Love Assault - Chapter 15

The car was climbing a steep slope. Due to the lack of traffic, the snow on the ground had frozen into a hard, slippery sheet during the recent cold snap. Chen Mo gripped the steering wheel firmly, inching forward at less than twenty miles per hour. As they progressed, the road narrowed and became increasingly remote. To make matters worse, the sky began to darken again in the afternoon, heavy storm clouds looming overhead, signaling an imminent downpour.

Her face was tense as she focused intently on the road ahead. Thankfully, the navigation system indicated that their destination was just ahead. Otherwise, being caught in a storm in such a remote location would be far from a pleasant experience.

Just as they turned into the village, she spotted a slightly flatter patch of ground near the entrance and pulled the car over. A muffled clap of thunder rumbled overhead, followed by a torrential downpour.

They were now trapped in the car. It was the perfect opportunity to clear the air. She pulled up the handbrake, cranked up the car’s heater, reclined her seat slightly, and leaned back with a sigh. Glancing at the person beside her, she asked, You said you were being followed?

Indeed, the person in the passenger seat was none other than Lin Che, who had stubbornly chased after the car, jogging alongside it and clinging to the window. But how Lin Che ended up in Chen Mo’s car was a story that needed to be told from the beginning.

To be honest, Chen Mo had wanted to slam on the gas and ditch Lin Che’s stubborn, half-flirty, half-annoying, like-a-dead-skin-plaster-that-won’t-come-off approach to friendship. But even after driving about two hundred meters, Lin Che still kept pace beside the car, chattering nonsense without letting go. Chen Mo’s patience was wearing thin. She slammed on the brakes, stopping abruptly, and turned to glare at Lin Che, who was grinning. Chen Mo was about to explode when Lin Che suddenly sobered up and whispered, Don’t stop. Almost there. Keep driving.

Keep driving?

Chen Mo almost thought she’d misheard, yet inexplicably released the brake. She didn’t press the accelerator, and the automatic car began to coast slowly down the road. Lin Che chuckled. Chen Mo glanced at the empty road ahead, then at Lin Che beside her, wondering what trick this guy was up to now. They’d driven less than a hundred meters further when a figure suddenly appeared on the road ahead, moving toward them.

Already harboring deep suspicions, Chen Mo paid extra attention to the figure approaching in the distance. As the silhouette drew closer, her unease grew. Her foot, already resting on the brake, instinctively pressed down harder. Her excellent vision allowed her to see the person was running straight toward her car. But as the figure neared, she realized they weren’t targeting the vehicle itself, but Lin Che. What was truly bizarre was that this person was dressed and styled exactly like Lin Che, with oversized sunglasses obscuring half their face. Without a close look, it was nearly impossible to distinguish them.

Frowning, Chen Mo glanced at Lin Che just as the figure brushed past him. In that instant, Lin Che swiftly released his grip on the car window, paused briefly, then yanked open the back door and dove inside. The entire sequence unfolded in mere seconds. Chen Mo heard only the slam of the car door followed by Lin Che’s urgent words Team Leader Chen, I’m being followed. Get us out of here!

Where to? Chen Mo asked, suddenly understanding why the person in the rearview mirror, who looked almost identical to Lin Che, was gradually receding. Forgetting her annoyance and dissatisfaction with Lin Che, she slammed her foot on the accelerator. Lin Che nimbly crawled through the gap between the front and back seats, settling into the passenger seat with a heavy sigh. Just go wherever you were headed.

Chen Mo continued driving forward, watching the figure in the rearview mirror grow smaller and smaller. The person seemed to be heading toward Lin Che’s car, as if Lin Che had already anticipated this. Out of the corner of her eye, Chen Mo noticed Lin Che seemed unwilling to talk, actually closing his eyes to rest.

But now…

Bean-sized raindrops hammered against the car windows, making the air inside feel stifling. Lin Che remained silent, his head bowed as he fiddled with his phone. Chen Mo stopped asking questions, leaning back in her seat and closing her eyes as she stared at the rain-streaked windshield. Moments later, Lin Che nudged her arm, leaning closer. As she opened her eyes and straightened up, a provocative photo of two women suddenly flashed before her eyes. One of the women in the photo was currently holding up her phone, presenting this dramatic scene to Chen Mo.

Chen Mo chuckled softly. General Manager Lin, are you trying to tell me this woman hired someone to follow you to prevent you from philandering? She shifted closer to the car door, putting more distance between herself and Lin Che. I have no interest in your personal life.

Lin Che pouted slightly, a hint of helplessness in his expression. He placed his phone in Chen Mo’s hand and obediently settled back into his seat. Does Captain Chen always have to speak with such a sharp edge? I honestly don’t know where your prejudice against me comes from.

I have no prejudice against you, Chen Mo replied, shaking her head. I simply wish we maintain a professional distance and social relationship. In reality, we don’t have much of a relationship at all.

Fine… we can discuss this later… Lin Che sighed, a hint of disappointment in his voice. He pointed to the other woman in the photo. This is Lu Qingqing. I apologize, but the only way I could get a clear photo of her was by taking a selfie with her.

Apologize? Chen Mo stared at him, bewildered. You don’t need to apologize to me. We have no connection. I hope you understand that.

Lin Che rolled his eyes and nodded. Fine, just pretend I’m being delusional and talking nonsense. As he spoke, he raised his hands above his head in a gesture of surrender. But I hope you can maintain the sensitivity and impartiality expected of a police officer when dealing with me. Okay? Seeing Chen Mo give a barely perceptible nod, he continued, I told you last time that I suspect there are moles planted within Dingsheng and the police department by an unknown force.

But you have no evidence, Chen Mo murmured, her eyes closed.

Yes. I have no evidence to prove my theory, which is why I need to find some. But unfortunately, as you’ve probably noticed, witnesses connected to this case are slowly being eliminated. Lin Che’s expression remained largely unchanged, though the usual smile had vanished. He tilted his head, watching Chen Mo’s eyes flutter open, her gaze drifting blankly toward the car window. I think you understand what I mean. The news of those two men dying in prison may have been suppressed, but they can only blind those who don’t want to see the truth. At this, Lin Che chuckled. At least I got one thing right.

What’s that?

About □□ days ago, I met Lu Qingqing at a bar. She seemed to have come prepared, using every trick in the book to seduce me, Lin Che recalled with a wry smile. To most people in this city, I’m a complete stranger. And my entire life has taught me to be wary of strangers who offer unsolicited kindness.

As she spoke, Chen Mo chuckled softly without saying a word. Lin Che rolled his eyes and cleared his throat. Right, I know what you mean. You’re saying I’m also a stranger offering unsolicited kindness to you, so I understand your reservations. But I’ll prove through my actions that I’m not some kind of schemer. I’m not out to cheat or steal. He reached up to turn the air conditioning higher, placing his hand over the vent to feel the warm air blowing across his palm. I’m determined to uncover the hidden hand behind this plot to frame Dingsheng and me. Lu Qingqing’s appearance just happened to give me the perfect opportunity. We quickly established a seemingly intimate relationship. She acted like she was completely smitten with me, and of course, I couldn’t let her down. He paused, fixing Chen Mo with a steady gaze. Chen Mo, do you believe in love at first sight?

Chen Mo was mentally sorting through the details Lin Che had shared, while also inwardly scoffing at Lin Che’s ability to speak so casually about forming an extremely intimate relationship with a woman without batting an eye. She wondered just how many young women this playboy princess had seduced in the past.

Suddenly, Lin Che asked out of the blue, Do you believe in love at first sight?

Chen Mo tilted her head, looking at Lin Che. General Manager Lin, can we get to the point? I don’t have time to waste listening to your stories and plot setups.

Lin Che ignored her words, his pale eyes locking onto Chen Mo’s dark ones. A slightly mischievous smile curved his lips. That’s exactly how I feel about you.