Shen Minyan, returning disappointed from Hong Kong, sat in his car and suddenly sneezed. In the yard, Shen Ling was playing with the little boy. Su Siwen’s heart was in turmoil. The decision to find Youyou’s biological parents was one he had agonized over for a long time. After releasing the information, he had envisioned countless possible outcomes. Initially, they had thought Youyou was an abandoned child, believing that even if his biological parents saw the news, they wouldn’t claim him back.
His health was deteriorating, and over the past two years, the money he and Qin Kun had saved was almost gone, leaving them with some debt. For three years, he and Qin Kun had been the ones holding an umbrella over Su Youli, but what about the future? Before Youyou grew up, he had to find someone willing and capable of sheltering him. The appearance of Zhang Shun had shown him that Youyou was not an abandoned child.
Even before he was born, Youyou had received immense love. It was due to a family oversight that he had been stolen by criminals and then, by a twist of fate, found by him and Qin Kun. Su Siwen held his paintbrush, unable to calm down for a long time. This was the best choice. If Youyou really was the young master of the Shen family, then nothing could be better.
The Shen family could provide him with an excellent standard of living. His Youyou would never have to worry about money for the rest of his life. Yesterday, he and Qin Kun had searched online for information about the Shen Group. That kind of wealthy family was something they could never have touched in their lifetime. In the yard, the little boy was introducing his puppy to Shen Ling.
“His name is Su Yuanzi.”
Yuanzi lay on the ground, tongue lolling out, letting his little master pat his head, his tail gently wagging as it rested on the ground. Shen Ling had never seen such an ugly dog, but, afraid of hurting the child’s feelings, he praised insincerely, “Your dog is… nice.”
Because of yesterday’s incident, the little boy was even more unwilling to go out today. He played in the garden all day. At noon, Zhang Shun came by and was delighted to hear the child call him in his cute, milky voice, “Uncle Zhang.”
Zhang Shun leaned close to Shen Ling’s ear to report Chairman Shen’s schedule: “Chairman Shen will arrive in about ten minutes.”
Shen Ling showed no reaction. So what if he’s coming? Does he expect a red carpet?
“What I mean is, Chairman Shen doesn’t know yet that you skipped school…”
“As if I’m afraid of him?” Shen Ling stood up. The sixteen-year-old youth was already 1.8 meters tall, with dark, sharp eyes. When angry, he looked exactly like Shen Minyan had in his youth. Youyou, sitting on his little stool eating a codfish sausage brought by Zhang Shun, was startled by the sudden rise in volume.
“Brother Shen Ling,” the little one called out, sounding a bit scared.
Yuanzi seized the moment and snatched the sausage from his hand. Shen Ling rushed over, scolding the dog, “How dare you steal food from a child, you bad dog!”
Brother Shen Ling has suddenly become so fierce. Youyou threw himself forward to hug Su Yuanzi. “Don’t hit him, don’t hit him!”
“Youyou, you can’t spoil Yuanzi like this,” Shen Ling lectured, crossing his arms.
Youyou, sitting on the ground, blinked and asked, “What’s ‘spoil’?”
“It means you can’t give him your snacks!”
Su Youli broke off the other half of the sausage and put it in his own mouth. “But Daddy says to share.”
Your dad didn’t mean share with the dog!!! Zhang Shun, prepared as always, pulled a few more codfish sausages from his suit pocket and gave them all to the child.
“Youyou, human food isn’t always good for dogs. It can make them sick. You eat it yourself, okay?”
Youyou replied, “Okay.”
The little boy, holding the sausages, turned and ran into the house. Shen Ling rubbed his temples. Just as he was about to follow Youyou inside, he heard the sound of a car braking at the gate. It was Shen Minyan’s car. His hands, hanging by his sides, clenched into fists. He watched as Zhang Shun, who had been standing in the yard, hurried to the gate to greet the newcomer. Inside the house, the child’s laughter mingled with the cicadas’ chorus in the yard. Shen Ling was about to leave when a low, cold, and stern voice came from behind.
“Shen Ling.”
Shen Minyan bent to enter the gate and saw his second son’s back turned to him. Already a young man, his spine was ramrod straight. Shen Ling turned around, chin slightly lifted as he met his father’s gaze, offering no response.
“Your audacity grows by the day, skipping school like this. Get back to Beicheng and attend your classes right now!”
Father and son stared at each other; the atmosphere grew tense. They shared a seventy percent resemblance in looks, though Shen Minyan, long accustomed to his high position, carried the habitual aloofness and authoritarianism of one in power.
Shen Ling sneered. “None of your business.”
Shen Minyan was furious. Of his two sons, the elder was calm and reserved, yet distant from him. The younger one was even worse, getting into fights and causing trouble at school since childhood, with skipping classes and leaving early being routine. Every time Shen Ling got into trouble, Shen Minyan had to arrange for someone to clean up the mess, which was a constant source of frustration. Now, seeing that he had skipped school and come to Nancheng with Zhang Shun, Shen Minyan felt the urge to give him a beating.
“What do you mean, none of my business? I’m your father. If I don’t manage you, who will?”
“My father? You still remember you’re my father? What exactly have you managed? Giving me food and money counts as managing? How many times have you actually come home?”
A vein throbbed at Shen Minyan’s temple. The days of travel had left him looking haggard, and now, angered by this brat, he felt a couple more wrinkles appear.
“Tie him up and take him back to Beicheng!” Shen Minyan waved his hand, and several burly men rushed out from behind him.
“Apologies, Second Young Master.”
The bodyguards had perfected their skills in handling this little tyrant—restraining him without causing injury, yet ensuring he couldn’t escape. Shen Ling, dragged to the gate by the bodyguards, grew frantic. His eyes reddened as he clung to the doorframe, refusing to leave. “Shen Minyan, I hate you! I hate you!”
Shen Minyan’s gaze darkened, and he closed his eyes for a moment. My methods might be harsh, but this little brat is so unruly. There’s no other way to manage him. Watching Shen Ling being taken to the car, Shen Minyan withdrew his gaze. Turning his head, he saw a small child standing in the yard, a white, pink-nosed, ugly dog by his side. Su Youli had witnessed the entire process of Brother Shen Ling being taken away by several tall, burly uncles. His young mind was greatly shocked.
Are… are they bad people?
“Uh-oh.” The little boy quickly squatted down, patted Yuanzi’s head, and the pair hurried into the house, hiding behind the door.
In that single glance, Shen Minyan seemed to see a shadow of his late wife in that child. And he seems to have curly hair, too.
“Is he the child you mentioned on the phone?”
Zhang Shun was sweating profusely. Inside the car, Shen Ling was uncontrollable, having climbed from the back seat to the steering wheel, preventing the driver from leaving.
“Yes, his name is Su Youli. He’s a very well-behaved child.”
With all the commotion outside, Zhang Shun spoke up to plead for Shen Ling: “The Second Young Master has actually been quite well-behaved these past two days.”
“Well-behaved? Scoring ten points on an exam and you call him well-behaved?” Shen Minyan completely disbelieved him.
Zhang Shun fell silent, following behind the man, mentally lighting a candle for the Second Young Master. Su Siwen had heard the commotion outside the house long ago. He wheeled himself to the doorway, his eyes meeting those of the man approaching.
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