Love Assault - Chapter 13

After a week of gloomy weather, the sun finally broke through the clouds on Wednesday morning. Unfortunately, Yun Xi’s mood was far from sunny. Judging by his stormy expression, his inner world seemed to be perpetually on the verge of a tempest.

He propped his head in his hand, staring at the computer screen where Dingsheng’s stock prices surged, the gently undulating green line tracing a beautiful upward curve.

Dozens of newspapers and magazines lay stacked beside him, their headlines and articles, large and small, all buzzing about the previous week’s gossip surrounding Dingsheng’s alleged drug trafficking. Despite official statements from Dingsheng and Lin Che himself declaring the incident a violent clash between deranged criminals—claiming the cargo truck had been stolen, and that the drugs and murders had nothing to do with Dingsheng or Lin Che—and the police holding a special press conference to clear their names, rumors continued to swirl unabated.

Excellent. Just excellent.

Yun Xi clenched his fist and pressed his index finger against his aching temples. The temporary dip in stock prices couldn’t fundamentally shake Dingsheng’s robust financial strength or its firm industry standing. But regardless of who was behind this or their motives, they had achieved one thing successfully disgust Dingsheng.

He mobilized all his connections and resources to investigate. The news he received yesterday nearly made him fall off his chair.

The two men who had driven the container truck that killed Pockmark had died in prison the day before yesterday, victims of a sudden prison brawl. Deputy Captain Chen, who had been handling the case, was currently on medical leave due to injuries.

Even Chen Mo, the woman known as the Iron Lady, had taken a vacation. Meanwhile, everyone connected to the entire incident was being systematically eliminated.

Once all the witnesses were gone, how could Dingsheng prove its innocence? While the public and media’s attention spans were fleeting, with hot news cycles changing daily, as long as the market stabilized and stock prices rebounded, who would care about Dingsheng’s present or future?

But who would willingly carry the burden of false accusations for life?

Now, Zhao Xiaomao was likely the only one left.

Yet Lin Che told him, We can’t move against Zhao Xiaomao yet.

Yun Xi clenched his fist, then relaxed it, then clenched it again. He took several deep breaths to barely regain his composure. Lin Che was the most infuriating. Yun Xi had been monitoring the situation’s progress day and night, his hair turning gray from stress. What had Lin Che been doing? Sleeping, chasing women, attending lavish parties and banquets. Worse still, he’d been acting like he was possessed these past few days, getting intensely involved with a flamboyant woman named Lu Qingqing. He’d come home reeking of alcohol every night, collapse on the sofa, and immediately start texting.

Once, Yun Xi had seized Lin Che’s phone while he was texting, only to discover the recipient’s name was Chen Mo.

His mind couldn’t process it. The two names kept cycling through his head

Chen Mo? Lu Qingqing? Lu Qingqing? Chen Mo?

He knew Lin Che had always played by his own rules. But this wasn’t just a card it was a depth charge. Had Chen Mo’s rejection driven him to this? But Lin Che wasn’t the type to be so easily deterred. With his tenacious, clingy personality, how could Chen Mo have so easily kicked him out of the game?

No matter how hard Yun Xi pressed, he couldn’t get any answers from Lin Che about his erratic behavior. Meanwhile, the mounting company issues were giving him a splitting headache.

He went downstairs, got in his car, and sped onto the road.

She needed to find a café to sit alone, breathe in some fresh air, and treat herself to a rare leisurely afternoon—a perfect way to relax. It was already 1230 PM, and Lin Che should be in the banquet hall having lunch with Lu Qingqing. But she had no desire to join them. The spectacle of them feeding each other food was something she’d rather avoid witnessing. Though she didn’t believe Lin Che stood much of a chance of success with Chen Mo, she’d still prefer to see him, the carp, crash against Chen Mo’s dragon gate and end up with a bloody nose rather than watch him succeed with that fox spirit—a woman who seemed out of place, unnatural, and utterly lacking in genuine femininity.

Chen Mo, Yun Xi murmured, tapping his fingers lightly on the steering wheel, your sudden vacation couldn’t have come at a better time.

For Chen Mo, however, the vacation had indeed come rather abruptly.

The case had reached a temporary standstill. Though her mind remained filled with doubts and unanswered questions, she could find no better way to pursue the investigation into the past. Working while injured had also taken a toll on her focus. Thus, Guo Haitao, driven by humanist compassion and genuine care for his subordinates, generously granted her a few days off to rest at home.

But resting proved no easier than working.

Chen Mo cherished her quiet solitude. Yet every night, she was bombarded with text messages that arrived like clockwork, as regular as a wind-up alarm. These relentless interruptions left her utterly restless, making true peace impossible.

Of course, the culprit was obvious.

Since their last lunch, she hadn’t seen Lin Che again, nor had she replied to his messages. She’d initially assumed his professed affection was merely a verbal gesture, perhaps a typical way for wealthy heirs to make friends. She believed that if she ignored his advances, his enthusiasm would fade within a few days. However, Lin Che seemed either genuinely interested or simply bored. Even when his texts and calls went unanswered, he persisted relentlessly. His messages ranged from caring inquiries to jokes, occasional complaints, and playful flirtations, but he never mentioned the case or Dingsheng again.

Yet while idly watching TV, she discovered that Dingsheng’s troubles were far more serious than she’d imagined. What puzzled her even more was how the information had leaked. The news media were indeed relentless, but the police department was supposed to be airtight. The subsequent press conference, ostensibly meant to conclude the matter, had actually pushed the issue to another significant peak. Logically, as the current CEO of the company involved, Lin Che should have been swamped with work. Instead, he seemed more like a idle, nominal second-generation heir.

Today, the sun was a rare sight. Chen Mo sat on her balcony, basking in the afternoon sunlight and lost in thought. She felt she should be doing something. Two inmates had died on Monday, and now Zhao Xiaomao in J City seemed to be the only lead. Zhang Lining had told her about this. The police department had kept the matter tightly under wraps, demanding a news blackout. In truth, ordinary citizens rarely cared about the fates of two hardened criminals. Yet alarm bells rang in her mind she needed to investigate.

But this would violate police regulations.

Sipping her coffee with a hint of frustration, Chen Mo pulled out her phone and called Guo Haitao. Using the excuse that her right arm wound had become inflamed again, causing a fever and discomfort, she requested another three days of leave. Combined with the two days she already had, she now had five days to pursue her own agenda.

That should… be enough.

Clutching her phone, she watched the screen display an incoming call. Today, the texts had stopped, and the calls had resumed. The phone’s vibration mode made her palm tingle. Chen Mo watched the call disconnect unanswered, followed by two crying emojis from Lin Che. She shook her head with a wry smile. Lin Che, Lin Che, you’re trapped in a vast, unknown pit. Aren’t you even a little afraid?

Soothing music flowed through the grand banquet hall, yet the two figures occupied only a corner. Yun Xi’s decision to turn a blind eye was wise. At that moment, the pair were feeding each other bite by bite with chopsticks—or, more accurately, feeding each other.

Lu Qingqing was undeniably beautiful, but she preferred bold makeup over understated elegance, adding a seductive allure to her natural beauty. Lin Che was clearly tipsy, her cheeks flushed and her eyes glazed. She fumbled with her chopsticks for ages, unable to spear the piece of broccoli she wanted. In a fit of pique, she tossed the chopsticks aside and sat pouting on the sofa.

Lu Qingqing leaned against her, her body soft and pliant, and gently touched Lin Che’s cheek. Don’t be mad, little Che Che, she cooed. I’ll feed you. With that, she picked up a piece of broccoli and held it to Lin Che’s lips, adding, Come on, ah…

Lin Che giggled and bit into the broccoli, then raised her wine glass to Lu Qingqing. Darling, where should we go tonight? she slurred, leaning in for a kiss. Lu Qingqing gently pushed her away, smiling. We’ve seen enough of this place. How about we go somewhere farther tonight?

Sure… Lin Che slurred, leaning back against the sofa, her tongue thick. Anywhere you name, I’ll take you. But… She narrowed her eyes at Lu Qingqing, her gaze sweeping down her body. Shouldn’t we… first…

Lu Qingqing leaned down, her eyes sparkling as she cupped Lin Che’s face, their noses nearly touching. First… what? As she spoke, her perfectly painted red lips hovered just above Lin Che’s. But just as they were about to meet, Lin Che suddenly grabbed Lu Qingqing’s shoulders, twisted their positions, and pinned her beneath her. I meant, shouldn’t we pick up the car we bought first?

Lu Qingqing reached up and tapped Lin Che’s forehead. That car was so expensive! You really don’t care about money, do you?

Lin Che grinned. If you said it suits me, I had to buy it. She wobbled to her feet and tugged Lu Qingqing up with her, but her unsteady steps sent her stumbling forward, wrapping her arms around Lu Qingqing. Giggling, she said, I’m a little tipsy. You know I can’t hold my liquor, yet you kept pouring me drinks. You’re such a bad person.

Lu Qingqing retorted, I didn’t force you to drink. You were just having fun.

Lin Che rubbed his head, frowning. Ugh… no, you drive. I’ll rest for a bit. He grabbed the nearby jacket, staggered to his feet, draped an arm loosely over Lu Qingqing’s shoulder, and clutched the jacket in his other hand. He floated toward the door, but after only a few steps, he stumbled again.

Lu Qingqing steadied him. You can barely stand. You should sleep first.

Lin Che grumbled, What about my car? I wanted to pick it up and go out to play right away. Despite his words, he stopped walking, his face flushed crimson. He swayed precariously, muttering, You go pick up the car for me. I’ll wait here… for you…

Alright, alright, Lu Qingqing said, guiding him to the sofa and gently laying him down. She pressed a kiss to his forehead and whispered, I need to go back to the office first. I’ll pick up the car later and come get you. Seeing Lin Che nod drowsily, she turned and left.

The door closed softly. Lin Che, lying face-down and nearly pressed against the sofa back, slowly opened his eyes, blinked, and pushed himself up. He casually wiped his forehead with a tissue before exhaling in relief.