Chapter 36 If the Zhou family cannot accept letting Xiaoyu go free...
"What, what did you say?"
Zhou Shiye's face was extremely ugly, and his clenched fists cracked loudly.
He stared intently at the girl in front of him, his bloodshot eyes filled with disbelief and shock.
"Xiaoyu, you...you let this bastard stay in your room?"
"Mr. Zhou, please speak with some respect."
Wen Yu frowned, pulled Shen Jinhuai back a step, and kept her distance from Zhou Shiye.
This move further provoked Zhou Shiye.
His suppressed anger suddenly erupted.
But seeing Wen Yu's cold and distant gaze, Zhou Shiye gritted his teeth and could only force himself to restrain himself.
Zhou Yingchen looked intently at Wen Yu, then at Shen Jinhuai, who had silently pulled Wen Yu behind him without saying a word.
The man remained silent, emanating an invisible pressure that made the surrounding servants involuntarily hold their breath.
A moment later, Zhou Yingchen turned around and grabbed Zhou Shiye's wrist: "Let's go."
"Walk."
Zhou Shiye glared at Shen Jinhuai resentfully before being pulled upstairs by Zhou Yingchen.
For a moment, only Wen Yu and Shen Jinhuai remained at the door of the room.
Wen Yu breathed a sigh of relief, only to belatedly realize that a thin layer of sweat had seeped out on her back.
Shen Jinhuai put his arm around Wen Yu's shoulder, led her into the bedroom, and closed the door.
Then I pulled her to sit on the sofa and let her close her eyes and lean against me to rest.
Wen Yu leaned against Shen Jinhuai's chest, feeling the reassuring aura emanating from the man, and unconsciously murmured, "Jinhuai, this place... makes it a little hard for me to breathe."
Shen Jinhuai looked around the exquisitely decorated boudoir before him, lowered his head, and gently kissed Wen Yu's forehead: "If you don't want to stay here, we can go somewhere else."
"If we continue to live here, it will take some time to adjust."
Wen Yu nodded.
Actually, she wanted to ask Shen Jinhuai what her life was like in the past.
But Wen Yu knew that if she asked, it would be like rubbing salt into Shen Jinhuai's wounds.
Compared to himself, Shen Jinhuai would definitely be less willing to see her past.
But the fact that he was willing to move in with her was enough.
As night deepened, the Zhou family's old house was brightly lit, but it could not dispel the melancholy deeply rooted within its high walls.
Dinner was held in the main house's dining room. The long mahogany table could easily seat twenty people, but only four were sparsely seated, making the space feel even more empty and oppressive.
Zhou Yingchen sat in the main seat, Zhou Shiye sat to his right, and Wen Yu and Shen Jinhuai sat opposite Zhou Shiye.
The atmosphere was oppressive.
The beautifully plated dishes were served one by one by the servants, each one a feast for the eyes and the palate, but no one seemed to have the heart to savor them.
Zhou Yingchen ate with elegant movements, showing no outward signs of emotional fluctuation, as if he were having an ordinary family dinner.
He cut a piece of pan-fried foie gras and casually asked, "Are you comfortable in the room? If you need anything, just tell the butler."
"It's alright, thank you."
Wen Yu's tone was polite but distant.
Zhou Shiye kept staring at Wen Yu. Seeing that she hadn't touched the truffle soup that she used to love, he couldn't help but say, "Xiao Yu, is the soup not to your liking? I'll have the kitchen make it again."
"No, thank you. I don't really like this."
Wen Yu lowered her eyelashes and continued eating the shrimp that Shen Jinhuai had peeled for her.
"Don't like it? How could that be? You used to love this the most."
Zhou Shiye was surprised to taste the soup in front of him; the taste hadn't changed.
He looked at Wen Yu again, puzzled, and said urgently, "It must be because you haven't had it for too long that you're not used to it. Why don't you try it again?"
Upon hearing this, Shen Jinhuai put down the shrimp, successfully attracting Zhou Shiye's attention.
He picked up a napkin to wipe his mouth and calmly greeted Zhou Shiye: "Attorney Zhou, Xiaoyu needs some time to adjust. Excessive concern can sometimes be a form of pressure. Besides, since Xiaoyu said she doesn't like it, there's no need to try again."
Zhou Shiye's face darkened: "Shen Jinhuai, I'm talking to my sister, it's none of your business to interrupt."
"Tokino".
Zhou Yingchen coldly stopped him.
He gave Zhou Shiye a warning look before turning to Shen Jinhuai, his eyes deep and thoughtful.
“Mr. Shen is right, Xiaoyu has just returned and needs time to adjust. However…”
Zhou Yingchen changed the subject: "The care between family members is always different from that between outsiders. Habits and memories are ingrained in our bones and cannot be easily erased just because we have changed environments."
Zhou Yingchen's words were pointed out, both indicating that Shen Jinhuai was an "outsider" and implying the deep and inseparable connection between Wen Yu and the Zhou family.
Wen Yu tightened her grip on the fork.
"Mr. Zhou, do I need to emphasize again? Jin Huai is not an outsider; he is my husband."
Wen Yu lowered her eyelashes and took a deep breath. When she looked up again, her clear eyes held an undeniable determination: "If you two cannot accept my husband's identity, we can leave here."
She wants to regain her memories, and she doesn't necessarily have to be here.
Most importantly, she couldn't let Shen Jinhuai suffer any injustice.
“Xiaoyu…”
Zhou Shiye clearly did not expect Wen Yu to defend Shen Jinhuai in this way.
He was furious, his chest burning with rage.
Then Shen Jinhuai smiled slightly: "Habits can be cultivated, and memories can be good or bad. What's important is the choice you make in the present and the future. Xiaoyu is now used to my care and has chosen to spend her future with me. I believe that time will prove what kind of environment and companionship she truly needs."
This made Zhou Shiye even angrier.
His chest heaved violently, and he threw down the knife and fork in his hand.
The silver cutlery made a crisp sound on the table.
A cold glint flashed in Zhou Yingchen's eyes as he sat in the main seat, but his face remained expressionless.
Instead of responding to Shen Jinhuai's words, he turned to Wen Yu and changed the subject: "Grandpa used to often say that you liked the oldest osmanthus tree in the back garden the most, and that when it bloomed in autumn, the fragrance filled the whole yard."
"When you first came here, you loved reading under that tree."
Upon hearing this, Wen Yu, who had just been filled with rejection towards the Zhou brothers, was slightly taken aback.
Immediately, some vague fragments of memories filled with the fragrance of osmanthus flashed through her mind.
Although the details on the screen were unclear, her heart softened involuntarily.
Immediately afterwards, Wen Yu's hand was grasped by the man beside her.
She looked up and saw Shen Jinhuai looking at her tenderly.
Wen Yu soberly shook off the tenderness that had just risen in her heart.
Even the warm memories from the past cannot erase the fear this place instilled in her.
This fear was etched into her bones and had haunted her ever since Wen Yu stepped into the old house.
If Shen Jinhuai hadn't been by her side, Wen Yu couldn't imagine how scared she would have been.
Zhou Yingchen, standing nearby, witnessed the interaction between the two.
He gripped the silver fork tightly, paused for a moment, and then continued gently, "Tomorrow, Shi Ye and I will accompany you to the back garden. The tree is still there, and the flowers are blooming beautifully this year."
Mr. Zhou,
Wen Yu gave a faint smile: "Tomorrow I'd like to take a walk in the back garden with my husband. Jin Huai isn't familiar with the old house, so I'd like to show it to him."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Shiye finally lost his temper.
He jumped up and walked over to Wen Yu in a few steps: "Wen Yu, do you have to do this? This is our home. You're back now, so why not reminisce with us about the past and get familiar with everything in the house again? Why do you have to... why do you have to have him come along?"
Zhou Shiye pointed at Shen Jinhuai, his eyes bulging with rage.
"Because he is the most important person to me."
Wen Yu also stood up, her voice not loud, but unusually firm: "Mr. Zhou, my return and sitting here having dinner with you doesn't mean I agree to you interfering with my choices and my life. Jin Huai is my husband; he can go wherever I want. If you can't accept that, then why did you bring me back?"
Zhou Shiye stood there, stunned, his face turning pale and then red.
Zhou Yingchen slowly put down his knife and fork, wiped his hands with a napkin, and looked at Wen Yu.
The man's eyes no longer held any feigned gentleness, only unfathomable scrutiny and icy pressure.
“Xiaoyu,”
Zhou Yingchen's voice was low and heavy, each word carrying an extremely oppressive weight: "Going home means accepting everything about home, including your family, and... the expectations and responsibilities this family has for you."
"There should be limits to being willful."
Seeing this, Shen Jinhuai stood up and shielded Wen Yu behind him.
The atmosphere was tense and ready to fight.
“President Zhou, Xiaoyu is an independent individual, not an appendage of the Zhou family. Her future should be decided by herself, not bound by so-called expectations and responsibilities.”
“If the Zhou family cannot accept letting Xiaoyu be free, we can leave here.”
Zhou Yingchen looked at Shen Jinhuai, who had completely blocked Wen Yu, and his eyes grew colder and darker.
As expected, getting Wen Yu to willingly return to the Zhou family was far more difficult than anticipated.
However, Shen Jinhuai was even more of a hindrance than Zhou Yingchen had imagined.
“Xiaoyu,”
Zhou Yingchen fell silent, gripping Zhou Shiye tightly as he was consumed by rage.
Time ticked by, and the air grew heavy and suffocating.
After an unknown amount of time, Zhou Yingchen slowly raised his eyes, his prominent Adam's apple bobbing slightly: "I'm sorry, Xiaoyu, I will give you your freedom."
After saying this, Zhou Yingchen stopped talking, took Zhou Shiye's hand, and left the restaurant.
Zhou Shiye glared fiercely at Shen Jinhuai, suppressing his anger and frustration, and followed Zhou Yingchen away.
As soon as they reached a place where Wen Yu couldn't see them, the once unruly and willful man angrily shook off Zhou Yingchen's hand and punched the wall next to him.
Blood was streaming down the back of his uninjured hand, and Zhou Shiye frowned in pain from the movement as well as his injured arm.
In the restaurant,
"Let's go back to our room."
Shen Jinhuai put his arm around Wen Yu's shoulder and grasped her trembling hand.
Back in her room, after closing the door to keep out outside prying eyes, Wen Yu finally felt relieved, let out a long sigh of relief, and leaned weakly into Shen Jinhuai's arms.
"They are even more..."
Wen Yu couldn't find the right words to describe the terrifying and suffocating pressure.
"Still difficult to handle?"
Shen Jinhuai continued Wen Yu's words: "Zhou Yingchen wants to use your family and past to hold you hostage, while Zhou Shiye uses emotions to coerce you. One of them plays the good cop and the other plays the bad cop, and they cooperate very well."
Wen Yu nodded in Shen Jinhuai's arms, her voice weary: "The osmanthus tree they mentioned makes me feel warm, but everything else feels unfamiliar to me."
Wen Yu felt like leaving.
She wasn't sure if coming back was the right thing to do.
The next moment, Shen Jinhuai cupped Wen Yu's face, forcing her to look into his eyes: "Listen, Xiao Yu, memories exist, that's undeniable. But memories don't represent everything, much less your future direction."
“It’s normal that you had some warm moments while living in the Zhou family in the past, but that doesn’t conflict with your choice to spend the rest of your life with me. Don’t let them use these scattered, beautiful memories to confuse your judgment.”
At this point, Shen Jinhuai paused slightly, leaned closer, kissed Wen Yu on the forehead, and then continued, "You need to distinguish between genuine emotions and deliberate manipulation."
As Wen Yu gazed into Shen Jinhuai's deep eyes, the confusion in her heart gradually dissipated.
She nodded vigorously: "Okay, I understand. I... I need some time to process this."
"We have plenty of time."
Seeing that Wen Yu was no longer immersed in fear, Shen Jinhuai secretly breathed a sigh of relief: "I will stay here with you for as long as you want."
·
The first night was exceptionally long.
Despite her physical exhaustion, the unfamiliar environment and the invisible pressure in the air kept Wen Yu awake for a long time in the dark.
Meanwhile, Shen Jinhuai's arm remained wrapped around Wen Yu.
Can't sleep?
A deep male voice echoed in the darkness.
"Um,"
Wen Yu responded and turned to face Shen Jinhuai.
Even though he couldn't see the man's face clearly, he could feel his breath so close to his face: "This place... is strange. The space is so big, yet it's suffocating."
Shen Jinhuai pulled Wen Yu closer to his chest, his chin resting lightly on the top of her head: "I know."
With just a few simple words, his voice was steady and powerful, which slowly soothed Wen Yu's unease.
In the latter half of the night, Wen Yu finally fell into a deep sleep in Shen Jinhuai's arms.
Meanwhile, in the study on the third floor.
Zhou Yingchen stood in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the deep night outside, holding a glass of whiskey in his hand.
Zhou Shiye paced back and forth in the study, feeling restless.
"Brother, are you just going to watch Xiaoyu be led around by the nose by that bastard Shen Jinhuai? And you're even letting them stay together? That's Xiaoyu's bed, how can you... Xiaoyu even wants him to accompany her to the back garden? What kind of home is this? Isn't that infuriating enough?"
"Impatientness won't solve the problem. Xiaoyu's mental defenses are very tight right now, and Shen Jinhuai is her shield. Forcibly dismantling them will only push her away from us, shield and all."
Zhou Yingchen swirled the wine glass in his hand.
He tilted his head back and drank the wine in the cup in one gulp.
"Then what can we do? Just stand by and watch?"
Zhou Shiye rushed to Zhou Yingchen's side: "Didn't you see the way Xiaoyu looked at Shen Jinhuai? She's completely bewitched by him."
"Blinded by reason?"
Zhou Yingchen slowly turned around, a cold smile playing on his lips: "Then let her see clearly what she is really obsessed with."
Zhou Yingchen walked to the desk, opened the drawer, took out a document, and handed it to Zhou Shiye.
Zhou Shiye picked up the document with a puzzled look, flipped through a few pages, and his expression changed slightly: "This is... the core data of Shen's recent new energy project and the technical loopholes we've discovered? You want to take action now?"
"Not now, it has already begun."
Zhou Yingchen took a sip of wine, his eyes becoming even more profound behind the rising steam: "The cruelty of the business world can sometimes erode a person's aura more than direct conflict. When Shen Jinhuai is overwhelmed with problems, when the business he is protecting is on the verge of collapse, do you think he can still play the role of protector with the same composure as he does now?"
As long as Shen Jinhuai can no longer calmly protect Wen Yu, and as long as Wen Yu sees that the man she chose is not omnipotent, even the strongest relationship will develop cracks.
And the cracks will only get bigger.
"in addition,"
Zhou Yingchen put down his wine glass and tapped his fingertips on the table: "Make arrangements to send the jewelry box that Grandma Xiaoyu left for her to her room tomorrow."
Seeing his elder brother's strategic planning, Zhou Shiye's anxiety subsided, replaced by anticipation.
He nodded: "I understand."
The next morning.
When Wen Yu woke up, she found herself being held tightly in Shen Jinhuai's arms.
Even in her sleep, the man's arms were always in a protective posture.
Wen Yu felt increasingly at ease.
At that moment, Shen Jinhuai's phone vibrated.
Shen Jinhuai slowly opened his eyes, glanced at his phone screen, and his gaze darkened slightly.
He kissed Wen Yu on the forehead and whispered, "I'm going to take this call."
Shen Jinhuai got out of bed, went to the balcony, and spoke in hushed tones.
Wen Yu couldn't hear the specifics, but from the man's tall but slightly tense back, she keenly sensed that something was probably wrong with Shen Jinhuai's company.
Moreover, it is estimated to be related to the Zhou family.
Shen Jinhuai returned quickly after ending the call, and with a normal expression, he took Wen Yu's clothes to the bedside and helped her get dressed.
"Did the Zhou family make a move?"
Wen Yu grabbed Shen Jinhuai's hand: "Didn't they promise not to target you anymore? I'm going to find them."
Wen Yu was about to leave when Shen Jinhuai pulled her into his arms: "Mrs. Shen, I know you care about me, but I can handle things at the company."
Shen Jinhuai said in a relaxed tone: "Besides, it's just some routine business tactics, don't worry."
Shen Jinhuai was never afraid of anything from the Zhou family.
The reason I agreed to come back was simply to respect Wen Yu's choice.
"But……"
"Knock knock knock knock~" The knocking sound interrupted Wen Yu's words.
"It's okay, trust me."
Shen Jinhuai patted Wen Yu on the shoulder and walked to the door to open it.
Zhou Yingchen appeared at the doorway.
The man was dressed in a meticulously tailored dark suit, which accentuated his tall and imposing figure and gave him a cool and aloof demeanor.
Mr. Shen,
Zhou Yingchen glanced at Wen Yu in the room, his gaze finally settling on Shen Jinhuai: "I'd like to discuss a collaborative project on new energy with you. Is that convenient?"
New energy?
A hint of coldness flashed across Shen Jinhuai's eyes.
"There's nothing to talk about."
Shen Jinhuai refused without hesitation.
"Yeah?"
Zhou Yingchen smiled slightly and looked at Wen Yu in the room: "Mr. Chen, putting aside an important cooperation to accompany Xiao Yu is not the choice a successful man should make."
Shen Jinhuai dismissed it with disdain.
But Wen Yu spoke up: "Jin Huai, go ahead, important business is more important."
Shen Jinhuai gave Wen Yu a deep look.
Seeing her nod at him, knowing that she was interrupting him from facing something alone, Shen Jinhuai nodded slightly. When he turned to look at Zhou Yingchen, he had regained his calm and composure in the business world: "President Zhou, please."
The two men left, one after the other.
The room fell silent, leaving only Wen Yu staring blankly at the doorway.
Then, a figure burst in with a gust of wind.
It is Zhou Shiye.
He wore a dark shirt today, without a tie, and his arm in a cast made him look less arrogant and more clumsy and anxious.
"Xiaoyu".
Zhou Shiye glanced at Wen Yu's bed, his eyes darkening, but he quickly composed himself.
"Big brother called Shen Jinhuai away? Come on, I'll take you to have breakfast, and after breakfast I'll show you around so you can get familiar with the place."
As he spoke, Zhou Shiye instinctively reached out to take Wen Yu's hand.
Wen Yu avoided it.
As she walked out, she refused, saying, "No need."
Zhou Shiye's hand froze in mid-air, a look of frustration flashing across his face, but he quickly chased after him.
"Actually, I have something for you, it's a memento left by your grandmother."
Zhou Shiye stopped Wen Yu and took a sandalwood box from the maid waiting at the top of the stairs: "This is it."
Grandma's belongings?
Wen Yu's heart tightened for no apparent reason.
She hesitantly took the box.
The box has a smooth surface, carrying the weight of time.
Wen Yu opened the box and saw a smooth, warm white jade bracelet lying quietly inside, along with a neatly folded letter with yellowed edges.
As my fingertips touched the cool jade bracelet, a strange sense of familiarity welled up inside me.
Wen Yu's eyes inexplicably felt hot.
Zhou Shiye watched Wen Yu from the side.
Seeing her trembling fingertips caressing the jade bracelet, he couldn't help but say, "Xiaoyu, your grandmother's biggest worry before she passed away was you. What she wanted most was for you to be with us."
"Don't let Grandma down, okay?"
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