If It’s Wrong, Then It’s Wrong - Chapter 87

Chapter 87: The Thirty-Second Day

The Cheng family had moved to the city a few years ago. Cheng Lixia worked for the city government and lived closest to their parents, in the apartment across the hall.

Knowing Cheng Liu was coming home for the May Day holiday, Cheng Lixia had gotten up early to drive to the airport, while their parents went to the market.

Cheng Lixia knew there was another person coming. She had initially assumed it was Chief Assistant He. He had always been the one to pick them up whenever they visited S City.

Cheng Gui had corrected her, saying it was a different man, the one who had attended the expo with Cheng Liu.

Cheng Lixia had even searched for photos and videos of the expo online the previous night. The man did look good with her sister.

“Sister, does…Mr. Ji have any dietary restrictions?” Cheng Lixia asked, glancing at them through the rearview mirror.

Mr. Ji? You’ll be calling him brother-in-law soon! CEO Cheng thought, her inner thoughts far bolder than her actual words: “He doesn’t like greasy food.”

Cheng Lixia glanced at Cheng Gui, who, understanding, took out his phone and sent a message to the family group chat in their local dialect.

The drive from the airport to their home took about an hour. By the time they arrived, lunch was ready.

They lived on the seventh floor of a twelve-story building, with an elevator.

Cheng Liu and Ji Chaozhou trailed behind. She turned to Cheng Lixia and Cheng Gui: “You two go ahead.”

Once they were gone, Cheng Liu turned to Ji Chaozhou: “Can you take the elevator? Or should we use the stairs?”

Ji Chaozhou rarely went out, but having agreed to come with her this time, he wanted to try.

“Elevator,” he said, unconsciously tightening his grip on Cheng Liu’s hand. She pretended not to notice.

They stepped inside, and Cheng Liu pressed the button for the seventh floor.

As the elevator ascended, before Cheng Liu could gauge his reaction, Ji Chaozhou leaned against her, his face buried in her shoulder.

Cheng Liu’s hand was gripped tightly, almost painfully, but she didn’t mind, her other hand gently patting his back.

Ji Chaozhou closed his eyes, his face pale. He didn't like the feeling of ascending, but he had managed the flight, so he wanted to try the elevator.

He had never felt such a strong urge to overcome his limitations, to change.

But less than a day after returning, the repeated ascents and descents were taking their toll. He could see flashes of red in his vision.

Ji Chaozhou buried his face deeper into Cheng Liu’s shoulder, the familiar scent grounding him, suppressing the hallucinations.

“We’re here,” Cheng Liu said softly, patting his back.

Ji Chaozhou pulled away slightly, his lips pressed into a thin line, his color returning. He gave a soft “mm” in acknowledgement.

They stepped out of the elevator. Cheng Liu, wanting to distract him, said, “This is my parents’ apartment. The one across the hall is Lixia’s.”

Just as Ji Chaozhou turned to look, the door to her parents’ apartment opened, revealing a middle-aged couple.

Cheng Liu’s parents looked older than their actual age, but their features were pleasant, and they were both tall, traits their three children had inherited. Cheng Liu, in particular, seemed to have taken all their best qualities.

“Is this Xiao Liu's friend? Come in, come in,” her parents said, clearly a bit nervous, seeing Ji Chaozhou.

Ji Chaozhou, looking around the apartment, a typical three-bedroom unit, thought Cheng Liu must not have lived in such an ordinary place before.

“Xiao Liu, is everything okay at the company?” her father asked, pulling her aside, lowering his voice.

“Everything’s fine,” Cheng Liu said, smiling. “Dad, don’t believe those news reports.”

Her father frowned: “Lixia said something happened at your company.”

“It’s been resolved,” Cheng Liu said, patting his hand.

Her father took out a bank card, pressing it into her hand: “This is the money you gave us. Your mother and I saved it. Use it if you need it.”

Cheng Liu returned the card, feeling a pang of helplessness, patiently explaining, “It’s been resolved, Dad. You can ask Lixia.”

Her father muttered, “Lixia did say it’s fine, but your mother and I were worried you might be hiding something. There’s a lot of money in this card.”

Cheng Liu regularly sent them money, so she knew exactly how much was in the card. It was a considerable amount, but if Shenyin were to truly face a crisis, this wouldn't be enough.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Cheng family had already ushered Ji Chaozhou to the dining table. None of them were at ease, except for Cheng Gui, who had eaten with Ji Chaozhou a couple of times, and seemed slightly less nervous.

Thankfully, Cheng Liu soon joined them, sitting beside Ji Chaozhou, and the family visibly relaxed.

“Cheng Gui,” Cheng Liu said suddenly, halfway through the meal.

Cheng Gui put down his chopsticks, looking at their parents: “Mom, Dad, I lied to you about my job.”

Her parents, still confused, looked at Cheng Gui, then at Cheng Liu.

“You weren't working in Province A?” Cheng Lixia asked, the first to understand. So that was why he had come back to S City with Cheng Liu.

“I’ve been in S City. I recently found a job,” Cheng Gui said, looking down. “Sister helped me get an interview.”

Cheng Liu corrected him: “I didn’t help you. I just told you about the opening. You passed the written exam and interviews on your own.”

Cheng Lixia stood up, pouring drinks for everyone: “It’s good that you have a job now. Next time, if anything happens, we’ll figure it out together. Don't hide it. Since we’re all here today, let’s toast to Eldest Sister.”

Her parents, easily swayed, now that their son had a good job, didn’t dwell on the past, happily raising their glasses.

Ji Chaozhou, sitting at the table, his gaze on Cheng Lixia, thought she was much more adept at creating a lively atmosphere than the quiet Cheng Gui.

Each member of the Cheng family had their own unique qualities, but Cheng Liu seemed to embody them all, excelling in every aspect.

“Here,” Cheng Liu said, placing some food on Ji Chaozhou’s plate, while answering her family’s questions.

Ji Chaozhou looked up at her, a faint smile appearing in his eyes, his lips curving slightly.

Cheng Liu felt a pang of unease. Why wasn't he angry? He seemed…happy.

CEO Cheng, remembering the cautionary tales from her business partners, wondered if this was the calm before the storm.

Her parents were easy to talk to. The lunch went smoothly, not as awkward as Ji Chaozhou had anticipated.

“The bedding has been washed and dried,” Cheng Liu’s mother said, standing up. “Are you two staying here tonight?”

“Yes, Xiao Gui can sleep at my place,” Cheng Lixia said.

Ji Chaozhou looked at Cheng Liu, leaving the decision to her.

“…No, he’ll be sleeping with me,” Cheng Liu said, pointing to another room, then turning to Cheng Gui. “You sleep in your own room.”

Worried that Ji Chaozhou might disagree, she quickly pulled him into her old bedroom.

As they disappeared, the four members of the Cheng family visibly relaxed.

Cheng Lixia, the first to recover, pulled Cheng Gui aside: “Is he Sister's boyfriend?”

Her parents leaned closer, listening.

“I don’t know,” Cheng Gui said hesitantly. “Probably?”

His sister clearly acted differently around Ji Chaozhou.

Their mother smiled: “Xiao Liu has finally found someone.”

Of the three Cheng siblings, Cheng Liu had always seemed the most likely to remain single. Until earlier this year, the family had assumed she would be alone forever. After all, she seemed more like a money-making machine than a person.

No one had dared to say it aloud, simply keeping it to themselves, so they had been surprised when she had brought someone home.

…

In the bedroom, Cheng Liu was explaining to Ji Chaozhou, “Cheng Gui’s room is a mess. You wouldn't be able to sleep.”

She felt incredibly guilty, having made so many missteps today.

Ji Chaozhou looked around the sparsely furnished room. There were only two wardrobes and a desk, clearly not a lived-in space, just a place to store things.

“Mm,” he said, his gaze falling on the only bed in the room, half the size of the one in her villa, but still big enough for two people.

“So…you agreed?” Cheng Liu said excitedly, pulling him down onto a chair and sitting opposite him. She thought for a moment, then decided to confess something.

“Wang Hongyang and I…there was nothing between us after we broke up,” she said, opening her phone, showing him their chat history. “I just…wanted to ask him for advice on…how to pursue someone.”

Although it was embarrassing to show him their conversation, it was worth it to clear up the misunderstanding.

As far as CEO Cheng was concerned, as long as her beloved was happy, her pride didn't matter.

Ji Chaozhou glanced at the chat history, their discussion about "playing hard to get," and he suddenly remembered Cheng Liu deliberately ignoring him one day, only to approach him later.

The meticulously handwritten “Romantic Phrase Handbook” in her backpack, and their conversations in the chat history, intertwined in his mind.

He looked up, meeting Cheng Liu’s sincere gaze, her heart practically laid bare before him.

“…Cheng Liu,” he said suddenly.

Cheng Liu, instinctively retracting her phone, sat up straight, ready to apologize, but Ji Chaozhou grabbed her collar, pulling her closer, bending her over as he kissed her.

It was a forceful action, yet the kiss itself was gentle.

When he released her, Cheng Liu stood there, dazed.

Ji Chaozhou, watching her, thought she was going to ask for another kiss, given her earlier behavior.

But Cheng Liu, her voice soft and hesitant, said, “Chaozhou, tell me what I did wrong, and I’ll fix it.”

He had been acting strangely since they arrived at the airport. She was worried, afraid this was their "last supper."

Li Dong had once said that his wife's sudden displays of affection were always followed by days of misery for him.

Cheng Liu, replaying the events since they had arrived, was sure Ji Chaozhou was upset about something.

She had to be proactive, nip any potential problems in the bud.

Ji Chaozhou, looking at her, his voice soft: “I want to know everything about your relationship with him.”

It was Wang Hongyang, as expected.

But there wasn’t anything to hide, thankfully.

Having heard countless stories from her business partners about how husbands got jealous when their wives mentioned their exes, CEO Cheng finally understood.

“We met on the cruise ship. It was love at first sight. I asked for his contact information, and we met the next day. But he…wasn’t what I expected, so I lost interest,” Cheng Liu said, looking down.

“If he wasn't what you expected, why did you date him?” Ji Chaozhou asked.

He knew the answer, knew who Cheng Liu had truly fallen for at first sight, but he wanted to hear her say it, a confirmation of their connection.

Cheng Liu sighed, finally telling the truth: “I just…couldn’t forget what he looked like that night on the cruise ship, so I wanted to try with Wang Hongyang.”

As soon as she said it, Ji Chaozhou stood up and walked over to his suitcase. Cheng Liu, thinking he was leaving, grabbed his hand: “It’s in the past. I now…”

“Cheng Liu, turn around,” Ji Chaozhou said softly.

“Don’t go,” Cheng Liu said, clutching his hand. Having never been in a relationship before, she didn't know how to handle this.

“I’m not going,” Ji Chaozhou said, gently pulling her hand away, a tender look in his eyes. “Turn around.”

Cheng Liu hesitated, then turned. He wouldn’t lie to her.

As she did, Ji Chaozhou bent down and opened his suitcase.

Hearing the sound of the zipper, Cheng Liu relaxed. He wasn’t leaving.

Just then, her phone rang. It was Wang Hongyang. She was about to decline the call, then turned to Ji Chaozhou: “Chaozhou, I’ll answer this and put it on speakerphone. Let him explain.”

Ji Chaozhou didn’t reply, the only sound the rustling of clothes.

Cheng Liu, seeing this, answered the call, putting it on speakerphone. Before she could speak, Wang Hongyang's voice boomed through the phone.

“Cheng Liu, did you figure out who was in that photo? It was Ji Chaozhou! How bad is your eyesight? You mistook him twice!”

Cheng Liu: “What?”

Wang Hongyang, having just woken up and seen her missed call, had immediately called back. He sighed dramatically: “I’m so generous. Anyone else would have kept it a secret. Don’t forget my gold plaque.”

Cheng Liu, after a moment, finally understood: “That photo on WeChat…wasn’t you?”

“Although our outfits were the same colors that day, the styles were completely different. Mine had a cutout back,” Wang Hongyang said, remembering how annoyed he had been on the cruise ship when someone had called him an escort. Cheng Liu had come over, asked for his contact information, and those people hadn't dared to say another word. They had even copied his outfit, hoping to attract other wealthy women at other events. Shameless!

Cheng Liu didn't bother asking where he had gotten the photo, instinctively turning to look at Ji Chaozhou.

And she saw him standing by the suitcase, having changed his clothes. The first thing she saw was his profile.

The same outfit. The same profile. For a moment, she was transported back to the cruise ship six months ago, her heart pounding just as rapidly.

Or rather, even faster.

But this time, he turned to look at her, a gentle smile in his familiar eyes.

Cheng Liu froze, the voice on the phone fading away, her eyes only for him.

—So, after all this time, it had been him.

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