Hearing Song Wenzhao's voice, Shu Yu's body stiffened, but she was quickly steadied by Si Yiheng's hand on her lower back.
Shu Yu froze too, then quickly moved from Si Yiheng's lap to sit properly on the sofa.
Shu Yu pressed her lips together, guilt written all over her face. "Big Brother."
Si Yiheng lifted his thin eyelids. "Big Brother."
Song Wenzhao's brows carried a chill. "Si Yiheng, do you know what you're doing?"
Thinking back now, everything Si Yiheng had said before was nothing but probing—he might as well have held up a sign saying he wanted to be his brother-in-law.
Si Yiheng stood in front of Shu Yu, his tone calm. "I know."
Song Wenzhao was practically fuming. "You and Baby Yu grew up together. How could you have such thoughts?"
"Have you no shame?"
Shu Yu whispered, "Big Brother."
Song Wenzhao then looked at Shu Yu, who was sitting quietly and staring at him, and the harsh words died in his throat.
"Little Treasure, go upstairs to sleep." Song Wenzhao suppressed his raging anger.
Shu Yu tugged at the hem of Si Yiheng's shirt, saying nothing.
Song Wenzhao: "..."
Si Yiheng ruffled Shu Yu's hair. "Go upstairs and sleep first. I'll come find you in a bit."
Shu Yu shook her head. "No."
Shu Yu: "I accepted your feelings. It's not like you're the only one at fault."
"If we have a problem, we solve it together."
Song Wenzhao didn't know whether he should be angry or relieved.
Angry—that Si Yiheng had no shame, seducing his innocent little sister.
Relieved—that Shu Yu had her own convictions. She neither obeyed him blindly nor left just because Si Yiheng told her to.
Baby Yu really did have a sense of responsibility.
Song Wenzhao sat down with a cold face. "Fine. Tell me, when did this start?"
Si Yiheng: "Unofficially, it was the day Baby Yu finished her college entrance exams."
"Officially, it was yesterday."
Song Wenzhao: "..."
Song Wenzhao was suspicious. "So before that, you two weren't seeing each other?"
Shu Yu spoke obediently. "No, we weren't. It was just online—Si Yiheng studied with me."
Song Wenzhao: "..."
What could he even say to that?
Song Wenzhao turned his fire on Si Yiheng. "For the first twenty years of your life, you treated Baby Yu like a sister. What are you saying now? Do you actually love her, or is this just irresponsible seduction?"
Si Yiheng spoke seriously. "Big Brother."
"Before, I only saw Baby Yu as a sister. Now, it's love."
Si Yiheng himself couldn't pinpoint when this kind of love had begun. Just the sight of Shu Yu filled him with joy.
Seeing her little habits, he found them endearing.
Thinking that Shu Yu might be thinking of him too, he'd lose sleep over it.
He always wanted to see her, always wanted to be close to her.
When he couldn't see her, he felt a void. When he feared she might not feel the same, he was restless with anxiety.
But when she smiled at him, it was like the suffocated version of himself came back to life.
Long before he'd realized it, his feelings for Shu Yu had already changed.
He couldn't leave her.
Si Yiheng spoke solemnly. "I want to take care of and cherish Baby Yu for the rest of her life."
"You know my parents can't control me. I'm willing to marry into your family."
"I'll give everything I own to build a future for us."
"The company shares, my liquid assets, my real estate—all of it can be transferred to Baby Yu's name."
Si Yiheng spoke every word with sincerity. He knew he could win Shu Yu over with emotion.
But when facing Song Wenzhao and the Song family, he should offer tangible benefits to guarantee Shu Yu's happiness for the rest of her life.
He knew his feelings wouldn't change.
But Shu Yu—and her family—had every right to question him.
Song Wenzhao was left speechless again.
In any case, if someone asked him to hand over the entire Song family fortune for a relationship, he'd ask: what kind of romance costs this much?
He couldn't relate to lovesick fools.
Love? Not even dogs should touch it.
But he could definitely raise the cost of Si Yiheng ever hurting Shu Yu.
Feelings, love—they're nothing but smoke.
Only interests, money, and status last forever.
"Here's the deal: give half to Baby Yu now, and the other half when you get married." Song Wenzhao stared at Si Yiheng.
Si Yiheng: "Deal."
Shu Yu's eyelashes fluttered slightly. If he gave her everything, she could always give some back to him.
Song Wenzhao knew Shu Yu all too well. The moment she blinked, he spoke up.
"You're not allowed to secretly give it back to Si Yiheng. If you do, you two are done."
"Once you're married, it's shared property. As long as Si Yiheng is worthy of your love, he'll have everything."
"If he's not worthy, he'll have nothing."
Shu Yu blinked slowly. "Oh."
Song Wenzhao's mood improved a little. A live-in son-in-law like Si Yiheng was still better than some unknown outsider.
At least he knew Si Yiheng's background.
Song Wenzhao shot a glance at Si Yiheng. A kept husband, huh. Tsk.
Harboring ill intentions.
A wolf in sheep's clothing.
He must have been out of his mind to have ever trusted Si Yiheng.
Shu Yu looked at Song Wenzhao with hopeful eyes. "Big Brother, what about Mom and Dad?"
Song Wenzhao: "..."
Song Wenzhao: "I'll go brainwash our unlucky dad."
As for Mom—Mom was rational. If Si Yiheng couldn't pass her test, then he deserved to lose his chance.
Shu Yu hugged Song Wenzhao. "Thank you, Big Brother. You're the best."
Song Wenzhao felt a pang of reluctance again. His sister—how had she been seduced so easily by Si Yiheng?
Si Yiheng also said, "Thank you, Big Brother."
Song Wenzhao: "..."
Still so infuriating.
The anger stuck in his throat, impossible to swallow or spit out.
He was about to die from irritation.
Seeing the two of them stealing glances at each other again, Song Wenzhao: "..."
Song Wenzhao put on a stern face. "Si Yiheng, you'd better watch yourself. No more dragging Baby Yu into things like this."
As he spoke, his voice grew quieter, and even his neck flushed red.
Si Yiheng was shameless!
Si Yiheng: "Mm."
Shu Yu hugged Song Wenzhao's arm again. "Big Brother, why did you suddenly come back today? Weren't you supposed to head back to City B?"
Song Wenzhao's expression softened. "Before I left, a business partner stopped me to show me a project."
"I took a look—it seemed decent, so I stayed to evaluate it."
Shu Yu praised him. "The projects Big Brother picks must have great potential. Your judgment has always been sharp."
Song Wenzhao's gaze settled on Shu Yu. "Little Treasure, do you want to try taking on this project? It's a game proposal."
"You could handle the game's art direction."
That way, Shu Yu could come to City B and stay with him.
And he wouldn't have to worry about Si Yiheng luring her away again.
Shu Yu rested her cheek on her hand. "I don't have any experience, though. It mainly depends on the game's story—if I really love it, I'll study hard."
Song Wenzhao: "Tomorrow I'll have the person in charge come explain the proposal to you."
Shu Yu didn't refuse. "Okay, then should I head upstairs to sleep now?"
Song Wenzhao: "Mm."
The moment Shu Yu left, Si Yiheng wanted to head upstairs too—but he caught Song Wenzhao's gaze.
Si Yiheng sat back down.
Song Wenzhao: "You're the one in charge of the Si family now? You can just hand it all to Baby Yu?"
Si Yiheng: "Yes."
Song Wenzhao stared at Si Yiheng for another few minutes. Since taking over the Si family business, Si Yiheng's methods had always been aggressive.
If Si Yiheng lacked ability, that aggression would have backfired on him long ago.
Song Wenzhao: "Have you been that aggressive all along just to win Baby Yu over?"
Si Yiheng's tone was calm. "No, the aggressive approach was my own decision."
"Regardless of how much I have, I would give it all to Baby Yu."
Song Wenzhao: "Mm."
"You leave as well."
Si Yiheng had just gone upstairs and was about to turn the corner when he was suddenly embraced.
"Goodnight, Si Yiheng."
After giving Si Yiheng a hug and saying goodnight, Shu Yu turned to head back to her room.
However, before she could leave, Si Yiheng wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her into an embrace from behind.
The crisp, clean scent of Si Yiheng completely enveloped Shu Yu in his arms, making her heart pound violently.
Si Yiheng lowered his voice and whispered softly in Shu Yu's ear, "Goodnight, Little Treasure."
Just this one embrace.
Si Yiheng could barely hold himself back—he truly didn't want to let Shu Yu go even a little.
How could his Little Treasure be this adorable?
So soft.
He wished time would speed up, and Shu Yu would grow up a little more.
A faint flush spread across Shu Yu's pale, snow-white neck. "Brother, I need to go back now."
Si Yiheng: "Mm."
Si Yiheng said "Mm," but still leaned in dependently, nuzzling against Shu Yu's neck. "Good girl, goodnight."
