Green Tea Top Student Falls in Love with Me - Chapter 67

The moment the plane touched down, Shi Wangui was still in a daze. Wen Youren took her hand and asked, “It’s not over yet. Are you willing to pretend for a little longer?”

“I am best at pretending to be an enemy.” Shi Wangui pulled her hand away. “So, should you really be holding my hand right now?”

The airport was bustling, and there was no guaranteeing they would not run into someone they knew. They had agreed on the plane that they could be familiar, but not too familiar, especially not like a couple who had reconciled.

Shi Wangui also thought of Chang Yue and Wu Yingxuan. She had not expected that a random act of kindness years ago would bring them so much convenience now. Wu Yingxuan had stayed in touch with Wen Youren and assisted her professionally, helping her slowly gain Shi Qin’s trust. Without that support, Wen Youren would not even have been able to afford a plane ticket in the beginning.

As they exited the airport with their suitcases, Uncle Wang, the driver sent by Shi Qin, was already waiting at the gate. He recognized Shi Wangui immediately, helped with her luggage, and complimented her on looking even more beautiful than before.

Shi Wangui maintained her persona. She gave Uncle Wang a small smile, then shot Wen Youren a glare before climbing into the passenger seat.

Wen Youren thought to herself that she really did not need to act quite that well.

Uncle Wang took the act seriously. Once they were on the road, he asked, “Is the young lady still angry?”

Uncle Wang did not know the full story because Shi Qin had kept a tight lid on information. He assumed Shi Wangui was simply upset about the existence of her half brother.

Wen Youren whispered, “No one is happy about suddenly gaining a half brother out of nowhere.”

Uncle Wang sighed. The young master had a terrible temper, and he worried the young lady would be so angry she would leave for another few years.

The drive was silent. Shi Wangui watched the scenery pass by. The more familiar it became, the more irritable she felt. Dark clouds gathered overhead and the temperature dropped. Even in her thin sweater, she felt the chill.

When they arrived at the house, Shi Wangui sighed and pushed the door open with an expressionless face. Immediately, she saw a small boy sitting on the floor playing with building blocks.

The boy did not know Shi Wangui, but the first thing he said to Wen Youren was, “The little slave is back.”

Wen Youren usually ignored him, and this time was no different. She turned to Shi Wangui and said, “This is Shi Yun’en.”

Shi Yun’en looked at Shi Wangui with confusion, then stood up and shoved her hard. “Get away from my house, you stinking mistress.”

Shi Wangui immediately grabbed the short hair on his forehead and yanked it hard. “You’d better watch your mouth. If you don’t, I won’t mind sewing it shut for you.”

Pain flared for Shi Yun’en. He pulled a small knife from his pocket and slashed Shi Wangui’s hand. Blood trickled down instantly. He screamed, “How dare you! My mommy said everything here is mine! You are trespassing in my living room!”

Wen Youren immediately kicked him away. Shi Yun’en’s back slammed into the coffee table with a loud crash that brought Wen Yiyue running down from the third floor.

Still in her silk pajamas, with her face damp and hair pinned up, Wen Yiyue looked barely thirty despite being in her forties. Seeing a crying Shi Yun’en, she abandoned her polished image and rushed down to scoop him up, pointing at Wen Youren. “Did you bully my son?”

Only then did she look up and realize Shi Wangui was back. Her brow furrowed. “Why are you back?”

Shi Wangui held up her bleeding hand. “Your son slashed me. That is intentional injury. The police can determine how the wound was formed, and the weapon only has your son’s fingerprints. I’m calling the police.”

Shi Wangui knew she could say this because the home security cameras had been removed long ago, so there was no proof Wen Youren had kicked him. They could just say the child was blocking the door and got bumped.

Wen Youren said coldly, “I’m taking you to the hospital.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” Wen Yiyue hissed, grabbing Shi Wangui’s pants. “Your father won’t forgive you for this.”

Shi Yun’en, seeing his mother was not focusing on him, wailed louder. “Mommy, it hurts! The little slave kicked me!”

Before Wen Yiyue could demand answers from Wen Youren, the two were already in the car, driving away. Bloodstains remained on the floor. Wen Yiyue quickly wiped the floor and washed the blood off the small knife without a second thought.

Shi Yun’en was unhappy with his mother’s attitude. “Mommy, the slave kicked me. Kick her out! Never let her come back!”

If this were the Wen Youren who had just started college, Wen Yiyue might have done it. But not now. Shi Qin had made it clear that Wen Youren was vital to his company. To ensure Shi Yun’en inherited a massive fortune, they had to keep her under their thumb.

Wen Yiyue hugged her son. “When you grow up, all of this will be yours. You can kick out whoever you want then. You don’t even have to care about your father. That old man isn’t worth your time.”

In the car, Wen Youren grabbed a first aid kit to disinfect Shi Wangui’s hand and apply a bandage. “Do you need a tetanus shot at the hospital?”

Shi Wangui glanced at Uncle Wang in the front seat and pulled her hand back. “It is not that serious,” she whispered.

“Uncle Wang,” Wen Youren ignored her and spoke to the driver. “Go straight to the hospital.”

She turned back to Shi Wangui. “You don’t know if there was rust on that knife or what he was doing with it.” When Shi Wangui opened her mouth to argue, Wen Youren pressed a finger to her lips and whispered in her ear, “Ask whatever you want once we are at the hospital.”

Though Uncle Wang remained silent, Wen Youren did not fully trust him. After all, Shi Qin paid his salary.

At the hospital, Wen Youren saw that Shi Wangui got her shot, then led her to a nearby restaurant. After ordering a few dishes, she said, “Ask.”

Shi Wangui’s hand was still throbbing, and her hatred for the little brat had reached its peak. “Why did that brat call you a little slave?”

Wen Youren poured a glass of warm water for her. “During college, Shi Qin demanded I come back every weekend to help with work. Once, when the nanny was on leave, Wen Yiyue told him I was the slave of the house, born to work.”

“Two sick people raised a sick child,” Shi Wangui muttered. She had heard from her aunt how notorious Shi Yun’en was. Seeing him now, she was utterly repulsed. “Wen Youren,” she said softly, “why couldn’t we just run away together?”

“Do you really want to know?” Wen Youren turned the question back to her.

“If you explain, I’ll listen. I promise,” Shi Wangui said firmly.

Seeing her resolve, Wen Youren stopped hiding the truth. “Back then, Shi Qin said I either work for him, or he would force you to marry someone else. He valued my grades, so he made me change my major. Wangui, even though he is your father, I have to tell you that his body can no longer sustain his current workload.”

Shi Wangui let out a cold laugh. She had guessed Shi Qin had used some kind of bait, but she had not realized he had used her as a threat. Clearly, she was not a daughter to him. Shi Qin’s health was failing, and he could no longer handle the high intensity social functions and workload. He desperately needed to train a temporary successor, and Wen Youren was the best choice.

“Why doesn’t he just drop dead?” Shi Wangui smiled bitterly. “And why did you think I would just let him arrange my life? Why couldn’t we just run?”

This was the hurdle in Shi Wangui’s heart. She believed they could have lived the life they wanted, even if it meant being poor or homeless, as long as they were together.

“Run where?” Wen Youren smiled sadly. “In this information age, you leave a trail everywhere. You wanted to go to the most remote places, but I did not want you to take that risk. People are unpredictable, and I did not want you to hide for the rest of your life. I wanted our relationship to be able to stand in the light.”

The warm water in the glass had gone cold. With a trembling voice, Shi Wangui asked, “Then why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you talk to me about it?”

Wen Youren’s eyes filled with tears. She closed them, and large droplets fell down her cheeks. “I did not dare gamble. And besides, I couldn’t leave. I have to find the real reason my father died.”

The mention of her father calmed Shi Wangui’s emotions. She took Wen Youren’s hand and traced the scars on her arm. “Whatever happened in the past, I’ll act as if it never did.”

As long as Wen Youren had not left because she liked men, or because she stopped loving her.

“Do you have any leads on your father?” Shi Wangui asked.

Wen Youren shook her head. “I can’t be certain yet. There were no cameras in the village, so no one saw anything at the pond. But I investigated, and someone said they saw her pushing my father out the door, though they did not see where they went. But the bracelet is definitely hers. During the New Year, I am going to return it to her personally.”

Her memories from that time were a blur of Wen Yiyue’s screaming. Wen Yiyue claimed her father had gone to find her on his own, but she had forgotten that a man in a wheelchair could not manage the steps at the door alone. It was Wen Youren’s fault. If she had only noticed sooner, she would not have spent all these years searching for clues.

“I’ll help you find out,” Shi Wangui said. “I don’t believe she left no trace.”

They returned home. Shi Qin was there, and the three of them were on the sofa like a normal family of three. Shi Wangui noticed the house layout had changed. It used to be cold and empty, but now it looked lived in.

When Shi Qin saw Shi Wangui, he did not look shocked. Instead, he wore a mask of fatherly concern. “When did you get back?”

Shi Wangui rolled her eyes and walked right past him.

“Truly uneducated,” Wen Yiyue snapped. “Hubby, when is she leaving?”

“Enough,” Shi Qin said, putting down his paper. He looked at Wen Youren. “To the study.”

In the study, Wen Youren did not wait. “Transfer all the shares you hold in the City A branch to Shi Wangui.”

Shi Qin chuckled. “You really are devoted to my daughter.”

Wen Youren poured him a cup of tea. “You could choose to give them to Shi Yun’en. But do you think he could hold onto them?”

After five years, anyone with a brain knew who was useful. Though Shi Qin had not given Wen Youren full authority, she had her own allies. Wu Yingxuan had invested and transferred her shares to Wen Youren. This was the one step Shi Qin had miscalculated: he had given Wen Youren 1% of the City A branch. He had underestimated her love for Shi Wangui.

“I thought that by giving you wealth and a better life, you would understand,” Shi Qin said. “I did not expect you to give it up for a woman.”

“And you?” Wen Youren countered. “Who have you ever loved? You only satisfy your own desires. Does she even know about the other women you have? If she had not had a son, would you have ever married her?”

Shi Qin had difficulty fathering children. Of all his women, only Wen Yiyue had succeeded. For the sake of his son, he had to provide.

“You’ve already prepared for this, haven’t you?” Shi Qin said calmly. “Shi Wangui is my daughter, and her mother had a share in the company too. It is just a branch office. If the shares go to her, so be it. But,” he added, “don’t forget you signed a twenty year contract. If you want to break it and leave with her early, you’d better see if you can afford the penalty.”

Shi Qin assumed they had reconciled, but Wen Youren did not want to make it that easy. “I’m not doing this out of love. I’m doing it to compensate her so she can marry whoever she wants this life.”

Shi Qin did not believe her. “You really have no feelings left?”

“Everyone knows she is my sister now,” Wen Youren said. “And you know her temper. If she says she hates someone, would she forgive them easily? The transfer papers are here. Sign them. I want you to announce this decision at dinner tonight.”

The second floor had been remodeled for Shi Yun’en, so Shi Wangui and Wen Youren’s rooms had been moved to the third floor. The upside was a large balcony they shared.

Shi Wangui sat on a swing chair on the balcony. Wen Youren stood behind her and picked up the novel she was reading. “I did not know you loved reading so much.”

“Did you forget?” Shi Wangui snapped. “I got into University A. You should check my grades from abroad.”

University A was a thorn in their hearts. Their most difficult year of high school was fueled by dreams of a pure, happy college life together, dreams shattered by one man.

“What did you talk about?” Shi Wangui asked, pretending not to care.

“You’ll find out at dinner,” Wen Youren said, gently pushing the swing.

Shi Wangui looked at the security camera nearby. “Block the camera.”

“No need. I turned it off long ago.”

Shi Wangui beckoned her. “Lean down.”

When Wen Youren did, Shi Wangui kissed her, a quick, light peck. “That is your reward,” Shi Wangui said. “Consider it interest from last time.”

Wen Youren touched her lips and smiled. “Thank you then.”

“Wangui,” Wen Youren said suddenly, “if Shi Qin gives you something at dinner, take it. You deserve it.”

Shi Wangui pursed her lips. “Fine.” She knew Wen Youren had fought for it. She did not want Shi Yun’en or Wen Yiyue to have it anyway. Her aunt was right: her mother had married Shi Qin to give her a better life. She was entitled to her mother’s share.

“I’ll go back with you tomorrow,” Shi Wangui added. She believed there would be clues left behind.

At dinner, Shi Qin sat at the head of the table. Shi Yun’en pointed his fork at Shi Wangui. “Why is this mistress eating here?”

Wen Yiyue had not told her son who Shi Wangui was, but she had told him that any woman besides her and Wen Youren was a mistress.

“What have you been teaching him?” Shi Qin snapped at Wen Yiyue.

“What could I teach him? If you didn’t bring those women home, would he know?”

Shi Wangui smiled. “You’re wrong. Your mother is the mistress. And I want nothing to do with this family.”

Shi Qin slammed the table, silencing everyone. He pushed the transfer papers toward Shi Wangui. “I am transferring all shares of the City A branch to you.”

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