Sharing Dreams with My Bestie's Cousin

"So, with what status do you plan to have our Zhizhi accompany you to Elder Tan’s birthday banquet?"

Before Wen Zhi could express her opinion, Meng Fan posed a soul-searching question to Liang Yin.

Liang Yin looked at Wen Zhi, carefully considering as he asked for her thoughts, "How about going as my friend? What do you think?"

Wen Zhi pressed her lips together in silence.

Surprise flashed across Meng Fan’s face beside her.

Having known him for many years, Meng Fan believed she understood Liang Yin well—a man of strong masculine pride, never before had she seen him show such attentive care for anyone, and now he was considering Wen Zhi’s wishes without prompt.

Pretty rare indeed.

"Wen Zhi, if you don’t want to go..." Seeing that Wen Zhi hadn’t made her stance clear, Liang Yin thought she was pondering how to refuse him, so he intended to change his mind.

But before he could finish changing his mind, Wen Zhi suddenly said to him, "It’s fine."

The surprise came so quickly that Liang Yin was slightly taken aback, "Do you really want to go with me?"

Wen Zhi looked at Liang Yin, "As long as you don’t mind my status and it won’t embarrass you."

"How could I mind!" Liang Yin declared earnestly, "Besides, who among the people around me would dare to gossip?!"

Meng Fan clicked her tongue on the side, amazed at how Liang Yin with emotional intelligence was like a completely different person!

At this moment, the boat reached the center of the lake, the clear green water was like a giant emerald embedded among the mountains.

Meng Fan pulled Wen Zhi out to admire the beautiful scenery. Seizing the opportunity while the two men hadn’t come out, she quietly asked Wen Zhi, "Do you really want to go to Elder Tan’s birthday banquet with Liang Yin?"

Wen Zhi replied, "I’ve already agreed, I can’t go back on my word."

Meng Fan hesitated, then spoke, "But..."

Of course, Wen Zhi knew what Meng Fan was worried about, "Actually, I don’t mind." 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Meng Fan took Wen Zhi’s hand, leaning in to whisper in her ear, "You need to think it through; even though Liang Yin will introduce you as a friend to those people tonight, do you think they will believe it? In their eyes, you two are either together or on the verge of getting together. There’s hardly any difference, though."

Wen Zhi’s gaze shut out the surrounding landscape, staring directly at the nearby Lake Heart Pavilion, she said, "Actually, I have other plans."

Upon hearing this, Meng Fan asked with immense curiosity, "What plans?"

Wen Zhi turned her head, lightly tapped Meng Fan’s forehead with her finger, "I’m not telling you for now."

"Hey, not even telling me. What’s the matter, got someone else on the side? Am I not that important anymore?" Meng Fan crossed her arms, feigning anger.

"You, you, only you!" Wen Zhi grasped Meng Fan’s arm, saying, "We’ve arrived, let’s go to the Lake Heart Pavilion."

Meng Fan pouted with a smile, feeling joyful at heart. When the boat docked at Lake Heart Pavilion, she followed Wen Zhi into Lake Heart Pavilion.

-

The scenery of West Lake could not be fully appreciated even if one spent two days and nights.

By the time the boat reached the shore, it was nearly four in the afternoon.

Throughout the trip, Meng Fan noticed that Liang Yin was indeed taking special care of Wen Zhi, and he did it with great propriety.

After landing, Meng Fan deliberately slowed down and walked shoulder-to-shoulder with Liang Yin, teasing him, "Master Liang ah, people know you’ve been to the military, if they didn’t, they’d think you’ve gone to upgrade your emotional intelligence somewhere."

Liang Yin’s eyebrows lifted slightly, taking Meng Fan’s teasing in stride without getting angry, "I’ll take that as a compliment then."

Meng Fan quickly turned away, "I wasn’t complimenting you, but I need to remind you, don’t just put on an act. I know you men are all the same, exceedingly attentive until you get what you want, then you stop cherishing it."

Liang Yin looked displeased, "I’m not the kind of man you think I am."

Meng Fan tutted, "We’ll see about that."

Liang Yin was too lazy to explain; it was pointless.

He strode over to Wen Zhi’s side and carefully asked her, "I had Lai Sheng schedule a stylist. Shall we go over now?"

Wen Zhi said, "Whatever you decide is fine."

Liang Yin immediately turned to the couple behind him and said, "We’ve scheduled a stylist. Wen Zhi and I will head over first and see you tonight."

Meng Fan pointed at Liang Yin and said, "Don’t you dare bully our Zhizhi, hear me?"

Liang Yin took out his car keys and jangled them, "Mrs. Rong, please be completely at ease."

Meng Fan withdrew her hand, "That’s more like it."

Liang Yin went to drive the car over, and Wen Zhi got into the passenger seat; rolling down the window, she waved to Meng Fan, "See you tonight."

Meng Fan nodded, watching Liang Yin’s car drive off into the distance.

On the other side, the stylist had already been waiting for a while. When she caught her first glimpse of Wen Zhi, her eyes lit up with astonishment.

"Lai Sheng, why didn’t you give me a heads-up that Liang Yin’s date tonight was so striking?" The stylist elbowed Lai Sheng.

Lai Sheng, rubbing his sore shoulder, said, "Please, you could have guessed with your toes that a woman accompanying Mr. Liang would be anything but ugly. Also, please refer to her as Miss Wen."

The stylist picked up on Lai Sheng’s implications—this Miss Wen was someone Liang Yin valued.

Immediately correcting herself, the stylist said, "If you had told me earlier that Miss Wen was this beautiful, I wouldn’t have prepared all these makeup tools. With her face, a little makeup would outshine everyone."

Having said that, the stylist immediately approached them.

"Mr. Liang, Miss Wen, you’ve arrived."

Liang Yin, hands in his pockets, nodded and gave an affirmative grunt, "Pick out a suitable dress for her. As for the hairstyle, just follow her preference."

The stylist nodded repeatedly and gestured to Wen Zhi, "Miss Wen, this way, please."

Wen Zhi, without any hesitation, stepped forward to follow the stylist.

In the fitting room, the stylist made indirect inquiries about Wen Zhi’s usual style of dress. Wen Zhi was forthright in her response, "Just pick out a cheongsam; as long as the slit isn’t too high, everything else is up to you."

Seeing that Wen Zhi had such a strong opinion, the stylist was very pleased. It made the styling work much easier.

Although the stylist had many cheongsams in her collection, most were classical models from the past, with a strong Retro Republican style. Initially worried that Wen Zhi might not like them, the stylist pointed at the few modern styles she had. To her surprise, Wen Zhi immediately took a liking to a classic lake-green cheongsam.

The stylist felt the color of the cheongsam was a bit light, but since Wen Zhi chose it, she didn’t say much and just introduced it, "The magnolia embroideries here are Suzhou Embroidery."

Wen Zhi looked it over and was very satisfied, pointing, "This one."

The stylist, still concerned, asked, "Miss Wen, don’t you think the color is a bit light?"

Wen Zhi smiled lightly, "I think it’s just right."

With no alternative, the stylist nodded, "Okay, then."

A few minutes later, Wen Zhi emerged from the fitting room in the cheongsam, leaving the stylist utterly spellbound.

Wen Zhi asked, "How does it look?"

The stylist stammered, "Exceedingly stunning."

Who could have imagined that a cheongsam in such a muted color, not particularly eye-catching, could be worn by Wen Zhi with such astonishing elegance.

Bust is bust, hips are hips, her skin a warm white, with the slit ending above the knees, revealing slender calves.

The buttoned lace elegantly wrapped around, matching the color, it seemed tailor-made for Wen Zhi.