Chapter 51: Sheng Yu is reporting to her

Not long after that rear-end collision occurred, the trending topics regarding Pei Ling and Zhu Yuan that had been hanging on the social media platform were suddenly removed.

Netizens didn't even have time to take screenshots before they could no longer find any trace of them, and none of the links would open.

Everyone knew it was the big shot behind the scenes who had taken action.

There was no doubt it was the Pei Family.

But the rumors still persisted among the crowd.

After the performance, Zhu Yuan went on stage for the curtain call and vaguely heard some discussions from the audience.

"Is she that woman of Second Master Pei?"

"She doesn't look like a well-behaved one, she looks so slutty."

"Heh, what's the difference between the theater circle and the entertainment industry? It's all the same cesspool, it would be strange if it were clean."

"She's pretty, but that face and figure are obviously done! Micro-done? How is that possible, I bet she's 60% done, full of artificiality, what a fake!"

"How does she dare? Lu Huaizhan's body isn't even cold yet and she's already hooked up with the Lu Family's enemy."

"Haven't you heard? Lu Huaizhan was secretly killed by her."

"Would the Lu Family let her off?"

"Why doesn't the Zhu Family do something? Even if she wasn't raised by them, it's the Zhu Family's face that's being lost. If it were me, I would have broken this daughter's legs long ago!"

"I heard the Zhu Family's business is getting worse and worse, could this matter be tacitly approved by the Zhu Family? Don't say, by sucking up to the Pei Family, where would the Zhu Family even need to do any business!"

Men and women, old and young, there were all kinds of voices, buzzing and chaotic as they entered her ears.

Zhu Yuan maintained her smile as she finished the curtain call.

After leaving the stage, she saw from afar the young girl who had told her about Li Sha's accident in the morning walking toward her.

Her name was Ji Xiang, and she was only eighteen.

Ji Xiang ran over in a few quick steps, her face full of worry, "Are you okay, Xiao Fengzheng? Don't listen to their nonsense, I believe you aren't that kind of person, and the Lu Family also believes you aren't that kind of person."

Zhu Yuan shook her head, "I'm fine, you just mentioned the Lu Family?"

"Yes!" Ji Xiang nodded, "I was scrolling through short videos and just happened to see the Lu Family's statement. Here, take a look for yourself."

As she spoke, she handed her phone to Zhu Yuan.

The Lu Family had indeed posted a handwritten statement, saying that Lu Huaizhan had passed away due to illness, which had nothing to do with Zhu Yuan, and that everyone in the Lu Family believed Zhu Yuan was not the kind of woman blinded by greed.

"This statement was even written by Lu Family Old Madam herself," Ji Xiang added.

Zhu Yuan stared at the screen, somewhat dazed.

That the Lu Family was willing to issue a statement for her was already enough to make her feel surprised.

To think it was written by Lu Laotaitai herself.

After Lu Huaizhan passed away, Lu Laotaitai's attitude toward her had been noticeably cold.

Not long after Lu Huaizhan's funeral, she had her luggage packed and sent back to the Zhu Family, and when she went to pay her respects to the Old Madam on Lu Huaizhan's birthday, the Old Madam's attitude had also been very perfunctory.

The first half of the statement was enough to clear part of her reputation, but the second half had a strong sense of standing up for her.

Zhu Yuan called the Lu Mansion, and the housekeeper answered the phone.

"Miss Zhu, the Old Madam is not taking any calls these two days."

After hanging up, Zhu Yuan was completely baffled.

She thought about visiting in person to express her gratitude when she had no performances in a couple of days.

After removing her makeup and changing her clothes, Zhu Yuan set off for the hospital.

Her grandfather needed to recuperate in the hospital for a long time, and she basically ran between the hospital and the theater troupe every day now.

At night, after Zhu Qi fell asleep, Zhu Yuan was also preparing to wash up and sleep when her phone suddenly rang.

The screen displayed a number without a contact name.

Remembering what happened in the lounge that morning, Zhu Yuan felt a surge of panic; it was as if the man's heavy breathing and that sticky, entangling sound were still in her ears.

She wanted to pretend she was asleep and hadn't heard the phone ringing.

After the call ended automatically, a text message popped up the next second.

【If you dare to pretend to be asleep and ignore me, I will come upstairs and grab you myself.】

Through the screen, she could almost hear the man's tone—careless yet full of intimidation when he threatened someone.

Zhu Yuan took a deep breath.

Worried that his patience was limited and he would come upstairs to grab her, Zhu Yuan hurriedly threw a coat over her turtleneck sweater and rushed downstairs.

Beside the quiet road at the back entrance of the hospital, a black sedan was parked silently.

Sheng Yu looked slowly toward the back entrance, his hand holding a cigarette pausing.

It was late at night with heavy dew; the woman was wearing a white turtleneck sweater with a beige hooded jacket over it. She was likely preparing to wash up, her hair tied in a high ponytail, and as she ran over, the ponytail swayed gently.

Lively and spirited.

Like a college student.

But she was only twenty-two.

A flower-like age.

Sheng Yu squinted his eyes and took a drag of his cigarette, one hand resting casually on the car window, his gaze deep as he looked at her without restraint.

Zhu Yuan saw Sheng Yu's car from afar.

Through the half-lowered window, Sheng Yu's superior bone structure and cold, stern face were revealed. When he stared at someone, the intense sense of aggression made her legs go weak before she even got close.

Only, when she saw the gauze on the man's forehead, she was stunned for a moment.

Was he injured?

"Get in the car." The man stubbed out his cigarette as she approached.

Thinking of the scene that happened in the morning, Zhu Yuan didn't dare to get in easily, afraid that once she did, she wouldn't be able to escape. She hesitated and said, "It's too late, I have to go back to sleep. Do you need something from me?"

Sheng Yu did not speak.

Situ got out of the car and opened the door, "Miss Zhu, get in."

Zhu Yuan glanced at the man sitting with a languid posture inside the car and could not bring herself to take a step, until Situ whispered a reminder: "If you stand here for too long, it will easily arouse suspicion. Are you not afraid of ending up on the trending searches again?"

Sure enough, Situ had grasped her weak point, and she hurriedly ducked into the car.

The moment the car door closed, Zhu Yuan felt her body tighten as she was pulled into an embrace.

Sheng Yu controlled her waist with one hand and pinched her chin with the other, his gaze sweeping across her face.

"Sleeping so early, did you not sleep well last night?"

Zhu Yuan met the man's deep gaze, her breath hitching, and she nodded haphazardly, "I didn't sleep very well."

"Did you have a nightmare?"

Since the conversation had reached this point, Zhu Yuan had no choice but to follow up, "It seems I did have a nightmare."

Sheng Yu chuckled, thinking of her opening her sleepy eyes early this morning and, upon seeing him, muttering, "I had a nightmare," and asked, "What did you dream about?"

The man's voice was low and slow, deep and magnetic; Zhu Yuan's heartbeat trembled uncontrollably, bewitched by this sound.

"Just the usual nightmare, it often makes it hard for me to sleep well."

"You often have that kind of nightmare?" The tail end of Sheng Yu's voice seemed to carry a hint of a smile, as if he were no longer angry about her biting his finger.

Zhu Yuan wanted to break free from him, but her chin was pinched tightly; just as Zhu Yuan thought another entanglement of lips and tongues was unavoidable, the man spoke in a low voice.

"I am going abroad on a business trip for a few days tomorrow."

Zhu Yuan was slightly stunned.

Did he mean to report his whereabouts to her?

Sensing that she was distracted, Sheng Yu was somewhat displeased, "Did you hear me?"

Zhu Yuan nodded, and the hand the man used to pinch her chin tightened, "Nothing to say to me?"

Zhu Yuan thought for a moment and shook her head, saying, "No."

Who would have thought that Sheng Yu's face would suddenly turn cold.