Chapter Ninety-Eight: Deliberation and Affection

The assistant asked anxiously, "Why did you resign? Weren't things going well?"

The front desk girl made a shushing gesture. "Shh, keep your voice down, the boss is coming out..."

On the other side, Xin Gan and Cheng Jiu walked out together, not noticing the assistant and front desk girl in the corner. She was still asking Cheng Jiu what had just happened. Cheng Jiu smiled without explaining, saying, "It's nothing."

Xin Gan found him odd, but couldn't quite put her finger on it.

When Xin Gan reached the door, she saw the front desk was empty. Just then, the assistant pulled the front desk girl out and greeted her.

The front desk girl kept her head lowered, looking guilty as if she'd done something wrong. She thought Xin Gan might say something, but in the end, Xin Gan said nothing—just reminded them to be careful on their way home after work.

Only after Xin Gan and Cheng Jiu had left did the front desk girl breathe a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness, thank goodness. The boss didn't say anything."

"What exactly did you do to be so nervous?" the assistant couldn't help asking.

"The boss's boyfriend came in earlier, and I stopped him from entering. I thought he was one of those boring people pretending to be parents registering for classes. Who knew he really was the boss's boyfriend? I even said some unpleasant things. Anyway, you absolutely have to put in a good word for me with the boss. I don't want to get fired..."

The assistant chuckled a few times. "That's all? I thought it was something serious. Don't worry, the boss isn't that petty. This is just a small matter, don't sweat it."

Hopefully that was the case.

...

Xin Gan listened as Cheng Jiu gave a vivid account of what had just happened, laughing so hard she couldn't close her mouth. "So that's what it was. No wonder she didn't dare look at me earlier. But this is all trivial, it doesn't matter."

"She probably thought you were going to fire her."

"Am I that kind of person?"

"I am." Cheng Jiu joked with a completely straight face.

Xin Gan couldn't help laughing. "Don't go scare her. She just graduated, she's still very young."

"Aren't you also freshly graduated and young?"

The two got into the car. Xin Gan buckled her seatbelt, and just then her phone rang—it was her mother.

After picking up, her mother asked, "Are you with Cheng Jiu?"

"Yes, what's wrong?"

"Madam Cheng and I are having dinner at Huiju Tower. Tell Cheng Jiu, and the two of you come over together." Xin's mother said.

Xin Gan felt a little nervous. "Why so sudden?"

"What's sudden about it? We'll just have a meal and discuss the wedding plans for the two of you. These things need to be discussed by both families together."

Xin Gan: "Alright then, I'll let Cheng Jiu know."

Cheng Jiu was driving at the moment. He turned his face to glance at her. "What's wrong?"

"Cheng Jiu, your mother and my mother are having dinner at Huiju Tower. They want us to head over now."

"Then let's go." Cheng Jiu said naturally, without asking more.

It was Xin Gan who was more nervous. She hesitated for a long moment before saying, "They want to discuss the wedding between us."

"Mm, it does need to be discussed."

Cheng Jiu didn't see anything wrong with it—on the contrary, it was perfectly normal. How many tables for the banquet, how many relatives and friends to invite—it concerned both families, so it was right to sit down and talk it through together.

It was just that Madam Cheng and Xin's mother were a bit eager.

But that was fine too. Settling the matter earlier would also give Xin Gan some closure.

When they arrived, Cheng Jiu went to park the car and told Xin Gan to wait for him at the entrance.

Finding a parking spot took Cheng Jiu a little while, so Xin Gan waited for him to walk over.

Just then, a black van drove past on the opposite side of the road. He Cheng, sitting inside, spotted Xin Gan standing across the street. When he saw her, he thought he'd mistaken her, so he specially rolled down the window. It truly was Xin Gan. He was about to tell the driver to stop when a man walked up beside Xin Gan. It was Cheng Jiu. He stepped forward, wrapped his arm around Xin Gan, and the two of them walked in together.

Huiju Tower.

"Stop the car."

The driver said, "Mr. He, it's not easy to stop here."

Tan Yazhuo, in the passenger seat, heard He Cheng speak and turned back to look at him. "Lao Guan, find a place to pull over."

After the car was parked, Tan Yazhuo said, "He Cheng, what do you want to do?"

He Cheng said, "Find a place to eat. That place looks decent, let's eat there."

Tan Yazhuo said, "So you want to eat first before going back to the set?"

"I've been stuck on set for a whole month now. Can't I eat something a normal person would eat? That boxed meal on set—is that fit for human consumption?"

This was just He Cheng's personality: pampered, arrogant, and aloof. When he was in a good mood, he could reason with you, but when he was in a bad mood, he only cared about his own feelings.

After spending this period of time together, Tan Yazhuo had come to understand his character. If it weren't for the fact that he could make money for the company, would he even get the chance to put on a sour face and throw tantrums?

It wasn't as if Tan Yazhuo lacked for artists, though it was true that someone like He Cheng, who came with his own resources and background, was rare.

Tan Yazhuo humored him. "I understand how you feel. It really has been hard on you, but the conditions on set are limited. Of course it can't compare to a hotel where you can get whatever you want. Everything depends on the arrangements. Since you rarely have something you actually want to eat, we can eat here. But you still need to wear your hat and sunglasses, so you don't get recognized."

Having to be fully disguised just to eat a meal made He Cheng's face even darker.

If it weren't for not wanting to be controlled by He Chuan, he wouldn't have come to be some celebrity or star. Tan Yazhuo would occasionally arrange acting and posture classes for him, genuinely trying to groom him, but his heart wasn't in it. He only wanted to escape the shackles of the He family as soon as possible.

Tan Yazhuo kept managing every aspect of his life, and he was utterly sick of it. He'd thought that once he'd dealt with A Zhou, things would be fine, but Tan Yazhuo had a backup plan—she personally took charge of his daily life.

...

Madam Cheng and Xin's mother were chatting happily when Cheng Jiu and Xin Gan arrived. They told the couple, "We've already had someone calculate the dates. The sixteenth of next month is an auspicious day. Let's set the wedding for mid-next month."

Xin Gan felt it was a bit rushed, but she had no objection—she'd follow Cheng Jiu's lead.

She instinctively glanced at Cheng Jiu and said in a low voice, "What do you think?"

Cheng Jiu picked up the teapot and poured tea into Xin Gan's cup as he said, "Since it's already been calculated for next month, then next month it is."

Madam Cheng said, "A month or so is enough time to prepare. Cheng Jiu, you can handle the rest yourself."

Cheng Jiu had said before that he'd take care of everything himself, no need for the family to plan and scheme.

Cheng Jiu nodded in agreement.

Madam Cheng was delighted now. She looked at Xin Gan again—the more she looked, the more she liked her.

And the more she liked her, the more she naturally remembered to ask when the two of them planned to have a child.

Xin's mother stepped in to mediate. "They're both still young. As for children, I think it mainly depends on their wishes."

Madam Cheng was open-minded by nature, but she was also eager to hold a grandchild. Cheng Jiu was already past thirty; it was time for a child.

Back in the day, Madam Cheng herself had given birth to Cheng Jiu at around twenty-four or twenty-five.

Xin Gan had been put on the spot. She hesitated for a long moment without answering.

Under the table, Cheng Jiu took her hand and gave her palm a reassuring squeeze. "No rush. I just got back, and there are still a lot of things I haven't sorted out. The wedding hasn't even happened yet. Let's not be hasty about this."

He didn't want to say anything too definitive and upset Madam Cheng, but of course, he also had to take care of Xin Gan's feelings. So he set the matter aside for the time being.

Xin's mother's mindset was different from Madam Cheng's. Xin Gan was still young, and giving birth was a difficult hurdle. She didn't want Xin Gan to suffer so early either. If Xin Gan wanted to wait a few more years, that would be fine too.

Madam Cheng said, "It's not that I'm pushing you to have kids. But you're not getting any younger. If you have one now, your father and I can still help raise it. No need to worry about no one helping you with the child." As for the family circumstances, there was nothing to say—the Cheng family certainly didn't lack money to raise one more child, and there was no concern about the child's future education.

Xin Gan truly hadn't thought about having a child right now. She felt it was too early. She'd originally been afraid that Cheng Jiu might share Madam Cheng's views, and that if she said she didn't want one, it might not go over well. But now it seemed Cheng Jiu didn't want a child either. Somehow, she had an indescribable feeling about it.

Xin's mother said, "Dear in-law, it's too early to talk about children now. Let's not put pressure on them. We'll discuss this after the wedding."

And so the topic shifted from planning the wedding to having children, then quietly faded away.

Xin Gan felt pressured—quite pressured, actually.

Cheng Jiu held her hand, sensing that she was in low spirits and soothing her in time.

The two of them sat together, a harmonious sight. Xin Gan naturally trusted him. She looked up at him and smiled faintly.

When the waiter was serving the dishes, the private room door was half-open. He Cheng walked past and caught a glimpse of Cheng Jiu and Xin Gan sitting together, with Xin Gan's mother and Madam Cheng beside them. Judging by the scene, it looked like a family meal. Warm and harmonious.

It was because he'd seen Xin Gan that He Cheng had come in.

After Xin Gan got together with Cheng Jiu, she seemed to be doing quite well—even if he was unwilling to admit it.

Out of the corner of her eye, Xin Gan happened to notice someone at the private room door. He Cheng also saw her. He was wearing sunglasses and a hat, uncertain whether she could recognize him.

He Cheng quickly walked away, as if he'd never been there.

Huiju Tower wasn't very large, and He Cheng had found Xin Gan's private room by chance.

Xin Gan's mind wandered for a moment, and she unconsciously clutched Cheng Jiu's lapel, looking up at him.

Cheng Jiu turned his face down to look at her. "What's wrong?"

Xin Gan said quietly, "I think I saw He Cheng. He was at the private room door just now, looking at me. I'm not sure if it was him—he was wearing a hat and sunglasses..." She wasn't entirely certain, only judging from his build that it was He Cheng.

Cheng Jiu looked out, but there was no one at the door anymore. He believed what Xin Gan said. After a moment of thought, he said, "It's fine. I'm here."

"Mm, I know." She was just worried that He Cheng might pull something sneaky again. She'd already suffered losses at his hands many times, so she wanted to remind Cheng Jiu to be careful.

But in broad daylight, in a public place full of people, and he being a public figure—he probably wouldn't do anything.

Thinking this way, she relaxed a little.

When they were almost done eating, Cheng Jiu told Xin Gan to wait in the private room while he went to pay the bill.

...

He Cheng ate a few bites of food, then put down his chopsticks and stopped eating, playing with his phone instead.

Tan Yazhuo said, "Don't like the flavor?"

He Cheng said, "It's so-so."

"You seem distracted. What's wrong with you?"

He Cheng said, "Nothing. I'm full. I'm going to the restroom."

Tan Yazhuo started to say something, but He Cheng added, "It's not like you need to follow me to the restroom too, is it?"

"That's not necessary. I'm just reminding you not to get recognized."

"I know." He Cheng said nonchalantly.

Phone in hand, he went back to Xin Gan's private room. But it wasn't just Xin Gan—Madam Cheng was there too. He couldn't show his face, so he pulled his hat lower and hid in the blind spot at the corner of the hallway.

Xin Gan didn't notice him. She followed beside Xin's mother and went downstairs.

Cheng Jiu wasn't around at the moment. He Cheng thought for a moment, took off his hat, and walked up, pretending to run into her by chance. He called out Xin Gan's name.

Xin Gan turned around and saw He Cheng. Her expression instantly turned cold.

Xin's mother and Madam Cheng looked at each other in confusion. Both recognized He Cheng.

"Auntie Cheng, Auntie Xin." He Cheng greeted them politely.

Madam Cheng said with a smile, "He Cheng, it's you. You're here for a meal too?"

"Yes, what a coincidence. I didn't expect to run into you here. Xin Gan, long time no see." He Cheng greeted Xin Gan openly, as if they were merely old friends.

Xin Gan's expression darkened slightly. "Quite a coincidence indeed."

"You know Xin Gan?" This was asked by Madam Cheng.

"I do. We've known each other for quite a while. It's a long story. Are you all leaving now?"

Xin's mother said, "Yes, we just finished eating."

He Cheng smiled, his gaze drifting toward Xin Gan deliberately or not. Xin Gan naturally gave no response. She took out her phone and texted Cheng Jiu. He Cheng didn't know she was contacting Cheng Jiu and wanted to continue the conversation under the guise of this chance encounter.

Neither Madam Cheng nor Xin's mother knew about what had happened between them before. They assumed He Cheng and Xin Gan were friends who'd bumped into each other for a chat.

In front of the two elders, He Cheng deliberately steered the conversation toward Xin Gan. Madam Cheng sharply sensed something off. She subtly pulled Xin Gan aside and said, "He Cheng, let's chat another time. It's getting late, and we should be heading back."

He Cheng didn't stop them. He softly said, "Alright," then said to Xin Gan, "Xin Gan, I'll treat you to a meal another time when we get the chance. It's been a long time since we've seen each other."

Xin Gan didn't respond. She took her mother's arm and went downstairs.

He Cheng felt ignored, and a bellyful of anger simmered inside him.

By the time Cheng Jiu walked back, He Cheng was already far gone. Xin Gan quickly linked her arm through his, and he naturally draped his arm around her shoulder.

Madam Cheng had a driver to take her home, so Cheng Jiu drove Xin's mother and Xin Gan back.

Xin Gan sat in the passenger seat, absentmindedly staring out the window.

Cheng Jiu reached out and held her hand, the motion very gentle—of course, Xin's mother saw it too.

Xin's mother knowingly turned her head away, pretending not to notice.

After they got home, once Cheng Jiu's car had driven off, Xin's mother called Xin Gan over. "That He Cheng earlier was implying something. What exactly was he trying to say?"

Xin Gan said, "I don't know either."

"That boy has bad intentions. Stay away from him from now on, understand?"

"I understand." She didn't need her mother's reminder—she didn't want anything to do with He Cheng either.

After her shower that evening, Xin Gan lay in bed talking to Cheng Jiu on the phone.

There was some noise on Cheng Jiu's end. She asked, "You went out again?"

"Mm, went out to take care of something."

"What something?"

Cheng Jiu teased, "Already started checking up on me?"

Xin Gan let out a small huff. "Keep it to yourself then. I won't ask."

It was fine if she threw a little tantrum. Cheng Jiu found it quite endearing. "He Chuan set up a gathering, called a few friends out to meet. He dragged me along, and then he disappeared again."

"Is this how you two used to play?" What she meant by "play" carried another meaning.

Cheng Jiu explained in a low voice, "I don't drink, and I don't let other women near me. Rest assured."

"You're driving, so no matter what, don't drink. If you've been drinking, don't drive."

Cheng Jiu agreed, then asked, "What time do you go to work tomorrow morning?"

"Probably around ten-something in the morning."

"I'll pick you up for work tomorrow morning."

"Isn't that too far out of your way?"

"Not far. I'll drop you off and then head into the city to run some errands. It's on the way, don't overthink it."

Xin Gan: "..." She wasn't too happy about that and made as if to hang up, but then heard Cheng Jiu say, "What did He Cheng say?"

Xin Gan: "He didn't say much, but I always feel his intentions aren't pure."

"Never mind. It's fine, I'm here."

Xin Gan mulled it over for a moment. "Cheng Jiu, I'm not worried. No matter what happens, I'm not afraid."

...

In He Chuan's view, Cheng Jiu had barely arrived before he was on his phone making a call, even telling people to turn down the music so they wouldn't disturb his call.

He Chuan stretched out his leg and kicked him. "That's enough. Having fun?"

Xin Gan heard He Chuan's voice on the other end. Even if she wanted to keep chatting with Cheng Jiu, she didn't want to affect his time with friends, so she said, "Go enjoy yourself. Just don't drink. I'm going to sleep too—don't stay out too late."

"Alright. Good night."

Only then did the call end.

Cheng Jiu wore an easy, unconcerned smile while He Chuan muttered a few curses at him. Only then did he say slowly, "What's gotten into you? Drinking during the day and drinking at night—aren't you afraid of wrecking yourself?"

He Chuan had been weighed down all day. He swirled his glass of wine for a long while before saying, "Cheng Jiu, what do you think of me?"

"Not interested in you."

"..." He Chuan laughed. "Right, where's Cheng Hui? Why haven't I seen her come out with you?"

"She's at school." It was at this moment that Cheng Jiu finally realized something was off. Logically speaking, Cheng Hui should be clinging to He Chuan, not him. Take the matter of the cat, for instance—if Cheng Hui wanted someone to help her look after it, she should have gone to He Chuan. In the past, whenever anything came up, she'd go to He Chuan first. But this time she hadn't. Had something happened between them?

Cheng Jiu stared at He Chuan for a moment. "Did you and Cheng Hui have a fight?"

He Chuan said, "I'd love to fight with her. She won't even talk to me, won't answer my calls. I don't know what I did to offend her."

Cheng Jiu said, "She's still young. Maybe you said something she didn't like, and she got upset. She'll get over it in a while."

"Hopefully that's the case."

He Chuan drank another glass. He'd originally planned to confess to Cheng Jiu tonight—his feelings for Cheng Hui—but the words reached his lips and wouldn't come out. If he said it, he might not even be able to stay brothers with Cheng Jiu.

...

Tan Yazhuo tried several times to arrange a meal with He Chuan, but was turned down each time by He Chuan's assistant for various reasons. After being refused so many times, even the assistant felt it wasn't working and brought the matter to He Chuan.

He Chuan had a hangover, his head pounding and his whole body aching. He said, "Then schedule a time to meet."

"Very well, President He."

Tan Yazhuo wasn't the only one trying to meet He Chuan—Tang Huaihuai was too.

Tang Huaihuai had looked for He Chuan several times. Every time, he used the same excuse: he was busy. He'd even stopped bothering to come up with other excuses.

So Tang Huaihuai went directly to He Chuan's company to find him.

At the company front desk, the receptionist asked if Tang Huaihuai had an appointment. Tang Huaihuai said she did. But when the receptionist checked with the operator, no such appointment was found, so she blocked Tang Huaihuai at the door.

Tang Huaihuai couldn't tolerate that. She said outright, "I'm your President He's girlfriend. Does a girlfriend need an appointment too?"

"Then you'd need to provide proof."

"Proof?" She dialed He Chuan's phone right in front of the receptionist. Although He Chuan refused to meet her, he wouldn't not answer a call. "He Chuan, I'm downstairs at your company. Are you coming down to get me, or not?"

The receptionist: "...Apologies. You may go in."

In the end, He Chuan didn't come down—he told her to come up.

Tang Huaihuai entered his office and said, "Oh, the busy man. It's really hard to get a glimpse of you."

He Chuan didn't even look up. "Is there something?"

"Are you interested in something about Cheng Hui?"

He Chuan's hand paused, but he still didn't look up and didn't speak.

Tang Huaihuai smiled. "Cheng Hui hasn't been paying attention to you lately, has she? I've noticed you've been going to the school less often too. He Chuan, have you fallen for her, is that it?"

He Chuan put down his pen. "Fallen for her? Where did you get that idea?"

"From your face, your mood—it's all written there. He Chuan, don't try to fool me. I'm not Cheng Hui; I won't be taken in by you."

Tang Huaihuai was anxious too. He Chuan had been cold to her for a long time now. At first he'd still accompany her for meals, but later he'd stopped even bothering to make excuses.

He Chuan had gone to the school many times to see Cheng Hui, and she'd bumped into him on several occasions.

She hadn't wanted to guess in that direction, but now, judging by He Chuan's reaction, it was exactly what she'd suspected.

But He Chuan was rather cold. "Are you done? Something else?"

Tang Huaihuai choked on the breath caught in her chest. She looked into He Chuan's eyes. "You really do like her?"

The corner of He Chuan's mouth twitched. He leaned back against his chair. "Who I like—what does it have to do with you?"