Chapter 22: You’re the One Who Is Sensible
Su Nian stared venomously at Liang Sheng and Old Master Shen as they talked and laughed with such intimacy, his eyes brimming with jealousy and hatred.
Didn’t the Old Master always prefer those who were shrewd and capable? He, Su Nian, was a thousand, ten thousand times better than that useless Liang Sheng; he had exhausted himself for the Shen Group, so why had he never received the Old Master’s affection?
Su Nian was unwilling to accept this. They both came from the slums, yet it had taken him years to earn Shen Xingyu’s favor, while Liang Sheng didn’t have to do anything to become the Young Madam of the Shen family. How was that fair?
Liang Sheng, back when we were classmates, you always had to be one step ahead of me. We were both class monitors, yet the teachers only favored you, letting you take first place in everything. Now that we’re working, you still want to steal my spotlight!
Su Nian gnashed his teeth in his heart, his fingers trembling where they were clenched in his palms. He quickly adjusted his emotions and forced a smile. Carrying a pile of gifts he had bought on the way, he stepped forward proactively and said to the Old Master:
“Chairman~ these are gifts and nutritional supplements President Shen brought for you. He spent a long time picking them out! They’re all for nourishing the body. Would you like to open them? I’m sure you’ll love them, Chairman!”
Shen Xingyu’s brow furrowed slightly. He hadn’t asked Su Nian to show off in front of the Old Master, so why…
He didn’t particularly like Su Nian’s attempts to be clever.
Liang Sheng looked at Su Nian, who was bowing slightly with a fawning smile and a handful of gifts, and felt an instinctive sense of intimidation.
Perhaps it was because the other was too excellent, easily obtaining the things he had struggled so hard to find…
Just as Su Nian was happily expecting the Old Master to notice him, the Old Master didn’t even cast him a glance. He merely gave a perfunctory reply: “Mm, put them on the table.”
After saying that, he continued chatting with Liang Sheng.
Su Nian stood awkwardly in place holding the large bag of gifts, the smile on his face frozen. Looking at Old Master Shen, who was completely ignoring him, he silently straightened his back and put the gifts back where they were.
“Grandpa, you should open them and take a look. Actually, Secretary Su picked them all out meticulously; he even paid for them.”
Shen Xingyu spoke up to break the awkward silence, taking some of the gifts and pushing them across the table toward the Old Master.
Liang Sheng’s mouth drooped. His own husband was in a hurry to let his little lover perform in front of an elder, while he was treated like a transparent person whose feelings never needed to be considered…
To avoid disrespecting his grandson, Old Master Shen picked up one of the boxes and slowly opened it.
Su Nian’s heart raced with tension. As long as the Old Master liked it, it would be the greatest recognition for him.
Old Master Shen picked up the gift box, looked at the contents, frowned, and tossed it back onto the table.
Su Nian’s heart sank to the bottom of an abyss.
What… did this mean?
Did he not like it?
The Old Master waved his hand, gesturing for the servants to pack it back up. He said with some disdain, “Why is it always American ginseng and deer antler? I’m sick of looking at them. Is my body really so decrepit that I need to eat supplements every day?”
Ever since he took a fall, he had been very sensitive about people subtly suggesting his health was failing. Although he was old now, he didn’t have any major issues and had no need for supplements. Moreover, he had always hated the way those old TCM doctors looked at him while shaking their heads and sighing, making him feel that such things were entirely unnecessary.
Terrified, Su Nian hurriedly praised him: “No, no! Chairman, your health is as sturdy as a tall green pine—even a gale couldn’t blow you over! And you’re so spirited; you look even more energetic than a young person!”
Old Master Shen smiled, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. He looked at Shen Xingyu meaningfully: “Xiao Yu, this secretary of yours is quite clever and smooth-talking. But Grandpa is old; I prefer pursuing the truth and dislike people playing tricks in front of me.”
“Secretary Su didn’t mean anything by it. Grandpa, please don’t misunderstand.”
Shen Xingyu explained indifferently, then used his eyes to signal Su Nian to step back, subtly blaming him for being impulsive.
Su Nian could only lower his head and stand in the back with his hands folded. Being exposed like this by the Old Master to his face was incredibly embarrassing, but he couldn’t throw a tantrum.
Liang Sheng had no expression and remained very calm, but in Su Nian’s eyes, this looked like schadenfreude.
I was criticized and humiliated by the Old Master; this bitch Liang Sheng is probably laughing his head off in his heart!
It really infuriated him!
Although the Old Master had no interest in those supplements, he loved the gifts Liang Sheng brought him every time. He immediately asked expectantly, “Sheng-sheng, what fun thing did you bring Grandpa this time?”
Liang Sheng pursed his lips, feeling a bit lost. They had left in such a hurry that he hadn’t been able to prepare properly. However, seeing his grandfather’s expectant look, he couldn’t bear to disappoint him. He took the last preserved scented candle from his pocket and handed it over:
“Grandpa, this is for you. It’s jasmine-scented. Since the smell of the sea is strong here, this can purify the air.”
“Good, good. Sheng-sheng is still the most thoughtful one. Grandpa likes things like incense the most.”
The Old Master nodded with satisfaction, taking the candle and sniffing it. Then he said to Liang Sheng:
“I remember your mother also liked jasmine incense. How is she doing now? Has her spirit improved at all?”
Shen Xingyu’s calm brows arched slightly. He set the teacup in his hand down on the glass table with a medium weight, then propped his cheek on one hand, seemingly interested in this topic.
Su Nian, however, had a dark face, muttering in his heart: Getting that happy over a cheap candle. Is the Old Master senile? Did he break his brain when he fell?
At the mention of his deceased mother, Liang Sheng wanted to cry. His eyes grew slightly moist. He forced back the tears and replied with a bit of a sob, “My mom… she… she’s gone. She passed away just a while ago.”
Upon hearing this, the Old Master was shocked. He said with heartache, “Then why didn’t you call Grandpa to go over?”
“I didn’t want… to trouble Grandpa…”
Liang Sheng shook his head, his head hanging low.
The Old Master sighed, caressing his cheek. He comforted him, “Silly child, don’t cry. Sigh, everyone has their fate. Your mother is finally free now. Sheng-sheng, you must live well.”
“Mm…!”
Liang Sheng’s voice was thick with nasal congestion. His eyelashes were wet with tears, trembling slightly—a truly pitiful sight.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. This little wife of yours, crying like a pear blossom in the rain… it really makes one’s heart ache!”
Jiang Chuzhou sat sprawled out, speaking to Shen Xingyu. His peach blossom eyes were narrowed, a playful smile on his lips.
“He’s just good at acting.”
Shen Xingyu spoke indifferently, his gaze coldly fixed on the grieving Liang Sheng, entirely unaffected.
“Xiao Yu.”
His words were overheard by the Old Master, who called out Shen Xingyu’s name with a heavy tone. He knew his grandson hadn’t been satisfied with the arranged marriage for all these years, and he had seen the overt and subtle disdain for Liang Sheng. However, for the sake of appearances, he could only turn a blind eye. Now, he couldn’t help but scold him:
“Sheng-sheng didn’t tell me, but why didn’t you tell me about something as important as your mother-in-law passing away?”
“Your grandson wanted to tell you, but Sheng-sheng wouldn’t let me~ He said your legs were inconvenient and didn’t want to trouble you.”
Shen Xingyu pursed his lips, drawing out his words to show he was being wronged. After finishing, he didn’t forget to look at Liang Sheng, blinking his eyes innocently with a somewhat pitiful expression:
“Isn’t that right, Sheng-sheng?”
But Liang Sheng only saw the fleeting coldness and the dangerous aura full of pressure.
He choked back his sobs. He hadn’t expected the man to actually threaten him. The man hadn’t even let him attend his mother’s funeral, yet now he was using such methods to control him!
Was this man really the husband he had loved for ten years? Why was he so cruel…
Liang Sheng felt both angry and wronged. But if he told the truth, Shen Xingyu probably wouldn’t even leave him a final shred of dignity; he might even divorce him!
Under Old Master Shen’s confused gaze, he could only nod against his heart: “Yes… yes, Grandpa. I didn’t want you to be too tired, so I told… A-Yu not to tell you…”
He had never been one to lie, yet he found himself forced to do so again and again in the face of hope.
“Good child.”
The Old Master’s eyes reddened. He patted his shoulder with some guilt and said with a smile, “It’s getting late, and you’ve worked hard coming all this way. Go and have a good rest!”
After speaking, the Old Master was pushed upstairs by the servants.
Once the Old Master left, Jiang Chuzhou stopped pretending he was going home. He completely unleashed his nature, pulling out several bottles of foreign liquor from somewhere and hooking his arm around Shen Xingyu’s shoulder, claiming they wouldn’t stop until they were drunk tonight.
Liang Sheng bit his lip. As a wife, he couldn’t help but speak up to remind his husband: “Don’t drink. The doctor said your heart isn’t good; you shouldn’t consume alcohol.”
Unfortunately, Shen Xingyu loved to go against him. He hadn’t intended to drink much, but after Liang Sheng’s persuasion, wouldn’t he lose face if he obeyed?
He arched an eyebrow at Liang Sheng, deliberately showing an impatient expression: “It’s my body; do you think I don’t know?”
As he spoke, he sat down to open the liquor.
Jiang Chuzhou was actually a bit scared now: “I almost forgot your heart isn’t great. Should we forget it? I don’t want you to drink yourself to death later!”
“One or two glasses won’t kill me.”
Shen Xingyu’s expression was calm. He picked up a bottle of brandy and opened it, pouring a glass for himself and Jiang Chuzhou. Then he led the way by tilting his head back and draining it in one go, even arching an eyebrow as he shook the empty glass in front of Jiang Chuzhou.
“Straightforward!”
Jiang Chuzhou’s alcohol addiction flared up, and he stopped caring. He picked up the goblet and clinked it against Shen Xingyu’s, then guzzled it down.
He filled them up again.
The two raised their glasses and drank heartily once more.
Liang Sheng watched with anxiety and worry, deathly afraid his husband would drink himself into an episode. But remembering Shen Xingyu’s impatient look, he felt hurt and forced himself to ignore it.
Shen Xingyu tilted his head back and drank freely, the liquor flowing from the glass into his throat. He glanced sideways at his little wife’s nervous expression, thoroughly enjoying the attention. He continued to let Su Nian pour the drinks.
Su Nian was also one to seize any opportunity. Coupled with the irritation he felt from the Old Master, he hated Liang Sheng even more. So while pouring the wine, he displayed a gentle and generous attitude in front of Shen Xingyu:
“President Shen~ drink slowly~ one or two glasses is fine. It’s not as serious as the Young Madam says!”
“You’re the one who is sensible.”
Shen Xingyu curled his lips. He reached out and wrapped his arm around Su Nian’s waist: “Sit down and have a few drinks with me.”
“President Shen~”
Su Nian’s cheeks flushed, and his eyes sparkled. He took the opportunity to sit beside the man, raising a glass to clink with his: “Then I’ll drink with President Shen~”
Translator’s Note:
- American Ginseng and Deer Antler (洋參鹿茸): These are considered “hot” or high-energy supplements in TCM, often given to the elderly. The Old Master finds them cliché and annoying.
- Pear blossom in the rain (梨花帶雨): A classic idiom describing a beautiful person crying piteously.
- Jasmine (茉莉花): Often associated with purity and simplicity, much like Liang Sheng himself compared to the expensive, “slick” gifts Su Nian brought.
