Chapter 28: Beloved Brother
After finishing speaking, Shen Shuyi focused on picking the blueberries from his own box.
Zhao Yuheng stood there stunned for a moment; the lingering moist sensation at his ear felt as if a little kitten had just licked him with its tongue.
Shen Shuyi rinsed the blueberries briefly at the nearby sink and picked the biggest one to eat.
After chewing just twice, Shen Shuyi: ?
“Yue.”
He spat it out immediately.
His handsome features scrunched up in sour pain.
Without thinking, Zhao Yuheng reflexively tapped his chin.
Shen Shuyi spat the blueberry into Zhao Yuheng’s palm.
“So~ sour~!”
Sticking out his tongue, Shen Shuyi curled up as if his whole body was shrinking, speaking with a drawn-out, whining tone.
Zhao Yuheng glanced at him helplessly. “I told you, these roadside blueberries are all sour. High price doesn’t guarantee quality. Only someone like you, a rich second-generation heir, would buy this many boxes at once.”
Zhao Yuheng threw the blueberries in his palm into the trash and washed his hands.
The vendor, fearing a refund request, hurriedly said, “Handsome sir, my blueberries aren’t sour! You must have gotten the sourest one. The others are definitely sweet.”
Who would fall for such a basic sales trick?
Zhao Yuheng sneered inwardly.
“Really?” Shen Shuyi picked up a second blueberry skeptically.
Zhao Yuheng: “…?”
Shen Shuyi looked like he really wanted to eat this box, but he’d learned from the last time. This time, he didn’t swallow it in one bite but nibbled a small piece.
Chew, chew, chew.
=?=!
Liar! Still unbearably sour!
Shen Shuyi’s delicate features scrunched again, slightly less than the previous time.
“Zhao Yuheng, it’s so sour.” Shen Shuyi complained like he was tattling, his voice long, sweet, and almost coquettish.
Zhao Yuheng frowned. “I already told you it’s sour. You insisted on eating it yourself.”
Shen Shuyi: “.”
Originally planning to stop, Shen Shuyi, stubborn as he was, reasoned: “But didn’t you say the others aren’t sour? What if the next one I eat isn’t sour?”
Zhao Yuheng coolly replied: “Use your mouth to say it.”
“?”
Meow.
They were arguing—who’s telling jokes now?
Hahaha… must not laugh. Must not laugh.
Shen Shuyi resisted laughing, unwilling to admit defeat, and bit into another blueberry. Still sour.
Zhao Yuheng’s palm now held two blueberries with small bite marks; Shen Shuyi left teeth marks like a little rabbit.
After several bites, Shen Shuyi finally lost patience.
“Refund my money!” Shen Shuyi shouted. “All your blueberries are sour!”
The vendor smiled apologetically, oily and slick, like a seasoned con artist: “Well, fruit naturally has its sweet and sour, handsome sir. Once sold, our blueberries are non-refundable.”
“No! Refund!” Shen Shuyi persisted.
Zhao Yuheng said: “Forget it. You already bought them.”
Shen Shuyi looked at him: “How can I forget? This is the red envelope your grandfather gave me. I haven’t even warmed it up yet, and someone tricked me out of 150!”
He mumbled: “Your grandfather would be so sad if he knew.”
Usually, if diamonds worth 1.5 million dropped on the ground, this young master wouldn’t even glance down.
Somewhere in his heart, it felt like a soft needle had pricked him lightly.
Shen Shuyi, when causing trouble, was professional.
The vendor hadn’t yet realized the terrifying consequences of angering Shen Shuyi.
This young master had already picked up his phone, planning to call his brother and have the elite lawyers from Yinghua Group and Yinghua Law Office prepare to sue this roadside blueberry vendor.
All because he had eaten two very sour blueberries.
Shen Shuyi coldly stared at the vendor. “Last chance. Refund my money.”
This was no longer a refund request—it was reclaiming money.
Seeing him dial the number, Zhao Yuheng knew he wasn’t joking.
He rubbed his forehead, unsure how to reason with Shen Shuyi. Ordinary disputes could be solved with words, not by sending someone straight to jail.
“Shen Shuyi.” Zhao Yuheng grabbed his slender, pale wrist in time to prevent a disaster. “I’ll ask him for you. Go wait up front for me, okay?”
Shen Shuyi hesitated: “Don’t you want me to call the lawyer?”
“No.” Zhao Yuheng patiently said, “Wait ten minutes.”
Ten minutes later, Shen Shuyi received 150 yuan via WeChat.
He looked surprised at Zhao Yuheng walking over. “They really refunded it?”
“Mm.”
Damn, you little…
Shen Shuyi’s eyes showed a hint of admiration—someone who could handle this. Of course, it wasn’t likely they’d actually refund him.
Zhao Yuheng had just stood at the stall a moment and sent the money via WeChat.
Refund complete, Shen Shuyi felt refreshed.
Zhao Yuheng looked at the remaining blueberries. “There are still so many. What should we do?”
“Oh, no problem.” Shen Shuyi patted his hands. “I’ll take them home to share with my brother.”
At Yinghua Group’s CEO office, Shen Lu sneezed.
Zhang Juncheng nervously said, “President Shen, are you sick? Do you need to adjust your afternoon schedule and call Dr. Liang to your office for a checkup?”
Shen Lu waved him off: “No need.”
He smiled, his tone slightly indulgent: “Probably just a little rascal scolding me.”
Zhao Yuheng had chosen a VIP reservation-only restaurant. They only accept five tables a day.
They had a reservation for 6:30 PM. Shen Shuyi’s schedule was fragmented, so Xiao Liu didn’t accompany him.
On the way, Zhao Yuheng hailed a car.
Inside, there was a faint smell of smoke.
Even though it was a top-tier car.
Zhao Yuheng opened the window and glanced at Shen Shuyi, who frowned slightly.
Better buy a car soon.
Can’t keep letting Shen Shuyi sit in a car full of secondhand smoke.
For some reason, Zhao Yuheng felt an unfamiliar anxiety at not being able to take proper care of Shen Shuyi.
The restaurant was quiet, elegant, in cool tones, high-end and private—Shen Shuyi’s favorite style.
Before the meal, Shen Shuyi couldn’t stop thinking about his blueberries.
He ate a few more, hoping to get a sweet one, taking a bite of each. Zhao Yuheng helped him finish the rest.
Still very sour.
By 8 PM, dinner was nearly over.
Truthfully, Shen Shuyi had worried about awkwardness on their first dinner out.
But surprisingly, Zhao Yuheng seemed calm and quiet. Though he didn’t speak much, when he did, he appeared very knowledgeable and articulate.
And his topics weren’t the shallow bragging of a typical blind-date guy.
Zhao Yuheng knew a lot about many fields, especially AI and international relations—he was quite skilled.
Shen Shuyi didn’t know how he’d learned both.
He had once curiously asked, and Zhao Yuheng only said he interned at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in his junior year, handling complex translation, minor negotiations, and hosting foreign leaders.
Hearing this, Shen Shuyi felt genuine respect.
No wonder Shen Lu had arranged this potential fiancé for him. It was to cultivate a promising prospect.
Shen Shuyi was curious: “How did you even get such an opportunity?”
Zhao Yuheng didn’t elaborate: “A coincidence.”
Tch.
Don’t say, don’t say. Pretending to be mysterious.
But Shen Shuyi thought—if Shen Lu planned this, wouldn’t their marriage be even harder to escape?
Usually, thinking about the marriage, Shen Shuyi would feel tortured.
Now, surprisingly, he was indifferent, even willing to muddle through.
…Oh no.
Had he already succumbed to fate?
Had Zhao Yuheng slowly boiled him like a frog in warm water?
Shen Shuyi shivered. No.
He didn’t want to marry Zhao Yuheng, a man who might slip cockroaches into his dinner!
Shen Shuyi’s expression changed constantly, and Zhao Yuheng noticed.
“What’s wrong?”
Shen Shuyi shook his head: “Nothing.”
He remembered the purpose of today: “By the way, in the garden downstairs, I want to take a photo with you.”
“…A photo?”
Zhao Yuheng’s Adam’s apple moved. “Why?”
“Where do you get all these whys?”
Shen Shuyi hesitated, eyes flickering. “Well, I’ve met your grandfather already. That’s like meeting the family, right? So I should let my brother see you too.”
Zhao Yuheng didn’t reply.
He hadn’t expected Shen Shuyi to treat even a kept lover so seriously.
“It won’t be bad, right?”
What if your brother sees this?
Bad?
Shen Shuyi couldn’t understand why it’d be bad. Taking a couple photo before marriage? Not a bed photo!
“This is fine. Many people around me do this,” Shen Shuyi said, confused. “It’s just a photo. My brother won’t say anything!”
He meant to reassure Zhao Yuheng.
Unexpectedly, Zhao Yuheng grew even more silent.
Shen Lu wouldn’t say anything?
Indeed, Shen Shuyi had high status in the family, the youngest, and even Hong Kong media knew he was spoiled.
Just having a kept lover wasn’t extreme compared to gambling, drugs, or criminal heirs.
But did Zhao Yuheng have to admit their secret relationship so openly?
Shen Shuyi didn’t give him much time to think. Zhao Yuheng was already unsettled, and Shen Shuyi adjusted the angle for the photo.
But how to pose? He had never taken a close, couple-style photo.
“Step closer.” Shen Shuyi tried to act confident.
Zhao Yuheng, realizing he couldn’t escape this photo, stood slightly behind Shen Shuyi. But being tall, the camera could either catch Shen Shuyi or Zhao Yuheng.
“You’re so tall?!” Shen Shuyi got a little annoyed.
“Born this way. What can I do?” Zhao Yuheng said casually. “Want me to chop off a bit?”
Shen Shuyi: “…”
So funny, but must resist.
“Then squat a little.” Shen Shuyi commanded.
Zhao Yuheng complied.
Height difference was negligible. Shen Shuyi, looking at the camera, began to struggle again.
“Why are you so serious in photos? Smile!”
Zhao Yuheng: “…”, only a bitter smile.
Honestly, Zhao Yuheng was flawless. Shen Shuyi had seen many handsome models, idols, and celebrities, but none matched Zhao Yuheng.
Perhaps because Zhao Yuheng usually seemed serious, Shen Shuyi rarely saw him smile.
Now, leaning close, a sudden smile appeared—youthful, handsome, and exuberant.
Shen Shuyi’s heart skipped a beat. His pulse raced.
When the photo snapped, Shen Shuyi was stunned.
Zhao Yuheng asked: “Finished?”
Shen Shuyi, dazed: “Ah?”
Zhao Yuheng patiently: “The photo. You’re taking it, right? Finished?”
“Finished.” Shen Shuyi nodded, still recovering.
“What next?” Zhao Yuheng raised an eyebrow.
Shen Shuyi snapped back to reality. “I want to… buy rat poison.”
Zhao Yuheng: ?
Ten minutes later, Shen Shuyi leaned against the car window, heartbroken.
Damn.
How could he get infatuated with Zhao Yuheng’s looks twice in one day?!
Now even during a photo session!
The thought alone terrified him.
If Zhao Yuheng hadn’t stopped him, he really might have bought rat poison.
When Xiao Liu picked him up, Shen Shuyi’s ears were red.
Luckily, it was dark, and the restaurant’s lighting was soft, so Zhao Yuheng didn’t notice.
Shen Shuyi opened the photo they just took, staring at Zhao Yuheng for several seconds.
Even without romantic perspective, Zhao Yuheng’s face was enviably attractive.
A little admiration for one’s fiancé seemed harmless.
The photo captured him mid-daze, clearly staring at Zhao Yuheng—so embarrassing!
Shen Shuyi almost deleted it but remembered he’d send it to his brother.
He decided to leave this “dark history” in the album.
As for sending it to Shen Lu? No way.
After the meal, Shen Shuyi enjoyed another week of fun.
The melodramatic series he was following, Love Has a Way but No Return, finally ended. The heroine, Song Qinghan, discovered the truth about Lu Beichen’s departure. But when she sought him, Lu Beichen was terminally ill!
The plot angered the audience, causing massive backlash.
On Weibo, people raged against the director, writer, and actors.
Shen Shuyi, immersed in the drama, joined the online fight.
He even mobilized friends and family to report “biased” posts.
He sent his brother Shen Lu a message: “Bro, help me report this.”
Shen Lu replied: “Don’t forget to report to the secretary’s office next Monday.”
Shen Shuyi quickly blocked him.
He then messaged Zhao Yuheng: “Help me report.”
Zhao Yuheng: “?”
Instant reply. Confused, but he did it.
Zhao Yuheng: “1”
Shen Shuyi: “(Yellow Bean Kiss)”
Indeed, a “beloved brother” was more reliable than his actual brother.
Shen Shuyi crossed his legs, triumphant.
Zhao Yuheng: …
A colleague passing by teased: “Texting your girlfriend?”
Zhao Yuheng minimized the chat: “No.”
He replied: “Don’t send that (Yellow Bean Kiss) emoji casually.”
Shen Shuyi: “(Yellow Bean Kiss)x100…”
Shen Shuyi: “Oh? ^^”
Zhao Yuheng pinched his brow.
Shen Shuyi sent another purchase link: “Help me pay.”
“Little cat, so bold.jpg”
He was now borrowing money without pretense.
Zhao Yuheng opened the link, only to see the magazine cover.
It was a recent male actor who had gained fame playing Lu Beichen in Love Has a Way.
The actor posed shirtless, tanned, oiled, wet hair—tempting.
Zhao Yuheng: …?
Thinking of Shen Shuyi constantly mentioning his kept lover.
Had he set a new target because Zhao Yuheng never agreed?
Zhao Yuheng expressionless, closed the purchase page and blocked the magazine.
Shen Shuyi waited for a long time, no purchase success message.
He asked: “Did you buy it? Don’t worry, I’ll pay you back.”
“No need. I won’t buy it.”
Shen Shuyi: “?”
Just forty yuan, and this Zhao Yuheng wouldn’t let him spend it?
Shen Shuyi shocked: “Why?”
Zhao Yuheng: “Don’t want to spend money on a competitor.”
Author’s note:
Yuheng: I will become a jealous husband, constantly envying other men…
