HBWMA -Chapter 164 Stepping Back After Success

Jiang Huashan froze for a moment and lifted her gaze.

Shen Guiling’s eyelids were half-lowered, his dark pupils like polished black jade, shimmering with a faint, iridescent glow.

“Great—30, 31! Brother Qingyu has one more than Brother Lanxi, haha. Thanks, Brother A-Ling.”

Fu Sui’er was happily counting at the side, more excited than if she had won the game herself.

Shen Guiling slowly withdrew his gaze, then turned to look at Fu Sui’er. His eyes were warm and gentle.

“No need to thank me. Borrowing flowers to offer to Buddha.”

After saying that, he didn’t look at anyone else and turned away.

The surrounding girls were suddenly snapped out of their daze and quickly made way for him.

Shen Guiling smiled faintly. “Thank you.” He nodded slightly and walked straight toward the central circle without looking back.

The girls stared at his retreating figure, their eyes still filled with stunned admiration at his looks.

“How can someone be this good-looking?”

Among the three young masters of the Shen family, Shen Lanxi was noble and reserved, his aura like a pure, untouched cold moon. Shen Qingyu was flamboyant and unruly, like a beast just freed from a cage. But Shen Guiling—unlike his gentle and easygoing personality—his face was his most lethal weapon.

It was precisely because of that face that even if Shen Guiling were to kill someone’s entire family with a gun, as long as he said “I was wronged” in court, there would still be people rushing to clear his name.

Watching the girls’ infatuated expressions, Jiang Huashan gradually calmed her thoughts.

In the early stages, Shen Guiling’s survival conditions were extremely harsh. That deranged nature of his had to be hidden, so the “script” gave him a face capable of bewitching others.

It was fortunate her own mind was steady—otherwise, just that look from him earlier might have made her hand over the flower basket.

Men looking at men and women looking at men were completely different.

Shen Qingyu cast a cold sidelong glance at her. “Who are you giving alms to? Take out that flower from that bastard’s basket.”

Jiang Huashan tilted her eyes and raised a brow at him. “What? Don’t want to stay in the Shen family anymore?”

Shen Qingyu: “……”

Jiang Huashan casually stuffed the flower basket into his arms and said in an old-fashioned tone, “Brother Qingyu, winning is winning, losing is losing. If you want to win, don’t care about the means. If you want everything, you’ll end up with nothing.”

Shen Qingyu’s gaze shifted slightly as he took the basket with both hands.

“Alright, the game is successfully concluded. The rest is up to you. I’m tired—I’m going back to rest.”

She waved her hand and slipped into the crowd like a fish.

Shen Qingyu stood where he was, watching her until her figure completely disappeared into the banquet before slowly withdrawing his gaze.

She called him “Brother” with her mouth, but her eyes were treating him like a child.

Just a trapped beast’s game, that was all. One day, he would not only win—but win beautifully.

Lanterns shifted and shimmered as the third musical piece came to an end.

Shen Lanxi: 29 flowers.

Zhou Yanheng: 11 flowers.

Other young masters and guests: various.

Shen Qingyu: 31 flowers.

The “Princess” selection was decided.

At the center of the banquet.

Old Madam Gu looked at Shen Qingyu, who was surrounded by admiration and laughter. Boys and girls clustered around him, teasing him as the “princess,” while Shen Qingyu laughed and retorted, the atmosphere lively and harmonious.

After a long moment of thought, Old Madam Gu stood up and walked over to Shen Zhuang.

“Old Shen, may I have a word in private?”

Shen Zhuang had just been speaking with Su Jingliu. Hearing this, he immediately stood up and signaled to Shen Zhi.

Shen Zhi understood and stepped forward.

“Old Madam, please follow me.”

Su Jingliu’s gaze moved between the two of them before he smiled and said to Old Madam Gu, “Old Madam, congratulations. Qingyu is quite popular.”

Old Madam Gu glanced at Shen Zhuang. “Elder Su, you’re congratulating the wrong person.” Then she turned to Shen Zhi. “Lead the way.”

“This old lady…” Su Jingliu shook his head and pointed at Old Madam Gu’s back. “Your old in-law still hasn’t changed at all.”

Shen Zhuang didn’t respond.

Su Jingliu’s expression eased slightly. “Old Shen, marriage alliances are tricky. If it works out, it’s family; if it doesn’t, it’s worse than enemies. Look at the Gu family, then look at the Fu family—doesn’t that make sense?”

Shen Zhuang took a sip of tea. “Old Su, you’ve been lecturing me all night. What exactly do you want to say?”

Su Jingliu coughed lightly. “Choosing in-laws requires choosing the right people. Look at my Su family—we never care about those petty profits. We’re always one family, no talk of two families.”

That was clear enough.

Shen Zhuang looked at him and understood. After a moment of thought, he sat back down. “Go on then. Which of my grandsons have you taken a liking to?”

Su Jingliu immediately raised his teacup as cover. “Oh? I was just chatting casually.”

Shen Zhuang frowned. “Not the brats? Don’t tell me it’s my granddaughters? No way!”

Pfft! Su Jingliu nearly spat out his tea. “I haven’t even said who it is yet—how is it already ‘no way’?!”

Shen Zhuang said, “Your unmarried boys are all hopeless—none of them are good enough for my granddaughters!”

“You—Old Shen!” Su Jingliu was almost furious. Seeing Shen Zhuang stand up to leave, he slammed the table. “Not your granddaughters—it’s your grandson!”

Shen Zhuang gave him a suspicious look. “Who?”

Su Jingliu glanced toward the crowd.

Shen Zhuang followed his gaze, his eyes shifting slightly. “You’ve got your eye on A-Ling?”

Su Jingliu nodded. “I’ll be honest with you. Your Lanxi is too high up the ladder—I don’t want my granddaughter Shuyao to feel wronged, so that’s not an option. But A-Ling is different. I like him.”

Shen Zhuang’s gaze darkened as he quietly looked at Su Jingliu.

Su Jingliu didn’t hide it and said directly, “Don’t look at me like that. I’m sincere this time. You know it yourself—A-Ling’s background isn’t acceptable in most circles. He won’t find a better match than my Su family. And my Shuyao’s conditions are excellent; in every way, it would be him who’s marrying up.”

After a moment of consideration, Shen Zhuang did not refuse. “The children are still young, no rush. Let them interact more first. If you’re still interested later, we can discuss it again. The Gu family matriarch is still waiting, so I’ll head over first.”

Su Jingliu had only intended to plant the idea, and now that his goal was achieved, he immediately let him go. “Go on. Be careful—the old lady isn’t easy to deal with.”

Shen Zhuang didn’t reply. After exchanging a few polite words with the guests, he left the banquet.

Su Jingliu leaned back on the sofa and looked toward Shen Guling.

The boy stood quietly like a perfect sculpture beside Shen Qian, speaking only occasionally and keeping a very low profile.

So young, yet already knows how to conceal his sharpness. In time, how could he remain anything ordinary?

“Grandpa.”

Suddenly, a large figure blocked Su Jingliu’s line of sight. He rubbed his forehead in frustration. If his own family didn’t have a single capable heir, why would he need to go “steal” someone else’s grandson?

Just as he sighed and was about to wave the person away, he noticed the chubby boy was holding a vividly colored rose.

“Someone gave you flowers?”

Su Jingliu suddenly became interested. Earlier, Zhou Guochao had told Zhou Yanheng to mingle with the crowd, and Su Jingliu had forced Su Zhuo to do the same out of annoyance. He hadn’t expected anything, but this brat actually came back with a flower.

Su Zhuo looked a little embarrassed. “I walked around the crowd, but no one really paid attention to me. Then a girl came over and gave me her flower.”

As he spoke, the boy scratched his head shyly. It was the first time in his life someone had given him a flower.

Su Jingliu rolled his eyes. “Kid, she just felt sorry for you.”

Su Zhuo felt a little unconvinced, but didn’t argue. His gaze drifted back toward the crowd.

Even if she pitied him, it still meant she was a kind-hearted girl.