Outside the door was a stone path flanked by neatly trimmed shrubs. If she remembered correctly, this path should lead directly to the main road.
Facing the pitch-black path ahead, Jiang Xizhi pulled a small flashlight from her jacket pocket and turned it on for illumination.
She had chosen this white tracksuit today not only for convenience but also because its large pockets could hold quite a few things.
The moment she stepped through the small gate, Jiang Xizhi let out a heavy sigh of relief—she had finally made it out.
After a brief moment of reflection, she wasted no time and, guided by the flashlight’s beam, began feeling her way forward. But she hadn’t taken more than a few steps when rustling sounds emerged from the shrubs on both sides, accompanied by faint, intermittent footsteps.
A drizzly evening, gusts of wind, a gloomy environment, and a deserted path—the perfect recipe for trouble.
Jiang Xizhi’s heart leaped into her throat. Could it be a ghost? She was terrified of ghosts.
She had once heard her roommate mention that Ji Han Zhuo, the “Ji Lord” of the capital, had several lives on his hands. She had also heard about it in her past life, though his power and influence had suppressed all such rumors. Could these be people now seeking revenge? But revenge shouldn’t be directed at her.
The more Jiang Xizhi thought about it, the more frightened she became. She couldn’t help but tighten her raincoat and quicken her pace. Yet, the faster she walked, the louder the rustling in the grass grew, and the footsteps drew closer. Already timid, Jiang Xizhi felt her soul was about to flee her body.
If she hadn’t covered her mouth, she felt she might have screamed. It was too terrifying. If she had known, she wouldn’t have run. Staying by Ji Han Zhuo’s side, at least, wouldn’t have meant being chased by ghosts.
Jiang Xizhi was on the verge of tears and broke into a run. As she ran, she chanted silently in her heart: I am a materialist. Grandpa Marx, please protect me, protect me, protect me. Little ghosts, go away, go find Ji Han Zhuo, don’t come after me…
After running for a while, just as Jiang Xizhi spotted the distant highway—the light beckoning to her from ahead—a large, unidentified creature suddenly burst from the shrubs beside her, pouncing on her and knocking her to the ground. It then sank its teeth into her calf.
Jiang Xizhi was so terrified her soul nearly left her body. Her eyes were tightly shut, her mind went numb, and her body stiffened to the point of immobility. She was so frightened she couldn’t even feel the pain in her calf, lying motionless on the ground.
Just as she thought she was about to die, the roar of a car engine sounded not far away, followed by lights flickering on around her.
As if sensing the commotion around her, Jiang Xizhi’s consciousness returned. She stiffly turned her neck and slowly opened one eye to look at the unidentified creature still biting her calf.
It was a large, massive dog.
The moment she saw the vicious dog biting her, Jiang Xizhi’s tears fell with a plop. Wuwu, it hurt so much.
But at least it wasn’t a ghost.
For a moment, she didn’t know whether to feel sad or relieved.
But when she saw the man in the distance, Jiang Xizhi’s heart was filled with despair, yet it was also tinged with a glimmer of hope. Her beautiful eyes, brimming with tears, were full of pitiful pleading.
At that moment, escape was the last thing on her mind. There was only one thought in her heart: Save me, please, and get this dog off me.
Compared to a dog, she would rather choose Ji Han Zhuo.
A handsome man in a well-tailored black suit walked slowly toward Jiang Xizhi. The crisp sound of his leather shoes on the gravel path seemed to echo in the depths of her heart. Standing against the light, his phoenix eyes slightly lowered, he did not extend a helping hand when he saw the disheveled woman lying on the ground. A flicker of unusual emotion passed through his eyes—upon closer inspection, it was heartache—but it was soon replaced by indifference.
When his gaze shifted to the giant dog, a cold gleam flashed in his eyes, and the surrounding air pressure dropped low enough to freeze a person to death.
His slender, well-defined fingers continuously twisted the jade thumb ring on his left hand.
Even the bodyguard holding an umbrella beside him couldn’t help but shiver. When their master twisted the jade thumb ring, it signaled that someone was about to face misfortune.
Jiang Xizhi was truly on the verge of tears. Why wasn’t he moving? Why hadn’t he taken the dog away yet? It really hurt so much.
The situation remained deadlocked. The cold, stern man standing to the side watched the woman and the dog on the ground with a gloomy expression, making no move at all.
Jiang Xizhi couldn’t take it anymore. With nothing left to lose, she sobbed and cried out, “Ji Han Zhuo, hurry up and take it away. It hurts, wuwu.”
Ji Han Zhuo hadn’t gotten the answer he wanted, so naturally, he wouldn’t offer help. His voice was cold enough to freeze a person to death. “You didn’t listen to me. Why should I help you?”
He had compressed a week’s worth of work into four days just to see her, rushing back only to find her trying to escape.
Now it seemed that what he had brought her was not a pleasant surprise but a fright.
She had promised him just that afternoon that she would wait obediently for his return, yet here she was, running away at night. He had been spoiling her too much lately, making her think his temper was too gentle. She was truly disobedient.
If he didn’t let her suffer a little, she would never learn to be obedient or submissive.
Having followed him in her past life for so long, Jiang Xizhi knew his temperament well. With a tearful voice, she promised, “I won’t run away anymore, never again. Please take it away. I’ll listen to you and be obedient.”
The girl on the ground was wearing an ill-fitting black raincoat. The hood had fallen off during her earlier struggle, and the light rain scattered across her face, dampening her delicate cheeks. Her clear, bright almond-shaped eyes were filled with tears, and her nose was red from sobbing. Her pitiful appearance was utterly heart-wrenching. In the end, Ji Han Zhuo still felt a pang of heartache. With a slight wave of his hand, the giant dog released Jiang Xizhi’s calf. He then glanced toward Chen Zhan, who was standing not far away.
Chen Zhan understood immediately. He called a few bodyguards to tie up the giant dog, sighing inwardly. It seemed the dog’s fate was sealed—it could only blame itself for biting someone it shouldn’t have.
After the dog was taken away, Jiang Xizhi let out a sigh of relief. She didn’t dare look at her leg, but she was certain it was bleeding, and bleeding heavily.
In both her lifetimes, she had never been bitten by a dog. Why did it have to happen today? Just as she was about to burst into tears, her emotions rising, she realized that standing beside her was a creature even more terrifying than the giant dog—an angry Ji Han Zhuo.
She immediately held back her tears, stretched out her hands toward Ji Han Zhuo, pouted, and said pitifully, “Carry me. My leg hurts. I want to be carried.”
Ji Han Zhuo was soft-hearted but not easily swayed by force.
Though she knew she lacked backbone, yielding was still better than being locked in a dark room.
Jiang Xizhi’s pleading, pitiful appearance was enough to move even the straight-laced Chen Zhan standing nearby, let alone Ji Han Zhuo, who held her dear to his heart.
Ji Han Zhuo lifted his eyelids, disregarding the filth on Jiang Xizhi’s body, and condescended to bend down and scoop her up into his arms. He then turned and walked toward the manor.
But Jiang Xizhi knew that even though Ji Han Zhuo had picked her up, this matter wasn’t over. He would still hold her accountable for secretly trying to escape.
Thinking back on it now, she was definitely the most miserable and foolish escapee—not only had she failed to get away, but she’d also been bitten by a dog. What kind of cursed luck was this? The thought of the vicious dog that bit her made her shudder again, and she instinctively tightened her arms around Ji Han Zhuo’s neck. It was just too terrifying.
Feeling Jiang Xizhi’s movement, Ji Han Zhuo’s expression visibly softened, and he held her a little tighter.
A light drizzle still fell from the sky. Ji Han Zhuo walked quickly, and even though a bodyguard followed behind holding an umbrella, rainwater still dampened his shoulders. Yet he paid it no mind.
As soon as they entered the living room, Chen Yi hurried over. “Oh my, what happened? Why is her leg bleeding?”
Ji Han Zhuo shot Chen Yi a cold glance without saying a word and went straight upstairs.
Seeing Chen Yi’s confused expression, Chen Zhan, who stood nearby, offered an explanation. In his opinion, it was fortunate that it was Chen Yi—if it had been anyone else, their master would have already taken action.
After hearing Chen Zhan’s words, Chen Yi felt a wave of dread. The young master cared so much about Miss Jiang; if Miss Jiang had really escaped, she would have been finished.
Although she had taken care of the young master for many years, there was still a clear distinction between master and servant. A servant was still a servant, and one must never forget the rules.
But she never expected Miss Jiang to try to run away. Usually, she seemed like such a well-behaved, gentle girl… Ahem, in the end, it was her own carelessness. She would go and accept her punishment herself.