Chapter 354 - Are You Acquainted with Danchen? (2/2)
Qi Chenglin and Shen Zhijing’s past engagement was still clear in their memories. Wasn’t it a little exciting now that the ex-fiancee and the current girlfriend had met?
“Danchen, I did not expect to see you here. It has been quite a while since I last saw you. You are already dating Young Master Lin.” Shen Zhiqing looked at Ruan Danchen, her lips curled up cynically.
Ruan Danchen was so tensed that her body stiffened, face paled, and she could not response to Shen Zhijing.
“Are you acquainted with Danchen?” asked Grandmother Qi, her eyes wandered between Shen Zhijing and Ruan Danchen in doubt.
“Danchen is the daughter of an aunt that I knew,” Shen Zhijing explained shortly, then turning her focus to Qi Youxuan. “You must be Youxuan. Look at how much you have grown. I remember holding you in my arms when you were younger.”
Unaware of the truth, Qi Youxuan greeted, “Nice to meet you, auntie.”
Ruan Danchen hugged him protectively, not knowing what Shen Zhijing was plotting.
Nevertheless, she was sure that Shen Zhijing would not want to see her living a good life, even more so with Qi Chenglin. From Shen Zhijing’s perspective, that would be letting Ruan Danchen off lightly.
Shen Zhijing could have revealed Ruan Danchen’s mother’s identity. With such a background, perhaps the Qi family would be unable to accept her as a part of them. Why did she not do so?
“Qi Youxuan, I didn’t know that my aunt had carried you in her arms before. Doesn’t that mean we might have already known each other when we were younger?” Shen Manman said happily, feeling as if she had just gotten closer to Qi Youxuan.
Qi Youxuan scowled and asked, “Dad, is it true?”
“I’m not familiar with this woman. You don’t need to greet her when you meet next time. She had indeed carried you in her arms before, even the nurses did when you were just born. There were so many people who have done that. It would be hard on us if every single one of them also wished to profess their relationship with us.” Qi Chenglin’s elegant hand rested on Qi Youxuan’s small shoulder, covering it completely in his palm. His protectiveness was implied in that move.
The little one turned his head back towards Shen Manman, his chin lifted slightly. “Shen Manman, stop trying to get close to me. We’re not familiar with each other.”
“You…” Feeling hurt, Shen Manman’s eyes teared up.
Guan Liya took pity on the little girl and reprimanded Qi Youyi lightly, “Youyi, please mind your manners.”
“Young Master Lin, do you have to put it this way? Danchen and I…” Shen Zhijing took a glimpse at Ruan Danchen.
“Would you prefer that I divulge in the reason behind our broken engagement?” Qi Chenglin’s eyes narrowed dangerously, stopping her midway for he knew that she intended to give away more details of Ruan Danchen’s identity.
Although Ruan Danchen was partly involved in the broken engagement, he believed that Shen Zhijing would not want the public to know what she had done in the past. Otherwise, her future would be completely destroyed.
“It came to my knowledge that Ms Shen still has not found a suitable boyfriend yet.” Qi Chenglin curled his lips. “Perhaps Ms Shen has every intention to stay single your whole life or you would like the Shen family to be unable to afford your dowry.”
Even though they were in the classroom, the children’s loud voices had drown out theirs, causing the others to be unable to listen in on their conversation.
Shen Zhijing paled. Just then, the bell rang and Qi Chenglin ushered Qi Youxuan back to his seat. Shen Zhijing took another glance at Ruan Danchen before returning to her seat near the entrance.
The others looked at them curiously. Despite not knowing the content of their conversation, they could deduce from Shen Zhijing’s expression that the second young master of the Qi family had just ripped into his ex-fiancee for the sake of his current girlfriend.
Guan Liya and Grandmother Qi stared at Qi Chenglin questioningly. They could not listen clearly to what Qi Chenglin had said. They only knew that he had said something that caused Shen Zhijing’s face to pale.
Ruan Danchen’s heart was heavy with worries throughout the lesson. A large hand suddenly came into her sight, elegant and attractive. The warm palm covered the back of her hands, holding them tight.
Ruan Danchen glanced towards Qi Chenglin when he leaned in closer, his warm lips whispered into her ears, “Don’t worry.”
Ruan Danchen grabbed his hand. The classroom was not a suitable place to have a talk. Therefore she kept silent and tightened her grip on his hand.
Shen Zhijing, on the other hand, was not in the mood to observe Shen Manman’s performance in class. Her focus was entirely on Qi Chenglin and Ruan Danchen throughout the lesson. When she saw Qi Chenglin holding Ruan Danchen intimately and whispering into her ears, Shen Zhijing could not help but clench her teeth.
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When the class was almost over, the class teacher asked the parents to take a look at the handicraft work, hanging on the wall at the back of the classroom.
Ruan Danchen sight instantly went to that yellow lump on the wall. Beside her, Grandmother Qi and Guan Liya were searching through the artworks. “Which one belongs to our Youxuan?”
“Is it that little strawberry bag?” Guan Liya pointed towards the well-made little backpack hanging on the wall.
Upon taking a closer look, they realized that it was not Qi Youxuan’s work.
“Oh, I think that it may be that little bear. Wasn’t Youxuan holding onto a little bear all the time in the past?” said Grandmother Qi, her eyes on the little bear artwork not far away.
However, just as she spoke, she saw a child pulling his mother’s hand and pointed excitedly at that little bear, “Mom, mom, look! I made this together with Grandmother Liu.”
“…” Grandmother Qi let out a cough and beckoned Qi Youxuan over. “Youxuan, come over here. Tell me, which one is yours?”
Qi Youxuan raised his chubby little hand to point at that yellow lump hanging in the center. “That’s the one. Dad made it for me.”
Guan Liya was surprised to hear it that she blurted out before looking at the artwork, “Your dad made you the handicraft work? He must have changed since becoming a father. When he was young, he never did any of those handicraft work assigned by his teacher.”
During that time, Qi Chenglin and Qi Chengzhi were staying in the Qi family manor. Qi Chengzhi is only two years older than Qi Chenglin. Therefore, they would always play together. Qi Chenglin had been following Qi Chengzhi around since he started to wear the open-crotch pants.
Qi Chengzhi had never done those handicraft work when he was in elementary school. When it was Qi Chenglin’s turn to go to the elementary school, he imitated Qi Chengzhi’s bad habits and always left the handicraft work Aunt Liu’s hands.
After being caught by Guan Liya, she told Aunt Liu that she could make the craft together with him but not complete all the work for him.
As a result, Qi Chenglin just deliberately refused to submit any handicraft work and Guan Liya would be called over to school every few days for that matter.
She would be invited to school about three times every week. However, as the school was established by the Qi family, the teacher had to put it in a mild and polite manner whenever she was called over for a discussion, nothing harsh.
Even so, she felt rather exasperated to be invited to school so frequently.
Thus, she did not expect Qi Chenglin, who had become a father, to make a handicraft work for his son.
She looked in the direction that Qi Youxuan pointed to.
Guan Liya, “…”
Grandmother Qi, “…”
Written under the yellow lump was ‘The Yolk that Flowed Out of the Poached Egg’.
Qi Chenglin, “…”
Ruan Danchen, “…”
Guan Liya glimpsed at Qi Chenglin who had been skimping on handicraft work since young. Did he really have to make a yolk when he finally took the effort to make a handicraft work for his son?
Qi Chenglin did not dare to clarify that it was actually a duck, not a yolk.
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After the parents’ visitation day had come to an end, Qi Chenglin along with Ruan Danchen, Grandmother Qi and Guan Liya went on their separate ways.
Qi Chenglin checked the time in the car. As it was already over ten, he instructed Xiao Yang to drive them to Dynasty.
It was almost eleven when they reached Dynasty. Qi Chenglin led Ruan Dancheng directly into his room, telling the waiter to come in and take their order at twelve.
Once they were left alone in the room, Qi Chenglin pulled her over to the tea-tasting couch and set Ruan Danchen on his lap after sitting down on the couch.
Qi Chenglin did not utter a word. His long fingers rubbed the back of her neck, giving her a relaxing massage.
Ruan Danchen finally sighed and rested her forehead against his chest. “I know I can’t hide it forever but I didn’t expect to be seen by Shen Zhijing so quickly. The instant I saw the look in her eyes, I knew that she’ll never let me off so easily. I’m really afraid that she’ll plot something against me.”
Qi Chenglin continued to massage her neck slowly until she had gradually loosened up. He lowered his head to look at her eyes that were dropped slightly. Her lashes were long and curled, dark and thick, but her brows were furrowed faintly.
His warm and attractive lips slid down from her forehead and stopped in between her brows. He planted soft kisses there to slowly smooth her furrowed brows.
“The only thing that she can bring up to cause a scene is that incident seven years ago. Despite holding it against you, she is also being chained down by it. If she makes it public, then the Shen family’s scheme will come to light. It is not beneficial to her in any way. So, she’ll have to figure out another way to get to you. It will be kept at bay as long as she doesn’t want that incident to be made public,” Qi Chenglin explained slowly.
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Extra mini-scene:
Qi Chengzhi: “Actually, Chenglin did make one handicraft work when he was younger. However, it was so terribly done that he stopped after being traumatized.”
Ruan Danchen: “What did he make?”
Qi Chengzhi: “Do you want to know?”
Qi Youxuan: “Yes! Yes! Yes!”
Qi Chengzhi: “Give me your monthly vote and I’ll reveal it.”