Shen Qian didn't look at her, and said in a low voice, "... It's not inconvenient."
So, Shen Wan made herself at home on the southern side of the second floor.
This also signified her acknowledgment, although it was only granted by Shen Zongming and Shen Chunjiang.
The room was spacious, with a private bathroom.
The bed was large, covered in light blue sheets, with a dressing table on the left.
A pair of orange sofas were casually placed near the window, and at a glance, they appeared very soft.
Shen Wan remained stationary, casting a quick glance and then a more intent one.
On the third glance, she decided to rearrange them, moving them to the foot of the bed.
She pondered that adding a snow-white cashmere rug beneath the orange sofas would make them stand out more.
Shen Wan settled into the chair with a soft thud, leaning back comfortably.
Her gaze lingered around the room, as if sizing up some precious treasure, yet it gleamed with irony. After all, in her previous life, she had strived for seven years without being able to live on the second floor.
Knock knock—
A knocking sound came from the door.
Shen Wan raised an eyebrow. "Who is it?"
"Third Lady, I've brought your luggage up for you."
She got up and opened the door. A maid stood at the door, holding a modest plastic suitcase. "Do you need help with organizing your clothes?"
"No need." After saying that, she closed the door with a bang.
The maid felt a touch of confusion. Wasn't the Third Lady known for her gentleness, akin to soft dough? So why did she just...
She didn't know how to describe it, but it definitely wasn't the kind and friendly demeanor she had imagined.
Shen Wan didn't miss the instant the door closed, the astonishment that flickered in the maid's eyes. But so what?
She was performing a charade in front of the Shen family, and she had to maintain her act even in the presence of the servants. It felt excessively draining and demeaning.
All that effort in vain. Shen Wan had always held it in contempt.
She had already thrown away many old clothes before coming, so the suitcase was light.
Taking out a few sets of clothes, neatly folding and placing them in the wardrobe, they only occupied a small corner.
She was truly poor.
Shen Wan couldn't help but sigh.
She picked out a nightgown, held it in her hand, kicked off her shoes, and then neatly removed her white dress from the bottom up. She hummed a popular song that wouldn't appear for a few more years and walked toward the bathroom, completely bare.
Due to the hasty move-in, the "negligent servant" hadn't prepared toiletries yet. Shen Wan sneered; Yang Lan's status was nothing impressive.
Contrasted with the poised mistress of the house she would evolve into in four years, someone adept at masking her emotions with a gentle demeanor, Yang Lan seemed as inexperienced as an unripe fruit.
Well, at this time, Shen Chunjiang hadn't shattered her heart yet. People, after all, grow through a series of trials and tribulations.
Thankfully, she had her own toothbrush, towel, and soap with her, even though they might be basic, they were enough.
Shen Wan didn't shower for too long and didn't use the bathtub.
Once she was dry, she slipped into a cotton nightgown. She released her previously tied-up long hair, allowing her naturally straight black locks to adopt a soft, wavy texture.
Among all the furniture in the room, her favorite, besides the small sofa, was the full-length mirror.
Standing in front of it, she took a look, made sure there were no major issues, then casually picked up a glass and headed downstairs.
On the spiral staircase, coincidentally, she bumped into Shen Qian.
She went downstairs as he went upstairs.
The man was dressed in casual home attire, evidently having finished grooming.
The living room's light cast a glow on his profile, causing Shen Wan to involuntarily think of a phrase — "a chance encounter with beauty."
She was somewhat taken aback, perhaps due to embarrassment or simply not knowing how to start a conversation.
Shen Qian, like a behavioral psychologist, unconsciously inferred her psychological activity through the girl's gestures.
Could it be that this gave him a sense of accomplishment?
Heh!
Finally mustering her courage, the girl timidly called out, "Brother..."
Shen Qian's nose itched a little, and he moved it slightly.
"Hmm." His tone was faint, perhaps slightly insincere.
The girl, however, didn't feel slighted. Instead, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief, as if she were delighted to receive even a single word of response from him.
"Then I'll go downstairs to get some water..." She gestured with the glass in her hand.
Shen Qian no longer looked at her; in fact, he had already averted his gaze long ago, though his peripheral vision lingered.
In that passing moment, they went their separate ways. The girl's post-bath fragrance stubbornly wafted into his nostrils.
Heh... It was actually the scent of Lux soap.
Shen Wan walked to the living room, stood in front of the water dispenser waiting for it to heat up. Meanwhile, the man's footsteps gradually faded away on the second floor. The sound of the door closing finally came, and she truly let out a sigh of relief.
Shen Qian, the Shen family's young master, held the position of actual controlling shareholder and CEO at Tian Shui Real Estate, a subsidiary of the Mingda Group. Raised as the heir by the Old Master Shen since childhood, despite being just 24 years old, his abilities were quite remarkable.
The steady growth of Tian Shui Real Estate was enough evidence of his exceptional business acumen.
In her past life, she had retaliated against Shen Yan's insults by pouring water on her head. As a consequence, this man had responded with a powerful slap that resulted in her left ear's permanent deafness.
Shen Wan raised her hand and touched her left earlobe; the buzzing sensation seemed to have returned.
She shivered.
It was Shen Qian, the one who personally taught her the first lesson in the Shen family.
The memory remained vivid, "unforgettable" even as she started anew. Rest assured, one day she would pay it back.
She took half a cup of hot water, then mixed it with half a cup of cold water, holding it in her hands as she prepared to head upstairs.
Suddenly, the door to the study on the left opened, and Shen Chunjiang emerged, squinting his eyes and tiredly massaging his temples.
Shen Wan suddenly smiled.
Holding the glass, she approached, "Dad—"