"Sister, are you really going to marry Brother Wei?"
The girl's worried voice was tinged with probing, anxiety, and a hint of guilt.
Shen Ning picked up the jade comb and slowly combed her temples. Looking at her beautiful face in the mirror, as delicate as a lotus, she wondered, "What year is this?"
I think I was eighteen when I was preparing to marry Wei Congwen.
I can't believe I'm still alive, and I've even gone back to my younger days.
Just moments before, she had died in the blizzard, the cold so intense that her very soul was frozen.
She was alive and still young; God had truly been kind to her. Even her dying dream was incredibly beautiful.
She heard her own voice reply: "The marriage was arranged by my father before he passed away, and now that the three-year mourning period is over, it is time for me to get married."
That was her answer back then.
The girl, who had been feeling a little guilty, suddenly looked up, her gaze firm: "But you and Brother Wei have no feelings for each other. How can a marriage without feelings be happy?"
Shen Ning chuckled, "Tsk tsk, it's exactly the same as I remember."
Back then, she was so focused on refuting her words that she didn't notice her undisguised eagerness and jealousy.
While she was working herself to the bone to support the family, her younger sister, whom she had raised by hand, secretly developed feelings for her fiancé.
They wanted to seize this opportunity, but lacked the courage.
A knowing smile played on his lips, a glint of malice flickering in his eyes.
"Feelings can be cultivated after marriage. If you can have a child earlier, the relationship will naturally be more stable."
Sure enough, upon hearing that the topic of having a child had come up, Shen Shu immediately became anxious.
"Sister, you can't do this! What if... what if Brother Wei has someone he loves? It's wrong of you to force him to be with you..."
Seeing her guilty look as she confessed without being asked, Shen Ning couldn't help but sigh. How come she hadn't noticed such a simple truth in her previous life?
Her father died in the line of duty at the hands of bandits, and her mother fell ill and became depressed. She passed away in less than a year, leaving behind three siblings to depend on each other, as well as the enviable wealth of the eldest son's family.
A child carrying gold in a bustling marketplace is bound to attract greedy wolves.
That year, Shen Ning was only fifteen years old. Facing her grandmother and second uncle who wanted to seize the family property under the guise of taking care of her, she confronted her mother with a knife in front of her spirit tablet, calmly going mad, which is how she managed to protect what her parents left behind.
For the past three years, she has been unable to sleep or rest, living in constant fear and scheming, wishing she could become an impenetrable fortress, fearing that she would be unable to protect her younger brother and sister due to her young age.
But this world is too harsh on women. As soon as they hear that a young woman is in charge, everyone points fingers and kicks her while she's down, claiming it's to teach her a lesson and show her what proper conduct for a woman is.
She suffered enough during the three years of mourning, so after the mourning period ended, she was eager to marry the fiancé her father had arranged for her. She wanted her husband to give her confidence and support so that she could stand firmly in this world. She had no time to think about love and romance.
Little did they expect that they would be blinded by a single leaf, and in the end... they would be doomed.
Her fiancé humiliated her on their wedding day, not only failing to marry her but also causing her to lose face completely.
Even in the future, he would try his best to make things difficult for her, all because her existence prevented him from being with the girl he loved.
That person was her younger sister, Shen Shu.
They had an affair but dared not make it public, yet in the end, all the hatred and resentment were pinned on her.
That's ridiculous.
Shen Ning wouldn't repeat the same mistake. She was curious to know what would have happened to the two of them if she hadn't been there to stop them.
"The girl he likes?" Shen Ning asked in confusion, then couldn't help but laugh out loud: "A-Shu, what are you talking about? How could Wei Congwen have a girl he likes? I've never heard him mention it before?"
She chose a gold hairpin and put it on, admiring her own beauty with satisfaction.
No one doesn't love being young and beautiful, especially after experiencing physical pain, decay, and rotting. Her current appearance is something she never dared to dream of before.
“If he really liked someone, he would naturally find a way to break off the engagement. But now that the marriage is being discussed, he hasn’t mentioned it at all. It’s clear that the girl is nothing special to him.”
Is that all there is to it?
Shen Shu felt as if an arrow had pierced her heart, and she almost couldn't keep her composure: "No, it's not..."
Brother Wei clearly likes her a lot.
Shen Ning said softly, "I've heard people say that if a man truly cares about you, he'll be completely devoted to you, and he'll break through societal constraints and do anything for love. If he doesn't love you, he'll just make excuses, like he's forced to do it because of his parents' wishes or being coerced. They're all just excuses. He has a mouth and legs; if he didn't have any ideas, who could force him?"
Shen Shu swayed slightly, looking utterly devastated.
Shen Ning noticed this, but her face showed surprise: "A-Shu, you don't look well. Are you feeling unwell?"
Shen Shu forced a smile: "No, I was just scared by what you said, sister. There are no such bad people in the world, especially Brother Wei. If he weren't good, why would you be so determined to marry him..."
The last sentence was spoken very softly, as if afraid that Shen Ning would hear it.
Shen Ning wasn't deaf, and besides, it was hard to ignore this melancholy.
She desperately tried to protect her younger sister and ensure her safety, without expecting her to understand the hardships of being an older sister. But such behavior is truly chilling.
Is she, as the older sister, really that untrustworthy? If she said she liked Wei Congwen, would she really refuse to let her have him?
Over the years, what has she wanted that her older sister hasn't given her?
She gave her all, only to raise an ungrateful child. Was she wrong after all?
With a thousand thoughts swirling in her mind, she merely sighed helplessly, "Wei Congwen is certainly a good man, but he's not my type. However, this marriage was arranged by my father before his death, and I've been observing three years of mourning. I feel I owe him something, and it wouldn't be good if we delayed any longer."
Dislike? Feel indebted?
Is there still a chance for this marriage to turn around?
Shen Shu couldn't hide her surprise, but Shen Ning didn't say anything more and turned to concentrate on drawing her eyebrows.
"Sister... I have something to do, I'll come find you later."
After saying that, she hurriedly ran out, her back view showing excitement; it was obvious she was going to find her Brother Wei.
Shen Ning watched her walk away out of the corner of his eye, his eyes freezing over.
Then you'd better make the most of it, my dear sister.
On their wedding day, Wei Congwen publicly refused to marry her, forcing her to return home in a sedan chair, causing her to lose face. Even though she later vowed never to marry again, Shen Shu was still unable to be with Wei Congwen.
Thinking of the man who had been entangled in a torturous love affair with Shen Shu for over a decade, Shen Ning sneered. If this marriage were to go through, there would be quite a show to watch.
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