A Twisted Love Affair-Chapter 217: That’s called a good match_1

The customer was a local who adored Sun Qiyan’s craftsmanship and insisted Sun Qiyan deliver personally.

While he was busy, Shen Jing sneaked off to buy ice cream. When Sun Qiyan discovered her, she licked it with a look of aggrievement, "I don’t want to throw it away; I want to eat it."

Perhaps it was because, these last few days, she had finally begun to speak to him more willingly; this was the most she had said to him at once.

Sun Qiyan was helpless. He didn’t have the heart to scold her and even bought her another one.

This time, she had one in each hand.

"Wrap your coat tightly; we’re heading back to the restaurant. It’s cold outside, yet you’re still craving ice cream. Who’s going to manage you in the future?"

Zhuang Ming had driven for the Second Young Master of the Zhou Family for many years but rarely visited the old Jing’an district.

The Shanghai A.12 Rolls-Royce descended from the North-South Elevated Road. While still in the area, the Second Young Master went to visit a friend at an old Western-style house and chat with the local governor.

Shanghai was large, but people destined to meet would eventually cross paths.

On both sides of Yvel Road, plane trees obscured sixty to seventy percent of the light. The afternoon sun was intense. Zhou Luchen felt somewhat fatigued and lazily glanced out the window.

A No. 20 bus rumbled past in front.

In the back seat of a small scooter, Shen Jing was holding an ice cream, taking a gentle taste. It must have been too cold because it made her shudder, her face so pale it seemed bloodless.

Ice cream in such cold weather? Wasn’t she cold?

Not only was she not afraid of the cold, she even wanted the chill to help her regain her senses. Thinking the safety helmet was too tight, she even wanted to loosen it a bit sneakily.

The man driving her would chat with her from time to time. From Zhou Luchen’s angle, he could see the man’s lips moving, a smile that was indulgent and tender, as if she filled his heart, a gentleness that went bone-deep.

He really did spoil her.

"The Shen Family has been quite close with the Sun Family these past few days. The Sun Family helped her grandmother with funeral arrangements, and Mr. Shen even invited the Sun Family out to dinner because of it," Zhuang Ming said.

Since Mrs. Lin Yankui had just passed away, the mourning period was probably ending. It was expected that both families would discuss marriage soon. The Sun Family, while not exactly an aristocratic family, was at least well-off and had a good family reputation. They were very pleased with Miss Shen, and Sun Qiyan was successful in his own career. No matter how one looked at it, they were a good match.

This was a fact.

Zhou Luchen closed his eyes, his fingers rising slightly to pinch the space between his eyebrows.

The shadows of the plane trees flickered across the car window, dappling his profile. The hand at his brow seemed to press down harder involuntarily, the veins on its back standing out distinctly.

Silence hung in the air for a few breaths.

He opened his eyes and lifted his gaze slightly. Zhuang Ming instantly met his eyes in the rearview mirror, understood his intention, and quickly overtook the scooter.

Sun Qiyan had been driving extremely slowly.

The sudden brake caused the ice cream in Shen Jing’s hand to jab her nose. Looking up, she saw a familiar motorcade stopping ahead.

The car door opened.

Leather shoes stepped onto the concrete pavement of the old district. The man got out and walked towards them.

For a moment, so flustered she didn’t know where to put her hands, Shen Jing could only frantically wipe the melted chocolate from the tip of her nose.

"Second Young Master Zhou," Sun Qiyan spoke first.

Zhou Luchen’s expression was indifferent, as if he only registered Shen Jing’s presence.

She felt a surge of anxiety, her fingers instinctively gripping Sun Qiyan’s sleeve, barely making contact.

Before she knew it, she was pulled, lifted entirely off the scooter’s back seat, and landed securely in Zhou Luchen’s arms.

The ice cream accidentally smeared onto his expensive suit; the fine black fabric of his suit was now stained with a fair bit of cream.

Staring at the messy splotches, she wondered if her ice cream was still edible. She didn’t know, but she just wanted to eat it.

Sun Qiyan did somewhat regret driving this scooter. Too easy to get "hijacked." It’s not like I can beat up Second Young Master Zhou in the middle of the street, can I? Not with bodyguards standing by his car and another Rolls-Royce following behind.

He knew how the flower bed for the funeral had come about; that Zhou fellow had arranged it for Shen Jing the same day, even though he hadn’t attended the service.

The Second Young Master bundled her into his car, and the vehicles drove off.

A convoy of three Rolls-Royces.

Shen Jing sat in the car, her whole body trembling with an unease born from understanding the temperament of the man beside her.

She retreated to a corner, her gaze sweeping over him. He slightly lowered his eyes, calmly removing his suit jacket. He took two paper tissues, meticulously wiped the stained areas, and then tossed them aside.

Someone had once suggested he had OCD, but he’d found the term novel and didn’t acknowledge it.

From the front seat, Zhuang Ming cautiously spoke up, "I will take care of the cleaning later, sir."

Zhou Luchen didn’t make a sound.

If he didn’t speak, Shen Jing dared not utter a word. She looked down, fixating on the ice cream in her hand. It was inedible now; the car’s heating had melted it completely.

Her slightly drooping eyelashes grew misty, as if freshly dampened. Zhou Luchen rummaged through the armrest compartment for his wallet. "I’ll compensate you for it."

Compensate? Or did he mean ’accompany’? Compensate for what? What did he want to compensate her for?

Full of questions, Shen Jing looked towards the perpetually dignified man beside her.

As he leaned forward to search for his wallet, the high-quality silk of his shirt hugged his chest. There was a soft RUSTLE, a HISS, as the fabric strained over his powerful muscles, the buttons looking as if they might pop.

It was the epitome of a man’s crisp shirt. "Do not look at what is improper," Shen Jing silently reminded herself, averting her gaze.

He pulled out a stack of cash, probably without counting the bills. "To compensate for your ice cream."

She silently took the money, clutching it. The crisp new bills felt comforting in her hand.

The man said no more, merely turning his head away indifferently and browsing his phone, his arm resting on the armrest, languid and relaxed. This Zhou Luchen felt like a stranger, creating a sense of distance.

Inside the car, the atmosphere turned chilly. Shen Jing didn’t know what to say. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

The silence persisted throughout the journey. Apart from the money for the ice cream, there was nothing left to talk about.

The car had already circled twice and returned to the entrance of Hanny Road’s alley.

Zhuang Ming got out to open the car door, his face expressionless as he reminded her, "Please rest well, Miss Shen. Grieve in moderation. Eat less ice cream in this cold weather; that scooter also seemed unsafe." This was his version of advice.

Shen Jing was stupefied. He just brought me back to the alley entrance? That’s it? Was he worried the ice cream would make me cold?

She stood rooted to the spot.

The Rolls-Royce departed.

The person Zhou Luchen was supposed to meet called. He answered, replying blandly, "I don’t have time today. No need to wait for me."

Zhuang Ming turned the car around.

The detour for Miss Shen had caused a considerable delay, but it wasn’t the time that mattered to Zhou Luchen.

After all, in this city, the Young Master of the Zhou Family decided whom he would or wouldn’t see, regardless of the other party’s status. It all depended on his mood.

Today, it seemed his mood had been thoroughly spoiled.

Zhuang Ming drove him back to the old family home to have dinner with the Old Madam.

Zhou Luchen had been back in the country for a long stretch this time. There were always plenty of alluring women buzzing around him, but he didn’t seem to care, occasionally treating it as a diversion and spending money lavishly. He did, however, stay at the old family home quite frequently at night. The Old Madam chose not to inquire into his reasons.

Being ensnared by love was not the Zhou family way. Otherwise, all the effort poured into grooming him to take charge of United Bank, to become the esteemed young master of the Zhou household, would have been for naught.

Once the Old Madam had finished eating, she delicately dabbed the corners of her mouth with a napkin. "Are you returning to New York tomorrow?"

Zhou Luchen merely hummed in affirmation.

With just that hum, his words became even fewer. His thoughts were already difficult enough to fathom, and this made the Old Madam frown with concern.

Have I been pushing him too hard? Her heart ached for this grandson, yet she refused to pity him. He doesn’t need pity. He knows what choices to make to consolidate his paramount position of power.

The Old Madam rose, her hand gently touching the vibrant, pure green jade bracelet on her wrist. "Rest early. You have an arduous flight tomorrow."