Ch 150: Is There Really Such a Good Thing? [QT]

Shen Zhong had a broom scratch on his face. It wasn’t bleeding, but it hurt when touched. Running back to the Shen house, he furiously complained, “How many times have I told you not to provoke her? Not to provoke her! We went there for serious business, and now you’ve ruined everything! How am I supposed to explain this to Young Master Li?”

Old Man Shen had been the head of the household his whole life and had never bowed his head to anyone. Lately, however, he had been humiliated repeatedly by his own descendants. His face darkened instantly. “A man should stand on his own two feet! Depending on a woman, what kind of man is that? Are you saying that if she doesn’t enter the Li family’s household, you won’t earn Young Master Li’s favor? You’re his bookboy! What you should be doing is impressing him with your knowledge, not relying on these underhanded tricks!”

Shen Zhong, already on edge, lost his patience. “Stop being so ignorant! People like us are born to be ants—anyone in the county can step on us, and if they crush us to death, they wouldn’t even have to answer for it! If not for Grandmother’s help, do you think I could have entered the Li family? You think I should depend on you? What can you do? Other than bossing people around because of your seniority, what have you ever accomplished?”

“You little bastard, who are you calling useless? I raised you for over ten years, paid for your education, and now you dare insult me? I’ll beat you to death for being an ungrateful wretch!” Old Man Shen took off his shoe and swung it at him.

Shen Zhong dodged and spat back, “Paid for me? What a joke! Did you earn the money for my studies? It was Shen Yunxuan and her parents! At most, add Grandmother to the list. They worked the hardest!

The eldest branch of the family is clear-headed—they only do what’s required and nothing extra. My own parents do nothing at all! And you? You just order people around! How much work have you ever done? You’re the biggest leech in this family! If I have to be grateful to someone, it sure as hell won’t be you!”

“Ungrateful bastard! Get out of my sight!” Old Man Shen, unable to keep up, hurled his shoe at Shen Zhong’s face and hunched over, panting furiously.

Shen Zhong winced at the pain, cast a resentful glare at him, and stormed off.

The rest of the Shen family was left stunned by the scene. Before they could react, Shen Zhong had already disappeared. Zhou shi chased him to the door, but he was already out of sight. She muttered, “He finally came home after so long, and we didn’t even get to talk properly…”

She turned and met Old Man Shen’s furious gaze and instantly shut her mouth.

Shen Dong, panicking, asked, “Father, what happened? You two were talking for ages inside, and after just one trip out, it’s turned into this? It’s that damn girl again, isn’t it? That wretched brat is always causing trouble! Why don’t you tell us what’s going on so we can figure out a plan?”

Originally, this was meant to be a secret discussion. But Old Man Shen, still seething, sat down and blurted out, “That bastard’s young master has taken a liking to Shen Yunxuan. He wants to take her as a concubine. And don’t act like that’s a bad thing! Being a concubine in the Li family means wearing gold and silver—it’s far more prestigious than being the wife of some ordinary man! This is a huge opportunity! She should be grateful for it!

But that bastard of mine—he’s a coward! Kept saying we shouldn’t offend Shen Yunxuan. That girl publicly humiliated me today, and you expect me to bow my head to her? And that wretched old woman from the Wu family? She didn’t even let me speak! She picked up a broom and chased us out! And that bastard blames me? He has a mouth, doesn’t he? Why didn’t he speak up?”

“What? Taking Shen Yunxuan as a concubine?” Shen Yunlian blurted out in shock. Why her? How could this even be possible? What was so special about her?

Shen Cai, now seeing Shen Zhong as unreliable, started considering what benefits he could gain from having his niece become a rich man’s concubine. Frowning, he asked, “But Shen Yunxuan has already been legally adopted by another family. How do we have any say in this?”

Old Man Shen dismissed the concern. “We’ll just say she had a childhood engagement! With such a great match, people will only envy her—they won’t question it. She’s just a girl. Once she enters the Li household, do you think she can stand on her own? She’ll still need a family to rely on. And that old hag from the Wu family? She’s just a lonely widow—what support could she possibly offer? In the end, Shen Yunxuan will still have to turn to us.”

At that moment, he recalled what Shen Zhong had said about him never contributing to the family and only ordering people around. His pride took another hit, and without another word, he stormed into his room. Madam Shen quickly followed to console him.

The rest of the family exchanged glances, considering the feasibility of the plan.

To them, this was an incredible opportunity. But they knew Shen Yunxuan had severed ties with them—convincing her would be a challenge. They needed a solid plan.

Meanwhile, Shen Zhong rushed back to the Li residence just before the side gate was locked. Since his mission had failed, he sneaked back to his room, hoping to avoid his master’s wrath. Fortunately, Li Yaosheng was already preparing for bed and didn’t summon him. Shen Zhong quietly sighed in relief. At least this meant Li Yaosheng wasn’t overly invested in Shen Yunxuan—he probably wouldn’t punish him too harshly.

The next morning, after breakfast, Li Yaosheng casually asked, “Did you handle it?”

Shen Zhong lowered his head, nervous. “N-no, Young Master. Shen Yunxuan has already been adopted. Her marriage decisions now belong to her great-aunt, and my grandparents have no say.”

Li Yaosheng studied him for a moment, then stood up and walked toward the door. “I’m heading to the temple with Grandmother for a few days.”

Shen Zhong hurried to follow, but Li Yaosheng’s voice was indifferent as he said, “You stay here. Let the others accompany me.”

Shen Zhong froze, then exhaled in relief. At least this meant he wouldn’t have to deal with his master’s frustration up close. He had been exhausted from running errands the past few days—if Li Yaosheng was going to the temple for three days, it meant three days of rest for him.

A nearby servant glanced back and saw the look of relief on Shen Zhong’s face and shook his head. This fool… does he not realize that the young master is already displeased with him? And he still isn’t making an effort to prove himself?

He actually thinks he has a future here? Ridiculous.

Sure enough, after leaving the manor, Old Madam Li didn’t see Shen Zhong and casually asked, “Why didn’t you bring your bookboy? Not to your liking?”

Li Yaosheng replied indifferently, “Just a fool.”

Old Madam Li didn’t press further and simply said, “I’ll pick a couple of more suitable ones for you later.”

Hearing this, the household servants immediately understood—Shen Zhong’s future was as good as over.

---

That day, Shen Yunxuan’s family of four arrived early in the county. Shen Fu first delivered the fifty pre-ordered flower rolls to the dock and then returned to shop with them. Since they had decided on a wedding to ward off bad luck, Shen Yunxuan insisted on doing it as soon as possible to avoid any unforeseen complications. Because of this, they didn’t sell food that day and instead each carried a large basket to buy supplies.

Wedding attire, new clothes, fresh bedding, silver hairpins, silver earrings, silver bracelets—these were all bought by Old Madam Wu for Shen Yunxuan. There were also red candles, a bridal veil, and other ceremonial items. Although Shen Yunxuan didn’t mind keeping the ceremony simple and only cared about legally being considered a married woman, her three elders worried about shortchanging her. A wedding happened only once in a lifetime, and this was already an unconventional marriage without a groom. They didn’t want her to feel wronged, so they were determined to choose the best and buy everything necessary.

Shen Yunxuan let them take their time picking things out, only stepping in decisively when they hesitated, ensuring all purchases were made as quickly as possible.

As they walked down the street, three horse-drawn carriages passed by. They stepped aside along with other pedestrians. When Shen Yunxuan saw that the carriages belonged to the Li family, she subtly shifted to hide behind Shen Fu. She caught a glimpse of Li Yaosheng lifting the corner of the carriage curtain, glancing around idly. His gaze lingered on the street where Shen’s family used to sell food, and upon seeing no one there, he lowered the curtain again.

Shen Yunxuan lowered her gaze in thought, then turned to Old Madam Wu and said, “Grandmother, let’s go to the household registry office.”

Old Madam Wu was momentarily stunned but quickly understood and nodded. “Alright, alright, we’ll do as you say.”

Normally, wedding preparations took two to three months to show sincerity, and there were indeed many things to arrange. However, Old Madam Wu was worried that Old Man Shen might try some underhanded tricks to harm Shen Yunxuan. Now, she simply followed Shen Yunxuan’s lead. Having already informed the village head in advance and prepared the necessary paperwork, she led Shen Yunxuan directly to register the marriage, officially making Shen Yunxuan her granddaughter-in-law.

When Shen Yunxuan saw the updated registry, she finally smiled. “Grandmother, let’s go home!”

“Yes! Home!” Old Madam Wu’s eyes turned red, and she struggled to hold back her tears. Her grandson’s fate was still unknown, but now, at least, she had a family. She and Shen Yunxuan were finally, truly family, returning to their home!

Shen Yunxuan sighed in relief, feeling completely at ease. For some reason, she had a strong intuition that Li Yaosheng had set his sights on her. She needed to escape as quickly as possible. Fortunately, based on her knowledge of Li Yaosheng from her past life, he was moody, arrogant, and had no empathy for those of lower status. However, he wasn’t the type to forcefully take a woman. As long as she became another man’s wife, he would lose interest.

After all, there were countless women in the world. At most, Li Yaosheng was momentarily intrigued. He was nowhere near the point of being obsessed with her, so he wouldn’t go out of his way for her.

Feeling relieved, Shen Yunxuan even bought some ingredients to make malt sugar when she got home, distributing it to the children in her class while smiling and telling them about her marriage.

The children were completely shocked—could someone get married even when the groom wasn’t home? How would they perform the wedding ceremony?

When they told their families, the entire village was stunned. They had heard before that Old Madam Wu wanted to find a girl for a luck-bringing marriage, but after she had adopted Shen Fu’s family and their lives had flourished, she never mentioned it again. Why had it suddenly been decided that Shen Yunxuan would be the one for the ceremony?

Some villagers, under the pretense of delivering eggs and vegetables to Shen Yunxuan, tried to gather information. When they arrived, they saw the family busy decorating the house and courtyard with red decorations, filling the place with a festive atmosphere.

“This is really happening?” The villagers looked around in astonishment. “You already bought everything?”

Wang Xinghua smiled and said, “Yes, tomorrow is the big day! I was just about to finish decorating the wedding hall and then go tell everyone. Make sure you come to the wedding banquet tomorrow!”

“We’ll be there for sure! But why so suddenly? Did something happen?” One of them asked quietly, suspecting that bad news had arrived about Old Madam Wu’s grandson, prompting this rushed wedding.

Wang Xinghua waved her hand. “It wasn’t a sudden decision. We planned this even before the adoption. In fact, my aunt’s first choice was always my daughter Yunxuan—my husband and I were just part of the package deal.”

“Oh, so that’s how it is.” The villagers didn’t pry further. Seeing how busy they were, they rolled up their sleeves and started helping with the decorations.

With extra hands, the setup was finished quickly. It was obvious to anyone passing by that a wedding was taking place. Soon, word spread throughout the entire village. Old Madam Wu and Wang Xinghua personally went door-to-door to invite everyone, organizing helpers and announcing the time for the feast.

Everyone was invited—except for the Shen family.

When the Shen family heard the news from others, they were completely dumbfounded. They had still been discussing arranging a childhood engagement for Shen Yunxuan, yet now she was getting married? And it was a luck-bringing wedding?

They quickly urged Old Man Shen to go talk to Shen Fu. This kind of matter should be decided by the father, and Shen Fu had always been a dutiful and obedient son. If Old Man Shen spoke to him, surely he could put a stop to it.

Old Man Shen was feeling frustrated—Shen Zhong hadn’t even returned to apologize to him, yet here he was, having to handle matters for Shen Zhong. It was humiliating. But Shen Yunxuan was getting married the next day; if he didn’t act now, it would be too late. So, after nightfall, once the villagers had all returned home, he took Old Madam Shen with him to find Shen Fu.

Shen Fu didn’t come out but spoke through the courtyard gate, “Uncle, Aunt, what do you need?”

Old Man Shen immediately flared up in anger, about to explode, but he held it in, afraid of ruining the matter at hand. Old Madam Shen, however, began to wail, “Ah, Old Third, what are you calling us? How could you not recognize your own parents?”

Shen Fu felt a pang of sadness, but after seeing how the Shen family had tried to scheme against his daughter, he found himself caring much less about them. Especially since Shen Yunxuan had changed so drastically—how much pain must she have endured to become so resilient? He didn’t even dare to imagine. And all of that pain had been inflicted by his so-called parents.

Since he had already been adopted into another family, these people were no longer his parents, and there was no need to acknowledge them. His voice turned colder. “The documents were signed, the household registry updated long ago—I have no relation to you anymore. My daughter is getting married tomorrow, and we’re very busy. If there’s nothing urgent, I’ll be heading inside.”

Old Man Shen wanted nothing more than to beat him to death, but he was desperate to get his point across. He forced himself to speak through gritted teeth, “Erya cannot marry someone else! I arranged a childhood engagement for her over ten years ago.”

Shen Fu’s head snapped up, eyes glaring. “You’re lying! How is it that I, her own father, never knew about this?”

“You must have forgotten. Over a decade ago—”

“Don’t give me that nonsense. Just tell me—who is it?” Shen Fu clenched his fists, an absurd suspicion rising in his chest. Could it be… the Li family?

Old Man Shen was displeased at being interrupted, but he quickly answered, “It’s the Li family’s third young master! He’s two years older than Erya. They even met as children—”

Shen Fu let out a cold laugh, his heart turning ice-cold. “The Li family’s third young master? A childhood engagement? What, is the Li family sending an eight-carriage procession to marry my Yunxuan as their wife? Where’s the matchmaker? Where’s the betrothal gift? Where is the sincerity from the Li family?”

Old Man Shen frowned. “As a wife? Do you even know who we are? How could she possibly be married into such a high-status family as a wife? No, the third young master wants to take her as a concubine. And don’t look down on that—”

“Ptui!” Shen Fu spat on the ground, cutting Old Man Shen off. He grabbed the firewood hatchet from beside the door and swung it as he kicked open the courtyard gate. “What kind of childhood engagement is for a concubine? You failed to sell my daughter off once, and now you’re trying again? You think there won’t be divine retribution for this? Let me tell you—Yunxuan’s household registration is already under the Wu family. It’s set in stone. Don’t even think about scheming against her again!”

Old Madam Shen let out a shriek, and she and Old Man Shen ran for their lives, clutching their heads in fear.

Old Man Shen, terrified, yelled as he fled, “Shen Fu! How dare you raise a weapon against your own parents? You’re an unfilial disgrace!”

Shen Fu halted, pointing the hatchet at them. “You’re lucky I didn’t actually hack you to pieces! Listen up—what I just cut down is our blood ties. From this day forward, we are enemies! If you push me too far, I won’t hesitate to settle things once and for all!”

He sneered. “No—not just you. If you force my hand, I’ll make sure your entire family is buried with you! Isn’t your greatest wish to bring honor to the Shen family? If you dare scheme against Yunxuan again, I’ll make sure the Shen bloodline is wiped off the face of this earth! Now get out!”

Old Man Shen was truly frightened this time. Shen Fu wasn’t just strong and skilled at labor—he was a hunter, used to wielding knives and dealing with blood. With the way he looked right now, full of murderous intent, Old Man Shen had no doubt that if pushed, Shen Fu would follow through on his threats.

For the first time, Old Man Shen didn’t dare talk back. He grabbed Old Madam Shen and ran as fast as he could. In his panic, he tripped and fell flat on his face.

Shen Fu stood at the courtyard gate, watching them. When they stumbled and fell, he felt nothing—not a shred of concern. He only felt disgust. How could people be so utterly heartless? How could family turn on each other so easily?

Yunxuan is their own granddaughter. How can they still call themselves human?

Shen Yunxuan stepped out from the house and asked softly, “Father, are you alright?”

Shen Fu took a deep breath, then turned to her with an apologetic expression. “I’m fine. I’m sorry, Yunxuan. I failed to protect you in the past and let them take advantage of you.”

Shen Yunxuan quickly reassured him, “That was because they are terrible people. It wasn’t your fault, Father. You were just too kind—you never expected them to be so cruel.”

Shen Fu nodded. “Go rest now. You have to wake up early tomorrow.”

Shen Yunxuan smiled. “I was just worried about you. But Father, don’t be sad for people who aren’t worth it. You have me, Mother, and Grandmother. Our family will have a good life.”

Shen Fu thought about the life they had after being adopted and nodded. “You’re right. Don’t worry—I won’t waver. And I won’t let anyone bully you ever again.”

“Mm! Then you should rest early too.” Shen Yunxuan could see that Shen Fu was struggling emotionally, but she also saw the determination in his eyes.

Honestly, she hadn’t expected Shen Fu to wake up to the truth so quickly. He had always been too soft-hearted when it came to the Shen family.

But now, he had finally let go.

And that made Shen Yunxuan feel incredibly happy—because it meant that her father truly cared about her.

She was wanted.

This life, her parents were still here. She wouldn’t go hungry. She wouldn’t have her wages stolen. She wouldn’t have to suffer through illness without medicine. She wouldn’t be bullied ever again.

Everything… was different now.

---

The next morning, Shen Yunxuan rose at dawn and changed into her bridal gown.

The wife of the village’s third uncle soon arrived to help her style her hair and apply her makeup. She was the eldest woman in the village, known for her harmonious marriage, filial children, and a life of peace and prosperity.

Whenever a girl in the village was about to be married, people always called her to help with the preparations.

Today, she had come for Shen Yunxuan’s wedding.

Shen Yunxuan sat in front of the mirror, gazing at herself dressed in the bright red bridal gown, and couldn’t help but smile.

The women who had come to help were surprised. Old Madam Wu’s grandson had been gone for years, and no one knew if he was alive or dead. They had assumed Shen Yunxuan would be somewhat reluctant, yet she was smiling so happily.

What they didn’t know was that in her past life, she had suddenly been made a concubine, and for the rest of her life, she was never allowed to wear true red—the color reserved for a legitimate wife. It was a compromise for survival, but also a deep regret. Now, she had been given a second chance. Nothing had happened yet; her parents were still alive, and she even had a grandmother who loved and protected her. And now, she could wear this wedding dress with honor, as if proving to herself that she had truly changed her fate. She no longer had to live in fear.

As for not having a groom? That was the best part. What could be happier than being a widow? She still had three elders by her side. As long as they continued living like this, she would be blissfully happy. She couldn’t care less about what others thought, so she would go through with this marriage with a smile.

The entire village showed up, astonished by how grand the celebration was. They had thought few people would come. At first, everyone was whispering about how this marriage had no groom—truly a “wedding to ward off bad luck.” But then, the topic shifted to how much the children had learned from Shen Yunxuan. Everyone was talking about how talented they were now, and others were praising Shen Yunxuan’s cooking skills. Some still hadn’t forgotten the fish ball porridge she had made last time—they were still craving it.

If this wedding was meant to bring fortune, then the sheer amount of joy and blessings had pushed it to the highest level. It felt as if all of Old Madam Wu’s grandson’s luck had been fully restored. Wu Old Madam was incredibly moved. “Thank you all for coming.”

Someone laughed and said, “How could we not come when such a good girl like Yunxuan is getting married?”

“Exactly! Yunxuan is a blessing to this village! She’s taught the children so well! If you hadn’t acted first, I’d have snatched her up as my daughter-in-law!”

“Hah! You wish! If anyone’s snatching her, it’s me! But look at all these people—do you think you’d win?”

Laughter erupted among the crowd, and more blessings poured in. Only after a while did they realize something—more than half the villagers were here for Shen Yunxuan.

Her ability to read and write, to recite poetry, had already earned her the villagers’ respect. But beyond that, she had also taught the children not only literacy but also life skills, survival techniques, and how to be good people.

Unknowingly, her status among the villagers had already risen to nearly the same level as the village head. To rural people, a scholar was a person of true distinction.

Through the window, Shen Yunxuan observed the scene outside and knew she had made the right decision. She had secured her place in the village.

---

After her wedding, Shen Yunxuan began wearing her hair in a married woman’s style. She also made a new type of candied fruit as a small gift for the county magistrate’s mother—not much, just enough to show gratitude for her favoring their business. It subtly strengthened their connection while also displaying her skills.

Meanwhile, Li Yaosheng had spent three days eating vegetarian meals at the temple. The moment he returned, he went straight to a restaurant to have a proper meal. As he ate, he casually asked the waiter, “Any interesting news these past few days?”

The waiter happened to be from the same village as Shen Yunxuan and grinned. “Oh, there is something! Someone from my village joined the army years ago and hasn’t been heard from since—no one knows if he’s alive or dead. His grandmother, an old widow, was all alone. She’s getting up in age, so first, she arranged for an adopted son to carry on her late son’s lineage, and then she married off the adopted son’s daughter to her missing grandson as a wife.”

The waiter chuckled. “The grandson isn’t even home, and the bride had to bow alone at the wedding. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life! The whole village turned up—it was quite the sight!”

Li Yaosheng paused mid-sip of tea. Something about this story sounded very familiar. He frowned. “What’s the bride’s name?”

“Huh?” The waiter hesitated. Asking for a married woman’s name was unusual. But this was a wealthy guest—he had to answer. “The bride’s surname is Shen. I heard she recently changed her name, though. I don’t go back to the village much, so I don’t know the details.”

Li Yaosheng let out a short, mocking laugh. “Shen? And her husband’s family name—is it Wu?”

The waiter was stunned. “Sir, you know about this?”

How did someone as wealthy as this young master know about a small village’s affairs?

Li Yaosheng waved the waiter away without another word. His expression darkened as he lifted his teacup and drained it in one gulp.

He had never suffered such a humiliation before.

He had only left for three days. And in that short time, his prey had escaped.

That fool Shen Zhong! He had one job, and he couldn’t even handle it. Useless!

His frustration had nowhere to go, so he directed all his anger toward Shen Zhong. The moment he returned to the manor, he ordered someone to drag Shen Zhong out into the courtyard and give him ten strikes with a wooden plank.

Shen Zhong had been napping when he was suddenly yanked out of bed and beaten. He howled in pain.

Why?! he screamed in his mind. I switched lives with Shen Yunxuan! I walked the path of wealth and fortune! So why am I still suffering like this?!

🌸˚˖𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒✧🩷˚⋆