Chapter 86: The Car Accident

"No!" Zhang Xiluo denied it and tried to walk past him.

Ouyang Chen blocked her path. "I can explain it to you. Zhang Xiluo, you can trust me."

Even when Ouyang Chen spoke, the words carried a chill of their own, the coldness of someone detached from everything, untouched by anything.

Zhang Xiluo suddenly did not know what to say. She could feel Ouyang Chen's unusual regard for her. In this life, he had not fallen in love with Zhou Yao; it seemed he had developed feelings for her instead.

But he was Li Mingye's childhood friend. They could never be.

"I understand. I don't want to drag you into this." Zhang Xiluo declined gently. "You don't need to do anything for me."

Ouyang Chen's gaze turned icy. He stared at her, and seeing how pale she looked, he did not continue the subject. "Go back and rest. I'll give you a ride since it's on the way."

Zhang Xiluo did not refuse. The two of them rode in silence all the way to her door, where Ouyang Chen left immediately.

Zhang's father and mother still had not returned. She called to ask about the situation, and they said they were still in a meeting and told her to eat something and get some rest.

She had little appetite. She went straight back to her room to lie down. Just as she was about to fall asleep, Lin Yiming called.

"Sis, are you free right now?" His voice was hurried. "I found something bad about you. I want to tell you."

"Zhou Yao's father is with the people who caused trouble at the shop." Worried that Zhang Xiluo might not understand, Lin Yiming added, "The ones who came asking me for money. They seemed very familiar with each other."

"I heard him say he was going after some woman. I don't know who it was... I'm worried it might be you, sis..."

"Send me the location." Zhang Xiluo got up, changed clothes, and drove out.

Half an hour later, she arrived in front of a run-down nightclub. Lin Yiming was already waiting there. When he saw Zhang Xiluo get out of the car, he took a cup of hot milk tea from inside his coat.

"It's cold. Warm your hands."

The milk tea still held Lin Yiming's warmth. Zhang Xiluo took it, drank a sip, and asked, "Thank you. Where are they?"

"They're in a private room on the first floor. It's too messy inside, so don't go in. Just wait here. I've followed him for several days. In a little while, he'll come out."

Lin Yiming was wearing a black down jacket, a white scarf, and a fluffy ear warmer. He took off the scarf and ear warmers and handed them to Zhang Xiluo.

She refused, but he simply reached out and put them on her.

"Sis, don't let yourself catch cold."

"Get in the car. It's warmer inside."

Zhang Xiluo told him to get in with her and wait. She turned on the heater, and the car slowly grew warm.

About half an hour later, Zhou Lixun and a few thugs came stumbling out of the nightclub. They were swaying drunkly, and when they reached the intersection, they split up.

Once the thugs had gone, Zhou Lixun stopped pretending immediately. He shook his head, took out a cigarette, and lit it. He was not drunk at all.

"Yao Yao, it's all taken care of. As soon as we get that woman's whereabouts, we'll grab her right away. Whether you want her photos or her life, just say the word." Zhou Lixun said smugly into the phone.

"Thanks, Dad. Once I marry Li Mingye, I'll set up a casino for you and let you have all the fun you want." Zhou Yao's venomous voice came through the receiver. "I want to make her wish she were dead. Better find a few beggars, preferably sick ones, and let them take good care of her."

Zhang Xiluo parked her car behind him and, through the crackling leak of his cheap phone, heard Zhou Yao's words clearly.

She could not help shivering. Zhou Yao's heart was far too cruel; the methods she used against her were vicious to the extreme.

If she really fell into Zhou Yao's hands, even death would be a luxury.

Since that was the case, she would cut off Zhou Yao's hopes once and for all.

Zhang Xiluo opened the car door and got out. "Zhou Lixun, I'm right here. Tell the people you've arranged to come and catch me."

Zhou Lixun jumped in fright. His phone slipped from his hand and hit the ground. He turned around and saw Zhang Xiluo and Lin Yiming.

"What are you doing here?!"

"Naturally, to catch you in the act." Lin Yiming hurried out of the car as well and stood beside Zhang Xiluo. "We recorded everything you just said. You can just wait for prison."

"You little punk, teaming up with her and still having the nerve to lecture me!" Zhou Lixun was panicking inside, but forced himself to remain calm. "Don't try to scare me. I'm not afraid."

"If you're not afraid, then let's find a place and make things clear." Zhang Xiluo raised her phone and recorded a video as evidence. "Come on. Let's talk. That's better than talking to the police."

"Dream on. I'm not going." Zhou Lixun shouted and turned to run, dashing toward the opposite side of the road. A car coming from the right raced straight at him and knocked him to the ground.

"Ah!" Zhang Xiluo cried out in shock. Blood spread across the pavement in an instant, and she could not help retching.

Ever since her miscarriage, she had been afraid of blood.

Lin Yiming quickly supported her, worried she might fall. "Are you okay, sis?"

Zhang Xiluo stood up and shook her head slightly. "I'm fine."

The driver had already called the police. Zhou Lixun looked badly injured. She did not dare look any longer and turned her head away.

"Sis, let's go." Lin Yiming picked up the phone from the ground. The call to Zhou Yao was still connected, so he hung up directly.

Zhang Xiluo did not move. She waited until Zhou Lixun had been carried onto the ambulance and confirmed that he was still alive before leaving.

She felt uneasy and leaned back in her seat.

"Sis, this has nothing to do with us," Lin Yiming said softly to comfort her. "It was an accident, and I've studied this before. Under these circumstances, we don't have to bear any responsibility."

Zhang Xiluo was not troubled by that. She knew enough about the law. What made her feel unwell was the accident scene itself. Seeing it with her own eyes had brought back the memories of what had happened to her back then.

She could not say any of this, so she only nodded and let Lin Yiming continue misunderstanding.

"Take me home, then drive my car back," Zhang Xiluo said weakly. She felt drained, her stomach churning nonstop, yet she could not throw up.

She feared this shadow over her heart would never truly leave.

When the car reached the entrance of Qin Garden, it was suddenly surrounded by a swarm of reporters. Her license plate was too conspicuous; they recognized it at a glance.

But what were all these reporters doing blocking her at Qin Garden in the middle of the night?

The divorce had already been made public. Wasn't it too late to come interviewing now?

Zhang Xiluo lowered the window slightly, and the reporters immediately surged forward, snapping photos of her and Lin Yiming. The flashes were so bright she could barely open her eyes.

"Miss Zhang, did you push Mrs. Zhou's father into the road out of jealousy? Do you know that is illegal?"

"Miss Zhang, what was the real reason you divorced Mr. Li?"

"Please answer us. Just give us an answer."

Zhang Xiluo shut the window, her expression dark. Zhou Yao had truly sunk to the lowest depths, exploiting Zhou Lixun's accident to win sympathy.

The reporters blocked her car and hammered on the window. Lin Yiming did not dare drive forward, so the car could only remain where it was.

It was the first time Lin Yiming had seen anything like this. He looked cautiously at Zhang Xiluo. "Sis, what should we do?"

"Step on the gas and sound the horn." A thread of coldness rose in Zhang Xiluo's eyes and brows. Zhou Yao's trick of spreading baseless accusations had gone too far.