CHAPTER 278: LIKE SUCH A HEARTLESS WOMAN"_1

He’d thought it was romantic, worth a look.

It turned out to be three fools making a spectacle of themselves on the street.

A man like Zhou Luchen rarely had the leisure to pause and watch someone else’s marriage proposal.

The white Bentley finally stopped beside St. Bar Church on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue; the driver’s seat was empty.

Inside the church, Zhou Luchen’s hand rested on a thick black Bible, its cover adorned with a cross.

He was listening to the priest praying to God.

Lonely and indifferent, a foreign doctor sat beside him, unscrewing a medicine jar and giving him two fever-reducing pills to take with water.

The fever was severe: 40.2 degrees Celsius.

The doctor sighed and packed away the temperature sensor. He wondered how many days Zhou Luchen had been ill. He’d felt so unbearably hot that he’d soaked in ice water to cool off, only for his fever to spike as a result.

He was lucky to be God’s favorite; his life had been spared.

There he was, both sleepy and unable to sleep, needing to come to the church to listen to the scriptures to relieve his stress.

"Just how many misdeeds has the United Bank CEO committed to come to church seeking the Lord’s salvation?"

Zhou Luchen didn’t respond, silently taking his medicine.

The Lord really couldn’t redeem this one, the doctor thought, then asked again, "Haven’t you seen the news?"

After taking his medicine, Zhou Luchen tightened the cap and glanced over. "Something big?"

Any major international news affecting the economy would have been reported to Zhou Luchen by his assistant.

The doctor, busy organizing his medical kit, asked, "You don’t read the tabloids either?"

Decisively, Zhou Luchen withdrew his gaze and listened to the priest’s prayer.

New York’s tabloids reported whatever they pleased, never concerning themselves with facts.

As far as Zhou Luchen was concerned, he never cared about tabloid news.

The doctor said, "The feud between you and Zhou Zhengliang is such big news now that everyone knows. All the executives he appointed for you have been taken to Washington. Plus, there’s been a constant reshuffling of who’s managing the assets within the Zhou Family. Family members are flocking to your side, abandoning Zhou Zhengliang.

"The media can’t seem to find the real reason for the sudden fallout between you and your father, so they’ve shifted their focus to Joanna. She’s been hounded by reporters asking if your break with your father was because of her. The more Joanna denies it, the more the media suspects she’s deliberately hiding something."

Zhou Luchen’s tone turned icy. "Those stupid New York media outlets! To hell with their ’freedom’—freedom doesn’t mean spouting nonsense."

It was clear he was furious that the media had misattributed the cause of the father-son rift to a model.

"This is a Catholic church; show some civility," the doctor said slowly.

Since taking office as the CEO of United Bank, there hadn’t been much gossip about him. In the past few years, the media had only latched onto one model, Joanna. He had been willing to let Joanna get close and had treated her slightly better precisely because she was smart and knew her place, ensuring she wouldn’t cause him any trouble. That was why he’d never bothered with whatever the media reported. However, the New York media didn’t see it that way; they interpreted it as the United Bank CEO tacitly acknowledging the rumors. Now that he was at a prime age for marriage yet still single, the media were even more eager to dig for stories.

They had initially dug up that the United Bank CEO had a fiancée in his home country, but he had called off the engagement. When he did, Joanna had been by his side. The media reported on it at the time, but he never bothered to explain.

The doctor packed another dose of medicine. "For tomorrow morning."

Not a single page of the black Bible had been turned. Zhou Luchen tossed the mineral water bottle into the doctor’s arms and got up to leave.

"Where are you going?"

He didn’t even turn his head.

The doctor picked up the Bible and, carrying the medical kit, followed him. "This Bible is a rare edition; don’t just leave it here."

"The Lord has deceived me."

As Zhou Luchen started the engine, the black Bible was tossed into his passenger seat from outside the window. "And the medicine—"

"If your fever hasn’t broken by tomorrow, keep taking it!"

The white Bentley had already left Fifth Avenue.

The Bluetooth call was from Joanna. She was currently in France for a fashion show. Having gained considerable influence, she had fans worldwide, and any little rumor about her garnered widespread attention.

On the other end, Joanna said, "I’ve explained, but I’m very sorry. The media doesn’t quite believe it, and it’s caused you trouble."

Zhou Luchen had always preferred people who didn’t waste words. "Contact my assistant; he’ll handle it."

"I’ve already spoken to him."

Joanna paused thoughtfully before teasing Zhou Luchen. She was, after all, in the midst of a career surge and didn’t have a boyfriend. If she had a real one, this whole issue with the media’s gossip could be easily resolved.

Finally, Joanna suddenly asked, "Are you ill?"

Zhou Luchen’s eyelids felt heavy. He flicked on the turn signal and drove into the Lincoln Tunnel. "Don’t worry about it."

Joanna, on the other end of the line, nodded to herself. She shouldn’t interfere. He had a girlfriend. Ever since he began frequently returning to his home country to pursue a woman, Joanna hadn’t disturbed him at the estate, naturally keeping her distance. These were his rules, and she understood them perfectly.

"You’re in such a hurry... is it because of that White Begonia? Well then... I wish you’ll get what you wish for in the future." That was the last thing Joanna said. The phrase ’get what you wish for’ was in Mandarin, which she had learned specifically for this occasion; it was the only Chinese she knew.

After hearing that, Zhou Luchen instructed Joanna not to meddle with the media anymore and to leave the rest to United Bank’s legal team. Then he hung up.

How could anyone tell he was sick so easily from just one call?

Zhou Luchen suddenly remembered.

That damn Shen Jing! he fumed internally. He’d shown her the video, but she hadn’t paid the slightest attention to his health, even assuming he was just drunk!

And I’m in love with such a heartless woman.

Upon exiting the Lincoln Tunnel, Zhou Luchen abruptly turned the car around. His fever was raging, making him somewhat delirious, and he nearly caused an accident. This enraged a truck driver, but upon seeing the Bentley’s make, the driver’s temper cooled, and he drove off.

Zhou Luchen remained impassive as he casually pulled over to the side of the road.

He squinted at the passenger seat, where only the Bible lay. He picked up his phone and called the doctor. His voice was hoarse, punctuated by violent coughs, "Where’s the medicine?"

On the other end, the doctor sounded exasperated. "You were driving too fast! My ’little donkey’ couldn’t keep up. Speeding with a 40-degree fever—do you have a death wish?"

「Meanwhile, Shen Jing had finished work early, eaten dinner with Zhuang Ming, and gone to bed.」

After seeing her turn off the lights and go upstairs, Zhuang Ming closed the door and moved into the attic next to the villa, leading a bodyguard’s life that, aside from ice cream, seemingly had nothing else to offer.

Of course, Shen Jing had long since seen the New York media reports and wasn’t perturbed in the least.

Zhuang Ming actually felt a sense of relief. Thankfully, he had already told Shen Jing the complex story of the Zhou Family’s various factions; the complete fallout between father and son was indeed because of her.

She appeared so delicate, as if she couldn’t harm a fly. In reality, however, she always considered the bigger picture, conducting herself with composure and grace. She paid no mind to the tabloid reports, evidently unaffected by the media’s gossip. Yet, it was ultimately an entanglement born of passion, Zhuang Ming mused.

At 10 o’clock at night, Zhuang Ming received a call from Shen Jing. He knocked on the villa’s door. She rarely slept much at night, often either binge-watching shows or sitting on the balcony to enjoy the night view of the estate.

Zhuang Ming joined her on the balcony, hand-grinding coffee for her.

Zhuang Ming was strong and could grind the coffee beans as finely as she preferred.

Zhuang Ming occasionally suggested, "Your elder sister has been quite free lately, hasn’t she? Let her help you with your work."

Shen Jing just responded, "I’m free too."

Hardly free, Zhuang Ming thought, watching her. Still working and drinking coffee in the dead of night.

"If you can’t sleep because you miss the Second Young Master, just go back to Long Island. Why test his patience?" Zhuang Ming added.

Shen Jing smiled and looked up at the sky. No stars visible, probably overcast. It might rain again soon, she mused. "I don’t miss him. I’d rather have him miss me. The Zhou Family has never liked me. Given his prominent public status, a relationship not approved by his parents isn’t something I should be too greedy about. Some things, if he thinks them through, will naturally resolve themselves. It’s not up to me; it’s up to him."

Zhuang Ming finished making her coffee. "If it were meant to be over, you two would have moved on three years ago. You’re even more cunning than the Second Young Master."

Shen Jing just smiled without saying a word.

Suddenly, a hoarse voice drifted up from downstairs.

"Shen Jing, open the door...."