Chapter 35 035 "Did Chen Sulin tell you all of this...?"
Meng Ran stared blankly at the man in front of her.
When the anticipated moment arrives in an unexpected way, it's neither an immediate surge of mixed emotions nor entirely a feeling of panic and helplessness.
It's more like the eyes see something, but the brain hasn't processed it yet, leaving the person blankly unsure how to react.
Zhao Yanzhou's mouth opened and closed, as if he were performing a silent play in her eyes.
Her thoughts drifted back to that night seven years ago—or rather, about twenty days ago, as far as she could remember.
It feels like yesterday.
...
"Ranran," Zhao Yanzhou said, raising his glass, "Happy 23rd birthday."
Meng Ran smiled and raised her glass to clink with his: "Thank you."
When Meng Ran was in college, she would carefully budget even when splitting the bill with her roommates for a hot pot meal. After graduating and having a stable income, she would only occasionally treat herself to a dinner that cost three figures per person.
Since she started dating Zhao Yanzhou, she has taken him to many hidden gem shops she had discovered while studying in Beicheng, and he has taken her to many upscale restaurants she had never been to before.
From being extremely reserved at the beginning, afraid of making a fool of herself, she can now even leisurely swirl a wine glass and cosplay as a rich person.
After she took a sip of red wine, Zhao Yanzhou said, "I remember you said that you never made a wish on your birthday before."
Meng Ran lowered her eyes and said, "Mm."
Actually, it's not that she never makes a wish. When her mother was still alive, she would blow out candles and make a wish on her birthday, just like other children.
But since her mother passed away, no one has bought her cakes anymore, and no one has asked her what her birthday wish was.
She knew very well that the life she wanted was not something she could get by simply making a wish.
Since that's the case, it's better not to allow it.
Zhao Yanzhou: "But today is the first time I'm celebrating your birthday with you. How about you consider making an exception for me?"
Meng Ran blinked and replied, "Okay."
Perhaps because she agreed so readily, Zhao Yanzhou stared at her with a mixture of confusion and surprise for several seconds without saying a word.
After a moment, he finally spoke: "Then I'll go borrow a lighter. After we light the candles, you can make a wish."
After the two got together, Zhao Yanzhou quit smoking completely and didn't even carry a lighter anymore.
Zhao Yanzhou went to the door of the private room to ask the waiter for a lighter, and lit the candles he had prepared in advance one by one.
In the firelight, Meng Ran closed her eyes.
Just like before, she wouldn't pin her true desires on vague and unrealistic birthday wishes.
For her, a wish is more like a beautiful expectation; it would be great if it came true, but it wouldn't matter if she was unlucky and it didn't.
Her life used to be so hard that she didn't even dare to have such expectations.
Now that her hardships have finally come to an end, she has a well-paying and promising job, and a small but cozy rented apartment. She can finally ask for a little more.
After a while, Meng Ran opened her eyes and smiled: "I've made my promise."
Zhao Yanzhou: "What is it?"
Meng Ran scolded, "How can you ask such a question? Isn't there a saying that wishes won't come true if you speak them out loud?"
What's more, it's a wish related to him.
Zhao Yanzhou: "I know, but—"
The second half of the sentence was cut off, and Zhao Yanzhou's phone vibrated on the table.
Meng Ran raised her eyebrows.
In the past, Zhao Yanzhou would always put his phone on silent when he went on dates with her, but he had forgotten to do so today.
Zhao Yanzhou apologized.
Meng Ran: "Who is it?"
Zhao Yanzhou glanced at the screen: "...It's my mother."
Meng Ran smiled and said, "Oh, then you can answer it. It's okay, I'll wait for you."
Zhao Yanzhou hummed in agreement and got up to answer the phone outside the private room.
Not long after they started dating, Zhao Yanzhou told Meng Ran everything about his family situation.
Meng Ran knew that Zhao Yanzhou's family was a typical family with a strict father and a kind mother, and he had always had a good relationship with his mother.
So Meng Ran wasn't surprised that he went to answer his mother's call, and casually began to appreciate the surroundings.
Zhao Yanzhou booked a private viewing room with a 270-degree panoramic floor-to-ceiling window that offered a complete view of the night scene of the northern city.
Outside the window, neon-lit skyscrapers stand side by side, creating a dreamlike atmosphere.
Let alone when she was a child, even a year ago, she wouldn't have dared to imagine such a scene.
As Meng Ran watched, she couldn't help but drift off into a daze.
...
Suddenly snapping out of her thoughts, Meng Ran took a deep breath.
In those few seconds of recollection, it was as if she had experienced a time travel all over again.
That's how it happened before. She was enjoying the dazzling night view when, in a moment of distraction, she opened her eyes again and found herself lying in a hospital room, being called "Mrs. Chen" by everyone.
Meng Ran pinched her palm hard, forcing herself to keep her mind clear.
Seeing that she remained silent for a long time, Zhao Yanzhou felt a mixture of pain and hope.
"Ranran," he called her again, "Are you alright?"
Meng Ran: "..."
The confusion in her eyes faded, replaced by caution and wariness: "That girl handing out flyers, and this cake, were they all arranged by you?"
Seeing the change in Meng Ran's eyes, Zhao Yanzhou felt another pang of pain in his heart.
Sure enough, even after so much time has passed, she still hasn't forgiven him.
Zhao Yanzhou smiled wryly: "You're just as smart as before."
They realized so quickly that it was all his doing.
Meng Ran remained silent.
Zhao Yanzhou: "Ranran, I have no other thoughts, I just want to take this opportunity to tell you something."
Beneath the table, the man clenched his fist silently.
The reason for choosing this dessert shop is that when they were dating, the two of them often went on dates at a dessert shop with similar decor downstairs from Meng Ran's company.
The cake in front of her, specially made to resemble the original, was meant to evoke fond memories of their relationship.
Given Meng Ran's decisiveness when they broke up back then, as long as these things can prevent her from walking away immediately, he has already succeeded halfway.
Meng Ran: "...What do you want to say?"
Zhao Yanzhou was overjoyed and quickly said, "It's almost noon, are you hungry? Would you like to try a piece of cake first, and then we can talk?"
To avoid being disturbed, Zhao Yanzhou informed the store manager well in advance that he wanted to reserve the entire morning's space.
The shop's business was so-so; there weren't many customers in the morning. The shop manager accepted the money without hesitation.
Zhao Yanzhou and the store manager agreed that once Meng Ran came in and ordered, all the staff would leave temporarily and hang up the "Closed" sign, leaving the place for the two of them.
Meng Ran glanced down at the cake: "No need, just tell me."
She paused, then added, "I have other plans this afternoon. If you have something to say, please do so quickly."
Zhao Yanzhou: "...Okay."
Getting her to sit down and listen to him was better than the worst-case scenario he had imagined.
"Ranran." Zhao Yanzhou took a breath. "Those things from back then... although none of them were my intention, I know that everything was ultimately caused by my incompetence. So even if you resent me or blame me, I will accept it."
Meng Ran listened quietly without responding.
As she had expected, with Chen Sulin deliberately keeping quiet, only a few people knew that she had no memory of the time she was missing.
She only told Jiang Yuqing, whom she trusted.
So even Zhao Yanzhou didn't know she had amnesia.
Meng Ran didn't think about taking the initiative to try and get information from Zhao Yanzhou. First, she didn't want to disrupt his life with her awkward situation, and second, she didn't have complete confidence in herself.
She wasn't a machine. Even if she learned from others that Zhao Yanzhou had hurt her, she couldn't possibly face her boyfriend, whom she had been deeply in love with not long ago, with a completely calm demeanor.
Given the current situation, rather than awkwardly arguing with Zhao Yanzhou in the store, it's better to let him finish speaking.
Perhaps... she can piece together more of the facts from back then.
Seeing that Meng Ran had taken his advice to heart, Zhao Yanzhou felt a glimmer of hope.
He suppressed his inner turmoil and continued, "Back then, I had nothing. I was just a spoiled brat who only knew how to eat, drink, and have fun. Although my grandfather doted on me, he didn't trust me and easily listened to the instigation of others."
“But things are different now.” Zhao Yanzhou tried to keep his tone calm, but his upper body leaned forward involuntarily. “Over the years, I have proven myself. I have invested in several projects and made money from them. Even my usually strict father praised my talent and said that my grandfather would be proud of me in heaven.”
“In the years you’ve been gone, I’ve invested in several shopping malls around the North City area, and they’re all profitable now.”
"Two years ago, I invested in a comprehensive shopping mall located in the hottest emerging business district in the north of the city. It opened this year, and Ranran, you've been there a few times! Mengzhao Tiandi, do you remember it?"
Meng Ran remained calm until she heard the last sentence, at which point her eyes widened slightly.
Seeing this, Zhao Yanzhou became even more excited: "Yes, I knew you remembered! That's where I opened it, Ranran. Did you never expect that the good-for-nothing Zhao Yanzhou from back then could now run such a large business?"
“I named that shopping mall. Meng represents you, and Zhao represents me. Our names are put together, with you first, which is my heartfelt wish for you.”
Meng Ran's eyes betrayed her astonishment.
She had been to that shopping mall a few times, and she always knew its name.
Newly opened shopping malls these days like to use all sorts of fancy names to attract customers. Both "Dream" and "Likeness" have good meanings, and she never thought about the homophony aspect.
Zhao Yanzhou: "Besides these, I have other plans. My father is getting old and is delegating power to my brother and me. By next year at the latest, I will have complete control over my marriage."
"Ranran, I'm really not the same person I was seven years ago. As long as you agree, I'm confident I can marry you openly and honestly! You'll have everything that others have!"
Zhao Yanzhou spoke eloquently, and Meng Ran, listening to him, suddenly felt like laughing.
From his words, she understood the reason why the two broke up back then.
There weren't so many surprises, nor were there any special reasons she couldn't have imagined.
It's just the simplest kind of story, and even if it were shown in a TV series, viewers would criticize it for being unoriginal: the elders in the family trying to break up a couple.
Back then, she believed his solemn vows to her, saying that his situation was special, that his parents doted on him as their youngest son, and that they would never object to him marrying the girl he loved.
She laughed at her own naiveté, and also at Zhao Yanzhou for having the nerve to say such things to her.
Meng Ran finally spoke: "Zhao Yanzhou."
Zhao Yanzhou quickly stopped talking, looking at the person in front of him with almost fanaticism: "What's wrong, Ranran?"
Meng Ran: "Do you think that if I've been fooled once, I'll be fooled a second time?"
Zhao Yanzhou said urgently, "This time it's really different! I told you, I'm not the useless Zhao Yanzhou I was seven years ago!"
Meng Ran: "So you think I'm still the same Meng Ran from seven years ago?"
Zhao Yanzhou was taken aback.
Meng Ran: "I'm doing very well now, no, I'm doing extremely well. I'm Chen Sulin's wife, I have no worries about food or clothing, and I have more money than I can spend. I also have a lovely daughter. I have everything a happy family needs."
"Why do you think I should take this risk and divorce Chen Sulin?"
Zhao Yanzhou stared at her in a daze.
He had considered that she might not believe him, given how much he had hurt her back then, and he was prepared to take things slowly.
But he didn't expect her to reject him with such a practical reason.
He always felt that although Meng Ran said she liked money, she actually valued love far more than money.
After all, the most expensive gift she had ever received when they were together was a five-figure necklace; she refused anything more expensive.
Seeing this, Meng Ran twitched the corner of her mouth: "Zhao Yanzhou, you haven't even thought about these things before trying to persuade me. Have you ever truly thought about me for even a moment?"
She stood up and said, "I have something to do, I'll be going now."
Often, memories and imagination can idealize a person.
Even before meeting him, knowing how miserable she was after the breakup, deep down, Meng Ran couldn't help but find reasons for this man she had truly loved.
It's like a self-protective mechanism; once you admit that the other party is truly worthless, it's equivalent to admitting that your own judgment was completely wrong.
Now that we've met in person, the filter has shattered completely.
Seeing that Meng Ran was really about to leave, Zhao Yanzhou blurted out, "Ranran! Do you know that Chen Sulin only married you back then to use you?"
Meng Ran stopped in her tracks.
Zhao Yanzhou clenched his fist.
He didn't want to fight to the death with Chen Surin. He knew what Chen Surin didn't want Meng Ran to know, but Chen Surin was also well aware of his weaknesses.
However, at this moment, Zhao Yanzhou had a premonition: if he couldn't seize this opportunity to shake Meng Ran, he might really have no hope left.
Zhao Yanzhou: "Ranran—"
"I thought you were going to say something," Meng Ran said calmly. "This was originally a marriage where each party got what they wanted, and I got what I wanted."
Zhao Yanzhou stared intently at her: "What if your daughter is also part of his scheme?"
After he finished speaking, he stared intently at Meng Ran.
Finally, after seeing the change in her eyes, Zhao Yanzhou felt a sense of satisfaction, as if he had finally gotten rid of his pent-up anger.
Zhao Yanzhou: "You should know that the reason Chen Sulin married you so quickly back then was because he urgently needed a married status to smoothly seize power. But there are some things he probably didn't tell you."
"Back then, when Chairman Chen had a physical examination, he discovered a health problem and knew that he might have to hand over power earlier than planned. So he began to make arrangements for his youngest son who was living abroad."
Seeing Meng Ran's surprised expression, Zhao Yanzhou smiled and said, "Yes, before that, I always thought Chen Sulin was an only child. I didn't expect that Chairman Chen actually had an illegitimate son, but he was still young, only twelve years old seven years ago."
“How could someone like Chen Sulin allow even a little bit of power to fall into the hands of his illegitimate son? But at that time, Chen Sulin was only twenty-four years old and needed the support of the group and other family members. Those people believed in his abilities, but they were also worried that if he chose the wrong side, he would be purged later.”
"Later, Chen Sulin finally reached an agreement with them, and one of the bargaining chips was your child."
"Your pregnancy and Chen Miaoying's birth were all part of his plan!"
"If you hadn't gotten pregnant within a year, do you think Chen Sulin would have turned his back on you and divorced you? Or perhaps he would have done what his father did and found another woman to have a son with?"
"Ranran." Zhao Yanzhou took a half step closer. "Has Chen Sulin told you all of this?"
Meng Ran: "..."
Zhao Yanzhou took another step closer: "Ranran, I'm not saying this to hurt you, but because I think you have the right to know the truth."
Meng Ran stepped back: "...Don't get so close to me."
Zhao Yanzhou: "Ranran!"
Meng Ran: "...I'm leaving."
She stopped struggling with him and turned to leave.
Seeing that she was really about to leave, Zhao Yanzhou panicked and reached out to grab her sleeve, accidentally knocking over the lemonade on the corner of the table.
Meng Ran felt a chill on the back of her hand, followed by a dampness.
Most of the lemonade spilled onto her hands, but her shirt wasn't completely spared either, with a water stain spreading across the hem.
The air fell silent instantly; Zhao Yanzhou hadn't expected things to develop this way.
"I'm sorry, Ranran, I—" he stammered, "I didn't mean to, I'm so sorry!"
Meng Ran glanced at the hem of her shirt, grabbed a tissue, hastily wiped her fingers, tossed the tissue on the table, and turned to leave.
Perhaps caught off guard by the sudden turn of events, Zhao Yanzhou did not immediately give chase.
...
Meng Ran lowered her head and walked out of the store.
My mind was a complete mess, and my temples were throbbing.
The only thought that remained was that she wanted to get away from Zhao Yanzhou and away from all that messy stuff from the past.
Pushing open the shop door, she continued walking briskly along the street, not caring whether passersby would cast strange glances at her.
Suddenly, a figure in a suit appeared before me.
Meng Ran recognized the owner of the suit, looked up in astonishment, and was speechless.
Chen Sulin's gaze fell on her clothes, his brow furrowing slightly as he asked gently, "What's wrong with your clothes?"
Meng Ran found her voice: "...The drink was spilled."
Chen Sulin: "I'll take you to buy a new one."
Meng Ran looked at him.
Normally, she might have agreed first.
But at this moment, she simply couldn't bring herself to calm down in front of him.
Of course, she wouldn't be so foolish as to believe everything Zhao Yanzhou said.
Since Zhao Yanzhou wants her to divorce Chen Sulin, he will definitely try every means to smear Chen Sulin.
To say that those words had no effect on her at all would be a lie.
Meng Ran: "Tell me first, how did you know I was here?"
Chen Sulin: "..."
Meng Ran: "You had someone follow me?"
Chen Sulin: No, I knew you were coming to this store to pick up your goods, so I drove here to find you.
Meng Ran looked around and realized that she had unknowingly chosen to return the way she came and had walked back to the vicinity of the original timber shop.
“But…” Meng Ran still found it strange, “Didn’t we agree to meet at 2 pm? It’s only noon now.”
Chen Sulin: "I finished my work and came to pick you up early. I was worried that you might not be finished here yet, so I didn't tell you in advance."
Meng Ran: "..."
After a moment of silence, she exhaled.
“Chen Sulin,” Meng Ran said, “I saw Zhao Yanzhou before you came.”
Chen Sulin's pupils contracted slightly.
Meng Ran closed her eyes wearily: "Talking to him has already exhausted me, so can you tell me the truth now?"
Her words came from the bottom of her heart; the confrontation with Zhao Yanzhou at the dessert shop had almost exhausted all her energy.
She simply didn't have the strength to deal with a man a hundred times more unfathomable than Zhao Yanzhou.
Meng Ran opened her eyes as she felt a warmth in her hand and saw Chen Sulin holding her hand.
She tried to break free, but she didn't have the strength, so she simply let him go.
A deep voice came from above: "Okay."
Meng Ran looked up in surprise.
Chen Sulin: "Someone reported to me that they saw Zhao Yanzhou's car near the lumber store."
“I wasn’t planning on coming. You once said that you didn’t like anyone restricting who you could meet, and that you could handle it yourself.”
"But after thinking it over, I still came."
Meng Ran stood there, stunned.
Chen Sulin rarely answered like this; she asked him a question, and he answered so much in one go.
It took her quite a while to fully process every word he said.
After listening, I didn't know how to answer him.
Seeing that she was staring blankly without speaking, Chen Sulin sighed softly: "Let's find a clothing store first, and I'll help you change your clothes, okay?"
...
Meanwhile, the man in the dessert shop finally came to his senses.
When they broke up seven years ago, he was so eager to stop her from leaving the private room that he accidentally knocked over a wine glass on the table.
In an instant, time and space seemed to overlap, and Zhao Yanzhou returned to the scene he had dreamed of countless times in the dead of night over the years, the scene he wanted to change.
The familiar pain and suffocation struck, making his feet feel as if they were nailed to the ground.
After realizing what was happening, Zhao Yanzhou hurriedly chased after them, only to be stunned again by what he saw.
Chen Sulin held Meng Ran's hand and lowered his eyes to say something to her.
After a few words, Chen Sulin turned his head to the side as if by accident.
Their eyes met, and Chen Sulin's gaze was calm yet cold, as if declaring his complete elimination.
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