Cousin (1)
With her credit card in her purse, Zhong Yuhuan spent a few hours at the mall before she finally bought all the toys and gifts that she had wanted.
She got into the car after she had paid for them all.
"Go to Yue Lan Mansion."
The driver turned around and gave her a surprised look before starting the car.
Yue Lan Mansion was the name of a collective group of mansions. It was one of the first batch of mansions being built in Goldwater City and also the most well known rich area in Goldwater City back in the days.
To this day, it signified old wealth.
Ding Ruxue, original owner's late mother, grew up here with her parents, but this was Zhong Yuhuan's first trip here.
Once she was inside the mansion district, she called her cousin up on her phone right away.
"Where are you?" asked the deep voice from the other end.
Zhong Yuhuan looked outside the window and said to him, "Next to a large water fountain surrounded by lots of yellow roses…"
"Okay, I know where you are now. Stay there and wait for me. Don't go anywhere." The man's voice seemed a bit rigid, seemingly uncomfortable talking to a girl her age.
"Okay," replied Zhong Yuhuan. She put away her cell phone and stepped out of the car to wait for her cousin after sending the driver home.
This cousin of Zhong Yuhuan was the son of her mother's older sister. His name was Lang Jinzhi.
When Lang Jinzhi rolled up in his car, he immediately saw that figure of the small and delicate girl standing there, along with a few large shopping bags next to her on the ground.
The last time Lang Jinzhi saw this cousin was at her mother's funeral. At the time, she was wearing a black dress and stood quietly in the very front. He stood in the back. Every time he looked up, he could see her skinny arms and legs.
She was so scrawny she looked pitiful.
He thought to himself – sure, they have not been close, but he was her cousin after all and he should go up and talk to her.
So he went up and talked to her.
She looked up and, with a stubbornness all over her face, she said, "I don't need any of you to be concerned about me!"
After that, he had been hearing rumors about the Zhong's from time to time.
One day little Miss Zhong had a big fight with her father and making everybody in the Zhong's house uncomfortable; another day little Miss Zhong went and caused a scene in front of the Zhong's office and almost cost them a business negotiation; day after that she had ran off on her own at her young age and the family almost thought she had become a missing person….
Lang Jinzhi understood that she felt unjust and upset, but he couldn't agree with her behaviors.
She had turned away any members from the Ding's family who tried to be nice to her. She was determined to fight Zhong Chi to the end of time and, on top of that, all her methods were just stupid and destructive.
That had also led to the decrease of fondness that Lang Jinzhi had for her.
Over time, he had lost all interest to try and take care of her.
Lang Jinzhi parked and got out of the car.
After getting closer to her, he noticed how she looked today – a white dress, her eyes and brows relaxed, and a small hint of a smile at the corners of her mouth.
She was almost like…. A completely different person than the one from his memory.
On the other side, Zhong Yuhuan had already called out to him, "Cousin!"
Even her voice was sweet.
She acted as though she was genuinely happy to see him.
Lang Jinzhi paused for a second but didn't say anything. He bent over and picked up the large shopping bags and placed him inside his truck. "Get in," he said.
Zhong Yuhuan nodded and opened up the door to the passenger seat by herself, got inside the car, and immediately buckled herself up.