Chapter Eighty-Five: An Unexpected Change in Jung Eun-ji's Plans

Looking at Zheng En Di before him, patting his shoulder with a bright and easy smile, Chen Zhe seemed to be infected by that radiance as well. The corners of his mouth lifted before he could stop them, and a gentle smile appeared on his face.

"Ah Zhe!" Just as Chen Zhe was about to say something else to Zheng En Di, a man's voice rang out behind him and cut off the words that had already reached his lips.

"Brother Xiu Hao, you got here so quickly!" Having his words interrupted left Chen Zhe somewhat displeased. He turned to see who had bothered him, but when he recognized the person standing not far behind him, he could only swallow his irritation. It was none other than his manager, Lin Xiu Hao, waving at him from a short distance away.

"Didn’t you ask me to come pick you up?" Seeing Chen Zhe’s surprised expression, Lin Xiu Hao felt as though a line of black marks were dropping over his head. He looked at the big young man before him with resignation and, in the end, could not help but say it.

"Seems like I did. I forgot, hehe!" Chen Zhe finally remembered after hearing that. He scratched the back of his head and gave an embarrassed, foolish grin. When he had just sent the seniors and the director out, he and Zheng En Di had both messaged their managers to come pick them up.

"But Sister En Di’s manager still hasn’t come for her. Brother Xiu Hao, let’s wait until her manager gets here before we leave. It wouldn’t be good to leave her here alone as a girl." Chen Zhe glanced back at Zheng En Di, who was still standing where she was, and after a moment’s thought, called out to his manager, asking him to wait a little longer.

Yet to Chen Zhe’s surprise, just moments after he said that, Zheng En Di’s phone suddenly rang behind him. Thinking he was about to be proven wrong, Chen Zhe helplessly covered his face and did not even notice what Zheng En Di said to the person on the other end. By the time he turned back to look at her, she had already ended the call.

"Sister..." Seeing Zheng En Di looking rather troubled, Chen Zhe hesitated for a moment before deciding to speak up and ask. After all, Zheng En Di had already treated him like a younger brother; as a younger brother, it was only right that he help ease his older sister’s worries. Chen Zhe successfully convinced himself with that reason.

But just as Chen Zhe finished gathering his words and was about to speak, Lin Xiu Hao, who had nearly walked up behind him, had his phone ring as well, once again cutting him off before he could say anything.

"Yes, all right, Brother Ming Yao. Mm, don’t worry, I’ll safely send Miss En Di back to the Apink dormitory!"

This time Chen Zhe’s attention did not wander, and he heard Lin Xiu Hao’s conversation on the phone very clearly. When he heard that Lin Xiu Hao was to send Zheng En Di back to the dormitory, his brows lifted slightly. This turn of events was entirely beyond his expectations.

"Miss En Di, Brother Ming Yao should already have told you. His car broke down on the way and he can’t come pick you up. For safety’s sake, he called me to help take you back. Right, I should introduce myself first. I’m a junior alumnus of Xu Ming Yao and also Chen Zhe’s manager. Nice to meet you."

After hanging up, Lin Xiu Hao adjusted his glasses and looked at Zheng En Di, who stood behind Chen Zhe with a mixture of hesitation, conflict, and nervousness on her face. Perhaps worried that he might startle her, he even forced a smile onto his ordinarily calm expression while explaining the situation and introducing himself.

"Yes, Brother Ming Yao just told me. I’ll have to trouble you this time, Xiu Hao xi." Hearing Lin Xiu Hao specifically mention the two people related to her, Zheng En Di set aside her hesitation and unease for the moment. A bright smile returned to her face, and she bowed politely to Lin Xiu Hao, thanking him for being willing to take her home.

"It’s nothing. After all, Brother Ming Yao rarely asks me for help in person, and since your relationship with Ah Zhe is also very good, it’s only right that I help with this." Looking at Zheng En Di bowing to thank him with that cheerful smile, Lin Xiu Hao felt as though he too had been infected by it. The smile he had deliberately forced earlier became genuine at last.

After hearing the two of them talk, Chen Zhe finally understood what had happened. He also noticed the change in Lin Xiu Hao’s expression—the smile had become much more natural and sincere, no longer the artificial one from before. He could not help but sigh inwardly. Zheng En Di’s smile really was infectious. Even someone as cool and reserved as his own manager, Lin Xiu Hao, could be affected by it.

"Hahaha, Sister, this is all nothing. You don’t need to speak so formally with each other; I’m starting to feel a little awkward just watching." Seeing that Zheng En Di was still bowing and hadn’t straightened up, while his own manager still looked like a dazed blockhead, Chen Zhe helplessly shook his head. He stepped forward, helped Zheng En Di up, and deliberately copied her carefree, hearty manner, smiling as he patted her shoulder.

Because Chen Zhe, who knew both sides, was there to liven things up, the atmosphere between Zheng En Di and Lin Xiu Hao did not grow cold. After the three of them chatted a little longer, Lin Xiu Hao called them over to the car, preparing to send Zheng En Di back to the Apink dormitory first.

Speaking of the Apink dormitory, Chen Zhe suddenly remembered that he had actually never seen it at this point in time. It had been shown on variety programs after 2014, but before 2014 he really had no idea what it was like. Still, he had heard people mention that from the group’s debut until Hong Yu Jing left, their dorm had been rented by Hong Yu Jing’s father, and it was said to be in the same residential complex as Infinite’s.