As if possessed, Shang Chenyan reached out his hand.
Just as his fingertips were only an inch away from her, Shi Ying instinctively leaned back to avoid him.
Meeting her puzzled gaze, Shang Chenyan pulled a tissue from the box and handed it to her.
“You got something on your face.”
Shi Ying quickly took the tissue and wiped at her cheek.
“Where? Is it clean now?”
The man’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly.
Before she could react, he grasped her wrist and guided her hand across the left side of her face.
“Now it’s clean.”
Shi Ying swallowed.
A trace of scorching warmth lingered on her wrist. Feeling awkward, she tossed aside the tissue and lowered her head, finishing the bowl of wontons in just a few bites.
“I’ll wash the dishes.”
Before she could leave, Shang Chenyan stopped her.
“Just leave them there. Aunt Zhang will clean up tomorrow.”
“There’s no need… it’s only one bowl…”
She wasn’t lazy enough to avoid washing even a single bowl.
Without room for argument, Shang Chenyan took the bowl from her hands and set it down.
“I’m afraid you’ll break my bowl.”
Shi Ying pouted.
Fine. If he didn’t want her washing it, then she wouldn’t.
“Then I’m going upstairs to rest.”
With that, she turned and ran up the stairs.
Shang Chenyan watched her disappear at the end of the staircase before lowering his gaze to the bowl on the table.
For a moment, it was as though he saw the Shi Ying from five years ago.
She had sat in her chair ordering him around, telling him to wash the dishes—
Yet after he entered the kitchen, she would run over and hug him from behind, asking coquettishly:
“Shang Chenyan, do you think I’m lazy?”
The man would smile patiently.
“How could I? Being with me was never supposed to require you to do anything.”
Shi Ying would press her cheek against his back.
“We should hire someone in the future. I feel bad seeing you work so hard too.”
“Then I’ll have to work harder and earn more money, so Shi Ying can live the best life.”
Later, he gained countless assets—
Yet lost the person he loved most.
***
The next day, Shang Chenyan didn’t allow Shi Ying to go to the company. Instead, he called a doctor over to perform another thorough examination on her.
“Isn’t this a little excessive?”
Looking at all the equipment being wheeled in, Shi Ying’s mouth practically fell open.
So wealthy CEOs didn’t even need to go to hospitals for checkups.
“It’s necessary. We weren’t sure whether those people did anything to you that day. If you’ve got injuries somewhere and they go unnoticed, that would be bad.”
Shi Ying was pushed through one examination after another.
By the time everything was finished, she collapsed onto the sofa in exhaustion.
At some point, Shang Chenyan had changed out of his home clothes. The camel-colored coat made his already tall figure appear even more upright.
“Today is Shang Nian’s grandmother’s birthday. I’m taking her back for a visit. Tonight, if you want to eat anything, ask Aunt Zhang to make it.”
“Okay.”
Shi Ying looked at Shang Nian, who was clinging to Shang Chenyan’s leg.
Today, she wore a goose-yellow padded jacket, her fair little face resembling a soft glutinous rice dumpling.
Shi Ying couldn’t stop herself from pinching and rubbing her cheeks.
She was far too adorable.
Shang Chenyan put a scarf and gloves on Shang Nian.
Shi Ying walked them out.
Before getting into the car, Shang Nian didn’t forget to turn around and wave goodbye to her.
“Bye-bye~”
Shi Ying waved back.
Inside the car, Shang Nian leaned against the window and kept looking back until Shi Ying’s figure became a tiny black dot in the distance. Only then did she slump back into her seat.
Shang Chenyan pinched her cheek lightly.
“We’ll come back after dinner. We won’t stay long.”
“In the future, when I’m not around, I won’t let them take you over there again.”
Thinking about the last time Shang Nian had run out by herself still made him uneasy.
After that day, Cheng Suyun had called to explain.
She said they had originally asked the nanny to put Shang Nian down for a nap, but somehow she disappeared without a word, scaring everyone half to death.
Shang Chenyan had also asked Shang Nian why she had run away on her own.
But Shang Nian refused to say.
No matter what, someone at the old residence must have said something upsetting or done something that made her unhappy.
Otherwise, a child as sensible as Shang Nian wouldn’t have acted recklessly.
Shang Nian blinked and grabbed his finger.
“What is it?”
Shang Nian pointed behind them.
After thinking for a moment, Shang Chenyan said,
“You want to ask why Mother isn’t coming with us?”
Shang Nian nodded.
Of course Shang Chenyan wanted everyone to know immediately that his wife had returned.
But he didn’t dare.
He was afraid of scaring Shi Ying away.
It had been hard enough convincing her to live with him.
If he crossed boundaries before she had any feelings for him, Shi Ying would definitely leave.
He couldn’t rush.
He couldn’t let a moment of impulse drive her away.
“Because Mother and Father haven’t reconciled yet, so other people can’t know she’s your mother. Otherwise, Mother will be unhappy.”
“And don’t resent Mother because she wasn’t by your side all these years. None of it was her fault.”
Shang Nian seemed to understand only vaguely.
Yet over these years, Shang Chenyan had repeatedly wondered whether he had accidentally done something to upset her back then, causing her to leave so suddenly.
Before they went to see the snow that day, they had argued over what she wore.
She had only recently recovered from childbirth, and he worried she’d catch cold, so he wrapped her in several thick layers.
Shi Ying had complained endlessly that he was making a fuss over nothing.
Even before that, he often interfered in what she ate, wore, and used.
Although he believed it was for her own good—
Had Shi Ying felt he was too controlling?
Shang Chenyan never found the answer.
He only wanted Shi Ying back.
As long as she returned, he would listen to her in everything.
Anything about himself—he could change.
Lost in his thoughts, the car stopped outside the old residence.
Shang Chenyan got out with Shang Nian.
But after entering, he discovered an unwelcome guest sitting in the grand, luxurious living room.
The moment Xia Zongyuan saw him, he stood up hurriedly and forced a flattering smile.
“President Shang…”
On the sofa sat Shang Haisheng and Cheng Suyun.
Setting down his teacup, Shang Haisheng said,
“The company’s matters are all handled by Chenyan now. Since you’re here, President Xia, discuss whatever you need with him.”
Shang Chenyan removed his coat and led Shang Nian to Shang Haisheng.
“Dad, take Shang Nian upstairs to play for a while.”
The moment Shang Haisheng saw his granddaughter, his face wrinkled into a broad smile.
“Come, Shang Nian. Let Grandpa carry you. We’ll go play in the study.”
Shang Nian obediently followed him upstairs.
For a moment, only two people remained in the living room.
Shang Chenyan sat down leisurely on his own.
His handsome face remained expressionless.
Leaning back against the sofa, he glanced coldly at the standing man without speaking.
Xia Zongyuan quickly bent over apologetically.
“President Shang, I failed to discipline my daughter properly. Don’t worry—I’ll definitely educate her well in the future. Could you… be merciful and withdraw the lawsuit?”
The instant he finished speaking—
A teacup smashed into his forehead.
The porcelain shattered.
Blood streamed down his face, instantly staining half of it red.
Terrified out of his mind, Xia Zongyuan’s knees buckled and he collapsed to the floor.
Shang Chenyan looked down at him from above, his voice cold and frightening.
“Withdraw the lawsuit?”
“What exactly are you, to dare come beg me?”
Xia Zongyuan’s voice trembled uncontrollably.
“President Shang… as long as you don’t press charges, whatever conditions you have, I’ll agree…”
He only had one daughter.
Although she was foolish beyond belief, she was still his daughter.
Judging from Shang Chenyan’s attitude, he clearly wanted Xia Qian to rot in prison forever.
The legal team of the Shang Group wasn’t something to underestimate.
He could only shamelessly come and beg.
Mockery surfaced in Shang Chenyan’s eyes.
“What do you have that’s worth me making demands for?”
The contempt in his tone made Xia Zongyuan’s face alternate between red and pale.
Being ridiculed like this by someone younger than him left him humiliated.
“So devoted to your daughter.”
Shang Chenyan raised an eyebrow.
“How about I do a good deed and send you in to accompany her?”
“After all, the Xia family is bankrupt now. Out of kindness, I can find President Xia a place to stay. What do you think?”
Xia Zongyuan’s eyes widened.
“No—no… President Shang, I was wrong. I know I was wrong…”
Too impatient to listen further, Shang Chenyan called for the housekeeper.
“Throw him out.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
The housekeeper waved a hand, and several security guards entered, dragging Xia Zongyuan away and tossing him outside.
The hostility in Shang Chenyan’s eyes had yet to fade.
His wife had only just returned—
And these people had nearly bullied her.
Prison?
That was letting her off too easily.
He wanted Xia Qian to suffer a fate worse than death, even behind bars.