There was no taste left for Jiang Nan Fang other than sorrow.
"It's okay. Are you alright? Let me help you up."
However, Zhan Bei Jue's strength was immense.
The bones in her shoulder blade felt shattered. She tried to lift her arm, but dared not.
Zhan Bei Jue watched Jiang Nan Fang, who was shielding Ke Teng, leaning over him as if they shared a deep bond.
He was so enraged that his heart, liver, spleen, and lungs felt like they were spewing fire.
"Jiang Nan Fang, who asked you to protect him? Get up!"
He was furious, his hands felt like they were covered in thorns as he reached out to grab Jiang Nan Fang's arm.
Jiang Nan Fang felt so much pain she wanted to cry.
She refused to get up.
She knew he had lost his mind. If she didn't protect Ke Teng, everyone would be finished today.
She couldn't think of any more words to appease Zhan Bei Jue.
She felt so powerless. She wanted to cry so badly.
Everything had been fine just a short while ago, how could it have become like this again so suddenly?
She broke free from Zhan Bei Jue's hand, weakly cradling Ke Teng's head.
"I'm begging you, please stop this. If Ke Teng dies, you won't be able to live either. When will this cycle of revenge ever end? Calm down."
Zhan Bei Jue's chest heaved uncontrollably as he looked at her hands, which were a painful sight.
"Let go of him. Who the hell are you working for? Let go of him!"
"No."
Jiang Nan Fang looked stubbornly into his eyes.
"Unless you promise not to hurt him anymore."
"Jiang Nan Fang, are you trying to drive me to death?"
"Shen Min Er saved your life, and for her, you could lose your mind. Similarly, Ke Teng saved me too, and I must repay his kindness."
Two lines of weak tears streamed down her cheeks as she spoke, her voice barely a whisper.
"If you really can't get past Shen Min Er, then let me pay for Ke Teng. Once this debt is settled, my conscience will be at peace."
These words were like daggers piercing Zhan Bei Jue's heart.
Because she knew that the reason she owed Ke Teng a favor was all thanks to Zhan Bei Jue's mother.
Without her meddling, perhaps she would have already cut ties with Ke Teng long ago.
This was fate.
Zhan Bei Jue was choked by her words, unable to utter a single sound.
That was right. The reason she was protecting Ke Teng was all because of his mother.
Under the guise of acting for her son's good, she had left a handle that would control him for life.
What kind of mess was this!
"Crash!"
He stood up, picked up Jiang Nan Fang from the ground as if she were a toy, held her in his arms, kicked Ke Teng's door again, and stormed out.
—
No one knew exactly what happened inside, but Chen Jiaojiao's father chose to take his own life.
In a way, it was for the best.
Other people associated with him breathed a sigh of relief, and many matters came to a halt.
On the surface, it was just a simple case of unqualified corporate operations, leading to the legal representative committing suicide out of guilt.
The Chen family fell, and Jin Cheng returned to its usual tranquility.
No one pursued the matter further, and the Chen family did not have to lose anything more.
As things stood, it was all the father's fault. The sensible Chen Jiaojiao chose to let it go.
After a simple funeral, she and the Lu family returned to Nancheng the next afternoon.
Lu Mingzhe drove himself, with Lu's mother sitting in the back seat with her.
Although the Chen family was no longer worthy of their Lu family,
Chen Jiaojiao was a good person, and she and Lu Mingzhe had reached this point.
Lu's mother did not look down on her.
"This is how things are, don't think too much about it. Living your own lives together is the most important thing."
"Mom knows you're under a lot of pressure now and don't have the energy to have children. You're still young, no need to rush. Go back and rest for a few days. Everything will get better."
Then she instructed Lu Mingzhe.
"Don't just be busy with work all day. Make more time to accompany Jiaojiao. She needs you right now."
Lu Mingzhe remained silent.
He silently saw his mother home, then drove the car to the building of their marital home.
He didn't turn off the engine, nor did he show any intention of getting out.
Chen Jiaojiao waited for a moment, then came back to her senses and turned to look at him.
"Are you going out again?"
Lu Mingzhe did not hide his intentions.
"Your matters are all settled. I haven't contacted her for two days. It's time to go see her."
Such a devoted statement.
But to Chen Jiaojiao, it sounded so jarring.
"I never thought that one day, our relationship would become like this."
Was she dissatisfied with the current situation?
Lu Mingzhe was not one to indulge her.
"Why didn't you expect it? Am I just supposed to be the fool? Did you not expect this day when you stood in front of me holding hands with Hu Jiasheng?"
"..."
Chen Jiaojiao was so choked by his words that she couldn't speak.
After a two-second pause, she looked at him with a sincere expression.
"I was wrong before, and whatever you say, I should listen."
"But you still have a little bit of affection for me, right? Since we've come this far..."
Lu Mingzhe suppressed the urge to mention divorce right now.
"Don't say anymore. You're not in a good mood now, and I don't want to say anything hurtful to bring you down. Let's leave it at that. Get out of the car."
Chen Jiaojiao refused to get out.
She had so many things she wanted to say to him, and she felt an inexpressible attachment to him.
She had encountered so many things recently, and he had been by her side every time. Lu Mingzhe's image in her heart had become taller than anyone else's.
"Please, I was wrong before, and I'll change in the future..."
Lu Mingzhe interrupted her again.
"Chen Jiaojiao. You'd better go back to how you were before. Acting so subservient is really off-putting. I don't like seeing you like this."
"Then what do you want me to do? I can do anything! Can you give me a chance?"
As she spoke with more fervor, Lu Mingzhe didn't want to hear her speak anymore.
"Fine, if you won't get out, I will."
He parked the car, closed the door, and walked onto the road without looking back.
A great sense of loss, melancholy, and unwillingness washed over Chen Jiaojiao.
She sat there watching his retreating figure until Lu Mingzhe got into a taxi before she came back to her senses.
A strong voice in her mind urged her, Chase him, chase him, chase him!
Then, without thinking further, she started the car and chased after him.
On the road, Lu Mingzhe called Xiang Wan, asking if she was asleep.
Xiang Wan's voice was cheerful, sounding incredibly pleasant.
"You're back?"
Lu Mingzhe's bones felt like they were melting.
"I'm back. I miss you so much. Can I come over now?"
Xiang Wan replied playfully, "Guess."
He smiled.
"Wait for me downstairs, okay? I'm really eager to see you. I wish I could grow wings and fly over."
The taxi driver, amused by his sweet talk,
hung up the phone and glanced back at him.
"Calling your girlfriend? It's good for young people to be in love. Unlike us, an old couple, we don't feel much even if we're out of the house every day."
After saying that, as if to help him, he drove the car very fast.
Soon, the taxi arrived at the entrance of the residential complex. From a distance, Lu Mingzhe saw Xiang Wan waiting for him at the entrance.
She was wearing a black dress with a soft white shawl draped over it, her long hair loose.
She looked so gentle and moving, radiant.
As soon as the car stopped, he impatiently rushed out.