Chapter 50: "Rented" Home
When the cabinet door opened, there wasn't the expected sci-fi-inspired device like the silver metal box in the study, nor was there a mountain of confidential documents. Instead, what came into view were neatly arranged folders, each clearly labeled, mostly in English or with professional abbreviations: Tax Records, Insurance Policies, Vehicle Documents, Property...
A most common household filing cabinet.
Yu Ling's tense nerves relaxed slightly, only to be immediately overwhelmed by a wave of disappointment. She casually flipped through the folders. The tax records showed Zhao Chen's income was indeed within the reasonable range for a senior engineer (the forgery was incredibly convincing). The vehicle documents were the purchase agreement and insurance policy for the ordinary joint venture car. The policy covered standard insurance, including medical and life insurance.
Her eyes finally landed on the folder labeled "Property." Property? She remembered Zhao Chen saying the house was rented.
With an inexplicable emotion, she pulled out the folder. Inside was only a few thin pages of paper.
At the top was a printed lease agreement. Party A (lessor): Su Wan. Party B (tenant): Zhao Chen. Address: The exact address of their current apartment. Lease term: One year (starting from the date of their flash marriage). Rent: An extremely affordable, even inexpensive, figure for a prime downtown location. Attached to the back was a printout of their monthly bank transfer records (account name: Su Wan). At the end of the agreement were both parties' signatures and red fingerprints. Su Wan's signature was elegant and powerful, while Zhao Chen's signature matched the handwriting he used on express delivery slips.
Below the contract, is a... copy of the property certificate?
Yu Ling's eyes fell on the copy. The address of the property was also clearly visible. The owner column clearly read: Su Wan. Co-ownership: Sole Owner. The seal of the issuing authority was clearly visible. In the lower right corner, small print read: "This copy is identical to the original and is for rental record purposes only."
Everything seemed flawless and flawless. A standard chain of documents proved the house was indeed rented. They even included a copy of the property ownership certificate in the name of the "landlord," Su Wan, to document the lease.
A huge sense of absurdity and a sense of relief instantly swept over Yu Ling!
She gripped the fluttering papers, her fingertips cold. So... it was really rented? Was Su Wan, the gentle woman living next door in 1602, really the landlord? All that expensive furniture, top-tier daily necessities, even the Lamborghini that disappeared downstairs... could all be explained away by "the landlord has connections," "gifts from friends," or "borrowed"?
What about the photos from last night? What about the woman in the cafe? What about the silver box in the study? What about the "Nirvana Project"?
The immense mystery that had weighed on her for days seemed to be instantly shattered by this "ironclad" lease contract! A feeling of exhaustion, utterly tormented by her own paranoia, washed over her, followed by a profound sense of shame and... a hint of absurd relief.
Was she... really overthinking it? Was she frightened by all those coincidences and Zhao Chen's mysterious background, frightened by her own suspicions? Could the woman in the cafe really just be his work partner? Just like the people he met at the VM Manor party that day? And the box in the study... maybe... it really was just some "high-end gaming equipment" belonging to an enthusiast friend? After all, he could even explain the "Nirvana Project" as a game copy...
Yu Ling leaned against the cold filing cabinet, slowly sliding down onto the carpet. Her hands tightly clutched the lease contract and the copy of the property deed, her knuckles white from the strain. A whirlwind of emotions tore through her heart—relief at discovering the "truth," shame at her own suspicions, and a sense of bewilderment at having felt less deceived. But deep down, the doubts about the photos, the study, and Gu Qianqian remained like stubborn reefs, looming amidst the tide of doubt.
Just then—
There was a gentle knock on the study door.
"Lingling?" Zhao Chen's low and gentle voice came through the door. "I cut up some fruit. Would you like some?"
Yu Ling snapped back to her senses like a startled rabbit! She frantically stuffed the lease agreement and the copy of the property deed back into the folder, shoved them haphazardly into the filing cabinet, and slammed the door shut! The key… the key was still in the lock! She hurriedly pulled it out and clutched it tightly in her hand, her heart pounding!
"Lingling?" Zhao Chen's voice was filled with a hint of doubt, and he knocked on the door again.
"Come...come!" Yu Ling replied hurriedly, her voice trembling slightly. She quickly composed herself, took a few deep breaths, and tried to appear calm before walking over and opening the door.
Zhao Chen stood at the doorway, holding a beautifully sliced platter of fruit. A gentle smile adorned his face, but his gaze, like a searchlight, quickly swept across Yu Ling's pale face and slightly disheveled hair, finally settling on the recently closed filing cabinet behind her. His eyes flickered, almost imperceptibly, so quickly it seemed an illusion.
"What book are you looking for? Why have you been looking for so long?" He said casually, walked in with a fruit plate and placed it on the desk.
"No... I didn't find what I wanted to see." Yu Ling avoided his gaze, her voice a little dry. She subconsciously put the hand holding the key behind her back, her palms slightly sweating because of nervousness.
Zhao Chen's gaze lingered for a moment on her hands, which were folded behind her back. A flicker of understanding flashed through his eyes before he regained his composure. He picked up a piece of water-soaked cantaloupe and naturally passed it to Yu Ling's lips, his eyes brimming with indulgence. "Try it, it's very sweet."
Yu Ling looked at the fruit so close to her and his gentle gaze, then thought about the "truth" she had just discovered in the filing cabinet. The shame and confusion in her heart intensified. She hesitated for a moment, then finally opened her mouth and took a small bite from his hand. The sweet juice spread in her mouth.
"Mmm... sweet," she murmured, dropping her eyes.
Zhao Chen watched her slightly fluttering eyelashes and her submissive posture, his smile deepening with the subtle assurance of a prey now under his control. He put down his fruit fork, naturally extended his arms, and gently embraced Yu Ling.
His embrace was warm and firm, carrying a familiar scent. Yu Ling froze for a moment, her body instinctively wanting to resist. However, the relief brought by the lease agreement and her craving for this warmth ultimately prevented her from pushing him away. She buried her face in his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat, her chaotic mind seemingly finding a fleeting, false respite.
"Rest if you're tired. Don't let your thoughts wander." Zhao Chen's deep voice echoed above her head, soothing her. His chin gently rubbed against the top of her head. "This home will always be your haven. I...will always be here too."
His words were gentle and firm, like a magical spell, trying to calm all the waves in her heart again.
Yu Ling leaned into his embrace, closed her eyes, and fatigue washed over her like a tide. The perfectly forged lease contract temporarily became a potent placebo, numbing her sensitive nerves. She chose to trust this warm embrace, this tangible "truth." As for the reef of doubt that still gnawed deep in her heart, she deliberately buried it even deeper.
Zhao Chen held her, feeling her body gradually relax and lean in. Deep within the tenderness in his eyes lay a bottomless darkness. He tilted his head slightly, his gaze sweeping across the silent filing cabinet, a barely perceptible, cold curve curling at the corner of his mouth. This carefully woven dream of "ordinariness" needed more threads to strengthen it. Yu Ling's current obedience and temporary "peace of mind" were the perfect opening for his next move.
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