HBWMA -Chapter 167 Choosing Again

The tea room was filled with curling wisps of steam.

The tea in front of the table had already been drained.

Shen Zhuang leaned back in the armchair with his eyes closed, exhaustion written across his brows.

“Grandpa.” Shen Qingyu’s voice came from outside the door.

Shen Zhuang’s eyelids trembled as he slowly opened his eyes.

Soon after, the door to the tea room was pushed open from outside. Shen Qingyu strolled in and stopped by the table.

“Grandpa.”

“Mm.” Shen Zhuang straightened slightly and pointed to the seat opposite him. “Sit.”

Shen Qingyu nodded and, just as he sat down, noticed an already-used teacup on the table. He glanced at Shen Zhuang and, after a moment of thought, asked, “Grandpa, were you drinking tea with Grandma just now?”

Shen Zhuang didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he used bamboo tongs to pick up a clean cup, poured tea into it, and handed it to Shen Qingyu.

“Thank you, Grandpa.” Shen Qingyu stood and accepted it with both hands.

Shen Zhuang tapped the table, signaling him to sit properly.

“Did Old Madam Gu already go back?”

Shen Qingyu nodded. “Grandma said I should stay and come visit more often when I have time in the future.”

Shen Zhuang’s gaze shifted slightly. He lifted his hand and refilled his own teacup.

The rich tea broth clung to the white porcelain with its crackled ice pattern, forming thin golden threads within the cracks. Tea nurtured cracks into art—but if there were cracks between people, what then?

Shen Zhuang let out a soft sigh and set down his cup, looking at Shen Qingyu with a kindly gaze.

“Qingyu, are you also blaming Grandpa?”

Shen Qingyu froze for a moment and quickly glanced at the teacups on the table. “Grandpa, did Grandma say something to you? I…”

“No.” Shen Zhuang shook his head. “Your grandma didn’t say anything. Grandpa is only asking you. Qingyu, are you disappointed in Grandpa too? Do you also think Grandpa is unfair—treating you and Lanxi differently?”

Shen Qingyu’s unruly brows and eyes showed a hint of panic. “No. I don’t think that way. Grandpa, Third Uncle and Third Aunt sacrificed their lives for the country. Brother Lanxi suffered a lot. It’s understandable that you care more about him.”

Shen Zhuang looked at him, slightly stunned. “You really think that way?”

Shen Qingyu suddenly didn’t know how to respond. Because he saw pain in his grandfather’s eyes. Had he said something wrong?

Shen Zhuang quickly gathered himself and silently took out a card from his pocket.

“I originally planned to give this to you on your birthday, but it looks like I can’t wait anymore. If I do, my grandson might run away.”

Shen Qingyu stared at the golden card on the tea table, shock filling his eyes. He vaguely guessed something, yet didn’t dare believe it.

“Grandpa, this is…?”

Shen Zhuang said, “Didn’t I just say? It’s your birthday gift. Grandpa already knows. That move against the Yao family was beautifully done. Yao Li should be grateful—you only had that little capital. Otherwise, half of the Yao family’s assets would’ve been taken by you.”

Shen Qingyu was stunned. “Grandpa, you investigated me?”

Shen Zhuang lifted his eyes. “If I don’t look into what you kids are doing, how would I know what you’re thinking? All of you act obedient and well-behaved on the surface, but behind the scenes, each one of you is more restless than the last. Do you think the Yao family is easy to deal with? If I hadn’t cleaned up your mess and covered your tracks, even if I didn’t investigate you, they would’ve come after you sooner or later.”

Shen Qingyu turned his face away and lowered his head to drink tea. “I just made a bit of pocket money. If the Yao family has an issue, I would’ve stopped. I’m not interested in them.”

Shen Zhuang said, “Right, not interested in bringing down the Yao family—but very ambitious when it comes to bringing down the Shen family.”

“Pfft!” Shen Qingyu spat out a mouthful of tea. “Grandpa, don’t say things like that.”

Still denying it?

Shen Zhuang pushed the golden card across the table toward him. “Your father’s Shen Group has a complete business chain. Your little tricks alone can’t shake it. Think of this as Grandpa’s investment in you.”

Shen Qingyu’s expression froze in an instant. He said nothing, just stared at Shen Zhuang—as if seeing him for the first time.

There was only tenderness in Shen Zhuang’s eyes.

“Grandpa knows you have a fixation in your heart. You still can’t let go of your mother’s death. If defeating your father can help you untie this knot, then of course Grandpa is willing to help you.”

Shen Qingyu lowered his gaze to the card on the table. “Grandpa, aren’t you afraid I might do something that harms the Shen family?”

Shen Zhuang’s tone was firm. “Grandpa knows you won’t. Qingyu, you have two paths. First, swallow up the Shen Group and hollow out your father’s control. Second, become a pioneer—build a commercial empire of your own, surpass the Shen family, and stand above your father.”

A faint light slowly rose in Shen Qingyu’s eyes, only to be swallowed again beneath his lowered lashes.

On the other side, in a side courtyard.

Shen Mianzhi paced under a tree, brows tightly furrowed, unable to take a single step forward.

“Stop meddling in other people’s business. That Xiao Lanlan is vicious and bullies the weak. She only dared to lay a hand on Jiang Huashan because she thought she had no backing. This is the Shen residence—she wouldn’t dare make things too big. Jiang Huashan might get beaten at most, but she’s not someone who swallows humiliation either. She’ll definitely give it back in kind. It might even teach Xiao Lanlan a lesson so she won’t go around harming others again.”

The hanging flower gate ahead looked like the massive eye of a ferocious beast, magnifying the hypocrisy in her heart to the extreme.

“What are you muttering about?”

“Ah!”

Suddenly, another shadow darted out from the darkness. Shen Mianzhi was so startled that her pupils shook violently and she fell to the ground.

Fu Sui’er slowly stepped out from the shadows, looking at her suspiciously.

“What kind of guilty thing have you done? Why are you so scared?”

Shen Mianzhi clutched her chest, still shaken.

Fu Sui’er quickly lost interest and looked around. “I don’t have time to play with you. I’m going to find Huashan.”

She had only taken a couple of steps when she suddenly noticed her skirt being grabbed by Shen Mianzhi. Fu Sui’er frowned. “Don’t tell me you’re trying to scam me?”

Shen Mianzhi pointed toward the hanging flower gate behind them. “I just saw Cousin Lanlan and Huashan going toward the inner courtyard.”

Fu Sui’er’s expression changed slightly. “Xiao Lanlan was alone?”

Shen Mianzhi shook her head. “There were four people.”

“Damn it! Brother Lanxi chose Huashan as his dance partner. Xiao Lanlan definitely can’t swallow that insult.”

Fu Sui’er yanked her skirt free, ran two steps, then suddenly thought of something and turned back, grabbing Shen Mianzhi.

“You’re coming with me. Don’t even think about running off to snitch again.”

“?”

Before Shen Mianzhi could react, she was forcibly dragged through the hanging flower gate.

“Let go of me! Sui’er, let go! This has nothing to do with me!”

Fu Sui’er ignored her completely and dragged her forward.

“Cut the nonsense.”

“Ah! Help!”

“Grab her! Quickly, stop her!”

The two of them were still struggling when they reached the central courtyard and heard panicked screams coming from the direction of the pool.

“Huashan!”

Fu Sui’er’s gaze darkened. She let go of Shen Mianzhi and ran toward the pool.

Shen Mianzhi stumbled, barely steadying herself. She turned, clearly intending to leave the chaos behind.

Then—

Fu Sui’er’s furious roar came from behind.

“Xiao Lanlan, I’m going to fight you!”

Shen Mianzhi froze.

A faint glint appeared in her eyes.

In the end, she turned around, shut her eyes, and rushed toward the direction of the pool as well.