When Tao Huanyi reached the guest room, the faint white light and hazy outlines she had just seen gradually faded back into darkness.
Feeling her way with her white cane, she found the bed and carefully lowered herself onto it.
The phone in her hand began to vibrate.
“Hello?”
Her uncle Fang Yuming’s urgent voice came through the phone.
“Huanyi, I’m outside the Shen residence. Could you open the door and let your uncle in?”
“Uncle, this is the Shen residence.”
What she meant was that she had only just married into the family and had no authority to make decisions here.
She had signed a contract with Shen Yanchen; she couldn’t really think of herself as the Young Madam of the Shen family.
“That doesn’t matter. I’ve heard everything! You’re a young woman, and you’re pregnant now! You can’t marry into the Shen family like this, with everything so unclear!”
Tao Huanyi frowned and opened her mouth, but so many words caught in her throat. “Uncle, I…”
“Huanyi, don’t be foolish anymore. No matter what, I’m your family! Have you forgotten? When your home caught fire, I took you in and raised you for all those years!”
Tao Huanyi fell silent. She gripped her white cane tightly as an inexplicable fury filled her.
“Your aunt was at fault, I know. She can be too impulsive in how she acts. How about this: have someone open the door for me, or you can come outside. There’s something I want to discuss with you privately.”
As long as it didn’t trouble Shen Yanchen.
Tao Huanyi gritted her teeth and agreed.
“Fine. Wait a moment.”
As she spoke, she tapped her cane lightly and made her way downstairs with care.
A servant had shown her around earlier. With her memory, walking a route once was enough for her to get her bearings.
Following what she remembered, she finally made it to the entrance and opened the front door. With a click, Fang Yuming immediately barged inside.
He went around Tao Huanyi. The gentleness in his manner was gone, replaced by a stern accusation. “Huanyi! I’ll get straight to the point. The Shen family is powerful and wealthy. You’re a young woman—you can’t just stay with them without any proper status. Understand?”
Tao Huanyi’s expression darkened.
Her uncle had come today, but he hadn’t said a word about taking her home.
“Uncle, Mr. Shen and I have already registered our marriage. As far as the public is concerned, I have a proper status now…”
Fang Yuming’s eyes widened in surprise. A moment later, he was so angry his teeth clenched.
He paced in front of Tao Huanyi, then raised a hand and pointed at her in fury. Knowing she couldn’t see him, he let the resentment in his eyes blaze unchecked.
“You fool! Shen Yanchen didn’t even give you an engagement gift or a bride price. What made you think you could marry him so easily?”
“But, Uncle, I’m pregnant…”
“That’s exactly why you shouldn’t have made such a rash decision! With Shen Yanchen’s background, he’s bound to be a womanizer. Having the title of his wife won’t do you much good, and you’ll be raising someone else’s child for nothing. You’d be better off using this chance to ask the Shen family for money. Once the money’s in your hands, that’ll be your real security. But don’t worry—I came here today to speak up for you. I’ll make sure Shen Yanchen gives you everything you’re owed!”
Fang Yuming’s words sounded as if he had her interests at heart, but all the while, he was thinking about the Shen family’s money. Tao Huanyi had thought he’d come especially to show concern for her future. She hadn’t realized she was only imagining it.
A faint, bitter smile touched her lips. Just as she was about to speak, Shen Yanchen’s mocking voice came from the stairwell behind them.
“What do you take the Shen residence for?”
Tao Huanyi jumped.
Her hearing had always been exceptionally sharp. Yet when Shen Yanchen’s voice came from the stairwell, she hadn’t heard him approach at all.
By then, Fang Yuming was already bowing and scraping as he hurried over. “Mr. Shen, I’m sorry for the presumption of coming here today. Our Fang family wouldn’t dare offend you, but we can’t let the Shen family bully an honest person like this either! I’ve come to ask for justice. My niece was raised in our family for years, and we spent plenty on her food, clothes, and other needs. What’s more, my younger sister died in a fire many years ago. Huanyi is her only child!”
Fang Yuming lowered his eyes, his thoughts shifting as he took Tao Huanyi’s hand. “We raised Huanyi to be a respectable, innocent girl. Now she’s pregnant before marriage, and she’s marrying into the Shen family to bear and raise children for you. How can your family fail to offer her anything at all?”
Shen Yanchen narrowed his eyes, a chill flashing in his gaze. “Bear and raise children for the Shen family?”
Seeing Shen Yanchen steadily closing in with an intimidating air, Fang Yuming immediately grew wary. But… this was his only chance of success!
“Exactly! Isn’t that the case? I’ve long heard that you, Shen Yanchen, have outlived three wives and are known throughout Rongcheng as a jinx! My Huanyi married you at the risk of her life. How can you offer her nothing?”
Shen Yanchen came to stand before Fang Yuming without haste. Looking down at him, he drawled, “So you came here for money?”
“I’m not just asking for money. I’m also seeking justice for my niece’s reputation.”
Shen Yanchen gave a derisive laugh.
It sounded noble, but his assistant had already given him Fang Yuming’s file. Fang Yuming’s company was in the red, its cash flow had dried up, and it was at a critical point where it needed money. He had probably sent this blind woman over because his company was in trouble.
Shen Yanchen’s gaze settled on Tao Huanyi as he studied her closely.
At that moment, she seemed calm, but there was a certain unease about her. Her hand gripped her white cane, as if it were the only thing she could rely on.
Shen Yanchen raised an amused brow. “If you’re here for money, that’s easy enough to settle. The Shen family has never shortchanged a woman. I’ve already paid her in advance.”
“Paid her?” Fang Yuming turned to her in disbelief. “Huanyi, is that true?”
Tao Huanyi shook her head. “Uncle, he hasn’t.”
“Don’t lie. We signed a contract earlier. Tao Huanyi, you’ll bear a child for the Shen family, and the Shen family won’t shortchange you. The contract spells out the amount clearly: thirty million. So the Shen family hasn’t treated the Tao family unfairly. Don’t go around demanding justice every day and deliberately slandering the Shen family.”
“Slander is something we can sue you for.”
Hearing this, Fang Yuming’s thoughts were entirely on the thirty million.
“Huanyi, don’t lie to your uncle. This thirty million—you didn’t…”
Tao Huanyi was caught off guard by the question.
She wouldn’t receive that thirty million for another year. It was her own plan and her fallback, money she was entitled to.
Once Fang Yuming knew about it, he’d sooner or later start coveting that money too.
Shen Yanchen had said it that way on purpose!
When Tao Huanyi didn’t respond, Fang Yuming immediately understood. He instinctively took a step back, his tone shifting from urgent to accusatory.
“Your aunt told me you’d turned your back on us at the last minute, but I didn’t believe her. I never thought it was true! Tao Huanyi, I’m your family! Back then, I took you in when you were in that terrible situation. You’re blind and can’t see, and my family was the one that looked after you. And now you’re repaying us with ingratitude?”