Chapter 165: Staying

His attitude changed abruptly, showing a stark contrast to how he had been before.

She had no idea why his attitude had shifted so suddenly. After lingering in a daze for a moment, she said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb your work. Let's reschedule for when you have free time, how does that sound?"

He hesitated for dozens of seconds, his voice softening as he replied, "Then wait for my call. I'll reach out to you later."

"Okay."

After hanging up with Cheng Hui, a pang of guilt tugged at his heart. But the moment he recalled his mother's words, that guilt vanished completely, leaving no room for lingering softness.

Around seven or eight in the evening, he finally texted Cheng Hui: I think we shouldn't see each other for a while. I just have way too many things on my plate and can't spare any time.

Cheng Hui stared at the text message, feeling completely numb.

She believed that he was simply too busy to make time, and she was sensible enough not to bother him during this period since he had so much going on.

Thus, she began preparing for the graduate school entrance examinations. Her father was right; she needed to find something to occupy her time. The Cheng family did not need her to earn a living, so she might as well use this period to prepare for the exams.

Since she was no longer an undergraduate, she wasn't eligible for university housing. However, seeking peace and quiet, she informed her father and moved back into the apartment that Cheng Jiu had previously rented for her. The lease hadn't expired yet, and since she hadn't canceled it, moving out right then was convenient.

At first, Madam Cheng strongly opposed the idea. She was against Cheng Hui taking the exams and even more dead set against her moving out.

It had taken so much effort to get her to move back home, injecting some life into the household, only for her to announce she was moving out again after just a few days under the pretext of studying for entrance exams. Madam Cheng started working herself into a feverish rage over the matter.

Mr. Cheng had already given his consent and had no objections. Besides, Cheng Hui was a grown adult, not a child; achieving independence was a good thing.

Because of the moving out and the entrance exams, Madam Cheng resumed her anger toward Cheng Hui. In Madam Cheng's eyes, pursuing a graduate degree meant Cheng Hui would inevitably leave the family home again, which would also jeopardize her upcoming marriage. Therefore, she opposed it entirely.

Cheng Hui reasoned, "That's not certain yet. How would this affect my marriage? Isn't it a good thing for me to pursue higher education?"

"You going to graduate school means running right back to campus! Don't think I don't know what's on your mind. You simply don't want to get married. You pretended to be obedient before just to lower my guard. Exactly what do you want? Are you trying to drive me to my grave?"

Words failed Cheng Hui, leaving her with nothing to say. She simply sat on the sofa and stared at her phone.

Madam Cheng grew even more furious. "Let me tell you, you are neither going to graduate school nor moving out. I do not permit it."

Cheng Hui took a deep breath. "You won't let me study, and you won't let me move out. Mom, do you want a daughter or a puppet that obeys your every command?"

"Don't talk back to me with that nonsense! I advise you to drop that notion right now and stop dreaming!"

"Mom, sometimes I genuinely don't know whether your perspective is wrong or mine is. Whenever I do something that goes slightly against your wishes, you throw a temper tantrum. Your tantrums drove Dad away, and now they've driven me away. With the family in this state, haven't you realized that the problem lies with you?"

Madam Cheng was utterly incapable of listening to reason. "I have done nothing wrong," she declared. "The only mistake I ever made was trusting He Chuan too much. I thought he had a good relationship with your brother and possessed sound character, but it turned out to be the exact opposite. He corrupted you, which is why you've become the way you are today. It is entirely his fault."

Cheng Hui felt completely numb inside. She let out a faint, dry laugh. "Mom, you're going to drive me insane sooner or later."

...

As for the situation at home, Mr. Cheng felt powerless. He understood better than anyone that once Madam Cheng's stubborn temper flared up, no one could reason with her. In her current state, she stubbornly refused to see a doctor, standing firm as a boulder.

Fearing that Cheng Jiu and the others would worry, Mr. Cheng kept the reality of Madam Cheng's condition from them, so they remained entirely unaware of what was happening at home.

Consequently, Cheng Hui's plan to move out was temporarily shelved, and she was forced to prepare for her exams while staying at the family home.

As for her fiancé, it took a full week before he finally called to say he had free time and was available to meet.

Cheng Hui no longer intended to confess the truth; the window had passed, and she no longer had the mental fortitude for it.

When she prepared to leave, Madam Cheng specifically asked where she was going. Upon hearing that she was meeting her fiancé, Madam Cheng finally let the matter drop.

During this meeting, her fiancé seemed to have something important to tell her. His expression was solemn and devoid of a smile.

A waiter came over to pour tea and asked what dishes they would like to order.

Cheng Hui handed the menu across the table. "You order. Anything is fine with me."

Without standing on ceremony, he took the menu and ordered a few dishes. Once the waiter left, he looked across the table and said, "I heard from your Uncle Cheng that you're preparing for the graduate entrance exams?"

Cheng Hui sipped her tea from her cup and nodded absentmindedly. "Yes, I'm in the middle of preparing."

"You never mentioned wanting to go to graduate school before. Why the sudden decision?"

"I was working before, so I didn't think about it. Now that I have some free time, I want to find something productive to do and improve myself along the way."

Her fiancé nodded, his gaze drifting away. He picked up his cup and took a sip of water, seemingly pondering how to broach the subject.

The atmosphere turned subtle as both harbored their own hidden thoughts.

Naturally, the meal lacked any flavor whatsoever.

Cheng Hui had a lingering sense that something was wrong, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it. A heavy knot formed in her chest, and she had no idea where things had gone off track.

Her fiancé finally spoke up, probing cautiously, "By the way, we've been together for quite a while now. There's something I've always wanted to ask—though it might be a bit abrupt, I can't help wondering: how many boyfriends have you had in the past?"

Cheng Hui took another sip of water and replied, "A few."

"So you're saying I'm not your first?"

"No, I'm not."

She had never intended to hide it from the start; it was simply that he had never asked, and she hadn't felt it appropriate to bring it up unprompted.

However, it was inevitable that he would ask eventually.

Then there was the matter of her depression.

The dishes were served one after another, steaming hot, yet the scene felt utterly surreal.

Having lost all appetite, Cheng Hui didn't touch her chopsticks.

Her fiancé used his chopsticks to place a piece of food into her bowl, then set them down, his tone flat. "I don't mean anything by it. Please don't misunderstand."

"Right, it's fine."

Neither spoke afterward, and the atmosphere plunged into an unprecedented low.

Cheng Hui recalled that their last meeting had been pleasant, but today's encounter felt distinctly wrong. Something had clearly gone awry, or perhaps he had found something out, which explained why he had suddenly asked about her past relationships.

Yet, because he hadn't spoken directly, she offered no explanation.

After the meal, as they prepared to leave, he went to settle the bill. He forgot his smartphone on the table, taking only his wallet with him.

The phone lay on the surface, and when a message notification popped up, she glanced at it. The name displayed belonged to a woman, and the previewed text was quite ambiguous, asking what he was doing and why he was ignoring her.

Cheng Hui hadn't intentionally snooped through someone else's phone; she had simply seen it by accident.

When he returned, seemingly unaware of anything amiss, he said, "Let's go. I'll drive you home."

No matter how slow-witted she might be, the realization finally hit her. "No need," she said. "I drove my own car."

"Alright then. Drive carefully."

Cheng Hui paused before speaking again. "Actually, if you want to end things between us, you can just say it directly. I'm not someone who clings desperately. Giving me the cold shoulder like this is pointless."

Her fiancé, who had shoved his hands into his pockets, pulled them back out. Unable to meet her gaze and with his mind in turmoil, he stammered, "I didn't mean it that way. I just..."

"You asked me how many people I'd dated earlier, and I answered you because there was no need to hide it. If you want to know more, I can tell you all of it. So what about you? Why can't you just tell me why you've suddenly started icing me out lately?"

"I'm not completely insensitive; how could I fail to notice your coldness toward me all this time?"

Cheng Hui shrugged with apparent nonchalance. "Still, I'd like to know where I displeased you to deserve this cold treatment."

Only then did he speak. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do this intentionally. I just felt we needed some space to cool down and think. When we first met, I didn't know your situation, and my initial impression of you was quite good. But now I realize I must have acted too impulsively back then. I'm sorry, Cheng Hui."

She fully grasped the subtext of his words: he regretted it and no longer wished to continue.

She nodded. "So you don't want to marry me anymore, is that right?"

"You could say that."

The two of them stood talking by the roadside. A cold wind blew, causing Cheng Hui to shiver and pull her neck into her collar. Meeting his eyes, she asked, "Are there other reasons?"

"... " He hesitated without clarifying, his demeanor suggesting he truly had discovered the truth. He continued, "Your health doesn't allow you to bear children, and my family is anxious to have grandchildren. If we get married and you can't conceive within a year, they might have complaints. I figured it's better to realize this before things go too far to turn back."

"I'm truly sorry, Cheng Hui."

Cheng Hui nodded again, offering a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "It's fine, I understand how you feel. That being said, I hope you won't mention our breakup to my family just yet. I'm afraid the shock would be too much for them to handle all at once. Can we wait a bit before bringing it up?"

Anyway, since he was still in contact with another woman and their future wasn't set in stone, it wouldn't hurt to wait until things were certain before clarifying the situation with the Cheng family.

He agreed.

She narrowed her eyes; the wind was fierce enough to sting them and turn them red.

Before leaving, he offered a cryptic parting remark: "You're actually a wonderful person. It's just that I lack the fortune and don't deserve you."

What could Cheng Hui say? She simply shrugged, offered a faint smile, her eyes stinging red.

Standing in place for a moment to catch her breath, Cheng Hui walked back to her car.

Not far away, He Chuan watched the scene unfold from inside a black car. He rolled down the window, flicked the ash from his cigarette, and wore an inexplicable smile at the corner of his lips.

It was entirely inscrutable.

Once Cheng Hui's car drove off, he started his engine and followed at a safe, unnoticeable distance. To avoid being recognized by Cheng Hui, he had switched cars, maintaining a steady gap until he saw her safely return to the Cheng residence, after which he finally turned his car around and left.

Unaware that she had been tailed the entire way, Cheng Hui went straight to her room upon returning home and locked herself inside, refusing to come out even for dinner.

When dinner time arrived and she failed to appear downstairs, Madam Cheng's gaze landed on the empty chair, instantly stoking her anger. Reading the room, the housekeeper cautiously offered, "Shall I go up and call Cheng Hui down for dinner?"

"Don't bother calling her. There's no need to pander to her. Eat if she wants to, starve if she doesn't. Since she isn't eating, just let her be."

"Madam..."

"Starting today, if she doesn't come down when it's time to eat, no one is to call her."

"But Madam, doesn't Cheng Hui have a stomach condition? If she skips meals, it's bad for her health..."

"If she doesn't care about herself, why are you worrying on her behalf? She's ungrateful and heartless; no matter how much care you show, she won't remember your kindness. Why bother managing her affairs?"

Silenced by the reprimand, the housekeeper quietly turned away to resume her chores.

...

Regardless of Madam Cheng's opposition, Cheng Hui resolved to push forward with her exam preparations. Initially, she had adopted a passive attitude—passing the exams was fine, and failing wouldn't have been the end of the world. But witnessing Madam Cheng's attitude firsthand cemented her determination to succeed.

Returning to campus would undoubtedly be better than lingering here.

She deeply regretted coming back in the first place; had she known, she never should have agreed.

Every concession and display of weakness on her part only elicited increasingly outrageous demands from Madam Cheng.

She had agreed without hesitation when pressured to marry a designated suitor. Yet now, when she merely wanted to study for exams and live independently for a short period, Madam Cheng refused—adamantly rejecting the idea no matter how it was phrased. Cheng Hui lacked the patience to endure this indefinitely, terrified that her depression would flare up and trigger irreversible consequences.

After weighing her options, she decided to inform Cheng Jiu of her plans to take the exams, hoping he would intervene and persuade Madam Cheng. At that point, Cheng Jiu was the only one whose voice carried any weight.

Learning of the situation, Cheng Jiu carved out time in his schedule to return home for a heartfelt discussion with Madam Cheng.

Adopting an exceptionally gentle tone, Cheng Jiu sided with Madam Cheng on several points while urging her to consider things from Cheng Hui's perspective. Cheng Hui was no longer a child; if she wanted to study for exams, she should be allowed to. She wasn't committing any wrongdoing.

Burdened with grievances and sorrow, Madam Cheng retorted, "Now all of you are saying I'm the problem. I raised you both, yet not a single one of you understands my well-meaning intentions. Your sister's health is poor; staying at home means she has the housekeeper cook for her and doesn't have to worry about household burdens. Haven't I treated her well? Why must she insist on moving out?"

Cheng Jiu reasoned, "She isn't a child anymore. She'll be twenty-four after the New Year. Mom, I understand your feelings—you're doing this for her own good. And she accepted your arrangement for the marriage, didn't she? She agreed to it. Continually pressuring her won't do anyone any good."

Following his persuasion, Madam Cheng's attitude softened slightly. She had no desire to fracture her relationship with Cheng Jiu; he had already confronted her previously over the incident involving Xiao Manle, and another rift over Cheng Hui would leave her completely isolated, with none of her hard-raised children willing to keep company with her.

Madam Cheng finally relented, though with a strict condition: Cheng Hui had to promise never to study abroad for graduate school and was required to take the entrance exams for a university right there in Yongcheng.

Cheng Hui reluctantly agreed.

This time, her departure from the house was completely open and aboveboard, requiring no secretive cover-ups. Cheng Jiu even helped her move her luggage, meager though it was.

With her departure, the Cheng residence once more felt hollow and desolate, leaving Madam Cheng with a persistent sense of unease.

Observing her state, Mr. Cheng eventually arranged to take her on a short trip out of town to relax, change her scenery, and divert her attention so she would stop obsessing over managing their children's lives.

...

Though she hadn't been back for a while, the three cats had run amok in her absence, chewing up the sofa and scattering cat food all over the floor. Confronted with the chaotic mess, Cheng Hui nearly lost her temper, but they were her cats, and she had no choice but to clean up after them.

Besides, it was her own fault for failing to care for them properly.

Once she settled into her own space, life grew peaceful. When she had nothing pressing to do, she would play with the cats; when she grew tired of studying, she would stroll downstairs. Her mood improved significantly.

One day, a new neighbor moved into the adjacent apartment. The movers blocked the hallway with boxes and furniture. Cheng Hui, returning from a convenience store downstairs with several cups of instant noodles cradled in her arms, carefully navigated the obstacles and reached her apartment door. As she fished out her keys, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed someone moving things in the neighboring unit. The silhouette looked familiar, and upon closer inspection, it turned out to be He Chuan.

Feigning composure, she instinctively tried to unlock her door and slip inside, but the key refused to slide into the keylock. The more anxious she grew, the more the key jammed.

He Chuan spotted her as well. Surrounded by workers hauling furniture into the apartment, he stood quietly by without taking a step closer.

In her panic, she dropped a cup of noodles; it rolled across the floor, but she ignored it, squinting to align the key with the lock. Once it finally clicked, she wrenched the door open, scooped up the fallen noodles from the floor, dashed inside, and slammed the door shut with a loud bang.

She couldn't fathom why He Chuan had moved in right next door to her. The realization sent a wave of panic and unease through her, killing her appetite entirely.

Had He Chuan moved in today?

What was he doing here?

Was it really such a coincidence?

How had he known she lived here, let alone right next door?

Her mind spun in chaotic circles, offering no logical answers. Retreating to the Cheng family home wasn't an option either. After a brief period of turmoil, she gradually forced herself to calm down. Moving wherever he pleased was He Chuan's freedom; with his wealth, he could live anywhere he wanted. It had nothing to do with her—she shouldn't flatter herself or overthink it.

She spent the next few days on tenterhooks, but thankfully, no one knocked on her door. He Chuan showed no signs of intruding, which allowed her to slowly set her worries aside.

Yet, having He Chuan right next door felt like living next to a ticking time bomb waiting to detonate at any moment.

Furthermore, He Chuan knew about her depression. If he intended to entangle himself in her life, he likely wouldn't let her go easily.

A few days later, a heavy, cold rain fell accompanied by howling winds. Originally planning to go to the library, Cheng Hui abandoned the idea due to the severe weather and stayed home to read. After a while, she heard a cat crying out. Investigating the sound, she discovered that the window, which had previously been shut, was now wide open, and only two of her three cats remained inside. Realizing something was wrong, she hurriedly slammed the window shut and began searching the apartment for the missing cat.

After searching the entire morning without success, she concluded the cat must have leaped out the window and fled.

Abandoning all other thoughts, she grabbed an umbrella, threw on a raincoat, and headed downstairs to search for her pet.

...

For the past half-month, He Chuan had closely monitored Cheng Hui's movements. His decision to move here had followed persistent inquiries directed at Xin Gan. Although Xin Gan had initially refused to disclose anything, He Chuan's repeated visits and desperate pleas eventually broke her resolve regarding Cheng Hui's whereabouts.

Xin Gan had only revealed that Cheng Hui was studying for graduate entrance exams and had moved out of the Cheng family home to live independently, refusing to divulge anything further.

Determined, He Chuan tracked down her new address and promptly rented the adjacent apartment.

He didn't care if she found out; living right next door was, after all, his deliberate way of making his intentions unmistakably clear.

The psychiatrist Xin Gan had referred Cheng Hui to had mentioned that Cheng Hui had never visited his clinic, having only made a single phone call before cutting off all contact.