BXBX NOVEL Chapter 55 - 55: Did He Get Blacklisted?
With a soft chuckle, the man’s mood suddenly improved.
Shen Wan’s stiff back gradually relaxed as she realized she had been holding her breath, and she had unconsciously broken into a cold sweat.
“If you’re thinking about me, why didn’t you call me?”
“I was afraid it might interfere with your work.”
“Is the phone working well?” He paused and added, “The one I gifted you.”
Shen Wan’s scalp tightened, her wariness surfacing.
“Why aren’t you saying anything?”
“…Sorry. The phone… it got damaged.”
“How did it get damaged?”
Shen Wan didn’t answer.
The voice on the other end grew markedly serious. “You’re lying.”
“I’m not. If you really want to know, you can ask Shen Yan.” With that, she hung up.
Shen Qian was momentarily stunned. Her voice…
Had she been crying?
The emotions within him suddenly became restless.
In his mind, the image of a young girl looking aggrieved with teary eyes involuntarily surfaced, and his heart felt like it was stung by something, causing a sudden, sharp pain.
In the following days, he learned the details of the situation from Shen Yan
“…So what if I damaged it?! Why did you have to give her a phone? Brother, haven’t you noticed that you are being too nice to Shen Wan?”
Shen Qian hung up the phone, his mood hitting rock bottom.
In the afternoon, he called Shen Wan himself.
“Younger sister, I…” It was the first time he had used such a term, but unfortunately…
“I’m sorry; the number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later…”
In the evening, back at the hotel, he dialed again but received the same response.
Shen Qian gave a bitter smile. Had he been blacklisted?
“Book a flight for me to return to Ning City tomorrow…”
After days of continuous heavy rain, a bright sunny day finally emerged.
Shen Wan moved the potted cactus, which had been in seclusion for a while, back to the windowsill and carefully tended to the soil on its surface.
Around the dining table, the family was having breakfast.
“All Ru,” Shen Chunjiang suddenly spoke, “whenever you have some free time, consider taking Wan Wan to the company to help her get acquainted with the workplace.”
Shen Ru’s chewing slowed slightly, and she grabbed a tissue to pat her mouth, removing nonexistent crumbs.
“It might require a few additional days. The current assistant is still managing ongoing project tasks. We’ll need to wait until the contract is formally concluded before we can start transferring responsibilities and making the position available.”
“Alright, you handle it.”
Shen Ru nodded and then turned to look at Shen Wan. “You don’t mind waiting a bit longer, do you?”
Shen Wan smiled, revealing two small dimples, her demeanor so gentle that it lacked any aggressiveness. “I’ll listen to Sister.”
“Wan Wan’s character is quite something,” she commented, with an ambiguous tone that could be taken as either praise or criticism.
After breakfast, Shen Zongming and Shen Ru headed to the company, Shen Yan stayed at her school’s dormitory, and Yang Lan dressed up and went out to meet friends.
Soon, the only person left at home was Shen Wan.
As she turned to leave, she collided with Steward Zhou.
“Third Lady.”
They had thought it would be a mere passing encounter, but Shen Wan suddenly spoke up.
“Steward Zhou, please wait.”
“What would the Third Lady like to ask?” Zhou Qingfu inclined slightly to show respect, his eyelids lowered to just the right degree, embodying the utmost professionalism of a servant.
Shen Wan chuckled softly. “I just wanted to inquire about how my older sister and second sister usually spend their time.”
“The First Lady spends almost all her free time working, and she rarely has any leisure. The Second Lady, on the other hand, is more free-spirited.
Occasionally, she invites friends or classmates over for parties at home or goes shopping with some well-connected young ladies from esteemed families…”
Zhou Qingfu was speaking, and then he abruptly fell silent, his gaze meeting Shen Wan’s slightly absent-minded eyes.
“Why did you stop?” the young lady smiled gently.
Was he sympathizing with her for not having anyone to socialize with, or was he silently lamenting that as a Shen family daughter, she lacked even the most basic social circle?
The reason for all of this was that she had not yet been officially introduced by the Shen family to the outside world.
In other words, although Shen Wan had moved into the Shen residence, her existence was no different from adding another cat or dog. The servants addressed her as “Third Lady”, but in the grand social circles of Ning City’s elite, who would know her?
“If you find it boring, you can have the driver take you out for a spin,” Zhou Qingfu suggested, containing his emotions.
“No need, I have a place to go.” Her smiling face revealed no hint of feeling wronged.
With that, she turned and walked towards the garden.
Zhou Qingfu remained where he was, watching her from a distance as she exchanged greetings with Uncle Ding, his demeanor displaying neither reluctance nor feigned delight.
After a long while, he sighed deeply.
To gain a position in this household, one’s success was determined by 30% fate and 70% personal endeavors.
Hopefully, she was an understanding person…
At ten in the morning, Shen Qian arrived home.
As he passed through the garden, he saw the slender figure of the young lady in the distance.
“First Young Master?”
“Steward Zhou, could you please help me bring my luggage inside for now?”
“Yes.”
Shen Qian himself didn’t know why he, in his dusty attire, chose not to return to his room to rest but instead headed towards the garden.
“Uncle Ding, the shape of this cactus is so peculiar, it looks like a flower.”
“It is specially trimmed like this. Does the Third Lady like it?”
“Yes.”
“Take it and keep it for your pleasure.”
Shen Wan was about to agree when, out of nowhere, a familiar voice sounded.
“Didn’t you already have one? Do you need a second one?”
Shen Wan’s body stiffened, and she slowly turned around. The smiling face of the man, clear and gentle, came into view.
She didn’t say anything.
Shen Qian merely offered a faint smile.
Uncle Ding tactfully left, leaving just the two of them in the vast garden, silent yet aware of each other’s presence..