That night, I returned to the hotel at midnight but didn’t fall asleep until after 2 AM. Five minutes were spent completing a certain transaction, ten minutes on getting ready for bed, and two hours agonizing over how stupid I looked saying “I would like that.”
Ahhhh, it wasn’t even a proposal, why did I say “I would like that”?
Sigh~
These feelings of sweetness mixed with embarrassment really affected my sleep, leading to constant yawning when Uncle woke me up for breakfast around eight, earning suspicious glances from him.
“When did you go to bed last night? Why are you so tired?”
“It’s been a while since I attended a banquet, I’m just a bit exhausted.” I guiltily buried my head in my small wontons.
Uncle didn’t seem to have slept well either, with worried dark circles under his eyes. He took a sip of black tea and asked, “You’re going to the Sheng family home for lunch?”
I had already discussed this with Lin Yusen last night, and we’d decided he wouldn’t take me after all—he’d come out after eating and take me shopping and dining instead. I honestly told Uncle: “Lin Yusen said he hasn’t properly visited Mom and Dad yet, so it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to go for a meal first. We’re planning to make some excuse to not take me.”
Uncle’s expression improved considerably: “At least he knows proper etiquette. However, early this morning, your mother received a call from Old Mr. Sheng, saying that since he knew you were in Shanghai, he wanted to invite you to the Sheng home for a casual meal, as an elder. The propriety has been observed.”
“Eh? So I should go?”
“It’s just a casual meal, nothing more,” Uncle emphasized. “Old Mr. Sheng made the call himself, we should give him this face.”
“See, you all can’t refuse a phone call, how could I refuse yesterday at the banquet? Yet you blamed me.”
Uncle replied irritably: “Now you think you’re in the right?”
Me: “…Not really.”
I lowered my head to continue eating wontons, glancing at my phone. Mom hadn’t sent me any messages at all. She was still reluctant, which is why she had Uncle inform me instead.
Uncle let out a long sigh: “Daughters make one worry. Be careful when you go to the Sheng family. I only knew bits and pieces about their family affairs before, but after returning last night, I didn’t rest—I dug around and got a clear picture. The situation is even more complicated than I thought.”
“?”
With my mouth full of wontons, I questioned him with my eyes.
Uncle said: “Did you know Lin Yusen’s father passed away more than twenty years ago?”
I nodded, “He told me about it, said when he was very young, his father died of illness while on an overseas assignment.”
“It’s not that simple.” Uncle took another sip of tea. “His father came from an ordinary background, but he graduated from a prestigious university, was exceptionally intelligent, and had great business acumen. After graduation, he joined Sheng Yuan and was promoted several times within a year. Whether he knew the Sheng family’s eldest daughter before joining the company or started dating after joining Sheng Yuan is debated, but either way, such a talented person, despite his humble origins, gave Sheng Xianmin no reason to object—their dating and marriage went smoothly. After marriage, he was given even more responsibilities, but I doubt Sheng Xianmin anticipated just how brilliantly a true talent could perform when given resources and higher authority. During those years, the Sheng family was rising rapidly, but internally, all the sons were overshadowed, and everyone in the company and even outsiders were saying Sheng Yuan would be passed to someone outside the family. In the end, he was sent abroad to develop new markets and didn’t return for several years. Later, when that country had a coup, he was accidentally injured, didn’t receive timely treatment, and passed away. His mother has lived abroad ever since, not returning even when Old Mr. Sheng fell ill.”
“While there are precedents of old family businesses like the Sheng family being managed by outsiders, Sheng Xianmin is very stubborn—in his mind, family inheritance far outweighs business development. In the Sheng family, anyone with a different surname, no matter how excellent, must be kept down a notch. You saw the situation yesterday, that young man.”
Uncle paused, pointing at me, “You need to understand what kind of situation this is.”
I was lost in thought for a while, countless images of Lin Yusen floating through my mind—him laughing heartily, being witty, being strategically masterful… I had thought that even with his father’s early death, he must have grown up in a harmonious family. I hadn’t imagined that behind his gentle and carefree exterior lay such a past.
I wiped my hands with a napkin, nodded, and said: “I understand.”
Uncle was surprised, “Oh? Then tell me, what do you understand? How do you plan to handle your visit to the Sheng family?”
I sat up straight and recited my background to him: “I am the only daughter of Jiang Yun and Nie Chengyuan from Wuxi, the only niece of Jiang Ping from Nanjing. My godmother is someone even Old Mr. Sheng has to pay respects to when passing through Wuxi. If they want to bully my boyfriend, they can forget about it!”
I, the young miss whose illustrious family background even intimidates Manager Jiang, have decided to bestow upon Lin Yusen the highest honor—personally picking him up from his home!
So as soon as Uncle left, I set off towards Lin Yusen’s home with high spirits. However, before I could even leave the hotel, I received a call from Auntie Huang.
“Xuiguang, are you up? I’m almost at your hotel. Your mother asked me to take you to look at a house.”
Look at a house.
Although I knew my family was quite wealthy, having my mom arrange a house in the blink of an eye was still something I found a bit overwhelming.
When Auntie Huang saw me, she first praised me: “Xuiguang, your skin looks so good. Oh, that’s a beautiful necklace today, I didn’t see it yesterday.”
“The bracelet matches it, it’s a set. I’m not wearing the earrings,” I raised my hand to show the bracelet, and with mixed feelings told her: “This was exchanged—no, I mean, received as a New Year’s gift yesterday.”
At least Mr. Lin was sensible enough to prepare other gifts besides the slippers, though he only took them out after getting his watch back when sending me back to the hotel==
He happily left right after giving them to me, the whole process taking less than five minutes, like a hasty transaction… Although he did kiss me before leaving, it wasn’t romantic at all, even less romantic than when he gave me the slippers.
He was probably eager to get home and examine that watch by himself…
I don’t want to remember it.
I changed the subject: “Where is the house?”
“It’s nearby, just a few minutes away.”
That close?
It couldn’t be in Lin Yusen’s complex, could it?
Fortunately, it wasn’t quite that coincidental. But it wasn’t far either, just in the neighboring complex…
Auntie Huang first showed me around the community, then we went upstairs to see the apartment. It was a fully decorated three-bedroom with two living rooms, completely empty, with the living room and master bedroom facing the Huangpu River.
“This property was acquired a few years ago but never furnished. If you like it, I can find an interior designer to match it up. Of course, if you prefer living in Puxi, we also have an empty apartment near Xintiandi. As for others, they’re either too far away or currently being rented out—you might not be comfortable living in a place others have lived in.”
I looked out from the living room at the same river view as Lin Yusen’s place and immediately fell in love with it. Then I realized that my mom, despite her wisdom, might have overlooked something—did she even know this complex was right next to Lin Yusen’s?
It made me seem almost like I was throwing myself at him.
“How do you like it?” Auntie Huang asked.
“It’s very nice, let’s go with this one,” I gave her work full approval. “You can help me with the furniture.”
“What style do you prefer?”
I thought about Lin Yusen’s somewhat elegant and proper style and decided to go for something completely different. “Something softer, with fluffy carpets, fabric sofas, very white and soft, also plush…”
After touring the house, we left, discussing details while waiting for the elevator.
“No need for a large coffee table, I like sitting on the carpet, just a small table for putting things down would be fine. Oh, and leave a room for Jiang Rui too.”
“Ding,” the elevator arrived and opened, with people already inside. I walked in, glancing casually, and suddenly froze mid-sentence.
The elevator doors slowly closed.
Beside me, Auntie Huang said: “Jiang Rui is Manager Jiang’s son, right? I’ve noted that down. Xuiguang, when are you free to look at the furniture? Or if you’re busy, I can have them prepare a complete design proposal and send you the catalog. I’ll send you some designers’ portfolios to choose from in the next couple of days.”
I heard her words but momentarily forgot to respond.
Other passengers in the elevator were saying: “The rent here is indeed a bit higher than your budget, Mr. Zhuang, but the location is good and close to your workplace. However, if you’re not satisfied, we can look at other complexes. There’s another apartment I highly recommend, much better value for money, more suitable for a single gentleman like yourself, Mr. Zhuang.”
The person beside him didn’t respond either.
Auntie Huang glanced at me and stopped talking.
The elevator suddenly fell silent.
This was my first time seeing Zhuang Xu since the eldest’s wedding.
So unexpected, in a completely unpredictable place. I thought, I probably don’t need to greet him, right? That would be so fake.
At this point, we probably reached an unspoken agreement.
In the silence, the elevator reached the ground floor. When the doors opened, I noticed in my peripheral vision that he hadn’t moved at all, so I walked out first.
Auntie Huang walked behind me, “The rent in this complex is quite high, and the tenants are of good quality too. Look at that young man in the elevator just now, so handsome.”
I was quiet for a moment. “Auntie Huang, are there any other houses?”
Auntie Huang was startled: “Is something wrong with this one?”
Nothing wrong, it’s just…
But from what the agent in the elevator was saying, Zhuang Xu probably wasn’t satisfied with this place. And even if he was, seeing that I would be living here too, he would probably reconsider.
So why should I overreact, which only shows that I care too much?
I shook my head, “I was just asking, there’s no problem, let’s go with this one.”
Declining Auntie Huang’s offer to take me back to the hotel, I slowly walked to the entrance of Lin Yusen’s complex. Then I stood there thinking about how I could get in without the security guard notifying him, so I could wait in the lobby and surprise him.
Lost in thought, I didn’t notice the series of message alerts.
I lowered my head to check the messages.
“Has our little sun risen yet?”
“Grandfather called this morning, and said he called your mother, did she tell you?”
A smile quietly spread across my lips.
Looking up at the building where Lin Yusen lived, I called him directly: “Mr. Lin, can you hurry up? The sun hasn’t just risen, it’s already shining at your complex’s entrance!”
The person answering the phone was surprised, “You’re at my complex entrance?”
He caught on quickly and said rapidly: “I’ll change clothes and come right down.”
I urged: “Then hurry up, don’t try on a hundred ties.”
Hurried footsteps and his laughter came through the phone: “You’re thinking too much, Miss Nie. Now that I’ve caught you, why would I need to put in that effort?”
What???
So annoying! I immediately warned him sternly: “I’m not cooked yet, I can still fly away.”