Evening Drive – A Call of Distress
The city skyline stretched endlessly beyond the tinted windows of Joshua's Bugatti as he drove through Shanghai's bustling streets. The neon glow from the towering skyscrapers reflected off the sleek surface of his car, illuminating his sharp features. It had been a long but productive evening—his meeting regarding Alpha, the revolutionary AI program, had gone well.
Leaning back in his seat, he glanced at his phone, expecting a teasing message from Jia Yi. Ever since their relationship had deepened, her texts had been playful—full of witty remarks and flirtatious challenges.
But when his phone finally rang, his expression stiffened.
Jia Yi.
Something felt off.
Joshua answered casually at first, but the moment he heard her voice—frantic, shaken, and bordering on tears—his entire demeanor shifted.
"Joshua—please, you have to come! My father—he—" Her breath hitched, and he could hear the muffled sound of people yelling in the background. "He lost 50 million… they took the restaurant as collateral. The loan sharks are here—they're threatening my family. My mom—she's terrified. I—I don't know what to do."
Joshua's grip on the steering wheel tightened. His heart pounded, but his voice remained calm, controlled. "Where are you?"
"At my family's restaurant—please hurry!"
Without hesitation, Joshua stepped on the accelerator, weaving through traffic at an alarming speed. His usual composed aura was gone. In its place was something darker—colder.
"They dare to touch my woman?" His fingers flexed against the steering wheel, eyes burning with a deadly glint.
Tonight, he would make them pay.
Chaos at the Liu Family Restaurant
When Joshua arrived, the sight before him made his blood boil.
The restaurant—once warm and filled with the aroma of home-cooked meals—was in shambles. Tables were overturned, plates shattered across the floor. The thugs, a gang of five men in dark suits, loomed over Jia Yi's parents.
Her father lay unconscious on the floor, his face swollen and bruised from a severe beating. Her mother clutched Jia Yi tightly, trembling with fear as one of the men smirked at them.
"This debt doesn't pay itself, Miss Liu," the thug sneered, stepping closer to Jia Yi. "If you can't afford to pay up, maybe you can work off the interest with that pretty face of yours."
Jia Yi shuddered, glaring at him with defiance even as she backed away. But in her eyes was sheer panic.
The man reached out to touch her chin—
CRACK.
A sickening crunch filled the air as Joshua's fist connected with the thug's face, sending him flying into a nearby table. Blood splattered across the floor.
Everyone froze.
Joshua stood in the doorway, his expression cold and menacing. His eyes held no mercy as he scanned the scene, absorbing the bruises on Jia Yi's father, the fear in her mother's eyes—the absolute horror on Jia Yi's face.
His voice was calm, yet bone-chillingly lethal.
"Did I hear that correctly? You were about to lay a hand on my woman?"
The remaining thugs snapped out of their shock. "Who the hell do you think you are?" one of them spat, pulling out a knife. "You want to play hero, huh? This isn't some fantasy, rich boy—"
Joshua moved before they could react.
BAM!
Another thug crumpled to the floor as Joshua delivered a devastating kick to his ribs, sending him crashing into the counter.
A third man lunged at him, swinging his knife—but Joshua dodged effortlessly, grabbing the man's wrist and twisting it at an unnatural angle. A sharp scream echoed as the knife clattered to the ground.
The leader of the gang, still holding his broken nose, stumbled back, realizing the monster they had provoked.
Joshua's presence was suffocating—his sharp gaze cut through them like a predator toying with its prey.
"You have two choices," Joshua said coolly, wiping his hands. "One—you take the money, crawl out of here, and never return. Or two—"
His gaze darkened.
"I break every bone in your body and leave you begging for death."
The leader didn't hesitate. He scrambled back, waving his men to retreat. "T-The money! Just give us the damn money, and we'll leave!"
Joshua reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a black diamond VIP card. Tossing it onto the table, he said, "Take 50 million. Now disappear."
The loan sharks barely fumbled out a "T-thank you, sir!" before sprinting out of the restaurant.
Silence fell over the room.
Jia Yi collapsed to her knees, her hands trembling as everything finally sunk in.
Her family was safe.
Her nightmare was over.
And Joshua had done it all for her.
A Confession Amidst the Chaos
The moment the door slammed shut, Jia Yi turned to Joshua.
Tears brimmed in her eyes, her body shaking—not from fear, but from overwhelming emotion.
"Joshua—" Her voice broke.
And then, she threw herself into his arms.
Sobbing. Trembling. Clutching onto him as if he were the only thing keeping her upright.
He stiffened slightly at first, but when he felt her bury her face into his chest, something softened within him.
"I—I thought I was going to lose everything," she whispered between shaky breaths. "But you came… You saved me."
Joshua exhaled, wrapping his arms around her, pressing his lips to her hair. "I told you before, didn't I?" His voice was low, gentle. "I'll always have your back."
Jia Yi gripped his shirt tighter, her tears staining the fabric. And then, in a whisper so quiet he almost missed it—
"I love you, Joshua."
His breath caught.
She looked up at him, her face tear-streaked but completely sincere.
And in that moment, a familiar chime rang in Joshua's mind.
[System Notification: Jia Yi Favorability +6 → (Total: 91 Points)]
[System Message: A Favorability of 90+ signifies genuine love. This connection is unshakable—though emotions may still waver, the bond will never be false.]
Joshua looked down at the girl in his arms. The strong, confident, sometimes stubborn Jia Yi—now vulnerable, raw, and completely in love with him.
He wiped a tear from her cheek, his thumb lingering over her soft skin.
"…Say it again," he murmured.
Jia Yi hiccuped, blushing deeply before whispering again, "I love you."
Joshua smirked. And this time, when he leaned in—
She didn't pull away.
System Reward Unlocked
Just as their lips met, the System flashed brightly in Joshua's mind.
[System Reward: Due to an emotional breakthrough, a Major Reward has been granted.]
[Reward: 20% shares in Longwei International—a multi-billion-dollar conglomerate.]
Joshua raised an eyebrow. "Not bad."
Jia Yi looked up at him in confusion. "Huh?"
He chuckled. "Nothing. Just thinking about how lucky I am."
Jia Yi blushed harder, playfully punching his chest. "Idiot…"
He smirked, wrapping an arm around her as they stood together in the wrecked restaurant.
Tonight had changed everything.
And Joshua Lim's empire was only getting started.
[Current Favorability Points]
✔ Jia Yi: 91 Points (Genuine Love)
✔ Sung En: 70 Points
✔ Su Yan: 85 Points
[Recent System Rewards]
✔ Paid 50 Million (No effect on wealth)
✔ Received 20% shares in Longwei International
✔ Attribute Boost: +10 to Strength & Charisma