CHAPTER 257: CHAPTER 255 BEHIND-THE-SCENES MYSTERY MAN

"Put your clothes on quickly!" Jian Xi said, trying to run out. But Si Yuhuan pulled her back, pressing her hand onto his lean waist.

"Why are you running? Is there any part of me you haven’t seen? Are you suddenly shy now?"

"Shameless!" Jian Xi glared at him.

The warmth against her palm made her tremble involuntarily. Her heart fluttered.

"I got hurt for you, isn’t that reason enough?"

He wrapped his hand around Jian Xi’s waist, furrowing his brows. "How did you gain so much weight?"

Jian Xi, who had been momentarily captivated by his attractiveness, snapped back to reality and immediately pushed him away. "What’s it to you?"

Si Yuhuan continued, "And it’s only your stomach that’s gotten bigger?"

Si Yuhuan watched her defensive posture and sneered. "You’re not pregnant, so what are you afraid of? Is a little touch going to cause problems?"

As he spoke, he tried to pull her into his embrace, but Jian Xi slapped him hard.

He dodged quickly, but her fingertips still grazed his face. It didn’t sting much, but it certainly shocked him.

"Hooligan!"

"Why such a strong reaction? What are you hiding?"

The man’s eyes seemed capable of probing deep into her soul, imposing immense pressure on Jian Xi. She stammered, "What am I hiding? I just don’t want close contact with you. We’re divorced, yet you keep pestering me. Truly shameless."

There was a time when Si Yuhuan had said the same thing. "A woman as cunning as you disgusts me. Stop your shameless pestering!"

Back then, Jian Xi had simply smiled it off, not taking it seriously. Now, she returned his words to him verbatim.

"Do you dislike me that much?"

Her recoiling from his touch as if he were a plague genuinely stung him.

The high and mighty tycoon, repeatedly rejected by a woman—his pride and dignity were being utterly trampled.

Jian Xi’s bright eyes blazed with exasperation. "It’s not just dislike, it’s intense dislike!"

Si Yuhuan’s face darkened. He clenched his teeth, looking as if he wanted to gag the little woman before him. "Jian Xi, don’t provoke me!"

"You’re the one who shouldn’t provoke me!" Jian Xi lifted her chin defiantly and scoffed. "Your food, your clothes, your place to live—it’s all mine now. You eat my food and use my things. You’re no longer some revered tycoon, so stop putting on airs!"

Si Yuhuan’s chest heaved with anger.

Jian Xi delivered her final warning, "From now on, you’d better speak to me more gently and drop the tycoon act. Be careful, or I’ll have someone throw you out to sleep on the streets."

Si Yuhuan was speechless. Why did he feel like the tables had turned? These were all warnings he himself had once issued.

Jian Xi’s gaze swept over his firm chest. There was a wound so deep it looked like it reached the bone, an injury that had clearly damaged his internal organs. Lower, on his lean waist, was another wound. "You’re knocking on death’s door," she said, her voice sharp. "You should be taking care of your health. Be careful, or you’ll die with no one to even arrange your funeral!"

She had barely finished her venomous words when he pounced, pinning her to the bed. He descended upon her with a barrage of punishing kisses, as if conquering a city.

"If you don’t speak, no one will think you’re dumb!"

Jian Xi struggled. Even wounded, Si Yuhuan’s strength was astonishing. No matter how much she thrashed, she couldn’t break free by an inch and was kissed thoroughly.

When their lips finally parted, Jian Xi sagged against the headboard, gasping for air. Her eyes, red and puffy like a rabbit’s, glared at Si Yuhuan. "Bastard! Son of a bitch!"

"Say it again?"

He took a step forward, and Jian Xi quickly shut her mouth.

Her hand, still pressed against his waist, recoiled as if shocked. "You just love to bully me!"

"You were the one bullying me first, threatening to throw me out!"

Jian Xi ground her teeth. "You’re just using this debt to threaten me!"

Si Yuhuan was unfazed, utterly shameless.

Suddenly, the main door was flung open.

Old Master Si, pushed in by Housekeeper Qi, saw the two red-faced from their argument and immediately turned to leave.

"Grandpa!"

Jian Xi went over.

"COUGH. COUGH. Did I come at a bad time?"

His own grandson wasn’t even dressed!

"He... his wound reopened! I was just checking on it. Grandpa, please don’t misunderstand!"

Old Master Si shot Housekeeper Qi a reproachful look. Didn’t you say Yuhan and Si Junyan were arguing? That they even came to blows?

Housekeeper Qi’s eyes pleaded. I’ve been wronged! How could I have known the Young Mistress was here?

"Alright! You take good care of him. This child is covered in injuries and nearly died. With you here, Grandpa can worry a little less. He’s in a position where everyone kicks him when he’s down. Grandpa can’t do much to help; it’s all up to you."

It felt like a great mountain had just been dropped on her.

Jian Xi stared dumbly as her grandfather beat a hasty retreat.

Si Yuhuan watched her. "If you want to abandon me, that’s fine. I probably won’t die."

Jian Xi was silent. Without bodyguards or Fourth Brother’s connections to protect him, he’d probably be sleeping under a bridge by now!

"Fine, I owe you for this!"

Jian Xi paid Si Yuhuan’s ongoing expenses and kept the adjacent room rented, making it convenient for her to visit often.

After Si Junyan returned, he began the frantic task of raising two billion, which left him overwhelmed.

Xiaoli handed him a coffee, her tone tinged with sarcasm. "I must say, Miss Jiang is quite the money pit, burning through two billion in just a few months. Truly remarkable."

"You talk too much!" Si Junyan, already in a foul mood from his recent losses to Si Yuhuan, snapped when Xiaoli inadvertently bumped into him.

Xiaoli’s eyes immediately reddened. Kneeling at his feet, she said coquettishly, "I’m only looking out for you. Haohan Group might be large, but taking out two billion is a major misstep. It’s embezzling public funds. You should know those shareholders won’t let this go easily."

"It’s only two billion. If you don’t say anything, who will know?" Si Junyan pinched her chin. "What? Are you planning to stab me in the back?"

"How could I! I’m your woman!" Xiaoli looked at the man before her, whose eyes seemed laced with venom. A chill shot up her spine, and she trembled uncontrollably.

"I was just offering a friendly reminder. Haohan Group is at a critical juncture with its investments and production. If any problems arise, they might be difficult to resolve. If you’ve already got it figured out, then just ignore what I said as if I were talking nonsense."

Just as his finger was about to click and transfer the two billion, Si Junyan paused, his brow furrowed.

Xiaoli was right. If this two billion was discovered to be embezzled public funds, it would undoubtedly lead to serious trouble.

He waved his hand. "You can go out."

"Okay!" Xiaoli planted a kiss on the corner of his mouth and left.

Si Junyan, flustered, made a call, not noticing that Xiaoli hadn’t closed the door completely.

"Listen, something urgent has come up. I need two billion in cash. Can you stall things on your end for a bit?"

The person on the other end seemed to have rejected Si Junyan.

He fumed, "When we talked about cooperation, there weren’t so many demands! By pushing me like this at every step, are you trying to kill me?"

Xiaoli closed the door.

So, Si Junyan hadn’t secured the executive director position solely on his own merit! There was a mysterious benefactor behind him all along!