Chapter Thirty-Four: I Truly Owe You My Thanks

A deliberate, almost theatrical cough suddenly drifted from the driver’s seat at the front, jarring the silence. The sound was so conspicuous it seemed as if the man had been struck by some acute affliction.

Jiang Ce’s hand paused mid-air. He raised his eyes, sending a cold, withering glare forward. “What’s your problem?”

Through the rearview mirror, A-Kuan caught Jiang Ce’s gaze and couldn’t help but feel a flicker of unease. But for the sake of his boss’s future happiness, A-Kuan quickly replaced his nervousness with a grin.

“Boss, Ruan just said something to you,” A-Kuan prompted, his expression particularly teasing.

Ruan Mianmian’s heart immediately leapt into her throat. She bit her lip, glaring at A-Kuan, torn between laughter and tears.

Jiang Ce’s brow furrowed ever so slightly as he turned to Ruan Mianmian, a trace of confusion in his eyes. She stared up at the car’s ceiling, feigning ignorance.

“I didn’t say anything. He must have misheard.”

Jiang Ce arched an eyebrow, asking no further questions. Just as he was about to look away, A-Kuan’s voice sounded once more, neither too loud nor too soft.

“Ruan said, since you touched her, Boss, you have to take responsibility!”

Ruan Mianmian: … My sincere thanks to you.

Jiang Ce: … I really appreciate that!

A-Kuan let out a silly chuckle, clearly proud of his handiwork.

Ruan Mianmian resisted the urge to leap forward and give him a good thrashing, continuing to play dumb. Jiang Ce showed no further reaction, merely glancing at her before letting the matter drop, leaving the whole incident to fade away in awkward silence.

Ruan Mianmian shot A-Kuan another glare, resolving to deal with him later, then shrank quietly into her seat, wishing she could even stop breathing to avoid drawing attention.

The car continued along the road. Soon enough, Ruan Mianmian noticed that the fleet of dozens of vehicles that had started with them was now reduced to just three. Their car was sandwiched in the middle, with one vehicle ahead and another closely following behind.

“Where are we going?” Ruan Mianmian whispered.

She didn’t recognize the route, but it was obvious they weren’t headed back to Jiang City. In fact, she felt they were driving deeper and deeper into unfamiliar territory.

“To Luna Manor!” A-Kuan answered before anyone else.

But this only deepened the confusion in Ruan Mianmian’s eyes.

Jiang Ce elaborated, “I have some matters to attend to, so we’re not returning tonight. We’ll stay at Luna Manor for the night and leave tomorrow.”

So that was it!

Ruan Mianmian thought, if she hadn’t lost her temper with the Ruan family, Jiang Ce would have finished his business and they would have set out for Jiang City later that evening.

But now, with a last-minute change of plans, they were going to stay at Luna Manor for the night.

In the novel, Luna Manor was also Jiang Ce’s stronghold. Despite its elegant and poetic name, it was in reality a lavishly appointed entertainment complex, complete with hotel apartments and every conceivable leisure facility.

Although Jiang Ce was the owner, the public face of the establishment was another of his lieutenants—Yan Jiaxu. Along with Shen Qing, Yan Jiaxu was one of Jiang Ce’s right-hand men: a capable assistant and loyal brother in both business and daily life. Despite his somewhat feminine name, Yan Jiaxu was renowned for his decisiveness and efficiency, icy and unsparing much like Jiang Ce himself.

Though Yan Jiaxu was little more than a minor supporting character in the story, Ruan Mianmian remembered him vividly. His unwavering loyalty to Jiang Ce and his sense of duty made him stand out, despite his temper; he was a man brimming with admirable qualities.

Time passed, and at last the car rolled to a stop.

Stepping out, Ruan Mianmian was dazzled by the sight of the grand and opulent building before her. She had read about Luna Manor’s legendary allure countless times in the novel, but seeing it with her own eyes was a revelation.

The architecture was pure Grecian, with a façade shaped in graceful arcs. All around, sculpted horses seemed poised to burst free of the stone, so lifelike they looked ready to gallop into the world at any moment. The surrounding streets and shops shared the same harmonious design, their arrangement both striking and complementary, creating a scene that was truly a feast for the eyes.

Most remarkable of all was the row of golden horses standing guard at the entrance, hooves raised high in a show of formidable spirit—they looked every bit the mythic guardians of this estate.

Legend had it these horses were inspired by a masterpiece of Bai Yuan, the celebrated artist of the age. Now the most esteemed painter in Lan City, his works fetched no less than seven figures each.

Thinking of this, Ruan Mianmian recalled her own past—she had once been an ordinary student in the fine arts department herself, albeit a rather mediocre one…

But the spectacle before her now was truly the epitome of luxury!

“Tsk!” Ruan Mianmian couldn’t help but click her tongue in awe.

“Mianmian.”

Her name, spoken by Jiang Ce, sent a shiver through her ears. For reasons she couldn’t explain, when he uttered her name, it seemed to carry a unique resonance, sweetening her heart.

“Hmm? What is it?” Ruan Mianmian tilted her head, asking softly.

“A-Kuan will take you inside. You’ve had a long day—go and rest. I have matters to handle; I’ll come back later,” Jiang Ce explained.

“All right. Go ahead, then.”

Reluctantly, Ruan Mianmian waved at him, then obediently followed A-Kuan inside.

Once in the lobby, the interior was equally resplendent, though its general layout was not unlike other five-star hotels. Apart from the obvious expense, Ruan Mianmian couldn’t spot much difference.

Jiang Ce must have informed them in advance, because as soon as they entered, someone stepped forward to greet her and led her deeper inside.

“Miss Ruan, I’m Li Man. Mr. Yan is in a meeting and can’t welcome you in person—please forgive us.”

She had clearly been told not to slight this Miss Ruan. Although Li Man didn’t know exactly who Ruan Mianmian was, her manner was noticeably warmer.

“It’s nothing,” Ruan Mianmian said, shaking her head.

She had no impression of Li Man, but the “Mr. Yan” she mentioned was surely Yan Jiaxu.

Li Man collected a room key from the front desk and turned back with a smile. “Miss Ruan, as instructed by Mr. Jiang, we’ve arranged the luxury penthouse suite for you. Please follow me.”

Ruan Mianmian pressed her lips together. A-Kuan looked at her, teasing evident on his face; she shot him a sidelong glance and followed Li Man upstairs.

While waiting for the elevator, Ruan Mianmian suddenly noticed a man in the distance approaching as he finished a phone call. His close-cropped hair lent him a touch of wildness, and he was impeccably dressed, every button in place, his expression stern and unsmiling.

But perhaps the person on the other end of the line had said something good, because the man’s lips curled in the briefest of smiles.

As the call ended, Li Man seized the opportunity to step forward.

“Mr. Yan, this is Miss Ruan.”

Li Man’s manner was deferential yet sweet as she cast a meaningful glance at Ruan Mianmian, as if signaling to “Mr. Yan.”

Whatever smile had been on Yan Jiaxu’s face faded instantly as he turned a not-quite-friendly gaze on Ruan Mianmian. Were it not for his slight nod in greeting, she might have thought him insufferably arrogant.

At first, Ruan Mianmian had viewed Yan Jiaxu through the rose-tinted lens of the novel, but his frosty look shattered that illusion in an instant.

She lowered her eyes, toying with her fingers, feigning boredom.

A-Kuan whispered reassuringly, “Don’t mind him, Ruan. He always wears that sour face, like everyone owes him money. No need to take it to heart.”