After Eldest Brother Shen left, only Shen Que remained in the study.
He leaned back in his chair, his elder brother's words echoing repeatedly in his ears.
It was true. All these years, Cheng Yu, though arrogant and overbearing, had never treated his brothers poorly; in fact, he could be considered quite loyal.
And this time, he, Shen Que, was truly in the wrong.
If Su Qianqian liked him, he would accept the blame even for a mistake.
But she didn't like him.
His feelings would only anger Chengyu, destroy their brotherly bond, drag down the Shen Family, and serve no purpose whatsoever.
Fatigue and regret washed over him like a tide.
He rubbed his aching temples, took a deep breath, and decided he would go see Chengyu tomorrow to apologize humbly and do his best to make amends.
For the sake of the Shen Family, and for the brotherhood that might still be salvageable.
The study door was gently pushed open. Shen Nian'an peeked in, her face etched with urgency.
"Brother? I heard the news. What on earth happened? Why did the Gu family suddenly..."
Her words trailed off when she saw her brother's haggard appearance, replaced by pure concern.
Shen Nian'an hurried inside. "Brother! How could you..."
Shen Que looked up at her. Too weary to put on a facade, he simply told her the truth, outlining the general course of events, including his feelings for Su Qianqian and Gu Chengyu's retaliation.
After listening, Shen Nian'an's pretty face flushed crimson with anger. Her voice rose, filled with fury. "That Su Qianqian again?"
"She's nothing but trouble! A lone girl with no standing, how is she worthy of making you like this, Brother? Worthy of making Chengyu go crazy for her? She..."
"Nian'an," Shen Que interrupted her, lifting his gaze to meet hers.
The seriousness in his eyes stunned her, cutting off her tirade. She looked at him, somewhat at a loss.
Shen Que's voice was not loud, but each word was deliberate and earnest:
"My feelings for Su Qianqian are genuine."
Shen Nian'an's eyes widened as if she couldn't comprehend it.
Shen Que continued, his tone calm yet resolute:
"If possible, I wish to marry her."
This statement struck like thunder, leaving Shen Nian'an rooted to the spot, unable to react for a long time.
Seeing the earnestness on her brother's face, she began to understand.
His 'liking' and her 'liking' were not the same.
After all, compared to Gu Chengyu, she preferred the position of the Young Madam of the Gu family.
She remembered her father's humble, subservient demeanor and her mother's unwavering focus, which was solely on her father.
It took a good while for Shen Nian'an to digest this news. Her expression was complex, and she finally lowered her head slowly, her voice somewhat strained:
"Brother, I understand."
"I will respect her greatly."
Seeing his sister like this, a wave of guilt surged in Shen Que's heart.
He said softly, "I'm sorry, Nian'an. Because of my impulsiveness, your long-standing goal, the position of Young Madam of the Gu family, is probably..."
"It's alright!" Shen Nian'an suddenly lifted her head, interrupting him. "Brother, it's alright!"
She walked up to Shen Que, looked at him, her eyes slightly reddening:
"Brother, do you know? I've been working very hard lately to please Madam Gu, and I finally won her favor."
"Marrying into the Gu family has always been my goal."
"But..."
She took a deep breath. Tears finally spilled over despite her efforts, but she stubbornly refused to wipe them away:
"But all that effort, that goal... it's not important at all compared to you, Brother."
She looked at Shen Que, tears rolling down continuously. "Brother, not being able to marry into the Gu family is really okay."
"But Brother, you mustn't apologize to me. Never."
In her heart, her brother would always come first.
Seeing his sister's reddened eyes and tears, Shen Que understood the words she left unspoken.
He nodded heavily, his voice hoarse. "Brother understands. Brother won't say it anymore."
