Chapter 48
Cheng Jinlan was on a business trip this ti to attend an internal exchange eting for the hotel industry, and to visit Jiang ng, who had been suffering a lot due to her pregnancy and was in dire need of comfort from a good friend.
On the first day of the conference, Cheng Jinlan only made a brief appearance, leaving the rest to Tang Yicheng while she went straight to Jiang ng’s ho. Upon seeing her, Jiang ng’s eyes brimd with tears as she pulled Cheng Jinlan into a tight 5-minute embrace. Before getting pregnant, she knew pregnancy would be grueling, but only after becoming pregnant did she realize the suffering she had imagined wasn’t even one-thousandth of the actual agony. She had no idea when she would make it through this phase.
Cheng Jinlan patted her shoulder to comfort her, “I brought you so tasty food made by Aunt Qu.”
Jiang ng’s tearful eyes instantly snapped back as she exclaid, “What is it? What is it? Hurry, take it out! Jinlan, you’re here to save . I’ve been craving Aunt Qu’s cooking even in my dreams!”
Cheng Jinlan had specifically brought an insulated box full of food, enough to cover the table so they wouldn’t have to cook dinner separately. Jiang ng’s husband was also away on a business trip, so Jiang ng wouldn’t let Cheng Jinlan leave tonight. They hadn’t seen each other in so long and definitely needed to catch up all night.
Jiang ng reluctantly ate the last rib, patting her belly as she reclined on the sofa. “Jinlan, when you leave, pack
in your suitcase and take
ho with you. I’m easy to care for, just feed
Aunt Qu’s cooking three tis a day.”
Cheng Jinlan brought her a glass of water, “Sure, as long as you’re willing to leave your husband behind. The trip back, my suitcase is all yours.”
Jiang ng wrapped her arms around Cheng Jinlan’s neck, “What’s there to be reluctant about? Just let him keep the empty house, I’m coming with you on a honeymoon.”
Cheng Jinlan laughed, “Sounds good. Little Liqi has been missing her Auntie ng like crazy, asking
every day when she can et Auntie ng’s little baby.”
Jiang ng stared intently at Cheng Jinlan’s neck, squinting her eyes before letting out a shriek.
Cheng Jinlan jumped in fright, “What’s wrong? Does sothing hurt?”
Jiang ng grabbed her collar, and Cheng Jinlan imdiately understood. There were marks left on her neck yesterday in his car that she had covered up with concealer during the day, but she had forgotten about it after showering at night. Sharp-eyed Jiang ng had spotted it.
“You have a man now?!” Jiang ng refused to let go, peering closely at her neck while making continuous tsk tsk sounds. “This force, this intensity, don’t tell
you found yourself a little wolf pup?”
Cheng Jinlan couldn’t break free lest she hurt Jiang ng, so she could only sit down on the carpet beside the sofa. Annoyed, she shot Jiang ng a glare, “What little wolf pup. I don’t like little wolf pups.”
“If not a little wolf pup, then a little puppy? Gentle and innocent under the sheets but a ravenous wolf on the bed pressing you down unable to get up?”
Cheng Jinlan slapped her hand. “Stop with this nonsense, watch the baby’s prenatal education.”
Jiang ng waved her hand dismissively. “Don’t worry, my darling baby is full and asleep. Don’t try to change the subject, and don’t tell
it’s just mosquito bites either. I’m not little Liqi, co on, tell , if not a little wolf pup or little puppy, then who is it?”
Cheng Jinlan picked up the water glass from the coffee table, fingers stroking the rim, taking a long ti before responding softly, “Soone from the past.”
“From the past?” Jiang ng was puzzled for a second before realizing, tentatively asking, “Little Liqi’s...dad?”
Cheng Jinlan lowered her head to drink so water, not denying it.
Jiang ng got excited again. “Damn, Jinlan, you definitely have to let
et him this ti. A man who could make you willing to reconcile after so long, he must be so kind of godly figure. Don’t tell
you’re about to get married?!”
Jiang ng knew Cheng Jinlan had a mysterious long-distance boyfriend in college that none of them had t. She was supposed to bring him to their dorm’s farewell party after graduation, but before that party happened, she and that mysterious boyfriend had already broken up. Later, she beca pregnant, and although Jiang ng never asked, she could guess little Liqi’s father was him.
All these years, with her status, she could have had any man she wanted, and many pursued her, yet she never dated anyone again, not even a hint of flirting. There could be only one reason—her heart still held soone from the past she couldn’t reach.
Cheng Jinlan told her not to get agitated. “He’s no godly figure, just a very ordinary man, and who knows when we’ll separate again.”
Jiang ng didn’t believe her at all. “I don’t care, a pregnant woman’s wishes must be fulfilled. Before you separate again, let
et this very ordinary man.”
Cheng Jinlan was helpless against her. “Fine, when the opportunity arises, okay?”
“Then when my darling baby has his one-month celebration, if you two haven’t separated yet, bring him along.” Jiang ng created an opportunity herself.
“Okay.” Cheng Jinlan finally agreed.
Beside them, the phone screen had darkened after being bumped around in the earlier chaos.
The next morning, Tang Yicheng ca with a driver to pick up Ms. Cheng. Today's schedule was important, and Ms. Cheng still had to give a speech on stage later.
Upon receiving Tang Yicheng’s call, Cheng Jinlan headed downstairs. Jiang ng followed to send her off and take a short walk outside. Cheng Jinlan was chatting and laughing with Jiang ng when she saw the person standing with Tang Yicheng and her eyes wavered as she stopped mid-sentence.
Tang Yicheng gave a little cough to clear his throat, unsure how to explain the current situation to Ms. Cheng. Because he also didn’t know what was going on. The car had been arranged by the hosts, but when he ca downstairs earlier, seeing who was sitting in the driver’s seat gave him a huge shock.
He knew the CEO of Shao Group had suddenly resigned, and Shao Group’s stock was crashing badly as a result. What he didn’t know was that after resigning, Shao Group’s CEO had beco a driver, and was now Ms. Cheng’s driver no less. What were the odds?
Jiang ng recognized Tang Yicheng and greeted him. Her bright eyes naturally slid to the man standing beside Tang Yicheng. She couldn’t help but notice him. “Jinlan, is he from your company too?”
Tang Yicheng didn’t answer, because he didn’t know how to answer.
Cheng Jinlan opened her mouth to speak but closed it again, still unsure how to introduce him to Jiang ng.
With no one making introductions, Shao ChengZe took the initiative to step forward and introduce himself. “Hello, I’m Ms. Cheng’s temporary driver today.”
Jiang ng thought, with his looks, temperant and elegance, she would believe it if he said he was the CEO of any listed company. She couldn’t restrain herself from blurting out her thoughts. “You’re the most handso driver I’ve ever seen.”
Shao ChengZe’s lips quirked up into a faint smile. “You flatter , I’m just an ordinary driver.”
Jiang ng found this statent oddly familiar, but her baby brain failed to recall where she had heard it before.
Cheng Jinlan patted Jiang ng’s arm. “I have to go. There’s a morning eting, can’t be late. Let’s contact each other later.”
Jiang ng nodded. “Before you leave, we must et up for another al. Otherwise we won’t see each other again for months.”
“Okay, definitely another get-together. I’m going now.”
Just as Tang Yicheng was about to open the car door for Ms. Cheng, the man beside him had already stepped up first, opening the door and keeping his hand above it to prevent her head from bumping. Tang Yicheng wondered if he should say this temporary driver was quite considerate in doing his job.
The car ride was silent. Cheng Jinlan rested with eyes closed in the backseat while the temporary driver in the driver’s seat concentrated on driving. Tang Yicheng quietly faded into the background as a passenger.
At a red light, Cheng Jinlan opened her eyes, eting the gaze of the driver in front of her through the rearview mirror. Their eyes tangled briefly before quickly looking away again.
Upon arriving at the venue, the driver would normally wait outside, but considering this driver’s special status and the leaders not having voiced otherwise, Tang Yicheng took out his phone, intending to contact the organizers for an extra entry pass.
But the driver beside him had already taken out an event badge from his suit pocket and hung it around his neck. It was the official event badge from the organizers.
Cheng Jinlan looked at him coldly.
Shao ChengZe generously held it up for her to see. “Any questions?”
Cheng Jinlan asked, "Are you very free?" The Shao family was now in a ss, but he seed to be doing well, working here as a driver for a while, and then as a staff mber for the event organizer.
Shao Chengze nodded, "Not very free, extrely free. I was kicked out of the company and lost my job. I'm just an unemployed vagrant now, with nothing much to do but kill ti." He took the work pass from Tang Yicheng and walked closer to her, hanging it around her neck. "Did I embarrass you?"
Cheng Jinlan was puzzled. "What do you an?"
Shao Chengze's fingertip gently caressed her neck, helping her straighten the lanyard. "Because I'm an unemployed vagrant now, you don't even want to introduce
to your friends."
Tang Yicheng had already retreated two ters away. He was practically bursting a blood vessel holding it in. He really wanted to point out that although Shao had been kicked out of the Shao's, he still had Qiongmiao. He was still the boss of Qiongmiao. And he had even transford into a part-ti driver. No matter what, he could never beco an unemployed vagrant. Acting pitiful and aggrieved really didn't suit him.
Cheng Jinlan raised her brows. "How do you want
to introduce you?"
Shao Chengze replied, "It shouldn't be about what I want, but what you want. Of course, you can introduce
however you like."
"Since it's all up to what I think, why are you still yapping away?" Cheng Jinlan snatched her pass back and turned to walk into the conference hall.
Tang Yicheng pretended he hadn't heard anything. He quickly followed General Cheng, while Shao Chengze smiled to himself and leisurely trailed after the two, thumb caressing his forefinger which still held her warmth and fragrance.
The attendees were all leaders in the hotel industry. Cheng Jinlan was scheduled to speak first. Unlike others who stuck to their script, Cheng Jinlan was used to speaking off the cuff.
In an ash grey knee-length skirt suit paired with a simply tailored white blouse, her black hair lightly twisted up to reveal her elegant neckline. Pearlescent earrings shimred brightly on her petite earlobes, making it hard to discern whether the pearls or her translucent earlobes were whiter.
She was relaxed in her posture, her voice gentle and limpid. Her clear gaze occasionally swept across the audience, settling on one spot, then casually shifting away again. A hint of shy red seed to appear on her fair ear tips, slowly fading from sight.
Shao Chengze lounged lazily in his seat, eyes fixed unwaveringly on the woman on stage, the smile at the corners of his mouth deepening.
Sitting beside Shao Chengze, Tang Yicheng wondered if it was his imagination, but the air in the hall seed rather viscous, carrying the sour, rotten scent of romance, making this newly heartbroken man, blocked by his ex, feel a twinge of jealousy.
After the eting was a cocktail party. With Miss Cheng's status drawing attention on its own, and her impressive speech earlier, people kept coming up to toast and chat with her.
Holding a wine glass, Cheng Jinlan effortlessly conversed and socialized. Tang Yicheng followed behind her to collect na cards. Shao Chengze stood to the side, taking her glass from her hand and replacing it with a fresh one, which observant onlookers could discern held water rather than alcohol.
His actions were overly familiar and intimate. Plus, with his outstanding looks and noble temperant, it was hard not to prompt the question, "And you are...?"
Shao Chengze just smiled faintly, not answering. Tang Yicheng and the rest of the spectators pricked up their ears.
Cheng Jinlan's hand clenched around the stem of the glass hesitated briefly before she responded, "My boyfriend."
Tang Yicheng was thrilled. The crowd contained excited, gossipy, and sourly disappointed ones. They had hoped to chat her up and try their luck at winning the fair lady's affections, only to discover she was already taken. Soone had already captured the beauty's heart.
Shao Chengze's expression remained gently smiling as he inconspicuously shifted closer to Cheng Jinlan until their shoulders touched. Dressed in a silvery grey suit and white shirt today, they had unintentionally matched in couple outfits.
Standing together, one tall and stately, the other gentle and delicate, they looked extraordinarily well-matched to anyone's eyes.
Soone introduced themselves and shook Shao Chengze's hand. Shao Chengze likewise extended his hand.
Cheng Jinlan glanced at him. Everyone present was familiar with the na Shao Chengze, but since he rarely appeared publicly, few knew his appearance. If he was exposed as Shao Chengze in this setting, given how quickly gossip spread nowadays, everyone would know the identity of Miss Cheng's boyfriend within the hour, likely causing huge waves.
Shao Chengze briefly clasped the proffered hand before letting go, reporting his na as, "Cheng Gou, Cheng as in 'mission accomplished', Gou as in 'sleep on brushwood and taste gall'."
Tang Yicheng nearly spat out his mouthful of wine. He had no idea where this bizarre na had materialized from, but hearing Shao's explanation, it suddenly sounded like an excellent na.
Cheng Jinlan seemingly indifferently took a sip from her glass, though laughter leaked from the corners of her lips before she smoothly hid it.
The other party was first taken aback, then remarked, "What a nice na. Mr Cheng is also in the hotel business?"
Cheng Jinlan answered for him, "No, he's my chauffeur."
"Yes, I'm her driver," Shao Chengze chid in, the very image of a henpecked husband.
Everyone unanimously let out a drawn out "oh~~
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