Before she could finish her sentence, He Su shut the door coldly right in her face. What a damn racket! He was indeed no longer young, so he really didn't feel like bickering with these little brats! But this girl had no sense of tact, forcing him to say unpleasant things.
Unfazed by such cold treatment, Shen Xingrou just shrugged it off, flipping off the kitchen door before pursing her lips and heading back to the living room.
About half an hour later, He Su set the dishes on the table—three courses and a soup. He untied his apron and lounged lazily in a chair. "Eat."
Shen Xingrou approached the table, the fragrant aroma whetting her appetite. She eagerly picked up her chopsticks and reached for a piece of spare rib, only to have her hand smacked. The sting made her lose her grip, and she watched helplessly as the rib fell back into the bowl. "What was that for?" she winced, rubbing her reddened hand.
"Didn't anyone teach you to wash your hands before eating?"
Shen Xingrou pouted. "Fine, I'll wash my hands. But why hit me? Don't you know how to treat a lady with some tenderness?"
"Nope." He Su lazily picked up some food, not waiting for her, and wolfed it down greedily.
When Shen Xingrou returned, she found he'd nearly finished eating, having picked out all the meat. She stared in disbelief. "You... ate it all?"
"There's still the veggies, isn't there?"
"...Couldn't you have saved some for me?" she fumed, holding back her anger at his appalling table manners. "Don't you know you're supposed to wait for your guest to sit before starting the meal?"
"What guest are you?" He Su propped an elbow on the table, leaning back in his chair as he looked at her with a smug, infuriating expression. "At best, you're homeless, and I took you in."
He stood up. "Don't forget to do the dishes."
"What do you mean? You expect me to wash dishes?"
"House rule: whoever leaves the table last does the dishes." He Su settled onto the sofa, flipping through channels at random. "Even if you're the pampered princess of the Shen family, here, you follow my rules."
"..."
"Otherwise, pack your stuff and get the hell out."
Shen Xingrou chewed her greens bitterly. This man wasn't just rude in his actions—his mouth was foul, and his character was even worse! If it weren't for preventing that incident from happening again, she'd have found a place to move out long ago. Who wanted to listen to his filthy language?
A tiger fallen on the plain gets bullied by dogs. Shen Xingrou deeply felt how hard it was to survive in this world without the Shen family's protection.
The arrogant and willful third Miss Shen, once surrounded by admirers, now had to eat meals while watching someone else's mood.
Her nose suddenly stung with emotion. She gritted her teeth and finished the rice in her bowl. No matter how hard or bitter life got, she refused to return to that treacherous Ming Garden!
Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she picked up her bowl and obediently went to the kitchen to wash it.
He Su raised an eyebrow in surprise when he saw her actually do the dishes. Had the sun risen from the west? The spoiled princess was meekly doing menial work? He'd just said that to be a jerk—if she'd arrogantly thrown down her chopsticks and refused, he wouldn't have forced her into the kitchen.
She'd been staying here for a few days, and he still hadn't asked why she'd run away from home. The Shen family's second branch was actively searching for her...
As he was lost in thought, the sound of ceramic shattering against the kitchen floor reached him.
He Su chuckled to himself. "Damn, never a moment's peace."
With that, he got up and strode quickly into the kitchen, finding the girl staring helplessly at the broken shards on the floor. As she bent down to pick them up, he grabbed her by the collar and yanked her up.
"Get a broom to clean it up." He sneered coldly. "So stupid, what else can you do?"
The girl's eyes reddened. "I didn't mean to break it..."
Tears welled up. The delicate princess had never done rough work before. Now, not only did she have to fend for herself, but she also got scolded for mistakes. The委屈 overwhelmed her, and tears began to fall...
"Tsk, I barely said anything. What are you crying for?"
Seeing her about to cry, He Su panicked and quickly grabbed a broom to sweep up the fragments.
His heart softened. "Alright, stop making a mess here. Go play outside."
Shen Xingrou, like a child who'd done wrong, clutched her clothes and sniffled quietly, feeling deeply wronged.
He Su sighed, at a loss. "God, I'll call you my little god. Stop crying. I'll handle this. You go out, okay?"
If she kept crying here alone with him, people would think he'd done something to her! He'd never be able to clear his name.
Shen Xingrou looked at him with tearful eyes. "Then you'll do the dishes from now on..."
"..." He Su suddenly felt like he'd been tricked.
She wiped her tears. So this man had a weakness after all. He seemed so crude and self-centered, but he was actually afraid of girls crying? Now she had a way to deal with him!
...
At the Xingyu Hotel.
Major reporters arrived early to set up, positioning their cameras. Hotel staff with walkie-talkies arranged seating.
Many influential figures from Shanghai's business and political circles had gathered, taking their seats in the hall, waiting for the press conference to begin.
An Ruo arrived early to oversee the setup. Song Weiwei was in the makeup room getting ready, while An Ruo used her walkie-talkie to carefully observe the arriving guests.
During a break to drink water, she heard chaotic chatter over the walkie-talkie.
An Ruo felt uneasy—maybe because she'd rushed out without eating much breakfast. Her stomach churned with nausea, but when she ran to the restroom, she couldn't throw up.
She walked into the hall, and Secretary Feng hurried over. "Finally found you."
"I was in the restroom..."
"The president of the Shen Group is coming in person. The CEO specifically asked us to greet him."
An Ruo froze. "The Shen Group?" Could it be Shen Xiaoxing?
Secretary Feng was already walking ahead, answering as she went. "Our Lanzhen brand's jewelry has been top-tier in Asia in recent years. Before this new product launch, several partners have already reached out. The elite of Shanghai's business circle naturally want to be here."
An Ruo's mind went blank. She just followed Secretary Feng silently to the hotel entrance.
A crowd of paparazzi and reporters had already gathered, buzzing with excitement.
They'd barely been there a few minutes when a black Rolls-Royce Phantom slowly pulled up to the hotel entrance. The door opened, and a man in a suit stepped out—even the secretary looked so distinguished that the reporters at the door were dying to see who was inside the car!
The driver unloaded a folding wheelchair from the trunk...
Seeing the wheelchair, An Ruo's heart raced uncontrollably. It really was Shen Xiaoxing?
The secretary respectfully opened the rear door. A long leg in immaculate leather shoes emerged, and under the gaze of the crowd, the man bent to step out of the luxury car. Two bodyguards helped him into the wheelchair.
His stern, proud face appeared before everyone. The kingly aura emanating from his very bones—just one look from him silenced the entire crowd!
Shen Xiaoxing pressed his thin lips together, his high nose bridge sharp and deep, his brows exuding aloofness and coldness. The taut lines of his face carried an air of pride. Dressed in a custom-made suit, he embodied both a chilling distance and a deep, melting tenderness.