Chapter Thirty-Five
Shi Qing held Liang Yuheng for a very short time, but she still secretly observed the reactions of the people around her.
This trick worked really well.
Seeing the surprised expressions on many people's faces, Shi Qing felt relieved.
She finally finished the task Liang Yuheng had given her.
Cheng Jun and his friends were playing at the table next to him when they turned around and saw this scene, and they all sighed in amazement.
"This is so much dog food!"
"I've never seen Yuheng praise someone like that before!"
"Yeah, who would have thought that after being single for so many years, he'd get married before any of us! I think he's just here to show off!"
"That's right, that's too much. We'll have to give him a good beating when he gets back."
"Yuheng, tone it down, you're making us single folks so jealous!"
Liang Yuheng was in a good mood, and said in a slightly cheeky tone, "I can't help it, she's just too clingy."
"..."
"grass!"
"This person is so shameless!"
"Fine, I'm not watching anymore. Let them be sick of each other!"
Shi Qing and he exchanged a glance, and neither of them could help but laugh.
Shi Qing and Liang Yuheng played together for half an hour. The more she played, the more interesting it became, and she decided to play more whenever she had time.
"Let's stop playing, how about we play board games?" Cheng Jun and the others were tired of playing and wanted to switch to something else.
Wei Wen: "Let's go, it's a good time to rest!"
Cheng Jun walked over and patted Liang Yuheng on the shoulder: "Yuheng, want to play a few rounds?"
Wei Wen: "Come on, Yuheng. Before, without you, it felt like the game was no fun at all. Your brain is just too sharp!"
Others chimed in, "Yes, yes!"
Liang Yuheng, worried that it was getting late, looked at Shi Qing and asked, "Do you want to go back now?"
"Let's do it later." Shi Qing had just heard several of Liang Yuheng's friends want him to hang out, and besides, it was Cheng Jun's birthday today. Since they had already mentioned it, it wouldn't be good to let Liang Yuheng keep hanging around her.
Cheng Jun laughed and said, "Sister-in-law, come along!"
Shi Qing shook her head: "I don't know how, you guys play."
"It's simple, no problem." Wei Wen joked, looking at Liang Yuheng. "Let Yuheng call you, he's really good at it!"
Shi Qing felt that she wasn't suited for this kind of game, and that her being a newbie would only affect their experience: "It's okay, you guys play, I'm going to take a break."
“Call me if you need anything,” Liang Yuheng whispered in her ear, “and remember not to drink too much.”
Upon hearing this, Shi Qing immediately recalled the embarrassing incident she had caused after drinking too much last time, and her face flushed red.
But she couldn't afford to make a scene in front of so many people, so she squinted and gave a dry laugh: "Thanks for reminding me, I know."
"That's good." Liang Yuheng suppressed a smile.
The others didn't know what the two were whispering about; they just thought they were deliberately showing off their affection.
Cheng Jun clicked his tongue: "I can't bear to watch, it's too sickeningly sweet!"
"They're chasing and killing us!"
Liang Yuheng ignored their teasing and said to Shi Qing, "Let's go."
The group sat down at the long table in the living room and then pulled a few more people in to play together.
Shi Qing was still sitting on the sofa where she had been eating cake. With nothing else to do, she arranged classes for a few students on WeChat.
There were a few girls sitting next to her, none of whom she knew. They smiled at each other but didn't say anything.
Shi Qing was indeed a bit bored, so she chatted with Zhou Han on WeChat.
Zhou Han went on a trip to New Zealand with her mother these past few days, and she sent Shi Qing a lot of beautiful photos and videos every day.
Shi Qing: [New Zealand is so beautiful! I've never seen such a beautiful place before!]
Zhou Han: [Yes, it's absolutely gorgeous! I'd love to stay here for a while, but my mom says she doesn't like it.]
Shi Qing comforted her, saying, "We can go again later."
Zhou Han: [Okay, let's do it together from now on.]
Shi Qing certainly hoped to go again sometime, but her current job probably wouldn't allow for long vacations. Besides, the trip wouldn't be cheap for her, so she'd better think about it.
Zhou Han then shared her experiences from the past few days with Shi Qing, who listened with great interest.
She glanced up at Liang Yuheng unintentionally, but her hand stopped moving.
Her gaze fell on the person next to Liang Yuheng.
That girl was not only stunningly beautiful, but also very poised and graceful.
Despite the chilly weather, she was only wearing an off-the-shoulder short dress.
When Shi Qing noticed her black shawl, she felt a jolt in her heart.
Because it was exactly the same as the one Liang Yuheng gave her.
Could it be a coincidence?
The two were talking about something, and the girl winked mischievously at Liang Yuheng. When Liang Yuheng nodded, she smiled sweetly.
Although Liang Yuheng wasn't very warm towards her, Shi Qing could still sense that they were quite familiar with each other.
Shi Qing didn't know what she was feeling; it was an emotion she had never experienced before.
All she knew was that she didn't want to see Liang Yuheng getting too close to any girl.
Just then, a commotion came from the other side of the long table, and many people went over to see what was going on.
Shi Qing wasn't far from them, only about ten meters away, so she could naturally hear them too.
It turns out that Song Shu lost this round, and the punishment she drew was to kiss a person of the opposite sex next to her.
Song Shu's right side is a girl, and her left side is Liang Yuheng; naturally, he is the only girl there.
Someone in the crowd, sensing Song Shu's hint, mustered up the courage to shout, "It's just a kiss! It's okay!"
Everyone knows that Song Shu likes Liang Yuheng, and Liang Yuheng is married. Everyone is waiting to see what happens.
Upon hearing the man's words, the onlookers became even more excited and began to jeer.
"Yeah, it's just a game anyway."
"Give me a kiss!" "Give me a kiss!"
Every now and then, people would sneak peeks at Shi Qing's reaction, seemingly gossiping.
Many people were skeptical when they saw Liang Yuheng and Shi Qing behaving intimately today.
If Liang Yuheng really kissed her, it means their relationship is nothing special.
If Liang Yuheng doesn't show affection, Song Shu will be embarrassed.
Regardless of the outcome, everyone is eagerly anticipating it.
In a short period of time, various images flashed through Shi Qing's mind.
What if Liang Yuheng and she actually kissed?
Just like those people said, it's just a game, she doesn't need to care, right?
But a voice inside her said she didn't want to.
"Ah Heng, may I kiss you?" Song Shu raised her beautiful eyes and looked at Liang Yuheng.
"Let's kiss."
"Liang Yuheng definitely won't have any objections!"
"Yeah, you two have been so close since you were little, what's wrong with a kiss?"
"That's right!"
...
Shi Qing clenched her fists.
She overheard the girls next to her whispering:
"I think they're a perfect match."
"Who knows, maybe some people just like the Cinderella type."
"Keep your voice down, the person in question is here."
"I'd forgotten all about it, haha."
The person who had just started the commotion was about to say something when Liang Yuheng glanced at him and abruptly stopped him.
That look was full of warning; no matter how good her relationship with Song Shu was, she wouldn't dare offend Liang Yuheng.
"Don't make jokes like that again, everyone." Liang Yuheng picked up his wine glass, glanced coldly around, and then looked at Shi Qing with a gentle smile, "Because my wife is hard to please."
Shi Qing's eyelashes trembled slightly, and her heart felt a little hot.
She had originally imagined that Liang Yuheng might refuse her outright for fear of embarrassing her, but she never expected him to say such intimate things.
Although they weren't officially together yet, Shi Qing knew he really knew how to coax her.
It was clearly a secret between the two of them, but having it revealed like this made Shi Qing feel a sweet warmth in her heart.
After saying that, Liang Yuheng tilted his head back and drank the wine in his glass in one gulp.
After he said that, everyone fell silent.
The scene became awkward. No one expected that Liang Yuheng would not care about Song Shu's feelings at all, and they were even more surprised by his next words.
Anyone with eyes can see that that look in one's eyes can't be faked.
Everyone quickly realized that if Liang Yuheng didn't like it, there was no need for him to pretend.
The disappointment in Song Shu's eyes vanished quickly, and she remained remarkably calm.
Cheng Jun called out to everyone, "Come on, let's play the next round!"
"Again, again."
Everyone tacitly agreed and began a new round of games.
Shi Qing's chaotic thoughts were calmed by his words, and she felt relieved enough to continue replying to Zhou Han's messages.
Just then, she heard Zhang Mei calling. Since it was too noisy in the living room, Shi Qing went to the yard to answer the call.
"Hello, Mom."
Zhang Mei cut to the chase: "Shi Qing, Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon, when are you and Yuheng coming over?"
Shi Qing thought that Liang Yuheng would have a lot of social engagements during the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays, and didn't want to trouble him during this time.
Moreover, she was unwilling to take him back again; Qian Min's words last time had made her very uncomfortable.
Now she cares more about Liang Yuheng's opinion of her; she doesn't want to expose her vulnerabilities to him.
Shi Qing lied and said, "He's away on a business trip. I'll tell you when he gets back."
"Why are you still on a business trip?" Zhang Mei's voice rose instantly. "How many times have I called you? Every time you say you're on a business trip, Shi Qing, are you trying to lie to me?"
"He has a project overseas today, and he'll be there for more than half a year."
"So he must be making a lot of money. On such an important day as the Mid-Autumn Festival, don't they even show the most basic courtesy? Your aunt told me yesterday that her son-in-law gave them more than a dozen gifts and even brought your uncle a few bottles of good wine. Look at them. Your dad said that if Liang Yuheng dares not to give him any gifts, he shouldn't ever set foot in our house again. This is clearly looking down on people! Shi Qing, he doesn't know anything about social etiquette in business, so there's no need for you to talk to him."
Shi Qing was initially quite patient, but after listening, she knew exactly what he wanted to say.
"Fine, I won't go then," she replied coldly, and hung up immediately.
Anyway, I'm never happy when I go back.
She now realizes that no matter whether she's in a relationship or not, or what kind of relationship she's in, her parents will never let her have an easy time.
What should have been a perfectly good day turned into a day filled with frustration because of this phone call.
In the past, she wouldn't have dared to talk back to Zhang Mei so directly, and might even have secretly bought some gifts to pretend that Liang Yuheng bought them.
She hesitated every time she wanted to cut ties with them.
It seems her parents haven't done anything particularly bad; they are elders, and she shouldn't be like them.
But every time I contact them, the thought of going back makes me feel very painful.
If things really break down, she might truly have no home left.
There were several chairs on the terrace in Cheng Jun's yard. Shi Qing felt very heavy, so she found a chair and sat down.
"What's wrong, beautiful? Are you unhappy all alone?" A male voice rang out, startling Shi Qing slightly.
The person in front of me was wearing a dark red suit, with a loose black shirt underneath, only the top button fastened.
He was fairly good-looking, but his mannerisms were somewhat unsettling, as if he had been drinking too much.
"If you're unhappy about something, tell your brother." He sat down on the chair next to him, swirling the glass in his hand. "Want a drink?"
Shi Qing felt uncomfortable under his gaze and was about to get up when she said, "No need."
Song Hui grabbed her arm: "Why are you leaving as soon as I arrive? I didn't do anything wrong, and you're making it sound like I'm bullying you."
He had never met Shi Qing before and knew she wasn't in the entertainment circle, so he assumed she was a friend brought by someone.
Seeing that Shi Qing was not only beautiful but also had a perfect and alluring figure, Song Hui couldn't help but feel aroused.
He hadn't expected Shi Qing to treat him this way. Having always been pampered by women, Song Hui suddenly liked her even more when he encountered someone prickly.
"Let go, or I'll call for help!" Shi Qing frowned and tried to pull her hand back, but because of the difference in their strength, it hurt a little when he gripped her hand.
Song Hui: "Oh, so what if you call for help? I just wanted to be friends with you, and you're making me very sad."
"I don't want to..." Shi Qing hadn't finished speaking when she saw Song Hui's chair being overturned.
"Damn it! Who the hell did this?!" Song Hui cursed angrily.
Liang Yuheng stood beside Shi Qing, his aura terrifyingly low.
He looked down at Song Hui and asked, "Who do you want to be friends with?"
Song Hui has been drinking and singing upstairs since she arrived today, and I didn't see that Liang Yuheng came with Shi Qing.
He and Liang Yuheng never got along; they disliked each other.
He simply couldn't understand why his sister liked him.
Song Hui was usually a little afraid of Liang Yuheng, not only because he felt he couldn't beat him, but also because of the relationship between their elders.
They had a fight when they were kids, and Song Hui got a severe beating from his grandfather when he got home.
But today he was drunk and embarrassed in public, so he lost all reason. He rushed towards Liang Yuheng, grabbed his collar, and gritted his teeth, saying, "Don't you have a wife? Trying to be a hero here?"
At this moment, Cheng Jun and a group of people rushed out: "Song Hui! What are you doing!"
"Brother, stop!" Song Shu also ran over and grabbed him.
Song Hui was forced back a few steps by someone: "Let me go!"
Liang Yuheng reached out and grabbed Shi Qing's wrist, noticing a red mark around it. He quickly stepped forward and kicked Song Hui in the stomach again.
"Damn it, Liang Yuheng! I'll kill you today!" Song Hui stumbled backward, and if someone hadn't pulled him back, he would have fallen far away.
The others quickly pulled Liang Yuheng back, saying, "Yuheng, calm down!"
Cheng Jun shouted, "That's enough! Song Hui, if you want to cause trouble, go outside, not in my house!"
Song Hui knew that Cheng Jun and Liang Yuheng were in cahoots, and sneered, "If Song Shu hadn't insisted on coming, who the hell would have bothered to come!"
"If you don't want to come, then get out!" Cheng Jun was also furious because Song Hui had ruined his party, and he was very unhappy about it.
"Liang Yuheng, you just wait!" Song Hui shook off the person holding him and pointed at Liang Yuheng.
"Wait a minute," Liang Yuheng said.
Song Hui paused in his steps.
"Apologize to my wife."
Song Hui's expression hardened.
Knowing that this woman was married to Liang Yuheng, he couldn't be bothered to get involved.
Liang Yuheng said in a deep voice, "I don't want to say it a second time."
Song Hui knew that if a real fight broke out, not only would he be no match for Liang Yuheng, but many of the people here were Liang Yuheng's men, so he wouldn't gain any advantage.
He comforted himself with the thought that a wise man doesn't suffer a loss in front of him.
"I'm sorry." After saying that, Song Hui turned and left with a gloomy face.
Song Shu hurriedly followed.
"Sister-in-law, don't be angry. He's just an idiot." Cheng Jun turned to Shi Qing and said.
Everyone knows perfectly well who Song Hui is among them. They've also guessed pretty much what happened earlier; they know he deliberately harassed Shi Qing, otherwise Liang Yuheng wouldn't be so angry.
"I'm fine, you guys keep playing."
Liang Yuheng looked down at Shi Qing and said, "Let's stop playing and go."
Shi Qing: "Okay."
After returning to the living room, Liang Yuheng grabbed his coat, draped it over Shi Qing's shoulders, and then took her hand as they walked outside.
The night breeze was cool, and the upscale villa area was very quiet at night.
Shi Qing was in a bad mood because of Zhang Mei's phone call and Song Hui's harassment, but she felt that Liang Yuheng seemed even angrier.
Liang Yuheng is usually very polite to her and others, and I have never seen him lose his temper with anyone.
Shi Qing thought he should be a very rational person, but she never expected him to hit someone because of her.
This whole thing started because of her, and Liang Yuheng had just stood up for her, so Shi Qing felt she needed to appease him.
"Are you still angry?" Shi Qing tilted her head to look at him.
Liang Yuheng did not deny it: "Yes."
Shi Qing: "Don't be angry. That person looks drunk. Don't bother with someone like that."
"How's your hand? Did he hurt you?" Liang Yuheng stopped, took her wrist and rubbed it.
Shi Qing smiled and shook her head: "No, it doesn't hurt."
"I'm sorry," Liang Yuheng said.
Shi Qing: "Why are you apologizing to me?"
"It's because I asked you to come here with me that this happened."
"This isn't your fault. I went outside to answer a call from my mom, and I didn't expect him to come over." Shi Qing suddenly remembered something. "By the way, do you know him?"
"Hmm, Song Hui. A good-for-nothing who doesn't know anything," Liang Yuheng said disdainfully.
Shi Qing thought about how everyone in their circle was rich and powerful, and she was a little worried: "Won't it cause problems if you hit him?"
Liang Yuheng scoffed coldly: "He deserved it, and I didn't even hit him that hard."
Shi Qing rarely saw Liang Yuheng speak in this tone, and couldn't help but laugh.
"What's wrong?" Liang Yuheng stared at her.
Shi Qing: "It just suddenly occurred to me that you looked really cool when you helped me beat him up today."
"Really?" Liang Yuheng's lips twitched.
Shi Qing nodded: "Yes."
Liang Yuheng pulled her along, saying, "I'm in a bad mood, aren't you going to try to comfort me?"
"Isn't this just me trying to comfort you?" Shi Qing shook his arm.
"That's too perfunctory."
"..."
She was clearly very serious.
Shi Qing realized that he was indeed quite angry today, and wanted to cheer him up.
She silently encouraged herself, and after a few seconds, she forced herself to say:
"Brother Heng, don't be angry?"
Liang Yuheng's eyes darkened: "Say it again."
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