Broken trust
After a busy day at work, Zhong Hua dragged her tired body, eagerly anticipating seeing Ah Yu and sharing the little anecdotes from her day. She clutched the spare access card Ah Yu had given her earlier; this card seemed like the key connecting their world, each use bringing her a special sense of intimacy and security.
As she held her access card close to the sensor, a soft "beep" sounded, and the door slowly opened. The interior was dimly lit, yet exuded an unfamiliar tranquility. Zhong Hua stepped gently into the room, the heels of her high heels making a crisp "tap-tap" sound as they touched the floor.
Just then, her gaze was fixed on a scene outside the floor-to-ceiling window. Lin Wanqing stood there with her back to her, her figure graceful, her long hair cascading down her shoulders like a waterfall. And Ah Yu stood behind Lin Wanqing, his hands slightly raised, his fingertips carefully hooking the clasp of the necklace around Lin Wanqing's neck. The digital clock clearly showed 22:07, but Zhong Hua clearly remembered that Ah Yu had specifically told her before leaving that morning that he would be working overtime until 10 pm tonight and would be back quite late.
Zhong Hua felt her mind go completely blank for a moment, as if the whole world had frozen in that instant. Her gaze was fixed on the two people, her eyes filled with shock, disbelief, and pain.
Lin Wanqing seemed to sense the movement behind her, turning her head slightly and catching a glimpse of Zhong Hua at the door out of the corner of her eye. A slight, almost imperceptible smug smile appeared on her lips, but she didn't react immediately, as if deliberately letting the awkward scene continue.
Ah Yu finally noticed Zhong Hua at the door. His hand instantly slipped from Lin Wanqing's necklace clasp as if he'd been electrocuted, a flicker of panic and helplessness in his eyes. "Zhong Hua, things aren't as they seem..." he hurriedly explained, his voice trembling slightly, and he subconsciously took a step towards Zhong Hua.
However, in the instant he moved, whether due to the earlier panic or some other reason, the pendant on Lin Wanqing's necklace suddenly loosened, falling to the ground with a soft "clatter," sounding particularly abrupt and loud in the quiet room. The sound was like a heavy hammer, striking Zhong Hua's heart hard; she could clearly hear her heart pounding like a drum, the violent beating making her eardrums ache.
Zhong Hua's gaze unconsciously followed the pendant, and when she saw its appearance clearly, her heart sank to the bottom. That necklace was a modified version of a keepsake left by Ah Yu's mother. Ah Yu had cherished it immensely, telling Zhong Hua more than once that it was the most important thing his mother had left him, carrying all the warmth and memories of his childhood. Now, this necklace, carrying such special significance, was hanging around Lin Wanqing's neck, and Ah Yu had just been fiddling with the clasp for her.
"What...what happened?" Zhong Hua's voice trembled violently, her eyes quickly reddened, and tears welled up in her eyes. She tried hard to hold back her tears, her gaze shifting back and forth between Ah Yu and Lin Wanqing, trying to find a reasonable explanation from their expressions.
Ah Yu opened his mouth, wanting to explain again, but something seemed to be stuck in his throat, and he couldn't speak for a moment. His hands unconsciously clenched into fists, then slowly relaxed, his face full of anxiety and helplessness.
Lin Wanqing then turned around, gracefully bending down to pick up the necklace pendant from the ground. She gently played with it, her eyes defiantly fixed on Zhong Hua. "Miss Zhong, don't misunderstand. This necklace was a gift from Ayu. He said seeing me reminded him of his mother, and he felt it suited me perfectly. You know how deep Ayu's feelings for his mother are; for him to give me something so important shows my importance to him." As she spoke, she deliberately put the necklace back around her neck, carefully adjusting it, her face full of smugness.
"Ayu, what she said... is it true?" Zhong Hua looked at Ayu, tears finally welling up in her eyes and streaming down her cheeks. At this moment, she desperately hoped that Ayu would immediately deny Lin Wanqing's words and tell her that it was all Lin Wanqing's conspiracy, a misunderstanding.
Seeing Zhong Hua's tear-streaked face, Ah Yu felt a pang of pain in his heart. He quickly walked to Zhong Hua, wanting to reach out and wipe away her tears, but stopped mid-air. "Zhong Hua, let me explain. Lin Wanqing... she's lying to you. She took this necklace when I wasn't looking. I just wanted to get it back, not what she said." His eyes were full of anxiety and sincerity, hoping Zhong Hua would believe him.
Zhong Hua looked at Ah Yu, her heart filled with mixed emotions. Deep down, she wanted to believe Ah Yu; after all, they had shared so many wonderful times together and had a deep bond. But the scene before her, Lin Wanqing's smug expression, and the necklace hanging around her neck made her doubts grow wildly like weeds.
"Then why didn't you tell me? Why did you let me see this? If I hadn't suddenly come back today, when were you planning to tell me?" Zhong Hua's voice was choked with sobs. She took a step back, widening the distance between herself and Ah Yu.
Ah Yu sighed helplessly, her eyes filled with exhaustion and pain. "Zhong Hua, I originally wanted to tell you at a suitable time. There have been too many things going on at the company lately, and Project 203 has run into problems. I've been caught up in it all and have been extremely busy. Lin Wanqing has also been causing trouble behind the scenes. I was worried that you would get hurt because of this, so I thought I would deal with it myself first and tell you after things were settled."
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
