Chapter 360: There Must Be an Ulterior Motive
Besides, Chu Zhengwei was getting on in years and still suffered from old injuries. His doctor had long ago warned him to rest and avoid getting worked up like this.
Chu Lingxiu glanced at the people around her. It wasn’t just her grandfather—even her parents and her brother were looking at her with disapproval.
Chu Lingxiu pressed her lips into a thin line. ’Do I really have no choice but to apologize?!’
’Of course, I know what I did today was wrong, but I just couldn’t help it!’
’But I have no way out of this now. Not a single person in my family is on my side. They’re all defending Shen Nian. It looks like... I really have no choice but to apologize.’
"I’m sorry."
Chu Lingxiu stood frozen in place for a long while before finally turning to Shen Nian and speaking.
However, both her expression and her tone of voice made it perfectly clear just how unwilling she was to apologize.
After seeing Chu Lingxiu’s earlier behavior, Shen Nian hadn’t expected a truly sincere apology anyway.
Although Chu Lingxiu’s hostility made her a little uncomfortable, Shen Nian was, at least, quite satisfied with how the rest of the Chu Family had behaved.
Even though Chu Lingxiu was the Chu Family’s precious daughter, they didn’t blindly defend her without regard for who was right or wrong.
"It’s alright. Everyone has their preferences. It’s perfectly normal for Miss Chu to dislike what I do."
Everyone could tell how reluctant Chu Lingxiu’s apology was. So, when they heard Shen Nian accept it, the members of the Chu Family all breathed a sigh of relief.
This was especially true for Gao Ruolan. On one hand was her own daughter; on the other was a young woman she had just met today and grown very fond of. To make matters worse, her daughter was the one in the wrong. She sighed. It was truly an awkward situation to handle.
Thankfully, Shen Nian was so understanding and reasonable. At this thought, Gao Ruolan’s impression of Shen Nian improved even further.
"Don’t call her Miss Chu. Xiao Nian, you’re a few months older than Lingxiu, so just call her by her name."
"Alright, Lingxiu."
Shen Nian called her name while looking at Chu Lingxiu, seemingly unconcerned. She knew perfectly well that Chu Lingxiu wasn’t happy about it, but at least she had done her part. No one could find any fault with her actions.
If Chu Lingxiu were to say or do anything else now, it would clearly be her fault.
’As long as she has an ounce of sense, she won’t push it.’
Sure enough, Chu Lingxiu just shot Shen Nian another glance without saying anything more.
Just then, Sister Zhang announced that lunch was ready. The group moved from the living room to the dining room and had a lively meal together.
Ignoring the dark cloud of gloom emanating from Chu Lingxiu, Shen Nian thoroughly enjoyed her lunch. After all, the other members of the Chu Family were very warm, and their warmth was genuine.
They didn’t seem to hold the earlier friction between her and Chu Lingxiu against her in the slightest.
Shen Nian had assumed that since Chu Lingxiu disliked her so much, the worst that would happen was that Lingxiu would simply ignore her from then on. She never expected that after lunch, Chu Lingxiu would approach her directly.
"I’m a little stuffed from lunch! Sister Xiao Nian, why don’t we go for a walk together? Since it’s your first time here, I can show you around the estate!"
Shen Nian almost laughed as she heard the heavily stressed "Sister Xiao Nian." ’I can only imagine how unwilling Chu Lingxiu must have been to force that name out.’
’But for her to do something she’s so reluctant to do... she must have an ulterior motive.’
’Her inviting me out definitely isn’t as simple as a kind-hearted offer to show me around. Besides, Chu Lingxiu didn’t even finish her bowl of rice during lunch. It’d be a miracle if she were actually ’stuffed’.’