"Xiao Li?" Jiang Youli let out a mocking laugh. "How affectionate. It reminds me of the first time you met me after I returned to the Jiang family. Back then, you were quite cold."
Jiang Xing's hand, holding the shopping bag, froze mid-air.
Looking down at the luxury brand logo on the packaging, Jiang Youli continued her sarcasm, "You were talking tough at the auction, yet you sent me this gift in the afternoon. It couldn't have been prepared for me in advance, could it? It was meant for Jiang Yonghe, and then you thought it would be more useful to curry favor with me. Am I right?"
His thoughts were read with pinpoint accuracy. Jiang Xing's face turned pale with embarrassment. He didn't know whether to retract his hand or keep it extended.
"Jiang Xing, use your brain. If I actually took this bag and your precious sister, Jiang Yonghe, found out that the bag meant for her was given to me, she'd hate me even more. Luckily, I don't care about her hatred. Otherwise, I’d be the one bearing the brunt of it for your mistakes," Jiang Youli ridiculed.
"Keep this bag for Jiang Yonghe. I don't want it."
"Fine, I’ll give you a chance to talk to me properly, but not today. Come find me once you've figured out what you want to say."
Jiang Xing’s face grew paler. "...I understand." He lowered his hand awkwardly and turned to leave.
His footsteps were heavy.
He had followed Jiang Youli's request to rescue the woman, yet he only gained a chance to speak. What would he have to do next to get her to give him the antidote and spare his life?
Once Jiang Xing was gone, Jiang Youli turned her attention to the woman he had brought back.
The woman was beautiful, with delicate features and skin as white as snow. She looked like a pure lotus blooming in the mortal world, untainted by dust, exuding an ethereal, otherworldly aura.
Seeing Jiang Youli looking at her, Luo Yutong immediately bowed deeply and thanked her sincerely, "Miss Jiang, thank you. If you hadn't sent Mr. Jiang to save me, I would have been ruined by Qi Xiuyuan."
Jiang Youli didn't waste words and got straight to the point. "I saved you for a reason. I want to sign you as an artist for my company. If you agree, I will arrange for your protection so that Qi Xiuyuan can no longer harass you."
"I agree!" Luo Yutong replied without a second thought. "I will work hard to make money for you, Miss Jiang!"
To her, this Miss Jiang was her savior. She would be willing to give her life for her!
Jiang Youli smiled with satisfaction. "I'm not a heartless boss, but I'm not running a charity either. Once I sign you, I'll provide you with plenty of resources to promote you. Your job is to stay out of trouble and make money for me."
"I will!" Luo Yutong nodded firmly.
"Your name?" Jiang Youli asked.
"Luo Yutong. Luo as in Luoyang, and Yutong as in rain on a parasol tree."
Jiang Youli nodded. "Alright. Come find me at Starlight Entertainment on the first of next month."
With that, she called Ye Ying and instructed her to find a place for Luo Yutong and provide protection to prevent Qi Xiuyuan from finding or harassing her.
After making the arrangements, Jiang Youli returned to the villa and saw a stranger sitting on the sofa in the living room.
At first glance, she couldn't tell if the person was male or female.
Hearing her arrival, the stranger turned around and said expressionlessly, "Hello, Miss. I am your personal bodyguard, 001."
Jiang Youli raised an eyebrow. A personal bodyguard?
Just then, Zhang Susu came downstairs after her afternoon nap and smiled. "Youli, you're back."
Jiang Youli sat down next to 001 and asked, "Mom, what's going on?"
Zhang Susu walked over and explained, "This is a robot your father spent twenty years developing. He has programmed it specifically to protect you. From now on, 001 is your personal bodyguard."
Jiang Youli was surprised. She hadn't expected her handsome new father to be so talented as to create such a realistic robot.
Beyond the surprise, she felt a deep sense of happiness. Her handsome new father had given her, a daughter who wasn't biologically his, a robot that took twenty years of research to create.
Thinking of this, Jiang Youli looked at her beautiful new mother. "Mom, you and Dad must have always wanted a biological child of your own, right?"
Zhang Susu froze at the question.
Jiang Youli thought for a moment before speaking her mind. "Mom, the reason I didn't mention checking or treating you and Dad for your infertility before is that you're no longer young. Having a child now would be too taxing on your body and carry too many risks. Selfishly, I don't want you to gamble your life for a child. Even though I consider my medical skills to be excellent, I can't guarantee that everything would be perfect during pregnancy and childbirth..."
Zhang Susu smiled. "I understand, Youli. Don't worry about it. Having you is enough for your father and me. I mean that sincerely."
Jiang Youli gently took Zhang Susu's hand and rested her head on her shoulder. "Mom, I don't want anything to happen to you. That's my selfish wish."
In her medical career, she had once performed an emergency delivery for an older mother.
The mother had suffered placental abruption, and the labor was progressing too quickly for a natural birth. They were in a remote village and couldn't reach a hospital in time. Despite not specializing in that field, Jiang Youli had to perform an emergency C-section.
The mother suffered a massive hemorrhage during the surgery. Jiang Youli had fought with everything she had to stop the bleeding, and after stabilizing the infant, they were sent to the hospital for further treatment.
Therefore, she truly didn't want her beautiful new mother to risk her life for a child. After all, Zhang Susu was forty-six years old. Even if the birth went smoothly, it would take a massive toll on her health.
Zhang Susu was very happy. "Youli, the fact that you have this 'selfish wish' shows how much you care about me. That makes me very happy."
Beside them, 001 scanned the two of them. After its internal programs processed the data at high speed, it spoke without emotion, "Based on data analysis, the affection between mother and daughter has reached one hundred percent love."
Zhang Susu felt a bit embarrassed hearing this. She truly loved Youli, but having 001 state it so bluntly was a little awkward.
Jiang Youli sat up and turned to 001. "You can analyze that?"
"Yes, Miss," 001 replied. "I can do anything you require."
Jiang Youli laughed. "Alright, 001. From now on, you'll be my personal assistant and bodyguard."
"As you wish, Miss," 001 said.
...
In a dim secret room, the air was thick with a suffocating, oppressive atmosphere.
Suddenly—
A sudden splash shattered the deathly silence.
A basin of ice-cold water was ruthlessly doused over the unconscious man lying on the ground.
Jolted by the sudden shock, Qi Yue slowly drifted back to consciousness.
He forced his heavy eyelids open, struggling to make sense of his surroundings.
"Awake?"
A frigid voice rang out, devoid of any emotion.
The first thing to enter Qi Yue's line of sight was a pair of black high-top boots.
At the sound of that voice—at once familiar and yet hauntingly distant—a shudder rippled through him, and he froze.
After a brief moment of disorientation, as if struck by a sudden realization, he snapped his head up.
Sure enough, the face appearing before him was one he knew all too well.
