The Little Childhood Friend in a Female-Dominated World (ChatGPT Translated)

18. I don't care.

With General Ji Ruan's identity and the Lu family's position in the capital, killing someone like Jia Shanren is just a matter of tarnishing one's reputation. Even if it reaches the Emperor's ears, Jia Shanren won't be able to argue his case.

Ji Ruan's punch landed on Jia Shanren's left cheek, causing a numbing pain that spread to his brain. Jia Shanren felt his mind go blank, unable to utter a word of plea, only engulfed in a sense of despair nearing death.

Jia Shanren, who had been domineering for so many years, felt the fear of death for the first time.

"Ji Ruan." Li Shi stood behind Ji Ruan, unable to discern her expression, but from Jia Shanren's expression, she could roughly guess what she said. After hesitating for a moment, she walked over and gently placed her hand on Li Shi's shoulder, softly saying, "Don't ruin your reputation because of her. It's not worth it."

Hearing Li Shi's gentle voice from behind, Ji Ruan slowly exhaled the stale air in his chest. With a hint of disdain, he let go of Jia Shanren's collar, stood up, and looked down at the person on the ground. He said meaningfully, "Indeed."

If he were to die like this, it would be unsatisfying.

As Ji Ruan and Li Shi walked out of the Chuihua Gate, her personal guards rushed over. Ji Ruan instructed them to take Jia Shanren and the servant beside him to the Jingzhao Prefectural Office and hand them over to the prefect. Only then did Ji Ruan help Li Shi onto the horse.

People like Jia Shanren would at most be given a severe beating and locked up for ten days or half a month, and if they paid a ransom, they might be released the same day after the beating.

But now, Jia Shanren was personally escorted by General Ji Ruan and sent to the Jingzhao Prefectural Office. Even if the prefect had received many benefits from Jia Shanren before, he probably wouldn't dare to casually let him off.

Jia Shanren was destined to not come out in the next ten days or half a month. Perhaps, she would spend the year in prison. When she came out, Ji Ruan had many ways to make her unable to survive in the capital.

It was Li Shi's first time riding a horse, and she couldn't help but feel a little scared. She tightly held the reins and pressed her legs against the horse's sides, keeping her back straight.

"Don't worry, it won't run wild." Ji Ruan sensed her nervousness and reassured her, "Besides, I'm right behind you."

To avoid scaring Li Shi, Ji Ruan only let the horse take slow steps forward and didn't make it run.

After walking for about a street, Li Shi gradually relaxed. As her straightened back loosened, she leaned against Ji Ruan's chest, feeling the soft and elastic touch from her back, causing Li Shi to freeze and dare not move.

Ji Ruan chuckled softly. Slowly, he tightened his arms around Li Shi's arms, embracing the person sitting in front of him, and called out, "A Qing."

Hearing Ji Ruan call her by her childhood name, Li Shi became even more nervous. Biting her lip and holding her breath, she had a strong intuition that Ji Ruan was about to say something important.

As expected, Ji Ruan said, "A Qing, marry me. Not like this, being carried into the mansion in a small green sedan chair, but in a grand wedding procession, officially becoming my wife in the Ji family."

Li Shi's heart raced, but she managed to steady herself and whispered, "I've been married before, and my child is already nine years old. . ." She looked down at Ji Ruan's hand resting on her hand, he paused for a moment before whispering, "You deserve better."

The hand covering his own hand on the back of his hand suddenly tightened, enclosing his hand in his palm. Li Shi's eyes flickered, and Ji Ruan's voice sounded in his ears, "I don't care."

Ji Ruan's voice was firm and slow, "A Qing, let me take care of you and Mi Jian. I don't expect you to immediately like me, but at least let me take care of you so that you won't encounter something like today again."

"I have been living in the Lu Mansion with my brother. The Lu family is my home," Ji Ruan's tone suddenly changed, as if bringing up another matter, "There is a rule in the Lu family's rules, that a husband who hasn't had children before the age of forty can take a concubine. . ."

Ji Ruan tightened his hand around Li Shi's waist and his voice carried a hint of satisfaction, "When you marry me, Mi Jian will be my son. Once we have a child, I won't need to take a concubine anymore."

It was only then that Li Shi realized that Ji Ruan was making a roundabout promise of a lifetime together. He already had some feelings for her, and hearing this made her slightly choked up.

"Will your brother agree to you marrying a widower with a child?"

Upon hearing Li Shi's consent, Ji Ruan's tone became cheerful, "He will agree."

Ji Ruan tentatively rested his chin on Li Shi's shoulder, nervously asking, "So, does that mean you agree?"

A warm breath sprayed on her neck, slightly wet and itchy. Li Shi instinctively moved her neck to the side, lowered her gaze, and let out a soft "Mmm" from her nose.

Ji Ruan's eyes lit up. Hearing that "Mmm" made him happier than being appointed as a general by the emperor. He urged the horse beneath him forward, carrying Li Shi with him.

Frightened, Li Shi shrank into Ji Ruan's embrace. It wasn't until the horse stopped at their doorstep that she finally breathed a sigh of relief. She cast a complaining glance at him before he allowed her to hold onto her waist and carry her down.

Knowing that her parents had been brought out of the Jingzhao Prefectural Residence by Lu Feng and were now at home, Li Shi felt relieved but also somewhat uneasy. She didn't know how to explain to her son when she went inside. "I brought a stepmother back for you after going out. . . ".

Mi Jian seemed to like Ji Ruan quite a bit on ordinary days and had asked about him and Ji Ruan multiple times. . . but Li Shi could tell that Mi Jian's liking for Ji Ruan might purely be because of Lu Feng.

She didn't know if Mi Jian would be willing if Ji Ruan married him. . .

Author's note: Little theater

Mi Jian's father: Son, I brought a stepmother for you, she's standing at the door.

Sweet Mi Jian: Dad, I brought a daughter-in-law for you, she's sitting inside the house.

Aunt Ji: . . . the treatment seems different, huh _(:зゝ∠)_

Thank you Qian Huangxiao for throwing a landmine

Thank you Guiyue for throwing a landmine

Thank you Yuan Shengru Xia Hua for throwing a landmine

Thank you Lancome for throwing a grenade

Thank you one by one, and give Mu Mu a gift ~(*＾3＾*)

Note: Unrevised