Chapter 21: "Friend" has something urgent
Yu Ling looked at his flawless smile, then thought about the cold, hard silhouette behind the balcony glass. A sense of absurdity washed over her. She lowered her eyes, picked up a blueberry, and hummed softly, not asking further questions. She knew that asking would not yield a true answer. This man had a thousand watertight explanations for things he didn't want her to know.
Similar scenes began to unfold at different frequencies and in different corners.
Sometimes it was in the study late at night. Yu Ling got up in the middle of the night to drink some water and passed by the study door. Through the half-open door came the light and Zhao Chen's hushed voice.
His tone was no longer gentle, but now carried a calm, almost brutal, analytical power. He spoke at a breakneck pace, with meticulous logic, pinpointing the fatal flaws in the opponent's strategy and proposing a ruthless correction. His words were concise and powerful, carrying an unquestionable sense of authority. Standing outside the door, Yu Ling listened with a shudder of fear. It felt less like a discussion with a friend and more like a verdict.
Sometimes it was a weekend afternoon. The two of them were curled up on the sofa watching a movie when Zhao Chen's phone vibrated. He glanced at the screen, his brows furrowed slightly, and then he gave Ling an apologetic smile:
"Sorry, Lingling, I have to answer the phone. A friend has something urgent." He walked to the balcony, phone in hand, his back quickly shrouded in a distant, solemn air. Through the glass, Yu Ling could see him sometimes pacing quickly, sometimes pausing, his fingertips unconsciously tapping on the cold glass railing, as if calculating something.
After the call ended, he would pick up the potato chips as if nothing had happened, point at the screen and say, "The special effects of that shot just now were well done," as if the man who was as heavy as water and had an imposing aura on the balcony had never existed.
The most memorable experience for Yu Ling was on a weekday evening.
Yu Ling, stuck on a data model, returned home early to think quietly. She unlocked the door with her fingerprint, and the house was completely silent. She thought Zhao Chen hadn't returned yet, so she changed her shoes and tiptoed toward the living room.
As he reached the entrance of the living room, his steps suddenly stopped.
Zhao Chen stood with his back to her, in front of the huge French window. Outside, the city's dazzling lights shone like an inverted galaxy. He held his phone to his ear, his figure blurred by the glass, yet tinged with a palpable sense of aloofness.
His voice came through clearly, not loud, but every word was like an icicle, carrying a chill that penetrated the bone marrow and an undisguised, icy menace:
"...Boss Gu, I think my stance is very clear. Fifteen percent is the bottom line. There's no room for negotiation."
There seemed to be a heated argument coming from the other end of the phone.
Zhao Chen's voice was eerily calm, without any fluctuations. "The evidence is complete that you have violated regulations on the Southeast Asian project. You now have only two options: accept my terms, or watch Gu's stock price plummet after tomorrow's opening."
He paused, as if listening to the other party's exasperated roar. Then, the corners of his mouth curled up into an extremely cold, almost cruel arc. His voice remained steady, but it carried a weight that could crush everything:
"Oh, a threat? You can try. Let's see whether the Gu family's foundation is deeper or my knife is faster. Remember, this is a notification, not a negotiation. Before ten o'clock tomorrow morning, I want to see the signed agreement appear in my assistant's mailbox. Otherwise, you will bear the consequences."
After saying this, he didn't even give the other party a chance to speak again and directly cut off the call. His action was crisp and clear, with a sense of indifference that showed he was in control of the situation.
He stood quietly by the window, gazing at the dazzling nightscape outside. His back stood tall and straight like a solitary peak, his whole body radiating a suffocating, icy pressure that had yet to dissipate. That powerful aura seemed to dim even the lights outside.
Yu Ling stood in the shadow of the living room entrance, holding her breath, her heart pounding in her chest! Her hands and feet were cold!
Mr. Gu? The Gu Group? Southeast Asian projects? Illegal operations? Stock price freefall? Consequences at your own risk?!
Every word was like a hammer, hammering down on Yu Ling's cognition! How could this be just a casual rant with a friend?! This was clearly a naked, condescending business threat! This was the crushing power of capital that could make everything happen at the touch of a button!
That man who pronounced the fate of others with an icy tone over the phone, who controlled life and death... was he really the Zhao Chen she knew, the one who wore a little whale apron every day, made brown sugar ginger tea for her, and would act like a spoiled child and ask for a lap pillow?!
A huge fear and an indescribable sense of alienation instantly gripped Yu Ling! She felt like an ignorant child who had strayed into a forbidden area and caught a glimpse of the true face of a giant beast from the abyss!
At this moment, Zhao Chen seemed to notice the gaze behind him and slowly turned around.
When his gaze fell upon Yu Ling, who stood in the shadows, her face pale and eyes filled with shock and fear, the icy pressure that had still lingered around him instantly receded like a tide! It was incredibly fast!
The ice in those amber eyes melted away, and a gentle smile appeared again, like the clear water of a thawed lake in early spring, with a hint of just the right amount of surprise and concern:
"Lingling? When did you come back? Why are you standing there without saying a word?" He walked over quickly and stretched out his hand naturally, trying to brush away a strand of disobedient hair on her cheek.
Yu Ling, like a frightened rabbit, subconsciously took a step back, avoiding his touch. Her fingertips were cold.
Zhao Chen's hand paused in mid-air, the smile on his face froze for a moment, a hint of elusive darkness flashing across the depths of his eyes. But then, that hint of strangeness was covered up by his perfect mask of gentleness.
He withdrew his hand, his tone filled with genuine concern: "What's wrong? You look so bad? Are you too tired from work?" He stepped forward and without hesitation reached out to touch Yu Ling's forehead, his movements gentle and natural. "You don't have a fever? Are you feeling unwell?"
His palms were warm and dry, with the familiar scent of cedar. His concerned eyes were close at hand, sincere and flawless.
Yu Ling looked at his handsome face so close to her, his clear amber eyes filled with worry... The man on the phone just now who was as cold as a knife and had control over life and death seemed to be just a terrible hallucination caused by her overwork.
The overwhelming sense of separation made her dizzy. She opened her mouth, but her throat was too dry to speak. She wanted to ask, "Who is Mr. Gu? What is the Gu Group? Who are you threatening? Who are you, anyway?"
But when the words came to her lips, they turned into dry sentences: "No...it's okay. Just...a little tired." She lowered her head, avoiding his inquiring gaze, her fingertips cold.
"If you're tired, go and rest for a while." Zhao Chen's voice was so gentle that it could drip water. He naturally put his arm around her shoulders and led her towards the bedroom with an irresistible force. "What do you want for dinner? How about I make you some light porridge?"
His embrace was warm and strong, carrying a reassuring atmosphere. But as Yu Ling leaned in his arms, feeling his steady heartbeat, her heart felt cold.
The call from that "friend" was like a huge, unignorable warning light, casting a thick and cold shadow on her life, which she thought was sweet and stable.
She finally realized very clearly that the husband who wore a little whale apron and had a gentle and harmless smile, and the cold, tough and unpredictable "friend" on the phone might be the same person!
The "ordinariness" and "gentleness" he displayed were perhaps just the insignificant tip of the iceberg, while beneath the surface lay an unfathomable, enormous shadow and turbulent undercurrent that could devour her.
Those "friends" whom he had casually mentioned, and the strength and coldness that occasionally revealed in those phone calls, were no longer harmless little mysteries, but cold pointers pointing to a huge truth that she might never be able to reach or understand.
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