Chapter 18 Chance Meeting

Chapter 18: Chance Encounter

Shen Ci spent the entire weekend enduring Shen Shiyan's bad mood and silence.

Though he didn't know what he had done to provoke him, Shen Ci tried his best to keep a low profile those two days.

The weather was getting colder, and on Monday morning, Shen Ci struggled painfully to get out of bed. Before getting in the car, Shen Shiyan wrapped a new scarf around him and placed a little bee-patterned hat on his head.

"Daddy, will you still pick me up tonight?" When getting out of the car, Shen Ci's lower face was buried in the scarf, his eyes glistening as he looked up.

Shen Shiyan's expression didn't change as the corner of his mouth twitched, and he said, "Yes."

Shen Ci then happily hugged him, nuzzled him, and bounded into the school, a corner of his scarf fluttering in the wind.

At the flag-raising ceremony, Shen Rong, as a fifth-grade student representative, went on stage to give a speech. Shen Ci wasn't one of the taller boys, standing in the third row of the line, right where Shen Rong from the stage could see him.

The wounds on his body hadn't fully healed yet, covered in itchy and painful scabs.

Seeing Shen Ci standing unharmed in the school, Shen Rong gritted his teeth hatefully. His voice rose involuntarily while reciting the speech, and the microphone occasionally screeched, causing the students down below to cover their ears.

Shen Ci didn't move, even looking provocatively at the person on stage without showing any fear.

After the ceremony, there was a fifteen-minute break period. Shen Rong led a few people to surround Shen Ci at the entrance of his classroom.

"Why aren't you dead yet?" Shen Rong's opening words were an extremely harsh curse. Shen Ci took a deep breath and, sticking to his rule of not making trouble for Shen Shiyan, forced out a smile uglier than crying and said to Shen Rong, "Young master, I'm really sorry. Please move aside, I'll immediately die... I mean, go back to class."

He believed he'd been perfectly sincere, but to Shen Rong's ears, it sounded like blatant provocation.

"You should have died on the streets, you little bastard!"

Actually, such words were nothing to Shen Ci. But ever since Shen Shiyan came into his life, he seemed to have gained a new understanding of the concept of family. At least now that Shen Shiyan was taking care of him, he wasn't a bastard.

Everything for Daddy!

If he retaliated now, Daddy might have to kneel in the ancestral hall again tonight.

Endure for a moment, and the storm will pass.

Endure!

Shen Ci steeled himself in his heart, thinking that as long as he kept quiet until the class bell rang, it would be fine.

He just leaned against the wall, letting Shen Rong curse however he wanted without uttering a word.

These dozen or so minutes were agony. Just as Shen Rong was about to lay hands on him, a female voice coldly spoke from outside the circle of boys, "Move aside."

Her voice was calm, with a uniquely pleasant, teenage-girl's timbre.

Shen Ci raised his head a little to look. It was Song Qiuchi, the study committee member from his class.

Shen Rong's eyes followed Shen Ci's gaze. Seeing Song Qiuchi, he was visibly taken aback.

"Can't you understand? I said move aside." Song Qiuchi had her hair tied in a high ponytail with a black ribbon, with fluffy strands around her hairline. She had single eyelids that revealed most of her irises, giving her eyes a naturally indifferent, oppressive air that didn't seem to belong to her age.

Shen Ci was about to speak, fearing Shen Rong and his gang might go crazy and involve Song Qiuchi. Before he could open his mouth, however, Shen Rong sullenly waved his hand at the people around him and said, "Let's go."

The group in front of the classroom scattered, immediately clearing the area. Shen Ci stood there dumbfounded for a second. Song Qiuchi glanced at him casually, her words sharp: "Are you an idiot? Bullied and you don't even say a word?"

Shen Ci smiled, walking into the classroom side by side with Song Qiuchi, and said, "No need. It would cause trouble for my daddy."

Song Qiuchi sat down at her desk, opened her English textbook, shrugged, and said in a lazy tone, "Suit yourself."

Shen Ci didn't pay much mind either, returning to his own seat and propping his chin up to look at the bleak autumn scenery outside.

The brick path extended all the way to the school gate. In the distance, he could vaguely see the greenery across from the school entrance. The leaves had all fallen, and under the pale white sky, the branches stood out clearly, each with a few gray sparrows perched on them. The class bell rang, its sound carried by the wind to the trees, startling the flock of birds.

He found English class slightly challenging, but his attitude was still fairly serious, and he had learned quite a few new words.

Shen Ci always felt like the days were short. Unlike the time spent with Shen Shiyan, which always flew by, he wrapped himself tightly in his scarf and adjusted it repeatedly against his faint reflection in the window. No matter how he tried, it never looked as good as when Shen Shiyan put it on for him. Soon losing patience, he haphazardly wrapped it again, put on his hat, and slowly left the classroom.

By the time he reached the school gate, Shen Shiyan had already arrived. He wasn't wearing a suit today but a long black trench coat, with a section of his neck exposed as if he couldn't feel the cold. He was leaning against the car, spinning his phone between his fingers.

"Daddy."

Hearing Shen Ci's voice from across the street, Shen Shiyan tossed his phone back into his pocket and crossed the road in a few long strides to stand before Shen Ci.

"Mr. Shen."

Just as he had taken Shen Ci's backpack and slung it over his own shoulder, a tall figure beside him suddenly spoke with a smile. Shen Shiyan turned his head to see Song Xianghan holding a little girl's hand, gently rubbing it to ward off the cold.

"Miss Song."

Shen Shiyan responded politely, not expecting to run into Song Xianghan here.

"Mr. Shen is so young, yet his son is already this big?" Shen Ci's eyes were extremely beautiful, and Song Xianghan had noticed this child the moment she got out of the car, naturally hearing him affectionately call out "daddy."

Shen Shiyan's little finger was hooked again by Shen Ci, held tightly.

"It's a long story," Shen Shiyan smiled faintly, offering no further explanation. He glanced at the little girl beside Song Xianghan and added, "What a coincidence."

Song Xianghan's aura was already exceptional, and the little girl was no less impressive, standing tall and graceful.

"My eldest brother had something to attend to and couldn't come, so I'm picking up my niece on the way. Qiuchi, say hello to big brother." Song Xianghan smiled and tugged Song Qiuchi's hand, who then called out generously, "Brother Shen."

Shen Ci also followed suit, calling Song Xianghan "sister" very obediently.

Talking in the cold wind was inconvenient. Shen Shiyan reached out a few fingers to feel Shen Ci's palm—it was icy cold. It wouldn't be good to just leave, so he simply invited Song Xianghan for a casual meal.

Song Xianghan didn't stand on ceremony either, pointing to a luxurious business van not far away and smiling, "Let's take my car. Sorry to trouble your driver to follow."

Shen Shiyan hesitated for a moment, then nodded. He took out his phone and typed a message to the driver with one hand, explaining the situation and providing the license plate number before taking Shen Ci's hand and following Song Xianghan.

The warm air in the car quickly heated everyone up. The back seat had been modified, with a table in the middle and the seats turned into facing leather sofas.

Shen Shiyan had originally planned to invite Song Xianghan to dinner tomorrow. Unexpectedly, heaven played along, moving the dinner up. Shen Shiyan proactively brought up the matter of cooperation.

"Miss Song, I have already obtained the project proposal for Shenshi Energy's core technology. In about three days, Yuhe's R&D funds can be invested. I wonder when Miss Song plans to officially launch the project."

Song Xianghan took off her coat, smoothing her wind-tousled hair with her hand, and said, "Very soon. Currently, Xingtu has its eye on two maritime areas and needs further surveying. It would be best if Mr. Shen could personally visit Xingtu on a day when he's not too busy."

......

The two conversed about the cooperation. Meanwhile, Song Qiuchi and Shen Ci, having chatted for a while, grew familiar. She suddenly tugged Shen Ci's sleeve and lowered her voice, "Your dad is very handsome."

Shen Ci first agreed very proudly, then also lowered his voice and said, "Your aunt is also especially beautiful."