What does it matter whether a bar girl who has to force a smile for a living is single or not?
Moreover, the bar owner had already introduced her just now.
She was brand new to the scene.
Xiao Yanzhi turned his face and fixed his gaze on her rain - soaked and heavily - made - up face. He was silent for a while.
It was all colorful, as if a paint palette had been knocked over.
Suddenly, he reached out, took out a tissue with his long fingers, and then lifted her chin with the other hand.
Jiang Li tried to dodge.
"Don't move."
His voice was deep and mellow. It sounded even more magnetic in the car, as if it had some kind of magic. Jiang Li involuntarily obeyed.
His wiping action was not gentle. Jiang Li could feel the tugging on her skin, but she still remained silent.
After he wiped off all the heavy makeup and rainwater on her face, a delicate face gradually emerged.
Without the heavy makeup, her real appearance was actually quite elegant. She was not as charming and vulgar as she seemed in the bar, but rather exuded a sense of sophistication.
Xiao Yanzhi couldn't help but take a few more looks.
Jiang Li felt his gaze on her face. She dodged for just a second, and then boldly looked back.
She was confident and never afraid of anyone's gaze.
Especially at this moment.
Xiao Yanzhi squinted his eyes slightly, and his eyes showed more interest.
He had seen women who deliberately fawned on others, or those who were coy and hypocritical. But the woman in front of him was very straightforward, and her eyes were clear without a single impurity.
Even though she was drenched by the rain, humiliated, and in a sorry state, she didn't show the slightest bit of vulnerability.
He found it very interesting.
Just then, Jiang Li's phone rang.
Xiao Yanzhi was surprised that her phone hadn't gotten wet, but he still allowed her to answer the call in the car.
"Jiang Li, where the hell are you?" On the other end of the phone was Ding Ge's roar and scolding. "You bitch, how dare you stand President Nan up! Do you want to die?"
Jiang Li didn't care. Her expression was even lazy, like a proud peacock. "Ding Chengzhuo, I'm officially notifying you. From today on, I quit."
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, and then he couldn't help laughing. "You quit? Who gave you the guts? That stinky boy who stuffed his business card into your bra tonight?"
Xiao Yanzhi: …
Jiang Li: …
Jiang Li's expression froze for a moment. She coughed twice to relieve the embarrassment. "Anyway, I won't go to work for you tomorrow. From now on, you're fired by me."
She didn't even wait for Ding Chengzhuo to say something even more unpleasant. She immediately hung up the phone.
Although she was finally free, there was a hint of loneliness and helplessness in her eyes.
Xiao Yanzhi said casually as if nothing had happened, "You don't seem very happy."
"How can I be happy when I've lost my job?" Jiang Li said straightforwardly. "I still have debts to pay and a younger brother to support. Now there's even a new task."
"What task?"
"To avoid President Nan's revenge."
At this moment, Xiao Yanzhi finally couldn't help laughing.
He wanted to ask if she knew whose car she was in and who was protecting her. A mere President Nan was no threat at all.
But he didn't say it. He just asked lightly, "How did you offend him? Tell me."
Jiang Li thought that since Xiao Yanzhi had saved her, there was no need to hide this matter. So she just said, "He touched my ass, so I hit him."
"How did you hit him?"
Jiang Li gestured with her hand. "A bottle this big. I smashed it on his head."
"I didn't expect his head to be so hard. The bottle didn't even break." When she said this, there was even a hint of regret in her voice.
When she said this, Jiang Li ended the topic just right. "Sorry to make you laugh tonight."
She was really good at handling the situation.
Xiao Yanzhi pursed his lips and just said lightly, "Xue An, go to Nanzhu Group tomorrow."
Xue An responded.
Xiao Yanzhi's life was too boring. Everything was already arranged. Saving Jiang Li was one of the few rebellious acts in his life.
He even felt a bit self - mocking. One day, he actually had the idea of "saving a beauty in distress".
Although Jiang Li didn't understand the meaning of the conversation between the boss and the assistant, she somehow had a feeling that President Nan probably wouldn't dare to come after her.
Jiang Li didn't know what he was thinking. She just said "thank you" seriously.
Xiao Yanzhi nodded, indicating that it was no big deal. Then he looked at her face and asked, "What can you do?"
This question sounded familiar, just like what those men in the bar asked.
So Jiang Li replied, "I can sing, dance, and I majored in acting."
Xiao Yanzhi also asked her, "What do you want to do in the future?"
What did she want to do in the future? Jiang Li really hadn't thought about this question.
There was a glint in her eyes, but it quickly faded. She whispered, "When I was in school, I wanted to be a star, a top - tier female star loved by everyone. I wanted to receive so many endorsements that my hands would go numb, shoot so many movies that I wouldn't have time to sleep, and receive so many awards that my legs would go weak."
"And now?"
"Now? I just want to ask if there's still a job for dish - washing at the restaurant entrance."
She smiled. "I did a good job before, but the landlady thought I was too good - looking and didn't look like a dish - washer, so she fired me."
When she said this, she didn't feel embarrassed at all.
Jiang Li was very aware of her own appearance.
She wouldn't pretend to be humble and say that she wasn't beautiful, nor would she show a lack of confidence to the outside world.
She was like a rose growing in the desert.
After the conversation ended, the car fell back into silence.
Halfway through the drive, Xue An suddenly remembered that he had to send Jiang Li home. So he turned his head and asked, "Miss Jiang, where do you live? Tell me an address."
Jiang Li was silent.
She used to live in the bar's staff dormitory. But just now, she had made a big show on the phone and said that she was firing Ding Chengzhuo. She definitely couldn't go back to the dormitory.
The rain outside showed no sign of stopping. Where would she stay tonight?
The car was quiet for a long time.
Until Xiao Yanzhi's deep voice sounded again, "Go back to Ruiyuan."
Jiang Li held her breath.
It was almost a long time later that she asked in a small voice, "Mr. Xiao, are you taking me back to your home?"
"Otherwise." Xiao Yanzhi said in a deep voice. "Jiang Li, I'll make something clear to you in advance."
"I won't be more of a gentleman than President Nan. I need a reward for my help."
Jiang Li knew exactly what this reward was.
Xiao Yanzhi said casually, "The help I can offer is to fulfill your dreams, solve your financial problems, and deal with those who are pestering you."
"And you just need to follow me." He said calmly, his tone flat. "You still have time to refuse. I'll give you three minutes."
Did she still have any room to refuse?
Jiang Li had every reason to believe that as long as she opened her mouth to refuse, the man in front of her would mercilessly let her get out of the car, and everything he had just said would be null and void.
Ding Chengzhuo would skin her alive, and President Nan wouldn't let her go. She would have nowhere to hide in the entire Beicheng.
It was a matter of choosing between life and dignity.
In less than a minute, she closed her eyes, and then heard her own voice softly say, "I agree."