Chapter 7: Questions?
Jiang Zhaoyang instructed him to lie flat, urging him to keep his breathing steady.
Then, casting a glance at the raging storm outside the window, Jiang Zhaoyang turned without hesitation and dashed out.
He bent down once more, struggling to squeeze into the somewhat cramped Passat.
The rain showed no sign of abating; if anything, it grew fiercer.
Carefully adjusting his posture, he wrapped his arms securely around the unconscious young woman.
Her face was pale and fragile.
A wave of pity stirred in his heart.
His movements became even gentler, fearful of causing any harm.
With great caution, Jiang Zhaoyang lifted the young woman out of the car.
Braving the tempest, he carried her back to the tin shack.
There, he carefully laid her on another bed.
Having done all this, Jiang Zhaoyang exhaled deeply.
He wiped the rain and sweat from his brow.
His gaze wandered unconsciously between the two lying there.
Back and forth it drifted.
Suddenly, a large question mark arose in his mind.
What was the relationship between these two?
Father and daughter?
A family outing?
If so, where was the mother?
It seemed impossible to simply categorize them as family.
Lovers?
The age gap was too great for that.
Jiang Zhaoyang began to scrutinize the man closely, seeking clues in the details.
The man was dressed with meticulous taste.
A costly watch on his wrist gleamed with a subdued glow in the dim room.
Judging by his appearance, he was either wealthy or noble.
Could he be a boss?
And the young woman his mistress?
Or perhaps, a more delicate possibility:
The man might be a high-ranking official.
And the woman, one of his subordinates.
In the game of power, she had become prey within his sphere of influence.
Tempted by various means, willingly becoming a pawn in his pursuit of power.
Or perhaps, the situation was entirely reversed.
This official was ensnared by the beauty and cunning of his female subordinate.
Ultimately trapped, unable to escape the web woven by desire.
The two had chosen to drive twenty miles out to a mountain resort on the weekend.
Merely to escape the secular world, to lose themselves in pleasure and delight?
This seemed highly likely.
After all, in this materialistic society, using authority to toy with women—or women willingly throwing themselves into such embraces to gain favor or status—is no longer a novelty.
Such speculation spread uncontrollably in his mind like wild grass in spring.
Jiang Zhaoyang’s gaze finally fixed on the endless curtain of rain outside.
His thoughts drifted with the sound of rain, returning to the innocence of his college days.
The image of Zhao Shan, a college classmate, unexpectedly intruded deep into his memory.
In his mind, she was always so dignified and poised, her manners elegant.
Like a pure white lotus untouched by dust.
Yet who could have imagined that such a seemingly immaculate woman harbored unspeakable secrets?
She was secretly kept by a real estate tycoon!
“Pah!” Jiang Zhaoyang spat disdainfully from the depths of his heart.
He inwardly scorned them.
His eyes of contempt swept over the couple lying on the bed.
Had he known it would be like this, why bother rescuing these morally bankrupt people?
At that moment, the man’s weak voice, as if from the distant horizon, came faintly.
His tone carried an irresistible plea: “Water... water, I need water!”
Jiang Zhaoyang looked over, irritation bubbling inside him. “Where on earth is there water in this tin shack?”
Yet the trembling hand pointed in a direction, “The car... there’s bottled water in the car!”
“Wait here!” Unable to refuse such a helpless request, Jiang Zhaoyang dashed out into the storm again.
The rain seemed to intensify, like the wrath of heaven pouring down.
The wind grew wilder, as if intent on swallowing the entire world.
Jiang Zhaoyang felt as if the merciless gale might sweep him up and fling him skyward.
He had to roll on the ground, skillfully moving toward the car.
But just as he neared it, a sudden violent gust lifted the car.
It plunged immediately.
With a few muffled gurgling sounds, the car sank beneath the lake’s surface.
Witnessing this, a wave of horror and dread surged within Jiang Zhaoyang.
Luckily, he had been a moment too late.
Otherwise, he would have sunk along with the car, buried in the mud.
No, more likely swallowed by the fish below.
Becoming a silent sacrifice in this tranquil, deep lake.
Jiang Zhaoyang returned empty-handed.
The man’s faint voice called out again, “Water... water, is it here?”
A nameless fury flared within Jiang Zhaoyang.
He snapped, “Your car’s at the bottom of the lake, and I almost joined it.”
Hearing this, the man’s head lolled to the side, unconscious once more.
Jiang Zhaoyang panicked.
He knew saving them was paramount.
He hurriedly pulled out his phone.
His fingers trembling slightly, he dialed emergency services, urgently reporting the situation.
After hanging up, he puzzled inwardly.
This man seemed more obsessed with money than health; fainting over a lost car?
Such a loss would be trivial to him.
But then again, perhaps his injuries were severe.
Uneasy, Jiang Zhaoyang bent down, touching the man’s nostrils.
Feeling the faint breath, he finally allowed himself some relief.
Soon after, the young beauty seemed to regain consciousness.
“Where... where am I? What happened to me?”
Her beautiful eyes were filled with confusion and panic.
Clearly, she had not fully recovered from the ordeal and suffered memory lapses.
She looked at Jiang Zhaoyang, astonished. “Who are you?”
“Why do you suddenly appear before me like this?”
Jiang Zhaoyang lifted the corner of his mouth, a playful yet meaningful smile tracing his lips.
“Who I am doesn’t matter.”
“I’m just a stranger.”
His tone bore a tinge of cynicism.
“If it weren’t for your car accident, we might never have crossed paths.”
His words seemed to unlock the floodgates of her memory.
A flicker of realization passed through her eyes.
She struggled upright, as if recalling something.
“You saved me?”
“What do you think?” He maintained his calm detachment.
“You’d better lie back down. Otherwise, a cerebral hemorrhage could be trouble!”
Jiang Zhaoyang said coldly, averting his gaze.
She looked at him, “Then you are my benefactor!”
Jiang Zhaoyang scoffed inwardly. We are not of the same kind.
Your benefactor?
How shameful!
Perhaps in pain, the beauty reclined again.
She fell silent.
Soon, the distant wail of an ambulance echoed faintly.