Lu Jingyang's trip was clearly in vain.
He had already prepared his lines, intending to perform with all his might. However, when he opened the door to room 606, it was dark and empty.
The bedding and sheets on the bed were clean and tidy, clearly unused.
"Li Chao, where are you?" Lu Jingyang felt tricked and immediately called his friend in anger.
Li Chao had been warned by Lu Yanbei, so he didn't dare to tell him the truth. "Are you sure you remembered the time correctly? No one was there when I rushed over yesterday!"
"Impossible!" Lu Jingyang denied. "I saw her go in with my own eyes!"
"Maybe she left early because she didn't wait for anyone?" Li Chao said while applying ointment to his face, concocting a lie. "Brother, I stood someone up to help you, and ended up making a wasted trip..."
Hearing this, Lu Jingyang felt a bit guilty. "I'm sorry, my arrangements were not thorough. I'll treat you to a meal in a couple of days to apologize in person."
Li Chao shamelessly accepted his invitation.
After hanging up, Li Chao looked at his bruised and swollen face in the mirror. Recalling being pinned to the ground and beaten by Lu Yanbei in the restroom that day, he couldn't help but shiver.
Lu Yanbei, such a cold and noble person, could also be so violent.
He accidentally touched his still red and swollen lips, wincing in pain.
"Which hand touched her?"
"Do you think you're allowed to touch her?"
"I didn't cripple your hands out of respect for the Li family. If there's a next time, I can't guarantee I'll hold back."
"From now on, if you see her, remember to take a detour, understand?"
"Also, you are not to mention tonight's events to anyone. Otherwise, you know the consequences."
Li Chao cursed under his breath, shook his head, and tried hard to put this disgraceful past behind him. "Damn it, he really hit hard... hiss... How can I show my face like this?"
However, after suffering such a great loss, he could only swallow his bitterness, not even daring to tell his family.
Sitting back down on the sofa in the living room, Li Chao couldn't help but wonder. "What exactly is the relationship between Su He and Lu Yanbei... Was it necessary for him to beat me to a pulp for her?"
Although Su He was the daughter-in-law of the Lu family, Lu Yanbei was not one to meddle in others' affairs. He wouldn't resort to violence for her.
The more Li Chao thought about it, the more something felt off.
Could it be that there was some unspeakable relationship between the two?
Considering that Lu Jingyang had neglected Su He after marrying her, leaving her no different from a widow, it was natural for Su He to develop other thoughts.
Moreover, with such an outstanding man as Lu Yanbei, who wouldn't be moved upon seeing him? Su He lived in the Lu family's villa and saw Lu Yanbei constantly. It was a precarious situation, and it was possible they had gotten together!
Li Chao was thrilled by his discovery.
But then he thought again, Lu Yanbei had always been averse to women. Even his secretaries were male. Would he be interested in a girl like Su He, whose looks were only moderately pretty?
"No..." Li Chao once again overturned his conclusion. "Young Master Yan is not such a shallow person. He must be doing it for the reputation of the Lu family..."
Perhaps, it was for Lu Jingyang.
After all, if this matter were exposed, Lu Jingyang would surely become a pariah. The Lu family, which valued reputation so highly, would naturally want to resolve everything before any incident occurred.
With this thought, Li Chao finally felt at ease.
However, he hadn't even met the person and had taken a beating. He had to get this loss back from Lu Jingyang.
*
Su He cried until her tears ran dry in the bathroom.
Lu Yanbei waited outside for a long time and, not seeing her come out, had to get up and knock on the door. "Are you done?"
Lu Yanbei called out to her again.
Still nothing.
Lu Yanbei's eyebrows rose slightly, and he pushed open the bathroom door to go inside. He saw Su He lying on the floor of the shower area, her eyes closed tightly, the accumulated water almost submerging her.
He rushed forward in three steps, picked her up. The moment he touched her body, he realized she was burning with fever and her breathing was weak.
Lu Yanbei couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt.
He shouldn't have let her stand under the cold water.
So, he turned off the faucet, scooped her up, and hurried back to the room.
Wearing wet clothes would only worsen her condition.
But as he reached out to unfasten her clothes, he hesitated. It was already improper for a man and woman to be alone in a room, let alone the fact that she was still Lu Jingyang's nominal wife, his sister-in-law.
Lu Yanbei stared at her for a while, and finally reached out and pulled down the straps of her dress.
She was wearing a light yellow floral dress with daisies printed on it. It was impossible to tell the brand, but the material felt very comfortable. Lu Yanbei couldn't help but recall her preference for clothing; most of the clothes in her closet prioritized comfort and ease, with few fashionable items.
She had a small frame and was not tall, barely reaching 1.6 meters. Usually, for convenience when riding her bike, she wore t-shirts and jeans. Today, however, she had deliberately put on a dress.
Thinking of this, Lu Yanbei's expression turned grim again. She had dressed up so beautifully because she was going to meet Lu Jingyang? This realization made him instantly lose control, and jealousy surged within him.
He tore off her clothes almost roughly, without any tenderness, and when he saw the hickey behind her ear, he completely exploded.
Damn Li Chao!
Damn Lu Jingyang!
They had colluded to plot against Su He, nearly causing her harm... If he had hesitated for a moment, or turned to leave, who knew what the consequences would have been.
Lu Yanbei suddenly flew into a rage, veins bulging on his forehead, and he swung his fist towards the headboard, smashing it.
After a dull thud, his hand immediately turned red.
The pain in his hand did not make him feel any better; instead, it made him more violent.
He looked down at the unconscious Su He, her demeanor as docile and gentle as ever. A single glance seemed to calm his agitated heart.
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
Lu Yanbei suppressed his emotions and went to open it.
"Mr. Lu, here are the things you asked for. Also, I bought a set of clothes for Miss Su." Cheng Jue handed over the items with both hands, expecting praise from his boss.
Lu Yanbei took the shopping bag and, with a blank expression, slammed the door shut.
Cheng Jue: ...
Lu Yanbei went to the bathroom to change into clean clothes, then took a pill and intended to pry Su He's mouth open to feed it to her. However, she was feverish and unconscious, unable to open her mouth.
Lu Yanbei pondered for a moment, put the pill in his own mouth, then leaned down and kissed her lips.
*
Su He woke up again at noon the next day.
The unfamiliar surroundings startled her. Especially when she saw that she was wearing unfamiliar undergarments, her blood seemed to freeze in fear.
She hugged herself with both hands, forcing herself to remain calm.
She began to recall what had happened yesterday. Lu Jingyang had called to ask her to meet, then she had walked hazily towards the restroom, after which she was taken to the men's room, and then to the hotel bathroom...
She seemed to have seen Lu Yanbei.
He had even called her stupid!
She had no memory of what happened afterward.
Su He pounded her head, trying to recall more details. But her head felt like it was filled with lead, completely unresponsive. Whose clothes were these? Who changed them for her? What about the fever patch on her head? And... had she been violated?
She couldn't remember any of these things!
Su He moaned, on the verge of going mad.