Chapter 396: Leng Yue Attacked
Zhao Dong shook his head and quickly turned around.
In the bathtub, Leng Yue lay covering herself, her tear-filled eyes glaring furiously at him. She did not say a word, but the fury in her gaze threatened to swallow him whole.
"I'm sorry, I… I really didn't mean to. My body was completely out of my control. I'm sorry… I'm really sorry…"
Zhao Dong apologized profusely, but Leng Yue remained silent. He knew that no one could easily forgive something like this. Especially not a domineering and powerful woman like Leng Yue.
After apologizing a few more times, Zhao Dong turned to leave the villa. But just as he stepped out of the bathroom, a cold breeze washed over him, and a wave of weakness surged through his body.
THUD!
Zhao Dong pitched forward and collapsed, fainting once again.
Watching him fall, Leng Yue's eyes filled with conflict. In the end, she let out a sigh, stepped out of the bathroom, and carried him to the bed.
***
「The next morning.」
The warm sun broke through the gloom and shone on Zhao Dong's face. He shook his groggy head and blearily opened his eyes. A pleasant scent filled his nostrils, and he found himself in a room decorated in pure white—simple, yet luxurious and cozy.
"Where am I?" he wondered, his memory a temporary blank.
He shook his head again, and the memories of the previous night came rushing back like a tide.
CLICK!
The bedroom door opened, and Leng Yue appeared in the doorway, dressed in a pure white nightgown, her expression icy. Their eyes met, and Zhao Dong said guiltily, "I'm sorry. Last night was my fault…"
Leng Yue's gaze was frigid as she remained silent. The air grew thick with awkwardness. After a long moment, she asked coldly, "How long do you plan to stay in my bed?"
"Oh… I'm so sorry! I'll get out right now…" Zhao Dong flushed with embarrassment and scrambled out of bed. Once on his feet, he realized he was wearing a set of unisex sportswear that was a bit too small for him. This made him even more embarrassed. His own clothes had been ruined yesterday. The clothes he was wearing now had undoubtedly been put on him by Leng Yue…
In the living room, Leng Yue sat on the sofa, her demeanor as cold and queenly as when they first met. She seemed completely unaffected by what had happened the previous night. Her composure helped Zhao Dong's own awkwardness dissipate considerably. If she wasn't making a big deal out of it, why should he?
Suddenly, Leng Yue demanded, "Tell me, what exactly happened last night?"
Zhao Dong gave a wry smile. "I was ambushed by assassins from the Xiao Family. Their skills were mediocre, but they used poisoned weapons. I didn't expect them to be so despicable, so the poison got into my system and I fainted on the roadside."
"The Xiao Family?" Leng Yue's brow furrowed slightly. "How did you offend them?"
Zhao Dong hesitated for a moment before answering, "The real reason I came to Provincial City was to meet Lin Qingyun's parents. I wanted to get their blessing for us to be together. But her family looks down on me and they're even trying to force her to marry into the Xiao Family."
"Previously, at Elder Lin's birthday banquet, the Xiao Family's butler overstepped his bounds to insult Qingyun, and I killed him for it. That's why the Xiao Family considers me a thorn in their side."
"I see." Leng Yue nodded, her tone turning cold again. "You're just one man. You're no match for the mighty Lin Family, let alone the Xiao Family, which has an even more terrifying background. I advise you to return to East Sea and stop causing trouble for yourself."
"Impossible!" Zhao Dong shot to his feet, his gaze resolute. "Qingyun is my woman! Unless she rejects me herself, I will never let her suffer even the slightest injustice! The Lin Family is strong, and the Xiao Family is even stronger, but so what? A man has to stand for something. There are things I must do, even if it means almost certain death!"
As his words faded, a deathly silence fell over the room. A flicker of emotion appeared in Leng Yue's icy eyes. What woman didn't long for a love that defied all odds, for a man willing to sacrifice everything for her? And Zhao Dong was exactly that kind of man.
His declaration had deeply moved her.
Leng Yue's tone softened slightly. "Would you like some breakfast? I made some."
"No, I…"
RUMBLE…
Zhao Dong was mortified. He had been eager to escape, but his stomach, empty from the previous night's ordeal, betrayed him with a loud rumble.
He scratched his head awkwardly. "Well, maybe… just a bite?"
Without another word, Leng Yue rose and walked to the dining room.
The breakfast was simple but delicious: fried eggs and crullers, with a strong Americano. It might not have been the most nutritious meal, but it was more than enough to energize him for the morning.
After they finished eating, Leng Yue said gravely, "I need to go to work. You should leave now."
"Thank you for the breakfast," Zhao Dong said, getting up to walk to the door with her.
At the doorway, just as they both bent down to put on their shoes.
"Get down!"
Suddenly, Zhao Dong roared, tackling Leng Yue and sending them both sprawling to the floor.
On the ground, Leng Yue was stunned. She realized his hands had once again landed on her soft chest.
"Zhao Dong! Do you really think I'm your toy!?" she exploded in fury.
But just as she spoke…
THUD-THUD-THUD…
A hail of bullets tore through the villa's armored security door.
The color drained from Leng Yue's face. Assassins!?
Zhao Dong shoved her toward the cover of a wall and rolled in the opposite direction.
Leng Yue's brows knitted in a deep frown. "The nerve!" she seethed. "Trying to assassinate the Inspector General in broad daylight!"
"This isn't the time for that! Our priority is to get out of here!" Zhao Dong urged.
Leng Yue said nothing more. She flipped open a nearby shoe cabinet and pulled out a black pistol.
"Hiding guns in the shoe cabinet? As expected of the Inspector General," Zhao Dong remarked with surprise.
Leng Yue scoffed. "I have more than a dozen guns in this house."
A dozen? What was she trying to imply with that? Was she hinting that there were guns in the bathroom, too? No, no, no! Impossible! Even if there were, there wouldn't be one near the bathtub. Otherwise, given what happened yesterday, she would have definitely blown my head off…
THUD-THUD-THUD…
The intense gunfire erupted again. The assassins had clearly reloaded and were starting a second volley.
"They're armed. We need to confirm their numbers and positions," Zhao Dong said, glancing at Leng Yue's handbag. "Do you have a compact mirror?"
"Yes." Leng Yue opened her bag and tossed it to him.
Zhao Dong caught the mirror, grabbed one of Leng Yue's high-heeled shoes, and wedged the mirror into it. He then carefully extended it past the edge of the windowsill above them.
After a moment, he pulled it back. "Five assailants, all armed with submachine guns. They're reloading now. They're probably about to breach."
"Five submachine guns," Leng Yue muttered. "They really spared no expense."