Ch 12: Is There Really Such a Good Thing? [QT]

In the blink of an eye, it was time for Shen Yunxuan and Huo Siheng to return to her family three days after their wedding. Over the past two days of living under the same roof, Madam Huo had grown to admire Shen Yunxuan, feeling that she was untouched by the Shen family’s chaos and completely different from them. However, she worried that Shen Yunxuan might soften upon returning home and allow herself to be manipulated and bullied again.

Holding Shen Yunxuan’s hands, Madam Huo earnestly advised her, “I initially thought about having you divorce right after the wedding, but you’re a good child, and you and Siheng seem to get along well. I’ve decided to accept you as my daughter-in-law. From now on, this is your home. Don’t be afraid when you go back. If anyone wrongs you, make sure Siheng stands up for you. Be strong and have dignity, okay?”

Shen Yunxuan nodded sincerely. “I understand. Thank you, Mom.”

Madam Huo turned to Huo Siheng and said, “You better keep an eye out. Don’t let Yunxuan get bullied when you’re not looking. Bring her back home safely, understand?”

“Understood,” Huo Siheng replied, slightly exasperated. The way his mother spoke made it seem like the Shen family was some kind of dangerous pit.

Madam Huo’s remarks were, in truth, a deliberate reminder to Shen Yunxuan not to forget the grievances she had endured in the Shen family. Madam Huo hoped that Shen Yunxuan wouldn’t easily forgive them and fall back into that quagmire. If Shen Yunxuan distanced herself from her family and focused on the Huo family, they would treat her well. However, if she chose to reconcile with the Shens and be pulled back into their mess, Madam Huo would inevitably be disappointed.

Ultimately, Madam Huo knew it would take time, understanding, and shared experiences for everyone to find the best way to get along.

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When Shen Yunxuan and Huo Siheng got into the car, his assistant whispered, “I didn’t expect Madam Huo to accept the Madam so quickly. Impressive!”

Huo Siheng glanced at him and said, “Don’t comment on Madam’s affairs in the future.” With that, he opened the door and got into the car.

The assistant thought to himself, Wow, not only did she win over Madam Huo, but she’s got the boss on her side too. Impressive indeed!

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When they arrived at the Shen residence, they noticed the house was bustling with guests—relatives and friends of the Shen family. Huo Siheng called his assistant over. “Today, stay close to Madam. There are too many people here; make sure she’s taken care of.”

“Yes, sir!” The assistant smiled at Shen Yunxuan. “Madam, my name is Yang An. You can call me Xiao Yang.”

Shen Yunxuan smiled back and nodded, acknowledging the introduction as they followed a servant inside.

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Shen Yunrui had arrived earlier with Lin Huaizhi and had intentionally invited many relatives to the Shen residence. She vividly remembered being humiliated by the Huo family on this very day in her past life when she returned alone and was scolded by her parents. She expected the same to happen to Shen Yunxuan in this lifetime and planned to use the crowd to amplify the embarrassment.

She believed the best way to suppress her wedding fiasco was to create a bigger scandal. Compared to her unconventional marriage to Lin Huaizhi, the Huo family openly rejecting Shen Yunxuan and damaging the Shen family’s reputation would undoubtedly draw more attention. As long as she and Lin Huaizhi appeared deeply in love, no one would care about past incidents.

This is the advantage of being reborn, she thought smugly. With foreknowledge of the Shen, Lin, and Huo families’ affairs, she could manipulate events to her benefit.

Her plan was proceeding smoothly. She had arrived early to help Madam Shen host the guests and introduced Lin Huaizhi to everyone. Smiling sweetly and displaying affection with Lin Huaizhi, their “newlywed bliss” was apparent. Despite Lin Huaizhi’s slight unease, he couldn’t hide his adoration for Shen Yunrui, and the guests were charmed by their dynamic.

Soon, the unfavorable impressions from the wedding began to fade. The guests believed there must have been some misunderstanding and that Shen Yunrui had been wronged. After all, they had watched Shen Yunrui grow up and thought of her as a sweet and obedient girl.

Some opportunistic relatives, eager to curry favor with the Shens, chimed in with praises:
“Yunrui has grown up and married now, and she’s even more thoughtful than before. Helping her mom so early in the morning, how considerate!”
“Exactly! Yunrui’s always been such a darling. Speaking of which, where is Yunxuan? When it comes to being thoughtful, Yunxuan isn’t nearly as good as her younger sister. And Huaizhi—such a good son-in-law—came home early with her.”

Feigning modesty, Shen Yunrui replied, “Huaizhi and I didn’t have much to do, so coming home early was only right. My sister’s husband, on the other hand, has the entire Huo Corporation to manage and is probably busy. They might come later.”

She deliberately laid a trap, assuming Shen Yunxuan would arrive alone. What she didn’t notice was the slight change in Lin Huaizhi’s expression, his dissatisfaction evident. The constant comparison with Huo Siheng, especially after the wedding’s events, made Lin Huaizhi feel deeply inferior. Hearing Shen Yunrui imply he was idle while Huo Siheng was managing a massive corporation only added to his discomfort, making him feel like everyone was silently mocking his inadequacy.

The truth was, the guests weren’t paying attention to him at all. Their curiosity was focused entirely on the Huo family.

Someone commented, “What could possibly be so important to make him miss this? Doesn’t seem very considerate. Yunxuan’s temperament isn’t very likable; she might have a hard time fitting in at the Huo family.”

Shen Yunrui sighed theatrically, “It’s a business marriage; this kind of situation is expected. Everyone, please understand. My sister probably has no say in the Huo family and must have it tough. The wedding fiasco likely upset them too. I’ll try to explain things on her behalf, in case they take it out on her.”

“I hope she can make it back today without too much trouble. It’s fine if she’s late, but if her husband intentionally doesn’t accompany her, that would truly be humiliating,” someone added.

The crowd exchanged uneasy glances. A family visit was a simple tradition, but if a large group of people had gathered and Huo Siheng didn’t show up, it would indeed be a slap in the face for Shen Yunxuan. It would confirm that despite being the wife of a wealthy tycoon, she held no real status or influence.

Shen Yunrui said, “This is exactly why I dislike arranged marriages and don’t want to marry into a wealthy family. Life is short, only a few decades. I want to live freely, without constantly having to cater to others. Right now, I’m very happy.” She interlocked her fingers with Lin Huaizhi’s, smiling sweetly. “In the future, Huaizhi and I might start a small business together, so we hope everyone will support us.”

Lin Huaizhi froze. Start a business? When did I say that? He had just graduated and was preparing to take the civil service exam back in his hometown. His study materials were already bought.

The relatives, however, quickly jumped in to flatter them.

“That’s the spirit, young people should have ambition and drive! Huaizhi, don’t worry, we’ll work with you whenever there’s an opportunity. Let’s make money together. But you must treat Yunrui well, not like Mr. Huo, who neglects his wife when he’s busy.”

“Exactly! As long as you’re good to our Yunrui, whether it’s starting a business or anything else, we’ll back you up!”

One relative added, “You know, these two sisters are twins, but Yunxuan took all the nutrients in the womb, which caused Yunrui to be frailer as a child and smaller in stature even now. But in every other way, Yunrui outshines Yunxuan. Huaizhi, you’ve truly married a gem. Cherish her, you hear? If we ever find out you’ve mistreated her, you’ll have us to answer to!”

At the wedding, many of the guests had noticed the Lin family’s attitude and felt aggrieved on Yunrui’s behalf. Now, in front of Lin Huaizhi, they naturally wanted to support her and praise her, emphasizing her value in her family.

Lin Huaizhi responded to each comment, unsure of what else to say. Shen Yunrui quickly stepped in to defuse the situation, smiling as she said, “Huaizhi has always been very good to me. He says he’ll make sure my life after marriage is just as happy as before. As for my sister, she’s actually very lively when she’s with her friends. It’s just at home, she doesn’t like to talk or show herself much.”

Someone muttered, “Isn’t that just looking down on everyone? Now that she’s a rich man’s wife, she’ll probably hold her nose even higher.”

At that moment, Shen Yunxuan entered, her hand resting lightly on Huo Siheng’s arm. “So this is what my sister has been saying behind my back. No wonder everyone misunderstands me as being aloof.”

The crowd froze, their gossip caught by the person they were discussing. Their expressions grew awkward. Seeing the two walk in arm in arm, looking close, they regretted their earlier words. They quickly stood and smiled, trying to smooth things over. “Oh, we were just joking around. How could we think that? We’ve all been eagerly waiting for you to return. Come, have a seat!”

Madam Shen chimed in, “They were just joking, don’t take it seriously.”

Shen Yunxuan glanced around at the now-silent crowd and said calmly, “I take things seriously; I’m not one for jokes. Sister, you used to tell me that elders prefer quiet, shy girls and dislike those who are outspoken. That’s why I acted the way I did. But now I hear you’ve been saying the opposite to them. It seems you enjoy making jokes. From now on, we’ll need to figure out which of your words are true and which are false.”

Shen Yunrui’s face changed instantly. Those were words she had lied about as a child. Back then, Shen Yunxuan had trusted her and, seeing her as frail, often gave in to her. Over time, Shen Yunxuan’s presence diminished in front of the elders, leading to her current reputation. Shen Yunrui had almost forgotten about this old ploy, yet here Shen Yunxuan was, bringing it up now. She immediately frowned. “When did I ever say such a thing?”

Shen Yunxuan smiled lightly. “I don’t have a recording, so if you don’t admit it, fine. After all, it’s just a joke. It’s not important.”

She greeted the guests warmly and sat with Huo Siheng, her composed demeanor and apparent lack of resentment leaving Madam Shen fuming. Yet there was no way to address it without escalating the matter. The others, meanwhile, began reassessing the sisters. If what Shen Yunxuan said was true, then Shen Yunrui had been scheming since childhood—manipulative and duplicitous. That was unsettling.

Moreover, the dynamics between the two sisters had clearly shifted. Shen Yunxuan’s newfound assertiveness and elevated status made it clear that they couldn’t view her the same way anymore. On top of that, as Huo Siheng had accompanied her and even brought gifts, it was evident he was giving her face. The scales in their hearts tipped decisively toward Shen Yunxuan. A connection to the Huo family held far greater value than any sentiment tied to Shen Yunrui’s claims of “true love.”

Meanwhile, Shen Yunrui sat across from Shen Yunxuan, her eyes involuntarily drawn to Huo Siheng, glaring at him.

Why was he here? How could he be here? Why would he accompany Shen Yunxuan, letting her hold his arm? In her past life, he had handed her a divorce agreement on their wedding night, treated her coldly, and refused to accompany her to visit her family. Was all of that fake?

Her expression was so telling that both Shen Yunxuan and Huo Siheng noticed, and Madam Shen coughed lightly to remind her to stay composed. However, she was too consumed by her shock to react.

Lin Huaizhi frowned and gave her a hard nudge. “Yunrui! What’s wrong?”

Shen Yunrui snapped out of it, but the stark difference between her memories and the current reality left her panicking. It took all her effort to muster an unnatural smile.

The guests began whispering among themselves, their suspicions growing. What’s going on here? Why is she staring at her brother-in-law like that? Could it be… she regrets not marrying him instead?

The thought that today’s family visit might devolve into another spectacle was now firmly planted in everyone’s minds.

🌸˚˖𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒✧🩷˚⋆