Shen Yiyi could guess what her ex-boyfriends wanted to hear, but the truth was, he really hadn’t said those things.
In the young girl’s memory, Hu Erniang had money, looks, and servants to attend to her. Every day, she tended to her flowers, focused on her health, and raised her daughter—her life was nothing short of comfortable.
For a struggling student like Shen Yiyi, who was grappling with postgraduate entrance exams and civil service tests, there was nothing but envy.
As a fellow woman, Shen Yiyi—a noble and upright modern transmigrator—had no intention of fabricating lies to cater to a scumbag’s whims.
“He never mentioned it.” Even for the sake of survival, Shen the Upright Yiyi chose to tell the truth. “But Mother sometimes stays alone (finds the kid too noisy) and even sheds tears while reading (laughing so hard at a storybook that tears come).”
Huh?
This didn’t quite match the Er Niang she remembered…
Was the cheerful demeanor she showed in front of me all just a facade? Away from me, was Er Niang truly suffering so deeply from love?
Shen Rusong was moved, sighing deeply. “What else did she say?”
Shen Yiyi: …
Seriously, big brother, can we change the subject? Couldn’t you ask about my career plans or let me showcase my talents? Since you’ve broken up, can’t you stop obsessing over your ex-girlfriend?
Shen Yiyi was running out of ideas. She racked her brains but couldn’t come up with anything that didn’t exist. Making things up entirely risked exposure.
Cornered, she finally unleashed the transmigrator’s ultimate move—reciting poetry.
Lines like “Love remains, yet fate has ended; before the letter, do not compose heartbreak verses,” “Apart from the parrot, who would know? Do not whisper hidden feelings to others,” and “This love fades like a dream; flowers in a mirror, moon on water—none are real”…①
These were all Hu Erniang’s “new works”! Don’t ask me about the specific context; I’m still young and don’t remember clearly. Take a hint and use your imagination.
Thanks to the anonymous sponsorship of a certain Love Sage Living Buddha, who alone contributed multiple Lamentation Poems.
The reason for freeloading off this figure was twofold: first, he was from the Qing Dynasty, and the era she was currently in clearly couldn’t be that Braided Dynasty.
Second, although she couldn’t appreciate poetry, these verses were noticeably different from the famous works passed down and memorized by masters, so they wouldn’t suddenly elevate Hu Erniang to the status of a Poetry Sage.
If she hadn’t looked up the character’s background while reading a novel back then, she would never have heard of these poems, let alone memorized them.
Even so, Shen Rusong was astonished. “Er Niang’s literary talent has improved to such an extent!”
Back in the County School, his classmates often said he was “successful in love but unsuccessful in exams.” Now, it seemed this wasn’t entirely born of jealousy or teasing.
He remembered that in the past, Er Niang could barely compose matching verses, her skill only slightly better than Doggerel. She never possessed such talent.
Could his influence on her have been so profound!
It seemed that only deep, heartfelt emotion, channeled into writing, could suddenly produce such literary brilliance.
Shen Rusong pondered whether, after settling matters at the Suning Marquis Estate, he should also experience a romantic upheaval or suffer heartbreak. Perhaps after such an emotional ordeal, he might even pass the Juren exam?
The trouble was, he had always been popular with women and had never encountered one who rejected him.
Now, finding a woman he yearned for who would, in turn, forget all about him—well, that was quite the challenge!
In this exchange of questions and answers, Shen Rusong noticed that Shen Yiyi recited poetry fluently and answered with clear reasoning, her choice of words and sentence structure completely unlike that of a child. He couldn’t help but ask, “Have you studied?”
Finally, it’s here!
Shen Yiyi perked up and replied, “I know some characters and have learned a few brushstrokes.”
Who wouldn’t like a good child who studies diligently?
Even though she was a girl, Shen Rusong didn’t seem like one of those old-fashioned fossils who believed that “a woman’s virtue lies in her lack of talent.”
Earlier, when Hu Erniang’s literary skills had improved dramatically, he had shown surprise—though shock far outweighed joy.
Shen Yiyi wanted to showcase her own strengths, win Shen Rusong’s appreciation, ensure she could stay in Shen Mansion, and even secure a better position.
She can paint too?
Shen Rusong immediately became interested and wanted to see what level the daughter taught by the newly emerged talented woman Hu Erniang had reached.
In the western side room, the brush and ink on the writing desk were readily available. Shen Rusong spread out a sheet of xuan paper and motioned for her to sit down.
She was too short; sitting didn’t quite allow her to reach properly.
Shen Yiyi glanced at Shen Rusong, climbed onto the chair, and knelt properly.
Without any pigments, she carefully outlined a black chrysanthemum and then wrote an inscription in the upper right corner: “Rather wither with fragrance on the branch than be blown down by the northern wind.”
Shen Rusong stared at that line of poetry. The artistic conception of this line was clearly a level above the previous ones!
How deeply had Er Niang been hurt by him!
After a long silence, he finally said, “Did your mother write this too?”
“I’ve seen Mother write it,” Shen Yiyi replied vaguely.
This is a Song Dynasty poem about chrysanthemums. Has the Song Dynasty not arrived here yet? Or is this simply a fictional dynasty?
Shen Rusong watched as Shen Yiyi slipped down from the chair and stood properly.
The bruise on the little girl’s forehead now looked even more glaring.
After he discovered that Wu Shi had quite a favorable impression of this child, Shen Rusong, who understood his wife’s preferences well, guessed that his daughter must be good-looking and skilled at flattery. But he hadn’t expected her natural talent to be so exceptional.
Truly worthy of being his and Er Niang’s child!
“Only, your handwriting still needs more practice!” Shen Rusong smiled as he put away the painting. “Your father will find you some copybooks tomorrow.”
Shen Yiyi felt a bit embarrassed.
She had originally hoped to amaze everyone and pass herself off as a painting and calligraphy prodigy. But as soon as she put brush to paper, she realized something was wrong!
Admittedly, she had passed the tenth level in both Chinese painting and soft brush calligraphy, but this body wasn’t her own! Her right hand was completely uncooperative!
The impressionistic chrysanthemum was just barely recognizable in shape, but her handwriting was practically unreadable, probably only at the level of an average kindergarten senior class.
Wait—”your father”?
Did Shen Rusong just say something incredible?!
Didn’t Hu Sicai say there was only one letter? He’s already run off, so how could she still be acknowledged?
Oh, Shen Mansion must have conducted an investigation. So, they found some solid evidence? The original body really was the daughter of Shen Rusong and Hu Erniang, then.
But if she’s already been acknowledged, why did Hu Sicai run away?
Shen Yiyi was utterly confused, unable to figure out what had happened no matter how hard she thought.
But she couldn’t just go and ask directly.
The current situation was clearly advantageous for her. Originally, she had only hoped to secure a job and a place to stay, but now she had directly become a shareholder joining the board of directors! Now, not only was her personal safety assured, but she didn’t even have to worry about her treatment.
She just hoped Shen Mansion wouldn’t later claim they had made a mistake and try to return her. After all, the true and false heiress trope is also a popular plot in transmigration and rebirth literature!
Seeing the girl standing there stunned with joy, Shen Rusong smiled and patted her head before going out to have someone fetch Wu Shi and An Ge’er.
After the formal greeting and addressing them as “Father” and “Mother,” Shen Yiyi received a pile of gifts from the two.
Shen Rusong gave her several silver ingots and a full box of copper coins, while Wu Shi gave her a pair of pearl hairpins and a pair of small silver combs inlaid with gems, along with a large pile of silk and satin fabrics to be tailored into clothes.
It seemed this newly minted pair of parents were well aware of her financial situation, as the gifts they gave were particularly practical.
The chubby little boy who came up next to greet her was the same cheeky boy from that day—turns out he was that “An Ge’er.”
Dragged over abruptly to acknowledge a sister, the little fatty was also confused.
This girl wasn’t even taller than him, so why could she be his sister? Reluctantly, the little fatty performed the greeting ritual.
After asking about her birthday, Wu Shi had the two stand side by side for comparison and said with a smile, “Yuan Jie’er is actually a year older, yet they’re about the same height!”
Shen Rusong looked at the two children standing side by side in the hall. They were nearly the same height, and though their facial features weren’t very similar, both were fair-skinned. A thought suddenly stirred in his heart.
But he needed to think it through carefully. For now, there was a major matter awaiting his attention.
Shen Rusong stood up and said that he and Wu Shi needed to attend to some business in the front courtyard, letting the two children go play together in An Ge’er’s room.
Standing under the corridor, watching Shen Yiyi’s retreating figure, Shen Rusong suddenly called out, “Shen Yiyi.”
His voice was soft, just like his usual speaking tone.
Huh?
Seeing the girl turn around at the sound, Shen Rusong simply waved with a smile and said nothing more.
So her name really was Shen Yiyi.
In the end, I have wronged Er Niang! At this moment, all the lingering resentment Shen Rusong held toward Hu Erniang had completely vanished.
Even the image of her in his mind had been cleansed, distorted, and ultimately fixed as that of a literary young woman—deeply devoted to him, pure and chaste, passionate and talented, sentimental and melancholic.
Front courtyard, main hall.
The Ding and Zhang families sat on opposite sides, neither speaking, filling the hall with a deathly silence.
Sister Gui had changed into new clothes again and wore a silver lock. She kept psyching herself up—that girl wasn’t here, surely she couldn’t be outmatched by a five-year-old dark-skinned monkey across from her!
Zhang Xiuxiu, afraid that Sister Nian would start crying and fussing again, held her tightly on her lap. Squeezed by her mother’s increasingly tight grip, Sister Nian struggled to get down.
Zhang Xiuxiu glared down at her.
Remembering her mother’s stern scolding before they left home, Sister Nian didn’t dare move again.
After a long, tense, and stifling wait, Shen Rusong finally entered with Wu Shi and a few others. Both families hurriedly stood up to bow.
Glancing at Ding Wang, who hesitated as if about to speak, Shen Rusong ignored him and directly called out, “Guyu.”
A twelve- or thirteen-year-old Topknot Servant Boy carefully entered carrying a tray.
As he passed by everyone, they all saw clearly: both White Porcelain Bowls on the tray were filled with clear water.
This was for—
Without wasting words, Shen Rusong, under everyone’s watchful eyes, pricked his finger and let a drop of blood fall into each bowl.
Blood-drop kinship test!
This was for a blood-drop kinship test, everyone realized.
Did that mean that as long as the bloodline verification was correct, this matter would be settled? The members of the Ding and Zhang families grew excited.
Ding Ju stole a glance at Shen Rusong sitting at the head of the table, her cheeks flushing red before she quickly averted her gaze. So, her brother-in-law was this handsome! Her heart pounded like a drum, and then, unable to resist, she stole another glance.
Zhang Xiuxiu, on the other hand, was far more brazen. Her bold, undisguised, and scorching gaze made Wu Shi so furious she nearly fainted backward.
“Shameless!” Wu Shi muttered hatefully under her breath, growing more disgusted the longer she looked at the two of them.
Nanny Tong, standing solemnly nearby, secretly tugged at Wu Shi’s sleeve. She felt a bit resentful toward Shen Rusong—why did he have to bring his wife along?
He could have handled it himself. Did he really need the young lady here to bear witness?