Chapter 16 Entering the Police Station (Part 3) "Nothing else, I just want to..."
"Yes, Miss's friend is here and will be staying overnight." Aunt Ming answered as she took Meng Cenjun's slippers from the cabinet. Suddenly, she heard a few laughs from upstairs, faint yet easily identifiable.
The two looked towards Lan Jia's bedroom at the same time, and Aunt Ming smiled and said, "It's rare to see her so happy."
Meng Cenjun didn't say anything, nor did she plan to go to her, knowing that her involvement would spoil her mood.
Alone, she returned to her room. Just then, Lan Jia's bedroom door opened, and she smiled at the person inside, saying, "Wait for me, I'll go get the cake." With that, she turned around and bumped into a wall.
Lan Jia grunted, covered her forehead, and looked up. When she met Meng Cenjun's expressionless face, her momentum immediately diminished.
"Brother...why are you back so early?"
Good morning? She probably hoped he wouldn't come back tonight.
Meng Cenjun said in a deep voice, "Eating sweets at night? What did you promise me before? I won't accompany you to the dentist next time I don't have time."
Lan Jia thought to herself: Without him, she could find someone else to keep her company; it's not like she can't live without him. But on the surface, she still smiled guiltily and ingratiatingly: "I just wanted Jingwei to try it, and I'll have a little bit myself."
Through the open door, Ruan Jingwei received Meng Cenjun's gaze and stiffly stood up from the sofa.
Fortunately, his gaze only lingered for a moment before he looked away, uninterested.
Seeing this, Lan Jia calmly blocked Ruan Jingwei and pushed him, saying, "Brother, you should go about your business."
Hearing her order to leave, Meng Cenjun said no more, leaving behind the words, "Don't stay out too late," and went straight back to her room.
Lan Jia breathed a sigh of relief; thankfully, Jing Wei hadn't been frightened.
They took a small dessert from the kitchen, paired it with chilled lemonade, and snuggled up in front of the small coffee table in the bedroom to watch a movie on the projector.
It was a newly released horror movie. The protagonist was brainless, the plot was outdated, and the startling sound effects kept Lan Jia on the edge of sleep. She leaned softly against Jingwei's shoulder and chatted idly.
After chatting for a while, Jingwei asked hesitantly, "Lanjia, does your brother not like other people coming to the house?"
When Meng Cenjun was mentioned, Lan Jia suddenly perked up, her expression changed, and she hurriedly said, "How could that be! He doesn't dislike you, he's just used to being cold to everyone else. Just play with me and ignore him."
"How about we stay somewhere else next time? Then you won't have to deal with him."
Ruan Jingwei inexplicably felt a kind of provocation, and fearing that she would misunderstand, she hurriedly explained, "That's not what I meant, and there's no need to deliberately avoid your brother." She paused, "I just feel that your brother seems a little bit fierce."
Lan Jia pouted, a hint of resentment rising within her for Meng Cenjun ruining her plans. Afraid that Jingwei would be scared away, she gently comforted her, "Actually, he's nothing to be afraid of." Her eyes darted around, a smug and cunning look on her face. "Don't worry, I have a brilliant plan to deal with him."
"Hmm... your brother is a good guy, especially towards you."
Although his words were cold, they were entirely out of concern, showing meticulous attention even to small matters like food. In all her life, no one had ever cared so much about her daily life, and her envy grew even stronger.
Lan Jia remained noncommittal, continuing to operate the remote control. "This one's not good, shall we change it? A thriller? A romance?"
Ruan Jingwei's thoughts drifted away, and she didn't hear what she said clearly, only vaguely responding twice.
Meng Cenjun in the next room had already finished showering, her wrist still bandaged, hard to miss. He'd seen it—two small, neat rows of teeth marks. The dentist said even after full healing, marks would remain. He hadn't paid much attention; just now, he'd even wondered, "So she's inconvenienced like this too? Afraid of water, afraid of exertion, cautious in everything." Having the same injury as her, he now truly understood the pain she caused him.
Standing in front of the mirror, the scar on my lip was almost healed; it hadn't been that long.
He reached out and touched his lips, sighing inwardly.
A heartless person.
It was late at night, and Lan Jia became more and more energetic as the night went on, while Jing Wei had no energy left to joke around with her.
Lan Jia told her to sleep in the bedroom first, while she went to the studio to read the script. There was a room in the house that was set aside for Lan Jia to do her designs. It was filled with mannequins, dress forms, various fabrics, tools, and unfinished sketches. Even though it was incredibly messy, Lan Jia never allowed anyone to tidy it up, for fear of ruining her inspiration. Even the maids had to clean it under her supervision.
After explaining Jingwei's bedtime routine and having Aunt Ming change the bedding, Lan Jia completely secluded herself from the world.
After washing up, Ruan Jingwei dried her hair and walked outside. She saw several ELLE magazines scattered on the carpet, so she bent down to pick them up, tidied them up, and put them in the bedside drawer.
She stumbled upon a photo frame lying quietly in the drawer. Curious, she picked it up. It was a group photo; the background looked like a graduation ceremony, and behind the portraits sat a Gothic building with pointed arches—she recognized it as Pinceton's iconic building. In the photo, Meng Cenjun was holding a bunch of orange bird-of-paradise flowers, smiling. Lan Jia, wearing a pink knee-length dress, was affectionately wrapped around his waist, laughing brightly and freely. She was only up to his chest and looked no more than ten years old.
Her gaze was fixed on Meng Cenjun, and she couldn't help but look at him a few more times. His appearance hadn't changed much, but his temperament was completely different. Before, he was also calm and dignified, but his eyes were still youthful and gentle. Now, however, they were as sharp as a cold blade, his gaze dissecting and cutting to the bone.
It's been no more than ten years, yet he's become a completely different person.
Ruan Jingwei became increasingly curious about what had happened to cause such a dramatic change.
At school, Lan Jia rarely mentioned family matters, and she rarely spoke of Meng Cenjun to her. She had assumed that the siblings didn't have a good relationship, but after seeing them today, it seemed to be Lan Jia's only perspective. Her brother treated her so well, pampering her with lavish gifts and spoiling her, she really couldn't understand why Lan Jia was always dissatisfied.
Or perhaps, they are always dissatisfied.
If she had a brother like that, she wouldn't have to suffer so much injustice.
If only she had a brother like Meng Cenjun...
"Miss, would you like the blue sheets, or the light green ones?"
A voice suddenly came from behind, startling her.
Perhaps he was startled by his own thought; who knows?
Ruan Jingwei suddenly turned around and saw Aunt Ming at the door say "Hey," then smiled apologetically: "So it's Miss Ruan."
“Lan Jia is in the studio,” she replied. Still holding the photo frame, she awkwardly put it back in the drawer.
Aunt Ming didn't notice her little gesture, lost in thought, and murmured, "It really looks like..."
She didn't ask for confirmation, sitting aside waiting for Aunt Ming to change the sheets, still feeling a stirring in her heart. Back on campus, when she walked with Lan Jia, many people said they looked alike. At that time, she just thought that all Asians looked the same because they had blue or green eyes, which was too stereotypical. But now, even Lan Jia's close friends would mistake her for someone else, and she had to re-examine the truth of that statement.
Perhaps girls of this age all have a pursuit of being "unique," wanting to be distinctive, original, and different from others. But now, amidst that slight aversion, there is a strange mix of excitement and anticipation.
Is it that she resembles her, or that she resembles her?
She and Lan Jia are so similar that it's hard to say what will happen in the future.
After turning off the lights, I was preoccupied with my thoughts and couldn't fall asleep, tossing and turning.
Having eaten too many sweet and greasy foods that evening, her throat was incredibly dry. Actually, she didn't particularly like sweets; cream and butter were the biggest contributors to weight gain, and maintaining a slim and shapely figure required considerable effort. However, in front of Lan Jia, she did try to please him somewhat. Ruan Jingwei often thought that to maintain a long-term relationship, both people had to compromise. This was true for friendship, family, and especially romantic love.
The rift between Lan Jia and her siblings was probably due to her unwillingness to back down. It's hard to say whether she was too naive or too narrow-minded. But in some ways, she was indeed too self-serving.
Yi Lanjia had never experienced the feeling of competing with others. She could get whatever she wanted with ease, so she naturally assumed that she deserved better and the best.
Ruan Jingwei laughed self-deprecatingly.
She turned on the light; there was no drinking water left in the room, and Lan Jia hadn't returned yet.
Relying on his memory, he found the third room on the right and knocked on the door.
"Enter."
Ruan Jingwei leaned in slightly: "Lan Jia, I'm a little thirsty."
"Downstairs at the bar, take your pick. There's also Chateldon sparkling water in the cabinet, your favorite."
Lan Jia had no time to think about anything else at the moment. After giving her instructions, she went back to studying the script. It was truly captivating, and she was completely engrossed in it.
Seeing this, Ruan Jingwei didn't want to disturb her any longer, so she quietly closed the door and left.
Downstairs, in a completely unfamiliar area, I explored for a while and picked up a glass. I opened each cabinet door one by one; the stock was plentiful, but there was no sign of sparkling water.
What are you looking for?
A low voice came from behind.
It hits right at the heart.
Then, with a "crash," the glass in his hand fell and shattered into pieces at his feet.
She panicked and instinctively reached out to help, but was stopped by the voice: "Don't move, someone will come and take care of it."
Ruan Jingwei stiffly turned her head and saw that Meng Cenjun had moved to the left side of the island platform, staring at her, and asked again.
She told the truth.
Then, I was stunned to see him open the refrigerator, take out a bottle of sparkling water, and then take out a box of ice cubes from the freezer.
"Want it?"
She paused for two seconds before realizing they were asking if she wanted ice, and quickly shook her head.
Meng Cenjun didn't say anything, but placed the bottle on the island platform for her to take.
He then poured the pale yellow liquid into his glass and added a few ice cubes with tongs.
Ruan Jingwei clutched her skirt, too nervous to say anything or know how to address him. Calling him "brother" like Lan Jia did didn't seem quite right either—what kind of sister was she to him? She'd only be making a fool of herself.
After hesitating for a long time, he finally managed to say weakly, "Thank you."
Meng Cenjun nodded, drank most of the wine in his glass, and didn't notice her hurried departure.
His gaze shifted to the pitiful shards of glass on the ground. It had originally been a cup with a grapevine pattern, one that Lan Jia really liked. He thought to himself that he would have someone bring a new one tomorrow, hoping she wouldn't notice.
However, he didn't know that at that moment, Lan Jia was standing by the second-floor corridor, leaning against the railing, thoughtfully resting her chin on her hand.
She had witnessed everything that had just happened.
Ruan Jingwei, carrying water and a glass, fled back to her bedroom as if escaping, her cheeks burning and ears red. Why had she been so careless, making a fool of herself in front of him? The thought only fueled her shame and anger. What would he think of her? Her sister's friend? A clumsy, unknown child?
It's also possible that they didn't even consider her a threat.
But just now, he was actually very nice, not as cold and aloof as she had imagined. Was he truly treating everyone the same in close proximity? She couldn't say. But a small hope lingered in her heart: perhaps he also felt she was similar to Lan Jia? And thus, a very subtle difference arose.
Just a little bit, a tiny difference from others.
Little by little, you accumulate; small things add up to a great amount.
A little after 2 a.m., Lan Jia rubbed her tired eyes and closed the script cover.
I skimmed through it; it's a suspense thriller about a young detective investigating his first murder case—strictly speaking, a patricide. The father is abusive and an alcoholic, and the son grew up in a repressive and abusive family environment. In a fight, he stabs his father to death and is arrested and sentenced to a heavy prison term. On the surface, it appears to be a manslaughter stemming from family conflict, but the more the detective investigates, the more suspicious things become, and the real killer turns out to be someone else entirely…
She sat still for a while, stroking a corner of the cover. Actually, when she was halfway through reading it, Lan Jia had already guessed who the murderer was, but strangely, unexpectedly, she completely understood the murderer's motive.
She actually understood the plight of a demon.
Lan Jia walked out absentmindedly, passing Meng Cenjun's study, where the light was still on. After hesitating for a moment, she turned the doorknob.
Meng Cenjun, sitting at her desk, looked up and gazed at the scene from afar.
She stood in the crack of the door, looking at him without saying a word. Finally, he spoke first: "Aren't you going to sleep?"
Seeing her unusual behavior, he asked again, "Who upset you?"
Lan Jia shook her head and remained silent.
Meng Cenjun capped the pen and called her over.
Lan Jia didn't move, staring intently at him, before finally speaking, "Brother, can you be nicer to me from now on?"
He paused for a moment, then heard her whisper, "I'm afraid I'll become very bad..."
Meng Cenjun didn't answer, or perhaps she didn't even wait for his reply before closing the door and leaving.
Lan Jia dragged herself back to the bedroom, looking exhausted.
Ruan Jingwei seemed to be asleep, with a small mound of blankets. She lifted a corner of the blankets and quietly lay down.
After a while, Jingwei rolled over and lay down next to her. "Finished reading the script?"
"almost."
What were they talking about?
"Hmm...a very pitiful brother and sister."
“Brother and sister, that sounds like a topic you can relate to.” Jingwei moved closer to her, facing her. “But you two are a happy, enviable brother and sister.”
"Are you happy?" Not necessarily.
Lan Jia closed her eyes and added, "Or rather, they're a pair of strange siblings."
The night was dark, and she soon fell into a deep, sluggish sleep.
The next day, after seeing Ruan Jingwei off, Meng Cenjun was no longer at home.
She received another invitation from Qiao Zimu to have dinner together that evening. Knowing that Meng Cenjun wouldn't be home for dinner, she decided to slip away.
Feeling bored at home and with plenty of time before the appointed time, Lan Jia decided to go see him ahead of schedule.
Qiao Zimu was interning at his family's group headquarters during the summer. His driver dropped Lan Jia off at the company building, but unexpectedly, it was Lan Jia who came to pick him up in person.
The evening sunlight was dim and warm. Qiao Zimu, wearing a white shirt and with his tie casually stuffed into his breast pocket, walked over with sluggish steps. Upon seeing her, he complained, "I'm so tired. I'm so glad you came."
Seeing him looking like a puppy with droopy ears, Lan Jia mocked, "You've only been working for one day and you're already like this. Will we have to carry you to the company in a sedan chair in the future, Young Master Qiao?"
"I'm not that delicate. I can't even handle this little bit of hardship. I just wanted you to show me some concern." He moved even closer, deliberately clinging to her.
"Alright, that's enough, it's disgusting to keep talking about it." Lan Jia rolled her eyes at him, annoyed.
The two walked side by side to Qiao Zimu's office. He still had work to finish, so he asked Lan Jia to sit and wait for a while.
"PMO assistant?" Lan Jia glanced at the nameplate on his desk and asked with a smile, "Are you a nobody now?"
Qiao Zimu put a stack of organized documents into the file box and said seriously, "My brother and sister also started from the bottom. In the future, they will take over the family business. This can be regarded as a test."
As if thinking of something, his expression darkened. "Lan Jia, I will do my best to become independent as soon as possible."
Lan Jia didn't delve into the hidden meaning of his words, but smiled encouragingly and said, "I believe in you." Then she asked curiously, "Is it really that hard? Does it require a lot of time and energy?" She knew absolutely nothing about running a business.
“I think it won’t be easy, after all, it took my brother and sister five or six years to barely satisfy my dad.”
Lan Jia fell silent. She thought of Meng Cenjun. How much time did he have to grow back then? He wasn't even a business student. He was only in his early twenties at the time. He was appointed to the position in a time of crisis. How difficult must that have been?
It seems like he's always the one making the sacrifices in this family.
She was never able to help him in any way.
Lan Jia felt lost and confused.
Perhaps sensing her bad mood, Qiao Zimu suggested having a drink after dinner.
The two went to a bar and ordered two glasses of tequila to drink slowly.
The shop is newly opened, with an elegant environment, not many people, and the booths are very quiet.
"You'll be starting work tomorrow, right?" Qiao Zimu asked.
She smiled and joked, "Just like you, I had to start as a junior assistant."
"Lan Jia, you don't have to work so hard. With your abilities, you deserve a better position." His eyes were worried. He didn't want to see her suffer at all, and he was even less willing to let her be subordinate to someone else.
"How about I contact my sister-in-law for you? She has extensive connections in the film and television industry and is quite close to several costume design masters."
Lan Jia's eyes lit up. "Sure, you can introduce us another day, and I'll treat you to a big meal." She wasn't stupid; she definitely wanted to seize this great opportunity. "But let's make it clear first, you're not allowed to interfere too much. I don't want a job assignment; I want to get to know the master!"
"Okay, okay, I'll do whatever you say." He raised his glass to clink with hers, his eyes filled with almost doting affection.
"But you haven't mentioned this to your brother yet, have you?"
"Let's just take it one step at a time," Lan Jia sighed. "He's been busy lately, so he probably won't have time for me. But even if he doesn't agree, I still have to go."
He smiled and asked with great interest, "So how is your protest plan going?"
Lan Jia took a small sip of her wine and didn't answer. In fact, she was also confused right now, deeply mired in the situation, and increasingly unable to understand what she really wanted.
But she figured out one thing: to be free, she had to stay away from Meng Cenjun and start her own business. But if she hardened her heart and left her, left this family, would she really be happy? Would she really be satisfied? The so-called plan was actually no different from her previous careful maneuvering. It was just that she had identified Meng Cenjun's weakness in intimate relationships and was certain that he couldn't do anything to her. That's why she became bolder and bolder in provoking him and challenging his bottom line.
Ultimately, it was nothing more than petty squabbles, a smug satisfaction at gaining a little freedom that slipped through his fingers. She was no longer a general with victory in her grasp, but a defeated rooster, already utterly defeated before even taking the field.
If she had to choose between freedom and Meng Cenjun, she found that she couldn't make a choice.
Lan Jia lowered her eyes, feeling inexplicably dejected.
Seeing her like this, Qiao Zimu secretly tightened his grip on his wine glass, knowing that this matter would probably come to nothing again. Once she came into contact with Meng Cenjun, she would completely lose her mind, and he would practically need to keep her in his ear 24 hours a day to remind her.
Oh well, I knew this would be the outcome.
He was already used to Yi Lanjia's unpredictable nature.
But there was nothing he could do; he still loved her just the same way.
Qiao Zimu gave her a deep, resentful, and aggrieved look, then tilted his head back and drank the wine in his glass in one gulp.
It was getting late, and the drinking session was drawing to a close. As Qiao Zimu went to pay the bill, Lan Jia checked her phone. Meng Cenjun hadn't called to urge them, nor had she sent a single text message. A strange, unsettling feeling suddenly arose within her.
When I try to manage her, she complains. Now that I don't, I feel a pang of sadness. I can't help but find myself ridiculous.
After packing the loose items into her bag, Lan Jia waited for Qiao Zimu to arrive. Three more people entered the next booth; they were unfamiliar faces, dressed in expensive clothes, but displaying a frivolous and dissolute demeanor. The Lijiang elite circle wasn't large, but Lan Jia never attended banquets, so she didn't recognize these second-generation scions.
Lan Jia glanced at them uninterestedly and was about to leave when she heard them mention Meng Cenjun. She turned her back and sat down again.
One of them took a sip of his drink and said in a gossipy tone, "Have you heard? The old man of the Meng family has fallen seriously ill and is probably not going to make it."
Another person said with a hint of schadenfreude, "Ha, this old bastard has been arrogant for so many years, and now he's finally getting his comeuppance?"
Another voice asked, "Retribution for what?"
"It's no wonder you don't know. This was big news abroad at the time, but the Meng family kept it very secret in China." After saying that, the man glanced around and lowered his voice, "That old man is ruthless and has done all sorts of bad things. He's been mean for most of his life and has made many enemies. Of course, his enemies wanted revenge, but they couldn't do anything about him, so they seized the opportunity to kidnap his grandson and demand an exorbitant ransom."
"Guess what?"
"Give it to them? Or did you capture all the robbers in one fell swoop?"
"Give money? Bah! That old rooster is the stingiest of all. It's a matter of life and death, and he's still haggling with the robber. It's hilarious. In the end, he angered the robber and threatened to kill the hostage."
"And then what happened? Did they really kill the hostage? Did someone die?"
"Ha, he's dead, but it wasn't his grandson who died, it was the old rooster's youngest son. His son saw that this old man was stingy and could only try to raise money to ransom the child. Who knew that the robber would go crazy and want both money and life? As soon as the ransom was handed over, he shot the man dead."
"What about the child? He's not dead?"
"Hmm, he's got a lucky life." The man flicked his cigarette ash and asked, "Do you know who his grandson is?"
The other two thought of a name, but seemed afraid and hesitated:
"Could it be PIONE?"
"Um."
The man called out the name through gritted teeth.
"Wait a minute, isn't PIONE a property of the Yi family? How come it's his turn to be in charge, an outsider? Why isn't he inheriting his own business and instead going out to usurp it?"
The playboy clicked his tongue in disdain, "Inheritance my foot! That old man has more than one grandson, Meng Cenjun, and besides, he's the grandson he dislikes the most."
"What's going on now?"
One of them answered quickly: "I've heard a little about that. I heard that Meng Cenjun's mother was a nobody actress. The old man didn't agree to her marrying into the family. The child was already quite old but still had no official status. In the end, it almost caused a rift between father and son before he reluctantly agreed to register the marriage. But this actress daughter-in-law was never well received in the Meng family. She lived a secluded life and died of depression a few years after the kidnapping incident."
"Now that both his parents are dead, the old man saw that his grandson hated him like an enemy, and keeping him around was just a pain, so he had no choice but to pack him up and send him away."
"The Yi family is willing to take it? For charity?"
The playboy in the floral shirt sneered and said, "If it were you, would you be willing to raise someone else's son for free? Of course, it would be the Yi family who came with a huge inheritance, just enough to fill the hole in their business."
Another person chimed in, "But the Yi family is really pitiful. Such a big company, from the oldest to the youngest, is almost wiped out. Did they not bury their ancestors in the right graves? It's like their descendants are cursed."
"Hehe, I guess he's been doing too many bad things and is getting his comeuppance."
"What were the Yi family thinking? How could they entrust their family fortune to outsiders? Were they just going to hand it over to them for nothing?"
"They're not stupid. Once they've used you, they'll naturally kick you to the curb. Don't they understand what a vampire is? For the past three generations, the Yi family has been ruled by women. Why would they let their wealth flow into the hands of outsiders?"
"I don't think so. Doesn't Old Lady Yi have a granddaughter? Maybe she'll take a liking to him and keep him as a son-in-law, so he won't have to go back to the Meng family to fight for that little bit of land."
"Meng Cenjun? A live-in son-in-law? Wasn't he supposed to be arrogant? After all these years of being domineering, this is the end result he got? It's laughable!"
After he finished speaking, everyone burst into laughter.
The two blows were so powerful that they made him dizzy and saw stars.
Barely able to make out who it was, he immediately flew into a rage: "Who the hell are you?"
The person in front of him didn't give him a chance to breathe, grabbed his collar, and slapped him down swiftly.
The two companions opposite her finally reacted, grabbing Lan Jia's arms and throwing her off. "Are you crazy? Where did this lunatic come from?"
Lan Jia's face was contorted like a mad beast as she stared at him, wishing she could rush up and devour his flesh and drink his blood!
That pampered brat, who had never been treated like this before, was immediately terrified when he saw Lan Jia's furious and murderous aura. He retreated to the corner of the sofa, feeling both embarrassed and resentful. "Damn it, what did I do to you?"
Lan Jia's blood surged, and with a burst of strength from who knows where, she broke free of her restraints in a few moves. Her venomous nails seemed to pierce through her, and she grabbed a wine bottle from the table, threatening to smash it.
The man in the floral shirt yelled and pointed at her nose: "Quick! Hurry up... hold her down!"
Her two companions, caught off guard by her fierce temper, panicked and frantically tried to press down on her shoulders. But before they could even do so, they heard an angry shout:
"stop!"
Upon seeing the chaotic scene, Qiao Zimu, who had just finished paying the bill, immediately rushed over and shielded Lan Jia in his arms.
"What do you want? Do you want to hit me? I'm calling the police right now."
The man in the floral shirt grinned and touched his cheek, then leaned back on the sofa with a half-smile: "Oh, isn't this Young Master Qiao? Even when you're going to play the hero and save the damsel in distress, you have to be reasonable."
"You want to call the police? I want to call the police too!" He held out his swollen face. "Look, see? This girl hit someone first."
Qiao Zimu ignored her and looked Lan Jia up and down, asking worriedly, "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"
Lan Jia was already blinded by anger. She shoved his hand away, "Leave me alone!" She glared at the playboy and was about to rush over when Qiao Zimu grabbed her tightly, "Lan Jia! Forget it!"
Seeing that she was about to hit him again, the woman in the floral shirt was forced to jump onto the sofa, put her hands on her hips, and angrily shouted, "Let it go? Let me tell you, this isn't over today!"
"Either you slap yourself three times and apologize to me, and I won't hold it against a woman; or you can expect to spend the night in detention!"
"Shen Kuo, don't go too far!" Qiao Zimu was furious when he heard his flippant words.
"Come on, come and fight me! I'm the victim, do you think I'm afraid of you?"
"Stop! No disturbances allowed in the bar." Two security guards rushed over upon hearing the commotion.
Seeing the reinforcements arrive, the man in the floral shirt became even more arrogant, pointing at Lan Jia: "She's the one who hit me, see? She even has a weapon in her hand. Call the police, call the police and arrest her right now!"
Seeing this, Qiao Zimu secretly snatched the wine bottle from Lan Jia's hand.
The villain refused to let the matter rest, and the entire group was taken to the police station for questioning.
The police station was extremely busy today with a lot of dispute cases. The process of investigation, evidence collection, injury assessment, and taking statements from both sides left both parties exhausted.
On the metal chairs in the waiting area, Qiao Zimu and Lan Jia sat side by side. Seeing that she was pale, he took a glass of warm water and handed it to her: "Soothe your throat."
Lan Jia held the paper cup with both hands but didn't drink it.
"Why would you clash with Shen Kuo? A spoiled brat like him isn't worth your personal attention."
"Nothing else, I just want to hit him."
"I never knew you had this side to you, it's like we just met for the first time." He held her wrist tenderly, checking it over. "Is the wound alright?"
It hurt, but she didn't care and didn't want to talk about it.
The interrogation room was noisy. Shen Kuo refused to accept mediation and continued to shout that he wanted to detain Lan Jia.
Qiao Zimu held her hand and comforted her, "You'll be alright." He paused, then added, "Your brother won't let anything happen to you."
He hated that he wasn't strong enough.
The police notified the family members early in the morning.
But it wasn't Meng Cenjun who came.
Zhou Qin, dressed in a formal suit, rushed over, accompanied by a lawyer carrying a briefcase, who was probably an elite member of PIONE's legal team.
Upon seeing her, the lawyer spoke respectfully: "Miss, please leave everything to me. Please sit for a while, and you can go home soon."
Lan Jia lowered her head, looking at the reflection of the white fabric lamp in the water.
She wasn't afraid of being detained; she only regretted not being ruthless enough.
How could she bear it? How could she swallow this insult, having her and her family's wounds so brutally reopened in front of everyone?
Zhou Qin sat down beside her, and seeing that she was alright, sighed softly, "Miss, you acted impulsively this time."
Lan Jia gave a muffled "hmm" and crumpled the edge of the paper cup.
"Where is my brother? Why won't he come to see me?"
Qiao Zimu gave her a deep look and pursed his lips.
"Sir, you're still entertaining clients. Let me take you home in a bit."
Perhaps it was because the police station's air conditioning was too cold, but after all that fuss, her anger subsided, and she just felt a chill all over. She was still afraid.
Lan Jia snapped her fingers together and asked, "When he found out you came from beside him, was he very angry?"
Zhou Qin did not answer, even he was unsure what Meng Cenjun was thinking. He only advised, "Miss, as long as you don't do anything that is not beneficial to yourself in the future, everything will be fine."
Lan Jia nodded, which was taken as an agreement.
But she knew she could never change.
The lawyer came out shortly afterward.
"Miss, you can leave after you sign the settlement agreement."
Lan Jia stood up and saw Shen Kuo also coming out of the interrogation room, half of his face swollen, glaring at her with venom.
Before he took action, he hadn't expected her to record him. All the insults she had said to the Meng and Yi families had been recorded, so it seemed she was determined to beat him up. Like mother, like daughter; just like Meng Cenjun, she was black-hearted and rotten.
Power is everything, so I'll put up with it for now. When the opportunity arises, I'll definitely take my revenge for those three slaps!
Both parties reluctantly signed the papers and reached a settlement in the presence of the police.
Once outside, Shen Kuo spat, got into his car, and drove off.
Qiao Zimu rolled his eyes at him, but Lan Jia didn't have time to pay him any attention.
Both of them had been drinking, and Lan Jia asked the driver to take him home, since their houses were close by.
After washing up, exhausted, Aunt Ming contacted the family doctor to examine her injury. After it was bandaged, the clock struck twelve.
The living room was dark and quiet. She counted the ticking of time as she waited for Meng Cenjun to return.
You can escape today, but you can't escape tomorrow.
She didn't want things to remain unclear, much less let it end inconclusively.
Lan Jia sat on the sofa for a long time before finally hearing the sound she had been waiting for.
He opened the door, changed his shoes in the entryway, walked down the hallway, and went to the living room. She knew his every move.
The lights suddenly turned on, illuminating the room.
Lan Jia blinked slightly, a little afraid of the light. When she looked again, Meng Cenjun was standing not far away, staring at her intently.
He looked very tired, loosened his tie, and was much more relaxed than usual.
They looked at each other in silence.
Silence is a more terrifying weapon than arguing.
Meng Cenjun must be extremely angry.
She would rather he scolded her like he used to.
Lan Jia's eyes gradually reddened, and she lowered her head, not daring to meet his gaze.
After a while, he approached and stopped in front of her.
Lan Jia clutched the hem of her skirt above her knees, feeling uneasy, and buried her head even lower.
Immediately afterwards, a hand reached out and gently, soothingly, touched the top of her head.
"Go to sleep."
His voice had a tired, magnetic quality, and there was an eerie gentleness to it when he gave orders.
Lan Jia couldn't help but shiver.
This is very unusual.
All her previously prepared countermeasures failed at the last minute.
Meng Cenjun only left her with these words, and without caring whether she would do anything about it, went straight upstairs.
Lan Jia sat there blankly for a long time before finally letting out a heavy breath, as if she had been reborn from drowning.
It can't end like this.
She did not accept this result.
Driven by a strong desire, she quietly walked up the dark stairs and quietly opened the door to Meng Cenjun's bedroom.
Lan Jia stood barefoot on the carpet, watching him for a long time by the bed, before finally deciding to crawl into bed.
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