Chapter 185: Whatever Happens, I’ve Got Your Back
Su Tao was already in a terrible mood over the little cat’s departure, so she didn’t bother putting on a pleasant face. Without sparing anyone a glance, she turned and walked away.
But Ji Caizhe refused to let it go. Like a stubborn leech, he chased after her.
Jiang Yu swiftly extended an arm, blocking his path with an icy expression.
“Mr. Ji, shouldn’t you be keeping your fiancée company?”
Ji Caizhe had long disliked Jiang Yu. He shoved his hand away and sneered.
“What’s it to you? You’re just a bodyguard—stop acting like you’re someone important. What a joke…”
Then, he called out loudly toward Su Tao’s retreating figure.
“Boss Su! I’ll be heading back to the base in a few days. How about giving me the honor of having a meal together? If you agree, I’ll convince my dad to throw in three extra crystal cores for our deal. What do you say?”
Su Tao’s face darkened instantly. She turned around and said coldly:
“Apologize.”
Ji Caizhe was stunned for a moment, not understanding what he had to apologize for. His brain took a strange detour before suddenly laughing.
“Oh, I see! You’re upset because I didn’t tell you I had a fiancée beforehand? Yeah, that was my bad. But don’t worry, I already broke up with her. I’m single now, so you don’t have to stress—I’ll definitely make sure you get a proper title.”
Su Tao was so furious she let out a short laugh. She jerked her chin toward Jiang Yu.
Jiang Yu had already been itching for a fight. The moment he got the signal, he swung a fist straight into Ji Caizhe’s face—without hesitation.
Ji Caizhe saw stars as he staggered back two steps, nosebleed spurting out.
Jiang Yu grabbed him by the collar, shoved him into the car, and slammed the door shut. He pressed Ji Caizhe’s face against the space between the driver and passenger seats.
Ji Caizhe, both furious and panicked, shouted:
“What the hell?! How dare you hit me?! Do you even know who my father is?!”
Su Tao pulled a gun from her waist, twirled it between her fingers, and when it stopped, the barrel was aimed directly at his forehead.
She spoke slowly and clearly:
“Who the hell do you think you are? You dare disrespect my people? Apologize to Jiang Yu. If not, this bullet has no eyes—if I ‘accidentally’ pull the trigger, well… I guess I’ll have to get rid of a body on the way.”
Ji Caizhe’s face turned pale with terror. “Y-You’re not afraid my father will retaliate?”
Su Tao let out a cold laugh. “Try me.”
“Click.”
The safety was off. All it took was one more move, and blood would be splattered everywhere.
Ji Caizhe nearly pissed himself.
“I apologize! I was wrong! I shouldn’t have said that! From now on, I’ll steer clear of this brother—ahhh!”
Su Tao kicked him and sneered:
“Ji Boda having a son like you is the worst kind of bad luck. Drop those dirty thoughts. If I dare to offend Hekang, I also have the means to make sure you all can’t touch me. Now get lost. Don’t ever let me see you again.”
Ji Caizhe scrambled out of the car, rolling and crawling away.
Su Tao scoffed, holstered her gun, and then heard Jiang Yu say softly, “Thank you.”
She paused, then replied,
“If anyone disrespects you in the future, don’t wait for my orders. Just deal with them. Whatever happens, I’ll have your back. Don’t ever let yourself be mistreated.”
For once, the ice-cold Jiang Yu gave a slight smile. But it was gone in an instant as he disappeared back into the shadows.
*
Ji Caizhe, still trembling with fear, rushed back to the guesthouse only to see his fiancée packing her bags.
He froze. “Mengmeng, why are you packing so early? We’re not leaving for another two or three days.”
He Mengwei didn’t even look up, her face icy cold. “My dad is coming to pick me up.”
Ji Caizhe’s stomach dropped. “You… You told your father about us?”
She lifted her face, eyes red with anger.
“Father? Didn’t you break up with me? What father?! Get out of my way. I’m leaving this morning.”
Ji Caizhe cursed internally. He had bet everything on getting Su Tao, thinking that once he had her, he wouldn’t care about He Mengwei at all.
But who would have thought Su Tao was a goddamn iron wall?
Not only did he fail to get her, he almost lost his own life.
Now, after comparing the two, He Mengwei suddenly seemed like a much better choice— easy to control, soft-hearted, and from a good family.
He couldn’t afford to lose both the watermelon and the sesame seed.
Thinking fast, he immediately lowered himself, played the victim, and started lying through his teeth.
“Mengmeng, I was wrong. Hit me if you want. I lost control, but it was Su Tao who seduced me first.
“When we visited Taoyang, you probably didn’t notice, but she was giving me all kinds of signals, playing hard to get. I went back to Taoyang for days—she neither accepted nor rejected me, just kept leading me on. I thought…”
Ji Caizhe grabbed her hand, eyes full of regret. “Mengmeng, I swear I’ve realized how good you are after all this. I lost my way for a moment, but please, I didn’t do anything unforgivable. Give me another chance. I promise I’ll be devoted to you and only you.”
He Mengwei was so angry she nearly fainted.
Ji Caizhe gritted his teeth and suddenly slapped himself four or five times, hard.
“If you won’t hit me, I’ll hit myself!”
He Mengwei gasped and tried to stop him.
“If you don’t forgive me, I’ll keep hitting myself. I might as well die! Without you, I don’t want to live!”
He Mengwei was both furious and heartbroken. “Stop it! Are you telling the truth? Was it really Su Tao who seduced you first?”
Ji Caizhe swore on his life. “Every word I said is true. If I’m lying, may I die a terrible death and be eaten by zombies.”
Then, he lifted his shirt to reveal a fresh bruise on his waist.
“This morning, Su Tao asked me to meet her. She said if I convinced my dad to add three more crystal cores to the deal, she… she would sleep with me.
“Of course, I refused! She got angry, kicked me, and had her bodyguard beat me until my nose bled! I almost didn’t make it back to you, Mengmeng…”
He Mengwei exploded with rage. She believed him completely, and in that instant, her hatred for Su Tao ran deep.
“That slut! She knew I was engaged and still went after you?!”
“I told Uncle Ji before—Su Tao never seemed like a decent person! She doesn’t want anything except crystal cores? She’s obviously greedy as hell! Uncle Ji must be blind to want to work with someone like her!”
Ji Caizhe grabbed her hands. “Mengmeng, after this, I truly realize how much I need you. Please, forgive me just this once. I promise I’ll be faithful to you forever.”
He Mengwei was completely won over, though she still felt some lingering resentment.
“You made a mistake, but the real villain here is that scheming bitch. I can’t let this go. I need to talk to my father. That woman needs to pay!”
“I’ll make sure Su Tao knows— He Mengwei is not someone to mess with. And my man is not someone she can lay her filthy hands on!”
