Zong Jinghao stared at Lin Xinyan dumbfoundedly.
“You wanna know how I know so much about it?” Lin Xinyan continued, chuckling. “Actually I was there at the auction back then.”
She didn’t go to buy anything that day but to have a glimpse of the auction’s grand finale.
As a fashion designer, she needed a lot of inspiration.
Zong Jinghao was lost in thoughts. He had seen a figure similar to her at the jewelry auction three years ago. But by the time he had squeezed through the crowd to look for her, she was already nowhere to be seen. He had Guan Jing check the footage from the surveillance camera, but it just so happened that the surveillance system had malfunctioned on that day.
In other words, he wasn’t mistaken that day. It was her.
Lin Xinyan did a double-take. “You were the one who bought that ring?”
How could I forget that Zong Jinghao is a businessman?
Ever since 1947 when De Beers advertised diamonds with their famous slogan – “A Diamond is Forever”, diamonds had become the symbol of love.
To get married, there should be a diamond ring to show that you love a person because “A Diamond is Forever” simply meant that a couple’s marriage would last forever.
Buying a diamond ring for the person you love proved that your love was much more solid than a diamond ring. A stone after giving the value of “love” would become priceless, and at the same time, brought in great wealth to those who hyped it.
Lin Xinyan touched the ring in the box and said, “How evil.”
She wasn’t familiar with Wanyue’s business, and she didn’t know how many businesses Zong Jinghao had developed.
“Are you talking about me?” He hugged her waist from behind. “Why don’t you put it on?”
Lin Xinyan rejected, “I’m afraid I’ll get mugged.”
Not only was it too conspicuous on the hand, but a diamond of that size didn’t really suit her slender fingers.
“Hmm?” His voice echoed from his chest. With his arms tightening around her waist and her back sticking close to his chest, she could clearly hear the sound of his strong and powerful heartbeat.
Zong Jinghao removed the ring from the box and slipped it on her index finger after finding it unfit for her ring finger and middle finger. “Why are your fingers so thin?”
“It’s not that my fingers are too thin,” Lin Xinyan laughed. “The ring just doesn’t suit me.”
After a moment’s silence, Zong Jinghao suggested, “How about I find a craftsman and turn it into a necklace?”
“I don’t want,” she replied, knowing that it would still stand out regardless.
She would usually buy jewelry for herself, but they were mostly on the small and delicate side. As a fashion designer, she knew what suited her best.
He nibbled on her neck and asked, “What don’t you want?”
Lin Xinyan’s heart fluttered. She bit her lip and said, “I don’t want anything.”
Zong Jinghao paused, then bit her neck again in a punitive manner, causing Lin Xinyan to grunt in pain.
He had abstained himself from touching her last night because of her excuse of having a backache. Surely, he had overdone it that day, but she had promised to do it with him once a day.
“We have to do it twice today to make up for yesterday,” he smirked.
“Zong Jing… Argh!”
The man held her by the waist and flipped her over, taking her by surprise as he pinned her on the bed before she could finish her sentence.
Zong Jinghao grabbed the lower hem of her shirt and pulled it up in an attempt to take it off. “Don’t wear such clothes again.”
It was a hassle to remove them, and he would prefer those with buttons.
Lin Xinyan’s breathing hitched as she gripped the bedsheet beneath her nervously.
Looking at her flushed face, Zong Jinghao pinched her chin and sized her up, teasing, “What’s with that face? You looked so ugly.”
Lin Xinyan glared at him. “How am I ugly? If I’m ugly, then why are you….” The words “screwing me” got stuck in her throat.
“Well, there’s no turning back now. I’ll have to make do with your ugly face,” he laughed with imperceptible gentleness.
Buzz… Buzz…
Just then, Lin Xinyan’s phone on the table vibrated. She turned around and reached for her phone, but Zong Jinghao was a step ahead.
“I just wanna see who it is,” Lin Xinyan quickly said in case he hung up.
It was an unknown number.
Zong Jinghao didn’t want her to answer her phone at this time. Thus, he simply brushed it off and hung up, only for it to ring again shortly after.
This time, Lin Xinyan was quick to react. Though it was an unsaved number, it wasn’t necessarily a harassment call. She picked up her phone, and a female voice sounded from the other end of the line. “May I speak to Ms. Lin, please?”
“Speaking,” Lin Xinyan said.
“I’m afraid I can’t deliver the clothes you told me to. Do you have the time to drop by the store to pick them up?”
“Why is that?” Lin Xinyan asked.
Did I give her the wrong address?
“That villa has been sealed off. I heard someone died in there, and the police have intervened…”
Colors left Lin Xinyan’s face, and she could no longer hear the sales assistant’s voice.
Someone died? Who could it be?
It couldn’t be mum?
“What’s wrong?” Zong Jinghao cupped her bloodless face worriedly.
“M-My mom could be in trouble,” she said, her voice quavering with emotions and tears brimming in her eyes.
Zong Jinghao’s heart sank. He grabbed the phone from her hand at once, eager to know who the caller was.
But at this moment, Lin Xinyan got up like a raving madwoman and rushed out, wanting to look for Zhuang Zijin.
Zong Jinghao hurriedly grabbed a coat from the clothes rack and chased after her.
He took hold of her hand and said, “I’ll take you there. Put on some clothes first.”
“No, it can’t wait. I told her that there’s no way Lin Guoan will turn over a new leaf. Why didn’t she listen to me? If something happens to her, I swear Lin Guoan won’t get away with it!”
Well, I guess I can’t hide it anymore.
“Get in the car. I’ll take you there.” Zong Jinghao zipped up her down jacket.
Lin Xinyan nodded and quickly got in the car.
Immediately, Zong Jinghao took out his phone and sent a text message to Shen Peichuan, telling him to make the necessary arrangements as he would be taking Lin Xinyan over.
Upon getting into the car and revving up the engine, Zong Jinghao asked, “Who was it on the phone just now?”
“The clothing store. I bought my mom a down jacket at the mall that day. I was afraid we would get into an argument if she saw me, so I had the store deliver it. Until that call… saying that they can’t send it over because…” Lin Xinyan trailed off in a choked voice. “What should I do? What should I do…”
Zhuang Zijin was a weakling in her eyes, so instinct told her that Zhuang Zijin could be the victim.
Hearing that, Zong Jinghao held her hands. “It’s not Zhuang Zijin who’s in trouble.”
