Falling After Marriage - Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Cheng Sangluo, Coax Me

It was past midnight, and the evening breeze finally dispelled the day’s heat.

Cheng Sangluo had missed the last bus and couldn’t bear to take a taxi, so she had to walk back to her rental room.

She walked alone on the bridge. The affluent area behind her was brightly lit, while the old city ahead was dilapidated and rundown.

This bridge was like a dividing line of class; some people spent their entire lives trying to get to the end but could never cross it.

The damp evening wind billowed Cheng Sangluo’s clothes.

She stopped, resting her hands on the railing, gazing at the endless coastline.

The sea was black, the waves were black, and even the moon in the sky was covered in a layer of darkness, much like her bleak life.

“Investment company…” Cheng Sangluo muttered, deep in thought about something. After a long moment of contemplation, she finally moved on.

After walking for nearly two hours, she finally returned to her rented accommodation.

It was a two-story residential building. The landlord, a man in his sixties, ran a small grocery store on the first floor and often sat outside to cool off and chat.

Seeing Cheng Sangluo, he waved his fan in greeting: “Xiao Cheng is back.”

“You’re still awake, it’s getting late.” Cheng Sangluo exchanged a simple greeting and went inside.

Just a few steps up the stairs, she could see a wooden ladder hanging on the wall—the only means of reaching her room.

It was less a room and more an attic where one couldn’t even stand up straight, perhaps not even a proper attic.

It was a tiny space the landlord had constructed beneath the stairs.

The door was made of two worn wooden boards with a few holes drilled in them for ventilation.

On the yellowish wall, there was a flickering wall lamp with poor contact on one side and an extremely noisy fan on the other. The only other feature was an outlet.

The rent was only fifteen yuan a day, including utilities. To shower or use the toilet, she had to go to the public restroom on the second floor.

Despite often being woken up by footsteps, Cheng Sangluo was content—content with the cheap price and content to have a place to stay.

Cheng Sangluo, nearly 180cm tall and nimble, quickly used the walls for support and climbed into the door.

She collapsed exhaustedly onto the mattress. Her feet were too long, hanging out the door a bit. She couldn’t close the door fully anyway, as it was too stuffy without air conditioning, so she had to rely on this to ventilate.

“Oops!”

Cheng Sangluo slapped her forehead. Smelling the stench on herself, she clambered back down the wall to take a shower.

How much worse could life get?

It was just this, nothing more.

At the same time, in the other world of neon lights.

Lin Jin, after her dinner engagement, uncharacteristically refused any further entertainment.

The driver helped her into the extended Land Rover, cautiously asking: “Boss, are we going back to Linxitai, or the Lin family mansion?”

Lin Jin’s cheeks were flushed with wine, her blurry eyes scattered with light. Her body was soft as water. After a moment, she replied: “Linxitai.”

Tonight’s dinner wasn’t strictly business, but she had drunk several bottles of red wine. Others joked that Director Lin was drinking away her sorrows, wondering which woman had broken her heart.

Lin Jin was petty. She singled out the person who joked about her and forced him to drink an entire bottle of wine before she felt satisfied.

The driver was terrified of his boss getting carsick, so he drove very smoothly.

Lin Jin leaned her head against the window, the fake smile she had maintained all evening finally slipping away.

“Who made me unhappy? It’s Cheng Sangluo.” She murmured to herself, her face full of disappointment, blaming the insensitive person.

Lin Jin didn’t let the driver help her inside.

Stumbling, she pushed the door open, the pain in her ankle jarring her back to reality slightly.

The house was too large, feeling cold even in the height of summer. That unshakeable chill was wrapped in loneliness.

Lin Jin collapsed onto the sofa, wondering when this house had last been lively. Her memory stopped at the night she wanted to sleep with the puppy.

She raised her hand to shield her forehead and let out a cackling laugh.

The laugh was lonely, echoing in the house, creating immense desolation.

She laboriously supported herself and scanned the living room repeatedly, finding that the puppy had left nothing behind except the potted flower.

No one knew why she cared so much about a person with a criminal record.

That secret was like a seed buried in her heart, accelerated by time, now entangled around her soul with deep roots.

The wine was taking effect. Lin Jin rubbed her temples, her breathing heavy.

She bent down and pulled open the coffee table drawer, rummaging inside until she found a box of psychiatric medication.

Ignoring the prescription instructions, she swallowed a few pills haphazardly.

Collapsing back onto the sofa, she remembered the puppy’s advice and propped her injured foot on the armrest.

But it hurts so much. It’s just a sprained ankle, why does it hurt like this?

Cheng Sangluo, why?

Lin Jin frowned, reaching around until she finally found her phone.

She scrolled through her contacts, then suddenly stopped her finger, mocking herself for panicking—hadn’t she memorized that number long ago?

Cheng Sangluo had a comfortable hot shower.

She hung the towel around her neck, preparing to climb back into the tiny attic, when she ran into the landlord standing by the door.

The old man shushed her and beckoned: “Xiao Cheng, come here quickly.”

Cheng Sangluo quite liked the old man. Despite his age, he loved staying up late and was always cheerful.

She followed the sound outside, confused: “Uncle, what is it?”

The old man pointed to a plate of fruit beside him: “I just cut this melon. It’s too big to finish, and it spoils easily in the heat. Why don’t you help me finish some?”

Cheng Sangluo grinned, amused by the kind old man’s awkwardness in hiding his concern.

“Then I won’t be polite!” She picked up a piece of chilled watermelon and squatted down, taking large bites.

The old man fanned himself and smiled: “Is it sweet?”

“Very sweet.”

“See! Hahaha! Eat more, eat more.”

The cozy atmosphere was broken by a phone ringing.

“Excuse me, I need to take this call.”

Cheng Sangluo walked outside the alley, still chewing her watermelon. An unfamiliar number flashed persistently on the screen, stubborn and determined.

Cheng Sangluo answered suspiciously: “Hello?”

“Hello?”

There was no sound in the earpiece, but she could hear faint breathing.

Cheng Sangluo lost her patience, but remained polite: “Did you dial the wrong number?”

“Little puppy.”

The voice was too familiar, causing Cheng Sangluo’s spine to stiffen. She felt the crazy woman was like a stubborn plaster that couldn’t be shaken off.

Now it was her turn to remain silent.

“Please talk, okay?” Lin Jin had lost the dominance she held during the day, her tone soft and slurred.

In truth, she was relieved—relieved that the puppy hadn’t hung up the phone.

Cheng Sangluo crunched her watermelon, her mouth full: “Get to the point.”

“Cheng Sangluo, my foot hurts.”

Lin Jin had completely lost her powerful bearing. When she complained of pain, her voice softened even more, sounding exactly like a small woman who needed comforting.

Cheng Sangluo froze for a moment. She rarely heard Lin Jin call her by her full name.

Out of an instinctive kindness, she simply repeated her previous instructions: “Ice it, prop your foot up. What else can I do? I’m not a doctor.”

“But it hurts so much.” Lin Jin’s voice was thick with a nasal tone, as if a slight provocation would make her cry.

The next second, it turned into a heartbreaking plea: “Can you please coax me?”

Cheng Sangluo found it inexplicable, but she figured Lin Jin was drunk. Was this her drunken frenzy?

She leaned against the wall. When she came to her senses, the watermelon was already eaten down to the rind.

But her heart was tough. Even when pleaded with softly, her reply was simply ‘No’.

“Coax me…”

“No coaxing.”

“Coax me…”

“Are you done with this?”

“Coax me…”

Well, now Lin Jin was a stubborn repeat offender, and Cheng Sangluo was still annoyed.

Breaking the stalemate was a cold threat: “I’m hanging up if you don’t have anything to say.”

Lin Jin threatened back: “Don’t you dare hang up, or I’ll keep calling.”

Cheng Sangluo teased: “Are you stupid? Don’t you know there’s a feature called the blacklist?”

Lin Jin mumbled: “Then I’ll use a different number, I’ll change numbers until you answer.”

Cheng Sangluo rolled her eyes: “Hmph, can you be any more childish?”

The earpiece was briefly silent.

“Who was that woman?”

This was likely the question Lin Jin had been trying to ask all evening.

Cheng Sangluo, still chewing the rind, was both annoyed and amused: “Who she is, is none of your business.”

“How is it not my business… I won’t be able to sleep…”

Two completely unrelated matters were mashed together by Lin Jin. She was being unreasonable, but her soft voice made it impossible to get angry.

Cheng Sangluo realized that every clash with Lin Jin ended inconclusively, and only tonight’s phone call felt somewhat gentle.

She finally softened her temper, but her stubborn mouth couldn’t say anything either harshly mean or pleasantly nice.

“If you can’t sleep, listen to the Great Compassion Mantra. That piece is 13 minutes long. By the time you reach the halfway point, you should be asleep.”

“Hahahaha—” Lin Jin’s laughter was light, even allowing one to imagine her crescent-moon eyes at that moment.

Cheng Sangluo actually found the laughter pleasant, but she also thought it was mockery: “I gave you genuinely good advice, why are you laughing?”

“I’m laughing at how clumsy your mouth is. Even your comforting words are so tough~”

Cheng Sangluo kicked a small pebble away, disgruntled: “My attitude towards you is already good enough. Don’t push your luck.”

“So… you still haven’t told me… who that woman is?” When she mentioned the woman, Lin Jin’s voice cooled again.

It seemed she wouldn’t let this go tonight unless she got an answer.

Cheng Sangluo flashed a mischievous smile, intentionally provoking: “She takes me out to expensive restaurants, always likes to link arms with me, she’s clingy and cute, and she cares that I’ve lost weight recently. So, what do you think our relationship is?”

Lin Jin listened to the long chain of details that were clearly meant to incite her emotion, but her response was incredibly calm: “Cheng Sangluo, you belong to me.”

“A ghost belongs to you.” Cheng Sangluo couldn’t stand this domineering CEO talk, but then she wore a playful smile: “Now you won’t be able to sleep even more, will you?”

She seemed to really enjoy this small revenge!

Lin Jin scoffed: “Aren’t you afraid I’ll do something crazy to that woman?”

Cheng Sangluo’s joy turned to sorrow. How could she forget that Lin Jin was a lunatic?

“Do you really want to know who she is?” She countered, finally teasing: “Recharge for VIP, and I’ll tell you.”

“Hmph, that joke isn’t funny at all.”

“Ugh, she’s my good friend and comrade. I’m warning you, don’t mess with her!”

“Friend? Comrade?” Lin Jin pondered, half-believing: “Then why was she holding your arm?”

Cheng Sangluo protested: “Are you done with this? Your friends can hold your arm too.”

“I’ll believe you this time. If you dare to lie to me, I won’t let you off the hook.”

“You mind your own business! Why are you so nosy!” Cheng Sangluo protested again, turning towards the alley: “I’ve been working all day. I’m exhausted, I’m going to sleep.”

This time, Lin Jin didn’t pester her, but demanded: “Cheng Sangluo, say goodnight.”

Cheng Sangluo remained stubborn: “No goodnight. Hanging up.”

But wasn’t that still saying it?

When she reached the door of the rental house, the old man was surprisingly still there, laughing cheerfully: “Are you dating?”

“Not at all. I’m single.” Cheng Sangluo’s body stiffened. She squatted down and began eating the watermelon again.

“Usually, only young couples talk on the phone for so long.”

A chill ran down her spine. Cheng Sangluo shivered and laughed awkwardly: “Uncle, you’re quite a gossip.”

Dating that crazy woman?

Heh, not even a dog would date her.

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