Zhuo Yue did not elaborate, and Sara Zhuo did not press the matter. Some words, if spoken too plainly, would be too embarrassing for both of them.
Sara Zhuo stroked her daughter’s hair. “You are still young. The one thing you lack the least is time. Let us look further ahead.”
The mother and daughter talked for a while. Sara Zhuo accompanied Zhuo Yue for a meal, told her to rest early, and then put on a coat herself before going downstairs.
This time Sara Zhuo had come to the capital with only one bodyguard. She had not even brought her son Zhuo Chen. To go out, she naturally had the hotel arrange a car.
She gave the hotel driver an address and had him take her to an old street.
The trees on both sides of the old street were bare. The once prominent residence had been repurposed for other uses. Sara Zhuo looked at the street scenery. Some parts were familiar, some had changed.
After some time, another car stopped at the roadside.
Zhang Zhijun, who had recently vanished from the capital’s social circles, got out of the car.
Zhang Zhijun walked to Sara Zhuo’s side. The night added a soft glow to this man and woman. Looking only at their backs, they matched exceptionally well, beautiful like a scene from a film.
Without warning, Sara Zhuo suddenly turned and slapped Zhang Zhijun across the face.
“This is for Yue Yue. She is young and values family affection heavily. You can withhold fatherly love from her, but you should not use her. I know in your heart only Zhang Hua is your real son. Yue Yue was an accident. So what? From the day I gave birth to her, you can never wash your hands of it.”
Sara Zhuo’s accusation did not move Zhang Zhijun.
Under the dim yellow streetlight, Zhang Zhijun could not clearly see Sara Zhuo’s expression.
He did not need to see it clearly. Zhang Zhijun could guess what expression this woman would have, that kind of superior arrogance engraved in Sara Zhuo’s bones from her youth. No matter how her circumstances changed, she could always take it for granted that others served her.
Sara Zhuo had that kind of aura. Any man’s sacrifice for her was seen as her due.
Her dictionary had no word for “cherish”.
When the old overseas Chinese merchant was gone, there was Xie Jinghu.
When Xie Jinghu was gone, there was Zhang Zhijun.
If there was no Zhang Zhijun, well, there would be none, but there would be other men for Sara Zhuo to command.
Zhang Zhijun understood Sara Zhuo all too well. Unlike Xie Jinghu, who was led by the nose by this woman, Zhang Zhijun, without thinking, slapped Sara Zhuo back, gritting his teeth. “My father died because of her. How could she be so stupid?”
Sara Zhuo covered her face and glared. Zhang Zhijun showed no weakness.
Both had taken a slap from the other, yet in the end they could still sit in a corner coffee shop and talk. Their way of interacting was truly strange.
No intimacy of lovers, more like business partners.
Sara Zhuo’s bodyguard and Zhang Zhijun’s driver stayed outside. No one knew what the two talked about, only that when they left, both looked displeased.
This was the first time Sara Zhuo and Zhang Zhijun met in public.
The news reached Xie Qian’s ears, and Xie Qian was not particularly surprised.
Wen Ying was right. Once Zhang Zhijun was expelled from the family, he had far fewer constraints.
Anyway, things could not get worse. Zhang Zhijun could meet whoever he wanted.
Xie Qian increasingly felt that Zhang Zhijun and Sara Zhuo were both cooperating and guarding against each other.
Xie Qian thought about it. If such a big event as Sara Zhuo coming to the capital was not reported to Xie Jinghu, he would feel quite unfilial.
Xie Jinghu, having received a tip from his own son, rushed to the hotel to block her. The scene was quite a commotion, making Sara Zhuo very embarrassed.
Sara Zhuo lost her elegance, splashed a cup of coffee on Xie Jinghu, and told him to get lost.
Xie Jinghu raged that he only wanted money.
Whenever Sara Zhuo repaid the money, he would leave her alone.
If Sara Zhuo never repaid, wherever she went, he would make a scene. Sara Zhuo wanted to be respectable, but Xie Jinghu was determined to make her lose face.
“You have few acquaintances in Shanghai. What about in the capital?”
The first thing Sara Zhuo did after returning to the capital was visit the old Zhuo family residence. She still could not forget the former glory of the Zhuo family.
Xie Jinghu threatened Sara Zhuo with “respectability”. The always tough Sara Zhuo actually softened her stance and took a step back.
Sara Zhuo was willing to repay the money, but she needed time to raise it.
She demanded that Xie Jinghu withdraw the lawsuit first.
Xie Jinghu was indeed swayed. Lawyer Meng was as hard-hearted as iron.
“There must be a judgment for execution. Even with a judgment, there are many deadbeats. Let alone without one. Mr Xie, you need to think carefully.”
Assistant Qi timely added, “She was so adamant before. Why is she suddenly willing to repay now? Could someone be willing to help her pay?”
Xie Jinghu’s heart instantly hardened.
Why was Sara Zhuo suddenly willing to repay? Could it be that Zhang Zhijun was going to help her foot the bill?
“Zhang Zhijun is really disgusting, caring so much about a pair of worn-out shoes.”
Xie Jinghu was quite vicious himself. After pondering for a while, he told Lawyer Meng to contact Zhang Hua. “Old Master Zhang passed too suddenly. Poor Zhang Hua has not yet received his mother Lu Meishu’s inheritance. Go ask that poor young man if he needs any help.”
Xie Jinghu could not sue Zhang Zhijun himself. The man did not owe him money.
But Zhang Zhijun owed Zhang Hua money.
For Lu Meishu’s inheritance, Zhang Zhijun had to give Zhang Hua an accounting.
The Zhang family no longer cared about Zhang Zhijun. No one stood up for Zhang Hua. Xie Jinghu was willing to play the good guy and help Zhang Hua claim the inheritance.
Xie Jinghu, while caring for Zhang Zhijun’s legitimate son, did not forget the illegitimate daughter Zhang Zhijun ignored. He had the hotel send some food and supplies to Zhuo Yue.
This little bastard Zhuo Yue was quite interesting.
As long as he did not have to continue being the fool raising the little bastard, to disgust Zhang Zhijun and Sara Zhuo, Xie Jinghu was willing to show a bit of warmth to the little bastard.
No wonder Zhang Zhijun wanted to play the “good guy”. Xie Jinghu now felt that being the good guy was great. He had the upper hand everywhere.
Lawyer Meng and Assistant Qi said nothing.
Mr Xie, wearing two green hats, was hard not to be driven a bit mad. They should be more understanding of Mr Xie.
…
Two days before Valentine’s Day, the Leng Jun siblings packed their luggage and left Chengdu.
Gan Tao really wanted to stay in Chengdu a few more days, but Leng Jun forcibly dragged her onto the plane.
“Too much is as bad as too little.”
The bait had already been cast into the water. Wen Kai would take the hook sooner or later. They could not push too hard.
“Boys like proactive girls, but they do not like girls who are too domineering. Listen to me. You cannot go wrong.”
Once the siblings left, Wen Ying could finally visit Wen Kai’s home openly.
Grandma Wen had been discharged and was recuperating at home. The old lady really liked Gan Tao. When Gan Tao came to say goodbye, the old lady secretly tried to stuff a gold ring into her hand.
Gan Tao did not accept it, and Grandma Wen was quite regretful.
The whole Wen family felt that Wen Kai would fall sooner or later. Wen Kai was stubborn. Wen Ying teased her cousin. “The whole family likes her. Why do you not?”
Wen Kai could not say what he did not like.
But does liking mean they can be together?
Wen Kai smiled bitterly. “Little Ying, you do not understand.”
