Chapter 24: Romance?
“Good at fighting? So what.”
But why did Zhao Yuheng say that? Was he implying that he might have a tendency for domestic violence after marriage?
Shen Shuyi had originally typed a sarcastic reply in the chat box.
But now he honestly deleted it and hastily copied a reply from Shen Lu.
[Xiao Zhao, you’re amazing! So many people fought with you and you won them all. Your fiancé is proud of you. (hug) (thumbs up)]
Shen Shuyi had never praised anyone himself, so he had to forward Shen Lu’s compliment to Zhao Yuheng, hoping to quell his fighting urges.
Of course, to make it seem sincere, Shen Shuyi even tweaked a few words to make it look like he wrote it himself.
Zhao Yuheng wasn’t happy when he read it; he just replied with [?], then […], and then sent [Act normal] before retracting it.
The final message left in the chat was: [Thanks. But I wasn’t asking for your praise.]
What did that mean?
So hard to please!
Shen Shuyi’s patience ran out.
[Answer my question just now!]
Zhao Yuheng sighed helplessly.
[He’s safely back at the hotel.]
[Hmm!]
Zhao Yuheng stared at that word for a few seconds, then finally sent another message:
[Shen Shuyi, will you get back together with him?]
This time, Shen Shuyi didn’t reply at all.
That day, after parting ways at Shuiwan One villa, Zhao Yuheng’s life seemed to return to normal.
Shen Shuyi, perhaps busy with another “fiancé” or simply uninterested, hadn’t messaged him to meet for a long time.
He had even forgotten that they still had a meal they hadn’t shared.
Even occasional messages from Shen Shuyi were just small transfers of a few dozen or a couple hundred yuan.
Seeing this, Zhao Yuheng felt an indescribable mix of emotions.
At least Shen Shuyi hadn’t forgotten the compensation he owed him, right?
Their relationship should have stayed at this shallow level.
No meetings.
That’s fine.
Zhao Yuheng let out a long sigh, put down his phone, and focused on his life.
As graduation approached, all the trivial matters piled up:
Thesis, defense, graduation ceremony.
Part-time jobs, learning to drive, and taking care of his grandfather.
Life was busy. Only occasionally, when he picked up his phone, would he notice that Shen Shuyi hadn’t even sent small transfers in over ten days.
Had the employment market gotten so bad that this wealthy young master couldn’t even find dishwashing work?
The chat records were empty.
The last message he sent to Shen Shuyi had been half a month ago.
During that half month, Zhao Yuheng’s pay for a part-time simultaneous interpretation job for an international conference came through. Since the entire conference was in Arabic, the hourly pay was high, totaling over 50,000 yuan.
His grandfather’s condition had stabilized. Apart from the huge kidney transplant surgery fee, the monthly dialysis treatment was now around 7,000 yuan.
After paying for his grandfather’s medical bills, Zhao Yuheng used the leftover money to enroll in driving school and spent the remaining part-time earnings on a DSLR camera suitable for photography.
After finishing all this, Zhao Yuheng successfully graduated from HKU.
On the day of the graduation ceremony, his job offer also arrived in his email.
Unlike most graduates, Zhao Yuheng didn’t choose a foreign company. Instead, he picked a local Hong Kong company near the hospital so he could care for his grandfather conveniently.
The counselor thought it was a pity. With Zhao Yuheng’s grades and internship experience at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in junior year, this choice was conservative—almost low-level.
But the counselor knew Zhao Yuheng’s character.
He was a young man with plans and intentions, unwilling to live an unremarkable life forever.
That night, the counselor organized a graduation dinner. Zhao Yuheng couldn’t refuse and stayed until ten o’clock.
After several rounds of drinking, most at the table were drunk. Zhao Yuheng, however, remained sober.
He rarely drank—almost never.
Zhao Yuheng hated losing control. Alcohol numbed the mind and stripped him of control over his body. He couldn’t accept it.
The counselor, slightly tipsy, loosened up, clapped him on the shoulder, and asked: “Xiao Zhao, have you… started dating recently?”
Zhao Yuheng froze, hastily exiting the chat with Shen Shuyi.
He absentmindedly took a sip of the drink in front of him… Wait, it’s alcohol?
“No.”
“Nonsense,” the counselor laughed. “I’ve been through it—I can see the signs in you recently!”
Zhao Yuheng calmly said, “You’re drunk.”
The counselor pulled out his phone, scrolling through Zhao Yuheng’s Moments feed: “Look, a person who doesn’t post for years—look how often you’ve posted in the last two weeks!”
He swiped through a few posts and muttered incoherently:
“May 21, post about driving. May 24, post about buying a camera. May 27, post about camera arrival. May 31, cherry blossoms post… June 6, graduation post. And today, a selfie!! You never post selfies!! You know how terrifying posting selfies is? It’s like a second human apocalypse…”
Zhao Yuheng: ?
He smirked: “I’m just sharing my recent life. What’s wrong with that?”
The counselor: “Terrifying as if we got caught by Jupiter’s gravity in The Wandering Earth and split in half.”
“…”
Zhao Yuheng rubbed his forehead and pushed the counselor away: “You’re drunk. Stay away from me.”
“Hehe,” the counselor winked.
“…”
“Hehe,” the counselor continued mischievously, “you’re embarrassed because I caught you.”
Zhao Yuheng slowly threatened: “If I hit you now, I won’t lose any credits.”
The counselor stopped smiling, realizing he’d overstepped.
Although Zhao Yuheng was his student, sometimes he was intimidated by him.
He went back to drinking with other students, thinking the matter was over.
Suddenly, he heard Zhao Yuheng’s voice near him:
“Why?”
“Ah?” The counselor was confused.
“Why did you think I was dating?” Zhao Yuheng patiently repeated, then downed the beer in front of him.
Classmates nearby: ? Isn’t the campus heartthrob completely teetotal?
“Ohhh,” the counselor perked up again: “I told you! You’ve been posting so often recently, clearly for someone to see.”
“No,” Zhao Yuheng immediately denied.
“Alright,” the counselor gave up, patted his shoulder, and said meaningfully: “Have you ever checked Xiaohongshu to see posts I made to attract my crush?”
Zhao Yuheng: “?”
“…No. What’s that?”
The counselor’s tone grew serious: “If you compare with your Moments, the overlap is 99%.”
Zhao Yuheng: “….”
“I swear I’m really cultivating a relationship with my fiancé properly, really.”
In the VVIP private room of Huasi Hotel under Yinghua, Shen Shuyi put down his phone and swore to the heavens.
In the highly private room, besides Shen Shuyi, there was Shen Lu and several other direct family members.
His eldest uncle Shen Shanmin, second uncle Shen Jiawen, and their wives were present—just the first wives, as it was a family dinner.
Yinghua Group was a typical family business. To consolidate family power, they held monthly dinners.
Whether Shen Shuyi liked it or not, he had to attend.
Naturally, questions about his engagement with the Zhao family arose.
Hearing them, Shen Shuyi almost spat out the shrimp dumpling he was eating.
He was doomed.
Since parting with Zhao Yuheng at Shallow Bay, Shen Shuyi had been living comfortably in the villa.
Though he couldn’t spend freely outside, he had become obsessed with a popular TV series, binge-watching daily, rewatching episodes, even staying up until 3 a.m., then resuming the next day.
On days without new episodes, he called Hong Kong TV repeatedly, demanding to watch the finale tape.
The station director called Shen Lu overnight to stop Shen Shuyi from abusing his privilege.
Shen Lu then realized Shen Shuyi was completely addicted to the melodrama, so he forced him to attend the family dinner.
And Zhao Yuheng?
He had completely forgotten his name and the concept of a fiancé.
When asked about his romantic progress, Shen Shuyi remembered the dusty chat with Zhao Yuheng.
He hurriedly checked Zhao Yuheng’s Moments, liked all the posts, and showed them to Shen Lu as proof.
“Really, I like every post. Our relationship is very stable.”
Stable: meaning not contacting.
Shen Lu sighed but didn’t bother checking his phone.
Shen Shanmin, however, was pleased that Shen Shuyi no longer resisted the marriage and nodded: “Xiao Shu, it’s good you understand now. The Zhao kid is around your age, grew up abroad—young people share more common ground. The future of Yinghua depends on you two brothers supporting each other, understand?”
Shen Shuyi nodded perfunctorily: “Mm, mm, mm.”
These long lectures were repeated at every family gathering, like chanting.
Shen Shuyi treated them like 60-second unplayed voice notes—completely ignored.
Shen Lu, as the current head, still nodded: “Your eldest uncle is right. You’re old enough; it’s time to start engaging with the family business.”
He put some deboned fish from his own plate into Shen Shuyi’s and casually announced: “This year, in the second half, I’ll arrange for you to intern in the company’s secretarial department.”
Shen Shuyi chewed the fish and mumbled: “Mm… huh? Ah?”
He shot up: “I don’t want to!”
Back at Shuiwan One, he finally threw a tantrum.
Refusal—complete refusal!
He only threw this fit at Shen Lu, making sure it was private.
He rolled on the living room sofa. If the villa wasn’t all his, he would have smashed everything.
He flung the sofa cushions to the floor: “I don’t want to work! I don’t want to intern! Working is no different from going to a grave! I won’t go!”
Shen Lu calmly sipped tea, waiting for the fit to end.
Eventually, Shen Shuyi tired, glaring at Shen Lu in frustration.
“Done making a scene?”
“Just a bit tired,” Shen Shuyi grumbled. “After resting, I’ll argue with you. Wait—you’ll regret it.”
“Fine,” Shen Lu said slowly. “Wait until you see this next thing before deciding if you want to continue.”
Shen Shuyi: ?
Before he could react, the sound of “da da da da da” grew louder and closer.
Something was wrong. He rushed to the backyard and looked up.
On the lawn, a brand-new BELL429 private helicopter descended gracefully, creating a huge windstorm. Spotlights flickered, illuminating swirling grass clippings. The villa’s warm yellow lights cast a golden glow over it all.
From afar, it looked like floating gold flakes—dreamlike, decadent.
Shen Shuyi’s jaw dropped.
He glanced at the helicopter and at Shen Lu, standing side by side.
Shen Lu calmly sipped tea: “Weren’t you always whining about wanting a helicopter? Remember the Los Angeles party when Mari had one and you didn’t—you were so mad you didn’t eat for two days.”
…Oh!
Shen Shuyi: ?!
He sprinted as the helicopter landed, hugging it, squealing: “Thank you, brother! Love you so much!”
Shen Lu: “…Are you hugging the wrong thing? Your brother’s over here.”
Shen Shuyi, intoxicated by the 80-million-yuan helicopter, completely lost his anger: “I’ll start work at the company next week!”
“No need,” Shen Lu said. “Wait for next month’s HR notice. First, settle your marriage with the Zhao family.”
Shen Lu sighed: “Little Shu, you know grandpa worries most about your marriage, right?”
“Got it,” Shen Shuyi pressed his cheek to the helicopter, smiling like a child: “I’ll marry it for sure.”
Shen Lu: …It would be best if the one you marry is your fiancé.
Shen Shuyi delightedly saw Shen Lu off, forgetting to ask when his bank card would be unfrozen.
This 80-million-yuan gift reminded him how important it was to cultivate his feelings with Zhao Yuheng.
Frequent dates with Zhao Yuheng meant frequent luxury gifts, living better than in North America.
His enthusiasm burned—this was the real man’s life!
He sank into the helicopter’s plush seat and immediately sent Zhao Yuheng a message:
[Hubby, miss you (heart).]
Shen Shuyi thought smugly: “You should feel honored, Zhao Yuheng, mere mortal.”
Half a moment later, Zhao Yuheng replied:
[…Were you hacked?]
