Chapter 52 Half-sisters, no poison, no man...
Guan Mengxing sighed: "I hope I can meet him. But I still like someone like President Sheng the most. In my opinion, men who can't talk or move are more adorable."
Ling Shu's body trembled: "Huh?!"
What's going on? I feel like she said that before!
She said this to herself when she first met Sheng Yun Shen.
Men are cuter when they can't talk or move!
A look of surprise welled up in her eyes: "Wake up, your thoughts are exactly the same as mine!"
Is this what they mean by great minds thinking alike?
Guan Mengxing also looked delighted, grabbing Ling Shu's hand and shaking it against her chest: "Sister Shu, you're practically my half-sister! Shall we become sworn sisters?"
To become sworn brothers?
Ling Shu tilted her head and thought about it. She felt that this was a very good suggestion. She really liked Guan Mengxing, who had a sincere heart.
She nodded in agreement: "Okay."
"Hehehe, it's decided then and there."
Guan Mengxing grinned foolishly, "Sister Shu, from now on you're my real sister!"
Ling Shu laughed along with her.
She truly never imagined that one day she would become the half-sister of the original novel's female protagonist.
Not far away, Sheng Zhujun poked her head out of the room and waved to the two of them: "Shushu, Mengxing, come and eat!"
Ling Shu and Guan Mengxing exchanged a smile, stood up, and walked towards their room.
Everyone else was already seated at the table. When they saw the two of them arrive, Guan Zheng and Wang Bingqing stood up and greeted Ling Shu excitedly: "Miss Ling."
Ling Shu smiled and said, "Uncle Guan, Aunt Wang, please make yourself at home. Meng Xing is my sister, so you are my elders."
Guan Zheng was flattered and waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "I don't deserve it, I don't deserve it..."
Ling Shu pushed Sheng Yunshen's wheelchair to the seat and settled it down, then turned and sat down: "Meng Xing and I get along very well, Uncle Guan, you don't need to be so polite."
Sheng Zhujun chimed in, "Yes, yes, everyone who comes to the Sheng family is a guest, so please don't be shy."
She proactively handed chopsticks to everyone, saying, "Sit down and eat! Try Uncle Wang's cooking; his fish-slicing skills have gotten better and better lately!"
The red and white hot pot was already boiling, with plates of fish slices arranged around the pot. Each slice of fish was crystal clear, thin and light. It only needed to be briefly dipped in the boiling broth to cook. Paired with Butler Wang's secret seasoning, it was incredibly fresh and delicious.
Sheng Yunqi listened attentively from the side, wishing he could take out his notebook to jot down the key points for the exam.
Seeing his alarmed expression, Guan Zheng patted his shoulder and whispered to comfort him, "Don't panic. Just remember to put your wife first in everything, even the children have to take a backseat. As long as we men uphold male virtues and remember our duties, the women in our families are easy to take care of."
Sheng Yunqi thought for a moment and humbly asked for advice: "My wife has been having a poor appetite lately and can't eat anything. As a result, she's also become irritable and has gotten angry with me several times. What should I do?"
Guan Zheng smiled calmly: "In this situation, you need to reflect more on your own problems. When your wife can't eat, have you looked through all the recipes? Have you adjusted the dishes according to her appetite? Are you available 24/7? When your wife gets angry, have you slid down and apologized on the spot? Have you used consideration and care to calm her anger?"
Those who have been through it all say it calmly: "No man is without ruthlessness. A man has to be tough on himself so his wife will cherish him."
Sheng Yunqi was completely dumbfounded.
Wait a minute... Is this how you say "no poison, no manhood"?
But it does sound reasonable, so I'll just write it down first.
Sheng Yun Shen, who was standing next to the two of them, heard everything: "..."
It seems I was forced to learn some strange knowledge.
However, recalling the last time he suddenly developed a high fever, Ling Shu not only didn't blame him for pretending to be a system, but also took the initiative to kiss him... Sheng Yun Shen suddenly felt that Guan Zheng's words were indeed very reasonable.
Knowing how to make a woman feel sorry for you is truly a profound art.
Ling Shu, Sheng Zhujun, and Guan Mengxing are gossiping right now.
Sheng Zhujun started by complaining, "Ling Xinyao was acting strangely just now, calling and texting me like crazy. I just realized I hadn't blocked her. What a blunder."
Guan Mengxing asked curiously, "Who is Ling Xinyao?"
It sounds like Sheng Zhujun finds this person very annoying.
Ling Shu, worried that Guan Mengxing might not understand, added, "I got lost when I was little and was only found by my biological parents a couple of years ago and brought back to the Ling family. They have since adopted another daughter and like her even more."
Guan Mengxing froze, her eyes filled with disbelief: "What?!"
Isn't this the most popular plot in novels about real and fake heiresses?
Are Shu-jie's parents blind? They don't even love their wonderful daughter, Shu-jie!
That's so unfair!
Seeing her adorable, dazed look, Ling Shu couldn't resist teasing her and continued, "Actually, Sheng Yun Shen originally wanted to marry Ling Xin Yao. After his accident, Ling Xin Yao didn't want to marry him, so my parents forced me to marry in her place."
Guan Mengxing seemed to have been struck by lightning, and didn't react for a long time.
Several seconds passed before she snapped out of her daze and instantly turned hostile towards Sheng Yun Shen: "Pah! You dog of a man!"
The real and fake heiresses plus the substitute marriage is just like a melodramatic soap opera!
Ugh, that hateful Sheng Yun Shen!
Sheng Zhujun nodded in agreement: "Yes, yes, that dog of a man."
I'm sorry, Second Brother, but she's on Ling Shu's side in this matter.
Sheng Yun Shen, who heard everything again, was speechless.
That cannot be refuted.
He reacted quickly and confessed in Ling Shu's mind: "I didn't really intend to marry Ling Xinyao. Originally, I planned to break off the engagement in two years."
During that time, he was terrified of being pursued by several heiresses from wealthy families. They came not only from Beijing, but also from Haicheng and Shenzhen. Each of them came from a powerful and influential family. They fought and struggled for him, and the scene was really ugly, even involving his family.
He had no one he loved and no plans to settle down, yet he couldn't stop the women who were single-mindedly determined to "conquer" him. Seeing the situation worsen, Sheng Yun Shen had no choice but to settle for second best, choosing the simple-minded and easily controlled Ling Xin Yao. Of course, his relationship with Ling Xin Yao only went as far as engagement; he would never actually marry her.
After the engagement was officially announced, those heiresses indeed became much more restrained.
Back then, Sheng Yun Shen thought he had come up with a brilliant idea, but now he just wants to slap his past self twice across the face.
Sheng Yun was afraid that Ling Shu would be angry, so his mind raced and he decided to put the knowledge he had just learned from Guan Zheng into practice.
A man should be tough on himself.
He promptly played the victim: "I did wrong, no wonder I'm being punished by fate. Ling Shu, if you're angry about this, just hit me, please don't ignore me... In this world, you're all I have left."
When playing the victim, your voice should be soft and helpless.
Hmm, plus a slight vibrato.
Ling Shu didn't answer him, but reached out and patted the angry Guan Mengxing on the shoulder: "I don't care about these things, anyway, he's my husband now."
Guan Mengxing took several deep breaths before she calmed down.
She looked coldly at Sheng Yun Shen, remained silent for a few seconds, and then arrogantly raised her head: "You're lucky to have been chosen by my sister Shu, so I won't hold it against you."
Anyway, he no longer has the objective conditions to become a scumbag.
And since he's handsome, it's not unforgivable.
Guan Mengxing's hatred and forgiveness came very quickly.
Her attention returned to what Sheng Zhujun had just said: "Sister Jun, you said that fake heiress came to see you, is there something you need?"
Sheng Zhujun shook her head: "I don't know. I've broken off all contact with her and I won't answer her calls. Whatever it is, it's none of my business."
Her feud with Ling Xinyao is over, so I won't go into details here, otherwise Guan Mengxing will probably curse the scumbag and the scumbag again.
Ling Shu said, "I probably know what she's trying to do... Last time when I invested in your father, she seemed to have invested in Yuansheng Nano in order to go against me."
Now that Yuansheng Nanotechnology has collapsed, all that money is probably gone, making Ling Xinyao the biggest victim besides the Zhao family.
The Ling family is only a moderately wealthy family; losing that much money must be a real headache for them. Calling Sheng Zhujun was probably an attempt to see if they could use their connections to try and salvage the situation.
Sheng Zhujun and Guan Mengxing exclaimed in unison: "What?! Investing in Yuansheng Nanotechnology?!"
Besides the Zhao family, were there other unlucky ones?
Guan Mengxing felt relieved the moment she woke up, and had a sense of exhilaration, as if she had finally gotten her revenge.
After all, she contributed a small part to the downfall of Yuansheng Nano, which is practically helping her sister Shu get revenge!
With her hands on her hips, Guan Mengxing let out a long string of smug laughter: "Anyone who dares to mess with my Sister Shu will die!"
Sheng Zhujun had never seen this side of the little girl before, and was stunned for a few seconds.
She quickly realized what was happening and joined in, hands on her hips, laughing loudly: "Yes, yes, they all have to die!"
Ling Shu raised her hand to her forehead: "..."
That's enough for you two.
Sure enough, when the topic of "we all have to die" came up, Guan Mengxing quickly grabbed Sheng Zhujun's hand in the same familiar way and shook it in front of her chest: "Sister Jun, I really resonate with you. It's like we've known each other for ages. Why don't we become half-sisters?"
Sheng Zhujun hesitated for a moment: "But you and Ling Shu are already sisters, so I have to call her sister-in-law."
Guan Mengxing nodded firmly: "It's okay, we can address each other as we would like. You can call her sister-in-law, and she can call you sister."
Sheng Zhujun's eyes lit up.
Be Ling Shu's younger sister!
It feels a million times more endearing than "Ling Shu's sister-in-law".
"Okay, it's decided then!"
Two more half-sisters were born.
Ling Shu: "…………"
She really hadn't expected the atmosphere at the dinner table to be so lively.
But she was very happy.
Guan Mengxing's carefree and cheerful personality is what makes her the female protagonist in the post-apocalyptic novel, bringing hope to everyone. Previously at the exhibition, she was depressed because of her parents' situation, as if the whole world had been shrouded in a gloomy filter.
Now that Guan Zheng and Wang Bingqing's problems have all been resolved, Guan Mengxing, free from worries, finally reveals the brightest aspect of her personality.
Inside the room, the fish hot pot was bubbling and boiling, and the air was filled with joy.
Outside the room, dark clouds gathered, and the sky gradually darkened. A breeze swept across Moon Lake, bending the treetops.
Accompanied by a few low rumbles of thunder, raindrops began to fall from the sky.
Ling Shu was the first to notice, turning to look out the window: "It's raining."
She looked at Butler Wang, who was still diligently slicing fish, and said, "Uncle Wang, could you please arrange a car to take Mengxing and the others home later?"
Butler Wang nodded: "Yes, Miss Ling."
At first, the raindrops were just a light drizzle, but as the dark clouds gathered, they gradually grew larger and larger, turning from raindrops into continuous rain lines, covering the world in a white expanse.
As the clock struck nine, the gathering by Moon Lake came to an end.
Butler Wang warmly led the Guan family away.
Sheng Zhujun was overjoyed to have a sister, and having drunk a bit too much, she took her leave to go to sleep.
Sheng Yunqi carefully helped Su Ruomeng leave, asking solicitously as they walked, "Wife, have you eaten enough? Is there anything else you'd like to eat? I'll cook it for you myself..."
Finally, only Ling Shu and Sheng Yun Shen remained in the room.
Ling Shu stood by the window, looking up at the raindrops falling from the sky. She reached out and felt the dampness on her hand, her expression complex.
Sheng Yun Shen couldn't see her expression.
But from her silence, he could sense something unusual.
"Ling Shu, what's wrong?"
Ling Shu withdrew her arm, slowly wiping the raindrops from her hands with a tissue, and smiled nonchalantly: "It's nothing, I just felt..."
"Good times are so short."
After remarking this, she didn't linger and took Sheng Yun Shen onto the shuttle bus back to Xiaoming Building.
The rain was quite heavy, and visibility was poor, so the shuttle bus was moving slowly, gradually advancing under the streetlights. Ling Shu held Sheng Yun Shen's hand with one hand, and rested her chin on her other hand, gazing absently at the rain outside the bus.
She didn't say a word until they reached the room on the third floor of Xiaoming Building.
Without even a thought in her mind, Ling Shu seemed to be thinking of nothing, simply lost in thought.
The patter of rain tapped against the glass windows of Xiaominglou, echoing in the quiet room. Under the dim light, fine raindrops trickled down the windowsill, casting a hazy, dreamlike glow.
Sheng Yunshen lay on the bed, his mind completely focused on Ling Shu's strange behavior: "Ling Shu, what's wrong?"
His tone betrayed an unconcealable worry.
Ling Shu was pulled back to reality by his voice.
She slowly turned to the side, her gaze shifting from the hazy rainy night to his direction.
Instead of answering his question, she asked with interest, "When we were eating earlier, you seemed quite nervous when we talked about Ling Xinyao."
Sheng Yunshen's heart skipped a beat: "Hmm?"
Oh no! He thought he had already passed the test. Is this some kind of revenge?
Are the techniques taught by Guan Zheng really effective?
Or did it backfire?
Ling Shu leaned lazily against the large armchair: "Do you think I would mind your engagement with Ling Xinyao?"
Sheng Yun took a deep breath and paused slightly, his mind racing.
After a brief silence, he asked in a deep voice, with a hint of disappointment, "So, you really don't mind?"
This conclusion inexplicably made his heart sink.
Ling Shu chuckled softly.
From a distance of not too far, she gazed at the man lying on the bed: "Since I chose you, I won't dwell on the past. Anyway, you're mine now."
The engagement between Sheng Yun Shen and Ling Xin Yao was merely a formality, lacking any real relationship. Based on the remaining memories of the original owner, it could be sensed that Sheng Yun Shen always maintained a polite and courteous attitude towards Ling Xin Yao, completely devoid of the intimacy expected of an engaged couple.
From the very beginning, she guessed that Sheng Yun Shen was probably just using Ling Xin Yao as a shield.
Only that idiot Ling Xinyao was completely oblivious.
You are already mine...
These six words made Sheng Yunshen's heart pound violently, like a stone thrown into a deep pool, stirring up a tidal wave in his heart.
The electrocardiogram curve suddenly became volatile, but fortunately, thanks to his efforts to control it, it did not reach the alarm threshold.
His voice was hoarse as he repeated her words: "You...chosen me?"
Is this the kind of choice he wanted?
Ling Shu paused for a moment, then quickly looked away, seemingly a little awkward: "...I choose you to be my dog!"
Sheng Yunshen chuckled softly.
He felt that his heart, which had been adrift in the storms and in boundless loneliness for far too long, had finally heard the most moving call and seen the lighthouse leading him home.
No longer rootless drifting catkins, no longer weary lone birds.
It's her.
It was just her.
And he willingly submitted to her.
"Master, I am honored."
Ling Shu was shocked by his shamelessness.
He's a powerful CEO, after all; how can he be so carefree?
"Sheng Yun Shen, have you no shame?!"
Her reaction made Sheng Yun Shen laugh again.
It has to be said that Guan Zheng is quite capable; luckily, he listened attentively today.
Fortunately, he studied it diligently.
Ling Shu couldn't sit still any longer, so she stood up and announced, somewhat ambiguously, "Time to sleep!"
She quickly rolled onto the bed, pulled the covers over herself, and closed her eyes tightly.
Sheng Yunshen's laughter gradually subsided, and he gently called her name: "Ling Shu".
Ling Shu didn't open her eyes: "Hmm?"
"I……"
Sheng Yunshen paused for a moment, then decided to play the victim to the end. "My hands are very cold. Can you hold my hand and we sleep together?"
"Cold? Have you felt this way before?"
Ling Shu didn't think much of it, closed her eyes, felt for his hand, and squeezed it with her fingers. "It doesn't feel cold. Should I put your hand under the blanket?"
Sheng Yun Shen said in a serious tone, "Holding your hand will keep me warm."
"oh."
Ling Shu didn't ask any more questions. She moved his hand closer to her and reached out to hold it.
However, she didn't hold back and pinched the back of his hand hard before taking his hand.
Sheng Yunshen winced in pain but held back from crying out.
Thankfully, Ling Shu only pinched his hand once; she didn't let go. She could have pinched it ten times, let alone once, as long as she was willing to hold him.
His voice was filled with laughter: "Ling Shu, goodnight."
"snort……"
Ling Shu twitched her fingers, as if she felt she hadn't had enough fun twisting them earlier.
However, she was too sleepy to argue with that shameless tyrant.
"good evening."
After saying goodnight, the room quieted down, and soon Ling Shu's breathing became even as she fell asleep.
The rain outside the window continued to patter, showing no signs of letting up.
In the boundless darkness, Sheng Yunshen quietly listened to the interplay of Ling Shu's breathing and the sound of rain outside the window. He didn't know how much time had passed when the clock struck twelve. Suddenly, his vision blurred, and he found himself once again amidst an endless snowstorm.
The Doomsday Clock stood before him, its dial cracked with five fissures of varying lengths, the hands moving slowly forward, sometimes pausing.
He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt that the snow and wind around the Doomsday Clock were stronger than before.
The snowflakes gathered and tumbled like goose feathers, as if they were about to invade the entire world.
The pointer moved forward one more space.
One day closer to the end of the world.
Sheng Yun Shen didn't look again, and just like before, he used all his strength to ram into it.
The Doomsday Clock has been struck so many times that even the hands have become slightly off-center and no longer point accurately to the markings.
From afar, a faint, indistinct scream seemed to drift over. The sound was so faint that it vanished instantly into the howling snow, and Sheng Yun Shen couldn't make it out.
He didn't care.
No matter what happens, it won't affect his determination to destroy the Doomsday Clock.
For Ling Shu.
In the past, when the topic of the apocalypse was brought up, Ling Shu's attitude was always natural, without much resistance or anxiety. She calmly and composedly made preparations, accumulating as much strength as possible for the arrival of the apocalypse.
With the full support of the Sheng family, her stockpiling and preparations progressed smoothly. It was foreseeable that after the apocalypse, she and the Sheng family could hold out for a long time without any major incidents.
It wasn't until she acted strangely today that Sheng Yun Shen realized that she was actually very resistant.
Ling Shu said nothing, even her inner thoughts were quiet, but she didn't actually want to experience the apocalypse again.
Others might not have noticed, but Sheng Yun Shen was with her every moment, feeling her joys and sorrows, and was able to discover her true feelings immediately.
If she doesn't want to, then he doesn't want to either.
The Doomsday Clock's reaction proves his attempt was effective. Perhaps it won't be long before he can smash the Doomsday Clock and avert the impending apocalypse.
Sheng Yunshen is optimistic about this.
The blizzard subsided, and he returned to the boundless darkness. He could feel the warmth of Ling Shu's palm in his left hand, and even the familiar darkness seemed different.
Sheng Yunshen closed his eyes and silently said goodnight to Ling Shu in his heart.
Then, it fell into a peaceful slumber.
-
When Ling Shu woke up the next day, the rain was still pouring down.
Not only did it not stop, it even seems to have gotten bigger.
The air was thick with moisture, the rain and mist obscured everything, making it impossible to see anything clearly.
She slowly walked to the edge of the terrace and stared solemnly at the heavy rain outside.
A few minutes later, Ling Shu took out her phone and called Butler Wang: "Uncle Wang, where are you?"
Butler Wang replied, "Miss Ling, I'm on the first floor of Xiaoming Building."
He seemed to have sensed something was wrong and waited for her to wake up on the first floor of Xiaoming Building.
Ling Shu nodded: "I'll be right down."
Time was of the essence, so she called caregivers A and B to look after Sheng Yun Shen, while she quickly packed up and went downstairs. As expected, Butler Wang was already waiting for her in the dining room on the first floor.
A variety of delicious breakfast dishes were slowly laid out on the table. Ling Shu walked to the table and sat down: "Uncle Wang, please sit down and eat with us."
What I'm about to say will be easier to discuss once I've eaten my fill and have the energy.
“Okay.” Butler Wang did not refuse and served Ling Shu a bowl of chicken soup as he sat down.
Ling Shu picked up a beef dumpling and asked while eating, "Is Madam Qin coming back soon?"
Qin Hong went to the US for business some time ago, and judging by the time it takes, she should be back soon.
Butler Wang nodded: "Madam's flight was this morning and she should arrive by noon. She was supposed to arrive yesterday, but the flight was delayed due to a sudden downpour."
Speaking of the heavy rain, he elaborated, "This rain is unusual. There was no warning before it started, and the weather forecast even predicted sunny skies. Moreover, it's raining heavily in most parts of the country now, with no sign of it letting up. I don't know where all this rainwater came from."
Ling Shu nodded, seemingly unsurprised: "The vegetable garden and fishpond won't be affected, will they?"
Speaking of his hard work, Butler Wang shook his head confidently: "Miss Ling, rest assured, we considered the drainage problem when we designed it. The entire drainage system is very complete. Even if it rains for three days and three nights, the vegetable garden and fish pond will not be flooded. We also built rain shelters in the vegetable garden to ensure that the vegetables will not be damaged by the rain."
Of course, three days and three nights was just an exaggeration on his part.
This rain is so heavy; if it rains for three days and three nights, that would be terrifying.
Butler Wang originally wanted to lighten the mood by making a joke, seeing that the atmosphere was a bit heavy.
Unexpectedly, Ling Shu looked at him with an unusually serious expression: "What if I said... not three days and three nights, but five days and five nights?"
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