Sharing Dreams with My Bestie’s Cousin
Chapter 155 - 155 Cold War

Chapter 155: Cold War Chapter 155: Cold War Wen Zhi visited Baixi Manor.

Once Gu Rang learned of her arrival, he personally went to receive her, ensuring that the mistakes of the past would not be repeated.

In an elegant tearoom, Wen Zhi knelt on the tatami, across from Gu Rang who was pouring tea for her.

“You came to find me in such a hurry, is there something you need?” Gu Rang was well aware that Wen Zhi would only seek him out if she had an issue.

Wen Zhi removed her mask and hat, getting straight to the point with Gu Rang: “I want to ask for your help.”

Gu Rang slid the freshly poured tea in front of Wen Zhi and asked, not what help she needed, but: “Haven’t I already lost your trust in my presence?”

“Yes.”

Wen Zhi admitted he had indeed lost her trust.

But the key issue was that she couldn’t find anyone both capable and willing to help her; only Gu Rang was suitable.

After hearing Wen Zhi’s words, Gu Rang chuckled, poured himself a cup of tea, and asked her, “Am I your choice out of desperation?”

Wen Zhi had not expected Gu Rang to put it that way.

But he had hit the nail on the head.

She had sought him out because she had no other choice.

Since she had come to him, she didn’t want to hide her thoughts, trying to be as truthful as possible: “Indeed, I have no one else to turn to, only you.”

The phrase ‘only you’ stirred a strange emotion in Gu Rang’s heart.

He quickly composed himself: “Go ahead.”

Seeing his straightforwardness, Wen Zhi immediately got to the point.

After she finished speaking, Gu Rang asked, “You suspect Chong Wanyin?”

It wasn’t suspicion, she was certain.

It was the incident at the Horse Farm that confirmed her guess.

But she had to enter Chong Wanyin’s dream to know what had happened back then, to ascertain her guilt, and to avenge her mother.

However, before doing all this, she couldn’t conclusively accuse Chong Wanyin with certainty: “I just have some doubts.”

Gu Rang took a sip of his tea, his eyes betraying an indiscernible emotion: “Don’t you hate Wen Yiwan the most?”

Wen Zhi spoke clearly: “Hating her doesn’t mean I’m convinced she did that thing, and besides…”

Wen Zhi’s gaze met Gu Rang’s: “You know why I hate her, don’t you?”

“I do,” Gu Rang said softly: “You hate that she flirted with your father and married him less than a month after your mother’s death, you hate that she didn’t regard your mother as her sister, you hate her lack of conscience.”

These were the thoughts Wen Zhi had kept inside her heart.

Now, Gu Rang had voiced them all.

Sometimes Wen Zhi had to admit that Gu Rang really did understand her well.

“Don’t start looking at me with adoration all of a sudden, don’t do that, it’ll take me by surprise,” Gu Rang said as he stretched out a hand to pour more tea for Wen Zhi.

Wen Zhi was mute for a good while and didn’t respond to his comment.

“Alright, I’ll stop teasing you,” Gu Rang knew when to stop inappropriate comments: “I’ll do what you’ve asked of me, and in addition…”

He was mid-sentence when he suddenly saw Wen Zhi place a box of jewelry before him.

Gu Rang was taken aback, his gaze shifting between the box and Wen Zhi, finally settling on her face: “What is this?”

Wen Zhi opened the jewelry box: “I really like gold jewelry; a lot of my pieces are made of gold. These are worth quite a bit, enough to work for several years at Baixi Manor.”

Gu Rang chuckled: “So, you plan to give me these gold pieces as compensation?”

“Would that be alright?” Wen Zhi inquired.

Gu Rang pushed the ‘worldly consideration’ back toward her: “No need.”

Wen Zhi: “Actually, this is to ensure your silence.”

Gu Rang raised his eyebrow; ?

Wen Zhi: “You must not tell him about this matter today!”

“Him?” Gu Rang was uncertain.

Wen Zhi: “My dad.”

This time, Gu Rang did not directly express his stance. He fell silent, weighing his options because after all, accepting a bribe meant he had to follow through.

Seeing his dilemma, Wen Zhi got up from the tatami: “Never mind then, I don’t want to put you in a difficult position.”

She made as if to leave.

Restless, Gu Rang called out to her: “Zhizhi.”

Wen Zhi stopped in her tracks, turned and looked at him: “You agreed?”

“Letting the person go but not taking the jewelry with you, isn’t that just forcing me to agree?” Gu Rang felt helpless but still indulgent: “I’ll agree to it. I’ll take the hush money, but this is too much. Just keeping one bracelet is enough.”

As he spoke, Gu Rang picked out a gold bracelet from the jewelry box.

Wen Zhi came back, and from the jewelry box, she took out a solid pure gold bracelet for him: “Add this too.”

Gu Rang couldn’t help but chuckle: “One piece is plenty. Take these back; I’m not greedy.”

Seeing his insistence, Wen Zhi had no choice but to put the jewelry box away.

Afterwards, Gu Rang invited Wen Zhi to stay for dinner. She agreed and after dinner, Gu Rang suggested that Wen Zhi stay at Baixi Manor, but she hesitated.

Seeing Wen Zhi’s attitude, Gu Rang said: “Baixi Manor is the most suitable place for you to stay right now; it’s much safer than Qionglou. Why insist on staying at his place? Besides, I told you I would come to pick you up in half a month, why not stay here for a few days first?”

Indeed, he had said he would come to Qionglou to pick her up after half a month.

Wen Zhi pressed her lips together: “But Shang Hexing has helped me a lot.”

“Is your relationship with him solely based on the fact that he helped you?” Gu Rang asked this, though he already knew the answer: “You want to repay his kindness; there are better ways to do that. You can stay there for a few days and also move here to stay for a while.”

“Then I’ll give him a call and let him know.” Wen Zhi wasn’t wavering; it was actually her plan to stay at Baixi Manor tonight.

She didn’t want to face him tonight.

The conflict at noon today, she didn’t want to try and resolve it.

Call her timid if you will.

Because she had more important things to do, and once she had finished those tasks, if by then Shang Hexing could still accept her… No, he wouldn’t accept her.

Wen Zhi left the dining table and got up to make a call to Shang Hexing outside.

Meanwhile, at Qionglou.

The hour hand on the wall clock was pointing to six o’clock.

Aunty Lin had prepared a whole table of dishes, which were now all laid out.

Shang Hexing had returned at five-thirty. From the moment Wen Zhi left, he knew where she was. He didn’t call to ask why she went out, nor did he call after he got back to urge her to return to Qionglou. As the food was served, he sat waiting quietly.

After waiting for nearly ten minutes without Wen Zhi’s return, Aunty Lin came out to check the soup on the table. Chen Jinhai couldn’t help but say, “Mr. Shang, should I give Miss Wen a call?”

Shang Hexing replied, “No need. She knows to come back. Just a little late.”

Chen Jinhai, the harbinger of bad news: “What if Miss Wen doesn’t come back tonight?”

Shang Hexing didn’t speak, his expression growing colder.

At that moment, the phone on the table buzzed. Chen Jinhai glanced at the caller ID, saw it was Wen Zhi calling, and suddenly had a bad feeling.

Shang Hexing reached out and answered the call with an indifferent expression.

From the other end came Wen Zhi’s concise words: “I won’t be staying at Qionglou tonight.”

Shang Hexing was silent for two seconds before replying: “Hmm.”

Then he hung up, stood up, and left his seat.

Chen Jinhai’s premonition had been correct, but the food had yet to be touched. Surely, if Miss Wen didn’t return, Mr. Shang wouldn’t just skip dinner too, right?

“Mr. Shang, what about all this food…”

“Throw it out.”

His tone was very cold.

Chen Jinhai’s heart sank.

It was done. Mr. Shang was angry!

“How could Miss Wen not keep her word? She agreed to be back before six, leaving Mr. Shang waiting in vain!” Chen Jinhai wasn’t aware of the conflict between the two, only feeling that Wen Zhi was being too willful.