Chapter 9 His face smells so bad

At eight o'clock that night, the "Social Hotline" column of Yuhe TV News Channel broadcast the second episode of the "rape case".

Zhu Shan did not work overtime and watched the entire program on TV. It was not much different from the sample clips she watched in advance.

After reading it, Zhu Shan checked the comments online.

Some of the comments were particularly unpleasant.

Sure enough, the direction of public opinion has changed. After all, such a reversal is what the public likes.

Zhu Shan felt heavy in her heart.

Judiciary has not yet decided, but public opinion has already convicted.

She went back to her room and played with her phone for a while, planning to go out to use the bathroom and then go to sleep.

Just as he opened the door, he met Ling Xiao.

He was wearing a well-fitting suit, and his tie was taken off and held casually in his hands, as if he had just returned.

Zhu Shan subconsciously retreated to the room and closed the door. Halfway through, she thought, why should she avoid him?

She was going to be stunned.

Zhu Shan pulled the door handle, shook the door twice more, and said to herself, "This door is a bit stuck."

Ling Xiao looked at her performance with a relaxed expression.

Zhu Shan raised her eyes and said calmly, "Ling Xiao, remember to let me know in advance next time you come back late."

"Um?"

"Influence me into locking the door."

After saying that, Zhu Shan walked boldly towards the bathroom without looking back.

She felt secretly happy.

This is called repaying the other person with his own way.

Zhu Shan didn't feel happy for long, and she felt guilty, fearing that Ling Xiao would embarrass her.

After all, no one has ever made Ling Xiao suffer a loss since he was a child.

But it turned out that Zhu Shan was overthinking, and Ling Xiao had no time to embarrass her.

Zhu Shan occasionally worked overtime, but she couldn't compare with Ling Xiao. His law firm was busier than she imagined, and he often didn't get home until late at night.

Therefore, the two have almost no interaction at home.

It's just that I can get a ride in the morning.

The conversation on the WeChat chat page between the two is also extremely simple.

Zhu Shan originally sent [Working overtime tonight]

Ling Xiao will also pronounce two words "overtime" when working overtime.

Later, Zhu Shan also learned from him and shortened it to two words, "work overtime"

Countless [overtime] are interspersed with some express pickup codes.

At this time, what Zhu Shan sent was [Brother Ling Xiao, help me pick it up]

Ling Xiao will reply with a meaningful [. 】

I can't tell what his attitude is.

But Zhu Shan didn't care. Ling Xiao could help pick up the express delivery, so she was already giving him extra points in her heart.

Zhu Shan buys many things online.

Most of them are small daily necessities.

For example, tissue boxes in the living room, small potted plants, small stools...

Kitchen aprons, air fryers and pots and pans…

There are also large items, such as storage racks.

For things like storage racks, online manufacturers only ship disassembled panels and parts, and you need to install them yourself.

During her free weekends, Zhu Shan moved things to the balcony of the living room, looking at the drawings and installation videos, pounding with a hammer, and tightening screws with a screwdriver.

The weather in Yuhe in late March has changed greatly. Last week I was wearing a down jacket, but this week I have taken off my sweater.

There is a slight sunshine and a slight cool breeze on the balcony.

Zhu Shan glanced at the dirty sweatshirt and pulled the sleeves to wipe the sweat from the bridge of her nose.

Then, she saw Ling Xiao, wearing clean light-colored home clothes and holding a water glass, standing leisurely in front of the cooking table and looking at her.

Zhu Shan thought he was not at home.

Zhu Shan had an idea and subconsciously picked up a hammer to hit it, muttering, "Oh, why is it so difficult?"

Ling Xiao turned a deaf ear and held the cooking table with one hand, pouring a glass of water slowly.

Zhu Shan picked up the screwdriver again and said with all her strength, "It's too tight. This is too difficult for a weak woman like me."

Ling Xiao raised his head to drink water. His Adam's apple slid a few times and he put down the water glass. He leaned sideways against the kitchen counter casually and took out his mobile phone to fiddle with it. It felt like he was out of sight but out of sight.

Zhu Shan gritted her teeth. What was she expecting?

She put all her strength into the hammer, trying to hammer the rubber buckle in.

Suddenly the phone vibrated and the installation video on the phone screen was interrupted.

It was the video call made by Ling Yue.

Zhu Shan tapped the screen with her fingertips, and Ling Yue's handsome face appeared instantly.

He said with a smile, "Page, what are you doing?"

Zhu Shan curled her lips, said nothing, and continued to swing the hammer.

Ling Yue blinked, "Are you demolishing your home? Won't my brother beat you up?"

Hearing this, Zhu Shan snorted coldly.

Ling Yue brought the topic back, "I have a holiday during Qingming Festival, and I will come back to Yuhe to play with you."

"Qingming Festival?" Zhu Shan finally responded.

She stopped what she was doing and counted the days. There were only a few days left.

Zhu Shan opened her mouth and leaned closer to the mobile phone camera, "Okay, let's go play the escape room then, okay? My colleague said it was fun, but I haven't played it yet."

"Okay." Ling Yue agreed with a hint of curiosity on his face, "What on earth are you doing?"

"I bought a storage rack online and am installing it."

Ling Yue said in a leisurely tone, "You let my brother do this, this is a man's business."

Zhu Shan raised her eyelashes and glanced at the leisurely man not far away, and her voice was a little louder, "So, this is a man's business?"

After saying that, she raised the hammer angrily and struck it hard.

With a scream of "Ah——", the hammer fell to the ground.

Zhu Shan's whole little face wrinkled together. She buried her waist with her hands in her hands, and her mouth was like clockwork, "It hurts, it hurts, it hurts -"

Ling Yue's anxious voice came from the mobile phone screen, "What's wrong? What's wrong? Did you knock on your hand?"

Zhu Shan had no time to talk to Ling Yue. She only felt the pain in her fingertips. They said that ten fingers are connected to the heart, which is true.

Ling Yue was extremely anxious on the other side of the camera and issued a series of soul questions.

"Paige, are you okay?"

"Does it matter?"

"Is my brother at home?"

"Do you want me to call an ambulance for you?"

Suddenly, Ling Yue's voice trembled and he called out unnaturally, "Brother."

Zhu Shan raised her head, tears welling up in her eyes.

She saw Ling Xiao kicking away a wooden board rudely, and then said to the phone camera, "Shut up."

Then, he raised his hand and hung up the video call.

Before Zhu Shan could react, Ling Xiao grabbed her left wrist.

She struggled subconsciously, "What are you doing?"

"do not move."

He frowned and said two words lightly, but Zhu Shan really didn't move.

What was hit was the index finger of his left hand. There was a trace of blood seeping out from between the nails and the fingertip was very red.

"Ling Xiao, it really hurts." The tears had not yet faded from her eyes, and she looked a little pitiful.

But Ling Xiao only glanced at her, grabbed her from the ground, walked to the living room, and lectured her, "You know it hurts, but you are still half-hearted?"

"..."

"It's not serious. I'm going to get the medicine kit."

Zhu Shan sat on the sofa, her fingers as stiff as chicken feet.

Ling Xiao brought the medicine box and as soon as he grabbed Zhu Shan's hand, she hissed in pain.

Ling Xiao raised his eyebrows and glanced at her, sighing and slowing down his movements.

He took a bottle of yellow spray and pressed the valve against her finger. The liquid immediately soaked into her fingertips, and then wiped off the excess liquid with a cotton swab.

Zhu Shan could no longer tell whether it was the original pain in her fingertips, the pain caused by the stimulation of the medicine, or the pain caused by the touch of the cotton swab.

Her whole hand was shaking.

She wanted to take her hand back, but Ling Xiao held her tightly.

Zhu Shan pursed her lips, "Be gentle."

Ling Xiao only responded with a "hmm".

Zhu Shan raised her eyes slightly and saw Ling Xiao's face close at hand.

The lights were not turned on in the living room, and the sunlight coming in from the balcony was enough to brighten the space.

His profile is sharp, his skin is delicate, and there are slight wrinkles between his sharp brows and eyes.

The shadow of the window frame was right on his face. If he moved slightly, the shadow would fold on the bridge of his nose.

Look at it this way...it looks pretty good.

Suddenly, Ling Xiao's cell phone rang.

Ling Xiao didn't take his eyes away from Zhu Shan's fingertips and said calmly, "Take it."

"???"

Zhu Shan was stunned for a moment, rolled her eyes because of his matter-of-fact tone, and then picked up Ling Xiao's cell phone with her right hand.

It was a video call from Ling's mother.

Zhu Shan licked her lips and pressed answer.

Ling's mother saw Zhu Shan opposite and asked with concern, "Shanshan, are you okay? I heard from Ling Yue that your hand was injured?"

Ling Yue is really...a big mouth.

Zhu Shan smiled bitterly, "Fortunately, it's not serious."

"Where's Ling Xiao?"

Zhu Shan controlled the phone with one hand and turned the camera to face Ling Xiao.

Before Ling Ma could speak, Ling Xiao spoke first, "It's my fault, I'm trying my best to make up for it."

Ling Ma's words of blame were blocked and she took a breath, "Take good care of Shanshan."

Ling Xiao wrapped Zhu Shan's hand with gauze, looked up at the camera, and said in an extremely perfunctory tone, "Okay."

Ling's mother nagged a few more words before hanging up the phone.

Zhu Shan injured her hand and was nestled on the sofa. The WeChat interface was a chat window with Ling Yue.

Ling Yue: [I told my mother, did my mother scold him? 】

Ling Yue: [Does his face smell bad? 】

Zhu Shan turned to look at the balcony.

Ling Xiao sat cross-legged among a pile of wooden boards. Behind him was the fierce sunlight, which illuminated him with fine gray particles surrounding him, like a filter.

He held the hammer in one hand and pressed the instruction manual on the ground with the other, looking grim.

Zhu Shan put her phone on her lap and typed with one hand: [Stinky! 】

"Zhu Shanshan!"

The sudden deep voice made Zhu Shan's phone slip from her lap in shock.

She turned her head to face Ling Xiao's disgusting face, "Huh?"

Ling Xiao lowered his voice, "Don't buy this kind of thing again!"

Zhu Shan, "..."

On the eve of Qingming Festival, Zhu Shan worked an overtime shift and it was almost early morning when she got home.

Her eyelids were twitching, she was holding the shoe cabinet with one hand and taking off her shoes with the other.

She was really sleepy. She didn't expect that a reporter's work would be so tedious and tiring.

It requires on-site interviews, writing after the interviews, and editing.

She was already too busy doing her job, let alone looking for that skinny journalist uncle from back then.

Zhu Shan had just changed into her slippers when she heard the door open.

She looked up and saw Ling Xiao walking out of the room.

He stared at her.

Zhu Shan frowned, "Is something wrong?"

"very tired?"

"Tired." Zhu Shan said in a bleak tone. She walked to the refrigerator and took out a can of raw coconut juice. "I went on an interview today and got carsick."

"Don't you think about changing your career?"

Zhu Shan glanced at him angrily, walked to the cooking table, opened the can, and replied seriously, "I won't consider it!"

After swallowing several mouthfuls of coconut water, Zhu Shan asked, "Why are you waiting for me?"

Ling Xiao didn't have a water glass in his hand, which meant he wasn't out to drink water. He was obviously waiting for him and had something to say.

Ling Xiao crossed his arms across his chest and leaned against the wall lazily, "Ling Yue's flight tomorrow morning, I'm going to pick him up and then go sweep his grave."

"Oh." There was no emotion on Zhu Shan's face. She replied calmly, "I won't go, I want to sleep."

On the first day after Zhu Shan returned to China, she had already visited her parents.

She still couldn't stop crying.

She didn't want to cry in front of Ling Xiao Lingyue, so she didn't want to go.

I thought Ling Xiao would make fun of him for having no conscience or being lazy, but he didn't say anything and went back to his room.

Zhu Shan looked up at the geometric chandelier in the kitchen, drank the coconut juice, and then returned to the room.

The next day, she was woken up by a phone call.

So when she got up, she was very angry and said in a bad tone, "Ling Yue, do you want to be beaten by me?"

"Don't sleep." Ling Yue urged with a loud and lively voice, "We are rushing back to the city from the cemetery. Didn't you say we were playing in a secret room? Send us the address."

Zhu Shan's head was groggy, "Okay, I'll send you the address right away. Get up right away."

After a pause, Zhu Shan became more awake. She noticed the word "we" in Ling Yue's mouth.

Zhu Shan opened her eyes, "Will Ling Xiao go too?"

Before Ling Yue returned, Zhu Shan complained in a tone full of disappointment, "No way? Will it be fun if he goes there?"

Ling Yue's coughing sound came from the receiver.

It was more like reminding Zhu Shan to be careful with what she said.

Zhu Shan didn't react for a moment, "Have you caught a cold?"

Then, Ling Xiao's warning and provocative voice came from the receiver, "Shanshan, do you want to be beaten by me?"

Zhu Shan was like a kitten whose tail had been stepped on. She immediately put aside her cell phone and got up from the bed. Then she panicked and turned off the call.

Zhu Shan took two minutes to wake up, then made an appointment online for the escape room, and then sent the address to Ling Yue.

She walked barefoot to the window and opened the curtains.

The sunlight poured in instantly, captivating Zhu Shan's eyes.

She got used to it for a while, stretched herself out, and spoke energetically, "It's another beautiful day."

The next second, she shrugged her shoulders, "If Ling Xiao doesn't beat me."