He sat down in the seat opposite Wen Shulin, with Su Liya on his left hand side.
The atmosphere in the private room was somewhat subtle.
Between Chen Cheng and Wen Shulin, there was an invisible thin film separating them, they were probing each other, yet maintaining a distance.
And this thin film was the silent and head-bowed Su Liya.
"Mr. Chen has been quite busy lately, right? Did you just go to Japan?" Wen Shulin suddenly spoke up, breaking the silence.
Chen Cheng took over the conversation, "Yes, I just..."
"Can you two stop acting?"
Faced with Su Liya’s sudden outburst, both Chen Cheng and Wen Shulin were puzzled.
She slowly lifted her head, first looking towards Wen Shulin, "Mommy, I know about the things between you and Mr. Chen."
"Mr. Chen!" Su Liya turned her head, her gaze heavily fixed on him, "I am very grateful for your help. Previously, it was my fault to mistake your kindness for love."
"But now I understand, you are not the person I should entrust myself to."
Chen Cheng was stupified, the unusually behaving Su Liya seemed like a completely different person from the one he had seen just last night.
He desperately looked towards Wen Shulin for help but found that she was also equally astonished, clearly surprised by Su Liya’s words.
"Li Ya, you...?" Wen Shulin grasped the trembling hand, asking worriedly, "Are you feeling unwell?"
"Mommy, I’m fine." Su Liya shook her head, took a deep breath, her gaze resolute as she looked at Chen Cheng and said:
"Mr. Chen, I always thought you were a good man."
"You already have Sister Xiao Er, why do you still involve yourself with my mommy?"
Wen Shulin spoke up, "Li Ya, things are not what you think..."
"And besides, you also flirted with Liu Zhiya from our school. By doing this, are you being fair to my mommy?" Su Liya grew more agitated as she spoke, with tears welling up in her eyes.
Chen Cheng was completely dumbfounded.
His affairs with Xiao Meier, Wen Shulin, and Liu Zhiya were something Su Liya had known about for some time.
It couldn’t be because she happened to catch him inviting guests today that her little volcano was ignited.
"Flirting with Liu Zhiya? Not fair to your mommy?" Chen Cheng felt his brain couldn’t quite grasp the situation.
Su Liya continued, "Mr. Chen, I don’t like you anymore!"
Hearing this news, Chen Cheng didn’t know whether to feel relieved or annoyed.
Wen Shulin felt the same.
Although this film had been thoroughly punctured by Su Liya, it placed Wen Shulin and Chen Cheng into an even more awkward predicament.
"Li Ya!" Wen Shulin raised her voice as if trying to stop her daughter from continuing.
But Su Liya was like a switch that had been flipped, venting the grievances and confusion she had been holding in for some time:
"I know I should just listen to you, but Mommy, you clearly are so outstanding, why..."
Her voice faltered, her eyes red but stubbornly refusing to let the tears fall, "Why... be with someone like him?!"
With that said, Su Liya stood up and strode towards the door.
Wen Shulin quickly followed, grabbing Su Liya’s arm and pulling her into an embrace.
"Li Ya, you’ve misunderstood."
Wen Shulin attempted to explain further, but Chen Cheng saw that little face facing him stick out its tongue playfully.
Chen Cheng’s heart lurched, finally understanding the little game Su Liya was playing.
Su Liya hugged Wen Shulin tightly, with a serious and firm tone: "Mommy, I want you to be happy."
"Li Ya, Mommy is very happy right now."
"If you really like Mr. Chen and he treats you well, I won’t object," Su Liya still looked at Chen Cheng.
Wen Shulin was momentarily taken aback, then understood the meaning behind her daughter’s words.
Her heart was touched yet amused: so the girl was testing her!
Chen Cheng was also somewhat taken aback by Su Liya’s sudden change.
Wen Shulin released the embrace, instead took Su Liya’s little hand, looked at Chen Cheng: "Shouldn’t you say something?"
Chen Cheng, looking at the mother and daughter before him, felt a rush of emotions.
He took a deep breath, slowly stood up, and walked in front of them.
"Li Ya, I promise I’ll treat Shulin well," Chen Cheng said steadily: "Thank you for understanding me, and thank you for believing in me."
Su Liya fell silent for a moment, then suddenly threw herself into Chen Cheng’s embrace.
"Li Ya, you..." Wen Shulin frowned deeply.
But it was only for a second; Su Liya released her hold, wiped the tears from her face, "Alright, uncle, I don’t like you anymore."
She took Wen Shulin’s hand and handed her over to Chen Cheng, "Mommy is your responsibility now."
Wen Shulin was deeply moved; her daughter’s blessing was what she wanted most.
"Li Ya, thank you for being considerate of mommy."
Su Liya smiled sweetly, "So today should be worth commemorating, right?"
"Yes!" Wen Shulin nodded again and again, "We should really celebrate today!"
Wen Shulin still agreed, "I’ll call the waiter over."
A smile beamed across her face, more joyful than Chen Cheng completing the equity acquisition of Xingye, this was what made her heart flutter.
Wen Shulin opened the private room door and, finding that the waiter who should have been waiting at the door was not there, she made her way towards the main hall.
Su Liya glanced back at Wen Shulin’s retreating figure and took two steps towards Chen Cheng.
She stood with her hands behind her back, looking up at him, "Uncle, I’ve already taken 99 steps, shouldn’t you take the last one?"
Chen Cheng cleared his throat, "Li Ya, we really are not suitable."
Su Liya tugged at the corner of Chen Cheng’s clothes, "We are like potatoes and tomatoes, seemingly incompatible."