Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Hearing Qin Shiyao and Ling Yun's words, the woman in limited-edition high heels became displeased.

She immediately stood up to confront them. "How can you be so shallow? Can love be measured by money!"

Qin Shiyao's sarcasm was at its peak. "Oh, so your preference is for poor men."

Ling Yun also shot her a disdainful look. "Covered in logos, what taste level is that? How dare you call me shallow!"

Fu Yunyun followed the two sisters' lead and mocked her. "Since you have a thing for poor men, why are you with this rich guy? Go find a poor one."

The woman's face twisted slightly, almost unable to maintain her facade of virtue. "I only love Ah Cheng, whether he is rich or poor."

As she spoke, she glanced toward the cleaning staff, implying something. "Unlike some people who only recognize money."

Qin Shiyao raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with recognizing money? No figure, no character, no ability, no male virtue—why shouldn't someone recognize money?"

The woman choked, then stubbornly retorted, "You don't know the whole truth; how can you say such things?"

Ling Yun rolled her eyes. "Just because he chose you, it shows his taste isn't great."

The woman scoffed. "At least I'm not like some people who despise the poor and love the rich!"

Fu Yunyun suddenly understood. "So you came here on purpose because you knew this sister works as a cleaner."

Caught off guard, Zhu Zilin angrily retorted, "What do you mean by 'come here on purpose'? I came to..."

Qin Shiyao cut her off. "To do what? Wouldn't it be to play out a rags-to-riches story and show off in front of your ex? Some nouveau riche love doing that."

"What rags-to-riches story, nouveau riche?" Zhu Zilin showed a proud expression. "Cheng Ge's family has always been wealthy; he just pretended to be ordinary."

Qin Shiyao's contempt grew stronger. "I thought he had some talent, starting from scratch and making it big. Turns out he still relies on his family. He's worse than a nouveau riche."

Ling Yun acted dramatically. "Pretending to be ordinary? Why can't I do that? Everywhere I go, people recognize me as a young lady."

Fu Yunyun genuinely puzzled, "Why pretend to be ordinary? Are they crazy?"

Zhu Zilin took deep breaths, reminding herself it wasn't worth arguing with these bumpkins.

Adjusting her attitude, she said haughtily, "That's because Cheng Ge's family is too wealthy; they don't want to attract gold-diggers. See, it tests certain women's character."

Some women tightened their grip on their cleaning tools upon hearing this.

After learning Gu Cheng's true identity, she had wondered why he hid it. It turned out he didn't trust her.

Qin Shiyao started summarizing the situation. "So, he fears women approach him for his money, so he hides his true identity."

Zhu Zilin proudly affirmed, "Exactly."

Qin Shiyao: "Then I understand. He must be bad in bed."

Zhu Zilin: "?"

Shen Tingzhou quickly covered Fu Yunyun's ears.

Fu Yunyun desperately tried to pull Shen Tingzhou's hand away, her eyes eager for knowledge, looking at Qin Shiyao.

Why would she make such a guess? Tell me!

Xu Xun, who had drifted behind them, asked, "Why is she so concerned about other people's affairs?"

He was referring to Qin Shiyao, and Shen Tingzhou smiled helplessly.

Fu Yunyun added in her mind: Unlike me, who only cares about giegie.

"You're talking nonsense!" Zhu Zilin angrily rebutted Qin Shiyao, but her eyes flickered toward the tall and handsome Gu Cheng.

Gu Cheng's gaze was fixed on Tang Ning, deep and unfathomable, lost in thought.

Seeing that he still thought about that woman, Zhu Zilin felt a chill in her heart.

Qin Shiyao argued logically, "Isn't that the case? A man who isn't good in bed wouldn't be so insecure."

Her words drew Zhu Zilin's attention back, her fine brows furrowing. "When has Cheng Ge ever been insecure?"

Ling Yun aligned with Qin Shiyao's logic.

"Either he's bad in bed or lacks earning ability, relying on his family's waste second generation. Ambitious men who love their wives would think, 'If my wife likes money, I'll work hard to earn it.'"

Fu Yunyun chimed in, "Exactly! Wanting your beloved to suffer with you, think about it, what kind of man does that?"

With their words, Zhu Zilin began to doubt if this test method was...

No, how could she be swayed by their provocation?

Zhu Zilin countered, "It's because the Gu family is huge!"

Tang Ning, who had remained silent, finally spoke. "Regardless of how big the family is, I've never spent a penny of his. Instead, your Cheng Ge uses my money for everything."

Qin Shiyao clicked her tongue. "That's called being kept. Since it's a kept relationship, the sugar daddy can dump you whenever he wants."

Ling Yun cracked her knuckles. "I hate men who live off women."

Gu Cheng stared at Tang Ning, his voice low. "If you had broken up two days later, you could have gotten two million. Too bad you didn't continue pretending."

While dating Tang Ning, Gu Cheng pretended to be an artist.

Back then, the Tang family hadn't fallen yet, and Tang Ning supported this obscure but handsome artist with her money.

According to Gu Cheng's original script, a wealthy businessman would recognize his talent and buy two of his paintings for over two million yuan. As the boss, agent, accountant, and lover, Tang Ning would receive this money.

Gu Cheng was Tang Ning's first investment project since she turned eighteen, and he didn't want to let her down too badly.

But in reality, Tang Ning lost everything.

The heiress Ling Yun found it hard to understand. "Just two million yuan, and you're making a fuss? Besides, you haven't even received that money yet. According to your logic, if you continue pretending to be mute, I could give you two hundred billion yuan. Too bad you spoke."

Fu Yunyun chimed in, "Exactly. Who can't make empty promises?"

Zhu Zilin was momentarily distracted, but then she launched an attack. "And what about her affair?"

Tang Ning had already lost her initial panic and stared directly at Zhu Zilin without flinching.

"I don't know who told you that, but I broke up with him first before getting engaged to someone else. As for Mr. Gu's two million yuan, it has nothing to do with me, and I don't want it."

"Yes," Gu Cheng sneered. "You were after the Lu family's billions. Why didn't you end up marrying him? And how did you end up like this?"

Shen Tingzhou faintly heard the sound of Qin Shiyao's heels scraping against the floor.

Looking up, he saw her face clouded with anger, clearly unable to tolerate such mean-spirited remarks from a man.

Wearing a janitor's uniform, Tang Ning said coldly, "That's none of your business."

"Mommy." A little boy, around three or four years old, ran over and threw himself into Tang Ning's arms.

Both Tang Ning and Gu Cheng changed color.

Tang Ning quickly covered half of the child's face and said anxiously, "Didn't I tell you to wait in the janitor's room? Why did you come out?"

The little boy said sadly, "You weren't coming back, and I was worried something happened to you."

Gu Cheng spoke sarcastically, "It seems I was indeed concerned. You must have married someone else. Is the father of this child also a janitor, or perhaps a security guard at the mall?"

This remark was filled with ridicule.

The male janitors and security guards passing by cursed silently: "Damn, eating your rice now?"

Clearly angry, Tang Ning covered the child's ears and said, "What does it have to do with you?"

Gu Cheng feigned sincerity. "I just wanted to say that if you can't afford it, don't have children. They'll only suffer, so why bother?"

Even with his ears covered, the little boy still heard and turned to look at the speaker. Tang Ning stopped him.

The little boy was unhappy. "Mommy, this uncle is strange. How can he tell someone to put their baby back after they've been born?"

Gu Cheng sneered, "Isn't that true? If your mother hadn't given birth to you, would she be like this now? She's aged, gotten fat, and is doing this kind of work. Ask her if she ever touched a mop before."

Unable to bear it any longer, Shen Tingzhou was about to speak, but Fu Yunyun quickly covered his mouth.

Let him talk and see what expression he has later.

The little boy was facing away from Gu Cheng, who couldn't see how much they looked alike. Since he was going to be this mean to his own son, let him go on!

Seeing that Xiao Xu kept looking at her, Fu Yunyun moved her eyes and quickly grabbed his hand, placing it over her cousin's mouth.

Fine, fine, you cover it, you cover it.

Fu Yunyun wore an exasperated expression.

Xiao Xu did his duty and held Shen Tingzhou's mouth tightly, keeping him silent so Fu Yunyun could watch the show.

Shen Tingzhou looked at Xiao Xu helplessly: Xiao Xu, why are you betraying me?

Xiao Xu looked straight back at Shen Tingzhou.

Shen Tingzhou: Alright, I won't speak. Can you let go now?

Xiao Xu still covered his mouth, staring at him.

Realizing that Xiao Xu wasn't receiving his signals, Shen Tingzhou: ...

Gu Cheng's words infuriated Tang Ning, and she gritted her teeth. "Gu Cheng!"

Seeing Tang Ning defend another man's child, Gu Cheng's face darkened.

The little boy's eyes welled up with tears. "Mommy, is what he said true? Did I make you grow old?"

Gu Cheng retaliated, "Otherwise?"

Shen Tingzhou, with his mouth covered, thought: There's no saving this. Just cremate him.

Qin Shiyao and Fu Yunyun were eagerly waiting to see Gu Cheng's reaction when he learned the truth.

Ling Yun wasn't as malicious; hearing this man speak made her head hurt, and she was physically prevented from speaking by Qin Shiyao several times.

The little boy started crying, breaking free from Tang Ning and confronting Gu Cheng.

"You're lying. My mommy says I'm the cutest kid in the world, and having me was the happiest thing for her."

Seeing the little boy's appearance, Gu Cheng's pupils trembled.

Zhu Zilin also widened her eyes, murmuring, "Chengge, how could he..."

Considering the possibility, Zhu Zilin covered her mouth in disbelief.

With the long-hidden secret suddenly exposed to Gu Cheng, Tang Ning felt drained.

Gu Cheng studied every inch of the little boy's face, confirming it was true, and then turned to Tang Ning, trembling as he asked, "What is this all about?"

Tang Ning felt a sense of calm resignation. "This is my son, and it has nothing to do with anyone else."

Gu Cheng was emotionally charged. "What do you mean by 'nothing to do with anyone'? This is also my..."

Thinking about what he had said to the little boy earlier, Gu Cheng's expression turned as if he had spilled a bucket of paint—regret, self-reproach, and guilt all mixed together.

Qin Shiyao: "Thank you, finally feeling relieved."

Fu Yunyun: "Thank you, finally feeling relieved."

Shen Tingzhou: "Thank you, you can let me go now."

Shen Tingzhou patted Xu Xun's hand, signaling that he could release him, indicating his mouth was now free to speak.

Xu Xun slowly withdrew his hand, then clenched it and let it hang by his side, still feeling the warmth and softness of Shen Tingzhou's breath.

Only Ling Yun was puzzled. "Aren't they going to fight?"

If it were her, she would have started slapping by now.

Gu Cheng swallowed his words about being the child's father, but said resentfully, "I have the right to know."

Qin Shiyao provoked, "From the moment some people criticized the little kid, they lost that right."

Fu Yunyun joined in, "And saying the kid's mom is old and fat? If I were a kid, I wouldn't forgive that."

Gu Cheng finally noticed how irritating these voices were and glared at them. "This is our family matter!"

Qin Shiyao: "Tsk tsk, these days, you can't even say a word in public?"

Fu Yunyun: "How domineering. Maybe that's why you lost your 'mm hmm' and 'mm hmm.'"

Gu Cheng's veins bulged in anger.

At this moment, the little boy spoke up, curious. "What's 'mm hmm'?"

Afraid Fu Yunyun might say something shocking and corrupt the child, Shen Tingzhou quickly took out a candy to distract him.

The little boy took the candy. "Thank you, Uncle."

Shen Tingzhou ruffled the little guy's hair, and the boy immediately blushed and ran to Tang Ning's arms.

Shen Tingzhou smiled. Then a hand stretched out in front of him, and he followed it with his gaze.

Xu Xun said flatly, "Don't you have one for me?"

Shen Tingzhou reacted after a few seconds and took out a candy. "This one?"

Xu Xun: "Yeah."

Qin Shiyao and Fu Yunyun, who were watching the drama unfold, couldn't help but look over.

Qin Shiyao exchanged a look: "See, I told you he's a tea."

Fu Yunyun excitedly: "Tea is healthier; love seeing strong tea act cute."

When Tang Ning spoke again, both of them quickly returned their attention to the drama.

Let more intense drama rain down on them.

Tang Ning pulled up the little boy's hood and covered his ears, then said to Gu Cheng, "My son's father passed away long ago. He only has me as his mother, and it will always be that way."

Gu Cheng complained, "You can't be so selfish."

Tang Ning laughed as if hearing the biggest joke. "When you pretended to be a poor painter, didn't you have selfish thoughts? I've never done anything to betray you, so you have no right to blame me here."

Back then, her family's business faced significant problems and needed funds. The Lu family agreed to help.

But their condition was that Tang Ning must marry their eldest son, who had been in love with her for years without success.

For the sake of her family, Tang Ning chose to sacrifice her marriage and broke up with Gu Cheng.

"I don't want to argue about the past, but regarding this child..." Gu Cheng lowered his voice, "We need to discuss this again."

The little boy, with his big, clear eyes, didn't understand that his biological parents were fighting over him.

Initially, it was meant to teach Tang Ning, the vain woman, a lesson, but instead, it brought a family of three together.

Zhu Zilin, overwhelmed with emotion, stuck her fingers into her hair and screamed, "Ah—"

"Why did this happen?" Zhu Zilin grabbed her hair, utterly bewildered. "How could a little kid suddenly appear? Where did this child come from? Why is this happening? Ahhhhh."

Gu Cheng's eyes grew complicated. "So you didn't marry that person from the Lu family because you were carrying my..."

Zhu Zilin cried and asked Gu Cheng, "Am I telling you this to make you remember when she was pregnant?"

Does anyone care about her feelings?

Does anyone?!

Gu Cheng looked at her impatiently. "Go back first."

Feeling deeply despised by Gu Cheng, Zhu Zilin's heart ached even more. Then a voice pierced her ears.

"Wouldn't you hit him for this?"

Zhu Zilin came to her senses and slapped Gu Cheng. "Gu Cheng, you're so heartless."

She then ran off crying.

Ling Yun: ?

"Just one slap? Are you afraid your hand will hurt?"

-

Gu Cheng's face turned ashen, but when he saw the curious gaze of the little boy, he softened his expression and forced a stiff smile.

At the sight of his gaze, the boy shrank into Tang Ning's arms out of fear.

Gu Cheng glanced at Tang Ning, trying to explain, "I have nothing to do with her."

Tang Ning's eyes were cold. "It has nothing to do with me."

Gu Cheng was taken aback and quickly changed his approach. "Fine, let's not talk about us. Let's just talk about this child. He'll only suffer if he stays with you."

Qin Shiyao chimed in, "But if he stays with you, he'll learn to deceive young girls by pretending to be poor."

Fu Yunyun added, "Exactly, exactly."

Gu Cheng clenched his fists and said to Tang Ning, "Let's find a quiet place to talk."

Tang Ning understood that the other party was trying to help her, but she refused, "I want to talk here."

Gu Cheng had to endure it. He rallied himself and said, "Have you thought about the future? With your current situation, how can you ensure the child's education and resources after work?"

Qin Shiyao replied, "Your father did give you those guarantees, and look where it got you."

Fu Yunyun answered, "And still, you're a cheating scumbag."

Shen Tingzhou: ...

Gu Cheng's fingers turned white from gripping them so tightly. Ignoring the two, he continued, "You're a mother now. Don't be as impulsive as before. Think more about the child."

Qin Shiyao: "If you really care about the child, leave five million and never show up again."

Fu Yunyun: "Yes, yes."

Shen Tingzhou wasn't sure whether Qin Shiyao was quick-witted or quick-tongued, seeing how angry it made Gu Cheng.

Gu Cheng remained silent for seven or eight seconds, his body trembling visibly, clearly very angry.

He took a long, deep breath.

Qin Shiyao: "Oh, quite the temper..."

Gu Cheng couldn't take it anymore. "I just breathed out; I don't need your commentary, passerby!"

Qin Shiyao didn't get angry and made a gesture inviting him to continue.

Gu Cheng said, "The past is the past. For the sake of the child, I hope we can each take a step back."

Qin Shiyao countered, "Why should others back down when it's clearly some people who desperately want to reconcile? It's like they think others need it."

Fu Yunyun: "Exactly, exactly."

Shen Tingzhou held Fu Yunyun's shoulder, signaling her to stop. If she kept going, someone would really start spitting blood.

Gu Cheng stopped talking to Tang Ning and started arguing with Qin Shiyao.

Soon, he was left speechless, on the verge of spitting blood.

Tang Ning then added, "I think what this lady said is right. My thoughts align with hers. Please don't come bother me anymore."

Gu Cheng's domineering facade crumbled, revealing the helpless artist he once was, pleading, "Ningning."

In the past, when he made Tang Ning angry, he would look at her with that helpless gaze and call her by her nickname to apologize.

Those memories flashed before Tang Ning's eyes, and she closed her eyes for a moment.

When she opened them again, her eyes were clear.

Tang Ning shook her head lightly. "It's too late. Your pride shattered my last bit of trust in you. My pride might have... hurt you, but it's all in the past. I've already passed the stage where I needed you the most."

Gu Cheng felt something crumbling inside him, and a sense of panic arose.

After Tang Ning broke up with him, Gu Cheng returned to the Gu family and had someone investigate the Tang family's situation.

He knew the Tang family was in crisis but was still angry that Tang Ning didn't tell him anything and chose to sacrifice herself to solve the problem.

So he had someone inform Tang Ning about his true identity through another person, waiting for her to come to him.

But Tang Ning didn't.

Why?

Because Tang Ning was also wondering why Gu Cheng had deceived her. They had been together for over a year, yet he hadn't told her the truth.

She couldn't understand his motives and hoped he would come to her door to explain.

They both waited for each other, but neither made the first move.

Later, Tang Ning discovered she was pregnant, and the marriage arrangement with the Lu family fell through. She had a big argument with her parents and left home.

Without Gu Cheng, she gave birth to her child.

Without Gu Cheng, she raised her son, who was very understanding.

Tang Ning firmly stated, "I don't need anyone now. I can take care of myself and my son."

Qin Shiyao applauded, "Well said. People like you belong in our company."

Tang Ning shook her head. "Thank you, but I don't need it for now. I'm doing well here."

She had an education, but because she had to raise a child on her own, many jobs were not suitable for her. The owner of this mall was very kind and allowed her to bring her child to work.

Tang Ning was the logistics manager, but today there was a celebrity meet-and-greet downstairs, so all the staff had been reassigned, leaving her to temporarily take on cleaning duties.

"Thank you," Tang Ning said sincerely, then picked up her son and prepared to leave.

"Ningning," Gu Cheng couldn't help but chase after her and grabbed her hand.

Tang Ning avoided him. "I've already said everything I needed to say. Don't bother us anymore."

Gu Cheng naturally didn't want to give up. As he struggled with Tang Ning, he suddenly felt a gust of wind brush past his ear.

Before he could react, he was slapped away.

Tang Ning instinctively covered her child's eyes and looked at Gu Cheng in shock as he spun away.

Ling Yun, finally getting a chance to act, coldly said, "They've already told you not to harass them. Can't you understand?"

Shen Tingzhou knew someone would make a move today; he had initially thought it would be Qin Shiyao and Ling Yun teaming up.

Now that only Ling Yun had acted, and with just one slap, Shen Tingzhou actually found the situation manageable.

Gu Cheng leaned against the wall, his brow twitching, anger building in his eyes.

Qin Shiyao spoke up, "This can be considered repayment for your female companion who slapped the child's mother earlier."

Gu Cheng's body stiffened, and he lowered his head, saying no more.

-

After the birthday party ended, Shen Tingzhou drove Xu Xun home.

On the way, Shen Tingzhou chatted with Xu Xun. "Was it a bit too chaotic today? Did it disturb you?"

Xu Xun seemed in good spirits. "Not really; it's been a while since I felt such liveliness."

Shen Tingzhou's tone lightened. "When was the last time it was this lively?"

As soon as he asked, Shen Tingzhou regretted it, worried it might have been when Xu Xun's parents were still alive.

Just as he was about to change the subject, Xu Xun said, "The last time it was this lively was when we went to that gathering together."

Shen Tingzhou felt a bit embarrassed. "Uh, yeah, that was pretty lively too."

"Thank you for the gift for my sister."

"Do you have any free time recently?"

Their voices overlapped, and they both laughed.

Shen Tingzhou yielded. "You go first."

Xu Xun asked, "We have a house by Tangshan. I plan to go there for a hot spring soak. Would you like to join me?"

Shen Tingzhou declined. "I won't go."

Xu Xun looked over. "Busy with something?"

Shen Tingzhou explained, "Many of my jobs are temporary, so I'm not sure if I'll have time. But every Wednesday, I have to visit Mr. Su."

Actually, he wasn't that busy right now; his primary employer was still in a coma in the hospital, and his second employer... best not to mention.

His third employer was the Su family, whom he visited every Wednesday, and the fourth was Xu Xun.

Xu Xun: "Can you come back on Wednesday? Will you go?"

Shen Tingzhou hesitated, but Xu Xun spoke again, this time without asking. "Let's go together."

The car's dim light cast a yellow glow, their gazes meeting. Xu Xun's eyes were serious.

Shen Tingzhou's mind blanked, and he blurted out, "What about the cat?"

Xu Xun paused for a few seconds, then said, "Bring it along. We'll drive there."

Hearing that the three cats were going too, Shen Tingzhou nodded in agreement.

Half of Xu Xun's face was hidden in the dark, making him look like half of Zhenzi. "What if the cat doesn't go?"

"I'll stay behind to take care of the cat." Shen Tingzhou said this because he was skilled at it.

Shen Tingzhou thought he heard Xu Xun hum, but he wasn't sure.

That night, after returning home, Shen Tingzhou washed up, changed into his pajamas, and lay in bed, checking Xu Xun's social media feed as usual.

In the past, Xu Xun would post videos of the cats at night, which Shen Tingzhou would always like and comment on.

But tonight, there was only a dry message: "Going to sleep."

Shen Tingzhou was puzzled but still liked the post and left a "Good night."

-

Ever since becoming a personal doctor, Shen Tingzhou hadn't gone out much.

Since it was a last-minute decision, preparations were rushed. Shen Tingzhou started packing early in the morning.

Medicine was a must, and he also packed some things for the cats.

He quickly filled two suitcases and felt it was a bit too much, intending to reduce the load, but couldn't manage to do so. So he brought both suitcases to Xu Xun's place.

Next to Xu Xun's enormous suitcase, Shen Tingzhou's small ones seemed insignificant, giving him a sense of relief.

When Xu Xun returned to his room to fetch his pillow, the Steward said to Shen Tingzhou—

"Ever since he was young, he's had this problem. He can't sleep without his own pillow. Every time we tried to change his pillow, it was like changing the food for a cat with a sensitive stomach. We had to wait until he was asleep and then sneak in to replace the old pillow with a new one. Then during the day, we'd switch it back. It took several nights of this before we could successfully change it."

Shen Tingzhou couldn't help but laugh; the Steward's description was just too vivid.

Shen Tingzhou asked, puzzled, "Why did you have to change it at all?"

The Steward replied, "The old pillow was worn out from use."

Haha, so it had to be broken before it could be replaced, right?

Looking at the tall youth descending from the second floor, the Steward sighed, "He's grown up so much now. When he was younger, he was quite a handful."

Shen Tingzhou noticed the nostalgic look in his eyes and smiled, "But you still miss him as a child, don't you?"

The Steward looked away, "Yes, but if I were back then, I'd probably still want to hit him."

Shen Tingzhou: ...

Xu Xun saw Shen Tingzhou's odd expression and the Steward smiling silently, glancing between them for a moment. Xu Xun asked Shen Tingzhou, "What's wrong?"

Shen Tingzhou shook his head, determined not to mention the period when Xu Xun was a handful that even his grandfather wanted to hit him.

Xu Xun glanced at the Steward.

The Steward said, "Now that you've got your little pillow, let's go."

Xu Xun seemed to dislike this comment and was about to speak when the other person had already turned and left.

Xu Xun then told Shen Tingzhou, "I'm a bit particular about my pillow, but only a little."

Shen Tingzhou nodded in agreement, "Yeah, having unique sleeping habits is normal. Some people are particular about their beds, some about their pillows, and some like to touch someone's ears while they sleep. I've even seen someone who likes to fold the corners of their blanket."

Xu Xun became curious, "And you?"

Shen Tingzhou: "Not me."

During the journey, they used an RV and hired two drivers to take turns driving to ensure safety on the road.

-

After nearly thirty hours of driving, they entered the Tangshan area and headed towards the outskirts.

Shen Tingzhou thought the house Xu Xun mentioned would be at most a villa. As the house hidden among the trees came into view, Shen Tingzhou realized it was more akin to a castle.

The Steward explained, "This place was passed down from the young master's maternal grandfather's side. It can no longer be bought or sold."

Upon arrival, Shen Tingzhou understood why it couldn't be sold.

It was steeped in history, even bearing bullet holes, indicating it had survived wars and was at least a century old.

No one lived here regularly; only in winter did people come to soak in the hot springs, ski in the mountains, and stroll through the birch forests.

Xu Xun had given prior notice, and the staff had cleaned three rooms.

Seeing them still cleaning other guest rooms, the Steward asked, "Are more people coming?"

The nanny replied, "Young Master Huaifei is coming."

At the mention of this name, both Xu Xun and the Steward frowned.

Shen Tingzhou didn't notice their expressions and repeated the name, "Huaifei, sounds nice."

Xu Xun looked over and asked, "Nice?"

Shen Tingzhou sensed the subtle atmosphere and wondered, "Could this person be..."

The Steward smiled, "Yes, he's the one Dr. Shen saved a few days ago, Fu Huaifei, who was trying to 'commit suicide.'"

Shen Tingzhou immediately fell silent, sensing that Xu Xun and the Steward had issues with Fu Huaifei.

Xu Xun even considered leaving and finding a five-star hotel to stay in.

The Steward didn't want any more trouble and watched as Xu Xun, disgruntled, carried his pillow upstairs.

Watching Xu Xun storm off, Shen Tingzhou secretly asked the Steward, "They really don't get along?"

The Steward shook his head, "Not exactly. Mr. Fu is the young master's maternal uncle, and they're not far apart in age. They used to play together a lot when they were young."

Shen Tingzhou, intrigued by the drama, asked, "So what happened that made their relationship freeze?"

Usually, it's because of love.

For example, Xu Xun might have liked someone, and coincidentally, his uncle also liked her. But the girl...

Well, she must have liked one of them and disliked the other, leading to a rift between the uncle and nephew.

The Steward gave an unexpected answer, "Nothing happened."

Huh?

Shen Tingzhou was confused, "Then why does he dislike seeing his uncle so much?"

It sounded like they had a good relationship, but maybe...

Xu's mother had inheritance rights from the Fu family. After her unexpected death, the property should have gone to Xu Xun.

But his former playmate and uncle, Fu Huaifei, didn't like the idea of power falling into another family's hands, thus leading to a falling out and a vow never to see each other again.

The Steward said, "He's unhappy because he took out a loan."

Sure enough, it's about money!

Huh? A loan?

Shen Tingzhou was surprised. "Does Mr. Xu need to take out a loan?"

He casually spends over 600,000 yuan on birthday gifts for others; does he still need to take out a loan?

The Steward nodded. "Yes, he took out a loan to be jealous."

Shen Tingzhou: ?

The Steward continued, "Their tastes are very similar. Mr. Fu has a dark history of snatching the young master's toys, so..."

A voice came from the second floor, "Something happened to the kitten."

Shen Tingzhou's heart immediately raced with alarm: !!!!

He rushed upstairs and anxiously asked, "What happened to the kitten? What happened to the kitten?"

Xu Xun stood at the door of the room and said, "The kitten tripped itself."

Shen Tingzhou saw the silver tabby lying on its back on the thick carpet, seemingly more like someone had flipped it over, and it... was grooming itself right there.

The carpet was laid very thickly, making no sound when stepped on, and the cat probably enjoyed this feeling too.

Shen Tingzhou looked at Xu Xun, who exaggeratedly gestured, "It rolled twice after tripping. It must have been stunned."

The little silver tabby ignored everything around it, spread its legs, and licked its own fur in an ungraceful position.

Shen Tingzhou: "...With such a soft carpet, another couple of rolls wouldn't hurt."

Xu Xun: "We can't say that. It's still young; we should check it out."

Shen Tingzhou glanced at Xu Xun in surprise. Xu Xun usually presented himself as a strict father; why was he being so gentle now?

Xu Xun let Shen Tingzhou scrutinize him without any guilt.

Shen Tingzhou didn't suspect anything and went over to check on the kitten.

Xu Xun squatted beside him and said, "I think it doesn't match well with this place, and the carpet has too much fur. What if they inhale it and start choking?"

Shen Tingzhou held the silver tabby's belly and said, "This kind of carpet is fine."

Xu Xun added, "But this room has many reliefs. What if they knock something down while playing?"

That was indeed a concern.

Shen Tingzhou wasn't worried about the cat; cats are very agile. He was concerned about the reliefs that might witness history being damaged.

Noticing Shen Tingzhou's hesitation, Xu Xun took out his phone. "Then I'll book a hotel."

Such unusual behavior from Xu Xun made Shen Tingzhou feel something was off. "Are you afraid of seeing your younger uncle?"

Xu Xun tapped on his phone, the screen's light reflecting on his handsome face, and said calmly, "Not afraid, just find him troublesome. For a vacation, I prefer... simplicity."

Shen Tingzhou picked up the underlying meaning. "Having him around isn't simple?"

Xu Xun: "He's very troublesome. He needs three sets of utensils for one meal, scented candles for a bath, petals in the water, music, and wine. Every time I go out with him, I have to wait for over an hour."

Shen Tingzhou blurted out, "He puts on makeup?"

Xu Xun: "Sort of. He slathers on a lot of stuff on his face. He hates the sun and sometimes carries a lace umbrella."

Shen Tingzhou thought, *What an extravagant man.*

Then Shen Tingzhou quickly scolded himself mentally. Perhaps the other person suffered greatly due to being different, which led to his foolish actions last time.

As long as it doesn't violate laws or morals, every hobby deserves respect.

Shen Tingzhou said, "I think we should try to understand him more."

Xu Xun countered, "I think we should stay away from him."

They looked at each other, and the atmosphere fell silent.

Xu Xun's face turned grim. "Why? Just because his name sounds nice?"

Shen Tingzhou found it amusing. "It's not about the name. I just feel he might be... fragile. I'm not sure if my intuition is wrong."

Xu Xun: "No, he likes to make himself look sickly."

Upon hearing this, Shen Tingzhou felt uneasy. "He does it himself?"

Xu Xun expressionlessly nodded. "He often draws blood, claiming it's for the benefit of humanity, but he just enjoys the feeling of being weak and pale."

Shen Tingzhou frowned deeply. "That's a form of self-harm, a pathological mindset!"

Xu Xun corrected, "It's more about vanity."

Shen Tingzhou was taken aback. "Ah?"

At that moment, the Steward's voice came from downstairs, "Young master, your younger uncle is here."

Xu Xun slightly frowned. Shen Tingzhou thought he was annoyed by Fu Huaifei and quickly comforted him, "Stay calm, stay calm. He attempted suicide a few days ago; we can't hurt him again."

People like them are very sensitive; they can sense even the slightest rejection.

Not to mention rejection; even if someone so much as glanced at him, they would overthink it.

Xu Xun stood up. "He wouldn't commit suicide, at least not by jumping into the river, because the body would swell and look too ugly."

Is that so?

Shen Tingzhou followed Xu Xun out in half belief, just in time to see Fu Huaifei coming in.

Fu Huaifei was wearing a black wool cloak over a three-piece suit, his long black hair hidden under a top hat, his skin snow-white, and his lips a vivid red, with features so beautiful they were indistinguishable as male or female.

With his complexion and this attire, appearing in this ancient castle, he really did resemble a vampire from a movie.

Fu Huaifei entered with a frail demeanor, and upon seeing Shen Tingzhou at the second-floor entrance, a peculiar expression flashed across his eyes.