Chapter 65 Accident If anything happens to you, I won't be able to live either...
Lan Jia turned around and looked through the glass. She saw a black Land Rover following her at a distance.
It was rush hour, and the road was packed with cars. The car, like a black fish, swam effortlessly through the traffic, occasionally popping up in front of it.
She thought about it carefully and realized that she hadn't offended anyone recently. In broad daylight, she didn't believe anyone would blatantly commit wrongdoing.
"Just keep driving forward, take a few detours, and see if you can shake them off."
Zuo Tai nodded, and as soon as the green light came on, he silently sped up.
Not long after, a phone call came in. He listened for a while, glanced at Lan Jia in the back seat, turned the steering wheel, and drove towards Anfeng Road.
Lan Jia had been staring at the car behind her and hadn't paid much attention. After driving two more streets and the car was no longer visible, she turned around and frowned.
"What's going on? I'm going back now!" Even though she had no sense of direction, she could clearly tell that she was going the wrong way.
Zuo Tai looked troubled. "Miss, the master instructed that he hopes you will return home as soon as possible."
Lan Jia was completely baffled. "I have something to do. I'll go back after I'm done. Turn around now."
Zuo Tai gripped the steering wheel, not moving.
"Hey, are you listening to him or me? I'm telling you to turn around."
"Young lady, I must ensure your safety."
“I’m safe.” Lan Jia said impatiently. “I’ll say it one last time, I’m not going back now.”
The car kept moving forward.
Seeing that he ignored her, Lan Jia became furious and pounded on the car door with her fist, yelling, "Stop the car! Stop the car!"
"Young Miss, be careful with your hands." Zuo Tai didn't know what to say, and in his anxiety, he could only offer this reminder.
When Lan Jia got angry, she wouldn't listen at all and smashed things harder and harder until the phone rang.
She glanced at the caller ID and angrily pressed the answer button.
"Hello."
"Lan Jia, I want you to come home right now."
“I told you I had something to do,” she said patiently.
"No matter what, I want you back now."
Lan Jia was furious. "What's wrong with you guys? I'm perfectly fine outside, why do you want me to go back?"
"Come back, come back and I'll explain to you."
She knew it was just another attempt to appease her, and a rebellious streak immediately rose within her. "What, do I have to be controlled even when I go out? You think you can just say whatever you want?"
"Zuo Tai, I told you to stop the car, did you even hear me?"
"Listen to Lan Jia, it's very dangerous outside right now," Meng Cenjun said firmly.
Thinking of her promise to Song Qingqu, she was both anxious and angry. "Are you all crazy? You're always so suspicious. I haven't done anything wrong, and I haven't made any enemies. Who would want to mess with me if I walked down the street?"
Knowing her temper, Meng Cenjun said no more, only saying, "Wait for me, I'll be right there."
His tone was unequivocal, which was quite unusual. Lan Jia's mind raced, and she quickly came up with another possibility.
He knows her whereabouts anyway, so is it because she's going to see Song Qingqu that she's upset him again? Does he only feel satisfied when he gets rid of everyone around her?
Having learned a lesson from Ruan Jingwei's incident, Lan Jia didn't make a scene, but her trust in him had already diminished.
The more she thought about it, the more she realized it made sense, and her anger flared even more. Just as she was about to launch into a tirade of questions, she heard a sharp, piercing sound of tires, followed by a loud bang, and was thrown heavily against the car door.
"Lan Jia? Lan Jia?"
"..."
The call hadn't ended yet, but it landed in the gap between the car seat and no one answered.
The sky was overcast, and in the warm night breeze, Lan Jia sat alone by the roadside, arms crossed.
Red and blue lights were flashing, indicating that police had arrived at the scene and were handling the traffic accident.
The green belt was completely destroyed. Zuo Tai was contacting the insurance company when the driver of a white car next to him got out. He was a novice driver and stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake, crashing into the car. Fortunately, Zuo Tai managed to avoid a major accident.
When the car owner saw the license plate, he knew that the other party was someone important. He immediately panicked and broke out in a cold sweat, repeatedly apologizing to Zuo Tai.
Lan Jia listened silently, feeling that the world was chaotic and noisy, giving her a headache.
Not far away, the black Land Rover from before was quietly hidden, watching from the shadows.
The driver raised a camera, and through the clear lens, a car slid over, and a tall man hurriedly got out.
Meng Cenjun looked around and spotted Lan Jia. She immediately went over, half-squatting down to hold Lan Jia's shoulders, and asked anxiously, "Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?"
He stroked her cheek with his hand, then pulled her arm, pinching here and there, wanting to examine her entire body.
Lan Jia, who was holding back her anger, slapped his hand away and said expressionlessly, "What could possibly be wrong with me?"
He fell silent for a moment, looking at her with a pale face, before finally coaxing her in a low voice, "Shall we go home?"
Ever since hearing the news of the car accident, he had been on tenterhooks, terrified that the scene from ten years ago would repeat itself. Seeing her unharmed now, he was still shaken.
Meng Cenjun took her hand and pulled her up. Lan Jia struggled but couldn't break free, so she reluctantly let him put her in the car.
Inside the enclosed carriage, Lan Jia leaned against the window, sitting far away.
He gazed at her gloomy profile, carefully unfolded a shawl, and was about to drape it over her shoulders when Lan Jia wouldn't let him touch it. She angrily snatched it away and haphazardly wrapped it around herself.
The atmosphere was as cold and suffocating as an ice river, and Meng Cenjun's heart also turned cold. She said, "Are we going to continue like this?"
Lan Jia rubbed her forehead helplessly. "Is it so hard for me to just have a happy day? Why does something always have to ruin my good mood?"
"Did I upset you?" he said softly.
She said defiantly, "If you hadn't insisted on calling me back, I wouldn't have had a car accident on the way."
He was already feeling guilty, and hearing these words from her mouth was like tearing his heart out.
Meng Cenjun turned her head, her breathing unsteady. "We checked the car we were following earlier. It was a car with a fake license plate. Lan Jia, if someone wants to harm you, how could I let you be out alone?"
"I just don't understand, what did I do to deserve this? Why does all the bad luck have to happen to me?"
“It’s not your fault. There are always people with dark hearts who do bad things without needing a reason.” He paused, then added, “Leave everything to me. Everything will be fine soon.”
"Solve it?" Upon hearing this, Lan Jia immediately asked hostilely, "How do you plan to solve it? Are you going to confine me at home and prevent me from going out? Or are you going to find someone to watch over me every moment, like a prisoner?"
"I haven't done anything wrong, so why should I hide? Why can't I walk openly in the sunlight?"
Lan Jia became increasingly angry as she spoke. She was born with an upright and honest temperament, firmly believing that good would prevail over evil. She hated injustice the most and could not stand people who acted arrogantly and bullied others. When it came to her, she felt that there was no such justice in the world and wished she could drag out the evildoer who was lurking in the shadows and confront him face to face.
Meng Cenjun felt that she was oversimplifying things. Lan Jia lacked social experience, and he couldn't bear to let her witness the darkness. Over the years, she had developed a strong and upright character, and her mind couldn't be shaken in a short time.
Helpless, he could only soften his voice and persuade her, "I can agree to anything you've ever done before, but not this one. Lan Jia, listen to me this once. Even if you don't think about yourself, you should at least think about the people who care about you. If something happens to you, how am I supposed to explain it to your grandmother?"
Hearing this, Lan Jia felt even more troubled and said angrily, "I just don't understand how I ended up living such a miserable life?"
He knew she was used to being carefree and hated being controlled, but he really had no choice.
He was responsible for raising and caring for Lanca, and he had to take on this responsibility no matter what.
After those words were spoken, the carriage remained silent for a long time.
"Lan Jia, do you know? If anything happens to you, I won't be able to live either."
In the darkness, he suddenly uttered those words, making her heart skip a beat.
Lan Jia opened her eyes wide in surprise and stared at him. Just then, a car headlight flashed past the window, illuminating his cold and resolute profile for a moment.
She knew he wasn't lying, which was why she was stunned. All her pent-up frustration was stuck in her throat, and after a long while, she murmured awkwardly, "This world is truly insane..."
They remained preoccupied and didn't speak much until they got home.
After Lan Jia finished washing up, she remembered to take out her phone to check, and several messages from Song Qingqu popped up at the top.
She stood him up, but didn't explain. It was hard to explain in a few words, so she called him back, omitting the car accident, afraid he would think she had an accident on her way to see him and feel guilty.
She gave another reason, and Song Qingqu understood. He said he would bring the gift to the film crew tomorrow.
The two reached an agreement quickly and hung up the phone.
Before going to sleep, Lan Jia still felt uneasy and wanted to talk to Meng Cenjun. His previous attitude was ambiguous, and she was still afraid that he would relapse into his authoritarian ways and control her. If they could discuss it, at least there would be room for maneuver.
She first went to the study, but no one was there. The bedroom door wasn't closed properly, so she tiptoed in, but still didn't see anyone. The bathroom light was on, and there was the sound of running water, so someone must be taking a shower.
Lan Jia sat on his bed for a while, but couldn't stay still, so she got up and wandered around.
As she moved outside the bathroom, the sound of water happened to stop. Her heart tightened, and she was trying to find the right words, but he didn't come out for a long time.
Just a door away, the air was heavy, and you could faintly hear him talking on the phone.
"Take care of Song Qingqu's affairs on set as soon as possible, do it efficiently, and don't let her notice anything unusual."
Lan Jia stood there in disbelief, feeling a terrifying chill creeping up her spine like an invisible venomous snake.
Footsteps sounded, and the doorknob was being turned. She covered her mouth and slipped out of Meng Cenjun's bedroom before he came out.
Still damp, Meng Cenjun walked to the bedside and turned on the main light, instantly illuminating the room like daytime.
She lay her pajamas on the bed, about to change, when her gaze swept over them, and she frowned, picking up a long, soft, jet-black strand of hair. In this house, it could only belong to that person.
The sheets and duvet cover had been changed. He turned to look at the half-open door, his thoughts gradually sinking.
Author's Note: The next chapter will explain and reveal why the brother didn't tell the sister the truth.
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