11 Chapter 011: Tearing Up a Comic Book

Xu Chaomu didn't dare to move, knowing well that if she really went over, she would be flayed and drawn!

"You, you promise... Oh, let go!"

Xu Chaomu hadn't finished speaking when her collar was forcefully grasped by someone, and then, Shen Chi lifted her in front of himself with one hand!

"Murder! Murder!" Xu Chaomu wailed like a ghost in agony.

"Shut up!" Shen Chi threw her onto the sofa.

If it weren't for the fact that she was sick, he would've directly thrown her out of the room.

Xu Chaomu obediently said no more, her big eyes brimming with tears, innocently looking at Shen Chi as if she wasn't the one who had done something wrong.

"Tell me, where did these books come from?" Shen Chi demanded.

"Picked up from the trash heap!" Xu Chaomu lied without the slightest blush or skip of her heartbeat.

"From today on, you go pick from the trash heap. If you don't find ten books, don't come back for meals!" Shen Chi said coldly.

Xu Chaomu was both crying and laughing; she surely couldn't say she had cleverly taken them from Xiaopang at the orphanage...

"I was wrong, I know I was wrong..." Xu Chaomu started to "wipe her tears" again.

Shen Chi had long stopped falling for that act, and he snorted coldly, "If you dare look at these kinds of books again, I'll break your dog legs!"

Xu Chaomu felt a chill down her legs. It was rather extreme; after all, she didn't even understand what was drawn on them, she was just having fun...

Could it be... there were unspeakable secrets in the comic books?

"If you hit me, I'll accuse you of abusing a minor." Xu Chaomu grumbled.

"What did you say?" Shen Chi frowned.

"I said my brother is handsome and dashing, loved by everyone." Xu Chaomu squeezed out a smile.

"Hmph." Shen Chi glanced at her disdainfully.

"So... seeing as I'm very sincere, could you please give me back the books?" Xu Chaomu tried to butter up Shen Chi.

Shen Chi picked up a comic book and glanced at it, raising his hand as if to tear it.

"Hey! Don't tear it! I haven't finished reading it yet! Give the book back to me!"

Xu Chaomu was quick to act, pouncing onto Shen Chi and trying to take the comic book.

Shen Chi pushed her away with one hand, while tightly holding the comic book with the other. This girl was getting more audacious!

Little did he know Xu Chaomu was going all out for the sake of the comic book; she straddled him and used her hands and feet to try and snatch it. She remembered that on the book, whenever the female protagonist straddled the male protagonist, twisting about, he would beg for mercy!

Hum, she also wanted Shen Chi to beg for mercy!

Unexpectedly, Shen Chi's face darkened frighteningly.

Xu Chaomu miscalculated; not only did Shen Chi not beg for mercy, but he also pushed her to the ground.

How could Xu Chaomu be a match for Shen Chi? She sat on the ground, her bottom aching from the fall.

Then, the comic book was torn to shreds like falling snowflakes.

Shen Chi coldly warned her, "Xu Chaomu, if I catch you again, get out of the Shen Family!"

He straightened his shirt and walked out of the room.

Xu Chaomu looked painfully at the comic book, but what hurt her even more was why the "woman-on-top" position, touted as very powerful in the comic book, didn't work for her!

Definitely because she hadn't mastered it properly! Yes, that must be it.

However, as a cunning young girl, she always had to keep a trick up her sleeve.

Xu Chaomu triumphantly went to search under the bed and, with some effort, dug out her treasured comic books. Good thing she had them; she'd have to be more careful reading in the future.

It was only a pity for that one book, torn by Shen Chi, she hadn't seen the ending yet!

After Shen Chi left Xu Chaomu's room, he was called over by his mother. Zhou Ran was sitting at the window, gazing at the scenery, indicating that Lawyer Fang must have left.

"Achi, I have something to tell you." Zhou Ran slightly moved her lips.

It was the depths of winter, and a faint mist appeared at the window. There was no particular scenery to behold outside, just loneliness.

Zhou Ran had her hair bunned up, wearing a deep blue satin dress, her eyes revealing an unfathomable serenity. She seemed like a woman from an oil painting, sitting quietly by the window, composed.

As she spoke, she adjusted the beige shawl on her shoulders, soft movements of her jade earrings, each smile and frown becoming part of the landscape.

Shen Chi approached and stood before Zhou Ran.

"Is it about Father?" Shen Chi asked.

"Yes." Zhou Ran's lips twitched slightly, "He no longer wishes to live with me."

"And you? What are your thoughts?"

"I don't like forcing others. All these years, it has been just me maintaining this marriage, and I'm tired." Zhou Ran sighed, "Since he wants a divorce, then let's divorce. Your sister and you are grown up."

"My sister and I don't want you to be unhappy; I respect your choice."

Throughout the years, Shen Chi had indeed not seen much affection between his father and mother. Moreover, he had long known that his father had another woman outside, a woman named Liu Rumei, who even bore his father two children older than him.

"It's good that you understand; I have arranged everything."

"So my sister and I can only follow Father?" Shen Chi inquired.

"Yes." Zhou Ran said nonchalantly, "Shen Group must be yours in the future."

"I've always wanted to know, why did you bring Xu Chaomu home? You seem to recognize her?"

"You'll know eventually." Zhou Ran's face showed traces of weariness.

"Then will you take Xu Chaomu with you?"

"No, I won't take her with me. I'll leave her at Shen's!" Zhou Ran's expression showed a flicker of emotion when she said this.

"That's for the best."

"Achi, you don't need to be too kind to her. To call her 'Miss Xu' is to elevate her, she's nothing in my eyes!" Zhou Ran's eyes revealed agitation.

"Do you hate her?" Shen Chi furrowed his brows.

"Hate her?" Zhou Ran let out a bitter smile, "How can I hate her? She's just a child. I don't even hate her mother; how could I hate her..."

Her eyes veiled with a thin layer of mist, but her face remained calm.

Shen Chi didn't understand what his mother was saying; he just listened.

"The court hearing is the day after tomorrow; Achi, you don't need to worry about anything. This is between me and Shen Cexian," Zhou Ran said.

"Mom, where will you go then?" Shen Chi felt a pang of sorrow.

"I'll stay at the Zhou Family for a while. They have properties, and I will help manage them." Zhou Ran was calm as if all of this was just a long journey.

Shen Chi didn't say more, and Zhou Ran didn't continue either. The fog outside the window thickened, making the glass increasingly obscure.

Meanwhile, Xu Chaomu was in her room, engrossed in her comic books, this time she was clever enough to lock the door, feeling triumphant that she could finally read comics openly.

By evening, whether due to the effectiveness of the medicine or the magical healing power of the comics, her fever had subsided.

Though still weak, she had regained her appetite at least.

These comics were really good, each one better than the last!

When dinnertime came, Zhou Ran didn't have much of an appetite and went to rest early. Shen Cexian also did not return today.

In the vast Shen Family villa, the silence felt particularly empty, devoid of much vitality.

Shen Chi sat alone at a table full of dishes, his appetite far from robust.