Chapter 9

Back in her room, Shen Chutang changed clothes and went back to the next door. She found her phone in the bedroom. There were messages from Xie Tong and Shi Chengyu from yesterday.

【Are you awake, Tangtang?】

It was the time she usually woke up from her afternoon nap, but she had slept in a bit yesterday and went to draw on her tablet after waking up.

【I had someone send some pastries from Zhanji back. If you like them, eat more.】

【What do you want to eat tonight, Tangtang?】

Shen Chutang’s lips curled up as she read the messages. She replied one by one.

【I’m awake, I’m drawing.】

【They’re delicious, I want Brother Chengyu to try them too. Next time we’ll eat them together.】

【Let’s go eat roast duck tonight, the one we went to last time.】

As soon as Shen Chutang sent her last message, Shi Chengyu replied with a “good” character.

In the blink of an eye, a week had passed. Big Brother was on a business trip, and Shen Sujing and Shen Sichen would be back tomorrow. The three of them would go back to Grandpa’s house together.

Shen Chutang baked a batch of cookies in the afternoon. She carefully took the baking sheet out of the oven, wearing thick heat-resistant gloves, and placed it on the island counter to cool.

She was incredibly patient when doing these things: mixing, beating, shaping the dough, and then drawing cute little cat faces on top.

Finally, they were baked and cooled, and the air was filled with the sweet smell of cookies.

Shen Chutang clapped her hands in satisfaction and took a picture, sending it to Shi Chengyu. The maid happened to come over and said that there was a guest outside, asking if she wanted to see them.

Shen Chutang poked one of the cat heads, testing its temperature, and said casually, “Brother Chengyu hasn’t gotten off work yet.”

This was the Shi family’s house, how could she have guests? But to the Shi family’s servants, Shen Chutang was almost like a mistress, so they came to ask her.

“It seems to be Mr. Shi’s old acquaintance, saying they came to deliver a birthday present for Mr. Shi.” The maid replied.

Shen Chutang lifted her head from the sweet smell. “Let them in.”

Soon, Uncle Shang led a woman in.

Lin Chushuang didn’t expect that the housekeeper would come to ask if there was anyone inside, and it was a little girl.

“Hello, my name is Lin Chushuang. I’m Shi Chengyu’s friend.” Lin Chushuang smiled and greeted her, not questioning why she was at the Shi family’s house.

Shen Chutang shook her hand. “Hello, Shen Chutang.”

“I haven’t seen you before, sister.”

Shen Chutang said truthfully. According to Shi Chengyu, they had known each other since she was born. Over the years, she had never seen this person before, and she didn’t know that Shi Chengyu had such a beautiful friend.

“We grew up in the same courtyard, but then I went abroad.”

Lin Chushuang explained with a smile, naturally taking a seat on the sofa. “I just flew back from abroad the day before yesterday, so you probably haven’t seen me.”

Shen Chutang had a vague impression. Shi Chengyu had mentioned that he lived with his grandfather before he was seven years old. She lowered her head, her gaze inadvertently falling on Lin Chushuang’s chest, then she looked down at her own. It seemed a little different.

“Oh.” She replied faintly. She hadn’t heard Shi Chengyu talk about his childhood, so she curiously asked, “Were you good friends back then?”

Lin Chushuang smiled a little shyly. “Not really. We were just kids back then. It’s just that Chengyu didn’t like playing with others when he was little. He only let me stay by his side in the courtyard.”

“Grandpa Shi even joked about arranging a marriage for us back then.”

For some reason, Shen Chutang felt a little uncomfortable. She stood up from the sofa. “Sister, you can sit here for a while. Brother Chengyu won’t be off work for a long time.”

“It’s okay, I’ll wait for him.” Lin Chushuang replied with a smile.

Shen Chutang didn’t say anything else. She turned and went to the island counter in the kitchen, putting the cooled cookies into small packaging bags one by one and sealing them.

She had originally left five on the island counter, but looking at the woman on the sofa, Shen Chutang took them back one by one, leaving only one on the counter.

This time, she didn’t forget her phone. Shen Chutang held her phone in one hand and the bag in the other, leaving the villa.

“Little Miss, are you going to the company?” Uncle Shang chased after her, thinking she was going to deliver cookies to Shi Chengyu. He thought that since it was her first time going, he should have the driver take her.

Shen Chutang waved her hand. “I’m going home, Uncle Shang. I’m going back to Grandpa’s house tomorrow, so I’m going back to pack my things today.”

She didn’t need to pack anything, Uncle Shang guessed something and took two steps forward. “I’ll take you.”

“No need, Uncle Shang. There’s a guest at home. I’ll go back first.” Shen Chutang said and ran away.

Uncle Shang stood there watching her enter the gate of the Shen family villa before turning around and going back. After thinking for a moment, he still sent a message to Lin Shulang.

When Lin Shulang saw the message, it was more than an hour later. Shi Chengyu had just finished a business meeting. As soon as he got his phone, he saw the picture Shen Chutang sent, a plate of freshly baked cookies shaped like cute cats. His lips naturally curled up, as if he had already tasted the sweetness.

Before he could be happy for long, Lin Shulang told him what happened at home.

Shi Chengyu’s brows immediately furrowed. He called Shen Chutang, but WeChat was temporarily unavailable, and her phone was already off.

Just then, Xue Wanqiu called. Shi Chengyu pressed the answer button. Before she could say anything, he said coldly, “Mom, don’t let just anyone come to the house.”

Xue Wanqiu’s voice was full of shock. “I remember you liked playing with her when you were little. She just came back from abroad and came to see me first, saying she wanted to see you…”

“Mom, I don’t want to see her. I didn’t want to see her before, and I don’t want to see her now.”

Shi Chengyu’s face was already cold to the extreme. He hung up the phone and walked out.

“Tell Uncle Shang to get rid of her.”

His memories from before the age of seven were blurry. In the courtyard, the only people his age were Jiang Younian and the others. He vaguely remembered a girl who liked to follow him. Out of politeness, he didn’t scold her, but she was annoying and he couldn’t get rid of her, so he remembered her clearly.

He never said a word to her from beginning to end. Later, he moved to Lanjiangting and never saw her again. He was finally at peace.

Lin Shulang knew that Shi Chengyu was genuinely angry. He quickly sent a message to Uncle Shang, telling him to go to the Shen family and check on Shen Chutang.

When he received the message saying that Shen Chutang was not there, Lin Shulang felt for a moment that his career was over. He didn’t dare to breathe in the car, his mind racing as he thought of solutions.

Finally, he sent a message in the four-assistant group, cautiously and humbly asking if Miss Shen had gone to Old Master Shen’s place.

After receiving confirmation, he breathed a sigh of relief.

This four-assistant group was made up of Lin Shulang and the three Shen brothers’ assistants. The four of them usually exchanged information about Shen Chutang.

The car drove into Lanjiangting. Lin Shulang held his phone tightly in the passenger seat and took a deep breath. “Mr. Shi, Miss Shen has already left.”

The temperature in the car suddenly dropped. The driver looked at Lin Shulang, his eyes asking where the car should stop.

In the end, the car stopped at the gate of the Shi family. Shi Chengyu got out of the car before Lin Shulang could open the door.

There was no one left in the villa. On the island counter in the kitchen, there was only one lonely cookie left. A yellow cat head, with black around the left eye, like the yellow tabby cat in the cat cafe, looking dazed.