Chapter 51

Chapter 51

Shen Yue ended up not staying overnight at the old mansion.

While driving home, the car’s Bluetooth system kept ringing incessantly. Shen Yue initially didn't plan to answer, but Shen Cuo was persistent. Worried that something might be wrong, he finally answered while stopped at a red light.

“Hello?”

His voice sounded normal, like he hadn't just been scolded. He even laughed lightly: “What’s up, Brother?”

Shen Cuo asked, “You left already?”

“Yeah,” the light turned green, but the car in front remained motionless. Shen Yue honked twice. “Am I not allowed to go home? Did something happen at home again?”

He thought about the argument he’d just had with the old lady and wondered if she might have a heart condition—had he really upset her that badly?

His mind wandered, and he didn't really feel like talking to Shen Cuo. Yet, Shen Cuo, usually so perceptive, seemed completely unaware: “Who did you go back with?”

Shen Yue glanced in the rearview mirror at the empty car interior. “What do you mean, ‘who’? I’m alone. Zhao Lian didn’t ask me to bring him along.”

Shen Cuo fell silent for a moment, clearly skeptical. Shen Yue didn’t mind: “So what’s going on? Is Grandma okay?”

“Grandma’s fine, she’s already asleep,” Shen Cuo’s voice was low and deliberate, carrying a hint of subtle probing. “During the banquet today, Wei Jinchuan seemed to be looking for you. I meant to tell you earlier, but Grandma called you away suddenly, so I forgot to mention it.”

Wei Jinchuan?

Being sharp as ever, Shen Yue instantly understood the real reason behind his brother’s call.

“I see. It’s probably nothing. I’ll ask him when we’re at work,” not daring to show too much familiarity with Wei Jinchuan in front of Shen Cuo, Shen Yue half-joked, “Brother, you didn’t call just to ask me to give him a ride, did you? Does the Wei family not even have a driver?”

Shen Cuo seemed to be weighing his words before finally saying, “Why are you in such a hurry to go back? It’s rare for you to come home, and it’s the weekend. Why not stay a couple more days?”

Shen Yue thought it best not to. Given the old lady’s temper, if he overstayed his welcome, he might actually make her sick with anger—even if she wasn’t ill to begin with.

Of course, he couldn’t say that. Shen Yue laughed lightly and adopted the playful, teasing tone he often used with Shen Cuo: “What, did I leave too early? Are you going to miss me, Brother?”

Shen Cuo paused: “It’s rare for the family to be together. It’s not just me—Mom and Dad miss you too.”

Without waiting for a response, Shen Cuo added, “I heard you’re planning to open a subsidiary outside Haicheng? Why didn’t you discuss such a big decision with me?”

Shen Yue hadn't intended to hide it from him, but the idea of opening a subsidiary had formed in his mind just half a month ago. Even then, everything was still in the brainstorming stage. He was somewhat surprised that Shen Cuo had found out so quickly and was already questioning him.

“Even if I don’t tell you, you still found out, didn’t you?” Shen Yue replied casually. “What do you think, Brother? Is it worth investing in?”

“I can’t say for sure without seeing the specific plan. Bring me the proposal someday, and I’ll help you analyze it.”

Shen Yue agreed verbally, but his mind had already drifted elsewhere. He paid no real attention to Shen Cuo’s words.

“However, Shenghua is still in its growth phase. If you rush into expanding other ventures now, you might end up losing more than you gain. You need to think this through carefully.”

Shen Yue had already thought it through and simply hummed in agreement.

“Also, you…”

Shen Cuo seemed to want to say something but hesitated and ultimately held back.

When the dial tone sounded after the call ended, Shen Yue felt a little dazed.

Shen Cuo hadn’t finished his sentence, but Shen Yue knew what his brother had meant to say.

When he first started his business, many had joked that if he didn’t work hard, he’d have to go home and inherit the family business. They asked why he didn’t just work for the Shen family company instead of enduring the hardships of starting a business.

In the eyes of outsiders, Shen Yue came from a privileged background with a well-regarded family. His parents had a stable relationship and indulged his every wish. His older brother had practically raised him, taking care of both his daily life and education. Shen Yue had never had to worry about anything—truly, he had never experienced a day of hardship since birth.

His life had been preordained from the start—a life of comfort. In truth, he didn’t need to be this outstanding. Given the Shen family’s wealth, even if he were a complete fool, he’d never want for anything. But he wasn’t. After graduation, he didn’t join the Shen corporation, nor did he rely on his family’s influence. Everything he had now was earned through his own efforts and abilities. He had never asked his brother for help or leveraged any family connections. It was all rightfully his.

—Admittedly, few would believe this, but in the profit-driven business world, aside from a few partners who showed deference to the Shen family, Shen Yue’s achievements had nothing to do with his background.

As for the phrase “if you don’t work hard, you’ll have to go home and inherit the company,” Shen Yue saw it as an insult to his capabilities.

He knew those who said such things meant no harm, so he maintained a calm and indifferent facade. But deep down, Shen Yue harbored a simmering resentment. This feeling had been brewing since his graduation four years ago and still lingered, refusing to dissipate.

The Shen family wasn’t his, his parents weren’t his, and his brother wasn’t his—but Shenghua was. Long ago, Shen Yue had quietly resolved to separate himself from the Shen family. Though the years of upbringing were hard to sever, his brother and parents had already done more than enough for him. He shouldn’t greedily cling to assets that weren’t rightfully his.

Distracted by these thoughts, Shen Yue lost focus while driving and accidentally rear-ended the car in front.

Annoyed, he turned off the engine and stepped out of the car, pulling a card from his wallet. “I’m in a bit of a hurry. How much for us to settle this privately? I’ll cover all the costs.”

To his surprise, he heard an excited voice: “President Shen?”

Shen Yue looked up, startled, and saw Zhong Yuan, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time.

“President Shen, it really is you.”

Zhong Yuan’s eyes curved into charming crescents as he recognized him. He gently pushed the card back into Shen Yue’s wallet. “There’s no need for compensation. I don’t want to take advantage of you. Could you just accompany me to the repair shop tomorrow? Whatever the cost, you can pay then.”

Tomorrow happened to be the weekend, and Shen Yue had no objections. He put his wallet away. “What are you doing here?”

“I was out singing with friends and was on my way home,” Zhong Yuan’s eyes sparkled. He was slightly taller than Shen Yue and leaned in slightly as he spoke, not showing much regret. “Seems like it’ll be a bit difficult to get home now.”

Shen Yue looked at him apologetically. If he had looked closely, he would have noticed that Zhong Yuan’s car only had minor scratches. But in his current mood, he lacked the energy to care about such details. After a moment’s thought, he said, “How about I give you a ride home?”

“Really?” Zhong Yuan was pleasantly surprised. He had only intended to play up his misfortune to gain Shen Yue’s sympathy but never expected such a generous offer. “But… my place might be a bit small…”

Shen Yue gave him a puzzled look. “I’m not planning to drive into your house.”

Zhong Yuan laughed at that, feeling more at ease.

He called a repair shop, and Shen Yue waited with him until a staff member arrived. Zhong Yuan handed over his car keys and then got into Shen Yue’s car.

The experience of having Shen Yue as his driver was so novel that Zhong Yuan sat upright, trying to maintain composure. But before long, he couldn’t resist turning to study Shen Yue, his gaze so intense it was almost tangible. Shen Yue found it impossible to pretend he didn’t notice.

“If you’re thirsty, there’s water beside you,” Shen Yue said without turning his head, hoping to bring Zhong Yuan back to his senses.

Zhong Yuan murmured an “oh” and said, “I’m not thirsty,” but his eyes remained fixed on Shen Yue. “Why are you out so late? Were you out with friends too?”

Shen Yue shook his head. “It’s an elder’s birthday in the family. I went back to celebrate.”

Zhong Yuan asked, “It’s so late—why not stay overnight?”

“…” This time, Shen Yue didn’t answer. He focused on driving, unsure whether he hadn’t heard or simply didn’t want to respond.

Zhong Yuan tactfully didn’t press further, but his eyes remained glued to Shen Yue, showing no intention of looking away.

Finally, Shen Yue could no longer pretend and asked, “Why do you keep staring at me? Is there something on my face?”

“You’re just good-looking,” Zhong Yuan replied bluntly, without a hint of embarrassment.

Although they lived in the same city, Haicheng was so big that unless Shen Yue actively sought him out, the chance of them running into each other was almost zero. It had been a month or so since Zhong Yuan last saw Shen Yue, and after such a long time, he couldn't take his eyes off him now that they had finally met again—it was as if he wanted to make up for all the time he’d missed.

No one dislikes hearing compliments, and Shen Yue was pleased by his blatant fascination. Just then, the navigation announced their destination. Shen Yue pulled over, turned his head, and rested one hand on the steering wheel: "You like it that much?"

Strangely enough, Zhong Yuan, who could be utterly shameless when teasing Shen Yue, actually blushed when Shen Yue responded: "More than you'd think."

Shen Yue smiled, his bright eyes crinkling and the corners of his lips lifting slightly. Even such a small expression was as refreshing as a spring breeze and utterly irresistible.

He glanced outside and asked, "Why do you live in a place like this?"

Shen Yue had always been generous, giving substantial parting gifts to every ex after a breakup. Especially after reuniting with Zhong Yuan recently, not only had Shen Yue given him money, but he also had Zhao Lian arrange a job for him. Logically, he shouldn't be living in such an old, run-down neighborhood.

Zhong Yuan was taken aback, then looked slightly uneasy: "It's fine here—cheap and convenient. The only downside is the poor soundproofing... Would you like to come up for a bit?"

It was rare for Shen Yue to see an expression of discomfort on Zhong Yuan's face that wasn't born of shyness, and he found it intriguing: "Do you want me to come up?"

"...Yes," Zhong Yuan finally managed to get out an answer after a long pause, adding worriedly, "But it might be a bit small up there. I'm afraid you won't be used to it."

So that was what he was worried about.

Shen Yue chuckled softly, killed the engine, and got out of the car: "Let's go, I'll take a look."

Zhong Yuan hadn't expected him to actually come up. After a moment of surprise, he followed him out of the car, walking ahead to lead the way, feeling both happy and nervous.

"This neighborhood is a bit old, but it's well-maintained. The elevator and lights work fine, and the neighbors are nice."

He suddenly became talkative, chattering as they walked while frequently glancing back to gauge Shen Yue's reaction. Shen Yue stayed half a step behind him the entire time, his eyes fixed straight ahead, offering no response.

Zhong Yuan seemed a bit dejected: "I'll rent a better place next time."

Shen Yue found it amusing: "Why?"

"You don't like it here, do you?" Zhong Yuan looked downright pathetic, his usually smiling eyes drooping. "Otherwise... otherwise we could go to a hotel instead."

"What would we do at a hotel?" Shen Yue pretended not to understand, his gaze teasing. "Didn't you invite me up for a visit? Or is there something else you had in mind?"

Zhong Yuan's face flushed bright red, and he stammered a denial.

Shen Yue was about to tease him further when his phone rang at an inopportune moment. He picked it up and, after just scanning the name, the hand that wanted to decline the call hesitated, his finger disobeying him as it drifted toward the green answer button.

After a brief internal struggle, Shen Yue finally managed to hang up, a thin layer of sweat already forming on his forehead.

They stepped out of the elevator at a landing with two directions. Zhong Yuan stood in the middle, unmoving, leaving Shen Yue with no way to proceed.

Only then did Zhong Yuan snap out of it, scratching his head apologetically before continuing to lead the way.

Once inside, Zhong Yuan poured Shen Yue a glass of water. Shen Yue thanked him but hadn't taken a sip before the phone rang again—the same caller ID.

Outwardly calm, Shen Yue continued his silent battle against the world's will. To Zhong Yuan, however, it looked as though he was silently staring at the ringing phone, his well-shaped lips pressed tightly together, clearly not in the mood.

Due to the reflection from the ceiling light, Zhong Yuan couldn't make out the caller ID: "Maybe it's urgent. Are you sure you don't want to answer?"

Urgent? Shen Yue stared at the large characters "Wei Jinchuan" on his screen, unable to imagine what urgent matter the other could possibly have for him now.

Wei Jinchuan had been looking for him throughout the banquet earlier. Already in a bad mood after a minor argument with Zhou Yutang, Shen Yue had done his best to avoid him. But now, long after the banquet had ended, Wei Jinchuan still refused to give up, disturbing his peace.

He took a sip of water, spilling some due to his unsteady hand. Zhong Yuan quickly grabbed a few tissues to wipe his collar, spreading the lukewarm water stain across his chest and stirring a heat with the touch of his fingers.

In the end, Shen Yue lost the battle and answered the call.

"Hello?"

Once he surrendered to the world's will, he felt much more relaxed.

Shen Yue let Zhong Yuan's hand linger intentionally or unintentionally on his chest, fanning the flames. He leaned back on the sofa, his voice lazy and somewhat seductive: "Jinchuan, why didn't I see you at Grandma's birthday banquet today? Did you not come?"

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