The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 277. Being tracked?

Chapter 277: 277. Being tracked?

After ending the call, Shen Qinglan turned to Wen Xiyao and said, "Daniel said he’d discuss it with the old man. Due to health reasons, the old man really hasn’t been writing much these past two years, so it’s not certain whether it can be done."

Wen Xiyao smiled slightly, "Regardless of whether it works out, I still have to thank you for this."

"Xi Yao, we’re family, there’s no need to thank me."

Hearing this, Wen Xiyao readily responded, "That’s true, there’s no need for such formality between family members. Oh, by the way, my mom asked me to check with you, did you like the dried fruit she sent last time?"

"Mm, they tasted quite good," Shen Qinglan recalled a bag of dried fruit that Shen Junyu had brought her a few days ago, which was supposedly from Wen Xiyao. It must have been sent by Mrs. Wen.

"If you like them, I can ask my mom to send some more."

"Xi Yao, I still haven’t finished what you gave me last time; there’s no need to trouble your mother," Shen Qinglan replied.

Wen Xiyao chuckled, "It’s no trouble at all; my mom would be more than happy to do it."

Shen Qinglan naturally knew that Mrs. Wen was so kind to her because of the incident that occurred at the engagement party. She spoke in a gentle voice, "Sister Xiyao, there’s no need for your mother to worry about that matter, especially since she’s already thanked me." The jewelry set worth a fortune was still locked in her safe.

"It was just a small thing. Even if it wasn’t for that incident, considering you’re Jun Yu’s sister, it’s really nothing."

Since that issue had been brought up, Shen Qinglan suddenly remembered the person who had started it all, "Xi Yao, how is Du Nan doing now?"

At the mention of his name, the smile on Wen Xiyao’s face slightly faded as she spoke softly, "He’s gone back to Hai City. He hasn’t been in contact with me since."

Hearing this, Shen Qinglan felt relieved.

In fact, Du Nan didn’t come to look for Wen Xiyao not because he didn’t want to, but because he was simply overwhelmed. Due to the Wen Family’s withdrawal of their investment, along with underhanded competition from rivals, the Du Family was now struggling to get by in Hai City.

Although Wen Bingchuan had loosened his stance, allowing Du Honghai to take out loans from the banks, everyone had witnessed the previous discord between the Wen and Du Families. Now, the Du Family was unable to find a guarantor for a substantial bank loan.

Du Honghai had been hospitalized several times out of worry for his company; Mrs. Du had wanted to ask the Wen Family for help but Du Honghai stopped her, feeling too ashamed as a father to face his old friend after what his son had done.

Du Honghai’s hospitalization meant that the company’s affairs fell solely on Du Nan’s shoulders. Having been preoccupied with Wen Xiyao over the years, despite having worked at the company for a long time, he lacked the necessary authority. After Du Honghai’s hospitalization, some ambitious individuals in the company started making their moves. To suppress them, Du Nan had pulled out all the stops.

The company was a mess and the situation at home was no better. Du Nan was already exhausted and simply had no capacity to deal with Wen Xiyao.

"It’s for the best. Xi Yao, have you been very busy with work recently? You look a bit pale," Shen Qinglan inquired with concern.

Touching her face, Wen Xiyao sighed softly, "In a few days, I have to go on a business trip abroad. I need to arrange everything at the company beforehand, so I’ve been working overtime these days. No wonder my complexion isn’t looking great. Your brother was teasing me yesterday, saying I’ve turned into a yellow-faced wife before getting old."

Shen Qinglan was speechless, "Xi Yao, you’re actually not angry about what my brother said?" Such words would be intolerable to any woman.

Biting her lip, Wen Xiyao confessed, "Angry? Of course, I am angry. That’s why I left him and walked away yesterday. I haven’t answered his calls all day." As she said this, she couldn’t help but chuckle.

Shen Qinglan felt no sympathy for her brother at all. To make such a low EQ remark and to get away with just being ignored was quite a break for him. Her eyes twinkling with mischief, she spoke softly, "Xi Yao, I also think what my brother said was way out of line. You can’t forgive him too easily. Let me give you a little tactic."

Curious, Wen Xiyao looked at her, "What tactic?"

"When you go home today, stop by the supermarket and buy a durian, and leave the shell for my brother."

Wen Xiyao laughed aloud, "If your brother hears you say this, he’ll probably be heartbroken." How could Shen Junyu not be upset knowing that the sister he doted on encouraged his wife to have him ’kneel on a durian shell’?

Shen Qinglan looked aside, "I’m doing this to stand up for you, making him feel uncomfortable is better than letting you suffer, isn’t it?"

Wen Xiyao looked at her with amusement, "No wonder Jun Yu is so fond of you. Seeing how fiercely you protect your brother, I knew you’d come up with an idea like this even though you’re aware I wouldn’t do it. Are you going to tell me it wasn’t to make me forgive your brother sooner?"

Shen Qinglan smiled slightly and did not deny her intention, "Feeling a bit better now?"

Wen Xiyao snorted with a smile, "You, well, the little bit of sulkiness in my heart has indeed dissipated."

It was just a playful remark after all, and Wen Xiyao wasn’t really angry, just momentarily annoyed, which passed after a while.

Shen Qinglan smiled and said nothing.

By the time Wen Xiyao left the Fu Family’s home, it was already evening. As soon as she walked out, she saw Shen Junyu waiting outside.

Wen Xiyao raised an eyebrow at him, "Why didn’t you come in?"

Shen Junyu, with a gentle smile on his face, said, "I came especially to wait for you." He brought his hands forward from behind his back, holding a bouquet of white roses, "For you."

Wen Xiyao reached out to take them, bringing the roses to her nose, "Not bad, but don’t think that this will make me forgive you so easily."

"Of course," Shen Junyu replied as he opened the car door, "Lovely Miss Wen Xiyao, please get in the car."

Her eyes brimming with smiles, Wen Xiyao got in, not bothering to ask where Shen Junyu planned to take her.

Shen Junyu took Wen Xiyao to a movie theater—ah, they saw a horror film.

Coming out of the theater, Wen Xiyao looked at Shen Junyu, incredulous. "Did you do this on purpose?"

Shen Junyu nodded, "Of course. Otherwise, how would you throw yourself into my arms willingly?" Excellent reasoning, Wen Xiyao found herself at a loss for words.

"Alright, don’t be angry. I was just teasing you yesterday. Don’t mention being a ’yellow-faced woman’; even if you turned into an old granny, you’d still be mine alone," Shen Junyu said as he reached out, interlocking his fingers with Wen Xiyao’s.

A wave of sweetness surged through Wen Xiyao’s heart as she glanced at their intertwined hands, then gave him a sidelong look, "Aside from making girls happy, what else can you do?"

Shen Junyu gave a mysterious smile, "I can’t tell you now, but you’ll find out later."

**

Xueli City.

Ya Xi was delighted upon seeing Yan Shengyu had come to visit, "Brother, you finally came to see me."

Yan Shengyu looked at Ya Xi with eyes full of adoration, "Yeah, how have you been doing these days? Are you adapting well to life here?"

Ya Xi squinted her eyes contentedly, leaning on Yan Shengyu’s shoulder, "I’m very good, I really like it here. Brother, did you come just to see Mom and me?"

"Yeah, to see if you two are doing well."

"We’re doing great. But Brother, there’s no problem with you just coming over like this, right? Your boss won’t scold you, will he?"

At that remark, Yan Shengyu seemed to remember that he had not taken time off when he came over. He chuckled, "No worries, I took leave. I plan to stay here a few days with you and Mom. Aren’t you happy?"

"Happy, but it would be even better if Daddy was here too," Ya Xi remarked.

The smile at the bottom of Yan Shengyu’s eyes faded slightly as he forced a smile, "Daddy is a military officer, it’s not that easy for him to come abroad, and he’s also very busy with work, unable to get away for now."

Ya Xi awoke to find that the Yan family members had tacitly kept the divorce of Zhao Jiaqing and Yan Anbang from her, so to this day, she was unaware that her parents had already divorced.

"True, but it’ll be the same when Mom and I return together next time. Once I’m on vacation, I’ll go back to the country with Mom," Ya Xi said, "Oh, by the way, brother, do you know Shen Qinglan?"

Yan Shengyu’s expression changed momentarily but quickly returned to normal as he looked at Ya Xi, "Who is Shen Qinglan?"

Ya Xi did not notice the change in his expression and explained, "She’s the artist Leng Qingqiu. Isn’t she famous in the country? How come you don’t recognize her?"

Yan Shengyu pretended to have a sudden realization, "Oh, so it’s her. I’ve heard of her name but don’t know her personally. What about her?"

"I’ve met her," Ya Xi said.

Yan Shengyu looked at her, "When did you meet her?"

"It was at the Xueli City Art Festival. She came to Xueli City. That day, Mom and I happened to visit Macleay Lake and encountered Shen Qinglan playing here with her friends. She’s really beautiful, and I like her so much."

Suppressing the unease in his heart, Yan Shengyu casually asked, "You didn’t know her before, so how come you liked her just by meeting her once?"

Ya Xi shrugged, "I don’t know. The moment I saw her, I liked her. I don’t even know what about her I like. She just felt so approachable, so warm, like an elder sister, yeah, like a sister."

Yan Shengyu’s eyes darkened as he remembered that bright and dazzling woman, a pang of pain throbbing deep in his heart, but his face showed a smile as he feigned ease, "I thought you liked her paintings. I was wondering when you became so enlightened as to take a liking to art."

Ya Xi pouted, "Hey, don’t look down on me. I study fashion design; I have an artistic sense. I just can’t draw, that’s all. I still have a level of appreciation. I like Shen Qinglan as a person, but I also like her paintings. Her paintings give me a warm feeling, just like her."

Speaking to herself, Ya Xi failed to notice the shadow of sorrow in Yan Shengyu’s eyes, "I heard she’s from Beijing. Next time I return to the country, I want to find her in Beijing. It would be great if I could get her autograph. Oh, brother, aren’t you in Beijing? When you return to the country, could you buy me her collection of paintings? I wanted to buy it last time, but I couldn’t find it. It would be perfect if the collection could have her handwritten autograph."

After talking for a long time without any reaction from Yan Shengyu, Ya Xi pouted and waved her hand in front of his eyes, "Brother, are you even listening to me?"

Yan Shengyu snapped back to attention, looking at her apologetically, "I zoned out, sorry. What did you say?"

Ya Xi repeated what she had just said, "Brother, you must help me get her autograph."

Yan Shengyu smiled and nodded, "Alright, I will definitely get it for you."

Ya Xi immediately became happy, and at that moment, Zhao Jiaqing called them to dinner, ending the conversation.

With Yan Shengyu’s arrival, the next day, Ya Xi went out with him, claiming she wanted to show him around the city where she lived.

Ya Xi took Yan Shengyu to a famous vineyard in Xueli City. As soon as they got out of the car, Yan Shengyu felt a slight discomfort in his stomach and went looking for a restroom, leaving Ya Xi to wander around the estate by herself.

"Hey, it’s you," Ya Xi said with a face full of surprise looking at the person before her. She hadn’t expected to bump into Doug here.

Doug also didn’t expect to encounter Ya Xi for the second time in just a few days, especially here, and responded with a slight smile, "What a coincidence, are you here for fun?"

"Oh, I’m here with my brother, what about you?"

"I’m good friends with the owner of this estate, I’m staying here for a few days," Doug replied.

"I see. When we met at the café last time, I thought we wouldn’t see each other again," Ya Xi said, smiling. Doug also returned the smile.

Yan Shengyu circled around before he finally spotted Ya Xi from afar, noticing her talking with a man. As he got closer, he realized it was Doug, Ya Xi’s former doctor. His expression darkened, but he carefully hid his inner surprise deep within.

"Xiao Xi," Yan Shengyu advanced with a smile, and Ya Xi waved merrily, "Brother, come over here."

Doug glanced at Yan Shengyu and said with a smile, "Since your brother has arrived, I’ll take my leave now. The wine from this estate is quite good; perhaps you should bring some back with you when you return."

After Doug had left, Yan Shengyu turned to Ya Xi, "Who was that just now?"

"A friend I just met. Brother, how come it took you so long just to go to the restroom?"

Seeing that Ya Xi did not recognize Doug, Yan Shengyu felt slightly relieved and smiled, "It’s all because I was looking for you. I told you not to run off, but you disappeared in the blink of an eye."

Ya Xi stuck out her tongue; it was indeed she who had wandered too far.

After spending some time with Ya Xi in the estate, Yan Shengyu saw Doug from afar and excused himself to walk over to him.

"Mr. Doug." Yan Shengyu greeted.

Doug smiled warmly, "Long time no see."

"I didn’t expect to meet you here."

"I came to visit a friend and ended up bumping into Ya Xi. It looks like she’s recovering well and adjusting nicely to life here."

Upon hearing this, Yan Shengyu spoke in a softer tone, "I have to thank you for that, Mr. Doug. If it wasn’t for you, Ya Xi might have..."

"There’s no need to be so formal. I was simply fulfilling a friend’s request. I’ve been wanting to find an opportunity to check on her and make sure she’s alright after she left. Now that I’ve seen how she is, I can rest easy."

The identity of this friend was self-evident.

"It’s indeed something to be grateful for. Mr. Doug, I’m surprised but glad to have run into you. I have a question that’s been on my mind; do you think you could help me with it?"

"Please go ahead."

Yan Shengyu mentioned Ya Xi’s encounter with Shen Qinglan, "Ya Xi still likes her very much. If this continues, could there be a day when Ya Xi remembers everything from the past?"

Hearing this, Doug thought for a moment and then said, "This indicates that Shen Qinglan holds a significant place in Ya Xi’s heart, such that even with her memory gone, she still remembers the feelings Shen Qinglan evoked in her. However, you don’t need to worry too much or try to deliberately prevent it. Let her naturally progress. The deep hypnosis performed on Ya Xi means that unless she experiences a significant shock, the likelihood of her remembering is quite slim."

Relieved by this explanation, Yan Shengyu thanked Doug, exchanged a few more words, and then left.

"Brother, what were you talking with him about?" Ya Xi asked, curious.

"Oh, nothing much. He mentioned that the estate’s wine is excellent, right? I just wanted to ask him where we could buy some, and which vintage has a better taste. We could bring some back for friends when we return home."

"Oh." Ya Xi was not particularly interested in this, and after Yan Shengyu purchased several bottles of wine, they left together.

Yan Shengyu stayed in Xueli City for three days before departing. When he was leaving, Ya Xi clung to him, making him promise repeatedly, "Brother, you must remember my anthology and signature, alright? Buy it as soon as you get back to the country, okay?"

This must have been the umpteenth time Ya Xi had said it, and Yan Shengyu rubbed his forehead, "I got it, my dear niece. I’ll buy it for you right after I get back, are you satisfied now?"

Ya Xi nodded, "Mhm, I knew you’re the best brother to me."

Zhao Jiaqing had no idea what the siblings were talking about and asked, but Ya Xi only grinned and would not tell. Yan Shengyu made up an excuse on the spot and brushed it off; seeing the secretive manner of the siblings, Zhao Jiaqing decided not to pursue it further.

After Yan Shengyu returned home, he received a call from Yan Anbang but didn’t answer, simply hanging up.

He first went to a bookstore and bought an anthology of Shen Qinglan’s paintings, then stared at a name in his phone contacts for a long time without taking action. After hesitating for quite a while, he finally dialed Shen Qinglan’s number.

Shen Qinglan listened to what Yan Shengyu had to say, and then spoke indifferently, "I have time tomorrow afternoon, come find me at my teahouse."

"Okay."

The next afternoon, Yan Shengyu arrived at Shen Qinglan’s teahouse half an hour early. Watching the people walking in from outside, his expression took on a moment of absent-mindedness. This was the first time Yan Shengyu had seen Shen Qinglan up close since Ya Xi left. "You’re here. Have a seat."

He knew that Shen Qinglan had gotten married. He had even secretly watched her wedding, gazing at her bridal sedan from afar through the crowd. Although her face wasn’t visible, he could still imagine her world-shattering beauty in her wedding dress.

Shen Qinglan sat down opposite Yan Shengyu. The man in front of her had lost the boyish air of their first meeting, the whole person had matured quite a bit. It made sense; after such a short year, with so much that had happened to his family, it was impossible for anyone not to have changed even a little.

Taking the sketchbook Yan Shengyu placed to one side, Shen Qinglan opened the title page, picked up a pen, and signed her name on it, even taking the care to write a few thoughtful words.

Yan Shengyu put the sketchbook away. "Thank you."

"Don’t mention it. I heard you went to work in G City. How is everything going?"

Yan Shengyu smiled slightly. "Not great, but not bad either. G City’s economy is a bit underdeveloped, but the local customs are very simple. I really like it there."

"Did you come here especially to buy the sketchbook for Ya Xi?"

"Yes, Ya Xi really likes you. She made me promise to get her one of your sketchbooks."

A shadow of sadness flickered in Shen Qinglan’s eyes. Ya Xi, who loved her so much—whether she had forgotten everything or not, Ya Xi would still like her the moment she saw her—yet she hadn’t been able to protect her well.

"Shen Qinglan, I owe you an apology. I was too extremist in my thinking before, and I said some unpleasant things to you. Please don’t take it to heart," Yan Shengyu sincerely said.

In these past few months, while working in G City, he had come to understand many things. Back then, he and his family had put all the blame on Shen Qinglan, which, in reality, was unfair to her. Without Shen Qinglan, perhaps they would never have seen Ya Xi again.

Shen Qinglan was momentarily stunned then spoke, "That incident indeed had an inseparable connection with me, and it wasn’t wrong for you to think that way."

"Actually, I realized later that your friend was right. We were just a bunch of cowards, afraid to face reality, so we shifted the responsibility onto you," said Yan Shengyu, suddenly remembering that Shen Qinglan had come back injured at the time.

Shen Qinglan didn’t want to discuss the topic further. It was a perpetual pain in their hearts, and Yan Shengyu didn’t continue the conversation with her, soon leaving.

Although some things had been figured out, the chasm that lay between them was not so easily ignored. The quiet affection of youth had to end in the most tragic way imaginable.

After Yan Shengyu left, Shen Qinglan also left the teahouse shortly after.

However, as soon as she was out, her gaze cooled, and she glanced in the rearview mirror, her lips curling into a cold arc.

As if she felt nothing, she continued to drive. After a while, she looked into the rearview mirror again and saw a car following her—a small white van. The stalker was cautious, keeping a distance that was neither too close nor too far.

Shen Qinglan turned a corner, and the van followed. After thinking, she headed towards the outskirts. However, as she approached the outskirts, the car behind did not follow but turned and disappeared. Shen Qinglan pulled over, a flicker of confusion passing through her eyes. Had she guessed wrong?

After some thought, she made a call to Jin Enxi and provided the stalker’s license plate information.

"An, it looks like the car is an abandoned one," Jin Enxi said.

Her previously settled doubts suddenly became confirmations—she was indeed being followed. Was it because this person was careful and slipped away after noticing something amiss, or did they have to give up due to some other reason?

"Can you find the previous owner of this car?" asked Shen Qinglan.

"Hold on, give me some time," said Jin Enxi.

Shen Qinglan wasn’t in a hurry, sitting in the car waiting for Jin Enxi’s results. After a while, Jin Enxi called back, "An, it looks like this person died half a year ago."

Hearing this, a hint of amusement flickered in Shen Qinglan’s eyes, as the thread of the case seemed to have broken again.

"Enxi, the game appears to be getting more interesting."

Jin Enxi paused and then laughed, "Yes, indeed. However, An, you are not the same as before; you need to be a bit more careful."

"I understand. How about the matter I asked you to pay attention to last time?"

"There’s no clue. I couldn’t trace the source, and the person didn’t do anything afterward. They are very cautious. I think the person behind this is no ordinary individual, An. Do you think it could be Allen?"

Speaking of Allen, Shen Qinglan remembered that Allen had been quiet for a long period, and she had almost forgotten about his existence.

"It won’t be him," Shen Qinglan stated with certainty. Allen was vicious in his methods, but he always targeted the person himself. If it were him, he wouldn’t bother with hurting or intimidating Gu Bowen or Yu Xiaoxuan. Most importantly, if Allen took action, it would be far more than just an injury or a scare.

Jin Enxi thought about it and understood, "But if it isn’t Allen, I really can’t think of anyone else. Could it be that dead woman Xu Nuo?"

"We could look into her," Shen Qinglan suggested, which perfectly aligned with Jin Enxi’s thoughts. If it was indeed Xu Nuo stirring trouble behind the scenes, that would be quite interesting.

"Alright, leave this to me. I’ll let you know once I have results."

Shen Qinglan hung up the phone and went straight home.

Meanwhile, Xu Nuo, whom both of them were concerned about, was having a rough time. She had been thrown back into the training base by Allen, criticized for being embarrassingly incompetent.

"Master." Xu Nuo had just come out of a trial, covered in wounds, with some of them still bleeding. She lowered her head before Allen.

Allen had a cold expression on his face, "Do you realize your shortcomings?"

"Yes." Xu Nuo acknowledged. Even a simple trial had left her with wounds all over. She understood why Allen had made her train again.

"Now that you know, go back. Don’t come out until you can avoid such embarrassment."

"Yes." Xu Nuo left, but not before giving Allen a deep look.

Once Xu Nuo had left, Allen picked up the tablet on the desk, logged onto a website, and looked at the tasks posted, a smile curling at the corner of his mouth. His Xiaoqi was still that sharp-clawed little kitty.

"Pass the word down, our people are free to take this task if they want," Allen handed the tablet to someone beside him.

That person glanced at the screen, "But this task is against BK’s people; won’t it cause us trouble?"

Allen snorted coldly, "One day it’ll come to this between me and King. Go, tell the others, whoever kills King, I’ll double the reward on top of this task’s payment." Ever since his previous clash with King that led to the destruction of King’s base, there was no chance for any reconciliation between them.

The person looked startled for a moment, then replied with a "Yes" and left.

Two days later, Jin Enxi called Shen Qinglan again, "An, guess what interesting thing I found out about Xu Nuo this time?"

Shen Qinglan asked nonchalantly, "What?"

"I discovered that there is a woman called Mrs. Jin behind Xu Nuo."

"Mrs. Jin? Is there such a figure in the underworld?" Shen Qinglan raised an eyebrow, a flicker of doubt in her beautiful eyes.

Jin Enxi said, "This Mrs. Jin is said not to be from the underworld, but her connections with it are complex. She has contacts not only with Allen but also seems to have some relationship with King. When you and Ya Xi were kidnapped last time, Mrs. Jin seemed to be involved in it somewhere."

Hearing this, Shen Qinglan’s casual indifference gradually faded, and she sat up, "Can we find out Mrs. Jin’s real identity?"

"Not for the moment, but I will continue to investigate. By the way, Xu Nuo is Mrs. Jin’s daughter," Jin Enxi added.

A trace of pensiveness crossed Shen Qinglan’s face, "Xu Nuo is Mrs. Jin’s daughter?"

"Yes, but their relationship doesn’t seem very good. If I hadn’t been investigating Xu Nuo, I wouldn’t have found a connection to Mrs. Jin. Allen and King don’t get along, right? Xu Nuo cooperated with King on her own last time and betrayed you. It’s said that Allen wanted to deal with Xu Nuo, but Mrs. Jin appeared and took her away."

"Do you have a portrait of Mrs. Jin?"

"There isn’t one. All these pieces of information cost me a fortune to buy from underworld contacts. Mrs. Jin is very mysterious, rarely shows her face in public and even if she does, she keeps herself hidden in the dark, making it impossible for people to see her true face. So, no one in the underworld knows who Mrs. Jin really is. However, while others may not know, there’s definitely someone who does."

"Allen," Shen Qinglan uttered a name between her red lips.

Jin Enxi asked in surprise, "How do you know?"

"Don’t forget, Xu Nuo is Allen’s person."

Jin Enxi instantly understood.

"An, what should we do now?"

"First try to find Mrs. Jin’s identity through other channels, if that doesn’t work, then I’ll start with Allen," Shen Qinglan said lightly.

"Okay, but unless it’s absolutely necessary, you mustn’t go looking for that psychopath Allen." After all, Allen had been wanting to take revenge on them, and if Shen Qinglan went to find Allen, wouldn’t it be like a lamb walking into a tiger’s den?

"Mm, I know."

Mrs. Jin, Shen Qinglan mulled over these three words, the confusion in her eyes deepening.

**

"Lanlan, what are you thinking about? You’re frowning like an old granny. What if my future nephew is born and doesn’t like to smile, just like Fu Hengyi? What would we do then?" Shen Junyu walked in to see Shen Qinglan with a furrowed brow and joked with a laugh.

As soon as her child was mentioned, Shen Qinglan’s eyes immediately became infinitely tender. She touched her belly and spoke softly, "Being like Fu Hengyi would be quite good."

Shen Junyu sighed; indeed, a daughter married off is like water poured away.

He handed the bowl he was carrying to Shen Qinglan, "This is birds’ nest soup that Mom specially stewed for you. Drink it while it’s hot."

"Thank you, brother." Shen Qinglan took the bowl, took a sip, and found it not too sweet, just to her liking.

"Is Sister Xiyao coming back soon?" Shen Qinglan asked, remembering Wen Xiyao, who was away on a business trip.

Shen Junyu nodded, "Mm, she’s coming back the day after tomorrow."

"Let’s go for a spring outing to the countryside when Sister Xiyao comes back," Shen Qinglan suggested.

Shen Junyu glanced sideways, "How come you suddenly thought of going for a spring outing?"

"I’m looking to find some inspiration, I’ll call Han Yi and Yu Xiaoxuan to join us. It’s more lively with more people."

Shen Junyu had no objections. It was rare for his sister to want to go out, and as her brother, he would certainly want to fulfill her wishes.

However, this outing was doomed not to happen. The very next day, as soon as Shen Qinglan got up, an uninvited guest arrived at the house—Shen Junze.

Since the last uproar at the Shen Family home, Shen Junze had never set foot in their house again. What was he doing appearing at the Fu Family residence now?

Aunt Zhao saw Shen Qinglan coming downstairs and said, "He claims he’s here to see you."

Shen Qinglan raised her eyebrows, "What about Grandfather?"

"The old man has gone for a walk."

Shen Qinglan sat down on the sofa, "You’re looking for me?"

Shen Junze was unusually quiet today, no, serene would be a better word, completely different from the confrontational attitude he had shown before. When Shen Qinglan asked him, he nodded, "Yes, I’m here specifically to find you."

"Speak, what is it?" Shen Qinglan asked with a detached expression.

A flicker of annoyance flashed in Shen Junze’s eyes, but remembering what his uncle had told him, he managed to suppress his temper and said, "I know that Junlan Group has already started developing that area. I just wanted to ask if the Shen Family could also have a share?"

His uncle had said that according to the plans of Junlan Group, the future development of that area wouldn’t be bad. Although the Shen Family’s strength overseas was decent, this was after all domestic turf. To develop well domestically, they would need a solid backer, and Junlan Group was the natural choice.

Upon hearing this, Shen Qinglan immediately understood his intentions and spoke in a mild voice, "Matters of the company should be addressed to my brother. I’m not involved in the company’s management."

Had Shen Junze not sought out Shen Junyu? Of course not. The first person he approached was indeed Shen Junyu, but he had been rejected right after he made his request. The reason was that Junlan Group had the capability to complete the project independently and didn’t need any partners.

"My brother refused me," Shen Junze uttered, pressing his lips together. It was because of this refusal that Lu Jincai had advised Shen Junze to approach Shen Qinglan. After all, Shen Junyu’s most beloved person was Shen Qinglan. If she was willing to speak up, Shen Junyu would surely change his mind.

"Since my brother has already refused you, there’s nothing I can do, as the company belongs to him, after all."

"But you own shares in the company, don’t you? And you’re a shareholder of the Shen Family as well."

Shen Qinglan couldn’t help but find it amusing, yet she was somewhat puzzled. How exactly did the Second Uncle educate his son to grow up so... pragmatic? Using people when it suits him and ignoring them when it doesn’t.

"If I’m not mistaken, I didn’t sign that share transfer agreement." Her implication was clear: I’m not a shareholder of the Shen Family.

Shen Junze clenched his teeth, "Even if you’re not, those shares were given to you by my father, they’re yours. The Shen Family has been developing overseas and isn’t very familiar with the domestic market. To expand here, we need certain connections. You’re my sister, and before my father passed away, he entrusted me and the company to you. Shouldn’t you help me?"

Shen Qinglan truly laughed this time, though there was a chill in her eyes. Shen Junze really was the type to make use of people when it suited him, "Shen Junze, I only promised the Second Uncle to look after you when appropriate. I’m not your nanny, nor do I need to be at your beck and call, right?"

Shen Junze hadn’t come willingly in the first place; he had been pressured by Lu Jincai. Now, hearing Shen Qinglan’s words, any patience he had finally wore thin, and his expression darkened as he pointed at Shen Qinglan, "You just don’t want to help me, do you?"

"Yes, what about it?" Shen Qinglan replied coolly, with a frosty look in her eyes.

"Hmph, fine, don’t help then, but don’t you come to regret it later."

Shen Qinglan found it funny, with nothing to regret on her own, "If there’s nothing else, you can leave. I have things to do." With that, she stood up and prepared to leave.

Shen Junze watched Shen Qinglan’s retreating figure, his expression turned fierce, and in a surge of resentment, he stretched out his hand and pushed her back hard...