"Jiajia has grown up. This girl just told me that she has someone she likes." As if she didn’t notice Shen Zixian’s unusual mood, Ma Huilian kept talking, smiling as she handed the teacup to Shen Zixian.
"Really? Who does Jiajia like?" As a father, naturally concerned about his own children, Shen Zixian’s attention was immediately attracted by what Ma Huilian said.
"Chu Chen," Ma Huilian answered softly.
"Chu Chen?" Shen Zixian frowned, his face gloomy, and said, "How could Jiajia like him?"
"Yes, I was quite surprised when I found out too. I was wondering, Jiajia and Chu Chen don’t have much interaction, how could she like him?" Before figuring out Shen Zixian’s attitude, Ma Huilian spoke from a neutral standpoint, showing her cleverness.
"Chu Chen is not suitable! Tell Jiajia to give up on this idea." Shen Zixian’s face darkened, and the look he gave Ma Huilian was unprecedentedly serious.
Not suitable? Why not?
Ma Huilian wanted to ask clearly, but she held back the words at her lips and said with a smile, "Actually, I also think Jiajia and Chu Chen are not suitable, but emotions are not something that can be cut off just because we say so..."
"Even if it’s hard, it must be cut off!" Shen Zixian roared coldly. His strict and fierce manner startled Ma Huilian!
"Okay, I will talk to Jiajia properly. Husband, don’t get too agitated, it’s not good for your health." Ma Huilian suppressed her shock in her heart and softly soothed him, her face full of concern.
"You go out first." Shen Zixian waved his hand, indicating he wanted to be alone for a while.
Ma Huilian glanced at Shen Zixian with suspicion, unable to understand why he suddenly became so agitated. But now was obviously not the time to get to the bottom of it. For this reason, Ma Huilian displayed her usual understanding and quietly left the study.
Bang—
The study door was gently closed. Shen Zixian took out a pack of cigarettes from the drawer, then lit one up, puffing out smoke with a gloomy expression.
Over the years, he seldom smoked. When Ling Wei was pregnant, he quit smoking. Since then, he occasionally smoked a cigarette when he was particularly troubled.
After a while of puffing and blowing, the cigarette was half gone. Shen Zixian’s hand reached into the drawer again, taking out a slightly yellowed photograph.
In the photo, a woman’s bright smile was captured, her eyes clear and teeth white, looking very beautiful.
"Weiwei."
Staring at the photo, Shen Zixian’s eyes were filled with deep sorrow. Through the smoke, he could still clearly outline the woman’s features.
He had hurt her due to his dislike and lack of love in the past. In the long years since, he lived in deep remorse. How could he let his daughter go through the same pain he once inflicted on a woman, through another man?
The night was faintly cool. Shen Zixian sat alone in the study, his mood fluctuating with his memories until late at night when he finally went to rest.
On the morning of the first day of the New Year, the Shen Family was exceptionally lively. The servants were bustling about, busy beyond measure. Mi Jing woke up early as well, but was forced to stay in bed by Shen Lingxing, who refused to let her go.
"Shen Lingxing, get up." On the first day of the New Year, Mi Jing didn’t want to lose her temper. After a long nap and then dawdling for another half an hour, she still patiently pinched Shen Lingxing’s nose, urging him persistently to get up.
"Just a little longer," Shen Lingxing caught Mi Jing’s small hand, holding it tightly to his chest.
More sleep?
What’s up with him today?
Is he deliberately throwing a fit, or is it that time of the month? Strange!
Mi Jing sighed slightly, staring at Shen Lingxing, "It’s almost ten o’clock. If you sleep any longer, it will be lunchtime. Aren’t we going to entertain relatives and friends?"
"Grandma can handle it. We don’t need to worry." Shen Lingxing embraced Mi Jing, looking absolutely content.
"Grandma isn’t feeling well. Do you have the heart to let her work hard?" Mi Jing scorned Shen Lingxing mercilessly.
"..."
Shen Lingxing didn’t respond. He thought, there are other people in the family. He hadn’t returned home for the New Year for years, and this year he made an exception solely for his wife. So, why should he care about relatives and friends? He wasn’t in the mood to greet them!
"Did you hear me? Get up!" Shen Lingxing’s silence made Mi Jing extremely frustrated. But with both hands tightly held by Shen Lingxing, Mi Jing had no choice but to bite his nose.
"Ha, wife, did you kiss the wrong place?" Shen Lingxing opened his eyes with a smile, teasing Mi Jing.
Worried about leaving bite marks, Mi Jing naturally didn’t dare to bite hard, so she bit lightly, which Shen Lingxing felt nothing from.
"Shen Lingxing, can you stop dawdling?" Mi Jing’s temper was on the verge of exploding. She gritted her teeth and said.
"No!"
Shen Lingxing loved seeing Mi Jing angry, finding this kind of quarrel particularly beautiful and joyful.
"How can you be so annoying!" Mi Jing glared at Shen Lingxing helplessly, completely at a loss.
"I’m annoying?" Shen Lingxing’s lips curled up in a wide smile, "Baby, as long as you like me, that’s enough."
Hearing this, Mi Jing’s angry face couldn’t hold the expression anymore, looking at Shen Lingxing both angry and amused. Then she kissed his cheek and said, "Can you get up now?"
"Young Master, Young Madam, Miss Xing’er and her husband are back, and the Old Madam asked you to go downstairs quickly." A sudden female voice pierced the air, making Mi Jing freeze for a moment.
"Got it!" Shen Lingxing responded casually and then released Mi Jing, getting out of bed.
After washing up, Mi Jing followed Shen Lingxing downstairs. In the living room, many people were sitting, most of them familiar faces, which made Mi Jing feel much more at ease.
"Xing, it’s the New Year, why are you getting up so late? Don’t you want to see your Aunt Song?" The dignified woman sitting next to Mu Bai said with a smile, her smile elegant and laced with a hint of affection, without any reproach.
"It’s just too comfortable holding my wife, so I didn’t want to get up." Shen Lingxing wasn’t at all embarrassed, smiling calmly.
However, while Shen Lingxing was unembarrassed, Mi Jing was bashful. Hearing him say this, she blushed instantly, wishing she could dig a hole and disappear in front of everyone.
"Ha ha."
The dignified woman and Shen Xing’er laughed merrily, while the others were more restrained, mostly giving ambiguous smiles. As for Ma Huilian and Shen Jiajia, their smiles were at best fake, but this did not affect the happy atmosphere at the moment.