Chapter 147: I Am Not at a Loss

Bound by her engagement to Jiang Yu, Xu An’an had no choice but to head to the Xu family estate. She took a taxi, but the traffic was so congested with the arrival of numerous guests that the vehicle ground to a halt.

Since she was only a short distance away, Xu An’an decided to get out early. Walking along the sidewalk, she watched the line of luxury cars stuck in the gridlock and suddenly felt that walking wasn't so bad after all. A gentle, refreshing breeze blew against her, feeling wonderful. While stretching her limbs, she missed seeing a certain car pass by and continued on her way.

To avoid bumping into guests at the main entrance, Xu An’an specifically detoured to the back gate. To her surprise, she stumbled upon an unexpected discovery: she overheard Xu Wanwan plotting with someone on how to ruin her reputation in front of everyone later that evening.

"The USB drive I gave you contains some explosive footage. It’s enough to completely destroy Xu An’an!"

"When the time comes, I want to see how she’ll manage to keep her secret affair with the Second Master hidden!"

Xu Wanwan spoke through gritted teeth, her voice dripping with envy, jealousy, and resentment. The man beside her remained expressionless as he took the USB drive. Relying on the dim light, Xu An’an managed to get a vague look at the man’s features; she knew she would have to find a way to retrieve that drive. The contents, whatever they were, could not be made public.

As the two parted ways and walked off, Xu An’an moved to push open the side gate, only to find that it was locked—despite having been left open for years. Knowing she had urgent business to attend to and no time to circle back to the front, she hesitated.

"Climb the wall."

A voice sounded from behind her. Xu An’an jumped, and upon turning around, she saw Jiang Li leaning lazily against the wall, arching an eyebrow at her. "Why are you like a rabbit? So easily startled."

Xu An’an glared at him, but this was no time for banter. She took a step back to gauge the height of the wall.

"Wait." Jiang Li took off his suit jacket, tossed it to her, and with a display of agility, climbed to the top of the wall in a few swift motions. He leaned down slightly and reached out a hand toward her. The stray locks of hair across his forehead softened his sharp features, and the moonlight cast a gentle glow over him.

Xu An’an stared, momentarily dazed, before foolishly reaching out to take his hand. To Jiang Li, her weight was nothing; he pulled her up with a single hand, settling her securely in his arms. He flashed a rogue grin and whispered, "Hold on tight."

Glancing down at the two-meter drop, Xu An’an instinctively wrapped her arms around him.

"I'm jumping now," Jiang Li said, adjusting his stance.

Xu An’an nodded like a chick pecking at grain and buried her face in his chest. She felt the sudden sensation of plummeting, the wind rushing past her ears. It was a brief, dizzying moment of weightlessness.

Jiang Li landed firmly on the ground, still holding her, and set her down. "How was that? Not bad, right?"

Xu An’an steadied herself against his arm and returned his jacket. "I don't have time to talk right now."

Just as she turned to leave, Jiang Li grabbed her arm. With a gentle push, he pinned her against the wall, his arms braced on either side of her head, trapping her between himself and the brickwork.

"Afraid our relationship will be exposed?"

Recalling that Jiang Li had heard Xu Wanwan’s plan, Xu An’an remained calm. "And so? Does the Second Master intend to go public with our secret affair?" She suddenly draped her arms around his neck. "If you don't mind, then I certainly don't. After all, being your mistress isn't a bad deal for me." She added with a smirk, "As long as you've figured out how to explain it to the elders."

Seeing her seductive expression, Jiang Li let his hand slide to her waist, kneading it with a firm, lingering touch. He leaned close to her ear, smiling wickedly.

"If that’s the case, let’s not waste time joining the crowd. Why don’t we do something more enjoyable right now?" He whispered, "It’s been days since we’ve been together."

His warm breath against her ear sent a shiver down her spine. Xu An’an pulled back slightly. "Second Master, are you serious?"

Before she could finish, she was pulled into his embrace. He used his long, slender fingers to tilt her chin up, stroking it affectionately. "Answer me one question first: do you like me?"

The directness of the question struck her heart. Her eyes widened, and for a moment, she didn't know what he was playing at. Seeing her stunned silence, Jiang Li felt a flicker of frustration, but he decided to collect a little interest instead. Closing his eyes, he leaned in and kissed her.

The moment their lips met, Xu An’an regained her senses and closed her eyes, her small hands nervously clutching his lapels. As she melted into his arms, breathless and dizzy, she thought: if the truth really comes out, then so be it. After all, Jiang Li wasn't the one trying to stop it.

With that thought, she let go of her reservations and reached out to undo his belt.

Inside the bustling banquet hall, Xu Fengnian wore a polite smile, but he was frantic on the inside. He couldn't find Xu An’an anywhere. How was he supposed to answer to the Grand Matriarch?

*That wretched girl! I must have owed her in a past life!*

Shen Ying didn't want Xu An’an to gain the Grand Matriarch’s favor either, but if they offended the old woman, they wouldn't be able to escape the consequences. She was just as anxious, but every time she called Xu An’an, the girl wouldn't pick up.

Even Xu Wanwan was growing impatient; if the star of the show didn't appear, the plan wouldn't be as fun. "Dad, Xu An’an is being far too arrogant. It’s your birthday tonight, and she actually dares not to show up." She glanced toward the VIP seating. "Elder Jiang and the Grand Matriarch are both here. Does she think she’s more important than them?"

Shen Ying hurried to pull Xu Wanwan back, signaling her to lower her voice.

Not far away, Elder Jiang and the Grand Matriarch were also feeling puzzled. Jiang Li had promised to come, so why was he nowhere to be seen?

Jiang Yu scanned the room and suddenly spotted them. He looked for only a split second before hurriedly looking away. "Grandfather, Uncle is here."

Hearing this, Elder Jiang looked over and saw Jiang Li appearing with his usual poise and elegance. However, he frowned slightly—where was his suit jacket?

The Grand Matriarch smiled warmly. "Ah Li, you’re here. Come over to Grandma. Why aren't you wearing a jacket? What if you catch a cold?"

"It's fine, I'm not cold," Jiang Li said, offering a sudden, sharp smile at Jiang Yu.

Jiang Yu shuddered, feeling a chill run down his spine. Why was he smiling at him like that? He had a sinking feeling that disaster was about to strike.

Ning Shiyue, standing nearby, stepped away from Jiang Yu in distaste, as if trying to distance herself from him. She truly couldn't stand such a cowardly man. *What is there to be afraid of? It’s utterly embarrassing!*

The Grand Matriarch patted Jiang Li’s hand and said with a chuckle, "Go find the eldest daughter of the Xu family and bring her over. I want to have a word with her."

Jiang Yu froze. The seated Mother Jiang was equally stunned. Why would she ask Jiang Li to get her? Whose fiancée was Xu An’an, anyway?