Last night, under the ink-like darkness, the city’s neon lights shimmered with a dreamy glow. Xu Qiuchi reeked of alcohol, stumbling as she was escorted home by bodyguards from the Shen family.
At that time, Xu Yi was pacing anxiously in the living room. The moment he saw this scene, his heart sank. After piecing together what happened from the bodyguards’ fragmented accounts, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of anger.
“Ah Che, did Qiuchi upset you again last night? Is that why you came so early this morning saying all those things in anger?”
Now, recalling what had happened last night, Elder Xu sat on the living room sofa, his expression showing concern mixed with worry as he looked at Shen Che and asked.
Shen Che slowly shook his head. Each word he spoke seemed to be carefully considered, “No, I thought about this matter for a long time last night. Marriage might be too forced for the two of us.”
“Just as I said earlier, Miss Xu and I… perhaps we’re more like siblings.”
Hearing this, Elder Xu let out a heavy sigh. The sound was filled with endless helplessness and weariness. His gaze slowly shifted to Xu Qiuchi, looking at his granddaughter’s face, full of regret.
His granddaughter’s indifference toward Shen Che over the years had never escaped his notice.
Then he looked at Shen Che again. In that moment, his back seemed more hunched, and the wrinkles on his face appeared deeper, as if he had aged several years all at once.
The air in the living room felt frozen. It was so silent that only the ticking of the wall clock could be heard, each tick knocking against everyone’s hearts, signaling that something was quietly changing.
“Ah Che, all these years, your feelings for our Qiuchi—we’ve all seen them and remember them,” he said. “You’ve always considered her in everything, always protected her. We all understand that. It’s just that our girl didn’t know how to cherish it and kept letting you down time after time.”
Elder Xu’s words were filled with emotion. The wrinkles on his face seemed to be telling a story of sorrow and regret.
“This engagement has been under the spotlight since the moment it was made. Many dignitaries in the Magic City and countless media outlets have all been closely watching the marriage between the two of you.”
“Everyone expected this union between two prestigious families, believing it to be a match made in heaven.”
Elder Xu furrowed his brow slightly, his expression solemn. He lifted his teacup, took a light sip, trying to calm the waves in his heart.
“If the engagement is broken off now, it’ll surely stir up quite a storm. It will affect both your reputations. The rumors out there might paint you in the worst light.”
“Moreover, the long-standing cooperation between our two families could also suffer some cracks. Future project development and resource sharing will face many challenges.” You are reading on novelping.com, the official source.
He slowly put the teacup down and looked at Shen Che with earnest words.
After a pause, Elder Xu leaned forward slightly, his gaze filled with sincerity and hope as he continued, “Ah Che, I’m truly thinking for your sake. After the marriage, whether it’s for your personal career or your family’s growth, there would be countless benefits.”
From the bottom of his heart, Elder Xu saw Shen Che as his own grandson. After all, he had watched him grow up and had deep feelings for him.
And looking at his granddaughter beside him—also a cherished treasure in his eyes—faced with this difficult situation, he had weighed everything carefully and finally decided to respect the wishes of both young people.
Elder Xu paused again. His aged eyes wandered between Shen Che and Xu Qiuchi, as if trying to etch their faces into his memory. He took a deep breath, trying to make his voice sound calm, “But… none of that is more important than your happiness. To me, your joy is what truly matters.”
Although he said that, the slight tremble in his voice betrayed the turmoil within.
Forcing a faint smile, Elder Xu continued, “How about this: since there’s still some time before your engagement ceremony, let’s officially end the engagement two months from now.”
“During these two months, think it over carefully again. If by then your feelings still haven’t changed, then you may end the engagement. We old-timers won’t have anything more to say.”
Once finished, he leaned back into the chair, as if all his strength had been drained from him, his eyes full of loneliness and helplessness.
Seeing the pained look on Elder Xu’s face, Shen Che couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt in his heart.
This elder had always treated him like a grandson. Back when the original Shen Che was still learning to manage the company, this old man had taught him personally, guiding him step by step.
Still, knowing the engagement could officially be dissolved in just two months was good news to Shen Che.
“That works out perfectly. But Grandpa Xu,” Shen Che said sincerely and warmly, “even after breaking off the engagement, I’ll still be like your grandson. It won’t affect the relationship between our two families.”
Xu Qiuchi, who had already been feeling uneasy ever since Shen Che proposed breaking off the engagement, now found her emotions growing even more complicated after listening to the entire conversation.
When the words “breaking off the engagement” clearly reached her ears, she unexpectedly felt a wave of relief rise in her heart.
Now that those shackles were about to be removed, she thought she’d feel overjoyed, finally free.
But as that feeling of relief slowly faded, she realized she wasn’t as happy as she thought she’d be.
Her eyes turned blank, and she unconsciously bit her lower lip. Her brows furrowed slightly in confusion.
“Strange… why don’t I feel happy about breaking off the engagement?” These doubts fluttered through Xu Qiuchi’s mind like a swarm of mischievous little bugs.
She tried searching deep within herself for the answer, but her thoughts were a tangled mess, getting more chaotic the more she tried to untangle them. She had imagined this scene countless times—breaking free from the engagement, yearning for that moment of freedom. But now that it was really happening, she couldn’t find even a trace of joy.
Shen Che slowly stood up. Looking at Elder Xu, whose face was now full of sorrow from just agreeing to dissolve the engagement, Shen Che felt a pang of guilt in his heart.
He gave a slight bow and said gently, “Grandpa Xu, I have something to attend to. I’ll take my leave now.” With that, he turned to go.
Watching the man who had once cared for her so much but now seemed completely indifferent to her, Xu Qiuchi’s heart felt sour, like something bitter and stuck in her throat.
She didn’t know why, but the words suddenly slipped out of her mouth, “Young Master Shen, let me walk you out.”
The moment the words left her lips, even she was surprised. But what was said couldn’t be taken back.
Shen Che looked stunned when he heard that.
He couldn’t help but wonder, What’s with her today? She’d always been cold and distant toward him. Even when he tried to please her, she barely responded. She usually couldn’t wait for him to leave. But now… she offered to walk him out?
After a brief pause, he nodded lightly and replied calmly, “Alright.”
It was just a send-off. It didn’t mean anything. Shen Che told himself not to overthink it.