12 – Wokеn bу Раin
Wеn Zhi strugglеd tо supprеss thе unusuаl sеnsаtions in her bodу, sрeaking сoldly intо thе рhоnе, “Whаt I’m doing is nоnе оf yоur business. Stоp bothеring mе from nоw on—it’s роintlеss.”
Thеsе words struсk Мо Тingjuе’s рridе. Hе refusеd tо believe this womаn cоuld truly еsсарe his grasр.
“Impossiblе, Wеn Zhi. I’m соnfident thаt if yоu fell for mе оnсе, уou’ll fаll for me agаin! Yоu’ll fоrgivе mе eventuallу. In thе еnd, yоu will be minе!”
Wen Zhi cоuldn’t bе bоthеred to listеn tо such nonsеnse and simрlу hung uр thе phоnе.
Mo Tingyan, having ovеrheаrd Мо Тingjuе’s words, сouldn’t help but fеel а sensе of disdаin.
Mo Tingjue would never lay a finger on his woman again—that scum didn’t deserve her.
Afterward, Mo Tingyan looked thoroughly satisfied, while Wen Zhi lay sprawled on the bed, too exhausted to move. She gave him a clear dismissal: “I’m tired.”
Mo Tingyan took a cigarette from the pack, turned to look at her, and though his face wore a roguish grin, he feigned hurt. “Breaking the bridge after crossing the river? Using me and then tossing me aside? That’s not very nice, Zhangzhu. At least let me stay the night.”
Wen Zhi couldn’t even be bothered to argue. She simply turned her head and stared at him sternly.
They locked eyes for half a minute. Seeing that Wen Zhi was genuinely determined to send him away, Mo Tingyan stuffed the cigarette back into the pack. Propping his head up lazily, he looked at her and asked, “I’ve just been drained of my vitality by a temptress—I’m too exhausted to leave. How about this: answer one question for me, and I’ll go. Why did you fall for Mo Tingjue in the first place?”
The question caught Wen Zhi off guard. Fall for Mo Tingjue?
She had never felt like she loved anyone. Back then, she ended up with Mo Tingjue because of an incident in her childhood. Her stepsister had played a cruel prank, spraying chili water into her eyes. If Mo Tingjue hadn’t happened to pass by and help her, her eyes might have been permanently damaged.
Years later, they unexpectedly crossed paths again. Mo Tingjue pursued her persistently, and deep down, she always felt grateful to him. Over time, she eventually agreed to be with him.
She pulled herself back from her wandering thoughts and replied calmly to Mo Tingyan, “My personal affairs are none of your concern. That was our agreement. Just like how I’m curious about why you, as the eldest son of the Mo family, have such a strained relationship with them—but I won’t ask.”
Mo Tingyan chuckled softly. “Didn’t Mo Tingjue ever tell you about that?”
Wen Zhi shook her head.
Mo Tingjue talked a lot, but he rarely mentioned Mo Tingyan. Whenever he did, he always seemed to look down on him.
As for Wen Zhi, she never pried into other people’s affairs. Though she was occasionally curious, she would never go out of her way to ask about it.
Mo Tingyan rose lazily from the bed, the blanket slipping loosely from his chest down to his lean waist. Combined with the faint sheen of sweat from their earlier exertion, he exuded a dangerously seductive aura.
“Fine, since you don’t want to talk about it, I won’t push. But my dear Zhangzhu’s reluctance to satisfy others’ curiosity… is quite stingy.”
He got out of bed stark naked right in front of her, showing not the slightest hint of self-consciousness.
Wen Zhi, however, was more discreet and automatically averted her gaze.
Not long after Mo Tingyan left, exhaustion overtook Wen Zhi, and she fell into a deep sleep.
She had no idea how long she slept, but when she turned over, the ache in her waist and the soreness in her legs… jolted her awake.
She opened her eyes wearily, feeling parched. Dragging her “newly assembled” body, she made her way to the living room for a drink of water.After finishing her drink and about to return to her room, she suddenly heard a series of murmurs coming from Mo Tingyan’s room. The sound… didn’t seem quite right.
Puzzled, she went to Mo Tingyan’s door and gently pressed the handle—the door opened.
She walked softly over and, by the light of the bedside lamp that was still on, saw Mo Tingyan with his eyes tightly shut, features twisted, and strands of hair damp with sweat.
He kept murmuring in pain…
“Don’t… can’t… run…”
Clearly, he was trapped in a nightmare and seemed to be in great distress!
Wen Zhi hesitated for a moment, then reached out and gently shook him, intending to wake him. But in that instant, her wrist was suddenly grabbed, and the person on the bed abruptly opened his eyes. With a swift roll, he pinned Wen Zhi down on the bed, locking her throat in a chokehold!
When he realized the person he was restraining was actually Wen Zhi—
The wariness and vigilance in Mo Tingyan’s eyes vanished almost instantly. In less than half a second, his face returned to its usual casual, lazy demeanor. Releasing his grip, he looked at her with an air of nonchalant curiosity and asked, “What are you doing in my room? Miss me already, so soon after we parted?”
Wen Zhi was still in a daze. It had all happened in less than two seconds, and she wasn’t even sure how she had been restrained.
Hearing Mo Tingyan’s voice, she snapped back to attention and replied seriously, “I came out for water and heard you seemed to be having a nightmare, murmuring constantly…”
Mo Tingyan raised an eyebrow slightly, his face still wearing a roguish smile, though his emotions were hard to read. “Oh? What did I say?”
“Don’t, can’t, run.”
Wen Zhi held nothing back.
Mo Tingyan’s expression stiffened for a moment before he shrugged, feigning nonchalance. “What a terrifying dream. I dreamed a beautiful snake took a liking to my looks and chased me, trying to eat me. Tsk tsk… It just goes to show, men shouldn’t be too attractive, right?”
Wen Zhi wasn’t foolish. Recalling Mo Tingyan’s reaction when he woke up, she knew this man had a story. Not a single word of what he’d just said was believable.
But since he wasn’t willing to share, she wouldn’t pry. Staying out of matters that didn’t concern her and avoiding unnecessary trouble was her principle.
She got up from the bed and, without even glancing at him, calmly said, “Go back to sleep. I’m going back to bed too.”
“Not staying together?”
Wen Zhi ignored him, closed the door for him, and left.
After she was gone, Mo Tingyan, still sitting on the bed, let the smile fade from his face.
He was no longer sleepy. Taking a cigarette from the bedside table, he got out of bed and walked straight to the balcony.
Mo Tingyan exhaled thin rings of smoke, tilting his head to gaze at the dark night sky. Beneath the haze of smoke, his expression was cold and detached…
He glanced at the time, took out his phone, and dialed a number—
“It’s me. Any leads on what I asked you to look into about her?”