Chapter 232: I Haven’t Done a Good Deed All Year, and the One Time I Do, I Get Hit?

"I know a bit about what’s going on between you two," Mrs. Ma said, holding her hand. "Sometimes when you look at a person, you shouldn’t just look at their appearance. You have to look at their heart."

"Whether he’s Lu Shijing or Mr. Ryan, I think you need to take your time and feel out his affection for you."

"I know you’re very cautious, to the point where you’ve walled yourself off." Mrs. Ma had a gentle heart and could tell at a glance that Gu Shengsheng was just a paper tiger.

"Don’t make things so hard on yourself," she said. "Try to open your heart and accept others."

"Sometimes you’ll find that life is much easier with two people than with one. And you’ll be happy."

"..."

Gu Shengsheng walked out in a daze. ’Happy...? The word "happy" was too foreign to her.

Just like with her grandmother and Linnin’s kindness, she didn’t dare to truly open her heart, afraid that if the relationship soured, she wouldn’t be able to pull away.

She always seemed to be like this—never daring to open up, always testing the waters cautiously, ready at any moment to hide behind the emotional walls she had built for herself.

’Look at a person’s... heart?’

With these words echoing in her mind, she headed back, her thoughts a complete mess.

On the way, Lu Shijing brought up one awkward topic after another to chat with her, but Gu Shengsheng’s replies were half-hearted.

They were all perfunctory, and she couldn’t remember anything Lu Shijing had said.

But Lu Shijing seemed very happy talking.

After dropping Gu Shengsheng home, he even sent a message to Jin Ran. "Your sister-in-law likes my dad jokes."

Jin Ran was drinking with his good-for-nothing friends and immediately did a spit-take.

’No way! Who’s that weird? Listening to his dad jokes.’

’But if Lu Shijing said it himself... maybe it’s true?’

’Could it be that Gu Shengsheng is really that special someone?’

He looked around, growing more depressed by the second. ’Wait a minute... Lu Shijing’s actually got a shot at wooing his wife?’

’And I don’t even have a girlfriend yet!’

He glanced around, deciding he was going to get a girlfriend too!

His eyes swept across the nightclub and landed on the slender back of a girl in a white dress. She stood there looking a little out of place, as if she were waiting for someone.

Jin Ran grabbed a bottle of whiskey and walked over, stopping behind the woman.

"Care for a drink?" he asked in a smooth voice.

The beauty turned her head, and it was none other than Yang Jiao, her face flushed red.

She looked a little drunk.

Jin Ran: "..." ’Why is it my sister-in-law’s friend?’ He remembered his sister-in-law had eaten with her. She was Yang Jiao, the heiress of Yang’s Jewelry.

Given her identity, Jin Ran lost all interest in hitting on her.

Just as he was about to turn away, a bald old man hurried down from upstairs.

"Well, well! Miss Yang, we haven’t finished discussing the contract, and you’re leaving all by yourself? That’s so disrespectful to us!"

Yang Jiao shook his hand off in disgust. "I’m waiting for my assistant... to get my coat! I’m not drinking anymore."

The old man was about to get handsy again.

At this, Jin Ran prepared to play the hero saving the damsel in distress. ’How could someone try to force himself on a woman right under Mr. Jin’s nose?’ In an instant, his heroic complex flared up!

Just as Jin Ran was about to make his move, who would have thought that Yang Jiao, as if having a sudden burst of energy, would take off her high heel and smash it into the old man’s face.

Then, she "coolly" ran to the middle of the nightclub’s dance floor, right onto the center of the stage.

Jin Ran: ??? ’Is Yang Jiao going to dance?’

Sure enough, he had been thinking too small. Yang Jiao didn’t dance, nor did she do anything else.

She just lay down.

Right in the very center.

The music stopped instantly. People around her even started calling for an ambulance. Who would dare touch her now! No sleazeball was going to try and force her to do anything anymore!

Jin Ran: ???

’This was her plan? A plan to avoid being taken away without offending anyone?’

It seemed utterly ridiculous. But on second thought, Jin Ran found it surprisingly reasonable.

’The friends this sister-in-law keeps are really something else. Every one of them, just like her, walks an unconventional path...’

Seeing that the boss who wanted to take advantage of Yang Jiao had also gone upstairs, not wanting to get mixed up in this mess,

Jin Ran: "..." ’Even though this is super embarrassing, I should probably go get her out of humanitarian concern.’

He walked toward the stage.

He said to the kind-hearted bystanders, "It’s fine, it’s fine. No need to call the police. She just drank a little too much and is feeling a bit emotional."

"I’m her friend. I’ll take her home now."

Jin Ran was a familiar face, and besides, this nightclub was one of his family’s businesses, so no one said anything.

They just watched with suggestive looks on their faces, figuring Mr. Jin had found a new target.

It was a tacit understanding among everyone.

"I didn’t expect Mr. Jin to be into this type."

"Maybe he finds her charming when she’s lying down."

"Look at that, love at first sight!"

Jin Ran was speechless. ’These people actually dare to tease me!’ But right now, the most important thing was to get his sister-in-law’s friend out of there.

’Otherwise, his sister-in-law would get angry, then Lu Shijing would get angry, and when Lu Shijing gets angry, he’ll take it out on me! And won’t I be the one left holding the bag?’

He was already well-versed in this kind of thing.

Jin Ran quickly picked her up and stuffed her into his car.

He patted Yang Jiao’s cheek. "Miss Yang? Time to get up!"

"I have to admire your courage, not caring about losing face. Most of the people here at the club tonight are from the same social circle."

"You’re a true warrior."

Even as he said this, Yang Jiao’s face was still slightly flushed, and her breathing was long and even.

’Looks like... she’s really asleep?’

Jin Ran still wasn’t sure. He pulled her up, shook her a bit, and continued patting her cheek.

"Wake up?" he said.

He gave her cheek a few quick taps.

Yang Jiao was a light sleeper to begin with, and right now, she felt like there was a mosquito buzzing incessantly by her ear.

She didn’t care about anything anymore.

She lifted her hand and slapped him right across the face!

Her almond-shaped eyes flew open in a glare as she roared, "Annoying! Shut up."

Jin Ran, a large handprint now blooming on his cheek: "..." ’Wait... I haven’t even processed what happened.’

’How did things develop this way?’

’No, seriously, Yang Jiao’s slap was way too strong. It made my ear ring with a BZZZZZZ sound.’ Tears welled up involuntarily.

The assistant in the driver’s seat handed him a tissue. "Mr. Jin, you were slapped so hard you’re crying. Wipe your tears."

Jin Ran didn’t take the tissue. Instead, furious, he pulled up the privacy divider.

’Wait... What just happened? A woman hit me? And I just saved her out of the kindness of my heart!’

Jin Ran grabbed her.

His voice was loud. "Yang Jiao! Stop sleeping."

"You hit me! You actually hit me! Don’t you know I saved you?" He was absolutely livid as he said this.

"I’m not kidding, do you have any morals at all? I’ve never met anyone as heartless as you." Jin Ran felt genuinely wronged.

He barely did any good deeds all year, and the one time he did, he got beaten up for it.