Chapter 81: Next Time, No Mercy

Cheng Hui and He Chuan had a falling out, and she certainly didn't get the upper hand with He Chuan, but that didn't mean she would let Tang Huaihuai have her way. It was true that being rejected by Tang Que was humiliating, but on second thought, it wasn't such a big deal. She had confessed her feelings to Tang Que openly and uprightly; even if she was turned down, she had no regrets.

She said, "You've misunderstood, Director. Even if Tang Que rejected me, it doesn’t affect me much. Out with the old and in with the new—besides, the next one will surely be better."

Tang Huaihuai raised her brows, surprised to hear her say that. She had heard from Tang Que that Cheng Hui liked him very much and was heartbroken for quite some time after he turned her down. Judging from her words, she must have really liked him—so how could she now say the next one would be better?

Cheng Hui smiled again and said, "Director, do you still want to be my older sister? Then you’ll have to ask my parents if they’re willing to have another daughter."

She asked with a deliberately innocent smile, her words and tone forming a stark contrast.

Tang Huaihuai chuckled. "I was just speaking metaphorically—don’t take it seriously."

"Is there anything else? If not, I’ll head back to the dormitory."

"Go ahead."

Tang Huaihuai watched her leave. Not long after Cheng Hui had gone, she took out her phone and called He Chuan, teasing, "Guess where I am right now, and who I just ran into?"

He Chuan asked, "Who?"

"Who else but Cheng Hui? I didn’t expect her to be a freshman in the class I’m supervising."

He Chuan frowned slightly, his expression shifting. "You’ve started teaching at the university?"

"Yes. You sound surprised."

He Chuan responded coolly, "It’s not that surprising."

"Would you like to come over sometime? Or perhaps we can have dinner together later?" Tang Huaihuai was never one to be passive, especially not with He Chuan.

…

Tang Huaihuai liked He Chuan.

Once Cheng Hui realized this, she felt anxious. After returning to the dorm, she took a shower, changed into her pajamas, and lay on the bed. Her whole body ached, she had no energy, her mind was in chaos, and before she knew it, she fell asleep.

…

That evening, Cheng Jiu cooked dinner, with Xin Gan helping by handing over seasonings or washing vegetables. Cheng Jiu made simple home-cooked dishes, having asked in advance if there was anything she didn’t eat. She replied that she avoided seafood and potatoes, but could accept anything else.

She had a constitution prone to allergies, and was allergic to seafood.

Cheng Jiu laughed softly, half-joking, "Good thing you’re not allergic to me."

It was just a joke.

Xin Gan was a little embarrassed and turned away quietly.

After dinner, with nothing pressing to do, Cheng Jiu washed the dishes, then came out and asked, "Want to take a walk downstairs?"

The weather was nice, a cool breeze in the evening.

Xin Gan didn’t refuse—staying indoors with nothing to do felt awkward.

Cheng Jiu took out the kitchen trash on the way.

After strolling around the neighborhood, they returned in just over forty minutes.

Xin Gan glanced at the time—it wasn’t even half past nine. Still early.

Cheng Jiu poured her a glass of water, asking, "Want to watch TV or take a shower first?"

Xin Gan replied, "Let’s watch TV." If she really ended up staying over, she didn’t have a change of clothes, which was a bit embarrassing.

Cheng Jiu smiled meaningfully, turned on the TV, sat on the sofa, and asked, "Want to finish the movie from this afternoon?"

She’d fallen asleep earlier and hadn’t finished watching it. Not that she particularly liked movies, but since she’d already agreed to stay, with nothing else to distract her, watching a movie was as good as anything.

Partway through, Cheng Jiu suddenly asked, "Are you very scared?"

Xin Gan was sitting right beside him, hugging a pillow. She turned to him, "What?"

"Are you very scared?" he repeated.

She neither nodded nor shook her head. "A little, I suppose."

He smiled again, pinched her chin, and said, "I’m not that frightening—why are you trembling so much?"

Xin Gan bit her lip, silent and gazing at him. Her eyes were moist, just like a lost fawn in a forest.

He reached out, brushed his hand along her cheek to her earlobe, his fingertips rough, gently pinching her pale pink earlobe. He saw through her fear and spoke softly, "If you don’t want to, I won’t force you. Don’t be afraid of me." At most, he’d only kiss her, nothing more.

He was frank, hiding nothing about his intentions.

He wasn’t some young man ruled by his impulses.

Xin Gan had been distracted all evening—he was no fool, he could guess what was on her mind.

Being confronted with the truth only made her more embarrassed, and she avoided his eyes, cheeks flushing. "Okay, I heard you."

He stroked her hair and said, "After you shower, you can wear my clothes for now. Tomorrow, I’ll take you home."

Xin Gan nodded, though she couldn’t quite describe the feeling in her heart—whether it was disappointment or something else. He kept his word and did nothing more.

At most, after she showered, he kissed her on the forehead and said softly, "Goodnight, go get some sleep."

She asked, "And you? Where will you sleep?"

"In the guest room."

There was a guest room next door—he’d sleep there.

Cheng Jiu kept his promise and never meant to make things hard for her.

He leaned in closer and added, "Remember to lock the door."

Xin Gan: "…"

Lying in bed, she felt as if the whole day had been a dream. Cheng Jiu was so gentle with her, so considerate. Or perhaps, he’d always had a gentle side, just not known to others.

As for intimacy, it wasn’t that she couldn’t accept it. Having grown up abroad, she was used to a more open environment. She was no stranger to such things—it was just that Cheng Jiu had seen right through her, which made her feel shy. He thought she was afraid, but in truth, it was only that she couldn’t quite let go.

They’d shared a bed before, back when she hadn’t liked him as much.

Tonight, fearing she’d be scared, he’d simply slept in another room.

Enough, she thought, no point dwelling on it.

…

The next morning, Xin Gan woke and lay in bed for a while. Hearing soft footsteps outside, she thought Cheng Jiu was up, so she quickly got up to wash.

She had to wear the same clothes as yesterday, but at least they weren’t dirty.

But she couldn’t put on any makeup, having brought no cosmetics.

Opening the door, she saw a large husky lying pitifully in the living room. Hearing the door, the dog looked back and, in the next instant, leaped toward her.

Xin Gan was startled—such a big dog lunging at her so suddenly.

She jumped back in fright.

"Stupid dog, get back here!" He Chuan came out of the kitchen, saw the scene, and called the husky to heel.

The dog knocked Xin Gan to the ground, tongue out, trying to lick her face. She couldn’t dodge in time—her freshly washed face was nudged by a cold nose and covered in slobber.

Hearing the commotion, Cheng Jiu rushed out, saw Xin Gan on the floor with the dog, and hurried over, pulling the dog away and helping her up. "Are you hurt?"

She shook her head and wiped the drool from her face. No real harm was done.

He Chuan yanked the leash, scolding the dog, "All you do is pounce on people—just have to take advantage when you see someone!"

The dog shrank back under the reprimand, but still looked eager to run out.

Xin Gan, a bit afraid of such a large animal, shrank back. Cheng Jiu reassured her, "It’s fine, don’t be afraid."

He Chuan dragged the dog out to the balcony, lecturing, "Should have left you at home. You dare pounce on anyone and try to get your way—aren’t you worried Cheng Jiu will make you into hot pot?"

The dog wagged its tail, tongue lolling, looking innocent.

Xin Gan went to the bathroom to wash up.

Cheng Jiu glanced at the balcony and explained to her why He Chuan was here: "He lives nearby. I ran into him while buying breakfast downstairs, so he came back with me to mooch a meal."

Xin Gan nodded, then asked about the earlier topic, "When do you plan to go back to Beiyu?"

"In a couple of days—either the day after tomorrow or the day after that."

…

Cheng Jiu drove Xin Gan home. At her door, just as she was about to get out, he pulled her back and kissed her.

It lasted about five minutes before he let her go.

Both were breathing unevenly. He pinched her earlobe, loving the way it turned pink, then released her and said, "When I come back from Beiyu and we meet again, I won’t hold back."

Xin Gan’s heart raced, but she didn’t answer directly.

"You know what I mean, Xin Gan," Cheng Jiu emphasized.

She gently pushed him away. "I’ll go in now."

"Mm." Cheng Jiu watched her enter, then waited a while before leaving.

…

Xin Gan hadn’t come home all night—she’d been with Cheng Jiu.

Her mother knew well enough, unable to hide her smile when she saw Xin Gan come home, still in the same clothes. "Why didn’t you change?"

Xin Gan replied, "I’ll change in my room now," offering no further explanation, feeling a bit embarrassed.

…

Cheng Jiu hadn’t come home the previous night either. When he returned, Mrs. Cheng interrogated him directly, "Xin Gan is still young—no need to use contraception on purpose. If she gets pregnant now, she’ll recover faster."

Mrs. Cheng was eager for a grandchild and wished nothing more than for them to have a child right away.

But it wasn’t so simple.

Cheng Jiu disagreed, "It’s too soon to talk about that."

"How is it too soon? You’re already married, and you’re not young anymore. It’s time to think about children."

"She’s still very young. I’m not in a hurry," he answered carelessly, not wanting to discuss this with his mother. Since he’d be returning to Beiyu soon, he was worried Mrs. Cheng would go talk to Xin Gan about it. "Let’s not talk about this anymore, I know what I’m doing."

"Can’t I even mention it?"

Cheng Jiu stood firm in his decision and wouldn’t be swayed by Mrs. Cheng, ending the conversation.

Though Mrs. Cheng said nothing more, she was clearly dissatisfied with his indifferent attitude. She felt he wasn’t taking things seriously—he wasn’t young anymore, and after his recent brush with death, she was all the more anxious for him to leave behind a child. If anything were to happen, at least there would be some comfort in having a grandchild.

…

When He Chuan returned home, he heard Mrs. He mention, almost offhandedly, "I heard Cheng Jiu and Xin Gan have registered their marriage?"

It wasn’t some secret—both the Cheng and Xin families were open about it.

"Who told you?"

"Those ladies—while having tea and shopping with Mrs. Cheng, she let it slip, and word got around."

He Chuan said, "They registered."

"So when’s the wedding?"

"End of the year, probably."

"Why so long?" Mrs. He was puzzled. "By the way, now that Cheng Jiu is getting married, what about you? When are you bringing a girl home for me to meet?"

He Chuan, smoking and looking at his phone with a blank expression, replied perfunctorily, "What does that have to do with me?"

"As the elder brother, you should set an example for your younger brother. If you settle down, your brother won’t feel pressured to find a girlfriend and get married."

"My not getting married affects him?"

"It’s our family custom—the older sibling must marry before the younger one."

He Chuan shut off his phone and sneered, "I shouldn’t have come home—every time, it’s either He Cheng causing trouble for me to clean up, or getting beaten by Dad and needing me to plead for him."

Now, he came home only to be nagged about marriage.

Mrs. He didn’t see anything wrong with her words—her heart had long since drifted across the ocean. He Cheng was her son, and He Chuan apparently wasn’t. Everything was from He Cheng’s perspective, never considering He Chuan.

She said, "Don’t say that. You’re the elder brother—you should look after your brother."

He Chuan couldn’t sit any longer and found an excuse to leave.

Mrs. He wanted to say more, but couldn’t stop him.

Even the housekeeper thought Mrs. He’s words were inappropriate and felt a bit sorry for He Chuan, but as a hired help, she had no say.

Meanwhile, Mrs. He called He Cheng, fussing over him, full of concern.

He Cheng was on set, having just finished shooting for the day. He was in a decent mood, still able to chat with her.

"Alright, Mom, don’t worry. I’m not a child. You should spare a thought for He Chuan, or he’ll think you’re playing favorites."

"He won’t. Cheng, where are you filming? Should I come visit you?"

"No need." He Cheng didn’t want any family members visiting. He played games absentmindedly and asked, "Any news from the Cheng family lately?"

Mrs. He was aware of He Cheng and Xin Gan’s history. After considering, she said, "Cheng Jiu woke up, and he and Xin Gan registered their marriage. The wedding is planned for the end of the year."

"He woke up? When?"

"A while ago. After he woke, he and Xin Gan got married. Everyone knows now." Mrs. He paused. "Son, Xin Gan is married now—don’t dwell on it…"

He Cheng’s face turned cold. He hung up, lost interest in his game, and hurled his phone across the room.

A Zhou, who had come in with a bottle of water, was startled and stood trembling.

"Cheng-ge…"

He Cheng’s eyes were filled with rage as he glared at her. "Why are you just standing there? Pick up the phone."

A Zhou hurried to retrieve it.

The screen was shattered, a web of cracks all over.

"Cheng-ge, your phone…"

He Cheng didn’t take it, staring at her instead. "Did you deliver the flowers last time?"

"I… I did…"

"And then?"

"Nothing else…" A Zhou had no idea why he was so angry, or why she’d been sent to bring chrysanthemums to the hospital—a flower reserved for grave-sweeping during Tomb-Sweeping Festival, never for hospitals. It was terribly inauspicious.

He Cheng’s mood was abysmal. Alone with A Zhou, he vented his fury on her, scolded her, and she didn’t dare talk back. Even when he threw water in her face, she said nothing.

Seeing her so cowed only made him angrier. He grabbed her hair and yanked hard. "What, you won’t fight back no matter how I bully you? Can’t even look at me? Aren’t you my assistant? How are you this stupid? Even when I mistreat you, you can’t push back?"

A Zhou was young, inexperienced, and terrified of He Cheng. She dared not resist.

Crying, she pleaded with him, but He Cheng didn’t let her go, gripping her chin hard. "You’re just like her—all lifeless, only reacting when I push you to the edge."

"Cheng-ge, calm down… I’m sorry, I really am…" A Zhou sobbed, her scalp throbbing with pain.

"You know you’re wrong? Then kneel, let me get it out of my system."

A Zhou didn’t dare disobey. Shaking, she knelt before him, her face streaked with tears…

…

Tan Yazhuo took time to visit the set and saw that A Zhou’s eyes were red. She asked casually, "What’s wrong, A Zhou? Your eyes are so red—have you been crying?"

A Zhou hurriedly lowered her head and explained, "It’s nothing."

Her lips, too, looked unnaturally red.

Tan Yazhuo glanced at the nanny van. "Nothing? With eyes that red? What happened?"

"I made a mistake earlier, and Cheng-ge scolded me. I couldn’t help crying. But it really was my fault—it’s not on Cheng-ge." She thought it over and could only say that. If Tan Yazhuo knew what had just happened, she’d probably lose her job.

Everyone in the company knew that Tan Yazhuo valued He Cheng highly and was determined to promote him.

Tan Yazhuo got into the nanny van. He Cheng was half-reclined, reading a script. His clothes were rumpled, giving him a certain haggard charm.

But there was a faint smell in the car.

Tan Yazhuo asked, "How’s the shoot going?"

"Fine," He Cheng put down the script. "Why are you here, without telling me?"

"I was passing by the set and thought I’d check in. How’s A Zhou doing? Anything she’s not handling well?"