The Wan family.
Several people sat inside discussing.
“Second sister-in-law, is what you said true?”
“It’s true. How could it be false?”
“Not just me, many people saw it!”
“Really? I don’t think the young lady from the Shen family is that kind of person!”
“Who says she’s not? It’s just that appearances can be deceiving!”
“If our matriarch made a mistake, we still have time to correct it!”
The sisters-in-law whispered among themselves in the house.
This was a standalone villa, an ancestral home of the Wan family.
The whole compound was like a military barracks, with guards at the gate, so security inside was very good.
Once Shen Qingran was brought inside, the visitors left.
As she entered, several women sat at the center of the room, like a meeting in progress!
Without speaking, it looked no different from village women’s gatherings in the past.
The Wan household’s décor was simple compared to the luxurious Shen family home—no excessive ornamentation.
The ground floor hall had just a coffee table and a few sofas; the kitchen and bathroom were nearby.
“Oh, you must be Shen Qingran. Please sit. I’m Sun Li, second daughter-in-law of the Shen family!”
After introductions, Shen Qingran recognized the people before her.
Wearing plain clothes was the eldest son’s wife, Duan Hui, a nurse.
The second son’s wife, Sun Li, wore a stylish skirt and worked in a performance troupe.
A woman in a blue traditional outfit was the Wan family’s only daughter, Wan Ming.
Her husband had died in the past, and she had remained a widow since.
Only the eldest and second sons lived here; the third lived in his own marital home, rarely returning.
That evening, the two sisters-in-law had called Shen Qingran back for a matter.
After brief introductions, Shen Qingran sat on a nearby stool, observing everyone.
All eyes turned to her, but she was unafraid.
“I’m curious why you’ve called me here!”
Looking around, there seemed to be no one else in the room.
“Hehe, nothing much. It’s just about your engagement with Wan Ning. Not sure if you knew!”
The second sister-in-law, Sun Li, spoke first.
Shen Qingran nodded: “It’s already been discussed at home.”
The sisters-in-law exchanged knowing glances.
“Yes, if you know, then the rest will be easy to handle!”
Sun Li tossed away the sunflower seed shells in her hand.
The eldest sister-in-law looked at Shen Qingran: “Little Shen, you’re young. You must be careful about your conduct!”
Wan Ming adjusted her glasses but said nothing.
Shen Qingran wondered where such talk came from. She hadn’t done anything! Could someone be spreading rumors?
“All day, I’ve been busy with serious matters. What conduct issues?”
Seeing Shen Qingran’s puzzled expression, Sun Li gave a meaningful smile, patting the seed shells on her clothes: “Little Shen, did you meet anyone today?”
Shen Qingran suddenly realized.
“Many people saw it! Not just us—you even rode with more than one young man!”
“And all on motorcycles!”
In this era, most people rode bicycles or took the bus.
Yet here she was, riding motorcycles with more than one man—a little scandalous.
Shen Qingran was speechless. In her past life, she had seen many TV dramas—like The Legend of Zhen Huan and The Story of Minglan.
This scene was almost like a plot of someone trying to accuse Consort Xi of misconduct.
Shen Qingran looked at Sun Li—it seemed she was the instigator.
“I had a matter to attend to. The family was robbed, so I went to report to the police!”
“Oh? If that’s the case, we won’t trouble you further.”
“But you supposedly went alone with a young man, right?”
Shen Qingran now understood these women—idle minds indeed. What were they after?
Could it be they were envious of something she had?
The eldest sister-in-law, Duan Hui, said: “No, Little Shen, if it’s your first offense, just admit it and all will be fine!”
It sounded as if Shen Qingran had actually done something!
Truly, this is a case of guilt being assumed without reason.
Shen Qingran looked at the two women, utterly exasperated.
One foolishly spreads rumors; the other foolishly believes them.
Few sensible people existed these days!
She calmly crossed her legs and leaned back: “This has nothing to do with you. You don’t need to know!”
“Little Shen, that’s not right!”
“You’re going to be part of the Wan family! You must consider your reputation!”
“We’ll be sisters-in-law, so I’m giving you friendly advice!”
“If your parents find out about this, your engagement with Wan Ning could be ruined!”
Sun Li’s eyes gleamed as she continued: “I’m only doing this for your own good!”
Shen Qingran hated such thinly veiled threats disguised as concern.
The eldest sister-in-law added: “No, Little Shen, your second sister-in-law is only looking out for you!”
“You must clarify this matter! Our family will not marry someone whose conduct is questionable!”
Shen Qingran was curious about the Wan family’s eldest and second sons. Fast horses find fast horses, slow horses find slow horses—what kind of intellect had chosen these two women as wives?
Perhaps the daughters-in-law were chosen to be obedient and easy to control.
Shen Qingran firmly said: “I said it—I didn’t do anything! Gossip and slander, I won’t bother with!”
“I act with integrity and honor; nothing like that could happen!”
The two sisters-in-law didn’t expect her stance to be so firm. Usually, a young girl would explain herself.
This girl was difficult to handle. Future dealings with these sisters-in-law would be tricky!
Sun Li’s eyes shifted: “Little Shen, you should know your parents’ position in the capital, not to mention Wan Ning. Many girls are waiting for him!”
“If you don’t cherish it, you’ll regret it later!”
Thinking of Wan Ning, Shen Qingran admitted that in her past life she had wronged him.
But considering this Wan family, she realized it wasn’t worth it.
In this life, Shen Qingran had no expectations of marriage. She had only felt the debt of Wan Ning’s past kindness.
Especially recalling how Wan Ning had punished wrongdoers for her sake.
“Since that’s the case, this engagement is no longer necessary!”