Chapter Thirteen: Accompanied by My Brother-in-law With gratitude for the generous support from "I Am a Joker"

The He Group, though not among the top five families of Anhui City, was nevertheless a force to be reckoned with—one that no one in the business world dared provoke lightly. Everyone in Anhui’s commercial circles knew the He Group’s meteoric rise over a few short years was inseparable from their connections to the underworld.

The current head of the He Group, He Xiao, was infamous for his ruthlessness. Even the most influential business magnates had to show him respect. His only son, He Yuan, had surpassed his father in both ambition and cunning. In recent years, he too had made a name for himself, his methods no less cruel than his father's.

The person they were scheduled to meet the following day was none other than He Yuan, the He Group’s eldest son.

Although Han Wei had spent the past few years abroad, she was still a member of the Han Group and had a general understanding of Anhui’s business scene. Seeing that Han Ning’s first project after severing ties with the Han Group involved collaborating with the He Group—with its notorious criminal background—filled her with concern.

“There’s no other way,” Han Ning replied, exhaling deeply. “Now that I’ve cut all ties with the Han Group, there’s no better partner for this project than the He Group. We’re a newly registered company trying to gain a foothold in Anhui, and we need the He Group’s help to secure this project in one fell swoop!”

Once she entered work mode, Han Ning quickly reverted to her queenly business persona. Her every word and gesture exuded a commanding presence and a gambler’s resolve.

After severing all connections with the Han family, Han Ning had summoned Han Wei back from abroad and registered a new company under Han Wei’s name, determined to make a comeback.

Word hadn’t spread about her estrangement from the Han family, so she was still using the Han Group’s reputation as leverage in negotiations with the He Group. Otherwise, they would never have sat down with a fledgling company like hers.

“But…” Han Wei hesitated, troubled by the He Group’s shady background. “I’ve heard He Yuan is a real piece of work—just as vicious as his father, if not worse. He’s rumored to be a womanizer who’s ruined countless respectable women, his hands stained with blood. Meeting him alone seems too dangerous…”

“There’s no other choice!” Han Ning let out a long sigh. She understood all too well what Han Wei meant, but high stakes sometimes demanded high risks. If she wanted the new company to rise before her severed ties with the Han Group became public knowledge, she had to act quickly.

“I arranged both the time and place for this meeting. Besides, He Yuan doesn’t know I’ve broken with the Han Group. I don’t believe he’ll dare make a move against me.”

Han Wei frowned deeply. After a long pause, she nodded resolutely. “Fine, it’s settled. But you can’t go alone—I have to accompany you.”

“No,” Han Ning replied firmly. “You have more important things to do. Tomorrow, you need to draft an operational plan for the project—there’s no time to lose. I’ll handle the negotiation alone. Besides, if He Yuan really is up to no good, your presence won’t help.”

Seeing Han Ning’s determination, Han Wei relented. “Alright, I won’t go. But you have to agree to one condition.”

“Name it.”

“Take my brother-in-law with you. Let him act as your driver.”

Han Wei had a good impression of Yang Jiekai, but her request wasn’t simply because of that—she’d personally witnessed him break a man’s ribs on the street without so much as blinking. He clearly had skills, and taking him along would offer some protection in case anything went wrong.

As Han Ning was about to refuse, Han Wei quickly added, “If you don’t agree, I’m coming with you no matter what!”

Seeing Han Wei so resolute, Han Ning could only sigh. “Alright, you win.”

The next morning, just as Yang Jiekai was preparing to head out for a stroll, Han Wei called him over and—with great seriousness—assigned him the task of protecting her sister.

“I’m not going,” Yang Jiekai protested, shaking his head so vigorously it looked like a rattle-drum. “My time is precious. I’m not about to waste it playing chauffeur for your sister.”

“She’s your wife!” Han Wei was exasperated. She’d wrestled with this decision, only to be dismissed so bluntly.

“I’m not going, and that’s that. Your sister and I are only married by contract. She won’t even let me share her bed, so why should I waste my time on her?” Yang Jiekai argued stubbornly. His current “work” consisted of wandering the streets, and if luck was with him, he might nab a wanted criminal and make a bit of money. He had no interest in being anyone’s driver.

At that moment, Housekeeper Wang came over and spoke earnestly to Yang Jiekai. “Young Master, you should go. Miss is a young woman, and if anything happens, it’s better to have you there.”

Wang had also witnessed Yang Jiekai single-handedly take down a group of men with just a few punches and kicks. She had great confidence in his abilities. “I think with you there, Miss will be much safer.”

Yang Jiekai opened his mouth to protest, but nothing came out. If it were just Han Wei, he’d refuse outright, but he respected Wang. To refuse her would be disrespectful.

Reluctantly, he agreed, and Han Wei immediately began giving him a litany of instructions: keep quiet, stay sharp, ensure Han Ning’s safety at all times, and so on.

Without giving him a chance to object, she dragged him out, took him to the mall, and picked out several well-fitting suits.

But Yang Jiekai flatly refused to wear Western suits. He insisted on a tailored Zhongshan suit with a mandarin collar. Han Wei couldn’t persuade him otherwise and eventually gave in.

When Yang Jiekai emerged from the fitting room in the perfectly tailored Zhongshan suit, Han Wei’s eyes lit up.

Though his build appeared lean, he was far from frail. The simple black, standing-collar suit made him look spirited, exuding a strange aura that was both refined and oddly menacing.

“What’s wrong? Do I have flowers growing on me? Why are you staring?” Yang Jiekai asked, feeling awkward under Han Wei’s gaze.

Han Wei snapped out of it and gave a backhanded compliment. “Not bad. You actually look presentable. Let’s go with this one.”

On the way home, Yang Jiekai lounged in the back seat of Han Wei’s red Ferrari and asked offhandedly, “Is your sister frigid?”

Han Wei was stunned and slammed on the brakes. “Why would you say that?”

Yang Jiekai shrugged indifferently. “Well, with my dashing looks, why else would she keep her distance? It doesn’t make sense.”

Han Wei was speechless.

Han Ning didn’t show herself all day, busy upstairs preparing for the afternoon’s negotiation—even lunch was brought to her room by Wang.

It was only as the appointed hour approached that she finally descended the stairs.

Yang Jiekai was sitting on the sofa, idly watching TV. He glanced up—and was so stunned he almost got a nosebleed.

Han Ning wore an ivory-white, perfectly tailored business suit, white crystal-heeled sandals, her hair swept into a classical chignon. She was flawless from head to toe: alluring yet clean-cut, graceful yet commanding. “Stunning” didn’t do her justice.

Yang Jiekai instinctively rose to his feet, his gaze fixed on her. Han Ning felt ill at ease under his stare, but she had to admit that, in his Zhongshan suit, he didn’t look nearly as unpleasant as before.

They say clothes make the man, and it couldn’t be more true. He’d always had an indefinable aura—something honed not through pretense but by brushing with death in countless firefights. A man’s attractiveness lay not in his looks, but in his bearing.

In a T-shirt and beach shorts, he was just a scruffy guy. In camouflage, he was a top-tier warrior. In a Zhongshan suit, he was a refined gentleman. Such presence could only be forged by repeatedly climbing out from among the dead—a quality impossible to imitate.

Before they left, Han Wei gave Yang Jiekai a final warning. “If my sister comes back with a single hair missing, I’ll hold you responsible.”

Yang Jiekai pouted. “Hey, sister-in-law, you’re so worried about your sister’s safety, but what about me? If something happens, can’t I just slip away quietly?”

“Don’t you dare!” Han Wei’s eyes widened. “If you abandon my sister and run, I’ll—”

She stopped mid-sentence, suddenly stepping back in fright.

She had seen a flash of something dangerous in Yang Jiekai’s eyes—a predatory glint that seemed to pierce straight through her, triggering a primal fear.

“Why wouldn’t I?” Yang Jiekai replied coldly, enunciating each word. He loathed being threatened, no matter who it was.

Fortunately, he’d mellowed considerably. In the past, he wouldn’t have cared if she was his sister-in-law—he’d have slapped her for using that tone.

“Don’t ever threaten me again,” he said, his voice calm but exuding an oppressive force. “Otherwise, it could be dangerous.”

Han Wei found herself nodding involuntarily under his intimidating presence.

As he walked past her, Yang Jiekai added, “Don’t take my words as a joke. I never joke with people who aren’t my friends.”

It was only after he’d left that Han Wei finally let out a long breath, as though she’d just escaped death.

Though all of Han Ning’s assets had been transferred out, thanks to Lin Wenjie being forced by Yang Jiekai to write that enormous IOU, she still had use of the house and the cars in the underground garage.

As soon as they entered the garage, Yang Jiekai couldn’t help but marvel, “This girl is really loaded.”

The private garage was even bigger than the villa above, with seven or eight luxury cars—Ferraris, Rolls-Royces, you name it.

Suddenly, Yang Jiekai’s eyes landed on a pitch-black vehicle. Clicking his tongue, he walked over, eyes gleaming. “Wife, can we take this one out for a spin?”