Chapter 312: Half A Lifetime Without Knowing Sweetness
The Huang family’s old residence and the Mo family are in the same area. Huang Shengnan fell out with her family years ago and moved to a sprawling manor across the city.
The manor is located by the bay. The foundation of the house is an artificial island, and there is a bridge near the entrance, well-guarded, making it impossible for outsiders to enter. It is both safe and private.
After crossing the bridge, Liancheng’s car was parked on the manor’s lawn. Feng Shien
The manor butler greeted them at the door, “Ms. Huang has an important phone call and couldn’t greet you in person. She asked me to apologize on her behalf.”
Liancheng didn’t care for formalities.
Huang Shengnan’s manor covers a total area of 37 mu. Between the main gate and the main building is a vast, boundless maze of red roses.
The butler explained it was Huang Shengnan’s personal quirk.
Unliked guests would go through the maze, and liked guests would ride in a flower carriage.
They were fortunate enough to be the latter.
Bai Ying got into the flower carriage and whispered in Liancheng’s ear, “Is it just my imagination, or are we entering the palace for an audience?”
Liancheng looked at the style of the flower carriage and said sternly, “How dare you! You all call it an audience; this is clearly a selection.”
A mixed accent, business Mandarin.
Feng Shien had watched a movie last night and, caught off guard by reality, chuckled, “Only she knows what I want.”
Bai Ying’s eyes darted, “What do you want?”
Feng Shien’s profile was clear and gentle. He turned his head, smiling intently, “Good health.”
There was no subject, it could be him, or it could be Liancheng.
The flower carriage stopped at this moment, and a man was standing on the steps at the entrance of the main building.
Liang Chaosu was dressed stiffly in a shirt and trousers, with dull colors. He always looked like a silent and solid giant rock, making one’s memories carry pressure just by thinking of him.
He was thinner now, but unchanged. A tall frame stood there, one hand pushing an IV pole, the cloudy liquid flowing through the transparent tube.
Liancheng was not a doctor, but after being sick for a long time, she had summarized an amateur observation.
Clear IV drip means you pay and go home; red means emergency resuscitation; hospitals are businesses. Only cloudy fluid means endless, solitary waiting.
Waiting meant strictly controlling one’s daily life and enduring the pain of injections and medicine during a long recovery period for a severe illness.
She got out of the car.
Huang Shengnan strode out of the main building. Upon seeing them, her steps slowed. The woman behind her didn’t notice and walked ahead of her.
Liancheng saw the woman clearly, “Lian Yingying?”
Lian Yingying flinched and stopped abruptly. She had changed so much since their last meeting in Hong Kong, looking fearful and helpless, without tears. Her eyes looked as if they were constantly shedding them.
“Miss Mo, hello.” She bowed and greeted Bai Ying and Feng Shien one by one.
Liancheng asked, “Have you been staying here with Ms. Huang?”
Lin Xianzi had deep reservations about Liang Chaosu. After paying respects to Mo Jianhong, she did not cooperate immediately.
Liancheng heard her instruct Secretary Huang to deploy personnel to investigate the entire matter of Lian Yingying.
It turned out that Lian Yingying was too deeply involved. Mo Shifu did not believe a frail woman could withstand interrogation. From the moment he learned of the kidnapping case, he had no intention of letting her fall into the hands of the police.
At that time, Jin Tonghai and Gu Zhoushan were concerned about his lingering feelings for Lin Xianzi. The two groups were not of one mind. Jin Tonghai insisted that Lian Yingying mislead the police.
Mo Shifu did not force her. He contacted Lian Yingying in secret, spent a considerable price, and then exposed the mole in the Lin family before sending her away.
Upon arriving in Singapore, she was first placed under house arrest at the Mo family’s residence. For some reason, she was transferred to the outskirts, where the Huang family found an opportunity and forcefully took her away.
Lin Xianzi also wanted to make a move, but the Huang family’s security was too tight, and Lian Yingying seemed to have vanished.
If she had been on this island-like manor all along, it wouldn’t be strange.
Lian Yingying bit her lip and remained silent. She walked behind Liang Chaosu, held his IV pole, and hid her face.
Bai Ying tilted her head to look at her, then stared blankly at Liang Chaosu, “Are you guys living together?”
The answer was obvious, but Liancheng tugged at her.
“No,” Lian Yingying peeked out her eyes for a moment, her gaze soft and alluring. “Mr. Liang is staying at the manor, but not in the same room.”
Liancheng finally realized and looked at Bai Ying, “Is that what you meant?”
Bai Ying ignored her and focused on observing Liang Chaosu.
His gaze swept casually over everyone, Liancheng, Feng Shien. Every breath he took, his chest rose and fell as steady as a mountain, implicitly accepting Lian Yingying’s position of seeking protection.
He remained stern and taciturn, aloof and cold. Only the woman he allowed into his wings, allowed to approach, had changed.
“After I leave, our meetings will be online. Contact me anytime if there’s anything important.”
“I’m afraid…” Huang Shengnan glanced subtly at Liancheng, “There is something now. The director of the Foreign Affairs Department just contacted me; it’s related to Huaxia.”
Liancheng’s face showed surprise, a mixed, lingering astonishment. She paused for a moment, then asked, “Is the change related to the Liang family?”
“Almost,” Huang Shengnan said meaningfully, “Are you concerned?”
Liancheng had grown up among noblewomen, familiar with gossip, scandals, and scandalous affairs. Those in the know spoke indirectly.
Huang Shengnan was heroic and decisive when discussing serious matters, but her probing mixed with a hint of gossip was particularly obvious.
This left her no room for misinterpretation.
“Concerned about whether Liang Zhengping is making a move again, or is it from higher up?”
“Concerned about the changes,” Huang Shengnan sighed. “Miss Mo is indeed as smart as she is cute.”
She tried to steer the conversation, but not directly. Smart people have a thousand ways to avoid things.
“It’s from higher up; the Huaxia Special Task Force leader wants to see Mr. Liang.”
Liancheng followed her gaze to Liang Chaosu.
Unexpectedly, he was also looking at her. The moment their eyes met, the man, expressionless, turned his gaze to Huang Shengnan.
“What time?”
“Preferably now,” Huang Shengnan looked at her watch. “The task force is boarding at six. They have a meeting with the consulate at five. There’s only a two-hour window from one to three.”
Liang Chaosu nodded, “My luggage—”
“It will be delivered to your residence upon your return.” Huang Shengnan speculated, “The task force coming to Singapore must mean there’s progress for them to return home. Seeing you now, it’s likely a bad omen. If they ask you to return home, we’ll discuss it immediately upon your return.”
“Moreover, once the task force leaves, Mo Shifu will understand Huaxia’s stance. If you remain abroad, you might be in danger.”
Liancheng’s brows furrowed tightly, her face filled with worry and anxiety.
Liang Chaosu watched her silently. A gentle breeze stirred in the courtyard, sweeping past the red rose maze, carrying a faint fragrance. Petals fluttered, brushing against her loose strands of hair.
Then, a rich floral scent and a light shampoo fragrance wafted over.
He scanned Feng Shien behind her again and asked her, “Do you mind?”
Liancheng was caught off guard by his question, “No… I don’t mind.”
Liang Chaosu tore off the tape on his hand, pulled out the needle. The yellow indwelling needle suddenly bled back. He paused, “Send my luggage to my accommodation.”
Lian Yingying immediately looked at the IV pole and, seeing the empty bottle, breathed a sigh of relief. She hurried after him down the steps, “Mr. Liang, you still have one more bottle of fluid.”
Xiao Da drove his car and slowly stopped in front of Liang Chaosu. Lian Yingying solicitously opened the car door and carefully supported his arm.
Bai Ying stood on the steps. From their perspective, Liang Chaosu did not evade.
Not only did he not evade, but he pushed Liancheng’s back to get her into the car.
This scene.
A tall man and a petite woman, set against green leaves and red flowers.
Like a cold and solitary, majestic mountain, and a gentle, flowing stream.
Both were in dire straits, all in a sorry state.
Having tasted bitterness for half a lifetime, only now did they lean on each other, only now did they match.
Huang Shengnan also went to see them off.
Bai Ying linked arms with the stunned Liancheng, “She resembles you by a third…”
Lin Xianzi and her subordinates pondered all night in the study about the purpose of Liang Chaosu leaving Lian Yingying behind. Perhaps it wasn’t that complicated.
There was a popular term online, “Wanwan Lei Qing,” which describes how people tend to fall in love with the same type of person repeatedly.
Because there was a different love, they let go, decisively.
