The daughter of a mistress?
Wasn’t Shen Ruoyue supposed to be a child accidentally switched at birth?
How could she possibly be related to Shen Honglang?
He… actually had a mistress?!
The words exploded beside Chen Wanran’s ears like thunder.
Her eyes filled with disbelief. Hidden within her sleeves, her hands clenched tightly into fists, her long nails nearly piercing her palms. For a fleeting moment, the calm composure on her face cracked—but she quickly concealed it so well that no one noticed.
Shen Honglang looked at the face that resembled Chen Wanran’s by seventy percent, and disgust rose in his heart.
“Zhiyi, you’ve only just returned to the marquis household. How can you already be so arrogant and overbearing?”
“Yue’er is kind-hearted, gentle, and yielding. Fate merely played tricks on all of you, forcing her to occupy your identity all these years. Ever since learning of your existence, she has repeatedly stepped back and given way.”
“I know you harbor resentment, but this is heaven’s will. This tribulation was part of your fate. What fault does Yue’er bear in this? Why must you keep pushing her so mercilessly? Must you drive her into a dead end?”
【Oh, screw you!】
Shen Zhiyi was stunned.
【“Fate” my ass. My miserable life all these years happened because of you!】
【You were the one who swapped the babies and ordered people to abandon me in the wilderness. If a kind person hadn’t picked me up, would I even still be alive to return to the marquis household today?】
A sharp pain shot through Chen Wanran’s palm as her nails dug into her flesh.
Her breathing halted.
For a brief instant, she lost the ability to think.
The separation between her and her biological daughter… had actually been orchestrated by Shen Honglang himself?
This was their first child together.
How could he be so cruel?!
【And if Shen Ruoyue hadn’t happened to be born at just the right time, he probably would’ve swapped out all of Mother’s children.】
Shen Honglang had even planned to replace her other children too?
【If I remember correctly, this scumbag father had several children with that mistress. Strange though—he spends every day in the marquis household, so how did he still find time to keep making babies with her?】
Chen Wanran let out a cold laugh, her expression turning icy.
“Arrogant and overbearing?”
“Zhiyi has barely spoken a few words from beginning to end. It is your so-called ‘kind-hearted’ and ‘gentle’ daughter who has been joining forces with an unrelated man to pressure Zhiyi into surrendering her engagement.”
“Shen Honglang, Shen Ruoyue occupied Zhiyi’s identity for fifteen years. For fifteen years she enjoyed wealth and luxury without ever touching a drop of hard labor, while Zhiyi suffered outside.”
“A debt must be repaid. This is what Shen Ruoyue owes Zhiyi. Even if Zhiyi wanted her thrown out of the marquis household, would that be unreasonable? Or does she intend to continue occupying what belongs to Zhiyi?”
Tears streamed down Shen Ruoyue’s face as she sobbed pitifully.
“Mother, y-you misunderstand Yue’er… Yue’er never wanted to compete with E-Elder Sister for anything…”
Blasted by Chen Wanran’s barrage of words, Shen Honglang was momentarily stunned.
Over the years, Chen Wanran had always treated him respectfully and obeyed him. Rarely had she ever contradicted him.
That was precisely why he had dared to secretly keep a mistress.
But now, Chen Wanran’s reaction had completely exceeded his expectations.
There were juniors and outsiders present, yet she was openly humiliating him like this.
Did she even still regard him as her husband?
Shen Honglang snorted coldly.
“Yue’er already said she never intended to fight Zhiyi for anything. Why must Zhiyi make such a fuss over nothing, unable to tolerate even a grain of sand in her eyes?”
“Though Yue’er is not our biological daughter, she has attended to us devotedly all these years in Zhiyi’s place. Besides, how much honor has she brought to the marquis household?”
“I’ll make this clear today. No matter what happens, Yue’er will always remain a daughter of the Shen family. That will never change.”
Chen Wanran’s heart turned cold.
Shen Honglang’s protectiveness toward Shen Ruoyue far exceeded what an adoptive father should feel for an adopted daughter.
Compared to how he treated Zhiyi… Shen Honglang and Shen Ruoyue truly looked more like a real father and daughter.
“Shen Honglang, Zhiyi never once said she wanted anyone driven out of the marquis household. Why are you panicking?”
“But what if I insist on throwing Shen Ruoyue out today?”
Shen Ruoyue’s face instantly turned pale.
“Father, Mother, Yue’er didn’t do anything wrong! Please don’t drive Yue’er away…”
【Holy crap, so that’s how it is!】
Having just finished devouring another juicy piece of gossip, Shen Zhiyi remained utterly oblivious to the storm raging around her.
【This scumbag father really is trash! He actually hid his mistress inside the marquis household. No wonder he managed to cheat so smoothly!】
【What was the mistress’s name again… Leng Zhu? Huh, I don’t think I’ve ever heard that name before.】
Chen Wanran was startled again.
Inside the marquis household?
How was that possible?!
There wasn’t a single woman named Leng Zhu in the manor!
Chen Wanran repeatedly humiliating him in front of others had already pushed Shen Honglang into a fury.
“Chen Wanran, how have you become so overbearing and unreasonable?!”
“Your daughter is a crude village woman, and now you’ve even thrown away your own upbringing!”
“For fifteen years, Yue’er has served you devotedly. Have you not seen it with your own eyes? Yet you are so cold and heartless. Aren’t you afraid of hurting Yue’er’s feelings and becoming a laughingstock to others?!”
【Mother spent fifteen years loving the daughter of her husband’s mistress because of you. Why don’t you compensate her for emotional damages?】
【Oh right, you can’t. After all, when the marquis household declined, it was Mother’s dowry that saved it. Everything you have today comes from living off your wife. What a professional freeloader.】
【Though to be fair, Shen Ruoyue was very devoted while serving Mother all these years. She worked extremely hard stealing Mother’s belongings to curry favor with her real mother.】
Chen Wanran felt like her head was splitting apart.
She had always believed Shen Ruoyue was innocent.
She thought Ruoyue was merely another victim of the baby swap, completely unaware of the truth.
When she threatened to throw Shen Ruoyue out, she had only intended to test Shen Ruoyue’s intentions toward Zhiyi and establish Zhiyi’s authority within the household.
She wanted everyone in the vast marquis estate to understand:
Zhiyi was the true legitimate eldest daughter of the family, not someone who could be bullied at will.
Chen Wanran could not tolerate Shen Ruoyue coveting things that belonged to Zhiyi or mistreating her biological daughter.
Yet after all these years of affection and filial devotion, Chen Wanran still retained some feelings for Shen Ruoyue. She had never truly intended to cast her out.
She once believed all hearts were made of flesh.
Who would have thought that only her heart was flesh, while this father and daughter pair had hearts of stone and had toyed with her all along?
How utterly laughable.
Even the hand hidden in Chen Wanran’s sleeve trembled with rage.
If not for hearing Zhiyi’s thoughts, she might have forgotten how the declining Zhongyong Marquis Manor had been rebuilt step by step by her own efforts.
Even Shen Honglang’s political career had once been saved by her father’s support after he was excluded from court.
Seeing Chen Wanran remain silent, Shen Honglang assumed his authority had successfully intimidated this disobedient woman.
A smug smile spread across his face, and his words became even more excessive.
“In my opinion, if someone truly must leave the marquis household, then it shouldn’t be Yue’er.”
He looked toward Shen Zhiyi, his face full of unconcealed disgust.
“It should be Shen Zhiyi—the disgrace who only brings shame upon this family.”
The more he thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed.
Perfect.
He could use this opportunity to get rid of this troublesome girl once and for all.
“Men—!”
But before he could continue, a cold voice interrupted him.
“I’d like to see who dares!”
Chen Wanran’s tone was glacial.
Though her expression barely changed, everyone present felt a chill run through them.
This was the authority and dignity of the true mistress of the household.
“Shen Honglang, have you forgotten who has managed the marquis household all these years?”
Chen Wanran stared directly at him and said word by word:
“If you truly cannot tolerate Zhiyi and insist on humiliating her like this, then there is nothing left for us to discuss.”
“Baohua,” she called to her dowry maid, “go through the marquis household accounts and sort out whatever remains of my dowry.”
Nanny Baohua immediately grasped the situation and decisively changed her form of address.
“Yes, Miss.”
Chen Wanran turned slightly toward her daughter and gently stroked her head.
Meeting those clear, bright eyes, she smiled softly.
“Zhiyi, don’t be afraid. I’ll take you back to your grandfather’s home.”
Damn it!
The situation had taken a disastrous turn, and Shen Honglang’s expression instantly changed.
Over the years, although he had gradually eroded Chen Wanran’s control over the household, there were still crucial parts firmly in her grasp no matter what methods he used.
Who could have expected this hidden danger?
Shen Honglang had never imagined Chen Wanran would one day disobey him like this.
If she truly left with that portion of the family assets—and returned to the Duke Zhenguo Manor—
His expression darkened further.
He could still maintain appearances externally, and Chen Wanran likely would not publicly disgrace the marquis household for the sake of its reputation.
But given the temper of the Grand General…
Not only would Shen Honglang lose face and reputation, but he would undoubtedly suffer terribly.
And if this affected his political career…
“Shen Ruoyue, kneel down immediately!”
he suddenly roared.