Chapter 18: From This Moment On, We Have Nothing to Do With Each Other

He Zhong was momentarily stunned at the sight of the girl before him. It took him a long while to utter a few dazed words.
“Miss Shen.”
Shen Qing took off her black baseball cap, nodded lightly to He Zhong, and walked straight into the villa’s courtyard.
“You’re back for…?” He Zhong followed, a bit apprehensive.
He’d heard about the incident at the old house. He hadn’t expected the young lady to be so defiant, daring to confront the old madam so openly!
The old madam had already made it clear—Shen Qing was not to set foot in the Yu family home again.
“I came to get my laptop. Do you know where it is?” Shen Qing didn’t have much left in the Yu house.
He Zhong let out a sigh of relief; he’d thought Shen Qing had come back to stay.
“Please wait a moment, I’ll fetch it for you.”
As soon as Madam returned, she’d ordered the maids to clear out Shen Qing’s room. All her belongings were put in the storage room.
“Alright.” Shen Qing didn’t go inside; she waited in the yard.
In just a few minutes, He Zhong returned with her laptop.
“Thank you.”
He Zhong smiled. “It’s no trouble at all. No need to be so polite.”
“Miss Shen, I shouldn’t meddle in your family affairs, but you are after all the master’s own daughter. It wouldn’t be hard to just bow your head and admit you were wrong.”
“I only wish I weren’t his real daughter.” Shen Qing pulled her cap back down, half her face hidden in its shadow.
He Zhong was at a loss for words, left feeling helpless.
Shen Qing hadn’t yet left the courtyard when a white Cayenne drove in.
“Well, look what stray dog wandered in?” Yu Jiaxuan jumped out of the car, his gaze toward Shen Qing filled with disdain.
Kicked out by Grandma, and she still has the nerve to come back?
Shen Qing’s eyes grew cold, but Yu Jiaxuan, reckless as ever, pressed on, “What, you actually want to come back? Our Yu family can’t afford to keep a traitor like you!”
Yu Fei and Qin Lin also got out of the car. They watched Yu Jiaxuan’s antics but didn’t stop him; Yu Fei’s heart had long since turned cold toward this daughter.
“What has the Yu family ever given me, that I should be called a traitor?” Shen Qing found the accusation laughable.
“If not for my dad, you’d never have gotten into No. 1 High School!”
“You got a daughter for free, sent her to school—isn’t that a bargain?”
“What’s that in your hand? You’re stealing from us! Thief!” Yu Jiaxuan saw the laptop in Shen Qing’s hand and immediately accused her of theft.
Yu Fei’s brows furrowed slightly, but he made no move.
“Such vile thoughts. Your parents must be proud.” Shen Qing’s voice was soft but mocking. Suddenly she strode forward, and before Yu Jiaxuan could react, she grabbed his arm and twisted it.
“Agh!” Yu Jiaxuan howled in pain.

“What are you doing!”
“Shen Qing!”
Qin Lin and Yu Fei rushed forward, but Shen Qing had already released Yu Jiaxuan and stepped back to a safe distance.
“Dad, Mom, I think my arm’s broken,” Yu Jiaxuan wailed.
“Shen Qing, the Yu family has treated you well—how could you be so heartless?” Qin Lin’s eyes were red with anger.
Shen Qing replied indifferently, “It’s only a dislocation. Here’s three hundred thousand.”
With that, she tossed the bank card He Zhong had given her at Yu Fei’s feet.
“Where did you get that much money?” Yu Fei was somewhat stunned.
“You gave that to me, for the Shen family. Now I’m returning it double. From this day on, the Shen and Yu families are finished with each other.”
“You—”
“I’ve already repaid the money. The rest is up to you.”
“You…” Yu Fei glared at Shen Qing, unable to utter another word.
Those were the exact words he’d once said to Shen Fangfei, eleven years ago.
“Get out,” Yu Fei spat through clenched teeth.
Shen Qing didn’t spare them so much as a glance; her lips curled in scorn.
“Mom, my hand hurts so much,” Yu Jiaxuan cried pitifully.
“Jiaxuan, I’ll take you to the hospital right now.”
“Fei,” Qin Lin complained, seeing Yu Fei rooted to the spot.
“Yes.” Yu Fei snapped out of his daze and got into the car with them, a strange emptiness gnawing at his heart.

*

When Xia Mang finished cooking the noodles, Shen Qing arrived home.
“Perfect timing,” Xia Mang said, bringing over a steaming bowl and setting it on the table.
“Lye noodles?” Shen Qing picked up her chopsticks, ready to dig in.
“Wait! Let me add a marinated egg and a few slices of ham.”
“No photo?”
Shen Qing frowned. “Why would I take a picture?”
“To show off my cooking skills, of course!”
“You just boiled some noodles, and with instant seasoning at that.”
“Such a philistine!”

In the end, Shen Qing gave in and took a photo to post on Xia Mang’s feed, captioned: “My sister’s noodles are delicious. Thumbs up!”
“Gross.” Shen Qing snatched the phone back, rolling her eyes.
“You’ve got a message on WeChat. Aren’t you going to reply?” Xia Mang teased, only to receive another withering look.
“I didn’t read it!” Xia Mang hurriedly swallowed a mouthful of noodles, nearly choking.
“But you just posted on Moments; ignoring G’s message would be rude.”
“Xia Mang!”
“Cough, cough…”
Shen Qing put down her chopsticks. Her post had received two likes: one from Zhong Yi, one from G.
She opened her chat.
[G: When are you free?]
[G: Xilou has new dishes. Want to try them?]
Without thinking, Shen Qing replied,
[Shen Qing: Not free.]
“Hey—you had time for a showdown this morning,” Xia Mang piped up from the side.
“Xia! Mang!”
“I’m not looking. I’ll sit over here. Don’t get mad,” Xia Mang said cheerfully, bowl in hand as she moved away.
[G: That busy? School starting?]
[Shen Qing: Yes.]
[G: Alright, little one, study hard.]
A while later, Shen Qing received a sticker: [pat on the head].
On the other side, Gu Ting looked at the chubby rabbit sticker on his screen, the corners of his mouth unconsciously lifting.
Quite cute.
[Gu Shiyi: Boss, Shen Qing will be starting at No. 1 High School in a few days.]
A message suddenly popped up on the screen.
Gu Ting’s finger curved as he swiped it away, his gaze settling on Mo Wuxie.
“Ting, why are you looking at me like that?” Mo Wuxie was baffled—Gu Ting’s sudden smile was making him nervous.
“It’s nothing, just a small matter,” Gu Ting replied with a smile, as gentle as the sun in March.