Chapter 51

The cars were backed up ahead, and the black car blended into the long line of vehicles, completely stationary. The only sound left in the car was the soothing music, while the rain grew heavier, with bean-sized raindrops pounding on the windows, making muffled noises. It was hard to say whether it was this tranquility that made people restless, or the standstill traffic that was more frustrating.

Shao ChengZe tapped his fingers on the keyboard, slowly at first but gradually faster, before suddenly stopping. He turned around to look at the person in the back seat, "Are you angry?"

Cheng Jinlan moved her gaze back from the veil of rain, glancing at him breezily, before propping her chin in her hand again to look back out at the rain, showing him the back of her head, "No."

That meant she was angry.

"I do feel a little bothered by him," Shao ChengZe paused briefly before continuing, "Saying 'a little' is an understatement, I'm very bothered by him. I know I have no right to feel bothered, all these years, it was him who stayed by your and Little LiQi's side, filling in many gaps. I admit I was in the wrong just now. If it's going to be troublesome then it's already been troublesome for a long time. Little LiQi is fond of him, I can't just come back and deliberately cut off the closeness between Little LiQi and him."

The rain was gathering more and more on the car windows, blurring the view outside. After a long silence, Cheng Jinlan finally spoke, "You're quite self-aware."

Shao ChengZe reached over to take her hand that was resting on her knee, "But you have to give me some time, after all, I've seen him as my imaginary rival for so many years, my attitude towards him probably can't make a complete turnaround immediately."

Cheng Jinlan didn't jerk her hand away, letting him hold it in his palm. Her thumb rested on the back of his hand, stroking it lightly. Her eyes were still looking out the window, her brows knitted lightly, "Why do you think I like him?"

She was close with Shi Ran, they grew up together since they were young. Shi Ran's mother was especially nice to her, even nicer than to Shi Ran. To her, Shi Ran was like Cheng JinChuan, she saw him as family, and she believed Shi Ran saw her the same way too. She thought of herself as not the kind of person to fool around with just anyone, and certainly would not give others causeless flights of fancy. During those years they were together, Shi Ran was overseas, and she had barely seen him a few times. She didn't even know where he got this conclusion from.

Shao ChengZe squeezed her hand, "Do you still remember where we first met?"

Cheng Jinlan thought about it, but there was no need to think, "It seems to be...the parking lot at GuangXi Ge."

Shao ChengZe knew she had no impression of him whatsoever, even though they had passed by each other more than once.

Not hearing a response, Cheng Jinlan looked back at him, "No?"

She was certain she had not remembered wrongly. Or was it that at that parking lot that day, only she remembered him, but he did not remember her. Cheng Jinlan suddenly regretted answering this question. She should have just said she didn't remember, since he didn't remember anyway. She wanted to withdraw her hand from his palm.

Shao ChengZe grasped her hand tightly again, not letting her move. He looked deeply into her eyes, "That day, you were practicing confessing to Shi Ran in front of your friend. I heard everything."

Cheng Jinlan was stunned. After a long pause, as if not understanding, she asked him again, "What?"

Shao ChengZe recited, word for word, the long spiel she had said that day, not missing anything. Sometimes he really disliked his good memory. After so long, he could still remember the confession she made to another man clear as day.

Cheng Jinlan was lost in his low voice. She had long forgotten most of the words she had casually said then. Hearing him say it out now, she somewhat doubted if she was the one who had said such cheesy things.

Shao ChengZe looked into her eyes, "Jinlan, after hearing you say all that, how could I possibly not feel bothered by him?"

The more you like someone, the more you would feel bothered. He had choked back his feelings, not wanting to say it out before, but now that he had said it, he was afraid she would get angry. All these years, it was Shi Ran who had accompanied her, he probably occupied too big a place in her life. Compared to Shi Ran, he should have no grounds for comparison in her heart.

The standstill vehicles started moving slowly. The car behind honked twice, urging them to get going. Cheng Jinlan came back to her senses, "Drive first."

Shao ChengZe also knew this was not a good time to talk. He looked deeply at her once more before turning around to start the car. Although there was still only the monotonous music in the car, the air felt somewhat congealed, yet it seemed to have lost the lifelessness from earlier.

The car stopped in the parking lot outside the restaurant. The rain had lightened up a little outside. Shao ChengZe got out of the car and put up an umbrella, opening the back door. Cheng Jinlan stretched her hand out. Shao ChengZe was a little surprised, but immediately grasped her hand, helping her out of the car.

The two of them stood together under the umbrella. Shao ChengZe shifted the umbrella more towards her side, "Call me when you're almost done, I'll come pick you up."

Cheng Jinlan lowered her eyes to look at the shirt button near his collar, "MengMeng was my best friend in university."

"Mm."

Cheng Jinlan raised her eyes to meet his gaze, "When we were in school, she kept saying she wanted to meet you."

Shao ChengZe slowly caught on to what she meant. The bright look in his eyes carried a tinge of disbelief seeking confirmation, "Then why don't we take this chance today and let her get a good look? I should treat your best friend to a meal too."

He had sounded her out about it before coming, but she did not give in, so he did not push.

Cheng Jinlan walked towards the restaurant, "She doesn't lack a meal you treat her to."

Shao ChengZe's lips curved up. He hurriedly followed her with the umbrella, grasping her hand again. He was pushing his luck and asked, "What identity should I appear with? Boyfriend?"

Cheng Jinlan replied, "Didn't you already introduce yourself to her yesterday?"

Seeing the two people walking over one after another, the distance between them clearly abnormal, Jiang Meng's eyes lit up. Although they came separately, the gap between them was really too small for it to be normal.

She winked at Cheng Jinlan, asking what exactly was going on. She knew her instincts wouldn't be wrong. This person definitely wasn't just a simple driver.

"Shao ChengZe," Cheng Jinlan introduced the man behind her, giving just a name and nothing more.

Shao ChengZe followed up on her words, smiling at Jiang Meng, "Hello, I'm Jinlan's boyfriend."

Cheng Jinlan's lashes fluttered. She sat down on the chair he pulled out for her, not denying it.

No denial meant acknowledgement. Jiang Meng patted the table excitedly with both hands. She couldn't help but tease, "Yesterday he was the driver, today he's the boyfriend. This change in identity sure happened quickly. And you told me he was just an ordinary man, your standards for 'ordinary' are way too high. If he's considered ordinary, where does that leave my husband?" Cheng Jinlan glared at her for always speaking badly about her husband, "Where's your husband?"

Jiang Meng's husband had returned from a business trip and would join them for dinner tonight too.

"There's a place near here that has really delicious sour and spicy noodles, I asked him to buy some for me. Don't change the subject! You've hidden your boyfriend away for so many years and only brought him out today for me to see. I have so many questions to ask him!" Jiang Meng's words spurted out like a machine gun, not even stopping to take a breath. She turned to look at Shao ChengZe, "Driver Shao, a good sister bringing her boyfriend to meet me for the first time definitely can't escape an interrogation. You have to be mentally prepared!"

Shao ChengZe's eyes smiled deeply, "As long as I can answer, I definitely will."

Jiang Meng immediately felt this Mr. Shao was a sly old fox who had cultivated for thousands of years. His words sounded pleasing to the ear, but were meaningless once said.

Cheng Jinlan placed the menu in front of Jiang Meng, "Order first."

Jiang Meng pushed the menu back to Cheng Jinlan, "You order, you know what I like to eat." She wanted to cross hands with this sly fox of a driver first.

For a couple reunited after breaking up, there were definitely sensitive topics at the core that outsiders could not ask about. Jiang Meng finally chose the most harmless question she was most curious about, "How did you two get to know each other?"

When people are in love, some have love at first sight, while others develop feelings over time. Jiang Meng looked at the two people before her, unable to grasp for the moment which type they belonged to. The looks of these two were definitely at a level where love at first sight could happen, but Jinlan's personality was cold, and her defenses were heavy. It would be hard for her to accept a stranger getting close. If not for her own fiery enthusiasm and initiative in the past, they would not have become good friends.

Shao ChengZe, you should really not associate with my fiery passion at all. In the past, she thought Cheng Jinlan's boyfriend must be a sunny and cheerful guy, who could capture this iceberg beauty's heart. But she didn't expect this mysterious man was also an aloof type. More importantly, these two cold ones gave birth to such a sweet girl like Cheng LiQi. This was really an occult issue.

So she was very curious about how these two got to know each other.

Cheng Jinlan's hand that was flipping the menu stopped. She spoke before Shao ChengZe, "It was the winter break in our freshman year. Remember I bumped into a car after eating at Yuexi Ge? It was his car."

Jiang Meng was surprised, "Was it when I confessed to Shi Ran but got rejected?!"

Shao ChengZe's hand pouring water paused. He looked at Cheng Jinlan. Cheng Jinlan's eyes glanced over him but didn't say anything. But Shao ChengZe understood everything in that instant. He went to hold her hand under the table, but Cheng Jinlan avoided him and put both hands on the table, not giving him a chance to hold her hand.

Jiang Meng's husband came back with sour and spicy noodles. He stood next to the table and coughed lightly a couple of times. Jiang Meng saw her husband, and her voice immediately became coquettish. She pulled out the chair next to her for her husband, "Dear, you know you're the only one I love. Who's Shi Ran? I don't even remember him."

Jiang Meng confessing to Shi Ran but got rejected, this was something Jiang Meng's husband already knew about. It was Jiang Meng who took the initiative to tell her husband. This was a little trick between the couple to enhance their relationship. They would bring this up from time to time and bicker playfully to spice up their marriage. Jealousy hurts the body in large amounts but delights the soul in small amounts.

Shao ChengZe and Jiang Meng's husband exchanged some brief, boring social pleasantries between men. Jiang Meng was only concerned about the origin of her best friend's relationship and held Cheng Jinlan's hand to ask her, "That's not right. The one who got off the car that day wasn't him. With Shao's looks, if I had seen him once, there's no way I would forget."

Jiang Meng's husband coughed again.

Jiang Meng turned around and patted her husband's hand to reassure him, "It's okay, dear. No matter what others think of his looks, you'll always be the most handsome one in my heart." After some perfunctory words, she looked back at Cheng Jinlan again, waiting for her answer.

Cheng Jinlan took a sip of water. "It was his driver who got off the car that day."

That day when she left the parking lot, she saw the black Rolls Royce again at an intersection. She was startled for a moment and bumped into it. She was fully responsible. His driver got off and told her to just go ahead. But she still left her contact information with the driver, telling him to call her if there were any issues.

In the end, it was him who called.

Jiang Meng let out a long "Oh~" and had a knowing look. "So Shao, you fell in love at first sight with our Jinlan through the car window that day?"

Shao ChengZe draped his arm leisurely over the back of Cheng Jinlan's chair. His pitch-black pupils were filled with certainty. "That wasn't the first time I saw her."

Jiang Meng was even more gossipy now. "When was it then?"

Cheng Jinlan thought he was going to mention inside Yuexi Ge when she practiced confessing to Shi Ran.

But Shao ChengZe answered Jiang Meng while looking at Cheng Jinlan, "I transferred to Shi Ran's class for the last two months in high school. She passed by the window looking for Shi Ran at least three days a week."

He returned to the Shao family during the last two months in high school after his father had just passed away. His mood was as gloomy as the smoggy days outside. Until a swaying ponytail appeared at the window, some things were just odd. There were so many girls with ponytails, but he could recognize her back view instantly.

And Shi Ran was always standing next to that back view.

Cheng Jinlan's grip on the water glass tightened. She slowly turned her head to meet his eyes. Shao ChengZe raised his brow and smiled at her.

Jiang Meng was surprised at first, then her thoughts wandered to TV drama plots. "Shao, you didn't plan that car accident, did you?"

"No." Even if he had planned it, he wouldn't use a car accident for any scheme. "She bumped into me herself."

His car didn't even move. She dazedly bumped into him. Should he say it was destiny?

All kinds of thoughts flashed through Cheng Jinlan's mind, and his gaze affirmed every single thought. Her heart started pounding loudly, even the lightning and thunder outside couldn't drown it out.

On the drive back, the car was quiet again without the music. The windshield wipers worked hard to wipe the pouring rain. Cheng Jinlan sat in the passenger seat with eyes closed pretending to sleep. Although her eyes were closed, she could still feel his gaze looking over from time to time.

The car slowly came to a stop. Cheng Jinlan opened her eyes, "Here?"

Shao ChengZe unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned over. "Not yet. Do you want red bean cake? I'll go buy some more."

Cheng Jinlan looked at the dark brows and eyes up close and whispered through him, "Are you really going to buy red bean cake?"

Yes and no. The stuff they bought was used up. Although he promised not to touch her tonight, he didn't have much self-control right now.

Shao ChengZe wasn't embarrassed being seen through. He touched her lips, "Then I won't buy any. I promised you a good night's sleep tonight. Can't break my word."

Cheng Jinlan's fingers fiddled with his cufflinks. "Unbuckle my seatbelt for me."

"Hmm?"

"I'll go with you." She knew it would be faster if he went alone, but on this rainy night, she didn't want to be apart from him, not even for a moment.

Shao ChengZe's dark eyes lit up.

Cheng Jinlan gave an unconvincing explanation, "I have stuff to buy too."

"Alright, let's go together." Shao ChengZe kissed her lips. Sometimes he shouldn't listen to what she said, but her heartbeat would never lie.

The car left the convenience store and finally parked in the yard.

Shao ChengZe first unbuckled his own seatbelt, then hers. He lifted her to sit on his lap without even waiting until they got into the house. "Baby, don't you have anything to ask me?"

His arousal was too obvious. Cheng Jinlan leaned back, but there was only the steering wheel behind her. She had nowhere to retreat.

She pleaded, "Let's go inside. Your clothes are wet. You'll catch a cold."

He had held the umbrella mostly to her side just now, so his clothes and hair were half soaked.

Shao ChengZe didn't budge. "Then help me take off my shirt."

Cheng Jinlan's voice was soft and urgent. "Take it off when we get inside."

Shao ChengZe looked up at her. "There were so many times in the hallway when you just brushed past my shoulder. You didn't even tilt your eyelashes at me. It was like I didn't even exist in your eyes. You only had Shi Ran in your heart and mind."

Cheng Jinlan gently stroked his wet hair. The rain had slicked it even darker. "Shi Ran's mother was diagnosed with cancer around that time. He was in a really bad mood. The college entrance exam was coming up soon too. We were all very worried about him. My mom asked me to go comfort him more often."

Shao ChengZe didn't want to hear her talk about Shi Ran in that tone. He bit her lips fiercely. "So many times when I saw your back view, I kept thinking, if only you would turn around and look at me once."

Cheng Jinlan was bitten until she softly moaned. "Shao ChengZe, are you trying to act pitiful?"

"Did I make you pity me?"

Cheng Jinlan held his face and kissed the corner of his lips. "Your acting skills are really good."

So skilled at deceiving and cajoling.

The cool air conditioning couldn't suppress the rising heat in the car. The windows fogged up, blocking the heavy rain outside, and the dark night too. The downpour had the car trapped on a solitary island, with only her and him on it.

If last night was him relentlessly demanding from her, tonight she was the one giving. He could clearly feel her initiative and response, from her breath, to her tongue, to the surging hot tide deep inside her.

The lightly bitten lips. The flushed face. The strands of hair on her forehead damp with sweat.

Passionate and daring.

In the jolting undulations, Shao ChengZe held her waist tightly. If possible, he wished the rain could go on a little longer.

The next day, the downpour stopped and the sunshine was splendid with birds chirping among the flowers. Cheng Jinlan didn't see any of it. She was sunk in a groggy dream all the way from the car to the VIP lounge at the airport.

In her sleepy daze, she asked the person next to her, "Weren't you leaving this afternoon?"

Shao ChengZe draped a shawl over her to block the cold air blowing from the air conditioner. "After we land, you go first with Cheng LiQi. Once you two leave, I'll go out."

Cheng Jinlan closed her eyes and nestled into his shoulder to find a comfortable position. "You've always been good at scheming," she said.

Shao Chengze leaned down to her ear and whispered, "I want to see your mother too, but would you let me?"

Cheng Jinlan tucked her ears into her shawl. "I'm going to sleep now, I'm so tired I could die."

He had only let her go when it was almost dawn, and she had barely slept two hours total. Right now she didn't want to think about anything, she just wanted to sleep.

"Sleep then," said Shao Chengze, knowing he was the one who had made her so tired. He stopped disturbing her and gently patted her shoulder to lull her to sleep.

Cheng Jinlan's head was still groggy after getting off the plane. Going two days with so little sleep had been too taxing. In the bathroom she splashed some cold water on her face to try and wake up a little.

Pushing her luggage out, she immediately spotted little Liqi being held by Shi Ran. She hurried over, and Liqi also saw her mother and waved excitedly to her.

When Cheng Jinlan reached them, she spread her arms to take her daughter while asking Shi Ran, "What are you doing here?"

Shi Ran replied, "I had today off, so I came to drive little Liqi."

Liqi hugged her mother's neck in Shi Ran's arms. "Mommy, let Dad hold me. You must be so tired from your business trip, you look weak."

Cheng Jinlan kissed her cheek. "Mommy's fine, darling. I just didn't sleep well without my Liqi last night. I'll take a nap when we get home and be good as new."

Liqi kissed her mother back. "Then let's go home quick. Granny Qu made lots of yummy food. After you eat you can take a nice nap, Mommy."

Just as she finished speaking, she saw someone approaching from behind. Her eyes lit up and she was about to call "Daddy!" but stopped herself and urgently waved at Dad not to come over. But Daddy didn't seem to understand, and kept walking towards them.

Of course Shao Chengze could interpret his daughter's gestures, but he couldn't just stand there watching through the glass door indifferently. Even if everything was out in the open now, his heart was still as petty as a needle point.

Shao Chengze came up beside Cheng Jinlan and loosely wrapped his arm around her waist in a gesture of claiming ownership. He nodded curtly to Shi Ran, wanting to take his daughter.

Seeing her father's hand on her mother's waist, Liqi covered one eye with her hand. When she saw her grandparents approaching, she covered her other eye.

She felt like Daddy was done for today.

She probably couldn't save him either.