Chapter 56 A Punch “Take it easy, you’ll break it.”…

Every social circle has its hierarchy of disdain, and Lin Silang, an uneducated illegitimate son, was clearly at the very bottom of that chain.

Zhao Jichuan had always looked down on him, but since there were no conflicts of interest or significant interactions between their families, he had never made it explicit.

Usually, if they ran into each other, Zhao Jichuan would at most be too lazy to waste words on someone like him.

But today was different. What right did a scumbag like Lin Siliang have to criticize his girlfriend? He was alone with Han Rao on the rooftop—what exactly were his intentions? Today, Han Rao had come with him to attend Fan Chen’s engagement party, and everyone present knew Han Rao was his girlfriend. Where did Lin Siliang get the nerve to deliberately provoke him, fully aware of the consequences?

Zhao Jichuan’s eyes darkened, and a chill seemed to envelop the surroundings.

His peripheral vision caught Han Rao; she wore a tight expression, silent, clearly showing resistance and disgust toward Lin Silang.

Zhao Jichuan was sharp and couldn’t help but suspect something, the hostility in his brows deepening as he clenched Han Rao’s hand.

Her hand was very cold, whether from the wind or fear of Lin Silang, he couldn’t tell. Zhao Jichuan repeatedly and gently massaged the back of her hand, but it seemed impossible to warm it.

“I didn’t mean that,” Lin Silang explained, his tone serious now, abandoning his previous playful smirk.

He was actually a bit intimidated because he hadn’t expected Zhao Jichuan to show up so suddenly. But he forced himself to stay calm, not wanting to seem too cowardly.

Zhao Jichuan sneered lightly and brazenly used his father to pressure him. “If you’re bored, I don’t mind having a chat with Uncle Lin.”

The man could sense there was old resentment between Lin Siliang and Han Rao, and Han Rao had once said that she was blacklisted because she had provoked the Lin family.

Now it seemed that the one she had provoked was this Lin family illegitimate son, who wasted his time drinking and chasing women.

Zhao Jichuan glanced at Han Rao, who was staring blankly at the lamp behind Lin Siliang. The green light flickered like a phantom, faint and ethereal.

Han Rao was in a bad state; even though she was trying hard to conceal her physical reactions, her psychological resistance was impossible to hide.

They had been together for so long, and he knew her far better than she had imagined.

Zhao Jichuan didn’t want to continue the standoff with Lin Siliang or waste any more time with him. So, he released Han Rao’s hand, stepped forward, gently brushed Lin Siliang’s floral striped tie, and lowered his voice, saying, “I still hope Mr. Lin will show some respect and stay away from my girlfriend. If I catch you trying to get close to her again, you’ll have to bear the consequences yourself—or let your Lin family bear them together.”

After speaking, Zhao Jichuan held Han Rao’s hand and pulled her away.

Lin Siliang watched their backs and cursed, “Damn.” He lifted his leg and kicked a nearby decorative flowerpot, feeling a tingling sensation on his scalp and an ominous premonition.

A very bad feeling.

Zhao Jichuan pulled Han Rao away from the rooftop and back inside. Han Rao felt that the room was truly warm, so warm that a wave of warmth also surged through her heart.

Her ears still faintly echoed the words Zhao Jichuan had just spoken, and a bitter taste began to rise in her mouth.

She thought, how wonderful it would have been if someone had protected her like this six years ago.

Han Rao suddenly stopped in her tracks, and Zhao Jichuan also halted. “What’s wrong?”

Han Rao raised her hand to wrap around his waist, shook her head, and pressed her face against his chest, “It’s nothing, I just wanted to hold you.”

Zhao Jichuan also raised his hand to hold her; in fact, he was already eager to ask her some questions, which were on the verge of being spoken.

He could see small groups of people occasionally passing by on one side, and he chose to remain silent again.

Some things are probably only meant to be discussed when it’s just the two of them; if others hear, it would only cause trouble, big trouble, and it would have a negative impact on her.

Zhao Jichuan held her like that for a while, his hand wrapped around her bare shoulder, feeling her body gradually warm up.

The man lowered his head and kissed her forehead.

Han Rao let him go and sighed

In a tone, said, “I want to go to the restroom.”

He ruffled her hair, “I’ll wait for you.”

During the process of following Han Rao, Zhao Jichuan couldn’t hold back any longer. He took out a cigarette, gently pinched the tip twice, and held it under his nose to sniff.

It was also at this moment that he ran into Lin Silang again. Lin Silang had just come down from the rooftop, mumbling to himself, muttering something unknown.

Lin Silang looked up and saw Zhao Jichuan; their eyes met. At this moment, Zhao Jichuan was even more violent than he had been on the rooftop just now. His gaze was deep and calm, like a stagnant pool of water.

Lin Silang immediately shut his mouth and wisely turned around to walk back. He wanted to avoid him and was unwilling to continue the conflict.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Jichuan quickly caught up in just a few strides. The man raised his hand, grabbed his collar tightly, and threw him against the wall. With a loud “bang” from the impact, Lin Siliang began to grimace, furrowing his brows as he said, “Mr. Zhao, I haven’t offended you, have I?”

He even went out of his way to avoid him.

Zhao Jichuan narrowed his eyes, his gaze full of ruthlessness. Without any hesitation, he raised his fist and struck Lin Siliang’s face with an upward punch.

Lin Silang immediately had a nosebleed, the bright red blood dripping drop by drop onto the floor, staining his collar as well.

Lin Siliang looked at the violent man in front of him in disbelief, raised his hand to wipe his nose, and asked, “President Zhao, what are you doing?”

Suddenly struck, Lin Silang’s face didn’t look any better, and his tone was terribly foul.

Ever since he was brought back to the Lin family, he was pampered and spoiled; he was the one who bullied others, never the one who got beaten up

Even his own brother, who disliked him, and his father, who thought he was hopeless, had never laid a hand on him.

Lin Siliang wrinkled his nose and raised his hand to strike back. Unfortunately, he was just a good-for-nothing; that little strength was enough to threaten a woman, but compared to a normal adult male, he seemed frail and weak.

Before Lin Silang could even throw a punch, Zhao Jichuan had already neutralized his strength.

Zhao Jichuan worked out year-round and was incredibly strong, making it impossible for Lin Siliang to do anything to him.

“Mr. Zhao, you have to be reasonable. You can’t just go around hitting people.” Lin Siliang was very sensible; no matter how resentful he felt inside, he began to soften his tone.

Zhao Jichuan clenched his collar with both hands, his heels slightly off the ground. He wanted nothing more than to lift him up and pin him against the wall. Lowering his voice, Zhao Jichuan said, “I’ll say it again, you’d better stay away from Han Rao.”

“Got it, got it.” Lin Silang shrank his head, repeatedly begging for mercy.

Suddenly, the phone in Zhao Jichuan’s pocket rang.

No need to guess, it’s probably because Han Rao came out and couldn’t find him.

Zhao Jichuan slowly loosened Lin Siliang’s collar, chuckled softly, lowered his head to smooth out the wrinkles on his own clothes, then wiped the blood from his knuckles onto Lin Siliang’s pink suit jacket. While pulling out his phone, he walked away.

He went downstairs and saw Han Rao pacing by the bathroom door, holding her phone. Against the backdrop of the black tiles, he always felt her figure looked especially petite.

“Raorao.” He called her.

Han Rao looked at him suspiciously and asked him softly, “Where did you go?”

Zhao Jichuan lifted his chin and said calmly, “I just ran into an acquaintance and exchanged a few casual words.”

“Who is it?” she asked again.

Zhao Jichuan held her hand tightly and said as they walked, “You don’t know him yet. When we have time another day, I’ll introduce him to you.”

Han Rao gave a soft “mm” and glanced at him again, feeling that something was off but unable to pinpoint exactly what.

He lied flawlessly, without leaving a single gap.

Han Rao was just doubtful in her heart, but she couldn’t figure it out, so she simply let it go.

After the two returned, Han Rao had a few more drinks and chatted for a while with the female lead of tonight’s engagement banquet.

Li Wan appeared very cold, but when she spoke, she was gentle and soft, like water.

She didn’t know how to address Han Rao, so she kept calling her “Miss Han,” and Han Rao, in turn, awkwardly called her “Miss Li.”

The two women bumped into each other, each holding red wine, and inevitably started chatting about gossip.

People like Li Wan are inevitable; although she felt it was presumptuous, she was still somewhat curious about the relationship between Han Rao and Zhao Jichuan.

Han Rao squinted and joked, “What do you think my relationship with him is?”

Li Wan wasn’t stupid either; she had no reason to offend Zhao Jichuan, so she said somewhat proudly, “Since he brought you to my engagement party, it means he values you a lot.”

Han Rao also smiled with pursed lips. Facing Li Wan’s polite words, she shook her head and gently clinked her glass with hers. “Then how do you define the word ‘value’?”

Li Wan shook her head, speaking with a hint of sadness, “I can’t really explain it either. Miss Han surely has her own understanding. But I always feel that everyone has their own karmic ties to walk through, just like Fan Qin and me.”

“Fateful curse?” Han Rao was somewhat surprised that she would use this term to describe her relationship with Fan Qin.

Li Wan put on a nonchalant attitude, “Isn’t it just a doomed fate? Otherwise, who would get engaged to him?”

Han Rao didn’t ask any more questions; she simply raised her glass to hers.

It was probably that night when Lin Siliang stirred up many unpleasant memories for her, so Han Rao used the excuse of chatting with Li Wan to drink quite a lot.

She hadn’t been this drunk in many years, her whole body hazy and confused, clinging to Zhao Jichuan like mud on the way back.

Zhao Jichuan joked with her, “It’s not your engagement party, yet you’re drinking more enthusiastically than the guest of honor.”

Han Rao bickered with him and bragged, “If it were my own engagement party, I’d definitely dominate the scene and get them all drunk.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Jichuan suddenly fell silent.

He held her in his arms, gently soothing her, but his gaze shifted to the window, watching the bustling scene on the street outside, silent.

Han Rao didn’t notice the change in his mood either; she had drunk far too much and was especially tipsy, only able to lean on his leg, her hands wriggling like loaches.

Suddenly, Zhao Jichuan let out a muffled grunt, his train of thought interrupted. With a stern face, he grabbed her hand and lifted her waist, urging her to sit properly and not move around.

Han Rao chuckled softly, pinched his face, and kissed him.

Zhao Jichuan originally wanted to avoid her, but the moment their lips touched, he suddenly softened and no longer had the strength to push her away.

The man bent down, pressing her against the back of the chair, his lips showering hers with countless kisses before suddenly pulling away.

Han Rao opened her eyes and looked at him in confusion, as if asking why he had stopped.

Zhao Jichuan gently stroked her cheek with his fingertip, then glanced back at Wang Jie.

Wang Jie understood, found a place to park the car, and stopped. He got out, walked a few steps away, and silently lit a cigarette.

At this moment, only the two of them remained in the car.

Zhao Jichuan kissed her lips and lowered his voice to ask, “Raorao, what exactly is going on between you and Lin Siliang?”

Han Rao paused for a moment, her hazy eyes suddenly reflecting a trace of clarity, as if she had touched a forbidden zone, instinctively alert and trembling.

She blinked and gently shook her head. “When I first started acting, he pursued me, but I had a boyfriend at the time, so I rejected him. To get back at me, he blacklisted me.”

Han Rao said lightly, her tone tinged with grievance. She reached out to wrap her arms around his neck, her chin brushing against his collarbone. “The last time Su Wan hit me, it was probably because she found out that Lin Silang used to have feelings for me.”

Zhao Jichuan pressed his lips into a thin line.

Acting was her skill; even when drunk, she could still perform effortlessly, and when lying, she could do so without any preparation.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, only to feel a bitterness rising in his mouth.

Even when she was drunk, she was this clear-headed, picking and choosing how to explain things to him. He didn’t know what she would be like when sober, and probably she wouldn’t seriously and properly answer his questions then either.

The man felt a headache coming on and unconsciously held her even tighter.

“Han Rao.” He called her name.

Han Rao pushed against his chest and whispered, “It’s so hot.”

Zhao Jichuan then let go of her, giving her space to breathe on her own, and twisted open a bottle of water for her.

Han Rao held the water and took small sips, like a little deer.

Every time she drank water, she liked

to close her eyes, her long eyelashes casting a fan-shaped shadow beneath them.

She wiped her mouth and said to him with a strong sense of pride, “Next time, I want to drink with Li Wan and get her drunk.”

Zhao Jichuan gave a perfunctory “hmm” and pinched her cheek again.

When drunk, besides not telling the truth, she was actually very cute. Her face flushed with a rosy glow, her brows and eyes curved gently, and water droplets still lingered on her lips, sparkling like grapes—effortlessly stirring a man’s destructive desire, making one want to kiss and ravage her.

Without any hesitation, Zhao Jichuan grabbed her neck and kissed her, hooking his tongue with hers and gently nibbling.

The scent of alcohol mingled between their breaths, sweet and mellow. Zhao Jichuan felt he was probably drunk too, suddenly wanting to take her right then and there.

But he still had a bit of a conscience, not much, but enough to fear being caught.

So he only kissed her lightly, then reluctantly lifted the hem of her dark green skirt, his fingertips teasing gently. Before long, the man, drunk to the point of collapse, completely slumped into his arms.

The flush on her face deepened and spread, her eyes growing hazy and unfocused.

The landscape painting draped over her seemed to come alive—the gentle streams flowing slowly, the branches and leaves on the distant mountains swaying back and forth, swaying beautifully.

Han Rao clenched his hand and buried her face in his chest. “No more.”

Zhao Jichuan kissed her lips. “Baby, are you hiding something from me?”

Han Rao shrank her neck and tugged at his tie, saying firmly, “No.”

He always liked to test her like this; how could she possibly fall for it?

Zhao Jichuan’s face grew increasingly dark. He exerted a slight force, stirring the calm surface of the lake into ripples, one circle after another.

Han Rao pressed her upper teeth against her lower lip, then released it, pouting as she kissed his chin. “Be gentle, or you’ll break me.”

He bit her lip and asked ambiguously, “What will break?” He raised his hand to tap her forehead and asked, “Is it this that’s broken? Broken from drinking too much?”

He was implying that her mind was not clear, that her brain was broken.

Han Rao no longer argued with him; she just tilted her head back to lean against the chair. But he deliberately wouldn’t let her lean back, his hand covering the tattoo on her skin to support her, forcing her to brace one hand against the cold car window, leaving streaks of damp marks.

Han Rao clung to his neck with a wronged expression, suddenly her heart trembled, and she burst into tears.

Zhao Jichuan sighed, holding her tightly and patting her back, saying nothing.

He was actually very dissatisfied with her perfunctory attitude tonight because she was clearly unwilling to trust him or be honest with him. But his reason told him not to push her; this was her wound, and it was understandable that she didn’t want to open it. He told himself to take it step by step, believing he would find a way to make her open her heart.

Once their breathing had steadied, Zhao Jichuan withdrew his hand.

He leisurely smoothed out the wrinkles on her skirt, then took out a tissue to dry his hands, before lighting a cigarette and taking a gentle drag.

The man smoked while rolling down the car window, watching a few people passing by on the road.

He seemed to think of something, raised his hand to pull her into his arms, letting her lie on his lap, draping his coat over her, wrapping her up.

She is now a somewhat well-known actress, so she needs to be cautious when appearing in public.

Moreover, in her current state, the waves of emotion had not yet subsided, and he didn’t want anyone else to see her except himself.

Zhao Jichuan smoked two cigarettes in total, and the smell of the smoke seemed to completely dispel the lingering sensual atmosphere inside the car.

Only then did the man pick up his phone and call Wang Jie.

Wang Jie didn’t answer the phone; he simply crushed the cigarette butt and returned from a distance, opened the driver’s door, and started the engine without a sound.

Wang Jie said nothing, asked nothing, and didn’t even dare to glance at Han Rao once.

He saw the two of them home, then left immediately.

Zhao Jichuan covered Han Rao’s head with his suit and carried her back home.

The woman in my arms had fallen asleep without me realizing when; her hair was a bit messy, and a flush still lingered on her face.

He laid her on the bed, bent down to help her take off her shoes, and then found a nightgown to help her change into.

When helping her change clothes, his hand touched her underwear and he felt a lingering dampness. Thinking she must be uncomfortable like this, he helped her change into all new ones, then sat to the side, lost in thought.

Only the wall lamp was on inside the room. Zhao Jichuan sat in the chair, clenching his fists.

Suddenly, she heard the phone ring—it was hers.

Zhao Jichuan opened her bag and took out her phone; it was Vivi.

“Hello.” The man’s voice was deep.

Vivi was momentarily stunned, clearly not expecting Zhao Jichuan to answer the phone. She said, “That brother-in-law, where is my sister?”

“She’s drunk. If there’s anything, just tell me.” Zhao Jichuan glanced at Han Rao lying on the bed. Even asleep, she wasn’t peaceful; in just a moment, she kicked off the blanket, leaving a fair leg exposed.

Zhao Jichuan stood up and helped her cover herself with the quilt again.

Vivi said, “It’s nothing really, I just wanted to ask my sister what time I should pick her up tomorrow. I sent her a WeChat message, but she hasn’t replied.”

Zhao Jichuan pinched Han Rao’s earlobe. She frowned impatiently, and he let go.

“Mm, let’s see. When she wakes up tomorrow, I’ll send her back to you.”

“Alright then.”

After hanging up, Zhao Jichuan glanced at Han Rao’s phone and couldn’t help but unlock it.

He knew her phone password. When they first got together, he once suspected she was hiding a man, so to prove her loyalty, she gave him the password.

However, Zhao Jichuan had never gone through her phone before.

At this moment, the man gently swiped the screen with his thumb and suddenly discovered that her tape recorder was right on the homepage.

Almost without any hesitation, he clicked in.

The latest recording is from tonight.

The man’s temple suddenly twitched. He walked to the study, raised his hand to turn it on, and the sound of the tape recorder slowly came through the receiver, striking his heart—

“That’s what the hell you deserve!”

“So, after being with Zhao Jichuan for so long, he still hasn’t managed to fix your bad temper?”

The two people’s conversation came through in fits and starts, mixed with the rustling sound of friction and the wind on the rooftop.

Zhao Jichuan’s frown deepened more and more until he heard Han Rao break down and say, “What you did was attempted rape.”

He only felt the blood in his arteries congeal, a surge of foul air stuck in his chest, unable to rise or fall.

He felt that the punch he threw at Lin Siliang today was too light; a beast like him deserved to die.