Chapter 364: Chapter 364 No Intention of a Matrimonial Alliance

"I understand him, and I hope you all can understand him as well," He Mingzhu’s words offered Zhou Chenyuan reassurance, "I don’t mind it."

Zhou Chenyuan was very pleased with He Mingzhu’s magnanimity. In fact, after expressing the intention of a marriage alliance to the He family, he gave it deep thought and decided to agree. Before agreeing, he had also mentioned the matter concerning Zhou Lin and Cheng Zhiwei.

And he made it clear that the Zhou Family would recognize those three children.

He Mingzhu had a say in the marriage alliance and cheerfully agreed to it.

Lin Yu looked left and right, but in the end, she did not object.

He Mingzhu took the initiative and said to Lin Yu, "Auntie, when you have time, could you take me around Yucheng?"

Zhou Chenyuan smiled and said, "She’s got time."

Lin Yu had mixed feelings, but she couldn’t stop it and could only respond with a complicated mindset, "Sure, let me know when you’re free."

...

In the parking lot.

Cheng Zhiwei arranged the two children in the car and then turned to look at Zhou Lin, who had been standing by the side, "I’m leaving first."

"Zhiwei."

"Zhou Lin, are you planning to marry He Mingzhu?" Cheng Zhiwei was the first to speak up; she asked him earnestly and seriously.

The appearance of He Mingzhu had confirmed the authenticity of the news Wen Yi had mentioned.

She was not asking out of jealousy but rather to ensure Zhou Lin was aware of what he was doing.

If he truly decided to enter into a marriage alliance with He Mingzhu, he should then distance himself more from their lives.

"No." Zhou Lin directly denied the news.

Cheng Zhiwei was taken aback, then frowned.

The news was clearly true, yet Zhou Lin would not admit it.

Zhou Lin said with a mild voice, "I don’t know where you heard this from, but I have no intention of marrying anyone."

"You don’t need to hide it from me, I already know," Cheng Zwei thought, maybe Zhou Lin was afraid she would leave with the children, so he was lying on purpose.

Yet such an act only made her feel he was still the same as before.

No change at all.

Zhou Lin took a step forward, suddenly closing the distance between them, causing Cheng Zhiwei to instinctively retreat until her back was against the car door.

"Zhou Lin," she said faintly, "everyone knows about it."

Zhou Lin didn’t hide it from her anymore, "The Zhou Family does have that intention, but I did not agree. If they insist on a marriage alliance, they can find someone else."

Cheng Zhiwei was stunned.

Did this mean he would not enter into a marriage alliance with He Mingzhu?

But... wasn’t this matter out of his hands?

She breathed slowly, perfectly controlling her emotions, and said evenly, "I don’t mean anything else, just want to tell you that if you do go through with a marriage alliance, you might want to choose someone else. He Mingzhu is not a nice person."

"Are you worried about me?" Zhou Lin’s tone revealed a hint of mirth.

Being so close, Cheng Zhiwei felt as if that laughter seemed to emanate from his chest.

Cheng Zhiwei couldn’t help pushing him away, whispering angrily, "Stay away from me."

Zhou Lin was in a good mood and obliged, stepping back.

Cheng Yang stuck his head out from the window with a firm voice, "Don’t you dare bully my mom."

Zhou Lin opened the car door, closed the rear window, then shut the door in quick successions, pinning Cheng Zhiwei against the door.

He looked down into her eyes, "Zhiwei, would you trust me just one more time?"

Such proximity was sufficient to stir countless ambiguities.

However, Cheng Zhiwei’s face remained calm, and her eyes as tranquil as a windless lake.

Zhou Lin’s mood sank; he clearly understood her sentiment at this moment.

For his closeness, she would no longer feel any flutter of the heart.

"Go back, be careful on the road," Zhou Lin released her of his own accord.

He knew very well that if he wanted to get close to her again, he couldn’t be hasty.

Back home, after bathing Cheng Yang and Cheng Xing and coaxing them to sleep, only then did she finally have time to relax.

Cheng Zhiyin’s name lit up on her phone screen.

Cheng Zhiwei stared at it for a while, her anxiety growing.

Cheng Zhiyin calling at this time likely meant there was a result concerning that matter.

She quietly watched her phone for a while before finally answering.

"Zhiwei," Cheng Zhiyin’s voice came through, weary.

"Are you back?" Cheng Zhiwei asked softly, "What did you find?"

Cheng Zhiyin was silent for a few seconds before laughing bitterly, "Dad said that back then, he had agreed to protect a friend’s child and unilaterally decided to exchange two children. Later, after he had settled his friend’s child, he went to look for that child, but the child was already gone."

Cheng Zhiwei listened with bated breath, tears welling in her eyes.

So that was it?

"That child who was lost by Cheng Shang, it’s Seo Zhenzhen, right?" Cheng Zhiwei bit her lip, her voice hoarse.

She leaned against the sofa and slowly sat down, feeling a throbbing at her temples.

"He had been searching ever since, and later found her in an orphanage. He couldn’t tell mom, so he looked after her in the name of sponsorship, and later brought her to our house. You know the rest."

Soon, only their breathing could be heard over the phone.

It was extremely heavy.

Seo Zhenzhen was the true daughter of the Cheng Family, but she had died.

This truth was like an insurmountable chasm that suddenly delineated Cheng Zhiwei’s relationship with the Cheng Family.

"When are you coming back?" Cheng Zhiwei asked.

She wanted to see her one more time.

"I just finished updating the family records, it might take another two or three days," Cheng Zhiyin spoke, her voice fading, "Since it’s been recorded, mom will find out sooner or later, so we’re planning to tell her after we come back."

Cheng Zhiwei tensed up; it was the logical step.

Guo Cuihua should know the truth.

But once it came out, she would no longer be part of the Cheng Family.

She would become an orphan with neither parents nor kin.

"What I mean is, I hope you can be there too," Cheng Zhiyin’s voice was still gentle, "I hope the four of us can sit down and have a calm conversation."

"Okay," Cheng Zhiwei replied hoarsely.

That was only right.

Though a calm and peaceful discussion seemed unlikely.

Cheng Shang had blamed Seo Zhenzhen’s death on her, and if Guo Cuihua knew, she would likely do the same.

"Zhiwei, don’t feel guilty," Cheng Zhiyin comforted her gently, "It’s not your fault; you are a victim too."

Cheng Zhiwei bitterly laughed; she had lived as Seo Zhenzhen for over twenty years, and Seo Zhenzhen had died. No one would believe she could be the victim.

Even if it was Cheng Shang’s mistake, in the end, it was all because of her.

"Zhiwei, are you listening?" Cheng Zhiyin became worried after not hearing a response for quite a while.

Cheng Zhiwei came back to her senses and gripped the phone tighter, her mind more chaotic but her words much more organized, "There’s another matter; can you ask dad... him."

"Go ahead."

"Since Seo Zhenzhen was his daughter, what about Bai Zhuzhu?"

Cheng Zhiwei thought, considering Seo Zhenzhen’s background, she must have been adopted by the Seo Family, so maybe it would be possible to find the family that adopted her and then her biological parents.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read