As the person in charge of the Shen Clan, Shen Lingge’s identity was known to all, but very few people knew what he actually looked like.
Shen Lingge was low-key within the circle, had no gossip news, and had never accepted any magazine interviews.
So even if Shen Lingge’s name was famous outside, yet now he was right in front of Qin Song, Qin Song still did not recognize who he was.
Qin Song’s line of sight uncontrollably fell upon this man who, even though wearing the most ordinary clothing, still could not hide the refined noble air between his brows and eyes.
Qin Song was only swept by this man’s glance lightly, and he already felt a chill down his back.
He did not look at that man again, but instead turned to look at Wen Xian.
At this moment Wen Xian, upon seeing Qin Song, apart from feeling disgust, had no other feelings. He obviously knew that Xu Chuwei was her only friend, yet still tangled together with her.
But Wen Xian did not forget that they were still in the relationship of fiancé and fiancée.
Thus, she revealed just the right amount of surprised expression, there was a bit of incomprehension and doubt in her eyes, “Song gege, you… you weren’t still in England? When did you come back?”
As soon as Qin Song heard this sentence, he remembered the lie he had told in front of Wen Xian. He explained unhurriedly: “Originally I wanted to rush back to accompany you for your birthday, to give you a surprise, but I was still late.”
“I only arrived in Licheng today, a friend invited me here for a meal.”
The gentleness on Qin Song’s face was exactly the same as four years ago.
But Wen Xian only felt cold all over; at her side there was actually not a single person who treated her with true heart. The reality within this fame and fortune field kept whipping at her.
Wen Xian’s complexion turned slightly pale, she forced up a faint smile, “That’s quite the coincidence, I also came here to eat with a friend.”
Qin Song saw Wen Xian had no intention of introducing Shen Lingge, so he softly asked: “Do you want to come over and eat together with us? Just two friends from the circle, you know them too.”
Wen Xian shook her head: “My friend is shy, so won’t go over.”
Qin Song also did not insist. If Wen Xian really did go over, probably it would still be mostly awkwardness. Her identity, after all, was his fiancée. But regardless of the internal contradictions within their family, outside he still needed to maintain the Qin family’s face.
Including Wen Xian.
Qin Song lightly nodded once towards Shen Lingge, then beckoned to the attendant at the side, saying: “Put this table’s bill under my name.”
The attendant politely smiled at Qin Song, “Sir, this table has already been paid for by this gentleman.”
While they were speaking, the appetizers were served. Shen Lingge did not even lift his head, his tone lazy yet intimate: “Xian Xian, sit down and eat.”
Wen Xian pressed her lips together: “Song gege, you go eat with your friends, I won’t disturb you anymore.”
Qin Song’s brows furrowed slightly. This sentence was obviously meant to tell him not to disturb their meal anymore. After hearing it, his face did not look good, even more so because of being provoked by Shen Lingge’s tone.
Even though he could mess around outside, Wen Xian was still his fiancée.
If this got out, where would his face be placed.
But at this time there were so many people sitting in the restaurant, he couldn’t tangle further either. Qin Song casually responded with a sentence, then left.
Only, his steps were obviously not as composed as when he came, appearing somewhat hurried.
Wen Xian only relaxed after seeing Qin Song leave.
As soon as she sat down, she saw Shen Lingge’s gaze quietly fall on her face, as if asking who he was.
Wen Xian lowered her voice and explained: “Gege, that just now was my fiancé.”
Shen Lingge naturally knew that Qin Song was her fiancé. His expression was faint, unable to see any emotion, as if he was merely asking casually: “You don’t like your fiancé?”
Wen Xian lowered her gaze, after a long while, she shook her head slightly: “Don’t like. Didn’t like before, don’t like now either.”
Hearing this, only then did Shen Lingge’s movement pause slightly—Wen Xian didn’t like Qin Song even before?
According to the information in the file, Wen Xian had been doted on by Wen Tianlin growing up. That man wished he could hold the best things in the world and present them before his daughter.
But would such a man marry his daughter off to a man she didn’t like?
Obviously, the possibility wasn’t big.
So could it be that Wen Tianlin had already sensed ahead of time that he might encounter an accident?
Looking at it this way, there must have been some other transaction between him and the Qin family. The Qin family wouldn’t marry a Wen Xian who had nothing at all just for the sake of some illusory rumor.
And the condition for the transaction’s success was probably Wen Xian marrying Qin Song.
Shen Lingge lightly sighed. What Wen Tianlin hadn’t expected was that Qin Song was not a good man—he could not guarantee Wen Xian’s life in the next lifetime.
Thinking of this, Shen Lingge looked towards Wen Xian. In his black eyes reflected her slightly disappointed small face, his tone low and deep: “Do you want to cancel the engagement with the Qin family?”
Wen Xian puffed her cheeks, speaking in a small voice: “Originally I thought so, but now I don’t want to anymore. Actually, I haven’t thought it through…”
Shen Lingge slightly furrowed his brows: “Why don’t you want to now?”
Wen Xian sighed with worry, she lifted her head and looked around, quietly said: “Gege, I’ll tell you when we get back.”
Shen Lingge nodded.
After that, the two of them quietly finished eating dinner, until they left, Qin Song never came over again.
Wen Xian also didn’t deliberately go to greet him, as if entirely unaware he was still there.
The man beside Qin Song, after seeing Wen Xian and that man walk out side by side, couldn’t help but lightly laugh. In his eyes was a teasing expression, “A’Song, looks like this fallen princess of the Wen family doesn’t have much feeling for you.”
He hooked his lips, “Also, if the Wen family was still as flourishing as before, how would the little princess even look at you?”
Qin Song gave him a warning-like glance, “The marriage was arranged before the Wen family had an accident. Our Qin family has already gone as far as benevolence and duty allow.”
The man beside him smiled and didn’t say more.
Whether it really was benevolence and duty or not, only the Qin family themselves knew best.
—
It was rare for Wen Xian to have such a relaxed moment. She lazily leaned on the passenger seat, her head empty, not needing to think about anything, because she knew someone would take her home.
Thinking of this, she quietly turned her head to look at Shen Lingge who was driving.
Half of his side profile was hidden in the darkness, only his sharp jawline was caught by the dim light outside the car window, his silhouette on the car window flickering light and dark.
Wen Xian suddenly asked: “Gege, can you play the violin?”
Shen Lingge responded with a low voice.
Wen Xian’s eyes lit up. She then asked again: “If you went to participate in an Olympiad math competition, could you get the championship?”
Shen Lingge turned his head to look at her: “Mm.”
What she asked was ‘if’, but when he was in middle school, he indeed had won the championship in an Olympiad math competition.
Could it be that in her heart, the person who fit her ideal type—was there only him, Shen Lingge, in this world?
Wen Xian blinked her eyes. It seemed like Yu really had brought her the boyfriend she wanted. She asked another most important question: “Will you marry me? In the future you won’t divorce me, just like how my dad loves my mom.”
Shen Lingge: “……”
Shen Lingge: ?
So the first sentence she said to him back then was sincere. She really wanted a boyfriend, and then he suddenly appeared at her house.
Shen Lingge replied with an unchanged expression: “Do you like me?”
Wen Xian was dumbfounded by Shen Lingge’s question. Then she furrowed her brows, thought for a while, and said: “I will work hard to like you, and I will work hard to earn money. As for Qin Song… I will handle it.”
Shen Lingge didn’t speak. His sharp ears caught the girl shrinking into the seat, muttering in a small voice: “Anyway, you can only be by my side. No one can snatch you away. You belong to me alone.”
In the night, even Shen Lingge himself didn’t realize—there was a hint of indulgence in his eyes.
—
Before Shen Lingge and Wen Xian went home, they went to buy a new laptop. Wen Xian needed to work at night, and Shen Lingge obviously also needed a computer that belonged to him.
After the two of them queued up to take a bath, they each began doing their own things.
Wen Xian buried her head handling her translation work, while Shen Lingge, under the pretense of going online, was also handling company documents.
When Shen Lingge finished handling today’s documents, he lifted his gaze and glanced at Wen Xian sitting in front of the computer with her hair in a bun and no makeup on. Her delicate brows were slightly furrowed.
He knew. These past years, she had gotten by like this on her own.
Shen Lingge did not disturb her but opened the stock trading page instead. Of course, he didn’t plan to use his own money but used the 100,000 yuan she gave him as the principal to trade stocks.
Time passed by minute by minute.
Wen Xian let out a small yawn. She glanced at the time—it was already eleven o’clock at night.
Just as she was about to turn off the computer and get ready to wash her face and sleep, her phone rang. She and Shen Lingge, who was passing by her side, both lowered their gazes at the same time. On the screen, it clearly displayed two large characters: Qin Song.
Shen Lingge walked straight into the bedroom without looking sideways, then closed the door.
And Wen Xian didn’t know why, but at this moment a faint guilty feeling actually rose in her heart. She had just been asking someone else if they would marry her in the car, and now she was about to answer her fiancé’s call.
She felt she was a slag woman!
Wen Xian withdrew her gaze from the tightly closed door, then answered the call, “Song gege?”
Qin Song’s voice was not as gentle as usual. Rarely did he speak to her in such a strong tone: “Tomorrow at ten o’clock I’ll come to your house to pick you up. Grandpa wants us to go home for a meal.”
After hearing this, Wen Xian’s eyes slightly flickered. She softly said: “Then I’ll tell Chuwei. She asked me to have a meal with her tomorrow.”
On the other end of the phone, Qin Song’s tone paused. He slowed down his voice and responded: “Alright. We can find a time to eat with your friend. I’ve always heard you mention her, but I’ve never met her.”
Wen Xian’s tone was natural, “How could Song gege not have met Chuwei? Two years ago, didn’t she invite you to her birthday banquet before she went abroad? At that time, you happened to be in the country.”
Two years ago, Wen Xian didn’t attend that birthday banquet of Xu Chuwei’s. She didn’t want to stand among everyone feeling out of place, listening to their faint and indistinct gossip.
Qin Song lightly coughed, “I don’t really remember. That night I was always with big brother.”
Wen Xian didn’t dwell on this issue anymore. Qin Song was probably feeling awkward because of Grandpa Qin and seemed very worried that she’d find out about this matter. She casually responded: “Then I’ll wait for you downstairs tomorrow.”
After speaking, Wen Xian hung up the phone.
Then when she lifted her gaze, she directly met Shen Lingge’s deep, cold eyes. He was leaning against the side of the door, quietly looking at her, arms crossed in front of his chest, his long legs slightly bent against the doorframe. No one knew how long he had been standing there.
Wen Xian: “……”
Wen Xian suddenly felt a kind of feeling like being caught cheating.