I... Want to Leave Here

Shen Heng took out his phone, then suddenly pulled it back. "If you really want to pursue Xixi, let me ask her what she thinks first," he said seriously. "If she's okay with it, I'll give it to you."

Ye Mingchen saw his point and raised his glass to Shen Heng. "I didn't expect you to be such a responsible big brother, caring so much about your fake little sister. You never mentioned her back in Harbor City, so I thought you didn't like her."

"That's right. I really didn't like her before." Shen Heng picked up his glass and clinked it against Ye Mingchen's. "But not liking her and hoping she has a good life aren't mutually exclusive," he said thoughtfully.

The three chatted for a while longer before Shen Heng's phone rang. The clothes he had bought earlier had arrived.

Shen Heng got up to fetch the clothes and returned to the previous room. As he pushed the door open and heard the water running in the bathroom, a strange, awkward feeling crept into his heart.

He steadied himself, hung the shopping bag on the door handle, and knocked. "The clothes are hanging on the door," he called. "Call me when you're done washing. I'll wait for you outside."

The water stopped, and a familiar voice came from the bathroom. "Okay, got it. Thank you, big brother."

Shen Heng said nothing more. He immediately turned and went out, closing the door behind him.

Standing in the hallway, he recalled the thought that had suddenly popped into his head. It was absurd and... disgusting.

Two hours later, Chu Tianqing was almost done washing. She turned off the shower and began drying her hair.

If she had been at home, she could have washed for another two hours.

But she was out, and her good big brother was waiting for her. Chu Tianqing felt too embarrassed to keep washing.

After quickly drying her body and hair, Chu Tianqing tidied up the floor a little and threw the trash into the bin.

Then she slowly opened the bathroom door. After making sure no one was outside, she quickly brought in the clothes hanging there.

Judging by the bag, the clothes were from another designer brand. Chu Tianqing wasn't surprised.

What did surprise her was that the clothes were quite normal this time, not some bizarre outfit.

A white dress and a khaki trench coat.

Chu Tianqing had barely been happy for two seconds when she suddenly realized her good big brother hadn't bought her any underwear.

She had to consider a serious question: would it be more embarrassing to ask her good big brother to buy underwear, or to go commando?

In the end, she decided to go commando. It was cold now anyway, and she could wear two layers. As long as she pretended nothing was wrong, no one else would be able to tell.

After changing into the clean clothes, Chu Tianqing wrapped her dirty clothes and shoes in a shower cap and put them in the shopping bag. She picked up her good big brother's suit jacket and slowly walked out of the bathroom.

Standing in the bathroom doorway, she looked around and found herself in a tastefully decorated suite.

No way. Chu Tianqing frowned as she searched her memories. In Shen Xixi's memories, this club didn't offer accommodations. How could it have a suite?

Forget it. Now isn't the time to think about that. Chu Tianqing took out her phone and called her good big brother.

Her phone had been spared because it was in her pants pocket, shielded by her coat. It hadn't suffered any damage.

Shen Heng picked up immediately and told her to wait. Less than a minute later, he pushed open the door, carrying a box.

"The shoes have arrived too. Put them on." Seeing that her hands were full, Shen Heng opened the box, took out the shoes, and set them at her feet.

Chu Tianqing felt unsafe in the dress and jumped back two steps. Then, feeling that she had overreacted, she gave Shen Heng an ingratiating smile.

Shen Heng stood up and said bluntly, his face expressionless, "If you don't want to smile, don't. Would I really hold something like that against you?"

Chu Tianqing immediately let her smile drop and lowered her head to put on the shoes.

They were a simple pair of white sneakers, and they were comfortable. Chu Tianqing looked up, genuinely happy this time. "Thanks, big brother. These shoes aren't too big or too small. They fit perfectly."

Shen Heng grunted in acknowledgment and opened the door. "Let's go. I'll take you back first."

With that, he walked out ahead of her, and Chu Tianqing hurried after him.

He walked extremely fast. Watching his back, Chu Tianqing noticed that her good big brother wasn't in a very good mood.

That was only natural. Anyone would be annoyed at having to clean up a mess like this.

Chu Tianqing lowered her eyes and obediently followed him into the elevator and down to the underground parking garage, where a driver had already been waiting for a long time.

The two got into the car, still in silence.

Chu Tianqing placed the shopping bag at her feet and her good big brother's suit jacket on her lap. She began silently rehearsing how to tell him she would return the jacket after having it cleaned.

After going over her words again and again, Chu Tianqing slowly shifted her eyes to steal a glance at her good big brother's expression, hoping to find a chance to speak.

But when she glanced over, she found him leaning back in his seat with a weary expression, his eyes closed as though he had fallen asleep.

Gradually, Chu Tianqing's stolen glances turned into a surreptitious gaze. Neon lights swept across her good big brother's face, scene after scene like frames from a movie.

Chu Tianqing couldn't help complaining to herself, Why does a supporting character have to look so perfect? Any old face would do. His biggest role is to send his fake little sister to prison anyway.

She recalled the details from the original text and inadvertently lost herself in thought, failing to notice Shen Heng open his eyes.

When Chu Tianqing came back to her senses, she met Shen Heng's gaze head-on. Her heart gave a frightened jolt.

"B-Big brother," Chu Tianqing said in a panic, searching for something to say. "There's something I've never understood. I used to come to the Deercall Club all the time, so how come I never heard that it offered accommodations? I'm even a lifetime member."

Shen Heng watched her quietly for a few seconds before answering calmly, "You had no need for it, so naturally you didn't know they offered accommodations. The manager wouldn't bring it up lightly either."

Chu Tianqing pondered that for a moment, then suddenly understood. Didn't he mean that the accommodations were only open to men?

Why? Did that even need asking? Heh. Sure enough, men, especially rich men, are all cut from the same cloth.

Chu Tianqing wore an indescribable expression. She had even used a bath towel from that place. Now she felt unclean.

Seeing the exceptionally colorful changes in her expression, Shen Heng couldn't help chuckling. "All right, stop letting your imagination run wild. I have something serious to discuss with you."

Chu Tianqing composed her expression and sat up straight, ready to wash out her ears and listen.

Shen Heng also sat up straight and looked her in the eyes. "What happened tonight made me realize something. Rather than keeping a low profile all the time, it would be better for the Shen family to hold a banquet and formally introduce you and Bufan to the public. We can explain then that you're our adopted daughter and that everything will remain as it was. That way, people won't easily come looking for trouble with you."

Chu Tianqing froze. She hadn't expected Shen Heng to bring up the banquet himself.

But she had PTSD when it came to banquets, and she didn't want to become the Shen family's adopted daughter.

"Big brother, there's something I haven't told you." Chu Tianqing lowered her eyes and spoke softly. "I already booked a ticket for tomorrow morning. I... want to leave here."