The richest woman committed a crime with her child - Chapter 29

Chen Jingjing nodded and asked in her usual distant tone, “Is Youting at home?”

“Yes. Young Master Shen went to the shop last night and forgot to bring back the food box when he returned. So,” Butler Liu helped her out of the carriage and showed her the food box, “Accountant Zhao brought it back.”

Chen Jingjing frowned, remained silent for a moment, and then asked, “Has Xu Mei returned?”

“No,” Butler Liu replied naturally, then casually added, “Didn’t you see her at the tasting event today? You both attended the same event.”

“I saw her,” Chen Jingjing smiled, her tone laced with sarcasm. “I saw her ‘good fortune’ approaching.”

Butler Liu, being shrewd, noticed her sarcasm but pretended not to. He subtly changed the subject. “Miss, let me help you back to your room.”

“I want to see Youting.”

“Young Master Shen is reviewing accounts from all over the country and has instructed not to be disturbed,” Butler Liu reminded her with a smile. “He dislikes interruptions when he’s working.”

Chen Jingjing paused, thought for a moment, and then said, “Then I’ll go back to my room and talk to him tomorrow.” She knew Shen Youting’s temperament well—he hated being disturbed while working, and she was no exception.

“I’ll help you back, Miss.”

…

Xu Mei let Shen Youting lead her as they rode together on a horse, moving slowly through the streets.

They passed by a stall that was about to close, where she bought a set of bells for Jifeng, which he then tied to the saddle.

The jingling sound was quite pleasant.

Later, he took her to the northern outskirts.

They rode for nearly an hour before turning back.

At first, Xu Mei didn’t pay much attention, but on the way back, she realized that the path they took was the same one she had used when teaching Wu Mengying to ride, including the trip to the northern outskirts.

Even though he spoke little, she felt incredibly happy and content throughout the journey.

Although she often chased after him, declaring her love and desire to have him all to herself, she never imagined that one day they would be so in sync.

When they returned home, she fell asleep with a smile on her face.

…

At dawn, Shen Youting, fully dressed, opened his door to find Xu Mei standing there, wearing only a thin, pink chiffon dress that revealed her delicate shoulders.

She leaned against the wall, her head lowered, her expression coquettish, her red lips curved into a smile as she recalled the memory of being kissed by him the previous night. One foot tapped lightly against the corner of the wall.

On her head was the hairpin he had given her when “Xu’s Tailoring” opened.

The sound of the door opening seemed to startle her, and her smooth shoulders instinctively tensed.

Shen Youting asked indifferently, “You’re here so early. Is something wrong?”

His expression was cold, his tone slightly impatient, no different from his usual self, but a far cry from the man who had kissed her and ridden with her the night before.

Xu Mei was stunned, unsure how to react.

“If there’s nothing, go to the shop. Don’t let your new accountant steal your money,” Shen Youting said as he walked past her, heading outside.

“Shen Youting,” she called out, her voice uncertain.

Shen Youting turned to look at her, his handsome face filled with cold detachment. “If you have something to say, say it. I have important matters to attend to.”

Xu Mei took two steps forward, standing in front of him, and looked into his eyes. “Have you forgotten what happened last night?”

Shen Youting recalled their argument about the new accountant the previous night and frowned. “Are you planning to argue with me again about your new accountant?”

“…”

Shen Youting glanced at her chiffon dress and said disapprovingly, “Change your clothes.”

Xu Mei looked down at her dress and instinctively asked, “Why should I change?”

“It’s ugly.”

“It’s light and comfortable, made from the best fabric available right now,” Xu Mei immediately twirled in front of him. “It looks good. Wearing this in the shop keeps me cool and attracts customers.”

Shen Youting’s dark eyes clouded with suspicion. “Attracts your new accountant?”

“Of course not,” Xu Mei pouted. “It attracts customers…”

Shen Youting’s expression was unreadable.

“Shen Youting, I… I came to ask you, should we tell my father about what happened last night? About you kissing me and saying you like me?”

Shen Youting narrowed his eyes and said calmly, “If you’re not fully awake, go back to sleep. Don’t talk nonsense in broad daylight.”

With that, he walked past her toward the main hall.

His outright denial made her begin to doubt whether everything that had happened the night before was just a dream.

In her dream, he had been gentle and tender, perfectly in sync with her.

But the real him, with his cold words, had shattered that illusion.

The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment.

Xu Mei, like a frostbitten eggplant, trudged back to her room, utterly dejected.

As she looked up, she saw Butler Liu leading Jifeng toward her. She casually asked, “Uncle Liu, why are you leading Jifeng so early in the morning?”

“Just now, Qiu, the guard from Miss Wu’s place, came over saying that Jifeng had gone missing. He came specifically to compensate us. But when I checked the stable, Jifeng was right there!” Butler Liu pulled a money pouch from his sleeve and handed it to Xu Mei, smiling. “Here, this is what Qiu gave us. It’s all gold.”

Xu Mei took the pouch, weighed it in her hand, and felt that it contained a considerable amount of gold. She asked, “When did Qiu Chigong borrow Jifeng?”

“He said he borrowed it from Young Master Shen during the day yesterday and left it in the backyard. This morning, he discovered Jifeng was missing.”

Xu Mei remembered that last night, after Shen Youting whistled, Jifeng had broken free from its tether and run out from the backyard.

She walked to Jifeng’s right side and checked the saddle. Sure enough, she found a set of bells underneath it, the clasp identical to the one she had bought at the night market.

So, Shen Youting had indeed ridden with her past the stall where she bought the bells.

So, he had gone to Wu Mengying’s restaurant last night.

So, he had kissed her and said he liked her.

So, why had he denied it earlier?

Xu Mei yanked the bells off Jifeng’s saddle and ran into the main hall.

…

In the main hall.

The dining table was set with steamed buns, fried dough sticks, mantou, porridge, and side dishes. Xu Shuntian sat at the head of the table, while Shen Youting, seated to his left, served him porridge and reported on the situation of the shops in Beiping. Chen Jingjing, sitting next to Shen Youting, was sipping her porridge delicately.

Before Xu Mei even appeared, the sound of her hairpin and the bells in her hand announced her arrival.

Xu Shuntian, who had been serious just moments ago, softened at the sound and gestured for Shen Youting to stop. “You can instruct the people in Beiping to handle those matters.”

“Understood,” Shen Youting nodded.

Xu Shuntian had initially intended to call Xu Mei to sit beside him, but seeing the anger on her face, he was about to ask what was wrong when Xu Mei threw a set of bells onto the table in front of Shen Youting.

The clattering sound shattered the previous tranquility.

“Shen Youting, these bells are proof!” Xu Mei’s eyes were red as she glared at him, her neck stiff with defiance. “What else do you have to say?!”

Shen Youting glanced at the bells, then turned his gaze to Xu Mei’s face, his tone indifferent. “Proof of what?”

“Are you still going to deny it? Did you or did you not kiss me last night? Did you or did you not say you liked me?”

Shen Youting looked directly into her eyes, his expression icy. “No.”

“You…”

Xu Mei was furious. She grabbed a bowl from the table and threw its contents at Shen Youting’s face.

The porridge splattered across his face.

Grains of rice slid down his cheeks.

“Xu Mei, what are you doing?” Chen Jingjing quickly handed Shen Youting a handkerchief and sneered at Xu Mei. “Youting doesn’t like you, and no matter how many lies you make up, he never will.”

“Humph! Shen Youting, if you dare not admit what you did, then I, Xu Mei, must have been blind!” Xu Mei snorted coldly, then threw the bowl to the ground, where it shattered into pieces.

“Mei’er,” Xu Shuntian grabbed Xu Mei’s arm. “Tell me what happened.”

Xu Shuntian’s words brought forth a flood of tears from Xu Mei, her grievances pouring out.

“Mei’er…”

Before Xu Shuntian could say more, Xu Mei wiped her tears and ran out of the hall.

Xu Shuntian turned to Shen Youting. “What do you have to say?”

Shen Youting lowered his eyes, hiding the dark glint in them, and slowly wiped the rice grains from his face with the handkerchief.

“Father, Youting was at home last night. If you don’t believe me, you can ask Butler Liu.” As soon as these words left her mouth, Chen Jingjing’s mind flashed back to a scene from her past life—a similar situation where Youting had porridge thrown in his face, and she had defended him with the same words.

Since she had been reborn, why couldn’t the warnings have come sooner?

Chen Jingjing instinctively touched her forehead and said something she hadn’t said in her past life: “Father, I also went to the tasting event yesterday. I only saw Xu Mei leave with a strange man.” At the time, she had only seen a shadow in the dark and couldn’t make out who it was.

“Enough!” Xu Shuntian slammed the table angrily. “You’re her sister. Don’t tarnish her reputation!”

With that, he stood up and left.

Chen Jingjing was momentarily stunned, then turned to Shen Youting. “Youting, when can we leave this biased family?”

Shen Youting didn’t respond, his eyes dark and unreadable.

…

On the street, Wu Mengying, with one arm in a sling, directed Qiu Chigong to hang the gilded sign “Wu’s One-Pot Feast” above the entrance of her new restaurant. Turning around, she saw Xu Mei walking with her head down and quickly called out, “Mei’er.”

Xu Mei looked up, her beautiful face filled with unmistakable distress.

Wu Mengying hurried over. “What’s wrong…”

Xu Mei hugged her tightly.

On the morning street, many passersby turned to look at the two embracing.

Unwilling to be the center of attention, Wu Mengying gently patted Xu Mei’s back and said softly, “Let’s go to the backyard and sit, okay?”

“Okay.”

Wu Mengying led Xu Mei to her bedroom, seating her at the desk while she sat across from her.

When Qiu Chigong brought in tea, he bluntly asked Xu Mei, “Did you argue with Shen Youting again?”

Xu Mei’s lips twitched. “How did you know?” And why did he say “again”?

Qiu Chigong didn’t answer her question, instead saying, “Compared to him, your mind is too simple. Staying away from him would do you good.”

Without waiting for Xu Mei’s response, he left the room.

Xu Mei looked at Wu Mengying in confusion, and Wu Mengying shrugged. “I never told him about you and Shen Youting.”

—