Shen Tang knew a little about Qi Shan.
When he called her "Young Master Shen," there was a hint of affection and teasing in it, which meant he was in a good mood. When he called her "Shen Youli," it meant he was being serious and wouldn't tolerate jokes—though on rare occasions, it was because Shen Tang had teased him into a fit of rage, making him lose all composure.
Of the two forms of address, Shen Tang preferred the first.
Every time she heard "Youli," it felt like being called out by her homeroom teacher for daydreaming in class. This time, the "Youli" was veering straight into horror-movie territory—the shock it gave Shen Tang was no less than hearing Pan Jinlian say, "Eldest Brother, it's time to take your medicine."
"Eldest Brother... No, Yuan Liang, I—I'm just about to go to bed..." Shen Tang gave him an awkward, foolish smile while secretly trying to erase the image of Qi Bu Shan as Pan Jinlian from her mind.
It was way too haunting!
Qi Shan acted as if he hadn't heard her. He strolled closer and asked with a smile, "The night is long. Is something weighing on your mind, Youli?"
His eyes practically spelled out, "Something's weighing on your mind."
Shen Tang: "..."
A thousand words were caught in her throat.
Fine. If you said something was weighing on my mind, then something was weighing on my mind.
"Why not tell me about it? Perhaps I can help you find some clarity, Youli." Qi Shan struck the pose of a caring big brother next door.
Shen Tang: "..."
It was over. Qi Jinlian's "soul-soothing advice" was already being held up to Shen Dailang's lips. She could neither drink it nor refuse it.
She lowered her head and fell silent,