A Twisted Love Affair-Chapter 165: Shanghai Bund_1

Another New Year’s Day arrived, and Shen Jing no longer felt like celebrating.

Those days were as unpredictable as ever.

Shen Jing didn’t go back to Yunding; it was as if the two of them hadn’t even said a proper goodbye.

Isn’t that just what relationships are like?

No, that’s not right; he was emotionless.

Shen Jing lowered her head to swipe her phone, only to find a blank screen. How ridiculous.

At 8 o’clock, when the guests had all left and the teahouse had closed, Shen Jing was surrounded by several senior colleagues she had worked with for many years.

Xing Wendong was settling Shen Jing’s wages, sighing and looking at her for a long time. "Once you leave, will you come back?"

Shen Jing took the paper. "Yeah, the Troupe Leader has cultivated me meticulously over the years. Without the Troupe Leader, who would know Little Ajing?"

Xing Wendong grew more regretful. "But you, you were having a great time, weren’t you?"

"There are family matters that need attending to." Shen Jing stood up and personally poured tea for Xing Wendong. "These years, thanks to the Troupe Leader’s care, please drink."

Xing Wendong took the cup with both hands, questioning, "The Shen Family?"

Shen Jing nodded.

Xing Wendong tried to console her. "Well, it’s good. It would be a shame to be trapped here all your life and waste your talent."

Upstairs, Xing Fei remained silent, just watching Shen Jing’s retreating figure as she left. She had long noticed something was off, with Shen Jing busy with her laptop every day...

"Once you leave, don’t come back. It’s not worth it," she advised Shen Jing.

Shen Jing did not turn her head.

「...」

All night, Shen Jing was at Yunding, packing her things. There weren’t many.

Everything here was bought with Zhou Luchen’s money. In the end, having liked this place, she packed her favorite clothes and items into a suitcase.

Looking back at the luxurious Jinwu residence, she took in the night view of the Huangpu River from the floor-to-ceiling windows, reveling in the dazzling lights, where the wind rose and fell in an international megacity of boundless desire.

The domain of the wealthy, and the ten-mile foreign enclave with unrestrained pleasures.

Shen Jing’s movement, pulling her suitcase, paused.

She suddenly understood the invaluable Macedonian Ancient Painting on the wall.

The king swore to the sun god, from then on, the land was his to possess.

The little cat crouched beside her suitcase. "MEOW..."

Shen Jing bent down. "We’re going to Beijing, and I won’t take you with me. The Crown Prince has money and will hire several nannies to care for you every day. You’ll live like a princess, while my life is a string of uncertainties. Be good and stay here, okay?"

The little cat’s eyes were watery, her head drooped, and she fell silent.

Shen Jing smiled as she stood up and pulled her suitcase to leave.

The little cat still followed her, gazing longingly at the suitcase in her hand until she entered the elevator.

「...」

Outside the car window, the night scenery raced backward, but she had no desire to enjoy it.

The cab driver’s radio was playing a popular song, but the lyrics were indistinct.

Shen Jing asked the driver to stop at the entrance of the alley; she wanted to spend some time with her grandmother.

Under a solitary lamp, her shadow stretched long. She walked slowly, carrying her luggage. It was four in the morning, and she feared her grandmother might be asleep.

She tiptoed even on the stairs.

She was prepared with a key this time. Upon unlocking the door, the fragrance of red date rice cakes wafted from inside. The elderly woman bent over by the stove, stirring porridge with weathered hands.

She was 82 years old.

It seemed the grandmother had heard the door unlocking and turned her smiling face, which radiated serenity. "I had a dream where Nannan wanted to eat steamed cakes. Nannan is such a rascal; she actually came over."

Shen Jing hid her suitcase and rolled up her sleeves. "Grandma, please sit, I’ll do it."

Her grandmother cheerfully handed over the wooden spoon and lay in the rocking chair beside her, watching Shen Jing and occasionally instructing her.

Shen Jing knelt by her grandmother’s feet, her hands clenched into small fists, rhythmically massaging her grandmother’s thighs.

In their quiet and ordinary time together, Shen Jing finally spoke out, "I am going back to the Shen Family."

The old lady looked out the window where the sky was gradually brightening; the tall buildings nearby obscured any view of the sunrise.

Shen Jing continued, "This is my new number. You don’t need to memorize it."

Even if she memorized it, Grandma wouldn’t remember it.

"I’ve carved it onto the bracelet."

As she said it, Shen Jing took a small box out of her coat pocket. Inside was a Tourmaline Jade Bracelet that Zhuang Ming had secured from the cultural relic circles.

"Nannan, why did you change your number?" the grandmother asked, lowering her gaze.

Grandmother and granddaughter looked at each other.

Shen Jing smiled broadly, touching her grandmother’s hand where the wrinkled lines felt rough to the touch.

"Got tired of the old one."

The grandmother reached out, her rough fingertips gently tracing the red marks at the corner of Shen Jing’s eyes. "Nannan has been crying. Unhappy?"

She laughed louder. "How could that be?"

Compassion filled the grandmother’s eyes even more. "You must have been bullied."

Shen Jing shook her head, nestling in her grandmother’s embrace. "I’ve grown up; nobody can bully me now."

"Why are you going to Beijing all of a sudden?" The grandmother stroked her hair, gently and with concern.

"Grandpa Shen is ill, and my elder sister is getting married. They hope that I can go home and spend time with Grandfather," Shen Jing confessed honestly so that her grandmother would be reassured.

The old lady could always perceive her emotions sharply. "Nannan broke up with her boyfriend?"

Shen Jing’s hand stiffened. She fell silent for a few seconds, then suddenly masked it with a laugh.

"Who said I had a boyfriend? I just made that up to avoid matchmaking."

The old lady’s sunken eyes, where years had etched out wrinkles of vicissitude, seemed to inquire, "Didn’t you promise to bring him to see me?"

I never made such a promise; she’s just imagining things again.

Shen Jing’s eyes suddenly glistened. "Stop thinking about it."

He won’t come.

The grandmother sighed softly. "Our Nannan, be a bit more sensible. It’s okay not to have one, alright?"

A sourness hit Shen Jing’s nose, and looking up, she said, "Grandma, do you want to come to Beijing with me? I’ll buy you a bigger house to live in."

"I don’t like big houses," Grandma said, gazing out the window, her eyes void of spirit.

This was where she had lived her whole life. How could she bear to leave? How could she leave her neighbors and friends?

Shen Jing didn’t insist. Instead, she chatted with Grandma for a long time, all about keeping warm once there.

After getting everything in order, and while Grandma closed her eyes to rest, she gently closed the door behind her and left.

Struggling with the suitcase down the stairs, one step at a time—it was quite heavy.

Indeed, she only had a little cat’s strength; Zhuang Ming wasn’t wrong about that.

"Let me do it."

The man’s voice was warm and gentle.

Shen Jing looked up to see Sun Qiyan standing at the bottom of the stairs, reaching out to take her suitcase.

Sun Qiyan didn’t even ask anything, as if he knew her very well. "I’ll take you."

Shen Jing explained, "I had arranged for a driver..."

Sun Qiyan, walking in front of her, said, "I know. I saw him at the corner; I paid him and told him to go."

"How do you know everything?"

Sun Qiyan didn’t want to explain. They both lived in Yunding, and he knew she had quit her job at the teahouse.

Seeing Shen Jing moving suitcases out of Building C at night, he sensed something was amiss but refrained from approaching her to avoid an awkward confrontation.

Zhou Luchen... what a man.

The Zhou Family carefully groomed Crown Prince, the capable future CEO entrusted by the International United Financial Consortium.

His life was a world apart from Shen Jing’s.

He knew all too well what kind of person Zhou Luchen was.

He also knew exactly how unlikely that relationship... was to succeed.

These things, naturally, Sun Qiyan wouldn’t say. Even though it was obvious to everyone, he resolutely chose not to hurt her feelings.

She was a smart woman; how could she not know?

If she was leaving, Shanghai ought to have someone to send her off, to let her know she wasn’t without friends in Shanghai.

That was what Sun Qiyan thought at the time.

"Why did you quit your job at the teahouse?" Sun Qiyan asked while walking, turning back to look at her.

Shen Jing’s smile was serene. "Not everyone gets to always do what they love in life."

Her smile was infectious, and Sun Qiyan smiled too. "You will."

In the early morning, tenants and office workers nearby began to rise and head out.

"You’ll come back to Shanghai, right?" Sun Qiyan inquired.

That question seemed a little rushed and nervous.

Clearly a 30-year-old man, yet for a moment, he seemed like a bewildered big boy.

Of course, she would come back; Grandma was still here.

"It depends. I’ll come back on the 5th of any month when I have time."

Sun Qiyan gave a questioning ’hmm?’, furrowing his brow. "Why the 5th?"

"I used to love the 5th because that was payday at the teahouse."

The 5th she liked... so pure and simple.

When they reached the crossroads, Sun Qiyan moved the suitcase to the trunk, CLICK, securing it. "Don’t worry, I’ll take care of Grandma for you."

Having known each other since childhood, Shen Jing didn’t bother with formalities and got into the passenger seat.

She chatted with Sun Qiyan the whole way.

He was very tactful, never asking why, only offering subtle advice.

"If you think of coming over during the holidays, let me and Grandma know; we’ll personally pick you up from the airport."

"Brother Qiyan is still as kind as ever. Remember to bring a banner to welcome me, huh?"

Her smile radiant, her heartaches perfectly concealed.

"Sure. Shall I write ’Welcome Shen Family’s Fourth Miss to Shanghai’?"

Sun Qiyan looked at her. As she nodded, she seemed so obedient, her eyes brimming with moisture, making her look incredibly endearing.

Zhou Luchen, Zhou Luchen, how could you bear to hurt her? How could you bear to let her drag her suitcase back to that alley alone in the early morning, hiding away?

Whenever he saw this couple, their interactions always seemed ambiguous. Yet, the looks they exchanged burned with intense fire. He even remembered Zhou Luchen arranging a helicopter to pick her up from the highway, an incident that had caused quite a stir in their circle for a long time.

How could they just break up like that?

It was at a red light that Sun Qiyan became distracted and unintentionally uttered, "How could he bring himself to do it?"

Shen Jing turned her head. "What was that? I didn’t catch it."

Sun Qiyan looked at her still innocent face, sighed, and said, "Make sure to let me know you’ve landed safely."

"Qiyan, I’m counting on you to take care of Grandma for now," she said, for the first time not using his formal address, her voice sounding quite soft and gentle.