Chapter 26: To Play or Not to Play?

With Xu An’an’s looks and figure, what man wouldn’t be drawn to her? With just a slight curl of her finger, she could have a crowd of men obediently trailing behind her, eager to do her bidding.

Sure enough, as soon as she called out, the men came running over, almost tripping in their haste. And there were several of them! All were more than willing to serve Xu An’an. Three men carried a single jar of pickles, each grinning foolishly, while Jiang Li’s face turned thunderous with displeasure.

He clicked his tongue in irritation. “You’re certainly skilled at this.”

Xu An’an, undisturbed, picked strawberries with an easy grace, paying no mind to Jiang Li’s sarcasm. She even smiled and waved the three men off as they left.

The strawberries from Madam He’s garden far outshone those found in city supermarkets—each one large, nearly the size of Xu An’an’s own fist. She washed one clean with fresh water and took a gentle bite.

Juice filled her mouth, sweet and refreshing. “So sweet!” she exclaimed with delight.

“Jiang, would you like to try one?” she offered, for Jiang Li could not be grouped with the other men. Xu An’an smiled up at him, seeking to please, her face tilted towards him as he stood on the steps.

Her delicate, fair face was bathed in sunlight, the soft golden glow making her appear vibrant and radiant—so much so that he found himself momentarily dazed.

“Well? Do you want it or not?” she pressed, unable to make out Jiang Li’s expression against the light.

He suddenly noticed a drop of strawberry juice on her lips—bright, red, glistening—making her lips look plump and soft, with the texture of jelly. A fresh breeze, carrying the scent of rain, lifted her black hair and revealed a sliver of smooth, pale neck.

“If you don’t want it, then never mind,” she said, her hand aching from holding the strawberry aloft.

Just as she was about to lower her hand, Jiang Li caught her off guard by grabbing her wrist and, with her hand still raised, bit into the strawberry.

His ambitious, sharp gaze never left her, fixed as if she were his prey.

Xu An’an’s breath caught, but she showed no fear. Her eyes shone, steady as she met his gaze, and she seized the chance to lean in—boldly and without hesitation, she kissed him on the lips.

For a brief, stunned moment, Jiang Li could only stare as Xu An’an, fluttering like a butterfly, quickly slipped away from right under his nose.

Jiang Li’s lips curled with interest.

What new trick is this?

Returning indoors, Jiang Li was greeted by another unwelcome scene: the men who had just helped Xu An’an were all gathered around her.

Among them, the woman who had asked Jiang Li for his contact information—Jiang Xin—looked at him with envy and jealousy.

“Handsome, your girlfriend is really popular,” she remarked. “But she’s a bit greedy, don’t you think? With a boyfriend as perfect as you, why is she still so friendly with other men? I suppose you spoil her too much. If you were my boyfriend, I’d certainly keep my distance from other men.”

What a two-faced act! Such petty scheming! Xu An’an was furious, yet she and Jiang Li weren’t actually a couple. What did it matter how she interacted with other men? Besides, Jiang Li, that scoundrel, had slept with her countless times and still wanted nothing to do with her—except, it seemed, to use her as a shield against unwanted admirers!

He was truly the worst of all rogues.

“Sister, would you like to try one of my grilled sausages? I promise, once you’ve had mine, you won’t want anyone else’s,” Wang Feng, provider of lunch, offered with great confidence.

The mention of sausages inevitably conjured risqué associations. In the adult world, innuendos abounded. Only after her liaisons with Jiang Li did Xu An’an realize that occasional indulgence could spice up one’s life—like seasoning in a dish.

But she was not a woman to be taken lightly.

Looking around, only Jiang Li stood out, dazzling and impossible to ignore—just his presence was pleasing to the eye, though his temper was far too volatile. At this very moment, he was glaring at her as if she owed him hundreds of millions.

She forced a laugh. “Thank you for your kind offer, but I—”

“I’ll cook for her myself.” Jiang Li cut her off, displeased, and strode over to pull Xu An’an away. “If you don’t like them, don’t bother with them. Why are you even thanking them? I’ve never seen you so polite to me.”

Back in the room, Xu An’an threw herself onto the bed without a care for appearances, sprawling out. She’d wanted to retreat upstairs to sleep for ages, but those people wouldn’t let her slip away.

Pulling the quilt over herself, Xu An’an declared, “I’m going to sleep. Don’t call me for lunch.”

“Ordering me around, are you?”

Suddenly, Jiang Li loomed over her, hands on either side, his fox-like eyes narrowing. “Aren’t you trying to use me to get back at Jiang Yu? But I have a game that’s far more interesting and exciting.”

“If you win, Jiang Yu will be utterly disgraced.”

“And you can also save Madam Xu.”

Instinct warned Xu An’an that Jiang Li’s proposal was a trap.

Yet she had no reason to refuse—it was exactly what she wanted.

She reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck, her other hand caressing his back in a gesture both suggestive and inviting. Her eyes were sultry, her breath like orchids.

“Why don’t you tell me, what’s this game, Jiang?”

“Are you in, or not?”

Xu An’an withdrew her hands, pressing them against his chest. She’d tried to make peace—couldn’t he be a little kinder to her?

Just as she was about to agree, familiar voices came from the corridor, separated from them by only a door.

She pricked up her ears, blurting out, “Jiang Yu!” And Ning Xiyue, too!

Jiang Li snorted. “Impressive memory, aren’t you.”

“I’ll give you one week to consider. After that, the offer expires.”

He released Xu An’an and strode out of the room. Panicked, she hurriedly grabbed the quilt to hide her head, terrified Jiang Yu might see her.

Ning Xiyue entered the room first, and Jiang Yu was just about to follow when he spotted Jiang Li. He nearly collapsed from fright.

“U-Uncle, what are you doing here?”

“The real question is, why are you here?” Jiang Li’s voice was icy. “If I’m not mistaken, you should be at the office right now.”

Because of Ning Xiyue, the old master had been furious and assigned Jiang Yu extra work. But Ning Xiyue insisted on a trip, threatening to find someone else if Jiang Yu refused. So he’d found someone to cover for him and brought her out to the countryside, never expecting to run into Jiang Li—his luck was truly abysmal.

“Yu, why are you still standing at the door?” Ning Xiyue asked, curiosity in her eyes.

Spotting Jiang Li, her gaze lit up, her expression shy. “Jiang, what a coincidence, meeting you here.”

“You didn’t bring your fiancée, but you brought her? What’s the meaning of this?” Jiang Li’s face darkened.

Jiang Yu hurried to explain, “Yue’er is here for a commercial shoot. I came to pick her up, thought we’d take a detour back to the city, but both roads are blocked, so we’re stuck at this guesthouse for a few days.”

Behind the door, Xu An’an strained to listen, hoping Jiang Li would send Jiang Yu and Ning Xiyue away.

But then Madam He came upstairs and said to Jiang Li, “Young man, it’s time to eat. Call your girlfriend to join us.”