Chapter 25

From a distance, Shen Chutang couldn’t see clearly, but she could vaguely see a girl there.  When Shen Sichen came back, he looked at him with a meaningful expression.  “Second Brother, who is that?”

Shen Sichen tapped her head and took the things from Shen Sujing’s hands.  “Don’t ask about grown-up things, kid.”

“I’m not a kid anymore.  If you don’t tell me, I’ll tell Mom and Dad!”

“Hey!  Who did you learn to tattle on from?” Shen Sichen glanced back at her.  “Don’t say it.  I’ll deduct your allowance if you do.”

Shen Chutang grumbled and got into the car.  Of course, it wasn’t because of the allowance that she decided not to say it.  She never paid for anything herself.  Shen Sichen wouldn’t let her, so she wouldn’t tell Shen Father and Shen Mother.

*

On New Year’s Eve, the family had a reunion dinner.  Shen Chutang stayed up late to see the New Year in, which was rare for her.  Just before midnight, Shi Chengyu called her and told her to look out the window.

As soon as the clock struck midnight, a burst of fireworks exploded in the sky, dazzling and magnificent.

Shen Chutang couldn’t help but exclaim.  She stared at them intently, exclaiming, “Brother Chengyu, it’s so beautiful.”

Shen Chutang loved to watch fireworks, but she remembered that fireworks were not allowed in Suzhou.  Even sparklers were not available.

The last firework faded and disappeared into the night sky.  Shen Chutang came to her senses.  “Brother Chengyu, thank you.”

“Happy New Year.”

“Happy New Year, Tangtang.”

Shi Chengyu said softly.  In the distance, firecrackers continued to explode.  He felt that he should be by Shen Chutang’s side right now.

“Okay, go to sleep.  It’s getting late.”

Shen Chutang yawned.  “Okay, Brother Chengyu, good night.”

“Good night, Tangtang.”

“Chengyu, who are you talking to on the phone?”

Shi Chengyu put down his phone and walked towards the living room.  There were many people sitting on the sofa.  Old Master Shi insisted on staying up every year.  Shi Hezun was the youngest child in the family.  He had two older brothers and an older sister.  He had been spoiled since he was little.  Shi Chengyu was his only son, so he was even more loved by the elders.

“Chengyu, who are you talking to on the phone so late?”

Shi Chengyu lowered his eyes.  “Work stuff.”

“You’re still busy with work so late.  Hezun, why are you making Chengyu so tired?”

“Exactly.  Chengyu is not young anymore.  He doesn’t even have a girlfriend.”

Shi Hezun had no words to say.  It wasn’t him who made Shi Chengyu busy.

“Big Brother, you have to keep an eye out for suitable girls in your circle and introduce them to our Chengyu…”

“It doesn’t have to be someone from the circle.  What era is this?  Don’t do that.  As long as Chengyu likes her…”

With so many people talking, Shi Chengyu smiled faintly, not responding.

Old Master Shi coughed a few times.  “Alright, stop meddling in Chengyu’s business.  He’s a man with his own plans.”  He looked at Shi Chengyu.  “Just don’t forget to bring anyone you like home to see us when the time comes.”

“Okay, Grandpa.” Shi Chengyu agreed, his smile more genuine than before.

Everyone was slightly surprised.  They looked at each other.  Did that mean he already had someone he liked?

……

They stayed in Suzhou for another week.  Shen Chutang and the three of them returned to Beijing.

After getting off the plane, they thought the driver would be there to pick them up, but Shi Chengyu was waiting there.

Shen Chutang rushed into his arms.  They had only been apart for half a month, but it felt like years.

“Alright, alright, let’s go home first.” Shi Chengyu put his arm around her shoulder and greeted the two behind him.  “Second Brother, Sujing, I’ll take Tangtang back first.”

Shen Sichen waved to him, couldn’t help but complain.  “I don’t know who’s clinging to whom.”

Shi Chengyu took her to eat first.  After dinner, they went back to the cat cafe in Lanjiang Court.

The cats here were mostly strays.  The story goes back many years.  At that time, Shen Chutang saw a stray cat in the neighborhood.  She wanted to keep it, but Shen Sichen was allergic to cat fur, and she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to take care of it.  She would go and feed it cat food every day.

When Shi Chengyu found out, he renovated a house and turned it into a cat cafe.  There were people who came to clean and take care of the cats.  Daidai was the first cat they adopted.

When they first adopted it, it was a skinny little kitten.  Now, it was a big, cuddly cat.

Shen Chutang was holding a kitten that had been born recently.  Daidai seemed jealous and rubbed against her leg.

Shi Chengyu picked up Daidai and put it on his lap.  His voice was tinged with a hint of jealousy that was hard to detect.  “Good Daidai, we’ll wait a moment.  Tangtang will come and keep us company after she’s done with the kitten.”

Daidai meowed a few times and rubbed against Shi Chengyu’s hand.  Shen Chutang looked at the man and the cat with amusement.  “Brother Chengyu, Sister Liang said Daidai is too fat.  He can’t eat so many cans.”

Actually, Shen Chutang felt a little guilty about this.  She blamed herself for being soft-hearted and giving him extra cans every time.  As a result, she had raised a gluttonous, fat cat.

Shi Chengyu knew.  So, he held the can in his hand but didn’t open it.  He played with Daidai.  “Tangtang said he can’t eat, so we both have to listen.”

Daidai stretched out its paw to grab it, but it couldn’t reach.  It suddenly jumped onto Shen Chutang’s legs and meowed sadly.

Shen Chutang put down the kitten and rubbed Daidai’s head.  “Daidai, why are you so greedy?  I can’t even hold you anymore.”

“Let me.” Shi Chengyu took Daidai back and handed her a cat stick.  “Feed Daidai this.”

Shen Chutang looked at the pitiful Daidai and laughed.  She tore open the packaging and fed it to him.

“Be good after you finish the cat stick.”

Shi Chengyu never took his eyes off her face, a faint smile playing on his lips.

The last time they were at Wuhua Mountain Villa, Shen Boyu had warned him, both openly and subtly, not to have any thoughts about Shen Chutang.  But if he had seen Shi Chengyu and Shen Chutang together, he would have realized that Shi Chengyu was completely relaxed in front of Shen Chutang.  Sometimes, he was even more childish than Shen Chutang.

……

The weather gradually warmed up.  Life was ordinary but happy.  It was just that Shi Chengyu seemed to be busier.  Sometimes, Uncle Shang would pick her up.

She had just arrived home when she smelled the scent of food.  Shen Chutang ran inside.  “Brother Chengyu!”

“Tangtang?” Xue Wanqiu turned around when she heard the voice.  “Chengyu isn’t back yet.  Do you want to eat something first?”

“Auntie Xue!” Shen Chutang walked over to her side and looked at the pork rib soup bubbling in the pot.  The aroma was intoxicating.  “I’m not hungry yet.  Let’s wait for Brother Chengyu to come back.”

Uncle Shang just came in with his schoolbag.  He said, “Madam, Miss, Assistant Lin just called back and said Mr. Shi will be back later today.  He told Miss to eat first.”

“Oh!  What bad luck.” Xue Wanqiu exclaimed.  She had finally come back, and it turned out that Shi Chengyu was working late.

“When will he be back?” Shen Chutang asked.

Uncle Shang said, “Assistant Lin didn’t say.  He just said to let Miss eat and go to sleep early.”

Shen Chutang was a little disappointed.  It meant he wouldn’t be back until very late.  The soup in the pot was still bubbling, but she had lost her appetite.

Xue Wanqiu sighed with her, feeling a little heartache.  “Chengyu has been working too hard lately.  He can’t ignore his health.  Why don’t we send some over?”

Shen Chutang’s eyes widened instantly.  She shook off her previous disappointment.  “Auntie Xue, I’ll go send it!”