Chapter 59: What Does Liang Chaosu Want In The End?
Father Liang shook his head, glanced at the flower stand beside her, and smiled, “If this Marguerite is cultivated further, the greenhouse will need to be expanded. This time, I’ll draw you a design for a medieval imperial style. Once it’s built, we’ll plant a few more ‘Golden Celebration’ roses. The bluish-purple and grayish color of ‘Blue Moon’ would also be nice.”
Mother Liang grinned, “You used to confuse peonies and roses, but now you know all the varieties and colors by heart.”
Father Liang chatted for a few more sentences and returned to the study room.
The door closed, but his mood could not be calmed.
He felt he must now use the mindset of a cool-headed businessman to sort out his thoughts, rather than the unwarranted worries of a father.
First, Nianci is a woman, and her perspective is inherently intertwined with emotions, making her subjective judgments unreliable. However, sometimes a woman’s intuition is no less effective than a radar alarm.
Second, any reason given for that hundred million yuan would be far-fetched. Moreover, Chaosu didn’t even provide a reason, dismissing it with a mere counter-question.
Third, he knew why Liancheng hated Chaosu. He knew that Feifei’s forceful acquisition back then was dishonorable, but given Liancheng’s temperament, with eighteen years of upbringing, she shouldn’t hate him to the bone and seek revenge on Chaosu at the expense of the Liang family.
The most crucial logic doesn’t add up. Seduction is not a valid motive, yet something fishy is definitely going on.
It was like this point he discovered himself: Sister Wang had been serving the Liang family for over ten years, content with her small domain in the kitchen, never stepping out or getting too close. Liancheng liked the dishes she excelled at, not Chaosu’s.
Father Liang summoned his secretary, “Keep an eye on Sister Wang recently.”
If his suspicions were true, then he would need to thoroughly investigate the events of the past four years.
………………
Liancheng suddenly woke up with a start.
A wave of warmth sprayed onto her head. She was held tightly in an embrace, her cheek pressed against a warm chest. Her legs were pinned by a pair of legs far more firm and strong than her own, and she could feel the touch of soft, hairy stubble on her toes.
Liancheng held her breath.
She had slept soundly last night, catching up on rest until evening. When she woke, Liang Chaosu was not there. Xiao Da had come to deliver dinner and replenish the refrigerator with ingredients.
He casually mentioned, “Mr. Liang mobilized a lot of people to find you. Now that you’ve been found, those people will be withdrawn and new arrangements will be made.”
Liancheng feared that the main act was about to begin. Mobilizing so many people meant a wide net had been cast, and who knew what they might accidentally catch.
As she opened her eyes now, the ever-vigilant King Yama was right before her. Through the misty dimness, he had dark circles under his eyes, and a bluish-gray stubble was growing on his jaw. He looked disheveled and gaunt, more like someone who had been toiling and fleeing for a long time than herself.
He was so busy, so tired, but had he found anything? Did he have any suspicions?
Liancheng felt like grabbing his shoulder and shaking him wildly to get a clear answer.
“What are you looking at me for?”
Suddenly, Liancheng was captivated by a pair of intensely aggressive eyes, as cold and bright as shooting stars.
When the man slept, his facial features were three-dimensional, appearing mature and heroic. But when he opened his eyes, that mature heroism deepened, yet an edge of sharpness was added, inspiring fear and making one afraid to look directly.
Liancheng averted her gaze, “What… what do you want to eat this morning?”
She had intended to probe about what had been keeping him so busy, but she remembered he had already mentioned being overwhelmed with family matters yesterday. Asking again now would either make her seem heartless and forgetful of his words, or reveal that she had ulterior motives.
Liang Chaosu tightened his arm and rubbed his chin against her forehead, “What do you want to eat?”
Liancheng gasped and inwardly cursed him as a dog. She felt like a steel wool scrubber, his stubble as hard as needles, making her hairline recede every time he rubbed against it.
“Buns, soy milk, shrimp dumplings, noodles. Xiao Da restocked the refrigerator yesterday, I’ll go make them now.”
Liancheng was unwilling to linger in the morning with Liang Chaosu; it was dangerous and too intimate.
Most importantly, she needed to change her menstrual products and tidy up the old ones; disguise took time.
Liang Chaosu did not let go, “No need, Aunt Wang is here.”
Liancheng’s surging movements froze in shock, “Which Aunt Wang? Where is she?”
Her disbelieving pale face showed not a trace of joy, only pure terror.
Liang Chaosu’s relaxed expression faded.
The atmosphere grew cold.
After a long while, Liancheng scrambled out of bed in a panic. Without even washing up, she went to the kitchen.
As expected, the figure busy with their back to the door was someone she could recognize instantly. Liancheng’s mouth opened, but no sound came out.
The surging anger and fear in her heart erupted at once. What was Liang Chaosu trying to do?
Mother Liang’s repeated suspicions, and Father Liang’s ulterior motive of marrying her far away afterwards, if he insisted on exposing her, being caught with solid evidence, and having her dealt with, disappearing without a trace.
No.
Wrong.
He still needed to use her to resolve his dilemma.
Liancheng’s mind flashed like lightning. She suddenly remembered the second option he had given her. After refusing Father Liang, there was another phrase: “leaving the Liang family.”
At that moment, she was so excited about escaping Liang Chaosu with Father Liang’s help that she had overlooked those four words.
Leaving the Liang family meant no marriage alliance.
Without a marriage alliance, how could he exchange for benefits?
He had gone to such great lengths, spending another hundred million, hiring the Mayo team, and expending significant human resources to find her.
What exactly was he trying to do?
“Liancheng?”
The words, accompanied by the loud clang of a spatula falling to the ground, startled both of them inside the room near the doorway.
Aunt Wang’s eyes widened so much they nearly popped out. Without wiping her hands, she rubbed her eyes and looked at Liancheng again, “It’s really you. How… how did you—”
She stammered, unable to finish her sentence.
Liancheng was also speechless.
“She’s been living here all along.” Liang Chaosu came through the living room, put his arms around Liancheng from behind, in a possessive posture. “From now on, Aunt Wang will focus on taking care of her.”
This time, Aunt Wang was completely stunned.
The clay pot porridge on the stove was bubbling fragrantly. In the small porcelain bowls in the prep area, there were also shredded ginger, chopped scallions, and shredded lettuce.
The portion looked small, only enough for one person.
Because Liang Chaosu had requested her start time to be before six o’clock this morning.
Aunt Wang had felt he was cold-blooded for driving Liancheng away and had become somewhat lax. She had only arrived at six o’clock this morning, completely unaware and unprepared that there was another person in this house.
But after only a few seconds, Aunt Wang picked up the spatula and asked Liang Chaosu, “Then I’ll make another bowl of noodles. Miss Liancheng likes shrimp dumplings and taro buns. Do you want some? If so, I’ll steam more.”
Liancheng immediately followed her lead, “Aunt Wang, do you have eggs? Steam a salted egg custard, with sesame oil and scallions.” She also asked Liang Chaosu, “Do you want some?”
From the clatter of the spatula, Liang Chaosu guessed that Aunt Wang hadn’t seen Xiao Da, and the lack of prior notification meant she was feigning ignorance, but her reaction was top-notch.
It was rare to have a co-star, and her acting talent was quite considerable when it came to dealing with him.
He couldn’t not play along with such seamless cooperation, “Yes, I’ll eat whatever you eat.”
Liancheng then heard the lid of the pot in Aunt Wang’s hand hit with another clang. She gave a reason, “Did you burn yourself?”
Aunt Wang, “Ah—yes.”
Liancheng quickly went over and held her hand, “Quick, rinse it with cold water.”
Liang Chaosu’s right hand fingers twitched reflexively. The repeatedly scarred wound was grotesque and exposed.
The smile that had appeared in his eyes faded and vanished. His gaze lingered on their intertwined hands under the running water for a moment before he turned and left.
