Sharing Dreams with My Bestie's Cousin

Wen Zhi avoided Shang Hexing and deliberately went outside to answer Nian Xun’s call.

She was somewhat nervous, her palms sweating slightly. As soon as the call connected, she immediately addressed him politely, "Mr. Nian Xun, hello."

Over the phone, Nian Xun’s voice carried a smile, "I almost thought I was going to hear that disliked address again."

Wen Zhi said, "That won’t happen; I remembered everything you told me last time."

Last time at Baixi Manor, Wen Zhi, recalling her childhood memories, called Nian Xun ’Uncle Nian,’ which made Nian Xun’s face turn alternately green and pale.

Since then, she had remembered never to call him Uncle Nian again.

"You haven’t completely remembered, Little Zhizhi," said Nian Xun in a meaningful tone.

Wen Zhi was puzzled, "Ah? I..."

Nian Xun said, "You don’t have to use formalities with me, just treat me as a peer."

Wen Zhi complied, "Oh, I understand now."

After a few polite pleasantries, Nian Xun got to the point and asked Wen Zhi, "They told me that you needed to think over the matter of going to Laihai City, how is your consideration going?"

Wen Zhi fidgeted with the hem of her dress, her fingers rubbing it repeatedly as she pondered, not immediately giving Nian Xun an answer.

Nian Xun didn’t rush her, silently waiting for her to come up with a response after her deliberation.

As she truly faced the choice, Wen Zhi hesitated.

No matter how she weighed the pros and cons, there were always imperfections.

The call was quietly maintained for over a minute; then, Wen Zhi finally spoke, "I’m sorry, Mr. Nian Xun..."

Nian Xun, as if having anticipated, said, "No need to apologize; it’s your decision."

"It’s not," Wen Zhi hadn’t finished saying, probably the word ’sorry’ made Nian Xun misunderstand her decision, she immediately said, "I meant to say, sorry for making you wait."

The Nian Xun at the other end of the call was surprised, "Hmm?"

Could there be an unexpected outcome?

Indeed, as Nian Xun had thought, Wen Zhi’s actual response was, "I am willing to go to Laihai City with you."

This time, it was Nian Xun’s turn to fall silent.

Wen Zhi gripped her phone tightly and asked, "Mr. Nian Xun, can you hear my answer?"

"Yes," Nian Xun’s voice was soft, clearly surprised, "But, are you sure?"

Wen Zhi answered, "Yes, I have thought it through."

Nian Xun felt it necessary to remind Wen Zhi, "For the next two years, you won’t be able to return to Bai City; wherever I go, you’ll have to follow me, and except for eating and sleeping, you need to be by my side at all times, which is very demanding."

The last four words were said as if in jest.

Wen Zhi heard this, unmoved, and simply asked, "So, will I be working as your assistant?"

Then she heard Nian Xun chuckle over the phone, low and suggestive, just like his external appearance, never appearing serious!

"Little Zhizhi, if it were as an assistant, working hard without a salary, would you come?" Nian Xun asked after laughing a bit.

Wen Zhi didn’t hesitate, "I would come. As long as you could help me grow quickly, no matter how tough or tiring, it would be worthwhile."

Even if she couldn’t return to Bai City, Shang Hexing could come to Laihai City.

It was just a long-distance relationship.

He had already taken so many steps for her, even enduring all the pressure from all elders to marry her; she couldn’t just stand still with a peaceful conscience. She needed to strive to make herself strong, to change the minds of those who were against their relationship.

She was worthy of Shang Hexing!

She just had to endure these two years.

Nian Xun’s leisurely voice came through, "Since you’ve decided to come to Laihai City with me, come meet me tomorrow, please enjoy viewing the lotus with me."

Wen Zhi complied, "Alright."

After ending the call, Wen Zhi held her phone tightly against her chest, her face brimming with a smile.

Now that she had made her decision, she needed to tell Shang Hexing next.

She wasn’t going to keep anything from him anymore.

-

Today, Shang Hexing had taken a day off, planning to spend the whole day with Wen Zhi.

Approaching eleven in the morning, Shang Hexing had Chen Jinhai make reservations at a restaurant, but Wen Zhi suggested they eat at home, so Shang Hexing instructed Chen Jinhai to cancel them.

The lunch was prepared by Fang Rong along with another servant and was exceptionally lavish.

During the meal, Shang Hexing noticed that Wen Zhi was in an especially good mood, suspecting something had happened, but he didn’t ask, knowing she would soon tell him herself.

She laughed like that, probably over some amusing incident.

As he was thinking this, Wen Zhi had already started to speak, putting down her chopsticks and clearing her throat beforehand: "There’s something I want to tell you."

Shang Hexing’s lips curved slightly, a very shallow arc: "Go ahead."

Wen Zhi: "I’m going to Laihai City."

"Did Meng Fan ask you to go with him?" Based on experience, Shang Hexing’s first thought after hearing Wen Zhi mention going to Laihai City was that Meng Fan had asked her to join him for a trip.

But this time, it was beyond his expectations.

Wen Zhi shook her head and said, "It’s not Meng Fan who asked me; I’m going to study with another senior."

Shang Hexing asked, "Study what?"

Wen Zhi: "To improve myself."

Shang Hexing’s eyes crinkled with a smile: "You joined a pyramid scheme?"

Wen Zhi: "..."!

Joined...joined, a pyramid scheme???

What kind of thought process was that, considering ’improve myself’ as joining a pyramid scheme!

"No, it’s not." Wen Zhi said with a stern face: "It’s legitimate studying."

Shang Hexing couldn’t help but smile and nodded: "Okay."

He put down his chopsticks, picked up his cup, and took a sip of warm water, then asked, "How long will it be?"

Before asking this, Shang Hexing thought Wen Zhi would only be going for a few days, or perhaps ten days to half a month.

He was naturally happy about her willingness to travel far.

It could be considered a relaxing break, especially since the incident in Lin City had just occurred; he also wished she could forget it all as soon as possible.

Only, what Shang Hexing hadn’t expected was, it wasn’t just a few days, nor ten days to half a month, but—

"Two years,"

Wen Zhi said.

Shang Hexing abruptly looked at Wen Zhi, putting down his water cup and asked her uncertainly, "Did you misspeak, or did I mishear?"

Wen Zhi gave a sheepish smile: "...I didn’t misspeak, and you didn’t mishear, it’s two years in Laihai City."

The atmosphere suddenly grew cold.

Although Wen Zhi couldn’t see Shang Hexing get very angry from his face, she could be sure that he was not in a good mood now.

"When are you leaving?" Shang Hexing asked.

Wen Zhi replied seriously, "Calculating the time...it should be in three days."

"Calculating the time?" Shang Hexing leaned back, his face expressionless: "So deciding to go to Laihai City for two years wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision, but something that had been planned in advance?"

Wen Zhi felt guilty under his question.

She even dared not look into his eyes anymore.

She could only respond quietly with her head bowed: "It wasn’t exactly planned in advance, I just found out about this opportunity, and I decided today before telling you."

"Today?" Shang Hexing raised an eyebrow.

Wen Zhi looked up at him: "That phone call just now."

Shang Hexing’s expression was ambiguous, whether believing or not believing, but the more inscrutable his expression, the more flustered Wen Zhi felt.

However, she knew that at times like this, honesty was her best weapon, so she explained to Shang Hexing all the details about Gu Rang arranging for her and Nian Xun to go to Laihai City.

She spoke until her mouth was dry and her tongue felt thick. After finishing, she drank a large glass of water and paused for a few seconds before looking at him: "Do you believe me now?"

The dishes on the table had been untouched for a long while.

Their colors had faded quite a bit.

Just like Shang Hexing’s face.

In her anxiety, Wen Zhi waited for Shang Hexing to speak. He asked her seriously, "So you decided to go to Laihai City because you want to be more worthy of me?"

Wen Zhi pursed her lips tightly, not responding immediately.

How should she respond?

Her initial intention was because of Shang Hexing, but she had also carefully considered that half of it was for herself.

She was born into a wealthy family, free from worries about food and clothing, without need for work, simply coasting through life, but if she were to waste her life like that, would she be content?