Chapter 9: Add WeChat?

The next morning, the early sunlight still carried a slight chill, filtering through the Rolls Royce window to cast scattered specks of light inside the car.

Lu Shiyan’s hands on the steering wheel showed distinct knuckles, the black leather seats making his suit appear even more sharply pressed.

When this luxury car with its sleek lines entered the ordinary neighborhood filled with low rise, aged residential buildings, it resembled an exquisite film scene intruding upon mundane daily life, particularly conspicuous.

Xu Anhao sat in the passenger seat, her gaze fixed on the scenery passing outside the window, speaking very little.

She had already resolved to “cut contact after getting out of the car,” to the extent that she even kept her breathing light, afraid that saying one more word might entangle her further.

Only when the car came to a smooth stop beneath a three-story building with peeling wall paint did she suddenly snap back to attention.

“You live here?”

Lu Shiyan’s voice broke the silence, carrying a hint of casual scrutiny.

He turned his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over the messy scene outside the window, his brow imperceptibly arching as if somewhat surprised, yet also as if finding it expected.

The look wasn’t exactly contemptuous but carried a natural detachment of someone in a superior position toward lower class surroundings.

Xu Anhao nodded, her throat tightening, her hand already on the door handle.

Lu Shiyan didn’t speak further, instead turning slightly to take out his phone.

The light from the screen reflected in his eyes, making them appear even more profound.

“Add WeChat?”

His voice was gentle, the tail end carrying a careless hint of laughter.

Xu Anhao’s eyelashes fluttered, her head bowing even lower.

She didn’t speak, only gently shook her head.

She didn’t want any further involvement with this man whether it was the two million or last night’s events, she just wanted to treat it as an accident that needed to be quickly forgotten.

Lu Shiyan didn’t get angry, instead letting out a low chuckle.

He tapped his finger on the phone screen, then withdrew his hand, his movements composed as if he had anticipated her answer all along.

Immediately after, he took a black bank card from the storage compartment,

The card’s edges are printed with subtle gold foil patterns. When he handed it to her, his fingertips brushed against the back of her hand, carrying a slightly cool temperature.
“No password, there’s two million inside.”

“Ah?” Xu Anhao instinctively gasped, her fingers pausing the moment they touched the bank card, her eyes filled with astonishment, even her breathing slowing for a beat,

“This… what is this? I can’t accept it.”

“Compensation for yesterday.” Lu Shiyan smiled.

Xu Anhao hesitated for two seconds but still accepted it.

Clutching the card, she hurriedly pushed the car door open to get out. Just as one foot stepped out, Lu Shiyan’s voice came from behind her,

the voice deeper than before, carrying a certain resolute echo: “Xu Anhao, we’ll meet again.”

Xu Anhao’s movements instantly froze, her skirt still caught on the car door edge, swaying slightly in the wind.

She turned around, looking puzzled at the man sitting in the car.

Sunlight streaming through the car window fell on his face, outlining the sharp line of his jaw.

The corners of his lips were curved in a smile not a frivolous one, but the kind that showed understanding, carrying a hint of amusement, his eyes bottomless.

“How do you know my name?” she couldn’t help asking, her voice somewhat soft, still carrying uncontained confusion.

She clearly hadn’t told him.

Hearing this, Lu Shiyan’s smile deepened.

He didn’t answer directly, instead leaning forward, approaching the window, looking into her eyes, the tail of his words rising slightly, carrying an indescribable meaning:

“What do you think?”

With these words, he didn’t wait for her to question further before restarting the car.

The black Rolls Royce slowly reversed, its tires crunching lightly over the gravel before abruptly changing direction.

The engine emitted a low rumble as it sped away along the road it had come from.

The car soon disappeared around a messy corner, leaving only a faint trail of exhaust that slowly dissipated in the damp air.

Xu Anhao remained standing in place, clutching the bank card tightly in her hand, her heart filled with confusion.

How did he know her name?

What did he mean by “we’ll meet again”?

Xu Anhao pondered for a moment before letting it go—she had more important matters to attend to.

Two days later, the Shen family’s birthday banquet was brimming with liveliness.

The courtyard of the Shen family villa was adorned with gilded balloons, the floor to ceiling windows in the living room were wide open, and a peach shaped birthday cake stood at the center of the long table.

Guests raised glasses of champagne, chatting and laughing, the air itself thick with sweet, warm festivity.

Xu Anhao stood at the entrance, gripping the handles of the gift bag tightly.

Inside was a Su embroidery handkerchief she had spent an entire night stitching, its patterns subtly woven with the orchid motifs Mother Shen had once loved most.

Her beige dress had been carefully chosen for the occasion,

a small pearl brooch pinned at the collar—not extravagant, but perfectly appropriate.

Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Xu Anhao finally stepped inside.

“What are you doing here?” a sharp voice suddenly cut through the air.

Xu Anhao looked up to see Shen Zhixia standing in the entryway, dressed in a sequined mermaid gown, her hair meticulously curled.

Shen Zhixia’s face was openly hostile. “This is my family’s birthday banquet. Who invited you?”

“I came to wish Mother Shen a happy birthday,” Xu Anhao replied softly, extending the gift bag forward but not retreating an inch.

She knew Shen Zhixia resented her—for having lived in the Shen household for twelve years in her place.

But today, she had come only to settle a lingering thought in her heart, not to argue with Shen Zhixia.

“Mother Shen?” Shen Zhixia seemed stung, stepping forward abruptly as if to slap the gift from her hand.

“How dare you come? She’s my mother, what right do you have to be here?!”

“Zhixia, that’s enough!” Shen Wenli’s voice interjected suddenly.

He strode over from the living room, gripping Shen Zhixia’s wrist firmly, his brow furrowed with tension.

“It’s Mom’s birthday today. Don’t make a scene here.”

He turned to Xu Anhao, a flicker of apology in his eyes, along with a subtle, reassuring calm.

He gave her a slight nod, gesturing for her to proceed inside.

Shen Zhixia tried to argue further, but Shen Wenli pulled her back half a step, leaving her glaring resentfully at Xu Anhao’s retreating figure.

Ignoring the commotion behind her, Xu Anhao walked straight into the living room.

Just as she rounded the flower adorned screen, she met a pair of tear-filled eyes.
Mother Shen stood beside the cake, a pack of unopened candles in her hand. The moment she saw Xu Anhao, the items slipped from her grasp and clattered onto the table.

Her voice trembled with suppressed emotion: “Xiao Hao… Is it really you?”

Xu Anhao’s heart was clenched. She was about to speak when she noticed Father Shen approaching from the crowd of guests.

He wore a dark gray suit, his tie impeccably knotted, his expression unreadable.

But as his gaze swept over Xu Anhao, his frown deepened. He said coldly to Mother Shen, “The guests are waiting for the cake cutting. Don’t linger here.”

His words were like a thin sheet of ice, instantly forming a barrier between Xu Anhao and Mother Shen.

Mother Shen’s lips trembled slightly, the redness at the corners of her eyes becoming more pronounced, yet she still bent down to pick up the candle from the table and didn’t approach Xu Anhao again.

Some guests nearby noticed the unusual situation and curiously craned their necks to look over. The gift bag in Xu Anhao’s hand suddenly felt heavy.

Standing amidst the bustling birthday banquet, she found herself caught between Mother Shen’s unconcealed look of heartache and Father Shen’s undisguised aloofness,

with Shen Zhixia’s unresolved anger looming behind her.

Those warm memories from before she turned twelve at the Shen family home suddenly mingled with the current scene,

making her inexplicably feel like an extra person who had intruded upon festivities that didn’t belong to her.