Chapter 144: Stirred Emotions (Additional Chapter: The Glass Slipper) A Bonus for The Thousand Twinkling Stars

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Liang Jinshang was tempted to reply, "Yes, it’s disgusting!" But when she met Shang Yucheng’s gaze and recalled his earlier fierce look in the living room, as if he wanted to devour her whole, she held back. Provoking him now would only bring her harm.

Her face pale, she softened her tone with a strategic retreat. “It’s not that. I just flew back from Xing City and I’m really tired.”

Though not exactly coaxing, this approach usually worked on Shang Yucheng most of the time. Today, however, he remained unmoved, raising an eyebrow. “You’re tired from hiking with Chao Jingyu, aren’t you?”

“How do you know...” Liang Jinshang began to protest, then stopped. “You know I went hiking with Chao Jingyu?”

So just now, his ‘catching in the act’ demeanor was because he suspected she had gone to a hotel with Chao Jingyu! He knew everything.

Was he trying to take advantage of this?

Shang Yucheng cast her a cool, indifferent glance.

His flight arrived two hours later than hers, and with delays, by the time he reached Guanlan Courtyard, it was already dark.

Unexpectedly, no one was home except a cleaner tidying up.

When asked, it turned out Chao Jingyu had arranged for the cleaner.

After finishing, the cleaner was supposed to lock up and leave, but Shang Yucheng insisted she call Chao Jingyu, subtly hinting that it was late.

So, of course, Shang Yucheng knew that this woman who ignored him and didn’t answer his calls had gone hiking with another man.

But there were things he didn’t know.

Shang Yucheng asked calmly, “Why did you throw out the sofa at home?”

The sofa was indeed old, but since the day Liang Jinshang moved in, she had always acted as if she wanted everything to remain as it was, trying to reclaim what had been lost over the years.

So unless something drastic had happened, she wouldn’t have thrown out the sofa.

Liang Jinshang opened her mouth but found it hard to explain such an absurd thing.

Besides, when she secretly got Nan Yi out of the detention center, it was as if she was determined to sever ties with Shang Yucheng.

Naturally, she hadn’t told him that Nan Yi had moved into her home.

If he found out now, he would surely mock her mercilessly, saying she had “invited a wolf into the house” and deserved it.

Was she so foolish as to hand over material for his ridicule?

But Shang Yucheng blocked the door, looking as if he wouldn’t let her leave without an answer.

Liang Jinshang narrowed her eyes slightly, then whispered, “...It was dirty.”

Dirty was dirty. Why did she first glance at him?

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Shang Yucheng caught the meaning and countered, “Dirty, and you won’t even wash it? Just throw it away?”

Knowing Liang Jinshang well, he knew the sofa was one piece of furniture she was reluctant to part with. Even if it didn’t belong to this house, she was thrifty and would never discard something just because it was dirty.

Shang Yucheng asked coldly, “Are you talking about the sofa, or the person?”

“...”

If he had not put it that way, Liang Jinshang hadn’t meant to criticize anyone indirectly.

But Shang Yucheng’s interpretation wasn’t bad. While he was entangled with Yuan Xi ambiguously, he also clung stubbornly to her.

Wasn’t that exactly “dirty”?

Liang Jinshang’s lips moved, but before she could say something disappointing, Shang Yucheng interrupted, “I said, I have nothing to do with Yuan Xi.”

“If you insist on judging me and her as having some secret relationship just because of a sketchbook, I can tell you that book was found by Yuan Xi herself. She put a lot of effort into it, more than you can imagine. I believe she takes your father’s things seriously. And you, if you hadn’t happened to pass by, wouldn’t even know that Fang Xin’ou had a sketchbook treasured by someone. So even though I know Fang Xin’ou is your father, do I have to snatch what belongs to others?”

Shang Yucheng’s explanation could not ease Liang Jinshang’s resentment, but the first part caught her attention.

“Yuan Xi spent a lot of time collecting my father’s things?”

“Yes.”

“But how could she...” A vague feeling surfaced. Liang Jinshang recalled she had noticed Yuan Xi’s design works more than once, knew she had won many awards, and felt an inexplicable kinship because of Yuan Xi’s distinctive, elegant style.

She had thought it was because they both genuinely loved design and admired each other’s talents.

But connecting this with Shang Yucheng’s words today, Liang Jinshang began to sense something.

Yuan Xi’s design style actually bore the mark of Fang Xin’ou!

Suddenly, Liang Jinshang asked, “What... what is Yuan Xi’s relationship with my father?”

Shang Yucheng generously explained, “Yuan Xi graduated from the architecture department at Xing University.”

So that’s why, when Yuan Xi was the director of Lehai’s three facilities, she often took care of her.

It really wasn’t because of Shang Yucheng, but because of her father.

Liang Jinshang’s mind filled with Fang Xin’ou’s smile, her throat tightening.

The only memories she had now were of her father’s youth.

He was just over forty when imprisoned—full of ambition, cheerful and upright—a very good man.

That was why his students admired, remembered, and followed him.

What surprised Liang Jinshang was that even after more than nine years apart—

Fang Xin’ou’s legacy still blessed his daughter.

How could one not be moved to tears?

Suddenly, Liang Jinshang covered her eyes, turning her face away, struggling to suppress her emotions.

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Tonight, Shang Yucheng had been holding back his anger, waiting for her for two or three hours.

He had many grievances to settle.

He knew very well that even if she went out late at night with Chao Jingyu, that guy wouldn’t do anything improper to his woman.

But a girlfriend who ran off without warning and gave him the cold shoulder still needed some rules.

Clearly, those rules couldn’t be set now.

Seeing Liang Jinshang like this, even Shang Yucheng found himself unable to scold her.

He pulled the back of her neck, pressing her into his embrace.

Soon, he felt the warmth spreading across his chest.

This day had exhausted Liang Jinshang, leaving her both tired and defeated, all her emotions bottled inside.

Just now, while hiking with Chao Jingyu, he had been a good listener. If she had cried, Chao Jingyu wouldn’t have mocked her but would have comforted her carefully.

But with him, Liang Jinshang smiled more often.

The man before her was harsh, domineering, lacking empathy, self-centered—flaws everywhere.

Even when explanations were needed, he never said a word to cheer her up.

Yet, he casually stirred her emotions.

A man who can make you smile is naturally better than one who makes you cry.

But Liang Jinshang knew her own nature well; to cry freely without any burden in front of someone—

That person must be extraordinarily significant.

Though Shang Yucheng held her tightly, Liang Jinshang’s own hands hung limply at her sides.

She slowly curled her fingers inward, feeling a deep loneliness inside.

She knew she could no longer pretend to ignore the elephant in the room—

Pretend she was no longer moved.