Zhou Wanning wanted to break free from Luo Shuhang’s grip.
He was clearly the one in the wrong.
“Let go of me, let go of me,” she struggled with all her might, but Luo Shuhang held her wrist in a death grip.
“You slut! Seducing your own sister’s husband, framing me—you must be thrilled to see me bankrupt, huh?!”
Luo Shuhang roared like a madman. All his efforts had gone into this company, which had collapsed almost overnight.
How could he not hate?
But he would never look for reasons within himself.
It was Zhou Wanning, that bitch—it was her, it had to be her.
When Lu Jinzhou came out, he saw Zhou Wanning being flung aside by Luo Shuhang. She lost her balance and fell to the ground.
Luo Shuhang was pointing at Zhou Wanning’s nose, cursing her. The manager and other waitstaff had already rushed over to restrain Luo Shuhang.
Lu Jinzhou’s eyes blazed with fury. He sprinted over, pulled away one of the waiters holding Luo Shuhang, and then landed a heavy punch squarely on Luo Shuhang’s nose.
Instantly, blood spurted from Luo Shuhang’s nose.
Before he could even react, Lu Jinzhou’s second punch was already swinging toward him, this time striking his cheek. Luo Shuhang felt one of his teeth loosen.
Lu Jinzhou grabbed him by the collar, punching him repeatedly in the face, and finally delivered a fierce kick to his stomach.
Luo Shuhang’s face had swollen into a pig’s head.
Lu Jinzhou tugged at his tie, then picked up a nearby chair, ready to smash it down on Luo Shuhang.
A slender figure rushed in front of him, throwing herself into his arms and wrapping her arms around his waist. “Lu Jinzhou, don’t.”
Zhou Wanning hated Luo Shuhang, but not enough to wish him dead.
Moreover, she didn’t want Lu Jinzhou to carry the burden of a human life for her sake. That would leave her indebted to him for the rest of her life.
Lu Jinzhou’s eyes were as red as a wild beast’s. He looked down at the petite woman clinging to him and released his grip on the chair.
With one arm wrapped around Zhou Wanning’s waist, Lu Jinzhou took out his phone with the other hand and called his assistant, instructing him to handle the situation.
Like a wrathful deity emerging from hell, he glared at the diners present. “I advise anyone who recorded a video to delete it. Otherwise, you’ll bear the consequences.”
The manager hurriedly apologized, “Mr. Lu, I’m sorry, please forgive us…”
Lu Jinzhou shot him a sidelong glance that sent chills down his spine, making him feel as though his fate was sealed. “Save your apologies for your boss.”
Lu Jinzhou’s assistant rushed in. “Mr. Lu.”
“No videos are to be leaked. And as for this restaurant—I never want to see it again.”
With that, Lu Jinzhou wrapped his arm around Zhou Wanning and led her out of the restaurant.
Zhou Wanning was still in a state of shock. Lu Jinzhou’s demeanor earlier had been terrifying.
He hadn’t held back a single ounce of force when punching Luo Shuhang.
Zhou Wanning glanced back. Luo Shuhang appeared to have passed out, lying motionless on the floor.
Lu Jinzhou gripped her waist tightly, forcing her to turn her head back.
“What? Can’t bear to leave him? Or do you feel sorry for him?”
Zhou Wanning looked at his tense profile. “No.”
Only when they returned to the car did Zhou Wanning notice the skin on his knuckles was broken. “Your hand is injured.”
Lu Jinzhou lifted his hand and glanced at it, ignoring the injury.
Zhou Wanning sat beside him, sensing his dark mood, and didn’t dare say another word.
“Are you hurt?” she suddenly asked, lifting her skirt to check for any injuries.
Zhou Wanning only had red marks on her wrist from Luo Shuhang’s grip, and though she fell, she was unharmed.
“No,” she said, smoothing down her skirt.
When Lu Jinzhou saw the bruises on her wrist, a shadow flickered in his eyes.
He grabbed her hand. “Didn’t you know how to dodge?”
Zhou Wanning had indeed wanted to dodge, but Luo Shuhang had rushed over and seized her wrist directly. How could her strength possibly match that of a man’s—especially one in a state of extreme rage?
“I couldn’t dodge in time.”
Lu Jinzhou lifted her onto his lap, a hint of guilt in his tone. “I should have been by your side all along.”
Zhou Wanning nestled into the crook of his neck, feeling no particular emotion. If she hadn’t been involved with him, she wouldn’t have encountered Luo Shuhang today.
The assistant handled the matter swiftly. When he returned, he reported to Lu Jinzhou through the rearview mirror, “Mr. Lu, it’s been resolved. The restaurant will close this afternoon.”
Zhou Wanning looked up at the man’s cold, sharp jawline. With just one word from him, he could decide the fate of an entire establishment.
“That person has already been thrown out.”
“That person” likely referred to Luo Shuhang.
“Back to the company.”
Zhou Wanning’s expression darkened. This side of Lu Jinzhou made her even more fearful and apprehensive.
He showed no concern for the consequences his actions might bring. In Haicheng… this was his domain.
Upon returning to the company, Zhou Wanning hurried into the lounge to rest.
Though she called it resting, she was actually thinking about how to escape this terrifying man.
Once she got her phone back, she could contact her friend and arrange for help. At the very least, leaving that villa would give her a chance to get away from him.
Zhou Wanning felt a pang of melancholy, unsure when Lu Jinzhou’s interest in her would fade.
The intense impulse of passionate emotions typically lasts between 6 to 18 months, after which it subsides and stabilizes.
The time-limited surge of dopamine creates the illusion of overwhelming love between two people.
As for Lu Jinzhou, Zhou Wanning never believed he truly loved her.
All she felt from him was a fierce sense of possession.
Whether it was love or possessiveness, Zhou Wanning couldn’t afford to wait half a year.
Lu Jinzhou had originally planned to work overtime but canceled it because he had brought Zhou Wanning along.
Seeing her lack of energy, he assumed she was still shaken by Luo Shuhang.
After returning to the company, he instructed his assistant to retrieve the surveillance footage from the restaurant during the time he was absent.
Luo Shuhang’s vulgar insults had left Zhou Wanning pale, her helpless, deer-like eyes darting around.
Her panic and humiliation were unmistakable.
On the way home, the driver raised the partition. Lu Jinzhou held her in his arms.
Zhou Wanning noticed he always liked to seat her on his lap.
She wasn’t tall—only 165 cm—while he stood over 188 cm, with broad shoulders and an imposing physique, making her appear petite in comparison.
“Forget everything Luo Shuhang said today.”
How could she forget? Even though she hadn’t seduced him, the fact remained that he was Le Yu’s boyfriend.
Out of fear, she had never dared to reveal the truth from the beginning, leaving her trapped in a web of lies—deceiving both herself and others.
If Lu Jinzhou would just let her go and allow everything to return to how it was, she would even be willing to stay far away from him and Le Yu.
He kissed her temple, then couldn’t resist kissing her cheek, the corner of her mouth, before finally capturing her soft lips.
Her taste was always so intoxicating, making him lose control, wanting to press her beneath him and have her bloom for him forever.
Zhou Wanning was forced to tilt her head back, enduring his fervent kisses.
His hands also roamed restlessly, kneading and squeezing.
In her ears were the ambiguous sounds of lips and tongues entwining. Zhou Wanning was kissed until the corners of her eyes flushed red, a tear of physiological reaction sliding down her cheek.
When would such days ever come to an end?