Volume One, Chapter 10: Second Brother's Guilt

When she returned to the Shen family manor, dusk had not yet fallen.

Mrs. Wang stood at the entrance to greet her, visibly nervous. "Y-young Miss, you're back..."

Shen Chaowu lifted her eyes and fixed her gaze on Mrs. Wang, the clear and alluring fox-like eyes sharp and intimidating. "Mrs. Wang, as I recall, you and Jiang Yao have a bond akin to mother and daughter, an unusually close relationship, isn't that right?"

Her gaze was piercing and cold, devoid of any warmth.

Mrs. Wang felt a chill run through her entire body, her heart thudding painfully, and even her voice trembled as she spoke, "What are you saying, Miss? I've cared for you since you were little. In my heart, you are—my own daughter!"

"Is that so?" Shen Chaowu’s eyes flickered, dazzling and forceful.

Mrs. Wang, gathering her courage, looked up, only to see the figure in a sapphire blue gown already ascending the stairs.

On the second floor.

Shen Chaowu hadn’t even steadied herself when suddenly, a glass tumbler was hurled at her temple!

She hissed in pain.

A sharp, stabbing ache made her lose her balance, nearly tumbling down the stairs.

Quickly, she grasped the banister, barely managing to steady herself.

Her ears rang as if a steam boiler were roaring, and the tang of blood filled her nostrils. Shen Chaowu raised her hand to her forehead—

Her palm was sticky with blood, which trickled down her fingers and splattered onto the floor.

Seeing the blood, Shen Hanchuan’s face went pale, his voice faltering, "Are—are you out of your mind? Why are you just standing there? Why didn’t you dodge?"

He hadn’t meant to hurt his sister, but he couldn’t restrain himself, feeling for Ah Yao. As soon as he threw the glass, regret overwhelmed him.

Thinking of Ah Yao crying so heartbreakingly, Shen Hanchuan’s expression chilled. "Kneel!"

"Why should I kneel?" Shen Chaowu stepped closer to him, her presence overpowering Shen Hanchuan, "You say I’ve lost my mind? Shen Hanchuan, if anyone’s brain is rotten beyond repair, it’s yours. Even if it were dissected, all you’d find is a pile of worthless dog dirt."

She truly found Shen Hanchuan unbearably foolish.

With that, she grabbed the nearest object, a folding stool, and smashed it down on him.

With a loud crash, Shen Hanchuan screamed, "Ow!"

It hurt terribly!

His old wounds hadn’t healed, and now new ones were added. He was furious, "Shen Chaowu, I’m your second brother! Where did you learn to hit people? Was it that bastard Jin Yao?"

His gentle, obedient little sister—actually struck him?

Shen Hanchuan was dumbfounded.

The veins on his forehead pulsed, and his suspicions grew stronger. "What did Ah Yao ever do to you? Why would you mess with Jiang Uncle’s photo?"

Shen Chaowu wiped the blood from her face. Her fair, delicate features were outlined like a watercolor painting, astonishingly beautiful.

Her long, fox-like eyes fixed on Jiang Yao, curving slightly.

Jiang Yao’s tears poured down like rain, as if a storm had struck.

Shen Chaowu’s gaze was so oppressive that Jiang Yao dared not look up, hiding behind Shen Hanchuan, nervously twisting her fingers.

Her fragile, delicate face was streaked with tears.

"Sister Chao, I know… I know you’ve never accepted me. I’ll leave..."

"I never meant to take anything from you, but why did you hide my father’s photo, Sister Chao?"

Shen Hanchuan’s face was full of pity, as if he wanted to wrap her in his arms. "Ah Yao has no family left. Jiang Uncle’s photo is all she has. Shen Chaowu, do you want to push Ah Yao to the edge?"

Frame her?

Shen Chaowu curled her lips.

She was experienced in this.

Three years in the Zhou family had taught her that framing and scapegoating were routine. The Zhou family’s cunning servants were far more troublesome than Jiang Yao.

Her red lips quirked as she looked down at Jiang Yao, her tone playful:

"That’s a question for you, Miss Jiang."

"Appearing in my room without reason—surely you weren’t… stealing?"

"Hmm?"

Jiang Yao was startled, "No…"

Shen Chaowu tapped the vanity table, her tone lazy. "There was a sapphire necklace here. Jin Yao bought it for me at an auction in England—thirty million. May I ask, Miss Jiang—"

She smiled slightly, "Where is the stolen item?"

Jiang Yao’s face flushed with indignation at the accusation.

Brother Jin Yao actually gave Shen Chaowu a thirty-million necklace!

Such a lavish gift...

Brother Jin Yao was so reckless…

Jiang Yao was flustered and angry, not expecting Shen Chaowu to be so shameless. "I didn’t take your things! However poor or desperate I may be, I would never steal—not even a needle! And I would never accept a single gift from Brother Jin Yao!"

She, Jiang Yao, had her pride!

Shen Hanchuan said, "Ah Yao values money as nothing. When Jiang Uncle passed, she even refused the five million settlement Big Brother offered. How could she steal your necklace?"

Only those who frame Jiang Yao know how wronged she is.

And unfortunately, Shen Chaowu was such a person.

She replied in a cold tone:

"So you two appeared in my room—not to steal—then what were you doing?"

"Suspecting I deliberately hid Jiang Uncle’s photo?"

"Hasn’t anyone told you—"

"I never turn off my computer’s webcam?"

"…"

Her snow-white face made those fox-like eyes look even darker, her lips curled in an enigmatic arc, holding a hint of teasing.

Jiang Yao was suddenly stunned.

Her fingertips dug painfully into her palm, her face ashen.

How could this be…

Shen Chaowu lowered her eyelids, her fox-like eyes carrying a mocking smile, "Perhaps, if Miss Jiang wishes, I can retrieve the video and catch the real culprit."

Shen Hanchuan didn’t understand.

But Jiang Yao broke out in a cold sweat, biting her lip and feigning composure, "Brother Hanchuan, I—I just remembered… Mrs. Wang must have accidentally delivered the photo to the wrong room."

"What?"

Shen Hanchuan was stunned.

So it wasn’t Shen Chaowu who hid it on purpose?

He wanted to ask further, but Jiang Yao was already running off in tears.

He thought to chase her, but Shen Chaowu called him back. "Second Brother, do you also think I deliberately hid Jiang Uncle’s photo?"

Her eyelids drooped, the double folds deep, the corners of her eyes tinged red, a beauty that stunned.

Shen Hanchuan felt a pang of guilt.

Especially seeing the glaring swelling on her snow-white face, he felt uneasy and his tone softened. "I thought you couldn’t accept Ah Yao and wanted to drive her away."

"This family—even if I leave, Second Brother, you’d never let her go, right?"

Shen Chaowu laughed at herself.

Those clear, beautiful fox eyes were dull and lifeless, like a frozen river extinguished.

Shen Hanchuan felt uncomfortable, frowning. "Don’t say such things. You and Ah Yao are both my sisters. This family can’t do without either of you!"

He meant every word, without a trace of falsehood.

Shen Chaowu curled her lips, her face pale—Shen Hanchuan always fell for this.

"The necklace Jin Yao gave me is gone. I have no energy to blame you for misunderstanding me…"

Shen Hanchuan was remorseful. "I…"

She continued, "The price is secondary. More importantly, it was Jin Yao’s first gift to me."

The girl, beautiful and radiant, was now lost and desolate.

Shen Hanchuan was wracked with guilt, wishing he could rewind and punish himself for his earlier actions!

What a brute!

To lay hands on his own sister!

"It’s only a thirty-million necklace!" Shen Hanchuan promised, "Wait here. Second Brother will buy you one exactly the same. If I can’t, I’ll transfer the money to you!"

Shen Chaowu winked mischievously, "Second Brother won’t fool me, will you?"

Shen Hanchuan patted his chest in assurance. "When have I ever lied to you?"

…

He’d fooled her plenty.

Shen Chaowu only smiled, not believing a word, and waited quietly for the thirty million to arrive.