Chapter Seventeen: I Will Make the Arrangements at Once

"Go investigate! Kidnappers wouldn't show up in the Hanhai Group's underground garage for no reason. Have the police continue keeping an eye on things as well."

Jiang Ce leaned back against the sofa, an icy aura radiating from him that made people instinctively wary.

Shen Qing and the others stood to the side, their expressions equally grim. Upon receiving Jiang Ce's command, the bodyguard behind Shen Qing immediately stepped outside.

Once the room was empty, Shen Qing took the opportunity to sit down beside Jiang Ce. He asked, "Boss, why don’t you use our own people this time? There’s clearly something fishy going on with the police."

"No."

Jiang Ce replied coolly, "If we send in our people, Hanhai will catch wind of it, and things will just get more complicated."

Shen Qing rubbed his nose with some frustration, glancing at Jiang Ce with confusion.

Why was the boss so afraid of Hanhai finding out about his connection with Miss Ruan? Hadn’t Miss Ruan already broken things off with that so-called prince of Hanhai? Why wasn’t the boss taking this opportunity to win her over? What was he thinking?

Jiang Ce ignored the teasing in Shen Qing’s eyes and continued, "In any case, we can’t relax. Any information we find on our own can be passed to the police. Let’s see who has the power to pull someone out right under our noses."

Shen Qing understood Jiang Ce’s intention and nodded, "Alright, I’ll make the arrangements."

He stood to leave, but then turned back with a grin, "Boss, are you still planning to follow that brat Li Zheng to Beishan Sanatorium?"

Jiang Ce gave him a silent, meaningful glance.

Shen Qing raised his brows; it looked like the boss had no intention of leaving. And that made sense—after all, Miss Ruan had just been through a terrible scare. This was the perfect chance for the boss to step in.

...

Meanwhile, Ruan Mianmian was still resting in her room. Old Zhang had sent someone to make her a calming soup, but she had no appetite for it and left it untouched, letting it cool.

Fortunately, after all this time, her nerves had finally settled. At least her hands were no longer trembling uncontrollably. The memory of what had happened had finally found its place in her mind—still shocking at first, but now dulled by time.

Yet her heart still ached whenever she recalled the scene.

Like a wounded little animal, she curled up under the covers, licking her wounds bit by bit. But when she remembered that her life was finally finding some stability, she felt as if she had found an anchor.

Suddenly, Ruan Mianmian realized that, strange as it all was, this incident was undoubtedly a good chance for her to get closer to Jiang Ce.

She shot up in bed, thinking of how Jiang Ce had come to see her in the car, his eyes full of concern and worry.

"Wonderful! Just wonderful!" Ruan Mianmian took a deep breath. As long as Jiang Ce hadn’t given up on her, everything would be alright.

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

Taking the chance, Ruan Mianmian lay back down on the bed and replied in her softest, most fragile voice, "Come in..."

The doorknob turned, and the door opened. Jiang Ce appeared in his wheelchair at the doorway—this time, he was alone. He must have come by himself.

Ruan Mianmian slowly sat up, her movements gentle and weak, as if she were just recovering from an illness. She looked up and asked softly, "Why are you here?"

Though it was a pointless question, it had the desired effect. Jiang Ce’s brows furrowed instantly as he slowly wheeled himself into the room.

"I’ve already sent people to investigate the kidnappers. For now, you’d better stay home and keep a low profile," Jiang Ce reminded her.

Ruan Mianmian nodded, then looked at him with a gentle smile. "Thank you."

Jiang Ce’s expression remained distant as he nodded to her, clearly not intending to say anything more.

After a long silence, he glanced at her again, then left the room without another word.

"Whoosh—"

As the door closed, Ruan Mianmian let out a breath, but her heart felt unsettled.

Aside from the brief moment in the car when Jiang Ce had softened toward her, he had reverted to his usual icy demeanor, as if speaking even a single extra word would exhaust him.

"Oh, it’s so frustrating!" Ruan Mianmian groaned, throwing herself back on the bed. What now? She couldn’t just sit and wait.

"No, I need help!"

Sitting up again, she sprang to the floor, went to the door, and cracked it open.

Outside, A’Kuan glanced back, about to greet her, but Ruan Mianmian quickly made a hush gesture, leaving him momentarily stunned.

"I have a question—will your boss be leaving again?" Ruan Mianmian worried that Jiang Ce might return to Beishan Sanatorium at any moment.

A’Kuan was puzzled. He hadn’t heard anything about the boss leaving, and with Miss Ruan so shaken, why would he?

"Probably not. The kitchen is already preparing dinner. Boss won’t be going anywhere."

Hearing his reply, Ruan Mianmian finally relaxed. As long as Jiang Ce stayed, there was hope.

With her plan forming, she looked at A’Kuan and whispered, "Keep an eye on your boss for me. If anything happens, tell me right away."

"Keep an eye on the boss?"

A’Kuan was surprised, but his eyes lit up.

Could it be that Miss Ruan had finally come around and was ready to pursue the boss?

Thinking this, he nodded enthusiastically. "Alright! Don’t worry, Miss Ruan."

"This will be our little secret—don’t tell anyone," she added.

A’Kuan nodded fervently, "Understood!"

For the sake of the boss’s future, A’Kuan was more than willing.

But what Ruan Mianmian didn’t realize was that if Jiang Ce installed cameras in the car whenever she left, how could he not have one outside her room?

At that moment, Jiang Ce was alone in his own room, quietly watching the images on the monitor.

Ruan Mianmian stood by the doorframe, her face full of pride and delight, like a mischievous child who’d just stolen a piece of candy—so satisfied and happy.

Jiang Ce’s gaze dropped to his abdomen, where the bandages still remained. The memory of Ruan Mianmian’s touch sent a tremor through his heart.

"Ruan Mianmian, what is it you really want? When I decided to sever all ties with you, you refused to let go. What does that make us?"

He stared silently at her lively, smiling face on the screen, lost in thought, as if wandering into a maze from which there was no escape.