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墨書 Inktalez
Returning to Feng Province, it had already been a few days.
Shangguan Yiting knew that Shangguan Shaoyi had returned, and naturally felt delighted. However, she also learned from the newspaper about Shangguan Shaoyi's engagement to Cheng Mo Su, which made her feel uneasy.
The main door was wide open, and Shangguan Shaoyi still stood tall and imposing, followed by Cheng Mo Su, who looked as gentle and graceful as a fairy.
Shangguan Yiting was momentarily stunned but quickly put on a smile and took Cheng Mo Su's hand. "Sister Mo Su, why did you leave without saying a word? We were all so worried!" She used this opportunity to pull Cheng Mo Su aside, her expression changing instantly. "Did you not promise me that you would return to Shanghai immediately?"
When she saw the engagement announcement, she was so furious she nearly fainted. Now seeing Cheng Mo Su standing in front of her unharmed only fueled her anger further. Looking down at her, she said, "What’s going on with that newspaper? Why did you force him to publish those things?"
"I didn't..." Cheng Mo Su had never been scolded so harshly before, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and anger.
"Stop pretending!" Shangguan Yiting maintained a smile on her face, but her words pierced like daggers. "I've been quite polite to you during your time at Shangguan Residence. How can you still be so ungrateful? You can't help our Shangguan Family at all. If he wants to take you as a concubine, I won't oppose it, but I absolutely refuse to accept you as the main wife!"
Her face burned hotter with each word, her heart aching deeply while still keeping a polite smile. She turned her head away, and the familiar scent of gunpowder suddenly enveloped her.
His voice came from above her, each word imprinted in her heart: "I am here."
She looked up at him; his stern face held an almost imperceptible smile. His gaze was gentle yet carried an undeniable authority.
He looked at Shangguan Yiting with a cold expression. "Sister, the marriage announcement has been seen by everyone in the country. Mo Su is destined to be part of our Shangguan Family. You need to watch your words when speaking with her from now on."
"You!" Shangguan Yiting's eyes widened in anger. Suddenly, she had a change of heart and smiled slightly. She picked up a stack of photos from the coffee table and handed them to Shangguan Shaoyi without waiting for him to ask. "Here, take a look. Which of these women do you fancy? They are all daughters of bankers or diplomats—Miss Jin types. Let me know which sister you'd like me to introduce to you to help arrange this marriage."
Shangguan Shaoyi tightened his grip on the photo, his anger boiling over. His sister was deliberately putting on this act in front of Mo Su to make her back down. He instinctively glanced at Mo Su, fearing that she might waver after all the effort he had put into keeping her.
Cheng Mo noticed Shangguan Shaoyi's burning gaze, and her smile became even more radiant. With her water-like eyes reflecting back at him, she thought that since she had already made her decision, she would stick to it. After all, these matters shouldn't all fall on Shaoyi alone.
She smiled slightly, her eyes bright, and held Shangguan Shaoyi's hand in return. He instantly understood her meaning and spoke with confidence, "You're overthinking it. I just said that I already have Mo Su; I won't consider anyone else."
"Are you foolish? If you don't go for a marriage alliance, how can we gain any extra support? What do you have to compete with other warlords?"
"The Shangguan Family can form marriage alliances with other families, but I'm not the only one in the Shangguan Family." Shangguan Shaoyi's pitch-black eyes glinted coldly. "With our father gone, I'm the only man in the family, so I have the final say here. Sister, you've waited long enough for Brother-in-law and our father; I think it's time for you to remarry."
The gauze window was half-open, and a warm summer breeze flowed into the room.
Cheng Mo tactfully returned to her room, leaving Shangguan Yiting and Shangguan Shaoyi facing off. Shangguan Yiting crossed her arms, her delicate face pale with disbelief as she said, "What do you mean by that?"
"I thought about it and realized you're right; we do need a marriage alliance." Shangguan Shaoyi's gaze flicked over her. "So I've taken the liberty to decide for you, but you'll still need to choose what kind of person you prefer. I have a few candidates in mind and will send their photos to your room later. I hope you won't refuse for the sake of our Shangguan Family's future."
A fierce look appeared in Shangguan Yiting's eyes as she coldly huffed, "Fine then, little Lin, you've even calculated your sister into this."
"Aren't you doing the same with me?" Shangguan Shaoyi replied calmly. Although he smiled on the surface, his eyes were icy. "You prioritize family interests above all else; naturally, you'll agree with my proposal, right?"
"You know very well that my heart belongs only to Brother-in-law! Why are you doing this?" Shangguan Yiting couldn't afford to beat around the bush anymore and spoke urgently.
Shangguan Shaoyi sneered coldly and said, "You only have Brother-in-law in your heart; I only have Mo Su in mine. Why should you force me to do something you're unwilling to do? If you're willing to remarry, then I'll be willing to follow your wishes and marry another young lady."
Shangguan Yiting couldn't respond; whether it was out of anger or shyness, her face flushed deeply as she retorted angrily, "You know my stubborn nature; I will never compromise! Aren't you saying this on purpose?"
"That's right, I did it on purpose." Shangguan Shaoyi, while cherishing his sister in his heart, had to insist on his own views regarding principles and reasoning, disregarding etiquette at this moment. "You don't even want to, so you have no right to ask me to do anything. Besides, Mo Su has cut ties with her father for my sake; she has no one else in this world to rely on. Instead of feeling pity for her, you have neglected her, leading her to suffer from so many illnesses. Do you think this is fair to Mo Su?"
"There is no question of fairness. When she was a young lady, I should have treated her well; now she is nothing. I don't have time to waste my smiles and words on her," Shangguan Yiting said decisively. "I also like Mo Su; I won't oppose you marrying her as a concubine, but I absolutely disagree with you marrying her as a legitimate wife. We are not an ordinary family; we aim for greatness. She will not only drag you down but also become your Achilles' heel. Do you think being so stubborn does justice to our deceased father?"
Shangguan Shaoyi frowned, unconvinced. "You are making a mountain out of a molehill, and why bring up our deceased father?"
"I'm just reminding you that you still bear the Shangguan name; don't forget your responsibilities. A marriage partner doesn't need grand vows; your father and mother didn't even meet before they got married, yet they were able to stay together for so many years. Your mother's wealth greatly helped your father, as I'm sure you've heard him mention before. Why must you be so fixated?"
"I'm not fixated; I'm just adhering to my own heart. Our Shangguan Family has already faced major issues due to emotional matters; I don't want a second occurrence," Shangguan Shaoyi said calmly as he looked at her.
She felt a sudden jolt and instinctively asked, "Are you talking about Yu Qiao?"
"It's something else—Brother-in-law's matter," Shangguan Shaoyi's expression turned cold, his gaze dark like the starry sky.
Shangguan Yiting felt a shock in her heart, as if ants were gnawing at it painfully. Her red lips trembled violently. "How... how do you know about that?"
"Sister, there is no one in this world who is a fool; many things cannot be hidden." His gaze turned distant, his voice unrealistically calm. "You should know better than I what happens when something is forced. If it weren't for your attitude towards Mo Su, I probably wouldn't have laid all these matters bare before you. I hope you won't force me anymore and stop treating Mo Su like this."
Shangguan Yiting felt intense pain in her heart, caught off guard by Shangguan Shaoyi's words that struck a nerve. She couldn't maintain her pride; unwilling tears slowly fell down her cheeks as she struggled to speak through her throat, which felt like it was filled with blood. "Fine, you're ruthless; indeed, our Shangguan Family members are all ruthless!"
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