Chapter 55

Chapter 55 - 55 054 Want You to Love Me Official Dating (First Chapter 55: 054: Want You to Love Me, Official Dating (First Update) Chapter 55: 054: Want You to Love Me, Official Dating (First Update) Wen Changling hid behind Xie Shang, only able to see half of the man’s face, his jaw covered in red and black tattoos.

Xie Shang was polite and attentive, “Thank you for your trouble.”

“You’re welcome.”

The men and their companions left, heading to the classroom to wrap things up.

Xie Shang took Wen Changling away, and before they left, she picked up the handkerchief that Xie Shang had discarded and took it with them.

The car drove out of the school.

Wang Xiaowei stood beside the classroom window, watching the distant car wheels, “Brother Xiang, what on earth does Mr. Xie mean? Couldn’t he just find a pretext to send the person in, instead of making such a fuss? Is he fishing for big fish with long line? Yet for someone like Zeng Zhili, is there a need for such a lengthy setup?” Wang Xiaowei rotated his head, which he thought to be slightly clever, rapidly.

Brother Xiang swiftly packed the person on the ground into a burlap sack, “Do your job, don’t ask what you shouldn’t.”

They were just people paid to do a job, and didn’t need to know which fish their employer was after.

Back on Lotus Pond Street, Wen Changling didn’t hesitate at all and followed Xie Shang straight into his yard. The night was deep and still, clouds veiling the moon, and in the quiet darkness, it was the perfect time to indulge.

The poisonous vines of the Hooked Cymbidium had, unknowingly, covered a large piece of Xie Shang’s wall. They grew wildly, like the seeds in some people’s hearts, recklessly taking over the land.

“Changling,” Xie Shang’s gaze was gentle, “Now it’s time for you to pay.”

Wen Changling understood that he wanted a person.

So, she clutched the hem of her top and slowly lifted it up. As it just passed her waist, her wrist was grabbed by Xie Shang.

She looked up in confusion.

Isn’t it a person he wanted?

Xie Shang helped her put her clothes back down, tidying them without touching her skin, “Wen Changling, what do you think I want?”

It was Wen Changling again.

He was difficult to please.

Wen Changling then asked, “What do you want?”

His eyes were burning, “I want your love.”

The apple of the Forest Witch was traded for a heart.

Xie Shang’s apple truly couldn’t be taken lightly.

Wen Changling wouldn’t foolishly ask if he liked her. She was a pawn in a transaction; even if Xie Shang wished to undress her right now, she wouldn’t resist in the slightest.

Xie Shang was a man of principles, and so was she.

She took out the handkerchief she had brought back from the abandoned school and pressed it under the teapot. The handkerchief was stained with blood, and the two characters for Ji Fu had blurred into red. She didn’t know if Xie Shang had ever dyed his hair red, but she felt intuitively that it would suit him well—as would red roses—every intense and elegant noun fit him.

“I hit someone, will they find out about it?”

“No,” Xie Shang said, “Even if they do, it doesn’t matter. I did it, you don’t know anything.”

Staying in Xie Shang’s domain, you never have to worry about dangers coming from the outside.

“I won’t renege on a debt.” Wen Changling, with a hint of testing, cautiously held Xie Shang’s hand and solemnly promised, her attitude as serious as a pledge to join the Party, “I’ll treat you well.”

Xie Shang corrected, unyielding, “You have to love me.”

Wen Changling nodded, “Okay.”

The pawn transaction was completed.

Ruyi Pawnshop only accepts dead pledges.

*****

The next morning, Wen Changling ran into Xie Shang at the rice noodle shop.

She was yawning continuously, listless.

Xie Shang sat opposite her, ordering a bowl of three-delight noodles, which the proprietress quickly brought over.

The clumsy Xie Shang picked up a pair of chopsticks, “Didn’t sleep well last night?”

She lacked energy, “I dreamt all night.”

“What did you dream about?”

She had no appetite, picking the peanuts in her noodle soup from one side to the other, one by one, “Dreamt you were bringing me prison food.”

Xie Shang laughed.

“Xie Shang.”

“Hmm?”

Wen Changling seemed to have something serious to say, her facial expression earnest.

She glanced around, no acquaintances of hers in sight, and asked Xie Shang quietly, “Are we in a relationship?”

Xie Shang had just picked up a peanut, which fell back into his bowl in less than a second, he gave up, no longer attempting to pick up any small items with the chopsticks, “Otherwise? Bullying?”

Just like that, they began a relationship.

Wen Changling carried on with her usual work routine. Coming back from work that day, she heard from Sister Tao that Granny Zhu had had a quarrel in the morning, the reason being someone had slandered Wen Changling, suggesting that the sister of a murderer might also carry the genes for murder.

Granny Zhu, normally amiable with everyone, became very angry, arguing loudly on the street with the person for a long time, declaring they would never deal with each other again in life.

When Wen Changling got home, it was already late.

Granny Zhu sat at the kitchen door, neither inside nor outside had lights on, wearing her reading glasses and knitting a hat for Huahua in the light of the twilight.

Huahua played with a ball of yarn beside her.

“Why are you back so late, the meal has gone cold.”

Wen Changling had worked an extra hour today.

Granny Zhu set aside her knitting, “There’s corn in the rice cooker, eat a cob first, I’ll go warm up the food for you.”

Wen Changling followed her into the kitchen.

Granny Zhu found her in the way, handed her a cob of corn, and shooed her out.

“Granny,” she tasted the corn, which was very sweet, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, we all eat out of the same pot.” Granny Zhu lit the stove, adding wood to the fire. She always remembered what had happened with Sun Zheng.

Wen Changling brought a stool over and sat next to the stove, “Aren’t you going to ask?”

Everyone outside had been talking about her brother’s case for several days, yet Granny Zhu hadn’t asked a single question.

“No need to ask, tell me when you feel like it.” The old lady had walked many roads, eaten much salt, and seen many eyes; she could make out which were dark and which were bright. People shouldn’t live too clearly, having a conscience is enough.

Wen Changling bent her head down to nibble on the corn.

As she nearly finished the corn, she said, “My brother’s name is Ah Na, and he never killed anyone. He died in prison.” Her family’s story could be told in just a couple of sentences. There’s also, “My mother committed suicide; she ate the leaves of Broken Heart Grass.”

At this time, Granny Zhu did not know that the Hooked Cymbidium in the backyard was Broken Heart Grass.