Halfway through the drive, the weather indeed took a drastic turn.
When the first bolt of lightning struck, Gong Hengye opened his eyes, which had been tightly shut since he got into the car, and looked out the window. His thin lips pressed into a tight line, and his tense expression grew even more grim.
Feng Yang couldn’t help but complain, “This damn weather, why is it always thundering and raining?”
It was summer, and a continuous half-month of thunderstorms was actually normal, but such weather always made people feel even more irritable.
Gong Hengye didn’t speak. He just watched the increasingly oppressive clouds and the growing frequency of lightning flashes.
Every thunderclap seemed to strike right into his heart, and that sense of tension and oppression grew stronger and stronger.
He suddenly spoke up, “Go to Yelan.”
Feng Yang was taken aback, “What?”
Gong Hengye repeated coldly, “Turn around, go to Yelan.”
Feng Yang glanced in the rearview mirror, looking troubled. “Ninth Brother, it’s so late. Do you still want to drink? Wouldn’t it be better to go home and have a drink?”
Gong Hengye’s gaze shifted over, his expression calm but silent. Feng Yang immediately shut his mouth, not daring to persuade further, and turned the car around at the intersection, heading toward the Yelan Club.
Based on what Gong Hengye had seen in the plot, after Wen Yue’s death, Gong Chen had spent almost every day drunk and lost in Yelan.
So he guessed that when Gong Chen ran away from the hospital today, he had probably gone to Yelan.
Sure enough, as he had thought, the staff at Yelan, upon hearing that Gong Hengye was looking for Gong Chen, quickly led him to a VIP room on the third floor.
Walking the entire way, he didn’t catch a glimpse of that little ingrate. Gong Hengye guessed she was in the private room, keeping Gong Chen company.
Gong Chen couldn’t even see her, yet she was silently staying by his side. How deeply devoted.
At this thought, Gong Hengye’s eyes flickered. Perhaps Gong Chen could already see her now?
After all, last time at Haiting, Gong Chen had almost sensed her presence.
It was only because he had spoken up that he had interrupted their little reunion.
Thinking of this, Gong Hengye’s expression darkened, matching the thunderstorm outside.
He really wanted to turn around and leave.
What was there to worry about?
She was perfectly fine by her fiancé’s side, and it wasn’t like she could get struck by lightning.
He must be the most idle person in the entire capital, worrying over nothing.
But since he was already here, leaving now would only make it seem like he cared.
After all, he wasn’t here for that little ingrate. He was just here to see what other jokes his useless nephew could make of himself.
Lost in thought, he had already reached the door of the private room.
The pent-up frustration in his heart swelled. Without waiting for the attendant to open the door for him, he kicked it open with one foot.
The attendant was startled and quickly stepped aside.
Gong Hengye swept a cold glance inside, intending to fix the little ingrate with his iciest glare. But after scanning the room, his brows furrowed.
Gong Chen was sprawled on the large sofa in the private room, clutching a box. The coffee table was littered with overturned bottles and glasses, and there were shattered ones on the floor.
But aside from that, there was no one else—and certainly no little ingrate.
Had she turned invisible because she knew he was coming?
Gong Hengye strode in unhurriedly.
His gaze swept over every inch of the private room before finally settling on Gong Chen.
He was completely drunk, clutching that urn, crying in his sleep, calling out “Yueyue” and “baby.”
How pitiful.
Gong Hengye was almost moved by his devoted display.
And a woman’s heart is the softest.
Seeing him cry like this, it was only natural for Wen Yue to soften.Gong Hengye’s gaze swept lightly around the room. “Come out.”
The only response was Gong Chen’s hoarse sobbing.
Gong Hengye’s brow furrowed even tighter.
Strange, he really didn’t seem to sense Wen Yue’s presence.
Normally, even when Wen Yue played hide-and-seek with him, he could still feel that they were in the same space. But now, in this private room, there truly seemed to be nothing.
The hand tucked in his suit pants pocket tightened slightly, and Gong Hengye’s expression changed.
She hadn’t come here. She hadn’t come looking for Gong Chen?
Then where would she have gone?
With thunder and lightning raging outside, she really dared to run around recklessly, unafraid of being struck by lightning!
His heart suddenly clenched. Gong Hengye decisively turned and strode away, ignoring the surprised looks from the waitstaff.
Feng Yang was still waiting outside, trying to think of an excuse to get Ninth Brother to go home early and not drink too much. Unexpectedly, Gong Hengye hurried back, pulled open the car door, and got in. “To…”
He started to speak but suddenly stopped.
Feng Yang was puzzled. “Where to, Ninth Brother?”
Gong Hengye’s thin lips pressed tightly together.
Where to?
He didn’t know where she would go. Where should he look for her now?
A flash of lightning split the dark night, only to be quickly swallowed by the darkness again.
Gong Hengye called Li Rui, not giving him time to speak. “Find out where the orphanage Wen Yue stayed at is located. Immediately!”
Though Li Rui didn’t understand the reason, he could tell from Gong Hengye’s tone that the matter was urgent and dared not delay.
This wasn’t a secret. In less than five minutes, Li Rui called back. “It’s in the suburbs of the capital, a welfare institute called Yongshan.”
Gong Hengye hung up the phone without waiting for Li Rui to say another word.
Then he opened the car door again and got out. “Go back first. I’ll drive myself.”
Feng Yang, who had been inexplicably kicked out of the car and left eating exhaust fumes: “?”
Ninth Brother was getting stranger by the day.
He called Li Rui. “Don’t you think Ninth Brother seems like he’s fallen in love?”
Anxious and moody, behaving oddly, acting on whims.
Whether it was getting drunk yesterday, then suddenly rushing to the company late at night.
Or today, suddenly going to Yelan but not drinking, and now not knowing where he’s going?
Li Rui quickly replied, “You feel that too? I think so as well. Today, the boss even had me book evening tickets to the amusement park, though he ended up not going. But strangely, he only booked one ticket. It seems like he’s in love, but not quite.”
Feng Yang nodded silently. “True. You were with Ninth Brother during the day, and I was with him whenever he left the company. I didn’t see any woman around him. If he’s really in love, it can’t be with a ghost.”
Li Rui sighed. “Probably still because of that lightning strike before. Alright, I’ll try to persuade the boss to get a thorough check-up when he has time.”
While the two were speculating, Gong Hengye had already floored the accelerator.
He didn’t know where Wen Yue might have run off to, but if he had to guess, he thought she might have gone to the orphanage.
Perhaps because of what He Lihua said this morning.
She had been unhappy about it all day.
The rain grew heavier. Gong Hengye stared intently ahead, visibility was short, and he could hardly see clearly.
But at one moment, as if sensing something, he glanced toward the roadside.
Through the heavy curtain of rain, he spotted the stray kitten hiding under a temporary roadside shelter—the runaway who had become disheveled and pitiful.
His heart relaxed, but his gaze grew even darker.The steering wheel spun rapidly, tires screeching against the rain-soaked ground.
Wen Yue looked up at the sound, her gaze meeting the slowly descending car window and the handsome face behind it, colder than the rainy night.
Her eyelashes fluttered slightly as her eyes widened in surprise at the man who shouldn’t have been there. “Uncle…”
Gong Hengye tapped his fingers lightly against the steering wheel, his tone lazy yet cold. “You weren’t struck by lightning? Seems your luck isn’t too bad.”
Wen Yue bit her lip and whispered, “It almost hit me.”
Gong Hengye let out an “oh,” followed by a cold laugh. “What a shame.”
Wen Yue fell silent, recognizing the sarcasm in his words.
Her silence only fueled his irritation, and his tone grew sharper. “Get in the car already. Do you really want to be struck by lightning?”
Not daring to hesitate any longer, Wen Yue hurriedly drifted into the car.
Settling into the passenger seat beside him, she cautiously asked, “Uncle, did you come looking for me? How did you know I was here?”
Gong Hengye kept his eyes fixed ahead, his emotions unreadable. “Just passing by. Coincidence.”
“Passing by?”
Wen Yue clearly didn’t believe him. “Where are you going so late?”
Gong Hengye turned to look at her, his handsome face expressionless, but his eyes seemed to hold the fury of a July thunderstorm—cold and fierce. “Do I need to report to you where I’m going?”
He curved his lips into a low, mocking laugh. “Wen Yue, who do you think you are?”
Panic flashed in Wen Yue’s eyes—the kind of panic that came from the fear of being abandoned again.
Her lips moved slightly as she stammered, “I… I’m sorry…”
She could tell he was angry.
As he said, why should he have to tell her where he was going?
So he was angry that she had left without telling him.
Wen Yue watched him cautiously, her fingers gently tugging at his sleeve. “Uncle, I didn’t mean to run off.”
Her eyes looked as if they had just been drenched by the rain, glistening with moisture, and her timid anxiety made her appear even more pitiful.
Gong Hengye quietly met her gaze, his eyes deep and unfathomable, subtle yet obscure.
When he didn’t speak, Wen Yue continued softly, “I just wanted to visit the orphanage while you were in a meeting, to see if I could find any information about my mother.”
Her voice grew more pitiful as she spoke, shifting from an explanation to something closer to a plea. “But when I got here, I realized I couldn’t do anything at all. I couldn’t even touch anything. So I decided to go back, but as soon as I got here, the weather turned bad. I was really scared just now…”
She had thought that as a soul, she could drift as quickly as the ghosts in movies, floating over to him during his meeting and back before he finished.
Clearly, she had been deceived by those shows.
She didn’t drift quickly at all—even with all her effort, she could only move at about the speed of a jog. In the end, she had to hitch a ride on a bus to get to the orphanage.
But there were few buses in the suburbs, and she missed the last one back, forcing her to continue drifting home.
She had hoped to hitch another ride on a passing car, but the area was sparsely populated, and she drifted for a long time without seeing a single vehicle.
When the weather turned, she knew lightning was coming and was so frightened that she found the nearest shelter and crouched there, not daring to move.
She thought she would have to stay there all night.
But she never expected him to appear.
Wen Yue had never felt this way before.It was a feeling that would never be forgotten.
Yesterday was like that, and today was the same.
He knew she was afraid of thunder, so whenever it thundered, he would appear.
It made her inexplicably believe that he would never forget her.
Gong Hengye listened to her explanation, then after a moment said calmly, “Didn’t I tell you before?”
She hummed in response, looking at him with confusion.
He shifted his gaze away. “Don’t act cute with me.”
Wen Yue pouted in protest. “How is this acting cute?”
Gong Hengye pressed his lips together.
If this wasn’t acting cute, then how cute must she be when she acted cute with Gong Chen?
The irritation that had faded slightly after her explanation surged back. He reached into the storage compartment and pulled out a cigarette case.
Wen Yue’s eyes widened at the sight. “Uncle, you smoke?”
She had been by his side for days and never saw him smoke. She thought he didn’t smoke at all.
Gong Hengye paused as he was about to light the cigarette, tilting his head. “Ghosts don’t mind secondhand smoke, right?”
“?”
Wen Yue muttered softly, “But smoking is bad for your health.”
Gong Hengye scoffed, not intending to engage with her. Wen Yue’s eyes flickered. “I’m afraid of fire!”
“…”
Gong Hengye paused again, his finger hovering over the lighter.
It shouldn’t burn her, right?
But what if it accidentally did?
Gong Hengye furrowed his brows, thinking it over again and again before tossing the lighter and cigarette back into the storage compartment with a hint of frustration. “You’re afraid of quite a lot of things.”
Wen Yue tilted her head. “Actually, I’m most afraid of you, Uncle.”
Gong Hengye’s expression darkened, but before he could speak, she added, “But now, I’m not as afraid anymore.”
She looked at him, her eyes sparkling. “Uncle is fierce, but Uncle is also very kind.”
At the very least, the person she thought was the fiercest was the one who never forgot her.
It started from the moment she merely sent him a message, and he rushed back from abroad overnight.
And at that time, they were still practically strangers who had barely spoken!
Gong Hengye chuckled lightly, turning his gaze back to the rainy night ahead.
Not only does she know how to act cute, but she also knows how to play innocent and sweet.
Did she really need to say that he was kind?
Just the fact that he came looking for her despite being furious already made him the kindest person in the entire capital.
As he was thinking this, a cold sensation suddenly fell on his shoulder.
He frowned and turned his head to see her small head resting against his shoulder.
She whispered, “Uncle, can I lean on you?”
Isn’t it a bit late to ask after already leaning on him?
Gong Hengye shifted his gaze away, responding indifferently with a hum.
Fine, let her lean. It wasn’t like she had any weight anyway—light as a feather. If not for the chill, he might not even have noticed.
Outside the car window, the thunderstorm raged violently, as if the apocalypse were approaching, the world turned upside down in the puddles accumulating on the ground.
Raindrops hammered against the car with a clattering sound, water streaming down from the roof and winding along the edges of the windows.
The cold and restless chaos outside made the interior of the car feel even quieter.
Wen Yue leaned quietly against Gong Hengye’s shoulder, watching the lightning and thunder outside.
Not only was she no longer afraid, but she even felt that such an apocalyptic scene could be breathtakingly beautiful.
As she was lost in thought, a sudden warmth touched her cold earlobe.
She turned her head in surprise, meeting his dark, deep eyes.
His index finger and thumb pinched her earlobe, his fingertips warm as he gave it a slight squeeze. He called her name, “Wen Yue.”
Wen Yue blinked. He said, “This is the last time. If there’s a next time…”He paused, inexplicably feeling that if he said, “If there’s a next time, I won’t care about you anymore,” it would sound particularly childish and elementary, with no intimidation at all.
His gaze flickered slightly as he curled his lips coldly, “If there’s a next time, I’ll break your legs and tie you up…”
This domineering CEO line—she was familiar with it.
To prove she was obedient and wouldn’t do it again, Wen Yue quickly chimed in, “Do it!”
After saying it, Wen Yue realized.
“(*▽)”
So, is it too late to turn invisible now?
Gong Hengye: “?”
This fickle little pervert really does have ideas about him!
Isn’t this like eating from one bowl while eyeing another?
No wonder she stole his first kiss while dating Gong Chen!
Hmph…
He stared at her with a complicated expression for two seconds, released his grip on her earlobe, and used his index finger to poke her forehead and push her away. Then, inexplicably, he smiled, “Wishful thinking!”