Chapter 46 046 He will never have peace of mind.
Chen Sulin looked at Meng Ran in silence.
Her brows were furrowed, and her eyes seemed to be burning with tiny flames. She angrily pulled her wrist back, leaving a faint red mark.
He had long noticed that her skin was very white and thin, and that even a little pressure would leave a mark.
Chen Sulin spoke slowly, his voice calm: "I didn't think..."
Meng Ran: "You do!"
She stared intently at him, unusually persistent.
During the time she spent with Chen Sulin, she finally understood him.
This man likes to keep everything to himself. He won't say anything unless she asks, and even if she does, he might only reveal a little bit.
If she doesn't force him to explain, he will never take the initiative to confess.
Meng Ran: "You think I still like Zhao Yanzhou, right? You think I don't want you to deal with him, and I don't want you to harm the Zhao family, right?"
When Chen Sulin uttered the words "I really like it," his eyes narrowed as if stung.
Chen Sulin: "I don't think so."
Meng Ran: "Then why did you ask me if I had any concerns?"
Chen Sulin: "..."
He tried to take her hand, but she nimbly dodged it.
As if she had made up her mind, if he didn't make things clear today, she would never let him get close to her again.
Chen Sulin: "I know you don't like him anymore."
Meng Ran's brow twitched.
Chen Sulin: "But you used to like him, didn't you?"
The man's face was ashen, his eyes gleaming with a hint of darkness: "He was your first love, the first man you ever liked."
Moreover, she was with Zhao Yanzhou simply because she liked him.
It wasn't by chance, nor was it out of gratitude or a desire for something in return; it was simply because I liked it.
Meng Ran stared blankly at Chen Sulin.
First love?
Perhaps because she hadn't had much romantic experience, she never defined her relationship with Zhao Yanzhou in that way.
The fire in my chest was ignited suddenly, and extinguished just as abruptly.
Meng Ran stared blankly at the man in front of her: "So? You mind that you weren't the first person I liked?"
She thought, this must be called being jealous, right?
However, this emotion seemed so out of place on Chen Sulin that she found it hard to believe that Chen Sulin was unhappy because of the seemingly absurd reason that "her first love wasn't him."
The term "first love" seems to be repeatedly mentioned only during student days. Do adults who are already thirty years old really still care about these things?
Under her incredulous gaze, Chen Sulin spoke: "I think, no matter what, he will always have a different meaning in your heart."
Meng Ran: "..."
Her lips trembled slightly at first, then her expression became completely out of control, and even her eyes curved upwards.
Chen Sulin looked at her calmly, showing no reaction to the smile on her face.
Under his nonchalant gaze, Meng Ran was even more overjoyed.
“Chen Sulin,” she said, “you give me the illusion that the person whose memories are stuck at twenty-three years old is not me, but you.”
Meng Ran looked at him: "Don't you think you're being a little too greedy?"
Chen Sulin asked expressionlessly, "Where is the greed?"
Meng Ran: "There are so many firsts in life. My first marriage, my first baby, my first time sharing a bed with... and a man."
"Aren't all of these with you?"
As if persuaded by her words, Chen Sulin's gaze finally softened.
“You’re right,” he said, “but I still feel it’s not enough.”
Meng Ran pursed her lips: "That's your problem, that's why I said you're too greedy, Chen Sulin."
Chen Sulin remained noncommittal: "Perhaps."
His eyes flickered, and he tapped his knuckles on the table: "If we don't eat now, it'll get cold."
Meng Ran glanced at the bowl in front of her and murmured, "It's all your fault..."
Suddenly I started to get jealous.
After her emotions calmed down, the slight shyness she had previously ignored slowly resurfaced.
The words she just said, which sounded like a confession, weren't actually something she would normally say.
Essentially, she and Chen Sulin are the same kind of people, always accustomed to suppressing their feelings and unwilling to reveal their inner thoughts too much.
Meng Ran lowered her head, scooped up a spoonful of wontons, and put them in her mouth.
She had just swallowed the wonton in her mouth when he took her hand.
Meng Ran turned her head to look at him: "What are you doing? I'm eating. Who kept urging me to eat it while it's hot..."
Chen Sulin: "It won't make a difference if it's just a little while longer."
Meng Ran: "...That won't do either. Don't disturb me while I'm eating."
Chen Sulin didn't say anything, but pulled her into his arms.
The man's arms were strong, and Meng Ran didn't even know what was happening. She blinked a few times, and then he lifted her legs up, making her feel light.
Before she knew it, she was already sitting on his lap.
Chen Sulin's aura enveloped her from behind.
Feeling the man's firm thigh muscles beneath her and the heat transmitted to her skin through the thin fabric, Meng Ran felt her blood rush to her head in an instant.
Fortunately, he was behind her and couldn't see her burning cheeks.
Meng Ran whispered, "Chen Sulin, how am I supposed to eat like this..."
Once the words were spoken, I realized they were incredibly soft.
Chen Sulin: "Why can't you eat? I'll feed you."
As he spoke, he picked up the spoon and brought it to her lips.
Meng Ran: "..."
It's just feeding them something; it's not the first time.
She and Chen Sulin were husband and wife, and there was no one else in their family.
That's probably how it is for other couples in the throes of new love or loving spouses; you'll get used to it.
Mentally preparing herself, Meng Ran opened her mouth to bite.
No, I still can't get used to it!
Forcing herself to swallow the food in her mouth, Meng Ran struggled, "Put me down, I can do it myself..."
She had never been sitting in someone's lap like this before, and she lost her balance as soon as she moved slightly.
The gasp caught in her throat as Chen Sulin's arm steadily pulled her back into his embrace, even tighter than before.
Meng Ran exhaled the breath she had held in shock, and was about to speak again to try and persuade him when suddenly her body stiffened.
The man behind her was breathing heavily, his hot breath brushing against the back of her neck. At the same time, she felt a clear and hard sensation against her lower body.
Meng Ran froze for a moment, her body stiff as she spoke, "Chen Sulin, are you...?"
Is that a bit too much?
Even if you've been abstaining from meat for over a week, you shouldn't be this indulgent.
Chen Sulin: "What?"
Meng Ran swallowed hard: "...I really can't come again."
Otherwise, she suspects she won't be able to walk normally tomorrow, and she might even be physically unable to get out of bed.
Chen Sulin chuckled softly.
“I know,” he said. “There are only two left. Shall I feed you to eat them all?”
Meng Ran hesitated for a few seconds before agreeing, "...Okay."
As long as he can be sure it won't happen again, let him feed it if he wants...
.
The old Zhao family residence in the northern part of the city.
It's a rare treat for the whole family of four to be together.
Zhao Yanzhou's father, mother, brother, and himself were all in the main hall at this moment.
The four people had different expressions.
Wang Peiyun looked worried and restrained, her eyes darting between her husband and her youngest son, wanting to say something but not daring to speak.
Zhao Yankai, the eldest son of the Zhao family, was holding Wang Peiyun's hand and whispering words of comfort to his mother.
On the other side, Chairman Zhao Jingcheng had just rushed back from the company, his face full of anger, frowning as he looked at his youngest son.
Only Zhao Yanzhou seemed out of place in the atmosphere of the room, watching his father, who had rushed home covered in dust, with complete indifference.
"That's quite rare," Zhao Yanzhou said casually, toying with the cigar in his hand. "It's not a holiday, and it's broad daylight, yet our whole family is here."
Zhao Yanzhou looked up at his father and asked, "You've all gathered here, is it just to hold a denunciation meeting for me?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Jingcheng's anger intensified: "Zhao Yanzhou! You're thirty-one years old, not thirteen! How come you still act so carefree and irresponsible?"
"Look around at the men your age, they've all settled down and started families, but you're still so irresponsible, all you do is cause trouble for your family!"
"Your words are like farts! Didn't you say you were quitting smoking? Why are you smoking again?"
Zhao Yanzhou scoffed, "Settle down and start a family? I do want to settle down. Back then, when I said I wanted to marry Meng Ran, didn't you all refuse?"
"I quit smoking for Ranran, but now that she doesn't want me anymore, what difference does it make whether I smoke or not?"
Zhao Jingcheng: "You still have the nerve to mention Meng Ran! Do you even know why I came back this time?"
Zhao Yanzhou put down his cigarette: "I've been waiting for you to say that, Dad?"
Remembering the important matter he had come for today, Zhao Jingcheng suppressed his anger and let out a deep breath.
“Chen Sulin called me last night.”
He is already over seventy years old, and even if he doesn't want to give up his power, his energy is not what it used to be.
He was about to rest at nine o'clock last night when he suddenly received a call from Chen Sulin.
The Zhao and Chen families once had an extraordinary relationship.
Chen Sulin's grandfather was Zhao Jingcheng's benefactor, and although Chen Sulin's father was a few years younger than Zhao Jingcheng, the two could be considered close friends.
Chen Sulin and his youngest son Zhao Yanzhou were born only three days apart, and both wives gave birth at the same hospital.
However, so much has happened in the last seven years.
Zhao Jingcheng himself never expected that the gloomy boy he watched grow up would so quickly grow into a ruthless person.
The power struggle is ever-changing. Within six months of Chen Sulin's intervention, Chairman Chen completely lost his say in the group.
The Zhao and Chen families became estranged as a result.
Although the two companies' business empires still overlapped to some extent, direct cooperation was completely severed within a few months.
At that time, Zhao Jingcheng thought that Chen Sulin was young and arrogant, and never considered lowering himself to curry favor with a young man who was a generation younger than him. So the cooperation ended.
Who would have thought that in the following years, Hengyue Group would develop rapidly under Chen Sulin's leadership, while the Zhao family would decline year after year.
Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse; the Zhao family still wields considerable influence in the business world of Beicheng.
However, as the tides turned, the Zhao family's strength has fallen far short of Hengyue's by this year.
When Zhao Jingcheng received that phone call last night, he still had a glimmer of hope, thinking that perhaps Chen Sulin had finally taken old feelings into consideration and was planning to cooperate with the Zhao family again.
He carefully considered his opening remarks before answering the phone, mentally preparing himself to swallow his pride.
Unexpectedly, the call was about Zhao Yanzhou and Mrs. Chen.
After hanging up the phone, Zhao Jingcheng's back was covered in cold sweat.
Although Hengyue stopped cooperating with the Zhao family in previous years, it did not target the Zhao family either. Even so, he was still somewhat powerless.
Now his energy is increasingly depleted, and he knows his eldest son Zhao Yankai's abilities well. He is conventional but lacks courage and innovation, and his methods are far inferior to Chen Sulin's.
Although his younger son has shown surprising business acumen in recent years, he is far less steady and experienced than his older son.
Both of his sons combined are no match for Chen Sulin. If Chen Sulin is determined to deal with the Zhao family, the Zhao family's future is in grave danger.
This morning, Zhao Jingcheng urgently convened a meeting with his subordinates to discuss countermeasures.
He rushed back to the old house in the afternoon to ensure that Zhao Yanzhou would not do anything to harm the family's interests.
“Zhao Yanzhou,” Zhao Jingcheng said in a deep voice, “you immediately call Chen Sulin and sincerely apologize, and promise him that you will never appear in front of Mrs. Chen and her daughter again.”
Zhao Yanzhou curled his lips in a mocking smile: "Dad, do you think that if I apologize, Chen Sulin will cooperate with our family again?"
Zhao Jingcheng glared angrily: "Whether we cooperate or not is another matter, but at least we won't let the absurd things you've done ruin the hard work of so many generations of our family!"
"Buried?" Zhao Yanzhou sneered. "Even if it really is buried, it's not my fault!"
Zhao Jingcheng: "What do you mean!"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Yanzhou finally dropped his previously indifferent expression.
"If it weren't for the good deeds you and my mother did back then, Meng Ran wouldn't have suffered those things, and Chen Sulin wouldn't have had the opportunity to get close to her!"
"How could I have been longing for her for so many years without getting her? Even though Ranran finally came back, I could only watch helplessly as she drifted further and further away from me!"
"Dad, if you have someone to blame, you can only blame yourselves!"
Zhao Jingcheng coughed in anger: "Cough, you—you actually have the nerve to blame me and your mother?"
Seeing this, Zhao Yanzhou's expression softened slightly, but he still didn't step forward to help his father.
He said coldly, "I'm just telling the truth. Dad, you don't seem surprised at all. It seems you also know about my mother meeting Meng Ran's parents back then."
Wang Peiyun handed her husband a glass of water, not daring to interrupt.
Zhao Jingcheng took a few sips of water to calm his breathing: "Now is not the time to bring up those old stories. Zhao Yanzhou, I'll ask you one question: are you going to apologize to Chen Sulin?"
Zhao Yanzhou: "Apologize? Sure."
Zhao Jingcheng's brow relaxed.
Zhao Yanzhou: "As long as you and my mother apologize to Meng Ran first."
Zhao Jingcheng froze, then looked at his youngest son in disbelief: "Zhao Yanzhou, do you know what nonsense you're spouting!"
Zhao Yanzhou: "I'm not talking nonsense. I have never wronged Chen Sulin. It is you who have wronged Meng Ran. Asking you to apologize first is already a concession on my part."
"You're simply... simply—" Zhao Jingcheng was so angry he couldn't speak. "Zhao Yanzhou, do you think that because your father is old, he won't dare to do anything to you?"
"Let me tell you, the Zhao family doesn't only have you as a son! If you don't apologize, I can easily remove you from all your positions in the group and send you far away!"
Zhao Yanzhou curled the corners of his lips: "Whatever."
He and Meng Ran had completely lost hope, so what difference did it make whether he left Beicheng or not?
He used to want to spend more time with his mother, but now, imagining that all those years of gentleness and care were just lies, he feels that everything is utterly meaningless.
Staying far away from Meng Ran might allow him to temporarily forget his troubles and let go of his obsessions.
.
evening.
Chen Sulin rode in the driver's car and went to pick up his daughter from kindergarten alone.
The phone screen lit up.
Upon seeing the name on the caller ID, Chen Sulin frowned slightly and answered the phone.
Zhao Yanzhou: "Chen Sulin, I'm not here to apologize to you."
Chen Sulin: "..."
He didn't respond, but simply listened quietly as the person on the other end continued.
Zhao Yanzhou: "I, Zhao Yanzhou, have wronged many people in my life, but the one I wronged the most was Ranran. But Chen Sulin, I have never wronged you."
"You took advantage of my vulnerability and stole my Ranran away from me."
"If I had another chance, when Ranran and I broke up, I would never have said that to you, asking you to take care of Ranran for me."
"You've won now, not because I don't love Ranran enough, but simply because you're luckier than me."
Chen Sulin finally spoke: "Are you finished?"
Zhao Yanzhou sighed, "As expected of the winner, his tone is so nonchalant."
"But I know that deep down you've always been afraid that I'll take her away from you, haven't you?"
"Now that I'm leaving Beicheng, you must be feeling incredibly relieved."
Chen Sulin: "If this makes you feel better, think whatever you want."
Zhao Yanzhou smiled and said, "As expected of you, Chen Sulin, you're still as stubborn as ever."
"Please tell Ranran for me," Zhao Yanzhou said. "Once I arrive in Yunnan, I will enjoy the spring-like weather all year round while wishing her and my daughter happiness."
Chen Sulin didn't respond to his words: "Since you're leaving, we probably won't need to contact each other anymore, so I'll block this number."
Zhao Yanzhou: "Whatever."
After hanging up the phone, Zhao Yanzhou gave a slight smirk.
Of course he knew that, given Chen Sulin's personality, there was no way he would help him convey that message.
Chen Sulin wished he had never existed in Meng Ran's heart, and he didn't want any of his words or actions to reach Meng Ran's ears.
In the very beginning, Chen Sulin had the opportunity to come into contact with Meng Ran because of him.
No matter how the story unfolds afterward, this starting point will never change.
That's why Chen Sulin regarded him as a thorn in her side, and even though she already had him and a daughter, she was always on guard against him.
That remark was purely meant to annoy Chen Sulin.
The thought that no matter how much time passes, there will always be a thorn in Chen Sulin's heart filled Zhao Yanzhou with a sense of satisfaction.
Yes, he has lost Ranran.
But Chen Sulin will never be at ease.
.
Chen Miaoying was overjoyed to see her father after kindergarten, whom she hadn't seen for almost a week.
She flew into her father's arms like a rocket.
"Dad!" Chen Miaoying hugged Chen Sulin for a while before asking, "Why didn't Mom come to pick me up today?"
She was so happy to see her father that she momentarily forgot that her mother hadn't come.
Chen Sulin said gently, "Mom was too tired from work today, so she couldn't come."
Chen Miaoying said "Oh," and added, "Mom works so hard. Dad, you're really something, why don't you keep an eye on Mom and make sure she doesn't get too tired?"
Chen Sulin remained expressionless: "I'm sorry, Dad will be more careful next time."
Chen Miaoying nodded vigorously: "Yes! I will also keep an eye on Mom with Dad!"
The two, one big and one small, held hands as they got into the car.
Back at the villa, Chen Miaoying rushed over to find her mother.
"Mom!" Chen Miaoying called out, "Are you alright? Are you feeling unwell?"
A hint of unease flashed across Meng Ran's face as she cleared her throat. "Mom is fine, she just accidentally ran too much today and strained a muscle."
Chen Miaoying tilted her head.
Why are Mom and Dad saying different things?
Didn't Dad say that Mom was too tired from work?
After thinking for a moment, Chen Miaoying said, "Oh, then Mom, you should rest well! Dad has already promised me that he will help me keep an eye on you and help you recover quickly!"
Meng Ran said "okay," and using her height advantage, looked up from above her daughter's head and glared fiercely at Chen Sulin.
How could this man have the nerve to agree to let his daughter supervise her?
Their skin is thicker than a city wall at a bend!
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Author's note: I don't know what everyone thinks, but I personally find the fact that President Chen will never be completely at ease quite appealing (and it also fits the gloomy male protagonist setting).
However, as their hearts connect, Mr. Chen will definitely feel more and more secure. This feeling will probably be a 0.999 cycle that gets infinitely close to 1, haha [chin resting on hand]
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