Sharing Dreams with My Bestie's Cousin

Wen Zhi was led into the room by Zhao Qin.

She discreetly surveyed her surroundings, having heard that Chong Wanyin would change the decorations every few days, and indeed, the arrangement she saw was different from before.

"Zhizhi."

Wen Zhi looked up to see Chong Wanyin hurrying towards her with an expression that was a mix of shock and joy, and somewhat uncomposed—a first for Wen Zhi.

In the blink of an eye, Chong Wanyin was in front of Wen Zhi, grasping her arms excitedly and examining her closely, "Am I dreaming? Zhizhi, have you really come back?"

Wen Zhi seemed to be startled by Chong Wanyin’s enthusiasm and forgot to speak for a moment.

Zhao Qin immediately said, "Madam, it’s Miss Wen Zhi, she has returned."

As the words fell,

the next instant, Chong Wanyin pulled Wen Zhi into an embrace, emotionally saying, "Zhizhi, you’ve finally come back safely. Do you know how worried I was about you during your disappearance? I couldn’t eat or sleep well, always afraid that I’d have a bad dream..."

Wen Zhi silently felt the heartfelt sincerity of Chong Wanyin, without any response.

It wasn’t until Chong Wanyin had said a great deal, her voice becoming a bit hoarse, that Wen Zhi gently pushed the woman embracing her, "Madam, I’m sorry for making you worry."

Chong Wanyin stepped back half a step, her eyes brimming with tears, and looked at Wen Zhi with a loving gaze, "It was me who took you to the Horse Farm that day, and it was me who watched helplessly as you fell into the lake, in the end, it’s all my fault. Thankfully, you returned safely."

Wen Zhi pursed her lips, revealing a pained expression, "Madam, please don’t say that, you’ve been very good to me. Moreover, the accident at the Horse Farm was just that—an accident, it was due to my own clumsiness and slow reaction that caused me to fall from the horse and into the lake, it has nothing to do with you."

Wen Zhi spoke with even more genuine emotion than Chong Wanyin.

Moved though she was, Chong Wanyin still took the blame upon herself, "I know you don’t want me to feel guilty, but this is my doing, the blame is on me."

At this moment, Zhao Qin suddenly interjected, "Miss Wen Zhi, the madam feels very guilty about you, you don’t know how much she has gone back and forth to the temple for you these days, praying for you, even her knees have become bruised. The madam also said, if she couldn’t find you, she would spend her lifetime in repentance accompanied only by ancient lamps and Buddha."

"Alright, Zhao Qin, always the chatterbox," said Chong Wanyin feigning displeasure, "Go prepare Zhizhi’s favorite Fresh Flower Cake."

Zhao Qin nodded, "Yes, I’ll go at once."

Once Zhao Qin left, only Wen Zhi and Chong Wanyin remained in the room.

Chong Wanyin took Wen Zhi’s hand and led her further inside, "Come sit Zhizhi, let me have a good look at you."

Wen Zhi followed Chong Wanyin’s steps.

This was the independent loft where Chong Wanyin lived, the place with the best location in the entire old house. Most of the furniture in the old house was of Chinese style, but Chong Wanyin’s area was decorated in the French court style she preferred, which didn’t match the building’s architecture at all.

It could be said that all the furnishings and décor here were decided based on Chong Wanyin’s preferences, and Shang Jizhou never interfered or inquired, which made the other households somewhat envious.

Zhao Qin quickly brought the Fresh Flower Cake and placed it in front of Wen Zhi, "Miss Wen Zhi, here is your favorite Fresh Flower Cake."

Wen Zhi smiled and said, "Thank you, Auntie Qin."

"Go on, have a taste," Zhao Qin gestured.

Wen Zhi picked up a piece of the Fresh Flower Cake, her nostrils filled with the faint scent of roses. She took a bite, and her mouth was overwhelmed with the rich fragrance of roses.

Chong Wanyin asked her, "Does it taste the same as the last time you had it here?"

"The same," Wen Zhi nodded, "Delicious."

Chong Wanyin reached out gently to stroke Wen Zhi’s arm, "Having disappeared for so long, you seem to have lost a lot of weight."

While relishing the Fresh Flower Cake in her mouth, Wen Zhi shook her head, "I’ve always been rather thin."

"But it seems to me, you look even thinner now than before," Chong Wanyin scrutinized Wen Zhi’s facial features with care.

The relatively close distance allowed their gazes to meet, and Wen Zhi’s eyes held a hint of a smile, "You must have not seen me for too long."

Chong Wanyin let out a sigh, "Perhaps, that’s right... Oh, that reminds me..."

Suddenly, Chong Wanyin grabbed Wen Zhi’s wrist urgently, "Quick, tell me, who saved you after you fell into the lake that day? And where have you been during the time you were missing?"

That was the key information Chong Wanyin couldn’t wait to know.

"It was Mr. Shang who saved me," Wen Zhi revealed without concealing anything.

Chong Wanyin asked in surprise, "Zhizhi, the Mr. Shang you’re talking about, is he Hexing?"

"Mhm." Wen Zhi nodded.

Chong Wanyin’s expression changed subtly, "Zhizhi, can you tell me more details?"

When Wen Zhi mentioned Shang Hexing, she had no intention of hiding it from Chong Wanyin, and she recounted what Wanyin wanted to know, "Mr. Shang just happened to be at the Horse Farm that day. During the time I fell into the lake, it was also by chance that Mr. Shang’s people saw me, so they were able to save me at the first possible moment, which allowed me to escape danger."

Having finished, Wen Zhi raised her hand to wipe the moisture from her eyes.

Seeing this, Chong Wanyin reached out and hugged her, "So it was Hexing who saved you. That’s truly a stroke of fortune, Hexing was also at the Horse Farm that day."

Chong Wanyin wouldn’t completely believe the specifics of the situation based on Wen Zhi’s words alone.

But since Wen Zhi had named Shang Hexing, Chong Wanyin guessed that the actual circumstances weren’t far off from what she had imagined.

Letting go of Wen Zhi, Chong Wanyin studied her face carefully, "So, where have you been staying during this time?"

There were still tear stains at the corners of Wen Zhi’s eyes, and she sniffled, her emotions not quite adjusted, speaking in a nasally voice, "Mr. Shang arranged a place for me to stay. I caught a cold after falling into the lake and became severely ill. It took me a long time to recover."

Chong Wanyin furrowed her brows slightly, "You’ve suffered."

Wen Zhi’s voice was tinged with bitterness, "With your concern, madam, I didn’t feel the suffering."

It’s a battle of who could be more insincere, after all.

But then, who could outdo Chong Wanyin in insincerity?

"During this time..." Chong Wanyin hesitated, "Has Hexing been to see you, to keep you company?"

Wen Zhi lowered her head and took a bite of Fresh Flower Cake, mumbling in reply, "He has. Mr. Shang would take time to accompany me, and I’ve gradually realized that Mr. Shang seems... interested in me."

At these words, Chong Wanyin suddenly laughed.

Wen Zhi’s cheeks flushed, "Madam..."

Chong Wanyin patted Wen Zhi’s shoulder lightly, "Don’t be shy, Zhizhi has grown up, and Hexing is also of the right age. If there is that predestined connection, you two are well matched."

Wen Zhi’s cheeks grew even redder.

She nibbled at the Fresh Flower Cake in small bites and continued, "Mr. Shang has been very kind to me, and he’s been responsive to all my requests. Whatever I ask him, he tells me, and he even said if I were with him, he would take me to meet his mother."

Chong Wanyin’s expression suddenly froze, she asked, "Hexing said he would take you to meet his mother?"

As though just realizing something, Wen Zhi immediately looked at Chong Wanyin, "Not you, another lady..."

Chong Wanyin, "Han Xiangying."

Wen Zhi, confused, "Han... what Han?"

"You don’t know?" Chong Wanyin laughed lightly, even forgetting to hide the hint of mockery in her eyes.