Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
That day, she was delighted that there were no classes to attend, so she hid in her room to read magazines.
Weiwei was really capable; she could lay her hands on any magazine.
She sneakily glanced at the back cover of the magazine, where a line of small print read: Strictly no browsing under the age ot eighteen. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
She counted the days; she had three more months until her eighteenth birthday. Rounded up, that was close enough to ignore.
Besides, the stuff in this magazine wasnât even as sensational as what sheâd seen when she was ten!
Just as she was engrossed in the magazine, she suddenly heard people talking in the garden downstairs.
Liu Rumei and Shen Shihan were sitting in the garden chairs, each with a cup of white coffee in front of them.
Liu Rumeiâs complexion didnât look very good, and she kept her eyes on her son, Shen Shihan. On the other hand, Shen Shihan seemed indifferent, silently stirring the coffee in his cup.
âShihan, arenât you going to the corporation today?â
Fear was written all over Liu Rumeiâs face, and even more so in her anxious voice.
âItâs nothing but trivial matters. Iâm just a vice president in name, after all.â
Shen Shihan hadnât changed much over the years; his handsome face had just matured a bit. He bore a resemblance to Shen Chi, probably inheriting more traits from Shen Cexian, with a chill ingrained in their bones.
âWhat are you talking about? You must do the things you ought to do, and even take initiative in the things you arenât supposed to.â
Shen Shihan lifted his cup and took a sip, âMy youngest brother is doing quite well; thereâs no need for me to worry.â
âShihan, should I say youâre above worldly concerns, or scold you for being brainless?â Liu Rumeiâs eyes flashed with an anxiety that resented his complacency.
âMom, dad is recuperating in the summer villa. You should visit him more when you have the time,â Shen Shihan said indifferently.
âI really underestimated Zhou Ran. Eight years ago, she played her cards so well that she forced your father to pass the corporation over to Shen Chi. Otherwise, it should have been you sitting in that position today!â Liu Rumei was furious.
âMom, dad is not someone that can be easily swayed by a Zhou Ran, is he?â
A smile curled up at the corner of Shen Shihanâs mouth as he set down his cup and stood up to leave.
Xu Chaomu didnât understand what they were talking about, but counting the years, it had been a full eight years since sheâd last seen Aunt Zhou. She didnât know how she was faring.
She missed Aunt Zhou a bit, and her own mother as well.
After skimming through the magazine for half the day and utterly bored, she secretly made a phone call to Li Beiting.
Li Beiting had also taken over the Li family business. Despite being busy, he always made time for Xu Chaomu.
âLi Beiting, Iâve been locked up by Shen Chi!â Xu Chaomu wailed.
âYour fourth brother locked you up? Hold on, donât speak, let me guess why,â Li
Beiting said with earnest, âit wasnât because you spied on him showering, was
âGet lost! â
She would have loved to, but every time Shen Chi showered, he was always careful to lock the door!
âThen you mustâve been trying on his clothes again?â
âLi Beiting, do I really come off as that kind of person to you?â Her heart was crashing down, although she had to admit that he was right.
âOtherwise, I never thought you had any sense of decency anyway! Just like
Weiwei.â
âLi Beiting, Iâm being serious here. Iâve been locked up by that bastard Shen Chi!â
âThen thereâs nothing I can do. You know full well what your fourth brotherâs temperament is like. If I go and get you out, my familyâs orders for tomorrow will surely be canceled. Any single one of those is worth a few billion, billions!â
âYou mercenary villain, at least think of a way to help me!â
âOr⦠you could try jumping out the window.â
âGet lost!â
Xu Chaomu angrily hung up the phone. Turning to Li Beiting was a waste of time; she should have gone to Dabai instead.
She hadnât expected that shortly after she hung up, Shen Chi returned from the corporation.
She hurriedly put away the magazine and sat down at the desk to study as if she had been doing so all along.
It was only eleven in the morning; what was he doing back so early? Had he experienced a change of heart?
As he turned the doorknob, he saw Xu Chaomu doing her exercises with a frowned brow, as if she was grappling with a difficult problem.
âNot wearing the miniskirt anymore?â Shen Chi scoffed.
âAs if Iâd dare!â Xu Chaomu didnât even look up, humming, âThe bubble has burst.â
âYouâd better not dare.â
Shen Chi walked over while Xu Chaomu ignored him.
âIâll take you to school!â He stood beside Xu Chaomu, looking down at her, his tone resolute and brooking no refusal.
Xu Chaomu cast aside her pen and stood in front of Shen Chi.
âSo if you allow it, I go to school, and if you donât, I canât? Are you always this overbearing?â
Standing up, she barely reached his shoulders but she refused to be overpowered.
âItâs going to school, not going up!â Shen Chi spoke with cool detachment.
ââ¦â Xu Chaomuâs mouth twitched.
Regardless of whether Xu Chaomu agreed or not, Shen Chi dragged her out of the room with a domineering grip.
âI wonât go unless you carry me to the car!â
Xu Chaomu was willfully unreasonable, convinced that Shen Chi wouldnât actually carry her.
Shen Chi was a bit helpless, but his grip was undeniably strong.
Before Xu Chaomu could react, Shen Chi scooped her up into a princess hold and carried her in his arms!
The bliss was so sudden, but after enjoying a mere few seconds, she was dumped onto the passenger seat.
She quickly wrapped her arms around Shen Chiâs neck, refusing to let go: âHold me a little longer!â
âDonât push your luck!â
Xu Chaomu refused to let go, âItâs not like youâre at a loss by holding me, unlessâ¦â
Shen Chi raised his eyebrows.
ââ¦unless you donât like women!â Xu Chaomu proclaimed defiantly.
Shen Chi smirked and shamelessly adjusted the rearview mirror toward himself.
âWith that puny frame of yours, you call yourself a woman?â Shen Chi walked with composed steps to the driverâs side.
Xu Chaomu was furious, feeling like sheâd been gravely insulted!
She stared at herself in the rearview mirror for a while. What was wrong with her? She was developing quite nicely!
As she was indignantly scrutinizing her reflection, Shen Chi pressed a button, turning the mirror away as the car slowly started.
All the way to school, Xu Chaomu was in low spirits. No wonder Shen Chi wasnât interested in her. It turned out all men were alike, preferring those with prominent curves! Common!
Vulgar!
Unbearably vulgar!
Xu Chaomu lay prostrate on the window, sullenly gazing outside, her expression one of misery.
Shen Chi caught a glimpse of her from the corner of his eye, the corner of his mouth lifting into a faint smile.
âToday Iâll take you right to the school,â Shen Chi said lightly.
In the past, he always stopped the car a distance away from school and let Xu Chaomu get off there.
Many times Xu Chaomu pleaded with him to enter the school, basically to cater to her vanity by showing off her handsome and attractive older brother! But todav. when Shen Chi offered to drive her to school. she suddenlv looked displeased.
âYouâre so busy, I shouldnât waste your precious time. How can it be spent on such insignificant people like us? There might be big clients waiting for you at the corporation. You should get back quickly! Better yet, throw me out now. I have legs; I can walk.â
Xu Chaomuâs words were laced with sarcasm. Hearing this, the curve of Shen Chiâs lips grew even more pronounced.
He had to say one thing, and she had to counter with ten!