Chapter 18

During dinner, Xie Mingqiu announced: “Tomorrow’s Friday. Your dad and I made plans with some friends to go to the mountains for two days.”
Guan Shanyan looked up. “Which mountain?”
“A hot spring town at the foot of Qingjing Mountain. Leaving tomorrow night, back Sunday afternoon.”
Shen Youwei stirred her soup and said excitedly: “I’ve been there before! Not as fancy as Luming Hot Spring Resort, but the hot springs are still nice!”
Ever since she almost fell off a mountain, she hadn’t climbed any more, but she did occasionally visit the hot spring town at the base as a substitute for Luming.
Xie Mingqiu smiled: “The town’s better developed now. Great for a short trip.”
“Then I hope you and Godfather have fun!”
“Thanks.” Xie Mingqiu looked at Shen Youwei and Guan Shanyan. “It’ll just be you two at home this weekend. If you don’t want to cook, just order takeout.”
Shen Youwei: “…”
Guan Shanyan: “…”
They finally realized it’d be just the two of them at home this weekend.
“What’s wrong?” Xie Mingqiu noticed them frozen, assuming they were thinking about what to eat. “Or you could go out to eat and have some fun too.”
“Haha.” Shen Youwei forced a laugh. “We’ll see then.”
“Okay.” Xie Mingqiu left them to it, confident they wouldn’t starve.
That night, before Xie Mingqiu and Guan Su left, Shen Youwei was already tossing and turning in bed.
When she stayed at the Guan household in high school for a year, she and Guan Shanyan had been thrilled whenever the adults were out, then, the house belonged entirely to them.
Now, her feelings were completely different.
She didn’t want her godparents to leave!
She really had grown up.
Pulling the blanket tighter, she turned over.
Forget it, it’s just two days. I’ll just sleep through it.
Just as she closed her eyes, there were two knocks on the door.
Shen Youwei opened her eyes and looked toward the door: “Who is it?”
“It’s me.” Guan Shanyan’s voice came from outside.
Shen Youwei froze. So late, why was he here?
She got out of bed, draped a robe over herself, and went to open the door: “What is it?”
Guan Shanyan said: “Tomorrow I’ll be visiting some intangible cultural heritage inheritors. I might be back late. You can have dinner on your own tonight; don’t wait for me.”
“Oh.” Shen Youwei nodded, looking up at him. “Just that?”
“Mm.”
“Then you could just send me a message. Why come all the way here?”
“…” Guan Shanyan gestured toward his own room. “We live so close, sending a message would be weirder.”
Shen Youwei glanced at his room and smirked. “Why are you visiting heritage artisans? Planning a collaboration for your new designs?”
“Mm. I want to combine traditional craft with modern fashion design.” This reflected Guan Shanyan’s brand positioning. Lately, international shows featured more Eastern elements, with traditional craft being a treasure among them.
“Oh, alright then. I’m going to sleep.” She returned to her room and shut the door neatly.
Guan Shanyan: “…”
She didn’t usually sleep this early.
On Friday, Xie Mingqiu and Guan Su had packed in advance. After work, they picked up their luggage and left. Shen Youwei ordered takeout and ate barbecue while watching TV at home.
Such bold behavior, she wouldn’t dare do this if her mom or godmother were home.
She grabbed a beer from the fridge, sat on the sofa, and took a sip. “Ah, that’s the life.”
Guan Shanyan got home later than expected. The living room was dark, but there was a faint light from the kitchen.
It looked like the fridge light.
He slipped on his slippers and walked over, seeing Shen Youwei standing in front of the fridge drinking a cold beer.
She wore only a light-colored camisole nightdress, with a slightly low neckline. Her hair, damp from earlier, fell behind her, the curve of her neck graceful. The movement of swallowing made it rise and fall subtly.
Guan Shanyan froze outside the kitchen for a moment, then quickly took off his coat and draped it over her.
Shen Youwei jumped, startled. She hadn’t heard him return and nearly spilled her beer on him.
Fortunately, before she could, she recognized Guan Shanyan.
“Are you crazy or what?!” Shen Youwei held her beer, looking utterly baffled. “What are you doing?”
“…” Guan Shanyan avoided her gaze, cleared his throat, and said, “It’s cold at night. I was afraid you’d catch a chill.”
Shen Youwei: “???”
He really must be sick in the head, right??
“I just took a shower. I’m hot!” She said, moving to take off her clothes, but Guan Shanyan grabbed both sides of her jacket and pulled it around her, wrapping her tightly.
“Take it off back in your room.”
“Why??”
“No reason.”
“…” Shen Youwei had officially seen his unreasonable stubbornness. She struggled a couple more times, but his hands were like iron clamps, and she finally gave up. “Wait, is your jacket clean? You’re just throwing it over me?”
She had just showered!
Guan Shanyan was silent for a moment. “This jacket? I changed into it this morning. It’s clean.”
“But you’ve been out all day at work, it’s not clean anymore.”
“Why not?”
“It reeks of work.”
Guan Shanyan: “…”
“Let go first. I’m going back to my room.” Shen Youwei twisted a bit, signaling him to release her.
Before letting go, Guan Shanyan emphasized again: “You can only take it off back in your room.”
“Okay, okay.”
Finally, he let go. Shen Youwei hurriedly pulled off the jacket and tossed it onto Guan Shanyan’s head. By the time he retrieved it, she had already dashed back to her room and locked the door.
“…” Guan Shanyan held the jacket silently for two seconds, closed the fridge, and went back to his room.
Shen Youwei leaned against the door, listening for a moment. When she heard him close his door, she finally exhaled.
She sat on a chair, picking up her beer.
“What’s wrong with Guan Shanyan?” she muttered, sniffing her arm.
There wasn’t really any smell, but when he had wrapped the jacket around her, she caught a faint scent of cedar, probably his cologne.
Pretty nice, actually.
Shen Youwei finished her beer, tossed the can into the trash, and went to brush her teeth. When she looked up in the mirror, she saw herself in the sexy camisole.
“Wait. Just now, Guan Shanyan put his jacket on me, could it be because of this??!”
No one was home today, and she hadn’t been paying attention to her outfit. Plus, she had just showered, so this was comfortable. She didn’t expect him to come back so suddenly and catch her like this.
Standing in front of the mirror, her ears gradually turned red. There was no way she could pretend she wasn’t embarrassed, especially since he had draped his jacket over her,
So it was all Guan Shanyan’s fault! He must have imagined something!
She vented her frustration by turning on the electric toothbrush and started brushing.
In Guan Shanyan’s bathroom, water splashed from the shower. Standing under the stream, he let it wash over him, as if it could rinse the images from his mind.
Shen Youwei had done nothing provocative, just a slightly sexy nightdress, and yet he had reacted so strongly.
But just recalling the scene made his heartbeat accelerate. The agitation in his chest wasn’t just his heart, it felt like a seed trying to break through the soil.
Guan Shanyan was no seven-year-old child; he was a twenty-seven-year-old man. He knew exactly what his reaction meant.
He finally understood why Shen Youwei had smirked in mockery when he said he only saw her as a sister.
It was pretty funny.
The water ran for a long time, but when he left the shower, the images in his mind hadn’t gone away.
That night, neither of them slept very well. In the morning, Shen Youwei groggily heard some sounds and got up to check.
This time, she wore long-sleeve pajamas.
The sound came from the kitchen. Guan Shanyan, apron on, was making breakfast.
Their eyes met, silently agreeing not to mention last night.
“Did I wake you?”
“Not really.” Shen Youwei glanced at the counter. “You’re making breakfast?”
“Mm.” Guan Shanyan nodded, then asked, “What do you want for lunch?”
Shen Youwei blinked. “You’re making it too?”
“You could go out if you want.”
“Let’s eat at home.” She didn’t feel like going out but wasn’t entirely confident in his cooking. “Has your cooking improved over the past three years?”
Guan Shanyan’s brow twitched. “It’s always been good.”
“Come on.” Shen Youwei called him out immediately. “Back then we cooked at home and almost burned down the kitchen!”
“The cook was me; the firestarter was you.” Guan Shanyan smiled.
“You’re rewriting history!” Shen Youwei refused to admit it. “I’ve been cooking at home these years without burning the kitchen once.”
“Then your kitchen’s lucky.”
“Some people just can’t admit their mistakes.” Shen Youwei huffed.
Guan Shanyan glanced at her and started untying his apron. “Since you’re so capable, you cook today.”
“Cunning man, I won’t fall for it!” Shen Youwei shouted and dashed back to her room, as if a second’s delay would land her in the kitchen.
He didn’t actually chase her. He retied his apron and continued preparing breakfast.
Later, Shen Youwei crept out when breakfast was almost ready. She sneaked into the dining area and saw a few dishes already on the table.
“Wow, you’re impressive. Steamed egg with shrimp?!” Shen Youwei was pleasantly surprised. The dish looked as good as her godfather’s.
Guan Shanyan came out of the kitchen, placing spoons and bowls on the table. “It’s steamed egg with shrimp and mushrooms. Not just shrimp.”
“Oh.” Shen Youwei pulled out a chair and sat. “You’re really skilled.”
“…” Guan Shanyan sat opposite her. “At least when I cook alone, the kitchen stays intact. The past incident was clearly your fault.”
Shen Youwei: “…”
Fine. Given he cooked breakfast, she wouldn’t nitpick.
She scooped a spoonful of the egg custard, it was smooth, bouncy, and tender, showing real skill. She blew on it before eating it with shrimp and mushroom bits.
“Mmm! Delicious!” Shen Youwei was genuinely surprised. This was even better than her godfather’s. “Seems being abroad really can create top chefs.”
“Thanks for the compliment.” Guan Shanyan accepted it calmly and tasted a spoon himself.
Yes, indeed, very good, just as expected.
As Shen Youwei ate, she said, “Since your skills are so good, you handle all the meals these two days.”
Guan Shanyan chuckled. “I knew your compliments always come with conditions.”
“That’s not true! I, Shen Youwei, am generous with praise.” She was about to brainwash him into appreciating it as an honor when the doorbell rang.
Both were surprised. Xie Mingqiu and Guan Su weren’t home. Who could be visiting so early?
“You didn’t order takeout again, did you?” Shen Youwei asked.
Guan Shanyan smirked, standing to check. “Who is it?”
“It’s me, Luo Yu.” A man’s voice outside sounded oddly assertive. Guan Shanyan opened the video feed and saw Luo Yu’s face.
Shen Youwei’s hand holding the spoon paused. “Why is he here?”
Guan Shanyan didn’t answer, silently opening the door.
As the door opened, Luo Yu tried to walk in, but Guan Shanyan blocked him with his body. “What are you doing?”
Luo Yu saw his face and scowled. Instinctively, he puffed out his chest, trying to assert dominance. “I’m here for my sister. Don’t forget, I’m Youwei’s biological brother.”
Guan Shanyan’s eyes narrowed as he stared.
Indeed, Luo Yu was Shen Youwei’s biological brother. Aunt Shu and Uncle Shen had remarried; she and her ex-husband had one child, Luo Yu.
After the divorce, the child stayed with the father. The two families didn’t interact much. Normally, Shen Youwei and Luo Yu weren’t close. Why was he coming here so early to find her?
“Brother, what are you doing here?” Shen Youwei stood and went to the door. Her tone sounded much more familiar than usual, which made Guan Shanyan frown slightly.
Seeing her, Luo Yu’s attitude softened compared to how he was toward Guan Shanyan. “Mom told me you want to open a personal studio. I happen to have a vacant shop that’s perfect for you. Come, I’ll show you.”
By “Mom,” he meant Shu Ge. Shen Youwei knew they stayed in touch occasionally; it was natural for a mother to ask her son to help.
“It’s so early, and we’re still eating.” Guan Shanyan said sharply to Luo Yu.
Luo Yu leaned in to look. “Perfect timing. I haven’t eaten either. Let’s eat together.”
Guan Shanyan stood at the door like a gatekeeper. “I only made enough for two.”
“Then I’ll just order takeout myself, okay?” If Shen Youwei weren’t there, Luo Yu would definitely have gone head-to-head with Guan Shanyan.
The grudge between him and Guan Shanyan went back many years.
When his parents divorced, he was only three. At that age, the court would usually favor the mother, and Luo Yu himself clung to her, but the Luo family was influential, so he ended up staying with his father.
After separating from his mother, he cried almost every day, always insisting on seeing her. Then one day, his father suddenly told him that his mother had another daughter and didn’t need him anymore.
To Luo Yu, it was like the sky had fallen. He even grew to dislike the sister he had never met.
Over the following years, Luo Yu had opportunities to see Shen Youwei. Shu Ge had mentioned bringing her along to meet him more than once. But to Luo Yu, the time he had with his mother was already short, and he didn’t want it split further by a sister.
Until one year, he went to Lize Park and happened to meet Shu Ge and Shen Youwei there.
At that moment, Luo Yu realized he had such an adorable little sister. The instant he saw Shen Youwei, all his resentment over the years vanished!
She was so cute, he wanted to carve the word “Brother” onto his face!
Unfortunately, Shen Youwei already had a “Brother Guan” by her side.
Luo Yu couldn’t understand, this was his sister. Why should she call someone else brother?!
That was the second time the sky had fallen for him.
Since that day, Luo Yu had tried to reclaim his rightful “big brother” position, but Guan Shanyan had stuck around like a shadow, never giving him a chance.
Until three years ago.
Guan Shanyan went abroad!
Over the past three years, Luo Yu frequently appeared in Shen Youwei’s presence, gradually closing the gap between them.
Just like now, Shen Youwei even invited him inside for breakfast.
“Come in first, don’t just stand at the door.” Shen Youwei handed Luo Yu a pair of shoe covers. “There aren’t extra slippers at home, so put these on first.”
“Okay.” Luo Yu didn’t mind and strutted in wearing them, giving Guan Shanyan a pointed glare.
Guan Shanyan pursed his lips, closed the door, and returned to the table.
Shen Youwei fetched a set of bowls and chopsticks for Luo Yu and placed them on the table. “Help yourself. I only made two servings of the steamed egg, it’s all gone.”
“It’s fine.” Luo Yu tasted a side dish and glanced at Guan Shanyan. “Did you make all this?”
“What else?” Guan Shanyan didn’t even look at him.
Luo Yu said: “Tastes not so great.”
“Then don’t eat.”
Luo Yu snorted and turned to Shen Youwei: “I have things to do this afternoon. Let’s check out the store after breakfast.”
“Okay.” Shen Youwei nodded. The store Luo Yu picked should be good.
“I’ll go with you.” Guan Shanyan followed closely.
Before Shen Youwei could reply, Luo Yu challenged him: “My sister’s studio, what are you doing going there?”
Guan Shanyan said: “I’m helping her oversee things.”
“No need.” Luo Yu flatly refused. “Her big brother can handle that.”
Shen Youwei knew the two had disliked each other since childhood, so she stayed silent, eating the steamed egg quietly.
When Guan Shanyan spoke again, his tone was noticeably colder: “Your business has nothing to do with art. What can you possibly oversee? Opening a KTV, maybe you could supervise that.”
“Oh, so you artists look down on KTVs?” Luo Yu sneered. “Even my KTV was designed by artists. If you’re so talented, why not make money yourself?”
Guan Shanyan shot him a look. “The artists you hired might not be real, but your stupidity and wealth? Definitely real.”
“Hey, you”
Luo Yu was about to roll up his sleeves to fight when Shen Youwei intervened: “You two can argue later. Can we just eat in peace?”
Guan Shanyan remained silent. Luo Yu picked up his chopsticks and said, “I won’t take him along anyway.”
Shen Youwei, worried the two might clash, said to Guan Shanyan: “I want pickled cabbage old duck vermicelli soup for lunch. Can you make it?”
Luo Yu immediately interjected: “If you want old duck soup, I know a place, authentic. I’ll treat you at lunch.”
“I thought you said you had something to do this afternoon?”
“Even if I’m busy, I have to eat.”
Guan Shanyan said: “I can make it. Anything else you want?”
Shen Youwei thought for a moment: “Braised prawns?”
“Okay.”
“Buddha Jumps Over the Wall?”
“…” You really can eat a lot.
“Just kidding, haha.” Shen Youwei laughed and finished the last of her steamed egg.
Luo Yu chimed in again: “I’ll take you for Buddha Jumps Over the Wall.”
“Next time. Once I secure the studio, I’ll treat you.”
“Fine.” Luo Yu and Guan Shanyan both stepped back. Breakfast was finally peacefully over.
After eating, Shen Youwei left with Luo Yu. Guan Shanyan had planned to clean the kitchen but worried that leaving too late would mean buying less fresh ingredients, so he changed clothes and went out to shop first.
Nearby, there was a fairly large supermarket. To get the best shrimp, Guan Shanyan went there deliberately. Halfway through shopping, he suddenly heard Lu Zhaoye’s voice: “Brother Guan, is that really you?!”
Guan Shanyan looked back to see Lu Zhaoye running toward him.
What a familiar scene.
“Brother Guan, buying groceries?” Lu Zhaoye looked at his cart, speaking as if they were longtime friends.
Guan Shanyan nodded and pushed the cart forward. “You shopping too?”
“Yeah, this supermarket has the most complete selection nearby. You can get almost anything here.” Lu Zhaoye followed naturally. “Why aren’t you out running today?”
“No one’s home. I have to cook.”
Lu Zhaoye analyzed this and figured Guan Shanyan meant he had to cook for himself and Shen Youwei since no adults were home: “Just you and Shen Youwei at home?”
“Mm.”
“Perfect!” Lu Zhaoye clapped his hands. “Let’s have a barbecue at Lize Park!”
Guan Shanyan knew he just wanted to see Shen Youwei. He sneered in his heart, about to refuse, but then changed tone: “Youwei’s gone out. Another day.”
“Huh?” Lu Zhaoye froze. “With who?”
Guan Shanyan: “A man.”
Lu Zhaoye: “…”
His rival alarm immediately went off: “What man? A young man?”
“Mm. He said he knew she was opening a studio and wanted to show her the shop.”
Lu Zhaoye, usually smiling, furrowed his brow: “Just the two of them?”
“Mm.”
“…” He definitely had bad intentions! Offering help out of nowhere, either scheming or up to no good!
Seeing Lu Zhaoye sulking silently, Guan Shanyan asked: “You want to find them?”
Lu Zhaoye’s eyes lit up: “Do you know where they went?”
“I can ask for you.”
“Thank you so much!” Lu Zhaoye was thrilled. He knew improving Guan Shanyan’s favor would pay off. “Let’s exchange WeChat. If you find out, send it to me.”
“Fine.” Guan Shanyan added him, then asked Shen Youwei about the shop’s location.
Shen Youwei sent him a map. She and Luo Yu hadn’t arrived yet; she had just asked Luo Yu to get a sense of the surrounding area in advance.
Guan Shanyan checked the location. It was indeed good, downtown, but surrounded by bookstores and art galleries. Quiet yet central.
He forwarded the location to Lu Zhaoye. Once received, Lu Zhaoye stopped following him: “Thanks, Guan Shanyan. I’ll treat you to a meal another day!”
Guan Shanyan stood in place, watching him run off, then slowly pushed his cart toward the snack section.
When he finished shopping and returned home, Shen Youwei and Luo Yu had already arrived at the store.
The shop was spacious, two floors, perfect for a personal studio.
“What do you think?” Luo Yu walked around with Shen Youwei. “The previous tenant was a female pottery shop owner. The decor is quite artistic, you just need minor adjustments, and it’ll work as a studio.”
Shen Youwei toured the place and liked it. “The space is nice, but a bit large. I’m just starting out; maybe I should rent a smaller one first, in case it fails within two months.”
Luo Yu said: “If business picks up, switching from small to large later is a hassle. Better to go all in now to avoid moving around.”
“Convenient, yes, but the rent will be much higher.” Just considering the location, the price wouldn’t be cheap.
Shen Youwei had made some money in recent years but didn’t want to squander it.
Luo Yu clicked his tongue and said: “This is my store. You’re my sister. How could I charge you?”
Shen Youwei hesitated. Luo Yu was her half-brother, but they had only grown close in the past three years. Accepting such a large gift felt awkward. “They say siblings shouldn’t keep score, but you can’t just give it away for free.”
Luo Yu said: “Brother and sister are naturally different from other siblings.”
Shen Youwei: “…”
She thought for a moment: “Then I’ll count it as your investment. If my studio isn’t closed by year-end, I’ll give you dividends.”
Luo Yu smiled: “Hearing it that way, I feel like I’ve hit the jackpot.”
Shen Youwei chuckled softly: “You have so much confidence in me?”
“Of course. You’re a big influencer after all, you naturally bring traffic.”
Shen Youwei wasn’t quite as optimistic as him. After all, nowadays, plenty of influencer-run stores end up failing,
“Don’t worry. Even if your business doesn’t do well, I won’t take the store back.” Luo Yu was a businessman himself, so he knew that profits and losses were normal. “You can keep running your studio. Just because it doesn’t do well at first doesn’t mean it won’t later. It’ll gradually get better.”
“I hope so.” Running a studio was different from managing a social media account. This was her first attempt, and she felt uncertain.
At that moment, she couldn’t help but admire Guan Shanyan a little. He had previously designed clothes for other brands, and setting up his own brand after returning to China was also a first. His investment was bigger than hers, yet he never seemed to worry about failure.
Lost in thought, she suddenly heard someone call her name: “Shen Youwei! What a coincidence. What are you doing here?”
She looked up in surprise: “Coach Lu Zhaoye?”
Lu Zhaoye quickly approached, casually glancing at Luo Yu.
Sure enough, from his appearance alone, he wasn’t a good person!
“I just happened to be nearby on business and saw you here,” Lu Zhaoye said as he wandered around the shop. “Are you thinking of renting this place?”
“Ah, yes, I was considering it.”
“And this is?” Since Lu Zhaoye had come in, Luo Yu was scrutinizing him too. Pretty-boy looks, overly attentive to his sister, definitely up to no good.
“Oh, this is my boxing coach,” Shen Youwei introduced him.
Luo Yu made a sound: “Oh?” and asked, “You’ve been training boxing recently?”
“Yes, for fitness, haha.”
Luo Yu’s gaze at Lu Zhaoye grew sharper: “This coach is so young, he must have little experience. If you want boxing training, I can introduce someone more professional.”
Lu Zhaoye didn’t soften his expression: “She’s just training for fitness. Any coach, even more professional, would teach the same things I do.”
“That’s not the same. I can introduce a female coach, much more proper than male coaches like you.”
“How are male coaches improper? Why are you being sexist?”
“Me, sexist? Dare you say you have no ulterior motives?”
“…” He didn’t dare.
Meanwhile, Guan Shanyan was in the kitchen, humming an unfamiliar tune while stewing old duck soup.
Old duck soup made with his mother’s pickled cabbage had been Shen Youwei’s favorite since childhood. She noticed the jar of pickled vegetables was running low, she’d have his mother make more when she returned.
He had bought plenty of shrimp today. After making braised prawns for lunch, there would be enough left for another dish tomorrow.
Guan Shanyan switched to a different tune. After handling the shrimp, his phone rang.
He glanced at the screen, it was Lu Zhaoye calling.
Guan Shanyan gracefully removed his gloves and answered: “What’s up?”
Lu Zhaoye’s whiny voice came through: “Brother Guan, ! That guy with Shen Youwei, he’s her brother!!”
“Ah?” Guan Shanyan paused deliberately for two seconds, then said: “Yes, Youwei has a half-brother.”
“Yes, yes! It’s him! I even argued with him just now!” Lu Zhaoye felt the sky had fallen. “What should I do?!”
Guan Shanyan was silent for a moment: “Well, I didn’t clarify the situation either.”
“How could that be your fault? You helped me find out their location, I’m grateful!” But still, how could he pursue Shen Youwei now?
Today, he had completely offended Luo Yu.
Guan Shanyan comforted him: “She’s not very close to this brother. You don’t need to worry too much.”
“But I really got him angry today”
Guan Shanyan raised an eyebrow, perfect.
“It’s fine. He can’t make decisions about Youwei anyway.”
Lu Zhaoye’s eyes flickered. Today he had finally figured out that Luo Yu was Shen Youwei’s biological brother. Brother Guan was just her sworn god-brother. But Brother Guan had grown up with her, closer than Luo Yu, clinging to him was most important.
“Shall we go for a barbecue at Lize Park another day?”
Guan Shanyan: “…”
He couldn’t tell if Lu Zhaoye liked Shen Youwei or just liked barbecues.
“We’ll see.” Guan Shanyan glanced at the pot of soup on the stove. “I’m still cooking. That’s it for now.”
He hung up and set the phone aside.
Shen Youwei returned earlier than he expected. Hearing the door open, he looked up: “Back so soon?”
“Mm.” Shen Youwei tossed her bag on the sofa and went to the fridge for a drink. Opening it, she noticed more food and drinks than before: “Did you buy all this today?”
“Mm, went to the supermarket and picked up some things.”
She saw he had mostly bought her favorites. Selecting a juice, she twisted the cap off and watched him in the kitchen: “Is lunch almost ready?”
“Almost. If you’re hungry, you can have some soup first.” Guan Shanyan grabbed a bowl she usually used and ladled some soup: “How’s the store looking?”
“Pretty good. I really like it. And my brother isn’t charging me.” Shen Youwei took a sip of juice. “But I felt bad taking it for free, so I said I’d give dividends.”
“Then he’s making a profit, isn’t he?”
“They both really trust me.”
“The soup’s too hot, let it cool a bit.” Guan Shanyan placed it aside. Shen Youwei nodded, then said: “By the way, we ran into Lu Zhaoye today. He almost fought my brother.”
“Oh” Guan Shanyan responded casually. “Why was he there?”
“He said he was nearby on business.”
“What a coincidence.”
Shen Youwei frowned slightly, sensing something odd about Guan Shanyan.
“Why are you staring at me like that?” he asked, glancing at her.
She smiled while holding the juice: “Just thinking that you wearing an apron in the kitchen looks very husband-like.”