"Hey! What's the meaning of this?!" Jerry shouted at their retreating backs. "Making such a big scene, stopping us on the mountain, and escorting us here just to delete the stuff on our phones?!"
The leading man didn't even pause, acting as if he hadn't heard a thing.
Although they didn't know why Jiang Cheng was letting them off so easily,
this outcome was a welcome sight for these subordinates.
The main reason was that Jerry and his group weren't ordinary people; if things escalated, the trouble would fall on the ones carrying out the orders.
Seeing the leader really leave with his men, Jerry sneered.
He turned to his teammates, his tone full of disdain and sudden realization.
"I get it! They're scared! They're afraid we'll post the video of them losing miserably in the drag race and make China lose face! They think it's embarrassing, right? How hilarious! Going to all that trouble just for this little thing?"
The tense atmosphere instantly dissolved.
Beside him, Sally let out a long sigh of relief. "I thought we'd have to involve the consulate today. I didn't expect them to let us go so easily."
"Let us go?" Jerry snorted, feeling like he'd been played and becoming even more annoyed. "They didn't dare! Jiang Cheng? Hmph, he's just some Second-generation rich kid with a bit of money, acting tough because of some local connections. If they really arrested us, could he handle the consequences? He's just a paper tiger!"
The more he spoke, the more he felt he had guessed the truth.
He then indignantly took out his recently wiped phone and immediately dialed his father's number.
"Dad! We're out!" His tone was full of boastful pride. "They didn't dare do anything to us! They just deleted the videos we took and let us go before we even entered the door! I knew they couldn't afford to mess with us!"
On the other end of the phone, his father also breathed a sigh of relief, his tone returning to its usual arrogance. "It's good that you're safe. Remember, no one can make our family suffer a loss."
"Don't worry! That Jiang Cheng, I'll definitely make him pay!" Jerry vowed wildly into the phone, as if victory were in sight.
Jerry hung up, feeling like he had regained the upper hand.
The fear and confusion from moments ago were completely replaced by a twisted sense of victory.
However, he would never have imagined that this seemingly anti-climactic release
stemmed solely from Jiang Cheng's idea of letting out a long line to catch a big fish.
At this moment, every arrogant shout and every communication with his father was like a vibration on a pre-set spider web, recorded in real-time and transmitted back to that encrypted channel.
[Security Team Encrypted Channel]
Tianji: "The 'fish' has been released and is emotionally stable, convinced that we released them out of 'fear.' The monitoring link has been established, and evidence of all his family's illegal activities in China is being collected and linked."
---
The sound of water in the bathroom had just stopped when Jiang Churan walked out, carrying a mist of steam and the fresh scent of shower gel.
She had changed into a soft silk nightgown.
Her long, beautiful legs were crossed as she stood before him.
From the lace gaps at her waist, it was evident she didn't have a single bit of extra fat.
Based on Jiang Cheng's experience, it was obvious that Jiang Churan was wearing nothing under her nightgown.
Her hair was half-dry and draped over her shoulders, her cheeks slightly flushed from the steam.
If this were any other time, Jiang Cheng would have already pulled her over for a thorough inspection.
Seeing Jiang Cheng still leaning back on the single-seater sofa, scrolling through his phone,
and noting that even when he looked up, his gaze had remained very calm as it lingered on her, Jiang Churan frowned.
Standing there, her fingers unconsciously twisted the sash of her nightgown, caught in a dilemma.
She really didn't understand; didn't Jiang Cheng like her?
He had bought this house for tens of millions without even blinking.
No, it couldn't be like this.
A surge of inexplicable courage drove her.
After biting her lower lip, she began to take a step forward.
She walked straight to the single-seater sofa where Jiang Cheng was sitting.
Under Jiang Cheng's seemingly surprised gaze, she didn't hesitate for a moment and sat sideways in his lap.
One hand pressed lightly against his chest, feeling his body heat and strong heartbeat through his shirt.
Seeing her finally take the initiative, Jiang Cheng didn't push her away.
But he didn't make any further move either; he just put down his phone and looked at her expectantly, as if waiting for her next step.
Jiang Churan looked up, her voice carrying the soft warmth and moisture of her recent bath, her eyes filled with cautious inquiry.
"Jiang Cheng, are you... mad at me? Or... was the matter you handled just now very troublesome, putting you in a bad mood?"
Instead of hugging her as usual, he used his fingertips to gently brush a strand of damp hair away from her cheek, his movement carrying a sense of scrutiny.
"Troublesome?" Jiang Cheng chuckled, his tone as casual as if he were talking about the weather. "What trouble could there be? Just some insignificant people. Once they're dealt with, it's over."
Hearing this, Jiang Churan leaned gently against his chest, her fingertips unconsciously twirling a button on his shirt.
The fresh scent of her bath lingered between them. She lowered her eyes, her voice as light as a feather: "I saw you weren't speaking earlier... did I make you wait too long?"
As she spoke, she shifted her body slightly, and the neckline of her silk nightgown inadvertently brushed against Jiang Cheng's chest.
Feeling Jiang Cheng's body stiffen, Jiang Churan quickly turned her face away, pretending to look at the night view outside the window.
The floor-to-ceiling window reflected their figures snuggled together.
"I bought this nightgown last week," she said suddenly in a low voice, her fingers lightly tugging at his lapel. "The shop assistant said this color really complements my skin tone. What do you think?..."