Chapter 78 : The Same People in Different Worlds
Saturday, a top-tier residential complex in Q District, C City, the Zhong family villa.
A gentle autumn rain caressed C City's earth, which still radiated the last traces of lingering warmth.
The pattering raindrops washed and cleansed the green trees and vines outside the window. A small bird seeking shelter shook its feathers pitifully on the balcony railing, anxiously and fearfully waiting for another chance to take flight.
Sitting on the exaggerated sofa in Zhong Jing's study, Tsurumi Haruka wore a school-style short skirt with a windbreaker, holding a Japanese novel in her hands and quietly reading. Not far to her side was a young man battling at his computer.
Deafening and heart-rending various game sound effects filled her ears. Tsurumi Haruka put down her book, slowly walked over to sit beside Zhong Jing, and turned to look at the screen.
"Does Jing-kun really enjoy playing computer games?"
Tsurumi Haruka scooted slightly closer toward Zhong Jing, trying to appear more intimate.
"Just finding myself something challenging." Zhong Jing didn't turn around, his hands busy on the keyboard, eyes focused ahead. "To put it plainly, it's making excuses for boredom, passing time and finding some fun."
Probably another unpleasant battle experience. Zhong Jing grimaced as he closed the game, then turned to look at the girl beside him: "Miss Tsurumi, you stay at my house every week, but I don't enjoy being with you. Don't you feel anything about that?"
After speaking, Zhong Jing lit a cigarette and looked at the Japanese girl's pretty face with interest.
Tsurumi Haruka slightly adjusted her sitting posture to maintain as proper an appearance as possible under his gaze, with a trace of apology on her face: "I'm sorry, perhaps I haven't done better yet, which has disappointed Jing-kun somewhat."
"Oh... how old are you?"
Zhong Jing watched the burning part of his cigarette, a hint of mischief appearing in his eyes.
Tsurumi Haruka was startled. A barely detectable flash of annoyance passed by, but she still lowered her head slightly, blushing as she lowered her voice: "Nineteen... didn't uncle and aunt tell Jing-kun?"
Nineteen? A Mid-tier Baron Blood Clan… if Master hadn't told me your real age, I might even believe ninety-nine…
However, seeing the other party behave almost identically to a nineteen-year-old girl, the mischievous teasing in Zhong Jing's heart grew even stronger.
"I don't really like girls who are too young." Zhong Jing blew smoke rings with a scoundrel's expression. "Besides, I've never understood why your grandfather would choose to have you marry into the Zhong family, let alone me. I don't see any benefit for either of us."
Tsurumi Haruka smiled, elegantly playing with the beautiful hair draped over her shoulder, the corners of her mouth slightly upturned: "Jing-kun will be the great man who will control Zhong Group in the future. Tsurumi Financial Group will be the greatest pillar behind Zhong Group. Zhong Group's future stage will be the entire world."
"No, no, no, you still don't understand what I mean. I'm asking what benefits there are for you, for me, not the things behind us."
Speaking, Zhong Jing tossed away his cigarette butt and casually placed a hand on Tsurumi Haruka's flesh-colored stockinged thigh, stroking gently but brazenly, while his eyes held a playful and mysterious smile.
This action immediately made Tsurumi Haruka's entire body tense up, even unconsciously turning her head to the side.
"Can't answer? Or is it that from beginning to end, you've never truly thought about what benefits this absurd arranged marriage has for you personally?"
Tsurumi Haruka's nervous, timid appearance was like the rain-soaked little bird outside the window, making the impulse to release his pent-up frustration in Zhong Jing's heart even stronger, his tone becoming more frivolous.
"You're the wealthy heiress of Tsurumi Financial Group, very rich, but I don't seem to lack money either, right? Even without you, I could live a more carefree life than ninety-nine point nine percent of men in the world.
"So when I marry a wife, I never look at whether the other party has money or power. What do you think you have that could attract my attention?"
Tsurumi Haruka was stunned, her facial expression changing continuously, seeming to sense the malicious teasing from the young man opposite, anger and even killing intent slowly forming in her heart.
The sound of rain grew louder, large raindrops violently striking the windows, sticking on strings of chaotic, cracked tears that blurred the world outside.
On the balcony, the rain-sheltering little bird had disappeared, leaving only seven or eight scattered feathers and traces of fresh blood on the railing being diluted by rainwater.
Perhaps sensing its master's current mood, the Ragdoll cat that had been wandering somewhere unknown suddenly appeared beside Tsurumi Haruka, carrying the dead bird in its mouth.
Setting down the bird's corpse, the Ragdoll cat let out a low, threatening growl at Zhong Jing like a wild cat protecting its food, its open mouth revealing two sharp little teeth tinged with blood red.
"Are you unhappy?"
Zhong Jing glanced at the Ragdoll cat beside her, smiling as he slowly moved his hand away from her thigh and began playing with his lighter.
"Or is it that you actually know you don't need someone like me as your husband at all… either your grandfather has too many ideas, or is it perhaps you?"
"Jing-kun, did I do something wrong somewhere... that makes you dislike or hate me..."
Tsurumi Haruka bent down to hold the Ragdoll cat in front of her, lowering her head and biting her lip hard, forcibly suppressing the anger and killing intent in her heart, her voice trembling: "As your future wife, I will always put my husband's interests first."
"My interests? Do you know what I want? Haha... Miss Tsurumi, are you telling the truth or pretending to tell the truth? Playing a canary living in a high and mighty cage, what are you really thinking? Who forced you to become like this... Haha!"
Zhong Jing completely lost control of the mischievous satisfaction in his heart, bursting into laughter while getting up to pace around the room like taking a walk, feeling completely comfortable.
Tsurumi Haruka stopped talking. She could now clearly sense that this ordinary person in front of her, whom she inwardly disdained, was unabashedly and deliberately toying with her.
"Let's change to an interesting topic... Last time you said my older brother looks like your sister. I'm very interested in that."
Zhong Jing poured a cup of hot fruit juice and walked over to Tsurumi Haruka, his expression returning to a normal polite smile: "Don't mind it. When I lose games, I get in a bad mood and take it out on people. I estimate your relative has passed by recently, so drink more hot things."
The fire in Tsurumi Haruka's heart was extinguished again by Zhong Jing's nonsensical words, her face full of confusion: "Relative has come? Jing-kun, I don't understand..."
"I'm a wastrel son. I don't understand other things, but I'm uniquely sensitive to changes in women's daily details. Women during their period are just sentimental, and that's you today."
Zhong Jing smiled as he stuffed the hot fruit juice into her hands and gently patted the back of her hand: "Forget it, just call me Zhong Jing. In China, that seems more easygoing and friendly. Your Japanese politeness makes me feel too hypocritical."
Tsurumi Haruka blushed and quickly avoided his gaze, secretly shocked.
She couldn't imagine that an ordinary person could actually sense the arrival of her menstrual period. Could there be ordinary people in this world more sensitive than Blood Clan?
"I heard from my father that you're the only granddaughter of the Tsurumi family, so I'm very curious about who this sister you mentioned is?"
Zhong Jing lit another cigarette and sat back in his computer chair with a smile, as if waiting for a new grand performance of lies.
Tsurumi Haruka calmed her emotions, thought briefly, and a barely detectable cold smile bloomed on her face: "The Tsurumi family is a major family. Besides the main house, there are many branch families. The sister I mentioned is from a branch family."
Probably remembering many past events, Tsurumi Haruka no longer cared about the young man's verbal provocations opposite her, instead appearing calmer: "She's ten years older than me, more excellent than me, and prettier than me. She once became the most valued girl outside the main family."
Tsurumi Haruka seemed to return to some memory, holding the Ragdoll cat as she stood up and went to the window, speaking as if to herself: "But she was just a branch family member after all. Her entire life was nothing more than living for the family... Hehe, so after I grew up, I no longer envied her, I only pitied her."
At this moment, Tsurumi Haruka had completely lost her little girl demeanor. A sense of vicissitude beyond her apparent age covered her entire being, creating a displaced beauty.
"Mm, I can see you're very jealous of her." Zhong Jing blew smoke rings, speaking meaningfully. "She should have had everything arranged for her just like you do now, right?"
Tsurumi Haruka suddenly turned around, her face pale, finally showing undisguised shame and anger in her eyes, her voice trembling: "Jing-kun, are you very pleased that you can anger me?"
"Now you finally don't seem like a nineteen-year-old girl."
Zhong Jing smiled and shook his head, his expression neither warm nor cold. "I'm just stating facts. You live even more tiredly and with more vicissitude than I do... How should I put it… you, or I, often have to pretend to be free, pretend to have composure that isn't manipulated by others."
"Mm, so my sister was arranged to come to China. She thought she was finally free, but paid the price of her life for that freedom...
"And even now, I don't think the man she fell in love with deserved her sincerity... But that man obtained everything. Interesting, isn't it?"
Tsurumi Haruka walked in front of Zhong Jing with elegant bearing, a formatted smile on her face: "Jing-kun, from the moment you became the heir of the Zhong family, you also had no real freedom. Can you guarantee that the woman you choose yourself, or the woman who chooses you, will be more sincere and suitable than me?
"I received education beyond my age from a very young age. I'm very clear about what I can and cannot pursue in this world, all so that within the range I can control, I can seek some things.
"Since we're both this type of person and both know these things, why not huddle together for mutual protection? At least between us, there can still be a few threads of sincere resonance that we can understand each other."
Dropping the Ragdoll cat, Tsurumi Haruka turned around and slowly walked toward the study door.
That really scared me to death. Didn’t it seem like she wanted to kill me just now?
Indeed, chatting with a grandmother-level Blood Clan Baron, I still shouldn't discuss topics that require time to settle... Women are truly terrifying.
Outside the window was the restless dripping of autumn rain and the sorrowful reluctance of falling leaves.
Zhong Jing continued indulging in the game world until Mother Zhong entered the study carrying a bowl.
"Sigh, son, how did you make Miss Tsurumi cry today?"
Mother Zhong's expression was displeased. She walked directly beside Zhong Jing, set down the soup bowl, and snatched away his mouse: "She comes as a guest every weekend, following along to learn cooking Chinese food and understand your tastes. It's one thing when you're not home, but you neglect her when you are. It's only because of her good upbringing can she… where else could you find a wealthy heiress willing to lower herself like this?"
After speaking, Mother Zhong pointed at the soup bowl with her finger: "Look at this. Every week she specially makes soup just for you, simmering a whole pot down to just this one bowl. This is a girl's thoughtfulness. Your father and I don't even get to drink any."
"It's alright, just chicken bone miso soup." Zhong Jing smiled as he drank the soup, smacking his lips dismissively. "She cried? I was just chatting casually with her about Chinese-Japanese cultural differences. I didn't offend her."
"Stop being glib. Aren't you eloquent with those improper women? Quickly go coax her, it's time for lunch."
Mother Zhong dragged and pulled Zhong Jing to the door of the side hall, decisively tapping his head and standing there watching.
Sigh, my dear mother, she's probably older than both our ages combined. How could a weakling like me be an emotional match for her?
Under Mother Zhong's fierce stare, Zhong Jing smiled bitterly as he knocked on the door with his finger.
"Please come in..."
From inside the door came Tsurumi Haruka's gentle but slightly weak voice.
In the luxurious bedroom converted from the side hall, Tsurumi Haruka leaned against the headboard fully clothed, a thin blanket covering her from the waist down, looking toward the rain curtain outside the balcony with a somewhat dazed expression.
"Oh, you were really crying?"
Zhong Jing walked to the bedside, hands in his pants pockets, still wearing a frivolous smile at the corners of his mouth.
"Actually... I still envy that sister... at least she experienced what real freedom tastes like."
Tsurumi Haruka didn't acknowledge Zhong Jing but inexplicably muttered this sentence.
"Hm?"
Zhong Jing was stunned, not knowing how to respond to this statement.
"Jing-kun, do you have a woman you love?"
Tsurumi Haruka suddenly turned her head, quietly looking at the young man with an expressionless face and a voice as bland as water: "I am destined to marry you. This is the entire family's will and something uncle recognizes. I don't oppose Jing-kun having relationships with other women, even after marriage, as long as the future heir of Zhong Group is our child..."
"Stop! This script doesn't work on me, too melodramatic... Do you Japanese people all play these games?"
Zhong Jing frowned, disgust arising in his heart. "If you're not feeling well, just lie down and rest more. I'll have the housekeeper bring your meal later."
"That doesn't conform to dining etiquette... Jing-kun, could you go out for a moment? I need to change clothes... though if you want to watch, that's fine too."
Tsurumi Haruka suddenly smiled, very sweetly, with a few threads of seduction added to her elegance.
Zhong Jing curled his lips, turned around, and strode out the door.