The days went on like this. The weather was still excessively hot. The scorching sun was burning every day. The media had reported that one old man who lived alone died of heat in the home. The excessive use of electricity had caused power outages in many areas. There were even two fire accidents caused by circuit aging.

The surrounding areas had suffered heavy losses because of the drought. The fields were cracked and the seedlings that had just been planted almost withered. The fish in the fish pond had also floated to the surface of the water because of the lack of oxygen. Yellowish-brown was seen everywhere the aerial lens went. The green that represented life was just a small decoration.

The city government started to carry out all kinds of disaster relief work. All kinds of disaster relief evening parties were held one after another. Many big companies made donations. They actively responded to the call of the government to help the people who suffered the disaster. Xia Xiaowan and Han Xiaoxue volunteered to join the disaster relief work. They went to the countryside by car to distribute disaster relief items. Moreover, Xia Xiaowan also went everywhere to persuade rich people to donate more and help more people who suffered the disaster.

Since she was the one who came forward, the first person she chose to visit would definitely be Jiang Kaiwei. Usually, Jiang Kaiwei would send a manager to handle this kind of thing. There was no need for him to handle it personally. However, it was Xia Xiaowan who came. Jiang Kaiwei naturally could not waste such a good opportunity. He had formally made an appointment with her and met her in the conference room. He even took a notebook and recorded what Xia Xiaowan had said.

Xia Xiaowan said, “The people there desperately need water for living. They can only use the underground water now. I hope President Jiang can donate ten sets of drilling equipment.”

Jiang Kaiwei immediately shook his head. “No, no, no. How can ten sets be enough? They need at least twenty sets.”

Xia Xiaowan said, “President Jiang, can you donate a cart of pure water? The fellow villagers have problems with finding drinking water now!”

Jiang Kaiwei said, “How can one cart be enough? I will donate ten carts!”

Xia Xiaowan said, “President Jiang, you are so kind. I know that the Jiang Group has already donated five million yuan. But we are still in great lack of money. President Jiang, can you donate a little more? Even if you donate only eighty thousand yuan or a hundred thousand yuan, we won’t mind!”

Jiang Kaiwei said, “Have we donated five million yuan? I didn’t know that. It was probably handled by the administration department. How about this? Now that they have donated five million yuan, I think I should double that figure this time. So I’ll donate ten million!”

Officer Huang from the Charity Federation of the city, who accompanied Xia Xiaowan, was stunned. She looked at Jiang Kaiwei with a dumbfounded look all along. She thought, “Jiang Kaiwei is indeed the richest man in City G. His style is really impressive! No matter what request Xia Xiaowan raises, he always doubles the figures she has asked for.”

She knew that the Jiang Group had made a donation once. So when Officer Huang came here with Xia Xiaowan, she was not sure whether they would make it. She originally thought that it would be perfect if they could persuade Jiang Kaiwei to make a donation again, regardless of how much Jiang Kaiwei was to donate this time. But she did not expect that there was no need to persuade at all. President Jiang was so generous that she was shocked!

Before leaving, Officer Huang was excited and wanted to shake hands with Jiang Kaiwei to express her gratitude. However, Jiang Kaiwei did not even look at her. Instead, Jiang Kaiwei took the initiative to hold Xia Xiaowan’s hand and said humbly. “Miss Xia, it’s such a hot day, but you are still going around everywhere for disaster relief, which is really admirable. It’s good to do good deeds, but you shall be careful of your health. I have some medicine for preventing sunstroke. Please accept it.”

Xia Xiaowan said bluntly, “Well, thank you then, President Jiang.”

Jiang Kaiwei gave her a small paper bag on the table. Xia Xiaowan opened it and saw the medicine inside. She smiled and said, “This medicine is really useful. President Jiang, since you are so kind-hearted, why don’t you go the extra mile and donate some medicine for preventing sunstroke?”

Jiang Kaiwei spread out his hands and said straightforwardly, “No problem!”

He personally sent Xia Xiaowan and Officer Huang downstairs, shook hands and said goodbye. After watching Xia Xiaowan’s car left, Jiang Kaiwei took out his cell phone from his pocket and sent a message, “Did I do well today? Can I have dinner with you tonight?”

After reading the message, Xia Xiaowan pursed her lips and smiled. Officer Huang asked her, “Little Xia, why are you smiling?”

“Nothing.” Xia Xiaowan said, “I just feel that today’s trip was not in vain.”

“Yes, I didn’t expect President Jiang to be so generous. He has the heroic spirit.” Officer Huang’s eyes lit up. “This kind of man is so handsome!”

“Handsome?” Xia Xiaowan pouted. “I don’t think so.”

Officer Huang said, “He looks handsome, and he is also handsome when he speaks. When he smiles, he is even more charming. I have heard that President Jiang is unapproachable and arrogant. It seems that I shall not believe in the rumors. It is not like that at all! I think he is simply a top quality man. Whoever marries him in the future will definitely be very happy!”

Xia Xiaowan secretly felt proud in her heart, but she still retorted, “Is that true? He’s just a playboy.”

“He is not adulterous, right?” Officer Huang had been in the Charity Federation for a few years, so she knew something about the upper class. She said, “Isn’t the second son of the Shao family the famous playboy in City G? President Jiang’s love life is relatively low-key, and there are very few rumors about him in this respect!”

“The second young master of the Shao family has not been a playboy for long. Now he has his beloved wife and son by his side. He is so happy!”

Officer Huang said, “Well, it was also published in the newspaper. However, that playboy’s old habits die hard. Although he is happy now, no one knows what will happen in the future! President Jiang is still the best. Look, before we complained about how hard our work was, he has prepared the medicine for preventing sunstroke in advance. How considerate! A girl shall marry this kind of man. Hey, Little Xia, are you married?”

Xia Xiaowan smiled and shook her head. “I don’t even have a boyfriend. How can I be married?”

Officer Huang pushed up the glasses on the bridge of her nose and looked at Xia Xiaowan in surprise. “You are so beautiful, but you do not have a boyfriend? That’s impossible, right? You must have high standards. I guess there should be a lot of men chasing after you!”

“There is one.” Xia Xiaowan said, “But I’m still considering him.”

“What kind of man? Tell me, and I’ll help you judge him.”

Xia Xiaowan thought for a moment and said, “He is arrogant and domineering. He is quite tall, but he is a little stupid. He is a person who has more brawn than brain.”

Officer Huang blinked her eyes and chuckled. “You’re describing your boyfriend like this? It seems that he’s good for nothing! But why do you think he’s stupid?”

Xia Xiaowan said, “I once misunderstood him and scolded him, but he didn’t argue with me and just let me scold him. He only told the truth after I calmed down.” She was talking about Jiang Kaiwei who came late in their last appointment for dinner. Several days later, Jiang Kaiwei explained to her that he was not late because he invited her for dinner the next day. Then, she flipped through the chat records and realized that it was she herself who had made a mistake.

She asked Jiang Kaiwei why he did not explain it clearly on the phone at that moment. He smiled and said that for her, he could endure any grievances.

From then on, their relationship had really gotten closer, and gradually, they met more and more often. But Xia Xiaowan had not decided whether to accept him.

Officer Huang asked again, “How does he treat you?”

“He treats me well. It can be said that he’s obedient.”

“That’s enough!” Officer Huang said in an experienced tone, “No matter how he treats others, it’s fine as long as he treats you well. I feel that his stupidity you speak of is actually a kind of expression of love. There are not many men like this nowadays. You have to cherish him!” After a pause, she continued, “By the way, Little Xia, you have been working too much these past few days. Go home early today and don’t go to the countryside tomorrow. Just rest at home for a day. Your health is important. If your body collapses, you won’t be able to do anything!”

“It’s fine,” Xia Xiaowan said, “You lack volunteers right now. I can still hold on.”

“The problem of lacking volunteers has been solved.” Officer Huang smiled and said, “A team of university student volunteers has joined us. My leader asked me to let you have a rest because you have been working the hardest during this period. The weather is so hot, so pay attention to your body. It’s not my idea but the leader’s. You have to listen to what the leader ordered. Just rest for a day and come back after you have recovered your energy.”

“Alright.” Xia Xiaowan said, “If you are short-handed, you can call me.”

“Where do you live? Shall I send you home first?”

“No need. We are not going in the same direction.” Xia Xiaowan pointed to the subway station ahead and said, “I’ll get off there.”

The driver pulled over. Xia Xiaowan said goodbye to them and quickly walked into the subway station. When she filled the information form when applying to be volunteers, she only provided her name and phone number. So no one knew her real identity. She did not want others to know it, feeling that it was unnecessary. When she went to work every day, she always parked the car in the public parking lot and then took the subway to work.

Working as a volunteer was a brand new experience for Xia Xiaowan. She was born in a wealthy family, and her family had always protected her well, so she had never encountered any setbacks. Her past with Jiang Kaiwei was like a hurdle that she could not get over. She thought that she would never be able to forget it. However, when she became a volunteer, went to the countryside with other volunteers by car to send disaster relief items, and saw the bitter life of the local people and their optimism in the face of disaster, she was very moved and touched. She felt that she adopted a sentimental pose in the past. When she thought about the time she had given up on herself, she felt a little ashamed.

Every day, she took the subway and rushed through the crowd like others. Although the weather was very hot, her body was full of sweat every day, and she had become dark and thin, she had a sense of satisfaction and happiness that she had never felt before. Because she was in a good mood, her attitude towards Jiang Kaiwei was much better.

She went out of the subway and walked to the public parking lot to get her car. Because it was not the off-duty time, the parking lot was still full of cars that were arranged in an orderly manner. Xia Xiaowan followed the signs and slowly looked for her car.

When she reached the side of a military green jeep, the car door suddenly opened and a few hands reached out at the same time, pulling her into the car.

It happened so suddenly that Xia Xiaowan was completely confused. Although she subconsciously resisted, she was no match for several stalwart men since she was just a woman. In the car, her hands were quickly twisted and tied up. Her eyes were covered, and her mouth was stuffed. Her feet were also tied up by a thick hemp rope. She realized that she had been kidnapped.