IMGH Chapter 45

I Will Protect You for a Lifetime

Walking out of the building entrance, Jiang Yi opened the umbrella he had prepared.

Xiao Wenya watched his strange behavior with puzzlement. “Son, why are you holding an umbrella?”

While gesturing for Qiu Rui to come closer, Jiang Yi replied, “Mom, you’re always telling me to pay attention to my appearance. To make sure Sunday’s blind date goes well, your son here is starting his skincare routine right now. I guarantee that by that day, I’ll be so devastatingly handsome that I’ll knock that girl dead on the spot and carry her straight home for you!”

“My son! You’ve finally come to your senses!” Xiao Wenya was so moved that her eyes welled up with tears. “If you had thought this way sooner, would you have stayed single at home for so long?”

Beneath the umbrella, Qiu Rui’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly — such a subtle movement that perhaps even he himself had not noticed it, yet it was caught sharply by Jiang Yi.

Gazing at the handsome face of the male ghost beside him, Jiang Yi felt an itch stirring in his heart, as though a pair of tiny hands were teasing at him one stroke at a time.

He quietly shifted his footing, closing the gap between them little by little. Jiang Yi discreetly extended his free arm, slowly reaching it around behind Qiu Rui, his arm curving gently to form a small protective circle, sheltering Qiu Rui’s ghost within it.

Qiu Rui, whether or not you can accept me, I will protect you for the rest of my life.

****

Xiao Wenya and Jiang Yi made their way to Wanda Department Store. Determined to help her son succeed at the blind date, Xiao Wenya specifically chose several presentable outfits for him.

Jiang Yi was very cooperative and did not utter a single word of protest throughout.

Xiao Wenya was enormously satisfied with her son’s attitude and happily began daydreaming of grandchildren gathered at her knees.

Xiao Wenya browsed the clothing shops tirelessly, with Jiang Yi following behind and carrying the bags.

They shopped until the evening sky was ablaze with sunset before Xiao Wenya finally walked out of the mall with a satisfied look.

Jiang Yi let out a long, relieved breath. Shopping with a woman really wasn’t a man’s kind of work.

Once Jiang Yi had mostly recovered from his illness, Xiao Wenya returned home.

****

A pleasant ringtone chimed, and the name flashing on the screen made Jiang Yi’s brow furrow.

“Qiu Rui, Han Yuancheng is calling!”

Reluctantly calling Qiu Rui over from the adjacent bedroom, Jiang Yi held out the phone and asked, “Are you taking it?”

Qiu Rui and Han Yuancheng had agreed that, in order to avoid arousing Qiu Chen’s suspicion, Han Yuancheng was not to contact Jiang Yi for the time being. Han Yuancheng was always careful and reliable in his affairs — he would not call without something extremely urgent.

Qiu Rui signaled for Jiang Yi to answer. Jiang Yi did as instructed and pressed the speakerphone button.

“Hello, Mr. Han!”

“Ryan, there has been a lead on that matter. It still needs some time to confirm. I’ll reach out again once I have news.”

The call was brief and left Jiang Yi thoroughly confused, while Qiu Rui fell into a furrowed, silent contemplation.

Jiang Yi understood that the two of them were speaking in riddles. He asked nothing, and Qiu Rui offered no explanation.

****

Han Yuancheng sat at his computer. After sketching the woman’s appearance from memory and entering it into the database, an information window popped up within minutes. The detailed profile of the woman in the search results left Han Yuancheng faintly stunned.

What a coincidence — I never expected that she would turn out to be…

Han Yuancheng picked up his phone and dialed a number, relaying the information he had retrieved. He felt a sharp, piercing gaze fixed on him. After a brief exchange with the person on the other end, he hung up with a furrowed brow.

“What are you doing here?” Han Yuancheng’s eyes blazed as he stared at the dissolute man standing before him. His darkened expression betrayed the fury simmering beneath the surface.

Qiu Chen swaggered over reeking strongly of alcohol. “Chengcheng, you’re still so hot — but I like it… heh heh…”

Qiu Chen stumbled forward step after lurching step toward Han Yuancheng and reached out to touch his cheek, only to have his hand swatted away without a moment’s hesitation.

“Qiu Chen, have some self-respect!”

Enraged by Han Yuancheng’s total lack of cooperation, Qiu Chen roared, “You — don’t you dare play the virtuous maiden in front of me!”

A greedy gleam surfaced in his clouded eyes. “It’s your damn good fortune that I’ve set my sights on you!”

Han Yuancheng’s handsome face turned icy cold, his dark and ruthless eyes flashing with a frigid, murderous light, as though he could run the man before him through with a thousand blades. It was entirely because of Qiu Chen that Qiu Rui had been reduced to a lone wandering soul — Han Yuancheng despised this man to his core.

Having been rejected by Han Yuancheng time and again, Qiu Chen’s patience had long since been ground away. The only reason he had not already resorted to force was the fear that Han Yuancheng might do something extreme under duress.

Tonight, emboldened by alcohol, the wicked fire smoldering in Qiu Chen’s chest blazed furiously to the surface. His eyes fixed on Han Yuancheng with greedy hunger, as though staring at coveted prey he could barely stop himself from lunging at and devouring on the spot.

That was what Qiu Chen thought — and that was exactly what he did.