Hidden Intentions
1118 Words
"Good evening, Miss Su."
Shen Chen greeted her with a polite smile.
Yet, deep in his mind, a trace of doubt surfaced.
This second daughter of the Su family—
Her reaction upon seeing him was far too abnormal.
Compared to his past life, she seemed... different.
Su Mingshuo, seeing the interaction unfold, finally felt at ease.
"Shen Xian-nephew, you’re all of the same age. You should spend more time together."
Hearing this, the other noble ladies exchanged displeased glances.
So the rumors weren’t true, after all—
The so-called aloof and reserved Su Mengning was just pretending.
After all, who in their right mind wouldn’t seize this chance?
Su Qingying's Rising Jealousy
Su Qingying’s chest tightened.
Her forced smile remained, but inside—
She was fuming.
Her ever-so-distant little sister, who had never even looked at a man twice—
Now, she kept sneaking glances at Shen Chen.
That alone was enough to make Su Qingying's blood boil.
"She’s making a move on him?"
"On him?! On Shen Chen?!"
"Absolutely not!"
Her mind raced.
She had to keep an eye on Su Mengning.
A Chance for Connection
With introductions over, the guests settled into the banquet.
The central focus was naturally Shen Chen and Su Mingshuo, conversing over fine wine.
And Su Mengning—
Guided by Su Mingshuo’s lead, she found herself in effortless conversation with Shen Chen.
Especially when the topic of painting was brought up.
"Hahaha! Shen Xian-nephew, my daughter has quite the talent for art. She even studied under Master Qin in Yan City for three months!"
"Oh?"
Shen Chen feigned mild curiosity, turning toward Su Mengning.
"I took traditional painting as an elective at Imperial University. If you've learned from Master Qin, your skills must be impressive."
Su Mengning lowered her gaze slightly, almost shy at the praise.
"Shen Shao, I specialize in ink painting… But I’ve only managed to capture a mere fraction of Master Qin’s style."
"With Master Qin’s skill, even a fraction is enough to be considered a rare talent."
Su Qingying, watching from the side, bit her lip.
She wanted to interject, to break their exchange—
But she didn't dare.
Because she knew—
Her father was deliberately guiding this interaction.
This was about Shen Chen’s goodwill.
That old bastard!
Always, always, always favoring Su Mengning first!
Ever since their mother’s death, he had stopped hiding his bias.
A Seed of Suspicion
Su Qingying forced herself to calm down.
But something still felt off.
She knew Su Mengning better than anyone.
Even if every girl in the empire fell for Shen Chen’s power and prestige—
Su Mengning should have been the exception.
She had never cared about her suitors before.
Why, then—
Why was she suddenly so friendly, even… intimate with Shen Chen?
Unless—
A shocking thought struck Su Qingying like lightning.
"She... fell in love at first sight?!"
The Flower Lantern Festival
The conversation shifted, moving toward lighter topics.
A middle-aged man suddenly laughed, sharing a lighthearted anecdote—
"Hahaha, let me tell you—my useless son tried to prepare for Jiangcheng’s Flower Lantern Festival by importing lanterns from Yan City…"
"Ended up getting scammed out of 1.2 million empire credits!"
Laughter erupted across the table.
A sum that could feed a hundred families for a lifetime was nothing but a joke to them.
Not a single person found it inappropriate.
But then—
A voice cut through the laughter.
"Flower Lantern Festival?"
The room fell silent.
Shen Chen had spoken.
The nobles were momentarily stunned.
No one had expected him to show interest.
Su Xiao, ever eager to please, immediately jumped in.
"Shen Shao, the Flower Lantern Festival is a cherished event in Jiangcheng!"
"Every year, thousands gather by the river to light floating lanterns, making wishes upon the water..."
Su Mingshuo took a careful look at Su Xiao before turning to Shen Chen.
"In two days, it will begin. If you’re interested, Shen Xian-nephew, you should see it for yourself."
All eyes focused on Shen Chen, waiting.
After a moment of quiet contemplation, Shen Chen smiled faintly.
"Sounds interesting."
The moment those words left his lips—
A wave of excitement rippled through the younger crowd.
This was an opportunity—
A rare chance to be near him in an informal setting.
Many of the noble ladies, even those who previously scoffed at the festival, were already plotting ways to attend.
Even if they had never cared for it before, suddenly—
It had become the most important event of the year.
Su Mingshuo took a sip of his wine, his gaze sharpening.
This was… unexpected.
Shen Chen—
The heir raised under the most brutal political environment in the empire—
Was interested in a mere folk festival?
Something was wrong.
Shen Chen’s visit to the Su family was not without purpose.
Su Mingshuo had already considered every possibility.
The most likely scenario was that Shen Fei, Shen Chen’s father, wanted to secure Su Mingshuo’s support—
To form a powerful alliance within the empire’s political stage.
And if that were the case, then Su Mingshuo was prepared.
He was ready to negotiate, to make bold decisions—
Because once he chose a side, there would be no turning back.
But now—
Shen Chen was in no rush.
He wasn’t trying to strike a deal.
Instead, he spoke of sightseeing, painting, and lantern festivals.
"Is he… truly here to admire Jiangcheng?"
Compared to the thriving Imperial Capital, Jiangcheng was nothing but a provincial backwater.
And yet, Shen Chen was treating it like… something more.
Even Su Mingshuo, a seasoned strategist, could not decipher his true intent.
But one thing was certain—
Something ominous loomed on the horizon.
Not just for Jiangcheng.
Not just for the Su family.
But for the entire empire.
The thought lingered for only a moment.
Then, Su Mingshuo forced a smile, lifting his glass.
But just as he did—
His eyes flickered toward his daughter.
And what he saw made him pause.
Across the table, Su Mengning and Shen Chen—
Were leaning slightly closer, engaged in hushed conversation.
Her soft laughter, her flushed ears—
Shen Chen’s attentive gaze, his poised but undeniably warm expression—
To anyone watching—
It seemed almost… intimate.
Su Mingshuo’s fingers tightened around his cup.
A sudden, unsettling thought crept into his mind.
"This… could be dangerous."
- Writer
