Mr. Pei! Don't force yourself into circles you can't fit into.

Shen Jicheng was still worried about the Shen family.

He had always been indifferent to the family business; his elder brothers had never allowed him to get involved in it since he was a child, and he was happy to keep to himself. But now he was caught up in it and could no longer stand idly by.

That afternoon, he had intended to go to Song Yiyang to inquire about the family situation. He knew that his two older brothers always reported good news and never bad; even if something really happened at the company, they wouldn't tell him a word. He could only ask indirectly to see if he could help in any way.

He just didn't expect that on his way to the agreed meeting place, he would run into an unexpected person.

Shen Yu'an.

The boy that the older brother had once sponsored was now standing by the fountain in the mall's atrium, wearing a light-colored hoodie, quietly looking down at his phone. He looked much the same as before, still with that clean and well-behaved appearance, only a little taller, and some of the childishness had faded from his eyes.

Shen Jicheng paused slightly.

Shen Yu'an also saw him. A hint of surprise flashed in his clean, pure eyes, but he quickly returned to normal. He didn't stop or greet him; he simply lowered his eyes and brushed past Shen Jicheng as if he had never seen him before.

Shen Jicheng wasn't surprised. With so many people around, his family must have already told him to avoid suspicion. He didn't look back, but simply turned a corner, went into a nearby clothing store, grabbed a piece of clothing, and went into the fitting room.

The door closed, and the world fell silent. A short while later, there was a gentle knock on the door, followed by a crack being pushed open from the outside.

Shen Yu'an slipped in, a faint smile finally appearing on her face. Her voice was low, filled with the joy of reunion, "Brother Cheng."

Seeing his expression, Shen Jicheng couldn't help but smile as well. He pulled Shen Yu'an to sit down on the small sofa in the dressing room and got straight to the point.

"Xiao Yu'an, you've come at the right time. I was just about to ask about the current situation at home."

Shen Yu'an has always been obedient, perhaps due to his childhood experiences, which instilled in him a keen eye for detail and a willingness to answer any question. He sat there, his hands neatly placed on his knees.

"Brother Cheng, your eldest brother is very worried about you. He hopes you can come home soon. He said the Pei family is dangerous, and if you can leave, you should leave as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this again, Shen Jicheng couldn't help but raise his hand to interrupt him.

"I understand the situation. Don't worry, brother. What I want to know now is whether the Shen family's businesses are in any trouble?"

His question was direct, and Shen Yu'an was taken aback, hesitating to speak.

Shen Jicheng felt a sinking feeling in his heart as he looked at his hesitant expression.

"Shen Yu'an,"

Shen Jicheng's tone was unusually serious. "Tell me the truth, has something happened at home?"

The more he thought about it, the more restless he became. He jumped up and was about to leave.

"No, I have to go back and check."

"Brother Cheng!" Shen Yu'an hurriedly grabbed his wrist and advised, "Don't be anxious, listen to me first."

He pulled Shen Jicheng back to his original seat, and only after they sat down did he start speaking seriously.

"Actually, nothing major has happened at home. You know, I'm just temporarily taking your place and don't know the specifics of how the company operates."

He paused, then lowered his eyes.

"It's my older brother. He's been working overtime a lot lately and coming home very late. I've asked him a couple of times, and he just keeps saying he's fine. But I always feel... that my older brother isn't really fine."

Upon hearing this, Shen Jicheng frowned deeply. His elder brother never brought work troubles home; that was his usual style. But since Shen Yu'an had noticed something amiss, it meant that something was indeed wrong.

He pondered for a moment, then looked up and said, "Yu'an, can you do me a favor?"

Shen Yu'an looked at him.

"After you go back, find out from my older brother what happened at the company, and," he bit his lip, "how can I help?"

Shen Yu'an didn't agree immediately. His fingers gently twisted the drawstring of his hoodie, and he remained silent for a moment before speaking.

"Brother Cheng, it's not that I don't want to agree. It's just that you know my eldest brother's personality; he never lets me get involved in company affairs."

His voice lowered slightly, carrying a faint trace of sadness, "After all, I am nominally surnamed Shen, but I am not a member of the Shen family."

Shen Jicheng was speechless for a moment. He was right. His elder brother had always kept public and private matters separate. Even though Shen Yu'an lived in the Shen family and bore the Shen family name, he never allowed him to be involved in the company's core affairs.

"...I'll try my best." Shen Yu'an finally relented. "I don't want my older brother to be so tired."

Shen Jicheng breathed a sigh of relief, patted his shoulder, and said, "Okay, then I'll leave it to you."

After agreeing on a time and place for their next meeting, the two left the locker room one after the other. Shen Jicheng waited for a while before coming out to make sure no one outside had noticed him.

In the evening, he returned to Beishan Villa.

Pei Lin returned around six or seven o'clock. The sky was already mostly dark, and the main light in the living room wasn't on; only a few wall lamps were lit, casting a dim and soft glow. He changed his shoes and glanced around the living room. The sofa was empty; the figure who usually nestled under the blanket playing on his phone was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is he?" Pei Lin asked.

The maid replied respectfully, "Mr. Shi came home early today, saying he was a little tired and has already gone to his room to rest."

Pei Lin raised an eyebrow, said nothing, went upstairs and opened the bedroom door. Shen Jicheng was lying on his side, his back to the door, breathing evenly, looking like he was asleep.

He walked over, stood by the bed for a moment, and his gaze fell on the back of the person who was pretending to be asleep.

Pei Lin didn't expose him, but simply called out softly, "Baby?"

Shen Jicheng did not move or respond.

Pei Lin looked at him for two seconds, then said nothing more. He turned and left, gently closing the door behind him.

He stood in the corridor, suddenly feeling a pang of self-reproach.

Have you been too busy these days? He wasn't awake when I left in the morning, and he was already asleep when I came back at night. Even if he wasn't really asleep, anyone would feel neglected in this kind of life where we see each other so infrequently.

Pei Lin mentally reviewed his upcoming schedule and decided to postpone the non-urgent meetings. Work can be done anytime, but it would be troublesome if he couldn't win people back.

He went downstairs and had just entered the living room when Zhang Xu came to greet him. Zhang Xu was holding a document in his hand, his expression somewhat subtle, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.

"President Pei," Zhang Xu handed over the documents, "this was just delivered by someone sent by Young Master Pei. He said..."

Pei Lin glanced at him and said indifferently, "If you stutter again, I'll throw you into the sea to feed the sharks."

Zhang Xu blurted out, "It's evidence of Mr. Shi's infidelity."