HBWMA -Chapter 244 Petty Jealousy

Early the next morning, Shen Qian brought Shen Guiling to Qinyuan to say their farewells. Unexpectedly, Yu Siwen arrived with his family for a visit.

With the diplomatic talks with Country S scheduled for next month, Yu Siwen’s sudden visit at this time was clearly no coincidence—everyone in the Shen family understood that.

Shen Zhuang had the president invited into the study and specifically instructed the heads of the second and third branches of the family to join him in receiving the guest.

Shen Qian was no longer in a hurry to leave. He even deliberately reminded Shen Guiling to “take good care” of Yu Sheng.

Yu Sheng hadn’t seen Shen Guiling for quite some time. When she saw him in a wheelchair, her expression visibly tensed, but with Lei Xing present, she didn’t dare ask too many questions.

The two strolled through the garden together. When they reached the pavilion at the center of the lake, Shen Guiling suddenly felt discomfort in his legs, so Yu Sheng suggested they rest in the pavilion for a while.

Over the past three years, Yu Siwen and the Shen family had maintained occasional contact, so Yu Sheng was no longer as curious about Shen Garden as she had been at the beginning. However, she had grown increasingly interested in the vibrant balcony behind the Bamboo Garden.

Beyond the lakeside pavilion lay the inner courtyard of plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum. Every time, they stopped there.

It seemed today would be no exception.

Yu Sheng felt a little unhappy. She knew Shen Guiling was proud and aloof, not someone who easily let others into his heart. Yet it was precisely that pride that made him seem so different from everyone else.

Still, before that pride could be broken, it was inevitably hurtful.

Shen Guiling naturally sensed her subtle mood, but he had no intention of wasting his energy on such trivial matters. Pretending not to notice, he lowered his head and looked at his phone.

Yu Sheng waited for a while, but when he didn’t take the initiative to speak, she felt a bit uncomfortable.

In the past, he would at least maintain a certain gentleness and wouldn’t let things turn awkward.

Lei Xing felt a bit embarrassed and cleared his throat. “Young Master has really been working hard—still organizing documents for the master even while recovering from his injuries.”

Shen Guiling glanced at Lei Xing. It was just a normal look, yet for some reason, Lei Xing felt an unsettling calm in his gaze.

Yu Sheng’s attention was diverted. She leaned closer to Shen Guiling. “So you’re helping Uncle organize documents?”

“Mm.” Shen Guiling turned off his phone.

Yu Sheng bent slightly and smiled. “I often help my dad organize his materials too. Don’t be fooled by how meticulous he seems—privately, he’s always forgetting things.”

Beneath the lattice window of the hanging flower gate—

Jiang Huashan was crouched by the corner of a wall, secretly observing the young man and woman in the pavilion.

The boy had his brows lowered, a faint smile on his lips. The girl leaned forward playfully. From her angle, it looked as though Shen Guiling was secretly kissing Yu Sheng’s cheek.

“Did they just kiss?”

Jiang Huashan felt a bit troubled—such a perfect atmosphere, it wouldn’t be right for her to interrupt.

Inside the pavilion, who knew what was said, but Shen Guiling suddenly turned his wheelchair. Yu Sheng, caught off guard, lost her balance as she leaned forward and, in a fluster, fell toward him.

Jiang Huashan seized the moment and rushed out.

“Shen Guiling!”

Shen Guiling’s gaze froze for a moment. He turned his head, and suddenly a radiant, dazzling smile popped out from behind the pillar.

“…”

He reacted quickly. The moment Yu Sheng had fallen toward him, he had already raised one arm to block her outside the wheelchair. Such distant defensiveness caught Yu Sheng off guard. She had felt a bit disappointed and was about to get up when that cold, unyielding arm suddenly trembled.

“Oh! I didn’t see anything!”

A startled exclamation came from behind. Yu Sheng didn’t have time to think and quickly stood up straight. Turning around and seeing it was Jiang Huashan, her face flushed slightly. “I just tripped a bit.”

Jiang Huashan let out an “oh,” her gaze darting between the two of them. “Are you… on a date?”

“…Didn’t you hear what I said?” Yu Sheng didn’t know how to answer and could only look at Shen Guiling.

Her gaze held a trace of difficulty, yet also a hidden expectation.

Shen Guiling calmly withdrew his hand, turned his wheelchair to face Jiang Huashan, and his eyes became especially gentle.

“What? You want to join us again?”

Yu Sheng froze for a moment, slightly surprised.

There was something slightly different about Shen Guiling when he said that—but it was hard to pinpoint exactly what.

What a jerk!

Jiang Huashan pretended not to hear him and instead turned to Yu Sheng with a bright smile.
“Big Sister Yu Sheng, what are you doing here? Did you come to see Brother A-Ling?”

Yu Sheng had a good impression of Jiang Huashan and replied with a smile, “I came with my father. Oh, right—what you saw just now wasn’t what you think… we were just…”

Jiang Huashan waved her hand. “I get it. Last time Su Miao said the same thing—she also said I misunderstood.”

Yu Sheng froze for a moment and glanced at Shen Guiling.

She had always known that the Su family had intentions toward Shen Guiling, but she didn’t think a girl like Su Miao would be someone he liked.

Shen Guiling lifted his eyes slightly, a faint, inexplicable smile curling at his lips.

Putting on a brave face, huh?

Jiang Huashan frowned. “What are you smiling at? That’s right—I did it on purpose. Sister Yu is such a good person, I just can’t stand how you’re so fickle and disrespectful toward her.”

There was some truth to that. She had always disliked Shen Guiling’s “keeping multiple options” behavior—if she could save even one person from it, that’d be something.

Resting his head on one hand, Shen Guiling didn’t offer a single explanation. He simply watched her perform.

“That’s not true!” Lei Xing couldn’t stand Jiang Huashan bullying his young master. “Miss Jiang, you’ve misunderstood. Our young master has never been fickle. You… you can’t slander him just because you favor Young Master Qingyu!”

Jiang Huashan was stunned. Since when did she favor Shen Qingyu?! That was the real slander, okay?

Seriously, what was wrong with Lei Xing and Gao Zhi?

A pair of idiots?

Jiang Huashan shot Lei Xing a sideways glance, just about to speak when Yu Sheng smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

“Shanshan, I know you mean well, and I appreciate the reminder. But…”

She paused, glanced at Shen Guiling, then withdrew her gaze.

“I trust my own judgment.”

“…Heh.” Jiang Huashan chuckled, glancing sideways at Shen Guiling. No wonder he was so confident.

Of course—Yu Sheng was the “main wife” of Shen Guiling’s so-called harem. Broad-minded and tolerant—how could a few words from her possibly turn things around?

Forget it. Jiang Huashan didn’t dwell on it and turned to leave.

“Huh?”

Yu Sheng wasn’t familiar with Jiang Huashan’s temperament. Seeing her attitude change so abruptly, she became a little flustered. “Did I upset your sister?”

Shen Guiling shook his head. “It’s fine.”

If she were happy about this, then he wouldn’t be.

“Fine?”

Yu Sheng didn’t expect such a cold response from Shen Guiling and couldn’t help but look toward Jiang Huashan’s retreating figure. It seemed Shen Guiling didn’t like this younger sister very much.

Shen Guiling turned his wheelchair. “I’m going to change my dressing.”

Before the earlier misunderstanding, the conversation had been about his wound dressing. To avoid neglecting Yu Sheng, Shen Guiling had suggested that Shen Lanxi play host and show her around the garden. Yu Sheng had declined, and in her haste, she had tripped.

Yu Sheng composed herself and pointed toward the lake. “Go ahead. I’ll wait for you here.”

After a moment’s thought, Shen Guiling nodded.

Lei Xing pushed him out of the pavilion. Once they were some distance away, Lei Xing asked uneasily, “Young Master, did I say too much just now? Miss Jiang won’t be angry, right?”

Shen Guiling’s expression was relaxed. “You’re afraid of her?”

Lei Xing nodded. “A little. Gao Zhi said Miss Jiang is the most petty person in the entire Shen Garden—you can offend anyone, but not her.”

As they spoke, they happened to pass by the plum garden.

At that very moment, Jiang Huashan and Shen Qingyu walked out side by side.

Shen Guiling let out a cold laugh.

Sure enough—petty.