Shen Jintang did not reach out to take the teacup, but simply looked at Aunt Qiu with a faint mist in her eyes, as if she had shut out everything in the world.
However, beneath that indifferent exterior lurked a faint, yet chilling, murderous intent.
She never forgot the little girl she had once doted on as a younger sister, a girl not yet fifteen years old, an age when she should have been laughing in the sunshine, but instead lay coldly in her arms, without a breath.
Her body was covered in wounds, and the painful traces seemed to still linger clearly in Shen Jintang's mind.
"Before I even entered the gate, I was driven out by those people and sold to the slave market, where I suffered terribly."
"I thought I was going to see my family, but I didn't expect they just wanted me dead."
The girl's words, filled with endless sorrow, despair, and helplessness, echoed in Shen Jintang's ears.
Shen Jintang's fingers, hidden in her sleeve, slowly clenched, trembling slightly, her nails almost digging into her palms.
She forced herself to remain calm, but the painful memories flooded back like a tide, making it difficult for her to control herself.
This seemingly harmless woman in front of me ruthlessly killed an innocent life.
And yet, she stands here unharmed, without having received any punishment.
Shen Jintang's gaze turned slightly cold as she thought to herself: Look how unfair this world is!
"Jin Tang?"
Aunt Qiu's hand hovered in mid-air, her teacup tilted slightly, a few wisps of tea leaves floating up and down in the cup, as if disturbed by the sudden silence.
Her smile froze on her face, looking somewhat stiff.
Shen Jintang snapped out of her reverie and looked at the swirling teacup.
The tea leaves swayed in the water, like the turbulent waves in her heart.
However, she did not reach out to take it, but stared coldly at Aunt Qiu, her eyes revealing a hint of detachment and scrutiny, as if she were scrutinizing a stranger.
Aunt Qiu noticed Shen Jintang's coldness, and the smile on her face became even more forced.
She took a small breath, trying to calm herself, but her trembling hands betrayed her unease.
She gently placed the teacup back on the table, her movements so light they were almost inaudible.
The teacup gently landed on the table, and the tea leaves finally stopped swaying, but the atmosphere in the room became even more tense.
Aunt Qiu's fingers curled slightly, and she pulled them back with a hint of awkwardness.
"Jin Tang, there may have been some misunderstandings between us before, but that's all in the past. Now that you're standing here safe and sound, we're still family." She paused slightly, a hint of pleading in her eyes. "Family should support each other, don't you think?"
Aunt Qiu was a well-known shrewd person in the mansion, so she naturally sensed Shen Jintang's hostility towards her.
She knew that playing along would only make the situation worse, so she simply got straight to the point and tried to ease the tension by calling them "family."
However, Shen Jintang merely raised an eyebrow, sneered, and said with a hint of sarcasm, "Family?"
She repeated the three words softly, as if they carried a special meaning in her mouth.
"A family that wants my life? This is the first time I've heard of such a thing." She ruthlessly tore through Aunt Qiu's disguise, showing no mercy whatsoever.
Aunt Qiu's expression changed slightly, and she was about to say something more when she heard a sharp shout from behind the screen: "Who do you think you are, daring to speak to my mother like that!"
Shen Wanwan could no longer contain herself. She rushed out from behind the screen with her younger brother, pointing her finger at Shen Jintang's nose, her face full of anger.
Xing Hui immediately stood in front of Shen Jintang, but Shen Jintang gently grasped her wrist and pulled her behind her with a little force.
She sat there calmly, her eyes cold, as if the conflict that had just occurred to her had nothing to do with her.
Shen Wanwan stood in front of Aunt Qiu, her face flushed red, her eyes filled with anger, as if Shen Jintang was the one who was being unreasonable and provoking her.
She glared at Shen Jintang, her eyes flashing with anger, her voice sharp and shrill, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, carrying undisguised hostility: "Let me tell you, this is the Shen family, and everything in the Shen family is decided by my mother. If you dare to speak disrespectfully, be careful I make sure you never leave the Shen family."
Upon hearing this, Shen Jintang couldn't help but smile.
Her laughter was cold and indifferent, like a chilly winter wind, carrying a hint of mockery, as if she had heard some utterly absurd joke.
She raised an eyebrow slightly, her gaze falling on Shen Wanwan's face, her eyes revealing a hint of mockery and disdain: "Heh, you might as well give it a try."
Seeing this, Aunt Qiu frowned slightly and looked at Shen Jintang with a complicated expression.
She knew in her heart that Shen Jintang had entered the Grand Tutor's mansion in such a grand manner today. If he were to die in the mansion, not only would the people of the world gossip about him, but even the Grand Tutor himself would not allow such a thing to happen.
Shen Wanwan's words only exposed her ignorance and stupidity.
“Just kidding, these are all just jokes.” Aunt Qiu stepped in to smooth things over, smiling as she looked at Shen Jintang and said, “Wanwan is still young and doesn’t understand things, don’t take it to heart.”
"Wanwan, hurry up and apologize to your cousin." Aunt Qiu grabbed Shen Wanwan's hand and winked at her.
Their apprehension stemmed from the fact that Shen Jintang's status in the household was now vastly different from what it used to be.
Some time ago, Shen Jintang "invited" Prince Gu Zhixing back to his residence in the street. This incident caused a great uproar in the capital, just like water falling into a pot of boiling oil. Everyone knew about it.
Logically speaking, if this happened to someone else, given the Crown Prince's temper, he would have tormented them to death.
But Shen Jintang was different. Not only did the Crown Prince not punish her, he was completely "controlled" by her. He was even forced to do the thing that the Crown Prince hated most, reading.
You should know that the last person who dared to force His Highness to study is now long gone!
But Shen Jintang broke this precedent and not only escaped unscathed, but also thrived in the Princess's residence.
In a short period of time, Shen Jintang transformed from an unknown slave into a favorite of the Princess's household, enjoying unparalleled fame.
He is one of the most untouchable people in Kyoto right now.
Moreover, they currently need Shen Jintang's help.
So, reluctantly, Shen Wanwan looked at Shen Jintang and said, "I was wrong."
Shen Jintang had absolutely no interest in Shen Wanwan's bland "apology," his face remaining expressionless as if he had heard nothing of importance.
Seeing her cold expression, Aunt Qiu felt a little anxious. She quickly dismissed the servants and cut straight to the point: "Jin Tang, you have always been intelligent and naturally understand the principle of shared prosperity and shared loss. Although you may have some reservations about us now, we are still family, and family should support each other."
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