In fact, from the moment Shen Lingxi and Song Zhili reached the mountaintop, they had already been locked onto as targets.
A small crosshair followed each of their faces closely.
Fu Jinglan had undergone full-body disinfection and was sitting in an armchair with his eyes closed.
The hot tea beside him remained untouched.
The base’s highest-ranking commander, Bo Yuesheng, came over to report to him. “Governor, these two…”
Fu Jinglan lifted his eyelids, his gaze cold and heavy as he stared at the surveillance screen.
Shen Lingxi and Song Zhili were crouching furtively under a tree, yet bold enough to each have a cigarette dangling from their mouths, looking utterly carefree.
Today’s situation was rather unusual, and Fu Jinglan was in a terrible mood.
Bo Yuesheng felt compelled to explain further.
“The one on the right, you’ve investigated her. Her background is clean. She’s my girlfriend, Song Zhili. She’s very obedient and well-behaved and won’t go around gossiping.”
“The one on the left…”
Bo Yuesheng didn’t continue, unsure of who she was.
He spent most of his working hours at the military base, surrounded by men who wielded weapons.
He had no idea how many flowers or women were in the Lu Manor.
Mu Suizhou didn’t seem like the type to have a woman.
Zhou’s gaze had never lit up at the sight of a woman, and Bo Yuesheng suspected he simply didn’t know how.
So, the young lady on the left was likely Fu Jinglan’s.
Fu Jinglan’s cold eyes fixed on Shen Lingxi, who had a cigarette in her mouth.
“The one on the left is also obedient, though usually only to herself.”
As he spoke, Fu Jinglan stood up, his overcoat brushing against the armchair and stirring a chilly breeze.
“Bo Yuesheng, your girlfriend is smoking, and you’re not stopping her?”
Smoking was harmful to the body, and she had even gotten Shen Lingxi to join in.
Her body had always carried a milky fragrance from the inside out, without a trace of cigarette smoke. Even… was like sweet spring water, fresh and sweet.
Fu Jinglan strode out of the command building.
Out of instinct, Bo Yuesheng picked up his gun.
Then, thinking it inappropriate, he set it down again and quickly caught up to Fu Jinglan, keeping half a step behind him as they walked.
His tone was somewhat innocent. “She hits me. I can’t control her.”
Fu Jinglan was almost amused by the anger. “Bo Yuesheng, are you even a man?”
Was the base’s highest-ranking commander chosen at random?
Physical fitness, intelligence, work ability—selected from millions of people, and this was what he said.
Bo Yuesheng remained silent. Song Zhili had truly grown up, deliberately trying to hit him several times.
The two men walked out of the command hall one after the other, just as Mu Suizhou was coming in from outside.
Seeing Fu Jinglan’s grim expression and hurried steps, he turned to ask Bo Yuesheng instead, “Who are we catching this time?”
What the hell was going on today, damn it!
Kill! Just kill them all!
Bo Yuesheng answered truthfully, “Catching the little sister-in-law.”
Mu Suizhou had initially intended to grab his gun but turned back instead. “Oh, that’s why you didn’t bring yours.”
Bo Yuesheng: “You’re a bit impulsive today, Zhou.”
…
Shen Lingxi didn’t even have time to panic.
Just like that, Fu Jinglan lifted her up by the back of her neck with one hand.
Fu Jinglan was seething with anger and directly pulled the cigarette from between Shen Lingxi’s lips. “The cigarette tastes good, huh, Shen Lingxi?”
“Look at you, puffing away like that!”
But then, so unexpectedly.
When Shen Lingxi turned her face, a white lollipop was pulled from her mouth.
It wasn’t a cigarette~
Only Song Zhili was smoking a real one.
Shen Lingxi felt so wronged. Her neck hurt from being grabbed, and her hair had been pulled by Fu Jinglan.
The pain spread like a burning sensation.
In that moment, she couldn’t hold back her spoiled temper, her chest heaving with anger.
She immediately swung her fist back, punching Fu Jinglan hard in the chest.
“That hurts so much.”
To boost her momentum, Shen Lingxi directly jumped onto a tree stump over half a meter tall nearby.
“Fu Jinglan, apologize to me right now!”
As soon as the words left her mouth, the air fell into silence.
Everyone watched as Fu Jinglan, who had been hit, dared not speak.
He was in a terrible mood today, had been punched by Shen Lingxi in front of everyone, and now she was shouting his name and demanding an apology.
And it had to be immediate.
Song Zhili was so frightened that cold sweat seeped from her palms.
Would she and Axi die here today?
Then, her panicked, darting eyes accidentally landed on Bo Yuesheng’s pale officer face through her glasses.
After a brief exchange of glances.
Song Zhili: If I die, I die.
Fu Jinglan did not apologize. Seeing Shen Lingxi tightly pursing her lips, her small face puffed up, her breathing growing more and more rapid, as if she were about to cry.
“Must I apologize here?” he asked her.
It was actually a tone of negotiation.
Shen Lingxi sniffled twice.
“You are a governor of high status and power, and you don’t have to apologize to anyone. But everyone has the right to demand an apology when they are hurt.”
After saying this, Shen Lingxi actively jumped down from the tree stump.
Turning her back to Fu Jinglan, she said pitifully, “Here, see for yourself.”
Fu Jinglan held a lollipop in one hand and lifted Shen Lingxi’s long hair behind her neck with the other.
It was no wonder she was making a fuss, no wonder she was crying.
The tender, snow-white skin was already bruised and bleeding beneath the surface, showing scattered patches of purple.
He hadn’t controlled his strength properly.
That day in the car, she had been just as delicate—rubbing, kissing, patting, all turned her skin red.
When it hurt, she cried.
When it felt good, she cried too.
Fu Jinglan let go of Shen Lingxi’s hair, his breathing heavy, his voice deep.
“I’m sorry, Little Rabbit Shen.”
“I wronged you and hurt you.”
No one could believe that Fu Jinglan had actually apologized.
And even called her some rabbit, cat, or dog.
Shen Lingxi sniffled, her eyes still red, but a smile had already appeared. “Mm, I forgive you.”
“I know you meant well for me, and I still like you.”
But—
Shen Lingxi turned her face to Bo Yuesheng, glaring fiercely. “Rude fellow.”
“???”
Bo Yuesheng was suddenly scolded by a stranger and couldn’t even retort.
Why was Fu Jinglan’s woman acting like a little tyrant?
Oh, Song Zhili must have said something bad about him to her.
But Song Zhili had no time to care about Bo Yuesheng being scolded now; she was too busy blaming herself and feeling upset.
It was all the cigarette’s fault.
Song Zhili didn’t even dare throw away the cigarette butt, clutching it directly in her palm.
The residual heat made her hand tremble, but in an instant, her palm was empty.
Bo Yuesheng, like a ghost, brushed past her shoulder and returned to Fu Jinglan’s side, as if nothing had happened.
Mu Suizhou answered a phone call.
His expression was very serious. “Governor, it’s your father.” He held the phone to Fu Jinglan’s ear.
The sky suddenly turned gloomy, and Fu Jinglan’s face grew utterly unpleasant.
Veins bulged on his neck as he raged at the person on the phone. “What do you mean? Why bring her back?”
It began to snow.
The person Fu Jinglan didn’t want to see was waiting for him halfway.
Through the fluttering snow curtain, Zhuang Tongtong’s figure looked like a seductive flame.
A wine-red long dress, black fur, and a delicate bag hanging from her wrist.
Seeing Fu Jinglan stop in his tracks, Zhuang Tongtong walked toward him. The closer she got, the clearer her appearance became.
Very young, very sexy, incredibly beautiful and charming.
“Hi.”
Zhuang Tongtong curved her crimson lips into a smile, radiating a hundred charms as she carefully observed Fu Jinglan. “You’re more handsome, taller, and more charming than I imagined.”
Her eyes and brows resembled his.
Fu Jinglan lowered his head and let out a derisive laugh.
When he looked up again, any trace of a smile had vanished completely from his eyes, as if extinguished by snow.
“So it was you who threw me away like a dog?”
Zhuang Tongtong didn’t deny it, crossing her slender arms in front of her abdomen. “Yes, it was me. Zhuang Tongtong.”
Fu Jinglan clenched his fist, his knuckles aching from the tension.
“If you didn’t want to raise me, why did you give birth to me? Just for the pleasure?”
Zhuang Tongtong was stunningly beautiful, almost bewitchingly so. On her face, aside from that beauty, there was no trace of guilt or sorrow.
She lifted her chin to look at Fu Jinglan.
“It wasn’t pleasurable. It was painful.”
Zhuang Tongtong turned her face to the side and smiled faintly.
“I was thirteen that year. Your gambling-addicted grandfather used me as collateral at an underground casino, where I had to accompany big shots while they played cards.”
“If they won, I’d get some money. If they lost, I had to take off my pants.”
“And then I lost to the official’s son, Fu Zonghuai.”
“He wouldn’t remember me, let alone acknowledge me or my child.”
Zhuang Tongtong’s face still wore a radiant smile. “You were so tiny when you were born, but you opened your little mouth and cried so loudly—it scared me to death.”
“Because I wasn’t much older than you.”
“I had no money and no milk, so I carried you to the seaside. Who knew I wouldn’t die, and you, sneaky little thing, didn’t die either.”
Snowflakes kept blowing into Fu Jinglan’s eyes.
His eyes were reddened, and his lips were pale from the cold.
“I might as well have died.”
Fu Jinglan resumed walking, passing by Zhuang Tongtong’s shoulder and disappearing into the wind and snow.
The lollipop in his hand melted from the snow.
Zhuang Tongtong turned around, watching Fu Jinglan’s figure grow smaller and smaller.
That exquisitely beautiful face suddenly lost its color.
“I was too young back then, and the winter was too cold. I abandoned you and forever lost the right to be a mother again. That must be my punishment.”
“I’m sorry, son.”