Strangers

Su Jian was left speechless. Was he teasing her? It felt peculiar and unfamiliar. He seemed to have set a trap. Regardless of how she responded, there was no right answer. Could she just agree that she missed him? What reason did she have to suddenly miss him? It would be strange. After all, they were still practically strangers.

But wasn't it too hurtful to say that she did not miss him? No matter what, they were bound by marriage. Even if they couldn't grow old in love, they should at least show mutual respect.

Fortunately, Jin Pingchuan did not seem to be expecting an immediate response. He asked again, "Or are you reminding me that tomorrow is Friday?"

Su Jian remained speechless. She had completely forgotten the matter.

"Don't worry, I'll remember," Jin Pingchuan reassured her. "I'm still on my business trip. I'll be back in Haicheng tomorrow morning. I'll be home in the afternoon. I'll contact you then."

"Okay," she replied softly, hearing a faint voice from the other end of the phone. Based on what Jin Pingchuan had just said, she guessed he was still occupied with work. Then, Jin Pingchuan added, "Su Jian, I still have something to take care of here..."

"Alright, you go ahead," Su Jian replied considerately.

After ending the call, Su Jian gazed out of the car window. It was May, and the scenery was enchanting. The roads were adorned with lush greenery. Normally, the person closest to her, besides her parents and brothers, would be the person sitting beside her. However, that person was still a stranger to her. How could she share with him what was happening at home?

Moreover, Su Jian was unaware of Jin Pingchuan's financial situation. What would he think if she borrowed 100,000 dollars from him right after their marriage? Would he believe she was taking advantage of him, both emotionally and financially? Just a few days ago, they had agreed that financial conditions were unimportant during their discussions, yet now she was seeking his help with money...

Su Jian felt a headache coming on and could only consider other options.

On Friday afternoon, Jin Pingchuan used the excuse of discussing a case to drive Changhe to the highway. By 3:30 p.m., they reached Lingnan City. Jin Pingchuan intended to find an excuse to send Changhe away so he could call for a car to Liang An County.

Little did he know that halfway through the journey, he received a call from Jiang Xu, who urged him to go to Zijin Club. Jiang Xu claimed to have found a house and requested Jin Pingchuan to pick up the keys. However, upon entering the private room, Jin Pingchuan's expression turned cold.

As Jin Pingchuan walked into the room, the others warmly greeted him, addressing him as "Brother Jin" or "Second Brother." While suppressing his anger, he nodded in response. After exchanging pleasantries, he seized an opportunity to pull Jiang Xu aside into an empty lounge.

"What's going on?" Jin Pingchuan asked, his expression turning cold.

Jiang Xu clasped his hands together and pleaded. "I had no choice. I owe him a favor. Please understand. You know Zheng Mingyang—he's been pursuing you since childhood. Even if you don't handle the Zheng family's case, it's been a long time since we last met."

Jiang Xu then cast a meaningful glance at Changhe. "Don't you agree, Changhe? It's still early, and Brother Jin would end up alone at home. Otherwise, he'd be spending time with the children. How boring."

Changhe touched his nose but remained silent, sensing the tension in the air.

Jin Pingchuan pinched the space between his eyebrows, deep in thought. After a moment of contemplation, he reluctantly extended his hand. "Give me the key," he said, pausing briefly. "But just this once."

Meanwhile, Su Jian found herself swamped with work, leaving her with barely enough time to catch her breath. When she finally had a moment to check her phone, she noticed that Jin Pingchuan had sent her a message around four in the evening.

"I've returned from my business trip. I'm in Lingnan City, but I will be having an unavoidable gathering tonight. It might be late for me to return to Liang An County. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Okay," Su Jian replied.

Shortly after, another message arrived from Jin Pingchuan. "Call me tomorrow."

"Sure," she responded.

Su Jian placed her phone down, feeling a tinge of nervousness. Jin Pingchuan was coming back... She couldn't quite explain it, but she had a strange premonition that this man would disrupt her peaceful life. She couldn't foresee whether the consequences would be positive or negative.

Around six o'clock, as Su Jian prepared to finish work, she stretched her neck and pondered for a while before making a phone call to Mr. Zhang, Zheng Mingyang's lawyer.

That day, Su Jian had received a lawyer's letter from Zheng Mingyang. Zheng Mingyang's family intended to sue Su Xingyuan, making the situation even more complicated.

The call connected, and Su Jian spoke softly, "Hello, is this Mr. Zhang? I'm Su Xingyuan's elder sister, Su Jian. I would like to arrange a face-to-face meeting with Mr. Zheng Mingyang regarding the incident where Su Xingyuan injured him. Could you provide me with his phone number?"