Leaning against the wall, Jiang Xiaofen tried to calm her emotions.
It was all just Li Tian's prank! There was no need to be afraid, no need at all...
Chu Chu, puzzled by her mother's odd behavior, asked worriedly, "Mom, what's wrong with you?"
Of course, Jiang Xiaofen couldn't tell her the truth. She forced a smile and said, "Nothing, I'm just a bit tired."
After saying this, she patted her daughter's arm and led the way out of the office building.
Chu Chu, sitting in the passenger seat, watched her mother mistakenly insert the car key several times, frowning, "Mom, should we ask Brother Xiao Ma to take us home?"
Jiang Xiaofen closed her eyes and exhaled deeply, "No need. I just need a good night's sleep."
With that, she started the car, turned around, and headed towards the parking lot exit.
"Mom, when is Dad coming back? You look so tired without him here," Chu Chu said, feeling sorry for her mother's weary state.
"In a couple of days, he'll be back soon. I'm fine," Jiang Xiaofen replied while steering the wheel.
Mentioning her husband, Chu Xuelin, brought a bit of relief to her heart. It felt as if he were a superhero; his presence alone seemed to solve all problems...
Her mind was occupied with the images of two men: the childish Li Tian and the calm and wise Chu Xuelin.
She couldn't deny her affection for Li Tian. During their time together, they had sworn eternal love. However, everything changed when Chu Xuelin entered her life. Although not as business-savvy as Li Tian, Chu Xuelin possessed a masculinity and calm intelligence that Li Tian lacked. Chu Xuelin's embrace felt safe and comfortable, like a harbor. What woman wouldn't like such a man? Ultimately, she was completely conquered by Chu Xuelin, falling deeply in love and casting aside all moral considerations. She complied with his every wish, even betraying and framing Li Tian at his behest...
Chu Xuelin never disappointed her. This strong man always dealt with crises calmly and shrewdly.
In Jiang Xiaofen's heart, Chu Xuelin was omnipotent...
Chu, come back soon... she thought to herself.
As she approached the intersection, lost in thought and turning the steering wheel, she felt something was off with the car. The steering wheel's sensitivity decreased significantly, and the car skidded sideways. She heard a faint noise from the tires and the car tilted to the left... a flat tire!
She stopped the car and checked the left rear tire, finding it completely deflated.
"What bad luck!" Chu Chu complained, "What do we do now?"
"Give me the phone. Let's call the repair shop," Jiang Xiaofen said, kicking the tire in frustration.
The repair service arrived quickly. Within minutes of calling, the mechanic extracted a long screw from the tire...
It was past 10:30 pm when they left the repair shop. Chu Chu was already asleep in the back seat.
The streets were empty. Jiang Xiaofen sped up, eager to get home for a hot bath and rest.
As they approached their villa, she could see the dim lights at the gate. The lights, though not bright, felt endlessly warm to her.
"Chu Chu? Chu Chu! Wake up, we're home!" she called. Chu Chu lazily responded, rubbing her eyes. "Are we home?"
"Just about! Go back to bed when we're inside."
As they neared the villa gate, Chu Chu suddenly screamed in horror, pointing ahead and trembling.
Reacting instinctively, Jiang Xiaofen braked hard and looked in the direction Chu Chu was pointing.
She screamed at the sight before them: a person was hanging from a tree just meters ahead, swaying in the night wind like the pendulum of death!
Their villa, chosen for its quiet and fresh air, was in the most remote part of Binbei City, surrounded by trees and fields, hence the deserted streets.
The night felt eerily silent and terrifying!
Jiang Xiaofen and her daughter clung to each other, trembling uncontrollably like leaves in a storm.
"Mom... what... what do we do?" Chu Chu stuttered, her teeth chattering.
"I need to check... stay in the car!"
The words 'hanged ghost', 'death', 'choosing death' flashed in Jiang Xiaofen's mind. Despite her overwhelming fear, she decided to check if the person was Li Tian.
"Mom, he... he looks dead! Let's just call the police!" Chu Chu cried, reaching for her phone.
"No! Don't call the police!" Jiang Xiaofen grabbed the phone, insisting, "I'll just take a quick look, then we'll pretend we saw nothing and go home!"
With that, she grabbed a flashlight from the car, bolstering her courage as she approached the hanging figure.
Close enough, she shone the flashlight on the person's face.
The face was grotesquely twisted, eyes bulging, tongue lolling, the skin deathly pale.
It was Li Tian!
Jiang Xiaofen clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle her cries, running back to the car and speeding off.
They reached the villa gate quickly. She grabbed the keys and jumped out, heading towards the gate...
"Mom! Mom!" Chu Chu's shout from the car stopped her.
"Mom! He's gone! The man's gone!"
Jiang Xiaofen turned in surprise, and sure enough, where Li Tian's body had been hanging was now empty.