Chapter 6:

For Shen Qingzhou’s mention of “moving house,” both Lin Qiao and her father were speechless, looking at each other without uttering a word.

Shen Qingzhou obviously had nothing more to say. After finishing his sentence, he turned and walked downstairs without looking back, saying coldly, “Excuse me.”

Lin Qiao gazed at his tall, slender back, feeling so down that she no longer had the desire to see him off. Therefore, Shen Qingzhou eventually left alone.

When he reached the main gate, he glanced back, but saw no sign of anyone coming out from the Lin residence. With a cold expression, he stepped forward, walked past a long street, and got into a white Ferrari Enzo parked by the roadside.

After entering the car, Shen Qingzhou glanced at the rearview mirror again. Not seeing the person he hoped to spot, he decisively started the car and drove back to the hotel.

The eye-catching Ferrari sped away, drawing many curious glances. Those who saw it couldn’t help but comment on it.

Actually, it wasn’t that the people of the capital lacked exposure; it was precisely because they were knowledgeable that they commented. The Ferrari Enzo, a limited edition of only 399 units, was not only expensive, but more importantly, extremely difficult to purchase. To own this car, one must already own at least three Ferraris, be a Ferrari club member, and possess commemorative models like the F40 and F50. It was rarely seen domestically.

No one could quite understand why Shen Qingzhou had parked his car so far from the Lin residence or why he had looked back twice to check if Lin Qiao had come to see him off. The reasons behind his actions were probably known only to himself.

At that moment, Lin Qiao was at home watching her father pack his luggage. A few minutes earlier, her father had told her an astonishing decision that made her admire Shen Qingzhou even more.

Here’s what happened.

Shortly after Shen Qingzhou left, Lin’s father suddenly slapped his thigh and said, “Qiao Qiao, go pack your luggage.”

“Why?” Lin Qiao felt her father’s logic was completely different from hers.

“Do you know which hotel and room Shen Master is staying at?” her father asked.

Lin Qiao was puzzled. “I know, so what?”

Her father decisively declared, “We’ll pack some clothes and move to the room next to Shen Master for a few days. Wait until I sell the house, then ask Shen Master to help us find a good place to move to.”

“…Dad.” Lin Qiao looked at her father in disbelief. “Are you kidding me? You really believe what he said? We’ve been living here fine for five years. How could it be as bad as he described?”

Lin Qiao hadn’t finished speaking when her father interrupted her. “Fine? Where’s the fine part? Since we moved here, your mother passed away, our business has been getting worse, I had an accident last time I went out, and both your health and mine have been poor. Where exactly did Shen Master get it wrong? Even if he was just talking nonsense, I don’t plan to live in this house anymore.”

Lin Qiao massaged her forehead painfully, not knowing what to say. Words seemed so powerless in the face of reality.

“Anyway, I’ve made up my mind. Let’s try it even if it’s a desperate measure. What’s the problem with moving? It’s just selling the house. If it really works, the Lin family can make a comeback.”

Ignoring Lin Qiao’s objections, her father turned to pack his luggage, which led to the scene just now.

Seeing her father finish packing his own things and preparing to pack hers, Lin Qiao had no choice but to reluctantly give in. “I’ll do it myself. You go downstairs and wait for me.”

Her father was delighted. “That’s better. I’ll go settle the maid first. Hurry downstairs. We’ll have dinner with Shen Master tonight to discuss the location selection.”

Lin Qiao knew asking wouldn’t change his decision, but she couldn’t help asking, “Why do we have to go to his hotel? Can’t we go somewhere else?”

Regarding the words “moving house” mentioned by Shen Qingzhou, both members of the Lin family were rendered speechless. They exchanged glances but remained silent.

Shen Qingzhou had clearly said all he intended to say. After speaking, he turned and walked downstairs without looking back, saying, “Farewell.”

Lin Qiao watched his tall, slender figure retreating, her mood so low that she didn’t even feel the desire to see him off. In the end, Shen Qingzhou left on his own.

When he reached the main gate, he glanced back. Seeing no sign of anyone emerging from the Lin residence, his expression remained cold as he strode away. He walked down a long street and got into a white Ferrari Enzo parked by the roadside.

Once inside the car, Shen Qingzhou checked the rearview mirror again. Not seeing the person he had hoped to, he decisively started the engine and drove back to his hotel.

The eye-catching Ferrari sped along, drawing many admiring glances and comments from onlookers.

It wasn’t that people in the capital lacked sophistication—quite the opposite. It was precisely because they were knowledgeable that they felt compelled to remark on it. The Ferrari Enzo, limited to just 399 units, was not only expensive but, more importantly, extremely difficult to acquire. To buy one, a person had to own at least three other Ferraris, be a member of the Ferrari club, and possess commemorative models like the F40 and F50. It was a rare sight in the country.

No one knew why Shen Qingzhou had parked so far from the Lin residence or why he had looked back twice to see if Lin Qiao would come to see him off. The reasons for his actions were likely known only to himself.

Meanwhile, Lin Qiao was at home watching her father pack his luggage. Just a few minutes earlier, her father had revealed a shocking decision that left her in awe of Shen Qingzhou.

Here’s what happened:

Not long after Shen Qingzhou left, Mr. Lin slapped his thigh and declared, “Qiaoqiao, go pack your bags.”

“Why?” Lin Qiao felt that her thought process was completely out of sync with her father’s.

“Do you know which hotel and room Master Shen is staying in?” Mr. Lin asked.

Lin Qiao replied, puzzled, “Yes, why?”

Mr. Lin said decisively, “We’ll pack some simple clothes and move into the room next to Master Shen for a few days. Once I sell the house, we’ll ask Master Shen to help us choose a good place to move.”

“…Dad,” Lin Qiao said, speechless, “are you kidding me? Do you really believe what that guy said? We’ve lived here for five years without any issues. How could it be as bad as he claims…”

Before she could finish, Mr. Lin interrupted, “Good? What’s good about it? Since we moved here, your mother passed away, the family business has been declining, I got into a car accident last time I went out, and both your health and mine have been poor. Was Master Shen wrong about anything? Even if he was just spouting nonsense, I’ve decided not to live in this house anymore.”

Lin Qiao massaged her temples, feeling a headache coming on. She didn’t know what to say—words seemed utterly powerless in the face of reality.

“Anyway, I’ve made up my mind. We might as well try this as a last resort. What’s the harm in moving? It’s just selling the house. If it really works, our family might be able to turn things around.”

Ignoring Lin Qiao’s objections, Mr. Lin turned to pack his luggage, leading to the scene described earlier.

Watching her father finish packing his own bags and move on to hers, Lin Qiao reluctantly gave in. “I’ll do it myself. You wait for me downstairs.”

Mr. Lin said with relief, “That’s more like it. I’ll go dismiss the servants. Hurry up and come down. We’ll have dinner with Master Shen tonight to discuss the relocation.”

Knowing that questioning him wouldn’t change his mind, Lin Qiao still couldn’t help asking, “Why do we have to go to his hotel? Can’t we choose somewhere else?”

“No,” Mr. Lin said matter-of-factly. “I now think feng shui is incredibly mystical. Even a hotel must have its讲究 (particularities). Master Shen is an expert—the place he chooses must be impeccable. Hurry up.”

Standing still, Lin Qiao watched her father’s hurried descent down the stairs, thinking to herself that having someone you dislike constantly around you wasn’t the worst thing. The truly terrifying thing was when they continued to haunt you even in their absence.

Half-forced to pack her bags and head to the Regent Hotel in Wangfujing, Lin Qiao and her father pulled their luggage to the front desk and booked two rooms on either side of Shen Qingzhou’s. This was only possible thanks to Lin Qiao’s earlier “bold” move of following Shen Qingzhou upstairs to invite him to dinner—though the meal never happened, it had at least allowed her to confirm his room number.

After getting their key cards and heading upstairs, Lin Qiao ignored her father all the way to the elevator. But Mr. Lin chattered excitedly, “Master Shen truly is a master! I’ve been studying feng shui books these past few days. Look at the hotel lobby’s dome chandelier and the square flowing fountain—there’s meaning behind that. It’s called ‘heaven is round, earth is square’ and ‘where water flows, a channel is formed.'”

Lin Qiao sat on her suitcase, playing on her phone expressionlessly, and merely uttered a low “Oh.”

Seeing her lack of interest, Mr. Lin wanted to scold her, but since there were others in the elevator, he swallowed his words.

When they reached Shen Qingzhou’s floor, Lin Qiao followed the room numbers to find her and her father’s rooms. As she passed Shen Qingzhou’s door, she unconsciously paused for a moment before continuing to her own room.

Just as she was about to enter, Mr. Lin stopped her. “Wait, don’t go in yet.”

Lin Qiao asked, confused, “Why? I’m tired and want to rest for a bit. It’s still early—it won’t delay dinner with him.”

Mr. Lin said exasperatedly, “You’re clearly not cut out for business. How can you rest first? You can’t even put your luggage away yet.”

“Why??” Lin Qiao was full of questions.

Mr. Lin lectured, “To show our sincerity, you should take your luggage and visit Master Shen. First, it’ll let him know we trust him completely. Second, it’ll show him we came to see him as soon as we arrived, without even unpacking. That will make us seem very earnest and leave a good impression.”

Lin Qiao’s temple throbbed. “Isn’t that deceptive?”

Mr. Lin asked sternly, “Are you going or not? If you don’t, should I be the one to go and humbly beg?”

“…Dad, that’s not what I meant. I know you’re used to being the boss and don’t like asking for favors. I’ll go, I’ll go.”

Having lost her mother five years ago, Lin Qiao had relied on her father ever since. To avoid burdening him, she had taken on many responsibilities and usually obeyed him. This obedience, however, led to a major misunderstanding.

The misunderstanding began with Mr. Lin taking his luggage to his room while Lin Qiao pulled her suitcase to Shen Qingzhou’s door and rang the bell. When Shen Qingzhou opened the door and saw her, he didn’t ask any questions but simply stepped aside to let her in.

Lin Qiao guessed that Shen Qingzhou had seen her through the peephole and wasn’t surprised. But she hadn’t expected him to invite her in—she had been prepared to be turned away.

As Shen Qingzhou seemed about to close the door, Lin Qiao quickly squeezed in with her luggage. She entered the room, placed her suitcase to the side, and followed Shen Qingzhou to the sitting area, where she sat down nervously and said, “Mr. Shen, I’m sorry to disturb you.”

Shen Qingzhou sat opposite her, pouring tea for both of them. Without looking up, he said, “Go on.”

Lin Qiao was taken aback but quickly understood what he meant. “My father has decided to do as you said and move immediately. But before we move, we need to sell the house, or we won’t have enough money. We also hope you can help us choose a new location.”

“And?”

Shen Qingzhou looked up at her, his gaze sweeping over her from head to toe before he calmly looked away and took a sip of tea.

Lin Qiao was a very attractive woman—mature, steady, kind, and exceptionally poised. She wasn’t wearing any makeup today, her black hair straight and natural. Though her appearance was innocent, her peach-blossom eyes gave her a somewhat seductive look when she glanced at someone.

Most notably, she had a deep cleavage.

Unaware of any unusual attention, Lin Qiao awkwardly followed her father’s instructions. “So, we were hoping you could delay your departure from Beijing. Once we sell the house, please help us choose a good place to settle. My father said he’ll increase your fee.”

Shen Qingzhou nodded slightly and pointed at her luggage. “What’s that for?”

Lin Qiao hurriedly explained, “Well, after what you said about our house being so unlucky, my father refuses to stay there any longer. He feels safer being near you, so he told me to pack and move to the hotel. He’s staying in the room to your left, and I’m in the one on the right.”

Shen Qingzhou paused mid-sip, lowered his head in thought for a moment, then looked up and said casually, “Alright.”

Surprised that he had agreed to everything, Lin Qiao felt that, although he could be annoying in some ways, his temperament was quite good—a stark contrast to his unapproachable aura and appearance.

Just as she was about to say something to improve their previously poor impression of each other, the doorbell rang. Shen Qingzhou stood up, said, “Wait a moment,” and went to answer the door. Lin Qiao remained seated, soon hearing a very familiar female voice exclaim loudly, “Qingzhou!”

It was a woman?

Curious, Lin Qiao stood up to see who it was. Then she heard the woman say, “Whose luggage is this? Do you have a woman here?”

Those words made Lin Qiao freeze. Her mind raced, and the most reasonable explanation she could come up with was that this woman was likely Shen Qingzhou’s wife.

Oh no, oh no—this was a situation she couldn’t talk her way out of. As Lin Qiao fretted, she heard Shen Qingzhou say something that made her wish she could die on the spot.

“Yes, there’s a woman here. What about it?”

…Is he joking?

“Let me see who it is!”

The woman’s voice was filled with displeasure. The sound of high heels clicking against the floor grew closer. With nowhere to hide, Lin Qiao could only face her directly.

Upon seeing each other, both were stunned.

“Sister Qiaoqiao?” the newcomer exclaimed in surprise. “Why is it you?”

Lin Qiao stared at the person before her, equally puzzled. “Zhengzheng? Why are you here?”

Wang Zhengzheng looked from Shen Qingzhou to Lin Qiao, her face pale. “What are you two doing?”

Lin Qiao rushed to explain, but Shen Qingzhou stepped in front of her, his voice cold and impatient. “Whoever you are, leave now.”

Lin Qiao: “…”

Wang Zhengzheng: “…”

“Don’t make me repeat myself,” Shen Qingzhou urged mercilessly.

Lin Qiao looked at Wang Zhengzheng and asked, frowning, “You two don’t know each other?”

Wang Zhengzheng’s eyes reddened with anger. “How could that be? We’ve met several times… though we’ve only spoken once.”

“Did you come here for something?”

“…No.”

“Then why are you here? Who told you he was staying here?” Lin Qiao asked, utterly perplexed.

Wang Zhengzheng wiped her tears and said aggrievedly, “My brother-in-law told me. We met when Qingzhou came to our house to check the feng shui. Who would have thought he… he…” She suddenly stopped and looked at Lin Qiao with hostility. “Sister Qiaoqiao, what are you doing here? Is that your luggage? Are you trying to steal him from me? How could you do this to me and my sister?”

Lin Qiao asked, her face ashen, “Do you think I’d be interested in him?”

Wang Zhengzheng said bitterly, “Of course! He’s amazing!”

Lin Qiao raised an eyebrow, about to retort, when two security guards rushed in. Shen Qingzhou, who had remained silent until then, pointed at Wang Zhengzheng and said lightly, “That’s her.”

Then, to Lin Qiao and Wang Zhengzheng’s astonishment, the security guards forcibly escorted Wang Zhengzheng away and closed the door behind them.

Standing there watching her father hastily go downstairs, Lin Qiao could only think: having a person you dislike constantly around you isn’t scary. What’s truly terrifying is that even when they’re not around, they still haunt you.

Half-forced into packing and heading to the Regent Wangfujing Hotel, the Lin father and daughter pulled their suitcases to the front desk and checked into two rooms on either side of Shen Qingzhou’s suite. This was also thanks to Lin Qiao’s previous impulsive “boldness” when she chased after Shen Qingzhou to invite him for dinner, otherwise she wouldn’t have known exactly which floor and room number he was staying at, although in the end, they didn’t end up having dinner.

After getting their room cards and going upstairs, Lin Qiao didn’t speak to her father until they reached the elevator. Her father, however, was excitedly saying, “Shen Master is indeed a master. I specially studied several books on feng shui these days. Look at the round ceiling chandelier and the square fountain in the hotel lobby. That’s called ’round sky and square earth’ and ‘success comes naturally with water flow.'”

Lin Qiao sat on her suitcase expressionlessly playing with her phone, merely giving a low “Oh.”

Seeing her lack of interest, her father wanted to scold her a bit, but since there were others in the elevator, he swallowed his words.

Upon reaching Shen Qingzhou’s floor, Lin Qiao searched for her and her father’s rooms according to the room numbers. When passing Shen Qingzhou’s room, she instinctively paused briefly, then continued forward and stopped in front of her own room.

Seeing Lin Qiao preparing to enter, her father immediately stopped her. “Wait, don’t go in yet.”

“Why? I’m tired and want to rest. It’s still early; it won’t affect our dinner with him tonight,” Lin Qiao asked puzzled.

Her father, frustrated with her lack of business sense, replied, “You’re not suited for business at all. How can you go rest first? You can’t even bring your luggage in.”

“Why??” Lin Qiao was full of question marks.

Her father explained, “To show our sincerity, you should visit Shen Master’s room with your luggage. This shows him that we trust him completely, and also lets him know that we came here and visited him immediately after arriving, without even having time to put down our luggage. This shows great sincerity and leaves a good impression.”

Lin Qiao’s temple throbbed. “But isn’t that deceiving him?”

Her father’s face turned serious and cold as he asked, “Are you going or not? Do you want me to go beg him on my knees?”

“…Dad, that’s not what I meant. I know you’re used to being the boss and don’t want to beg others. I’ll go, I’ll go.”

Lin Qiao had lost her mother five years ago, and since then, she and her father had relied on each other. To ease her father’s burden, she had taken on many responsibilities and always listened to him obediently. This habit directly led to a major misunderstanding.

The misunderstanding began when Lin’s father took his luggage to his room while Lin Qiao pulled hers to Shen Qingzhou’s door and pressed the doorbell. When Shen Qingzhou opened the door and saw it was her, he didn’t ask anything and simply stepped aside to let her in.

Lin Qiao roughly guessed that Shen Qingzhou had seen her through the peephole, which was why he wasn’t surprised to see her. However, she didn’t expect him to invite her in; she had already prepared herself for a cold reception.

As Shen Qingzhou seemed about to close the door, Lin Qiao hurriedly squeezed in with her suitcase. After entering the room, she placed her luggage aside and followed Shen Qingzhou to the seating area, sitting down stiffly. “Mr. Shen, I’m sorry to disturb you.”

Shen Qingzhou sat opposite her and poured a cup of tea for both of them, his eyes lowered as he said, “Speak.”

Lin Qiao was momentarily stunned but quickly understood what he meant. She immediately said, “My father has decided to follow your advice and move immediately. However, we need to sell our house first, or we won’t have enough money. Also, we hope you can help us choose a good location for our new home.”

“So?”

Shen Qingzhou lifted his gaze to look at her, his eyes scanning her from top to bottom before returning to his usual calm demeanor as he sipped his tea.

Lin Qiao was a very attractive girl—mature, steady, kind, and with an extraordinary demeanor. She wasn’t wearing makeup today, her black straight hair flowing naturally, clearly dressed in a simple and pure style. However, paired with her almond-shaped eyes, she seemed to have a slightly seductive way of looking at people.

Moreover, she had a very deep décolletage.

Unaware of anything unusual, Lin Qiao awkwardly followed her father’s instructions. “So, we hope you can delay your departure from Beijing until we sell our house and help us choose a good place to settle down. My father said he would give you extra payment.”

Shen Qingzhou gave a slight nod and pointed at her luggage. “Then what’s this about?”

Lin Qiao quickly replied, “It’s like this. Our house was described by you as so terrible that my father absolutely refuses to stay there anymore. He now feels safer being close to you, so he made me pack my luggage and come to the hotel. He’s staying in the room to your left, and I’m in the one to your right.”

Shen Qingzhou paused mid-sip, lowered his head in thought for a while, then casually said, “Fine.”

Seeing that he had agreed to everything, Lin Qiao felt on one hand that although this person was somewhat annoying in certain aspects, his temperament was actually quite good, which was very different from his usually unapproachable appearance and demeanor.

As she was about to say something to ease the previous bad impression between them, the doorbell rang. Shen Qingzhou stood up and said, “Wait a moment,” before going to open the door. Lin Qiao sat in her seat waiting, soon hearing a very familiar female voice loudly call out, “Qingzhou.”

It was actually a woman?

Lin Qiao felt a bit curious and stood up to see who it was. Immediately after, she heard the female voice ask, “Whose luggage is this? Do you have a woman here?”

This question immediately stopped Lin Qiao in her tracks. Her mind raced, and the most reasonable explanation she could come up with was that this person was likely Shen Qingzhou’s wife.

Oh no, now she was in a mess she couldn’t explain her way out of. As Lin Qiao was feeling distressed, she heard Shen Qingzhou say something that made her wish she could die.

“Yes, there is a woman. What about it?”

…Was this a joke?

“Let me see who it is!”

The female voice sounded very displeased. The sound of high heels approaching grew louder and louder. Lin Qiao stood there with nowhere to hide, eventually meeting the person face to face.

Upon seeing each other, both were momentarily stunned.

“Qiao Qiao?” The person looked at Lin Qiao in surprise. “Why are you here?”

Lin Qiao looked at the person in front of her, puzzled, and asked, “Cheng Cheng? Why are you here?”

Wang Chengcheng looked from Shen Qingzhou to Lin Qiao, her face pale as she asked, “What are you doing here?”

Lin Qiao hurried to explain, but Shen Qingzhou stood in front of her and said in an impatient and cold voice, “No matter who you are, leave now.”

Lin Qiao: “…”

Wang Chengcheng: “…”

“Don’t make me say it again.” Shen Qingzhou urged without any mercy.

Lin Qiao looked at Wang Chengcheng and asked, “You don’t know each other?”

Wang Chengcheng’s eyes were red with anger. “How could that be! We’ve met several times… although we’ve only spoken once.”

“You came to see him for something?”

“…Nothing.”

“Then why are you here? Who told you he was staying here?” Lin Qiao was full of confusion.

Regarding the words “move house” spoken by Shen Qingzhou, both members of the Lin family, father and daughter, were rendered speechless. They exchanged glances but remained silent.

Shen Qingzhou had clearly said all he intended to say. After speaking, he turned and walked downstairs without looking back, saying, “Farewell.”

Lin Qiao watched his tall, straight figure recede, her mood so low that she didn’t even feel the desire to see him off. In the end, Shen Qingzhou left on his own.

When he reached the main gate, he glanced back. Seeing no sign of anyone emerging from the Lin residence, his expression cold, he strode away, turning down a long street and getting into a white Ferrari Enzo parked by the roadside.

Once inside the car, Shen Qingzhou checked the rearview mirror again. Not seeing the person he had hoped for, he decisively started the engine and drove back to his hotel.

The eye-catching Ferrari sped along, drawing many admiring glances and comments from onlookers.

It wasn’t that people in the capital lacked sophistication—on the contrary, it was precisely because they were knowledgeable that they felt compelled to remark on it. The Ferrari Enzo, limited to just 399 units, was not only expensive but, more importantly, extremely difficult to acquire. To buy one, you had to own at least three other Ferraris, be a member of the Ferrari club, and possess commemorative models like the F40 and F50. It was a rare sight in the country.

No one knew why Shen Qingzhou had parked so far from the Lin residence or why he had looked back twice to see if Lin Qiao would come to see him off. The reasons for his actions were likely known only to himself.

Meanwhile, back at home, Lin Qiao was watching her father pack his luggage. Just minutes earlier, her dad had dropped a bombshell decision that left her in awe of Shen Qingzhou.

Here’s what happened:

Not long after Shen Qingzhou left, Mr. Lin slapped his thigh and declared, “Qiaoqiao, go pack your bags.”

“Why?” Lin Qiao felt that her thought process and her father’s were on completely different wavelengths.

“Do you know which hotel and room Master Shen is staying in?” Mr. Lin asked.

Lin Qiao replied, puzzled, “Yes, why?”

Mr. Lin said resolutely, “We’ll pack some simple clothes and move into the room next to Master Shen for a few days. Once I sell the house, we’ll ask him to help us pick a good place to move.”

“…Dad,” Lin Qiao said, looking at her father in disbelief. “Are you kidding me? Do you really believe what that guy said? We’ve lived here for five years without any issues. How could it be as bad as he claims…”

Before she could finish, Mr. Lin interrupted, “Good? What’s good about it? Since we moved here, your mother passed away, the family business has been declining, I got into a car accident last time I went out, and both your health and mine have been poor. Was Master Shen wrong about any of that? Even if he was just talking nonsense, I don’t plan to stay in this house any longer.”

Lin Qiao massaged her temples, feeling a headache coming on. She didn’t know what to say—words felt utterly powerless in the face of reality.

“Anyway, I’ve made up my mind. We’re treating a dead horse as if it were still alive—what’s the harm in moving? It’s just a matter of selling the house. If it actually works, our Lin family might just turn things around.”

Ignoring Lin Qiao’s objections, Mr. Lin turned to pack his bags, leading to the scene just described.

Watching her father finish packing his own luggage and head to her room to pack hers, Lin Qiao reluctantly gave in. “I’ll do it myself. You wait for me downstairs.”

Mr. Lin said approvingly, “That’s more like it. I’ll go dismiss the servants. Hurry up and come down. We’ll have dinner with Master Shen tonight to discuss the relocation.”

Knowing that questioning him wouldn’t change his mind, Lin Qiao still couldn’t help asking, “Why do we have to go to his hotel? Can’t we go somewhere else?”

“No,” Mr. Lin said matter-of-factly. “I now think feng shui is absolutely fascinating. Even a hotel must have its intricacies. Master Shen is an expert—the place he chooses to stay must be impeccable. Hurry up.”

Standing still and watching her father’s hurried descent down the stairs, Lin Qiao had only one thought: It’s not scary when someone you dislike is always around you; what’s truly frightening is when they continue to haunt you even when they’re not there.

Forced to pack her bags and head to the Regent Hotel in Wangfujing, Lin Qiao and her father pulled their luggage to the front desk and booked two rooms, one on either side of Shen Qingzhou’s. This was only possible thanks to Lin Qiao’s earlier “bold” move of following Shen Qingzhou upstairs to invite him to dinner—though the meal never happened, it had at least allowed her to confirm which floor and room he was staying in.

After getting their key cards and heading upstairs, Lin Qiao ignored her father all the way to the elevator. But Mr. Lin chattered excitedly, “Master Shen truly is a master. I’ve been studying a few books on feng shui these past few days. Look at the hotel lobby’s dome chandelier and the square fountain—they’re symbolic. It’s called ‘the sky is round, the earth is square’ and ‘when water flows, a channel is formed.'”

Lin Qiao sat on her suitcase, expressionlessly playing on her phone, and merely uttered a low “Oh.”

Seeing her lack of interest, Mr. Lin wanted to scold her, but with other people in the elevator, he swallowed his words.

When they reached Shen Qingzhou’s floor, Lin Qiao followed the room numbers to find her and her father’s rooms. As she passed Shen Qingzhou’s door, she unconsciously paused for a moment before continuing to her own room.

Just as she was about to enter, Mr. Lin stopped her. “Wait, don’t go in yet.”

Lin Qiao asked, confused, “Why? I’m tired and want to rest for a bit. It’s still early—it won’t interfere with dinner tonight.”

Mr. Lin said, exasperated, “You’re clearly not cut out for business. How can you rest first? You can’t even put your luggage away yet.”

“Why??” Lin Qiao was full of questions.

Mr. Lin lectured, “To show our sincerity, you need to take your luggage and visit Master Shen’s room. First, it’ll let him know we trust him completely. Second, it’ll show him we came to see him as soon as we arrived, without even unpacking. That will make us seem very earnest and leave a good impression.”

Lin Qiao’s temple throbbed. “Isn’t that lying?”

Mr. Lin’s face turned stern. “Are you going or not? If you don’t, should I be the one to go and humbly beg?”

“…Dad, that’s not what I meant. I know you’re used to being the boss and don’t like asking for favors. I’ll go, I’ll go.”

Lin Qiao had lost her mother five years ago. Since then, she and her father had relied on each other. To ease his burdens, she had taken on many responsibilities and usually obeyed him. This obedience, however, led directly to a major misunderstanding.

The misunderstanding began with Mr. Lin taking his luggage to his room while Lin Qiao pulled her suitcase to Shen Qingzhou’s door and rang the bell. When Shen Qingzhou opened the door and saw her, he didn’t ask any questions but simply stepped aside to let her in.

Lin Qiao guessed that Shen Qingzhou had seen her through the peephole and wasn’t surprised to find her there. But she hadn’t expected him to invite her in—she had been prepared to be turned away.

As Shen Qingzhou seemed about to close the door, Lin Qiao quickly squeezed inside with her luggage. She placed her suitcase to the side and followed him to the sitting area, where she sat down awkwardly and said, “Mr. Shen, I’m sorry to disturb you.”

Shen Qingzhou sat opposite her, pouring tea for both of them. Without looking up, he said, “Go on.”

Lin Qiao was taken aback but quickly understood what he meant. “My father has decided to do as you said and move immediately. But before we move, we need to sell the house, otherwise we won’t have enough money. We also hope you can help us choose a new location.”

“And?”

Shen Qingzhou looked up at her, his gaze sweeping over her from head to toe before returning indifferently to his tea.

Lin Qiao was a very attractive woman—mature, steady, kind, and exceptionally poised. Today, she wasn’t wearing any makeup, her black hair straight and natural. Though her style was innocent, her peach-blossom eyes gave her a subtly alluring look when she gazed at someone.

Most notably, she had a deep cleavage.

Unaware of any unusual attention, Lin Qiao awkwardly followed her father’s script. “So, we were hoping you could delay your departure from Beijing. Once we sell the house, please help us pick a good place to settle. My father said he’ll increase your fee.”

Shen Qingzhou nodded slightly and pointed at her luggage. “What’s that for?”

Lin Qiao hurriedly explained, “Well, after what you said about our house, my father refuses to stay there any longer. He feels safer being near you, so he asked me to pack and come stay at the hotel. He’s in the room to your left, and I’m on the right.”

Shen Qingzhou paused mid-sip, lowered his head in thought for a moment, then looked up and said casually, “Fine.”

Surprised that he had agreed to everything, Lin Qiao felt that, although he could be annoying in some ways, his temperament was quite good—a stark contrast to his unapproachable aura and appearance.

She was about to say something to improve their previously strained impression when the doorbell rang. Shen Qingzhou stood up, said, “Wait a moment,” and went to answer the door. Lin Qiao remained seated, soon hearing a very familiar female voice exclaim loudly, “Qingzhou!”

It was a woman?

Curious, Lin Qiao stood up to see who it was. Then she heard the woman say, “Whose luggage is this? Do you have a woman here?”

That statement made Lin Qiao freeze. Her mind raced, and the most reasonable explanation she could come up with was that this woman was likely Shen Qingzhou’s wife.

Oh no, oh no—this is a mess I can’t clean up even if I jump into the Yellow River, Lin Qiao thought desperately. Just then, she heard Shen Qingzhou say something that made her wish she were dead.

“Yes, there’s a woman here. So what?”

…Is he joking?

“Let me see who it is!”

The woman’s voice was filled with displeasure. The sound of high heels clicking against the floor grew closer. With nowhere to hide, Lin Qiao had no choice but to face her.

When they saw each other, both were stunned.

“Sister Qiaoqiao?” the newcomer exclaimed, looking at Lin Qiao in surprise. “Why is it you?”

Lin Qiao stared at the person before her, equally puzzled. “Chengcheng? Why are you here?”

Wang Chengcheng looked from Shen Qingzhou to Lin Qiao, her face pale. “What are you two doing?”

Lin Qiao rushed to explain, but Shen Qingzhou stepped in front of her, his voice impatient and cold. “Whoever you are, leave now.”

Lin Qiao: “…”

Wang Chengcheng: “…”

“Don’t make me say it again,” Shen Qingzhou urged mercilessly.

Lin Qiao looked at Wang Chengcheng and asked, frowning, “You two don’t know each other?”

Wang Chengcheng’s eyes reddened with anger. “How could that be? We’ve met several times… though we’ve only spoken once.”

“Did you come here for something?”

“…No.”

“Then why are you here? Who told you he was staying here?” Lin Qiao asked, utterly perplexed.

Wang Chengcheng wiped her tears and said aggrievedly, “My brother-in-law told me. We met when Qingzhou came to our house to check the feng shui. Who would have thought he… he…” She suddenly stopped, looking at Lin Qiao with hostility. “Sister Qiaoqiao, what are you doing here? Is that your luggage? Are you trying to steal him from me? How could you do this to me and my sister?”

Lin Qiao asked, her face ashen, “Do you really think I’d be interested in him?”

Wang Chengcheng said bitterly, “Of course! He’s wonderful!”

Lin Qiao raised an eyebrow, about to retort, when two security guards rushed in. Shen Qingzhou, who had been silent until then, pointed at Wang Chengcheng and said lightly, “That one.”

Then, to the astonishment of both Lin Qiao and Wang Chengcheng, the security guards forcibly escorted Wang Chengcheng out and closed the door behind them.

Lin Qiao’s face turned ashen as she asked, “Do you really think I could be interested in him?”

Wang Chengcheng angrily replied, “Of course! He’s so great!”

Lin Qiao raised her eyebrows, about to say something, when two security guards rushed in from outside. Shen Qingzhou, who had remained silent until now, pointed at Wang Chengcheng indifferently and said, “There.”

Then, under the astonished gazes of Lin Qiao and Wang Chengcheng, the security guards forcibly took Wang Chengcheng away and closed the door behind them.