Plunder-Chapter 66 - Protect Me Indulge Her

Chapter 66: Chapter 66 Protect Me? Indulge Her?

Chapter 66 -66 Protect Me? Indulge Her?

Boyfriend?

Qiao En’s mind went blank. When had she acquired a boyfriend?

The first person she thought of was Zhou Jin’an.

But she knew him well; he wouldn’t pull off something so high-profile and romantic.

The bouquet was heavy, with at least 99 roses.

Qiao En was slender, and the large bouquet seemed to engulf her as she held it.

“Do you like it?”

From across the hall, Ding Hao approached Qiao En with a devilish smile.

The white lab coat he wore was so glaring that Qiao En couldn’t help but squint.

Spreading his arms, he said to Qiao En, “Welcome home!”

Quick to react, Qiao En executed a swift escape just as Ding Hao was about to embrace her, shoving the bouquet of roses into his arms instead.

“You bought this?”

“Don’t believe me?”

Ding Hao pulled out his phone and showed her the order, “Look, I’ve kept the purchase history!”

His smile curved upwards, revealing a hint of childlike pride.

“Thanks, but I’ll transfer you the money.”

Qiao En opened WeChat and sent a payment to Ding Hao.

She had no reason to accept a rose from him without merit.

“Qiao En, what do you mean by this?”

Just a second ago, Ding Hao was quite pleased with his actions.

But the next moment, his face fell.

Roses are supposed to be the ultimate trick to capturing a girl’s heart, and none of the people he’d sent them to before could refuse.

Could it be that Qiao En was so clueless?!

“Doctor Ding, I know it’s hard work doing the night shift, and I wouldn’t dare to let you spend so much.”

Qiao En said with a smile.

Ding Hao wasn’t appeased; he clutched the bouquet of roses and tried stuffing them back into Qiao En’s arms.

“I’m happy to!”

“I’m not.”

Qiao En was blunt.

Ding Hao was interested in her, but she was indifferent to him.

Being ordinary friends was fine, but advancing any further was impossible.

In matters of the opposite sex, Qiao En never liked to blur the lines.

“Qiao En, be my girlfriend.”

Ding Hao, holding the bouquet, suddenly dropped to one knee.

By the main entrance of the hospital, with people coming and going, Ding Hao, already noticeable in his white coat, now became the center of attention with his rose-bearing proposal.

He became the center of attention, and Qiao En was pushed into the eye of the storm.

“Together, together, together…”

The onlooking crowd started clapping in unison.

Qiao En felt like she was being roasted over a fire, awkwardly wishing for a hole to crawl into.

At the same time, Zhou Jin’an and Cheng Lu emerged from the elevator.

Zhou Jin’an kept his gaze straight, walking briskly.

Around the entrance of the hall, a crowd had gathered, making a racket.

Zhou Jin’an didn’t pay much mind, but Cheng Lu was drawn to the commotion.

She hadn’t realized what was happening until she got closer and was startled.

“Director Zhou, it’s Secretary Qiao.”

Zhou Jin’an narrowed his eyes and looked over to see Ding Hao on one knee with a big bunch of red roses confessing his affection, while Qiao En stood in the middle of the crowd.

“Together, together, together…”

The chants grew louder and more insistent.

“Doctor Ding, if you get up, I’ll take the flowers,” Qiao En said, attempting to extricate herself from the vortex of attention.

Ding Hao, however, entered a mode of haggling, “If you take the flowers, I’ll get up.”

Wanting to end the farce quickly, Qiao En relented.

She took the bouquet from Ding Hao’s arms, and a thunderous round of applause erupted from the surrounding crowd.

Ding Hao triumphed and suddenly swooped Qiao En up in his arms.

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“Oh—starting today, I’m officially a man with a girlfriend!”

Just then, Qiao En caught a glimpse of Zhou Jin’an outside the crowd.

He stood aloof, his eyes tightly furrowed like a pool of icy water.

The surroundings were noisy, yet Qiao En felt as if the entire world had become quiet.

“En’en, I love you.”

Ding Hao cupped Qiao En’s face, kissing her cheek passionately.

Somehow finding the strength, Qiao En pushed Ding Hao away with great force.

“I’m sorry.”

She fled in a panic.

She eventually did not take the bouquet of flowers, leaving it where it was.

But the scene of Ding Hao’s confession pierced like a thorn into Zhou Jin’an’s heart.

Two o’clock in the morning.

Qiao En’s father had fallen asleep, and while she was there to keep watch, she couldn’t sleep herself.

Every time she closed her eyes, the image of Zhou Jin’an appeared in her mind.

She desperately tried to dispel it, but it persisted, refusing to leave.

Later, Qiao En went downstairs to the small garden of the hospital.

But she could never have imagined that she would run into Zhou Jin’an there.

He stood before her, clad in black – shirt, pants, leather shoes; even his face and eyes were shrouded in darkness…

Qiao En was so startled to run into him that she stepped back.

“Feeling guilty?”

Zhou Jin’an spoke, his voice not loud, but heavy with tone.

One could tell, he was angry.

But what right did he have to be angry?

“If Mr. Zhou thinks I’m a thief, he can call the police and have them arrest me,” Qiao En said, her cool, watery eyes rising to meet Zhou Jin’an’s.

She was annoyed too, but she did not articulate it.

Their eyes locked in the dark night, probing, enduring.

The night breeze was gentle, stirring the loose hair on Qiao En’s forehead. She stood under the street lamp, the incandescent light casting a warm halo around her, but she seemed like a white rose with thorns.

Zhou Jin’an’s breathing was heavy, his hot breath floating in the air.

“Ding Hao is not suitable for you.”

As if he had been deliberating for a while, he finally spoke.

Was it advice or a command?

Qiao En could not quite tell.

She crossed her arms, a trace of coldness at her fingertips, “Whether he is suitable or not is my business, and it has nothing to do with Mr. Zhou.”

She expanded the distance between them again, insisting on stark clarity.

A flash of irritation appeared in Zhou Jin’an’s eyes.

“Are you still holding a grudge against me for not believing you back then?”

He reached out, grabbing Qiao En’s arm in one swift motion.

“How dare I?” Qiao En countered. She struggled, attempting to shake off Zhou Jin’an’s large hand.

But he tightened his grip and pulled Qiao En into his embrace.

“Let go!”

Qiao En fought like a wild horse; the more he confined her, the more fiercely she resisted.

“She is my mother; I can’t remain indifferent to her plight. With so many eyes on me, if I openly protected you, it would only bring harm to you. They dared to lay hands on my mother, they would definitely not hesitate to hurt you. Qiao En, some things are not as you think.”

Zhou Jin’an stopped short of saying more.

“How do I think?” Qiao En retorted.

“You know that these issues are related to the An siblings, yet you do nothing. Mr. Zhou, are you protecting me or indulging the villains?”

Her question was direct, cutting straight to the heart.

Zhou Jin’an was momentarily speechless; it was rare for Qiao En to be so confrontational.

“Now is not the time to punish them,” he finally responded after a long pause.

If now was not the time, then when would it be?

A cold smirk tugged at the corners of Qiao En’s lips; she pushed Zhou Jin’an away forcefully.

“I forgot, Mr. Zhou and Miss An already have a marriage arrangement. Why would Mr. Zhou bother with his fiancée’s wrongdoings? It was presumptuous of me.”

She took steps back, the smile on her lips like a dagger accurately stabbing at Zhou Jin’an’s heart.

The color in his eyes deepened, spreading like spilt ink on pure white rice paper.

Suddenly, he strode forward and pulled her into his arms.

Before she could resist, he seized her chin and fiercely kissed her lips.