Chairman Husband, Too Boorish - 184
Chapter 184 : Do you know Liang Xi Cheng?
The rhythmic sound of high heels on the
polished floor echoed clearly as they emerged from the passageway, reaching the
ears of every slightly weary tourist. Some looked up and saw a tall woman in a
pink blouse with a slightly sexy V-neck. It was early summer, and her attire
was refreshing, capable, yet subtly alluring.
She wore black skinny jeans paired with pink
high heels, a playful yet undeniably mature charm.
Several men couldn't help but glance at her,
their eyes lingering on her slender waist—so delicate, it seemed they could
easily break it in their hands.
But who says men don't like women like this?
Pure yet alluring, playful yet with a touch of mature charm …
Yan Liang paid no heed to the gazes around
her. In fact, over the past year, she had become too accustomed to being alone;
the opinions of others no longer had much influence on her. The sense of
accomplishment that design brought her had probably gradually given her a
certain aura.
City C was a city not much different from City
A, with similar temperature and environment. This was Yan Liang's first time
here. She had been in England for some time. When Liang Xi Cheng divorced her,
he gave her a considerable sum of money. She originally planned not to use a
single penny, but to return it all to him after he signed the papers. However,
in the end, she succumbed to reality.
She had no job, and Qin Mu Hua had no income.
She couldn't work part-time while studying in England. SGA rules prohibited
students from taking on any work outside of school. Even if she neglected
herself, she had to take care of her mother's needs.
The realities of life, when confronted with
her remaining pride and dignity, sometimes prevailed.
In the end, she sold all the properties. The
several apartments Liang Xi Cheng had given her were in excellent locations,
and the prices were very high. So, for those 13 months, or 1 year and 1 month,
she lived a carefree life; at least, she no longer had any material worries.
In City C, she had Qin Mu Hua buy her an
apartment. She knew about the divorce. A month after her divorce from Liang Xi
Cheng, the Ye family and the Liang family held a grand marriage. Qin Mu Hua
hadn't mentioned a word about it. The two of them had relied on each other for
so many years; some things didn't need to be said much, they both understood.
Liang Xi Cheng ultimately married Ye Qing.
When he married her, he couldn't give her everything; now, he gave it all to Ye
Qing.
Yan Liang hid in England, studying design
books and drawing plans day and night. She used studying to numb herself,
trying not to think, not to see, not to hear. But the grand news of their
arranged marriage still managed to reach her ears.
She thought that by ignoring it, she wouldn't
be sad, but on their wedding day, she still hid in her room, silently shedding
tears.
Stepping out of the airport, Yan Liang took a
deep breath, clearing her mind of all the chaotic emotions.
—From today onward, she was a completely new
Bai Yan Liang. Everything that man had given her, she wanted to return,
including …
She reached into her handbag and took out a
ring. She hadn't taken it off to return it to him; she'd forgotten. She'd
considered sending it to him by express delivery, but ultimately decided
against it.
She didn't know why, but she kept this ring.
It was the ring she'd fallen for at first sight, but what was the point of
keeping it now? He should already be wearing another wedding ring.
Perhaps she really should find some time to
count all her money and return it all to him, including this ring.
She reached out and tossed the ring into her
bag, then turned and hailed a taxi at the airport entrance. She gave him the
apartment's name and called Qin Mu Hua.
Qin Mu Hua knew she was coming back today and
had prepared a table full of dishes. Receiving a call from her long-unseen
daughter, she was very happy.
"Yes, Mom made all your favorite dishes.
Dinner will be ready when you get back. I'm waiting for you."
Half an hour later, Yan Liang returned to the
apartment.
Qin Mu Hua had found this apartment herself.
Liang Xi Cheng had given Yan Liang a lot of money, but she hadn't used much of
it. After selling a house in City A, she bought a duplex apartment in City C,
simply hoping her mother could live more comfortably.
It had been a while since they'd last seen
each other. The mother and daughter sat opposite each other, eating peacefully
without feeling awkward at all; they thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere.
Qin Mu Hua picked up some food and placed it
in Yan Liang's bowl. "Eat more. Have you been working hard lately? You've
lost some weight."
"It's alright. Because I'm graduating
soon, I had a lot of design drafts to submit, but I've finished them all. Mom,
I'm practically a top student at SGA now, and before I left, my advisor gave me
a letter of recommendation."
"Will it help you find a job?"
"Yes, the company I'm applying to is the
most famous design company in City C. With my advisor's recommendation, they
want me to interview tomorrow. I'm confident it won't be a problem."
Qin Mu Hua nodded, a look of satisfaction on
her face. "If you're happy with it, then Mom supports you."
After dinner, Yan Liang helped clear the
dishes. Once she was almost done, she wanted to sit in the living room with Qin
Mu Hua and watch TV for a while, chatting about everyday things. However, the
moment she turned on the TV, she saw the last person she should have seen.
It was a financial news program on a certain
TV station. The host was a beautiful woman in a red dress, smiling gently as
she looked at the man sitting opposite her.
The man wore a white shirt and simple black
trousers—a very simple color combination, classic, yet it accentuated an
indescribable aura about him. His long legs were casually crossed, but his
posture was exceptionally refined.
Yan Liang's heart trembled imperceptibly, and
her hand gripping the remote control tightened unconsciously.
Qin Mu Hua sat beside her, naturally sensing
the subtle changes in her daughter. She suppressed the urge to sigh. Only 13
months. Although her daughter had never mentioned it to her during this time,
when they divorced, her daughter had calmly told her, "... Mom, we can't
be together anymore, that's why I divorced him. It was a peaceful divorce. He
gave me a lot of money. I know I shouldn't have accepted it, but I wanted you
to have a better life. After I graduate and get a job, I'll pay him back."
Those words still echoed in her ears. It
wasn't that she didn't know her daughter's pain; she just didn't want her to
worry.
Therefore, Qin Mu Hua only said one sentence,
"Yan Liang, whatever you do, Mom will support you. If you think it's
right, then do it. At least, in this world, Mom is still here with you."
Qin Mu Hua reached out and took the remote
control from Yan Liang's hand, turning off the television.
She turned around, put down the remote
control, and looked at Yan Liang, whose face was somewhat stiff. "... Are
you alright?"
"..."
"Yan Liang, I'm your mother. I know what
you're thinking. You don't need to hide anything. You can tell me what's on
your mind."
"... Mom, I'm really fine. It's all in
the past."
Yan Liang stood up, saying she was fine, but
her tense body betrayed her words. It wasn't that she didn't want to admit
anything, but admitting it would make her vulnerable. Some things, once lost,
are lost forever. How many tears she had shed for him—perhaps only she in the
whole world knew best. She didn't want to mention it again, just didn't want
the wound to fester in front of anyone. Not because she was afraid others would
know, but because she was afraid she wouldn't be able to bear the pain.
Actually, she knew very well that she had
never truly let go, but it was precisely because she couldn't let go that she
pretended to.
It's been over a year since he married Ye
Qing, and they are now ... perhaps very happy. After all, the world changes
every day, and people change too. Who can guarantee that a man will remain
unmoved when facing a beautiful wife every day?
Did they ... sleep together?
Did they ... make love?
Did he give her the same passion he once gave
her? Did he ... hold her, letting her experience that special pampering? Did he
...?
Her breath caught in her throat; she couldn't
bear to think any further. It was too cruel ...
Yan Liang pressed her lips tightly together,
took a deep breath, and said, "Mom, I'm going to rest early. I need to
adjust to the time difference. I have to report to the company tomorrow. You
should rest early too."
Qin Mu Hua could see the sadness in her
daughter's eyes, but she refused to reveal a word. Not wanting to force her,
she nodded, prepared her change of clothes, heated up a cup of milk for her,
and went to rest herself.
Yan Liang took a shower, drank the milk, and
went to bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.
The image of that exquisite face she had just
seen on the screen kept flashing through her mind. A year, thirteen months—she
had counted the days. And him? Did he even think about her?
But seeing him on TV just now, so radiant, the
slight curve of his thin lips, even the host was mesmerized …
Ha, Liang Xi Cheng, you're still the same
Liang Xi Cheng.
No matter where you stand, you're a dazzling
sight, always possessing the ability to easily stir emotions.
After a sleepless night, Yan Liang concluded
that she hadn't adjusted to the time difference. She woke up the next day
looking pale. Because she had a job interview, she put on light makeup, chose a
business suit, prepared everything she needed, ate some breakfast made by Qin
Mu Hua, and hurried out the door.
The company in City C was called Lati
Architectural Design, a highly reputable firm in the industry. Before
graduating, Yan Liang had specifically consulted her mentor, who also agreed
that she would have no problem getting into the company, and that it would
offer her ample room for future development.
Her background was somewhat special; as a
graduate of SGA, she held considerable prestige in the architectural design
world. Therefore, Yan Liang went directly to the HR department. It wasn't the
HR manager at Lati who interviewed her; the general manager himself came to
interview her.
He was a man around 30 years old, with
deep-set features, a striking appearance, and a powerful aura. Yan Liang, used
to being independent and unaware of anyone's opinions, felt a little nervous
facing this man.
Upon seeing Yan Liang, the man gestured for
her to sit down, one hand supporting his temple, the other casually tapping the
blue folder on the table. He spoke first, his voice steady and reserved,
"... Bai Yan Liang? 26 years old, graduated from the SGA School of
Architecture in the UK, and you have King's recommendation letter, right? If I
remember correctly, you participated in a design competition in City A a little
over a year ago, didn't you?"
Yan Liang nodded, "Yes."
"You used to work at EC? As a secretary,
and later as the president's assistant?"
"…"
Yan Liang's heart skipped a beat. Her
application materials did indeed include some work experience at EC and her
previous jobs, but she hadn't expected the general manager to specifically read
these out and ask about them.
She didn't feel any particular resistance, but
rather a strange embarrassment. She furrowed her brows, secretly took a deep
breath, and still nodded, "Yes."
"Do you know Liang Xi Cheng?"
"…"
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