Chapter 34

The two of them, with their different thoughts, had a disagreement. Shen Chutang’s attitude was tougher than ever before.

Shi Chengyu had never faced Shen Chutang like this before. His heart felt as if it had been cut open, blood gushing out. He panicked and left, almost tripping over himself. He practically fled back to his room.

Shen Chutang leaned against the headboard, her arms wrapped around her knees, her face buried in them. She let the tears flow.

The next day, Shen Chutang went back to the Shen family. Shi Chengyu followed behind her to see her off. Looking at her back, so small and lonely, he resisted the urge to rush over.

Uncle Wen watched the two of them. His eyes were full of astonishment. He had been at the Shen family for over a decade, and this was the first time he had seen them like this.

Shen Chutang didn’t turn her head as she entered the villa. She didn’t say goodbye to him, and she didn’t smile sweetly at him. Shi Chengyu suddenly lost the courage to follow her in.

“Uncle Wen, Tangtang has been in a bad mood these past two days. Keep an eye on her.” Shi Chengyu finished speaking and turned to go back. His steps were stiff and slow.

Shen Chutang looked at the practice problems on the table. She suddenly found it funny. She had been trying so hard to stand shoulder to shoulder with him, but she had never considered whether he wanted to stand shoulder to shoulder with her. In the end, it was just her wishful thinking. In his heart, she was just his sister.

When Shen Sichen came back, he saw Uncle Wen carrying a thick stack of books downstairs, followed by several people who were also carrying books.

“What’s going on?”

Uncle Wen put the books on the ground. “Miss Shen asked to throw them away.”

Shen Sichen picked up a book at random and flipped through a few pages. “Isn’t this written well? You’re going to throw it away before you finish it?”

“I don’t know.” Uncle Wen replied. He then said, “Why don’t you go upstairs and check on Miss Shen? She wasn’t in a good mood when she came back this morning. She’s been in the flower room for the entire morning.”

“Okay.”

Shen Sichen entered the elevator and went to the top floor. He knocked on the door of the glass flower room.

The glass flower room was built on the roof. It was temperature-controlled. Shen Chutang was sitting in a rocking chair inside, hugging her legs, gently swaying.

“What’s wrong, Tangtang?”

Shen Sichen’s voice was lazy. He walked over and sat down on the sofa. “Why are you frowning?”

Shen Chutang reacted a little sluggishly. After one or two seconds, she looked at Shen Sichen. “Am I?”

Shen Sichen chuckled. “No.” Then he pointed at her face. “Here, here, and here. There’s nothing there.”

Shen Chutang glared at him and turned her head. “I want to be alone for a while.”

“Alone for a while? How long have you been here? Have you figured it out?” Shen Sichen asked her with a smile. It was rare to see her alone and depressed.

Shen Chutang was stunned by his question. She hadn’t figured it out. She felt like she was stuck in a dead end, unable to get out.

Seeing her hesitation, Shen Sichen said, “What can’t you tell Second Brother?”

“You can just make fun of me about my little things. If you really encounter something, I won’t help you.” Shen Sichen moved closer to her and reached out to rub her head.

Shen Chutang looked at him, but then she suddenly asked, “Second Brother, how did you meet Sister Xingyang?”

“Us?” Shen Sichen chuckled lightly. “It was a misunderstanding. A misunderstanding.”

“Second Brother likes her, right?” Shen Chutang asked again.

Shen Sichen chuckled, slightly surprised. “Your eyes are good. You usually look silly, but you’re pretty sharp.”

He admitted it generously. Although Shen Chutang didn’t know more, she felt that the smile on Shen Sichen’s face was genuine and gentle.

Shen Sichen asked, “Does Tangtang have someone she likes?”

She couldn’t hide her emotions. Every emotion was written on her face. No one had ever taught her to be subtle since she was little. The Shen family’s unique treasure daughter, she would do whatever she wanted, say whatever she wanted, laugh when she was happy, and sulk when she was unhappy. She had the capital to do so.

Her eyes widened in surprise. Shen Chutang nodded, then shook her head. “I like him. I think I like him.”

“But he doesn’t seem to like me. He’s never treated me as an equal.”

Shen Chutang’s voice was filled with deep disappointment. This was the first time Shen Sichen had seen her like this.

“So… is that why you’ve been studying so hard recently?”

Shen Chutang nodded, then shook her head. Yes, but not entirely.

“Tangtang, if someone doesn’t like you, no matter how hard you try, it won’t work. If someone likes you, they will like you no matter what.”

Words of comfort can only comfort others. Shen Sichen said that, but when it came to himself, he would fight tooth and nail to keep her by his side.

“Our Tangtang is a precious daughter of the family. She’s beautiful, she’s good at academics, she has a good personality. She plays chess, draws, plays the piano. She has countless advantages. He doesn’t like Tangtang. It’s his lack of vision. It’s his loss for a lifetime.”

Shen Sichen rubbed her head again. His little sister was the best in his heart. No one was good enough for her. Seeing her so heartbroken over a man, he felt a pang of heartache.

“So, Tangtang, no one is worth making our Tangtang heartbroken.”

Shen Chutang’s eyes felt sore. “Brother, will you understand these things when you grow up?”

Shen Sichen smiled. “No, Tangtang. You only understand these things after going through some things. But Second Brother never wants you to go through those things. Our Tangtang doesn’t need to go through those things in her lifetime. Just be happy and carefree.”

Shen Chutang reached out to wipe the tears from the corner of her eye. She got out of the rocking chair and sat on the sofa, leaning her head against his shoulder. “Second Brother…”

“Okay, okay. How long has it been since you cried in front of me? I’m a little unaccustomed to it.” Shen Sichen patted her back awkwardly. “Cry for a while, then go downstairs to eat.”

“Are you bored being alone at home? Chengyu and I have been a little busy recently. If you’re bored, call Xie Tong to come over and keep you company.”

“Your birthday is in a few days. How do you want to celebrate it this year?”

After dinner, Shen Sichen accompanied her to watch TV in the living room. He felt relieved when he saw her mood improve.

Shen Chutang thought for a moment, then suddenly said, “Brother, I want to go out and play.”

“Okay, just tell the driver where you want to go, and he’ll take you.” Shen Sichen agreed readily.

Shen Chutang shook her head. “I want to go somewhere far away.”

She wanted to be alone, to go far away, to calm herself down. There were some things she still needed to think about.

Shen Sichen was a little surprised. “Alone?”

Shen Chutang nodded.

Shen Sichen immediately refused. “No.”

Although Shen Sichen had always adopted a hands-off attitude, Shen Chutang had always been under his watchful eye since she was little. Now, not to mention how old Shen Chutang was, she had never gone out alone since she was little. He was even more curious about which jerk had made Shen Chutang so upset.

“You guys can’t accompany me anyway. It’s not really being alone. Call Xie Tong to come with you. Don’t you have the driver and the maid following you? I want to go out and relax.”