C8 I'll Bring You Home!

Du Chen shoved his way through the crowd in the restaurant and stumbled out, Lin Ying'er's figure nowhere to be seen.

In a panic, he dialed Secretary Wang, "Check the surveillance around Xiuyu Restaurant. I need to know where my wife is. And get a car to pick me up, now!"

Secretary Wang had clocked out and was about to relax after a shower. But at her boss's command, she didn't dare delay or object. She threw on an oversized T-shirt and hurried over in her car.

Du Chen, appearing as if he'd had one too many, climbed into the vehicle and demanded, "What's the situation?"

Secretary Wang checked her phone and found a video just sent to her, footage from a roadside surveillance camera.

For someone with Du Chen's local clout, accessing these cameras was a breeze.

The video showed Zhao Sheng pestering Lin Ying'er, even attempting to coerce her into a hotel multiple times, until she finally slapped him.

Lin Ying'er seized the moment of Zhao Sheng's shock to make her getaway in her car.

Zhao Sheng then made a call. Whatever he said was unclear, but he soon departed.

Du Chen exhaled in relief, feeling a wave of heat wash over him. Glancing at Secretary Wang's pale, bare arms, he struggled to maintain his composure and abruptly requested, "Take me home!"

Secretary Wang nodded and sped toward Du Chen's residence. Her subtle, enticing scent filled the car, setting Du Chen's nerves on edge.

Several times, he nearly gave in to the urge to tear off that T-shirt.

He had to get home before he completely lost control.

But returning home wasn't particularly helpful for Du Chen; he hadn't laid a finger on Lin Ying'er in three years.

Before long, Du Chen arrived at his villa's entrance, declining Secretary Wang's offer of assistance, and staggered up to knock on the door.

To his surprise, Zhou Yali opened the door. Seeing Du Chen's flushed, swaying form, she sneered with utter contempt, "You pathetic loser, resorting to booze to solve your problems? Who are you trying to revolt by showing up like this? Just get out of my sight!"

"Mom, move aside, let me through." Du Chen was desperate to check if Lin Ying'er was inside, ignoring Zhou Yali's protests as he made his way in.

"You jerk, now you think you can just storm into my house? Get out!" Zhou Yali shoved Du Chen forcefully.

Overpowered by the effects of the drug, Du Chen's body failed him, and with that shove, he tumbled down the steps, his head splitting open.

Secretary Wang was just about to leave, but upon seeing Du Chen with a bloodied head, she let out a cry and bolted from the car.

Zhou Yali jumped at the commotion, but rather than show concern for Du Chen, she deflected any blame, "This has nothing to do with me. This good-for-nothing is trying to extort money. Du Chen, get up already!"

Cradling the injured Du Chen, Secretary Wang chastised Zhou Yali, her voice tinged with sympathy, "Can't you tell my boss is unwell? Why on earth did you push him?"

"Boss?" Zhou Yali blinked in confusion. "What boss?"

Just then, Lin Ying'er returned to find Du Chen on the ground and the striking Secretary Wang nearby. She asked uncertainly, "What's going on here?"

Seeing Lin Ying'er, Du Chen fought back his urges and gasped out, "Ying'er, don't trust Zhao Sheng. He's been deceiving you from the very start!"

Lin Ying'er's face flushed with embarrassment. Recalling Zhao Sheng's insistence on getting a room, she nodded with revulsion, "Yes, I've seen through his deceit. I won't associate with him anymore."

"What?!" Zhou Yali's anxiety spiked, "Ying'er, what are you saying? Why cut off contact with Zhao Sheng? He gave us three million and even reserved the Creekside Bistro to dine with you. What on earth are you thinking?"

Lin Ying'er shook her head, "The restaurant wasn't Zhao Sheng's doing. I'm not sure who's behind it. Du Chen, do you have any idea?"

"Is this Du Chen's doing?" Zhou Yali's voice soared with fury, "So it's you, you worthless fool, behind all this, isn't it? You've not only messed with my daughter but now you're trying to kill me too?"

"I'm warning you—if Zhao Sheng demands his money back and I end up saddled with a debt of hundreds of millions, I'll fight you tooth and nail!"

Du Chen tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come; the drug's effects were too potent.

Secretary Wang, clearly agitated, exclaimed, "What are you even talking about? My boss is the one who reserved that restaurant!"

Lin Ying'er was taken aback. "What?"

Zhou Yali sneered with contempt. "Ying'er, don't buy into their tall tales. If Du Chen were truly wealthy, wouldn't we have noticed after living with him for three years? It seems he realized he couldn't deceive us alone, so he roped in some woman to help with the charade. He probably picked her up from some cheap place. That's the sort they go for."

Secretary Wang was livid, trembling with anger and unable to utter a single word.

She couldn't fathom it—her boss was such a decent person, so how could her mother-in-law be so vile?

Du Chen, however, was accustomed to such treatment. Still, he was concerned that Lin Ying'er might also have the wrong idea about him. Unable to voice his thoughts, he could only plead with his eyes, hoping to convey his honesty.

Yet this only made Lin Ying'er more incredulous, especially after Du Chen's earnest confession before. She refused to believe she'd been duped by Zhao Sheng, only to be played by Du Chen as well.

"I'm going to call the owner of the Western restaurant right now. I truly hope it was you who booked the place for your confession. Even if you had to borrow the money or take out a high-interest loan, I'll help you pay it back, because that would show your heartfelt intentions!"

"But if it turns out you've lied to me, I'll be deeply disappointed—extremely disappointed!"

Lin Ying'er had collaborated with the management of Creekside Bistro on several occasions and had their number. "Hello, is this CEO Chen? I'd like to confirm whether someone named Du Chen booked your restaurant today?"

CEO Chen, already aware of the commotion at the restaurant and quite upset, responded promptly, "Du Chen? I don't know anyone by that name. The person who booked the restaurant today is our top boss. Please stop bothering me, or you'll leave me no choice but to be unpleasant!"

Click.

The call was abruptly ended.

Clearly, Du Chen wasn't the one who had reserved the restaurant.

And Lin Ying'er certainly didn't believe that Du Chen was the elusive owner of Creekside Bistro.

Lin Ying'er's complexion was ghostly white, her lips clenched tightly as she gazed at Du Chen with a quivering voice. "Is this how you play with my emotions?"

"Confessions? Feelings? It's all a sham. You're no different from that scoundrel Zhao Sheng, both of you only know how to lie to me. I never want to see you again!"

With those words, Lin Ying'er retreated to her room, tears cascading down her cheeks.

She couldn't believe Du Chen was truly wealthy; she suspected he was just like Zhao Sheng, using someone else's influence to deceive her.

Zhao Sheng had merely invited her to dinner, but Du Chen had plastered her photo all over the walls for the world to see.

By tomorrow, the whole city would likely know that she, Lin Ying'er, had been secretly flaunting a love that wasn't hers, turning herself into everyone's joke!

"Ying'er... it's not what you think..." Du Chen called out, struggling to explain.

"Out! My daughter has made it clear she doesn't want to see you again. You'll be getting a divorce tomorrow!" Zhou Yali was beside herself with excitement, brandishing a broom to chase away Du Chen and Secretary Wang, her voice booming.

She didn't care if the neighbors heard; to her, shedding such a disappointing son-in-law was cause for celebration.

Moreover, Zhou Yali had already made up her mind: once the divorce papers were in hand tomorrow, she would set up a date between Lin Ying'er and Zhao Sheng.

Du Chen was ushered into the car, the medication's effects overwhelming him. Clutching the seat, he implored Secretary Wang to drive him to the hospital.

But Secretary Wang grumbled, "Boss, if you don't want to go home, don't. My place is spacious enough. Come stay at mine for the night."

With that, they headed straight for Secretary Wang's bachelor pad.