Chapter 15: Ms. Shen's Soft Hand

Shen Zhihan stared at Lin Mo until he felt guilty. Did she think he intended to take advantage of her?

“As long as you play the part well, the rest doesn’t matter,” she said quietly, looking away.

“You said it, Ms. Shen!” Delighted, he took it as permission in advance. He didn’t intend to take advantage, but they were pretending to be a couple, and some affectionate behavior might be necessary.

“Come on.” She pulled him toward the villa. The butler greeted them, puzzled by the man at her side.

Inside, seven or eight people waited in the living room. Zhihan hadn’t explained who anyone was, so Lin Mo recognized none of them.

Her aunt Shen Anlian stepped forward and examined him with amusement. “Is this the boyfriend you mentioned? His first visit, and he came empty-handed?”

Lin Mo felt uneasy. It did sound improper, but Zhihan was prepared.

“We came in a hurry and didn’t have time to buy a gift.” She squeezed his hand and led him to her grandfather, Shen Feng. “Grandpa, this is my boyfriend, Lin Mo. Say hello to Grandpa.”

“Hello, Grandpa.” Lin Mo obeyed, nervous.

Shen Feng sat on the sofa in a gray Chinese tunic suit, a rosewood cane in hand. His face was pale. Lin Mo could see at once that he was ill and seemed to have been poisoned, though he couldn’t understand how.

“A fine-looking young man.” Shen Feng beckoned. “Zhihan, sit beside Grandpa.”

She sat down obediently. “Choose your own husband,” he told her. “Don’t worry about the family…” He broke into a cough.

“Grandpa, don’t speak. Have some water.” She offered him a glass, but he waved it away.

“I’m old. I don’t have much time. If I can see you marry and have children before I close my eyes, I’ll be content.”

“Dad, even so, she can’t marry just anyone,” Anlian objected. Pointing at Lin Mo, she said contemptuously, “I’ve looked into him. He has no influence, no standing. He’s only a food-delivery man. How is he worthy of a Shen daughter?”

“A delivery man?” A young man playing games on the other side of the sofa looked up. He was Shen Mingxuan, Zhihan’s younger brother. “Sis, what were you thinking? How much can he make in a year? Probably less than I spend on games in a day.”

He looked Lin Mo up and down without concealing his disdain. Lin Mo stayed calm; the young heir’s spending was beyond anything he could imagine, and the remark was probably true.

“Show some respect, Shen Mingxuan. He’s my boyfriend and will be your brother-in-law.”

Lin Mo hadn’t expected Zhihan to defend him, though he knew they had to make their performance convincing.

Her mother, Zhao Yuqiong, spoke up. “Zhihan, we know you don’t want to marry Chen Hai. We can discuss it further. Don’t make yourself unhappy just to spite the family.”

“Exactly,” Anlian said. “How can this boy compare with the Chen Group heir? Marry Chen Hai and you’ll live in comfort while the Shen family gets through its troubles. Why choose a poor man instead?”

“Enough!” Shen Feng’s shout made her jump. Everyone turned to him.

“I said Zhihan will decide her own marriage. No one is to force her. If keeping our business means sacrificing the rest of her life, then Shen Group has no reason to exist!”

He had built the company from nothing through sheer determination, only to see his children bring it to this state. “And you wastrels are responsible for what has happened to it!”

His two sons and only daughter, Anlian, were all present. The sons lowered their heads. Anlian muttered, “The company’s decline wasn’t my fault alone. I was trying to match Zhihan and Chen Hai for the company’s sake. Why blame me?”

“What did you say?”

Anger brought on a violent coughing fit. He spat blood and collapsed against the sofa. The family cried out in alarm.

“Grandpa!”

“Dad! Quickly, fetch Doctor Zhao!”

The room descended into chaos. Lin Mo saw the old man’s purple lips and suspected the poison had flared up. He hesitated, then tugged Zhihan’s arm. Saving her grandfather mattered most.

“Ms. Shen, I know a little medicine. I may be able to help.”

“You know medicine?” She stared at him. An exceptional fighter and now a doctor too—had he really been just a driver? What else didn’t she know?

“I’m confident I can help.”

“Doctor Zhao is here!” the butler called. He ushered in a white-haired old man wearing a dark blue Chinese tunic suit.

Anlian rushed over. “Doctor Zhao, please save my father!”

“With me here, Chairman Shen will be fine.” The doctor stroked his goatee, smiling confidently.

Lin Mo didn’t press the issue; the family had its own physician. Then he noticed Anlian quietly exchange a look with Doctor Zhao. He said nothing, but wondered what they were hiding.

Zhihan hadn’t noticed. “Doctor Zhao, please save my grandfather.”

“Leave it to me.” The doctor took a packet of needles from his medical case and inserted several. Within thirty seconds, Shen Feng opened his eyes.

“Dad!” Anlian exclaimed. “Thank goodness! Doctor Zhao, you truly deserve your reputation.” The others joined in thanking him. Only Lin Mo stood aside, sensing something amiss. Wealthy families had plenty of intrigue, he thought, and wondered whether to tell Zhihan what he’d noticed.

She knelt beside her grandfather. “How do you feel?”

“I’m all right,” he said weakly.

“The chairman was overcome by anger,” Doctor Zhao said. “Rest will help, but he must avoid becoming upset again soon.”

Anlian immediately pointed at Lin Mo. “See what the boy you brought home has done? He’s upset your grandfather. Take him away!”

Zhihan frowned. Anlian herself had argued with Grandpa, and now she was shifting the blame. But he had only just regained consciousness, and Zhihan didn’t want to upset him again.

“Rest, Grandpa. I’ll visit another day.” She took Lin Mo’s hand and left. He nodded to the old man and followed her.

Zhao Yuqiong gave her son a look. Mingxuan nodded, seemingly prepared, and slipped out after them. Throughout the visit, Shen Feng’s two sons had said nothing; both looked preoccupied.

Anlian, meanwhile, saw Doctor Zhao out as though nothing had happened. “He saved the old man’s life. Butler, give him an extra consultation fee.”

“Yes. This way, Doctor Zhao.”

“Thank you.” The doctor nodded with a conspicuously false smile.

Outside, Lin Mo started to release Zhihan’s hand, but she gripped his more tightly. “Don’t move.”

“Ms. Shen?” The performance was over. Why was she still holding on? Had she gotten carried away with the act? Still, he thought, her hand was soft.

…