Sharing Dreams with My Bestie's Cousin

"I knew why you were angry at the time, and I would have felt the same way too. Of course, I’m not trying to make excuses for you. It’s just that I knew what I did would inevitably anger you." Wen Zhi was very clear-headed as she turned her head towards the bed across.

She saw Shang Hexing get up from the bed and walk toward her under the light of the floor lamp.

Wen Zhi didn’t move and just asked, "What are you doing?"

Shang Hexing bent down and kissed Wen Zhi’s lips.

The sudden kiss left Wen Zhi stunned. She wasn’t ready to respond to his kiss, and he had already left her lips, whispering, "I didn’t dare to ask you, but I still feel guilty."

Wen Zhi blinked her almond eyes, wanting to comfort him, "Shang Hexing, don’t think like that, I didn’t hold it against you."

Moreover, she knew that he had shown restraint that day.

After all, with his strength, if he had really exerted himself, she might have been seriously hurt.

Although Wen Zhi said these words to keep Shang Hexing from feeling guilty, the more she did so, the more dejected Shang Hexing felt.

He said, "When we return to Bai City, I will tell you some things about my mother’s death."

...

The next morning.

Shang Hexing took Wen Zhi by the hand as they left the hospital. Wen Zhi had just sat in the car when she heard a series of rapid footsteps.

"Mr. Shang," Chen Jinhai’s tone was very urgent.

Wen Zhi was about to stick her head out to see what was going on when Shang Hexing suddenly shut the car door.

Wen Zhi: ?

What happened?

Wen Zhi looked outside through the glass.

At that moment, Shang Hexing stood by the car door, but his face looked like he had seen someone he didn’t want to see.

Just as she was puzzled, she suddenly heard a voice even more urgent than Chen Jinhai’s—

"Hexing, what exactly happened yesterday? Why was your mother out in the suburbs? And that car accident..."

The words suddenly became muffled, and Wen Zhi couldn’t quite hear clearly.

But she felt it wasn’t because the voice was too distant; someone had covered the speaker’s mouth, stopping him from continuing.

What car accident?

Could there have been a car accident yesterday?

Full of doubts, Wen Zhi tried to open the car door, only to find it wouldn’t open; it was locked.

She quickly turned to the driver and said, "Can you please unlock the door?"

The driver said, "Miss Wen, please stay calm in the car. Mr. Shang will be back after handling the situation."

"Handling what situation?" Wen Zhi persisted, "And who was that loud speaker just now?"

The driver shook his head, "I’m not sure either."

Wen Zhi immediately realized that asking the driver was futile. The driver hadn’t left the car and truly wouldn’t know the situation; he had locked the doors just following orders.

After that, Wen Zhi could only wait.

About five or six minutes later, a passing figure outside the car made Wen Zhi suddenly alert.

Then the car door was opened.

"You’re back." She immediately looked at Shang Hexing who returned, her eyes filled with anticipation.

Shang Hexing’s expression was as usual. He bent down to sit in, signaling the driver, "Drive."

The driver immediately started the car.

Wen Zhi looked back at the rear window, "Chen Zhu hasn’t gotten into the car."

Shang Hexing replied, "He is in another car."

Wen Zhi turned her gaze back, "What happened just now?"

"Nothing," Shang Hexing turned his head, smiled softly at Wen Zhi, his eyes gentle as if nothing had happened.

Wen Zhi frowned slightly, "But I just heard..."

She was interrupted mid-sentence by Shang Hexing, "Oh right, you mentioned yesterday about retrieving the Buddha Beads. Chen Jinhai has gotten them, and will give them to you at the airport."

Such a deliberate change of topic, Wen Zhi clearly understood Shang Hexing’s intention.

She couldn’t ask any further.

This little episode before getting on the car, she had to pretend it didn’t happen.

She nodded understandingly, "Okay."

Upon arriving at the airport, Wen Zhi followed Shang Hexing into the VIP lounge, and soon after they sat down, Chen Jinhai hurried over.

"Mr. Shang."

"Miss Wen."

Chen Jinhai walked over quickly, holding a box in his hand. He handed the box to Shang Hexing who didn’t take it, instead gesturing to him, "Give it to Wen Zhi."

Chen Jinhai turned and handed the box to Wen Zhi, "Miss Wen, here is the item you requested."

Wen Zhi took the box and said thank you.

Then, when she opened the box and saw the Buddha Beads lying quietly inside, the corners of her lips revealed a relieved smile.

Thank heavens.

She had finally gotten them back.

She immediately took out the Buddha Beads and inspected them closely; they were clean, without a speck of dust, probably cleaned by Chen Jinhai before he brought them back.

From the side, Shang Hexing’s voice came through, "Looking at it like this, it’s indeed the same as last night’s."

Wen Zhi handed the Buddha Beads to Shang Hexing, "It’s not exactly the same, look here."

Shang Hexing’s gaze fell on the spot indicated by Wen Zhi, listening to her say, "The ghost face pattern on these Buddha Beads almost all point in one direction, but the other string is different; the patterns on the other are more disordered...wait a minute..."

Just a second ago, Wen Zhi had confidently pointed out the differences between the two strands of Buddha Beads to Shang Hexing.

But when she noticed the ghost face pattern on the beads deviated slightly from her memory, her expression changed.

Shang Hexing observed the change in Wen Zhi’s expression, "Are there cracks?"

Wen Zhi did not answer, she frowned and muttered to herself, "How could this be, could I have remembered it wrong..."

Chen Jinhai, unaware of what was happening, had a more pressing matter to report.

He immediately approached Shang Hexing, leaning over to whisper, "The old master is currently very irritable; he doesn’t care about his image and is making a scene at the hospital. The police have been called, and he is demanding they give him an explanation."

Shang Hexing narrowed his eyes slightly, his expression cold, "I’ve already notified Old Qin on that side; let him make a scene."

Chen Jinhai worried, "If the old master blows this up, we won’t be able to keep it a secret for long."

Shang Hexing glanced towards Wen Zhi, who was intently examining the Buddha Beads, then lifted his hand.

Chen Jinhai understood the gesture and stepped aside.

The flight took off on time, and three hours later, Wen Zhi followed Shang Hexing back to Bai City.

After getting into the car, Wen Zhi asked, "Could you drop me off at the Wen Family first?"

Shang Hexing nodded and told the driver to adjust the route.

After a nearly twenty-minute drive, Wen Zhi finally arrived outside the Wen Family Villa. As she prepared to get out of the car, she suddenly heard Shang Hexing’s voice, "Won’t you invite me in for a sit?"

Wen Zhi clearly hesitated, "But..."

Shang Hexing, "Never mind."

Wen Zhi quickly said, "I mean you can."

"No need, I won’t go in," Shang Hexing knew what Wen Zhi was thinking and did not want to put her on the spot.

Wen Zhi leaned over and kissed Shang Hexing gently on the corner of his lips, trying sweetly to please.

Shang Hexing curved the corners of his lips, reminding her, "Be careful with the wound on your hand, don’t get it wet. Go on in."

Today, Wen Zhi’s hand had one less layer of gauze and was covered by her sleeve, barely noticeable as injured.

She obediently nodded and then opened the door to step out of the car.

She waved at Shang Hexing inside the car, then walked towards the Wen Family Villa until she entered the villa, after which Shang Hexing’s car drove away.

Wen Zhi walked up to the doorway.

She steadied her emotions, and just as she stepped into the living room, a glass cup suddenly flew through the air towards her—