diskusbooks Chapter 117 Crisis (1)
Chapter 117 Crisis (1)
After Yan Zuozuo fell asleep, Chi Moqing quietly went out. He hadn't eaten all night and was a little hungry. He walked towards the kitchen, intending to make something to eat, and as he passed the dining table, he saw a table full of covered food.
He paused, opened the dishes, and saw that almost none of them had been touched; the steaming hot food had long since cooled. He imagined Yan Zuozuo sitting alone at the table waiting for him, and he couldn't help but clench his fist. He didn't take them inside to reheat them, but simply picked up his chopsticks and ate them bite by bite, as if making up for yesterday's mistake.
When Wang Ma saw Chi Moqing eating cold rice early in the morning, she quickly went over and said, "Sir, let me heat it up for you, it's all cold."
Chi Moqing shook his head: "It's nothing."
Wang Ma could tell that these dishes were all cooked by Yan Zuozuo himself yesterday, and couldn't help but ask curiously, "Didn't you eat any, sir, last night?"
Chi Moqing smiled and said, "I'm late." The thought of Yan Zuozuo waiting for him alone made his heart ache.
After dinner, he went into the kitchen to make her breakfast. Before leaving, he went to the bedroom to check on her, gently reaching out to stroke her face. He noticed the dark circles under her eyes and couldn't help but frown.
Yan Zuozuo pouted, rolled over, and mumbled something. Chi Moqing smiled, placed a kiss on her forehead, and left.
When Yan Zuozuo woke up, it was already noon. She washed up and was just about to go downstairs for lunch when her phone rang. Before she could even speak, Fu Zixin's anxious and angry voice came through the phone, "Zuozuo, have you seen the video online?"
"What video?" Yan Zuozuo asked, puzzled. She hadn't been using her phone or computer much lately and had no idea what had happened.
Fu Zixin paused for a moment, then asked in a heavy tone, "Zuo Zuo, did Chi Moqing go back last night?"
Yan Zuozuo found her question strange, but still said, "No, I came back this morning."
Fu Zixin's heart skipped a beat, and she hesitated whether to tell Yan Zuozuo. But Yan Zuozuo eventually sensed something was wrong and asked worriedly, "Zixin, what happened? Is it related to Chi Moqing? Don't scare me."
Fu Zixin remained silent for a while before saying, "Zuo Zuo, listen carefully now. No matter what you see later, you must remain calm. You are pregnant and have to be responsible for the baby in your belly, understand?"
Yan Zuozuo frowned, even more worried. "What is it?" She was extremely flustered. "Tell me quickly!"
Fu Zixin bit her lip. Even if she didn't say anything, the whole of S City already knew, and Yan Zuozuo would find out sooner or later. Rather than letting her become a laughing stock and be the last to know, it was better for her to tell the truth.
As if she had made up her mind, Fu Zixin said, "Go online and look it up yourself. Just search for your CEO's name." She paused, then added as if she was still worried, "Zuo Zuo, don't hang up. If you can't stand it later, just tell me."
Yan Zuozuo didn't speak, but quickly turned on her computer. When she saw the footage that was going viral online, she was stunned. Her eyes were fixed on the chaotic scene of men and women on the screen. The lighting was too dim, but it wasn't hard to tell that it was a bathroom, and the sound of an ambulance could be heard outside the video, so it must be a hospital.
Even though the faces in the video were somewhat blurry, she recognized Chi Moqing at first glance. She gripped the mouse tightly, her whole body trembling. The entire video was about three minutes long, starting with Chi Moqing helping Cai Qingqing into the bathroom, followed by a scene of utter disarray.
The video was posted at 4 AM, and now it's noon; in just eight hours, it has been shared countless times. The comments section is filled with insults, condemnations, and others joining in the commotion.
Yan Zuozuo suddenly remembered the clothes that Chi Moqing had changed out of and hadn't washed yet. She ran to the laundry room without even hearing Zhang Ma calling her for dinner. She picked up Chi Moqing's clothes and smelled them. Sure enough, they had a strong smell of disinfectant.
She leaned against the wall, feeling short of breath. Fu Zixin, waiting anxiously for Yan Zuozuo's response on the phone, called out, "Zuozuo, are you alright?"
She was not okay, not okay at all. Those photos and videos were like evil spirits constantly gnawing away at her brain. She couldn't believe that Chi Moqing would treat her like this. She had seen how good he had been to her and his character over the past six months. He was never the kind of man who would mess around outside. But just thinking about those photos made her feel suffocated and unable to breathe.
She wanted to find an excuse to absolve him, but he really hadn't come back last night, and she couldn't think of an excuse for him. Plus, the smell on his clothes made her feel like she was going crazy.
"Zuo Zuo, say something, don't scare me, Zuo Zuo!" Fu Zixin became increasingly uneasy and called out urgently to Yan Zuo Zuo.
Yan Zuozuo snapped out of her daze, gripping her phone tightly with both hands. Hearing Fu Zixin's tearful voice, she slowly spoke, "I'm fine." Her voice wasn't loud, still soft and gentle, but the softer it was, the more worrying it was.
"Zuo Zuo, if you want to cry, just cry. I'll stay with you." She said as she walked outside. She couldn't leave her alone at this moment.
Yan Zuozuo forced a smile and slowly walked back to her room. The photo on her computer was there, starkly displayed. "I'm really fine." After a pause, she said, "Zixin, I believe him."
Fu Zixin paused, feeling a bit exasperated. "What if he really lied to you?" It wasn't that she wanted to hurt her, but who could say for sure if these videos were real or fake? If they were true, she wanted Yan Zuozuo to be mentally prepared.
“I’ll believe him even if he’s lying to me!” Yan Zuozuo stared at the videos and said firmly, “I believe him, even more than I believe myself. I will ask him myself, and I will believe him if he tells me.”
Perhaps others would see this persistence as foolish, but that's just how she is. Once she falls in love and becomes deeply involved, she trusts that person wholeheartedly. Unless he does something truly unacceptable to her, she can leave without hesitation. Just like her relationship with Qi Jiahui, it's either deep love or a clean break; she never likes to drag things out in matters of the heart. Perhaps it's precisely because of this similarity to Chi Moqing that she trusts him so unconditionally.
Fu Zixin remained silent for a moment, then finally said, "I'll come and keep you company."
Yan Zuozuo shook her head: "No need, you go to work, I'm really fine." She silently hung up the phone, maintaining her previous posture, her eyes fixed on the computer screen, her hands seemingly stroking her stomach.
Aunt Zhang knocked on the door and called her to eat, but she didn't say anything, as if her soul had left her body.
"Madam?" Zhang Ma called her again, and Yan Zuozuo finally came to her senses. She was stunned for a long time, as if she didn't know why Zhang Ma was here.
"Madam, it's time to eat," Zhang Ma repeated.
Yan Zuozuo shook her head: "I'm not hungry, I want to be alone."
Aunt Zhang sensed something was wrong with her and said worriedly, "Madam, are you alright? Even if you're not hungry, you have to think about the baby in your belly. The baby needs nutrition right now."
Yan Zuozuo lowered her eyes and glanced at her stomach. Yes, she wasn't alone now; she should also consider the two little ones. But she really couldn't eat anymore, so she said, "I'll eat later. Let me have some peace and quiet."
Zhang Ma wanted to say something, but seeing that Yan Zuozuo was in a bad mood, she went out first.
She had just come downstairs when she saw Chi Moqing rushing back. He glanced around the living room and, not seeing Yan Zuozuo, even forgetting to change his shoes, asked in a panic, "Where's Madam?"
Zhang Ma, puzzled, pointed to the study and said, "Madam seems to be in a bad mood."
Chi Moqing nodded and hurried to the study, his heart pounding with worry. Had she seen the video? Was she angry? He rushed upstairs, and behind him came Zhang Ma's voice, "Sir, I don't know what happened between you two, but pregnant women are always a bit more irritable. Don't be angry with your wife. She hasn't eaten much yet, and it's not easy for her to be so pregnant all by herself."
"It's my fault." After saying that, Chi Moqing quickly pushed open the door and saw Yan Zuozuo sitting there blankly, her eyes fixed on the video. His heart sank, unsure if she believed him.
Chi Moqing walked over, turned off the computer, squatted down in front of her, and reached out to touch her stomach, "Zuo Zuo..."
Yan Zuozuo was taken aback. She looked down at the man in front of her, trying hard to force a smile, but found that she couldn't manage it. She clenched her fists and remained silent.
Chi Moqing pulled her hand, made her let go, then kissed it on the lips and said softly, "I rushed back because I was worried you would misunderstand, Zuo Zuo, please give me a chance to explain."
Yan Zuozuo remained silent, biting her lip tightly as if she wanted to draw blood. Chi Moqing rose slightly, kissed her lips, and licked her teeth with his long tongue, saying gently, "Don't bite, it will hurt."
Yan Zuozuo lowered her eyes and after a while said, "What do you want to explain?" He really didn't come back last night, and his clothes still smelled of disinfectant. Was he going to tell her that he didn't go to the hospital?
Chi Moqing pursed his lips, lifted her chin, and asked, "Do you believe me?"
Yan Zuozuo smiled bitterly: "You ask this every time, but why does it always involve Cai Qingqing?" She shook her head, "I'm confused, I don't know, but sadly, my heart still wants me to believe you."
Chi Moqing stiffened, feeling a mix of heartache and relief. He hugged her. "I did go to the hospital with her, but those scenes in the bathroom weren't of me. There was absolutely nothing between us." He looked at her with clear eyes and said firmly, "Zuo Zuo, I will never betray you, never!"
Hearing his explanation, Yan Zuozuo knew she shouldn't believe him so easily, but she couldn't help but believe him anyway, her eyes full of grievance, "You didn't come back last night, and your clothes smelled of disinfectant."
Chi Moqing chuckled and pinched her nose, saying, "My wife has a talent for being a detective."
Yan Zuozuo pouted, "I'm so angry, and you're still making a scene. Chi Moqing, are you so sure I have no temper?"
"Silly girl, I wish you would call and yell at me the moment you see the video, instead of being here sad alone. It breaks my heart to see you not eating or drinking, so I'd rather you yell at me to your heart's content," Chi Moqing said, stroking her little face.
Yan Zuozuo hugged his waist and buried her face in his chest. "I won't scold you, and I won't be angry with you. If you really betray me, I'll take the child and run away from home. After what happened with Qi Jiahui, I know very well that if a man really wants to leave, nothing I do will make a difference."
Chi Moqing hugged her tenderly: "Eat something first, and I'll explain to you later, okay?"
As if reassured, Yan Zuozuo nodded. She knew that trust and communication were essential in a marriage, and she would believe him as long as his explanation was reasonable. But if he truly betrayed the family, she would leave without hesitation.