Chapter Thirty-Two: Remorse

Yang Jiekai never considered himself a paragon of virtue, nor was he a ruthless beast in matters such as these. Yet when Wang Ying’s warm lips pressed against his, his mind exploded in a rush of dizzying chaos.

“Mmm… Wang Ying, listen to me…” Yang Jiekai fought to restrain his wicked impulses, trying to push Wang Ying away, but before he could finish his words, Wang Ying’s delicate lips found him again.

Mmm…

He was no brute, but he was, after all, a normal man. Though the aphrodisiac mixed into the sedative had little effect on him, it didn’t mean he was completely immune—how could he resist Wang Ying’s repeated advances?

At last, the final line of defense in Yang Jiekai’s heart crumbled under Wang Ying’s passionate assault. The desire he had suppressed erupted like a volcano, overwhelming him. He seized her tightly in his arms, kissing her with wild abandon. As garments fell away, the shabby, dimly lit room was awash in passion, while beneath the bed lay two lifeless bodies.

Wave after wave of ecstasy surged, lasting for a long while, until Wang Ying finally softened, slipping into a deep sleep upon the bed.

Yang Jiekai, now clear-headed, lay half-naked beside her, his strong body exposed. Gazing at Wang Ying’s flawless form, reminiscent of fine jade, he felt not the faintest stir of desire—only a deep, gnawing guilt.

He closed his eyes for a moment, then slowly opened them, exhaling a long breath as he settled his emotions. This was a habit honed on the mercenary battlefield; in any situation, he instinctively learned to regain control within the shortest time. Known among mercenaries as “Mr. Nice Guy,” Yang Jiekai, if injuries were counted, would be among the least wounded in the entire mercenary world. In years of service, he had suffered only a handful of wounds.

This was thanks to his gentle temperament. On the battlefield, emotion is the greatest enemy; once emotions cloud judgment, fatal mistakes follow. Yang Jiekai’s ability to master his feelings always allowed him to escape peril unscathed.

He gently covered Wang Ying with a blanket, dressed himself, carried out the two bodies, and meticulously cleaned the room. Finally, he took a chair and sat quietly, his back to Wang Ying.

A long time passed. When Wang Ying awoke, she immediately understood what had happened. About to cry out instinctively, she saw a quiet, slender figure with his back turned, and strangely, her panic faded.

“You’re awake?” Yang Jiekai spoke softly without turning. “I’ll step out for a bit. Take a shower first, I’ll wait for you on the rooftop.” With that, he rose, opened the door gently, and slipped out, closing it softly behind him.

The air on the city’s outskirts was far fresher than in the urban core. It was deep into the night, the weather unusually fine. Yang Jiekai stood atop the building, gazing at the sparse stars and moon in the sky, chain-smoking cheap, unfiltered cigarettes, lost in thought, his expression calm.

After some time—

Wang Ying’s footsteps were nearly silent, but Yang Jiekai’s sharp ears picked them up clearly.

He turned, seeing Wang Ying now properly dressed. He smiled faintly. “No matter what you think, or what you intend to do to me, I feel you deserve to know the truth.”

Yang Jiekai took a drag from his cigarette, exhaled a cloud of smoke, stubbed it out, and said to Wang Ying, “Last night, I lost control and slept with you.”

Wang Ying bit her lip. She already knew what had happened; the pain of her first time mingled with a bitter ache in her heart. She found she couldn’t bring herself to hate the man before her, yet tears welled uncontrollably in her eyes.

“You were drugged. I knew someone meant you harm, but I never expected it would come to this.” Yang Jiekai spoke calmly, not intending to lie. He had known the eel dish was tainted, but hadn’t realized it also contained an aphrodisiac. This was his own blind overconfidence; had he been more cautious and acted sooner, perhaps he wouldn’t have been able to wipe out the drug ring in one go, but he could have prevented what followed.

Wang Ying bit her lip harder, slowly approaching Yang Jiekai.

Smack!

A loud slap landed on Yang Jiekai’s face. He neither dodged nor flinched, stoically accepting it.

“Yang Jiekai, I hope from this moment you completely forget what just happened. I’ll pretend nothing ever occurred between us. From now on, there’s nothing between you and me—we’re just strangers, lost in the crowd.” With tears in her eyes, Wang Ying turned and left.

Yang Jiekai gazed at the heavens, let out a long sigh, and with a leap vanished into the night…

By the time he returned to Shizhu Manor, it was the depths of night.

Yang Jiekai opened the door; inside, darkness reigned. At this hour, Aunt Wang and Han Ning must already be asleep.

He didn’t turn on the light, feeling his way to his room. Lying in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, a bitter smile crept to his lips—his mind filled with Wang Ying’s image.

“What’s wrong with me?” Yang Jiekai knocked his head forcefully. “Didn’t I promise myself never to linger over any woman in this life?”

From their first meeting on the bus to today’s events, only a few days had passed, yet Yang Jiekai found himself inexplicably unable to stop thinking about this woman. He’d been with countless women—so many he’d lost count—but only a few faces remained in his memory. Logically, today’s incident should have been just another insignificant episode in his life, so why did he keep thinking about her?

He sighed deeply, shaking his head with a bitter smile. The next seasonal change was approaching fast, yet he only had a few thousand yuan to his name, still far from the sum he needed. With his own situation so precarious, did he have the right to be distracted by such messy affairs?

At dawn the next day, Han Ning, having finished her morning routine and preparing to go downstairs, was surprised to see the man who’d vanished all night appear in the hall, flashing a smile he probably believed was charming.

“Good morning, dear wife!” Yang Jiekai greeted her cheerfully, munching on a slice of bread.

Han Ning wondered if the man had taken leave of his senses these past two days, but maintained her icy demeanor, replying, “Weren’t you out job hunting yesterday? What happened—were you searching all night?”

Yang Jiekai shrugged indifferently, “I have no degree, no work experience—nobody wants me.”

Han Ning snorted, thinking no company would ever hire such a layabout.

Yang Jiekai continued, “But I’m close to finding something. This afternoon, I’ll be a proud office worker. From now on, I’ll earn money to support my family and wife!”

“If you found a job, you found one. If not, you didn’t. What does ‘close to finding’ mean?” Han Ning couldn’t take his nonsense anymore, retorting.

“‘Close to finding’ means, though I haven’t found one yet, I soon will.” Yang Jiekai replied earnestly, stating the obvious.

Han Ning had no patience for this lunatic, heading to the dining room to eat the sumptuous breakfast Aunt Wang had prepared.

Yang Jiekai trotted over enthusiastically, scooping up a bowl of millet porridge, grinning at Han Ning as he blew gently on it.

Watching this man who ignored all rules of ladies-first and decency, Han Ning felt a pang of sadness.

As she picked up a spoon and prepared to serve herself, Yang Jiekai suddenly pushed the steaming porridge toward her. “Wife, I’ve cooled it for you—it’s not hot. Please enjoy.”

Han Ning’s hand trembled as she took the spoon. Seeing his radiant, flower-like smile, she suddenly didn’t find him so annoying. She dazedly received the bowl, and, out of ingrained habit, murmured a soft thank you.

She soon regretted it.

Because, to his ears, her words sounded as though she’d granted him a tremendous favor.

Yang Jiekai waved his hand grandly, “No need to thank me for such a small thing. Of course, you can be moved to tears if you wish, but don’t cry. I can’t stand women’s tears—especially when moved by me. Whenever I see such tears, I get a strong sense of self-importance and pride, and I just might lose control and offer up my precious chastity…”

Aunt Wang was already giggling nearby. After these few days, her seasoned eyes saw that the man was not bad at heart. Whatever brought him to this family, she hoped Han Ning would find a good partner in the end. Seeing the scene, she wisely carried her bowl back to her room, leaving the young couple to eat breakfast together for the first time.

Han Wei had gone on a business trip recently and wouldn’t be back soon, so only Yang Jiekai and Han Ning were left at the table.

Han Ning didn’t know what spell he’d cast over Aunt Wang; lately the older woman had begun speaking well of him, even nudging her toward this man.

Today’s breakfast was millet porridge, some pickles, and fruit. Yang Jiekai gulped down the porridge like a famished ox, devouring the pickles with gusto, as if he’d been reborn from starvation.

Han Ning sipped her hot porridge slowly, forming a sharp contrast with the gluttonous beast across from her.

“Hey, you…” Han Ning suddenly exclaimed, as if she’d witnessed something unbelievable.

Yang Jiekai asked, puzzled, “What’s wrong, dear wife?”

“How… how can you eat bananas with chili sauce?” Han Ning said in astonishment.

Yang Jiekai glanced at the half banana, smeared with chili sauce in his hand, and replied matter-of-factly, “What’s the problem? I’ve always eaten them this way.”

“Weirdo! You and Han Wei are both weirdos!” Han Ning couldn’t help but comment.

Yang Jiekai pouted, “Oh? My big-thighed sister-in-law likes to eat fruit this way too?”

“Big-thighed sister-in-law?” Han Ning looked confused.

Yang Jiekai nodded, explaining, “It’s a metaphor, a vivid way to describe my sister-in-law’s features.” He looked Han Ning up and down, then said earnestly, “If I were to use a metaphor to describe you, let me see… Oh, it would be bucktoothed wife.”

“You’re the bucktoothed one!” Han Ning realized, grabbing her chopsticks and hurling them at him. Yang Jiekai was already giggling and dodging, calling out as he fled, “Hey, I’m just joking! My dear wife isn’t bucktoothed at all—she’s got adorable little tiger teeth. From now on, I’ll call you my cute, obedient, little tiger-toothed wife…”

“Get out, get as far away from me as you can!”