Chapter 39

Cheng LiQi was very excited. Tomorrow was Saturday and she didn't need to go to school. She had already stayed up late tonight after video chatting with her dad, and now she was even less inclined to sleep. She snuggled up in her mom's arms as they squeezed together in one bed, staring up at the little stars on the ceiling. She called out, "Mom!"

Cheng Jinlan stroked her long hair. "Hmm? What's up?"

Cheng LiQi rolled over and leaned on her mom's shoulder. "I'm so happy!"

Cheng Jinlan gently asked, "Why are you so happy?"

Cheng LiQi replied, "Because dad knows how to make you happy now!"

Otherwise, why would mom want to date dad? He must have learned how to make mom happy. It was her who taught dad how to make mom happy! She really was an amazing little teacher.

Cheng LiQi scooted closer to her mom. "Mom, were you very happy when you were with dad?"

Cheng Jinlan put her arms around her little girl and pulled a blanket over the two of them. "Little LiQi, aren't you sleepy? Mom is so tired. Let's sleep."

Cheng LiQi wasn't the least bit sleepy, but it seemed like her mom was shy. So she would just have to pretend to be sleepy too. She snuggled into a comfortable spot in her mom's arms and had just closed her eyes when she thought of something else. "Mom, when dad gets back from his business trip, let's go pick him up at the airport."

Cheng Jinlan gently patted her back, murmuring indistinctly in agreement without definitively saying yes or no.

Under her mom's rhythmic patting, Cheng LiQi quickly drifted into sweet dreams.

A phone screen lit up in the darkness. It was a long while before Cheng Jinlan reached out to grab her phone and glance at the incoming message.

[I'm boarding now, sweet dreams]

Cheng Jinlan breathed a sigh of relief that he hadn't kept asking what she meant by praising their clever daughter.

Of course Shao ChengZe wouldn't keep pursuing confirmation. That would just be hitting himself in the foot.

He had automatically adjusted his position - reporting his safe landing, sending photos from the hotel, saying good morning in the morning and sweet dreams at night, right on time. Even though she gave no response at all, that was better than being blocked in some cases, during this gradual process of testing the waters.

On the fourth day, Shao ChengZe had to transfer flights to another country for his schedule. The flight wasn't supposed to be too long, but they encountered heavy rain at the destination and had to divert to another city for an emergency landing. By the time they finally landed, it was the middle of the night at home and she must have already gone to bed.

Shao ChengZe debated for a second between sending a message or not, but in the end chose to explain the situation that day.

After sending a long paragraph, surprisingly he got a response - just one line: [You're so annoying].

But that message was immediately withdrawn.

A clear light flashed through Shao ChengZe's pitch dark eyes, and the corners of his lips slowly curved up. No response would have been better than taking back the response - at least it showed something, during this gradual process of testing the waters. He pretended not to have seen her message and asked, [What did you take back?]

After a few minutes, Cheng Jinlan replied, [Nothing, wrong number].

The smile at the corners of Shao ChengZe's mouth deepened. [Why aren't you asleep yet?]

Cheng Jinlan also wondered why she still couldn't fall asleep. She tossed and turned in bed but just couldn't feel sleepy. She blamed it on drinking too much coffee during the day - definitely no other reason.

Shao ChengZe called her. After ringing for a while, she picked up but switched it to a voice call. He spoke first, "Can't sleep because you had too much coffee today?"

There was a brief silence on the phone before Cheng Jinlan forced out a "Mm."

Shao ChengZe asked, "Lying in bed?"

Cheng Jinlan didn't answer. Questions she didn't answer were generally "yes". Shao ChengZe softened his voice alluringly, "Close your eyes now."

His low, husky, magnetic voice took on an intentional coaxing tone that made people want to follow his words involuntarily, as if under a spell.

Cheng Jinlan forced her eyes wide open. "Why would I close my eyes?"

Perhaps because they had been apart for too long, with too many blanks and barriers in between. No matter what he said, she would subconsciously retort to spite him.

Her response was a gentle humming tune, transmitted through the wireless signals to sound exceptionally gentle in the dark night.

Cheng Jinlan couldn't help muttering sarcastically, "Don't you only know this one song?"

Shao ChengZe chuckled softly. "If you want to hear something else, I'll learn more and sing them for you next time."

Cheng Jinlan shut her mouth. She hadn't realized before that he was probably the smoothest suck-up under the sun.

Of course Shao ChengZe knew more than just the one song, but this one seemed most effective on her.

The soft humming made the night even more tranquil. Cheng Jinlan's eyelids gradually drooped until she fell into a dreamless, restful sleep, waking up feeling lazy and relaxed.

She hugged her thin quilt and blearily gazed up at the ceiling, unusually wanting to laze around a bit longer today. She didn't want to move or get up until the shadow cast by the sunlight on the curtains shifted direction. Only then did Cheng Jinlan nudge the quilt off with her feet, wiggle her legs and shake her arms. She straightened her body to stretch out a satisfying lazy waist, arching her back and letting her loose black tresses cascade onto the bed, revealing smooth, fair shoulders and a beautiful unfolding butterfly back as she unwittingly let out a soft hum.

"Awake?" A voice suddenly came from the phone by her pillow.

Cheng Jinlan froze and slowly turned her head to see a timer quickly flipping up on the screen.

So this call had been on all night?

Shao ChengZe asked, "Did I startle you?"

Cheng Jinlan responded, "What time is it over there?"

It should be very late for him now.

"Almost dawn."

"Why aren't you asleep yet?"

Meaning, she was about to hang up.

"I just got out of a meeting. I saw the time and thought I'd say good morning before going to bed since you're probably about to wake up. Good morning, honey." He paused briefly before wishing her, "Good morning."

Both sides fell silent. In this quiet, Cheng Jinlan seemed to hear the pitter-patter of water - not rain, more like...

She asked lowly, "What are you doing?"

Shao ChengZe replied, "I'm taking a shower." His voice was like whispering sweet nothings to a lover in the dead of night. "And...thinking of you."

Cheng Jinlan took a deep breath, about to say something. Her lips moved a few times before she decisively slapped her phone shut. There was no way he was thinking pure thoughts about her while showering.

Two messages came in quick succession on Shao ChengZe's phone.

[Don't you dare think about me!!!]

[You shameless dog!] Shao ChengZe dried his hair with a towel, looking at the messages on his phone. He couldn't help laughing aloud.

He had indeed been showering, but was already finished by the time she woke up. Although he missed her very much, and especially imagining her waking up, then hearing that alluring hum like a cat's mewl, it would be unnatural not to react. But he still had enough self-control not to resort to self-relief over the phone. He just couldn't resist teasing her a little.

She probably didn't even realize that she was growing more and more relaxed around him, gradually accepting him. This change made him extremely happy.

He sent her flight details. [Shameless dog + shameless scoundrel, arriving afternoon after tomorrow. Coming to pick me up at the airport?]

He still remembered the scene of her and little LiQi going to pick up Yan Ran. He had fantasized about that scene too, at the time.

Cheng Jinlan coldly burst his fantasy bubble. [No, I'm not your chauffeur].

Alright, Shao ChengZe didn't insist. If not this time, there would be a next, and a time after that. Whether dreams or fantasies, there would come a day they turned real. Today Cheng Jinlan had to take Cheng LiQi to get a haircut. The hot summer made the little girl dislike staying cooped up inside all the time. She loved frolicking around outside, but her thick hair clung heavily to her head and soon worked up a sweat. After consulting her daughter's opinion, Cheng Jinlan decided to cut it shorter, getting a trim herself as well.

Exiting the salon, the mother and daughter's waist-length hair had become medium bobs at shoulder length.

Cheng LiQi looked up at her mom. "Mom, you look so pretty!"

Cheng Jinlan bent down to lift her into the car. "Little LiQi looks prettier."

Cheng LiQi's crescent eyes crinkled in a smile as she shook her new hairdo. She really liked this new style. "Mom, should we take a picture and send it to dad? Let's see if dad can still recognize us."

Cheng Jinlan buckled her in and tidied her skirt. "No need for pictures. He'll be back tomorrow so he can see us then."

Cheng LiQi's eyes lit up. "Dad's coming back tomorrow? Mom, are we going to pick up dad?"

Cheng Jinlan asked, "Do you want to go pick him up?"

Cheng LiQi replied, "I miss dad! If we go pick him up, we can see him sooner!"

Seeing her daughter's bright eyes, Cheng Jinlan finally gave a slight nod of agreement.

Cheng LiQi's smile grew even bigger. She hugged her mom's neck, the undisguised gossip glinting in her eyes. "Mom, you miss dad too, don't you?"

Cheng Jinlan twisted her little nose. "Do you want ice cream or not?"

Cheng LiQi's eyes widened. "I can have some today?!"

"You can share one with mom today."

Cheng LiQi cheered, "Yay! I love you most, Mom!"

Not far away, a black car was parked with a silver-haired elderly woman and middle-aged man inside.

The silver-haired woman was Wu Jingyao, old Mr. Shao's second wife. Wu Jingyao was over seventy now but looked barely over fifty thanks to meticulous maintenance. Her features were so stiff from procedures that her hooded phoenix eyes looked fierce when expressionless.

The middle-aged man was Shao Zhangting, Shao Chengze's second uncle. At first glance he seemed refined and gentle, but his eyes were perpetually bleary from indulging in wine and women, as murky as muddy rainwater.

Shao Zhangting said resentfully, "Mom, you're not letting us take any action, and we've been behaving ourselves these past few days without doing anything at all, but Dad doesn't seem to have any reaction to what happened with Shao Chengze. If this continues, the Shao family will really become his. Once the old man passes away, there will be no one left to control him, and with his wolf-hearted, ungrateful nature, he will definitely kick us out of the house. You've served the old man for most of your life, but in the end you'll just be left out in the cold. There's no justification for this!"

Wu Jingyao glared at him. "Shut your mouth! I have my own plans. You just make sure Jingyun doesn't go out causing trouble again. As long as he doesn't stir up any more problems for me."

Both her son and grandson were good-for-nothings who were all talk and no action. She had worked hard to get the cake, only to have it snatched away at the last moment. How could she have given birth to such a useless son, and even her grandson was useless?

Wu Jingyao watched Cheng Jinlan's retreating figure and let out a cold snort. She was a good judge of character. Shao Chengze didn't take after his father at all. He was cold-hearted and unfeeling, but deep down he valued relationships more than anyone. Otherwise, he would never have returned to the Shao family. She knew exactly how she had gotten rid of his father back then, and now she would do the same to get rid of him. She had prepared a big gift for Shao Chengze, she just needed to pick the right time to give it to him.

That night after her shower, Cheng Jinlan was blow drying Cheng Liqi's hair. Cheng Liqi was counting on her little fingers, asking her mother which dress she should wear to the airport tomorrow to pick up Dad. She had just spent time trying on all her new dresses and picked out her top three favorites, but she still hadn't decided which one to wear tomorrow.

Before she even picked out a dress, she suddenly remembered she also needed to prepare a bouquet of flowers. She started chattering excitedly again, but gradually fell silent as she drifted off to sleep mid-sentence. She had slept little last night and was feeling drowsy earlier than usual today.

Cheng Jinlan carried her daughter to bed and tucked her in quietly before slipping out of the room. She didn't feel like blow drying her own hair and went out to the balcony to let it air dry naturally.

Right on time at 10 pm, her phone lit up, but instead of a message, it was a phone call.

He really was getting more and more presumptuous. She had only taken one phone call from him last night, yet today he confidently called her again.

Cheng Jinlan picked up the call, about to make a sarcastic remark. But Shao Chengze spoke first.

"Miaomiao, I'm back."

Cheng Jinlan froze.

Shao Chengze was standing outside the door, looking at the lit courtyard. "Are you going to let me in?"

Cheng Jinlan: ......

He was even more presumptuous than she had imagined!