Chapter 43: Show of Force “Untie it, take it out”

The knocking continued, “bang, bang, bang” in sets of three, very rhythmic.

Zhao Jichuan felt his earlobes tingle from the incessant noise. He took a deep breath, got off Han Rao, and left her to deal with the trouble.

But his gaze, like a bayonet, fell stiffly upon her, and Han Rao felt as if she were being stared into a sieve.

She looked up at the man, his face full of resentment, wishing he could strangle her to death immediately.

Zhao Jichuan felt he had never been so disheveled. The buckle of his black belt was already undone; all he needed to do was pull out the belt, unfasten his trousers, and release his desire. Coupled with the passionate kiss they had just shared, he felt an even stronger sense of “the arrow is on the string and must be shot.”

Humans are inherently advanced animals; as animals, they possess desires, bestial instincts, and the most base yet purest needs.

But this demand was abruptly interrupted by an outsider.

The man’s heart was split in two, and in the end, it was his moral compass that restrained him, making him willingly get up to prevent their affair from being discovered or spied upon.

Zhao Jichuan sat up, leaning languidly against the sofa. He re-buckled his belt and, while doing so, touched his calf, which Han Rao had kicked. It was still faintly numb and sore.

From that kick, Zhao Jichuan could truly feel her desperation, flailing wildly as if the next second would plunge her into an abyss, leaving her utterly shattered. So she used every ounce of her strength to kick him away, concealing her own disarray.

Han Rao had never felt her heart beat so fast. She didn’t even know how to think anymore, staring blankly at Zhao Jichuan.

The man met her gaze, noticing her disheveled hair, slightly swollen lips from kissing, and a faint redness at the corners of her eyes. He couldn’t tell if it was from fright or desire.

Just then, the knocking stopped, but the phone Han Rao had thrown on the shelf rang.

No need to guess, I knew who was calling.

The rhythmic ringing once again increased the sense of oppression for those inside.

Han Rao looked at the man for two seconds, pursed her lips, and wanted to play dead, but was afraid that Han Ting would insert the key into the lock, twist it, open the door, and then push the door open the next second.

Fortunately, Han Rao had strong psychological resilience and immediately came up with a countermeasure with lightning speed.

She suppressed the panic in her heart, trying to make her voice sound calm, and craned her neck to shout towards the door: “Xiao Ting, wait a moment, I’ll find some clothes to change into. I was just about to take a shower.”

The next second, the phone call disconnected.

Han Rao also breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhao Jichuan looked at her slightly flushed face, and his gaze involuntarily fixed on her lips.

It’s this full, moist little mouth that can lie without even thinking.

He could imagine that when she lied to him, she had the same demeanor: though she was panicking inside, her face remained unperturbed.

Zhao Jichuan smiled, raised his hand to pat his wrinkled shirt, and tucked the hem back into his pants.

He stood up, and just like that, he was once again the well-dressed, influential man he was.

Zhao Jichuan looked down and examined his attire. It was decent enough to meet her younger brother.

At the same time, Han Rao re-fastened her bra, pulled on her top, and casually brushed off the dust on her clothes.

She had completely regained her composure, so she put on the slippers that had been kicked onto the carpet and immediately pushed Zhao Jichuan’s waist, wanting to hurry him towards the bedroom.

Zhao Jichuan once again had his perception of her refreshed. Someone who could melodramatically claim she couldn’t lift her wrist just from being sick actually managed to push him back several steps while he was completely off guard.

The man lowered his voice and asked her, “Hiding a man in a golden house?”

Han Rao admired him greatly now; his psychological fortitude was immense. He wasn’t panicked in the slightest and even had the presence of mind to joke with her.

Was he not afraid of her brother seeing them? How would he explain it then?

Han Rao instantly understood again. He didn’t need to care about these things at all. He was the one paying, not the one being kept. What was there for him to panic about?

The woman’s face fell slightly, “I don’t have time to joke with you, can you go in first?”

She pushed him as she spoke.

Zhao Jichuan felt very uncomfortable. She was hesitant and secretive, hiding him from her own brother, clearly not wanting her family to know about him.

The man thought of Xie Yaochen again, and how he and Han Rao had met each other’s parents, and his eyes immediately darkened.

Jealousy was at work again.

Han Rao glanced at the door. Han Ting was not a very patient person, and besides, he had been waiting outside for a really long time. Does it take that long just to put on a piece of clothing?

So the knocking sounded again, “Sis, are you ready? Your brother here has been waiting forever.”

Han Rao looked up at Zhao Jichuan, gazing at him pitifully, and softened her voice, “Please, can I do whatever you want with me after I deal with him?”

She could actually understand Zhao Jichuan’s anger, because the moment she lowered her head, through the black fabric of his trousers, she could feel his displeasure and heat.

Perhaps this plea or the condition she offered was too tempting; the man nodded and followed her into the bedroom.

Han Rao had originally intended to stuff him into the wardrobe, but then felt that was too inhumane. She immediately changed her mind, pushed him onto the balcony, and drew the curtains.

Han Rao turned to leave, then suddenly remembered something and stood on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on his lips.

She turned to leave, but was forcefully pulled back by the man. Her heart skipped a beat, fearing he would come up with another trick or try to kiss her again. But the man only carefully helped her tidy her messy hair before letting her go.

Han Rao immediately left, not forgetting to close the door.

Finally, the door was pulled open, and the first thing that caught her eye was Han Ting’s disdainful and resentful gaze.

Han Rao immediately turned sideways and asked him, “Why are you suddenly back again? Didn’t you say you were going to eat Haidilao?”

Han Ting shrugged, “I forgot my phone, and your house keys. Anyway, I hadn’t gone far, so I just came back to get them.”

Han Ting has two phones, one for personal life and one for work.

The phone he dropped was for work.

It’s no wonder he didn’t want Han Rao’s money, because he had basically achieved financial independence; at least, supporting himself during university life was no problem.

Han Tingxue’s computer science major was quite competitive, and he had many classes. But he found a way, from who knows where, to become a tutor intermediary, specifically charging intermediary fees. Besides having to communicate with both parents and teachers, and posting promotional information on various platforms, it basically didn’t take up much of his time.

According to him, a highly intelligent person like himself sometimes doesn’t need to act as cheap labor to make money; he just needs to use his brain a little.

And this highly intelligent person, in fact, keenly sensed that the atmosphere at home was off as soon as he entered the door.

It was as if someone had invaded. For example, it felt like when parents snuck into their teenager’s room and rummaged through their belongings during adolescence. Even if everything was put back in its place, there were still subtle differences, traces left behind.

At this moment, this clue was instantly caught when Han Ting turned his head and saw the men’s suit jacket on the shoe cabinet.

Coupled with Han Rao’s abnormal and slow behavior today, Han Ting immediately guessed something.

She has a boyfriend.

What’s his name?

A name instantly popped into his head—Zhao Jichuan. Han Ting didn’t know why, but he had a hunch that the man who called Han Rao at the end of the year must be her boyfriend.

When Han Rao heard Han Ting’s words, her mind was fuming.

Han Ting forgot to bring his keys?

She and Zhao Jichuan wouldn’t have been forced into that situation if she had known he didn’t have the key.

However, Han Rao didn’t show it too much. She walked into the living room, feigned a lazy yawn, and asked Han Ting, “Where did you throw your phone?”

She just wanted to get rid of him quickly now.

Han Ting glanced at the tightly shut bedroom door, then subtly shifted his gaze. He walked over to the large, still-unpacked box, bent down, and rummaged through a pile of bottles and jars to find his phone and the key. He tossed the key up and caught it, saying smugly, “It probably fell out of my pocket sometime without me noticing.”

Han Rao: “…”

She didn’t want to see that wicked key now.

The woman grumbled, “You lose everything, why don’t you lose your brain here too?”

Han Ting chuckled, “Are you coveting my IQ, sis?”

Han Rao pouted, not wanting to bother with him. If it were before, she would have definitely kicked him and asked him if he didn’t know who was the king and queen, daring to imply that she wasn’t as smart as him.

But today was different. Han Rao didn’t dare to let loose; she didn’t even dare to look him directly in the eye.

If Han Ting paid a little attention, he would notice that Han Rao kept her body turned sideways towards him, sometimes covering her face and dozing off, sometimes pinching her nose, and sometimes pursing her lips.

She had too many small movements because she was trying to hide, not wanting Han Ting to notice her glistening lips.

Han Ting didn’t want to force Han Rao to say anything. He understood her; she had a boyfriend, and there must be a reason why she didn’t tell her elders at home.

But why did she also hide it from him, her younger brother? She clearly knew that even if he found out, if she didn’t want him to tell the family, he wouldn’t say a word. He had always stood on the same side as her since childhood.

Moreover, Han Rao’s various concealments today were too suspicious.

Han Ting was quite worried that she might be brainwashed or deceived, so he became increasingly curious. Call him a busybody, or say he’s talking nonsense, he was determined to meet this man. Even if Han Rao were to be bullied by this man one day, he would be able to find someone to settle the score with.

Han Ting made up his mind.

He just wanted his sister to be happy, nothing more.

Han Ting openly rolled his eyes at her, sat down on the sofa, and even poured himself a glass of water.

Han Rao: !!!

What’s this?

Meaning? Not leaving?

“Sis.” Han Ting took a sip of water and said playfully, “Tell me the truth, you opened the door so late today, were you secretly hiding a man? Tell me, who did you bring back? It wouldn’t be my Sister Wei, would it?”

Han Rao’s breath hitched. Just as she was about to lie, she saw a black object fall at Han Ting’s feet—it was Zhao Jichuan’s diamond cufflink.

She probably thrashed around too much just now and pulled it off.

Han Rao’s heart suddenly leaped into her throat. How was she going to explain this to her brother?

She was desperate; she didn’t want Zhao Jichuan to get involved with her family.

Besides, even if she were willing to introduce Zhao Jichuan to Han Ting, how would she define Zhao Jichuan’s identity?

Boyfriend?

Han Rao shook her head; absolutely not. Zhao Jichuan was very particular about her overstepping boundaries. She still remembered the harsh words he had said last time when Zhao Jiyue called her “sister-in-law,” and she felt quite humiliated by the false accusation.

She didn’t want to humiliate herself again.

Just as Han Rao was racking her brain to deny it, the bedroom door was pulled open, and a man walked out. The indoor light instantly fell upon him.

The color of his lips was vibrant, a remnant of the passionate kiss. Anyone who saw him would know what had just happened.

However, Zhao Jichuan remained unfazed, calmly touching his lips with his hand as he walked out.

The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up, and because the cufflink on his right hand was missing, he looked a bit disheveled. Yet, he was impeccably dressed, and even wore a particularly “amiable” smile on his face. He walked up to Han Ting, extended his right hand like a gentleman, and said, “Zhao Jichuan.”

You know, it’s rare for him to take the initiative to reach out; usually, others reach out to him, begging for a favor.

It was clear he valued this meeting with Han Ting.

Out of politeness, Han Ting also put his hand on hers, then introduced himself, “Han Ting.”

He suddenly felt that this man looked familiar, and in an instant, he remembered. He had seen him before, that time in Hengdian, when they had “carpooled” together.

Everything seemed to clear up.

The last time they met, although Han Ting was drunk, he didn’t black out. He remembered the man sitting beside him, shrouded in a haze, and he remembered the car worth millions…

He thought it was strange at the time, how could a rich person be a taxi driver? After returning to school, he discussed this issue with his roommate. The roommate said that some rich people are just weirdos, and they want to experience life after having enough good days. The roommate also gave him an example, saying that he once took a Tesla taxi home.

So Han Ting was persuaded.

Now it seems that the last time Han Rao was so firm on the phone, refusing to let him come over, it was because this man named Zhao Jichuan was also there.

“My sister, you guys…” Han Ting didn’t know what to say next.

Zhao Jichuan’s lips curved slightly upward as he said, “Your sister is my girlfriend, so by seniority, you really should call me brother-in-law.”

The man looked at Han Rao and said, “Your sister thinks we haven’t been together long enough. She was planning to test me a bit more before introducing me to your family. Now it seems we were destined to meet. Last time in Hengdian, you were drunk and not fully conscious, so we didn’t get a chance to properly meet. This time, however, we do.”

Han Rao was stunned the moment Zhao Jichuan actively opened the door and walked out of the bedroom; she just felt that everything was out of her control.

As it turned out, she hadn’t expected the man to so openly declare himself her boyfriend, demand her brother call him brother-in-law, and even, seamlessly, help her cover up her lie.

She should have been relieved after solving Han Ting’s dilemma.

But for some reason, Han Rao’s emotions were extremely complicated. She didn’t want to get so deeply involved with him, yet she was shocked that he admitted her identity as his girlfriend.

Did he say that to cover for her, or did he genuinely feel that way?

Han Rao didn’t know.

She scrutinized Zhao Jichuan from head to toe. The man was calm and open.

She was afraid he would reveal a flaw and make things awkward between them. Her gaze fixed on his lower abdomen, where the man had long since turned hard to soft, as if nothing had happened.

Han Rao sighed, he was truly ruthless.

How ruthless must a man be to control himself in such matters, not only ruthless to others but also to himself.

Han Rao sighed. Things had come to this; she had been forced into a corner and could only go along with Zhao Jichuan’s words.

Han Ting had been staring at Zhao Jichuan ever since he appeared. As a fellow man, he could feel the chilling aura emanating from Zhao Jichuan, sensing that beneath his outwardly kind demeanor lay a formidable inner self. His presence was so powerful that simply standing there made Han Ting, still just a university student, feel utterly out of his league.

But Han Ting was unwilling to show weakness. At this moment, his position was as a member of Han Rao’s maternal family.

He was Han Rao’s younger brother, her support. He had to make the man in front of him realize that their family was not to be trifled with, to give him a warning, so that if he ever thought of bullying Han Rao in the future, he would have to think twice.

These lessons were all summarized by him, summarized from Xie Yaochen. It was a shame that their family treated Xie Yaochen so well at the time, worshipping him like an ancestor, but this idiot not only cheated on Han Rao but also shamelessly gaslighted her.

Han Ting chuckled, waking up from his initial bewilderment. He said, “We’re not even married yet, isn’t calling me ‘brother-in-law’ a bit inappropriate?”

The smell of gunpowder between the two men overflowed, and Han Rao smelled it, only feeling like she wanted to die.

Given Han Ting’s usual pushover personality, why is he so unyielding today? Does he want to get her killed?

Han Rao felt that, given Zhao Jichuan’s personality, he wouldn’t quibble with Han Ting, but he would definitely retaliate against her with increased intensity.

The younger brother’s debt is repaid by the older sister.

As expected, the man just smiled and conceded, “Then it’s up to your habit, call me whatever you want.”

As soon as Han Ting was about to speak, Han Rao immediately interrupted him. She walked over and took Han Ting’s arm, “Alright, Xiao Ting, it’s too late today. Didn’t you make plans to eat Haidilao with your classmates? Go back first.” She glanced at Zhao Jichuan and continued, “It’s time for the two of us to eat too.”

Hearing this, Han Ting suddenly said, “My classmate just happened to have something come up and can’t make it. Perfect, the three of us can eat together.”

　　-

Han Rao didn’t know how the three of them ended up going out together. They found a nearby shop and sat down at a table.

She found it very strange, never expecting things to progress to this point, nor did she expect Zhao Jichuan to agree after Han Ting suggested they eat together.

Han Rao really wanted to say: Since you two both want to eat, then you two eat, I’m not going.

But she also felt that the two of them were like two big bombs, and if they collided, there was no telling what kind of trouble they would cause. She was worried, so she could only follow them nervously.

Han Ting wasn’t Zhao Jichuan; he hadn’t lived a life of debauchery, so he chose a relatively ordinary restaurant. Zhao Jichuan also had no objection and followed him into the establishment, dressed in a custom-made suit.

After entering the store, Han Rao originally wanted to sit next to Zhao Jichuan, but Han Ting pulled her to his side instead.

Han Ting put on quite a show, taking charge of ordering everything. He asked, “What kind of alcohol do you usually drink? Baijiu or beer?”

He hadn’t yet found a suitable way to address Zhao Jichuan.

“Either is fine.”

So, white wine and beer were served together.

Han Rao frowned and quickly stopped him, “It’s too late today, and he has things to do tomorrow. Let’s just grab a quick bite, no drinking.”

Zhao Jichuan covered Han Rao’s hand and shook his head, “It’s nothing.”

Zhao Jichuan could actually feel Han Ting’s oppressive presence, but as a university student barely twenty years old, this deliberately created pressure was nothing to him.

The reason he went along with Han Ting was because Han Ting was Han Rao’s younger brother, and as her brother-in-law, he wanted to leave a good impression. Furthermore, he understood Han Ting’s motive for asking him to drink: it was entirely to protect Han Rao. She had a good younger brother, and he was happy for her. No wonder she doted on and cared for this brother so much.

But Zhao Jichuan still thought too simply. He thought Han Ting wanted to compete with him in drinking, but it turned out Han Ting planned to get him drunk.

Han Ting had a can of beer, about ten degrees proof, by his hand, but he poured him a white beer mixed with regular beer.

Those in the know understand that mixing drinks is the quickest way to get drunk.

Moreover, although Han Ting always

Everyone raised their glasses, but after drinking for a long time, his bottle remained untouched. Instead, Zhao Jichuan truly drank glass after glass.

<p>Han Rao’s scalp tingled as she sat down beside Zhao Jichuan, her heart aching. She said to Han Ting, “That’s enough, stop pouring.”</p>

Zhao Jichuan waved his hand and whispered in her ear, “It’s fine. If my brother wants to drink, I’ll keep him company.”

Han Rao sighed. In front of the two of them, it really affected her performance. She didn’t want to appear submissive to Zhao Jichuan in front of Han Ting; he would definitely see through it, and then the truth would be out. Nor did she want to appear too overbearing and bullying towards her brother in front of Zhao Jichuan, which would betray Han Ting’s efforts.

Yes, she had realized Han Ting’s motive.

It was a shame, though, that he’d tried to intimidate the wrong person; Zhao Jichuan wasn’t her boyfriend at all.

So, she could only watch them casually chat, drinking cup after cup.

Most of the time, Han Ting was talking. At first, it was like a household registration check, asking all sorts of questions. Later, he started threatening, saying things like, “If you’re not good to my sister, don’t blame me for being impolite.”

Zhao Jichuan agreed to each.

In the end, both the white wine and the beer were empty.

Zhao Jichuan also seemed drunk, leaning back in his chair, his eyes closed as he gently rubbed his temples, his Adam’s apple bobbing violently.

Han Rao had never seen Zhao Jichuan drink so much. Even at a drinking party, if he didn’t want to drink, he could stay completely sober.

Han Rao didn’t know how well he could hold his liquor, or if he was truly drunk, so she leaned over and touched his forehead, “Are you okay?”

Zhao Jichuan squeezed her hand and handed her his phone. “Go pay first. Don’t let your brother pay for dinner.”

He looked at Han Ting, “When you have time, I’ll treat you to something good again.”

Han Ting smiled, neither agreeing nor refusing.

Han Rao clutched his phone and walked to the front desk. But she paid with her own phone, because she had never touched his phone and didn’t know his password.

After paying, Han Ting helped Han Rao bring Zhao Jichuan home. Han Rao asked him to stay, as he wasn’t good with alcohol and she was worried something might happen to him on the way.

Han Ting smiled and said, “I didn’t even finish one beer, I’m not drunk at all. Besides, I’ve arranged to meet my classmates at Haidilao, I’ll be late if I don’t leave now.”

He knew his place and didn’t want to be a third wheel.

Han Rao: “It’s so late, we definitely won’t make it.”

“It’s fine, we’ll go for the midnight showing and get 31% off.”

Han Rao had no choice but to compromise, so she got up to see him off.

When they reached the elevator, Han Rao grabbed his wrist and whispered, “Xiao Ting, don’t tell the family about this yet. Let’s wait until things are more stable. I don’t want them to get excited for nothing.”

Han Ting agreed, and said mysteriously, “Sister, to be honest, I think this brother-in-law is pretty good.”

Han Rao smiled at the corners of her mouth, watched him leave, and sighed. She only felt a headache, so she rubbed her temples, thinking that this was the only way for now.

Han Rao closed the door and looked at Zhao Jichuan lying on the sofa. The gentle light shone on his face. The man looked serene, breathing evenly, seemingly asleep.

Han Rao took a blanket and went over to cover him. She saw that his hand was still exposed, so she bent down and lifted his arm to put it under the blanket.

The man suddenly opened his eyes, pulled her wrist, and dragged her into his arms. He wrapped his arms around her waist, then reached in and placed his hand on her back, which felt a little cold.

“Leaving?”

“Mmm.” Han Rao smelled the alcohol on him and closed her eyes.

“Zhao Jichuan, are you drunk?”

“You must be drunk,” he said.

Han Rao looked up at him. His face was full of playful mockery, inscrutable, making it impossible to tell if he was speaking the truth or not.

He stroked her hair. “Now that it’s just the two of us, isn’t it time to settle accounts?”

Han Rao’s heart skipped a beat. This was truly settling accounts after drinking.

However, she hadn’t settled the score with him yet!

She told him to hide, but he insisted on coming out. Although he did help her out of a difficult situation, he also brought her endless trouble.

The more people who knew about their relationship, the greater the risk.

Han Rao couldn’t even imagine how terrible it would be if her family found out that she willingly became an unspeakable mistress for money and resources.

She didn’t care about what outsiders thought, but she cared about her family. She didn’t want to disappoint Su Zhiyu and Xu Lianqiu; she was the little girl they had doted on and raised. If they knew she was selling her body outside, how heartbroken would they be?

Han Rao’s attention was unfocused, still lost in thought.

Zhao Jichuan saw her preoccupied look and kissed her lips.

He didn’t tell her that, in fact, even before Han Ting came in, he had already remembered the suit jacket he left on the shoe cabinet.

But he was despicable, deliberately not saying anything, just waiting for someone to find out.

Sure enough, her observant younger brother spotted it immediately.

While Han Ting and Han Rao were talking, Zhao Jichuan stood behind the bedroom door, waiting for the right moment to open the door and introduce himself to her brother.

He wanted the same treatment Xie Yaochen had received from her, and even more.

He was just that petty, that despicable, that dark.

There is no venomous man who is not a husband.

Zhao Jichuan’s long-held belief was that if you want something, you fight for it yourself; if there’s no opportunity, you create one yourself.

At this moment, he squinted his eyes, like a victor enjoying the fruits of his victory. He greedily kissed Han Rao’s lips, swirling his tongue around hers, passing the scent of alcohol to her.

And she, in a daze, let him kiss her, let him bully her, as if apologizing for Han Ting making him drink.

Han Rao dispelled her distracting thoughts, convincing herself to fully enjoy his kiss. As for whether she should thank him or apologize to him, she would wait until he was completely sober tomorrow to discuss it.

Han Rao actively extended the tip of her tongue. As their kiss grew passionate, she felt her hand being guided by him to his belt.

He coaxed, “Untie it, take it out.”