Sharing Dreams with My Bestie's Cousin

"Next door is Miss Meng Fan's private hot spring pool. Miss Meng brought a female friend with her today," the attendant replied.

Shang Hexing's hand paused as he was undoing his cufflinks.

He lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on the Buddha Beads with the ghost face pattern on his wrist.

About ten days ago, Shang Hexing had returned to the old house.

After handling everything, he was ready to leave when he bumped into Shang Jing holding a conspicuous box, but looking conflicted.

Shang Hexing approached him, his eyes landing on the box in Shang Jing's hands, and he asked casually, "Is that for me?"

A flicker of panic crossed Shang Jing's eyes, and he immediately hid the box behind his back, "No..."

Before he could finish explaining, Shang Hexing reached over, "Let me see."

Shang Jing hesitated over whether to give it or not.

He knew well that his elder brother had a reserved nature and it was rare for him to be interested in anything; this was just a string of Buddha Beads, and his elder brother might not fancy it.

So after hesitating for a moment, Shang Jing still handed over the box to Shang Hexing.

Shang Hexing took the box, opened it, glanced casually inside, then closed the box.

Shang Jing thought he had guessed right—his elder brother did not fancy the Buddha Beads. After all, the flattering gifts those people brought over to please his elder brother were a thousand times better than just a string of beads.

But...

What Shang Jing did not expect was...

Shang Hexing tapped the box gently with his index finger and said nonchalantly, tossing him a phrase, "I'll accept this gift."

Shang Jing was suddenly stunned.

His elder brother actually... fancied these Buddha Beads?

By then, Shang Hexing had already gotten into the car. Shang Jing snapped back to reality and immediately followed him into the car.

He wanted to clarify that the Buddha Beads were not prepared by Shang Hexing, but then he heard Shang Hexing say in a calm tone, "You're coming to the dinner tonight."

Shang Jing's expression could not hide his surprise.

He had not expected that the first benefit he traded with this 'gift' from his elder brother would be his presence at a dinner.

This massive network of connections...

In the end, the explanation that was on the tip of his tongue was swallowed back by Shang Jing; he did not reveal the true origin of the Buddha Beads.

Since that day, Shang Hexing had not carried the Buddha Beads with him. It was only yesterday that he suddenly felt like wearing them.

But that night, he had a bizarre dream...

The phone on the table vibrated.

Shang Hexing came to his senses, the Buddha Beads already in his palm, he gestured for the attendant to leave and turned to answer the phone.

"Big brother!"

Shang Jing's voice came through the phone.

Shang Hexing twiddled the pattern on the beads with his fingertip, his voice steady, "What is it."

On the phone, Shang Jing's tone was somewhat hesitant, "There's a family banquet at noon today, Mom... she asked me to tell you."

The reason Shang Jing hesitated was because Shang Hexing only visited the old house once or twice a month. He had visited it ten days ago, so Shang Jing was also not quite sure this time.

Shang Hexing put the Buddha Beads he was playing with in his palm away, "Jiuqu Villa, ten o'clock."

Shang Jing's eyes brightened, and he quickly responded, "Got it, I'll come over to pick you up right away."

After hanging up the phone, Shang Jing had a smile on his face, surely his elder brother was giving him this face.

"Second Young Master, the lady is looking for you."

The voice of the butler, Zhao Qin, came from outside the door.

"Got it." Shang Jing changed his clothes before he went over.

The table was set with several complex pastries, and once Shang Jing sat down, he scanned the pastries and got straight to the point, "Just say what you have to say."

Chong Wanyin lifted her chin slightly, "Try them. A new flavor concocted by the small kitchen."

Shang Jing: "If you don't speak, I can't even eat."

"You little rascal," Chong Wanyin scolded with a laugh. She leaned in and asked, "The gift, did you give it to your elder brother?"

Shang Jing's face slightly changed, but he didn't answer.

A couple of weeks ago, Wen Zhi moved into the Shang's residence and gave Chong Wanyin a significant gift.

The gift was a string of Buddha Beads with a ghost face pattern.

A rare collectors' item.

Chong Wanyin accepted the gift in front of Wen Zhi, but turned around and asked Shang Jing to give the Buddha Beads to Shang Hexing as a promotion gift.

Initially, Shang Jing struggled internally.

He disdained the act of offering things that were not his own.

However, fatefully, his elder brother took a liking to those Buddha Beads and even took him along to a dinner party; Shang Jing eventually compromised.

Seeing her son's reaction, Chong Wanyin thought to herself clearly, "I know you disdain using such means to please your elder brother, but with such benefits at stake, who wouldn't take advantage? You'll understand eventually."

Shang Jing, with a dark face: "Mom, please don't bring that up again."

"Alright, we won't talk about it anymore." Chong Wanyin changed the subject, "Wen Zhi brought me the Buddha Beads the day she moved in. Since then, I haven't seen her leave the house at all. She's isolated. When you have time, take her out."

Shang Jing: "That ugly girl?"

Shang Jing had actually never seen Wen Zhi, but he had heard the servants discussing how the girl who had just moved in was very ugly.

"Wen Zhi is not ugly. She just doesn't care to dress up," Chong Wanyin's eyes and brows softened as she spoke, "Wen Zhi resembles her father. If she dresses up, she's very beautiful."

Shang Jing mocked, "Her father? Just a disloyal son-in-law who entered into the marriage."

Chong Wanyin's expression darkened.

Leaning back, Shang Jing smirked with arms crossed, "I heard Mu Yanzhou was blessed with a face that could rival Pan An's and still holds his charm at this age, endlessly charismatic. Could it be that my mother was also one of his admirers?"

Chong Wanyin's face grew even uglier, "It appears I've been too lenient with you, so much that you now lack manners, daring to joke about your mother like this."

Shang Jing immediately straightened up: "Let's drop it, then."

Chong Wanyin's expression slightly improved, and she reminded Shang Jing, "Try to spend more time with Wen Zhi. She's new here without any friends. If you have time, take her out; it won't take up much of your time."

Shang Jing's eyes instantly chilled, "Listening to all this, are you actually trying to match me with that ugly girl? Have you lost your mind?"

Chong Wanyin was displeased, "Watch your language."

Shang Jing totally lost his appetite, stood up, "If speaking nicely is impossible, you can keep dreaming. I won't be part of it."

"Where are you going?" Chong Wanyin called out to Shang Jing, who was about to leave: "Come back here."

Shang Jing didn't stop, walking away decisively.

He had more important matters at hand, to go to Jiuqu Villa to pick up Shang Hexing.

Once Shang Jing had left,

Chong Wanyin turned and instructed someone beside her, "Zhao Qin, call Wen Zhi out of her room, tell her there's a family banquet at Shang's today. Since she has moved in, she should attend the banquet as well."

Zhao Qin stepped forward, "Ma'am, Miss Wen has been out since early this morning."

Chong Wanyin raised her eyebrows, "Where did she go?"

Zhao Qin: "Miss Wen told me as she left that she had a date with a friend."

Chong Wanyin asked further, "Did she mention where they were meeting?"

Zhao Qin: "Jiuqu Villa. I hinted her that there's a family banquet today; she should be aware to come back early."

"Wen Zhi is sensible, she will return early, but..."

Chong Wanyin pondered for a moment, stretched out her hand, "Give me the phone, I'll have Shang Jing pick Wen Zhi up from Jiuqu Villa."