Chapter 51

The atmosphere at the dinner table was a bit subtle. Shen Chutang sat next to Shi Chengyu, Shen Sichen sat next to Zhou Xingyang. The former was smiling brightly, while the latter was frowning.

Shen Chutang didn’t pay attention to others and happily ate by herself. Shi Chengyu kept picking dishes and serving soup for her.

Zhou Xingyang occasionally looked up and stared at them blankly. This was the first time she had seen the two of them interact in their daily lives. The last time at the club’s private room, she only felt that they were very close.

She was still a little surprised to see them today. She had seen Shi Chengyu at A University’s outstanding graduate homecoming speech, and she had also followed Shen Sichen to attend meetings.

She had never seen Shi Chengyu’s tender side before. He never stopped smiling. She remembered that her classmates used to joke that Shi Chengyu must be a poker face, because he didn’t smile at all during his two-hour speech.

It turned out he wasn’t incapable of smiling, it was just that the person who could make him smile wasn’t around.

Shen Chutang wasn’t just loved by her family, she was uniquely loved by someone. It was a unique love, a love that everyone envied.

Shen Chutang didn’t notice any of this. She had been eating bland food for a while. Now that she could finally go out to eat, she had a great appetite. Shi Chengyu wrapped the roast duck for her, each piece was just the right size for her to take a bite.

The roast duck at Huadong Mansion was the best in Beijing. She was enjoying it, swaying her legs in her chair, chewing and looking at the two people opposite her. Shi Chengyu waited for her to finish before calling her over to eat another piece. He estimated the amount and didn’t let her eat too much. He only let her eat two pieces of fried golden thread rolls.

Shen Chutang grumbled softly, asking Shi Chengyu to promise to take her back to eat next time. Shi Chengyu smiled and agreed repeatedly, then coaxed her to drink half a bowl of ginseng soup.

When she was full, she noticed that Zhou Xingyang and Shen Sichen opposite her hadn’t eaten much. She didn’t want to wait any longer, so she gently tugged on Shi Chengyu’s sleeve and whispered, “Let’s go home.”

Seeing Shi Chengyu nod in agreement, Shen Chutang called out to her second brother, “We’re going back now, second brother. You two eat slowly.”

Shen Sichen looked up. “Okay, remember to take your medicine when you get back.”

Shen Chutang pouted unhappily, then turned back and playfully added, “Don’t fight.”

After getting in the car, Shi Chengyu hugged her and rubbed her stomach. As he rubbed, he answered her strange questions, like whether they would fight in the future, and what they would do if they did fight.

Shi Chengyu’s heart softened. In the end, he gave her a lollipop to calm her down.

*

Normally, they would go back to Su City for the New Year, but Zhao Wenxian was pregnant and not feeling well. Chen Musheng rushed back from Su City early and had Zhao Wenxian move to the hospital near Lanjiangting.

She was bored at home during her late pregnancy. It just so happened that Shen Chutang was also on holiday. The environment at Lanjiangting was good, there were more maids at home, and it was close to the military hospital.

When Chen Musheng came back, she learned that Shen Chutang had been sick for half a month. She scolded Shen Sujing for a while.

But a few days later, Shen Sujing was also injured on the set and limped back.

The Shen family villa was more lively than ever. Only Shen Gengli was left in Su City, feeling pitiful every day and calling Chen Musheng to complain.

The scarf Chen Musheng had knitted last New Year was finally finished. It wasn’t that she was slow, it was just that there were too many people in the house.

That evening, everyone was at home. Chen Musheng took the scarf and distributed it.

“Sichen, this one is for your girlfriend.” Although she hadn’t met her yet, Shen Sichen had always been picky. The person he liked would naturally be good.

Shen Sichen leaned back on the sofa, looked up, and said, “She doesn’t want it.”

“What do you mean she doesn’t want it? You haven’t even asked her!” Chen Musheng angrily patted his shoulder, putting the scarf on his lap. “At least take it to her and ask.”

Shen Sichen didn’t say anything. He looked down at the scarf on his lap. She didn’t even want him, how could she want his things?

“Second brother, if you don’t want it, give it to me. I just…”

Shen Sichen immediately slapped Shen Sujing’s outstretched hand away and pulled the scarf closer to his chest. “Scram.”

Shen Sujing withdrew his hand awkwardly, saying with a bit of grievance, “You said you didn’t want it, second brother.”

Chen Musheng asked her, “Xiaojing, aren’t you already with someone? Why do you need your second brother’s?”

Shen Sujing blushed and stammered, “I think, second brother’s is prettier.”

Chen Musheng looked at him suspiciously. “How did you become famous with your acting skills? Don’t tell me your second brother bought you water armies.”

Shen Chutang was amused. She was trying on the scarf for Shi Chengyu and leaned against him, her shoulders shaking with laughter. “Third brother’s face is almost written with the words ‘guilty conscience’.”

Shi Chengyu stroked her back. “Slow down.”

“Xiaojing, tell me, do you have someone you like?” Chen Musheng asked her. Then, as if she remembered something, she said, “Is it that actress? What’s her name, what’s it, Man?”

“No! Mom, stop guessing. I, I have to go upstairs!” Shen Sujing ran away like he was escaping, limping up the stairs.

“You little rascal! I’m not stopping you.” Chen Musheng laughed helplessly. “Looks like I have to knit another one.”

“Chengyu, I forgot to ask you when you left in a hurry that day. Tangtang picked the color for you. Do you like it?”

Shi Chengyu said, “Thank you, Auntie. Tangtang has good taste. I like it very much.”

Shen Chutang looked up at him, a little arrogant. The scarf was blue-gray, the same color as the sky when Shen Chutang sent him off that day, and it was also Shen Chutang’s favorite color.

Shi Chengyu usually wore mostly dark colors. Blue was eye-catching, but with a bit of gray, the color wasn’t too bright, so it was suitable.

Shen Chutang played with his fingers. “Blue is the prettiest.”

“Yes, it’s pretty.” Shi Chengyu smiled and agreed with her.

Shen Chutang said again, “But I want to see you wear red. Next year, when I have time, I’ll learn from Mom and knit you a red one.”

“Okay.” Shi Chengyu laughed even happier than her. He rubbed his chin against her head. “Thank you, Tangtang.”

Thank you for coming into his life and accompanying him year after year. Thank you even more for bringing warmth and sweetness to his life.

Shi Chengyu seemed to treat the scarf as a kind of symbol. He wore it every day, so much so that at the end of the year, at all of Shi’s big and small meetings, Shi Chengyu could be seen wearing that blue-gray scarf.

Shi’s went on holiday early this year. Lin Shulang also took a large bonus and went on holiday early.

Because of the illness she had in the fall, Shi Chengyu stayed by Shen Chutang’s side every day. He went out fully armed, afraid that she would catch a chill. He also made her drink medicinal food to nourish her body.

Shen Chutang also received the five sets of tableware, two teacups, and two cute little ceramic figurines that Shi Chengyu had promised her.

She thought she wouldn’t get them. After all, she saw Shi Chengyu almost every day. She didn’t know when he made them.