Chapter 142
Chapter 142
Qiao Chuchu got into the car, and as soon as she relaxed, she felt as if her eyelids were weighed down with lead. An indescribable fatigue spread throughout her body.
It seemed that the exhaustion from using her abilities had returned.
She drifted off into a deep sleep.
Lou Tingsi glanced sideways at Qiao Chuchu.
She was leaning against the car seat, her posture not particularly comfortable, yet she was sleeping soundly.
Lou Tingsi slowly shifted closer to her.
Qiao Chuchu’s head tilted and rested on his shoulder. She nestled comfortably against him and continued to sleep deeply.
He raised his hand to wipe the dust off her face, his voice tinged with guilt. "I’m sorry. I didn’t know he was a spy. If I had known, I would never have let his people take you away."
The more Lou Tingsi thought about it, the more his chest tightened. He turned to Song Yu in the passenger seat. "Was she hurt?"
Song Yu tried hard not to pay attention to the two of them and shook his head. "No, don’t worry. Miss Qiao is amazing. When she barged in to rescue us, it even shocked me. She’s incredibly capable. I only survived because of her. Without her, I’d already be dead."
Lou Tingsi was surprised, a hint of delight in his tone. "Really?"
"Absolutely," Song Yu replied, letting out an almost imperceptible sigh. "Boss, she’s beautiful, capable, and brave. If the two of you end up together, I’d definitely support it."
He added with a touch of bitterness, "But I’d only support you and her. Other girls? I don’t think they’d be right for you."
Lou Tingsi glanced at Qiao Chuchu, who was still resting on his shoulder, and frowned in confusion. "Why do you think we’d end up together?"
"Because ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????you like her," Song Yu said, looking at him through the rearview mirror with envy. "You’ve never been this close to any other girl."
Lou Tingsi was momentarily stunned, only now realizing that he didn’t mind being so close to Qiao Chuchu.
Still, he shook his head. "I don’t like her. I just think she smells nice and has a beautiful smile."
Song Yu couldn’t help but laugh. "I smell nice too, but I’ve never heard you compliment me."
Lou Tingsi raised an eyebrow. "You have a scent?"
Song Yu was taken aback. "Boss, I shower every morning. It’s just that you always keep a distance from me, so you’ve never noticed."
Lou Tingsi frowned, feeling baffled. "Why should I care about your scent?"
"Then why do you care about Qiao Chuchu’s?" Song Yu chuckled, as if he had seen through him. "How did you feel when you saw her coming to rescue you?"
Lou Tingsi fell silent.
The feeling was… happiness, worry, and anger.
But happiness outweighed the worry.
He took Qiao Chuchu’s hand in his, his large palm enveloping her smaller one. "After we get back, give her the Lamborghini I ordered."
Song Yu was shocked and looked at Lou Tingsi through the rearview mirror. "That car? The one you waited years for and spent 20 million on? You haven’t even driven it yet."
"Exactly because it’s such a good car, that’s why I’m giving it to her. It’s too late to order another one now; it’d take years to get it," Lou Tingsi said nonchalantly, gently brushing the hair away from Qiao Chuchu’s face. "The car is black and red, and she’s a skilled driver. She’ll definitely love that sports car."
Song Yu nodded, casting an envious glance at Qiao Chuchu, and didn’t say anything more.
When they arrived home, Lou Tingsi carried Qiao Chuchu inside and took her to his room.
This time, no matter how much she was jostled, Qiao Chuchu didn’t wake up.
She must have been completely exhausted.
Lou Tingsi sat in the armchair beside the bed, taking care of Zhu Changming’s affairs while keeping an eye on her.
Once everything was settled, he too began to feel drowsy and fell asleep in the chair.
He had a dream.
In the dream, his mother was hiding in a closet with another man when his furious father discovered them.
His father dragged him and his brother out to have their blood drawn for a paternity test. Before the results came back, both of them were locked in the basement.
A few days later, his beautiful mother hurriedly opened the basement door, tears streaming down her face as she held out her arms to his younger brother. "Come here, my darling!"
His brother ran to her.
He also ran toward her. "Mom, take me with you. I’m grown up now, a strong man. I can protect you both!"
He was filled with hope, determined to leave with her.
But his mother looked at him with disgust. "Lou Tingsi, you’re just like your father, a despicable bastard who deserves to go to hell. I should have strangled you the moment you were born!"
She picked up his brother, cradling him like the most precious thing in her life, and whispered to him, "We won’t be like your brother, and we won’t be close to him. He’s no good. Mommy’s taking you away now, and we’ll never see him again."
With that, she closed the basement door, locked it, and left without looking back.
A day later, the door opened again, and his father came in with the paternity test results, taking him in the car to chase after his mother.
Cornered, his mother held his brother tightly, crying bitterly. "If it weren’t for my family forcing me to marry you, I would never have done it!"
His father roared in anger, "Didn’t I love you, Yan Ting? I spent my whole life trying to please you, and you repaid me by cheating on me for years! You even made me raise your childhood sweetheart’s son! What the hell did you take me for?!"
His father shouted, "But I’ll forgive you one more time. Give me that bastard child, and I’ll pretend none of this ever happened!"
His mother stood in the wind, clutching his crying brother, her expression resolute. Without a word, she turned and jumped into the river.
He rushed forward in shock, but his father held him back, preventing him from saving them.
The wind was cold that day, and the river must have been freezing. Ripples spread across the water’s surface, but soon it became still again.
He broke free from his father and leaped into the river. The water was murky, but he could faintly make out two figures clinging tightly to each other.
Then, a sharp pain shot through his calf, and his body began to sink.
The figures grew farther away, and he closed his eyes, resigned to his fate.
Suddenly, an arm wrapped tightly around his waist, pulling him close with a familiar fragrance.
He opened his eyes in shock and met Qiao Chuchu’s determined gaze. "Don’t be afraid, Lou Tingsi. I won’t let you die."
She held him tightly. "I’m here for you."
Lou Tingsi, still in the armchair, furrowed his brow, his forehead drenched in cold sweat. A low, pained whimper escaped his throat.
Qiao Chuchu gently patted his shoulder. "Lou Tingsi? Lou Tingsi?"
Lou Tingsi suddenly woke up, his eyes landing on Qiao Chuchu. Without thinking, he lunged forward and hugged her tightly!
Qiao Chuchu was caught off guard, toppling backward onto the floor. "What’s wrong with you?"
Lou Tingsi tightened his arms around her, holding her close as he caught his breath. Gradually, he calmed down.
It was just a nightmare.
He hadn’t dreamed about his childhood in a very long time.
In the past, he would always wake up from the dream with a cramp in his calf. But this time, he had dreamed of Qiao Chuchu coming to save him.
And now—
He was still holding her?
He quickly stood up, pulling her to her feet, then took a step back. "I’m sorry, Miss Qiao. I had a bad dream."
Qiao Chuchu shook her head, looking at him with concern. "Are you okay? And why were you sleeping here?"
Lou Tingsi was momentarily speechless, unsure how to explain himself.
He had just wanted to keep an eye on her, feeling a sense of peace when he saw her.
But he hadn’t expected to fall asleep.