Chapter 6#

In my previous life, I didn’t have deep memories of my mother. The clearest one, though, was when she went crazy—she loved to hit people.

But… my mother was actually quite timid. I think my own timidity came from her. When she hit me, she was all fierce, but when she was in front of Grandmother Ren, she was as docile as anything. I used to say she bullied the weak and feared the strong. As a child, I almost became twisted inside, but later she went mad and treated everyone the same, which made me feel a little more balanced.

When she smiled, she had shallow dimples, and her slightly curly hair was a bit messy.

Guai Zai had dimples too. When he smiled, it could sweeten your heart. I once thought Guai Zai’s dimples were inherited from my mother, and I feared his temperament might follow too. I was on edge for quite a while.

Fortunately, it didn’t.

“…Mom.” In my previous life, Grandmother Ren thought calling her that was improper and made me change it to “Mother.” Later, I only called her “Mom” when she hit me too hard—when she was beating me fiercely, that is.

Usually then, she’d ease up a little, as if suddenly remembering I was her son.

Her hands, folding paper, paused lightly. Then, with a trace of confusion, she looked up. I sighed softly and sat on the edge of the bed. My mother glanced at me once before lowering her head to continue her work.

My mother also had a skill—she was dexterous.

It wasn’t that she could knit sweaters or scarves; she was great at origami. She could always fold something unexpectedly. When I was very young, my mother proudly told me that my father was won over by her folding nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine paper cranes.

I used to think my father’s standards were too low.

But if it were me in my previous life, as long as Wang Zheng was willing to fold a single paper crane with his own hands, I’d give everything I had in exchange for that one crane.

My mother was folding quite intently. I got her an apple and was about to peel it when I remembered that all items in this room that could serve as weapons had long been moved to Mars. My mother was picky with her mouth—she wouldn’t eat fruit unless it was peeled. So I just poured her a glass of water and handed it to her. She glared at me when I did.

Maybe I was disturbing her.

In my previous life, my mother also liked cosmos flowers.

I heard my father gave nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine cosmos flowers as a return gift to my mother. She was pretty proud at first, but later, when she had to water them, she turned pale, and even paler seeing the water bill. Fortunately, after she married into the Ren family, my father set aside a small garden for her to mess around with as she pleased. The gardener took care of the watering, and the water bill was covered by the Ren Corporation.

And sure enough, my mother happily messed around.

I looked at the bed full of paper cranes and said, “Who are these for? For Xiao Yang?” My father’s name was Ren Xiaoyang.

My mother paused, looked at me, and smiled.

My taste was actually inherited from my father. But at least my father’s taste was better than mine. Wang Zheng and my mother were both beauties—one a peacock, one a madwoman.

But Wang Zheng hated me, while my mother loved my father.

My mother blushed like a lovesick girl and folded even more eagerly.

I said, “Not folding any for Qi Qi?” Qi Qi was my childhood name. My mother hadn’t called me that in a long time. I wasn’t sure when it stopped. By the time I noticed, my mother was already twisting my ear, her face twisted, saying, “Qi Ri! Are you going to let those Wang family people outshine you?! That’s yours! That’s what Xiao Yang left for you!”

Hearing this, my mother stared at me.

Puzzled.

When I closed the door behind me, I happened to see Zhang Ma pulling Wang Zheng aside to talk. Wang Zheng was smiling apologetically on his face. Even though I knew inside he was impatient with Zhang Ma’s nagging, he didn’t show any sign of difficulty.

No wonder Ling Li, when she was bullied badly, secretly complained to me, “Big Boss, the manager struts around like a peacock in front of you, acts like a tiger in front of me, but in front of others… he’s slyer than a fox.”

Ling Li’s expression was quite exaggerated then. Later, somehow, Wang Zheng found out. If I hadn’t shielded her, she would have been banished to the ends of the earth.

“Young Master by marriage, don’t blame Zhang Ma for being naggy. Zhang Ma just had someone go down to make soup. I’ll serve you some in a bit. Oh my, look how thin you’ve gotten, dear!” Zhang Ma had served Grandmother Ren all her life and never married. She treated Wang Zheng like her own son.

“No need to trouble yourself. I’ve been eating well,” Wang Zheng said, busy dodging Zhang Ma’s eager hands. “Besides, he’s the one who’s really thin…” Wang Zheng muttered under his breath.

The door clicked shut with a “ka-ta” sound. Wang Zheng and Zhang Ma both looked over. Especially Wang Zheng—he immediately stormed over like thunder and lightning, raising his voice as he spoke, “What took you so long? Your mother—”

Wang Zheng glanced at me and suddenly changed his tune, saying, “Zhang Ma had someone make soup. Look at you, it’s like the Ren family doesn’t feed you.” Without another word, he grabbed me and pulled me outside.

This time, Wang Zheng held on firmly, all his fingers interlaced. Wang Zheng was much taller than me, with long fingers and big hands. They perfectly wrapped around my chubby little pig’s trotter of a hand.

In my previous life, I’d always get lost staring at Wang Zheng’s hands. Even during the passionate years of high school, I never dared find an excuse to touch them. Later, when I became the president of the Ren Corporation, I often had to socialize and travel with Wang Zheng. When Wang Zheng worked, he was strict with others and even harder on himself. Staying up one or two nights was common.

When Wang Zheng was a child, he’d put on a show in front of the adults, occasionally holding my hand to demonstrate the close bond between the Wang and Ren families. As we grew older, in my memory, I only touched Wang Zheng’s hand once.

It was during negotiations with a Hong Kong business group over contracts worth hundreds of millions. I had just taken over the Ren Corporation and hadn’t settled in yet. Wang Zheng was full of drive—he was practically responsible for the entire proposal. I was more like a tagalong, sleeping well every day. Wang Zheng usually slept lightly, but in the car, he’d take the rare chance to nap.

Back then, I was just adjusting the air conditioning a little lower. I gently leaned over Wang Zheng, my hands accidentally brushing against his, and then…

I just—just gently, gently—held on for a moment.

Later, maybe out of guilt, I couldn’t bring myself to look Wang Zheng in the eye. I secretly delighted in it for days, even smiling in my dreams.

Now, looking back, it feels like recalling the passionate impulses of my youth… even though my current body is so much younger than I was then.

Anyway, seeing that brat Wang Zheng grab my hand like he was catching an enemy, I felt a wave of melancholy.

Zhang Ma originally only had soup made. But maybe seeing her precious young master looking thinner and more haggard by the day, she quickly called for the chef. After a bit of fussing, she decided that the servants’ cooking might not suit Wang Zheng’s taste and went off to do it herself.

The Ren Corporation’s main hall had four central parlors. The front one was the reception room. Grandmother Ren was quite old-fashioned. The decorations and carvings in the house were all Chinese-style. Except for the lounge chairs by the side, everything else was made of rosewood. The room was filled with a faint scent of musk—antique and elegant, yet it made me vaguely uncomfortable.

Even though this was the Ren family’s main house, Wang Zheng seemed more at ease here than I did. Compared to the cramped dormitory bedroom that wasn’t even as big as the Ren family’s guest room, Wang Zheng was definitely more suited to this place.

In my previous life, when I became the president of the Ren Corporation, I was the only master left in this entire mansion. It was indescribably lonely. It wasn’t until later, when I married Shu Yuan and had Guai Zai, that things felt a little better.

Actually, back then I thought—a smaller house would be better.

A family could run into each other wherever they went. Besides not feeling lonely, I could also keep an eye on Guai Zai. Wherever he fell and hurt himself, I could be there to pick him up in time.

“Young master, young master by marriage, dinner is ready.”

Uncle Jing’s voice rarely had any inflection. In my previous life, he always had that stiff demeanor, no emotion in his eyes. When he suddenly appeared, it was more startling than seeing a crocodile sunbathing on the edge of a pool. Zhang Ma and Granny Wang had both been brought over by Grandmother Ren from the Wang family, but I never knew much about Uncle Jing’s origins.

Besides, later when I was in charge, that person wasn’t in the Ren family’s main house either, so I naturally never saw Uncle Jing again.

Come to think of it, looking at Uncle Jing, I suddenly felt grateful that this mansion was so big. At least I could avoid running into that person for a year or so…

But this dinner, I suppose, was unavoidable.

And so, my feet felt as heavy as a thousand pounds. If Wang Zheng hadn’t been pulling me along, I would rather have clung to a pillar.

What? You ask why I’m so afraid of him?

Who—who said I’m afraid!

I—I—I’m just…

Just…

When we reached the dining room, the table was piled high with food, as if they were feeding pigs. I had been walking slowly, like a snail, letting Wang Zheng ravage my hand while I hung back to scope things out. But aside from Zhang Ma and a few servants, I didn’t see anyone else.

At the head of the table was only an empty black carved chair. I glanced at it once and quickly lowered my head.

Uncle Jing’s voice came from behind: “Third Master said he’s a bit tired tonight and couldn’t come down to see the young master. He hopes the young master will forgive him.”

Thank the Lord.

I beamed. “Forgiven. I definitely forgive him.”

Wang Zheng looked at me like I was an idiot, then raised his head and asked Uncle Jing hesitantly, “Is Third Master’s illness getting any better?” His voice was full of concern.

Trust me, I wasn’t jealous.

It’s just that a strange feeling welled up inside me. I suddenly remembered when Ling Li suspected her husband of having an affair—she’d always go around muttering “adulterer and adulteress,” radiating murderous intent.

So, Wang Zheng and that person…

My eyelid twitched slightly.

Bad luck. Left is good luck, right is bad luck. Which one just twitched?

The dishes were quite rich. Surprisingly, most of them were my favorites. My heart, which had been cold and chilly, suddenly soared. After all, the school food had made my taste buds go numb. And sure, Zhang Ma was naggy, but her cooking skills were really unmatched.

To be honest, back when Zhang Ma left after causing a fuss, I secretly regretted it for quite a while.

Wang Zheng sat elegantly, waiting for someone to serve him. I had only eaten a slice of bread since breakfast, and my stomach acid had been carving into my stomach walls. Besides, I had moved out for some time and long tossed aside the Ren family’s strict rules. So I just grabbed my chopsticks and buried my head in the food.

Wang Zheng snorted coldly but, for once, didn’t make a sarcastic remark.

This meal was especially delicious for me. Occasionally, out of habit, I’d pick up a piece of beef and put it on the plate next to me—Guai Zai always waited for me to pick up food and feed him. I had been doing that for years, and for a moment, I forgot that the person sitting next to me was his father…

Sure enough, I froze.

When I looked up, I met Wang Zheng’s captivating phoenix eyes.

“Uh… this beef slice is smoked quite well. You—you should try it, haha.” I laughed dryly, feeling awkward.

Wang Zheng’s face showed no emotion, and for once, he didn’t make a sarcastic remark. He just glanced at me quietly. Wang Zheng’s posture and etiquette were impeccable, exuding an air of nobility. Silver chopsticks elegantly lifted the slice of meat, dipped it in sauce, and then, with a slight lean, he slowly brought it to his mouth—the movement was incredibly fluid, his posture perfect. He chewed without revealing his teeth; only when he opened his mouth slightly could I vaguely see the tip of his pink tongue. Then, he narrowed his eyes slightly and the corners of his mouth lifted gently, as if savoring a rare delicacy in the world. Finally, as if still not satisfied, he parted his lips slightly, but his gaze rested on me.

I patted my own old face and buried my head again. Eat, eat.

Lord, forgive my sins.

Zhang Ma was still bustling around, serving. She doted on Wang Zheng a lot. As she ladled the soup, I heard her mutter, “Ah, young master by marriage, next time you come back, Zhang Ma will make a whole table of your favorite dishes. Come, come, drink the soup.”

Wang Zheng smiled. “This is fine already.”

Zhang Ma wasn’t happy. She raised her voice, “Young master by marriage, you rarely come back. And Third Master—how strange. He made us prepare dishes according to a list. As if I don’t know your tastes! And it’s odd—Third Master never bothers with this kind of thing…”

I swallowed a mouthful of rice.

Wang Zheng’s expression remained unchanged. He simply said, “Third Master has his own reasons.”

I wiped my mouth and said quietly, “I’m full.”

After dinner that evening, Wang Zheng immediately had the car prepared, saying he had student council business the next day and needed to go back. After all, the Ren family mansion was large and a bit far from the city center. Staying the night wouldn’t have been a problem. But since Wang Zheng wanted to leave, I was naturally the most pleased.

Zhang Ma tried to persuade him to stay, nagging for a long time, but Wang Zheng was unusually unmoved. Then Uncle Jing came down from the second floor and said, “The car is ready.” Zhang Ma, no matter how unwilling, had no choice.

I breathed a quiet sigh of relief. I said goodbye to Zhang Ma and Uncle Jing and was about to step out the door when Uncle Jing suddenly called out, “Young master.”

I paused.

Uncle Jing bowed deeply to me.

“Take care on the road.”

For some reason…

I felt like this sentence was being spoken on someone else’s behalf. My heart suddenly leaped.

I almost ran out the door. Looking up, I saw Old He waving at me and Wang Zheng. It had been a long time since I’d seen Old He, and my heart relaxed. Along the way, I called out “Little He” a few times and happily jogged over.

The night wind brushed by. For some unknown reason, I turned back.

The Ren residence was magnificent. On the second floor, rows of French windows flickered with dim light. I looked up and felt a chill run through my body.

My breath caught slightly.

“Ren Qiri, what’s wrong with you?” Wang Zheng followed my gaze upward, but there was no one there. He said impatiently, “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

I got into the car with Wang Zheng, my heart pounding hard.

My eyesight had never been good at night.

But those eyes—even in the pitch-black darkness, I could feel them.

Just now, he was standing by the French window, wearing his usual white silk robe. To be honest, having lived two lives, I’d never seen anyone who suited silk clothing better than him.

I remember Grandmother Ren saying that he looked very much like Old Master Ren when he was young.

At the time, I didn’t think he resembled Grandfather at all—not even in appearance. They were worlds apart.

Later, I learned where their resemblance lay…

I also remember Grandmother Ren looking at Wang Zheng and saying, “Even if all the girls from the Wang and Ren families were put together, they couldn’t compare to Zheng Zheng’s beauty.”

Actually, there was another sentence after that.

“But no matter how beautiful and delicate Zheng Zheng’s features are, they don’t match even a tenth of San’er’s.”