The Fake Heiress: My Brother's Gaze Is a Bit Off - Chapter 6

Although an engagement ceremony is not as grand as a wedding, the necessary procedures were all followed; there were simply fewer guests.

After the ceremony ended, Shen Zhaoran breathed a genuine sigh of relief.

Shen Junhuai asked, “Why are you so nervous?”

Shen Zhaoran leaned in close and whispered, “I was afraid our eldest cousin might suddenly try to call off the engagement and run away.”

Shen Junhuai replied, “He will not do that.”

Shen Zhaoran clicked her tongue. “People who are usually calm tend to be the most irrational when they encounter emotional problems.”

Shen Junhuai looked at her with a complex expression.

Shen Zhaoran did not notice his unusual behavior and simply said, “I am hungry, so I am going to find something to eat. I wonder where Xia Zeyu ran off to. He vanished as soon as the ceremony ended.”

Xia Zeyu, who had indeed vanished as soon as the event concluded, was currently pulling his eldest brother to the side in the backyard to talk.

Xia Zeyu asked, “Who were you two talking about on the second floor?”

Xia Shengxuan raised an eyebrow. “How much did you hear?”

Xia Zeyu replied, “Pretty much everything.”

Xia Shengxuan said, “Just act like you did not hear anything.”

Xia Zeyu grumbled, “You are not supposed to be like that.”

Xia Shengxuan found a cigarette and bit down on it. “I do not know who it is. Shen Junhuai does not want to say, and no one can pry his mouth open.”

He had accidentally discovered this matter five years ago when he and Shen Junhuai were traveling together.

At that time, Shen Junhuai had been in such low spirits that he had briefly mistaken him for his own past self, so he had tried to ask.

However, after a long silence, Shen Junhuai had only replied with one word: “Impossible.”

It was someone who could never be together with him.

All of Shen Junhuai’s subsequent abnormal behaviors suddenly had an explanation.

But after they returned from the trip, Shen Junhuai had disguised himself perfectly again. No one in the family had discovered a thing. Perhaps because they shared a similar plight, Xia Shengxuan had briefly caught a glimpse of the truth.

Xia Zeyu pondered for a moment. “Then should I go and ask Zhaozhao?”

Xia Shengxuan frowned. “Why would you ask her?”

Xia Zeyu said, “Zhaozhao must know. There is nothing about our cousin that she does not know.”

Xia Shengxuan instinctively retorted, “How old was Zhaozhao back then? Besides, how could she possibly know everything…”

Xia Shengxuan suddenly froze.

That year, Shen Zhaoran was already seventeen. She was not a child anymore.

A bold hypothesis suddenly emerged in his mind, and even in the middle of winter, a layer of cold sweat broke out on his back.

Seeing his expression turn increasingly grim, Xia Zeyu said, “That serious? Okay, I will not ask.”

Xia Shengxuan ignored what he was thinking and began walking back with long strides, finding Shen Junhuai, who was on a phone call.

Shen Junhuai gestured for a moment, said a few words, and hung up. “Do you need me for something?”

Xia Shengxuan composed himself and asked, word for word, “Is it Zhaozhao?”

Shen Junhuai’s eyes trembled.

Seeing that expression, there was nothing left for Xia Shengxuan to misunderstand. He opened his mouth but could not speak for a long time. Finally, he could only grit his teeth and say, “You really are something.”

Shen Junhuai had lived his entire life like a textbook answer, never making a single mistake. He never expected that if he was going to make a mistake, he would go straight for the biggest one possible.

Xia Shengxuan suddenly felt that, compared to Shen Junhuai, his own messy affairs were nothing at all.

Xia Shengxuan said, “If Aunt and Uncle find out, they will truly break your legs.”

Shen Junhuai gave a self-deprecating smile. “I know.”

Xia Shengxuan rubbed his temples. “Keep your distance. I know a psychologist; you should go see one.”

Shen Junhuai replied, “Do you think I have not tried that?”

Xia Shengxuan remained silent.

Obviously, he had also thought of Shen Zhaoran, who had just chased him all the way to another country not long ago.

He could not talk about it, he could not hide from it, and seeing a psychologist only treated the symptoms but not the root cause. It was no wonder he had heard his mother complaining to his aunt that Shen Junhuai never liked to come home and only cared about working and going on business trips. If he were in Shen Junhuai’s position, he would be even more afraid to go home.

The two brothers stood in silence, though the atmosphere was now far heavier than it had been in the morning.

It was not until a clear, bright voice broke the heavy scene.

“Why are you two acting like statues in the middle of winter?”

Shen Zhaoran ran over and looked at them both.

Shen Junhuai asked, “What are you doing out here?”

Shen Zhaoran’s eyes brightened. “I found a delicious chocolate cake. I am calling you both over to try it.”

As she spoke, she pulled Shen Junhuai toward the inside.

Xia Shengxuan let out a long sigh and followed them in.

When he saw Shen Zhaoran feeding cake to Shen Junhuai, he felt even more helpless. There were some secrets he did not really want to know. He was now just another person who felt suffocated and had no solutions.

An Kexin walked over and asked, “What are you looking at?”

She followed Xia Shengxuan’s gaze. “Zhaozhao is so cute when she smiles. You and your siblings seem to get along well.”

Xia Shengxuan said, “Our families are close, and we are all around the same age.”

He and Shen Junhuai were born in the same year, though Shen Junhuai was six months older, and Xia Zeyu was two years older than Shen Zhaoran.

As they were talking, Shen Zhaoran came over with the cake.

She held a plate in each hand and offered them over. “This cake is really super delicious!”

Xia Shengxuan said, “If you like it that much, I will have the pastry chef follow you back home later.”

Shen Zhaoran shook her head. “My brother will not allow it. He says that if I have cake every day, I will stop eating real meals.”

Xia Shengxuan glanced at Shen Junhuai from a distance and asked, “Are you two staying the night?”

Shen Zhaoran replied, “I have a flight for a business trip early tomorrow morning, so I have to go back to pack my luggage. We will not be staying.”

After Shen Zhaoran left, An Kexin remarked, “You really care about that cousin of yours.”

Xia Shengxuan only felt that he did not care nearly enough.

Because Tianhai Bay was closer to the airport, Shen Zhaoran went with Shen Junhuai to Tianhai Bay to pack her luggage that evening.

Shen Junhuai pushed all the large suitcases to the door and asked, “What time are you leaving tomorrow?”

Shen Zhaoran replied, “The ten o’clock flight.”

Shen Junhuai said, “Wake up at seven-thirty. I will send you off after we have breakfast.”

Shen Zhaoran said, “If you do that, you will be late for work.”

Shen Junhuai asked, “What, are you going to give me an attendance bonus?”

Shen Zhaoran laughed. “Sure! I will use the allowance you give me to pay your attendance bonus.”

Shen Junhuai asked, “Who is going with you this time?”

Shen Zhaoran began to report her itinerary. “Qi Meng and Tong Jiu are going with me. We have arranged for four bodyguards, plus Ruan Yan and two other colleagues. We are taking the Gulfstream G700. The departure time is exactly ten in the morning, and if everything goes smoothly, we will be back in five days.”

Tong Jiu was her personal assistant, and since long hair was too difficult to manage, she had to bring her along.

Shen Junhuai emphasized again, “Do not turn off your location tracking.”

Shen Zhaoran deflated. “I only hacked the system once. You cannot keep holding that against me.”

Shen Junhuai asked, “Are you hoping for a second time?”

Shen Zhaoran became completely obedient.

The next morning, Shen Zhaoran struggled to crawl out of bed. The first second she opened her eyes, she started regretting booking such an early flight.

The housekeeper was busy in the kitchen, and as soon as she saw Shen Zhaoran come out, she served the freshly made breakfast.

Shen Junhuai had already finished eating and was busy responding to work messages.

He glanced at Shen Zhaoran and asked, “What time did you sleep?”

She whispered, “One o’clock.”

Shen Junhuai remained silent.

For a moment, he did not know whether to be angry that she had stayed up late or relieved that she was at least being honest and not lying about it.