Shen Zhe’s first reaction was, naturally, guilt.
He lifted his eyelids and glanced back at Chu Li behind him. Seeing her expression unchanged, as calm as ever, he let out a breath of relief.
He answered casually, “Bro, what are you talking about. I was looking for Xia Zhi to discuss the racing club, she’s interested in sponsoring, that’s all.”
Chu Li said nothing.
She wasn’t even angry.
But she saw Shen Jichu raise a hand, pressing lightly between his brows, as if his tone had soured. “I’m not the one you need to explain yourself to.”
“Forget it, go on.”
He hadn’t mentioned sending Shen Zhe abroad, and Shen Zhe hadn’t noticed anything was off.
He chatted idly with his brother, smiling, then took Chu Li’s wrist and led her out. “Alright, we’re heading out.”
“Bro, remember not to work too hard, take care of yourself.”
【What’s your brother so busy with, hard to guess, huh. He’s busy quietly arranging to send you abroad.】
【If the original male lead hadn’t shown up, big brother and Li Li alone together could’ve built up some real feelings~】
Chu Li’s steps faltered slightly.
Shen Zhe held her wrist and led her out of the building.
On the way, he was still smiling faintly, teasing her in his usual lazy tone. “My brother’s scary when he’s cold-faced, isn’t he?”
“He’s such a snob.”
“I’ll bring you to see him more from now on. Let him see how good you are, and he’ll agree to us being together.”
【Bold that phrase, “let him see how good you are,” hahahaha.】
Chu Li made a soft “mm” after a while.
Shen Zhe reached over and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. He liked touching her earlobe, his fingertip resting there briefly before pulling away. “Also, my brother’s really insulting.”
“Only five million.”
“You like me so much, how could you possibly dump me for five million?”
Shen Zhe said this with full confidence, amusement swirling in his phoenix eyes.
His expression was full of youthful pride. He thought that even if he hadn’t shown up, she would have refused anyway.
Better if he hadn’t brought it up.
Now that he had—
Chu Li thought of that five million slipping through her fingers, and her heart ached instantly.
She curved her eyes slightly, pinched her fingers, and when he wasn’t looking, punched him in the face. “Ow.”
To avenge her stolen money.
Shen Zhe: “?”
She blinked innocently, opening her palm toward him, her tone gentle. “Zhe, there was a mosquito.”
“I killed it for you.”
Shen Zhe: “Oh, okay.”
He believed it without question. The Chu Li in front of him had eyes curved like crescent moons, not a hint of aggression. Like a soft, fluffy cat, even if she punched him, no one would think she was baring her claws.
“Be careful though, don’t hurt your hand hitting so hard.”
Chu Li made an “mm” sound. By now the bullet comments had already dissolved into laughter.
【Hahahaha, good hit, it’s all the original male lead’s fault, otherwise Li Li would already have that five million in hand.】
【Hit him a few more times, he’ll only ask if your hand hurts~】
Chu Li vented her anger, and knew when to quit while ahead.
She followed Shen Zhe out the door, heading toward his parked car. To her mild surprise, the car was empty, Xia Zhi and Qin Mian were both gone.
“Where’d they go?”
Chu Li asked, puzzled.
“I had my brother’s driver take them home.”
Shen Zhe tilted his head, studying her expression. Seeing her eyes clear, holding only plain confusion with no other emotion mixed in.
When Xia Zhi had arrived, Chu Li hadn’t been angry. Now that she’d left, Chu Li wasn’t angry either.
His lips parted slightly, an odd feeling stirring in his chest.
But if Chu Li wasn’t upset, and went along with everything he did, shouldn’t that make him happy?
Yet something in his chest felt like a string plucked lightly, a strange sensation passing through, like all his childish behavior had crashed into something damp and soft, and gotten no reaction at all.
“Never mind, let’s go.”
Shen Zhe shook his head lightly, trying to shake these strange stray thoughts out of his mind.
He started the sports car, one hand on the wheel, feeling the wind rush freely through his hair, same as always.
Chu Li: “Where are we going now?”
“…To see your cousin?”
She still remembered, back when Shen Zhe had first sent her money, ordering her around from on high. First deliver the documents to his brother, then go check on his sick cousin.
“Oh, Pei Mo.”
Shen Zhe answered casually, as if he found it a little puzzling himself. “This afternoon he said he sprained his ankle and had no ointment.”
“I was going to have you drop some off for him on your way.”
“I just told him I’d come with you instead.”
“Then he said his injury’s actually fine. Asked if we wanted to grab dinner together.”
The other party’s attitude had changed rather quickly.
Shen Zhe didn’t think too deeply about it, just lowered his eyes lazily, figuring that since Chu Li always followed his lead so obediently, she naturally wouldn’t refuse this either.
“When we get there, it won’t just be Pei Mo, my friend Jiang Qinian’s coming too.”
Chu Li paused for a moment.
Shen Zhe couldn’t tell anything was off about her, but the rolling wall of bullet comments beside her explained exactly how she felt in that moment.
【Huh, did the plot change?】
【I remember this part, originally, Pei Mo had been secretly jealous of the original male lead since childhood. He deliberately tried to seduce Li Li, using the chance of her visiting him alone while sick to kick off the later restricted-content plot.】
【Pei Mo initially approached the female lead on purpose, just like how big brother Shen started out prejudiced and fell for her without realizing it.】
【But Jiang Qinian’s different! He’s her ex-boyfriend from before! Hahahaha, the original male lead really is unlucky, he even called this guy over too.】
Chu Li: “…”
The story was about to turn into a complete mess.
Might as well drink it up while it’s hot.
When the light turned red, Shen Zhe stopped the car. He was still winding a strand of her hair around his finger, chatting idly. “You’ve never met them before, right?”
“Pei Mo’s my cousin, still in school, hasn’t graduated yet, temper’s not great. But he really likes me as his older cousin, last time he said he wanted to meet my girlfriend sometime.”
Pei Mo had a sweet, docile face.
A pair of puppy-dog eyes, the corners of his crimson lips curving up. He used to follow behind Shen Zhe everywhere, calling him “Cousin Zhe” over and over.
He’d once asked, seemingly by accident, “Is the girl in the photo your girlfriend? Looked pretty average to me, the usual poor-little-white-flower type.” [1]poor-little-white-flower (bái lián huā, 白蓮花) – Slang, internet slang for a girl who plays the part of a fragile, pure, pitiable innocent, often used dismissively to suggest the … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3115096_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3115096_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });
“Wonder what she’s like in person.”
Shen Zhe changed the subject, introducing Jiang Qinian to her instead. “Right after I was recognized back into the Shen family, didn’t I transfer schools?”
“You came looking for me a few times back then.”
“Do you remember him?”
“He and I were inseparable back then, always together. But later, because of his health, he went abroad for treatment, and only came back not long ago.”
Chu Li went along with it, pretending to think back.
After a pause, she said evenly, “A little, but I don’t remember too clearly.”
Shen Zhe laughed, seeming to be in a good mood.
He reached over and gently ruffled her head, the corner of his mouth curving. “That makes sense, back then you only had eyes for me, all day, every day.”
“No wonder you didn’t notice anyone else. That’s normal.”
Like hell it was.
By the time she followed Shen Zhe into the private room, and felt the gray, overcast sky outside the window with the wind picking up, as if a storm were coming—
【Is Li Li ready?】
【The scheming younger cousin and your dark, obsessive ex are both about to arrive.】
Chu Li: “…”
She was not ready.
Could Shen Zhe pay her a bit more?
Given what she was walking into this time, her emotional damages fee should really be higher.
The door creaked open.
“Cousin.”
A young man’s voice rang out.
Pei Mo didn’t match Shen Zhe’s description at all.
His face was sweet enough, but his whole vibe was completely different, the ends of his hair dyed a pale silver-gray, an obsidian-black stud in one ear.
He sat down and turned his gaze toward her.
Chin propped on one hand, he looked at Chu Li lazily.
His scrutinizing gaze held itself in check, not quite crossing a line, but with a faint sense of aggression underneath.
After a moment he curved his lips, stood up, and offered his hand to her, friendly. “Hi, I’m Pei Mo.”
Chu Li extended her hand too, greeting him politely.
His fingertip seemed to linger a second or two longer, or maybe it was just her imagination, curling slightly, brushing lightly against her palm.
Chu Li looked up in surprise.
Pei Mo’s expression was entirely open, showing nothing unusual at all, smiling as he called her, “Hello, sister-in-law.”
“Cousin Zhe told me before that you two get along really well. You’ve liked him since you were little, he used to brag about it to us all the time…”
He trailed off, as if realizing he’d said something out of line, letting out a light “ah” to cut himself off.
“Don’t misunderstand, I meant it in an envious way.”
Chu Li: “…”
She turned to look at Shen Zhe, who was leaning against the wall, rolling tea leaves between his fingers, preparing to brew tea.
She couldn’t help thinking he’d better not bother.
The air was already faintly scented with Longjing tea, and he was still oblivious to it.
He lifted his eyes lazily. “He’s lying.”
“Last time, Pei Mo heard our big brother wanted to talk me into breaking up, and he sided with him, going on and on about how we’re not a good match.”
“Li Li, I’m good to you, aren’t I?”
“I never listen to what they say.”
Pei Mo made a soft tsk sound, giving him a look that carried more meaning than it let on.
Shen Zhe liked showing off, especially this particular kind, complaints that were really, underneath, smug and confident, needing no reassurance.
He held her wrist, speaking in his usual careless tone.
Chu Li sipped her tea, occasionally picking at the fruit and snacks on the table, keeping herself busy eating, lowering her presence in the room.
Then she answered him, gentle in tone, but a little dismissive.
“Mm, okay.”
“I know.”
Shen Zhe pinched her cheek, feeling how soft it was. “Was the little cake good? Want me to get them to bring you more?”
Chu Li: “No need, I’m full.”
The bullet comments always gave her warning at these points, flagging whatever food or drink was about to trigger the restricted-content plot. She had to be careful not to fall for it.
Shen Zhe kept an arm around her, chatting with Pei Mo for a while.
Then he turned aside and made a call. “Where’s Jiang Qinian? Why isn’t he here yet?”
【Three, two, one, the ex-boyfriend cousin is about to come online.】
Chu Li’s eyelid gave an involuntary little twitch.
The door creaked open, and in walked the tardy Jiang Qinian.
“Zhe, long time no see.”
It was Jiang Qinian.
He wore a black shirt, his hair dark and soft at the tips. His face, still recovering from a long illness, was somewhat pale, his eyes appearing all the darker and murkier by contrast.
His gaze was cool and distant, sweeping across the room, landing on the hand Shen Zhe had draped over her shoulder.
Then he smiled faintly. “Oh, it’s Chu Li.”
“It’s been years, you two still haven’t broken up?”
The room fell into a rare silence.
He spoke too directly, the second thing out of his mouth upon walking in was urging them to break up. That was quite the loss of face.
Shen Jichu had spoken like an elder, offering Chu Li five million as an incentive besides. Pei Mo, watching it all like some kind of show, had his own hidden motives, tossing out nothing but hollow flattery.
Only Jiang Qinian, the moment he walked in, was this blunt about it.
Shen Zhe’s lazy smile tightened under the lights.
He raised an eyebrow, glanced at Chu Li, and noticed a faint, unnatural stiffness in her expression before she looked away.
For a moment, he felt no anger at all, instead, a strange sense of pleasure rose up in him.
So Chu Li did have a temper after all.
See, when other people tried to talk her into breaking up, she got upset too. Proof that he mattered to her.
Shen Zhe’s mood shifted, and he looked up with a smile, addressing Jiang Qinian. “Alright, man.”
“Chu Li’s my girlfriend, and she’s going to stay my girlfriend.”
“You didn’t even like her back in school, so why, after all these years, are you still prejudiced against her?”
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