Chapter 57

The weather was getting warmer. The cicadas in the yard were too noisy. Uncle Wen, with the maids and gardeners, cleaned up the yard and caught one to put in a small box for Shen Chutang to play with.

It was a female cicada, it wouldn’t chirp. It was placed in a transparent box with a few small holes for ventilation.

Shen Chutang took the box and placed it on Shen Sichen’s desk. “Second brother, look, a cicada!”

Shen Sichen looked up from behind the screen. “You’ve never seen a cicada before.”

“No.” Shen Chutang replied frankly.

Shen Sichen smiled. “You have. Once, when you were little, Sujing scared you with a cicada. You were so young then, you probably don’t remember.”

After that, no one used cicadas to play with her.

Shen Chutang said, “I really don’t know, but this one doesn’t chirp, it’s not scary.”

“What’s not scary?” Shi Chengyu knocked on the door and came in, placing a stack of documents on the desk. “Second brother.”

“Brother Chengyu! Cicada!” Shen Chutang excitedly showed him.

Shi Chengyu took it. “Good, Tangtang is so good, you’re not afraid of cicadas anymore.”

“You can praise her for everything. You can make flowers bloom.” Shen Sichen teased him with a smile, then looked at Shen Chutang. “Tangtang, go out and play. Chengyu and I have something to discuss.”

Shen Chutang agreed. She took the cicada and went out. “Okay, you two chat.”

Shi Chengyu sat opposite Shen Sichen. “Second brother, I’ve already contacted people at A University. The scholarship foundation is set up. I’ve also contacted people at the school in Italy.”

Shen Sichen said, “Thank you, Chengyu.”

There were some things he couldn’t or shouldn’t do now, so he could only do it indirectly. No matter how many twists and turns he had to take, he had to do it.

Shi Chengyu smiled. “Second brother, you’re welcome. It’s nothing.”

The two of them chatted for a while. When they came out of the study, they saw Shen Chutang curled up on the sofa eating ice cream downstairs.

“Tangtang, you’re eating ice again!”

Shen Chutang flinched. “Second brother, you’re so fierce. I just ate a little bit.”

“Chengyu, don’t let her eat it. She had one this morning.” Shen Sichen said as he changed his shoes. “I’m going out.”

Shi Chengyu walked over. “Tangtang, be good, don’t eat it.”

Shen Chutang angrily stuffed a big mouthful into her mouth, then gasped for air with her mouth open because of the cold.

Shi Chengyu took away the ice cream and the spoon. He couldn’t help but laugh at her, pinching her face. “Is it cold?”

He finished the ice cream in the box in two bites and brought Shen Chutang a cup of warm water. “Be good, drink some water.”

Shen Chutang hugged her arms angrily. “No! I won’t be good!”

“Okay,” Shi Chengyu’s voice was doting. “Then Tangtang won’t be good, drink some water.”

The water was already brought to her lips. Shen Chutang, out of kindness, took it. “You only let me eat one every two days, you’re so stingy!”

Shi Chengyu laughed softly and touched her head. “Yes, but your period is coming soon. What if you cry in pain later?”

Shen Chutang’s body was well-nourished. She had been eating medicinal food, and she also had people come over to massage her occasionally. Her period usually didn’t feel anything, but it was different in the summer. She loved to eat ice cream, so she would inevitably have pain sometimes.

“Just deal with it when it hurts.” Shen Chutang was still unhappy, her mouth drooping.

Shi Chengyu hugged her. “No, if Tangtang hurts, I’ll feel bad.”

Shen Chutang’s expression softened a little. “Okay, but I want to eat a lot after my period is over.”

“Okay, whatever you want.”

A lot was impossible, at most two. Shi Chengyu held her hand in his palm and said softly, “Tangtang, my birthday is coming soon.”

He didn’t lack anything, but he always liked to ask Shen Chutang for gifts. For birthdays, for the New Year, for every meaningful day, he wanted to spend it with her.

Shen Chutang pretended to be surprised. “Oh! Really? I forgot.”

Shi Chengyu didn’t believe her, but he still played along. “It’s okay, Tangtang, it’s okay if you don’t give me a gift. As long as Tangtang is with me, that’s enough.”

“Is that so? Then I guess I can’t give you the gift I prepared?” Shen Chutang blinked and asked him.

Shi Chengyu smiled and held her hand tighter. “No, I want it.”

He was always greedy with Shen Chutang. He wasn’t satisfied with just looking at her, hugging her, or giving her things. He also wanted a share of everything, even their time together. He was a complete vinegar jar.

“Then wait, I’ll give it to you on your birthday.”

Shen Chutang smiled brightly, slipped out of his arms, and ran upstairs, like a sly little fox.

Shi Chengyu watched her leave with a dazed expression. He could still feel the warmth of her hand in his palm. He could still feel that soft touch.

Shi Chengyu usually didn’t like crowds. He had only held birthday parties twice, once for his coming-of-age ceremony and once when he was announced as the heir to Shi’s.

This year, he only went back to the Shi family’s old house for a meal. He rushed back to Lanjiangting in the evening.

Shen Chutang was really worried sick about the gift. She had been giving him gifts for so many years, and she had already given him everything she could think of. She didn’t want to give him something repetitive. Although Shi Chengyu had said he liked everything she gave him, she wouldn’t just give him anything.

She had started preparing this gift a long time ago. She was inspired by the cute clay figurines Shi Chengyu made her last time. She wanted to make two little people.

She had never touched pottery before, and she was starting with the difficult task of making portraits. She learned for a long time, and she had to hide from Shi Chengyu so he wouldn’t find out. She rushed and rushed, and she barely finished it a few days before Shi Chengyu’s birthday.

Actually, Shi Chengyu had already guessed. She had been busy for a while, often staying in a room on the fifth floor. When she came out occasionally, she would still have mud on her clothes.

Although she had already blown her cover, when Shi Chengyu saw the two Q-version ceramic little people, he couldn’t help but tear up. This pair was much more delicate than the silly ones he made.

The ceramic little people were only half the size of a palm. They were both laughing with their mouths open, showing two teeth. They looked silly, but very cute.

Shi Chengyu wanted to pick up his one to look at it, but Shen Chutang put the other one in his palm and said, “Brother Chengyu, this one is yours.”

“This one, is mine.” Shen Chutang shook the little person in her hand, smiling happily.

“Okay.”

Shi Chengyu also smiled. “Tangtang, you’re better than me.”

“Of course, this is my first time making it.” Shen Chutang said with a hint of pride, raising her head slightly.

For Shi Chengyu, the significance of the gift was far greater than its value. He didn’t lack anything. As long as Shen Chutang was by his side, that was enough.

Shi Chengyu hugged her. He looked at her in his arms, then at the little person in his hand. His heart was filled with a sense of fullness.

“Where are you sleeping tonight?”

Shen Chutang said, “Of course I’m going back to my house. I have to supervise second brother to take his medicine.”

“Okay.”

Shi Chengyu sighed slightly, took her hand, and said, “Let’s go, I’ll take you home.”