Just as Jiang Hai drifted off to sleep, Qi Li lay wide awake on the big bed in their new house—the place where they were supposed to rest together. She stared up at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep, though she couldn't quite pinpoint why.
To be honest, she wasn't sure how to explain her feelings toward Jiang Hai.
At first, Qi Li hadn't liked him. That much was clear without needing to say it. But after a year of settling down, her emotions grew more complicated—confused, mixed with a sense of owing him something, alongside using him as a shield.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have wanted Jiang Hai to go to the capital and take on a role just to prove himself after all the things people said.
But then she found out Jiang Hai had already gone to the United States. And his combination of confidence and strength left her feeling even more bewildered. When did the shy Jiang Hai she remembered become such a man?
Then Feng Yunchen took Jiang Hai away from her. Back then, she didn't even like Jiang Hai, and had a hint of disgust. The only reason she wanted Jiang Hai back was like a little girl whose toy had been snatched away.
That toy was hers. She might not want to play with it, but no one else could touch it. Jiang Hai was her toy at that time.
Later, it was the soaring price of beef, the perfect seafood... these mysterious things pulled her to the United States, and from that night when Jiang Hai saved her, his image officially imprinted itself on her heart.
Yes, it was cliché—a hero saving the beauty. But the more clichéd and bloody the story, the more audiences it draws.
Qi Li was strong. When her strength failed, Jiang Hai saved her.
And then, her strength transformed rapidly into love. Later, she discovered another side of Jiang Hai...
His beef helped the Qi family firmly establish themselves in the imperial capital, breaking into the catering industry she'd always dreamed of joining.
Then Jiang Hai decisively returned, wiped out the An family, and forged connections with top national leaders, who subsequently exempted Qi Li from taxes on her four restaurants. He even had ties to the royal family in the Middle East.
Women—especially strong ones like Qi Li—admire strong men. Jiang Hai was right there in front of her, growing stronger by the day. From a man who needed her to give him a chance, he had become a powerful presence she had to look up to.
This man, so powerful and commanding, suddenly appeared in her life.
What began as curiosity and possessiveness gradually blossomed into liking, admiration, and then love. It was that simple.
The night before last, Qi Li was truly moved and took the initiative to be with Jiang Hai.
But Jiang Hai's reaction left her both happy and hesitant. She was happy because he still cared for her, that she was in his heart. Jiang Hai clearly liked her, and his feelings were important.
The hesitation came from what Jiang Hai had said. A year ago, she would have been his only one. But now, having given him up in the beginning, he was no longer hers alone. If she wanted him back, she might have to accept more than just Jiang Hai, which frustrated her deeply.
"What should I do?" Qi Li thought, staring at the ceiling. Should she accept others like this? She didn't want to give up on Jiang Hai—not like this.
To lose Jiang Hai would break her heart and leave her even more unwilling.
Or should she continue as things were? But time was running out, and she had to face these decisions. She was at a crossroads.
Left, right, forward—no matter which way she turned, she felt overwhelmed.
What should she do?
Qi Li didn't know when she finally fell asleep. When her phone rang, she was still half-dreaming, half-awake. Seeing the caller ID, her drowsiness quickly lifted.
"Hello? Jiang Hai!" she said, recognizing the name.
"I'm downstairs. Let's get ready and go. I'll pick you up at five," Jiang Hai's voice came through the line. Qi Li immediately sat up. A strong woman like her had complete control over her body: when she wanted to wake herself, she did; when she wanted to get excited, she did.
She got up, took a few deep breaths, went to the bathroom, washed her face, applied cleanser, brushed her teeth, and fixed her hair.
Other women might take two hours to get ready, but she was refreshed and dressed in under twenty minutes.
Her outfit was already laid out. She slipped on her clothes and high heels, grabbed her small bag, and headed downstairs.
In the elevator, she spotted Jiang Hai shivering in the cold. He wore his hood pulled tightly over his head, hands tucked into his sleeves, yawning and looking around.
When he saw Qi Li coming down, his eyes lit up. Today, she wasn't in her usual office lady outfit.
Her clothes still radiated power—a slightly fitted beige top cinched with a wide black belt, beige trousers that made her legs look long, beige high heels, and a white shawl-style blazer.
Her hair was tied up, complemented by makeup, a necklace, earrings, and sunglasses. She looked so commanding that Jiang Hai didn't dare say a word.
Her domineering president aura stunned him so much that he forgot the cold.
"Uh, you're downstairs!" Jiang Hai hesitated, then asked, "Is it just you? The two others aren't coming?"
Qi Li glanced around and realized it was only Jiang Hai, then asked in surprise.
"Yes, just me. They're not going," Jiang Hai replied quickly.
"They're good at handling people. Since it's just us, we don't need to take the big car. Let's drive this one—I just bought it a few days ago," Qi Li smiled.
Led by her, they went to the underground parking lot. From a distance, Jiang Hai spotted a fiery red sports car.
"Wow, people in this community actually buy sports cars like this?" he asked, curious.
Having lived here for a year, Jiang Hai now knew a bit about cars. This was a Ferrari 488—not the most auspicious model, but one of the best in the domestic sports car industry. The base price was 3.38 million yuan, and with taxes, it probably totaled around 4.3 million.
"This is mine," Qi Li said with a smile, picking up the key to unlock the car.
Jiang Hai was a little confused. It wasn't surprising for her to buy a car, but why park it here?
"I have to thank you for this car," Qi Li explained once inside. "I bought it with the tax money I saved. I'm parking it here because I plan to give it to Xiu'e."
Jiang Hai shrugged—it was her money, and she could do as she pleased.
Besides, in Qi Li's eyes, and her mother's, Zheng Xiu'e was like family—like a sister or daughter. Jiang Hai didn't mind, and even if he did, he couldn't stop her.
"But before we send her off, let's be the first passengers!" Qi Li smiled as Jiang Hai buckled his seatbelt. She stepped on the accelerator, driving out of the underground parking lot. The sports car blazed like fire through the streets of Bingcheng as the sun rose.
By around 5:30, Jiang Hai and friends arrived at Huang Yunfei's new home. In addition to the house he'd bought over the years, Huang Yunfei had paid in full for another home for his marriage. Don't talk about how much doctors and nurses earn; Jiang Hai had seen it with his own eyes. Several cars were already parked outside.
The owners were mostly Huang Yunfei's parents' friends, relatives, and colleagues.
Though well-paid, their cars were modest—mostly worth around 200,000 to 300,000 yuan. Many hid their actual earnings to avoid scrutiny. Driving a luxury car worth millions could invite unwanted investigation.
So when Jiang Hai's flashy sports car arrived, many people whispered, watching closely.
When Jiang Hai and Qi Li stepped out, they immediately caught attention. Qi Li was stunning to begin with, but this commanding outfit and the red sports car added hundreds of points. She instantly drew countless eyes.
Jiang Hai, dressed casually in sportswear next to her, looked like a mere mortal next to a goddess.
A few people who had been leaning on cars tidied their clothes and checked their watches, hoping to catch Qi Li's eye, but she only had eyes for Jiang Hai.
After getting out, she naturally linked arms with Jiang Hai—her glasses slipping and breaking in the process.
Jiang Hai ignored the onlookers and led Qi Li upstairs. Fu Yuan and others were already there, packing candy boxes and preparing to distribute them downstairs.
When they saw Qi Li, they couldn't help but secretly click their tongues in admiration.