Chapter 32: Are You Actually Feeling Shy Around Me?

Seeing that Jiang Li was about to be ambushed, Xu An’an, anxious and unable to care about the injury on her foot, lunged toward him, wanting to push him aside. But as it turned out, Jiang Li was not someone she could move so easily. Instead, he rolled over, wrapped his arms around her, and they tumbled together across the sand.

Jiang Li’s large hand protected the back of Xu An’an’s head, but he ended up looking rather battered himself, with scrapes on his forehead and cheeks, tiny beads of blood seeping through. Once he confirmed that Xu An’an was unharmed, Jiang Li was still furious. He pinched her cheek hard.

"Throwing yourself in harm’s way is very heroic, hmm?" he said coldly. "I’ll deal with you later."

After settling Xu An’an safely, Jiang Li spun around with sudden force and charged at their attackers—landing a brutal kick, then flipping one over his shoulder. In that moment, he seemed possessed by a war god: whoever stood before him fell, no matter who they were. In the blink of an eye, all three men were groaning on the ground, thoroughly beaten.

Jiang Li was nearly spent himself. He staggered, almost collapsing, and it was Xu An’an who caught him—though she couldn’t support his full weight. The two of them tumbled together onto the soft sand.

Pinned beneath him, Xu An’an struggled for breath. Yet thinking of how Jiang Li had been hurt protecting her, she let him lie there to recover, since it wasn’t the first time she’d found herself under him.

"Fool," was all Jiang Li said, before pushing himself off to lie on his side. He pulled out his phone, calling someone to deal with the aftermath.

Help arrived quickly; the three attackers were soon tied up. Jiang Li’s assistant came over to steady him. "Second Master, are you all right? The ambulance will be here any moment."

Xu An’an sat up, her expression clouded with worry. "Are you okay?"

"What do you think?" Jiang Li replied, his tongue pressing against the sore inside his cheek. He hadn’t managed to dodge that punch. If he hadn’t been distracted protecting Xu An’an, he would never have ended up so disheveled.

Xu An’an knew this too, and guilt gnawed at her. She hopped closer, balancing on one foot and leaning on the railing. "Let me come with you to the hospital."

"If you don’t get your foot treated, you can forget about it," Jiang Li snorted. He reached out, circled her slender waist, and with a gentle yet firm pull, lifted Xu An’an onto the steps so she didn’t have to stand on one leg.

Xu An’an was quietly amazed. She stared at his muscular biceps, her eyes bright with admiration. "You still have so much strength."

She had worked part-time at a boxing gym before and seen several matches. None of those fighters could compare to Jiang Li. They were down in a matter of seconds—there was nothing worth watching. If Jiang Li ever entered the ring, he would surely take first place, remain champion, perhaps even become unbeatable.

Lost in her thoughts, Xu An’an was startled when Jiang Li’s handsome face suddenly leaned closer, his refined features filling her vision. His tall figure cast a shadow over her, enveloping her completely. His dark, fathomless eyes fixed on her, and he grinned with a lazy, teasing intimacy. "What’s wrong? Have you already forgotten, after just a few days, how you always beg for mercy by morning? Still not sure of my strength? Should I help you remember later?"

His assistant, tactful as always, discreetly moved away.

Xu An’an glared at Jiang Li, cheeks flushing with embarrassment. She ignored his teasing, fetched the first-aid kit, and started to treat the wounds on his face. Only then did she notice how Jiang Li, with his hair tousled and his face marked by fresh injuries, possessed a strange kind of allure—like the "battle-damaged" look favored by male celebrities, except theirs was painted on and somewhat fake. Jiang Li’s was real, which only made him more masculine. His eyes shimmered with seductive light, and his brows carried a hint of unruly indifference.

Xu An’an couldn’t help but steal a few more glances.

"Can you close your eyes?" she asked.

Being stared at so openly, Xu An’an’s cheeks grew visibly red, and she almost lost her grip on the cotton swab.

Jiang Li raised an eyebrow and pinched her chin. "Are you actually shy around me?"

"Seems you don’t need my help with your wounds. Fine, let your assistant handle it," Xu An’an retorted, turning her head away.

"Continue," Jiang Li commanded, closing his eyes.

Xu An’an’s lips curled in a small, triumphant smile. Serves you right.

The sting of disinfectant made Jiang Li frown—not from pain, but from dislike of the sharp smell, so reminiscent of hospitals.

Xu An’an disliked it as well; it reminded her of her mother, tormented by illness in a hospital bed.

She had just finished treating Jiang Li’s wounds when the ambulance arrived. Jiang Li insisted Xu An’an get in first, as if he feared she might run off. Xu An’an didn’t hesitate, and once inside, let the nurse tend to the injury on her foot. Jiang Li sat to the side.

The disinfectant burned as it was applied, making Xu An’an gasp, tears welling in her eyes, the corners reddening with pain. The nurse frowned. "This is normal. Just bear with it."

"What did you say?" came a voice as cold as frost.

Had the nurse not been a woman, Jiang Li might not have restrained his fists. His eyes were as deep and chilling as a bottomless pool—one glance was enough to suffocate.

"Isn’t that a normal reaction?" the nurse stammered, shrinking away. Distracted, she jabbed the wound with the cotton swab, making Xu An’an grab Jiang Li’s hand, biting her lip to stifle a cry.

A single tear slipped from her eye, landing on the back of Jiang Li’s hand.

His expression grew darker. "If you can’t handle such a simple task, I’m seriously reconsidering my investment in your hospital."

The head nurse, terrified, quickly apologized and dragged the junior nurse away. There was nothing to be done—this was someone with connections. But with one phone call from Jiang Li, she could lose her job on the spot or be thrown out of the ambulance.

Jiang Li took over, tending to Xu An’an’s wounds himself. He pulled her into his arms, letting her rest against his shoulder, lowering his lashes as he focused on the task, soaking a cotton swab in disinfectant.

"If it hurts, bite me," he said.

Xu An’an’s pupils contracted. She wondered if Jiang Li was like this only with her, or with every woman.

"It already hurt just now. It’ll be better this time," he assured her.

Even so, Jiang Li was exceptionally careful. He cleaned every grain of sand from her wound, treated and bandaged it with utmost gentleness.

By the end, he was thoroughly exhausted. When they reached the hospital, Jiang Li simply let himself be carried out, while Xu An’an rode in a wheelchair.

Watching Jiang Li fall asleep in seconds, Xu An’an’s feelings were complicated. He could have lain down to rest long before this, but he held on until now. Why?

She didn’t dare think too much about it, nor attribute it to herself, for fear of seeming vain. After all, Jiang Li was someone no one could ever truly see through.