Volume One, Chapter 31: Kill Me...

"Shu Wan! How dare you!"

Jiang Jie’s face turned deathly pale in an instant. She stared at the service weapon in disbelief; even after years of navigating this industry, the murderous intent in the girl's eyes left her shaken, cold sweat breaking out on her skin despite herself.

"Do you even know what this is?"

The girl’s eyes were cold as frost. With a crisp, practiced "click-clack," she chambered a round and brought the muzzle closer to the woman’s head. "I’ve been handling these since I was eight. Do you really think I don't know?"

Screams erupted throughout the coffee shop, sending patrons scrambling in a panic.

"Calm down, Shu Wan. Please, just calm down. It doesn't have to be like this."

Jiang Jie realized then that perhaps this had always been her nature; it was only in the past year, traumatized by the death of her parents, that she had appeared so soft and docile.

"Apologize to my parents." The girl stared at her unblinkingly, raising her voice. "Apologize!"

"I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I shouldn't have insulted the deceased," Jiang Jie apologized. "I was angry, and I said things I didn't mean. I’m sorry, Shu Wan."

"You aren't qualified to even speak of my parents, let alone judge them. You don't know a damn thing about why they died!" The fire in Shu Wan’s eyes remained undimmed. "And another thing—who I like, who I fall in love with—that is my own business. It is not your place to point fingers, and it is certainly not your place to lecture me."

...

A passerby had called the police, and Shu Wan was eventually taken away by the officers.

That afternoon, Meng Huaijin, the Commissioner of the North City Bureau, Meng Tingzhou, a titan of the financial world, and the wealthy heir Meng Chuan all appeared at the station. It was so bustling it felt like an awards ceremony.

"Jin, there must be a reason for this," Meng Chuan said anxiously. "Shu Wan isn't the type to lose control. She must have been pushed to her breaking point, otherwise, she never would have used the service weapon you left in the apartment to do something like this."

Beside him, Meng Tingzhou only said two words in a deep voice: "Release her."

Meng Huaijin’s expression was dark and unfathomable. He lit a cigarette in silence, watching the girl who sat against the wall, refusing to look at any of them.

Drinking and smoking on the rooftop was one thing. But this? She had actually dared to point his own gun at someone’s head. Some progress—some real "progress."

He had once told her that if she joined the military, she would break out in rashes from the rough texture of the combat fatigues. It seemed he had made that judgment too soon.

She had shattered his perceptions once again.

Crushing the cigarette butt beneath his heel, Meng Huaijin strode over. His tall, imposing frame completely overshadowed her. After a moment of silence, he looked down at her and said, "Shu Wan, if you aren't leaving, are you planning on staying here for the New Year?"

Shu Wan kept her lashes lowered, still refusing to look at him. She stood up, brushed past him, and headed for the door on her own.

With Meng Tingzhou and Meng Chuan trailing, Meng Huaijin stayed behind to handle the paperwork.

At that moment, Jiang Jie hurried over. "Huaijin, I’ll go explain to the officers. It’s a misunderstanding—it’s a family matter. The girl was just because..."

"This is not your family matter," Meng Huaijin interrupted coldly. "You aren't needed here."

Jiang Jie felt a lump in her throat. After a long pause, she let out a cold, sharp laugh. "True. With Commissioner Meng here, what can't be resolved? Naturally, I’m not needed."

She paused, then added, "But I’m the one who had a gun pointed at my head, the one who was nearly executed. Shouldn't you show some concern for your fiancée-to-be?"

Meng Huaijin stopped in his tracks. "Ms. Jiang, I thought you had more self-awareness. Our marriage is merely to satisfy the wishes of our traditional parents and to maximize our interests, not because of personal affection."

"Huaijin..."

"This marriage is between the Jiang and Meng families, not you and me. I will handle my family affairs, and I will not interfere in your private life; that is the professional cooperation expected of people like us. So, don't overreach. You might find that the cost outweighs the gain." After speaking with icy calm, Meng Huaijin strode away.

Jiang Jie breathed heavily, her nails digging into her palms. In the end, she couldn't say a word.

After completing the paperwork and reclaiming his service weapon, Meng Huaijin walked out of the station and ran into a few of his subordinates.

"Commissioner?" one of them asked nervously, daring to speak. "Are you here to... conduct an inspection?"

"You seem guilty. Is there something going on?" Meng Huaijin asked, his face impassive.

"No, no, no! We were just afraid you were here for a surprise inspection."

The man tossed a pack of cigarettes to them. "A kid in my family caused some trouble. Had to handle it."

"...The Commissioner actually came to the station for a family matter?" They were stunned.

"Next time, I’ll be here for a surprise inspection," Meng Huaijin threw over his shoulder as he walked out.

His subordinates stood behind him, dumbfounded.

Not seeing Shu Wan in his own car, Meng Huaijin went to Meng Chuan’s vehicle. He placed both hands on the roof and leaned down to look at the girl in the back seat. "Get out, Shu Wan."

Shu Wan didn't look at him, keeping her eyes fixed ahead. She said in a low voice, "Uncle Meng Chuan, please, could you take me home?"

Meng Chuan, in the driver's seat, barely dared to breathe.

Heaven knows why Shu Wan wouldn't ride in their cars and insisted on riding in his! Having "Jin" there was enough to freeze him solid, and with "Zhou" added to the mix, he might as well have melted away entirely.

What had he done to deserve this crushing pressure?

He forced a smile and waved at the two different—but equally oppressive—figures outside the window. "Well... brothers, I’ll take her home now."

Without waiting for their reply, he floored the gas pedal and sped off.

"Is this how you take care of her?" Meng Tingzhou lit a cigarette and tossed one to Meng Huaijin.

Meng Huaijin caught it, held it between his teeth, opened his car door, and sat in the driver's seat. He stared sharply and calmly at the retreating car. A moment later, he took the cigarette from his mouth and tucked it behind his ear. "She has the same temper as my eldest sister," he said quietly.

At the mention of that name, a turbulent, ocean-like storm flashed in Meng Tingzhou’s eyes, though it vanished as quickly as it appeared. He didn't know what to say.

"Let’s go."

Meng Huaijin pulled away, the engine roaring. The car sped off, catching up to Meng Chuan’s in no time before overtaking it.

"Damn, that looks like Jin’s car. Driving so fast," Meng Chuan muttered, glancing at the girl in the rearview mirror.

Shu Wan was hugging her knees, staring blankly out the window. She was motionless, so quiet she seemed devoid of life, as if she didn't exist at all.

Yet, no one would have guessed that this fragile, porcelain-like girl had caused such a scene only an hour ago. The alarm had rung through half the district—anyone unaware would have thought they were catching a dangerous criminal!

The most crucial part was that when the report came in, the one who led the arrest was her own uncle, Meng Huaijin!

When the Commissioner walked into the coffee shop and saw that the person holding the gun was Shu Wan, the world had gone silent. The tension had reached its peak. The man's gaze had been sharp, his anger like a hawk, a leopard, a wolf—gloomy and indescribable.

In the end, it was Meng Huaijin who had wrestled the gun from her hands. The girl hadn't resisted; she didn't look at her uncle once, simply raised her hands over her head and climbed into the police car herself.

Thinking of that scene now, Meng Chuan still felt a lingering fear.

"Shu Wan, do you realize that if your uncle hadn't suppressed this, you would be all over the news right now?"

Meng Chuan asked earnestly, "What exactly did Jiang Jie say to you to make you break down like this? I’m not blaming you. If she really crossed the line, never mind your two uncles—even I would seek justice for you."

Tears welled up and spilled over. Shu Wan buried her face in her knees, choking back sobs, unable to say a word.

Meng Chuan sighed heavily. It was truly over now; she had finally spent a year becoming a bit more cheerful, and now she was back to square one.

The car stopped downstairs. As she got out, Shu Wan whispered a faint thank you.

"You’re not in a good state, Shu Wan. Let me take you up," Meng Chuan offered from the driver's seat.

The girl shook her head and walked toward the entrance of the complex in silence.

She took the elevator, opened the door, and walked into the apartment, only to lock eyes with Meng Huaijin, who was sitting in the armchair on the balcony.

The man leaned back, not smoking, his fingers pressed against his temple as he watched her. His gaze was like the vast, ink-blue sky—deep, dark, and bottomless.

Shu Wan looked at him only once before averting her eyes. Without a word, she headed straight for her room.

Just as she was about to close the door, a strong, muscular arm blocked her way, pinning her in the small space.

Smelling the faint scent of tobacco and cold cologne on him, the girl looked up at him, unmoving. The moisture from her tears still clung to the corners of her eyes. "Are you here to punish me?"

Meng Huaijin looked down at her silently. "Give me a reason why you had to pull the trigger."

"I don't like your fiancée. I find her eyesore."

Shu Wan answered quickly. She then reached for the gun the man had tossed onto the coffee table, walked over, grabbed his hand, and placed it over her own heart.

"Are you here to vent your fiancée's anger, Uncle? Then go ahead. Pull the trigger and kill me."