After Transmigrating into a Sadistic Novel, the Socially Anxious Sickly Beauty Just Wants to Sleep - Chapter 18

Jian Anmian’s throat tightened as he swallowed hard. His legs felt as if they were filled with lead, rendered immovable.

Yan Zhimuo’s brow furrowed even deeper. He turned his head toward Yuwen Chi and called out in a low voice, “Yuwen Chi.”

“Yes, President Yan.” Yuwen Chi immediately strode forward, twisted Miss Rong’s arms behind her back, and lifted her up. Taking over for Yan Zhimuo, he restrained her, appearing not the least bit surprised by anything that had happened in the room.

Yan Zhimuo casually pulled out a couple of tissues and wiped his hands with meticulous slowness. His icy gaze drifted toward Secretary Liu, who stood frozen at the door.

Secretary Liu’s heart gave a heavy jolt. She understood almost instantly that she had been exposed, and a chill washed over her back.

“Pre… President Yan…” Secretary Liu’s legs trembled as she instinctively took two steps back, appearing as if she wanted to flee. “No, it’s not what you think…”

Jian Anmian dazed for a moment and instinctively extended a leg, which the retreating Secretary Liu happened to trip over.

Secretary Liu let out a cry of surprise and fell to the floor with a heavy thud.

Jian Anmian: “…”

Secretary Liu: “…”

Jian Anmian retracted his leg awkwardly. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to!”

Secretary Liu looked up and shot Jian Anmian a fierce glare.

In the next second, a group of men in matching black uniforms suddenly poured in from the hallway. Two of them crisply hoisted Secretary Liu off the floor, while another two went to Yuwen Chi’s side to take Miss Rong. They then stood aside in silence.

Jian Anmian immediately shrank into the corner like a timid quail, tucking his head in and shivering.

“Mianmian, come here,” Yan Zhimuo called for the second time.

Jian Anmian knew that if he remained disobedient, the man would surely get angry. He squeezed his sweat-slicked palms tightly and took trembling steps toward the man’s side.

Yan Zhimuo reached out and pulled Jian Anmian into his arms with practiced dominance. Ignoring the crowd of onlookers, he affectionately pinched Jian Anmian’s cheek and asked, “Are you full?”

“Mhm… mhm, I’m full,” Jian Anmian replied hesitantly, keeping his head down.

“What did you eat?”

Jian Anmian searched his memory and listed the items one by one.

“Mhm. Did you eat anything good?”

Jian Anmian thought for a moment. “There was a lychee egg tart that was quite nice. It was sweet and delicious.”

Yan Zhimuo nodded. “Good. When the banquet is over, I’ll have someone buy the recipe from the kitchen. Once we go back, I’ll have Auntie Wang make them for you every day.”

Jian Anmian was stunned by the man’s “Domineering CEO” declaration. He dazed for several seconds before waving his hands. “There’s no need for such trouble!”

“It’s fine. Consider it my way of making it up to you. Eat a few more when we get back to soothe your nerves,” Yan Zhimuo slowly stroked Jian Anmian’s soft earlobe. He spoke very close and low against the boy’s ear, watching with satisfaction as the thin skin easily flushed a beautiful peach-pink. He let out a low chuckle from his throat. “It seems I’ve frightened our timid little friend. My apologies.”

Jian Anmian’s cheeks burned even more fiercely. The skin from his ear to the back of his neck felt waves of itching and numbness; his heart began to pound rapidly in a different way.

This time it wasn’t fear, but a deep sense of embarrassment.

It turned out the man had noticed his fear long ago. That was why he had coaxed him so patiently and gently, even wanting to get him sweet egg tarts to eat.

Yan Zhimuo’s dark lashes lowered as he gently stroked Jian Anmian’s neck, whispering very softly in his ear: “Scared I’ll treat you the way I treated them? Hmm?”

Jian Anmian instinctively wanted to deny it, but remembered the man hated it when he lied. He had to nod honestly. “A… a little.”

After speaking, as if afraid of making the man angry, he extended two slender white fingers and spread them slightly, gesturing carefully in the air. “Actually… just a tiny bit.”

Yan Zhimuo laughed lowly. He caught Jian Anmian’s gesturing fingers and squeezed them in his palm like he was squeezing a puppy’s paw. He said in a low, soft voice, “Don’t worry. As long as you stay good, listen to me, and don’t make me angry, I will always be this gentle with you, okay?”

Jian Anmian pursed his lips and nodded. “I understand, Mr. Yan. I’ll be good from now on.”

“Mhm, good child.” Yan Zhimuo smiled and patted Jian Anmian’s head.

Jian Anmian’s lowered eyes suddenly caught a glimpse of red. He realized that Yan Zhimuo’s right palm had been punctured by the porcelain shard he was holding earlier. Blood was seeping from between his well-defined knuckles, not yet fully dry.

Jian Anmian reflexively held the man’s hand, speaking with urgent concern: “Mr. Yan, your hand is injured too!”

At this moment, the last trace of fear he held for the man was dispelled by his inner concern.

“It’s nothing. It’ll be fine in a bit.”

“No, it’ll get infected. Let me wipe it for you first.” Jian Anmian stubbornly took a tissue, went to the restroom to dampen it, and returned. He cradled Yan Zhimuo’s palm and carefully wiped the blood clean, even meticulously cleaning the scratches on the man’s arm, acting like a little puppy licking its master’s wounds.

Watching Jian Anmian’s focused, lowered features, Yan Zhimuo curled his lips in pleasure. He suddenly felt, in a somewhat perverse way, that the cut on his palm was well worth it.

Yuwen Chi waited quietly for them to finish their display of affection before asking, “President Yan, how should we handle the two of them?”

“Proceed directly with legal action,” Yan Zhimuo said, sweeping a look of disgust over the two women being restrained. He said coldly, “The soup is in the cup in the cabinet; it can be tested for drugs. I installed a hidden camera on the cabinet, and the entire process was recorded. I also alerted the kitchen beforehand; I already have evidence of them drugging the soup. Take everything we found previously, along with these two, and hand them over to the police. You and Old Fu follow the entire process. Call me if anything comes up.”

Old Fu was Yan Zhimuo’s private lawyer and one of the friends he trusted most. With Old Fu handling it, Yan Zhimuo was at ease.

Miss Rong looked up in disbelief. Meeting Yan Zhimuo’s cold, ruthless eyes, she shrank back. Seeing Jian Anmian beside him—whose face was practically written with “I’m easy to talk to”—she turned to him and cried out as if he were her last lifeline: “Mr. Jian, Mr. Jian, please help me plead with President Yan, okay? I really didn’t mean it. Please don’t do this to me. I know you’re so kind, you must be able to forgive me, right?”

Jian Anmian threw the used tissue into the trash can. He looked at Miss Rong, hesitating before speaking: “Miss Rong, you…”

Miss Rong gazed at Jian Anmian with hope, showing him the pitiful look she was best at. However, she didn’t realize that with her disheveled hair and face covered in blood and tears, she looked quite terrifying.

Jian Anmian said with total innocence: “You and Mr. Yan’s stepmother will definitely have a lot in common.”

Miss Rong froze. “Wh… what?”

Jian Anmian spoke directly: “Because you’re both ‘White Lotuses.’ You like to act pure, act pitiful, and you love to cry.”

Miss Rong: “???”

Yan Zhimuo actually burst out laughing. Once the boy finished speaking, he waved his hand dismissively at the bodyguards. “Take them away. They’re an eyesore.”

“Yes, President Yan.” The bodyguards quickly dragged away the wailing Miss Rong and the defeated-looking Secretary Liu.

Jian Anmian watched them disappear out the door with an innocent expression. He thought silently to himself: I’m not a saint. I’m just a salted fish waiting to be mistreated by the male lead. If you do something wrong, you bear the consequences yourself. What’s the point of calling for me?

Wait, come to think of it… the male lead wasn’t drugged at all, was he?

So… it seems I don’t have to be mistreated after all.

Great! No ‘night duty’ required either!

[Salted Fish Slump.jpg]

In the blink of an eye, the room fell silent.

Yuwen Chi walked to Yan Zhimuo’s side, lowered his head, and asked respectfully, “President Yan, regarding the Rong family…?”

Yan Zhimuo walked to the window without changing his expression and pulled back the curtain. Looking at the crowd of people from the Rong family outside in the garden, who were letting out cries of shock and wailing toward the heavens, his voice turned icy:

“The weather is cold. It’s time for the Rong family to go bankrupt.”

Jian Anmian: “…”