Chapter 24: "Borrowed" Luxury Car
The terrifying night of the computer crisis was like a high fever, which quickly subsided under Zhao Chen's miraculous "resurrection".
The ecstasy of regaining what she had lost, and the sense of solid, reliable support, acted like a powerful adhesive, temporarily mending the chasm in Yu Ling's heart caused by that cold phone call. The vines of doubt were pushed back into a corner, and the warm current of dependence regained its upper hand. Zhao Chen was still the husband with the little whale apron, the gentle smile, the superhero who would appear when she needed him.
The first phase summary report of the "Star Ocean Project" concluded perfectly in front of Lin Wei. With impressive data and clear logic, Yu Ling's presentation was composed and confident, earning Lin Wei's unstinting praise and heartfelt applause from her fellow project team members.
The heavy rock that had been weighing on her heart finally fell to the ground. Yu Ling felt much lighter, and the look in her eyes when she looked at Zhao Chen became warm again, with even a hint of imperceptible admiration and gratitude.
Life seemed to have returned to its usual icing-coated rhythm. The morning sunshine, the exquisite breakfast, Zhao Chen's silhouette as he concentrated on frying eggs, the punctual midnight snack and silent companionship during his late-night overtime work… everything seemed too good to be true.
The one-year agreement had become less and less noticeable in Ling's heart, like a faded piece of old paper that could be completely covered by the warm and solid days before her at any time.
The doubts in my heart about Zhao Chen's identity were temporarily forgotten like a stone sinking to the bottom of a lake.
She began to learn to enjoy this life that was nourished by both top-notch material and ultimate tenderness, and even began to actively respond to Zhao Chen's seemingly casual but actually possessive intimacy - such as the light touch of his fingertips when he handed her the cut fruit, the warm breath of his chest through her clothes when he stood behind her watching her work, and the "knee pillow" invitation that made her blush and her heart beat fast. Although she hasn't mustered up the courage to try it again, she doesn't seem to be so resistant anymore?
It's Friday evening again.
The setting sun cast a warm glow over the glass curtain wall of the Genesis Building. Having achieved a milestone project success, Lin Wei, in a rare gesture, waived overtime. Yu Ling and a few close colleagues chatted and laughed as they exited the office building, their days of fatigue replaced by a rare sense of ease.
"Sister Ling, we have free time early today. Do you want to go to the newly opened Thai restaurant for a meal? They say the Tom Yum Goong is amazing!" Xiaomei suggested enthusiastically.
"Great! I'm just hungry!" another colleague immediately agreed.
Yu Ling was about to nod in agreement when her eyes habitually darted across the street to where Zhao Chen usually parked—it was empty. She felt strangely relieved, yet also a sense of inexplicable disappointment. That's right, she hadn't told him she was leaving work early today.
"Okay! Let's go..." Yu Ling responded with a smile, but before she finished her words, the corner of her eye was caught by an extremely dazzling bright orange light like a burning flame not far away!
In front of the office building, in a temporary parking space near the green belt, a "beast" is lurking quietly.
It was a supercar with a low-slung silhouette and sleek, exaggerated lines, resembling an alien spaceship! Its body was clad in an incredibly vibrant orange (the Lamhini Aventador SVJ's signature Arancio Atlas orange), blazing in the setting sun with an undeniable intensity. Its massive carbon fiber rear wing towered majestically, like the outstretched wings of a bird of prey.
The scissor doors are tightly closed, but the powerful outline and the gleaming carbon fiber luster in the details are enough to make every man passing by feel his blood boiling and every woman's heart beating faster!
"Holy crap!!!" Xiaomei followed Yu Ling's gaze and instantly let out a thunderous scream, her eyes wide as copper bells. "Lamborghini! Aventador SVJ?! And it's a limited edition color! Oh my god! Why is this car parked here?! Whose rich second-generation kid is so ostentatious?!"
The colleagues around were also instantly attracted and burst into exclamations and discussions.
"Oh my god! This color! It's amazing!"
"How much does this cost?! Eight figures at least?!"
"Take pictures quickly! This opportunity doesn't come around often!"
"Where's the owner? Where's the owner? I want to see the rich guy!"
The crowd erupted in excitement, many pulling out their phones to frantically snap photos of the orange beast, a work of art. Yu Ling was also stunned. Although she wasn't a big fan of cars, the styling and color of this sports car were incredibly striking! She instinctively pulled out her phone, wanting to take a picture and send it to Zhao Chen to show him this rare find.
Just as she raised her phone and aimed the camera at the dazzling orange Lamborghini——
“Crack!”
The scissor doors, like the fangs of a giant beast, rose up in an extremely slow, ritualistic and powerful manner, gracefully and ostentatiously... upwards and outwards!
The golden glow of the setting sun poured unreservedly into the open car door, illuminating the driver's seat.
A foot in a shiny black handmade leather shoe stepped steadily onto the mirror-like asphalt road. Then, a tall, slender figure calmly emerged from the cockpit, which resembled a flaming throne.
He stood up straight and closed the car door casually (the action was as casual as locking a shared bicycle), then turned his head slightly, his eyes accurately passing through the noisy crowd and countless flashing mobile phone cameras, and fell on... Yu Ling, who was holding her phone with a dazed look on her face.
Amber eyes are filled with a gentle smile in the sunset, and the corners of the mouth are naturally raised, forming a clean arc with a bit of lazy charm.
It’s Zhao Chen.
Time seemed to freeze at this moment.
Yu Ling froze in place, holding her phone. In the camera, a man emerged from a limited-edition Lamborghini SVJ worth tens of millions of yuan, looking like a top male model from a fashion blockbuster. He faced her with a gentle, harmless smile that she was all too familiar with.
The exclamations and comments of her colleagues faded like a tide, leaving Yu Ling with only the frantic pounding of her own heart! Boom, boom, boom! It hurt her eardrums! The blood seemed to rush to her head, then cool down the next second!
Lamborghini! Aventador SVJ! Limited edition bright orange! Scissor doors!
Zhao Chen? !
That Zhao Chen who drove different "friends' cars" to pick her up every day and claimed to be an ordinary employee working from nine to five?!
The huge sense of absurdity and the cold reality were like two heavy hammers, hitting Yu Ling's cognitive barrier that had just been repaired!
All the doubts that had just been suppressed - top-notch daily necessities, luxurious furniture, afternoon tea from Yushanfang, computer technology comparable to that of a hacker, and that cold, threatening phone call - were ignited at this moment by the burning orange beast in front of them and exploded!
"Lingling." Zhao Chen's voice came clearly, a smile etched in it, breaking the stillness. He took long steps, ignoring the countless glances of astonishment, inquiry, envy, and resentment, and walked straight towards Yu Ling.
He walked up to the completely petrified Yu Ling and very naturally reached out, taking the phone from her still frozen hand. He glanced at the photo on the screen (which happened to capture his silhouette as he pushed the door open and got out of the car), raised an eyebrow, and said with a hint of teasing, "Good technique, you made me look quite handsome in this photo."
Yu Ling: “!!!”
She suddenly came to her senses, looking at Zhao Chen who was so close to her, looking at the familiar, gentle and harmless smile on his face, and then looking at the arrogant and dazzling orange Lamborghini behind him... A huge, fooled anger and cold fear instantly swept over her!
"You..." Yu Ling's voice was shaking, her face turned from red to white, and her fingertips were cold, "This car...which 'friend' does it belong to?!" Her voice rose, with undisguised questioning and sarcasm, attracting even more curious glances from her colleagues around her.
Zhao Chen seemed completely oblivious to her anger and the strange atmosphere surrounding them. His smile remained unchanged, even tinged with a hint of helpless doting. He raised his hand and rubbed Yu Ling's head naturally, his movements as familiar as if he had done it a thousand times before.
"Well, it's the new toy that Azhe kid bought. He insisted on lending it to me for two days so that I could help him 'show off' and pursue a flight attendant he liked." His tone was relaxed, as if he was talking about a very ordinary matter of brotherly help. "You know, he's a guy with a lot of money to burn, and his taste is... well, quite unique." He shrugged, his eyes swept over the bright orange Lamborghini, and his eyes revealed just the right amount of helplessness of "This color is too flashy, I actually feel a little disgusted."
Ah Zhe? To show off? To chase the flight attendant?
Yu Ling looked at his handsome face, a sincere expression of "I'm innocent" and "I'm just helping a friend," then at the top-of-the-line supercar worth enough to buy an entire floor of her company. A sense of powerlessness and absurdity nearly overwhelmed her! Could this excuse be any more convincing?! Who would use a limited-edition Lamborghini SVJ to "show off" and woo a flight attendant?! Just driving this car out there is a huge spectacle in itself, okay?!
"Sister Ling, who... who is this person?" Xiaomei finally recovered her voice from the huge shock, and came over cautiously, her eyes scanning back and forth between Zhao Chen and the supercar, her eyes filled with incredible gossip.
"Oh, hello, I'm Yu Ling's husband, Zhao Chen." Zhao Chen took over the conversation very naturally, showing an impeccable social smile to Xiaomei and several stunned colleagues around him, with a humble and polite attitude, "I'm here to pick up Lingling from get off work, and by the way... help a friend run in her new car." He shook the car key in his hand, which had an equally flamboyant shape and was printed with the Bull logo.
"Hello, Mr. Zhao... Mr. Zhao!" Xiaomei and several colleagues hurriedly greeted him, their expressions as complex as an overturned palette. Envy, shock, gossip, and a hint of "Oh, that's it" realization—no wonder Yu Ling could handle Mr. Lin! No wonder the project was revived! Turns out her husband is a wealthy Lamborghini driver! Her previous low profile was all a facade!
"Lingling, are you hungry? What do you want to eat?" Zhao Chen ignored the others and returned his gaze to Yu Ling. He spoke gently, "My friend just opened a private restaurant. The chef is a former Michelin three-star chef. The food should be good. I'd like to take you there to try it."
As he spoke, he reached out his hand very naturally, gently put his arm around Yu Ling's slightly stiff shoulders, and with an irresistible force, led her towards the Lamborghini that was like a flaming throne.
"No... no thanks! I have a Thai dinner date with my colleagues!" Yu Ling abruptly broke free from his hand, taking a step back as if burned, her voice filled with obvious resistance and panic. She just wanted to get away! Escape from this car that was making her panic! Escape from Zhao Chen's seemingly gentle, yet actually unfathomable smile! Escape from the gazes around her that made her feel uneasy!
"Thai food?" Zhao Chen frowned slightly, then relaxed his brows. His smile remained gentle, but his eyes held a subtle persistence. "I know that restaurant. The line is very long. And..."
He leaned over slightly, close to Yu Ling's ear, and lowered his voice, with an almost coaxing magnetism that only the two of them could hear, "Your period is coming soon, so eat less raw, cold, and stimulating foods. Be obedient, and I'll take you to eat something warm and nourishing, okay?"
The last, slightly raised "hmm," carried a warm breath that brushed against Yu Ling's sensitive earlobe, like a feather scratching her heart, bringing a strange tingling sensation and palpitations. Menstrual period... He even remembered this clearly! And he said it in that tone!
Yu Ling's cheeks flushed instantly! Half of it was embarrassment, and half was an indescribable throbbing! She looked at Zhao Chen's handsome face, which was close at hand, full of concern and unquestionable concern. Then she looked at the gossipy eyes of her colleagues around her. She felt like she was on the edge of a dilemma!
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