Chapter Fifty-Seven: Ignore Them

Xiao Yan lowered his gaze slightly.

“I see.”

—

Perhaps because of the rain, there were noticeably fewer patrons in the Bright Moon Restaurant. Shen Nanyuan and Shen Jinyu entered together, and the moment they stepped inside, a waiter hurried over to greet them. He was just about to speak with a smile when he suddenly recognized Shen Jinyu, and his attitude became all the more attentive.

“Young Master Shen!” He gestured respectfully toward the private rooms on the second floor. “While you were away, the private room you reserved upstairs has been kept empty just for you. It’s cleaned daily, all in anticipation of your return. Today, at last, we finally get to see you again.”

Shen Jinyu forced a smile. “That room won’t be mine anymore.”

The waiter looked bewildered. “How could that be? That room has always been reserved for you alone.”

Shen Nanyuan smiled and took over smoothly, “Jinyu has given that room to the young master of the Liu family. Today we’re here to see if there’s an even larger private room available.”

“There is!” The waiter’s face lit up with delight, not pausing for further thought. “Anything you need, we can accommodate.”

“Very well, let’s have a look then.”

Following behind his elder sister, Shen Jinyu felt as if she radiated with light.

Once they secured another room, Shen Nanyuan sat down and watched as Shen Jinyu, positively glowing, ordered dish after dish. She sipped her tea quietly.

“Sister, you’re so good to me!”

He was overjoyed. “I never thought you’d help me reserve another private room.”

“I did it to spare you from causing trouble again,” Shen Nanyuan replied calmly. “Try to put my mind at ease from now on.”

“I won’t cause any more trouble, Sister!” Shen Jinyu declared with firm conviction. “From now on, I’ll behave myself and stay out of trouble. I’ll never bring shame to the Duke of Zhenguo’s household again.”

If only his actions matched his promises.

Still, one cannot always rebuke; at times, trust and encouragement are needed. Shen Nanyuan nodded slightly. “I’ll trust you this once. Don’t let me down.”

Shen Jinyu, as if injected with vigor, replied, “Don’t worry, Sister. I won’t disappoint you.”

The dishes soon arrived, filling the table with a feast and an enticing aroma. Though Shen Jinyu wanted to dig in, he looked to Shen Nanyuan first, behaving with unusual decorum.

“Sister, please eat first.”

Shen Nanyuan picked up a piece of meat and chewed thoughtfully. “There’s so much here. Can you possibly finish it all?”

“I can!” Shen Jinyu nodded with determination. “I’ll definitely finish everything!”

His resolute words left Shen Nanyuan at a loss for reply. Unexpectedly, he nearly managed to clear all the dishes.

She looked at him in mild astonishment.

Outside, the rain continued to fall in a gentle, endless drizzle. Shen Nanyuan rose, and Qing Ruo stepped forward to drape a cloak over her shoulders.

“Let’s go,” she said. “I’ve given the Bright Moon Restaurant some silver. From now on, your meals here will be deducted from that amount. There’s no need to pay extra.”

At her words, Shen Jinyu looked up in disbelief, momentarily stunned.

“So,” Shen Nanyuan continued coolly, “as long as you behave, I will treat you well.”

Shen Jinyu had felt it throughout the day, and he nodded earnestly, following her out of the private room.

Few people lingered in the corridor outside. As they walked, a group approached from the opposite direction. The moment they spotted Shen Jinyu, they exchanged glances, smirking lazily as they stopped.

Shen Jinyu’s expression shifted ever so slightly. He glanced at Shen Nanyuan, quickened his pace, and tried to slip past them.

These youths were his sworn enemies; seeing him today, they were bound to taunt him. In the past, he would never have let it go, but today was different—especially with Shen Nanyuan at his side.

Before they could get past, one of the group waved his fan and jeered, “Well, if it isn’t the young master of the Duke of Zhenguo’s household. What’s this? After three months of house arrest, you’re finally out? You used to be so arrogant—how come you’re trying to run away as soon as you see us today?”

Another chimed in, “Maybe he’s scared. Three months of house arrest, I heard he was flogged twenty times too. Bet his rear’s still sore, hah!”

Shen Jinyu’s face darkened. He tugged at Shen Nanyuan’s sleeve, muttering, “Let’s go. Ignore them.”

The more you engage with such people, the harder they are to shake off.

They’d suffered at his hands before and held a grudge ever since. No doubt they’d guessed he would come to the Bright Moon Restaurant and seized the chance to mock him.

Unwilling to let the opportunity slip, they blocked the way, their eyes gleaming with mischief as they scrutinized Shen Nanyuan behind Shen Jinyu.

One sauntered forward. “And who is this beauty? Who would’ve thought that after three months of house arrest, little Shen would emerge with such a pretty companion. Why stick with him? You’d be better off with me.”

Seeing the man reach out, Shen Jinyu’s eyes flashed coldly, and he instantly slapped the hand away and kicked him.

“How dare you touch my sister!”

The man staggered, almost falling, and turned back with a vicious glare. “You dared kick me? Today I’ll—”

Shen Jinyu looked at him, his gaze icy and intimidating. “And what will you do?”

When they came to dine, all the guards had been left downstairs; only Qing Ruo and a little servant boy from Shen Jinyu’s side remained. The two of them now stood protectively in front of Shen Nanyuan, wary of any trouble.

The waiter hurried over, attempting to mediate, evidently accustomed to such scenes.

“Gentlemen, let’s keep the peace. Running a business isn’t easy, and there are people all around. If you have something to say, let’s do so amicably.”

He tried to placate both sides, but the man who had been kicked was still fuming. He sneered, “Fine. Let Shen Jinyu come out and let me kick him once, and I’ll walk away. Otherwise, you’re not leaving.”

“He kicked first. How can I let that go?”

“That’s right. Shen Jinyu, if you’ve got the guts, come here. Hiding behind others—what’s that about? Three months of house arrest and you’ve turned into a coward?”

Shen Nanyuan held back the seething Shen Jinyu, frowning slightly. “Who are these people?”

Shen Jinyu, suppressing his anger, replied, “The one I kicked is Li Yan, son of the Minister of Justice. The rest are his lackeys. They used to mock me every time they saw me, until I taught them a lesson. Now that I’ve been punished, he wants revenge.”