Chapter 10 010 "I'll come pick you up."
My friend sighed.
He used to disbelieve in the saying "one thing subdues another," but after witnessing the ill-fated relationship between Zhao Yanzhou and Meng Ran, he completely came to believe it.
Back when Zhao Yanzhou and Meng Ran were dating, his group of brothers were all witnesses.
They watched helplessly as Zhao Yanzhou, a carefree playboy, transformed into a completely different person after falling in love. Every time he went out with his group of brothers, the first thing he did was take out his phone and take pictures of the entire place to report to his girlfriend.
The two later broke up, and Meng Ran became Mrs. Chen, but Zhao Yanzhou still couldn't forget her.
Later, Meng Ran disappeared, and everyone thought that time would heal all wounds.
Who would have thought that Zhao Yanzhou has not only never dated anyone in recent years, but he also refuses to meet any blind dates arranged by his parents, as if he has completely lost interest in women.
Only news related to Meng Ran could stir up ripples in this stagnant pool.
“Not only have they found him.” His friend observed Zhao Yanzhou’s expression and deliberately lowered his voice. “It’s said that… he has already been taken back to the Chen family.”
Zhao Yanzhou listened without saying a word, his knuckles turning bluish-white from the excessive force, almost breaking the cigarette in his hand.
This expression didn't escape his friend's notice. After a long while, his friend couldn't help but advise, "Yanzhou, you know perfectly well that she has married someone else and had children. Even if she returns after five years of disappearance, it won't change that fact."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Yanzhou finally lifted his eyelids, a mocking smile curving his lips: "You think I care?"
.
Meng Ran sat in Uncle Dong's car, heading to meet Jiang Yuqing.
The shopping mall we're going to today is almost an hour's drive from the villa, located in the emerging commercial district of Beicheng that has only developed in recent years.
Actually, Jiang Yuqing's current address is not too far from Meng Ran's, and there are many shopping malls within ten kilometers of them that are closer to them.
However, according to Jiang Yuqing, although the newly opened shopping mall is a bit far from the core urban area, it has the advantage of being large in area, new in facilities, and well-planned in terms of merchants. It has received very good reviews since its opening, so she has always wanted to go and check it out.
This is also why Meng Ran initially wanted to take a taxi herself: such a far place would unnecessarily increase Uncle Dong's workload.
Jiang Yuqing had already shortlisted a few restaurants for lunch and sent them to Meng Ran on WeChat this morning.
Meng Ran studied the restaurants along the way and finally chose one when they were almost there.
The two arranged to meet at a restaurant.
At the restaurant entrance, Jiang Yuqing recognized Meng Ran first.
"Ranran, oh my god." Jiang Yuqing walked forward with a look of surprise and carefully examined the face in front of her.
"These past few days, just chatting with you on the phone and WeChat, I've had this unreal feeling," Jiang Yuqing sighed. "Now I completely believe it, you really have fallen into a time rift, haven't you?"
His expression and tone were almost identical to those during his student days, instantly pulling Meng Ran back to seven years ago.
Meng Ran smiled and said, "Maybe."
“No.” Jiang Yuqing stared intently. “I have to look at it a few more times. This is simply a miracle.”
Meng Ran: "Aren't we going to get a number first?"
“Oh right, right…” Jiang Yuqing said, “I almost forgot, this place doesn’t have online queuing, you can only get it in person.”
Jiang Yuqing was as energetic as ever, and after speaking, she went to find the waiter to get a number.
When Jiang Yuqing returned, she was holding a queue number and muttering, "There are four tables ahead of us, so we'll probably have to wait about ten minutes. Luckily, my boss approved my leave because of how hard I worked overtime recently, otherwise there would be even more people queuing up on the weekend."
Meng Ran: "Is your boss difficult to talk to?"
"More than that!" Jiang Yuqing couldn't stop complaining when talking about work. "That guy is a reincarnation of Zhou Bapi! If it weren't for the bad situation outside, I would have run away long ago!"
"Alright, let's stop talking about me." Jiang Yuqing waved her hand. "It's all just the blood and tears of modern-day beasts, it's pointless to talk about it too much. Let's talk about you instead."
As she spoke, Jiang Yuqing leaned closer to Meng Ran and winked, "Ranran, how are you and your husband... getting along? He hasn't been making things difficult for you, has he?"
Meng Ran remained silent, recalling the events of the past few days: "It's alright."
Jiang Yuqing: Really?
Meng Ran nodded: "Yes, we haven't seen each other very often these past few days, so we've kept to ourselves."
Seeing that her expression didn't seem forced, Jiang Yuqing breathed a sigh of relief: "Then I'm relieved. I was afraid you would be stubborn again, enduring your grievances alone without telling anyone."
Meng Ran laughed: "You make it sound like I do this all the time."
Jiang Yuqing: "And you still have to talk about it. Back when you were doing part-time work and your wages were withheld, you didn't say a word when you were broke. If I hadn't accidentally overheard you talking to your boss on the phone, I wouldn't have known you were so poor you could barely afford to eat."
Meng Ran: "Back then, we were all students, and your living expenses weren't enough either, so how could I possibly ask you for a loan?"
Jiang Yuqing gave her a "see?" look: "It's because you always think of me that you never say anything when you're wronged. Later, it was the same; you said I was working too hard taking care of my mom in the hospital, and you and Zhao—"
Halfway through her sentence, Jiang Yuqing suddenly realized something and abruptly stopped talking.
Meng Ran laughed and said, "It's okay, you can continue. I don't mind."
Jiang Yuqing: "...He broke up with Zhao Yanzhou without telling me. It's my fault. I'm thirty years old and I still haven't completely gotten rid of this habit. My mouth always beats my brain."
Meng Ran: "It's okay, he's not some monster that can't be mentioned."
Jiang Yuqing muttered, "That's true, but I still feel unlucky to mention that scumbag."
Meng Ran found it amusing: "Didn't you say you didn't know why we broke up back then? How do you know he's a jerk?"
Jiang Yuqing replied with an air of self-righteousness, "Is this even a question?": "He hurt you so much back then, how could he be a good person?"
Meng Ran was amused: "That makes sense."
That's just how Jiang Yuqing is. No matter what happens, she will always stand by her side without hesitation and protect her unconditionally.
"By the way," Jiang Yuqing asked again, "where's your daughter? How are you getting along with her?"
The image of Chen Miaoying's round face flashed into Meng Ran's mind, and she smiled: "Yes, she's especially cute, and we get along very well."
Jiang Yuqing smiled and said, "That's good. Sure enough, you look much happier when you talk about your daughter than when you talk about those messy men."
“Perfect timing! I’ll buy some gifts for your daughter when we go shopping later. Can you help me with your suggestions?” Jiang Yuqing said. “No need to worry about saving money for me! Although I can’t compare to a rich woman like you, I’ve worked hard for so many years and now I have some savings!”
...
Meng Ran remembered that the last time she went shopping with Jiang Yuqing was right after graduation. The two of them shopped for a whole afternoon, and their feet ached but their hands were still empty.
There was no other way. Back then, the clothes in the mall were too expensive for young girls like them who had just graduated and had no money. The nice ones were too expensive, and the cheap ones were of poor quality. It was really hard to buy them.
Things are different now. After lunch, the first store Jiang Yuqing visited was a dress that cost four figures, and she paid for it quickly and decisively.
Meng Ran initially kept her composure, but gradually she was also influenced by Jiang Yuqing.
Although I can't yet buy clothes without looking at the price tag, at least when I see a style I like, I won't just silently put it down after flipping through the tag like I used to.
Jiang Yuqing picked out a pretty little dress and a plush toy for Chen Miaoying.
They wandered around until it got dark before they remembered to find a restaurant for dinner.
Jiang Yuqing suggested, "The barbecue we had at noon was a bit too oily. How about we have a nice dinner tonight? How about some light Japanese food or home-style dishes? I can also take some photos to post on my WeChat Moments."
Meng Ran had no objection.
Jiang Yuqing chose a Japanese restaurant. It was expensive, and since it was a weekday, there was no queue.
After ordering the food, Jiang Yuqing took out a small mirror to touch up her lipstick, posed, and said, "Come on, Ranran, take a few pictures of me."
Meng Ran agreed, but after searching her pockets for a while, she couldn't find her phone.
Jiang Yuqing reminded her, "Is it in your bag? Where's your bag?"
Meng Ran was momentarily confused: "Oh right, where's my bag?"
The two looked at each other for a few seconds, then Jiang Yuqing slapped her thigh: "You must have stuffed your bag into one of the shopping bags earlier, and then when we went to store our bags, we stored that shopping bag too!"
They got so engrossed in their shopping spree in the afternoon that they could barely carry all their shopping bags, so they went to store them on the first floor of the mall.
Jiang Yuqing was an impatient person, and she urged, "Then let's hurry up and go find it! It's been forty or fifty minutes since we checked the bag. If someone tries to contact you during this time, they won't be able to get through to you on the phone."
Meng Ran reassured her, "It's okay. I'm unemployed right now, so I doubt anyone will contact me."
Jiang Yuqing: "What if it's your daughter looking for you?"
Meng Ran was persuaded.
Jiang Yuqing: "So, let's hurry downstairs."
Upon reaching the cloakroom and opening the locker, Meng Ran painstakingly rummaged through several large shopping bags until she found the small bag she had brought with her when she left home that day.
Jiang Yuqing: "See if anyone calls you."
Meng Ran nodded, opened the call log, and found that there were indeed several missed calls, all from the same unknown number.
She hesitated for a moment, then played it back.
The call was answered after only one ring, and a male voice came through the receiver: "Meng Ran?"
His highly distinctive, magnetic voice sounded more tense and anxious than usual, making Meng Ran almost not recognize him.
“...It’s me,” she replied.
Chen Sulin: "Where are you now?"
Meng Ran: "Didn't the housekeeper tell you? I went to the mall today to go shopping with my friends."
Chen Sulin: "Are you still in that shopping mall?"
Meng Ran: "Yes."
Chen Sulin: "I'll come pick you up."
Meng Ran's heart skipped a beat, and she blurted out, "No need."
Chen Sulin's tone left no room for argument: "I'm already on my way, I'll be there in half an hour."
Meng Ran: "Wait—"
Chen Sulin: "What?"
"Um..." Meng Ran cleared her throat, "I made plans to have dinner with my friends, and we've only just started eating."
Chen Sulin: "I can wait."
Meng Ran: "..."
Having said all that, he had already set off.
Meng Ran: "...Okay then."
Chen Sulin: "Hmm."
After hanging up the phone, Jiang Yuqing leaned closer, her face full of curiosity.
"Your husband?" Jiang Yuqing asked, "Checking up on you?"
Meng Ran: "...No, Chen Sulin said he was coming to pick me up, and he's already left."
Jiang Yuqing raised her eyebrows in surprise and glanced at the time: "It's only a little past seven, it's not late, why is he in such a hurry to pick you up?"
Meng Ran shook her head: "Who knows?"
Jiang Yuqing: "So, are we still having dinner?"
Without hesitation, Meng Ran replied, "We've already ordered such expensive dishes, of course we should eat them."
After dinner, Jiang Yuqing escorted Meng Ran to the elevator entrance.
“Since your husband is here to pick you up, I won’t go down with you,” Jiang Yuqing said. “The last time I met him, things didn’t go too well, so I won’t join in your fun today.”
Meng Ran was shocked: "What unpleasant thing happened? Why didn't you tell me?"
“It’s nothing serious.” Jiang Yuqing waved her hand. “It was just a few days after you disappeared. I had just returned from a business trip and Chen Sulin blocked me at the apartment door and questioned me for a long time. We were both a little anxious at the time, and we started arguing, or rather, I yelled at him unilaterally.”
Meng Ran: "..."
She was caught off guard by learning such a big thing and found it hard to process.
Meng Ran knew how fierce Jiang Yuqing was when she argued with people. She still vividly remembered the way Jiang Yuqing had cursed at her online store owner when she helped her get back wages.
"And then what happened?" Meng Ran asked with concern. "Did Chen Sulin make things difficult for you?"
Jiang Yuqing quickly replied, "No, no, he even called me later to apologize."
Seeing Meng Ran's worried expression, Jiang Yuqing added, "It's really nothing! Looking back, I was actually the one who was more at fault. He asked me if I knew where you were, and I ended up yelling at him. But we haven't seen each other since that argument, so if we were to meet again now... it might be a little awkward."
Meng Ran thought for a moment and nodded: "Okay, if you don't want to see him, then forget it."
Jiang Yuqing: "Okay, let's meet up again next time. Send me a message when you get home!"
...
The mall's basement lights were dappled, and the tall man stood there, his imposing figure appearing particularly austere in the shadows.
Even though she had seen him many times before, Meng Ran still felt inexplicably nervous when she saw him again.
She walked up to Chen Sulin and stopped in front of him: "Have you been waiting long?"
Chen Sulin took the shopping bag from her hand: "Not long."
He placed her purchases in the back seat, then opened the passenger door for her, his voice flat and even: "Get in first."
Meng Ran was surprised; she had thought he had come to pick her up with his driver.
She suppressed her surprise and bent down to sit in the passenger seat.
Chen Sulin got into the car after her, silently pressed the start button, and the engine emitted a deep roar.
The car slowly drove out of the parking space and proceeded smoothly along the main road of the underground parking garage.
The air seemed to freeze, so quiet you could hear each other breathing.
Meng Ran awkwardly touched her hair.
She could clearly feel the oppressive atmosphere surrounding Chen Sulin—
The man seemed to be in a very bad mood, yet he remained completely silent.
In the confined space, the oppressive aura emanating from the man was ever-present, making it difficult for her to breathe.
A few seconds later, Meng Ran couldn't help but break the suffocating silence: "Sorry, I forgot my phone in the locker earlier, so I didn't answer your call at first."
Chen Sulin kept his eyes fixed on the front.
This disregard made Meng Ran feel somewhat unhappy.
In fact, she did not believe that Chen Sulin, being her legal husband, had the right to restrict her freedom: theoretically, she did not need his consent even if she did not return home at night.
She and Jiang Yuqing had agreed to continue shopping after dinner, but he disrupted her plans, and she hasn't blamed him yet.
She apologized only because she thought he meant well and had made a special trip to pick her up.
After a moment's thought, Meng Ran pursed her lips and said, "Thank you for picking me up today, but I'm an adult now, and I know exactly when I want to go back."
Upon hearing this, Chen Sulin turned the steering wheel without warning.
Meng Ran was startled: "What are you going to do?"
Chen Sulin did not answer.
The car turned into the temporary parking area on the right and slowly came to a stop.
Chen Sulin turned his face and called her name in a deep voice: "Meng Ran".
Meng Ran's heart skipped a beat, and her fingers instinctively gripped the leather seat beneath her, the cool touch spreading through her.
In the dim light, the man's face was half-lit and half-shadowed: "The last time I couldn't get through to you on the phone, you disappeared for five whole years."
Chen Sulin stared at her, his gaze so intense it seemed to imprison her in the passenger seat, rendering her completely immobile.
"So tell me, how am I supposed to know you won't disappear again this time?"
A note from the author:
----------------------
66 little red envelopes [kiss]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com