Chapter 9: The Only Time He Cajoled Her
A cold, pure aura emanated from Sheng Yang, enveloping Wen Jin without reservation.
They stood close, as if they could hear each other’s heartbeat.
Sheng Yang stared intently at Wen Jin, his eyes growing colder. “You know I hate being lied to.”
Wen Jin lifted her face, meeting his gaze without hesitation. “You’re overthinking.”
She tilted her head slightly, creating some distance between them.
The corner of Sheng Yang’s brow furrowed, his breathing growing heavier—a clear sign of his rising anger.
Wen Jin closed her eyes briefly, searching for an excuse. “My quiet sister Jing has had family troubles recently, so her work fell onto me. Also, the rent here increased, so I planned to rent a place near the company temporarily.”
“What good housing could there be near your company?” Sheng Yang blurted out.
The Crescent Moon district was in the old city, indeed not very prosperous.
Though she had already resigned, hearing Sheng Yang’s disdain for the Crescent Moon unsettled Wen Jin.
She ignored Sheng Yang and turned to pack her things.
Sheng Yang did not leave but sat directly on the sofa.
Watching Wen Jin busy herself, his expression was icy and indifferent.
To him, all the things Wen Jin was packing seemed like a waste of time.
Only after Wen Jin finished did he rise and casually say, “I’ve already sent my assistant. Come with me to Meiyuan.”
Wen Jin instinctively refused, “Meiyuan is too far from the company. Going to the company is troublesome enough.”
“Then quit,” Sheng Yang retorted.
Wen Jin finally looked at him.
She only saw his profile as he turned away—his features delicate, yet his brows and eyes radiated an unapproachable coldness.
Just like his personality.
Or perhaps, he only showed this side when facing Wen Jin.
After a moment of silence, she finally spoke softly, “I don’t want to argue with you.”
Sheng Yang scoffed coldly and looked down on Wen Jin. “Who’s the one making a fuss?”
His gaze swept the room, his displeasure evident.
He asked, “I just don’t understand why you prefer living in such cheap places.”
Wen Jin’s hand clutching the suitcase suddenly loosened.
The home she had struggled so hard to afford was merely cheap in Sheng Yang’s eyes.
She exhaled slowly; they were fundamentally different kinds of people.
Sheng Yang said no more but seemed to realize something, furrowing his brows lightly while still fixating on Wen Jin.
After a long while with no response from her, a shadow flickered in his eyes.
Before he could lose his temper, someone knocked on the door—it was Sheng Yang’s assistant.
“Throw all this garbage away,” he ordered, pointing at Wen Jin’s luggage.
No matter how calm Wen Jin usually was, his demeanor infuriated her.
Angrily, she smiled bitterly, looking directly at Sheng Yang with clear, bright eyes tinged with a barely perceptible chill. “You have no right to command my belongings.”
---
It was the first time Wen Jin had shown such resistance to Sheng Yang. Given his nature, she expected him to walk away.
In all their years together, only Sheng Yang had ever shown contempt towards Wen Jin.
His expression darkened, but after lingering briefly on Wen Jin’s face, his gaze fell once more on her suitcase.
He snorted lightly, bent down, and leisurely opened the suitcase, taking out items one by one.
Wen Jin didn’t have many clothes; most were small trinkets.
Sheng Yang picked up a worn-out little dog plush toy and toyed with it a few times. Raising his eyelids, he said, “I’m not so obsessed as to want to control this heap of junk.”
With that, he tossed the plush toy into the trash can.
His voice was indifferent, “I don’t like dirty hands.”
His expression was so cold and emotionless that his words brooked no argument. “Besides, I won’t allow you to bring this mess into Meiyuan.”
Wen Jin emphasized, “I never agreed to go there.”
Sheng Yang stopped in place, a dark glint flashing in his deep eyes.
After a moment, he let out a cold laugh, making his already indifferent eyes even sharper—like a sudden snowfall at night, freezing the very air.
“Wen Jin.” The name slipped from his lips.
He spoke slowly, “You’ve been making me angry all day. You know I don’t have such a good temper.”
Wen Jin clearly understood the meaning behind his words, and her body trembled slightly.
Indeed, she lacked the power and status to say no to Sheng Yang.
But—
Her gaze involuntarily fell on the little dog plush toy thrown into the trash.
It was the only time Sheng Yang had ever comforted her.
Wen Jin had once secretly taken in a stray puppy, but because it was fostered at the Sheng family home, she couldn’t take it with her.
The puppy died of illness in the winter, and Sheng Yang had given her that plush toy to console her.
That toy had accompanied Wen Jin for a long time.
It made her mistakenly believe Sheng Yang was actually a gentle man.
Yet now, he had tossed it away like garbage.
Wen Jin couldn’t help but wonder if Sheng Yang still remembered that plush toy.
She thought that, so she asked.
Sheng Yang’s expression remained unchanged. “Trying to use your cheap junk to tell me stories again? Who gave you this? Your father in prison or your mother who died early?”
Wen Jin’s words caught in her throat, unable to come out.
It was a gift from Sheng Yang.
But only she remembered it.
In the end, Wen Jin did not go to Meiyuan because Sheng Yang had to leave suddenly.
Before leaving, he told his assistant to take Wen Jin there.
Wen Jin calmly warned the assistant, “Master Sheng must have told you not to let me go to Meiyuan. If you take me there, he’ll be angry.”
“But—”
Wen Jin’s voice turned cold. “No buts. I will tell Sheng Yang.”
---
Though Meiyuan was a villa under Sheng Yang’s name, it was transferred from the main Sheng family estate.
It symbolized status, representing Sheng Yang’s future as the heir to the Sheng family.
Such a place was not open to just anyone.
Although the old master never told Wen Jin directly, he had hinted many times privately.
The implication was clear: Wen Jin was only an adopted daughter of the Sheng family and should know her place.
No breaking the rules.
The assistant pondered briefly, unwilling to offend the old master.
After seeing him off, Wen Jin took her luggage to the house she had booked earlier.
Coincidentally, her close friend Qiao Qiao called.
Qiao Qiao had been her university roommate and had just returned from a month of studying abroad.
Her voice was bright and clear. “Darling~ Did you miss me?”
Wen Jin’s voice brightened. “You’re back?”
“Yes,” Qiao Qiao said. “Come quickly; there’s a great reward waiting.”
By the time Wen Jin arrived at the agreed hotel, Qiao Qiao was already there.
She wore a neat black business suit with her hair in a high ponytail, looking very capable.
Upon seeing Wen Jin, her round eyes immediately curved into crescent moons. “I missed you so much, Xiao Jin.”
Wen Jin nodded. The past few days had been chaotic because of Sheng Yang, but seeing Qiao Qiao finally relaxed her.
Qiao Qiao grabbed her hand, scanning her up and down. Her delicate brows furrowed.
“What’s wrong? You look so tired and much thinner.”
Wen Jin avoided her gaze. “I’ve had a lot going on lately.”
“You’re just an intern; how much trouble can there be—”
Before Qiao Qiao could finish, Wen Jin calmly added, “I’ve been busy with Sheng Yang’s wedding, and I’m quitting the Crescent Moon.”
At first, Qiao Qiao didn’t react, blinking before congratulating her. “After all these years, finally...”
Her words stopped abruptly, confused. “What do you mean you’re preparing Sheng Yang’s wedding? Isn’t it supposed to be yours and Sheng Yang’s wedding?”
As one of the few who knew the truth, Qiao Qiao had always understood the relationship between Wen Jin and Sheng Yang.
She knew Wen Jin had given up a coveted engineer offer because of one word from Sheng Yang.
She looked at Wen Jin with concern. “Xiao Jin, you—”
Wen Jin shook her head. “I’m fine. I’m going back to Yang City soon, so I won’t be too involved in all this.”
She added, “Besides, I’m not one for long-distance relationships anyway.”