Sharing Dreams with My Bestie's Cousin

The only time he didn’t listen to his elder brother, he ended up in trouble because of his third uncle. He still winced at the thought.

And his third uncle was still in there...

"Second young master, please get in the car, we mustn’t delay," Chen Jinhai urged.

Shang Jing finally caught on and bent to enter the car.

As this car slowly left, another one came and stopped at the spot below the stairs. Shang Jing hadn’t looked closely at first, merely glancing casually, but that glance made him turn his head back immediately.

"Isn’t that my elder brother’s car..." Shang Jing wondered, so he lowered the window and looked back.

L5, including the license plate number.

Shang Jing was all too familiar with it.

But with his brother inside, who dared to drive his car? Or was someone picked up in it? Shang Jing immediately thought that perhaps they’d gone to pick up a VIP, someone definitely of high rank, otherwise, they wouldn’t need his brother’s car.

Thinking this, Shang Jing didn’t dwell on it.

Just as he was about to look away, he saw the person who got out of the car, someone very familiar and who shouldn’t have alighted from that car, Shang Jing immediately told the driver:

"Stop the car!!"

The driver ignored him.

Shang Jing sat up straight and pulled the driver’s shoulder: "I told you to stop the car! Did you hear me? Stop the car! Stop the car!!"

The driver stopped the car but didn’t open the door for Shang Jing, "Second young master, it’s not advisable to stop here for too long."

Shang Jing said coldly, "Unlock the door."

The driver was unmoved.

Shang Jing said word by word, "I’ll say it again, unlock the door!"

The driver still didn’t move, and just as Shang Jing was about to explode and grab the driver by the collar to intimidate him, the security officers arrived.

About two minutes later, Shang Jing was restrained in his seat by two security officers, one on each side, and the driver started the car again.

Shang Jing reluctantly looked back in that direction, murmuring at the corner of his lips, "Zhou Qin..."

He hadn’t mistaken her—it was Zhou Qin who had caused his third uncle trouble;

The Zhou Qin who had tricked him at Baixi Manor;

The Zhou Qin who had repeatedly made him lose track;

The Zhou Qin who later disappeared without a trace.

It was her!

But Shang Jing could never have imagined that Zhou Qin would appear at Grandfather Zhou’s birthday banquet today, and that she would arrive in that car...

What right did she have!

Shang Jing clenched his teeth in rage.

-

Meanwhile, Wen Zhi had already met several elders alongside Shang Hexing, and Shang Hexing introduced her as, "Girlfriend."

His tone was very formal.

Not vague at all.

Given his status, no one took his words lightly, hence the respect they showed Wen Zhi grew.

Mrs. Wu of the Wu family came over, her gaze directly bypassing Wen Zhi as she warmly greeted, "Hexing, you’ve been quite the rising star lately."

Mrs. Wu had turned forty this year. Due to some health issues a few years ago, she had taken many tonics and had gained weight quickly, becoming slightly corpulent. However, her facial features revealed that she had been a great beauty in her youth.

Shang Hexing replied with a faint smile at the corner of his eyes, "I’m surely no match for Mrs. Wu."

Mrs. Wu’s heart skipped a beat at his reply; she grasped the underlying message in his half-statement and smiled apologetically, "Oh, not at all."

Mrs. Wu had approached to discuss some business, after all, getting a chance to meet Shang Hexing was rare!

She had prepared plenty of flattering words, not expecting that she’d underestimate Wen Zhi standing next to Shang Hexing.

She was about to bring up, "About that piece of prime land approved by the city..."

Shang Hexing bluntly dismissed the topic, "Mrs. Wu, you might be mistaken in your approach."

Madam Wu was taken aback, "This, I didn’t mean to..." 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"Madam Wu."

Xun An’s voice came from the side.

Madam Wu turned around, greeting with a smile, "Secretary Xun."

Xun An, smiling without humor, reminded, "Madam Wu seems too anxious, even forgetting the propriety of the situation?"

The sudden appearance of Xun An not only startled Madam Wu, but also surprised Wen Zhi, as she hadn’t seen Xun An at all that day before this.

"Let’s go." Shang Hexing took Wen Zhi’s hand.

Wen Zhi came back to her senses and left with him.

This scene caught Madam Wu’s eye, her gaze shifting downward, staring blankly at their hand-in-hand, and belatedly realizing she might have overlooked something.

She thought she was his companion, but it seemed their relationship was closer.

"Madam Wu." Xun An called out.

Madam Wu snapped back to reality, continuously apologetically smiling, Xun An was unimpressed, yet he added, "If Madam Wu truly wishes to discuss today, it’s not impossible."

Madam Wu’s face lit up with surprise, "Can we really talk today?"

Xun An, "Of course."

"Oh, this is wonderful, our Wu family really depends on that prime property to turn things around." Madam Wu smiled so widely that she could barely close her mouth.

However, her smile soon vanished.

Because Xun An suddenly said, "The condition is that Madam Wu and Mr. Wu must personally bring your esteemed daughter to apologize to Miss Wen."

Madam Wu’s first reaction was, "Miss Wen is?"

Xun An tilted his head; following the direction of his gaze, Madam Wu looked over and saw the figures of Shang Hexing and Wen Zhi.

Madam Wu’s heart skipped again, then nervously asked in a lowered voice, "Did my Yanyan have a disagreement with Miss Wen?"

Xun An didn’t answer, only glancing at Madam Wu with a meaningful look.

This gaze was for her to understand on her own.

Madam Wu’s lips quivered slightly; the foundation had well concealed her pale face, but her complexion still looked unhealthy.

"Eh, alright, I know what to do now. I’ll go fetch Yanyan immediately and have her apologize to Miss Wen." Madam Wu left in a daze.

Xun An quietly watched Madam Wu’s retreating figure, until his shoulder felt heavier, and turned his head to see Chen Jinhai standing beside him.

Xun An shrugged one shoulder, with Chen Jinhai’s hand dropping away, "Stay away from me."

"Are you planning to burn the bridge after crossing it?" Chen Jinhai nearly laughed, retracting his hand to his pocket.

Xun An looked uncomfortable, "Not at all. Besides..."

Chen Jinhai leaned closer, "Besides what, speak up louder."

Xun An turned his face away, "Thanks."

At that moment, Chen Jinhai’s grin was more difficult to suppress than an AK recoil in a game; considering Xun An was taller, hearing him say thank you was quite rare.

"No worries, no worries, just don’t try to be too clever from now on." Chen Jinhai chuckled and waved his hand.

Xun An didn’t respond, touched a sore spot, and turned to leave.

Ever since the last time Xun An had reported Shang Hexing and Wen Zhi’s affair to elder Mr. Han, Xun An had temporarily been sent to the ’Cold Palace.’

He usually followed Shang Hexing as his shadow, but this time he had been left hanging for a long time without being called back.

Xun An knew he was wrong and could only swallow his pride and ask Chen Jinhai for help, who, keeping the spirit of camaraderie, had let Xun An handle the situation of Miss Wu offending Miss Wen.

Xun An indeed handled it well.

-

Approaching the banquet’s start.

Wen Zhi still hadn’t seen Chong Wanyin, and no one mentioned she wasn’t coming today or that she would be late.

Entering Ya Garden, Shang Hexing escorted Wen Zhi to their seats, with Xun An standing by, who would leave after the banquet started.