Chapter 9

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Xu Zhaomu rubbed against Shen Chi. Her eyes stared unblinkingly at his face. Why did this chap look so handsome even when he was angry, so handsome that she…wanted to kiss him?

Before she could get any closer to him, Shen Chi pushed her away. With a bang, she tumbled off the bed and fell on the ground.

“Shen Chi, you play dirty!” Xu Zhaomu was indignant.

Shen Chi knew that he had to use force to deal with someone like her.

“I like to play dirty. What can you do about it?” Shen Chi towered over Xu Zhaomu, who was sprawled on the ground.

“Shen Chi, you are shameless! Are you even a man?” Her heart was in a rage.

“If I’m not a man, are you one?” Shen Chi raised his brows.

“You…you…you… I won’t bicker with you. We have many long days in front of us. If you’re capable, then don’t run away.”

“If you’re capable, then don’t come crying to me,” Shen Chi retorted coldly.

Xu Zhaomu was scared silly by him. She wiped away the tears in her eyes. “Grains of sand are stinging my eyes.”

“If you want to cry, then you better let it all out today. If I see you cry in the future, you can get right out of the Shen family.”

Shen Chi dumped a huge paper bag in Xu Zhaomu’s lap. Xu Zhaomu was so frightened that she sucked her tears back in.

“Finish all the medicine, then lie back in bed.”

Xu Zhaomu didn’t dare to throw a temper tantrum. She climbed into bed obediently, tucked herself in, and lay down.

Why didn’t anyone tell her that Shen Chi was so scary when he was angry?

But… Hmph, he was a paper tiger, and all his reactions were just a facade. Once she’d recovered from her illness, they’d compete and see who was better.

Once Xu Zhaomu returned to her bed, Shen Chi took his leave.

After watching him leave, Xu Zhaomu picked up the tablets. Only a fool would take such bitter medicine. She wasn’t a fool.

She hid the tablets before lying back down with great satisfaction.

However, the moment she recalled the nightmare she had had, pain surged in her heart again. She really, really, really missed her mother…

Her nose became sore as she whimpered softly.

Subsequently, her sobs became louder. The moment she started, she couldn’t stop.

Downstairs, Shen Cexian had set off for work right after having his breakfast. When Shen Chi came down, he only saw his mother sitting alone at the dining room table. She was slicing bread calmly and indifferently.

“Chi, sit.” Zhou Ran passed him a cup of milk.

“Dad left already?” Shen Chi sat opposite Zhou Ran.

“He left a long time ago,” Zhou Ran said disapprovingly. “I heard Zhaomu is having a fever.”

“Mmm, the doctor came to check on her. It’s nothing major, she can still run and jump around.”

“Oh, that’s good.” There wasn’t a ripple of emotion in Zhou Ran’s eyes.

“Mom, let me ask you a sensitive question. You didn’t bring Xu Zhaomu back because you liked her, right?”

“I merely wanted to adopt a child because your father has a lot of money and I am bored.” Zhou Ran remained expressionless.

“Really? There are so many orphanages in C City. I can’t even count the number of children who are more mature and obedient than Xu Zhaomu on ten fingers. Yet, you specifically chose Xu Zhaomu. If I recall correctly, you don’t like mischievous children.”

Zhou Ran didn’t display an ounce of emotion. She merely flashed a faint, cold smile. Her entire being resembled an emotionless magnolia flower.

“You don’t need to know,” Zhou Ran said indifferently.

“I just hope you won’t be unfair to this orphan child.”

“Unfair? I treat everyone fairly, but who has ever treated me fairly?”

Resentment and pain surfaced in Zhou Ran’s eyes. She lowered her head and slowly spread a layer of strawberry jam on her bread.

Shen Chi had no idea what to say. He ate his breakfast silently.

“Chi, your oldest sister mentioned that she would be flying back for a visit. It’s been a long time since you siblings have seen each other,” Zhou Ran spoke with her usual nonchalance.

“Mmm, I know.”

After he’d finished his breakfast, Shen Chi summoned a maid. He picked out a slice of cheesecake and poured out a glass of milk before asking the maid to deliver the small breakfast to Xu Zhaomu.

Xu Zhaomu’s pillows had been thoroughly soaked through by her tears. She didn’t like crying and tears were such an annoying concept. The moment she thought of her mother, though, tears would stream down endlessly.

At this moment, someone knocked on her door. She hurriedly wiped her tears away.

The maid placed the breakfast spread on Xu Zhaomu’s table. “Miss Xu, your breakfast.”

“Did Shen Chi send this?” Xu Zhaomu smiled.

“No, it was Madame,” the maid replied expressionlessly.

“Oh, okay.” The delight in Xu Zhaomu’s eyes instantly vanished. She retreated back under her blanket again.

The maid closed the door and left. She’d come and gone like the wind.

This was clearly a delicious-looking breakfast spread. She had never tried such food before. However, she didn’t have any appetite. She wondered if her fever had caused her the loss of her appetite.

Under the blanket, her entire body was scorching hot. She could only push off the blanket once again.

After tossing and turning many times, she finally became tired. Gradually, she fell asleep.

When Shen Chi entered the room, he saw Xu Zhaomu sleeping in a starfish position. Her cheeks were still stained with tears, and she had not touched her breakfast at all.

He walked over with a frown. Then he picked up her blanket and tossed it on her body.

This was his first time he had ever helped tuck someone in. He must have owed her something from his previous lifetime.

As a result, his actions were a bit too rough. Xu Zhaomu opened her eyes. She said with disdain, “Big brother Shen, don’t you know how to take care of girls? I had so much trouble falling asleep, only to be rudely awakened by you.”

The corner of Shen Chi’s lips twitched. “Why didn’t you eat your breakfast?”

“I just didn’t want to eat, why do you have so many questions? Do you have 10,000 whys for me?” Xu Zhaomu grumbled.

He had only asked one question. Yet she had responded with a whole commentary.

“Where’s the medicine?”

“I took it.” Xu Zhaomu lied once again.

“Really?”

Shen Chi bent over and pushed Xu Zhaomu’s pillow aside. Two white tablets lay underneath the pillow.

He grabbed them and stared at Xu Zhaomu silently.

Xu Zhaomu was terrified by his stare, and she started to panic. She hurriedly hid her face under her blanket.

“Xu Zhaomu, you can’t even conceal your lies, and you still dare to lie?” Shen Chi sneered at her.

“Chi, I know I was wrong. I admit my mistake.” Xu Zhaomu wiped her eyes. In reality, there was nothing to be wiped.

“What was your mistake?”

“I shouldn’t have hidden the pills under the pillow, I should have flung them out of the window…” Xu Zhaomu continued to bow her head.

“I can tell that you’re bent on not repenting. Come over and swallow them now!” Shen Chi ordered her.

“I’m not swallowing them. You feed them to me.” Xu Zhaomu continued to be annoying.

She didn’t believe that she couldn’t beat him at this game. If he said an inch, she would magically make it a foot.

Shen Chi sneered. He dragged her over in an exceptionally rough manner. He held her down with one hand while pinching her chin forcefully with his other hand. Then he shoved the pill into her mouth.

That pill was so bitter that Xu Zhaomu grimaced. Her facial expressions fluctuated between red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.

Before she could spit it out, Shen Chi said coldly, “Swallow it!”

She couldn’t swallow it without water. Shen Chi was a murderer.

“Do you still dare to tell lies?” Shen Chi glared icily at her tiny face.

The pill was still in Xu Zhaomu’s mouth as she shook her head like a rattle.

“There is still one more pill. Should I feed it to you?” Shen Chi pinched her chin.

It was so bitter that now tears were on the verge of falling. However, she could not spit the pill out, neither could she swallow it.

She shook her head once more. She didn’t want it, even if he beat her to death.

Shen Chi finally released her. He sat on the side of her bed and stared quietly at her with cold eyes.

Xu Zhaomu picked up the bottle of water on the table and took a few gulps. She’d finally managed to swallow the pill. However, the bitter taste in her mouth continued to linger.

This man was way too savage. Xu Zhaomu could only lament that her skills were not good enough.