Shen Xiying’s hand holding the teacup paused for a moment before she looked up and smiled at him. “It’s the same if I brew it.”
After speaking, she placed the tea on the side table.
Shang Ruzhou glanced at it.
The tea contained Poria, lily, and goji berries, with a faint, subtle nutty aroma that wasn’t cloying.
Shen Xiying stood to the side, hands clasped behind her back, looking at him with anticipation.
“Try it.”
Her gaze was intense, almost tangible, impossible to ignore as it rested on him.
Shang Ruzhou’s hand holding the fountain pen paused. In the end, he set aside the unfinished document.
He picked up the teacup beside him and took a light sip.
The tea was strong, but unlike usual, today’s was a bit sweeter.
A clean, refreshing sweetness—like the purest sweetness of nuts—followed by a faint tartness that spread across his lips and teeth.
It tasted better than he’d imagined.
Shen Xiying stood to the side, watching him without blinking.
Observing every change in his expression.
Only after she saw no discomfort, displeasure, or disdain on his face did she finally relax.
Having stood for so long, her legs were starting to ache.
She looked around and spotted a chair nearby.
Shen Xiying pulled the chair over, placed it beside the desk, and sat down.
Quietly watching Shang Ruzhou drink his tea.
The study’s lighting was warm, casting a gentle glow as it fell.
It softened even Shang Ruzhou’s cold, sharp features into a hazy warmth.
When he finished drinking and set the teacup aside,
Shen Xiying finally withdrew her gaze, her tone lifting slightly. “Isn’t my tea really good?”
“Just so-so.”
Shen Xiying: “…”
Just so-so, and yet he drank all of it.
The tea she brewed was clearly excellent.
She’d spent a whole year learning her tea-brewing skills from Shen Jieyu.
She’d thought it was a useless skill, but it turned out to be somewhat useful after all.
After finishing the tea, Shang Ruzhou didn’t idle around.
He continued reviewing the documents he hadn’t finished reading.
Shen Xiying watched him. She felt that Shang Ruzhou seemed to think resting was a waste of time.
Aside from the few hours of sleep at night, he was either working or discussing business deals the rest of the time.
He looked good when he was focused—so good it was impossible to ignore, and it held a fatal attraction for Shen Xiying.
She watched him, and after a while, she blurted out a nonsensical question: “Shang Ruzhou, do you know you’re actually really beautiful?”
—Especially in the warm glow of the light, where his coldness and sharp edges took on a softer hue.
Shang Ruzhou didn’t look up, his eyes fixed on the contract.
He simply hummed in acknowledgment and replied flatly, “I know.”
“Oh.” Shen Xiying nodded. “Well, you’re pretty self-aware.”
Shang Ruzhou said nothing.
It took Shen Xiying two seconds to realize that her words sounded a bit odd.
She quickly explained, “That’s not what I meant.”
“I know,” he replied, his tone calm.
Then he wrote his name on the signature line.
Shen Xiying pursed her lips at his words. She wanted to say something but didn’t know how to start.
She opened her mouth, trying to make a sound, then immediately closed it again.
She went back and forth like this several times.
Even Shang Ruzhou, who was bent over signing documents, turned his head to look at her. His tone was light, but it seemed to carry a hint of barely perceptible amusement:
“What’s wrong with you?”
“I…”
Shen Xiying instinctively opened her mouth to answer, but her mind went completely blank, and she froze mid-sentence.
Then she steeled herself and asked, “I wanted to ask when you’re going to take a shower.”
The moment the words left her mouth,
Shen Xiying’s entire body stiffened.
What kind of stupid question was that?
She really wanted to bang her head against the wall a few times.
Shang Ruzhou listened to her words, his gaze lingering on her face for a brief second.
Then he asked, “You want to shower with me?”
His tone was remarkably natural and familiar, like the most ordinary small talk.
Shen Xiying’s face instantly flushed bright red.
She shot up from her chair and said rapidly, “I don’t want to shower with you!”
Shang Ruzhou looked up, watching her with leisurely composure.
After two seconds, he suddenly curved his lips into a smile and deliberately drawled, “You don’t?”
“I…” Shen Xiying’s words were cut off.
Shang Ruzhou continued, “Didn’t you say last night that I smelled nice?”
Shen Xiying: “…?!”
Shen Xiying opened her mouth, but not a single word came out.
Her whole body was unconsciously burning up.
“I said I don’t, so I don’t!”
Her words came out fast, almost with a hint of protesting too much. “I’m going out first.”
With that, she quickly walked out of the study.
Shang Ruzhou watched her leave before finally withdrawing his gaze.
The expression between his brows settled back into calmness.
Then he raised a hand to massage his temples.
Oddly enough, today his temples didn’t ache as they usually did.
After taking a shower, Shen Xiying curled up in bed, scrolling through her phone.
Video after video, she swiped quickly.
Nothing registered in her mind.
After a long while, she finally snapped back to reality and rubbed her face with her hands.
A new message notification popped up on her phone.
She tapped in to take a look—it was a message from Meng Zhiqing.
【Meng Zhiqing: How’s it going? Does Tingwei want to develop abroad?】
【Shen Xiying: She doesn’t want to go.】
【Meng Zhiqing: Alright then.】
【Meng Zhiqing: Has Shang Ruzhou been home these past two days?】
Meng Zhiqing was a friend she’d grown up with since childhood, and she knew very well how much Shen Xiying liked Shang Ruzhou.
She felt both heartache and bitterness for her.
Shen Xiying had liked Shang Ruzhou for eight years. Over those eight years, there were times Shen Xiying felt sad and tormented, and times she felt happy and joyful.
Her emotions were always swayed by Shang Ruzhou.
Meng Zhiqing remembered with absolute clarity the day Shen Xiying video-called her.
The corners of her lips curved into a joyful smile, and even her tone was impossibly light: “Qingqing, I’m getting my marriage certificate with Shang Ruzhou.”
Her smile was especially radiant, happy, and infectious.
Meng Zhiqing had wanted to say something, but the words got stuck in her throat before they could come out.
How could Shang Ruzhou suddenly get married like this, without even seeking someone who could help him in business?
Instead, he chose to form a marriage alliance with the Shen family, whose foundation wasn’t stable.
That wasn’t normal at all—how could the marriage possibly be happy afterward?
But seeing Shen Xiying so happy, Meng Zhiqing swallowed all her words.
She smiled and replied, “Yingying, congratulations! You got what you wished for!”
Shen Xiying held her phone, smiling as she curled up in the soft sofa.
Meng Zhiqing looked at Shen Xiying on the video call, pressing her lips together. After a long moment, she finally said, “Yingying, so when are you two planning the wedding?”
Shen Xiying held her phone, listening to Meng Zhiqing’s voice come through the receiver.
She froze for a second, then another smile spread across her face.
She looked up at the white crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling.
It was a bit dazzling, making the corners of her eyes sting slightly.
She blinked, and her tone carried a hint of calm detachment: “Qingqing, you know. Just being able to marry him already makes me very happy.”
“That’s enough.”