Chapter 8: Breathing through your mouth, trying to suffocate yourself?

He charged at her like a furious lion, clutched Jiang Ruan's collar, and was about to rip her clothes off.

Jiang Ruan screamed, her heart pounding violently as she raised her hand to protect her clothes tightly.

At that moment, it was as if she had fallen into an embrace. Jiang Ruan's mind went blank, and she looked down quickly at the hand wrapped around her waist.

But the man's agonized scream caught her attention even more!

Jiang Ruan looked up to see Zhan Xiaohan, who had appeared by her side at some unknown time, with a cold and stern expression. He grabbed the man's wrist and mercilessly broke it.

"Ah ah ah!"

The man gasped in pain, "You... who are you?!"

Zhan Xiaohan's handsome face was as cold as frost, a sharp light flashing in his eyes as he said coldly, "Do you deserve to ask?"

"Don't let me see you again, or else..."

"Ah! I'm going to fight you!"

The man clenched his fist, hiding the Retractable Knife in his hand, and lunged at Zhan Xiaohan with a stab!

Zhan Xiaohan's eyes narrowed, and he stepped forward to completely shield Jiang Ruan.

He had already spotted the sharp point exposed in the palm of his hand. Both his hands met it, grabbing the man's hand forcefully, making the man scream even more miserably!

The blade's tip slid continuously in the palm, and blood surged out like a breached dam, soaking Zhan Xiaohan's palms!

The next instant, the man's body was thrown away, hitting his head against the wall with a bang.

"Get out!"

The man shivered all over, not daring to linger in fear for his life!

He scrambled up and ran for the exit immediately.

Jiang Ruan's face was stiff, seemingly lost in thought.

Zhan Xiaohan composed himself, turned around, and his gaze fell on her, the fury in his eyes still burning hot, almost scorching her.

His eyes darkened, and he used his clean hand to press on her lips.

"Open your mouth and breathe. Trying to suffocate yourself?"

Jiang Ruan snapped back to reality, making a sound of acknowledgment subconsciously, like a kitten cooing.

She quickly realized the ambiguous position they were in and retreated from his embrace without thinking.

"Thank... thank you for helping me. I'll send a couple more bottles of wine to your friend later, and about the hospital surgery, I won't forget it. I'll earn the money and pay you back for the surgery fees."

For some reason, Zhan Xiaohan felt irked hearing her deliberately distant words.

He had saved her, but not to hear her say this!

"Jiang Ruan."

Zhan Xiaohan narrowed his dark eyes, a dangerous glint flitting beneath them as he spoke in a hoarse voice.

"I'm asking you one last time. Was it you, those three days? Was that you?"

Jiang Ruan clenched her palms subconsciously, "It wasn't me, Mr. Zhan. You've mistaken me for someone else."

"I... I'll go get the wine for your friend, I'll take my leave first."

Just as Jiang Ruan turned to leave, her wrist was seized by him once more!

A warmth surged through, and Jiang Ruan immediately looked down in shock, her wrist instantly stained red with blood.

He... was injured?

Jiang Ruan looked up abruptly, "You're hurt!"

Zhan Xiaohan's gaze was fixed on her. That wasn't his blood, but he couldn't be bothered to explain.

"You owe your thanks to me. Why would you send wine to my friend?"

"I... I understand, and I'll thank you, but you need to get your wound bandaged right now."

No sooner had she finished speaking than the sound of that man coming with security guards could be heard in the distance.

"It was a man who seriously injured me, and this is willful assault! If your bar does not give me an explanation today, I will never apply for a card here again!"

Jiang Ruan was alarmed and looked nervously at Zhan Xiaohan, "He's found his way here!"

Zhan Xiaohan, rarely amused, raised an eyebrow, a playful glint passing through his eyes.

"Then let's hide for a bit."

"What..."

Jiang Ruan felt her body yanked fiercely, and Zhan Xiaohan whisked her into the men's restroom.

He pushed open a stall door, and Jiang Ruan's body was abruptly thrust against the door panel, the sound of the lock clicking in her ear!

Her embarrassment intensified, her bright and clear eyes unusually tinged with annoyance.

"This is the men's restroom," Jiang Ruan whispered softly.

"I can't go into the women's restroom."

"I can go out and explain the situation to the security guard. You were justifiably saving me, and..." Jiang Ruan bit her lip, not daring to voice the rest of her thoughts.

He was so powerful, with a mere flick of his finger he could buy up the entire bar. Why would he fear a man and a security guard?

Zhan Xiaohan's mood inexplicably improved, as he leisurely observed her.

Even without her finishing, he could guess what she meant.

But the atmosphere seemed to shift at that moment with a man and woman in a confined space, and theirs were very close.

Under the light, Zhan Xiaohan could clearly see her lightly made-up face for the day.

Her skin was pale and luminous, with a touch of red on her cheeks, probably from shyness.

It made him think of that night...

Zhan Xiaohan's eyes stirred, and a voice inside him kept insisting, it's her, isn't it? It's her!

Unaware of the impending danger, Jiang Ruan sighed softly, unbuttoned her uniform jacket, and revealed the clean white shirt underneath.

She took hold of the hem of her shirt and pulled sharply, tearing a piece from the corner of the shirt.

"Let me help you bandage your wound first, Mr. Zhan."

But as she took Zhan Xiaohan's hand to bandage it, she found...

Although his hand was covered in blood, there were no signs of injury!