Sheng Yan was so anxious about how to please Feng Qing that he was in no mood for work. He even wished he wasn't the current chairman of Fengxing. He was already annoyed, and having to deal with work on top of it was just adding fuel to the fire.
He didn't feel this annoyed when he temporarily took over his elder brother's work before.
Thinking of Sheng Sibai, Sheng Yan subconsciously glanced at the calendar. His elder brother's birthday was coming up soon.
He had been so anxious recently that he almost forgot about it.
He paused for a moment and dialed a phone number. "Send the watch we chose before to Sheng Mansion."
That watch was one he had fancied for a long time and had to pre - order for ages before it was in stock. He had just had someone pick it up, and now he was sending it out before he even got to wear it himself.
Alas, he wished he could have remembered his elder brother's birthday a bit later!
Sheng Yan was still wondering where he could find another watch that would satisfy him so much when his phone suddenly rang.
"Elder brother?"
Sheng Yan hadn't called him for a long time, and he was curious about this sudden call.
"Why are you so surprised? Am I disturbing you?"
"No, I just didn't expect you to call. The birthday gift for you this year is a watch I've had my eye on for a long time. You'd better take good care of it."
Sheng Sibai chuckled on the other end. "You've been giving me watches for every birthday since we were kids. Do you want me to wear two watches on one hand one day?"
Sheng Yan joked with him too. "No need to be so exaggerated. One on each hand will do."
"Stop joking around. I'm calling you about my birthday party. Could you bring Feng Qing along?"
After all these years and all that had happened, Sheng Sibai had long regarded Feng Qing as his sister - in - law. This time, he wanted Sheng Yan to bring Feng Qing to the party, hoping to introduce the second young mistress of the Sheng family to people from all walks of life.
On one hand, since Sheng Yan was taken, he wouldn't be pestered by the children of some celebrities anymore, and he could avoid those unnecessary social events and troubles.
On the other hand, it was also a way to tie Fengxing and Shengshi together. This public introduction was to let everyone know that Fengxing and Shengshi were united. Even those who looked down on Fengxing would have to give Shengshi some face.
Sheng Sibai had good intentions, but Sheng Yan hesitated. Feng Qing had just asked him to cut off relations with his father. Now, how could he tell her that they were going to his elder brother's birthday party?
"Elder brother, I..."
As soon as Sheng Sibai heard his hesitation, he knew something was wrong. "You've quarreled with Feng Qing again."
"Not really a quarrel, but she does seem a bit unhappy."
Sheng Sibai sighed. "Why on earth do you do this? You finally got the person back. Can't you just spoil her instead of making her unhappy?"
"This has little to do with me. She wants me to completely break away from the Sheng family and not even admit the father - son relationship with Dad. It's her issue with Dad, not mine."
Sheng Sibai was silent for a long time. After a while, he started to speak again. "I'll talk to Feng Qing."
He didn't expect Feng Qing to make such a request of Sheng Yan. But somehow, he seemed to understand. It was just that how to handle this matter really depended on Sheng Yan's actions, and he couldn't interfere.
The call he made to Feng Qing was answered a long time later, but he still greeted her without any sign of impatience.
Feng Qing recognized his voice but didn't show much reaction. She just asked him what he wanted.
"Next Wednesday is my birthday. I'd like to hold a party at home. I wonder if Miss Feng would do me the honor of coming?"
Feng Qing: "If I refuse your invitation after you've been so straightforward, it would make me seem rather unreasonable, wouldn't it?"
"If Miss Feng has other things to attend to, I would certainly understand."
"Don't worry. I'm not as busy as your younger brother. As long as he goes, I'll go too."
Hearing this, Sheng Sibai felt relieved. "I've already talked to Sheng Yan about this, and he promised to come."
Feng Qing raised her eyebrows after hearing what Sheng Sibai said. Finally, she just calmly replied, "Then see you next week."
Feng Qing put down her phone and stared blankly at the empty space on the table.
Was it really that hard for him to choose between her and the Sheng family?
Fortunately, she didn't have a huge grudge against Sheng Sibai. It wouldn't be a big deal to just attend a birthday party.
So when Sheng Yan came to ask her to go choose dresses with him, she readily agreed.
During the time when she and Sheng Yan were separated to calm down, she seemed to understand that one didn't always have to be so extreme.
For example, although she wanted Sheng Yan to break off relations with the Sheng family, when Sheng Yan promised Sheng Sibai to go back and celebrate his birthday, she would still go with him to choose dresses. She had shown all her 'wronged' side, in return for Sheng Yan's guilt and his increasingly firm determination.
It seemed worth it.
When Sheng Yan accompanied Feng Qing to choose dresses, he was extremely careful. He didn't even dare to breathe loudly, for fear that he might accidentally make her unhappy and she would just storm off.
"Look at your own stuff. Why do you keep hovering around me?" Feng Qing walked around and couldn't help complaining when she saw Sheng Yan always following her.
Men's and women's clothing sections were in different places. Staring at her like this, he couldn't pick out anything. They would just waste time waiting for him later.
But Sheng Yan waved his hand and said obsequiously, "It's okay. I'll just match my clothes with yours later. I'll be there to set you off."
Feng Qing didn't say anything else and just let him be.
After choosing the dresses and on their way home, Sheng Yan drove the car but kept looking back at Feng Qing.
Feng Qing got impatient with his staring and frowned. "What are you doing?"
"I want to apologize to you. I promised you before that I would stay away from the Sheng family, but now I'm asking you to go back with me to attend my elder brother's birthday party."
Just as Feng Qing was about to say something, Sheng Yan spoke again. "But don't worry. I'll announce at this party that I'm quitting the Sheng family from now on and have nothing to do with them." Feng Qing raised her eyebrows and gave him a sidelong glance. "Is that what you think?"
After getting a definite nod from Sheng Yan, Feng Qing leaned her head to the other side and looked out of the window. "Sheng Sibai probably doesn't think so."
"What do you mean?"
"He insisted that you bring me along and persuaded me separately. He definitely wants me to show up at the Sheng family. I mean nothing to the Sheng family now, so my appearance doesn't really matter. But Sheng Sibai clearly thinks otherwise. At this party, he will definitely announce the alliance between Shengshi and Fengxing while everyone is there."
It wasn't hard to figure out Sheng Sibai's motives. It was just a matter of whether one was willing to think deeply about it.
It seemed that it was impossible for her to get Sheng Yan to completely stay away from the Sheng family. More likely, Sheng Sibai would directly hand over Shengshi to Sheng Yan.
Blood is thicker than water for the two brothers. It doesn't really matter to outsiders who takes over Shengshi. It's just tough on her.
She would never be able to get away from the Sheng family.
"Then..." Sheng Yan carefully watched her expression. "Shall we still go?"
"Of course."