The Almighty Martial Arts System

Qiao Yiyi wasn’t calling Jiang Fei to ask him to be a guest at her concert again. After the incident at her last show in Jincheng, she felt too guilty to impose on him.

Besides, she’d already finished her tour for the year and was now focused on recording her new album. Concerts wouldn’t resume until next year.

This time, she had something else in mind—an advertisement.

“An ad for Jiang’s Clinic?” Jiang Fei was taken aback. As the owner, how had he not heard about this?

Lin Moli had explicitly told him that, given the clinic’s current scale, advertising was a waste of money—it wouldn’t move the needle. The only reason they’d signed a celebrity like Qiao Yiyi as a spokesperson was for future branding, not immediate use.

“Yep. Moli told me,” Qiao Yiyi replied. Though she’d agreed immediately, she wasn’t clear on the specifics. “From what I gathered, this isn’t for the clinic itself, but for a new women’s health tonic—part of launching your pharmaceutical brand.”

Now it made sense.

No wonder Moli had suddenly greenlit an ad—it was for the upcoming drug company.

Unlike clinics, pharmaceutical sales lived and died by marketing. No matter how renowned Jiang Fei’s medical skills were, most people wouldn’t care about his formulas unless they were aggressively promoted.

Take Tongrentang or the Cui family’s Jishitang—they constantly ran TV ads, even product-placed in dramas. Or recall the infamous Nao Can Jin, a sales phenomenon built entirely on relentless advertising.

With Qiao Yiyi—a top-tier star—as their spokesperson, Jiang’s Pharma could hit the ground running the moment their products launched.

“Just coordinate the ad shoot with Moli,” Jiang Fei said. “I’m clueless about this stuff.”

Qiao Yiyi chuckled at his reflex to delegate. She almost pitied Lin Moli—running a business with this man must be exhausting.

“Moli insisted we consult you,” she pressed. “As the developer, you know the formulas best. She wanted your input on how to present the product’s benefits.”

Jiang Fei waved her off. “All the details are in the配方 documents. Just work with that—I’ve got no creative suggestions.”

“Wow. You really are the king of hands-off management,” Qiao Yiyi teased.

Secretly, she was frustrated. She’d hoped this project would give her an excuse to meet Jiang Fei in person—they were both in Beijing, after all. But he’d brushed off her hints like a block of wood.

“Is my charm really that weak?” The usually unflappable “Ice Queen” of entertainment found herself sulking. “Then again, his girlfriend’s stunning, and Lin Moli’s legs go on for miles. Maybe a celebrity means nothing to him.”

…

Jiang Fei had barely hung up when his phone rang again—Lin Moli this time. Luckily, dinner was over, and Bai Ruoxi was washing dishes. He answered swiftly.

“Are you free to talk? Should I call back later?” Her opening question was code for: “Is Bai Ruoxi nearby?”

That single considerate sentence hit Jiang Fei like a freight train.

Since when had this once-domineering woman become so… thoughtful?

Men’s sweet talk could melt women’s hearts, but sometimes, a woman’s casual concern could send a man’s pulse racing just as fast.

“All good,” Jiang Fei said, stepping into the bedroom.

Assured of privacy, Lin Moli’s tone turned playful yet accusing. “The medical exchange ended ages ago. Why are you still in Beijing? You couldn’t even deliver the formulas in person—just a photo?! Found your personal paradise there?”

Jiang Fei rubbed his nose. “I’m no Liu Shan[1], okay? I’m stuck handling TCM Association duties as the new chairman.”

The truth was, he was waiting for Ye Yuanyuan’s investigation into the poisoning of Elder Ye and the assassination attempts—matters too dangerous to explain to Lin Moli or Bai Ruoxi.

“Liar,” Lin Moli snorted. “You’ve got two days to return. If not, I’m flying to Beijing myself!”

Jiang Fei’s stomach dropped.

If Lin Moli came and demanded to stay at Bai Ruoxi’s apartment… “One man, two women? A harem fantasy?”

—Best to shelve that impossible daydream.

Lin Moli wouldn’t pick a fight with Bai Ruoxi. If she’d wanted to, she wouldn’t have conceded so much back in Jincheng.

“Wait, you’re really coming?” Jiang Fei asked.

“Mm-hmm. Day after tomorrow,” she confirmed.

Jiang Fei wracked his brain. “For Qiao Yiyi’s ad shoot?”

“Pfft. I know nothing about ads. They’ll just show me the final cut.”

“Then why—?”

“To see you, dummy!” she laughed. “What, scared your ‘primary wife’ and I will start catfighting?”

Jiang Fei: “……”

“Relax. As the ‘side chick’ with no baby bump to leverage, I’d lose any showdown. Getting publicly humiliated sounds fun, huh?” Her voice dripped mock misery.

Jiang Fei was utterly defenseless against this minx.

After savoring his silence, Lin Moli finally relented: “Fine, truth time. I’m coming for the drug licensing. Local approvals are done, but national-level permits require Beijing’s stamp. Since our ‘CEO’ won’t lift a finger, the COO has to step up. Unless… you want to handle it yourself?”

“I’ll pick you up at the airport,” Jiang Fei said firmly.

“No!” Lin Moli refused. “Focus on your girlfriend. What if she ambushes us at the terminal?”

“Bai Ruoxi isn’t like that.”

“Okay, okay, I’m being petty. But really, don’t bother. My assistant knows Beijing well—hotel’s booked and all. Just arrange the regulator meeting.”

Jiang Fei agreed, but inwardly resolved to meet her anyway.

Ignoring Lin Moli to please Bai Ruoxi? That’d be outright favoritism.