Chapter 25 Props for the Scene
"Sister Ling! Go ahead, go ahead!" Xiaomei pushed her very considerately and winked, "Let's make an appointment for Thai food next time! Don't let Mr. Zhao down! And this car is so cool! Remember to take a few more photos to satisfy our cravings!" Other colleagues also echoed, their eyes full of urging, "Go quickly and don't delay us from seeing the luxury cars."
Yu Ling stumbled after being pushed by Xiaomei, and Zhao Chen reached out to hold her arm just in time. His palm was warm and strong, with an unbreakable grip.
"Let's go." Zhao Chen's voice was filled with a smile. The hand around her shoulder tightened slightly, and he half-hugged and half-supported her to the Lamborghini that was like a burning flame.
The scissor doors still swung upwards, like the open arms of a giant beast. Zhao Chen gentlemanly protected Yu Ling's head and gestured for her to sit in the passenger seat.
Zhao Chen walked around to the driver's seat, striding forward with his long legs, and climbed in. The scissor doors slowly closed with a deep, powerful thud, instantly isolating Yu Ling from the outside world's noise, gazes, and chaotic thoughts. The low hum of the engine idling filled the cabin, like the heartbeat of a dormant beast.
Zhao Chen fastened his seat belt, turned his head, and gave Ling a clean and refreshing smile: "Hold on tight?"
Yu Ling nodded stiffly, her fingers gripping the seatbelt tightly, her heart beating uncontrollably fast. It wasn't because of the supercar, but because of the man beside her with a gentle smile, yet driving a multi-million dollar luxury car, and the increasingly thick, unfathomable mystery surrounding him!
The engine let out a deep, powerful roar! Like a beast awakening! Zhao Chen lightly pressed the accelerator, and the orange Lamborghini slid smoothly and swiftly into the evening traffic like an arrow from a bow. A strong push came from behind, and the scenery outside the window quickly receded.
Yu Ling leaned back in her seat, looking at the glittering city night scene outside the window, listening to the low and pleasant roar of the engine, and feeling the surging power transmitted from the car body...all of this seemed too luxurious to be real.
She secretly tilted her head to look at Zhao Chen, who was concentrating on driving. The dim streetlight cast a shimmering shadow on his sharply defined profile, outlining deep lines. His fingers gripped the steering wheel with slender strength, his expression focused yet relaxed, controlling this powerful car like a familiar toy.
"That Ah Zhe..." Yu Ling finally couldn't help but speak, her voice a little dry, "Did you catch him? That stewardess?"
Zhao Chen seemed stunned for a moment, then the corner of his mouth curled up into an arc of laughter. He turned his head to look at her, a mischievous smile flashing in his amber eyes: "What? Lingling is jealous?"
"Who's jealous?" Yu Ling denied it immediately, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, but her cheeks were burning uncontrollably. "I'm just curious! Who would use a Lamborghini SVJ to show off when pursuing a girl? When someone drives this car, are they attracted to the car or the person?"
Zhao Chen was amused by her puffed-up look. His deep laughter echoed in the car, carrying a pleasant magnetism. "Hmm... Lingling does have a point. I guess I should remind Ah Zhe next time that you have to put your heart into pursuing girls, and not just rely on these fancy tricks."
He paused, his tone meaningful, "But I think Lingling is very good. She won't be confused by these external things, right?"
The last sentence he said had a slightly rising tone, and he looked at Yu Ling with burning eyes, with undisguised admiration and a hint of barely perceptible temptation?
Yu Ling's heart skipped a beat. She hurriedly looked away at the neon lights rapidly passing by outside the window: "I... I'm not a flight attendant..." Her voice was as thin as a mosquito's.
The car fell into a brief silence, with only the low hum of the engine echoing. An ambiguous atmosphere quietly grew.
The car drove down a quiet and elegant path lined with sycamore trees, eventually stopping in front of a courtyard nestled among green trees. Its facade was understated yet exuded a sense of elegance. There was no sign at the entrance, only two quaint stone lanterns emitting a soft glow.
"We're here." Zhao Chen parked the car and unbuckled Yu Ling's seatbelt, his movements smooth and natural. He got out first, walked around to the passenger side, and opened the scissor door for Yu Ling.
Yu Ling got out of the car and stepped onto the soft grass. The air was filled with the fragrance of grass and the alluring aroma of food. Zhao Chen naturally took her hand, his palm warm and dry.
"The environment here is nice, right?" He turned his head and smiled at Ling with gentle eyes. "This is newly opened by a friend of mine, and the chef is very skilled. I specially asked him to reserve the quietest private room for us." As he spoke, he led her towards the half-open, heavy wooden door.
Warm yellow light streamed from inside the room. A waitress, dressed in an elegant cheongsam, bowed respectfully and greeted, "Mr. Zhao, Ms. Yu, good evening. The private room is ready for you. Please follow me."
In a quiet corridor and private dining room, exquisite dishes were presented one by one like works of art. Zhao Chen thoughtfully arranged the dishes, explaining the characteristics and ingredients of each dish with a light and humorous tone. He even thoughtfully arranged for a cold sashimi dish to be replaced with a warm stew.
With delicious food in front of her, the environment is elegant, and her handsome and considerate husband sitting opposite her, everything should be romantic and beautiful.
But Yu Ling had lost her appetite. She looked at Zhao Chen's handsome face, gentle and smiling under the warm yellow light, at his elegant dining posture, at his considerate actions...but two images flashed through her mind uncontrollably:
One is a family man wearing a little whale apron, frying eggs in the kitchen with a warm and harmless smile.
One was a stern figure stepping out of a burning orange Lamborghini and moving through the crowd like a king in control of everything.
One is the cold judge who pronounces the fate of the "Gu family" in a cold tone over the phone.
One is a superhero who uses miraculous skills to save her data in a critical moment.
These completely different images tore and collided wildly in her mind!
Who is he?! Which one is the real him?!
"What's wrong? Not to your liking?" Zhao Chen noticed her absent-mindedness, put down his chopsticks, and asked with concern. Her amber eyes clearly reflected her dazed look.
Yu Ling suddenly came back to her senses, looking at the face in front of her that was full of sincere concern, and then thinking about the sports car worth tens of millions and the friend Azhe who he said was "rich as hell"... A huge sense of separation and a deep sense of powerlessness once again seized her.
She shook her head and forced a smile. "No, it's delicious. Just... a little tired."
Zhao Chen looked at her deeply, a fleeting flash of something in his eyes, too quick for Yu Ling to grasp. He didn't ask any more questions, but considerately poured her a bowl of warm soup. "Drink some soup to warm your stomach. Then go home and rest early."
After dinner, Zhao Chen drove the still-flashy orange Lamborghini back to the apartment building. The scissor doors opened, and Yu Ling got out, almost as if fleeing.
"You get in first, I'll stop the car." Zhao Chen lowered the car window and said to her in a gentle voice.
Yu Ling paused for a moment, replied softly, "Okay." Then she quickly walked into the unit door.
It was not until she walked into the elevator, pressed the 16th floor button, and the cold metal wall of the car reflected her pale and confused face that Yu Ling felt she could breathe a sigh of relief.
The elevator went up. The numbers kept jumping.
We've reached the 16th floor. The elevator doors slide open.
Yu Ling stepped out of the elevator and was about to take out her key to open the door when the door to room 1602 opened. Su Wan, wearing a silk nightgown, emerged carrying an exquisite bone china cup, seemingly heading to the public tea room to refill it. Seeing Yu Ling, she smiled gently, "Xiao Yu, you're back?"
"Well, good evening, Miss Su." Yu Ling forced a smile.
Su Wan's gaze casually flicked to the direction of the elevator behind Yu Ling, then returned to her pale face, a subtle hint of concern and understanding in her eyes. She held her cup and didn't leave immediately. Instead, she casually chatted, "I was watering the flowers on the balcony just now when I saw a beautiful orange sports car parked downstairs. It's a very unique color. Is it your friend, Xiaoyu?"
Yu Ling's heart skipped a beat! Su Wan saw it!
"Oh, that's my husband's... uh... friend's car." Yu Ling explained dryly, feeling her cheeks getting hot again.
"Friend..." Su Wan stretched out the ending tone meaningfully, took a sip of the water in the glass, and smiled gently, "This friend is really nice.
There aren't many Aventador SVJs in the world in the limited edition 'Volcano Orange' colorway, so I'll just borrow it." She paused, seeing Yu Ling's somewhat embarrassed expression, and softened her tone. "But Xiao Yu, your husband is so kind to you, even picking you up from work so late at night." She smiled at Yu Ling, said nothing more, and turned to the tea room.
Su Wan's words, like a fine needle, gently pierced Yu Ling's attempt at maintaining a calm facade. Limited edition worldwide... Volcano Orange... Borrow it now...
She took out the key and with trembling fingers opened the door of room 1601. The room was pitch black.
Without turning on the lights, Yu Ling groped her way to the huge floor-to-ceiling window in the living room. Outside, the city's nightscape shone like a galaxy. Looking down, she immediately spotted a prominent spot downstairs—a blazing orange Lamborghini, silently parked there. It stood like a giant, undeniable exclamation point! It was also a silent mockery, mocking the lame excuses she'd tried to buy into: "borrowing the car from a friend," "making a show," "chasing the flight attendant."
She looked at the sports car that was still emitting a scorching light in the night, and thought about Su Wan's meaningful eyes and gentle words... The doubts in her heart that had just been soothed by the food and tenderness, like a wildfire that was poured with oil, instantly burned wildly with the momentum of a prairie fire!
This wasn't some "show-stopping" prop at all! It was clearly the tip of that man's unfathomable iceberg! It was a massive, glaring crack in his meticulously constructed "ordinary" fortress that could no longer be ignored!
She leaned against the cold glass, feeling chilled. The images of her husband in the whale-shaped apron and the mysterious man driving a multi-million dollar supercar overlapped and tore at each other fiercely in her mind.
A huge fear and a rage of being completely fooled, like an icy tide, once again completely overwhelmed her. This time, it was more turbulent and colder than ever before.
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