Chapter 383 Encounter with Zhou Yushen

Yun Zheng hung up the phone and the corners of her mouth unconsciously rose.

Fu Linghe said he would come to pick her up and asked her to wait in the pastry shop and not to run around.

The tension in his tone made her feel sweetly warm inside.

She put her phone back into her bag and looked up at the line in front of the store.

This century-old store does brisk business, with lines winding around the corner even on weekday afternoons.

The warm winter sun shines through the gaps between the sycamore trees on both sides of the old street, casting mottled light and shadows on the bluestone road.

Yun Zheng subconsciously stroked her belly, which was not yet showing any signs of pregnancy.

The team moved forward slowly when suddenly there was a commotion behind them.

A tourist carrying a lot of bags was rushing forward and accidentally bumped into Yun Zheng's shoulder.

"Ah!" Yun Zheng was caught off guard, staggered forward a few steps, and was about to fall.

A strong arm reached out from the side in time and held her shoulders firmly.

"Be careful." A deep and familiar male voice sounded in my ears.

Yun Zheng looked up in shock and was about to thank him, but she froze the moment she saw the other person's face clearly.

Zhou Yushen.

I haven't seen him for half a year, and he looks much more mature than I remembered.

The hair that was always meticulously groomed now hangs casually in front of the forehead, and there is less sharpness and more calmness between the brows.

He was wearing a simple dark grey coat with the collar slightly open. It was not as refined and elegant as usual, but it suited him surprisingly well.

"You..." Yun Zheng's throat suddenly tightened and all the words were stuck there.

Zhou Yushen was also obviously stunned. His hand was still on Yun Zheng's shoulder, but he quickly withdrew it after realizing it, took half a step back, and kept a polite distance.

"Zheng Zheng." He called softly, his voice carrying the gentleness Yun Zheng was familiar with, yet with a touch of restraint. "Long time no see."

The hustle and bustle of the street seemed to fade away at this moment, and Yun Zheng could clearly hear her own rapid heartbeat.

"Why... are you here?" Yun Zheng finally found her voice, and her fingers unconsciously clenched the hem of her clothes.

Zhou Yushen's gaze lingered on her face for a moment, then shifted to the distance. He said calmly, "The company has a project nearby, and I just happened to be passing by."

He paused, his gaze returning to her. "Are you... okay?"

Yun Zheng noticed that his gaze lingered briefly on her abdomen and then quickly moved away.

She subconsciously pulled her coat closer, even though nothing could be seen at the moment.

"I'm fine." She replied softly, trying to keep her voice calm.

A breeze blew by, bringing the aroma of street food stalls.

A brief silence fell between the two of them, with only the conversations of the surrounding customers and the aroma of pastries coming from the shop filling the awkward gap.

Zhou Yushen suddenly spoke in a very soft voice, "Fu Linghe...is he good to you?"

Yun Zheng looked up at him and was surprised to see genuine concern in his eyes, rather than the jealousy or anger she had expected.

This made her relax a little.

"Yeah, he's very good." Yun Zheng's lips curled up unconsciously when she mentioned Fu Linghe. "We... are very happy."

Zhou Yushen nodded, a faint smile on his face, "That's good."

He took a deep breath. "Zheng Zheng, regarding what happened before... I want to formally apologize to you. I was so immature back then, and did many things that hurt you."

Yun Zheng didn't expect him to bring this up suddenly, and didn't know how to respond for a moment.

"You don't have to forgive me." Zhou Yushen continued, his eyes calm. "I just want to tell you that I've let it go. Seeing that you're doing well now, I'm...truly happy for you."

His tone was so sincere that Yun Zheng felt a pang of pain in her chest.

Zhou Yushen, who once wanted to win her back so obsessively, can now bless her so calmly.

"Thank you." She finally said only these two words, but they contained too many complicated emotions.

Just then, a familiar feeling of nausea suddenly hit me.

Yun Zheng's face changed, she quickly covered her mouth and leaned forward slightly.

"What's wrong?" Zhou Yushen immediately took a step forward nervously, but stopped when he was about to touch her, keeping a restrained distance.

"No...it's okay..." Yun Zheng reluctantly shook her head, but the morning sickness reaction came so quickly and violently that beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.

Zhou Yushen quickly looked around and walked quickly towards a beverage shop on the street.

In less than a minute, he returned with a glass of lemonade and a pack of tissues.

"Maybe drinking something sour will help." He handed the thing to Yun Zheng, his eyes concerned but his movements keeping a polite distance.

Yun Zheng took it gratefully and sipped the cold lemonade.

The sweet and sour liquid slid down my throat, and it did relieve some of the discomfort.

"Thank you." She thanked him again, this time with a much more sincere tone.

Zhou Yushen just nodded slightly and stood one step away, waiting. He didn't get too close to make her uncomfortable, nor did he leave indifferently.

The sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting mottled shadows on his profile, outlining his increasingly mature and resolute features.

Yun Zheng suddenly realized that the considerate and restrained man in front of her was completely different from the Zhou Yushen who lost control of his emotions and forcibly trapped her in a suburban villa half a year ago.

Time seems to have really changed a lot of things.

"You've changed a lot." She said involuntarily.

Zhou Yushen was slightly startled, then smiled wryly, "People always grow up."

He looked past Yun Zheng and into the distance, "Especially after losing someone important."

This sentence made the atmosphere become subtle again.

Yun Zheng looked down at the lemonade in her hand. Drops of water slid down the wall of the cup, just like the time that had passed and could never be retrieved.

"Is your number... still the same one?" Zhou Yushen suddenly asked.

Yun Zheng looked up warily, "Yes, but..."

"Don't worry," Zhou Yushen explained immediately. "I just wanted to make sure that if...if we happen to run into each other nearby, I can avoid you in advance and avoid embarrassing you."

This answer made Yun Zheng's heart tremble.

The once self-centered Zhou Yushen can now be so thoughtful.

"Actually...it doesn't have to be like this." She said softly, "What's done is done. We've all moved on, haven't we?"

Zhou Yushen looked at her deeply and nodded slowly: "You are right."

He looked at his watch. "I should go now. I have a meeting at the company."

He took a step back, making a goodbye gesture, but hesitated before turning around. "Zheng Zheng, take care of yourself... and the baby."

Yun Zheng looked at him in surprise, "How did you know?"

"Guessed it." Zhou Yushen raised a sincere smile.

Yun Zheng felt her eyes getting hot for some reason.

She nodded. "Thank you. I will."

Zhou Yushen took one last look at her and turned to leave.

Just then, a cold male voice came from the corner of the street, "Zheng Zheng!"

They both turned around at the same time and saw Fu Linghe striding towards them, wearing a well-ironed suit and with a tense expression.

His eyes moved back and forth between Yun Zheng and Zhou Yushen, finally settling on Yun Zheng's slightly pale face.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Fu Linghe took two steps at a time and came to Yun Zheng's side. He naturally put one hand around her waist and stroked her forehead with the other hand, completely ignoring Zhou Yushen who was standing beside her.

"It's okay, just a little morning sickness, but I'm much better now." Yun Zheng held Fu Linghe's hand and comforted him softly.

He held Yun Zheng with one arm and stood opposite Zhou Yushen. The two were of similar height, and the atmosphere of confrontation instantly became tense.

"Mr. Zhou, what a coincidence." Fu Linghe's voice was filled with obvious hostility. "I didn't expect to meet you here."

Zhou Yushen's expression returned to calm. He nodded slightly and said, "Mr. Fu, long time no see."

"Not long." Fu Linghe said coldly, "The last time we met was when you kidnapped my wife, remember?"

Yun Zheng took a breath. She didn't expect Fu Linghe to bring up this matter directly.

The people queuing around seemed to have sensed the strange atmosphere and cast curious glances.

"Linghe," Yun Zheng gently pulled Fu Linghe's arm, "Let's go, the lotus crisps are almost sold out."

Fu Linghe then turned his gaze away from Zhou Yushen and turned to Yun Zheng with a much softer expression. "Okay, let's go."

He naturally put his arm around Yun Zheng's shoulders and pulled her towards him, his actions full of possessiveness.

Zhou Yushen looked at this scene and his eyes dimmed.

He took a step back to make room for the two of them, "Excuse me."

Yun Zheng couldn't help but glance at him again. Zhou Yushen stood there, his figure looking particularly lonely in the winter sun.

She suddenly remembered their first date many years ago, also on this old street, and he would take the trouble to queue up to buy lotus cakes for her.

"Zheng Zheng?" Fu Linghe's voice brought her back to reality.

Yun Zheng retracted her gaze and took Fu Linghe's hand, "Let's go."

She felt Fu Linghe's hand tightening in her palm, so hard that it almost hurt her, but she did not struggle.

She knew he needed this confirmation, needed to feel that her choice was him.

When the two turned and left, Yun Zheng did not look back.

But she could feel Zhou Yushen's gaze following her until they disappeared around the corner.

"Why is he there?" Fu Linghe couldn't help asking as soon as he got in the car, with suppressed anger in his voice.

Yun Zheng shook her head. "I don't know. I just happened to come across it."

"By chance?" Fu Linghe sneered, "He followed you?"

"Fu Linghe," Yun Zheng looked at him helplessly, "it really was just a coincidence. He helped me up because someone almost bumped into me."

Fu Linghe's expression finally eased a little, but his brows were still furrowed. "What did he say?"

Yun Zheng hesitated for a moment, then decided to tell the truth: "He apologized for kidnapping me."

Fu Linghe snorted coldly, "It's too late."

Yun Zheng did not refute.

She leaned back in her seat, suddenly feeling exhausted.

This unexpected reunion disturbed her peaceful mood, and those deeply buried memories surfaced in her mind again.

"Are you okay?" Fu Linghe noticed her strangeness and immediately softened his tone. "Are you feeling unwell?"

Yun Zheng shook her head: "Just a little tired."

Fu Linghe immediately told the driver to drive slower, then held Yun Zheng's hand and said, "Go home and rest."

Yun Zheng nodded and closed her eyes.

But what lingers in my mind is Zhou Yushen's sad back as he left at the end, and his words "I hope she is happy".

She once loved Zhou Yushen, a love that was passionate and pure.

But that relationship ended in hurt and betrayal.

And now, she has Fu Linghe and a new life.

She shouldn't and can't be bothered by the past anymore.

Yun Zheng opened her eyes and looked at the street scene rapidly receding outside the window.

The sunlight shone through the glass onto her hand, and the wedding ring sparkled, reminding her of her current identity and choices.

"Fu Linghe." she called softly.

"Hmm?" Fu Linghe responded immediately.

Yun Zheng turned to look at him, the man who had hurried over to pick her up, his eyes full of concern for her.

"I love you," she said, her voice firm and clear.

Fu Linghe was stunned for a moment, then the corners of his mouth curled up, "I love you too."

He leaned over and placed a kiss on her forehead, his movements incredibly gentle.

Yun Zheng leaned on his shoulder, feeling his body temperature and heartbeat.

This is her present and her future.

As for the past...let it stay in the past.

The car slowly drove into the gate of the Fu family's old house. Yun Zheng snuggled in his arms. The elders in the family were still waiting for them.

On that old street, Zhou Yushen stood alone under the sycamore tree, looking at the street corner that had long been empty. Finally, he turned around and left, blending into the bustling crowd.