Chapter 101 - 92: Play
Jiang Ran glanced at Ye Jingshuang:
"What do you think?"
Ye Jingshuang was in no mood to ponder that question. She looked at Jiang Ran anxiously:
"Then... what do we do now?
"Are you okay? Do you feel bad anywhere?
"I heard that if you’re poisoned with this stuff, if you don’t... you know... you’ll die from your veins bursting.
"I, I... Am I supposed to save you?"
"And how do you plan on saving me?"
Jiang Ran blinked.
"I..."
All sorts of shocking and scandalous thoughts were swirling through Ye Jingshuang’s mind. Just as she was about to blurt one out, a sliver of reason broke through.
"You’re... fine?"
She collected herself, and then a thought suddenly struck her:
"Don’t tell me you used to drink this stuff like sweet tea when you were little, too?"
"This one isn’t sweet."
"You’ve actually had it before!?"
Ye Jingshuang was stunned.
Jiang Ran sighed. ’Of course I have.’
Ever since he’d jumped from that brothel at fourteen, that old drunkard had never given up.
He’d used every trick in the book to try and force Jiang Ran to learn the ’art of whoring’.
Naturally, Jiang Ran engaged him in a battle of wits and will.
When the old drunkard finally ran out of tricks, he resorted to poison.
That was why Jiang Ran knew this sort of thing inside and out. For an ordinary person to try such a trick on him was like showing off one’s swordsmanship in front of a grandmaster.
When it came to dirty tricks, the Tang family was countless times more sophisticated than this Tong Wanli.
But Jiang Ran didn’t go into all that with Ye Jingshuang.
As long as she knew he was fine, that was all that mattered.
What actually surprised him was that after learning he’d been afflicted with that kind of poison, the girl’s first thought wasn’t to turn and run, but to save him...
This gave Jiang Ran a strange feeling.
He watched as Ye Jingshuang continued to inspect him, as if to confirm he was truly fine and not just holding back before he suddenly lost control.
Jiang Ran glanced toward the door and said softly:
"Stop staring. I reckon our dear Uncle Tong will be up here any minute to catch us in the act."
"...What do you mean, ’catch us in the act’?"
Ye Jingshuang blushed and instinctively tapped Jiang Ran on the arm, then her brows furrowed.
"But, why would he do this? Why would he try to harm you... Is it because of me?"
She understood before she could finish the question.
"Who else?"
Jiang Ran said with a smile:
"Your ’brother’ from the Tong family has his eye on you, and I’m the one who saved your life. In terms of martial arts, looks, and character, how could his son possibly compare to me?"
"That’s true."
Ye Jingshuang nodded.
Jiang Ran was taken aback. "You’re just going to admit it?"
"Why shouldn’t I? Weren’t you telling the truth?"
Ye Jingshuang asked, equally puzzled.
Jiang Ran gently pinched the bridge of his nose. ’This strange feeling is getting stronger.’
’Would a normal person react this way to words like that?’
Seemingly sensing nothing was amiss, Ye Jingshuang continued:
"So, Uncle Tong did this for his son... to try and drive you away?
"But, isn’t this method a little too despicable?
"He’s trying to ruin your entire life!
"If it weren’t you here today—someone without your abilities—what would have happened?
"This won’t do. I’m going to go and have it out with him!"
"Wait!"
Jiang Ran grabbed Ye Jingshuang’s wrist.
Ye Jingshuang looked back at Jiang Ran, her eyes full of confusion. "Why?"
Jiang Ran smiled:
"I, for one, think this whole thing is rather interesting..."
"Huh?"
Ye Jingshuang’s eyes widened as she looked at Jiang Ran.
Jiang Ran beckoned her closer:
"In a moment, I want you to do this..."
He whispered his plan in her ear, explaining it in detail.
As he spoke, Ye Jingshuang’s face would sometimes blush and at others, her brow would furrow. Finally, she shook her head:
"Why do we have to do that?"
"Because there’s something I want to confirm..."
Jiang Ran lightly rubbed his fingertips together and gave a small smile.
Seeing his expression, Ye Jingshuang knew he already had a plan and nodded:
"I’ll do as you say, but... Young Master Jiang, you must not put yourself in danger."
"Don’t worry."
Jiang Ran said with a smile:
"I value my life more than anything; I won’t take any foolish risks. Hmm... They’re here..."
As soon as he uttered those two words, Jiang Ran shot Ye Jingshuang a look, then pulled her and tossed her onto the bed.
The next moment, he circulated his internal breath, and his face instantly took on the flushed appearance of a drunkard again.
He pounced right on top of Ye Jingshuang.
Ye Jingshuang, for her part, seemed frozen in shock. She lay motionless on the bed, staring up at Jiang Ran with wide eyes.
After pouncing on her, Jiang Ran waited a moment. When she didn’t react, he could only offer a wry, whispered reminder:
"Scream..."
"Scream what?"
"Scream for help."
As if waking from a dream, Ye Jingshuang quickly grabbed Jiang Ran’s arm:
"Help... Young Master Jiang, don’t do this!"
"With more feeling! You’re being too wooden. Acting isn’t just reciting your lines."
Jiang Ran whispered his instructions while letting out a guttural roar and reaching for Ye Jingshuang’s clothes.
This was his first time doing something like this, and while he had a solid theoretical foundation, he’d forgotten about his own martial prowess.
With a pull of his hand—RRRIP!—he actually tore a gash in her clothes, revealing the snowy white skin of her shoulder.
Ye Jingshuang, however, paid it no mind. Back in the ruined temple, when Jiang Ran was treating her injuries, he’d already seen everything there was to see.
’It’s only a shoulder. What’s the big deal?’
Focusing only on what Jiang Ran had just said, her voice grew piercing:
"You... you let me go! Let me go! Help! Young Master Jiang, what are you doing?"
Jiang Ran, meanwhile, completely immersed himself in the role.
After all, thanks to the ’drug,’ he was supposed to be in a crazed state where he couldn’t even recognize his own mother, let alone trade banter with Ye Jingshuang.