"This time, I'll let it go. Don't do something foolish like this again."
Shen Wan was puzzled. How could this be considered foolish?
Shen Qian could tell what she was thinking and couldn't help but show a hint of helplessness. "Is money more important than your life?"
She nodded, earnestly explaining, "Lacking money means no access to food, water, or shelter. People could face starvation, dehydration, or freezing to death. For those who have their basic needs met, life does hold more significance than money, as their survival is not immediately threatened without it. However, for those who are impoverished and struggling day-to-day, having no money is akin to losing their lives."
The man's expression turned slightly cold. "So, has the Shen family brought you to a point of struggling for basic necessities?"
Shen Wan's neck tensed as if his sudden sternness startled her. She waved her hands anxiously. "I didn't mean it like that..."
"Then why would you say something like 'having no money is akin to losing their lives'?"
"Because it's what I'm accustomed to."
Shen Qian unconsciously furrowed his brows.
"Bro, you have to admit that even though we both share the same surname, we're different," the girl said, pursing her lips out of habit. Her gaze drifted in the air, avoiding landing on the man's face.
"What's the difference?"
"Since your birth, you've been the young master of the Shen family, whereas I'm a second-generation member who joined later. Our educational backgrounds, personal refinement, beliefs, and thoughts inherently differ. It's like that bag with a hundred thousand yuan – it might be inconsequential to you, but for me, it's a substantial amount." The girl paused, her smile a mix of shyness and embarrassment, yet her eyes retained their clarity, akin to a sky after rain – so pure it could make others feel ashamed.
"I..." she continued, "I just feel it's a pity."
After all, it wasn't a hundred yuan or a thousand yuan; it was a hundred thousand yuan, enough to cover her expenses for three years of frugal living.
Shen Qian's eyes held a probing look, seemingly mixed with other emotions.
Shen Wan met his gaze, unflinching.
Held in a gaze, one filled with depth and mystery, the other as transparent as a mirror.
In the end, it was the man who surrendered first, letting out a sigh of resignation. "You'll get used to it over time."
Becoming accustomed to considering a hundred thousand yuan as a trifling amount, adapting to the role of the third young lady in the Shen family, and becoming accustomed to a life of privilege.
Shen Wan smiled and replied softly, "Alright."
As the IV bag ran empty, Shen Qian pressed the call button to summon a nurse. The nurse removed the tubing and then withdrew the needle, revealing a bruise on the pale skin of his forearm.
"How did this happen?"
The nurse glanced and responded calmly, as if used to it, "Her veins are too fine. We had to make several attempts before. It's not a big problem, the bruising will dissipate quickly."
Shen Wan gently shook her right hand and smiled at him. "Brother, it doesn't hurt at all. Really!"
Rather than easing, the man's brows tightened even more.
He just found the bruise quite conspicuous.
Seeing his reaction, the nurse chuckled and teased, "Big brother is quite concerned about his little sister. That's nice." With that, she gathered the empty IV bag and left the room, tubing in hand.
Shen Qian looked up inadvertently and collided with the girl's sparkling eyes.
"You..."
"Bro," Shen Wan interrupted him, her eyes filled with an intense and joyful adoration, "that's nice."
What's nice?
Is it a person, or something else?
Shen Qian didn't ask, and Shen Wan didn't say.
"Do you want some water?" His expression unchanged, a glint of something hidden flashed in his eyes, hidden from her view.
"Yes."
Shen Qian couldn't recall when he last helped someone drink water. His movements seemed a bit awkward, but he steadied Shen Wan and lifted her slightly.
"It's warm, take your time."
Shen Wan nodded.
After a few sips, Shen Qian asked, "Do you want more?"