Chapter 227: Like an Old Friend
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Pei Ziheng took a few steps forward, and Xia Ling vigilantly retreated.
His voice was low. “Tell me. How do you know?”
Her mind blank, she anxiously blurted out. “Li Lei said it.” Besides, Big Boss Li was currently overseas on an island celebrating the Spring Festival. She did not believe that Pei Ziheng would really verify it with him.
“Li Lei?” Pei Ziheng’s expression darkened. “He did a check on me?”
Xia Ling remembered that Li Lei had previously vaguely mentioned that he was investigating Pei Ziheng. He also warned her that Pei Ziheng was too dangerous and told her to keep a distance from him. Xia Ling did not know how much Li Lei had found out from the investigation, but no matter what, getting past her difficulty was the more important thing.
“You’re his compet.i.tor and enemy in the industry. It is very normal for him to conduct an investigation on you.” She tried her best to keep her cool.
“Really?” Pei Ziheng’s voice was very faint. After a short while, he suddenly asked, “He didn’t do it for you?”
Xia Ling was slightly startled and turned her head to the side. “We have broken up.” Under the dim street lights and fine snow, her expression was pale and downcast. Her thin woolen coat was flowing with the wind, and snow was acc.u.mulating around her neck.
Pei Ziheng realized something was wrong and frowned.
“Why are you wearing so little clothing?” He took off his long scarf, reached out, and wrapped it around her neck. Only when he was closer did he realize that there were purple bruises on her neck and a few hickeys which were a dreadful sight on her white skin. “Who did those?” His voice was suddenly heavy. He did not know why, but after looking at those scars, his heart started to ache and anger was boiled within him. He could not help but want to rip that person who hurt her into pieces.
Xia Ling tried to block the ugly scars with her hand.
As he grabbed her wrist despite her resistance and pulled her arm down, those horrible scars were once again exposed to him. His eyes were cold. “Li Lei?” Did Li Lei forcefully kiss her, quarrel with her, torture her, and then kick her out of his family’s house?
As he visualized the scene in his mind, his anger started to intensify.
Xia Ling bit her lip, refusing to speak. Was it that important to find out who did it? Besides, she already did not have any connections with the Li family.
As he held her wrist, she felt a familiar touch and warmth. She wanted to shake him off but did not know why she did not have the strength to do so. She watched as Pei Ziheng used his other hand to slowly wrap the long scarf around her neck to cover the scars.
“Come to my place, I will take care of you.” His voice was very gentle.
She shook her head as she did not want to be too involved with him.
He tightened his grip around her wrist.
Pei Ziheng ignored her resistance and pulled her on stage. A black Rolls-Royce which was covered in snowflakes silently stopped in the cold and empty street.
He pulled Xia Ling into the car and instructed the chauffeur to drive.
Uneasiness and fear started to overcome Xia Ling. “What are you trying to do?!”
He glanced at her.
Xia Ling instinctively tried to open the car door. “Let me go!” The memories of her imprisonment came back, causing her to be terrified. She was already reborn as a different person and knew that he could not recognize her, but she still could not help but be afraid.
The way she panicked pained his heart.
He remembered that before Xiao Ling’s death, she was imprisoned for a year and had shown the same expression countless times. It was a look of fear and helplessness after suffering too much harm and torture but not knowing how to escape it. If there was a way to go back in time, he would not treat her like that. In the last year of her life, he would at least make her happy and not always cry secretly behind his back.
Pei Ziheng’s thoughts drifted. At that time, Xiao Ling did not dare to cry in front of him.
People with Stockholm Syndrome were only grateful to their torturers and would not be afraid or cry. Every time she showed a bit of pain, he would think that his discipline was not strict enough and would intensify his torture. Over time, she even lost her right to cry. On the bed, she did not dare to scream due to pain, and when she was in his range of sight, she did not dare to cry.
There were many surveillance cameras in the villa that he imprisoned her in. 360 degrees without blind spots. 24 hours a day.
In the past, he was very curious about why Xiao Ling took such a long time to shower every time. Only until after she fell from the stage and died did he realize from the surveillance cameras’ footage that every time she took a bath, she would submerge her face in the water for a very long time, and her thin shoulders would twitch slightly.
Every time she left the bathroom, she would carefully conceal the red marks around her eyes.
Pei Ziheng hated himself. How far did he push her such that she was even afraid to express her sorrow?
If he had another chance and she could be resurrected…
His Xiao Ling was only worthy of the most gentle care and protection.
He looked at the girl who resembled Xia Ling and softened his voice. “Don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you, I promise. I only want to take care of you.”
After Xia Ling heard that sentence, her panic-stricken movements slowly came to a halt. She turned her head to face the man in front of her. He said… he only wanted to take care of her? She remembered that during their first encounter many years ago in her past life, she looked up self-consciously and asked the tall man beside her, “Brother Pei, why do you want to adopt me?”
How did he reply then?
It was the same as today, with a low and gentle voice. “I only want to take care of you.”
Tears started to flow out from her eyes.
“You’re lying.” She tried to prevent herself from bursting into tears.
“I’m not lying to you.” He warmly said. “You’re wearing so little clothing, and your neck is injured. If you continue to stand there in the snow, you will definitely fall sick. Follow me home. I will let my family doctor treat your wounds and then ask my housekeeper to cook something for you to eat. Since it is almost the new year, how about you accept my favor?”
She had not heard him speak so softly in a long time.
It was just like many years ago. Whenever she was throwing a tantrum, he would patiently try to appease her.
Perhaps she was too tired today or really yearned for the past as she was in a vulnerable situation. Unexpectedly, she nodded her head.
Pei Ziheng smiled warmly.
Xia Ling stopped making a scene about wanting to get down from the car. In the blink of an eye, the interior of the car became silent.
Although both of them were not considered close, at least “Ye Xingling” in this lifetime was more distant from Pei Ziheng. After calming down, she did not know what else to say to him. The heater in the Rolls-Royce was warm like spring. The comfortable, soft and authentic leather seats caused Xia Ling to feel more relaxed. Without realizing, she closed her eyes and slept.
She had her first good dream in days.
She dreamed of the orphanage from many years ago. The bright afternoon sun was high in the sky, and surrounding the orphanage were irises that had bloomed. Having just won a few children in a fight, she turned around to look at the stairs and realized that there was a handsome and majestic man standing behind the floor-to-ceiling window on the second floor reaching his hand out to her. “Xiao Ling,” he said. “Come home with me…”
In her dream, she had lightly tilted her head.
Her small face was resting on the shoulders of the man beside her. Unconsciously, she rubbed her head against the very comfortable and soft woolen coat, adjusted her position, and fell into a deeper sleep.