Chapter 109: Jealousy

As they spoke, several men in black emerged from the shadows.

"You must be here to avenge Wang Zhizhong. Don't waste time—come at me together." Yang Jiekai didn't think much of them at all.

One of the men looked him up and down and said, "We don't know any Wang Zhizhong. Our boss just wants to see you."

"Who is your boss?" Yang Jiekai narrowed his eyes, feeling puzzled.

"You'll know when you get there," the man replied.

Yang Jiekai scoffed. "Why should I go? I don't even know your boss."

"That's not up to you!" The man in black said in a deep voice, "If you aren't willing to cooperate, don't blame us for being impolite."

With that, the group surrounded Yang Jiekai. He sighed, finding the whole situation a nuisance. "Stop stalling. Just come at me all at once."

"Stop!"

Just as the men were about to move, a steady, powerful voice rang out from the side. Upon seeing the man who had spoken, the men in black immediately called out in unison, "Boss!"

Yang Jiekai glanced at the newcomer. He was a man in his early forties with deep, piercing eyes. He stood there with an air of natural authority that commanded respect without needing to resort to anger.

"Hello, Mr. Yang. My name is Chen Peifeng, and I am the owner of the underground fighting arena." The man stepped forward and extended a hand.

Yang Jiekai ignored the handshake and said impatiently, "Cut the chatter. Get to the point!"

"Insolent!" The men nearby were furious at his lack of manners and prepared to rush forward, but Chen Peifeng waved them off.

Looking at Yang Jiekai, Chen Peifeng said, "It seems you are a straightforward man, so I won't beat around the bush. I saw your skills at the arena earlier, and I have a favor to ask. If you don't mind, could we find a place to talk?"

"Not interested. My wife is waiting for me to go home for dinner!" Yang Jiekai waved a hand, having no desire to deal with these complications.

Chen Peifeng had seen enough of the world to know when to yield. He didn't push further but said, "If it's not too much trouble, could I have your contact information?"

As the saying goes, one does not hit a smiling face. Even though Yang Jiekai didn't care much for him, he was still the owner of an underground arena, and Yang knew that anyone capable of running such an establishment in China must have significant influence behind them. Originally intending to finish the fight quickly and head home, Yang was surprised by the man's consistent politeness. He sighed, exchanged numbers with Chen Peifeng, and walked away whistling.

"Boss, why let him go so easily?" one of the men asked, puzzled, after Yang had left.

Chen Peifeng watched him go, slowly lit a cigarette, and after exhaling a puff of smoke, said softly, "If we didn't let him go, do you really think you lot could have kept him here?"

***

It was late at night, and the darkness was thick as ink. Yang Jiekai felt a pang of guilt for losing his temper with Han Ning earlier. He had thought about buying a gift to cheer her up, but not knowing what to get, he decided to head home and prepare something himself.

"Young Master, you're back. Have you eaten? I'll go make something for you," Wang Ma said, rising from the sofa as she saw him enter.

Yang Jiekai waved a hand. "No need. Is my wife asleep?"

Wang Ma sighed. "I don't think so. The young miss has been very busy lately, working overtime in the study until late every night. My heart aches for her, but she won't listen no matter how I try to persuade her. It's truly a shame for such a child."

Yang Jiekai nodded. "I see. You should go get some rest, Wang Ma. I have a few things to take care of."

"Very well. Call me if you need anything," she said before heading off to her room.

Yang Jiekai sat on the sofa, finished a banana at a leisurely pace, and then slapped his thigh, a plan forming in his mind. After rummaging through the refrigerator for fresh fruit, he donned an apron and began clattering about in the kitchen.

Before long, he walked out holding a metal tray and made his way to Han Ning's room on the third floor. He knocked politely three times. A moment later, Han Ning’s voice came from inside: "Is that you, Wang Ma? Come in, the door is unlocked."

Yang Jiekai opened the door, tray in hand, and smiled at her. "It's not Wang Ma, it's me."

Seeing him, Han Ning furrowed her brows. "What are you doing here? Get out!"

Yang Jiekai didn't take offense. He chuckled, closed the door behind him, and placed the tray on her desk. "Wife, I'm here to apologize. I'm sorry about earlier; I didn't mean to lose my temper."

Han Ning was in the middle of reading an email. Knowing how thick-skinned he was, she realized that ordering him out would be useless, so she set aside her work and said curtly, "You don't need to apologize. I was the one who called you there today; it's my own fault. Now, Mr. Yang, I have work to do. Please leave."

Yang Jiekai rubbed his nose awkwardly and said earnestly, "Wife, don't be like that. I really know I was wrong. When you called me earlier, I thought you just wanted me to be your shield. And when Han Wei told me that guy was your ex-boyfriend, I got a little jealous and couldn't control my temper. Please, be the bigger person and don't hold it against me."

For some reason, as soon as Han Ning heard the word "jealous," a blush crept across her face. Her anger suddenly dissipated, and she said, feeling a bit awkward, "Li Bin isn't my ex-boyfriend. He's just a classmate from university."

Yang Jiekai nodded. "I know. Han Wei told me later that he pursued you in university, but you never accepted him." He waved his hand dismissively. "Anyway, never mind that. That's all in the past. You've been staying up late working, so I made you a dessert. See if it's to your taste."

Han Ning was stunned, looking at the tray. "Dessert?"

Yang Jiekai nodded and lifted the lid, revealing a small, golden-brown cake topped with fruit salad. A fragrant aroma immediately filled the air. Seeing how well it was prepared, Han Ning was secretly surprised. "You made this?"

"I wanted to buy one, but it's too late and the shops are closed, so I made it myself. Try it," he said, picking up a fork and cutting a small piece for her.

Han Ning hesitated, then took the fork and carefully placed a bite in her mouth. She felt the rich flavor bloom instantly. As she took the first bite, her eyes turned red.

***

Unsure of the reason, Yang Jiekai grew anxious. "Wife, what's wrong? Is it bad? I'm sorry, I just threw it together; I didn't know your preferences. I'll get rid of it." He reached for the tray.

"Wait!" Han Ning called out, her eyes still red. She used the fork to eat the cake in tiny, delicate bites, as if she were handling a precious artifact. She was entirely silent, and Yang Jiekai stood by, bewildered.

Soon, the small piece of cake was gone, and her expression had softened. She looked up at him and asked, "How do you know how to make this kind of cake?"

Yang Jiekai paused, unsure why she asked, and gave a half-truthful answer: "An old man taught me when I was abroad."

"Thank you. The cake is delicious."

Yang Jiekai was even more confused. "Then why were you crying? I thought it was so bad it made you weep."

This time it was Han Ning's turn to be stunned. *So bad it made her weep?* She couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Even if it were bad, I wouldn't cry because of that. I just remembered something from the past."

"Oh, that's good." Yang Jiekai nodded in relief. "Are you full? I can make another if you'd like."

Han Ning shook her head. "No, I'm full. Thank you for the cake." She took a deep breath, picked up a document, and prepared to resume working.

Yang Jiekai snatched the file from her hands and set it aside. "No more work. Go to sleep. Your health comes first. What will you do if you burn yourself out?"

Seeing his expression, Han Ning sighed and relented. "Alright, but I'm not very sleepy yet. If you're interested, I can tell you why I was crying."

"Go ahead, I'm listening!"

Rarely did Han Ning initiate such a conversation. Yang Jiekai sat down to listen, ready to light a cigarette but deciding against it.

"When I was studying abroad, someone would have a cake custom-made in Italy and flown to me for every birthday. It tasted just like the one you made. Every time I ate it, I felt very happy." She continued, "After I returned home, no one sent me cakes anymore, so I would order one from Italy myself for every birthday."

Yang Jiekai thought for a moment. "No wonder. I remember once I ate your cake, and you were furious. So that was why." He paused, a realization dawning on him, his expression hardening. "Wait—that person who sent you cakes every birthday while you were abroad... it wouldn't happen to be that Li Bin, would it?"

After receiving an affirmative answer, Yang Jiekai looked up at the ceiling and let out a long, frustrated groan: "Damn it!"