Chapter 50: The General's Triumph

Wen Zhenghua's words, "This is my guarantee to you," fell like a heavy seal stamped upon this smokeless war.

Jiang Yi knew he had won, winning a precious temporary truce agreement.

He did not say thank you nor did he speak further. He merely gave a slight nod to the old fox before him, who could maintain the perfect composure of a refined businessman even after a fit of rage. Then, he turned around and walked out of the office, which was filled with the scent of sandalwood and schemes, without uttering another word.

Not until the elevator doors slowly closed, completely shutting out that oppressive and luxurious world, did Jiang Yi lean back against the cold elevator wall and let out a long, heavy breath.

The transparent elevator car descended rapidly, and the dazzling night view of Binhai City outside the window swept past like a flowing river of light within his deep black pupils. Every single light represented a family and a story, warm yet distant. And he was like a lonely prisoner inside this cold metal box, entirely out of place amidst the prosperity.

His back was already soaked with a thin layer of cold sweat.

The seemingly calm confrontation just now had consumed far more mental energy than facing a hundred reporters in a courtroom. Every glance and every word from Wen Zhenghua was like a soft blade dipped in poison; a single misstep would mean utter ruin.

He opened his hand and looked at the White Rabbit creamy candy in his palm, which had already become somewhat soft from the warmth of his hand. The candy wrapper was slightly sticky, yet he held it as if he were grasping the entire world.

He knew that the reason he was able to maintain absolute composure in front of the old fox—and even deftly toss out those two most fatal blades—was not because he was particularly brave, but because he knew someone was waiting for him, waiting for him to return with the news of victory. This realization was like a faint yet stubborn flame that dispelled a trace of the chill deep within his heart, which had been frozen for a decade.

...

Hospital, outside the ICU ward.

Xu Yuan sat alone on the corridor bench, her gaze never leaving that cold glass door.

Lin Feifei and Lu Xingyu had already split up and gone to take action. The entire corridor was left with only her and the thick, inescapable scent of disinfectant hanging in the air. Occasionally, a nurse would hurry past pushing an instrument cart, the sound of the rolling wheels appearing exceptionally jarring in the empty corridor.

Time ticked by second by second, and each second felt as long as a century.

She had no idea how things were going for Jiang Yi, and she did not even dare to imagine what would happen if her plan failed, if Wen Zhenghua chose to stand alongside his son... What would they have to face then? That man's power and influence were far beyond what a student living in an ivory tower like Wen Ran could ever compare to.

Just as she was about to be crushed by this unknown fear, a familiar, slender yet straight figure appeared at the end of the corridor.

It was him; he was back.

Xu Yuan stood up abruptly, like a fledgling bird seeing its weary parent return to the nest, and a hopeful light instantly ignited in her eyes.

Jiang Yi walked toward her step by step. His stride was very steady, carrying the chill of the late night, yet it dispelled all the anxiety in her heart.

He said nothing, only reaching out to hand something to her—a bottle of warm milk. When he arrived, he had noticed a twenty-four-hour convenience store at the hospital entrance.

"Drink it," he said. His voice still retained that icy tone, yet it carried a trace of an unnoticeable hoarseness compared to usual.

Xu Yuan blankly took the bottle of milk. The bottle still retained the warmth of his palm, hot enough to feel slightly scorching.

"Wen Zhenghua..." She looked at him, her voice trembling slightly as she asked the most crucial question.

"He agreed." Jiang Yi calmly stated the outcome that would allow them to temporarily escape danger. "Starting today, Wen Ran will no longer come to bother us."

The heart that Xu Yuan had kept suspended in mid-air finally fell heavily back to the ground.

A huge wave of soreness and exhaustion from having survived a disaster instantly swept over her whole body. Her legs went weak, and she almost lost her footing.

Jiang Yi reached out and steadily supported her arm.

"Sit down."

He pressed her back onto the bench with an imperative tone, and then sat down beside her as well.

The two sat side by side, separated by the distance of a fist. Neither spoke again, but an atmosphere called "peace of mind" quietly spread through the air, diluting even the cold scent of the disinfectant by a fraction.

Xu Yuan lowered her head and sipped the warm milk in small sips. It was sweet and warm, warming her all the way to her heart. She could feel every bone and joint of her body gradually reviving from that cold stiffness.

She used the corner of her eye to steal a glance at Jiang Yi beside her.

He was lowering his head to look at his own hand. In that articulate, slender-fingered hand, a White Rabbit creamy candy was resting quietly.

With an extremely focused yet remarkably clumsy posture, he carefully peeled back that somewhat sticky candy wrapper. His fingers were long, yet doing such fine work made him appear somewhat clumsy, like a child opening a gift for the first time. Then, under Xu Yuan's surprised gaze, he popped that plump, white milk candy into his mouth.

His chewing motion was very slow, as if he were savoring some peerless delicacy. The rich milky aroma melted in his mouth, tasting sweet to a degree that felt almost unreal, yet unmistakably reminding him that this was no dream.

"Is it sweet?" Xu Yuan looked at his slightly bulging cheeks and couldn't help asking softly.

Jiang Yi's movements paused; he didn't seem to expect her to ask this question.

He was silent for a few seconds, his Adam's apple rolling up and down as he swallowed the sweetness mixed with the milky aroma. Then, in an extremely awkward yet utterly serious tone, he replied, "Too sweet."

After a pause, as if trying to cover up his tracks, he added an extra sentence.

"Sweet to the point of being a bit cloying."

Watching his proud-yet-soft-hearted demeanor—clearly loving it to death yet insisting on being stubborn—Xu Yuan finally couldn't help bursting into a soft laugh. Her laughter was crisp and clean, like a breeze blowing away all the gloom and fatigue of this long night.

Looking at her bright, relieved smiling face, Jiang Yi felt a soft, helpless trace of a smile slowly ripple across his eyes, which were usually covered in frost.

At that very moment, both Xu Yuan's and Jiang Yi's phones vibrated at almost the exact same time.

They were messages sent by Lu Xingyu and Lin Feifei.

[Lu Xingyu: Done! The ultra-high-level confidentiality system has been successfully built! Information sharing can begin at any time! Attached is a mini-plug-in for real-time monitoring of Wen Ran's social dynamics, do you want it, Boss?]

[Lin Feifei: I'm done too! That woman's profile has already been sent to our small group chat! My brother says her man is a logistics supervisor at the North City Prison! The one in charge of cafeteria procurement!]

Xu Yuan and Jiang Yi exchanged a glance, seeing a trace of cold understanding in each other's eyes.

As expected, it was no accident.

And right at that moment, another new text message popped in.

It was from Wen Ran, sent to Jiang Yi.

The content of the message was very short, yet enough to plunge this long night, which had only just gained a trace of warmth, back into an icy abyss.

[My dad has told me everything.]

[Jiang Yi, congratulations.]

[You have successfully made me interested in this general manager of yours as well.]