Sharing Dreams with My Bestie's Cousin

Wen Zhi returned to the Dormitory House courtyard and saw the figure of Shang Hexing.

At first, she thought it was a trick of her eyes until she got closer and confirmed that the tall, slender silhouette was indeed his!

She jogged over and called out, "Mr. Shang."

Shang Hexing turned around, wearing a white shirt today, with a string of small-leaf rosewood beads added to his rolled-up sleeves, giving him a somewhat different appearance from usual.

"Where have you been?" he asked her.

Wen Zhi had wanted to ask him the same question but seeing him ask first, she had to answer, "I was sweeping in the front courtyard."

Actually, she hadn’t finished yet. As Liang Yin lingered, she had to leave first, planning to return later to collect the pile of leaves.

Shang Hexing’s eyes were gentle as he asked her, "Did you attend the morning lesson today?"

"No," Wen Zhi shook her head.

Then she paused, blinked, and looked at him, "Did you attend the morning lesson?"

Shang Hexing: "Hmm."

Wen Zhi was momentarily embarrassed: "I got up a bit late today and was a bit lazy just this once."

So, that was why she hadn’t seen him early in the morning—he went to the Buddha Hall for the morning lesson.

What about yesterday?

Wen Zhi was merely curious in her heart and didn’t pry too much into his private matters but didn’t forget to show concern for whether he had eaten breakfast; he said he hadn’t yet, and that he planned to leave the temple later, but he didn’t say where to or what for.

With his busy public duties, it was rare for him to have personal plans. This time he had taken time out to pay respects to his mother, and today he would likely return to Bai City.

Thinking of his impending departure, Wen Zhi’s mood inexplicably became somewhat melancholic.

She immediately lowered her eyes to hide the melancholy expression, but Shang Hexing had already seen the fleeting moment, and he asked her, "When will you be returning to Bai City?"

Wen Zhi looked up, her face showing no sign of her previous feelings, and replied with a light smile, "I’ll be staying for half a month; there are still about ten days left."

She guessed Shang Hexing would probably ask her why she suddenly decided to stay at the temple for half a month. She had also prepared the same response she had given to Chong Wanyin that day.

—To pray for blessings for my mother.

Praying for blessings in the temple for a departed loved one is great fortune for the deceased, providing the opportunity for a better rebirth.

However, contrary to her expectation, Shang Hexing didn’t ask about her reason for staying at the temple. Instead, he took off the string of beads from his wrist, grasped her wrist, and put it on her.

He said, "I just visited Master Huijue, and these beads are from him."

Wen Zhi attempted to take them off: "I can’t accept this."

"Wen Zhi," Shang Hexing called her by name.

Wen Zhi looked up at him, "Mr. Shang, these beads have significant meaning since you obtained them from Master Huijue."

"The significance isn’t in the beads themselves, but in the person wearing them," he said.

Wen Zhi was taken aback, her beautiful eyes widening.

Shang Hexing gently squeezed her wrist: "It looks good, don’t take it off."

His breath was so close it seemed she could kiss him just by lifting her face.

Wen Zhi’s ears turned red quickly as she looked down at the string of beads on her wrist, the small-leaf rosewood shimmering in deep purple-red.

For him to have obtained these beads from the master, he must have donated a considerable amount of incense money to the temple.

"It complements your complexion very well," Shang Hexing commented with satisfaction.

Wen Zhi truly didn’t know what to say, and could only utter the simplest words that came to mind, "Thank you."

Shang Hexing: "You can’t even look at me when you say thank you?"

Wen Zhi quickly glanced at him and then again said thank you swiftly; Shang Hexing teased her no further: "Wen Zhi, I have to go now."

Wen Zhi responded, "Alright."

He raised an eyebrow, noting her calm reaction, and added, "I probably won’t be back at the temple today."

This time Wen Zhi was slow to respond for two seconds before saying, "Hmm."

Shang Hexing’s tone was half-teasing, "Aren’t you going to ask where I’m going?"

Wen Zhi was somewhat out of step with the rhythm of his words, and it took her a moment to look towards him: "May I ask?"

Shang Hexing nodded gently: "Yes, you may ask if you wish."

Wen Zhi indeed wanted to ask, eager to know his schedule, but a sliver of remaining rationality held back her impulse.

She calmly smiled, "This is Mr. Shang’s private trip, and it’s not right for me to ask too much."

Shang Hexing watched her quietly for a long time.

Forget it, it can’t be rushed.

He said, "Tan Zhongyao, do you know him?"

Wen Zhi thought for a moment, then nodded, "He’s from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."

"Mm," Shang Hexing nodded lightly. "After Mr. Tan retired from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he settled in Lin City to recuperate. A few days ago, an invitation arrived in Bai City? It was for Mr. Tan’s birthday banquet. As a junior, I should definitely go and present a gift."

Wen Zhi knew him, Mr. Tan, a man of great achievements who had retired.

It was only now, through Shang Hexing, that she learned Mr. Tan had been staying in Lin City since his retirement.

This time the timing was just right, as Shang Hexing happened to be in Lin City.

"Since Mr. Tan has already retired, is this birthday banquet a grand affair?" Wen Zhi asked another question.

"Mr. Tan is thrifty, he’s never had a large birthday banquet, just attended by relatives and friends," Shang Hexing answered every question she had.

Wen Zhi nodded, "Then you should go quickly, it wouldn’t be good to be late."

Shang Hexing told her, "Mr. Tan’s birthday banquet is in the evening, I have other things to do in the morning."

What he didn’t mention was that Mr. Tan had deliberately postponed the banquet to the evening to wait for him to ’make it’.

His trip to Lin City was a private one, and naturally, he wouldn’t disclose it to Mr. Tan’s side, keeping control over all appointments from start to finish.

Wen Zhi didn’t inquire about his private business during the day.

And at this moment, Chen Jinhai and Secretary Xu arrived one after another.

"Miss Wen."

The two of them greeted Wen Zhi in unison.

Wen Zhi smiled back.

Chen Jinhai handed over the suit jacket he brought in to Shang Hexing and said, "Mr. Shang, the car is ready."

Shang Hexing responded with a mm-hmm.

He took the pinstriped dark brown suit jacket from Chen Jinhai’s hand. Its design, style, and color complemented the white shirt he was wearing underneath.

Without any hesitation, he put on the suit jacket in front of Wen Zhi with natural movements.

Chen Jinhai then passed him a necktie of the same color scheme. Shang Hexing took the necktie without tying it, glanced at Wen Zhi, and asked her, "Do you know how to tie it?"

Wen Zhi was taken aback by the question, stammering, "I only know how to tie a red scarf."

Her remark made all three men laugh.

Shang Hexing handed the necktie to her, "Give it a try."

"Try?" said Wen Zhi, biting her lip in indecision.

"Mm-hmm," he was keen on having her try.

Wen Zhi glanced at Chen Jinhai and Secretary Xu, feeling slightly uneasy, when Chen Jinhai immediately said, "Mr. Shang, I’ll wait for you outside."

He also did not forget to take Secretary Xu with him.

Before leaving, Secretary Xu gave Wen Zhi a look. He had already reported to the Han Family the situation he learned about the day before, now it was up to the Han Family to respond.

Once the two subordinates left, Wen Zhi felt much more at ease.

She accepted the necktie with a shy smile, "Then I’ll give it a try."

Although Wen Zhi had never tied a necktie for a man, she had seen others do it and roughly remembered some of it.

Looking at Shang Hexing standing before her, towering at a height of one meter eighty-seven, he was as imposing as a mountain.

"Mr. Shang," she called him softly.

He didn’t respond, just watched her quietly.

Wen Zhi mustered up the courage to meet his gaze, which was hotter than she anticipated, as if it could melt her.

She raised the necktie and said, "Bend down."

Shang Hexing cooperated, slowly bending his head.

Wen Zhi stretched out her arms, "Lower, can you?"