Chapter 155: A Joke

As Cheng Hui’s voice trailed off, she felt a soft touch on her lips as he lowered his head and kissed her.

Cheng Hui tasted a faint trace of alcohol. He had been drinking tonight, though probably not much. Otherwise, he wouldn't be this clear-headed.

He wasn't acting out of drunken madness; he was doing it on purpose.

Knowing she was no match for him and unable to struggle or resist, she resigned herself to her fate.

Yet, from He Chuan’s perspective, her lack of resistance and struggle could only be taken as a tacit permission.

His boldness grew.

Just as things were reaching a critical juncture, Cheng Hui asked, "He Chuan, what do you take me for right now?"

He Chuan stopped, but he didn't raise his head. He paused for a few seconds, then resumed.

Both of them were breathing unevenly. His voice was hoarse as he asked, "Where is your room?"

A mist of tears clouded Cheng Hui’s eyes as she gazed at him hazily. Managing to reclaim a shred of reason, she asked, "Do you know what you're doing?"

"I don't need your reminder. I know what I'm doing, and I'm entirely sober."

Cheng Hui wrapped her arms around his shoulders and neck, finally drawing in a breath of fresh air. Because of their position, she was forced to tilt her head back slightly. Before she could process his words, she was hanging onto him like a koala.

He Chuan gathered her in his arms and walked over to the living room sofa, then set her down. His intentions were glaringly obvious, with no attempt to hide them.

At this moment, He Chuan made her feel somewhat dangerous. A trace of fear gripped her heart, but her fear wasn't going to make him stop. The fact that he dared to knock on her door and pin her against the doorframe for a kiss meant he had fully prepared himself for what was about to happen.

Her eyes turning red, Cheng Hui looked up at the ceiling light, blindingly white, causing her vision to sway. In a tiny voice, she said, "If other people find out what you're doing to me tonight, do you still plan on getting married at the end of the year?"

He Chuan didn't stop, nor did he have the spare breath to answer her.

He showed her with his actions what he wanted to do most right now.

Unwilling to let it go any further, Cheng Hui said, "Don't ruin me. I obviously can't fight you off, and you can easily force me. But He Chuan, can you not destroy me? I've already been destroyed once."

A turbulent wave of memories came crashing down.

He Chuan recalled those various past events, piece by piece, and instantly understood the meaning behind her words.

Slowly, he propped himself up. Looking down from above at the disheveled Cheng Hui, he said, "My getting married doesn't affect my desire to be with you. Understand?"

"Then what am I to you? I'm not one of those women out there. I don't want to get back together with you, and I certainly don't want to do this with you. But if you insist on forcing me, I suppose I have no choice." Tears spilled from Cheng Hui's eyes, quickly vanishing. "Then I hope you can at least be considerate of my feelings."

He Chuan was not the kind of man to force her in the past. But tonight, she wasn't sure anymore. She had already prepared herself mentally—it was death either way, just a different method of dying. She saw no point in making things harder on herself. Since He Chuan had no intention of letting her go, she would simply pretend she had been bitten by a dog.

He Chuan wiped away her tears, stroked her cheek, and said with a breezy tone, "There's no need to cry like this. Being with me won't cause you to lose a piece of flesh. Besides, a thing like this is only natural."

It was natural, true. But not under the circumstances of tonight.

He Chuan genuinely desired her, yet seeing her begin to cry kindled an inexplicable fury in his chest. The thought that she had been dating other men and engaging in intimate acts with them enraged him, creating the sensation that something belonging exclusively to him had been coveted and soiled by someone else.

Cheng Hui lay there on the sofa; if he wished, he could take her right here and now tonight.

Being with him was still better than being with another man.

Years ago, he had wanted to do just this.

Cheng Hui had grown much prettier. The more she cried, the more it stimulated his destructive urge.

Yet, as she wept harder and harder, seeing the flicker of hesitation in He Chuan's eyes and his delayed movements, she cried even more intensely. She made no sound, just silent tears, which packed an even heavier emotional punch for him.

Watching her cry like this, He Chuan grew increasingly irritated. "Are you really that aggrieved to be with me? Was it fine with other men? Your mother arranged a blind date for you, and within a few days, you were engaged. Do you even know that man?"

"My mother arranged it," Cheng Hui replied, "so it's certainly not meant to harm me."

"Do you like that guy?"

"I wouldn't go so far as to say I like him, but I don't despise him either. Am I not allowed to date at all?"

"It's not that you aren't allowed to date, it depends on who you date." Though He Chuan actually wanted to continue, the mood had vanished. He pinched her chin, his tone tinged with mockery. "To be honest, I'm quite satisfied with your face and your figure. Why don't you come back to me and stay by my side? We know each other so well already, there's no need to start over."

Come back to his side?

She had wanted that desperately in the past. But hearing it now, her heart felt as dead as ashes.

She had no desire to fall into the same trap twice, nor would she give him another chance to hurt her. She knew that clearly in her heart. Yet with her lips, she said, "What a pity. Your age falls outside my range for a prospective partner. I'm still young; I can find any kind of man I want. Why waste time on you?"

He Chuan didn't get angry; a smile played without warmth on his lips. "Like I said, let's give it a try. Let's see who ends up unable to get out of bed."

Her heart hammered wildly. As expected, she still had no defense against him. He was clearly mocking her, treating her as someone casual and easy, yet even so, Cheng Hui couldn't bring herself to break completely with him. With a trace of sorrow, she even thought that she would rather tear each other apart than ever be free of this entanglement.

Her position had completely collapsed.

Once indulged, this kind of mindset was terrifying. If she continued to entangle herself with him, she feared she would be smashed to pieces.

Furthermore, she had given her word to Mrs. Cheng and was engaged to someone else. How could she remain entangled with He Chuan?

This would only hurt everyone involved.

She had vowed to draw a clear line between them, and yet, look at the result.

Cheng Hui was teetering on the edge of a cliff, and a moment of carelessness would send her plunging into the abyss.

"He Chuan, I don't have the energy to waste on you, and I can't afford this game."

She felt as guilty as a thief, terrified that his current woman would find out about his visit. That woman had claimed she wanted to live in peace with her, but that was only because she didn't know He Chuan's intentions toward her. If she ever found out, she might well show up at her door with a knife tomorrow to settle scores.

After a brief standoff, the desire within He Chuan flared up again. But just as he was about to make a move, he caught sight of Cheng Hui's tears, and his mood evaporated completely.

The woman's tears seemed endless; heaven knows where she found so many of them.

He Chuan stood up, tidied himself, and resumed his usual aloof demeanor. "I said it last time, and it's your fault for not remembering. Go think carefully about everything I told you. As for your engagement, forget about it. I won't allow it."

How bizarre. Her getting engaged and married to another man—what business was it of his?

Where did he get the gall to say he wouldn't allow it?

And furthermore, "won't allow it"?

Did it require his permission?

Stung by humiliation and anger, Cheng Hui hugged a pillow tightly to her chest and snapped, "What my life entails has nothing to do with you! What gives you the right to say that? Who do you think you are?"

She shouted fiercely at the top of her lungs.

Yet He Chuan remained unfazed. "Keep your voice down," he said calmly. "Yelling like that is bad for your throat."

Cheng Hui: "..."

His clothes only bore a few wrinkles from their scuffle earlier, which he ignored entirely. "Think it over carefully. I'll come see you another day."

He was coming back to see her?

Genuninely displeased and terrified of what he might do, Cheng Hui didn't dare utter a word.

And He Chuan actually left. When the door clicked shut, Cheng Hui's strength completely gave out, and she collapsed heavily onto the sofa. The lingering, crisp scent of him still seemed to hang thickly in the air.

Frustrated, she grabbed a handful of her hair, stood up, and went to find her sleeping pills.

Following Dr. Ye's suggestion, Cheng Hui had made time to see a psychological counselor. She needed help; she couldn't process this on her own. She would only drive herself into a dead end, and if she got stuck in there, she'd be in serious trouble.

Aside from Xin Gan, only she knew about her depression—Mrs. Cheng, in particular, was kept in the dark.

Cheng Hui had no intention of letting Mrs. Cheng know. Once found out, it would bring her nothing but harm, with zero benefits.

It would inevitably lead to even more trouble.

She truly felt exhausted in both body and mind.

Meanwhile, her so-called fiancé came over every couple of days to invite her out to dinner and various dates. While he seemed very earnest, it was actually due to the demands of his elders, who told him to cultivate some romance with her.

Cheng Hui’s mind was elsewhere, and though she felt rather apologetic about it, she had no alternative. He insisted they get along well in hopes of a good outcome.

Did that mean he had accepted this marriage?

Her visits to the psychological counselor grew more frequent; this week was already her third. This time, they weren't at the clinic, but at an outdoor restaurant table near her office. Smoking was permitted outside, so Cheng Hui lit a cigarette and said, "Lately, I feel increasingly anxious. I can't sleep all night. The pills help a bit, but I have to take them every single time just to fall asleep. I've had similar episodes in the past, but never this severe."

After listening to her, the counselor asked what she had experienced recently. Learning it was distress over a relationship, the counselor suggested she temporarily leave this environment, find some time to get away for peace and quiet, and relax through travel—that could be one way to cope.

However, Cheng Hui had no heart for traveling.

She treated the doctor to a simple meal, though lacking any appetite, she simply smoked continuously while scrolling through her phone.

During that lunch hour, she happened to be spotted by one of He Chuan's friends.

That friend knew Cheng Hui, having met her when He Chuan brought her around some time ago. Furthermore, quite a few people back then knew He Chuan and Cheng Hui had been dating.

Catching sight of Cheng Hui from afar, he didn't go over to say hello. They weren't close, and Cheng Hui might not even remember him; approaching uninvited would only create awkwardness for himself.

The person sitting opposite Cheng Hui looked like a doctor. At first glance, he seemed familiar, and after pondering for a long time, the friend finally remembered: it was a psychological counselor he knew, quite famous around Yongcheng.

Cheng Hui was seeing a psychologist?

That was rather explosive news.

Without hesitation, the friend turned around and called He Chuan, inviting him to dinner and mentioning he had some matters to discuss.

He Chuan had no free time this week; his schedule was entirely packed. He didn't even have time to dine with Wen Liang, let alone meet anyone else.

Just as he was refusing, the acquaintance mentioned seeing someone unexpected and added, "Isn't Cheng Jiu's younger sister, Cheng Hui, sick or something? I just saw her having a meal with a psychological counselor."

He Chuan didn't speak immediately, but his brow furrowed deeply.

A psychological counselor?

Why would a perfectly normal, healthy person see a psychologist out of the blue?

The friend continued, "It might just be a coincidence. I could have seen wrong."

"..."

Dropping the comment without giving it much thought, assuming He Chuan wouldn't care, the friend prepared to hang up. But suddenly, He Chuan asked, "Do you know that doctor?"

"I do. Otherwise I wouldn't have recognized he was a doctor."

"Send me his contact info."

"That's no problem."

Before long, He Chuan received the contact information sent by his friend—belonging precisely to the counselor Cheng Hui had met.

It wasn't hard to guess that if Cheng Hui were entirely fine, she wouldn't be visiting a psychologist.

Meanwhile, the person Wen Liang had hired to tail Cheng Hui naturally discovered that He Chuan had visited Cheng Hui's place the other night.

He had stayed in her apartment for over an hour before coming out.

Wen Liang couldn't help but wonder what they had been doing during that hour. An hour was neither long nor short, but it was certainly enough time for things to happen.

She kept herself under strict restraint, terrified she would lose control and go confront He Chuan directly.

Yet she couldn't do that. Doing so would only drive a wedge between her and He Chuan.

Wen Liang rarely went to the office anymore. Wanting to become a full-time housewife, she had mentioned it to He Chuan before the engagement party, and he had raised no objections, leaving her to do as she pleased.

Thus, she had stayed away from the company for quite some time.

Very soon, she would be the boss's wife, so no one else at the company dared to say anything.

Yet, they hadn't gotten married and registered their marriage yet. Her position as the future mistress remained somewhat precarious.

And precisely at this time, He Chuan had gone to Cheng Hui's place—late at night, a lone man and woman, for over an hour. It was hard for nothing to happen.

She called him to invite him for dinner, but He Chuan claimed he had no time and still had work to finish.

Wen Liang asked him, "Are you at the company? If you are, I can come keep you company, okay?"

"Not at the company, I'm outside. You go ahead and sleep, don't worry about me."

"But..."

"Stop making a fuss, I'm busy."

Wen Liang said, "Then take care of yourself, and please don't overwork."

With a perfunctory murmur, He Chuan hung up the phone without waiting for her reply.

Wen Liang was exceedingly sensitive; she sensed that He Chuan's attitude had grown even colder than before.

He didn't even have time to share a single meal with her.

As the weather slowly turned cooler, Cheng Hui dressed lightly. She didn't think anything was wrong with it, but He Chuan, dropping by her residence again, took issue with her attire.

This was the second time.

He had shown up straight at her place in broad daylight.

His car was still parked downstairs.

Acting as if he had returned to his own home, He Chuan remarked, "The weather is turning cold lately. Don't dress so thinly."

Cheng Hui sneered. "Is your skin made of iron? This is my territory, yet you treat it like your own home, coming and going as you please?"

He Chuan walked over. He had brought a bag with him when he entered, which seemed to contain wine. Glancing at the bag resting on the cabinet behind him, Cheng Hui's expression soured.

"With you, there's no need to stand on ceremony," he said.

Cheng Hui ground her teeth. "Your skin really is thick."

"If it weren't thick, how could I hound you?" He Chuan picked her up, bouncing her slightly. "Too thin. Didn't you eat, or do you just not gain weight?"

Caring little for his antics, Cheng Hui wore a frosty expression and warned, "I advise you to pull back from the brink and stop coming here. He Chuan, I still have my pride. I'm not like you; my skin isn't miles thick."

Turning a deaf ear, He Chuan ignored her remark. Carrying her over, he closed the French doors, set her down on the sofa, wrapped a blanket around her shoulders, and asked offhandedly, "A friend of mine saw you having dinner with a guy at a restaurant last week. Who was that guy? Your little fiancé?"

"What little fiancé? None of your business."

Last week?

Cheng Hui instantly remembered. She had merely shared a meal with her psychological counselor last week, and even that had been run into by his friend?

His friend knew her?

He Chuan caught her fingers and brought them to his lips for a kiss. "I heard about it. Your little fiancé isn't old, works in sales at some company, low position, small salary. He can barely feed himself—how could he possibly afford you?"

Cheng Hui frowned. "None of your concern. Annoying."

Even though she held no deep romantic attachment to her fiancé, she didn't appreciate He Chuan discussing him with such condescension.

"Defending him? Do you like him?" He Chuan pinched her chin, forcing her to look up.

This was the exact pose Cheng Hui detested most. She slapped his hand away, her voice cold and detached. "That's right, I like him. He's better than you—so much better."

He Chuan simply sat down right beside her. "Then who was the man you had dinner with?"

Gazing intently at her, He Chuan watched for the slightest flicker of micro-expressions on her face.

Startled for a moment, Cheng Hui replied, "A doctor."

She wasn't lying, though she omitted the word "psychological."

Lying to He Chuan was impossible; besides, she didn't know how much he already knew. Denying that the person was a doctor would only arouse his suspicions, so she kept it simple, merely shifting the context.

"A doctor?"

"I've had trouble sleeping lately, unable to rest properly, and I was worried I might be losing my mind, so I went to consult him."

He Chuan studied her for a moment. Letting out a soft sigh, he said, "I have a way to cure your insomnia. Pre-sleep exercise, work up a sweat, and you'll fall right asleep."

"I am not joking with you, He Chuan. It was bad enough when you barged in here last time and I let it go. But now you're doing it again?"

"Mhm. I want to sleep with you."

"Are you sick in the head? Shall I have that doctor take a look at you to see if you've lost your mind?" Irritation tinged Cheng Hui's voice. She was genuinely angry.

He Chuan's attitude made it abundantly clear he had come merely to toy with her. His tone was dripping with frivolity, treating her like a woman he could casually pick up and discard at will, just like he had done years ago.

Cheng Hui remained clear-headed. She kept warning herself internally not to let him bewitch her again. To fall for his tricks once more would prove her utterly, hopelessly foolish.

She would despise herself for lacking any shred of self-respect. Why waste her time on him?

Pouring herself a cup of warm water, Cheng Hui stood in the kitchen and drifted off into a daze. He Chuan remained in the living room without leaving, while she lingered in the kitchen, lost in thought.

After she had been in the kitchen for a while, He Chuan glanced around the living room, his gaze finally landing on the bag placed upon the cabinet—the one containing something resembling medication.