Volume 1 Chapter 12: A Frenzy of Acting, the Master of Green Tea
Even now, Zhou Yulan was still spouting such nonsense.
Shen Guanghui lamented with deep sorrow, "Zhou Yulan, you are utterly obstinate and beyond redemption! I can't be bothered with whether you live or die!"
After leaving Mrs. Zhou's room, Shen Guanghui turned and entered the interview room where Shen He was.
Seeing Shen He's red, swollen eyes and despondent appearance, a trace of shame and heartache spread through Shen Guanghui's heart.
He walked over and sat down beside Shen He, instinctively wanting to take her hand, but Shen He avoided him as if he were a venomous snake.
This action made Shen Guanghui's heart ache even more.
"Shen He."
Shen Guanghui spoke with shame, "Tonight's incident was your mother's foolishness. I've already reprimanded her just now. Rest assured, I will make sure she gives you an explanation for this."
Shen He remained silent, offering no response at all.
Shen Guanghui, performing a solo act, felt somewhat awkward.
He rose from the chair and crouched down beside Shen He's legs.
In a placating tone, Shen Guanghui said, "Shen He, could you please not press charges against your mother? If your mother goes to prison, it will affect both you and your brother."
Afraid Shen He would refuse, Shen Guanghui quickly added, "Don't worry, as long as you agree to sign the letter of understanding, we will definitely compensate you properly."
"You like money, don't you? I can give you money."
"Give me money?" Shen He interrupted Shen Guanghui expressionlessly. "I almost lost my innocence tonight. Do you know what would happen to me if I lost my innocence?"
Shen He broke down into hysterics, screaming hoarsely at Shen Guanghui, "Forget about marrying Mu Tingyun! As a damaged woman, I'd find it hard to marry anyone in the future. I'd become the talk of the entire Qingshi, my whole life ruined!"
"You want to compensate me? Can you even afford to compensate me?"
Shen Guanghui was left speechless.
After a few moments of silence, Shen Guanghui said dryly, "Well… it didn't come to the worst outcome, did it? You can still marry Mu Tingyun."
Having been hurt time and again by Shen Guanghui and his wife, Shen He's heart was already riddled with scars.
She thought she had grown numb to the pain, but upon hearing Shen Guanghui's words, she still felt a chilling coldness in her heart.
"I won't write a letter of understanding," Shen He declared resolutely. "I want her to go to prison!"
With that, Shen He stood up and left.
She had perfectly portrayed the shame and anger of a vain woman desperate to marry into a wealthy family, nearly falling victim to a scheme.
Shen He felt like awarding herself a little golden statuette for Best Actress.
A silver-black sedan was parked under a tree in the police station courtyard.
Mu Tingyun sat in the driver's seat, his left hand holding a cigarette resting on the lowered car window.
In the night, the glowing ember flared up, fierce and menacing.
The rearview mirror perfectly captured the scene at the police station entrance.
Mu Tingyun smoked leisurely, watching the rearview mirror.
When he saw Shen He appear in the mirror, Mu Tingyun instinctively narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing her figure.
Shen He wore a light-colored cardigan, a silver sequin skirt, and flat leather shoes. Her calves, visible below the skirt, were slender and well-proportioned.
Her clothes looked neat, with no obvious signs of assault.
Mu Tingyun let out an almost imperceptible sigh of relief.
Shen He walked slowly with her head down, exuding an aura of dejection and sorrow, unaware of the sedan parked under the tree.
Seeing Shen He completely unaware of him, Mu Tingyun opened the car door, stood beside the vehicle, and called out to her, "Shen He."
Upon hearing Mu Tingyun's voice, Shen He's delicate body stiffened first.
Slowly raising her head and seeing Mu Tingyun, Shen He then abandoned all defenses and threw herself into Mu Tingyun's embrace, weeping bitterly with grievance.
"Mu Tingyun…"
"My mom really doesn't love me at all."
Although he merely regarded her as a tool to save his beloved, at this moment, hearing Shen He's cries and her sorrowful lament that her mother didn't love her, Mu Tingyun also felt pity for her.
He gently patted Shen He's back, soothing her tenderly: "Not every parent loves their child. Seeing it clearly earlier brings earlier liberation."
"In the future, I will love you twice as much."
Shen He just kept crying incessantly.
Seeing this, Mu Tingyun felt even more pity. He cupped Shen He's face and made a gesture to kiss her.
But Shen He instinctively turned her head away.
Mu Tingyun was taken aback.
"Why are you avoiding me?"
Shen He almost bit her lower lip until it bled. She lowered her head and spoke with self-deprecation: "…Mu Tingyun, it's so dirty."
Mu Tingyun was truly filthy!
Whenever Mu Tingyun approached her, Shen He's mind conjured the disgusting image of Mu Tingyun kissing Qin Yinong.
She really felt nauseous.
Considering everything Shen He had endured tonight, Mu Tingyun naturally assumed Shen He felt dirty and unclean herself.
Upon hearing this, Mu Tingyun asked Shen He with a sinister expression: "Did that beast touch you?"
Shen He wiped her tears, shaking her head and saying: "No, he was stabbed by me and injured."
Mu Tingyun breathed a sigh of relief.
He didn't touch her, that's good.
Mu Tingyun had a cleanliness obsession and couldn't accept Shen He being defiled. Even as a mere tool, she must be a clean one.
Seeing Mu Tingyun's relieved reaction, Shen He sneered repeatedly.
Your rotten cucumber is almost worn out by Qin Yinong, what right do you have to nitpick me?
Shen He nervously twisted her clothes with her fingers, "Mu Tingyun, I now feel psychologically fearful whenever I get close to a man. If I react by rejecting you, can you not mind?"
Mu Tingyun pitied Shen He for her ordeal tonight and understood her fear of men, so he wouldn't blame her at this moment.
He comforted Shen He gently: "You've been frightened, I'm too busy feeling pity for you to blame you. Should I help you find a psychologist?"
Shen He politely declined, "I want to be alone and quiet. Mu Tingyun, could you take me home?"
"Alright. Go wait in the car first, I'll go inside to talk with them for a moment!"
"Okay."
As soon as Mu Tingyun entered the police station lobby, he saw Shen Guanghui.
Shen Guanghui's gaze was evasive, his face full of guilt. "Tingyun, tonight's incident…"
Shen Guanghui had just begun speaking when Mu Tingyun interrupted: "Mr. Shen, Mrs. Shen's actions tonight are truly eye-opening."
"Shen He having parents like you two is truly a misfortune. Shen He said she doesn't want to write a letter of forgiveness."
"As parents, you don't love her, so I will take care of loving her properly for you. Since she doesn't want to write the forgiveness letter, I will definitely help her handle this matter properly."
"Mrs. Shen can just wait to rot in prison!" Mu Tingyun had been worrying about how to sever Shen He's ties with her family and gain her trust completely.
Now is the perfect opportunity, and he cannot miss it.
After dealing with Shen Guanghui, Mu Tingyun went upstairs to meet the head of the police station.
Once everything was settled, Mu Tingyun finally walked out of the station, leaving Shen Guanghui anxiously pacing in circles in the lobby.
Back in the car, Mu Tingyun told Shen He, "Shen He, I will always stand by your side. I will be your strongest support."
He gently stroked Shen He's long hair and said earnestly, "Shen He, from now on, you can trust me."
Shen He cursed Mu Tingyun's ancestors eighteen generations in her heart, yet tears of emotion welled up in her eyes.
She gazed affectionately at Mu Tingyun and sighed sincerely, "Mu Tingyun, you are so good to me."
Shen He was determined to master the art of being a "green tea" girl.
Mu Tingyun affectionately flicked Shen He's forehead. "You little ingrate, only now do you realize how good I am to you?"
Yes, so good.
Good enough to have my heart ripped out.