C20 Use Your Mouth to Breathe

"Cut it out with that tongue of yours!"

Han Xun'er's cheeks flushed a deep red, rivaling a perfectly ripe tomato, as she realized Chiang Hao was deliberately flirting with her.

Just yesterday, Chiang Hao's Flying Dagger had snatched her from the jaws of death, leaving her both astounded and deeply moved. It was that overwhelming gratitude that had prompted her to kiss Chiang Hao.

But she would never admit that out loud, not with her demure demeanor.

"Yesterday, you were so close I couldn't even breathe. I thought I might as well breathe through your mouth," Han Xun'er retorted.

With that, she huffed, flung open the car door, and revved up the engine.

"Ah?" Chiang Hao was dumbfounded.

In all his life, he had never heard someone describe a forceful kiss in such an innocently elegant way.

"Are we going or not?" Han Xun'er asked, clearly irritated.

"Let's go!" Chiang Hao quickly took his place in the passenger seat.

But he didn't just sit there; he leaned over, his head hovering over the steering wheel, and planted a kiss on Han Xun'er's lips.

You said you wanted to borrow my mouth to breathe, right?

Well, it's only fair I borrow yours in return.

"Ding! For kissing the divine Han Xun'er, you've earned +30 Exclamation Points."

Han Xun'er was taken aback by Chiang Hao's impromptu kiss.

His extraordinary actions the day before had indeed sparked some feelings in her, but this sudden kiss left her feeling out of her element.

Things were moving too quickly!

A girl should be modest, modest, and even more modest!

Yet, she found herself surprisingly enjoying the sensation.

Her mind insisted on modesty, but her body was betraying her true feelings.

It was a good while before Chiang Hao settled back into his seat.

"Ding! After a five-minute close encounter with the Goddess, you've acquired the skill: Elementary Divination."

Now it was Chiang Hao's turn to be astonished. So this was a thing? Had he known, he might have extended the kiss and possibly earned a greater reward.

Nonchalantly buckling up, he crossed his arms and faced forward, saying, "Alright, let's head back. Take me home."

"You... Aren't you going to explain your aggressive behavior just now?"

Han Xun'er was on the verge of exploding with anger. How could someone take advantage of her and remain so infuriatingly composed?

"The air's thin down here in the basement. I can hardly breathe, so I figured I'd borrow your lips for a breath of fresh air," Chiang Hao said, his smile not helping matters.

Han Xun'er nearly lost it at such a ridiculous justification. But recalling her own use of that excuse to explain her kiss with Chiang Hao the day before, she bit back her fury, pressed the gas pedal harder, and sped towards A University.

...

Back at his rental, Chiang Hao pondered solutions to the Han family's financial woes.

There were two viable options.

First, have individuals purchase shares of Han's Group, which would not only alleviate the financial strain but also allow Han Yuequn to retain a 30-40% stake, keeping him as the majority shareholder and in control of the company.

The second option was a bank loan. However, banks were now aware of Han's Group's risks and financial issues, and were unwilling to extend credit to the Han family.

Chiang Hao's only asset at the moment was his scanning system.

With this in mind, he remembered the Divination skill he'd recently acquired. After a quick calculation, he discovered that his place of fortune the next day was none other than Half-immortal Street.

Half-immortal Street, colloquially known as the Street of Divination, was B City's largest fortune-telling hub. It boasted not only shops for horoscope readings but also Feng Shui establishments for those seeking insight into their destinies.

Products from the System were always top-notch!

The skill was a gift from the System, so the outcome was bound to be accurate.

The following morning, Chiang Hao got up early, ready to hail a cab to Half-immortal Street, only to realize his pockets were empty.

While mobile payments had become the norm in today's society, there were still times when cash was necessary. So off he went to the bank to make a withdrawal.

As Chiang Hao reached for his bank card, a plump middle-aged woman in a bright yellow coat, lips a striking red, bustled past him in a flurry.

She bumped into Chiang Hao like a human-sized water bucket, sending him stumbling.

"Ding! Barcode scan successful. Shen Bingzhen, manager of the Bank of Sichuan's South Lake branch in Hangzhou City... facing a predicament: in three minutes, you'll be kidnapped in a taxi."

A bank manager?

That's a VIP, definitely someone to connect with!

At that moment, Chiang Hao ceased withdrawing money and seized Shen Bingzhen's arm, speaking with grave urgency, "Do not get into the taxi that arrives in three minutes."

"Why not?" Shen Bingzhen asked, bewildered.

"There will be criminals in that taxi, and you'll be kidnapped," Chiang Hao clarified.

"You're out of your mind. You're the one who looks like a criminal," Shen Bingzhen retorted, clearly annoyed.

She'd encountered her fair share of con artists but cursing someone like this was new to her.

"I'm serious, I'm not lying to you. I know you're Shen Bingzhen, the manager of the Bank of Sichuan's South Lake branch, and that you have a daughter in high school..."

Chiang Hao attempted to relay all the information the system had provided him, but Shen Bingzhen cut him off, clearly not interested in hearing him out, "Scammers these days even do background checks, huh? Listen, I really am the bank manager, and I've seen more than my share of fraud cases. Don't think you can bamboozle me with these petty tricks."

With that, Shen Bingzhen turned to leave. She had come to the bank's branch that morning to handle some business and was now rushing back to the South Lake branch for a meeting. She had no time to waste on street swindlers.

"You've discovered your husband's affair, but for the sake of your daughter's college entrance exams, you've decided to wait until after she's finished to file for divorce."

He hadn't wanted to air her dirty laundry in public.

But since Shen Bingzhen was skeptical, he had no choice but to play his ace.

Sure enough, at Chiang Hao's revelation, Shen Bingzhen halted, her face registering shock, "How did you know that?"

"I am a master of divination, Chiang Hao at your service. I specialize in predicting fortunes and misfortunes..."

"Scammers these days sure do their homework. How did you figure out my husband was having an affair?" Initially, Shen Bingzhen was taken aback, but after witnessing Chiang Hao's over-the-top demeanor, she pegged the youth with his student-like appearance as nothing more than a con artist.

The circle of people aware of her husband's infidelity was small, but a thorough investigation would undoubtedly uncover the truth.

Realizing her husband's affair and considering her daughter was in her junior year of high school, it wasn't hard to infer why she hadn't pursued a divorce.

"Auntie, I swear I'm not deceiving you. You're in danger; it's better to wait for the next cab," Chiang Hao implored with genuine concern.

"I'm rushing to get back for a meeting; I don't have time to wait for another taxi," Shen Bingzhen responded with irritation. "Ugh, what's with you, anyway? What are you trying to accomplish?"