Chapter 16

Hearing Shen Chutang agree, she began to dress seriously.  She and Shen Gengli were both good-looking, and Shen Chutang inherited all the best features from both of them.  Chen Musheng had loved dressing her up since she was little, beautiful princess dresses, or everyday clothes, and all sorts of jewelry, bought like running water, making her look beautiful.  Then she would watch as others cast envious glances.

“My baby daughter is the most beautiful.”

Chen Musheng looked at the style she had created with satisfaction.  She looked at her face.  Any foundation would be too much, so she gave up on the idea of putting on makeup.

“Mom, it’s just a family dinner.  It doesn’t have to be so grand.”

Shen Chutang looked at the diamond crown on her head helplessly.  She wanted to take it off, but Chen Musheng stopped her.

“What’s wrong with a family dinner?  You’re our only treasure, Shen family.”

It was useless to argue.  Shen Chutang could only act cute.  She turned her head and looked at Chen Musheng with pitiful eyes.  “Mom~ It’s heavy to wear this.”

Chen Musheng knew her tricks, but she couldn’t help but laugh.  “Okay, we won’t wear it.”  She said, changing it to a lighter hair clip and clipping it on her head.

“There you go, our Tangtang looks so pretty.”

The dress today was chosen by Chen Musheng.  It was a light purple evening gown, simple yet elegant.  It wasn’t bulky when she walked.

“Our Tangtang has grown up.” Chen Musheng touched her head, tears glistening in her eyes.

Shen Chutang leaned her head on her shoulder.  “Tangtang will always be Mom’s daughter.”

“Okay, Mom will always be your Mom too.” Chen Musheng put her arm around her.  “Come on, let’s go downstairs together.”

Shen Gengli was making dumplings at the dining table with his three sons.  Wen Shu led Shi Chengyu in.

Shi Chengyu handed the gift he had prepared, along with the gifts from Old Master Shi and his parents, to the servant and walked towards them.  “Uncle Shen, Big Brother, Second Brother, Sujing, I’m late.”

“Chengyu, you’re not late, you’re early.” Shen Gengli greeted him.

“Aren’t you working today?” Shen Sichen asked, looking at him.

Shi Chengyu went to wash his hands and then walked over.  “I’m not busy today.”

Shen Sujing: “Second Brother, you’re talking about Brother Chengyu.  You didn’t go to work either.”

“It’s my daughter’s birthday.  What kind of work would I be doing?  Besides, if a company can’t function without someone for a day, it’s probably useless.” Shen Sichen moved to the side, making room for him.

Shi Chengyu sat down naturally and skillfully, picking up a dumpling wrapper and starting to wrap it.  “Second Brother is right.”

“That’s what you say, but that’s not an excuse for you to sneak out to drink and hang out at bars every day.” Shen Yanheng said calmly.  Shen Gengli instantly looked at Shen Sichen.

“What’s going on?”

Shen Sujing had a face full of suppressed laughter.  “Second Brother, you were photographed a while ago.  Luckily, the reporters contacted the Shen family first and suppressed the news.”

The news didn’t get out, but there were many people at the bar, and many people knew about it.  It spread by word of mouth.

“Hey, you two are both tattling on me.” Shen Sichen grabbed some flour and threw it at the two of them, not even sparing Shi Chengyu.

“You’re not young anymore.  Look at Chengyu.  Why doesn’t he have those kinds of problems?” Shen Gengli scolded.

“It’s not my fault.  Can you tell Uncle Zhao that I really don’t like Zhao Qingzhi?  Don’t let her follow me anymore.  She almost got me killed last time.”

Shen Sichen was still angry thinking about what happened last time.  He had never been tricked like that before.  “I’ve only met her a few times.  I just treat her as a little sister.  She’s really annoying.”

Shen Gengli had been transferred to S City five years ago, and he hadn’t been in touch with the Zhao family for years.  He asked in surprise, “That girl is still clinging to you?”

“More than clinging.  She even dared to do those kinds of things.  I almost lost my reputation, your son!”

Shen Sujing leaned over.  “Hey, Second Brother, who was the girl that day?”

“Look who’s here!”

Chen Musheng’s voice came from the stairs.  Everyone looked over.

“Auntie Chen, Tangtang.”

“Mom, Tang’er!” Shen Sichen took the opportunity to slip away, not forgetting to elbow Shen Sujing.  “I’m not telling you.”

“Tang’er looks so beautiful today!”

“Second Brother, your compliment is so insincere.” Shen Chutang pouted as she walked over.

“Dad, look at Second Brother.”

Shen Gengli looked at his precious daughter and said with a smile, “Don’t mind him.  Your Second Brother is tongue-tied.  I’ll make him wash the dishes later.”

“Your Big Brother doesn’t know how to compliment people either.”

Shen Yanheng and Shi Chengyu had just come back from washing their hands.  When they heard Shen Gengli say that, they didn’t refute.  They just smiled.  “Tangtang looks beautiful today.”

Shen Chutang turned her head.  “Big Brother, Brother Chengyu!”

“Brother Chengyu, how did you get flour on your hair!” Shen Chutang walked over.  Shi Chengyu lowered his head.  “Second Brother did it.”

Shen Chutang wiped it with a towel.  “Why didn’t you dodge?”

Shen Sichen walked over and snatched the towel from her hand, wiping his hands.  “Why do you all like to tattle so much?  I swear, I threw it at him last.  There wasn’t much left.”

“Okay, okay, you’re just bullying Chengyu for being honest.” Chen Musheng walked over and patted his arm.

“He’s honest?  He’s honest?!”

Shen Sichen asked loudly.  Seeing that Chen Musheng was about to hit him, he quickly ran away.

Everyone laughed.  The living room was filled with laughter.  Shen Chutang leaned against Shi Chengyu, looking up at him and smiling.

After lunch, Chen Musheng invited a photographer to take family photos for everyone in the afternoon.  Shen Chutang also took many photos with her camera.  She printed these photos out and put them in her room.

In the afternoon, Shen Boyu also sent a gift.  It was a complete set of dowry, the old things left by Shen Chutang’s grandmother.  Everyone stared at the large boxes in a daze.  Only Shi Chengyu’s eyes were dark and unclear.

Shen Sichen held a phoenix crown in his hand and looked at it.  “Why did Grandpa have people send these?”

Shen Yanheng said, “Probably because Tangtang is almost an adult.”

“He’s sending these because she’s almost an adult?  I think the old man is senile!” Shen Gengli was furious.  His precious daughter was so young, and he was showing her these things about getting married.  It was unlucky, really unlucky.

Chen Musheng hit him.  “Dad is just being kind.  If he sent them, just accept them.  Don’t talk so much.  And don’t talk bad about Dad.”

She also had a few sets of these things.  They were given to her by Tangtang’s grandmother when she got married.  But the old lady passed away a few years later.  Shen Boyu moved to Wuhua Mountain and never came down again.

Shen Chutang curiously held the phoenix crown and tried it on.  It was heavy.  She played with it for a while and put it back down.  “It’s too heavy.  If I actually wore it, it would probably break my neck.”

Everyone laughed.  Shi Chengyu stepped forward and rubbed her head.  “There will be lighter ones in the future.”

In the evening, Shen Chutang sat in the yard watching the fireworks in the sky, smiling brightly.  Shi Chengyu sat next to her and suddenly called out, “Tangtang.”

Shen Chutang tilted her head, still smiling.  “What?”

Shi Chengyu opened his palm, and a jade pendant with a cloud pattern was in his hand.

“Happy birthday, Tangtang.  May all your wishes come true.”

Shen Chutang smiled, took his hand, and looked at the jade.  “Brother Chengyu, didn’t you give me a gift this morning?”

“It’s different.”

Those were just superficial gifts.  She didn’t necessarily need those jewels and jewelry.

Shi Chengyu placed the jade in her hand and said softly, “I made it myself.  It’s been blessed at the temple.”

Shen Chutang examined it carefully.  It still held the warmth of his palm.  “Brother Chengyu, thank you.  I like it very much.”

“Brother Chengyu, aren’t you going to ask what wish I made today?” Shen Chutang suddenly asked him.

For her, there was no such thing as a wish not coming true if it wasn’t spoken out loud.  Any wish she spoke out loud would be fulfilled.

Shi Chengyu smiled.  “What?”

“I wish Brother Chengyu happiness every day and that all his wishes come true.”

Shi Chengyu was stunned for a moment, then his smile widened.  “Okay.”

He was already very happy to have this time now.

The fireworks in the night sky exploded with a bang.  Shen Chutang suddenly heard her own rapid heartbeat.  She turned her head.  The colorful fireworks were reflected in her eyes, and her face was reflected in Shi Chengyu’s eyes.