Chapter 34: The Winds of Gossip Shift

As the crowd surged toward the Feathered Elegance Pavilion, Ji Yunchuan turned and walked in the opposite direction.

At that very moment, Shen Ningyuan happened to glance back and caught sight of him. The familiarity of that silhouette made her gaze linger. "That back," she murmured to herself, "why does it look so much like Ji Yunchuan?"

"Yuan'er, what are you looking at?" Song Yan'er noticed her fixation and asked.

Shen Ningyuan turned to her sister-in-law and shook her head. "It's nothing, sister-in-law."

When she looked back again after replying, the figure had already vanished into the crowd. A frown creased her brow. After a moment of contemplation, she pushed the thought aside.

"Yuan'er, let's head back. The family must be getting worried," Song Yan'er reminded her.

Shen Ningyuan agreed, and they boarded the carriage back to the Shen residence. Throughout the journey, the familiar silhouette kept flashing through her mind. For some reason, she had a lingering feeling that it really was Ji Yunchuan. Her heart sank at the thought. If it truly was him, it meant he had begun monitoring her every move—a development that boded ill for her.

"Yuan'er, listen to what the people outside are saying." Song Yan'er’s voice pulled her from her thoughts.

Shen Ningyuan immediately strained her ears to listen to the passersby.

"I told you the rumors might be fake. If Shen Ningyuan had really done something shameless, would the Shen family dare to let her show her face so openly?"

"True. And I heard that when the Lady and Miss of the Ji family left the Feathered Elegance Pavilion, their expressions were ghastly. If they had really caught Shen Ningyuan in a scandal, would they have been chased away in such a pathetic state?"

"Exactly. I think we should wait and see how this plays out. After all, the seventh day of the mourning period for the eldest son of the Ji family is coming up soon."

"Right, let's wait and see..."

A faint smile touched Shen Ningyuan's lips. When she looked up, Song Yan'er was smiling at her. "Yuan'er, you’re brilliant. You’ve turned the situation around and shifted public opinion toward us in one stroke."

"How did you know that our mere appearance would change the gossip?" Song Yan'er asked.

"Because the common people don't care about the truth. They only believe what they see and hear, and they shape those things into whatever they want them to be," Shen Ningyuan replied. "As I said before, the louder the gossip, the more our silence makes us look guilty. That is what the Ji family wanted, but it isn't what the people wanted to see. By showing ourselves, we shattered their perception of our guilt, and thus, the situation reversed."

Song Yan'er’s eyes lit up. "So that’s it!"

"Yes." Shen Ningyuan nodded, having completely purged the image of that silhouette from her mind.

Soon, the carriage stopped before the General’s Mansion. As they stepped out, she saw her mother and eldest brother waiting at the entrance.

"Yuan'er, Yan'er, you’ve finally returned!" Shen Haobai and Cui Jin rushed forward. Cui Jin went to Shen Ningyuan, while Shen Haobai went to Song Yan'er.

"Yuan'er, you scared me to death! With such vicious rumors circulating, how could you dare to run about?" Cui Jin said, her heart still racing.

Shen Haobai embraced Song Yan'er, breathing a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness you’re back safely." He looked down at her belly. "Has the baby been giving you any trouble?"

Song Yan'er smiled and shook her head. "No, the baby is very well-behaved." She and Shen Haobai shared a look of pure joy. "Husband, I have a feeling this child will be a girl. Look at how quiet she is..."

Shen Haobai chuckled. "That would be wonderful. A daughter with eyes just like yours—I’ll have my own little treasure!"

Watching them, Shen Ningyuan felt a surge of complex emotions. Her brother and sister-in-law would have been such loving parents. In her past life, her little nephew should have grown up safe and happy under their care, yet in the end, Ji Yunchuan had turned him into a human swine. A cold, fierce resolve hardened in her heart: this time, she would never let Ji Yunchuan succeed.

"Yuan'er, why are you grinding your teeth?" Cui Jin asked, puzzled.

Shen Ningyuan snapped out of it, realizing she had been projecting her hatred. She smoothed her expression and smiled. "Don't worry, Mother. I just had an itch in my teeth and was grinding them."

Cui Jin shot her a sidelong glance. "You’ve had that habit since you were a child; you still haven't outgrown it."

"Mother, the important thing is that they are back safely. It’s windy out here, let’s go inside," Shen Haobai said, ushering them in. "Father and our second brother should be back soon as well."

They moved into the front hall, but they had barely sat down before Cui Mingzhu made an ill-timed appearance. She entered, deliberately displaying her bandaged hand, and offered a weak bow.

Seeing the injury, Shen Haobai frowned. "Cousin, how did you sustain such a serious injury?"

Cui Mingzhu glanced at Shen Ningyuan before feigning fragility. "It was my own clumsiness. I caught my hand in a door. Please don't let it trouble you, Cousin."

"The doors in this mansion are all in good repair," Shen Haobai persisted. "How could you catch your hand in one so severely?"

Cui Mingzhu had been waiting for this, but just as she was about to launch into a tearful complaint, Song Yan'er interrupted.

"She said she caught it in the door, so she caught it in the door! Why must you keep asking how or why it's so bad? Shen Haobai, do you have no heart? You’re just rubbing salt into her wounds!" Song Yan'er poked his forehead, chiding him, "You really have no tact at all."

Shen Haobai immediately "surrendered." "You're right, my love. I shouldn't have been so insensitive." He turned to Cui Mingzhu and apologized sincerely. "Cousin, I am sorry. I shouldn't have asked. You must rest well and heal. Tell me whatever herbs you need for your injuries, and I will find them for you!"

Watching his sincere apology, Cui Mingzhu felt as if she were choking on a mouthful of bile. A voice in her head screamed, *You fool, Shen Haobai, you were supposed to keep asking!*

Yet, all she could manage was, "Thank you for your concern, Cousin. I will be sure to rest well..."