Chapter Twenty-Nine: "Fortunately, She Is Still Here"

Cheng Yunting suddenly dreamed of how he and Leng Zheng had met...

"Hello, I'm Cheng Yunting. My mother, Shao Suya, asked me to take care of you," Cheng Yunting stepped forward, taking the initiative to greet Leng Zheng.

Leng Zheng was taken aback for a moment, then nodded. "Hello, I’m Leng Zheng."

"If you need anything or have any problems in the future, just come to me. Or, you could move into my villa," Cheng Yunting looked at her, puzzled as to what kind of person could make his mother entrust someone to his care.

"Okay," Leng Zheng thought it was only natural for an older brother figure to help out and agreed easily, since she wasn’t keen on staying there anyway.

"Alright, we’ll get going," Cheng Yunting nodded and got into the car.

It was only then that Shen Dongling spoke, "Hey, Leng Zheng! I’m Shen Dongling, Cheng Yunting’s buddy. If you need anything in the future, just come to us."

"Got it," Leng Zheng replied coldly, nodding.

"Okay then, we're off. Bye!" Cheng Yunting pulled Shen Dongling into the car and spoke to Leng Zheng.

"Bye," she responded.

...

In the car.

"Hey, Yunting, did you develop a crush on her? You were pretty warm with the girl just now," Shen Dongling eyed the usually taciturn Cheng Yunting, prying.

"Shut up," Cheng Yunting shot him a glance, clearly impatient.

...

"Master Cheng, what brings you here? Why have you come to our school?" The principal of Axi Academy trembled as he faced the man before him.

Why had these two big shots come to his humble institution on the same day? He couldn't possibly accommodate both of them, let alone two such formidable figures.

"Has Leng Zheng completed her enrollment procedures?" Cheng Yunting sat down on the sofa and asked.

"Yes, yes, she just left my office," the principal replied, puzzled as to why one big shot was inquiring about another. Could it be... there was something between the two?

"Alright. Principal, do you think I could join your school as a teacher?" Cheng Yunting lounged lazily on the sofa.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, the principal stammered, "Master Cheng, my humble institution cannot possibly host such an esteemed figure..."

Before the principal could finish, Cheng Yunting interrupted, "So, can I be a teacher here or not?"

"O-of course, Master Cheng! You could even take my place if you wished," the principal answered, his voice quivering.

"Good, then I’ll be the head of the senior class. Is that a problem?" Shen Dongling placed the required documents on the principal's desk as Cheng Yunting asked, "Why don't you take a look at the papers first?"

"Yes, Master Cheng." The principal reviewed the documents and, satisfied, replied, "No problem at all. When do you plan to start?"

"Tomorrow is fine."

"Very well."

...

"Yunting, look, isn’t that Leng Zheng over there? Why is she standing all alone? Should we find out where she’s headed and offer her a ride?" Shen Dongling suddenly spotted Leng Zheng by the roadside and turned to Cheng Yunting.

"Alright," Cheng Yunting nodded.

Seeing his response, Shen Dongling quickly drove up and rolled down the passenger window, about to speak, but Cheng Yunting beat him to it.

"Leng Zheng? Where are you headed? Want a lift?" Cheng Yunting asked seriously.

"Oh, I’m going to the Shi family to get my things, then to the mall," Leng Zheng stood obediently, answering. After all, it was her godmother's son—there was no harm. "Master Cheng, are you really so free? How come you have time to be here?"

"Yes, I’m quite free. Want a ride?" Cheng Yunting confirmed her intentions, then asked, "If you’re not staying at the Shi family, where will you live?"

"Sure," Leng Zheng agreed readily. Refusing a ride would be unnecessarily coy. "I’ll be staying in the dormitory."

"Yunting, you’re actually..." Shen Dongling had wanted to say that Cheng Yunting was very busy and hardly had any spare time, but was silenced by a look from Cheng Yunting.

"Why not stay at my villa?" Cheng Yunting, satisfied by Shen Dongling’s silence, turned and asked.

Leng Zheng thought about it—after all, it was a free villa, and if not, she’d have to stay somewhere else. "Sure, thank you for your hospitality, Master Cheng."

"No need to thank me," Cheng Yunting replied with a nod.

...

"What do you think, Yunting? How did Leng Zheng do on the exams?" Shen Dongling sprawled lazily on the sofa of the director’s office.

Cheng Yunting ignored him and answered the phone, "Hello, what is it?"

"Alright, I’ll have someone check it out. Thank you, Teacher Wang." He nodded and quickly started working on the computer.

"What’s going on, Yunting? Why so anxious?" Shen Dongling asked, surprised by this rare urgency.

"Teacher Wang called. Leng Zheng handed in her paper early and skipped the next exam—now nobody knows where she is," Cheng Yunting replied anxiously, having located her, grabbing his coat and an umbrella as he rushed out.

"Wait for me, Yunting!" Shen Dongling grabbed his coat and umbrella, chasing after him.

...

Leng Zheng sat in the rain, unmoving, until someone suddenly picked her up and shielded her from the downpour.

Cheng Yunting said nothing on the way, simply holding Leng Zheng quietly under the umbrella, not caring that he himself was getting drenched.

...

In the car.

"Are you alright, Leng Zheng?" Cheng Yunting handed her a towel and gently dried her wet hair. "What happened? Why were you out in the rain?"

Leng Zheng shook her head, sitting there silently.

"Leng Zheng, what’s wrong? Can you tell me?" Cheng Yunting watched her patiently.

"If... I said I like you..." Leng Zheng murmured hesitantly, "Never mind. It’s nothing, just feeling a bit troubled lately."

"I like you too, Leng Zheng." Cheng Yunting stroked her hair as he spoke.

Leng Zheng froze, incredulous. "What... what did you say?"

"Leng Zheng, I like you," Cheng Yunting repeated as they arrived at the school gate, "Even if you don’t like me, it doesn’t matter. I’ll pursue you slowly."

Seeing Leng Zheng unresponsive, he was about to get out of the car when she grabbed his sleeve, saying, "Cheng Yunting, I like you too."

"Here, drink some hot water to warm up. I’ll have Shen Dongling buy you some clothes," Cheng Yunting carried Leng Zheng into his office and gently settled her on the sofa.

"Alright," Leng Zheng nodded, curling up instinctively like a child seeking comfort.

...

"He..." Leng Zheng was embarrassed, her face flushed even though she was soaked.

"It’s fine, don’t mind him," Cheng Yunting said with a smile, having noticed her shyness.

"Mm," she nodded, taking the clothes to the bathroom to change.

Shen Dongling’s taste was actually quite good. The outfit was a white short-sleeved shirt and a blue pleated skirt, though the skirt was rather short, only reaching her knees.

When Leng Zheng emerged, Cheng Yunting handed her a thermometer. "Take your temperature—don’t catch a cold."

"I’m fine," Leng Zheng shook her head, "Catching a cold from a little rain is unlikely."

"Even so, check anyway—just in case," Cheng Yunting insisted when it came to her health.

"By the way, Master Cheng, I’m curious: why do you like me? Have we met before?" Leng Zheng tilted her head, puzzled.

Even if he remembered that incident, he probably wouldn’t recognize her unless they had met elsewhere.

Cheng Yunting smiled, "Would you believe me if I said it was love at first sight?"

Leng Zheng considered, then shook her head. "No, Master Cheng has seen countless women, and so many socialites want to marry you. You’ve never liked anyone before."

"There you have it," Cheng Yunting patted her head affectionately, "If you remember that incident, that’s fine. If not, it doesn’t matter. As long as I remember, that’s enough."

...

Back then, Cheng Yunting had no idea Leng Zheng was the head of the Qin and Su families, or that she carried such heavy burdens...

At first, he fell for the beautiful, slightly cold, yet somewhat adorable girl—not the dark, depressed young woman she had become.

But it was Leng Zheng herself that Cheng Yunting cherished—he had chosen her.

...

"Leng Zheng... Why are you so foolish? It wasn’t worth it for me..." Cheng Yunting sat by her hospital bed, carefully holding her bandaged hand, his voice trembling with tears but gentle as he spoke, "Leng Zheng, do you remember when we promised as children to see the snow at the Forbidden City together, and to watch the stars at night? Back then, you said you were too young and asked me to wait for you..."

...

"How is Leng Zheng now? When will she wake up?" Cheng Yunting asked when Qin Xiaonan arrived.

"Her will is strong, but her injuries are severe. It’s hard to say when she’ll wake," Qin Xiaonan answered with concern, pausing before adding something cryptic, "You know, Cheng Yunting, you’re the first outsider Leng Zheng was willing to risk her life to protect."

Hearing this, Cheng Yunting felt as if a knife had pierced his heart.

"Actually... you’re not really an outsider. After all, your mother is her godmother, and ours as well—you were her godbrother," Qin Xiaonan sat across from him, holding Leng Zheng’s other hand.

"What do you mean?" Cheng Yunting suddenly looked up.

"Which part?" Qin Xiaonan was momentarily confused.

"That I was the first outsider she’d risk her life for."

Qin Xiaonan smiled, "Do you know who set the fire?"

"Who?"

"Miss Gu, Gu Xiabing—one of your admirers," Qin Xiaonan held Cheng Yunting’s gaze and continued, "Isn’t it absurd? The head of the Qin family giving in for a man.

If I’m not mistaken, Gu Xiabing threatened Leng Zheng that if she didn’t stay put, you’d be the one hurt. Leng Zheng has secretly loved you since childhood—how could she let you be harmed?"

It felt like Cheng Yunting’s heart was stabbed again and again, suffocating him.

He suddenly felt like an accomplice to Gu Xiabing. If not for him, Leng Zheng wouldn’t be lying here like this...

"Where is she now?"

"No need to send people after her—she’s in the Ninth Bureau, and my third brother is interrogating the mastermind," Qin Xiaonan paused, speaking off the cuff, "Just be prepared: the culprit is either your enemy or hers, though she’s eliminated most of her enemies already, so that’s unlikely."

"I see," Cheng Yunting nodded and said no more.

...

When Leng Zheng was injured, Cheng Yunting felt unbearable pain, wishing he could take her wounds upon himself...

But it was useless; what was done could not be undone...

...

"Leng Zheng, I’m sorry..." Cheng Yunting gently held her hand, gazing at her.

Her face was deathly pale, her wrists marked with scars she had inflicted. She had just taken sleeping pills and lay sleeping.

Cheng Yunting kissed her forehead and tenderly bandaged her wrists.

He was suddenly tempted to be reckless, but with Leng Zheng so gravely ill, it was impossible. Besides, he was about to leave for England—if she became pregnant, what then?

He couldn’t be so selfish as to want her always by his side. Leng Zheng still had family, friends... many who cared for her. She didn’t belong to only one person.

Perhaps, he thought, he really was being foolish.

"Leng Zheng, your stomach is weak; avoid spicy food. Take care of yourself—don’t rely on sleeping pills; they’re bad for your health," Cheng Yunting gently wiped her body, "You little heartless thing, don’t forget me and run into another man’s arms. And don’t hurt yourself—it breaks my heart..."

With reddened eyes, Cheng Yunting rambled on for a long time, urging her to take care of herself.

"Leng Zheng, will you wait for me? Wait for me to return and marry you." He kissed her forehead one last time, slipped a ring onto her finger, and left reluctantly.

...

Leaving was still leaving—no matter the reason, it was still a wound...

These scenes flickered through Cheng Yunting’s mind, causing him immense pain...

He woke with a start, sitting up and glancing at the person beside him...

Fortunately, she was still there...

As long as she was there, nothing else mattered...