Chapter 37 I want to find someone to kill Shen Jinhuai right now.

Zhou Shiye's gaze was intense as he stared at Wen Yu, while the bracelet felt slightly cool to the touch.

The air seemed to freeze.

Wen Yu stood there stunned for a long time.

Wen Yu didn't remember whether her grandmother had said those things.

Her mind went blank.

"If you don't believe me, you can see what's written in the letter."

Zhou Shiye's low voice reached Wen Yu's ears.

She glanced at Zhou Shiye, then at the yellowed letter in the box, her grip on the box tightening until her fingertips turned white.

Just as her slender fingertips were about to touch the envelope, Wen Yu turned her fingers and closed the lid of the jewelry box.

"Thank you for informing me, Mr. Zhou."

Wen Yu raised her head and looked at Zhou Shiye again.

The rational and restrained look in his eyes just moments before had vanished, leaving only a lingering, unsettled turmoil deep within them.

Wen Yu gave a polite smile and said, "I'm going back to my room now."

Before she could finish speaking, Wen Yu turned to go back to her room.

Zhou Shiye, who had expected Wen Yu to become emotional upon seeing her grandmother's belongings, was surprised and quickly stepped forward to stop her, his tone full of confusion: "Xiao Yu, don't you have anything else to say? Grandma so wanted us to be together; we're family, you..."

"Grandma's wish was that we could be like family, and I understand that."

Wen Yu gripped the jewelry box tightly, her body tense, but her expression showed no sign of excitement: "So I hope Mr. Zhou can also treat my husband like family, is that alright?"

"gentlemen?"

Zhou Shiye was taken aback, then realized who Wen Yu was talking about. The man laughed in anger: "Shen Jinhuai? What's so good about him that makes you so devoted to him? Xiaoyu, do you know? If he hadn't taken you away, if he hadn't deliberately made us unable to find you, you would have gone home long ago. And you still treat him like your husband, protecting him in every way?"

Zhou Shiye was almost driven mad by the tenderness in Wen Yu's eyes when she talked about Shen Jinhuai.

His expression changed repeatedly, and his deep eyes burned with a barely restrained flame of anger.

"Wen Yu, do you really have to do this? Do you really have to push us so far away?"

Zhou Shiye's chest heaved violently, and his hands gripped Wen Yu's shoulders uncontrollably.

Even though his arm, which was in a cast, was in excruciating pain from this movement, Zhou Shiye ignored it.

He stared at Wen Yu, trying to see a hint of tenderness in her eyes.

However, what Rourou didn't see was that as he tightened his grip on Wen Yu's arm, fear instantly surfaced in Wen Yu's originally aloof eyes.

As Zhou Shiye's powerful and oppressive aura approached, Wen Yu looked at him in horror as he restrained her hands.

Immediately, chaotic and terrifying images rushed into Wen Yu's mind without warning.

In a dark corner, she was bound to a cold door panel by the same pair of arms.

The man's kisses, tinged with the dangerous scent of tobacco, rained down on Wen Yu, brutally stealing her breath.

Wen Yu tried to struggle, but was held even tighter by the other person, and could hear the man's angry panting in her ear...

You have no choice.

"don't want--"

Wen Yu screamed in panic, her face as pale as paper.

A wave of immense fear washed over her like icy seawater, and Wen Yu's chest heaved violently.

She covered her forehead, trying to block out the terrifying fragments that kept assaulting her mind.

The jewelry box in my hand fell to the ground with a "thud," making a dull thud.

The contents spilled out, but Wen Yu paid no heed.

She trembled as she raised her head to look at Zhou Shiye, who was holding her captive so close to her.

The eyes that had been trying so hard to remain calm now held only raw unease.

That look was like looking at an extremely terrifying stranger.

Zhou Shiye stood there, stunned.

For a moment, all the words he was eager to say in his defense got stuck in his throat.

Zhou Shiye's hand, which was gripping Wen Yu's shoulder, suddenly loosened as if he had been burned.

He staggered backward, his face drained of color, leaving only disbelief and panic.

“Xiaoyu, I…”

Zhou Shiye reached out his hand, but dared not touch Wen Yu again.

Wen Yu dared not linger for even a second longer.

Taking advantage of Zhou Shiye's momentary daze as he loosened his grip, Wen Yu pushed the man away with all her might, rushed back into the room, and slammed the door shut with a "bang."

Zhou Shiye stood frozen in place.

Wen Yu's terrified look at the end kept replaying in his mind.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhou Shiye seemed to have all his strength drained away, and he turned and staggered away in a daze.

Only the jewelry box remained on the ground, lying quietly in place.

In the bedroom just a door away, Wen Yu leaned against the door and slowly slid down to sit on the floor.

The suffocating panic brought on by the flashback of memories was still churning inside my chest.

Wen Yu hugged herself tightly, trembling, her mind blank.

Out of the corner of her eye, Wen Yu caught a glimpse of the ring on her right middle finger, and she slowly loosened her clenched fist with trembling hands.

Shenjin Huai.

The name popped into Wen Yu's mind, instantly dispelling the panic she had been unable to control a moment before.

Under the bright sunshine on the island, Shen Jinhuai squatted in front of rows of jasmine seedlings, looking up at her with eyes as bright as if they were filled with stars.

On countless ordinary mornings, Shen Jinhuai prepared breakfast for Wen Yu in the kitchen;

It was in the art studio; he held her hand, his breath tickling her ear.

At night, when we fall asleep in each other's arms, the pounding of Chen Jinhuai's heart in my ear is the most effective lullaby;

The past scenes are warm, reassuring, and full of vibrant life, like rays of gentle light that quickly dispel the cold gloom brought by that terrible moment.

Wen Yu's rapid breathing gradually slowed down, and her tense nerves relaxed inch by inch.

"Jinhuai..."

Wen Yu whispered the name, a magical calming power filling her heart.

Wen Yu stood up, supporting herself on the door panel.

Although her legs were still a little weak, the anxiety in her eyes had disappeared.

Wen Yu took a deep breath, opened the door, and walked out.

There was no one outside.

Wen Yu picked up the jewelry box and returned to the room.

She sat on the sofa and carefully opened the envelope.

Familiar yet unfamiliar fonts appeared before my eyes.

In the letter, Grandma told her to get along well with her brothers.

Although she had little memory of it, tears welled up in her eyes for some reason, and Wen Yu felt a soreness in her nose.

Her slender fingertips lightly touched the yellowed words on the letter, and a hot tear fell onto the paper with a soft patter.

"Grandma, I have someone I want to be with now."

Wen Yu sniffed, lowered her head, and lightly kissed the ring.

at the same time.

The study on the third floor was completely silent.

Zhou Yingchen stared intently at Shen Jinhuai with a deep, dark gaze.

"As long as Mr. Shen wants to fight, I, Zhou, am willing to accompany him indefinitely, but,"

Zhou Yingchen picked up a document from his expensive desk and handed it to Shen Jinhuai: "This is the Zhou family home. We hope President Shen will leave. In return, the Shen Group's next technology projects..."

Shen Jinhuai did not take the document, but instead slowly sat down on the sofa, his demeanor calm and unhurried: "Excuse me, I am wherever my wife is."

"This is the Zhou family's residence."

Zhou Yingchen gripped the document in his hand tightly, his jawline taut.

"unimportant."

Shen Jinhuai glanced at the documents in Zhou Yingchen's hand and said indifferently, "The important thing is who Xiaoyu is willing to have by her side."

The two men locked eyes, the atmosphere tense and fraught with tension.

The air was filled with the invisible smell of gunpowder.

until,

"Knock knock knock knock~" The knocking sounded on the door.

Immediately following was Wen Yu's voice.

"Mr. Zhou, may I let my husband out now?"

Zhou Yingchen frowned and looked coldly at Shen Jinhuai.

In a short while,

"President Shen is really good at this; he's completely captivated my sister."

Shen Jinhuai stood up from the sofa, buttoned his suit jacket, and nodded slightly: "It's my pleasure."

Then he walked towards the door.

As he gripped the doorknob, Shen Jinhuai stopped and, without turning his head, said, "President Zhou, before dealing with others, I suggest you also pay more attention to your own businesses."

After saying this, Shen Jinhuai opened the study door, took Wen Yu's hand, who was waiting at the door, and left.

In the study, Zhou Yingchen stared at the two people holding hands.

Once the two figures disappeared from sight, Zhou Yingchen's phone vibrated.

He glanced at his phone screen and answered the call.

"President Zhou,"

On the other end of the phone, Chen Xu's anxious voice came through: "Our key partner in the Southeast Asian port project has just unilaterally notified us of the suspension of all cooperation, implying that they have received a more competitive offer and a more reliable technical support plan. Upon investigation, there are traces of Shen's Group's involvement behind the offer. In addition, the core team leader of Shen's Group's laboratory, whom we had previously secretly contacted and was close to success, suddenly became completely unreachable this morning."

Zhou Yingchen's expression turned cold.

On the other end of the phone, Chen Xu continued, "What's more troublesome is that someone has started spreading internal data about the short-term debt structure of our two subsidiaries and the sharp decline in revenue in the third quarter. Now, some astute analysts and short sellers have started to pay attention to us, and our stock price has dropped by almost two points in half an hour."

Before Chen Xu could finish speaking, Zhou Yingchen gripped his phone so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and his face was so gloomy it looked like it could drip water.

Shen Jinhuai not only did not back down under his offensive, but also took this opportunity to successfully strike at the Zhou family.

It has even begun to shake market confidence in the Zhou family?

"knew."

After a long silence, Zhou Yingchen's voice was devoid of emotion, but his taut jawline betrayed his inner fury: "Keep an eye on it. Upgrade all response plans. I want to see a new assessment report by noon tomorrow."

After hanging up the phone, Zhou Yingchen looked out the window, his eyes dark and unreadable.

Shen Jinhuai, how many cards are you still hiding?

·

After being briefly separated that day, Wen Yu and Shen Jinhuai were together all the time.

Even when Shen Jinhuai needed to handle official business, Wen Yu would watch from a short distance away.

So much so that no matter what Shen Jinhuai was doing, he could see Wen Yu as soon as he looked up.

That afternoon, Wen Yu was taking a nap on a soft couch in the tea room in the back garden, the warm sunlight shining on her.

Shen Jinhuai had just finished a video conference and returned from outside the tea room when he saw Wen Yu with her eyes closed and her brows slightly furrowed. She was probably having a dream and was sleeping very restlessly.

Shen Jinhuai bent down and covered Wen Yu with the thin blanket that had slipped off her body. Then he stretched out his fingers and gently stroked Wen Yu's slightly furrowed brows.

Wen Yu, perhaps sensing a familiar presence, unconsciously moved closer to Shen Jinhuai in her sleep.

Shen Jinhuai carefully picked her up from the chair, held her in his arms, and then carried her back to the chair, gently patting Wen Yu's shoulder with his palm.

The girl nestled against the man's chest, completely relaxing.

Her sleeping face gradually became peaceful and content.

Zhou Yingchen rushed back from work and saw the above scene.

He paused in his steps.

The shadows in the corridor made the man's tall figure appear half-lit and half-shadowed.

In the man's unfathomable eyes, undercurrents were churning.

After watching for an unknown amount of time, Zhou Yingchen turned around and walked away, his footsteps echoing clearly in the empty corridor.

Not far away, on the balcony of the easternmost bedroom on the fourth floor, Zhou Shiye clenched his fist, the veins on the back of his hand bulging.

Caught a glimpse of Zhou Yingchen out of the corner of his eye, Zhou Shiye turned around angrily, went downstairs, and went to the study on the third floor.

He pushed open the study door.

"Brother, how much longer do we have to wait? I really can't take it anymore. I want to find someone to kill Shen Jinhuai right now."

Zhou Shiye scratched his hair in frustration, veins bulging on his forehead.

"Shut up."

Zhou Yingchen looked towards the back garden, staring intently at the scene inside the tea room through the large floor-to-ceiling windows.

The whiskey in the man's hand swirled in the glass, which was ice-cold, and Zhou Yingchen's eyes were icy cold.

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

Zhou Shiye's eyes were bloodshot, and he was about to say something more when there was a rapid knocking on the door.

"Young Master, Young Master, Madam is back."

Zhou Shiye and Zhou Yingchen's expressions changed.

The two exchanged a glance, then immediately left the study and went downstairs.

Tang Mingzhen was already sitting in the living room on the first floor.

Seeing that both her sons were at home, and that they both looked much better than before, she happily went to greet them.

But before she could take two steps, Zhou Shiye's irritated voice came over: "Mom, why are you back?"

"Didn't you go on a round-the-world trip?"

Tang Mingzhen didn't notice anything wrong with her youngest son's tone.

She hugged her youngest son tightly, a long-lost smile appearing on her face: "I missed you, son. It's always raining and so cold in Northern Europe, nothing like the comfort of home. Besides, your Aunt Wang and the others always brag to me about their grandson, so I thought I'd come back to see you two and urge you to get married..."

Halfway through her sentence, Tang Mingzhen belatedly realized that something seemed off about the atmosphere.

Why do both sons look a little tense?

Especially the youngest son, Zhou Shiye, whose eyes were darting around and who was in a cast.

Tang Mingzhen frowned: "Xiao Ye, what happened to your arm? Did you go play with those dangerous things again?"

"Why don't you learn your lesson? Last time in the car..."

"Mom, I'm fine, I just tripped and fell."

Zhou Shiye quickly looked around and happened to meet Wen Yu's gaze at the door. He hurriedly changed the subject: "Are you tired? Let me accompany you back to your room to rest."

Tang Mingzhen waved her hand and looked towards the door.

There, Wen Yu was being embraced by Shen Jinhuai.

She had just woken up and wanted to go back to her room, but as soon as she entered, she saw a stranger.

The stranger looked at him with intense shock, followed by anger.

Wen Yu couldn't help but move closer to Shen Jinhuai.

Tang Mingzhen's smile faded, and her brows furrowed.

"Wen Yu?"

Tang Mingzhen looked at her sons in surprise: "You, you found her?"

Zhou Yingchen noticed the unease in Wen Yu's eyes and immediately stepped forward to block his mother's view from Wen Yu. He said in a low voice, "Mom, if you don't want your sons to continue the decadent life of the past year, I'll see you off at the airport after lunch."

"What?"

Tang Mingzhen looked at her eldest son in astonishment, then at her younger son who remained silent but was clearly on the same team as her eldest son. She took two steps back in disbelief.

"So the two of you did this for one..."

"Mom, let me take you back to your room."

Before Tang Mingzhen could say anything more, Zhou Shiye pulled her back to the easternmost room on the first floor.

Zhou Yingchen stood still, looking towards the door.

Wen Yu was nestled in Shen Jinhuai's arms, and her gaze towards Zhou Yingchen showed nothing but rejection.

Zhou Yingchen clenched his fist.

A moment later, the man's prominent Adam's apple bobbed forcefully, and he turned and left.

Once the two of them were left alone in the living room, Wen Yu's panic gradually subsided.

“That’s Mrs. Zhou, your… nominal adoptive mother.”

Shen Jinhuai's gentle voice rang in Wen Yu's ears, dispelling her doubts and anxieties: "He is also the only one who does not want you to return to the Zhou family."

Upon hearing this, Wen Yu looked toward the bedroom that Tang Mingzhen had entered.

No wonder, no wonder Mrs. Zhou looked at her with such rejection.

There was a feeling that I wanted to push her right out the door.

It turns out they didn't want her to come back at all.

So, it turns out that apart from the late Grandpa Zhou, there really wasn't a single bit of warmth in this home.

This realization actually made Wen Yu relax.

Since there is no warmth left, she can leave completely without any worries once she has figured everything out in the future.

When it was time for lunch, Tang Mingzhen, who had been persuaded by Zhou Shiye to leave the Zhou family for a trip soon, saw Wen Yu again. Her critical gaze swept over Wen Yu several times, and her well-maintained face showed her usual condescending scrutiny.

Wen Yu noticed Tang Mingzhen's unfriendly gaze, lowered her head, and took Shen Jinhuai's hand.

But I was no longer nervous.

Tang Mingzhen took in the sight of Wen Yu's reluctance to look at her.

She thought Wen Yu was scared, so she snorted, picked up a napkin to wipe her mouth, and said lightly, "Xiao Yu, although you are an adopted daughter of the Zhou family, marriage is a major event that should be decided by parents and matchmakers. You..."

At this point, Tang Mingzhen looked up at Shen Jinhuai, but was silently stopped from speaking by his indifferent gaze.

"Forget it, I don't care about you anymore."

Tang Mingzhen looked away, feigning composure as she picked up her glass and took a sip of water: "By the way, now that the car accident is over, you and your partner..."

"mom."

"mom."

Before Tang Mingzhen could finish speaking, two sharp shouts rang out simultaneously, abruptly interrupting her.

Tang Mingzhen was startled.

He looked at his eldest son, then at his youngest son, puzzled.

Seeing her eldest son put down his chopsticks and look at her with a sullen expression.

The youngest son jumped up from his seat, rushed over, and grabbed Tang Mingzhen's arm with such force that she almost cried out in pain.

"Mom, are you full? I'll take you to catch the plane now, right away."

Zhou Shiye's voice was fast and urgent, and he forced a smile on his face, but his eyes were full of gloom.

Tang Mingzhen was taken aback by her sons' sudden, alarmed demeanor.

Tang Mingzhen frowned as she looked at Wen Yu, who had been sitting quietly with her eyes downcast, her expression unreadable.

A look of displeasure flashed across her face, but she didn't finish her sentence, letting Zhou Shiye drag her away from the restaurant in a half-forceful manner.

The air was completely silent.

Wen Yu raised her head and looked at Zhou Yingchen, who was sitting at the head of the table.

The man was also watching her.

Zhou Yingchen's deep eyes churned with a lingering panic, as well as an even deeper, unfathomable undercurrent.

Car accident?

Wasn't her car accident during a trip with Jin Huai?

Why did Tang Mingzhen bring this up? Why did Zhou Shiye and Zhou Yingchen react so strongly?

"Please enjoy your meal."

Zhou Yingchen put down his knife and fork, gave Wen Yu a deep look, and turned to leave.

Now, only Wen Yu and Shen Jinhuai were left in the living room.

Why is Aunt Tang bringing up the car accident?

Wen Yu looked at Shen Jinhuai and asked softly, "Can you tell me about the car accident?"

Since Tang Mingzhen brought it up, the car accident was obviously not as simple as Shen Jinhuai had once told him.

I just don't know if this question... is okay to bring up with Shen Jinhuai, or if it will plunge him into painful memories.

Just like her past would cause him pain.

Shen Jinhuai turned Wen Yu around and gazed at her face carefully in the morning light.

The man gently stroked Wen Yu's cheek with his fingertips, his voice low and almost a sigh: "I'm sorry, Xiao Yu, the car accident... should be told to you by them themselves."

Wen Yu was taken aback.

She looked up, meeting Shen Jinhuai's deep gaze: "And you? How much do you know?"

"What I know is not enough to uncover the whole truth."

Shen Jinhuai pulled Wen Yu into his arms: "But I know that some wounds need to be opened by the person involved in order to heal completely."

Wen Yu roughly understood.

That car accident was probably related to the two Zhou brothers.

So the next morning, Wen Yu made a point of arriving at the restaurant early.

Zhou Shiye was indeed already sitting there waiting for her.

Upon seeing Wen Yu, a hint of tension flashed in Zhou Shiye's eyes.

"Xiaoyu, you got up really early today."

Zhou Shiye forced a calm smile and pulled out a chair for Wen Yu.

Wen Yu did not sit down, but stared straight at Zhou Shiye.

The morning sunlight streamed in through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, making the restaurant quiet, warm, and comfortable.

But Zhou Shiye felt flustered as he looked into Wen Yu's calm and pure gaze.

Mr. Zhou,

Wen Yu's voice was soft, but devoid of warmth: "Can you tell me... what happened in the car accident?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Shiye, who had been trying to remain calm, turned deathly pale.