The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 254. Human hearts are unpredictable

Chapter 254: 254. Human hearts are unpredictable

When Pei Yinong and Jiang Chenxi left the restaurant, Little Douding quietly asked Shen Qinglan, "Aunt, do you think my mom and Uncle Jiang are a good match?"

Shen Qinglan didn’t answer him, but asked instead, "Do you like Uncle Jiang?"

Little Douding nodded, "I like him. Uncle Jiang is so good to me, every time he comes, he brings me lots of tasty things and fun toys. Last time, he even bought me a Transformer this big," Little Douding stretched his hands out, trying his best to extend them backward to show how big the Transformer was.

"What else do you like about Uncle Jiang, besides this?"

"Uncle Jiang is kind to both me and my mom. Last time when my mom got sick, it was Uncle Jiang who took her to the hospital."

Shen Qinglan raised an eyebrow, surprised to hear about this incident, and asked curiously, "What happened?"

The incident had happened not too long ago. At that time, Pei Yinong was still in Lin City because of her busy workload. She hadn’t been back to Beijing in over a month, and naturally, she missed her son. So, Chu Yunjin sent Little Douding to Lin City to stay with Pei Yinong for a few days.

The night after, Pei Yinong fell ill after several consecutive days of overtime work. She developed a high fever in the middle of the night. Little Douding woke up thirsty and called for his mom several times. Pei Yinong didn’t wake up, and even when he pushed her, she didn’t respond.

For a three-year-old child, who is usually sensible and bright, this situation was terrifying. He started to cry bitterly. Pei Yinong, awakened by her son’s crying, wanted to get up to comfort him but didn’t even have the strength to rise.

She struggled to reach for her phone, trying to call her mother, but the phone slipped from her grasp and fell to the floor. Little Douding saw the phone, wiped his tears, crawled out of bed, and picked it up. Pei Yinong had already dialed the number, and although Little Douding could not read well yet, he recognized the character "Jiang" and pressed it.

Once the call connected, Little Douding, hearing Jiang Chenxi’s voice, couldn’t stop crying again, and through tears, he told Jiang Chenxi about his sick mother. However, in Little Douding’s words, what was merely a fever seemed like Pei Yinong was nearly dying, motionless, which alarmed Jiang Chenxi so much that he immediately jumped out of bed and rushed over in his car.

While driving, Jiang Chenxi also had to comfort a ceaselessly crying Little Douding. By the time Jiang Chenxi arrived, Pei Yinong was delirious with fever. He took her to the hospital, where even the doctor chided him, saying he was an incompetent husband for waiting so long to bring his seriously ill wife to see a doctor.

Although Little Douding was articulate, his way of expressing the story was incomplete. However, Shen Qinglan was able to understand the sequence of events from his words and was surprised to realize there was such a story between Jiang Chenxi and her cousin.

It seemed that Little Douding’s hope for Jiang Chenxi to become his father was not one-sided after all.

"Aunt, do you think Uncle Jiang is nice?" Little Douding looked up at Shen Qinglan with hopeful eyes, and Shen Qinglan nodded, "Hmm, your Uncle Jiang is very nice."

"Hehe, I think so too." Little Douding was happy that his favorite person received Shen Qinglan’s approval.

Pei Yinong had no idea that her son had sold her out just like that. As she stepped out of the restaurant and intended to take a taxi, Jiang Chenxi offered, "Where are you headed? I’ll drive you."

"No need, I’ll just take a cab."

"It’s hard to get a cab around here at this time. Don’t worry, I don’t have class this afternoon; it won’t delay my work," added Jiang Chenxi.

Seeing him insist, Pei Yinong didn’t stand on ceremony. Actually, she had specifically asked Jiang Chenxi out to eat today to thank him for helping her during her illness last time. If it weren’t for Jiang Chenxi arriving in time, she would likely have struggled to take care of her son. Before leaving the house, however, Little Douding found out she was dining with Jiang Chenxi and insisted on coming along, leaving Pei Yinong with no choice but to bring him.

"I really want to thank you for what happened last time," Pei Yinong said.

Jiang Chenxi raised an eyebrow, "Yining, are you planning to say thank you for this matter for the rest of your life?"

Pei Yinong smiled warmly, "Last time, Haohao caused you quite a bit of trouble," because Pei Yinong had suddenly fallen ill, scaring Little Douding terribly. So, after Jiang Chenxi took Pei Yinong to the hospital, Little Douding stuck to Jiang Chenxi like glue, apparently taking him as the person he trusted most.

And Jiang Chenxi was very patient, always comforting Little Douding without showing any sign of impatience. Because of this incident, the bond between Little Douding and Jiang Chenxi grew rapidly. During the times when Pei Yinong was away from Beijing, Little Douding often called Jiang Chenxi.

Jiang Chenxi laughed, "No, Haohao is very cute and also very smart, I really like him. He will be three years old in the second half of this year, are you planning to send him to a preschool class this year, or wait until next year?"

"Let’s send him this year. Haohao is smart, but he doesn’t like to play with other kids his age. I want to send him to school earlier, maybe that will help correct his bad habit," Pei Yinong said.

"Have you decided on which school to send him to?"

"Not yet, I’ll take a better look when I have less on my hands in a while."

"If you trust me, you can leave this matter to me. I may be a university teacher, but I know a bit more about the schools in Beijing than you do."

Pei Yinong looked at him, a bit embarrassed, "That would be troubling you too much."

"It’s no trouble, I don’t have many classes, and I usually have plenty of free time. Once I get the information organized, I’ll send you the details of a few good schools, and then you can pick from there. It will be much easier for you."

"Chenxi, thank you."

Jiang Chenxi gave a slight smile, "If you really want to thank me, then treat me to a meal next time you come back."

"Deal," Pei Yinong agreed readily, "I’ll keep an eye out around me to introduce a girlfriend to you, someone who’s worthy of you." There were quite a few young women at her workplace, some of whom were exceptional.

Jiang Chenxi’s eyes darkened slightly, "No need for that, I have someone in mind."

Hearing this, Pei Yinong became curious and glanced at him, "Who? Do I know her?"

Jiang Chenxi smiled without answering, "I haven’t told her yet. Once I’ve confessed to her, I’ll tell you."

Pei Yinong patted Jiang Chenxi on the shoulder, "Nice, you’re good at keeping secrets. Well, I’ll wait for your good news then. If it works out, remember to bring your girlfriend to meet me, so I can give you my blessing."

"Sure."

During their conversation, Pei Yinong arrived at her destination, "Thanks for today. Drive safely on the way back."

Jiang Chenxi nodded and waited for Pei Yinong to go inside before leaving.

**

After Shen Qinglan and Daniel had finished their meal, Daniel left for the studio first since he had work to do. Little Douding was with them, so Jin Enxi was the one driving.

"Pretty sister, are you Auntie’s new friend? I’ve never seen you before," Little Douding sat in the back, swinging his chubby little legs.

Jin Enxi glanced at him through the rearview mirror, "I’m not a new friend of your auntie. We’re old friends. I’ve always been abroad and only recently came back."

Little Douding nodded, somewhat understanding, "Is it fun abroad? Are there lots of Transformers?" He still remembered the Transformer toy Jiang Chenxi had brought back for him from abroad.

"Um, not only are there Transformers, but there’s also Spiderman."

"What’s Spiderman?"

"A superhero who can shoot white spider webs from his fingers, climb walls, fight, likes to wear his underwear on the outside, and also likes to wear a cape."

Shen Qinglan watched speechlessly as Jin Enxi spoke with serious nonsense, utterly beguiling the child, leaving the little one dumbstruck.

"Wow, that’s amazing. Beautiful sister, have you ever met him?"

"Of course, I’ve met him. I didn’t just meet him, I’ve also fought with him. It’s just a pity he couldn’t beat me."

"Wow, beautiful sister, you’re so awesome. You’re only a little bit less awesome than my auntie."

"I’m way more awesome than your auntie. If you don’t believe me, just ask your auntie."

Little Douding rolled his eyes, giving Jin Enxi a dismissive white eye, "I don’t believe it. My auntie is the most awesome person in the world."

Jin Enxi was quite interested in Little Douding and found the child too amusing, "You haven’t even asked, how do you know I’m not more awesome than your auntie?"

"I just know. My auntie is very, very awesome. She can fight bad guys. Can you?" Little Douding had once heard Chu Yunjin talking about Shen Qinglan volunteering to be a hostage to save a pregnant woman. Although he didn’t fully understand it, in the heart of a three-year-old child, Shen Qinglan was a great hero who fought villains.

Listening to the two of them chatting back and forth, Shen Qinglan took out her phone and sent Fu Hengyi a text message—yes, she was missing her husband a bit.

After waiting a few minutes without a reply from Fu Hengyi, Shen Qinglan knew he must still be busy and put her phone away.

Fu Hengyi called Shen Qinglan back that evening. At that time, Shen Qinglan was reading a bedtime story to Little Douding. That afternoon, Chu Yunjin had called Shen Qinglan, saying she had caught a cold and was afraid of infecting Little Douding, so she asked Shen Qinglan to take care of him for a few days.

Fu Hengyi, hearing the child’s voice inside, paused for a moment, "Is Haohao at home?"

Shen Qinglan hummed in affirmation, "Aunt caught a cold and is worried about infecting him, so I’m taking him for a few days. It’s a good opportunity to stay away from my mom."

Upon hearing this, Fu Hengyi raised his eyebrows and chuckled, understanding Shen Qinglan’s tone of helplessness. He knew about Chu Yunrong dragging Shen Qinglan to the mall, "If you don’t like it, you should just tell Mom directly. She would understand."

"It’s not a matter of dislike, just that going every day is a bit of aesthetic fatigue."

"Qinglan, next time when I come back, let’s go take our wedding photos," Fu Hengyi suggested.

Shen Qinglan paused slightly, her eyes brimming with a smile, "Okay."

After hanging up the phone, Little Douding was still not asleep, his big dark eyes wide open, "Auntie, are we going to continue the story?"

Shen Qinglan glanced at the book in her hand and nodded, continuing to read the words on the page.

"Auntie, your storytelling isn’t as good as Uncle’s," Little Douding complained after listening for a while, "Uncle Jiang tells really good stories. He doesn’t even need to read from a book."

Shen Qinglan glanced at him. Could she tell him that she hadn’t heard a story since she was five? She had bought this book specially in the afternoon. At this moment, Shen Qinglan somewhat understood the feeling Fu Hengyi had when telling Little Douding a story.

"Auntie, I don’t want to listen to the story anymore. Let’s chat instead," Little Douding said excitedly.

Shen Qinglan raised her eyebrows, "What would you like to talk about?"

Little Douding lay on the bed wearing cartoon pajamas, his hands propping up his chin, his little brow furrowed in thought, "Auntie, I’ve had some worries lately."

At that, Shen Qinglan almost laughed out loud. The little thing in front of her was only three years old. What worries could he possibly have? Thinking this, Shen Qinglan asked him directly.

"Aunt, are you and Uncle going to get married?" Little Douding asked.

Shen Qinglan nodded, "Did Mommy tell you?"

"Yeah, Mommy said that when Aunt gets married, I should start going to kindergarten. Aunt, I don’t want to go to kindergarten; it’s just a bunch of little brats, and it’s not fun at all." A certain little brat sighed.

Shen Qinglan looked at his troubled eyebrows and couldn’t help but find it amusing, "You’re a child too, you’re only three." Shen Qinglan mercilessly burst his bubble with the fact.

Little Douding shook his head, "It’s different, those kids are childish, but I’m not. They just know how to cry all day. The little girl who lives next to us just knows how to cry. It’s so annoying. Grandma even wants me to play with her, but she can’t even speak clearly. I don’t want to play with her."

"You’ve never played with other kids, so how do you know they will cry?" Shen Qinglan’s memories before the age of five weren’t very clear, but in her vague recollections, she had been willing to play with other kids. She wasn’t sure how to understand Little Douding’s troubles; the world of children was far away from hers.

"I can tell just by looking. Grandma takes me to the park near our house, where there are so many kids, but none of them are fun." Little Douding cocked his foot, swinging it back and forth.

Shen Qinglan was somewhat at a loss for words; she knew Little Douding was bright, but the child seemed to be a bit... precocious?

"Well, even if you don’t want to go to kindergarten, you can’t stay at home all the time."

Little Douding let out a sigh, "That’s why I’m troubled, I want to go to school with the older kids."

"You’re still too young; schools won’t take such young children. When you’re a little older, you’ll be able to attend elementary school, just like the other kids."

Little Douding put his hand down and lay flat on the bed, "Aunt, it would be nice if Mommy had a little brother, then I wouldn’t have to go to school and could just play with him."

Shen Qinglan really laughed out loud this time.

"Aunt, Mommy said Aunt will also have a little brother in the future, is that true?" Little Douding suddenly looked up at Shen Qinglan, his face full of anticipation.

Err, Shen Qinglan didn’t know how to respond. After thinking for a moment, she nodded, "Yes, Aunt will also have children in the future, but it’s not certain to be a little brother; it might be a little sister."

Little Douding frowned, "I don’t like little sisters; brothers are better. Aunt, can’t you have a little brother?"

That was something Shen Qinglan couldn’t promise, "It’s not up to Aunt to decide. Are little sisters really not good?"

"It’s not that they aren’t good; it’s just that little sisters cry. Oh well, I’d still like the little sister you have, Aunt. When are you going to have her?"

Shen Qinglan couldn’t answer that either. Even though she had finished her course of traditional Chinese medicine, Doctor Zhong had advised them not to try for a baby for the time being. Besides, she had just recovered from a recent injury, so now wasn’t the ideal time for pregnancy.

"Not now, it will be when you’re five."

"Ah, that long? Why?" Little Douding was quite disappointed.

Again, Shen Qinglan didn’t know what to say. Suddenly, she understood why Fu Hengyi had not wanted to have children earlier. Raising a child was really tiring.

"Haohao, it’s getting late, you should go to sleep now. If you sleep now, Aunt will take you to the zoo tomorrow."

Little Douding’s eyes lit up, "Aunt, really?"

Shen Qinglan nodded, and Little Douding immediately lay down, closing his eyes, "Aunt, I’m going to sleep, goodnight."

""

Shen Qinglan gently touched his little face, wishing him goodnight. After Little Douding fell asleep, she finally closed her eyes to sleep.

The next morning, Shen Qinglan took Little Douding out with her.

Three days later, Chu Yunjin’s cold completely cleared up, and she came to pick up Little Douding.

"Qinglan, I’ve really troubled you these past few days. The child didn’t cause you any trouble, did he?"

Shen Qinglan gently shook her head, "No, Haohao is easy to look after." Aside from being a bit clingy before bedtime, Little Douding was indeed very easy to care for—he could sit on the sofa and read a picture book by himself for half the day without any fuss.

When Little Douding saw his grandmother, he didn’t throw himself at her as before but clung to Shen Qinglan’s trouser leg reluctantly. "Auntie, I don’t want to go home."

Chu Yunjin scooped him up in one motion. "You haven’t seen your grandma for a few days. I’ve missed you so much, and yet you don’t want to go home with me. Grandma will be sad."

Little Douding looked pitifully at Chu Yunjin, "But grandma, I want to stay at Auntie’s house."

"No, your auntie has things to do. She’s already delayed her work to spend time with you. If she doesn’t go back to work, she’ll be scolded."

Little Douding pouted, "Okay, then Auntie, I’ll come to see you another day."

Shen Qinglan nodded and rubbed his head, "After you go home, you must listen to grandma, you know?"

"Mhm, Auntie, you have to remember to come and see Haohao."

"Of course."

**

Time flew by, and soon it was the day of Shen Junyu and Wen Xiyao’s engagement.

Early in the morning, as soon as Shen Qinglan opened her eyes, she saw Fu Hengyi. He had returned last night.

"Good morning, wife."

Shen Qinglan smiled faintly, "Good morning."

"Shall we go for a run together today?"

Shen Qinglan nodded, and the two of them got out of bed, washed up, and went for a run. After Shen Qinglan finished her shower, Fu Hengyi had already made breakfast. After breakfast, they drove to the Shen family’s home.

Wen Xiyao was currently at the hotel with the Wen family. As the only girl in her generation in the Wen family, she was doted on by her uncles and aunts. Her engagement was certainly a major event in the Wen family, and nearly everyone had arrived.

Make-up artists and stylists had been busy at the hotel since early morning.

At the Shen residence, when Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi arrived, Chu Yunrong was already gone. She said she needed to check the villa to make sure everything was ready, and even Sister-in-law Song had been taken by her. Therefore, it was Lu Yaqin who had made breakfast.

As Shen Qinglan and the others arrived, a few were still eating breakfast. "Qinglan, Hengyi, you’re here. Have you had breakfast?" Lu Yaqin asked upon seeing them.

Fu Hengyi nodded, "We have already eaten."

"I made quite a lot this morning, do you want to eat some more?"

"Auntie, really, there’s no need, we’re full," Shen Qinglan said.

Seeing this, Lu Yaqin did not insist. Shen Junze, upon seeing Shen Qinglan, still wore an unfriendly expression. Ever since Shen Rang considered having her help manage the company, Shen Junze had been looking down his nose at her, his words laced with sarcasm. Old Sir Shen had caught him once and gave him a severe lecture.

Shen Qinglan couldn’t be bothered with this immature young man. She sat down on the sofa with Fu Hengyi and whispered quietly to him.

Shen Rang’s health was deteriorating. Today, he summoned all his strength to attend Shen Junyu’s engagement party. He barely had a few sips of porridge for breakfast before feeling full. Lu Yaqin helped him to sit down in the living room.

Shen Rang looked at Shen Qinglan with much to say, yet hesitated. He still hoped Shen Qinglan could agree to his earlier request.

"Uncle, Shen Qinglan has already told me about the matter you mentioned last time," Fu Hengyi said gently. "I support her in this. Shen Qinglan prefers a leisurely lifestyle, and she’s not accustomed to managing a company, so please don’t bring this up again."

"Hengyi, Uncle..."

"I know you are worried about Shen Junze, but he’s an adult now. He should walk his own path in the future. You want Shen Qinglan to look after him, but she’s only four years older than Shen Junze."

Fu Hengyi’s tone was gentle but firm, indicating a hint of displeasure. He did not appreciate Shen Rang using Shen Qinglan.

"Furthermore..." he glanced at Shen Junze, who, though seated at the dining table, kept casting glances their way, "Shen Junze is already quite dissatisfied with Shen Qinglan. Even if Shen Qinglan is willing to help you, Uncle, Shen Junze would make a fuss, and that wouldn’t look good for anyone."

Even though Fu Hengyi’s words were forthright, Shen Rang did not get angry. He knew he was asking too much and sighed deeply. "Shen Qinglan, I’m sorry."

"Uncle, there’s really nothing I can do about this," Shen Qinglan said indifferently.

Shen Rang nodded understandingly, his eyes dimming. "Mm, Uncle understands, it’s my fault for putting you in a difficult position."

Shen Qinglan didn’t say much. Although she hadn’t interacted much with Shen Junze, from his day-to-day behavior, it was apparent he was a spoiled tyrant. Although Shen Qinglan was confident she could straighten him out, she had neither the time nor the inclination, especially since he wasn’t her son.

"What are you discussing here?" Old Sir Shen asked.

The three fell silent, and Fu Hengyi spoke slowly, "Uncle was just telling us about some of his experiences abroad."

Old Sir Shen did not probe further. In life, it’s not necessary to understand everything. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

Once everyone had finished their meal, they departed. Shen Rang’s family took one car, while Old Sir Shen and Shen Qian rode in Fu Hengyi’s car.

In Shen Rang’s car, Lu Yaqin drove while Shen Rang and Shen Junze sat in the back seat.

"Dad, were you just asking that woman Shen Qinglan to manage the company again?" Shen Junze asked, clearly discontented. He was capable of managing the company well enough; he just hadn’t had the chance to prove it yet.

Shen Rang knew his son’s capabilities and frowned upon hearing his reference to Shen Qinglan. "Jun Ze, Shen Qinglan is your sister."

Shen Junze pouted. "What kind of sister is she? Dad, I feel like you’ve changed since you came back. You never used to criticize me, but since you’ve been back, you find fault with everything I do. Dad, you think I’ll run the company into the ground, but Shen Qinglan is nothing more than a leisurely idler. You’re willing to hand the company over to her; aren’t you worried she’ll ruin it?"

Shen Rang listened to Shen Junze’s complaints, his inward sighs growing heavier. He suddenly remembered when Shen Junze was a bright and likable child, wondering when he had started turning into his current self. Shen Rang looked at his son with a faint regret, realizing too late that he was so busy building his career he had neglected to guide him properly and now it was too late to start teaching.

"If you truly had the ability, do you think I would be going to such lengths?" Shen Rang sighed.

"You haven’t even given me a chance to try, how do you know I won’t succeed? How can you be so sure that Qinglan will?" Shen Junze was very dissatisfied with his father’s arrangement.

"Jun Ze, don’t talk to your father like that." Lu Yaqin, who had been paying attention to the father-son conversation, gently reprimanded.

Shen Junze glanced at his mother and fell silent. He had been raised by his mother since childhood, so his relationship with Lu Yaqin was much closer than it was with Shen Rang.

"Sister-in-law, why don’t we let Jun Ze join the company for some experience first? Perhaps we don’t need Qinglan, and Jun Ze can hold up the company on his own," Lu Yaqin tentatively said.

Shen Rang glanced at his wife, clearly understanding that she too had some opinions about his decision. No wonder Qinglan refused; he hadn’t seen the situation as clearly as a young lady.

"Do you all really think Qinglan is an idle, do-nothing young lady? Haha, that’s because you don’t know that sixty percent of the startup capital for Jun Yu’s business venture came from her, and how old was she at the time?" Shen Rang said.

"Her money is still from the Shen Family. Shen Junyu says it’s his own venture, but I don’t believe he could grow the company this big without the Shen Family’s backing," Shen Junze said dismissively.

Lu Yaqin didn’t speak, clearly agreeing with her son’s point of view.

Shen Rang glanced at his wife and son, disappointment in his eyes. He knew his thoughts were wrong, but at that moment, he really felt that the kind of wife a man marries has a truly significant impact on his descendants. While Lu Yaqin was indeed the woman he loved, in terms of vision, she wasn’t comparable to the fine ladies who had been carefully cultivated.

Shen Rang shook his head, driving the thoughts from his mind, and continued to speak, "The Shen Family didn’t give Shen Junyu any help; that money was earned by Qinglan herself. Jun Ze, let me ask you, if it were you, could you do the same?"

Shen Jun Ze didn’t speak. Shen Junyu’s company wasn’t established many years ago, and Qinglan was about the same age as him back then.

"Confidence is a good thing, but arrogance is not the same as confidence. Jun Ze, you are my only child; everything I have is yours. If you truly have the ability, why would I have to make such a choice?" Shen Rang said helplessly.

"Dad, aren’t you worried about not being able to get the company back after handing it over to her?"

"Qinglan isn’t that kind of person!" Shen Rang stated with certainty.

"You can never be sure about people’s true intentions!" Shen Junze remained dissatisfied, feeling belittled by his father in favor of Qinglan, which intensified his animosity towards her. Just a niece he had only met recently became more important than his own son in his father’s eyes.

"If Qinglan really wanted my company, she wouldn’t have refused my proposal."

"Please, it’s nothing but a game of playing hard to get," Shen Junze said with disdain.

Shen Rang shook his head in disappointment, finally refraining from further conversation, acknowledging his son had been spoiled.

"Brother Rang, if Qinglan isn’t willing then let it be. If you are uneasy about Jun Ze managing the company right now, I can ask my brother to help him. After all, my brother is a veteran in the company, and he is capable of assisting Jun Ze with the company’s affairs. And Jun Ze is still studying. In these years, let my brother help manage the company, and Jun Ze can join after he graduates from college," Lu Yaqin said hastily, seeing her husband unhappy.

At these words, a hint of scorn flashed in Shen Rang’s eyes. It was precisely because of the ambitious big uncle in the company that he had to be so calculating. If the company really fell into the hands of the big uncle, perhaps Jun Ze would indeed never get it back. But that was the wife’s only relative in the world, and Shen Rang didn’t want to speak ill of him in front of his wife.

He had considered asking Shen Junyu for help, for Junyu had been through many years in the business world and was adept at handling business matters. But Junyu had rejected him outright without even considering it. It was only during a casual conversation with Old Sir Shen that he learned his niece was the truly formidable one, and that’s when he began to entertain the thought.

However... Shen Rang glanced at his wife and son, closed his eyes, and let it go. Both were troublemakers, and handing over the company to Qinglan would surely lead to chaos at home after his death. Qinglan was his father’s treasured daughter, and if his father knew he had entertained thoughts of using Qinglan, he probably wouldn’t be able to forgive himself even in death.

Sigh, so be it.

**

The engagement party was held at one of Shen Junyu’s villas.

Behind the villa, there was a large garden where the engagement party took place. Although it was already June, the temperature in Beijing wasn’t considered hot yet, so this event adopted an open-air style.

The garden was already filled with various colored balloons and fresh flowers. The party was held in the evening. After Old Sir Shen and Shen Rang arrived, they went to rest, while the others went to help out.

"Qinglan, come help Mom move this flower to the entrance," Chu Yunrong called out to Shen Qinglan upon seeing her.

For her son’s engagement, Chu Yunrong had put a lot of thought into it, from the chef to the menu, and even the venue’s arrangement was all her own effort, so after half a month, Chu Yunrong had noticeably slimmed down, yet she looked spirited.

Shen Qinglan went over to help, and Fu Hengyi took the flower and then walked with Shen Qinglan towards the entrance.

The villa Shen Junyu bought was located in the best position in the southern suburbs of Beijing—with convenient transportation, a beautiful environment, and complete nearby living facilities. When this real estate first went on sale, the few available villas were snapped up instantly. Since Shen Junyu had a good relationship with the developers, the developer reserved three villas for him, which were obtained by Shen Junyu, Han Yi, and Fu Hengyi, respectively. Although the three villas were not adjacent, they were not far from each other.

Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi’s new house was here, and they would move in after their wedding. Plus, it was closer to the main family compound, making it much more convenient to go back.

Because many people were invited to help out, many things didn’t require their personal attention, more often it was just standing to the side, giving some suggestions.

"Shen Qinglan," a voice from behind called out. Shen Qinglan turned around, her gaze towards him cold and distant.

"Shen Qinglan, don’t think that just because my dad wants to hand over the company to you, you can set your sights on our family’s property. I’m telling you, that’s impossible, I will never agree to this," Shen Junze spat out fiercely.

Shen Qinglan gave him a glance as if looking at an idiot, then turned to leave. Shen Junze grabbed her wrist in response. Shen Qinglan looked at her grasped wrist, frowning slightly.

"Let go," Shen Qinglan commanded coldly.

Shen Junze didn’t release her. "My dad is sick now, so he’s muddled, but I’m not fooled. You want our family’s company? Dream on."

Fu Hengyi had just gone back inside to pour water for Shen Qinglan and came out to see Shen Junze entangling her. He quickly walked over, gripped Shen Junze’s wrist, applied a slight force, and with a cry of pain from Shen Junze, he naturally let go of Shen Qinglan’s wrist.

"Are you alright?" Fu Hengyi asked Shen Qinglan.

Shen Qinglan shook her head, looking at Shen Junze, "I feel the same way you do. I truly have no interest in the trivial things of your house. Go tell Second Uncle to stop bringing this up to me, or else I’ll tell Grandfather and see what he has to say."

"You..." Shen Junze glared at her, but Shen Qinglan didn’t even spare him a glance, making him lose face, and he walked away dejectedly.

Shen Junze returned to Lu Yaqin’s side, complaining to his mother that Shen Qinglan had bullied him, and showed her his wrist, which was reddened from Fu Hengyi’s grip.

Lu Yaqin gently rubbed her son’s wrist sympathetically, "Why did you provoke her for no reason?" she sighed in exasperation.

"I just wanted to warn her not to covet our family’s things," Shen Junze muttered.

"Silly child, Qinglan wouldn’t go that far." At least not for now. Lu Yaqin thought to herself secretly, after all, her own identity as Leng Qingqiu could bring her considerable wealth.

"Who knows what she’s thinking." Although Lu Yaqin said this, Shen Junze’s heart still didn’t trust Shen Qinglan.

Lu Yaqin didn’t know what Shen Qinglan was thinking, but she knew what her husband’s intentions were. Her husband wanted Shen Qinglan to help manage the company because, on one hand, he felt that Shen Junze wasn’t up to the task, and on the other hand, he also intended for the Shen Family to look after his widow and orphan. After all, Shen Qinglan was the apple of Old Sir Shen’s eye, and if she was willing to help, Old Sir Shen wouldn’t stand by idly.

This was why Shen Rang first discussed it with Lu Yaqin, and although she was not willing in her heart, she did not oppose it on the surface. Her husband’s days were numbered, and in the future, it would just be her and her son. Going back overseas was out of the question, and if they were to stay in Beijing, with the Shen Family’s protection, their lives would be much easier.