Chapter 242 Nightmare

Zhu Jinzhao stood expressionless in front of Song Lingyue, listening to him speak calmly and numbly.

His sharp eyebrows were tightly furrowed, and his usually gentle face was now frighteningly fierce.

"Zhu Jinzhao." He deliberately lowered his voice, each word he uttered carrying a fierce tone, "I ask you to know your place and stop dreaming of climbing up to Shi Jing's high branch."

"What is Shi Jing's identity, and what is your identity? What makes you think you can fit into our circle?"

"...I never thought of fitting into your circle." Zhu Jinzhao lowered her eyes weakly, not even deigning to look at him directly.

"Song Lingyue, this is a private matter between Shi Jing and me. It has nothing to do with you, and even less to do with Ning Shi. Can the upper-class people in your circle please step back and stop meddling in my and Shi Jing's affairs?"

In her dream, Zhu Jinzhao was not timid at all; her cold and aloof demeanor was completely different from her usual obedient and adorable self.

Song Lingyue was angered by her words, and a sinister look immediately appeared in his eyes.

"Zhu Jinzhao, you're asking for it! Can't you understand when I'm speaking to you nicely?"

Zhu Jinchao wasn't intimidated by him at all: "Who do you think you are? What obligation do I have to ask for your respect, and why should I obediently listen to you?"

"Because I'm Shi Jing's friend!" Song Lingyue glared at her angrily and took a step closer to her. "Zhu Jinzhao, Shi Jing and I grew up together. There's absolutely no way I'd stand by and watch him be bewitched by you."

"Now the entire capital knows you're a fake heiress of the Zhu family, an imposter who's usurped someone else's identity! But Shi Jing is the genuine young master of the Shi family, the sole heir to the Shi Yun Group! His status is worlds apart from yours; you're not even a hair on his head, so stop shamelessly pestering him!"

"Because of you, he's been locked up by his dad! If you have any conscience at all, get as far away from him as possible and never show your face in front of him again!"

"...I have never misled him."

Song Lingyue said so much, but Zhu Jinzhao only cared about this one sentence. She took a deep breath and finally raised her eyes to look directly at Song Lingyue.

"I never deceived Shi Jing. Shi Jing is with me because he likes me."

"So what?" Song Lingyue laughed in anger. "So you're going to take advantage of his affection to bully him? You know he has heavy responsibilities and can only marry a wealthy young lady of equal social standing, yet you still cling to him relentlessly. You know his father doesn't approve of your relationship, yet you still encourage him to go against his father."

"Is this how you repay his affection?"

"I didn't do that!" Zhu Jinchao emphasized sternly.

Song Lingyue raised her voice, not to be outdone: "If you didn't do that, then get out of here right now! If I find out you're secretly contacting Shi Jing again, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

"Zhu Jinchao, I am not a gentleman, nor do I like to pity women."

"Whatever." Zhu Jinzhao didn't want to say anything more to him, so she threw down those three words and turned to leave without looking back.

Song Lingyue stared fiercely at her back, gritting her teeth as she warned her, "Zhu Jinzhao, you'd better take my words to heart."

Zhu Jinzhao: "I will handle my own affairs with Shi Jing. You don't need to worry about it."

“You—” Song Lingyue’s eyes suddenly darkened.

A surge of rage burned through his mind, and his reason was overwhelmed by a powerful impulse.

"You're really asking for trouble!" He strode up to Zhu Jinzhao and kicked her hard.

"ah!"

Zhu Jinzhao let out a scream and was kicked to the ground by Song Lingyue.

Song Lingyue stared down at her, his tone icy: "Zhu Jinzhao, you must disappear from Shi Jing's side."

"ah--"

Song Lingyue screamed and suddenly woke up from her dream.

"...What are you doing?" The people around him all turned to look at him.

He was gasping for breath with his mouth agape, his eyes filled with terror.

"What's wrong?" Zhu Jinzhao, who was in the front row, asked with concern.

Song Lingyue looked at Zhu Jinzhao's innocent face and shook his head like a rattle drum.

"No, no, no, I didn't do anything."

"Really?" Shi Jing put his arm around Zhu Jinzhao's shoulder, a happy smile on his face.

"Really, really!" Song Lingyue forced a smile that looked more like a grimace. "I'm really fine. I just had a nightmare while I was dozing off."

"Oh." Zhu Jinzhao nodded and turned her head back to continue watching the movie.

"Song Lingyue!" Ning Shi threatened him fiercely, holding up a slipper. "Watch my movie properly. If you dare to doze off again, I'll beat you to death!"

"Smack!"

Without her having to slap him, Song Lingyue slapped himself.

"I'm not going to sleep anymore, I'm too scared to sleep again."

"Hmph!" Ning Shi glared at him and slowly put her slippers away.

He stared blankly at Zhu Jinzhao in the front row, his eyes wide open. After a moment, he raised his hand and slapped himself again.

"I'm a fucking bastard!"

"...Surely it's not that serious?" Duan Qing frowned at him, looking somewhat speechless. "He just dozed off, what's wrong with that?"

"You don't understand!" Song Lingyue rubbed his face vigorously and sighed several times.

"You're crazy..." Duan Qing ignored him and turned back to watch the movie.

The movie is only a third of the way through, and the female protagonist's nightmare has just begun.

Song Lingyue took several deep breaths, forcing herself to calm down and stop thinking about the dream she had just had.

"Ah... Huff..."

"Ah... Huff..."

Song Lingyue was awake, but Xie Lang was still dozing off with his head hanging in the air.

"Tsk, do you want to wake up?" Jiang Jingwen raised her shoulder and bumped Xie Lang's head.

"Hmm?" Xie Lang opened his eyes with difficulty, and the next second, he leaned on Jiang Jingwen's shoulder and fell asleep again.

"..." Jiang Jingwen rolled her eyes speechlessly, "Don't lean on me, go sleep on the other side."

"Ah... Huff..."

Her answer was Xie Lang's long, drawn-out snores.

"...I give up." She said with a sour face, helplessly becoming Xie Lang's cushion.

Xie Lang successfully continued his dream and continued his romance with Jiang Jingwen in the dream.

"Wenwen, please give me a chance." He grabbed Jiang Jingwen's hand and shook it playfully.

"...Don't do this."

Jiang Jingwen brushed his hand away, her slightly pale face revealing a hint of pain.

"Xie Lang, there's no possibility between us, so just give up on that idea."

"Why?" Xie Lang asked, his eyes filled with grievance. "Why can't we be together? Don't you like me at all?"

"I like you," Jiang Jingwen admitted frankly.

“Wenwen…” Xie Lang’s eyes lit up instantly.

But Jiang Jingwen then cruelly added, "But I can never accept you."