Flash Marriage With Mr. Sheffield: Go Away, Cheap Man!-Chapter 199: Tea-Tinted Words

Silas Sheffield added a few more dishes and handed the menu to the waiter, "Add a serving of the soup, with cilantro."

Shannon Langley suddenly looked up, confusion on her face.

"Silas, don’t you hate cilantro? You never touched the dishes with cilantro at Grandma’s."

Silas looked at her calmly, "Your sister-in-law likes the taste of cilantro, and I’ve grown to like it too."

His words were like a thin needle, gently pricking Shannon.

She lowered her eyes, her long lashes casting a small shadow.

Her voice softened, "I see... Silas, you’re so good to Clara, remembering even such small details."

As she spoke, she looked up at Clara Sterling, her smile tinged with an imperceptible bitterness.

"Clara, you’re really lucky to have married someone as considerate as Silas. Unlike me, who hasn’t found anyone who remembers my preferences."

Clara’s grip tightened slightly around her glass, the cold of the glass reaching her fingertips.

She looked at Shannon with a slightly cold smile.

Just as she was about to speak, Silas beat her to it, "You’ve got it wrong. It’s my luck to have married Clara; you should congratulate me on my dreams coming true."

He spoke lightly, yet it felt like he was drawing a quiet line.

Shannon’s smile froze for a moment; she took a sip of tea to hide her displeasure.

Marcus Bishop knew Shannon’s feelings for Silas.

In the years Silas was away from Veridian, he asked Marcus to look after Shannon.

After Shannon graduated, Silas arranged for her to work at the Veridian branch, having Marcus guide her.

Now Shannon worked as Marcus’s assistant, and he hadn’t initially told her he was picking up Silas at the airport.

But Shannon found out Silas would return to Valeria through a call with his grandmother and insisted on coming along.

Truth be told, Marcus didn’t much like Shannon either.

Professionally, she got into the company through connections, not even meeting the basic requirements for a general manager’s assistant. She made mistakes often, and if scolded, she would cry, which gave him headaches.

Personally, Shannon knew Silas was married yet still hoped to interfere in his marriage, speaking with double meanings. Marcus really couldn’t bring himself to like her.

However, he was skilled at handling relationships and had high emotional intelligence; he wouldn’t show his dislike for her.

The waiter served the dishes.

Shannon proactively took a soup ladle, serving a bowl for Silas.

"Silas, I remember you like to have some soup before meals."

Silas didn’t take it; his gaze shifted to Clara.

Clara immediately understood his intent, took an empty bowl, and ladled some soup for him, placing it by his hand, "Honey, the soup’s a bit hot; sip it slowly so you don’t burn yourself, okay?"

The way she called him "honey" was coquettish.

Deliberately to unsettle Shannon.

Silas, however, was quite pleased, accepting the bowl Clara handed over. Their fingers brushed lightly, and they exchanged a knowing smile.

Shannon hesitated with her extended hand before awkwardly retracting it.

Marcus quickly changed the topic, "President Sheffield, how’s that project you mentioned at headquarters going? Finalized yet?"

Silas took a sip of soup, "Almost, we’ll sign the contract next week."

"Silas, I heard the company’s headquarters have moved to Veridian." Shannon’s eyes were full of hope, "Can you transfer me to Veridian as your assistant?"

Fearing rejection, Shannon quickly added, "I’ve been working with Marcus to improve myself, studying related materials on my own. I promise I won’t cause any trouble! I just want to learn more from you, you can surely teach me a lot."

The hint in her words couldn’t be more obvious, expressing admiration for Silas while cleverly suggesting her desire to "be by his side."

Her reasoning was flawless.

Learning.

Clara gently clenched her hands resting on her lap, her knuckles turning white.

She knew Silas wouldn’t agree, but she was still a bit tense, her gaze resting on his profile, waiting for his response.

Silas put down the bowl, grabbed a napkin, and wiped his mouth.

He spoke with an unaffected tone, yet firmly refused, "The assistant positions at headquarters are full, we don’t need more people. You should stay in Valeria, it’s closer to home."

His words were polite but clearly rejecting.

Shannon’s eyes slightly reddened, and her voice carried a hint of grievance, "I understand... I was too abrupt, I’m sorry, Silas. I just think you’re amazing and want to learn from you, that’s all."

As she spoke, she lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly, as if deeply wronged.

Clara, seeing this, smiled warmly, "Oh, Shannon, it’s fine. Staying by President Bishop’s side is good, isn’t it? Closer to home."

Shannon looked up, eyes red, turning to Silas, "Silas, are you worried Clara would be upset?"

Then she looked at Clara, "Clara, please don’t be angry, okay? I really didn’t mean anything by it, and I’m not trying to cause trouble for you two. I just... I just want to learn from Silas. After all, we’ve grown up together; I’ve always seen him as a big brother."

These words are a textbook example of speaking with double meanings.

First, appearing vulnerable, then emphasizing the bond of "growing up together."

Finally, under the guise of a "big brother," hiding her own intentions, winning sympathy and leaving Silas in a hard spot to reject further.

Clara looked at Shannon’s red-rimmed eyes, feeling something block her heart, stuffy and uncomfortable.

She knew Shannon was pretending to be pitiful, unsure if Silas would fall for it.

Just then, Silas suddenly held Clara’s hand, his touch a comforting warmth through her skin, calming her instantly.

He looked at Shannon coldly, "Either stay at the Valeria branch properly, or resign and find another job on your own."