After leaving the palace, Chu Ningwan did not return directly to the General’s Manor.
Since she had agreed to treat Xiao Changyan, she could not very well do so without making preparations.
Just as she purchased some medicinal herbs and was about to leave the clinic, a woman’s voice called out from nearby.
“Isn’t this Elder Sister? What a surprise to run into you in a place like this.”
Su Qingyao approached with a smile.
When her gaze fell upon the herbs in Chu Ningwan’s hands, her expression turned to surprise.
“Elder Sister, is someone unwell? These medicinal herbs…”
Chu Ningwan’s eyes turned cold.
What a small world.
Of all people, she had to run into Su Qingyao here.
Remembering her mother’s worries before she left home, Chu Ningwan had no intention of wasting time and simply continued walking.
But being ignored only fueled Su Qingyao’s anger.
The next moment, she suddenly grabbed Chu Ningwan’s wrist and put on a sorrowful expression.
“Elder Sister, what exactly has happened?”
“No matter how much you dislike it, the fact that I am your sister is already established.”
Lowering her voice so only the two of them could hear, Su Qingyao spoke with unmistakable provocation.
“There’s no changing that.”
“Let go.”
Chu Ningwan looked down at the hand gripping her wrist.
Her voice was frighteningly cold.
When Su Qingyao met her gaze, her heart trembled for no reason.
But glancing at the people around them, she did not believe Chu Ningwan would dare do anything in public.
Pretending not to hear the warning in Chu Ningwan’s voice, she tightened her grip.
“Elder Sister, you still haven’t answered me.”
She continued to wear an innocent expression.
Without hesitation, Chu Ningwan pried Su Qingyao’s hand off her wrist.
After glancing around at the gathered onlookers, she immediately understood Su Qingyao’s intentions.
Since Su Qingyao wasn’t afraid of embarrassing herself, why shouldn’t she help her along?
“Miss Su, it seems you still haven’t taken my earlier words to heart.”
Chu Ningwan sighed lightly.
“Leaving aside whether your identity is genuine or not, even if it is, you are merely the daughter of a kept mistress—not even a legitimate concubine’s daughter.”
“What gives you the confidence to behave so arrogantly before me?”
Her tone was calm, yet loud enough for everyone present to hear clearly.
“As for the child in your belly…”
Her expression became even more disdainful.
“May I ask, Miss Su, is becoming pregnant before marriage something to be proud of?”
The few simple sentences instantly drained the color from Su Qingyao’s face.
Ever since learning that Chu Zhennan was her father and that she and Chu Ningwan were half-sisters, jealousy had burned fiercely inside her.
Why should Chu Ningwan enjoy a life of luxury, waited on by servants, while she had grown up helpless and alone?
What she found even harder to accept was that Chu Ningwan had once been engaged to the man she loved.
In her mind, Chu Ningwan owed her.
What Su Qingyao had never expected was that Chu Ningwan would expose her pregnancy so openly in front of everyone.
Feeling the strange looks directed at her, her face burned with humiliation.
“I knew there was something strange about her. So she got pregnant before marriage.”
“I heard Young Master Shen lost his memory after an injury and fell in love with this woman. Has she now come to cause trouble for Miss Chu?”
Listening to the crowd’s whispers, Chu Ningwan saw that Su Qingyao still seemed unwilling to back down.
“Su Qingyao, are you sure you want to continue?”
Su Qingyao hesitated.
She knew perfectly well that continuing would not benefit her.
But…
She remembered the humiliation Madam Shen had inflicted on her when she followed Shen Yu back to the Marquis Manor.
And in her mind, the root of it all was the engagement between Shen Yu and Chu Ningwan.
“Chu Ningwan! Why is it you again?!”
Shen Yu pushed through the crowd.
The moment he saw Chu Ningwan standing beside Su Qingyao, his face darkened.
Immediately, he moved to shield Su Qingyao behind him.
The look he gave Chu Ningwan was filled with hostility.
“Chu Ningwan, I’ve already made myself perfectly clear.”
“The only person in my heart is Yao’er.”
“Why must you keep hounding her like this?”
Every word was spoken through gritted teeth.
Su Qingyao’s eyes reddened as though she had suffered an immense injustice.
She hurriedly stopped Shen Yu.
“Brother Yu, it’s alright.”
“This isn’t Elder Sister’s fault.”
“Yao’er, you’re pregnant. Sit down and rest.”
“I’ll handle this.”
After comforting Su Qingyao, Shen Yu advanced toward Chu Ningwan step by step.
“Miss Chu, what exactly will it take for you to leave Qingyao alone?”
His eyes were full of disgust.
Even his tone seemed laced with poison.
Chu Ningwan clicked her tongue.
How had she never realized before just how confident Shen Yu was in himself?
“Young Master Shen, do you even understand what happened here?”
“What?”
Shen Yu froze.
He had expected to see heartbreak in Chu Ningwan’s eyes.
Instead, she looked at him with complete calmness—as though he were a stranger.
This was nothing like the previous life.
“With so many people watching, what exactly could I have done to Su Qingyao?”
“On the other hand, Young Master Shen, you arrived and immediately started accusing me.”
“Do you truly think the General’s Manor has no one to stand up for it?”
Chu Ningwan’s voice grew colder.
Shen Yu immediately became embarrassed and angry.
“Qingyao is your sister.”
“Chu Ningwan, although I don’t remember anything about our past, my instincts cannot be wrong.”
“And don’t think you can use that so-called engagement to bind me!”
“Fine.”
Chu Ningwan nodded casually.
“Then let me say this again in front of everyone.”
“I, Chu Ningwan, will never marry you.”
“And stop being so full of yourself.”
Shen Yu’s brows knitted tightly together.
He was extremely displeased with her attitude.
Originally, he had thought that if Chu Ningwan behaved obediently after Qingyao entered the household, he might generously allow her the title of a concubine.
Who would have thought this woman would still be so malicious, trying to embarrass him in public?
Could she still be playing some ridiculous game of playing hard to get?
Placing a hand over her stomach, Su Qingyao stepped forward, tears glistening in her eyes.
“Brother Yu, I’m fine.”
“After all, you and Elder Sister grew up together. Please don’t let me damage your relationship.”
“Elder Sister, if I offended you just now, I apologize.”
As she moved closer to Chu Ningwan, her body suddenly swayed as though she were about to fall.
“Yao’er!”
Shen Yu’s expression changed dramatically as he rushed forward to support her.
Chu Ningwan saw through the trick instantly.
As expected, it was the same old routine—pretending to be weak and pitiful.
How boring.
Her patience had run out.
She no longer had any interest in continuing this farce and turned to leave.
Seeing this, Shen Yu’s anger flared.
“Chu Ningwan! Today’s incident happened because of you, and you’re just going to walk away?”
“Otherwise, what would Young Master Shen like me to do?”
When she stopped and asked the question, a smug smile appeared on Shen Yu’s lips.
He became even more convinced that everything Chu Ningwan was doing was merely another attempt to attract his attention.
“Apologize to Qingyao.”
“Apologize to her?”
Chu Ningwan looked at Shen Yu as though he were an idiot.