Chapter 83: Confession

Shang Huaizheng thought for a moment and said, “Come with me, let’s go home.”

Ming Jue looked up at him. His expression was calm, as if he were saying something completely ordinary.

“I’ve already sent Shang Bai back. Tonight, you can sleep with her if you’re still willing to be friends.”

Those words eased Ming Jue’s heart. Without saying a word, she followed Shang Huaizheng home.

Shang Huaizheng’s house was large — a three-story Western-style building. The interior was minimalistic, clean, and tidy. Fresh flowers were placed in vases, and a scented lamp on a shelf emitted soft white smoke. The whole place felt warm and full of life.

Shang Bai, wearing furry pajamas, ran out and gasped when she saw Ming Jue. “My brother brought you home!”

Shang Huaizheng gently pulled Ming Jue behind him and scolded Shang Bai, “I haven’t even punished you yet today — getting into a fight with a classmate, and a girl at that!”

“So what if she’s a girl? Doesn’t mean I can’t hit her.” Shang Bai pouted and rolled her eyes. “She was talking nonsense behind my back. If I see her again, I’ll hit her again!”

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Fbydt Twykgbldt eked’v oydv vs yatwl okvb Fbydt Jyk. Tl vwadle vs Ykdt Kwl yde pyke, “Qs vyjl y pbsola qkapv. Zswa nzsvblp yal psyjle, yde usw’zz nyvnb y nsze kq usw jllr olyakdt vblx. Ykeezl pnbsszla, ts tlv bla y plv sq uswa ryfyxyp.”

“Qsv kv!” Fbydt Jyk eypble vs bla assx, vbld nyzzle swv, “Jkt pkp, es usw oydv y ealpp sa ryfyxyp? Fsxlvbkdt nwvl sa psxlvbkdt plmu?”

Ykdt Kwl eked’v alprsde, cwv Fbydt Twykgbldt pbswvle wrpvykap, “Fsxlvbkdt dsaxyz. Psd’v cakdt swv vbspl qzypbu swvqkvp yde lxcyaaypp uswaplzq.”

Gqvla ekttkdt yaswde qsa y obkzl, Fbydt Jyk qswde y ryka sq saydtl nyavssd ryfyxyp — y vsr yde rydvp plv — yde bydele vblx vs Ykdt Kwl. Fbl rwpble bla kdvs vbl cyvbassx. “Qs pbsola! R’zz pvyde twyae cu vbl essa, esd’v osaau. Yu casvbla elqkdkvlzu osd’v rllj.”

Fbydt Twykgbldt pbsv bla y tzyal clqsal blyekdt cynj vs bkp sod assx.

Rd vbl cyvbassx, vbl pswde sq awpbkdt oyvla qkzzle Ykdt Kwl’p lyap. Fbl nswze pvkzz blya vbl rzyuqwz cknjlakdt clvolld vbl pkczkdtp swvpkel — kv oyp zkhlzu.

Fbl’e dlhla lmrlakldnle pwnb y cwpvzkdt bsxl clqsal.

Tla sze bsxl bye clld xsal zkjl y dktbvxyal. Ebld pbl oyp kd bla lyazu vlldp, bla pkpvla bye vyjld bla yde lpnyrle. Gqvla vbyv, kv oyp fwpv vbl vos sq vblx. Mbl qlya vbyv bywdvle vblka dktbvp oyp tsdl, cwv ps oyp ydu oyaxvb.

When her sister was in a good mood, she’d joke and chat, but most of the time, she was working tirelessly. On countless rainy nights, Ming Jue was always alone at home.
Hearing the banter between Shang Bai and Shang Huaizheng, she got a taste of what happiness might feel like.

With a family who loves you and spoils you, it’s no wonder Shang Bai was so carefree and reckless, still refusing to grow up.

When Ming Jue came out of the bathroom, still wrapped in a mist of warm steam, Shang Huaizheng turned from the balcony to look at her.

Her skin was even more fair and delicate from the heat of the water. Her lips were slightly red, her dark eyes shimmering under the light — so beautiful and captivating.

Shang Bai’s pajamas were too big for her, making her look even more petite.

Shang Huaizheng held a cigarette between his fingers, his gaze burning as he looked at her, no longer able to hide the emotions in his eyes.

“Dinner’s on the table. Go eat,” he said in a low voice. “You must be starving.”

“Mm, a little.”

Ming Jue sat at the table as Shang Bai brought out a bowl of soup from the kitchen. “My brother cooked tonight —” she dragged out her words playfully — “a stunning tomato and egg fried rice. Hey, bro, isn’t that a waste of your skills?”

“Don’t underestimate tomato and egg fried rice. When I was studying abroad and working part-time at a restaurant, I made this dish. The boss liked it so much he gave me a chef’s hat on the spot.”

Shang Huaizheng also sat down. Despite the long dining table that could seat a dozen people, he chose the seat right next to Ming Jue.

She took a spoonful of the fried rice. The rice was perfectly chewy, with the fragrant taste of eggs and the slight tang of tomatoes — not greasy at all. It was delicious!

Even a simple dish like tomato and egg fried rice could taste this good in his hands. No wonder she’d heard her sister’s fiancé mention that Shang Huaizheng’s hands were insured for nine figures.

“Actually,” Shang Bai teased, “my brother wanted to show off his cooking skills tonight, but unfortunately, we ran out of ingredients at home. It’s pouring outside, and the supermarkets are closed. So all we had were a few tomatoes and some eggs.”

Shang Huaizheng said calmly, “You talk too much.”

Shang Bai turned to Ming Jue. “Big sis, is it good?”

“Yes!”

It was the best tomato and egg fried rice she’d ever had.

Shang Bai grinned. “Of course it is — it’s full of my brother’s love.”

Shang Huaizheng tapped her head with his chopsticks. “Can you eat without talking? I should send you to stay with Brother Shang Jie for a few days so you can learn some manners.”

“Please don’t! Have mercy!” Shang Bai shuddered. “Every time I go to Brother Shang Jie’s house, it’s so strict I feel like I can’t breathe.”

Shang Huaizheng turned to Ming Jue and said, “This girl isn’t afraid of anything — except for her cousin, Shang Jie. One glare from him, and she behaves.”

Ming Jue smiled. “I know. He’s very serious, but he’s really sweet to my sister.”

Just hearing Shang Jie’s name made Shang Bai shiver, so she quickly changed the subject. “Big sis, are you sleeping with me tonight or with my brother? You can pick either of us — we’re both fine with it!”

Ming Jue almost choked on her food. She coughed, and Shang Huaizheng immediately handed her a glass of water, gently patting her back.

Shang Bai giggled mischievously, winking at her brother.
…

That night, Shang Bai dragged Ming Jue back to her room. They shared a blanket, chatting late into the night.

Ming Jue asked softly, “Is it just you and your brother living here?”

“Yeah.” Shang Bai stared at the ceiling. “Usually, it’s just the two of us. Dad visits sometimes, but he never stays long — he has his own family.”

“What about your mom?”

“My mom left ages ago. After the divorce, she moved overseas and immigrated. I don’t even know if she’s still my mom anymore.”

Ming Jue didn’t know what to say.

“I didn’t want to stay with my dad, so I followed my brother. He raised me.”

“That’s funny. My sister raised me too.”

Shang Bai hugged Ming Jue’s shoulder. “No wonder I like you so much — we’re both kids our parents didn’t want. But now you have me and my brother, so don’t be sad.”

Ming Jue realized why Shang Bai had looked so upset at the school office earlier. When the director mentioned that Ming Jue was a child without parents, it must have hit a nerve for Shang Bai too.

She nodded softly. “Yeah, let’s be good friends from now on.”

Then Shang Bai suddenly grinned. “Or… do you want to be my sister-in-law?”

Ming Jue’s cheeks flushed. “What are you talking about?”

“If you marry my brother, we’ll be family. Wouldn’t that be great?”

“You’re getting ridiculous.” Ming Jue turned her back to her and stopped responding.

Shang Bai sighed and said, “Actually, the reason my brother hasn’t gotten married all these years is because of me. There were a few suitable young ladies before, but my brother didn’t really care whether they were good or bad. However, I didn’t like them, so I drove them all away. I just didn’t want my brother to marry a sister-in-law — once he has a wife, he wouldn’t be just my brother anymore.”

The more Shang Bai spoke, the more worked up he became, eventually sitting up straight. “And you know what? There was this one young lady who came to our house as a guest and directly asked my brother if I would be living with my dad after they got married. She didn’t want my brother to bring me along. At that time, I was only in my second year of high school. Before I could even say a word, my brother told her to leave right away. After that, he rarely went on blind dates, and even when women showed interest in him, he always politely turned them down.”

Ming Jue suddenly thought of something. “My sister hasn’t had a boyfriend for years either… do you think it’s because of me?”

“Of course!” Shang Bai said passionately. “People these days are super realistic. If you have a younger sibling, they treat it like you’re a single parent with a kid — a burden they don’t want.”

Shang Huaizheng, passing by, heard this and rolled his eyes. What were these kids thinking?

He knocked on the door and said, “Middle schooler, it’s so late — why aren’t you asleep yet? Go to bed!”

Shang Bai quickly responded, “I’m going, I’m going!”

Pulling Ming Jue into the bed, Shang Bai whispered, “Don’t be fooled by how it looks — like it’s easy for families like ours to find a wife. The young ladies from equally well-matched families are all proud and afraid of being wronged, while those from less privileged backgrounds often have ulterior motives. In short, none of it is simple.”

She sighed dramatically, “I’ve held my brother back all these years. Look at him — he’s already in his thirties and still hasn’t found a wife. But now that I’m grown up, I can’t drag him down anymore. I have to help him find the best wife in the world.”

“The best in the world? How good is that?” Ming Jue asked.

“I heard you win scholarships every year and rank first in your department?”

“Yeah.”

“Then that’s good enough — you’re worthy of my brother.”

Ming Jue: …

As the night grew quieter, the middle schooler finally drifted off, softly snoring. Ming Jue, however, couldn’t sleep. Gently moving Shang Bai’s arm off her, she tiptoed out of the room.

At the end of the hallway, a light was still on. She carefully walked over and saw Shang Huaizheng sitting at his desk, writing something.

His slender fingers were long and strong, the knuckles clearly defined. As his joints tightened, his skin appeared even paler. His expression was focused, his gaze lowered. His long, dark eyelashes cast shadows over his hazel eyes, which looked clear and bright under the light.

“It’s late,” he murmured. “Still not asleep?”

Caught off guard, Ming Jue had no choice but to step into the room. “You’re not asleep either.”

“I’m an adult,” he said in the same tone he used with Shang Bai. “You’re a child.”

“I’m not a child.”

Ming Jue sat in the small chair across from him. “What are you writing?”

“A letter of appointment,” Shang Huaizheng replied calmly. “Inviting a few Michelin three-star chefs from France to be head chefs here.”

“You’re writing it by hand?”

“It’s a show of sincerity.”

Ming Jue nodded thoughtfully, then continued watching him write. The top half of the letter was in elegant French cursive, while the bottom half featured a few lines of powerful Chinese calligraphy.

Putting down his pen, Shang Huaizheng asked, “Not used to sharing a bed with Shang Bai?”

“Yeah, she snores.”

A gentle expression crossed Shang Huaizheng’s face. “She’s been like that since she was little — like a boy. I’ll prepare a guest room for you.”

Shang Huaizheng’s face softened. “She’s been like that since she was a child, like a little boy. Let me prepare a guest room for you.”

Ming Jue quickly said, “No need, Mr. Shang.”

Shang Huaizheng looked up at her. Under the warm light, her bare face appeared especially delicate and beautiful.

“Then… do you want to sleep with me?”

The sudden joke caught Ming Jue off guard. She let out a surprised “Ah?” and didn’t know how to react. Shang Huaizheng’s eyes flickered with a subtle amusement — it was clear he was teasing her.

But in the quiet of the night, even a lighthearted joke carried a hint of ambiguous charm.

“Do you want to sleep with me?” he asked again.

Ming Jue looked up at him. His beautiful hazel eyes were open and calm, without any inappropriate intent.

Gathering her courage, she answered, “Yes.”

For about ten seconds, the two stared at each other in silence. Then Shang Huaizheng chuckled softly and shook his head, dissolving the absurdity of the moment.

And in that instant, Ming Jue realized that he wasn’t as proper and untouchable as she had thought.

A true gentleman is one who appreciates beauty without being lewd, someone who is charming but never vulgar. That seemed to describe Shang Huaizheng perfectly.

Instead of feeling awkward, Ming Jue’s heart raced a little.

“Alright,” he said. “I’ll prepare another room for you.”

“There’s really no need,” Ming Jue replied, almost too quickly. “It’s not that I can’t sleep because of her snoring… I just heard you were still awake and wanted to talk to you.”

Her words tumbled out so fast that she was left slightly breathless.

“What did you want to talk about?” he asked.

“I… I like you.”

The fountain pen in Shang Huaizheng’s hand paused for a split second — just a fraction of a moment — before he continued writing, his expression as calm as ever.

Ming Jue suddenly felt a wave of embarrassment.

He finally spoke, his voice steady. “Ming Jue, you’re still young.”

“I’m almost twenty,” she blurted, sensing something was off. “And I know… I know you like me too.”

“Oh?” Shang Huaizheng raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “And how do you know that?”

“My sister said… when a man keeps looking at a woman, it means he likes her. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t spare her a second glance.”

Shang Huaizheng smiled gently. “Your sister is right. I do like you.”

“Mr. Shang—”

“You know,” he interrupted, his voice calm but direct, “I’m a grown man. I haven’t been with a woman in years.” He met her gaze without hesitation. “I’m not one of those inexperienced boys at your school, Ming Jue. Do you understand what it means to say these things to someone like me?”

Ming Jue’s heart pounded wildly, her face burning.

She understood exactly what he meant — and in his composed, serene eyes, she caught a flicker of something dangerous.

“So now,” he said softly, “go back to your room and sleep, okay?”

Ming Jue slid off the chair and walked to the door, but before leaving, she glanced back at Shang Huaizheng, reluctant to go. “If I didn’t say it out loud, I might have exploded from holding it in. I feel much better now.”

Shang Huaizheng smiled gracefully and waved. “Goodnight.”

Once she was gone, the room fell silent again — but Shang Huaizheng could no longer focus. He paced the room twice before stopping by the window, lighting a cigarette.

He might not have been a seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy anymore, naïve and clueless about love.

But for some reason, the rush of joy and excitement stirring in his chest made him feel like a young man again — like a withered tree blooming in spring.

Being confessed to… felt really, really good.

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Sansukini: Aww.. last chapter tomorrow.

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