Chapter 11

Stepping out of the bar, the sky outside was oppressively muggy, irritating to the senses.

She recalled Jiang Luoying saying before she left that it would rain tonight.

With one arm wrapped around Chen Shuhua’s waist, she struggled to pull out her phone with the other hand and tapped into the weather forecast. It showed rain in half an hour.

There was an umbrella in the car, and the substitute driver would arrive in a few minutes. Cheng Yan waited briefly by the entrance, planning to lead the substitute driver to the car when they came.

Just then, the drunk Chen Shuhua seemed to feel some discomfort in her stomach, starting to writhe in her arms as if trying to break free.

Caught off guard, Cheng Yan was pulled off balance. The two nearly tumbled to the ground right at the bar’s main entrance.

The person behind them reached out and steadied them.

Clutching the person upright, Cheng Yan turned her head to say thanks.

Only then did she realize the one who’d lent a hand was the woman who’d been hitting on her inside the bar.

The woman’s blonde waves were especially conspicuous under the lights of the bar sign. She was looking at Cheng Yan with an inviting gaze. “Need help?”

Her phone vibrated. Cheng Yan smiled. “The substitute driver I called is already here.”

The now righted Chen Shuhua in her arms was furrowing her brow, eyes neither fully open nor shut, murmuring deliriously from time to time, clearly speaking drunken nonsense.

The woman’s gaze swept over the two of them as she shrugged. “Okay, goodbye.”

Cheng Yan breathed a sigh of relief.

But this sigh of relief came far too quickly—so quickly that when she saw a certain person suddenly appear here, her mind went blank for a moment.

At some point, a low-key yet luxurious car had stopped in front of the bar. The lowered black car window revealed Jun Jianqing’s cold, pale face.

Those eyes looking over were also very cold, so cold that Cheng Yan inexplicably froze.

The two locked eyes abruptly. Time seemed to freeze for a split second. Unexpectedly, it was the charming, striking woman beside her who moved first.

Cheng Yan heard the other party say, “Oh my, Older Cousin, you came so fast. I’m really something now, actually able to trouble you to come pick me up.”

She watched the woman in the red dress walk to the black car, her spine curving slightly, clearly talking to the person who had revealed only half their face.

A woman who could so intimately call Jun Jianqing “Older Cousin”—Cheng Yan quickly searched her mind. Two seconds later, a name appeared prominently.

Jun Lijiang. It could be no one else but her.

Ever since she learned that the woman in the wheelchair was the Family Head of Jun Group, Cheng Yan had specifically gone back and searched for some information online.

There wasn’t much, but it was very useful for sorting out relationships between people.

So the woman who had appeared in Gentle Wind Alley before was none other than the current head of Shihong Company, Jun Lijiang.

She glanced at the two of them, then averted her eyes, thinking to herself how unbelievably slow the substitute driver’s few steps were.

She didn’t see that, just a few steps away, Jun Lijiang seemed to have heard something. She paused briefly, looking back at the two women in an embrace.

Jun Lijiang swayed her way back and stopped in front of Cheng Yan.

“So it’s someone I know.” Her final syllable drew out, sounding a bit like flirtation, though her eyes were surprisingly proper now, completely different from moments ago. “This is the daughter of the Chen family, right? Look at her, dead drunk. It’s inconvenient for you handling her alone. Just let the substitute driver go. Ride in our car.”

This offer was clearly authorized.

Cheng Yan fell silent for a moment, her eyes looking in the direction of the car.

The previously lowered half-pane of the car window was now shut tight, cutting off all gazes.

She looked back at Jun Lijiang, about to refuse after some thought.

Jun Lijiang saw through her intention and said with a titter, her hand covering her mouth, “We’re all acquaintances here, so why the formality? Are you treating us like outsiders?”

“…”

Sorry, not acquainted, and yes, you are definitely outsiders.

Right at that moment, her phone vibrated again.

She gave Jun Lijiang an apologetic smile, then answered. The substitute driver on the other end apologized profusely, “I’m so sorry, ma’am. I fell while looking for the way just now and twisted my ankle. I need to go to the hospital to get it checked. I’m afraid I won’t be able to take your order. How about you cancel my order and place another? Of course, since I’ve delayed you with the rain coming, I’ll pay whatever penalty fee is due.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Cheng Yan said, “Just go to the hospital. I’ll place a new order.”

Jun Lijiang only caught snatches of the phone conversation, but she heard Cheng Yan’s words loud and clear.

Her hands clapped lightly together as she laughed. “Well, isn’t that convenient! Forget the substitute driver. We’ll just take you directly.”

So saying, without giving Cheng Yan a chance to react and place a new order, she pulled the drunken Chen Shuhua from her arms towards the car.

At this point, Cheng Yan stopped being evasive.

“Let me do it.” She held onto Chen Shuhua, smiling at Jun Jianqing. “You’re wearing high heels; it’s inconvenient.”

She guided the swaying Chen Shuhua towards the car.

The car door was opened. Before the bodyguard could even get down to help, Cheng Yan had already hoisted Chen Shuhua onto the running board. Then she withdrew the arm around Chen Shuhua’s waist, switching to a two-handed grip on her waist, lifting her slightly to get her into the car.

Immediately after, she quickly got in herself, finding a seat.

Thankfully, the space in this car was generous; another two people wouldn’t feel cramped.

It was just that from the moment they left the bar until now, all the wrangling and exertion had Cheng Yan starting to sweat again.

She lowered her head and found the tissue she carried with her, pressing it to her forehead and wiping away the perspiration.

As she lowered her hand, for some unknown reason, she suddenly locked eyes with Jun Jianqing.

The other’s eyes were very dark, indecipherable in emotion, yet Cheng Yan acutely detected a chill.

She paused. The person beside her had fallen drunk asleep, leaning crookedly against the seat. Of the two of them, only she was left to start socializing.

Jun Lijiang had crossed her legs, watching Cheng Yan’s series of actions with a beaming smile. Only then did she ask, “Are you two heading back to school?”

Cheng Yan was about to say yes, but then remembered the drunk beside her. “Just drop us off at Heshi Community, please.”

“Heshi Community?” Jun Lijiang appeared thoughtful, then nodded with a smile. “Not far from here. You two live there?”

She seemed very curious.

Cheng Yan replied, “My senior’s apartment is there.”

Jun Lijiang raised an eyebrow slightly. “Then I should tell the driver to speed up. Otherwise, when it’s time to take you back to school later, it’ll be raining.”

The moment Jun Lijiang mentioned the word “rain,” Cheng Yan perceived a certain gaze landing on her, then quickly moving away.

She lowered her eyes slightly and said, “No need to rush. I’m not going back to school tonight.”

The air suddenly fell silent, wordlessly quiet.

For a moment, it seemed to press down on everyone, making it hard to breathe.

After a long pause, Jun Lijiang’s languid voice sounded again. “I see.”

Cheng Yan smiled but said nothing more.

Her gaze had been perfectly straight the entire time, not darting a single glance in any other direction.

In this space, neither too large nor too small, no one picked up the topic again. Silence reigned once more.

Until the vehicle smoothly approached the vicinity of Heshi Community.

One more turn, and the gate of Heshi Community would be right ahead.

Cheng Yan lowered her head and took out a simple black rectangular box from her bag. She turned her head to face the woman who had been completely silent the entire journey. Her lips, touched with lip gloss and alcohol, had melded into a faint, pale red. A distant, polite smile appeared on her face. “Aunt Jun.”

Jun Lijiang, who had been dozing, jolted awake in an instant.

What did this girl just call her? Aunt Jun.

Jun Jianqing opened her eyes, silently looking at her. There was no emotion in her gaze.

That kind of gentle, mild feeling hadn’t appeared before her since that day at Clear Ripple Private Dining.

Cheng Yan held out the black rectangular box. Her fair, unadorned hand extended forward, making it appear even paler. She said with frank ease, “I felt somewhat embarrassed that you covered the bill for my senior and me last time. Running into you again this time, it seems I’ve inadvertently troubled you once more. This is a little something I made myself, a small token, nothing much. I hope you can accept it.”

This whole speech successfully gathered Jun Jianqing’s gaze onto her hand.

Throughout the entire ride, just as they were about to part, Cheng Yan finally heard the other party speak.

“You’re too polite.”

Cheng Yan curved her lips. “Your helping us shows your kindness. If I were to shamelessly accept it as a matter of course, time and time again, that would be my lack of understanding.”

Her words, every single one, treated Jun Jianqing with deference as an elder, respectfully, with a touch of flattery.

Jun Jianqing gazed straight at her face. Seeing clearly that distant, restrained smile upon it, she reached out and accepted the gift.

Her hand was also very pale, but when brought close to Cheng Yan’s, it was evident it carried a slightly unhealthy cold whiteness.

The thin back of that hand was veined with faint blue lines. After one glance, Cheng Yan restrained herself and averted her eyes.

Having accepted the gift, Jun Jianqing said, “Thank you.”

The car stopped at the community gate. Cheng Yan turned to support the Chen Shuhua beside her, shaking her head with a smile. “We should be the ones saying thanks.”

Jun Lijiang glanced at her older cousin’s expression and spoke at the opportune moment, “You’re struggling with her. Let me send the bodyguard down to help.”

So saying, she called out to the bodyguard sitting in the front.

Cheng Yan stopped her. “No worries, it’s just a few steps. It’s getting late. Be careful on the road.”

Seeing this, Jun Lijiang didn’t press further.

After watching the two enter, the car door closed. Jun Lijiang leaned back against the seat, rubbing her temples, letting out a yawn. Languidly, she said, “Ah, look at her sleeping so soundly, I’m sleepy too.”

While rubbing her temples, she discreetly lifted a hand, observing her silent older cousin from the corner of her eye. She gently asked, “Older Cousin, who is that girl?”

Thinking of the girl’s beaming “Aunt Jun,” Jun Jianqing closed her eyes briefly and said dispassionately, “Just someone of the younger generation.”

“Really?” Jun Lijiang dropped her hand, draping it lazily over the seat back. “This junior is quite pretty though.”

Especially those eyes, exceptionally captivating.

That was why she had noticed her instantly in the bar.

But now…

Jun Lijiang said teasingly, “Does Older Cousin have some ideas?”

What ‘daughter of the Chen family,’ someone utterly disconnected—why would Older Cousin ever deign to invite her into the car to take her home?

Besides, that so-called Chen daughter who got drunk and passed out, sleeping so soundly even she was getting drowsy.

Was the focus on her?

Jun Lijiang, who had long rolled around amongst women, saw at a glance who it was really about.

Jun Jianqing said flatly, “What ideas could I have?”

Jun Lijiang followed her lead, musing, “Mm, is it that seeing such a pretty girl, you’d like to see her a couple more times when you run into her? Or, seeing such a pretty girl, you’d like to put her by your side so you can see her all the time? It depends entirely on Older Cousin’s ideas.”

“But no matter what, Older Cousin, if you ever have a need, just come find me.”

Meeting Jun Jianqing’s mild incomprehension, Jun Lijiang flicked her hair back and said with a sly grin, “My sugar baby contracts here have already been perfected to the seventh generation. The people drafting them have long been experts. When the time comes, I guarantee Older Cousin will be satisfied.”