Gentle to the Bone - Chapter 1

The first time she saw Lu Jingce was in the winter of 2016.

A lot of things happened at home during that time, Shen Yansheng lost a lot of weight visibly, and she was tired all over.

After she fell asleep guarding her mother in the ward that night, she quietly came out of the hospital, thinking of going home to get some daily necessities.

Her mother’s health hasn’t gotten better, and she’s afraid she’ll have to stay in the hospital for a long time.

But she knew that her mother’s disease was more of a heart disease. If her father was not released, her mother would not get better.

Sitting on the bus going home, she looked out the window at the silent night, thinking in her mind who else could she turn to for help tomorrow?

Since the accident at home, the uncles and anuts who used to be brothers and sisters with her father seemed to have evaporated from the world. Even if she came to the door, they avoided her.

She pondered these things, and when she arrived at the terminal, the driver turned around and said to her, “Girl, the textile factory has arrived.” Then she came back to her senses and got out of the bus with her bag.

In fact, until now, she is very unfamiliar with the words “the textile factory belongs to the courtyard”.

Miss Shen, who used to live in a wealthy area, fell into the middle of the road and was forced to fall into this kind of mixed place.

The houses in this area are all old-fashioned residential buildings from decades ago, with poor sanitation, and they are all people from the bottom of the society.

Shen Yansheng didn’t come back often. Most of the time, she was busy with her father’s affairs during the day, and she had to rush to the hospital to take care of her mother after a while.

If she didn’t need to come back for some daily necessities tonight, she probably wouldn’t come back.

After getting off the bus, the surrounding street lights were bad and dark, and Shen Yansheng hurriedly walked towards the alley opposite the bus station.

She lives in that narrow alley now, an old-fashioned bungalow, the alley is dark, and there is only an old yellow light bulb at a long distance.

The moment she walked into the alley, Shen Yansheng saw a group of people surrounding her door at a glance, someone kicked the door, and someone yelled.

At that moment, she only felt cold to the soles of her feet, and she was about to run reflexively.

But someone in the group saw her sharply and shouted: “Damn! Catch her!”

Shen Yansheng didn’t dare to stop for a moment, and ran out desperately.

But she couldn’t escape. A dozen men chased her behind and out of the alley, they surrounded her from all directions directly in the middle of the road.

She looked at them with extreme fear in her heart, clutching the bag in her hands tightly.

Her teeth were chattering, and her voice was trembling, “What do you want to do?”

“What do you want to do?” A vicious man came up, “Miss Shen, we have given you time to raise money, how long do you think it has been? Where can you hide?”

“Your father owes us so much money, this account can’t be settled like this.”

Shen Yansheng stepped back with fear staring at the man in front of her vigilantly, “I said I don’t Money, if I have money, I will give it back to you immediately.”

“Don’t pretend to us! Miss Shen’s thin camel is bigger than a horse, so if you really don’t have money,with your face, if you are willing to sell yourself for a lot of money and pay the bill.” The man said, and touched Shen Yansheng’s face with a wicked smile.

Shen Yansheng bit her lip and endured the humiliation, she subconsciously stepped back, but was pushed badly by the man behind her, her feet were unstable, and a staggering almost fell on the man in front of her.

The man held her shoulders with a laugh, and said with a smile: “Yo, Miss Shen, if you want to give up your arms, you should go to those sons and brothers in your circle, it’s useless to find me. I’m just a **** If you’re in debt, I don’t have the ability to help you repay the money.”

Shen Yansheng bit her lip, feeling that she had never been so humiliated in her life.

Just when she endured the humiliation in her heart and wanted to beg them for a little more grace, a car light suddenly came from behind.

The headlights made people’s eyes hurt, and the vicious man scolded fiercely: “Look at your mother! The road is so wide, you only have to go this way, huh?”

Shen Yansheng’s eyes were also hurt by the dazzling headlights, vaguely apparently, she saw a man in a suit sitting on the back seat.

At that moment, she almost pinned all her hopes on this stranger. She doesn’t run away now, she really don’t know what this group of people will do to her.

These people who make a living by collecting debts, maybe they can do anything if they are in a hurry, maybe they will really sell her.

Taking advantage of these people’s distractions, she ran in the direction of the black car with all her strength.

Who would have thought that after running for two steps, the man behind her grabbed her hair and dragged her back, raised his hand and slapped her, “Damn, don’t think you can escape!”

In the black car not far away, the driver Uncle Chen inadvertently looked through the rearview mirror and saw Lu Jingce sitting in the back row. When the man slapped Shen Yansheng’s face, Lu Jingce’s face became obviously gloomy, and murderous intent flashed in his eyes for a moment.

Uncle Chen was startled by the cold light in his own president’s eyes, and instantly regained his energy. He asked tentatively, “Mr. Lu… do you want to detour?”

Lu Jingce explained to Zhao Cheng, who was on the co-pilot, and said solemnly: “Go and check.”

Zhao Cheng had been by Lu Jingce’s side for many years, and he understood the meaning after hearing one sentence. He got out of the car and walked towards the group of people.

The man who was holding Shen Yansheng frowned and stared at him, warning: “Don’t be a **** meddling, get out!”

Zhao Cheng was very calm, looking at these rubbish was like looking at a group of garbage, and said, “If you don’t want to die, let her go quickly.”

Zhao Cheng has followed Lu Jingce for many years, and he has also learned something about Lu Jingce’s aura. A group of *** were stunned for a moment, inexplicably a little scared.

The man in the lead frowned, “Who are you? This bitch’s father owes us a lot of debt. You want to take her away, why? Will you help her pay it back?”

Zhao Cheng’s eyes were still calm, but he just looked at the man and said coldly, “I just advise you, if you don’t want to die, let her go, or you will provoke someone you shouldn’t, and I’m afraid you won’t be able to regret it later.”

He raised his eyebrows and was about to scold him back when a younger brother next to him suddenly pulled him. He was so angry that he had nowhere to vent, he turned his head and scolded, “What are you doing!”

With a look of fear in the younger brother’s eyes, he pulled the man aside and whispered, “Boss, the person sitting in the car seems to be Lu Jingce, we can’t afford it, let’s forget it tonight.”

The man heard the words . He couldn’t help frowning, with a vague fear in his eyes, “Are you sure?”

The younger brother nodded heavily, “The man sitting in the back row seems to be him. And I know this man. He is Lu Jingce’s assistant.”

As he spoke, he quietly pointed at Zhao Cheng.

In Beicheng, there were a few people who dared to provoke Lu Jingce.

Although this group of people are young and confused in the society, they also know that people need to be aware of current affairs. Tonight is unlucky to meet Lu Jingce, so they have to temporarily let Shen Yansheng go.

When the man walked back to Zhao Cheng, he was no longer as arrogant as he was just now, and his words were somewhat flattering. He said, “Since President Lu wants someone, we will give face no matter what.”

When he got here, he looked at Shen Yansheng again, “Miss Shen, let’s forget it tonight, but I’ll give you at most another half a month, and if you don’t pay after half a month, don’t blame us for being rude to you!

After speaking, he waved to the brothers, “Go!”

After the group of people left in a mighty manner, Shen Yansheng only felt as if the rest of her life was after a catastrophe. For a moment, she felt weak all over and almost squatted on the ground.

Zhao Cheng smiled at her and said, “Ms. Shen, where do you live? Would you mind if we drop you off at your home?”

Shen Yansheng replied, “I live here. I came back to get things, and I didn’t expect to meet them.”

Zhao Cheng didn’t ask more, just smiled and reminded kindly: “But you’d better not live here tonight, I’m afraid they will turn back.”

Shen Yansheng nodded and said, “I’ll go home to get something and I’ll leave right away.”

Having said that, she looked at Zhao Cheng gratefully and said, “I really thank you just now.”

Zhao Cheng smiled and said, “You don’t need to thank me, I just follow orders.”

He meant something, Shen Yansheng remembered the person who caught her just now and said, “Since President Lu wants someone, we will give face no matter what.”

She subconsciously glanced at the black car parked not far away, Looking at Zhao Cheng again, “That Mr. Lu…is he in the car?”

Zhao Cheng smiled and said, “Yes.”

Shen Yansheng felt compelled to thank others, after all, this group of people were giving face to Mr. Lu and temporarily let go of her.

She walked over to the car and tapped the rear window politely.

The car window slowly lowered, what Shen Yansheng didn’t expect was that President Lu was young and handsome, but his eyes were as deep as wells, and she couldn’t see to the end.

He didn’t say a word, just looked at her calmly, as if he was giving her a chance to thank her. ShenYansheng didn’t dare to waste other people’s time. She expressed her gratitude in three or two sentences, “Hello, thank you for helping to clear the siege tonight. It wasted your time.”

“Miss Shen, why be polite.”

Shen Yansheng was slightly stunned when she heard this. She was a little surprised. Zhao Cheng knew that her surname was Shen because the group of people who had just arrested her called her name.

But how does Mr. Lu know her surname?

But she didn’t think much about it at this time, she just thought that when the debtor called her name just now, Lu Jingce heard it in the car too.

She thanked Lu Jingce and didn’t dare to delay others, so she hurried home, simply packed a few clothes, and household necessities left from home, thinking of taking a taxi back to the hospital.

Who knew that when she came out of the alley, she saw Lu Jingce’s car parked on the side of the road and hadn’t driven away yet.

She couldn’t help but froze for a moment, and her footsteps stopped.

Lu Jingce was sitting in the car and just finished smoking a cigarette, when he turned his head to see Shen Yansheng standing a little stunned not far away, a faint smile flashed in his eyes, and he flashed the light at Shen Yansheng.

Seeing Lu Jingce flashing lights at her, Shen Yansheng determined that he should be waiting for her. She stepped forward, bent down and talked to Lu Jingce who was sitting in the cab, “Mr. Lu, why haven’t you left yet?”

Only then did she notice that Lu Jingce’s driver and assistant were no longer in the car, so she asked curiously. “What about your driver and assistant?”

Lu Jingce put the cigarette butts in his hand into the ashtray, and said, “They’re went back first.” After putting out the cigarette

in his hand, he just looked up at Shen Yansheng, with a hint of light in his eyes. With a bit of a smile, he said, “Send the Buddha to the furthest of the west, and I’ll give you a ride.”

Later, Shen Yansheng often recalled the first time she and Lu Jingce met. The ambiguous atmosphere between her and Lu Jingce seemed to have started from the first day they met.

Lu Jingce was determined to win her, she was a bird in a cage with nowhere to escape.

But at this time, she was slow to respond to the ambiguous pull between adult men and women, and she didn’t understand what Lu Jingce meant.

She got into the car and said naively grateful, “I’ve caused you trouble.”

Seeing her carrying a large bag, Lu Jingce asked curiously, “Where are you going with so many things?”

Shen Yansheng replied, “Go to the hospital. The weather is getting colder recently, my mother is in the hospital, I came back to get some clothes and daily necessities.”

Lu Jingce said “oh” and didn’t ask any further questions.

On the way to the hospital, the two stopped talking, Lu Jingce drove silently, and Shen Yansheng sat silently.

After arriving at the hospital, Lu Jingce parked the car at the entrance of the hospital, and then asked, “What’s your mother’s illness?”

When it came to her mother’s illness, Shen Yansheng’s mood dropped, she lowered her head and didn’t speak for a long time.

Seeing her like this, Lu Jingce couldn’t bear to ask any more, and said, “If you don’t want to say it, don’t say it.”

Shen Yansheng shook her head, then looked up at Lu Jingce, and said, “Actually, there’s nothing I can’t say. My mother has a heart problem. It’s an old problem, but this time she’s suffering from a heart problem. My father—”

Having said this, Shen Yansheng suddenly couldn’t help but choked a little, she immediately stopped the conversation and stopped talking.

After a while, she looked up at Lu Jingce again, with a smile on her face, and said, “It’s not a big deal.”

Then she changed the subject and said gratefully, “Anyway, thank you tonight, I’ll treat you to dinner if I have the opportunity.”

” Oh?” Lu Jingce raised his lips with a rare smile, he looked at Shen Yansheng and asked her, “When will Miss Shen invite me to dinner?”

Shen Yansheng was stunned when she heard the words. She really is thankful to Lu Jingce for helping her out tonight and wanted to find an opportunity to invite him for dinner.

But when Lu Jingce really asked, she was stunned.

Lu Jingce seemed to see what she was thinking, he tutted and said, “Miss Shen’s way of thanking people is very insincere.”

Shen Yansheng was a little embarrassed for a while, she took out a paper and pen from her bag, and wrote on the paper. Her name and phone number were handed to Lu Jingce solemnly, and she said, “I have something to do at home recently, so I might be busy, but you can call me someday if you want to eat, and I will definitely invite you.”

Lu Jingce took the paper Shen Yansheng handed it over. He glanced at her phone number, he smiled noncommittally, and then put it into the armrest beside him.

Shen Yansheng originally thought that Lu Jingce was just joking with her, how could someone like him really miss her for a meal.

She even felt that she and Lu Jingce would never have the opportunity to meet again in the future. After all, they just met by chance in one night, two people from completely different classes, there is no need for contact after parting.

But she didn’t expect that the reunion with Lu Jingce would come so quickly.