This man was very short, exceedingly lean, and wore a black hooded sweatshirt.
The hood was pulled over his head, covering the better part of his face.
Shen Yanbin could only vaguely make out his lower face, which had a sharp, monkey-like profile.
He didn’t even apologize for bumping into someone, keeping his head down as he hurried away.
Shen Yanbin was in a hurry to meet his appointment, so being of good temperament, he didn’t fuss too much over it, only realizing something was amiss after walking three or four steps.
He reached into the pocket where he had just placed his phone.
Oh no, it was completely empty!
“Stop right there, give me back my phone!”
Shen Yanbin turned around and gave chase to the scrawny man.
The thief must have been a habitual offender, running faster than a rabbit. Moreover, Shen Yanbin had already lagged behind by three or four steps, and couldn’t even brush against the thief’s jacket.
Onlookers on the sidewalk watched indifferently like spectators at a play, not a single one stepping forward to help.
It looked like he was about to lose him.
Suddenly, a streak of white flashed out from the cold crowd, swift as a ghost.
With a handsome sweeping leg kick, the thief was sent tumbling to the ground.
“At your age, couldn’t you find a proper job?” Qian Feng planted a foot squarely on the thief’s back. “Hand over the phone!”
“Ah, fine, fine, take it, big brother, go easy on me, go easy.”
Realizing he couldn’t escape, the thief obediently surrendered the phone.
Taking advantage of the moment Qian Feng reached for the phone, the thief suddenly twisted his body, wriggled out from under Qian Feng’s foot, and fled at high speed, disappearing around the street corner.
Qian Feng didn’t bother chasing him anymore; the phone was back in his hands anyway.
When he turned around wanting to return the phone to its owner, he paused in surprise.
“It’s you again. If I had known it was your phone, I wouldn’t have chased him.”
Qian Feng curled his lips.
Casually tossing the phone, it traced a graceful arc through the air, and Shen Yanbin caught it single-handedly.
Then, Shen Yanbin smiled gently at Qian Feng. “Thank you.”
Dressed entirely in white sportswear, Qian Feng crossed his arms and walked up to Shen Yanbin, tilting his head slightly with a ruffian-like edge:
“I don’t want your verbal thanks. Just return that two thousand yuan from the bar to me.”
“Business is business; that two thousand yuan cannot be returned to you because it was a fine for assaulting a customer and affecting business.”
“Hmph, a hypocrite draped in scholar’s robes, putting on a righteous facade. I shouldn’t have kicked you with that move just now.”
With his hands shoved deep into his pockets, Qian Feng cast a sidelong glance at Shen Yanbin, then turned and walked away grumbling curses.
Watching the teenager’s receding figure, Shen Yanbin was slightly stunned.
He had expected him to keep trying to persuade him.
Why did he just leave?
Still, he never imagined that someone who looked so hot-tempered would actually possess such a strong sense of justice.
That two thousand yuan, maybe he should give it back to…
“Ow!”
Lost in thought, Shen Yanbin suddenly took a kick to the thigh. Qian Feng, who had doubled back, kicked him and bolted right after finishing his mischief, leaving behind an arrogant parting remark:
“Business is business. That kick just now, I’m returning it to you!”
“Qian Feng, don’t even dream about getting that two thousand yuan back!”
Staring at the teenager’s figure disappearing into the crowd while rubbing his burning, aching leg, Shen Yanbin for the first time abandoned his composure and shouted and yelled on the main street.
After shouting, he froze for a moment, then chuckled dumbly and shook his head.
Inside the private dining room of a high-end restaurant, Fengya.
“To be honest, Huo Sina is truly very pretty, and smart too. I have a business friend who went to high school with her, and he said Huo Sina actually secretly had a crush on you ages ago. Why don’t you just give in?”
Halfway through dinner, Luo Tao tried to persuade his friend.
With little appetite, Shen Yanbin set down his chopsticks, took a light sip of tea, and then looked at his close friend:
“She’s pretty, she’s smart, and she has a crush on me—what does that have to do with me? I am never getting married in this lifetime.”
“Why?”
Shen Yanbin didn’t answer, turning his gaze toward the neon lights outside the window as his thoughts drifted somewhat.
Though his father Shen Kangyu appeared upright in appearance, he was actually extremely lustful.
The red flag at home never fell while colorful flags fluttered wildly outside.
His mistresses were countless.
Ever since Shen Yanbin could remember, he had witnessed many mistresses coming to the house to provoke his biological mother. While his mother looked strong on the outside, her heart was actually terribly fragile.
When Shen Yanbin was ten years old, his mother sickened and died of melancholy.
On the third day after his mother died, before the traditional seven-day mourning period had even passed, his father remarried and brought a stepmother into the house.
From then on, ten-year-old Shen Yanbin lived a life without a mother, unloved by his father, disliked by his stepmother, and provoked by his younger brother.
To survive, he put on a gentle facade and tried his best not to conflict with anyone.
As he grew up, he developed his own inner demons.
Just how much his father loved women was just how much he loathed women, vowing to be a lifelong celibate!
“You don’t like women, then what about men?” Luo Tao took a bite of fish, chatting casually. “You can’t possibly live in solitude until old age, right?”
Hearing this, Shen Yanbin smiled. “If I liked men, wouldn’t that put you in danger?”
“Meaning you don’t like men either? You really are a unique piece of work. Wait, hold on.”
Luo Tao paused his chopsticks, a flash of inspiration hitting his brain.
“Why don’t you just tell your family that you’re gay, and then find a man to pretend to be your boyfriend? Wouldn’t that solve the marriage issue at its root?”
“This… would that work?” Shen Yanbin looked hesitant.
He worried he wouldn’t get along well with a man either; even if it was fake, it would feel awkward.
“I’ve helped you as much as I can. You make your own decision.” Luo Tao turned back to devouring his food.
A tug-of-war began inside Shen Yanbin’s heart.
“What a warm gaze you are, teaching me to resolutely look toward the road ahead, reminding me not to give up when I fall. There’s no way to explain how to repay all of a parent’s grace, your boundless love is infinite.”
His phone rang with a ringtone, playing Beyond’s “A Truly Beloved.”
“Still using this same ringtone after all these years. It seems your mother holds a very important place in your heart,” Luo Tao said, taking a sip of soup.
Pulling back his thoughts, Shen Yanbin drew his phone from his pocket.
When he saw the name displayed on the caller ID, he frowned imperceptibly.
It was a call from his stepmother Feng Yemei.
Still, he answered with cultivated gentleness, “Hello, Auntie, is something the matter?”
“Yanbin, come back to the villa tomorrow. Auntie found another young lady for you, this one has a slim figure, guaranteed to be your style. Why don’t you come back and take a look?”
“Tomorrow?” Shen Yanbin adopted a tone of forced difficulty. “I have an important meeting tomorrow.”
“Then the day after tomorrow.”
“The day after tomorrow… I have a business dinner.” Since she wasn’t going to show restraint, Shen Yanbin adopted a firmer attitude this time. Before his stepmother could speak, he continued:
“I won’t be free the day after that either. I have to go inspect Fuyuan Street.”
“Hello, little brother, hurry back to Fuyuan Street, Wang Yi is running a fever!”
“What? Okay, okay, okay, I’m coming right back.”
At Meizui Bar.
Just as Qian Feng finished singing a song and was taking a sip of water to rest, he received a frantic call from his older sister.