Jiang Wuming and Li Lianyi were novices in love.
Before meeting, both of them had a completely blank slate in terms of romantic experience.
After they met, they both admired each other.
Admiration was the precursor to liking, liking was the foundation of affection, and affection was the reason for love.
This was young love.
It was fundamentally different from the love and marriages of adults.
Adults could use love as a guise to satisfy each other's sexual desires, their desire for conquest, material enjoyment, and so on.
Adult marriages were like partnerships in life, involving the reorganization of resources, sharing of finances, procreation, and more.
For young people, love without affection was simply a form of hooliganism.
With admiration as a prerequisite and a marriage contract as a bond, Jiang Wuming and Li Lianyi unknowingly began to develop feelings for each other.
However, that marriage contract was too special and had different impacts on the two of them.
Li Lianyi was the daughter of the Li family, who had perfectly inherited the family's ancestral medical skills. She was known as a "Little Medical Immortal" and was a desired marriage prospect for wealthy young masters and martial arts prodigies, akin to an unattainable goddess.
Jiang Wuming, on the other hand, had lost his parents at a young age. He had been in hiding like a stray dog for twenty years, not even daring to have a name, surviving in the cracks of society. He finally managed to reveal his identity, only to be rejected by the Ye family and find himself in a precarious situation, surrounded by enemies.
In the eyes of many, pairing Jiang Wuming with Li Lianyi was like a toad lusting after swan meat.
One was heaven, the other was earth.
Due to that invisible pressure, the feelings that had secretly grown between them never sprouted; they remained buried in their respective hearts.
That is, until Jiang Wuming went uninvited to the Li family ancestral home, publicly dissolved the marriage contract, and removed that invisible pressure!
Although Jiang Wuming already had feelings for Li Lianyi at that time, he believed that even if they were to end up together, it would not be because of a marriage contract, but because of the affection in their hearts.
Li Lianyi was not angry, nor even surprised, by Jiang Wuming's public dissolution of the marriage contract.
Because, she understood him.
It was from that moment on, with the shackles and pressure of the marriage contract removed, that the feelings buried deep in their hearts began to sprout.
The love between young boys and girls was like dry wood and a raging fire; once ignited, it became unstoppable.
To be with Jiang Wuming, Li Lianyi voluntarily applied to join the medical team of the Dragon Country delegation for the Global Martial Arts Conference. She accompanied Jiang Wuming to Britain, witnessed his prowess firsthand, and timely treated Ren Xiaoyao.
To save Li Lianyi, Jiang Wuming did not hesitate to use forbidden techniques, burning his vital energy in a desperate struggle.
From beginning to end, neither of them had ever spoken words of liking or love to each other, but they had both proven their feelings through their actions.
However—
Although both of them were novices in love, it did not mean they were incapable of doing things that lovers do.
This was human instinct.
It was like spring arriving, and all things beginning to revive.
The moment their eyes met, Jiang Wuming felt a string in his heart vibrate. Almost unconsciously, he cupped Li Lianyi's fair chin and kissed her fragrant lips.
Li Lianyi, also instinctively, closed her eyes and offered her first kiss.
However—
As they kissed, Jiang Wuming suddenly stopped.
This was because he could feel Li Lianyi's body trembling as if she had received an electric shock, and her eyelashes were constantly fluttering.
This signaled to Jiang Wuming that she was resisting.
This was the foolishness of a young man.
If it had been an experienced player, they would have already moved on to the next step.
"What... what's wrong?"
Although Jiang Wuming had moved his lips away, he was still holding Li Lianyi's chin.
"You smell so bad."
The girl closed her eyes, her heart pounding wildly. She managed to utter the sentence with difficulty, then stood up with a blush and turned to walk away.
"Uh..."
Jiang Wuming froze.
This was because he did indeed have a strong odor about him.
Although he had been bathed by a caregiver in the past few days, his hair had not been washed, and he had just broken through to the tenth level of a two-star War God, expelling a lot of impurities.
"Go take a shower, then fulfill your promise from a few days ago and treat me to a meal. Also, I had someone make two long robes for you the other day; they're in the closet. Put them on after you shower."
Li Lianyi walked out of the master bedroom, but her voice carried back.
"Ah... okay!"
Jiang Wuming responded instinctively, and a sense of inexplicable loss washed over him.
It felt as if he had missed something just now?!
...
Two hours later.
Jiang Wuming and Li Lianyi arrived at the hotel's Chinese restaurant.
As the best five-star hotel in Hanghu, its Chinese restaurant was a renowned Black Pearl Three Diamond restaurant in Hanghu and even across Dragon Country. It not only served hotel guests but also attracted external patrons who came by reputation.
The restaurant had private rooms and a main hall. Since Jiang Wuming and Li Lianyi were only two people, they had booked a table in the main hall in advance.
When the two arrived at the restaurant, there were already quite a few people inside.
Swish, swish, swish...
In an instant, almost all eyes turned to Li Lianyi.
She had specially dressed up today, with her hair tied up, wearing light makeup rarely seen, and applying lipstick. She was wearing a white qipao paired with black high heels, perfectly showcasing her fair and slender long legs and soft, willowy waist. Coupled with her unique temperament, she was like a fairy stepping out of a painting, impossibly beautiful.
At that moment, almost every man present's eyes lit up, filled with amazement, as if they had suddenly discovered the most beautiful scenery in the world.
After lingering on Li Lianyi for a few seconds, everyone's gaze involuntarily shifted to Jiang Wuming—they wanted to know how outstanding a man had to be to deserve such a heavenly woman!
The next moment, Jiang Wuming felt hostility and disdain in many people's gazes.
Neither Jiang Wuming nor Li Lianyi paid any mind to this. Guided by the waiter, they went to their reserved seats.
After they were seated, the waiter brought out a tablet for them to order. Jiang Wuming politely deferred to Li Lianyi.
Li Lianyi took the tablet and quickly ordered six dishes and one soup.
"Beautiful lady, would you like to add a bottle of wine?" the waiter asked solicitously.
Li Lianyi looked at Jiang Wuming, "Can you drink?"
"???"
Jiang Wuming was bewildered, then understood that Li Lianyi was still worried about his health. He said, "My body is fine, I can drink."
"Then add a bottle of Maotai," Li Lianyi said to the waiter with a smile.
"???"
This time, it was the waiter's turn to be bewildered.
This was because, generally speaking, female guests who ordered wine almost always chose red wine, especially the internet celebrities who accompanied rich young masters, who would only order the most expensive red wine on the menu, as if that would showcase their status.
Not only the female waiter, but Jiang Wuming was also a little surprised, "You like drinking Baijiu?"
"I don't like drinking, and I rarely drink. To be precise, I've only had alcohol a few times in my life. I ordered Baijiu because I think Baijiu tastes better than red wine," Li Lianyi said.
"I think so too," Jiang Wuming said with a smile.
A moment later, the waiter began serving the dishes, with a specific order, and opened a bottle of Maotai for them.
"Thank you..."
Under the light, Jiang Wuming and Li Lianyi simultaneously raised their glasses, clinked them, and then, as if by unspoken agreement, said "Thank you" to each other.
However, after the words "Thank you" left their lips, they both couldn't help but smile, then lifted their necks and drank the wine in their cups in one go.
Everything was in the wine.
Afterward, they ate and chatted, occasionally clinking glasses for a small sip, enjoying themselves leisurely.
As they were about to finish the bottle of wine, Jiang Wuming noticed a handsome young man, dressed fashionably, walking towards them with a glass of red wine.
"Beautiful lady, may I have a drink with you and get acquainted?"
Soon, the young man stopped beside Li Lianyi, displaying a smile he thought was very charming.
Li Lianyi did not look at the young man, completely treating him as if he were air. Instead, she smiled and looked at Jiang Wuming.
"Are you being polite?"
Jiang Wuming looked at the young man.
"???"
Perhaps the young man had not expected Jiang Wuming to confront him so directly, and he felt a bit awkward. Then, seeing that Li Lianyi was not wearing a ring, he said,
"If I'm not mistaken, this beautiful lady is not married yet, and you are likely not even her boyfriend..."
"He is my fiancé."
Li Lianyi interrupted the young man.
"—"
The young man's subsequent words were completely choked back. Then, he took a deep breath and said with feigned composure,
"Beautiful lady, as you said, he is currently only your fiancé, so I can get to know you, or even pursue you, right? Even if you were married, I could still pursue you, couldn't I?"
"There was someone who thought the same way as you, and ended up kneeling and begging for forgiveness—are you sure you want to do this?"
For the first time, Li Lianyi turned her head and looked at the presumptuous young man, saying each word deliberately.
"Who?"
"Gu Tianlong."
"Wh-which Gu Tianlong?!"
The young man's face changed drastically. He was a young master from a wealthy family in Hanghu, recently returned from studying abroad. He didn't know about Li Lianyi and Jiang Wuming, but he had heard of Gu Tianlong's reputation.
Even among young masters of some standing in the vast Dragon Country, many dreamed of joining Gu Tianlong's circle!
"It's the Gu Tianlong you're thinking of," Li Lianyi said expressionlessly.
"No... impossible! Young Master Gu is hailed as the number one young master in Dragon Country. How could he possibly kneel and beg for forgiveness?!"
The young man looked incredulous, then widened his eyes and looked at Jiang Wuming, "Who... who are you??"
"He is the pride and future of Dragon Country. These words were spoken by Marshal Qi Wufu of the Dragon Country Martial Affairs Department."
The girl spoke slowly, her voice not loud, but like a thunderclap, resonating in the restaurant.
Instantly, the entire restaurant fell into a deathly silence.
Under the lights, everyone's gaze once again fell upon the young man.
This time, there was no disdain or hostility in their eyes, only disbelief!
"Lianyi..."
Seeing this, Jiang Wuming smiled wryly, wanting to say something.
"A king cannot be insulted."
The girl turned her head, smiled slightly, and declared with finality!