Shen Wan returned to the Pingyang Marquis's residence with a belly full of resentment. She thought about how she had sworn to the Emperor that she would marry no one but Prince Ling, but he had refused to marry her. Even if Xie Jingyan said that he was not good enough for her, she would definitely become the laughing stock in the capital.

Although she only wanted revenge and for her elder brother and father to have a smooth life after being reborn, she didn't want to live such a miserable life.

Shen Wanren was furious. Shen Du came over from the study and, seeing her unpleasant expression, said, "Didn't you go to the Ling Prince's residence, sister? Why did you come back alone? Didn't the Ling Prince see you off?"

She dared not hope that the Prince Ling would personally escort her; besides, it wasn't like she couldn't come back and needed him to escort her.

Shen Wan looked at her elder brother and said, "Prince Ling is a treacherous and untrustworthy man. Brother, you should have less contact with him in the future."

Chen Du, “…???”

Shen Du looked at Shen Wan, his sword-like eyebrows slightly furrowed, "The Emperor just bestowed a marriage upon you and your brother-in-law, and you two are already arguing? What did your brother-in-law do to offend you?"

The qi is stagnant and stagnant.

Is my brother deliberately trying to annoy her?!

The Prince of Ling had no intention of marrying her at all, and she was worried about losing face. Her elder brother kept calling her "brother-in-law," rubbing salt into her wounds.

They're not even married, so what kind of brother-in-law is Xie Jingyan to him?!

Even if they get married, it's all fake.

Shen Wan was so angry that she couldn't speak, and could only glare at her older brother.

Hearing the sound of wheels rolling, Shen Du turned around and saw Xie Jingyan being pushed over. Shen Du walked over and asked, "What did you do to upset my sister?"

"...There's a misunderstanding."

Xie Jingyan's voice was deep, his gaze fixed on Shen Wan.

Chen Feng tried to push Xie Jingyan over, but Xie Jingyan waved his hand, so Chen Feng took a step back. He was talking to Shen Wan and wouldn't even let Chen Feng hear him. Shen Du wisely didn't go over, even though he was very curious about how Xie Jingyan had angered his sister. If he couldn't appease her, he couldn't blame his brother-in-law for his tough fists.

Seeing Xie Jingyan pushing the wheelchair over, Shen Wan said irritably, "Why aren't you going to annul your engagement with the Emperor? What are you doing at my Pingyang Marquis's residence?"

Xie Jingyan looked at Shen Wan and said, "I came to the Pingyang Marquis's residence yesterday."

Have you been here before?

No one told her about this.

Just as Shen Wan was about to speak, Xie Jingyan's voice came again, "I climbed over the wall because I was afraid you and Prince Jin had a falling out. I was being impulsive and gave you one last chance to back out. Unfortunately, I overheard you talking to your second sister..."

Shen Wan never expected that Xie Jingyan would overhear her conversation with Shen Ying yesterday. No wonder he misunderstood; he didn't want to be used by her, which is why he didn't go to the palace today.

Xie Jingyan said, "Why didn't you explain yesterday and let others misunderstand you?"

Shen Wan said, "The second branch is a person of the Prince of Jin."

That made Xie Jingyan understand.

He said, "I have broken my promise today."

Shen Wan hadn't expected him to apologize, and a glimmer of hope flickered in her eyes. "Then the Emperor's bestowed marriage...?"

"I will not call off the engagement."

Shen Wan immediately became happy, "You said it yourself, so you have to promise to lend me your position as the Princess Consort of Ling for a year, um, I'll try to only take it for half a year..."

Seeing Shen Wan happy, Xie Jingyan's face was also infected by her joy, and a smile appeared on his face. However, when he heard what Shen Wan said next, the smile disappeared without a trace.

At this moment, a maid came over and reported to Shen Du, "Young Master, Young Master Yun has arrived."

Shen Du looked at Shen Wan, about to say that he would go to greet his cousin, but before he could speak, Shen Wan quickly said, "I'll go, I'll go to greet my eldest cousin."

She needed her older cousin's help with something, and to her surprise, he arrived. In her previous life, he had only sent someone to deliver her coming-of-age gift; he hadn't come to the Marquis's residence in person.

Without waiting for Shen Du's reply, Shen Wan turned and left.

The poor prince had just taken out the coming-of-age gift he had brought, intending to give it to Shen Wan, when Shen Wan left without looking back.

Xie Jingyan watched Shen Wan walk away, then looked at Shen Du, who coughed lightly and said, "Take off that resentful look on your face."

Xie Jingyan, "..."

Xie Jingyan put the brocade box behind him, his face returning to its usual aloof demeanor.

Since her younger sister was being tactless, ignoring her fiancé and going to greet her cousin instead, Shen Du had no choice but to greet Xie Jingyan on Shen Wan's behalf. However, Shen Wan returned very quickly.

Upon seeing this, Chen Du asked, "Why did you come back alone? Where is your older cousin?"

Shen Wan said dejectedly, "Don't even mention it. It was a wasted trip. My cousin was so busy that he didn't even have time to personally deliver my coming-of-age gift. He had to leave again as soon as he entered the manor."

Being busy was one thing, but my cousin was enjoying it. However, in his previous life, he managed to save the daughter of the Vice Minister of Rites by taking a break from his busy schedule to visit Huguo Temple. Because they had physical intimacy in public, they got married. It was thought that this would become a beautiful story of a hero saving a beauty and getting married. Unfortunately, my cousin's wife looked down on the Yun family from the bottom of her heart. Even though the Yun family was richer than a country, it was not worthy of her attention.

My eldest cousin was a business prodigy, but not a scholar. His wife insisted that he study and take the imperial examinations to become an official, which made him afraid to go home. He traveled all over the country doing business. Finally, while traveling south by boat, he encountered a storm, the boat was destroyed, and he and his cousin perished.

My maternal grandmother was already in poor health. When my eldest cousin passed away unexpectedly, she couldn't bear the blow and fell seriously ill. Before my eldest cousin's body could be sent back to Beijing, my maternal grandmother passed away.

The second and third cousins, fearing they would suffer the same fate as their eldest cousin, never dared to get married in their previous lives, even until their deaths.

Too many people died in her past life due to conspiracies and schemes, and Shen Wan could no longer tell whether her older cousin had truly died in an accident or was murdered.

But in this life, she will definitely stop her older cousin from going to Huguo Temple again.

Shen Wan looked disappointed at not seeing anyone. Xie Jingyan looked away and pushed the wheelchair, saying, "I should go."

This time it was Shen Du who ran away. "Brother has other matters to attend to, sister, please see Prince Ling out of the mansion."

Before Shen Wan could agree, Shen Du had already disappeared.

What could Shen Wan do but send Xie Jingyan away?

Chen Feng stood far away, so Shen Wan had to push the wheelchair. When they were almost at the second gate, Xie Jingyan, who had been silent all along, handed the brocade box to Shen Wan.

Shen Wan asked in confusion, "What is this?"

"A coming-of-age gift for you."

Shen Wan was about to say no, when she saw Shen Ying coming over with her maid. Shen Wan took the brocade box and opened it.

Inside the brocade box was a beautiful jade lotus hairpin.

Shen Wan looked at Xie Jingyan and said, "Put it on for me."

Xie Jingyan paused for a moment, then picked up the jade hairpin.

Shen Wan bent down and inserted the jade hairpin into her hair.

Seeing this scene from afar, Shen Ying's brows furrowed deeply.

When Shen Wan returned after seeing Xie Jingyan off, Shen Ying blocked her way, saying, "Big sister and Prince Ling really hid it well. Everyone thought you were interested in Prince Jin, but you chose Prince Ling."

"I wonder if the Prince of Jin regrets pulling you out of the lotus pond in the dead of winter that year."