Chapter 132: A Kiss

Because Jiang Li was angry, Qi Xize ordered everyone to leave and had security drag Li Jie, who was weeping and begging for mercy, out of the bar.

Although Qi Xize did not tell Xu An'an to leave, she still supported Xue Shengnan and followed the crowd out. After all, both Murong Yan and Wen Huairou were leaving; it would have been awkward for her to stay.

Just as she boarded a taxi, Xu An'an received a call from Jiang Li.

"Where are you?"

"I'm taking my friend home. I'll be staying at her place tonight to look after her." Xu An'an let Xue Shengnan lean against her to sleep.

The other end of the line fell silent.

Xu An'an wasn't sure what Jiang Li wanted, but she didn't hang up, maintaining the silence. They listened to each other's breathing.

After an unknown amount of time, just as the taxi was about to stop, Xu An'an had to speak: "Second Master? Are you still there?"

"I am."

Jiang Li responded almost instantly, as if he had been waiting for her to speak first. "If you have something to say or ask, just say it or ask it directly."

Xu An'an was busy helping Xue Shengnan out of the taxi. "It's nothing. I'm hanging up now! Yes, driver, stop right there."

*Beep, beep, beep...*

Listening to the busy signal, a few dark lines appeared on Jiang Li's handsome face. He had thought Xu An'an would at least care about him sitting with Murong Yan. As it turned out, he had overthought it!

Qi Xize, sitting nearby and playing with his phone, saw Jiang Li's cold expression and couldn't help but tease, "What's wrong? Your precious girl doesn't want you anymore? Who told you not to uphold your 'masculine virtue'? You came running the moment the young lady invited you, so you can't blame her for being angry. Better think of a way to coax her."

Jiang Li threw his phone onto the sofa, looking as if he couldn't care less who coaxed whom.

Seeing this, Qi Xize was not surprised, thinking to himself that it seemed this Miss Xu didn't have the ability to tame this man after all. "So, is it really over between you two?"

Jiang Li, who had been closing his eyes, suddenly opened them. His sharp, dark gaze made Qi Xize tremble. Qi Xize shifted his position to get further away from Jiang Li. He said weakly, "Did I say something wrong?"

"Yes."

"You two were never really together anyway, since there was never an official announcement."

"Get out!"

"Alright, this little one is getting out now."

Feeling as if he had received a pardon, Qi Xize fled. Once his figure disappeared from the bar, leaving Jiang Li alone on the second floor, he picked up his phone again, his thick brows knitted together.

Coax? How does one coax?

At that moment, Assistant Wang sent a message: [Second Master, you were right. There is indeed a problem with the Murong family. I recently released some dirt on Murong Yan, but it was all intercepted. However, this power does not come from within the Murong family, but from the outside.]

It was precisely because of this that Jiang Li had appeared at the bar tonight; otherwise, he would have returned to his villa, as he had been extremely busy lately. Between juggling the Jiang Corporation and the Huadi Group, he had barely been able to stand, let alone get a good night's sleep.

The crucial point was that Xu An'an hadn't even looked for him. Truly infuriating! Couldn't she take the initiative to show some concern for him? If she had, he would have gone to find her in the very next second.

No one knew that Jiang Li had always disliked using his phone or chatting online; he preferred face-to-face interactions where he could clearly see the other person's expressions.

...

Xu An'an brought Xue Shengnan back to her detached villa because the two elevators in the apartment building were undergoing maintenance at night, and Xue Shengnan refused to go home because Tang Ze was still lurking there. She let Xue Shengnan sleep in the guest room.

After settling Xue Shengnan in, Xu An'an intended to take a shower, but she heard movement downstairs. Before she could react, she hurried down. Seeing Jiang Li walk into the courtyard, the corners of her mouth curled up involuntarily. She had thought he wouldn't be coming back tonight.

Jiang Li didn't know Xu An'an was home. He opened the door with a gloomy expression, but when he saw her sitting on the carpet playing with the cat, his eyes instantly lit up. He gave a light cough and suppressed his smile.

"Didn't you say you weren't coming back tonight?"

Hearing Jiang Li's voice, Xu An'an composed her expression before turning back. "It wasn't my choice. That scumbag was lingering at Shengnan's house, so I just brought her here. I originally wanted to take her to my place, but the elevators were being serviced." She certainly didn't have the strength to carry a drunken Xue Shengnan up the stairs.

Jiang Li beckoned to the fat cat. Xu An'an hugged the cat first and stroked its head indignantly. "You little thing, you go over the moment he waves? Can you have a little backbone?"

Jiang Li chuckled and sat on the nearby sofa. "You really know how to pick a fight with a cat."

"What else? Pick a fight with a person? Who?"

"Pick a fight with whoever you want to."

Xu An'an huffed, turned her back to Jiang Li while hugging the cat. "I don't want to pick a fight with anyone. Don't disturb me; I'm busy petting the cat."

Jiang Li circled to the front of Xu An'an and crouched down. "Do you dare say you aren't picking a fight with me right now?"

"Funny. Why would I pick a fight with you? You... mmm!"

Before she could finish, Xu An'an was pulled into a forceful embrace, and Jiang Li kissed her, gripping her chin. He skillfully pried open her teeth and kissed her deeply. She felt her whole body go numb, her head spinning, and she instinctively hugged him back, reciprocating the kiss like a reflex.

Everything that followed seemed to happen naturally, like water flowing into a channel.

After being thoroughly exhausted, Xu An'an was so tired she didn't want to move a muscle. Jiang Li pinched the tip of her nose and touched her soft cheeks, doting on her as if she were a doll he couldn't get enough of.

Drowsy, Xu An'an wrinkled her nose. "Stop it."

"Stop what? Let's bathe." Jiang Li carried Xu An'an into the bathroom.

Naturally, another scene of romantic intimacy ensued.

The next day was the weekend. Xu An'an woke up naturally and, opening her eyes, found Jiang Li still sleeping beside her, feeling an immense sense of peace. She closed her eyes again and snuggled into his arms.

The next second, remembering Xue Shengnan in the room next door, Xu An'an couldn't sleep anymore and hurried to get up, only to be held back by him.

Xu An'an had to coax him: "Shengnan is still here."

"Give me a kiss."

The man's low, husky voice was filled with seduction. He kept his eyes closed, reaching out by feel, which left Xu An'an both amused and exasperated. She cupped his face and planted a light kiss on his lips.

"Is that enough?"

"Be good and stay here. You can't go out until I come in."

Jiang Li didn't answer, but Xu An'an took his silence as agreement and hurriedly got dressed. Just as she stepped out of the room, she saw Xue Shengnan walking out with messy hair.

"Morning."

"Do you have a headache?"

Because she had drunk hangover soup the night before, Xue Shengnan didn't feel any discomfort. She nodded, then asked, "Is this your house? Why do I feel like it isn't?" She had been to Xu An'an's place a few times.

Xu An'an smiled guiltily. "Actually, I moved. I felt that a ground-floor unit was more convenient. You must be hungry; I'll make breakfast."

"I want to eat too."

Jiang Li walked out, wearing his pajamas.