Shen Nanzhi quickly ran back to her room.
Hearing Jiang Feng’s words, she let out a cold snort: marrying him? In his dreams.
After washing up, she stepped out of the room and saw Wang Aunt standing at the door. She paused for a moment.
Thinking about how Wang Aunt had complained yesterday that even a servant’s time was still time.
“Wang Aunt, I’ll go eat right away,” Shen Nanzhi said.
She hurried into the dining room.
On the table were a plate of green vegetables, a dish of scrambled eggs, and a bowl of millet porridge already served.
Shen Nanzhi looked confused.
Given Wang Aunt’s usual dislike of her, it was already surprising enough that she had made breakfast and called her to eat—why would she even serve the porridge?
Thinking of Wang Aunt’s hesitant expression earlier, she turned and looked at her.
“Wang Aunt, just tell me directly if you have something to say.”
Although Wang Aunt never treated her warmly, she had at least helped her just now.
Wang Aunt looked up at Shen Nanzhi. There was no longer the hesitation from before.
“Nanzhi… the wedding banquet two days ago wasn’t what they think. The young master was sincere.”
Shen Nanzhi paused mid-bite, looking up at her. “I know.”
Whether sincere or not, he still gave her such a grand wedding banquet. Even if there were no betrothal gifts, the “three major items” weren’t missing.
Wang Aunt became even more anxious seeing her indifferent attitude.
“Nanzhi, I beg you… please don’t hurt the young master anymore, okay?”
Her tone was humble, almost pleading—completely different from her usual sharp attitude toward Shen Nanzhi.
Shen Nanzhi answered sincerely, “Wang Aunt, that’s not something you should say. How would I hurt Xiangyang?”
At the mention of him, her expression softened.
Thinking of how, in her past life, Lu Xiangyang had held her corpse and cried heartbreakingly, she knew clearly—only that man truly treated her well.
She would never hurt him.
Wang Aunt finally felt relieved, but still asked cautiously, “Then… will you go register marriage with Jiang Feng?”
“No,” Shen Nanzhi replied without hesitation.
Just then, Jiang Feng’s voice came again from the courtyard.
“Shen Nanzhi, are you really refusing to go register with me?”
“Shen Nanzhi, this is your last chance. Come out immediately.”
Wang Aunt’s heart tightened again, her eyes fixed on Shen Nanzhi, ready to stop her if needed.
But Shen Nanzhi calmly continued eating breakfast, as if she hadn’t heard anything.
Time passed. Jiang Feng still hadn’t seen her come out.
“Shen Nanzhi, I’ll give you one last chance—come out now!”
Still no response.
People outside began pointing and whispering, making Jiang Feng’s anger grow even more.
Someone suddenly said, “Why does it look like Jiang Feng can’t do without Shen Nanzhi?”
That sentence struck like a thunderclap.
Jiang Feng’s pride instantly snapped.
“You’re good, Shen Nanzhi. Don’t come begging me later!”
At that moment, Shen Nanzhi finally walked out slowly.
Standing in the corridor, she looked at him calmly.
“Don’t worry. Even if I die, I will never beg you.”
Jiang Feng’s smile froze. “Do you know what you’re saying? I’m only giving you this chance.”
“I know,” she said evenly. “Didn’t you say you’re going to sign a big contract today as my birthday gift? Why aren’t you going? Or were you lying again yesterday?”
The surrounding crowd began whispering.
Jiang Feng’s face darkened.
He never expected the obedient little follower from before would become so sharp-tongued in just two days.
He forced himself to stay calm, thinking of the big deal.
“Alright, come with me to sign the contract. After that, I’ll give you the gift.”
“Really?” Shen Nanzhi smiled faintly. “But from what you’re saying, that contract can’t be signed without me. That’s why you’re forcing me to register marriage with you, right?”
“I didn’t!” Jiang Feng quickly denied.
But Shen Nanzhi didn’t stop.
“Then tell everyone—why did you miss our wedding two days ago?”
Jiang Feng froze.
The crowd started changing expressions, suspicion growing.
“Could it be Jiang Feng is forcing marriage just for a contract?”
Murmurs spread.
Jiang Feng’s expression turned ugly. “It’s not like that!”
But Shen Nanzhi pressed on.
“If you really like me, then sign the contract first and give it to me.”
Jiang Feng’s patience finally snapped—but he still restrained himself.
After a moment, he left in anger.
Shen Nanzhi ignored the crowd and went straight to the warehouse to confirm her goods had arrived.
Everything was complete.
Her heart finally settled.
At noon, she went to the food factory to find Lu Xiangyang, but was stopped at the gate because she had no proof of identity. She had no choice but to take a bus.
On the bus, she heard a woman boasting about a restaurant making huge money. Shen Nanzhi immediately became alert.
A woman beside her suddenly approached her and offered to take her somewhere.
Shen Nanzhi immediately recognized the woman’s expression—this was not a good person.
She calmly agreed.
After getting off, the woman led her into a remote alley.
Shen Nanzhi slowly prepared the self-defense tools she had bought from a system shop.
When the woman tried to get close, Shen Nanzhi sprayed her with pepper spray and shouted to the young girl beside her:
“She’s a trafficker—run and call the police!”
The girl hesitated, then ran.
Chaos broke out.
The trafficker’s accomplices arrived.
Shen Nanzhi fought back and ran, but was soon cornered again.
One man grabbed her, another snatched her electric baton.
She tried to escape desperately.
In the end, she was slapped hard across the face.
“You dare hit me? You’re asking for death!”
She was ordered to be taken to a “boss,” and the men planned to assault her.
At the critical moment, she broke free again and ran.
But soon, she was caught once more.
“Help! Someone help me!”
People on the street began gathering.
One of the men quickly lied, “She’s my wife! She’s trying to run off with another man!”
The trafficker woman also joined in, pretending to persuade her.
The crowd hesitated.
And slowly, some people began believing she was just a woman trying to abandon her husband.