Max Level Return—I'll Protect That Fragile One

”What is there to talk about?” Cheng Xizhou simply didn’t believe Jiang Heng’s explanation.

Unexpectedly, Bai Xi also wanted to talk with Jiang Heng. ”Zhouzhou, let me talk to him, don’t worry.”

Cheng Xizhou hesitated for a moment before reluctantly helping Bai Xi up. He carefully checked Bai Xi’s phone to ensure it was in her pocket and reminded her, ”If there’s any danger, remember to call me.”

”Okay.”

Jiang Heng glanced around, and everyone dispersed.

Once everyone had left, Jiang Heng approached Bai Xi a little closer.

In West Continent City, where women are generally petite, Bai Xi could be considered tall, around 167 cm. But she was really thin, and the T-shirt she wore seemed to hang loosely, combined with a natural aloofness in her eyes, making her appear more desolate and lonely.

Due to frequent blood donations, Jiang Heng had become quite thin, yet standing in front of Bai Xi, he still exuded a kind of intimidating presence.

He lowered his eyes, looking into Bai Xi’s cold and calm eyes, and a highly complex emotion arose in his heart.

This person once used her blood to extend his life. They were supposed to be the two most deeply connected people in this world, but he had mistakenly repaid the wrong person and held someone who had harmed Bai Xi as precious.

Facing Bai Xi, Jiang Heng was speechless.

”You...” Jiang Heng’s voice was somewhat hoarse.

Bai Xi found Jiang Heng’s gaze at her somewhat strange; it didn’t seem like he was looking at someone he disliked, but rather at an old acquaintance with a deep connection.

Frowning slightly, Bai Xi asked Jiang Heng, ”What do you want to say to me?”

Jiang Heng came back to his senses and said, ”Can we talk somewhere else?” Jiang Heng left the choice to Bai Xi.

Bai Xi replied, ”There’s a tea restaurant on the third floor of the hotel, let’s talk there.”

”Alright.”

*

The tea restaurant had been cleared of guests.

Jiang Heng and Bai Xi sat face to face at opposite ends of the tea table; the former was tense and uneasy, while the latter was silent.

Seeing that Jiang Heng was slow to speak, Bai Xi grew a bit impatient, ”Mr. Jiang, what exactly do you want to discuss with me? Please be brief.” Bai Xi really had no patience for Jiang Heng.

Jiang Heng was rarely treated this way; it didn’t make him angry, but he did feel a bit stifled inside.

After gathering his thoughts, Jiang Heng chose to start the topic with Rashomon. Jiang Heng asked Bai Xi, ”The organization that abducted you back then, was it Rashomon?”

Given Jiang Heng’s status and power, it wasn’t surprising that he had found this information.

Nodding, Bai Xi said, ”Yes.”

”So it seems you were also one of the more than 100 children kidnapped by Rashomon back then?”

Bai Xi nodded again.

Seeing Bai Xi’s admission, Jiang Heng silently breathed a sigh of relief.

He took a sip of lemon tea, and his heart suddenly felt sour. After a long pause, Jiang Heng nervously said, ”Coincidentally, I was also kidnapped by Rashomon.”

But to Jiang Heng’s surprise, Bai Xi nonchalantly nodded and even said, ”I know.”

”You know?” Jiang Heng was very surprised. ”How do you know?”

Bai Xi frankly explained, ”I once worked for Rashomon, so I know some things about you.”

”So that’s how it is.” Jiang Heng licked his lips, wanting to ask if Bai Xi still remembered him, but he didn’t dare to say it, nor did he dare to reveal the truth to Bai Xi.

Seeing his hesitating expression, Bai Xi also picked up the glass of water on the table and took a sip.

Putting down the glass of water, Bai Xi suddenly said, ”I heard from Ms. Jie that you have Bai Xuan under house arrest.”

Jiang Heng hesitantly nodded.

”Why?” Bai Xi asked very directly.

But Jiang Heng didn’t know where to start.

Noticing that Jiang Heng kept glancing at the scar on her wrist, a string in Bai Xi’s mind was plucked, and she thought of some distant and blurry childhood memories.

Studying Jiang Heng’s face thoughtfully for a moment, Bai Xi had an absurd idea pop into her mind.

Bai Xi tentatively asked Jiang Heng, ”Jiang Heng, did we know each other before?”

Nervous, Jiang Heng nearly knocked over the glass of water on his left. Stabilizing the glass, he then looked up at Bai Xi, nervously and excitedly asking her, ”Do you remember me?”

Bai Xi opened her left hand, revealing the scar on her wrist. She said, ”This scar has been with me since I was five. It’s so ugly, how could I forget where it came from?”

Hearing this, Jiang Heng was both surprised and overjoyed. ”So you do remember me.”

After carefully examining Jiang Heng’s face, Bai Xi finally said, ”However, I can’t remember what you looked like when you were young.”

Hearing her say this, Jiang Heng was overwhelmed with emotion. He also said, ”I can’t remember what you looked like either, or even your name. I only remember that your last name is Bai, and that you’re from Haiyu City.”

”After all, it’s been so many years.” Bai Xi felt quite at ease.

She suddenly remembered that on her father’s death anniversary, when she first saw Jiang Heng, he kept sneaking glances at the scar on her wrist. Back then, she thought Jiang Heng was mocking her, but now she realized that probably wasn’t the case.

Thinking back to the fact that Bai Xuan also had an old scar on her hand, Bai Xi guessed the sequence of events.

Bai Xi sighed, ”I think I understand.”

Jiang Heng asked Bai Xi somewhat puzzled, ”What do you understand?”

Bai Xi said, ”Bai Xuan has a scar on her wrist.”

Jiang Heng nodded, his expression complicated.

Then, Bai Xi accurately analyzed, ”On that day at the tomb, you accidentally learned that Bai Xuan and I are sisters and saw my scar, which made you suspicious. You must have investigated my background and discovered that I was kidnapped by Rashomon, only then realizing you mistakenly took Bai Xuan for me, the one who saved your life in the cave back then.”

”Am I right?”

Jiang Heng nodded awkwardly. ”You’re right; I did mistakenly take Bai Xuan for the childhood you.”

Understanding the truth, Bai Xi remained calm.

She looked at Jiang Heng, frowning, and asked him puzzlingly, ”So, what are you really thinking in your heart?”

”I feel sorry for you,” Jiang Heng said with unbearable guilt. ”The year I met Bai Xuan was precisely the year you were sent back home. While I mistakenly treated Bai Xuan as my savior, giving her everything she wanted, you were tormented by her and her mother.”

Hearing this, Bai Xi said, ”You didn’t do anything wrong; you don’t need to apologize to me.”

Bai Xi did not blame Jiang Heng.

The ones who harmed her were Jie Siyu and Bai Xuan; Jiang Heng didn’t know about it, so he wasn’t very much at fault.

More importantly, Bai Xi didn’t care about Jiang Heng at all.

Therefore, she didn’t care whether he was wrong or not.

After the truth was revealed, Jiang Heng’s expression became serious. He solemnly promised Bai Xi, ”Bai Xi, I want to repay you; you can make any request of me.”

Hearing this, Bai Xi leaned back in her chair, examining him for a while, and suddenly said, ”If I asked you to divorce Bai Xuan and marry me, would you agree?”

Jiang Heng was stunned.

His gaze was conflicted, but he finally nodded and said, ”I can.”

Bai Xi only shook her head and laughed, a laugh full of sarcasm.