The aunt was so angry she could only repeat, “How can you be like this?” Another aunt pulled her aside and stepped forward instead.
“Oh, Jiang Sui, we’re just concerned about you,” the second aunt said, putting on a friendly tone while her eyes sparkled with gossip. “There are many things to consider when it comes to marriage. Let’s start with the bride price.”
“We all know the Shen family in South City is a powerful and prestigious clan. Either officials or military officers, living in estates of thousands of square meters.”
The Shen family was a true scholarly lineage, generations of learned intellectuals. Indeed, they had both political and military connections. Shen Hanyu’s adoptive mother worked at the National Academy of Sciences—one of the top scientific institutions in the country.
Family background, wealth, status—the Shen family had it all.
Under normal circumstances, the Jiang family wouldn’t even qualify to be connected to them across three generations. But Shen Hanyu was a fake young master—only someone who bore the Shen surname.
Even so, Jiang’s father still considered it a fortunate and worthwhile arrangement, after all, Jiang Sui was just an illegitimate daughter of little value.
“Yes, the Shen family is amazing,” Jiang Sui said casually. “They’re a huge family. Besides Shen Hanyu, there are many single, outstanding young men too.”
“They’re all busy going on blind dates recently, eager to get married and inherit the family fortune. As long as the personality matches, they don’t even care about background.”
The nearby aunts’ eyes lit up slightly. They also had unmarried daughters at home.
Jiang Sui smiled at them. “See? I managed to get engaged to a Shen family young master, didn’t I? I’m really lucky. After marriage, I’ll live in a 400-square-meter luxury apartment. Every child I have comes with a house, I’ll have servants for meals, and I can swipe cards freely when shopping.”
“You’re probably thinking Shen Hanyu doesn’t really count as a young master,” she cut off their mockery with a lifted chin and a vain, bragging expression. “Even if he’s a fake one, he’s still part of the Shen family. They’re so rich—just a snap of the fingers and it’s tens of millions.”
“Sure, maybe not billions, but both Shen Hanyu and I are easy to satisfy. A little money is enough.”
Then she turned and looked at Shen Hanyu with shining almond eyes, full of fake affection and brilliance.
“Right, Hanyu?”
Shen Hanyu raised his eyes to look at her. His gaze was dark and heavy. He originally didn’t want to respond—too much effort wasted—but for some reason, he cooperated.
“Yes.”
The aunts immediately became tempted. To them, millions already meant unimaginable wealth, let alone tens of millions. They quickly lost interest in mocking Jiang Sui and turned to Jiang’s father, asking if they could be introduced to Shen family bachelors.
Seeing them leave, Jiang Sui raised a brow at Shen Hanyu, her expression lively and mischievous—like a successful prank.
Shen Hanyu looked at her blankly, his eyes deep and unreadable.
Feeling a chill on her back, Jiang Sui’s smile stiffened. She quickly looked away.
“I’m a bit thirsty, I’ll go get some water.”
She stood in a corner, regretting herself. Why did she act so smug in front of the big villain?
He probably already hates her even more now.
Stay away. Don’t forget that, Jiang Sui.
She didn’t return immediately, instead sipping tea while watching the entrance, waiting for the female lead.
Out of boredom, she glanced at Shen Hanyu again.
He sat very quietly, his back straight but slightly thin. The black sweater outlined his sharp shoulders, his dark hair neat, his pale neck exposed.
His figure always carried both boyish thinness and adult height and structure.
Cold, detached, and incompatible with the lively banquet atmosphere.
Perhaps because of that coldness—his indifference, his expressionless face—it made people even more irritated, even wanting to break that calm.
After all, not everyone is allowed to act aloof.
The privileged coldness of the powerful is called “personality.” The same coldness from the powerless is just “what are you supposed to be?”
While she was watching, a mocking voice suddenly came from the side.
“Looks like you’re very satisfied with this engagement.”
It was Jiang Lingling.
She stood there arrogantly, her eyes full of contempt.
“Well, I guess it makes sense. A bastard daughter like you can only match with a fake young master like Shen Hanyu.”
Then she sneered. “I just saw Lu Jianzhou.”
Jiang Sui paused for a moment before finally remembering who that was.
The original host’s crush—the second male lead in the story. A wolf-dog type character, childhood friend of the female lead, but ultimately lost to the male protagonist.
He also had a tragic fate—abandoned by family during the apocalypse, and even later chose to sacrifice himself for the female lead. Despite everything, he never turned dark, always protecting her.
In the original story, the original host had a long-time obsessive crush on him and did many disgraceful things, which made him hate her.
After the apocalypse, she became one of the most miserable villain side characters, and even when he passed by her, he didn’t recognize her.
But wherever Lu Jianzhou appeared, the female lead would be there too.
Jiang Sui had been waiting for this for a long time.
“Where?” she immediately asked.
Jiang Lingling shrugged arrogantly. “I forgot.”
Jiang Sui grabbed her wrist and instantly switched into a pleading tone.
“Good sister, please tell me. I really want to see him again.”
Jiang Lingling looked disgusted and pulled her hand away immediately.
Then she sneered. “I was lying. I didn’t see him at all.”
After that, she walked away in high heels, satisfied.
Jiang Sui raised her middle finger at her back—but considering the money and car she had received before, she decided to let it go.
She continued watching the entrance. Standing too long made her legs uncomfortable, so she walked out of the banquet hall to try her luck in the hallway.
Jiang Lingling, who had been watching her from the corner of her eye, sneered again.
“Pathetic thing. She hears Lu Jianzhou’s name and can’t even control herself. Does she even look in the mirror?”
She walked over to Shen Hanyu and stirred things up.
“Your fiancée just went to meet her crush. She’s really devoted, huh? Even though he doesn’t care about her at all, she still clings to every chance.”
Shen Hanyu looked at her without expression. No reaction at all.
Cold and indifferent.
Jiang Lingling’s attempt to provoke him failed completely. It was like throwing dirty looks at a blind man.
She left in frustration.
Shen Hanyu remained seated quietly. Beneath his lowered eyelids, his beautiful eyes were cold to the extreme—dark, still, and without any trace of warmth.