《Her International Multiple Identities》 Chapter 1 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio It was the cold winter of 2021. The snow and wind blew across the entire United States, bringing indefinite frost to every American household. Freezing, even with the heater on, hands wrapped around a cup of hot tea. Yet, in contrast with the extreme cold was Twitter, which was set ablaze by Jiang Sheng¡ªthe world-famous A-list actor was trending first on Twitter with the hashtag #JiangShengMarriage. With his impeccable features, Jiang Sheng¡¯s all-time resting b*tch face couldn¡¯t stop rabid global fans for their craze over him. His superb acting had won him two Oscars, reinforcing his status as an A-list superstar. All of his works in the entertainment industry¡ªincluding movies, TV shows, and song production¡ªalways dominated the global charts. Investigation from the Guinness World Records committee showed an incomplete statistical distribution of his fans, reaching over the shocking number of 1 billion worldwide. As soon as the news of his wedding announcement broke out, fans were left devastated and shocked. Posts like ¡°Exclusive: Famous actor Jiang Sheng¡¯s wife painted as cheap gold-digger¡± and ¡°Bold or reckless? Actor to star in Hollywood movie reveals wedding date¡± were all over Twitter. Some websites even went down as servers crashed due to a sudden surge. Still, fans continued to flood all social media platforms with anguish. On the 22nd floor of a well-lit luxurious apartment in NYC, a man in a white collared shirt had his arms draped on the sofa¡¯s arms. His skin was fair, his nose straight. Even with the warm lights drenching his handsome face, it still wouldn¡¯t turn soft, lest melting away his ice-cold expression. He uncrossed his slender legs, advancing to the table to retrieve his phone before collapsing back onto the sofa. His movements were graceful and elegant, appealing to the eye. Looking at the comments on his Instagram account, he knitted his brows together, displeased. ¡°We hate her. Divorce her now!¡± to which he replied: None of your business. Butt out. ¡°That gold-digger is no good for you. The d*mned woman is ruining your career!¡± Shut up, he replied. You know nothing about my career. ¡°I¡¯m a longtime fan. Divorce her, or I¡¯ll unfollow you!¡± Pfft, how shallow. ¡°Does she even know how to cook?¡± Geez, he didn¡¯t need anyone to take care of him. There were too many of them¡ªJiang Sheng could only reply to this much. Just then, he remembered what his wife had told him¡ªdo not engage with his fans. F*ck. He messed up. At that instant, he heard the shower water stop. When her stunning figure came into sight, his eyes were glued on her since. Ning Xue came out of her refreshing shower with her half-wet hair. Her make-up-free face was delicate, her nose small, and her lips luscious red¡ªthey were merely highlighting her beauty. Leaving the first two buttons of her white shirt undone, she revealed her collarbone and a hint of what was beneath. As her tight jeans hugged around her perky hips, it showed off her long, slender legs. She was already tempting enough, but the alluring scent of her perfume swayed him even more. And her red stilettos¡ªthey emphasized the smooth skin on her feet, elegantly curved into perfection. But her eyes were stone-cold. Grabbing the mat, Jiang Sheng spread it out in front, and with a loud thud, he kneeled on the ground. His eyes were aggrieved and pensive. Ning Xue walked to him, took his chin with her finger, and caught his gaze. They were inches away.. She breathed the words out, ¡°You responded to your fans¡ªdidn¡¯t I tell you not to do so?¡± Chapter 2 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°But they were saying mean things about you¡­¡± ¡°Oh, well then. If it doesn¡¯t work out, we¡¯ll have to get a divorce. It¡¯s too annoying.¡± Jiang Sheng¡¯s grip on Ning Xue¡¯s thighs tightened. ¡°I was wrong, my dear wife. Please don¡¯t go there. I¡¯ll listen to whatever you say.¡± ¡°Delete the comments now.¡± ¡°Right away.¡± He let go of her, tapped into the Instagram app, and deleted each of his comments. Just as he was about to claim his credit, he realized she was sifting through her bag collection¡ªshe was heading out. Where? Alone? Who was she seeing? ¡°Where are you going, honey? Can I come along?¡± Ning Xue glanced at the cabinet full of Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and other luxury bags. ¡°I have a mission. I¡¯m not bringing you along.¡± As she spoke, she casually retrieved a limited edition bag, then a thick coat next from the rack. Jiang Sheng got up from the mat, his head almost reaching the low ceiling with his height of 1.9 meters. While he was expressionless, he seemed distant. Yet, it would always soften up when he fixed his eyes on her beautiful side profile. He embraced her, lowering his face to bury it in the crook of her neck. He whined like a kid, ¡°I¡¯m sick of staying at home. I wanna go with you.¡± Ning Xue gave him a gentle push. ¡°The Interpol¡¯s investigating me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have posted about our marriage.¡± It must have been what he had posted on his social media¡ªtheir marriage certificates¡ªand it caught Interpol¡¯s attention. He should¡¯ve known better. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. It¡¯s not your fault. Gotta go.¡± ¡°Where to? I¡¯ll drop you off.¡± ¡°River Park.¡± As he heard the destination, Jiang Sheng¡¯s thoughts wandered wild. The dining area and the bar lounge had split in a circular form in River Park. As if it was the center of a stage, when you looked up, you could gaze at the night sky full of stars. Not only could you enjoy the tranquil beauty of the eastern Hudson River, but you could also taste modern American cuisine made from the freshest ingredients coming directly from the farmer¡¯s market. Geographical location, interior design, or flavors of the dishes, the very romantic River Park would surprise diners, not letting anyone spending their charming night in Manhattan down. Complimentary to its ambiance, modern colors were abundant on the menu, not lacking creativity. But those weren¡¯t Jiang Sheng¡¯s focus. The point is, that place held the perfect place for a romantic dinner date. Dating? No, no, no¡ªhe had to tag along! It wasn¡¯t a struggle picking which car to drive¡ªthe closest one to them in the garage was a Rolls-Royce. They didn¡¯t need to choose. Like a cultured gentleman, Jiang Shend held the door to the passenger¡¯s seat open. After a few minutes of driving, Ning Xue¡¯s phone rang. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Hey sis, are you coming yet? If Jiang Sheng comes along, remember to put on a mask.¡± Ning Xue¡¯s expression was blank, and there was no emotion in her tone. ¡°So why didn¡¯t you choose a restaurant with a private room?¡± ¡°Because I booked the entire place.¡± While Jiang Sheng was waiting for the traffic light to turn green, he eavesdropped, and he couldn¡¯t help but clear his throat. That guy, Jack! It was a business dinner meeting¡ªwhy would he choose River Park and reserve the whole restaurant? It was as if he was screaming his scheme and plot to the entire world. Ning Xue hung up the phone and scrolled through the news on her phone. As expected, the most earth-shattering news happening in the world today was that the man beside her got married. With the traffic jam ahead, their car slowed to a crawl before stopping behind a vehicle. Jiang Sheng noticed his wife casually scrolling through Twitter. Her slender, graceful fingers were extremely pale, her lovely side profile even more beautiful under the city¡¯s neon lights. ¡°Eyes on the road.¡± Ning Xue didn¡¯t need to tear her sight to her left to know he was staring at her. ¡°We¡¯re stuck in traffic. It looks like it¡¯s going to take a while. Staring at you makes me happy.¡± Ning Xue was gorgeous. To Jiang Sheng, she was the prettiest woman in the whole world.. Chapter 3 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Before arriving at River Park, Jiang Sheng reluctantly put on his mask. His plans to show some public display of affection went down the drain¡ªhe couldn¡¯t help it since his wife demanded he did so. He muttered, ¡°Why the dress-up if you¡¯re seeing Jack?¡± Ning Xue¡¯s noble face tilted to his side. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Nothing, my dear¡ªnot to worry. I¡¯ll sit by the window later. I won¡¯t be a disturbance.¡± Though jealousy was almost eating him up, he still had to show his unselfishness. He went around to her right, took her bag, and gently pushed the door open. Inside the restaurant was a young man crossing his legs, sipping coffee, while his eyes fixed on the computer screen in front of him. He wore a plain suit, but it didn¡¯t look shoddy on his tall physique¡ªit made him look clean-cut and handsome. Seeing that Ning Xue had arrived, Jack¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°There you are, sis.¡± His voice wasn¡¯t low and magnetic like Jiang Sheng¡¯s but clear and pleasant. It matched his charisma¡ªthe way he smiled was just warm like the sun. With her bag, Ning Xue sat down across Jack. It was only then Jack noticed the man behind her. He raised his eyebrows and teased, ¡°Yo, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be here.¡± It was hard for Jiang Sheng to be inconspicuous. Jack must¡¯ve seen him the minute he walked in, and now he was ridiculing him. Heh. He wasn¡¯t that petty, bickering with a kid¡ªNing Xue belonged to him anyway. He nodded before marching straight to the window seat. Jack let out a smug smile. Ning Xue couldn¡¯t care less about the two childish men. She had a lot on her mind. ¡°What¡¯s happening? They haven¡¯t found anything yet, right?¡± ¡°Here.¡± Jack pushed the laptop and turned the screen to face her. With only one glance, she started hitting the keys on the laptop. The hostess came over to serve their food, and unintentionally, she peered at the screen¡ªit was full of numbers and symbols that she couldn¡¯t understand at all. Jack pulled out a stack of dollar bills from his wallet and passed it to the waiter with a charming smile. The hostess had wanted to step away once she finished her task, but she remembered¡ªher customer was wealthy, being able to book out the whole venue. When she took away their coffee cups in exchange for Champagne glasses, she feigned leaning close to Jack, revealing the alluring view of her chest. Ning Xue caught a glimpse of the scene from the corner of her eyes and uttered coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to see any of your tricks again.¡± The waitress trembled before uttering a few ¡°sorry¡±s. Seeing that Ning Xue had no intention of pursuing her responsibility, she hurried away. ¡°Don¡¯t you know how to dodge?¡± ¡°Phew, sis. You were so cool back there. I love watching you being overprotective.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I know you did that because you wanted her to stay away from Jiang Sheng, but still.¡± ¡°¡­¡± When the room went dead silent, Jack quickly changed the topic. ¡°Let¡¯s get down to business. The Chief is currently on vacation in the Maldives. You know him. He has always hated using electronics during a holiday, so this time, we can only sort this out on our own.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need his help. Let him enjoy his holiday.¡± Ning Xue grabbed a piece of white paper from her bag. It was custom made¡ªafter writing on it, it requires a unique substance to make the ink appear. She wrote a few lines on it, concise. And in less than three seconds, it disappeared. ¡°Give this to K¡ªhe¡¯ll know what to do. Now isn¡¯t the right time for me to reach him.¡± K was a code name, his gender, name, age, and appearance unknown. Five years ago, he was as notorious as the mysterious international hacker¡ªJ. Back then, there was a terrorist attack in California in the United States targeting students. It was a cybercrime¡ªby hacking into the school¡¯s network system and sabotaging surveillance cameras, the terrorists managed to plant bombs underneath the classroom building, causing massive explosions. It caused an uproar in the country, the internet outraged. While the police were at their wit¡¯s end, a hacker appeared out of thin air, hacking the psycho and getting his IP address. It was then that law enforcement apprehended the culprit. There was very little information about K, and even when Interpol never stopped their investigation on him, they couldn¡¯t find out his true identity.. Chapter 4 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio From then on, the code name K became an international sensation, the spokesperson for being mysterious. Code name J was even more powerful¡ªhe was someone who could hack into all the satellites in the world. No one had found anything from digging out J¡¯s past, and every country was wary of the hacker, J, for he could even hack into any nation¡¯s military satellite, which was terrifying. Fortunately, he never took advantage of it. Or she. ¡°Doesn¡¯t Mr. Best Actor know you are J, sis? Why isn¡¯t now the right time?¡± Jack had always sounded frivolous when he talked, but he bore a solemn tone now. ¡°Too many eyes are on him lately.¡± ¡°Oh, well. I guess you should go back to him soon. If he gets possessive and acts up, I don¡¯t think I can handle him.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Ning Xue fished out a black card from her bag and handed it to Jack. Her smile deepened. ¡°Thanks for helping. Feel free to use the card.¡± ¡°Thanks, sis! Love ya!¡± Jack¡¯s eyes darted back to the card, his eyes gleaming. Meanwhile, when Jiang Sheng heard the word ¡°love¡± coming from Jack, he was blinded by jealousy. He squeezed the lemon hard. He got up from his seat, striding towards Jack and Ning Xue. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ning Xue passed Jiang Sheng her bag, which he grabbed without a second thought. His words got stuck in the lump in his throat, and he pulled her into his embrace. With her familiar scent filling his lungs, his mood brightened instantly. ¡°That gentleman had four glasses of lemonade and squeezed one of our lemons. Should you pay for his bill, sir?¡± Jack was stunned. When he came to his senses, he cackled so hard that he almost fell off the chair. ¡°Four glasses of lemonade? Haha! How jealous was he?¡± ¡°Sir?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay.¡± Noticing that Jiang Sheng and Ning Xue hadn¡¯t gone far, Jack chased after them with a cynical smile. ¡°Wait up! You don¡¯t know how amazing you are. You¡¯re my muse, my inspiration, my everything!¡± With deliberation, Jack shouted at the top of his lungs. The pedestrians turned their heads around and murmured as they passed them. ¡°Oh my god. He¡¯s so good-looking. What¡¯s he tryna declare against the couple?¡± ¡°The couple looks so cute together, though.¡± ¡°Wait, look! Isn¡¯t that Jiang Sheng?¡± ¡°Jiang Sheng¡¯s so recognizable with his height. And they do look alike.¡± ¡°Is she the one he¡¯s marrying?¡± ¡­ Jiang Sheng was so mad that he threw a glare at Jack¡ªhe was supposed to be the one serenading his wife! Before the stans could react by taking pictures of them, Ning Xue yanked Jiang Sheng into their car. ¡°Drive now.¡± ¡°Yes, my dear.¡± After they got home, he held her close to his chest and whispered. ¡°Honey, my stomach hurts.¡± Ning Xue flinched. She touched his stomach and asked, ¡°What did you have?¡± She was too occupied that she didn¡¯t pay much attention to him in the restaurant. Jiang Sheng pressed his lips against her cheek, answering with content, ¡°Four glasses of lemonade.¡± Ning Xue¡¯s lips tightened into a line. ¡°No one asked you to gulp all that acid down.¡± ¡°Ow, it hurts.¡± Jiang Sheng blinked and continued his act of playing weak, his voice soft. Ning Xue couldn¡¯t piece it together¡ªhe was big, but how was he this cute? That instant, all her irritation disappeared. ¡°By the way, did your manager call today?¡± Logically speaking, bombarding calls should¡¯ve been hurled on Jiang Sheng. ¡°Yeah. A hundred missed calls or so, I guess? I didn¡¯t want her to annoy you. I gave her an explanation, and then I blocked her.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯ll be fine.¡± Ning Xue fixed her gaze on the void. ¡°You still have a few parts to shoot on set, right? I¡¯ll come with you tomorrow.¡± If any of the higher-ups were to come looking for his trouble¡ª ¡°Oh my god. It¡¯s your first time offering to come to the set with me! I¡¯m thrilled.¡± He gave her a smooch.. Chapter 5 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The next day on set¡ª ¡°Alright. That should be enough. Wait, no¡ªI need to wrap this one more time. I don¡¯t want you catching a cold. Oh, and the hot pack¡­¡± Jiang Sheng wrapped Ning Xue with his scarf and coat tight like a Christmas present, worried she might get sick. His manager walked over and caught everything¡ªshe was already used to it. ¡°The female lead has arrived,¡± she said. ¡°The director is asking for you.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Jiang Sheng returned to his cold and aloof manner once he turned away from Ning Xue, speaking as little as possible. As Jiang Sheng showed professionalism in his job, his acting, temperament, and character were all faultless¡ªhis manager had nothing to worry about. His female costar was Lucy, also known as the next Anne Hathaway. She was pretty, captivating all men around the world. Thinking that they had quite a several intimate scenes to be filmed that day, Jiang Sheng¡¯s manager peeped at Ning Xue a few times, but the latter didn¡¯t notice her at all. The first scene involved the female lead searching for her love interest, who had suffered from amnesia. The first part mainly concerned the female lead and the male lead¡¯s father. The male lead had only one shot. ¡°Ready, action!¡± As the actor took one last puff of his cigarette before throwing it away, he rolled up his window. Slouching with his legs wide, he looked at his watch before placing the same hand on the steering wheel, tapping slowly. Not long after, his phone rang. He pulled it out and pressed the answer tab. ¡°Hello?¡± The camera now cut to Jiang Sheng, who was standing on the other side of the road. At the moment, he was a silhouette, but the setting was that he had just recalled everything from the past. When the camera zoomed in on him, Ning Xue could feel his immersion in the plot¡ªhe portrayed his helplessness, sadness, and struggles. The staff on set gasped a little. The corner of Ning Xue¡¯s mouth twitched up¡ªas expected of him. ¡°Dad? When will you come home?¡± The camera shifted away. ¡°Soon.¡± The father leaned against the driver¡¯s seat lazily, closing his eyes as he rested. Sometime later, he heard someone knocking at his window. He lowered it with his eyes squinted. He flinched. A woman¡¯s head popped through the window of her black car. With her curls cascading down and her features a delicate porcelain doll, she had looked like God¡¯s best creation. Her skin was fair as snow, flawless. Aloof but polite, she spoke first, ¡°Hello. Could you tell me how I could get to this street?¡± The father pointed at the freeway to their right. ¡°Take the turn at the third fork and drive ahead.¡± The woman flashed a smile. ¡°Thanks.¡± She rolled her window back up and sped off. ¡°And cut! That was amazing. Let¡¯s take five.¡± As the director called cut, Jiang Sheng thought he could have his break then. He wanted to look for his wife, but he didn¡¯t expect the director to move on to his next scene. He sighed. Ning Xue was waiting for Jiang Sheng, but Lucy showed up instead. ¡°So you are the one Jiang Sheng¡¯s married to?¡± Lucy¡¯s voice came before she stood close to Ning Xue, her high heels clicking against the floor as she approached her. Her red dress had outlined her feminine curves, showing off her perfect proportions, her French curls rested wavy down one side of her shoulder. She was glaring at Ning Xue with her arm held out. ¡°Hello there. Should I introduce myself? I¡¯m Lucy.¡± But Ning Xue¡¯s gaze only stopped on her for a second before darting away, leaving her in an awkward stance. Lucy winced in displeasure. How dare she? She was a Hollywood top celebrity, and she was showing courtesy and friendliness for the sake of Jiang Sheng. ¡°What are you trying to hide under all this thick clothing?¡± Lucy continued. ¡°Don¡¯t you know how to speak? You ugly gold-digger. I don¡¯t care how blind Jiang Sheng was¡ªyou have to divorce him.¡± Jiang Sheng¡¯s manager gasped, frightened by Lucy¡¯s speech. She scanned the area for any paparazzi, afraid that they¡¯d appear in tomorrow¡¯s headlines. Luckily there weren¡¯t any. ¡°Ms. Lucy, why don¡¯t I get you a cup of coffee? You can have your break over there¡ª¡± ¡°Excuse me. I don¡¯t care who you are, so shut up.¡± Lucy tilted her chin up high and turned back to Ning Xue. ¡°You know nothing. Jiang Sheng lost so much of his endorsement because of the marriage thing..¡± Chapter 6 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°Don¡¯t you notice how I get more and more screen time, surpassing him? He¡¯s a loner¡­¡± Jiang Sheng¡¯s manager finally understood Lucy¡¯s arrogance now¡ªshe had hooked up with the shareholders of the world¡¯s largest production company, having endless resources on hand. In the industry, she could do whatever she wanted, and very few dared to provoke her. She became even arrogant with her speech. ¡°Who do you think you are, b*tching around in front of me. The next time you do this again, I¡¯ll show you hell.¡± Ning Xue¡¯s gaze was cold and sharp, locked onto Lucy¡¯s face like a venomous snake. Lucy flinched, and when she came around, she was already gawking at Ning Xue¡¯s back. Soon, they were about to shoot the next scene. It was like what Lucy had said¡ªthey had cut Jiang Sheng¡¯s scenes. They had changed a location now¡ªa room with a huge round bed, four thick hemp ropes hanging around it from the top. Looking through the sky-blue gauze curtains was the black and starry night sky outside the floor-to-ceiling window. A bamboo rocking chair, a long table made of deadwood, and blooming jasmine flowers sat on the corner of the retro and elegant bedroom. The set design wasn¡¯t expensive, mainly wood and bamboo, decorated with flowers and plants, supplementing warm and simple qualities to the room. In this scene, Jiang Sheng only had a few shots. The rest were all Lucy. She walked out of the bathroom wearing only a bodysuit, showing off her flat, tight abdomen and tiny waist. Her skin reflected the night¡¯s gentle glow, water droplets dripping off her exposed arms and perky chests. She removed her hair tie and threw it away, her wavy hair falling loose on her shoulders. Lucy had always been confident in her body. She threw a provocative look at Ning Xue. Ning Xue remained expressionless, yet Jiang Sheng¡¯s manager next to her felt chills. During their break, Jiang Sheng dashed towards Ning Xue, cuddling against her. ¡°That was so tiring, honey.¡± He lowered his head, and Ning Xue rubbed his hair¡ªhe was adorable. ¡°You only had two shots.¡± Immediately, Jiang Sheng knew what she was talking about¡ªhis wife was heartbroken. ¡°It¡¯s fine. That¡¯s how the script and story plot goes. But first things first, what are we having for lunch?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s head back to the mansion and have Auntie Liu prepare your favorite dishes.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Jiang Sheng¡¯s manager had no choice but to come forward. ¡°Well¡­ you still have another scene at two.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be there,¡± he reassured. Once in a blue moon, Ning Xue phoned their chauffeur to pick them up. And while they reached home as they walked past the garden, she got distracted and wobbled on her heels, falling backward. It had caught Jiang Sheng off guard¡ªher inertia took over, taking him with her. Before they could land on the stone path, he clutched her tight and rolled to his right onto the lawn. He cushioned her in an awkward position, with her limbs spread on top. Even more embarrassing, her chest landed right between his lips, heaving violently, emitting a mesmerizing fragrance. It was then the chauffeur had remembered he needed to know what time he should pick the couple up. When he turned his gaze, he saw the inappropriate couple. Shoot¡ªhe hurried off. Jiang Sheng held his breath unconsciously, but he knew it was a matter of time before he would be exposed. His lips were pressing against the thin material of her clothing, the tip of his nose touching her exposed cleavage. Her faint scent filling his nose was stimulating each of his senses. Instantly, blood surged through his body, and he felt his urge rising. Trying his best to put out the fire, red flooded on his face. Heart thumping wild inside her chest, Ning Xue could feel his warm breath against her skin. Her body went rigid. It was Jiang Sheng who had broken the tension and said hoarsely, ¡°Honey, you have to get up first.¡± Ning Xue came back to her senses. She pushed herself up and rolled over, lying next to him. He felt the turf sink as he listened to her gasped breathing. Once waiting long enough that her softness and fragrance were gone, he exhaled a long sigh to regain his composure. He stood up, eyes drawing towards her slim waist. It was almost as if he could feel himself slipping his hands around it. The fire of arousal returned to his eyes as the heat burned through his skin¡ªthey hadn¡¯t done it since he¡¯d made her mad the last month. ¡°The paving¡¯s uneven. You¡¯ve got to be more careful.¡± Ning Xue smoothed her hands over her clothes and got up. ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± They walked at the same pace before Jiang Sheng broke the silence. ¡°Could you please hold my hand? I¡¯m afraid of tripping over again.¡± How rare it was to see her gentle side¡ªhe needed to grasp his chance. Chapter 7 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Ning Xue¡¯s eyes bore into his, searching for something. ¡°Okay,¡± she whispered. She reached out her right hand, and her chin tilted up. Like a big, happy golden retriever, he took her hand, interlacing his fingers with his, and took the lead forward. They walked in silence, but they had never been closer in connecting. Food was prepared from the kitchen after Auntie Liu had received their call. She served the dishes as the couple sat at the table. Jiang Sheng helped Ning Xue with some vegetables before grabbing some for himself, shoving them into his mouth, and chewing. Right then, he was still immersed in her gentle behavior all day, and she, too, had her head lowered, digging in¡ªthey were obviously on the same page that day. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you talking to me?¡± Ning Xue finally let the words out. Jiang Sheng flinched. He swallowed a mouthful of rice before answering, ¡°All of this. It¡¯s too surreal. I don¡¯t know what I should say.¡± Just when he thought she would continue being mad at him, she replied, ¡°There aren¡¯t secrets between us, are there?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± he paused. ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful and charming, love. You are the luckiest thing that has ever happened to me. I-I love you.¡± He stared into her eyes nervously, waiting for her reaction. His adorable context got her stunned. She stared at him in a daze, her mind blank, her heart beating like drums in her ears. Darn it¡ªcuteness overload. Jiang Sheng noticed her cheeks flushing red. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to startle you. I just wanted to tell you that I love you.¡± He paused again for her reaction, to which she returned with a fierce glare. ¡°Eat your food!¡± ¡°Nooooooo¡ªdon¡¯t get mad all over again, sweetie.¡± His cheeks were pink, his eyes watery. Instinctively, Ning Xue held out her hand to pinch his face. He didn¡¯t dodge. After she finished, he reached to poke her face. ¡°You¡¯re the cutest, and I can¡¯t seem to get tired telling you how pretty you are. I feel like kissing you.¡± She ignored him, eating her bowl of food. He chuckled like a kid. ¡°Don¡¯t you know how adorable you look right now, sweetheart?¡± His voice was husky when he spoke¡ªand even a little sexy, like Adam with his tempting apple. Her heart raced quicker. ¡°Just get on with it.¡± She already knew what was on his mind. ¡°Well, you know, those people on the set¡­ You don¡¯t have to take it to heart.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not mad.¡± ¡°But I saw Lucy¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± she cut him off. ¡°I know. I know.¡± She picked up her chopsticks again. ¡°Eat.¡± ¡°Honey¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re so, so, so adorable that I don¡¯t feel like doing my scene this afternoon anymore. Let¡¯s stay home.¡± ¡°No. We leave after you¡¯ve done eating.¡± ¡°All right, then.¡± He got up and bent down, leaning close to her face. ¡°But please remember how much I love you, okay?¡± And he pressed his lips onto hers. His tongue slipped into his mouth, teasing hers as they entangled and danced, twirling. They held each other close, body to body, sending an electric spark from their hearts to their limbs. It was numbing. After what seemed like an eternity, she pushed him away. ¡°I promise that I would never do anything to them unless they have a death wish.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Ning Xue was in a cheerful mood since their exchange. Of course, she understood Jiang Sheng¡¯s concern¡ªwhile the world has its eyes all on her now, Lucy, too, was a well-known celebrity. All thanks to her nickname in connection with Anne Hathaway¡ªhow it would dirty her own hands to peel off her fake lashes. Still, some things needed to be done¡ªvengeance was still vengeance. She pulled out her phone and dialed a number. Someone picked up, speaking politely.. Chapter 8 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°You¡¯re on set? I didn¡¯t know you were interested. Since when¡ª¡± ¡°Is this what you should be asking?¡± ¡°My apologies. Please let me know if there¡¯s anything you¡¯d want me to help with.¡± ¡°Tell Cage he¡¯d better tighten the leash on his lover.¡± ¡°Yes, of course. I¡¯ll make sure he gets the message.¡± On the penthouse office of the world¡¯s largest production company, a man in a black suit was talking on the phone. Though he was merely talking on the phone, he bent his body and nodded as he spoke to the other person on the line, as if he was afraid if he¡¯d act discourteously. When an employee came in to pass him a document, he stood agape at his boss¡¯s¡ªChief Director Mike¡ªkiss-up and humble attitude. Who the hell was on the other end of the call? ¡°As for you¡­¡± ¡°Ah, yes. I wonder what you¡¯d like me to do?¡± ¡°About the cast of that movie¡­¡± ¡°Right. We¡¯ve already made arrangements for it. How about I read you¡­¡± Mike began rummaging through the folders on his desk, his hand unsteady. ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± ¡°What else could I do?¡± ¡­ ¡°Very well. Leave it to me.¡± The call hung up, leaving Mike drenched in cold sweats. It was unbelievable¡ªtheir company¡¯s biggest shareholder, mysterious as she was, had just given him a call. He collapsed onto his chair, rubbing his temples. Minutes later, he was in his car, speeding to meet one of their company¡¯s shareholders. Cage stared at the man in front of him. ¡°I think you must know who I am.¡± ¡°Yes, hello, sir. I¡¯m the new director, Mike.¡± Mike reached his hands, but Cage never took it, displaying his arrogance. ¡°I understand you¡¯re busy, but Mr. Cage, I¡¯m here on a real business.¡± ¡°A new director like you should be working on your projects instead of making small talks with me.¡± Mike took out a card from the pocket of his suit. On the card was the word ¡°snow¡±. Cage caught a glimpse of it and stood up abruptly. ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s an order from our boss. Why didn¡¯t you mention it earlier?¡± ¡°Our boss asks of you to take charge of your lover¡ªshe messed with the wrong person.¡± ¡°Certainly.¡± Lucy was the only one outshining the others among his many lovers. Did it mean that their boss was on Lucy¡¯s set then? Cage rolled his eyes from right to left. He had a clear distinction of what was his priorities¡ªmoney or women. ¡°Have you seen how they look? Maybe I should meet them too.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there a problem with that?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve never met them either.¡± After seeing Mike off, Cage dialed a number on his phone. A soft, nasally voice answered him. ¡°Hey, babe. Miss me? I have a scene this afternoon, so we can only meet tonight.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. I¡¯m calling to tell you that I¡¯m breaking up with you.¡± Lucy, who was on the set, lost it in a second. Her hands and feet went cold. ¡°Oh, no, darling. You must be kidding, right? I¡¯m not breaking up with you.¡± She couldn¡¯t imagine breaking up with Cage, that how many would come after her for retribution. She had made too many enemies all those years, and it was Cage who¡¯d sorted it out for her. Cage replied impatiently, ¡°That¡¯s that. I¡¯ll write you a check soon. You¡¯d better watch your back from now on.¡± The phone hung up. Lucy held her hand over her mouth, pressing so tight to prevent her cries from coming out. How could something like this happen? No, no. What would she do now? Wait. She still had Jiang Sheng, her costar. Even if Jiang Sheng wasn¡¯t as rich as Cage, he had connections and tons of resources. He could still act as her safeguard. Ning Xue¡ªthe reason why she¡¯d covered herself from head to toe must be because she was unconfident with her appearance, that she didn¡¯t do her makeup that day. Ning Xue was nothing like her, Lucy thought. She knew she was a natural beauty, and yes, she could seduce Ning Xue¡¯s man. So what if they were married? They could divorce. Lucy wasn¡¯t sure why the paparazzi weren¡¯t here today¡ªit was an atypical phenomenon. She needed an audience to stir up chaos. She wiped her tears away and started calling a few media companies.. Chapter 9 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The first scene in the afternoon was when the female lead moved into the building across the male lead. Here, they would form a telepathic connection as they reminisced. ¡°Ready, everyone? Action!¡± The female lead walked to the entrance and turned the lock. The door clicked. She advanced to the window and pulled the curtains, leaving a tiny hole for her spying activity using her binoculars. She looked through the lenses. The man across the building was distracted, moping in his apartment. It was until the afternoon that he had an episode of a faster heartbeat. He was perplexed about it but didn¡¯t take note of it. He lay on his bed, closing his eyes like a sleeping angel. Yet, something bothered him: it was as if someone was peeking at him from the dark. He inched towards the window and yanked the curtains open, and he found nothing. Still, the feeling was there. Jiang Sheng did a great job disappearing into his role there. The female lead finally saw the man she had been yearning for all this while. Though it was one glimpse, it was worth it. Then, the man got downstairs, dawdling around the swing in the playground. The woman pulled her curtains open. She could already imagine the pleasant and soothing view waiting for her next, looking through the sheer. She lifted it and slid the balcony door open, taking in the first breath of fresh air. There was a bamboo chair on her balcony with a few pots of flowers and shrubs. Down the balcony on the ground floor was thee green lawn and a pond inhabited with thousands of lotus leaves. Instantly, she brightened up. As her gaze glided to the right, she saw a swing. And right next to it was a man squatting on the ground, his head lowered. Her grip tightened on the railing. ¡°Jack¡­¡± she whispered, her voice so low it was indiscernible. That instant, the man stopped what he was doing¡ªfidgeting¡ªand looked up. The woman tucked her hair behind her ears, letting out a faint smile. ¡°There¡¯s the classic¡ªI want nothing but perfection. Lucy, can I get a teardrop from you?¡± ¡°Great. That¡¯s it. Jiang Sheng, you¡¯re doing wonderful. Keep at it.¡± ¡°Good work, guys. Let¡¯s take a break before your next intimate scene. You might want to talk about it, discuss how to take things up a notch.¡± ¡­ Ning Xue, who was scrolling through her phone, came across someone posting a picture of their set online just moments ago¡ªwhen did the paparazzi arrive? She scanned the area as she pursed her lips. It looked like someone didn¡¯t learn her lesson yet. ¡°Things might get a little hot later on. I hope your wife over there won¡¯t get angry.¡± Jiang Sheng remained focused on the script, holding back a frown. He didn¡¯t want any other interactions other than anything that had to do with the set. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to act so indifferently. We were from the same college, remember? Maybe we can get coffee some other time.¡± Jiang Sheng threw her a glare. ¡°If you aren¡¯t going to talk about work, then scram.¡± What was she trying to do¡ªseduce him? With that face? Pfft. He already had the prettiest woman on earth. Gentlemanly, he didn¡¯t react to her pretentious manners with sarcasm. He knew well she was there today because she slept her way up. Lucy couldn¡¯t hide the humiliation written on her face. She was known for her looks resembling Anne Hathaway, but Jiang Sheng hadn¡¯t paid her any attention ever since their first day on set. She thought if there was something wrong, perhaps with her charms. The next thing she knew, the reporters had already arrived. Well, all she had to do now was to make a scandal out of their sensual scenes coming next. Then, they¡¯d go viral. It was bound to happen when anyone was associated with Jiang Sheng. ¡°In 3, 2, 1, action!¡± The man came to the woman¡¯s door. He knocked, but no one came. Just when he was about to try again, the door opened. A delicate figure crashed into his chest, her scent creeping into his nose. In reflex, he caught her, his hands grabbing her arms. ¡°Why did you come?¡± the woman¡¯s voice was soft, slightly pitched. The man reached for her forehead, testing her temperature. ¡°Get changed. We¡¯re going to the hospital.¡± The woman wore a pink nightdress, the deep V of her collar exposing her chest as she wasn¡¯t wearing anything beneath. ¡°Cut!¡± The second the director called it, Jiang Sheng snapped out of his emotions and shoved Lucy away. Subtly, he patted on his clothes as if something dirty had come into contact with him.. Chapter 10 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°Hold on. Lucy, why are you showing so much of your chest? It¡¯s nothing like your character¡¯s persona. Costume¡ª¡± The paparazzi had already posted their pictures online and went viral in an instant. ¡°OMG. Is that Lucy? She¡¯s so hot!¡± ¡°That¡¯s all she is. Good looks but nothing. God knows who she went to bed with to be where she is today.¡± ¡°The person covered up from head to toe¡ªis that her? The woman Jiang Sheng¡¯s going to marry?¡± ¡°The only reason she didn¡¯t show her face could only be because of inferiority.¡± ¡°BTW, Jiang Sheng and Lucy look so cute together!¡± ¡­ ¡°And¡­ action!¡± The scene continued from where they¡¯d left off. Feeling the man¡¯s cold, soothing body temperature, the woman inched closer towards him. ¡°No hospitals. Pills are good enough.¡± The man lifted her off the floor. Her dress was too short that his palm was in direct contact with her soft skin¡ªJiang Sheng winced for a fraction of a second. He carried her into the room as the camera followed their movements. ¡°That¡¯s it. Tighten your grip. Let your emotions flow.¡± The woman felt his gentle touch on her forehead. It had a calming effect on her, but it wasn¡¯t long before it moved away. She pushed herself up, her blanket slipping off from her shoulder, her revealing nightdress barely covering any of her skin. She spoke with a silken voice, ¡°Don¡¯t leave. Come back to me. You remember everything, don¡¯t you? I know you do.¡± It was when Lucy broke character and started making eyes at Jiang Sheng that they were interrupted again. ¡°Cut!¡± the director shrieked. ¡°Cut, cut, cut! Lucy, persona! You¡¯ve got to dive into your character! Never mind, let¡¯s take five.¡± Jiang Sheng hurried to Ning Xue, his face cold. It only melted off when Ning Xue met his gaze. He reached his arms and grinned, ¡°Could you please do the honors of patting off the dust on my coat?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing on it.¡± ¡°Yes, it does. That woman left stains everywhere. It¡¯s revolting. I need your scent around to cleanse the bad odor.¡± Ning Xue chuckled. After she had patted his coat, he embraced her into his arms, refusing to let go. Some distance away, the director roared. ¡°What do you mean she caught a bug? She has to be here even if the sky is falling! We¡¯ve come too far to quit now! Is she trying to get herself banned in the industry?¡± ¡°Take it easy, sir.¡± ¡°How can I? And now where should we look to find the perfect east Asian woman playing the role of the male lead¡¯s first crush?¡± The set went dead silent. ¡°How about Jiang Sheng¡¯s wife?¡± Lucy spoke up. ¡°She¡¯s here today on the set, and she¡¯s pretty, too. Why don¡¯t you let her try out the role?¡± ¡°Oh? Would she now?¡± The director had heard the rumors, of course. Jiang Sheng¡¯s wife was a gold digger and nothing more. ¡°Of course, she would. Everyone wants to be a celebrity.¡± ¡°And did she consent to play the role? Huh? What kind of a one-man-show are you directing?¡± An ice-chilling voice mixed with suppressed anger exploded. It was the first time Jiang Sheng gave vent to his anger on set, leaving everyone in shock. He had always been indifferent yet polite, but he had never lashed out on anyone. The crowd drew their gaze to the woman standing behind him¡ªshe was covered, her features and physique unrecognizable. Jiang Sheng stepped forward to block their sight, irritated that they were staring at his wife. Ning Xue, too, was driven up the wall. The game was on. ¡°I¡¯d love to give it a try,¡± Ning Xue said. She removed her face mask and scarf, unveiling the most delicate east Asian appearance the spectators had ever seen. ¡°Oh, good Lord! As if God himself had sculpted her!¡± ¡°Cupid¡¯s arrow just hit its target.¡± ¡°And her voice! How angel-like!¡± ¡­ The paparazzi stopped filming Lucy, and they turned their camera towards Ning Xue. ¡°Oh, sweetie.¡± Jiang Sheng was touched¡ªNing Xue never liked being the center of attention, but this time, she took a big step for him. ¡°Pure angel, dear, are you here to save the day?¡± The director asked, gawking at Ning Xue. It was his first time seeing such beauty. Raw, natural, and stunning.. Chapter 11 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Lucy was bothered by the people¡¯s reaction, including the paparazzi¡¯s infatuation. She gritted her teeth. Zipping through the crowd, the director handed the script over to Ning Xue, shoving Jiang Sheng out of the way as he explained the particulars. Unlike the exasperation he displayed minutes ago, he was now patient. It was the first time the crew saw how gentle their boss could be for beauty. For sure, the Oscar winner¡¯s wife already secured a free ride to Hollywood with her dazzling looks if she ever wanted to, making it to the top of the A-list celebrities. There were three scenes Ning Xue had to shoot. The first one was their reconciliation, the second and the third a flashback. The time allocated for that minor role was little, and they were only supposed to film one scene, and the rest would be the male and female protagonists. Yet, insanity went all over the director and producers¡ªNing Xue was the only one catching their eyes that day. Ning Xue didn¡¯t stay long in the makeup room, and all she did was change into her set costume. Even though she barely wore anything on her face, it still left everyone dumbstricken. A light blue dress with a cropped white cardigan on the outside had outlined all her curves perfectly. As the wind blew through her wavy hair, it lifted the strands high up in the air as they danced, her thin hair on her forehead unable to escape the breeze. There weren¡¯t any other accessories she wore¡ªonly a pale blue ribbon tied around her hair. On her neck was an amethyst pendant glowing purple, complimenting her fair skin. It made her look divine¡ªlike she belonged in Eden instead of Earth. While the camera was rolling, Jiang Sheng had a fit of unexplainable jealousy mixed over his overflowing emotions, and Ning Xue had sensed it. So the moment the director called ¡°cut¡±, she tip-toed and quickly pressed her lips on his. Jiang Sheng blushed, gazing into her eyes intensely. At that second, they still didn¡¯t know that they had created a picture that would break the internet. ¡°Excuse me¡ªthis is his wife? Holy smokes. I take back everything I¡¯ve said¡ªshe¡¯s a hottie!¡± ¡°She¡¯s as pretty as her name. No¡ªshe¡¯s even prettier than Snow White!¡± Most of the filming involved switching sets between an apartment and a school. ¡°Scene 2, action!¡± It was the recollection of the man and his first love back when they were in school. A young boy got awakened by his mother¡¯s voice in the morning. ¡°Jack, breakfast¡¯s ready!¡± In his thoughts, it was a dimmed memory, yet the familiar voice had warmed him to his core. Standing before the bathroom countertop was Jiang Sheng in his school uniform. On the mirror, his reflection was full of youth and vigor. Following that, he was riding on his bicycle, heading to school. ¡°Prop car and driver, get ready.¡± Just as the boy got lost in his thoughts, a black sedan flew past him. He steered away from the road in his reflexes, barely avoiding an accident before he lost control of his bike and crashed into a street vendor. He fell. He hissed in pain¡ªwhat a bad omen it was for his first day back to school. He managed to get up and pulled his shirt, scanning the area for the black sedan which had caused the mishap¡ªbut it was long gone. He gave up on chasing after it, lifted his bicycle back with both wheels intact on the ground, and pedaled on. There was no way his two-wheeled transport would be able to catch up with a four-wheeled automobile anyway. After parking his bike at the designated spot, he strolled towards his classroom, enjoying the view on the way. Everything went smooth on camera. ¡°Keep that rolling. Good, good.¡± The boy found a seat in the classroom and sat down. ¡°Ready, extras.¡± The students came into the room one after another. ¡°Hi. Is this seat taken?¡± He titled his head towards the source. A golden ray of light beamed down onto her expressionless face. Jiang Sheng held his breath¡ªhow stunning she was. It was long after he stared at her that he found his voice. ¡°No, it¡¯s free.¡± He never looked up again. That was the first time both of the characters met in the plot. ¡°Extras, where are your lines?¡± The extras were too absorbed in the two that they had forgotten to speak. No one could¡¯ve resisted not looking at the gorgeous-looking couple.. Chapter 12 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Low murmurs in the room broke out. ¡°God, look at her. It¡¯s as if she¡¯d just walked out of a painting. She¡¯s even more attractive than the celebrities on TV.¡± ¡°She¡¯s so d*mn fine. Her looks, her elegance¡ªshe¡¯s my high school goddess!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s in our class. Tell me I¡¯m not dreaming.¡± ¡­ ¡°Doing great, people. Let¡¯s see if we can aim for one-take.¡± Jiang Sheng lowered his head, pretending to be busy scrolling his phone. Yet, he was distracted. He had been peeping at Ning Xue out of the corner of his eye. It was then he received an aggressive poke from the back. ¡°Supporting lead, you¡¯re up. Don¡¯t forget your lines!¡± Jack looked over his shoulder and saw his best friend back from middle school winking and wriggling his face, cueing him to head outside with him. ¡°And now the next scene¡ªlet¡¯s all take some time to breathe before we move on.¡± When the two boys had sneaked into the toilet, the supporting lead punched Jack. ¡°Dude, did you know what just happened back there? A hot girl asked to sit next to you. I don¡¯t think you understand what it stands for, especially the boys in our class¡ªthey were dead jealous.¡± Jack chuckled. ¡°What¡¯s so special about it?¡± ¡°Amazing. And that¡¯s our one-take.¡± It was always customary for the guys to ballot for the prettiest girl in their class or school. And now, the lead¡¯s first crush had been voted with both titles. One morning, he noticed how her desk got bombarded with love letters. Something welled up inside of him. None of the words on the page he was reading made any sense. It was until she came¡ªJiang Sheng had noticed Ning Xue had a change of clothes¡ªthat his emotions went on a rollercoaster ride. First, he saw her brows furrowed, then she gathered all of the letters and relocated them to their new home¡ªthe trashcan. Every. Single. One of them. He rejoiced, unable to hide the corner of his lips twitching up. Teenage love¡ªhow sweet, naive and beautiful it was. ¡°Ready, Mrs. Smith.¡± Perhaps it was how he was emitting smug vibes all day long, the math teacher, Mrs. Smith, found him too hard to miss and was about to call his name while she raised her chalk. Shoot. He hadn¡¯t been paying attention. He didn¡¯t know how to solve the question on the board. He tried to avoid eye contact. She lifted her head from her textbook, eyeing Mrs. Smith. ¡°Mrs. Smith, I know how to solve the question.¡± ¡°And cut! Bravo, Ning Xue. Flawless! You¡¯re a genius!¡± Though the camera had already stopped rolling, the cast had remained in their position, reminiscing about the leads¡¯ performances. It was a perfect sunny day. The breeze rustled through the trees in the school compound with students anchored under the shade trees chattering, the buzzing cicadas¡¯ songs high pitched. Jiang Sheng turned to the woman next to him. What would¡¯ve happened if she had appeared earlier? It would¡¯ve tinted his early manhood, uneventful and boring with bright and vibrant colors. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Ning Xue knocked on his forehead. ¡°Sometimes, I can¡¯t help but wonder that you¡¯re too good for me.¡± She grabbed his hand. ¡°Silly you. Don¡¯t get distracted just yet. We still have another half session left.¡± After the second half of the filming, all crew and paparazzi were enchanted by Ning Xue, leaving Lucy enraged. She stomped her feet in anger, but no one cared. The next scene transition came. After school, Jack was rushing to the balcony when a gang of his seniors¡ªboys and girls combined¡ªstopped him at the corner of the stairwell. ¡°So you¡¯re the guy sitting next to Jessica? I heard she¡¯s on cleaning duty today. You tell her our gang leader¡¯s into her and ask to meet at the balcony. Go, now. We¡¯ll be waiting upstairs.¡± Jack cocked his eyebrow¡ªthey messed with the wrong person. He smiled understandingly. ¡°Sure.¡± The guy leading the group felt something strange¡ªwhy did the kiddo seem off? Jack pretended to turn the opposite way. But once he was sure that the group had left, he tagged along. His best friend caught up with him, saying, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wait for me? Why are you headed to the balcony?¡± ¡°To kick some *ss.¡± ¡°What? Who? Whoah, hold on. Let¡¯s take it easy. Who stepped on your toes?¡± ¡°Butt out.¡± The delinquents on the balcony were talking about how pretty Jessica was when someone kicked the door open. ¡°Hey. Where¡¯s Jessica? Oh, I see what¡¯s going on now¡ªyou like her, don¡¯t you? Are you tryna to be a hero here? No problem. We¡¯re graduating anyway. Get him, boys!¡± Jack had an unreadable expression on his face, his nimbus fueling the tension in the atmosphere. He smirked. Two versus six¡ªhe had never been afraid of losing. Seeing Jiang Sheng¡¯s immersion in the role, the director almost thought he was portraying his real emotions¡ªit was a commendable skill of an experienced actor. Jack threw his fist, hitting the leader right at his cheek. ¡°Body contact, people. Make sure you don¡¯t get hurt!¡± It was chaotic. Jack was unharmed except for the punch he¡¯d received at the corner of his lips. The three boys got beaten up badly, begging for mercy, and the three girls stood rooted to the ground. ¡°Remember,¡± Jack said. ¡°Jessica belongs to me.¡± And Ning Xue belonged to Jiang Sheng.. Chapter 13 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Another camera was filming Ning Xue for a separate shot. It was when Jessica finished cleaning and grabbed her backpack that she¡¯d realized the night sky was settling in. She was walking to the school gate when she¡¯d noticed a shadow trailing behind her. She stood still a hundred meters away from the exit and turned around. Jack stopped as he met her eyes, tugging the hem of his shirt, unable to form his words. Ning Xue winced at the sight of his injury¡ªit wasn¡¯t real, of course, but it¡¯d felt like her heart shattered. Without a word, Jessica turned to the mart next to them. When she came out, she saw he was still waiting for her at the same spot. ¡°Uh, I-I didn¡¯t mean to follow you,¡± Jack stuttered. ¡°I¡ª¡± Before finishing his sentence, Jessica interrupted him by handing him a tube and mask. ¡°Apply this twice a day, and the face mask to hide your scar. Better keep your parents in the dark than having them worry about you.¡± While he was still in a daze, she turned away from him like none of the conversations had happened. Another ten more steps further, she looked back and gave him a crooked grin, sounding embarrassed, ¡°You can stop following me now. We don¡¯t live on the same street. So, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± She blushed. Her words left Jack rooted on the spot¡ªhow¡¯d she know where he lived? Wait, did she take a peek at the student name list? He chuckled. The shot was beautifully filmed, which the director only snapped out of it after a minute. ¡°Cut! Perfect! It was spot-on! I¡¯m not exaggerating when I say you are our new favorite power couple!¡± After another short break, the crew was ready to film the last scene of the day¡ªJessica¡¯s final appearance. Jiang Sheng and Ning Xue had changed their clothes. Jack woke up almost noon when it was too hot to sleep anymore. He went through with his morning routine before having the first meal of his day. ¡°So we did run out of soy sauce, eh? I knew those dumplings tasted off. Go get us a bottle now.¡± Mumbling an okay, Jack slipped into his sandals and headed out in his pajamas. He went straight for the aisle in the store, immediately hunting the bottle and taking it to the counter. Holding the bottle, he walked down the trail running among the trees leading to his home, his hair even messier from the strong wind. Next thing he knew, a white, fluffy large dog came out of nowhere and pounced on him, a shrieking voice following it behind. ¡°Stop, Bunny!¡± The dog barked, crashed into Jack, and circled him. Then, it pressed its head on his leg. A dog named Bunny¡ªweird enough. Wait, he¡¯d heard that voice before. Could there be such a coincidence? He whirled around only to see Jessica. It was the weekend, and she wasn¡¯t in her uniform that day. She wore a plain white T-shirt with a checkered skirt, and she was extra cute with the teddy bear flip-flops on. She even wore her hair down today, her face bare. She gave off a gentler vibe here, unlike her usual independent, polished self. ¡°Oh, hey. Funny seeing you here. You don¡¯t live around this neighborhood, do you?¡± When Jessica advanced, Bunny bolted back to her feet. She smiled. ¡°My parents are out of town. I came here to live with my aunt for a few days. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d see you here.¡± There was a pause. ¡°I¡¯d better get this soy sauce back home. My family¡¯s waiting for the seasoning.¡± ¡°Mhm. See you.¡± After Jack bid her goodbye and continued walking, she called him again. He turned to her. A break in the clouds spilled the sunrays as they hit her face¡ªstill flashing a warm smile¡ªand he could almost see his reflection in her eyes when she said, ¡°You look cute today.¡± Jiang Sheng saw her mouthed his name before her sentence¡ªit was a personal message directed to him, too. A breeze swept in, stirring the thin hairs on her forehead and his heart along the way. There was no way she¡¯d think he looked cute looking like a hobo, he thought. After all this while, his heart still pounded for her whenever she tried something on him. Chapter 14 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°Cut! Amazing work, people! That was the smoothest romantic scene I¡¯ve ever filmed throughout my career! First of all, Ning Xue, thank you for helping us out today. Speaking of which, don¡¯t you want to move into the film industry? You could be even more famous than your husband, you know?¡± Jiang Sheng couldn¡¯t stop smiling hearing the positive messages directed to his wife. ¡°I¡¯m good. I¡¯m too busy anyway.¡± After politely rejecting the director¡¯s offer, Jiang Sheng and Ning Xue cuddled together, enjoying their little moment. It was then Lucy came forward. ¡°Sorry for interrupting, but it seems that the paparazzi is snapping photos of us.¡± Out of the blue, Lucy leaned forward, grabbed Ning Xue¡¯s wrist, and hurled it to her face. Jiang Sheng¡¯s eyes tightened. ¡°What are you doing?¡± It was too late to stop her. Slap! The paparazzi saw how Ning Xue¡¯s slap landed on Lucy¡¯s cheek from their cameras. Their minds had already made up the headlines for tomorrow¡¯s paper: Rising film actress and Oscar winner busted cheating¡ªwife slaps husband with shocking betrayal. ¡°How did it happen? I thought Ning Xue was someone rational.¡± ¡°Say no more. The scandal¡¯s going to become the talk of the town pretty quick!¡± ¡°A cheater, a mistress, and a mad wife¡ªthey¡¯re ruined for sure.¡± ¡­ ¡°You¡¯re insane!¡± Lucy flashed a smug grin. ¡°Weren¡¯t you acting all high and mighty? Let¡¯s see if the internet thinks the same. Brace yourself, missus. You¡¯re about to be targeted by online bullies. No point explaining¡ªno one would¡¯ve believed you anyway.¡± Ning Xue shot her a glare, hand-blocking Jiang Sheng from lurching at Lucy. ¡°Explain what? I was going to hit you anyway.¡± She raised her hand. Slap! Slap! Slap! Ning Xue hit Lucy several times. She looked harmless and weak, yet her slaps had hit hard. Lucy didn¡¯t expect her to make a savage move. ¡°What the¡ªare you out of your mind? The¡ª¡± Ning Xue threw another slap on Lucy¡¯s swollen face. The camera shutter coming from the paparazzi never stopped, capturing Lucy¡¯s ugly side. ¡°What a great day to teach someone a lesson.¡± Jiang Sheng reached and held Ning Xue¡¯s palm up. ¡°Oh, sweet pie, did it hurt?¡± Lucy was about to launch forward when Jiang Sheng and her manager grabbed her. ¡°How could you hit me! I demand compensation! Damages! You b*tch! I won¡¯t let this slide! I¡¯ll make sure you get a hard time! The internet will get you!¡± Ning Xue couldn¡¯t help thinking how Lucy looked like a miserable shrew right now. She took one step, to which Lucy¡¯s manager pulled her away from Ning Xue. ¡°Say, did you know why Cage dumped you?¡± Lucy gazed into her calm seraphic eyes, her heart growing colder than the temperature around them. She couldn¡¯t speak. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have messed with me in the first place.¡± Lucy¡¯s breath became ragged and harsh, her body trembling. Ning Xue¡ªwho in the world was she? Why was Cage, the shareholder of a top-notch global media and production company, so afraid of her? ¡°Mind you, the paparazzi would only release any pictures that I approve of,¡± Ning Xue continued, ¡°I don¡¯t like drama. I never did. Perhaps you really should quit the industry? Give everyone the peace they deserve.¡± As if she was declaring Lucy dead, her tone lowered, ¡°Or I¡¯ll force you out myself..¡± Chapter 15 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Ning Xue¡¯s buzzing phone pulled her out of her thoughts. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Good day. How would you like me to handle the photos from the paparazzi? Do let me know. We¡¯ll assure your satisfaction.¡± ¡°Delete everything.¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± ¡°Send me a copy of everything before you delete them.¡± ¡°Will do.¡± Jiang Sheng stopped the car in front of the red light. He turned to his side only to find Ning Xue smiling at her phone. ¡°What are you looking at, honey?¡± ¡°The very little Ms. Anne.¡± He leaned over, and what was on her screen was a woman with a bruised, swollen face. He winced. ¡°Put it away. It¡¯s nauseating.¡± Everyone in and out of the industry knew Lucy for her bad reputation. How funny she thought she could seduce him¡ªshe was nowhere as good as Ning Xue. Even if Ning Xue hadn¡¯t stepped up today, he¡¯d have done so in place of her. His DMs, too, was filled with messages. Weibo, Twitter, Instagram¡ªeach of his social media was flooded with notifications, causing his phone to buzz non-stop. His fans were telling him to leave his wife, to divorce her. They thought she was a gold-digger, anything but good. They thought she was manipulating him, interfering with his work when they¡¯d received rumors of her being on set. But what do they know? Nothing, exactly. It wasn¡¯t Ning Xue but him, who wasn¡¯t good enough for her. In the five years he spent chasing after her before he¡¯d finally won her heart¡ªonly God knew how much effort he¡¯d put in. Rewinding time to 2016, Jiang Sheng was 22, and Ning Xue was 17 then. It was almost springtime, the sky blue. With winter shifting to spring, the green on the streets of New York began budding. When the early spring breeze blew across Manhattan, it caressed the blooming leaves of the ginkgo trees lining the narrowed lanes with the skyscrapers bearing witnesses. Still, the concrete jungle, neatly arranged and gray, seemed inclined on confining the neverending spring warmth among the high-rise buildings. A young, good-looking man with a lean physique walked among those streets, his features standing out in rarity among the city dwellers. ¡°Oh, oh, oh! Is that Jiang Sheng? The Oscar winner?¡± ¡°He is so, so, so hot! Argh!¡± Jiang Sheng¡¯s expressionless face showed how little he cared for the outside world, causing no one to come forward and engage in conversation. He checked his watch¡ªfive minutes late. ¡°Jiang Sheng! Sorry that I¡¯m late.¡± Came a woman in a bright red dress, her high heels clicking as she hurried toward him. She was his manager, Linda. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Linda stuck her tongue out a little. He was flawless in everything: his looks, his acting, and his job¡ªshe never had to worry about anything at all. There was just a tiny flaw about him¡ªhe was unapproachable, and he never wanted to speak more than he needed to. ¡°You have one scene to shoot on set today. If he still nitpicks, the only thing we could do is to make the best out of it. No matter how complicated his relationships or how fretful he is, he¡¯s still your senior. Do you copy?¡± Jiang Sheng nodded, shifting his gaze to Linda, his tone serious, ¡°Thanks, Linda.¡± He knew why she was late¡ªshe had to meet the people from the upper management and apologize for his mistakes because he provoked an older actor on set. Linda could feel the heat of her cheeks flooding when he looked at her with his deep eyes. His intimidating appearance, topped with his superb acting, was irresistible.. Chapter 16 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°No sweat. Come on, the driver¡¯s waiting.¡± Though metropolitan New York City was big, it still couldn¡¯t entrap the brilliance of nature¡¯s work. Yet, the spring flowers and the green grass painting the city had never lowered the anticipation of the Manhattan residence towards springtime. Sitting at the back seat of the car, Jiang Sheng rested his head against the window, eyes on the passing scenery outside. People had pots of tulips placed on their doorsteps, their colors harmonizing with the soft green of the ginkgo trees along the Manhattan boulevard in the cool. Spring was officially in town. With the trees getting their buds and the flowers blooming mad, the blossoming tulips dominated Manhattan Island like curvy ribbon strips twirling down Park Avenue to the end of the horizon. It was as if they would only merge at the point where the pale blue sky met the glistening blue sea. When they arrived on set, Jiang Sheng kept himself collected this time.¡ªhe listened and stayed quiet. Everything went smoothly. ¡°Great job, Jiang Sheng. Honestly, he¡¯s an experienced actor with dozens of nominations and awards. It¡¯s just that he feels threatened by young blood because¡ªyou know¡ªyou¡¯re taking over his job.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Wasn¡¯t this common for an actor? He ought to listen and obey the words of his seniors, no matter how much irony, deprecation, or insults they contained. ¡°You can go home now. The driver will give you a ride.¡± ¡°I was thinking of taking a walk.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Linda sighed after seeing him leave. She hadn¡¯t been managing him for long. She was impressed¡ªhe had no background but still outshined every performer, obtained an academy award, and became one of the youngest Oscar winners. The second she met him, she realized his potential and capabilities. But it wasn¡¯t enough in showbiz¡ªhe lacked family background and connections. Sure, he couldn¡¯t change his family history, but he took no initiative in managing his social network. ¡°A young man like him, headstrong and arrogant, won¡¯t do him any good in Hollywood.¡± The senior actor¡¯s voice interrupted Linda¡¯s thoughts and pulled her back to reality. By the time she¡¯d thought of a reply, he¡¯d already walked far. ¡°You¡¯re right, sir. But he¡¯s changing.¡± ¡°Good.¡± The best spring landscape in NYC was located in Central Park, being the only embedded enormous lush, green pearl within central NYC. Jiang Sheng hopped into a cab, covered his face with a mask, and walked into Central Park to get some fresh air. When the spring breeze swept through every crook and cranny, it awakened the park from its winter slumber. Adjusting to the new change of its environment, it sneezed ever slightly in response, creating ripples in water and rustles in leaves. The trees and their thick branches had blocked out parts of the bright sun. Jiang Sheng looked up to find the fluffy clouds floating by the blue terrain, hearing the wind¡¯s gentle swishing. If only the staring and gasping were gone, he thought. A crowd had begun to form around him, whispering how he looked like a model and complimenting his attractiveness. He increased his pace, headed towards somewhere quieter. Under a dapple of the sunlight, he removed his mask and shoved it into his pocket. He pulled out the device, which had been ringing non-stop since he left the set. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Come home, child. Showbiz isn¡¯t the place for you.¡± ¡°Are you spying on me again?¡± ¡°You brat! I wired you billions each month, yet you¡¯ve never used them. How could I not get worked up? And you call it spying!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got money. I don¡¯t need yours.¡± Jiang Sheng hung up. He shifted his gaze away to recollect himself. And at that instant, he saw Ning Xue. She was dressed in a white blouse and a beige, long skirt, seeming gentle and serene. It had lessened her usual aloofness as she immersed herself in the other world existing in her painting¡ªshe was focused, her concentration wholly on capturing the scenery of Central Park. Jiang Sheng never knew his heart could thump so loud, and he couldn¡¯t find a name for the emotion he was experiencing. The only thing he knew was that the moment he laid eyes on the girl, he¡¯d never look away again. Chapter 17 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Ning Xue glanced up from her half-finished painting, and she saw him. Their eyes locked. It was as if Cupid descended from the heavens, shooting a love arrow through Jiang Sheng¡¯s heart because he fell in love for the very first time in twenty-two years. While holding her brush, Ning Xue paused to study the person standing not far away¡ªthe dappling of the shade under the tree made his complexion even more flawless. And his dispassionate eyes made him look surreal. He was above average, she guessed. Well, she wouldn¡¯t mind making him her subject. As if they were telepathic, they looked back down simultaneously, When the gentle breeze tousled her fine strands of hair, they brushed across her cheeks, making her itch. She had to admit¡ªwhile she was shallow, the young man was indeed striking. She lowered her head again to work on her piece. Then, she added him in. Jiang Sheng was still trying to calm his restless heart when he realized how Ning Xue didn¡¯t seem to mind his abrupt appearance. He did a little internal celebration¡ªdid that mean that she didn¡¯t repulse him? He tried toning down his emotions. After some time, Ning Xue finally put her brush down, and he marched towards her. He looked stoic on the outside, but inside, he panicked, his anxiety out of control. ¡°Hi there. I¡¯m Jiang Sheng. C-can I get to know you?¡± Ning Xue tore her eyes away from her painting, her expression blank. ¡°No.¡± It wasn¡¯t worth revealing her identity over an ¡°okay-looking¡± guy. ¡°Uh¡­ You could at least tell me your name, maybe?¡± ¡°¡­¡± While it was Jiang Sheng¡¯s first asking for a girl¡¯s number, and he ran into a stone wall. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I ever made you uncomfortable.¡± Ning Xue glanced at him again, and her impression of him changed¡ªhe wasn¡¯t only pretty but also even-tempered. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. I¡¯m just not good at making friends.¡± She pulled out the painting that she had been painting and handed it to him. ¡°This is for you, by the way.¡± She held up the painting between her pearl-skinned fingers, her features cold, the same kind of alienness that would inject fear into people¡¯s hearts. She seemed to be blocking out anyone who¡¯d try to take a step into her world. Huh. Jiang Sheng inhaled a deep, cold breath. He¡¯d thought she was an art major from an NYC college, being at the park randomly nature sketching. It would¡¯ve been impossible to complete a full-detailed painting in the short period she was here anyway. But the painting he was holding was as if Da Vinci came back to life. He had appraised the works of many internationally renowned artists, and such standards¡ªcoming from a young lady like her¡ªtook him aback. Her skills were masterful. He carefully rolled the painting. His shock remained undissipated. He recollected his cool, and his eyes focused back on Ning Xue¡ªnot only her beauty had reflected in her appearance, but it was also in her character itself. Her radiating elegance soothed the hearts of many. One would find it similar to standing in the middle of a forgotten valley with orchids blooming all over the place. ¡°Your painting¡­ it¡¯s amazing,¡± he complimented. He was no professional, but he¡¯d seen many of their work, including master-tiered artists. Still, none of the paintings was a match to the one he was holding. Hers were perfect. Then came a set of footsteps from afar. He turned to the source¡ªit was an old man dressed in casual clothes strolling down the path. ¡°Oh, gorgeous. Could I check out your work?¡± Ning Xue nodded, and Jiang Sheng handed the painting over. He only took a single glance before muttering to himself. ¡°It¡¯s a miracle. A flawless one. Drawn by the only person who knew what they¡¯re doing in the whole wide world.¡± Ning Xue didn¡¯t even twitch at the comment¡ªit meant nothing to her plain life. The old man got agitated, and something fleeted across his eyes. ¡°Ever thought of looking for a mentor? After taking a look at your work, I can guarantee your talent. You¡¯re artistic!¡± Jiang Sheng moved his gaze to the old man¡¯s badge pinned on his coat¡ªit read ¡°National Artist of the US¡±. He could already tell it was a rare token from its material.. Chapter 18 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio When Ning Xue smiled, it was as if the whole world paused to stare at her. She was stunning, yet the way her lips curled up was unnatural. Like she wasn¡¯t doing it of her own will, but because it was a reflex to being complimented. ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯m not interested.¡± As she turned to him, the old man took notice of her delicately gorgeous face. She was beautiful, too beautiful, that he forgot what he was going to say next for a second. Jiang Sheng was knowledgeable in fine arts, his skills bringing home the gold medal of the national art competition when he was eighteen. Still, no one came to him how the old man in front of them did. ¡°The painting¡ªaren¡¯t you going to take it back?¡± Ning Xue¡¯s voice pulled him back from his thoughts. He retrieved the painting and rolled it up, with her staring into his eyes burning with expectations. It made her uneasy. The old man was crushed. Not only his skills were below par in comparison to the young girl sitting here, but she had also rejected him blatantly. The boy and girl didn¡¯t seem like friends, he thought. Maybe there was something more than it met the eye. He was growing weary, his vision worse¡ªhow could he not have seen the tension between them? He should have shot his shot with the boy instead. Who knew Ning Xue saw right through him. ¡°Excuse me. I¡¯ll be taking my leave now.¡± Jiang Sheng watched while she packed and left, her figure disappearing into the distance until she was all gone. After he retracted his gaze and shifted it to the painting he was holding, he tucked it into the pocket of his jacket. Sigh. He hadn¡¯t got to know her name yet. ¡°Hey, kid, I¡¯m Michael,¡± introduced the old man with a smile. Michael knew the boy had something to do with her, which was why he was confident he would take him to her someday. In the name of common courtesy and politeness, Jiang Sheng told Michael his name. The look on Michael¡¯s face changed when he heard his name. ¡°Jiang Corp.? Does it ring a bell to you?¡± Jiang Corp. was one of China¡¯s most successful grand enterprises. ¡°My uncle is the chairman of the board of directors. He dedicated his life to fine arts, and he holds high expectations of me. He wishes for me to become his successor,¡± Jiang Sheng grinned faintly. Alas, he chose showbiz. ¡°Your uncle is the chairman?¡± Michael¡¯s mouth dropped open. ¡°And the girl¡­¡± Could her drawing be one of the productions of the very wealthy Jiang Corp.? Jiang Sheng¡¯s uncle, Jiang Yun, was a notorious artist in China, a prominent member of their community. ¡°Spring orchid and the chrysanthemum of the fall¡± was one of his famous pieces. Goodness sake¡ªwas she his daughter, then? ¡°No. It was my first time meeting her.¡± Michael said, befogged, ¡°I see¡­¡± After saying goodbye to Michael, Jiang Sheng strolled along the lake to clear his thoughts as the cool breeze blew against him. Yet, he found himself mesmerized by the girl. He opened the painting again, and after studying for what seemed like a long time, a crazy thought popped into his mind. He put it away and pulled out his phone, tapping on his browser. Isi, the mysterious artist¡ªtheir work was the best of the best, and it was every artists¡¯ dream to have viewed or held their painting. Every time their art piece surfaced, it would¡¯ve caused a commotion no matter where. Every creator around the globe would go crazy for it, offering a large sum in exchange. Though that was the case, they never revealed their identity or appearance. Often, their art would circulate privately before the world got to see it. Going with his absurd idea, he typed in Isi on the search bar. In less than a second, tons of information loaded on his screen. He tapped on them one by one, filtering through factual details. He wasn¡¯t in a hurry¡ªhe would go through everything one by one, searching for any indications that would reveal their current location through all of their previous works. Soon, he picked out about a hundred thousand of their pieces¡ªportraits, buildings, and the skyline of cities was all their magnum opus. He flipped through the pictures without pausing, seeking the shadow behind the painting. Finally, he found something odd. Isi¡¯s usual workpieces were drawn on sketch paper, but her latest one was an oil painting¡ªhow interesting. Jiang Sheng felt his heartbeat race at the thought of the similarities between the girl and Isi, though Isi¡¯s latest leak was nothing like the one he was holding.. Was the girl Isi? Chapter 19 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Jiang Sheng wasn¡¯t 100% sure, but he trusted that his judgment wasn¡¯t wrong. He continued scanning the illustrations on his phone while the image of the girl emerged in his mind. He had a hunch¡ªthe girl was Isi. Thinking that he¡¯d never meet someone like her ever again, disappointment fleeted across his eyes. Yet, it was too early to give up hope. He had to keep looking, but there were too many. Each of them was renowned and came with a narrative story. His gut feeling told him he was missing something. But what was it? While he got distracted in his thoughts, he resumed his search for the needle in the haystack, making no leads. At the same time¡ª Ning Xue lingered in Central Park. She planned to finish three sketches that day, and she still had one more. The previous episode didn¡¯t bother her. She found somewhere quiet in the park and continued working on her painting. Behind her was a pair of eyes boring onto her back. ¡°Stop following me, mister.¡± Ning Xue turned around, having known he was tailing her all along. Michael smiled. ¡°Hello again. I¡¯ve told you¡ªI don¡¯t want a mentor,¡± Ning Xue explained with a cold tone, her patience almost exhausted. Michael chuckled, ¡°The view here is captivating. I knew you¡¯d stay.¡± ¡°Heh,¡± grunted Ning Xue, her eyes turning fierce. ¡°Since you¡¯re unwilling to leave, you can stick around. But I expect you not to become a nuisance.¡± ¡°Okay, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t. It¡¯s a land of peace, and there¡¯s no way I could¡¯ve disturbed you anyway.¡± Ning Xue sneered, turning away from him to stare into the distant scenery. Michael no longer spoke, and he stood wordlessly next to her. Appreciative of art, the view in front of them moved him, magnificent. As time quietly slipped away under the quiet atmosphere, it was soon evening. The glorious sun¡¯s afterglow shone over the land, its radiance dyeing the entire land gold. ¡°Remarkable,¡± Michael exclaimed. The sunset view and the surrounding nature reminded him of another place¡ªit was even more mesmerizing than the one before his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve seen an extremely incredible place once. The mountain range that reaches into the clouds, the everlasting unidentified flora, the countless precious medicinal herbs, and¡­¡± The words trailed away. Though Ning Xue¡¯s focal point was still at the outlying sundown, her mind was in a tranquil place. It was as if she had traveled through space and time to another world¡ªa fairyland. There, she had a clear vision of her painting: the mountains, the woods, the river, and the large rock on the peak. A humongous python coiled its tail as it lay on the rock. She gave up sketching and drew the image from her head instead. Michael watched from the side. After she had finished her last touchup, she got up and stretched, relieved from her entrapment. Michael was excited. Too excited. What a genius! He had never thought that there would be someone as talented as him in this world. Surprise and joy flooded him over that he threw himself on the ground and cried, scaring anyone who¡¯d witnessed his overreaction. The air around Ning Xue seemed to boil as she grew impatient. Had it not been for the manners her family had taught her, she¡¯d have taken action. ¡°Excuse me, mister. I told you, I¡¯m not looking for a mentorship, and neither did I want to be anyone¡¯s apprentice!¡± Michael couldn¡¯t hear a word she was saying, wailing in amazement at her incomparable talent.. Chapter 20 - International Assassin Organization HLW Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The elder in front of her was in his sixties. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t know who he was¡ªan internationally prominent artist and also a member of the Artists¡¯ International Association. Michael. He was well-known for his grouchiness, fondness for drawing, and taking on disciples. His recruitment was either for competency or his gain. And the girl¡¯s gift, skills, and expression¡ªthose were what he desired. Her unique talent would add so much value to his collection. Ning Xue saw the rough edge of dominance in his eyes. She was no stranger to that kind of gaze¡ªit was the same look as a teacher subjugating their student. He didn¡¯t speak. The silence lingering in the air was depressing. Ning Xue started to get uneasy¡ªwhy was getting rid of the old codger so tough? Under the stalemate, her phone rang. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Hey, sis. Are you in Central Park right now?¡± Ning Xue knitted her brow together. She hadn¡¯t contacted Jack lately, so there was no way he could¡¯ve known she was there that day. What was going on? ¡°Someone¡¯s found your identity as an artist. They¡¯re also in Central Park.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Her eyes darkened. Her workpieces were different from usual ones¡ªno one could¡¯ve connected the dots. She had only shown her work to Michael and the young man from a while ago, so which one of them was it, then? How did he do it? Or was the old man playing tricks from her back all this while? The list of possibilities pissed her off. Anger flashed across her eyes. ¡°Who was it?¡± she asked in a cold voice. ¡°Beats me. But they¡¯re on it. I think we¡¯ll know who¡¯s behind it soon. Be careful, sis.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ning Xue hung up. She took a handkerchief and wiped the paint on her fingers while she was distracted thinking about her exposed identity. Something was fishy. She had a bad premonition. Agitated, she couldn¡¯t comprehend the source of her feelings. ¡°Never mind about the offer,¡± the old man spoke out of nowhere, looking up and staring at her. ¡°But I¡¯d like you to do me a favor. Could you promise me something?¡± Ning Xue turned to face him. ¡°What is it?¡± A strange smile appeared on his lips. ¡°I want you to come along to Italy with me and paint me a drawing as a gift for someone.¡± ¡°Huh. What painting? And why should I agree to go with you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you why when you agree. We¡¯re talking money like this¡ª¡± Michael stretched all his five fingers. ¡°No.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying no to 50 million? You¡¯d better think about it carefully.¡± His creepy grin remained on his face. ¡°I told you, no.¡± Michael snorted. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have rejected me. You¡¯ll regret it.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t. I never would. I have my principles.¡± ¡°And what are them?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need anyone interfering in my decisions.¡± Following the end of her sentence was glass shattering¡ªMichael had smashed the mug he¡¯d been holding. ¡°Good, very well. If this conclusion is what you¡¯ve come up with,¡± he narrowed his eyes into a fine line, his glare malicious, ¡°I won¡¯t let you off this easily.¡± Ning Xue never flinched. ¡°My advice for you is not to mess with the wrong person, or you¡¯d suffer the consequences.¡± ¡°Heh. Consequences? I¡¯m not afraid of anything, and frankly speaking, I don¡¯t believe anyone would ever dare to stand up against me,¡± Michael spoke with arrogance. Being a big shot in the fine arts industry, and no matter where he was, he¡¯d always have a crowd of his loyal followers. No one on Earth could hurt him, for he was the world-famous Michael! Be it leaders of a country, the US government, the mafia, the Interpol, or assassins¡ªno one would ever lay a finger on him.. Money was the answer to everything! Chapter 21 - Fight Back Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio They were both valuable: those talented painters he kidnapped and brought to Italy to work for him, and the paintings they created but were sold under his name. Ning Xue said calmly, ¡°Try me.¡± The old man was furious. ¡°Just so you know; I¡¯m not someone you can mess with.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to find out.¡± Ning Xue gave a contemptuous smile. ¡°You can wait and see your destiny.¡± Suddenly many strongly built men rushed in from all directions of Central Park. Soon Ning Xue was surrounded by them. Ning Xue watched them move carefully. She did not panick at all; she even smiled faintly. Ning Xue knew who they were. They belonged to an international assassin organization called HLW. It seemed that the old man wanted to use them to threaten her to go back with him. Ning Xue asked. ¡°The service of HLW people must be expensive. So this is what you do, when the other painters wouldn¡¯t go back with you, you have these guys kidnap them?¡± The old man looked at Ning Xue coldly and said. ¡°Yes, you don¡¯t know how powerful they are. There is nothing they can¡¯t do. They are all from an international assassin organization. If you¡¯re smart, you should obediently follow me back. Otherwise, I can guarantee that you won¡¯t leave here alive.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve met someone from HLW.¡± The old man stared at Ning Xue coldly. Then, he waved his hand. The HLW assassins pounced on Ning Xue. Ning Xue smiled. ¡°Do you think these people can scare me away?¡± There¡¯s a trace of disdain in Ning Xue¡¯s eyes and she sneered. These men in black were top killers in the world. They were very powerful. People were too scared of them to no treat with respect. ¡°Don¡¯t blame me. You brought this on yourself.¡± The old man laughed coldly. Ning Xue looked back at him coldly. ¡°Let¡¯s see who will win.¡± ¡°Good. You¡¯ll regret what you said just now. Capture her alive! Don¡¯t hurt her hands!¡± The old man guffawed. Ning Xue just stood there, looking at the old man calmly. The old man found her behavior unbelievable. How could she be so calm? It seemed that she really got something. His threat was not working on her. ¡°Little girl, we¡¯ll see how long you can keep laughing.¡± A few assassins in black rushed over, trying to capture Ning Xue. To their surprise, although Ning Xue looked weak and small, her body was very nimble. They all missed. ¡°Bang!¡± Ning Xue punched one of the assassins in the face. The Man in Black was pushed back and fell heavily to the ground. Ning Xue took the opportunity and started running immediately. The old man shouted, ¡°Get her, don¡¯t let her go.¡± The men in black all chased after Ning Xue. ¡°Ha.¡± Ning Xue sneered and turned around to look behind her, her eyes shooting out flames. It had been a long time since she had used her fists and legs. Ning Xue¡¯s speed instantly increased to the limit and she rushed towards the men in black like lightning. ¡°Ah!¡± Ning Xue¡¯s punches and kicks landed on her attackers¡¯ chests, knocking them to the ground. The men in black stood up with their hands on their chests, looking at Ning Xue with fear in their eyes. The old man shouted in disbelief, ¡°You knew kung fu! Aren¡¯t you a painter?¡± Ning Xue smiled faintly. ¡°Capture her!¡± The old man shouted in exasperation. ¡°Yes!¡± A few men in black rushed towards Ning Xue again. Ning Xue dodged quickly and they failed again. ¡°Capture her for me.¡± The old man shouted. More men in black rushed towards Ning Xue quickly. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang¡­¡± Ning Xue fought back and after several attacks from her, more assassins were sent flying. The old man couldn¡¯t believed what he saw. He had never expected that Ning Xue was so formidable. ¡°Keep Attacking!¡± The old man shouted. More men rushed towards Ning Xue. Ning Xue gazed at them ice-cold. Her figure moved rapidly, and no one succeeded. They found that Ning Xue¡¯s movement seemed to be slightly different from ordinary people. She was so unbelievably fast and strong that it seemed as if she had been trained since she was young. A few more men was beaten by Ning Xue and ended up hitting the walls. The old man couldn¡¯t believed his eyes. ¡°How is this possible?¡± He stood there, ashen-faced with shock. He had never thought that capturing Ning Xue was so difficult! Chapter 22 - The Hero Saves the Beauty Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang¡­¡± A few men in black were once again entangled by Ning Xue. The old man shouted, ¡°Aren¡¯t you all assassins? Just because she knows some kung fu, you can¡¯t do anything to her?¡± The men in black were speechless. Chinese kung fu was very powerful, okay? After getting rid of all the men, Ning Xue quickly started running. Not far away, there was a path, which looked very isolated. The old man shouted hysterically behind her, ¡°Forget it! Use your guns! Shoot her legs, don¡¯t aim her hands!¡± Ning Xue was shocked. They had guns? ! ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± A few shots were fired. ¡°You¡¯re dead!¡± The old man shouted. ¡°Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!¡± Several bullets flew by Ning Xue. ¡°Bang!¡±¡±Bang!¡±¡±Bang!¡± ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang¡­¡± One bullet hit Ning Xue¡¯s waist; she¡¯s bleeding immediately. ¡°Ah!¡±Ning Xue let out a low cry of pain. ¡°Hurry up, go get her! Don¡¯t let her escape, don¡¯t let her escape, don¡¯t let her escape!¡± ¡°Important things need to be said three times!¡± The old man roared from behind. ¡°Yes!¡± Ning Xue fell to the ground. Her body landed next to a tree by the road; she felt a sharp pain coming from the wound. She crawled behind the tree and hid. Suddenly, a big hand circled her waist, pulled her up into a warm embrace, and covered her mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. It¡¯s me.¡± Jiang Sheng didn¡¯t leave. He felt something strange about the old man. Besides, he¡¯d like to find out whether Ning Xue was the mysterious international artist ISI, therefore, he decided to stay in the park. As soon as he saw the group of men in black, he called the police. The police should be here soon. Just as the men in black were getting closer to Ning Xue and Jiang Sheng who were hiding behind the tree, they heard the sound of police sirens. The men in black went back immediately. ¡°The police are here. We have to leave.¡± The old man cursed, ¡°Damn it! Don¡¯t worry. There are no surveillance cameras here. The police won¡¯t believe the words of an unknown artist. I¡¯ll protect you all.¡± He shouted again, ¡°Little girl, if you dare to talk nonsense, I swear I¡¯ll kill you next time.¡± Jiang Sheng felt Ning Xue was shaking in his arms. He took off his coat and wrapped it around her. ¡°You¡¯re injured badly. I¡¯ll send you to the hospital now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t let me send you to the hospital, then you¡¯ll have to let me carry you away.¡± Jiang Sheng threatened coldly. Without even waiting for her answer, he lifted her up and walked towards the exit of the park carrying her. ¡°You¡­¡± The Old Man¡¯s face turned ashen when he saw them. ¡°Michael, is it? Consider yourself dead.¡± Jiang Sheng coldly threatened the old man. ¡°You¡­¡± The old man was so angry that his entire body was trembling. The assassins he hired had left already; they slipped into the crowd in disguise so that they wouldn¡¯t expose themselves in front of the police. To his surprise, Jiang Sheng would actually threaten him because of a woman he hardly knew. After all, he was an internationally famous painter, and behind Jiang Sheng was the Jiang Group of China. They should be friends. He was never treated like this before! At this moment, a few police cars quickly drove into the park. ¡°Hello, May I ask what happened here?¡± A policeman got out of the car and walked towards the old man. ¡°Hello, Officer! We are trying to catch a thief, but she escaped. We are about to call the police!¡± The old man said quickly. ¡°Really? Then you need to help us with our investigation.¡± The police officer showed the old man his badge. ¡°Okay.¡± The old man checked the badge obediently. ¡°You need to come with us first.¡± The police officer said. ¡°Okay, okay.¡± The old man nodded yes. He had never thought that he would suffer such a humiliating defeat because of a little girl. Who was she anyway? The old man was a little puzzled. Could she be one of those top mercenaries in the world? Jiang Sheng carried Ning Xue and ran towards the park¡¯s gate. He felt relieved. Ning Xue survived. That was great! Ning Xue was held tightly by Jiang Sheng. She could easily smell his unique male scent, which made Ning Xue a little uncomfortable. She was not used to being so close to a man¡¯s body. But she had to admit she didn¡¯t hate it, and she felt very warm. Jiang Sheng carried Ning Xue to the car. The driver quickly started the car and drove away. Ning Xue lay in the car. Her face was pale, her body was twisted because of pain, and her face was covered in cold sweat. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Jiang Sheng asked her anxiously. ¡°I. . .¡± Ning Xue opened her eyes with some difficulty and looked at Jiang Sheng weakly. Jiang Sheng looked at Ning Xue¡¯s pale face and became even more anxious. He reached out and grabbed Ning Xue¡¯s wrist. ¡°I¡¯m Fine!¡± Ning Xue spat out two words with great difficulty. Jiang Sheng frowned even more when he heard that. ¡°I understand. Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll be fine. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± ¡°Ok, thank you.¡± ¡°I know that your identity is probably a secret. If you don¡¯t want to go to the hospital, how about coming to my house? I have a family doctor.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ning Xue did not know that she would be injured so seriously this time.. Chapter 23 - Bring Her Home Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Yes.¡± Jiang Sheng said. ¡°I¡¯ll have someone treat your injuries when we get home.¡± Ning Xue nodded and didn¡¯t say anything. She was still thinking about how to get even with the old man later. That Michael! She¡¯ll make him pay for what he did to her! The driver drove the car into the courtyard of a villa. After he paid the driver, Jiang Sheng carefully carried Ning Xue out of the car as if she were a princess. The villa was a European-style house, with a luxury interior. In the center of the hall, was the Euro-style dining table and the sofa. Jiang Sheng carried Ning Xue and walked straight to the stairs. ¡°Young master, are you injured?¡± A man in a butler¡¯s uniform who saw Jiang Sheng coming in hurriedly came to greet him. Jiang Sheng said in a deep voice, ¡°Call Kefu.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The Butler quickly walked away. Jiang Sheng put Ning Xue on the bed. ¡°Your bed¡­¡± Ning Xue was shocked. Didn¡¯t he have mysophobia? Her blood already stained the clean white sheets. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re more important.¡± The straight man, Jiang Sheng, didn¡¯t even realize what he had said. He was only anxious. Ning Xue was stunned. She suddenly had a feeling that she never had before. But she quickly suppressed it. She told herself it was probably just her feeling grateful towards him. Soon, a middle-aged doctor came in a hurry. ¡°Young master, Kefu is here.¡± The Butler said respectfully. When he saw Ning Xue on the bed, the butler was too stunned to speak. Oh My God! A woman on the young master¡¯s bed! Young Master, what about your Germaphobia! ¡°Ok, you can go now.¡± Jiang Sheng nodded and signaled the butler to go down. ¡°Yes sir!¡± The butler left with curiosity and a strong interest for more gossip. ¡°Kefu, please save her.¡± Jiang Sheng said anxiously. ¡°Let me take a look at her first.¡± The Doctor came forward, squatted down, and carefully examined Ning Xue¡¯s wound. After the examination, he frowned. ¡°How is she?¡± Jiang Sheng asked nervously. ¡°Fortunately, the bullet didn¡¯t go very deep. It only grazed her waist, but it broke a rib. She needs to rest in bed for a while.¡± Jiang Sheng was shocked. He knew that Ning Xue was different but he didn¡¯t expect her to have such power. He saw her move slightly right before she was injured. It turned out she did it on purpose so that the bullet wouldn¡¯t go deep. ¡°I need to treat her wound now. You can come back in 15 minutes.¡± ¡°Sure. Thank you.¡± Jiang Sheng nodded. He walked out of the room and waited anxiously for about 15 minutes. Kefu came out. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome. If you need anything, you can call me or your father anytime.¡± After he said that, the doctor turned around and left. Jiang Sheng watched him leave. He closed the door and sat on the bed. He reached out and gently stroked Ning Xue¡¯s pale face. ¡°How are you?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± She did not expect to be so lucky this time. She was actually still alive. Moreover, she was saved by Jiang Sheng and at his home. She felt like it was a dream! Jiang Sheng heard her talking and felt relieved. He knew that Ning Xue would be fine. Jiang Sheng said gently. ¡°Why don¡¯t you lie down for a while. I¡¯ll go get some water for you. You can sleep afterwards and take the medicine when you wake up.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ning Xue nodded. Jiang Sheng stood up and left. He walked into the kitchen, opened the fridge and took out a bottle of mineral water. He poured some water into a glass. Ning Xue looked at Jiang Sheng¡¯s back and felt a ripple in her heart. She had never thought that she would have such close contact with Jiang Sheng. All of this happened so quickly that she felt she didn¡¯t even have time to adjust to it. But the feeling was not a bad thing. At least, she did not dislike Jiang Sheng that much. Jiang Sheng came back with a glass of water. ¡°Drink some water first.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ning Xue weakly took the glass and had a sip. The clod water flushed down her throat. ¡°How do you feel now? Are you better?¡± Jiang Sheng asked worriedly. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m much better.¡± Ning Xue nodded. ¡°Good. You should take a nap now. I¡¯ll get you medicine when you wake up,¡±Jiang Sheng said. ¡°Okay.¡± Ning Xue nodded. Jiang Sheng saw Ning Xue close her eyes and let out a sigh of relief. He looked at Ning Xue¡¯s pale and beautiful face; he was dazzled by it and suddenly had an urge to kiss her. He took a deep breath, suppressed his emotion, and looked away. Tap, tap, tap. Someone was knocking on the door. ¡°Who is it?¡± Jiang Sheng asked vigilantly.. Chapter 24 - Dreaming of Jiang Sheng? ! Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°Young master, it¡¯s Me!¡± The Butler¡¯s voice came over. Jiang Sheng said, ¡°Come in!¡± The door opened and the Butler walked in. The Butler was shocked when he saw Ning Xue lying on the bed. The young lady seemed to have recovered alot better compared to when his master carried in. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Jiang Sheng asked in puzzlement. ¡°Nothing. Young master, the matter that you asked me to do has already been taken care of.¡± ¡°I am glad to hear that, thank you.¡± ¡°Not at all. It¡¯s my job. This is what I¡¯m supposed to do.¡± Jiang Sheng said, ¡°Alright. If there¡¯s nothing else, you can go and get on with your work.¡± The butler nodded and gave Ning Xue a deep look before leaving the room. Where did this Ning Xue come from? And why did his young master care about her so much? He even instructed him to use his family¡¯s connections to handle this matter. He would be too proud to ask if it was only for his own sake. It was obvious the young master was gentler when he was around Ning Xue. The change was not so bad. No one wanted a cold and distant master to deal with every day. After the Butler left, Jiang Sheng sat by the bed and looked at Ning Xue. He went through a myriad of emotions. From the moment he met Ning Xue until now, in just one day, Ning Xue had given him too many surprises. He still remembered it vividly. He sat there gazing into her. He was asking himself what was special about her that made him so obsessed with her. True, Ning Xue was very beautiful, but it was not like he had never been with beautiful woman before. He found himself more and more attracted to her, and he could not control his feelings. Ning Xue was the mysterious artist, ISI, and she could fight against top level assassins. What was her true identity? Everything about her was an enigma. Perhaps he would never get an answer. He only knew one thing for sure that he really liked Ning Xue. He was lost in these thoughts for a while and finally decide to stop bothering about it. He checked the time and found that it was almost midnight. He stood up and was ready to go out. He had just taken a few steps when he suddenly stopped and turned around to walk back. Jiang Sheng said softly, ¡°Sleep well. I¡¯ve some works to do.¡± Ning Xue didn¡¯t open her eyes. ¡°Goodbye.¡± Jiang Sheng smiled, pushed the door open, and left. As soon as Jiang Sheng left, Ning Xue slowly opened her eyes and looked at the door. A faint smile appeared on her lips. When Jiang Sheng was looking at her just now, his feelings for her were too obvious to be missed. She took out her cell phone from her pocket and dialed Jack¡¯s number. ¡°Hello? You there? Take care of Michael for me.¡± ¡°Sister, I was just about to call you. Michael totally deserved to die. But we don¡¯t have to do it ourselves. Someone¡¯s faster than us.¡± ¡°Who did it?¡± ¡°China¡¯s Jiang Group.¡± Was it Jiang Sheng? Ning Xue now recalled how Jiang Sheng had threatened the old man earlier, and suddenly found him cute. She liked the idea very much and didn¡¯t notice what¡¯s wrong with it. This was the first time she felt that a man was cute. ¡°Sister? How are you doing? Do you want me to come to New York to be with you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m very safe here. Focus on your taks.¡± ¡°All right. When sister needs me, give me a call anytime.¡± Ning Xue hung up the phone and put it back into her pocket. She lay down. ¡°I need some good sleep.¡± Ning Xue told herself. She lay on the bed and soon fell asleep. That night, Ning Xue had a dream about Jiang Sheng. In the dream, Jiang Sheng still looked the same, with the same gentle smile, and cared a lot about her like he did during the day. She felt like she was in a dream, but her instinct told her that this was not a dream. Because she could feel him there, just like in real life.. Chapter 25 - Budding Feelings of Romance Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Ning Xue woke up the next morning, . She opened her eyes and saw a familiar shadow on the curtain. ¡°You can come in.¡± ¡°You¡¯re awake!¡± Jiang Sheng pushed the door open and walked in. Ning Xue looked at Jiang Sheng and said gratefully, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m awake. Thank you!¡± Jiang Sheng smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I am glad you¡¯re okay.¡± Ning Xue looked at Jiang Sheng and said, ¡°We don¡¯t really know each other. You don¡¯t have to be so nice to me.¡± Jiang Sheng looked confused and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m Too nice to you?¡± Ning Xue doesn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s nothing. Besides, I think it¡¯s worth it.¡± Seeing that Ning Xue still didn¡¯t say anytthing, Jiang Sheng felt a little awkward, ¡°By the way, I still don¡¯t know your name.¡± ¡°My family name is Ning, Ning Xue.¡± Jiang Sheng had angular eyebrows. When he smiled, he looked very handsome. His voice was deep and pleasant, ¡°That¡¯s a very nice name.¡± Ning Xue smiled slightly and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± Jiang Sheng looked at Ning Xue and said, ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Are You Hungry? I¡¯ll let my helper make some porridge.¡± Not long after, the helper came in with porridge. Ning Xue reached out and took the bowl from her. ¡°Do you feel a little better?¡± ¡°Yes, I feel pretty good now.¡± When Ning Xue was eating the porridge, the coldness on her face went away. Clearly Ning Xue was a cold beauty, but somehow she could make Jiang Sheng smile. So adorable. After the two of them finished the porridge, Jiang Sheng cleaned up the dishes. Ning Xue started reading the newspaper. This newspaper was sent to Jiang Sheng¡¯s room this morning, so it was the latest. After reading the newspaper, she couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°These reporters are pretty good.¡± Jiang Sheng echoed. ¡°Yeah, as expected of a big media outlet. It¡¯s really not something ordinary people can compare to. But this article is pretty good. I think many people will buy it.¡± Ning Xue looked at Jiang Sheng. She knew Jiang Sheng was behind it, but she didn¡¯t want to ask him. They both seemed to have secrets. Ning Xue smiled and said, ¡°By the way, Don¡¯t you have to go to work?¡± Jiang Sheng saw the confusion in Ning Xue¡¯s eyes and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m an actor. I don¡¯t have any scenes to shoot today, so I might as well stay at home.¡± ¡°Yeah, judging by your looks, I am not surprised.¡± Jiang Sheng¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Are you saying I am good-looking?¡± Ning Xue didn¡¯t know why he reminded her of a big dog, especially now. He was really so cute. Ning Xue coughed and said a little awkwardly, ¡°Ahem, ahem, I guess so.¡± Jiang Sheng said loudly, ¡°Haha, then I¡¯ll take it as a yes.¡± Ning Xue nodded and didn¡¯t say anything else. She just sat quietly in the chair. ¡°Take a rest. I¡¯ll get my helper to wash the dishes.¡± After he said that, Jiang Sheng left the room. ¡°Phew!¡± After Jiang Sheng left the room, Ning Xue let out a long sigh. Jiang Sheng¡¯s gaze just now made her a little nervous. And she didn¡¯t know why she was nervous. Maybe it was because Jiang Sheng treated her too well. She could tell that he treated her a little differently. This made Ning Xue very confused. Could it just be that Jiang Sheng had saved her? No, she didn¡¯t believe it. She must not think too much. Ning Xue shook her head and got rid of the thoughts out of her mind. She needed time to recover. She lay on the bed and closed her eyes. Not long after, she slowly opened her eyes. A trace of coldness flashed across her eyes. A top killer like herself would never allow herself to indulge in such minor things like falling in love with a man. She was indeed grateful to Jiang Sheng for saving her. The question was: how should pay him back? This was another problem. For the first time Ning Xue was bothered because she did not know what to do to thank someone. She simply turned on her phone and searched for ¡°Jiang Sheng¡±on Google. One after another photos of the handsome man popped up. There were also many introductions about him on the internet. She was engrossed by it. As she looked at the photos and introductions, Jiang Sheng¡¯s face suddenly appeared in her mind. ¡°He looks familiar.¡± She muttered to herself. Jiang Sheng¡¯s figure slowly surfaced in the depths of her heart, becoming clearer and clearer. Then her phone rang; she got a call from Jack. Ning Xue was a bit surprised. What¡¯s he calling about? Wasn¡¯t Michael already dead? Why? She pressed the answer button. ¡°Sister, I¡¯m coming to New York soon..¡± Chapter 26 - A Top Female Killer Must Stay Away from Love Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Jack¡¯s voice came from the other end of phone. Ning Xue said in surprise, ¡°What? You¡¯re back already? Why Are You Back? Aren¡¯t you supposed to stay there until the missions are completed?¡± ¡°My father asked me to come to New York. I don¡¯t know what the follow-up arrangements are.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure either. He didn¡¯t tell me his intentions. He only said that he needed my help with some matter.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After Ning Xue said that, she thought for a moment and added, ¡°Since it¡¯s your father¡¯s arrangement, you¡¯ll be in charge. Do whatever you want. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± ¡°Sister, there¡¯s one more thing. The person who found out that you¡¯re ISI, was not Michael, but he was also in Central Park on that day.¡± ¡°!¡± Ning Xue was shocked but said nothing. After hanging up, Ning Xue threw her phone aside. Also in Central Park. Then it had to be Jiang Sheng. Therefore, Jiang Sheng already knew one of her aliases. She looked out of the window; the sunlight shone on her fair face. Ning Xue¡¯s skin was as fine and smooth as crystal. Her skin was so smooth that made him want to touch it! Jiang Sheng saw Ning Xue¡¯s appearance and thought. Ning Xue was looked at something in the distance. Her eyes flashed with a hint of sadness, with an indescribable emotion. Then she came to herself and saw the look in Jiang Sheng¡¯s eyes. She frowned slightly. Jiang Sheng saw Ning Xue¡¯s frown and asked worriedly, ¡°Are you not feeling well?¡± Ning Xue looked at Jiang Sheng and shook her head. She smiled and said, ¡°I am fine. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Jiang Sheng heaved a sigh of relief when he heard that. ¡°You can keep staying at my house for a few more days. It¡¯ll be easier for me to take care of you.¡± Ning Xue felt a little embarrassed. Wouldn¡¯t this be too troublesome for Jiang Sheng? She did not want to implicate him. ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Jiang Sheng asked in surprise, ¡°Why?¡±. Ning xue smiled and said, ¡°I can take care of myself.¡± Jiang Sheng looked at Ning Xue; his gaze became heated. Ning Xue shook her head and cast off some thoughts. She was a killer with lots of blood on her hands, how could he fall in love with someone like her! Jiang Sheng saved her life; she owed him a big favor and had to return it. She wasn¡¯t someone who liked to owe people favors. A cold glint flashed through Ning Xue¡¯s eyes. She wasn¡¯t aware of it at all. But Jiang Sheng saw it, he was certain of his guess. Jiang Sheng was even more curious about Ning Xue. She was indeed a very special girl. Ning Xue, there was something about you that really attracted me. Jiang Sheng made up his mind secretly. Ning Xue was still wondering when Jiang Sheng would ask about her identity. She didn¡¯t expect that Jiang Sheng would ask her directly. ¡°You are the mysterious artist ISI, Right?¡± Ning Xue looked at Jiang Sheng and smiled. ¡°Yes, I am. Your eyes are very sharp.¡± ¡°Not at all¡­¡± After saying that, Jiang Sheng immediately added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t tell anyone. I promise.¡± Ning Xue smiled faintly and said. ¡°Hmm, I won¡¯t. I don¡¯t really care about these things.¡± Jiang Sheng was relieved when he heard that. He was afraid that Ning Xue might be angry. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Ning Xue gazed at Jiang Sheng and asked softly, ¡°Why are you so good to me?¡± The room fell silent. In Ning Xue¡¯s mind, if someone were nice her, there must be a purpose. Jiang Sheng was no exception. Since he knew she was an artist, he might have wanted her to work for him. That¡¯s why he saved her in the first place. If that¡¯s the case, he could make his request now, and she was already for it. She would never have guessed Jiang Sheng¡¯s reaction. He asked her seriously, ¡°Do you believe in love at first sight?¡± Love at first sight? Of course not! Ning Xue shook her head. Jiang Sheng looked her in the eye and said firmly, ¡°I do. And I fell in love with you at first sight.¡± Jiang Sheng didn¡¯t know why, but the first time he saw Ning Xue, he had an inexplicable feeling towards her. When Ning Xue heard Jiang Sheng¡¯s answer, she was stunned. Jiang Sheng liked her? How could it be possible? This was unbelievable. It had been less than 48 hours since they met. She said quickly, ¡°The two of us are not suitable for each other.¡± Jiang Sheng asked. ¡°Why are we not suitable?¡± Ning Xue said faintly, ¡°The two of us are not from the same world. Do you understand?¡± Jiang Sheng blurted out, ¡°Then I¡¯ll try my best to fit into your world.¡± After he said that, Jiang Sheng realized that he had probably said something that he was not supposed to say. His face turned slightly red and he looked embarrassed. His behavior reminded Ning Xue of a big and cute looking dog that had fallen in love for the first time. Jiang Sheng saw that Ning Xue was staring at him with affection. He felt his heart beat wildly. If playing cute could make Ning Xue his wife, he would keep doing it! Chapter 27 - Top Hacker J Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°I¡­ You can rest a little longer. I have to go now.¡± Ning Xue stopped him. ¡°Could you lend me your computer?¡± ¡°Of course, the password is xxxxx.¡± After Jiang Sheng left, Ning Xue¡¯s came to her senses. She entered Jiang Sheng¡¯s computer effortlessly. What a fool he was! He actually gave her his computer without any precautions. Wasn¡¯t he afraid that she would check him? It took her little effort to find the website for hackers, which she used to visit. She found K and sent him a message. She got a reply from K instantly: ¡°Hey! J, you haven¡¯t contacted me for a long time. What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Do me a favor; help me check a guy called Jiang Sheng. I want all his information within ten minutes.¡± Inside an apartment in a foreign country, a handsome man wearing gold-rimmed glasses stared at the screen. He sensed some gossip going around and smiled happily. Ha ha ha. This was the first time that J asked him for help. Moreover, it was about to find a man¡¯s information? J had told him before that he was a guy. However, he had never believed it. Even if he were a guy, there must be something fishy going on. Otherwise why would he ask him to look up someone all of a sudden. He smelled the stinky smell of love. Are you sure this is not a joke? You really want me to look him up? ¡°¡­¡± Ning Xue was stunned. Had she said anything that could cause misunderstanding? ¡°What? You don¡¯t want to? If that was the case, forget it. I can find someone else to help me.¡± ¡°No, no, no. I¡¯d LOVE to help you. I¡¯ll definitely help you with this. I guarantee that I¡¯ll be able to find all of his information within 15 minutes.¡± ¡°Okay! Remember to send the documents to my email.¡± ¡°Sure, but I¡¯m afraid this time you have to get it in person.¡± Ning Xue fell silent. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Aiya, we¡¯ve known each other for so long, it¡¯s about time for us to meet.¡± ¡°Ok. Whatever.¡± After she finished chatting with K, Ning Xue dialed another number. ¡°Keep an eye on Michael¡¯s people, and report to me if anything¡¯s up.¡± ¡°Yes! Boss!¡± Ning Xue shut down Jiang Sheng¡¯s computer again, disconnected it from the internet, and locked Jiang Sheng¡¯s IP address. She believed that by taking these precautions, Jiang Sheng would never be able to find her, and he would not become a suspect of the INTERPOL. After all this was done, she let out a long sigh of relief. Jiang Sheng¡¯s computer had been successfully hacked by her. In the future, she would know everything going on in this computer. That was enough. As for Michael¡¯s people? They wouldn¡¯t be a threat. After she put on her clothes, Ning Xue went downstairs, called a taxi and headed downtown. The taxi stopped at a coffee shop. Standing outside the coffee shop, Ning Xue suddenly felt complicated. A familiar face appeared in her mind. She was hesitating whether she should go in or not. After a while, she made up her mind and went inside the coffee shop. She told herself that since she had already made the decision, then she should be brave! ¡°Welcome to our shop! Are you alone or do you have company?¡± A slim and beautiful girl greeted her with a bright smile. ¡°Two people.¡± Ning Xue smiled slightly. She was wondering whom would K send. ¡°You can sit here please.¡± The girl led Ning Xue to a seat by the window. ¡°Two cups of Blue Mountain, thanks.¡± ¡°Okay, thanks for the order. I will bring the coffee to you when they¡¯re ready.¡± Ning Xue nodded and sat there waiting quietly. Soon she still noticed something unusual about this place. All the customers in the coffee were women. Moreover, they all seemed to be peeking at her. The way they looked at her made Ning Xue very uncomfortable. However, Ning Xue still tried to ignore them. She was waiting. A moment later, a handsome young man at around six feet tall carried two cups of Blue Mountain and placed one cup in front of Ning Xue. Ning Xue said softly, ¡°Thank you.¡± The young man smiled slightly. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Enjoy.¡± Ning Xue picked up the coffee cup and took a sip. A strong fragrance instantly filled her mouth, brightening up her mood. ¡°The coffee is good!¡± Ning Xue really liked it. ¡°Our coffee shop is one of the best in the city. The coffee beans we use are of the highest quality. They are 100 percent authentic Blue Mountain coffee, not the fake or inferior beans.¡± Ning Xue looked at him. The way he said it, made her believe him. ¡°Miss, A gentleman asked me to give this to you!¡± The boy pushed a file folder towards Ning Xue. Ning Xue picked it up, opened it and looked through it. Her eyes immediately widened. The files inside contained very detailed information about Jiang Sheng, including what schools he went to, background of his parents, his home address, and even things like what Jiang Sheng liked and didn¡¯t like to eat, his interests, preferences, and so on; all clearly recorded in the file. ¡­ Was it necessary to be this detailed? She only asked for his general background. Tsk. However, she didn¡¯t expect Jiang Sheng to have such a strong family background.. Chapter 28 - A Mysterious Man Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Ning Xue put down the files and looked up at the young man. She asked, ¡°Jiang Sheng, have you heard of him?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± The young man said, ¡°He¡¯s a big shot in New York. He won a best actor award at such a young age. He is very famous in the entertainment industry.¡± Ning Xue nodded. ¡°Hmm, I trust you and I believe he is indeed very outstanding. But I¡¯d still like to ask, when you mentioned Jiang Sheng just now, I noticed you looked a little strange. My feeling is you must have known him. Tell me if I am wrong.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± The boy laughed. ¡°Jiang Sheng is a legend. He was considered a genius since he was a child. If you look at the achievements he made through these years, you¡¯ll be convinced he is indeed. By the way, he graduated from Harvard majoring in Economics and Management.¡± ¡°Based on the information I have, he has many suitors, but he has never been in a relationship. All he cares about is to get an Oscar award for Best Actor.¡± Ning Xue stared at him and smiled without saying a word. ¡°The moment you walked in, I had your camera blocked.¡± The young man looked at her and smiled, ¡°I hope a beautiful lady like you will forgive my mischief.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not a big deal. And I won¡¯t mind these things, what do you say?¡± Ning Xue smiled, but her smile seemed a little fake. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± The young man laughed. ¡°By the way, do you have anything else to say? If no, I have to go now.¡± Ning Xue smiled and stood up, ready to leave. ¡°My Name Is Wang Xuan.¡± Ning Xue stopped. She smiled at him, nodded briefly and got ready to go. Seeing that she was really about to leave, Wang Xuan said in a hurry, ¡°Wait a minute. I still have a few more questions. I hope you can tell me the truth. But of course, if you find them hard to answer, you don¡¯t have to answer me.¡± ¡°Oh? What are the questions?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never met K before. I have been working for him remotely. I¡¯m very curious about what he looks like, do you know?¡± Wang Xuan stared into her eyes and said with a smile. ¡°Oh, that.¡± Ning Xue thought for a moment and said smiling. ¡°You¡¯re really curious, you know.¡± Wang Xuan winked at her. ¡°Allright, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± Ning Xue smiled. ¡°K is very tall and handsome. He¡¯s about 6¡¯4 and has a great figure. Most importantly, K¡¯s family is super rich. He has a net worth at more than 200 million US dollars, and his assets in Europe are valued at 50 million US dollars.¡± ¡°Really? Then what are his hobbies?¡± ¡°He has many hobbies, including playing basketball, tennis, horseriding, dancing, taekwondo, and so on.¡± Wang Xuan listened attentively and was eager to hear more but Ning Xue suddenly stopped talking and looked at him with a faint smile. ¡°Cutie, why don¡¯t you continue?¡± ¡°I just lied to you.¡± Thousands of miles of away, in a foreign country, a handsome man wearing gold-rimmed glasses pulled out the earphones with Ning Xue¡¯s voice coming out of it. She must have figured out that they were bugged and he did it. Not only was J a woman, but also a cold beauty. Her voice was attractive too. It made him want to hear more. ¡°¡­ When did you find out?¡± ¡°I said it before, when I first saw you.¡± Wang Xuan¡¯s hands and feet suddenly turned cold. The perfect disguise that he thought he had was actually transparent in front of her. He had claimed to be the ¡°Number one disguise artist in America.¡± How embarrassing! Something happened at the coffee shop. There were cheerings from everywhere. It turned out that the LCD in the shop was turned on and it was playing a scene of cherry blossoms. In the center of screen was ¡°I love you.¡± in Japanese. ¡°That¡¯s not what¡¯s supposed to be played. What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe it¡¯s broken. After all, it¡¯s been used for a few years¡­¡± ¡°This scene is so beautiful. We like it.¡± Ning Xue took a sip of the coffee. Her move was casual but very elegant. People had been staring at Ning Xue and Wang Xuan for a long time. They were both good looking and pleasant to look at. Ning Xue¡¯s eyes were cold. ¡°I didn¡¯t know K liked such nonsense.¡± Wang Xuan saw the coldness in her eyes. Ning Xue was not only beautiful, but also very mysterious and powerful. He felt that it wouldn¡¯t be easy for K to win her heart. Now it looked more like a mission impossible.. Chapter 29 - An Envious Girlfriend Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Wang Xuan saw that Ning Xue was leaving, but he still tried to make her stay longer. He worked for K who wanted to know what Ning Xue looked like, her personality etc. But he seemed to have messed up. He was afraid he might not get a job from K in the future. ¡°Please, Don¡¯t leave. At least give me your name and phone number.¡± He had to get her name. Even if it was just a fake one, at least he got something. ¡°K.¡± After said that, Ning Xue walked out of the shop. Wang Xuan was dumbfounded. What? ? What? ? That beautiful woman J asked him to help him pursue was K? Was she THE K? THE world famous hacker K who could easily hack into any country¡¯s satellite system? In the world¡¯s most notorious hacker¡¯s list, K ranked No. 1. He must be dreaming! That¡¯s right! Everything that happened today must not be real! His hands trembled as he turned on his phone and answered J¡¯s call. ¡°Are you still in Japan? Oh My God, it¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want me to know what you look like, but you actually want me to check up K for you? Man, That¡¯s K we¡¯re talking about! ! !¡± He had thought that Ning Xue was just a woman that J had fallen in love with, but how would he know that she was K! A low chuckle came from the other end of the line. It sounded very magnetic and pleasant to the ear. ¡°Thank you, at least you¡¯ve let me know she¡¯s a woman.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point, right? Are you really going to pursue K? From what I see, she looks like she¡¯s seventeen or eighteen years old! She must be genius! I know you¡¯re very powerful, but I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll fall in love with you.¡± ¡°How would I know if I don¡¯t even try?¡± ¡°All right, if you¡¯re coming to New York, let¡¯s meet.¡± After she had walked out of the coffee shop, Ning Xue stopped and looked around. Spring had come to the city. She sighed slowly. She was not going back to Jiang Sheng¡¯s place. She had already gotten all the information she needed; she could return his favor when she was ready. There was no need to go back anymore. She suddenly remembered how determined and serious Jiang Sheng looked when he said: ¡°I fell in love with you at first sight.¡± Her heart started beating very fast. She would not let a man distract her and her mission; she could not expose herself too. Her ISI identity seemed to be completely exposed. She believed that Jiang Sheng would not tell anyone. That was good enough. People walked by her; they all looked very busy. Ning Xue walked faster too. Because she didn¡¯t listen to her grandfather, insisted on coming to New York, her bank account was frozen. She had to get some money. She needed money to get around. Money was not omnipotent, but it was absolutely impossible to live without money. She found a random restaurant to eat, tried to use her bank card to pay and found it was locked. She had to pay by cash. After dropping off the file in a secret base in New York, Ning Xue took a taxi to the casino. Quietly the night fell. It was as if New York City was covered by a thick layer of black cotton quilt, which made its night so unique. The Moon was up, the city¡¯s night sky seemed to be covered with a transparent film made of crystals, keeping the noise under. Neon lights, street lights, and occasional fireworks intertwined with each other, adding a romantic atmosphere to the city. The deeper the night, the noisier it became. Even the trees and grasses seemed to come into life. But the busiest place were the casinos, with lights flashing like gemstones. The casino¡¯s building might look a like birdcage in daylight, but at nightfall, it turned into a treasure box decorated with jewels. The Moon was like a skilled weaver, spinning out pieces of silver cloth and scattering it all over New York. It kept lightening up the city¡¯s night sky. Ning Xue put on her mask and was about to walk into the casino when an unfamiliar male voice stopped her. ¡°Hey, are you Asian too?¡± A young man in expensive suits said to her. Besides him was a white man. The white man looked at Ning Xue unfriendly. Among the group of white and black men, the Asian man really stood out. If she didn¡¯t answer him, it might cause her unnecessary trouble. Ning Xue didn¡¯t say anything but nodded. She gave off an aura of ¡°strangers please staying away from me¡±. The man was not mad at all. The woman in front of him was very elegant. Although she was wearing a mask and he couldn¡¯t see her face, he knew she must be very beautiful. He smiled and introduced himself first, ¡°My name is Pei Xu. Why don¡¯t you play with us?¡± One look and Ning Xue could tell that he was from a rich family. The girl beside him was unhappy. ¡°Darling, didn¡¯t we agree that it will just be us tonight?¡± As she spoke, she even lifted the hem of her skirt to reveal a pair of slender and beautiful legs. She rubbed against the man and turned around to glare fiercely at Ning Xue from an angle the man couldn¡¯t see. Where did this woman come from? She was wearing a mask outside the casino. It was obvious that she was trying to seduce a rich man! She could not let her steal her super-rich boyfriend! Chapter 30 - Super-gambler Yel Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Pei Xu was obviously impatient with his female companion. He walked to Ning Xue¡¯s side and said in Mandarin, ¡°Have fun with me, I will pay you 500,000 USD.¡± Then he added, ¡°Miss, you don¡¯t have to worry too much. All I want is you gambling with me.¡± Pei Xu thought that Ning Xue would probably say no, but to his surprise Ning Xue smiled lightly and said coldly, ¡°Sure.¡± When he heard Ning Xue¡¯s voice, Pei Xu instantly became excited. The cold beauty actually agreed to his invitation. It looked like she couldn¡¯t resist his charm too. ¡°Then how should I address you?¡± ¡°Ning.¡± ¡°Miss Ning. It¡¯s my honor to accompany you.¡± Ning Xue¡¯s eyes sparkled like stars when she calmly said, ¡°500,000 USD, I want to exchange it for chips.¡± Pei Xu¡¯s eyes lit up again. He did not expect her to be someone who loved gambling like him. ¡°Miss Ning, what do you think of gambling?¡± ¡°The nature of gambling is probably madness.¡± ¡°Yes, in the world of capitalism, money and life have the same status. It¡¯s definitely not normal to let luck decide one¡¯s life.¡± Ning Xue: ¡°But even so, the casino is still bustling with activity. It¡¯s this kind of crazy gambling that gives people pleasure, and the crazier the gambling, the more exciting it gets.¡± The smile in Pei Xu¡¯s eyes deepened. He had met an interesting person today. But the woman coming with him was mad. This was not the first time Pei Xu brought her to the casino. She thought that they were close enough, but who would know¡­ The woman stayed close to Pei Xu and walked with them unhappily. When gamblers entered a casino, it was as if they were in a utopian world built with money. A casino manager dressed in a suit came ver to greet Pei Xu as soon as they were inside. He took Pei Xu¡¯s jacket and said respectfully, ¡°Welcome Mr. Pei. We have prepared a room for you.¡± Pei Xu looked at Ning Xue and smiled. ¡°Follow me. I¡¯ll show you something fun.¡± On the way there, Ning Xue¡¯s expression reamained calm. She was not impress by the grandour of the place at all. It was obvious that she was not a newbie. She had been to countless casinos, and she was used to it. As soon as they arrived, they saw two bunny girls leaning against a man. Another woman who was wearing very revealing clothes collapsed on the sofa. When the man saw Pei Xu walking in, he noticed Ning Xue as well. He could not take his eyes off her. He pushed the bunny girls away from him and praised, ¡°Pei, the female companion you brought today is extraordinary!¡± Pei Xu smiled and did not say anything. He gave Ning Xue an inquisitive look and said, ¡°This is Ning. You can call him Yar; he is a professional gambler.¡± Yar was one of the four super-gamblers in New York. He was born in a slum and made a fortune by gambling. He had accumulated lots of wealth through gambling. Not only that, he also participated in many underground businesses in the US. He was a ruthless person. ¡°Hey, you don¡¯t have to introduce me. I only deal with gamblers.¡± ¡°She¡¯ll be the one who is going to gamble with you today.¡± Yar was interest immediately. He looked at Ning Xue, who had a sexy figure and a cold aura, and his eyes were filled with lust. ¡°You were going to bet on her?¡± Pei Xu raised an eyebrow and silently blocked his lewd gaze. ¡°Of course not. I only bet money.¡± The female companion said mockingly, ¡°Sister Ning, are you sure you want to bet? You know you¡¯ll never be able to beat Yar. You hould just watch from the side.¡± The moment she said that, the bunny girls were all over Yar. ¡°You must go easy on her~¡± None of them liked Ning Xue. She was wearing a mask and pretending to be mysterious. The moment she walked in, the two men¡¯ eyes were glued to her. They did not know whether the person underneath that mask was a beauty or an ugly monster. They didn¡¯t believe that she could gamble either. Even if she did, she would lose to Yar. Yar lifted the chin of one of the bunny girls and kissed her on the mouth. ¡°I¡¯d like to play. How many chips does Miss Ning have?¡± Ning Xue ignored the contempt in his eyes and said calmly, ¡°500,000 USD.¡± Even Pei Xu probably did not expect that Ning Xue only had the 500,000 USD he promised her. He thought that a beauty like Ning Xue must be very rich. ¡°What? Only 500,000 USD? It¡¯s too boring to gamble with you. Hi Cutie, here¡¯s my advice: you should stay with Pei and make him happy. That way, you¡¯ll make more money..¡± Chapter 31 - A Critical Moment at the Golden Casino Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Yar had been very patient. If it weren¡¯t for Pei Xu, he would have taken off Ning Xue¡¯s mask long ago. He¡¯d like him to see whether the face under the mask was ugly or stunning. He had always enjoyed playful mischief like this. Pei Xu admitted that the first time he saw Ning Xue, he was immediately attracted to her. Maybe because they were both Asian, she was familiar to him. He wanted to pursue her. He gave Yar a look. Yar got it and said immediately, ¡°Come Beautiful, let¡¯s see what you want to play.¡± ¡°Your choice.¡± ¡°Uh, let¡¯s play blackjack then.¡± Blackjack usually used one to eight decks of cards. The dealer dealt each player two cards, one face up (called up card) and one face down (called hole card). He gave himself two cards, one face down and one face up. Face cards like jack, queen and king and the number card 10 were counted the same: 10 points. Aces were counted as either 1 or 11 points, depending on the player¡¯s decision. All the other number cards, 2 to 9 were counted the same point as their numbers. The players should try to get as close to 21 points as possible, and the one with the most points won. Yar thought for a moment, after all, he didn¡¯t want Pei Xu¡¯s babe to lose to him too badly. Blackjack was not very hard. Perhaps the cutie would be lucky and to win a few hundred thousands from him. Ning Xue said, ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Come here, Baby, you deal the cards for me.¡± Yar called to the sexy girl lying on the sofa. ¡°Then you get yourself a very sexy dealer!¡± The woman stood up and gave Yar a seductive smile. Then she came over and cupped Yar¡¯s face in her hand and kissed him. Ning Xue sat opposite Yar. Pei Xu sat by her side; he looked very excited. He was eager to see just how well could Ning Xue gamble. ¡°Her name is Lillian.¡± He told Ning Xue. Ning Xue waved to the girl, ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Hello! Don¡¯t lose too much!¡± Lillian said. The chips in their hands were as follows: Ning Xue had 500,000, and Ya¡¯er had 2,000,000. Yar smiled and stared at Ning Xue. He noticed that she wasn¡¯t nervous at all. Instead, she seemed to be quite at ease. ¡°Please place your bets.¡± Come on! You think a girl like you can win? You should just hand me the 500,000 dollars and leave with Pei Xu. Except for Pei Xu, everyone else in the room believed Ning Xue was going to lose. How could an unknown girl like her win a seasoned gambler like Yar? Under the mask, Ning Xue¡¯s expression was still indifferent. Her voice sounded emotionless too. ¡°All in.¡± After she said this, everyone was shocked! ¡°What? What did she say? All In? Five hundred thousand US dollars in one bet? Is she crazy? !¡± ¡°Oh, my God! This is the first time I¡¯ve seen someone so arrogant in a casino! That¡¯s five hundred thousand US dollars! If she loses, who knows how much she¡¯ll have to pay!¡± ¡°How could she be this confident? ?¡± .. Pei Xu was also shocked. He did not know what Ning Xue was thinking. An outstanding and mature gambler would never make such a decision. ¡°What did you say?¡± It took a long while for Yar to react as well. The corners of his mouth twitched. Was this woman trying to insult him? ¡°All in, right? As the dealer, I¡¯m going all in too. Baby, Deal for me.¡± The sexy girl walked around the table for half a circle before she started to deal. The first card that Ning Xue received was an Ace. She gave a look at the sexy girl not batting an eyelid. The latter winked at her. ¡°Aiya, I won¡¯t help you cheat. Relax.¡± Pei Xu said from the side, ¡°The first card is an Ace. That¡¯s good. You can choose it to be 11 points.¡± The sexy dealer dealt Ning Xue a hidden card. Then, she gave Yar an up card and a hidden card. ¡°Look, what a coincidence, my up card is also an Ace.¡± Yar smiled slyly. He knew very well that apart from luck, the most important thing in gambling was to see through other people¡¯s minds. ¡°Hi beautiful, do you want to take insurance?¡± According to the rules of blackjack, if the first two cards that the player received were an Ace and a 10-point card, then he or she was a blackjack. When this happened, if the dealer didn¡¯t have a blackjack, the player would win double his/her bet (1 to 2) . If the dealer had an ace card, the player could consider buying insurance at half the amount of the original bet. If it turned out the dealer was blackjack, the player got the insurance money back and won. If the dealer wasn¡¯t, the player lost the insurance money but could the game continued. ¡°What should you do? I am not sure myself if I am blackjack or not..¡± Chapter 32 - Obliterate the King of Gambling in NYC Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio An average gambler would probably weigh her options like this. If the dealer were blackjack, she would get the insurance money and win the game. However, if the dealer were not blackjack, and she had bought the insurance, she¡¯d end up only losing 250,000 dollars. In most cases, gamblers preferred the option that the dealer did not have such good luck and directly bought the insurance money. That¡¯s exactly what Yar was aiming at: the 250,000 USD insurance. When he was waiting for Ning Xue to choose to buy the insurance, Ning Xue proved that she was ¡°no ordinary gambler.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not buying.¡± The smile on Yar¡¯s face froze. Damn it, she didn¡¯t take the bait! He didn¡¯t believe that she was so lucky that she was a blackjack. ¡°Do you want more cards?¡± Yar said, ¡°Yes.¡± He revealed his second card. It was a five. That made him a total of 16 points. Yar asked for a third card. If the third card was a five, then he would have 21 points and win. If it exceeded five, then he would lose. Ning Xue said, ¡°Stand.¡± She was unpreditable! The dealer revealed her second card. It was actually a 10! In other words, Ning Xue had blackjack! Everyone was shocked! ¡°How is this possible? How could she have known her hidden card? How could she be so calm and composed?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be? ! She really was blackjack? How could she be so lucky?¡± Ning Xue picked up the two cards on the table and smiled at Yar. ¡°Double.¡± If Yar couldn¡¯t get 21 points, his loss would double. ¡°F * ck, this is the first time that I¡¯ve lost to a woman! F * ck! I shouldn¡¯t have underestimated you!¡± ¡°Do you still want more cards?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want any F * cking cards, No!¡± The sexy girl¡¯s face turned pale. This was the first time she had seen Yar get so angry. Yar flipped the cards open. It was a 4. He had 20 points, and Ning Xue had 21 points. He lost! ¡°F * ck! F * ck, I shouldn¡¯t have underestimated you!¡± Yar started to lose control and told the two bunny girls beside him to scram. Ning Xue¡¯s eyes were cold. ¡°Thank you for underestimating me.¡± If Yar had treated her seriously and cheated like he did before, Ning Xue was not sure if she could win. As a matter of fact, before the downward was revealed Ning Xue didn¡¯t know whether she was blackjack or not. She just did what a gambler would do, which was to be confident and take risk. ¡°You Lost.¡± ¡°How, how is this possible? How can I lose to a woman? And lost millions? !¡± Yar hammered the table hard, his face turned red because of anger. He still couldn¡¯t believe that he had lost to Ning Xue, and lost so miserably! ! He had never suffered such humiliation! ! Never! She had used only 500,000 USD to win from him a few million USD! ! Everyone in the room was shocked! This girl called Ning Xue¡­ She had actually won money from Yar! Soon, the news would spread, and the whole New York would know! One of New York¡¯s biggest gamblers, Yar, had lost to an unknown lady wearing a mask! Pei Xu was completely relaxed now. Seeing how calm Ning Xue was, he suddenly felt his heart beat faster. This was the woman he had been looking for to spend the rest of his life with. ¡°Settle the bill please.¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t go yet. We need to keep gambling!¡± Pei Xu laughed arrogantly. ¡°Ning, the casino has arranged a hotel for you. I¡¯ll take you there.¡± Ning Xue looked at Ya¡¯er, who was still very mad. She knew that, as one of the four biggest gamblers in New York, he probably couldn¡¯t accept the loss easily and might want to do her harm. She was not afraid. But he might cause some trouble to her. And right now, the last thing she wanted was trouble. With Pei Xu around, Yar probably would have controlled himself. Just one night. It wouldn¡¯t be too bad to stay at a hotel for a night. ¡°Okay. Thanks!¡± ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure to serve you.¡± Yar still wanted to chase after her, but then he remembered that Pei Xu had shares in the world¡¯s largest information company. His family was also extremely powerful. If he wanted to protect Ning Xue, he could do nothing about it. At the time, Pei Xu had left behind the girl who came with him and took Ning Xue to his car with him.. Chapter 33 - Pei Xus Invitation Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio On the way to hotel, Pei Xu kept on chatting with Ning Xue in order to know her better. Ning Xue seemed to have answered every question he asked, but in fact, he knew she was beating around the bush and hiding the real thing. He was not mad. Take it slow. He had money and time. Moreover, he had already asked his people to check this mysterious Miss Ning. ¡°Ning, I backed you up earlier. Aren¡¯t you going to show me your face?¡± Pei Xu looked at Ning Xue with an inquisitive look. He was not sure if Ning Xue would refuse or not; to his surprise Ning Xue smiled. ¡°Why not, I have nothing to hide.¡± Ning Xue had beautiful hands: her skin was white and flawless; her fingers slim. She put them behind her ears to remove the mask, which fell onto her legs. Under the mask was a stunning face. Her dazzling beauty lit up the dark inside of the car. Not only did Ning Xue have a beautiful face but also she had an ethereal glow about her. She was like an angel from heaven, looking at the human world with calm and pitying eyes. ¡°Ning, you¡¯re really beautiful.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what one looks like on the outside.¡± They arrived at the hotel. The hotel lobby was grand and magnificent hall; it looked extremely luxurious. A manager-like man came to greet them; he was informed earlier that Pei Xu was coming. ¡°Madam, Sir, your rooms are ready. Please follow me.¡± Ning Xue scanned the hotel lobby and realized that the security guards were all martial artists. Pei Xu waited for her. ¡°Ning, let¡¯s go.¡± Ning Xue smiled back at him and followed. She didn¡¯t show her real self until she entered her room and the door behind her. The AC was on and the room was very comfortable. Ning Xue sat on the sofa and scanned the room. She found several cameras. She moved the computer in the room to the coffee table in front of the sofa, turned on the computer. She hacked in the hotel security system easily, blocking all the cameras in the room. Whoever was watching her, she wouldn¡¯t let them get bored. In a hidden surveillance room in the hotel, some hotel staff were observing the movements in each room as usual. If there were any suspicious people, they would immediately inform the security guards to go up. This was one of the hotel¡¯s services. After all, the hotel was close to the casino. When people who won loads of money checked in the hotel, they would enjoy a round-the-clock surveillance service to ensure their safety. The hotel would not let accidents happen. If people died here, who would want to stay in the future? But of course, no cameras were allowed in the bathrooms and some private room otherwise it would break the law. ¡°Hey, buddy, come her. What is this? Isn¡¯t this Tom and Jerry!¡± ¡°Wow, it¡¯s Room 302!¡± On the screen of Room 302, it was actually playing Tom and Jerry. Obviously, someone didn¡¯t want them to see. ¡°It¡¯s that oriental beauty¡¯s room. She was against New York¡¯s King of Gamblers, Yar and she won.¡± ¡°What? is that true? Yar lost to her?¡± The other guys was shocked. In New York¡¯s gambling circle, who didn¡¯t know Yar¡¯s name? All the people in the slums wanted to be him one day. ¡°It¡¯s true, and she won a few million in one round.¡± Ning Xue was watching TV while taking a bath. It was very relaxing. Then she saw a familiar face. It was a romance movie, with Jiang Sheng as the second male lead. She had watched a few scenes of this movie before, but why hadn¡¯t she noticed Jiang Sheng? What were the odds? It just so happened that those few scenes she watched Jiang Sheng wasn¡¯t in them. How bad was her luck? But in the movie Jiang Sheng¡¯s luck was far worse than hers. He was dumped by the female lead in a movie theater and became penniless overnight. He owed a gambling debt and was depressed. In the later half of the movie, he almost lost his life and was on the run. The female lead, on the other hand, was obsessed with gambling and married a rich man. In the end, Jiang Sheng was pushed to the edge by the rich man and died in a terrible way. As for the girl, she was sent to the hospital because she was pregnant. The movie didn¡¯t tell if she survived or not. After watching this movie, Ning Xue still felt interested; she continued watching a few more episodes of other TV series. It was rare for her to have some free time. Ning Xue really enjoyed it.. Chapter 34 - Youre Not My Cup of Tea! Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio At this moment, the phone rang. In the suite Ning Xue stayed, there were three phones, one of them was in the bathroom. ¡°Hello, who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Pei Xu. Where are you now?¡± ¡°In my room.¡± ¡°I¡¯m coming over.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± This was unexpected. Pei Xu sensed her hesitation and asked. ¡°Now¡¯s not a good time?¡± It definitely wasn¡¯t. Besides, if Pei Xu didn¡¯t follow her, she could have sneaked out of the casino by herself. ¡°Of course not. Mr Pei, please come.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we meet downstairs? I¡¯ll take you out to eat.¡± .. Pei Xu¡¯s car pulled over outside the hotel lobby. He got out of the car and waited for Ning Xue. He was wearing a white shirt and black trousers, looking very handsome. Ning Xue came out wearing a light blue t-shirt, paired with a white short skirt. She was beautiful and charming. Ning Xue saw him and walked over. ¡°Young Master Pei, I don¡¯t think you asking me out just to eat with me, am I right?¡± ¡°I have a proposal for you. Are you interested?¡± Pei Xu smiled faintly; it was hard guess his intention. Ning Xue did not say yes or no. ¡°Allright, if that¡¯s the case, buy me some food first. I still haven¡¯t eaten yet, I¡¯m starving.¡± ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± ¡°I want to eat steak.¡± ¡°OK.¡± Pei Xu took Ning Xue to an expensive steak restaurant near the hotel. They chose a booth by the window to sit. This booth was for customers who came to eat and discuss business. ¡°I¡¯ll order us some wine first. How about that?¡± Pei Xu ordered two bottles of 1982 Lafite, and handed one to Ning Xue. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ning Xue opened the bottle cap and poured a glass of red wine. She put the glass close to her nose and sniffed it. She closed her eyes and took a small sip. Then she slowly opened her eyes, looking intoxicated. Ning Xue narrowed her eyes slightly and looked out of the window; it was as if she was seeing a beautiful view. Pei Xu asked. ¡°Do you like gourmet Food and fine?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Very good. Let¡¯s be friends. We can eat together in the future.¡± Ning Xue looked at Pei Xu. ¡°Mr. Pei, you¡¯re so funny.¡± ¡°No, I am serious. I really like you. I¡¯d like you to be my girlfriend.¡± ¡°Mr. Pei, I am afraid I¡¯m not interested in any man now.¡± For a moment they both fell silent. Pei Xu changed the topic. ¡°Have you seen Ares in the movie ¡®My Mercenary¡¯? He¡¯s a very strong special forces soldier.¡± Ning Xue was slightly taken by surprise. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve seen him. He¡¯s not bad.¡± Pei Xu asked, ¡°What do you think of me?¡± Ning Xue looked up at him. Her almond-shaped eyes were clear and dark, which made her look exceptionally beautiful. Looking at her beautiful eyes, Pei Xu felt his heart beat faster. He felt his throat was dry. His Adam¡¯s apple kept moving up and down. His eyes sparkled with a strange light. There was a fierce look in his eyes. It was hard for him to imagine that a woman with such an innocent look could be so sexy and seductive as well. Ning Xue replied softly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what I think of you. Let¡¯s talk about the proposal.¡± ¡°Do you really not like me? I feel that you are very suitable to be my girlfriend.¡± Pei Xu looked at Ning Xue with a serious expression. His eyes flashed with a burning passion. ¡°I don¡¯t want to continue talking about this. We are not suitable for each other.¡± ¡°Why? I can give you whatever you want.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to thank you for that, Mr. Pei. However, I don¡¯t need money.¡± Pei Xu was staring at Ning Xue. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need money?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure. No matter how much money you have, it¡¯s not what I am after. I¡¯ve never thought of taking your money.¡± Pei Xu now looked a little awkward, but he still tried to suppress his anger and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll try harder to make you my woman.¡± Pei Xu did not say anything further. But his heart was already burning like a raging fire. For years, he had been surrounded by all kinds of women. And no matter they¡¯re blond and sexy, or cute and sweet, they all had one thing in common: they wanted to climb into his bed and be his woman. He had never thought a woman would say no to him. He had thought he could have any woman as long as he liked. If he asked, they would climb into his bed willingly. But today he met an exception. An exceptional woman whom he felt deeply attracted to and wanted keep her by his side.. Chapter 35 - It Was Jiang Sheng! Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Pei Xu tried his best to make him look less gloomy. ¡°Even if you refuse me, we can still eat, right?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Ning Xue didn¡¯t care. Why would anyone say no to a free meal. ¡°Hello, Mr. Pei.¡± Ning Xue saw a handsome young man walking over. He had a slender figure and exquisite facial features. He wore a black suit and looked very stylish and elegant. Ning Xue looked at Pei Xu. Pei Xu looked at this young man, he made an introduction. ¡°This is Ares. He is a famous chef in New York and known the top-quality dish he created. BTW, he graduated from Harvard.¡± ¡°Ares, this is Ning Xue, my friend.¡± ¡°Hello, Beautiful Lady.¡± Ares looked like a seventeen or eighteen years old, but he was already in his thirties. ¡°Hello, Ares. Nice to meet you.¡± Ning Xue smiled and reached out to shake Ares¡¯hand. ¡°Hello, Miss Ning. I have to say you¡¯re very beautiful and charming.¡± ¡°Thank you for the compliment.¡± After this, the awkward silence between them resumed when the dishes were served. Pei Xu looked at Ning Xue, who was eating quietly, and decided he would concede. ¡°The proposal I mentioned, you don¡¯t have to answer me now. Think about it. I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± Tsk. Ning Xue¡¯s face turned cold. She never liked ordinary and arrogant men. ¡°I have already said no, there¡¯s no need to think about it.¡± After saying this, Ning Xue picked up the fork and began to cut the steak. She looked like she had lost interest in continuing the conversation with Pei Xu. But Pei Xu still would not give up, ¡°Ning, did I offend you in any way?¡± He had always been confident about his look and manners. Ning Xue replied. ¡°Not that I am aware of.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why do you seem to be in such a bad mood?¡± ¡°If you keep talking like this, I am afraid I might call the police and have someone arrested.¡± Pei Xu smiled. There was a hint of playfulness in his smile. ¡°If Miss Ning likes it, they can arrest me. I don¡¯t mind being locked up for a few days.¡± Was this guy crazy? Ning Xue Glanced at Pei Xu and did not answer. Her attitude couldn¡¯t be clearer. She did not want to have anything to do Pei Xu anymore. Looking at his self-righteousness, Ning Xue felt she was fed up with him. This guy was so boring and conceited! ¡°Maybe we can get to know each other better.¡± Ning Xue interrupted him without hesitation. ¡°No need. I¡¯m not interested.¡± Hearing this, Pei Xu was speechless. Ning Xue glanced at him and continued eating. Seeing Ning Xue¡¯s reaction, Pei Xu¡¯s face darkened. He had never been refused flatly like this before, especially by a woman. Who was he? He was born with a golden spoon. His family was one of the most famous and richest family in New York! ¡°You probably don¡¯t my identity. I¡¯m a shareholder of the world¡¯s largest Internet Company.¡± After Pei Xu said this, he picked up a piece of watermelon and stuffed it into his mouth. Ning Xue continued eating her steak, as if he said nothing important. ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± ¡°Do you believe, if it weren¡¯t for me, Yar would chase you up and have you killed no matter where you go?¡± Ning Xue sneered. Before she could say anything, someone coming from nowhere kicked Pei Xu from his seat. It was Jiang Sheng. Even though he was wearing a mask, Ning Xue recognized him immediately. His more than 6 inch tall figure was hard to miss and Ning Xue was familiar with his smell. Didn¡¯t she clear all her information? How did he find her? After kicking him, Jiang Sheng still felt angry. He slapped Pei Xu and said coldly, ¡°Get lost. Now.¡± Pei Xu¡¯s nose was bleeding. He spat out a mouthful of blood and fell heavily to the ground. ¡°Mr. Pei!¡± Ares immediately ran over to help Pei Xu up. When he saw his bruised face, he was angry. He turned around to face Jiang Sheng, ¡°Who are you? How dare you to attack Mr. Pei? I can sue you for assaulting.¡± Jiang Sheng¡¯s gaze was as vicious as a hungry wolf. His handsome face was intimidating, ¡°Go ahead..¡± Chapter 36 - Hero Saves Beauty Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Ares looked at Jiang Sheng in disbelief. Pei Xu struggled to his feet and said to Ares, ¡°Ares, leave us alone. You should go.¡± Although Ares was full of doubts, he still nodded. Pei Xu clearly knew the person who hit him. After Ares left, Pei Xu looked at Jiang Sheng and said, ¡°In this world, no one has ever dared to hit me. You are the first.¡± ¡°We have similar taste. We both have fallen for the same woman at the same time.¡± ¡°Are you hitting me because of her? Does your father know about this?¡± Jiang Sheng said, ¡°I hit you because I wanted to let you know the difference between us.¡± Pei Xu shook his head and said, ¡°No. I will not let anyone stop me from pursuing Miss Ning. I will prove that I am better than you. I will use my actions to prove it.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Jiang Sheng snorted. ¡°I have seen many self-righteous persons, but you are the first one to irritate me.¡± Pei Xu said, ¡°That is because you have never seen a truly outstanding man.¡± Jiang Sheng looked at him with disdain. ¡°A trash like you who lives on your family¡¯s wealth is not worthy of the word ¡®outstanding¡¯. You can¡¯t hold a candle to me.¡± Pei Xu was furious. He had always thought that he was outstanding. But now, Jiang Sheng¡¯s words had cut him to the quick, making him hard to control his anger. Jiang Sheng punched Pei Xu in the stomach; it hurt so much that he bent over and held his stomach. Then Jiang Sheng said coldly. ¡°I¡¯ll give you one last chance. Apologize to her now and I¡¯ll pretend that nothing had happened. Otherwise, I guarantee that you won¡¯t live to see tomorrow¡¯s sunrise.¡± ¡°How dare you to threaten me?¡± Pei Xu raised his head. His eyes were filled with hatred. ¡°I¡¯m not threatening you. I¡¯m just telling you that I¡¯m a man of my word. You¡¯d better leave immediately. Otherwise, you won¡¯t be able to bear the consequences.¡± ¡°HMPH!¡± Pei Xu gritted his teeth. He grew up in a wealthy and powerful family. Since when had he ever suffered such humiliation? ! ¡°Should I tell your father that you¡¯ve beaten up my customer in my restaurant?¡± Jiang Sheng laughed. ¡°Your customer? Ha, who are you? You think I will bother?¡± After saying this, Jiang Sheng checked the time and said, ¡°I¡¯m in a hurry.¡± Then he turned around and grabbed Ning Xue. They left together. Pei Xu looked at Jiang Sheng¡¯s back and sneered. Jiang Sheng, I will use my way to completely defeat you, conquer your goddess, and make her my woman! I will tell you the difference between outstanding, and most outstanding. He was going to let everyone in the world know that he was the most outstanding person! ¡°Wait a minute.¡± As soon as they walked out of the door, Ning Xue stopped Jiang Sheng. ¡°How did you find me?¡± ¡°I¡­ I came here to eat with a friend. I happened to see you and him eating together, and I got curious¡­¡± He had only looked at them for probably 108,000 times, and been eavesdropping on Ning Xue and Pei Xu¡¯s since they entered the restaurant. He had only taught Pei Xu a lesson¡­ Luckily, he had acted in time. Otherwise, Ning Xue would have to do it herself. ¡°Really?¡± Jiang Sheng nodded very hard and looked at her with a soft and cute face. There was light in his eyes, as if he wanted her to stroke his head as a reward. Ning Xue didn¡¯t know what to do. How could a tall and handsome guy like him behaving like a boy in front of her? Where¡¯s that tough guy who looked intimidating just now? She had been saved twice by him twice now¡­ If words went out in the alliance, Ning Xue¡¯s tough image would collapse. Ning Xue took out a check from the inside of her clothes. It was a blank check. She handed it to Jiang Sheng and said calmly, ¡°Take this. My treat for dinner. I didn¡¯t forget about yesterday. I will figure out a way to thank you.¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Looking at her, Jiang Sheng was surprised. She actually gave him a million dollar check to ¡°treat¡± him dinner? He felt as if he was dreaming! Seeing that he didn¡¯t say anything, Ning Xue added, ¡°What? Is it not enough?¡± Jiang Sheng said immediately, ¡°Enough, more than enough. I just can¡¯t believe that you would actually treat me.¡± ¡°Do you think that I¡¯m not worthy of treating you?¡± Jiang Sheng shook his head in a hurry. ¡°No, no. Of course you¡¯re worthy. It¡¯s just a meal. Why would I think worthy or not? I¡¯m just a little surprised.¡± His eyes were sparkling. The light in his eyes had never been extinguished since Ning Xue spoke to him.. Chapter 37 - Ning Xue Was Drugged Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio When the two of them walked out of the hotel, Ning Xue had a feeling she was watched. At first, Jiang Sheng was hesitant, when he noticed this, he asked with caution, ¡°Um¡­ Do you want to stay at my place for a while? They don¡¯t dare to make a move on me.¡± Ning Xue thought about the information she had gathered about Jiang Sheng; she knew neither Yar nor Pei Xu was a threat for him. ¡°Okay, sorry to trouble you again.¡± It shouldn¡¯t be a problem for him to stay for another night? ¡°Not at all.¡± Jiang Sheng had his friend Liu Yi to bring the car over. He was good looking too. ¡°Young Master Jiang, why are you doing this? Aren¡¯t you afraid of being on the news tomorrow without wearing a mask?¡± Of course Liu Yi had noticed the beauty next to Jiang Sheng. After scolding Jiang Sheng, he said to Ning Xue in a gentlemanly manner, ¡°His driving skills are not as good as mine. Why don¡¯t I give you a ride?¡± Ning Xue chuckled. ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± ¡°Tsk-tsk, I wish you guys an unforgettable night!¡± ¡°Get out of here.¡± Jiang Sheng knew had he stayed longer Liu Yi would keep making fun of them. He quickly drove away with Ning Xue. ¡°Please excuse my friend and his joke¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Ning Xue closed her eyes. It was not because she did not want to talk to Jiang Sheng, she felt that something was wrong with her ever since she got into the car. They were driving through the scenic mountain roads, passing through beautiful forests. Jiang Sheng was driving the car going uphill. Then he felt Ning Xue¡¯s body leaning towards his side. Half of her face was covered by her hair, and she was sound asleep. When she exhaled, her hair went up slightly; its ends fluttered gently. She probably have felt itchy in her dream and scratched. Jiang Sheng could not help glancing at her. Since she was asleep, he could look at her whenever he liked; his heart was softened. When he pulled over in front of the villa, Jiang Sheng pushed her gently. ¡°Wake up, we¡¯re here.¡± Ning Xue opened her eyes and saw him, their eyes locked. Maybe because she was drunk, her eyes looked watery and clear. Jiang Sheng was dazzled. He knew that he should look away. But he found himself couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her He immediately unbuckled his seatbelt and jumped off the car. Behind him, Ning Xue seemed to be laughing at his embarrassment. Her eyes were darting around and her voice was sweet and seductive. But when she talked, she sounded serious. Then she held out a phone and said to him. ¡°It¡¯s yours.¡± She gestured for Jiang Sheng to come over and get it himself. She was holding half of it. When Jiang Sheng took the phone; his fingers touched hers. He had never felt someone¡¯s skin that was so smooth. ¡°Okay¡­¡± Ning Xue got out of the car. Jiang Sheng noticed that her face was very red. It must because she had drunk too much wine. ¡°This place is an ideal location for sketching.¡± For some reason, Ning Xue sounded regretful. When she looked up at the moon and the stars in the night sky, it went out of her mind. Jiang Sheng turned his head to look at her. What he saw was a flawless and stunning face.She looked pure and innocent, like a young girl. He couldn¡¯t help thinking that she was more charming than the night. ¡°Jiang Sheng.¡± Ning Xue suddenly said his name out loud. Jiang Sheng was caught by surprise. When their eyes met, they both felt like lightening struck, and their hearts were beating wildly. Neither of them turned away. They were staring at each other, and the heat in the air increased. Ning Xue¡¯s mouth was a little dry, and she licked her lips subconsciously. Jiang Sheng¡¯s gaze was fiercer; his Adam¡¯s apple was moving up and down. He tried very hard to suppress his urge to kiss Ning Xue. He said, ¡°Let¡¯s go in. I¡¯ll get you some medicine to ease your hangover.¡± Ning Xue watched him walking awkwardly and could not help laughing. ¡°What are you so nervous about? It¡¯s not like you¡¯re the one who drugged me.¡± Drugged? Could it be.. Jiang Sheng was furious. That b * *tard Pei Xu actually dared to drug Ning Xue? No Wonder Ning Xue¡¯s face was unnaturally red! He needed to calm down! Right now, making sure Ning Xue was ok was more important! Jiang Sheng said anxiously, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the hospital now.¡± Seeing how serious he was, Ning Xue decided to tease him. ¡°Isn¡¯t there an antidote right in front of me?¡± She even slowly inching closer to Jiang Sheng. Jiang Sheng¡¯s handsome face turned completely red and he began to stutter. ¡°You, you, you¡­¡± How could Ning Xue be so natural at when flirting! ¡°Why are you stuttering?¡± Ning Xue was immediately amused by him. Why did she feel like a rascal and he was the one being harassed by her? Jiang Sheng blushed and said, ¡°I, I, I¡­ I have no such experience¡­.¡± Chapter 38 - First Night Together Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The two of them entered the house and turned on the lights. The warm wall lamp cast two shadows. Both the auntie and the butler were not around today. Ning Xue heard his voice and felt that he was very cute. She did not think too much. By now the drug had taken effect, so she grabbed him and started kissing him. The moanings she made when kissing made both of them desperate and wanting. Jiang Sheng could not control himself anymore. He lingered on her lips for a long time. Over and over again, he traced her lips and stole her breath. Ning Xue¡¯s entire body felt soft when she was clinging on him. Jiang Sheng felt the heat rise in his body as she wrapped her arms around him. His heart tightened. Thump, thump, his heart beat rapidly. He quickly grabbed her waist. She was too skinny. It would be better if she gained some weight. He started kissing her back. Her soft tongue made his mind go blank for a second, only lasted a second. He wrapped his arms around her and their tongues entangled. Kissing was good and she was so sweet. Jiang Sheng hadn¡¯t drunk any alcohol, but he felt drunk. At first, Jiang Sheng could still chase Ning Xue back and forth, but gradually, her kiss became deeper and deeper, like a storm. They tongue was looking for each other, unseperable. They both felt harder to breathe and the heat rise in their bodies. Ning Xue¡¯s hand had moved down from his shoulder and slid into his clothes. Jiang Sheng, on the other hand, held her waist with one hand, and ran his other hand through her hair and the back of her neck. His thumb caressed her smooth and delicate skin. Gradually, both of their bodies were responding to each other. Ning Xue subconsciously leaned on him, sucked on his lower lip, and gently bit it, making a moaning sound. Jiang Sheng felt the heat rise in his body. He tried very hard to control himself and gave her one final kiss on the lips. Then he gently pushed her away. Looking at the cold and seductive expression on her face, he asked with jealousy, ¡°How many people have you kissed? How many people have you flirted with? If you don¡¯t have feelings for me, you¡¯d better leave.¡± Ning Xue looked at him for a while, and said, ¡°Okay¡±. Then she turned around and walked away. When Jiang Sheng saw this, his heart sank. He asked himself what was he thinking? He didn¡¯t Mind Ning Xue¡¯s past, but he suddenly felt jealous. He had to admit that Ning Xue was such a good kisser. When he parted his lips from hers, Jiang Sheng felt a sense of loss and was reluctant to leave her warm lips. When Ning Xue saw his expression she smiled, ¡°Idiot, Am I the kind of girl who flirts with everyone? I¡¯ve only flirted with you, okay?¡± From the moment Jiang Sheng appeared in her life, he was different. Ning Xue pinched Jiang Sheng¡¯s face and said softly and seductively, ¡°I¡¯ll take a shower first, or shall we shower together?¡± She saw Jiang Sheng¡¯s face turn red again. Jiang Sheng stuttered and didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go first.¡± The effect of the medicine was a little strong. Ning Xue felt that she was intoxicated. Jiang Sheng didn¡¯t move and still sat on the sofa. His entire body was very stiff. Not long after, the sound of water flowing could be heard in the bathroom. The house was quiet, and all he could hear was the sound of water, which made him imagine¡­ Jiang Sheng gritted his teeth, as if he was competing with someone. Suddenly, the bathroom door opened, and steam came out. Ning Xue walked out. Her body was like a peeled egg that had just been scooped out of the water, white and smooth. There were still water droplets on her fine skin. Her lower belly was flat and her waist tiny. Her skin was smooth and delicate. Her arms and the top of her breasts were not covered and they were wet, making her look very seductive. She raised her hand to take off the hair band, and her curly hair fell on her shoulders. Jiang Sheng felt very thirsty. She walked in front of him, and under the light, he could see her cleavage clearly. She asked. ¡°What is it? Are you scared?¡± Jiang Sheng quickly looked away. ¡°I, I¡¯m going to take a shower.¡± Ning Xue chuckled. ¡°Can I borrow your computer.¡± ¡°Sure¡­¡± While taking the shower, Jiang Sheng thought of what was going to happen tonight. He was drenched in hot water, and the heat had spread through his skin, bones, and blood to his heart. Ning Xue gave him an unprecedented sense of stability. In the dense fog, Jiang Sheng laughed silently. Tonight¡¯s hot water was very relaxing; he rinsed for a while. He didn¡¯t want her to wait for too long so he did not blow-dry his hair. The door was not locked, from the crack, he could see the dim yellow light. He pushed open the bathroom door and came out. Ning Xue was sitting on the sofa and looking at the computer. Wearing her gold-rimmed glasses, she looked normal. If it were not for her red cheeks, it was hard to believe that she had been drugged.. Chapter 39 - It Was First Time for Both of Them Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Ning Xue looked up when she heard the noise. She looked dazed for a moment and turned off the computer immediately. Jiang Sheng sat down beside her. His hair was still wet and the water was dripping from it. His clothes was wet and stuck to his back. Ning Xue touched his hair. His dripping hair left a few stains on the sofa. ¡°Do you want me to blow-dry your hair?¡± Jiang Sheng nodded obediently. She went to the closet to get a dry towel first. She wrapped the towel around Jiang Sheng¡¯s head and gently rubbed it to dry his wet hair. Jiang Sheng felt so comfy being taken care of like this. He was drowsy and did not move as when Ning Xue started blow-drying his hair. The dimmed light was like a beauty filter; it made Ning Xue¡¯s beautiful face look even more stunning. But Jiang Sheng couldn¡¯t think. His heart was filled with quiet joy. His hair was dry. It took Jiang Sheng some time to gather enough courage but he made up his mind and lifted Ning Xue up. ¡°¡­ although I don¡¯t have much experience in that¡­, we can practice more in the future.¡± His serious look was really cute. ¡°Hmm,¡± Ning Xue said. Jiang Sheng¡¯s gaze deepened, darker than the night outside. He laid his eyes on her slender calves. When Ning Xue saw that Jiang Sheng did not move, she said. ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± He knew what she meant. Jiang Sheng¡¯s eyes darkened. Ning Xue was getting a little impatient. ¡°How do you know if you don¡¯t try?¡± Jiang Sheng was surprised. ¡°Huh?¡± Ning Xue said, ¡°How can you act normal when I am half naked?¡± A spark can start a prairie fire. Now Jiang Sheng¡¯s heart was like a burning fire. The next thing Ning Xue knew, she was carried to the bathroom by him. The door was kicked shut. He placed her on the sink, stripped off his clothes, leaned his body over to cover her lips, and kissed her fiercely. Jiang Sheng¡¯s hands was grabbing her hips when he pulled her in. He forgot to turn off the shower. The sound of the water flowing became a perfect cover for their moaning. The mirror was also blurred by the hot air. In it two naked bodies were intertwined with each other. They did not know how long they had been making love in the bathroom. Jiang Sheng carried Ning Xue to bed who felt refreshed from their lovemaking. Ning Xue was very tired and fell asleep soon. Under the moonlight, Jiang Sheng gaze at the corner of her lips. The more he looked at her, he felt warmer. In his arms was the soft body of the woman he loved. They were lying together under a soft and comfortable quilt. This was the best thing that could happen in his life. In the middle of the night, it suddenly rained heavily. The pouring rain pounded the ground. Jiang Sheng and Ning Xue were awakened by the noise at the same time. Ning Xue was still sleepy and asked him, ¡°Is it raining heavily?¡± Jiang Sheng pulled her into his arms and patted her back gently. ¡°Hmm, don¡¯t worry. Go back to sleep.¡± Ning Xue murmured and soon fell back to sleep. Her eyelashes trembled occasionally and her breathing was shallow. In the morning, the rain hadn¡¯t stopped and the temperature had dropped by a few degrees. Jiang Sheng woke up first. When he was getting dressed, he was embarrassed to find that his clothes were still on the bathroom floor. They were wet and could not be worn at all. He quietly took a few clothes from the wardrobe to put them on. He thought that he was careful, but Ning Xue was still woken up. ¡°Can you get me my clothes? I have to go.¡± Thinking of their crazy lovemaking last night, Ning Xue told herself she had to go. If she had stayed here any longer, she was afraid that she would not be able to control herself any more. Falling in love with a man would make her emotional and vulnerable, which was the last thing she wanted. It had been many days since she had quarreled with her grandfather and came to New York. It was time for her to return to her old self. But she couldn¡¯t help feeling regretful. She had planned to spend more time here on painting; now it seemed the plan could only be put on hold. ¡°What? You are leaving?¡± She wanted to leave after sleeping with him? So heartless! She thought she could just walk away after she had sex with him! Jiang Sheng¡¯s eyes were immediately filled with tears. He sounded very aggrieved. ¡°Are you going to abandon me? You¡¯re my first woman. Aren¡¯t you supposed to be responsible?¡± You should take responsibility for what you did to me! Ning Xue was speechless. ¡°It¡¯s my first time too, okay?¡± So they were even now. They should just let it go and continue living their life in separate ways. She would pay him back for saving her life in the future. This totally made sense! ¡°No, if you don¡¯t take responsibility, I¡¯ll jump down from here.¡± Ning Xue felt a headache. Was he going to make a big scene out of this? ¡°The highest floor in your house is the second floor. You won¡¯t die from falling..¡± Chapter 40 - Living Together Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Jiang Sheng decided to change his strategy. ¡°Isn¡¯t there an old saying that goes like, if someone saved your life, you should pay him back with your life, and your body too?¡± ¡°You said it yourself that it¡¯s an old saying. Not it¡¯s the 21st century.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care¡­ Don¡¯t go¡­¡± Jiang Sheng directly held Ning Xue¡¯s, not letting her go. Ning Xue was so helpless that she laughed. This man looked so proud and cold in public. Who would know he was so clingy and childish in private! Anyone who saw him now would not believe he was the great actor who had won several major awards. When Jiang Sheng went downstairs, his helper had already prepared breakfast. The Butler also came. ¡°Young Master, why are you up so late today?¡± Jiang Sheng looked at the breakfast on the table: congee with pork and century eggs, and toast, and a few more. He greeted them, ¡°Good morning. Breakfast looks good.¡± The Butler looked at his young master. He was busy yesterday and did not stay in the villa. However, when he came in this morning, he smelled a woman¡¯s perfume. Actually it was not perfume, more a woman¡¯s body fragrance. Could it be that the same woman that his young master brought back yesterday? Oh My God! The young master was in love! ! He actually brought her back home! If it was a few years ago, he would not even believe that his young master wanted anything to do with a woman. If he had not become an actor and had to work with actresses, Jiang Sheng might have just walked away from them. ¡°Young master, it¡¯s our pleasure. Do you want me to prepare some lady¡¯s clothes?¡± Jiang Sheng immediately realized the Butler must have already known that Ning Xue was here. Indeed, nothing could be hidden from him, especially these trivia of everyday life. ¡°Sure, thank you.¡± Then he thought of something, called the butler back. ¡°Buy the most expensive ones.¡± ¡°No problem! It looks like we¡¯re going to have a young mistress soon!¡± Hearing the words ¡°Young Mistress,¡± Jiang Sheng was excited. He didn¡¯t bother to eat himself, and he went upstairs with porridge and toast. Jiang Sheng knocked on the door gently and said. ¡°Can I come in?¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Ning Xue was still in bed, with his computer on her lap. Jiang Sheng had noticed that she seemed to be gaming. Besides being a very skilled painter, she was also a gamer? He didn¡¯t know Ning Xue was way cooler than a gamer: she¡¯s a hacker. ¡°Uh¡­ These are all very healthy. You should try eat something.¡± ¡°Put them down.¡± She was not friendly. Last night, she was still calling him little cutie and sweetie and flirted with him in all sorts of ways, but this morning, she changed to a different person. After he ¡°satisfied¡± her last night, more than once, she wanted to dump him. ¡°Can I Sit Here?¡± Ning Xue silently logged out of the hacking program. ¡°Yes.¡± She didn¡¯t take her eyes from the computer screen. Jiang Sheng looked at her and felt a little uneasy. ¡°Do you like gaming?¡± ¡°Sometimes.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t played games for a long time. How about we gaming together?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ning Xue¡¯s answer was still brief, but Jiang Sheng felt very satisfied. Ning Xue glanced at him and then opened a web page. ¡°You play first, I¡¯ll go wash up.¡± Jiang Sheng nodded. Seeing Ning Xue enter the bathroom, his heart started beating faster. He didn¡¯t know what to do; he could only stare nervously at the door. After some time, the door finally opened. Ning Xue was dressed in a nightgown. Her long hair was still wet, draping over her shoulders. Her figure was very curvy. As she was walked closer towards Jiang Sheng, and Jiang Sheng found it¡¯s hard for him to breathe. The scene in front of him was extremely seductive: she was like a beautifully budding flower, ready to bloom at any moment. Ning Xue stood in front of him, she was looking at him calmly. Her lashes looked even denser under the light. Her nose was tall and straight, and her lips pink and juicy, which made him couldn¡¯t wait to taste. Jiang Sheng was turned on immediately. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ning Xue looked at him and asked gently. Her voice was so pleasant. Jiang Sheng felt dizzy and his mind went blank. He looked at Ning Xue and stuttered. ¡°I. . . I. . .¡± Ning Xue saw how dumb he looked and found it funny and touched. She moved closer and leaned over. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± She kissed him gently and quickly moved away, her face blushing. ¡°Done.¡± Ning Xue felt very satisfied when she saw he was stunned. Jiang Sheng finally came back to his senses and his face turned red. All the grievances disappeared in an instant. Ning Xue sat on the chair with a smile on her face. She picked up a spoon and started eating the congee with pork and century eggs. Jiang Sheng just sat there looking at her, with eyes full of admiration..