Chapter 27 (1/2)

I've had a fun time reading everyone's comments.

This is another long chapter. The next one will be normal and the one after that, long. I think after Chapter 29 is wrapped up I'll take a day off.

On an off note, one of the things that I really like about this book is that it presents these situations that are neither completely black or white. Which I feel is far more reflective of life itself than most of the face-slapping novels that we normally get to read in this community. It reminds me of a very good point John Green makes about literature, that is, just because something is unlikable, does not mean that it's uninteresting.

That forced reconciliation of thought and perspective, in of itself, is part of the joy of reading.

Shen Yu felt that Tang Li's mood is not right. Especially when he left, the shadows that filled Tang Li's eyes made Shen Yu more and more worried.

He was really angry with Tang Li on Lei Yumeng's behalf. If it really was the case that Tang Li intentionally vented all his resentment on Lei Yumeng…

Then the implications are unimaginable.

The more Shen Yu thought about it, the more apprehensive he felt. If it was before, he would have unreservedly believed that Tang Li would not have done anything to Lei Yumeng. But now, his trust in Tang Li has been shaken.

It's like a broken bucket…

No matter how hard he tried to fill it with water, there was still water leaking out.

“Bring him back first.” Shen Yu ordered, “The rest will wait till tomorrow.”

Uncle Zhang said, “Understood.”

Shen Yu warned again, “Don't let him do anything to Lei Yumeng.”

Uncle Zhang hesitated for a moment and carefully explained, “I think young master Tang Li wanted to apologize to the little girl.”

“Really…” Shen Yu suddenly paused. When faced with Uncle Zhang's immediate defense of Tang Li, he suddenly felt at a loss and a sense of indescribable embarra.s.sment.

Even Uncle Zhang chose to look on the bright side.

While he still looks at Tang Li with tinted gla.s.ses.

After hanging up the phone, Shen Yu still couldn't sleep. Eventually, he got out of bed and sat in front of the window and waited.

Looking down from this angle, he could see a lush forest shrouded in the night and the faint lights circling along the path in the forest.

In the distance, there is a quiet lake.

Weak streetlights circled around the lake, and the reflection of the lights fell into the water like stars in the night sky.

Winter nights often bring about depression, and tonight, this feeling is particularly strong for Shen Yu.

It was suffocating.

He closed his eyes and recalled all the things that happened in the afternoon. Suddenly, he was confused. Although Tang Li indirectly was the cause of Lei Yumeng's bullying, in the end, Tang Li himself was not the person who was bullying Lei Yumeng.

Was his own reaction too harsh?

Thinking of this, the memory of Tang Li's grieving expression as he stood covered in cake gradually emerged.

The tears flas.h.i.+ng in the eyes of the little villain, his little eyes red as he stubbornly tried to pull back his emotions. The little villain trying to explain the truth to him in a seemingly calm but still trembling voice. Shen Yu remembered it all.

After more than three months, he was already regarded as Shen Yu's own son.

Even though Shen Yu was so angry a few hours ago that he wanted to directly drive Tang Li out of the Shen house, now that he had calmed down, he felt regret.

Maybe he shouldn't have been so angry.

He should have communicated calmly with Tang Li.

Shen Yu stroked his forehead to sooth his headache and sat there stoically for nearly two hours. Yet, he still did not hear Uncle Zhang and Tang Li returning. He eventually took his wheelchair to the stairway to watch.

In the large quiet living room, there was only a dim floor lamp.

Aunt Chen sat sleepily beside the sofa; her head propped on hand.

After hearing the sound of a wheelchair rolling on the floor, Aunt Chen woke up immediately and quickly looked up. When she found that it was Shen Yu, she was relieved. “Sir, why did you come all the way out here?”

“Uncle Zhang hasn't come back yet?”

“No.” Aunt Chen shook her head. “I called housekeeper Zhang and he said he would be back later.”

Shen Yu spoke quietly, “Go back first and rest.”

Aunt Chen was so sleepy that she could hardly keep her eyes open. After being told that, she got up and went back to her room to wash and sleep.

Shen Yu stayed in place for a moment, looking down at the quiet living room shrouded in the dim light. After a long silence, he sighed and steered the wheelchair back to the bedroom.

When he came to the window again, Shen Yu saw that there seemed to be something fine and dense floating down in the night sky.

He turned on the flashlight of his cell phone, pointed it at the window, and found that it was snowflakes.

Aunt Chen was right. It was snowing tonight.

No one knew when Uncle Zhang and Tang Li would come back.

After a long time without contact, Shen Yu became worried and dialed Uncle Zhang's phone.

This time, Uncle Zhang answered immediately. Before Shen Yu could speak out, Uncle Zhang had taken the lead in saying, “Sir, you can go to bed first. Young master Tang Li and I will come back later.”

Shen Yu said, “It's snowing.”

“Yes.” Uncle Zhang sighed in a low voice, “The first snow really came at an inconvenient time.”

Shen Yu felt that Uncle Zhang was only avoiding the topic and simply said, “Don't stay outside. Come back as soon as possible. If Chestnut is still angry with me, please try to persuade him.”

“Sir…” Uncle Zhang said in embarra.s.sment, “I persuaded him for a long time, but young master Tang Li refused to go back. He said that he knew he was wrong, and he wanted to ask the little girl for forgiveness.”

Shen Yu laughed, helpless and distressed, the fire that nested in the cavity of his heart wanted to disperse completely.

“He can apologize later, you tell him, that if he really wants to apologize to Lei Yumeng, I can take him to meet Lei Yumeng's family directly.”

Hearing this, Uncle Zhang was silent for a few seconds before he said, “Why don't I give my phone to young master Tang Li? You can say to him that to him directly.”

“Please do,” said Shen Yu.

Soon, Uncle Zhang's voice changed from clear to blurred, and he seemed to be talking to Tang Li.

Instantly, Shen Yu felt a little nervous. He could not help gripping his cell phone. When he racked his brain to think about how to start the conversation, he suddenly found that the opposite side was too quiet.

There was no sound at all.

Shen Yu noticed something in an instant and looked at his phone.

The call had been hung up.

Shen Yu: “…”

What the f.u.c.k!

Usually he can't see it, but the little villain's temper is actually pretty big.

Shen Yu's face was full of astonishment. He looked at his phone and held it in mid-air for a full minute before slowly putting it down.

For a moment, he felt angry and bewildered.

Forget it.

Tang Li has shown such obvious resistance to him, why would he change now? Besides, Tang Li should be punished if he had done something wrong.

Moreover, there should be nothing wrong so long as Uncle Zhang accompanying him.

Shen Yu thought about it and sent a message to Uncle Zhang, asking him to take the blanket in his car and put it on Tang Li. He could not end up with a cold without apologizing first.

After Uncle Zhang's reply came, Shen Yu restrained his mind and went back to bed.

———————

Unfortunately, this evening, Shen Yu's mind was in a mess and he could not fall asleep. He could only stare at the ceiling until dawn.

At seven o'clock in the morning, Shen Yu got up and dressed.

When he finally got to the dining room after was.h.i.+ng, Aunt Chen had just cooked the yam porridge. She was shocked to see two dark circles under Shen Yu's eyes.

“Are you all right, sir?”

“I'm all right.” Shen Yu sat in the wheelchair and came to the fixed position at the dining table. After expending some effort, he fixed a smile to his face and reluctantly laughing, “It's just that I didn't sleep well last night.”

Aunt Chen put the porridge, fried buns and other foods on the table. Then she said worriedly, “How about after breakfast, you will go back to rest?”

Shen Yu waved his hand: “No, there's still work to be done.”