Cocoon (Lily ABO) - Chapter 17

Having been caught in the rain last night and then blasted by the car’s heater for half the night, Ling Yu woke up feeling light-headed and congested. After gulping down a large glass of hot water, she hurried to the university to run her experiments.

She was moving today and had requested a day off from the restaurant, planning to head home and pack her room as soon as her lab work was finished.

Having also received the notice about the outdoor parking lots closing, Ling Yu had chosen this indoor garage as it was the closest to the lab building. Thus, having finished her work early, she happened to enter the garage and witness the scene of Han Jingman being forcibly detained.

Miguel, caught off guard, was pinned to the ground by Ling Yu. He grabbed her collar and landed punch after punch on her nose and jaw.

Ling Yu’s initial strikes had been a surprise attack. A dazed Miguel soon regained his footing and began to fight back, landing a brutal hook on Ling Yu’s temple. These students spent almost all their free time in the gym; the punch made Ling Yu’s head ring, yet she refused to let go of Miguel’s shirt. However, the physically superior Miguel soon gained the upper hand. Taking advantage of a lapse in Ling Yu’s strength, he broke free, stood up, and kicked her hard in the abdomen.

The commotion had sobered Miguel up significantly. Seeing Han Jingman on the side already dialing 911, Miguel realized things were looking bad. He barked a curse and ran off resentfully.

Han Jingman tremblingly lowered her phone before it connected and rushed over to check on Ling Yu.

Her stomach felt like it was on fire. Ling Yu lay on the ground clutching her midsection, breaking into a cold sweat from the pain. She had left the house on an empty stomach, and Miguel’s kick had landed squarely on her stomach. Between the dizziness and the stomach acid, the moment Han Jingman helped her up, Ling Yu doubled over and began to dry heave.

“Ling Yu, are you okay? Don’t scare me, Ling Yu…”

Han Jingman had managed to maintain a shred of composure when blocked by Miguel, but seeing Ling Yu in such pain, her tears fell instantly. She was frantic with worry yet felt powerless. She could only stroke Ling Yu’s back repeatedly, hoping to make her feel better.

Ling Yu heaved for a long time but produced nothing. She could only lean heavily against Han Jingman’s shoulder, slowly waiting for the world-spinning nausea to subside.

Their posture at that moment looked like that of intimate lovers, or like back when Ling Yu was a child having a nightmare and Han Jingman would hold her, coaxing her with soft words.

Ling Yu couldn’t remember how long it had been since Han Jingman last held her. This dreamlike feeling made her nose sting. Her palm gripped the fabric of Han Jingman’s back; she sniffled and said raspy, “I don’t feel good…”

Han Jingman was heartbroken. Her slender arms pulled Ling Yu even tighter. “Where does it hurt? Let’s go to the hospital, okay?”

Ling Yu hugged her back loosely, mumbling into her shoulder, “My stomach hurts. I’m not going to the hospital.”

Han Jingman had seen clearly how much force Miguel put into that kick. At the memory of it, a surge of hatred rose in her heart. While gently rubbing Ling Yu’s stomach, she softly coaxed her, agreeing not to go to the hospital. However, fearing the punch might have caused a concussion, she steadied Ling Yu, held her chin, and waved two fingers in front of her eyes. “Ling Yu, tell me, how many is this?”

“Two,” Ling Yu answered obediently.

“And this one?”

“Five.”

Thank God, no problem with her brain, Han Jingman breathed a sigh of relief.

“Can you stand up on your own?”

Ling Yu’s eyelashes fluttered. She released her grip on the fabric and nodded. Han Jingman helped her up and carefully brushed the dust off her clothes. A conspicuous footprint was stamped onto her light-colored T-shirt; Han Jingman frowned.

Recalling what had just happened, Ling Yu shuddered at what might have occurred if she hadn’t appeared in time. “Let’s call the police,” she said, looking at Han Jingman. she didn’t want there to be a next time.

Han Jingman had her own reservations. She looked at the displeased Ling Yu and tried to persuade her: “It’s fine. Don’t worry, I’ll handle this.”

Ling Yu thought she was being soft-hearted again. In her anxiety, the words slipped out: “Are you going to keep indulging people who have designs on you?”

Designs on her? Who exactly was she talking about?

Realizing she had revealed too much, Ling Yu felt a wave of regret. She lowered her eyes, her fingers instinctively picking at the seams of her pants. Han Jingman’s beautiful eyelashes trembled. Indulging?

The relationship that had just softened seemed to stiffen once more. Just as Han Jingman was about to speak, a phone rang at an inopportune time.

It was the restaurant where Ling Yu worked. Ling Yu glanced at Han Jingman, who gestured for her to answer. Perhaps needing some noise to break the awkwardness, Ling Yu put it on speaker.

“Hi, Ling~” It was Diana.

“Hi, Diana.”

Han Jingman raised an eyebrow. She had been hearing that name far too frequently lately. The last time was in her own bathroom. At the memory of everything that happened that day, Han Jingman’s ears burned, and her thoughts drifted. She didn’t listen closely to what they were discussing.

Ling Yu had requested a day off, so someone else was covering her shift. Diana knew Ling Yu was moving today and called to check if everything was going smoothly and if she needed help. Ling Yu was moving into an Airbnb today—one run by Diana’s friend. The rent was reasonable; she had booked it for half a month, intending to find a permanent place in the meantime.

By the time Han Jingman’s internal conflict settled, she only caught Ling Yu saying “Almost done, see you tomorrow.” Han Jingman wanted to hear Ling Yu tell her the real reason she had to work, but this clearly wasn’t the right setting for a talk. Besides, Ling Yu had just been beaten and needed rest.

“Ling Yu, I’ll drive you back to rest first. We’ll find a proper time to talk about this.”

Compared to personally driving the shaken Han Jingman home, Ling Yu naturally wanted to sit in Han Jingman’s passenger seat. But her former landlord’s new partner was moving in tonight; she had to be out today. Ling Yu thought it over and painfully declined the massive temptation.

“Thank you, Professor Han, but I have some private matters to handle later and I’ll need my car. I’ll head back on my own.”

Private matters? Han Jingman stared at Ling Yu with a complex gaze. When had they become so distant?

“Then drive safely. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going.” Han Jingman summoned her last bit of aloofness, walking in her flats as if they were ten-centimeter heels. She sat in her car with an air of pride, as if she wasn’t the same person who had just been crying while holding Ling Yu.

Ling Yu stood there foolishly, watching Han Jingman buckle up and drive away. She silently rubbed her aching head, feeling indignant about how hard the other woman’s “strikes” were. She touched her own thin arms, thinking to herself that she just didn’t have time—if she did, she’d definitely make time for the gym.

Watching Ling Yu still clutching her head in the rearview mirror, Han Jingman sighed and dialed Jian Ying.

“Hello, Professor Han! What a rare guest. Why does such a busy woman have time to contact me?”

Jian Ying was half-reclining at the head of her bed. She closed her laptop and set it aside while speaking. Han Jingman tucked a stray hair behind her ear and laughed softly. “I was just afraid of disturbing the Great Lawyer Jian’s work. What, you’re not happy I’m asking for help?”

Wei Zhen walked into the room carrying two mugs. She saw Jian Ying lying on the bed, her long legs kicking in the air, revealing glimpses of the view beneath. Jian Ying had her head tilted, twisting a lock of her hair while talking on the phone.

Hearing the noise behind her, Jian Ying knew Wei Zhen was back. She pouted toward her, gesturing for her to set the mugs down. Wei Zhen leaned against the doorframe, watching Jian Ying pettily accuse Han Jingman.

“Hmph! You only think of me when you need help. When you’re free, you go out with that black-hearted Wei Zhen and don’t even invite me.” The “black-hearted one” standing at the door gave a cough, earning a roll of the eyes from Jian Ying.

Amused, Han Jingman coaxed her carefully. “Alright, my mistake. I’ll host tomorrow—a welcome dinner to celebrate your victory in court, okay?”

“That’s more like it,” Jian Ying snorted contentedly. “Tell me then, what do you need help with?”

Han Jingman recounted the events in the parking lot, including Miguel’s attempt to threaten her and the fight with Ling Yu. Jian Ying grew so angry she almost threw her phone.

“Bastard! People like that should be caught and chemically castrated,” Jian Ying sat up fuming, glaring at the innocent Alpha by the door.

“That’s why I wanted to ask you. I originally planned to call the police, but since Ling Yu struck first, I’m afraid that during the evidence collection, he’ll turn around and accuse her.”

Jian Ying’s expression turned serious. “I did do some pro bono legal consulting at the university for a while. This is a bit tricky because everyone is afraid of being labeled with ‘racial discrimination,’ and your school is no exception. Even with security footage, clearing Ling Yu completely might be difficult. Unless…”

“Unless what?”

“Unless we approach it from a different angle. Don’t mention the parking lot at all. We can go after him for academic fraud and personal threats. You have the evidence of his threatening emails, plus the underage drinking. We can also check the cameras for a DUI. With those items, I’m confident I can see him legally sanctioned—at the very least, he’ll never bother you or Ling Yu again.”

Wei Zhen’s gaze suddenly softened as she watched the serious Jian Ying strategize for Han Jingman. This woman truly radiated a fatal attraction at all times.

The two finalized the plan: Han Jingman would file a complaint in her own name for misconduct, and Jian Ying would step in to pressure him, ensuring he wouldn’t retaliate in the future.

“But speaking of which, for Ling Yu to take on a brute with that thin frame of hers… impressive. Seems the youth still have passion,” Jian Ying rambled on, more and more excited, until Han Jingman unilaterally hung up.

“Heartless!” Jian Ying huffed.

As she put the phone down, she felt the mattress sink. Wei Zhen was propped up on her elbow, watching her. Jian Ying rolled her eyes. “What are you doing?”

“Looking at you~”

Nonsense, as if I didn’t know you were looking.

Jian Ying ignored her and reached for a mug. Her arm was caught mid-air, and in a blur of motion, she was pinned beneath Wei Zhen. Jian Ying grew frantic, pushing at her. “What are you doing? Go away, you’re heavy!”

Wei Zhen reached out to pinch her waist, leaning down with a smile. “You didn’t think I was too heavy last night.”

Jian Ying’s protests were soon suppressed by the “black-hearted one”…