Ice and Fire

Chapter 10 The Last Person She Wanted To Meet

John Ye's face went gloomy as he angrily stared at them. He had never seen his uncle being this

gentle. He was literally obeying her every single demand!

The meal was finished quickly.

Andrew Chu was satisfied with the way Jackson Chu had treated Cherry Shen. He thought his beloved

grandson had finally found the love of his life. Therefore, it wouldn't be long before he could hold his

great-grandson in his arms.

After the meal, Jackson Chu and Cherry Chen bid goodbye to the rest and decided to take off. Derek

Lu was about to offer them a lift, but he was stopped in time by Jackson Chu's glance. It suddenly

occurred to Derek Lu that Jackson Chu now looked on him as the third wheel! They were supposed to

be best pals, but now he was redundant as Jackson had Cherry Chen by his side.

Cherry Shen felt relieved as soon as she sat in the car. She no longer needed to put on a fake smile.

She also did not need to cling on to Jackson Chu so closely.

Jackson Chu felt a bit letdown by her change. However, he remained calm, at least on the surface.

"I was just acting in front of them. Please don't take it seriously." Cherry Shen said, calmly.

"You really care about John Ye, don't you?" Jackson Chu's question was direct and pointed.

"It is none of your business." Cherry Shen's face was serene, and her tone soft.

"Cherry Shen, since we are supposed to get married, do you seriously think I am simply going to ignore

what is going on with you?" Jackson Chu was feeling angrier with each passing moment.

"Don't you know that our marriage is just a liaison with no strings attached? It is just a contract, a mere

piece of paper! Why would you even care about my business?" Jackson Chu could not read her mood

at all. Her voice was ice cold.

Her heart felt dead. She was exhausted.

"Cherry Shen!" Jackson Chu snapped at her, "Even if our marriage is just a contract, I forbid you from

doing anything disloyal. You need to play your role well and behave accordingly!"

Cherry Shen was intimidated by his tone. However, she bravely replied, "Chief Chu, I don't need your

reminder. I know how to behave as your wife."

Jackson Chu turned his head away and said nothing.

The mood in the car was awkward.

After a while, Jackson Chu said, "I will be staying in my own apartment for couple of days. The Chu

Clan has another villa under renovation at the moment. Once it is fully refurbished, we will move there

together."

"Noted." Cherry Shen simply nodded her head. She couldn't care less. As long as she had somewhere

to stay, she really didn't mind where she would stay over night. She could no longer return to the Shen

Clan. Now all she desired was a place to sleep for the night. Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

Jackson Chu continued, "However, we will still need to visit the military compound from time to time as

a couple. We shouldn't leave grandpa alone at home."

"Alright." Cherry Shen replied, with a poker face, "Do whatever makes you happy."

"Cherry Shen, I dare you say that again." Jackson Chu was highly offended by the look on her face.

She had dared to address him in a disrespectful tone! He clenched his fists and made up his mind that

he was going to "punish" her hard in bed.

Cherry Shen noticed the anger in his eyes, and quickly changed the topic by saying, "Never mind. You

can drop me off near the bar."

"What are you planning to do at the bar?" Jackson Chu's eyebrows furrowed in rage. What was her

deal? Was she trying to drown her sorrows in the bar?

"I need to see my best friend. She works at the bar." Cherry Shen explained.

"A she?" Jackson Chu stared her in the eyes and asked.

"Yes. Her name is Emily Xia. She is my best friend." Cherry Shen was quite annoyed by Jackson Chu's

continued interrogation. She felt he was nagging her.

Jackson Chu was relieved that she was just going to see a girl. He said, "I will drive you to the bar then.

I need to go back to the army base and attend to some business there. I will pick you up at 6 PM. Be

punctual!"

His constant demands made her feel suffocated. Cherry Shen snapped, bitterly, "Hey, we are not

officially married yet. Chief Chu, you are minding too much of my business! I am wondering once I

become your wife, are you going to put shackles on me?"

"Cherry Shen, you should bear in mind that you are the wife of a soldier. You belong to me, Jackson

Chu." Jackson Chu replied, his teeth clenched.

"I am not yours." With these words, Cherry Shen turned her face and looked outside the window. She

thought of him as a mere passenger in her life. She wouldn't bother herself with him too much.

He dropped her by the entrance of the bar and raced away. As he drove back to the army base, he

called someone to investigate her background.

"I need all the information available on Cherry Shen, asap."

"Yes, sir."

Cherry Shen and Emily Xia sat at the corner of the bar, happily chatting with each other.

Every time Cherry Shen dropped by to see her, Emily Xia found excuses to skip her shift. She wanted

to talk with her best friend. The two had endless secrets to share.

Emily Xia listened to Cherry Shen's story with her eyes wide open, "Are you for real? You are going to

get married soon and you are going to marry a solider?"

Cherry Shen nodded calmly and said, "His name is Jackson Chu."

"Jackson Chu? You mean Mr. Chu from the Chu family?" Emily Xia was completely astonished by this

fact.

"What? You know him?" Cherry Shen was surprised that Emily Xia knew her future husband.

"Who doesn't? We are talking about Jackson Chu, the man all unmarried women in our city desire! He

has a military background and his family is powerful and wealthy. Who doesn't want to marry him?!"

Emily Xia excitedly covered her mouth.

Cherry Shen thought for a second and gave her a bitter smile, "So, it seems that I got myself a good

deal."

"Cherry Shen, you daft girl. He is not just a good deal. He is your lucky man!" Emily Xia nudged her.

This silly Cherry, she had no idea about the kind of happiness that awaited her!

Emily Xia continued, "Cherry, he is more reliable than John Ye. Numerous women have tried to be his

lover. However, he has rarely had any affairs. Therefore, you are really lucky to have him."

"So, is he a decent man?" To be honest, Cherry Shen had no feelings for Jackson Chu. She couldn't

tell if he was a good man or not. She just had no interest in knowing him at all.

"Of course, he is a decent man." Emily Xia shook her head and tried to convince her daft friend, "I am

telling you, Cherry, you need to seize the opportunity. You don't need to marry the lieutenant governor

as you now have the military chief as an option. You should get over the nephew and aim for the uncle.

You need to show John Ye and Jean Shen what you are capable of achieving!"

As soon as John Ye and Jean Shen were mentioned, Cherry Shen's expression changed. She was still

angered by their betrayal. Her heart was full of vengeance. She must show them how happy she could

be without them.

They sat there and chatted a while longer. Then Emily Xia returned to her work. Cherry Shen sat alone

on the sofa in the corner, occasionally sipping red wine from her glass. She looked at the people

dancing on the floor, as her mind began to wander.

Suddenly, she could smell alcohol near her. A second later, a drunken man sat down right next to her.

Cherry Shen was genuinely annoyed by his move. She had seen many drunken men before at the bar.

However, it was the first time someone had impolitely sat next to her without even asking.

She was about to push him away, but her hands stopped midair. The man sitting next to her was John

Ye.

His face was so familiar, and yet he looked so distant.

John Ye rudely grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms. She could feel warm air on her face as

he angrily murmured, "My dear Cherry, why did you leave me? How could you leave me like that?"

Cherry Shen struggled to escape from his embrace. She yelled at him, "Leave me alone. John Ye, I am

your aunt now. You should behave yourself!"