180: You come pick me up

Shen Lian waited until evening before Chu Zhumi finally waddled in from outside.

"You little fatty!" Shen Lian scooped up the cat. "Where did you go playing? You didn't even come home."

Chu Zhumi struggled at first, but after seeing it was Shen Lian, it started licking the back of his hand like a total sycophant.

Chu Yilan gave a soft huff, and Chu Zhumi immediately shared the love, letting out a high-pitched meow toward him.

Master Chu silently went to open a can of food.

Aunt Fen's cooking suited Shen Lian's taste perfectly, so he just stayed there for the time being.

Fortunately, destined splendor had already finished filming; otherwise, Shen Lian would have felt guilty staying at home like this.

The temperature in Qudu was gradually dropping. Most of the time, Shen Lian wore a short-sleeved shirt inside with one of Chu Yilan's jackets over it. They were casual clothes, and the sleeves were slightly long on him, but when the wind blew, he could just tuck his hands in, which was quite comfortable.

After a few days, Chu Yilan noticed that Shen Lian wasn't just accidentally grabbing the wrong clothes; he simply liked wearing his things. So, he added a few more items and had Aunt Fen wash and hang them in the closet.

Chu Yilan didn't have many casual clothes; he wore suits almost year-round, with various custom-made suits filling an entire large wardrobe. So, when Shen Lian saw the sudden increase in casual styles the next day, he couldn't help but smile.

Chu Zhumi seemed a bit restless this morning, pacing back and forth at the door. As soon as Aunt Fen opened it, it shot out like a little cannonball.

Shen Lian thought the little brat had gone wild. After breakfast, he basked in the sun on a lounge chair for a while. Before long, Aunt Fen brought him some chicken soup, which he finished.

Around noon, the sky turned gloomy.

Aunt Fen came out of the kitchen and glanced outside. "I'm afraid it's going to rain."

Shen Lian immediately pulled out his phone: [What are you busy with? Did you bring an umbrella? If not, I can come pick you up.]

Even without an umbrella, Chu Yilan could return without a drop of water on him, but seeing this message, he instantly understood what Shen Lian meant.

[Mm, Xingyue Mansion on Honghai Road. It should finish around 5:30 PM. Come pick me up.]

Shen Lian: [Got it!]

Before Shen Lian could even take a post-lunch nap, the sky darkened visibly, followed by a torrential downpour.

A bidding meeting for a new project was being held in Xingyue Mansion, and Feng Yueshan was there today. After that night of drinking, he had returned to the hotel and vomited, so he had settled down for a bit. However, Young Master Feng felt he was doing alright, unlike CEO Kuang, who had gone to the hospital for a nutritional IV drip.

Feng Yueshan yawned, and seeing Chu Yilan smiling at his phone, he immediately huffed, "A message from Shen Lian?"

Chu Yilan: "Yeah."

"You two are really lovey-dovey."

"You'll understand once you're with someone you actually like."

Feng Yueshan's expression became slightly awkward as he sniffled. "We'll see."

The bidding went smoothly. At the subsequent cocktail party, Chu Yilan used Feng Yueshan as a shield and didn't drink much himself.

"Hey, look who that is." Leaning against a table, Feng Yueshan's eyes suddenly lit up, and he tilted his chin in a certain direction.

Chu Yilan looked over and saw a handsome young man who felt strangely familiar.

"He is..."

"Zhou Tangru. Familiar?"

Chu Yilan narrowed his eyes. "The Zhou Family's bastard son?"

"Exactly. He's Zhou Tangsi's half-brother and currently a strong competitor—a thorn in his side. I heard they've been fighting fiercely. Even though Zhou Tangsi compromised, he didn't gain much benefit."

Chu Yilan was uncharacteristically curious. "What did Zhou Tangsi compromise on?"

"You really don't care about anything except Shen Lian, do you?" Feng Yueshan said with a gleeful look. "Zhou Tangsi accepted Old Madam Zhou's conditions. I heard he broke up with Zheng Ge and is now dating the daughter of Linchen Technology. But Zhou Tangru really has some skill; even with Zhou Tangsi going that far, Old Madam Zhou is still wavering between them."

That was it? Chu Yilan thought. "Zheng Ge" seemed like a thing of the distant past. Back then, his mental world was a crimson chaos, and he couldn't distinguish many things. Looking back now, his tolerance and leniency toward Zheng Ge were quite laughable.

Furthermore, Shen Lian had told Chu Yilan that Zhou Tangsi and Zheng Ge were the type to be tied together until the end; anyone who tried to get close to them and became emotionally involved would end up miserable. From that, it sounded like they should be devoted to each other until death.

Yet, for the sake of the Zhou Family's sovereignty, Zhou Tangsi had given up.

What a waste.

Speak of the devil—Zhou Tangsi walked in through the main entrance, but he wasn't alone. He was accompanied by a beautiful woman in a red dress.

As Zhou Tangsi and Zhou Tangru's gazes met, sparks flew instantly.

"Fight!" Feng Yueshan loved watching dog-eat-dog dramas. He hadn't had much contact with Zhou Tangru and didn't know him well, but he had long despised Zhou Tangsi and Zheng Ge in his heart. Seeing them just annoyed him.

Chu Yilan didn't bother wasting his attention on them either. The Zhou Family's economy hadn't been doing well lately; they couldn't compare to Hengtai at all.

Thus, in the eyes of others, the reason Zhou Tangsi used to be considered on par with Chu Yilan wasn't because of his ability, but because the heavens were blind.

Shen Lian set off from home at 4:30 PM. The sky was drizzling and still looked gloomy and oppressive, but Shen Lian's expression was gentle. He carried a bunch of daisies from a flower shop, and the driver felt the surroundings brightened up a bit just seeing him.

When Shen Lian was almost there, he sent a message to Chu Yilan, and the accompanying Yang Bin came out in person to meet him.

"Not finished yet?" Shen Lian got out of the car and smiled at Yang Bin with a raised eyebrow.

Yang Bin's tone was friendly and casual. "Almost. CEO Chu just said he'd take you to 'Yueshang Mingya' for dinner."

The dishes there were light and tasted good, which Shen Lian quite liked. "Sure."

Shen Lian had casually run his hands through his hair before coming out. Wearing khaki trousers, white sneakers, and a light gray coat, he walked with a breeze about him. Anyone seeing him would feel as if a fresh breeze had scattered the gloom. The young man held a bunch of daisies in his arms.

Yang Bin didn't even have to think to know who they were for. He had grown accustomed to Teacher Shen and CEO Chu ignoring everyone else and showing their love for each other whenever and wherever.

Shen Lian came face-to-face with Zhou Tangsi as he entered.

Zhou Tangsi's face was very pale. The partnership he was supposed to secure was now in Zhou Tangru's pocket. There would surely be constant rumors and gossip from the Zhou Family. In short, once a person gets stuck in a dead end, their thinking becomes extremely rigid.

Seeing Shen Lian, Zhou Tangsi was slightly stunned.

To be honest, they hadn't been in contact for a long time. At first, Zhou Tangsi thought Shen Lian was just putting on an act, and that being with Chu Yilan was a form of self-degradation. He had waited to see the outcome for these two, possessing the pride of a "chosen one." But he waited and waited until he was exhausted and unable to face Zheng Ge, while Shen Lian and Chu Yilan rose steadily step by step.

"What are you doing here?" Zhou Tangsi's bossiness toward the Original Host was ingrained in his very bones. Seeing Shen Lian now, the words just slipped out.

Yang Bin frowned, not because of Zhou Tangsi's hostility, but because the man's gaze toward Teacher Shen was far too focused.

Hearing this, Shen Lian grinned. "None of your business."

Not far away, Zhou Tangru's lips curled up as he witnessed the scene.