Sharing Dreams with My Bestie's Cousin

Chapter 21: Attract bees and butterflies

Chapter 21: Attract bees and butterflies

Wen Zhi heard the sound of something falling to the ground and turned around instinctively.

She noticed that it was the coat she had worn from Red River Bank, which had tumbled out of the car and landed on the ground, presumably making a crisp sound as the button hit the pavement.

Wen Zhi turned back to pick up the coat, but Shang Hexing grabbed her wrist, “No need to pick it up, just let the driver throw it away.”

Wen Zhi stared at her wrist, his palm as dry as ever, “It would be a pity to throw it away.”

Shang Hexing instead asked her, “Does the clothing fit?”

Wen Zhi recalled the loose feeling of the coat on her, and shook her head, “It doesn’t fit.”

Shang Hexing said, “Then it’s not a pity.”

Everything that was unsuitable for oneself was not a pity to lose. That was the rationale, so Wen Zhi did not argue. She just withdrew her hand from Shang Hexing’s and turned to go in first.

She quickened her pace, fearing that an observant person might see her walking with Shang Hexing, because that would soon make her a thorn in the side of the Shang family, inside and out. She did not want her path ahead to be difficult and could only consciously keep her distance.

Shang Hexing did not follow her; he stood in place with one hand in his pocket, his gaze following Wen Zhi as she hurried away.

She was afraid, he knew.

“Mr. Shang.”

The driver picked up the fallen coat and approached Shang Hexing, who glanced and said, “Throw it away.”

The driver was originally going to throw it away directly, but after picking up the coat, he found a string of beads underneath it.

The luster of the beads made it evident they were valuable.

The driver had driven for Shang Hexing for many years but had never seen Shang Hexing wear a string of beads, so he guessed it was Miss Wen’s personal item.

“Mr. Shang, this string of beads…” The driver held up the beads.

Shang Hexing looked over and reached out to take them, “Covered by the clothes?”

The driver nodded.

Shang Hexing realized, so the crisp sound that had fallen earlier was these beads.

…

It was nearing five in the afternoon.

Chong Wanyin anxiously waited for an entire afternoon and finally saw Shang Jing come home. The moment she saw Shang Jing step through the door, the heavy rock in her heart finally settled down solidly.

“You worthless thing!”

Chong Wanyin was fuming with anger, ready to give a good scolding, but when she saw her son’s disheveled state, the flames of her rage immediately extinguished.

Shang Jing called out, “Mom.”

That one word, ‘mom,’ softened Chong Wanyin’s heart and filled it with pain, as she stepped forward and gripped Shang Jing’s arm, “You really did bring honor to our Shang family.”

Shang Jing didn’t dare to dodge, grimacing and enduring the pinching pain on his arm.

Chong Wanyin pushed Shang Jing around in a circle, “You didn’t suffer in there, did you?”

Shang Jing shook his head, “No.”

After going in and completing the process, he just stayed in a holding cell for the afternoon, not suffering, just feeling a bit unnerved.

After all, it was the first time in his life that he had entered that place as a suspect.

“Looking this miserable after just one night, and you say you didn’t suffer, then what would count as suffering?” Chong Wanyin looked more and more heartbroken, “Are you hungry? I had Zhao Qin prepare the meal early, and it’s still warm right now. Go have some.”

Chong Wanyin felt sorry for her son and momentarily set aside the rules.

It was Shang Jing himself who was conscious, though he was hungry, he still remembered that he had to show his face to his grandfather first.

But as he said this, Chong Wanyin’s face showed displeasure, “The old man was close to dealing with you by family law last night.”

Shang Jing recalled last night’s event and was still terrified, “It was my older brother who spoke for me.”

“I, of course, know that if it hadn’t been for your elder brother speaking up for you last night, you couldn’t have avoided a beating,” said Chong Wanyin, waving her hand dismissively. “Go on, your meal is being kept warm. We’ll eat together when you return.”

Shang Jing made his way to the back garden alone.

It was the season when flowers were in full bloom, with butterflies fluttering everywhere in the flowerbeds, their fragrance wafting through the air, pleasantly overwhelming.

Surrounded by the flowerbeds, within the pavilion, Shang Jing saw the old master teaching a five-year-old child calligraphy. The child was his younger cousin, Shang Jiangshan, his uncle’s youngest son, who had just turned five at the beginning of the year and was at the carefree age.

At that moment, Shang Jiangshan held a brush in his hand, but his gaze darted now after butterflies, now after honey-gathering bees, with not a bit of his mind on calligraphy.

When Shang Jing arrived, he caught Shang Jiangshan just as he was about to slip away, only to be snagged by the sharp-eyed old master by the collar and dragged back, receiving a stern reprimand, “An entire afternoon has passed, and you’ve made no progress at all.”

Shang Jiangshan hung his head, “Grandfather, I don’t like calligraphy.”

The old master asked, “Then what do you like?”

Shang Jiangshan suddenly looked up, his eyes sparkling, and pointed at the flowerbed, “I like butterflies and bees.”

The old master said gravely, “Butterflies and bees are just scenery on the journey of your life, a glance is enough.”

Shang Jiangshan cocked his head and countered, “Why can I only have a glance? I’ve heard the adults say Uncle loves to attract butterflies and bees, I like butterflies and little bees, I also want to attract them.”

At this, the old master’s expression darkened, his anger palpable as he grabbed the nearby ruler, “You little rascal, you should learn good behaviors, not bad ones.”

Startled, Shang Jiangshan quickly picked up the brush, “I won’t attract butterflies and bees anymore, I’ll write, I’ll write a lot of characters.”

The old master was just putting on an act to frighten Shang Jiangshan; he couldn’t bear to truly punish the boy. It was always like this, yet it always worked.

“Grandfather.”

Shang Jing walked towards the pavilion.

The old master lifted his gaze to him, showing no pleasure, “Oh, you’ve returned from having tea.”

Shang Jing wore a downcast expression, and at that moment, Shang Jiangshan saw him, dropped his brush, and ran towards Shang Jing, exclaiming, “Brother Shang Jing!”

Shang Jing caught him, “Be careful.”

“Heehee, with Brother Shang Jing to catch me, I won’t fall,” Shang Jiangshan said with a delighted laugh.

In Shang Jiangshan’s eyes, his uncle had two sons, and the one who was the easiest to get close to was Shang Jing, this second brother. As for the other brother, Hexing, Shang Jiangshan feared him the most and would hide upon seeing him — not because Hexing had ever been harsh to him but because of the intense aura he exuded. Hexing never showed a fierce face to anyone in the Shang family; his natural aura was enough to intimidate everyone.

At this moment, Shang Jiangshan clung to Shang Jing like a burr, as if wishing he could stick to him permanently, “Brother Shang Jing, I haven’t seen you for two days.”

Yesterday was one day, and today was another.

Shang Jing embraced Shang Jiangshan, “I’ve been busy with work.”

Shang Jiangshan asked, “Have you finished with your work?”

Shang Jing shook his head, “Not yet.”

Shang Jiangshan’s face showed concern, “Brother Shang Jing, you work so hard.”

Shang Jing reached out to ruffle Shang Jiangshan’s hair.

The old master glared at Shang Jing, “This journey must have been memorable, wasn’t it?”

Shang Jing forced a smile, “It was dangerous, very memorable indeed.”

“You know nothing yet,” the old master said sternly. “What’s more dangerous is your third uncle.”

Shang Jing’s expression turned grave, “This time, the situation was clearly orchestrated by the other side, timed perfectly during elder brother’s promotion period… Grandfather, who exactly did third uncle offend?”

“Offend someone?” the old master snorted heavily.

He beckoned Shang Jiangshan to come over and continue writing.

Then he made room, walking with the aid of his cane, “Your third uncle doesn’t do business or politics. Who he offended, only he knows.”

Shang Jing was filled with trepidation, “When I left, I saw third uncle’s lawyer. He said the case is very complicated, and if things go wrong…”

If things go wrong, Shang Mingshu might end up being sentenced.