Chapter 14 Yu Rou couldn't even bear to step on an ant since she was little.
The Shen family home, study.
Shen Wangchuan pushed open the door. Chairman Shen was sitting at his desk reviewing documents. Hearing the noise, he looked up at him.
"Dad," Shen Wangchuan said in a low voice, his face grave, "something has happened."
Chairman Shen frowned and put down his pen: "What is it?"
"The body of Xiao Wanxing, the youngest daughter of the Xiao family, was pulled out of the lake at our Yuhu Yao Villa."
Chairman Shen's pupils suddenly contracted, and he abruptly stood up, slamming his hand heavily on the table: "What?!"
“I’ve already had someone investigate,” Shen Wangchuan said coldly. “The security guards said that only Yu Rou has been to that villa in the past month.”
Chairman Shen's face instantly darkened, his fingers trembling slightly: "Yu Rou? How could she..."
Shen Yurou's bedroom.
When Shen Wangchuan knocked on the door, Shen Yurou was sitting in front of her dressing table, gently fiddling with a rose, a faint smile on her lips.
"Enter."
She turned her head, saw the person who had come, and smiled sweetly: "Big brother, what brings you here?"
Shen Wangchuan stared at her and said in a deep voice, "Yu Rou, Xiao Wanxing's body was retrieved from our villa. Do you know what happened?"
Shen Yurou's smile froze on her face, her pupils suddenly contracted, and the rose in her hand fell to the ground with a "thud".
"W-what?" Her voice trembled slightly, and her face turned deathly pale. "Brother, what are you saying? Wanxing...she's missing, isn't she?"
"She is dead."
Shen Wangchuan said in a deep voice, "The security guard said that you are the only one who has been to the villa recently."
Shen Yurou trembled all over, tears welling up instantly. She stood up abruptly, staggered back two steps, and her voice was choked with sobs:
"Brother! You doubt me? Wanxing and I are good friends! How could I possibly harm her?!"
She wept uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face, her slender shoulders trembling as if she had suffered a tremendous injustice.
"That day... she did come to visit me that day, but we only stayed at the villa for a short while before she said she had to leave... I... I have no idea what happened to her afterwards!"
Chairman Shen stood at the door, watching his daughter cry uncontrollably, her frail shoulders trembling, almost fainting.
Her usually delicate face was now deathly pale, making her look extremely pitiful.
His brows furrowed, a flicker of struggle crossed his eyes, but he ultimately sighed.
He stepped forward and held her trembling shoulders: "Yu Rou, don't cry."
His rough thumb brushed against her wet cheek, and his voice softened unconsciously, "Daddy believes in you."
Upon hearing this, Shen Yurou abruptly looked up at Shen Wangchuan, her red eyes filled with hurt and disappointment: "Brother!"
Her voice was hoarse and thick with nasal tone, "Wanxing was my best friend, but how could I... how could I kill her?!"
These words were like a blunt knife, piercing deeply into Shen Wangchuan's heart.
He looked at Shen Yurou's appearance—
Shen Wangchuan's Adam's apple bobbed, and he suddenly realized that he had been bewitched.
Yu Rou has never stepped on an ant since she was little, how could she...?
But everything was just too coincidental; how could it be that all the surveillance cameras in the villa were broken?
After all, she's the younger sister I've spoiled for twenty years.
Shen Wangchuan closed his eyes and chose to believe her.
When he opened his eyes again, his cold and stern expression had softened, and he was filled with deep remorse.
“Yu Rou,” he approached her and looked her in the eye, his voice hoarse, “it was my fault.”
He reached out to wipe away her tears, but she dodged him, so he could only smile bitterly and withdraw his hand, saying, "I'm sorry."
Suddenly, Shen Yurou burst into tears and threw herself into Chairman Shen's arms.
"Dad! Wanxing... Wanxing is my best friend..."
Her cries were broken and filled with heart-wrenching pain, "How could she... how could she leave like this..."
Chairman Shen patted her on the back and said in a deep voice, "Alright, since Yu Rou says she was unaware of this, then let's leave it at that. I will personally explain to the Xiao family."
At this moment, Madam Shen and Shen Yichuan heard the commotion and rushed over.
Madam Shen's hair was slightly disheveled, clearly indicating that she had been startled awake.
She leaned against the door frame, frowning as she looked into the room at her daughter, who was crying her eyes out, and her husband and eldest son, whose faces were grave.
"What happened?" Her voice was gentle but anxious as she quickly walked in. "Why is Yu Rou crying like this?"
Shen Yichuan followed behind his mother, his face full of confusion.
Shen Wangchuan took a deep breath and briefly explained the situation.
"Xiao Wanxing's body was found in the lake at our villa. During this period, only Yu Rou went there."
His voice was low, "I just... asked Yu Rou a few questions."
Upon hearing this, Madam Shen's expression changed drastically.
She turned sharply to look at Shen Wangchuan, her eyes filled with disbelief: "Wangchuan! You doubt your sister?!"
Her voice rose, becoming more stern than ever before, "Yu Rou has never even stepped on an ant since she was little, how could she possibly kill someone?!"
Shen Yichuan's eyes widened as well. "Big brother! Are you crazy? How could Yu Rou do such a thing!"
When questioned by his mother and younger brother, Shen Wangchuan pursed his thin lips and a hint of regret flashed in his eyes.
He did act impulsively just now...
Madam Shen quickly walked to Shen Yurou's side, tenderly hugged her daughter, and gently patted her back.
"Yu Rou, be good, don't cry..."
Shen Yurou buried her face in her mother's shoulder and cried even more miserably, her thin shoulders trembling uncontrollably, as if she had suffered a great injustice.
Chairman Shen looked at the scene and said in a deep voice, "Alright, the matter has been made clear. Yu Rou was unaware of it."
Madam Shen gently stroked her daughter's hair: "Yu Rou, don't be afraid, Mom will take you back to your room to rest."
Shen Yurou shook her head, sobbing, and raised her tear-filled face: "Mom... I want to go to the Xiao family to see them..."
Her voice was weak and choked with sobs, "Wanxing... Wanxing is, after all, my best friend..."
Madam Shen was taken aback, then nodded with satisfaction: "Okay, okay, let's go together."
Chairman Shen pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Very well, it's a good opportunity to visit the Xiao family and explain things clearly."
The family had just finished getting ready and reached the front gate when a Cullinan slowly drove up and stopped in front of the Shen family villa.
The car door opened, and Jiang Yubai's cold and aloof figure stepped out first. His face was pale, and his posture was as upright as a pine tree, but he could not hide the weariness between his brows.
Immediately afterwards, the other car door opened, and Shen Yuepo appeared in a gray-blue Taoist robe.
Her long, black hair was loosely tied up with a wooden hairpin, with a few strands falling beside her ears, making her skin look as white as snow, and giving her a cool and aloof demeanor.
The two groups unexpectedly came face to face.
The air froze instantly.
The moment Jiang Yubai saw the Shen family members, a surge of ferocity flashed in his eyes.
Shen Yurou's pupils suddenly contracted, and her fingertips unconsciously dug into her palms.
She stared at Shen Yuepo's face, then looked at Jiang Yubai standing beside her, and a twisted jealousy suddenly rose in her heart—
What makes her so special? What makes her so special that she can get close to Brother Yu Bai so soon after returning to the Shen family?!
Shen Wangchuan frowned slightly, his gaze sweeping back and forth between Jiang Yubai and Shen Yuepo, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes.
He was usually calm and collected, but at this moment he couldn't help but think—
Did this younger sister, who just returned, deliberately get close to Jiang Yubai to steal everything Yu Rou likes?
Shen Yichuan narrowed his eyes slightly, sizing up Shen Yuepo, a cold smile playing on his lips.
In just half a day, she actually managed to get in with the Jiang family; that's quite a clever tactic.
Madam Shen stood frozen in place, staring at Shen Yuepo's face, which bore a striking resemblance to her own in her youth, and suddenly realized—
Since Shen Yuepo left home today, she has completely forgotten to ask where he went.
Regret surged into her heart like a tide, and she opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say.
Jiang Yubai was unaware of the different expressions on the faces of the Shen family members. He simply nodded slightly to Chen Yuepo and said in a low voice:
“Miss Shen, thank you for helping to find Wanxing... The Xiao family and the Jiang family owe you a debt of gratitude.”
Shen Yuepo said calmly, "The cause and effect have been settled. She gave me the appropriate reward, and you owe me nothing."
Hearing their conversation, Shen Yurou's face turned deathly pale, and she glared at Shen Yuepo.
It's her?! It's her who found Xiao Wanxing?!
Shen Wangchuan stepped forward, looked at Jiang Yubai, and said in a low voice, "Yubai, please accept my condolences."
Jiang Yubai's gaze swept coldly over the Shen family members, lingering for a moment on Shen Yurou, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
His voice was cold and hard, carrying a warning: "Stay away from me! If you're going to the Xiao family, there's no need! The Xiao family doesn't want to see anyone right now, especially—"
He paused, his tone chilling, "The Shen family."
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