Into the Night, Jiao Jiao Gets Kissed by a Business Tycoon-Chapter 148: Do You Still Want to Go to Bed and Sleep?
Cheng Yi fiddled with his phone in an intermittent manner, exuding an air of decay and solitude. His gaze was dull and lifeless, and he seemed somewhat wooden, as if heβd lost his soul. πππ¦β―πΈπ¦ππππ·β―π.πππ
Suddenly, the hand turning his phone abruptly paused. He recalled when he had asked Xinan why Han Jibai had been near Xiβs Villa that night. She hadnβt answered, and Han Jibai had chosen silence. Intuition told him that something must have happened that night, and the photo was related to the incident.
Cheng Yiβs heart began to throb violently. If it were true, he dared not imagine what Xinan had experienced that night.
He could have asked Xinan, but he didnβt dare. He feared bringing it up would hurt her, for anyone would break down in such a situation...
At that moment, the words Han Jibai once said to him echoed in his head: "This has always been a scar on Nannanβs heart. Iβm afraid revealing it would hurt her."
Cheng Yiβs hand clenched the phone shook violently. He took a deep breath and dialed Han Jibaiβs number.
"I... I think I know what happened that night." His voice was very low, muting his attempt to remain calm. When he spoke those words, he realized he simply couldnβt face it.
Because he felt such profound compassion for Xinan. Seeing that photo, he couldnβt help but want to kill, to flay alive those who had bullied Xinan.
After hearing Cheng Yiβs words, Han Jibai was momentarily stunned before slowly speaking, "So you know."
"Jibai, I want to know exactly what happened that night. Besides Xinan, youβre the only one who knows the truth."
Even through the phone, Han Jibai understood Cheng Yiβs feelings and how much he wanted to know the truth, since he had even called him by his nickname, something he hadnβt done since they graduated from high school.
Han Jibai hesitated: "But..."
"Someone sent me a photo of Xinan." Cheng Yi cut him off.
Han Jibai was dumbfounded: "What! Thatβs impossible. I clearly watched them delete the photos."
"Iβve already had someone look into the source of the photo, and Iβve had people watch online. As soon as the photo leaks, it will be immediately deleted."
The silence was so deep, it seemed as though one could hear a pin drop.
"So... tell me the truth," Cheng Yi said slowly.
Han Jibai silently sighed deep within, closed his eyes, and spoke, "That night, I was supposed to accompany some board members at Nancheng Club but left early due to a stomach discomfort. On my way home, I saw Xinan blocked by a few men. She fought desperately, her body covered with drag marks. I was glad there was a traffic jam that made me take an alternative route home. Otherwise, I dread to think what would have happened. No matter how strong Xinan is, she couldnβt have bested three adult men..."
Han Jibai paused, looking out the window: "Those men had been drinking, but thankfully, it hadnβt reached the point of no return. Xinan was fine."
With each word Han Jibai spoke, Cheng Yiβs complexion grew paler. His fists clenched and then slowly relaxed: "So thatβs what happened..."
The truth was this. He had actually misunderstood Xinan and Han Jibai before. How could he have misunderstood? How could he have not trusted Xinan...
Han Jibai continued: "Nannan was scared at the time, and I didnβt feel comfortable letting her go home alone, so I personally took her back to the Xiβs Villa. Thatβs why I was there that night. You asked me before, were you also at the Xiβs Villa that day?"
Cheng Yi didnβt respond.
"So you misunderstood?"
Cheng Yi gave a muffled "hmm."
"Nannan really likes you. Although she wasnβt violated, what the Cheng Family cares most about is reputation. She thought you would mind, so she asked me to keep it a secret."
Cheng Yiβs eyes filled with guilt. In his heart, he silently called her "foolish." He was too overwhelmed with sorrow to mind anything.
"Thank you for arriving in time that night, for protecting Nannan." Cheng Yi was barely holding his emotions in check.
"No need to thank me. Now that you know, you must treat her well."
"I will."
The call ended, and Cheng Yi sat there, phone in hand, somewhat dazed.
In the office, he took a cigarette case from his drawer. Ever since Xinan had asked him to cut down, he hadnβt touched it, but now he opened the case, pulled out a cigarette, put it in his mouth, and lit it.
He took a deep breath, trying to ease his troubled heart.
He smoked one cigarette after another, until the whole office was filled with a thick and pungent smoke.
-
That night, after washing up, Xinan sat on her bed, replying to messages she had received that day, and watched some TV. Glancing at the time, it was almost midnight. Cheng Yi probably wouldnβt be coming tonight.
Since they confirmed their relationship, Cheng Yi seldom returned to Luming Academy and almost spent every night here with Xinan. But sometimes, when work was busy, he would stay at the company.
So Xinan assumed Cheng Yi was sleeping at the company that evening and didnβt give it another thought. After sending a goodnight message to Cheng Yi, she placed her phone on the nightstand, turned off the lights, and prepared to sleep.
For some reason, Xinan couldnβt fall asleep, tossing and turning. Ordinarily, sheβd fall asleep as soon as she hit the bed.
But just as she was about to turn over again, her bedroom door suddenly opened. Xinanβs heart tightened. She chose not to make a sound.
She felt a pair of hands gently touch her hair and cheeks. The tender touch made her shiver slightly, but she still kept her eyes closed.
"Nannan, I love you, so very much," he said, followed by Cheng Yiβs lips lightly kissing Xinanβs sensitive earlobe.
Xinanβs eyelashes quivered slightly, her heart pounding fiercely. Instinct told her there was something very wrong with Cheng Yi tonight.
Feeling Cheng Yiβs warm breath, Xinan finally opened her eyes. Only a dim, warm light was on in the bedroom as she looked into Cheng Yiβs deep, dark eyes: "I love you too, Cheng Yi."
That was her response.
Cheng Yiβs lips curled into a slight smile. He reached out again, caressing her smooth, porcelain cheek with a husky and low voice, oozing with a sexy tone: "Did I wake you up?"
Xinan shook her head: "No, I wasnβt sleeping to begin with."
"Insomnia?"
"Seems like it."
Cheng Yi chuckled: "Look at you, you canβt sleep without me."
Xinan gently pushed him, "Do you still want to sleep in bed tonight?"
