In the past three years, Shen Qingcong has not often seen him. Every time she does, he's always in a rush with a poker face, throwing comments at her like to behave and not cause trouble, before promptly leaving.
If she needed anything otherwise, his secretary, Gong Cen, would usually handle it. In a relative sense, she had a better acquaintance with Gong Cen.
After today's drama at the Bai Family, Shen Qingcong felt a bit emotionally drained. When she got home, she planned to sleep soundly to restore all the lost mental energy.
Upon returning to villa number nine, Qingcong did not notice an extra black Hummer in the garage.
She stretched out her finger to input the code into the electronic lock. As soon as she heard the 'beep', she opened the front door and stepped in.
While changing her shoes, her gaze accidentally swept across the living room.
Upon noticing the man dressed in a crisp suit, lounging lazily on the sofa with one leg crossed over the other, partially closing his narrow eyes as he sized her up, Shen Qingcong's eyes instantly widened, and she froze.
He, he, why was he here today?
Xiao Chifeng watched the clear and glossy girl who was standing there, staring blankly at him. His heart skipped a beat. That scrawny, naive girl, when did she grow into such a beautiful and delicate damsel?
A sudden dryness formed in his throat, urging him to clear it subtly. He coughed lightly and gruffly ordered, "What are you standing there for? Come over here!"
Spooked by his roar, Shen Qingcong was jolted back to reality.
She quickly changed out of her shoes and went to sit down on the long sofa beside him, sitting carefully as if before a teacher. Looking up cautiously, she carefully asked, "Why... why are you here?"
Giving her a cold glance, he felt rather irritated by the unfamiliarity and distance she demonstrated towards him. Feeling upset, his tone was harsh, "Can't I do as I please?"
A lump formed in Shen Qingcong's throat. She offered a faint smile, "Of course! Of course! This is your territory, you can come and go as you please..."
Her words trailed off there.
She felt she might have overstepped.
Yes! This was his territory. Thanks to his generosity, she now had this luxurious "home". She should be grateful to him, not oppose him.
Had her comfortable days made her forget her past hardships? Had she forgotten that the cold-hearted man sitting beside her was merely her benefactor who adopted her out of kindness, not a relative who would tolerate her whims and tantrums?
No! Even her own family wouldn't tolerate her, only decide to abandon her.
If her mother hadn't passed away early, if her father hadn't married a stepmother, if her stepmother hadn't turned her out, how could she have ended up in this predicament where she's living at someone else's mercy?
Shen Qingcong suddenly lost interest in making small talk with him. She curtly said, "Sorry! I'm a little tired. I'm going upstairs to rest."
After finishing speaking, she quickly stood up and headed for the bedroom on the second floor.
As soon as she closed the door, she leaned against it, her eyes suddenly welling up with tears.