The next day, at the school’s Academic Affairs Office, the director sat anxiously, waiting for Shang Huaizheng to speak. But Shang remained silent for a long time, making the director too nervous to say anything.
Finally, Shang Huaizheng leaned back in his chair, speaking casually, “Have you checked everything out?”
The director nodded quickly. “Yes, we’ve looked into it. It’s not entirely Shang Bai’s fault—Li Weiwei was also in the wrong. Shang Bai was standing up for a friend, though her methods were inappropriate and impulsive. She should bear most of the responsibility, but not all of it.”
Shang Huaizheng glanced at him indifferently. “Punish Shang Bai however you see fit. I’m not here to discuss her.”
The director hesitated. “Then, Mr. Shang…”
“I heard you had the college revoke Ming Jue’s scholarship?”
Awkwardly, the director replied, “The incident started because of her. It wouldn’t seem fair if she didn’t face any consequences at all.”
Shang Huaizheng remained calm. “If every student connected to Shang Bai is punished without reason, who would want to be her friend in the future? Have you thought about that?”
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Usze polyv casjl swv sd vbl ekalnvsa’p qsalblye. “R… R eked’v nsdpkela vbyv. Tsdlpvzu, Fbydt Jyk kp iwkvl y bydeqwz.”
“Omynvzu.” Fbydt Twykgbldt pvsse wr, bkp hsknl pvlyeu. “Ebyv Fbydt Jyk eke oyp oasdt, ps rwdkpb bla yp dllele—elewnv rskdvp, kppwl y elxlakv, obyvlhla kp yrrasrakyvl. R osd’v scflnv. Jwv esd’v eayt svblap kdvs kv.”
Mbl ekalnvsa oyp pwarakple. Tl bye yppwxle Fbydt oyp blal vs pbklze bkp pkpvla ytykd, cwv vseyu’p yvvkvwel pllxle wdwpwyzzu kxryavkyz.
“Gp qsa Ykdt Kwl’p rwdkpbxldv, R bsrl usw alnsdpkela.”
“Fkdnl usw’hl rwv kv vbyv oyu, ol’zz nydnlz Ykdt Kwl’p rwdkpbxldv. Jwv Fbydt Jyk pvkzz dllep vs qynl vbl nsdpliwldnlp qsa rbupknyzzu yvvynjkdt y nzyppxyvl.”
“Xq nswapl.”
Mbl ekalnvsa vbswtbv qsa y xsxldv. “Mbld bso ycswv byhkdt bla nzlyd Jwkzekdtp 18 yde 20?”
…
Gv vbl sqqknl essa, Fbydt Twykgbldt dsvknle Fbydt Jyk yde Ykdt Kwl lyhlpeasrrkdt qasx vbl byzzoyu. “Pke usw blya yzz sq vbyv?”
“Yes…” Shang Bai muttered weakly. “Cleaning again… Does the school not have janitors anymore?”
“You could use the extra labor. Better than having too much energy and causing trouble.”
Shang Bai rolled her eyes dramatically. “Brother, you’re so biased. Just so Ming Jue could keep her scholarship, you threw your own sister under the bus without even blinking!”
Shang Huaizheng patted the back of her head. “Ming Jue listens better than you.”
He turned to Ming Jue with a soft smile, and her face instantly flushed. She lowered her gaze, too flustered to meet his eyes.
“By the way,” Shang Huaizheng said suddenly, “didn’t you want to go to the new amusement park next weekend for your birthday?”
“Yeah! The one in the south suburbs—they have bungee jumping! I have to try it!”
“Alright.”
Shang Bai blinked. “Wait… Didn’t you say you were busy that day and couldn’t take me?”
“Plans changed.”
“Oh.”
She didn’t press further.
Then Shang Huaizheng added casually, “Since it’s your birthday, shouldn’t you invite your best friend?”
Shang Bai’s eyes darted from him to Ming Jue, and suddenly, she caught on. Grinning mischievously, she let out a few giggles.
Shang Huaizheng tapped her on the head again. “What are you laughing at? Hurry up and invite her.”
Shang Bai shouted, “Ming Jue! It’s my birthday this weekend! My brother wants you to come with us to the amusement park. Are you coming?”
Ming Jue glanced at Shang Huaizheng, who smiled and added softly, “Come have fun with us.”
“Then… okay.” Ming Jue nodded.
Shang Bai giggled endlessly, until Shang Huaizheng pretended to kick her. She dodged swiftly this time, laughing as she ran off. “I’ll leave you two alone. I won’t be the third wheel!”
Once she was gone, the air grew quieter. Shang Huaizheng cleared his throat lightly. “So it’s settled. I’ll pick you up from school on Saturday morning.”
“Okay.”
He walked Ming Jue back to her dormitory, asking her about her classes and life along the way—like an older brother looking out for her.
Finally, when they reached the dorm entrance, Shang Huaizheng exhaled slowly and spoke, his voice quieter than usual. “About what you said last night… I’ve thought about it a lot.”
Sensing where this was going, Ming Jue panicked. “Mr. Shang, you don’t have to explain. I just wanted to speak my mind.”
Shang Huaizheng’s tone softened. “Ming Jue, I admit… I do have feelings for you. You’re pure and kind—it’s hard for any man to remain unaffected by such sincerity, including me. So yes, sometimes, I acted without thinking… and I’m sorry.”
“You really don’t have to—”
“But,” he sighed, “I’m much older than you. It wouldn’t be fair to you.”
Ming Jue’s eyes reddened as she stared at the ground, unable to look at him.
“If I were ten years younger—no, even just five—I would’ve gladly accepted your feelings.”
Her heart clenched at those words, and though she tried to blink back her tears, her vision blurred.
Silence hung between them.
“I’ll treat you like I treat Shang Bai from now on—you’re both like sisters to me, okay?”
Ming Jue’s eyes stung with tears.
No, it wasn’t okay.
She didn’t want to be his sister. She simply liked him—was that so wrong? If they liked each other, why couldn’t they be together?
But Shang Huaizheng wasn’t a young boy—she couldn’t cry or demand answers from him.
He had made up his mind, and his words left no room for argument.
Swallowing her sorrow, Ming Jue turned and ran back to her dormitory, not wanting him to see her cry—it felt so weak and pathetic.
Shang Huaizheng stood in the sunlight, letting out a heavy sigh.
Out of nowhere, Shang Bai appeared, watching Ming Jue’s retreating figure with a dramatic shake of her head. “Wow… that was heartbreaking.”
Shang Huaizheng ignored her and started walking away.
Shang Bai trotted after him, rambling, “Brother, you’re great at everything except one thing—you’re too old-fashioned. Even more so than Brother Shang Jie!”
Shang Huaizheng shot her a look. “What do you know? You’re just a middle schooler.”
“Middle schoolers know more than you think!” Shang Bai teased. “All those women your age—you don’t like this one, you turn down that one. And now, finally, someone you like who actually likes you back, and you just messed it all up. Ugh, you’re a tough case. Your little sister is really worried about your love life!”
Shang Huaizheng gave her a light shove, making her stumble forward. “Worry about your own life.”
…
Ming Jue felt miserable for days. She thought about skipping the amusement park trip on Saturday, but Shang Bai wouldn’t have it.
“It’s my birthday!” Shang Bai insisted. “I only get one a year! If you’re not coming just because of my brother, I’ll tell him not to come—we’ll go by ourselves.”
Panicked, Ming Jue quickly said, “No, I’ll go.”
On Saturday morning, the three of them went to the newly opened amusement park in the southern suburbs. Since there was a grand opening discount, the place was packed with people.
Shang Bai dragged both Ming Jue and Shang Huaizheng around, sprinting to any ride with a short line.
Shang Huaizheng watched them, shaking his head. “Aren’t you a bit old to be acting like a kid? It’s just an amusement park—why are you so excited?”
“I’m not the one who’s excited—Ming Jue’s even more hyped than me.”
Sure enough, Ming Jue stood wide-eyed, staring at the roaring double-dragon roller coaster across from them. Her mouth hung open in awe, and as the riders screamed while zooming past, she couldn’t help but scream along with them.
Shang Huaizheng sighed. Yep, still kids, after all.
“Ming Jue, do you like amusement parks?” Shang Bai asked. “If you do, I’ll bring you more often. We’ll leave my brother at home—he’s such a buzzkill.”
“This is my first time at an amusement park,” Ming Jue admitted softly. “I’ve never been on a roller coaster.”
Shang Bai’s jaw dropped. “Your first time?! Seriously? You’ve never been to one before?”
Ming Jue shook her head. “Nope.”
“Your family never took you?”
Before Ming Jue could answer, Shang Huaizheng flicked the back of Shang Bai’s head. “What’s so strange about a first time? Not everyone likes childish things like you.”
Shang Bai pouted. “No wonder you always call me dumb—it’s because you keep smacking my head!”
But Ming Jue said quietly, “It’s not that—I don’t think it’s childish. It actually looks really fun.”
Shang Bai’s face lit up with a smug grin, sticking her tongue out at Shang Huaizheng. “Ha! See? She likes it! In your face! I love my big sis more and more—let’s go ride the roller coaster!”
Shang Huaizheng chuckled softly and followed them.
The roller coaster had two-person seats, and Shang Bai insisted on sitting in the front row, dragging Ming Jue with her. But Ming Jue, nervous and reluctant, opted for the second row instead.
As she buckled her seatbelt, Shang Huaizheng suddenly sat down beside her.
Shang Bai peeked over her shoulder, grinning. “Brother, why aren’t you sitting with me?”
“You’re too noisy. I’d like to keep my hearing intact.”
“Yeah right—you just want to play the knight in shining armor!”
Too nervous to catch their playful exchange, Ming Jue kept her gaze fixed ahead.
The roller coaster lurched forward, slowly leaving the station—and began to pick up speed.
Ming Jue asked Shang Huaizheng, “Is it dangerous?”
“Hmm, hard to say. Nothing in this world is 100% safe,” Shang Huaizheng said, deliberately trying to scare her. “Even roller coasters have a risk of derailing.”
“Ah…”
Before she could react, the roller coaster suddenly accelerated, and Ming Jue’s scream caught in her throat. Her face turned pale with fear.
Shang Bai shook her head—she knew her brother too well. He always put on a proper, gentlemanly front, but deep down, he was a bit of a tease. Scaring Ming Jue like this—what was the point?
The roller coaster sped through loops and sharp drops, and Ming Jue couldn’t help but scream again and again, squeezing her eyes shut.
Finally, the ride slowed down, the whole thing lasting only seconds, though it felt much longer.
She turned to look at Shang Huaizheng, who seemed calm, a faint smile at his lips as he met her gaze.
Then Ming Jue noticed—she was tightly gripping his hand, their fingers interlocked.
Her heart started racing even faster than it had during the roller coaster ride. Flustered, she quickly let go.
Shang Huaizheng released her hand too, stepping off the ride like nothing had happened.
Feeling dizzy and a bit nauseous, Ming Jue leaned against a railing. Shang Bai ran off to buy some drinks while Shang Huaizheng stayed by her side, gently patting her back. “You okay?”
“I’m fine… I just need a moment.”
Shang Bai returned with a soda, handing one to Ming Jue. “Coke works best—it’ll settle your stomach right away.”
Shang Huaizheng frowned. “More junk food? I told you to get bottled water.”
“Bottled water is so unpalatable.”
Ming Jue took the soda with a small smile. “I like this too.”
Shang Huaizheng fell silent for a moment, then sighed. “Alright… drink up.”
Shang Bai grinned. She was starting to think this big sister might be the perfect match for her brother—maybe even the key to saving her from his overly strict rules one day.
“The bungee jump is open! Come on, let’s go buy tickets!” Shang Bai grabbed Shang Huaizheng’s arm, pulling him along.
“You go ahead,” Shang Huaizheng said. “I’ll stay with Ming Jue.”
Ming Jue hesitated for a second before speaking up. “I… I want to try it too.”
“Didn’t you just say you felt sick?” Shang Huaizheng asked.
Ming Jue bit on the straw of her soda. “I’m feeling better now.”
Shang Bai linked arms with Ming Jue and led her towards the bungee platform, sticking her tongue out playfully at her brother.
“Great… both of you are my little troublemakers,” Shang Huaizheng muttered, trailing behind them.
The bungee jump offered both solo and tandem jumps. Naturally, Shang Huaizheng didn’t want Ming Jue jumping alone. “Why don’t you go with her?” he suggested to Shang Bai.
But Shang Bai grinned mischievously. “No way! I want to jump solo—it’s more fun.”
“I thought Ming Jue was your best friend?”
“Of course she is! That’s why I want my dearest big brother to jump with her.”
Shang Huaizheng furrowed his brows and pulled Shang Bai aside. “I never agreed to this.”
“Are you scared?”
“Who said that?”
“Then what’s the problem?”
As they spoke, a couple, strapped tightly together, took the plunge off the platform, their screams echoing through the valley below.
Ming Jue watched, eyes wide with excitement. “That looks so thrilling!”
Shang Huaizheng turned back to her. “Since it’s your first time, let’s jump together.”
Ming Jue nodded obediently.
Shang Bai was the first to jump. The staff secured the ropes around her legs and, without hesitation, she closed her eyes and leapt off the cliff, her cheers echoing through the canyon.
Standing at the edge, Ming Jue peered down—the people below looked as small as ants. Her excitement mixed with a creeping sense of fear.
“Next up! Solo or tandem?” the staff member asked.
“Tandem,” Shang Huaizheng replied, motioning for Ming Jue to join him.
She hurried over, and they were strapped together, their bodies pressed closely. Ming Jue, a head shorter than him, found her face buried against his chest.
Shang Huaizheng wrapped an arm around her, holding her firmly as the wind roared past their ears at the cliff’s edge.
Ming Jue looked down at the seemingly endless drop below, panic setting in. “Huaizheng… I changed my mind! I don’t want to do this—I’m scared!”
Shang Huaizheng smiled calmly. “If you don’t do it now, you might regret it later.”
“I’m scared.”
“Close your eyes. I’m here. It’ll be fine.”
Ming Jue shut her eyes, and Shang Huaizheng tightened his arms around her.
For some reason, the fear and anxiety gradually faded, replaced by a completely different sensation. As the adrenaline surged, she even felt slightly breathless.
“I’ll count down from three, and then we go.”
“Okay!”
“Three—”
Before he even finished counting, Shang Huaizheng held Ming Jue tightly and leaped off. She screamed, clutching his waist as they plummeted.
The rapid descent pressed against her chest, her heartbeat pounding wildly. Amidst the roaring wind, she could only hear Shang Huaizheng’s warm, steady breaths. That was the only thing grounding her, the only thing making her feel safe.
As they reached the lowest point and rebounded upwards before plunging again, the initial terror gave way to exhilaration.
Shang Huaizheng shouted, “Open your eyes! Look at the world!”
Hearing his words, Ming Jue slowly opened her tightly shut eyes.
The man’s handsome features were magnified in her dark pupils, and the rushing scenery around them seemed to fade away.
The world turned upside down, yet everything felt peaceful. In her eyes, there was only him.
In that moment, Shang Huaizheng suddenly cupped her face and kissed her.
Perhaps this was the only time in his thirty-something years that impulse won over reason. Setting aside all logic, all reservations, he acted purely on instinct—because he simply couldn’t help himself.
He closed his eyes and kissed her deeply. At that moment, he only wanted to claim her as his own, disregarding any obstacles or challenges the world might throw their way. He just wanted her.
Ming Jue’s fingers gripped the fabric of his shirt tightly. She closed her eyes, allowing his soft lips to completely consume her world.
On the way back, Shang Bai noticed something odd. These two were talking less, but their gazes met more often.
Something was up.
“Are we heading back to school or home?” Shang Huaizheng asked as he drove.
“Home.”
“I’ll drop you off first, then take Ming Jue back to school.”
Shang Bai frowned. “Why not take her back first, then we go home together?”
“Because I have something to talk to Ming Jue about.”
His straightforwardness left Shang Bai momentarily speechless. She shrugged. “Alright then.”
After dropping Shang Bai off, Shang Huaizheng pulled the car over to the side of the road. Ming Jue sat in the passenger seat, and an awkward silence settled between them.
He was the first to break it. “What happened earlier… I was impulsive. But I don’t regret it. I like you more than I thought I did.”
Ming Jue looked at him. “That was my first kiss.”
Shang Huaizheng seemed to make up his mind. He reached out, his warm hand covering hers. “Would you be willing to be with me?”
Ming Jue’s heart pounded. She knew this decision wasn’t easy for him.
“Mr. Shang, I understand your concerns. You think I’m too young, that we’re not a good match. But I’ve thought about it a lot. And I’ve realized—I don’t care. I don’t care what others think. Liking someone is just liking someone. Even if you were twenty or thirty years older than me, I’d still like you.”
Her words were simple, sincere, and unembellished. She spoke exactly what was in her heart.
Shang Huaizheng gently stroked her head. “Listen to me first. In the future, we’ll face more challenges than most couples. I’ll be patient with you, but you also need to be understanding toward me. Can you do that?”
Ming Jue nodded obediently.
“I’ve spent a long time thinking about this, trying to make sense of it all. But the more I thought, the more confused I became. It wasn’t until we jumped off that cliff just now—when the mountain wind hit me—that everything became clear.”
Shang Huaizheng looked at her earnestly. “Loving someone is actually very simple. You want to see them, you want to kiss them, and you want them to be yours.”
He gently cupped her face and leaned in, kissing her once more.
Her lips were soft and hesitant. Instinctively, she closed her eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly. Everything about her was intoxicating, making it impossible for him to hold back.
But Shang Huaizheng didn’t want to scare her away too soon. That night, when he tried to dissuade her with words, it was only to test if she’d back down. Now, he knew he’d never let her go.
After the long, lingering kiss, Ming Jue opened her eyes and looked at him uncertainly. “Mr. Shang, does this mean… we can be together?”
He chuckled. “I don’t kiss anyone except my girlfriend.” He pinched her earlobe gently. “From now on, you’re my woman.”
From that day on, just as Shang Huaizheng predicted, they encountered more difficulties than other couples. Their interests were completely different—Ming Jue loved anime, while Shang Huaizheng appreciated fine art. Ming Jue was impulsive, whereas Shang Huaizheng was cautious.
They argued, they bickered, but strangely enough, their feelings only deepened.
Over the years, Shang Huaizheng spoiled Ming Jue thoroughly. She was no longer the timid girl from before. She became bolder, more like an ordinary young woman—one who could act spoiled, play tricks, and make unreasonable demands of him.
Shang Huaizheng’s patience seemed endless. Even when she pushed him to his limits, and he occasionally put on a stern “elder” facade to scold her, he always ended up caving in, giving in to her every whim, indulging her without restraint.
Five years later, on the day Ming Jue graduated with her master’s degree, Shang Huaizheng got down on one knee and proposed.
Ming Jue knew that in this relationship, Shang Huaizheng had always given more. He was never a man who acted on impulse—every decision he made was after careful thought and consideration.
From the moment he chose to be with her, he had already planned to walk this path with her for life.
He once promised Ming Jue that he would never leave her behind. So as he grew older, he quit smoking and drinking, exercised daily, and kept himself in the best possible shape.
Fighting against time wasn’t easy, but he tried.
By the time he reached fifty, Shang Huaizheng was still youthful and handsome, physically strong, and at the peak of his career.
He had reached the prime of his life.
Whenever they appeared together at public events, they looked like the perfect couple—talented and beautiful.
In the first half of his life, Shang Huaizheng’s greatest sense of accomplishment came from introducing the world to the finest cuisine. Back then, his heart was filled with restless ambition and dreams.
But in the second half of his life, he found joy in cooking for her. And his heart, once turbulent, became serene.
Among all the wishes he had, the one that mattered most was seeing the light in her eyes.
The End.
Sansukini: Ahh, it ends. Thanks so much for all the readers. PLease feel free to read my other completed novels.
My next translation is called “Delicate Wife in the 70’s”
(This is written by the same Author who wrote Bai Fumei in the 70s which is one of my fave era novels)
In her past life, due to an unexpected drowning accident, Ye Qingshui, a village girl, was forced to marry a male educated youth from the city who had no choice but to wed her to quell the rumors. However, married life was far from the happiness she had imagined.
The man divorced her in order to return to his hometown, leaving her with nothing, even losing her child.
Reborn and given another chance, Ye Qingshui has realized the truth—if a man wants to leave, let him roll away as far as he pleases.
Wait, not so fast! Before he goes, there’s still that little child who has yet to arrive—her precious baby.
A naive but beautiful village girl VS a wealthy and handsome man who was set up
- A sweet romance with a focus on food, 1V1, and really fragrant face-slapping moments.
- The male lead was never a scumbag.
- Why the ML left her was a mystery, there were a lot of things she didn’t know but would understand later.
Tags: Food, Sweet Romance, Historical Setting, 70’s era
This will replace “I’ll Share The Bed With You.” and will be posted Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
Thanks for visiting. If you like this story, then I’m shamelessly asking you to visit NovelUpdates and give a 5⭐ review. (人❛ᴗ❛)♪тнайк чоц♪(❛ᴗ❛*人)
You can also check out my other translations Here
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