Chapter 153: One-Track Mind

Chapter 153: Chapter 153: One-Track Mind

Shen Zhenwu found it absurd.

But Yao Yuzhen’s reply was blunt. "Yes, Shuangshuang is willing."

Shen Zhenwu wasn’t a fool, just someone who easily got caught up in his emotions.

But no matter how muddled he was, those words would have sobered him up instantly.

His voice grew heavy. "Shuangshuang likes Rong Dan... You’ve known about this for a while, haven’t you?"

As he asked, he stared into her eyes, his breathing steady.

Yao Yuzhen turned her head away, her gaze falling on the treetops outside the window, not saying a word.

Shen Zhenwu didn’t need her to answer; he already knew.

He suddenly let out a long breath, slumped back into his chair, and shook his head. "Ridiculous. This is utterly ridiculous..."

"Did Rong Dan go so far away all those years ago because of her?" Shen Zhenwu asked tentatively.

Yao Yuzhen remained tight-lipped, silent.

Shen Zhenwu asked again, "You knew about that too?"

This time, Yao Yuzhen bristled.

"Just give me a straight answer. Do you agree or not? Do you want that half of the money, or don’t you?"

She snapped her eyes up, her voice tight and impatient.

For the first time, Shen Zhenwu looked at her with such disappointment. His brow was knitted tightly, and his lips were pressed into a thin line.

He didn’t say another word and stood up to leave.

"I don’t agree. I may not be well-educated, but have my own son marry the girl I raised? I couldn’t do something so shameless."

"As for the money, we agreed to split it evenly, and it will be split down to the last cent."

The moment he finished speaking, he snatched up a teacup, slammed it on the table, and stormed out.

They had arranged to meet at a teahouse to discuss matters.

Yao Yuzhen couldn’t be bothered to go groveling at his door again, so she had moved the meeting to a neutral location.

Who would have thought that after leaving the Shen Family, Shen Zhenwu would become even more resolute.

His expression was darker than before, the corners of his mouth turned down. Without another word, he angrily pushed open the door to their private room.

He strode straight through the main hall, out the teahouse entrance in a few steps, got into his car, and sped away.

All the words Yao Yuzhen had prepared were stuck in her throat, like a fishbone she could neither swallow nor spit out.

She remained in her seat, motionless, holding her teacup.

’I couldn’t do something so shameless.’

The words stung like a resounding slap, making her face burn.

She ground her teeth.

’But on second thought,’ she mused, ’Shen Zhenwu’s brain must be rusted shut.’

’They’re not blood siblings, not even close cousins. They have no biological relation, so why can’t they date and get married?’

She turned the thought over and over in her mind, growing angrier each time.

’In the past, first cousins getting married was common, and no one jumped up and screamed about it being improper.’

’He really is just ignorant and cowardly.’

She snorted softly.

’But he’s adamant...’

Yao Yuzhen clenched her fists, her nails digging painfully into her palms, as she wondered what to do next.

’Shen Zhenwu is dead set on splitting the money. In that case, I have to salvage what I can from this sum.’

She got up, paid the bill, and left the teahouse. She went straight to the credit union and withdrew another five hundred yuan in cash.

The clerk behind the counter gave her a couple of strange looks as they handed over the money.

With the money in hand, she immediately took it to Ruan Yongxing.

"Shen Zhenwu absolutely refuses to budge. He insists on taking half."

Her expression was grim. "I knew it. He’s no good!"

She slapped the money onto the table.

Ruan Yongxing took the money and patted her gently on the back, his voice soft.

"Don’t get worked up. People are all the same; who doesn’t like money? Let’s just consider it spending money to avoid a disaster and buy ourselves some peace of mind."

Yao Yuzhen could only nod. "I’ll come back tomorrow and give you another five hundred."

"Sounds good!"

Ruan Yongxing readily agreed. "Take as much as you can. I’ll hold on to it for you."

The moment Yao Yuzhen walked in the door, Shen Shuangshuang sprang up from the sofa.

"Mom! How did it go? Did they agree?"

She leaned forward, her eyes fixed on her mother’s face.

Looking at the anticipation in her daughter’s eyes, Yao Yuzhen slowly shook her head.

"Shen Zhenwu said that you lived with the Shen Family for twenty years, called him ’brother’ for twenty years..."

Shen Shuangshuang anxiously cut in.

"But I’m not related to them by blood! Besides, the adoption has been legally terminated!"

After she spoke, she shot to her feet, but then suddenly lowered her voice and couldn’t help but ask.

"Does... does he also think I’m not good enough for Brother Rong Dan?"

She lowered her eyes.

Yao Yuzhen waved her hand dismissively.

"He just can’t get over his own mental block. He thinks it’s outrageous for a ’brother and sister’ to get a marriage license. That man... he’s so stubborn, completely inflexible."

She sighed, running a hand through her hair, her voice full of exhaustion.

Shen Shuangshuang plopped back onto the sofa, pouting.

"Hmph, if he looks down on me, he should just say so. It’s not like I’m desperate to cling to their Shen Family."

"Whatever. There’ll come a day when he regrets this!"

Fearing she might actually get sick with anger, Yao Yuzhen quickly tried to coax her with a smile.

"What do you want to eat? Mom will go make it for you right now! Braised pork? Egg fried rice? Or a bowl of hot noodle soup?"

She reached out and felt her daughter’s forehead.

"I’m not eating. I’m full."

Shen Shuangshuang sank into the sofa, looking completely listless.

「The Shen residence, nightfall.」

For the first time ever, Shen Zhenwu called Shen Rongdan into the study. He closed the door before speaking. "Your mother came to see me this afternoon."

Shen Rongdan was taken aback. "My mom came to see you?"

"Mhm," Shen Zhenwu nodded. "We talked about you."

He pulled out a chair, motioning for his son to sit, then crossed his arms over his chest.

"About me?"

Shen Rongdan’s eyelid twitched. "What... what did she say?"

"About you and Shuangshuang."

Shen Zhenwu picked up the enamel cup beside him, blew on the steam, and took a sip.

The words had barely left his mouth when Shen Rongdan immediately interjected, "There’s nothing going on between me and Shen Shuangshuang. I’ve only ever seen her as my own little sister, nothing more."

Shen Zhenwu quickly raised a hand to rub his temples.

"That’s not what I meant. I just want to ask you for the truth. When did you realize that Shuangshuang’s feelings for you... weren’t right?"

"Did you notice before you left Beijing?"

He stared into his son’s eyes, waiting for a response.

Shen Rongdan didn’t speak, just nodded slowly.

"Is avoiding her the reason you haven’t come back often all these years?"

He nodded again.

Shen Zhenwu stared at his son for several seconds, his voice growing tight. "Why didn’t you tell me about this sooner?"

Shen Rongdan looked down, rubbing his fingers together, his voice muffled. "...I didn’t know where to start."

After a two-second pause, he looked up. "Did she tell you? What else did she say?"

"She said that I could have half the money in the account, on the condition that you marry Shuangshuang."

Shen Zhenwu said it bluntly, not beating around the bush or trying to hide anything.

His tone was calm, his gaze fixed squarely on Shen Rongdan’s face.

Shen Rongdan froze.

In that instant, the light in his eyes seemed to be blown out by the wind, dimming bit by bit until it was completely gone.

’So... in his own mother’s heart, he was really only worth half a bank account.’

’So this was what it meant to be mother and son. Even his marriage had a price tag.’

He lowered his gaze and was quiet for a few breaths before asking in a hoarse voice, "What did you say back?"

"What else could I say?"

Shen Zhenwu slapped his thigh.

"If I had known about this sooner, I would have taken a stick to her and taught her a lesson!"

"Twenty years! She grew up in the Shen Family, and you were her brother for twenty years. And look at her now, her heart’s gone completely crooked!"

He snorted heavily, then grabbed the cup from the table and took a large gulp of hot water.