Married to the Grim Reaper Against My Will

Lao Tzu is a celestial being.

The sudden punch stunned Shi Jiancheng, but he quickly noticed that the other person seemed to be just a student as well.

He immediately felt emboldened, scrambling to his feet and yelling, "Mind your own business! It's our family's business, outsiders shouldn't interfere!"

As he spoke, Shi Jiancheng took a few steps forward, bypassing Jiang Wang, intending to grab Ji Mian.

Jiang Wang stood casually, not moving, until Shi Jiancheng approached, then he kicked him in the stomach.

The kick was swift and vicious, sending him flying several meters away, crashing to the ground.

Jiang Wang's face was expressionless as he tilted his head to look at the groaning Shi Jiancheng on the ground. "How come there are so many people in this world who deserve to be punished more than ghosts? And they're even uglier than ghosts!"

He strolled over, seemingly oblivious, stepping on Shi Jiancheng's fingers, then leisurely squatted down. "Tired? Take a rest."

Shi Jiancheng howled in pain from being stepped on. Jiang Wang took out a cigarette, turned his head to light it, and saw Shi Jiancheng's face pinned to the ground. "Really ugly."

After saying that, he raised his hand and slapped him.

Shi Jiancheng, enraged, yelled at Ji Mian, "Ji Mian, you're something else! So that's why you dared to reject me, you've hooked up with some thug! You're really something, not picky about anyone, how shameless are you?"

"f**k your mother, who are you calling names?"

Jiang Wang slapped his fat face several more times, making his mouth split open. "Ji Mian is with me, so what? What can you do? Besides farting here, what can you do to me? Watch closely, this is your last chance," he pointed at Ji Mian with the cigarette between his fingers, "This girl is mine, and from now on she's your mother! If you move, I'll break a finger."

Jiang Wang said, pressing the half-smoked cigarette against the back of Shi Jiancheng's hand, instantly burning a black hole in the skin.

Shi Jiancheng's screams echoed through the night, his eyes wide with rage as he glared at him.

"If you glare at me again, I'll gouge your eyes out, you hear me?!"

Jiang Wang stood up and kicked him viciously in the head. After several kicks, Shi Jiancheng was covered in blood and struggling to breathe.

He didn't stop, continuing to kick him expressionlessly.

Ji Mian was terrified by what had happened. Fearing Jiang Wang would act impulsively and cause trouble, she ran over and hugged him. "Jiang Wang!"

Jiang Wang stopped, took a few breaths, calmed down a little, and then turned to look at her.

Ji Mian hugged him tightly; he could feel her thin body trembling uncontrollably. Her pale face was pressed against his back, her lips tightly bitten, her eyes red-rimmed, her long eyelashes wet with tears, which continued to flow, quickly soaking his back.

Jiang Wang felt a strange sensation on his back, both warm and cold, a feeling mirrored in his heart—a mixture of unease and tenderness, a constant contradiction.

He sighed softly and reached out to wipe away her tears. "Don't cry, it's okay."

Ji Mian nodded gently, but tears continued to flow. Her soft face rubbed against his stiff back, intensifying that conflicting, unresolved feeling.

He even wanted to get angry, but didn't know who to vent his anger on.

Ignoring the strange feeling in his heart, Jiang Wang pulled her hand away and started to walk forward. But as soon as he moved, his back tightened, and he was pulled back by the hem of his clothes.

"You…"

Jiang Wang had just begun to speak when Ji Mian looked up at him, her wet eyes looking pitiful, like a stray kitten. It was as if she could see right into Jiang Wang's heart. He hesitated for a moment, then, at his wit's end, softened his voice, "Go sit over there and wait for me. I'll check if he's dead."

Ji Mian finally let go of him.

Jiang Wang led her to a bench under a streetlamp, stood up, and ruffled her hair. "Don't be afraid. I'll take a look. I'll handle anything, no matter how serious."

Ji Mian was still sobbing, looking up at him, her thin shoulders trembling.

Jiang Wang glanced at her, and his heart skipped a beat. He simply lowered his eyes.

He turned and squatted down beside Shi Jiancheng, whispering in his ear, "Go out later, turn right and there's a commercial street two blocks away. Go there and do a striptease."

After saying this, Jiang Wang suddenly raised an eyebrow and grinned mischievously. "Are you experiencing a midlife crisis, feeling particularly lonely and empty, that's why you're doing something so damning? Don't worry, your father is the most reasonable god in the Three Realms. Since he made you run naked, he'll give you a corresponding reward. From now on, I'll send a few 'kids' to follow you, for life. Not only will it solve your midlife crisis, but it will also save you from a bleak old age. Tsk, isn't God-Lord Xuanyang incredibly considerate?"

He became increasingly amused as he spoke, "You don't need to thank me. Anyway, if you die, you'll fall into my hands. Now, forget about anything related to me. As for getting beaten up, you running naked in the commercial street is naturally the righteous masses extending their iron fist to eradicate perverts."

After saying this, Jiang Wang gently blew a breath near Shi Jiancheng's nose.

Shi Jiancheng's rapid breathing gradually calmed down.

Jiang Wang pretended to take out his phone and hold it to his ear for a moment, then, without thinking, plucked a tuft of Shi Jiancheng's sparse hair before standing up. "He's not dead, don't worry about him. I called an ambulance, they'll be here soon."

"Are you really okay?"

Ji Mian glanced at Shi Jiancheng lying on the ground, his face covered in blood, still horrified.

Things went black as Jiang Wang stood in front of her, blocking her view. "What's there to see?"

He noticed that the zipper of Ji Mian's hoodie was torn, revealing a soft, creamy-yellow nightgown and a large expanse of skin on her chest.

His throat felt dry. He quickly took off his own jacket and draped it over her, covering that dazzling expanse of white skin.

Ji Mian was still crying, stammering, "Jiang...Jiang Wang, thank you."

Jiang Wang was in a complete mess, unsure what to do. Ji Mian's crying only made him more confused, and all he could do was make silly jokes.

"Thank me for what? I was drunk and harassed you that day, weren't you going to slap me? And you're thanking me?"

Ji Mian didn't speak, her gaze drifting back and forth, trying to look at Shi Jiancheng, whom he was blocking.

"Damn it!" Jiang Wang noticed her actions and got a little angry. "Why are you looking at him? I was really drunk that day, I really didn't mean it, that's why I came here to apologize. Don't think I'm the same as that kind of beast. I'm not like him!"

"How are you different?" Ji Mian was still sobbing, but Jiang Wang's interruption calmed her down a bit.

Jiang Wang was bending down to zip up her pants. Hearing this, he looked up at her, his thin eyelids creased, revealing a sharp, aggressive look. “What’s different? Look closely.” He tilted his head to show her his profile. “From this angle, isn’t he super handsome? I’m way more handsome than him, right? He’s just a stinking maggot. I’m a celestial being. Comparing me to him is an insult.”

Ji Mian looked at the celestial-looking Jiang Wang. He was indeed handsome, but she couldn’t help but burst into laughter through her tears, whispering, “You’re a bit narcissistic.”

“Alright, I saved you, and you look at me with such disdain? That’s too much.”

Jiang Wang said, then couldn’t help but laugh himself. “Damn, to make you laugh, I had to pretend to be ugly here. Do you think it was easy? You probably don’t know, but I’m actually quite serious.”

“I really didn’t know.”

“I think you want to get beaten up!” Jiang Wang pretended to be fierce, then couldn’t help but laugh again.

His eyebrows were curved, his lips slightly upturned, not fierce at all, even a little sweet.

Ji Mian looked at him, slowly blinking.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Jiang Wang said, pulling his coat up to the top. “Do you want a hug? I’m shy, I’m embarrassed.”

Ji Mian: …

“Can you stop talking nonsense? I just wanted to properly thank you.”

Jiang Wang didn’t say anything more, just chuckled quietly, then pulled up his empty sleeve. “Let’s go, I’ll take you home.”

Ji Mian didn’t say anything more either, obediently following him. His coat was really too big for her; the hem reached her knees, and the collar covered half her face, making her wet, red eyes appear even larger and more captivating. She wore the oversized coat, which hung loosely on her, making her look so thin it was heartbreaking.

Jiang Wang occasionally glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. The little girl was so soft and easily bullied.

He thought, someone like Ji Mian needs someone strong to protect her. How strong? Someone like himself is about right.

The thought startled him, and he gave a self-deprecating laugh, "You're sick."

"Huh?"

"...Nothing, I was talking about that fat bastard from earlier."

Ji Mian hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "That's my uncle."

"You call that thing your uncle?" Jiang Wang turned to look at her incredulously. "He's a beast. Come on, learn from your brother, 'f**k your mother's cunt, you piece of shit.'"

His swearing was far more vulgar than Zhang Keke's.

Ji Mian stared at him blankly. After a moment, she silently took two steps back, but Jiang Wang grabbed her other empty sleeve.

He pulled her inward with both hands, bringing Ji Mian close. Although he didn't touch her, they were very close; his chin almost touched her forehead. He tilted his head slightly, catching her eyes, his dark eyes fixed on her. "Learn one, quickly."

Ji Mian looked at him, her eyes still red-rimmed, and pitifully said, "I... I can't say it."

"Tsk," Jiang Wang shook his head in exasperation, "Then try another one?"

"Okay, but could you please stop pulling me?"

Jiang Wang grabbed the sleeves of his coat, pulling her very close. Ji Mian was wrapped in his large coat like a pupa, wanting to retreat but unable to escape.

"Fine, then tell me Jiang Wang is a handsome guy. I'll let go."

Ji Mian: ...

Jiang Wang was amused by her speechless expression and released her. "Can't you just honestly admit I'm handsome?"

To be fair, Jiang Wang was indeed good-looking, but Ji Mian couldn't bring herself to say it. "You actually think I'm pretty handsome, right?"

"No!"

"If you're not, why are you blushing?"

Ji Mian instinctively covered her face with the back of her hand. Just as she reached her apartment building, she tossed out a "I'm going up" and ran towards the building entrance as if her life depended on it.

Jiang Wang stood across the street, watching her dart back into the building like a rabbit and disappear. He couldn't help but chuckle.

He stood by the roadside for a while, saw the light come on in Ji Mian's apartment, then took out his phone and sent a voice message.

Ji Mian had just entered the house when she received a voice message. Without thinking much of it, she opened it, and Jiang Wang's voice echoed in the quiet night—

“I saved you today, and you can't even say Jiang Wang is a handsome guy? If you're shy, just send a voice message.” After a pause, he added, “Or, I might not leave.”

Ji Mian's heart skipped a beat. She ran back to her room and, sure enough, saw Jiang Wang standing under the streetlight through the window, waving his phone at her.

Ji Mian: …

Ji Mian drew the curtains and replied with two words: 【Boring.】

Jiang Wang's voice message came again, filled with barely concealed laughter, “You say something, I'm waiting. There are so many mosquitoes downstairs at your place, hurry up. I'm lighting a cigarette to scare them away.”

Ji Mian opened the curtains a c***k and, sure enough, saw the person under the streetlight leisurely lighting a cigarette, clearly unwilling to leave. Perhaps knowing she was peeking, Jiang Wang, who had been smoking with his head down, suddenly looked up and smiled at the window.

Ji Mian quickly and guiltily closed the curtains, her heart pounding like she'd been caught doing something wrong.

Jiang Wang was incredibly stubborn; he wouldn't stop until he got what he wanted. It might have started as a joke, but the more Ji Mian kept quiet, the more it itched to hear it. He quickly sent another voice message—

“Then I'll give in a little, what can I say, I'm kind. Tell me, wasn't I cool when I beat that bastard?”

Ji Mian took a moment to process what he meant by referring to Shi Jiancheng. From any angle, Jiang Wang deserved to be called “cool.” Even if she wasn't the one who was saved, a stranger would have called Jiang Wang's righteous act of helping cool.

She hesitated for a moment, then finally sent two words: [Cool.] Jiang Wang looked down at the two words and chuckled to himself, the cigarette in his mouth falling and burning the back of his hand.

Unaware of the discomfort, he licked his lips and laughed, "Damn, why does this suddenly feel so good?"

His heart was bubbling with a sweet, invigorating feeling, like a freshly opened can of cola.

Jiang Wang laughed to himself, pressed his tongue against his cheek, and held his phone up to the lamppost. "Brother Pillar, look, he's praising my handsomeness."