Chapter 18: Good Men Are Rare Gems

How could Wen Jin fail to hear the threat in Sheng Yang’s voice?

She took a deep breath, bent down to retrieve the room card, and walked toward 2506. As for the necktie, it had been so thoroughly ruined by Sheng Yang that it was naturally impossible to give it to her cousin anymore.

Just then, a message came from Qiaoqiao, saying her boss had kept her behind for a business dinner and she wouldn't be able to leave for a while, telling Wen Jin to go home first. Wen Jin replied, without mentioning that she was still at the hotel.

Born into an elite family, Sheng Yang had grown accustomed to the finest things in life. The price of this suite for a single night was equivalent to a year’s income for an average family. Wen Jin stood by the window, gazing at the night view. It was prosperous and dazzling, yet it felt like a labyrinth from which there was no escape.

She waited in the room for so long that sleepiness eventually overcame her. For a rare moment, she drifted into a dream. In it, she was back on that night of torrential rain, watching as Wen Chaosheng was taken away by the police, with her and her mother chasing after the police car through the downpour.

The scene shifted, and Sheng Yang appeared before her. He smiled and told her to come home with him, promising that he would treat her well from then on.

When Wen Jin woke up, she felt dazed, unable to distinguish whether what she had just experienced was a memory or a fantasy. She only felt a sharp, uncomfortable fluttering in her chest.

At that moment, the door was pushed open. Wen Jin turned her head instinctively, but it was Zhao Yimo who entered. His collar was slightly unbuttoned, and he looked as though he had been drinking. Seeing Wen Jin, he was clearly taken aback for a second, but he quickly recovered and sneered, "What? Now that Sheng Yang is engaged, have you come to crawl into my bed?"

Wen Jin’s expression turned grim. She asked, "Where is Sheng Yang?"

"He went to find Wen You," Zhao Yimo replied. He looked her up and down, then scoffed, "For a woman throwing herself at men like you, don't say Sheng Yang—even I find it beneath me."

Wen Jin bit her lip and said nothing.

Sheng Yang could not possibly have been unaware that she was still here, yet he had let Zhao Yimo come up. It could only mean that he didn't care at all if something uncontrollable happened. Or perhaps—this was Sheng Yang’s way of making his attitude clear to her.

Wen Jin’s expression shifted, and she finally gathered her things and left. Zhao Yimo watched her go without stopping her. He simply picked up his phone and called Sheng Yang. "Next time you want to prepare these kinds of 'surprises' for your buddies, try to at least find a young model."

Sheng Yang was at the hospital waiting for Wen You to come out. He asked in return, "What young model?"

Zhao Yimo laughed. "Wen Jin is in the room. I was only joking last time—surely you wouldn't be so generous as to actually hand her over to me to play with?"

Sheng Yang’s eyes narrowed. Before he could speak, he saw Wen You emerging from the emergency room.

"Is that Zhao Yimo on the phone?" Wen You asked curiously.

Sheng Yang gave a soft hum and hung up. Wen You looked at him, "What did he say? You seem to be in a bad mood."

"It's nothing," Sheng Yang replied, his lips curling slightly. "He said Wen Jin is in his room." He paused, then added, "If she can manage to climb up to someone like Zhao Yimo, that’s her own skill."

Wen You’s expression remained unchanged, but she hesitated before asking, "Aren't you angry?"

Sheng Yang raised an eyebrow. "What is there to be angry about?"

A mere Wen Jin was, after all, of no real consequence.

***

After leaving the hotel, a sense of powerlessness washed over Wen Jin again. She was once more a person with nowhere to go. She had already given up her rented apartment, she couldn't go to the Sheng family, and she had no desire to go to the Plum Garden. She could only walk slowly along the roadside.

If all else failed, she would just have to spend the night at the office.

Her aunt’s call came at just that moment. "Xiao Jin, do you prefer blue or pink? I’m planning to bring you some daily necessities tomorrow."

Her restless heart calmed instantly upon hearing her aunt’s voice. "Either is fine," Wen Jin replied softly.

"Then let’s go with pink; it’s more suitable for a young lady," her aunt said, sounding in high spirits. She laughed, "Oh, by the way, when you return, you can meet a new friend—he’s a colleague at your cousin’s company. I’ve met the young man; he’s very spirited, has good character, and a kind personality. You two should get to know each other."

Wen Jin was caught between laughter and tears. "Auntie, I’m still in Jing City—how are you already setting me up on a blind date?"

"The sooner it's arranged, the better. You know, good men don't stay on the market for long."

Her aunt spoke with utter seriousness, and Wen Jin listened with a smile, offering an occasional response.

"Oh, right," her aunt’s tone shifted. "How is your father doing? When you went to see him, did you tell him about our plans?"

Wen Jin hadn't yet told her aunt about Wen Chaosheng getting into a fight. She didn't know if it would affect the plans for his release. She had to find a plausible excuse to brush her aunt off. After hanging up, however, her heart felt heavy and burdened.

Still, her aunt was very efficient; she immediately sent over the details of the blind date candidate, along with his WeChat contact card. Even though her aunt hadn't explicitly said it, Wen Jin knew that she had, in some way, been influenced by Sheng Yang.

***

Wen Jin didn't expect that just as she arrived at the entrance of her office building, she would see Sheng Yang’s car parked there again. She stopped in her tracks, unwilling to approach.

Sheng Yang leaned lazily against the car, his face expressionless. "Do you need me to invite you into the car?"