Shao ChengZe lightly laughed at her words. With such a long distance between them, it seemed like all they could do was have a "cold salad" relationship.
Cheng Jinlan's ears grew hot from his laugh. She spoke sternly, "What are you laughing at? I'm still waiting for your explanation."
Shao ChengZe stopped laughing and became serious. He slowly recounted to her his grandparents' past from beginning to end.
After listening, Cheng Jinlan was silent for a long time. She knew she had a young uncle who had died prematurely. Whenever her father mentioned this uncle, his words were full of respect and regret, but he avoided talking about how his uncle had died.
"Miao Miao?" Shao ChengZe called her when she didn't respond.
Cheng Jinlan rested her head against the car window and softly murmured in response.
"Why aren't you talking?"
"I just... feel like I was a bit willful."
Her uncle was an elder her father liked and respected. He probably didn't want to have any connection with the Shao family, but she had forced him to face the Shao family because of her own willfulness.
Shao ChengZe understood her unspoken feelings. He sincerely said, "I'm sorry."
This was a debt owed by the Shao family that could not be forgiven with just an apology, but right now, all he could do was apologize.
Cheng Jinlan replied, "Why are you apologizing? This has nothing to do with you. You weren't even born at that time."
His grandfather was his grandfather, and he was him. She could still distinguish that.
She pretended to be lighthearted. "You just have to work harder now. It looks like getting my dad's approval will be even harder than I thought."
Shao ChengZe said, "I'm not afraid of difficulties, as long as you don't waver. Miao Miao, promise me, don't retreat because of this, and don't blame yourself for this either. This isn't your fault."
"Okay, I know. Go back to your meeting. It's so late already. Don't keep people waiting. I'm home now too."
"Alright." Shao ChengZe was worried. "Don't think about anything. Just sleep well."
"Mm."
After hanging up the phone, Cheng Jinlan sat in the car for a while before getting out. She passed through the moon gate and went to her parents' place. Cheng LiQi was already asleep. Cheng Jinlan tucked the hair stuck messily on her daughter's face behind her ears, then leaned down to kiss her forehead before gently leaving the room.
Fei Zuhui came over holding a glass of honey water and handed it to her. "Drank a lot? Why is your face so red?"
Cheng Jinlan took the honey water with one hand and touched her face with the other. "Didn't drink much, just two glasses. Maybe I'm just flushing easily today." She took a sip of the honey water and looked towards the study. "Did my dad come back?"
"He's back, in the study."
Cheng Jinlan hesitated for a moment, still unsure of what to say.
Cheng Shanhe called to her from the study, "Er'niang, if you have something to say, come in and talk."
"Go on in," Fei Zuhui nodded towards the study. "He likes it when you look for him to talk. If your eldest brother said he wanted to talk, your dad's eyebrows would be knitted real tight."
Cheng Jinlan hugged Fei Zuhui briefly before turning and entering the study.
Seeing her come in, Cheng Shanhe took off his glasses and pointed to the sofa chair next to the desk. "Sit. What's the matter?"
Cheng Jinlan sat down, rubbing her thumb over the glass surface, looking at Cheng Shanhe. "Dad, I know about the situation between our family and the Shao family now."
Cheng Shanhe got up, pulled over a chair, and sat down across from Cheng Jinlan. "Did Shao ChengZe tell you?"
"I ran into Wu Jingyao today. She said some nonsense, so I asked Shao ChengZe about it."
Cheng Shanhe said, "You don't need to pay any mind to what Wu Jingyao said. She shouldn't be relying on her relationship with Shao ChengZe to act superior in front of you. As far as I know, Shao Yun is going through divorce proceedings with her."
Cheng Jinlan nodded slightly. She pondered for a moment before speaking again, "Dad, I'm sorry, I've been too willful."
Cheng Shanhe cut her off. "Jinlan, there are some things I didn't tell you because I was afraid you'd feel burdened. No one can predict matters of the heart. The grievances between our families of the older generation have nothing to do with you or Shao ChengZe. As long as you're certain you like him and he treats you wholeheartedly, then he passes in my book. Of course," Cheng Shanhe paused halfway through, "my assessment of him isn't over yet, so it's too early to say whether he passes or not. You can tell him clearly that my trial period for him will be at least one or two years, or even seven or eight years."
Cheng Jinlan smiled slightly. "Okay, Dad."
Seeing his daughter smile, Cheng Shanhe finally felt a little relieved. "However, the Shao family handled things quite gracefully this time. Dealing with it swiftly and decisively, resolving most of what needed to be resolved. I thought he would need more time, having to plan everything alone inside and out, but he resolved it so quickly, very much like his grandmother's style back in the day. Shao ChengZe is a lot like his grandmother, in the way he handles matters and in looks." Cheng Shanhe walked over to the bookshelf and took out a photo from a book, handing it to her. "This is a photo your uncle always treasured."
The photo showed two people, looking like students. The boy was tall and handsome, while the girl had delicate features and short, stylish hair. The two were far apart, each looking at the camera, as if they were unrelated strangers who just happened to be photographed together.
"Your uncle liked her, but missed the chance to confess his feelings. Things like destiny, one misstep leads to continued missteps after that. Even with regret, nothing can be salvaged. Before your uncle passed away, he told me he was glad to be able to follow in her footsteps. If he knew you were together with Enyin Qing's grandson, I think he would also be comforted."
Cheng Shanhe patted his daughter's shoulder. "So don't let it weigh on your mind too much. Things like romance, just focus on you and him. If he can't make you happy, kick him to the curb and find someone else."
Cheng Jinlan had always felt she had the best dad and mom in the world. They would guide her when she was lost, cheer her up when she was unhappy, like a lighthouse, standing firmly by her side, protecting her and their family.
That night, Cheng Jinlan didn't go back to her own place, instead sleeping with her daughter in the same bed, her daughter in her arms, her parents next door - probably the most secure feeling in the world.
The next morning when Cheng Jinlan woke up, she saw the message he had sent late last night, saying he was boarding the plane and would contact her after landing. She knew he was flying to Singapore today. He had been gone for five days already. Before, a week had felt like it was passing quickly, but now after just five days, it felt like time was passing a little slowly.
Cheng LiQi had woken up too. She blurrily opened her eyes, saw her mother was right beside her, coquettishly called out in a long, drawn-out voice "Mama", then flipped over to lay on top of Cheng Jinlan, hugging her neck. Still sleepy-eyed, she said, "Mama, I dreamed about you and Papa last night."
Cheng Jinlan gently asked, "What were we doing in your dream?"
Cheng LiQi thought for a moment. "Nothing special really, just Papa cooking in the kitchen, Mama working, and me playing games in the living room, but I just felt so happy."
Cheng Jinlan kissed her little face. "So it's such a simple thing that makes our LiQi happy."
Cheng LiQi nodded vigorously. "Being happy is a very simple thing!"
She nodded so hard that her messy hair shook along with her movements. Looking at the hair falling in front of her eyes, then thinking of how she looked right now, she laughed loudly, even laughing hard enough to bend over backwards. "Mama, don't I look really funny right now, like a little lion?"
Cheng Jinlan messily ruffled her hair. "Now you really look like a little lion."
Thinking her mother wouldn't notice, Cheng LiQi secretly got up and reached out her little arms to messily ruffle her mother's hair too, laughing even louder. "Mama looks just like me now!"
Cheng Jinlan held her little waist to keep her from falling over, pressing her forehead to her daughter's forehead. "So now our family has two lions, one little lion and one big lion."
Mother and daughter rolled around on the bed, and after Fei Zuhui knocked on the door and came in, he said, "Stop messing around and get up. There's a lot to do today. Old Two, go to the company early and come back early. Little LiQi, go shopping with grandma later. Hurry up and get ready, wash up and eat breakfast."
The adult and the child immediately stopped their romp. They obediently responded and quickly got out of bed, lining up one after the other to go to the bathroom to wash up. Their flight was tonight. They were going to the island to play for ten days. When they came back, it would be Little LiQi's birthday.
Cheng Jinlan arrived at the hotel and had meetings with various departments all morning. Not only the employees, even she herself ended the meetings with a dizzy head. She went back to her office. The first thing she did was take off her high heels and step on the floor barefoot. It felt extremely comfortable. She didn't plan to eat lunch here either. She tidied up the work at hand and prepared to leave.
Just as she sat down, she heard a knock at the door. She called out "Come in" in a loud voice. Her high heels were still at the door. She didn't go to put them on either. Anyway, Tang Yicheng was already used to her occasional unreliability.
The door opened, and Cheng Jinlan saw the person behind Tang Yicheng. She was stunned. How could he appear here at this time? Tang Yicheng brought the person in and took the opportunity to withdraw, watching the boss fall in love was too hurtful for a single dog.
Shao Chengze looked at her somewhat blank expression. The irritability in his heart all the way here finally settled down. He walked up to her with a smile in his eyes, "I hope it's a surprise, not a shock."
He changed his route temporarily. He was originally flying to Singapore, but the phone call last night made him a little worried, so he still wanted to come back and take a look.
Also, he missed her, he just didn't know if she missed him.
Cheng Jinlan sat in her chair, looking up at him steadily, then slowly opened her arms and said softly, "Hug me."
Without a second of hesitation, Shao Chengze leaned down and hugged her tightly. His voice was hoarse from not sleeping all night, "It seems you missed me too."
It wasn't a question but a statement.
Cheng Jinlan rested her chin on his shoulder, her arms circled his waist. She didn't deny his words, only asked him, "Why did you come back?"
Her dependent posture and longing tone made Shao Chengze feel that changing his route this time was the most correct decision. He hugged her even tighter and said to her, "Because I wanted to kiss you, so I came back."
Cheng Jinlan leaned in and softly asked in his ear, "So do you want to kiss now?"
Shao Chengze's breathing suddenly became hurried. He hugged her waist tightly, lifted her onto the desk, and changed the height of the two people to the most suitable height for kissing. He gently lifted her chin, and her lips were delivered to his mouth. The first kiss fell lightly and gently, seeming to touch but not to touch, gently teasing. Cheng Jinlan's nerves were hooked by this light tingling numbness, involuntarily wanting more. Shao Chengze's eyes grew darker and darker, and the light rain suddenly turned into torrential rain, sweeping everything away and devouring everything.
In a daze, Cheng Jinlan thought of something. She reached out her hand on the desk to grope around, but no matter how she groped, she couldn't find it. Shao Chengze felt her distraction and punished her by lightly biting her lips. His palm suddenly tightened over the soft curves, and Cheng Jinlan couldn't hold back the soft moan and whimper from her throat. She kicked his leg with the foot dangling in mid-air. This was an office, not home.
Shao Chengze's lips didn't leave hers. "What are you looking for?"
"Remote control, glass." Cheng Jinlan barely breathed out a few words. Although nothing could be seen from the outside at this height, it was still better to be safe than sorry.
Shao Chengze understood her words. He reached out and took the remote control behind her and pressed a button. The transparent bright glass changed color and blocked the scenery and sunlight outside.
All of Cheng Jinlan's strength had been drained by him, she could only lean into his arms. His force was so great it was as if he wanted to embed her into his body. She pushed his shoulders with her hands but couldn't exert any strength at all. Shao Chengze's kisses slowly moved from the corner of her lips to the root of her ear, his hoarse voice whispered, "Don't worry, I won't do anything. I have to leave in an hour. If we really do it, I'm afraid I won't be able to stop."
Cheng Jinlan wanted to kick him again, but her feet were clamped by him, she couldn't move even if she wanted to, she could only continue to sink following his breathing.
After the storm subsided, he sat in her office chair and she sat on his lap. He didn't do anything, but her hair was messy, her shirt was wrinkled, and the buttons were messy. If she didn't have spare clothes here, Cheng Jinlan would have wanted to open the door and kick him straight out.
Shao Chengze carefully helped her button up her shirt one by one, his actions were perfect gentlemen, completely different from just now.
"I'm sorry, I was too impatient." You could never find any fault in his apologetic attitude. Cheng Jinlan slapped his hand away, "Don't button them up," she let him see for himself, "Do you think it can still be worn?"
Shao Chengze's expression was unusually embarrassed for once, "Do you have a spare? Or should I have someone bring one over now?"
Cheng Jinlan glared at him, but she also knew she couldn't put all the responsibility on him, after all, she was the one who tempted him first. She leaned over to reach the phone on the desk and called Tang Yicheng on the intercom, asking him to bring two meals from the restaurant.
She hung up the phone and turned to ask him, "Do you want to go inside and rest for a while, take a little nap?"
This office of hers was a suite with a rest area inside that had everything. He had changed plans temporarily and flew back like this, he must not have slept well.
Shao Chengze replied, "I won't sleep anymore. There's so little time left, it would be too much of a waste to use it for sleeping."
Cheng Jinlan looked at his slightly sunken eye sockets. She cupped his face with both hands and said to him earnestly, "Next time don't rush back like this. What I said on the phone was what I really felt. You don't have to come back and confirm it again. Aren't you tired?"
Shao Chengze also answered her sincerely, "I was just afraid that if I missed it once, you would run away again."
Cheng Jinlan got off his lap and gathered the collar of her shirt in her hands. Her tone was joking, "I will run, don't you know how to chase?"
The white toes falling on the black floor created too strong a visual impact.
The irritation in Shao Chengze that had finally subsided began to flip uncontrollably again. He reached out to catch her. Cheng Jinlan sensed his intention and had already turned and ran towards the rest area. First fast steps, then directly running. She then slammed the door shut, locking the vicious wolfhound outside, and locking the door.
Shao Chengze leaned against the door and said to the person inside, "You're right, I was too stupid before," he deliberately lowered his voice, but it could still penetrate the door and reach the inside, "They say a dog's nose is the most sensitive. I won't forget your scent in this lifetime, so no matter where you run to the ends of the earth, I can still catch up to you."
The only reply he got was an angry "get lost".
Cheng LiQi didn't know at all that her dad had come back. Before boarding the plane that night, when grandma went to the bathroom, she even video called her dad. Shao Chengze had just gotten off the plane and happened to pick up his daughter's video call. Cheng LiQi chatted with her dad for a long time, and finally held the phone sideways and asked her mother, "Mom, do you want to talk to Dad?"
Cheng Jinlan's eyes were fixed on the tablet, she didn't even lift her head once. "No more to say, just you talk to Dad."
Cheng LiQi looked at her dad in the video and sighed lightly, "Dad, it seems you haven't done well enough. You don't have a very important position in Mom's heart. It seems Mom doesn't even miss you, so Dad, you have to work harder."
Shao Chengze chuckled softly at his daughter, "Then Dad will try harder. But Dad misses Mom very much, and Little LiQi too."
Honey flowed from Cheng LiQi's curved eyes. "I miss Dad too."
Because she missed her dad so much, Cheng LiQi sent her dad beautiful photos of her mom every day, of course also photos of herself. She was now a little photographer who especially liked to take pictures of her mom and grandma. After sending them to Dad, she certainly couldn't forget Grandpa. She also sent all the beautiful photos she took of Grandma, and of herself, to Grandpa. She didn't even need to ask, Grandpa must miss her and Grandma very very much.
Today they were invited by the neighbors on the nearby island to attend a party. There were many people at the party, and even more came to talk to Mom and Grandma. Mom and Grandma were so beautiful. Cheng Liqi blinked and picked up her phone hanging around her neck.
Five minutes later, Shao ChengZe and Cheng Shanhe received the photos sent by Cheng Liqi.
The two men narrowed their eyes at the same time.
