Chapter 16 (1/2)

Chapter 16

The next morning, Yun Jin rose with a pounding head. She ached all over so she sat on the edge of her bed to gather her senses. Yesterday’s memories slowly trickled in. She had overindulged in alcohol and it appeared that Ju An had sent her home.

She headed towards the ladies while ma.s.saging her temples. A hostel mate, Xiao Wen, smiled slyly “Yun Jin, how much did you actually drink? You were dead drunk.”

“One gla.s.s of beer.”

“What?! That was the result of only one measly cup?” Xiao Wen rolled her eyes. “But then again, if such a handsome guy were to send me home, I would also be drunk; drunk with flattery!”

Yun Jin smiled and washed up. However, Xiao Wen was so excited that she walked up to Yun Jin and nudged her “Oh do tell how you met that handsome guy!”

Yun Jin froze. Shen Ju An was someone every student recognized.

“The person who sent me home yesterday … ?”

“Oh quit acting.” Xiao Wen chided her. “That hottie isn’t from our school right? I just know our school won’t produce men with such an aura.”

“What aura?” Yun Jin put down the towel in her hand.

“It’s hard to describe; his build is flawless and he seemed so cool that I … Aye, it’s the same guy that Xiao Lu said was your boyfriend. The one waiting at the foot of our block. Wait, so who’s the real …”

Yun Jin couldn’t care less about what Xiao Wen was saying as she changed hurriedly before making her way to Shen Ju An’s hostel. Her confusion was increasing by the minute. She could have sworn her last memory was that of her leaning on Shen Ju An’s shoulder. What reason could there be for Cheng Zheng to have sent her back? Could something have happened that she wasn’t aware of?

When she reached Shen Ju An’s hall, his hostel-mates informed her that he had already left. Without hesitation, Yun Jin dashed towards the library. She had never wanted to see Shen Ju An more desperately. She needed to know exactly what had happened the night before.

As expected, she found him in the usual spot. When she approached him, he was buried in a book. When he finally noted her presence, he didn’t appear surprised but smiled as he usually did “You’re here. How do you feel? Are you uncomfortable anywhere?”

Yun Jin sat beside him and asked directly “How is it that he sent me home instead of you?”

Shen Ju An looked in her eyes “Is there anything wrong with that?”

“What do you mean?” Yun Jin’s eyes widened.

Shen Ju An didn’t reply. He thought for a while before slowly moving closer to her. Before she could react, he kissed her lightly on the lips before leaning back again. “Yun Jin I realise all this time we’ve been together, I have never once kissed you.”

Yun Jin finally made sense of it “So you’re bothered by his words. It’s not like that. Back then …”

“You don’t have to explain.” Shen Ju An gently cut her off. “I’ve previously mentioned that I won’t give you up because of other people’s interference, much less because of what happened in the past.

“Then why? I don’t believe it’s because he’s Zhang Jin Meng’s nephew.”

Shen Ju An smiled and avoided the question “Yun Jin, I know you very well. You may be able to kid Cheng Zheng and even yourself but you can’t hide it from me. I’ve not broken your cover because I thought you were able to let the past go. But I see now that it’s not an easy thing to do.”

“If I wanted to be with him, I wouldn’t have waited till now.” Yun Jin hated that she was the sort who couldn’t express herself easily.

“Do you not want to be with him? Or do you not dare?” Shen Ju An was unusually cutting with his words.

“I don’t love him.” Yun Jin persisted.

Shen Ju An shook his head. “Then do you love me? Do you love the ideal me, or the real me?”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying.” Yun Jin mumbled as tears pooled in her eyes.

“You do understand Yun Jin. I know we have a wonderful time together because I feel the same. But that’s only because we’re similar in many ways. This is not love. I have my pride.”

Yun Jin bit on her lip to control herself and the tears that were threatening to spill. She said stubbornly “What on earth did he say to you? Tell me.”

Shen Ju An kept his silence.

“Fine. If you won’t tell me, I’ll ask him.”

Yun Jin left the library and headed straight for the school gates. Even when she crossed paths with her fellow peers, she didn’t even bother acknowledging them.

At this moment, Cheng Zheng was still in the city at a relative’s place in an upmarket district. As he had invited Yun Jin and Shen Ju An to his place only two days previously, Yun Jin could roughly remember the way.

When she reached the apartment, Yun Jin pounded on the door with all her might. The door swung open almost immediately and Cheng Zheng stared at her with a delighted expression. But before he had a chance to say anything, Yun Jin delivered a resounding slap.

Cheng Zheng touched his cheek and shouted “Are you crazy?”

Strangely, the tears that Yun Jin had been trying so hard to keep in finally burst its banks. It seemed as though she paid no heed to Cheng Zheng’s wrath. She herself was also different from her usual peaceful manner as she grabbed his clothes and delivered punches and kicks. She cried out “Cheng Zheng you jerk! What did you tell him?”

Cheng Zheng was trying to s.h.i.+eld his face as he slowly backed into the house.

“That’s enough. My patience has its limits. Urgh …” Yun Jin’s nails had dugged into his chin drawing blood. He was in pain and immediately grabbed both her hands to stop her.

“What’s so great about being rich?” Seeing that she could not withdraw her hands, Yun Jin was even more infuriated and she kneed him.

Cheng Zheng yelled in pain and used his strength to push her onto the nearby sofa. He then used his weight to pin down her arms and legs before yelling “You’re too much. Are you trying to end my family line?”

Yun Jin could not move. She wanted to curse at him but she couldn’t find the right vocabulary to do so. She cried out “What must I do so that you will leave me alone? How long will you continue to bully me?” Yun Jin cried and cried, as though releasing all her pent-up anguish at having lost Shen Ju An as well as all her frustration at the never-ending struggle with Cheng Zheng.