not think too much of it," Jiang Yingyue said after thinking for a bit. "We continued shopping, and soon we forgot about it. No need to spend energy on barking dogs, after all."


    Han Qingshan nodded his head. It seemed that this young man was the son of the woman who tried to bully Xun Huiyin.


    Knowing this, Han Qingshan snickered. So this man had instantly taken a fancy to his Yingyue? See how he dealt with him!


    Jiang Yingyue was still puzzled, not at all sure what had been going on. Seeing her adorable, but puzzled expression, Han Qingshan reached out his hand, ruffled her fluffy hair, and handed her the business card.


    "What''s this?" Jiang Yingyue was confused. Why would he give her a business card in the morning?


    Han Qingshan looked at her, observing every facial expression, but he saw that she was genuinely unsure of what it was, and he felt relieved.


    "A young man came by and gave me this. He said it was for you, and he wanted to talk with you. He is waiting for your call."


    Jiang Yingyue looked even more perplexed; her eyes were filled with confusion. "A young man? What young man?"


    "I think it is the son of that woman from yesterday. He did mention something about an apology."


    Jiang Yingyue was enlightened. She looked at the business card, and then she went to the bin and tossed it into it without a second thought.


    Seeing her decisive movements, Han Qingshan was stunned, but the slight sense of unease in his heart vanished instantly. She was simply too adorable!


    "You don''t want to contact him?" Han Qingshan asked, but although he asked this question, the smile on his face had finally turned genuine due to her actions.


    "I don''t know him," Jiang Yingyue said as she shrugged her shoulders.


    "He seemed like he wanted to know you, though," Han Qingshan continued, but Jiang Yingyue just laughed.


    "His mother insulted my mother, why would I want anything to do with him? Not to mention, I already have you. Why would I seek connections with an unknown man? That''s just silly."


    Han Qingshan''s vanity was significantly boosted by listening to Jiang Yingyue''s words. Her admitting that when she had him, she would need no one else made him immensely proud, and the smile on his face grew at an incredible rate.


    Seeing his proud expression, Jiang Yingyue helplessly shook her head. It was clear that her words had made him smug, but she could sense his insecurity and fear from before. Although he tried to hide it well, she could still sense it. Hence she wanted to assure him.


    She really meant what she said too. She had no intention of ever breaking up with him, and she had absolutely no intention of finding another man at any time.


    This man, although he had apologized for his mother''s words, was not someone she wanted to befriend.


    But she was surprised. How did he know where she was staying? Her eyes suddenly gleamed.


    "Qingshan," she called out, causing him to look at her. "What exactly did that man say? What was his purpose in finding us again, and how did he know that we were staying here?"


    Hearing these questions, Han Qingshan sunk into deep thought. This was something he had not considered as he had been filled with other thoughts.


    "He must have bribed someone to search your background information," Han Qingshan said after some consideration. "He likely got your mother''s identity from his own mother and went on from there on. But this is unexpected. He must have put a lot of effort into finding you."


    "Exactly," Jiang Yingyue agreed with him, nodding her head. "So what do you think could make him do that? We only met once, and I never said a word to him.. I do not believe in love at first sight; there has to be an ulterior motive."

 Chapter 250 - Shady Deals

    The day went peacefully; nothing unexpected happened. Jiang Yingyue took Han Qingshan around the village and told him all the stories about when she was a child.


    They also walked past the house where they had lived when she was a child and saw that a group of children was playing outside, chasing after a wind dragon.


    Looking at them, her eyes turned soft. "I am glad that my parents found a new house," she said. "Although they returned to from the capital, it is hard to stay in the same house, the house where they found their own son dead."


    Han Qingshan nodded his head as he dragged Jiang Yingyue into a warm embrace.


    He could not understand her complex emotions as he had never lost anyone that close to him before. However, he wanted to give her strength.


    The two finished their tour at Jiang Yingyue''s place where they ate some food before returning to the hotel room.


    Throughout the entire day, the young man had been waiting for her call, but as he saw the two of them move into the hotel, hand in hand, he was suddenly convinced that Han Qingshan had not given the business card to Jiang Yingyue.


    His eyes flashed with darkness, and he was displeased. He had taken an interest in a woman, how dared a common man stands in his way?


    It was already amazing that he had not given up on her after knowing that she was no longer a virgin, sleeping with her current boyfriend, but now this current boyfriend was even interfering with him. It was unacceptable!


    One has to admit that the thought process of this young man was twisted. He was an upcoming political figure in the region, and he could not help but feel that he was much more entitled to get what he wanted than others. Anything he fancied would be his.


    However, since he was from this region, he was unaware of Han Qingshan''s actual appearance and had misunderstood him as being a poor young man who could hardly scrape by.


    This also showed how little he had actually looked at Han Qingshan. His clothes were clearly of famous brands, his bearing not one that just anyone could have, but this young man was looking down upon him, and thus he never saw the clues that were right in front of him.


    After waiting for a full day, without getting a phone call, the guy finally lost his temper. He took out his phone and dialed a number that was not saved in his phone book.


    "It''s me," he said the moment it was picked up. "I need you to check up on a phone number for me. I think it should belong to the capital; it''s a woman named Jiang Yingyue. She is nineteen years old and comes from our region, originally. Her mother is Xun Huiyin."


    "Sure thing, I can get it for you in a whiff, but you need to do something for me as well," the voice on the other end of the phone seemed casual and carefree. "I heard that the government is planning on putting a project up for bidding soon with the reconstruction of the Erli High."


    "That''s true," the young man did not deny it.


    "Get me some insider intel, I want this project, but I want it at the lowest cost."


    "That''s no problem," the young man said. He did not think that such a small thing could affect the career he had often traded such information for personal benefits.


    He hung up the phone call and looked at the deserted streets, a small smile adorning his lips. The thrill of the hunt was what he liked the most. Breaking her up with her boyfriend was also an accomplishment.


    If he then later found out that he did not like her, then that was fine, at least he would have succeeded in wooing her, and she was incredibly pretty, she would be a good trophy for some time.


    This man was such a person. Although he had taken a fancy to her, it was all about what she could give him.


    She was correct in saying that she had gone to the capital for the sake of getting a better education. In that case, she could support him later. Not to mention, she was pretty. He would feel proud of seeing other''s envious glances at him.


    Although he had taken a fancy to her already, he did not know her at all. He had taken a liking to her appearance and the strong momentum she had when bullying his mother.


    But for her personality. He really did not care. As long as she was obedient to him, the rest did not matter.


    If Jiang Yingyue knew of his thoughts, she would have snorted and called him a lunatic.


    That night, Han Qingshan was increasingly gentle and sweet, spending all his time to pleasure Jiang Yingyue. She felt her body trembling non-stop, her body floating on cloud nine, and unable to hold back, she slowly lost control of herself.


    The following morning, Jiang Yingyue was feeling so comfortable as she was snuggling in Han Qingshan''s embrace. She had planned on going on a few day trips with Han Qingshan to show him around the different towns and cities close by before they had to return to the capital.


    At that moment she woke from her daze as she heard her phone ringing.


    Picking it up, she saw a phone number she had never seen before. Frowning, she answered.


    "Hello?" she asked, and suddenly a foreign man''s voice sounded on the other end.


    "Miss Jiang, I am sorry that I did not contact you before.. I tried getting my business card to you yesterday, but I fear your partner might have kept it from you."

 Chapter 251 - Leave Me Alone!

    "I got a business card yesterday. However, I threw it away," Jiang Yingyue said, her voice was melodious and calm. It also sounded soft from just waking up, but a certain unquestionable air was within her voice, making it hard for the young man to question her.


    He was stumped for a short while, but then he laughed out loud. "Miss Jiang, I understand that you wish to be loyal to your lover. However, it is not a good idea to hang onto someone if there is no future with them.


    "This man might be attractive, but can he guarantee that you will have a good life throughout the years to come?


    "Is he wealthy enough to provide for you and your eventual children, without you having to work?


    "Is it really worth it, staying with someone like him?"


    Jiang Yingyue''s eyes flashed with coldness as she listened to the man, and her voice was cold as ice when she spoke.


    "I don''t know what your purpose is, but no matter what, I will not leave my boyfriend. We are already planning our engagement and marriage; you do not have to worry about my future either. As long as I am with him, I would be willing to traverse a mountain made from swords, a river of lava, and a sea of monsters! So stop wasting your time on me, I will never accept whatever offer you might have for me."


    Jiang Yingyue''s voice was not high, but the coldness it contained was so overwhelming that the young man was taken by surprise.


    At this point in time, he was starting to dislike her. She was not an obedient little girl as he wanted, but he would not give up.


    It was simply too embarrassing to be rejected! He would make her beg him to be with her, make her regret her words immensely!


    Jiang Yingyue did not wait for a reply before she hung up the call. She was grumbling, and her previously excellent mood vanished completely.


    Just as she started massaging her temples, she felt Han Qingshan''s arms wrap around her and drag her back down into an embrace.


    "I did not know you liked me that much," he said, his voice carrying with it a gentle smile.


    "To think that you would traverse a mountain of swords, a river of lava, and a sea of monsters with me. I can feel your love for me."


    Jiang Yingyue was suddenly embarrassed, she gently hit his chest, but she did not refute him. He was right; after all, she really did love him.


    Han Qingshan also knew when he could push her and when he had to withdraw. He was teasing her slightly, but if he went over the top, he might have to sleep in his own room the following night. That''d be a disaster!


    "This guy is annoying, he is like a lingering ghost," Jiang Yingyue said as she looked at her phone and frowned. She found the guy''s number and directly blacklisted it, now it was impossible for him to even to send her a message or call her.


    The young man did indeed try to call again. But when he heard the phone being cut off, he knew that he had been blocked. He was livid.


    But he was not the only angry person due to this subject. Han Qingshan was doing everything to ensure Jiang Yingyue that he was fine, but the moment she entered the bathroom, he grabbed his phone.


    "I need information about an annoying fly," he said, his eyes dark.


    "Should I kill him?" the voice on the other end asked, and for once, Han Qingshan considered it seriously, but then he shook his head and sighed.


    "We can not solve everything with violence. I have a phone number, figure out who the owner of it is, and find some dirt on him as soon as possible."


    Having received Han Qingshan''s orders and the phone number, the man grunted in reply and ended the phone call.


    Han Qingshan was used to his friend''s strange behavior and cold personality, so he did not mind.


    This guy was the fastest at gathering information, so Han Qingshan was not worried about not having the report by the end of the evening. He was going to enjoy the day together with Jiang Yingyue at the different tourist attractions, towns, and cities that were present in the surrounding area.


    Jiang Yingyue finished her bath fast. She was unaware of what exactly Han Qingshan had done, but she knew him well enough to know that he had done something.


    She could imagine that he was feeling frustrated, seeing his girlfriend being teased like that could not be comfortable.


    When Jiang Yingyue exited the bathroom, Han Qingshan could not help but whistle.


    She was simply gorgeous. She was wearing a sky-blue vintage dress with a big white bow on her back. Her legs were long and shapely, and when one looked at them, there was an urge to remove the dress right away to see further up.


    Her hair was tied into a high ponytail, accentuating her neck, her white skin was simply like it was submerged in milk, she was so attractive that Han Qingshan could not help but spend a long time just looking at her.


    She was not wearing makeup, not even foundation, but she was so attractive that she did not need it. She was the most beautiful woman that Han Qingshan had ever seen before.


    "The bathroom is empty," Jiang Yingyue said, a little embarrassed by seeing his scorching gaze on her. "You better go in and get ready.. We have a lot planned today, so you should wash up too so that we can go."

 Chapter 252 - Darkness Deep Inside

    Han Qingshan gave a long glance at Jiang Yingyue. Clearly, there were certain things he much rather would than to go to the bathroom, but in the end, he held back. Jiang Yingyue needed to be able to move about that day; it was not right to wear her out already.


    During that day they went to various tourist attractions and saw many beautiful sceneries.


    But while Jiang Yingyue fully emerged in all the fun, Han Qingshan could sense that they were being followed.


    He did not have to think twice to know who it was that was following them. A sneer appeared on his lips, but it quickly vanished and was replaced with a gentle smile as he gazed at Jiang Yingyue. Fortunately, she was unaware of her own charms.


    But Han Qingshan was not blind. After Jiang Yingyue had returned to the life of a woman, she was simply so attractive that any man would turn their heads to look at her.


    She was unaware that people could fall for her appearance at first instance, and after the encounter with Miss Mu, she was sure that people held ulterior motives when they wished to get closer to her so aggressively.


    Han Qingshan did not try to change her thoughts either. This young man indeed had an ulterior motive to get close to her; he wanted her to be his trophy.


    While others might not be able to see clearly, Han Qingshan could easily see through the young man''s intentions. He was disgusted and annoyed with him. Daring to steal his, Han Qignshan''s, woman? That was simply a suicidal wish!


    Many thoughts were flashing in Han Qingshan''s mind, but throughout the entire day, Han Qingshan was so gentle, loving, and considerate.


    The one who observed them in silence and took pictures for the young man was stunned to see the level of attention that the woman was getting and started to understand why she was so loyal to him.


    When the day came to an end, Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue ate at the hotel before heading to their room. Once again, Han Qingshan shamelessly entered the one booked for Jiang Yingyue. He had no intention of staying in his own room.


    When Jiang Yingyue was washing up, Han Qingshan looked at the closed bathroom door, and then he called the mysterious Hei Yi to hear what kind of results he had gathered in a day.


    "I know you are eager, but there is so much information about this guy, that getting all of it sorted will take some time," Hei Yi answered the moment he picked up the phone.


    "Name is Lin Xiao, a very common name. He is from a somewhat affluent background and went into politics when he was very young. He has had quite a few successes in politics, but all of his connections and his shooting to stardom is all because of underhanded deals.


    "I have documents and proof of the shady deals; the newest one was to investigate Jiang Yingyue and her phone number, in exchange for insider intel on a government-issued project."


    "He has the cheek to investigate my Yingyue?" Han Qingshan''s voice was low and dangerous; this man had overstepped his boundaries.


    "So, what do you wish for me to do?" Hei Yi asked. He could feel killing intent in Han Qingshan''s voice, but to his surprise, Han Qingshan made another decision than he had expected.


    "Release the news. Start slowly, so that he thinks that he can stop it, but every time he fixes one issue, another, bigger, one will erupt. I want him to feel despair; I want him to regret ever getting close to Yingyue. Sometimes living is more unbearable than death."


    Hei Yi had not expected such dark words from Han Qingshan. Although Han Qingshan was usually a sunshine boy, a person who was so friendly and positive, deep darkness lurked beneath the surface.


    As soon as someone touched the ones he held dear, then he would turn into a demon that had risen from the ten courts of hell. He had the power to hold others'' life and death in his hand, and he was simply dangerous to no ends.


    Hei Yi had realized that after taking Jiang Yingyue as his partner, his wife-protecting devil ways were getting slightly out of hand, but he was a person who liked to see the world burn, so even if Han Qingshan turned even more ruthless, he would say nothing.


    Jiang Yingyue was also unaware of what Han Qingshan was doing. Although she knew of his darkness, she never asked into his actions. All she did was silently support him.


    When she exited the bathroom, she felt the darkness in Han Qingshan, but instead of asking anything, she gently went to kiss him on the chin.


    "Take a bath and soothe your muscles," she said smilingly. "We walked so much today; I am exhausted, even you must be slightly tired too."


    Han Qingshan was not tired, but he could feel the care and consideration of Jiang Yingyue, and he could not bear to let her down, so he nodded his head, placed a kiss on her head, and headed to the bathroom.


    When he was out of sight, a slight apprehensive light shone in Jiang Yingyue''s eyes. She could feel that something was troubling Han Qingshan, but she also knew that she could not ask about it.


    Instead, she just smiled wryly and decided to do what she could to make him relax and feel better. That way, he would not be stressed out too much.


    While Jiang Yingyue prepared the bed for them and Han Qingshan was washing up, Hei Yi began his plan on counter-attacking.. He was not going to let the fish slip through the net easily.

 Chapter 253 - Political Scene

    During the night, the rumors about Lin Xiao started spreading. The news began in the town where he lived, and spread outwards with the power of word-of-mouth.


    Some claimed that they had heard the rumors in their bars and others at their upper scale banquets.


    No one knew exactly where the rumors started, but they were not helping Lin Xiao at all.


    In fact, they claimed that he made use of his political powers for personal gain, that he engaged in shady deals, and that he was corrupt.


    Although these were merely word-of-mouth rumors, they were tarnishing his reputation, and by the time he was told about it, many had already spoken out about it.


    Lin Xiao had gone to sleep early the previous day, he was simply too angered by Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue, but he was woken up in the middle of the night by a few phone calls.


    "Big Brother Xiao, you are in a tough position right now. You have to strike fast before they find proof."


    "Brother Lin, you need to deal with this fast, and don''t let them trace it back to me."


    "Dear friend, we need to know who is spreading this news and what their purpose is."


    Many called, and all of them had a different agenda. Luckily no one had found any evidence yet, and thus he still had space to maneuver.


    He was no longer in the mood to sleep upon hearing about the rumors that were flourishing outside.


    He knew that what he had done was illegal, it was not enough to lose his position for now, but it would undoubtedly bring him to jail if someone were to find all the evidence for his crimes; he would face a lifetime of imprisonment.


    His teeth were clenched tightly as he was full of anger. What on earth could have caused his favorable situation to suddenly turn like this?


    Not even once did he consider Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue being behind it. Instead, he began assuming it was some political opposition.


    He called all his partners. He was well aware that it was not them who had ratted him out. If they had, they would do more damage to themselves than help.


    They would be known as someone who bribed others, someone who fed corruption. In a strict business world, that was not a good reputation to have at all.


    Upon discussing with his comrades, Lin Xiao sat in front of his computer. Fortunately, the rumors were still relying on spreading from mouth to mouth, online he had only found very small traces of the rumors, and he had instantly taken a strong stand against the ones who were spreading the news.


    Although he was aware that the accusations were correct, he could never admit to it.


    As such, he wrote to the ones who had claimed to hear about his so-called scandal and warned them that one had to take responsibility for their words.


    If he did not see them take down their absurd rumors, he would sue them in court for slander.


    Many were scared by this threat, and the few people who were spreading the rumors online quickly deleted their posts.


    But a fire was hard to extinguish. Although Lin Xiao did everything in his power to kill the rumors but many still spread them behind his back.


    His opposition was not aware of who had started spreading these rumors. However, it was a godsent opportunity for them.


    The following day, Lin Xiao had no time to look for Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue.


    He hurried to his office, where he was summoned by his superior. It was clear that although he had taken a strong stance and claimed the rumors as slander, the opposition was not going to let him go so easily.


    As he reached his superior''s office, he took a deep breath, put on an expression of grievances, and pushed the door open.


    Inside were the men who were usually against him, alongside his superior.


    While his superior''s expression was solemn, the others had gloating expressions on their faces, looking as if they were watching a play.


    "Mayor Yan, please bring me justice!" Lin Xiao was able to gain his current position because he was shrewd, and the moment he saw those gloating expressions, he had an epiphany.


    "Mayor Yan, politics is meant to be fought for righteously, straightforwardly and honorably! We exist to better society and help our country encounter wealth and growth, but some unknown politicians have put their sights on me. They are filled with jealousy and have spread unfounded rumors about this hardworking official!


    "This hardworking official has already shown his stance; anyone who wishes to slander me will be faced with a lawsuit! No one has been able to produce any proof, and this signifies that no shady deals are going on. It is obvious that someone is framing this hardworking official just because he is more successful than them!"


    Mayor Yan looked at Lin Xiao and contemplated his words. There was some sort of logic to what he said, but he was a politician for so many years because he was prudent.


    The faces of the opposition, on the other hand, were ugly to the extreme. Anyone could sense what he meant with his words; it was clear that he was targeting them, making them the ones who used underhanded means to deal with their opponent.


    Major Yan looked at the two sides and sighed. "We will investigate," he finally decided.


    "We will find the origin of the rumor,and at the same time, investigate Lin Xiao''s business."


    This was clearly giving both of them a punishment. By investigating the origin of the rumors, the opposition would be unable to steer clear, as they had fanned the flames of the rumor so actively, but Lin Xiao was not much happier.. He was, after all, a criminal.

 Chapter 254 - Han Qingshan Was A Devil

    The rest of Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan''s vacation went smoothly. Lin Xiao had no time to deal with them, as he was busy hiding all tracks of his shady transactions.


    These days were making Jiang Yingyue the happiest, and when they finally returned to the Capital, she was so at peace with all that had happened.


    Time flowed like water, and after a short while, it was time for the university entrance exams once more.


    Jiang Yingyue still wanted to go to Imperial University, and she was spending all her time focusing on the exam. This was her ticket to a much better life; she was eager to do her very best.


    Han Qingshan was not making her work for him at this point. He knew she had saved up enough money to provide for herself until she began university again, and he let her focus on studying.


    Jiang Yingyue had not to spent another thought on Lin Xiao, but Han Qingshan''s eyes gleamed with darkness whenever he thought back on the man who wanted to make her into a trophy.


    Although he had battled Zhou Yan for Jiang Yingyue''s love, he knew that this was different. Zhou Yan valued Jiang Yingyue for who she was; this man just wanted her to be an obedient doll.


    Hence he was filled with disgust towards the young man.


    Hei Yi had done as he was told, he was dealing with Lin Xiao expertly. Every time he was just on the verge of turning the situation around to benefit himself, a new piece of information was shared, and soon everyone knew that the shady deals that he had undertaken were not few.


    However, no one had the actual proof in their hands, so he still held some freedom.


    Finally, Han Qingshan wished to send him the final blow, and he made Hei Yi send a message to him.


    Lin Xiao was seated at home, wondering what options he had if he wanted to turn the situation around. Still, before he thought out some intelligent strategies, he suddenly heard the doorbell ring.


    Frowning, he rose to his feet. Outside was a courier and in his hands was a small box. "Mr. Lin, please sign," the man said, and Lin Xiao, who was very perplexed, signed and took the package with him inside.


    As he opened the package, he found it was a cell phone. It was turned on, and there was no screen lock.


    Moments after he had picked it up, it started ringing. The melody was out of a horror movie, and everything was making Lin Xiao feel immensely uncomfortable. Was this some sort of sick prank?


    Still, curiosity kills the cat, Lin Xiao picked up the phone, and a sinister voice sounded on the other end.


    "In your next life, do not get close to Jiang Yingyue nor Han Qingshan!"


    The voice said nothing else, but the sound of the disconnected phone still rung in Lin Xiao''s mind.


    Jiang Yingyue and... Han Qingshan?


    Lin Xiao was a well-known figure in the political scene, and he had big hopes of going to the Capital one day to make a name for himself. He knew of all the heavyweights within the Capital, and Han Qingshan was definitely one of them.


    But was this the same Han Qingshan? Lin Xiao tried to convince himself that it was not, but upon thinking about his current situation, he knew that it was.


    Someone able to cause his career to deteriorate at such a fast speed. Spread rumors about him like this without anyone knowing where they originated from. To hold all the proof against him, but only releasing little by little in order to drive him insane - who else other than Han Qingshan held this power?


    He suddenly went to his laptop and searched for pictures of Han Qingshan, and there he saw the face that he had seen together with Jiang Yingyue. It was clear that the poor and useless bum that he had looked down upon before was actually Han Qingshan.


    How laughable this was!


    He could not help but hold back a laugh, but soon his eyes dimmed. He did not know what course of action he should take from here on out. Should he leave the country? As long as he did not end in jail, he would have a chance of getting back at them later!


    However, Han Qingshan was a meticulous person. The moment he had started thinking about his options, a knock was heard on the door. Thinking that it was a new message from Han Qingshan, he hurried to open it, only to find a group of policemen outside.


    "Mr. Lin, you will have to come with us to the police station," the captain of the team said. His face was stoic, and his eyes sharp.


    "Why so?" Lin Xiao was feeling despair, but the captain of the police force did not answer and gestured for him to follow.


    Sighing deeply, Lin Xiao walked out, his head was held high, but on the inside he was in deep despair. He was not going to be able to get out of it this time.


    Han Qingshan was not a sunshine boy as he claimed to be; he was dark and ruthless!


    Just because he had taken a fancy to the same woman, he had destroyed his life! This was simply a new level of evilness to Lin Xiao.


    Although he had done many illegal things throughout the years, he had never endangered anyone, but Han Qingshan gave one order, and hence destroyed his life.. This was indeed the difference in how they looked at other''s lives.

 Chapter 255 - University Entrance Exam

    Jiang Yingyue came out from the university entrance exams; her face adorned with a great smile and happiness fluttering in her heart.


    She had not been given the results yet, but from what she could guess, she had done very well.


    She was feeling so happy and hopeful about returning to university. This had been her goal for the majority of the year.


    It had been almost a year since she had returned to her female appearance, and since then, everything she had was because of Han Qingshan, and her dreams had come true.


    Even if she did not get the highest rank this year, she was sure that she had gotten high enough to join the university.


    As she left the university, she found that a conspicuous luxury car was waiting, it was a car she was immensely familiar with, it was Han Qingshan''s black Porsche.


    Smiling, she hurried to the car, and when she saw Han Qingshan inside, she hurriedly entered.


    "Congratulations on your exams," Han Qingshan smiled at her, reaching out his hand and gently pushing a bit of unruly hair behind her ear.


    "I haven''t gotten my results yet, but I am sure that they are good enough to let me enter Imperial University." Jiang Yingyue was smiling brilliantly as she spoke. Her happiness made Han Qingshan smile as well.


    As they finished their talk, Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue went to the grocery store and purchased a lot of ingredients. Their kitchen was somewhat empty and they lacked many ingredients that were required to cook a delicious dinner.


    They walked side by side in the grocery store, pushing the trolley as they found the most delicious and fresh ingredients.


    "What would you like to eat for dinner?" Jiang Yingyue asked gently as she looked at some various meats, but Han Qingshan shook his head. "It is you we are celebrating, so tell me what you want, and I will get it for you."


    "I want us to eat at home tonight," Jiang Yingyue said, "I will cook since you don''t know how-to, but it should be a nice evening with just the two of us."


    Han Qingshan rubbed his chin as he could not say anything to Jiang Yingyue. He was indeed unable to cook food, so he had to depend on Jiang Yingyue to do so for them.


    He would have offered eating out, but he knew that Jiang Yingyue was very keen on eating at home, where she cooked the food herself.


    She was not as thrifty as she used to be, but she was not a big fan of spending money unnecessarily.


    Eating out was fine to do once in a while, but doing it too often would make the special feeling of it vanish, and it would become ordinary.


    She knew that Han Qingshan often had to go to dinner parties and things like that with his job, so when he was free, she wanted him to feel her love for him as she prepared home-cooked meals for him.


    As they had bought all the food, they hurried back to the condo. Here Han Qingshan was busy unpacking their items, while Jiang Yingyue went to change her clothes and wash her hands.


    When she wanted to walk through the sitting room, she saw that Han Qingshan had turned on the TV while working in the kitchen, likely to hear the news.


    At this moment, the news was about a politician who had been judged guilty in a corruption case for selling multiple official and confidential information for the sake of personal gain.


    She was initially not paying any attention to the tv, but when she heard which region it was from, she paused her steps. Wasn''t this the region where her parents lived?


    Turning to look at the TV, she saw a somewhat familiar face, and she frowned. Where had she seen him before?


    It took some time for her to recognize the figure as that person who had caused her some trouble when she visited her childhood village.


    She did not have to think twice to know that Han Qingshan had a hand in this matter, but she did not mind.


    If Han Qingshan had not taken action, this man would have continued to harass her, not to mention he had done illegal things, it was only natural that it got discovered, and he should be punished.


    She did not pity him one bit.


    After knowing who it was, she finally knew what it was that had preoccupied Han Qingshan back when they were at the Luoyi Village.


    She felt a strange sweetness knowing that he was taking so much care that he would not even let anyone harass her, and with renewed vigor she hurried into the kitchen, sent Han Qingshan out, and began making dumplings.


    Jiang Yingyue loved making steamed dumplings in varying shapes and with different fillings.


    This time she made vegetable dumplings, and various other dishes, including pork belly and pork and vegetable soup.


    When she finished cooking, she had made a full seven dishes, so many that they would be unable to finish them all, but they had to celebrate this day. And every time they had extras, she would make a delicious lunch box for Han Qingshan to bring to work with him on the following day.


    Jiang Yingyue was in a brilliant mood, she was humming a few songs as she set the table, and when she was done, she fetched Han Qingshan from the study to come and eat.


    Together, the two ate their dishes while talking, and the atmosphere was so warm and full of love.. There was no space for anyone else in their lives at the current point in time.

 Chapter 256 - Joyous Life

    Time flowed like water. Jiang Yingyue spent her days working with Han Qingshan as his assistant, and when the results of the university entrance exams were announced, she was ranked second.


    Last year she was ranked first. This time, she was ranked second. She did not feel that it was unjust.


    Although she had been studying on her own to do her best, it was still some time since she had gotten any formal education about the subjects, so second place was already very well in her mind.


    Han Qingshan was also immensely proud of her, and the day the exam results were announced, he and his parents held a banquet to celebrate her success. Even Han Weisheng had come to celebrate her performance.


    Life was flourishing for Jiang Yingyue, and soon the time for university began. Han Qingshan had graduated and was entirely focused on the Han Corporation in the future. At the same time, Jiang Yingyue was going to study the subject that she had wanted to study for a long time - psychology..


    Life on campus was much simpler now that she could be herself. She no longer needed to maintain a certain distance from people, and always fear for her secrets being unmasked.


    She found a group of friends in her year, all of which were women of ordinary backgrounds, but with ambitions and hopes for the future.


    Although their friendship was not one that had grown over many years, they felt very comfortable amongst one another, and none of them were jealous when they found out that Jiang Yingyue''s partner was Han Qingshan.


    Although Jiang Yingyue had planned to keep a more low-profile life now, she had forgotten how immense Han Qingshan''s presence was on everyone else.


    The students of the Imperial University all knew his Porsche, and after getting into it a few times, everyone was aware that Jiang Yingyue was Han Qingshan''s woman.


    Her life on campus was fun. She met up with Han Qingshan''s cousins every once in a while, went shopping with her new friends, found a part-time intern job at a private psychologist, and life was flourishing for her.


    She also met up with Zhou Yan, but it was not often, and after a bit of time, he went to bid his farewell. He was returning to the country where his family had their main operations.


    Ever since he had withdrawn, Starry Sky Entertainment had been unable to cause any stir in the entertainment circle, and the stockholder surnamed Gou of Imperial World, had to give up his plans on acquiring more stocks of the company and was forced to accept his lot in life.


    Every day Jiang Yingyue would return home tired but fulfilled. She was happier than ever before; she felt that she was living life to the fullest and that nothing could break her happiness.


    Han Qingshan was also often tired when he returned home from work. Although he had not taken over the position as CEO of the Han Corporation, Han Liqiang was preparing him to take over; he was getting him ready to become the new leader of their empire.


    But although life was busy for both of them, they never forgot to spend time together. They adored one another, and they were full of love for each other, their every action so pampering that others felt as if they were already a married couple.


    It was small things like Jiang Yingyue cooking small snacks or brewing some tea late at night to ensure that Han Qingshan was not starving when working late.


    How she would not go to sleep before he finished his work, and always waited for him.


    He, on the other hand, was always there to pick her up from university whenever he had the time. He was pampering and spoiling her, showering her with his love.


    Like this, a year passed, and it was time for the family banquet to appear again. This time the family banquet was different from the years before, it was also made into an engagement party, so while the Han family was sure to be there, others from the upper ranks in society had also been invited.


    This was the time where the Han family was going to publicly inform the rest of the world about Han Qingshan''s engagement.


    Up until the banquet, Han Qingshan was incredibly busy. He was preparing the engagement ring, the gifts, the invitations, and everything else personally. He wanted Jiang Yingyue to have the absolute best.


    An invitation to the engagement party had also been sent to the He family, and while He Yuyan was seemingly docile recently, her insides were so full of hatred that she was not sure what to do, she thought she was going to explode soon.


    She spotted the invitation on her brother''s table, and without him noticing it, she stole it.


    She had no intention of letting Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue have a happy ending. She was going to ruin their engagement party!


    But first, she had to come up with a foolproof plan. She could not just show up and make a scene, as that would cause a bit of dissatisfaction but no lasting pain.


    She wanted them to suffer as she had suffered! She wanted them to live in agony. If she could not have Han Qingshan, then no one could!


    And that cheap woman, Jiang Yingyue, she was going to realize that the upper society was not a place for her. In fact, she was going to destroy her since she thought of taking this Han Qingshan away from her.


    Thinking like this, manic laughter began escaping He Yuyan''s mouth. She was looking forward to the engagement ceremony.

 Chapter 257 - Engagement Banquet Begins

    All of He Yuyan''s plans were unknown to Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan. Both of them were relaxed and calm. They had not expected that this calmness was like a silence before the storm.


    The two of them were entirely focused on preparing the family banquet to announce their engagement. Since it was an engagement party, they had invited many people, and also a few reporters.


    Because there were so many people, Han Qingshan had decided that they should not hold the banquet at home. Instead, he picked one of his hotels and prepared the grand hall for the event.


    Jiang Yingyue trusted Han Qingshan''s ability to plan the engagement party to the best of his ability. While she was incredibly excited, she also had some problems understanding that it was indeed happening.


    She was a young woman, only nineteen years old, but she was already getting engaged. It was not that she regretted, finding Han Qingshan was something she considered her most excellent luck in life, but she still had a hard time understanding that things were like this..


    It was like a dream to her, her life was becoming so perfect, and when she looked at Han Qingshan, it was impossible for her to hide her love for him.


    Yan Meilin often teased her because of this. Yan Meilin adored her soon-to-be daughter-in-law, and she spoiled her rotten.


    She was also currently sewing her engagement outfit, so Jiang Yingyue went to the Han mansion at least once a week.


    Time never stopped, and the days went by one after the other. Jiang Yingyue was blissfully happy, alongside Han Qingshan, both of them were looking forward to the engagement ceremony, which was coming closer and closer.


    Unknown to them, He Yuyan had taken out all the money she owned to ensure that her idea was executed. She did not have enough money to pay the ones which she had hired, and eventually, she even sold her body for the favors of a group of gangsters.


    He Julong and his family paid no attention to He Yuyan. Previously she had been the princess of the He family, but she had also almost caused it to collapse.


    Even her father, who usually loved her more than anything, was angry with her and ignored her. He blamed her for him losing control of the company and being forced to give everything to his son.


    Han Qingshan had not paid attention to He Yuyan either. She had left them alone for more than half a year, so he was of the impression that the woman had come to her senses and given up.


    Unfortunately, this was not the case.


    The day of the engagement ceremony arrived. It was a Saturday, and guests were streaming into the hotel''s grand hall.


    Standing and welcoming everyone were Han Liqiang, Yan Meilin, Jiang Wei, and Xun Huiyin.


    The two groups of parents were the one welcoming people, and although Jiang Wei and Xun Huiyin were dressed elegantly, everyone who looked at them could see their humble origin. Even then, no one looked down upon them.


    Even if their origin was humble, they had the backing of the most influential family in the entire country.


    Inside the banquet hall, Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue were standing close by one another, their arms were linked together, and their faces held gentle smiles filled with happiness.


    It was clear that both of them were glowing with excitement; the happiness of being a couple could easily be seen on their faces.


    Many of the young women who had arrived were filled with jealousy and envy towards Jiang Yingyue, but they also knew that they held no ability to change Han Qingshan''s decision.


    The adults, on the other hand, urged their children to make connections with Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan. If they could become friends, they might harvest some benefits later on in time.


    Han Qingshan naturally knew what the people who approached him wanted, but he was a businessman after all. Getting connections with everyone was a good idea, and then use the ones he could for his own benefits. That was his style.


    He Yuyan knew that if she wanted to enter the hall, she could not let Yan Meilin see her face.


    Yan Meilin had seen her the day in the mall where she had caused problems for Jiang Yingyue. If Yan Meilin saw her, she would undoubtedly be asked to leave.


    Because of this, she waited until Yan Meilin had to be absent for a short moment before she rushed to the entrance, handed over her, or better said her brother''s, invitation and entered the hall.


    Her heart was beating rapidly as she thought of what was going to happen that day, and a malicious smile spread on her lips.


    Looking around, she saw many familiar faces, but everyone in the upper circle knew that she was on bad terms with the Han family, so she quickly found a quiet spot next to the wall, lowering her presence as much as she possibly could.


    Today she was only there as a spectator. She had no interest in getting involved, but with her plans, she would like to see how Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue managed to get unscathed from this.


    Although she was standing like a wallflower, hiding in the shadows and sneaking around, Han Qingshan, who was doing everything in his ability to ensure that the day would go well, noticed her almost instantly.


    His brows furrowed, and when he saw her manic smile and expectant eyes, he knew that she was up to no good.


    He instantly excused himself and went to make a phone call to Hei Yi.

 Chapter 258 - Thugs

    "It''s me," he said the moment it connected. "I know you are busy at the moment, but there is something very urgent I need you to check, right now.


    "He Yuyan has appeared at our engagement party. I think she has planned something. Check it out for me."


    Hei Yi, who had been laid back at the beginning, suddenly turned solemn, his voice was serious as he answered, "got it."


    Han Qingshan did not immediately return to Jiang Yingyue. Instead, he called his bodyguards and had all of them rush to the venue; the ones present were tasked with observing all surroundings and ensure that He Yuyan could not move without being observed.


    Only after ensuring that everything was planned thoroughly did he return to Jiang Yingyue''s side.


    Jiang Yingyue had also noticed He Yuyan, but she had said nothing. She knew her partner well enough to know that the reason he had vanished was to deal with her.


    There was no pity towards He Yuyan. She had taken action against her too many times, she tried to deal with Han Qingshan and herself far too often, her obsession causing her to be mentally unstable.


    As the final guests entered the hall, Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue took to the stage to speak up. However, the moment they reached the stage, the doors, which had been closed, were kicked open with immense force.


    A group of fifty young men entered through the door, their outfits were clearly those that gangs used, their bodies were covered in tattoos, and they all held weapons. Some were holding bats, and metal pipes, while a few were using guns.


    The emergence of this group made Han Qingshan''s eyes darken in displeasure; neither he nor Jiang Yingyue needed to think much to know that this group was ''invited'' by He Yuyan.


    The leader took his gun and fired a shot into the ceiling, a resounding bang erupting in the silent venue, and dust started falling from the roof where the bullet had been lodged.


    "No one speaks!" the leader yelled out, and the beginning panic caused many to freeze in their steps.


    While the younger generation was fearful, the older generation had seen many things throughout their years; this was not something they were afraid of.


    The same went for Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan. If the man had wanted to kill someone, he would have already shot that person, instead of shooting at the ceiling.


    Seeing that Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan were seemingly unbothered by the ruckus caused by their group, the leader was fuming mad.


    Not even one bodyguard had approached him; he assumed that all of them were scaredy-cats who dared not challenge him when he held a gun in his hands.


    "Give the woman to us, and we will let the rest of you go free," the leader said as he greedily looked at Jiang Yingyue. He had already been told how beautiful she was, and he was eager to take her away, but his words only caused her to feel disgusted.


    Jiang Yingyue was not the only one who was feeling disgusted, Han Qingshan''s brows furrowed, unrestrained killing intent erupted from his body, rendering the thugs who had been hired by He Yuyan shaky and slightly fearful.


    "You think you are qualified to take away my fiance?" Han Qingshan asked with a low voice. Although it was low, one could not hear any emotion within it, but most who knew Han Qingshan began shuddering in fear.


    Han Qingshan was the kind of person who would be smiling even as he drove your family to bankruptcy, he would smile as he destroyed the lives of others, so how terrifying would the punishment be for making him angry?


    "It seems you are not really aware of the current situation," the thug leader said as he snickered. "We are fifty people in our group; all of us are carrying weapons. How can you weak-legged upper-class shrimps even dream about fighting back?"


    The man began laughing out loud, but Han Qingshan just looked at him as if he was an idiot.


    "Do you know my name?" Han Qingshan suddenly asked, his calm voice shocking the thug leader.


    "Your name? To hell with your name, I don''t care even if you were the president! I will take your woman with me, and you will never see her again. I''ve been paid to do so, you can never change this outcome!"


    "My name is Han Qingshan, heir to the Han Corporation. Indeed my strength is not enough to personally deal with fifty of your people, but I don''t need to. Do you know why? I have money. So much money that I can ask others to do it for me."


    His words were overbearing; however, the moment he spoke, a group of over a hundred men appeared. All of them were above a hundred and eighty centimeters, they were wearing black suits, and their eyes were bursting with anger and killing intent.


    In front of the group was a young man. He seemed to be around the same age as Han Qingshan, but he was cold and apathetic. However, his eyes were shining brightly.


    "Hei Yi?" Jiang Yingyue looked at the youth and felt him somewhat familiar. She had not seen him before, but the aura he gave off was hard to forget.


    The group of thugs saw the trained hundred bodyguards, and their hearts sank. The man said he was Han Qingshan, the heir to the Han Corporation? That was a business empire which could hardly be competed against.


    The thug leader started cursing at He Yuyan for having sent him here with such a mission when he was nothing more than a low ranked thug who had gathered another few groups of low ranked thugs.

 Chapter 259 - The Police Arrives

    Han Qingshan was ruthless to others, but he was even more ruthless to himself. To lure the snake out from the hole and the tiger away from the mountain, he did not hesitate to sacrifice his own engagement ceremony.


    All of this was done with only one purpose. He was going to deal with He Yuyan once and for all.


    Even if he had proof of her crazy antics, she would be sent to jail for the majority of her life, but what if she still harbored ruthless thoughts when she came out of the prison, and at that point, pointed it towards his future children? This was a risk that Han Qingshan could not afford.


    Hence they allowed the thugs to enter the hall, and he then heard them threaten all the members of the upper class. Clearly, there would be great hostility from these people towards the thugs.


    At the same time, Han Qingshan managed to prove his worth, being able to deal with such a group of thugs so quickly, and without anyone being hurt.


    Jiang Yingyue understood Han Qingshan well, and while her heart ached for him, knowing that he had to choose between his engagement party and his family''s future safety, he had decisively picked one option. He was going through with it to the end.


    Han Qingshan''s hand, which was holding Jiang Yingyue''s, was squeezing her tightly as to apologize.


    Jiang Yingyue smiled gently at Han Qingshan. She did not mind; in fact, this big celebration banquet was nothing much to her, as long as she had Han Qingshan by her side, she was satisfied.


    But she was still mad at He Yuyan. This woman was never going to let them go; she was like a ghost haunting them, never releasing them from her pursuit.


    "So you came to my engagement banquet, threatened my guests and myself, and intended to take my woman with you.


    "I have already called the police, which is on the way. But before that, let me tell you, if you worked under someone else''s orders, then you will lose out if you don''t reveal it. The one who caused you to go to jail will be walking around free and happily."


    The eyes of the man shook with anger as he looked around the hall. "He Yuyan, you f*cking b*tch come out here!" he yelled out loud, making many of the people present stunned and causing them to frown.


    They all knew He Yuyan, but they also knew the relationship between the Han and the He families almost broke down because of this woman. Why would she be present at the engagement party?


    At that moment, many realized what had happened. It was He Yuyan who had hired these thugs!


    Frowns and annoyance were on the faces of the many guests. Who was this He Yuyan to be so bold as to threaten the entire upper class in one go?


    A shriek suddenly sounded at the corner of the hall, and two bodyguards stepped forward, a manic and struggling woman in their arms.


    "He Yuyan!" the thug leader pounced at the woman who was being held in their arms, but he was kicked back by the bodyguard.


    "This is the woman who hired you?" Han Qingshan asked, and the leader nodded his head, his eyes narrowed and malice in his voice as he said. "Yes. She paid us two hundred thousand yuan and then slept with us all to make us do this."


    A collective gasp could be heard in the hall. He Yuyan had slept with all fifty of these men for the sake of making them go here and cause problems?


    "We have proof," the man continued. "We have videos of what happened and records of the funds being transferred."


    The thug knew what was happening. Currently, he could not escape the blame, but if he could make He Yuyan take the worst punishment, he would only need to be locked up for a few years.


    "What?!" He Yuyan''s raised her head and looked at the leader, her face twisted in a grimace filled with anger, disbelief, and hatred. "You filmed it?! You actually had the guts to film it?!"


    The man snorted. "In case you went back on your word, I would, of course, need proof," the man said, not at all showing any signs of guilt.


    The two were staring at one another, hatred evident in each other''s eyes, when the sound of sirens could be heard from outside.


    A whole team of police officers appeared, and the entire scene turned chaotic.


    All the guests excused themselves, while the police arrested the thugs and He Yuyan. Everything from the beginning until the end had been recorded in a video, even when He Yuyan admitted, unknowingly, to be the person behind the scenes, was also recorded, and this recording was passed to the police.


    The journalists who had been present all asked Han Qingshan if they were allowed to publish the shocking news of what had happened to the banquet, and he gave his permission.


    Many might have considered it a loss of face, but Han Qingshan would instead use it as a way to frighten away others who had the thought of going up against himself and Jiang Yingyue.


    At the same time, he needed the public opinion to be outraged about He Yuyan; he was not willing to ever let her out of prison again.


    At the same time, in the He mansion, He Julong was slamming his hands onto the table in anger.


    "What a good sister," he said through gritted teeth. He was not happy with what had happened, what if the Han and Zhou families allied to deal with him again?

 Chapter 260 - He Yuyans End

    While the He family was worried about what to do to make Han Qingshan understand that they had absolutely nothing to do with He Yuyan, the news outlets started publishing the story of the engagement party.


    The story brought back the old online account of how He Yuyan had attacked Jiang Yingyue in the shopping mall before, and that she was not letting her go, even trying to destroy her engagement party, because she could not have Han Qingshan herself.


    The news painted He Yuyan as an evil woman with mental problems, and that Jiang Yingyue was an angel, while Han Qingshan was the knight in shining armor that appeared to save the day.


    The netizens were instantly on a crusade against He Yuyan, and even the He Corporation could feel that some people started to boycott their projects, their stock price was also dropping because of the hit their reputation had taken.


    It was not before He Julong stepped up and held a conference where he ensured everyone that he was unaware of his sister''s actions, that he condemned what she had done, and that he had deleted her from the family register.


    It might seem harsh to evict her from the family, but He Julong was very fair when he spoke. He said that he had already warned her previously that she had to let go of her hatred and live life for herself. Still, now he had unintendedly aided her in causing such havoc at the engagement ceremony of two people he admired.


    He was the one who had given He Yuyan money to pay for her living expenses, and they had been saved for the sake of harming others. He felt guilty and blamed himself, and he even sent a public apology to the Han family.


    One has to admit that He Julong was a brilliant businessman. He knew he could not thoroughly wash away the responsibility, so he manned up and took some of the blame, while also proving how he had taken the decision of evicting He Yuyan from the family.


    Even Han Qingshan was amazed by how well He Julong managed to play the media, leading to becoming one of the victims too, and the stock price of his company rose, as people saw the He Corporation as being a responsible and honorable company.


    Han Qingshan did not mind. Knowing that they had cut all ties with He Yuyan made him pleased enough. This way, it would be impossible for her to get money from them in the future.


    The He family would also not spend money on bribing the prison to look after He Yuyan. She would have to live the harsh life as any other inmate.


    Thinking like this, Han Qingshan was pleased with the He family, but he would still keep a close eye on them. He did not doubt that the men in the family would keep their word. However, He Yuyan''s mother was doting on her daughter. She might try something.


    Because the case concerned Han Qingshan, it was quickly sent to court, where Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan both had to be summoned as witnesses.


    Han Qingshan had sent the most senior lawyer from their company to deal with the case, and he twisted the words, making it sound as if He Yuyan and the thugs not only wished to ruin Jiang Yingyue but also wanted to kill her.


    There was a big difference between attempted murder and just doing harm, but the judge eventually judged it as an attempted murder case.


    He Yuyan was the mastermind behind the case, but because Jiang Yingyue was still alive, it was impossible to sentence her to lifelong imprisonment.


    Instead, the judge was quite smart. "Miss He is not in her right mind. She has a warped understanding of the world, and we can assume that her wandering the streets is a danger to the common folk. Because of this, she is sentenced to carry out her time at a mental institute where she is to be locked up until she is cured."


    Han Qingshan was surprised by this verdict, but then a smile spread on his lips. This was, without a doubt, the best solution.


    Being locked up at a mental institute, even if she were not insane when she arrived, she would be it when she saw how she was locked up and unable to do anything.


    He Yuyan was staring blankly at the judge, but then she looked at Jiang Yingyue with hatred. "It''s all your fault! B*tch! I am going to rip you to pieces! I am going to eat your flesh and blood! I am going to kill you! You b*tch took away everything from me!"


    She was panicked and angered, but her actions just made everyone who watched even more confident that He Yuyan had utterly lost all common sense. She was indeed a lunatic now.


    Jiang Yingyue was not scared of He Yuyan, so she looked back into He Yuyan''s eyes, the sharpness of her gaze branding into He Yuyan, scaring her senseless.


    Shaking her head, Jiang Yingyue looked at Han Qingshan, and the two of them returned to the condo. Although they felt slightly confused, they were also happy that this had been solved.


    They had sacrificed their engagement ceremony to get rid of He Yuyan, it was without a doubt a considerable sacrifice, but it was worth it. He Yuyan would never appear in front of them again.


    At the same time, Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan were both wearing rings on their fingers. Although the banquet had been a failure, the engagement was publicly acknowledged.. Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan were now engaged and an official couple.

 Chapter 261 - Wedding Preparations

    He Yuyan was handled smoothly, no one cared about her any longer, and at the mental institution where she was placed, she was often isolated within a security cell because of her temper.


    She was not allowed to have anything remotely dangerous in her surroundings, and she was slowly feeling herself getting more and more insane from staying here. Her violent outbursts increased, and she was often sedated to ensure that no one was harmed.


    After He Yuyan went to the mental institution, Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan were relaxed and happy again. Their lives became calm and peaceful, their every day was spent in each other''s company.


    Jiang Yingyue was now a sophomore at university, she was serious about her studies, always amongst the top two in results.


    The same person who beat her in the entrance exams was still competing with her about the results; fate would have it that he was also studying psychology.


    The two of them had turned into rivals, but they had a friendly relationship, their rivalry just made them wish to defeat the other.


    Because of their rivalry, their friendship had bloomed, and they had become the best of friends.


    There were no romantic sparks between them, but they became friends, confidants, and partners in studying. Even many years later, they would still consider each other their best friend, someone the other trusted without a doubt.


    Han Qingshan was often asked whether or not he was jealous of their relationship, but the question merely made him snort, and he would ask in return, "Should I be jealous because a male dog is wagging its tail at my Yingyue? It is basically the same. There is as much chance of them cheating on me as her falling in love with a dog."


    Han Qingshan''s absolute trust in Jiang Yingyue was shocking to everyone who heard about it. Still, they soon understood that the love between Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan was unbreakable, that they genuinely were each other''s other half.


    Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan went to Luoyi Village a few times that year to visit her family and her brother''s graveyard.


    Her parents also came to the capital once, but after adjusting to the calm life in the village, both of them felt out of place in the capital and preferred to stay at home.


    Every week, Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan would return to the Han Mansion, where they would spend time together with Yan Meilin, Han Weisheng, and Han Liqiang.


    Han Qingshan was often busy with work. He would have dinner appointments and various meetings, and it was often late at night when he returned home.


    These days, Jiang Yingyue would often go to visit Yan Meilin, and the two grew increasingly close. Yan Meilin was honestly treating Jiang Yingyue as her own daughter.


    They were often seen going out shopping together, and everyone in the upper class knew of how the Han family pampered their soon-to-be daughter-in-law.


    As winter had been there, and spring was arriving, the Han family suddenly erupted with life.


    It was soon time for a massive event that would shake up the entire country, an event that would stun anyone who lived in the capital.


    There was half a year remaining until it was time for the wedding of the century.


    Although Jiang Yingyue had said that she did not need a fancy wedding and that all she wanted was to be married to Han Qingshan, he was not going to let her compromise on such a festive event.


    Yan Meilin designed numerous wedding dresses, she had drawings hanging all over her atelier, and she could not stop designing.


    Jiang Yingyue was going to be wearing two different wedding dresses. One was for the ceremony; the other was for the banquet. However, there were hundreds of designs to choose from.


    Jiang Yingyue and Yan Meilin spent many days locked inside the atelier, trying to narrow it down.


    Han Qingshan was forbidden access inside. He was not allowed to see the wedding dress before the ceremony; it would bring bad luck!


    Jiang Yingyue was very busy at this time. Not only did Yan Meilin want her to go and find her dress, but Han Qingshan also dragged her from venue to venue, in an attempt at finding the best place to celebrate their wedding.


    The venues were all the most luxurious places he could find. It ranged from medieval European designed castles to the grand halls of the most upscale hotels in the capital.


    Looking at all these options, Jiang Yingyue was dizzy and unable to decide. She could only look at Han Qingshan and beg him with her eyes to make the decision himself.


    After fixing the venue, they also needed to make a guest list. Although Jiang Yingyue did not have many guests she wished to invite, she still knew a few. But this was the wedding of the century within the capital; everyone wanted to participate.


    Han Qingshan invited the scions and the families he was familiar with, while Jiang Yingyue asked her family, her newfound friend at university, and Zhou Yan with Lin Qiang to be her guests.


    All guests had a plus one, so eventually, Han Qingshan had picked the medieval castle for the venue, as there were simply too many people invited.


    The Han family alone was a giant family, and now that they brought so many other guests, they truly needed to be in a castle to accommodate their needs.


    Just as Jiang Yingyue thought that things would get more comfortable, she suddenly found out that she also had to find a catering company to deal with the drinks and the food. Sighing, she had no other choice than to sit down once more and decide on a menu.


    It was not before now that she realized that getting married was extremely exhausting, but even so, she was filled with happiness while dealing with all these tasks.

 Chapter 262 - Creating A Battleplan

    Invitations were sent out, many people were ecstatic to receive the invitations, and the entire capital was in a joyous mood.


    The media also covered the wedding preparations, both the business section and the entertainment news.


    Everyone was eager to know what was happening at the wedding, and soon the more renowned and responsible journalists were also invited to the wedding ceremony to observe and report to the rest of the world just how magnificent it had been.


    "Are you sure you are okay here, alone with our mothers?" Han Qingshan asked hesitatingly as he looked at Jiang Yingyue with eyes that almost screamed that she couldn''t'' kick him out, but Jiang Yingyue was steadfast.


    "You are not allowed to see my wedding dress before tomorrow at the ceremony. I need both of our mothers to help me prepare. Take dad and return to the Han Mansion. When we see each other tomorrow, then it is time for the wedding to be held.


    Earlier that day, Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan had gone to get their marriage certificate, but Jiang Yingyue was adamant about not staying together at night. Their wedding ceremony was the following day; she felt that that was when they were really married.


    Han Qingshan could not help but pity himself. He had not been sleeping away from Jiang Yingyue for more than a year; he could imagine how difficult it would be to rest without her in his embrace.


    Yan Meilin could not help but snicker when seeing her son''s pitiful expression, and she patted him on his shoulder. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Do this for Yingyue; she really has put a lot of effort into your wedding tomorrow, and she wants the perfect day."


    Han Qingshan could say nothing when he heard his mother''s words. He knew that this wedding, although initially planned by him, was essential to Jiang Yingyue. She had become more and more involved in the planning, and she had many opinions and requirements. However, all of them were things that were easy to comply with.


    She also took most of the tasks onto herself. Although all the money came from Han Qingshan''s pockets, she took over all planning so that he could relax more and not be stressed by both juggling work and wedding planning at the same time.


    Han Qingshan knew that she had been busy for the last four months. She had dealt with everything personally. Although he had picked the venue, she had contacted the people who were in charge of it, and she had ensured the right decoration.


    She had contacted the florists for flowers everywhere; she had even prepared the menu from scratch, deciding on all three dishes for the main meal, alongside canapes and snacks.


    Jiang Yingyue was feeling immensely accomplished whenever she thought about how amazing the wedding was going to be, but she was also nervous. Had she forgotten something? Had she overlooked anything important?


    The excitement and anticipation were also within her heart as she looked forward to the next day. She would finally become the Young Madam Han; she would finally become a legal couple with Han Qingshan.


    This was what mattered to her. Han Qingshan''s background did not matter, nor did his wealth. What mattered was his person. He was the one she wished to spend her entire life together with. He was the one who had given her the courage to face life, and along with him, she would meet anything that came her way.


    Seeing the hopeful face of Jiang Yingyue, Han Qingshan knew he was defeated. He could not go against any of her wishes, even if it were to stay in the condo with their mothers for a night, instead of being with him.


    Sighing deeply, he sent Yan Meilin a glance, which she instantly understood, and she left the two love birds alone.


    Han Qingshan wrapped his arms around Jiang Yingyue''s waist and dragged her into his embrace.


    "My dear, you are so cold-blooded," he muttered as he lowered his face and captured her lips with his own, kissing her senseless.


    It was not a completely gentle kiss, there was a hint of overbearingness and punishment for making him stay without her for a night, but the slightly domineering attitude just made Jiang Yingyue''s heart turn warm.


    To think that he would be so disgruntled for a mere night without her. It was clear that he valued her greatly.


    The two indulged in the love they could feel from their partner, but after around fifteen minutes, Han Qingshan finally withdrew.


    "If I stay here longer, I will never leave," he muttered, pecked her lips gently, and turned around.


    "I will see you in the church tomorrow," he said with a hoarse voice, but his eyes sparkled with excitement. He, too, was looking forward to the following day''s marriage ceremony.


    After watching Han Qingshan walk down the hallway down to the elevator, Jiang Yingyue finally sighed and returned into the condo.


    Inside her mother and Yan Meilin had prepared some light crystal prawn dumplings for her to snack on, while the three women sat down together to make the battleplan for the following day.


    "So, the make-up artist will be here at seven in the morning."


    "The hairstylist will be here around half past seven tomorrow morning."


    "I am the stylist, so I will make sure to dress you up so that even that son of mine will be absolutely dumbfounded when he sees you."


    "The wedding ceremony begins at ten, so we will have to leave here at thirty minutes past nine. It is all a bit rushed, but we should be able to make it!"

 Chapter 263 - Lets Get Started

    Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan both shared a sleepless night. Although they were not together, they were lying in their beds, texting one another. It was truly difficult for them to sleep, as both were too excited about the following day. The anticipation was getting to them.


    As the daybreak arrived, the sun''s rays shone brightly upon the horizon, bathing the entire sky in a crimson red.


    They had not slept at all that night, but neither was tired nor exhausted, the adrenaline was pumping in their blood, and Jiang Yingyue jumped from underneath the covers the moment her alarm clock rang.


    She hurried to the bathroom to wash up, only to find that Xun Huiyin and Yan Meilin were already up, busying themselves in the kitchen, preparing some nourishing breakfast for Jiang Yingyue.


    They heard her exiting the room, and they ran to the hallway and ushered her into the bathroom.


    "Hurry up, get cleaned. When you are done, it will be time for some light food, and then we will have the hairstylist and the makeup artist here. You are already so beautiful. With our skilled hands, you will be so bewitching that our Qingshan might lose his mind." Yan Meilin grinned as she said.


    Jiang Yingyue''s face flushed slightly with anticipation as she thought of Han Qingshan being spellbound by her appearance.


    She knew that he found her immensely attractive, but there was a big difference between regular days and their wedding day.


    A sweet smile adorned her lips as she hurried into the bathroom. Here she washed up, and when she exited, she found a delicious meal prepared for her.


    She was not eating alone, she was together with Yan Meilin and her mother, but halfway through the meal, a knock was heard on the door, and the first team of people arrived.


    After the first team''s arrival, the condo turned into a battlezone, women were everywhere. Some were putting her makeup on while others were styling her hair.


    Yan Meilin was always hovering in the back, coming with comments about what she liked and disliked, what would suit the wedding gown, and what wouldn''t.


    Jiang Yingyue was feeling more and more anxious as time went by, but after the hair was done and the makeup had been dealt with, Yan Meilin came with a wedding gown she had designed.


    It was a mermaid tail gown that was fitted with a sweetheart neckline, embellished with diamonds. The dress was fitted all until her knees, where it poofed out with tulle. The tulle was embellished with Swarovski crystals all over the entire tulle body; it was sparkling in the light.


    Jiang Yingyue had not looked at herself in the mirror since they began fiddling with her hair and makeup, and Yan Meilin said that she was not allowed to see herself before she was completely done, to get a better impression of how she looked.


    The time turned nine when they had finished dressing her up, setting her hair and painting her makeup.


    When she was finally allowed to look into the mirror, her eyes widened in shock. The one who looked back at her was a woman who was amazingly beautiful. She had a youthful innocence, but at the same time, also a mature elegance.


    She was so stunning that even Jiang Yingyue had a hard time realizing that it was her. It was not that she seemed different; it was just that with her hair tied up, and with the beautiful dress, her aura had changed completely.


    "Qingshan is going to get a shock when he sees you," Yan Meilin could not help but say. Even she was amazed by how beautiful the woman had turned out to be.


    Jiang Yingyue''s mother was also very shocked when she saw her young daughter suddenly turning into a woman. A woman who was going to get married to someone, today was the day that she and Jiang Wei gave her away. It was a bittersweet moment.


    The makeup artist and the hairstylists were all pleased with the result. They knew that they had done an excellent job. It was a fantastic feeling for them to see that they had made a difference for Jiang Yingyue.


    A knock was heard on the door, and when they opened, they found that Jiang Wei was waiting outside, alongside her bridesmaids.


    "Han Qingshan and the rest of the Han family have moved towards the church," he said with a smile. "The bride is always the last person who arrives, but we will need to leave in ten minutes'' time."


    The condo was suddenly busy again. Everyone was rushing around; Jiang Yingyue found her diamond-studded stilettos and got ready to leave.


    The others had also spent a lot of the time during which Jiang Yingyue was being prepared to get themselves ready. Her mother and Yan Meilin were both wearing pretty evening gowns.


    The bridesmaids were all wearing peach-colored dresses, their hair tied up, and their faces filled with happiness.


    Jiang Yingyue''s bridesmaids were mainly Han Qingshan''s cousins, but also a few friends she had found at university.


    Everyone was thrilled and excited. The main theme of their talks was about how Han Qingshan was going to be stunned when he saw her. No one doubted that her beauty would spellbind him.


    Jiang Yingyue''s eyes were filled with excitement and happiness. Today was, without a doubt, the most important day in her life, the day that made her the happiest she had ever been before.


    Together, all of them left the condo.. Down in the parking basement, a whole row of Maybachs was waiting to drive them to the church where the ceremony was going to be held.

 Chapter 264 - The Wedding Ceremony

    Han Qingshan was standing in front of the altar within the church. He was looking as usual for all who looked at him. However, he himself was aware that inside he was a mess of nerves.


    He was nervous, excited, anticipating, and scared. He only knew that what he truly waited for was to see Jiang Yingyue stepping into the church; only then would he feel a sense of security.


    Although he knew that she loved him, what if she suddenly changed her opinion and ran away from him? What would he do then?


    Yan Meilin and Xun Huiyin had already found their seats in the church, only Jiang Yingyue and Jiang Wei were missing.


    The church bells started ringing, the music was playing, and the choir was singing.


    Suddenly the doors opened, and a magnificent sight appeared in everyone''s eyes.


    Jiang Yingyue was too beautiful to be described, she was the most stunning woman in all of history, and most of this was due to the brilliant smile on her lips.


    She looked so beautiful that it was impossible to take their eyes away from her.


    Han Qingshan was indeed stunned when he saw her �� dumbfounded and shocked. He knew that his Yingyue was beautiful, but today, when she was dressed in white like this, she seemed like an immortal fairy who had descended to the mundane world, an ethereal being who had graced them with her presence.


    Han Qingshan was shocked and stum. He suddenly felt his eyes sting, and tears welled up within them. She had shown up, and her happy smile showed how blissful she was.


    This was truly the most stunning sight he had ever seen, he was unable to hold himself back from being teary-eyed.


    Jiang Yingyue had no eyes for anyone else than Han Qingshan when she entered the church. Her eyes landed on him instantly, and when she saw him standing there in his tuxedo, his appearance clearly so dazzling that Jiang Yingyue felt blinded, but when her eyes landed on his face and saw his emotional expression, tears also welled up in her eyes and began dripping down her cheeks.


    Jiang Wei was also emotional. He was giving away his daughter, but he was not feeling regretful. He knew that Han Qingshan was going to look after her, care for her, and pamper her.


    It was just that she was merely twenty years old. It was very soon to get married, but he understood that with the two of them, they had already been together for two years, and during these two years, their love had only grown stronger for one another.


    Even after they had spent their entire lives together, they would not grow tired of the other''s company. They were truly a blessed couple.


    The ceremony was smooth, nothing out of the expected happened, and many tears were shed within the church, as they all saw the unfaltering love between the two youngsters.


    Many were envious but not jealous. They wished to find their own partners; they wanted to be married too! Especially the women felt their hearts sigh and feel regretful that they were singles.


    Even so, their hearts blessed Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan in their hearts. They saw their love and found it a breath of fresh air, wishing for everyone else to experience such pure feelings too.


    The ceremony in the church lasted an hour. Everything was completely clear to both Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan. Neither of them would ever forget as much as a single moment of their wedding; these memories would forever be bright and warm in their minds.


    After the ceremony in the church, Jiang Yingyue was whisked away by Yan Meilin, the bridesmaids, and her own mother, before she was sent to a room at the castle they had rented.


    Here she changed her wedding dress to another wedding dress. This wedding dress was shorter. It was oriental-inspired, very vintage, but exquisite and beautiful. It truly brought out the oriental beauty of Jiang Yingyue.


    After this, they went to the banquet hall on the first floor. All guests had already arrived, and Han Qingshan was mingling amongst them all. Waiters with trays filled with drinks and snacks walked around them, and everyone was having a great time.


    When Jiang Yingyue walked down the stairs, the hall turned silent, before Han Qingshan rushed to her side, took her arm, and led her down to the rest of the guests.


    The couple toasted to every single couple who had arrived to celebrate their wedding alongside them.


    Even Zhou Yan had arrived at the wedding, and there was no pain or discomfort in his face. Instead, his usually frozen facial paralysis was slightly changed, and Lin Qiang was by his side, talk with him; even a slight smile appeared on Zhou Yan''s lips.


    Zhou Yan had let go of Jiang Yingyue some time ago, and he had never felt more at peace than he was now. At least with this part. A certain someone was making him jittery whenever he thought that person.


    It was not his usual behavior, but some time ago, something had happened that made him start to question his entire life and values, and the more he thought about it, the more panicked he became.


    There was only one person who was able to help him solve the problem at hand, and that was Jiang Yingyue. Not only was she a skilled psychologist, but she was also his childhood friend.. She knew him better than anyone apart from Lin Qiang, and he dared not ask this guy about advice.

 Chapter 265 - Zhou Yans Dilemma

    Zhou Yan knew that he had to speak with Jiang Yingyue, but looking at the guarded expression on Han Qingshan''s face, he was not sure how to go about doing it.


    Sighing deeply, he could only glance at Lin Qiang by his side, but Lin Qiang was completely ignoring him for the moment, pretending that he did not see the glances.


    Sighing, Zhou Yan could only wait for Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan to reach them and give them a toast.


    When they did, Han Qingshan was quite polite, but he was also trying to understand what made Zhou Yan so different from usual. The coldness of his personality had changed entirely; in fact, he looked troubled by something.


    Jiang Yingyue also saw the change in Zhou Yan''s behavior and appearance, and she was quite stumped. She even saw some pleading in his eyes and understood that he had something to talk with her about.


    Later, after the ceremony had lasted a couple of hours, and everyone was casually walking around, Jiang Yingyue saw that Lin Qiang had left the table, and Zhou Yan was seated all alone.


    She hurried to his side, sat down, looked into his eyes, and with deep interest she could not help but ask, "what''s wrong?"


    Zhou Yan looked around rather sheepishly, but after ensuring that no one was around and no one was listening in on their conversation, he could only shuffle forward and whisper into her ear.


    "I think I might have a serious problem."


    "What problem?"


    "Lin Qiang confessed to me."


    "What?!"


    "Shh!"


    "Are you serious?"


    "Yeah, he confessed to me, and since then, he has been overly loving. I really don''t know how to deal with it. The more he is like this, the less I can control myself. I keep thinking about him, and I feel more and more silly.


    "He is pretending to be coincidental, but he continues to do strange things; I really don''t think I can continue to be straight like this!"


    "When did he confess to you?" Jiang Yingyue looked at Zhou Yan with shock in her eyes, but there was also some laughter.


    Zhou Yan''s mood slumped, and he looked down. "It has been a year now. At first, I did not take it seriously, but he has really done his utmost to change my sexuality, and now I feel like a young teenage girl in love. It is immensely embarrassing!"


    Jiang Yingyue looked at her friend before she began laughing out loud. It was so overwhelming that she could not hold back at all, her laughter so loud that it attracted many people''s attention.


    But seeing that she was seated with her friend, no one came to disturb them.


    "Be quiet, do you think this is fun?" Zhou Yan glanced at her, his face was red, and he was not sure why he had even considered talking with her about it. Maybe it was because she had grown up with the two of them, but she was still as shocked as he was when he first heard it.


    "Why not just accept him?" Jiang Yingyue asked, her face showing a smile.


    "I want you to find happiness, and from what I can see, the two of you are a suitable pair."


    Zhou Yan thought a bit about her words, but then he shook his head and sighed. "I don''t know," he said after thinking. "How am I even supposed to accept him?"


    "Why not tell me that we will share the hotel room tonight?" a male voice suddenly came from behind, and both Jiang Yingyue and Zhou Yan turned around, seeing that Lin Qiang was standing behind them, a smile playing on his handsome face as he looked at Zhou Yan.


    Jiang Yingyue raised her hands in defeat. "This is not my area of expertise, but I truly wish the both of you the best," she said as she rose from the seat, and glanced at Zhou Yan, who had a face redder than the crimson sky.


    Snickering, she returned to Han Qingshan''s side, sometimes glancing at Zhou Yan and Lin Qiang, wondering what their decision ended as.


    "Why are you looking at him?" Han Qingshan asked with a glum expression on his face. He did not like Jiang Yingyue looking at another man on their wedding day.


    "Listen to this," Jiang Yingyue said as she leaned forward and told Han Qingshan what she had just heard. She ensured that no one else heard, and she knew that Han Qingshan would never tell another soul, but the more he heard, the more peculiar his face became.


    Lin Qiang had announced his love to Zhou Yan? And Zhou Yan was slowly succumbing to the assistant''s attempts at wooing him. That was a shocking piece of information that made Han Qingshan''s mind short circuit for a moment before he suddenly started laughing out loud.


    He had expected many endings for Zhou Yan. Would he become a playboy now that he could not have Jiang Yingyue? Would he become a bachelor for the rest of his life? No, he was becoming a gay couple with his assistant!


    Thinking about this, Han Qingshan could only wish Zhou Yan the greatest happiness, but he was highly amused by what he had been told.


    As time went by, it soon turned to the late evening, and almost every guest had left. Han Qingshan and Jiang Yingyue waited until everyone was gone, and in the end, only them and their parents remained inside the castle.


    Ensuring that all had left, they also split up, Han Liqiang and Yan Meilin had a car prepared and gave Jiang Wei and Xun Huiyin a lift to their hotel, while Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan took their own car back to the condo.


    Jiang Yingyue wished for them to stay at home on their wedding night.

 Chapter 266 - Big Surprise

    "My dear," Han Qingshan looked at Jiang Yingyue as they were seated in the car within the underground carpark.


    "Hubby," Jiang Yingyue answered, her face flushing red in embarrassment. She was not used to calling out this name, but now they were genuinely married.


    She felt blissful and happy from deep within, it was as if she was floating on a cloud, her steps were light, and her lips could not stop being raised in a smile.


    As they reached the top of the building, ready to enter the condo, Han Qingshan suddenly scooped up Jiang Yingyue and carried her like a princess over the doorstep, bringing her into their home in his arms.


    Jiang Yingyue held onto Han Qingshan''s neck and buried her face in his chest. Tears were welling up in her eyes as she thought about how brilliant their future life was going to be together.


    As they entered, Han Qingshan kicked his shoes off but did not put Jiang Yingyue down. Instead, he went straight for the bedroom, where he tossed her on the bed before he took her shoes off and threw them to the side.


    His body leaned down upon Jiang Yingyue, his entire frame pressing her into the bed, making it impossible for her to move.


    A light kiss fell onto the corner of her eye and began trailing kisses down to the edge of her lips, before he captured her mouth in his, sucking on her lips, and teasing her with his tongue.


    Their breaths were entangled, their faces right next to one another. None of them had closed their eyes as they looked into the eyes of the other.


    All they saw in the eyes of the other was themselves, they could feel their love and affection towards each other, and their hearts were bursting with happiness.


    Although they had been together before, this was a special time, this was their wedding night, and they were going to explore their love the entire night.


    Han Qingshan could feel the softened woman beneath his arms. When he first saw her, she was like a lanky guy, there were no curves visible on her body, mostly because of the baggy clothes she wore, but also because she was not fully developed.


    Two years had passed since then, and her body had bloomed for him. It had become the most alluring body that could make him lose control the moment he saw it.


    Especially now, when she was wearing a white wedding dress, she was so pure as she laid on his bed, she was impossible to ignore.


    Han Qingshan''s arm reached out and wrapped itself around her waist, bringing her closer to him, pressing her against his chest.


    He then dived down and began kissing her again, his actions were domineering and did not take no for an answer. Jiang Yingyue tried to return the gesture, but she soon found that all the air in her lungs was being drawn out of her body, and that her lips were turning numb, her tongue teased so much that it no longer felt like her own.


    When Han Qingshan finally let her go, Jiang Yingyue was panting, and her eyes were glassy. She was feeling dazed and addled, but she was also happy that even after two years, Han Qingshan still wanted her so desperately.


    She also craved for Han Qingshan, she arched her back, and her body was as if attached to his, her reaction causing a light chuckle to escape Han Qingshan''s lips.


    His hands kept fluttering across her skin, sending trembles through her body. She was sensitive and her face was flushed. She was dazed and unable to focus fully on what was happening.


    All she knew was that Han Qingshan was bringing her immense pleasure; her entire body seemed to be on fire, he knew exactly where to touch to make her lose all reasoning.


    Together the two of them engaged in a passionate session of lovemaking. They lost themselves and enjoyed the feeling of being intimate.


    The entire night was spent doing vigorous exercise, and when the sun finally started to shine through the windows, Jiang Yingyue could handle no more. Her body was sore, soaked in sweat, and she fell asleep in Han Qingshan''s arms.


    Han Qingshan instantly picked her up and took her to the bath where he washed her; he then changed the bed linen and carried her back to the bed where he placed her possessively in his arms.


    He placed a kiss on her forehead and felt that it was finally the way things should be. They had gotten married; from now on Jiang Yingyue was indeed his, and he was hers.


    Han Qingshan was satisfied, a smile adorned his lips as he slowly fell into a deep slumber with Jiang Yingyue in his arms.


    Like this, the married life of Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan began. Their life was filled with happiness and joy. Jiang Yingyue graduated from university and found a good position as a psychologist, while Han Qingshan slowly took over the Han Corporation.


    Time flowed like water, the river of time never stopped, and soon Jiang Yingyue and Han Qingshan had been married for a year. During this year, their life had been blissful; their family had been supportive.


    But one day, when Jiang Yingyue came out of the bathroom, her expression looked complicated.


    "What''s wrong, dear?" Han Qingshan asked curiously when he saw her, and Jiang Yingyue looked at him with eyes full of hope.


    "We are having a baby!" she said, feeling worried that he might be against it. But next, Han Qingshan''s face lit up in excitement, and he hugged her. "Dearest, this is the best!" he exclaimed. After this, he started calling all his friends and family to tell them the good news.. He was bragging and feeling proud, his attitude made Jiang Yingyue relax and smile as she rubbed her stomach.

 Chapter 267 - The End

    Chapter 266 - The End


    "It hurts!" Jiang Yingyue cried out as she was lying on the hospital bed, her face white, and her body aching. Inside the room were only the midwives and doctors, alongside Han Qingshan, who was waiting for the child to be delivered.


    Jiang Yingyue was giving birth naturally, and she had decided against using pain controlling methods such as epidurals nerve blockade, she wanted to give birth to her child on her own.


    Han Qingshan felt as if a knife was being twisted in his heat as he saw Jiang Yingyue''s pained expression. Her face was full of sweat, her teeth tightly clenched, and her hands were holding onto the corners of the bed, using all her power to withstand the pain.


    She had started getting contractions two days prior, and he understood that it was immensely painful for her back then, but the contractions were only starting, they were just a few and far between. However, they became more and more frequent, and suddenly, her water broke.


    He had never been so scared before as he was now. He knew that she had to give birth, but he was distressed over seeing her in such pain, and even more so when she intentionally refused to take the method that could alleviate her pain.


    But Jiang Yingyue was stubborn. She was sure that although it was painful, it was worth it all. This baby that she was carrying was simply too precious to her; she wanted to give it a natural birth.


    This was the proof of the love between herself and Han Qingshan; she could handle the pain it brought her.


    "Push!" one of the midwives ordered her, and Jiang Yingyue pushed all she could.


    "Gasp for air!" was the next order, and Jiang Yingyue gasped for air.


    "Push again!"


    "The head is out! This is the worst part, don''t worry, you are almost there!"


    "The baby is out!"


    "It''s a little boy!"


    "Quick, we have to check the lungs!"


    The midwives and doctors rushed around. One midwife went to Jiang Yingyue who now laid limply on the bed, while the others hurried to the child.


    Han Qingshan was standing by Jiang Yingyue''s side, and although their baby had just been born, his hand was on hers, his eyes never once leaving her tired face.


    Soon a scream was heard, and the midwife came with the child, placing it on Jiang Yingyue''s chest.


    At this moment, Jiang Yingyue''s heart burst in happiness, and tears rolled down her cheeks as she used her little finger to touch her beloved little son.


    Jiang Yingyue stayed at the hospital for a week alongside Han Qingshan. Their son was healthy and had no problems at all, and after a week passed, they returned home.


    Their home was no longer the condo. Although they still owned it, they had moved to a residence close to the Han Mansion, a house that could accommodate many more children than the condo.


    Here they had servants, maids, and butlers rushing around, dealing with the whole house for them, but Jiang Yingyue was adamant about being the one who took care of their son. Although they had a nanny, she was not doing very much work.


    They named their son Han Chengqian. He was the most spoiled little child, but even so, he grew up polite and thoughtful. Although he was a child, he was not mischievous.


    Later on, when he turned five, Jiang Yingyue fell pregnant once more, this time her child was a daughter, and they named her Han Yunfeng.


    The life in the Han family was blissful. Life simply flowed, and soon, ten years had gone by.


    Jiang Yingyue was still filled with happiness from living her life with Han Qingshan by her side, and she often began thinking back to how they had met the first time.


    She remembered how Han Qingshan had almost hit her with a car; she remembered her initial hostility towards him and her constant fear of him figuring out her real gender.


    She could not help but feel that fate truly worked in strange ways. Many things had caused them to suffer throughout their earlier years, but now that they had overcome all the challenges that had come their way, they now had the life they had always dreamt about.


    As long as she had Han Qingshan and their children, she did not care for anything else. This was true happiness, and she felt that she had gone through a lot to find it, but everything was worth it.


    This calm and peaceful life was all she had ever wanted, and now that she had it, she would do her utmost to protect it; forever.