“This isn’t a trap set by the Jiang family!”
Anxiety covered Jiang Yan’s face as she took two steps forward before stopping.
“What do I need to say for you to believe me? Zhou Cheng, don’t I know that my cousin is a bastard? I was equally helpless about this matter back then. For the past two years, Brother Pan San has been missing. I often think about our days together on the frontline… I must do something for Brother Pan San.”
Jiang Yan was never the type to cry and whimper.
Are women’s tears a weapon?
Only those women who count on men’s pity would consider ‘tears’ as weapons.
People who have been on the battlefield know that no matter how beautiful you are or how moving your tears might be, it’s useless – bullets meant to hit you won’t change their course. Being too beautiful is a burden for women – if they unfortunately become prisoners of war, then truly…
Jiang Yan, who never cried, now had reddened eyes.
This had never happened before.
Zhou Cheng coldly looked at her. “If these materials exist, you can give them to me.”
Jiang Yan shook her head. “I can only hand them to Brother Pan San personally.”
“That’s impossible.”
As Zhou Cheng turned to leave without hesitation, Jiang Yan frowned:
“Zhou Cheng, you won’t even ask Brother San’s opinion – you’re not him, what right do you have to decide for him? Brother San started working when he was barely in his teens, he spent half his life at the unit. The unit is his home, he must want to return!”
Did Brother Pan San want to return to the unit?
Zhou Cheng had never actually discussed this with Pan San.
Pan San was forced to leave – even Zhou Cheng couldn’t accept it, let alone Pan San himself.
Others called him excellent, but Zhou Cheng knew that much of what he learned was taught by Brother San. Pan San wasn’t just his superior, but also his friend and teacher!
Brother San’s previous achievements weren’t fewer than Zhou Cheng’s, only more.
When rewards were given based on merit, Zhou Cheng became an official, while Pan San was forced out. A glorious past met with a bleak ending.
More ridiculous was that some people suspected Brother San had become a smuggler.
Zhou Cheng’s eyes darkened. “Jiang Yan, your Jiang family has never stopped persecuting Brother San. The last time I was isolated for investigation was your Jiang family’s doing – trying to force Brother San to show himself through me. You achieved your goal, and now you pretend not to know where Brother San is. If you want to meet him, you definitely can without my help.”
Jiang Yan was becoming a nuisance.
He couldn’t let this woman stay at the academy. If Jiang Yan kept hovering around him daily, Zhou Cheng wouldn’t be able to focus on his two years of advanced studies.
Half a year had already passed. Since completing his mission, Zhou Cheng has been focusing entirely on his studies.
In two years, while he might not match Xiaolan’s educational credentials, at least the gap shouldn’t be too wide, right?
Just carelessly getting a degree wouldn’t do.
Xiaolan said there were differences between them, and living together in the future would be mutual torture.
Zhou Cheng lay awake all night in his bed, thinking about the “differences” Xiaolan mentioned. Men’s and women’s thoughts are naturally different, and Zhou Cheng hadn’t forced Xiaolan to think exactly like him, but her strong reaction made him reflect on himself.
He couldn’t understand these ‘differences’ now, but perhaps reading more books would help him understand.
When he started working as a teenager, he never imagined he’d one day feel ashamed of his low education level.
Back then, he wasn’t interested in any female colleagues, never thinking he’d end up with a college entrance exam champion as his wife.
His wife was good at exams but wasn’t just a bookworm.
After being delayed by Jiang Yan, when Zhou Cheng arrived at the guesthouse, Xia Xiaolan and her two companions had already checked out and left.
Zhou Cheng stood there, took out a cigarette, lit it, took two puffs, then crouched down coughing: was this really his biological son?!
How should he pacify his wife who left in anger?
As his parents’ only son, couldn’t he help at crucial moments?
When Zhou Cheng returned and saw Jiang Yan again, old and new grievances surfaced, but Jiang Yan was quick to hand him a document:
“Look at this first. If you’re not satisfied, then we can fight!”
Zhou Cheng quickly flipped through the document, his throat particularly itchy.
“This is—”
Jiang Yan crossed her arms. “It’s the materials I mentioned, this is a copy. Do you think it could help clear Brother Pan San’s name? The original is with me, and I told you I need to see Brother Pan San!”
If this was genuine, it could indeed clear Brother Pan San’s name.
It might even bring down Jiang Wu.
Now Zhou Cheng couldn’t drive Jiang Yan away. “How did you get this?”
Jiang Yan pressed her lips tightly, seemingly reluctant to discuss this matter.
But so much time had passed, and this was the first time Zhou Cheng was paying attention to her. If she didn’t seize this opportunity, coming to the academy would have been pointless.
“…It was meant to be destroyed, but I got hold of it.”
For such crucial materials to be marked for destruction – the Jiang family had become this shameless to protect Jiang Wu.
“Jiang Yan, you have gone mad.”
Though it was just a copy, Zhou Cheng carefully stored the document.
“Now do you believe in my sincerity? I need to see Brother Pan San!”
Believe Jiang Yan?
Even though Jiang Yan was truly choosing righteousness over family ties, after seeing the document, Zhou Cheng only believed half of it.
He had always classified Jiang Yan as an enemy, and Zhou Cheng was very wary of enemies. He had recently learned the lesson of underestimating opponents and didn’t want to repeat it. Rolling up the document, Zhou Cheng gave Jiang Yan a definite answer:
“I can let you see Brother San. Get the original ready and wait for the opportunity to meet!”
If not for this document, Zhou Cheng would never have allowed Jiang Yan to appear again.
It still wasn’t possible now – he needed to wait for Jiang Yan to hand over the original materials.
Even if the chances were slim, Zhou Cheng wanted to try.
Jiang Yan had one point right – this was Pan San’s matter, and Zhou Cheng couldn’t decide for Pan San whether he wanted to return to the unit or not.
…
When Jiang Yan returned to the dormitory, her roommates were whispering among themselves.
“What’s wrong with you all?”
Her roommates were straightforward people who couldn’t hold back, so they pushed forward a representative:
“Jiang Yan, everyone’s talking about you and Zhou Cheng… what’s going on? Someone said Zhou Cheng has a girlfriend, you’re so close to him, isn’t that problematic?”
Jiang Yan raised her eyebrows:
“Zhou Cheng and I knew each other before. I’m discussing important matters with him – what does it matter to me whether he has a girlfriend or not?”
Several female students sighed in relief.
They knew Jiang Yan was dignified and upright, she couldn’t be that kind of person.
Jiang Yan casually lay down on her bed.
Although she believed her friendship with Zhou Cheng was pure, his girlfriend indeed wasn’t worthy of him.
Being a family member of someone in their line of work was very difficult – how could the delicate Xia Xiaolan handle anything?
Zhou Cheng was pursuing advanced studies at the academy, yet Xia Xiaolan could chase him here to argue, not caring at all about affecting his studies – Zhou Cheng needed someone who understood and supported him, not a pampered girl.