"I, Jiang Zhongming, don't need you cutting in when I'm doing things!"
Jiang Zhongming's sharp rebuke turned Feng Hui's face completely pale, striking her silent.
She and Jiang Haibo were already out of favor, and Elder Jiang clearly preferred Jiang Haihua's family. If not for Jiang Muwan's remarkable talent, they likely would have been thrown out on the street long ago.
Yet at that moment, Jiang Muwan fell silent as well. Why on earth did her grandfather want her to marry a garbage collector?
Was she really only fit to marry a garbage collector?
Ignoring everyone else, Jiang Zhongming looked at Ye Tianming with a smile and said, "Mr. Ye, since this engagement was set long ago, the Jiang Family will not go back on our word. No matter what you do, I will always support you. From the moment you two were engaged, Muwan became your woman, and no one can ever change that!"
Ye Tianming gave a wry smile. "Elder, let's just drop it. Your granddaughter and I have no real feelings for each other, and she's quite resistant to the idea anyway. Calling off the engagement is fine, really, don't worry about it."
"Mr. Ye, you must be joking. How could Muwan possibly look down on you?"
With that, Elder Jiang stared straight at Jiang Muwan. "Muwan, do you dare look down on Mr. Ye?"
Jiang Muwan bit her lip. In the Jiang Family, the Elder's word was still absolute; she dared not defy him. Lowering her gaze, she murmured, "I don't look down on him."
"Then are you willing to marry him?"
"I... I am willing..."
Her voice carried an unmistakable resentment, but Elder Jiang acted as if he hadn't noticed at all.
Beside them, Feng Hui's eyes practically blazed with fury. Furious and resentful though she was, she dared not defy Jiang Zhongming, nor did she dare harbor any hatred toward him.
All of her pent-up rage was aimed squarely at Ye Tianming.
Finally, she took a deep breath, forced herself to calm down, and said, "Dad, even though the children are engaged, jumping straight into marriage like this is far too rushed. Neither of them is prepared, and our Jiang Family hasn't prepared anything either. In my opinion, why don't we do this: let them get to know each other for a while first? Think about it, if we rush into a wedding without being fully prepared, wouldn't we just become the laughingstock of the town?"
Hearing this, Jiang Zhongming stroked his beard and nodded. "That's true. Marriage is no small matter, especially when it concerns Muwan and Mr. Ye. Mr. Ye, what do you think? Shall we hold the wedding immediately, or would you prefer to spend some time getting acquainted first?"
Before Ye Tianming could reply, Jiang Muwan chimed in, "Grandfather, give us a month. Let us both prepare properly."
With that, Jiang Muwan reached out and grabbed Ye Tianming's hand.
Ye Tianming was taken aback. The soft, delicate warmth of her hand made him lose his focus for a fraction of a second, leaving him utterly bewildered.
Then he felt Jiang Muwan give his hand a subtle squeeze.
Understanding washed over him in an instant. He glanced at Jiang Muwan and nodded as well. "That works. Let's make it a month, then."
A month?
Today at her house, Jiang Muwan had also mentioned a month—that was the deadline for their bet.
And now, a month until the wedding...
Could it be that Jiang Muwan was testing him?
Jiang Zhongming's hearty laugh rang out. "Good! It's settled, then! One month from now, Muwan and Mr. Ye will be married! I'm going to make an announcement across the entire Longhai City and prepare the grandest wedding Longhai has ever seen for my granddaughter and Mr. Ye!"
Beside them, the smiles on Feng Hui's and Jiang Haibo's faces were thoroughly bitter.
No one could possibly feel happy about getting a garbage collector for a son-in-law!
Watching Jiang Muwan take the initiative to hold Ye Tianming's hand, Feng Hui almost couldn't stop herself from breaking out into a string of curses.
Jiang Muwan naturally noticed her parents' expressions, but who dared to defy the Elder?
She didn't want to marry him either, yet she was utterly powerless to change it.
Biting her lip, Jiang Muwan chased the lingering look of despair from her brow, forced a smile, and told the group, "Ye Tianming just got back to Longhai. I'm going to take him out for a spin."
Jiang Zhongming chuckled warmly. "Go ahead. The two of you are just getting acquainted, so you should spend some time building a connection."
Biting her lip once more, Jiang Muwan tugged Ye Tianming along and walked away.
Once outside the villa, they got straight into a car. Sitting in the passenger seat, Ye Tianming asked in confusion, "Where are you taking me?"
Jiang Muwan's pretty face turned ice cold. "I'm in a bad mood, so shut up and don't talk to me."
The moment the words left her mouth, Jiang Muwan slammed hard on the accelerator. Caught off guard, Ye Tianming's head slammed heavily against the aluminum alloy frame.
Wincing and baring his teeth in pain, he complained, "There's no need to play it that rough, is there? I helped you out, I saved your grandfather, and this is how you treat me?"
A fleeting flash of guilt crossed Jiang Muwan's face at his words, but it was replaced by cold indifference the very next second.
"Sorry."
"So where on earth are you taking me?" Ye Tianming asked, rather helpless.
"You'll see when we get there."
The Bentley wove through the bustling city streets and soon arrived at its destination.
Taking in the scene before him, Ye Tianming raised an eyebrow. "Why'd you bring me here?"
Glancing at him, Jiang Muwan said flatly, "Didn't you say you wanted to marry me? I think it's necessary for us to get to know each other on a deeper level before we tie the knot."
A rather strange expression crossed Ye Tianming's face. He looked at Jiang Muwan, coughed lightly, and asked, "Are you sure... you want to get to know each other on a 'deeper level' in a place like this?"
"You bastard, Ye Tianming! Where is your mind wandering?!"
Jiang Muwan's face turned beet red; she had clearly caught the hidden meaning in his words.
Ye Tianming chuckled. "Just teasing you. Didn't we already go deep—"
Before he could finish, Jiang Muwan shot him a look as sharp as a knife. Ye Tianming gave an awkward laugh and scratched the back of his head. "Alright, alright, I was just joking. I won't say another word."
Giving him one last frosty glare without a single word of reply, Jiang Muwan pushed open the car door, stepped out, and headed toward the coffee shop in front of them.
Rubbing his chin, Ye Tianming followed her inside.
The coffee shop wasn't crowded, and the atmosphere was peaceful. Soft European melodies drifted from a corner, and the subtle fragrance of coffee permeated the air.
As they found a table and sat down, a waitress approached gracefully with a menu, smiling brightly. "What can I get for the two of you?"
Ye Tianming took the menu, crossed his legs, flipped through a couple of pages, and muttered, "What kind of coffee is this? Does it even taste good? Why is it so expensive?"
The smile on the waitress's face stiffened awkwardly. "Sir, all our coffee is freshly ground and hand-dripped, which is why the prices are slightly higher."
Though she didn't say it out loud, she couldn't help rolling her eyes internally.
Imagine not even being able to afford a cup of coffee and still dragging a woman here just to act like a big shot—total joke.
Seated across from him, Jiang Muwan caught the look of disgust on the waitress's face and flushed. Glaring at Ye Tianming, she snatched the menu back and said coolly, "Two Mandhelings, please."
"Right away, ma'am. Please hold on a moment."
The waitress walked away swaying her hips.
The atmosphere grew quiet once more.
Jiang Muwan furrowed her delicate brows, a hint of trouble seemingly lingering in her lovely eyes.
She lightly tapped her slender fingers against the tabletop. Yet despite the cloud of worry between her brows, it did nothing to mask her breathtaking, devastatingly beautiful face.
Neither of them spoke. After a short while, the coffee was served.
Jiang Muwan took a delicate sip, leaving an alluring trace of lip gloss on the snow-white porcelain cup.
Across the table, Ye Tianming finished his coffee in two gulps, leaned back against the cushions, and crossed his legs again.
"Alright, spit it out. Let's talk about whatever it is you wanted to discuss."
Jiang Muwan glanced at him. Seeing him looking so slovenly and unbothered, a wave of irritation washed over her unbidden.
She was, after all, the number one beauty in Longhai City; how on earth did she end up saddled with a man like this?
She simply couldn't fathom why that old man back then had arranged an engagement between her and this creature sitting right in front of her.
What on earth made this guy so special?
He was clearly just a sloppy, good-for-nothing loser!
It was utterly absurd.
She shook her head, self-pity flashing through her gaze, and looked at Ye Tianming with a conflicted expression. "Ye Tianming, do you really want to marry me?"
Ye Tianming answered without a moment's hesitation. "Of course I do! You're so gorgeous, why wouldn't I? Besides, you're the person the old man picked out. 'A teacher for a day is a father for life,' so naturally I have to listen to his wishes. Also... this coffee is really good. Why aren't you drinking yours?"
"I don't feel like it!"
"Then I'll drink it."
Without missing a beat, Ye Tianming pulled her coffee cup over, tilted his head, and chugged the rest in one go. Wiping his mouth, he smiled brightly and added, "Besides, the two of us already have *that* kind of relationship. I owe it to you to take responsibility!"
Jiang Muwan stared at the cup Ye Tianming had just used, where their lip marks blended together.
Stunned for half a second, her face flushed with shame and anger.
"You... you bastard! That's my cup!"
"Relax, you're my wife. I don't mind your spit!"
Darkness danced before Jiang Muwan's eyes. Good grief, how could a human being be so utterly shameless?!
Drinking out of someone else's cup like a slob and acting like he was doing her a favor!
"Well, *I* mind!"
Jiang Muwan felt like she was losing her mind. How could a man be so thick-skinned?
If she could turn back time, she would never have stepped forward in that courtyard to agree to marry Ye Tianming.
She would have been just like those other women, firmly and decisively calling off the engagement!
Taking a deep breath, Jiang Muwan forced down her rising anger and said coldly, "Ye Tianming, I want to call off the engagement! I don't want to marry you!"
"Why?"
"No reason. A man like you is unacceptable to me!"
Ye Tianming slowly narrowed his eyes, a half-smile playing on his lips. "Then what kind of man *is* acceptable to you?"
"Anyone other than you! At the very least, my man has to be handsome, sunny, dashing, and talented."
Ye Tianming curled his lip. "Don't beat around the bush. Why not just say you want someone handsome, rich, and attentive?"
"I don't care how much money he has! I just need him to know how to take responsibility, have a strong moral character, know how to care for me, and offer comfort when I'm sad and have no one to lean on! Clearly, you are none of those things!"
Ye Tianming's expression turned serious. "Have you ever thought that after spending some time together, you might realize I'm actually the exact kind of man you need?"
Jiang Muwan let out a cold laugh. "Then I'd rather believe the world is ending tomorrow."
With that, Jiang Muwan pulled a checkbook from her pocket, tossed a check across the table, and said coldly, "Here are five million. Take it, get out of my sight, and let's cut all ties once and for all."
Ye Tianming raised an eyebrow and slipped the check straight into his pocket without a second thought. Only then did he say with a grin, "I'll hold onto the money first—let's just call it the consultation fee from the Jiang Family. But cutting all ties? That's not happening. If your grandfather notices we aren't interacting at all, don't you think he'll start getting suspicious?"
Jiang Muwan's expression darkened. Ye Tianming was right; she couldn't get past the hurdle that was her grandfather.
Finally, biting her lip in a mix of helplessness and resentment, she demanded, "Then what on earth do you want to do?"
"Simple. We stick to what we agreed on today: one month. For this month, we'll pretend to be a couple. You at least have to put on a show for your grandfather!"
Rubbing her temples with a tired expression, Jiang Muwan asked, "And what happens after a month? Will you leave on your own accord?"
Ye Tianming curled his lip. "Who knows? Maybe you'll fall in love with me during this month, and by then, you won't even be willing to let me leave."
Jiang Muwan scoffed. "In your dreams."
Sighing, she felt a wave of bewilderment. Was she really unable to shake this guy off?
Suddenly, an idea popped into Jiang Muwan's head. Looking straight at Ye Tianming, she said, "Ye Tianming, how about we make a bet?"
With a cigarette dangling from his lips, Ye Tianming smiled. "What kind of bet?"
"Within a month, if you can make ten billion, or if you manage to make me hate you a little less, I'll willingly marry you, and the wedding will go on as scheduled."
Ye Tianming raised an eyebrow, a smile curling the corners of his mouth. "That's not hard."
"Ten billion—you better think carefully. If you fail, you vanish from my world for good."
"No problem."
Confidence still radiated from Ye Tianming's smile, as if ten billion were nothing more than ten bucks in his eyes.
A strange look flickered in Jiang Muwan's eyes as she watched him.
If this guy could actually pull off making ten billion, he wouldn't be an ordinary person after all, and she might actually give living with him a try...
Suddenly drawing a sharp breath, Jiang Muwan scolded herself inwardly: *Jiang Muwan, Jiang Muwan, you've barely started and you're already thinking about living with him? Have you lost your mind? You're actually expecting a beggar to make ten billion in a month? That's harder than climbing to the heavens...*
After finishing their coffee, the two walked out of the shop. Out of nowhere, Ye Tianming muttered, "Oh, let me ask you something. Who put that statue in the Jiang Family's courtyard?"
Jiang Muwan shot him a puzzled look and thought for a moment. "I think my eldest uncle had it installed last year. Why do you ask?"
A strange glint flashed across the depths of Ye Tianming's eyes. Jiang Muwan's eldest uncle, Jiang Haihua?
It wasn't impossible...
After all, Elder Jiang had two sons, and the backstabbing politics of wealthy families were truly murky waters...
Still, Ye Tianming didn't plan on telling Jiang Muwan directly. He just smiled faintly. "Nothing. I just thought it looked nice."
Suspicion clouded Jiang Muwan's face, but she didn't press further. Pondering for a moment, she changed the subject. "Right, you said my grandfather was poisoned. Since you could recognize that kind of toxin, you must know where it came from. That poison—"
"That poison is widely circulated around the northern border region. Ask your grandfather if he's ever been there. If he hasn't, then someone poisoned him intentionally, and it's likely someone close to him."
"What?!"
Shock washed the color from Jiang Muwan's face. "Someone close to him?"
"That's right." Ye Tianming's expression turned serious. "Also, don't make a big fuss when you go back—don't let everyone know. If you ask your grandfather about it, do it in private."
Jiang Muwan wasn't an idiot; she immediately grasped the implication behind his words.
Her expression shifted again and again until it turned deathly pale as a terrifying thought surfaced in her mind.
Could it be someone living inside the estate?
Finally, biting her lip, she said, "Regardless of everything else, I still have to thank you for today."
Ye Tianming smiled. "Don't thank me. Just stop wearing a poker face around me."
A faint blush crept onto Jiang Muwan's cheeks and she glared at him. "Who told you to run your mouth? Get in the car!"
With that, Jiang Muwan headed toward the Bentley parked across the street. But right at that moment, Ye Tianming's ears twitched.
A strange noise caught his attention!
Glancing into the distance, his pupils instantly contracted.
A white van was hurtling toward them at high speed, and it showed no signs of slowing down whatsoever!
This was the city center; no normal vehicle would ever drive this fast.
With eyes and ears far sharper than an ordinary person's, Ye Tianming spotted the man in the driver's seat of the van instantly!
In a single glance, he saw the cruel grin and chilling malice on the driver's face!
This was a premeditated vehicular murder targeting Jiang Muwan!
At that moment, Jiang Muwan had already reached the middle of the road, her head lowered as she stared at her screen.
She had no idea that a life-or-death crisis was barreling down on her!
The vehicle closed the distance in a flash. If she were hit at that speed, Jiang Muwan would have virtually zero chance of survival!
Right then, Jiang Muwan seemed to finally hear the roaring engine.
She jerked her head up—only to see the van bearing down on her at point-blank range!
Her face drained of color in an instant. The sudden, terrifying danger left her brain completely blank!
Paralyzed and frozen in place, she forgot to dodge—or rather, there was simply no time left to dodge!
Death was closing in with terrifying speed!
"Look out!"
The roar tore from the depths of Ye Tianming's chest.
Every muscle in his body locked tight as a terrifying, explosive wave of hidden potential was unleashed all at once!
In the blink of an eye, Ye Tianming vanished from where he stood, turning into a blur. The distance between him and Jiang Muwan was bridged in a fraction of a second.
Not even a high-speed camera could have captured his movement!
Like a sudden cut in a film, he materialized right beside Jiang Muwan!
snatching her up in his arms, he drove all the force in his legs into the ground. The asphalt beneath his feet instantly cracked and spiderwebbed!
With another flash, holding Jiang Muwan tight, he dove safely to the roadside.
Nearby pedestrians dropped their jaws in sheer disbelief, staring at Ye Tianming with expressions that clearly screamed: *That's a monster!*
The driver of the white van only saw a hazy shadow streak past the front of his vehicle before he could even react.
The woman he had targeted was gone. Terror gripping him, he glanced frantically in his rearview mirror, broke into a cold sweat, and sped away without stopping for a single second!
Holding Jiang Muwan in his arms, Ye Tianming wore a mischievous grin.
Slowly opening her eyes, Jiang Muwan was greeted by the sharp, remarkably handsome profile of the man's jawline.
Even with his stubble, she had to admit the guy possessed a strong, masculine charm.
The broad, sturdy embrace made her lose her focus for a second—until she caught the bad-boy smirk at the corner of Ye Tianming's mouth.
Snapping out of it, she shoved herself out of his arms instantly.
With a wicked grin, Ye Tianming teased, "Your waist is really soft."
Blushing furiously, Jiang Muwan bit her lower lip, pressed a hand to her burning cheeks, and glared at him. "You hoodlum."
"The hoodlum just saved your life, you know."
Her expression shifting repeatedly, Jiang Muwan looked toward the direction the van had fled, a lingering trace of fear flickering in her eyes.
If not for Ye Tianming just now, she would have...
Finally, her voice trembling slightly, Jiang Muwan asked, "That van... was it planned?"
Narrowing his eyes, a cold glint flashed through Ye Tianming's gaze. "That's right. Have you offended anyone lately?"
Jiang Muwan shook her head, her lovely face pale. "No... I can't think of anyone."
Pondering for a few seconds, Ye Tianming said, "Watch your step from now on. Now, take me back."
Giving him a deep, searching look, Jiang Muwan nodded.
The Bentley wove through the prosperous, economically thriving city. Gazing out the window at the scenery passing by, Ye Tianming felt a wave of surreal detachment.
Absent for three years, the city had undergone earth-shattering changes.
Returning this time, he was no longer the helpless, bullied poor kid; instead, he stood in a position to tower over this entire city.
Truly, things remained, but people had changed...
Closing his eyes, he prepared to catch a moment of rest.