Chapter 35
Two days later, a female colleague she met at LA Group, who was also an intern who joined the company around the same time as Lin Ting, sent her a screenshot of an anonymous email. It said that "Zhang Xiao, the director of the design department, stole the intern's design work and used his power to suppress and bully her, forcing her to resign." The attachment was a video of Zhang Xiao and Lin Ting confronting each other in Zhang Xiao's office.
A female colleague texted me: "The IT department has verified that the entire company, stores, and suppliers have all received the email."
Lin Ting was completely confused: "?"
Female colleague: "The HR director just called Zhang Xiao away. I guess she's done for. The president is very concerned about his reputation, and Zhang Xiao was someone he personally trained and promoted. Now everyone inside and outside the company knows about this scandal, so it will definitely be dealt with seriously. Even if she's not fired, she'll be demoted and have her salary reduced."
Lin Ting still didn't react, "?"
Female colleague: "What are you pretending for? You're pretty impressive! You managed to hack into the company's internal email network and even got the surveillance video. Our company's surveillance system was installed by the best security company in Jinshi. It's not like just anyone can access the video. You even managed to extract it and send it out. You're a hidden master!"
Female colleague: "It's a relief. Zhang Xiao has bullied newcomers more than once or twice. She finally got her comeuppance. People can go from heaven to hell in the blink of an eye."
Lin Ting thought for a moment and sent the screenshot to Chen Zhiyi, "Did you do this?" After all, he was the only one who knew the inside story of this matter, and he was the only one among the people around him who had this ability.
Chen Zhiyi sent a picture of a "big boss smoking" emoji, along with the caption, "I can't just stand by and watch you get bullied."
Lin Ting smiled slightly as she read the message he sent, feeling a sweet warmth in her heart. So this was what it felt like to have someone to rely on and be protected. How long had it been since she had tasted this? This feeling was wonderful!
However, before she could fully enjoy the experience, Lin Ting received devastating news. Her uncle called to say that her mother had been in a car accident. Without packing anything, she grabbed her bag and rushed to the train station.
That year, the high-speed rail was not yet fully operational. There were only regular trains from Jinshi to Lizhen, with two trains a day, one at 8 a.m. and one at 3 p.m. She could only catch the afternoon train, and she was expected to arrive home in the early hours of the morning.
Unfortunately, it started snowing just as we were setting off, and it was extremely cold.
She was sitting in a hard seat, the environment was very poor, the heating was almost negligible, and all around her were travelers carrying large and small bags, rushing about for a living.
A complex stench, a mixture of stale leather, smoke, and unidentified food scraps, seemed to solidify in the cramped space, making one wince and feel nauseous. The noise was even more unbearable: the rumble of wheels on the tracks, the creaking of the connecting passageways, the varying hushed conversations of passengers, and the occasional cry of a child—all these sounds mingled together, crashing against one's ears like waves, making it impossible to find peace.
Every face was etched with weariness and helplessness, and Lin Ting looked especially worried.
She made several phone calls to her uncle, trying to ask about her mother's current condition. He kept saying that she was undergoing tests and that a comprehensive examination was needed, and that they would only know the situation after the results came out. Fortunately, she has remained conscious so far.
They're going to do a full check. What's the good thing? She's not stupid. Lin Ting is going crazy with anxiety, wishing she could sprout wings and fly back.
Her mother was like breathing to her; without breathing, how could she live?
The only blood relative I have in this world.
"When it rains, it pours," and the more anxious Lin Ting was to get home, the more likely things were to go wrong. Halfway through the journey, the train suddenly stopped. She thought it was just a routine matter of letting people pass, but an hour passed with no sign of anything happening. Lin Ting asked the train conductor several times what was going on, but received no response. She was frantic, wishing she could jump off the train, while the other passengers gradually became increasingly agitated.
Just then, the train conductor's voice came over the loudspeaker: "There has been a landslide ahead, and the train service has been suspended. Please wait patiently."
This was a complete shock to Lin. She really wanted to get off the bus and change her mode of transportation, but there was no village or shop in sight. There was only a wide road next to her, and she didn't know if it was a national highway or a provincial highway. A few cars occasionally drove by, and it was already 8 p.m. The surroundings were pitch black, and there was obviously no safety guarantee. So she had no choice but to give up for now.
However, two more hours passed and the train still hadn't started moving. It was getting late, and the temperature around them desperately needed to drop. Lin Ting had left in a hurry without bringing any food, and there was nothing to buy in the desolate wilderness. He was both cold and hungry. The other passengers got off the train and went to the main road to flag down a car, but there were already few vehicles around, and they all refused to come.
Lin Ting remained in the carriage, inwardly praying that the train would depart soon. With the passengers having disembarked, the carriage became much more spacious, and she noticed a lecherous-looking middle-aged man staring at her from across the way. His eyes were sinister and terrifying; just one glance sent chills down Lin Ting's spine.
Suddenly, the middle-aged woman who had been sitting opposite her stood up and left her seat. The middle-aged man then got up and walked towards her, clearly intending to sit in the woman's seat. Lin Ting immediately got up and followed the woman away, but unexpectedly, the man also left and got off the bus. Once on the main road, the lewd man was still following behind.
Lin Ting was panicked, her mind filled with news reports of missing girls. She trembled, her whole body convulsing, her teeth chattering. She frantically looked around for help, but perhaps because it was too dark or everyone was busy flagging down a taxi, they didn't notice. She also glared at the lecherous man, who, clearly emboldened by Lin Ting's isolation, continued to follow her. Left with no other option, Lin Ting moved closer to a crowd, trying to warn him not to do anything rash.
Just when she was at her wit's end, her phone rang. It was Chen Zhiyi calling, his voice anxious and urgent, "Where are you?"
"I'm home. Didn't I leave you a message?"
“I know you’ve gone home. I saw the news that the landslide caused train service to be suspended. I called the railway’s official number and found out that your train was also affected. I know which carriage you were in. I’ll come find you.”
When Chen Zhiyi received the message from Lin Ting, he knew that her mother was injured and she was anxious to get home. He didn't say much so as not to disturb her, and only replied, "Have a safe journey, send me a message when you get home." He added, "Remember to tell me if anything happens."
While having dinner, he saw a news report about a landslide on TV. He quickly called the railway customer service hotline and learned that Lin Ting's train had been affected and stopped halfway.
Fortunately, I didn't need to ask the school for leave on Friday night, but unfortunately, Uncle Chen was away on a business trip with his parents.
He was well aware of the significance of his mother to Lin Ting. Children from single-parent families have an unyielding desire for and emphasis on family affection; they crave it as if it were their very life.
So he packed his things, grabbed his backpack, rushed out, and hailed a taxi.
Upon hearing this, Lin Ting burst into tears instantly. However, looking around, in the pitch-black night, apart from the lights emanating from the train's windows, there were people everywhere, so many that it was impossible to distinguish their faces.
"Speak up, which carriage are you in?" Chen Zhiyi was clearly anxious.
“I’m standing on the main road right now, but I don’t see you.”
Chen Zhiyi then noticed that the main road next to him was also full of people, and it was too dark to see anything. "Now turn on your phone's flashlight, hold it high above your head, and draw circles above your head."
"Okay!" Lin Ting immediately did as he was told. Sure enough, Chen Zhiyi soon saw a familiar figure in the darkness, with a faint light flashing above his head, forming bright circles. He ran over quickly.
All of Lin's unease, fear, and panic vanished the moment she heard Chen Zhiyi standing right in front of her.
Despite being surrounded by darkness, his appearance seemed to illuminate the surroundings like a beam of light, instantly dispelling the gloom.
At this moment, Lin Ting's heart was pounding like thunder in her chest, each beat seemingly trying to break free of her skin.
I was not only moved, but I even felt like crying.
You walk alone for a very long time, and then suddenly you turn around and find that someone has been following you all along. You don't need to respond, but when you encounter difficulties, they will immediately step forward to stand shoulder to shoulder with you, or even stand in front of you.
She longed to reach out and hug Chen Zhiyi, but she held back, her voice trembling and hoarse as she asked, "Why are you here?"
“I saw the news and knew that the train had been temporarily stopped on the side of the road. And it was so dark, I must have been worried and anxious about Auntie’s situation. So I rushed over because I was really worried.” Along the way, he kept urging the driver to hurry up, wishing he could fly to her side immediately to give her comfort and strength.
"How did you get here, stopping in this desolate wilderness?"
"I took a taxi here. Pack your things and let's go quickly."
"Take a taxi? Isn't Uncle Chen here?"
"He went on a business trip with my parents."
"You came alone? That's incredibly risky. Did you tell your family?"
Chen Zhiyi was so angry he laughed. Even at a time like this, she was still concerned about this kind of thing. "Aunt Chen knows that your problem is the most urgent right now. How much longer are we going to stand here? We can talk about other issues in the car."
Fortunately, Lin Ting only had this one bag with her, which she had been carrying all along, so there was no need to pack it before getting on the train. The two of them got into a taxi directly.
The driver in the driver's seat chuckled and said, "Your boyfriend really cares about you. You know how difficult it is to call a car in the middle of the night, especially for such a long distance. If he hadn't rushed onto the road to intercept the car, and if the price hadn't been right, we honestly wouldn't have accepted the order."
Instantly, the atmosphere in the car became very awkward. "Driver, he's not my boyfriend." For a moment, Lin Ting's face showed a conflicted expression, unsure of how to explain.
"Young lady, I may look old, but I'm not blind. If it weren't for your boyfriend, why would he be in such a hurry, urging me to hurry up the whole way?"
"Driver, please focus on driving. We're not in the relationship you're imagining. I'm just... just her brother." Chen Zhiyi revealed his identity, breaking the awkward silence.
"Oh, you're siblings! You two have such a good relationship!"
Chen Zhiyi tilted his head slightly and whispered in Lin Ting's ear, "Don't overthink it. Master is exaggerating. They're just opportunistic and trying to make more money. I just randomly flagged down a car on the roadside."
Lin Ting knew he was trying to comfort her and not want her to feel burdened, but she could think about it for a second. It was the middle of the night, the weather was cold, and there was a light snowfall. What driver would want to drive long distances? It was practically risking their life for money.
Unless they offer more money.
"Anyway, thank you. I'll pay the fare later." Lin Ting knew that this amount of money was insignificant to Chen Zhiyi, but it still made her feel a little better.
Chen Zhiyi was afraid she would overthink it, so he said, "I've already paid the fare in advance. If you're in a financial burden, we can settle the debt with work. You can also spend an extra half hour each day tutoring her."
Lin Ting knew he was trying to ease his psychological burden, and the extra half hour of counseling time was dispensable to him. "I'll still..."
Chen Zhiyi seemed to read her mind and interrupted before she could finish, saying, "I already told you not to feel any pressure. If you set aside an extra half hour each day, you'll have so much more time until I graduate from high school. In the end, I'll be the one who gains something. You always tell me to put more effort into my studies, so why can't I spend more time studying?"
Lin Ting couldn't help but smile. He had moved her so much that she was speechless for a moment and didn't know how to reply. She just felt a warm feeling in her heart.
"It'll probably be another two hours or so before we get home. Close your eyes and rest for a bit. You probably won't have time to rest once we get home. Don't be so tense. Good people are always lucky. Your mother will be alright." Every word Chen Zhiyi said was like a clear spring flowing into Lin Ting's body, slowly and gently soothing her tense nerves. Gradually, she closed her eyes, finally able to rest for a moment after tossing and turning for most of the night.
After seeing that she had fallen asleep, Chen Zhiyi took off his coat and covered her with it. He then asked the driver to turn up the air conditioning and closed his eyes as well, hoping that when he woke up, they would have arrived at their destination and heard only good news.
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