Chapter 36 Part 1

The evening light was dimming. The sun, hanging halfway down the mountain, still presented a dazzling, piercing scene to Shang Jinyue.

Even though the two of them were standing right next to Shi Wendong and Cen Yuan—who were wearing actual matching couple’s outfits—they still looked exceptionally well-suited for each other.

When Cen Yuan had these outfits custom-made, this was precisely the effect she wanted. The similarly cut skirts seemed to lean close to each other, almost touching.

They were indeed sisters, yet without a single drop of shared blood, inevitably inviting the imagination to run wild.

Shang Jinyue silently watched Shi Xiu, but her gaze was pulled away by Cen Anning.

There was a silent, flaunting look in Cen Anning’s eyes. Standing beside Shi Xiu, she openly stayed exceptionally close to her.

And yet, a certain someone remained completely oblivious.

“Wuwu.”

Grape had somehow slipped through the crowd and rubbed herself against Shang Jinyue.

Her fluffy head leaned against Shang Jinyue’s ankle, letting out a series of unhappy whimpers.

All around was the sound of greetings and farewells. Humans could easily trample the sounds of small, weak animals underfoot.

But Shi Xiu’s expression flickered. Amidst Cen Yuan’s flattering and sycophantic words, she heard Grape’s whimper.

She followed the sound and, unsurprisingly, found the little dog hiding beneath someone’s skirt hem.

Even the little dog attending a family banquet had to be meticulously dressed up. A pretty bow was tied on Grape’s head, and her soft, smooth fur was like satin—looking very pleasing to the touch.

Noticing Shi Xiu’s gaze, the little dog immediately wagged her tail in greeting.

Her tail wagged so fast it even made the hem of the person beside her flutter slightly.

The ink-wash-style freehand patterns on the light, translucent fabric shifted subtly, revealing the hidden calf below fleetingly.

The skin was wrapped in silk stockings, light flowing smoothly over it, utterly immaculate.

Before Shi Xiu could suppress the thought in her head, Shang Jinyue’s name leaped out.

She lifted her gaze to meet the person’s eyes directly, just in time to see Shang Jinyue silently greet her with a look.

Those cool, restrained eyes… perhaps it was the styling of the qipao, but she seemed to carry less chill, an innate gentle warmth that prevented any sense of distance.

“Ai, why don’t I see Youqing?”

As if a key name had been mentioned, Cen Yuan’s voice suddenly became clear in Shi Xiu’s ears.

“The Old Master of the Wen family is celebrating his eightieth birthday this year. It happens to fall right on the Mid-Autumn Festival. The Wen household is bustling with activity.” The housekeeper aunt explained to Cen Yuan.

“Oh, I was so focused on coming to see you, I completely forgot about that!” Cen Yuan said, holding Shang Xiunian’s arm, flawlessly masking her awkwardness.

“You can’t be blamed. The dates coincide too perfectly.” Shang Xiunian patted Cen Yuan’s hand. “I almost forgot myself. It wasn’t until last Saturday when their family came over that I remembered. Mingde reminded me just yesterday, too. That child is so considerate. I sent him over there today.”

Such a response was clearly a way to give Cen Yuan an easy way out.

But given who Shang Xiunian was, why would she need to smooth things over for anyone?

Cen Yuan was overwhelmed by the favor and hastily chimed in: “These matters should just be left to the younger generation. You should rest more, Old Madam.”

Those words were indeed appropriate for an ordinary septuagenarian; after all, it was well past retirement age.

But in the Shang family, under Shang Xiunian’s authority, they were the most inappropriate thing she could say.

Shang Xiunian’s gaze flickered upon hearing this.

So did The housekeeper aunt ‘s.

And at the edge of their attention, where they were being ignored, Shi Xiu’s eyes also flickered.

But not because Cen Yuan had misspoken.

She had keenly caught Shang Xiunian’s words: “Last Saturday, the Wen family came to visit the Shang family.” A memory slowly unfurled.

In her previous life, her first meeting with Wen Youqing had been last Saturday.

She had been walking Shang Jinyue home when she ran into Wen Youqing coming out of the Shang residence to meet Shang Jinyue.

She wore a cotton dress with a complex, intricate style, as soft as a cloud in the daytime sky.

Her originally bare arms were wrapped in Shang Jinyue’s shawl. She didn’t know who had given it to her, or if this was simply her privilege.

Shi Xiu had understood immediately then. This person clearly wasn’t a member of the Shang family, yet she came and went freely from the Shang house.

So she hadn’t said much. Wen Youqing had greeted her with gentle grace and then promptly taken Shang Jinyue away from her.

Having been reborn, Shi Xiu had forgotten all about this incident.

But, as it happened, last Saturday was a special day.

Shi Xiu’s thoughts were sluggishly slow, struggling to form.

Or perhaps not so difficult.

She was just stopping herself from thinking in certain directions—In this life, on the very night originally meant for welcoming Wen Youqing, she had come down with a fever.

Shang Jinyue had said that something else happened at home, which led to her catching a cold.

Was that “something else” forgoing the gathering to take care of her?

“Speaking of the Wen family… I have some new tea here that Youqing bought from Sichuan. Come, let’s have some together.”

“Anning, come over. Keep the Old Madam company, have some tea, and chat.”

Shang Xiunian waved Cen Yuan over, and Cen Yuan immediately waved for Cen Anning to follow.

Cen Anning knew Cen Yuan was trying to get her noticed by Shang Xiunian. She disliked this sort of thing, but Cen Yuan, knowing her temperament, simply grabbed her arm and pulled her along.

In this kind of setting, Shi Wendong was just Cen Yuan’s shadow, and he followed along as they chatted.

That left Shi Xiu neglected, left chillingly alone at the entrance.

With the space beside her now empty, sunlight poured in from one side.

Tonight’s sunset wasn’t particularly magnificent, but its warmth still felt pleasant on the skin.

Shi Xiu was long used to this. After all, she wasn’t Cen Yuan’s biological daughter, and Shi Wendong was an absent, hands-off father.

Moreover…

“Woof!”

Once everyone had gone, just like in her previous life, Grape excitedly bounded up to Shi Xiu.

The little dog’s tail wouldn’t stop wagging. She circled around Shi Xiu, enthusiastically and proactively inviting her to play.

“Grape, long time no see!”

“Woof woof!”

Shi Xiu happily picked up Grape, her tone and expression far more relaxed than when she’d first arrived.

Grape squirmed excitedly in Shi Xiu’s arms, yet obediently kept her claws sheathed, careful not to scratch Shi Xiu’s exposed skin.

“Let’s go to the back courtyard,” Shi Xiu whispered to Grape.

At a family banquet like this, with so many people, not everyone would crowd into a single hall. It wasn’t considered impolite for guests to wander into the courtyard for conversation.

Shi Xiu knew the Shang house like the back of her hand, and she was especially adept at sneaking away unnoticed under everyone’s noses.

The autumn atmosphere was growing thicker, and some trees in the back courtyard were starting to turn yellow.

The little dog’s paws stepped on the dry leaves with a satisfying crunch crunch, like a crisp symphony.

Grape, too, disliked being cooped up inside. She ran wild and free across the lawn.

The setting sun draped the little dog’s white fur in a layer of flowing light, making her look like a dumpling soaked full of sunlight.

Shi Xiu played fetch with Grape, enjoying the back-and-forth. Fresh air filled her lungs.

Ever since restarting her life, she had spent every day in intense cramming and practice sessions, her nerves stretched incredibly taut. It had been so long since she felt this relaxed and at ease.

But even so, someone was still tactless enough to intrude.

“Well, well. What little girl is this, skipping the house to play with a dog out here? Birds of a feather, I suppose?”

A man’s teasing voice came from behind Shi Xiu, his tone dripping with condescension.

Shi Xiu frowned. Turning her head, she saw a man standing with his hands in his pockets, looking at her with a playful, provocative gaze.

Shi Xiu didn’t bother with social niceties and fired back immediately: “So why don’t you go inside then? What’s the matter, not welcome?”

The man’s expression shifted. “Little girl, Uncle was just trying to tease you. Taking it like this is no fun.”

“Don’t you have enough mistresses to tease, Uncle? Coming here to joke with me—would you like me to bring this up with Auntie today?” Shi Xiu, expression freezing, stared coldly at the man, her voice without a trace of restraint as she exposed his secrets.

She had some impression of this man.

He was the boss of a production line under the Shang Group, some distant, tangentially related relative of the Shang family—even more remote a connection than Cen Yuan.

This circle never lacked for arranged marriages, mostly couples keeping up appearances, each playing around on their own, mutually saving face.

A few years later, this man’s mistress, heavily pregnant, would block the entrance to the company, refusing to leave, demanding to be the legitimate wife.

That incident had caused a huge scandal, gossip flying everywhere. Shi Xiu had been forced to follow the drama for days.

So she also knew that he and his wife were mutually aware of each other’s extramarital affairs, with a standing rule: whoever caused a public scandal would pay the other compensation, millions upon millions.

Therefore, upon hearing Shi Xiu’s words, the man’s face instantly changed color.

How could this young girl possibly know his private affairs? His speech became stuttered.

“You… I… I’m warning you! Don’t you spout nonsense! Or else… or else I’ll throw you out of here right now! Do you believe me?!”

He tried to verbally intimidate Shi Xiu, his meaty face tensing.

But before Shi Xiu could even offer a disdainful sneer, someone else deflated his bluster.

“I wasn’t aware the Shang family was now under Mr. Wang’s authority,” Shang Jinyue’s voice cut in. She appeared from somewhere, walking over.

The fine, textured silk of her outfit was light. The breeze stirred up by her walk lifted the hem of her skirt.

As Shang Jinyue approached from a distance, she looked like a fluttering butterfly, stirring the heart yet keeping everyone at a respectful distance.

Seeing Shang Jinyue, the man’s arrogant demeanor instantly deflated, replaced only by the utmost respect. “Miss Shang.”

“I was just teaching this girl a lesson for you. Look, she’s gotten your little dog all dirty.”

The man’s previously fierce expression crumbled into sheer, panicked flattery.

Shang Jinyue shot him a disdainful glance, her eyes clearly conveying that a single look at him made her feel dirty. Then she crooked her finger, beckoning Grape over.

Grape saw the gesture, immediately trotted over obediently, and rubbed affectionately against Shang Jinyue with a soft “Woo.”

Shang Jinyue also bent down to rub Grape’s head, then asked the man, gesturing at the scene before them: “I wonder, does this also count as ‘birds of a feather’?”

The man’s heart lurched. He immediately issued a flurry of denials. “Miss Shang, what are you saying? How could you possibly be categorized with… with a dog?”

“Then who should be categorized with a dog?” Shang Jinyue asked lightly, her calm eyes settling on the man.

The man instantly took the hint and quickly said, “Me! I’m the one in the same category as it!”

But Grape clearly wasn’t satisfied with this answer.

The usually gentle little dog bared her teeth and barked furiously at the man: “Woof! Woof!”

Stroking Grape, Shang Jinyue let out a soft laugh. “Mr. Wang, it seems she doesn’t wish to be in your category.”

“Even a dog looks down on it. Who knows what kind of creature that is,” Shi Xiu added from the side, unable to resist cursing the man even more bluntly.

The man’s face immediately turned an even more unsightly shade.

He couldn’t afford to provoke Shang Jinyue, and he certainly didn’t dare provoke Shi Xiu, who held his weaknesses. With a knowing air, he said, “I’m sorry, Miss Shang, I spoke out of turn.”

Then, with a theatrical air, he pulled out his phone, making a big show of it: “Hello? Hello? I can’t hear you! Let me go over there and talk!”

Watching this burly man perform, slinking away like a rat with its tail between its legs, Shi Xiu felt a surge of satisfaction.

Thanks to Shang Jinyue arriving, or she wouldn’t have gotten to see such a spectacular “face-changing” show.

“Thanks,” she thought, turning to Shang Jinyue to express her gratitude.