Chapter 15

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Among all the girls in Fengzhou City, Shen Hua was the one Zheng Qianyu looked down on the most.

They were both daughters of merchants, and neither of them was more noble than the other. However, Shen Hua’s arrogance was greater than anyone else’s.

Every time they clashed, she would always gain the upper hand.

Why was she still so arrogant when her family was about to perish?!

“Shen Hua, you should be aware of how annoying you’ve been.”

These words were true.

Shen Hua hugged the still-warm heater and nodded at her adorably.

Zheng Qianyu choked. “???” The girl was being so smug.

She was so angry that her entire body was trembling. When she thought of the purpose of coming here, she suppressed her emotions, lowered her voice, and gritted her teeth.

“Do you know the Dong Family who is in the porcelain business on Chi Dong Street? Their son died a few years ago.”

When Shen Hua heard this, she said unhappily, “Although I’ve done all kinds of bad stuff, I’ve never been involved in evil deeds. If someone from the Dong family died, it’s not like I killed them.”

What did it have to do with her?

However, Zheng Qianyu was obviously implying something.

If it was in the past, she might have asked Zheng Qianyu about it. It was basically like gossiping.

Who asked the Dong family’s son to be an undisciplined hooligan?

In the early years, he was ruthlessly convicted of murder and sent to jail. He was supposed to be beheaded in public, but the Dong family spent all their wealth and connections to plead with the magistrate. The Dong family’s son was eventually imprisoned for a few years before he was released.

Shen Hua did not know how he died later, but his death was deserved.

Currently, Shen Hua had a bunch of trivial matters to deal with, so she could not be bothered to comment on these things.

She frowned and walked away, clearly not wanting to chat with Zheng Qianyu.

Zheng Qianyu was unwilling to let her leave. Seeing this, she grabbed Shen Hua’s arm and stopped talking in riddles. She said each word clearly.

“Who told you that?

“Although the news of the Shen family and the Dong family’s engagement hasn’t spread, I’ve still heard about it. Don’t play dumb.”

She spat it out quickly. “Your Shen family is vicious. How much did the Dong family offer you to agree to such a thing? You’re truly wicked.”

Shen Hua was stunned.

“Ah, but I’m not dead.”

She did not want to marry a dead person even if she died.

Zheng Qianyu said angrily, “What’s going on? You’re sometimes smart and sometimes muddle-headed. Who said I was talking about you?!”

Shen Hua came back to her senses. Her body stiffened and cold sweat broke out on her back. Soon, it spread to her limbs and bones.

All the confusion suddenly cleared up.

Marriages in death had been against ethics since ancient times. No wonder Aunt Liu wanted to choose death.

She was just a concubine who could not even enter the family tree. How could she make a decision for Shen Zhui, who had long been buried?

In her previous life, she had fallen into misery. The Shen and Dong families were afraid that the world would gossip about the ghost marriage, so they hid it very well.

Shen Hua’s ears buzzed, and her vision turned black.

“Hey!”

Zheng Qianyu gripped Shen Hua, who had gone limp, and her face turned red with anger. “Shen Hua!”

“You’re extorting me.”

She pretended to faint at the slightest hint of an argument.

“Mistress.” Yi Cui was shocked and hurriedly went forward.

Zheng Qianyu hurriedly transferred Shen Hua into Yi Cui’s arms.

Shen Hua panted a few times. Her face was completely pale, but she grabbed Zheng Qianyu’s sleeve.

“How did you know about this?”

Zheng Qianyu said, “I heard what the Dong family’s mistress said when she was drunk.

“If the Dong family’s son was a good person, I wouldn’t be so indignant. Shen Zhui didn’t have her way when she was alive. Don’t tell me you won’t let her rest in peace even after she’s dead?”

After a few breaths, Shen Hua regained her composure.

She had made things difficult for Shen Qu. He had been busy with Shen Wei’s funeral and had even agreed to such a detrimental matter in order to use the Dong Family to get involved with the magistrate.

Madam Shen Xue could not help but involve herself in this matter.

She seemed to be mocking him. Although her tone was light, her words were clear. “No matter what, Shen Zhui is still part of the Shen family’s bloodline. As long as I’m around, I won’t let anyone humiliate her like this. She’s already dead. How can she break out of the coffin and move her bones to be buried with that Dong family’s son?”

Was the Dong family even compatible?

Shen Hua was not in the mood for pleasantries.

She took a deep look at Zheng Qianyu.

Zheng Qianyu’s hair stood on end from her gaze.

‘What are you looking at?’ Just as she was about to make another sarcastic remark, Shen Hua’s pale lips curled into a smile.

“Thank you for telling me, Sister Mi.”

Zheng Qianyu turned around and left angrily.

‘Why don’t you try saying that again?’

…

“Mistress, this matter must be the work of the Second Branch and the stepson. If the stepmother is also involved, how will you deal with it?” Yi Cui frowned tightly.

Shen Hua let out a long sigh.

“Isn’t this also a weakness that we can use?

“Those people are worse than animals.”

Aunt Liu and Shen Zhui were innocent.

“Stepmother is great at putting on an act. She did all sorts of mean things in the name of virtue. Previously, Father thought highly of me, so she didn’t dare to do anything to me. She even tried to get on my good side. She was considerate in everything.

“But let’s not talk about anything else. The winter clothes she sends to Aunt Liu’s courtyard every year have all been changed to low-grade cotton wool. How can she avoid the cold?

“In the past, I thought that she was only a little greedy. Now, it seems that she and Shen Qu are biological mother and son.”

The carriage of the Shen family arrived.

Shen Hua got into the carriage with Yi Cui’s help.

The driver pulled the reins tightly and gave a shout. The wheels rolled.

There were all kinds of paper money and gold ingots piled up by Aunt Liu’s feet. She retracted her legs uneasily. The sacrificial items did not take up much space, but she was still worried about angering Shen Hua.

With her thoughts a mess, the memories of the past slowly filled her…

Shen Zhui had fallen into the water after coming out of the young mistress’s house.

That year, Shen Hua had a verbal dispute with Third Lady Zheng. She was so anxious to return to her residence that she was coughing out blood.

Her Shen Zhui received the news and went to visit her in a hurry.

Shen Hua was the delicate rose of the residence. The servants who served her filled the room.

Shen Zhui did not get to see her, so she could only walk back worriedly.

The sky was as dark as ink. The maids serving her were from Madam Shen Xue. How could they be trying their hardest?

“Second Lady, please walk faster. After I send you back, I still have to get some wine to warm my body. But I’m puzzled. Why are you rushing to please her? You even made me follow you for nothing.”

Shen Zhui was a little afraid. She carefully observed her expression. “I can go back myself.”

The old servant walked off arrogantly with the only source of light in her hand.

Shen Zhui could not see well at night. When she passed by the small pool, she slipped and fell into the water.

By the time someone fished her out, she was already dead.

She could only blame Ah Zhui’s bad fortune. As her biological mother, she could not protect her.

How could he blame Shen Hua for this?

They moved in silence.

When the carriage stopped, Shen Hua lifted her skirt and stepped out of the carriage.

“Aunt.”

Shen Hua turned around.

“If retribution doesn’t follow me like a shadow, there must be something between heaven and earth.

“But I firmly believe that hiding in the dark will always backfire. Why should you die now? Rather, you have to live well for her sake.”

She enunciated each word clearly.

“For what it’s worth, I acknowledge Shen Zhui as my sister.”