Jiang Lai thought for a moment and grabbed a white shirt from the wardrobe, letting it hang perfectly at her thighs. The large collar exposed a pair of slender collarbones, and the wide hem accentuated her already thin, pale, and straight legs.
"Host, Shen Liao is having breakfast downstairs, and Shen An is here too."
Shen An is here?
The original owner of this body suffered so much in this life, and he had a large part to play in it.
She also wants to figure out the reason behind why that guy insists on opposing her, his mistress.
This is one of Shen Liao's properties, located near the city center, where he occasionally stays for a couple of days.
Shen An came to discuss opening a jewelry store with Shen Liao. He had been pleading with his brother for a long time, and finally, there seemed to be a sign of relenting.
"I originally studied jewelry design. Don't worry, brother, as long as you invest, I will definitely pay back the principal within three years!"
"Have you found the suppliers?"
Shen Liao was drinking coffee and reading the newspaper, not even sparing a glance at Shen An.
"Yes! Brother Xiao has secured a mine in South Africa, and he promised to supply me with stable raw materials every year. Gems depend largely on raw materials, and now that the supply is stable, I am confident."
Shen Liao frowned. Just as he was about to say something, footsteps sounded from behind.
"Shen Liao."
Before he could react, a pair of soft, smooth arms familiarly draped over his shoulders.
"Why didn't you call me for breakfast?"
The woman's voice was sweet and sticky, like candy melting in the summer, with a faint orange flavor. It made Shen Liao frown but also find Jiang Lai clingy. They were together last night, and today she couldn't wait to lean on him again; it was really annoying.
Nonetheless, he had no intention of avoiding her, only rebuking her softly.
"In the Shen Family, if you get up late, there's no breakfast."
Jiang Lai crinkled her nose and let out a dissatisfied hum, her fingertips gliding over his collar as she sat down next to him.
Across from them, Shen An watched their interaction, nearly dropping his jaw in disbelief. He stared at his big brother and then at Jiang Lai.
Like some sort of temptress, vulgar and low-class; he really couldn't figure out why his brother kept such a thing around.
"Ha... What time is it, and you just know to get up now? Indeed, people who don't work live comfortably, just lie in bed, and everything comes to them."
Shen An's tone was full of mockery, looking down on Jiang Lai from the bottom of his heart.
Jiang Lai showed no reaction, taking a sip of milk and letting out a cold snort.
"Your brother hasn't said anything yet, and here you are chattering on? Right, Shen Liao?"
Jiang Lai tilted her chin towards Shen Liao, her seductive eyes full of self-assurance, her small face showing no shame, even carrying some pride and dissatisfaction.
Shen Liao stared at her collar, furrowed his thick brows, then continued reading the newspaper, using silence to express his attitude.
When a man says nothing, it means he agrees by default.
Shen An glared at Jiang Lai with wide eyes.
"You, a well-endowed but brainless woman, are useless to society. If I were you, I'd wish to die out of shame!"
"Ha... You? Are you better looking than I am? Besides, who has been begging brother for money starting last month to open a store? Aren't you living well being supported by your brother? Why should I wish to die? Little Four Eyes..."
"You... How dare you insult me?!"
How dare she, a woman who couldn't show herself in the Shen family, insult him?!
Calling him Little Four Eyes?
What does that mean, Little Four Eyes? Just because he wears glasses, he's four-eyed? Anyway, his eyes aren't small at all, alright!
Jiang Lai remained unfazed, moving her butt to sit next to Shen Liao, confident she wouldn't be pushed away, and looked at Shen An with a spoiled expression.
"Am I wrong? You're already twenty-three, two years older than me, spending all day with your hands out begging your brother for money. If I were you, I'd be too ashamed to live!"
"Jiang Lai! What kind of thing are you to dare to speak to me like that?! You're nothing but a..."
"Shen An."
Shen Liao, who had been silent, suddenly spoke, his dark eyes fixed on Shen An, his naturally imposing expression making Shen An instinctively pull his neck back, daring not to continue with what he was about to say.
By Jiang Lai's side, she was still bouncing around.
"What am I? Go on, say it! I'm Shen Liao's girlfriend. What's wrong with a girlfriend spending some of her boyfriend's money? If you've got the capability, find yourself a boyfriend as excellent as Shen Liao!"
Ha, what boyfriend!
Shen An secretly mocked, just waiting for his brother to strike her down and make her realize her current role.
But after waiting for a while, his brother showed no intention of speaking, continuing to leisurely sip his coffee, not even raising his head.
What's wrong with brother?!
Why was there no reaction when Jiang Lai mocked him, yet a fierce rebuke when he countered?
Seeing this woman, flaunting her borrowed prestige like a roaring lion, made him furious!
Just a mistress! Doesn't she want any face?
Shen An never expected Jiang Lai, who always kept her neck low and endured in submission before him, could become so sharp-tongued, unyielding in the slightest, even daring to disrespect him, the second young master of the Shen Family!
Does she not want to curry favor with him anymore?
Does she not want to enter the Shen Family anymore?
Although he would never recognize her as his sister-in-law, Jiang Lai was always fawning over him in the past to curry favor and get him to speak a few favorable words about her to his brother.
Shen An knew his brother's thoughts, and knew Jiang Lai was just a plaything. He originally wanted to remind her, but Jiang Lai dared to overestimate herself, wishing to climb higher and enter the Shen Family!
Precisely because of her greed and foolishness as someone from the lower class, Shen An deliberately kept stringing her along, mocking and taunting and giving her some sweeteners to eat, waiting to knock her off her high horse when she was no longer aware of her status.
Thinking this, Shen An calmed down, looking at Jiang Lai with eyes full of ridicule.
Just keep jumping around, keep dreaming. Let's see how ridiculous you look when the person my brother truly cares about returns, and you cry bitterly!
He really couldn't wait.
Thinking this, he turned to Jiang Lai and asked with a smile.
"Weren't you planning to go shopping with your girlfriends? Coincidentally, I want to buy something too; I'll take you with me?"
Jiang Lai lightly pursed her lips, eyes carrying a hint of a smile, making her look both dangerous and charming.
"Alright, thank you then."
Shen An raised an eyebrow, thinking she took the bait, his expression revealing a bit of satisfaction and ridicule.
"Hey, after all, you are my brother's... woman."
"Then I'll go upstairs to change."
Jiang Lai bounded upstairs joyfully, just as Shen Liao turned around, catching sight of his shirt barely covering her thighs. As she moved, he could even see the marks on her legs.