Sunlight streamed through the windshield onto Zhou Yushen’s face while the shadows of towering buildings along the road flickered across him, casting his features in shifting light and darkness.
Shen Nanyue turned her head to look at him.
The man’s superior, flawless appearance was pleasing to the eye no matter when she looked at it.
Suddenly, he let out a low chuckle.
Taking a moment to glance at her, he asked calmly, “Your mother’s surname is Zhou too. If she also worked at the Zhou family company, would you assume she was the Zhou family’s daughter as well?”
Shen Nanyue lowered her hand, shock flashing through her eyes.
“You’re not?”
“If I were really a young master of the Zhou family, would I only be working as an investment banking manager at Huansheng Group?”
That had indeed been something puzzling Shen Nanyue this whole time.
The sound of car horns drifted in from outside as she continued questioning him.
“If you’re just an ordinary person, then how can you afford this car?”
She patted the genuine leather seat beneath her, the confusion in her eyes undiminished.
“This is last year’s globally limited-edition Maybach. If you’re just an ordinary person, how could you possibly drive something like this?”
“This car really does belong to a young master of the Zhou family. He got tired of driving it, and because I’ve contributed a lot to the company these past two years, he gave it to me.”
Zhou Yushen lied without the slightest change in expression, calm as though he were simply stating a fact.
Shen Nanyue said nothing.
Her red lips pressed into a straight line as she silently stared at him.
“What? Now that you think I’m just an ordinary person, you feel I’m not worthy of the Shen family’s young lady?”
Shen Nanyue chuckled softly, almost as if relieved, before turning her gaze back toward the scenery outside.
“Is the Shen family’s status really that impressive? We’re both just young people struggling in society. If there’s any difference between us, it’s only that my starting line was a bit higher than yours. Other than that, what’s actually different?”
Her tone was light, yet Zhou Yushen could hear traces of self-mockery within it.
He had investigated her background before.
Shen Nanyue’s father had died when she was young, and her mother had remarried soon afterward.
Now Zhou Yu treated her like a bargaining chip, casually throwing her around among wealthy families for profit.
With a family like that, it was only natural that she felt dissatisfied.
The car continued along the highway.
The number of vehicles gradually thinned, and the roads became broader and emptier.
Today’s destination was the countryside west of Fengcheng.
The village there possessed a centuries-old embroidery tradition—a double-sided stitching technique.
If incorporated into her new Chinese-style designs, it would produce a truly finishing touch.
She had arranged in advance to meet someone in town and collect several antique items she had ordered.
Originally, she had planned to come alone.
Unfortunately, once Zhou Yushen found out, he insisted on accompanying her as her “protector.”
But after the car left the town roads and traveled only a few kilometers along a rugged dirt path that had never been paved with asphalt, the expensive luxury vehicle could go no farther.
The two had no choice but to continue on foot.
“Looks like expensive cars weren’t designed with natural roads in mind at all. The chassis is so low it can’t even climb slopes.”
Shen Nanyue couldn’t help complaining.
It wasn’t her first time visiting the countryside.
Before graduating, she had traveled through villages big and small around Fengcheng for her thesis research, searching for local folk costume designs.
But back then, she had traveled with groups in ordinary vehicles and had never encountered a situation like this.
“Let’s just treat it as a walk. Luckily this road leads downhill. If we keep going a bit farther, we’ll reach the town.”
Zhou Yushen maintained a surprisingly good attitude.
Finding enjoyment in hardship was a kind of mindset too.
Fortunately, since they knew they were coming to the countryside, both of them had dressed in loose, comfortable clothes suitable for movement.
Zhou Yushen wore a loose black T-shirt, white cargo pants, and a pair of brand-new sneakers.
Gone was the refined elegance he usually carried in suits.
Under the sunlight, when he smiled, he looked more like an approachable and sunny college boy.
Meanwhile, Shen Nanyue wore a simple white T-shirt, light blue straight-leg jeans, and similarly brand-new sneakers.
Both of them had youthful-looking faces, making them resemble a young couple out sightseeing.
As the sun moved across the sky, blazing light poured down overhead.
Rays filtered through the tree branches, scattering mottled patches of sunlight over the two of them.
Shen Nanyue raised a hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead.
Taking the water Zhou Yushen handed her, she gulped down a large mouthful.
Breathing heavily, she looked toward the small town not far ahead and let out a long sigh of relief.
“Finally here. The person I contacted still needs a little while to arrive. Let’s grab something to eat first.”
The two casually picked a small local restaurant.
There was no air conditioning inside, only electric fans slowly turning their heads and generously blowing cool breezes over everyone equally.
Pressing his lips together, Zhou Yushen’s gaze swept past a nearby table still cluttered with dirty dishes left behind by previous customers.
He forcibly suppressed the urge to stand up and leave.
Meanwhile, Shen Nanyue skillfully called over the owner, asked Zhou Yushen what he wanted, and ordered several dishes.
A server quickly came over to clear and clean the table.
Seeing that Zhou Yushen showed no trace of disgust on his face, Shen Nanyue quietly dismissed the doubts she’d held earlier.
If he really were a young master from the Zhou family, raised dining in elegant and spotless restaurants since childhood, there was no way a noisy and casual little place like this would suit his tastes.
Maybe she truly had overthought things.
The two chatted intermittently while waiting.
A middle-aged man wearing a baseball cap entered from outside.
As he walked in, his eyes briefly swept over Shen Nanyue’s table.
He went directly to the table behind hers and called over a waiter to order food.
Zhou Yushen cast a faint glance at the man sitting close behind Shen Nanyue before saying to her,
“Let’s switch seats.”
“Why?”
“I don’t like sitting facing the entrance.”
“You’re really troublesome.”
Shen Nanyue stood up, and the two exchanged seats.
After finishing their meal, Shen Nanyue received a call from her contact, who said they had already arrived in town.
Following the address provided, the two headed over together.
The contact was a middle-aged woman with waxy yellow skin.
She wore faded jeans and a white shirt.
Among her neatly combed hair were a few faint strands of gray.
The moment she saw Shen Nanyue, a warm and enthusiastic smile spread across her face.
“Miss, these are the items you wanted. I haven’t done this kind of work in years, so my skills are a little rusty. But these embroideries were made after I got the feel for it again, so you can completely trust the quality.”
The middle-aged woman opened the cloth bag in her hands and took out brightly colored fabrics embroidered with various plants and animals.
Shen Nanyue picked up a piece of red fabric.
A peony bloomed vividly across the cloth.
When she flipped it over, the other side revealed a brilliantly colored butterfly, its wings so lifelike it looked ready to flutter off the fabric at any moment.
Shen Nanyue’s eyes lit up, unable to hide the smile at the corners of her lips.
“This is incredible.”
The woman smiled modestly.
“It’s just a skill to make a living. Nothing amazing about it. I can’t read or write, so I had my daughter, who’s home from school, write down the embroidery techniques for you. They’re included inside too.”
“Thank you, Auntie.”
After carefully putting away the fabrics, Shen Nanyue chatted with the woman for a few more moments before readily paying her.
“Auntie, if I need more in the future, I’ll come find you again.”
“Alright, alright!”
The middle-aged woman accepted the money, smiling so widely her mouth nearly closed.
She glanced behind Shen Nanyue and Zhou Yushen, then smiled knowingly at the two of them.
“Your friend is still waiting for you, so I’ll head back first.”
As she spoke, she pointed toward the people behind them before turning and leaving.
Shen Nanyue and Zhou Yushen turned around.
Standing not far away was the man in the baseball cap they had seen earlier at the restaurant.
He was staring coldly at them.
— The end of the Chapter–
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