Night Fire Lingering

Chapter 217 A man's eyes, even when looking at a dog, are full of affection.

After paying the onboarding fee, Jiang Xing returned to school to adjust her course schedule.

She is about to graduate with her doctorate, has earned all the required credits, and has met all the academic requirements such as publishing papers. She was already in the process of waiting to graduate, which is why she was working as a teaching assistant for a professor in the department. Therefore, preparing to start working at this time will not cause any trouble for her studies or life.

The professors in the department felt very sorry about this.

Jiang Xing was truly suited for an academic career, and everyone expected her to stay at the university to teach. Unexpectedly, she suddenly went to work for a company. The department assumed that her choice was due to financial difficulties caused by the sudden death of her parents, and tactfully suggested that the department would handle her situation specially, and that there was absolutely no need for her to be forced to change her original life trajectory and life ideals for the sake of making a living.

"Thank you, Professor. I know what I'm doing." She wanted to repay the kindness, and she meant it.

Jiang Xing returned home and continued sorting through her parents' belongings.

However, when the elevator doors opened, a familiar figure was seen.

“Ah Xing…” Ying Kaian said with a face full of sorrow and pity, “Please accept my condolences.”

"Thank you." Jiang Xing's attitude was indifferent. "You're blocking my door."

“Ah Xing, I know what you said that day was just to make me angry. You and Lou Qi are not together at all.” Ying Kaian suddenly stepped forward and hugged Jiang Xing tightly. “Ah Xing, your parents are gone. I want to take care of you in their place. They certainly wouldn’t want to see you all alone. They wouldn’t be at peace! If you’re willing, we can get our marriage certificate today. From now on, I will be your support!”

Jiang Xing initially resisted with all her might, struggling to push Ying Kaian away, but then she heard his last few words.

Being all alone makes me uneasy.

Will my parents really be worried?

If so, why would Mom choose to commit suicide? And say such things?

The contradictory image of her mother before her death—a heart filled with despair, resolute yet full of love—has been Jiang Xing's nightmare these past few days.

"Ah Xing, I was under too much work pressure recently and said the wrong thing. We've been together for so many years, I will definitely treat you even better in the future... Please forgive me!" Ying Kaian humbled himself greatly.

"I...I need to think about it."

Perhaps the loss of both parents had pushed her emotions to the brink of collapse. Looking at the man before her, Jiang Xing knew very well that when a man cheats, it's either zero times or countless times. She shouldn't hesitate for a second.

However, at this moment, she desperately hoped that someone could hold her back, like a thread tying her to this social structure.

at this time--

"Miss Jiang, Mr. Ying, what a coincidence." A voice suddenly broke the silence between the two.

The two people looked over when they heard the sound.

Lou Qi, dressed in a casual suit, looked at even a dog with deep affection in his captivating peach blossom eyes.

"Mr. Lou, what are you doing here?" Ying Kaian's expression changed several times in a short while, showing shock, surprise, and resistance.

He glanced at Jiang Xing, who had no expression, then turned and extended his right hand to Lou Qi.

He took the initiative to shake hands, his expression now a mixture of trepidation and flattery.

Lou Qi glanced at Ying Kaian's hand, but didn't shake it back. Instead, he walked towards Jiang Xing and took out a bank card: "Here you go."

Jiang Xing naturally took the bank card.

“You…you guys…” Ying Kaian looked at Jiang Xing and Lou Qi in disbelief.

Two seconds later, Ying Kaian asked Lou Qi with a hint of confusion, "President Lou, I saw a beautiful woman sitting next to you in Eternal Night yesterday. When... did you and A-Xing get together again...?"

In that instant, Jiang Xing felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head—this was the real Ying Kaian.

He harbored resentment, yet remained obsequious, fawning over Lou Qi for personal gain, only to turn around and hurl insults at him the next minute.

If he could let a sudden appearance of a 'Miss Han' affect the two or three years they spent together, then he might also betray her for Miss Zhao or Miss Chen in the future.

How could she almost forget the pain once the wound healed?

"Do you think this is payment for prostitution or a tip from a sugar daddy to his mistress?" Jiang Xing saw through Ying Kaian's ulterior motives and mocked.

This was the remaining half of the ransom originally intended for the kidnappers, but due to an unexpected incident during the handover, this portion of the money remained in their possession. Lou Qi exchanged the US dollars and Bitcoin demanded by the kidnappers for cash, deposited it into his bank account, and returned it to Jiang Xing.

Ying Kaian's face turned ugly: "That's not what I meant... Ah Xing, if you need money, I can support you."

"Heh." Lou Qi chuckled. "Mr. Ying, Mingkai's account is almost empty, and you still have spare money to support women?"

Ying Kaian's face immediately turned ugly.

He had been running around trying to raise funds for the past few days, but to no avail.

He lowered his eyes, feeling a deep sense of humiliation.

If Lou Qi hadn't been born into a wealthy and powerful family like the Lou family, he probably wouldn't be as successful as him!

"Thank you, Mr. Lou. My house is a mess, so I won't invite you in for tea." After saying that, Jiang Xing turned around and closed the door, shutting the two men out.

She had no interest what they would say.

Baba took the initiative to deliver things but was blocked at the door. Since regaining power in the Lou family, Young Master Lou has never been so humiliated.

He left with a dark expression.

Ying Kaian took a deep breath, immediately caught up with him, and said with a smile, "President Lou, you've seen our company's financing plan before. I wonder if you're still interested? I can explain it to you in detail."

Lou Qi then opened his eyes and looked at him, discovering that this person did have some skill.

At least they are quite flexible and adaptable.

"Why should I invest money in you?" Lou Qi asked dismissively.

Ying Kaian understood another layer of meaning in those words: he hadn't refused.

Ying Kaian's eyes lit up. "You're interested in A-Xing, aren't you? I know you're much better off than me, and A-Xing won't suffer if she's with you. If you really like her, I can let her go—"

"Oh!"

Before Ying Kaian could finish speaking, a fist suddenly came flying at him, and he crashed into the elevator car, causing the elevator to shake.

"Mr. Lou...?"

Ying Kaian was at a loss. His face was numb from the punch, his head was buzzing, and his mouth was full of the taste of blood.

"Ying Kaian, the only ones who can treat women as commodities are women themselves."

Not some nobody like you!

-

The parents' belongings were neatly arranged together.

The moment Jiang Xing put his mother's phone into the box, he inexplicably unlocked it and began to look through his mother's chat history.

Suddenly, she saw a text message from an unknown number in her inbox: "Your daughter caused your husband's tragic death; this is your punishment."

Jiang Xing froze, wanting to read more messages, but there were none left.

—Your father suffered this undeserved misfortune.

—Mom can't face you anymore.

My mother's dying words kept echoing in my ears.

who is it?

Jiang Xing instinctively knew that the person who told the kidnapper that her father was a core member of a state-secret project was this very person who sent the text message!

But why is it said that she killed her father?

In a flash, a name popped into Jiang Xing's mind: Ying Kaian!