The Billionaire's Reluctant Fox

Early August nights were the most sweltering. Not quite as scorching and restless as the daytime, but in City T, the vibrant nightlife of this blazing summer was only just beginning. Inside Blues Bar, the air conditioning hummed cool and comfortable. Mellow music wrapped around patrons, offering a rare, easy relaxation. The interior was finished in black marble veined with gilded glaze, lined with open private booths curtained off by loops of deep purple beaded drapes. Each booth offered partial privacy, yet still allowed clear enough views of neighboring tables. The central booth had drawn nearly half the bar’s crowd. At the eye of the bustle, a young girl in a black t-shirt and tiny denim shorts slammed a massive beer mug down on the table. Her dark eyes, visible beneath the rim of glass that dwarfed her slender wrist, shone so bright they seemed to outglow every light in the bar. She looked barely out of her teens, but her loose wavy perm and a pair of flashy gold hoop earrings lent her a maturity beyond her years. Her makeup was thick, caked on like plaster over what should have been a delicate, fresh face. Yet it could not hide the soft, fine-boned beauty of her features. With that blazing, almost incandescent smile, she was impossible to look away from. Her beer-moistened lips glowed like peach lip gloss, playful and utterly captivating. And all of it was observed by a pair of calm, unreadable eyes. Cheers erupted around them. Yu Fei tossed her head, a smug glint in her eyes, and yelled at the glassy-eyed man across the table. “Pay up! Three thousand yuan, like we agreed!” Three thousand for one beer was daylight robbery, but no one dared take the bet. Chugging a mug that size in one go could land someone in the hospital. The man was clearly drunk, but pride flushed his face red. He slammed a thick stack of hundred-yuan bills onto the table. “I don’t buy it. Let’s see just how much you can drink, little girl.” At the sight of the money, Yu Fei and Lin Xi beside her exchanged a sly glance. Their eyes lit up like they’d struck gold. Lin Xi gave a small nod and turned at once to fetch more drinks. Yu Fei tilted her head, feigning confusion as she nodded at the cash. “What’s all this for…?” She meant: was this for one round, or multiple? One lump sum would be best. Going round after round with this coward was boring. Far better to take him down in one go, grab the cash, and bolt. “Fifteen thousand here. Chug three mugs in a row, and it’s all yours—plus the three thousand from before.” The man glowered at her, his eyes bloodshot. Red with rage, that is—not tears. Losing a drinking contest to a girl was humiliating. His terms were clear: he wasn’t drinking. He was just going to sit back and watch her drink herself under the table. Hmph. She thought she could walk away with over ten thousand easy? Think again. Three mugs chugged back to back would make anyone sick—even if it was just water. Yu Fei just shrugged, like three full mugs of beer were nothing more than a light snack. “I’m taking that money tonight. But don’t go thinking you’re my grandpa for it.” She winked cheekily, grinning. “He’s been dead for years.” … In a booth not far away, two men rose to their feet. Their sharp, exquisitely tailored suits marked them as men of unmistakable status. Yu Shaoting tore his mesmerizing almond eyes away from the scene and smirked. “She can hold her liquor, that’s for sure.” A seasoned drinker himself, he naturally appreciated anyone with a high tolerance. Still, he never challenged women to drinking contests. Word would get around, and people would say Yu Shaoting bullied women. Jiang Yicheng picked up the Knight XV key fob from the table. A flicker of cold amusement crossed his deep eyes as he recalled a tiny, nearly imperceptible movement from the girl moments ago. “It’s nothing but a cheap trick.” Once outside the bar, Yu Shaoting and Jiang Yicheng walked side by side toward the nearby underground parking garage. “You rarely make the trip from City Z. Stay a few more days before you go.” Yu Shaoting glanced over at him, as if something had just occurred to him. “By the way, how’s that relative of yours you mentioned? The one who’s sick?” “Not good.” Jiang Yicheng’s brow furrowed faintly at the memory of the doctor’s call. His voice was low and heavy. This man—with eyes like a dark, lightless valley and sharp, handsome features—spoke with a calm, steady timbre, rich as aged rice wine, deep as a cello’s low melody. Night draped over him, dappling his tall frame with the glow of street neon and lending him a quiet, brooding magnetism. At last, his long, knuckled fingers twisted the car key once more. “And you? When do you plan to go back to City Z? Found that little girl from back then yet?” “Not until the restaurant chain here is running smoothly.” Yu Shaoting answered offhandedly, bored, but a faint frown tugged at his brow. “How would I find her? City T isn’t huge, but I don’t know her name or where she lives. Tracking down one person is nearly impossible. It’s been so many years. Who knows where she is now?” They were still talking when a roar split the air behind them. “Stop right there!” The shout was rough, thick with rage and urgency. It obviously wasn’t meant for them. But as the clatter of running footsteps drew near, Jiang Yicheng turned just in time for a small, runaway force to slam straight into his chest. His arm shot out on instinct, catching her narrow shoulders—barely wider than the span of his two hands. His cool, composed expression never shifted, but he recognized her at once: the little drinker Yu Shaoting had been admiring in the bar. Jiang Yicheng lifted his gaze. The men chasing her were led by none other than the drunk from the drinking contest. “That little con artist! Grab her!” The man and his two bodyguard types were only meters away. There was no time to run. Stupid, she’d been looking over her shoulder the whole time and hadn’t seen the man in front of her. If she hadn’t crashed into him, she’d already be gone. Yu Fei’s small hands fisted the back of Jiang Yicheng’s suit jacket. She ducked behind him, eyes sharp, and wailed at the top of her lungs. “Husband! There you are—these men are bullying me!” The men froze mid-step. Even Yu Shaoting whipped his head around, staring at her in stunned disbelief. H-husband? Yu Fei didn’t care. She clung to Jiang Yicheng like he was her only lifeline. So what if he didn’t know her? She’d use him as a shield and catch her breath first. She was exhausted. Those oafs were faster than they looked. She’d almost been caught. “Hmph. Not even the gods can save you now! You swindled me by swapping beer for tea! You like tea so much? Let’s see how you like it in a police cell!” “Who swindled you? Who even are you? I’ve never seen you before in my life!” Yu Fei poked her head out from behind Jiang Yicheng and rolled her eyes. She’d seen people lie through their teeth before, but never with such unblinking audacity. “Still lying? I’ll beat the money out of you if I have to!” The gold-chain-wearing man rolled up his sleeves and lunged forward. Yu Shaoting’s eyes turned icy. “Who dares lay a hand on her?” The man froze. He’d been too furious to notice before, but now he narrowed his eyes and took a good look—and his blood turned to ice. His face crumpled into a grotesque, apologetic smile. “M-Mr. Yu! I didn’t recognize you! How blind of me! I’m so sorry—truly sorry!” Everyone who knew Splendid Universe—the City Z conglomerate spanning five-star hotels, catering, and leisure tourism—knew Yu Shaoting: its general manager, and the only son of the Yu Group’s CEO. His family’s immense wealth aside, his striking face was impossible to miss anywhere he went. He’d been too stupid to recognize him at first glance. He’d almost picked a fight with the wrong man. As for the man beside Yu Shaoting—he didn’t know who he was, but the cold, imposing aura rolling off him was enough to make anyone’s heart skip a beat. He was clearly not someone to cross. “Since you’re stepping in, Mr. Yu, consider it forgotten. All forgotten… Maybe I could treat you to dinner sometime, as my apology.” The man bowed and scraped obsequiously. Losing ten thousand was nothing compared to losing his right to do business in City T. Yu Shaoting snorted inwardly. So that was the “cheap trick” Jiang Yicheng had mentioned. Tsk. A little con artist, indeed. Swindling money and drinks alike. He hadn’t spotted it—how had Jiang Yicheng? The man was ready to back down, but Yu Fei wasn’t done. “Forgotten? Hmph. What about the slap you gave me? You think that just goes away?” Jiang Yicheng raised an eyebrow at the brazen little liar. If he remembered right, she’d just claimed she didn’t know this man at all. The man panicked. “I never slapped you! I slapped your friend! You can’t just go around saying things like that!” Yu Fei’s eyes flashed. She pointed a finger at him, hiding safely behind Jiang Yicheng’s authority. “Still arguing? Slapping my friend is the same as slapping me!” Then she marched around to stand in front of Jiang Yicheng, apparently forgetting she’d been the one in trouble mere seconds ago. She poked his chest. “Hey, mister. What’s your problem? Your wife’s getting bullied and you just stand there saying nothing? Some man you are.” Yu Shaoting nearly choked. At the same time, he felt a twinge of pity for her. She’d just called Jiang Yicheng less than a man… Yeah, there was no saving her now. Jiang Yicheng gave her a calm, assessing look, his deep gaze drifting to her other hand, still fisted in his ink-blue suit jacket. For some reason, that stare made Yu Fei’s confidence shrivel. She slowly let go of the crumpled fabric… and rubbed her hands together awkwardly. Heh. Heh heh. Okay, so maybe she’d gone a little too far… Fine. She was already mentally mapping her escape route. No point waiting for him to throw her off and deny knowing her. Better to make a run for it first. Then his thin, sharp lips moved. “If you’re my wife, you ought to bear the mark of the Jiang family of Hengjiu. To keep impostors at bay. And to keep people who don’t know any better from bullying you.” What? Yu Fei blinked, too stunned to process it, before an arm coiled tight around her waist. She stumbled, her hands flying to his chest on instinct, and looked up just in time to see his face dip down—his lips meeting hers. At the words “Hengjiu Jiang family,” the man’s legs nearly gave out. Even if he’d been too ignorant to recognize the quiet, reserved man before him as Jiang Yicheng, chairman of the Jiang Group, he knew Hengjiu. It controlled eighty percent of the domestic diamond supply—mining, processing, sales. Every diamond on the market passed through their hands. They set the prices, the trends, the entire market. A monopoly like that was power beyond measure. Yu Shaoting’s eyes widened in shock. He knew Jiang Yicheng. The man never initiated physical contact with women, never mind… Today was full of surprises. As the man babbled frantic apologies, Jiang Yicheng held Yu Fei firmly against him—her face burning bright red—and spoke in a lazy, cold drawl. “A slap to anyone else would be one thing. But a slap to my wife…” Damn it! That was her first kiss! That bastard! Yu Fei seethed, wanting to wipe her mouth and slap him across the face. But she knew better. She still needed him. She’d dug herself into this hole, and now she had to play along. Jiang Yicheng was intimidating enough in silence. Now a cold, sharp glint had entered his eyes, and the man nearly burst into tears. He got the message at once, and began slapping himself hard across both cheeks, sobbing apologies. “I’m sorry, miss! I was wrong! Please forgive me! I’ll never do it again!” He had no idea what the girl was to Jiang Yicheng, but it was clear the man was protecting her. He’d drawn the worst luck of his life. All he wanted was to get out of there alive. The constant groveling and pathetic look on his face almost made Yu Fei snort with laughter. Jiang Yicheng showed no sign of telling him to stop—he was waiting for her to be satisfied. Yu Fei planted her hands on her hips, smug as could be, and waved a hand. “Enough! I’m in a good mood today, so I’ll let it slide. Next time you see me, cross the street.” The man scurried off with his bodyguards, tail between his legs. Yu Fei turned to Jiang Yicheng, eyes bright and perky. “Thanks for saving me back there, mister! As a thank-you, I’ve got a gift for you!” The word “mister” left Jiang Yicheng’s face impassive. Yu Shaoting, on the other hand, nearly choked. Since when was Jiang Yicheng this patient with anyone? It turned out he’d been naive to think she’d actually thank him. Instead, she lifted her foot and stamped down hard on Jiang Yicheng’s limited-edition leather shoe. She stuck her tongue out at him, crossed her eyes in a silly face, and bolted like a rabbit. “That’s for the ‘mark’ you gave me!” Repaying kindness with malice? Hmph. What kindness? If she’d known “verification” came with a kiss, she never would’ve asked for his help. Ugh. She’d lost way more than she’d gained. Yu Fei strutted away, feeling triumphant. A rainshower that evening had left puddles scattered across the pavement. The path she was on dipped low, and the water there was shallow but deep enough to cover the top of a finger. Someone had thoughtfully laid square bricks across the puddle as stepping stones. Yu Fei hopped carefully from one to the next, trying not to get her shoes dirty—when a car came roaring up behind her, not slowing down even a little, and sped right past. Splat! Dirty water sprayed up like rain, drenching her from head to toe. She was soaked all over, like she’d jumped in a lake. Yu Fei stood frozen for a long moment. By the time she snapped out of it, the huge black SUV was already gone into the night. She clenched her fists and screamed. “Watch where you’re driving, you i***t! I hope you crash!” What a jerk! He saw a gorgeous girl struggling to cross a puddle and didn’t even offer a ride? No, he just sped past and splashed her! Did he have no morals at all? Soaked as she was, Yu Fei’s first thought wasn’t her clothes—it was the money in her bag. All the cash she’d won tonight, right there in her backpack. Hehe… her hard-earned winnings from the whole night. She patted her backpack with a satisfied smile… then froze. It felt weirdly light. A cold dread coiled in her stomach. She fumbled it open—and the money was gone. Her money. It had vanished. Had she dropped it while running? It was a thick stack, wrapped in a black plastic bag. How could she not have felt it fall? Had it fallen when those men were chasing her? Or when she’d run into the two men? Either way, there was no point going back to look. Someone would’ve picked it up by now. Yu Fei’s face darkened like thunder. She dug her buzzing phone out of her bag, and the caller ID made her heart skip a beat. “Yu Fei, where are you? It’s Madam… you need to come home, now!” It felt like a whip had cracked across her heart. For a long moment she couldn’t speak. Then, over Su Yanyan’s frantic “hello? hello?”, she answered in a rough, tight voice. “I’m on my way.” When Yu Fei reached her building, she paid the taxi fare and raced for the stairs. The elevator had just left. Her heart hammering in her chest, she took the stairs, sprinting all the way up to the eighth floor. She stumbled to the door, gasping for breath. The maid, Su Yanyan, opened it. Her eyes were red and puffy, and Yu Fei’s breath caught in her throat. The bold, heavily made-up girl from the bar was gone. In her place stood a girl in a simple pale blue bow blouse and jeans, her bare face soft and youthful, fresh as a lotus after rain. Her wavy hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail. “Xiao Fei…” The woman on the bed looked up. Instead of her usual pale, listless self, her eyes held a faint glow, and she smiled—like she was feeling better. But the better she looked, the more terrified Yu Fei became. She’d heard of it before—the final rally before death. Some people, at the very end, suddenly seemed to recover, full of energy. Especially now: Aunt Li, who’d been too sick to care for herself for so long, had her hair combed and wore a new dress Yu Fei had never seen. Every step Yu Fei took felt like a needle piercing her heart. Aunt Li wasn’t her birth mother. Her real mother had died when Yu Fei was very small. Aunt Li was her stepmother, but she’d loved Yu Fei like her own daughter. After Yu Fei’s father died in a car accident two years ago, Aunt Li had become her only family in the whole world.