211 The beginning of the trial
âLin Li, letâs try to love each other.â
Lin Liâs eyes, which were still a little misty, suddenly opened wide, and the remaining sleepiness completely disappeared. Did she hear wrongly?
She felt that the atmosphere in the entire room seemed to have become awkward all of a sudden. Lin Liâs originally regular breathing also became a little rushed. She was probably really frightened by Zhou Hanâs words just now.
For a long time, Lin Li didnât say a word. His tone just now was too serious, and she couldnât turn her head and ask him âare you kidding?â as if nothing had happened.
Not knowing how to say it, Lin Li closed her eyes and decided to pretend to be asleep until the end, pretending that she didnât hear him. This way, she wouldnât have to worry about how to reply.
Zhou han didnât speak again. Perhaps he really thought that Lin Li had fallen asleep, or perhaps he was just casually saying it just now.
Lin Li held her breath and waited for a long time, but she didnât hear any reaction from Zhou han behind her. She thought that this matter was over just like that. When she was ready to sleep in peace, she suddenly heard a strange movement behind her.
In the dark, Lin Li felt the person beside her turn around, and then the warm breath slowly approached her. She couldnât figure out what Zhou han wanted to do, and Lin Li suddenly froze.
Behind her, Zhou han turned around and approached Lin Li. He reached out and pulled her slightly stiff body into his arms, his hands tightly clasping her slender waist.
Lin Li subconsciously reached out to pull the hand away from her waist. Yesterday, it was because of the alcohol and her emotions. Now that she was too sober, she really couldnât get used to such excessive intimacy, especially in bed.
âLin Li.â Zhou han didnât let go. He leaned his head against her shoulder and murmured softly. That voice didnât only carry fatigue, but also some confusion and helplessness. It made oneâs heart ache.
Lin Liâs hand that was holding onto his paused. For a moment, she was at a loss. After a while, she slowly said, â you, you must be joking. The voice trembled in embarrassment, and one could hear the embarrassment and panic in it.
Zhou han buried his head in her shoulder and tightened his arms around her waist, making her lean closer to him. He murmured, â some people say that the best way to forget a relationship is to start a new one. Weâve all been hurt before, and we all want to try our best to forget the past. He really wanted to let go of that relationship completely, but every time he felt that he had let it go and forgotten, there would always be something that reminded him of it. It made him not want to continue like this. He really did not want to.
Lin Li opened her eyes and stared at the window. Behind the curtains, the dim yellow light of the street lamp shone through. She bit her lip and slowly said, â âI, Iâve already let it go.â Lin Li gritted her teeth and refused to admit it.
Although she had drunk too much last night, the alcohol had sobered her up and made her more rational. She would no longer cling to that ten-year relationship because she knew that she had already wasted a decade and did not want to waste more time. Perhaps it was impossible to forget everything now, but she knew that it was only a matter of time. As time passed, she would naturally forget it.
Just as Lin Liâs mind was still a little dazed, Zhou han suddenly turned her over with force, then turned over and pressed her under him. In the dark, his eyes fixed on her face and asked, â âIf youâve let it go, why did you do that yesterday?â
âI ... I ...â Lin Li stammered for a long time, but she couldnât come up with a reason. Being pressed down by him like this, she was so nervous that she didnât even dare to breathe. Her eyes were fixed on him, but she could only see a blurry outline. His thighs were tightly pressed against her feet that wanted to break free. Their bodies were so close together that Lin Liâs face immediately turned red. However, at the same time, she was also glad that he couldnât see her blushing face in the dark.
âI what?â Zhou han looked at her and asked in a daze, â are you thinking of an excuse? In fact, you canât forget it at all!â
âIâm not!â Lin Li was eager to clarify. She would forget about it. Even if she forced herself to, she would still forget about it, but she had to be given time!
âYou donât have any? Then why?â Zhou han continued to ask and wouldnât let go.
Not wanting to be looked down upon by him, Lin Li couldnât care less in a moment of desperation. She said somewhat incoherently, â you men have desires, and so do women! Women have desires too! After he finished speaking, he felt the temperature on his face was even hotter than before, as if his entire body was about to be roasted.
Zhou han stared at her for a long time and said in a low voice, â âYou mean itâs a normal physiological need?â
If the lights were on now, Zhou han would definitely realize that Lin Liâs entire face was as red as a tomato.
Lin Liâs face was red, but she pretended to be calm. âOf course!â
âIs that so?â She only heard Zhou han mumble softly, then he looked at her and didnât say anything.
Lin Li was a little breathless from being pressed down like this. She reached out uncomfortably and pushed him. you, you come down.
Zhou han didnât move and just let her push him a few times. He just pressed on her body.
After pushing him a few times and not being able to push him away, Lin Li was a little annoyed. She warned him in a low voice, â âZhou han! Get down here.â It was too easy for something to happen with the two of them sticking together like this. She didnât want anything to really happen, not to mention that it was in the courtyard.
Zhou han wasnât moved. He simply didnât support himself with his hands and placed all his weight on Lin Li. Then, he leaned his head close to her ear and gently blew hot air into it. Then, he said in a devilish tone, â âSo youâre saying that weâre only doing this to satisfy our biological needs and not to talk about love?â
Feeling ticklish from his blow, Lin Liâs conditioned reflex was to shrink her neck slightly. The heat on her face also became hotter because of his words. The hand that was pressed against his chest to prevent him from pressing his entire body against her tightened. She gritted her teeth and said, unwilling to admit defeat, â âLove, hehe, do you still have more? For a person who can lose his rationality and sense of propriety just by reading reports about his ex-wife, and for someone who is even disgusted and unwilling to talk to his own son, is there still so-called love?â
âYou donât know anything!â Zhou han growled in her ear, suppressing an indescribable pain in his voice.
of course I know. Although I donât know why you divorced your ex-wife, I know that because of Ling LAN, you transferred all your hatred and disgust towards Ling LAN onto Xiao bin. Thatâs because the deeper you love him, the deeper you hate him. You canât forget your previous relationship, you canât let go of your previous marriage! Lin Li bluntly poked at his pain, ruthlessly and with great force!
âEnough!â Zhou han growled in a low voice as he suppressed his emotions. He pushed his hands away from her body.
âWhat, you want to escape again? âYouâre a coward. You donât have the courage to face it. You always try to avoid the pain from the past, but so what? the wound is still there. Do you think you can ignore it by pretending that you donât see it? do you think you can pretend that the wound didnât exist? when you poke it and think about it again, the past hurt will still be vivid in your eyes, and the pain will be even more fresh in your mind!â As she said this, Lin Liâs emotions became a little agitated.
F * ck you! Lin Li still wanted to say something, but just as she opened her mouth, her mouth was ruthlessly blocked by someone, and she couldnât say a word.
In the dark, Zhou han accurately kissed her lips. He opened his mouth and blocked her mouth, blocking every word that was about to come out of her mouth that he hated.
Wuwu ... Let go, let ... Go ... Lin Li struggled and reached out to push him.
Zhou han stretched out his hand and pulled away the hands that were on her chest, making a last-ditch struggle. He directly raised them and pressed them on her head. Lin Li exclaimed. The moment she opened her mouth, Zhou han took the opportunity to put his tongue into her mouth. Then, he attacked her without any gentleness or pity.
Lin Li struggled. She couldnât move her hands, so she wanted to use her feet to kick him, but she was completely unable to move under his strong and thick thighs.
Zhou Hanâs kiss had a punishing nature. It was a little violent and there was no gentleness at all. At this moment, he was like an enraged Lion whose tail had been stepped on by someone. He was extremely violent and aggressive.
After a long time, when Zhou han let go of her, Lin Li was already a little breathless. She lay there, her chest heaving up and down violently, and she couldnât use any strength.
âHow good do you think you are!â Zhou Hanâs deep voice rang in her ears. He gritted his teeth and said, â didnât you fall in love for 10 years and get hurt all over? how good do you think you are? you torture yourself for that man and donât eat well. How good do you think you are? you get drunk when that man comes back. Donât act like youâre fine. Weâre basically the same!
Lin Li still couldnât catch her breath. Other than gasping for breath, she couldnât answer a single word.
Seeing her like this, Zhou han couldnât bear to see her like this. He let go of her hand, then put his arm around her waist and turned around, changing their positions so that Lin Li could lie on his body. Then, his big palm gently stroked her back back and forth, letting her breathe properly.
Lin Li finally managed to regain her strength, and she couldnât care less about how awkward their posture was at the moment. She fiercely said in a fit of pique, â âIâm better than you. Iâve already made up my mind to let it go. Itâs only a matter of time!â He said.
Zhou han looked at her. With the help of the dim light from the street lamp outside, he could only vaguely see her outline and couldnât see her eyes at the moment. He sighed silently. After a long while, he slowly opened his mouth and said, â âDo we have to expose each otherâs scars like this?â His low voice was filled with helplessness and helplessness.
Upon hearing this, Lin Li was stunned. She looked at him fixedly and was speechless for a moment. They had similar experiences. In fact, poking at each otherâs pain was also exposing their own scars. Who was better than the other? the two were just people who had been hurt by love.
âIt takes time to let go. You need it, and I need it too. I just want to shorten this process. Some people say that the pain of forgetting a relationship is to start a new one. If this can really make us forget the pain, why donât we try?â Zhou han asked slowly.
His father had called him in just now. This was the first formal conversation he had with his father in seven years. Compared to seven years ago, his father was more reserved this time. He only reminded him to remember his current identity and to let go of all the past since he had chosen a new beginning.
If he could only use one relationship to forget another, he was willing to try.
Lin Li was stunned for a while. She pushed him away and got down from his body. She rolled to the side and said with her back to him, â âI wonât love you anymore.â She could not love him anymore. Ten years had used up all the love in her life. She did not dare to love him anymore.
Zhou han looked at her back and said slowly, â so you want to end those 10 years of relationship with your life? â
Upon hearing this, Lin Liâs body trembled unnaturally, and then, like the dead transformer in Xiao binâs hand, her whole body stiffened and didnât move.
Seeing that she was silent, Zhou han said, â âOr is it that you donât want to forget, so you donât want to try?â
âI didnât!â This time, Lin Liâs reply was quick and hurried. She turned her head and stared at him, saying, â âI just donât want to be someone elseâs substitute!â Back then, she had been Xiaoxiaoâs substitute in Chengxiangâs heart for 10 years. Chengxiang had wanted to use her to forget his feelings for Xiaoxiao. However, in the end, she didnât want to be Ling Lanâs substitute anymore and let Zhou han use her to forget Ling LAN.
âI wonât, Iâm not Chengxiang,â Zhou han said.
Lin Li didnât say anything, nor did she turn her head. She opened her eyes and stared straight ahead. The room was completely dark.
After a while, seeing that Lin Li didnât move, Zhou han, who was behind her, turned over and reached out to pull her into his arms.
Lin Liâs body stiffened, but she didnât refuse.
Zhou han turned her body over and stretched out his hand to let her head rest on his arm. He lowered his head and kissed her forehead. Then, he patted her back gently and murmured, â âGo to sleep.â
His voice was like a hypnotic drug. After a while, Lin Li closed her eyes and fell asleep.
When Lin Li woke up again, it was already the next morning. It was already bright outside. The environment around the institutionâs compound was very beautiful. Because it was located in the suburbs, the air here was very good. There was an Osmanthus tree planted in the Zhou familyâs courtyard outside the window of Zhou Hanâs room. At this moment, a few birds were resting on the tree and singing a cheerful song. The crisp chirping of the birds was rare to hear in the fast-paced city. After staying in Jiangcheng for more than 10 years, she could still hear such chirping in the first few years of school. However, in the few years after he stepped out into society, no one had ever heard such a sound in the best neighborhood.
After her eyes adapted to the brightness of the entire room, Lin Li slowly opened her eyes. Zhou han was no longer on the bed, and the bed on the right side was already cold.
Grabbing the phone that was placed on the bedside table last night, Lin Li looked at the time and lay on the bed for a few more minutes. Then, she got up and went to the bathroom to wash up.
By the time Lin Li finished lying down and came out of the room, Zhou Jiabin was already dressed and sitting on the sofa in the living room. In front of him, Zhou han was carefully cleaning and changing the dressing of the childâs wound with a first aid box. Lin Li walked toward them.
In the kitchen, mother Zhou and the Auntie were busy with todayâs breakfast. When mother Zhou came out with a few side dishes to go with the porridge, she saw Zhou han half-squatting in front of the child and changing the medicine. At the side, Lin Li was handing him medicine and gauze. This situation was peaceful and harmonious. The corners of mother Zhouâs mouth unconsciously curved up. That smile was gratified.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
After the whole family had breakfast, father Zhou was picked up by the driver and sent directly to the municipal Party Committee. Zhou Jiabinâs hand was no longer in danger. It was fine as long as he was careful not to touch water, so Zhou han and Lin Li drove him to school. Although mother Zhou was a little reluctant to leave her precious grandson, she also supported Zhou Hanâs idea to not delay his studies and schoolwork.
After sending Zhou Jiabin to the kindergarten and handing him over to their form teacher, teacher Chen, Lin Li explained the little guyâs situation to teacher Chen and asked her to pay more attention to him when she was free. After seeing teacher Chen nod in agreement, Lin Li left with a peace of mind.
Back in the car, Zhou han was on the phone. From the content of the conversation, he should be talking to Special Assistant Xu.
alright, Iâve found it. Iâll be at the company in ten minutes. Inform the others to have a meeting in the meeting room in half an hour. After that, he hung up the phone and glanced at Lin Li. Then, without saying anything, he started the car and left.
Sitting in the car, neither of them spoke first. Zhou han was focused on the road ahead, while Lin Li was focused on the scenery outside the window. The atmosphere in the car was a little awkward.
When Zhou han drove the car into the companyâs basement, he slowly parked the car in the fixed parking space.
It was already past working hours, and the entire garage was quiet without a single person in sight.
Sitting in the car, Lin Li and Zhou han didnât open the door and get out of the car. The two of them just sat there.
After a long time, Zhou han broke the silence and slowly said, â âDo you have an answer?â
There was no explanation, but both of them knew what it was.
Lin Li was silent for a while, then closed her eyes and opened them again. She turned her head and looked at Zhou han as if she had made a big decision. She looked at him and said, â âIâll try if I can.â
Looking at her for a while, a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. He reached out and touched her head. The moment he retracted his hand, he took advantage of the situation and hooked her neck to bring her directly in front of him. Then, he lowered his head and covered her lips with his. Unlike last nightâs punishment and violence, this kiss was especially gentle. At first, Lin Li was still a little embarrassed. In the end, she thought that since she had decided to try it, it would be too pretentious to reject it. After thinking it through, she slowly closed her eyes. She reached out and gently placed her hand on his back.
After the kiss, Zhou han let go of her and held her in his arms, letting her catch her breath.
Lin Li leaned on his chest. She wanted to say something, but she didnât know what to say. She repeated it a few times and finally gave up.
The two of them hugged in the car for a while. Finally, Zhou han let her go and reached out to touch her. He tidied her hair and said, â âLetâs go up.â
When they opened the door and got out of the car, Lin Li suddenly said, â Zhou han, if you really canât forget, then tell me. Donât use me as a substitute.
Zhou han looked at her and finally nodded. He said solemnly, â âAlright,â he said.