Sharing Dreams with My Bestie's Cousin

Shang Hexing noticed the unusual expression Wen Zhi showed, he kept quiet and did not join in the conversation.

It wasn’t until after dinner that Meng Fan said she needed to leave.

Wen Zhi wanted to accompany her, but Meng Fan stopped her, "Don’t worry, I’m not going to a fight, just to see what the fuss is all about. Rong Huaishen, that petty man, if he really starts fighting with that guy, I’ll just call the police for them and get them all locked up!"

Wen Zhi chuckled, "That’s a good idea."

Shang Hexing added mildly from the side, "Just make sure you don’t get involved, once something happens in Harbor City, even I won’t be able to easily get you out."

Meng Fan was choked up, "..."

It was a warning, and also a reminder from an elder, of course Meng Fan understood.

She nodded obediently, "I understand, uncle."

Shang Hexing was still not reassured, so he had Chen Jinhai drive Meng Fan there, while he and Wen Zhi took another car back to the hotel.

On the ride back, Wen Zhi was somewhat distracted. Shang Hexing noticed, but didn’t bring it up until he heard her let out a very soft sigh unintentionally.

Shang Hexing glanced at her, "Wen Zhi, what are you sighing about?"

Wen Zhi shook her head and said, "It’s nothing."

"Is it about Meng Fan?" Shang Hexing guessed accurately.

But Wen Zhi did not answer, and the two fell into a tacit silence.

The sky had darkened, and the street was busy with traffic. The colorful street lights extended from Victoria to the seaside promenade, a sight too beautiful to describe.

Through the car window, Wen Zhi silently watched the street lights receding outside.

With a heavy heart, she hesitated for a long while, then shifted her gaze back to Shang Hexing sitting beside her.

He smiled slightly, "Ready to talk now?"

Wen Zhi looked at him, "It indeed concerns something about Meng Fan."

But she hesitated to say too much.

"It seems I guessed right," Shang Hexing mentioned, recalling something, "If I remember correctly, you went to Licheng with Meng Fan back in the day."

Wen Zhi’s breath caught, her face turned a bit strange, she lowered her eyes and softly spoken, decided not to say more, "It’s been many years, I don’t remember much about what happened in Licheng back then."

Shang Hexing’s smile faded from his lips, he knew Wen Zhi hadn’t forgotten, she just didn’t want to mention it, unwilling to discuss it further with him.

It might be a secret.

About Meng Fan, and a significant one.

Shang Hexing had no choice but to switch the topic, "My grandmother was a native of Licheng, my mother and uncle inherited my grandmother’s foreign features, though the genes have diluted considerably in my generation. My cousin Han Yiru inherited some, and by the time Han Yiru had Meng Fan, almost none were left."

Wen Zhi knew this, which is why the first time she saw Shang Hexing, she felt his features were particularly profound and carried an exotic charm.

Because Shang Hexing also has Licheng genes.

She said, "Before I knew your grandmother was from Licheng, when I first saw you, I thought you were of mixed heritage."

Shang Hexing looked at her, "In school, my classmates used to say the same thing."

Wen Zhi then asked, "Did you explain it to them?"

"No," Shang Hexing said indifferently, "I never talk much about my family background to people."

Wen Zhi thought, if she had met Shang Hexing for the first time today and heard what he just said, she probably would have thought he was a very mysterious person.

In fact, he is not mysterious at all.

Because he has Wei You around, a blabbermouth.

If anyone tried to find out about Shang Hexing, Wei You would eagerly use a loudspeaker to tell them all about him!

"What are you laughing about?" Shang Hexing asked.

Wen Zhi didn’t realize she had laughed, she toned down her smiling lips, her eyes bright, "You said you never talk about these things, so why are you telling me all this?"

Shang Hexing raised an eyebrow, "Is it not obvious?"

Wen Zhi shook her head, feigning ignorance, "It’s not obvious, I don’t understand."

As soon as she finished speaking, she saw Shang Hexing reaching out his hand.

Wen Zhi roughly guessed what he was about to do and immediately said, "It’s obvious, I understand."

A very faint smile appeared at the corner of Shang Hexing’s eyes as he withdrew his hand, "Then tell me, why do I need to tell you all this?"

It was a complicated question.

She, caught in a dilemma as if facing a dilemma of the century, Shang Hexing watching her, chose not to tease her anymore and continued to share some past events.

"Since my grandfather stepped down, my grandmother moved back to Licheng and seldom came here to stay," Shang Hexing didn’t mind bringing up these family matters with Wen Zhi for he never considered her an outsider. "My grandfather has always valued his face too much to live with my grandmother in Licheng. After she moved back to Licheng, she strictly forbade my grandfather from setting foot in Licheng, and I can hardly remember how long it’s been since my grandfather last went to Licheng."

After listening, Wen Zhi concluded, "Your grandfather doesn’t love your grandmother."

"No," Shang Hexing shook his head. "On the contrary, my grandfather loves my grandmother very much. He’s just too stubborn."

A stubborn person, stubborn all his life.

In his last few years, his other half no longer indulged his stubbornness, yet he still did not bow his head.

Three words summed up by Wen Zhi, spoken out loud: "Old stubborn."

Shang Hexing nodded, "Very apt."

Wen Zhi’s expression changed slightly, and she quickly said, "Take it back, take it back, I didn’t say that."

Shang Hexing chuckled softly, "Are you afraid I’ll tell this to my grandfather?"

Wen Zhi, "I just think it’s not nice to talk about him like that."

Shang Hexing expressed, "You don’t need to feel that way; he is indeed ideologically stubborn."

Those words carried a bit of personal grudge.

However, Wen Zhi didn’t catch on.

She asked, "So does he plan to never go to Licheng for the rest of his life?"

After all, both of them are so old, it’s not like they have to drag it out to the very last moment and then live with regrets, right?

Shang Hexing took out his cellphone from his pocket and handed it to Wen Zhi, "Hard to say. In the past two years, my grandmother’s health hasn’t been good, and my grandfather doesn’t know yet, everyone hasn’t told him."

Wen Zhi, not understanding, took the phone, "Was this my grandmother’s decision?"

Shang Hexing nodded, then reminded her, "We’re here."

Then he signaled her to use his phone to pay for the car fare.

Wen Zhi uttered an acknowledgment, and once the car stopped, she expertly unlocked the screen, then scanned to pay the fare.

The two got out of the car one after the other.

Wen Zhi handed the phone back to Shang Hexing. He did not take the phone, but instead naturally took her hand, "I don’t have a free hand, hold it for me."

Wen Zhi pursed her lips in a smile, following by his side.

His palm was dry but very warm; especially since it was quite large, perfectly enveloping her hand, always giving Wen Zhi a special sense of security.

She quite liked being held by him.

She could even imagine how, in the eyes of onlookers, she and Shang Hexing holding hands together would appear just like a couple.

And they must look very affectionate, too.

Thinking about this, she couldn’t help but curl her lips into a smile, visibly very happy.

The two entered an elevator. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

It so happened that there was no one else in this elevator ride, making it their private space.

Wen Zhi continued the conversation from the car, asking Shang Hexing, "Your grandmother doesn’t want your grandfather to know about her current situation, so do you really plan not to tell him?"