CH 24

Zhang Kexin felt like she could spit blood because of Ye Wei. Obviously, Ye Wei was very fierce and territorial over Zhong Shen before. She wasn’t even willing to back down for half a step when it came to Zhong Shen. She would fight to death with everyone that tried to steal him from her. How could a mere Shen Yingying be the reason that she put down her butcher knife and turned into Buddha?

“Ye Wei, why did you suddenly become like this? You become so magnanimous. Why weren’t you like this when it was with me? Why did you choose to argue endlessly with me? In the first place, wouldn’t it be better if you give Zhong Shen to me instead?”

Ye Wei quickly comforted her, “Kexin, don’t be angry. Calm down. Listen to me first. It’s not because I treat you differently. I’m serious. How can Shen Yingying compare to our friendship over the years? It’s just I can’t give Zhong Shen to you. If I can, I also want to fulfill you. But, the one that Zhong Shen likes isn’t you. He doesn’t care about you. So even if I want to fulfill you and Zhong Shen, I can’t. You won’t blame me for this, will you? If you want to blame someone, then you can only blame it on Zhong Shen.”

The Zhong Shen outside the window, “…?”

“Ye Wei!” Zhang Kexin was half-choked to death. What did Ye Wei imply, how could she not understand? She tried so hard like her but she also couldn’t get Zhong Shen’s heart. 

She only discovered Ye Wei’s silver tongue today. Whether it was explicitly or implicitly, Ye Wei’s skill in mocking and ridiculing a person was really superb. She underestimated Ye Wei. Turns out she was no longer the Ye Wei she used to be!

“Ye Wei!” Zhong Shen was also half-choked to death by her. He only felt that the composure that he had developed for more than 20 years finally collapsed at this moment. Why did he become more easily irritated with everything that related to her compared to before?

He finally didn’t hold back and called out Ye Wei’s name. Otherwise, he didn’t know what nonsense would come out of Ye Wei’s mouth if he let her be. Her nonsense was getting more and more outrageous.

Zhang Kexin was ready to choke Ye Wei, but a familiar voice from the side made her froze in place. 

Time has passed for a long, long time, so long that she thought she had forgotten him, but the memory that belonged in the depths of her mind could still recognize the owner of that voice instantly. That voice. It could only be Zhong Shen’s.

It wasn’t only her who froze. The little followers around them also froze. They rubbed their ears. They couldn’t believe it. Was it really Zhong Shen’s voice they heard just now?

Zhong Shen?

Impossible!

They were frozen like statues. When they recalled what they had just said, they became even more rigid. Hesitantly, they glanced at the voice’s source. Sure enough, they saw Zhong Shen push open the floor-to-ceiling window on the balcony. He was wearing a black suit, tall and handsome, and was covered by the shade. The whole person was indifferent and alienated, as if he was one with the night. But, he still had a domineering aura that was hard to ignore.

In addition, probably because of his anger, his expression was even colder than usual. Combined with his dark eyes, it was terrifying. With only a glance, their scalp was numb and their hearts were drenched in cold water. Bad premonition rose spontaneously in their hearts.

The night wind blew and caressed their skin. It was so cold that Zhang Kexin shivered uncontrollably.

Zhong Shen.

It’s really him.

He has been outside the window all the time?

He heard it all?

Zhang Kexin’s heart was full of twists and turns. She was very flustered in her mind, but she didn’t show it on her face. She raised her eyebrows and smiled, as if nothing had happened just now, “It turned out to be Zhong Shen. When did you arrive? I searched for you just now and didn’t find you. We haven’t seen each other for a long time since last time. How are you? Still doing well?”

“It should be considered very well.” Zhong Shen’s gaze fell coldly on Ye Wei, “After all, my fiancée took the initiative to terminate our engagement in order to fulfill me. I really am grateful to her. My fiancée thinks of my well-being so much and is very considerate to me. You say, how can I not be well?”

The little followers forced out a laugh “Right, right. How can you not? Hahaha, Weiwei-jie is really a considerate person.”

“Yes, yes. Weiwei-jie is really considerate hahahaha.”

There was nothing wrong with Zhong Shen’s attitude, it could even be considered as “polite,”  but Zhang Kexin still trembled. Cold sweat fell on her back, it was so cold as if she was prey being targeted by a hunter.

Ye Wey was a little surprised. Zhong Shen was outside the window all this time?

If she knew, she would definitely speak more sincerely to make him believe that she really thought of his well-being!!!

What a pity! A big opportunity missed!

But… Zhong Shen’s expression, why didn’t he look happy?

Ye Wei waved her hand, “It’s nothing. It’s nothing. It was something I should have done from the start.”

Ye Wei was so hypocritical that Zhang Kexin wanted to slap her silly. Ye Wei showed the image of a generous, selfless and tolerant person in front of Zhong Shen, but Zhang Kexin showed the image of a vicious, terrible, and selfish person! She didn’t even know she still could get even angrier. Her heart was dripping blood! 

She gritted her teeth hard. Ye Wei was really slippery. She thought that because Zhong Shen had terminated his engagement with Ye Wei, Ye Wei had become a mess. She was negligent! Ye Wei’s scheming was just as deep as before if it’s not more! She got caught in her scheme once again!

Probably Ye Wei has noticed Zhong Shen from long ago! She said those words about Zhong Shen on purpose!

Thinking about it this way, Zhang Kexin looked at Ye Wei differently. This bitch! Her scheming was so deep and she pretended so well that Zhang Kexin was deceived by her!

As expected, Ye Wei wasn’t a weak opponent. 

She couldn’t resist glaring at Ye Wei. 

Ye Wei felt her glare and could guess her mood at the moment. She must be regretful and angered. After all, they had been talking bad about Zhong Shen. She was no better than Zhang Kexin. She recalled her words carefully. She didn’t say anything too hurtful that would hurt the Male Lead’s body and mind, right? As far as she recalled, her words were cautious. She really had learned her lesson from the last time, thank you.

Ye Wei gave Zhang Kexin a soothing smile. It’s okay. Don’t give up. You can still be saved.

Zhang Kexin wasn’t soothed and threw her another glare. Her smile was like an insult. She could take being insulted by others, but being insulted by Ye Wei was her very bottom line. 

Zhong Shen crossed his hands on his chest. He watched Ye Wei and Zhang Kexin winking at each other. What kind of tricks would they play now?

As for their followers, they shrunk their heads and hid behind Ye Wei and Zhang Kexin. They didn’t want Zhong Shen to remember their faces. 

Zhang Kexin forced out words from her gritted teeth, “Zhong Shen, I’m sorry. I was wrong to say those words just now. I was just too angry. I didn’t expect you to like a good-for-nothing woman. “

Zhang Kexin’s words received crazy nods of approval from their little followers. They just openly discussed how to deal with Zhong Shen’s true love. If Zhong Shen chose to punish them… That would be horrible!

“We’re just talking nonsense. I hope you[1] don’t take it to heart.”

“Yes, yes, yes, we are all just talking nonsense and playing around. Please don’t mind it too much!”

“That’s right ah, that’s right! Zhong Shen, they said those words for my sake. They really are not bad persons. They choose to do bad things for me. They care for me so much and really think of my well-being! So don’t worry, if I don’t hurt Shen Yingying, they also won’t hurt her. I promise you! Now that I have decided to right my wrongdoings, I won’t lead them astray! Rest at ease! If you can’t forgive them, then blame me instead.”

Zhang Kexin and the little followers looked at Ye Wei blankly, “….”

They were not stupid, they followed quickly after Ye Wei, “Yes, we said that because we think of our Jie‘s happiness. We are helpless and can only do those kinds of things…”

Zhong Shen snorted. The little followers shut their mouths immediately and straightened their shoulders. 

Zhong Shen glanced at Ye Wei then turned his attention to Zhang Kexin, “I ask you, from where did you hear such nonsense? I have never said I like anyone.”

Zhang Kexin’s cold expression changed, with indescribable loss and unwillingness, “Zhong Shen, I have known you for so many years, and I know you well. If those rumors are not true, how can you explain your special treatment to Shen Yingying? No. Don’t you dare deny it. We have known you for so many years, and none of us have ever been so close to you. Now look at Shen Yingying, you haven’t even known her long, yet you are so close to her. You say you are only friends with her, who would believe it?”

Although Zhong Shen has a cold temperament, he has lots of friends. However, even if he has lots of friends, in front of them, he was still the unsmiling Zhong Shen who didn’t like to hang around with them. Again, compare it with his treatment of Shen Yingying, it could be seen with naked eyes that their friendship was too “special.”

Zhong Shen sneered, “Just because you have known me for so many years, you will know me better than I myself do? I didn’t even know that I liked Shen Yingying. Why would you, an outsider, know it better than myself?”

Once Zhang Kexin heard it, she thought, what he said seems quite reasonable? 

She became a little happy.

“Yes. That kind of thing is normal,” Ye Wei interrupted “As someone had said, one who is involved in the matter wouldn’t be able to see so clearly as one who is not involved. In this case, we as outsiders see it more clearly than you can.”

Zhang Kexin’s happiness dimmed, she thought, what she said also seems quite reasonable?

Ye Wei knew because the plot was created like this. Zhong Shen was slow when it came to feelings. If the stimulation wasn’t big, he wouldn’t realize his feelings for Shen Yingying. 

Zhong Shen glared at Ye Wei, “Shut up, I have never said nor agreed to such a thing as terminating our engagement.”

He didn’t want to hear Ye Wei’s nonsense at all now. The moment she opened her mouth to speak, his body hurt all over. His heart, his liver, his lungs. Everywhere. 

Oh, well. Ye Wei nodded and obediently shut her mouth.

Seeing Ye Wei was so obedient to Zhong Shen, Zhang Kexin felt even more frustrated.

Zhang Kexin, Ha. This scheming bitch hid too deep and sold it so well!

Zhong Shen sighed, “As I said, I’m not going to terminate our engagement.”

Not only Ye Wei was shocked, but Zhang Kexin was also shocked. 

What did that mean?

What happened to the termination of their engagement?

Zhang Kexin looked at Ye Wei, did she deliberately want to embarrass me?

Zhang Kexin turned to look at Zhong Shen, “The engagement has not been terminated?”

Zhong Shen nodded in affirmation of her words.

Zhang Kexin immediately snapped her head to stare hole at Ye Wei.

Ye Wei, “……”

Ye Wei said, “It’s me. It’s me who took the initiative to terminate the engagement”

Zhang Kexin let a ‘woah’ slip from her mouth. She never expected Ye Chen to be like this. She could only regard tonight as her lesson. She didn’t want to be humiliated anymore, she admitted that she lost this game that she started! She needed to escape!

Who would have thought that as soon as Zhang Kexin was finding an excuse to escape, she would see Zhong Shen grab Ye Wei’s hand and pull her towards the center of the hall. The hall was lively at the moment, with people talking to each other and dancing.

Recently, Zhong Shen and Ye Wei have been the focus of everyone’s discussions. As soon as they appeared together, they attracted most of the attention. The onlookers began to whisper to one after another.

“Didn’t someone say that the engagement between Zhong Shen and Ye Wei has been terminated? Why are they still together now?”

“The engagement between Zhong Shen and Ye Wei is related to Zhong-jia and Ye-jia‘s future. What’s more, it was decided by the elders of the two families. Do you think it will be so easy to terminate it?”

“Shouldn’t it be easier to terminate because of it? It’s not like no one doesn’t know Zhong Shen doesn’t like Ye Wei back.“

“Yeah, I heard that Zhong Shen has met his true love. It’s no wonder.”

“Sigh, Zhong Shen didn’t handle this well. Ye Wei is too pitiful…”

“Shush! Keep your voice down. Do you want to offend Zhong Shen?”

Zhang Kexin rolled her eyes when she heard this, Ye Wei, Pitiful?

Where was she pitiful! All was within her scheme!

At this moment, Ye Wei, who was deeply scheming, was pulled into a daze. What did the Male Lead want to do?

Did he want to announce the termination of their engagement in public?

She was still lost in wonder when Zhong Shen offered her his hand “Ye Wei, may I have this dance?”

Ye Wei, “……”   

The tall and handsome man bowed and gazed at her. His well-knotted palms spread out in front of her. His dark eyes were like the night sky, dark and deep, making it impossible to see what he was thinking.

Ye Wei was really dumbfounded by Zhong Shen’s abrupt movements. Why did he suddenly ask her for a dance?

“Thank you. At this time, you are still consider一 Ah!”

She didn’t get to finish her words before Zhong Shen pulled her to dance. 

Zhong Shen’s lips twitched. He didn’t give Ye Wei a chance to speak. He took her hand with force. Ye Wei rushed into his arms and followed his footsteps into the dance floor.

The man is tall and handsome, and the woman is pretty and lovely. They matched each other so well.

Ye Wei gave Zhang Kexin a smile when they arrived at the center or the dance floor.

Zhang Kexin saw it and nearly smashed her with nearby glass. Ye Wei, I haven’t seen you for years, but you are still as scheming as ever!

Zhong Shen’s behavior at this moment, without words, has already explained to everyone that they have not terminated their engagement!

Zhong Shen invited Ye Wei to dance in public. They were so close to each other. At once, the rumors of their engagement’s termination broke off!

“It turns out that Zhong Shen didn’t plan to terminate his engagement with Ye Wei. Otherwise, how could a person like him invite Ye Wei to dance in public?”

“That’s not necessarily it. Maybe he wants both his true love and his fiancée? Men, ah. You know how successful men like Zhong Shen act.”

“You think Zhong Shen is like you? Have you ever seen any woman around Zhong Shen? I even wondered, did he even have the desire to? Is he actually a eunuch?”

“Use your brains, if it weren’t for Zhong Shen who didn’t want to terminate their engagement, why would he invite Ye Wei to dance in public?”

This was reasonable. Zhong Shen wasn’t one to do this kind of thing without reason. The nickname of Working Machine was not exclusive only to him when he was at work. Many people in their circle also called him by that nickname. Every time he came out to socialize, he would leave without doing anything noteworthy. Just have a simple chat about what he was up to and then he would leave because he was busy with work.

Along with time, his reputation as Working Machine was known to nearly everyone.

Zhong Shen was low-key and cold. He didn’t like to attend public events. Even if he did, he wouldn’t stay long, just took some photos then left. To dance in public like this, it was definitely a unique experience for him. The crowd was also shocked by it.

He resolutely put down the rumor about the termination of their engagement, blocking more rumors from appearing.

Zhang Kexin nearly turned over her room when she got home. Just as she said before, Ye Wei liked Zhong Shen so much. How could she give up so easily? Turns out she retreated so she could advance; she defended so she could attack! That dead meat! She used her as a stepping stone!

She became even angrier when she recalled she had lost her face in front of Zhong Shen tonight. No. This won’t do. I need to do something.

On Ye Wei’s side, she also nearly turned over her room when she got home. She never thought Zhong Shen would invite her to dance! Even doing it in front of so many people! Why did he suddenly do this?

Was there something wrong on the Female Lead’s side and she needed to stimulate them more?

But what could she stimulate if the Female Lead wasn’t even there to see them?

Verbal stimulation?

Thinking about it this way, it seemed to make sense. At this point, the relationship between the Female Lead and the Male Lead has not yet been clarified. Shen Yingying would definitely be angry when she heard the news of her dancing with Zhong Shen. At that time, she would lose her temper with the Male Lead, and then the two people’s feelings will explode and collide fiercely, taking their relationship to the next level.……

However, she still didn’t expect Zhong Shen to publicly deny that he was about to terminate their engagement!

“It’s good that Zhong Shen is finally sensible enough to suppress the rumor of the termination of your engagement. Otherwise, I won’t let him off.” Wei Fengqiong said triumphantly.

Ye-fu snorted coldly, “Just like that and you are satisfied with him? This time is much worse than what he did before. Does he think it is so easy to marry my daughter? I won’t let him off until he sends that Shen Yingying away!”

Ye Wei said, “Papa[2], Mama, did you do something behind my back? “

Wei Fengqiong said, “What did we do? We can’t discipline Zhong Shen. So we just let our future in-laws discipline him on our behalf.”

Ye Wei was suddenly enlightened. So it was like this, there was no way Zhong Shen would invite her to dance without reason. 

Ye Wei nodded in her mind. She figured out the problem and was relieved. She went back to her room to take a hot bath and lay down on the bed to sleep peacefully.

Zhong Shen’s mother indeed had talked about this with Zhong Shen. Her mother ordered him to solve the matters perfectly. Both Shen Yingying’s matters and Ye Wei’s desire to terminate their engagement. It was best to send Shen Yingying away. Not only would it deal with Shen Yingying’s matters, but it also would calm Ye Wei’s desire to terminate their engagement. Zhong Shen just needed to coax Ye Wei and apologize to her. For finishing, he should give gifts to his father-in-law and mother-in-law. 

His mother had repeated it so many times that his ears were cocooned.

He already explained it countless times. There was nothing between him and Shen Yingying.

“If you say it’s nothing, then it’s nothing? If it’s really nothing, when I told you to send her away, you would do so and not let her stay by your side. Do you still dare to say it’s nothing? What’s the difference between you and a thief shouting to catch a thief?”

Zhong Shen, “I met her by accident. I never thought of anything else. I didn’t expect Ye Wei to misunderstand.”

Why didn’t anyone believe him?

Zhong-mu[3], “In that case, hurry up and send her away.”

Zhong Shen, “I will deal with it. ”

However, today, when he pulled Ye Wei to dance with him in public to break the rumors about their engagement, it definitely was not because of his parents’ urging.

At that moment, he wanted to let everyone know, he wouldn’t terminate his engagement with Ye Wei. Not now, and not in the future. 

No secret could stay as a secret for long in their circle. The news about Zhong Shen and Ye Wei dancing together in public broke off the rumors about their engagement instantly. 

It even spread all over the Zhong-shi.

Shen Yingying naturally heard about it.

She has returned to Zhong-shi to work. She endured the impulse to go to the roof. Because of it, she had never met Zhong Shen again. She only saw him several times from a distance. The indifferent man was surrounded by everyone and was as tall and handsome as ever.

She could not deny that she liked him in her heart and has thought about him. But, he already had a fiancée. The rumors of him terminating his engagement with Ye Wei were already broken by the news. 

She didn’t dare to go to him or see him again. 

Since then, she kept enduring it and concentrated on her work.

Zhong Shen was right. She couldn’t waste her life. She was the one responsible for it. She shouldn’t give up opportunities to work in Zhong-shi just because of personal matters!

She wanted to work hard.

Footnotes

您 – nín; A formal “you.” Often used for someone with status higher than you, someone you respected, or someone important (in status), etc.↵

爸爸 – bàba; Papa. Dad. Father. Daddy.↵

钟母 – zhōng mǔ. 母 – mǔ; Mother. Mother Zhong.↵