Chapter 21: Ji Yunan and Cen Huan

Shi Runrun lowered the car window and exclaimed, “Huanhuan!”

Cen Huan glanced at her, but her gaze lingered on Xiao Xuezheng in the driver’s seat. She stretched out her hand toward him, smiling brightly. “Mr. Xiao, my idol! I’ve heard so much about you! I’ve been wanting to meet you for ages!”

Shi Runrun’s face darkened with embarrassment.

Idol? He’s obviously a sharp-tongued bully!

“Runrun’s friend, I presume. Hello,” Xiao Xuezheng said, extending his hand in a gentlemanly manner and smiling as they shook hands.

Treated so courteously, Cen Huan immediately slipped into a fangirl daze. “Ahhh! Mr. Xiao actually shook hands with me! Runrun, did you see that? Ahhh, I can die happy now!”

Shi Runrun was at a loss.

“Huanhuan, can’t you be a little less embarrassing?”

“Oh, what do you know? When faced with male beauty, who cares about pride!”

Shi Runrun was speechless.

Suddenly, Shi Runrun remembered something and turned to the man beside her. “Can I bring Huanhuan along to dinner?”

He didn’t object, simply nodded. “Of course. Actually, I want you to meet my childhood friends as well.”

So, Cen Huan slid into the back seat of the luxury car, joining them as they headed to the seven-star hotel in the city center.

…

Before long, they arrived at the hotel.

The three climbed out, and a valet hurried over to take the keys from the man and park the car.

Shi Runrun and Cen Huan followed him inside, marveling at the opulence of the hotel as they walked.

“Huanhuan, this isn’t a hotel—it’s a palace… The rich really are something else…”

“Take it easy. You’re now Mrs. Xiao. Don’t act so unsophisticated! We’ll be living the high life from now on!” Cen Huan’s words brimmed with excitement.

Xiao Xuezheng led them through the doors, where the hotel manager and all the staff lined up in two neat rows and bowed deeply, their attention focused mainly on Xiao Xuezheng.

“Welcome, Mr. Xiao!”

The voices rang out in unison, so loud and orderly that Shi Runrun nearly collapsed in surprise.

The man merely nodded slightly and led them onward.

They reached the entrance of an exquisitely decorated room. He pushed open the door and ushered them inside. Four or five young men of obvious wealth turned their gaze toward them.

The first to greet them was a cheerful “Brother Zheng!”

Then, holding Shi Runrun’s hand, the man led her into the warmly lit room.

Everyone’s eyes fell on her, making Shi Runrun a little anxious—especially being scrutinized by such a group of privileged men.

His friends, surely all accomplished.

Yet the looks they gave her were respectful, perhaps because of Xiao Xuezheng at her side.

Xiao Xuezheng himself seemed relaxed. He smiled faintly and said, “This is your sister-in-law,” before settling on a sofa.

At once, they all called out in unison, “Sister-in-law!”

One of them teased, “What are you all saying? You should call her ‘little sister-in-law’! She’s so young and delicate, you’re making her sound old!”

Shi Runrun recognized the speaker as the one who’d called her “little sister-in-law” at the hospital the other day, a man named Ji Yunan.

Ji Yunan stood up, came over, and winked at her. “Little sister-in-law, we meet again! I told you, you’d be our little sister-in-law sooner or later! Wasn’t I right? Ha ha…”

Before he’d finished, his gaze suddenly shifted, locking intensely onto Cen Huan.

Shi Runrun was startled and looked at Cen Huan, whose expression had changed dramatically. Her face was pale, her wide almond eyes fixed on Ji Yunan.

It was as if they already knew each other—and not fondly. Old enemies, now crossing paths once more.

The next moment, Cen Huan recovered and said to Shi Runrun, “Runrun, I’m not feeling well. I’ll go ahead. You all enjoy yourselves.”

With that, she turned and left the room, then broke into a run down the corridor.

Shi Runrun immediately chased after her. Xiao Xuezheng rose and approached Ji Yunan, raising an eyebrow. “You and that Cen Huan…”

Ji Yunan’s lips twisted into a bitter smile. “She’s the woman I’ve been searching for all this time…”

Xiao Xuezheng’s deep black eyes widened.

Out in the corridor, Shi Runrun caught up with the fleeing Cen Huan, who turned around, her almond eyes red and brimming with tears.

Something clicked in Shi Runrun’s mind. She looked at her and asked, “Huanhuan… what’s wrong… that Ji Yunan… is he…”

Cen Huan wiped her eyes, shook her head, then slowly nodded. “Yes… he’s the man I met abroad…”

Shi Runrun’s eyes widened in shock.

Her mind raced back to their freshman year.

That was when she first met Cen Huan, and during the summer, Cen Huan had been sent to a camp overseas. In America, she’d met a man…

But according to Huanhuan, he was a heartless playboy—used her and tossed her aside…

She’d said it lightly, so Shi Runrun had let it go. But she knew the man still held a place in Cen Huan’s heart.

Living together in the dorm, sometimes late at night, she’d hear Cen Huan crying quietly under the covers…

She claimed not to care, but the tears were real. If it didn’t hurt, why cry… All for that man…

But Shi Runrun never imagined that the man was Xiao Xuezheng’s childhood friend, Ji Yunan!

This… this was too unbelievable…

Accompanying Cen Huan out of the hotel, Shi Runrun watched as she safely got into a taxi.

With reddened eyes, Cen Huan said from inside the car, “Runrun, go back. Xiao Xuezheng brought you to meet his friends—he wants you to know his world. That’s a good thing. Don’t let my troubles spoil your evening.”

Shi Runrun frowned, but finally nodded slowly, sighing in the end. “Huanhuan, send me a message when you reach the dorm, so I know you’re safe.”

Cen Huan bit her lip and nodded, then closed the door and left in the taxi.

Watching the car vanish into the night, Shi Runrun finally returned to the hotel.

She walked through the corridor, searching for the luxurious suite from before.

At the corner, she suddenly overheard some of his friends smoking outside and talking.

“Hey, do you think Brother Xuezheng getting married so quickly means he’s finally moved on from all those years of pain?”

Another man replied, “Impossible. You all saw how hard those years were for him! Moved on? He’ll never move on, not in this lifetime! I heard he goes to America every year to pay respects to that woman.”

“You know, now that you mention it, isn’t there someone in America who’s always liked Brother Xuezheng…”

The rest was too muffled for Shi Runrun to hear from where she stood.