If It’s Wrong, Then It’s Wrong - Chapter 43
Chapter 43: The Fifteenth Day
In the living room, Ji Mushan stood facing Yun Se, his face pale and grim.
Yun Se, sitting in her wheelchair, her thin fingers gripping the armrests tightly, the veins on her hands bulging, looked at him with unconcealed hatred: “Do you have any idea how much Chaozhou resembles his mother?”
If it weren’t for her impending death, her worry that Chaozhou would be left without any family, Yun Se would never have advised her nephew to reconcile with Ji Mushan.
“Let’s not drag Chaozhou into the past generation’s affairs. Even if they…” Ji Mushan closed his eyes tightly, then opened them again. “Cheng Liu is different from me.”
“Different?” Yun Se said sharply. “At her age, you were just starting out, with your family’s support. Cheng Liu has reached such heights on her own. She’s even more ruthless than you.”
Once her feelings faded, she would likely cut ties without hesitation, leaving Chaozhou heartbroken.
Ji Mushan didn’t know how to respond. He had met Cheng Liu; she was indeed capable, a shrewd businesswoman at such a young age, her actions flawless.
Most people were deceived by her casual attire, assuming she was more of a tech-focused person, only realizing her true nature after interacting with her.
Such a person calculated every move.
…But that wasn’t entirely true.
Ji Mushan suddenly remembered Cheng Liu’s behavior at the auction. She had acted impulsively, not considering the consequences of offending him.
“In the end, Chaozhou’s matters are his own to decide,” Ji Mushan said. “We shouldn’t interfere. Besides, they’re just neighbors.”
Yun Se turned away, her voice cold: “I don’t think their relationship is that simple. Something’s bound to happen.”
Before Ji Mushan could respond, Yun Se wheeled herself away: “I’m tired. You can go now.”
Ji Mushan stood there for a moment, then left.
…
At Shenyin Technology, the program crew, nearing the end of their tour, followed Cheng Liu.
“It’s been an insightful day with CEO Cheng,” Yun Fei said to the camera, a forced smile on her face.
Many of her prepared lines had been useless, and she wasn't familiar enough with Shenyin Technology’s products, having been led by Cheng Liu throughout the tour.
The live comments were filled with praises for Cheng Liu and compliments about the handsome assistant, with barely any mention of Yun Fei.
He Bai, looking down at the trending topics on his phone, glanced at the camera, then stepped closer to Cheng Liu, handing her his phone: “Senior, you’re trending.”
His voice was low, but Yun Fei’s phone still picked it up, transmitting it to the viewers.
[What did the assistant just call CEO Cheng? Sounded rather intimate.]
[Sounded like “senior.” Heehee, the junior and senior are a perfect match.]
[Didn’t CEO Cheng just say she has someone she likes? Let’s not jump to conclusions.]
[I wonder what CEO Cheng’s crush is like, rejecting such a handsome assistant.]
[Honestly, Assistant He could easily outshine any of those pretty boys in the entertainment industry. He’s so elegant and well-educated. Hard to imagine anyone more perfect.]
[I agree.]
Cheng Liu, looking down at the phone, didn’t notice the comments.
She raised an eyebrow at the GIF of herself climbing over the wall, scrolled through the comments, and was relieved to see that no one had focused on her neighbor.
As for her face being turned into memes and circulating online, CEO Cheng took it in stride.
Just a little embarrassment. She could handle it.
Cheng Liu returned the phone to He Bai, then, with a smile, she and Yun Fei said goodbye to the viewers: “We hope to have you visit the company again.”
The director cut the live stream, ending the episode.
Cheng Liu politely escorted the program crew out. Once they were gone, her smile vanished, her face expressionless as she stood in the elevator.
The disruption to her original plan was one thing, but Yun Fei's insistence on publicly associating herself with Ji Chaozhou was another.
“Senior, there’s something I wanted to ask,” He Bai said, standing behind Cheng Liu.
Cheng Liu turned her head: “What is it?”
“Why did you suddenly break up with Wang Hongyang?” He Bai asked tentatively. “Do you…have someone else you like?”
The question made Cheng Liu feel guilty.
The incident of mistaking Ji Chaozhou for Wang Hongyang was still fresh in her mind.
CEO Cheng had repeatedly condemned her own moral decline, but she couldn’t resist her attraction to Ji Chaozhou, so she had simply abandoned her morals altogether.
“Six months ago, I wasn’t thinking clearly, and I entered a relationship casually,” Cheng Liu admitted. “Now, I have someone I truly like.”
Looking back, Cheng Liu couldn't understand why she had been so infatuated with Wang Hongyang that night.
She had lost interest after their second meeting. She should have cut her losses then, but the memory of that first encounter on the cruise ship had lingered, and she hadn’t been willing to let go.
“Is it…your new neighbor?” He Bai asked, clenching his fist behind his back, trying to maintain a casual tone.
The mention of Ji Chaozhou brightened Cheng Liu’s mood: “Yes, he’s wonderful.”
The elevator doors opened, and they walked out.
“I’ve heard of him. Ji Chaozhou, right? How did you meet him?” He Bai asked, feigning curiosity. “I don’t recall any collaboration between Shenyin and Ranshan.”
“We met at the airport. I mistook him for Wang Hongyang,” Cheng Liu explained.
It had been so long since she had seen Wang Hongyang that she had completely forgotten what he looked like. The most vivid memory in her mind had been that first, fleeting glance on the cruise ship, so she had mistaken Ji Chaozhou for him.
He Bai paused. Cheng Liu seemed unaware that Ji Chaozhou had also been at the cruise ship banquet.
“Don’t worry, I’ll definitely invite you to be a witness at our wedding,” Cheng Liu said, already making promises.
He Bai forced a smile. They weren’t even together yet, and she was already thinking about marriage?
In the end, he decided not to tell Cheng Liu that Ji Chaozhou had been at the cruise ship banquet six months ago.
“Are you going home?” He Bai asked, watching Cheng Liu pack her bag. “You didn’t drive today. I can give you a ride.”
He wanted to see this “genius perfumer.”
“No, I have somewhere else to go. I’ll take a taxi,” Cheng Liu said, slinging her bag over her shoulder and leaving.
She was going to buy the authentic pastries. She had repeatedly confirmed the address with the employee on the seventeenth floor; she wouldn’t go to the wrong place this time.
…
After waiting in line for a while, CEO Cheng finally bought the authentic pastries. As soon as she parked, she hurried next door, pastries in hand, rang the doorbell, and waited for Ji Chaozhou to open the door before entering.
Ji Chaozhou removed his gloves and looked at Cheng Liu, his voice calm: “Your fingerprint is already registered on the lock.”
“I know,” Cheng Liu said, placing the two boxes of pastries on the table. She was worried he was still angry about this morning. “I’m sorry about earlier.”
“You’ve already apologized,” Ji Chaozhou said, looking down as he organized the fragrance bottles on the table. “They didn’t notice me.”
Cheng Liu seized on a sudden thought, her eyes lighting up: “You watched the live stream?”
Ji Chaozhou paused, his gaze falling on the two pastry boxes: “What are these?”
“Oh, these are the pastries I bought. The real ones, this time. They’re definitely delicious,” Cheng Liu said confidently, her attention diverted.
She opened the boxes, revealing two exquisitely packaged pastries.
Cheng Liu pushed one towards Ji Chaozhou: “Try some.”
Ji Chaozhou took the spoon from her and took a bite. The pastry was sweet, but not overly so, its cool, soft texture melting on his tongue, the flavors perfectly balanced.
Cheng Liu, watching him, confirmed that he liked them.
“Don’t buy these again,” Ji Chaozhou suddenly said.
Cheng Liu was stunned. He had clearly enjoyed it: “Why?”
Ji Chaozhou lowered his eyelashes, shadows falling across his handsome face. He turned the pastry box around, revealing the promotional message: “These are meant to be shared with someone you like.”
“So, if I like you, I can buy them?” Cheng Liu asked instinctively.
A bitter scent, like the peel of a green tangerine, filled the living room, then, after a while, a faint, subtle citrus fragrance emerged, barely perceptible, needing careful attention to detect.
But neither of them noticed the changing scent in the room. A cool spring breeze blew in through the window, carrying a chill, but it couldn’t dispel the growing warmth between them.
Ji Chaozhou’s beautiful amber eyes looked at Cheng Liu, his fingers curling slightly, his long legs shifting beneath the table, trying to put some distance between them.
Cheng Liu realized she had spoken too quickly and, not wanting to make Ji Chaozhou uncomfortable, quickly corrected herself: “It’s just an advertisement. As long as they taste good. Besides, I like having you as a neighbor. You even let me plant saplings in your yard.”
Ji Chaozhou’s retreating foot paused beneath the table.
He had wanted to hear those words from her, but the sweetness of the pastry now seemed cloying, leaving a bitter aftertaste.
Ji Chaozhou lowered his eyelashes and said indifferently, “…As you wish.”
CEO Cheng felt a pang of unease.
Had she answered incorrectly? Was he unhappy?
After a moment, Cheng Liu took out her phone, opened a photo, and, trying to change the subject, asked, “I’m thinking of changing my staircase. Can you help me choose a style?”
She had wanted to replace the staircase ever since moving in. It was an open, floating staircase, with no railings or side panels, offering a clear view all the way down.
If Ji Chaozhou were to move in, it wouldn't be convenient for him to go upstairs, so she planned to replace it with a more enclosed staircase, with higher railings.
But changing the staircase involved structural considerations, so the renovation team had only just provided a few options.
Ji Chaozhou looked at the staircase designs on her phone: “…Why are you changing the staircase?”
“The current one isn’t very nice,” Cheng Liu said, offering a casual excuse.
But Ji Chaozhou’s steady gaze made her uncomfortable. She looked away, down at her phone screen: “Which of these do you think is better?”
Ji Chaozhou quickly looked away, his finger landing on the second design, the one that best matched the villa's current style.
His tense shoulders relaxed slightly, the coldness in his eyes softening, but he didn’t notice, only feeling the bitter aftertaste from the pastry fade.
“Then I’ll choose this one,” Cheng Liu said without hesitation.
Ji Chaozhou, watching Cheng Liu send a message to the renovation team, wanted to put some distance between them.
She had someone she liked; she shouldn’t be getting too close to him.
Ji Chaozhou held the pastry spoon, its initially cool metal now warmed by his touch. He looked at the pastry, suppressing certain thoughts, pretending not to know who Cheng Liu liked.
“They’ll be here tomorrow to start the renovations. It might be a bit noisy. Is 8 am okay?” Cheng Liu asked, putting away her phone.
“As you wish,” Ji Chaozhou said, standing up and giving her a clear signal to leave. “I’m going to bed.”
He didn’t want to be affected by her words and actions, his emotions fluctuating uncontrollably.
So early? Cheng Liu was puzzled, but she simply said, “Oh, then I’ll be going. Goodnight.”
After Cheng Liu left, Ji Chaozhou stood in the living room for a long time before sitting back down.
She had taken her pastry with her.
Ji Chaozhou lowered his eyes, hiding his emotions, and quietly finished the remaining pastry. It was very sweet.
…
Cheng Liu, always a woman of action, had the renovation team arrive early the next morning to start dismantling the staircase. But she still had to go to work, so she left them to it.
When she returned that evening, Cheng Liu looked at the mess in her villa and fell silent.
Then CEO Cheng, a thoughtful look on her face, said, “The second floor is inaccessible, the first floor is a mess, and I have nowhere to sleep. I suppose I should go ask my neighbor if I can stay with him for a while.”
As expected of CEO Cheng, turning every setback into an opportunity!!
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