Chapter 54

In the afternoon, Shi Chengyu had Ya Xuan send over some snacks and supervised Shen Chutang as she ate.

Ji Man was slightly surprised when she saw Shi Chengyu. She politely greeted him.

Shen Chutang was holding half a jujube pastry and suddenly asked, “Right, Brother Chengyu, Sister Ji Man said she met me before. I don’t remember. Do you?”

Shi Chengyu was focused on wiping her hands, “I don’t remember.”

“Okay.” Shen Chutang stuffed the half-eaten pastry into her mouth and then naturally stretched out her hand for Shi Chengyu to wipe.

Ji Man’s palms were sweating from nervousness just now. Hearing Shi Chengyu say he didn’t remember, her heart finally settled. She suddenly regretted rashly accepting Shen Chutang’s invitation.

They had mutton for dinner. Shen Chutang was warm all over. She pulled Shi Chengyu out to play in the snow with her.

Last year, the snow was light and they couldn’t build a snowman. Shen Chutang still remembered. The snow on the lawn wasn’t thick, but it was enough to build a snowman.

Shen Chutang stood aside and gave instructions. Shi Chengyu rolled two snowballs, one big and one small, and piled them together. They still needed decorations. Shi Chengyu asked her to wait there while he went back to get them.

Ji Man was waiting at the door for Shen Sujing to come down. She heard footsteps and turned around. She was stunned to see Shi Chengyu.

Shi Chengyu’s coat was covered in snow, and he was holding two carrots in his hand. His hair was a bit messy. He didn’t look like his usual elegant and refined self.

The atmosphere was a little awkward. Ji Man smiled, “Thank you, Mr. Shi.”

She didn’t believe that Shi Chengyu really didn’t remember. At that kind of gathering, inviting a girl meant something.

It was just that the people who organized the gathering didn’t know that Shi Chengyu had brought someone, a little girl, and it was too late by the time they found out.

Shi Chengyu said he didn’t remember today, giving her face in front of the Shen family. A simple thank you was insignificant, but necessary.

Shi Chengyu nodded faintly, walking towards the other side nonchalantly.

Ji Man wanted to laugh but held it back. When Shen Sujing came down, she couldn’t help but say, “Mr. Shi, are you always like this in private?”

Shen Sujing said, “He’s like this in front of Tangtang. We’re used to it.”

Or perhaps, Shi Chengyu was only like this in front of Shen Chutang.

Ji Man nodded. No wonder.

They used carrots for the nose and two pebbles for the eyes. Uncle Wen also cut two branches and trimmed them for Shen Chutang, which she inserted on either side of the snowman.

Shen Chutang looked it over and over, feeling like something was missing, “Brother Chengyu…”

“The eyes don’t look good?”

Shi Chengyu guessed her thoughts immediately. He took her hand, “Let’s go get some other stones.”

Shen Chutang looked up at him, “What kind of stones?”

“Didn’t I give you a few black onyx stones last time? Are you willing to donate them, Tangtang?” Shi Chengyu asked her with a smile.

Shen Chutang’s eyes lit up, “Okay!”

“Black eyes look better.”

“Yes, Tangtang is right.”

Shi Chengyu agreed, taking Shen Chutang’s hand and walking outside. There was some snow on the road. Shen Chutang played as she walked, but she was also afraid of falling, so she held his hand tightly.

As they walked, Shen Chutang suddenly stopped, looking at the two figures in front of them, “It looks like Third Brother and the others.”

Shi Chengyu looked up. The two figures under the streetlight were none other than Ji Man and Shen Sujing.

Shen Chutang stuck her head out to look, “What are they talking about?”

“What’s okay or not? What is Third Brother saying about him being okay or not?”

Shi Chengyu pulled her back and pressed her against him, “Tangtang, eavesdropping is not good.”

The two figures under the streetlight had already overlapped. Shi Chengyu hugged her and hid in the shadows of the trees. His Adam’s apple rolled unconsciously.

Shen Chutang was wrapped in his coat. Her muffled voice came from inside, “Brother Chengyu? I’m not eavesdropping anymore. Let me go.”

Shi Chengyu looked down at the top of her head, his voice a little hoarse, “Wait a little longer, Tangtang.”

Shen Chutang obediently leaned against him, grabbing the clothes around his waist. She slowly raised her head to look at him. Her eyes were bright and dazzling, more attractive than black onyx. She lowered her voice and said, “Brother Chengyu, we can’t be discovered, right?”

Shi Chengyu’s heartbeat stopped for a moment. He was lost in those eyes, then suddenly chuckled, nodded, and leaned down to kiss her cheek.

The warm touch on her face lingered briefly. Shen Chutang was stunned for a moment, her face flushed. She leaned back into Shi Chengyu’s arms.

After an unknown amount of time, there were no more figures under the streetlight. They had both forgotten about going back to the Shi family to get the stones. They walked back hand-in-hand.

The moonlight was soft, reflected on the snow. The crunching sound grew fainter and fainter.

When Shen Chutang woke up the next morning, she found that the snowman’s eyes had been replaced with black onyx. It was indeed very beautiful.

Uncle Wen stood by her side, “Miss Shen, Mr. Shi changed them early this morning. He went back to the Shi family. He asked me to tell you.”

Shen Chutang smiled faintly, “Okay.”

Looking at the snowman’s face, she suddenly remembered something. She ran upstairs to borrow some blush from Chen Musheng, applied some light pink blush to the snowman’s cheeks, then took a picture and sent it to Shi Chengyu.

Shi Chengyu: Tangtang is amazing.

Shen Chutang replied with a proud little emoji and went upstairs happily.

“Second Brother—you’ve been sleeping for so long—”

Shen Sichen had been in a low mood these past two days, staying in his room all day. Shen Chutang came to call him early in the morning.

Shen Sichen stretched his hand out from under the covers, rubbing his hair messily, “Tangtang, go play with someone else.”

Shen Chutang shook his arm, “No, no, no. I want you to play with me.”

“Why are you so listless? Are you sick?” Shen Chutang said, placing her hand on his forehead.

She had just come in from outside, so her hand was still a bit cold. Shen Sichen put her hand under the covers, “No, why are your hands so cold?”

Shen Chutang said, “Brother Chengyu and I built a snowman yesterday! Come with me to see it!”

Shen Sichen sighed and sat up from the bed, “Fine, I can’t resist you.”

He casually grabbed a trench coat and put it on. He glanced at Shen Chutang’s clothes, making sure she wouldn’t be cold, then followed her downstairs.

The snow around the snowman had been cleared, leaving only the snowman standing there.

Shen Sichen looked at the two shiny black stones on the snowman’s face and snorted, “You guys really went all out building a snowman.”

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Shen Chutang asked excitedly.

Shen Sichen sat down on the chair, “It’s beautiful.”

Shen Chutang sat next to him, holding his arm, “What are you thinking about, Second Brother?”

Shen Sichen didn’t say anything. He just stared blankly at the snowman in front of him. It seemed like someone had built a snowman for him before.

“Are you thinking about her?” Shen Chutang suddenly asked.

Shen Sichen unconsciously retorted, “No, I’m not.”

“Brother, I haven’t said who it is yet.” Shen Chutang laughed, “Did you fight with Sister Xingyang?”