Chapter 26

Chapter 26

There were some vague memories from before the age of three that He Yanting still retained.

He had a burn mark on his arm, and he vaguely remembered that it seemed like he had spilled hot water on himself. A woman was holding his hand under the faucet, rinsing it with cold water.

Another memory involved a little girl; they were sitting on the steps, sharing a cake.

Before He Ranjie told him otherwise, He Yanting had always thought the woman was a nanny, and the little girl was her child.

"Where are they now?" He Yanting frowned deeply. "Did Grandpa not allow them to come back?"

He Ranjie shook her head. "It wasn't your grandfather; it was your mother who left on her own."

"Why?"

"…Because your mother considered your grandfather as the one who killed her father."

Shen Tingzhou's eyes widened instantly. Was this so dramatic?

He Yanting clearly hadn't expected this either. "Killed her father?"

He Ranjie sighed heavily. "When your grandfather was young, he took five hundred thousand from the family to start a business. At that time, the real estate industry wasn't as developed as it is now, but he saw its potential and partnered with a friend he met at university to open a construction materials company."

This friend was He Yanting's maternal grandfather, Xie Tang.

With policy support, the industry indeed developed rapidly.

However, the conflicts between the two friends grew, and eventually, He Yanting's maternal grandfather started a new construction materials company, taking away many clients and causing financial chaos, leading the original company to struggle.

In the end, it was the old man's father who helped his son out.

Due to this incident, the old man returned to take over the family business, and the construction materials company was reorganized and merged into the group.

Backed by a powerful entity, the construction materials company thrived and soon became an industry leader.

On the contrary, He Yanting's maternal grandfather's company declined within a few years, accumulating a large debt, and in desperation, he chose to jump off a building.

Xie Tang's parents always believed that the old man had suppressed their company, indirectly causing their son's death, and thus instilled a lot of hatred in their granddaughter.

He Yanting looked down, his expression unreadable. "So she approached my father for revenge?"

He Ranjie nodded slightly.

He Yanting didn't ask whether the old man had deliberately suppressed the Xie family's company.

If he were the old man, he would have done everything possible to bring down the other party, because betrayal could never be forgiven.

After a long pause, He Yanting asked hoarsely, "Then my father's death... did it have anything to do with her?"

Shen Tingzhou was taken aback; it was a bitter piece of gossip indeed!

Good grief, this gossip was a bit bitter.

Beside him, Zhou Zitan gritted his teeth and said through clenched teeth, "That woman actually killed Uncle!"

Seeing Zhou Zitan's tense jaw, Shen Tingzhou thought: Xiao Zhou, don't get too emotionally invested.

Due to He Ranjie, Zhou Zitan naturally felt a sense of kinship with the He family, including the uncle and sister he had never met.

Zhou Zitan gnashed his teeth, even more furious than He Yanting.

In fact, He Ranjie didn't know if He Zheng's death had anything to do with Xie Yinong.

Xie Yinong approached He Zheng for revenge, but He Zheng genuinely fell in love with her.

The old man was very open-minded back then. Proud and capable, he despised arranged marriages, so he didn't stop his son from marrying a girl from an ordinary family.

At the wedding, Xie Yinong revealed that she was Xie Tang's daughter, embarrassing the He family and deeply hurting He Zheng.

After that, Xie Yinong disappeared.

A few years later, she returned, leaving behind a boy and then disappeared again.

He Ranjie smiled bitterly. "Your father was about to give up on this relationship, but when she came back, he thought she might still have feelings for him, or else she wouldn't have given birth to you."

Shen Tingzhou thought: This idea... has a bit of self-deception to it.

But how did He Dad really die?

He Yanting also asked, "What happened after that?"

Reopening old wounds, even after many years, still caused excruciating pain to those who experienced it.

He Ranjie paused for a long time before continuing—

"Later, he found out that you had a sister. Despite your grandfather's objections, he insisted on going to find them. I let him go, using Zhou Zhizhong's private jet. Two months later, we received news from the embassy..."

Tears rolled down He Ranjie's face, her voice trembling. "When we arrived, we only saw your father's body. Your grandfather's hair turned white overnight."

The country where He Zheng went was in turmoil, and no one knew what happened to him there.

He Zheng had been shot twice, with a fatal wound to his chest. The old man was convinced that Xie Yinong was responsible and forbade anyone from mentioning her to He Yanting.

Hearing this, Shen Tingzhou fell silent.

No wonder the old man had said those words when Jiang Ji stabbed He Yanting; he must have been thinking of his son.

He Ranjie looked at her nephew with heartache. His features were strikingly similar to He Zheng's.

Every time she saw him, He Ranjie would think of her brother.

She always felt it was all her fault. If she hadn't defied her father's wishes and secretly let He Zheng leave, he wouldn't have had an accident in a foreign country.

"Yanting," He Ranjie said in a breathy voice, "don't look for Jiang Ji anymore. Let him go, and let yourself go too."

He Yanting remained silent, his eyes heavy with shadows.

After a long pause, he spoke, "We're different, Aunt. He Yanting and I are not like them; we can have a future together."

He loved Jiang Ji.

He wouldn't let Jiang Ji leave him.

He Ranjie's lips moved, her heart filled with a thousand words, but seeing the stubbornness in He Yanting's eyes, she didn't know what to say.

Because nothing would work. If he had listened to advice, she wouldn't have struggled with Zhou Zhizhong for so long.

He Ranjie gave up trying to persuade him and simply said, "No matter what you think, don't openly defy your grandfather anymore..."

There was a clatter from the balcony.

He Ranjie was startled and looked up.

Zhou Zitan's legs had gone numb, and he leaned on a nearby potted plant, almost knocking it over.

Shen Tingzhou couldn't bear to watch and covered his face.

He Yanting snapped, "Who's out there?"

Zhou Zitan stood up, weakly saying, "Brother, it's me and Dr. Shen."

The mentioned Shen Tingzhou had no choice but to poke his head out, awkwardly calling out, "Mr. He, Xiao Zhou said you were sick, so I came to check on you."

He Ranjie turned her face aside, wiped away her tears, and then forced a smile, "Come in."

Shen Tingzhou responded with an "Ah" and carried the medical kit inside.

The culprit hid behind Shen Tingzhou, timidly glancing at He Yanting, then lowered his head upon seeing his stern expression.

He Ranjie stood up to make way for Shen Tingzhou, "Thank you, Dr. Shen."

Shen Tingzhou smiled and shook his head, "You're welcome."

Old Man He had shown no mercy, leaving He Yanting's back bruised and torn, though fortunately without breaking any bones.

After treating the wounds, Shen Tingzhou left two tubes of ointment for He Yanting.

Just as he was about to leave, He Ranjie suddenly said, "Dr. Shen, why don't you leave together with us?"

Zhou Zitan was a bit worried, "What if my grandfather sees us?"

He Ranjie smiled, "It's fine, let's go."

Since she insisted, Shen Tingzhou confidently followed her out through the front door.

They met Old Man He in the living room, who, upon seeing them, said nothing.

He Ranjie bid farewell, "Father, I'm leaving."

Zhou Zitan softly called, "Grandfather."

Old Man He gave a faint "Mm."

He Ranjie hesitated for a moment, then advised, "Don't push him so hard; too much pressure can break things."

Old Man He remained silent, his lips pressed tightly together.

Seeing his white hair at the temples, He Ranjie felt a pang of sadness and quickly left the old house.

-

Shen Tingzhou drove Zhou Zitan's car and first sent He Ranjie home.

He Ranjie had returned to her old home, where she had lived for over twenty years and grown accustomed to it. Zhou Zhizhong had given her the house and moved out himself.

Upon arrival, He Ranjie told Zhou Zitan, "A friend gave me some wild mushrooms the other day. Ask Sister Li to pack a box for Dr. Shen."

Shen Tingzhou didn't refuse, sensing that He Ranjie wanted to talk to him alone.

Zhou Zitan acknowledged and walked into the villa.

Watching him leave, a hint of worry appeared on He Ranjie's face.

"Little Tan is a very emotional child. He has always admired Yanting."

Hearing this tone, Shen Tingzhou understood that He Ranjie suspected Zhou Zitan might have feelings for He Yanting.

He Yanting could never reciprocate those feelings, and He Ranjie feared Zhou Zitan would get hurt.

Shen Tingzhou was the only friend Zhou Zitan had ever brought home to meet her. She believed Zhou Zitan valued their friendship deeply and hoped Shen Tingzhou could advise him.

Shen Tingzhou hesitated, "He might not listen to me."

He Ranjie didn't force the issue, "If there's a right opportunity, Dr. Shen, you can talk to him. If not, it's fine."

Zhou Zitan emerged carrying a box of mushrooms, carefree, "Dr. Shen, they're really big."

He Ranjie smiled, "Take Dr. Shen back, and be careful on the road."

Zhou Zitan replied, "Got it," opened the car door, and got in.

On the way back, Shen Tingzhou glanced at Zhou Zitan out of the corner of his eye.

Zhou Zitan leaned against the backrest, the light from the car's ceiling casting half-lit, half-shadowed patches on his face.

Although Zhou Zitan wasn't a child of the He family, his attitude towards emotions was just as obsessive as theirs.

Shen Tingzhou tentatively asked, "Xiao Zhou, do you have someone you like?"

Zhou Zitan replied, "Sure, my mom, my brother, my grandfather. Oh, and now there's also a sister."

When he mentioned this sister, his words were filled with excitement, seemingly eager to meet her.

Shen Tingzhou couldn't help but laugh and sigh, "You haven't even met her."

Zhou Zitan said matter-of-factly, "But I still like her. After all, she's my mom's niece and my brother's sister."

Shen Tingzhou felt a stir in his heart and joked, "So, anyone who shares the same blood as your mom, you love?"

Zhou Zitan raised an eyebrow, "Of course."

Shen Tingzhou remained expressionless, "Then if your brother isn't related by blood to your mom, would you still admire him so much?"

Zhou Zitan found this question odd, "Why are you asking that?"

Shen Tingzhou laughed it off, "Nothing, just asking randomly, idle chatter."

Zhou Zitan didn't suspect anything and bluntly stated, "Even without my mom, I still like my brother; he's super good to me."

Shen Tingzhou, despite his keen eyes, truly couldn't see where He Yanting was being particularly kind to Zhou Zitan.

Zhou Zitan continued, "Doctor Shen, you're also very nice to me."

Shen Tingzhou: ... Not that nice, just, okay.

Zhou Zitan's praise made him feel embarrassed and even a bit guilty.

Zhou Zitan's understanding of "nice" was entirely based on the person rather than their actions or attitudes.

For those he liked and cared about, Zhou Zitan was infinitely tolerant, praising them even if they treated him normally or poorly.

Conversely, for those he disliked, even if they gave him the moon, he wouldn't care and might even trample on them.

Zhou Zitan was such a clear-cut person in his likes and dislikes.

After numerous attempts, Shen Tingzhou still couldn't figure out whether Zhou Zitan liked He Yanting unconsciously or was simply a brother worshipper.

It was frustrating.

-

Back home, Shen Tingzhou made himself a cup of oatmeal and then opened the forum of the Yu family.

Every night, he spent some time browsing the forum.

Not to pry into the colorful lives of the flower district, but mainly because the people there had such unique constitutions that Shen Tingzhou needed to study them deeply.

Though he wasn't a professional gynecologist, since he became Su Yu's personal doctor, he should be responsible for his employer.

Shen Tingzhou filtered out too extreme replies from the forum, noting down relatively acceptable content to prepare a special edition pregnancy guide for Su Yu.

He went through posts related to childbirth and pregnancy.

There weren't any new insights today, but revisiting old posts left Shen Tingzhou feeling exhausted from the overload of values.

The post complaining about life in an all-boys school, surrounded by straight guys, was bumped up again.

Shen Tingzhou glanced at it, rubbed his temples, and clicked it open.

It was bumped because the original poster updated the latest developments.

"I saw everyone's suggestions and decided to follow one."

Which suggestion?

Curiosity drove Shen Tingzhou to scroll down until he reached the original poster's update today.

"Yesterday, I tried to seduce him. I deliberately wet my blanket and wanted to share his bed, but he gave me his bed and slept on the floor instead."

Shen Tingzhou thought the roommate was quite decent; even if he liked the boy from the flower district, his behavior was gentlemanly.

But others in the flower district clearly didn't think so.

"Tsk, what an act, next commenter."

"The next commenter also thinks it's an act."

"Same here, it's an act. The original poster should just go for it."

Shen Tingzhou didn't want to get involved, after all, it was the flower district's own business, but his hand seemed to have a mind of its own.

By the time Shen Tingzhou realized it, he had already sent his edited message.

"I think the roommate is a good person and quite innocent."

This comment quickly drew enthusiastic replies.

"Twenty-seventh floor's little innocent, you're back again?"

"Twenty-seven, you can't just look at the surface; you need to understand the essence. The essence is that the roommate craves the original poster but pretends not to! Pretending is one thing, but also getting jealous and pressuring the original poster."

"Yes, yes, these people talk tougher than they act."

"So we say he needs to get hard down there. Once it’s hard, the mouth up top will shut up. Go for it, OP. Just sit on his thigh; I don’t believe he can keep pretending."

Shen Tingzhou: ...

Despite how it subverted his perception, there was something oddly logical about what they were saying.

It wasn’t time for lights out yet, and the OP appeared again.

"Oh, No. 27 is here. Long heard of you. You mustn’t come out to study; the straight guys out there aren’t straight at all. If someone like you came out, they’d devour you until nothing was left."

Shen Tingzhou: ...

Having always studied outside, Shen Tingzhou didn’t find straight guys particularly scary.

Of course, it might be because he wasn’t from the Flower District, so he didn’t have that mysterious constitution.

After replying to Shen Tingzhou, the OP responded to the comment about sitting on the thigh.

"Alright, I’ll try it tomorrow. Everyone else won’t be in the dorm, so if it works, I’ll report back to you."

The openness of everyone exceeded Shen Tingzhou’s imagination.

According to his values, one should first establish a romantic relationship, then go on dates, hold hands, kiss, and sitting on someone’s thigh would be the very last step.

Shen Tingzhou knew he was old-fashioned, so he chose to stay silent.

After exiting the thread, Shen Tingzhou browsed around a bit more, ensuring there were no new posts related to pregnancy before putting down his tablet.

Just before bed, Shen Tingzhou received a call from Qin Shiyao.

Qin Shiyao’s voice was sweet, "Doctor Shen."

Shen Tingzhou shivered, "What’s wrong?"

Qin Shiyao continued speaking in a pinched tone, "Are you free tomorrow?"

Shen Tingzhou pressed his temples, "I am free, but can you speak normally?"

Qin Shiyao let loose her voice, instantly becoming wild and unrestrained, "Accompany me to an engagement party. I want you to ruin it completely..."

Her voice gradually turned villainous, especially with that cackling laughter at the end.

Sorry, but she really sounded like someone kidnapping children.

Shen Tingzhou rubbed his numb ears, "Isn’t it bad to ruin someone’s wedding?"

Qin Shiyao rebutted, "What’s bad about it?"

Shen Tingzhou hesitated, "I can’t do such a thing."

Qin Shiyao: "I’m not asking you to do it directly; just use your mystical constitution to mess things up."

Shen Tingzhou: "What mystical constitution?"

Qin Shiyao was surprised, "You’re telling me you haven’t noticed your Prince Frog constitution?"

Shen·Uncle at the Door·Tingzhou: What frog? What prince?

Qin Shiyao cleverly used Chinese, "Don’t you know you’re the Detective Conan of melon-land? Wherever you go, melons fall, plop plop plop."

So that’s the kind of Prince Frog. Thanks a lot.

Qin Shiyao forcefully cooed, "Come on, come on."

Others would say "come on, come on," but hers had a threatening undertone of "dare you not come."

Although Qin Shiyao didn’t feel it, Shen Tingzhou was driven mad by her persistent, ear-piercing voice, and finally nodded in agreement.

He didn’t believe in being a Prince Frog or a Detective Conan of melon-land.

How could it be so mystical!

-

The staunch materialist Xiao Shen tidied up the next day and went to the engagement party with Qin Shiyao.

Qin Shiyao, dressed in haute couture, stood at 175 cm tall, wearing stiletto heels that exuded an overwhelming aura, beautiful enough to strike fear into gods and demons.

Compared to her, Shen Tingzhou was much more low-key.

He wore a suit that was always safe but lacked any particular highlights. The suit fit him perfectly, accentuating his tall and slender figure. Standing beside Qin Shiyao, they made a striking couple, drawing attention.

Qin Shiyao’s high-profile appearance drew the ire of the real star of the event.

The bride-to-be approached with a glass of champagne, her gaze filled with hatred, resentment, and subtle jealousy.

Seeing her demeanor, Shen Tingzhou couldn’t help but say, "She’s not going to throw champagne at you, is she?"

Qin Shiyao smiled arrogantly, "She dare!"

Thinking of her skills, Shen Tingzhou felt reassured.

Ling Yun walked over, swirling her champagne as she greeted Qin Shiyao, "I heard your fiancé ran off with a dishwasher?"

Shen Tingzhou: What an exquisite way to greet someone, full of suicidal beauty.

Ling Yun dramatically covered her mouth, "Oh, sister, shouldn’t I have said that?"

Qin Shiyao smiled, "It’s fine, as long as you don’t mind the bad luck."

"I don’t mind." Ling Yun tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, revealing a massive diamond ring on her ring finger, "Song Yi said that if he ever cheated, I could deal with him however I wanted."

Qin Shiyao said calmly, "Li Shuzhuo also said that, so I knocked out a few of his teeth and almost kicked him where it hurts the most."

Ling Yun's smile froze, startled by her violence.

Qin Shiyao sighed, "I'm giving you advice as someone who's been there. You'd better make things clear with Song Yi. If he cheats on you, kick him where it counts."

Ling Yun covered her mouth with her delicate fingers, "How crude of you."

Qin Shiyao glanced at her wedding ring, "Bought by Song Yi?"

Ling Yun finally had a chance to show off, "Yes, I told him not to, but he insisted on buying it from an auction. It was ridiculously expensive."

Qin Shiyao agreed, "It's right of you to refuse. It's too tacky."

Ling Yun's face fell.

Shen Tingzhou adhered to the principle that men should keep quiet when women are talking, so he remained silent.

Until Ling Yun turned the conversation to him, "Who is this?"

Qin Shiyao glanced at Shen Tingzhou, who understood and, with some reluctance, said, "I am Shiyao's suitor."

Ling Yun immediately scrutinized Shen Tingzhou critically, intending to mock Qin Shiyao for having such a low-quality suitor.

But she found no fault; Shen Tingzhou's looks, physique, and demeanor were impeccable.

To call such a handsome man unattractive would be a betrayal of aesthetics!

Damn, how does everything good happen to Qin Shiyao?

Ling Yun's tone turned sour, "Shiyao, you should hold onto a good man like this. In a few years, when you're old and haggard, it won't be easy to find someone."

Shen Tingzhou: ?

Shen Tingzhou thought phrases like "it won't be easy to find someone" had gone extinct along with dinosaurs in the Cretaceous period.

He didn't expect to encounter a classic antagonist like Ling Yun—quite rare.

Qin Shiyao realized, "So you're in a hurry to get married because you're afraid of becoming old and haggard."

Ling Yun was taken aback. At that moment, a man walked over, "Dear, my parents are looking for you."

Ling Yun forced a smile and turned to the man, "Song Yi, let me introduce you to my friend, Qin Shiyao. This is her... friend."

When Song Yi saw Qin Shiyao, a look of surprise flashed across his face, but he quickly regained his composure and extended his hand politely, "Hello, I'm Song Yi, Yunyun's fiancé."

Qin Shiyao gave him a perfunctory handshake.

Shen Tingzhou introduced himself, "Shen Tingzhou."

Song Yi responded appropriately, "There are many people here today, so please forgive any lapses in hospitality. My parents are calling us, so we'll have to leave now. We can talk more later."

After they left, Qin Shiyao wiped her hand, "This man is so oily."

Shen Tingzhou didn't feel much, only noticing that Song Yi looked familiar and couldn't help but glance at him a few times.

Song Yi led Ling Yun to the lounge area, where two elders sat on the sofa, and a familiar figure stood nearby.

Seeing Song Qingning, Shen Tingzhou suddenly remembered.

No wonder Song Yi looked familiar—he was the fake young master who had been switched with Song Qingning.

Although Song Qingning was the true child of the Song family, the parents preferred Song Yi.

Song Yi had been raised by them, sweet-talking and attentive, making him more likable than the reserved and quiet Song Qingning.

After Song Yi approached, he amused Song Qingning's parents, making Song Qingning seem even more isolated.

Shen Tingzhou felt a pang in his heart. Just then, Song Qingning looked over, and their eyes met across half the hall.

Song Qingning moved her lips slightly, seemingly calling out "Doctor Shen" silently.

Shen Tingzhou spoke briefly with Qin Shiyao, then the two of them headed towards Song Qingning.

Halfway there, Shen Tingzhou spotted Li Muye catching a butterfly near the indoor fountain and showing it to Song Qingning in a glass cup.

Shen Tingzhou paused.

He thought Song Qingning was alone, but Li Muye was with her.

Seeing Shen Tingzhou stop, Qin Shiyao asked, "What's wrong?"

Thinking about Song Qingning's inexplicable feelings, Shen Tingzhou decided it was best to avoid private interactions.

He turned to Qin Shiyao, "Let's go to the balcony for some fresh air."

Qin Shiyao snapped, "Even if the emperor himself came, I'm going to sit on that sofa. These heels are killing me!"

Shen Tingzhou: ...

Shen Tingzhou had no choice but to follow her, keeping his head down to avoid meeting Song Qingning's gaze again.

Song Qingning was introverted and wouldn't initiate a conversation, but Li Muye wasn't.

"Doctor Shen, what are you doing here?"

Li Muye's loud voice echoed through half the hall, leaving Shen Tingzhou no choice but to acknowledge him.

Shen Tingzhou looked at him, "I'm here with a friend."

Li Muye glanced at Qin Shiyao and then winked suggestively at Shen Tingzhou. The implication was clear—he had mistaken Qin Shiyao for Shen Tingzhou's girlfriend.

Shen Tingzhou smiled without saying anything, making no attempt to explain.

It would be better for Li Muye to think they were a couple than to know he was Shen Yu.

Qin Shiyao meaningfully wrapped her arm around Shen Tingzhou's and secretly pinched him.

Shen Tingzhou pretended nothing happened and forced a smile.

Song Qingning watched the two of them, slowly lowering her eyelashes.

On the other side, Song Yi said something that made his parents laugh again, creating a warm and harmonious family atmosphere.

Li Muye couldn't stand it anymore and said to the downcast Song Qingning, "Let's go over there."

He pulled Song Qingning over to the sofa set where Shen Tingzhou was sitting.

"Sit next to Dr. Shen," Li Muye said, dragging over a wicker chair for Song Qingning and then turning to Shen Tingzhou, "Brother, keep an eye on Ning while I get some food."

Shen Tingzhou: ...You're just adding difficulty to your own love life!

After Li Muye left, Shen Tingzhou had to make small talk with Song Qingning.

Shen Tingzhou asked dryly, "How did you get here?"

Song Qingning replied softly, "Muye drove me here."

"Not bad. Today seems a bit congested in Chinatown."

"We came from Fuxi Street; it wasn't too crowded there."

"Oh, I see. Then we'll take Fuxi Street when we leave."

While he tried to make conversation, he silently prayed for Li Muye to return quickly; he was almost at his wit's end.

Beside them, Qin Shiyao rubbed her ankle, her gaze shifting between Shen Tingzhou and Song Qingning.

Shen Tingzhou acutely felt a pair of watchful eyes, making him feel like he was under scrutiny, as if sitting on pins and needles.

Qin Shiyao not only watched but also made 'oh oh oh' sounds.

Shen Tingzhou turned to say, "That's enough," but fortunately, Li Muye returned.

Qin Shiyao said in a coquettish voice, "Tingzhou, my foot hurts. Come help me look at it."

Shen Tingzhou felt goosebumps crawl up his back, but he could only smile and get up. As he stood, Li Muye gave him a 'waiting for your wedding candy' look.

Song Qingning also looked up but quickly averted her gaze upon meeting Shen Tingzhou's eyes.

Shen Tingzhou walked around them and sat beside Qin Shiyao.

He asked seriously, "Where does it hurt?"

Qin Shiyao replied, "My desire to eat melon hurts."

Shen Tingzhou closed his eyes briefly and then heard Qin Shiyao ask, "What's your relationship with that little mom?"

"They are my employers." After a pause, Shen Tingzhou couldn't help but add, "Don't call her little mom; it doesn't sound good. Her name is Song Qingning."

"Okay, Song Qingning." Qin Shiyao wasn't easily fooled, "If there's no relationship, why did you drag me over to her earlier?"

Shen Tingzhou: "I saw she was alone."

Qin Shiyao: "Her parents and brother, and future sister-in-law were there. What loneliness? I think you were feeling lonely and wanted someone to talk to."

Seeing her getting more outrageous, Shen Tingzhou showed his exasperation, "Even though she's the biological child, her parents prefer Song Yi. I was worried she might feel hurt. Don't read too much into it."

Qin Shiyao's expression froze, "Wait, what do you mean by 'even though she's the biological child'? Isn't Song Yi?"

"No, didn't you know?"

"I didn't!"

Shen Tingzhou was stunned, how could she not know?

Qin Shiyao seemed to read his thoughts and said, "They claim publicly that Song Yi and Song Qingning are twins, and one was lost as a child."

Shen Tingzhou's expression turned confused. Why did he know Song Yi wasn't biological?

Who told him?

A flash of light suddenly crossed his mind, and Shen Tingzhou remembered hearing Li Muye complain about the Song parents' favoritism at his house.

So not everyone knew, which means he wasn't supposed to...

Qin Shiyao patted his shoulder, "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."

Shen Tingzhou felt slightly relieved, "Thank you."

Qin Shiyao: "No problem. So you and her..."

Shen Tingzhou: "Really, nothing!"

Qin Shiyao seemed to believe him, as she was now focused on Song Qingning and Li Muye.

"Ning, try this; it's delicious."

"And this, I got it especially for you."

"I gave you the butterfly, isn't it beautiful? I heard there's a butterfly pavilion in the suburbs; let's go together."

Li Muye was like a clingy big dog, eagerly circling around Song Qingning.

The corners of Qin Shiyao's mouth were almost touching her ears. "Yunyun, we've got a big job coming up."

Hearing Fu Yunyun's name, Shen Tingzhou felt his head spinning.

He looked at Qin Shiyao with indescribable exasperation. "You're not going to make Fu Yunyun edit those random videos and send them to Li Muye via text again, are you?"

Qin Shiyao playfully punched his shoulder. "Ouch."

Shen Tingzhou rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. "Stop doing this. How many times has Zhou Zitan blocked you already?"

Qin Shiyao proudly replied, "Not recently."

Shen Tingzhou gave up trying to reason with her and stood up.

Qin Shiyao looked at him. "Where are you going?"

Shen Tingzhou: "To the restroom."

Qin Shiyao: "Going too often isn't good for a man; maybe your kidneys aren't well."

Shen Tingzhou: ...

Shen Tingzhou hurriedly distanced himself from Qin Shiyao. He wasn't really going to the restroom; he just wanted to wash his face and clear his head.

As he passed by an indoor fountain surrounded by green plants, a hand suddenly reached out, covering his mouth and nose, pulling him back.

Shen Tingzhou jumped in fright and immediately swung his elbow, hitting the person's chest.

The person behind him grunted, "It's me."

Shen Tingzhou stopped and turned to see the pained Qin Si, instantly softening his stance. "What are you doing here?"

Qin Si released Shen Tingzhou. "What else could I be doing here? Eating at a banquet?"

"..." Shen Tingzhou: "I mean, why are you lurking here? Did you just arrive?"

Qin Si said resentfully, "I've been here for a while. What's going on between you and Qin Shiyao?"

Shen Tingzhou raised an eyebrow. "Jealous?"

Qin Si flared up. "I've already said I don't like her! I wanted to greet you, but she's always hanging around you. I don't want to deal with her."

Shen Tingzhou thought, _Is it that you don't want to, or are you afraid?_

Qin Si rubbed his sore chest and asked Shen Tingzhou, "How do you know Song Qingning?"

Shen Tingzhou explained, "She's my employer."

Qin Si glanced at him skeptically. "How many employers do you have?"

Shen Tingzhou sighed without any sarcasm, only wistfulness. "I can't compare to you, young master. I need to earn money for retirement."

Qin Si nodded. "True, keeping cats costs a lot."

Shen Tingzhou sighed. When would he be able to enjoy a peaceful retirement with cats?

Qin Si looked at Song Yi, who was sitting with his parents, then at Song Qingning, who was seated separately. He sighed, "But this Song Qingning is quite pitiful. Even though she's their biological daughter, she's still treated so poorly."

Shen Tingzhou was shocked. "How did you know?"

Qin Si casually dropped a bombshell. "I've known for a long time. Three years ago, Song Yi came to our hospital for a paternity test. I even gave him the results."

Three years ago?

At that moment, a pair of fair hands parted the leaves, revealing Qin Shiyao's radiant face.

Her eyes sparkled. "So, Song Yi suspected he wasn't their biological child all along?"

Song Qingning was recognized two years ago. Before that, the Song couple had no idea their child had been switched.

Qin Shiyao's sudden appearance startled both Shen Tingzhou and Qin Si.

Where did you come from?!

Qin Shiyao glared at Qin Si. "Answer me!"

Qin Si's eyelid twitched as he stiffly nodded.

Qin Shiyao asked again, "Are you sure?"

Qin Si arrogantly replied, "Of course, you know how good my memory is."

Qin Shiyao couldn't contain her excitement, her smile widening as she excitedly patted Shen Tingzhou. "I knew it, I knew it. Following you always leads to juicy gossip!"

Shen Tingzhou was almost knocked off balance by her enthusiasm.

Seeing Qin Shiyao about to leave, Shen Tingzhou called out to her.

Qin Shiyao turned and flashed a mischievous smile. "Don't worry, I won't reveal anything to the unaware, but... I will tell those who already know. Hehe."

Before Shen Tingzhou could react, Qin Shiyao walked toward Song Qingning with a grin.

She circled around Song Qingning and whispered something into Li Muye's ear.

Li Muye, who had been smiling brightly, grew increasingly grim as Qin Shiyao spoke. His fists tightened, muscles tensing visibly.

Originally, Brother Ning could have gone home earlier and suffered less outside.

The person who caused his hardships was chatting happily in the crowd, without any guilt for usurping someone else's place.

Li Muye stepped forward and knocked the person down with one punch.

The venue erupted with successive cries of shock, but only Qin Shiyao let out joyful laughter like she was enjoying a good show.

She looked at Shen Tingzhou, her eyes shining brightly like spotlights, clearly conveying—You are my god!

Make this world a little crazier!

Shen Tingzhou twitched the corner of his mouth: Just kill me now!