Chapter 146: Long Ago

In the study, Cheng Hui stood straight behind Cheng Jiu, waiting for Father Cheng to finish his phone call.

After finishing the call, Father Cheng turned around, looked at the two of them, and said, "Cheng Jiu, you go out first. This has nothing to do with you."

Cheng Jiu said nothing, roughly guessing that Father Cheng had some private matters to discuss with Cheng Hui alone.

As soon as Cheng Jiu stepped out, Father Cheng said earnestly, "Your mother's condition isn't very good. Since you're back, don't provoke her. Whatever she says, just let it go in one ear and out the other. Don't take it to heart."

Cheng Hui's attitude was far from warm—cold, though not explicitly impolite. "Is that all?" she asked.

Over the past few years, Cheng Hui had rarely called Father Cheng and basically communicated with him not at all. Father Cheng had no idea what was on her mind, nor how she lived in London; Cheng Jiu had always acted as the intermediary, serving as the messenger between them. Father Cheng assumed she was still holding a grudge because he hadn't spoken up for her back then, which had led Madam Cheng to send her abroad. If it were only about that, it would have been easy to resolve.

Unfortunately, it was much more than that.

Cheng Hui was also stubborn and would never confess to Father Cheng. Even though a deep rift remained in her heart because of Tang Huaihuai, that estrangement would not vanish overnight.

Hearing her sour tone, Father Cheng asked, "What is it? Why do I feel like you're harboring resentment now?"

Cheng Hui cracked a smile. "Why would I harbor any resentment? You're overthinking it."

"You're being insincere. During dinner earlier, apart from talking to Cheng Jiu and Xingan, did you pay any attention to me or your mother? Huihui, are you still holding a grudge? Tell Dad."

"No," Cheng Hui replied. "I didn't mean that. Please don't overthink it. Besides, didn't you just say that the past is the past? Then let's consider it all in the past. To keep the peace, let's stop bringing it up."

She didn't want to dig any deeper into whatever shameful secrets were hidden between Tang Huaihuai and Father Cheng.

Since Father Cheng had kept it hidden all this time, there was definitely something wrong.

As for what Tang Huaihuai had told her when she came to London to find her a few years ago, she didn't believe a word of it; she only believed the facts she had witnessed with her own eyes.

Father Cheng also hoped for family harmony and wanted no more trouble to brew. His attitude softened as he said, "Huihui, if your father did anything in the past that displeased you, open your heart and tell Dad."

"It's nothing," Cheng Hui said. "Don't worry about me. Haven't I made it through? I've graduated and returned, too."

"Your brother mentioned earlier that you're staying at his place recently. Your brother has a child now, so staying with him indefinitely isn't ideal. You should move out; I'll find a place for you."

"No need, Brother has already found me an apartment."

"Oh? Well, that's fine too."

The father and daughter ran out of topics to discuss. Father Cheng wanted to press further, but fearing Cheng Hui would grow impatient, he stopped. In the years Cheng Hui spent studying in London, he had finally realized he was growing older, and his body was no longer as robust as it used to be—aging was inevitable. His sole remaining worry was Cheng Hui; every parent's wish is simply for their child to do well and smoothly live out the rest of their days.

The biggest matter currently before them was Cheng Hui's prospects for marriage.

After pondering for a moment, Father Cheng said, "If you plan to settle down and develop your career in Yongcheng, Dad can introduce you to the son of a friend. He shares your major, is a few years older, and is already working. He has plenty of experience and can show you the ropes."

After all, daughters were different from sons; if it were Cheng Jiu, Father Cheng would never have said such a thing.

"No thanks," Cheng Hui said. "It's not like I can't find a job."

"I'm just introducing a friend for you to meet, nothing more. Making an extra acquaintance is never a bad thing."

Catching sight of the graying temples at Father Cheng's sides, Cheng Hui suddenly fell silent. It wasn't that she didn't understand his good intentions; her heart softened, and she agreed.

Father Cheng said he would arrange a meeting in a few days so they could sit down, chat, and get acquainted.

...

Just as Cheng Jiu walked down to the living room, little Manle was sobbing bitterly in Xingan's arms, repeatedly crying that she wanted to go home and didn't want to stay here anymore.

Xingan was busy coaxing her, but for a while, she couldn't stop Manle's tears.

Madam Cheng stood up, walked over, and said, "Leluo, come to Grandma. Grandma hasn't scolded you, what are you crying for? Let Grandma hold you, alright?" After all, she was her own granddaughter; although Madam Cheng wasn't particularly fond of her, she didn't detest her either—especially with Cheng Jiu present.

Little Manle naturally refused to let Madam Cheng hold her, clinging desperately to Xingan's neck and burying her face in her shoulder to cry.

Hearing the child's cries, Cheng Jiu frowned and asked, "What's wrong?"

Before Xingan could reply, Madam Cheng chimed in, "Who knows what's wrong with her? She just started crying out of nowhere. I didn't scold her, nor did I lecture her. Whose temper did she inherit, being this delicate?"

Little Manle was crying uncontrollably, her eyes red-rimmed. Upon seeing Cheng Jiu, she didn't call out to him either, wanting only Xingan's embrace.

Hearing Madam Cheng's words, Cheng Jiu frowned slightly, hugged Xingan and their daughter, and asked, "What happened? Why is she crying so hard?"

"It's nothing, she might have just been startled. I'll take Leluo outside first to let her calm down."

"Alright, here are the car keys. Her snacks are in the car."

Xingan carried the child outside.

Cheng Jiu sat down on the sofa, pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and asked, "Mom, what happened just now?"

"Nothing. Didn't Xingan already say?"

No matter what, Madam Cheng was still his mother; Cheng Jiu had no way of rebuking her harshly. He was protective of Xingan and their daughter, standing firmly on their side. He knew very well that Xingan wasn't a troublemaker; ever since Xingan married him, she had never uttered a single complaint about Madam Cheng. Even when she was mistreated by Madam Cheng, she hadn't complained to him and had simply endured it in silence.

The Xingan before she married him would never have endured such grievances for his sake.

Madam Cheng's personality had changed drastically over the past few years. Cheng Jiu figured it was probably due to the fallout from Cheng Hui and He Chuan's affair back then. Things hadn't improved after Cheng Hui went abroad; she remained the same, and her condition even seemed to be worsening.

Cheng Jiu smoked half his cigarette and said, "Mom, I'll arrange for a psychologist to visit you in a few days. Things can't go on like this."

Upon hearing this, Madam Cheng stood up. "I am not sick, and I won't see any doctor."

...

Just then, Cheng Hui and Father Cheng came downstairs one after the other. Seeing Cheng Jiu sitting on the sofa smoking, Cheng Hui looked around and didn't see Xingan or the child, so she asked, "Brother, where are Sister Xinxin and Manle?"

"Taking a walk outside."

"I'll go find them."

Madam Cheng abruptly stood up and went upstairs, radiating intense anger.

Cheng Hui sensed it, but she didn't care.

Having finished his cigarette, Cheng Jiu prepared to leave as well. "Let's go, time to head back."

Father Cheng walked them to the edge of the road.

On the way back, little Manle had cried herself to sleep, slumped against Xingan with teardrops still lingering on her face. Xingan pulled out a tissue and gently wiped them away.

Only then did Cheng Hui softly ask Xingan what had happened earlier.

Xingan replied, "Mom raised her voice a bit earlier, and Leluo got scared."

Cheng Hui said, "She's been like this for years. Just ignore her. Don't bring Leluo back here anymore; anyway, she doesn't feel close to Leluo either."

She couldn't understand why things had turned out this way. A family gathering for a meal felt so awkward and bewildering.

...

Back home that night, after Xingan coaxed little Manle to sleep, she had a heart-to-heart talk with Cheng Jiu. "Things can't go on like this with Mom. Leluo is her granddaughter; she can't just refuse to acknowledge her. Staying away doesn't solve the problem."

"I've found a psychologist. I'll have him talk to her in a few days." Cheng Jiu sought a doctor for Madam Cheng's own good. He had tried before, but Madam Cheng had rejected them every time; this time, no matter what, he was going to make her see a doctor.

Exhausted, Xingan wrapped her arms around his waist. "It's been hard on you, Cheng Jiu."

"It's nothing. You're the one who's had it hard. I'm often away on business, and you take care of everything at home—every single aspect. If anyone's had it hard, it's you. And you've had to suffer grievances too."

"The grievances are manageable. It's just Leluo; she seems to particularly dislike Mom. I've told her many times, but she's still like this."

"She's just a child, don't hold it against her." Cheng Jiu reflected for a moment and added, "Part of it is my fault. I'm rarely home, so she isn't even that close to me, let alone my mother."

Xingan said, "No, when she was crying at night, she kept calling for you."

"Are you sure she wasn't calling the wrong person? Wasn't she calling for Mama?"

Seeing her rack her brains in thought, Cheng Jiu chuckled. "Alright, stop thinking about it. Let's go to sleep."

...

After staying at Cheng Jiu's place for two days, Cheng Hui moved into her new apartment. It was the one Cheng Jiu had found for her. Cheng Hui moved in with full confidence, refusing to give Cheng Jiu any money and claiming she would pay him back only after finding a job.

Cheng Jiu let her be, not caring whether she paid him rent or not.

As for Father Cheng's offer to introduce her to his friend's son, she went to the appointment. When she arrived, the man hadn't shown up yet, so Father Cheng asked how her job hunting was going. She stammered, "It's alright. Still doing interviews."

"Found a suitable company yet? What kind of company? Is the position related to your major? Tell me, and Dad can give you some advice."

Sipping her drink distractedly, Cheng Hui didn't want to talk too much with Father Cheng.

"You don't want to tell Dad? Are you afraid Dad will meddle in your affairs?"

"I didn't mean that. It's just that I'm still interviewing and nothing is finalized yet, so there's nothing to tell, and it's hard to explain."

Before Father Cheng could say anything more, his friend's son arrived.

Cheng Hui remained absent-minded throughout, but not wanting to be impolite, she forced herself to keep up the conversation with him.

To give the two of them some privacy, Father Cheng left shortly after sitting down, leaving them to chat alone.

The man said, "Uncle Cheng mentioned that you just graduated and returned to China, and you aren't very familiar with the domestic environment, so he asked me to give you some useful advice. Actually, I'm quite curious—foreign environments are pretty good, so what made you decide to come back?"

Cheng Hui took another sip of her orange juice and said, "My family is all in Yongcheng. Once I graduated, I had to come back."

"True, that makes sense." He smiled warmly. "Why do you look a bit lacking in energy? Are you still adjusting to the jet lag after just getting back?"

"Yeah. Sorry about that, I'm feeling a bit sleepy right now."

"No worries. If you're really sleepy, we can wrap it up for today. Let's add each other on WeChat; if you need anything in the future, you can reach out to me there, and I can answer any questions at any time."

The man's conversational style was faultless and very enthusiastic. Feeling genuinely apologetic, Cheng Hui forced herself to look alert and added him on WeChat.

However, after only a few days of chatting, the man asked her on WeChat if she had a boyfriend.

Cheng Hui was in the middle of applying a facial mask when she saw the message. She wasn't surprised and replied to him perfunctorily.

After breaking up with Liang Yang two years ago, she had dated two other boyfriends, but neither relationship lasted long; they were merely ways to pass the time when she was lonely. Though nothing physical happened, they served as psychological placepholds.

Dr. Ye had been a witness to those two failed romances. Every time she suffered a breakup, she would go to Dr. Ye to drink, and Dr. Ye would counsel her, telling her that dating was not a bad way to heal as long as it made her happy.

Now, not long after returning to China, someone was already making advances. But she didn't want to date anymore.

No matter how many different guys she dated, none of them could compare to that most unforgettable time.

Trying to forget someone by finding someone else to take his place—what a truly foolish method.

She was done torturing herself and had no plans to date for the time being, so she took the opportunity to turn the man down.

...

Her interview finally reached the final round. On her way to the company for the second-round interview, Cheng Hui was still reviewing her notes when she suddenly saw a traffic accident happen across the street, causing a massive roadblock. The traffic on her side was flowing in the opposite direction and remained temporarily unaffected.

There were two other candidates participating in the final round, making a total of three people entering the final stage.

The company she was interviewing for had grown rapidly over the past few years; it was a very young enterprise with immense strength, and rumor had it that the top boss was formidable.

Aside from Cheng Hui, the other two candidates were also exceptional—top university backgrounds, strong capabilities, and a track record of achievements. Although they were fresh graduates, Cheng Hui felt her resume lacking in comparison. Even so, she rallied her spirits to face the final round.

Before long, an HR representative came to escort the three of them into the interview room. This time, all three were interviewed together. Pushing open the door and stepping inside, Cheng Hui froze the moment she raised her eyes and saw the person sitting right in the middle. Her limbs turned cold, and her mind went blank.

"Ms. Cheng?" Seeing her stop moving, the HR person called out to her.

Coming to her senses, Cheng Hui pressed her lips tightly together as wave after wave of chill crept up her spine. Having recognized the person sitting in the center, she suddenly didn't want to do the interview anymore and couldn't bear to stay a single second longer. Yet leaving now would make her look incompetent—a deserter fleeing from battle. She was here for a job; she shouldn't let petty emotions cloud her judgment, especially since she had already reached the final stage.

After a moment of thought, she sat down anyway, choosing a seat on the left rather than the middle.

Meanwhile, He Chuan, sitting in the interviewer's seat right in the middle across from her, showed no reaction. Seeing Cheng Hui appear in the interview room, he remained completely indifferent, as if she had nothing to do with him. He picked up the resumes of the three candidates and flipped through them, while HR introduced his identity to the three of them.

"Let me introduce you to Mr. He, our company's CEO. He will be conducting this final round of interviews. Mr. He, you may begin."

The hand Cheng Hui kept hidden beneath the table was trembling incessantly. Lowering her gaze to the teacup on the table, her mind kept drifting.

...

Without a doubt, Cheng Hui was eliminated in this interview.

Dazed, she walked out of the interview room and stepped straight into the elevator without looking back. HR had told them to wait for notification at home, but she knew very well in her heart that she had already been cut. Back in the interview room, He Chuan hadn't asked her a single question from start to finish, conversing entirely with the other two candidates. In the end, it was she herself who took the initiative to ask He Chuan a question.

What expression had He Chuan worn back then?

Ah, he had glanced at her expressionlessly for a few seconds and dropped a single sentence: "No need to ask. I've looked at your resume; you're not a fit."

See? That was how he had eliminated her.

At the time, she had merely smiled and said nothing.

The other two candidates walked out jubilantly, looking relieved. Seeing her in the elevator as well, one of them offered some comfort, "Friend, don't be too discouraged. You can head back early and prepare to apply to the next company. This place might just not be a good fit for you."

Cheng Hui smiled again. "Thanks for the comfort."

"Don't mention it."

Returning to her residence, Cheng Hui headed straight for the refrigerator to grab some alcohol the moment she stepped inside. These bottles were all bought on the day she moved in; her fridge contained nothing else—only wine.

As she drank, she started submitting resumes again. He Chuan's company wasn't the only one out there; she refused to believe she couldn't find one better than his.

Fortunately, she didn't lack money in the short term and could hold out for a while. Her only goal was to find a job and settle down quickly; for everything else, she temporarily had zero thoughts.

...

In the office, Cheng Hui's resume lay displayed on the desk.

Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window smoking, He Chuan gazed out at the towering skyscrapers outside without moving for a long time.

Wen Liang knocked on the door and walked in, swaying her slender waist and carrying a cup of hot coffee. Seeing him standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, she asked, "How were the interviews today? Did you find anyone outstanding who met your expectations?"

She walked over, her gaze drifting to the resume on the desk. Curious, she picked it up, saw the photo on it, and paused for a second. It looked familiar, though she couldn't place it immediately. The name field read: Cheng Hui.

Cheng.

The surname sounded familiar too.

Without answering her, He Chuan asked instead, "What do you want?"

Putting the resume back in its original place, Wen Liang said, "It's about something else. My dad is coming to visit the day after tomorrow, and then... I told him before about you and me. So... he wants to meet you."

Fearing He Chuan would refuse, she walked up to him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and acted coquettishly. "Accompany me to pick up my dad, okay?"

He Chuan remained silent.

His silence made Wen Liang's heart drum anxiously. "Are you upset? Why aren't you saying anything?"

"It's nothing."

"Then you mean..." Wen Liang bit her lower lip. "Senior, don't be upset. My dad doesn't mean any harm, it's just a meal. He won't bother you, and he definitely won't interrogate you. You just need to show up; I'll handle everything else."

He Chuan removed her hands from around his waist, turned around, and said, "Don't overthink it, I'm not upset. Just give me the flight details, and I'll go pick him up."

"That's great! Thank you for your hard work."

He Chuan wore a blank expression, his deep gaze unfathomable—whether he was happy or unhappy at that moment was impossible to tell.

Temporarily forgetting about the resume, Wen Liang took out her phone to call her father.

He Chuan stared at her retreating figure for a while, feeling somewhat dazed as his mind conjured up the image of Cheng Hui biting her lip with a pale face back in the interview room. She had sat there without casting a single glance his way, treating him entirely like a stranger.

As for that resume, he had seen it long before today—he hadn't waited until Cheng Hui actually arrived at the company and stood right before him to realize she was coming for the interview.