Chapter 209
Hearing this, Wen Jiafei’s ears instantly turned crimson. He stammered, “I, I didn’t… that’s not what I meant.”
“Then what did you mean?” Shen Shuyu teased. “You couldn’t possibly want me to stay here, could you?”
Wen Jiafei’s face was already completely red from the teasing. He just lowered his head and silently ate his porridge, only answering after a good while, “Yes.”
He wanted Shen Shuyu to stay, but he also knew it wasn’t very likely. Moreover, he had business to attend to upon his return to Siro, and he didn’t want to drag Shen Shuyu into it.
He swallowed the warm porridge and looked up. “If you leave today, I won’t be able to see you off. I have to go to the Ning Group for a meeting.”
Shen Shuyu put down his spoon. “Did I say I was leaving today?”
Wen Jiafei was a bit stunned. “Didn’t you say yesterday you were going home with your auntie and uncle?”
“But today I don’t feel like going home with them anymore.” Shen Shuyu propped his elbows on the table, resting his chin in his palms. “Are you unhappy about that?”
Wen Jiafei was pleasantly surprised but couldn’t let it show too obviously. He asked reservedly, “Really?”
“Yes,” Shen Shuyu said. “I was afraid a certain someone would pull on my clothes again and refuse to let me go. I thought about it and decided to stay with him a bit longer.”
Wen Jiafei naturally recalled the call he had overheard just now. “So was that what you were talking about just now?”
Shen Shuyu nodded. “Yes.”
Shen Shuyu had just called Feng Xing, asking him to send Father and Mother Shen a message saying he was coming over to play. That way, he could naturally stay for another day.
Wen Jiafei stirred the porridge in his bowl with a spoon. “I want you to stay, but I don’t want you to be dragged into this.”
Things were currently changing in the Ning family, and he didn’t want Shen Shuyu to suffer even a tiny bit of harm.
“Hesitating doesn’t seem like you,” Shen Shuyu said. “From the survival battle to those interstellar pirates, when have you ever seen me afraid of anything?”
“It’s precisely because you’re fearless that I’m afraid,” Wen Jiafei said. “I’m afraid you’ll get hurt.”
Shen Shuyu was stunned. He hadn’t expected Wen Jiafei to say such a thing and began to feel a bit awkward for a moment.
The atmosphere began to turn somewhat romantic. Wen Jiafei stood up and sat in the seat beside Shen Shuyu.
“I’m restricted in every way right now. If you’re here, I can’t protect you.” Wen Jiafei gripped Shen Shuyu’s hand tightly. “My heart tells me I really want you to stay, but my reason tells me it would be dangerous for you to remain here.”
Shen Shuyu understood his meaning. He squeezed Wen Jiafei’s hand back. “Don’t worry. I’ll head back the day after tomorrow. I’ll stay with you for one more day.”
Wen Jiafei nodded. “Okay.”
Shen Shuyu asked again, “Will you return to Amour for the New Year?”
“I won’t be able to,” Wen Jiafei said. “But I will resolve the matters here as quickly as possible. Once I’ve settled everything, I’ll return.”
He leaned over slightly and embraced Shen Shuyu. “Please wait for me.”
Shen Shuyu also knew that he indeed couldn’t help Wen Jiafei here. He embraced him back. “Alright. But whenever you get the chance, send me a message so I can put your auntie’s mind at ease.”
A wave of warmth washed over Wen Jiafei’s heart. He gave a hum. “Okay.”
After a bit of lingering, Wen Jiafei vaulted out from the balcony again. Shen Shuyu watched with a racing heart, but Wen Jiafei still had the presence of mind to stand there and give him a smile.
Alphas truly were bold!
Seeing Wen Jiafei’s reluctant expression, Shen Shuyu decisively turned and left. Seeing Shen Shuyu close the balcony door, Wen Jiafei felt a small pang of grievance, but reason soon took the upper hand. He returned to his room, took a cold shower, changed into clean clothes, and prepared to head to the Ning Group.
After Wen Jiafei left, Shen Shuyu wasn’t idle either. He tidied himself up and headed next door. By the time he left, the two bodyguards at Wen Jiafei’s door were gone; it seemed they had already departed.
Mother Shen had received Feng Xing’s message. After telling his parents, Shen Shuyu dutifully saw them off at the Siro transport station. When he came out of the hall, it was already after three in the afternoon.
Shen Shuyu stretched, preparing to head back to the hotel to wait for Wen Jiafei, but he had only taken a few steps when the terminal in his pocket vibrated.
He took it out to check while walking back. It was a message from Ning Shan.
[Ning Shan: Young Master Shen, do you have time for a meeting?]
Since meeting with Wen Jiafei, he hadn’t contacted Ning Shan, nor had Ning Shan contacted him. He thought their transaction was over.
Shen Shuyu thought for a moment and replied with an “Okay.” He was curious to know why Ning Shan was looking for him.
The other side replied quickly: [The usual place.]
Shen Shuyu arrived at the cafe. As soon as he entered, he saw a familiar figure in their usual spot. Ning Shan had likely been there for a while and was currently looking down at a magazine. Shen Shuyu walked over, and Ning Shan set the magazine aside, looking up. “What would you like to drink?”
Shen Shuyu sat down and ordered a lemon water.
At this hour, there weren’t many people in the cafe. Shen Shuyu took a sip of lemon water and leaned back. “Well then, what did you want to see me about?”
Ning Shan said gently, “I just wanted to have a chat with you.”
Shen Shuyu let out a “humph.” “A person of great importance doesn’t visit for no reason. I don’t believe it’s just for a chat.”
Ning Shan just smiled but remained silent.
Shen Shuyu looked at him, thinking about his previous actions. He was the first to speak, asking, “By the way, why are you helping Wen Jiafei so much?”
Ning Shan said, “He is my brother’s son. It’s only normal for me to help him.”
Shen Shuyu said, “But the other members of the Ning family don’t seem to think so. Even if Wen Jiafei is Ning Bai’s son, they’re dying to kill him or get him as far away as possible.”
But Ning Shan was clearly different.
Wen Yue had also mentioned Ning Shan that night. She only said Ning Shan persuaded Wen Jiafei to return to Siro, but from her words, one could still tell she had some level of trust in him.
Wen Jiafei had also mentioned that someone in the Ning family was helping him, and that person was also Ning Shan.
But… helping him because he was his brother’s son?
No matter how one heard it, that reason seemed forced. After all, the rest of the Ning family was currently hoping for Ning Bai to kick the bucket so they could take power. The Ning family was an old clan; although they had declined somewhat over the years, “a starved camel is still bigger than a horse”—there were still plenty of interests to be had.
Shen Shuyu couldn’t quite understand Ning Shan’s approach.
Shen Shuyu said, “Mr. Ning, you aren’t planning to wait until Wen Jiafei has cleared all those obstacles for you, and then kick him aside to become the head of the Ning family yourself, are you?”
“No,” Ning Shan said. “I will never lay a hand on the young master, of that you can rest assured. Moreover, I have no interest in the position of family head.”
Young master. Ning Shan was clearly Wen Jiafei’s uncle, yet his words made him sound like an outsider.
Shen Shuyu was pensive. He looked at the man before him; he was extremely well-preserved. According to Wen Jiafei, Ning Shan was forty-eight this year, but he still looked to be in his mid-thirties.
He couldn’t see through what this man was actually trying to do.
Shen Shuyu pondered for a moment and tested the waters: “Even if you don’t want it, won’t you think of your wife and children?”
Ning Shan let out a light chuckle. “I have no wife, much less children.”
This time, Shen Shuyu was truly surprised. After all, Ning Shan didn’t look like someone who was alone in the world. Ning Shan saw his expression. “Is it surprising?”
Shen Shuyu nodded. “Yes, very.”
Ning Shan lowered his eyes, thinking of something.
Shen Shuyu asked again, “Then may I ask a very private question?”
Because during those few seconds of silence, Shen Shuyu suddenly remembered something.
Ning Shan quickly looked up and made a gesture for him to go ahead.
Shen Shuyu asked bluntly, “Do you have some kind of relationship with Auntie Wen?”
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