Originally, she sensed something approaching and wanted to glance back.
But just then, Nangong Yehen in the swimming pool suddenly leaped out of the water, his entire body rising into the air before crashing heavily back down.
Chu Lingzhi’s heart tightened, thinking he was in danger.
Yet that guy, after plunging back into the water, continued diving and swimming, his movements just as flawlessly perfect as before.
After swimming a distance, he leaped out again like before, splashed back in, and resumed diving.
Seeing him so full of energy, what could possibly be wrong? And with Huo Luan sticking to him like superglue, what danger could he face?
She let out a breath, utterly speechless. “I can’t believe I was actually worrying about him, ah…”
A sharp pain shot through the back of her head. Her mouth opened, her eyes widened, and Chu Lingzhi’s thoughts came to a complete halt.
Her entire body froze in place—unable to move, unable to make a sound.
She only heard the white porcelain bowl clatter to the floor, followed by the sound of it shattering.
“Chu Lingzhi, go die!”
Seeing her standing there stiffly, Lin Ling, like a madwoman, grabbed her arm, yanked and shoved, slamming her head against the wall.
Her already aching skull took the impact, and after a jolt, the pain became even more intense.
Her body went limp, collapsing to sit against the wall.
Her mind went blank, and through a blur, she saw a figure moving before her.
Lin Ling was frantic. She fumbled to pull out the jewelry, taking only the pieces and leaving the boxes behind.
She stuffed all the jewelry into the pockets of her clothes.
She was wearing the estate’s maid uniform, which had pockets in both the top and pants.
After stuffing in about a dozen pieces, she fled in panic.
From start to finish, Chu Lingzhi didn’t make a sound.
Not because she didn’t want to, but because she couldn’t.
Her mind stopped working. After the blurry figure vanished, a scene appeared in her blank mind:
A woman clutching a baby fled in terror. As she dashed across the road, a speeding car slammed into her, sending her flying.
The airborne woman’s arms never loosened—she held the baby tightly, her body forming a graceful yet eerie arc through the air before crashing to the ground.
When the woman landed, darkness engulfed Chu Lingzhi’s vision.
Her once clear and bright eyes gradually grew hollow, as if covered by a thick layer of fog, losing their former luster, and slowly closed.
Blood from the left side of her injured head trickled down past her ear…
Lin Ling, leaving Chu Lingzhi’s room, forced herself to stay calm. Though there were many pieces of jewelry, the pockets were large and not conspicuous.
On the stairs, she met a maid cleaning. She put on a smile and, as she passed, made sure to say, “Miss Chu said she’s feeling a bit unwell. Her room can wait to be cleaned later. I’m going to make her something nice to eat.”
The cleaning maid suspected nothing and nodded. “Okay.”
Downstairs, Lin Ling grabbed her bag and pretended to go out to buy ingredients.
She concealed her inner panic well, so well that even the estate’s guards noticed nothing unusual.
Usually, servants coming and going were searched for dangerous items being brought into the estate.
But when leaving, there was no search. Lin Ling, carrying many pieces of jewelry, slipped out of Nangong Estate without issue.
Splash…
Nangong Yehen, who had been diving for over ten minutes, suddenly broke the surface.
His smooth hair was drenched, his bangs plastered messily across his forehead. Bare-chested, his skin glistened with water, wild and sensual.
Without using the handrails to leave the pool, he simply vaulted out of the water.