Chapter 96: Cut in Two with a Single Stroke
Translator: 549690339
Restless and irritated, he unbuttoned his collar and lay on his own large bed. Yet, when he opened or closed his eyes, all he could see was Xu Chaomu.
From the first day he met her, she had never yielded to him, and after eight years, she was still the same.
In C City, everyone would be wary of him, except her. If it had been anyone else, they might have been dead countless times over.
He was well aware of her feelings for him. But what about himself…
After leaving the Shen Family, Bai Man sat in the car without saying a word, her delicate face filled with anger.
Xiaofeng hurriedly touched up her makeup, “Miss Bai, don’t be angry. Getting mad at that kind of girl who has someone to raise but no one to teach isn’t worth it.”
“Xiaofeng, you know very well what I’m angry about, ” Bai Man huffed coldly.
“I know, today President Shen didn’t take your side… but that doesn’t really prove anything. Look at the TV series you got this time; it’s the blockbuster of the year, and wasn’t the role of the leading lady secured for you by President Shen himself?”
“But his attitude! I was the one who lost the necklace and felt aggrieved, yet he actually went to protect a thief!” Bai Man was very emotional.
“President Shen has no sister, and in the Shen estate, there’s no one he can trust, so it’s natural that he pampers Xu Chaomu a bit more,” Xiaofeng suggested.
“This time, and last time too! Last time, my cousin Zheng Lin just said a few words about Xu Chaomu, and Shen Chi actually… actually made my cousin lose face in public!”
Xiaofeng also remembered the incident, which might not be known to outsiders, but they all knew it was orchestrated by Shen Chi.
“Miss Bai, I have an idea. Why don’t you call President Shen now, invite him out for dinner, apologize proactively, and see what his attitude really is. Best case, get a recording and then… let Xu Chaomu give up on this hopeless pursuit.” “Dinner out? Would he be willing to dine with me?” Bai Man scoffed.
“Why not give it a try? Miss Bai, you are President Shen’s fiancée. No one else has that status,” Xiaofeng reassured her.
Bai Man hesitated for a moment, “Alright, I’ll call him.”
Xiaofeng nodded, took the phone out of the bag, and handed it to Bai Man.
Bai Man made the call, but Shen Chi didn’t pick up at all.
Once, no answer; twice, no answer; three times, four times, still no answer!
Bai Man was furious and threw the phone away.
“Where is his sincerity? I really doubt whether he even considers me his fiancée?”
Xiaofeng quickly comforted Bai Man, “Don’t be anxious. President Shen might still be angry right now. Try calling again later.”
Lying in bed, Shen Chi’s eyes flickered open when he heard the phone ringing.
The phone rang a total of four times.
Finally, when Bai Man stopped calling, he calmed himself down, slowly picked up the phone, and hit the callback button.
“What’s the matter?” he asked indifferently.
Bai Man hadn’t expected him to call back on his own, and his tone was calm and composed.
“I… I just wanted to apologize… Today’s event was all because of me,” Bai Man’s voice became ever so faint.
“It’s not your fault, it’s Chaomu being ignorant, and I’ve already schooled her,” he retorted.
Bai Man thought Shen Chi would once again cover for Xu Chaomu, but didn’t expect him to respond like that.
“So… are you still mad at me?” she ventured.
“You did nothing wrong; why would I be mad at you?”
“Are you free tonight? I would like to take you out for dinner.”
“Hmm, that’s fine,” he consented.
Bai Man had been prepared for rejection and was surprised by his agreement.
The clouds in her heart dispersed, leaving her pleasantly surprised.
“Then tonight at our usual place, don’t stand me up,” Bai Man said with a smile.
After hanging up the phone, Xiaofeng shared Bai Man’s joy.
“Miss Bai, I told you President Shen would definitely favor you. His act at the Shen house was just for show. In his heart, you are the one he cherishes the most,” Xiaofeng said.
“I hope so,” Bai Man’s mood brightened considerably, “I’ll do it myself.”
She took the mirror and eyebrow pencil from Xiaofeng’s hand and began to carefully apply makeup. As soon as the afternoon filming was over, she would go out to dinner with him.
Throughout the afternoon, Bai Man wore a radiant smile as she filmed in the studio, her mood exceedingly cheerful, like a blooming white rose.
Even the director and scriptwriter felt as if Bai Man had transformed.
Meanwhile, Shen Chi slept the whole afternoon in bed, dealing with no official business, yet feeling very tired.
When he awoke, the setting sun cast a golden glow through his window, spreading across the floor.
Basking in the sunlight, he squinted, quietly watching the sunset outside the window.
Such a sunset easily reminded him of the day he met Xu Chaomu, on a similar afternoon with the sunset shining on the car window, on his white shirt, and on her youthful face.
He glanced over at the small wooden puppet on the table. It was one she no longer wanted.
But he didn’t linger long, standing up to change his clothes for his evening date with Bai Man.
Before leaving, he pushed open the door to Xu Chaomu’s room.
There she stood, listless, with her head hung low, not making a sound, and her hands still bound. Her face was streaked with tears, all cried out and swollen. All her stubbornness, resilience, and tough-girl attitude seemed to have worn off.
A pencil lay at her feet, which she naively kicked back and forth like a ball, tirelessly.
When she heard the door sound, she looked up briefly.
Seeing Shen Chi, she acted as if she hadn’t noticed and lowered her gaze again.
Now that evening had come, he had made her stand there all day long.
Shen Chi walked over to her and flatly asked, “Learned your lesson?”
A glance at her tear-streaked face made his heart skip a beat.
He had said he couldn’t bear to see her cry. Now, the one making her cry was none other than himself.
Xu Chaomu ignored him, pouting as she continued to kick the pencil on the ground.
Her hands were initially in pain, but now they were numb, devoid of any sensation – just like her heart, which at first hurt but then went numb.
In fact, she had done a lot of thinking. But her biggest problem was her lack of memory.
She had resolved to cut ties with him, but just a little bit of concern from Shen Chi, and she would follow him unashamedly.
“Not talking?” Shen Chi probed again.
Xu Chaomu had made up her mind to remember this time; if he wanted her to keep her mouth shut, she would, and if he wanted her to talk, she would? Seeing her still unwilling to speak, Shen Chi sighed, turned, and started to leave.
Xu Chaomu looked up, and just when she thought he was impatient and about to leave, he brought out a towel from the bathroom.
“Crying like a little kitten,” Shen Chi commented with a hint of helplessness. He took the towel and carefully wiped her face.
From her cheeks to her neck, he wiped her clean. Finally, the tear marks were gone.
Xu Chaomu gazed at him with swollen eyes. His tall figure loomed above, his face gentle. Although he did not smile, there was no sign of anger anymore..