Chapter 67

That casual glance lasted a lifetime [Brilliant]

"Why...why...uh..."

Cheng Sangluo, her neck stiff, uttered a weak and incoherent question.

She was electrocuted and her whole body convulsed. After a series of embarrassing spasms, she completely lost consciousness and fell unsteadily into Lin Jin's arms.

The piercing crackling of electric shocks finally subsided, and the dimly lit carriage fell into a deathly silence, broken only by heavy, tense breathing.

Sheng He turned to look at his former boss, finally revealing his true colors after years of hiding.

His expression was gloomy, and his tone had lost its usual humility: "I've suffered a lot following you around all these years, but unfortunately, we have different paths and cannot work together."

"Since we've known each other for a while, I don't want to be violent with you. This is a way of preserving some dignity. You should obediently follow Xu Songheng and leave. Don't act rashly; at least I can guarantee your safety for the time being."

Even when her life hung in the balance, Lin Jin remained calm and composed.

Faced with her most trusted subordinate suddenly turning against her, she showed no anger whatsoever, and even her surprise was well hidden.

Her calm and collected demeanor is admirable. No one knows how much she has gone through to cultivate such strength, a strength that can withstand the test of time.

Lin Jin gently rubbed Cheng Sangluo's ear with her palm. Her deep pupils showed no light, but her lowered gaze was filled with heartache, yet she suppressed her unseen concern in silence.

She laid Cheng Sangluo's body flat on the seat so that the unconscious person could lie more comfortably.

Before leaving, she finally moved her lips slightly and said in a cool tone, "Don't hurt her, that's my bottom line."

Sheng He rested one hand on the steering wheel, his face hidden in the darkness, making it impossible to discern his expression.

He didn't respond, but walked out of the car with the person he was deeply in love with.

Xu Songheng, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, strolled through the crowd with an air of nonchalance. His smug and arrogant demeanor was utterly repulsive.

"I never expected that the high and mighty Miss Lin would have such a day." He swayed as he approached Lin Jin, exhaling a cloud of smoky smoke into her face. "Looks like you're not in control of the situation after all. We overestimated your abilities."

Lin Jin was caught in a dilemma from which she could not get away, and could only turn her face away in disgust to avoid the pungent smell of nicotine.

Xu Songheng's resentment towards her is like a snowflake falling from a mountaintop; through countless entanglements and humiliations, it has swelled into the hatred we feel today.

He recalled his desperate run on Lin Sheng's treadmill, the humiliation and disgrace he felt, all thanks to the man before him. The hatred rising in his heart gradually turned into murderous intent.

At the height of his hatred, he grabbed Lin Jin's chin, forcefully turning her face to the side, while exhaling a disgusting puff of smoke. "What, you can't even accept this little bit of humiliation? This is nothing."

Standing atop the clouds, Lin Jin felt a sense of astonishment, as if she had been dragged down from her pedestal. Even so, she maintained her upright posture throughout, dealing with the crisis before her with neither arrogance nor servility.

Amidst the mockery, Xu Songheng turned his gaze to Sheng He, raising an eyebrow knowingly and exclaiming, "You're even more surprising; you're one of us. It seems President Lin is quite shrewd; planting spies is the only way to get things done cleanly and efficiently."

Sheng He was too lazy to pay attention to such meaningless praise.

He put one hand in his pocket, glanced around, and then instructed, "Take Lin Jin away quickly according to Mr. Lin's plan. We can't stay here any longer. I'll handle Cheng Sangluo. I need to meet up with Mr. Lin later. Let's split up and act as soon as possible."

"Understood." Xu Songheng did not suspect Sheng He's identity, after all, Lin Sheng mentioned on the phone that he had someone to help him deal with the troublesome Cheng Sangluo.

He gave a sly smile and waved to his men behind him, "Stop dawdling, take her away quickly, or we'll all be in trouble if we ruin President Lin's plans."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Jin was grabbed by the back of his hand by several henchmen and shoved into the car.

Lin Jin remained silent, his gaze dark as he looked at the unmoved Sheng He. When his eyes shifted to the Maybach, a hint of worry flickered in his usually placid eyes.

She didn't ask what would happen next, nor did she launch a futile struggle. She disappeared along with the large group of people onto the winding, seemingly endless mountain road.

......

Midnight.

In the empty corridor of the health and wellness center, a series of scattered footsteps could be heard.

Shortly after, Sheng He, alone, appeared at the door of the family waiting room.

The atmosphere in the waiting room was tense, as if a disagreement could erupt into an uncontrollable conflict at any moment.

Lin Sheng and Gu Shinian were at an impasse over the matter of transferring to another hospital, each standing on their own ground.

With her son's support, Ruan Jinxian suppressed her sharp voice and reprimanded him sternly: "I am the patient's wife. I have the right to request a transfer to another hospital. If my husband's rescue is delayed, or if anything happens to him, your entire health center will be unable to afford the compensation!"

“Miss Gu, we are not making things difficult for you. Your request to transfer to another hospital is reasonable. If you insist on obstructing it, you will not only get into legal trouble, but it will also have a significant impact on your prestigious health and wellness group.” Lin Sheng said these high-sounding words, then looked at the figure that appeared at the door, his smile deepening.

Gu Shinian sat upright on the lounge chair, watching the mother and son's back-and-forth performance, and smiled meaningfully: "It's not that I'm obstructing you. The agreement in front of you is clearly written in black and white. It states that no transfer will be arranged without Lin Jin's request. This is a clause personally signed and sealed by the old man. It also states that if there is any violation of regulations, the health center will be fully responsible and pay dozens of times the amount in liquidated damages. I'm not the one making trouble."

Sheng He quietly walked up behind Lin Sheng and whispered something to him.

Lin Sheng nodded knowingly, his previously hostile attitude suddenly changing, and he said with a triumphant smile, "It seems Lin Jin won't be able to come tonight."

Gu Shinian seemed to have expected everything, and stood up slowly. "Let's be frank. Whether Lin Jin comes tonight or not, it won't change the fact that the old man can't be transferred to another hospital. I'm right here, and none of you can take the person in the emergency room away."

She strode gracefully to Lin Sheng and said, "Using dirty methods will only bring trouble upon yourself. That's my only advice to you."

After saying that, Gu Shinian turned her gaze to Sheng He and smiled contemptuously: "Clumsy."

“Since Miss Gu is using a chicken feather as a token, I can’t solve the problem no matter how hard I try. So we can only sit here and wait for the outcome.” Lin Sheng smiled slyly. He had anticipated that Lin Jin would have a backup plan, which was why he had prepared a hostage-taking contingency plan.

However, it seems that whether or not Lin Zhen is transferred to another hospital is no longer of much significance.

We don't care whether the old man lives or dies; as long as Lin Jin doesn't survive tonight, all the problems will be solved.

Sheng He's appearance indicated that his plan was going smoothly, so he decided to stop worrying about the current conflict.

"Shall we talk in private?" Lin Sheng turned around and glanced at Sheng He before leaving the waiting room.

Sheng He silently followed behind him, and the two walked one after the other to the emergency exit before stopping.

“Mr. Lin, I have already exposed my identity. Whether things succeed or fail, I can no longer stay by Lin Jin’s side. According to the original agreement, I will receive every penny. I must leave Zhouhai tonight. You and your sister do things in the same way. When you get ruthless, you don’t let anyone go. So I don’t trust you.”

The first to break the silence was Sheng He. Over the years, he had secretly helped Lin Sheng a lot, and it was time for him to retire gracefully. If he continued to stay in Zhouhai, as long as Lin Jin did not die, he would be the one to die.

Lin Sheng lit a cigarette, and after exhaling a cloud of smoke, he glanced at the other person. "I know you want to clear yourself of all responsibility, but we're all in the same boat. Who isn't stuck in the mud? You think you can just walk away like that? That's too disrespectful to me."

"So you mean you don't want to let me go?" Sheng He knew this unpredictable man wouldn't let her off easily, so he smiled and said, "These past years, being caught between you and Miss Lin, I haven't learned anything else, but I have learned to leave myself a way out. If you don't want me to tear things apart, you'd better not drag me into it. Whether it's me or Xu Songheng, we're all your pawns, but we're human too. Even the dumbest person knows to keep a backup plan, right?"

Sheng He didn't spell it out explicitly, but his words implied to Lin Sheng that he had some kind of secret weapon.

"Threatening me?" Lin Sheng chuckled, casually pulling out his wallet from inside his suit jacket. "There are ten million in this card, more than double the amount we agreed on. You'd better disappear completely, or you'll vanish into thin air like that person."

That person?

Sheng He frowned slightly, pondering who that person was. After a brief silence of a few seconds, he took the card from Lin Sheng's hand. "The cooperation over the past few years has been quite pleasant. Even if you haven't made any great contributions, you've certainly put in the effort. Ten million to buy my backstabbing is well worth it. Well then, let's say we never meet again. I wish you all the best in acquiring the Lin family."

Lin Sheng slowly exhaled smoke rings, watching Sheng He disappear into the stairwell of the emergency exit.

His arrogant smile vanished completely once the other person had completely disappeared from his sight.

He angrily threw down his cigarette butt and kicked the wall. No one with leverage over him could survive. These threats were like unknown time bombs; if one wasn't careful, the consequences would be dire.

Sheng He must accompany Lin Jin to his funeral.

*

The frosted floor-to-ceiling glass was very long, hazy like a thin veil draped over the white moon, mysterious and alluring, making people most curious.

The figure hidden behind the glass was more than just slender; her steps swayed as if she were walking on soft clouds, or like a willow swaying in the March breeze, graceful and frivolous.

Cheng Sangluo tucked her camouflage hat under her arm and took small, rhythmic steps through the long, brightly lit corridor.

She was a passerby who happened to be passing by, who casually glanced to the side, and who inadvertently imprinted that hazy image into her eyes.

An unknown perfume scent filled the air, easing the tension in her muscles and loosening the seriousness in her steps.

Two people separated by a wall live in their own worlds, each alone and walking their own path.

The person inside touched the frosted glass with their fingertips, as if a feather were brushing against it, causing a ticklish sensation.

Walking outside, Cheng Sangluo couldn't see the other person's face clearly. As if possessed, she reached out her fingertips, but through the thin layer, she couldn't feel the other person's warmth, just like the moonlight that couldn't be touched.

At some point, their fingertips and steps synchronized, each step aimless, each step unaware of the other's state of mind.

Cheng Sangluo was curious and puzzled, even craning her neck to look for a door on the long stretch of glass.

She wanted to push the door open and see what kind of face that ethereal figure possessed.

'Cheng Sangluo!'

'arrive! '

"Gather together, prepare for combat resource gathering!"

That fleeting glance, seemingly unintentional yet unforgettable, was shattered by the call to assemble from behind, leaving only a lingering sense of longing.

"Alarm! Alarm! The monitored object has moved out of safe distance!"

"Alarm! Alarm! The monitored object has moved out of safe distance!"

"Alarm! Alarm! The monitored object has moved out of safe distance!"

"......"

The deafening alarm, accompanied by constant vibrations, roused those who were lost in their dreams.

"Ugh...hiss...ugh..." Cheng Sangluo let out a muffled groan of discomfort. Her weak arms supported her on the seat, and it took her a lot of effort to sit up unsteadily.

She rubbed her forehead and shook it a few times, finally pulling herself back from her half-awake state.

"Alarm! Alarm! The monitored object has moved out of safe distance!"

The phone that had fallen to the ground was still ringing its alarm. Cheng Sangluo quickly picked it up and examined it.

It looked familiar; it was Lin Jin's phone.

The screen has a black background with a navigation tracking map that is easy to understand at a glance.

Cheng Sangluo looked around and realized that she was still in the Maybach, but the surrounding environment was not the winding mountain road leading to the health and wellness center.

After being shocked by Sheng He's electric shock, she was momentarily stunned and her body felt weak. Fortunately, her consciousness was no longer fading, so she quickly pieced together the events that had transpired.

Xu Songheng's men arrived, Sheng He betrayed them, and Lin Jin disappeared.

With a sharp mind, Cheng Sangluo gave a brief summary, her gaze falling on the phone screen.

Navigation tracking map? Monitored object has moved out of safe distance?

It seems this alarm software is exclusively for Lin Jin.

Cheng Sangluo glanced at the time and estimated that she had been unconscious for an hour.

She quickly climbed into the driver's seat, only to find the car keys were still there. A series of questions immediately flooded her mind – why was she completely unharmed? Why was Lin Jin's phone left in the car? Who had taken her to safety?

Cheng Sangluo couldn't sort out all the problems for a while, so she could only step on the gas and drive in the direction of the navigation.

A light drizzle suddenly began to fall on the autumn night, pattering against the windshield and gradually gathering into a torrent of water.

Cheng Sangluo stared at the hazy car window, suddenly distracted by the dream she had just had.

The shadow that hadn't disturbed her dreams for so long suddenly appeared, seemingly carrying a hint of resentment, as if asking if she had forgotten what moonlight should look like.

Cheng Sangluo narrowed her eyes and shook her head a few times, trying to shake the distracting image out of her mind.

She bit her cheek and whispered, "Lin Jin, wait for me."

[Author's Note]

1. It is recommended to read this chapter and the next chapter together.

2. My upcoming novel, "The Sinful Lover," is available for pre-order. Please add it to your favorites.

No update at 3:00 PM