Old Madam Shen looked surprised. “Why not Holy Cross Academy? All the Shen family go there. We don’t have much pull at Prime City University. What if her sister gets bullied there?”
Shen Han answered calmly, “The first donation has already been wired over. The board appointment and follow-up contracts should happen next month.”
Old Madam Shen nodded, satisfied. She smiled at Su Mi. “That’s more like it. Since you’re Little Crane’s dry sister, that makes you Shen family too. It’s her fault for not telling me about you sooner. I rushed back to Prime City this time and didn’t prepare a proper welcome gift.”
She released Su Mi’s hand and slipped an emerald bracelet off her own wrist. She sized it up against Su Mi’s and slid it on.
“This one will make do for now. Grandmother doesn’t know what you young people like, so next time we meet, I’ll give you a better one.”
The emerald bracelet on her wrist was crystal clear, obviously worth a fortune.
Su Mi subconsciously wanted to refuse, but she lifted her eyes and saw Shen Han nod at her.
So she pursed her lips and obediently gave her thanks.
Old Madam Shen seemed not in good spirits. She said a few more words about her impression of Su Ciyu, then pressed her temples and sighed slowly. She had the female server see them off.
Su Mi held the railing and followed behind Shen Han as they went down the stairs.
Of course, she didn’t claim Shen Han’s connection to Prime City University for herself. After all, she was going to Prime City University to protect Xu Nanqiao for Shen Han in college.
Although in the original plot, the original host hadn’t managed to protect her. After starting college, the female lead had broken free from the antagonist’s restraints just as she had hoped.
But this bracelet…
Su Mi felt she didn’t deserve it.
When they reached the first floor, almost out of the pavilion, Su Mi took two steps forward and came to Shen Han’s side.
She lifted her wrist and shook the bracelet on it. “Can I really accept this?”
Shen Han glanced at it and said, “It looks pretty good.”
Su Mi: …
Her expression went blank for a moment. She tried to recover and said, “…I meant, can I really accept it.”
Shen Han clearly didn’t care about the bracelet. She raised a brow. “Otherwise, are you going back upstairs to return it?”
Su Mi: “…Fine.”
As they walked out of the pavilion, a gust of wind blew, and some fine pale yellow petals fell from the ancient osmanthus tree at the entrance. Su Mi squinted and jogged a couple steps to pass it.
Her formal short skirt was in a cute style, but she now wore an antique and precious jade bracelet on her wrist. No matter how she looked at it, they didn’t match.
Su Mi held up her wrist, feeling it didn’t match while also thinking she shouldn’t flaunt her wealth. She was a bit troubled.
Shen Han followed behind her and asked, “Are you going to find Xu Nanqiao?”
Su Mi hummed in agreement and asked, “Sister, are you going to chat with them too?”
Shen Han gave a faint smile. “Not yet. I still have some things to handle here. Just come find me if you need anything.”
With that, Shen Han turned to leave but then stopped and walked back to Su Mi.
Su Mi looked up in confusion, only to see Shen Han reach out and lightly touch the top of her head before pulling away.
In the instant Shen Han drew close, all the sandalwood and osmanthus scents vanished.
Her unique cool fragrance brushed across Su Mi’s face before withdrawing.
Su Mi’s thoughts paused with the motion.
Looking closely, Shen Han had just plucked two stray osmanthus blossoms.
She held the cross-shaped pale yellow petals between her fingertips, glanced down at them, and let them drift away on the wind.
“Go on. I’ll come find you later,” Shen Han said.
Su Mi dazedly agreed.
She figured the “later” Shen Han mentioned was time to make up a birthday banquet for Xu Nanqiao.
She returned to where Li Zhao and the others had been, but Li Zhao and Xu Nanqiao weren’t there.
Su Mi wandered around the courtyard on her own.
She sent Xu Nanqiao a message, and Xu Nanqiao replied that there was a better variety of buffet food in the side courtyard. She and Li Zhao were eating there.
She was about to go find Xu Nanqiao when Su Ciyu grabbed her.
Su Ciyu saw her wandering the garden and thought she had nothing to do, so she dragged her off to meet some uncles and aunts they had business dealings with.
–
Su Mi obediently followed Su Ciyu around to make introductions. Her face was stiff from smiling by the time Su Ciyu let her go.
She casually asked why Su Ciyu wasn’t going to visit Old Madam Shen.
Su Ciyu paused at that and said, “Better not.”
She probably just saw this Shen Family Banquet as a business cocktail party. She patted the side of Su Mi’s face and said, “Go hang out with your friends. If we’re heading home together later, message me in advance.”
Su Mi felt like a tool that Su Ciyu had grabbed on a whim, used up, and then tossed aside.
Watching Su Ciyu put on her business smile and head off in another direction, Su Mi sighed helplessly and went toward the place Xu Nanqiao had mentioned.
After checking a few spots, it was already late.
Probably around eight or nine o’clock. Amid the garden’s tangled tree shadows, the short streetlamps still glowed brightly. Su Mi stepped through the bamboo shadows toward the side gate.
Past the round-arched side gate, the view opened up to an artificial lake with a large rockery in the middle. It seemed to hide a restaurant inside.
There were plenty of tables and chairs by the lake. She looked around left and right but didn’t see Xu Nanqiao and the others.
Su Mi lowered her head and used her light brain to send a message: Where did you go?
Xu Nanqiao didn’t reply right away. Su Mi lowered her wrist when a female server suddenly approached.
She wore the standard garden qipao uniform, but this one was much prettier than the ones she’d seen before. Her expression was soft and approachable as she smiled at Su Mi. “Are you here for a meal, miss?”
The server was a bit shorter than Su Mi. When Su Mi looked down, she could clearly see the woman’s curvaceous figure.
Hadn’t the other servers’ qipaos been this tight?
Su Mi was always gentle with girls. She said, “Not hungry right now. I’m looking for friends.”
The server smiled and said, “We have more than just food inside. Our wines are the best in Prime City. Your friends might be inside sampling them. Would you like to take a look?”
Su Mi followed her gesture toward the rockery. Considering Li Zhao’s personality, it was possible she’d taken Xu Nanqiao inside.
She nodded and followed the server across the wooden bridge into the restaurant in the rockery.
Only after going in did she realize it was a large two-story space with plenty of people seated. Servers bustled about, mostly carrying wines and cold dishes.
The server led her up to the second floor for a look around, then back down to the first. She turned gracefully and asked, “Do you see your friends?”
Su Mi shook her head and said no.
The server smiled invitingly. “You can sit here and have a drink. These are special drinks for today’s Shen Family Banquet—you can’t get them anywhere else. Shall I find you a seat?”
Her suggestion was tempting. Su Mi wasn’t good at refusing people anyway.
She thought about it. There were no seats in the nearby garden, and her feet were sore from accompanying Su Ciyu on her rounds for so long.
She might as well sit here and wait.
She agreed and followed the server to an elegant booth near the door and sat down.
The server brought a menu, opened it for her, and leaned in beside her, softly explaining the differences in the wines—which were the signatures for today, which had no alcohol, which were sweet.
Perhaps because the female server was leaning in so close, Su Mi could smell a floral fragrance on her.
Without thinking, Su Mi asked, “You smell really nice.”
The female server’s introduction paused. She looked at Su Mi in surprise, her fair and pretty face flushing slightly. She said softly, “Miss, this perfume matches… my scent.”
Su Mi: …?
What?
She puzzled over it for a moment before realizing the female server meant her pheromones…
The female server’s soft hand lightly tapped the menu, shyly saying, “If you like this scent, you can order this drink. It’s sweet and floral too.”
Su Mi: …
No.
What’s your deal?
She took a deep breath. She’d been dithering over the menu with the server’s suggestions, but now she could decide instantly.
Su Mi quickly pointed to a far-off orange juice option. “Just this one.”
The female server smiled at her, bowed slightly, and said, “I’ll get the tools right away.”
Curious, Su Mi watched as the female server went back to the bar and wheeled over a small cart loaded with bottles of flavorings or liquors, plus bartending tools.
Right in front of her, the female server set up opposite Su Mi’s seat and began mixing the drink.
Though it wasn’t alcohol, her prep was like bartending. Her fingers flew, and she even showed off some flair with tossing and spinning bottles for Su Mi.
But in the gaps between moves, she would glance up at Su Mi now and then, her gaze shy and flirtatious.
Su Mi thought to herself in silence that she’d clearly been misunderstood.
She decided to drink this and leave.
After a while, the female server finished the drink and let out a soft breath. Instead of pushing the tall glass over, she picked it up, stood gracefully, and sat down beside Su Mi.
She reached up and undid one of the qipao’s decorative buttons, revealing a stretch of white collarbone. Her soft body nearly leaned against Su Mi as she held the glass like she was going to feed her.
“Miss, please…”
The female server’s breath was sweet and warm as she leaned in.
Su Mi’s hair stood on end.
What the hell!
She scooted back sharply to put some distance between them.
Hands up in front of her chest, Su Mi said sternly, “I think there might be a misunderstanding…”
She snatched the tall glass. “I-I’m a Beta… I’ll drink it myself. Thanks.”
The female server didn’t get upset. She smiled and said, “No problem at all, miss. Please go ahead.”
She stood by the seat and didn’t move further.
Su Mi finally relaxed and let out a breath. She held the glass without drinking right away and instead lowered her head to quickly message Xu Nanqiao.
: Emergency! Where are you? I can’t stay here anymore QAQ!
: Reply or I’ll call!
Xu Nanqiao replied fast this time: What happened, Su Su? Doctor Li and I are in the garage getting stuff.
Xu Nanqiao: On our way back. Where are you?
Su Mi exhaled, calming down a bit.
Before she could send her location to Xu Nanqiao, a shadow fell over the back of the booth’s sofa.
Su Mi turned and saw it was Shen Han.
She leaned over the sofa back with arms crossed, looking down at her with cool, pale eyes.
As she leaned, the slender jade earrings on her lobes dangled, swaying in front of Su Mi.
Su Mi’s first reaction was to glance at the female server beside her.
—She was gone, who knew when.
Shen Han raised a hand, her slender fingertips resting on the ornate qipao button, as if wanting to loosen it.
Su Mi immediately recalled the female server’s earlier move. But the same action from her carried a strong hint, while Shen Han’s felt distant and aloof, only evoking a sense of listlessness.
She just loosened the button without undoing it, frowning slightly as she said, “You’re pretty hard to find. What are you doing here?”
She lifted her gaze and spotted the tall glass in Su Mi’s hand. Raising a brow, she said, “Little kids learning to drink now?”
The fruit drink in the tall glass did look like alcohol. Recalling what had happened during mixing, Su Mi felt a twinge of guilt and retorted, “It’s not booze.”
Su Mi’s emotions were all over her face.
Shen Han let out a soft scoff. “Looking guilty.”
She straightened up, came around to Su Mi’s side, and deftly took the tall glass away.
“Confiscated.”
She said flatly.
