Chapter Fifty-One: Traffic Accident

Under Jun Lengche’s forceful kiss, Tong Zhenzhen felt a bit dazed. At first, she tried to resist, but under his relentless assault, she gradually gave way. Was he mad? She had that impression. Their teeth even collided fiercely, yet he showed no sign of stopping.

She could only emit a faint protest, but with her head firmly held in place, she couldn’t escape. For a moment, her lips and teeth were filled with his taste.

Under his continuous advance, her defenses finally crumbled, allowing him to penetrate deeply.

The burning, wild kiss made her heart tremble.

Her submission quelled his frenzy; the storm turned into a gentle rain. He lightly brushed over her lips, her smooth face, her flushed earlobes, her graceful neck, lingering on her collarbone.

His stiff, short hair brushed against her face, prompting her to unconsciously raise her hand and stroke it.

Her palms tingled, her body itched, and even her heart seemed to drift in a spring breeze. She softly hummed, melodious and alluring, like a cat’s coquettish meow.

That sound softened his heart and sent shivers through his bones.

Why was it only at moments like this that they could shed all pretenses and stop hurting each other?

Like two hedgehogs in winter, wanting to huddle close for warmth, yet their spines inflicted wounds whenever they drew near.

He knew clearly he wanted her—so feverishly he wished to meld her into his being.

Her lemon fragrance was his favorite scent.

Why did it feel as if he were bewitched, unable to let go?

Even in late autumn, spring could still bloom.

Their lingering kiss was suddenly broken by a phone call.

Jun Lengche answered the call with annoyance.

Lost in the kiss and off balance, Tong Zhenzhen buried her head in her arm.

“What?!” he snapped, but couldn’t hide his anxiety. He quickly started the car and sped off.

“Put on your seatbelt! You’re not wearing one!” She lifted her head as the car swerved, noticing his urgency.

“Help me buckle it!” he commanded, eyes fixed on the road.

Seeing the speed climb to 100 kilometers per hour, she thought, Is he trying to die?

“Slow down! You’re speeding!” Her shout was ignored.

After some inner struggle, she decided not to argue with a madman and fastened his seatbelt.

What could be so urgent to make him lose his composure?

The car raced all the way to the military hospital.

Jun Lengche performed a skillful drift, parking smoothly in a vacant spot.

“Can you drive?” he asked anxiously.

Tong Zhenzhen nodded.

“Good. Go back by yourself. I have something to do.” Without another word, he opened the door, jumped out, and rushed into the hospital.

Damn it, what secret was he hiding this time? And behind her back too? She wasn’t about to obediently leave, so she got out and followed him.

From a distance, she trailed him, watching as he entered the elevator and it stopped on the fifth floor.

The fifth floor? She thought of Lin Mujin and her heart sank.

Without hesitation, she headed straight to room 520.

At the door, through the slightly ajar gap, she heard Jun Lengche’s hoarse voice say, “You’re too foolish! Does dying solve anything?!”

“I’m foolish, but I can’t go on living. He wants a divorce and to take the child from me.” The woman’s plaintive, despairing cry drifted out.

Peering through the crack, Tong Zhenzhen saw Lin Mujin clinging to Jun Lengche’s neck like a drowning person, burying her head against his chest.

Jun Lengche sat stiffly on the bed’s edge.

The scene struck her heart as if hit by a speeding carriage, crushed and trampled over again.

“Che, do you know? These years, I’ve been miserable. Long Tianyang has never stopped having women around,” Lin Mujin poured out her heart like confessing to a priest. “And he never hid it from me. He even shamelessly brought women home, demanding threesomes.”

Her body trembled like a fallen leaf in the autumn wind. “I’ve long wanted to leave him, but his family is too powerful. I can’t take the child. My daughter, she’s so well-behaved. Whenever I cry, she hugs me and comforts me. My angel. How could I give her up?”

“Why didn’t you just leave without a word back then?” Jun Lengche asked coldly.

“Because your family wanted me gone. Because you were going to marry Qin Zhixue. Because I was raped by Long Tianyang. That night, I went to a bar and woke up next to him. He... he recorded everything.” Some wounds never fade with time; they only carve deeper into the bone.

“That beast!” Jun Lengche finally showed some emotion.

Those past events were best left to those involved to mourn.

Outside the door, Tong Zhenzhen unexpectedly felt some sympathy for Lin Mujin. Just as she was about to close the door to spare the broken lovers from further disturbance, she overheard a bombshell that shocked her.

“Che, you must help me get my child back, because she is your daughter!” Lin Mujin’s next words exploded like a grenade.

Startled, Tong Zhenzhen opened the door.

“What did you say?!” Jun Lengche gripped Lin Mujin’s arm tightly, forcing her to meet his gaze.

“My Yingchu is your daughter. Shortly after marrying Long Tianyang, I got pregnant. At first, I wasn’t sure who the father was. Long Tianyang was exiled abroad by his brother Long Haotian and forbidden to return. After giving birth, I secretly did a paternity test—it wasn’t Long Tianyang’s.” Lin Mujin sobbed, her tears flowing like rain.

Jun Lengche was silent for a moment before asking, “Why didn’t you come to me?”

Lowering her eyes, tears streaming endlessly, she said, “I was afraid—afraid of Long Tianyang’s revenge. I didn’t want to break up your family. Che, I’ve always loved you.”

Heavens, what curse had she brought upon herself? What kind of revenge was this? She had barely dealt with the matter of the illegitimate child, and now there was another daughter? Tong Zhenzhen’s thoughts were in turmoil.

Why did tears flow uncontrollably down her cheeks? She wiped them fiercely, lowering her head and rushing into the elevator.

Like a deserter, she fled to the car in disarray, her mind a chaotic storm.

Yingchu? What a beautiful name—was it meant to be?

Jun Lengche, who valued family above all, how would he respond?

She blew her nose like she had a bad cold, dabbing at her tears.

Why was she crying? Tong Zhenzhen suddenly slapped herself hard across the face. Did she care about him? Hadn’t she always wanted him to suffer?

Biting her lip fiercely until it hurt and her whole body trembled, she forced the overwhelming sorrow back.

Messily wiping away tears, she caught her reflection in the rearview mirror: eyes red and swollen, lips bleeding, looking like a defeated soldier who had lost her armor.

Starting the car, she decided to leave this stage that was not hers.

Driving down the road, her attention was scattered, the images of Jun Lengche embracing Lin Mujin, Lin Mujin’s cries of “She is your daughter,” and the heartbreak repeatedly playing in her mind.

What was happening to her?

“No,” she shook her head instinctively but failed to notice the car slowing down on the right ahead.

With a loud bang, the world shook, her heart leapt to her throat.

Danger!

She finally slammed on the brakes just in time.

Looking carefully, she had rear-ended the car in front.

The impact was strong—her bumper had crumpled the trunk of the other vehicle.

Was anyone hurt?

She quickly pressed the brake, turned on the hazard lights to flash, preventing further collisions.

So unlucky! She turned off the engine, opened the door, legs trembling as she got out, leaning against her car, unable to move, heart racing wildly.

The other driver also stepped out.

The first thing that caught her eye was a pair of clear, bright eyes—it was Yang Yang.

“It’s you?!” Yang Yang was surprised too, not expecting Tong Zhenzhen to be the one who caused the accident. Judging by her appearance, she didn’t look well.

Tong Zhenzhen opened her mouth wide, stunned by the coincidence.

She gave an awkward smile. “S-sorry.”

Yang Yang waved it off. “Let’s move to the roadside and wait for the police and insurance.” He came over, supporting her trembling frame as they moved to the roadside.

Tong Zhenzhen sank onto the curb, gasping for breath, her face pale, yet still concerned, “Are you... okay?”

“I’m fine.” Yang Yang laughed heartily, raising his right arm in a flexing pose. “See? Perfectly fine.” He sat down beside her.

That should have made her happy, but her smile brought tears instead.

Why did she always seem to be caught at her worst moments? Yang Yang was taken aback.

Though they didn’t know each other well, Yang Yang sensed she was a strong girl—not one to easily show weakness in front of others. She smiled brightly in public but cried more bitterly in private, much like himself.

His heart softened, and he felt a strange tenderness for Tong Zhenzhen.

“Come on, lean on my shoulder and cry all you want.” Yang Yang clapped his shoulder generously.

“Pfft, who’s crying? It’s just the dust in my eyes.” Tong Zhenzhen stubbornly denied.

Her defiant attitude made Yang Yang inexplicably protective. Girls were meant to be cared for, weren’t they?

He pulled out a handkerchief while teasing, “Alright, alright, wipe those tears caused by the dust. Look, you can’t catch me driving, but you don’t have to crash into me either. Next time, I’ll take you to play bumper cars—crash as much as you want.”

Her laughter burst out despite herself. “Okay.”

Tears glistened at the corners of her eyes, evoking a deep sense of pity.

The night was chilly in late autumn. Seeing she only wore a trench coat, Yang Yang took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

She noticed he was only in a shirt and shared the jacket, wrapping it around both of them.

Side by side on the curb, they waited in silence for help to arrive.

Some things had to be sorted out within oneself. Yang Yang knew all she needed was his company.