The car drove straight ahead.
Soon, it stopped in front of a high-end residential compound.
Brian Xiang parked at the gate, waited for Ben Liang and the others to get out, greeted them, then turned around and drove off.
"When you see my mom later, remember to say something nice. She likes clever girls, not ones who are too stiff."
Ben Liang looked at Sisi Shao beside him and reminded her, "Also, no matter what my family says to you later, you absolutely must not get angry."
"My family loves to test people’s temperament and composure this way. If you get mad, it means you don’t have enough confidence inside."
"That’s just how my parents’ generation is, so don’t get upset and don’t take their words to heart."
After Ben finished, Sisi nodded half-understanding, looking a bit nervous. "But I didn’t buy anything... Should I go buy some fruit now?"
She glanced at the fruit shop by the gate and, not giving Ben a chance to refuse, hurried over by herself.
While Sisi went to buy fruit, Ben lit a cigarette and watched her leave, not even bothering to offer one to Evan Lin this time—skipping even the usual polite gestures.
Once Sisi Shao disappeared into the fruit shop, Ben Liang finally glanced sideways at Evan Lin standing next to him.
"That friend of mine just now, Brian Xiang—his family’s pretty well-off."
Ben started, "I was giving you a chance, you know. Letting you sit in the front seat was so you could get to know him better."
"But you really dropped the ball. You barely even talked to him."
"Like, when the Shang family came up—even if you don’t know what they’re all about, you could’ve at least bragged a bit, said you knew someone from the Shang family or whatever."
Ben gestured at Evan with his cigarette, acting like an elder lecturing a junior. "But you just don’t have any sense, didn’t seize the chance. Otherwise, you might not have to go beg for a living at the Shang family—you could’ve just followed Brian Xiang instead, and that’d be way better than being a servant at the Shang place."
"I know someone from the Shang family—Mason Shang."
Ben scoffed at Evan’s words. "You? Know him?"
"Mason Shang is a really big deal in the Shang family. He almost became the family head. But if you didn’t say so earlier when it came up, there’s no point bragging about it now."
Ben clearly didn’t believe it and shook his head. "No point bragging—I know your background."
"You’re from Seacrest, friends with Sisi’s bestie. Oh, wait—aren’t you the one chasing Lynn Chen?"
Ben Liang sized up Evan Lin. "Not gonna lie, Lynn Chen is pretty gorgeous. A girl like her is bound to have tons of guys chasing after her at school."
"Plus, she’s a top student at Beijing University. That place is full of elites. Forget the handsome guys—even the ones who aren’t much to look at but have top family backgrounds, there’s a whole bunch of them."
"Honestly, with you, I don’t think you stand a chance."
Ben smiled. "Don’t get mad, I’m just telling the truth."
"You really don’t have much competitiveness. But hey, love’s unpredictable—maybe Lynn will reject all those guys with superior backgrounds and only fall for you."
Ben kept talking, clearly feeling smug.
Seeing Evan stay silent, Ben assumed he’d hit a nerve. His gaze toward Evan even softened with a bit of pity.
"Oh, right, now that I think of it—you came here to see the Shang family, didn’t you? Hoping to use their name to get some background and boost your confidence in chasing Lynn Chen?"
"If that’s really the case, then I can only wish you luck. Hope your dream comes true."
Ben’s so-called blessing was laced with undisguised mockery.
He was about to say more, but seeing Sisi Shao coming back with fruit, he cut himself off.
"Let’s go."
Sisi carried two bags of fruit and a box of milk in her hands.
"Honestly, I think it’s better to go empty-handed."
Ben hesitated for a moment when he saw this.
"No way we’re going empty-handed. Let’s just go."
Sisi shook her head, then looked at Evan Lin. "Are you coming too, or waiting here?"
"Let’s all go. We’ll head to the Shang estate together later—it’s going to be lively today."
Before Evan could answer, Ben had already spoken for him.
Evan Lin didn’t say anything.
The three of them entered the compound.
Ben carried the milk for Sisi, freeing up one of her hands so she could link arms with him.
Evan walked behind them.
Inside, the area was lined with upscale two-story garden villas.
At a villa in the southeast corner, Ben led Sisi inside.
The house looked nicely decorated, with a small garden and a swimming pool about twenty square meters.
"Mom! I’m home!"
Ben shouted loudly.
In the garden, there were already quite a few people—at least a dozen.
As soon as Ben shouted, a bunch of people who had been chatting turned to look over.
"You brat, I told you to come back early—why are you only just arriving?"
Soon, several heavily made-up middle-aged women walked over together.
One of the women spoke as she sized up Sisi Shao beside Ben, her voice a bit cold: "This is the girl you mentioned?"
"Yeah, her name’s Sisi Shao."
Ben nodded repeatedly, then turned to Sisi. "Sisi, this is my mom. Over here is my aunt, my second aunt, and my third aunt."
"Hello, Auntie. Hello, Aunt, Second Aunt, Third Aunt."
Sisi put on a bright smile and greeted them.
She didn’t even get a chance to say more.
"What’s this—fruit? Wow, and milk too?"
A woman looked at what Sisi and Ben were holding, pretending to be shocked: "Wait, are you saying you brought these as your first visit gift?"
"What is this, anyway? Such cheap stuff, and you actually have the nerve to give it? You’d be better off bringing nothing!"
Sisi’s smile froze, turning instantly awkward at those words.