Chapter Fifty-One: Have They Shown Any Indication?

"Wait a moment," Huangpu Shenqing paused mid-step.

"What is it?" Shangguan Renran asked him.

"I brought some things with me," Huangpu Shenqing replied, opening the trunk to reveal an abundance of bags and gift boxes, packed to the brim.

"Why did you buy so much?" she exclaimed. There must be dozens of items here.

"It's my first time visiting your home. Don't you think I should leave a good impression?" Huangpu Shenqing took out all the items from the car, filling a good portion of the ground, and then opened the back door.

"There's more?" Shangguan Renran was astonished.

Huangpu Shenqing took out another dozen or so bags. "It's nothing, just some tea leaves."

"This... this is really too much," she muttered—had he emptied a shopping mall? She stepped forward to help.

They carried a few of the gift boxes themselves while the rest were brought in by others.

The gift bags and boxes filled the living room, much to the satisfaction of Ye Xi and Madam Zhang, who secretly approved—he was polite and well-mannered.

"You've truly gone to great lengths, bringing so many things on just one visit," Ye Xi said with a smile, glancing over the packaging, all from prestigious brands both domestic and international.

Moreover, buying so much in one go showed generosity and good character—no wonder he could steer the Huangpu Group to global prominence.

"You are too kind, Auntie. This is simply what the younger generation ought to do," Huangpu Shenqing replied with humility, his tone neither too cold nor too warm, just right.

Ye Xi invited him to sit. Shangguan Xing, Ye Xi, and Shangguan Renran sat across from him.

"I heard you saved our Renran? We're truly indebted to you. If not for you, our Renran might have..." Ye Xi began.

"Auntie, you overstate. Renran and I are friends," Huangpu Shenqing replied.

"How did you and our Renran come to know each other?" Shangguan Xing asked, fixing his gaze on Huangpu Shenqing.

"I heard the one who hit her was Huangpu Qingyin. Did they make any gesture of apology?"

"Shangguan Xing," Ye Xi nudged him with her elbow.

"Father," Shangguan Renran tugged at his sleeve.

"They made no gesture," Huangpu Shenqing answered calmly. "I simply returned the favor in kind. Please rest assured, Uncle—they are who they are, and I am myself, Huangpu Shenqing."

"This..." Shangguan Xing was stunned. Did he mean he sent someone to hit Huangpu Qingyin as well?

"Enough, Shangguan Xing, come with me to the kitchen. Let the young ones have a proper chat," Ye Xi said, grabbing his hand and pulling him away.

Once her parents had gone, Shangguan Renran turned to Huangpu Shenqing. "What did you mean just now? Did you... did you hit her too?"

"Anyone who bullies you will be repaid in kind," Huangpu Shenqing replied, stepping closer and gently touching the small wound on her forehead.

"I'm already fine. What about you, in the Huangpu family?"

"Don't worry, I have nothing to do with them," he said, ruffling her hair.

"Oh," she replied—why did he have to touch her hair? It was all messy now.

That evening, Ye Xi prepared a lavish meal of more than a dozen dishes to welcome Huangpu Shenqing. To her surprise, he was quite skilled in the kitchen and helped her a great deal.

In contrast, Shangguan Xing was useless—even washing vegetables proved too much for him.

Now, Ye Xi looked at Huangpu Shenqing as a mother-in-law would regard a son-in-law—the more she looked, the more pleased she became.

After the meal, she asked Shangguan Renran to see him out.

Ye Xi herself stayed in the living room, taking the opportunity to lecture Shangguan Xing in her own way.

"Renran," Huangpu Shenqing paused, drawing a gift box from his coat.

"Yes?"

"This is for you," he said, handing her a black box.

Shangguan Renran opened it. Inside was a blue gemstone bracelet, simple and smooth, each tiny blue diamond strung together with care.

In the darkness, it emitted a faint blue glow—exquisite and beautiful.

He had spotted it in a mall and chosen it at first sight.

"Your eyes are blue, aren't they? You like blue, don't you?" Huangpu Shenqing asked gently, his eyes twinkling as if filled with stars.

"How did you know?" Shangguan Renran looked up in confusion, holding the box, her gaze meeting his.

Her eyes were indeed blue, a fact known only to her family—neither Mu Ya nor Wanqing knew.

"I simply thought blue suited you," Huangpu Shenqing replied, not addressing her question directly. Blue, like her, was pure and untainted, just as she had been in childhood—her eyes full of innocence and hope.

"Mm," Shangguan Renran replied softly, closing the box.

Huangpu Shenqing wrapped her in his arms, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Go back inside, Renran," he said.

Shangguan Renran wasn't sure why, but she wandered back inside in a daze.

It was only when she saw her parents inside that she remembered—she was supposed to see him out.

Huangpu Shenqing, watching her absentmindedly return inside, smiled to himself and turned to leave.

—Huangpu Family Estate—

Jun Ruohan slammed her cup to the floor in fury—someone had eliminated half of her operatives in the shadows.

She didn’t need to guess who was responsible. She should have deployed more people when he went abroad, made sure he never returned alive.

He was truly lucky, escaping again and again, and now she had lost half her people.

—A phone rang.

Jun Ruohan answered. "Hello, Ruoshen? What is it?"

"Great Aunt, what’s going on between you all and the eldest Young Master Huangpu? Why has he issued a statement refusing to cooperate with the Jun and Bai families? Isn’t this forcing our Jun family into a dead end? My grandfather told me to call and ask what’s happening. If this keeps up, partners will pull out, our stocks will crash, our valuation will plummet—how are we supposed to sell anything?"

Jun Ruoshen was her brother’s grandson—the family company had been handed over to him.

"What did you say? Huangpu Shenqing would do this to the Jun family?"

Well, so he was done pretending—the gloves were off and it was a fight to the death now.

"Great Aunt, please come back soon. Grandfather and Father are waiting for you."

Meanwhile, in the back courtyard, Bai Ting received news from the Bai family.

"Mom, what's wrong with me these days?" Huangpu Qing'an was complaining nearby. "And what is that bastard thinking? He drove Dad out of the company and changed its name to Lianran? What is he up to? And—"

"Shut up!" Bai Ting shouted in anger. She had been accompanying Huangpu Qingyin in the hospital these past days, worn out with worry.

Huangpu Qingyin had been struck by a flowerpot outside, then ran into hospital equipment while walking, and just last night had been inexplicably beaten up. Now, with old wounds not yet healed, he’d acquired new ones as well.