Second Take On Romance - The A-List Actor Wants Me
Chapter 174 : A Chest Full Of Treasures

Chapter 174: Chapter 174 : A Chest Full Of Treasures

Shen Jingwei was in the middle of peeling his second apple when he heard the front door fell shut and Yan Renzhong’s footsteps approaching.

When Yan Renzhong appeared at the kitchen, his face was sour with a hint of a scowl.

"Is everything alright...?" Shen Jingwei asked, concerned about the step siblings.

Yan Renzhong slipped behind him and hugged him from behind.

"I didn’t want you to hear all that. I am sorry," he said in a regretful tone.

"I assume that the talk didn’t go well."

"No. But well..."

With a deft flick of his wrist, Yan Renzhong sliced the first apple into eight equal segments.

"Xiaoling needs time to digest the news, and it’s best if she doesn’t involve Yaya while she is struggling to come to terms with the situation. On a brighter note, we shall keep Yaya the entire weekend."

"Oh."

Shen Jingwei smiled.

"I am excited to get to know her better. I hope to be friends with Xiaoling too, eventually."

Otherwise, it would be too awkward for him. Song Xiaoling was acting like a woman scorned, much like the jealous ex-wives in melodramatic dramas.

"Speaking of Yaya, where is she?" Yan Renzhong asked.

"In my bedroom," Shen Jingwei gestured in a direction. He then placed the apple slices in a rabbit plate he found in a drawer and pushed it into Yan Renzhong’s hand. "Go and keep her company. I will be there after I am done with these apples."

"Thank you, Jingbao."

Yan Renzhong gave Shen Jingwei a peck on the lips in exchange for the plate of apple slices.

Shen Jingwei deliberately left the door slightly ajar.

Song Yaya was never a quiet child. She always liked to chat, even if she only had dolls to chat with.

This time, though, she was eerily quiet.

Yan Renzhong moved stealthily to take a peek at his little half-sister through the slit.

Song Yaya was hunched over a wooden chest, undoubtedly Shen Jingwei’s. Her entire attention was captured by something curious inside the chest.

The question was rather, what was it?

"Yaya, what are you doing?"

When Song Yaya heard Yan Renzhong’s voice, she literally jumped off her feet.

"Pa... Papa!"

Quick as a mouse, she hid the curious item behind her back.

Yan Renzhong furrowed his brows at him.

"What is that thing in your hand?"

Song Yaya shook her head repeatedly.

"It’s nothing!"

Yan Renzhong set the rabbit plate on Shen Jingwei’s nightstand.

"Yaya, show it to me."

Song Yaya fidgeted nervously with the object behind her back.

"Papa, I was wrong," she wailed. "But I didn’t mean to steal it at all. I was... I was going to ask the kind Uncle to give it to me."

Yan Renzhong sighed.

"I can buy you whatever you want. There is no need to take his stuff. Now show it to me. Let me take a good look at this thing."

The little girl hung her head in dejection.

Left with no other option, she produced the item from behind her back and held it in front of Yan Renzhong with both hands.

"....."

For once, Yan Renzhong was rendered speechless by what he saw.

"... Where did you find this?"

Song Yaya pointed at the wooden chest.

Yan Renzhong put the rabbit plate into Song Yaya’s hands.

"Eat up, Yaya."

He just had to take a closer look at the wooden chest and the precious items it harbored.

Certainly, it contained one hell of treasures. Yan Renzhong’s lips twisted into a wicked grin.

"Yaya," Yan Renzhong called out. "If you give Papa this thing, Papa will buy you an even better replacement."

By the time Shen Jingwei arrived with a bigger plate of apple slices, Song Yaya and Yan Renzhong already sealed the deal.

The wooden chest sat inconspicuously at the corner, with several boxes stacked on top of it.

Song Yaya was feeding apple slices to her Papa and her new stuffed toy friends.

"It is nearing lunch time," Shen Jingwei announced as he shot the clock at the wall a glance. "Should I make us something?"

"I also want to help!" Song Yaya raised her hand high up in the air.

"Then let’s finish the apples and go make lunch together," Yan Renzhong said with an unknown smile in Shen Jingwei’s direction. For some reason, that smile sent shivers down Shen Jingwei’s spine. But maybe it was only a figment of his imagination and nothing more.

Despite the slightly turbulent start into the weekend, the rest of the weekend passed smoothly without further inconveniences.

Shen Jingwei and Yan Renzhong decided to introduce Song Yaya to the charm of a nearby farmers’ market. It was a delightful destination, designed specifically for young families with children.

The market offered a feast for the senses, with hearty, home-cooked meals to savor, and the opportunity to pick cherries and strawberries straight from the vine.

For a touch of adventure, the market also featured a small petting zoo where visitors could interact and feed the adorable animals.

By the time they returned to Red Jade Pavilion, Song Xiaoling already stood by the gate, waiting for them.

She didn’t even want to wait until Song Yaya, who had fallen asleep on Yan Renzhong’s back, woke up.

"We still need to take the train to go back home," she reasoned. "I don’t have much time to waste here."

"I can take you back," Yan Renzhong offered.

"No need," Song Xiaoling snapped with a scowl in Shen Jingwei’s direction. "I would hate to intrude."

The Song sisters thus took off, leaving a bitter taste in Shen Jingwei and Yan Renzhong’s mouth.

"Don’t worry."

Yan Renzhong pulled Shen Jingwei close and rubbed his shoulder lovingly.

"She will get over it, I promise."

Shen Jingwei gave Yan Renzhong a wry smile in return.

"I do hope so," he said.

Song Yaya woke up sometime on their way home. Her eyelids fluttered open and she craned her neck to look at Song Xiaoling.

"Mama, you are back."

"Yaya, good girl."

Song Xiaoling gave the little girl pats on the head. "Did anything bad happen during your stay at Papa’s house?"

Song Yaya shook her head.

"Uncle Shen is so pretty and nice!" She chirped. "We went to a farmer’s market! There were so many rabbits of so many colors!"

Hearing Song Yaya speak positively about Shen Jingwei and a happy weekend without her did not make Song Xiaoling feel any better. She grabbed Song Yaya by her shoulders and spoke intently, "Yaya, listen up. You should not get close to that uncle. He is a bad person who wants to take your Papa away from us."