"We can reschedule this dinner," Zhang Wenxing said."I go back to the old house to eat with the old man every few days, but I haven't seen you, my brother, in nearly a year."As he spoke, Shen Lingfeng motioned for his assistant to pour wine for Zhang Wenxing.Zhang Wenxing had worked in an investment bank abroad for many years, and this time, he had returned at Shen Lingfeng's invitation, as he was being considered for the position of president of AK Bank under the Shen Group.Wang Yue glanced at Shen Lingfeng, wanting to say something but holding back.He knew that Shen Lingfeng had been pushed into marriage by Old Master Shen. He also knew that Shen Lingfeng had registered for marriage today, so the dinner tonight wasn't just about accompanying the old man.At their age, it was normal to be urged into marriage by their elders, but to be given a designated wife—that was excessive. Wang Yue felt sympathy for his friend.At the same time, he couldn't help but feel a little schadenfreude, seeing the ever-successful Shen Lingfeng stumble in marriage.So, he deliberately said, "Lingfeng has an apartment in Tianhua Garden, why don't you stay there for now? Don't stay in a hotel."Zhang Wenxing didn't understand and cheerfully replied, "Sure, Shen's house must be a mansion. I'd like to enjoy it."Shen Lingfeng gave Wang Yue a cold glance before turning back to Zhang Wenxing. "I've already bought you a place, it's also in Tianhua Garden."Zhang Wenxing wasn't just a good friend to him, but also a talent, so he deserved the best treatment.Wang Yue saw the look on Shen Lingfeng's face and understood that he didn't want to discuss his marriage tonight, so he refrained from making any further teasing remarks.Shen Lingfeng didn't want to hide it from Zhang Wenxing, but bringing up the topic of marriage right now would make him uncomfortable and ruin the mood of the dinner.
Meanwhile, at the old house, dinner was plentiful, and Old Master Shen kept putting food on Xu Zhen's plate until she was stuffed.After dinner, since she had to work the next day, she ate some fruit and excused herself.Old Master Shen had the driver take her back.By the time she arrived at Tianhua Garden, it was already past 10 PM, and Shen Lingfeng still hadn't returned. However, Xu Zhen didn't plan to wait for him. She washed up and went to bed.It was difficult to sleep on her first night in a strange house. After a long time, just as she was about to drift off, she suddenly heard a sound outside the bedroom door, and all her sleepiness disappeared.Xu Zhen stepped out of the bedroom and saw the master bedroom door open—Shen Lingfeng had apparently returned.As she hesitated whether to go greet him, Shen Lingfeng walked out, a bath towel wrapped around his waist. His tan, muscular skin was still damp and glowing with health, naturally exuding a sexy aura.Xu Zhen quickly averted her gaze, her face heating up."You... you're back," she stammered, her voice low.Shen Lingfeng gave a low grunt, walking past her without saying much.She hesitated for a moment, feeling it was necessary to talk to him. They didn't need to act like a loving couple, but they should at least respect each other and not make Old Master Shen worry.She didn't want to keep hearing Old Master Shen complain about him like tonight, and then having to go out of her way to cover for him.She followed him into the dining room.He took a bottle of cold water from the fridge and drank a few gulps, then turned to look at her with a frown."What's the matter?""Old Master was really upset tonight," Xu Zhen said seriously.Shen Lingfeng capped the water bottle and placed it on the table, his expression indifferent. "I really had an important dinner tonight. It wasn't to make things hard for you."Xu Zhen nodded. "I believe you must have had an important dinner."But when Shen Lingfeng heard that, his expression grew colder, thinking she was provoking him.She met his cold, deep eyes and said, "Old Master helped my family pay off the debt, which is a huge favor to me. I really hope he can be happy. Since we've chosen to get married, we should respect each other like a normal couple and put Old Master's mind at ease."Shen Lingfeng's gaze shifted as he assessed whether she was sincere.The dinner tonight, although important, could have been postponed.He thought that since they had already registered, she and Old Master Shen should be satisfied, and whether or not he went back to the old house for this dinner shouldn't matter to them. He didn't expect them to take it so seriously.Her words were essentially criticizing him for not caring about Old Master Shen, which made him feel uncomfortable."I know better than you how to care for my grandfather," he said coldly.Xu Zhen froze for a moment, surprised by his response. She quickly realized that he might have misunderstood her.She hastily explained, "That's not what I meant. What I meant was, on important days, if we could go back to the old house together and make Old Master feel that we're getting along well, he would be at ease."But Shen Lingfeng heard her words and thought she was using Old Master Shen to pressure him into being the husband she wanted.He could be a competent husband, but only if he did it voluntarily, not under pressure.He still looked at her with a cold expression and said, "Important business engagements can't be postponed or canceled. Old Master should understand that. As my wife, you should also understand me and help soothe the old man."Xu Zhen knew he was angry but didn't realize he saw her in such a bad light. She wanted to calm him down and said in a softer tone,"I understand, and I'll try to be a good wife. But since we're living under the same roof, I think it's better for us to clear the air. If I've done something wrong, please tell me directly."Shen Lingfeng looked at her deeply.After returning to the country, Old Master Shen had been praising her in front of him, saying she was a good girl and very beautiful.When he first met her today, he had indeed been impressed, especially by her clear, almond-shaped eyes.Even though she was dressed in modest pajamas, her pure beauty still shone through.But when he thought of the illegal business her family had been involved in and how she had manipulated Old Master Shen into considering her as a granddaughter-in-law, a wave of anger rose within him.For so many years, Old Master Shen had never cared about his feelings or marriage. But the moment he returned to the country, Old Master started to care, even picking out a designated wife. Shen Lingfeng couldn't help but overthink it.He walked past her with a darkened expression.But she still had something to ask him. "Wasn't the family allowance supposed to be 50,000 yuan? Why is there an extra 50,000? Honestly, even 50,000 is too much, I can't even spend that much."Shen Lingfeng didn't look back as he replied, "Old Master said 50,000 was too little, so he added another 50,000. He also said he'd buy you a car. If you want, you can use the extra money for a car loan."Xu Zhen watched him walk out of the dining room and sighed inwardly.She could tell the sarcasm in his words, but when it came to money, she knew she was in the wrong.With so much money, she couldn't possibly spend it all. She would just keep it for now and pay it back later when she had the chance.