Chapter 73: Underground Lover

“You said it,” Shuangxu immediately said, “You can’t go back on your word.”

Would he really soften his heart because a woman cried?

Whether true or false, if crying could make him agree, it was a very simple condition.

Shuangxu thought about all the sad things in her life, about her mother’s unreasonable abandonment, about the ten years of carefree time she could never go back to, about the fact that the Shen family had fallen to where they were because of her.

She wondered what Shen Yu would feel if he knew she was selling herself like this.

Thinking about this, she couldn’t help but feel sad, but the more she deliberately tried to cry, the harder it was to cry.

She secretly pinched her leg, it hurt enough, but she still couldn’t squeeze out tears.

Especially, she saw the upturned arc of He Tingzhou’s lips and the look of amusement in his eyes.

“…What are you laughing at?”

“Did you pinch yourself hard enough?” He Tingzhou acted kindly, “Do you want me to help you? I have more strength.”

The little bit of tears she had managed to conjure up were gone, Shuangxu was a little frustrated, she should have brought an onion when she went out.

She handed him the blueberry mousse in her hand, “Can you have some cake first? Give me some time.”

He Tingzhou raised an eyebrow, “You bought it for me?”

“I was going to go find you again.” Shuangxu didn’t want to give up so easily, “If it was because of my expression yesterday that messed things up, I can change it to one you like.”

He Tingzhou looked at her, his expression didn’t change much, but for some reason, the coldness he always had around him seemed to dissipate.

He raised Shuangxu’s chin and looked into her eyes.

Yue Zifeng always loved to tell people the story of how Shen Yu brought Shuangxu home, how pitiful the eight-year-old Shuangxu was, how her eyes could melt even the hardest heart. It was as if he had seen it with his own eyes.

But he wasn’t lying.

Shuangxu had eyes that made people want to protect her, to cherish her, how could he bear to see her cry? He just wanted to put the best things in the world in front of her.

How lucky Shen Yu was to find her in a city of twenty million people.

“Let’s leave it for next time, cry again next time.” He let her off for now, “Give me your phone.”

“What for?” Shuangxu didn’t understand.

He Tingzhou directly took the phone from her hand, scanned her face without her reaction, unlocked it, and clicked into WeChat.

Shuangxu wanted to see what he was going to do, He Tingzhou took advantage of his height advantage to hold the phone above her head, operated it a few times, and then threw it back to her.

Only after Shuangxu got the phone did she realize that he had set her as the top, and changed the note.

From “Brother Tingzhou,” it had become “Brother Tingzhou.”

One character difference, the taste immediately changed.

“You must answer my calls, be at my beck and call, and you’re not allowed to hold hands, hug, kiss, or sleep with any other man except me – including your brother.” He Tingzhou said, “Can you do that?”

This wasn’t anything, Shuangxu thought he would make some requests like “remember your identity, don’t interfere with my life.”

“I can.” She nodded, “I only have one request, don’t let my brother know.”

Not letting Shen Yu know meant that no one could know.

He Tingzhou snorted, “So you want me to be your underground lover. Am I so undesirable?”

But this wasn’t something to be proud of, Shuangxu said, “If my brother knew, he wouldn’t agree.”

He Tingzhou glanced at her for a few seconds, then turned and opened the car door, “Wait at home.”

For the next few days, there was no news from He Tingzhou’s side, Shuangxu knew it wasn’t easy, she didn’t urge him, but as the days went by, the wait stretched out the torture.

Before things were settled, she didn’t tell Fu Yun, lest she be disappointed.

That afternoon, Fu Yun’s blood pressure was a little high again, Shuangxu brought her blood pressure medicine, poured a cup of warm water, Fu Yun was taking the medicine when Shuangxu’s phone rang.

Brother Tingzhou: 【Where are you】

Shuangxu immediately replied: 【At my godmother’s place】

He Tingzhou didn’t send another message.

After Fu Yun finished taking the medicine, Wang 嫂 came over to report, “Old Master Song is here.”

“He wouldn’t see me when I went to ask for his help, why did he come himself today.” These days, Fu Yun had seen enough of the cold reality of human nature.

Wang 嫂 guessed, “Maybe he changed his mind and is willing to help?”

“He’s a guest, invite him in.”

The maid invited him to the living room and offered him tea, Old Master Song walked in, glanced at Shuangxu sitting next to Fu Yun, besides his usual sternness, there was also a hint of scrutiny.

Fu Yun, trying to maintain her composure, politely asked, “Uncle Song, how have you been lately? I wanted to go see you a few days ago, but Cui Ning said you weren’t feeling well and had moved to the south city for recuperation.”

“I know you’re looking for me because of Changyuan’s matter.” Old Master Song didn’t beat around the bush, he went straight to the point, “I’m here today because of this. Changyuan has been detained for ten days, if we drag it on, the situation will only get worse for him, once he’s really sentenced, there will be no room for maneuver.”

Fu Yun was already worried sick, hearing this, she felt a tightness in her chest that made it hard to breathe.

The Song family’s attitude of watching from the sidelines, she knew it in her heart, but now that the old man had come specially, she couldn’t help but feel a glimmer of hope.

“I know what you’re saying, we’ve done everything we can, but when the wall falls, everyone pushes, how many people are hoping for our Shen family to fall so they can get a piece of the pie. Uncle Song, when my father was still alive, he had known you for decades, looking at the friendship between our two families for so many years, can you help Changyuan?”

“Changyuan is a child I watched grow up, I certainly don’t want anything to happen to him. But I’ve been retired for many years, I’m now a nobody, Old Zheng can actually speak for him.” Old Master Song said, then looked at Shuangxu again.

“It was he who was behind the scenes in Changyuan’s matter.”

“Go find the Zheng family and beg them to spare Changyuan.”

“That’s easy for you to say!” Fu Yun’s emotions became agitated. “When he schemed to frame Changyuan, he never intended to let us go!”

Grandpa Song said, “This whole thing started because of Shuangxu. If Shen Yu hadn’t defended her against Zheng Zuye, he wouldn’t have made enemies with the Zheng family. The Zheng family has been riding high these past few years, and now they’ve bet on the right horse. Their path will only get wider and smoother. Their son likes Shuangxu, and old Zheng wants to find a reliable girl for him. If Shuangxu can marry him, the feud between the Shen and Zheng families will be resolved. They’ll be in-laws then, and old Zheng will naturally be lenient.”

Fu Yun was speechless.

Shuangxu, who had been quiet all this time, finally spoke up. “He almost raped me, drugged me and tried to molest me. Do you think that’s liking me?”

The old man’s eyebrows shot up. “You can eat your words, but you can’t speak nonsense. You’re a girl, and you’re talking about rape and molestation. Where’s your shame?”

They had no hope, but they still got more disappointment.

“Why don’t you just say it directly?” Shuangxu said bluntly. “You want to ride on the Zheng family’s coattails, sacrifice me, and exchange it for the prosperity of your Song family.”

“I’m doing this for your own good!” Grandpa Song said righteously. “This is the only way to save Changyuan.”

Shuangxu looked at Fu Yun, afraid to see a hint of approval in her eyes.

Fu Yun was initially stunned, then fell silent.

Shuangxu couldn’t understand what she was thinking. Maybe because her heart was cold, her voice sounded unusually calm. “Mom, do you think so too?”