Shen Yuqing noticed that Uncle Pei had fallen into deep thought but paid him no mind, turning instead to Pei Yiyan to ask, “How’s your leg holding up?”
Pei Yiyan tried to pull his wrist free from Shen Yuqing’s grasp, but no sooner had he succeeded than Shen Yuqing took hold of it again. In a hushed, ambiguous tone, Shen Yuqing murmured, “Your uncle is watching.”
Then he asked once more, “Is your leg alright? Not too tired?”
“Not tired,” Pei Yiyan replied.
His recent exercise routine at home had been far more strenuous than this leisurely stroll, so he barely felt anything.
Relieved to hear that, Shen Yuqing, though eager to help Pei Yiyan regain some dignity, still prioritized his physical condition.
But seeing him like this put Shen Yuqing at ease. His gaze lingered on Pei Yiyan’s face, his complexion was indeed much better than when Shen Yuqing had first arrived.
A strange sense of satisfaction washed over Shen Yuqing, akin to the pride of raising a child and seeing them thrive.
But Pei Yiyan was no child.
The thought made Shen Yuqing’s eyes crinkle with amusement.
Uncle Pei caught that smile.
Yet inwardly, he couldn’t help but wonder. Everyone had long believed Shen Yuqing disliked Pei Yiyan even rumors of him abusing the alpha had reached their ears years ago.
When the engagement was arranged, they assumed Pei Yiyan would suffer in the Shen household and simply let it be. The servant who tended to Pei Yiyan during his previous visits had even reported numerous injuries on his body.
Injuries sustained in the Shen household; the culprit was obvious.
An alpha, even a crippled one, wouldn’t die from a few beatings. The Pei family turned a blind eye, prioritizing deeper collaboration with the Shen Corporation over defending Pei Yiyan.
But today, things seemed different.
The two walked closely together, and Pei Yiyan no longer carried that brooding aura. Instead, traces of his former brilliance as the family’s prodigy were resurfacing.
Moreover, Shen Yuqing didn’t seem cruel at all that smile just now had been breathtaking.
For a beta, he looked more like an omega.
Pei Yiyan caught a whiff of a familiar scent, laced with curiosity and desire.
No need to guess it was Uncle Pei’s.
That desire wasn’t directed at him, but at Shen Yuqing.
The realization turned Pei Yiyan’s stomach, filling him with disgust.
Shen Yuqing was, after all, his betrothed and his junior.
Though Pei Yiyan disliked Shen Yuqing, he loathed Uncle Pei even more a man who could go into heat at any moment.
But Shen Yuqing remained oblivious, unable to smell it.
Yet he had eyes.
Noticing Pei Yiyan’s sudden shift in mood, Shen Yuqing asked, “What’s wrong?”
Pei Yiyan snapped out of it. “Nothing,” he replied.
Their exchange didn’t escape Uncle Pei’s ears. He glanced at Pei Yiyan.
This nephew of his truly had something.
He’d inherited all the best traits of his parents. Even in such a wretched state, his face still shone with brilliance an existence worthy of envy.
After walking a while longer, Shen Yuqing suddenly remarked, “These flowers are lovely.”
Uncle Pei introduced, “If you like them, I’ll have the servants pick a bouquet for you later. You can take it home and put it in a vase, it’ll last for several days.”
Shen Yuqing lightly patted Pei Yiyan’s arm. “Wait here for me.”
Pei Yiyan obediently stood still.
Shen Yuqing released him and walked straight into the flowerbed. Uncle Pei let out an “ah” as he watched Shen Yuqing crouch down, using the ground lights to examine the flowers.
Uncle Pei approached Pei Yiyan and remarked, “Yuqing seems quite fond of you.”
Pei Yiyan replied indifferently, “Hmm.”
Dissatisfied with the single-word response, Uncle Pei frowned. “Yiyan, is this how your father taught you to treat your elders?”
Pei Yiyan chose silence, completely ignoring him.
Uncle Pei’s brows furrowed deeper. “Pei Yiyan, don’t think just because Shen Yuqing is nice to you now means he likes you. He can fancy you today and someone else tomorrow. Once the novelty wears off, a cripple like you will be discarded as easily as trash. Relying on him now won’t get you anything.”
“No need for your concern, Uncle,” Pei Yiyan said coolly. “What I want, I take for myself. I don’t rely on anyone.”
Uncle Pei scoffed, dismissing his words entirely.
Soon, Shen Yuqing returned, holding the most vibrant flower he had picked. Smiling, he walked up to Pei Yiyan and tucked the flower into his hand. “This one’s the prettiest I saw, perfect for you,” he said before positioning himself between Pei Yiyan and Uncle Pei. “What were you two talking about?”
Uncle Pei forced a smile. “Nothing much, just casual conversation. Let’s go.”
Shen Yuqing nodded and continued toward the dining hall.
What should have been a ten-minute walk stretched to nearly an hour due to Shen Yuqing’s frequent stops. By the end, Uncle Pei’s smile was barely holding up.
In contrast, Pei Yiyan seemed entirely at ease. Such leisurely, thought-free strolls were rare for him. Unbeknownst to himself, his wariness toward Shen Yuqing had eased somewhat after their recent interactions.
Upon arriving at the Pei family’s dining hall, Shen Yuqing feigned surprise. “Oh my, there are so many people here!”
The room was packed with at least a dozen family members, any smaller space would have felt cramped. Yet here, it still felt spacious.
He couldn’t help but ask his system, Just how wealthy is the Pei family? This is ridiculously extravagant. The dining hall’s decor rivaled that of a five-star hotel.
The system replied, The Pei family previously ranked among the top ten in Silino.
The Shen family is also top ten, but our home isn’t decorated like this, Shen Yuqing mused, clicking his tongue.
The Shen family prefers understatement. Besides, they own an estate too just not on Silino, but another planet, the system explained.
Well, that was a pleasant surprise. Shen Yuqing made a mental note to visit someday. If the Pei residence was this lavish, the Shen estate must be even grander.
At the head of the table stood the eldest Pei uncle. After a glance at Uncle Pei, he beamed at Shen Yuqing. “Yuqing, since it’s your first visit, we wanted to show our sincerity. You must be tired, please take a seat. Dinner will be served shortly.”
Instead of sitting immediately, Shen Yuqing turned to Pei Yiyan. “Where do you usually sit?”
Before Pei Yiyan could speak, Uncle Pei said, “You two sit beside me. Come over quickly.”
He smiled and waved at Shen Yuqing. Shen patted Pei Yiyan’s arm, prompting him to say, “Let’s go sit over there.”
Shen replied cheerfully, “Sure, we’ll sit next to Uncle then.”
He appeared completely obedient.
This naturally drew everyone’s attention to Pei Yiyan.
As they walked over to the large round table where everyone had to raise their voices or have servants relay conversations, Shen Yuqing asked after sitting down, “Yiyan, where do you usually sit?”
An Omega sitting nearby answered, “Since Yiyan can’t see, we usually set up a small separate table for him to eat comfortably.”
Shen maintained a gentle smile while calculating inwardly.
What they called a “small table” was essentially excluding Pei Yiyan from the main table.
Any normal alpha would have flipped the table and left in protest.
Yet Pei Yiyan had endured it all.
It was heartbreaking to imagine all the overt and covert hardships he must have suffered over these years.
