Сhaptеr 9: Ароlogize to Неr
Fu Ye listenеd as Fu Yutang hurlеd оnе sаrсаstic rеmаrk аftеr anothеr at Shen Ciying, сlеnching hеr fists аs if rеаdу to thrоw а рunch.
Shen Сiуing quicklу reachеd out аnd touched Fu Yе, signaling hеr to stау calm.
Fu Yе immediatelу rеlахed her fists, оnlу tо sеe Shen Сiying suddеnly raisе her phоne to hеr ear and sреаk in a рitiful, аggrieved tonе:
“Shen Rаngсhen, listen tо what yоur cоusin is sауing abоut me. Am I sоme kind of lоwlу рerson?”
Shen Ciying had known that Fu Yutаng wоuld unleash a torrеnt оf mocking and sаrсastic remarks upon seeing her. Fortunately, she had prepared in advance.
Dealing with Fu Yutang this way was far more satisfying than retorting herself.
Fu Yutang’s words today were relatively restrained, perhaps because she was mindful of the security guards nearby and the people coming and going not far away, afraid of tarnishing her image as a refined young lady.
In private, her language would have been far more vicious.
Shen Ciying still remembered clearly how, after she and her aunt had drugged her, they had said to the men: “This woman is incredibly promiscuous and knows how to please men. Have fun with her tonight. Even if you play her to death, you won’t be held responsible. She’s just a parentless servant—no one cares about her.”
When Fu Yutang heard Shen Ciying utter the name “Shen Rangchen” into the phone, her face instantly turned pale with panic. She hastily reached out to snatch Shen Ciying’s phone, wanting to confirm whether she was bluffing.
After all, that wretched Shen Ciying had always been cunning, deceitful, and sharp-tongued.
But before she could even raise her hand, she saw Shen Ciying proactively extend the phone toward her. The next second, she heard the familiar, deep, and cold voice coming from the phone:
“Fu Yutang, A Ying is there on my behalf. Apologize to her.”
It really was Shen Rangchen. Fu Yutang was completely flustered and hurriedly tried to explain, “Cousin, let me explain, I—”
“Apologize,” Shen Rangchen interrupted coldly. “Otherwise, cancel the birthday party.”
Hearing Shen Rangchen defend Shen Ciying without even asking for an explanation, Fu Yutang felt so wronged she was on the verge of tears.
Why should she apologize to a servant?
Shen Ciying was just someone who served others. What was wrong with the master’s family reprimanding her a little?
Fu Yutang glared fiercely at Shen Ciying, biting her lip stubbornly as she attempted to explain again, “Cousin—”
Shen Rangchen interrupted her coldly once more: “Three seconds. I want to hear an apology.”
His voice was icy and devoid of any emotion. Even through the phone, Fu Yutang felt a chill run down her spine. Terrified, she immediately blurted out:
“I’m sorry.”
Hearing Fu Yutang’s extremely perfunctory apology, Fu Ye coldly demanded, “Who are you apologizing to?”
Fu Yutang clenched her fists, glanced at Fu Ye and Shen Ciying, then at the still-active call on the phone screen. Suppressing the anger in her heart, she spoke again:
“Shen Ciying, I’m sorry. My words just now were too extreme.”
Only then did Shen Ciying withdraw her phone with satisfaction. She glanced disdainfully at Fu Yutang, who was glaring at her fiercely, and smiled with pride and composure:
“Such a sincere apology? Well then, I’ll be the bigger person and let it go.”
As she spoke, she heard Shen Rangchen’s cool voice from the phone: “Have fun. Don’t let yourself be wronged.”
Shen Ciying obediently replied into the phone with a single word: “Mm.”
Seeing that she had finally ended the call, Fu Yutang’s suppressed anger instantly reignited. She sneered with disgust:
“Shen Ciying, you really know how to put on an act.”
Shen Ciying let out a careless, mocking laugh. “What’s wrong? Jealous because you don’t get the chance to act?”Fu Yutang was so furious she wanted to rush over and tear Shen Ciying’s face apart, but given the current situation, she could only force herself to hold back.
Shen Ciying simply handed over the invitation and walked straight into the hall on her own.
Fu Yutang didn’t want her to enter, but since Shen Rangchen had explicitly stated that she was representing him, openly driving her away would only give Shen Ciying another reason to play the victim and gain sympathy in front of Shen Rangchen. So, she changed her approach and said:
“If you hate me so much, why bother coming to my birthday party? How shameless.”
Shen Ciying chuckled dismissively, “Of course, to steal your spotlight and make you miserable.”
She was smiling, looking as innocent and harmless as a little white rabbit, but her eyes made others feel as if they were falling into an abyss.
Especially the next moment, as she brushed past Fu Yutang, she whispered meaningfully, “Fu Yutang, you’re dead.”
In that instant, Fu Yutang’s nerves tensed up all over. By the time she wanted to retort, she could only see Shen Ciying’s back as she was about to enter the hall, as if what had just happened was merely an auditory hallucination.
If she couldn’t drive her away, then she had no choice but to have someone keep a close eye on her.
Fu Yutang also turned and entered the banquet hall, arranging for two people to watch Shen Ciying from a distance.
Fu Ye was the first to notice someone secretly watching them.
He whispered a reminder, “A Ying, Fu Yutang has sent people to keep an eye on us.”
“Expected,” Shen Ciying replied calmly. “Ignore her.”
As soon as the two of them entered the banquet hall, they caused a stir among the crowd, with whispers and discussions breaking out.
Some who didn’t recognize Shen Ciying exclaimed in surprise.
【Oh my god, what kind of celestial beauty have I just seen descend to earth!】
【That waist-to-hip ratio is absolutely stunning!! Her legs are so long—damn, let me look like this in my next life!】
【She seems to be an internet celebrity, a classical dancer, and her dance moves are even more incredible.】
【┗|｀O′|┛ Ohh~~ I remember now, the owner of the Xianhu Garden】
【I’ll find a chance to introduce myself later. She’s a total knockout—so fair and delicate】
【Give it up. Look at her outfit—it’s all exclusive high-end custom pieces. That imperial green jade necklace around her neck is the highlight item from last month’s Paris International Auction, worth over a hundred million】
…
Fu Yutang, who followed Shen Ciying into the hall, heard the lively banquet hall filled with discussions about Shen Ciying.
Instantly, her face turned pale with anger, but she still forced a gentle and gracious smile and deliberately introduced to everyone:
“Thank you all for coming to my birthday party. This person beside me is from the Shen family…”
“How could I trouble tonight’s birthday girl to introduce me?”
Shen Ciying thought Fu Yutang’s mouth couldn’t produce anything decent and had no idea how she would introduce her, so she interrupted and said:
“Hello everyone, my name is Shen Ciying. I am here representing Mr. Shen Rangchen to celebrate the birthday of tonight’s birthday girl with all of you.
Mr. Shen is extremely busy and couldn’t make it, but he specifically mentioned that he would definitely make time to meet everyone in person next time.”
With a smile on her face and dignified poise, her red lips moved gracefully, making her exceptionally radiant and captivating. “He will come to pick me up later after finishing his work, and if there’s a chance, he’ll greet everyone personally then.”
Shen Rangchen hadn’t said he would come to pick her up in the evening.
But when you’re out and about, the shine you carry is all self-made.
Besides, by the time the event ended, the scene would likely be chaotic, and who would still pay attention to such details?But if she said this, everyone would inevitably speculate about her relationship with Shen Rangchen, and thus treat her with a bit more courtesy and respect.
And she had never been afraid of being accused that her confidence came entirely from relying on Shen Rangchen.
Just then, she happened to spot Fu Yunxin in the crowd, who was looking at her with less-than-friendly eyes.
Shen Ciying met her gaze without flinching, a faint smile curling at the corner of her lips as she silently lifted her chin slightly toward her.
As if to say, isn’t it just a few words to stir everyone’s imagination? Who couldn’t do that?
The murmurs in the crowd grew even livelier.
[“She represents Mr. Shen? Didn’t Mr. Shen and Fu Yutang make headlines a few days ago, with rumors of their relationship being exposed? What’s going on?”]
[“That news was taken down in less than five minutes—clearly Mr. Shen’s doing, showing he wants nothing to do with it, okay?”]
[“But those photos were real, right? It’s impossible to say there’s nothing going on between them.”]
[“When I saw the headlines, I thought the Shen and Fu families were about to become even closer. But now, seeing Shen Ciying—what man would look at anyone else with a beauty like her by his side? And Mr. Shen is coming to pick her up later—what more is there to guess about their relationship?”]