The richest woman committed a crime with her child - Chapter 32

Shen Youting averted his gaze.

“Shen Youting, today is the most disappointing day in the 12 years I’ve known you. You’re a coward!” Xu Mei tried to stand up, leaning on the roof of the carriage, but the man with a dark expression pressed her shoulder down. Xu Mei pushed him, only to have her wrist grabbed and pulled to sit across from him.

“Sit properly,” the man said coldly.

Xu Mei struggled, but the hand gripping her wrist was like a nail, impossible to break free from. She shouted angrily, “I don’t want to sit in the same carriage as you. Let me out!”

“You can get out when we reach the house.”

“You… Shen Youting, you did something but won’t admit it. You’re not a man!”

Shen Youting’s eyes darkened, his expression grim. “If I weren’t a man, would you be this upset about whether I admit it or not?”

“…”

“Or are you using reverse psychology, trying to get me to do something to you right now in the carriage?”

“Of course not.”

Perhaps it was because of the effort from struggling, or perhaps it was because she was sitting so close to the man, but Xu Mei felt extremely hot. She wanted to fan herself with her gauzy clothes, but her wrist was still pinned, making it impossible.

“Let me go,” Xu Mei said, stopping her struggle.

Shen Youting didn’t move.

Xu Mei gritted her teeth. “You’re like a furnace. I’m so hot.”

Shen Youting glanced at her indifferently, noticing the fine beads of sweat on her delicate forehead, and finally released her wrist. “Sit properly across from me.”

Xu Mei didn’t listen to him, only slightly increasing the distance between them, resting her arms on the carriage window.

The speeding carriage brought in a cool breeze, lifting the thin gauze of her clothes and letting it fall gently onto the back of his hand.

By the time the carriage arrived at the Xu family gate, the sun had already set.

Xu Mei jumped out of the carriage first, determined not to be dragged into the house by Shen Youting. She ran all the way to “Xu’s Tailoring.”

Shen Youting instructed the coachman, “Go wait at the young lady’s door. If she goes out, take her home.”

“What about you, Young Master Shen? Should I take you back to the shop first, then go to the young lady?”

“No need. I won’t be going out tonight. Go to the young lady.”

Shen Youting went straight to his study and picked up the account book on top of the desk.

A note fell out from the account book.

Shen Youting’s eyes darkened instantly.

He picked up the note and unfolded it.

[“Mei’er, it was you who kissed me.”]

A single line, written with bold, unrestrained strokes.

…

At “Xu’s Tailoring,” Xu Mei had the staff and Luo Jiusheng go home to rest. She sat at the counter, propping her chin on her hand to pass the time. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the carriage parked outside. She didn’t need to ask to know it was arranged by Shen Youting.

She didn’t bother with it, bored out of her mind, she flipped through an empty account book she found at the bottom of the counter.

[“Made by Shen Youting.”]

She quickly skimmed past the signature on the title page.

Xu Mei hurriedly flipped to the title page.

The familiar handwriting could only belong to Shen Youting.

Flipping further, she found meticulous accounting methods written in small, neat characters.

Serious and detailed.

She immediately pulled out the remaining empty account books from the bottom of the counter.

Every title page had the same words.

“When were these placed here?”

A few days ago, during the continuous rain, she had been worried about the fabric in the shop getting moldy and had the entire counter cleaned. These things weren’t there then.

So, these empty account books must have been placed here recently.

Xu Mei pursed her lips, holding back for a while, but finally couldn’t resist grabbing the account books and running out.

“Shen Youting, did he go home or to the shop?” Xu Mei, her eyes red, asked the drowsy coachman.

The coachman was startled and pointed in the direction of the Xu residence. “He went home.”

Xu Mei ran all the way to Shen Youting’s study and banged on the door with the book. “Shen Youting!”

“What is it?”

As soon as Shen Youting opened the door, the account book was hurled at him. He reacted swiftly, catching it before it could hit his face.

“What is this?” Xu Mei’s large eyes were filled with tears, ready to spill over with a single blink.

Shen Youting frowned. “It’s an account book.” He turned and tossed the book back onto the shelf by the wall. Just as he was about to say something, the sweet scent of the girl invaded his senses, and her soft lips pressed against his.

“You…” Shen Youting tried to push her away.

But she clung tightly to his waist, her face pressed against his chest. “You won’t admit that you kissed me yesterday, and it really makes me angry!”

Shen Youting relaxed the force of his push, closing his eyes for a moment, his jaw tight as if holding something back.

“This is the first time, and it won’t happen again. The kiss just now was me taking back what you took from me yesterday. There won’t be a next time.”

Large tears rolled down her delicate cheeks.

“From now on, I won’t bother you, and you don’t bother me either.” She lifted her head from his chest, smiling brightly, even as more tears streamed down her face.

Shen Youting’s hands, hanging at his sides, twitched, but he didn’t raise them to wipe away her tears.

“We’ll just get along normally. Maybe one day, a man more handsome than you will catch my eye, and I’ll stop liking you and marry him instead!”

She lowered her head, resting it against his chest. “For a while, I might need some time to adjust. I might instinctively chase after you again, but you can ignore me like you used to.”

She rubbed her face against his chest, wiping away her tears, then looked up with a radiant smile before turning to leave without another glance at him.

Shen Youting clenched his fists, the veins on the back of his hands bulging.

As Xu Mei passed the rock garden, her face streaked with tears, her vision blurred, she didn’t see Xu Shuntian approaching.

“Mei’er,” Xu Shuntian called out, lifting his daughter’s face. “Did Shen Youting bully you?”

Xu Mei hurriedly wiped her tears and smiled brightly at Xu Shuntian. “Father, I was just moved by the account books he made for me.”

“So you like him even more now?”

A father knows his daughter best.

Xu Mei hugged her father, burying her face in his chest, her voice muffled. “I just told him not to provoke me anymore… Father, you know, I’ve never had anyone propose to me in all these years.”

Her voice suddenly turned playful. “If there’s any good-looking, reliable unmarried man in the future, keep an eye out. If you find someone suitable, let them propose.”

Xu Shuntian pondered for a moment, humoring her. “Alright. I’ll definitely find you a good husband.”

“Promise?”

Xu Shuntian patted her back. “I promise. By the way, Mei’er, the Jiangning Weaving Bureau is hosting a special trade meeting tomorrow. They’ll be selecting new suppliers for imperial goods. I’ve secured a spot for you. Go tomorrow, even if you’re not selected, it’ll be a good experience.”

“Alright.”

…

The next day, the almanac marked it as an auspicious day for opening shops.

Xu Mei went to “Wu’s One-Pot Stew” early in the morning, volunteering to light the firecrackers. In reality, she didn’t dare get close and casually handed the task to Qiu Chigong.

Without waiting for her to step away, Qiu Chigong lit the firecrackers.

The rapid, loud bangs startled Xu Mei, making her jump high.

Unfortunately, she landed right on Shen Youting’s foot.

Xu Mei quickly stepped back, putting distance between them.

Shen Youting’s eyebrow twitched, a sign of his rising anger.

—