Chapter Two: Don't Touch Me

Jiang Xiaotian decisively brought the girl home, but once he arrived, regret gnawed at him. What kind of mess had he gotten himself into? If she really was being hunted, wouldn’t he be doomed too?

Yet, seeing her battered and unconscious, compassion overcame his misgivings, and he laid her gently on his bed. Fortunately, he slept on a bamboo mat, so her soaked body wouldn’t ruin anything. After sorting everything out, Jiang Xiaotian dashed out to buy some ointment and bandages, carefully keeping the receipts—when she woke up, he would certainly ask her to pay him back.

He applied medicine to all the visible wounds, avoiding any others. Deathly afraid, he knew his life was already precarious, and now he had brought home a walking disaster.

Under the lamplight, he could finally make out her features. She was stunning—like a vision from a painting, so beautiful even while asleep. Jiang Xiaotian was first awed, then helpless, and finally anxious. A girl this lovely surely wasn’t ordinary…

Moreover…

Suddenly, thoughts of Chu Ran surfaced, darkening his mood.

"Sigh..." He didn’t want to curse her. Chen Kai was right—matters of the heart could only be blamed on his own incompetence.

Lost in his tangled thoughts, dawn arrived swiftly.

Jiang Xiaotian hadn’t slept all night. Just as he was about to check on the girl, the doorbell rang urgently.

He tensed instantly, peered through the peephole, then relaxed.

The landlord had come.

As he opened the door, the landlord started berating him, “What’s wrong with you, Jiang Xiaotian? Are you crazy? Why did you transfer so much money to me all of a sudden? Your phone’s off too—I thought you’d killed yourself and left me your inheritance!”

Jiang Xiaotian gave an awkward smile. Truthfully, he had considered ending it all but lacked the courage.

“Is there something you need from me?”

The landlord shook his head. “What would I want with you? You lost your mind and sent me all that money, so I came to check if you were dead. Don’t mess up my rental business!”

Jiang Xiaotian knew the landlord liked to trash talk and didn’t bother arguing, explained briefly, and prepared to close the door.

But the landlord grinned slyly. “You’re getting bold, huh? Bringing another girl home—aren’t you afraid your girlfriend will kill you?”

At that, Jiang Xiaotian fell silent. Wait—how did he know?

“When did I ever bring a girl home? Don’t make wild accusations!”

The landlord clicked his tongue. “Then is that a ghost standing behind you?”

Jiang Xiaotian turned around—there she was, the girl, standing right behind him, staring.

“This is my sister!” Jiang Xiaotian blurted as he slammed the door, making up the lie on the spot.

Their eyes met, and Jiang Xiaotian was dumbfounded once more. Her eyes were huge, her figure striking, though her face was deathly pale—her injuries must be severe.

“Thank you for saving me…”

Her voice was ethereal, hauntingly beautiful.

Jiang Xiaotian shook his head. In front of such a beauty, all logic flew out the window. “It’s nothing, really. As long as you’re alright. But do you really not need to go to the hospital?”

She shook her head again. “You can’t save me. I am a dragon.”

“Oh… You’re… What? You’re a dragon? Are you feverish? I’d say you’re more like a tiger.” He reached out to feel her forehead—it was indeed burning hot.

She said nothing, but suddenly snapped her fingers. A flame flickered to life on her fingertip.

Jiang Xiaotian was stunned into silence.

She took his disbelief as skepticism, grabbed a stainless steel basin, and bit right through it.

“What the…?” What on earth had he brought home?

“If you still don’t believe me, I’ll show you my tail…” she said, lifting her skirt. Jiang Xiaotian panicked and quickly waved his hands. “I believe you, I believe you! You’re a dragon!”

It wasn’t about believing anymore—his mind was in chaos. Dragons? In this world?

“Um, Miss Dragon, my name is Jiang Xiaotian. What’s your name?” He spoke after a long, awkward pause, timid and cautious. If she was truly a dragon, a symbol of summer’s ancient totem, he—a nobody—could not afford to offend her.

She shook her head. “A dragon is simply a dragon; dragons have no names. But everyone calls me Ling’er. You may call me Ling’er as well.”

Alright then—Ling’er, plain and direct.

“So, Miss Ling’er, since you’re a dragon, who hurt you so badly? And why do you look human…” Truthfully, if not for that finger-flame trick, Jiang Xiaotian would have thought her insane.

“This form is just for convenience. As for the rest, you’d best not ask.” At the mention, Ling’er’s expression chilled instantly.

Jiang Xiaotian hastily shut his mouth, berating himself for his stupidity. She was a dragon—her affairs were beyond him.

Ling’er suddenly seemed to remember something, pointing to a bruise on her forehead. “But this one, you kicked yesterday.”

Jiang Xiaotian was embarrassed—dragons had good memories, apparently.

At that moment, another knock came from outside. He tensed all over again.

Ling’er turned and headed for her room. “It’s not someone who hurt me.”

Jiang Xiaotian breathed a sigh of relief, thinking the landlord hadn’t left yet. But when he opened the door, he was shoved violently, falling heavily to the floor.

“Sorry, guess I used too much force.”

Hearing the familiar voice, Jiang Xiaotian looked up, anger and confusion warring inside him.

It was Chen Kai!

Beside him stood two thuggish men, cigarettes dangling from their lips, eyeing Jiang Xiaotian with contempt. “Kai, is this him? With someone like this, why do we need two guys? You could knock all his teeth out with one punch.”

Chen Kai grinned, squatted down, and said, “Jiang Xiaotian, are you sick? Yesterday was Xiao Ran’s birthday—everyone was happy, and you had to ruin it? You destroyed my mood, you know that? So sentimental—bankrupting yourself for a gift, ha!”

The others laughed, Jiang Xiaotian’s face flushing hot and cold as he endured their taunts in silence. Only after their laughter subsided did he try to stand.

But he hadn’t managed to get up before being pressed back down. “Did Kai give you permission to get up? Move again and you’ll be stuck in bed for two months!”

Jiang Xiaotian seethed, but didn’t dare retaliate. Still, he had his pride, and stared Chen Kai straight in the eye. “I have nothing to do with Chu Ran anymore. Why are you here? She’s yours now.”

Chen Kai was about to respond when his gaze shifted behind him, shock filling his eyes.

Jiang Xiaotian turned—Ling’er stood at the bedroom door, gazing at them in bewilderment. “You’re so noisy.”

Chen Kai was a young master and had seen countless women, but the girl before him took his breath away. Like a celestial being, she was utterly unlike any woman he had ever met—there was an air of untouchable divinity about her!

Ling’er noticed the greedy glint in Chen Kai’s eyes and frowned. She disliked being stared at.

“Well, well, hiding a beauty in your golden house, Jiang Xiaotian. No wonder you didn’t want Chu Ran. This won’t do—I’m going to teach you both a lesson for Chu Ran!”

Chen Kai was ecstatic—this was the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen and he couldn’t let her slip away.

“Come here, little girl. What’s your name?” Chen Kai’s attention shifted entirely from Jiang Xiaotian to Ling’er.

Seeing Ling’er unmoved, he signaled his men to drag her over.

The two thugs exchanged glances, equally awestruck—Ling’er’s aura was overwhelming, even in her weakened state.

Ling’er’s mood soured as they approached. “I don’t like being touched.”

Chen Kai was even more enticed by her words. “Ha, don’t be afraid, sister. Come, tell your big brother—why are you in this loser’s house?”

As he spoke, the two men drew near.

Jiang Xiaotian was frantic—he knew Ling’er was injured and couldn’t let her get hurt again.

“Don’t touch her!” He steeled himself and rushed forward.

But just as he turned, Ling’er struck with lightning speed, clamping one man’s throat. He struggled, eyes widened in disbelief, unable to utter a sound.

The other man tried to approach, but meeting Ling’er’s gaze, he froze, as if faced with something terrifying.

At the same time, waves of inexplicable heat swept the room, turning it into a steamy inferno.

“I said, don’t touch me…”