Chapter Twenty: I Belong to Him

Between them lay a tranquil street, bathed in golden sunlight. Ruan Mianmian stood quietly, offering Jiang Ce a gentle smile, her gaze sweet as honey. Jian Yanzhi glanced back at Jiang Ce, his eyes tinged with confusion. The man before him seemed unfamiliar, yet his presence sent a subtle jolt through Jian Yanzhi’s heart. What puzzled him even more was Ruan Mianmian—her look at the man brought a sudden sense of crisis, as if something that belonged to him was being taken away.

He didn’t understand what it meant, only that it felt like losing something that was his by right.

Ruan Mianmian lightly licked her lips before shifting her gaze back to Jian Yanzhi. She smiled and said, “I belong to him.”

His?

Jian Yanzhi’s expression darkened completely. He looked past Ruan Mianmian toward Jiang Ce, who stood not far behind. Despite Jiang Ce’s refined air, Jian Yanzhi was the heir to Hanhai Group; in Jiang City, no one could outshine him. With this thought, Jian Yanzhi’s sense of superiority reached its peak.

He lowered his eyes, let out a cold laugh, and said to Ruan Mianmian, “He’s nothing special.”

With that, Jian Yanzhi strode into the café. Ruan Mianmian hesitated not at all; she cast a fleeting glance back at Jiang Ce, then followed Jian Yanzhi inside.

Song Chenxi’s face was less than pleasant, but she held her composure, standing silently at Jian Yanzhi’s side.

When Ruan Mianmian returned, Jian Yanzhi had already snatched the share transfer contract from the table.

Zhou Ming, who had been quiet until now, stood up and asked, “Young Master Jian, what do you mean by this?”

“None of your business,” Jian Yanzhi replied coldly, shooting Zhou Ming a disdainful glance. Holding the contract, he turned to Ruan Mianmian and said, “No matter what price Chenxing Group offers, I’ll double it for you. Tomorrow, I’ll send someone to sign the contract with you.”

As his words fell, Jian Yanzhi, without the slightest regard for decorum, tore the contract to pieces right before Ruan Mianmian’s eyes, scattering the fragments on the floor.

Ruan Mianmian looked at the shredded paper, feeling an urge to laugh. She raised her eyes to Jian Yanzhi, her gaze hardly friendly.

“Jian Yanzhi, what makes you think I’ll still listen to you?”

Jian Yanzhi grew impatient. He stepped forward, leaned close to Ruan Mianmian’s ear, and said in a low voice, “Ruan Mianmian, stop playing games. I admit what you’re doing now has caught my attention, but you know I never fall for this. So don’t push me any further.”

To outsiders, their posture seemed intimate, almost suggestive of closeness.

Song Chenxi’s face changed. She stepped forward, her eyes suddenly sharp, but in the end she only shot a cold glare, saying nothing.

A-Kuan, however, was clearly angry. Knowing his boss was just outside, he worried what would happen if this scene was witnessed. Would his boss be able to stomach it?

Ruan Mianmian’s expression turned mocking as Jian Yanzhi finished speaking. So this was what he’d always thought.

“Rest assured,” Ruan Mianmian said, stepping back to put distance between herself and Jian Yanzhi. She smiled, “What you’re worried about will never happen again. But let me tell you, the shares will not be returned. This is the price you have to pay.”

No matter what, the original owner of this body had, in some sense, lost her life—not that she didn’t bring it upon herself, but Jian Yanzhi had been cruel. So these shares, whatever the circumstances, would not simply be tossed back to Hanhai Group as if nothing had happened.

Jian Yanzhi’s face became even more complex after Ruan Mianmian spoke, but Song Chenxi stepped forward and asked, “Mianmian, what do you mean by this? What price must Yanzhi pay?”

Her face brimmed with sarcasm as she retorted, “Does not loving you mean he must pay a price? Aren’t you a bit too self-absorbed?”

Jian Yanzhi glanced at Song Chenxi, his eyes showing impatience, but in the end he said nothing, instead looking at Ruan Mianmian.

Unexpectedly, Ruan Mianmian merely replied, “The past is over. From now on, there will be nothing more between us.”

She then turned to Zhou Ming and smiled, “Manager Zhou, today was rather unfortunate, making you witness such a farce. But since I promised your company, I won’t go back on my word. Let’s arrange another time to sign the contract.”

Zhou Ming smiled in return, standing up and replying, “Miss Ruan, you’re too polite. You know Chenxing’s sincerity, so there’s no harm in waiting another day or two. We’ll arrange another time.”

After their discussion, Zhou Ming and his assistant quietly left the café. As they stepped outside, Zhou Ming deliberately glanced at Jiang Ce and nodded slightly, a silent greeting.

Ruan Mianmian found it curious—she hadn’t expected Jiang Ce to know Zhou Ming.

Once Zhou Ming had left, the café felt emptier, though the air seemed to thicken. Ruan Mianmian glanced at Jian Yanzhi and Song Chenxi.

“In that case, I won’t intrude on Mr. Jian and Miss Song’s enjoyment. We’ll take our leave.”

Jian Yanzhi’s lips pressed tightly together, his eyes fixed on Ruan Mianmian, his expression growing ever more unpleasant.

Ruan Mianmian paid no mind, took A-Kuan with her, and left without hesitation.

“Your boss probably hasn’t eaten yet, right? Let’s wring him for a big meal!” Ruan Mianmian whispered mischievously to A-Kuan as they walked, only to find, once outside, not even a shadow of Jiang Ce remained.

“Damn! Your boss has no sense of loyalty, just leaving us behind!” Ruan Mianmian searched for Jiang Ce’s figure, muttering complaints.

A-Kuan wore a sheepish look, thinking: After you got so close to Jian Yanzhi, how could the boss not be angry? If he didn’t leave, what was he supposed to do—stand there and watch?

But A-Kuan kept these thoughts to himself. He would never dare voice them aloud.

Ruan Mianmian didn’t linger. They had driven here, after all, and now Jiang Ce’s Land Rover was her exclusive vehicle.

On the way back, Ruan Mianmian was still fuming over Jiang Ce slipping away on his own. She’d hoped for a romantic date, which now was ruined.

“A-Kuan, let me ask you something,” Ruan Mianmian said from the back seat, bored.

“What is it?”

Ruan Mianmian straightened up, thinking aloud, “What does Jiang Ce like to eat? Or is there something he enjoys in general?”