"Shen Wan, are you afraid of confessing something you have done?"
"But I haven't done anything, what's there to confess?"
Shen Yan clenched her teeth in anger. "You're trying to twist the truth!"
"I don't know why you want me to confess to something I haven't done. If, for some reason, it would make you happier, then I'll admit it..."
With the wind against her, the edges of her white dress fluttered, and her flowing dark hair became tousled.
Her slim figure seemed even more delicate.
"Brother! Did you hear that? She admitted it!" Shen Yan shouted towards the garden.
Shen Wan was initially confused, but then realization struck her like a lightning bolt. She turned her gaze toward the man standing nearby, discreetly hidden behind the foliage of a banana plant, capturing every word of their conversation.
The young girl struggled with her trembling lips, wanting to explain something, but in the end, she didn't say a word.
The color drained from her face, and her eyes gradually dimmed.
"Brother, you heard it, let's go tell Dad and Grandpa..." she said, reaching out to pull at Shen Qian's sleeve.
But the man calmly avoided her grasp.
"Xiao Yan, that's enough. How long do you want to keep causing trouble?"
"Brother!" Shen Yan couldn't believe it. "You're saying I'm causing trouble?!"
Shen Qian looked at her with a faint gaze. "Isn't this like forcing a confession under duress?"
"You... don't believe me?" Her lips trembled, and her eyes filled with astonishment.
"That's enough. Since this matter is in the past, let's not bring it up again. If it's true, it only shows that you weren't skilled enough, and instead of prolonging this, you should reflect on it."
If it's true...
For Shen Yan, being falsely accused was the truth.
For Shen Wan, being physically pushed was the truth.
Reflect?
Reflect on what?
How could she turn the tide the next time this happens?
These words were clearly directed at Shen Yan, but they made just as much sense if applied to Shen Wan.
Shen Qian seemed to understand everything and yet understood nothing.
It was unclear and ambiguous, deliberately vague.
Shen Yan gritted her teeth, stamped her foot, spun around, and hurried away, uncertain if she had caught any of their conversations.
Shen Wan simply pursed her lips, using her habitual gesture of lowering her gaze to conceal a hint of gloom.
"Aren't you going out?"
The young girl, hearing the words, belatedly lifted her head, her eyes showing a dazed look: Are you talking to me?
Shen Qian offered a faint smile, his gaze resembling glass.
After a while, Shen Wan finally nodded, her eyes filled with a touch of excitement and delight.
"Let's go. Get in the car."
The sleek black Mercedes glided along, distancing itself from the old mansion, gradually diminishing in size until it vanished from sight.
Shen Wan sat in the passenger seat, nervously gripping her skirt.
In truth, she was more excited than nervous.
The thrill pulsating within her veins, bearing elements of cruelty and violence, remained skillfully suppressed within her innermost being, outwardly presenting as "anxiety" and "unease".
In the man's eyes, it appeared as—
The young girl, awkward and timid, was a little surprised by his sudden warmth and seemed flattered.
"Where are we going?"
"Central Square."
The car once again fell into silence.
Shen Wan turned her head to look out the window, her eyes showing a hint of curiosity.
Suddenly—
"Brother, do you know how to cash a check?"
"Go to the bank."
He didn't ask where the check came from, and Shen Wan didn't explain.
At the same time, at the Shen residence.
"Sir, here you go." Steward Zhou handed over a document.
Shen Chunjiang took it, inspected it, and after confirming there were no issues, he turned and left.
He muttered under his breath, "I forgot to take the documents again..."
Zhou Qingfu's eyes flickered, growing deeper.
Shortly after, the rumble of an engine starting filled the air. Shen Chunjiang had returned specifically to retrieve the forgotten documents and now had to hurry back to the company.