Chapter 239: Peculiar Reaction
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
As Sheng Quan sat down in the living room, he noticed the tea cups on the table that hadn’t been put away yet. “Who’s in the house? It’s not that scoundrel Lu Ming, is it?”
“No, it’s not. Lu Ming has already been driven out by Miss,” the butler explained as he poured tea. “Miss’s friend has come. She wasn’t feeling well earlier and went to Miss’s room to rest.”
Sheng Quan’s hand, holding the teacup, paused for a moment. Lie casually blew the steam from the cup. “A female friend?”
“Yes,” the butler replied. “I’ll go and ask Miss to come down.”
“Alright,” Sheng Quan nodded lightly.
Upstairs.
Sheng Nian pressed her ear against the door, carefully listening to the commotion outside. After a while, she straightened up. “You can’t leave now, but I also don’t want to keep you in the house. How about you use the window?”
Mei Shu raised an eyebrow, leaning against the balcony railing and looking down at the swimming pool below with a calm expression. “1 seem to have forgotten to tell you one thing. I can’t swim.”
Sheng Nian replied, “…Actually, 1 was just joking earlier.”
Suddenly, footsteps outside the door stopped precisely at Sheng Nian’s door.
Sheng Nian’s heart skipped a beat, and she didn’t exhale until she heard the butler’s voice.
“Miss, Mr. Sheng is asking you to come down.”
“I understand, I’ll be right there,” she turned away from Mei Shu and said, “You’re not allowed to touch my things. I’ll be back soon. If you’re tired, you can sit and rest, but you must not leave my room.”
Without waiting for Mei Shu’s response, she opened the door and left.
Mei Shu was left alone in the room, and she took the opportunity to look around Sheng Nian’s boudoir.
The room’s color scheme was different from the sophistication and elegance Sheng Nian portrayed. Most of the furniture and decorations in the room were in warm colors, primarily pink and bright yellow. It was clear that the room’s owner had a hidden girlish side.
The desk and shelves were filled mostly with expensive dolls and single photos of Sheng Nian. There was no trace of Lu Ming’s presence anywhere.
Mei Shu speculated that either Sheng Nian had already had the room redecorated, or Lu Ming had never lived in Sheng Nian’s room when he married into the Sheng family.
It wasn’t polite to snoop around someone else’s home on a first visit, so Mei Shu found a chair and sat down, idly taking out her phone to browse.
She didn’t know how much time had passed when she suddenly heard what sounded like a heated argument between a man and a woman outside the door. It was then that she realized more than an hour had passed since Sheng Nian had left her alone in the room.
Sheng Quan had chased after Sheng Nian to her room and was sternly reprimanding her. “Is there anything left to investigate in that matter? Do you know how I’ve managed to get through all these years? Why do you insist on bringing up old wounds and hurting my heart?”
Sheng Nian was clearly in tears, her voice choked with suppressed sobs. “Dad, I just mentioned Mom once. Why are you so angry? Aren’t I your most beloved daughter?”
Sheng Quan held his anger back for the sake of his daughter who had just broken up with a bad guy. He didn’t want to say anything too harsh. However, the events from years ago had become the deepest wound in his heart, one he didn’t want to touch. Whoever touched it, he would become furious, and he needed a way to vent his anger.
“Go back to your room and rest. Don’t ever bring up your mother’s death in front of me again!” Sheng Quan left with an unfriendly expression, leaving Sheng Nian crying softly in the corridor.
The butler sighed and, with a hint of reproach in his tone, said, “Miss, why did you have to bring up this matter at the dinner table? Do you really believe what Miss Mei Shu said and want to reinvestigate the events of that year?”
“I don’t believe her; I just have lingering doubts deep down. 1 just wanted an answer,” Sheng Nian wiped away her tears and relaxed her shoulders. “Forget it, I won’t ask anymore. Have the kitchen prepare a meal for me quietly and send it to my room. Don’t let anyone find out.”
“Of course, I’ll arrange it,” the butler quickly left.
When Sheng Nian pushed open the door to come in, her eyes were still reddened. “You heard everything just now, right? Don’t bring up this matter again. Later, when my father is asleep, I’ll have someone send you back.”
“Miss Sheng,” Mei Shu walked slowly towards her, looking at her firmly. “Don’t you think your father’s reaction was a bit strange?”
Sheng Nian looked puzzled, a trace of surprise flashing in her eyes. “My father suffered greatly back then. My mother died in his arms, and it left a deep shadow on his heart. What’s strange about that?”
“When you said that just now, you hesitated for a moment. I’m sure you also agree with my thoughts deep down,” Mei Shu stared into her eyes intently, not letting any hint of emotion escape. “Only by investigating now can we uncover the truth of what happened back then. We can understand whether the shadow in your father’s heart is really because of your mother’s death or something else.”
Sheng Nian pushed her away impatiently. “Stop talking nonsense! My father was heartbroken back then because of my mother’s death.. What else could it be?”