When He Jiayu and Grandfather He arrived in the living room, although the people inside were chatting, the atmosphere was clearly delicate.
Xu Zhiyuan sat beside He Hongjie, watching the person speaking nearby without joining in. She simply observed quietly, appearing to listen attentively.
In reality, however, the few people speaking did not pay any attention to Xu Zhiyuan, isolating her in a silent manner. The others were the same—in this seemingly harmonious scene, Xu Zhiyuan was being excluded.
He Jiayu frowned, strode past Grandfather He, and walked straight toward Xu Zhiyuan.
Startled by a hand on her shoulder, Xu Zhiyuan turned and saw it was He Jiayu. Her tense face immediately lit up with a delighted smile. “You and Grandpa are done talking?”
He Jiayu’s frown eased slightly. “Are you bored?”
Xu Zhiyuan thought for a moment and shook her head. In truth, she had only been quiet for a short while.
He Jiayu didn’t know what had just happened, but he felt that Xu Zhiyuan was too considerate, enduring grievances without saying a word.
His displeased gaze immediately fell on He Hongjie.
He Hongjie: …
What kind of look is that?
Does he think my rabbit has been bullied?
Just as he was about to say something, Grandfather He walked over and spoke.
“Zhixiao is here too.”
Xu Zhiyuan turned to look at Elder He. “Grandpa, you’ve mistaken me for someone else. I’m Zhiyuan. Zhixiao is my older sister.”
Elder He didn’t respond, simply staring at her with a cold and sharp gaze. The commanding presence of someone in a position of authority made Xu Zhiyuan break into a cold sweat, and she wanted to avoid his eyes. But Xu Zhiyuan dug her nails into her palm, forcing herself to hold steady.
If she showed weakness now, everything she had just done would be in vain, and the He family would think she was easy to bully.
After a long moment, Elder He finally withdrew his gaze. His expression remained mostly unchanged, but inwardly, he was both surprised and appreciative of Xu Zhiyuan’s reaction.
In the He family, no one was satisfied with or accepted Xu Zhiyuan—including him.
The He family was bound by the agreement he had made with the Xu family’s patriarch years ago, which stipulated that a daughter of the Xu family would marry into the He family. Unable to go back on his word, he had no choice but to agree, though he deeply resented the Xu family’s approach. Over the years, he had assumed both sides had silently treated it as nothing more than a verbal jest.
What angered him even more was that Xu Zhixiao, the intended bride, had eloped with someone else, trampling the He family’s dignity underfoot. Later, to make amends, the Xu family replaced the bride with Xu Zhiyuan, revealing their greed in its entirety. Disgusted yet unable to back out at the last moment, he had no choice but to reluctantly accept.
After He Jiayu’s wedding, he immediately went abroad on business, and no one in the family objected. They didn’t even allow Xu Zhiyuan into the main residence, sending her directly to the couple’s marital home instead. That was his stance.
Now, having He Jiayu bring Xu Zhiyuan back was also his stance—a probing one.
He didn’t know much about Xu Zhiyuan, but the limited information he had gave him a sense of her character. As such, he hadn’t held high expectations, so Xu Zhiyuan’s performance naturally came as a pleasant surprise.
It wasn’t enough yet, but as long as Xu Zhiyuan didn’t back down, she had barely met the passing mark.
Sitting in the main seat, Grandfather He didn’t apologize or acknowledge his mistake in identifying her. He simply responded with a faint “Hmm” and asked, “What were you all discussing just now?”
Everyone looked at each other, their gazes eventually settling on He Hongjie and Tong Sijing.
The expressions on He Hongjie and Tong Sijing’s faces were quite telling as well. He Hongjie appeared completely unperturbed, while Tong Sijing looked as if she had been wronged.
This only piqued Elder He’s curiosity even more.
Hadn’t today’s elaborate setup been intended to put Xu Zhiyuan in a difficult position? It seemed they hadn’t succeeded.
“It was nothing, really. We were just saying that Jiayu has married a wonderful wife,” Third Aunt He couldn’t help but add with a hint of sarcasm.
Xu Zhiyuan smiled shyly. “He Jiayu is wonderful too.”
Third Aunt He: “…”
Still infuriating.
Just moments ago, Xu Zhiyuan had been like this—clearly aware they were mocking and belittling her, yet pretending not to notice. With an innocent, guileless expression, she responded with such sincerity, without a trace of hidden meaning.
For instance, when they praised He Jiayu as a genius on the surface but were actually mocking Xu Zhiyuan for being unworthy of him, she undoubtedly understood the subtext. Yet she didn’t address it directly. Instead, she proudly agreed with them.
When they joked that no one should take such remarks seriously, implying the Xu family had no shame, Xu Zhiyuan would nod in agreement, then earnestly add that everyone’s personality is different, so it’s not fair to assume no one would mind such jokes.
When they mentioned how well-suited someone else was for He Jiayu, a match made in heaven, Xu Zhiyuan would curiously ask a few more questions, her eyes filled with nothing but genuine curiosity. In the end, she’d simply say, “What a shame.”
…
When someone counters your tactics with sincerity, what use is your magic? The feeling of punching cotton—that’s exactly how they felt.
What if they were direct?
They’d say, “Xu Zhiyuan, you’re not worthy of He Jiayu.”
Xu Zhiyuan would reply, “But we’re already married. Once you’re married, there’s no question of being worthy or not.”
They’d say, “Xu Zhiyuan, you’re of no help to He Jiayu at all.”
Xu Zhiyuan would respond, “He Jiayu doesn’t rely on women to advance. If he did, he wouldn’t be considered the heir.”
They’d say, “He Jiayu has someone he likes, and they’re deeply in love. If it weren’t for you, they’d already be together.”
Xu Zhiyuan would say, “Did He Jiayu fall for that person this year? That really is a shame. But as for the marriage, it was Grandfather He’s request. There’s nothing I can do about it.”
They’d say, “The Xu family is using a feather as a token of authority, clinging to the He family for support and greater benefits.”
Xu Zhiyuan would reply, “I don’t understand business matters. Does becoming in-laws with the He family mean they have to share profits with the Xu family? I wonder how much the aunties’ families have received. In business, isn’t it all about capital and capability? I didn’t know you could make money just by becoming someone’s in-law instead of doing business yourself.”
“…”
See? Even when faced with direct attacks, Xu Zhiyuan could respond with clear, logical reasoning.
It was enough to prove that Xu Zhiyuan was truly no simple person.
“Grandfather He, everything is ready,” the butler announced.
Grandfather He showed no intention of pressing further. He acknowledged with a nod and stood up, heading toward the dining area.
Today was the Mid-Autumn Festival, a perfect occasion for admiring the moon and chrysanthemums. Dinner would be held in the courtyard.
Xu Zhiyuan sat beside He Jiayu, watching the lively scene in the courtyard, feeling as if she were in a television drama. The surroundings were fitting too, with an antique charm, except everyone wasn’t dressed in ancient attire but in modern clothes.
“What’s wrong?” He Jiayu asked softly, noticing Xu Zhiyuan’s distraction.
Xu Zhiyuan gathered her thoughts. “Nothing. Has everyone from the family arrived?”
There were many people, with four or five tables set up.
“No, only some have come,” he said. “Don’t worry about it.”
Xu Zhiyuan obediently nodded, and the next moment, she heard someone speak loudly.
“This is Sister-in-law’s first time at the old house, isn’t it? Many of us haven’t met Sister-in-law yet. Why doesn’t Sister-in-law stand up and introduce herself to everyone?”