Chapter 42: Spousal Resemblance

Hang Mu’s gaze was not very sharp. From a distance, seeing someone in red, she thought it was Su Ziceng who had arrived, but it was actually Hang Yishao, who usually doesn’t give people a second glance, who noticed something extraordinary about Su Ziceng dressed in light attire. Whenever Su Ziceng and Chang Chi made an appearance together, if Su Ziceng wore high-heeled shoes, Chang Chi was only allowed to wear flats and was strictly forbidden from donning Su Ziceng’s signature red color. Today, however, was a rare occasion. By the time Hang Mu realized it was Chang Chi whom she had enthusiastically taken by the hand, a stiffness crept onto her usually kind face. Being neither able to loosen her grip nor continue holding on, she was left with no choice but to scold Hang Yishao, who was stifling a laugh: "Why are you standing around? Take Ziceng inside." In the presence of his mother, Hang Yishao tended to be obedient, but today was a rare occasion when he genuinely listened and walked beside Su Ziceng. He had just exchanged greetings when he noticed that something was off about Su Ziceng’s expression, her eyes slightly red as if she had been wronged. Su Ziceng’s eyes were double-lidded with a slight upward tilt at the corners, not very large, but very expressive. As a child, she was often teased by Hang Yishao for having ‘fox eyes.’ Now, looking closely under the light, her eyes appeared clear with bright pupils, veiled by a layer of mist, ready to brim with tears at the slightest movement. Hang Yishao was momentarily stunned, thinking to himself that it must just be his imagination—surely Chang Chi hadn’t bullied Su Ziceng. While Chang Chi was initially pleased with herself, once she heard that Hang Yishao was accompanying Su Ziceng and noticed that Hang Mu’s affection in holding her hand had diminished, she understood somewhat the situation. Yet, she did not show any immediate change of face, continuously addressing Hang Mu with polite greetings. Hang’s father was sitting in the living room. Upon seeing the two "daughters" of his good friend Su Qingzhang, he exchanged pleasantries. When everyone took their seats, Su Ziceng was arranged to sit next to Hang Yishao, while Chang Chi reluctantly sat next to Hang Mu. Hang’s father ordered the servants to open the wine; they were having Spanish cuisine tonight, which was the best season for shellfish and seafood. After drinks were served, Hang’s father shared some amusing stories from the business world, eliciting hearty laughter from everyone. Although Hang Yishao enjoyed seafood, he was rather lazy, only eating easy-to-peel lobsters and leaving the rest untouched. While they were talking, his hand received a plate of peeled sea urchins and scallops, arranged over a bed of crushed ice used for chilling, with some sauce drizzled over it. At the same time, another plate appeared beside Hang’s father, freshly peeled by Hang Mu, who was about to prepare a plate for Hang Yishao when she noticed Su Ziceng’s actions and couldn’t help but laugh: "Ziceng is becoming more considerate by the day. Both father and son have been spoiled by me, neither lifting a finger to do anything." Both Hang father and son were picky and germophobic eaters, especially when it came to shellfish, which they didn’t like to be handled by servants. It was always Hang Mu who peeled for them and served them directly. Tonight, seeing Su Ziceng doing the same came as a surprise to some. Su Ziceng motioned for the servants to clear away the shells in front of her. Chang Chi, who was facing her, swallowed her lobster meat forcefully, cursing in her heart: "Su Ziceng being attentive? Maybe in her next life. At home, when eating crab and shrimp, isn’t it always the servants who do the work? She wouldn’t want to damage the manicure on her hands." With this thought, Chang Chi noticed that Su Ziceng’s nails were not painted with bizarre polish as before but were neatly trimmed with a healthy natural color. Su Ziceng hadn’t suddenly changed her nature; her tastes might have shifted a bit under Sister Mu’s guidance, but old habits die hard. Her disciplined life lasted only two months, and after returning to the Su Family, she went back to her old ways. The nail polish was due to the regulations at Kelly Women’s College, which only allowed elegant colors, meaning at most light pearl colors. Too lazy to maintain it, she simply applied a layer of nail strengthener, which also made it more convenient for her to take those damned French notes. As for peeling shells, she had become very accustomed to it. After marrying Hang Yishao, Hang Mu had automatically delegated the task of peeling to her, and after more than a decade, it had become a conditioned reflex. Hang Yishao took the plate of peeled shellfish, which had no excessive sprinkling of spring onions or chili. Popping one into his mouth, he instantly squinted his eyes in satisfaction. Su Ziceng had used only simple soy sauce with a bit of lemon juice—precisely to his taste. He disliked spicy food; when had she become so familiar with his preferences? This was not the first time recently; while the occurrences of Qiu Zhi flaunting in front of him had decreased, the breakfasts that were personally delivered or sent by someone to him each day always contained something he wanted to eat. "It’s quite delicious." Hang Yishao devoured a whole plate and then glanced at Su Ziceng, only to see her tilting her head and looking at him with an expression that oddly resembled his mother’s affectionate gaze at her son. He quickly stopped eating. Hang Mu and Hang’s father both had smiles that wouldn’t close as they were talking. Su Ziceng might have a bit of a temper, but rumor has it that during this summer break, she has changed her ways and enrolled in the prestigious Kelly Women’s College, known for producing socialites, and it seemed she was becoming increasingly compatible with their son. In the past, Su Ziceng enjoyed visiting the Hang Family, but after following Hang Yishao to study in Bianjing City, her visits became less frequent. After everyone had their meal and some drinks, buoyed by the spirits, Hang’s father cheerfully asked, "Ziceng, are you getting used to Kelly? Now that you and Yishao are closer, you should hang out more. See a movie, go out to eat, and you don’t have to just face us old folks." Hang Mu playfully scolded him, but her face was beaming with joy. Su Ziceng felt sweet inside as she listened, and even Hang Yishao didn’t dare to retort and could only agree. Chang Chi was clutching a piece of watermelon, chewing in her mouth with a bitter taste. Even though she was dressed in watermelon red, she still couldn’t produce any sense of sweetness to the onlookers. After the meal, their driver, who had been sent away earlier, hadn’t returned yet, so Hang Yishao volunteered to drive both of them back. On the way, Hang Yishao asked, "How’s your French coming along?" Su Ziceng was glancing at Chang Chi, who had a displeased look on her face, and her bright red dress had turned into a hideous heap. "Good news doesn’t go beyond the gate," Su Ziceng replied sullenly. "Even you know about it now." "That kid Fei Qing, he spent money to hire a French tutor. How could I not know? Do you want me..." As Hang Yishao was accelerating, he sped through a traffic light and abruptly braked, scaring the two passengers in the backseat into shouting out. He then realized he had said something wrong. Fei Qing was chasing after Yan Wuxu and was fawning over her by paying and putting in the effort. He must have eaten too much seafood and overindulged, which led him to... "No need; two people with one teacher is almost the same as having a private tutor, unless you can stuff a Frenchman into my stomach," Su Ziceng said, her stomach churning from his statement, which also nauseated away any doubts that had flashed through her mind. Meanwhile, Chang Chi was puzzled as to why Fei Qing would hire a French teacher when she hadn’t heard about any French language requirements at Quan University. The car stopped outside the Su Family’s garden, and as Su Ziceng looked inside, she saw a pair of gleaming eyes on the terrace looking their way. "I still have to swing by Zone 3; there’s a new anonymously owned pub that just opened, with a nice atmosphere. Do you guys want to come?" Hang Yishao asked hesitantly while starting the car; he had an ulterior motive for offering to give them a ride, and this was the real reason he took the initiative to escort them. "Sure." Chang Chi perked up again. Su Ziceng took another glance at the silhouette on the terrace, bit her lip, and said, "No thanks, I... have a headache." Hang Yishao glanced at Su Ziceng, noticing her rosy complexion and that she was not showing the slightest sign of discomfort, but chose not to expose it. He sped off, disappearing in no time, driving all the way down to the foot of the hill. With Chang Chi by his side, who was both shocked and delighted, he grunted, "I was just asking casually. Having her come along would have just been a nuisance." It was fortunate that Su Ziceng didn’t come. As soon as Chang Chi got out of the car, she saw a familiar figure and thought that Su Ziceng had changed her mind and followed them. The city’s well-to-do young men with their respective girlfriends gathered together, and standing beside Fei Qing was Yan Wuxu, dressed in Su Ziceng’s clothes. "Isn’t Deng Jiani here yet?" Hang Yishao didn’t even deign to look at Chang Chi but inquired about a name, causing Chang Chi’s face to turn instantly pale.