Chapter Forty-Five: Hechuan and Hecheng

Song Chen had never met Xin Gan in person. He’d only seen her graduation photo posted on her social media, and the childhood pictures of her with Shen Ruxin. He didn’t know much about Xin Gan’s situation; most of what he heard came from Shen Ruxin herself. In his opinion, Shen Ruxin worried too much about things that didn’t concern her, so he never paid it much mind.

Seeing her husband’s indifference, Shen Ruxin frowned and chided him, “You think I’m meddling in other people’s business, don’t you?”

Song Chen explained, “That’s not what I meant.”

“Song Chen, Xin Gan and I are more than just cousins. I care about her deeply. As long as she still calls me ‘sister,’ I can’t just stand by and do nothing.”

Song Chen relented, “Alright, alright, I never said we shouldn’t help her. If she wants to work at my company, just let me know, and I’ll arrange it, okay?”

Only then did Shen Ruxin drop the subject. He playfully pressed her, breathing warm air into her ear and whispering, “Has Keke fallen asleep?”

“She’s asleep,” Shen Ruxin replied.

“Thank you for taking such good care of Keke while she’s been sick. Once I’m done with work, I’ll take both of you on a trip.”

Shen Ruxin said, “Let’s skip the trip. It’s exhausting. I’d rather rest at home if I have some free time.”

…

Xin Gan was lost in thought when she heard Xiao Shi calling her from behind. She turned and saw him say, “Miss Xin, have you finished your call? We’re about to leave.”

Xin Gan replied, “Yes, I’m done. Let’s go.”

All the expenses along the way had been covered by Cheng Jiu. Initially, Xin Gan tried to pay her share, but Cheng Jiu refused; he didn’t care about such a small sum from her.

Since he wouldn’t accept the money, there was no way for Xin Gan to force it on him. It was just like that time she’d fallen ill—Cheng Jiu had insisted he didn’t need her money. When he was around, it made no sense for her, a woman, to pay for anything.

It wasn’t until evening, after searching the small town for a suitable inn, that they found a place to stay. Xin Gan still felt uneasy after what happened at their last inn, where a hidden camera had been found. As soon as she entered the room, she checked everything according to Cheng Jiu’s instructions. Only after confirming there were no problems did she finally feel at ease.

The next morning, they checked out of the inn at dawn, ate breakfast nearby, and hit the road once more. This time, Xiao Shi was driving, while Cheng Jiu sat in the passenger seat, eyes closed, resting.

Xin Gan sat silently in the back, feeling less uncomfortable than before. The crack in the rear window, however, was a chilling reminder that the gunfight from the other day had been all too real.

She gazed out the window at the passing scenery, and before she knew it, she drifted off to sleep. When she awoke, still groggy, she heard Cheng Jiu on the phone.

Cheng Jiu, squinting at the road ahead, seemed aware that Xin Gan was asleep. He kept his voice low, careful not to wake her. “You know exactly what’s going on here, so why are you messing around? Don’t be ridiculous. Put He Chuan on the phone.”

On the other end, Cheng Hui wheedled, “Brother, don’t brush me off. I’m trying to talk to you about something important. What does He Chuan have to do with it?”

“If he doesn’t keep an eye on you, who will?” Cheng Jiu scolded. Instantly, Cheng Hui’s tone changed, and she protested, “Cheng Jiu, I’m not a child. Why is it that Sister Xin can go see you, but I can’t? I miss you! You haven’t been home in three years.”

“She’s not the same as you. And I’ll be back at the end of the year,” said Cheng Jiu.

“Really? You’re not lying to me?” Cheng Hui almost jumped off the sofa. She hadn’t seen Cheng Jiu in three years, so with three months off after graduating high school, she wanted to go to Beiyu to see him.

“When have I ever lied to you?”

“What about Sister Xin? I heard from Grandma that you’re about to marry her, and that she went to Beiyu this time to talk about the wedding. If I’d known, I would’ve gone with her to find you.”

Cheng Jiu asked, “Have you even met her? You keep calling her ‘Sister Xin’ like you’re close.”

Cheng Hui retorted, “I know her better than you do! I’ve even been to her house before, and she was there. Unlike you, who didn’t even bother to show up. It was the year before last, I think, when Sister Xin came back from abroad. Mom asked you to visit the Xin family with us, but you refused, choosing instead to go drinking with your good-for-nothing friends, not even meeting your future bride. By the way, where is Sister Xin now?”

Cheng Jiu paused for a moment, then replied, “Is that so? I don’t remember.”

“See? Drinking’s addled your brain. I’m telling you, don’t bully her. If I hadn’t had exams recently, I would’ve gone with Sister Xin to see you. Next time, I’m definitely tagging along.”

Cheng Jiu grunted in response, and out of the corner of his eye, noticed that Xin Gan seemed to be waking up in the back seat. He said, “That’s enough for now, I have things to do. We’ll talk later.”

“Brother? That’s it? Don’t hang up, I still—” Before Cheng Hui could finish, Cheng Jiu had already ended the call. She was exasperated, left helpless by her brother’s behavior.

He Chuan, standing nearby, chuckled. “Hung up on you again?”

“My brother is so annoying. He does this every time. The moment I bring up something serious, he changes the topic. But whatever, he’s busy. I’ll settle accounts with him later.”

He Chuan smiled gently. “Could you get off the sofa first? You’re wearing shoes, and if He Cheng sees you putting your feet up, he’ll give you another scolding.”

Cheng Hui said, “Don’t tell him. He’ll only give me more trouble. By the way, when did He Cheng get back? How come I know nothing about it?”

“A little while ago. He’s been back for a few months now. He’s had nothing to do and keeps causing trouble everywhere. I’ve been busy cleaning up his messes. Your brother won’t let me rest, either. He hardly knows his own fiancée—she’s already gone to see him, and he’s calling me for information about his future wife.”

At that, Cheng Hui perked up and hopped off the sofa. At seventeen, she was already nearly 1.7 meters tall, not far off from He Cheng’s height, which was just over 1.8 meters. Standing next to him was a little intimidating. He eyed her suspiciously and said, “What are you doing, getting so close?”

“My brother’s asking you about Sister Xin?”

He Chuan picked up a cushion from the sofa, looking helpless. “Yes, your Sister Xin. Once they get married, you’ll have to change how you address her. You can’t call her ‘Sister’ anymore; you’ll have to call her ‘sister-in-law.’”

“That sounds so old! Sister Xin is so young, and my brother’s almost thirty. It’s like an old man chasing a young girl.”

He Chuan burst out laughing, the fine lines at the corners of his eyes deepening. “You’re not afraid to say that about your brother?”

“Just as long as you don’t tattle. I’m only telling you. At most, I’ll call her ‘little sister-in-law’—that sounds better. Oh, right, my brother said he’ll be home at the end of the year. I need to tell Mom and Dad.”

He Chuan said, “Just be careful out there. Watch for cars when you’re walking.”