Chapter 27

The people in the secretary’s office saw her come up and greeted her with smiles. Although they didn’t know her identity, anyone who could freely enter and leave the CEO’s office was probably not simple.

Shi Chengyu was probably in a meeting, and Lin Shulang was also not there. Shen Chutang thanked the secretary who opened the door for her and went inside to wait.

After a while, a secretary brought in two glasses of juice. As he was leaving, Shen Chutang just happened to see Shi Chengyu’s back. She quickly followed him out. “Brother Chengyu!”

When she went out, she saw that he was standing with someone else. The woman was wearing a neat and professional outfit. Hearing her voice, the two of them turned their heads at the same time. He was handsome, and she was beautiful. The phrase “handsome and beautiful” popped into her mind.

Shi Chengyu had already walked towards her and asked with a smile, “Why didn’t you wait inside?”

Shen Chutang snapped out of her daze. “I just saw you, so I came out.”

“Mr. Shi, is this your sister? She’s quite cute.”

Shen Chutang frowned and unconsciously said, “I’m not his sister.”

The woman was surprised for a moment. “Sorry.”

“Shulang, show her out.” Shi Chengyu squeezed her hand. “Let’s go eat.”

Lin Shulang gestured with his hand. “Ms. Chen, this way please.”

Chen Furui glanced at the two of them walking away, then smiled at Lin Shulang. In the elevator, she couldn’t help but ask out of curiosity. “Assistant Lin, that lady just now…”

“Ms. Chen, that’s not part of our business negotiations.” Lin Shulang smiled faintly, showing his detachment.

Chen Furui smiled awkwardly and didn’t speak again.

Upstairs, Shen Chutang’s lips were turned down, and she looked at Shi Chengyu, who was smiling happily. “Shi Chengyu.”

“Am I your sister?”

Shen Chutang rarely called him by his full name. This time, it meant she was angry.

Shi Chengyu was stunned. Of course, she wasn’t. He looked at her with some confusion. “What’s wrong, Tangtang?”

Shen Chutang didn’t know what was wrong. She just thought about the way they stood together just now, and her heart inexplicably ached. It was dull and she didn’t know how to describe it or how to say it.

“Why did she say I’m your sister?” Shen Chutang asked again, her voice much lower, her eyelashes fluttering slightly.

Shi Chengyu said, “She guessed wrong. She…”

“Do we look like siblings?”

Shen Chutang stubbornly asked, her heart filled with a strange mixture of emotions.

Shi Chengyu’s heart skipped a beat when she asked. He said in a hoarse voice, “No.”

This statement obviously had no credibility. They were seven years apart, and Shen Chutang was naive and looked young. Anyone would think they were siblings.

Shen Chutang didn’t believe him. She wasn’t Shi Chengyu’s sister. This phrase echoed in her mind. She didn’t know why she was so upset, or what else was bothering her.

“Tangtang, be good. Those things don’t matter. Let’s eat first.” Shi Chengyu comforted her and patted her head.

Shen Chutang whispered that it did matter, but she didn’t ask again. She slowly ate her food. Although she had no appetite, she waited until Shi Chengyu finished eating before putting down her chopsticks.

Shen Chutang said, “I want to go home first.”

“Okay.”

Shi Chengyu agreed quickly and took her hand, walking out. Shen Chutang looked at their hands clasped together and was lost in thought.

When they reached the downstairs, Shen Chutang suddenly pulled her hand away. Lin Shulang stepped forward and opened the back door of the car, but Shen Chutang walked forward and opened the passenger door and sat down.

Lin Shulang was stunned. The driver was also stunned. He hesitated for a moment, unbuckled his seatbelt, and got out of the car. “Mr. Shi… this…”

“You guys take another car back.” Shi Chengyu finished speaking, walked around to the front, opened the door, and got in.

Shen Chutang saw the driver get out of the car and became even more annoyed. She crossed her arms and sulked.

Shi Chengyu leaned over, buckled her seatbelt, then adjusted the seat, buckled his own seatbelt, and started driving.

Half an hour later, the car stopped downstairs at the villa, but Shen Chutang remained in the same position she had been in when she got in the car. She showed no intention of getting out.

Shi Chengyu unbuckled her seatbelt and scooped her up, holding her in his lap, a small bundle. “What’s wrong, sweetie?”

Shi Chengyu asked her softly, then lifted her chin and touched the corner of her eye. It was dry.

Shen Chutang wasn’t crying, but the emotions she couldn’t express made her feel down. She didn’t want to say anything. She leaned against Shi Chengyu’s chest, her breathing light and shallow. She drooped her eyes listlessly, the light in her eyes seemed to have dimmed.

“What’s wrong?” Shi Chengyu patted her back. “Didn’t you say last time that if you were unhappy, you would tell Brother Chengyu? Hmm?”

But Shen Chutang couldn’t say what was making her unhappy. Was it because she was mistaken for his sister? Yes, but it seemed like it wasn’t.

She couldn’t figure it out, so she didn’t say anything.

Shi Chengyu asked her again, “What can I do to make Tangtang happy?”

Shen Chutang still didn’t answer. Shi Chengyu was silent as well. For the first time, he couldn’t understand her thoughts.

He suddenly realized that Shen Chutang had grown up. She had her own secret thoughts about him that she couldn’t express, and he had no way of knowing or exploring them. He was no longer someone she could share everything with. Tangtang was no longer the little girl who used to tell him everything without any secrets.

His heart ached a little. Shi Chengyu carried her out of the car and comforted her softly, “It’s okay, Tangtang. When you want to tell Brother Chengyu, tell him, okay?”

Shen Chutang nodded twice, humming softly.

Her feelings of loss didn’t dissipate until she fell asleep. But she wasn’t the only one who had trouble sleeping.

The next day, Shi Chengyu sent her to school as usual, but he waited there for a long time after seeing her go upstairs, until Lin Shulang reminded him before he snapped out of it.

Xie Tong rarely saw Shen Chutang arrive later than her. As soon as she wanted to tease her, she saw the faint dark circles under her eyes. Her skin was fair, so any mark was obvious on her face.

“What’s wrong, Tangtang? Didn’t you sleep last night?”

Shen Chutang put down her backpack and lay on the desk. “Ugh… I can’t explain it.”

Xie Tong was even more confused. It was rare to see Shen Chutang looking so gloomy.

“What’s wrong? What’s wrong?”

Shen Chutang glared at her lightly. “It’s not something I can explain in a word or two. I’ll tell you after school.”

She kept Xie Tong hanging for the whole day. As soon as the school bell rang, Xie Tong eagerly helped her pack her backpack and pulled her out, quickly getting into the car.

Uncle Shang was surprised. He closed the car door for Shen Chutang and asked, “Miss, do you have something urgent today?”

Shen Chutang gasped slightly. “No, no. I’m going to the cat cafe later.”

“Hmm hmm! Uncle Shang, please drive faster!” Xie Tong agreed. Shen Chutang wasn’t in a hurry, but she was. It was a rare opportunity to hear Shen Chutang talk about what was bothering her!

Uncle Shang replied “okay” twice and sped up, but he drove steadily.

The car stopped at the door of the cat cafe. Xie Tong quickly got out of the car, then came over to open the door for Shen Chutang, acting like a good dog. She held her arm and walked inside.

They sat on the sofa on the second floor. Xie Tong chewed on potato chips, listening to Shen Chutang’s story. Her expression was rather intriguing. “So… are you unhappy because you saw him standing with another woman?”