haven
10
After the art exhibition, they started dating during the day.
This means eating three meals a day.
Lin Ju had never eaten so punctually before. Although she enjoyed various entertainments every day, such as skiing, tennis, swimming, and Zhao Xingcan even took her to the gym once, it was inevitable that when she stepped on the scale nervously, she found that she had gained two kilograms.
Zhao Xingcan came to pick her up, and she complained to him as soon as she got in the car, "It's all your fault."
Zhao Xingcan's expression relaxed slightly when he heard this, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. "What's wrong with me?"
"It's all because you take me out to eat every day that I gained weight." She spoke slowly and in a soft tone, almost like she was acting coquettishly.
"Where are you fat? Let me touch you." Zhao Xingcan said as he started to tickle her. Lin Ju was very ticklish and she was startled and quickly turned sideways.
Today she wore a short gray sweater and tight jeans under her coat. When she twisted her body, the snow-white and delicate skin on her waist was exposed.
Zhao Xingcan estimated her waist and found it was so thin that it seemed like he could hold it with one hand.
"Lin Ju, you are too thin. You need to eat more." Zhao Xingcan smiled. He didn't really tickle her waist, but pinched her arm gently.
That night, Zhao Xingcan said there was a dinner party and asked Lin Ju if she wanted to join.
She and Zhao Xingcan have been eating together every day recently. This is the first time that Zhao Xingcan has offered to take her to a dinner party. It is probably because he really can't refuse and he doesn't want to break the appointment with her.
During the day they went to a private cinema to watch a movie, which was a horror film. Lin Ju felt that Zhao Xingcan did it on purpose, and she was so scared that she almost crawled into Zhao Xingcan's arms.
It was almost five o'clock when we finished watching the movie. It was completely dark and the wind was dry and cold on my face.
When he walked downstairs, Zhao Xingcan didn't rush to get in the car. He took out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. The smell of wormwood slowly drifted away with the wind.
Lin Ju came over and spread out his hands, "I want one too."
Zhao Xingcan bit the cigarette, with a smile on his face.
He handed the cigarette to Lin Ju. The girl put it between her lips, stood on tiptoe, and the unlit cigarette touched the burning one in his mouth.
The ends of Lin Ju's hair were lifted by the breeze and brushed lightly across his cheek.
Zhao Xingcan was stunned for a moment, then tilted his head and chuckled a few times.
We had dinner in Xiaotangshan, at a private restaurant. The restaurant was very secretive, and we had to go around a few circles before we found the entrance.
This dinner was arranged by Zhao Ke. He was abroad during the Lunar New Year, and now that he's back, with the Lunar New Year already well underway, he feels the need for another New Year's Eve dinner. We're all from the same social circle, and with times getting tough, it's a bit of a warm-hearted thing.
Zhao Ke was a branch of the Zhao family that had been gaining momentum in the past two years. When Zhao Xingcan was in France, he heard his father mention it and urged him to get closer to Zhao Ke.
Zhao Xingcan has never been keen on this kind of dinner party and was late on purpose.
When they arrived, the room was already full of people.
As soon as Zhao Ke saw him, he immediately stood up and walked forward to greet him.
Lin Ju was originally next to Zhao Xingcan, but a group of people rushed over, surrounded Zhao Xingcan, and squeezed her out.
Zhao Xingcan was escorted to a seat. When Lin Ju was about to go over, she was gently tapped on the shoulder. She turned her head and looked at the beautiful woman standing before her.
"I was just talking to you, didn't you hear me?" The other person frowned, showing impatience, and pointed at another table with his long, pointed nails with diamonds, "Sit over there, they're all talking about business."
Lin Ju really didn't hear it, but she didn't want to attract attention at this time. So she followed the other party's words and was about to go over when her wrist was grabbed.
Zhao Xingcan clasped his fingers around her wrist and pulled her towards him.
"Lin Ju, who is this? Do you know her?" Zhao Xingcan glanced at the woman casually.
The other person's face turned pale and he stammered, "Mr. Zhao, I am... I am..." She tried to hold it in for a long time but couldn't squeeze out a name.
Zhao Xingcan sneered, glanced at him, and looked like he didn't want to bother with anyone.
It was Zhao Ke who came out to smooth things over and resolve the awkward situation.
After Zhao Xingcan sat down, he pointed to the seat next to him and said, "Sit here."
Because of this seating incident, everyone in the room knew that the girl Zhao Xingcan brought was different from the previous ones.
Lin Ju couldn't even eat her meal in peace, but fortunately, the people at this table didn't know her for long. As they ate, they talked about the current situation.
Lin Ju didn't understand these things about wealth and power.
She looked at Zhao Xingcan quietly. Zhao Xingcan leaned against the back of the chair without looking up. It was unknown how much he had heard. His expression was indifferent. He only raised his eyebrows slightly when others spoke to him.
Lin Ju was familiar with his expression. He must be distracted.
After three rounds of drinks, the conversation at the table gradually became outrageous.
The man spoke with a slightly excited look, talking about everything from how many celebrities he had slept with to some parties held on the high seas. The way he looked like a wild beast eating made Lin Ju feel somewhat uncomfortable.
She exhaled, turned her head, and happened to meet Zhao Xingcan's eyes.
Zhao Xingcan leaned back in his chair, raised his hand, smoothed her long hair with his fingers, touched her hearing aid with his fingertips, and pressed the switch.
Lin Ju's world suddenly became quiet.
She blinked, not reacting for a moment.
Zhao Xingcan stared at her and spoke slowly, but without making any sound.
He mouthed, "If you don't want to listen, don't listen. It's okay."
Lin Ju's fingers unconsciously pinched the corner of her clothes.
The meal lasted a long time, and Zhao Xingcan inevitably drank some wine.
Lin Ju was still thinking, Zhao Xingcan was drunk, should she call a designated driver for him.
But when she reached the door, she realized she was overthinking it.
The driver drove the car to the road outside the restaurant early and stopped. When he saw them coming out, he got out of the car and opened the door for Zhao Xingcan.
Lin Ju helped him get into the car. After he sat down and closed the door, Zhao Xingcan suddenly raised his leg and pressed it against the door.
He grabbed Lin Ju's arm with one hand and put his other arm around her waist.
Lin Ju fell into his arms, and Zhao Xingcan's breath sprayed in her ears.
When she came out, she turned on her hearing aid. At this moment, she heard Zhao Xingcan's slightly hoarse voice, "Where are you going?"
"I have to go through... the door on the other side..."
At the moment she was tremblingly explaining, Zhao Xingcan lowered his head and kissed her ear.
Lin Ju felt as if the breath was stuck in her throat, unable to move up or down, and there seemed to be countless butterflies stirring in her stomach.
Lin Ju's breathing became rapid and her head gradually became dizzy due to his kiss. She reached out to push him away, but Zhao Xingcan grabbed her hand with his fingers clenched tightly.
The car was moving at a constant speed without any bumps, but Lin Ju's heart was already in the center of the storm.
She asked herself what was wrong with her and what she was doing.
From the meal just now, can't we see that Zhao Xingcan's world is different from our own?
She couldn't fall into it. This was a bottomless swamp. Once she fell in, she would be finished.
But at this time, Zhao Xingcan said: "Lin Ju, I seem to have fallen in love with you."
He was drunk, but Lin Ju was not.
What Lin Ju wanted was never to fall in love, but to keep loving.
But at this moment, her thoughts were too confused.
At this moment, she threw all her persistence and bottom line behind her.
She wanted to enjoy herself for once.
When the car arrived at the foot of the Ye family's building, Lin Ju opened the door and was about to get out. Zhao Xingcan followed behind, and when he reached the door, he grabbed Lin Ju and turned her around.
The sensor light at the door came on, and the warm yellow light fell on Zhao Xingcan's face. A clear smile played on the corner of his mouth. "Lin Ju, come with me."
Lin Ju opened her mouth and was about to speak.
Her lower back suddenly felt tight, and Zhao Xingcan hugged her, pulled her behind him, and looked at the door vigilantly.
Xu Gaoyou called out "Sister" and walked out with a cold face.
Lin Ju walked out from behind Zhao Xingcan. Xu Gaoyou looked at her with a gloomy expression. He deliberately raised his hand and used sign language to communicate with Lin Ju in a language that no one else could understand.
Lin Ju's face gradually turned pale, and her lips trembled as she tried hard to suppress it.
Zhao Xingcan noticed that something was wrong with her, held her arm, and asked in a deep voice, "Lin Ju, what happened?"
Lin Ju stared blankly at Zhao Xingcan. A chill ran from the soles of her feet straight up to her head. She opened her mouth, her voice dry and hoarse, "Zhao Xingcan, my grandmother is gone."
…
Zhao Xingcan used some connections to arrange for a private jet that had just been approved to fly to Hai City to be reserved for them. The owner of the plane was happy to do Zhao Xingcan a favor.
When the plane arrived in Hai City from Beijing, Zhao Xingcan had already arranged a vehicle and went directly to Lin Ju's home.
It started raining heavily on the road.
It was almost four in the morning and Lin Ju hadn't slept all night.
The temperature in the car was very high, but she still couldn't help shivering.
Zhao Xingcan stayed by her side all the way, crossing his fingers with Lin Ju's and holding them tightly in his hands.
Lin Ju's grandmother had suffered a sudden cerebral hemorrhage that morning and was unconscious at home. Lin's mother was out at the time and by the time she returned home and found her, she was already dead by the time she was rushed to the hospital.
Zhao Xingcan sent Lin Ju downstairs as it was inconvenient for him to show up in such an occasion.
Seeing that he was about to leave, Lin Ju grabbed Zhao Xingcan's fingers, like a drowning person grabbing a piece of driftwood, and she looked at him in a daze.
Zhao Xingcan put his arm around her shoulders and said, "I'm not leaving. I've booked a hotel near your home."
Lin Ju leaned her head on Zhao Xingcan's shoulder. Zhao Xingcan did not move and let her lean on him like that.
Lin Ju said sullenly, "Sorry, I'm not usually like this."
"It's okay, I understand, I'm always here."
The death of a loved one is like a storm and a long period of dampness in anyone's life.
Everything happened so suddenly that the house was in chaos.
All the relatives were there. Lin's mother was sitting on the sofa. When she saw Lin Ju, she burst into tears. She looked at Lin Ju, slapped her, and yelled, "Why did you come just now? Do you know how many times I called you? Now that you're at your dad's place, you don't want to come back, do you?"
Lin Ju subconsciously touched her hearing aid. There was a rumbling sound in her ears, and the noisy and sharp sound made her shiver.
She lowered her eyes and looked at the shadow on the ground. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you."
The days that followed were followed by cremation, wake, mourning and final goodbyes.
When her grandmother was buried, Lin Ju could hardly stand up. She knelt on the ground and watched from afar.
When her grandmother was around, she always felt that no matter where she was, she had a home waiting for her.
Every time she came back, she would see her grandmother waiting eagerly at the intersection. As soon as she saw her, her grandmother smiled happily, grabbed her hand, and asked her if she was hungry. Grandma cooked her favorite dishes and asked her to come home for dinner.
But now, grandma is gone, and her home is gone too.
The cemetery was desolate in winter. After the burial, Lin Ju's mother and relatives had all left, but Lin Ju was still kneeling on the ground, refusing to leave.
The continuous drizzle was still falling. She stared blankly at the tombstone, bent her knees, and slowly lowered her head.
Zhao Xingcan stood behind her at some point, holding a black umbrella with the umbrella tilted towards her.
Lin Ju sensed something and slowly raised his head.
She was dressed in plain clothes, with her long hair casually tied up, and a wet strand of hair stuck to her snow-white face.
Zhao Xingcan squatted down with his umbrella in hand. The wide umbrella cast a shadow over them, forming an enclosed space.
Zhao Xingcan hugged Lin Ju from behind with one hand, without saying a word, just holding her quietly.
Lin Ju's body went from tense to relaxed. She leaned in Zhao Xingcan's arms. When she closed her eyes, she seemed to hear the sound of raindrops hitting the umbrella in a trance.
Time froze at this moment and sobbing sounds were heard.
Tears fell like heavy rain, in big drops.
She never thought that in this unexpected storm, Zhao Xingcan would become her last safe haven.
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