61. Wronged as the Other Woman

The next day, when Tong Zhenzhen woke up, the first thing that met her eyes was Jun Lengche's handsome face. A whirlwind of complex emotions washed over her—how had she ever become so inextricably entangled with him, unable to untangle herself?

Could they perhaps be bitter enemies from a past life? She gave a self-deprecating smile, only to find that his eyes had snapped open.

Startled like a frightened little deer, she hurriedly leaped out of bed and fled into the bathroom.

He stared thoughtfully at her retreating figure.

At the breakfast table, Jun Lengche recalled their upcoming trip and asked Julie with a sense of urgency, "Have you made any plans yet for visiting the Populus euphratica forests?"

"I sorted that out ages ago." Julie proudly opened her iPad and showed it to him.

It was a good arrangement. The itinerary fully took Tong Zhenzhen's physical stamina into account, offering plenty of leisure and comfort. "Good," Jun Lengche said, taking out his wallet and drawing out a credit card. "Could I trouble you to handle this? As soon as possible."

Without standing on ceremony, Julie took the card. "Consider it done, just think of it as helping you guys plan your honeymoon. By the way, besides renting the RV, we'll need tents and sleeping bags. Shall we go buy them?"

After finishing breakfast, the three of them received a call from Li Ming saying he had retrieved the car for Jun Lengche and had just arrived at the underground parking lot.

Jun Lengche told him to wait downstairs.

Exiting the elevator, the trio walked toward the parking space Li Ming had specified.

To their surprise, a dense crowd suddenly swarmed around them, brandishing DSLRs and video cameras, capturing frantic bursts of photographs.

An overwhelming barrage of questions rained down upon them.

"Miss Tong, are you the reason behind Long Tianyu's marital breakdown?"

"Weren't you already married?"

"Michelle has committed suicide, are you aware of that?"

"Word has it that you used to be Long Tianyu's lover, is that true?"

……

Tong Zhenzhen felt as though she were surrounded by a swarm of buzzing flies, a ceaseless ringing filling her ears.

Jun Lengche swiftly scooped her up into his arms, pressing her tightly against his chest to shield her face from the cameras.

Striding forward with an imposing and majestic gait, he issued a cold command, "Shut up! All of you, get out of the way!"

After being swept by his chilling and domineering gaze, the clamorous reporters felt a shiver run through them and instinctively backed away.

Buried against his chest, listening to his steady and powerful heartbeat, she felt a profound sense of security.

After a brief moment of distraction, the reporters surged forward once more.

Jun Lengche turned slightly sideways, using his shoulder to carve out a path as he continued toward the designated parking space.

Unwavering and steadfast, he looked like a hero.

Amidst the relentless onslaught of questions, Tong Zhenzhen's mind fixated on only one thing: Michelle had committed suicide.

Could it be true?

When Michelle had left the other day, she was clearly overflowing with confidence. Why would she commit suicide? Tong Zhenzhen felt something was amiss, yet she couldn't quite put her finger on it, as if she were viewing it through a thick fog.

Meanwhile, the residential complex's security guards had spotted the reporters' siege on the monitors and rushed over in numbers to block them. The residents living in this estate were either wealthy or influential, and the strictness of the security system was one of its main selling points—how could they allow residents to be harassed?

Thanks to the guards' valiant efforts, the four of them managed to get into the car and drive away.

"Gosh, what are these people rambling on about? It's pure fabrication!" Julie puffed out her cheeks in indignation.

Tong Zhenzhen shrugged. "Nothing we can do. Isn't a reporter's job to unearth the scandals the public cares about, and sometimes satisfy the masses' voyeuristic desires? What's strange, though, is how they managed to track us down with such precision."

Sitting in the front passenger seat, Li Ming turned his head and said, "That's a reporter's bread and butter for you. Later on, sister-in-law, you should probably go buy a pair of sunglasses."

"Hmph~ I'm not a celebrity, why would I attract so much attention?" Tong Zhenzhen dismissed it lightly.

Jun Lengche alone remained silent, his thoughts drifting back to the man he had seen on the day of his discharge from the hospital.

Could Long Tianyang be pulling strings behind the scenes?

Given Long Tianyu's temperament, he would never allow Tong Zhenzhen to be exposed to the public eye. In fact, he had previously suppressed reports of this nature.

As for Michelle, who cherished her reputation and feared Long Tianyu, she likewise wouldn't expose her own scandals and drag Tong Zhenzhen's name back into the light.

Besides, judging by what the reporters said, Michelle had committed suicide and simply hadn't had the time to orchestrate such a stunt.

As for this Long Tianyang—he hadn't even gone looking for him yet, and the man was already provoking his woman. It seemed he was living far too comfortably!

Using public opinion as a weapon—not a bad strategy.

It was time to let Long Tianyang experience what it felt like to be cornered and judged by the public.

Jun Lengche's slender fingers tapped rhythmically against the steering wheel, a fierce and ruthless glint condensing in his eyes, much like a predatory beast preparing to strike.

Upon arriving at the outdoor sporting goods store, Jun Lengche told the three of them to go ahead and pick out what they needed, explaining that he had some business to attend to and would pick them up shortly.

"Just call Li Ming's phone when you're done, I lost mine," Tong Zhenzhen said, feeling slightly depressed. Losing the phone itself didn't bother her much; the real headache was losing all the contacts stored inside it.

Jun Lengche looked at her intently. "You left it in my car last time. I collected it for you, it's at home."

Meeting his gaze, Tong Zhenzhen felt a flutter of unease in her chest. She turned around, grabbed Julie by the arm, and walked away.

After they finished their shopping, Jun Lengche returned on time and drove the three of them to a seafood restaurant.

Tong Zhenzhen realized the situation wasn't quite as simple as she had imagined—it wasn't just reporters obsessing over Long Tianyu's marital woes anymore.

On their way to the private dining room, they passed several people who pointed and whispered behind their backs.

To make matters worse, a short, plump, vulgarly dressed middle-aged woman rushed up to her brandishing a newspaper and flung it directly at her face. "Shameless homewrecking mistress!"

Tong Zhenzhen pulled the newspaper off her face and took a look; it was a report detailing Michelle's suicide.

Although the middle-aged woman was pulled away by a livid-faced Jun Lengche, she continued to hurl abuses at the top of her lungs, drawing a crowd of onlookers.

What on earth was going on?

Having been unjustly and verbally abused, Tong Zhenzhen found her curiosity piqued. She wasn't a celebrity, and there wasn't even a photo of her in the paper—how on earth had this woman recognized her?

"Ma'am, do you believe me when I say I can drag you straight to the police station and sue you for defamation?!" She was not someone who would take bullying lying down. "You're getting so worked up, could it be that I stole your husband?!"

Julie couldn't stand by and watch either. "Nothing better to do with your time, huh? Is Michelle your daughter? No wait, judging by your looks and your lack of morals, you couldn't possibly raise anyone like that."

The middle-aged woman froze. She had expected the young Tong Zhenzhen to shrink away in shame after being publicly reviled, not to fire right back with verbal barbs. Her plump face, squeezed with folds of flesh, instantly turned the color of pig's blood.

"You guys go on inside." Dark clouds churned within Jun Lengche's ink-black eyes as he stared fixedly at the middle-aged woman whose wrist he held in an iron grip.

The targeted woman shivered uncontrollably and snapped her mouth shut instantly, feeling as though she had been plunged into an ice cave in the dead of winter. Though the man wore a blank expression, his eyes were like the sea before a storm—beneath the calm surface lay a terrifying, mountainous surge of rage.

Li Ming ushered the two ladies toward the private room, while the onlookers, sensing the good show was over, gradually dispersed.

"Speak. Who sent you?" Jun Lengche stood alone in the lobby, paying no mind to the surroundings, his voice icy as he stared down the middle-aged woman.

Overwhelmed by the crushing pressure, the middle-aged woman swallowed hard and blurted out a name.

"Never heard of him." Jun Lengche frowned with displeasure.

The middle-aged woman quivered again. "I... I heard that person take a phone call, and they addressed the other party as Second Young Master Long." She was deeply regretting it now; for a mere five hundred bucks, she had provoked a terrifying god of death. How could someone who looked so refined possess such bone-crushing grip strength? It felt as though he was about to shatter her wrist.

"Hn." Jun Lengche verified his inner suspicions, loosened his grip, and said, "Get lost."

Fat as she was, she sure could run fast.

Jun Lengche clenched his fist, harboring a deep fury toward Long Tianyang for repeatedly stirring up trouble. He pulled out his phone and gave a curt instruction to the person on the other end: "Start tomorrow!"

Only then did he hang up and walk toward the private room.

This little interlude left Tong Zhenzhen rather irritated. She seriously considered calling Long Tianyu to give him a piece of her mind—it was entirely because of him that people kept throwing dirt at her. Unfortunately, she didn't have that jerk's number.

Julie was equally filled with righteous indignation.

"Alright, alright. Let's channel our anger into our appetite!" Li Ming hurriedly intervened to lift their moods, picking out the largest prawn and placing it in Julie's bowl, followed by a continuous stream of food into her plate with his chopsticks.

Having been through a few things, Tong Zhenzhen held a very favorable impression of Li Ming. She figured that whoever won his heart would undoubtedly be pampered to the skies, so she was more than willing to play matchmaker between him and Julie.

Temporarily shaking off her foul mood, Tong Zhenzhen arched an eyebrow and gestured toward her own empty bowl and plate. "Ahem, Li Ming, isn't this playing favorites just a bit too blatantly?"

Li Ming laughed good-naturedly. "Taking care of you is Lengche's exclusive patent. I'm afraid of getting beaten up."

Julie immediately chimed in, "Seriously! You've always had a personal attendant looking after you. What, are you jealous of me now? Honestly."

"Oh my, the maiden's heart has flown outward. You haven't known him for long, yet you're already taking his side?" Tong Zhenzhen blinked playfully at Julie and stuck out her tongue.

Feigning annoyance, Julie reached out to flick the tip of Tong Zhenzhen's nose.

"Commander Li, hurry up and tame your household's tigress." Tong Zhenzhen exclaimed, casting an amused look at Li Ming.

The teased Li Ming blushed, though thankfully his naturally dark complexion masked it well. He hastily picked up a large prawn and placed it in Tong Zhenzhen's bowl. "Sister-in-law, what are you saying? Here, absolute equality."

Seeing when to stop, Tong Zhenzhen ceased teasing him and Julie. She nodded with a deadpan expression and said, "Comrade Li Ming is a fine comrade."

Julie, already fully engaged in eating, had her mouth stuffed full of food but still nodded in enthusiastic agreement.

Handing Julie a napkin, Li Ming said tenderly, "Eat slowly, slow down."

Seeing the happy state of her old friend, Tong Zhenzhen felt a warmth spread through her heart. She picked up a prawn and was just about to peel it when she heard a low voice say, "I'll do it."

With that, the prawn in her hand was snatched away by Jun Lengche, who had just entered the room.

He took the seat right beside her and naturally began to peel the shell for her. "The shell smells fishy, it'll dirty your hands."

Tong Zhenzhen froze for a moment. This aloof and arrogant man was actually lowering himself to play the devoted servant?

Li Ming's jaw dropped as well. As a childhood friend who had grown up alongside him, he had never once seen Jun Lengche display such meticulous attentiveness. Even when he was with Lin Mujin, it was usually the other way around, with Lin Mujin feeding him.

"Look at that, this is a role model for you to learn from." Julie, still chewing on a prawn, tapped Li Ming's forehead and pointed at Jun Lengche.

Li Ming gave a foolish, sheepish grin and nodded.

"Little Zhenzhen, your household discipline is quite impressive, oh." Julie winked and made playful facial expressions at Tong Zhenzhen.

"Just eat your food." Tong Zhenzhen shot her a sideways glance.

"Here." Jun Lengche brought the freshly peeled prawn right to Tong Zhenzhen's lips.

After a brief hesitation, Tong Zhenzhen opened her mouth and ate it.

The atmosphere throughout the meal was exceptionally pleasant.

Having thoroughly enjoyed their feast, the four of them headed back.

Just as Jun Lengche prepared to drive into the residential complex, a black Maybach Zeppelin darted out aggressively, blocking their path entirely.