There is no Redemption for A Scum Villain

Chapter 73

Shen Wannian's father was very suspicious of the situation when he came to Qing Jing Peak. He was offered the same chair that his son had gotten and without his knowledge, he actually sat down on it exactly the same way.

The expression Shen Wannian's father got was not as warm as the one his son had gotten. Shen Qingqiu frankly just stared him down until the man spoke.

"Is something the matter or why did you call me here?" the man asked, narrowing his eyes, "Did my sons make trouble during training."

"No," Shen Qingqiu replied, crossing one leg over the other.

"My daughter?" Shen Wannian's father asked, now a little uncertain about the situation.

"Neither," Shen Qingqiu returned. Casually he folded his hands together above his knee, leaning back in his chair, "Your children are not the problem here."

It was amusing to see how nervous Shen Wannian's father got. One would like to look into his head to know what he was thinking. Whatever it was, it was likely nonsense. Shen Qingqiu could think of someone else who liked jumping to weird conclusions.

"What do you think I called you here for?" Shen Qingqiu asked.

Shen Wannian's father didn't reply immediately. Carefully he looked down at the fan Shen Qingqiu held folded up in one hand, then the leg he had crossed over the other and lastly at that slightly cold expression that seemed to hide the secrets of the world behind a layer of ice.

"I'm not into that stuff," the old man said lastly, "I may have accepted you, but that doesn't mean that I will tolerate this."

Shen Qingqiu made a show of twirling his fan between his fingers, before he snapped it open harshly, the silly picture of him and his husband, drawn by the very man, in full view of his conversation partner.

"You should watch your tongue," he warned, "It has already done enough. Specifically, something that's more problematic than you offending me and the oath I have sworn to the person I love. At the risk of being rude, I don't find you even the least bit pleasing to the eye, not to speak of your horrible attitude."

"Now this didn't have to be," Shen Wannian's father complained, "What am I supposed to think when someone like you calls me into their office?"

Shen Qingqiu's eyebrow went up skeptically. "I don't know. What would you think if it was Qi-shimei instead?" he returned.

"Honestly, the same if she was sitting like that," the older man said.

"I always sit like this. If you find that this is alluring or deem this an attempt to flirt, maybe you should reflect upon yourself instead," Shen Qingqiu replied sharply, "I heard that some people become very defensive and start projecting their own filthy thoughts, then offend the person they project them on for 'having them'."

"I– I do not find you alluring!" Shen Wannian's father shouted angrily.

Shen Qingqiu pulled a face, rubbing against his temples. That had been very much too loud for his sensitive ears. "Regardless," he said, folding up his fan again to tap it against his upper arm, "There are more important topics than your indecent thoughts about your fellow people."

"I don't–"

"Your son," Shen Qingqiu interrupted, "Is very important to you, is he not? You have already lost him once. As much as you tried to hide it, I could see how much it hit you to see him again. He hardly gets a moment alone when you're done with work, be it dinner or breakfast you make sure to get your family together."

"Naturally..." the older man said quietly, "How could I not? Six years...are a long time. But no matter how much time passes, it does not ease the pain. That's my child. I should be the one he will bury in forty or fifty years, not the other way around."