Both Meng Shuyan and Xia Qian knew Pei Yanchuan. The moment they saw him run over to show concern for this woman, Meng Shuyan’s heart sank sharply.
Everyone knew that Pei Yanchuan and Shang Chenyan had been close since childhood.
So who exactly was this woman?
Pei Yanchuan hurried over and crouched beside Shi Ying, reaching out to help her up. “How did you fall? Did you twist your ankle?”
Shi Ying shook her head. Her butt hurt a little, and the skin on her palms had been scraped raw, with a bit of blood seeping out.
“I was walking perfectly fine when this car came up from behind and hit me.”
She stood up and brushed the dirt off her clothes. Maybe because someone was finally showing concern for her, a sudden wave of grievance welled up inside her.
The road was so wide, and she had even been walking along the edge. That car had clearly done it on purpose.
Pei Yanchuan lifted his eyes toward the lowered car window, his gaze icy cold.
“How the hell are you driving? Who allowed you to barrel around recklessly here?”
Xia Qian looked helplessly at Meng Shuyan. Who would’ve thought this woman actually knew Pei Yanchuan?
Pei Yanchuan had always been hot-tempered. He strode straight over and yanked open the car door.
“Get out.”
Xia Qian was dragged out of the car. She stammered nervously, trying to smooth things over. “It was a misunderstanding, really. I didn’t see someone in front of us…”
“Xia Qian?” Pei Yanchuan bent down and looked into the car. Sure enough, Meng Shuyan was sitting inside.
Xia Qian was Meng Shuyan’s lackey. Since Aunt Cheng had a good relationship with the Meng family, Meng Shuyan had long treated herself as the future Mrs. Shang. Anytime any woman got even a little too close to Shang Chenyan, her group of followers would immediately go make trouble for them.
Shang Chenyan already found those women who threw themselves at him annoying. Since Meng Shuyan voluntarily helped deal with them, he was more than happy to stay out of it.
But this time, she had messed with the real person herself.
Pei Yanchuan rapped his knuckles against the hood of the car.
“Get out.”
Meng Shuyan tightened her grip on her handbag strap. The Pei family might not compare to the Shang family, but they definitely weren’t people anyone could afford to offend. Not to mention Pei Yanchuan himself was a notorious troublemaker who couldn’t care less about manners or reputation.
She shot Xia Qian a glare before getting out of the car with an icy expression.
“What? Young Master Pei wants to stand up for her? Why don’t you just hit me with the car too?”
Pei Yanchuan laughed in anger. “You’re not even married into the Shang family yet, and you already think you’re Mrs. Shang? Apologize, then take your people and get lost.”
Meng Shuyan’s face turned livid. “You want me to apologize to her?”
She genuinely thought Pei Yanchuan had lost his mind. No matter what, they had all grown up together in the same social circle.
Then she glanced at Shi Ying standing nearby. Her hair was tied in a simple ponytail, and everything she wore probably didn’t add up to more than a thousand yuan. She clearly wasn’t from the same world as them.
Too lazy to waste words with her, Pei Yanchuan grabbed Meng Shuyan directly and dragged her in front of Shi Ying.
“Apologize.”
Humiliation surged through Meng Shuyan. She swung her handbag at Pei Yanchuan.
“Have you gone insane?”
Xia Qian hurried forward to smooth things over. “It has nothing to do with Shuyan. She was sleeping just now and didn’t even know someone got hit.”
“Then you did it?”
Xia Qian choked on her words. In the end, she shoved all the blame onto the driver.
“The driver wasn’t watching the road and accidentally hit someone.”
“You. Get out.”
The unlucky driver climbed out of the car trembling. After catching Meng Shuyan’s warning glance, he repeatedly bowed in apology.
“Miss, I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention to the road and accidentally hit you.”
“If you’re injured, I’ll cover all the medical expenses.”
Step by step, Pei Yanchuan approached Meng Shuyan. She instinctively retreated until her back pressed against the car door.
“I’m warning you—keep your little tricks in check. If I ever see you do anything to her again, forget Shang Chenyan. I’ll be the first one who won’t let you off.”
“Now get lost.”
Pei Yanchuan walked back over, grabbed Shi Ying by the arm, and led her into his car.
Meng Shuyan dug her nails deeply into her palms, feeling as though she’d just been slapped across the face.
“Shuyan… who exactly is that woman?” Xia Qian’s face had gone pale as well, fear creeping into her voice. “Could she be Pei Yanchuan’s girlfriend? Look how protective he is of her.”
Meng Shuyan violently pulled open the car door and sat down, her tone dark.
“You’re asking me?”
Xia Qian hurriedly apologized. “I’ll investigate. I’ll get someone to look into it right away. Don’t be angry, Shuyan.”
“Are we still going?”
Earlier, they had left the Shang family’s old residence because Shang Chenyan’s mother, Cheng Suyun, had asked them to come over. Who would’ve expected something like this to happen on the way?
Meng Shuyan snapped irritably, “Go where? We’re going home!”
***
Inside the car.
Shi Ying secretly glanced at Pei Yanchuan, curiosity flickering in her eyes.
“Mr. Pei, thank you for earlier. Who were those two women?”
Pei Yanchuan casually turned the steering wheel. “Don’t take them to heart. That Meng Shuyan is just the daughter of one of Aunt Cheng’s friends. She’s been chasing after Shang Chenyan for years. But don’t worry—after all this time, Shang Chenyan’s never paid her any attention.”
What did she have to worry about? The way he said it made it sound like Shang Chenyan was her husband.
Shi Ying asked again, “Then isn’t it a problem that you drove them away like that?”
“What problem could there be? If Shang Chenyan found out they hurt you, he’d probably kick them straight off the mountain.”
Shi Ying frowned slightly.
Pei Yanchuan glanced at her and suddenly remembered Shang Chenyan’s warning from yesterday—not to mention the past in front of Shi Ying for the time being. He quickly tried to patch things up.
“What I mean is, you’re Shang Chenyan and Nian nian’s guest. There’s no way they’d let a guest get bullied, right?”
Only then did Shi Ying let her suspicions go.
She kept feeling like Pei Yanchuan was strangely familiar with her. Earlier, when he ran over, hadn’t he called her “Little Ying”?
Only her best friends in the real world used to call her that.
Though maybe she had simply misheard.
“Mr. Pei, did you know me before?”
“N-No, of course not.” Pei Yanchuan glanced at her several times. “I just saw how much Shang Nian likes you, so I naturally started treating you like a friend too.”
Shi Ying let out an “oh.”
“Then… do I look a little like President Shang’s wife? Otherwise why is Shang Nian so attached to me?”
Pei Yanchuan slammed on the brakes.
Shi Ying nearly smacked into the window.
He awkwardly muttered, “W-We’re here.”
Shi Ying: “……”
After getting out of the car, she looked at him suspiciously.
Pei Yanchuan scratched his head. “Not alike, not alike. Shang Nian just likes pretty older sisters. She probably just feels close to you.”
Before Shi Ying could ask anything else, a rapid pattering of footsteps sounded nearby.
She turned and saw a tiny pink figure running out from the house.
Shang Nian had been lying by the window all morning waiting for Shi Ying to arrive. The moment she saw her get out of the car, she rushed outside without even putting on a coat and hugged tightly onto her leg.
Shi Ying caught the soft scent of milk. A tiny warm body rubbed against her leg, and even the hardest heart would melt completely.
She crouched down and picked Shang Nian up.
“How did Shang Nian know I was here?”
Shang Nian pointed at her own ears.
Shi Ying smiled. “You heard the car?”
Shang Nian nodded.
Shi Ying gently pressed her cheek against the child’s soft face. Shang Nian was already five years old, so she still had some weight to her. After holding her for a while, Shi Ying’s arms started aching slightly.
Just as she was about to put her down, Pei Yanchuan grabbed Shang Nian by the back of her collar and lifted her into his own arms.
“Little Shang Nian, didn’t even notice me?”
Shang Nian gave him a thoroughly uninterested look.
“Oh? So now you judge people differently?” Pei Yanchuan ruffled her hair into a complete mess.
Angrily, Shang Nian started pounding him with her tiny fists.