The richest woman committed a crime with her child - Chapter 31

Xu Mei couldn’t sit still and didn’t stay to accompany her in reading. Instead, she went with Qiu Chigong to the market to stock up on goods.

Moved by Qiu Chigong’s reminder that “you can’t outplay Shen Youting,” and also because he was tasked with taking care of Wu Mengying, Xu Mei was eager to get closer to Qiu Chigong. She sat with him in the driver’s seat of the cargo cart.

She initially thought it would be difficult to communicate with him, but to her surprise, he was the first to speak: “If a man more handsome than Shen Youting proposed to you, would you choose him or Shen Youting?”

Xu Mei rolled her eyes and retorted, “What’s that man’s character like? If he has multiple wives and is unfaithful, I wouldn’t choose him.”

Qiu Chigong sneered, “Isn’t Shen Youting, who’s entangled with you, also being indecisive between you and your sister?”

Xu Mei stammered, “He hasn’t accepted me, nor is he with Chen Jingjing. Although there’s some insignificant agreement, he maintains proper boundaries and etiquette when interacting with her. That doesn’t count as being indecisive, right?”

Qiu Chigong chuckled, “Hmph, do women always like to comfort themselves?”

Passing through the streets, the cart entered the market.

Qiu Chigong stopped the cart in front of a butcher shop and was about to get off when Xu Mei pulled him back, whispering mysteriously, “Hey, I bet you that if we walk over there, the butcher will think we’re a couple.”

Qiu Chigong glanced at the burly, shirtless butcher and asked, puzzled, “Why?”

“Because I can tell fortunes. Do you want to bet? If you lose, you have to do something for me. If I lose, I’ll do something for you. Just so you know, your request can’t harm me or go against my will.”

“Then can your request harm me or go against my will?”

“Relax,” Xu Mei twirled her hair with her fingers, “I’ll only ask for something within your capabilities, nothing excessive. I’m a reasonable person.”

Qiu Chigong snorted, “Just the fact that you like that jerk Shen Youting shows you’re not a reasonable person.”

“…”

Xu Mei noticed that Qiu Chigong seized every opportunity to insult Shen Youting. Could it be because he held a grudge after losing a fight?

She flicked her hair, “Do you dare to bet? Be a man and make up your mind!”

“Afraid of you? Bet!”

Xu Mei smiled brightly, her eyes sparkling—indeed, a 19-year-old man couldn’t resist a challenge. If she had said those words to Shen Youting, he would have just glanced at her indifferently, not only refusing to bet but also adding the butcher’s family background, since the butcher’s work with salted meat would inevitably involve dealings with him.

She tossed her hair back and walked with Qiu Chigong to the meat stall.

“You two look like a perfect couple. What meat do you want, and how much?” The shirtless butcher’s words immediately made Xu Mei the winner.

Xu Mei burst into laughter.

She was already strikingly beautiful, and her laughter only made her more captivating.

The butcher added, “Young man, you’re really lucky. Your wife is truly beautiful. Hurry and buy more meat to nourish her, so she can give you a big, healthy son.”

Qiu Chigong was instantly embarrassed, while Xu Mei laughed even harder.

Xu Mei’s attire and looks were so eye-catching that they even drew the attention of people about ten meters away. Zhao Fanglin, who was fiddling with an abacus, was also attracted.

Following the crowd’s gaze, he saw Xu Mei sitting in the driver’s seat of a cart, dressed in light clothing, and was so shocked that he stretched his neck.

Holding the abacus in one hand, he pushed through the merchants surrounding Shen Youting, who were pleading for more official salt, and whispered in Shen Youting’s ear, “Young Master Shen, Miss Xu is sitting on a stranger’s cart. Look…”

He pointed in the direction of the cart.

When Shen Youting looked over, Xu Mei was laughing heartily at something, while Qiu Chigong looked utterly embarrassed, glaring at her, which only made her laugh more.

“You know,” Zhao Fanglin pondered while holding the abacus, “Miss Xu is at the age to be married. Could this be…”

Shen Youting strode towards the cart without a word.

“Hey, everyone, wait a moment. Young Master Shen needs to handle something urgent. Please wait.” Zhao Fanglin reassured the merchants and hurried after Shen Youting, panting, “Young Master Shen, where are you going?”

Without looking at him, Shen Youting ordered, “Tell the merchants that those who settle their accounts today can come to the shop tomorrow to discuss cooperation. Make sure to register them.”

“Yes.” Zhao Fanglin had to turn back, though he kept looking over his shoulder, seeing Shen Youting stop by the cart.

At the butcher’s stall, Xu Mei was directing the butcher on how to cut the pork, her full, moist lips moving rapidly, leaving Qiu Chigong no chance to interject.

“Xu Mei.”

Xu Mei’s smile vanished instantly, and she instinctively turned to the voice.

Shen Youting pulled her to his side and asked, “What are you doing here?”

“At the butcher’s stall, of course, I’m buying meat.”

“You’ve never lifted a finger. Who would dare to send you to buy meat?”

Xu Mei looked at her delicate, lily-white hands, glanced at Shen Youting’s stern face, and lazily said, “Today, I feel like getting my hands dirty, preferably very dirty.”

A cart filled with bloody water rushed towards them from a distance.

Shen Youting wrapped his arm around her waist and moved her out of the way.

After the cart passed, he let go.

She took a step back, creating distance, and twirled her hair around her finger.

Qiu Chigong paid for the meat, loaded it onto the cart, and, seeing their awkward stance, found it utterly ridiculous. With a blank expression, he sat in the driver’s seat and drove the cart away with a “Giddy-up!”

Xu Mei, “…” She was still here. How could he just drive off? Wasn’t that a bit inconsiderate?

Now, if she chased after the cart, wouldn’t that be beneath her?

“Let’s go back,” Shen Youting said calmly.

Xu Mei looked at him and asked, “Where’s your cart?”

Shen Youting tilted his chin towards the southeast.

Xu Mei followed his gaze and recognized the cart with the “Xu’s Salt Shop” sign. She walked over.

Shen Youting silently followed her.

The coachman was waiting on the cart. Seeing her approach, he quickly got down to greet her, calling out, “Miss.”

Xu Mei nodded in acknowledgment and directly boarded the cart.

Shen Youting sat across from her and instructed the coachman, “Take the miss home.”

The coachman acknowledged and drove the cart out of the market.

Shen Youting pulled down the cart’s curtain.

Xu Mei stared at him, her beautiful face stern as she asked, “After a whole day, you should admit that you kissed me last night, right?”

His eyes met hers, and he calmly asked, “Are you sure it was me yesterday?”

“You still dare to deny it!” Xu Mei gritted her teeth in anger. “I, Xu Mei, would never lie about something like this!”

As the eldest daughter of the Xu family, she indeed disdained lying.

About this, Shen Youting knew better than anyone.

(End of Chapter)