The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 271. Chance encounter?

Chapter 271: 271. Chance encounter?

Beijing, Shen Junyu hung up the phone and saw his assistant Yu Bin waiting, he asked warmly, "What’s the matter?"

Yu Bin started to say, "President Shen, you need to pick up President Wen at three o’clock in the afternoon, and attend a charity gala together in the evening. Don’t forget."

"Hmm, I know. Is there anything else?" Seeing that Yu Bin hadn’t left, Shen Junyu asked.

"Today, while you were in a meeting, a Miss Chen Su called you several times. Do you need to call her back?"

When Shen Junyu was in meetings, his phone was managed by Yu Bin. Except for calls from Shen Qinglan, his family, and Wen Xiyao, all other calls were ignored during meetings. That’s why Shen Junyu had just stepped out of the conference room to take Shen Qinglan’s call.

"No need for now. Let President Qin chair the next meeting; I have some things to attend to and need to leave early."

Yu Bin nodded and waited for Shen Junyu to leave in the elevator before entering the conference room.

Shen Junyu had just reached the ground floor of the company building when he saw Chen Su waiting in the lobby, "Jun Yu."

Shen Junyu stopped, "Chen Su?"

Chen Su stood up and said with a smile, "President Shen really has come a long way; now, even meeting you requires an appointment first."

Shen Junyu chuckled, "Not at all; I was just in a meeting and was thinking of calling you back later, but here you are."

"How about lunch together?" Chen Su asked.

Shen Junyu thought for a moment and nodded, "Sure, when our beautiful Miss Chen invites, how could I refuse?"

Chen Su had driven herself, so Shen Junyu didn’t bother with his own car and directly got into hers, "Where shall we eat?" Chen Su asked while driving.

"Of course, I’ll listen to you," Shen Junyu said with a smile.

"I’ve been abroad for the past few years and am no longer familiar with places here. You recommend," she said.

Shen Junyu thought for a bit and gave an address, and Chen Su set up the navigation.

Shen Junyu had his phone out, sending a text to Wen Xiyao, when Chen Su glanced over and said with a joking tone, "Do you have to report to your family even when going out for a meal with a friend?"

Shen Junyu put his phone in his pocket and smiled, "Now that I’m engaged, I have to be responsible, right?"

A shade of sadness flashed in Chen Su’s eyes; she had just been sent abroad by her company for a few months and only discovered upon her return that Shen Junyu was already engaged.

"I haven’t congratulated you on your engagement yet. I just came back from abroad and didn’t have the chance to prepare a gift. When are you holding the wedding? I’ll prepare a big red envelope for you."

Shen Junyu spoke gently, "The wedding is still a while away, in March next year. I will definitely invite you for a drink to celebrate then."

"Is your fiancée the same lady we ran into last time at the restaurant?"

"Hmm, her name is Wen Xiyao, and she’s the General Manager of Xinhe International."

Chen Su looked at Shen Junyu’s tender eyes when he mentioned Wen Xiyao, her smile somewhat stiff, inwardly regretting why she had brought up the topic, but her heart couldn’t help but grow deeply curious about this woman named Wen Xiyao.

"Did you meet her through work?" Chen Su asked, curious.

Shen Junyu smiled slightly, "Yeah, you could say we hit it off by crossing swords at work." Remembering his first encounter with Wen Xiyao, the smile in Shen Junyu’s eyes grew even stronger.

Chen Su’s heart felt like it was pricked by a needle, a sense of panic and helplessness overtaking her, but fortunately, the restaurant was just around the corner.

Chen Su got out of the car and walked into the restaurant with Shen Junyu.

Shen Junyu handed the menu to Chen Su, saying, "This restaurant opened last year. I’ve eaten here a few times with clients and the food is good. You’ve been away from Beijing for so many years, so you should take the chance to really taste it."

Chen Su glanced at the menu and handed it to Shen Junyu, "I’m still not good at ordering even now, so I’ll leave it to you. I’ll just wait to eat. After all these years as classmates, you wouldn’t have forgotten my tastes, right?"

Shen Junyu smiled lightly, "How could I forget?" He ordered a few dishes, then looked at Chen Su with a smile, "These few, I remember you like, right?"

Chen Su smiled, "After all these years, I didn’t expect you to remember what I like to eat."

The way she said it was rather suggestive, but Shen Junyu just smiled and said, "I think the others wouldn’t forget your preferences either. You loved these dishes so much, always ordering them whenever we went out to eat. Four years on, we’ve lost count of how many times you’ve eaten them. It would be hard not to remember."

"That just shows I’m a consistent person. Once I like something, I don’t easily change, whether it’s food or people," Chen Su said earnestly, her gaze fixed on Shen Junyu.

Shen Junyu knew all too well what Chen Su was implying. Not to say that he had never liked Chen Su when he was studying, but now he was already engaged to Wen Xiyao, and he liked Wen Xiyao, so naturally, there would be no more progression with Chen Su.

"By the way, I remember you saying you wanted to stay and work in Beijing, how come you went abroad later on?" Shen Junyu changed the subject.

Seeing that Shen Junyu wasn’t taking her bait, Chen Su felt a tinge of disappointment, but still responded, "I did plan to stay and work in Beijing. I was sent abroad by the company to study for a few months and only returned yesterday." She had learned through a friend about Shen Junyu’s engagement the moment she got back. If Chen Su had known that leaving Beijing for just a few months would result in losing Shen Junyu, she would have never left.

"Are you planning to settle down in Beijing now?" Shen Junyu asked.

Chen Su nodded, "Yes, I’m getting older and don’t have the energy to keep moving around. My family has also been urging me to get married, and I’m really not interested in foreign men. After thinking it over, I decided to come back."

The conversation circled back, causing Shen Junyu to sigh inwardly. After thinking for a moment, he asked, "Which company are you working for now?"

Noticing Shen Junyu was dodging the topic once again, Chen Su realized he was doing it on purpose and decided not to press on, instead, going along with Shen Junyu’s line of questioning. She named a company, "I’m mainly managing the marketing department right now. The company is planning to venture into the gaming industry. In this field, Junlan Group is a senior player, so when the time comes, I’ll need to learn from you. Considering our years as classmates, you should be able to do me this favor, right?"

"Of course." With the continuous expansion of his company, Junlan had been trying out various industries over the years and had become quite diversified, though gaming had always been a focus for Junlan, so what Chen Su just said made sense.

The two chatted about work while eating. Apart from romantic issues, Shen Junyu and Chen Su got along quite well; Chen Su’s development overseas over the years had been impressive, and she held a position in an international company, so naturally, she had broad perspectives.

They were enjoying their conversation when Wen Xiyao suddenly appeared before them. Wen Xiyao smiled at Shen Junyu, "I thought I was mistaken just now, Jun Yu, it really is you. Are you out dining with a client?"

When Shen Junyu saw Wen Xiyao, he didn’t show any signs of unease. He introduced her, "This is my college classmate, Chen Su. Chen Su, this is my fiancée, Wen Xiyao."

Wen Xiyao greeted her with a proper smile, "Miss Chen, hello."

Chen Su reached out her hand and shook hands with Wen Xiyao, and took the opportunity to size up Wen Xiyao. "Miss Wen, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve been hearing about you from Jun Yu and was thinking of finding an opportunity to meet you. I didn’t expect to run into you so soon." She glanced at the person waiting not far away and asked, "Miss Wen, are you having lunch with a friend?"

Wen Xiyao shook her head, "No, that’s a client from my company, I just treated the client to lunch. I saw it was Jun Yu from afar, so I came over to say hello. Jun Yu, I will see the client off first, did you drive here?"

"No, wait for me after you see your client off. We’re supposed to go to a banquet tonight, we might as well go together."

"Alright." Wen Xiyao agreed, then turning to Chen Su, said, "Miss Chen, please take your time with your meal, I have to leave now."

Chen Su nodded with a smile, waiting for Wen Xiyao to leave before saying, "Your fiancée is very beautiful."

Shen Junyu nodded without modesty, "Yeah, Xi Yao is also very capable."

Seeing the person she liked praising another woman in front of her, Chen Su didn’t even know how she felt at the moment; looking at the dishes in front of her, she suddenly lost her appetite.

"Why aren’t you eating? Is it because the cuisine of this restaurant doesn’t suit your taste?" Shen Junyu asked.

Chen Su smiled, "No, I’m just full."

Seeing that Chen Su wasn’t eating, Shen Junyu also put down his chopsticks, settled the bill, and walked out of the restaurant with Chen Su, without asking about the purpose of her meeting with him today.

"Let me drive you back." Chen Su selectively forgot the words of Wen Xiyao, who mentioned she would come to pick up Shen Junyu.

"There’s no need to be so polite, Xi Yao will be here soon, you go ahead. We’ll get in touch another day." Declining Chen Su’s offer, Shen Junyu stood by the roadside waiting for Wen Xiyao, who appeared quite quickly.

As soon as Shen Junyu got in the car, he was met with Wen Xiyao’s teasing smile.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Wen Xiyao laughed, "President Shen, I didn’t expect to run into you just for a midday meal."

Shen Junyu smiled warmly, "That’s what I mean by destiny."

Wen Xiyao didn’t believe him for a second; this man had clearly done it on purpose, because just two hours ago, Shen Junyu had just asked about her lunch plans, and she didn’t believe he was unaware that she would be hosting clients here at noon.

"Is the beautiful woman you met today your first love?" Wen Xiyao asked.

Shen Junyu glanced at her indifferently, "Do you think I am so foolish as to bring my first love before you?"

Wen Xiyao’s laugh was very charming, "Who knows? Maybe you just want to let me know how popular you are, then remind me to cherish you." No sooner had she said this than Wen Xiyao was amused by her own thought, and she laughed out loud.

Shen Junyu gave her a helpless look. However, he had indeed deliberately chosen that restaurant at noon, not to make Wen Xiyao jealous, but to dissuade Chen Su, knowing that some things are better left unsaid for the sake of saving face.

After dropping Shen Junyu off at his company, Wen Xiyao drove away; she still had an urgent document to deal with at her company, and Shen Junyu also had unfinished work.

At three in the afternoon, Shen Junyu appeared on time at the foot of the Xinhe International building and phoned Wen Xiyao, who came down quickly, carrying a bag in her hand, "This is from my mom for Qinglan, sent from Hai City. Don’t forget to take it back with you when you return home tonight."

Shen Junyu glanced back and asked, "What’s this?"

"Some dried fruit and a few fresh ones. Qinglan is pregnant, isn’t she? I brought these for her to try. If she likes them, I’ll send more later." Hai City has many tropical fruits, many of which can’t be found in Beijing.

"My mom doesn’t know what Qinglan actually likes, so she prepared a little bit of everything. Now that Qinglan isn’t in Beijing, and these fruits spoil quickly, you’re the one who benefits." Her tone grew huffy toward the end, probably reminded of some unpleasant matter, and she even shot Shen Junyu a fierce glare.

Shen Junyu looked at her with amusement. He had thought she was really indifferent since she showed no reaction at noon, but it turned out she was just jealous. Far from being displeased, this actually made him quite happy.

"Jealous?"

Wen Xiyao rolled her eyes at him, "Don’t flatter yourself. If I got jealous over something like this, it’d make me look petty."

Shen Junyu smiled indulgently.

"Did Qinglan mention when she’ll be back?" Wen Xiyao asked.

Shen Junyu shook his head, "No clue. That girl, as long as she’s with Fu Hengyi, forgets all about home. She said they’re going to the hot springs tomorrow."

"Sigh, Qinglan’s life really is leisurely, isn’t it? She can go wherever she wants, unlike us, who don’t even get a break all year round," Wen Xiyao sighed.

Shen Junyu glanced sideways, "Next month is the Shiyi holiday. We could go on a trip together."

Wen Xiyao shook her head, "Let’s not. During Shiyi, everywhere in the country is packed with people. You go anywhere, and all you see are crowds. I’d rather stay home and watch TV."

"Let’s go to Xueli City then. Last time Lanlan went there for an artist’s event. The photos she sent back looked like the scenery was really nice."

After thinking it over and realizing she didn’t have much going on during that time, Wen Xiyao agreed, "Okay then, I’ll look into flights and hotels when I get home tonight."

The two of them first went to a styling center. Since the charity event that evening wasn’t a particularly big one, Wen Xiyao didn’t dress up too much. Just light makeup and a change of gown, and she was ready. It didn’t take much time.

It was still early, and there was no rush for Shen Junyu and Wen Xiyao, so they decided to dine at an upscale Western restaurant.

After their meal, they arrived at the venue for the banquet. They weren’t late; in fact, their timing was just right.

Actually, such charity events happened several times a month, and Shen Junyu always received invitations. He didn’t really want to attend such occasions. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to do charity; it was just that he saw this kind of charity as hypocritical. Instead of schmoozing with a bunch of people here, he’d rather build more Hope Schools and libraries back in China.

Yet, dislike aside, it was still important to attend when necessary. Plainly speaking, these events were opportunities to meet the elite and expand one’s network. In the world of business, if you don’t know enough people, you can’t get ahead. Even a great family background is of no use without connections.

Just as they reached the entrance, Shen Junyu and Wen Xiyao ran into an acquaintance.

Wen Xiyao raised an eyebrow at Shen Junyu, her gaze full of mischief. Shen Junyu looked innocently back; this definitely wasn’t his doing.

"Jun Yu, Miss Wen, I didn’t expect to see you so soon," Chen Su said with a proper smile.

Wen Xiyao smiled back, "Indeed, we just met at noon and here we are again. Seems like we share a strong fate."

"Jun Yu, if I had known you were attending this banquet, I would have come with you. Then I wouldn’t be looking so lonesome," she said.

Wen Xiyao felt a sudden discomfort in her heart upon hearing these words, but her expression remained unchanged on her face, "Miss Chen, did you not come with your husband?"

Chen Su’s expression stiffened, "I’m not married, currently single for the time being."

Wen Xiyao smiled apologetically, "Sorry, Jun Yu told me you were his classmate, so I assumed you were married. However, a beautiful lady like Miss Chen must have plenty of admirers, I guess."

Chen Su’s face looked as though she had swallowed a fly. She looked at Wen Xiyao again, her gaze probing. This Wen Xiyao was more difficult to deal with than she had thought.

After leaving the restaurant at noon, Chen Su had come to an understanding; as long as Shen Junyu wasn’t married, even if he was engaged, what could it possibly mean? She had liked Shen Junyu for so many years, and now that she was back, she naturally didn’t want to give him up easily. It’s not about whether they were married or not, as long as Shen Junyu liked her, she believed that she could break them up, even if they were married. There was no corner she couldn’t dig, only hoes that weren’t diligent enough.

"I just saw a friend from the mall, I’ll go say hi first," Chen Su excused herself, turning to leave.

After she was gone, Wen Xiyao twisted Shen Junyu’s waist fiercely, her smile very gentle, "Your admirers are really persistent towards you."

Shen Junyu’s face changed momentarily before returning to normal, his arm round Wen Xiyao’s waist, his gaze full of indulgence, "However good they are, they’re not my type. Out of thousands of streams, I’ve already found my one ladleful."

Wen Xiyao was taken aback, releasing her hand and rubbing the spot she had just pinched, "Let’s go inside. We’re blocking the way for people behind us."

Shen Junyu smiled and nodded, but inwardly he groaned. This Chen Su seemed rather persistent.

The charity dinners were all the same, and halfway through the evening, Shen Junyu and Wen Xiyao donated a sum of money and then slipped away.

"Shen Junyu, was Chen Su really just a classmate to you?" On the way back, Wen Xiyao, recalling Chen Su’s look at Shen Junyu that evening, couldn’t help but feel disgusted and asked.

Shen Junyu looked innocent, "I swear to heaven, she and I were just classmates. We were both in the student council, in the same department, so we interacted more, but I assure you, all those interactions were normal, and I never gave her any signals."

"This Chen Su, so pretty and so deeply in love with you, you’ve never thought about developing something with her?" Wen Xiyao cast a doubtful glance at Shen Junyu.

Shen Junyu’s expression became even more innocent, "She’s not my type, what development could I have with her? You are my first girlfriend."

Wen Xiyao was very pleased to hear this, finally showing a smile on her face, and the frustration that had been clogging her heart was relieved.

"Stay away from that Chen Su in the future, I don’t like her," Wen Xiyao declared.

Even if Wen Xiyao hadn’t said it, Shen Junyu would have done so anyway. After all, he wasn’t the type to drag things out.

"Little vinegar jar," Shen Junyu said with a laugh.

Hearing this endearing nickname, Wen Xiyao’s cheeks turned a slight red, and she turned her head to look out the window while Shen Junyu smiled silently.

**

Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi had headed to Hot Spring Villa that afternoon. The hot springs here were only discovered two years ago, and the locals built a hot spring resort and started promoting it. Gradually, people near the town liked coming here to soak in the hot springs during winter. However, as the promotion was rather localized, not many people knew about it; otherwise, the business would have been booming.

As Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi strolled through the resort, admiring the scenery around them, Shen Qinglan felt even more strongly about remodeling the town. She shared her ideas with Fu Hengyi, who nodded in agreement.

"If Jun Yu isn’t interested in this matter, you can discuss it with Han Yi. He should be interested. But now that you’re pregnant, you can’t overexert yourself, you know?"

Shen Qinglan smiled, "I just made a suggestion to them, how to proceed is still up to them." After all, she truly didn’t understand these matters; it was merely upon seeing this town and thinking of Shen Junze and Lu Jincai’s dedication to it today, she felt pity for the town. Such a charming town was really not suitable for building skyscrapers.

What Shen Qinglan didn’t know was that the next day, Shen Junyu had already sent people from the company to conduct an inspection. They seriously considered the project she had proposed and even held an executive meeting, bringing up the matter and gaining the approval of most of the senior executives.

Of course, all this was in the future.

In the evening, Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi stayed here. After changing their clothes, Shen Qinglan went to the hot spring pool with Fu Hengyi.

This was not a sulfuric hot spring, so when they walked in, there was no strong sulfur smell.

Shen Qinglan sat by the edge of the hot spring pool, only dipping her feet into the water, not submerging her body.

Just at the entrance, she had encountered a mother who had also come to enjoy the hot springs. Curiously looking at Shen Qinglan, she asked, "Are you pregnant?"

Shen Qinglan nodded slightly, glanced at the child the other was holding, and replied softly, "Yes."

The mother looked at Shen Qinglan’s belly, hesitated a moment, and then spoke up, "If you’re not yet three months pregnant, it’s best not to soak in the hot springs. It’s not good for the fetus and can very likely cause a miscarriage. Although these hot springs are beneficial for pregnant women, they’re not suitable for those in the early stages of pregnancy. Even in mid-pregnancy, soaking in hot springs should not exceed fifteen minutes, and the water temperature should not go beyond 45 degrees Celsius."

Both Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi, hearing this, were slightly startled; this was something they truly did not know.

"Thank you," said Fu Hengyi with sincere gratitude. If not for this mother’s reminder, they might have encountered a big problem today.

The mother smiled, "As long as you don’t mind my meddling, it’s all good."

After she left, there was a hint of annoyance in Fu Hengyi’s expression, "Qinglan, since we can’t soak, let’s just go."

Shen Qinglan shook her head, "We’re already here, why leave? Just because I can’t doesn’t mean you can’t."

Shen Qinglan took the lead, sitting down at the edge of the hot spring pool.

Fu Hengyi got into the water and settled next to Shen Qinglan. The water temperature here wasn’t high, and there was a light mist hovering over the water surface. Shen Qinglan reached out to stir the water, watching Fu Hengyi with his eyes closed. Suddenly, feeling playful, she splashed the water in her hands onto Fu Hengyi’s face.

Fu Hengyi opened his eyes, meeting Shen Qinglan’s smiling gaze, and let out a helpless chuckle, his eyes full of adoration. He stood up, and his muscles were laid bare in an instant. Shen Qinglan reached out and touched his torso, "If those male models saw your figure, they would certainly feel inferior."

Fu Hengyi’s gaze deepened, "Have you seen a lot of models’ bodies?"

Shen Qinglan didn’t know how to respond to that question; Mr. Fu was quite the jealous type. If she answered "yes," the jealousy would definitely flare up. Shen Qinglan simply smiled a little, "The only man’s body I’ve seen is yours. You’re the best model I’ve seen, and I guess no one else could compare to you."

That response thoroughly pleased Mr. Fu. Fu Hengyi smiled contentedly, leaning down to kiss Shen Qinglan’s lips, receiving an enthusiastic response from Miss Shen.

The romance in the hot springs continued to heat up until Shen Qinglan successfully provoked Fu Hengyi’s desire. Shen Qinglan looked innocent with her smile, while Fu Hengyi stared dolefully at her abdomen.

Shen Qinglan giggled, caressed his head as if consoling a child, "There, there, I’m going out now."

Fu Hengyi climbed out of the water, no longer interested in soaking in the hot spring. He wrapped himself in a towel and left the hot spring pool with Shen Qinglan.

Because Shen Qinglan couldn’t bathe in the hot springs, Fu Hengyi took her away from the Hot Spring Villa the next day. Instead of returning to the Xu Family, they went back to Beijing. Originally, Fu Hengyi had wanted to stay in the small town for a few more days, but since Shen Qinglan didn’t bring enough supplies and had unexpectedly found inspiration, the two of them decided to return after discussing it.

As soon as she arrived home, Shen Qinglan buried herself in the studio. They had moved from Jiangxin Garden to their new home—Heshan New Mansion. Knowing how much Shen Qinglan loved painting, Fu Hengyi had specially designed a studio for her when they were decorating the house.

Because Shen Qinglan was pregnant, they had already hired a housekeeper to take care of her daily needs. Although Shen Qinglan didn’t like having strangers at home, she didn’t oppose Fu Hengyi’s arrangement for her and the baby’s health.

For three days straight, Shen Qinglan spent most of her time in the studio, while Fu Hengyi had brought in a tatami mat to lie on and read a book, occasionally ensuring that Shen Qinglan took regular breaks.

After three days, Shen Qinglan put down her brush and turned to Fu Hengyi, who was resting with his eyes closed, "I’ve finally finished, Fu Hengyi, come take a look."

Fu Hengyi opened his eyes and stood up, walking over to Shen Qinglan’s side. Looking at the paintings on the canvas, he asked with a smile, "Are you trying to give that small town free publicity?" All of her recent works were about that small town.

"I simply love the scenery of that town. If my brother decides to invest there in the future, then this wouldn’t count as just a free promotion tactic, right?" In other words, even if Shen Junyu wasn’t interested in the place, if Shen Qinglan’s paintings became popular, it would serve as indirect advertising for the town and be beneficial for local tourism—her way of giving a little help.

Fu Hengyi clearly understood her intention and smiled, just about to speak when the doorbell suddenly rang. He went to answer the door.

Shen Qinglan packed up her tools and, after a short while, Fu Hengyi came back in, "Daniel is here."

A flicker of puzzlement crossed Shen Qinglan’s eyes; she didn’t know why Daniel would come over. Stepping out of the studio, she saw Daniel sitting on the sofa, waiting for her.

It was Daniel’s first visit to Shen Qinglan’s new home. As he was busy looking around the house, he caught sight of Shen Qinglan coming out and shifted his gaze, "Qinglan. I’m sorry to disturb you during your honeymoon."

"Is there a problem?" Shen Qinglan wasn’t concerned about any disturbance—they hadn’t gone on a honeymoon anyway.

Daniel wore a smile, his expression relaxed, "No trouble, it’s just that Frank and Noah are in Beijing and want to meet with you. I was going to call you, but I happened to be in the area today, so I stopped by, and also to check up on you—I heard from Enxi that you’re pregnant."

Shen Qinglan slightly raised her eyebrows; she hadn’t expected Enxi to share this with Daniel, or rather, she didn’t expect Jin Enxi and Daniel to be in touch so frequently.

"Yes, it’s been a month. Is there a particular reason for their visit to Beijing?"

"They’re here to see you. They want to buy the painting you exhibited at the Xu Lishi Art Festival. I’ve been refusing all along, but this time they’re trying to deal with you directly," explained Daniel.

Upon hearing this, Shen Qinglan replied indifferently, "Daniel, I’ve said that you can make decisions on my behalf regarding this matter; I have no objections."

Daniel laughed, knowing this would be her response, "Qinglan, they rarely come to Z country, and it might benefit your future to meet with them. I’ve discussed it with them; they know you’ve just gotten married and won’t disturb you during this time. They will be in Z country for half a month. You can see when you’re free to meet with them."

Fu Hengyi, who had been listening to their conversation all along, knew that Shen Qinglan was more suited to the path of a painter—a topic they had previously discussed. Shen Qinglan wasn’t opposed to it, and Fu Hengyi supported her.

So hearing this, Fu Hengyi spoke up, "The sooner, the better—how about tomorrow?"

Since Mr. Fu had proposed it, Shen Qinglan naturally had no objections and turned to Daniel, "Then let it be tomorrow. I’ve just completed a few pieces; you can take them back with you."

At that, Daniel’s eyes lit up with eagerness—he had been waiting for Shen Qinglan’s new works for a long time and hastily asked, "Where are the new pieces?"

Fu Hengyi led Daniel to the studio, and as Daniel saw the paintings lying casually on the ground, he shot Shen Qinglan a dismayed look, "My dear lady, do you have any idea how much one of your paintings is worth now? How can you just leave them lying around on the floor like this? What if they get damaged?"

Shen Qinglan remained expressionless and spoke lightly, "If it’s damaged, just repaint it."

Daniel rolled his eyes, too lazy to rebuke her, and carefully packed up the painting, holding it in his arms as if cradling a rare treasure. Except for the painting Shen Qinglan had just completed today, which was not taken because it was still wet, Daniel took all the other works she had painted in the past few days.

"Qinglan, I think your works this time could have their own exhibition, with the theme ’Small Town Autumn’," Daniel said, holding Shen Qinglan’s paintings and beaming from ear to ear.

Shen Qinglan didn’t respond. Now that Daniel had acquired new paintings, he was in high spirits and wasn’t inclined to linger around Shen Qinglan any longer, soon departing.

"What’s the relationship between Daniel and Jin Enxi?" Shen Qinglan suddenly asked Fu Hengyi.

Fu Hengyi raised an eyebrow, "If you wanted to know, why didn’t you just ask him?"

"It was just a casual question. Fu Hengyi, I’m hungry."

"What do you want for lunch?" asked Fu Hengyi.

"I want soy-sauce-glazed ribs."

Fu Hengyi turned towards the kitchen. Although the family had a housekeeper, Fu Hengyi hadn’t let the housekeeper work these past days, taking care of Shen Qinglan’s meals himself.

After eating lunch and having nothing to do in the afternoon, Shen Qinglan went back to the family estate with Fu Hengyi, visiting the Fu Family first and chatting with Old Sir Fu before heading to the Shen Family. But just as they approached the door, they heard an argument coming from inside, sounding like Shen Junze’s voice.

Shen Qinglan didn’t walk straight in but stood at the door, listening to the noise inside.

They could only hear Shen Junze, fuming, "Grandfather, big brother has gone too far. I had my eyes on that plot of land first, and I was about to finalize the deal with them. What is he doing stepping in like this?"

Old Sir Shen and Shen Junyu sat on the sofa with Old Sir Shen looking quite grave. Unlike Shen Junze’s fury, Shen Junyu appeared quite at ease.

"Junyu, what do you have to say about this?" After understanding the situation, Old Sir Shen turned to Shen Junyu.

Shen Junyu smiled slightly, "Grandfather, you’re already aware of the situation. The truth is the local residents don’t want to sell the land at all. It’s all been Shen Junze oppressing and tempting them. And even so, when I got there, they had yet to come to an agreement."

Shen Junze’s face darkened, "If it weren’t for your interference, that land would have been mine by now."

Shen Junyu was completely composed, "Jun Ze, I’m not trying to play the big brother card here, but I have eaten more bowls of rice than you. Let me give you some genuine advice—doing business isn’t as simple as you think, especially in real estate. There’s a lot of ins and outs to consider. If you really want people to sell their land, you need to show genuine intent. The way you deceive and scheme, once they find out the truth, it’s bound to blow up sooner or later."

"So I should be thankful to you?" Shen Junze said through clenched teeth.

Shen Junyu slightly smiled, "You don’t need to thank me; just keep it in mind. After Second Uncle passed away, as your older brother, even just for Second Uncle’s sake, I should look out for you a little, and I can’t stand by and watch you stray further down the wrong path."

Shen Junze’s face turned ashen as he turned to Old Sir Shen, "Grandfather, aren’t you going to intervene? It’s one thing for big brother to steal someone else’s deal, but to take his own brother’s business, isn’t that going too far?"

Old Sir Shen had a stern face and was about to speak when Shen Qinglan’s voice came from the doorway, "The descendants of the Shen Family succeed on their own merit when they conduct business outside. You’ve only mentioned big brother taking your business, but why don’t you also tell grandfather about the good deeds you’ve done?"