Yan Xiao’s eyes darkened as his gaze swept over Shen Wan’s exposed ankles.
“Don’t like the wedding dress?”
Although his voice carried a trace of displeasure, he wasn’t angry and he didn’t blame her?
Shen Wan said, “There was a little incident… Aren’t you in a hurry? Go ahead first. I’ll explain to you later.”
The red carpet stretched out before them, with blazing red candles on either side lighting the banquet hall as bright as daylight.
The guests held their breath, all eyes fixed on Yan Xiao and Shen Wan as they walked in slowly.
She held onto Yan Xiao’s arm, but the space between them was wide enough for another person to stand in.
Anyone looking would think it was overly formal, even distant…
Shen Wan didn’t care she’d rather keep as much distance from him as possible.
Shen Miao stood among the crowd. Seeing Shen Wan’s youthful, flawless face, she realized the little maid’s plan had failed.
Shen Miao cursed inwardly: useless!
Yan Xiao held her hand, his fingertips wandering restlessly along her slender fingers.
“Sorry to trouble you a bit. In a few days, I’ll take you to pick out a ring.”
Shen Wan replied coldly, “No need. I don’t like wearing jewelry on my hands.”
Yan Xiao said, “We should’ve gone earlier, but you didn’t want me to appear in front of you. Now that you’re the General’s wife, at least dress up a bit when we’re out, you represent me.”
Shen Wan thought about it. What he said wasn’t unreasonable.
Even if he took her to choose a ring, she probably wouldn’t want to go willingly.
The two of them whispered to each other.
Shen Mingyuan, sitting at the front, noticed but thought: although Shen Wan seems cold toward the General, she clearly has an unusual connection with him. As for what Shen Miao framed her for, it’s unclear whether she’s gotten over it or not.
Shen Miao slunk back to Shen Mingyuan and sat down.
Shen Mingyuan glanced at Shen Miao and thought: Why couldn’t the General have chosen Miao Miao? Then today, we wouldn’t have to rely on Shen Wan.
Although Miao Miao wasn’t as clever as Shen Wan, she was much prettier.
Miao Miao was, after all, a top socialite in Liangzhou City. Thinking this, Shen Mingyuan assumed the General hadn’t chosen her because Miao Miao couldn’t entertain a man’s attention as well as Shen Wan could.
Frustrated, Shen Mingyuan snapped, “Where have you been?!”
Shen Miao froze, then pouted in a pitiful way. “Father… I just went to say a few words to a friend.”
Shen Mingyuan wanted to scold her, but her answer was reasonable. Talking to a friend what’s wrong with that?
He fumed silently, with nowhere to vent, and turned back to watch the wedding.
Seeing Shen Wan’s energy when talking to the General, he thought she must have used some method to capture his attention otherwise, why would the General have noticed her?
Applause and blessings thundered from the audience; the ceremony concluded.
Shen Wan went upstairs to change her clothes.
“Shen Wan.”
Just as she stepped onto the stairs, Shen Miao’s voice came from behind.
What to say?
Shen Wan had expected Shen Miao would come find her.
“Uncle really dotes on sister. I didn’t want her to miss your wedding, so I brought her along too,” she said, implying that Shen Miao shouldn’t have been brought here by Shen Mingyuan.
“It’s natural for elder sister to come congratulate little sister on her wedding,” Shen Miao stepped forward, arms outstretched to embrace her.
But just as she leaned in, Shen Wan’s sharp eyes caught the Hetian jade pendant hanging on Shen Miao’s chest.
Shen Miao whispered, low enough that only the two could hear, “Surprised? One of your mother’s heirlooms somehow ended up in my hands.”
Shen Wan’s gaze immediately fixed on the pendant.
It truly belonged to her mother.
Most of her mother’s possessions had been at their old family home. Later, during the wars, the house was ransacked, and most of her mother’s things disappeared.
Yan Xiao had recovered some items for her, but many remained missing to this day.
Seeing Shen Wan silent, Shen Miao smugly played with the pendant in her hand.
“Look at you you recognized it. If you want it back, you’ll have to convince the General to let me into the house as a concubine instead of you.”
Shen Wan gave her a cold look. “You really think I’d agree to that?”