“Isn’t this Miss Su?”
Chu Ningwan stepped forward, a hint of mischief hidden in her eyes.
Before Su Qingyao could respond, Chu Zhengnan spoke first.
“What do you mean, ‘Miss Su’? Ningwan, whether you acknowledge it or not, Qingyao is your sister.”
“Considering that you and your mother have already spoken up for her, I won’t argue with you over forms of address.”
Hearing the conviction in Chu Zhengnan’s voice, the amusement in Chu Ningwan’s tone deepened.
So he was already protecting her the moment she entered the manor.
How interesting.
At that moment, Su Qingyao spoke in her usual soft and delicate manner.
“Father, it’s alright. I know my status is lowly, and I appeared so suddenly. It’s only natural that Sister might not accept me.”
“Who said I don’t accept you?”
Chu Ningwan interrupted her.
Unlike before, there was no hostility in her expression—only calmness.
That reaction shocked both Chu Zhengnan and Su Qingyao.
Especially Su Qingyao, whose gaze became scrutinizing.
Previously, Chu Ningwan had treated her with obvious disdain.
Why the sudden change?
Could it be…
Chu Ningwan paid no attention to what Su Qingyao was thinking and turned toward Chu Zhengnan.
“Since Father has brought her into the manor, I assume you’ve already announced Su Qingyao’s identity publicly.”
“What reason do I have not to accept it?”
Hearing this, Chu Zhengnan’s expression immediately softened.
“Ningwan, it’s wonderful that you can think this way.”
“In that case, Qingyao has just returned and isn’t familiar with the manor yet. You can take her to her residence.”
He had originally accompanied Su Qingyao because he feared she would be mistreated.
Now that both Madam Qin and Chu Ningwan appeared accepting, he no longer had any worries.
“Very well.”
“Follow me.”
Chu Ningwan spoke indifferently.
Su Qingyao frowned as she followed behind.
She couldn’t figure out what Chu Ningwan was planning.
“Elder Sister, Father’s words earlier were a little harsh. Please don’t take them to heart.”
Su Qingyao’s residence had been arranged in the eastern courtyard.
Just as they were about to arrive, she suddenly spoke, still unwilling to let the matter go.
“After all, I am still the legitimate daughter of the General’s Manor.”
“What do I have to take to heart?”
Chu Ningwan replied coolly.
“On the contrary, it seems that you’re the one who can’t let things go, little sister.”
Su Qingyao’s expression instantly darkened.
She placed a hand on her stomach and sighed.
“Sister, do you know what Brother Yu once promised me?”
“He said he would only love me in this lifetime.”
“Even if you marry into the Marquis’s Manor alongside me, you won’t receive even a fraction of his affection.”
“And when my child is born, he’ll be the Marquis Manor’s eldest son.”
“At that point, being the legitimate daughter won’t help you at all.”
It was obvious she was trying to provoke her.
If this had been her previous life, Chu Ningwan might have fallen for it.
But now?
Such crude tactics were beneath her notice.
She turned to leave.
Seeing no reaction, Su Qingyao became even more frustrated.
“Chu Ningwan, are you really going to compete with me?”
“Compete?”
Chu Ningwan stopped.
Her voice became colder.
Her gaze traveled from Su Qingyao’s face down to her slightly swollen abdomen.
“Su Qingyao, if I’m not mistaken, Madam Shen only agreed to accept you under certain conditions, didn’t she?”
“You—”
Su Qingyao froze.
The smugness on her face diminished.
She stared fixedly at Chu Ningwan.
“What do you mean?”
Seeing that Su Qingyao was still pretending not to understand, Chu Ningwan clicked her tongue.
“Madam Shen agreed to let you enter the family because of me.”
“But what if I refuse to marry?”
“You have an imperial engagement with Brother Yu.”
“If you refuse, that’s defying an imperial decree.”
“Chu Ningwan, you wouldn’t dare do that.”
Su Qingyao hesitated briefly before quickly recovering.
“You just didn’t expect that Brother Yu would lose his memories related to you.”
In her eyes, everything Chu Ningwan was doing stemmed from jealousy—jealousy of her and the child she carried.
Chu Ningwan nearly laughed aloud.
Su Qingyao wanted her as a backdrop to elevate herself while constantly flaunting her superiority.
She really thought Chu Ningwan was someone she could bully at will.
“In that case,” Chu Ningwan said lightly,
“let’s wait and see.”
Without another word, she turned and walked away.
Su Qingyao clenched her fists.
Her resentment toward Chu Ningwan deepened further.
If not for Madam Shen and the marriage arrangement, she wouldn’t have been so worried.
Once she entered the Marquis’s Manor and had Brother Yu’s favor, she would make that wretched woman regret everything.
When Chu Ningwan returned to her courtyard, Cui’er approached her with a list in hand.
“Miss, these were all sent by Madam.”
“She also asked you to look over the list and see whether anything else needs to be added.”
Looking at the long inventory, Chu Ningwan felt mixed emotions.
Although the wedding date with Xiao Changyan had come together rather hastily, her mother had not delayed for a moment after learning about it.
She suddenly recalled the exhaustion in Madam Qin’s eyes when they had met earlier.
Clearly, her mother had not rested well because of her.
A sense of guilt rose in her heart.
“Tell Mother that this is already more than enough.”
She spoke softly.
She truly didn’t want her mother exhausting herself over these preparations.
Meanwhile, because Su Qingyao was pregnant, Chu Zhengnan assigned a maid specifically to serve her.
“Second Miss, I just saw Madam checking the dowry inventory in the storeroom.”
The maid’s voice was full of flattery.
Su Qingyao snorted.
Her jealousy toward Chu Ningwan intensified yet again.
What was the point of preparing so many things?
Once Chu Ningwan entered the Marquis’s Manor, all of it would eventually fall into her hands anyway.
What no one expected was that on the day before Shen Yu’s wedding, two imperial edicts arrived simultaneously at the General’s Manor and the Marquis’s Manor.
The Emperor had ordered the dissolution of Chu Ningwan and Shen Yu’s engagement.
When Chu Ningwan heard the news, she was not surprised.
As for the Marquis’s Manor—
Since Madam Shen had only agreed to accept Su Qingyao on the condition that Chu Ningwan entered the family as well, this news would undoubtedly be a devastating blow to certain people.
Tomorrow…
“Second Miss, you can’t go in! My lady is still resting!”
Along with Cui’er’s attempts to stop her came Su Qingyao’s voice.
“Sister, I know you’re inside. Why are you hiding from me?”
Her tone was full of urgency and accusation.
Hearing the commotion, Chu Ningwan rose and walked outside.
“Cui’er, let her come over.”
Only then did Cui’er step aside.
Su Qingyao hurried forward.
The moment she saw Chu Ningwan, she immediately demanded:
“Chu Ningwan, do you know about the imperial decree?”
“Why would you break off your engagement with Brother Yu at a time like this?”
Chu Ningwan sneered.
“Isn’t this exactly what you wanted?”
“Shen Yu is so devoted to you. Now that I’m no longer in the picture, surely Madam Shen will accept you.”
“Su Qingyao, shouldn’t you be happy?”
Under normal circumstances, Su Qingyao would indeed have been delighted.
But tomorrow was supposed to be the wedding day.
And now, at the very last moment, everything had changed.
Deep down, she was terrified.