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After handling the security guard's situation, Shen Jin turned and left.
The long-faced guard went pale, "Let me explain!"
He wanted to chase after him but was stopped by the assistant.
Ye Tingtong, noticing that the assistant didn't stop him, hurriedly followed Shen Jin with an umbrella, hoping to enter the banquet hall together. However, Shen Jin's strides were too large, and Ye Tingtong had to jog just to keep up.
Due to his haste and an unresolved cold, Ye Tingtong couldn't suppress a heavy cough.
After coughing, Ye Tingtong straightened the umbrella and found that he could now match Shen Jin's pace.
Walking side by side, Ye Tingtong hesitated about starting a conversation.
He had stretched the ten-minute walk to an hour to incriminate the long-faced guard, which felt satisfying in the moment. But later, he recalled that Shen Jin was also at the villa that day and would know the real distance.
Moreover, he wasn't sure if he imagined it, but when he seriously claimed he had walked for an hour, Shen Jin let out a chuckle.
Yet, when dealing with the long-faced guard, Shen Jin's expression was as cold as usual.
Did he mishear?
Ye Tingtong was lost in thought the whole way and didn't realize they had already reached the main hall. When he heard the noise of the crowd and snapped back to reality, Shen Jin was no longer beside him.
Yu Huanhuan, upon hearing this, gave him a light knock on the head, "You're so clueless! Letting such a great opportunity slip by."
Ye Tingtong rubbed his forehead, looking aggrieved, "He walks way too fast."
Having long legs really makes a difference.
After saying this, he remembered something and leaned closer to Yu Huanhuan, whispering conspiratorially, "Shen Jin stood up for me so firmly, he might really have feelings for me."
"Don't get narcissistic at the wrong times," Yu Huanhuan said helplessly. "The guard letting a guest get wet is his dereliction of duty. Shen Jin's handling of it was completely appropriate."
"But you, not only bullied by the driver, now even the guards can walk all over you?"
Yu Huanhuan couldn't help but pinch his cheek, "Next time something like this happens, as long as I'm around, just call me directly, got it?"
Ye Tingtong, with his cheek pinched, mumbled, "Got it."
As they were playing around, Yu Huanhuan suddenly pulled him behind her, stepped forward, and put on a distant yet polite smile, "Isn't this Boss Hu? Why not go to the main hall instead of squeezing into this little corner with us?"
Hu Cheng said gently, "Seeing Miss Yu and Tingtong chatting so happily, I thought I'd join in the fun."
He turned his head to look at the person hiding behind Yu Huanhuan and smiled, "Haven't seen you in a while, Tingtong, you've lost some weight."
This form of address made Ye Tingtong's skin crawl. He glared at Hu Cheng, "I'm not close to you, don't call me that, it's disgusting."
After saying this, he shivered and rubbed his arms.
Such words would have angered most people, but Hu Cheng merely restrained his smile and said calmly, "Brother Ye is right, your personality indeed needs some proper training."
The word [training] made Ye Tingtong extremely uncomfortable, reminding him of the boy he saw beside Hu Cheng on the day he went to the Crescent Hall.
That boy was also of the delicate type, dressed meticulously, with a silk scarf tied around his neck in a beautiful bow.
However, in the elevator, standing behind the boy, he inadvertently saw heavy purplish-red bruises under the scarf, exactly in a circle.
This must be what Hu Cheng meant by "training."
Yu Huanhuan also cooled her tone, "Mr. Hu, we're not in the mood for small talk right now. Please leave, or I won't hesitate to call security."
Neither she nor Ye Tingtong cared about causing a scene; they weren't afraid of making a scene.
Hu Cheng didn't stick around. Before leaving, he handed his wine glass to Ye Tingtong, "Kitten, I'll be seeing you soon."
Their conversation wasn't exactly subtle, and many onlookers gave them curious looks, clearly treating it as a spectacle.
Yu Huanhuan, her face cold, took Ye Tingtong outside.
The rain had stopped, and the air was hazy, blurring the once-beautiful garden like a veil.
After a pause, Yu Huanhuan broke the silence, "What are you planning to do?"
Hu Cheng's brazen appearance and his suggestive comments made it clear—
Ye Tingtong hadn't succeeded in winning Shen Jin over.
After all, the intimidation had run its course.
Ye Tingtong was still holding the black umbrella Shen Jin had given him. He gripped the handle and said, "I'll leave before the engagement party ends and find a place to hide."
It wasn't a permanent fix, but it was the best he could manage for now.
Yu Huanhuan paced back and forth, "Hu Cheng's behavior is suspicious; he won't let you slip away easily."
Hu Cheng's blatant confidence showed he was sure of himself.
They both knew it, and the tension thickened.
At that moment, Ye Tingtong's phone buzzed with a message.
"Ye Guodong is staking out the Shen family's old residence, and there are people around Yu Huanhuan's house. Be careful."
The number was unknown, but Ye Tingtong quickly figured out who it was, "It's Driver Li."
When Shen Minghuai was still protecting him, Ye Tingtong had tried to cozy up to Driver Li to keep tabs on the Ye family's movements. Yu Huanhuan often scolded him for wasting his time.
Now, while it had proven useful, it was also the last straw.
Ye Tingtong slowly slipped his phone into his pocket and suddenly brought up something unrelated, "Sister Huanhuan, there are five or six gifts from Shen Minghuai in my dorm closet. I haven't even removed the tags. If you want them, grab them before the dorm supervisor takes them."
It was the only useful thing he had left.
"Who wants your junk—" Yu Huanhuan cut herself off, her lips trembling with anger, "Ye Tingtong, is this all the spine you've got?"
"It's not that bad yet." She took a deep breath, "There's still Shen Jin."
Ye Tingtong whispered, "But he doesn't like me."
Shen Jin was cold and restrained; his help was likely just a whim.
"I know," Yu Huanhuan calmed down, "What I'm saying is, you should try to seduce Shen Jin."
Hu Cheng was too twisted and dirty to touch, and Ye Tingtong had his own principles, unwilling to be with Shen Minghuai. That left only Shen Jin.
"Even as Shen Jin's lover, you'd be enough to handle the Ye family."
Ye Tingtong stared blankly at Yu Huanhuan, clearly caught off guard.
"Shen Jin has no partner, and it seems he won't have one in the near future, so it doesn't cross your bottom line," Yu Huanhuan said. "It's time for you to step out of the ivory tower Shen Minghuai created for you."
Sometimes even she envied Ye Tingtong's life. Despite having a worse background than her, he could live a leisurely and carefree life, while she had to navigate the treacherous waters of high society, always treading carefully.
Yu Huanhuan's words were harsh and matter-of-fact, leaving Ye Tingtong with no room for argument.
She handed Ye Tingtong a small, candy-like item from her pocket. "Shen Jin doesn't suspect you. Just put it in his drink and make him consume it."
Ye Tingtong looked at the pill in front of him. The black umbrella in his hand suddenly felt heavy, pressing painfully against his palm. "What if... he still doesn't show any interest in me?"
"Then take advantage of his drunkenness and snap more photos," Yu Huanhuan said. "People like him care about their reputation more than anything."
This was the worst-case scenario. If it came to that, the first to ruin Ye Tingtong might not be the Ye family, but Shen Jin himself.
But they had no other choice.
✿
In the innermost courtyard of the Shen family's ancestral home, Shen Jin stood beside a poised woman.
Despite her well-preserved appearance, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes betrayed her age. This woman was Qin Qiong, the matriarch of the Shen family and Shen Jin's mother.
Qin Qiong stood by the window, gazing at the misty lights, and asked, "Do you know why I called you here?"
Shen Jin said, "Go ahead."
"I know you're grown now, and some things are out of my hands," Qin Qiong said calmly. "But the Liang family marriage shouldn't end up with the fourth branch."
Qin Qiong looked at the tall figure beside her. "You were the one who arranged this. What? Do you not see the value in what the Liang family offers?"
Shen Jin lowered his head, his tone steady. "You and Mrs. Liang are close friends. You should know that Miss Liang has feelings for Shen Minghuai."
"So what?" Qin Qiong said dismissively. "If you made an effort, Liang Yuting would have come around by now."
Even though she didn't favor Shen Jin, she knew he had what it took.
Shen Jin paused for a moment. "I thought you'd be pleased with Shen Minghuai's alliance with the Liang family."
After giving birth to him, Qin Qiong's health declined, and she had been convalescing in the old mansion. The one who visited her most often wasn't her youngest son, but Shen Minghuai.
Rumors had it that the 10% of the company's shares Qin Qiong held were set aside for her favorite grandson.
"Why do you still have such naive thoughts? Forget it, there's no use talking about this," Qin Qiong said with a hint of impatience. "Wang Mei must have already informed you, right? Behave well and get along with her. Don't leave tonight; stay in the old mansion."
Qin Qiong had her own circle, and the Wang family, like the Liang family, was closely connected to her.
After leaving the inner courtyard, Yu Mo, who had heard what Shen Jin said, was shocked. "Damn, your mom just sold you out like that?"
The implication was too obvious. Previously, she hadn't allowed Shen Jin to come to the old mansion, but now she was generously letting him stay overnight, clearly trying to get a hold on him.
"Tell me, she's not young anymore. Why is she still playing these games? Does she want to be the behind-the-scenes ruler of the Shen Group?" Yu Mo clicked his tongue. "Such a big appetite."
No one believed Qin Qiong had Shen Jin's best interests at heart. After all, this mother had despised Shen Jin from the moment he was born, believing he had ruined her health. Shen Jin had been able to walk for a long time before Qin Qiong ever held him once.
If it weren't for Shen Jin's own efforts, he would have been forgotten in some obscure corner long ago.
Now, it seemed she wanted to control Shen Jin's marriage to vie for the Shen family's shares.
Yu Mo felt more and more uneasy, sensing something sinister about the Shen mansion. "Be careful tonight. Do you want me to stay with you?"
When she was young, Qin Qiong was known for her extreme tactics. No matter how much you guard against it, it's hard to prevent betrayal from within the family. Who knows what kind of mess she might cause.
Shen Jin walked with his usual composure. "Don't worry, I've got it under control."
"It's like the emperor isn't worried, but the servant is freaking out," Yu Mo said helplessly. "Instead of this, you should just marry someone you can manage."
That way, you'd stop so many people from eyeing the spot next to Shen Jin. It's annoying to watch day after day.
At these words, Shen Jin suddenly glanced at Yu Mo.
Yu Mo was so startled by his gaze that he jumped back three steps in alarm. "Dude, don't even think about it—our friendship is sacred."
Shen Jin's temple twitched in irritation. "Get out of here."
On the other side, Ye Tingtong stayed in the main hall, watching Shen Jin mingle and drink, with no room to join in.
Instead, Yu Mo came over with a laugh and clinked glasses with him.
Maybe Shen Jin had one too many drinks tonight, because he soon stumbled out of the hall. Ye Tingtong's eyes lit up, and he quickly followed.
It started raining outside again. He had an umbrella handy. As he was leaving, a girl in a hurry asked for his umbrella. Ye Tingtong refused to give it to her. After searching for a while, he finally found Shen Jin in the garage.
Luckily, he had scouted the place earlier and knew Shen Jin's car was there.
Shen Jin leaned casually against the car, his assistant standing beside him.
As he approached, both of them turned to look at him. Shen Jin's expression was calm, but the assistant looked taken aback.
As if he wasn't the person they expected.
Ye Tingtong slowly approached, ready with his prepared excuse: "Uh, I came to give back the umbrella."
But he didn't actually hand over the umbrella. Looking at Shen Jin, he stammered, "Are you drunk? Do you need help?"
Ye Tingtong didn't know if his intentions had been seen through. He only knew that Shen Jin's gaze lingered on him for a while, and then he let the assistant leave.
Ye Tingtong temporarily acted as Shen Jin's driver, taking him home, to the house where he had lived before.
Upon arrival, Shen Jin seemed really drunk, needing his support to walk. Perhaps because he was struggling too much, the security guard at the entrance kindly asked if they needed help before entering the elevator.
Ye Tingtong guiltily refused, gritting his teeth as he dragged him all the way to the sofa.
After catching his breath, Ye Tingtong poured a glass of water, then, with his back to Shen Jin, put the drug Yu Huanhuan had given him into it.
The pill quickly dissolved and disappeared, the water returning to its clear state.
Shen Jin leaned back on the sofa, eyes closed, whether unconscious or simply resting was unclear.
Ye Tingtong held the water glass, leaning in close, "Are you okay?"
No response.
Ye Tingtong gathered his courage, "Shen Jin?"
Did he pass out from drinking?
As soon as he spoke, the other person slowly opened his eyes.
Perhaps because of the alcohol, Shen Jin's eyes were unusually dark. Ye Tingtong met his gaze, as if he had plunged into a deep, unfathomable cold pool, startling him so much that his hand trembled.
Afraid that the pill wouldn't dissolve well, Ye Tingtong poured the water to the very top, and with that tremble, about half of it spilled out.
He caught a whiff of a faintly sweet scent.
Ye Tingtong, still had a cold, didn't smell it, but he noticed Shen Jin take a quick look at the cup.
An awkward silence suddenly fell between them. Ye Tingtong's fingers played with the wet cup, "Shen Jin, I have something to say."
Shen Jin gave a nod.
In Ye Tingtong's mind, the lines he had rehearsed earlier played in his mind like a barrage of subtitles.
[Do you want to sleep with me?]
[Take care of me, and I'll be your lover.]
[You won't regret it, I'm amazing in bed.]
...
With the alcohol in his system, as long as he took the initiative, it would definitely happen.
Ye Tingtong clenched his jaw, "Do you want—"
Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly noticed the black umbrella he had placed by the door.
The umbrella was large, and when it shaded him, he couldn't even see Shen Jin's face.
Moreover, even though he was drunk, Shen Jin listened patiently without getting upset when the water spilled.
Ye Tingtong suddenly lost his nerve. He placed the cup on the table beside him and said quietly, "This water is cold, I'll get you a new one later."
"Do you want some honey water?"
After saying this, Ye Tingtong was mad at himself for giving up such a great opportunity, "Forget it, I don't want to serve you anymore, do whatever you want."
He wanted to slip out and hide before the Ye family could react.
"I hope I can catch a cab easily here..." Ye Tingtong had just stood up when his hand was grabbed.
He asked, confused, "What?"
Shen Jin spoke, "Ye Tingtong."
Ye Tingtong was stunned; it was the first time Shen Jin had called his name.
Shen Jin looked up, locking eyes with him, "Do you want to marry me?"
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