5 Don’t Argue / 05
At nine in the evening, the “Seek” national concert tour concluded successfully at the Harbor City Cultural Center.
Amid thunderous applause, Sheng Huaining extended her violin stand and transferred the bow from her left hand to the other.
Her white backless gown trailed on the floor, making each step forward particularly laborious.
She bowed slightly, and countless bouquets were thrown from the audience.
To show her gratitude, she picked up one and carefully placed it on the sash at her chest.
This was Sheng Huaining’s first solo concert since returning to her homeland.
Listening to the waves of cheers echoing from the crowd, tears welled in her eyes.
When choosing all the cities for the tour, Sheng Huaining and Luo Zhisheng had been determined not to disappoint the company’s expectations and trust.
Now, with tickets sold out and every seat occupied, it was the best affirmation of Sheng Huaining’s years of dedication.
A smile she could hardly contain curved her lips as her eyes scanned the left and right. Before leaving the stage, she bowed once more.
The lights dimmed suddenly.
Backstage, the entire team had already decided on a venue for the celebration dinner.
Sheng Huaining removed her jewelry one by one, but kept the flower on her chest carefully stored.
She had never imagined that such a thoughtful gesture from the audience would be experienced for the first time in the very place where she grew up.
Assistant Xiao Qi tidied up nearby, her eyes brimming with tears as she said, “Ning, you’re getting better and better. The response at the first show was so strong, you don’t need to worry about the rest.”
Sheng Huaining laughed helplessly and pinched Xiao Qi’s cheek, causing her sobbing to falter.
She comforted her, “Look at you, all nervous. I told you it’d be fine.”
While the others continued chatting animatedly, Sheng Huaining turned back before entering the dressing room and declared resolutely, “I won’t be going to the celebration dinner—I have plans.”
“Ah?”
The group expressed their disappointment.
Only Luo Zhisheng instinctively straightened his back on the sofa, eyes half-closed teasingly: “Plans with whom? That guy who’s trying to woo you?”
“What? What?”
“Is Dita falling in love?”
“Which guy? Handsome or not? Show us the photo—we need to approve.”
...
Sheng Huaining snapped, “Zhijie, I’m just returning a favor, not getting wooed or anything.”
The dressing room door slammed shut, as if venting frustration, yet mixed with a hint of embarrassment.
When she emerged, Sheng Huaining had changed into casual clothes.
She wore a luxurious brand’s autumn-winter runway piece: a blue lace slip dress embroidered with three-dimensional flowers that hugged her slender waist, sweet and lively, utterly pleasing to the eye.
Naturally, the teasing began again.
Sheng Huaining half-tied up her shoulder-length hair, and when she smiled, the small dimples at both sides of her mouth appeared faintly. “I’m serious. I really have someone to meet. But the celebration dinner goes on as planned—my treat. Have fun without me.”
The disappointment quickly passed.
Those who were usually busy became endlessly entertained once they caught a bit of amusement.
Luo Zhisheng and Xiao Qi accompanied Sheng Huaining to the parking lot. As they just stepped out of the lounge, Sheng Huaining blushed.
“Dita, keep some dignity. Don’t get taken down too quickly.”
“If you’re dating, bring him over for us to see first.”
...
Sheng Huaining rolled her eyes at Luo Zhisheng’s teasing, then turned to the others with a smile and mock scolded, “You’re really annoying. If you keep this up, everyone go home.”
The crowd quickly covered their mouths, shaking their heads in unison.
—
The car quickly merged onto the main road amidst the stream of traffic.
At this moment, Sheng Huaining, who had just relaxed her nerves slightly, felt them tighten again.
She stared out at the dazzling neon lights and the rapidly passing street scenes.
Her hands clenched a thin cashmere scarf, the grip tightening with every passing moment, creasing the fabric deeply.
“Ah—”
—
The faint sound prompted the driver ahead, who was focused on the road, to glance in the rearview mirror and ask with concern, “Miss?”
“I’m fine, Uncle Rong,” Sheng Huaining responded, then raised the partition shield.
Uncle Rong was the driver arranged by Sheng Luanjin for Sheng Huaining, following her from kindergarten until university graduation.
He was practically an informant.
She used to be well-behaved, shuttling strictly between school and home.
Later, after a rebellious phase, she became quite spoiled—partying, skipping classes, indulging in all sorts of mischief.
Afraid she’d go astray, Uncle Rong often reported her whereabouts to Sheng Luanjing and Shen Shicen.
Every time she came home, she inevitably faced a lecture.
Now that her relationship with the old man had somewhat eased, if the person she was about to meet were overheard by him, there would be a storm again.
In the spacious back seat of the Pullman, Sheng Huaining lay flat, gazing at the ambient ceiling light above.
She just couldn’t understand why she had so irrationally agreed to He Chenye’s unreasonable request.
She was the one hosting; he was the one bringing an extra person.
If it was inconvenient, they could have simply rescheduled.
Her mind spun with wild thoughts.
If the extra person He Chenye brought was his girlfriend or a female companion interested in him, how could she return the bracelet naturally? No matter what, it would look suspicious.
She could never be involved in disrupting or influencing someone else’s relationship.
Frustrated, Sheng Huaining covered her face with the scarf, the surrounding ambient lights blurring in her vision.
She took out her phone and typed into its search engine the question most troubling her right now:
[What should I be aware of when dining with a man who has his girlfriend with him?]
The intelligent responses were rich and thorough.
She read through carefully, cautiously, as if the person she was about to meet were a beast of prey.
Suddenly, she felt more assured. As long as she avoided the pitfalls outlined, nothing could go wrong.
She exhaled deeply, bracing herself like going to her doom, and stepped into the restaurant, a smile as gentle as spring breeze gracing her lips.
—
Inside, the restaurant was quiet; even the faint whispers of the nearby waiter were clearly audible.
He Chenye had arrived half an hour early, fingers curled around a glass of sparkling drink, tilting his head to look at the person beside him with a soft gaze.
The girl gleefully devoured the pre-cut steak on her plate, strands of hair slipped from behind her ear into her eyes.
Despite the obstruction, he didn’t intervene.
He carefully tucked the hair back with his fingers.
When the girl turned to smile, he sighed softly, “Your hair has grown out. I’ll take you to get it cut tomorrow.”
She whined in protest, and he relented, pushing a pudding toward her to coax her.
Sheng Huaining pushed open the door and saw this scene.
Caught in a dilemma, she felt stuck—neither advancing nor retreating.
In those few hesitant seconds, He Chenye had already noticed her.
His voice was calm: “Miss Sheng.”
She quickly regained composure and nodded politely.
As the waiter pulled out a chair, she took the napkin and sat down.
Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at the girl who had been eating the whole time.
The girl looked young, with slightly childish features; her high ponytail added a lively charm, and her simple pure white dress made her like a pure and unforgettable heroine from many novels.
Unexpectedly, this was the type He Chenye liked.
Her thoughts tangled again. Sheng Huaining sat stiffly, raising a sparkling drink identical to He Chenye’s to her lips.
She took a small sip, un-swallowed, when the girl smiled sweetly at her and called out, “Sister-in-law.”
Pfft—
Cough-cough-cough—
Having been trained in etiquette since childhood, Sheng Huaining never expected her first breach of manners to happen in such an awkward moment.
She covered her mouth, choking and tearing up, her cheeks flushed.
Her eyes shifted, and He Chenye retracted his extended arm, signaling a nearby waiter to assist.
Finally recovering, the girl spoke again, looking apologetic and whispering, “Sister-in-law, sorry.”
Sheng Huaining’s mind was still muddled; she looked up blankly into He Chenye’s dark eyes.
He stroked the girl’s head, soothing her: “She’s my sister. She was ill as a child, so her ability to recognize and distinguish things is somewhat slow and dull. I hope Miss Sheng will forgive her.”
Then he turned to the girl, “Xixi, this is your sister. You called the wrong name.”
“No, sister-in-law,” the girl stubbornly insisted, refusing to correct herself.
In just a few sentences, so much information had been revealed to Sheng Huaining.
Her feelings were mixed: ashamed for her wild speculations before coming here, and moved by the girl’s tearful expression.
After a moment of silence, she chose to indulge.
She took a breath and said, “It’s okay. Let her call me that.”
Perhaps to ease her own guilt, Sheng Huaining took great care of the girl during the meal.
She removed raspberries from the dessert that the girl disliked and peeled several queen prawns, placing them on the girl’s plate.
Despite He Chenye’s several attempts to stop her, she persisted.
Soon, Xixi moved from He Chenye’s side to Sheng Huaining’s, calling “Sister-in-law” one after another, as if they had known each other for a long time.
With the misunderstanding cleared and the meal nearly finished, Sheng Huaining set down her utensils and addressed the matter at hand.
“Thank you for taking me home last night. But the bracelet you gave me—it’s not mine.”
She turned sideways and unfastened the clasp on her bag, then soon after handed over a dustproof velvet pouch.
“Sorry, I happen to have an identical one, so I didn’t notice at first.”
He Chenye’s brow relaxed, and a subtle expression passed over his face, which Sheng Huaining caught easily.
She cautiously asked, “You knew it wasn’t mine?”
Sure enough, he nodded and said, “It was bought for Xixi.”
She pressed on, “Then why did you…”
Suddenly, He Chenye sat up straight and briefly recounted the events after hearing a scream in the elevator last night—how he contacted the property management and persuaded them to let him check it out.
Sheng Huaining was surprised at the huge misunderstanding.
She gave an apologetic smile, then earnestly said, “I realize now how deeply I misjudged you.”
“Hm?”
She swallowed hard and decided to be frank.
“I thought you were trying to flirt with me and reckoned you a fickle scoundrel. Looking back, I feel utterly ashamed.”
“You gave me a ride home, which was no trouble at all. You accidentally gave me the wrong bracelet because you were worried about me, yet I maliciously suspected you. I don’t even know how to face you.”
“Feeling guilty?” He Chenye frowned slightly.
She hid her face, saying nothing.
After a long pause, she excitedly added, “How about I treat you to a meal? You pick the restaurant this time, as a chance for me to make amends.”
He shook his head, his gaze shifting from the playful Xixi to Sheng Huaining.
In a calm tone, he said, “I see Xixi really likes you. She’ll be going back to school in a couple of days. Could you take her to the hairdresser?”
Such a trivial request was impossible for Sheng Huaining to refuse, and her voice brightened considerably.
“Then tomorrow should I come pick her up at your place, or will you bring her down?”
He smiled, “Apartment 1501. I’ll trouble Miss Sheng to make a trip.”