Xia Liang rolled over and stretched out an arm, only to grasp at empty air. He paused for a second, then turned his head to look. A petite figure was shrouded in a blanket, huddled in the corner by the bed, biting her lower lip and staring intently at him.

Xia Liang's eyebrows arched. He propped his head up with his hand and smiled back at her.

That said, even though I was the one who brought her home last night, and we were up all night… I never really got a good look at Ling Ji. This girl is actually quite pretty. She has a baby face and long, flowing hair. Her petite yet curvy figure was curled up tightly, a sight that would make any man struggle to contain his protective instinct.

In the stare-off with Xia Liang, Ling Ji lasted only a few seconds before crumbling. She hurriedly lowered her head and stammered, "I… I remember everything about last night. It's not… not your fault. I was drugged during a late-night meal. Thank you for saving me. You… you should go. I don't need you to take responsibility…"

Xia Liang was slightly startled; he hadn't expected the girl to say something like this.

He shook his head with a smile, pulled the girl into his embrace, and whispered in her ear, "Don't worry, I'll take responsibility where it's due. For now, let's get to know each other a little better."

And so, the girl lay tensely in Xia Liang's arms as they began to chat casually.

Of course, I already know all her information, but I still have to ask as a formality and introduce myself.

Ling Ji, 20 years old, was a kindergarten teacher and a part-time anchor. She had been invited out for a late-night meal by friends and had unwittingly fallen into a trap.

The two of them chatted about everything under the sun. As they talked, Xia Liang could distinctly feel Ling Ji gradually relaxing in his arms. Since Ling Ji had the afternoon shift that day, Xia Liang drove her to work after they ate lunch.

「Several hours later.」

After completing ten orders on his Didi app, Xia Liang glanced out the window. The sky had, at some point, turned dark and grim. It was filled with storm clouds, and faint flashes of lightning flickered within.

BOOM!

The next second, a deafening thunderclap heralded the arrival of a torrential downpour!

Xia Liang checked the time. It was already past four in the afternoon, around the time Ling Ji should be getting off work. He turned the car around, planning to pick her up and take her home.

Meanwhile, in a corner of Somersault Kindergarten, a man and a woman stood facing each other. The man appeared to be in his thirties; he was thin, with a wrinkled face. He was the kindergarten's principal, and the woman was none other than Ling Ji.

"Ah, Ling Ji," he said. "Have you thought about what I mentioned last time? Do you have time tonight? I'd like to take you to dinner!"

Ling Ji shook her head and replied softly, "I can't, Principal. I have other plans, so it's not convenient."

The principal took a step closer, his emotions flaring as he grabbed her hand. "Ling Ji, you know how I feel about you! I know I've been divorced once, but I truly love you. Plus, I'm rich! If you're with me, you won't have to do a thing. You can just stay home all day, eating, drinking, and having fun!"

Ling Ji quickly wrenched her hand free and instinctively stepped back, putting a safe distance between them. "Principal, I already have a boyfriend. I'm sorry, but I hope you'll stop harassing me!"

The principal was about to say more when a scream suddenly echoed from the yard. They exchanged a look and quickly ran toward the sound.

When they arrived in the yard, they saw a group of children huddled together. In their midst, a little boy lay on the ground, clutching his left hand and wailing. Upon asking, they learned that while chasing each other and playing, he had accidentally fallen. His left hand had smacked against the side of the stairs. A quick inspection suggested his left wrist was likely fractured.

It was pick-up time, and moments later, the little boy's mother arrived at the kindergarten.

Seeing her son in such a state, the woman rushed forward to scoop him into her arms. After a quick check, her first move wasn't to take him to the hospital, but to turn and roar at the principal. "What kind of kindergarten are you running?! How can a child get hurt this badly right under your noses? What are you people paid for?! I'm telling you…"

She spewed a torrent of harsh words, some too vulgar to repeat, but it all boiled down to one thing: money.

The principal bowed and apologized profusely with a humble attitude before turning to Ling Ji and scolding her. "Ling Ji, what is wrong with you?! The children were playing in the yard during your work hours. Why weren't you supervising them? Where did you go? I heard you started dating recently. Did you sneak off to call your boyfriend again? Do you realize this is a dereliction of duty?!"

Ling Ji stared at the principal, utterly astonished. He was the one who called me away just now. He knows exactly what happened, so why is he shifting all the blame onto me?

She opened her mouth to explain, but ultimately said nothing.

Now I get it. My refusal earlier must have angered him, and he's using this as an opportunity to teach me a lesson.

Hearing the principal, the woman immediately directed her anger at Ling Ji, shouting, "Exactly! As a kindergarten teacher, how could you let young children play by themselves? They're so little, what if something serious happened?! And you're dating? Look at what a hussy you are! Who knows how many men you've seduced? We don't even know how badly my son is hurt. A fracture is one thing, but what if it's a hairline crack? What if his hand never heals properly? Can you bear that responsibility?"

Ling Ji bit her lower lip, feeling incredibly wronged. I can tell this woman just wants money. If she were genuinely concerned for her child, she wouldn't be here causing a scene; she would be at the hospital.

"Fine," Ling Ji said. "Tell me how much you want. I'll pay."

Surprised by her straightforwardness, the woman hesitated for a moment before saying, "One point! At least one point! Or this isn't over!"

If it were just medical fees, the cost would never reach such a figure. This was obvious extortion. But Ling Ji didn't want to drag it out any longer. She could see that the woman was shameless, and there was no telling what kind of scene she'd cause if this continued. So, Ling Ji nodded in agreement.

"Fine, one Yuan. I'll transfer it to you later. Take your child to the hospital first."

The woman was taken aback for a moment. She glanced at Ling Ji, and as her eyes darted around, she suddenly changed her tune. "Wait, no, I misspoke. Not one Yuan. With my child injured like this, who knows if there will be long-term side effects? He might even have psychological trauma. The medical bills plus compensation for all the miscellaneous troubles… it has to be at least three Yuan!"

At this, Ling Ji's anger flared, and she retorted without hesitation, "Impossible!"

It wasn't that Ling Ji didn't have the money. In fact, forget three Yuan; she could have paid three cents or even more, especially since the card Xia Liang had casually given her a couple of days ago had a balance of ten Yuan.

However, the woman's blatant extortion and greed were unbearable.

The one Yuan she had agreed to was already far more than the actual medical expenses. Ling Ji had only accepted to avoid a prolonged argument, but she had underestimated the woman's avarice. Now, she was abruptly demanding three Yuan.

This audacity is one step short of pissing on my neck!

Therefore, Ling Ji would absolutely not agree.

"The most I can give you is one Yuan. Take it or leave it, and this matter is over. You need to take your child to the hospital. If you don't want it, then there's nothing more I can do."

However, the woman was clearly unwilling to back down now. She scoffed coldly.

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