Shen Shixiu stood straight and nodded at Shi Nuan before flashing her a smile. “I guessed you wouldn’t take too long, so I decided to come down first and wait for you.”
Shi Nuan’s lip twitched. He is really unpredictable and seems to have more secrets than Fu Chengyan. Maybe it is because I don’t know him well enough, but he always seems to emit a mysterious aura.
“Ms. Shi?”
Seeing that Shi Nuan did not reply to him, Shen Shixiu smiled. “I won’t force you to show me around the city if you are busy. But it’s such a pity!”
At that, Shi Nuan could not help but smile. “Mr. Shen, please get into the car!”
Shen Shixiu opened the car door immediately and got in. Shi Nuan got into the car as well. “Mr. Shen, aren’t you curious to know what your sister has told me?”
“Do you want to share it with me?” Shen Shixiu turned to look at Shi Nuan quizzically after putting on his seat belt.
Shi Nuan fell silent before saying, “We merely talked about the different ways of life. I won’t bully your sister since you have absolute faith in me.”
Shen Shixiu smiled faintly. “You’re right, Ms. Shi. I’m not from Jiang City, so I will have to trouble you to show me around.”
“You mentioned that you would like to visit Jing University just now, right? Let us head over there now!” With that, Shi Nuan started driving in the direction of Jing University.
It was almost after-work hours, but Shen Shixiu was still immersed in his work and kept absolutely quiet as if he had forgotten that Shi Nuan was in the car with him. During the journey, Shi Nuan could not shake off the feeling that she was his chauffeur, although it was apparent that he did not feel the same way.
Around half an hour later, Shi Nuan parked the car in Jing University’s car park. She said nothing as Shen Shixiu was on a call.
At that moment, Fu Chengyan sent her a text message asking Shi Nuan about their whereabouts. Shi Nuan’s mind flew back to the conversation that she had eavesdropped on in the hotel, which had actually left a great impact on her.
Contrary to what she had told Shen Qianan, there were times when her mind wandered and doubted Fu Chengyan’s words that he had never treated her as Shen Qianan’s substitute. Only now did she realize that Shen Qianan was her substitute.
Smiling gleefully at that thought, she replied to Fu Chengyan’s message immediately: What would you like to eat tonight? Shall I cook for you?
Fu Chengyan had just ended his meeting when Shi Nuan’s message came in. Fu Chengyan stopped in his tracks and raised his head to look at Zhou Zheng and Mai Qi. “You guys go and get the stuff done now!” Fu Chengyan passed the document in his hand to Zhou Zheng.
“Yes!”
After Zhou Zheng and Mai Qi left, Fu Chengyan gave Shi Nuan a call. “Where are you now?”
Shi Nuan darted a sideward glance at Shen Shixiu and whispered as the latter was still on the phone, “I’m with Mr. Shen at Jing University.”
“You are still at Jing University?”
“Yes, we just arrived. Do you want to make a guess where we went just now?” Shi Nuan asked gleefully.
Fu Chengyan narrowed his eyes. “You seem very happy?”
“I am!” How can I not be happy to learn that I’m not her substitute? Indeed, Shi Nuan was over the moon after learning the truth. Thus, she did not detect the displeasure in Fu Chengyan’s voice and continued happily, “Are you still working? What do you want to eat? Shall I buy dinner for you?”
“No need. Hurry up and come home!”
“Okay!” Shi Nuan hung up the phone and turned around to look at Shen Shixiu, who had ended the call and was looking at her intently.
His stare made Shi Nuan’s hair stand on end. She kept her phone hurriedly and said, “Mr. Shen, are you done with your work?”
“I’m sorry!” Shen Shixiu looked at Shi Nuan apologetically. “Ms. Shi, you seem very happy.”
“Yes!” Shi Nuan grinned, released her seat belt, and alighted from the car. “Mr. Shen, do you want to come out and take a walk? Jing University is right in front. I can show you around the university if you like!”
“That will be great!”
Shen Shixiu’s response caught Shi Nuan off-guard as she had only made the offer half-heartedly. Smiling, she started to lead the way.
Being a dutiful “tour guide”, she explained the history of Jing University to Shen Shixiu. After all, she had graduated from Jing University and was very familiar with its history.
Unbeknown to her, the eyes of Shen Shixiu, who was behind her, had lit up with amusement as he took in her lively eyes and animated expressions.
When they reached a boulevard, Shi Nuan was surprised to see her old professor playing chess under a tree.
The professor recognized Shi Nuan and waved at her. “Shi Nuan, right?”
“Yes. It has been such a long time!” Shi Nuan greeted her old professor smilingly.
“Is he your boyfriend?” Professor Liu adjusted his glasses as he scrutinized Shen Shixiu before nodding in satisfaction. “Not bad. He’s not bad. Shi Nuan, you have chosen well. Your boyfriend is handsome with a compelling presence!”
“He’s not my boyfriend!”
“No?” Embarrassment crossed Professor Liu’s face. “Then who is this?”
“He’s my company’s customer who seldom comes to Jiang City. So I’m showing him around the university, the most cultural spot in Jiang City!”
“It’s no wonder that you’re Old Master Jiang’s granddaughter. You’re such a sweet talker!”
“Thank you for your compliments, Professor Liu!” Shi Nuan then left with Shen Shixiu in tow after a short chat with Professor Liu and smiled as she overheard Professor Liu lamenting that it was a pity the good-looking man with her was not her boyfriend.
“Please don’t mind him. Professor Liu was my teacher during my university days, and he has a tendency to nag.”
Shen Shixiu smiled and nodded. “I can tell that he is very fond of you. You must have excelled in school last time?”
“Not exactly!” Shi Nuan smiled humbly. “Maybe I was too obedient, and that’s why the teachers here are fond of me?” Shi Nuan pointed at a row of ginkgo trees. “I remember from my university days that students like to gather together and strolled under the trees! Oh yes, do you want to take a look at the school library? It’s right in front!”
Something flashed across Shen Shixiu’s eyes as he replied, “Sure!”
Shi Nuan brought Shen Shixiu around the university and was about to leave the campus when they ran into Jiang Shizheng, Shi Nuan’s grandpa.
Jiang Shizheng spotted Shi Nuan first and frowned as he approached them. “Why are you here?” His question was directed at Shen Shixiu instead of Shi Nuan.
Shocked, Shi Nuan looked at Jiang Shizheng and Shen Shixiu suspiciously. “Grandpa, you… you know Mr. Shen?”
Suddenly, Shi Nuan realized what was going on and quickly clarified, “Grandpa, this is Mr. Shen. He’s not Uncle Yu, although they share a strong resemblance!” Shi Nuan turned to Shen Shixiu and said, “Mr. Shen, this is my grandpa. My grandpa used to be a professor at Jing University.”
“Hello, Old Master Jiang!” Shen Shixiu extended his hand to shake Jiang Shizheng’s hand. “I’m Shen Shixiu!”
Jiang Shizheng scrutinized Shen Shixiu carefully. After a long while, he finally let go of Shen Shixiu’s hand. “Hello, Mr. Shen.”
“Grandpa, Mr. Shen has just arrived at Jiang City and is collaborating with Shengyuan for a project. I’m showing Mr. Shen around now!”
Jiang Shizheng nodded. “You really look like Shi Yu, but your characters are really poles apart.” Despite saying that, he kept his gaze fixed on Shen Shixiu.
Shen Shixiu pursed his lips, but his smile remained polite yet distant.
However, Shi Nuan did not sense the tension between them and asked out of curiosity, “Grandpa, why are you in Jing University today?” Jiang Shizheng had retired two years ago, and he seldom appeared in the university as he had picked up new hobbies such as planting flowers at home.
“I have come to the university to settle some matters. I’m done now. Where are you and Mr. Shen heading to?”
“Nowhere. I have made plans with Yan to prepare dinner for him.” Shi Nuan looked at Shen Shixiu. “Mr. Shen, you must have been tired out after a long day!”
Shen Shixiu lifted a brow. “That’s true.”
“Shall I send you back?”
“It’s okay. I should not take up any more of your time since you have something on later.”
He’s such a considerate person. ”Grandpa, shall I send you home?”
“It’s alright. You should go home earlier if Yan is waiting for you! What is a girl like you doing outside at this hour? I’ll take a stroll on the campus and go home myself afterward.”
Shi Nuan looked at Jiang Shizheng then at Shen Shixiu before nodding her head. “Okay. Then grandpa, take care of yourself. Yan and I will visit you soon!” Shi Nuan turned to Shen Shixiu. “Mr. Shen, do you really not need me to send you home?”
“I shall not trouble you anymore.”
Shi Nuan nodded and left Jing University.
After Shi Nuan left, Jiang Shizheng turned to look at Shen Shixiu sharply. “Mr. Shen, why do you return now when you decided to lead your own life and disappear from Nuan’s life back then?”
