Chapter 10
“Fake Fiancée of a Possessive Big Shot”
When he woke up and went downstairs, the old master and Madam Chen were in the living room trimming a potted plant. The old master loved growing flowers. When his health was good, he had planted many in the courtyard, but now he no longer had the strength to take care of them.
Today, he seemed to be in good spirits, so he had someone bring a pot indoors and excitedly tried to prune it. However, his hands holding the pruning shears kept trembling, and he couldn’t cut anything. In the end, he could only guide Madam Chen while she did the trimming.
Jiang Cheng greeted them and sat down. Seeing leaves scattered on the floor, he casually picked some up. His fingers moved deftly, and in just a moment, the long leaves were woven into a small bird.
He handed it to the old master.
The old man held it in his hands and examined it back and forth, smiling so widely he couldn’t close his mouth.
“My little Ying’er’s hands are really clever. Just a few leaves and you can make such a lifelike little bird. Amazing… cough, truly amazing… cough cough cough.”
Perhaps he was too excited, because he suddenly started coughing.
A caretaker hurried over to pat his back and help him breathe, but the coughing wouldn’t stop.
Worse, the caretaker noticed blood at the corner of his mouth. Looking again, there was a pool of dark red blood in his palm.
Everyone panicked instantly and quickly called a doctor, medication, and emergency rescue.
Soon, an ambulance arrived and took the unconscious old master away.
Jiang Cheng followed the chaotic crowd to the hospital, his face pale and lost.
Author’s Note:
Chapter 8
The old master was sent directly into the emergency room. Aside from a few comforting words from household staff telling him not to be afraid, that he would be saved, almost no one spoke to Jiang Cheng.
He couldn’t help but overthink.
They always said people have a “final burst of energy” before death. Was the old master suddenly energetic today because of that?
If he really passed away, Jiang Cheng would blame himself forever. After all, this sudden attack seemed to be triggered by the leaf craft he had given him. That thought pressed on his heart like a heavy stone.
Soon, Chen Pingzhou and others arrived. He immediately asked the caretaker about what had happened. After hearing it, he anxiously waited outside.
Jiang Cheng only knew him here, so he walked over, hoping to hear something reassuring. But Chen Pingzhou had no mind to deal with him and waved him off.
“Let me be alone.”
The old master’s will had already been written, but no one knew its contents. After Jiang Cheng arrived, it had never been changed.
What Chen Pingzhou feared most was that if the old man died now, he would gain nothing and all his efforts would be wasted—worse, he would also offend Shang Zheyan.
He desperately hoped the old man would live longer, so right now his mind was completely occupied.
Time passed second by second. The emergency room light never went off, and critical condition notices were issued several times.
Every time the doors opened and closed, it felt like a hammer striking everyone’s chest. Their faces grew increasingly pale.
Jiang Cheng’s chest felt tight, emotions like waves rising up, making it hard to breathe.
At that moment, he suddenly missed his grandmother. He wanted to call her, hear her voice, feel a bit of warmth—but his fingers turned white as he gripped his phone. In the end, he forced himself to stop.
More and more people arrived—strangers, all in suits, clearly coming straight from work.
Then, once again, footsteps echoed in the corridor.
As if sensing something, Jiang Cheng, lost and anxious, looked up.
His gaze met Shang Zheyan’s.
Unlike everyone else’s unfamiliar indifference, that was the only gaze that carried him inside it. In that chaotic place where he didn’t belong, Jiang Cheng felt like a drifting log finally finding something to hold onto.
Shang Zheyan walked quickly toward him. Others were surprised by his arrival, but before anyone could greet him, he raised a hand to stop them.
“I’m just here to check. Don’t bother me.”
He stood in front of Jiang Cheng, his tall figure casting a shadow over him.
“Are you okay?” he asked softly.
Jiang Cheng shook his head.
Seeing his pale expression, Shang Zheyan thought he was afraid and said, “Don’t be scared. The old master will be fine.”
Jiang Cheng took out his phone and typed:
“It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t made that leaf craft and made him too excited, he wouldn’t have vomited blood. It’s my fault.”
Shang Zheyan understood the situation immediately.
So that was why he looked so lost and self-blaming.
“Did they blame you?” he asked in a low voice.
Jiang Cheng quickly shook his head.
“No one blamed me. It’s just me. I just wanted to make him happy. I didn’t mean it.”
“It’s not your fault,” Shang Zheyan said calmly. “His condition was already very weak. Something like this could happen at any time. You just happened to be there. Don’t put the blame on yourself.”
Jiang Cheng knew that logically, but the suffocating atmosphere still made him think too much.
After all, in this family, he was truly an outsider.
Seeing his brows still furrowed, Shang Zheyan took a candy from his suit pocket, unwrapped it, and held it out.
“Open your mouth.”
Jiang Cheng instinctively obeyed.
The candy was placed in his mouth. A light sweetness spread across his tongue, dissolving the bitterness. The heavy feeling in his chest slowly melted away.
“Thank you,” Jiang Cheng typed.
Shang Zheyan put away the wrapper and said, “Sit over there and wait. Don’t think too much. I’ll stay with you.”
Time passed again.
About half an hour later, the emergency room doors opened once more—but this time it wasn’t another critical notice.
The doctor came out.
Everyone rushed forward.
The doctor raised a hand for silence and said, “The patient has been temporarily resuscitated. He will be transferred to the ICU for observation overnight. If his condition remains stable, he will be out of danger.”
A collective breath of relief filled the hallway.
Some people relaxed, while others looked uncertain, each hiding their own thoughts.
Jiang Cheng also exhaled softly.
Good. The old master was safe.
The old master was transferred to intensive care, and no visitors were allowed. People gradually left. Some tried to speak to Shang Zheyan, but seeing his indifferent expression, they wisely backed off.
Chen Pingzhou now looked much more relaxed. He wiped his face and walked over with a smile.
“Mr. Shang, I was too focused on the old master earlier and couldn’t take care of Miss Chen. Thank you for looking after her.”
Shang Zheyan replied coldly, “Mr. Chen is quite filial. Since you’re busy, I’ll take her with me.”
Chen Pingzhou quickly said, “It’s late already. I’ve booked a restaurant nearby. If you don’t mind, let’s have a meal together so I can express my gratitude.”
He subtly glanced at Jiang Cheng, signaling him to help persuade Shang Zheyan.
But Jiang Cheng simply pretended not to understand.
Chen Pingzhou cursed inwardly but had no choice.
“No need,” Shang Zheyan said lightly. Then he looked at Jiang Cheng. “Let’s go. I’ll take you to change clothes first.”
Only then did Jiang Cheng notice a faint blood stain on his skirt—likely from the chaos earlier when the old master vomited blood.
Because his dress was light-colored, it was quite visible.
They left the hospital.
Across the street was a shopping mall.
Shang Zheyan glanced at several women’s clothing stores and led Jiang Cheng into one he recognized.
“Welcome!” the sales assistant greeted warmly. “These are our new arrivals. Feel free to try anything you like.”
It was Shang Zheyan’s first time dealing with women’s clothing. He looked down at Jiang Cheng and asked, “Pick one you like.”
Jiang Cheng was just as confused.
Most of his clothes had been prepared in advance by Madam Chen based on his size. He didn’t need to think—just wear what was given.
Now being asked to choose, he had no idea.
After a long pause, a sales assistant quickly noticed his hesitation.
“Are you the lady buying clothes? I can recommend something for you.”
Jiang Cheng immediately nodded.
She looked him over. “You’re quite tall. How about this dress?”
She took out a milky-white fitted puff-sleeve dress.
For a moment, Shang Zheyan’s eyes flashed with a memory of their first meeting—a girl in a white dress.
“Try it,” he said.
Jiang Cheng had already become used to wearing dresses lately. Under Shang Zheyan’s gaze, he took it into the fitting room.
Three minutes later, he came out a little awkwardly.
Unlike the long dresses Madam Chen had prepared for him, this one was short. On his 176cm frame, most of his thighs were exposed. The layered chiffon skirt felt light and airy, making him slightly uncomfortable—as if he wasn’t wearing pants.
“Wow, so beautiful!” the sales assistant exclaimed. “You looked like a princess the moment you walked out! Your legs are so long and straight—you could be a model! Sir, what do you think?”
She looked at Shang Zheyan.
From the moment Jiang Cheng stepped out, Shang Zheyan’s gaze had been fixed on him.
The dress had a waist-cinching design, tightly defining his slender waist. The short skirt revealed long, straight legs. Under the milky-white fabric, his skin looked pale and almost glowing.
Shang Zheyan’s eyes darkened slightly.
Jiang Cheng felt extremely uncomfortable under that gaze. Now that he knew about Shang Zheyan’s feelings toward him, that look felt especially… intense.
He quickly typed: “This one, okay?”
“It’s not suitable. Change it,” Shang Zheyan said.
Jiang Cheng blinked and looked at the mirror again.
It seemed fine to him.
The sales assistant was also confused.
“May I ask what’s unsuitable?”
“Too short,” Shang Zheyan said.
The assistant: “……”
She thought: So you’re that kind of conservative boyfriend.
“Then I’ll pick a longer one—”
Before she could finish, a mechanical female voice interrupted:
“No need. This one is fine.”
It was Jiang Cheng’s app voice.
Under Shang Zheyan’s gaze, he typed shyly:
“I like short ones. They’re cooler to wear. Haha.”
