The middle-aged man visibly froze for a moment.
“Mr. Lu, absolutely not. This girl’s background is unknown. What if she hurts you…”
“Let her in the car.”
The man inside the car spoke with an unchanged tone, calm as still water.
The middle-aged man hesitated briefly before nodding slightly. “Yes, Mr. Lu.”
Jiang Zui thought her threat had worked. Clutching the knife handle tightly, she yanked the car door open.
A tall, imposing man sat in the back seat, looking down at her with lowered eyes.
The black overcoat accentuated his distinguished posture.
His eyebrows were sharp as blades, slanting upward toward his temples, and when his deep brown eyes met hers, they were unexpectedly calm.
For some reason, under the gaze of those eyes, Jiang Zui couldn’t help but tremble.
A sudden, inexplicable fear instantly enveloped her entire body.
Jiang Zui swallowed hard, gripping the knife tightly to ensure her expression was fierce enough.
“Drive now! Take me away from this place!”
“Where to?”
The man’s expression was indifferent, the corners of his lips curling slightly.
He actually smiled.
Damn it! He was mocking her!
Jiang Zui was furious.
She pressed the knife against the man’s chest, threatening sharply, “Drive! Take me away from here, anywhere will do!!”
Unexpectedly, the man completely ignored her threat. Instead, he raised his large hand and slowly reached toward her.
Jiang Zui panicked.
“You… what are you doing? Don’t you believe I’ll kill…”
The large hand gently touched the corner of the girl’s lips.
“Your lip is cracked.”
The man’s eyes remained unperturbed, his tone indifferent.
“Wh-what?”
Jiang Zui was stunned.
“Boss, I saw her get into this black car!”
“Damn it, surround the car!”
Jiang Zui was startled.
Through the car window, she saw the thugs waving clubs as they charged over.
She bit her lower lip hard and pressed the knife against the man’s neck again.
“Drive! Hurry up and drive! Or I’ll kill you right now.”
The man looked at the disheveled girl before him. She was like a wounded little beast, baring her teeth and trying to appear fierce to protect herself from further harm.
The car sped along the road.
Rain lashed against the windows, and Jiang Zui’s head grew heavier. She shook it vigorously, trying to stay awake.
“Take me to Jinghang University!”
“Why there?” the man asked with interest.
“Because I study ther…” Jiang Zui suddenly snapped back to reality and said fiercely, “Wh-what’s it to you? If you want to live, do as I say and take me to Jinghang University right now!”
The man smiled but didn’t respond.
Jiang Zui held the box firmly with one hand while gripping the knife with the other, “holding” the man hostage. She also kept glancing out the window, afraid that Boss Liu would catch up.
But gradually, she realized something was wrong.
“Where are we going?”
“To where you should be,” the man replied evasively.
Jiang Zui panicked. “This isn’t the way to Jinghang University! Where are you really taking me?”
When the man remained silent, Jiang Zui instantly flared up.
“Can’t you hear me? I told you to take me to Jing… Mmm!?”
The girl cried out in pain.
Almost instantly, the knife was snatched away. With a gentle twist, she was firmly pinned down on the seat.
“You… you…”
The man’s strength was astonishing. Jiang Zui’s arms were twisted behind her back by his single hand, unable to move an inch.
“Let me go, you bastard! Let me go right now!”
Seeing herself unable to move, Jiang Zui opened her mouth and bit down on the man’s arm.
“Quite fierce, interesting.”
The man’s eyes curved, his gaze actually revealing a hint of delight.
With a screech, the car stopped in front of a luxurious villa.
“Mr. Lu, we’ve arrived.”
The middle-aged man opened the car door for him and said respectfully.
The man stretched out his long arm and hoisted the girl over his shoulder.
“Let me go, you bastard, I’ll kill you!”
Jiang Zui struggled with all her might.
The man pushed the door open with one hand and threw the girl onto the sofa.
Staring at the tall, imposing man before her, Jiang Zui was stunned.
How did things end up like this?!
“Bastard! Let me go! Otherwise, I… I…”
“Otherwise, what will you do?”
The man casually loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top few buttons of his shirt.
He crouched down, looking at Jiang Zui with an amused expression.
The girl’s clothes were torn, revealing fair skin and a full figure through the rips. It wasn’t hard to tell she was a rare beauty.
Her lips trembling, her beautiful eyes filled with fear, she still tried her best to look fierce. “Otherwise, I… I’ll kill you!”
The man’s lips curved.
How interesting.
He toyed with the box. “You seem to treasure this thing. What’s inside?”
“Give the box back to me!”
Jiang Zui no longer cared about anything else—that was her most precious possession. She struggled to get up from the sofa and lunged at the man.
Smack.
The box fell to the floor.
Inside, her admission letter and all her documents scattered across the floor like snowflakes.
“My admission letter!”
Jiang Zui panicked.
She desperately gathered the fragments on the floor. “My, my admission letter…”
Large teardrops slid down her cheeks as she picked up the pieces, murmuring to herself, “It’s okay, I can piece it together. There must be a way…”
“Your… what?”
Seeing the girl in such a state, the man dropped his teasing demeanor.
“My admission letter!”
Jiang Zui gathered the fragments into the box and finally burst into tears.
From the girl’s fragmented explanation, the man roughly understood the whole story.
“Even without the admission letter, you can still go to university.”
The man said softly.
“I know. But all my documents are ruined too. Even if I try to replace them now, it’s too late. I… I have no way out. I have nothing left.” The girl raised her tear-filled eyes, looking like a broken doll.
A large hand slowly reached out and gripped the girl’s delicate chin.
Jiang Zui was forced to look up, meeting those deep, sharp eyes.
“Your past is quite interesting, and your personality isn’t bad either. You’re ruthless and decisive. Good, I like that.”
“You… what do you want?”
Alarm bells rang in Jiang Zui’s mind.
She tried to back away, but the man had already cornered her against the wall.
No way out.
“Even if you wanted to do something, in your current state, I doubt you could pull off anything impressive.” The man’s lips curved, his smile meaningful. “What’s your name?”
“Jiang… Jiang Zui.”
“Jiang Zui?” The man frowned slightly, his handsome brow creasing. “I don’t like that name.”
He grabbed the girl’s neck and forcefully pulled her closer.
They were too close, their heated breaths entwined, forcing Jiang Zui to turn her head unnaturally, unable to meet the man’s gaze again.
His thin lips pressed against her ear, his hoarse voice causing Jiang Zui’s body to tremble lightly.
“From now on, you will be called Jiang Chen. Forever, you must submit to me.”