Chapter 67

Chapter 67

Due to the morning rush hour, the traffic in Jing City was extremely congested.

Shen Yan was slightly anxious, but fortunately, he wasn’t late to the airport, just a bit behind the time he had agreed on with Xiaolin.

As soon as Xiaolin saw Shen Yan, he waved and called out, “Brother.”

In the bustling airport, the voice wasn’t particularly loud, but it was at a volume Shen Yan could hear.

However, this call of "Brother" drew the attention of several passersby.

Especially Lu Zhao, who found the voice oddly familiar.

Following the sound, he spotted Shen Yan immediately, and his sleepy eyes lit up.

Hu Chengyu and Xie Shiyu had noticed Shen Yan even earlier.

So when Shen Yan realized that Xiaolin’s shout had attracted three or four people, he was stunned on the spot.

“What are you all doing here?” Shen Yan asked in surprise.

Xiaolin, pulling his small suitcase, also walked up to Shen Yan and was so shocked to see Hu Chengyu that his sunglasses almost fell off his nose.

Shen Yan looked at Xiaolin suspiciously.

Xiaolin took off his sunglasses and waved his hands repeatedly, saying, “This time, it really wasn’t me.”

Lu Zhao laughed and put his arm around Xiaolin’s shoulder, but he was speaking to Hu Chengyu, “Bro, you and Yan Yan made plans, why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

Hu Chengyu ignored him and instead, both he and Xie Shiyu asked in unison, “What are you doing here?”

Their eyes met for just a second before both shifted their gazes away.

Their coordination was so strong that even Lu Zhao was stunned.

Shen Yan recalled what he had forgotten yesterday.

Both Hu Chengyu and Xie Shiyu had mentioned the competition, but he hadn’t given it much thought at the time.

So when Hu Chengyu mentioned he was leaving town yesterday, Shen Yan didn’t think much of it.

Xie Shiyu had assumed Shen Yan would refuse him and agree to go with Hu Chengyu, but now it seemed to be just a coincidence.

“Yan Yan, are you going to visit the senior you mentioned before?”

Shen Yan remembered that when he had refused Xie Shiyu’s request to watch the competition, he had said he was going to meet an important senior with his brother.

“Yes, I really didn’t expect to meet you all at the airport,” Shen Yan exchanged pleasantries with Xie Shiyu.

Lu Zhao was a bit anxious. Who was Yan Yan meeting?

He gave Hu Chengyu an eager look, hoping for an answer.

Hu Chengyu didn’t catch Lu Zhao’s signal and directly asked, “Where are you guys going?”

Clearly, Xiaolin wasn’t there to pick anyone up, as he was dragging his suitcase.

“We’re heading to Zhu City. What about you guys?”

Before Hu Chengyu could speak, Lu Zhao said excitedly, "What a coincidence, we're also heading to Zhu City."

Shen Lin pushed Lu Zhao's arm away with disdain. "Just talk, no need to get handsy."

He then said to Shen Yan, "Hey, we’ve got some time before boarding. Let’s sit down for a bit."

Two minutes later, Shen Lin saw Hu Chengyu and the man called Xie Shiyu sitting on either side of his brother.

He raised his eyebrows slightly and spoke bluntly, "Do you two have your own brothers?"

With that, he tried to pull Shen Yan away.

Shen Yan felt no strange emotions about the two sitting close to him, but Shen Lin’s protectiveness made him chuckle.

Lu Zhao, sitting on the other side, chimed in humorously, "I do!"

Shen Lin glared at him and pulled Shen Yan to choose another seat.

Coincidentally, both Hu Chengyu and Xie Shiyu stood up at the same time, clearly aiming to occupy the other seat next to Shen Yan.

This little scene didn’t cause much of a stir but did give Shen Yan a bit of a headache.

What was up with Hu Chengyu and Shen Yan?

*

About four hours later, the plane landed in Zhu City.

Shen Yan bid farewell to the others, "We'll be heading off first. Wish you guys the best of luck."

Hu Chengyu asked, "Where are you staying?"

Xie Shiyu wanted to know too.

But Shen Yan really didn’t know, "Mrs. She sent someone to pick us up. The accommodation is not confirmed yet."

Hu Chengyu was about to say more when a middle-aged lady, followed by a man in a suit, approached, "Mr. Shen Yan, Mr. Shen?"

Shen Yan replied, "Assistant Xu?"

Ms. Xu, who had a stern expression and didn’t seem to smile much, said, "Mr. Shen, Mrs. She knew you were coming and had us wait here.

"Are these friends of Mr. Shen?"

Even with nearly ten people, Assistant Xu remained calm.

Shen Yan quickly introduced them, including two teaching assistants who were also the team’s supervisors this time.

After some pleasantries, Shen Yan left with Shen Lin and Assistant Xu.

But just two steps away, someone grabbed his arm.

Shen Yan turned back, feeling a bit embarrassed. Hu Chengyu was holding his wrist, and Xie Shiyu, probably intending to grab his wrist too, ended up placing his hand over Hu Chengyu's hand.

Xie Shiyu withdrew his hand awkwardly, "Yan Yan, give us a call when you’re settled in."

In reality, if Shen Yan and the others checked into a hotel using their IDs, he could find out their accommodation himself.

After Xie Shiyu stepped back, Hu Chengyu still didn’t let go and said directly, "I’ll come find you."

It was just a simple sentence, but when he met Hu Chengyu’s serious gaze, Shen Yan’s heart skipped a beat.

Shen Lin: "Brother, let's go." He yanked Hu Chengyu's hand away without hesitation and shot him a glare.

Once they were far enough away, two members of the school team whispered, "Don't you think Hu Chengyu and Xie Shiyu are at odds?"

"At odds? They looked like they were about to throw punches."

"Do you think they both have a thing for Shen Yan?"

"Hard to say. Hu Chengyu always looks so cold and aloof. Who knows what he's thinking? As for Xie Shiyu, I can't tell either."

At this moment, dressed in a casual sports outfit, primarily white with hints of soft yellow, he looked very youthful.

Especially his face, which always carried a smile, giving off a cheerful and clean vibe.

Yet, no one could guess what Xie Shiyu was really thinking.

When Xie Shiyu lowered his gaze, a fierce look flashed across his face.

Lu Zhao felt a chill run down his spine, turned to look, but nothing seemed out of place.

It was actually the two whispering behind Lu Zhao who jumped in surprise.

When Lu Zhao turned back, one of them whispered again, "With Shen Yan's looks, I'm not surprised Hu Chengyu and Xie Shiyu are into him."

Worried they might be overheard, the two didn't dare to say more.

After both groups had left, a girl in the crowd, wearing a white dress, took off her sunglasses and sneered, "Shen Yan? Perfect timing..."

On the other side, Shen Yan and Shen Lin were sitting in a fast-moving car.

Shen Lin looked out at the passing scenery and texted Shen Yan: "Brother, isn't this a bit unsafe?"

Shen Yan, seeing the message, couldn't help but chuckle. They had been in the car for so long, and only now was he worrying about safety?

Shen Yan didn't reply but instead spoke to Assistant Xu. "Assistant Xu, could you tell me where Madam's residence is?"

Assistant Xu, who was cold and spoke little, was very polite to Shen Yan. "The She family has been known for their goldsmithing skills for generations.

"Madam's residence is the old She family mansion. Later, the area was redeveloped and remains quite secluded, given the new name, Hengbin Coast."

The Shu family had also been passed down for several generations. Shen Lin had visited the old mansion as a child. The eaves were exceptionally high, and since no one had lived there for a long time, it was cold and damp inside.

He had lived in the old mansion for a while, listening to elders tell strange and bizarre stories, which made him fall ill.

Since then, he had disliked traditional old mansions.

Even as an adult, he still didn't enjoy staying there for long, despite appreciating the intricate craftsmanship.

As he listened to Assistant Xu, he began thinking about how to persuade his brother to stay in a hotel instead.

It was probably another hour before they finally arrived at Hengbin Coast.

Along the way, Shen Yan and Assistant Xu had a pleasant conversation.

The driver, who had worked for the She family for over twenty years and knew Assistant Xu well, was surprised to hear him talk so much to an outsider.

Shen Lin had expected to see an old-fashioned house, but all he saw was a modern building complex in the distance.

This must be the Yokohama Coast that Assistant Xu mentioned.

The place was by the sea, and the name fit it perfectly.

Assistant Xu said, "Originally, we could have driven the car to the underground garage and taken the elevator up, which would have been faster.

"However, the scenery here is quite nice, and taking the small sightseeing vehicle up is also a great option."

The driver did not drive away, obviously waiting for the passengers' decision.

Most people wouldn't be too tired after a day's journey, but for Shen Yan, it had already been exhausting.

Shen Lin, who was well aware of Shen Yan's condition, was about to speak up: "We should..."

Shen Yan said, "We'll take the sightseeing vehicle."

Shen Lin frowned, clearly not approving.

Shen Yan shook his head, "I'm fine."

Only then did Assistant Xu notice that Shen Yan's face was a bit too pale. She had originally thought Shen Yan's skin was just naturally fair, but now it seemed to be due to some discomfort.

"Mr. Shen, I apologize for taking the liberty, but please get in the car." Assistant Xu was about the same age as Shu Qianfei.

When she first saw Shen Yan, she had thought that as a man, he was too strikingly handsome, but after the conversations along the way, she had developed a bit of a favorable impression.

But his health... it was always a concern.

Shen Yan waved his hand, "It's not an issue, and besides, we're taking the vehicle up; there's no need to walk."

The scenery here was indeed nice, even better than the resort Shen Yan and Shen Lin had visited before.

Since Shen Yan insisted, Shen Lin and Assistant Xu didn't persuade him further.

The driver left first.

Assistant Xu, feeling increasingly sympathetic towards Shen Yan, said, "Mr. Shen's health is..."

Shen Lin, somewhat angry that Shen Yan didn't take care of himself, snapped, "He's been like this since childhood. He couldn't even walk when he was young, and now he's pushing himself."

Normally, Shen Lin wouldn't be so rude in front of outsiders, but he was just too angry.

"Xiaolin!" Shen Yan said firmly.

Assistant Xu didn’t seem offended; instead, she glanced at Shen Lin a few more times, noting the brothers' close bond.

As it turned out, Assistant Xu's suggestion was a good one. Sitting in the small sightseeing vehicle, though the road was narrow, the changing scenery kept everyone entertained, even making Shen Lin shut up.

Assistant Xu said, "Mr. Shen, if you don't mind, perhaps you could let Mr. Fang take your pulse.

"The Fang family has been doctors for generations and has a very close relationship with the Madam."

Hearing this, Shen Lin's eyes lit up. A family with generations of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners?

It occurred to him that Shen Yan had spent years in hospitals but had never consulted a traditional Chinese doctor.

Suddenly, Shen Lin felt a glimmer of hope for the trip.

The sightseeing vehicle came to a stop in front of an old courtyard gate. Shen Lin was taken aback. Was this the old residence?

This doesn't look like a house at all.

It's clearly a garden. Once inside, the scenery inside is more refined, in contrast to the expansive views outside.

Especially as they passed a small courtyard, where sunlight streamed down, with fine white sand surrounding it, and a green pine tree in the center.

The shape of the green pine was quite unique, and Shen Lin couldn't help but take a closer look.

Assistant Xu: "This green pine is not some precious plant, but it was grown from a cutting of a pine tree planted by Madame's mother when she was young."

The three of them continued walking and passed by a latticed flower wall, where they came upon a lake.

On the lake, there was a pavilion, and they could see someone sitting in the pavilion.

From a distance, they couldn't see the person's face clearly, but every move they made had an air of elegance.

Assistant Xu: "That is Madame. Would you two like to join me in the pavilion?"

Shen Lin was puzzled. There was no bridge around the pavilion, nor any boats on the lake. How were they supposed to get there?