Chapter Sixty-One:

Shen Wangqiu suddenly grew flustered and looked at Leng Zheng. “What do you mean?”

Chu Yuxiu smiled and stepped onto the stage, positioning himself in front of Shen Wangqiu. “My Xinxi’s words are to be taken at face value. Well? Head of the Shen family, is this not a woman you can’t control, hmm?”

“Oh, and before you leave, please sign the confidentiality agreement. Thank you,” Qin Cheng also took the stage, nodding politely.

Cheng Yunting came up and scooped Leng Zheng into his arms, heading outside. Leng Zheng had already become embroiled in this farce, and he didn’t want her involved any further.

“Xiao Zheng, let’s go home,” Cheng Yunting whispered gently in her ear. Leng Zheng, having finally recovered her composure, nodded.

“How is Xiao Zheng?” Qin Xiaonan came running over, out of breath, and looked at Leng Zheng. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, brother. Sooner or later the truth would come out anyway. It’s better now than later,” Leng Zheng shook her head, but she continued to curl up in Cheng Yunting’s embrace.

“I’ll take her home first, brother,” Cheng Yunting noticed Leng Zheng’s small gestures, settled her in the back seat, closed the door, and nodded to Qin Xiaonan. “Let her rest for a while. If anything happens tonight, I’ll call you. I might need your help.”

“No problem, we’re family. There’s no such thing as trouble,” Qin Xiaonan nodded. “Stay with Xiao Zheng. Big brother is working to stabilize things and keep this from spreading too far. We can wait to make any announcement.”

“Alright.” Cheng Yunting nodded and got into the car.

Watching them drive off, Qin Xiaonan hurried back to prepare Leng Zheng’s usual medicine, keeping it at the ready.

“Xiao Zheng.” Cheng Yunting drew her into his arms, pulled down the partition, and softly called her name. “Xiao Zheng, Xiao Zheng…”

“I’m alright…” Leng Zheng shook her head, though her actions betrayed her as she burrowed closer into his arms.

“Xiao Zheng, it’s over now, everything’s alright… Good girl…” Cheng Yunting stroked her back, comforting her. “It’s over, it’s over now. Everything has passed…”

“Mmm… I know…” Leng Zheng nodded, but her grasp around him only tightened, her hand searching for reassurance.

“Try to sleep, get some rest.” Cheng Yunting held her close and covered her with a blanket. “Darling, be good, sleep now—I’m here.”

Leng Zheng nodded, clinging to him like a child, a child starved of security.

Up front, Shen Dongleng was fully aware of the situation and drove as if he were on an F1 circuit, the car speeding ahead.

…

Cheng Yunting carried Leng Zheng back to the bedroom, carefully laid her on the bed, and tucked her in.

“Don’t go!” Leng Zheng suddenly sat up the moment he moved away, her eyes red as she looked at him.

He quickly embraced her, lying at her side and patting her back. “I’m not going anywhere, never. Rest assured…”

Leng Zheng nestled into his arms and soon fell asleep again.

Afraid she would wake if he left, Cheng Yunting messaged Qin Yu and Chu Yuxiu, asking them to come by and help fetch a few things.

Holding Leng Zheng close, Cheng Yunting felt tears silently slip from his eyes, falling onto her hair. He truly didn’t know what else to do—he was at a loss, never having imagined things could become so serious for her…

…

“Damn it! I told you not to pull off her disguise, but you insisted. Now look what’s happened.” Chu Yuxiu scolded the Qin brothers for an entire hour. They dared not do anything but kneel and listen quietly.

“Yuxiu, we know we were wrong. Please, go check on Xin’er,” Qin Yu pleaded pitifully, trembling as he spoke.

Chu Yuxiu glared at him. “Check on her? Leng Zheng has Cheng Yunting. With him by her side, do you think anything will happen to her?”

“But darling, we still should go in and see her,” Qin Yu inched forward carefully. “Please, darling, won’t you let us?”

“Stop with that nonsense.” Chu Yuxiu still refused, and the other Qin brothers were almost beside themselves with laughter.

Only Qin Cheng seemed distracted, his mind drifting elsewhere.

“I’ll go in and check on her,” Chu Yuxiu finally conceded, unable to set his mind at ease.

“Xiao Zheng…” Chu Yuxiu called softly, “Xiao Zheng…”

The curtains in Leng Zheng’s room were drawn, and no lights were on—it was very dark. If the lights were turned on, she might be triggered and her emotions become unstable.

That event in the past was her deepest pain, a wound never to be mentioned. Other kidnappings were nothing to her, but this one had left an indelible mark.

“Keep your voice down,” Cheng Yunting nodded to Chu Yuxiu, positioning Leng Zheng on the inside, and carefully allowed Chu Yuxiu to approach her side, while he himself sat on the other.

“She…”

“She’s been like this since she returned, in great pain. I had her sleep, but the moment I leave, she wakes,” Cheng Yunting said quietly.

“Ah, she used to endure it alone in her room, but now she has you. At least she doesn’t have to bear it by herself anymore,” Chu Yuxiu nodded, continuing her examination of Leng Zheng.

Cheng Yunting remained by Leng Zheng’s side, tending to her needs, his meticulous care even winning praise from the exacting Chu Yuxiu.

…

“She might stay emotionally unstable for a few days. During this time, I’m counting on you to take care of her—I trust you. I’ll stay in the guest room for now, just in case anything else happens, so I can help,” Chu Yuxiu said wearily as she stood.

“Alright, the guest room is already cleaned. Go rest—you’ll only be blamed again when she recovers if you don’t,” Cheng Yunting’s tone was cool at first, but gentled at the mention of Leng Zheng.

Not wanting to be caught in their display of affection, Chu Yuxiu quickly slipped away.

“How is Xiao Zheng? Is she alright?” The Qin brothers asked anxiously.

Chu Yuxiu nodded. “She’s alright for now. Cheng Yunting is taking care of her. Don’t worry. I’m going to get some sleep in the guest room—wake me if anything happens.”

“Alright.”

…

In the middle of the night.

“Ah!” Leng Zheng suddenly sat up, gasping for breath, her voice growing weaker and weaker. “It wasn’t me, it wasn’t me, it wasn’t me, it wasn’t me…”

“Xiao Zheng!” Cheng Yunting woke instantly and gathered her into his arms, comforting her. “It’s alright, it’s alright, it wasn’t your fault. There, there, you’re safe now. Try to get some rest.”