Jason held her in his arms, and only then did the worry in his heart finally subside. Hearing that she was at the police station in the car, for a moment, his heart seemed to stop, and even his voice, instructing the driver to turn around and go to the police station immediately, was a bit off-key.
Tang Mian didn't dare to turn back but glanced at the situation from the rearview mirror. Jason, frowning, sat in the back seat, his concern evident on his face.
Tang Mian is Jason's junior, and the two have a close relationship both at work and in their private lives. He was the first person to know about Jason and Emma's marriage.
He still remembers that day when he drove to Pudong Airport to pick up Jason. Jason went to the Middle East alone without telling anyone. Tang Mian kept it a secret from Jason's family elders and only said that he was going abroad for a week's vacation.
But when Tang Mian stood at the exit and saw Jason walking out of the VIP channel holding a girl's hand, he was taken aback at first.
Jason walked up to Tang Mian, a smile on his face that he had never seen before.
"This is Tang Mian, my assistant," Jason said to the girl beside him.
Tang Mian carefully examined her. She was dressed very simply in a shirt and jeans, but Tang Mian really thought she was stunning. The girl's appearance was beautiful with a hint of heroism, her long eyebrows and black eyes, and her high and delicate nose were what many girls would dream of having.
Moreover, she was quite tall, and with her shirt and high-waisted jeans, she had a slender waist and long legs, exuding a certain aura of vigor.
At this moment, Tang Mian was just surprised.
Until Jason looked at him and said with a light smile, "Tang Mian, this is my wife, Emma."
Tang Mian finally tasted what it was like to be thunderstruck.
...
The driver knew the situation was serious and didn't dare to delay, driving non-stop to the police station. As soon as the car stopped, Jason's hand was on the door lock, ready to get out.
Tang Mian quickly turned his head and whispered, "President Jason."
Jason's figure slightly paused, looking up at him.
Tang Mian looked at his boss, knowing that his advice might not be useful, but he still couldn't help saying, "There are many people and many mouths here. If someone recognizes you, it might not be good..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but Jason's identity was indeed extraordinary. If he was photographed entering and leaving the police station and some misunderstanding or rumor spread, it would inevitably require explanations. If not handled well, it could even affect Hengy Group's stock.
Jason finally spoke, "It doesn't matter."
After saying that, he got out of the car.
It was only when he saw Emma, unharmed, nestled in his arms that Jason finally felt at ease.
Lin Qinglang, who was sitting nearby, had already stood up. He looked back and forth between Jason and Emma, his face no longer looking good.
Because he had just clearly heard this man say that he was her husband.
Jason didn't look at him; perhaps complete disregard was a more effective blow to such a young man than scrutiny. He looked down at Emma and said softly, "I'll let Tang Mian handle the bail."
Emma nodded, biting back the 'thank you' that was on the tip of her tongue.
Still, Lin Qinglang couldn't hold back and shouted, "Teacher."
Emma turned her head to look at him. The young man's eyes were filled with anxiety, and she thought for a moment before saying, "Lin Qinglang, let me introduce you to my husband."
Lin Qinglang was completely stunned.
He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, all he could muster was, "How old are you to be married already?"
Lin Qinglang was genuinely shocked.
To be honest, when he saw Emma at that company, he was excited, the kind of excitement where you search for someone for a thousand times, and there she is, under the dim lights.
Nowadays, many parents are reluctant to hire young and beautiful female tutors for their sons, fearing emotional entanglements.
He didn't know about others, but the first girl Lin Qinglang liked, when he was young, was his former tutor, Emma.
Lin Qinglang came from a wealthy family, but his parents' relationship was like those in TV dramas about wealthy families, cold and distant.
This led to his rebellious and uncontrollable character, doing as he pleased at school. Fortunately, the Lin family had long decided to send him abroad after high school.
But they couldn't send him out without any preparation.
So Lin's father had his secretary find a tutor for him. Initially, Lin Qinglang was dead set against it. After all, the Lin family had found many tutors for him before, and he would drive them away, one by one, or in pairs.
Despite his handsome and sunny appearance, when he caused trouble, those tutor teachers couldn't handle it.
Emma was the first person who managed to control him.
When Jason heard his question, his face turned completely cold. His suit, tailored from high-quality fabric, was crisp and fitting, and his cold brows and stern face radiated an imposing aura.
Lin Qinglang, who also came from a distinguished background, naturally recognized that every piece of this man's attire was not cheap.
Moreover, when the man didn't speak, he exuded a natural aura that made people feel they couldn't act rashly.
However, Emma smiled slightly and said, "When you meet someone you want to marry, you just get married. What does age have to do with it?"
Lin Qinglang inwardly roared, of course it matters.
Before he left the country, he had thought about confessing to Emma, but she disappeared from his life first. Before he received the offer from the foreign school, she resigned and left.
He once made a scene with his father's secretary, demanding that he find Emma for him.
But the other party only relayed one sentence from Emma.
"The sea is vast for the fish to leap, the sky is high for the birds to fly. I wish you a smooth life in the future."
A sentence that was so appropriate and polite, but meeting again was excluded.
Tang Mian handled things very neatly, and the lawyer arrived here before them and quickly took care of the procedures for Emma to leave.
"Everything is settled, madam can leave now," Tang Mian came over and said.
Jason held Emma's hand, preparing to take her away.
Emma looked back at Lin Qinglang beside her and asked, "Has your friend not arrived yet?"
"This guy is unreliable. It's okay, teacher, you go first, we'll contact each other later," Lin Qinglang said with one hand on his ear, making a phone call gesture.
He also looked at Jason on purpose, with a provocative look in his eyes.
Emma thought for a moment, looked up and asked Jason, "Can you help him with bail too? Fortunately, he was there today, or I would have suffered a loss."
It was more than just not suffering a loss; they almost caused a big commotion in the company.
Anyway, neither of them is an easy person to mess with.
Jason expressionlessly looked at Tang Mian, who, seeing this, didn't say anything and turned around to handle it again.
Lin Qinglang immediately said, "Hey, it's really not necessary."
"I won't treat you to a meal, but thank you very much today," Emma has always been clear about it. Lin Qinglang did help her today, and it would be wrong to leave him here while she leaves.
Tang Mian stood not far away and shook hands with the police, obviously everything was settled.
When he came back, he looked at Lin Qinglang and said with a smile, "Mr. Lin, you can leave now."
"Thanks," Lin Qinglang scratched the back of his head, feeling quite embarrassed. He had already cursed his close friend in his heart for letting him down at the critical moment.
After walking outside, the driver had just parked the car here, and Emma turned her head and said, "Lin Qinglang, goodbye."
Jason had already opened the car door and sent her into the car, then walked around to the other side to get in.
Lin Qinglang stood in place, looking at the exhaust left by the car, and sighed deeply.
If the happiest thing in the world is to accidentally meet one's first love, then the most painful thing is to hear that she is married.
*
It was just the rush hour now, and the cars on the road were one after another, forming a long line of cars, moving so slowly that people had no patience at all.
But the most unbearable thing was the atmosphere in the car.
Driver Old Xu has always been silent, only driving quietly.
As for Tang Mian, he was on pins and needles.
The young man at the police station looked at Emma in a way that was too wrong, and even he could see it, and his boss should have no reason not to see it.
Not to mention the atmosphere now, it's too weird.
Emma sat quietly, her eyes slightly lowered, looking at her own palm, as if she didn't want to say anything.
In the end, it was Jason who asked, "What happened today?"
Hearing him speak, Emma slowly raised her head and looked at him carefully, and said softly, "Are you angry?"
"Do you care?" Jason was angry and laughed by her.
If she really cared, she should have coaxed him as soon as she got in the car.
Emma nodded seriously and looked at him softly, "I care a lot."
Jason snorted and laughed, obviously still dissatisfied, but his originally cold face was largely appeased by her words. It is often said that there are natural complements and checks in this world, perhaps Emma is born to restrain him.
After Emma briefly explained the situation with the health product company today, she paused for a few seconds and continued, "Actually, I didn't intend to cause trouble. I just can't stand seeing the elderly being wronged."
Especially the old lady who reminded her of her grandmother.
Jason reached out and held her hand, gently patting the back of it twice, and said in a low voice, "You didn't do anything wrong. It's not meddling."
Emma looked up at him, her smile soft and warm.
He always indulged her like this.
However, shifting the subject, Jason asked, "Who was that man just now..."
Emma held back a smile at the corners of her mouth; she knew he wouldn't let it go. But she and Lin Qinglang indeed had nothing to hide, so she admitted it openly, "I was his tutor when I was in college."
Jason's eyebrows raised slightly, and he said softly, "Tutor?"
"Yes," Emma seemed to recall the situation at the time, laughing, "Speaking of which, among all the jobs I've had, tutoring was the easiest way to make money."
Jason seemed to be successfully distracted by the change of topic, "What other jobs have you had?"
Emma chuckled lightly and really thought about it, "That's quite a lot. At first, I found a work-study position at school, and later it was part-time jobs at coffee shops, tutoring..."
"Oh, right, I also sold beer."
Jason was clearly taken aback. Emma spoke in a light tone, laughing, "I was the best at selling beer. Do you know why?"
Jason shook his head to indicate he didn't know.
Emma: "Because I'm pretty."
When she said this, her face was smiling, her eyes curved, and her black eyes were bright, like dazzling starlight falling into her eyes, truly beautiful.
Jason looked at her with some astonishment and amusement. His somewhat cold expression completely melted, finally showing a bit of a smile.
Seeing him finally smile, Emma continued, "Don't doubt it. Although I don't speak sweetly or act coquettish, I'm really good at selling alcohol."
She wasn't boasting; the place she worked at was a quiet bar, but the people who came and went were not simple, mostly rich second-generation kids.
She wasn't originally working there but filled in for a friend as a bartender for a day. Unexpectedly, several people ordered drinks from her that day.
So the boss asked if she would like to work there. Emma was in desperate need of money; every day when she opened her eyes, the monthly cost of the nursing home for her grandmother, her own living expenses, and her annual tuition fees were like a mountain pressing on her.
Emma worked there for a few days.
"You only worked for a few days?" Jason followed her words.
Emma blinked her eyes, was she tired?
Finally, she gently leaned on his shoulder and whispered, "Jason, you have no idea how many types of part-time jobs there are in this world."
So many that she felt every day was so long and hard to endure.
This sentence made Jason feel sour in his heart. He reached out and held her hand, tightly enveloping it in his palm. He came too late, late enough for her to have experienced the frustrations and hardships of life.
Some words don't need to be spoken because from the moment he decided to marry her.
He would protect her for a lifetime.
When they arrived at their destination and got out of the car, Emma had just turned to head towards the club when Jason suddenly grabbed her wrist and asked, "Did you exchange contact information with that guy just now?"
Emma looked up at him in surprise, noting the seriousness in his expression.
She was taken aback, realizing he must have been holding this in the entire ride.
Finally, she couldn't help but say, "Jason, are you jealous?"
Jason: "…"
They had arrived at a private club with a Suzhou garden style, where the winding corridors and artificial mountains were bathed in the silver glow of the sky, creating a hazy beauty with moon shadows dancing.
Today is Xiao Yichen's birthday, and their group has a fixed venue and rarely seeks attention outside. After all, they have passed the age of being unrestrained and frivolous. Now, each of them is either taking over the family business or waiting to do so. Even without the elders' constant reminders, they would restrain themselves.
As for Jason, he has always been the most mysterious in this circle. He has close friends, but they are all from childhood. Business partners are kept in another circle and are not easily allowed into his private circle of friends.
Emma was led by him, walking forward while occasionally looking around. She had been here a few times before, but each time felt fresh because the owner often changed the decorations, murals, and even the styles of the palace lanterns under the corridors, which were all new again.
When they reached the end of the corridor, the waiter in front respectfully opened the door for them. This private room was the largest in the entire club. Upon entering, it was quite lively, with about ten men and women.
In the living room at the entrance, there was a large round table with tableware already neatly arranged, exquisite white bone china plates and bowls, and glass cups that shone like crystal.
However, everyone hadn't sat at the table yet, instead, they had started a card game at the square table next door.
Xiao Yichen had just won a round and was laughing happily. He looked up and saw the door open, with Jason walking in accompanied by Emma. He was initially stunned, then immediately stood up from his chair and walked straight over.
"I'm truly honored today, even our Jing Xi has come," Xiao Yichen said, although he felt a bit uneasy, his face was very enthusiastic.
He grew up with Jason, and Emma is Jason's officially married wife. With that status, he would not treat her with the slightest negligence.
Emma looked at him and smiled, "You're so surprised to see me, did you not intend to invite me at all?"
Xiao Yichen was stunned, not expecting to fall into Emma's trap, and immediately shook his head and sighed, "Alright, alright, I can't handle Shen Yan alone on a normal day, please spare me."
"Happy birthday, Yichen brother," Emma said with a smile.
Xiao Yichen and Jason are the same age, but Xiao Yichen is younger by a few months, so Emma's address was correct.
Hearing her wish, Xiao Yichen immediately spread his arms and deliberately said, "There should be a hug here."
His personality is completely opposite to Jason's, easygoing and approachable, the kind of person who seems easy to get along with at first glance. Moreover, he is handsome and enjoys socializing, not partying every night, but organizing gatherings every now and then is true.
In the circle of Shanghai's young masters, he is also a notable figure.
Emma glanced at him, not moving forward but standing with a smile.
However, Jason looked at him, his eyes showing no particular emotions, but a cold hum, which clearly meant that if he dared to hug Emma, Jason would probably break his hand.
Xiao Yichen helplessly raised his hands, "Alright, I still need these hands to cut the cake later."
Jason said indifferently, "Good to know."
Jason never concealed his possessiveness over Emma in front of his childhood friends like Xiao Yichen; after all, his wife was not to be touched by others.
Emma lightly pressed her lips together and glanced over. Jason's gaze just happened to turn towards her, his dark eyes deep and inscrutable. However, Emma couldn't help but chuckle, reminded of the question she had asked at the door. It seemed she was right on the mark.
Her Jason was indeed a millennia-old vinegar spirit.
Jason looked at the girl whose brows were raised in utter delight and immediately guessed what she was thinking. Without showing any emotion on his face, he directly pulled her palm towards him and tickled it.
Emma laughed even harder; her palm was a bit sensitive.
Xiao Yichen looked at the couple and felt like gouging out his own eyes. Was this really how guests treated the birthday star? No gift in sight, but a mouthful of dog food was served first.
But Jason's arrival had stopped the card game. Xiao Yichen directly said, "Let's play cards first; Han Zhao hasn't arrived yet."
Since not everyone had arrived, there was no rush to serve the dishes; they just played cards to pass the time.
Jason didn't respond directly but looked at Emma and said with a smile, "Why don't you play?"
Emma could play cards; her grandmother loved this game, so she had been influenced since childhood, with a family tradition of playing.
"I only know how to play Shanghai rummy," Emma said.
Xiao Yichen immediately responded, "That's exactly what we're playing. Come on, Shen Yan takes the game too seriously; I don't like playing with him."
The young man sitting opposite laughed and said, "Yeah, and Shen Yan is also good at remembering cards. Last time we played, three of us lost, and he was the only one who won."
Emma had just sat down at the table, her hands already spread out on the card table, her face showing a bit of surprise: "What should I do then? I don't play for fun. I sit down to win money."
The other three at the card table were stunned.
Until Xiao Yichen clasped his hands together, making a cracking sound, and looked at the other two, saying, "Did you hear that? Jing Xi doesn't take us seriously at all. You guys better play well."
"That's for sure, we have to fight for our pride, can't let our sister-in-law look down on us like this."
Their teasing remarks made the atmosphere at the card table lively again. The other two men had girls sitting next to them, but after Jason sat down next to Emma, both men sent the women away.
Although Emma studied journalism, she was extremely sensitive to numbers and had a good memory. At the card table, she remembered every card that was played, including the order.
After a few rounds, she indeed won alone.
Just as the waiter came in to replace the tea and brought in a new fruit plate, Jason glanced at it and asked, "Are you hungry? Would you like to eat some fruit first?"
"Hmm," Emma was grabbing cards and casually responded.
Jason got up to serve the fruit, and the other three exchanged glances. When he brought the fruit over, his slender, fair hand held a silver fork piercing a piece of mango and offered it to Emma's mouth.
Emma was busy organizing her cards, and when the mango reached her lips, she didn't even lift her eyelids, just opened her mouth and ate it.
One feeding, one eating, their movements were skillful and coordinated.
The other three looked at each other again, deeply convinced that Jason's technique of feeding someone was not the first time.
These guys were really close to Jason, so they were genuinely surprised.
This pampering was a bit too much to bear.
Not only did he feed her, but Jason also supported her in looking at the cards. In the end, with a tilt of his mouth, he said, "I think it's better to play this card."
In the end, Xiao Yichen was missing only one eight-tile, and Emma held it in her hand until the end without playing it.
After the person on her left won, Emma laid out her cards, which made Xiao Yichen howl in frustration.
Emma looked triumphantly at Jason and said in a sweet voice, "See, I told you not to play that card, didn't I?"
"Right, you were correct," Jason responded with a light smile in his eyes, "My mistake."
After speaking, he reached out and pinched her earlobe, laughing heartily.
"At this rate, I won't need to eat this meal today," Xiao Yichen said with a helpless expression as he pushed the cards in front of him into the mahjong machine.
At that moment, Xiao Yichen's phone rang. After answering it, he joked, "Hurry up, or I won't wait for you."
"Xiao Zhao is coming," Xiao Yichen said after hanging up the phone.
The man next to him immediately said, "You dare to call him Xiao Zhao to his face, let's see if you back down."
Xiao Yichen laughed in response to the provocation and boldly declared, "So what if I call him Xiao Zhao to his face, I'll call him Xiao Zhao, Xiao Zhao, Xiao Zhao..."
It's because Xiao Zhao from Jin Yong's 'The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber' is so famous that Han Zhao particularly dislikes being called that.
This childishness is hopeless. The people around him immediately teased Xiao Yichen, but he didn't mind since Han Zhao wasn't there, and no one would fight him over it, even if he called out the name a hundred times.
Han Zhao is unique in their circle because he is a soldier, with two bars and one star on his shoulder.
His family originated from the north, and his grandfather was a true pillar of the nation, even ranking among the elite in the prestigious city of Beijing.
Originally, he wasn't close with Xiao Yichen and the others, but his family and Jason's mother's side are old acquaintances.
At this moment, Xiao Yichen changed the subject and said, "I heard from Xiao Zhao that in this promotion, your uncle might be included."
Jason remained noncommittal, his expression still indifferent, "Is that so?"
"It seems I care more about the Jiang family's affairs than you do," Xiao Yichen laughed.
Sure enough, not long after, Han Zhao arrived. His hair was extremely short, so short that you could see the hair forks, but it didn't affect his handsome appearance at all; instead, it gave him a tough and rugged aura, making him stand out even more.
As soon as Han Zhao entered, the other two at the card table immediately teased, "Yichen, your Xiao Zhao is here, aren't you going to welcome him?"
Xiao Yichen was so angry he wanted to kick them.
"Brother Shen Yan," fortunately, when Han Zhao came over, he greeted Jason first and nodded politely to Emma, calling her "Sister-in-law."
"Han Zhao, just now your brother Yichen kept saying how much he missed his Xiao Zhao," and within seconds, Xiao Yichen was betrayed.
However, Han Zhao ignored him and threw something to him, saying, "Something from Brother Jingyang."
"What is it?" Xiao Yichen opened it and found it to be a watch, which left him completely stunned. After a while, he recovered and said, "Jingyang is too polite."
Han Zhao nonchalantly said, "Anyway, you all have too much money to burn. When he has his big birthday, you can give him one back."
This remark was rather provocative, but everyone didn't mind since Han Jingyang is his cousin.
Now that everyone was almost here, Xiao Yichen instructed the waiter to start serving the dishes. Everyone took their seats, and the meal finally began.
Emma was not one to engage in idle chatter at the dinner table; she quietly focused on eating.
After all, the day's events had been quite physically demanding. While the other girls at the table barely touched their food, she ate with dedication and persistence.
When the door opened again, it was the waiter coming in to serve another dish.