15

 Jiang Nian didn't look at the picture closely; a quick glance was enough to tell that Luo Guanhan had secretly taken it of him. He didn't deny it, saying, "So what if it is?"

Xue Taihe was unconvinced. He clung to Jiang Nian again, his massive body pressing down on him. Jiang Nian pushed Xue Taihe away with a cold face, only to be chased and hugged by Xue Taihe. Jiang Nian had no choice but to give Xue Taihe a perfunctory kiss on the cheek, saying indifferently, "Is that enough?"

Xue Taihe wasn't someone who could be so easily appeased. He grabbed Jiang Nian's chin with his large hand and began licking and biting his cheeks and lips without restraint. Jiang Nian felt like a kitten being licked by a wolfhound, his fur standing on end. He punched Xue Taihe several times.

Before, if someone hit Xue Taihe, he would definitely hit back. Now that his wife hit him, Xue Taihe felt so good that he wanted to do it again.

That's how a masochist is gradually developed.

Jiang Nian was almost suffocating from the kiss when Xue Taihe reluctantly let go. He sincerely said, "I really missed you. It's been seven days since I've seen you, my heart aches."

Jiang Nian ignored him.

Xue Taihe got angry, "You're not saying anything! You're always silent! You just give me the silent treatment."

Jiang Nian kicked him, pushing him towards the door. Xue Taihe didn't budge, and even managed to close and lock the door. Then he pulled out an exquisitely carved dog leash from his pocket, a gift he had prepared for a long time. Xue Taihe handed it to Jiang Nian, raising an eyebrow, looking dashing, "How about it, wife? Are you tempted? Want to play something fun with your husband?"

"Role-playing, like dog walking."

Jiang Nian found that Xue Taihe always appealed to her. However, Jiang Nian wasn't actually a sadist; she just liked to be in control. Jiang Nian took the leash, looked at it, and found a dog tag with a line of small print: Bad Dog: xth, Good Owner: jn.

Jiang Nian stroked the dog tag with her fingertip and said coldly to Xue Taihe, "Lower your head."

Xue Taihe obediently complied. He could feel Jiang Nian's slightly cool fingertips brushing against his neck, and a leather collar was fastened around his neck. Paired with Xue Taihe's wolf tail and handsome face, it looked more like a trendy accessory.

Through the strands of hair hanging over his eyes, Xue Taihe looked at Jiang Nian, who was pursing her lips as she put the necklace on him. He felt a sudden surge of emotion, a sense of security, as if he had truly been accepted by Jiang Nian and become her little dog.

He now had a home.

But this happiness lasted only a few minutes. After Xue Taihe was calmed down, he was still confusedly kicked out of the house by Jiang Nian.

"Alright, that's enough." Xue Taihe hummed a song, hands in his pockets, descending the stairs two steps at a time. The word "give up" didn't exist in Xue Taihe's dictionary. He muttered to himself, "Don't even think about getting rid of me, wife...see you tomorrow."

True to his word, the next day, when Jiang Nian went out, she bumped into Xue Taihe. The tall, imposing man smiled broadly, but there was something unsettling about him. He greeted her, "Good afternoon, wife~"

"I've been squatting outside your door all morning, not daring to knock, afraid of disturbing your sleep. Could you invite me in for a drink of water? I'm a little thirsty."

It was clearly a very ordinary conversation, but Xue Taihe spoke it with a suggestive undertone. Then, looking at Jiang Nian's style today, so different from usual, his eyes lit up as he exclaimed, "What a handsome wife! You're dressed so provocatively, I love it! You and I look so good together, everyone can tell we're a couple at a glance."

Jiang Nian was impeccably dressed, in a full suit of metal and leather, looking like a cool beauty, while Xue Taihe was a typical punk, proudly wearing yesterday's dog collar around his neck. Jiang Nian didn't understand why Xue Taihe had become so twisted. He sighed, realizing that if he didn't satisfy Xue Taihe temporarily, he would definitely be entangled with him again later. So he said, "Tell me, what are your thoughts? I can try to satisfy you depending on the situation."

Countless dark and extreme thoughts flashed through Xue Taihe's mind in an instant, but then he softened, only wanting to marry Jiang Nian. However, for better or worse, Xue Taihe knew Jiang Nian wouldn't agree, so he said somewhat dejectedly, "Wife, would you like to meet my friends?"

Xue Taihe started his own business in college. He failed at first, but with a strong family background and friends who were also rich second-generation heirs, he recruited many top students. Xue Taihe himself was also a graduate of a popular university major, and that's how his company was established. It wasn't big, but it was considered excellent in the industry; he wasn't a rich second-generation heir who just lay around doing nothing.

Xue Taihe and his brothers were close friends. When Xue Taihe pursued a streamer who flirted with the wrong path, they didn't understand, but they offered their blessings.

Xue Taihe still wanted everyone to know that Jiang Nian was his other half, and introducing her to his acquaintances would be a way of officially confirming it.

Jiang Nian thought about it and decided it wasn't an unreasonable request, so he agreed. He then asked, "Do your friends know my real identity?"

Xue Taihe answered honestly, "They only know you're the streamer Nian Nian, nothing else."

Xue Taihe hadn't had time to tell his brothers the truth; he'd been too busy pursuing Jiang Nian to even remember her, let alone his brothers.

Jiang Nian thought for a moment. He didn't want to be exposed so easily. Xue Taihe and his friends only knew him as a "female streamer," not a man. It wouldn't be good if word got out, so it was better for him to reveal the truth himself.

"Then wait for me at the door, I'll get ready."

Xue Taihe didn't know what Jiang Nian was preparing, but her serious attitude towards this matter still made his heart flutter.

He stood at the door, arranged a time and place for dinner with his brothers, and started glancing down at his expensive watch from time to time, pretending to be busy, but actually waiting for Jiang Nian.

After waiting for about half an hour, Jiang Nian finally emerged from the dressing room. She had changed into a very gentle white long dress, with semi-transparent lace at the neck, slightly puffed sleeves, and mutton sleeves that clung to her arms, revealing her slender white wrists. She wore white stockings and ginger-red ankle boots, and her hair was styled in long, straight chestnut brown. Yet, Jiang Nian's face looked so pitiful, possessing an indescribable charm. She had even applied a touch of nude lipstick to tone down her already overly bright red lips.

Xue Tai, for a moment, genuinely felt like he was waiting for his wife to get ready, but he quickly snapped out of his daze, frowning and saying, "Why are you dressed so beautifully? Meeting them doesn't require such formality, nor do you need to wear women's clothing. That outfit was perfect."

Each has its own beauty, Xue Tai, a straight man, couldn't quite articulate, but he simply loved his wife no matter what she wore, because she was his beloved wife; she would look good even in a burlap sack.

He assumed Jiang Nian was sacrificing her appearance for him.

He didn't want Jiang Nian to do this just to see his group of friends.

Jiang Nian ignored him, straightened the heels of her shoes, and said, "Alright, let's go."

Seeing that Jiang Nian was ignoring him again, Xue Taihe reluctantly took the beige bag that Jiang Nian had paired with her outfit. He then took Jiang Nian's hand with his free hand, pretending not to care, and said, "Friends should hold hands."

"Whatever."

Xue Taihe opened the passenger door himself, and after Jiang Nian got in, he went to drive. He turned the steering wheel, observing Jiang Nian's expression, and said, "My friends are all easygoing. If anyone makes you unhappy, just tell me, and I'll beat them up for you."

Jiang Nian was amused. "Really? Aren't you afraid of turning against me?"

"No, if he doesn't respect you, he doesn't respect me. It's okay if we don't become friends."

"Alright then." Jiang Nian wasn't one to treat himself unfairly. Since Xue Taihe had said so, he did it. Jiang Nian took out his phone to pass the time. When Xue Taihe said they had arrived, he realized it was the same place he had eaten at with Luo Guanhan last time.

Jiang Nian wasn't as excited as last time. It was lunchtime, and Xue Taihe and his friends had arranged to meet at this time. When they arrived, the table in the private room was almost full, leaving two empty seats.

The men sitting in the seats were actually very curious about Jiang Nian. They had watched Jiang Nian's live streams and had to admit that Jiang Nian was indeed unforgettable in her beauty. But when Jiang Nian actually appeared in front of them, they were still stunned by her beauty.

But faced with Xue Taihe's dark expression, everyone quickly recovered and chimed in, "Sister-in-law, you're so beautiful! I've never seen anyone as beautiful as you."

"Brother Xue really likes you. He doesn't even care about the company anymore; he just follows you around."

"You two are a perfect match."

The last sentence clearly struck a chord with Xue Taihe, who laughed heartily, "Don't listen to their nonsense, Nian Nian, sit down."

He pulled out a chair and waited for Jiang Nian to sit down before taking his own seat.

Xue Taihe handed the menu directly to Jiang Nian, and no one else objected. Jiang Nian thought about a few dishes she thought were good last time and ordered that much. After ordering, Xue Taihe simply handed it to his brothers to order. He whispered some sweet nothings to his wife, moved his chair closer to Jiang Nian, held her small hand, and stroked the knuckles of her fingers, thoroughly enjoying himself.

Except for Jiang Nian, no one else really ate much during the meal. Fortunately, everyone was a very easygoing person, and their occasional conversations would make Jiang Nian laugh, especially when they talked about some of Xue Taihe's shameful deeds. Jiang Nian's eyes would crinkle with laughter, and her long, thick eyelashes would tremble slightly, like hooks tugging at the hearts of everyone present.

After the meal, instead of leaving, everyone ordered some after-dinner snacks and started chatting. Regardless of whether Xue Taihe and his group had ulterior motives, they all gave Jiang Nian plenty of face on the surface, and Jiang Nian didn't find it boring. So they chatted for quite a while before finally parting ways.

After Xue Taihe, with his arm around Jiang Nian's shoulder, walked out of the private room, the remaining brothers remained seated. Once they were a distance away, someone spoke up: "Looking like that, I could definitely be a simp."

"If Brother Xue hadn't already won her over, I really wanted to try too."

"That aura, it's so different from what I saw on the livestream, really captivating."

The group quickly apologized to Xue Taihe, then fell silent for a while before saying, "Alright, alright, let's all go home. We have to go to work tomorrow, we're tired."

"Yeah."

...

Xue Taihe jokingly probed Jiang Nian, saying, "How about we meet my parents while we're at it? They know you exist."

Xue Taihe was truly eager for everyone to meet Jiang Nian, to bring her into his circle, to integrate her into his life.

Jiang Nian was stunned. Meeting friends was fine, but meeting parents was a bit much. He directly refused. Xue Taihe didn't press the issue; if it worked, he'd be lucky, but if it didn't, it didn't matter. He would try his best to get Jiang Nian to agree to be with him later.

On a quiet stretch of road leading from the suburbs to the city, Xue Taihe's car was suddenly blocked. More than ten cars pulled up behind and in front of him. Once everyone got out, the sheer number of people made Xue Taihe grip the steering wheel tightly. Someone approached and knocked on his car window, saying, "Got the guts to get out?"

Knowing that staying in the car would likely worsen the situation, Xue Taihe told Jiang Nian to stay inside. He then rolled up his sleeves and opened the car door. Jiang Nian, facing this situation for the first time, suppressed her fear and took out her phone to call the police.

But the phone was snatched away and smashed on the ground.

Seeing the seriousness of the situation, Jiang Nian tried to find a solution, but the system was powerless. No matter how strong Xue Taihe was, he couldn't fight off multiple opponents. Fortunately, the people outside didn't intend to kill him; they only sent enough men to suppress him. They were just there to teach Xue Taihe a lesson. So, after everything settled down and seeing that Xue Taihe was too weak to stand, they drove away.

Jiang Nian quickly got out of the car. He'd only caused trouble for Xue Taihe; he couldn't do anything else. Now, he laboriously dragged Xue Taihe to the back seat, helped him sit down, and fastened his seatbelt. Xue Taihe could still speak at this point. Those men were very skilled; they targeted areas unseen, and there wasn't a drop of blood. However, Xue Taihe was also a seasoned fighter, and those men didn't fare well either.

Seeing Jiang Nian's pale face and the tears clinging to her eyelashes from fright, Xue Taihe could still manage a smile. He reached out and wiped away her tears, coaxing her, "Feeling sorry for me? Don't cry. I'll be fine after a few days in the hospital. Don't worry about me. Your husband is very strong."

Jiang Nian glared at him angrily, but her heart softened, and she said, "Then you should get better soon."

These words made Xue Taihe grin from ear to ear, ignoring his pain. Seeing that Xue Taihe was indeed alright, Jiang Nian got out of the car, picked up her broken phone, got back into the driver's seat, and told Xue Taihe to take out his phone and turn on the navigation. Then she started driving.

City A was too big; driving between districts took a long time, let alone driving from the suburbs to the hospital in the city center.

By the time Jiang Nian arrived at the hospital and parked the car in the garage, Xue Taihe was already somewhat delirious. Jiang Nian was a little anxious and let Xue Taihe lean on her shoulder as they walked towards the hospital's emergency room.

Jiang Nian's phone was broken, preventing him from queuing to register and pay. Xue Taihe handed his phone to Jiang Nian, saying, "The password is your birthday, whether it's the unlock password or the payment password."

He was then wheeled away by a nurse. Jiang Nian stood there for a while before remembering the random birthday he'd entered on the website. He entered it and it unlocked.

After everything was settled, the doctor informed Jiang Nian that Xue Taihe might need some minor surgery. Jiang Nian agreed. He sat on a bench outside the hospital, staring blankly at his phone. Everything had happened so fast that Jiang Nian was still processing it. Now, calming down, he opened Xue Taihe's phone and dialed the number saved with "Xue Rongfeng" in the contacts.

It took a long time for the call to be answered.

"Hello?" Xue Rongfeng's refined voice sounded.

"It's me, Jiang Nian." Jiang Nian recounted the whole story to Xue Rongfeng, his voice trembling slightly through the phone because he had spoken so quickly.

Upon learning it was Jiang Nian, Xue Rongfeng's voice softened considerably. He reassured her, "Nian Nian, don't be afraid. I'll be there soon. Don't be afraid, it'll be alright."

Xue Rongfeng's repeated assurances of not being afraid calmed Jiang Nian somewhat. She softly replied, "Okay, I'll wait for you at the emergency room entrance of the First People's Hospital of A City."

Xue Rongfeng quickly drove over. Upon meeting, he tenderly embraced Jiang Nian, gently stroking her hair and saying, "My brother's alright. He often..." "Fighting is commonplace for him, you don't need to worry about him. What happened today must have been frightening for you."

Jiang Nian buried her face in Xue Rongfeng's chest, admitting that Xue Rongfeng was someone she could rely on for a while. Once she had completely calmed down, Jiang Nian left Xue Rongfeng's embrace, and the two sat on a bench. Xue Rongfeng half-held Jiang Nian. They sat there for a long time until a nurse called Jiang Nian's name, and then they went inside. Xue Taihe was wheeled out, and the nurse told them to register, pay the fees, and be admitted to the hospital. Xue Rongfeng told Jiang Nian to sit down while he went to handle the necessary procedures.

Afterward, Xue Rongfeng found Jiang Nian sitting beside Xue Taihe's bed with the forms in hand. The two looked at each other beside the sleeping Xue Taihe, and Xue Rongfeng suddenly asked, "Do you like my younger brother a little more?"

Jiang Nian hadn't expected Xue Rongfeng to ask him this so suddenly. He couldn't answer, which reassured Xue Rongfeng. Besides paying the bill, he had also investigated the events of the day. Seeing the restaurant's name, he understood. He then subtly sowed discord among his rivals, asking, "Do you know who caused today's trouble?"

Jiang Nian was genuinely curious and looked at Xue Rongfeng. A glint of shrewdness flashed in Xue Rongfeng's narrow eyes behind his glasses. He said, "It was Luo Guanhan. Xue Taihe offended him before. The restaurant you ate at today belongs to one of his friends."

"He probably didn't know you were there."

Otherwise, he'd be kicking himself.

Jiang Nian didn't know what to say, feeling a little weary. Seeing that Jiang Nian looked unwell, Xue Rongfeng guessed he was genuinely frightened. He said with some pity, "Let me take you home. My brother is alright now, you don't need to stay."

Jiang Nian didn't agree. He handed Xue Taihe's phone to Xue Rongfeng and said, "I want to be alone for a while."

"Okay, really don't you need me to come with you?" Xue Rongfeng confirmed again. Seeing that Jiang Nian wasn't just putting on a brave face, he couldn't very well ignore Jiang Nian's feelings and take him home. He was worried, but Jiang Nian softly said goodbye.

Xue Rongfeng had no choice but to say, "Okay, goodbye, Nian Nian."

Xue Rongfeng followed behind Jiang Nian, trying not to be noticed, until Jiang Nian's figure was swallowed up by the crowds at the hospital.

Jiang Nian walked out of the hospital and only then realized his phone was broken. Just as he stood hesitating by the roadside, a cheerful male voice suddenly rang out above him.

"What's wrong?"

Jiang Nian looked up and saw a handsome young man she didn't recognize. He also had droopy eyes, but unlike Jiang Nian, who looked like an innocent rabbit, he looked like a憨厚 (honest and simple) golden retriever. He seemed to have just come from the basketball court, still wearing his jersey, his muscular arms holding a basketball, his skin a little dark, and his leg wrapped in bandages. He exuded youthful energy.

Jiang Nian shook her head, saying she was fine.

The young man didn't believe her. He said, "I saw you standing here for a long time by the roadside. Something must have happened."

Actually, the young man was lying. When he came to the hospital for treatment, he spotted Jiang Nian in the crowd. Jiang Nian's slender figure stood out from the others, and his face looked so bad, as if something had saddened him. The young man felt sorry for him and couldn't help but follow her.

After hearing this, Jiang Nian hesitated for a long time before showing her her phone to the young man. The screen was cracked like a spider web. She said, "My phone is broken. I can't get a taxi."

"I'll help you get a taxi," the young man said immediately. Seeing that Jiang Nian remained silent, and thinking of another way, and also secretly wanting to have more contact with her, he suggested, "Are you shy? It's okay, my school is nearby, and I know where to get your phone repaired. I'll take you there."

The young man thought for a moment and then said, "I'm not a bad person. My name is Jian Leyi, and I'm a sophomore in the Finance Department at A University. You can find me at my school."

Jiang Nian then said, "I don't doubt you."

Jian Leyi nodded and led Jiang Nian to a phone repair shop. It wasn't too far; they arrived after walking a few streets. Jian Leyi was attentive the whole way. Following Jiang Nian's lead, while the phone was being handed over to the shop assistant for repair, Jian Leyi kept talking to Jiang Nian. Jiang Nian seemed distracted, only answering selectively. When it was time to pay after the repair, Jian Leyi insisted on paying. Just as Jiang Nian was about to say something, Jian Leyi said, "If you're not comfortable with this, give me your contact information."

This time, Jiang Nian didn't refuse, and the two exchanged contact information. Jiang Nian then politely said goodbye to Jian Leyi. Jian Leyi had no reason to keep Jiang Nian any longer. He secretly looked at Jiang Nian for a long time, as if trying to memorize every detail of her. He waved goodbye to Jiang Nian. After Jiang Nian left in a taxi, a blush rose on his slightly tanned cheeks, and his heart pounded wildly, seemingly out of his control.

He had fallen in love with Jiang Nian at first sight.

The feeling of liking someone for the first time left Jian Leyi somewhat at a loss.

So much had happened that day. By the time Jiang Nian reached the entrance of the residential area, it was already dark. Walking along the garden path, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, as if someone was behind him.

Jiang Nian turned his head and looked around; everything seemed normal, nothing was wrong.

He was the only one on the road.

But Jiang Nian still felt uneasy. He quickened his pace towards home, and the moment he stepped into the building, a strange male voice suddenly rang out.

"Nian Nian, you're Nian Nian."

Then a pair of large hands covered Jiang Nian's mouth tightly from behind, and a somewhat frantic voice kept ringing out, "I haven't mistaken you, you are Nian Nian."

The person spoke incoherently, as if rambling on, constantly recounting how much he loved Nian Nian, how he watched her live streams on his computer every single day without missing a single one.

Then he flew into a rage, his voice rising, as if controlled by anger, he said, "But! But I love you so much... How could you deceive me?"

"Nian Nian, you're not a girl."

"You're a boy."

"Nian Nian, lying isn't good."

"You have to take responsibility for deceiving me."

Jiang Nian was already somewhat unsettled today, and now he was even more frightened, tears welling up in his eyes and falling like pearls.

Meanwhile, on the forum, a post was clicked and commented on by multiple people in less than ten seconds after it was published.

The post's title was:

【Breaking News】Stop feeling sorry for Nian Nian, we've all been deceived by him, he's been a man from beginning to end!!!