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Psst! We're moving!
Shen Tang desperately hoped that Wen Di’s message was just a prank. However, the next message from Wen Di shattered her self-deceptive hopes.
[Her fiancée’s name is Tian Qing Lu. Doesn’t it sound different?]
Tian Qing Lu—the woman who had caused her misunderstanding for more than half a year—was actually Yan He Yu’s fiancée and often appeared with Jiang Cheng Yu at various events.
Jiang Cheng Yu must have known but didn’t say a word about it.
His so-called aversion to marriage was only for women like her, without influential family backgrounds.
Arranged marriages were their ultimate choice.
Shen Tang thought of the dream she had on the plane—it was her subconscious fear that one day it would come true.
Inside or outside the dream, the heart-wrenching pain was the same.
At this moment, Wen Di needed no comfort; comforting wouldn’t help.
Shen Tang: [Don’t be afraid. I’ll come over. Where did you meet?]
Wen Di: [No need for you to come. I can handle it myself.] She didn’t know what Tian Qing Lu intended. If things got awkward, she didn’t want Shen Tang to get involved.
Shen Tang knew Wen Di’s temperament well. Her refusal wasn’t out of politeness.
She decided to take a chance. She instructed the driver to speed up and headed to the café where she and Wen Di had planned to meet for afternoon tea.
Half of the semi-baked cheese remained in her hand, but she suddenly lost her appetite.
Shen Tang opened her water bottle and washed down the remaining cheese with half a bottle of water.
She had loved cheese since childhood—various kinds of cheese.
Even after all these years, she never tired of it.
In college, a classmate once said it might be genetic.
The classmate wanted to elaborate on her point, but Shen Tang stopped her.
She detested the idea of genetics.
If possible, she truly wished she wasn’t born to Xiao Zhen and Chen Nan Jin.
She ate only one piece from the box of semi-baked cheese and put the rest away.
The car entered the most congested part of the road, crawling inch by inch.
Shen Tang wasn’t in the mood to admire the view outside. Her stomach felt uneasy.
The towering skyscrapers slowly receded, and along the way, she caught glimpses of GR Capital’s logo and Jingxu Group’s towering building.
Dazzling, unreachable.
Jiang Cheng Yu should be inside having a meeting right now.
Until this moment, she still felt like she was in a dream.
Yan He Yu was already engaged to Tian Qing Lu. After more than three years of relationship with Wen Di, he simply discarded her.
Not only did he discard her, but he also placed Wen Di in the position of being the other woman.
Her soul wandered aimlessly as the car stood still. Shen Tang took out her phone and randomly browsed entertainment gossip to distract herself from the chaotic emotions tearing her apart.
Sheng Xiao’s Fate had trended on social media.
She remembered today was the day the production team allowed the media to visit.
Most of the videos in the trending topic were about Chu Ran. Losing interest, Shen Tang exited the discussion.
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, Chu Ran finally felt a little relieved, though she still felt bitter about losing the endorsement deal.
During her break, she called her second aunt.
As she waited for the call to connect, her heart raced to her throat.
Her second aunt wasn’t as close as her second uncle—they were separated by blood ties.
Xiao Zhen was surprised to receive Chu Ran’s call. She maintained the gentleness expected of an elder: “Ran Ran, aren’t you filming today?”
“Yes, but I don’t have any scenes right now.” Chu Ran usually spoke without thinking when talking to others, seeking instant gratification. But in front of Xiao Zhen, every word she spoke was carefully weighed.
“Second Aunt.”
Her tone was both coy and aggrieved.
“What’s wrong?” Xiao Zhen patiently asked. She had been exhausted by Chu Xiao Yue’s fanatical behavior recently and had little patience left for anyone else’s complaints.
Chu Ran put aside her clever tricks in front of Xiao Zhen. By going directly to her second aunt instead of her second uncle, she hoped Xiao Zhen would see how desperate she was.
“It’s like this: the Lemon Drink endorsement was supposed to renew this month, but unexpectedly, they signed Shen Tang, and my renewal fell through. Second Aunt, you know we’ve had conflicts before. This is already the second endorsement she’s taken from me. I don’t care about the endorsement itself, but I can’t swallow this humiliation.”
Anything involving Shen Tang made Xiao Zhen set aside her work. “Is Shen Tang endorsing Lemon Drinks now?”
“Yes, she’s back in Beijing today to shoot a new ad.” Seeing Xiao Zhen’s serious tone, Chu Ran gained confidence. “My contract with Lemon expires in May. They’re having Shen Tang shoot ads for a new product. Once my contract ends, they’ll officially announce her as the spokesperson.”
So even if Shen Tang shot the ad now, there was still a chance for her to turn things around—but it all depended on what her second aunt decided to do.
Xiao Zhen pondered deeply for a while. “You didn’t come home for New Year’s or the Lantern Festival. Let me arrange my work, and in a few days, Zhao Chi Yi and I will visit your set.”
Chu Ran clutched her chest, her heart nearly leaping out of excitement. She hadn’t expected her second aunt to visit her on set. “Thank you, Second Aunt. I miss you too.”
But the thought of Zhao Chi Yi coming made her bittersweet.
Was he coming to see her or to see Shen Tang?
________________________________________
This afternoon dragged on endlessly, each second stretched out tenfold, even a thousandfold.
At 3:30 PM, the time she was supposed to meet Wen Di for tea, she was still stuck in traffic.
Shen Tang checked her watch repeatedly, but the hands moved steadily forward without haste.
She didn’t know how Wen Di was doing or whether she had met with Tian Qing Lu yet.
With Wen Di’s proud nature, anything could happen.
She urged the driver three times or more.
Her heart was being torn apart inch by inch. At this moment, only she and Wen Di could truly understand each other’s pain.
Finally, the car crawled into the restaurant parking lot.
As soon as it stopped, Shen Tang pushed open the door and rushed toward the elevator.
She wore glasses and a hat, blending in enough that no one recognized her.
Perhaps it was intuition—Wen Di chose this restaurant, though the private room was on a different floor.
With the help of bodyguards, Shen Tang easily found the room.
Tian Qing Lu must have arrived; Wen Di’s driver stood outside the door. Wen Di wasn’t foolish—she brought someone along in case things went south and she needed assistance.
The driver recognized Shen Tang and let her in without hesitation.
Tian Qing Lu sat with her back to the door, wearing a fitted pale pink dress, her posture impeccable.
Her innate sense of superiority gave her an imposing presence.
“I don’t know who’s more pitiful.”
She paused.
Self-derisively, she continued: “It must be me. Look at me—I’m here to see you. If I could handle men, I wouldn’t be here, right? I don’t know what Yan He Yu told you, but it doesn’t matter anymore. How could he not know who he’s going to marry? It’s not just him—even Jiang Cheng Yu, whom you know well, has a future wife everyone knows about. In families like ours, marriage isn’t a choice. Whether it’s love or personal preferences, everything bows to family interests.”
Sensing movement at the door, Wen Di looked up, startled.
Following her expression, Tian Qing Lu turned around.
She hadn’t expected Shen Tang to appear in Beijing—wasn’t she filming in Hengdian?
Shen Tang, Jiang Cheng Yu’s current girlfriend, was somewhat familiar to her.
Having said everything she needed to, Tian Qing Lu stood up and bowed slightly to Wen Di. “I apologize for disturbing you today.”
Taking her coat, Tian Qing Lu calmly left.
As she passed Shen Tang, she hesitated briefly but said nothing.
When they brushed past each other, Shen Tang kept her gaze straight ahead.
Ignoring her own pain, she strode toward Wen Di. “Are you okay?”
Wen Di tried to comfort her: “Jiang Cheng Yu is not like Yan He Yu. They’re not the same kind of people. There’s a difference between decent men and scum.”
Shen Tang smiled—a bitter smile.
She reached out to hug Wen Di. “It’s just a man. You still have me.”
Wen Di felt numb, her limbs cold, her mind frozen.
Shen Tang poured her a glass of warm water, not asking what she and Tian Qing Lu had talked about. “The person who deserves a beating is Yan He Yu. Are you going to hit him? If you won’t, I will. I have experience fighting—I know how to throw a punch.”
Wen Di gripped the glass tightly, treating it like a lifeline. “I’ll hit him myself.” She reassured Shen Tang, “Don’t worry, I won’t cry or make a scene. Didn’t you say it’s just a man? If I want someone, I can find them.”
Shen Tang helped steady her glass; her hands trembled uncontrollably.
She knew Wen Di was forcing herself not to cry. Today, she had lost not only a relationship of over three years but also her dignity.
After drinking half the glass of water, Wen Di rested her head on the sofa, closing her eyes.
Shen Tang feared she’d catch a chill and draped her coat over her.
She quietly accompanied Wen Di, staring out the window, her eyes empty.
And so it went until night fell.
Wen Di still had no strength. The blow Tian Qing Lu delivered today was devastating. Some things she didn’t want to tell Shen Tang—other than adding to her anger, there was no point.
“Tang Tang, go back. Jiang Cheng Yu should be finishing work soon.”
She sat up straight. “I’ll go back and find Yan He Yu.”
Shen Tang touched her hand—it was as cold as ice. “I’ll take you home.”
“No need. It’s not a big deal.” Wen Di gestured toward the door. “I have a driver.”
She stood up, her legs still weak, and repeatedly reminded Shen Tang: “Don’t fight with Jiang Cheng Yu when you go back. Yan He Yu’s engagement is difficult for him too. He can’t exactly stop Yan He Yu from getting engaged.”
As she spoke, Wen Di took a few shaky steps but managed to stay upright.
She turned to look at Shen Tang. “Jiang Cheng Yu probably doesn’t know whether Yan He Yu was honest with me. We rarely talk about the details of our relationships, let alone men like them. Jiang Cheng Yu must have done what he could. I trust his character.”
Shen Tang nodded, saying nothing. She handed Wen Di her coat.
After putting on the coat, they went downstairs.
Wen Di’s rationality slowly returned. With each moment of clarity, the thorn in her heart sank deeper.
"When I got the call from Tian Qinglu, my mind was in turmoil. I sent you a message without much thought. It was so hard for you to return to Beijing, and I ruined your good mood."
Shen Tang glanced at her, displeased by her formality. “Who else would you turn to at a time like this?”
Wen Di smiled, raising her hand to smooth Shen Tang’s hair. “I just sold another script—for almost eight figures. During the spring auction, if you see anything you like, I’ll buy it for you.”
Shen Tang laughed along with her. “Then I’ll paint more still-life pieces.”
Both were laughing carelessly, and soon they reached the parking lot.
Before parting, Wen Di hugged Shen Tang tightly. At this moment, waves of sorrow surged within her.
“When you’re free, come visit me in Hengdian.”
Wen Di: “I’ll definitely bother you.”
They each got into their cars and left.
Shen Tang gazed out the window. When had Beijing’s nightscape become so unfamiliar? A sense of distance stretched between her and the city.
Halfway through the journey, Jiang Cheng Yu called to ask where she was.
Shen Tang: “Almost there.” She asked, “What about you?”
“At home. I’m washing fruit for you.”
Everything seemed to have returned to the sweet familiarity of their past.
When Shen Tang arrived home, Jiang Cheng Yu had washed five types of fruit, placing them in transparent bowls of varying sizes.
He had rolled up his sleeves to his elbows, loosened his tie, and the warm light from the kitchen illuminated him, softening his features.
“Why did your afternoon tea with Wen Di last until evening?”
Shen Tang hummed noncommittally, washed her hands, and picked up a ‘White Lover’ strawberry to eat.
She looked at him. “Wen Di only found out today that Yan He Yu is engaged.”
Jiang Cheng Yu paused while drying his hands.
Hadn’t Yan He Yu said he’d already handled everything?
He didn’t defend himself but asked, “Are you blaming me for not telling you about Yan He Yu’s engagement?”
From his eyes, Shen Tang could tell he didn’t know Yan He Yu was still in contact with Wen Di.
“I’m not blaming you. Blaming you won’t change anything.”
Her tone still carried a trace of resentment.
Jiang Cheng Yu picked up a piece of fruit and fed it to her, hesitating to speak.
Shen Tang: “Just say whatever you want to say.”
With one hand, he pulled her close. “Comfort Wen Di more. The marriage between the Yan and Tian families is none of our business as outsiders.”
Shen Tang swallowed the fruit in her mouth and stared directly into his eyes. “What about you? Don’t you have a tacitly agreed-upon arranged marriage candidate too?”
Jiang Cheng Yu clearly didn’t want to delve into the topic. “Why are you bringing this up?”
Shen Tang had already guessed the answer from his reaction. “Answer directly. Don’t dodge the question.”
She was determined to get to the bottom of it. Jiang Cheng Yu shoved the remaining half of the fruit into his mouth. “Yes, there are many trying to matchmake me. But I’m not getting married. If I were, I’d already be married by now—not meeting you.”
After learning about Yan He Yu and Tian Qing Lu’s engagement, many people pressured his parents to push him into marriage. Even his mother seized the opportunity, suggesting it was time for a fresh start in the new year.
He didn’t respond.
“Other than you, I haven’t liked anyone else. Whatever you’ve heard, don’t take it to heart.”
So there really was an arranged marriage candidate, though they hadn’t reached the stage of discussing engagements or weddings.
Hearing it from Tian Qing Lu versus hearing it from him felt entirely different.
For a moment, Shen Tang almost wanted to ask him what kind of woman might one day become his fiancée.
She laughed bitterly at herself. How could she even think such thoughts?
What did it have to do with her?
The woman who could marry him would naturally come from a top-tier family, possess exceptional qualities, and her looks? No need to say—her demeanor alone would outshine ordinary people.
Like Tian Qing Lu—her poise and charisma added to her beauty.
Shen Tang ate a white strawberry, also known as a ‘White Lover,’ though it tasted like nothing.
Each word she spoke was eerily calm: “Today, Wen Di sat there, unable to refute anything Tian Qing Lu said. I wonder if I’ll ever have a day like that—being looked down on and treated with disdain.”
Jiang Cheng Yu leaned down and kissed her eyelids lightly. “Don’t look at me like that. I’m not Yan He Yu.” He reiterated: “I’ve already said—I’m not getting married. No matter who tries to matchmake me, I won’t marry.”
Though his words seemed meant to reassure her, they also stabbed her heart.
An oppressive silence hung between them.
Jiang Cheng Yu tightened his arm around her waist. “Stop overthinking.”
At this moment, anything he said felt like an excuse.
He simply held her tighter.
Shen Tang looked up. “I had a dream on the plane. I dreamed about you.”
“It’s rare for you to dream about me.” Jiang Cheng Yu asked, “What was I doing in your dream?”
Instead of answering, Shen Tang asked with a faint smile, “Jiang Cheng Yu, how far do you think we can go?”
“Here we go again.” Jiang Cheng Yu didn’t understand why she kept bringing up unpleasant topics lately. He had tried his best to distract her, but she always circled back to love and marriage.
Shen Tang could hear the impatience in his voice. “Do you think I’m annoying now?”
“No, I know you’re in a bad mood today.” Jiang Cheng Yu kissed the top of her head, unwilling to argue. He conceded: “Alright, let’s not talk about this.”
With everything laid bare, avoiding the topic would be self-deception. Shen Tang spoke frankly: “Even if we don’t talk about it today, we’ll have to face it someday. Avoidance won’t help.”
Jiang Cheng Yu’s expression shifted. “Shen Tang, you weren’t like this before.” Back then, their relationship was comfortable, with space for each other. There was no suspicion, no arguments.
“Because I only liked you back then and didn’t expect anything. Now it’s different.” Shen Tang felt sadness and sorrow. “Human hearts are greedy—I’m no exception. The more I want, the worse it gets. Before, I wouldn’t feel upset if I didn’t hear from you for a month. Now, I wait anxiously for your calls every day. That feeling is terrible.”
Jiang Cheng Yu looked down at the person in his arms, suddenly unsure of where he stood.
Similar words had been said to him a few years ago.
The only difference was that he and that person hadn’t had physical contact.
That person had ended by saying: I’m sure my feelings for you aren’t platonic—they’re romantic. Before, I didn’t mind not being in touch, but now I look forward to seeing you every day. Jiang Cheng Yu, let’s be together. Our families already hope we’ll marry anyway.
At the time, he hadn’t been moved. But now, Shen Tang’s words left him flustered.
His silence made her feel how laughable her confession was. “Pretend it was just a joke.” She pushed him away and tried to leave.
Jiang Cheng Yu pulled her back. “Why are you pressuring me into marriage?”
Shen Tang always picked up on key words. “Before me, was someone pressuring you to get married?”
Jiang Cheng Yu didn’t deny it. He remained silent.
Shen Tang didn’t care who that woman was—it was meaningless now.
Anyway, their relationship had reached its end.
She smiled. “Did you think I was just now pressuring you to marry me? Am I that pathetic?”
“It was my poor choice of words. I spoke carelessly.” Jiang Cheng Yu felt utterly helpless.
It's so hard to meet up and then things turn out like this.
From New Year’s until now, she said she was in a bad mood. How could he feel any better?
When busy, he didn’t notice. But when he returned home, he felt something was missing. Yet she insisted on being stubborn, deliberately picking fights with him.
In the end, he was the one who compromised first. He missed her and found ways to bring her back to Beijing.
“Tang Tang, let’s not argue anymore. Do you really think marriage is that wonderful? Even the happiest couples just argue less than others. Other than that, there’s no difference.”
At least arguing meant having a home. When not fighting, there was someone to care about and miss. That was better than being alone. He didn’t want to marry now, but what about when he turned thirty-five? Forty?
What if one day he decided to marry someone from a suitable family background? How would she move forward alone?
Shen Tang had made up her mind and stopped arguing with him. She let him say whatever he wanted. “Mm.”
“What time is your ad shoot tomorrow?”
“Nine o’clock.”
“You’ll have to wake up early to go to the studio.” Jiang Cheng Yu didn’t want to continue the suffocating conversation. “Go upstairs and take a bath. Let’s sleep early tonight.”
Shen Tang raised her arms and hugged him tightly. “Not yet. Let me hold you a little longer.”
She buried her face in his chest and remained silent afterward.
Jiang Cheng Yu’s heart slowly calmed. He reflected that he shouldn’t have used the term “pressuring marriage” on her.
“In the future, you don’t need to wait for my calls. I’ll call you whenever I have time.”
He lifted her chin and kissed her lips, his breath intoxicating.
Shen Tang bit him hard.
Jiang Cheng Yu took it as her venting her frustration. “The snowmen are still in the fridge. Want to see them?” He coaxed her gently, his tone cautious.
Shen Tang had lost interest in everything but nodded anyway.
Jiang Cheng Yu breathed a sigh of relief. At least she wasn’t angry anymore.
He held her hand and led her to the fridge to show her the six snowmen.
To preserve this gift, he had specially asked the housekeeper to clear a shelf in the fridge.
The six snowmen stood quietly inside, each no taller than twenty centimeters, wearing different red hats and scarves.
It had taken quite some effort.
Shen Tang turned to look at him. “Since when did you become so romantic?”
Jiang Cheng Yu closed the fridge door. “My niece asked me to build snowmen for her. After making them for her, I thought of making some for you too.”
He intertwined his fingers with hers, intending to return to the bedroom upstairs.
Her phone vibrated on the island counter.
He let go of Shen Tang. “Go upstairs first. I’ll take this call and come up.”
Shen Tang picked up a white strawberry, didn’t eat it, exhaled softly, and went upstairs.
Jiang Cheng Yu picked up his phone—it was Tian Qing Lu calling.
“What is it?” He leaned against the counter, arranging the fruit on a plate to take upstairs for Shen Tang’s bath later.
Tian Qing Lu had debated at home for a long time but decided to be honest, fearing the consequences if it affected his relationship with Shen Tang.
“I met Wen Di today. Shen Tang unexpectedly showed up halfway through. I said things I shouldn’t have, and I think she heard everything.”
Jiang Cheng Yu continued arranging the fruit. “What did you say?”
His tone was calm, but Tian Qing Lu could sense his displeasure. “I don’t remember the exact words, but roughly, I said something like, ‘In families like ours, marriage has never been about personal choice.’ And... ‘You know very well who you’ll marry in the future.’ Something like that.”
Jiang Cheng Yu set down the fruit in his hand, finally understanding why Shen Tang had been acting strangely tonight.
Tian Qing Lu: “I didn’t mean to say it. I didn’t know she had entered the room. Later, I didn’t explain because it would have seemed too deliberate.”
She repeated what she had said to him years ago in Guangzhou: “That person whose heart you broke—she hasn’t contacted you in years. Isn’t Auntie Jiang trying to matchmake you two? I wasn’t completely making things up.”
Still, she apologized. “Sorry, I hope I didn’t cause trouble for you.”
Jiang Cheng Yu said coldly: “Keep your affairs to yourself. Don’t drag me into them.”
He ended the call.
Carrying the fruit plate, he went upstairs to find Shen Tang.
Shen Tang had just called her driver to come pick her up at the villa.
She went into the walk-in closet, found several unused suitcases, and began packing her things.
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