Chapter 66
A Night of Horror [Highlights]
The evening wind howled through the mountains, and the winding mountain road resembled a mysterious giant python, its direction unknown under the dark night sky.
Cheng Sangluo drove his Maybach at high speed down the mountain. The imported luxury car's glossy black paint contrasted sharply with the bright moonlight tonight. As it swerved through sharp bends, it left behind drifting afterimages, displaying a touch of dashing decisiveness.
The glaring headlights couldn't penetrate the layers of shady trees, and the deafening roar of the engine dissipated and subsided after a brief period of agitation, as if everything was a turbulent undercurrent beneath the calm surface.
This suggests that many people and things will be trapped in a dangerous quagmire tonight, unable to extricate themselves or find peace.
Compared to the constant noise outside the car, the silent atmosphere inside the carriage made people feel even more depressed.
Cheng Sangluo appeared focused on driving, her lips remaining tightly pursed.
Even though she never wears her emotions on her sleeve, the unease she exudes is so strong that it inadvertently permeates everything around her.
Actually, she was somewhat absent-minded. The words to explain the matter of eavesdropping on Xu Songheng and Lin Sheng's conversation were on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't bring herself to say them.
This is a difficult choice.
She could neither reveal the progress of her secret investigation nor was she able to step forward to shield the madwoman from tonight's calamity.
So the person who was so good at making excuses suddenly became helpless and ended up as a silent mute, unable to find a reason to evade the issue.
Lin Jin remained silent, texting someone on her phone.
While waiting for a reply, she turned her head to look at Cheng Sangluo, who was driving attentively. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she hesitated. Looking at his overly serious face, the words stuck in her throat, and she could only look for a suitable opportunity to ask.
Even after the Maybach stopped at the front gate of the villa, Lin Jin still hadn't asked the simple question—what was the danger you were referring to?
Having received the notification, Sheng He had been waiting at the door for a while. When he saw Cheng Sangluo get out of the car, he quickly took over as the driver.
The two nodded to each other without saying a word, and then returned to their respective places.
Cheng Sangluo quickly sat down next to Lin Jin. Seeing that the crazy woman still remained calm and composed, her heart inexplicably pounded. "Why aren't you nervous at all? After all, your father..."
"What's there to be nervous about?" Lin Jin shook his head mockingly before she could finish speaking. "If it weren't for the fact that there are still many things that haven't reached the point I'm hoping for, I would actually hope that he dies sooner rather than later, preferably tonight, so that I don't have any unforeseen complications."
Lin Jin's tone remained harsh, as if his blood relatives had little to do with him, and his prayer for Lin Zhen's early death was equally sincere.
Of course, she didn't explain what those "many things" were, perhaps because she was too lazy to waste her breath, or perhaps because there was no need to elaborate. So the atmosphere in the carriage fell into endless silence once again.
Cheng Sangluo tried hard to recall every detail of her infiltrating Xu Songheng's house, especially the fragmented conversations. She scrutinized each word, trying to find a breakthrough, but apart from the content about taking action after Master Lin reported his critical illness, she couldn't find any more useful information.
Thinking of this, she reached out and patted the driver's seat, asking, "Sheng He, is there only one mountain road to the health and wellness center?"
Sheng He glanced at the rearview mirror, seemingly deep in thought. After a moment of silence, he replied, "Yes, there's only one main road to Cuiping Mountain. The road ends at the health and wellness center. The rest are all mountain trails for hiking. There's only one main road."
Such a response was like a death sentence, leaving Cheng Sangluo speechless for a moment.
She was mentally calculating whether she would encounter any accidents on the way, and it seemed that the winding mountain road to the health and wellness center was the biggest danger point.
She turned her head to look at Lin Jin, who was still busy sending messages. The dim light from her phone made her thin face look even paler.
Cheng Sangluo frowned, thinking to herself that the madwoman's calmness was too eerie. Even with her keen observation of details, she couldn't fathom the unfathomable thoughts through that still expression.
“Ever since I received the news that my father was critically ill, you’ve looked so anxious. Just say what you want to say, don’t make me anxious too.” Lin Jin turned off her phone screen, looked into the puppy’s eyes in the darkness, and smiled mysteriously. “You seem very worried that something might happen to me, but with someone as capable as you by my side, how could anything happen?”
"Isn't this how it always is in TV dramas when wealthy families fight over inheritance? The powerful patriarch is terminally ill, and the heirs will stop at nothing to fight for the inheritance. It's better to be safe than sorry, so I always have to be careful and watch out for your vicious brother." Cheng Sangluo tried her best to explain her unease with light words, as if this could both cover up her lack of honesty and dispel the heavy atmosphere.
"Ha, reality is always crueler than acting." Lin Jin's response was ambiguous, so she simply turned her head to look at the flowing street scene outside the car window. "If something really happened to me, would you do everything you could to save me? Don't be afraid, I'm just saying if."
"Of course! I promised to take care of you and protect you." Cheng Sangluo answered firmly, even grabbing Lin Jin's hand and placing it against her heart, promising, "If I can save you once, I can save you countless times!"
She paused for a second, then brought her lips to Lin Jin's ear and added in a voice barely above a whisper, "After all, you are also my fiancée. Isn't a marriage of convenience still a marriage?"
Lin Jin was surprised that the puppy had suddenly become so obedient, so unusually so.
She leaned closer, gazing into the puppy's determined eyes, her smile deepening. "That's enough."
Cheng Sangluo pressed his forehead against hers and whispered, "Promise me one thing."
"Go ahead," Lin Jin smiled, gently stroking her face with his hand.
She loved the puppy so much in that moment, the puppy that was worried about her and was so earnest and gentle with her.
Cheng Sangluo covered Lin Jin's hand and carefully instructed, "No matter what happens later, if there is any danger, you must stay behind me."
Lin Jin didn't immediately agree, but asked curiously, "You seem to know something I don't, so you're certain something unexpected will happen tonight?"
“I…” Cheng Sangluo was speechless. Just as she was about to explain, the madwoman’s cold fingertip touched her lips.
"You don't need to answer me, just let me know you're worried about my safety." Lin Jin was so smart, how could she not know what the little dog's unspoken worries were? In fact, that line, which used the analogy of a wealthy family fighting over inheritance in a TV drama, was quite obvious.
Lin Jin neither questioned nor exposed the matter, letting those worries grow wildly in Cheng Sangluo's heart. She then nestled among those overgrown weeds, occupying that heart that was reluctant to waver.
She nestled softly into Cheng Sangluo's arms, closing her eyes peacefully. "I've never been afraid of Lin Sheng. His underhanded and clumsy methods only make people laugh. Little dog, promise me one thing, okay?"
“Okay, I promise you.” Cheng Sangluo was more generous than ever before, not asking what it was about, just nodding and saying, “I’ll agree to whatever you say.”
Lin Jin was stunned for a moment, then looked up and traced her resolute face with his eyes. "Aren't you the one who likes to refuse the most? Why are you suddenly so easy to talk to? You didn't even ask me what I'm going to agree to?"
Cheng Sangluo then realized that she was not the same as before. Her stubbornness and toughness had become vulnerable with each intimate embrace.
She pursed her lips awkwardly and stammered, "Um... I think... it can't be anything that would hurt me..."
"Promise me, whether it's tonight or sometime in the future, you won't get hurt because of me." Lin Jin whispered, gently kissing the puppy's ear. "Unimportant people care whether you're brave or not, but people who love you only care whether you're safe or not."
The person who loves you?
Cheng Sangluo nodded blankly, as if agreeing to the madwoman's request, or perhaps savoring the meaning of love.
at the same time.
In the family waiting room of Yunxing Health and Wellness Center.
“I told you that if we stay in the health center, something will go wrong sooner or later! If we keep waiting like this, I’m afraid your father won’t make it through the night. We need to contact the experts at the city hospital for a consultation as soon as possible and be prepared to transfer him to another hospital at any time!” Ruan Jinxian clasped her hands in front of her and paced back and forth anxiously like a headless fly.
Ever since Lin Zhen entered the emergency room, her tightly furrowed brows have never relaxed, as if no one would be able to rest until the doctor came to report that he was safe.
It's clear that after decades of marriage, her feelings for her husband are deep and genuine.
"Mom, walking around won't solve the problem. Can you sit down for a while?" Lin Sheng was dressed in a sharp suit and his slicked-back hair was still neatly combed.
He rested one hand on the back of the sofa, his legs crossed and his toes dangling slightly, his leisurely attitude a stark contrast to his mother's anxiety.
Ruan Jinxian stopped in her tracks at the sound, and in her anger, she poked her son's head. "Do you really think your father will give you the entire Lin family business? Take that gloating look off your face!"
"Who knows?" Lin Sheng shrugged nonchalantly, but his fake smile stiffened slightly, because he knew very well what his father wanted.
Since Lin Zhen was diagnosed with his illness, he has requested to be admitted to Yunxing Health and Wellness Center for treatment, and may even reside there permanently.
On the surface, everything seems reasonable; the hospital has better medical teams, equipment, and services than the Municipal People's Hospital. However, things are not as logical as they appear.
No matter how serious his illness was, Lin Zhen never considered transferring to another hospital. Even though he could have spent a lot of money to go abroad for treatment, which could have effectively prolonged his life even if he couldn't be cured, he rejected such a plan outright from the very beginning.
Because he is the last check in this cult-like education system, it also means that Lin Sheng will never be the sole heir.
The sound of a cell phone vibrating suddenly filled the empty waiting room.
Lin Sheng took out his phone, glanced at Xu Songheng's caller ID, and a sly smile appeared on his face.
He no longer needed to put on that show of filial piety and parental love. In front of Ruan Jinxian, he made a direct phone call: "You promised me you would do a great job tonight. This is your last chance to prove yourself. Don't let me down."
"......"
"Don't worry, to guard against Cheng Sangluo, that ruthless character, my people will step in to help you at the crucial moment." After saying that, Lin Sheng hung up the phone and gave his suspicious mother a knowing smile. "I'd like to see if the old man can hold on until the very end if Lin Jin doesn't come tonight."
Ruan Jinxian's face turned ashen, but she accepted her son's ruthlessness, after all, Lin Sheng was someone she had raised herself.
Perhaps it was because she thought of that stormy night many years ago when she failed to clear away the obstacles in the Lin family, which led to the original wife's daughter always finding ways to humiliate and annoy her for the next twenty years. Her expression gradually became gloomy, and in the end, only a fierce look remained.
"Do everything cleanly and efficiently, don't give anyone a handle to use against you. Your mother made a mistake, don't repeat it." Ruan Jinxian finally sat down next to her son and whispered, "Lin Jin can't be kept. Once she's gone, everything will be yours."
"Don't worry, Mother, I'll clear myself of all charges. That crazy woman won't live past tonight." Lin Sheng agreed, while slowly loosening his tie. "We've come this far. All we have to do is wait to transfer the old man to any hospital with proper authority, and then I'll be in charge of everything else."
'Squeak—'
As the door to the waiting room was gently pushed open, the mother and son looked in that direction.
Gu Shinian, accompanied by two lawyers, walked over at a leisurely pace.
With a chilling smile, she revealed her purpose to the two men with ulterior motives: "Mr. Lin, Mrs. Ruan, I'm afraid your old man can't be transferred to another hospital."
I came here on Lin Jin's behalf to inform you that when the old man was first admitted to the hospital, he signed a critical condition entrustment form. If the family members suggest transferring him to another hospital, his daughter Lin Jin needs to handle the matter personally.
These two are Mr. Lin's personal legal advisors. You two should be quite familiar with each other. You can verify the authenticity of this agreement at any time.
Gu Shinian raised an eyebrow, her gaze towards Lin Sheng filled with disdain. She feigned confusion and asked, "It's already this late, why hasn't Lin Jin arrived yet? Mr. Lin, do you know where she is?"
*
A black Maybach cruised along the highway of Cuiping Mountain, while the shell-shaped building of the health and wellness center stood at the mountainside, visible from afar.
Cheng Sangluo was much more alert than before, placing one hand in front of Lin Jin and gripping the car handrail tightly with the other.
Her eyes were sharp as she stared intently at the dark mountain path, as if afraid that someone might suddenly jump out from either side and block their way.
Unfortunately, what people fear most always comes to pass.
A blinding high beam suddenly appeared ahead, causing Sheng He to slam on the brakes and swerve the steering wheel toward the side of the mountain.
With a screeching sound of brakes, the Maybach drifted along due to inertia, spinning 360 degrees before finally coming to a stop.
Fortunately, Cheng Sangluo protected Lin Jin the whole time, preventing her from hitting her head on the back of the front seat.
"Are you alright?" Cheng Sangluo asked worriedly, holding Lin Jin's shoulder. Seeing her shake her head, she breathed a sigh of relief. "No matter what happens outside, don't move."
"Hmm." Lin Jin gave a soft "hmm," her calm and unwavering expression making Cheng Sangluo's heart pound again.
Sheng He unbuckled his seatbelt, turned around to look at the two of them, and asked with concern, "Are you alright?"
"We're fine. What's the situation outside?" Cheng Sangluo replied, turning to look out the car window.
Sure enough, what she feared really happened.
The road leading to the health and wellness center was blocked by several cars, with a few motorcycles also parked nearby.
The leader swaggered over, swinging his signature baseball bat.
“They’re Xu Songheng’s men.” Cheng Sangluo rebuked in a low voice, thinking back to how she had specifically cracked down on the underground gambling den for Lin Jin’s safety, but she never expected that Xu Songheng’s men would spring up like weeds again after the spring breeze.
"Boss, what's the next step?" Sheng He asked cautiously, throwing the question to Lin Jin.
Before Lin Jin could respond, a baseball bat slammed into the car window next to her.
After being smashed a second time, the shattered glass shards landed on Lin Jin.
Cheng Sangluo realized that hiding in the narrow space wouldn't solve the problem, so she urgently called out, "Sheng He, drive down the mountain, hurry! They outnumber us... we can't get through... ugh..."
Before Cheng Sangluo could finish speaking, she suddenly began to convulse, her neck muscles tense and veins bulging, and her eyes bloodshot.
She bit her cheek, and incredulously whispered, "Ugh...you...you..."
Sheng He turned halfway around, the gun in his hand pressed hard against Cheng Sangluo's neck, the clamor and mockery outside the car couldn't drown out the crackling sound of electricity.
The usually humble man revealed a sinister smile and politely said before Cheng Sangluo fainted, "I'm sorry, Cheng Sangluo."
[Author's Note]
1. It's been updated now, so it won't update at 00:00.
2. I suggest reading this chapter and the next chapter together, hehe.
3. My pre-order novel, "The Sinful Lover," is now available for collection. I'm only 21 collections away from reaching 1000! A long chapter of 10,000 words isn't far off!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com