Chapter 15 015 "Weren't you waiting for me and my wife?"...
Chen Sulin was driving the same car that picked up Meng Ran last time.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Meng Ran felt as if she were being attacked by those memories all over again.
Even the low air pressure inside the car was exactly the same.
After getting into the car, Chen Sulin started the engine without saying a word, stepped on the gas, and drove the car out of the garage.
Meng Ran was filled with regret, deep regret.
She should have been more resolute and firmly refused the man's offer to give her the gift.
Meng Ran turned her head and glanced at the man with a cold expression.
She really didn't understand what this person was unhappy about.
The slight feeling of being touched by the savory pancake I had while eating breakfast has now been mostly neutralized.
She decided to retract her assessment that he was a good husband.
Meng Ran opened WeChat, just about to ask Jiang Yuqing if she had gone out, when she heard a man's voice in her ear.
"Why are we going to that mall again? Aren't you tired of always going to such far places?"
Chen Sulin's tone was calm, sounding less like an interrogation and more like casual conversation.
But Meng Ran still frowned slightly: Could this be the reason he was unhappy?
She didn't understand what this person was thinking. If he thought the place was too far, why didn't he just not take her?
Why be unhappy while still insisting on giving her a gift?
Meng Ran: "It's alright, it's only an hour. I can play on my phone for a bit and then it'll be over."
Chen Sulin: "You really like that shopping mall?"
Meng Ran gave Chen Sulin a strange look.
How can you say you really like a shopping mall? Does a shopping mall have fans?
Chen Sulin stared ahead, his face expressionless, as if he were asking a casual question.
Meng Ran: "It's alright."
Chen Sulin: "Then why do you always go to the same place when you go shopping?"
He asked so many questions today.
Meng Ran: "Jiang Yuqing... oh, that's the friend I'm meeting. She said that area is nice for shopping."
The market research is still in its infancy, so she hasn't mentioned it yet.
Only after saying that did she realize that Jiang Yuqing and Chen Sulin knew each other. Not only did they know each other, but it seemed that they had even argued over her.
After thinking for a moment, Meng Ran said carefully, "Actually, that's just Jiang Yuqing's personality. She's straightforward and sometimes speaks without thinking, but she definitely doesn't have any bad intentions."
Chen Sulin glanced at her: "Why are you suddenly bringing this up?"
Of course, I'm afraid that if you run into each other later, something unpleasant might happen again.
Meng Ran felt like she was completely overwhelmed with worry.
“She’s my best friend,” she said. “And you are my…”
At this point, Meng Ran hesitated, unable to bring herself to say the word "husband."
But she figured Chen Sulin would understand, so she stopped explaining and said instead, "That's why I certainly hope you can get along well."
Chen Sulin: "Hmm."
What does "嗯" mean?
Did they listen to it, or did they not take it seriously at all?
Meng Ran looked at Chen Sulin in confusion, hesitating whether to confirm it again, but unexpectedly found that the man's mood seemed to have improved a lot at some point.
Like the sky after a rainstorm, a hole was torn in the thick clouds, and sunlight shone through the gap.
Meng Ran didn't know how she could tell, but even though Chen Sulin wasn't smiling, his features looked much softer.
The emerging business district where the shopping mall is located is not in the core area of the northern city, but far from the city center and CBD.
On Monday morning, most of the drivers were commuters traveling from the outskirts of the city to the city center. They were going in the opposite direction, so there wasn't much traffic.
When the car stopped at a traffic light, Meng Ran received a message from Jiang Yuqing.
Jiang Yuqing: [Oh my god, my boss suddenly messaged me saying a new employee caused trouble and I need to clean up the mess... Ugh, can't even give someone a peaceful day off!]
Jiang Yuqing: [I've found a parking spot and am dealing with this now. I should be able to make a few phone calls. I'll probably be half an hour late, maybe forty or fifty minutes at most.]
Jiang Yuqing: [Ranran, when you get here, wander around for a bit and wait for me! I'll come over as soon as I'm done. Dinner's on me today!]
Jiang Yuqing: [I'm speechless. I swear I'm quitting this year!]
After receiving four voice messages, Meng Ran transcribed them into text, but she could still imagine Jiang Yuqing's angry and anxious tone on the other end.
Meng Ran replied: 【No rush, take your time.】
After replying to the message and putting away her phone, she heard Chen Sulin ask, "What's wrong?"
Meng Ran hesitated for a second before answering, "It's nothing."
Chen Sulin: "Is your friend going to be late?"
Meng Ran asked in surprise, "How did you know?"
Chen Sulin said slowly, "Judging from your expression, I guessed."
Meng Ran: "..."
“She’s busy with work and has a lot of other things to do,” she said.
Unlike you, Mr. Chen, a group president, who actually had time to drive me here on a Monday morning.
Meng Ran thought to herself.
Chen Sulin: "I happen to be free this morning, so I can stay with you until your friend arrives."
Meng Ran was completely dumbfounded: "What?"
...
Meng Ran had never seen a man as adept at changing his expression as Chen Sulin.
When he first got in the car, he had a gloomy expression as if someone owed him tens of millions, but halfway through the drive, his mood suddenly brightened, and he even offered to go shopping with her.
And she actually agreed on a whim.
Perhaps out of sheer curiosity, they wondered if a boss of Chen Sulin's stature would make a special appearance when he visited the mall.
For example, like in TV dramas, the mall manager personally greets and guides you.
Unfortunately, there was nothing there; neither the mall security guards nor the staff recognized Chen Sulin.
A few young customers, however, were drawn to Chen Sulin's appearance and glanced at him a few more times.
On Monday morning, the mall had just opened, and there were only a few customers.
Meng Ran hadn't fully accepted Chen Sulin as her husband yet, so naturally she couldn't intimately and naturally link arms with him and have him accompany her. She just walked stiffly beside the man.
As they passed a shop, Chen Sulin stopped and asked, "Shall we go take a look?"
Feeling awkward, Meng Ran quickly agreed, "Okay."
Once inside, I realized it was a jewelry store.
Meng Ran looked down at herself: she didn't have the habit of wearing jewelry, not because she didn't like it, but because she simply couldn't afford it when she was a child, and she couldn't bear to buy it when she grew up.
It wasn't until she started dating Zhao Yanzhou that she received her first necklace.
However, the colleagues at the company where Meng Ran worked after graduation dressed very simply, and as a newcomer, she didn't want to stand out too much, so she only wore it occasionally on her days off.
At this moment, she was not wearing any jewelry.
She looked up and met Chen Sulin's gaze; the man's eyes lingered on her left hand.
Meng Ran didn't react at first, but realized it after seeing the metallic sheen on Chen Sulin's hand—
She wasn't wearing her wedding ring, but he was.
She wasn't sure the first few times, but this time Meng Ran was very certain, and Chen Sulin's gaze fell on her ring finger.
Meng Ran subconsciously curled her fingers, and in an instant, she thought of several reasons in her mind how she should answer if he asked.
However, Chen Sulin said nothing, his gaze lingered for a moment, then looked away.
Meng Ran naturally swallowed back her reasons.
She thought that he probably didn't really care.
A sales clerk from the jewelry store approached them, unsure of their relationship, and smiled, "Sir, Madam, what would you like to see? I'd like to recommend something to you."
Chen Sulin looked at Meng Ran: "What do you want?"
Does this mean he'll let her choose and he'll pay?
Strangely enough, when Zhao Yanzhou first brought her to the jewelry store to buy jewelry, Meng Ran was happy but also apprehensive.
She knew there was a huge economic gap between her and Zhao Yanzhou, and she was afraid that he would give her too much and she wouldn't be able to repay him.
But when it was Chen Sulin, Meng Ran found that she didn't have that feeling at all.
This is probably the protection that the law provides; no matter how their feelings are, they are still husband and wife.
It's also possible that Chen Sulin is someone who genuinely doesn't care if others spend his millions.
Meng Ran: "I'm just browsing."
The shop assistants are very good at reading people. They could tell from just a few words that the two of them had come to the store on a whim and had no specific purpose.
Moreover, this man is clearly not short of money; you can tell just by looking at the watch on his wrist.
So whether we can make a sale today depends mainly on whether there are any ladies who are interested in us.
"Miss, we've received quite a few new styles in the last few months." The sales assistant enthusiastically led Meng Ran inside. "Why don't you and your husband come to the VIP room and have a seat? It will be more convenient for you to take your time choosing."
Meng Ran quickly waved her hand: "No, no, I really just wanted to take a quick look."
She had experienced something similar before: when she went to a jewelry store with Zhao Yanzhou, she was also invited into the VIP room, and the staff's attentiveness and thoughtfulness were overwhelming.
The sales assistant wasn't discouraged: "Okay, feel free to look around. If you see something you like, I'll take it out for you to try on."
Meng Ran browsed around and took a fancy to a six-figure bracelet.
She was still hesitating when her phone vibrated.
Jiang Yuqing sent a message saying that she had finished her work and was on her way, arriving in 15 minutes.
After replying to the message, Chen Sulin made the decision for Meng Ran: "We don't have much time today, let's buy this one first."
The shop assistant accepted the black card from Chen Sulin with both hands, secretly congratulating himself on his good judgment; this gentleman was indeed quite wealthy.
She just doesn't know who this expert is. As a shop assistant, she hasn't seen much of the world and can't really match the name to the person.
After the two left, the shop assistant glanced at the sharp handwriting on the receipt and then his eyes widened.
So... the person she just received was Chen Sulin, who became the head of the group in his twenties and usually only appears in financial news and business legends?
...
Jiang Yuqing also drove over, so Meng Ran simply took the elevator down to the ground floor with Chen Sulin to wait for Jiang Yuqing.
It's not peak time at the mall right now; there aren't many cars in the underground parking lot.
Meng Ran glanced around casually and saw that besides Chen Sulin's car, there was also a silver Maybach not far away.
It seems there are quite a few wealthy people around here.
Chen Sulin noticed that she was only carrying a paper bag containing jewelry and asked, "Why aren't you wearing it?"
Meng Ran was taken aback: "Wear it next time you go out."
Chen Sulin: "You don't usually come out much, when is the next time?"
Meng Ran stared at the man in astonishment, thinking: The last time I went out to the mall, didn't you look fierce and urge me to go back at seven or eight o'clock in the evening?
Now they're complaining that she doesn't go out enough.
To say he's fickle is absolutely right; it's no exaggeration to blame him.
Chen Sulin: "It's inconvenient for you to carry the packaging while shopping. Wear the bracelet, and put the box and bag in my car."
He always managed to use an undeniable tone that made it impossible for her to refuse.
Meng Ran took out the bracelet and handed him the packaging.
The bracelet has a clasp, and she found it difficult to put on with one hand after trying it on.
When she tried for the third time, Chen Sulin said, "Let me try."
Meng Ran: "..."
She realized that if she wanted to reject Chen Sulin, she had to firmly say "no" from the very beginning.
Otherwise, you'll just be led by him step by step and completely fall into his rhythm.
Meng Ran handed him the bracelet, extending her left hand.
The man held her wrist, and the familiar yet unfamiliar touch made her involuntarily flinch.
Chen Sulin paused slightly and looked up at her.
Meng Ran didn't say anything.
She couldn't very well say that she felt something strange every time he touched her, could she?
That would be... too embarrassing.
Meng Ran pursed her lips, trying to stop herself from overthinking.
Chen Sulin wrapped his bracelet around her wrist with methodical movements, and the wedding ring on her ring finger looked somewhat dazzling.
Meng Ran held her breath, watching the man slowly align the buckle and gently press it with his fingertips.
With a soft click, the buckle snapped shut, and a bizarre thought suddenly popped into her head—
It seemed as if she had been completely captivated by him.
...
Jiang Yuqing sent another voice message, saying that she had arrived at the parking lot entrance.
Meng Ran sent a message to Jiang Yuqing, telling her which section of the parking garage she was in and asking her to park her car nearby after she came down.
"Thank you for bringing me here," Meng Ran said to Chen Sulin.
The trip didn't start off pleasantly, but halfway through his drive, his mood inexplicably improved, and he gave her the bracelet.
Overall, Meng Ran felt that the atmosphere between the two was quite good, and they didn't part on bad terms like they had before.
Chen Sulin hummed in agreement and handed her a card.
Meng Ran looked at the black card in her palm in surprise: "I..."
Chen Sulin: "Take it for now, you don't have to use it if you don't want to."
Meng Ran: "..."
"Thank you," she said again.
A car was driving by in the distance. Meng Ran squinted and looked over. It was Jiang Yuqing's car.
Remembering that Jiang Yuqing had said she didn't want to meet Chen Sulin, Meng Ran went to greet her ahead of time.
Jiang Yuqing got out of the car, and the two exchanged a few words.
Before going upstairs, Meng Ran glanced back and saw the man still standing by the car.
After hesitating for a second, she waved to Chen Sulin.
Seeing the man nod in the distance, Meng Ran turned back to Jiang Yuqing and said, "Let's go."
...
Not far away.
Chen Sulin watched the woman's back as she walked away, entered the elevator, and disappeared from sight.
He didn't get back into the car or make any other moves, as if he was waiting for someone.
A few seconds later, the door of the silver Maybach opened, a few parking spaces away.
The man in the dark blue shirt got out of the driver's seat and walked up to Chen Sulin.
As if he had expected him to appear, Chen Sulin's expression did not change, he simply raised his eyes and glanced at the other party.
"President Chen," Zhao Yanzhou said, forcing a smile, "everyone's already gone upstairs. Why are you still standing here? Were you waiting for me?"
Chen Sulin: "Weren't you waiting for me and my wife?"
The words "my wife" made Zhao Yanzhou's eyes darken, and he clenched his teeth.
Zhao Yanzhou quickly adjusted his expression, regaining his frivolous demeanor: "President Chen really doesn't trust his wife. She comes to my place for a shopping trip, and you follow her around like a madman."
“But Mr. Chen, you know, right?” Zhao Yanzhou chuckled, “You can’t follow her 24/7. Once you leave here, I can go upstairs to find Ranran immediately.”
Chen Sulin: "You can, but you don't dare."
Zhao Yanzhou: "..."
Chen Sulin: "You know her personality. If you suddenly appear like this, she will only try to stay away from you even more."
Zhao Yanzhou clenched his fists, unable to maintain his composure any longer.
"How do you know I wouldn't dare?" Zhao Yanzhou gritted his teeth. "Chen Sulin, I'm all barefoot now, I have nothing to lose. Even if she doesn't accept me, I can tell her the truth, tell her that you're not her savior at all, just a despicable person I asked to deceive her with!"
"We'll fight to the death. She won't come back to me, but she'll hate you too!"
Chen Sulin repeated his answer: "You wouldn't dare."
Zhao Yanzhou: "You—"
Chen Sulin said calmly, "Bringing up what happened back then will only remind her of how deeply you hurt her. Besides, she's very smart. Do you really think she was completely unaware of the true situation at the time?"
Zhao Yanzhou was stunned.
She knew all along, yet she still chose to be with Chen Sulin?
Chen Sulin was too unfathomable; he couldn't discern the truth or falsehood of each word from his expression and tone.
When Zhao Yanzhou heard that Meng Ran had disappeared, his first reaction was smugness: he thought that Meng Ran had finally seen through Chen Sulin's true colors and decided to leave him.
Later, it was discovered that Meng Ran had truly disappeared. Even with Chen Sulin's vast resources and connections, he couldn't find her no matter what he tried.
For the past five years, she has vanished as if she had disappeared from the face of the earth.
Now that Meng Ran has suddenly returned, Zhao Yanzhou has no idea what has happened to her in the past five years.
Even those who knew the inside story, even if they weren't Chen Sulin's people, had all been silenced by Chen Sulin. At most, they could find out the approximate date when Meng Ran was discovered, but they knew nothing else about the specific details.
“If I were you, I would stay away from her.” Seeing Zhao Yanzhou’s silence, Chen Sulin spoke again, “At least for now, this way, she can still retain a last bit of good memory of you.”
After saying that, he didn't linger and turned to get into the car.
...
"I didn't expect Chen Sulin to be so savvy!"
In the elevator, Jiang Yuqing was surprised after hearing Meng Ran's story: "She not only brought you here, but also went shopping with you and bought you a bracelet?"
Meng Ran coughed and said, "It's not that exaggerated, is it? Wouldn't most people do that? Didn't your ex-boyfriend drive you around and buy you things?"
“But Chen Sulin isn’t an ordinary person,” Jiang Yuqing said. “And to be honest, before you disappeared, I never heard you mention Chen Sulin doing these things for you. I always thought…”
Jiang Yuqing hesitated for a moment, then lowered her voice: "I always thought he was indifferent to you, and that you were only after Chen Sulin's money, which is why you were willing to put up with him."
“You know Ranran, I absolutely didn’t mean anything by that,” Jiang Yuqing added. “Who in this world would turn down money? If it were me, let alone Chen Sulin, if a man who was half as rich as him came along and said he wanted to marry me, I’d probably agree in two days at most.”
Meng Ran raised her eyebrows: "It doesn't matter if I'm ugly?"
Jiang Yuqing: "How ugly?"
Meng Ran: "He's even uglier than the guy who pursued you in your sophomore year."
Jiang Yuqing swallowed hard and thought about it seriously for a few seconds: "Then... I need to think about it for a couple more days."
Meng Ran smiled and said, "You see?"
Jiang Yuqing: "But if he were to hand me an unlimited black card like in the TV dramas and let me spend it however I want, I wouldn't completely be unable to accept it."
Meng Ran blinked.
Jiang Yuqing noticed her strange expression and was shocked: "Did Chen Sulin really give you one?"
Meng Ran: "...More or less."
Jiang Yuqing: "Take it out and let me see it. I've never seen it in person before."
Meng Ran took the card out of her wallet.
Jiang Yuqing took the card and examined it from all angles: "By the way, can this card really be used in regular stores? Won't I get kicked out by the staff for being too pretentious?"
Meng Ran was amused: "Why don't you give it a try?"
Jiang Yuqing: "Now that you mention it, I'm actually tempted to give it a try."
...
Chen Sulin drove back to the company alone.
There was a regular meeting scheduled for 9:30, but he postponed it by two hours.
The road back to the city center wasn't as smooth as the road out of the city; there was some traffic congestion.
There was a red light ahead. Chen Sulin stepped on the brake and loosened his tie.
He rarely felt this irritable.
Uncontrollable emotions can impair judgment, and he cannot allow himself to fall into such a situation.
My phone vibrated; it was a notification from the bank about a credit card transaction.
The text message showed that he had made a purchase of 36.00 yuan on her card two minutes earlier, from a milk tea shop.
Chen Sulin's fingers paused.
The turmoil churning in my chest was miraculously calmed down.
-----------------------
Author's Note: 188 small red envelopes will be given away in the comments section of this chapter and the next chapter~ [kiss]
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