Chapter 53: The Diary

The ward fell silent.

After a moment, Sheng Yang let out a soft chuckle, answering the question with another of his own: "Why are you telling me this? What does it have to do with me—"

"It truly has nothing to do with you."

Wen Jin picked up right where he left off. "It's just that, out of both reason and courtesy, I ought to let you know."

She had grown up in the Sheng family. Even if she was leaving, it was only proper to inform them.

It was a matter of basic manners and protocol.

Just then, Sheng Yang’s phone rang. He lowered his gaze to the screen.

When he raised his eyes again to look at Wen Jin, there was very little emotion in his voice.

"Such a fine phrase, 'out of reason and courtesy'."

The corners of his lips curled into a semblance of a smile, yet the depth of his eyes grew even darker.

"The Sheng family has provided for you all these years, and this is all it amounts to in your eyes—"

He softly repeated those four words once more: "Reason and courtesy."

"You'd only ever dare say something like that right to my face."

With that, he strode out of the ward, slamming the door hard enough behind him to leave it trembling. He looked as though he was consumed by towering rage.

Wen Jin remained seated on the hospital bed.

She watched the slow drip of the IV.

Clearly, she was the one who ought to be furious and upset—

What on earth did Sheng Yang have to be unhappy about?

Wen Jin had to spend the night at the hospital as well, and Qiao Qiao came over to keep her company.

When Qiao Qiao arrived, her expression was a bit strange. "Why do I feel like I just saw Sheng Yang downstairs?"

Wen Jin shook her head repeatedly. "You must have seen wrong. He left ages ago."

"I suppose so," Qiao Qiao nodded.

"Sheng Yang should be keeping Jiang Yuan company at Lingyue right now, anyway."

Wen Jin paused. "What do you mean?"

"Didn't I mention it to you this morning? Jiang Yuan has a partnership with Lingyue, so she has to handle some work matters now that she's back in the country."

Jiang Yuan was a globally renowned fashion designer, and Lingyue also had ventures in the fashion industry.

It was indeed quite possible they were collaborating.

Wen Jin asked no further questions and closed her eyes to rest.

The next morning, however.

During the nurses' shift change, one of them teased Wen Jin, "You and your boyfriend are so deeply in love."

Wen Jin's eyelashes fluttered slightly as she answered in a soft voice, "I don't have a boyfriend."

"Then who was that person yesterday?"

This appeared to be an intern nurse, still retaining a hint of baby fat on her face.

She looked at Wen Jin with eyes full of envy. "He sat outside your door for the longest time."

"I saw him wanting to come in several times, but he probably didn't want to disturb your rest, so he held back."

Qiao Qiao walked in from outside, and upon hearing this, asked instinctively, "Who are you guys talking about?"

Wen Jin replied, "No one. It must have been a stranger."

Qiao Qiao uttered an "oh" and gave it no further thought.

She packed Wen Jin's clothes, preparing to go handle the discharge procedures.

However, the moment she opened the ward door, she saw a man about to push it open.

Chen Jin stood at the doorway, looking at Wen Jin with a smile. "Miss Wen."

"President Sheng sent me to come and take you back."

Before Wen Jin could speak.

He quickly added, "It's the old master's wish."

Wen Jin nodded. "Understood."

Chen Jin breathed a sigh of relief.

He had privately inquired about Wen Jin's identity with Shen Rui the night before.

So she was President Sheng's younger sister figure.

He was also silently thankful that Wen Jin hadn't turned him down.

Otherwise, if he failed to bring Wen Jin back,

he feared he would end up like Shen Rui, banished to the other side of the Pacific Ocean.

Thanks to the medication, Wen Jin had almost fully recovered.

After bidding farewell to Qiao Qiao, she followed Chen Jin directly to the old mansion.

Only upon arrival did she discover that the old mansion was unusually lively.

Chen Jin lowered his voice to explain, "Lingyue has reached a cooperation agreement with Ms. Jiang Yuan, so the old master specially hosted a small banquet to entertain her."

"Jiang Yuan?"

Wen Jin stopped in her tracks.

She had no desire to run into Jiang Yuan.

Steady footsteps echoed from behind, followed by Sheng Yang's voice, "I actually thought you wouldn't come back today either."

Wen Jin turned around to find Sheng Yang with the corners of his lips tilted upward, though his eyes held only coldness.

He raised his chin slightly. "The old master is waiting for you in the study."

Wen Jin said nothing, merely passing by him.

As she did, she caught a faint, lingering scent of antiseptic lingering on him.

Without lingering, Wen Jin headed straight for the study.

Both the old master and the butler were inside.

Wen Jin lowered her gaze and greeted them respectfully.

Then she heard the old master ask, "Xiao Jin, do you really want to transfer your household registration away?"

Wen Jin replied, "No matter what, my family is in Yangcheng."

Pausing for a moment, she added, "Besides, my father will be released from prison soon, so it's better for the registration to be moved."

At the mention of Wen Chaosheng, the old master's expression changed perceptibly.

Yet he quickly composed himself.

Wen Jin kept her gaze lowered, maintaining a deferential posture.

The old master looked at her, hesitating as if he had more to say.

After quite a while, he spoke again, "It's not that I don't agree. I've already had people look into it, but because of the adoption relationship, the paperwork is quite complicated."

"So I was wondering, could you wait a little longer?"

The old master's tone softened, carrying a hint of probing.

Wen Jin asked, "Wait until when?"

"After Sheng Yang gets married, perhaps."

With those words, the old master accepted a red envelope from the butler and pressed it into Wen Jin's hand.

Inside the envelope was something resembling a card. Wen Jin frowned, wanting to refuse.

However, the butler chimed in, "Miss Wen, this is a token of the old master's good intentions. Please accept it."

With no other choice, Wen Jin had no choice but to take the red envelope.

Just as she was about to leave, the old master called out to her once more.

He looked at Wen Jin, his aged and clouded eyes revealing none of his inner thoughts.

He asked her, "Xiao Jin, all these years, the Sheng family has treated you quite well, haven't they?"

Wen Jin nodded. "The Sheng family has treated me very well."

"That's good then—" The old master let out a breath of relief.

Once Wen Jin had completely left the room, he murmured softly to himself, "It's good that she acknowledges it. I only hope she won't blame me in the future."

"—And I hope Sheng Yang stops playing the fool."

Standing beside him, the butler replied respectfully, "The young master will understand your pains."

-

Stepping out of the study, Wen Jin went straight to her own room.

Until her third year of university, she had always lived in the Sheng family residence.

What she said earlier was the truth: the Sheng family had indeed treated her very well.

Just like her bedroom, it had been meticulously decorated.

Even though she hadn't returned in such a long time, it remained spotless, without a speck of dust.

"Weren't you quite thorough in expressing your determination to leave? What is the meaning of wearing that expression now?"

Sheng Yang leaned against the doorway, looking at Wen Jin expressionlessly.

"What, finding it hard to part with?"

Wen Jin gathered her composure, turned back to look at him, and asked:

"Things must be very busy downstairs right now. What are you doing coming up here?"

"Naturally, I came up to—"

His gaze lingered on Wen Jin for a brief moment before he withdrew it.

In an indifferent tone, he said, "Even if you want to return to Yangcheng, until you actually leave, you remain a member of the Sheng family."

"Jiang Yuan will be arriving shortly. You will come down and help host her."

Wen Jin refused without a second thought. "No."

"I am not giving you a choice."

Sheng Yang stepped directly into Wen Jin's room.

On the desk sat a photograph of Wen Jin taken when she was twenty.

Sheng Yang picked up the frame, his thumb gently brushing across her face in the picture.

He glanced back, his shadow falling forward to envelop Wen Jin completely.

As though he were holding her in his arms.

"I recall that the reason you moved out of the Sheng family was because in your room—"

He paused, then asked, "Where is that diary? Is it still here?"