"Impossible. Brother Shenliang would never do that to me. Even if he did, it would only be because he wanted to be with me as soon as possible. It's not a crime. You don't know how much he loves me. He said he would give me his heart and liver. So, he can't wait to marry me."

But if it's true, the fact that Shen Liang was willing to let a venomous snake bite him in order to achieve his goal is chilling in itself, and it gives Shi Murou an indescribable sense of danger.

Because in her mind, Shen Liang had always been a gentle and refined man.

"Hmph, they're trying to climb up to the daughters of wealthy families while wanting to make our Qiao family's daughter a concubine. Dream on! Our Qiao family's daughter would rather never marry than become someone's concubine."

Old Mrs. Qiao was cursing and swearing in the yard.

"The Qiao family has nothing, but they have backbone. Even their blood is made of iron and cannot be erased by death."

"You Shen family really have a good plan. Heaven is watching and won't let your dreams come true."

Shi Murou's face paled, her pupils dilated: "Little girl, what is your grandmother saying in there?"

Her voice was trembling, clearly she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Either they said something wrong, or she misheard.

Qiao Lian'er shook her head: "It's nothing. My grandma was angry about what happened before, but it's all in the past. It's just that my grandma can't swallow her anger."

"She's getting on in years, it's inevitable that she'll have moments of despair, Miss Shi, please don't take it to heart."

“But I heard your grandmother mention the Shen family.” Shi Murou became anxious.

"It's all in the past, it doesn't matter," Qiao Lian'er said. "We didn't agree to the Shen family's request either."

Shi Murou felt a chill run through her body, and her lips trembled slightly: "Tell me, did the Shen family come to you again later, saying they wanted your cousin to be Shen Liang's concubine?"

Qiao Lian'er sighed: "It's probably just the Shen family's opinion. Shen Liang probably doesn't think that way."

"However, I have read some stories where a scholar from an ordinary family marries a young lady from a wealthy family. The scholar admires the young lady's wealth and wants to marry her. But he is not satisfied with just that; he also wants to take a beautiful and virtuous woman as a concubine. With a wealthy wife and a beautiful concubine, his life is simply too perfect. He is considered a winner in life wherever he goes and is a role model for men."

“If a rich young lady is lucky and generous, she can live out her life with a scholar. But if she is unlucky, all her wealth will be swallowed up, or she may even lose her life. In other words, she will be left with nothing.”

"But I trust Miss Shi's judgment. Miss Shi shouldn't be wrong about people. Maybe Shen Liang is an exception."

“Even if I were to marry Shen Liang, he would be the son-in-law who moves into the family home. I would never bring my family’s wealth to marry into Datian Village, nor would I ever be controlled by him,” Shi Murou said.

She was the only daughter in the family and was being groomed as the heir, so her temperament was naturally different from that of ordinary young ladies.

The Shi family has her grandfather, her parents, and the servants all listen to her.

Shen Liang must not cause trouble.

Seeing that Shi Murou had already thought this far ahead, Shi Murou knew that her feelings for Shen Liang were no longer the same; at the very least, a rift and estrangement had formed.

"Miss Shi, have you ever heard of the saying 'three generations returning to one's ancestral lineage'?"