Volume One, Chapter 15: Wounding the Enemy a Thousand, Losing Eight Hundred

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Shen Yurou instinctively glanced at Xie Zhian, then quickly withdrew her gaze. How could she still harbor any hope for him? As expected, Xie Zhian did not stand on her side. He frowned, his expression full of impatience.

“Rou-niang, apologize to your mother quickly. Our status has risen significantly; we must be more careful in many aspects. Your mother’s actions are for your own good. And as for your shop, if you ask me, you should just close it down.”

So even the shop that had long supplemented the household expenses had become a source of disdain.

“How much has that shop contributed to the Xie family’s expenses, yet you want to close it?”

Xie Zhian was touched where it hurt. Speaking so bluntly in front of so many people, how could she be so ruthless?

“Don’t spout nonsense. Behave yourself and be the dutiful mistress of your husband’s household. If you continue with such lowly merchant business, be careful—I might really divorce you.”

If she could pull out her heart and throw it on the ground, then stomp on it twice, the pain would be no worse than this.

The string in Shen Yurou’s heart snapped.

“So what you mean is, from now on I should stay home and serve my mother-in-law while watching you, Xie Zhian, embrace and be with different women, carousing every night?”

Madam Xie slammed the table and jumped up.

“My son only has a few concubines; it’s none of your business to criticize. You, a woman who has borne no children, and so jealous, you are committing a grave offense. Zhian, give her a divorce paper and send her out of our mansion!”

But Xie Zhian made no move.

He looked at Shen Yurou meaningfully, a faint curve forming at the corners of his lips.

He mistakenly believed that all her unusual acts were out of jealousy.

It wasn’t surprising he had such a misconception; after all, in the past, her husband was her entire world.

He paced over to her side, grasped her shoulder, and softened his tone considerably.

“Rou-niang, be obedient. Your husband has to attend to his duties now. If there’s anything, wait for me to come back, and we’ll talk it over carefully.”

Shen Yurou looked at the hand holding her shoulder and took a step back, breaking free.

Because she remembered just moments ago, that same hand was freely caressing that seductive courtesan.

Xie Zhian didn’t mind her reaction at all. Instead, he lightly tapped her nose, indulging her with affection.

“Wait for me obediently. Tonight, your husband belongs only to you.”

Shen Yurou did not wait in the mansion.

Every corner of that residence felt stifling, making it hard to breathe.

After the farce ended, she returned to her shop.

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At least here, she was accompanied by the sweet cloud cakes.

Most of the morning, Shen Yurou was lost in a daze.

Her thoughts would inexplicably drift away.

Tears would also fall without reason.

He Leting sat at a small table in the corner of the shop, his gaze fixed on Shen Yurou behind the counter.

Her lively eyes were unfocused; she looked utterly wilted.

His heart tightened painfully, an unexpected ache.

He smiled bitterly at himself—this scheme had ended up hurting both enemy and self.

His rough fingers hovered in the air, tracing the outline of Shen Yurou gently.

In his heart, there was infinite tenderness as he murmured to himself,

“Rou’er, once you are in my arms, I will never let you cry again.”

Just past noon, Shen Yurou’s younger brother, Shen Bingyue, arrived.

He dismounted from his tall horse and rushed straight into the shop toward her.

Shen Yurou turned her face away, carefully wiping the tears from her cheeks, then forced a smile to greet him.

“Brother, what brings you here today? Is there something you need?”

Seeing her forced smile, Shen Bingyue’s heart grew even more restless.

“Sis, I’ve heard everything. If you’re feeling sad, just tell me. I’m grown up now; you don’t have to bear it alone anymore.”

Seeing his attempt to act mature, Shen Yurou wanted to tease him: you’re only eighteen, what grown-up act is this?

The words nearly escaped her lips but were choked back by a rising wave of bitterness.

Tears burst forth like broken strings of pearls, rolling down her face.

Shen Bingyue gently put his arm around her shoulder, soothing her in a soft voice just as she had comforted him when they were children.

At this age, the boy’s stature was no different from that of a grown man.

The man she had longed for so painstakingly had now slipped into another’s embrace. He Leting’s anger blazed.

Ignoring whether his sudden presence would frighten Shen Yurou, he stood up.

Just as he lifted his foot, a shop assistant blocked his way.

The assistant looked apologetic and said awkwardly,

“Sir, I’m very sorry, the shop owner’s brother has come. The shop will close early today.”

He Leting hesitated, then squinted to look carefully at the man holding Shen Yurou.

There was indeed some resemblance between the two.

He must be Shen Bingyue, Shen Yurou’s full brother.

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He hadn’t expected such a close bond between the siblings.

Seeing he had no intention of leaving, the assistant continued to persuade,

“Sir, how about this: your entire bill today is on the house. We welcome you to visit again.”

After saying this, he bowed slightly, gesturing politely.

He Leting looked deeply at Shen Yurou once more before leaving some silver coins on the table, reluctantly departing.

From the moment he entered until he left, Shen Yurou did not notice him.

At that moment, she leaned on her brother’s shoulder, crying uncontrollably.

After quite a while, her sobs gradually eased. Shen Bingyue handed her a handkerchief.

“Sis, why don’t you just divorce him? At worst, I’ll take care of you.”

After crying so much, Shen Yurou’s suppressed mood lightened considerably. She teased her brother,

“Take care of me? With what—your cricket general?”

Shen Bingyue blushed deeply, mumbling,

“That was a long time ago, don’t bring it up.”

Like he was eager to prove himself, he pulled a one-thousand tael silver note from his pocket and slapped it on the table.

“Here, take this one thousand taels as spending money.”

Shen Yurou was startled when she saw the note.

Though her father was the wealthiest man in Ye Capital, she knew that because of Concubine Liu, her mother and brother’s finances were tight.

She hurriedly asked, “Bingyue, where did you get so much money?”

He proudly lifted his head.

“I told you, I’m grown up now; this small amount is nothing.”

He snuggled closer to Shen Yurou, boasting grandly.

“Sis, if you really divorce, I’ll buy you a big mansion and fill it with seventeen or eighteen handsome companions. Let that unappreciative Xie Zhian regret it.”

This childish remark finally brought a smile to Shen Yurou’s face.

Shen Bingyue’s heart relaxed.

He took her hand seriously.

“Sis, it’s nothing to worry about. You have me, and I’ll always stand by your side.”

Tears clouded Shen Yurou’s eyes. Smiling through her tears, she squeezed his hand firmly and nodded deeply.