Chapter 25. I don't want to become a widow right after getting married. ...

Chapter 25

After recovering from her shock, Shen Suining became certain that He Hansheng was deliberately taking his anger out on her.

She took a deep breath and told herself that people suffering from heatstroke should not get angry, otherwise she would be the one who suffers. "If you really can't get along with me, you can write a letter of divorce."

"Divorcing one's wife is also disobeying an imperial decree."

"Then let's get a divorce."

"It's all the same. This marriage was bestowed by His Majesty, so we can only fight to the death."

Shen Suining was speechless, and her temper flared up. "Then you might as well take this opportunity to poison me."

He Hansheng chuckled, clutched the handkerchief in his hand for a moment, then stood up and threw it back into the water.

The handkerchief floated on the water. He Hansheng reached out and pressed it down to soak it, then wrung it out again. He returned to Shen Suining's side and said softly, "I want to get along well with you, Ningning."

"What happened yesterday was ultimately my fault, and my mother's punishment of me was justified. I will not hold a grudge against you for it. All I've ever thought is that now that we are husband and wife, I want to get along well with you."

Shen Suining was stunned.

She's the kind of person who responds better to gentleness than force. If He Hansheng had continued to go against her, she might have really fought him to the bitter end. But He Hansheng suddenly softened, and Shen Suining felt like she'd punched a piece of cotton, instantly losing her temper.

“You…you should have done this sooner,” Shen Suining stammered for a while, then muttered awkwardly, “It’s not like I’m hard to talk to. If you had said this earlier, there wouldn’t have been so much trouble.”

He Hansheng finally smiled and reached out to wipe the sweat from Shen Suining's forehead with a handkerchief.

Would you like some more mung bean and lily bulb soup?

Shen Suining shook her head. "I just want to drink water."

“Here’s the handkerchief,” He Hansheng handed the handkerchief to Shen Suining, then got up and poured a glass of water. “I put some mint in the water; it will make you feel better.”

"Hmm." Shen Suining took the cup and sipped it slowly, her eyes unconsciously drifting towards He Hansheng, but as soon as they met his gaze, she immediately looked away guiltily.

As the saying goes, something unusual is bound to happen. He Hansheng's sudden attentiveness towards her must mean he has ulterior motives.

Shen Suining was immersed in her own speculation, and the more she thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed, until a gentle breeze blew in her face, pulling her thoughts back. In the blink of an eye, He Hansheng had a fan in his hand.

It wasn't the kind of folding fan commonly used by wealthy young men, but a simple yet exceptionally practical large palm-leaf fan. The way He Hansheng held it and fanned himself with it looked rather strange and incongruous.

A gentle breeze brushed against her cheeks, gradually dissipating the heat from her body, but it still made Shen Suining's heart pound again.

She hesitated for a long time before finally asking, "He Hansheng, tell me the truth, are you worried that my father won't let you in when we go back to your parents' home in a few days? If that's the case, you can rest assured. My father is very reasonable. At most, he'll just let us handle it ourselves. He won't make things difficult for you over such a small matter."

"..." He Hansheng was so angry that he threw the fan away with a "smack".

...

A few days later, Shen Suining and He Hansheng returned to their parents' home together.

The two rode in the same carriage, with enough space between them for at least two more people to sit.

After getting into the carriage, He Hansheng leaned against the carriage wall and closed his eyes to rest. For a full half hour, until the carriage was almost at Pu She, he did not say a word to Shen Suining.

Not only today, but in the past few days, although He Hansheng would pretend to be a respectful newlywed couple with Shen Suining when others were around, he would treat her almost like she was invisible in private, barely acknowledging her.

Shen Suining was puzzled. How could this freshman boy be so narrow-minded?

But as the saying goes, when you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head. Shen Suining thought that if he saw Shen Yan on his return visit and found out that his relationship with He Hansheng wasn't as harmonious as he imagined, he would probably be heartbroken and blame himself. Even if things were settled, he probably wouldn't feel at ease returning to Yangzhou. In that case, Shen Suining's plan would completely collapse.

Shen Suining sighed inwardly. In the end, it was all that damned emperor's fault for setting up such a perfect match.

Seeing Pu She right in front of her, Shen Suining gritted her teeth, sat closer to He Hansheng, and called out to him in a flattering tone, "When you meet my father later, could you put on a little act?"

"What are we acting out?" He Hansheng didn't even open his eyes. His voice was clear and bright, showing no sign of sleepiness. It was clear that he simply didn't want to talk to her during the entire car ride.

Shen Suining sighed, "Act with more passion, so my dad doesn't realize that we not only have no feelings for each other, but we're also having a cold war."

He Hansheng opened his eyes and saw that the girl's beautiful eyes no longer held the wariness and suspicion that kept people at a distance. She would take the initiative to get closer, and there was worry in her eyes that she could not hide.

"It turns out that the lady not only wanted to gain a reputation for being virtuous and gentle, but also wanted to put on a show of marital bliss for others."

“It doesn’t matter to others, but I have to make my father think that way.” Shen Suining said without hesitation.

He Hansheng looked at her indifferently, "Is this considered begging me?"

"Just tell me what you want in return."

It's not a pleading tone like "What do you want me to do to get this to happen?" but rather a direct statement: You have to do this for me, and I'll give you a reward. This means you have to do it, whether you like it or not.

That's just her usual way of doing things.

He Hansheng chuckled softly, "Then I'll have to think about it carefully."

"Take your time to think it over. I'll take that as your agreement," Shen Suining said. The carriage had already stopped in front of Pu She's house, and Xun Zong personally opened the door to greet them.

Just as Shen Suining was about to get out of the car, He Hansheng grabbed her arm.

"What are you doing? We've arrived." Shen Suining frowned. "You're not planning to go back on your word, are you?"

“No, I’ve just made up my mind.” He Hansheng stared at her lips.

Shen Suining didn't react, "What?"

"benefit."

As soon as he finished speaking, He Hansheng leaned forward slightly, brought his face close to Shen Suining's, and unexpectedly and quickly placed a light kiss on the corner of her lips.

Without any warning, Shen Suining froze on the spot. By the time she came to her senses, He Hansheng had already gotten off the carriage.

He stood by the car, extending his hand to her. "Please, madam."

Before Shen Suining could react, He Hansheng had already grabbed her hand and lifted her off the carriage.

“You…” Shen Suining stepped through the gate and realized that He Hansheng was still holding her hand.

She instinctively tried to pull away, but was pulled even tighter. He Hansheng turned to the side, lowered his head, and whispered in her ear, "Act seriously."

"..." Shen Suining was somewhat shocked; this person got into character quite quickly.

As soon as the two entered the gate, still in the front yard, they saw Shen Yan standing straight in the center of the front yard with his hands behind his back. He had the imposing presence of a man who could hold off ten thousand men. Anyone who didn't know better would think he was going into battle to defend against an enemy, rather than welcoming his newlywed daughter and son-in-law.

Shen Yan has a frail build and looks like a refined scholar, but his ruthlessness in killing enemies is unmatched by anyone else. Just by standing there, he exudes a powerful aura.

He Hansheng released Shen Suining's hand, stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Shen Yan, "Father-in-law."

Shen Yan didn't move, and Shen Suining instantly had a bad feeling.

“When I first met your father, we fought for dozens of rounds in the street, and neither side could gain the upper hand,” Shen Yan said, drawing a long sword from behind him and tossing it to He Hansheng. “Today, as the son of an old friend and your first visit as a son-in-law, I, as your uncle, must learn a few moves from you.”

He Hansheng took the sword, "This junior dares not."

"Enough with the nonsense! Xun Zong!" Shen Yan shouted, "Bring me my spear!"

Shen Yan is a veteran who has fought his way through the battlefield. He is an expert with a spear. Usually, he spars with his bare hands or with a sword. Today, he brought a spear, which is probably not just to "learn a few moves".

Shen Suining quickly stepped forward and snatched the gun from Xun Zong's hand. Unexpectedly, the gun was not only long but also extremely heavy. She couldn't lift it up at once, and the butt of the gun fell heavily to the ground, the shock making her hand numb.

"Dad, are you using this thing to spar with your daughter so she'll become a widow?!"

"Ningning, step back!"

"Fine, I'll back down. If you really want to fight, then change the weapon. I don't want to become a widow right after getting married," Shen Suining said, clinging to her weapon as if afraid Shen Yan would snatch it away. "Either we use swords, or we exchange a few blows bare-handed. Coming up with such a heavy gun right away, people will think you're going to fight on the battlefield!"

Aside from his elder brother Shen Sui'an, this is the first time in all these years that Shen Suining has stood up for another man besides Shen Yan.

Shen Yan's veins bulged instantly. Without saying a word, he snatched the gun from Shen Suining and pushed her to a safe place. "Stay away! Swords and spears have no eyes; they might hurt you!"

He Hansheng also instructed Jiang Yuchu behind him: "Keep an eye on Madam."

"yes."

By the time Jiang Yuchu walked up to Shen Suining, she had already brought out a plate of melon seeds from somewhere and found the most comfortable viewing area under the eaves.

"Don't worry, I'm not stupid, I won't rush up to stop you," Shen Suining ordered someone to bring over a chair, and handed a handful of melon seeds to Jiang Yuchu, "Would you like some?"

Jiang Yuchu: "..."

Having long been accustomed to Shen Suining's relaxed demeanor, Shen Fengyu adopted a spectator's attitude, asking with some curiosity, "Young Master, if the Master and the Young Marquis were to fight, who would win?"

"Is there even a question? Dad has brought out all his prized possessions. What are He Hansheng's chances of winning?" Shen Suining watched the battle while eating melon seeds. "If both of them were using swords, then it might be a bit hard to say. But right now, we can only pray that He Hansheng doesn't lose too badly."

While the group was talking, Shen Yan and He Hansheng had already exchanged blows several times. At first, they were able to fight back and forth, but by the fourth round, He Hansheng was clearly struggling to keep up with Shen Yan's attacks and was in a very passive position.

Shen Fengyu noticed something amiss. "Young Master, do you think Master is avenging you?"

Before he could finish speaking, Shen Yan leaped into the air and swung his spear down. He Hansheng had no time to dodge and raised his sword to block. He was forced back several steps by the impact of Shen Yan's internal force and the weight of the spear itself, and almost lost his footing.

“That’s to be expected. Although Father isn’t as decisive as Mother, he’s not a fool who would let his people suffer,” Shen Suining noticed Jiang Yuchu’s worry and changed the subject. “But Father knows his limits. At most, he’ll just teach him a lesson and won’t really hurt him.”

Jiang Yuchu breathed a sigh of relief. After all, his master was in the wrong on their wedding night, and it was only natural for Marquis Pinghuai, as his father-in-law, to teach him a lesson.

Shen Suining was a little thirsty from eating melon seeds, so she asked someone to bring her some tea. She had just poured herself a cup when He Hansheng's sword was knocked to the ground. However, Shen Yan still did not stop his attack and thrust his spear straight at He Hansheng's right shoulder.

"Father!" Shen Suining was shocked. She threw down her teacup and stood up, but Shen Fengyu and Jiang Yuchu quickly stopped her on either side.

He Hansheng used his sword sheath to block Shen Yan's spear. Although he blocked the attack, he was forced back several feet by Shen Yan's spear and eventually knelt on one knee.

Large beads of sweat dripped from his forehead, but his expression remained respectful. "This junior is unworthy; I have made you laugh, Father-in-law."

Shen Yan sheathed his spear, reached out and helped He Hansheng up, patting him on the shoulder. "You're much stronger than I was when I was young. If it weren't for the advantage in weaponry, I might not have won so well today."

"Thank you for your guidance, Father-in-law."

Shen Yan nodded and tossed the gun to Xun Zong. "Have the kitchen prepare the dishes. Ningning, have someone check on Yun Chu to see if he has any internal injuries."

"You have the nerve to say that? You didn't hold back at all. Weren't you afraid of actually killing someone?" Shen Suining walked to He Hansheng's side and took his arm, clearly displeased. "What kind of father-in-law treats his son-in-law like that?"

"Ningning, your father is clearly standing up for you, and you actually did that!" Shen Yan was furious when he saw Shen Suining defending He Hansheng like that, but he couldn't say anything, so he could only angrily turn his head and leave.

He Hansheng looked at Shen Suining's hand on his arm, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly. "Is Madam really worried about me, or is she just acting?"

“Is that even a question? Of course it was an act. I just said it offhand,” Shen Suining blurted out, looking at He Hansheng with some shock, seemingly not expecting him to ask such an obvious question. “Could my father really hurt you?”

He Hansheng: "..."