Source Of Calamity - Ch 37
Shen Zhen, who used to only serve as a wallflower, became the center presence at the party tonight. He was surrounded by people, all of whom spoke flattering words. There were both men and women, dressed finely and very educated, and if one was not observant, one would not even notice that they were flattering.
Su Yutong and Su Jinghan stood behind Shen Zhen. They were at a loss and didn’t know how to deal with these people.
Shen Zhen was chatting with a young lady at this time. She was the only child of the Yang family. Her grandparents only had her mother, and her mother only had her. Since her mother’s generation, the inheritance rights of the family have been handed over to the only daughter, so she was basically the confirmed heir of the Yang family.
The young lady’s name was Yang Manxuan. She was in her early twenties, wearing a dark red evening dress, with her hair tied behind her head. She didn’t have much of a girly aura, instead she had the sophisticated feeling of a mature woman. She was leaning against the stage, holding a glass of champagne, talking and laughing in a low voice with Shen Zhen.
Su Yutong and Su Jinghan looked at her, feeling a little dazed. They never had contact with Yang Manxuan before. Yang Manxuan practically grew up abroad and received an elite education. She studied at the highest foreign institution and returned to China as soon as she graduated and had now begun to take over the family business.
If Shen Zhen didn’t come today, then this party would be Yang Manxuan’s home game.
“Who are these two?” Yang Manxuan seemed to have just noticed Su Yutong and Su Jinghan. There was a smile tugging up the corners of her mouth, neither too distant nor too friendly. It was a perfect formulaic smile, just right.
Shen Zhen introduced: “This is Su Yutong, and this is Su Jinghan.”
Su Yutong was about to reach out for a handshake, but Yang Manxuan picked up a glass of wine from the side and handed it to Su Yutong, saying with a smile, “Cheers.”
Su Yutong could only redirect his half-outstretched hand to take the glass of wine, and took a sip.
Yang Manxuan turned to Shen Zhen and said, “It’s my birthday in a few days, and I’ll send you an invitation card then, Young Master Shen must definitely come.”
Shen Zhen smiled: “Definitely.”
Su Yutong and Su Jinghan stood behind like two background boards, but they also thought it was normal, after all, they were lucky to be able to attend such a social gathering.
Yang Manxuan said to Su Yutong and Su Jinghan again: “Mr. Su and Miss Su, if you are free next Tuesday, please cme as well.”
Su Yutong and Su Jinghan were flattered: “Definitely, definitely.”
“Young Master Shen.” Someone called from the side, holding a glass of wine in his hand, with a smile on his face, “I thought I saw you, it’s rare to see you come out to play, have a drink?”
Shen Zhen didn’t refuse either, and more and more people flocked around. Su Yutong and Su Jinghan were slowly squeezed to the edge of the crowd.
“I’m so envious…..” Su Yutong whispered.
Su Jinghan patted her younger brother on the head: “Take it slowly, besides, we don’t have anything that would attract the favors of others.”
Su Yutong nodded and let out a melancholy sigh.
After Su Jinghan comforted her younger brother, she was about to go to the restroom, only to catch sight of Chu Haoyi who was also surrounded by people.
Chu Haoyi was different from Yang Manxuan, his life experience was very controversial. He was the illegitimate son of the Chu family, he had never lived in the Chu family manor as a child, and the Chu family was different from the Yang family, very old-fashioned and patriarchal. Chu Haoyi’s father was in his sixties this year, and he had only three legitimate daughters under his name. So for the sake of the family business, he recognized Chu Haoyi back to the Chu family.
As a result, Chu Haoyi transformed into the legitimate heir of the Chu family.
Su Jinghan glanced at him and quickly looked away.
Su Yutong: “Sister, don’t tell me you still think about him? It’s very likely that he only has one Su Shiqing in his eyes in this life.”
Su Jinghan sighed: “I haven’t thought of him in a long time.”
Chu Haoyi didn’t notice Su Yutong and Su Jinghan. He was chatting with the people around him. From his angle, he could just see Shen Zhen’s profile. Shen Zhen turned his head and said something to the people around him. He didn’t smile but his attitude was very genial, and it wouldn’t make people feel that he was too cold and indifferent.
Shen Zhen’s profile was very exquisite, his skin was as pale and flawless as jade, and his lips were very thin, making people think that he was a heartless character at a glance.
But it was very eye-catching. Wherever he went, he was the center of attention.
“Good-looking, right?” The person next to him said suddenly.
Chu Haoyi frowned: “What did you say?”
The friend chuckled lowly: “Stop pretending, who doesn’t know that you like men. I just think Shen Zhen is very good, in aura and mannerisms, don’t know how many times better than that Su Shiqing. He also has a good figure and good looks, and he is even Mr. Qin’s favorite junior. Instead of wasting energy on Su Shiqing, you might as well focus on him.”
Chu Haoyi’s expression turned cold: “There are many people like him, but there is only one Shi Qing.”
The friend was speechless: “I thought you were just being hoodwinked, but I didn’t expect you to be truly blind. Su Shiqing is already getting it on with Qin Yue yet you still think about him?”
Chu Haoyi didn’t speak.
He trusted that Su Shiqing was being forced by Qin Yue, so long as Su Shiqing was not voluntary, in his heart, Su Shiqing was still pure and innocent.
Shen Zhen noticed Chu Haoyi’s gaze. He tilted his head at the other from his spot not far away, raised an eyebrow at Chu Haoyi, then lifted his wine glass, making a gesture of toasting, and took a sip of wine slowly.
Friend: “What are you looking at? You look dazed?”
Chu Haoyi lowered his eyes: “It’s nothing.”
Seeing Chu Haoyi sinking into the quagmire, yet his friend had no way to save him. What’s more, Chu Haoyi himself didn’t feel that he was in the quagmire, so he had no choice but to mind his own business.
At the end of the party, Shen Zhen didn’t leave with the Su family siblings. He didn’t ride his motorbike either, after all, he had drunk alcohol, and riding a heavy motorbike while drinking was also drunk driving, so he waited outside the door for a cab.
It was just that it was too late at this time, and this place was far away from the city. After waiting for a while and only got a face full of the icy cold wind, Shen Zhen sneezed and felt that he had miscalculated. He should have asked Uncle Qin to borrow a car and a driver.
But Shen Zhen was a little embarrassed to call Uncle now.
“Get in.” A black car stopped in front of Shen Zhen, and the person sitting in the driver’s seat rolled down the window, revealing a handsome face. It was Chu Haoyi, “I saw you have been waiting here for a while, you didn’t drive here?”
Shen Zhen frowned: “I’ve been drinking.”
Chu Haoyi: “Where do you live, I’ll take you back.”
Shen Zhen shook his head and said, “No need, I won’t ride in your car if you drink and drive.”
Chu Haoyi: “…..”
“I didn’t drink.” Chu Haoyi said, “I still have something to do tonight, so I drank non-alcoholic drinks tonight.”
Shen Zhen didn’t believe it.
Seeing that Shen Zhen didn’t speak, Chu Haoyi didn’t get angry, and asked Shen Zhen, “Why don’t you come over and smell my mouth to see if there is any smell of alcohol in my mouth.”
Shen Zhen ignored him.
Chu Haoyi sighed: “I really didn’t drink, and you won’t be able to wait for a cab here. You should have gone with them just now. Their cars are parked underground, and they don’t pass through the gate.”
Shen Zhen, who was thinking of hitching a ride from his companions, felt that he had miscalculated.
There was no other better choice now, Shen Zhen: “Then I will trouble you.”
Shen Zhen sat in the back seat and fastened the seat belt.
Chu Haoyi looked at Shen Zhen through the rearview mirror, and said with amusement, “You are quite careful.”
Shen Zhen: “En, I haven’t lived enough.”
Chu Haoyi: “…..”
The car started, and Shen Zhen reported the address.
Chu Haoyi was a little puzzled: “You don’t live in the Shen family manor?”
After all, this person was giving him a ride back, so Shen Zhen’s attitude did not worsen. He said, “Let’s change the subject.”
Chu Haoyi understood.
The car drove through another section, Chu Haoyi asked: “Do you mind if I smoke?”
Shen Zhen: “Please feel free.”
Chu Haoyi rolled down the car window and lit a cigarette. The road at this point was congested. Chu Haoyi said to Shen Zhen, “You have a good relationship with the Su family siblings?”
Shen Zhen showed no expression. He looked out of the window and said calmly, “Business partnership.”
Chu Haoyi: “Do you know Su Shiqing?”
Shen Zhen nodded: “I do.”
Chu Haoyi looked at Shen Zhen’s face reflected in the rearview mirror, and felt that this person always gave him a strange feeling and his eyes would follow the other unconsciously. Chu Haoyi smiled inexplicably, feeling that he had probably been single too long, and now he had something wrong with him.
“Are you Shi Qing’s friend?” Chu Haoyi asked.
Shen Zhen said, “No.”
Chu Haoyi: “…..Can’t get along with him?”
Shen Zhen said indifferently: “I don’t like him.”
There was no helping this, people, it was impossible to please everyone. Chu Haoyi nodded and said: “How long have you known each other?”
Shen Zhen: “It’s been a long time. I brought him from the Su family to the Qin family.”
Chu Haoyi frowned: “Don’t you dislike him?”
Shen Zhen smiled: “Before he took away my sweetheart, I liked him quite a bit.”
Chu Haoyi: “…..Your sweetheart?”
Shen Zhen: “Not anymore, Qin Yue, do you know him?”
Chu Haoyi had a bitter taste in his mouth: “Are they…..really together?”
Shen Zhen: “Yes, Su Shiqing also begged me to give Qin Yue to him, and I did.”
“How could you let him go!” Chu Haoyi growled, “He told you to do it and you just did it?”
Shen Zhen calmly said, “If he could be snatched once, there will be a second and third time. If that’s the case, why shouldn’t I let him go?”
Chu Haoyi probably also realized that he had lost his composure. He looked at the congested vehicles in front of him and tapped his fingers on the steering wheel: “You hate Shi Qing?”
Shen Zhen didn’t speak, he didn’t bother to lie: “He makes me feel sick, it’s not a matter of hating or not, just like if there is a flea jumping around you, don’t you want to crush it to death?”
Chu Haoyi did not expect that Shen Zhen would have an enmity with Su Shiqing.
“But now Qin Yue has lost power.” Shen Zhen said suddenly, “Su Shiqing should have other plans, right?”
Chu Haoyi: “You mean, Shi Qing is a gold-digging power grabber?”
Shen Zhen looked up and at Chu Haoyi through the rearview mirror: “What do you think?”
The veins on Chu Haoyi’s hand holding the steering wheel bulged: “He is not this kind of person.”
Shen Zhen smiled: “Really?”
“I hope you can always think that way.”
Chu Haoyi gritted his teeth, the vehicle ahead moved forward, and he stepped on the accelerator.
He was going to see Su Shiqing tonight, and he was going to see just what kind of person Su Shiqing was.
He hoped that Su Shiqing would leave Qin Yue and be with him.
But he also hoped that Su Shiqing would not leave Qin Yue.
Once Su Shiqing really left Qin Yue, how should he face himself, how should he face the simple and straightforward Su Shiqing in his mind?