Innocent Little Flower

Shen Xiuyi was a dangerous man, more formidable than any opponent Luo Shiyi had ever faced.

Yet, this only fueled her determination.

The more challenging the task and the person, the more thrilling it became!

By the afternoon, her room had been redecorated. Though it looked simple, the experience was surprisingly comfortable. The bed was covered with silk velvet sheets, impossibly soft.

Luo Shiyi had grown up among rough men in Hidden Dragons, sleeping on hard wooden beds. During missions, she'd even slept on tree branches and in icy caves. When had she ever lain on such a luxurious bed?

She rolled around on the bed several times, savoring the comfort, and sipped warm milk while recalling the mission details provided by headquarters.

Nan City, located by the sea, had seen rampant smuggling since the last century. Thanks to joint efforts by relevant authorities and Hidden Dragons, the situation had gradually improved.

However, starting last year, a mysterious group of international smugglers had become increasingly brazen. Despite the authorities' best efforts, they had failed to capture them. As a result, it was suspected that a powerful figure in Nan City was secretly protecting them.

To be able to shield these smugglers from Hidden Dragons and the authorities, the suspect couldn't be just anyone. After investigation, Shen Xiuyi emerged as the most likely candidate. Every time the authorities received tips about the smugglers, someone from the Shen family was nearby.

As Luo Shiyi pondered this, her special watch blinked twice.

She pressed the hidden button on the side.

"Team leader, the blood sample has been successfully switched."

"Received." Luo Shiyi smiled slightly and casually asked, "Did you encounter any resistance?"

221: "Only the usual hospital security. No one from the Shen family was present."

Luo Shiyi hummed in acknowledgment. "From now on, minimize contact while I'm in the Shen household."

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Luo Shiyi immediately cut off the communication.

She quickly went to open the door and was met with Manager Zhang's kind smile. "Young Miss, Third Master is worried you might feel out of place in the house, so he asked me to show you around."

Luo Shiyi immediately put on a乖巧 (well-behaved) expression. "Thank you, Uncle Zhang."

The Shen family's old mansion was vast. In addition to the main villa, there were rock gardens, flower beds, and an artificial lake. It was said to have been designed by a renowned architect from the Republic of China era, its layout as artistic as any famous classical Chinese garden.

On the third floor of the main villa, Shen Xiuyi's gaze was fixed on the figure in white below.

"Speak."

Only then did Xu Feng, who had been standing silently beside him, dare to speak. "Fourth Master, as you suspected, the blood sample at the hospital was indeed switched. The people involved were very mysterious, and we didn't dare act rashly, so we couldn't identify them."

He glanced at the white figure downstairs and ventured, "Fourth Master, this girl's background is unclear. It's not certain she's really the daughter left behind by the eldest master. If she's impersonating the young miss to infiltrate the Shen family, she must have an agenda. What should we do?"

Shen Xiuyi, as if not hearing him, asked calmly, "What about her background check?"

Xu Feng handed over the compiled documents while cautioning, "The information might be fabricated. It's hard to tell what's true and what's false."

Shen Xiuyi neither agreed nor disagreed, flipping through the documents.

The photo showed a乖巧 (well-behaved) young girl, but her record was far from it.

In elementary school, she'd fought with a male classmate, chasing him into the boys' bathroom and making him cry. In middle school, she'd taken on a school bully and his gang of over twenty followers, becoming the new school bully herself…

Such stories were countless.

As Shen Xiuyi read, imagining the girl in her fierce moments, a faint smile appeared on his face.

Then, the girl had dropped out of school in her senior year of high school.

Shen Xiuyi's brow furrowed slightly.

Even though he knew the information might not be accurate, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of empathy.

He'd encountered her twice, both times in questionable places, with heavy makeup. It was hard to imagine what her real life was like.

His long fingers rolled up the document as he watched the girl in white below.

Perhaps sensing his gaze, she turned and waved, her bright smile dazzling under the sunlight.

A crack seemed to form in Shen Xiuyi's heart, and light seeped through.

He narrowed his eyes, feeling pleased. "Leave her be for now. Since she's the niece Third Brother found, who are we to question her?"

At the front gate of the mansion, a flashy red sports car pulled up. A fashionable woman with golden waves of hair stepped out, muttering softly under her breath before raising her umbrella and walking toward the Shen residence. Her figure was undeniably alluring.

Shen Xiuyi's brow twitched almost imperceptibly, his voice tinged with displeasure. "Why is she here?"

Xu Feng was equally anxious. He knew full well how much Fourth Master disliked the young lady from the Zhou family. Wiping non-existent sweat from his forehead, he ventured, "Perhaps… perhaps Young Master Zhou mentioned it?"

Zhou Wei, Zhou Ying's older brother, was a good friend of Shen Xiuyi. It wasn't surprising that he knew Shen Xiuyi had returned to the old mansion.

As Zhou Ying walked closer, about to cross paths with Shen Jiayi, Shen Xiuyi's frown deepened. His thin lips pressed together. "Let's go down."

"Ugh, it's already four. Why is the sun still so strong?" Zhou Ying complained, shielding her delicate skin with her umbrella.

"If I don't see Brother Xiuyi today, it'll all be for nothing!"

A servant anxiously tried to stop her. "Miss Zhou! Miss Zhou! Fourth Master said you're not allowed in!"

"Move aside!" Zhou Ying snapped. "I'm Brother Xiuyi's fiancée. There's no way he wouldn't let me in!"

She ignored the servant's protests and continued forward. The servant, unable to physically stop her, was on the verge of tears.

Manager Zhang, who was guiding Luo Shiyi, heard the commotion and his expression changed. "Miss Zhou."

As a long-time member of the Shen household, Zhou Ying showed him some respect, greeting him politely. "Uncle Zhang, I heard Brother Xiuyi is back?"

Before he could respond, her eyes fell on Luo Shiyi beside him. The girl wore a simple white dress, her skin even paler than the fabric, almost blindingly white.

Her eyes were large and bright, her face naturally beautiful. Even Zhou Ying, who prided herself on her looks, couldn't deny the girl's beauty—a beauty that made her slightly envious.

Her expression instantly turned hostile as she scrutinized Luo Shiyi, a sense of crisis brewing. "Uncle Zhang, who's this?"

Why was it so hard for her to see Brother Xiuyi, while this immature girl could stay in his home?

Before Manager Zhang could introduce her, Zhou Ying's imagination had already run wild. She scoffed coldly. "What era is this? Who still keeps straight black hair to pretend to be an innocent little flower?"

Luo Shiyi: ?

Girl, while I *am* pretending to be an innocent little flower, calling me out so directly is just rude.