Ever since students nearby saw Lei Yunze step in to help Wang Ziyu, gossip had spread throughout Jing University. Lei Yunze’s status was a level or two above Wei Wei’s. Wei Wei only knew how to throw his weight around because of his family background and had no real ability to speak of. Lei Yunze was different. Not only was he Jing University’s most handsome campus heartthrob, but his grades frequently placed him among the top three in his year. He was a top student through and through. Because he did not come to campus for classes every day, and because of his family background, there was an added air of mystery about him.
Someone like him should never have had anything to do with Wang Ziyu, yet he had intervened on her behalf. One incident could be written off as a coincidence. Twice was a different matter. Everyone was now speculating that Wang Ziyu and Lei Yunze might have some special relationship.
This was the second time Wei Wei had come to make trouble for Wang Ziyu. He had only just arrived at her classroom and barely managed a couple of sentences before Lei Yunze appeared.
Apparently unwilling to waste time, Lei Yunze did not even give Wei Wei a chance to speak. He declared outright that Wang Ziyu was under his protection from now on. If Wei Wei dared lay a hand on her, he would be making an enemy of Lei Yunze. Before Wei Wei could answer, Wang Cheng arrived.
“Second Brother, what made you decide to come see me today?”
The siblings walked along a campus path. Wang Ziyu held Wang Cheng’s arm and smiled happily, her pretty, fair face bathed in warm sunlight that seemed to surround it with a pale halo.
Wang Cheng smiled at her. “I have such an adorable little sister studying at Jing University. As her big brother, I wish I could come see you every single day.”
“You’re awful! Second Brother, when did you learn to say such embarrassing things? Don’t tell me you’ve got a girlfriend?” Wang Ziyu blushed.
He did not have a girlfriend. He did, however, have a boyfriend, though that particular one did not need sweet talk.
Wang Cheng changed the subject. “If Wei Wei comes looking for trouble again, call me immediately. Second Brother will deal with him and make sure he never dares show his face in front of you again.”
Wang Ziyu remembered how her brother had threatened Wei Wei before they left, and worry appeared on her face. “Second Brother, Wei Wei’s family background is very powerful. We’d better not confront him head-on. Lei Yunze helped this time, but he can’t protect us forever. Wei Wei is terribly petty and vindictive. We embarrassed him in front of everyone, and he’ll remember that for a long time.”
Wang Cheng stopped abruptly. “Xiaoyu, there’s something I forgot to tell you.”
His expression was so serious that Wang Ziyu froze. “What is it?”
“You and I aren’t actually brother and sister by blood. Dad found me and took me home. A while ago, my biological parents found me, and I’ve already acknowledged them. In a few days, my mom and maternal grandfather are holding a birthday banquet for me, on the seventeenth. That’s my real birthday.”
Wang Ziyu stood there stunned. After a long moment she finally reacted, half laughing and half exasperated as she swatted him. “Second Brother, that’s going too far! You even made up a story like that. It isn’t funny at all.” She had always thought of him as her own brother, so her first instinct was to believe he was playing a trick on her.
“I’m not joking. My biological parents belong to the Zheng family, which is also Wei Wei’s mother’s family. Dad, Mom, and Big Brother already know about it. If you don’t believe me, you can ask them.”
Now Wang Ziyu could no longer laugh. She looked as though she might burst into tears. “Really?”
“Really.”
Mama Wang had guessed correctly. The revelation truly was a blow to Wang Ziyu. She was deeply attached to Wang Cheng, even more than to Wang Ning’an. To discover so suddenly that they did not share a drop of blood made her feel as though someday she might no longer be able to be with him.
Wang Cheng wrapped an arm around her shoulders and comforted her. “Silly girl. Just because I’m not your biological brother, are you going to stop treating me as your big brother? Whether or not we’re related by blood, we’re still brother and sister. What is there to be sad about? Think about your future husband. You won’t be related to him by blood either, but you’ll still be able to make a family together. You’re so clever, I shouldn’t have to explain something like that.”
“What sort of comparison is that?” Wang Ziyu laughed through her tears.
“I think it’s the same thing anyway.”
Once he had coaxed his little sister into smiling, Wang Cheng knew she felt better. With a little time to calm down, she would come to terms with it. Blood ties were important, of course, but to them the memories of all those years spent living together mattered most.
Finally, Wang Cheng asked whether she wanted to attend his birthday banquet. Wang Ziyu felt she would not fit in at a high-society event like that, so she declined. To make it up to her, Wang Cheng took her to a shopping mall and bought her several pieces of clothing.
Winters in the capital were bitterly cold. Wang Cheng noticed she kept wearing the same down jacket he had seen on his last visit and knew she was reluctant to spend money on new clothes again. Wang Ziyu did not want him to waste money on her, but one remark from him stopped the rest of her objections.
“Xiaoyu, show a little consideration for a rich guy’s feelings. Having money and nowhere to spend it is a real pain in the ass.”
Wang Ziyu burst out laughing.
After they finished shopping, Wang Cheng took her back to school before returning to the villa.
He returned rather late. Chu Yifeng and David were already home. Wang Cheng rolled up his sleeves to prepare dinner, only to see that David’s face was covered in bruises.
“Who beat you up?”
Chu Yifeng stood with his arms folded and said nothing.
David looked ready to cry. Clutching his bruised face, he hissed in pain. “The boss’s family wanted him to go back to the Chu residence, but he refused. Then the two sides started fighting. I wasn’t even trying to break it up, but someone on the other side punched me. I fell and hit my face against a pillar too. Waaah…”
Good grief. Just how unlucky could someone be?
Wang Cheng knew Chu Yifeng was highly skilled at fighting and was not worried about him getting hurt. He went to his room for a bottle of medicated liniment and gave it to David to rub on his injuries, then took Chu Yifeng into the kitchen to help make dinner.
“Why were you out so long today?” Chu Yifeng removed his thick coat and took the apron Wang Cheng handed him. It had felt strange the first time, but after wearing one several times he had become immune to the embarrassment.
Wang Cheng went behind him and tied the straps. He wore one himself too, since otherwise splashes of water or oil would stain his clothes and be troublesome to wash. With the weather so cold, Wang Cheng had stopped washing clothes by hand. Trousers and coats that needed washing went straight into the washing machine now.
“Mostly because of the banquet. Oh, right, I saw your cousin when I went to Jing University today. He was acting pretty cool. He seemed completely different from the last time I saw him. Back then he was like some edgy teenager going through a dramatic phase.” In front of his cousin he had been an utter brat, but in front of outsiders he put on such a cold, aloof act.
“With him looking after your sister, can you relax now?” Chu Yifeng put the cabbage into a basin of water and separated the leaves one by one to wash them. Washing vegetables was about all the kitchen work he could manage.
“Not yet. Wei Wei needs to learn a proper lesson. Otherwise he’ll keep mistaking me for some sickly cat that can only let out a couple of feeble meows.”
Chu Yifeng considered it for a moment. “The Zhou family is holding your birthday banquet, and the Zheng family will be there too. Wei Wei’s parents certainly won’t miss such a good opportunity. All you need to do is say a few carefully chosen words to your parents. They’ll bring it up with your grandfather. Now that you’ve agreed to take the Zhou surname and may well inherit Zhou Group someday, your grandfather will probably go along with what you want to put your mind at ease.”
The more Wang Cheng thought about it, the more sense it made. After dinner, he called Mother Zheng. He circled around several topics before finally mentioning Wei Wei.
Mother Zheng’s impression of Wang Ziyu came entirely from the information she had read, but that did not prevent her from feeling warmly toward the girl she had never met. A well-behaved, hardworking student was easy to like, especially one who was her youngest son’s cherished little sister.
Wei Wei learned that Wang Cheng had tattled on him to the family elders the day before the banquet. He was so furious he wanted to rush out and settle accounts with Wang Cheng immediately, but Zheng Ru slapped him back onto the sofa. He promptly behaved himself.
Once Zheng Ru learned the whole story, she almost wanted to beat her idiot son to death. How had she given birth to such a fool? Wang Cheng was currently the center of attention, and even the old master indulged him. Yet Wei Wei, a mere maternal grandson, had actually dared oppose him. It was practically handing the other side ammunition. No wonder Wang Cheng had complained to the elders. And now the old master had spoken: Wei Wei was forbidden to attend Wang Cheng’s birthday banquet. Zheng Ru had originally planned to take him there and let him make useful connections. That opportunity was now ruined.
From early morning, Wang Cheng was busy receiving Tong Yangyang, who had arrived from Shanhai City. Since he still had other things to take care of, he entrusted the job to Huang Tong’an, who enthusiastically volunteered. Instead of arranging a hotel for Tong Yangyang, however, Huang Tong’an took him home.
Mother Zheng had called him that morning, so Wang Cheng had to rush off again without a moment to rest. The banquet would be held at the Zhou estate. The residence was large enough to accommodate more than a hundred people without any trouble.
The moment he arrived, Wang Cheng saw servants hurrying about under the butler’s direction. The formerly empty living room had been decorated beautifully. Paintings and calligraphy hung on the walls, while expensive ornaments stood in the corners. Whichever way one looked, everything seemed luxurious and grand.
Mother Zheng went upstairs to see his maternal grandfather. She asked Butler Zhou to show Wang Cheng around so that he could familiarize himself with his own home and would not get lost there during the banquet.
Butler Zhou was in his fifties and had a kindly appearance. Although Wang Cheng had never spent time with him before, the man seemed to approve of him. He smiled warmly like an affectionate elder. He had worked for the Zhou family for decades. Apart from Zhou Shichang himself, even Zhou Lin and her husband had to treat him courteously.