I'm scared

Were you scared in the parking lot?

Chen Peiyuan looked ahead, gripped the steering wheel, and spoke softly.

If you turn to look at him, you might not have heard what he said if the car hadn't been so quiet.

Are you scared? Of course I am. Even if a woman knows how to defend herself, there is a difference in body size between the two people. What's more, if the person hadn't happened to be facing away from you and you hadn't seen them, if you hadn't walked past them unknowingly, and someone suddenly jumped out from the shadows, a malicious or knife-wielding madman, you would be defenseless and there's a high possibility that a tragedy could have occurred. Just thinking about it now sends chills down my spine. Who would want to harm you?

"Was that the same person who threatened Xiao Li the other day?" You didn't answer, but instead asked another question.

"I didn't see clearly. I was only focused on taking you away. I only glanced at it briefly, but the body shape was very similar."

"Lanlan, I'm scared. What if I don't go to the hospital today and don't see you? I'm scared that you'll be facing the thugs alone."

You see Chen Peiyuan's body trembling, the car speeding up, everything accelerating and rewinding, his voice trembling slightly, his emotions unstable and about to get out of control.

“Chen Peiyuan, pull over to the side of the road. I’ll drive. You’re too agitated to drive right now.”

His condition is completely unsuitable for driving; if he continues like this, who knows what might happen.

Chen Peiyuan obediently stopped by the roadside, his eyes red and brimming with tears as he looked at you, his hands trembling uncontrollably, looking utterly heartbroken.

You didn't dare look at him, so you got out of the car and took his place, wanting to drive home quickly. As you drove, you felt terrible. You didn't expect Chen Peiyuan to cry because of you. He was really afraid something would happen to you. It would be a lie to say you weren't surprised, after all, you two had that kind of relationship in the beginning.

By the time they arrived home, Chen Peiyuan had calmed down. He tidied himself up and followed you inside.

"Crack"

The door was closed.

You walk through the entryway and turn around, ready to have a good talk with him, but suddenly you fall into a warm embrace. You stare in surprise, wondering why Chen Peiyuan is suddenly hugging you.

The moment you turned around, Chen Peiyuan hugged you tightly, burying his head in your shoulder. Soon after, you felt a little dampness on your shoulder.

You stared at the doorway with a complex expression. The undeniable truth was that Chen Peiyuan was truly crying. You could feel his genuine fear. You couldn't describe your feelings at that moment—a mix of emotion and relief, but mostly a surge of surprise. You felt that someone genuinely cared for you, a man named Chen Peiyuan. Like a child yearning for candy, you were presented with a candy wrapped in a black coating. You didn't know if it was good or bad, sweet or salty. Everyone said this candy looked ominous and couldn't be good, and you thought so too, preparing to accept your fate. But the moment the candy touched your tongue, it wasn't sweet or salty, but a bittersweet taste—a third flavor, which you surprisingly didn't dislike.

"It's alright, Chen Peiyuan, I'm still here."

You slowly raised your hand and stroked Chen Peiyuan's back, again and again.

After a while, you loosen your shoulders. Your shoulders felt incredibly heavy and damp, which was very uncomfortable. His heat kept hitting your shoulders, seeping through your clothes and lingering on your skin, creating a tingling, numb sensation. You could hardly feel your shoulders anymore; it was strangely itchy.

Chen Peiyuan reluctantly moved away from your shoulder, still keeping his head down and not looking at you.

You immediately turned around and didn't see his slightly red ears. You felt your face getting a little hot, but you didn't know if it was from the heat or what. Anyway, it wasn't his breath that made your face hot. You secretly glanced at your shoulder and saw that it was obviously wet. You had cried a lot.

When you came out after changing your clothes in your room, he was holding two bowls of noodles on the dining table, waiting for you to come over. He stood by the table, smiling at you shyly, his nose slightly red, his eyes glistening with tears, as if they were filled with light. When he looked at you, his eyes were gentle, and his already handsome face became even more vulnerable, like a bright moon in the water that could be plucked at will. He was as gentle and charming as a tender husband, with a touch of shyness.

It makes you lustful, no, it makes you hungry.

You think to yourself, no wonder so many people at this age like to reminisce about their teenage romances, there's definitely some truth to it.

When Chen Peiyuan saw you come down, he pulled out a seat for you to sit down, and then sat down next to you, looking like he couldn't live without you.

Even after you finish eating, he won't leave; he'll follow you closely as you sit on the sofa.

"Chen Peiyuan, let go. I'm fine. Look, I'm perfectly alright. I don't have a single wound. The house is safe."

You look at him helplessly, his hand gripping yours tightly, as if that would make everything alright. He's been following you ever since you finished eating. He follows you to the kitchen, to the study, and even almost into the bathroom. You had to stop him in time, pointing helplessly to the door and saying you need to use the bathroom, before he finally stopped and watched you go in. After you came out, he eagerly followed you to sit on the sofa.

Chen Peiyuan shook his head and remained silent, refusing to cooperate.

"Then what will make you feel at ease, Chen Peiyuan? I have to go to work tomorrow. Can you really stop me from going to work?"

Look at him, he sighed slightly.

"Lanlan, how about we not go to work tomorrow? I'm not at ease until we've caught someone."

Chen Peiyuan pleaded with you, his eyes reddening again, and a thin layer of tears welling up in his eyes, as if he would leave immediately if you didn't agree.

You raise your hands in surrender. What else can you do but agree? You simply can't do anything with Chen Peiyuan now. As soon as he cries, your heart softens, and you unconsciously give in to his demands. Sometimes you feel that you are too weak-willed, so easily giving in to him. You lower your eyes and sigh in your heart. No matter what, it is hard for you to harden your heart now, after knowing so much about him.

However, you still stated your position very seriously.

"Chen Peiyuan, listen to me. I understand your concern for me. I would worry if you were in the same situation. But I can't keep doing this. Today it's him, but who will it be tomorrow or the day after? Can we keep running away like this?"

You wouldn't, and neither would Chen Peiyuan. You are the same kind of people; you will nip danger in the bud. You will only take the initiative and are never the kind of people who sit and wait for death.

Chen Peiyuan stared at you with empty eyes, as if he was processing what you had just said.

You patted the back of his hand, and he unconsciously let go. You paused, then pretended not to care and continued talking.

"Chen Peiyuan, what you need most right now is to get some sleep. You'll feel better after a good night's rest."

Chen Peiyuan immediately grabbed your hand and asked you to stay home all day the next day. You agreed, and then he went back to his room to sleep with peace of mind. Before closing the door, he asked you again to confirm, and you repeatedly explained that you would not go to the company every day.

After you see him actually close the door, you lean back on the sofa, raise your hand and pinch the bridge of your nose. You are exhausted from what you have experienced today, but your mind is still working clearly. You think about who has such malicious intentions.

You recall recent events and the people you've met, scanning them through your mind again and again, arranging them one by one as you pick out the possible candidates. No matter how you compare them, none of them seem to pose a threat to you.

Aside from your recent award-winning project, several faces suddenly flashed through your mind. You frowned; they were your competitors in this project bidding. You remembered their confident faces during the competition, when they had cut off your escape route. Before the bidding results were announced, their chances of winning were the highest. Several of them had already left early, full of confidence and popping champagne. Everyone looked at your gloomy face and then at the smug looks on the other side, thinking the result was a foregone conclusion. But the result was a huge surprise: you were the winner! Thanks to that person's help, the situation was turned around. The faces of the others instantly turned dark, and they stared at you with sinister eyes.

What were you thinking then? At the banquet later, you smiled, raised your champagne glass to toast them from afar, then chuckled. People around you surrounded you, chatting and laughing. The louder your voice, the darker their faces became. You laughed inwardly at the scene; it was truly amusing.

Feng Juewei, the eldest son of Fengming Group; Huan Yuanzhang, the second son of Huanyuan Group; and Wu Zhou, the fifth son of Yuehuo Group.

You keep their names in your mouth, wondering which of them would do such a thing.

-

The next morning

When Chen Peiyuan came out, he saw you nestled in a rattan chair on the balcony, sunbathing. You were staying at home obediently, and he couldn't help but smile.

You were lying bored in the wicker chair, flipping through a book without really looking at it. When you heard a noise behind you, you looked back and saw Chen Peiyuan grinning at you.

You immediately turn away, pretending not to care, and it's creepy to see someone with a smile first thing in the morning.

But people look quite good when they smile. You touch your burning earlobe to stop your wild thoughts.

Chen Peiyuan had no idea what you were thinking. He hummed a song and walked into the kitchen with a wonderful expression. He quickly prepared breakfast and brought it out.

"Lanlan, come quickly, breakfast is ready."

You verbally agreed, then threw the book on the wicker chair, got up, and went inside.

The warm sunlight enveloped the two beautiful people, who were engrossed in eating their food. The sun, too, seemed reluctant to disturb the lovely atmosphere, arriving quietly and departing just as quietly.

After breakfast, the police also provided information.

When they arrived, they found the person was not there. However, they checked the surveillance footage and found that someone had been loitering near their car, holding a long stick. However, the parking lot lights were not very bright, making it difficult to see the person's face clearly in the footage. They assured the other party over the phone that they would continue to follow up and asked them not to worry. They advised the other party not to retrieve their car from the hospital parking lot for the time being, in case the perpetrator returned to the scene.

When he heard that the person hadn't been caught, Chen Peiyuan became extremely tense, gripping your right hand tightly, and you returned the grip to reassure him.

"Okay, I understand. Thank you for your hard work."

You were prepared for this outcome, but you still feel regret.

"Lanlan, you can drive my car to the company these next few days."

Chen Peiyuan said seriously.

You raise an eyebrow at him, then hand him the car. "What about Chen Peiyuan?"

"Of course I'll go to work with Lanlan. If I give my car to Lanlan, I'll naturally go with her too."

Chen Peiyuan answered your question without hesitation, saying it was only natural. If Chen Peiyuan could conjure a tail, it would probably be wagging high in the air by now.

You chuckled, your hands itching to touch his face to see if it was as soft as you imagined.

"Chen Peiyuan, do you know what you look like right now?"