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Chapter 82: It wasn’t just for appearance, it was more like branding.
Chen Wengang, with a glass of water in hand, glanced out from the semi-open kitchen. “Have you sent her away already?”
Huo Niansheng shrugged nonchalantly. “They have travel expenses, don’t they? They can go out and eat whatever they like.”
Regarding Jiang Cai’s arrival, his attitude was indifferent—it had nothing to do with personal likes and dislikes, it was simply out of distrust. Jiang Cai hasn’t figured out the situation yet and hasn’t adapted to the change in her identity. After a few years, she will understand everything, and she can become anyone.
Whether she formed alliances or was manipulated, whether you treated her well only to be stabbed in the back, none of it was impossible.
Chen Wengang was willing to treat her kindly for two years, and Huo Niansheng didn’t want to stop him. But once she started to act recklessly, she couldn’t be tolerated.
Jiang Cai hadn’t realized yet that her instinctual fear stemmed from the Damocles sword hanging over her head, already placed there by Huo Niansheng.
He changed his shoes and went behind Chen Wengang, put his hands around his waist, pressed his chin on his shoulders, and watched him sit on the chair and continue making wontons. There was still a bowl of filling left, and the wrappers were pressed by a machine, perfectly square. There was no wooden board, so he was using chopsticks instead. A bowl of clear water sat nearby.
Huo Niansheng lowered his head, playing with the strings of Chen Wengang’s apron, loosening them and tying them back up.
Chen Wengang felt the tension in his back come and go as he leaned forward slightly. “Don’t make trouble.”
Huo Niansheng already had mischievous thoughts in mind. “You’re wearing too much underneath; you should wear nothing at all.”
As he spoke, his hand slipped under the hem of the apron.
Chen Wengang chuckled and reached backward, grabbing his hand and getting a dusting of flour in the process.
After a moment of playfulness, Huo Niansheng said, “If you want to eat something, why not call the housekeeper to make it?”
“It’s not exactly for that reason,” Chen Wengang said, his eyes focused on his task and his hands moving steadily. “I just feel that occasionally taking the time to cook a meal for myself is quite enjoyable. I don’t have the time to do it every day if you ask me to, but being able to cook is still different, and it’s also a skill to learn.”
Huo Niansheng chuckled softly.
He wondered if men had ever fantasized about someone else cooking and taking care of them, but Huo Niansheng rarely had such stereotypical thoughts. There were plenty of people willing to serve him, but that was because they needed to eat, and he felt justified in paying them. But of course, money couldn’t buy warmth. That was an immutable rule, and even Huo Niansheng didn’t entertain such unrealistic thoughts.
As he watched Chen Wengang’s hands, which were adept and not unfamiliar with labor, a feeling akin to tenderness welled up in him.
He stuck close to Chen Wengang’s back, unwilling to leave. “Did you go for acupuncture this week?”
Chen Wengang replied, “Yes, I went, but I went by myself.”
“Oh, how was it?” Huo Niansheng asked.
“It worked. Every time I walk out of Master Chen’s door, I feel lighter.”
Huo Niansheng lowered his head to lightly sniff at Chen Wengang’s neck and shoulder. “Then you should stick with it for a while.”
As he said this, his mind was filled with fragmented, chaotic montages. Huo Niansheng had a feeling that Chen Wengang had seen more than one doctor before. And behind that lay some shared experiences of darkness and cruelty. Whether it was memory or foresight, it felt like a cluttered storage room full of old items covered in dust—unpleasant to touch and difficult to sort through, even though he knew the truth might be buried somewhere within.
But on the surface, Huo Niansheng remained unfazed.
He was accustomed to staying still, both for himself and for others.
Chen Wengang finished wrapping the wonton wrappers and boiled water in the pot. Only when he was about to put them in did he realize the problem.
He asked Huo Niansheng, “How should I season the broth?”
Thinking back to the wontons he had eaten at a roadside stall, where the vendor used broth made from bones as a base. But naturally, there was no broth at home, and Chen Wengang realized he had forgotten to buy seasoning packets from the supermarket.
Originally, Chen Wengang had thought it wouldn’t be difficult based on his memory, but when he tried to make it himself, he found that something was always missing here or there. The more he thought about the required ingredients, the more he realized he was lacking seaweed and shredded chicken, and even though he had shrimp paste, he didn’t have everything he needed.
In the end, Huo Niansheng found a bottle of sesame sauce from the cupboard, added sesame oil, light soy sauce, aged vinegar, and ground pepper, and decided to make it into cold wontons.
Two grown men, having only a bowl of small dumplings for dinner, seemed too simple. Chen Wengang rummaged through the refrigerator, cutting up whatever vegetables he had and making a simple salad with an oil and vinegar dressing.
That was the entirety of their occasional kitchen experience—a bit of a struggle, but at least they didn’t burn down the kitchen.
An hour had passed since they sat face-to-face at the dining table, and the scene was quite homely.
Chen Wengang recounted the disagreement he had with He Jiajun earlier that day.
On the way back, Yu Shanding actually muttered that what was supposed to be a happy day turned out to be like bumping into the god of plague and that he should go to the temple to worship.
Moreover, mentioning He Jiajun inevitably brought up He Wanxin. Especially in two days’ time when the Zheng and He families had arranged to meet.
Huo Niansheng casually remarked, “Seems like she’s in a hurry.”
Chen Wengang glanced at him. While most people would think both families were rushing the marriage process, it was indeed He Wanxin who was the most anxious.
Her anxiety wasn’t about anything else but the fact that she couldn’t wait for Zheng Yucheng to first “establish his career” before “settling down,” as she needed to “settle down” with him first before he could “establish his career.” While Zheng Yucheng was young and incapable, being his woman behind the scenes was currently her best opportunity, giving her a chance to climb up. In a few years, if Zheng Yucheng managed to develop his capabilities and take control of the Zheng family, what relationship would she have with him then? She would just be a wealthy lady who sipped afternoon tea.
That’s not what she wants.
Every big family is infested with fleas under their robes, but the itchiest spots vary. In the case of the He family, He Jiajun may be a rotten apple, but in the eyes of his biological father, He Hongchang, he’s still good. He’s the designated heir, while He Wanxin, even if she overturns the heavens, is still a bastard daughter.
A marriage alliance gave her a way out, so why wouldn’t she be in a hurry?
Chen Wengang put away the plates. “I’ve always said she’s ambitious.”
Huo Niansheng leaned on the table with his arms. “Ambition is a good thing. What’s feared is when it’s not directed properly.”
Chen Wengang thought for a moment, shook his head without saying anything, and took the dishes to the kitchen.
While cooking, he took off his watch and placed it on the coffee table. After a while, it was nowhere to be found. After searching the living room in circles and not finding it, he took a shower and went into the bedroom, only to find Huo Niansheng holding and playing with it.
As Chen Wengang reached out to reclaim it, Huo Niansheng caught his wrist and flipped it over. His movement was swift, almost like magic. Chen Wengang hadn’t paid much attention until he withdrew his wrist and realized that the watch he was wearing had transformed into a Patek Philippe.
That was a bit over the top.
He looked up, and Huo Niansheng casually remarked, “Keep it on. It’s for appearances when we go out.”
Chen Wengang lightly touched the dial with his fingertips and chuckled softly. “I’m afraid its appearance might outshine mine.”
This Patek Philippe wasn’t brand new, and with a closer look, one could see signs of wear—indicative of the fact that it had been taken directly from Huo Niansheng’s wrist and placed onto his own.
Naturally, Huo Niansheng had a collection of many watches, and he didn’t necessarily choose this one for every occasion. But judging from the frequency of wearing it, it is a very commonly used piece and is his favorite. The media has photographed him wearing it and showing off in several photos circulating on the Internet.
Suddenly ending up on someone else’s wrist, to a discerning eye, this wasn’t just about appearances—it was more like being branded.
Chen Wengang gripped his wrist, turned the watch strap, but still didn’t take it off.
In fact, not long after. Two days later, at the dinner table, He Jiajun asked in a strange tone, “Nice watch. Who gave it to you this time?”
All attention suddenly focused on Chen Wengang.
The dinner between the Zheng and He families was scheduled at the usual place, the Crown Hotel. But regardless, it would be awkward for Chen Wengang to attend.
Avoiding Zheng Yucheng and He Wanxin made him seem suspicious, but going there didn’t guarantee a warm reception either.
For half the evening, Chen Wengang felt like he was invisible, quietly picking at his food, until He Jiajun’s disdainful voice broke the silence.
Chen Wengang lowered his head and said calmly, “A friend.”
Mu Qing, sitting diagonally across from him, suddenly spoke up, “Which friend?”
Both Zheng Yucheng and Zheng Maoxun looked at him, the former furrowing his brow while the latter still seemed unsure of the situation.
Zheng Baoqiu gave Mu Qing a cold glance. “He has many friends, and you may not necessarily know them.”
Zheng Bingyi intervened to steer the conversation away.
As the toasts and conversations continued, Chen Wengang excused himself to the outdoor smoking area.
He was alone on the balcony, but before long, He Wanxin approached him.
She said, “I didn’t expect you to have the nerve to come. Now that Zheng Yucheng is mine, I hope you’ll make an effort to avoid suspicion in the future.”
Chen Wengang put his hands in his pockets and looked at her. “It’s okay. You don’t need to say that. Actually, I came today just to see if there was a chance to have a word with you. If there is, fine. If not, I didn’t want to trouble you unnecessarily.”
He Wanxin arrogantly said, “Go ahead, say it.”
Chen Wengang asked, “I’m just curious, do you ever feel like you’ll stoop to any means?”
She glared at him coldly. “What are you trying to say?”
“I’ve heard a bit about your past,” Chen Wengang said. “And then I heard that during your school days, you bullied classmates. If any of the girls in your class offended you, you made sure they suffered. It wasn’t until someone attempted suicide that it made the news, but you didn’t face any consequences, probably because your family helped smooth things over. You wouldn’t want these things to resurface in the media now, would you?”
“Are you trying to threaten me?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“These things can’t threaten me.” He Wanxin relaxed her brows, looking disdainful. “I was just protecting myself. I was being coerced, and if I didn’t follow the leader, I would’ve been bullied myself. Even if it made the news back then, the reports made it clear that others were the masterminds, so it’s not really relevant to me.”
Chen Wengang stared at her. “Yes, on the surface, you seemed like just a follower, while the leading bully in your class was another girl with connections. But I’ve also heard that many things were actually instigated by you. You incited her to bully others, suggested methods of bullying, provided her with strategies, and sowed discord among classmates. Is that true? Does that make you feel good?”
She looked at Chen Wengang. “So what if it is? Now that you’re bringing this up, you can’t find any evidence, can you?”
Chen Wengang said lightly, “You’d better hope I don’t find any other evidence of your crimes.”
He Wanxin’s expression darkened. After hesitating for a moment, seemingly weighing his words, she eventually walked away.
He took out his phone from his pocket, ended the recording, and listened to it once before sending it to Lawyer Zhu.
Lawyer Zhu called back.
Chen Wengang admitted proactively, “The recording was done secretly, and I didn’t really say anything incriminating. It shouldn’t count as evidence.”
Lawyer Zhu said, “It’s alright. At least her reaction tells us there’s something to it. She was a minor back then, so the responsibility might not be pursued too heavily. But, to be honest, a person’s nature is hard to change. Anyway, I’ll make sure to keep an eye on her.”
Chen Wengang chuckled. “Sorry for using you almost like a detective.”
Lawyer Zhu politely dismissed the apology, and then hung up the phone.
Actually, he didn’t know why Chen Wengang was convinced that He Wanxin would commit a crime. Lawyer Zhu had worked for Huo Niansheng for many years and had plenty of leverage over He Jiajun. But when Chen Wengang came to him, his request was clear: to find evidence against He Wanxin and send her to jail.
Of course, he had to seek his boss’s approval beforehand.
Huo Niansheng’s response was simply, “Fine, then go ahead and do it.”
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