Chapter 127: Liang Yang

The injury on Xin Gan’s wrist wasn’t very serious. Fortunately, the cake-cutting knife wasn’t sharp, and since she received prompt treatment, it didn’t cause any major problems.

Because the wound was on her wrist, Xin Gan’s mother suddenly came to the studio to see her. She happened to notice the paint on Xin Gan’s hands as she was washing them.

Not wanting to worry her mother, Xin Gan came up with a casual excuse and kept the injury hidden. She even coaxed her mother by saying it was a burn from accidentally touching something hot while cooking.

Her mother was half convinced but didn’t press the matter further.

Only then did Xin Gan breathe a sigh of relief. Now that she didn’t have to hide anything, she could go home to have a meal.

Her mother thought the same way and suggested she stay home for a while, especially since Cheng Jiu had been busy lately and there was no one to cook for her.

Indeed, Cheng Jiu had been extremely busy recently, juggling many matters and other complicated issues all at once, leaving him overwhelmed.

He hadn’t even found time to pick up his medical examination report after his recent checkup.

In these days, Xin Gan and Cheng Jiu still maintained their intimate relationship, but they always took precautionary measures—that is, contraception.

One evening, Xin Gan returned home while Cheng Jiu was still out. She tidied the house and put his clothes in the washing machine.

Afterwards, she half-lay on the sofa watching TV, idly flipping through channels until catching a news report about current events in Beiyu. The report mainly covered the “Fish Head” case from a few years ago. The “Fish Head” wasn’t a local from Beiyu; he was from Yongcheng, where he committed a crime, fled to Beiyu, and then became involved in illegal activities for several years. He was arrested and brought to justice last year, but many others were still at large.

The news was not very detailed; many particulars were omitted, likely due to the gravity and sensitivity of the matter, with only partial information disclosed.

Xin Gan gradually drifted off to sleep, dreaming of her time in Beiyu.

Xiao Shi was still around, cheerfully taking her out to play, introducing local specialties, and sharing embarrassing stories about Cheng Jiu from when he first arrived in Beiyu.

Cheng Jiu was too embarrassed to tell her these stories himself; all she knew was from Xiao Shi.

Had that incident never occurred, Xiao Shi would still be alive. They might even be approaching marriage, and Cheng Jiu would have a lovely, sensible wife, possibly have a chubby baby boy whom Cheng Jiu would treat as his own godchild, loving the child as if it were his own...

But all of this was just a dream.

Xin Gan was awakened by the sound of the door opening, her cheeks wet with tears.

Cheng Jiu had just returned and saw her lying on the sofa, just waking up.

“Why didn’t you sleep in the bedroom?” he asked as he walked in, unbuttoning his shirt. He always dressed formally for work, like a seasoned official, but relaxed at home, especially around Xin Gan.

Xin Gan shook her head and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand.

Cheng Jiu sat beside her. She lowered her head, her hair cascading beside her cheeks, her mood subdued.

“What’s wrong? Does your wound hurt?”

Xin Gan finally lifted her head and threw herself into his arms, clutching his lean waist tightly, her face pressed against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. “I just had a dream about Xiao Shi.”

Mentioning Xiao Shi, Cheng Jiu’s eyes darkened slightly. He stroked her hair and spoke in a low voice, “What happened to him?”

Xin Gan couldn’t put it into words; her chest felt heavy and suffocated. She hugged him tightly, unwilling to let go.

Her mood suddenly sank.

Cheng Jiu held her close and kissed the top of her head. “Do you want to go back to Beiyu?”

“Shall we go back?”

“When this busy period is over, it will be his anniversary. We’ll go see him then.”

Xin Gan regarded Xiao Shi as a friend. When she first arrived in Beiyu, Xiao Shi was the first person she met and helped her many times. Without him, she and Cheng Jiu might have fallen out long ago.

She owed much of her relationship with Cheng Jiu to Xiao Shi.

Cheng Jiu also considered Xiao Shi like a brother. Xiao Shi was young, clever, and had unconditionally entrusted his life to Cheng Jiu. But...

Xin Gan whispered, “I saw the news just now and saw a report about Beiyu on TV. I couldn’t help but think of Xiao Shi. If he were still alive, he’d be twenty-one this year, right?”

“Yes, twenty-one.”

“Let’s go back sometime and visit his family, okay?”

“Okay.”

Cheng Jiu wiped her tears. “You’re so sentimental. Why are you crying like this?”

Xin Gan puckered her lips. “It’s not on purpose. Sometimes I just can’t control it.”

Seeing her sad and tearful, Cheng Jiu’s heart softened, reluctant to let go. Thinking of Xiao Shi, he said, “Don’t cry anymore. If you keep crying, your eyes will be swollen tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

Since returning, Cheng Jiu had had little contact with Beiyu. Everyone was busy with their own affairs, especially Captain Meng, who had left Beiyu. Many things were beyond his control.

Especially since Cheng Jiu was transferred away from Beiyu, an order from above, Captain Meng couldn’t interfere.

There were some matters Captain Meng couldn’t explain to Cheng Jiu and had to leave things as they were.

After calming down, Xin Gan drank a glass of water and asked, “Cheng Jiu, have you eaten?”

“I have.”

“Are you hungry?”

“No.”

He pinched her cheek. “Alright, don’t worry about me. If I’m hungry, I’ll cook some noodles. Let me check your wound.”

The wound wasn’t serious—just hadn’t had the stitches removed yet, but it was time to change the dressing.

Cheng Jiu had experience treating similar injuries. When he was injured on missions, he treated himself when he could; only when unable to did he seek the medic. At first, the medic wasn’t familiar with him. Later, after several serious injuries, when the medic treated him, Cheng Jiu never complained or made a fuss, as if shouting would be undignified. His stubborn temper left a strong impression on the medic.

In fact, the medic still remembered him.

He cleaned and dressed the wound, then told her to take a shower and get some rest.

While showering, Xin Gan was careful to avoid her wrist injury, but washing with one hand was inconvenient. Midway through, Cheng Jiu opened the door and entered, acting like an old married couple. Naturally, he lifted her injured arm and held the showerhead for her.

Xin Gan no longer felt embarrassed and let him help.

“By the way, is your medical report ready?”

Cheng Jiu didn’t look up. “I’ve been busy these days and haven’t gone to the hospital. I’ll pick it up after work tomorrow.”

“It should be nothing serious.”

Cheng Jiu remained silent.

He had successfully quit that habit, thanks to his self-control. He would never touch that stuff again.

During his treatment in Beiyu, negative thoughts occasionally surfaced, but thanks to Xin Gan’s care, she brought him back to clarity in time, preventing any dependency.

Without strong willpower, Cheng Jiu wouldn’t have been able to escape its influence.

The next morning, Xin Gan was roused by a phone call. Groggy and unable to see the caller ID, she answered. Upon hearing the voice, she was instantly awake.

“Good morning, Xin Xin.”

It was He Cheng.

Xin Gan was momentarily stunned, her tone cold and unwilling as she asked, “What do you want?”

“It’s about the police report. The police have contacted me many times, investigating me. I know I was abrupt and offensive to you that day, so I want to sit down and discuss things. I’m willing to apologize. Yes, your injury is somewhat related to me, but I didn’t hit you. You can’t just pin my past youthful mistakes on me now.”

Such an attitude was hardly apologetic—more like provoking.

“You don’t sound sorry at all,” Xin Gan snapped. “I won’t settle privately with you. Even if you didn’t cause my injury, you restricted my freedom, didn’t let me leave, and even hit my car. He Cheng, I won’t pay for your mistakes.”

This time, Xin Gan wasn’t willing to back down.

Big problems don’t get minimized; small ones don’t get ignored.

In any case, she wouldn’t yield this time.

She hung up angrily, so upset she didn’t even want to sleep. Cheng Jiu had already gotten up and was making breakfast in the kitchen.

She got up to wash and freshen up.

Cheng Jiu maintained a regular schedule. No matter how late he stayed up, he always got up at the same time to cook breakfast, especially now that Xin Gan’s hand was injured and she couldn’t even fry an egg. He took care of everything himself.

Xin Gan told Cheng Jiu about the call, and he shared her attitude—no acceptance of private settlements.

This comforted Xin Gan, and Cheng Jiu told her not to go to the studio today but to rest at home. He would come back at noon to cook for her.

Xin Gan agreed.

At around two in the afternoon, the police called, saying He Cheng wanted to negotiate the traffic accident settlement. Since He Cheng hit her car, it needed to be resolved by negotiation. Xin Gan had no choice but to agree to meet.

Cheng Jiu was working and couldn’t leave, so Xin Gan went alone.

With her hand injured, she couldn’t drive and took a taxi.

Upon arrival, under the police’s arrangement, she met with He Cheng’s agent.

He Cheng was there with his agent.

It was Xin Gan’s first time meeting Tan Yazhuo. Tan exuded a strong career woman aura. Xin Gan, while firm, remained calm, having seen much in life.

During the negotiation, Tan did most of the talking. He Cheng said nothing, seeming detached as if it weren’t his problem.

Tan expressed willingness to compensate, admitted the fault was He Cheng’s, and showed no intention of shirking responsibility.

Xin Gan agreed, as He Cheng should pay for the car repairs.

Thus, the matter was settled.

Xin Gan didn’t want to discuss anything further. After briefly explaining her stance to the police, she prepared to leave.

Tan hurried after her. “Miss Xin, don’t rush. Can we talk briefly?”

Xin Gan glanced back coldly. “Leave the rest to the police. I don’t want to talk to you. There’s nothing to discuss.”

“I understand how you feel and your emotions. He Cheng isn’t here now. Don’t think of me as just his agent. Actually, I’m not trying to excuse him. He did wrong—that’s undeniable. Miss Xin, my position is the same as yours.”

The same position?

Xin Gan’s gaze turned icy. “You’re his agent. How can your stance be the same? How can you be on the same team?”

“This isn’t the place to talk. Can I have your contact? We can set up a time to meet.”

Tan’s words sounded sincere. She truly wanted to talk, not to defend He Cheng. She felt the need to explain.

“He Cheng is watching me. Some things can’t be said now. Everything I said is true. Lying wouldn’t benefit me.”

Tan handed her a business card.

Xin Gan took it, perhaps believing her sincerity.

She left with the card.

He Cheng followed closely, whining, “What did you say to her?”

“Just dealing with the mess you caused. Put on your hat and mask when we go out, so no one recognizes you.”

He Cheng pouted, clearly displeased—not because Xin Gan refused to reconcile, but because of what Tan said to Xin Gan and that she accepted the card.

Thinking of the child in Ah Zhou’s belly, He Cheng suspected Tan was scheming behind the scenes.

Tan’s obvious behavior wasn’t lost on He Cheng.

Ah Zhou hadn’t told Tan about his visit, meaning Tan still didn’t know he was aware of the child.

He Cheng sneered and withdrew his gaze.

Xin Gan hesitated about meeting Tan. She wanted to know what Tan wanted to discuss.

After much thought, she called Tan.

Tan was delighted and quickly arranged a meeting near Xin Gan’s studio at a café.

Xin Gan arrived first, ordered coffee, and waited anxiously, unsure what Tan wanted to talk about.

After all, Tan was just He Cheng’s agent. What could they possibly discuss?

He Cheng and Tan were cut from the same cloth; how could they share her position?

Tan arrived ten minutes late, carrying a bag of documents as if prepared.

Xin Gan stood and politely but distantly greeted her.

Tan appraised her quietly. “Miss Xin, sorry to bother you, but I believe you’ll soon understand why I contacted you.”

Xin Gan sipped her coffee calmly.

Tan said, “I’d heard about you long ago. When I signed He Cheng, I asked about his romantic history. He said he had no girlfriends but didn’t mention any persistent pursuit.”

Xin Gan was silent.

Tan noticed the wedding ring on her finger—a valuable piece. She recognized the ring’s worth and Xin Gan’s composed demeanor, indicating a well-off family and that Xin Gan was married, not single.

“I saw your photo on He Cheng’s phone. When I asked who it was, he said a casual friend. Now, it seems she wasn’t just any friend. Did he pursue you before?”

Xin Gan disliked such topics. “If this is all you want to discuss, Miss Tan, I think it’s a waste of time.”

“Miss Xin, please wait and hear me out.”

“He Cheng is an entertainer. When we signed the contract, it was clear he couldn’t date during his time with us. But he didn’t listen and even took advantage of a young assistant who became pregnant. Because of this, I had a big falling-out with him. Although we appear to still work together, we’re close to breaking up.”

“If not for the contract, I wouldn’t be his agent. I came to you at the police station because I knew you and He Cheng didn’t get along. Since you refused to settle privately, I investigated and found out you knew each other.”

Xin Gan asked, “What do you mean, Miss Tan?”

“I mean, let the matter be as big as it is, Miss Xin. Since you and He Cheng have grievances, why not take this chance to ruin him?”

...

Winter had come to Lundun. Though it hadn’t snowed yet, the temperature was cold enough.

Cheng Hui was new here and still unaccustomed to life in Lundun. She had been pampered at home, and now living alone was hard, especially after a recent heartbreak.

Before, she had desperately wanted He Chuan; now, He Chuan wanted nothing to do with her. No matter how many texts or calls she sent, he wouldn’t respond, even turning off his phone.

It was clear he didn’t want to continue.

Cheng Hui felt heartbroken but helpless, forced to accept reality.

Heartbreak is tough the first time, easier the second. She would adapt, though recovery would take time.

Xin Gan introduced her to a local woman named Julia, a native of Lundun who took good care of her. Cheng Hui was shy and hesitant to trouble Julia unless absolutely necessary.

Mrs. Cheng sent her abroad without arranging anyone to look after her, throwing her into the deep end to toughen her up, no longer supporting her indulgently.

Cheng Hui was truly facing hardships.

Lundun was cold, schoolwork heavy, and the language barrier stressful. Her spoken English was weak, her voice still not fully recovered, making communication with classmates awkward and often missing the point.

The more anxious she became, the less she could solve problems.

Some classmates even called her mute, saying she couldn’t speak.

Her classmates came from various places. Though they were all foreigners to her, some didn’t speak English as their mother tongue—though to her, it was all the same.

One male classmate seemed to dislike her skin color and gossiped about her behind her back.

Cheng Hui heard it but felt too tired to be angry. She simply ignored it and carried on.

The study abroad circle was small. On the plane, she met a boy named Liang Yang, also an international student from a different school. He noticed her crying and, feeling sorry, gave her a tissue, which led to their acquaintance.

After some busy days, Liang Yang remembered her and contacted her to meet.

Having experienced heartbreak, Cheng Hui wanted to get out and socialize, so she agreed to dine with him.

Liang Yang was two years older and felt sympathetic to her, especially as they were compatriots.

Cheng Hui looked young and delicate, unlike the flashy women around. After a few meetings, Liang Yang saw her as a sister and sensed her emotional low.

He asked gently what had happened and why she cried so hard on the plane.

Cheng Hui desperately needed someone to confide in. Liang Yang was a stranger who didn’t know her history or He Chuan, making him a good listener. She shared her story, omitting key details, saying only that her family disapproved of her relationship, forcibly breaking them up.

Liang Yang half-smiled. “You look like you really liked your boyfriend?”

Cheng Hui bit her lip, sadness clear. “He’s my ex now.”

“Ex? Didn’t you say you didn’t want to break up?”

“He wanted the breakup. That’s that. Whether I agree or not doesn’t matter. He won’t respond to me, maybe never again.”

Liang Yang poured juice into her glass. “Then let it be. That kind of lousy guy isn’t worth it.”

“But I’m afraid I’ll soften. I even wonder if he comes back, should I forgive him?”

Though unlikely, she still hoped.

Liang Yang smiled warmly. “Don’t agree. That makes you look cheap. Men don’t like that. Once you accept once, there’ll be a second time and endless cycles. You’re a girl; you should love yourself. There will be better men, no need to hang on one tree.”

“You have a whole forest,” she replied.

Cheng Hui paid no mind, silently eating her steak with little appetite, putting down her utensils after a few bites.

Liang Yang suddenly asked, “I noticed you had a medicated patch on your neck. Is your throat sore?”

“An anti-inflammatory patch. My throat’s been bothering me.”

“Sick?”

“An old problem. It’s nothing,” Cheng Hui said listlessly.

“Finished eating? I want to get some fresh air. It feels stuffy.”

“Let’s go.”

They split the bill. After Liang Yang paid, Cheng Hui immediately transferred her share via WeChat.

He noticed her family was well-off. Most international students came from good families, but hers seemed especially wealthy.

Cheng Hui didn’t pay attention to brand names, choosing comfort over fashion. Fortunately, her family gave her enough living expenses without skimping.

Liang Yang accompanied her to stroll around the square. He bought a bag of bread from a street vendor and handed it to her to feed the pigeons.

Cheng Hui was wary of sharp-beaked animals and reluctant to approach. “You do it; I’m afraid they’ll poop.”

“Eat and then poop? You’re unbelievable.”

Cheng Hui playfully tried to hit him, but he dodged nimbly and teased, “Can’t even take honest words? Want to hit me? So violent.”

Cheng Hui rolled her eyes and sat down, unwilling to move.

As the sunset’s glow bathed her, she raised a hand to shield her eyes, but tears still fell. She couldn’t help but think of He Chuan, her mind full of him.

Liang Yang returned from feeding the pigeons, smelling faintly of birds. He patted his clothes and complained about the growing pigeon population. Then he noticed her silently crying.

He sat beside her quietly. “Life’s about stumbling a few times and moving on. If you can still cry, it means you’re young and have time.”

Cheng Hui appreciated his words but still couldn’t hold back her tears. If she could, she wouldn’t be so sad.

He Chuan meant something very different to her—deeply different.

In the following days, Cheng Hui didn’t meet Liang Yang again. She focused on her studies, tuning out distractions. Even the classmates who gossiped about her couldn’t affect her. Besides, she was wealthier and had no worries about tuition or living expenses.

Safety abroad was generally lower than at home, especially at night. Even in bustling city centers, robberies occurred frequently, and the police weren’t always responsive.

Cheng Hui was once robbed at night. Since then, she rarely went out after dark, staying in the dorm or at school.

Mrs. Cheng never called her, and she didn’t contact home either. Several times, Mrs. Cheng called Xin Gan to ask about Cheng Hui’s situation, and Xin Gan, experienced, gave advice.

Days passed. Cheng Hui no longer cried every night. Xin Gan worried but couldn’t leave to visit her.

Cheng Hui reassured her, “Xin Xin, don’t worry. This isn’t my first heartbreak. After a few, you build a strong shield. I’ll be fine and won’t overthink.”

Xin Gan said, “That’s good. If you need anything, you can always reach out.”

Cheng Hui smiled on the surface but secretly wanted to know about He Chuan. Yet, she knew that if she asked around, she’d seem desperate, just as Liang Yang warned.

Since He Chuan didn’t want to continue, she decided to let go—for both their sakes.

Really.

Even if it was hard to forget, she had to.

He Chuan hadn’t even tried to hold on; if he didn’t want her, there was no reason to cling like he did.

Cheng Hui studied hard, more than she ever had in high school, determined to make the most of it.

Liang Yang occasionally messaged her. She didn’t reply to every message—sometimes out of politeness, sometimes because she was busy.

He didn’t mind, treating her like a sister, pitying her after her breakup.

Back home, no one told Cheng Hui what was happening. She remained unaware.