Chapter 14

Sheng Changyu was a force to be reckoned with in the military government, where the “old officials” were so oppressed by him that they couldn’t raise their heads. As a result, he was particularly casual whenever he was in the military office. 

He wore an old pair of military pants, loose and shapeless, yet because of his upright posture, he didn’t look shabby. Instead, there was a distinct rebellious air about him. His shirt was also old, with the sleeves rolled high up, and he was unbuttoning it as he walked in. 

Upon seeing Ning Zhen, his hand paused on the fourth button, his sharp brows furrowed slightly. “What’s the matter?” 

Ning Zhen wasn’t eager to see him either. Dealing with him always left her feeling stifled, unable to breathe easily, as if she were constantly under pressure and unable to stand tall. 

“Governor, your mother found out about the night you took me to play cards,” Ning Zhen began. 

Sheng Changyu had reluctantly started rebuttoning the third button, but upon hearing this, he looked up at her. “What do you mean?” 

Cheng Baisheng, who had been sitting nearby, also turned his gaze toward Ning Zhen. 

“The family thinks you’ve shown me special treatment. They specifically asked me to find out if you’ll be coming home for the Mid-Autumn Festival dinner,” Ning Zhen explained her reason for coming. 

She was direct, avoiding any unnecessary preambles, which Sheng Changyu appreciated. He hated beating around the bush. 

He sat down and lit a cigarette. After taking a couple of puffs, his eyebrows slightly raised. “Is it the family giving you a hard time, or are you using me to raise your status in the family?” 

—As in, was she boasting about their relationship, expecting him to bail her out? 

Ning Zhen lowered her lashes. “You warned me last time, and I’ve taken it to heart. I wouldn’t dare overstep. The family really did hear about it.” 

Sheng Changyu took another two drags from his cigarette. A bit of ash, trembling and about to fall, was dangerously close to dropping into his half-open shirt. 

Ning Zhen’s gaze followed the ash, only to realize, belatedly, that she had been staring at his lips. 

His lips weren’t thick, and their shape was quite attractive, especially with the graceful curve as he held the cigarette. 

She quickly averted her eyes, fearing that if the ash burned him, he would get angry, and their conversation would fall apart completely. 

She stood up, grabbed a crystal ashtray, and handed it to him, then sat down on the sofa next to him. 

Her manner was attentive and cautious. 

Sheng Changyu glanced at her, moved his fingers slightly, and the ash fell into the ashtray she was holding. 

Her slender hands, as delicate as snow, holding the transparent ashtray, created a beautiful scene that was quite pleasing to the eye. 

Sheng Changyu, being somewhat of a simple man, appreciated the aesthetically pleasing moment, and his mood improved. 

“Fine, tell Mother I’ll come home for the Mid-Autumn Festival dinner,” he said. 

“Alright,” Ning Zhen replied. 

The negotiation was successful, and knowing when to stop, she decided to leave on a high note. She didn’t want to stay and risk ruining the success, much like how leaving immediately after their card game the other night would have left a better impression. 

“Governor, I won’t bother you further. I’ll take my leave now,” Ning Zhen said. 

Sheng Changyu suddenly asked, “What time is it?” 

Without hesitation, Ning Zhen answered, “Eleven-thirty.” 

“It’s lunchtime. Eat before you go,” he said. 

Ning Zhen’s eyelid twitched slightly. 

The last time she got scolded was because he insisted on having a late-night snack. 

Ning Zhen responded, “No, Governor, Mother is still waiting for my report.” 

Sheng Changyu stood up. “I’ll call her. You stay. Baisheng, have them prepare lunch.” 

Cheng Baisheng acknowledged, “Understood.” 

He smiled warmly and encouragingly at Ning Zhen. “Stay for lunch. The chefs at the Governor’s residence are pretty good.” 

Ning Zhen had no choice but to nod. 

As Sheng Changyu was about to leave the reception room, Adjutant Cheng Yang approached him and whispered, “Governor, there’s a call for you in the study. Miss Jiang is on the line.” 

Without a word, Sheng Changyu immediately left, his steps brisk. 

Ning Zhen instantly felt a great weight lift off her shoulders. 

Whoever this Miss Jiang was, she was practically a lifesaver. 

Cheng Baisheng studied her for a moment and then smiled, “Are you afraid of Changyu?” 

“Who isn’t?” 

“Changyu isn’t that scary,” Cheng Baisheng said. 

Ning Zhen gave him a look of disbelief. 

In Sucheng, everyone knew that the Governor had been a troublemaker since he was young, ruthless in his methods. 

The last time two petty thugs harassed Ning Zhen, Sheng Changyu had beaten one half to death and pierced the other’s eye. No one knew if that man would even survive. 

Not to mention Ning Zhen’s father and brothers, who had almost died on the front lines of quelling a rebellion because of a single decision Sheng Changyu made. 

He was terrifying.  

But he was also overwhelmingly powerful. Ning Zhen knew that trying to go against him would be like an ant trying to shake a tree. She could only obediently fulfill her role as the “Governor’s wife” and slowly figure out a solution. 

Cheng Baisheng, amused by her expression, chuckled and said, “Come with me, the dining room is this way.” 

The adjutant quickly set the table for lunch. 

Ning Zhen made small talk with Cheng Baisheng while they waited, but Sheng Changyu never emerged from the study. 

After half an hour, Cheng Baisheng said, “Let’s start eating; he’s probably tied up with something.” 

Ning Zhen was relieved.  

Eating with Sheng Changyu always made her lose her appetite. 

She and Cheng Baisheng began eating. He asked her which dish she liked best, and she thought they were all quite good. 

Even after they finished, Sheng Changyu didn’t appear. He had been on the phone with Miss Jiang for an hour. 

Ning Zhen seized the moment to excuse herself. 

Cheng Baisheng could tell she was eager to leave, so he said, “I’ll see you out.” 

Ning Zhen felt that Cheng Baisheng was a considerate friend, understanding her situation and not making her wait. 

Only after leaving the Governor’s residence and getting into her car did Ning Zhen exhale a long sigh of relief. 

The weight on her shoulders had lifted. 

When Cheng Baisheng returned to the dining room, he saw Sheng Changyu had just arrived. 

“Did you finish eating?” Sheng Changyu asked. 

“I left two dishes you like. I’ll ask the chef to heat them up,” Cheng Baisheng replied. 

Sheng Changyu glanced around. “Where’s Ning Zhen?” 

“She left after finishing her meal.” 

“I had something to tell her. Why did she leave so quickly? It’s not like I’d eat her,” Sheng Changyu grumbled, clearly displeased, as if something had been left unresolved and was bothering him. 

Cheng Baisheng said, “Don’t be unreasonable. You were the one who ignored her. She came to the government office to find you. If you need to see her, you can go to the family home.” 

“I’ll talk to her next time,” Sheng Changyu waved it off. 

Ning Zhen returned to the family home and waited two days before telling the old lady that Sheng Changyu had agreed to come home for the Mid-Autumn Festival dinner. 

The old lady was very surprised. 

Xu Fangdu was also a bit taken aback, though not entirely. After all, whether he would come or not remained uncertain. 

Sheng Changyu was always busy during the holidays, and sometimes he had military meetings. 

Soon, it was Mid-Autumn Festival. 

After the Democratic Government was established, there were no longer mourning restrictions. The family home didn’t have to observe mourning for the late Governor, and the Mid-Autumn Festival had been lively last year, even more so this year. 

The old lady invited Sucheng’s most famous opera troupe, with two renowned performers who had garnered national acclaim. 

“Sister-in-law, I heard you specifically invited eldest brother to dinner?” a cousin’s wife asked Ning Zhen. 

Ning Zhen replied, “The Governor said he would come.” 

The cousin’s wife, in a loud voice, laughed, “You really have some influence. If someone else had asked, elder brother definitely wouldn’t have bothered.” 

She continued, “Soon, you could ask him not to go pay his respects to Su Qing’er, and he’d listen to you too.” 

Ning Zhen’s face darkened slightly. 

Others nearby, eavesdropping on the conversation, did not comment on the cousin’s wife’s veiled barbs. 

“Sister-in-law, you’re really something, able to keep your man in line. You’ve got to teach us sisters-in-law how to do that,” she added, her words meant to provoke but not enough to warrant an outburst, especially with her ever-present smile. 

If Ning Zhen lost her temper, it would make her seem petty and intolerant. 

It was the kind of insult that was hard to counter. 

“When is eldest brother arriving?” the cousin’s wife asked again. 

Xu Fangdu had been sitting nearby, leisurely sipping tea, not paying attention to the commotion. 

Suddenly, someone interrupted, “Do I need to report my arrival to you? What, do you plan to take over the family? Remove the ancestral tablets and sit there, enjoying the incense offerings all by yourself?” 

Ning Zhen was startled. 

She hadn’t even noticed when Sheng Changyu arrived. 

The cousin’s wife turned pale and froze, unable to utter a word. Her sharp tongue was silenced in an instant. 

She, too, was one to bully the weak and fear the strong. 

Xu Fangdu, surprised, quickly rose to greet him, “Brother Yu (Sheng Changyu).”