Volume One, Chapter 67: Seizing the Opportunity

“Uncle Zhai…”

As soon as she saw Zhai Honghui, Shen Xinghe quickened her pace, pouting at him like a child seeking comfort.

Zhai Honghui didn’t waste words and led her inside at once.

In that instant, Jiang Wan, who had been walking with them, was left behind.

Upon entering the courtyard, Ji Jiali was unable to hide her nausea, covering her mouth with a retch.

She stood there, retching dryly from disgust.

Lin Hongguang reached out to steady her, his other hand gently patting her back to help her breathe.

“Auntie, are you all right?” Lin Zhi followed up with concern.

“I’m… I’m fine.” Ji Jiali tried her best to hide it, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. “Maybe I’m just a little seasick. I’ll go rest in my room for a bit.”

As she spoke, she glanced worriedly at Jiang Wan.

Jiang Wan was also forcing herself to suppress her nausea, her complexion pale and uneasy.

Ji Jiali wanted to say something more, but another wave of sickness forced her to focus all her energy on containing it. Afraid of giving herself away, she left immediately with Lin Hongguang.

Lu Wenzhou, too, left in silence, heading straight for another part of the courtyard.

The group dispersed, leaving only Jiang Wan alone.

Not knowing exactly where Shen Xinghe was, she chose to wait on the veranda outside. With Zhai Honghui by his side, she trusted nothing serious would happen.

Jiang Wan sat on a bench in the traditional corridor, surrounded by groves of green bamboo and intricately arranged stonework. All was so quiet she could hear the sound of a nearby brook.

She tried to gather herself.

Unbeknownst to her, a man had come to stand at her side. His slender, well-defined hand held out a porcelain cup, from which the faint scent of orange peel drifted.

“Even seasick, you still had to follow. What were you thinking?” Lu Wenzhou’s voice was cold, his mocking tone tinged with displeasure.

His imposing figure stood beside her.

Jiang Wan couldn’t see his expression. She glanced briefly at the orange-peel water before looking away.

“Are you here to warn me again?” She didn’t take the cup, giving a self-deprecating laugh. “What now? You won’t let me go to the Lin family home, and I can’t even approach where they’re staying?”

The air seemed to grow heavier.

“Relax,” she said. “I’m no threat to Lin Zhi anymore. I’m just worried about Shen Xinghe, that’s all.”

As her words fell, she caught a glimpse of his hand gripping the cup, the veins standing out starkly on the back of his hand.

“Heh.”

Lu Wenzhou let out a cold laugh. “You care about him that much?”

“He got hurt protecting me. If I don’t care about him, should I care about you instead?” Jiang Wan retorted, meeting his gaze.

Their eyes met—his from above, hers from below—and in that instant invisible sparks clashed between them.

Jiang Wan’s words were perfectly righteous. The black eyes that met hers grew darker and colder at her earnest expression.

Since meeting earlier, this was the first time she looked him directly in the eye—a gaze that stung like a thorn.

Lu Wenzhou sneered, “And you call that protection?”

The scorn in his voice belittled Shen Xinghe, but it stung Jiang Wan all the same.

“Right, not as thorough as your protection.” The corners of Jiang Wan’s lips curled in irony. “After all, you’re so meticulous, you even erase every video from other people’s phones.”

No matter business or personal matters, he would eliminate all risks for her. Even when she went out for air, he’d insist she bring a private doctor along, just in case.

“Who could compare to you?”

With Jiang Wan’s sarcastic tone, Lu Wenzhou’s face instantly darkened. The temperature around them seemed to drop.

Just then—

A shriek from Shen Xinghe split the air, so loud even the birds in the bamboo grove took flight.

On hearing it, Jiang Wan sprang up and hurried toward the sound.

She found Shen Xinghe in the sitting room of a suite at the back, his right shoulder bare, half of his sweatshirt pulled off.

His disheveled state stopped her mid-stride, and she sensibly stepped back, turning to stand against the wall by the door.

“How are you? Are you all right?” she called out in concern.

“I’m fine, just a regular dislocation. A couple of days and I’ll be good as new,” Zhai Honghui replied, finishing the adjustment, rubbing medicinal oil on Shen Xinghe, and explaining how to take care.

“Easy for you to say, Uncle Zhai. Don’t you know how important a painter’s right hand is?!”

“Oh, so you know now? I don’t recall you being this careful before. Only now you start worrying about your own life?”

“Typical of the Lu family—every one of their tongues is poisoned.”

“And as if yours is any better?”

The two bickered.

Soon after, Shen Xinghe came out of the room. His almond-shaped eyes were damp, his cheeks flushed from pain, looking so pitiful he seemed to have just endured a beating.

Jiang Wan couldn’t help but laugh. It was the first time she’d ever seen such a vivid embodiment of “so pitiful even I feel sorry for him” on a man.

“Jiang Wan, if I can’t draw for the rest of my life, you’ll have to take responsibility for me,” Shen Xinghe declared boldly.

Before Jiang Wan could respond, Zhai Honghui followed him out. “Pah! Is this how you try to trap someone? Have some decency when you’re out in public.”

“I’m plenty decent!” Shen Xinghe pouted at him. “With looks like mine, who knows how many girls I’ve charmed.”

They were still teasing each other when Lin Hongguang appeared, coming over to check on them. After learning the situation, he invited them to stay for dinner.

“No need,” Shen Xinghe refused without hesitation. “We’re not with you guys.”

He was utterly unapologetic.

“It’s still early. We need to go back and let our friends know we’re safe, then get back to our team activities.”

After these few words, Lin Hongguang’s smile grew awkward, but Shen Xinghe acted as if he didn’t notice. After saying goodbye to Zhai Honghui, he took Jiang Wan with him to leave.

“Uncle Zhai, I’ll thank you properly another time. We’ll be off for today.”

As he spoke, he waved from a distance to Lu Wenzhou and Lin Zhi. “We’re leaving! See you, little nephew.”

He didn’t wait for them to come over to say goodbye, but instead led Jiang Wan away by another path.

*

On the boat returning to the meadow, Shen Xinghe didn’t go into the cabin this time, but stood with Jiang Wan on the deck, each with one hand on the rail.

“Feeling better now?” Shen Xinghe asked suddenly.

Jiang Wan thought he’d noticed her seasickness.

But then Shen Xinghe continued, “I can’t stand people showing off their love either.”

Jiang Wan fell silent.

The words she’d been about to say stuck in her throat.

“Seeing my own mother with another man, it’s annoying just to think about,” Shen Xinghe complained righteously. “And that Lu Wenzhou—never heard of him dating anyone, and suddenly a girlfriend appears out of nowhere.”

Jiang Wan’s heart gave a sudden jolt.

She couldn’t help turning to look at Shen Xinghe.

“Never… heard of it?”

“Of course. That guy’s been an iceberg since he was a kid—no amount of warmth could melt him,” Shen Xinghe scoffed. “I never thought he’d fall for anyone.”

“And honestly, his taste isn’t that great…”

Shen Xinghe rambled on, but Jiang Wan could no longer take in his words.

Back then, they’d agreed: over the New Year, she would bring him home as her father wished, and he would formally introduce her to his family.

In the end… she was the only one who kept her word.

No wonder, just before the New Year began, he had vanished without a trace.