Facing Shen Ling’s angry outburst, Zhang Chen was not annoyed. He just quietly watched Shen Ling and Zhang Gaoqiu put on their act.
"Sister, don’t be rude. Apologize to Zhang Chen at once." Zhang Gaoqiu reprimanded Shen Ling at that moment: "If you continue to be rude, you and I should never meet again. I will leave the Shen Family and never come back."
Hearing Zhang Gaoqiu’s words, Shen Ling angrily walked up to the table, glared at Zhang Chen, and sat down with a face full of stubbornness.
Zhang Gaoqiu looked at Shen Ling and repeated, "Shen Ling!"
This time with a heavier tone. Shen Ling’s face was full of grievance, but she had no choice but to bow to Zhang Chen and say, "Greetings, cousin. I was rude before, and I apologize to you."
"That’s more like it! We are long-time relatives, all one family, and we should be harmonious." Zhang Gaoqiu wore a smile as he looked at Shen Ling warmly:
"I called you here today to make something clear. Since you have an engagement with Zhang Chen, the relationship between you and me is a mistake. Everything between us ends here, and we should not continue to entangle ourselves in the future."
"What are you saying? You want to cut ties with me?" Shen Ling looked at Zhang Gaoqiu with eyes full of anger.
"It’s not about cutting ties, but about putting everything back on track. You will just be my cousin in the future," said Zhang Gaoqiu.
Shen Ling’s face showed anger upon hearing this: "You still say you’re not cutting ties? You know how I feel about you."
"Enough! Let’s not talk about the past anymore." Zhang Gaoqiu waved his hand to interrupt Shen Ling.
Hearing this, Shen Ling’s eyes filled with tears: "Do you really want me to marry him? Do you want me to be his wife?"
Looking at Shen Ling’s tear-filled eyes, Zhang Gaoqiu let out a gentle sigh: "You could only say it’s the mockery of fate."
"Fine! Then I’ll do as you say and marry him in the future!" Shen Ling replied with anger on her face. After speaking, she stood up and left.
Beside them, Zhang Chen watched their every move, shaking his head in disapproval in his heart: "The acting is too fake!"
At this moment, Zhang Gaoqiu looked at Zhang Chen with a face full of apology: "She’s just like that, don’t blame her. Once some time passes and she calms down, everything will naturally get better. Cousin, you are a charming and charismatic man. Once she spends more time with you, she will naturally fall for you."
The banquet turned dull and tasteless due to Shen Ling’s outburst. After having a little wine, Zhang Chen and Zhang Gaoqiu parted ways.
At dawn the next day, Zhang Chen was standing in the yard soaking up the morning sunshine when he heard a knock on the door. As Zhang Chen opened the courtyard door, he saw Shen Ling dressed in fiery red, holding a food box, with swollen eyes looking at him prettily: "I think we should smooth things over between us. Since we have an engagement, we should try to communicate. You drank yesterday, so here is some soup I made for you to sober up."
Looking at the pretty, gentle-looking girl in red, Zhang Chen wasn’t deceived by her appearance. He could clearly sense the suppressed loathing deep in her eyes.
However, Zhang Chen didn’t mind playing along with her charade. He was curious to see what tricks she might try to play on him.
So Zhang Chen casually took the box and invited Shen Ling into the courtyard: "It’s great that you have such an awareness. You are my fiancée, and according to our parents’ arrangements and matchmakers’ words, unless you die, you cannot escape and must marry me."
Zhang Chen said this while glancing sideways at Shen Ling, his voice full of smugness, knowing she was acting, deliberately saying things to disgust her: "Alive, you’re my person; dead, you’re my ghost. Even if I die, I would never break off our engagement. We were truly meant for each other. Last time I saw you in the forest, it’s a good thing I saw your behind; if it had been anyone else, I would’ve taken a huge loss."
As he spoke, Zhang Chen’s hand naturally reached out, and before Shen Ling could react, his hand landed on her bottom, soft and plush, feeling exceptionally good.
After all, since she’s not his wife, it’s only right to take advantage of her; not taking advantage of a good opportunity would be foolish.
"You...you are being improper!" Shen Ling’s face flushed red, she let out a shocked scream, moved a step away, and glared angrily at Zhang Chen.
"What’s the big deal? You are my fiancée, and I’ve seen your bottom, so what’s wrong with a pat?" Zhang Chen dismissed it casually.
Shen Ling’s eyes were blazing with anger, staring fiercely at Zhang Chen. Finally, she stomped her foot, cursed him as indecent, and then turned and left Zhang Chen’s courtyard.
Watching the direction Shen Ling left, Zhang Chen’s lips curled into a cold smile. Zhang Chen always adhered to the principle of not missing out on opportunities; since she plotted against him, of course, he’d take some interest.
Just as he turned, he saw Chengyu leaning against the door frame, looking at him with a face full of disdain: "Zhang Chen, when did you become so shameless? Flirting openly with a decent woman, I have to look down on you!"
As Chengyu spoke, he turned and walked into the house, shaking his head and muttering:
"Shameless! So shameless!"
Watching Chengyu’s departing figure, Zhang Chen opened his mouth to explain but found he had nothing to say.
In the evening, after the family dinner, Chengyu approached, grabbed Zhang Chen’s sleeve, and being a small girl, her head only reached Zhang Chen’s waist. Chengyu pulled him to the corner, her face serious: "Zhang Chen! Do you know your mistake? Do you know how vile it is to be indecent with a woman? If someone sees, how will people perceive you? Do you still care about your reputation? And does the girl’s dignity not matter?"
Chengyu’s voice was filled with seriousness as he began lecturing the other person with a stern face.
Looking at Chengyu’s grown-up demeanor, Zhang Chen replied with a bitter smile, "It’s not what you think."
"I only believe what I see with my own eyes." Chengyu’s voice was full of seriousness. Despite being younger than Zhang Chen, he insisted on pretending to be an elder:
"Zhang Chen, you rascal, you’ve changed! You’ve grown up and even thought about women. Even if you are thinking of women, you can’t behave indecently, right?"
Zhang Chen’s eyes were fixed on Chengyu as he rubbed his temples helplessly, wondering how to explain things to him.
Before Zhang Chen could gather his thoughts, Chengyu glanced down at his own flat chest and then lowered his voice, "Women are all the same, not much difference. If you want to look or touch, come and touch me. I won’t scold you, nor will I ruin your reputation. We can find a secluded place for you to touch. Such indecent behavior, if seen by others, could ruin your reputation."
Chengyu appeared self-righteous, as if he had to sacrifice for Zhang Chen’s own good.
Hearing Chengyu’s words, Zhang Chen’s mind went blank. Had he been drinking, he would have spat it out in shock.
Before Zhang Chen could react, Chengyu, blushing furiously, ran off, leaving Zhang Chen standing there, silently watching Chengyu’s retreating figure.
"One misstep can result in a lifetime of regret. Looking back, it’s already been a century," Zhang Chen scratched his head, his eyes filled with helplessness.
The next day
At dawn, Shen Ling arrived again, bringing with her a pot of good wine and a few exquisite dishes, her expression composed as she knocked on Zhang Chen’s courtyard door.
Zhang Chen opened the courtyard door and looked at Shen Ling. Her expression was as composed as if it hadn’t been her who was spanked yesterday, a faint smile on her face: "I brought you a pot of good wine and a few exquisite dishes."
Zhang Chen opened the door and invited Shen Ling and her maid in. Shen Ling entered Zhang Chen’s house, laid out the food and wine, and said to Zhang Chen, "Since we have a betrothal, I will try to get to know you better. We should understand each other more, but you mustn’t touch me again."
"Sounds good, sounds good. I couldn’t help it when I saw my cousin’s big and round butt, just gave in to my impulse," Zhang Chen verbally agreed not to tease, yet every word still carried a teasing tone.
"You still dare say so!!!" Shen Ling glared at Zhang Chen angrily, then said, "I’m not talking to you anymore! You drink by yourself; I’ll clean up the house for you."
Shen Ling, like a wife, wore a gentle expression, bending down to tidy up the bed, her round, perky hips swaying in front of Zhang Chen. Quietly, he moved behind her, and in the next instant, without hesitation, his large hand covered her, indulging in a rough caress.
"Ah..." Shen Ling exclaimed, the hidden anger now impossible to conceal. She glared at Zhang Chen: "Jerk..."
She wanted to curse with vile words, but considering her future plans, she swallowed her words, blushing as she covered her butt and fled.
Watching Shen Ling’s retreating figure, Zhang Chen’s lips curled into a cold smile: "Feels good!"
Shen Ling’s residence
When Zhang Gaoqiu arrived, he heard a clattering sound before even reaching the door, with the sound of porcelain breaking coming from inside the house.
He pushed open the door and entered the house, only to find Shen Ling, hair in disarray, smashing the furniture inside the room.
"Who made you so angry that you have such a big temper?" Zhang Gaoqiu casually closed the door, a look of confusion in his eyes.
"Isn’t it that despicable toad, that filthy bastard! I can’t endure this, not even for a day longer. I want to cut him into pieces! I want to ruin his reputation and drive him out of the Shen Mansion!" Shen Ling’s voice was full of fury.
"What happened?" Zhang Gaoqiu asked.
"That despicable worm dared to molest me, touching my butt!" Shen Ling’s voice was filled with anger.
Hearing this, Zhang Gaoqiu’s pupils constricted, his face reddening: "Really?"
"Would I lie?" Shen Ling said through gritted teeth.
Zhang Gaoqiu’s words were filled with unchecked anger: "That damn bastard, how dare he lay a hand on you?"
"Kill him! Chop his hand to feed the dogs!" Shen Ling’s voice was filled with barely contained rage.
Zhang Gaoqiu took a deep breath and said, "Let’s wait! Let’s wait! I need to see if we can open that secret stash. If I can’t open it, I’ll need his help in the future! Right now, we should focus on winning him over and calming things down."