The Almighty Martial Arts System - Chapter 196

Bai Ruoxi had never planned to buy a car. The apartment Cui Xiuping had arranged for her was close enough to the newspaper headquarters that she could walk there in just over ten minutes.

Besides, traffic congestion in the capital was notorious nationwide. Sometimes, driving was slower than taking the bus or squeezing onto the subway.

But Jiang Fei had made up his mind, and she couldn’t change it. In the end, he dragged her to a 4S dealership to pick out a car.

Bai Ruoxi had always been strong-willed and independent, rarely swayed by others. But ever since Jiang Fei had “tamed” her, she found herself yielding to him more often than she expected.

When it came to choosing a car, they clashed again—this time over the price.

Bai Ruoxi wanted something modest, around 100,000 yuan—a Ford Focus, a Besturn, or a Chery would do. Jiang Fei, however, disagreed. Though he wasn’t exactly rolling in money, buying her a car that cheap felt embarrassingly frugal.

At the same time, Bai Ruoxi disliked flashy displays of wealth. As a journalist, driving a luxury car like a Mercedes or BMW to work would draw too much attention. After some consideration, they settled on a mid-range Volvo XC60 priced at over 300,000 yuan—slightly more expensive than Jiang Fei’s Jeep Compass back in Jincheng. It offered a comfortable ride without being ostentatious, and most people wouldn’t recognize its price tag.

Cui Xiuping tagged along during the car purchase—not to foot the bill, but to expedite the paperwork. With his connections, they skipped the usual waiting period. By the time Jiang Fei finished paying, Bai Ruoxi could drive off immediately with her new car, license plates and all.

After buying the car in the morning, Jiang Fei and Bai Ruoxi headed to their rented apartment in the afternoon.

As Cui Xiuping had promised, the apartment complex catered to white-collar professionals working nearby. The unit came fully furnished with appliances, bedding, and everything else they needed. All they had to do was pay the rent and move in.

Though Cui Xiuping could be a bit flamboyant, he was reliable when it mattered. The moment Jiang Fei stepped into the complex, he was impressed by the upscale environment and security. Even in Beijing, this was a high-end residential area.

“This place can’t be cheap. There’s no way the rent is just 1,500 a month,” Bai Ruoxi remarked, eyeing the tastefully decorated interior and the clearly expensive furniture.

Though the apartment was small—a single bedroom with a kitchen, living room, and bathroom—it was far beyond what 1,500 yuan a month could cover in Beijing, where sky-high prices made such places unaffordable for most. Only high-earning professionals could comfortably live here.

Jiang Fei knew Cui Xiuping had slashed the rent significantly. “He didn’t even want to charge us at first,” he admitted. “The 6,000 yuan for six months was only after I insisted. But don’t feel guilty—the Cui family is filthy rich. The entire Ji Shi Tang is like a business empire. This amount is nothing to them, not even a drop in the bucket. Since he’s being so generous, we might as well accept it.”

Bai Ruoxi nodded.

After their stay at Ji Shi Tang the previous day, they knew just how wealthy the Cui family was. Even a single potted plant in their courtyard could fund a lifetime of luxury.

After touring the apartment, Bai Ruoxi said, “We don’t need to buy kitchenware, but I’d prefer new bedsheets. Even though these look clean, I’d feel better with fresh ones.”

“No problem,” Jiang Fei agreed.

They shared a slight obsessive-compulsive streak, especially when it came to bedding. Neither liked using items that had been touched by strangers.

So, they went shopping. Along with new bedsheets and daily necessities, they stocked up on groceries. Since Jiang Fei was leaving for Jincheng the next day, he planned to cook a lavish farewell dinner for Bai Ruoxi.

As he stored the extra ingredients in the fridge, he teased, “I doubt you’ll actually cook any of this after I’m gone. Even when you’re free, I can’t imagine you bothering. When I come back in two weeks, this food will probably still be untouched.”

Bai Ruoxi shot him a glare but didn’t deny it.

In most relationships, the kitchen was a woman’s domain—but Bai Ruoxi, despite excelling in almost everything else, was hopeless at cooking. Her specialties were scrambled eggs over rice and noodles, neither of which tasted particularly good. Stir-frying meat was out of the question (she could barely cook it through), and even simple vegetable dishes like tomato and egg or shredded potatoes often turned out bizarre.

Before Jiang Fei gained his game-like abilities, his cooking had been mediocre too. But between the two of them, he had always been the one in charge of meals.

“After eating your cooking these past few days, I’m really going to miss it when you’re gone,” Bai Ruoxi sighed, frowning.

Jiang Fei’s master-level culinary skills were dangerously addictive—almost like a drug.

She wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, resting her cheek against his back. “Why don’t you stay in Beijing for another two weeks?” she murmured hopefully.

Jiang Fei’s conscience prickled. He knew she didn’t want him to leave—and that she was uneasy about him returning to Jincheng.

Though she hadn’t said anything or shown any displeasure, he could tell she was bothered.

“I really have things to take care of back home,” he said gently, turning to embrace her. He kissed her forehead and rested his chin on her head. “But I’ll come back in two weeks and stay longer next time.”

Bai Ruoxi buried her face in his neck and softly replied, “Okay.”

That evening, Jiang Fei pulled out all the stops, turning the tiny apartment kitchen into a culinary stage more impressive than A Bite of China. The clatter of pots and pans orchestrated a symphony of flavors, resulting in a feast surpassing even state banquets. It was his way of soothing Bai Ruoxi’s unspoken frustration.

They had bought a bottle of red wine earlier, and half an hour later, the table was a battlefield of empty plates.

Then, as the saying goes, a full stomach leads to other desires—and the soon-to-be-separated couple indulged passionately.

In the unfamiliar apartment, Jiang Fei unleashed every trick he knew, “compensating” Bai Ruoxi with relentless vigor. But this time, she met him with equal intensity, determined to wear him down even if he was made of steel.

And she came prepared—deploying secret weapons to keep up with him.

After the storm, even Jiang Fei, with his superhuman 2.6 physique, lay exhausted. Bai Ruoxi, curled against him, was completely spent, unable to move a muscle.

As his fingers traced the smooth curve of her back, Jiang Fei eyed the torn lingerie and the black stockings still clinging to her legs. Grinning, he asked, “When did you buy these ‘tools,’ wife? You didn’t have them back in Jincheng.”

Too tired to blush, Bai Ruoxi murmured, “I picked them up yesterday after finishing the paperwork at the company…”

Though physically drained, Jiang Fei couldn’t resist teasing her. “Next time, consult the ‘customer’ first. You should ask what style and flavor the ‘deity’ prefers.”

Bai Ruoxi lifted her flushed face and glared. “You weren’t satisfied just now?”

“Oh, I was,” he chuckled, pausing before whispering in her ear, “But next time, let’s not just focus on the interior. We should decorate the exterior too—balance is key.”

Confused, she asked, “What exterior?”

Jiang Fei’s grin widened as vivid images flashed in his mind. “Like police uniforms, flight attendant outfits, leather… all kinds of possibilities.”

“You’re impossible!” she huffed. “I’ll buy them—for you to wear!”

The Next Morning

Bai Ruoxi was set to start work that day and had considered taking half a day off to drive Jiang Fei to the airport. But Cui Xiuping showed up early to pick him up, claiming he had something to deliver.

So, she let Cui Xiuping handle the send-off instead.

“What’s this thing you’re giving me?” Jiang Fei asked once inside the car.

Before he could even look at it, a familiar ding echoed in his mind, followed by a line of text:

New Mission Unlocked: “Save Traditional Chinese Medicine.” Accept?