Chapter Six
In the end, Ye Yin couldn't resist and ate two sandwiches.
She was so full that she started burping, which made Tengzhi purse her lips tightly, wanting to laugh but too embarrassed to do so.
The two chatted idly about what they would have been doing today if they hadn't had this "plan" of catching their partner cheating.
Tengzhi will attend masterclasses, and then spend two days in Shenzhen with her classmates, trying out newly opened private kitchens or coffee shops. She can also cross the border to Hong Kong to enjoy a bowl of long-missed clear broth pork belly.
Ye Yin would drive hundreds of kilometers to small fishing villages by the sea to collect various dried goods from familiar fishermen. If a village didn't have the goods he wanted, he would have to travel along the coastline to several more villages.
Teng Zhi was quite interested in the process of collecting seafood and asked several questions about dried goods. Ye Yin answered them one by one. The two talked more and more in detail, from dried shrimp to dried scallops, from dried abalone to dried sea cucumbers. They talked for almost half an hour just about distinguishing between real and fake fish maw.
They seemed to have an unspoken understanding, and both avoided topics related to their relationships.
After chatting for a while, Ye Yin glanced at the time and realized it was almost eleven o'clock. He suddenly stopped, saying, "Sorry, sorry, I just couldn't stop talking when I started talking about my family's business."
He loves what he does, and dried seafood is Ye Yin's "professional field." He usually talks about it with his family, but he rarely talks about it with his friends and lovers. If he does, it's only mentioned occasionally. For example, Yang Jiawen has little interest in the shop business.
Teng Zhi's mouth was a little dry, so she took a sip of mineral water: "It's okay. I'm interested in all kinds of ingredients. Once I've finished dealing with things at home, I'll find some time to come to your store and pick out some goods."
Ye Yin smiled broadly: "Sure, just tell me before you come."
Ye Yin had already finished the two bottles of water he bought from the convenience store, while Teng Zhi still had more than half a bottle left. He told Teng Zhi to wait in the car while he went to the supermarket to replenish his "supplies".
"If 'he' comes to drive, don't rush. Wait for me to come back before chasing after him," Ye Yin instructed before getting out of the car.
He didn't explicitly say who "he" was referring to, but Tengzhi understood and replied softly, "I know."
Ye Yin first went to the restroom to smoke and relieve himself, then went to the supermarket on the third floor.
A bottle of mineral water, a pack of tissues, and some cookies, cakes, and other items filled the shopping cart to the brim.
While waiting in line at the cashier, his phone vibrated, alerting him that the door had opened via the electronic peephole.
Yang Jiawen went out.
At that moment, Teng Zhi also sent a message on WeChat: "He's here!!!!"
There were so many exclamation marks. Ye Yin was stunned for a few seconds, but in the end, he couldn't help but cover his mouth and laugh.
I clearly told her there was no rush.
Ye Yin returned to the parking lot, but Li Tiancheng's car had already driven away. Ye Yin walked back to the BYD and threw the "supplies" into the back seat.
Teng Zhi's eyes widened: "You bought way too much!"
"Just in case." Before he even had a chance to fasten his seatbelt, Ye Yin drove straight out of the parking space. "How long has he been gone? Has he not seen you?"
"About three minutes. They probably didn't notice. I almost hid under the chair..." Teng Zhi tapped "location," but the button kept spinning. "Maybe the signal is bad, the location isn't showing up."
"Okay, let's go up to the ground and check the situation again."
Back on the ground, the sky was still overcast, but Tengzhi squinted slightly to adjust to the light.
The location was updated, and Li Tiancheng had already driven some distance. Ye Yin followed the direction and chased after him.
As the distance gradually shortened, Ye Yin thought about the route in his mind, tapped the steering wheel, and muttered to himself, "Oh, I thought we were going to cross the river."
Ye Yin's current residence is located in Binjiang West. He thought Li Tiancheng would drive across the river to pick up Yang Jiawen, so that he and Teng Zhi could take some photos or videos first.
However, Li Tiancheng is currently driving straight towards Shipaiqiao, indicating that the two have arranged to meet at Taikoo Hui.
About ten minutes later, Li Tiancheng drove into the parking lot of Taikoo Hui, while Ye Yin stopped on the ground for a while before entering.
There weren't many customers at Taikoo Hui on a weekday morning. The parking lot was empty, and the cars were concentrated at the mall entrance. Ye Yin circled around, while Teng Zhi carefully looked for Li Tiancheng's car through the car window.
A few minutes later, they found that Li Tiancheng was no longer in the car. Ye Yin, just like before, found a parking space that was a bit far away but still within sight of the white BMW.
It's 11:30. By this time, Teng Zhi should have already arrived in Shenzhen.
Teng Zhi first tried calling Li Tiancheng, but he didn't answer. Teng Zhi sent him a WeChat message, and he replied after a while, "I'm still in a meeting, I'll call you later."
Even though she was mentally prepared to face her husband's lies today, her heart still sank uncontrollably.
The carriage was only so big, and Ye Yin couldn't avoid seeing the messages on her phone. He scoffed impatiently and cursed, "What a damn meeting."
Teng Zhi breathed a sigh of relief and found photos from her trip to Shenzhen two weeks ago in her phone's photo album. She picked out two or three photos from the hotel room and sent them to Li Tiancheng.
Yes, last week, she "replicated" a trip in advance.
It was a secret, and Li Tiancheng didn't know about it.
The round trip was the same as today's, from the high-speed rail schedule to the hotel.
She also visited several coffee shops and light food restaurants, eating until her stomach was round and full, and took many photos to fill the "blank" three days.
As for the Japanese pastry master's course, she has a close friend who attends it, and Tengzhi can "borrow" a few photos if necessary.
As an "ally," Ye Yin was the only one who knew the truth.
Oh no, I should say that Ye Yin taught her this method of creating fake itineraries.
That day, Tengzhi acted like a well-behaved student at school, even sending the photos she had taken back to him so that her "teacher" could see if there were any shortcomings so she could fill in the gaps.
Ye Yin felt somewhat uneasy, as if he had led a respectable woman astray into evil ways.
After sending the photos to Li Tiancheng, Tengzhi added a few messages, reminding him not to forget to eat because of work, as she was also going to have lunch, and so on.
After she completed the "reporting," it was Ye Yin's turn.
Ye Yin dialed the number directly, and unlike Li Tiancheng, Yang Jiawen answered it.
The sweet, delicate voice came through the microphone, and Teng Zhi could hear it too. Her heart sank even lower, as if several weights had been added to it.
Before, just looking at the photos, Teng Zhi understood that this young woman was a completely different type from her. Now, with the addition of the voice, Yang Jiawen's image became even more vivid in her mind.
Ye Yin spoke a few words to his girlfriend in a somewhat tired voice, explaining that he had arrived at a highway service station, had just eaten a bowl of noodles, and was planning to take a nap in the car.
Then, take a direct approach and ask your girlfriend about lunch.
Yang Jiawen's voice sounded very calm as she said that she had just arrived at Taikoo Hui and was about to go upstairs. She told Ye Yin not to drive while tired, to rest more, and to be careful on the road.
Ye Yin chuckled and replied "Okay," and only after the other party hung up the phone did he slowly stop laughing.
Tengzhi watched as the corners of his mouth gradually sank, like the setting sun on the sea.
The atmosphere inside the car was not as relaxed as it had been an hour ago. Ye Yin had a craving for a cigarette, so he reached for his cigarette pack and said to Teng Zhi, "I'm getting out of the car for a smoke."
Teng Zhi nodded, offering no objection.
She remembered that during the few times she met Ye Yin, he always smelled of tobacco, sometimes strong, sometimes faint, but Ye Yin never smoked in front of her. He would only smoke when he went to the restroom or when they parted ways.
After the man got out of the car, he walked to the side. Teng Zhi's gaze lingered for a few seconds before following him; he had already lit a cigarette.
The crimson sparks flickered and went out, then flickered again, and soon white smoke engulfed his profile.
Tengzhi noticed that he slightly raised his head and stared intently at a certain direction diagonally above.
She looked over too, then paused, startled.
Above the parking lot were many directional signs. The one Ye Yin was staring at read "Mandarin Oriental Hotel".
Teng Zhi then remembered that the Mandarin Oriental is connected to Taikoo Hui, and there is an entrance in the mall that leads directly to the hotel lobby.
In the hotel booking information Ye Yin had previously posted, the hotel was also the Mandarin Oriental.
Could it be that after Li and Yang finish lunch, they go straight upstairs... to book a hotel room?
After Ye Yin finished his cigarette and returned to the car, Teng Zhi couldn't wait to ask him if it was possible.
"Yes, I thought of that too." Ye Yin opened the car window a little wider, trying to let the smell of smoke off his body. "I've already had someone keep an eye out, and send me any information about them checking into a hotel."
He looked at Teng Zhi, his carefree expression gone, and asked in a deep voice, "Teng Zhi, are you mentally prepared?"
Last time they said there was a time difference, but this time they were waiting right here in the parking lot, practically ready to go upstairs and follow the two of them.
Once he receives the check-in confirmation, he can go to the hotel reception and book a room as well.
Then, he used his room card to swipe the elevator upstairs, went straight to the room door, and caught the two people having a secret rendezvous.
And then, what happened next?
Ye Yin thought he might not be able to contain his urge to punch, and would end up smashing a few punches into that refined scoundrel's face to vent his anger for Teng Zhi...
Hmm? No... Li Tiancheng slept with his girlfriend, shouldn't that be what he's angry about?
The parking lot was much brighter than the one before, and a faint light shone in the man's incredibly dark eyes.
A tiny spark also fell into Tengzhi's eyes, traveling down her throat and reaching her chest, gently burning a tiny pit on her heart.
She swallowed hard and nodded, saying, "Yes, I'm ready."
————Author's ramblings————
No-prize quiz segment: Will the two of them be able to catch their partner cheating this time?
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