“You’ve known President Shen for a long time, have you?” Huang Shenghao asked Kang Wei who was busy finishing his paperwork at the garden of the inn.
With Tian Lingyu missing from the scene, he decided to hang out with Kang Wei and Shen Xue for a while. The light breeze played with his hair, and the other guests of the inn—especially women—couldn’t stop but to take a glimpse of him.
“I’ve known him since middle school, and we’ve become friends when we started attending the same high school.” Kang Wei grinned.
“More like his loyal dogs if you ask me,” Shen Xue scoffed beside him. “He let his friends do the dirty job for him.”
The lawyer nudged Shen Xue’s side while the latter rolled his eyes.
“Don’t mind him. Xue just doesn’t have a lot of friends, unlike Yi.”
“My brother has friends?” Shen Xue laughed, “I shouldn’t be surprised. He even got himself a wife.”
The lawyer then tilted his head on the right as if remembering something. “How come you are so close win Xiao Xinxin’s brother?”
“Lingyu and I met in an amateur cooking battle years ago.”
“And he beat your ass so you decided to stick with him?” Kang Wei asked.
“Wow, he’s like someone I know, right, Kang Wei?” Shen Xue added.
Huang Shenghao laughed before finishing his snack in one go.
“Now, now, Lingyu isn’t anything like your brother, Second Master. He got some serious sister complex though, and he will refuse to accept your brother as Sister Lu’s husband easily.”
“Big Sis never mentioned him before. Are they close?” he paused, “And why he isn’t using the name Lu?” Shen Xue said suspiciously.
Kang Wei stopped writing to look at his Second Master. How come he accepted Lu Xinyi so easily in spite of the fact that she’s a granddaughter from the Sun family?
“Tian Lingyu was adopted by the Lus. Not officially as the couple died even before the adoption papers are finalized,” he explained.
“How do you know these details about him?” His Second Master gaped in shock.
“Of course, I should know. Do you think I will give Brother Yi a go signal with Lu Xinyi if I didn’t know her family background? Even Qiao He was hesitant towards her at first, but look what happened to him? He was already pulled in, and I’m sure he will take the bullet for her.”
—
Shen Yi’s fingers stopped as his alarm informed him that it was about time for him to pick up his wife from the impromptu kitchen lessons she had back at the shop. His phone vibrated, and upon seeing his wife’s name on the caller ID, he picked the call immediately.
“Hi, darling. We’re done. I made some Osmanthus cake for you. Are you coming to get me?” Lu Xinyi said cheerfully.
“I’m on my way. Hang on a sec,” he chuckled. “How was the lesson for my future pro chef?”
“Very good! I learned some new tricks from Grannie. She was really great, and I’m so glad she was so patient as I made some mistakes earlier. Now, I’ll be able to make my own Osmanthus cake at home,” she said proudly.
“That’s good, love. Now, stay there and wait for me. Don’t wander again like the last time!”
The sound of his wife’s laughter was like small bells ringing in his ears.
“Okay, I promise. I’ll stay wherever I am so you can find me easily.”
“Where are you?” Shen Yi stood and tidied up his desk.
“Just outside the shop. I’m checking out some candied haws in front.”
“Alright. I’ll be there in ten minutes,” Shen Yi said and ended the call.
Turning off his newest laptop, he took his coat and walked down the stairs only to see Tian Lingyu waiting for him at the doorway.
“I’m coming with you,” he said before turning his back to Shen Yi to walk ahead of him.
Shen Yi stared at his retreating back and didn’t say a word but followed him. It was Tian Lingyu who chose the unwanted silence between them.
“Is she still upset?”
“You know she is,” Shen Yi replied as they continue to walk towards the shop. The walk would allow the two of them to have a short talk. “She’s upset that you have decided to take her without listening to her first. You can’t expect her to just accept your reasoning. Give her time to cool down.”
“Thanks for the concern, President Shen, but I know my sister well.”
“Do you really?” Shen Yi retorted.
From the second floor of the inn, Shen Xue looked down and saw his brother walking with Tian Lingyu.
“Where are they going?”
“Maybe picking up Sister Lu from the shop.” Huang Shenghao bit another sticky rice cake.
“Are they going to be alright? And what the hell, you are eating again?!” ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀꪶ
‘What?” Huang Shenghao was about to pick up another rice cake from his bag when Shen Xue eyed it, “You want some?”
“I won’t say ‘no’ to that.”
The two ate in silence for a moment.
“Do you think we should follow them? They might get in trouble.”
The Silver Leaf Prince smiled and shook his head.
“Don’t, let them be. They can’t ignore each other for too long.”
—
Lu Xinyi was waiting patiently for her husband when she spotted a toy shop across the restaurant. A few local and tourists gave her a look as they walked past her, but she didn’t pay them any attention. If they recognized her as a student of Silver Leaf or as Shen Yi’s woman as the media called her, she didn’t know.
She pushed the door open to look around. Her favorite twins will turn seven in the next three months, but it wouldn’t hurt to find something that the two would like. She hummed a song to herself as she strolled around the store.
Her eyes found something she liked. A big cream-colored Akita stuffed toy was sitting at the top shelf behind the counter. She stood still in a daze as she stared on it. Her legs moved forward as if she was in a trance and reached the counter before she realized what she’d done.
“Is there something in your liking, Miss?”
“I would like to purchase that toy please,” she pointed at the Akita stuffed toy.
“I want that, too!” A woman just came in and pushed Lu Xinyi aside.
Lu Xinyi stumbled backward, but she was able to steady her footing by holding onto the counter to balance.
‘Whoa, what just happened?’
She lifted her gaze and saw a young woman with curly hair, dressed in pink. The woman was giggling and pointing at the same stuffed toy she wanted to purchase. She narrowed her eyes then turned her attention back to the store attendant.
“I’m so sorry, Miss, but we only have one,” The store attendant felt that she should sell it to Lu Xinyi since she was the first one to inquire about it.
“What?! No! Give it to me!” The young woman exclaimed.
“What’s wrong, dear? Why are you upset?” Three men came forward, and one of them wrapped an arm around the young woman’s shoulder.
“They won’t sell it to me,” the woman sobbed pitifully.
The man laughed, “What kind of bullshit is that? If there’s only one left, then we can settle it easily. How about who offers the most should be the one to get it?”
The store attendant’s eyes widened in disbelief. She knew from the look of this man that he came from a wealthy family. She gave Lu Xinyi a pitiful glance. Wasn’t this look like they were bullying her?
The man lifted his chin and stared at Lu Xinyi’s way. He gave her a good look before a smile curling his lips.
“Miss, can you even afford it?” he taunted.
Lu Xinyi lifted the corners of her mouth into a dazzling smile.
“Mister, you see I found this toy first, and I should be the one to get it. Since you put it this way, I’m willing to spend 5,000 yuan for this.”
Five thousand yuan for just a doll?!
Wasn’t it too much for just a simple doll that only cost 100 yuan? This was ridiculous.
The smile on the man faltered and glared in Lu Xinyi in disgust.
“Brother Feng, this woman got some balls.” His friends laughed at him.
“Shut up!” He snapped back, “You, woman! Don’t you know who I am? Don’t you know when to tuck your tail between your legs and fuck off?”
This man’s name was Chang Yifeng. He was one of the top players of the popular game called ‘Hunt: For the Legion’. He was kind of a celebrity within the esports world because of this—aside from the fact that his family owned the game itself.
“Should I?” Lu Xinyi rubbed her chin.
This further infuriated the man.
“How should I know all people within this country? Did you come from the five big families of the capital? No? Maybe you should be the one who needs to fuck off.” She laughed at his expression.
“Y-you…”
This woman got some nerves! Could it be that she wasn’t a commoner as he thought she was? Otherwise, how could she throw 5,000 yuan arrogantly if she didn’t have money with her?
“Uhh… then should I give this to her?” The store attendant reminded them of the sale she was trying to do.
Chang Yifeng slammed his fist at the counter. He was fuming in anger. With his friends witnessing the scenes, he couldn’t let this woman humiliate him any further.
“10,000 yuan!” He increased the bid and smugly smiled at Lu Xinyi. Let’s see how far this woman could go against him.
“10,000 yuan?” Lu Xinyi laughed louder, “Miss, please sell the doll to this man. He might really have the money to burn and to throw around. Who knows he might also be an idiot for buying such a thing at an extravagant price? How much is this? 100 yuan? Let this idiot pay 10,000 yuan for it then.”
