“If you had the sense to come see me properly, I wouldn’t have had to call your secretary!” Wang Cheng huffed and puffed over the phone.
Didn’t he know his own grandson’s character? All talk, but whether he’d actually follow through was another matter entirely.
Su Wenjing chuckled lightly. “How could that be? I really am coming back to see you this time, don’t worry.”
He wasn’t lying this time—after all, Ms. Wang had instructed him before he left to visit his grandfather and check on his health.
“Alright then, hurry up and finish your work. Your grandmother misses you terribly.”
“Oh, so you’re saying you don’t miss me?”
Su Wenjing saw right through his grandfather using his grandmother as an excuse.
Unfortunately, the old man was too steady in his years to be affected by the teasing tone. After saying “Stop with the nonsense,” he hung up.
With a beep, Su Wenjing looked at the ended call screen, clicked his tongue softly, put his phone back in his pocket, and signaled his secretary to begin the itinerary report.
Wen Zhi and her best friend Shen Muxi had been thoroughly enjoying their vacation in Hong Kong these past two days, savoring their rare break.
However, on the morning of the third day, Shen Muxi suddenly grew restless.
Sitting on the hotel sofa, she clutched her phone tightly, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. Her crush—Lin You—was about to return from a business trip in South Africa.
The news thrilled her, but when she turned to look at Wen Zhi, a flicker of hesitation crossed her eyes.
“Zhi Zhi, could you…” Shen Muxi stammered, her voice tinged with shyness and pleading.
Wen Zhi, who had been absorbed in watching the bustling traffic outside the window, was interrupted. She turned to her friend, looking puzzled.
Shen Muxi gave a guilty chuckle, clutching her phone as she walked over to Wen Zhi. Gathering her courage, she continued, “It’s just… could you let me leave two days early? Lin You is back…”
Oh dear, hearing Lin You’s name, Wen Zhi immediately knew what her friend was up to.
“I really can’t with you. Weren’t you just following him around Europe not long ago? How long has it even been since you last saw him?”
Wen Zhi was slightly exasperated. This woman had lost her mind.
“Ah, you don’t understand. I’m not his girlfriend yet, and there are so many amazing women around him. What if someone else gets to him first? Wouldn’t all my efforts go to waste?”
Shen Muxi softened her voice, coaxing Wen Zhi.
Having known her best friend for over a decade, Wen Zhi understood that Shen Muxi was genuinely serious about this man.
So, she deliberately put on an act and snorted coldly. “You’re just abandoning your friend for a guy, huh? So now he’s the only one on your mind?”
Hearing this, Shen Muxi hurriedly explained, “No, no, it’s not like that! Oh, Zhi Zhi, please have some sympathy for me—I’m just experiencing my first crush! When you have someone you like, I’ll be the first to help you out, I promise!” She patted her chest as she made her vow.
Wen Zhi looked at Shen Muxi’s earnest expression and couldn’t help but feel a little amused. Deliberately putting on a stern face, she said, “Get out of here, stop playing matchmaker. You haven’t even managed to win over your own guy yet, and you’re trying to help me?”
Hearing this, Shen Muxi wore an awkward smile.
“Alright, alright, you can go. I can just wander around on my own for the next couple of days anyway.”
At these words, Shen Muxi immediately beamed with joy. She hugged Wen Zhi around the waist and said gratefully, “Wah, Zhi Zhi, you’re the best! How about this—I’ll give you all those bags! Consider it compensation!”
Wen Zhi was genuinely surprised to hear this. Shen Muxi treasured her handbags as if they were her own life. To be this generous over a guy?
She shook her head and said, “That’s not necessary. It’s not like I’m short on bags.”
Shen Muxi quickly insisted, “No! Whether you need them or not is your business, but giving them to you is mine! Just take them! Otherwise, I’ll feel terrible!”
“Then feel terrible,” Wen Zhi retorted, rolling her eyes on purpose.
“Come on, just take them. Otherwise, I’ll feel guilty…”
“Oh, so you do know what guilt feels like?” Wen Zhi drawled, looking at her meaningfully.
“I don’t care. I’m leaving the stuff here for you. Otherwise, I’ll just mail them to your place—that’s even easier,” Shen Muxi said.
“Fine, do whatever you want. I won’t stop you, okay?”
“By the way, I really want to see what kind of person Lin You is, to have you so infatuated.”
“Absolutely!”
“Well, I’m going to start packing now. My flight is this afternoon. Be careful when you go out these next couple of days, and message me if anything happens. Safety first, got it? I just can’t stop worrying about our Zhi Zhi’s pretty little face.”
Shen Muxi stroked Wen Zhi’s fair, smooth cheek and sighed.
Wen Zhi slapped her hand away. “Don’t take advantage of the situation to cop a feel.”
This woman was always touching her, to the point where Wen Zhi had once wondered if she was a lesbian. Thankfully, Lin You had appeared, putting her mind at ease.
At least her sexual orientation was normal.
“Worried about me, yet you’re ditching me anyway. How touching,” Wen Zhi said sarcastically, dragging out her words.
“It was a sudden thing!”
“Hmph, stingy,” Shen Muxi grumbled.
“Just go already!”
Wen Zhi decided it was better not to look. She waved Shen Muxi away, signaling her to stop hovering in front of her.
The night was as dark as ink. Wen Zhi slowly awoke from her sleep, rubbing her bleary eyes as she tried to adjust to the sudden depth of the night.
Her room was on a high floor of the hotel. Through the large floor-to-ceiling window, the night view of Victoria Harbour unfolded before her like a dazzling painting.
Outside, countless lights dotted the night sky, like stars fallen to the mortal world. In the distance, the Ferris wheel turned slowly in the darkness, as if whispering the city’s secrets.
Wen Zhi glanced at the time on her phone—it was already past seven in the evening.
Her stomach protested earlier than she did, letting out a loud “growl.”
“Stop it, stop it. I’m hungry too!” Wen Zhi muttered, patting her stomach.
Time to go find food!
Wen Zhi put on her jacket, grabbed her phone, gently pushed open the door, and stepped into the quiet hallway. The elevator doors slid open, and she stepped inside, pressing the button for the first floor.
She walked onto the street and followed the navigation, having just searched and discovered a well-established noodle shop nearby. The shop’s specialty was beef brisket lo mein, which made her mouth water just looking at it.
Action speaks louder than desire—without hesitation, she decided that tonight’s dinner was settled!