The Fake Heiress: My Brother's Gaze Is a Bit Off - Chapter 1

After finishing a long day of meetings, Shen Junhuai returned to his hotel. His assistant, Xuan Zuo, who was following closely behind, seized the opportunity to report the upcoming schedule.

“There is a meeting at ten o’clock tomorrow morning, a lunch with the person in charge of Vista at noon, and you are invited to watch an equestrian performance at two o’clock in the afternoon.”

“And.”

Before Xuan Zuo could finish his sentence, Shen Junhuai had already pushed open the door to his suite and walked inside. At the same moment, he caught a subtle scent of perfume.

Thinking of all the people who recklessly tried to plant someone in his room, his face immediately darkened.

Seeing this, Xuan Zuo quickly added the second half of his report: “The Young Lady arrived by plane this morning. While you were in your meeting this afternoon, she came over to pick up the room key.”

The temperature in the room seemed to rise. Shen Junhuai remarked, “I checked her location last night; she was still in Beijing.”

Xuan Zuo replied, “We had it checked. Her location tracking system was hacked.”

Shen Junhuai frowned and said, “Nonsense.”

Xuan Zuo, thinking to himself that this was only because of how much he spoiled her, maintained his composure and said, “The Young Lady said she did not like the hotel food, so she had a dinner for two ordered from the Cross Street Restaurant.”

Shen Junhuai said, “You can go and rest.”

Xuan Zuo nodded, closed the door, and left.

Shen Junhuai took off his jacket and loosened his tie before walking toward the bedroom.

He pushed the door open, but did not see anyone. Just as he was about to turn around, a hard object pressed against his waist.

A voice, deliberately lowered, whispered, “This is a robbery.”

Shen Junhuai chuckled, turned around immediately, and confiscated her small toy gun.

He weighed it in his hand and knew instantly that it was just an empty shell. He figured it was something her bodyguard had given her for self-defense to bluff people.

“With your slight frame, what exactly are you robbing?”

Shen Zhaoran pouted, “I have been exercising lately.”

Shen Junhuai said coolly, “Is that so?”

Shen Zhaoran immediately rolled up her sleeves to show him the muscles on her arm, then muttered softly, “I did not practice Baduanjin for nothing.”

For once, Shen Junhuai did not belittle her.

However, Shen Zhaoran was not blind. She immediately saw the prominent arm muscles hidden beneath his dress shirt. She fell silent for two seconds before changing the subject: “Why have you not come home yet?”

Shen Junhuai paused and replied, “Work is not finished yet.”

Shen Zhaoran retorted, “I asked Xuan Zuo. Even after your work in Spain finished, you still had another week before your business trip to New York. But you did not go home; you came straight here.”

Shen Junhuai remained calm: “The schedule changed.”

Shen Zhaoran looked at him indignantly.

Shen Junhuai had no choice but to soothe her: “Did you receive the gift?”

Shen Zhaoran turned her head away, looking displeased: “If you do not send it yourself, what is the point of having someone else deliver it?”

It took Shen Junhuai a long time of coaxing to finally make the Young Lady happy again.

Shen Zhaoran had waited for him until she was starving. Now that he was back, she made a fuss about going out to eat, but just as she stepped halfway out the door, she was pulled back.

“Put your scarf on.”

Shen Zhaoran did not move; she just stood there and let Shen Junhuai wrap it for her. “Did Xuan Zuo snitch on me? You did not even look startled when you walked in.”

“I smelled the perfume.”

“Is my new perfume that obvious?”

“Mm, a little.”

“Fine, then I will not wear it anymore. How much longer will you stay in New York?”

“One week.”

“Are you going home after that?”

By now, the two had walked out. The bodyguards followed from a distance with such low presence that it felt as if they were the only two people in the hallway.

Shen Junhuai looked down at her: “Yes, I am.”

After all, the person he was trying to avoid was right in front of him; it made no difference whether he went home or not.

Shen Zhaoran cheered up again and continued, “Do you not get tired working at such high intensity? You do not go home and you do not rest. The private island you gave me earlier is finished. Let us go take a vacation and stay there for a few days. I even had people build a small cabin on the beach so we can sit and fish.”

In truth, they had only been apart for a little over a month and they had spoken on the phone constantly, but Shen Zhaoran always had endless things to say. She chattered all the way from the hotel to the restaurant, until Shen Junhuai handed her the menu.

Shen Zhaoran took a glance: “Nothing to add.”

The dishes she wanted to eat had already been ordered by Shen Junhuai.

Shen Zhaoran started talking about the new gossip in Beijing since Shen Junhuai had been away. When she reached the part about the Tao family’s second daughter and the Song family’s young master fighting at their engagement banquet over the other’s mistresses, including the third, fourth, fifth, and even sixth, she paused for a few seconds.

“Mom wanted you to go on a blind date with the Tao family’s second daughter before, but luckily you refused.”

Shen Junhuai looked down, saying nothing.

“Brother.”

“Yes?”

“What kind of girl do you like?” Shen Zhaoran rested her chin on her hands and looked at him as she asked.

Shen Junhuai picked up his wine glass and took a sip: “Did Mom tell you to ask?”

“I am curious too.”

Since childhood, it was as if Shen Junhuai had had his romantic feelings removed. He used to be like a study machine, and now he was like a work machine. She had never heard of him being close to any woman.

Xia Qiaoya had mentioned more than once that he should find a partner, but he always found excuses to brush it off. Now, he did not even go home, skipping the need for excuses entirely.

The waiter brought the food, and Shen Junhuai said, “Let us eat first.”

Shen Zhaoran finally gave her tired vocal cords a break.

This restaurant was one she had her assistant book in advance. The food was good, making the trip from the hotel worth it.

After leaving the restaurant, Shen Zhaoran did not want to return to the hotel, so she dragged Shen Junhuai to walk the streets to digest the meal.

Shen Junhuai asked, “Are you not cold?”

Although Shen Zhaoran claimed she was not cold, she still stuck close to Shen Junhuai, sighing, “Not only do you not come home now, but you do not even want to walk with me.”

Shen Junhuai sat in silence.

Shen Zhaoran grabbed his arm, stepped in front of him, and looked at him, “So, why do you not go home?”

Shen Junhuai sat in silence.

Shen Zhaoran’s eyes were not pure black, but rather a hint of brown; even in the dim night, they were as beautiful as gems.

But Shen Junhuai only glanced at her once before shifting his gaze, replying coldly, “I have work.”

Shen Zhaoran: “Nice try!”

Shen Zhaoran added, “I am going to ask Xuan Zuo for your schedule later, the kind that is precise to the very minute!”

Shen Junhuai sat in silence.

It looked like he would have to make his work schedule even fuller.

Seeing that Shen Zhaoran was about to continue pressuring him, Shen Junhuai spoke first, “What is the deal with the location tracking?”

This time, it was Shen Zhaoran’s turn to fall silent.

“Hmm?”

That single sound was full of pressure.

Seeing this, Shen Zhaoran had no choice but to pull her coat tighter and offer him a flattering smile, “I am a bit cold, brother. Let us go back.”

As soon as they got in the car, Shen Zhaoran tugged at her scarf. Shen Junhuai’s hand reached over, and just as he took the scarf off, Shen Zhaoran heard him ask again, “Location tracking. Explain.”

Shen Zhaoran: “?”

Wait, were you planning to lure me in to kill me?