Seeing Yuan Xia in the photograph, Wang Cheng was both surprised and astonished. This was completely outside his expectations. He had assumed it would be Chu Yifeng. How had Yuan Xia gotten dragged into this?
At a glance, Wang Cheng recognized the picture as one taken secretly the last time he had eaten with Yuan Xia and driven him home. He had to admit the photographer had chosen the angle skillfully.
“This so-called proof of yours is based on one candid photo?” Wang Cheng casually tossed the phone onto the table and folded his arms as he looked at her. “If your eyesight is bad, you don’t have to advertise it to everyone. Being stupid is one thing. Being as stupid as you is a first for me.”
“Who are you calling stupid? Don’t think you can act arrogant just because someone powerful is backing you. Sooner or later I’ll deal with you.” Wang Xiaoyan exploded at his sharp tongue. If Wang Ningkai had not grabbed her quickly, she would already have lunged at him.
“Deal with me? I’m afraid you don’t have that kind of ability. It doesn’t matter if you refuse to admit you’re stupid. Just find someone with decent eyesight and let them look at the picture. Then you’ll know what it actually shows.” Wang Cheng truly wanted to smear shit across her face. Was there really nothing wrong with this woman’s brain?
Wang Cheng was far too open and composed, and what he said made sense. Everyone who had seen the photograph began wavering.
Thinking about it carefully, the angle really was suspicious. You could tell the two men had made physical contact, but the photo did not capture the crucial point. Besides, the background made it obvious they were in a public place. A server could even be seen in one corner of the image. No matter how bold Wang Cheng was, would he really kiss another man in a setting like that?
Wang Ningkai also believed Wang Cheng would not act without any restraint. He had hated Wang Cheng before, but ever since learning that Wang Cheng had a friend who drove a Maybach, he no longer dared plot against him. At least he had seen enough of the world not to be as foolish as Wang Xiaoyan. And today was their engagement banquet, so he chose to hold her back before she truly angered Wang Cheng. Unfortunately, Wang Xiaoyan did not appreciate it and instead became furious that her fiancé was not taking her side.
“Wang Ningkai, are you even my fiancé or not? Your fiancée is being insulted like this, and instead of standing up for me, you’re holding me back. What are you doing?”
Wang Xiaoyan struggled so fiercely that Wang Ningkai almost lost his grip.
“Xiaoyan, calm down and listen to me. One photograph really doesn’t prove anything. This isn’t something you can joke about casually either. He is still my cousin. If this spreads, the entire Wang family will be embarrassed.” Wang Ningkai tried to persuade her to put aside her prejudice against Wang Cheng for now.
“Cousin?” Wang Xiaoyan suddenly laughed mockingly. “Looks like you still don’t know. This cousin of yours isn’t your biological cousin at all. He’s just someone your youngest uncle picked up.”
Wang Cheng shot to his feet, face dark. “Wang Xiaoyan, I’ve tolerated you because today is your and Eldest Cousin’s engagement day. If you keep talking nonsense, don’t blame me for being rude.”
Anyone suddenly told they had merely been picked up by the people they called their parents would be angry. Everyone else also thought Wang Xiaoyan was going too far.
“Talking nonsense? I’m telling you, I heard this with my own ears. Not long ago, Auntie Li and Auntie Zhang were in a room saying your father picked you up. You aren’t your father’s biological son at all. If you don’t believe me, go ask them yourself.” Wang Xiaoyan shouted loudly.
When Madam Li had pulled Madam Zhang into the room next door earlier, Wang Xiaoyan had been the one who overheard them. It had not been entirely deliberate. Madam Li had left her handbag with her, and Wang Xiaoyan went over to return it, only to hear the two women talking. Madam Li had told her not to reveal the matter yet, but Wang Xiaoyan simply could not swallow her anger. If Wang Cheng would not let her have an easy time, she would not let him have one either. The engagement ceremony was already over, so she no longer cared if things became ugly. In her mind, any consequences would not fall on her anyway.
The surrounding area immediately fell silent. The commotion had grown too loud. Since Wang Ningkai and Wang Xiaoyan were the stars of the banquet, everyone had been watching them, and the argument naturally drew attention. Madam Li and Eldest Uncle tried to reassure the other guests before walking over to see what was happening. Papa Wang and Mama Wang had been seated at the same table as them, so they stood as well.
Madam Li had not originally wanted to seat them together, but to avoid gossip she had reluctantly arranged it that way. When the two couples approached and heard Wang Xiaoyan’s words, all four of their expressions changed at once.
“I don’t like hitting women, but that doesn’t mean I won’t. Wang Xiaoyan, if you dare fabricate one more word, I don’t care whether you’re the bride today or not. I’ll beat you all the same.” Wang Cheng’s face was dark, his gaze icy. His entire presence turned oppressive. Wang Ningshan, seated closest to him, was so startled that he simply stared.
Wang Ningkai and the others were frightened by his expression too. Wang Cheng had always had a talent for infuriating people, but none of them had ever seen him genuinely angry. He looked as though he might strike at any moment.
Unfortunately, the person in front of him was Wang Xiaoyan, who had already thrown caution aside. She had said this much already, so why would she care about a little more? Her temper had never been good to begin with. After her family became wealthy, she had been spoiled more and more. The more Wang Cheng threatened her, the more determined she became to make him suffer.
“I’ll say it. So what? You’re a bastard. A bastard your parents picked up. A bastard nobody wanted. I don’t believe you’d dare hit me.”
Smack!
Wang Xiaoyan’s face snapped to the side under the force of a slap. The blow was so hard that her heavily made-up cheek immediately turned red, five finger marks standing out clearly.
Everyone stared in shock at the person who had struck her.
It was not Wang Cheng. It was Mama Wang, who had rushed over. The anger on her face was unmistakable, and she had not held back at all. Yet no one thought it inappropriate for her to slap a junior. Even if Wang Cheng truly had been found and brought home by his parents, Wang Xiaoyan’s words had still gone far beyond the line.
“You actually hit me?” Wang Xiaoyan clutched her burning cheek and stared at Mama Wang in disbelief.
“I hit you because you have no upbringing.”
After saying that, Mama Wang no longer looked at her. She turned toward Wang Cheng. She had never imagined a secret guarded for twenty-five years would be exposed by an unrelated junior. Seeing the shock on her son’s face, the sternness she usually carried softened into pain. Madam Li and the others had heard Wang Xiaoyan’s words as well. Seeing Mama Wang slap her, they wanted to speak but did not dare provoke Mama Wang at a moment like this, especially Madam Li.
Wang Xiaoyan’s mother saw her daughter had been hit and immediately came over with Wang Xiaoyan’s father, but Madam Li and several others stopped them. Madam Li now understood what had happened and had even less desire to let the situation spiral further.
Wang Cheng did not believe he had really been picked up. He pointed angrily at Wang Xiaoyan. “Mom, is what she said true?”
“Chengcheng, listen to Mom…” Mama Wang came forward and tried to take his hand.
Wang Cheng stepped back. He stared in disbelief at the parents he had respected and loved for twenty-five years. Mama Wang’s hesitation had already given him the answer. The people he had called Mom and Dad all these years were not his biological parents? No matter how mentally strong he was, he could not accept the information all at once. Without another word, Wang Cheng turned and left Fugui Restaurant.
“Chengcheng!”
Mama Wang hurried after him, with Papa Wang right behind her. But by the time they reached the entrance, Wang Cheng had already disappeared. Afraid he might do something reckless, they rushed home, but neither could match his pace. When they finally got there, they saw the car normally parked in the courtyard was gone, leaving only fresh tire marks on the ground.
“What a sin!” Papa Wang’s eyes reddened. All color drained from his face, and he seemed to age several years at once.
Mama Wang seemed to lose all strength as well.
Wang Cheng drove at fifty or sixty kilometers an hour. The scenery swept rapidly past him, dissolving into blurred reflections, just like the memories of the past twenty-five years with his family. Now that he knew he had been picked up, those memories seemed to turn into bubbles as well.
After running two red lights, Wang Cheng reached Ningjing Residential Complex. The security guard saw him and was about to chat with him as usual, but then noticed something was wrong with his expression. After thinking about it, he gave up and simply opened the gate. There was no obstacle in life that could not be crossed. Hopefully the young man would work it out. Wang Cheng occasionally teased him mercilessly, but the guard still liked him.
The guard had only just returned to his post when, three minutes later, Wang Cheng’s car came back out again. What was going on? Unfortunately, the driver was not going to explain.
In truth, after going upstairs, Wang Cheng suddenly remembered that Chu Yifeng had not been staying at the apartment recently. Today happened to be the last day of Aunt Liu’s leave, and she would not return to work until tomorrow. The apartment had gone several days without cleaning. The moment Wang Cheng stepped inside and saw dust in the air, he could only head back down in frustration. That was why the security guard saw him speed away again.
When he reached Jinding Hotel, Wang Cheng still did not call Chu Yifeng. He parked and went straight upstairs to look for him. Perhaps his luck was especially poor today, because Chu Yifeng was not in the suite at this hour. Wang Cheng rang the bell repeatedly, but no one opened the door. He went down to the front desk and asked the staff to let him inside so he could wait. The clerk refused. Wang Cheng argued until his mouth was dry, but the answer never changed: they needed the guest’s permission before allowing anyone into the room. Otherwise, they had no authority. Wang Cheng did not want to call Chu Yifeng, so the two sides reached a stalemate.
“What happened?” Zhang Wu walked over.
The moment the front-desk clerk saw Zhang Wu, the employee immediately explained the situation. The staff knew the suite’s guest and knew he had visitors before, but no one could clearly remember whether Wang Cheng had been one of them. Even if they did remember, they still would not dare let someone in casually. If the guest questioned it later, the responsibility would fall on them.
“I understand. Do as he asks. If anything happens, I’ll take responsibility.” After hearing the explanation, Zhang Wu made the decision. He could not say exactly what Wang Cheng’s relationship with Chu Yifeng was, but he was certain they were not ordinary friends.
“Yes, Director.” With a superior giving the order, the staff member stopped insisting. They took out the key to the presidential suite and had someone escort Wang Cheng upstairs. Before leaving, Wang Cheng said to Zhang Wu, “Thanks.”
Zhang Wu nodded. “It was nothing.”
While Wang Cheng and the hotel employee were riding the elevator, several people got on midway. One of them was Wei Dandan, whom he had not seen in a long time. The moment she saw Wang Cheng, Wei Dandan froze at the elevator entrance. Only after a companion reminded her did she react and step inside. She secretly glanced at Wang Cheng and found his demeanor unusually cold, leaving her inevitably disappointed. Wang Cheng was not doing it intentionally. He had suffered an enormous shock today and simply had no energy to care about Wei Dandan’s feelings. He therefore appeared distant. Even when Wei Dandan and her companions reached their floor, the two never spoke.
Wei Dandan turned back to look at the elevator doors closing behind her.
“Dandan, what’s wrong? I noticed you kept looking at that handsome guy in the elevator. Do you know him?” Her colleague had noticed how unsettled she seemed.
“He was my high school classmate,” Wei Dandan said.
“Wow, you know someone that rich? That’s such a good opportunity. Why didn’t you make a move?” The elevator display had shown which floor he was going to, and her colleague had noticed the hotel employee escorting Wang Cheng was holding a key. Anyone connected to someone staying in a presidential suite had to be wealthy too. Wei Dandan shook her head. Whether Wang Cheng had money, she did not know. She had wanted to seize the opportunity too, but he had never given her one.