Just as Ruan Shujin was about to respond, a middle-aged man pushed open her bedroom door and glared at her viciously.
That wasn’t the look of a father looking at his daughter—it was the look one reserved for an enemy.
Ruan Shujin suddenly curled her lips into a smile, one that was chilling to the bone.
Zheng Shuya was burdened with a childhood betrothal. Recently, word had spread that the other family had already come knocking. But Zheng Shuya’s ambitions were sky-high—how could she be willing to marry a fallen man? And so her so-called family had all set their sights on Ruan Shujin instead. In her previous life, her heart and eyes had been filled entirely with An Minhua, and she had naturally looked down on everyone else.
But in this life… perhaps it was time to take a different road.
That betrothal jade pendant on Zheng Shuya was of excellent quality. Ruan Shujin didn’t believe that a man who could possess such a piece would truly be as worthless as Zheng Shuya claimed.
In her previous life, she had arranged everything—yet Zheng Shuya alone had been stopped. The very father standing before her had even written her a letter, harshly condemning her for lacking the demeanor of an elder sister, blaming her refusal to substitute-marry for Zheng Shuya’s suffering.
Seeing Ruan Shujin smile like this, Zheng Yousai felt a chill crawl up his spine. He raised his hand—but forcibly stopped it midair.
“Dad, you’d better think this through,” Ruan Shujin said coolly. “Whether or not your slap should come down.”
“At this point, without me, you wouldn’t even have the assets needed to flee to Hong Kong. Have you thought about how you’d survive in this chaotic world without me?”
She stared straight at Zheng Yousai.
“I know exactly why you came looking for me. I’ll agree.”
Zheng Yousai couldn’t quite read Ruan Shujin’s intentions and frowned deeply as he studied her.
Ruan Shujin had no patience to waste time on this.
She went straight to the point. “I’ll marry. I’ll substitute-marry for your precious daughter Shuya and wed that man—but I have my conditions.”
“First, I want that betrothal jade pendant.”
“Second, I want a dowry.”
Before Zheng Yousai could say anything, her delicate, younger-stepmother couldn’t hold back.
“My good girl, your maternal grandfather already handed the textile mill to you. You manage the household—where would we get any money?”
Ruan Shujin knew her mother’s nature all too well, but hearing these words still stabbed her heart with unbearable pain.
“I’m talking to him,” Ruan Shujin said coldly, shooting the talkative woman a glance. “Don’t interrupt.”
She then fixed her gaze back on Zheng Yousai.
“Give it to me, and I’ll marry. Refuse, and I won’t. Don’t say you have no money. Ever since I let you move into the ancestral home, when have I ever let you lack food, clothing, or shelter? How much you’ve skimmed from this place—you know it yourself.”
“And you tricked my mother into giving you the basement key. Don’t tell me you never touched what was inside.”
Ruan Shujin was about to go into detail when several people suddenly rushed into the room.
Before she could even see clearly, Zheng Shuya shoved a crescent-shaped jade pendant strung on a black cord straight into Ruan Shujin’s hand.
Then everyone crowded around Zheng Yousai, one voice after another, clamoring noisily.
In the end, Zheng Yousai finally agreed—albeit extremely unwillingly.
Ruan Humei was the last to leave the room. As she went, she asked hesitantly,
“A-Jin, then your maternal grandfather’s assets…”
“I’ll handle them as soon as possible,” Ruan Shujin replied calmly. “Most of it will go to you. I’ll only keep a portion for myself.”
Ruan Humei’s eyes instantly lit up, and her whole demeanor brightened.
Once the room finally fell silent, Ruan Shujin’s expression turned icy.
Still thinking of taking her money?
Dream on. What’s hers is hers—and what’s theirs is also hers.
She toyed with the crescent-shaped jade pendant in her hand. It had been far too long since she’d touched such fine jade. Coupled with the miserable experiences of her exile in her previous life, whenever Ruan Shujin encountered something valuable now, her teeth itched with desire. But after a moment’s thought, she restrained herself.
She simply held the betrothal pendant reverently—when suddenly, it flared with light.
Startled, Ruan Shujin flung the pendant aside and leapt up like a frightened young beast.
Staring at the jade, now restored to normal, she cautiously picked it up again. In the next instant, she felt as though she were in a state of weightlessness, and the scene before her eyes gradually became clear.
Ruan Shujin froze.
Within this unfamiliar space stood a villa—no, it was exactly the same as the ancestral home her maternal grandfather had left her.
So this crescent-shaped jade pendant was connected to such a mysterious space.
Given the current situation, as a lone woman who knew her own tragic ending, she needed some form of security. Without a place to store things, she wouldn’t be able to take anything with her.
Now that she had this space, she would take all of her maternal grandfather’s assets—every last bit—and leave not even a hair behind for those white-eyed wolves.
They still wanted to covet her family fortune?
Wishful thinking.
As for them, don’t think they’d get off scot-free. If they all wanted to escape, then she’d see whether they actually had the ability to do so.
Ruan Shujin slipped the jade pendant over her neck and tucked it away. From the outside, nothing looked amiss.
Now, there were far more important things she needed to do.
The moment she stepped outside, she saw the jackals and wolves of her household already frantically looting the ancestral home. Ruan Shujin remained perfectly calm.
There were many textile mills in Shanghai, and the Ruan family’s ranked among the top, with considerable profits. Her maternal grandfather had been a merchant as well, and the assets left by their ancestors were far beyond what outsiders could imagine. She had been rolling in wealth—yet she couldn’t understand how she’d been so stupid, handing it all over to parents who were never willing to give her even a sliver of love.
After arriving at the factory, Ruan Shujin headed straight for the workers’ dormitory without delay.
Standing before the tightly closed door, she felt an unexpected flicker of nervousness.
She knocked. A hoarse voice came from inside.
“Who is it?”
“Uncle—it’s me. I’m Shujin.”
Ruan Dong glanced at her, his eyes filled with frustration and disappointment.
“Why are you here?”
Ruan Shujin looked around. It was a single room, but still not reassuring.
Ruan Dong took a deep breath and pulled her inside.
“Don’t worry. At this hour, the workers have all gotten off shift. No strangers will come here.”
Ruan Dong was a child adopted by Ruan Shujin’s maternal grandfather. From as far back as Ruan Shujin could remember, Uncle Ruan Dong had been stationed at the factory.
“Uncle, will you leave with me?”
Without giving him a chance to speak, Ruan Shujin poured out all her thoughts in one breath.
“Uncle, Shanghai isn’t safe anymore—you know that. I want to donate the textile mill. If I keep it in my hands, I’m afraid I won’t even be able to protect my own life.”
“I’ve already agreed to substitute-marry for Zheng Shuya and wed that alliance partner. Don’t scold me yet—please believe me. I didn’t agree lightly to marry in someone else’s place. In times like these, I also need to seek protection.”
“I had a dream. In that dream, Zheng Shuya’s childhood-betrothed wasn’t the kind of person they described. Marrying him would actually be a good thing!”
Ruan Dong’s gaze grew deep and unreadable. He didn’t know if it was just his imagination, but at this very moment, the young lady sitting before him seemed completely different from the one in his memories.