Disabled Childhood Sweetheart: A Humble Puppy Begs for the Young Lady's Pity

Zhou Jingchen stood downstairs for a long time, occasionally catching glimpses of the graceful figure moving behind the curtains.

He stared at the dark window for a long time after the bedroom light was completely turned off before turning around and getting back into the car.

He really wanted a cigarette. Except for necessary social occasions or when he was in a really bad mood, he almost never smoked.

At this moment, I need that bitter, choking sensation to suppress the anxiety and dull pain surging in my heart.

He rummaged around in the car for a long time and only found an empty cigarette box.

Zhou Jingchen rubbed his face dejectedly and sat alone on the cold leather chair all night.

He started the car before dawn and drove out of the residential area silently.

-

Wenxi had insomnia last night, and when she woke up this morning, there was a faint dark circle under her eyes.

The bedroom was a mess. White lace lingerie was draped over the back of a chair, and cosmetics and changes of clothes were scattered all over the table and carpet.

The house is messy, but not dirty. Wenxi takes time every week to clean it thoroughly.

She's just naturally bad at organizing and tidying up. In the past, her mother or someone else would take care of these things for her; she couldn't even fold her blankets neatly. These past few years, busy making a living, leaving early and returning late, she's had even less energy for housework.

She rubbed her sleepy, pretty almond-shaped eyes and curled up in the messy bedding, lost in thought for a while.

Get up, we're going to the hospital to see Mom today.

The winter quilt was like a magnet; she lingered for a long time before finally getting out of bed.

She slowly moved to the window and gently lifted a corner of the curtain with her fingertips. The car downstairs was gone.

Her long, curled eyelashes trembled. Wenxi stared blankly at the empty space for a moment, a mix of emotions welling up inside her.

She should be glad he left. Yes, she should be glad. The two of them should never cross paths again; she didn't want to see him.

Wenxi walked to the mirror, applied some foundation to cover the dark circles under her eyes, and simply drew her eyebrows and applied lip gloss.

The noodles and instant food in the kitchen were still there, but she was too lazy to move. She grabbed a piece of bread that had dried out on the table, took a couple of bites, slipped on her shoes, picked up her bag, and hurried downstairs.

The hospital where my mother is staying is not far away; you can get there directly by taking bus number 102.

Today is New Year's Eve. I spent the day at the hospital with my mom, and tonight I have to rush to the Nightfall Bar to dance. The venue is packed on New Year's Eve, I have to dance twice as much as usual, and I can earn more money too.

Steam rose from the manhole covers on the road. In the freezing cold, the bus moved slowly, stopping and starting. All the passengers were wrapped in thick, dark coats, silently getting on and off.

No one noticed that a discreet black sedan was following the bus at a respectable distance.

The bus stopped in front of the Third People's Hospital of Linshen City, and Wenxi got off and went straight to the inpatient department.

The regular ward has three beds. When Wenxi arrived, the family of the patient in the next room was the first to see her and greeted her with a smile: "You've come to see your mother!"

When Xiang Qin, a middle-aged woman who was also undergoing breast surgery, was first admitted to the hospital, the other party kept praising Wen Xi for her beauty and even wanted to introduce her to their nephew.

"Mmm," Wenxi replied with a sweet, soft smile.

Xiang Qin looked much better, and her surgical wound was healing well. When she saw her daughter, she immediately waved to her and asked her to sit on the stool by the bed.

She looked her daughter over carefully and noticed she was only wearing a white wool coat. Her brow furrowed slightly. "Why are you dressed so lightly?"

"It's not thin at all; I'm wearing thermal underwear and a sweater underneath." Wenxi smiled and lifted the hem of her coat to show her.

"Your hands are so cold..." Xiang Qin took her hand and rubbed it repeatedly in her palm.

Wenxi opened the pastries she had bought and handed them over, then poured a cup of hot water and set it aside to cool.

"How have things been between you and Xiang Lin lately?" Xiang Qin asked casually, picking up a piece of pastry.

"It's fine."

"Have we met these past few days?" Xiang Qin asked casually, taking a bite of her pastry.

"Yes, we've met. We had dinner together the day before yesterday," Wenxi replied casually as she tidied the bags on the table.

Xiang Qin's hand suddenly trembled, and crumbs of pastry fell onto the bed.

She pursed her lips, frantically brushed away the debris with her fingertips, and furrowed her brow.

Yesterday, I heard from a nurse that Song Xianglin went on a business trip to another city for a meeting a few days ago, and it only ended today.

The pastry in my mouth suddenly lost its sweetness.

Wenxi was completely unaware of this. She rarely contacted Song Xianglin unless there was something special going on, and she would never bother him easily.

"My dearest mother," she said, resting her chin on her hand, her bright eyes curving into crescents, "didn't your daughter's pastries taste good?"

"Delicious." Xiang Qin quickly concealed the emotions in her eyes, forcing a faint smile, but sighed silently in her heart.

-

Xingyao Technology Co., Ltd.

Zhou Jingchen has just finished a meeting with government leaders on the topic of the implementation and operation of the "Local Culture Zone" of Xinghe Forum.

Next year, the forum plans to launch a "Exploring Ancient Villages" section, which will publish village history, architectural stories, and folk customs to attract urban users to pay attention to traditional culture.

We will also plan online interactive activities to connect netizens and villagers and attract visitors to the ancient village.

This is considered the first attempt at digital promotion of cultural and tourism resources in China, and it is also the project that Zhou Jingchen is keeping a close eye on.

The meeting, which was originally expected to last three or four hours, ended hastily in less than two hours because he was distracted.

Back in his office, Zhou Jingchen rubbed his throbbing temples, his face extremely gloomy. Without even catching his breath, he immediately dialed Lin Xujie's number.

"Could you help me check Aunt Xiang and Uncle Wen's names in more detail? They're most likely in a city near Shenzhen. Check their addresses, business registrations, medical records, social insurance... check everything you can. There's bound to be some clues."

"You've really given me a huge workload."

"Thanks for your help, bro."

The call had barely ended when another call came in.

"Mr. Zhou, Miss Wen has gone to the Third Hospital."

Zhou Jingchen's brow twitched. "Wait there, don't lose me. I'll be right there." He grabbed his coat, picked up his car keys, and drove straight to the hospital.

A jumble of thoughts raced through his mind: Did she catch a cold yesterday? Or... is she sick and deliberately hiding it from him?

Panic, worry, and an inexplicable fear overwhelmed him like a tidal wave.

A layer of gloom hung over Zhou Jingchen's gentle and bright eyes.

......

Wenxi didn't stay in the hospital for long; she ran into Song Xianglin as she came out of the ward.

He was wearing a white lab coat with a dark gray overcoat over it. The moment his gentle eyes saw Wenxi, a smile immediately spread across them.

"It's New Year's Eve tonight, are you free to have dinner together?"

Wenxi shook her head: "I have a part-time job at night."

What time do you get off work? I'll come pick you up.

"It was very late, and I was dancing at a nightclub."

Song Xianglin was stunned for a second, but his expression quickly returned to calm. "Actually, you don't need to work so hard. It's okay to accept help from friends when appropriate."

Wenxi understood what he meant and smiled, "No need, I'm already very grateful for your help taking care of my mother at the hospital."

Knowing her personality, Xiang Lin didn't say anything more and chatted with her all the way as he saw her downstairs.

"What? You were on a business trip the past few days?" Wenxi's delicate eyebrows furrowed, and she said in annoyance, "Oh no, I just told my mom that I had a date with you for dinner the day before yesterday."

He smiled and apologized earnestly, "It was my fault. I'll definitely inform you of my itinerary next time."

Wenxi waved her hand: "Never mind, it's okay, my mom probably doesn't know."

As Zhou Jingchen's car stopped at the hospital entrance, he was about to open the door when he caught a glimpse of two well-matched figures walking side by side to the entrance.

He lit a cigarette and squinted as he watched the two of them.

Of course he recognized the man. During junior and senior high school, he would run into Song Xianglin every time he went to the countryside with the Wen family for summer vacation.

He ran with Wenxi across the fields, led Wenxi up trees and down to the river...

The thought of those scenes would fill Zhou Jingchen with irritation and a dark jealousy.

His eyes darkened, his lips tightened, and his gaze remained fixed on the two bodies that were very close together.

The two stopped by the roadside. Song Xianglin took off his gray overcoat and draped it over Wenxi, saying, "You're wearing too little."

Wenxi tried to decline, but he leaned down slightly, getting very close, and placed his hands on her shoulders. "It's too cold. Wear a down jacket next time. Don't sacrifice warmth for style."

Wenxi asked, "Then what are you going to do?"

"I still have clothes in my office."

"Okay." Wenxi didn't refuse anymore and simply put her arm in to put on the ill-fitting men's coat.

She was indeed a bit cold; she always made inaccurate predictions about the weather.

When she woke up this morning, she saw that the sun was shining brightly outside and it was a sunny day. She thought it wouldn't be too cold. She had thermal underwear and a sweater inside, and she could just put on a coat on top. But she didn't expect the cold wind to be so biting, seeping into every crevice of her clothes.

Song Xianglin had to rush back to his office, so the two exchanged a few pleasantries before waving goodbye.

Although Zhou Jingchen couldn't hear anything, he could see everything clearly. Years had passed, but his feelings for her had only grown stronger, and jealousy raged through his veins like a storm.

As a teenager, he was patient and just standing next to her, despite his crippled leg, made him happy. As an adult, he became greedy, kissing her and then doing some dirty and despicable things while she was asleep. Now, he's going crazy; just seeing her wearing someone else's clothes makes him want to pull her into his arms and crush her.

Wenxi pulled her coat tighter around herself, took out her phone, and sent Song Xianglin a message: "Thanks, I'll return the coat next time."

Putting her phone away, she was about to walk towards the bus stop when a familiar black Land Rover suddenly appeared in her line of sight.

Wenxi's pupils contracted sharply, and he stopped in his tracks, frozen in place.

The car door slammed shut, and Zhou Jingchen strode toward her.

Wenxi was still a little unaccustomed to the way he walked. In her memory, Zhou Jingchen always used a cane, his steps were slower than normal, and he walked with a slight stagger.

But the man before me had broad shoulders and long legs, a steady yet sharp gait, and a cold and austere demeanor.

His face was still handsome, his eyebrows relaxed and his demeanor was dashing. He stood tall and proud, a stark contrast to the quiet, taciturn boy who always had his head down.

Wenxi's brow twitched, a hint of panic rising within her: Why did he come to the hospital? Did he find out something?

Probably not. Mom was registered for hospitalization under my aunt's name, Xiang Yun.

The man had thick, furrowed brows and a terribly gloomy face, as if someone owed him eight million.

Wenxi casually looked away, pretending not to see him, and continued walking towards the bus stop.

My mother just had surgery and will need to stay in the hospital for several months to recover. She will also need chemotherapy later on... If it weren't for my mother's surgery, she would never have set foot in this city.

If you can't escape it, then just ignore it.

Before he could take two steps, someone grabbed his arm. His voice was slightly husky: "What are you doing at the hospital?"

"Find a friend," Wenxi said coldly.

His voice was urgent, his chest heaving: "Looking for a boyfriend? Song Xianglin? Are you two dating?"

She abruptly shook off his hand, her almond-shaped eyes widening: "Don't touch me!"

Zhou Jingchen's gaze fell on her face.

Everything was dark last night, and only now can he truly see her clearly.

She has a classic sweet look: round almond-shaped eyes, a delicate nose, full lips that look like soft little jelly when coated with glossy lip gloss, and a smooth oval face with soft lines.

Her long hair had loose curls, and she wore light, sheer makeup. Her face was gentle yet charming and bright, making her look like an enticing little cake displayed in a dessert shop window.

Her eyebrows were raised, her almond eyes were wide open, and even her way of getting angry was exactly the same as before, vivid and bright.

Since she appeared yesterday, his heart has been in turmoil, rising and falling with her every move.

He hadn't seen her for seven years, and during those seven years he had searched all over the world for her, only to be met with a cold, indifferent face.

You're not allowed to touch it?

He insisted on touching it.

Why can others touch it but he can't?

He's already touched what he should and shouldn't have touched.

His leg has been healed, and he has worked hard to achieve success in his career. Doesn't he deserve to stand by her side?

The emotions suppressed for many years, like a balloon blown to its limit, were punctured by her indifference and aloofness during the day and night I saw her, and were on the verge of bursting at any moment.

He frowned, ignoring Wenxi's struggles, and dragged her to the side of the car. He reached out and stripped off her gray coat, then casually tossed it into the passenger seat.

A cold wind blew into her collar, and Wenxi shivered. She looked up and glared at him fiercely: "Zhou Jingchen, are you crazy?!"

"Yes, I am sick." His voice was hoarse, tinged with self-mockery. "Didn't you know that since you were little?"

He took off his black coat, grabbed her arms, and stuffed her inside.

The crisp, high-quality coat wrapped warmly around her, carrying the clean scent of pine that belongs to a mature man, as well as the lingering warmth of his body.

The coat reached her calves and was even larger than Song Xianglin's, making her look even more petite.

Wen Xi was so angry that she tried to take it off, but her wrist was firmly gripped by him, and she couldn't move.

"Are you two dating?" He frowned as he looked at her small, delicate face.

A surge of intense jealousy welled up in his throat, and he almost gritted his teeth. "You've been in contact with Song Xianglin all these years? You never contact me, but you've always kept in touch with him?"

"It's none of your business," Wenxi said stubbornly.

The person she hates most in the whole world is Zhou Jingchen, and she doesn't want to have anything to do with him anymore.

"None of my business?" Zhou Jingchen clenched his fists, took a step forward, and his tall figure brought a strong sense of oppression.

His voice was a suppressed roar, filled with the resentment of being abandoned for years; every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth.

"We grew up together, shared a room, slept in the same blanket, went to and from school together every day, ate together, and played together. I could tell what you wanted with just a glance. From childhood to adulthood, I've washed your underwear, and I personally cleaned the soiled sheets when you had your first period. Wenxi, how could you say that?"

Zhou Jingchen is usually quiet and reserved, and rarely says so much at once.

Wenxi was speechless, her cheeks flushed slightly as his blunt words stirred up memories. She turned her face away stubbornly, refusing to look at him, and said coldly, "Don't mention the past."

"Why can't I bring it up? You asked me to practice kissing, you kissed me on your own initiative, just like that, and then you didn't take responsibility. You cut off all contact for seven years, making me search the whole world for you. You can contact Song Xianglin, why don't you contact me? Is our relationship, which we spend every day together, not as good as your relationship with him?"

His eyes welled up with tears, his dark gaze fixed on her, his voice choked with emotion: "What am I to you? A dog you can play with and discard at will?"

Wenxi tilted her chin, her lips trembling, her voice icy: "Yes, in my eyes you're just a dog, I've never treated you like a human being. I can kiss you whenever I want, without any responsibility. I can leave whenever I want, without any explanation. Your purpose is just to play with me, to amuse me. When I'm tired of you, when I don't want to see you anymore, you can get lost, understand?"

She seemed to have reverted to her former haughty young lady demeanor, arrogant and haughty. She gently bit her lip, her beautiful face radiant and captivating, her sharp tongue uttering words more biting than the coldest wind.

Zhou Jingchen liked her like this. As long as she was willing to talk to him at length, that was good enough. Whether she scolded him or something, it was better than silence.

He understood her personality better than anyone else; her inherent pride and stubbornness often led her to say things she didn't mean.

She was deliberately trying to provoke him and make him stay away from her.

He won't fall for it.

"If it's your dog, then keep keeping it," he growled hoarsely.

His Adam's apple bobbed violently, and the red veins in his eyes almost seeped out.

"I've followed you around since I was a puppy, always there for you, always protecting you, always being bullied by you, always at your beck and call, always dismissed when you're happy, always holding my hand when you're not. You call me a dog, and I accept that. But what kind of owner abandons a dog for seven years? And then, after finally meeting again, you kick him out..."

"Wenxi, have some sense of responsibility."

The woman froze, staring at him with her red lips slightly parted, her mind a complete mess.

Zhou Jingchen clenched his fist, his dark, sharp eyes fixed on her:

"Eighteen out of ten things you told me yesterday were lies. Since you won't tell the truth, I'll find out for myself."

A cold wind carrying snowflakes howled past the two of them, the world both noisy and silent.

"And also," he leaned down slightly, his tall frame close to hers, his eyes half-closed, and he lovingly rubbed her reddened earlobe with his long, slender fingers, his voice low and husky:

"Sister, don't even think about escaping again."