Chapter 16 Chapter 16 “Don’t let her mother know for the time being, and don’t…
Shen Xingchuan saw her suddenly sit up straight out of the corner of his eye, her whole body tense. She rarely looked so alert, so he figured something serious must have happened. Shen Xingchuan simply pulled over.
Yao Yingxia tried to remain calm and continued to ask, "Mom, who told you that?"
“I accompanied your Uncle Shen to a cocktail party last night and heard the ladies next door chatting.”
Although Xu Nian had known Shen Xingchuan only briefly and had only met him a few times, he had a very good impression of him, all thanks to Shen Changhe. He was nearly twenty years older than his brother, acting as both a father and a brother. And Shen Xingchuan was also incredibly ambitious, earning Shen Changhe's praise whenever he achieved something.
In his heart, his younger brother was perfect except for one thing: he never had a girlfriend. Seeing that he was already in his twenties, Shen Changhe gradually became anxious, fearing that his younger brother was only focused on his career and neglecting his lifelong event. For this reason, he expressed his concerns to Xu Nian more than once.
So when Xu Nian heard someone say that Shen Xingchuan was supporting a high school girl, she was very confused. This was too inconsistent with her usual perception of Shen Xingchuan, so she walked over to confirm it.
When the ladies saw that it was Xu Nian, their faces instantly became very embarrassed and they spoke hesitantly, saying that she had misheard, and then dispersed.
After all, the consequences of offending that person were well known, with numerous precedents. If Shen Xingchuan heard from Xu Nian that it was them who spread the news, he would be in big trouble.
Xu Nian had no choice but to give up, but he was very sure that he had not heard wrongly. He did not expect that Shen Xingchuan was well-dressed on the surface, but could do such a thing behind the scenes. He didn't know how much fun he had in private.
The more she thought about it, the more worried she became. Shen Xingchuan was in China at the moment, and Xia Xia was the only one in the villa. What if he had any bad intentions...
Due to the time difference, it was still midnight in China, and Xu Nian had no way to contact her daughter immediately. She was so worried that she couldn't sleep all night. Shen Changhe saw that she was worried and asked what had happened, but she couldn't say it because of the relationship. In the end, she had to fool around and calculated the time before her daughter's class and called to remind her.
Yao Yingxia really didn't expect that gossip would spread so quickly. In just one day, even her mother who was far away on the other side of the ocean heard the rumor.
Shen Xingchuan was mentally prepared. After all, most of the students in A Middle School were either rich or noble, and they would probably tell their parents about school gossip after dinner. As word of mouth spread, the rumors naturally took off like wings.
Yao Yingxia was just very thankful that Xu Nian probably didn't know that she was the rumored sponsor, otherwise his attitude wouldn't be just like this.
She comforted Xu Nian and said, "Mom, I go out early and come back late every day, so we won't meet each other at all. You don't have to worry."
Hearing her say this, Shen Xingchuan roughly knew what Xu Nian had said over there. He was not as uneasy as Yao Yingxia, but just sighed that his little niece really did not blink when telling lies.
How could Xu Nian not worry: "No matter what, you have to be careful when you are at home and avoid being alone with him."
Yao Yingxia agreed obediently: "Okay, Mom, I will pay attention."
Xu Nian continued to remind her, "Xia Xia, if he dares to do anything excessive to you, you must tell Mom. Don't keep silent about it."
Yao Yingxia already had a headache. She agreed perfunctorily and changed the subject, asking, "Mom, when will you be home?"
Xu Nian finally said happily, "Xia Xia, Mom will be able to go home next Friday." She paused, but changed the subject, "I will find a way to investigate the matter then." If it was false, everyone would be happy. If it was true, then her daughter could not live under the same roof with such a beast in human skin.
After hanging up the phone, Yao Yingxia felt an unprecedented pressure and thought about confessing to her mother. After all, there was really nothing between her and Shen Xingchuan.
But given Xu Nian's personality, he definitely wouldn't believe that something would happen without a fight. If he got to the bottom of it, he'd probably get to the bottom of it and get to Shen Xingchuan's face. He had never had much patience, and if it ended up getting ugly and affecting the relationship between Mom and Uncle Shen, it would be a loss.
She had to think of other ways to dispel this rumor.
Yao Yingxia suddenly looked at Shen Xingchuan, only to find that he was also staring at her. His eyes, as thick as the night, were bottomless. He seemed like a sentimental man, yet the most ruthless.
It was Shen Xingchuan who looked away first, and then he heard her ask, "Do you have a girlfriend?"
He has heard many people ask this question. If a man asks it, he is most likely trying to set up a relationship. If a girl asks it, it is almost a prelude to a confession.
Although she knew that she shouldn't have any expectations, after all, Yao Yingxia's whole mind was elsewhere, Ke Xin still couldn't help but bring it up.
Yao Yingxia was puzzled. Why did he pause so long before answering such a simple question? His voice was a little strange: "No."
Yao Yingxia was greatly disappointed and asked again: "Then do you have someone you like?"
This time, Shen Xingchuan didn't hesitate: "Yes." He looked at her with a half-smile, "It's rare to see you care about me so much."
He said this deliberately to see her reaction, but he didn't expect Yao Yingxia to relax her brows and encourage him with anticipation: "Then try your best to catch her." If you catch her, just announce it to the world to prevent Xu Nian from being suspicious anymore.
Shen Xingchuan was speechless because of her blocking. Yao Yingxia even saw his ears begin to turn red. After a long pause, he finally managed to speak: "I can't chase her now."
"Why?" Yao Yingxia couldn't understand. Did he have some unspeakable problem? Was it psychological? Or physical?
Shen Xingchuan's mood fluctuated greatly. He felt sorry for her because she was so naive and had no idea what she was talking about. He also felt sorry for her because she didn't care about him at all and could stay out of it completely.
He clenched and unclenched his hands on the steering wheel, and had to patiently explain to the person involved why he couldn't pursue her: "Now is not the best time. I'm not allowed to do this."
Yao Yingxia was even more confused at first, and then suddenly opened her eyes wide, seeming to be in disbelief.
Shen Xingchuan knew she must have some incredible associations, so he tried his best to be friendly and said, "To avoid unnecessary misunderstandings between us, I'd really like to hear your speculation."
Yao Yingxia finally spoke hesitantly: "You fell in love with a married woman? She's not divorced yet, right?"
Shen Xingchuan couldn't help but frown at Yao Yingxia's amazing imagination: "She's not married, but she has more important things to do right now and can't be distracted by other things."
Yao Yingxia's hope rekindled: "How long do I have to wait until the right time comes?"
"It will take a few months."
Yao Yingxia felt discouraged. It had been too long, and she could only make other plans.
Shen Xingchuan gradually calmed down, finally understanding her intentions, but he was still a little furious. Did she really want him to find a girlfriend quickly? To dispel the rumors, right? He had many ways to resolve this matter, but he simply didn't want her to have his way. He just wanted their names tied together.
Shen Xingchuan took a deep breath, started the car, and went to have breakfast as planned.
This was one of the few restaurants that Yao Yingxia and he had been to that looked relatively simple.
The waiter brought them two menus. After seeing that a basket of crab roe soup dumplings cost 288, Yao Yingxia instantly lost interest in reading further and closed the menu and put it aside: "I'll have white porridge."
Shen Xingchuan nodded and said to the waiter, "Give me some seafood porridge and these signature dishes."
After waiting for a while, the porridge was served. Shen Xingchuan served her a bowl. It was indeed fragrant, fresh and delicious. Yao Yingxia had never tasted such delicious porridge.
The places he picked were always the best. There was a reason why they were expensive. Even if the premium was staggering, at least the food was fresh, the service was attentive, and it was quiet with few people.
From now on, she will follow me and have the best of everything.
Shen Xingchuan looked at her in a daze.
Yao Yingxia drank her porridge slowly and didn't notice that the other person's gaze had stayed on her for too long, and then her cell phone vibrated.
She opened it and saw a message from Jin Ruyi: "Classmate, you're late again! Didn't you sleep well last night?"
Before she could reply, another message popped up: "I have good news for you! The monthly exam results are out, and you're ninth in the grade this time, setting a new record!"
Jin Ruyi sent a screenshot of her transcript, which also included the grade rankings for each subject. Except for physics, where she ranked 39th in the grade, her grades in other subjects were in the top five in the grade.
As expected, physics was holding her back. If she could fill this gap, she could at least make it into the top three in the grade.
Just as I was feeling melancholy, Jin Ruyi sent another message: "There's more good news! He Ming has been fired, and those who blocked us last night have also been fired!"
Jin Ruyi hadn't expected the school to be so helpful. Something that happened just after school last night had already been dealt with this morning. She'd been a bit worried about continued targeting, but now, that problem had been completely resolved.
The dialog box quickly showed the photo of the notice board. Including He Ming, there were thirteen people in total. The reason for expulsion was written as "campus black society organization, causing great harm to society."
Her emotions fluctuated slightly, a sense of relief that everything had settled. Before she looked up, Shen Xingchuan looked away and picked up the teacup in front of him. Sure enough, she soon heard her say, "Thank you."
In Yao Yingxia's eyes, he is now a very reliable elder, even though he is a bit cynical most of the time.
Shen Xingchuan smiled and said, "You're welcome, niece."
He was still used to calling her that, seeming very intimate and inseparable. This identity was his best protection, and before the college entrance examination was over, he could do so openly and confidently.
Yao Yingxia had long been accustomed to this title and no longer resisted it as before. After all, he had helped her solve so many troubles, even if it was just for Xu Nian's sake.
She lowered her head and drank her porridge again. When Yao Yingxia ate, she was always slow and leisurely, like a little rabbit that was not greedy. Shen Xingchuan felt much better just by watching her silently.
But she was always distracted today. Her cell phone lit up again. She didn't know what she saw, but she suddenly choked on the porridge she had just put in her mouth and started coughing violently.
Shen Xingchuan quickly got her a tissue and walked over to pat her on the back, but Yao Yingxia stopped him. She barely suppressed her cough and leaned against the back of the chair, saying, "I'm fine."
Seeing her completely defensive look, Shen Xingchuan couldn't help but feel a little chilled. He rarely felt this kind of emotion, so it was even more profound.
His unused right hand slowly dropped and clenched into a fist. After all that had happened recently, he had thought their relationship would improve, but it was still the same as when they first met. Yao Yingxia still avoided him like the plague.
He stood beside him for too long.
Yao Yingxia felt extremely oppressed, and at this moment her cell phone lit up again. Afraid that he would see the content on the screen, she quickly turned it off.
That's right, this is her privacy, you have no right to do anything about it now. Thinking of this, the pressure around him dropped a little.
Realizing that the atmosphere was not right, Yao Yingxia was at a loss. She simply put down her spoon, stood up, and didn't dare to look at him. She just said, "I'm done eating. I can go to school by myself." After that, she turned around and left quickly.
It’s okay, it’s okay, Shen Xingchuan kept comforting himself. His greatest strength has always been his foresight and steady progress. Even if Yao Yingxia escapes ten thousand times, she cannot escape the net he has set.
He just needs to wait, wait a little longer.
Yao Yingxia stood on the roadside to hail a taxi. While waiting, she took out her cell phone to confirm again whether there was anything wrong with her eyes.
But the message Jin Ruyi sent was absolutely true: "Xia Xia, did you know Shen Qingyuan is gay? His boyfriend seems to be his deskmate, Xu Lang."
Jin Ruyi was one of the few people who knew about her relationship with the Shen family, otherwise he would not have sent her gossip that had nothing to do with her.
When Yao Yingxia first saw the news, she actually didn't quite believe it. She recalled the several times she had met Shen Qingyuan at family gatherings. Although they were just acquaintances, she had never noticed that he had any inclinations in that direction.
Then several screenshots of the gossip group were loaded into the chat box.
The first photo was of the boy named Xu Lang. He had one hand hooked around Shen Qingyuan's shoulder and the other touching his arm. His face showed surprise and admiration, which looked a little funny.
Someone replied later:
"Xu Lang is just like a rich woman who went to a club and blind-spotted a male model and realized he was a handsome guy!"
"Who can afford Shen Qingyuan?"
However, Yao Yingxia felt that this picture was actually nothing. Many boys looked like this when they were arm in arm with each other.
She clicked on the second photo, which showed Xu Lang's outstretched palm, held by Shen Qingyuan. Behind them was a huge ginkgo tree next to the school's flower garden. Its leaves had turned into a beautiful golden color during the transition from autumn to winter. It must have been very cold that day, and there was a puff of white mist around Shen Qingyuan's mouth.
The comments following this one have completely exploded:
"Oh my god, Xu Lang's hands are cold, and Shen Qingyuan is warming them up for him???"
"Am I seeing right? This is the always aloof Shen Qingyuan!"
Yao Yingxia took a quick look, but didn't think it was solid evidence. Even if she pondered it carefully, it was just an ambiguous atmosphere. Perhaps Shen Qingyuan could read palms, Yao Yingxia thought.
Turning to the third photo, Yao Yingxia took a deep breath. This time, she really couldn't convince herself. Shen Qingyuan had his back to the camera, his head slightly lowered, and was holding Xu Lang's face. From this angle, it looked like the two were kissing.
The responses under this photo are so shocking that they are all emojis and exclamation marks.
Yao Yingxia never imagined that Shen Qingyuan, who looked so cold and aloof, was actually gay. This was too shocking.
She calmed down and realized that ten minutes had passed and she still hadn't gotten a taxi. It seemed that during the morning rush hour, getting a taxi was harder than climbing to the sky.
If she didn't go to school, she would miss the second class. She had no choice but to turn around, wanting to confirm whether Shen Xingchuan was still in the restaurant, but she found him standing in the shade of a tree not far away, looking at her with a smile.
Yao Yingxia was genuinely startled and subconsciously looked away, only to hear Shen Xingchuan's voice close by: "Do you need help?"
She was frightened again, and felt her heart was about to jump out of her chest. After a moment's calmness, she said, "Thank you for your trouble."
Now everyone has started using honorifics.
Shen Xingchuan snorted coldly and walked towards the car first. Yao Yingxia hurriedly followed, and had no time to pay attention to his mood swings. She was still immersed in the big news just now.
As expected, as long as you don't become the main person to watch the melon, eating melons is the happiest thing. With such explosive news, it seems that the popularity of her being "kept" can be quickly covered up. When no one discusses it anymore, she will be safe.
Shen Xingchuan saw from the corner of his eye that her expression changed unpredictably, and finally she smiled slightly. He couldn't help but have a terrible association: could it be that his dear little niece was in love?
Yao Yingxia didn't know why the car suddenly sped up so much that she lost her balance and her phone fell to the ground. Before she could pick it up, Shen Xingchuan braked again and stopped in front of the zebra crossing at the intersection. It turned out that the light was red.
Her face turned noticeably paler, and she looked at Shen Xingchuan in panic, not knowing what had gone wrong with him again. But she saw that he had an expressionless face and didn't feel sorry at all.
"Little niece." Shen Xingchuan suddenly spoke.
She refused to answer, but turned her head away and looked out the window.
Shen Xingchuan continued to ask: "Are you in a premature love relationship?"
Yao Yingxia thought he was going to talk a lot, but she didn't expect he just wanted to gossip. She said angrily, "There are so few good men. I don't want to be in a relationship."
Shen Xingchuan then laughed. Well, he was not a good guy either.
In the classroom of Class 1, Grade 12, Xu Lang clearly noticed that the atmosphere in the class was a little strange today. Several boys who usually had a good relationship with him kept their distance from him, and many girls gave him intriguing smiles, which made Xu Lang very panicked.
Unfortunately, he didn't bring his cell phone today, so he couldn't find anyone to ask. Only his deskmate seemed to be fine and was concentrating on writing in his exercise book.
This was the only person who made him feel at ease. Xu Lang reached out and hooked his arm around his shoulder and asked, "Classmate, am I particularly handsome today? Why do I feel like everyone is looking at me?"
After hearing him say this, the girl at the back table who had been listening intently was the first to laugh out loud.
Xu Lang turned around and glared at her: "Feng Qianqian, what are you laughing at?"
Feng Qianqian tried hard to suppress the corners of her mouth, but she couldn't control the direction of her muscles. She simply let herself smile even more brightly: "I'm currently following an idol drama!"
Xu Lang was puzzled: "Then what?" What's so funny?
Feng Qianqian looked intoxicated: "My CP has been giving out sweets lately! I'm happy!"
Xu Lang was speechless: "Are you really not laughing at me?"
Feng Qianqian immediately shook her head, her face sincere: "Absolutely not."
Xu Lang wanted to ask him if there were any vegetable leaves stuck in his teeth, but the physics teacher had already walked into the classroom, excitedly holding up a certificate and saying, "Classmates, good news! Shen Qingyuan won the individual gold medal in last month's National Physics Competition and has been accepted into S University!"
S University is a top university that has always been ranked first. The classmates immediately burst into applause and some even whistled. The atmosphere in the class had not been so lively for a long time.
Xu Lang just couldn't understand why most of the class turned around to look at him and kept making faces at him, since he was not the male lead who was recommended for admission.
The class was noisy for a while before quieting down at the physics teacher's signal. Then a student in the front row asked, "Teacher, I heard Newton was also gay. Is that true?"
The use of the word "也" was brilliant, and the class burst into laughter again. However, Xu Lang, who always got everyone's jokes, was once again baffled. How could he have gone from his deskmate's award to a question about whether Newton was gay? What was so funny about that?
Feng Qianqian, who was behind him, laughed the loudest, causing the table to shake and causing Xu Lang's back to hurt.
Xu Lang looked at his deskmate who had a nonchalant expression on his face, and couldn't help but sigh again. There were probably only two normal people left in the entire classroom, so he had to cherish them.
Xu Lang couldn't help but pat Shen Qingyuan's hand, and said with twinkling eyes, "Classmate, you must not learn bad habits and become as abnormal as them."
However, Shen Qingyuan didn't know what he was talking about, and just nodded habitually.
Xu Lang expressed his satisfaction. Before he could move his hand away from patting Shen Qingyuan, he felt a dazzling light flash from behind him. He didn't know who was so careless as to use a flash to take pictures in broad daylight. Besides, what was there to take pictures of in the classroom?
The whole day passed in confusion and bewilderment. When Xu Lang returned home in the evening, he couldn't wait to take out his mobile phone and habitually opened the chat software.
Seeing the number of gossip group messages showing 999+, Xu Lang knew there would be another big news today. High school life was too boring, and this was his only entertainment. He quickly went to the refrigerator to get a bottle of soda and a few bags of snacks. He returned to his room and eagerly clicked on it. The first message that caught his eye was: "Who do you think is the top, Shen Qingyuan or Xu Lang?"
Xu Lang froze in his tracks. His phone plummeted, hitting his toes. A shrill scream erupted from the bedroom, and Xu Lang collapsed to the floor. Without a second thought, he quickly picked up his phone and frantically typed into the chat box: "Bullshit! Who the hell has so much free time making this up?!"
He had been in the group for a long time and knew that this matter must have been started by someone who posted something to guide public opinion, otherwise there would not be such a big stir out of nothing. He quickly went back to look through the chat records.
However, after flipping through hundreds of messages, they were all enthusiastically discussing how sweet their daily campus life was, with many vivid details described. Xu Lang looked at them for a while, and everything went dark. He even had difficulty breathing. He quickened his search speed and finally found a photo.
He was looking at Shen Qingyuan with a "deeply affectionate" face and "touching" Shen Qingyuan's hand.
Xu Lang's heart was pounding with anger. He finally understood why someone had flashed a camera in the classroom! One of his biggest hobbies was looking at beautiful women. How could someone just casually change his sexual orientation? How would he ever find a partner? This was pure slander!
Xu Lang flipped forward again, and saw candid photos of himself and Shen Qingyuan taken from various angles. In the photos, Shen Qingyuan was standing there tall and straight, while he looked like a boneless octopus, with his arms around her shoulders or her back, and they all looked very affectionate, which made him look a little entangled.
Xu Lang took a deep breath, forced himself to continue reading, and finally flipped to the first three photos. Now he finally knew where the rumor came from, and began typing in the dialog box: "I, Xu Lang, would like to clarify: The first photo is from a physical education test. My deskmate did 20 pull-ups, which shocked me so much that I touched his arm to feel his muscle mass. The second photo is all my fault. I touched a cactus in the school flower garden and got pricked by a few thorns. My deskmate was helping me remove them. The third photo was also from physical education class. There was a sandstorm that day, and sand got in my eyes. It was very uncomfortable, so I had to ask my deskmate to take care of my eyes. Classmates, Shen Qingyuan and I really are not in that kind of relationship! Please stop spreading rumors! I still prefer beautiful women!"
After typing so many words, Xu Lang finally breathed a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to press the send button, he watched the dialog box suddenly disappear. At the end of the chat history, a line of small words appeared: "You have been kicked out of the group chat."
He threw his phone in anger, then quickly picked it up and scrolled through the chat history. He found that after he sent the first message, someone @ed the group owner: "This person has a foul mouth, kick him out quickly."
Xu Lang was so anxious that he scratched his head and started to register a small account. He thought he should rejoin the group and explain the mistake. After registering, he searched the gossip group and found that it was full.
Xu Lang was so angry that he didn't sleep all night. He begged everyone to clarify the matter, but it was useless. One of them replied: "Xu Lang, this is not your style. If it was fake, you would have clarified it in the group this morning. Why wait until the evening?"
Xu Lang had to explain: "I didn't bring my cell phone."
The person sent a smirking emoji and replied, "Okay, I understand. You don't have to worry too much. The classmates don't have any ill intentions. Most of them are wishing you well. Making this public won't have any impact on you. It's a different era now, and everyone is very accepting."
No matter how Xu Lang explained later, no one believed him. They all showed respect and blessings, as if he and Shen Qingyuan were really a perfect match.
The next day, Xu Lang went to school with dark circles under his eyes. Shen Qingyuan was a little surprised when he saw him: "You stayed up all night?"
Xu Lang moved his stool to the farthest end from him and said to him from a distance of nearly one meter: "Classmate, I'm done. I won't be able to find a girlfriend in the future."
He also said this on purpose for Feng Qianqian in the back seat to hear. As expected, she sat up straighter and pricked up her ears.
Shen Qingyuan consoled him, "Then don't look for it for now. Studying is more important right now."
Xu Lang frowned: "Do you know what's going on outside right now?"
Shen Qingyuan didn't care: "Those are irrelevant. We can just focus on our own affairs."
After he said that, Xu Lang felt reluctant to tell Shen Qingyuan about the rumors outside. At least it allowed his good deskmate to stay out of the matter completely, not be disturbed by the rumors, and study with peace of mind.
Feng Qianqian was deeply moved, her fingers constantly ticking to share the latest news in the gossip group: "Qingfeng Langyue seems to be having a bad time."
Someone replied: "What do you mean by clear wind and bright moon?"
Feng Qianqian: "I gave it the name of the couple."
Someone else replied: "Don't interrupt, tell me what's wrong?"
Feng Qianqian: "Xu Lang deliberately provoked Shen Qingyuan by saying he wanted to find a girlfriend. Shen Qingyuan didn't get angry, but said that studying was more important right now and that he shouldn't think about anything else for the time being. Wow, he's really clear-headed, always thinking about Xu Lang's future."
"What's wrong with Xu Lang? Shen Qingyuan is so nice, but he's still not satisfied. He's so gay, what kind of girlfriend is he looking for?"
"As for the fun of it, you don't understand. Little drama queens are the best at manipulating people's hearts."
"I know, it's called playing hard to get!"
Feng Qianqian posted again: "After being forced to come out, Xu Lang was very distressed. Shen Qingyuan even comforted him, telling him not to worry and to be himself. Woohoo, this is so sweet. I want to stand by Qingfenglangyue forever!"
Many people in the group showed up to chat with each other, and since then, Feng Qianqian has never been late for school again, and always contributes the latest updates and best moments to "Qingfenglangyue".
Xu Lang had to be careful with his words and actions and began to distance himself from Shen Qingyuan. However, the rumors were rampant, and even if Xu Lang shamelessly got together with other boys, he would be accused of deliberately trying to make Shen Qingyuan jealous.
Xu Lang eventually became a lone ranger. It had gotten to this point when, one day, while he was eating in the cafeteria, he faintly heard someone sighing behind him, "Oh, how pitiful! You clearly love someone so deeply, yet you have to stay away and pretend you don't care."
That day, Xu Lang was so angry that he didn't eat and went back to the classroom in silence. He didn't eat or sleep well, and he lost ten pounds in a short period of time. Finally, there were rumors that he was dumped by Shen Qingyuan. Xu Lang was greatly relieved. It took only a few days for him to regain his appetite. However, he had just gained three pounds and heard someone say that he and Shen Qingyuan had reunited.
Xu Lang later figured it out. This kind of thing is hard to explain, so he should focus on studying. Learning is really fun.
At that time, Shen Qingyuan knew nothing about the whole thing and had no idea that he was about to face a disaster.
The first Friday of December is the day Xu Nian returns to China.
When she returned home after evening self-study, she saw Xu Nian, who had not been home for a long time, in the living room. She rushed over and hugged her mother, almost jumping for joy.
Shen Xingchuan watched from afar and finally felt that Yao Yingxia was a little like a little girl of her age, becoming more lively than before.
When the joy of meeting had subsided a little, Yao Yingxia saw Shen Changhe standing next to them, then she calmed down and greeted him: "Uncle Shen."
Shen Changhe looked at her and smiled: "Xia Xia, long time no see, uncle bought you a little gift, the servants have moved it to your room, I hope you like it."
Yao Yingxia knew that Shen Changhe's small gifts were always a bit exaggerated. Last time, he gave her three luxury brand bags and five new haute couture sets, but he only said they were small gifts.
Even though they were things she couldn't use, Yao Yingxia still politely thanked him: "Thank you, Uncle Shen."
"You're welcome, as long as you like it."
Xu Nian took his daughter's schoolbag and pulled her to sit on the sofa: "Xia Xia, are you tired of studying recently?"
She just shook her head: "Not tired." Compared to the big and small things happening around her recently, studying can be considered a relaxing activity.
Xu Nian touched her face: "But Mom sees that you have lost weight again."
Yao Yingxia rested her face on her mother's shoulder and said coquettishly: "When mom comes back, I can gain weight. I want to eat the food mom cooks."
Xu Nian smiled and said, "Okay, let's go have dinner with Shen's sister at noon tomorrow, and then mom will make you something delicious in the evening."
Yao Yingxia knew that the Shen family's sister was referring to Shen Suxi. In this way, she would be able to meet Shen Qingyuan tomorrow. This name had frequently appeared in her ears recently. Jin Ruyi had become the backbone of the "Qingfeng Langyue" fan club, dedicated to promoting this couple.
It was rare that Yao Yingxia had such a relationship with him, and Jin Ruyi occasionally wanted to learn some gossip from her that was unknown to outsiders. Unfortunately, Yao Yingxia had no personal relationship with him, and her understanding of Shen Qingyuan was not as good as Jin Ruyi's.
She looked ahead, a little distracted. From this angle, she could just see the Shen brothers standing by the window chatting. Shen Xingchuan actually looked a bit like his eldest brother, but Shen Changhe was more burly and mature. Whenever he appeared, he always looked calm, steady and reliable. Unlike Shen Xingchuan, his mind was unpredictable and his temper changed faster than the pages of a book.
She was complaining in her heart, but she didn't expect Shen Xingchuan to look at her as if she had telepathy. The smile that originally accompanied her when talking to Shen Changhe faded, and then became even brighter, because she saw Yao Yingxia's embarrassment and thought that she was secretly saying bad things about her again.
Noticing his brother's gaze, Shen Changhe also looked over. At the end of his sight, Yao Yingxia was leaning on Xu Nian's shoulder. Both of them were stunningly beautiful, but with different styles. One was as gentle as water, and the other was clear and indifferent. Just sitting together like this, they were both somewhat breathtaking.
Shen Changhe's gaze returned to his brother's face and saw his sparkling eyes.
Shen Changhe had seen similar eyes before. When he first got the first place in his grade in the exam, and when he caught the first opportunity after working, he was also full of vigor and ambition.
He was stunned for a moment, wondering if he had misunderstood, but his brother's expression was irrefutable. This was the child he had raised, and he knew Shen Xingchuan too well.
Shen Changhe subconsciously wanted to stop him: "Xiaochuan..."
When Shen Xingchuan turned around, he continued, "This is inappropriate."
Shen Xingchuan only needed to glance at his brother to know that he had probably noticed. He didn't mind being seen through by his brother, but instead felt a little relieved: "Brother, I know my limits."
He looked so determined that Shen Changhe was a little frightened: "But she is still a child." He didn't know Yao Yingxia well, but he knew that she was a stubborn child with backbone. She was not concerned about personal relationships and had her own ambitions.
Shen Xingchuan's expression turned slightly cold: "She is an adult." He had obviously tried his best to be patient, but everyone said it was not suitable. But it didn't matter, even if the whole world opposed it, it didn't matter, as long as she agreed, they were a perfect match.
Seeing his indifferent look, Shen Changhe knew that saying more would be useless, so he could only pat his shoulder and said, "Don't let her mother know for the time being, and don't go too far."
At that time, Shen Xingchuan thought his elder brother was being overly concerned. He loved her so much, he just wanted to give her the best. How could that be excessive? He had always been the most measured, the most reasonable, and the most patient.
Yao Yingxia saw from afar that his expression changed several times, and then he showed a confident smile. She felt creepy and began to reflect on how she had offended him recently.
After thinking about it, it was just that he was hit by a dart on the shoulder and spent a night in the police station. Shen Xingchuan was so vindictive, was he thinking about how to take revenge on her again?
Feeling her daughter's shrinking, Xu Nian reached out and hugged her and asked, "What's wrong, Xia Xia?"
"Mom, I'm fine, just a little cold." She buried her face in Xu Nian's arms, like a little ostrich deceiving herself.
It's winter already.
Yao Yingxia slept with her mother that night, feeling warm and safe. She hadn't slept so well in a long time.
At the other end of the villa area, Shen Qingyuan had a nightmare.
In the dream, he was a child and his nanny was reading a storybook with him in the living room. Not long after, his father brought an uncle home and said he was his friend. The two of them watched TV with him for a while and then went upstairs together.
Then my mother came back with a few tall bodyguards and stormed into a guest bedroom on the second floor.
Shen Qingyuan had never seen his mother so angry.
He really wanted to follow and see what was going on, but the nanny held him tightly.
Soon, Shen Qingyuan heard a burst of harsh curses. Those vicious curses and ugly greetings to the other party's ancestors were something Shen Qingyuan had never imagined before. They would pour out of his mother's mouth like a tsunami.
Then he heard loud slaps, continuous and crisp, one after another, for about half an hour. His mother was probably a little tired, so she ordered the bodyguards, "Keep slapping until you are tired, then change someone else."
In this way, the sound of slapping rang from day to night. At first, he could still hear the man begging for mercy, but then it turned into crying, and later even the crying could not be heard.
Shen Qingyuan stood quietly for a whole day amid the boring and seemingly never-ending slapping sounds, and no matter how the nanny persuaded him, he refused to leave.
Later, Shen Suxi was the first to leave. She saw her young son still standing blankly in the living room. Her expression softened for a moment, and then her eyes turned red. She forced herself to act calm and told the nanny, "Take him back to his room first."
He obediently followed the nanny into the guest room on the first floor, and then said to the nanny: "I'm hungry."
He hadn't spoken or eaten for a whole day. The nanny was very worried, but now she breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to get him food.
While the nanny was out, he quietly opened the door a crack and saw the bodyguards carrying his father and the uncle downstairs.
If they were not wearing the same clothes as when they came, Shen Qingyuan would not even dare to recognize them, because their faces had been beaten into a bloody mess and their original appearance could not be seen at all.
After that night, Shen Suxi hugged him and cried for a long time. She said to herself, "Qingyuan, you won't have a father anymore. You will have the same surname as me, Shen."
It turns out his name is not Shen Qingyuan.
Later he could only be Shen Qingyuan.
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