Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Let each go their own way, without interfering with each other

It was a week later when news of Zhou Lin surfaced again. Cheng Zhiwei was accompanying Lin Yu at a beauty salon for treatments. She finished hers first and sat in the lobby, waiting for Lin Yu. As she unlocked her phone, a video popped up as the top news story. In the video, Zhou Lin was escorting Bai Zhuzhu into a car. It seemed to be a sneak shot, taken from a distance and a bit blurry, but Cheng Zhiwei recognized Zhou Lin at a glance.

She claimed to have let go, yet upon seeing such a video, she couldn’t help but watch it several times before quietly turning it off.

When Lin Yu came out, she touched Cheng Zhiwei’s cheek and said, "Weiwei, mom just made plans with a sister to go shopping. You go on home."

Cheng Zhiwei didn’t think too much of it. "Okay."

She had just gotten home when she received a call from Zhou Lin, asking her to come to the hospital immediately.

Cheng Zhiwei flatly refused.

Zhou Lin’s tone was somber, "Mom is here."

Lin Yu?

Cheng Zhiwei’s heart instantly seized up. What happened to Lin Yu?

She headed there right away.

When Cheng Zhiwei arrived, the atmosphere in the hospital room was tense. Lin Yu sat propped up in bed, pale-faced, while Zhou Lin stood beside her with his hands in his pockets, speaking sharply, "Mind your own business. Getting angry will only make you suffer."

Lin Yu, angered, pounded the bed rail. "Zhou Lin, last time I asked if you were willing to divorce, you said no. I thought you had some feelings for Zhiwei. But it’s only been a few days, and here you are, entangled with Bai Zhuzhu again. How embarrassing for Zhiwei."

After a few seconds, Zhou Lin responded, "This time, it was an accident."

Cheng Zhiwei heard him clearly, her mind swirling with mockery. Zhou Lin’s ’accident’ referred to being caught by the paparazzi, not the fact that he was openly with Bai Zhuzhu.

If there were no journalists in this world, he’d likely be even more ostentatious with Bai Zhuzhu.

"You..." Lin Yu felt a throbbing pain in her head, "Don’t you think you shouldn’t be associating with Bai Zhuzhu?"

"I have a clear conscience regarding her. Don’t listen to Cheng Zhiwei’s nonsense," Zhou Lin replied nonchalantly.

Cheng Zhiwei closed her eyes briefly, unable to listen anymore. She knocked and entered the room.

No sooner had the stern Lin Yu seen her than she adopted a look of grievance, "Zhiwei, you’re here."

Cheng Zhiwei approached and took Lin Yu’s hand, her gaze not straying to Zhou Lin even for a moment as she asked with concern, "Mom, didn’t you say you were going out with a sister? What happened?"

Lin Yu glared at Zhou Lin yet said to her, "Mom’s fine; just suddenly felt dizzy. Don’t worry."

Her demeanor was gentle, not wanting Cheng Zhiwei to be concerned.

"I’ll go see the doctor," Zhou Lin said, glancing at Cheng Zhiwei, "Cheng Zhiwei, come with me."

Cheng Zhiwei sensed he had something to say and followed him out.

In the hallway, Zhou Lin confronted her angrily, "Did you send the video to my mom?"

Cheng Zhiwei, clueless about what had transpired and faced with Zhou Lin’s stern questioning, promptly retorted with irritation, "Can’t you speak clearly when you’re a grown man?"

Zhou Lin narrowed his eyes, finding Cheng Zhiwei’s attitude increasingly obnoxious. Letting out a deep sigh, he said, "My mom went to see Bai Zhuzhu and is sending her abroad."

Cheng Zhiwei immediately grasped the situation. Lin Yu had gone to see Bai Zhuzhu and ended up in the hospital due to something Zhuzhu had said. And Zhou Lin suspected Cheng Zhiwei showed Lin Yu the video.

She raised an eyebrow sarcastically, "So, you didn’t take good care of your mistress, got caught on video and it went viral, and your mother ended up in the hospital because of it, yet now you think it’s my fault?"

Zhou Lin’s partiality was blatant.

Not wanting to argue there and concern Lin Yu, Zhou Lin said, "I’ve mentioned it before, find a way to get her to leave."

Lin Yu only listened to Cheng Zhiwei’s words, which really annoyed Zhou Lin.

Cheng Zhiwei clenched her fingers, Zhou Lin was almost ready to disown his family for Bai Zhuzhu. It was his mother who was hospitalized, yet all he could think about was getting Lin Yu to leave so he could date Bai Zhuzhu without any concerns.

Heartless.

"The problem lies with you, there’s nothing I can do."

Zhou Lin’s lips curled with indifference and a hint of impatience. "You’ve seen it yourself; if she gets too angry a few more times, her body won’t be able to take it."

Cheng Zhiwei scoffed, "I only learned today that you’re quite adept at manipulating people’s feelings."

Just on account of Lin Yu’s health, she couldn’t really just sit by and do nothing.

Zhou Lin had seized on this point, forcing her to step in.

Indeed, a businessman always puts interests first.

Cheng Zhiwei’s expression turned completely cold, "If you’re willing to sign, I can help."

"Divorce is out of the question." Zhou Lin’s answer remained the same.

Cheng Zhiwei lifted the corners of her lips slightly, much calmer than the other night, "Give me a reason."

Zhou Lin narrowed his eyes, observing Cheng Zhiwei silently. Compared to the obedient girl he remembered, Cheng Zhiwei had changed a lot. She had become aggressive and much more troublesome.

"Cheng Zhiwei, if you don’t agree, I can tell her that I haven’t domestically abused you, and everything is a lie you made up." Zhou Lin lowered his head, locking his gaze on Cheng Zhiwei’s clear face, his aggressive mockery spilling out.

Cheng Zhiwei was stunned, "Domestic abuse?"

When had she ever said anything about domestic abuse?

Zhou Lin let out a derisive laugh, thinking Cheng Zhiwei was deliberately playing innocent, his voice tinged with sarcasm, "Are you trying to say you never complained to them, telling them that I abused you at home?"

"No." Cheng Zhiwei calmed herself and quickly responded.

She had never done such a thing.

But Zhou Lin was determined to expose her alleged lies, saying coldly, "It was clear that you were injured in a car accident at the North-South Bridge, yet you deliberately misled them to believe it was domestic abuse by me. Cheng Zhiwei, don’t say you’ve forgotten."

Cheng Zhiwei was astonished; she was only aware of this misunderstanding today.

But she could swear, she had never falsely accused Zhou Lin to anyone.

Seeing she didn’t reply, Zhou Lin assumed she had no defense and felt even more disdainful towards Cheng Zhiwei, "I have evidence proving your injuries were caused by a car accident, Cheng Zhiwei, you better think carefully."

Cheng Zhiwei didn’t know how this misunderstanding had occurred, but she indeed never said such things. However, Zhou Lin was so certain that it was her doing, and he wouldn’t listen to explanations, which made her feel that arguing was simply a waste of breath.

She said lightly, "If you refuse to divorce, there’s nothing I can do about it, but let’s make an agreement."

Zhou Lin raised his eyebrows unexpectedly, "An agreement?"

"On paper, we are husband and wife, but privately we will live separate lives and not interfere with each other." This was the biggest concession Cheng Zhiwei could make. She wanted to pursue her own career and no longer be trapped by Zhou Lin’s side.

Zhou Lin’s misunderstanding had weary her heart, and she was tired of it.

"You and Bai Zhuzhu can do whatever you like, as long as you’re not caught by the media, and as long as your parents don’t find out," Cheng Zhiwei stated the final restriction in a clear and indifferent tone.

She really didn’t want to waste any more time on this heartless man.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read