12: Please don't do bad things... Please...

Chen Mengyao's gaze shifted slightly downwards, and through the hazy moisture on her long eyelashes, she clearly saw what Lu Chen held in his hand.

It was precisely the contract she had been desperately searching for in the trash can!

She had clearly thrown it in the trash, so how could it be with him... As if her little secret had been seen through, a distinct blush rose on Chen Mengyao's pale, tender face, which had been chilled white.

She shook her head, pursed her cherry lips, and her guilty gaze shifted to the side as she feigned calmness and explained, "You're overthinking it. I was looking for something else, not this."

A certain thought had indeed crossed her mind.

But as long as she hadn't made that call, all of this would remain known only to her, not to others.

Yet now, she had been caught red-handed by the person involved. How could she possibly admit to such an embarrassing thing?

Especially since she was in such a disheveled state, it was even more impossible to admit it.

"Oh?"

Lu Chen raised an eyebrow, looking at the stubborn young woman before him with interest, and his lips curved into a faint smile as he said, "Then what were you looking for?"

Chen Mengyao's face grew even redder, but she still stubbornly retorted, "I... I..."

She stammered for a long time before saying, "What I'm looking for is none of your business."

"Oh? It seems I really misunderstood you." Lu Chen smiled faintly, showing a look of realization, and then tore the contract in his hand in half.

"Since you weren't looking for this, then it has no reason to exist."

Chen Mengyao froze slightly. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something.

But meeting his utterly dark eyes, all her words caught in her throat, unable to come out. Even her breathing seemed to stop.

Lu Chen's expression was too calm.

So calm that it seemed to carry a hint of pity and mockery. Even his dark, deep eyes flowed with indifference, completely disregarding her embarrassment and panic.

In his eyes, she seemed to be nothing more than a lowly, insignificant ant, not worth mentioning at all.

"Thank you for holding the umbrella for me."

Chen Mengyao's mind was in a mess. She haphazardly wiped the water from her face, took a deep breath, and slowly stood up.

"If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving now."

She turned around, picked up her umbrella, and without looking back, plunged into the rain, heading towards the bus stop.

Her mother's surgery had just finished, and Xiao Ning hadn't eaten yet. She couldn't be away for too long.

However, before she had taken two steps, a long, slender hand suddenly grabbed her arm.

A familiar yet strange masculine Qi rushed over, and Chen Mengyao's body stiffened. She subconsciously struggled, "Let go of me!"

Lu Chen smiled. He glanced at Chen Mengyao indifferently, then suddenly leaned in a little closer and whispered,

"You look too disheveled like this. You'll need to tidy up before going to the hospital, won't you?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Mengyao's face stiffened abruptly.

"How did you know?"

Chen Mengyao's beautiful eyes widened in panic. She instinctively retreated, trying to put distance between them.

Lu Chen did not forcibly hold her.

Instead, he released his hand with the momentum.

Chen Mengyao, who had been struggling with all her might, lost her footing and sat down hard on the grass.

Pain instantly shot to her head. She couldn't help but gasp, her delicate willow-leaf eyebrows furrowed, looking utterly pitiful.

"You... you're bullying me!" Chen Mengyao clutched her sore backside, glaring at Lu Chen with a mix of grievance and anger, her eyes welling up with glistening tears.

Lu Chen chuckled. He leaned down and looked at Chen Mengyao from above, his tone carrying a hint of teasing and playfulness:

"When your mother wakes up and sees you in this disheveled state, she'll probably be heartbroken, won't she?"

Chen Mengyao ignored the pain in her backside and the urge to continue accusing Lu Chen of his misdeeds, asking nervously, "Who... who told you?"

If her whereabouts were firmly grasped by Lu Chen, that would be a terrifying thing.

Lu Chen shrugged and said indifferently, "The hospital you went to has my shares."

Chen Mengyao: "..."

"Perhaps the operating room where your mother is currently staying was even built with my investment."

He added casually, a faint smile on his lips.

Upon hearing this, Chen Mengyao's heart trembled violently.

Every word Lu Chen spoke seemed to challenge the most fragile nerves in Chen Mengyao's heart.

"Don't... don't do anything bad... please..."

Chen Mengyao's voice carried a hint of pleading. She tried hard to maintain her composure, but her slightly trembling delicate body still betrayed her fear.

Lu Chen looked at her tense body and pale face, a dark glint flashing in his eyes. His smile slowly receded, and his tone gradually turned cold:

"Do you think I would do such a thing?"

"I don't know..." Chen Mengyao's voice was very low, almost inaudible.

"Although I, Lu Chen, am not a true gentleman, I also disdain doing despicable things like sneaking around or backstabbing. So you can rest assured, your mother will not have any problems," Lu Chen said indifferently.

Hearing him say this, Chen Mengyao's suspended heart finally relaxed halfway.

"Actually, why bother? You probably haven't even read that contract yet. I guarantee there's nothing as despicable as you imagine inside."

Lu Chen sighed faintly, then bent down to pick up the umbrella that had fallen to the ground, handing it to her. His gentle voice carried a hint of concern:

"Let's go. I'll take you to get cleaned up first, and then I'll take you to the hospital."

Chen Mengyao bit her lip, gathering her courage to look at Lu Chen, her eyes filled with determination and stubbornness.

"Thank you, but you don't need to trouble yourself."

Lu Chen, without explanation, directly grabbed her slender wrist and pulled her up from the lawn.

His movements were rough and sudden, hurting Chen Mengyao's wrist.

But Chen Mengyao gritted her teeth and didn't utter a sound.

"Let's go," Lu Chen said indifferently, walking straight towards the luxurious business car nearby.

His trip this time was relatively low-key. He hadn't driven a sports car or brought dozens of burly men, only a butler as a driver.

Chen Mengyao was forcibly pulled by her wrist by Lu Chen, and could only reluctantly follow behind him. Her eyelashes were lowered, concealing the complex emotions in her eyes.

Lu Chen opened the rear car door, motioning for Chen Mengyao to get in.

However, she stubbornly shook her head, standing still and refusing to move.

Lu Chen narrowed his eyes slightly, "Do you want me to carry you in?"

Chen Mengyao pursed her lips, lowered her head, and whispered, "I'm too dirty."

She had been rummaging through the trash can for a long time. Although she was very careful, she still got a lot of dirt on her.

Then she had sat down on the muddy grass, and her pants were filthy. She herself felt disgusted.

Lu Chen, however, smiled faintly, unconcerned, and said, "It's fine, get in."

Chen Mengyao hesitated for a moment, not speaking.

But to avoid Lu Chen actually carrying her in, she thought for a moment and still moved her straight, slender jade legs to get in.

As soon as she sat down, Lu Chen also got into the car, closed the door, and sat beside Chen Mengyao.

Chen Mengyao's delicate body instantly stiffened.

Although the car compartment was spacious and comfortable, with ample room, and the two of them occupied opposite sides with a gap in between, allowing them to completely avoid invading each other's space.

But Chen Mengyao still felt unsafe, a sudden inexplicable tension in her heart. She subconsciously pulled her legs in and moved to the right, creating some distance from Lu Chen.

At this moment, the butler had already started the car and quickly drove away from here...