Ch. 10 – Embrace

Shen Yu wanted to ask Tang Li how he knew the meaning of the word “molest”.

But on second thought, that’s not the main point.

“And now?” Shen Yu asked, “What happened to that girl?”

Tang Li lifted his lips and saw that Shen Yu did not hesitate to believe his words. The nerves that had been tense, gradually relaxed. He dropped his head to the ground and said in a hoarse voice, “After I caused trouble, her parents came to take her away. She knew why I did that to Yuan Yunping, but when those people asked her, she refused to say anything.”

Tang Li narrated the whole story in a very smooth tone, and Shen Yu listened with a gullible heart.

In fact, since Shen Yu read the novel as a reader, he knew that the villain had been raised by his cruel relatives since childhood.

Later, it became the trigger for his obsession with the female lead and the total destruction of his enemies.

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The beautiful and kind-hearted female lead could not accept that the villain would get revenge against her guardian for hurting her. After slandering the villain with words, she also asked the male lead to help her get rid of the villain’s obsession with her. So, the villain who was already had a jealous nature, did not bother turning back from the abyss of blackening.

But Shen Yu didn’t think that the reason behind the villain’s future actions would be that the he had experienced such a thing in his past.

Shen Yu didn’t know why the villain in the novel never explained this to the female lead, instead letting her misunderstand him.

If Tang Li had not personally explained this past event to him now, he would have thought that Shen Yu had attacked Yuan Yunping in a moment of rage. Now he finally knew that Tang Li was fighting against Yuan Yunping’s atrocities.

Shen Yu was very upset.

Although Tang Li didn’t say anything, he still felt Tang Li’s grievance.

He wanted to comfort Tang Li, saying that the girl was only nine years old and didn’t know any better, and that she would choose to protect herself subconsciously in the case of extreme fear.

However, before he could speak, he swallowed his words when he remembered that Tang Li himself was only a ten-year-old child.

He knows the meaning of the word “molest”. He also knows how to use violence to intentionally make trouble so that the girl’s parents would come and pick her up.

Why did the nine-year-old girl not know how to be grateful?

Shen Yu took a deep breath and suddenly pulled Tang Li into his arms. He put his chin against Tang Li’s head, rubbed Tang Li’s hair and whispered, “That’s all in the past. You’re part of our Shen family now. No one will ever dare to bully you again.”

Tang Li suddenly fell into Shen Yu’s arms. In an instant, his whole body froze as if someone pressed the pause button.

It seems like the whole world sat still.

No one knows, but Tang Li’s parents were strict with him when they were alive. They never held him or praised him, and never allowed him to act spoiled. Ever since he could remember, he has only known a world filled with countless lessons and tutors, as well as bamboo sticks that would fall if he did not finish his homework.

Then his parents died, and his relatives treated him like a rat crossing the street, only complaining and scolding.

He would resist and fight back violently, but his efforts were only met with more brutal beatings and relatives that wanted to dispose of him.

In fact, this is the first time that he has been embraced since he was born. Nevertheless, he was currently being embraced by a person who has no blood relationship with him and who was only recently a complete stranger.

Tang Li’s nose started to sting.

The huge and lofty iceberg in his heart seems to have a corner silently melting.

Shen Yu’s embrace is warm…

It’s very fragrant.

It’s the fragrance of bath gel.

When Shen Yu let go of the little villain in his arms, he saw Tang Li’s moist reddish eyes, and uncomfortable expression.

Shen Yu could not help but to lift his lips and laugh, but still, he did not have the heart to call out Tang Li, who was pretending nothing had happened. He only patted him on the shoulder and said, “Come on, it’s time for dinner.”

————————

Time flies.

Early October

It will be National Day in a flash.

Every morning, Tang Li’s training commenced in an orderly way. Shen Yu would watch Tang Li’s training with his own eyes before returning to his study to start his work.

Uncle Zhang’s work was also done efficiently. He consulted with the principal of a private, high-class school and got Tang Li into Class A of Grade Four as a transfer student.

Of course, the only reason why the principal so readily promised to admit Tang Li was that Shen Yu not only stuffed a lot of money into the principal’s pocket, but was also willing to donate two libraries and a dormitory building.

At the time this was negotiated, the principal’s smile blossomed, sending Uncle Zhang out of the school respectfully.

In order to compensate for Tang Li leaving school for more than a year, Shen Yu specially ordered Uncle Zhang to invite some tutors to come teach Tang Li.

Morning training, afternoon tutoring, and in the evening, homework that was left by the tutor – the little villain had a very full day. Naturally, there was no time and energy for him to continue being Shen Yu’s little follower.

Shen Yu was relaxed and devoted himself to preparations for the court hearing.

On the other side, when Tang Li’s relatives received the court summons, they panicked like ants in a hot pot [1]. They came to Shen Yu in droves. After being refused by Uncle Zhang, they moved their tents and other picnic appliances to stay outside the villa area and squatted. They even posted tragic statements on the Internet.

Shen Yu ignored all those people’s dying struggles and instead, handed them all over to Uncle Zhang and Kang Lin.

Less than two hours later, the group of people who were reluctant to leave the villa area were driven away by police and security forces. Even the online posts and microblog topics denouncing Shen Yu completely disappeared.

The day of the court hearing was also the day of Tang Li’s entrance to school.

Shen Yu personally took Tang Li to the school gate. Before the car stopped, he looked through the window and saw a middle-aged man with a warm smile and several men and women waiting on the roadside.

After seeing Uncle Zhang, who was in the driver’s seat, get out of the car, the middle-aged man rushed forward with the teachers following behind him. His eyes were filled with joy. Looking at Shen Yu was like looking at a huge money-throwing tree.

“Hello, Mr. Shen.” The middle-aged man stretched out his hand and laughed, scrunching up the folds near his eyes. “It’s my lifelong honor to have heard Mr. Shen’s name before, but I didn’t expect to personally have a few words with Mr. Shen today.”

Shen Yu sat in a wheelchair, out of habit he painted on his official smile, raised his hand and shook the principal’s hand: “Hello.”

“My surname is Li, the principal of Shenghua [2] International School.” Principal Li quickly introduced himself.

“Principal Li.” Shen Yu touched the soft black hair of the little villain and said, “From now on, we ask that you take care of our family’s child.”

“Of course.” Principal Li clapped his chest and assured him, “Mr. Shen, our school’s teaching resources and educational level are first-class in the whole country, we will never let you down.”

Shen Yu nodded and said, “Our Chestnut is young, bad-tempered and impulsive. If he makes mistakes carelessly, we also ask Principal Li to directly call Uncle Zhang. I am willing to close the door and teach him myself, however I don’t want him to be falsely wronged.”

“…” Principal Li grinned stiffly.

Shen Yu spoke the words so clearly that if he hadn’t understood them, he would not be able to sit in the principal’s position.

At this point, Principal Li couldn’t suppress his surprise and looked down at the little boy, who was standing next to Shen Yu without saying a word.

This child is the Tang family orphan who set off a storm in the upper circle a few days ago, right?

No one had ever thought that an orphan who seemed to be ordinary and full of cruelty would be looked favorably upon by Shen Yu, who was someone above all others, and really be raised as his own son.

It’s a natural choice.

God wants him to shine, so nobody can stop him.

He really didn’t know what Shen Yu was thinking. Although his fiancée ran away with another man and his legs are disabled, the world was still full of women who are desperately trying to give birth to his child. Why does he want to raise an orphan?

Principal Li secretly shakes his head and admires Tang Li’s good fortune.

“I understand, I understand.” Principal Li’s bowed his head several times [3] and repeatedly assured him, “We will do our best to ensure his campus life. If there are any problems, we will contact Mr. Zhang immediately.”

“Then we will inconvenience you.” Shen Yu said.

In fact, he is not very worried about Tang Li’s campus life, but afraid that after he decides to change the main line of the plot without authorization, the villain will meet the male and female lead of this novel in advance. Even if he is in a good position now, he still can’t mess with the protagonists of this world.

Shen Yu was a little nervous. After handing Tang Li over to Principal Li and the others, he urged Uncle Zhang to monitor Tang Li. It would be better if he could get a list of all of Tang Li’s friends.

“…” Uncle Zhang looked at Shen Yu’s figure and was silent for a long time. He sighed, “All right, sir.”

After returning to the car, Shen Yu and Uncle Zhang were ready to leave for court.

Shen Yu turned his head to see Tang Li still standing in place, looking at him. Although Tang Li was surrounded by Principal Li and several teachers, Shen Yu could still feel a strong sense of loneliness from the little villain.

Ah…

It’s too hard to be a parent.

Less than a minute apart, I have inexplicably begun to miss you.

Shen Yu, this single father, has not yet experienced the feelings of marriage and childbirth, so for the first time, he had the taste of being a parent.

It really is bittersweet. [4]

He waved to Tang Li.

The expressionless Tang Li was overjoyed in an instant and ran like a little puppy called by its owner.

Tang Li was not very tall. His head just reached the height of the car window. So, he stood on tiptoe and put his two small hands on the big open window. Only a pair of round eyes stared at Shen Yu.

Shen Yu couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing.

He could have never imagined that the enchanting Phoenix eyes could be so round.

“I’m going to do some work. When you finish school this afternoon, I’ll come pick you up, OK?” Shen Yu moved closer to the window; his peach blossom eyes became curved crescent moons as gentle laughter continued to spill over.

Tang Li stood motionless in front of the window and looked a little pitiful. If he was really a puppy, then in this moment he would have had two furry ears hanging down on his head.

After all, Shen Yu had personally raised this child for more than half a month already, so he was reluctant to part with the little villain.

Shen Yu thought about how Tang Li was about to enter a new setting by himself. Faced with the new campus environment, he might be excluded by his classmates who had already formed their own groups by this point. He felt his heart twist. After thinking about it, Shen Yu took out his own mobile phone, input Tang Li’s fingerprints as the passcode, and then handed it to Tang Li.

“If you feel scared, call me.” Shen Yu said, “Just dial Uncle Zhang’s number. I can get your call from there.”

Tang Li’s eyes shimmered slightly. The hands lying on the window loosened, and he took the mobile phone carefully.

Shen Yu laughed and said, “Go on, the principal and teachers are still waiting for you.”

Tang Li took another long look at Shen Yu, turned around and ran away.

[1] 热锅上的蚂蚁, “ants in a hot pot”. Meaning people who are panicked and scattered.

Ants in a pot [2] 盛华 [shèng huá], meaning “greatly flourishing”.

[3] The original analogy used is 小鸡啄米似的点着脑袋, which basically means “a chicken pecking at rice”. So someone who is bowing their head quickly and repeatedly.

[4] Originally 糖中找玻璃渣, which means, basically, “to find glass shards that are mixed with sugar.”