I'm back
Lin Tingyue held her phone to her heart, silently telling herself that no matter what she had to face next, she had to be strong.
Time passed by, and the office was so quiet you could hear your own heartbeat.
I don't know how much time passed, maybe an hour, maybe longer.
She slept and woke up repeatedly, and before she knew it, as night fell, the phone in her hand suddenly vibrated and the screen lit up.
The caller ID showed the name she had been thinking about all day: Chi Zhuo.
Lin Tingyue pressed the answer button almost instantly, held the phone to her ear, and her voice trembled slightly without her even realizing it:
"Hello? Chi Zhuo?"
There was silence on the other end of the phone, only a faint static. This silence made Lin Tingyue's heart sink, and a bad premonition grew wildly.
"Chi Zhuo? Is that you? Say something!" she couldn't help but ask, her fingers gripping her phone tightly.
"Listen, I'm here."
Chi Zhuo's voice finally came through, but it was tinged with a tiredness and was completely unlike his usual clear and calm tone.
She sniffed, forcing back her anxiety, and asked urgently, "What's wrong? Your phone is off, and you're not replying to messages. I thought you..."
"I just got off the plane." Chi Zhuo interrupted her, his voice still deep and slow, but his pace quickened. "I know about what's happening in China."
Lin Tingyue was stunned: "You... how did you know?" She hadn't even had a chance to say it yet.
"I saw the push notification online at the airport."
Chi Zhuo's words were concise, but Lin Tingyue could imagine that what he saw was definitely not a kind word.
The comments section under trending topics is filled with vile speculations and insults.
"I'm sorry," Lin Tingyue apologized instinctively, her throat tightening, "I didn't mean to hide it from you, it's just that you're negotiating an important collaboration, and I was afraid..."
"Afraid of affecting me?" Chi Zhuo's voice was emotionless, but Lin Tingyue inexplicably felt that he seemed to be suppressing something. "You're always like this."
He paused, then spoke again with an unwavering tone: "Wait for me where you are. Don't go anywhere else. I'll be there soon."
"But you just got off the plane, aren't you tired?" Lin Tingyue wanted to say that the area around the studio might not be very safe, in case there were extreme fans waiting there.
"Wait for me." Chi Zhuo repeated these two words with an irresistible force before hanging up the phone.
Hearing the busy tone on her phone, Lin Tingyue paused for a moment, feeling a mix of emotions.
These two simple words were like a reassuring pill, instantly calming most of her unease and panic.
She put down her phone, walked to the window, and looked downstairs.
The night was dark, and she didn't know where Chi Zhuo would come from or how long it would take him, but she knew he would definitely come.
The waiting time felt exceptionally long.
She tidied up her messy desk, poured herself another cup of hot water, and tried to make herself look less disheveled.
About forty minutes later, Lin Tingyue heard the familiar sound of an engine coming from downstairs.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly walked to the window. Sure enough, she saw the black sedan parked steadily in front of the studio. The driver's side door was pushed open, and the figure she had been longing for and worrying about got out of the car nimbly.
Chi Zhuo was dressed in a well-tailored dark suit with a long black overcoat over it, looking travel-worn.
He didn't even bother to look around; as soon as he got out of the car, he looked up at the window of her office and his gaze accurately caught her standing by the window.
She immediately turned around and practically ran out of the office and downstairs.
When she pushed open the glass door of the studio, Chi Zhuo was already standing in the doorway.
The night breeze ruffled the hem of his trench coat. His face showed signs of fatigue from the long flight, and his jawline was taut. But the moment his deep eyes saw her, they locked onto her, scrutinizing her from head to toe to make sure she was unharmed.
"Chi Zhuo..." Lin Tingyue looked at him, a thousand words stuck in her throat, and in the end, she could only utter a soft call.
Chi Zhuo didn't say anything, but strode forward, stretched out his arms, and pulled her into a tight embrace.
His embrace carried the slight chill of the outdoor air, but his chest was warm, and I could feel his steady, powerful heartbeat through my clothes.
She reached out and hugged his lean waist, burying her face in the crook of his neck, which carried his cool, refreshing scent, and said in a muffled voice, "I missed you, I really... I missed you so much..."
Chi Zhuo rested his chin on the top of her head, silently hugged her for a while, then loosened his grip slightly, looked down at her, and said, "I knew, so I came."
Lin Tingyue looked up at the bloodshot eyes of him, feeling both heartache and guilt: "You're already so tired, and I... can't even handle my own affairs. I'm so useless."
"Don't talk about yourself like that." Chi Zhuo interrupted her, his tone resolute. "In my eyes, you are the best, the bravest, the most outstanding, and the most useful person."
His words were direct and solemn, striking Lin Tingyue's heart and bringing tears to her eyes.
She hugged him tightly again, wanting to etch this feeling firmly into her heart, and only then did she finally understand what it meant to feel at peace.
Only when he's around do I feel safe.
“Those posts…” she tried to explain.
“I saw it all.” Chi Zhuo’s eyes turned cold. “Jiang Shaoyang is courting death.”
He spoke the last three words very softly, yet they carried a chilling ferocity.
Lin Tingyue had never seen him so openly angry, and instinctively gripped his sleeve tightly.
Chi Zhuo noticed her movement, suppressed his cold aura, raised his hand to stroke her hair, and softened his tone: "Listen, don't be afraid, leave it to me."
He put his arm around her shoulder and led her into the studio. "It's cold outside, let's talk inside."
Back in the warm indoors, Chi Zhuo took off his trench coat and casually draped it over the armrest of the sofa. The crisp suit underneath was slightly wrinkled, revealing the fatigue of his journey.
He first checked whether the doors and windows were locked before returning to sit down next to Lin Tingyue.
"Tell me everything you know about what happened." He looked at her intently.
Lin Tingyue composed herself and recounted everything that had happened in the past few days, explaining her attitude and how she would handle the situation.
Chi Zhuo listened quietly, his expression calm, only occasionally revealing the turmoil in his heart through the tightening of his jaw and the cold glint in his eyes.
He spoke after she finished speaking, his voice steady: "You handled it very well. The statement was issued in a timely manner and the attitude was clear." He affirmed her actions, then changed the subject, "But it's not enough."
He took out his phone, quickly tapped a few buttons, and then handed it to Lin Tingyue.
Lin Tingyue was somewhat shocked after reading it.
"Are you going to sue these people in the name of Zhuoyue Group?"
"Hmm," Chi Zhuo responded indifferently.
"But, won't this affect your company? It will drag Zhuoyue into this..." she worried.
Moreover, Zhuoyue is not solely under Chi Zhuo's control at present. This kind of fan war involves a company with a consistently positive image, which can easily have a negative impact on the company.
Chi Zhuo looked at her with deep eyes: "My wife is being cyberbullied and harassed in real life. If I were to stand by and watch from the sidelines for the sake of my so-called image, then I would truly not deserve everything I have now."
He held her hand, his palm warm. "Listen to me, remember this: you have never been a burden to me, you are my bottom line."
Lin Tingyue finally couldn't hold back her tears, which rolled down her cheeks.
Chi Zhuo sighed, reached out, and gently wiped away her tears with his fingertips: "Don't cry."
He pulled her back into his arms, his voice ringing out above her head with an undeniable resolve: "I will make Jiang Shaoyang pay the price. It's not just about deleting the posts; he will have to pay for his silence and indulgence, and for everything he did to you before."
Lin Tingyue lifted her head in his arms, her eyes blurry with tears: "What do you want to do?"
Chi Zhuo's lips curled into a cold smile: "Isn't he very concerned about his business girlfriend? Isn't he waiting to climb to the next level? Then let him taste what it's like to fall from a great height, so that he can never get up again."
"Alright, don't think about these things anymore." Chi Zhuo patted her back. "I'll take you home first. Don't come to the studio for the next few days. I'll arrange for two people to help you."
"Mmm." Lin Tingyue nodded, completely relying on him at this moment.
Chi Zhuo picked up the trench coat, carefully helped her put it on, picked up her bag, held her hand tightly, and led her out of the studio.
Once inside the car, Chi Zhuo leaned over to help her fasten her seatbelt. The moment he got close, Lin Tingyue smelled his familiar scent and felt incredibly happy.
She quietly reached out and gently placed her hand on the back of his hand that was gripping the steering wheel.
Chi Zhuo paused slightly, then took her hand in his palm and held it firmly.
"Sit still, it's time to go home."
Lin Tingyue smiled sweetly, "Okay."
This time, Chi Zhuo was probably really exhausted. After Lin Tingyue finished washing up, Chi Zhuo was already lying on the bed and had fallen asleep.
She sneaked into bed and listened carefully for a while. She found that Chi Zhuo was really asleep. She looked at her dress carefully and sighed helplessly.
Isn't she being a little too hasty?
Since she couldn't play anymore, she had no choice but to lie down and sleep on the other side.
But she was so excited and happy that she couldn't sleep at all.
After tossing and turning for a while, Lin Tingyue finally looked at Chi Zhuo. Since she couldn't eat it, it should be okay to touch and hug him, right?
She propped herself up on one arm, leaning against the pillow beside her, and carefully examined Chi Zhuo. She didn't think she had ever stared at him so quietly before; she had only thought he was handsome, aloof, spoke in a rigid and uninteresting manner, and always liked to tease her.
Later, after spending more time with him, I discovered that he wasn't always like that; he also had principles and was somewhat romantic.
As she thought about it, Lin Tingyue fantasized about herself and couldn't help but move closer to him, nuzzling his lips and finally gently placing a kiss on them.
She slowly lay down, gently wrapped her arms around his waist, and then slowly leaned closer to his ear, speaking softly.
Goodnight, honey~
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
