【11.】

  The young master's birthday is really exciting, in previous years his birthday we were separated by distance, even if I had the heart, at most it could only be a phone call, this year is different.

  I feel like there are still so many things I haven't done and a lot of words I want to say to him.

  No rush, we have plenty of time anyway.

  But to be honest, I really don't know what to give Shendong, and that day I asked him, he thought about it very seriously.

  "What gift do you want? The one I want most is you, but there isn't a big enough gift box, so I can only put you in my heart."

  I smiled and leaned into his arms: "Okay... I'll just be your gift."

  Although that's the case, I've always been thinking of giving Shen Dong a satisfactory gift. Coincidentally, on that day, Shen Yao called me to ask me to accompany her to buy a gift for Shen Dong, and I gladly agreed.

  Before I came to Beijing, I had heard of this mall. In the past when I was with Shendong, we rarely went shopping together. If we needed something, I just told him and he would prepare it for me by the next day.

  Moreover, many times, I haven't even spoken yet, and Shen Zhong has already thought of it... Thinking about this, my heart is filled with warmth. I feel that in this life, I won't be able to find another person who treats me like he does.

  The two of us wandered aimlessly around here, saw a lot of things, but always felt that Shen Duan wouldn't like them. It was easy to take a liking to one piece of clothing...Shen Duan already had that piece...

  "Alas, I really don't know what to give him..."

  "He lacks nothing."

  "Yes. Young master's preferences have always been hard to guess, and after buying it he won't like it..."

  "It can't be. After all, it's a gift."

  He shot me a slanted glance: "You're just someone who's never been hungry, so you don't know what it's like to be starving. The young master treats you with kid gloves, and he loses his temper only when he's around you! But that's still just for your benefit... If something doesn't suit his tastes, no matter how expensive it is, he won't like it. It doesn't matter how much silver you spend, the young master won't foot the bill. And if I send him something cheap... I really don't dare to give him a cheap gift."

  "Otherwise I'll go home and ask you tonight."

  "Hey, don't ask." Shen Yao looked at me seriously and said "You've been with him for so long, you don't even know what he likes, he's definitely going to be angry."

  "Who says I don't know what he likes?"

  "Heh heh... So you knew all along. I told you it was a good idea to bring you out!"

  "Shen Duan said he likes me." I looked at Shen Yao "Where did you go to find a second me?"

  She pouted: "A small-minded person who has achieved their goal... how nice."

  My legs are sore from walking around, seeing that there's a Starbucks here, I hurriedly suggested: "Let's go have some coffee!"

  "Alright...... just what I needed, I'm exhausted."

  We had just sat down when Shen Yao's phone rang. She hastily picked it up.

  I reminded her: "You just put it directly into your bag after checking the time."

  "Oh! Right!"

  She followed my instructions and immediately found: "Hello."

  "Uh... yeah."

  Her eyes looked at me with a somewhat uneasy expression.

  "Don't... " She hesitated, as if it was a very difficult situation. "At least let Shen Zhong know..."

  What's going on?

  "It's not...where is it!" She sighed "Alright, I know."

  After hanging up the phone, I asked: "What's wrong?"

  She held her phone in her hand and didn't hurry to put it back. Her eyes kept rolling, as if thinking about how to start talking.

  "Uh... it's Shen Dong's mom..."

  It was just this sentence that made me understand everything. But I still asked with a glimmer of hope: "You're not going to see me, are you?"

  She looked at me with extreme pain and nodded slightly.

  I shrugged: "We'll always meet anyway."

  Shen Yao covered his face with his hand, extremely painful: "You're really open-minded!"

  I followed Shen Yao to a villa, but it shouldn't be the Shen family's old house, because this villa looks like it has been uninhabited for years, but it is very clean, as if someone can come and entertain at any time.

  Shen Diao's mother was very beautiful, even though time had left some marks on her face, it couldn't hide her innate beauty and elegance.

  She must have been stunningly beautiful when she was young.

  Shen Yao looked at Shen Diao's mother with a bit of unease.

  She didn't look at Shen Yao, but lowered her head and poured me a cup of tea: "Miss Liu can call me Mrs. Shen."

  "Good Mrs. Shen."

  She nodded: "I've been wanting to see you for a long time. I just always felt that the timing wasn't ripe enough. Afraid of being too abrupt with you."

  I smiled just right: "Mrs. Shen, how can you say that? It's I who should have paid respects to you, it's I who was rude."

  Mrs. Shen said faintly "where" but her expression was clearly affected by what I just said, making it clear that she was dissatisfied with my lack of courtesy.

  She raised an eyebrow and glanced at Shen Yue, saying seriously: "I'm not a monster that eats people. Miss Liu is now with Shen Zhong, and it's not good to be unclear about things. I just want to see her once and talk about Master's affairs, do you need to be so restless?"

  Shen Yao accompanied her smile, but it was even uglier than crying: "Second Auntie, what are you talking about..."

  I lowered my eyebrows and eyes, sipping tea while pondering the words Shen's wife had just spoken. Although she was speaking to Shen Yao, it was clear that her intention was for me to hear. At over 20 years old, if I didn't even have this much discernment, what else could I do?

  I just can't figure out what she means by seeing me, if she doesn't agree with me and Shen Zhong being together, she shouldn't have this attitude. Looking at her appearance and aura, she should be a tough woman in daily life, so it's probably unnecessary to circle around the things she has decided on.

  If it's just as she said, so dignified and grand, how can you always speak harsh words and make people feel distant?

  She put down her teacup and said, "Shen Duan is a child with a bad temper. He's really lucky to have you around every day. I heard he listens to you now. Well... one thing offsets another."

  Although I said so, I also dare not be arrogant because of favoritism. After all, I always feel subconsciously that she doesn't like me.

  "It's just this child, we've spoiled him rotten every day. I'm afraid you must have suffered a lot when you were with him, as his mother, I'd like to apologize first... it's also our fault for spoiling him too much."

  As we spoke, his expression suddenly looked a bit sorrowful, and I hurriedly comforted him: "Shen Zhong is so excellent, he must have the capital to be proud of."

  Madam Shen listened to my words and showed a pleased expression: "Yes... this child has been smarter than others since he was young. We dote on him, and it's all reasonable. We treat him as a treasure in our palms, so... no matter how big or small his affairs are, I will never be ambiguous."

  Isn't this the point?

  No matter how big or small it is... as long as it's his business.

  Absolutely no ambiguity...

  In other words, I'm just an ordinary person with a humble background, and no matter what, I don't have the qualifications to become the daughter-in-law of the Shen family, right?

  I looked up at her, and coincidentally, Mrs. Shen was also staring at me, with a pair of eyes that seemed calm on the surface but contained too much information, including probing, disdain, and even a hint of... disgust.

  Lowering his head, he said slowly: "I may not be able to accompany him as he grows up, nor can I witness every happy moment of his past. But since I chose to be by his side, I will love and care for him just like you do, Madam. As for Shen Zhong's affairs, there has never been a distinction between big and small in my eyes... as long as it is his affair, I will take it very seriously, no matter how small it may seem, it will be magnified infinitely by me."

  My hands are nervously clenched together, palms sweating profusely. I've always known that I'm not a person who dares to confront others. But this time, I don't want to back down!

  Because of my retreat, it means I will lose Shendong!

  It was my fault before. He went through all the hardships to find me, no matter how much suffering he endured, no matter how many setbacks he encountered, he never retreated and never gave up on this love.

  This time, I'll be the one to hold on.

  "If Shendong is heartbroken, I will be more heartbroken than you. So... madam, do you understand what I mean?"

  She sat across from me, her eyes which were gentle and warm just a moment before suddenly became as inscrutable as a deep pool, staring at me fixedly.

  After a long time, he finally put down his teacup and said: "My son... has come for someone."

  I subconsciously turned around and saw him appearing at the door with a big sweat, seeing me... He let out a sigh of relief.