[12. (Below)]

  I thought that after Shen Dong's words, Mrs. Shen would not take any further action even if she disliked me. Moreover, Shen Dong has been extra careful in protecting me lately, and I have a driver whenever I go out. Although I don't like to show off like this, I understand his intentions and can only acquiesce.

  Perhaps it's because the wealthy are used to such tricks, so when I sat in those two low-key black Audis, I couldn't help but admire the person in front of me.

  She saw me and didn't have the superficial politeness and courtesy of last time, she didn't want to maintain these superficial things anymore...?

  "Miss Liu." She had her hands clasped together on her lap, looking very serious. "We meet again."

  I smiled: "If madam wants to see me, she can naturally see me."

  She remained expressionless, as if she hadn't caught the sarcasm in my words.

  "Miss Liu is a clever person, so I don't need to say anything more. Since my useless son has been misled and lost his mind, I can only deal with you now."

  I suppressed my anger and learned from Mrs. Shen's calm demeanor, my facial expression didn't change at all, as if I had suddenly become deaf and couldn't hear the contempt in her words.

  She looked at me for a long time, finally revealing a smile: "Miss Liu, my intention was not actually like this. I'm also considered your elder, it's embarrassing to say such things. It really doesn't befit the mistress of the Shen family."

  I didn't speak up because I had no idea what she meant. All I could do was wait silently for her next words, this was just a sweet date, and I was waiting for the slap that followed.

  The person on the passenger seat turned around and handed her a stack of papers. She took them and placed them on my lap.

  "Take a look at this and you'll know why I'm being so meticulous."

  I picked it up...

  I don't know how long it took, but I finally put down what was in my hand and raised my head to face her. The victorious look in Madame Shen's eyes had already appeared, and it was my aversion to this look, my helplessness against this look that made me have no choice but to lower my head.

  "I am not..."

  "I know." She stretched out her hand to hold mine. "You child, if you didn't have something extraordinary about you, my high-and-mighty son wouldn't be with you either. Maybe you really are as Shen Duan said, not here for these things. But Miss Liu, that's the way it is."

  Yes...

  I slumped against the back of the car seat,

  That's how it is...

  What simple four words.

  She didn't speak, as if waiting for me. The car was heading somewhere unknown. I stared blankly at the scenery whizzing by outside the window, and in a daze, it all seemed like just a dream.

  In any case, the dream is over.

  If I could be less calculating, if I could ignore all this, if I could be a little more evil, if I really went for his money...

  Maybe at this moment I won't be so heartbroken and sad.

  I want to be with him...

  These seven words are on the tip of my tongue, and this sentence keeps emerging in my heart, as if it will come out of my mouth at any moment.

  I want to be with him.

  These seven simple words were once so simple for me, but at this moment, they are ultimately defeated by reality.

  Mrs. Shen's voice rang out in a timely manner, like a perfect line from a perfect movie: "You've always thought you were innocent and even considered yourself noble because you could sever ties with Shen Zong's family background. It's because he protected you well, this money, these relationships, he used them without batting an eye, but when he did these things under the banner of our Shen family, has he ever thought about who would have to pay for it in the end?"

  I finally found my voice: "We... we don't have to live like this."

  She raised an eyebrow, just like the person we were discussing at this moment: "We'll see about that, Miss Liu."

  After this, there was nothing more to say.

  The car stopped in front of a very beautiful villa, which was located on the middle of a mountain. From outside the gate, you could see that there were many, many flowers planted inside, blooming profusely and beautifully.

  After getting off the car, I came out. This should be where Shen Zong's birthday party is held, and after entering, I saw a huge swimming pool.

  The swimming pool in the mountain is very stylish.

  Mrs. Shen took me in, and the interior was almost decorated, very luxurious but not showy, I think Shen Zhong will definitely like it.

  She turned around and looked at me: "How do you think this place is?"

  I'm telling you the truth: "It's really good, most importantly, Shen Zong will definitely like it."

  "Yes. Do you know who took over decorating this place?"

  Here...

  I smiled helplessly and looked at her, "Mrs. Shen, don't give me any more bitter medicine. I've been with Shendong for so long, if I still loved to be jealous like that, it would have been a waste of all these years. You must have heard many things about me, thinking I'm a jealous woman, but that's not true. I'm just a twenty-something-year-old woman who yearns for love and can be unreasonable like a teenager at times. But I still have my wits about me, and I understand Shendong."

  Madam Shen raised an eyebrow, neither confirming nor denying, but didn't say anything further.

  It's better this way, sparing us both the embarrassment.

  A worker was hanging up a red curtain, I saw it and shouted out: "Don't hang it!"

  He turned around in surprise and looked at me, then glanced at Mrs. Shen, seemingly unsure whether to hang up or not.

  "Madam Shen, listen to me for a moment, don't hang on. Otherwise... you know Shen Zhong's temper."

  She looked at me for a while and then glanced at the curtain: "How come I didn't know he disliked red curtains?"

  I was just about to speak when I heard a voice from upstairs: "It's been red for years, why did it suddenly change its preference this year?"

  I looked back... and suddenly gasped.

  If it's said that the previous Gege, Zhou Ruixue, and even Shen Yao were beauties I've seen before. Then the person in front of me is what they call in books, a stunning beauty who can topple cities with her looks.

  Her skin is as smooth as jade, her smile is enchanting. Just standing there, she surpasses everything else. Making people unable to help but take a few more glances, beautiful things always make this ordinary man like me flock to them.

  Mrs. Shen looked at me and then at the person upstairs, smiled: "Vivian, I didn't know you were here."

  She smiled slightly, turned around and went downstairs, just a moment later, this stunning beauty was standing in front of me.

  "Shen Auntie, why have you come personally?"

  Mrs. Shen smiled but didn't answer, pushed me gently and said: "This is a friend of Shen Zhong's, I brought her here to take a look around. Miss Liu... this is Hu Wei."

  "Vivian, this is..."

  "What about Liu Jia?" She interrupted Mrs. Shen's words.

  Mrs. Shen was slightly stunned, but only for a moment.

  Hu Wei stretched out her hand: "I've heard of you, you're the young master's girlfriend, right?"

  I grasped her hand which looked like it had never been worked with before: "Hello, I'm Liu Jia."

  She pointed at the curtain: "I heard you say... is that really not okay?"

  I smiled and said, "It's better not to hang it up."

  "Oh..." She hugged her arms and looked at me, after a while she turned around and asked me "Which color is better? I mean... does the young master have a preferred color?"

  "As long as it's not red, anything is fine."

  "Alright." She smiled, a beautiful sight to behold. "Don't hang that up yet, I'll decide again tomorrow."

  Such a friendly attitude made me feel like I was basking in the warm sunshine after being tormented by Mrs. Shen for an entire afternoon.

  It was just that I was too young at that time and didn't know there's a kind of play in this world which requires red and white face to sing together.

  With a red face, there must also be a white face.