Chapter 11: Sheng Yang Made a Special Trip to Pick You Up

Page 1 of 3

Qiao Qiao accompanied Wen Jin home. Looking at the newly rented apartment, she frowned. “Isn’t this place a little too small? Why don’t you stay at my place for a while?”

“It’s closer to the office, so it’s more convenient. Besides, I’ll only be staying here for a week.”

After returning to Yangcheng, she could not keep living at her aunt’s place forever. She might not even find a suitable job right away, so she had to save wherever she could.

Qiao Qiao hugged her reluctantly. “If you go back to Yangcheng, won’t we have even less time to see each other?”

Then, as though remembering something, she asked Wen Jin, “Does Sheng Yang know you’re going back to Yangcheng?”

Wen Jin lowered her eyes. “Why should he know?”

She and Sheng Yang had no relationship at all.

Yet after seeing Qiao Qiao off, she found Sheng Yang standing outside her door.

The apartment Wen Jin had rented was a cramped one-bedroom in an old residential complex, its exterior looking thoroughly dilapidated.

Sheng Yang frowned as he surveyed the surroundings, obvious displeasure and annoyance weighing between his brows. “Does living in a dump make you happy?”

Wen Jin stood blocking the doorway, with no intention of letting him in.

Her expression unchanged, she said, “Since it’s a dump, Young Master Sheng, you should leave at once.”

She could not get past what Sheng Yang had said at the bar.

Seeing that sentiment in her eyes, Sheng Yang narrowed his gaze. His voice turned several degrees colder. “Have I ever warned you to know when to stop?”

Wen Jin drew a deep breath. “Then let me remind you of something too. You’re about to become a married man, so you’d better keep your distance from other women.”

Regardless of what was really going on between Sheng Yang and Wen You, Wen Jin had no desire to involve herself in their affairs.

From beginning to end, all she wanted was to live her own life in peace and stability.

The games of the wealthy were not something she could afford to play.

She had made herself perfectly clear. She had thought Sheng Yang would understand, but instead he lifted his chin, his arrogant gaze settling on her.

The corner of his mouth tugged upward, and a mocking laugh escaped him. Supporting himself against the door with one hand, he said, “Who are you to lecture me?”

He stared at Wen Jin, then abruptly changed tack. “Do you want to know who Wen Chaosheng fought with?”

Wen Jin’s body tensed at once. She was still dressed in thin pajamas, and she looked unmistakably fragile, yet her eyes remained resolute.

“Who?” she asked.

Sheng Yang did not answer. He simply tossed her an invitation. “Wen You’s performance is tomorrow night. She very much wants you to attend.”

The meaning was obvious. If Wen Jin wanted to know what had happened to her father, she had to attend Wen You’s performance. That was Sheng Yang’s price.

Wen Jin stared at the invitation without taking it.

Sheng Yang spoke again. “Wen Chaosheng got into a fight in prison and is still being held in solitary confinement. Even if you wanted to see him, you wouldn’t be able to.”

Wen Jin closed her eyes. In the end, she still took the invitation.

Lowering her gaze, she said, “I understand.”

He must truly have despised the place, because the moment she finished speaking, Sheng Yang turned and left.

There was no elevator in the old residential complex, and the lights in the stairwell were dim. Only after the sound of Sheng Yang’s footsteps gradually faded did Wen Jin turn and close the door.

She had not asked how he had found out where she lived. If he wanted to, he could always find her.

Page 1 of 3

Page 2 of 3

The gold-embossed invitation felt unpleasant in her hand, its edges faintly sharp against her skin.

As Sheng Yang came downstairs, he caught sight of Zhao Yimo leaning against the car.

Zhao Yimo arched a brow. “You really came all the way here just to deliver her an invitation?”

Sheng Yang’s expression remained unchanged. “Wen You wants her there. I simply don’t want to disappoint Wen You.”

Zhao Yimo did not argue. He merely surveyed the shabby neighborhood and sneered, “People can actually live in a place like this? It looks like a rat hole.”

Toying with his phone, Sheng Yang answered indifferently, “If something can’t bear the light of day, where else would it live if not in a rat hole?”

Zhao Yimo’s brow twitched sharply, but he said no more.

—

Although Sheng Yang had told her that she would not be able to see Wen Chaosheng, Wen Jin still went to the prison early the next morning.

As expected, she was not allowed to see him.

Her heart sank despite herself.

She knew Wen Chaosheng’s character better than anyone. He was honest and simple, the archetypal good-natured man.

Even after spending so many years in prison, he had barely changed.

How could he possibly have gotten into a fight?

She returned to the office with the matter weighing on her mind. Before long, Sister Shuang summoned her to the office.

Ming Yueshuang rubbed her temples. “Someone has filed a complaint against you.”

Wen Jin did not understand. “What?”

“Miss Wen complained that you refused to accept a client’s feedback and that your attitude was poor.” Ming Yueshuang looked at Wen Jin. “I don’t know what kind of relationship you have with Miss Wen and Mr. Sheng, but Wen Jin, I hope you can think of New Moon.”

New Moon Design Studio had grown from a small workshop into one of the leading firms in Jing City not only because of its outstanding ability, but also because its employees were renowned for their excellent service.

Since its opening, it had never received a negative review.

Yet Ming Yueshuang herself knew that she should not be making such demands of Wen Jin. After all, Wen Jin had already left New Moon.

Wen Jin saw her predicament. In the end, she was the one who had agreed to help Sister Shuang. Besides, she was still drawing a salary from New Moon, so naturally she had to abide by the company’s rules.

Lowering her head, she apologized sincerely. “I’m sorry, Sister Shuang. It was my fault. It won’t happen again.”

Ming Yueshuang shook her head. “I know some things are difficult for you too.”

She did not continue. She had dealt with plenty of people from high society and naturally knew what sort of games they played.

After leaving Sister Shuang’s office, Wen Jin returned to her desk with her lips pressed tightly together.

The group chat she had been dragged into because of Sheng Yang had become lively again, everyone discussing Wen You’s performance that evening.

Wen Jin glanced at the screen and muted the group.

When work ended that afternoon, Wen Jin had just stepped out of the office building when she saw Qiao Qiao waiting by the entrance.

Qiao Qiao sat in the driver’s seat and whistled at her. “Hey, gorgeous. Get in.”

Page 2 of 3

Page 3 of 3

“Why are you here?”

“Didn’t you say last night that you were going to see Wen You’s performance? New Moon is so far from the cultural center, and I figured Sheng Yang wouldn’t come pick you up either.”

Qiao Qiao wore an exasperated expression. “But if you arrived late, those people would probably start making trouble for you again. How could I possibly let you suffer under my watch?”

She reached into the glove compartment and pulled out a ticket. “Here. I’m going with you.”

Wen Jin smiled. “It’s lucky you came.”

Just as Qiao Qiao had said, New Moon was a long way from the cultural center, and with evening rush hour in full swing, even finding a taxi would be difficult.

But Qiao Qiao had gotten one thing wrong. It was not that those people would make trouble for Wen Jin if she arrived late.

The moment she showed up, they would make trouble for her.

What surprised Wen Jin, however, was that she and Qiao Qiao had already arrived at the venue, yet Sheng Yang was nowhere to be seen.

Zhao Yimo approached her with a faintly mocking smile. “I didn’t expect you to be so punctual. Sheng Yang was worried you wouldn’t dare come, so he even went to pick you up himself.”

Wen Jin raised her eyes. “Is that so?”

“Of course.” Zhao Yimo’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “But he still hasn’t arrived, has he? Wen Jin, you’re quite something. After clinging to Sheng Yang for all these years, you’ve actually managed to make him keep you around even at a time like this, when he’s entering a marriage alliance.”

He spoke as though it were some great honor.

Wen Jin had no desire to deal with him. She lifted her leg and moved to leave.

But as she passed him, Zhao Yimo stretched out his long arm and blocked her path.

Looking down at her, he sneered, “Why don’t you start a class and teach people how to seduce others? I guarantee you’d make a fortune.”

Every word was laced with ridicule.

Wen Jin was about to respond when a deep voice sounded from behind her.

“What are you two doing?”

Sheng Yang entered from outside, his expression impassive.

He had dressed with particular care that day: a pure-black shirt, its collar adorned with a subtle gold pattern.

A pair of half-rimmed glasses rested on the bridge of his nose. With broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs, his tall, straight figure was lean without seeming frail.

His rolled-up sleeves revealed part of his forearms, the graceful lines of his muscles fully displaying his strength.

He embodied the phrase “a cultured predator” to perfection.

The moment Wen Jin saw him, she looked away.

Zhao Yimo replied calmly, “I was telling Wen Jin about how you went out of your way to pick her up.”

Sheng Yang’s gaze fell upon Wen Jin. She looked elsewhere, as though she had not seen him.

His eyes darkened, and he let out a derisive laugh. “Who said I went to pick her up? Does she really think she’s that important?”

After a pause, he added, “Today is an important day for Wen You. Naturally, I have to take it seriously.”

“After all, Wen You is not like just anyone.”

As he said this, his gaze remained fixed on Wen Jin.

Page 3 of 3