Chapter 141: An Unexpected Visitor

Because Lin Zhiwei had just been discharged from the hospital, she could neither drink alcohol nor lift her arm easily. She was placed on the sofa and ruthlessly shoved a bottle of Wangzai milk.

She looked helplessly at the big-eyed boy, thinking, why is it you again...

Seeing that she was bored alone, Lu Ran walked over to make small talk. "Director Lin, it's inconvenient at the station, and seeking you out privately is prone to causing trouble, so I'm taking advantage of today's opportunity to chat with you."

Sensing that the other party clearly had something to say, Lin Zhiwei immediately turned serious. "Director Lu, please don't have any reservations. Go ahead!"

"Although the station has also deployed emergency strategies and enlisted police assistance, you also know..." At this point, Lu Ran wiped the sweat from his forehead. He dared not easily utter the name that came next.

Lin Zhiwei immediately understood. "I understand what you mean. We'll stop the investigation right here and just attribute it to disrepair over time. Otherwise, investigating further would result in losses for the television station, the production team, and the investors."

"Director Lin is indeed insightful." Lu Ran's eyes flashed as he lightly patted Lin Zhiwei's shoulder, comforting her, "This circle is just like this. Treading on the high and stepping on the low, infighting, and the like are all common occurrences. You'll get used to it."

"I understand. Thank you, Director Lu. I still have that much discernment. The production team's concern for Ruoyu and me is clear to us all. Director Lu, we will have opportunities for cooperation in the future."

"That goes without saying, absolutely!"

After Lu Ran left, Lin Zhiwei rubbed the pinky ring on her little finger and frowned slightly in thought.

"Director... Director Lin, I'm sorry..."

A girl's sobbing voice came from beside her.

Lin Zhiwei raised her eyes and saw that it was Xin Xin. The young girl was nervously wringing her hands, standing aside at a loss.

"Xin Xin? What's wrong?" Lin Zhiwei asked gently, pretending she hadn't noticed anything.

"Director Lin, I'm sorry. It was me... it was me who guided you to stand at the edge of the stage, but... but I really didn't know, didn't know it would be so serious." Xin Xin said with a crying tone, lowering her head with a face blushing as if it could drip blood.

Lin Zhiwei curled the corners of her lips and sighed. "Xin Xin, it's fine. I know you didn't do it on purpose."

Hearing this, Xin Xin raised her head in a panic to look at the man in front of her. The man's right hand was still wrapped in thick gauze, his left hand rested on the sofa, and his legs were crossed. Although his features were not dazzling, his demeanor and eyes exuded a fatal attraction.

"It's fine, don't blame yourself." Seeing that Xin Xin's eyes were red, Lin Zhiwei couldn't bear it either.

"Thank you... thank you for your understanding, Director Lin." Xin Xin had originally prepared herself to be scolded or met with cold, sarcastic remarks, but she hadn't expected Director Lin to be so reasonable. At this moment, she felt even more guilty. She fled to the restroom before finally bursting into tears, letting all the grievances from being beaten, scolded, and threatened by Ye Linyun erupt.

After the girl ran far away, Lin Zhiwei gave Ling Ziheng, who was not far away, a meaningful look and raised the bottle of Wangzai milk in her hand.

Ling Ziheng understandingly raised the drink in his hand.

Just as Lin Zhiwei was about to breathe a sigh of relief, Qin Meng quietly came to her side, looked around to confirm no one was paying attention, and then spoke, "Director Lin, Brother Chu is in the backyard. Could I trouble you to go out for a moment?"

Confused, Lin Zhiwei wondered what Chu Chuo was here for, though she didn't show it on her face. "现在？" -> "Now?"

"Yes. The day you had the accident, Brother Chu was actually the first one to rush down the stage. He... he was also very worried." Qin Meng explained somewhat hastily. In fact, her coming today was at Chu Chuo's instigation. She figured that Brother Chu probably remembered the kindness of Director Lin trying to persuade him that day.

"Alright." Lin Zhiwei readily agreed, going all out so as not to make things difficult for the young woman. Besides, thinking back to the day of her accident, Chu Chuo had indeed appeared instantly, and she vaguely remembered that he was the first one to hold her and take her to the hospital.

Upon walking into the backyard, Lin Zhiwei saw Chu Chuo leaning against a stone wall smoking a cigarette. Two or three cigarette butts were already scattered on the ground, suggesting he had been waiting for a while.

Chu Chuo's figure was swallowed by the shadows of the stone wall, his dark hair veering over his eyes. A dark green flight jacket gave him a somewhat melancholic air today.

Only when Lin Zhiwei leisurely appeared in the backyard did he lift his gaze, his eyes regaining their focus. He then stared at the thick gauze wrapped around her right arm, frowning slightly, the chill in his eyes deepening.

"Are you badly hurt?" Chu Chuo couldn't help speaking first. Although receiving her reply that night had eased his mind somewhat, she had spent a whole week in the hospital without a sound, so worries inevitably welled up in his heart.

"It's alright, my hand isn't crippled yet." Lin Zhiwei slightly raised her right hand. There was no need to put on any act in front of him anymore; if he wanted to harm her, he had plenty of opportunities. She just couldn't figure out what had made him change.

She casually sat down on a chair in the backyard, the sunlight hitting her face and making her look somewhat pale and weak.

Seeing her devoid of color, Chu Chuo pressed his lips into a thin line and sighed, not knowing what to say.

"Thank you for coming to save me the moment it happened." Lin Zhiwei looked at him with sincere eyes. He deserved this expression of gratitude. She had heard Qin Meng's warnings, yet Chu Chuo hadn't considered at all the commotion his appearance at the hospital might cause.

"Just a trivial effort." Chu Chuo pinched out his cigarette butt and answered expressionlessly.

"But I'm sorry, Ye Linyun is really no match for me." The corners of Lin Zhiwei's lips curved slightly, and a trace of cunning flashed across her bloodless face.

Under the bright sun, her features were completely unremarkable, yet Chu Chuo's mind replayed the face of the radiant girl he had bumped into in the parking lot that night. Even though she now wore a completely different appearance, that cunning and victorious little expression was heart-shaking.

"Hmph, nice tricks." Chu Chuo coughed lightly and looked away.

Lin Zhiwei's gaze inadvertently fell on the red agate gemstone necklace around Chu Chuo's neck. Its faint, shimmering luster made her heart tremble slightly, filling her with a strange and unusual feeling.

Where on earth had she seen this necklace before? Such a strange sensation.

"Since Young Master Chu is here, why not come over and have a drink together?" A cool male voice came from behind just as Lin Zhiwei was lost in thought.

Chu Chuo's eyes turned cold. *Hmph, Ling Ziheng, you really did show up.*

"Dear... Boss," Lin Zhiwei almost blurted out, but thinking better of it, calling him boss was safer here.

Their eyes met. Ling Ziheng walked to her side and spoke calmly, "Thank you, Young Master Chu, for stepping in immediately."

"Hmph." Chu Chuo gave a helpless, wry smile, then looked toward a lonely rose bush in the corner of the courtyard. Blooming by itself, lonely yet brimming with wild and vibrant vitality, he shed his usual uninhibited arrogance and spoke slowly, "Ling Ziheng, after all these years, our fight is practically over. I've had enough of living in the cracks trying to survive. From now on, I'll leave the two of you to fight each other to the death."

With that, he turned and left through the back door without looking back.

After a burst of accelerating engine roars, he vanished without a trace.

"Is he... is he quitting the battlefield?" Lin Zhiwei asked Ling Ziheng, puzzled.

The gloom in Ling Ziheng's eyes deepened, but after a mere few seconds, he regained his usual gentleness. He patted her head and said softly, "Let's go. Staying outside too long will raise suspicions."

"Okay, sure." Lin Zhiwei responded without hesitation, hurriedly returning indoors.

*Chu Chuo...* Ling Ziheng silently repeated the name in his heart. It seemed he had gained a love rival.

One less enemy, one more love rival... This battle was still far from over.