Chapter 113: The True Gunman

Yuan Xiaoying felt a mix of shame, embarrassment, and sweetness, for she knew Liu Jingye was truly angry, and that his rage stemmed from a deep concern for her safety. However, his grip was heavy, and he had shown no mercy in spanking her; her bottom was now swollen and stinging with heat.

As she lay across the motorcycle, her lower body numb, she turned her head. Her large, watery eyes looked up at him as she whined coquettishly, "You're so mean! Spanking me like that—are you actually angry, or were you just looking for an excuse to take advantage of me? You brute, haven't you had enough? My clothes are soaked; I need to go back and change before I catch a cold. If that wasn't enough for you, come back with me and finish it. I have handcuffs at home—you can hang me from the rafters, chain me to the bed, or if you want, use a whip or drip hot wax on me... I won't blame you!"

"Get lost!" Liu Jingye retorted, using Yuan Xiaoying’s own signature line as if he were a serf standing up to his master, though her words had indeed stirred a certain impulse within him.

"Ouch..." Yuan Xiaoying stood up, let out a sharp cry of pain, and stumbled, falling straight into Liu Jingye’s arms. She felt as limp as if her bones had turned to water. "You're so cruel, you hurt me so much I can't even stand. What should I do?" she pouted. This was the brilliance of a woman; when dealing with a man, tears and coquetry were always the deadliest weapons.

Liu Jingye’s fury vanished instantly, his resolve melting under her performative display. He scooped her up, tossed her into the backseat of the police car, and despite his abysmal driving skills, he tore off at breakneck speed. With the siren lights flashing and the streets relatively empty, they arrived at her home safely.

Even after they arrived, she refused to budge, insisting her injuries made it impossible to walk. Stubbornly, Liu Jingye carried her all the way to her room. He intended to throw her onto the bed, but the moment he let go, she looped her arms around his neck, pulling him down on top of her. She let out a muffled gasp as their lips met.

The kiss was like lightning striking tinder—an uncontrollable wildfire. Before they knew it, they were tangled together on the sheets, stripped of their inhibitions. Yuan Xiaoying’s face was flushed crimson, and as they reached the final threshold, Liu Jingye hesitated. Seeing this, she grabbed his neck again, wrapped her legs around his waist, and whispered with her eyes closed, "Hurry, my mother will be back soon."

For Liu Jingye, this was the bugle call of a charge. As a soldier, when the charge sounds, one must surge forward with indomitable courage, storming the gates and vanquishing all enemies in sight.

"Ah..." Yuan Xiaoying’s cry was far more melodic than any enemy’s scream. She clung to him like an octopus, as if trying to squeeze the life out of him. Five minutes later, as they caught their breath, Yuan Xiaoying’s eyes brimmed with tears. Seeing the crimson blossoms staining the sheets, she gritted her teeth and repeated, "Hurry, my mother will be back soon!"

Liu Jingye accelerated, and Yuan Xiaoying threw herself into the madness, both of them feeling the thrill of high school lovers stealing a moment away from their parents—tense and exhilarating. Her physical development was still that of a high schooler, while Liu Jingye’s proportions exceeded the average, reaching international standards.

Outside, the rain poured down, but inside, the storm had passed. Fearing her mother’s return, Liu Jingye scrambled to dress while Yuan Xiaoying lay splayed across the bed, seemingly dazed. Just then, the sound of keys turning in the lock echoed through the door. Yuan Xiaoying turned pale, and Liu Jingye, momentarily forgetting they were legally married, panicked.

"My mother is back! What do I do? What do I do?" she stammered in a frenzy.

Liu Jingye grabbed the quilt, threw it over her, scrambled to the window, and leapt out. Yuan Xiaoying was stunned. They were on the third floor! She rushed to the window and looked down to see Liu Jingye swinging like a gibbon, grabbing the second-floor railing, vaulting onto the rain canopy of the adjacent unit, and landing gracefully before disappearing into the rain like a thief.

"The jerk, he really moves fast," she chuckled bitterly.

The door opened, and her mother walked in, freezing at the sight of her daughter standing by the window in her birthday suit. "Child, put some clothes on! You'll catch a cold."

Yuan Xiaoying gasped, dove into the quilt to hide the telltale signs of their intimacy on the sheets, and giggled sheepishly at her mother. *Is this what it’s like? That brute is quite the marksman,* she thought, her face still flushed with lingering sensation. *There was no protection... I just hope his aim isn't that accurate!* She was filled with joy; in her eyes, there was no better way to repay him for saving her life than by giving herself to him. It had all felt so natural, so inevitable—even if it did hurt a bit!

Liu Jingye returned to his motorcycle, letting the downpour wash over him, but it couldn't dampen the fire in his heart. He shouted into the rain, "This is life! This is the life I want—to strike down enemies with gusto and revel in the arms of my lover!"

However, the enemies he had struck down were not so pleased. Huang Guangzong had taken a desperate gamble and failed, dying with his eyes wide open, never even knowing how he had perished. When Huang Xing arrived to find his father’s corpse, he was devastated, eventually returning to prison with a heart full of hatred.

"The Huang clan, who triggered this whole series of events, has finally fallen. The old fox Huang Guangzong is dead, and the Japanese and Vietnamese thugs have fought themselves into oblivion, drawing the attention of the authorities. Peace is finally here," Liu Jingye muttered to himself. "I can finally live a quiet life."

But as he stepped into the hotel lobby, he found the courtyard bustling with people. Three individuals were surrounding Tang Shiya. One woman held her hand, another pushed her back, and a man with an asymmetrical haircut held an umbrella over her, gesturing daintily. "Oh, my dear girl, please, stop making a scene! We've already signed the contract; you have to attend this promotional event. I promise, just show your face and we'll leave. Be a good girl, stop throwing a tantrum, or they'll sue us for a fortune for breach of contract!"

The effeminate manager sounded desperate; it looked less like an attempt to coax her and more like a kidnapping. Tang Shiya was resolute. She shook off the two women and said coldly, "I'm not going. We agreed this was a vacation, with a small fan meet-up on the side. There was no mention of commercial events. You added this last minute without consulting me—I'm not going!"

"My dear lady, this was decided by the top brass. Do you think a lowly manager like me has any say?" the manager whined. "This is a massive conglomerate; even our company executives have to bow to them. Don't be difficult."

"That’s right, Miss Tang," one of the assistants added. "Please don't make it hard for us. If you don't go, we'll lose our jobs."

As the assistants reached out to pull her again, Tang Shiya dodged them and headed toward the room. "I don't care about your conglomerates or your executives. We have a contract that states any activities must be approved by me. You are in breach of contract, and I refuse to comply."

Her resolve was absolute. Yesterday, she had wept over being a mere puppet, but today, she was determined to take control of her own fate. The manager and assistants looked ready to kneel. As she turned to leave, a dark shadow flashed by. A hulking man in a black suit, wearing sunglasses despite the rain, rushed over and grabbed her wrist.

Startled and furious, Tang Shiya tried to pull away, but couldn't budge. "Who are you? Why are you grabbing me?"

The man in sunglasses spoke in a gruff, emotionless voice, "Our conglomerate has a commercial contract with your company. You are required to attend. Please, come with me."

"I don't want to go! Are you trying to drag me by force? This is kidnapping! I'll report you!" Tang Shiya was livid, struggling with all her might, but the man’s grip was like an iron clamp. Terrified, she cried out, "You're hurting me! Let go, or I'll scream!"

The man remained unmoved, his grip tightening. Just then, a rough, powerful hand reached out and seized the man's wrist. The veins on the hand bulged, and the joints were thick with immense strength. A sickening crunch echoed as the man’s wrist bone began to deform under the crushing pressure.

Cold sweat broke out on the man’s forehead. He released Tang Shiya, trying to break free, but the newcomer gave his wrist a sharp twist, forcing it into an unnatural angle, the palm almost touching the forearm.

Liu Jingye held the man’s wrist, turned to Tang Shiya with a smile, and asked, "My dear guest, it is my honor to serve you. Is there anything else you require?"