Savage Kiss - Chapter 68

Especially with a well-matched family background like the Zhuang family’s, the young lady naturally ought to marry the heir of the Shen family.

Not someone like him, a carefree, idle playboy with no responsibilities.

Mi Lian smiled, unconcerned about this. The elders from both families had made it clear that she was here today just to meet them first.

Who she chose would be the one they’d consider.

The car arrived outside the villa.

Shen Yanzhou got out first and, out of habit, started walking inside, only to be pulled back by the driver, who signaled that he should at least show some gentlemanly manners today.

The driver also knew that this second young master was usually wild and unruly, with none of the etiquette and family rules that the eldest young master adhered to. It was clear he was used to doing as he pleased, he had almost shown up in a rustic-looking military coat, claiming it was warm.

Was that even appropriate?

Shen Yanzhou had no choice but to turn back and offer his arm to Mi Lian.

After she took it briefly, he withdrew his hand and walked ahead.

“Wait for me!” His legs were long, and Mi Lian, wearing high heels, couldn’t keep up.

Shen Yanzhou reached the door first and held it open for her to enter.

Shen Yuqiao glanced up as the two walked in.

At that moment, the models were just about to showcase the first outfit.

Xu Qingyi had changed into her clothes and was lined up last, preparing to walk out.

When she first glanced toward the living room, she noticed that besides the boss, there was now another young woman on the sofa.

Probably the main guest of the day.

No wonder, she thought. Why would the boss, a grown man, be buying women’s clothing?

Xu Qingyi took a closer look. The girl was young and beautiful, with large eyes like an exquisite porcelain doll.

The boss sat beside her, exuding a paternal vibe.

“So many?” Mi Lian glanced around. “Let’s just pick a couple.”

After all, she wasn’t here for the gifts.

Xu Qingyi found the voice somewhat familiar but couldn’t quite place where she’d heard it before.

“It’s no trouble. I have plenty of time.” Shen Yuqiao was a perfectionist in everything and would never cut corners, even if this was just their first meeting under the possibility of an arranged marriage.

Whether the marriage would happen was still unknown, but the Shen family was never lacking in generosity.

Mi Lian smiled. Shen Yuqiao clearly had the demeanor of someone in charge, he didn’t like others contradicting his arrangements, so she didn’t press further and focused on selecting clothes.

As Xu Qingyi reached the entrance to the living room, she spotted Shen Yanzhou walking in casually, hands in his pockets.

She faltered for a moment, accidentally stepping on the model in front of her.

“Sorry!” she quickly apologized.

Shen Yanzhou hadn’t noticed her at first, but even with her hushed apology, his eyes immediately snapped toward her.

His steps slowed, surprise evident in his gaze.

Unsure how to react, Xu Qingyi could only maintain her professional composure and continue into the living room.

The models didn’t need to do much, just stand there, turn when the client asked, and take a couple of steps if requested.

Mi Lian had initially planned to browse casually and pick a few items, but when her eyes swept over Xu Qingyi, she paused in surprise, staring for a couple of seconds.

Quickly masking her expression, she simply remarked, “This set is quite nice.”

Shen Yuqiao followed her gaze to Xu Qingyi, his expression as calm and mild as ever. “If you like it, we’ll buy it.”

His glance was brief and professional, but even he could see that she was truly beautiful.

Every time he’d seen her before, her attire had been far from glamorous, always casual, to say the least.

Indeed, clothes make the man. Dressed like this, she actually looked like someone from the inner circle.

Shen Yanzhou sat on a sofa facing another direction, so Mi Lian and Shen Yuqiao could only see his profile.

At that moment, Shen Yanzhou’s gaze toward Xu Qingyi was even briefer than Shen Yuqiao’s, detached and indifferent, as if it had nothing to do with him.

Yet Mi Lian deliberately asked him, “Brother Yanzhou, what do you think?”

Shen Yanzhou’s brow twitched slightly, and his first glance went to Xu Qingyi.

Xu Qingyi subtly and swiftly averted her gaze.

She had never seen this girl before, but she could sense that the girl liked him just as much as Shen Yaoyao did.

Shen Yanzhou replied casually, “Why ask me? I’m not the one wearing it.”

Shen Yuqiao’s brow furrowed slightly at Mi Lian’s use of “Brother Yanzhou,” already knowing how the girl would choose.

He nodded to the manager, “Keep it.”

But Mi Lian spoke again, “It doesn’t seem right. My measurements aren’t as good as the model’s.”

Shen Yuqiao gestured to the manager again, eliminating this set.

Once the set was reviewed, the model returned to the room to change into the next outfit.

While helping Xu Qingyi adjust her clothes, the manager frowned, “Why are you sweating so much?”

“Is it hot? If this outfit gets stained, it’ll be a problem.”

Xu Qingyi’s palms were damp.

She forced a smile, “It’s my first time, and I’m too nervous. Maybe I shouldn’t go out for the rest?”

The manager was displeased; there weren’t many people to begin with. “With so many outfits, even if they performed magic, they couldn’t get through them all!”

Xu Qingyi let out a sigh. She had been standing there so stiffly earlier.

She was terrified that Shen Yanzhou would notice her connection to the boss.

And equally afraid that the girl would detect her relationship with Shen Yanzhou, which would likely lead to hostility, affecting her work and even implicating her colleagues.

To her, this was a living hell.

Fortunately, Shen Yanzhou strictly adhered to their agreement, maintaining a proper distance in public as if they were strangers.

For every subsequent outfit, Xu Qingyi remained on edge.

Luckily, not all of them had to be tried on. The girl only had them try the styles she liked, while the ones she disliked were directly sent back to the car by the manager.

Finally, when Xu Qingyi stepped out of the villa, it felt like a prison release.

On the way back, her mind was a mess.

She recalled Shen Yanzhou saying he’d be busy for the next couple of days and was going home.

Then why did he show up at the boss’s villa?

But she couldn’t figure out their exact relationship. The boss seemed incredibly wealthy, yet everything Shen Yanzhou had told and shown her suggested he was just scraping by.

That day, after collecting her daily wage from the studio, it was quite late by the time she returned to the seaside.

Almost as soon as she stepped inside, a delivery arrived at the building’s entrance just minutes later.

Xu Qingyi, still in her clothes, was catching her breath on the sofa when she heard the doorbell and went to check the video intercom.

“What is it?” she asked.

The courier checked the slip, “A gown.”

She had him leave it with the security guard in the lobby and went down to retrieve it herself, as she hadn’t ordered anything.

When she brought it back and looked, wasn’t this the dress from earlier that the girl had dismissed because her bust measurement wasn’t sufficient?

If she remembered correctly, it cost at least six figures.

Had the boss gone mad? Sending the dress to her? Was he trying to make sure Shen Yanzhou found out about their shady dealings?

If he was feeling so generous, why not just give her 100,000 or 200,000 like before?

Xu Qingyi held the expensive dress, trying a few different spots before finally placing it at the head of the bed.

It was nearly midnight.

Her doorbell rang once again. As Xu Qingyi stepped out of her bedroom, she saw Shen Yanzhou standing at the door on the intercom screen.