Volume One, Chapter 18: Our Home Was Robbed

After going downstairs, Shen Chaowu reported the issue to the property management.

The property manager was just as puzzled. “Miss Shen, are you saying your key won’t open your door?”

“That’s right,” Shen replied.

“We’ll come and verify the situation a bit later. We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused you.”

Their attitude was polite, so she didn’t press the issue further. “Alright. Call me when you come over later, I’ll come by then.”

It seemed she wouldn’t be able to stay here tonight.

Shen Chaowu turned back. The large bag of snacks she’d bought was still sitting by her door.

She stepped into the elevator, pressed the grey button for the sixteenth floor, and watched as it lit up, glowing white. The elevator doors slowly opened at her floor.

She was met with the sound of several people exclaiming in excitement tinged with caution, and she paused.

“Yaoyao, your home is just so luxurious!”

“If I could just stay here for a few days, I could die without regrets!”

“My god, Luna from HR actually looks down on Yaoyao, but if she learned Yaoyao’s real background, she’d probably faint from shock.”

Then Jiang Yao’s gentle, delicate voice chimed in, “Sister Luna didn’t mean to target me, I’m just so clumsy I accidentally spilled water on the documents she printed…”

“Yaoyao, you’re just too kind. If the documents got wet, just print another copy. Is it really necessary to hold a grudge against you forever?”

“…”

Shen Chaowu: “?”

Understanding dawned on her. Her beautiful, striking face turned cold; her exquisite almond-shaped eyes held a smile that never reached their depths.

No wonder she couldn’t open the lock.

It turned out her door lock had already been changed.

The door wasn’t even closed properly, just left ajar. Shen Chaowu pulled the handle and stepped inside.

Her eyes fell on her luxurious, custom mink blanket, now littered with greasy potato chip crumbs, soda cans rolling about, and a large, suspicious dark stain marring the fabric…

She glanced over at her beloved jewelry cabinet.

It was protected by a coded lock—she was the only one who could open it.

But to her surprise—

The glass cover had been smashed without a second thought. Her cherished necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings… all tossed carelessly on the floor like trinkets at a flea market, pearl necklaces tangled together, impossible to separate.

Drawing a deep breath, Shen Chaowu walked further in.

Jiang Yao giggled behind her hand. “You’re exaggerating. These are all just worthless little things. If you like them, take them, it’s fine.”

“Wow, Yaoyao, you’re so generous!”

“Then we won’t be shy!”

The praise from her coworkers gave Jiang Yao a sense of satisfaction she’d never known, and she completely forgot the true owner of the apartment was Shen Chaowu.

“Well, what a lively gathering,” Shen Chaowu remarked.

She watched as Jiang Yao’s expression stiffened bit by bit, and felt a bitter amusement. Her flawless features curved into a faint smile, but her eyes were cold. “Let me see—just what are all of you doing in my apartment, hmm?”

One female colleague wore her favorite Tiffany blue gemstone necklace, her fingers adorned with matching diamond rings, and even the bag slung over her arm—

It was her own treasured, limited edition Chanel Lady Dior bag!

She was ready to explode.

If anger were tangible, she had no doubt her eyes would shoot flames and reduce Jiang Yao and the others to ashes.

“And who are you?” The colleague frowned, clinging affectionately to Jiang Yao’s arm, then turned to glare at Shen Chaowu with utter disdain. “Breaking into someone else’s home, have you no shame?”

“Yes, exactly, I have no shame. I’m despicable. I broke into someone else’s place and stole their belongings. I’m just shameless—why don’t you call the police and have me arrested?”

The colleague was dumbstruck. Her heavily powdered face twitched a few times, unable to come up with a retort, so she turned to Jiang Yao instead. “They say the security here at Imperial Court is tight. Yaoyao, call the police, call the property management, get security to throw this woman out—she’s a jinx!”

Jiang Yao’s smile froze, her face turning ghostly pale.

Kick Shen Chaowu out?

She wouldn’t dare, not even with ten times her courage!

Guilt-ridden, she kept her head down, not daring to meet Shen Chaowu’s eyes, quickly nudging her colleague to stop talking.

But the colleague didn’t get the hint, flaunting her Chanel limited edition bag as if it were a trophy. “Tch, we’re both women, you think I can’t see through your little schemes? You’re just jealous I have a designer bag!”

“Me?” Shen Chaowu nearly laughed, pointing to herself. “Jealous that you have a designer bag?”

“I’m telling you, this is the only one of its kind in the whole city. Our Yaoyao is beautiful and kind, she gave it to me as a gift. Even if you’re green with envy, you can’t buy it!”

The colleague looked smug, inwardly grateful to Jiang Yao and determined to stick close to her.

With the Shen family’s heiress at her side, promotions and raises at the company would be a breeze.

Shen Chaowu was speechless. She crossed her arms and leaned against the door, her delicate eyelids drooping, faint shadows beneath her eyes only highlighting the striking allure of her face—beauty both natural and beguiling.

“Jiang Yao, aren’t you going to say something?”

Jiang Yao shuddered, her lips trembling. She forced herself to sound calm. “Y-yes, Chaoyao, I saw Shuangshuang really liked the bag, so I… so I gave it to her. It would just go to waste sitting there. Things are made to be used, after all…”

“Quite reasonable,” Shen Chaowu nodded.

But before Jiang Yao could breathe a sigh of relief, she continued, “But haven’t you heard the saying: taking without asking is theft?”

Shuangshuang sneered. “This bag belongs to our Yaoyao. This entire apartment is Yaoyao’s. Who are you to spout nonsense here?”

The other colleagues whispered among themselves, sizing up Shen Chaowu.

Seeing her refined aura and celebrity-beautiful face, they exchanged uneasy glances, not daring to speak up.

Only Shuangshuang, blinded by the jewelry, looked at Shen Chaowu with open hostility. “If you don’t leave, I’ll call the police!”

Shen Chaowu gave a cold, mocking laugh. “Go ahead. Call them right now.”

Jiang Yao bit her lip, eyes brimming with tears, looking as though she might burst into sobs at any moment.

As if Shen Chaowu had bullied her terribly.

Seeing this, the other colleagues blamed Shen Chaowu for being too aggressive. “Yaoyao invited us to her home. What’s the problem?”

“I don’t mind,” Jiang Yao rubbed her fingertips together, hoping to smooth things over, desperate not to make a scene. She looked pleadingly at Shen Chaowu. “Chaoyao…”

Before Shen Chaowu could reply, the property manager arrived.

“Excuse me, which one of you is Miss Shen?”