Chapter 124: Glowing Green

Chapter 124: Chapter 124: Glowing Green

Shen Rongdan stared at the receiver in a daze for three seconds before turning to glare at Li Hanchen.

"Aren’t you even going to ask what I wanted to say?"

Li Hanchen didn’t so much as lift an eyelid.

"Oh? You have something to say?"

Shen Rongdan gritted his teeth.

"Li Hanchen, I want to twist your neck into a pretzel!"

Li Hanchen remained unfazed.

"You’ll need more practice for that."

Shen Rongdan opened his mouth but ultimately said nothing more.

He turned, grabbed the thermos from the table, and chugged a large mouthful of herbal tea.

The moment Shen Songyao hung up the phone, she froze as if paralyzed.

She wished she could pry open the receiver, slide down the phone line with a WHOOSH, and zip all the way back to Ning City.

’I miss him so, so much. I miss my man—the one who doesn’t say much but can make my knees go weak with just a glance...’

She spun around, rushed into her room, and flung herself onto the bed. Burying her face in the quilt, she let out a muffled wail.

When she was done wailing, she went right back to thinking about him, and the more she thought, the more her heart ached.

That evening, she flung open her closet, ready to catch the last bus that very night and charge all the way back.

But when she opened her eyes the next morning, her grip loosened, and the clothes tumbled to the floor.

She silently picked them up, hung them back one by one, and patted her cheeks.

’Get a grip! How old are you? You can’t just be obsessed with romance and rush over to him on a whim!’

After finishing her pep talk, she put the last pair of slippers back in their place.

After breakfast, she made a quick call to Director He to ask for the day off.

Then, she and Yang Wanqing got ready and headed straight for the teahouse Yao Yuzhen had mentioned.

The two of them arrived early, walking in just after eight.

Since Yao Yuzhen had specifically asked to meet Song Yao, they assumed it was for a private conversation. The grandmother and granddaughter had initially planned to get separate private rooms.

She didn’t take the second key card, instead giving Yang Wanqing a meaningful look.

The old woman immediately understood and pushed the card back across the counter.

"We’ll just sit together."

To their surprise, a large, old elm screen stood inside the room.

An idea struck Song Yao. She slipped behind it and peeked out.

"Grandma, can you see me?"

Yang Wanqing squinted for a moment, then waved her hand.

"Can’t see you at all! Not even a shadow!"

With that, the old woman turned and settled down in a chair there.

"Then I’ll stand guard right here! I’ll be able to hear clearly, and if there’s any trouble, I can be the first one to charge out!"

"Exactly! With you standing watch, Grandma, I feel much more at ease!"

Song Yao hugged her grandmother’s arm, swaying it back and forth.

The grandmother and granddaughter had arrived at eight o’clock, but it was nearly past nine when Yao Yuzhen finally arrived, fashionably late, holding Shen Shuangshuang’s hand.

A server knocked gently on the door.

"Miss, your guests have arrived."

Yang Wanqing immediately ducked behind the screen.

Shen Songyao cleared her throat and called out in response.

"Come in!"

The server parted the curtain to the room, and Yao Yuzhen marched straight to the seat opposite the head of the table. Her opening words were laced with barbs.

"I figured it would take you half the day just to find this place."

Although she was Shen Songyao’s birth mother, she despised her daughter from the bottom of her heart.

The criticisms were always the same: she had grown up wild, no one had taught her any manners...

Shen Songyao didn’t take the bait. She simply stared at her, a corner of her mouth curling up.

"I may not know my way around, but the guards at the Shen family gate remember every detail about me, right down to the brand of formula I drank."

The implication was obvious.

’No matter how many years I’ve been away, I am a Shen through and through.’

’The Shen family’s gate, phone, and car service—aren’t they all at my disposal?’

’And aren’t these the very things Yao Yuzhen plots day and night to snatch for Shen Shuangshuang?’

Sure enough, Yao Yuzhen’s expression fell on the spot.

Shen Songyao couldn’t be bothered to react to her expression and simply turned to ask a question.

"I had the tea brewed in advance. It’s a pre-Qingming Longjing. Please, see if it’s to your taste."

Longjing is a type of green tea.

It didn’t matter whether she understood the subtext or not.

’After all, this mother of hers was the one who was truly, brilliantly green.’

Shen Shuangshuang had been standing rooted to the spot ever since she’d entered.

Shen Songyao had no choice but to look up at her.

"Would you like a cup, too?"

Shen Shuangshuang didn’t answer, only stared fixedly at her, her gaze much heavier than the last time they’d met in the Shen family’s living room.

’But it didn’t matter. If the sky were to fall, the taller ones would hold it up.’

Before she could even open her mouth, Yao Yuzhen jumped in.

"We’re not here to taste tea today."

Shen Songyao lowered her head, blew on the steam from her cup, and took a small sip.

"Oh. I’m listening."

Yao Yuzhen unclasped her purse, shook out a square object wrapped tightly in oil paper, and shoved it in front of Shen Songyao.

"Five thousand!"

Shen Songyao’s fingertips grazed the rim of her cup as she gently swirled the tea.

"Hm?"

She was putting on a good act.

"Pack your things and go back to Ning City. Immediately. From now on, you are forbidden from ever setting foot in Beijing again."

Shen Songyao blinked, her expression utterly sincere.

"But my father and grandparents live here. If I don’t come here, how will I see them?"

Yao Yuzhen shot her a sideways glance and sneered.

"As if they need you to come see them."

"You were gone for twenty years. Did anyone in the Shen family starve to death, fall ill, or go insane because of it?"

Behind the screen, Yang Wanqing gripped the armrest of her chair, nearly bolting to her feet.

But Shen Songyao discreetly lowered her left hand under the table and shook her finger at her grandmother.

The old woman clenched her jaw, forcing her anger back down.

Shen Songyao slowly set down her cup.

"But I still don’t understand... I’m your daughter. I was lost for twenty years. Shouldn’t you be smiling and giving me a hug?"

Yao Yuzhen snorted through her nose.

"If I could do it all over again, I would wish I’d never been pregnant with you."

Shen Songyao paused, her voice growing softer.

"Why is that?"

This time, Yao Yuzhen’s lips thinned into a white line, and she didn’t utter another word.

Shen Songyao looked down at the stack of cash and spoke, testing the waters.

"I was taken away right after I was born. From the day I returned, you’ve looked at me like a stranger. So, I’m thinking this isn’t about you disliking me as a person, which means..."

She paused, looking straight at Yao Yuzhen.

"It’s because you can’t stand Dad, right? From the bottom of your heart."

The moment the words were out, she fixed her gaze on Yao Yuzhen’s face.

Yao Yuzhen’s face tightened instantly. It was clear she’d hit a nerve.

She either truly wanted to drive Shen Songyao out of the family, or she absolutely despised Shen Zhenwu.

In any case, the rims of her eyes suddenly turned a frightening red.

"Yes! I hate him! I haven’t liked him for a single day! And having you children... I never wanted to give birth to you at all!"

Shen Songyao blinked.

"Oh? Then why did you marry him in the first place?"

Yao Yuzhen’s temper flared, her voice suddenly rising in pitch.

"You think I wanted to?!"

"Back then, my family was in trouble. My parents were both dragged into it, and my sister and I were about to go down with them. What was I supposed to do?"

"If it hadn’t been for that, who would have deigned to marry him!"

"Did he force you into it somehow?"

Shen Songyao blurted out.

Yao Yuzhen shuddered violently, glaring at Shen Songyao with a look of both anger and hatred.

Shen Songyao shrugged.

"Oops, sorry about that. I have a bad habit of speaking my mind. Don’t get upset."

With that, she pushed the stack of money back across the table.

"You should take this money back."

Yao Yuzhen’s brow furrowed.

"You think it’s not enough?"

Shen Songyao chuckled.

"Are you kidding? The only daughter of Mr. Shen... do I really need to spell out for you what that status is worth?"

"Besides, you’re not asking me to hide from strangers. You’re asking me to cut ties with my own brothers and sisters."

As she spoke, she gently rubbed her thumb and forefinger together.

"For this price... it’ll have to be doubled."

Yao Yuzhen’s expression darkened.

"Just how much do you want?"

Shen Songyao reached out and tapped the pile of money three times.

"What does that mean?"