Chapter 21 (2/2)

Yun Jin saw how frantic Cheng Zheng was and couldn’t contain her laughter anymore. Before Cheng Zheng could compute that she had laughed, she walked up to him and gave him a hug.

Cheng Zheng dangled his hands limply and for a few seconds his body was rigid as he did not know how to react. He could feel the warmth of her body enveloping him, proving what he saw was real. He slowly brought up his hands in mid air before returning the hug with all his might.

“Tsk tsk. Aunty, dad, would you look at the pair? They’re treating us as scenery. Don’t just criticize me in future.” Zhang Yue watched in satisfaction and didn’t neglect to remark.

He was hugging her too tightly and Yun Jin was finding it difficult to breath. She hurriedly pushed Cheng Zheng away and wriggled out of his embrace. The regale lady who didn’t look a day over forty was actually his mother! Yun Jin knew her reckless actions had made her the centre of attention and she was so mortified that she avoided everyone’s gaze and stared at the floor.

Cheng Zheng’s mother did not bother to conceal her obvious scrutiny of Yun Jin as her gaze swept up and down multiple times. Yun Jin felt uneasy as she was well aware that her humble attire and family background was far inferior to the powerful family before her. However, her pride forced her to raise her head and look Cheng Zheng’s mother squarely in the eyes.

She waited for aunty to reach an a.s.sessment of her. Unexpectedly, she laughed suddenly and exclaimed “So you are Su Yun Jin! I was looking so hard but I failed to see any traces of a cold-blooded person that Ah Zheng described.”

“When did I say that?!” Cheng Zheng interrupted unhappily.

“In the summer of year three, after labour day in your soph.o.m.ore year in university, when you were about to progress to year three. You said so on all three occasions. Do I need to bring up more details?” Zhang Jin Yin rattled off drily as Zhang Yue laughed blatantly at Cheng Zheng’s predicament.

“That’s funny, when people ask your age you don’t remember, but things that don’t concern you you recall with such clarity.” Cheng Zheng deadpanned in return, angry at his mother’s betrayal.

“My precious son’s love life is of course a great concern of mine!” Zhang Jin Yin winked at her son.

Yun Jin thought to herself just as I was thinking mother and son don’t look the least bit alike… No one can deny their relations.h.i.+p; the way they speak, their mannerisms, they’re practically a carbon copy!

“Uncle, send them away! They’re nothing but a bunch of troublemakers.” Cheng Zheng pleaded with the solemn middle-aged man.

Zhang Jin Meng – a heavyweight in the business world whom Yun Jin was used to seeing on the Financial Times was now patting his nephew lovingly on the arm as he said “Do own up Ah Zheng. You did say such a thing before. Even I remember it.”

Yun Jin continued to smile, as she slowly let her guard down. She could tell that he was a blessed child to have grown up in a family that clearly doted on him. Perhaps it was this environment that helped him develop such unbridled confidence.

“h.e.l.lo Yun Jin, it’s been a while.” Shen Ju An who had been watching the events unfold with a light smile finally greeted her.

Cheng Zheng appeared to be deep in thought and he suddenly whispered to Yun Jin “He’s my cousin’s boyfriend now.”

“Cheng Zheng what are you mumbling about? I haven’t had a chance to speak.” Zhang Yue held Shen Ju An’s hand and smiled at Yun Jin “It’s a little complicated isn’t it? That’s why I always say life has all these unexpected twists and turns just like a drama.” Shen Ju An looked at Zhang Yue quietly and his eyes reflected a softness in it.

Indeed real life imitated reel life; even the intertwining relations.h.i.+p web was so unpredictable. When she had traversed the school garden hand-in-hand with Shen Ju An, she never foresaw such a day coming.

“Yeah Ju An, it’s good to see you again.” Yun Jin replied.

Zhang Jin Yin smiled and nodded her head at Yun Jin who supposed this was the former’s style of greeting. “My useless child has been telling me all about you all this while. As his mother, even I have grown tired of his incessant droning on about you. This is nice. He was always so impulsive as a child, now finally someone gave him a taste of hards.h.i.+p. But the way I see it, all misunderstandings have finally been cleared.”

Yun Jin plastered a smile on her face in return.

Zhang Jin Yin said to Cheng Zheng “Since you’re fine I’ll make a move. Look at you, it’s as though your hand is glued to hers… I know what you’re thinking so tell me outright, do you want to return to your uncle’s place or back to the apartment I bought you?”

Cheng Zheng expressed his wish to return to the apartment and Zhang Jin Yin directed the chauffer to send them there while she took her brother’s car.

On the other hand, Shen Ju An and Zhang Yue had driven over in their own car. As she was about to leave, Zhang Yue instructed Cheng Zheng mischievously “Don’t be overeager when you reach the apartment. If you need any advice, be sure to ask me.”

At the sight of Cheng Zheng raising his fist at her in mock warning, she cackled joyfully as Shen Ju An drove off.

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