Chapter 115 I'm Hungry (Part 2)
Yu Ling felt like every second was stretching by. She put down her thermos and stood up almost hastily.
"I... I'm full. I'm a little tired, so I'm going to rest first." She didn't even dare to wait for Zhao Chen's response. She turned around and walked quickly towards the bedroom, with a hint of fleeing behind her.
Zhao Chen sat there, looking at the almost untouched bowl of truffle chicken stew on the table, then looked at Yu Ling's back as she disappeared behind the bedroom door, his eyes deep.
He slowly took off his gold-rimmed glasses, pinched his high nose bridge, and completely removed the gentle mask of "ordinary husband" on his face, leaving only a kind of all-knowing fatigue and a trace of cold anger after being stung.
Gu Qianqian...it seemed that kick and calling the police yesterday were too gentle. His Lingling had been hurt by those vicious words about "gap" and "unworthiness."
He stood up and walked towards the study instead of going to the bedroom to disturb her. The heavy wooden door closed silently behind him.
There was no main light in the study, only the retro desk lamp on the desk emitted a dim glow.
Zhao Chen leaned back in the large leather chair, his fingertips tapping unconsciously on the cold mahogany armrests. His gaze fell into space, his gold-rimmed glasses casually placed on the table.
Lingling's subtle evasive movement was like a needle piercing his heart.
She is scared.
In inferiority complex.
Because of Gu Qianqian’s nonsense about “family background”, “help” and “future”.
She began to doubt whether she was really "good enough" for him.
This realization caused a surge of cold anger and great heartache in Zhao Chen's chest.
His Lingling is tenacious, intelligent and brave. She has come to where she is today with her own strength. She is the brightest light in his life!
She didn't need to match anyone, let alone feel inferior! It was him who needed to be cautious and use every possible means to stay in her light!
Gu Qianqian… A hint of cold murderous intent flashed across Zhao Chen's eyes. It seemed that mere disgrace and imprisonment weren't enough to silence her. Both she and the Gu family behind her needed a more thorough cleansing.
Knock knock knock.
There was a gentle knock on the door, interrupting Zhao Chen's thoughts.
"Come in." He suppressed the hostility in his eyes and his voice returned to its usual calmness.
The door was pushed open, and the figure of special assistant Lin Feng appeared silently at the door, holding a huge, beautifully packaged rectangular gift box in his hand?
The gift box is a calm dark blue color, tied with a silver-gray ribbon, and looks low-key yet expensive.
"Boss," Lin Feng said in a low voice, with a hint of subtle caution, "The items have been delivered. As you ordered, the 'yearbook' and 'little things' are inside. Also, arrangements have been made in Switzerland, and we're ready to leave at any time."
Zhao Chen's gaze fell on the gift box, and his cold eyes finally warmed up. He nodded slightly: "I understand. Put it on the table."
Lin Feng gently placed the gift box on the large desk, his eyes quickly scanning the boss's profile which was obviously colder than usual. He tactfully did not ask any more questions, and quietly retreated and closed the door.
Zhao Chen was the only one left in the study again.
He stood up and walked to the desk. His slender fingers brushed across the cool surface of the gift box, finally landing on the silver-gray ribbon.
He did not untie it immediately, but picked up the gold-rimmed glasses beside him and put them on again. The eyes behind the lenses were deep and complex.
After a moment, he picked up his phone and dialed an encrypted number. The call was quickly connected.
"It's me." Zhao Chen's voice was low, carrying an unquestionable command, "Two things."
"First, the core data vulnerability of the Gu Group's energy project in Southeast Asia was anonymously sent to their main competitor. Requirement: Within three days, make Gu Changhai feel the pain."
"Secondly, organize the evidence chain regarding the 'special care' Gu Qianqian 'accidentally' received during her bail period and anonymously submit it to her presiding judge. The request is: ensure that every day of her remaining sentence is 'fulfilling' and 'memorable.'"
A brief but forceful confirmation came from the other end of the line: "Understood. Execute immediately."
Zhao Chen hung up the phone, but the coldness in his eyes hadn't completely dissipated. This was just interest. If Gu Qianqian dared to hurt Lingling's heart with those words, she must be prepared to endure pain a hundred times or a thousand times greater.
His gaze returned to the dark blue gift box. The cold, hostile air gradually gave way to a deeper, clumsy tenderness. He reached out, hesitantly untying the delicate silver-gray ribbon that held the gift box.
There was no light on in the master bedroom, only the faint light from the city streaming in from the window, casting blurry shadows on the floor.
Yu Ling curled up on the huge bed, her back facing the door, her body curled up into a ball.
The thick duvet wrapped around her, but it didn't seem to offer much warmth. The familiar sinking, cramping feeling in her stomach didn't really hit her, but her heart felt like it had been hollowed out, and a cold wind was rushing in.
Gu Qianqian's vicious words, Zhao Chen's fingers frozen in mid-air, his own subconscious dodging movements... replayed in his mind like a kaleidoscope.
The overwhelming sense of inferiority and panic washed over her shaky defenses like a cold tide. She even began to have wild thoughts:
Did he regret it? Did he feel that she was not worthy of the world he was hiding? Would he one day tire of playing the role of an "ordinary husband" and of her, an ordinary wife who "only knew how to boil brown sugar water"?
Tears silently fell, soaking the pillow. She bit her lower lip tightly, trying not to let out a sob. She didn't want him to hear, didn't want him to worry, and even more so, she didn't want to expose her vulnerability in front of him.
Just then—
“Click.”
The bedroom door was gently pushed open.
Yu Ling's body tensed instantly, and she subconsciously buried her face deeper into the pillow, holding her breath.
The footsteps were light, with a deliberately gentle rhythm, approaching the bed step by step. A familiar scent mixed with the faint, cool fragrance of cedar belonging to the study slowly approached.
Yu Ling's heart beat faster, almost bursting out of her chest.
The mattress sank slightly. Zhao Chen sat down on the edge of the bed.
He didn't speak. He didn't try to hug her or ask her questions as usual. He just sat there quietly, his presence overwhelming.
Time passed minute by minute, and the air was filled with suffocating silence.
Yu Ling was almost driven crazy by this silence. Just when she couldn't help but want to speak to break the deadlock——
Zhao Chen's voice rang out. It was low and steady, carrying a strange soothing power, flowing through the dim light:
"Lingling, are you asleep?"
Yu Ling did not answer, her body still stiff.
Zhao Chen didn't seem to expect her answer, and continued to speak in a low voice, as if he was afraid of disturbing anything:
"Just now in the study... I received something... um... from a friend." His tone was a little hesitant, as if he was choosing his words:
"It's... quite interesting. I want to show it to you."
A friend? Yu Ling's heart sank. Another "friend"? She could almost guess that it must be another "friend" with extraordinary powers who could solve all problems.
She didn't move or respond, but just curled up tighter.
Zhao Chen didn't seem to mind her silence. He stood up, walked to the bedroom door, and soon came back.
Yu Ling could feel him squatting beside the bed, and then a huge, heavy object was gently placed on the carpet, right next to the bed where she was curled up.
“Pah.”
There was a slight sound, as if the box was being opened.
Then, Zhao Chen's voice sounded again, with an almost clumsy attempt to arouse her interest:
"Lingling, look at this!" He reached out and seemed to take something out of the box, carefully handing it to the bedside, close to Yu Ling's cheek.
Yu Ling closed her eyes tightly, her eyelashes trembling slightly. She could feel something cool and hard touching her arm.
Curiosity eventually triumphed over her desire to escape. Very slowly and with a hint of reluctance, she tilted her head slightly, opened her tear-blurred eyes, and looked towards the bed.
With the dim light coming in from the window, she could see clearly what Zhao Chen was holding in his hand.
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