Chapter 281: Elders Have the Intention, But Alas

Under the pitch-black canopy of the sky, a bright, clear moon hung in the air, surrounded by twinkling stars.

The Zhongxinyuan apartment building was six stories high; it was dinnertime, and faint light shone from the windows of every household, looking like fireflies, exceptionally dazzling as they adorned the night sky alongside the stars and the moon.

Inside the Shen Family dining room.

Hearing Shen Nainai's words, Yu Youwei looked at the light gray wool scarf on the sofa, her gloomy mood feeling as oppressive as dark clouds.

This Hao Anqi was being far too impatient.

It was clearly just a college romance; it was still unknown how far things could go with Shen Yan, so was there any need to be so eager to curry favor with his elders?

One had to know, the one who laughs last is the true winner.

Sun Bixia glanced at her daughter, who was keeping her head down and shoveling food into her mouth, and sighed inwardly; this silly girl, letting such a good boy go without knowing how to compete for him, insisting on putting her studies first.

Now look, the peach had been plucked by someone else first.

She said in a joking tone, "Auntie, it seems he really is a good person; you'll have blessings to enjoy in the future. Originally, I had hoped that Youwei and Shen Yan could end up together, and our two families would become even closer, but things turned out contrary to our wishes."

"Perhaps it's because they are too familiar with each other, but the two of them just don't have any spark at all."

Shen Nainai also felt a bit regretful: "Who's to say otherwise? Youwei is a wonderful child in every way, and I would love to have her as a granddaughter-in-law, but the children have their own ideas, and we can't control that."

Once these words were spoken, Yu Youwei's heart felt like a blocked river, dull and unable to flow.

It wasn't that the two of them didn't have a spark; it was that they had missed their chance due to fate. If there were a regret pill in this world, Yu Youwei would definitely drink a whole bottle without hesitation.

In fact, Yu Youwei really wanted to stand up and announce loudly: "I like Shen Yan, and Shen Yan used to like me."

Both sides' elders had this intention, and perhaps they could mediate and get Shen Yan to accept her again.

But Yu Youwei knew deeply that Shen Yan was not the type to be submissive; he had a very strong sense of self, a clear plan and understanding for his own life, and would not be easily swayed by others.

Once she did that, she feared the result would only be counterproductive; Shen Yan would inevitably feel resentment and impatience toward her, which was something Yu Youwei did not want to see.

Moreover, the love she pursued was not charity obtained through groveling, but a relationship of equality, respect, and mutual appreciation.

Facing the current situation, Shen Yan felt it was better not to interrupt; he picked up a few mouthfuls of vegetables with his chopsticks as if nothing were wrong, chewing slowly while messaging Hao Anqi.

This posture, in the eyes of Yu Chengdong and Sun Bixia, had an obvious meaning.

He truly had no romantic feelings for Yu Youwei.

Thus, Yu Chengdong changed the subject: "Shen Yan, I heard from Youwei that you're opening a clothing factory and doing business in Hangzhou, making millions. You kid are something else; you're much better than your uncle here."

Bringing this up, Yu Chengdong couldn't help but sigh with emotion.

Who could have imagined that in just one semester, that shy and introverted little boy would undergo such a earth-shattering transformation, earning in a few months the kind of wealth most people couldn't reach in a lifetime.

Shen Yan grinned: "That's just small-time stuff. Uncle Yu, you are a public servant of the people, the embodiment of justice; there's no comparison between the two."

"Hey! You kid..." Yu Chengdong laughed and scolded.

Honestly, he really liked how Shen Yan was now—articulate and at ease in conversation; in every gesture, he gave off a feeling of being unperturbed even if Mount Tai were to collapse before him, appearing calm and confident.

It was just a pity that the two children couldn't strike a spark, otherwise he would have tried to play matchmaker.

The subsequent topics were more casual; elders and juniors talked about nothing more than studies, school life, some domestic trifles, or what they had seen and heard in Hengdian.

Yu Chengdong treated Shen Yan like an adult, warning him to be cautious in business, to avoid harm and seek profit, and especially to pay attention to fire safety in the clothing factory.

Lest one misstep lead to eternal regret.

Shen Yan smiled and agreed.

After dinner, Shen Yan gathered the remaining food in the bowl, scooped in some rice and dog food, stirred it all together, and poured it into the dog bowl; Danta was eating it with great relish over there.

Its tail was wagging rapidly.

The way it looked, it was as if it were enjoying the most delicious delicacy in the world.

Every time its little master returned, it would become exceptionally happy.

It wasn't just because of its longing for its little master, but more importantly, it meant its meal standards would be greatly improved.

The layout of the Shen Family home was quite simple: two bedrooms and a living room. To the left of the entrance was the bathroom, to the right were the dining room and kitchen, and next to the kitchen was a large open space with a mahjong machine.

The massage chair and treadmill were placed against the wall opposite the mahjong machine, standing side-by-side with the living room sofa.

After washing the dishes, Shen Yan sat on the massage chair, happily enjoying the pleasure of the massage. By this time, Yu Chengdong and his wife had already returned home, and Shen Nainai was out for a leisurely walk.

In the entire house, only Yu Youwei remained. She was in pink pajamas, sitting quietly on a stool next to the mahjong machine, a faint smile on her pure face, her fingers constantly twisting the hem of her clothes, her almond-shaped eyes revealing a hint of excitement and nervousness.

Yu Youwei couldn't even remember how long it had been since she was alone with Shen Yan.

"Brother, when is your family planning to do the big cleaning? Can I come over to help?"

Shen Yan was slightly stunned, then replied: "No need for that trouble, I'll just hire someone to clean it up tomorrow."

99% of the world's problems can be solved with money.

Willful as he was, he would have to be out of his mind to do it himself.

"Oh!" Yu Youwei responded dejectedly. That was true, the Shen Yan in front of her was no longer the person he used to be.

Skipping over this topic, Yu Youwei clearly had a thousand words she wanted to pour out to Shen Yan, but the moment she truly faced him, she didn't know how to start.

The room became eerily quiet for a moment.

Only the "ding-dong" notification sounds from the phone kept coming.

Wu Yue'er: "Hubby, it's so cold and lonely here, I'm scared all by myself (pitiful) (pitiful)"

Shen Yan: "Can you stop teasing me? You, scared?"

Wu Yue'er continued to feign pity: "Really, I feel chilly all over, my hands and feet are cold; maybe I'm sick because I'm not used to the climate."

As she said this, she even specially sent a selfie over.

He opened it to look.

Bright eyes and white teeth, charming and moving—where was there any sign of being sick?

Shen Yan: "Looks like you're quite ill. I was originally planning to take you to Baizhangji tomorrow, but I guess that's not happening."

Wu Yue'er: "Oh! I suddenly feel full of energy! Hubby, you're so amazing; just talking to you, my illness is more than half gone."

Seeing those coquettish words, Shen Yan couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from rising: "I really want to pin you down and give you a spanking."

Wu Yue'er: "Come on, come on, Mother hasn't beaten me for three days now (beckons with finger) (beckons with finger)"