HBWMA -Chapter 43 Allergic Reaction

Night filled with starlight, and moonlight scattered a layer of frost-white glow across the wooden bridge. The stream reflected the bonfire by the shore, while the wind of a midsummer night drifted in from distant mountain mist, carrying the fresh scent of summer grass.

The shrimp grilled by Shen Guiling were fresh and delicious. Jiang Huashan and Fu Sui’er each received a shrimp claw as big as their faces.

Fu Sui’er had originally been sulking and refusing to eat, but in the end she still couldn’t resist the temptation of the food and picked up her knife and fork. To avoid being laughed at, she even went out of her way to point at the shrimp claw and explain seriously.

“This shrimp was caught by me. My contribution was the greatest.”

Shen Zhuang laughed heartily and patted Fu Sui’er’s head. “Grandpa saw it. You jumped straight into that huge mud pit—quite brave indeed.”

“Of course.” Fu Sui’er lifted her chin, though her eyes couldn’t help drifting toward Jiang Huashan beside her.

At that moment, Jiang Huashan was lying back on a bamboo chair with a plate in hand, staring blankly at the night sky. If one hadn’t experienced it personally, who would believe such a beautiful night was merely a background setting in some storyline?

So… were all the people here just puppets of a plot?

“Sigh, this damn loneliness.” She let out a soft sigh, then extended her plate to the side. “Shen Guiling, peel me some more crayfish.”

“……”

Shen Guiling looked at the mountain of shrimp shells beside him and handed her a freshly peeled plate of shrimp meat. “Eat less. You might get indigestion.”

This was already her fifth plate. In his entire life, he had never peeled so many shrimp.

Jiang Huashan looked up at him innocently and, pressing her mouth against the porcelain plate, slurped down one shrimp after another. In less than a minute, she finished the entire plate of shrimp tails.

Mm. Summer crayfish really were plump and delicious.

“……”

“Xiao Shan.” Shen Zhuang could also tell Jiang Huashan was deliberately teasing Shen Guiling and shot her a helpless glare.

Jiang Huashan quietly put down her plate, turned away, and wiped her mouth with a tissue. “I’m full.”

Shen Guiling nodded and turned to clean up the shrimp shells on the table. Shen Zhuang noticed this and signaled to Shen Zhi. Shen Zhi immediately stepped forward and took over Shen Guiling’s work.

“Young Master A-Ling, I’ll handle this.”

Shen Guiling nodded and quietly returned to his seat.

This child… why is his personality so good?

The old man looked at him with heartache, then pushed his own bowl of shrimp meat toward Shen Guiling. “You’ve worked hard all night. Come on, try your own cooking.”

Shen Guiling shook his head. “No need, Grandpa. Please eat it yourself. I’m not hungry.”

Shen Zhuang frowned. “How can you not be hungry after not eating all night? Be obedient.”

Shen Guiling hesitated for a moment, staring at the shrimp meat in the bowl, then finally accepted the kindness. “Thank you, Grandpa.”

Jiang Huashan’s gaze flickered slightly. She turned and poured a cup of water, handing it over. “Shen Guiling, drink some warm water.”

Nothing good comes from unsolicited kindness—there must be some ulterior motive.

Shen Guiling stared at the water. He hesitated longer than he had with the shrimp.

Shen Zhuang tapped the table. Though he looked stern, there was obvious indulgent affection in his tone. “Mind your manners. A-Ling is three years older than you. You should call him brother.”

Jiang Huashan suddenly shivered for no reason. How could an adult call a kid “brother”?

Then her eyes lit up as a thought flashed through her mind—wait, wasn’t Shen Guiling basically a “kid brother”?

Feeling enlightened, she said, “Xiao… Brother A-Ling, drink water.”

Shen Guiling’s eyelid twitched. With a calm expression, he accepted the cup. Was there poison in this water or something?

“Good, good! That’s more like it!” Shen Zhuang said with great satisfaction, then turned to Fu Sui’er. “Sui’er, you too. From now on, you’re not allowed to be disrespectful to A-Ling. You must call him brother, understand?”

Fu Sui’er looked unwilling, but seeing the old man so happy, she didn’t want to spoil the mood and reluctantly agreed.

It was all Jiang Huashan’s fault. She hadn’t expected this traitor to switch sides so quickly and get close to Shen Guiling right after their fallout.

“Hmph!” Fu Sui’er slammed down her knife and fork and glared at Jiang Huashan.

She expected Jiang Huashan to glare back in return—but the traitor didn’t react at all. Instead, she rested her chin on one hand, eyes shining as she stared at Shen Guiling. Whenever his cup was empty, she immediately refilled it, attentive beyond belief.

Fu Sui’er grew more and more irritated the more she watched, cursing inwardly: spineless! fence-sitter! Something about it just felt off. Right now, she would rather Jiang Huashan come over and fight her than be ignored like air.

Moonlight spilled into the stream valley, and this overnight camping trip meant to build relationships finally came to an end.

Shen Zhuang led Jiang Huashan back to Qinyuan, Shen Zhi sent Fu Sui’er back, and Shen Guiling returned alone to Zhuyuan.

As soon as he entered, Zhao Ping greeted him with a smile. “Young Master A-Ling, the small kitchen has prepared scallop and yam porridge for you.”

Shen Guiling paused slightly, lifting his eyes a little as he glanced at him.

Zhao Ping noticed his hesitation and quickly explained, “Before you returned, Steward Shen called ahead and instructed us. He said you might not have eaten enough for dinner and asked us to prepare something easy to digest.”

Shen Guiling’s expression softened. “Then I’ll trouble you. I’ll go take a shower first—bring it in later.”

Zhao Ping agreed, and Shen Guiling went straight to his room. Just as he entered, his phone in his pocket began to vibrate. His expression remained indifferent, as if he hadn’t heard it, and he walked into the bathroom instead.

“Young Master A-Ling?” Zhao Ping soon arrived with the porridge. Seeing the door unlocked, he knocked lightly and called again, “Young Master A-Ling?”

Still no response.

At that moment, the sound of running water came from the bathroom. After a moment’s hesitation, Zhao Ping stepped inside, placed the porridge on the tea table in the side room, and quietly left.

Not long after, Shen Guiling came out of the bathroom with a black towel wrapped around his lower body. His skin was very fair; his figure belonged to a youthful build—not particularly muscular—but his lines were smooth and clean, with a faint outline of his abs.

“Buzz—buzz—buzz—”

The phone vibrated again.

Shen Guiling lowered his gaze, took it out of his pocket, and saw an unfamiliar number with no note. After a glance—his eyes sharp at the corner—he swiped to answer.

“Dad.”

The man on the other end had an especially cold voice. “Did the old man go out this morning?”

“Mm. When I went to move the flowers this morning, I didn’t see Grandpa. He probably went out.”

Shen Guiling leaned back against the recliner at the foot of the bed, eyes closed. He hadn’t even dried his hair yet; droplets ran from his fringe to the tip of his nose, slid down his nose bridge, past his jaw, and finally along his prominent Adam’s apple into the hollow of his collarbone.

Aside from his voice, there was nothing gentle about him at that moment.

Shen Qian asked, “Do you know where he went?”

Shen Guiling: “Not yet.”

There was a brief silence on the other end. Then Shen Qian said coldly, “A-Ling, don’t forget why I sent you into the Shen residence. Lanxi is coming back soon. You must gain the old man’s trust before that, and firmly establish yourself in the Shen family. Otherwise… you know the consequences.”

Shen Guiling lifted his eyes slightly, his gaze cold and numb. “I know.”

Shen Qian continued, “Did you handle what I told you to do today?”

“Mm. Grandpa gave me all the shrimp on his plate. I ate it all.”

“Good.” Shen Qian’s tone eased slightly. “Remember to finish that bowl of porridge before sleeping.”

With that, he hung up.

“…”

Shen Guiling tilted his head and looked at the bowl of white porridge on the table for a few seconds, then finally picked it up and swallowed it in large mouthfuls.

In no time, the porcelain bowl was empty—nothing left.

He stared at the empty bowl in his hand, his eyes shifting from numbness to a faint, sinister chill.

Did Shen Qian even understand? That amount in one night—he could have gone into shock and died.

“Heh…”

Shen Guiling let out a soft, derisive laugh, unable to stop himself from cursing inwardly at his own stupidity.

Of course Shen Qian knew. When he first accidentally ate seafood as a child and was rushed to the hospital, that so-called father had even come to see him.

Back then, he had been unconscious for three days, standing one step away from death.

Shen Guiling closed his eyes. He remembered it clearly—when the allergy attacked, it felt like his intestines were being twisted and torn apart. Even while unconscious, the pain would still force him awake.