Chapter 31
Chapter 31
Kakayan had never been kidnapped, so she couldn't describe the feeling.
But she could read the intimate gestures passing between human couples.
At first she assumed Jiang Li had thrown his arm around her simply to stop her from wandering off with someone else. Why else would he march her away so urgently?
How could she have guessed the truth?
All she'd wanted was a sip of Happy Water.
Kakayan glanced at the hand clamped over her shoulder—broad fingers, calloused tips, the unmistakable hand of a swordsman who'd trained for years. Her gaze traveled up the arm to Jiang Li's frowning profile: sharp angles, handsome in the half-light, a muscle twitching at his temple as though a headache were forming.
She tilted her head, puzzled.
Was he really that worried she'd leave with someone else?
Jiang Li: "......"
He was speechless. How could she dare to drink anything a stranger handed her?
The man's smile had hidden a blade; Jiang Li could spot bad intentions the way others recognized faces. After three years on the continent of Aze, he might misjudge a good man, but he never missed a crooked one.
"That was a trafficker, you know," he said at last, slowing his pace.
"A trafficker?" Kakayan blinked. She knew the nobles of this world still dealt in slaves, but they usually targeted strong men. Why would anyone come after her?
Besides, the stranger hadn't done anything overtly dangerous. Shouldn't he have produced a whip or something?
"If you want a drink, tell me," Jiang Li continued, rubbing his temples. "Don't accept anything from strangers, understand?"
He'd only stepped away to use the restroom—then returned to find Kakayan already reaching for a stranger's bottle. Another second and she'd have been gulping it down.
Who knew what was in that water?
If Kakayan vanished, calling the police wouldn't help; the woman was an illegal resident.
Jiang Li had no desire to return to Earth only to unsheathe the Hero's Sword, cut a bloody path from his doorstep to the traffickers' den, and stage a dramatic rescue.
He could do it—but wouldn't a quiet life taste better than all this chaos?
Thinking that, he tightened his grip on her wrist.
This woman really was hopeless.
"That water... wasn't safe to drink?" Kakayan's mouth formed a small circle as understanding finally dawned.
"If you'd drunk it, you'd be unconscious by now," Jiang Li said dryly.
"Ah..." Kakayan's voice stretched in disbelief. "Stronger than any potion I could brew?"
"A hundred times stronger. They could steal your kidneys and you wouldn't feel a thing."
"What's the recipe?" Her brows lifted in sudden curiosity.
A witch's three great loves: food, sleep, and potion research.
"Forget it. Even knowing how is illegal."
Jiang Li cut the thought short. Earth lacked magical ingredients, but the chemistry wasn't so different. Given half a chance, Kakayan might whip up something illicit.
"Humans have such twisty minds," she muttered, pursing her lips.
"You're no slouch yourself."
"Not true!" Kakayan began, then turned her face away as if remembering something. "All right, that's enough."
"Enough what?"
Jiang Li didn't follow.
She gave a small shrug. "I can walk on my own."
"Oh—right." He released her at once.
He hadn't meant to take liberties; she simply hadn't realized the danger earlier. When persuasion failed, he'd resorted to brute force—though by Aze standards this was gentle. On the other continent he'd have slung her over his shoulder and carried her off.
Freed, Kakayan took a deliberate half-step away and smoothed her rumpled clothes.
To passing strangers they looked like a couple who'd quarreled and just made up.
While walking he hadn't noticed, but now Jiang Li felt the weight of a dozen stares. Kakayan's looks drew attention, and the looks directed at him were less than friendly.
He pulled out his phone and unlocked it without purpose, scrolling twice. People always find something to do when embarrassed.
He opened the video he'd posted that morning—and blinked.
The numbers had jumped.
Currently online: 200+
Views: 15,000
The clip had clearly graduated to the public traffic pool, and the retention looked solid. With luck it would reach a hundred thousand views.
He did the math: roughly two hundred yuan for a hundred-thousand-view clip.
He'd already broken even. Today's outing with Kakayan had cost just over two hundred. And those views would bring new followers too. At this rate, landing sponsorships was only a matter of time.
Beside him, Kakayan finished straightening her clothes and noticed Jiang Li grinning at his phone.
"A-hem..." She cleared her throat theatrically. "Jiang Li, did you mean what you said earlier?"
"Said what?"
He turned, still in a good mood.
"That if I want a drink, I only have to ask." Kakayan leaned forward slightly, lashes fluttering. "You'll buy it for me—right?"
The new video was performing better than expected; Kakayan's onscreen presence deserved much of the credit. Rewarding her felt only fair.
"What do you want to drink?" He lifted his chin, ready to splurge a little.
"Really?" Kakayan bounced on her booted heels, ponytail dancing. She tapped a finger to her lips, studying the starlit sky for several seconds.
Then she tapped Jiang Li's arm.
"Do you drink alcohol?"
Back in the restaurant, when Li Mou had offered drinks, she'd nearly raised her hand—until Jiang Li told her to stay quiet. If this world's water tasted so good, how amazing must its wine be?
She'd assumed Jiang Li would order some, and when he refused she'd been crushed—until she stole most of his meat and felt better.
"Alcohol?" Jiang Li met her eyes, hesitating. "Actually, that's not a bad idea."
"But can you handle it?"
"Don't underestimate me!"