Chapter 147: Beautiful

Cheng Hui felt she was still quite lucky, as she did not need to worry about finances. No matter what, Cheng Jiu would look after her and not ignore her.

In fact, it was just like that. Cheng Jiu cared about her employment prospects. She told him it had fallen through and she was looking for the next one, but submitting resumes did not yield replies so quickly, and she still had to wait.

Cheng Jiu reassured her not to be in a hurry, telling her to take her time searching. If this job didn't work out, she could find another, and if she ran out of money, she could come directly to him.

She felt a bit too embarrassed to keep asking him for handouts, though she figured if she couldn't find anything in the short term, she could go over to his place for free meals so she wouldn't starve anytime soon.

She thought her constitution was tough enough that she wouldn't hit rock bottom anytime soon.

As for her career, Cheng Jiu had no intention of helping her, leaving her to find something on her own.

One day, Cheng's father called to ask how things went with his friend's son, and she replied, "I don't have time to deal with him. I have interviews, and we have nothing in common. We haven't been in touch."

Wanting to say she had no other options, Cheng's father sighed and said, "Do whatever you want."

Only then did Cheng Hui happily enjoy her peace and quiet, continuing to send out resumes.

During this period, Dr. Ye called to ask how she was adapting to being back home. She said she was doing fine, as it had only been around three years since she left, and Yongcheng was still the same old place with no changes.

During their casual chat, Dr. Ye said, "I'm heading back to the country in a few days. Are you in Yongcheng? Would it be convenient to meet up for a meal then?"

"If Dr. Ye is inviting me to dinner, no matter how busy I am, I will go." Dr. Ye was her great benefactor and one of her best friends from her time in London.

Dr. Ye said, "Then let's ask Xin Gan to come along as well. It's been a long time since I last saw her."

"Alright, I'll let her know."

A few days before Dr. Ye arrived in Yongcheng, Cheng Hui received an interview invitation. However, she had never applied to this company. After doing some research, she found it was a small company, not very large, and had only been founded a few years ago. Although the company was small, its employee benefits were quite comprehensive, and it was very close to where she lived.

Generally speaking, for someone with Cheng Hui's qualifications, companies that approached you proactively were not very good. Positions like this usually lacked technical substance, mostly involving odd jobs and poor conditions.

Cheng Hui hadn't paid much attention to it at first, but later, as her wallet started to empty, she noticed this company because the advertised position matched her major, the compensation and benefits were decent, and crucially, they didn't require work experience.

Cheng Hui was tempted. Holding a "let's give it a try" attitude, she accepted the interview invitation and went.

The HR lady who received her was incredibly gentle and cute. Cheng Hui became even more tempted; girls were helpless against such people, let alone guys.

Moreover, after chatting, she found that although the company was small and worked in outsourcing, all aspects of it were actually quite good. Primarily, they were not short on cash. The HR lady mentioned that the boss was relatively low-profile and rarely came to the office, leaving a manager in charge. This company could be considered a subsidiary; the parent company was large and had strict management, but the atmosphere here was quite casual. There was no need to fear failing to learn anything in a company like this—instead, you could learn even more because when things got busy, they got very busy, requiring a comprehensive approach to learning.

Cheng Hui said she would go back and think about it, and the HR lady told her to take her time and let her know her decision.

...

Over the weekend, the plane carrying Wen Liang's father landed at Yongcheng Airport.

Wen Liang went to pick up Mr. Wen. The father and daughter hadn't seen each other in a while. Mr. Wen looked his daughter up and down and asked with deep concern, "Why have you lost weight recently? Are there too many things going on at the company? How many times have I told you not to neglect your health just for the sake of work? Your father here is a prime example of that."

"Alright, I'm sure you were about to say that you bust your health for work when you're young, only to be plagued by all sorts of aches and pains in old age. Dad, it's been so long since we last saw each other, and the first thing you do upon meeting is lecture me again. Aren't I still young? When you're young, you should endure a little hardship."

"Enduring hardship is one thing, but don't wreck your health. Xiao He hasn't been keeping an eye on you, has he?"

"Hef Chuan pushes himself even harder than I do; where would he find the time to manage me? Besides, I don't let him interfere with my work." Mentioning He Chuan, Wen Liang smiled apologetically. "Oh, right, I'm sorry. He Chuan had a temporary matter to attend to and had to step away for a bit, so I came ahead to pick you up and take you to the hotel. Later, once he finishes his business, we'll all have dinner together. Dad, please don't be upset."

"You don't need to worry about me; work comes first. After all, he's the head of a company with so many eyes watching him. Your father isn't so unreasonable."

"Dad, you're the best. Let's go then, I'll help you with your luggage."

Along the way, the father and daughter laughed and chatted happily. Wen Liang was also delighted, holding Mr. Wen's arm as she said, "It's been so long since I've chatted with you like this. I remember the last time we talked like this was back when I was in college."

"Yes, you had just graduated back then. I wanted you to go abroad with me, but you were completely reluctant. Then I don't know how you changed your mind and talked with me for a whole night."

"That's right, Dad."

Mr. Wen felt a bit emotional. "In the blink of an eye, so many years have passed, and now you're getting married too. Time flies really fast."

"Me? Getting married? Dad, why are you suddenly bringing this up..."

"Aren't you and Xiao He going to get married? You've been dating for so long, and you're not that young anymore. Xiao He is around the right age too; it's time to get married."

Wen Liang pouted and said, "Dad, please don't talk to He Chuan about this later; it's too embarrassing. He's busy with work, and I don't want to disturb him at a time like this."

Mr. Wen was displeased. "I can understand being busy with work, but I don't understand not getting married because of work. If you're not getting married yet, you can get engaged first, prepare an engagement banquet, and then pick a good date to hold the wedding. This provides you with some security as well. You're a young woman, and you're not that young anymore; you can't afford to keep wasting time."

Wen Liang also knew she wasn't very young anymore. The year before last, she and He Chuan hadn't been together yet. Her best friend had made her pretend someone was pursuing her, staging a lot of things and creating quite a stir. Back then, He Chuan genuinely thought she was in a relationship and even offered his congratulations, which made her furious. A few days later, she tried to resign from He Chuan, but he didn't agree. Her emotions completely collapsed at that moment, and she cried right in front of him—that was when He Chuan finally agreed to be with her.

However, despite dating for so long, He Chuan had never said a single sweet romantic word. He always appeared very calm, let alone talking about marriage. Asking him to propose was probably impossible.

Wen Liang's voice grew softer and softer. "Dad, let's not talk about these things. How long are you staying? I'll clear my schedule to accompany you around."

Mr. Wen understood her personality. Since she didn't want to talk about it anymore, he let it drop and went along with what she said.

The dinner that evening had been booked by He Chuan. Once he finished his business over there, he came to meet the father and daughter.

Mr. Wen had previously seen He Chuan's appearance online, but today was the first time the two of them were meeting in person. Acting as the intermediary between them, Wen Liang kept smoothing things over, speaking well of He Chuan in front of Mr. Wen.

He Chuan didn't talk much, remaining calm and composed. It was clear he was very polite and took good care of Wen Liang. He picked food for Wen Liang and poured juice for her, and these trivial details were all observed by Mr. Wen.

At that moment, Mrs. Wen called, and Wen Liang stepped outside to answer it. Seizing this exact opportunity, Mr. Wen chatted with He Chuan. "Xiao He, actually, the time you and Wen Liang have been dating isn't short. Regarding the two of you moving forward, as her father, I'd like to hear your thoughts."

These words were essentially asking whether he had considered the future for himself and Wen Liang.

He Chuan caught on immediately.

In fact, without Mr. Wen having to say anything, he could more or less sense Wen Liang's intentions.

Fearing the atmosphere was too rigid, Mr. Wen said, "The two of you actually get along quite well. Wen Liang often praises you in front of me and speaks highly of you. On the way here, I asked Wen Liang about her future plans, and her first instinct was still to speak up for you, saying you're busy with work. Being men, I can understand having a strong career drive. In fact, you're more capable than I am; back at your age, I didn't have the ability to build a company this large."

He Chuan's gaze was calm, without a single ripple. Unhurriedly, he said, "As for getting married, it's not out of the question."

"Then how about this: let's pick a time to get engaged first. Once you're engaged, you can get your marriage certificate, and we can discuss the rest slowly." Satisfied after getting his answer, Mr. Wen nodded and said, "Why don't we set a date in the next few days for both families to sit down, share a meal, and talk about the details?"

At this, He Chuan's expression didn't look too pleasant, but he didn't say anything, merely giving a nod.

...

It was Dr. Ye's first time in Yongcheng, so Cheng Hui borrowed Cheng Jiu's car to pick him up at the airport. Dr. Ye didn't have a domestic driver's license and couldn't drive, so Cheng Hui had to take the wheel.

Along the way, Dr. Ye said nervously, "Cheng Hui, drive carefully, keep to your lane, no rush."

"Don't be scared. Do you still not trust my driving?"

"I really don't trust it."

Cheng Hui replied, "Don't doubt me, I'm not who I used to be. Dr. Ye, what do you want to eat later? I'll find a place."

"Whatever, I'm not a picky eater. Besides, this is your territory, so naturally you should choose the place. Where is Xin Gan?"

Cheng Hui kept her eyes fixed ahead with a very serious expression. "Sister Xin Xin will be a bit later, her little girl threw a tantrum again."

Lately, whether due to the erratic weather, little Manle had been throwing massive tantrums, crying fiercely and refusing to leave Xin Gan's side. Even when Xin Gan went to the restroom, the little girl would stand guard outside the door. Nobody knew what was wrong with her.

Unable to do anything with her, Xin Gan could only coax her.

In the end, Cheng Hui chose a rather expensive place. Her heart ached as she told Dr. Ye, "I'm going all out today to treat you to something good. Dr. Ye, you must remember my kindness."

"Your state is pretty good; you can even crack jokes."

"Isn't that thanks to Dr. Ye?"

Dr. Ye smiled without speaking. Some forms of depression looked completely normal on the surface, but once they flared up, the outward manifestation was polarized. This was something that could not be ignored.

Cheng Hui and Dr. Ye arrived at the venue first, having booked a table on the way.

There were quite a few people out that evening. Cheng Hui and Dr. Ye walked side by side, Dr. Ye listening to her chatter on about her interview experiences, feeling extremely relaxed.

As she walked, Cheng Hui turned her head to look at Dr. Ye and failed to notice someone walking out from a corner. She collided with them and almost fell over, but Dr. Ye reacted swiftly and caught her. Once she steadied herself, Dr. Ye asked, "Are you alright?"

"No, no, I'm fine. Good thing you caught me, or I definitely would have fallen."

No sooner had her voice trailed off than a man's voice rang out from the opposite side. To Dr. Ye, it sounded completely unfamiliar, but to Cheng Hui, it felt like destiny.

"Are you okay?" He Chuan asked Wen Liang.

Wen Liang steadied herself while holding onto He Chuan's arm and shook her head.

He Chuan didn't release Wen Liang's shoulder. The moment he raised his head, he caught sight of Cheng Hui standing opposite him. She was standing closely with another man whose hand was still on her shoulder. He Chuan narrowed his eyes, then quickly looked away as if he hadn't seen anything. Pulling Wen Liang closer, he said softly, "Watch your step when walking."

"I was already being very careful. Who told you to talk to me just now?" Wen Liang finished speaking, then finally looked at the person who had bumped into her. "Sorry, did you get hurt? I didn't mean to."

Cheng Hui had changed quite a bit. Back then she had short hair, but after going abroad she stopped styling it and let it grow out slowly until it reached her waist now. Her hair was silky smooth, and she had specially put on makeup before going out, wearing a waist-cinching little black dress. She looked extremely feminine, young, and vibrant.

Logically speaking, Wen Liang should have been able to recognize her. However, perhaps the change was too drastic, leaving her only with a sense of familiarity without being able to recall where she had seen her.

He Chuan, on the other hand, recognized her at a single glance, remaining entirely silent and poker-faced.

Cheng Hui didn't dare look at He Chuan. She hastily replied, "It's fine," and the next second, grabbed Dr. Ye's arm and walked away.

Passing by the two of them, Dr. Ye nodded and said, "Excuse us."

Dr. Ye had noticed her lack of composure just now.

He Chuan watched the direction they left in out of the corner of his eye, his lips pressed into a thin line before he quickly pulled his gaze back.

Wen Liang said, "Let's go, Dad must have been waiting for a while."

"Yeah," He Chuan said flatly.

...

When Xin Gan arrived, she brought little Manle along. Having finished crying, the child was in a slightly better mood, her nose a bit red and lightly sniffling, making her look exceptionally pitiful.

Seeing little Manle, Cheng Hui picked her up and coaxed her, trying hard to forget what had just happened.

How long had it been since she returned to Yongcheng, and she had already run into him again? This was the second time. Should she blame her bad luck or something else?

The woman standing by his side earlier—it turned out she hadn't changed at all. It seemed he was quite a loyal and long-lasting partner.

Still, this didn't have much to do with her anymore.

Dr. Ye and Xin Gan hadn't seen each other in a year. As old classmates catching up, they chatted while Cheng Hui concentrated on playing with little Manle, watching her cute, aggrieved expression with a furrowed brow. Cheng Hui asked her, "What's wrong, little girl? Your mom said you cried today. Who bullied you? Tell your little aunt, and Auntie will stand up for you."

Little Manle bit her finger and didn't speak, though she didn't resist being held either.

"Sister Xin Xin, why is little Manle so quiet and reluctant to talk?"

Xin Gan took a sip of water and said, "She's a bit introverted. Today I stepped away for a bit, and when she woke up and couldn't find me, she cried for a long time until her voice went hoarse. She probably hasn't recovered from it yet."

"Is she too attached to you? That shouldn't be right; I heard from my brother that she isn't very willing when he tries to hold her."

Xin Gan sighed softly, "Cheng Jiu is busy with work, often travels, and is away from home for long periods, so she's much more attached to me."

After being held by Cheng Hui for a while, little Manle became unhappy and struggled to be held by Xin Gan. Xin Gan had no choice but to take her back and tried to feed her some water.

Refusing to drink, little Manle pushed the cup away with both hands, her lips drooping as she readied herself to cry again.

Dr. Ye looked thoughtfully at little Manle. Once Xin Gan had coaxed her into quietness, he said, "Xin Gan, has the little one been close to your husband before?"

"She was fine when she was around one to two years old. Maybe because she couldn't talk back then, being held by my husband was fine. Recently, though, she won't let anyone hold her except me."

Dr. Ye said, "Xin Gan, if you have time, I suggest taking the child to a professional psychological hospital for an evaluation and test."

Both Xin Gan and Cheng Hui grew nervous and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Don't panic, I'm just making a suggestion. It's also possible that I'm overthinking it, so don't worry."

Cheng Hui looked at Xin Gan with concern. She was thinking the same thing—it was highly likely.

Dr. Ye was a psychologist and an expert in this field, and his professional intuition was very accurate.

This dinner wasn't a particularly happy one because Dr. Ye's impromptu remark caused Xin Gan to dwell on the matter constantly. She felt uneasy in her heart, but combining it with little Manle's various behaviors, there were indeed symptoms pointing in that direction.

She still needed to get her checked out.

Cheng Hui had drunk too much juice and headed to the restroom.

Not long after she entered the restroom and came back out, she saw a familiar figure standing in the corridor. She froze, bit her lip, hesitated for a moment, and walked forward. Just as she passed by the person, she heard his voice the next second.

"Long time no see."

Pausing for a few seconds, he called out her name again: "Cheng Hui."

She had thought those words weren't meant for her and even wanted to pretend she hadn't heard them and walk right past, but she hadn't expected those four words to be truly directed at her.

Cheng Hui stopped, turned around, and looked at him calmly. "Long time no see, Brother He Chuan."

Cheng Hui guessed in her heart: What was coming next? Was he going to ask how she had been these past few years? Ask why she came back? Or something else?

He Chuan quietly looked at her for a moment and said, "You've gotten prettier."

"..." Cheng Hui twitched the corner of her mouth. Women loved hearing compliments, whether false or true, and she was no exception. "Thank you."

"Are you looking for a job?"

"I've found one."

"Which company?"

Cheng Hui said, "It's not very convenient to disclose."

"No problem."

"..."

After a moment of silence, Cheng Hui licked her lips, realizing she had nothing left to talk about with him. If she stayed any longer, she would suffocate. "Then I'll head back first."

He Chuan didn't speak, nor did he stop her. Instead, he watched her retreating figure, his gaze gradually growing hazy.

...

Wen Liang waited in the car for a while before He Chuan suddenly said he had left something in the restaurant and went back to retrieve it, refusing to let her accompany him. Fragments of memory flashed through her mind—the girl she had bumped into earlier wasn't that the person who came to the company for an interview some time ago? The girl whose resume was on He Chuan's desk—Cheng Hui.

Mr. Wen glanced at his watch, adjusted his seating posture, and said earnestly to Wen Liang, "He Chuan agreed to the marriage just now. The two of you should pick a time to discuss it."

"Dad, what did you say?" Wen Liang thought she was hallucinating.

"Just now while you were in the restroom, Dad brought up getting married, and he agreed."

Wen Liang widened her eyes, unable to believe it. "Really? He agreed?"

"He agreed, you can rest easy now."

"Dad, why did you bring it up? It makes it look like I'm the anxious one."