When Zhang Xiyue saw Grandma Qian together with Cheng Mingjiao, she had hidden her thoughts well. It was only after they left Yunxi Temple that all those emotions suddenly came rushing back.
The moment she realized this, she pulled the car over by the side of the road.
Cheng Mingjiao, who had been drowsy, let out a soft hum and looked at her in confusion.
“I can’t drive right now,” she said calmly. “Let’s call a designated driver.”
“You’re tired too?” Cheng Mingjiao yawned and didn’t ask any further questions.
Zhang Xiyue let out a quiet sigh of relief.
While they waited for the driver to arrive, Cheng Mingjiao sat in the passenger seat eating cheese sticks. Zhang Xiyue looked at him with complicated emotions.
Half an hour ago, she had messaged Chen Ming, asking whether his real name was actually Chen Mingjiao. Chen Ming still hadn’t replied.
During this period, she and Chen Ming had been in contact less and less, and especially over the past week, he had unilaterally cut off all communication.
This time was no exception. The message Zhang Xiyue had sent him sank like a stone into the sea, receiving no response at all.
In truth, even if Chen Ming didn’t answer her message, many things had already become clear. But until the very last moment, she still refused to give up completely.
She had actually found the wrong person.
How could she have found the wrong person?
Thinking about everything she had done during this time, Zhang Xiyue felt only that it was absurd.
Before realizing that she had found the wrong person, she had always believed that she was in the right. Even if she had deceived Cheng Mingjiao in many ways, it had all been to save him from a fate in which he was destined to die.
So even though her motives had been impure, she had never thought she owed Cheng Mingjiao anything.
…but what if she had found the wrong person?
What if Cheng Mingjiao had already possessed a perfect life and never needed her unnecessary rescue in the first place?
Whenever Zhang Xiyue thought of that possibility, it felt as though a heavy stone had been placed on her heart. Every cell in her body screamed with shame and humiliation.
Cheng Mingjiao had just finished his third cheese stick when he turned his head and saw that Zhang Xiyue’s eyes were red.
He froze for a moment, then held out the last one to her. “Do you want it?”
“No.”
Cheng Mingjiao knew she didn’t like dairy products, so he continued eating by himself without the slightest guilt.
Zhang Xiyue watched him swallow the cheese stick in one bite, then took a deep breath.
“Zhuangzhuang…”
“The driver’s here.” Cheng Mingjiao hurriedly got out of the car and waved the driver over.
The words Zhang Xiyue had been about to say slipped back down her throat. She got into the back seat with Cheng Mingjiao.
With a third person in the car, Cheng Mingjiao leaned against her and began to doze off. Zhang Xiyue didn’t say anything else.
By the time they got home, it was already past four in the afternoon. They entered through the underground parking garage, crossed the newly renovated basement, and returned upstairs.
It had only been a few hours, but when Zhang Xiyue saw the fully equipped basement again, her mood was already completely different.
Even so, she couldn’t help asking, “Why did you suddenly decide to renovate the basement?”
“Don’t you think it’s like a survival pod in the apocalypse? It’s pretty fun.” Cheng Mingjiao answered vaguely. He was too embarrassed to admit that he had renovated it because he wanted to spend time alone with her in a more enclosed space.
He was always like this—overly straightforward when he should have been shy, and awkwardly bashful when he shouldn’t have been. Because of that, he had missed many moments he should have seized.
Zhang Xiyue didn’t press him further, but her feelings grew increasingly complicated.
“Let’s have dinner early today. I need to go out later,” Cheng Mingjiao said mysteriously.
He had planned to confess his love at nine that evening. He needed to get there before six to make the final arrangements, change into formal clothes there, and then send her the address.
He wanted to give her a perfect surprise. But the two of them had been together twenty-four hours a day, so if he suddenly went out alone, it would definitely arouse Zhang Xiyue’s suspicions.
After all, Zhang Xiyue liked him far too much. She wished she could melt into his body, become one with him, and never part from him for the rest of their lives.
Cheng Mingjiao felt a little troubled. He had no idea how he was going to deal with Zhang Xiyue’s questions.
Sure enough, Zhang Xiyue began asking them.
“Where are you going?”
“To… the company.” Cheng Mingjiao’s eyes darted away.
“Why are you suddenly going to the company?”
“Because there’s a document that needs to be processed urgently.”
Zhang Xiyue paused, confusion appearing on her face. “What document? I didn’t receive any notice about it.”
Cheng Mingjiao fell silent.
At that moment, the downside of having your wife as your assistant became apparent. His schedule was completely transparent to her, so he had no way to fabricate an excuse in that area.
“It’s a document Little Shen sent to the company,” Cheng Mingjiao said, his mind racing as he patched up his excuse.
Little Shen was one of his assistants. He had been stationed at a factory in another city for more than half a year, and Zhang Xiyue had never met him.
The contracts from Little Shen’s side did not need to go through her, so Zhang Xiyue didn’t think much of it.
“Then I’ll drive you there…”
“No!” Cheng Mingjiao stopped her loudly.
Zhang Xiyue looked up in confusion.
“Ahem, well…” The smile at the corners of Cheng Mingjiao’s lips stiffened. “You’ve had a long day. I’ll just take a cab myself.”
Zhang Xiyue fell silent.
Her mind was already overloaded, and she really wasn’t in a suitable state to drive.
After considering it for a moment, she nodded.
Cheng Mingjiao breathed a sigh of relief. As soon as they finished dinner, he left.
Guo Fengnian had been waiting for him for some time. The moment he saw Cheng Mingjiao come out of the residential complex, he immediately greeted him in a furtive whisper.
“Mingjiao!”
“Keep your voice down!” Cheng Mingjiao hurried over.
“Did Sis Yue follow you?” Guo Fengnian asked nervously.
“No.”
“...Then why are you being so quiet?”
“Caution. Understand?”
“Oh.”
The two of them looked at each other, then suddenly burst out laughing.
“Congratulations, Mingjiao. You two are definitely going to be happy together.” Guo Fengnian offered his sincere blessings.
Cheng Mingjiao, who was usually so sharp-tongued, was uncharacteristically reserved as he nodded. “I’ll take your word for it.”
Guo Fengnian drove onto the main road. “What should we do now?”
“Let’s go to the venue first.” Cheng Mingjiao gave him an address.
Guo Fengnian drove the whole way without encountering a single red light. The road was practically wide open.
“Looks like everything is going to go smoothly today,” he said with a grin.
Cheng Mingjiao smiled too. “Of course.”
The two of them looked at each other again.
“Haha.”
“Haha.”
During this time, Cheng Mingjiao had talked to him about every detail of the proposal so often that Guo Fengnian’s ears were practically numb. Yet he had never once visited the venue.
It wasn’t until he arrived in person that day and saw the flower-filled kingdom that looked like something out of a dream that he truly realized how much effort Cheng Mingjiao had put into it.
One of the reasons they had arrived early was to conduct a final inspection. Although Cheng Mingjiao had hired several of the best event-planning teams in the country, the two of them still personally checked everything over out of a sense of responsibility.
The result was naturally flawless.
By then, the time on Cheng Mingjiao’s watch had reached 6:40. He finally relaxed and sent Zhang Xiyue an address.
Guo Fengnian leaned over to take a look and was surprised. “You sent the wrong address, didn’t you? That isn’t where we are now.”
“It’s the address of a makeup team’s studio.” Cheng Mingjiao didn’t even look up as he waited for Zhang Xiyue to reply. “For a big day like a proposal, Zhang Xiyue will definitely want to look beautiful.”
Guo Fengnian was speechless.
Cheng Mingjiao heard no response and continued talking to himself. “I originally wanted them to do her makeup and styling at home, but I was afraid that would make her suspicious, so she has no choice but to go there herself… Poor Zhang Xiyue. She has to leave the house alone.”
Guo Fengnian: “…”
Cheng Mingjiao still hadn’t received a message from Zhang Xiyue. He took a moment to look up at Guo Fengnian. “Why are you making that face?”
“…Buddy.” Guo Fengnian wiped a hand over his face and looked at him with an unusually strange expression. “I never understood why Zhang Xiyue liked you. But now I do.”
Cheng Mingjiao was interested in anything related to Zhang Xiyue. “Why?”
“Because you’re worth it.” Guo Fengnian gave him a thumbs-up, his praise utterly sincere.
Cheng Mingjiao lifted the corners of his lips with a proud air.
At the same time, after taking a cold shower, Zhang Xiyue had finally calmed down somewhat.
She quickly dried her hair and was just about to lie down when she noticed the message Cheng Mingjiao had sent her:
Zhang Xiyue, I have to attend a dinner at the last minute. Go to this place and get your makeup and styling done, then come entertain with me.
Why was he suddenly attending a dinner at this hour?
Zhang Xiyue was a little puzzled, but didn’t think too much of it.
Cheng Mingjiao didn’t attend social engagements often, but it wasn’t as though he never did. Even before they had officially gotten together, she had accompanied him to events as his partner.
Zhang Xiyue rolled over and was about to reply with “Okay” when a small notification suddenly appeared at the top of her phone.
It was from Chen Ming, who had been silent for many days. He had suddenly replied to her message:
How did you know?
Before Zhang Xiyue could recover from her surprise, Chen Mingjiao sent another message:
Sis Yue, that girl is on her way to my place right now. I plan to spend seven days winning her over. If I fail…
Chen Mingjiao: Still, wish me luck.
Thunder suddenly rumbled outside the window. The torrential rain that had never been given an exact time in the novel arrived right on schedule.
Zhang Xiyue’s eyes widened. Without a second thought, she called Chen Mingjiao.
No answer.
No answer.
No answer.
She had no time to worry about anything else. She threw on some clothes and hurried out.
The thunder was deafening, startling the entire Phoenix City.
Standing before the floor-to-ceiling windows, Cheng Mingjiao gradually furrowed his brows. “Would it be dangerous for Zhang Xiyue to drive herself?”
“She should be fine. Her driving is pretty good.” Guo Fengnian came over as well.
Cheng Mingjiao glanced at the time. It was already seven o’clock.
Zhang Xiyue still hadn’t replied to him.
“Maybe she didn’t see it. Why don’t you call her?” Guo Fengnian suggested.
Cheng Mingjiao thought for a moment, then called Zhang Xiyue.
The phone rang several times before she answered. He hadn’t even had time to speak when Zhang Xiyue’s voice came through the receiver.
“Mingjiao, I have something to take care of right now, so I might not be able to accompany you to the dinner. Why don’t you ask someone else?”
Cheng Mingjiao paused. He could tell she was in a car. “Where are you going?”
“To take care of something.” Zhang Xiyue gave him a vague answer, then said to the driver, “Driver, turn right up ahead. It’s a little closer that way.”
After giving the driver his instructions, she continued speaking to Cheng Mingjiao. “I’ll hang up for now. Don’t drink too much. It’s raining, so tell the driver to take it slow. Safety comes first…”
Hearing that she was about to end the call, Cheng Mingjiao hurriedly said, “Wait!”
“What is it?” Zhang Xiyue stopped herself from hanging up.
“Well…” Cheng Mingjiao racked his brain and came up with an idea in a moment of desperation. “It’s not that urgent here. Take care of what you need to do first. You can come find me afterward.”
Zhang Xiyue hesitated. “But…”
“It’s fine. I can wait. Just call me when you’re done.” Cheng Mingjiao spoke quickly.
Zhang Xiyue had no choice but to agree.
After hanging up, Cheng Mingjiao boasted to Guo Fengnian, “Did you hear that? Even though she was in a hurry to take care of something, she still had to worry about my safety.”
Guo Fengnian: “…Well, you really are very happy, aren’t you?”
So happy that it was almost annoying to watch.
Cheng Mingjiao raised the corners of his lips, even more pleased than before.
The rain continued pouring outside.
Since the beginning of autumn, Phoenix City had seen very little rain. It was as though the sky had been holding it in for too long today and was determined to put this neon-lit city through its paces.
Cheng Mingjiao waited from seven to eight, then from eight to nine, until the time he had originally planned for had passed.
Everyone in the hall was growing restless. Even Guo Fengnian couldn’t help urging Cheng Mingjiao to call Zhang Xiyue. The person at the center of it all, however, remained excessively calm.
“She’s taking care of something. She’ll contact me when she’s finished.” After saying this, Cheng Mingjiao shot Guo Fengnian a sidelong glance. “The Emperor isn’t worried, but the eunuch is.”
Eunuch Guo: “…”
Ten o’clock came, and soon it was eleven. Cheng Mingjiao’s brows gradually drew together.
Guo Fengnian, on the other hand, had calmed down. “Is the Emperor worried now?”
“Not exactly, but I am a little concerned about her.” Cheng Mingjiao took out his phone and called her. “It’s so late, and it’s still raining outside. I’m afraid something might have happened.”
As he spoke, the call connected.
“Hello, Mingjiao.”
Zhang Xiyue sounded exhausted. There was even the faint sound of sobbing in the background.
Cheng Mingjiao instantly grew alert. “Who’s crying?”
There was a pause of several seconds before Zhang Xiyue said, “The television is on.”
Cheng Mingjiao gave a quiet “Oh” and asked, “Are you coming to see me?”
“You haven’t gone home yet?” Zhang Xiyue asked in surprise. “It’s so late.”
Cheng Mingjiao glanced out the window and felt that it really was quite late.
Even if Zhang Xiyue hurried over now, the proposal ceremony would have to wait until after midnight to begin.
He had prepared so many steps, and the whole thing would take at least two hours. That would keep Zhang Xiyue up far too late.
He was distracted by these thoughts when Zhang Xiyue spoke again through the phone.
“It’s too late. I’m not going to see you anymore. You should head home too.”
“Okay.” Cheng Mingjiao agreed readily.
After hanging up, he announced that the proposal would be postponed for one day, then asked Guo Fengnian to drive him home.
Guo Fengnian: “…That’s it? You’re postponing it just like that? Aren’t you taking this a little too lightly?”
Cheng Mingjiao: “It’s too late today.”
Guo Fengnian was at a loss for words. “No… Why are you so calm? You’re not disappointed at all?”
“Guo Fengnian, you’ve never been in love, so you don’t understand.” Cheng Mingjiao cast him a sidelong glance. “When two people are deeply in love, it makes no difference whether the proposal happens one day earlier or one day later.”
It was the same as the meals he wanted to share with Zhang Xiyue. It didn’t matter whether they ate today or tomorrow, because the important thing wasn’t the food. It was being together with Zhang Xiyue.
Guo Fengnian: “…”
He really didn’t understand.
He didn’t understand, but he still had to drive the young master home. Fortunately, the rain had stopped by the time they were on their way back.
By the time Cheng Mingjiao entered the house, it was already past midnight.
There was a pair of shoes spattered with muddy water on the shoe cabinet in the entryway. That was how he knew Zhang Xiyue had come back too.
Cheng Mingjiao changed into slippers and went upstairs with light, quick steps. When he saw that the light in the bedroom was off, he immediately quieted his movements.
Ten minutes later, after washing himself clean, he slipped beneath the covers and wrapped his arms around Zhang Xiyue from behind.
The next second, Zhang Xiyue clasped his thumb.
Cheng Mingjiao paused, then let out a laugh. “Zhang Xiyue, you’re not asleep.”
“…Mm.”
“Then you should get to sleep soon. It’s very late.” Cheng Mingjiao brushed her hair aside and buried his face in the crook of her neck.
His breath fell against her skin, and every exhale felt like a kiss.
Zhang Xiyue held his fingers, thinking of Chen Mingjiao, whom she had seen that day.
No matter how deeply the novel’s words described him, they could never compare to seeing him in person. And behind the actions formed by those words was a soul driven to despair by his family.
Without her knowing, he had once again been framed by his biological father, who was forcing him to make way for his half-brother and had even threatened him with Grandma’s illness.
He quit his job and returned home. His mind grew increasingly twisted, and little by little, he developed extreme feelings for the heroine.
When Zhang Xiyue arrived at that villa, the male lead had gotten there only a minute earlier. He was beating Chen Mingjiao mercilessly, blow after blow, while Chen Mingjiao did not fight back even once.
She hurriedly pulled them apart. After the male lead took the heroine away, she noticed that a text message had been sent from Chen Mingjiao’s phone twenty minutes earlier.
It had been sent to the male lead. The message contained his address, along with the information that the heroine was at his house.
The heroine had arrived at his house half an hour earlier.
In other words, ten minutes after she arrived, he had sent the male lead the message.
Zhang Xiyue stared at him in astonishment. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and said indifferently, “I really did think about locking her up here for seven days. But when I saw how frightened she was, it suddenly seemed pointless.”
Chen Mingjiao stared into space for a long time before giving her a faint smile. “Sis Yue, I really want to die.”
The male side character in the novel had wanted to die too, after the male lead rescued the heroine.
But the novel had never mentioned that the message summoning the male lead had been sent by the male side character himself.
Just because it had not been written did not mean he had not done it. Otherwise, there was no way to explain how the male lead had suddenly appeared at his house without knowing anything beforehand.
Chen Mingjiao was ill—seriously ill. He could have simply let the heroine leave, but instead, he insisted on waiting for the male lead to come.
He was trying to destroy himself in this way.
His illness may have been there for a long time. It was simply that so many things had happened at once, sending him straight into critical condition.
Someone like him could die at any moment if there was no one keeping watch over him—even without the male lead’s revenge.
If he died, Zhang Xiyue would never be able to leave this world again.
Zhang Xiyue closed her eyes, then slowly turned over, falling right into Cheng Mingjiao’s arms.
Cheng Mingjiao let out a soft hum and instinctively tightened his hold on her.
“Zhuangzhuang,” Zhang Xiyue heard herself say, “do you love me?”
Cheng Mingjiao had nearly fallen asleep, but her question suddenly woke him. It took him a long while before he mumbled, “I—I guess so…”
Why had Zhang Xiyue suddenly asked him that? Love, of all things… Wasn’t this the sort of question one was supposed to ask when the mood was perfect? Why wait until he was nearly asleep to ask? Was she trying to catch him off guard?
It was making him feel terribly embarrassed.
“Go to sleep…” Cheng Mingjiao was afraid that if he got too excited, he would blurt out the romantic proposal speech he had carefully prepared ahead of time, so he hurriedly urged her to sleep.
After hearing his answer, Zhang Xiyue said nothing more.
The night passed in silence.
Since they had gone to bed so late the night before, Cheng Mingjiao overslept, just as expected.
When he woke, Zhang Xiyue was no longer beside him. He was not worried. He took his time washing up and getting dressed, then leisurely went downstairs and headed straight for the kitchen.
There was no one in the kitchen either.
He paused, then went to look for her in the basement and the garden.
Still, he found no sign of her.
Cheng Mingjiao returned to the living room. He was just about to go upstairs to get his phone when he suddenly noticed several things on the coffee table.
Puzzled, he walked over and picked them up.
There was a resignation letter, a breakup letter, all the gifts he had received at the Cheng residence the day before, and a bank card.
Zhang Xiyue wrote that he was a good person, but they were not suited for each other, so they should go their separate ways.
She wrote that the card contained all her savings and was for him—a form of compensation for ending their relationship so abruptly.
She wrote: Her financial situation was limited, and this was all she could give him.
[Cheng Mingjiao, I hope you’ll be happy in the future.]
Cheng Mingjiao looked at the blessing she had left him with and remained frozen for a long, long time.
