Rivals of Rebirth

 Chapter 47: Madness

After concluding his social obligations, Zheng Jue greeted the host and left the banquet early. He didn't want to spend another second in the same place as Wen Hua'an. Just the sight of Wen Hua'an's face filled his heart with uncontrollable hatred.

When Zheng Jue went to find Han Jin, he found Han Jin squatting by the pond in the club's courtyard, playing with the fish using a straw he had plucked from somewhere.

Seeing Zheng Jue approaching, Han Jin smiled and waved at him, saying, "Come over here quickly."

Zheng Jue took a few quick steps and reached Han Jin. Han Jin smiled and said, "Look at these foolish fish. They don't even know how to hide when they see people."

Zheng Jue looked down at the fish gathered at the edge of the pond and chuckled, "The fish here are all ornamental. Who has the free time to play with them like you do? Over time, they naturally become foolish."

Han Jin threw away the straw in his hand, stood up, and straightened his pants, which had become wrinkled. He clapped his hands and asked, "Hmm... Is everything inside taken care of? Are we done?"

Frowning, Zheng Jue took out a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Han Jin, speaking gently, "It's done. Let's go."

Han Jin took the handkerchief and casually wiped his hands, saying, "So fast? That old guy Wen Hua'an didn't come looking for you?"

Zheng Jue found Han Jin's attitude somewhat displeasing, so he took the handkerchief and personally wiped Han Jin's hands while saying, "Of course he'll come looking for me. I can tell he's not willing to give up."

Upon hearing this, Han Jin's expression turned cold, and he grabbed Zheng Jue's hand that was wiping his hands, whispering, "Should I take care of him for you? This back and forth is getting annoying."

Zheng Jue smiled, lifted Han Jin's hand that was holding him, and continued wiping his hands. When they were finally clean, he spoke slowly, "No need for you to take action. Someone like him will definitely not accept defeat so easily. There will be opportunities in the future."

Han Jin raised an eyebrow at his words but didn't say much. He understood that although Zheng Jue seemed easy to talk to, there were some things he would never compromise on. Han Jin didn't want to waste his efforts on futile matters.

After their conversation, they left the club together, got into Zheng Jue's car, and drove towards Han Jin's apartment. Although their relationship was clear now, they hadn't reached the stage of living together. Zheng Jue still insisted on sending Han Jin home.

Sitting in the car, Han Jin became a little restless. At times, he leaned in to try to kiss Zheng Jue, and at other times, he reached out to touch Zheng Jue's thigh. Zheng Jue was left in an awkward position, trying to drive with one hand while blocking Han Jin's advances with the other, whispering, "I'm driving!"

Han Jin smiled ambiguously and seized Zheng Jue's hand, bringing it to his lips for a kiss. He said, "You focus on driving. What does it have to do with me?"

After speaking, Han Jin leaned in to kiss Zheng Jue, but his expression suddenly changed. Swiftly, he grabbed the steering wheel from Zheng Jue's hands and used his other hand to pull Zheng Jue's head into his embrace.

Everything happened in an instant. Zheng Jue tried to pry Han Jin's arms apart but realized that Han Jin possessed an unexpectedly strong grip. Zheng Jue couldn't move him at all.

A sense of impending danger surged within Zheng Jue, causing him to panic. His voice trembling, he shouted, "Han Jin! What are you doing?"

At an incredibly fast speed, Zheng Jue's car veered towards the outer lane. He could hear the sound of an engine that didn't belong to his car, while Han Jin steered the vehicle towards the trees on the side.

In the midst of the fast and furious ride, Han Jin suddenly burst into laughter. His lips approached Zheng Jue's ear, and he whispered in a low voice, "Ah Jue, I love you."

Han Jin had never called him by that name before.

Zheng Jue froze, feeling a momentary despair. Then, he heard a loud noise. His head throbbed with pain, and everything before his eyes turned pitch black.

**

When Zheng Jue regained consciousness, his body felt as though it had been run over by a car. Every part of him ached, and his eardrums buzzed. He tried to open his eyes but couldn't bear the blinding white light before him. He struggled to move his fingers and felt his throat dry.

Then he heard a voice beside him, as if through a layer of water, deep and indistinct. Zheng Jue exerted great effort to form the word "thirsty." In the next moment, he lost consciousness again.

When Zheng Jue woke up once more, it was already afternoon. The room was dimly lit, and the sunlight wasn't as glaring as before. He strained to open his eyes, but his vision remained blurry. He blinked forcefully, finally discerning the scene before him.

He seemed to be in a hospital room, tidy and clean. There was only one bed, and a glass of water, now cold, sat on the bedside table. Zheng Jue was terribly thirsty and reached out to grab the glass. However, to his surprise, he discovered that he couldn't move his hands anymore.

Zheng Jue furrowed his brow, and suddenly, his confused mind became clear. He remembered that he was supposed to be driving Han Jin home, and then...

His eyes widened in realization. Han Jin!

He desperately tried to sit up, but he couldn't even move a finger now. Every movement caused excruciating pain throughout his body.

Suppressing the discomfort, Zheng Jue attempted to dial the nurse's call button with his finger. However, before he could reach it, the door to the ward swung open.

The person entering was Susie.

Susie was initially startled but then thrilled upon seeing Zheng Jue awake. She hurriedly walked to his side, exclaiming with excitement, "Zheng Sheng, you've finally woken up! If you didn't wake up, I wouldn't know what to do!"

Zheng Jue furrowed his brow and moistened his dry lips. In a hoarse voice, he asked, "Where is Han Jin?"

Startled by his raspy voice, Susie quickly fetched a glass of warm water from the table, intending to feed Zheng Jue. He gritted his teeth and shook his head, staring fixedly at the visibly anxious Susie. He asked again, "What happened to Han Jin?"

Susie let out a sigh, speaking softly, "Zheng Sheng, you just woke up. Drink some water first. I'll tell you everything you want to know."

Zheng Jue stared intensely at Susie, whose movements seemed slightly rigid. His eyes almost bled as horrifying thoughts swirled madly in his mind, almost driving him insane.

In the end, he took a step back and slightly opened his mouth, allowing Susie to feed him water.

Once Zheng Jue finished drinking, Susie attentively wiped his mouth clean. Zheng Jue continued to stare at her with a cold expression. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Susie spoke, "Zheng Sheng, Han Sha is currently in the ICU."

That one sentence completely shattered Zheng Jue. He desperately tried to sit up but nearly fell off the bed, causing Susie to quickly support him, saying anxiously, "Zheng Sheng, please calm down. Han Sha is receiving the best care, and he'll be fine. You can't move easily right now; it's not good for your injuries."

Zheng Jue could barely hear Susie's words. He felt as though his entire being was gripped by the fact that Han Jin was in the ICU. He could still sense the warmth in Han Jin's breath when he uttered those words.

Han Jin, as a person, was straightforward and direct in both actions and words, just like him. He said those words and then decisively took such actions. Even if Zheng Jue's heart was made of stone, it softened at this moment.

"How is he... really?" Zheng Jue felt like his teeth were about to shatter.

Susie looked hesitant and stammered for a while before saying, "Mr. Han came over. No one is allowed to visit him now."

Han Zizhang came? Zheng Jue's heart skipped a beat. With such a significant incident involving both of them, someone like Han Zizhang would surely not overlook any details. Han Jin's actions probably wouldn't escape his attention either.

Seeing Zheng Jue's change in expression, Susie finally breathed a sigh of relief. But Zheng Jue didn't let her off so easily.

"You don't need to brush me off like this. I know your capabilities. Just tell me the truth about Han Jin. I can handle it," Zheng Jue finally lay back down. At this moment, he realized that, no matter how anxious he was, it was better to be honest in front of Han Zizhang.

Susie's face stiffened a little upon hearing his words, but seeing that Zheng Jue wasn't as agitated as before, she also felt relieved. She whispered, "Zheng Sheng, it's not that I don't want to tell you. It's just that your health is not good, and I'm afraid of causing you more distress. Han Sha's condition is very critical. Several experts were called in for consultation, and the surgery lasted twelve hours to save his life. He is currently in the ICU for observation. We'll have to wait for three more days for the results."

As Zheng Jue listened, his heart felt like it was pounding wildly. Every word Susie uttered felt like a stab to his heart, making it difficult for him to breathe.

He almost bit his lips to suppress the tremors in his heart, his voice hoarse as he spoke, "Who... brought us here?"

Susie looked at the veins popping on Zheng Jue's forehead and his pale face. She couldn't bear it in her heart, but she also couldn't delay answering his question. She whispered, "It was a traffic police officer on patrol. He happened to be patrolling your area and heard the noise, so he ran over to check. That's how he saved you. However, the person who caused the accident ran away."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Jue's teeth clenched even tighter. He could almost confirm who was behind this—Wen Hua'an. There was no one else but him.

Just as he had humiliated Wen Hua'an, Wen Hua'an was able to arrange such an incident. Zheng Jue had truly underestimated Wen Hua'an.

As Zheng Jue finally remembered something else, Susie finally felt relieved and quickly said, "Zheng Sheng, rest assured. I've already started investigating this matter. We should have results by tonight at the latest. The person shouldn't be a professional; the whole thing was done very crudely, leaving behind many leads. We already have some clues."

Zheng Jue sneered, "Besides Wen Hua'an, who else could have done this? We must investigate this thoroughly and catch him with solid evidence. This time, I will make sure he never rises again." His tone carried a hint of ruthlessness.

Wen Hua'an dared to do something like this. Zheng Jue would make him pay tenfold! Zheng Jue stared fixedly at his own hands, his eyes bloodshot, radiating a fierce determination. Susie couldn't help but shudder at his chilling expression.