Having breakfast together downstairs, Dad Shen and Mom Shen were not there, Xiaoxiao and Shen Yi’an were still sleeping in, and at the dining table, there were only Grandma, Fang Shaobei, Shen Yanchen, and the second sister-in-law.
Gu Qimiao unintentionally met the gaze of the second sister-in-law, who gave her an ambiguous smile. Gu Qimiao also forced a stiff smile in return.
A woman’s intuition told her that there was a story behind this second sister-in-law.
Could it be a family arranged marriage? So there is no affection between her and the second brother? It seemed to make sense only this way.
But there was always something that felt off.
"Miaomiao, shall we go together?" Fang Shaobei stood up after finishing his meal and said to Gu Qimiao.
Gu Qimiao snapped back to reality and glanced at him, then instinctively looked at Shen Yanchen beside her, as if seeking his opinion. But Shen Yanchen just slightly lowered his head, elegantly eating his breakfast, appearing indifferent, yet his jaw was tightly clenched.
Fang Shaobei glanced at Shen Yanchen and said again, "Let’s go, it’s on the way anyway."
In her heart, Gu Qimiao wanted to go with Shen Yanchen, but she didn’t dare to show it, so she stood up and, without naming anyone, smiled at Grandma and said, "Grandma, we’ll head out first."
Grandma nodded but looked at Fang Shaobei with warmth, saying, "Come by more often when you have time."
Fang Shaobei responded with a smile, "Sure, I’ll come to see you another day. Take care of yourself."
"Alright, alright." Grandma smiled kindly as she sent the two to the door. Then she turned around with a different expression, looked at Shen Yanchen who was still sitting at the dining table, and said, "Yanchen, what is the relationship between Xiao Bei and that girl?"
Shen Yanchen put down his fork, "Miaomiao works at his gallery."
Grandma was not reassured by the response and continued with a mysterious tone, "Aren’t you looking after your own wife? Xiao Bei is single too! Haven’t you said the girl hasn’t agreed to be with you? Why are you still so unhurried? I’m telling you, Xiao Bei is reserved for your eldest sister."
Liang Zixuan listened quietly beside them, not interrupting, just watching Shen Yanchen.
Shen Yanchen wiped his mouth with a napkin, stood up, responded with a "hmm", then grabbed his car keys and went out the door.
"How long have you known Yanchen?" Fang Shaobei asked in the car.
Reflecting on how they met, Gu Qimiao sighed with emotion, "When I was very young, he saved me."
"Brother Yan Chen was bought to the Gu family when I was three years old. I met him then while I was still wandering the streets. He brought me home, and when I was five, Gu Moming went to Italy to study and took me with him. After that, Brother Yan Chen was taken back by his current parents, and we never saw each other again." As she recounted this, there was still a sense of regret. If they hadn’t met, if they hadn’t parted, if he hadn’t returned to his current family...
Would their relationship be any different?
Fang Shaobei remained silent for a while after hearing this. He had heard about Shen Yanchen’s childhood but never mentioned Gu Qimiao.
After a while, he asked an obvious question in a casual tone, "Do you like him?"
She immediately widened her eyes, hesitated for a second, and then shook her head eagerly, a bit too defensively, "...No!"
Fang Shaobei smiled and didn’t ask any more. He already knew the answer in his heart.
Two people who like each other, yet secretly admire each other, isn’t it fun?
Just seeing Shen Yanchen’s pretentious attitude, he couldn’t resist getting involved.