The Fake Heiress: My Brother's Gaze Is a Bit Off - Chapter 11

Shen Zhaoran had little interest in the banquet that night and had not yet bought the sapphire she had fallen in love with at first sight. When a message from Shen Junhuai arrived, she informed Ruan Yan and Zhou Hongyu and slipped away early.

However, before she even reached the parking lot, Wei Li appeared again.

“Are you planning to leave, Miss Shen?”

“Yes.”

“Did you drive here yourself, Miss Shen? Do you need me to take you?”

“Someone is coming to pick me up.”

Wei Li hesitated for only a second before saying, “If you are interested in this sapphire, why do we not add each other on WeChat to discuss it in detail?”

Shen Zhaoran, still unwilling to give up on that sapphire, added his WeChat.

Just as she finished accepting the request, she heard footsteps behind her.

Shen Junhuai grabbed her shoulders, pulled her into his arms, and cast an indifferent glance at Wei Li.

Shen Zhaoran exclaimed, “Brother, you arrived so quickly.”

Wei Li put his phone away. “President Shen.”

Shen Junhuai replied, “President Wei.”

After exchanging these brief pleasantries, Shen Junhuai led her toward the parking lot.

As soon as Shen Zhaoran opened the car door and sat down, she heard him ask, “You added him on WeChat?”

Shen Zhaoran nodded. “I used my work account. I want to buy something he has.”

She did not mention the sapphire, as it was intended to be a gift for Shen Junhuai, and she wanted to keep the surprise.

Shen Junhuai cautioned her, “He is not a simple man. Try to keep your contact with him to a minimum.”

Shen Zhaoran replied, “Zhou Hongyu said the exact same thing earlier.”

Shen Junhuai asked, “Did you drink?”

Shen Zhaoran shook her head. “I drank juice.”

She had a low tolerance for alcohol and was a total lightweight. Shen Junhuai usually did not let her drink at events, and she had to request permission if she wanted to.

Shen Zhaoran asked, “Brother, do you dislike that Wei Li?”

Shen Junhuai replied, “I do not care whether I like him or not.”

Shen Zhaoran took his reaction as dislike toward Wei Li, which meant she could not buy the sapphire from him to give to her brother.

Back at Tianhai Bay, Shen Zhaoran said before she had even changed her shoes, “I am hungry.”

Shen Junhuai asked, “You did not eat?”

Shen Zhaoran replied, “I only had some cake.”

Shen Junhuai took off his coat, rolled up his shirt sleeves, and walked toward the kitchen while asking, “What do you want to eat?”

Shen Zhaoran followed behind him. “Anything will do as long as I can get full.”

Shen Junhuai opened the refrigerator, looked inside, and began taking out ingredients to make her a bowl of noodles.

When Shen Zhaoran reached out to grab an iced juice, Shen Junhuai swatted her hand away before she could even touch the bottle.

She pouted, her expression clearly showing her unhappiness. “Aunt Zhao put that in the fridge specifically for me to drink.”

Shen Junhuai glanced at her. “I will tell Aunt Zhao not to put it there anymore.”

Shen Zhaoran: “…”

While preparing the meal, Shen Junhuai took a moment to freshly squeeze some juice for her.

While waiting, Shen Zhaoran took out her console to play a small level-clearing game. By the time Shen Junhuai brought the noodles over, she had already lost twice.

She was so frustrated she almost jumped up. “This is not scientific!”

“Eat first.” Shen Junhuai took the console and helped her clear the level.

The toppings were piled high on the noodles, among which the glistening, oily water spinach stood out.

Shen Zhaoran said, “I do not like water spinach.”

Shen Junhuai said as he played, “That is the only vegetable we have.”

Besides the noodles, there were some pickled side dishes that Aunt Zhao had brought from the old mansion. Shen Junhuai had taken them out of the jars, chopped them up, and mixed them with seasonings; they were sweet, sour, and spicy, perfect for cleansing the palate.

Shen Zhaoran ate the noodles from her small bowl, her eyes still glued to the game console.

Shen Junhuai was also skilled at gaming. By the time Shen Zhaoran had not even eaten a few bites, he had already finished the game.

Midway, he had even taken a phone call. Shen Zhaoran waited until he hung up to ask, “Was that Song Heyan?”

Shen Junhuai replied, “Yes.”

Shen Zhaoran asked, “He is back? Did he find her?”

Shen Junhuai said, “He just arrived at the airport. I did not ask.”

Shen Zhaoran nodded and continued eating her noodles.

Song Heyan was also a good friend of Shen Junhuai. When he went to Canada to study, he had a local Chinese girlfriend. It was only when he brought her home to meet his parents a few years ago that they realized she was actually the illegitimate daughter his father had had out of wedlock.

The two were half-siblings.

Moreover, Song’s mother had known about Song’s father’s illegitimate daughter. The two of them only maintained a facade of a happy marriage, while in reality, they were both cheating on each other.

When the girlfriend learned the truth, she suffered a breakdown and tried to commit suicide. After she was saved, she left on her own.

Song Heyan caused a scene at home and ran off as well, saying he would not return until he found her. Several years had passed, and there had been no news of her at all.

Shen Junhuai watched as Shen Zhaoran ate her noodles mouthful by mouthful. In the end, she did not say anything and did not ask anything.

Xia Qiaoya, who was overseas, called Shen Junhuai across time zones, asking him to take Shen Zhaoran to have some qipaos made.

“Qipaos?”

“I have been so busy lately that I almost forgot. I specifically had them set aside time. I have already selected a few sets, so you should let Zhaozhao take a look herself. I had two made for her last year, and she looked so beautiful in them.”

Shen Junhuai thought, “I do not remember that.”

“Their trench coats are not bad either. You decide, do not just stick to your black, white, and gray wardrobe every single day.”

“I understand.”

Shen Junhuai looked at the address Xia Qiaoya had sent. The shop was located on Jingu Lane, not far from Shen Zhaoran’s studio.

He sent a message to Shen Zhaoran, telling her he would pick her up early that evening.

Not long after 4:00 PM, Shen Junhuai put on his coat and headed out. “Send the meeting minutes from today and the follow-up data regarding Yunsheng to my email. I will read them tonight.”

Xuan Zuo replied, “Understood.”

Shen Junhuai drove to the entrance of the studio, where the receptionist led him directly to Shen Zhaoran’s office.

Before they reached the end of the hallway, he saw someone hovering around the doorway.

The receptionist teased Shi Jiashu, “Did Shen turn down your design draft?”

Shi Jiashu smiled but did not say anything. He did not even have the chance to have his drafts reviewed by Shen Zhaoran anymore.

Shen Junhuai gave him a single look, retracted his gaze, and walked straight into Shen Zhaoran’s office.

Hearing the door open, Shen Zhaoran assumed it was someone from the studio and asked without looking up, “What is it?”

Shen Junhuai walked over. Only then did she notice something wrong and look up.

“Brother? When did you arrive?”

As she spoke, she used other documents to cover up the brooch design draft she had prepared for him.

“Just arrived. What are you busy with?”

“I am looking at some design drafts.”

“Let us go, let us go. Time to get off work.” She pulled Shen Junhuai out the door and saw Shi Jiashu, who had not yet left. She asked, “Is something wrong?”

Shi Jiashu glanced at Shen Junhuai and swallowed the question he wanted to ask about why he had been transferred to a different group. “Nothing.”

Shen Zhaoran nodded and said coolly, “If you need anything, find Manager Ruan.” With that, she continued pulling Shen Junhuai toward the exit. Once they were in the car and she had buckled her seatbelt, she waved her hand and shouted, “Let us go!”

Shen Junhuai asked casually, “Is that person also a designer at the studio?”

“Yes. The engagement gift I gave to the eldest cousin was designed by him.”

Shen Junhuai’s grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly. He remembered that Shen Zhaoran had once complimented the man, calling him handsome.

Unaware of what he was thinking, Shen Zhaoran continued, “However, Ruan Yan said he might have a bit of a crush on me, so I transferred him away. What if he suddenly confesses to me one day? If I reject him and he ends up quitting, it is hard to hire good designers these days.”

Shen Junhuai: “…”