Chapter 37: Warmth From Outsiders, Ice From Family
Madam Liang’s notification was just a command, she hung up without waiting for Lian Cheng to reply.
Lian Cheng was silent for a few seconds, bent her elbows to prop herself up on the table, and buried her face in her palms.
One wave had not subsided before another arose.
An unspeakable weariness, like mud surging from all directions, overwhelmed her, invading her limbs, and a coldness spread deep within her bones for a long time.
She couldn’t help but want to hide in the darkness with her eyes closed for a while longer.
But escaping was useless.
Who isn’t “Mom’s darling” one second and “fine” the next, with unstable emotions, how can they even talk about freedom?
Lian—Victorious Fighting Buddha—Cheng, stood up.
Maitreya Buddha looked at the reason on Lian Cheng’s leave request, which was a blind date, and then looked at Lian Cheng.
The young lady’s originally fair face was now even paler, losing its color. Her eyes were filled with dense bloodshot lines, and she was dispirited, filled with an unvented anxiety.
Without asking any more questions, he approved her leave request, saying lightly, “The Hui minority snack street on the Ring Road is good, and the movie theater in Qianjiang Plaza has the best sound. Have fun, eat well, and relax. Come back tomorrow, and if anyone in the company talks about it again, the leader will deal with them.”
Lian Cheng let out a giggle. The forced pretense of being fine collapsed into sourness with one frank show of protection.
She barely managed to keep her expression steady and said honestly, “I’m really going on a blind date this time, not to be wronged by rumors.”
It’s not like modern people go on blind dates to meet King Yama, to the point of shedding tears while smiling.
Maitreya Buddha considered the girl’s dignity, “The leader doesn’t mean anything else, he just wants to tell you that sometimes when you encounter dirty water, first blame others, then comfort yourself, and absolutely don’t overthink it and find the reason within yourself.”
Knowing full well that Maitreya Buddha was referring to Liu Lan, Lian Cheng was still caught off guard by his words. In this world where nothing seemed to go right, someone was telling her she wasn’t wrong.
Lian Cheng took a deep breath, “Thanks, my Buddha.”
Maitreya Buddha waved his hand dismissively.
Lian Cheng came out of the company and took a taxi back to the Liang Family.
Madam Liang was waiting in the living room. As soon as she saw her, she pointed to the paper bag on the coffee table, “Put this on, and then put on some makeup.”
Lian Cheng replied with a sound and took the bag upstairs.
Madam Liang had prepared a beige knitted long dress, a high-neck, long-sleeved style. It didn’t reveal any skin, but it perfectly showed off the wearer’s figure.
Lian Cheng would never dress like this on a normal day. Her clothes were meant to be old-fashioned, dark in color, made of thick fabric, and wrapped so tightly that she was uncomfortably warm and utterly uninteresting, all to reduce Liang Chaosu’s interest in her.
She wasn’t dressed up for the same reason.
At the age of twenty, what girl doesn’t love beauty? It was just a matter of self-preservation.
However, Madam Liang was clearly serious this time, and with the carefully chosen clothes, she wouldn’t allow her to refuse.
Lian Cheng put on a dusty gray overcoat on the outside and went downstairs. As expected, Madam Liang was displeased, “Take off your coat. You’re young, don’t wear clothes of this color, it’s an embarrassment to the Liang Family.”
“Mother, it’s winter,” Lian Cheng clutched the lapel. “It’s cold to wear only a skirt. I can take it off when we get to Shengyuan.”
“There’s heating in the car,” Madam Liang stared at her as she took it off. “Take it off now, you won’t freeze to death.”
Lian Cheng understood that her resistance would yield no results, and arguing until Madam Liang got angry would only lead to brutal suppression.
It was better to obey obediently and endure it day by day, as her plan was only for this week anyway.
Seeing her obediently take it off, Madam Liang’s face showed satisfaction. After a full appraisal from head to toe, her face became even more satisfied.
Lian Cheng was not tall, only one meter sixty-five, but her body proportions were astonishingly good, with a waist that could not be held in one hand, making her chest and hips distinct. Whether above or below, the shapes were full and rounded.
A rare combination of teardrop and peach.
Madam Liang, who had seen many beauties in wealthy families, was momentarily captivated.
She was astonished that she hadn’t noticed under her supervision that this non-biological daughter had grown up so beautifully.
She couldn’t help but regret this blind date arrangement. With Lian Cheng’s conditions, even if she wasn’t her biological daughter, she could have formed a marriage alliance with a more valuable partner.
But Feifei had actively facilitated this, and this blind date arrangement was her first step in managing affairs, so Madam Liang wouldn’t refuse her.
………………
Upon arriving at Shengyuan, as they passed through the hall, someone suddenly called out from the side, “Nianci.”
Madam Liang instinctively stopped. Her name was Yao Nianci. Since marrying into the Liang Family, she had almost always been addressed as Madam Liang or Madam Liang.
Almost no one called her by her name anymore.
She turned her head and, upon seeing who it was, first exclaimed in disbelief, “Hai Ying?”
Hai Ying walked up and hugged her, “It’s been so long since I’ve seen you, I never expected to run into you here.”
Hai Ying was Madam Liang’s best friend before she got married. They hadn’t seen each other in three or four years. After introducing Lian Cheng, Madam Liang genuinely didn’t want to leave.
Seeing that it was close to five o’clock, she hesitated for a moment and instructed the nearby waiter to lead Lian Cheng upstairs to the private room first.
Lian Cheng followed the waiter to the third floor. This floor was dedicated to high-level members, with seven VIP private rooms. Two of them were near the stairs. One door was ajar, with faint sounds of men and women mingling, while the other door was open.
A gentleman was sitting with his back to the door. His hair was dark and thick, and his black suit made his shoulders appear straight.
Hearing movement at the door, he turned his head.
The bright light in the private room illuminated a pair of refined eyebrows and a dignified bearing.
Seeing her, his eyes showed a moment of astonishment, followed by a hint of a smile, polite and reserved.
Lian Cheng tilted her head to look for the waiter, wanting to confirm if this was the correct room.
She didn’t expect her side to be empty; the waiter had left at some point.
Lian Cheng turned her head back. The man in the private room stood up and pulled out the chair beside him. “Please sit.”
Lian Cheng hesitated. Madam Liang had forgotten to tell her who her blind date partner was, and she felt resistant, not even asking. Now, she couldn’t even bring herself to greet him to confirm.
After a few moments of stalemate, she bit the bullet and went in.
As they moved closer, the man’s tall stature and fair complexion became more apparent. When he smiled a little more, there were faint lines at the corners of his eyes.
Lian Cheng guessed his age to be over thirty, but couldn’t guess further.
In upper-class circles, both men and women were good at maintaining their appearance; many people in their forties and fifties looked like they were thirty.
“Let me introduce myself first,” the man said, being extremely gentlemanly, and pushed her chair in for her to sit. “My surname is Shi, Shi En.”
Lian Cheng replied, “Liang, Liang Lian Cheng.”
“Miss Lian Cheng, there’s no need to be nervous. We’ve met before,” Shi En handed her a cup of tea.
Lian Cheng froze, unable to help but look up at the man.
Shi En’s eyes were extremely bright but not sharp when he looked at people; he was proper and unobtrusive, with a clear and elegant temperament.
Even though Lian Cheng had always been indifferent to men, such an outstanding and dazzling person, she couldn’t have not had any impression after meeting him once.
“I’m sorry,” Lian Cheng became more nervous. “I can’t recall.”
“It’s not your fault, Miss Lian Cheng,” Shi En said with a smile. “In that kind of situation, Miss Lian Cheng might not have had the leisure to pay attention to passersby.”
Lian Cheng became more confused.
Shi En chuckled, and before he spoke, an apologetic expression appeared on his face. “At Bai Family Hospital, my friend was accompanying his female companion for a prenatal check-up, and I happened to be there too.”
Lian Cheng choked.
Shi En sensed it and apologized gently, “I apologize. I didn’t mean to bring it up, but I wanted to be honest with Miss Lian Cheng about the first time I saw you.”
Lian Cheng showed no expression.
As the atmosphere began to turn stiff, a male voice suddenly rang out from the corridor, “If you regret the blind date, just say so. What’s the meaning of leaving me hanging here for half an hour?”
Madam Liang’s voice was displeased, “The Liang Family always keeps its word and never goes back on its decisions midway. I watched Lian Cheng go upstairs.”
Lian Cheng couldn’t help but look at Shi En.
He also wore a look of startled confusion, “Miss Lian Cheng, am I not the one you’re supposed to meet?”
