Chapter 52 Look what you've done...
Xie Tang took a deep breath and staggered toward the door.
Every step felt weak and powerless, like stepping on cotton, my body felt so heavy it was about to slip out of my control.
The short distance seemed to stretch on forever.
My vision became increasingly blurry, and I could barely make out the outline of the door.
Once you get out, you'll be free.
Finally reaching the door, she trembled as she reached for the doorknob—just as her fingertips were about to touch it, she lost her balance and fell forward.
Xiang Shaoyun's shrill laughter rang out behind him.
Dou Xiao's face darkened, and he pursed his lips.
"I'll give you ten more seconds. If you can't get out in ten seconds, I'll change my mind." Xiang Shaoyun's eyes were like torches as he stared intently at her; such willpower was rare.
"nineteen……"
Knowing he couldn't afford to offend him, Xie Tang didn't even have the strength to glare at him, and struggled to get up.
Just then, the door was suddenly pushed open.
Xie Tang flinched in fright, but upon recognizing the person, his tense nerves suddenly relaxed. He took a step forward hastily, but stumbled and fell due to exhaustion.
"Ah Tang!" Chu Song's voice was anxious. He stretched out his long arm and steadily pulled her into his embrace.
Xie Tang's heart finally settled down. She closed her eyes, gently leaned against his firm chest, listened to his steady heartbeat, and absorbed his reassuring warmth and breath.
Exhaustion and fear vanished instantly.
Chu Song looked down and saw her unusual state; his eyes suddenly turned cold.
Without a word, he quickly took off his coat and wrapped it tightly around her, holding her close, his knuckles gently brushing her sweaty hair. "A-Tang, I'm here."
Xie Tang gave a weak smile. Yes, no matter when, as long as he was there, she could rely on him and feel at ease.
Chu Song's icy gaze swept over Shen Jialang.
Shen Jialang said apologetically, "I have said that I take full responsibility for this matter."
Chu Song's gaze finally landed on Xiang Shaoyun.
Xiang Shaoyun gave a forced smile: "Brother Song, are you angry? We were just joking with your wife, we didn't expect her to have such a low alcohol tolerance..."
Dou Xiao's face darkened. Xiang Shaoyun's casual "we" was an attempt to drag him into the mess.
Yu Ning rushed to Dou Xiao like a gust of wind.
When Dou Xiao saw her frosty expression, the shadow of his broken leg from years ago instantly returned.
He slowly got up from the sofa and called out cautiously, "Sister-in-law, sister-in-law..."
Yu Ning exuded an aura that was not to be trifled with.
Dou Xiao felt a chill in his heart, but forced himself to remain calm.
"Sister-in-law..." he called out again, his voice trembling slightly.
Yu Ning raised her hand and slapped him across the face!
Damn it! Dou Xiao was stunned by the beating, his cheeks burning, and he only dared to curse under his breath.
Yu Ning shouted: "Are you even human?! Apologize to Brother Song right now!"
Dou Xiao protested, "It wasn't me! I just..."
"Not you? You're the host, is this your way of treating guests?"
Seeing his reluctance, Yu Ning sneered, her eyes like knives, "Ah Xiao, don't force me to do it..."
A chill instantly ran down Dou Xiao's spine; this woman was even more terrifying than his hypocrite brother.
He looked at Chu Song and Xie Tang, and reluctantly squeezed out four words: "...I'm sorry."
Shen Jialang stepped in to smooth things over: "Ah Song, take your sister-in-law to the hospital first. I will definitely find out the truth about this and give you an explanation."
Chu Song gave Xiang Shaoyun a cold look, and Xiang Shaoyun waved with a grin: "Brother Song, sister-in-law, take care."
After they left, Shen Jialang turned to Xiang Shaoyun with an apologetic expression: "Young Master Xiang, I'm sorry you had to see this. A sudden family matter has arisen, and I apologize for the poor hospitality. I must excuse myself for a moment."
Xiang Shaoyun stood by with his arms crossed, saying, "It's alright, Young Master Shen, please do as you please. It's your own business, and I shouldn't interfere."
"If you need anything, just tell the steward," Shen Jialang instructed, before he and Yu Ning escorted Dou Xiao away.
Dou Xiao retorted angrily, "Do you think I'm a prisoner? Do I need to be detained?"
Yu Ning gave him a cold look, and he immediately fell silent: "...I...I'll walk by myself."
He straightened his suit, then turned back and gave Xiang Shaoyun a meaningful smile.
Xiang Shaoyun smiled, picked up the wine glass on the table to toast, took a few sips and swallowed, then suddenly felt something was wrong with his body.
He squinted at the remaining wine in the glass, and the next second, he ruthlessly slammed the glass to the ground!
The ear-piercing cracking sound startled Zuo Meng and Xu Ling, who looked at each other, only wanting to escape.
"You bastard Dou Xiao!" Xiang Shaoyun glared at Xu Ling. "Get out!"
Xu Ling felt as if he had been granted a pardon and ran away without looking back.
Zuo Meng was so frightened that she dared not breathe, her hands twisting together tightly, filled with regret—why did she ever come along?
"come over."
Zuo Meng froze, lowered her head, and dared not look at him, clutching her phone tightly in her hand.
After a few seconds of hesitation, she could clearly sense that Xiang Shaoyun's patience was rapidly running out.
In the end, she went over.
Do you know what to do?
Zuo Meng held her breath, her heart pounding like a drum, but her strong urge to escape was crushed by the other party's powerful aura.
Courage and self-respect are no match for him.
Xiang Shaoyun lowered his gaze and slightly parted his legs.
Zuo Meng's mind went blank for a moment, and a sense of shame burned from her cheeks all the way to her ears.
Xiang Shaoyun was extremely dissatisfied with her momentary hesitation, and her cold gaze made her realize that running away was futile.
She endured the humiliation, slowly half-squatting on the ground, her trembling hand reaching out towards him, her pale face drained of color, and tears silently streaming down her cheeks.
At this moment, her hatred for Dou Xiao reached its peak, and the devilish man in front of her made her feel even more disgusted.
——————
The car drove away from the Peninsula City villa.
A figure staggered out from behind the car, chasing the black Phantom for a short distance in vain until it completely disappeared from sight.
"Why aren't you looking at me anymore? I look just like her..."
Shen Yuan stared in the direction the car had disappeared, her hand stroking her cheek as she murmured to herself.
Inside the car, Xie Tang could no longer suppress the nausea churning in her stomach. She vomited the whole way, looking utterly miserable.
She looked at Chu Song, her eyes full of apology, "I'm sorry, I dirtied your car... I just... couldn't help it."
Chu Song looked at her body, which was curled up in pain and trembling slightly from vomiting, and felt a mix of emotions.
He quickly pulled out a tissue and gently wiped her mouth, then hugged her tightly. "No need to apologize. It's okay if it's dirty. Hang in there, we're at the hospital right away."
Hospital emergency room.
After completing a full set of examinations, Xie Tang lay on the hospital bed with an IV drip, feeling dizzy and lightheaded, the flush on her cheeks not yet completely gone.
Chu Song had never regretted it so much.
Seeing his serious expression, Xie Tang forced a weak smile to ease the atmosphere, "Why are you making such a face? I'm perfectly fine."
"The results aren't out yet."
"The glass I chose should be clean, but my alcohol tolerance is too low... There's no need to be hospitalized. I can just go home, take some hangover medicine, and get some sleep."
She tried to make her voice sound relaxed.
"I'm sorry..." Chu Song said in a low voice. Without a report, he would never let her leave.
Xie Tang grasped his hand, pinched the back of his hand with her fingertips, and said while enduring the discomfort, "It was my bad luck to run into Xiang Shaoyun. It's also my fault for not recognizing people properly and falling into his trap."
"If I don't give in..."
"Then why did you give in?" Xie Tang interrupted his self-blame.
"Shen Jialang is my friend, he begged me..."
Because of this moment of weakness, a terrible mistake was almost made. "This will never happen again."
“It was just an accident. And,” she paused, waiting for the churning in her stomach to subside, “a glass of wine can ease his hatred for me, so it's worth it. From now on, we'll keep to ourselves. But…”
She looked directly into Chu Song's eyes. "This doesn't mean I'm wrong. I'm just backing down in front of someone I can't afford to offend. That's not weakness, is it?"
"Mmm." Chu Song squeezed her hand back, his grip firm.
Fu Xiu knocked on the door and came in with the test results and medicine. "All the test results are fine. The doctor prescribed the medicine, and you can go home after the IV drip is finished."
"Hmm." Chu Song's tense nerves finally relaxed.
Xie Tang smiled weakly: "See? I told you I was just drunk. Come to think of it... Dou Xiao still has some conscience."
Just as Chu Song was about to ask further questions, his phone rang.
He walked to the window and answered the call.
“It’s been investigated,” Shen Jialang’s voice came through. “It has little to do with Dou Xiao. It was Xiang Shaoyun who said your wife had offended him and wanted to get revenge while you were away, so he drugged her drink. The drug was given to Dou Xiao by Xiang Shaoyun, but Dou Xiao should have warned your wife not to drink it? Fortunately, she was quick-witted enough… In any case, I failed in my duty. I will personally go to her to apologize another day.”
Chu Song rubbed his temples wearily. "No need."
"What are your plans regarding Xiang Shaoyun...?"
"We haven't gotten the evidence yet, so it's not time to break ties."
"Okay, I'll make it up to you. Just let me know if you need any help."
Chu Song hung up the phone and returned to the bedside.
Xie Tang had already fallen into a deep sleep, his brows furrowed, seemingly still troubled by discomfort in his dreams.
He gently tucked her in with a thin blanket, gazing at her slightly pale sleeping face. A mix of relief and lingering fear welled up inside him, but even more so, he felt an unquenchable rage.
"I won't let you suffer in vain," he promised in a low voice.
-----------------
When Xie Tang opened her eyes again, she found herself lying on Chu Song's bed.
The sun was high in the sky outside the window, and sunlight filtered through the half-open curtains, casting dappled shadows. The aftereffects of the hangover made her feel sluggish all over.
After lunch, she sat on the sofa in a daze for a while.
Her phone kept buzzing with messages in the chat group. She glanced at them, grabbed her car keys, and went out.
Not really interested in shopping, Xie Tang went straight to a high-end jewelry store and bought a necklace of similar price for Tang Zhi and Yin Xi, who were both about to have their birthdays.
While waiting for the packaging, she saw Zuo Meng—just one night later, Zuo Meng had a glaring purplish-blue bruise on the corner of her mouth.
Zuo Meng noticed her too, and the moment their eyes met, she hurriedly looked away.
The waiter handed over a beautifully packaged gift bag.
Xie Tang took it and walked out of the store.
“Attorney Xie…” Zuo Meng chased after him, her voice trembling slightly.
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