Plunder-Chapter 259: I Want to See You

However, the weather was not on her side.

Not long after Lin Youyou arrived, a light drizzle began to fall.

The rain was as thin as cow hair, covering the sky and the earth, and her slender body was drenched as she stood in the rain.

Director Huang was about to leave work when he happened upon Lin Youyou.

He frowned as he looked over this way, while she straightened her back, unmoved.

"Give her an umbrella."

He said to an aide beside him.

Soon, the aide, holding an umbrella, trotted over and handed it to Lin Youyou.

"Director Huang gives you this umbrella."

Lin Youyou didn’t glance aside; her eyes were fixed on the detention center’s gate.

"Thank you, I don’t need it."

She refused to take the umbrella.

Her hair was already wet from the rain, sticking to her scalp.

Her clothes were also soaked through, emphasizing her thin frame.

The aide returned to Director Huang with the umbrella, "Director, she says she doesn’t need it."

Director Huang sighed heavily.

He had a social engagement shortly, so he waved at the aide, the car window rolled up, and the car quickly drove into the rainy fog.

The engagement lasted until nine in the evening.

Having finished, Director Huang suddenly remembered there was something he hadn’t arranged, so he asked his driver to take him back.

On his way past the detention center, Lin Youyou was still there.

The light was dim, and the world was chaotic, yet she stood there like a stunningly calm apparition.

"Stop the car."

Director Huang got out of the car, took an umbrella from the aide, and walked towards Lin Youyou.

"Miss, the rain is getting heavy; you’ll harm your health if you keep standing in the rain like this."

He moved the umbrella over the top of Lin Youyou’s head.

Lin Youyou was expressionless; she didn’t even give Director Huang a glance.

"I’m fine."

Director Huang drew closer, and even with a bit of distance, he could feel Lin Youyou’s trembling.

"Then what can I do for you?"

Director Huang asked again.

Lin Youyou shook her head, "I must wait until he agrees to see me."

Director Huang’s expression darkened.

He instructed the aide to go inside and inquire, and soon after, the aide came back out.

He whispered into Director Huang’s ear, "We’ve notified him, but Cheng Lu refuses to meet her."

One wanted to meet, the other refused.

In the end, it was an encounter that never took place.

"Miss, why don’t you come back tomorrow?"

It was as if Lin Youyou didn’t hear him; she continued to stand there with a burning gaze.

Seeing that he couldn’t persuade her, Director Huang eventually left.

When he came out after finishing his work, Lin Youyou was still in the same pose as before.

This time, he didn’t approach her.

Instead, he called Zhou Jin’an.

"Director Zhou, that young lady has been waiting at the entrance of the detention center, wanting to see Assistant Cheng. I heard she’s been standing there since the afternoon and refuses to leave until she sees him."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Jin’an’s brows immediately knotted.

"Thanks, I’m heading there now."

After hanging up, he threw on his clothes and headed for the door, with Qiao En following right behind him.

"What is it?"

"Lin Youyou has been standing at the entrance to the detention center, apparently she’s been in the rain for most of the day, and Cheng Lu refuses to see her, so she’s not leaving."

Upon hearing this, Qiao En’s face changed drastically.

"Wait for me, I’ll come with you."

Zhou Jin’an then stopped in the entryway.

Indeed, it might be more appropriate for Qiao En to handle this than him.

Qiao En quickly changed, and together they left the house.

The rain grew heavier.

When the Maybach pulled up in front of the detention center, Qiao En was shocked.

Lin Youyou was standing in the rain, head uncovered.

"Quick, give me the umbrella."

She snatched the umbrella from Zhou Jin’an, flung the car door open, and scurried toward Lin Youyou.

The ground was already accumulating water, she ran slowly, one hand holding the umbrella, the other cradling her belly.

Raindrops splashed up like little water blossoms.

"Take it easy."

Zhou Jin’an quickly caught up, took the umbrella from Qiao En, and, with one arm around her shoulder, slowed her pace.

Soon, they reached Lin Youyou’s side.

Qiao En’s heart ached as she pulled Lin Youyou under the umbrella.

"Youyou, why are you so foolish?" Qiao En chided her.

She was soaked to the bone, like a drenched chicken.

"Come on, let’s go home."

Qiao En tried to take Lin Youyou away, but she refused to leave.

"Secretary Qiao, you go back, I’m not leaving."

She was stubborn, refusing to leave no matter what.

"Even if you keep waiting like this, he won’t meet you," Zhou Jin’an said, frowning.

He knew Cheng Lu well, he was a man of responsibility. If something had happened that night in the hotel, he would choose to bear it alone, rather than implicating anyone else.

"Even if he won’t meet, I’ll still wait," Lin Youyou stated stubbornly.

Qiao En looked to Zhou Jin’an and said, "You go tell Cheng Lu, if he doesn’t want Youyou to have an accident, it’s best he sees her right now."

Zhou Jin’an quickly ran towards the detention center entrance.

Since Lin Youyou refused to leave, Qiao En stood by her side, holding an umbrella over her.

"Secretary Qiao, you don’t need to get rained on for me. You guys can leave."

Lin Youyou said to Qiao En.

"It’s fine, I’ll stay with you."

Raindrops fell to the ground, pitter-pattering, as if expressing the heart’s mood to the earth.

The surroundings were extremely quiet, with only the sound of the pitter-pattering rain.

Zhou Jin’an entered the detention center, and the staff immediately went to inform others.

However, Cheng Lu’s response was the same: he wouldn’t see anyone.

He refused to see Lin Youyou, and he refused to see Zhou Jin’an as well.

When the staff relayed this message to Zhou Jin’an, he was furious.

"He’s really got some nerve!"

He pushed the staff away and strode inside.

The staff led him to a room, the door opened, and Zhou Jin’an burst in, without a word, grabbed Cheng Lu by his collar, and dragged him towards the exit.

"Director Zhou, please leave," Cheng Lu said, clutching the door frame, refusing to let go no matter what.

His whole body maintained a posture of resistance.

"She’s a pregnant woman who has been waiting from the afternoon until now, in such heavy rain. Do you want her to get drenched to death?" Zhou Jin’an roared.

A pained expression flashed across Cheng Lu’s eyes.

He lowered his eyelids and said, "Director Zhou, please take her away. In my current state, seeing her is just harming her. It’s my fault for what I’ve done; I should accept whatever punishment comes. It’s my own fate; I can’t involve her."

"I won’t help you relay the message; if you have something to say, say it yourself. You caused this mess, and now that she’s come from far away to find you, you’re dropping out. Cheng Lu, who do you think you are? Besides, this matter hasn’t been thoroughly investigated yet; who says you’re guilty?"

Cheng Lu didn’t speak, just hung his head low.

"Give me a straight answer, are you going to meet her or not?"

Zhou Jin’an started to pressure him to make a choice.

But Cheng Lu shook his head.

"Director Zhou, I know you mean well. It’s better to end it quickly rather than drag it out. It’s better if we don’t meet," he said as he broke free from Zhou Jin’an and went back to his own bed, then curled up on his side.

Seeing Cheng Lu like this, Zhou Jin’an had no more to say.

Storming out with raging fury, he left the detention center.

Outside the detention center entrance, Qiao En and Lin Youyou were still waiting expectantly.

Seeing Zhou Jin’an emerge, hope rose in both of their eyes.

"Did he agree?" Qiao En was the first to ask.

Zhou Jin’an’s deep gaze swept towards the frail girl, Lin Youyou. He felt both heartache and guilt. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"Miss Lin, I’m sorry. Cheng Lu, that blockhead, isn’t worth this. Let’s go; I’ll arrange for your return to Singapore."

"Let’s go back to the hotel first for a hot shower, then we’ll take you to the airport," Qiao En said softly.

A mist rose in Lin Youyou’s dull eyes, but she didn’t make a sound.

Qiao En reached to help her arm to leave, but she pulled her arm free.

"Director Zhou, Secretary Qiao, thank you. But this is an issue between me and Assistant Cheng. He might run from it, but I won’t. I must see him and hear the answer from his own mouth before I leave," Lin Youyou said.

Zhou Jin’an sighed deeply.

The most difficult thing in the world is to change oneself.

Cheng Lu’s choice was not wrong. It was manly.

Having made a mistake, he was willing to face the consequences.

Of course, he had thought about Lin Youyou’s well-being, but what he thought might not be what Lin Youyou wanted.

"Why must you force yourself?" he said in a low voice.

Lin Youyou didn’t respond, her gaze remained steadfastly fixed on the place.

Qiao En gave Zhou Jin’an a look, "You go back to the car first; I’ll talk to Youyou for a minute."

Only then did Zhou Jin’an turn to leave.

"Youyou, do you have to see him?" Qiao En asked again.

Lin Youyou nodded her head.

"Seeing him, getting the answer you want, you’ll leave?"

"Yes."

Lin Youyou nodded again.

"In that case, I’ll accompany you inside now. If he won’t see you, then we’ll go to him."

The determined and resolute Qiao En was back.

She linked arms with Lin Youyou, and the two of them took small steps towards the detention center entrance.

Zhou Jin’an had anticipated Qiao En would do this, so he called Director Huang.

Arrangements were made quickly on the other end.

Someone met them at the entrance, and following that, Qiao En and Lin Youyou were led by the staff straight to the cottage where Cheng Lu was staying.