Inside the main hall, the atmosphere was so heavy it was almost suffocating.
“This is going too far! Does Yan Xiao really think the Shen family is easy to bully?!”
With a sharp bang, a teacup was slammed onto the table. Shen Mingyuan, the head of the Shen family, roared in fury.
In front of him, Shen Wan wore a simple, elegant qipao. Her long black hair was pinned up with a plain jade hairpin, and her cool eyes rested on the red marriage contract before her.
Her aunt, disregarding her own dignified attire, rushed forward and pulled Shen Wan into her arms.
“Wanwan is talented and beautiful how can she marry that bloodthirsty devil who kills without blinking?
But Yan Xiao is a notorious living Yama… I’m afraid our entire Shen family won’t survive this…”
“Enough!” Shen Mingyuan barked. “Crying and wailing what kind of behavior is that!”
Wasn’t he the one who had discussed the marriage with Yan Xiao in the first place?
Shen Wan had long grown used to this. If Shen Mingyuan ever truly stood up for her, she might even look at this uncle of hers in a new light.
But every time, it was all noise and no action.
She was used to it.
Shen Wan slowly closed the marriage contract. The gilded character “Yan” on it seemed to burn with heat, scalding her.
The Shen family had once been a renowned medical family, famous across the region, but had gradually declined in these turbulent times.
Yan Xiao, on the other hand, had risen step by step amid the chaos of warlord conflicts, eventually becoming a commanding governor of a powerful region.
With ruthless, thunderous methods, he suppressed rebellions and reclaimed lost lands. In doing so, he made countless enemies and became the “living Yama” feared by many.
And yet, such a decisive and merciless man showed an almost obsessive possessiveness toward her alone.
He had sent countless rare treasures just to win a single smile from her.
He had even mobilized his army to retrieve a piece of jewelry her mother had left behind in this world.
But none of these were what she wanted.
“Uncle,” Shen Wan raised her head, her voice calm but firm, “I don’t want to marry him.”
Shen Mingyuan looked up. How could he not know that his niece already had someone else in her heart?
Besides, Yan Xiao held overwhelming power. If exchanging Shen Wan could bring benefits, who wouldn’t be willing to offer up their own daughter?
But Yan Xiao had named only Shen Wan.
As long as Shen Wan remained in his grasp even if he couldn’t become the governor’s father-in-law, being his uncle-in-law would still be enough…
“Wanwan…”
Shen Mingyuan let out a long, dramatic sigh, covering his face.
Shen Wan stood up. She knew well how skilled he was at putting on a show, but she had no interest in watching it now.
She walked to the doorway, looking out at the rain-soaked courtyard, her heart cold.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded outside. A servant rushed in, panicked, fell to his knees, and said tremblingly, “Master… the Governor… the Governor has arrived!”
Shen Wan took a deep breath, straightened her back, and called for a maid to hold an umbrella as she stepped outside.
Yan Xiao rarely used the front entrance. If he came through the main hall, he would have to greet her uncle and aunt.
By sending the marriage contract ahead of time, he was clearly giving Shen Mingyuan time to prepare.
He preferred climbing over the wall to find her it was thrilling, like a secret affair.
But she despised that attitude of his, treating her as if she had no say.
In the torrential rain, a black car stopped in front of the Shen residence. More than a dozen soldiers in uniform held umbrellas, surrounding the vehicle tightly.
A tall, imposing figure stepped out of the car. His black military uniform accentuated his cold, commanding presence. The brim of his cap was pulled low, obscuring his face, but the oppressive aura around him was impossible to ignore.
Yan Xiao waved the others away and handed a redwood box to Shen Wan.
“This is the bride price. Shen Mingyuan has already provided the dowry I’ve had it sent to the Governor’s residence. In three days, I will come to marry you.”