Chapter 26

Translator: Larbre Studio

Editor: Larbre Studio

A low, husky voice sounded in the darkness and drifted into Shen Qinglan’s ears. Her eyes shifted.

An unfamiliar breath surrounded the tip of the nose. For the first time, Shen Qinglan realized the embrace was actually a warm one. She leaned quietly in Fu Hengyi’s arms, not struggling, which was also a first.

“Thanks,” Shen Qinglan said in a low voice after some time. It had gotten hoarse due to lack of water. She had not spoken in a while.

“Grandma may be gone, but you still have me. From now on, I’ll stand by you and protect you. As long as you don’t leave me, I will never leave you.” The husky voice had a different kind of gentleness, the soft-spoken “forever” carried the heaviest of commitments in one’s lifetime. He had always been true to his word.

Looking at the two who had appeared at the door, Mr. Shen finally gave a sigh of relief. His wife had just left. If anything were to happen to his granddaughter, he certainly would not have the guts to face his wife again.

“Grandpa, I’m sorry to have worried you,” Shen Qinglan said apologetically, noticing the old man’s heavy, dark eyes.

Grandpa Shen smiled lovingly, “You’re probably hungry. Do you want some porridge?”

Shen Qinglan initially wanted to refuse but, seeing the worry in his eyes, she eventually nodded.

Shen Qian’s eyes lit up. Finally, a smile emerged on his serious face.

Shen Qinglan accepted the bowl he had passed to her, “Thanks, Dad.”

Grandma Shen’s funeral was grand. The Shen family was a big one, after all. During those days, Fu Hengyi had been busy managing various tasks in the Shen family, which resonated with the news spreading around in the capital some time before. Everyone had their speculations about the affair between the two families.

The influence of both families had called for many friends and acquaintances to gather at Grandma Shen’s funeral.

Shen Qinglan, donned in black, knelt in the mourning hall, her head hanging low with a blank expression on her face. Along with Shen Junyu, she bowed mechanically to each visitor, while Shen Xitong’s soft whimpers rang in her ears.

Shen Qinglan reluctantly returned home only after witnessing the burial of Grandma Shen’s ashes in the cemetery.

Soon after Grandma Shen’s funeral, Shen Qinglan moved out of the Shen family home. She did not move back to school, instead settling into Fu Hengyi’s apartment in the city, which was not far from her school.

They were properly married after all, with the certificate to show, and were therefore officially husband and wife. Although they did not hold a wedding because of Grandma Shen’s passing, in addition to the fact that Shen Qinglan had not graduated, living separately would be inappropriate. The two had discussed it and decided to have a wedding ceremony after Shen Qinglan had completed her studies.

Fu Heng Yi had returned at the last minute for Grandma Shen’s funeral. So after it was over, he had handed Shen Qinglan the keys to his apartment before hurrying off again.

Shen Qinglan did not ask much about his work.

She surveyed the unfamiliar house and its design in cool colors, both of which matched Fu Hengyi’s image very well.

It was a two-bedroom suite. Apart from the master bedroom, there was only one study room. It was not large, which was just right for Shen Qinglan.

The bedroom had floor-to-ceiling windows installed. One could see the empty balcony outside at a glance.

Before he left, other than the keys, Fu Hengyi had also given her a credit card for allowances.

After Shen Qinglan finished checking out the house, she looked at the empty balcony and, ever so slightly, frowned.

—-

“Lan Lan, why can’t you just stay at home?” Shen Junyu said, carrying a large box in his hands. He was panting.

“I’m married,” Shen Qinglan subtly reminded him.

Shen Junyu choked. Previously, he had been busy with Grandma Shen’s matters and had not been able to seek out Fu Hengyi in time. By the time he had come around to it, that bastard had fled.

After finding out that Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi had received their marriage certificate, Shen Junyu had been holding in his resentment. Fu Hengyi, that bastard, had swept his little sister away without his consent. How he wished he could make him pay!

“Lan Lan, have you really considered spending an entire lifetime with Fu Hengyi?” Shen Junyu said, unreconciled.

She looked at him calmly, “We’ve registered and received the marriage certificate. In the eyes of the law, we are husband and wife.”

“But do you love him?” Shen Junyu sounded exasperated. Anyone with eyes could see that Shen Qinglan harbored no romantic feelings for Fu Hengyi.

“I’ll fall in love with him later on.”

She had said “later on,” not “now.”

Shen Junyu observed his sister’s calm features. Since their grandmother’s death, he had yet to see her smile, nor had he seen sorrow set on her face. She had remained quiet like the way she was then, without either sadness or joy, as though all her emotions had disappeared along with their grandmother’s death.

Shen Junyu reached a hand out and messed up Shen Qinglan’s hair, “Lan Lan, you don’t have to do this. If Grandma saw you like this—”

“Brother—” Shen Qinglan cut in. She just looked at him quietly without saying anything else.

Shen Junyu clammed up.

“If Fu Hengyi ever treats you badly, come home and tell me. I’ll teach him a lesson on your behalf!”

“Are you sure you can beat him?”

With Shen Junyu’s skills, winning Fu Hengyi in a fight was simply a fool’s dream.

“Er,” he began awkwardly, “I’m willing to try if it’s for your sake.”

Shen Qinglan had decided to renovate the place by introducing some items. Soon, it had become a little more homely, especially the balcony.

The once empty balcony now welcomed a recliner, a small round table, a small floor-to-ceiling bookshelf, and a flower stand in the corner housing several potted plants, one of which was a gardenia.

Upon seeing his sister in high spirits, which was a rare sight, Shen Junyu had put aside a bunch of urgent business matters and had come to help his sister with manual labor.

“You’re the president of a big company and yet, here you are, running to my place every day. Don’t tell me the company’s closing down soon,” Shen Qinglan said blandly, looking at her brother, who was sweating all over.

“How hurtful. Who do you think I’m doing this for?” Shen Junyu lifted up a sleeve to wipe away the sweat on the forehead. He certainly did not have the awareness of a company president, “Relax, even if all the companies in the world are shutting down, mine will stay standing. I won’t lose your dowry.”

Shen Qinglan owned some shares of Shen Junyu’s company. In the beginning, when he had started his business, Grandpa Shen and Shen Qian had disagreed with him and even cut off his funds. But Shen Junyu was stubborn—he had sworn to earn his own capital. Looking back, he obviously had enough talent to be able to turn a small company into such a large-scale enterprise.

Through it all, Shen Qinglan contributions did not go unnoticed. She had chipped in most of the start-up funds, although Shen Junyu had not figured out how Shen Qinglan had come up with so much money.

Shen Qinglan had no interest in running a company, so Shen Junyu gave her dry shares. A portion of the dividends would go into her account every year.

“Right, Lan Lan. I’m attending a charity auction next weekend. Can you be my companion?” Shen Junyu said when he remembered his purpose for coming that day.

“I hear that one of Leng Qingqiu’s masterpieces is included in this auction. Our father’s birthday is coming. I want to bid for it and give it to him.”

Her eyes flashed briefly, “No.”