Lu Yanzhou didn’t answer her question. Clearly uninterested in arguing, he instead asked,
“What about all the guests downstairs who came to celebrate your birthday? Aren’t you going to attend to them?”
The question immediately set Lu Mingshu off.
“So you do remember it’s my birthday?” she snapped. “My birthday party was completely ruined by Shen Shuhe! Once I go back downstairs, who knows how much gossip I’ll have to deal with?”
Lu Yanzhou replied pointedly,
“The person who ruined your birthday party wasn’t her.”
Jiang Wanqing’s face turned deathly pale.
“Brother Yanzhou… did Miss Shen say something to you?”
Her eyes shimmered as if tears might fall at any moment.
“It isn’t what you think. I can explain…”
What exactly had Shen Shuhe said to him while they were alone?
But Lu Yanzhou couldn’t be bothered to respond.
He merely lifted his gaze and reminded Lu Mingshu coldly,
“Since it’s your birthday, I won’t pursue this any further.”
“But, Lu Mingshu…”
His eyes drifted toward Jiang Wanqing.
“You have terrible judgment when it comes to choosing friends.”
Under his icy gaze, Jiang Wanqing’s tears instantly streamed down her face.
Yet there wasn’t the slightest trace of pity, sympathy, or guilt in his expression.
If anything, he looked impatient.
Without another word, he turned and headed toward the third floor.
“Don’t cry, Wanqing,” Lu Mingshu comforted her before turning angrily toward her brother.
“What gives you the right to say that about Wanqing?”
“She’s my best friend!”
“We’ve known her since we were children. We even studied abroad together and were best friends for four years.”
“And you?”
“You’ve only known Shen Shuhe for a few days!”
“You just think she’s pretty, don’t you?”
“Brother, since when have you become so shallow?”
“There are plenty of beautiful women.”
“Shen Shuhe isn’t as simple as you think.”
Lu Yanzhou ignored every word.
He continued walking, leaving only his straight, imposing back in view.
Only when he heard her final sentence did he stop.
Resting one hand casually on the staircase railing, he looked down at her.
“Then come upstairs and watch the ballroom surveillance footage.”
“Fine!”
“I’ll watch it!”
“When it proves you wronged Wanqing, you’re going to apologize to her immediately!”
Ironically, before the siblings’ confrontation could continue, Jiang Wanqing was the first to retreat.
She quickly grabbed Lu Mingshu’s arm.
“Forget it, Mingshu.”
“Don’t argue with your brother because of me.”
“It doesn’t matter if Brother Yanzhou misunderstands me.”
“I don’t want to damage your relationship as siblings.”
Lu Yanzhou let out a quiet scoff.
Then disappeared around the corner leading to the third floor.
Lu Mingshu grew even angrier.
This time, however, some of that frustration turned toward Jiang Wanqing.
“Why do you keep stopping me?”
“Are you afraid to watch the surveillance footage?”
The moment the words left her mouth…
…it was as though a veil had suddenly lifted from her mind.
Everything became crystal clear.
She calmed down.
She knew her brother well.
Although he appeared distant and difficult to approach, he would never target someone without reason.
Nor would he falsely accuse anyone.
Back in the ballroom, the moment he’d suggested releasing the surveillance footage…
Jiang Wanqing had immediately apologized to Shen Shuhe.
And now…
She didn’t dare watch the footage either.
That was undeniably suspicious.
“You’re… suspicious of me?”
Fresh tears poured down Jiang Wanqing’s face.
“Just because Zhou Jiayan likes me, Shen Shuhe has always treated me as her imaginary rival.”
“I’ve told you all of this before.”
“And now you are starting to doubt me?”
Her tears fell one after another.
“Have you forgotten what happened two years ago?”
“When you got into a conflict with those two mean girls overseas…”
“I was the one who stood up to protect you.”
“I even ended up in the hospital for half a month.”
“Anyone else can misunderstand me…”
“But you’re my best friend.”
“You should know me better than anyone.”
“I never imagined you’d think this way about me…”
The memories came flooding back.
Every trace of suspicion in Lu Mingshu’s heart instantly dissolved into guilt.
She wrapped an arm around Jiang Wanqing’s shoulders.
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“It was my fault.”
“I was just so angry that I spoke without thinking.”
“Please don’t take it to heart.”
Jiang Wanqing merely shook her head as tears continued to fall.
Meanwhile…
Shen Shuhe had already reached the Lu family’s parking area via the private elevator.
She had assumed Lu Yanzhou merely wanted his assistant, Chen Lin, to escort her out through the parking garage so she wouldn’t have to pass through the ballroom and encounter the guests again.
After walking through the three security checkpoints, she’d be able to meet the Shen family’s driver.
Instead…
Chen Lin led her to a black sedan and respectfully opened the rear door.
“Miss Shen, please.”
Afraid there had been some misunderstanding, Shen Shuhe didn’t get in immediately.
“Our driver is waiting outside the security checkpoint.”
Outside vehicles weren’t permitted inside the Xishan Villa estate.
All guests’ cars had been parked outside the checkpoint.
No matter how close the Shen family was to bankruptcy, they certainly hadn’t arrived without transportation.
“I understand.”
Chen Lin smiled politely.
“The Chief instructed me to escort Miss Shen all the way to the Shen family’s vehicle.”
Shen Shuhe paused in surprise.
Not only because Lu Yanzhou had arranged a car for such a short drive…
…but because of Chen Lin’s choice of words.
Chief.
Lu Yanzhou looked so young and handsome that she’d nearly forgotten the extraordinary position he held.
No wonder…
Earlier in the ballroom, he had needed only a single glance from the second floor.
He hadn’t shouted.
He hadn’t raised his voice.
Yet no one had dared utter another word.
At the same time…
The realization hit her with renewed force.
The Shen Group truly was involved in something far more serious than she had imagined.
Just then, Chen Lin’s phone rang.
After answering it, he turned respectfully toward her.
“Miss Shen.”
“The Chief would like to speak with you.”
As though sensing her thoughts, Lu Yanzhou had called just as she’d been thinking about him.
Taking the phone, Shen Shuhe hesitated briefly over how to address him.
Finally, she said,
“Mr. Lu.”
“Mm.”
His quiet acknowledgment carried a faint electronic buzz through the phone.
For some reason…
It sounded strangely intimate against her ear.
Subconsciously, she pulled the phone away.
Then his voice came again.
“You left rather quickly.”
“There’s one more thing I forgot to tell you.”
Her heart immediately leaped into her throat.
She quickly pressed the phone back against her ear.
“What is it, Mr. Lu?”
What shocking revelation could there possibly be now?
“The conversation we had just now…”
“Everything we discussed…”
“Must remain confidential.”
“You are not to mention it to anyone.”
Only then did Shen Shuhe finally relax.
“I understand.”
Lu Yanzhou added solemnly,
“That includes your parents.”
“And every member of your family.”
“…Understood.”
“I’ll contact you again.”
“All right.”
The call ended.
Shen Shuhe handed the phone back to Chen Lin.
This time, she didn’t refuse.
She quietly got into the back seat of the black sedan.