Chapter 1

As the summer evening arrived, a gentle breeze carried a touch of coolness, relieving the day’s built-up heat.

The floating vermilion clouds adorned the sky with a deep and lively shade of orange, while the ancestral Shen residence stood amid this expanse of rosy brilliance.

With an ancient and solemn presence, it emitted an aura of seriousness.

Within the garden, an elderly man carefully trimmed the trees and tilled the soil, removing all signs of weeds.

Inside the living room, uniformed servants hurriedly went about, their footsteps inaudible.

Only as they walked by the couch did their eyes casually sweep over the white-clad figure seated there. Their gaze held a mixture of curiosity and scrutiny, seemingly nonchalant.

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As they turned the corner, completely out of sight from the living room, they began to murmur softly.

“So, that’s her? Well, she’s… average-looking, I suppose.”

“While it’s often mentioned that the nine sons of the dragon have distinct traits, this one… doesn’t quite measure up by more than a bit.”

“Yeah, she had the audacity to come knocking even before the Madam gave her approval, and her manners are quite unpleasant.”

“Don’t talk nonsense! Mr. Zhou, the steward, personally went to pick her up. It must have been with the Madam’s consent that he dared to make such a grand gesture.”

“She’s really fortunate!”

“… ”

Seated on the couch, Shen Wan didn’t need to hear to surmise the topic of conversation among those individuals.

Fortunate?

Perhaps.

A child born from an affair, recognized by the Shen family, transitioning from obscurity to prominence – an opportunity coveted by many.

But Shen Wan was given such an opportunity.

Once, she felt grateful for it, but now…

At that time, the sound of an approaching engine grew closer, then gradually faded away.

Shortly afterward, a cascade of laughter, reminiscent of silver bells, resonated from the entrance hall.

Shen Wan’s slightly rigid posture instantly softened, forming an elegant arch.

As she lowered her head, her eyelids also dropped, and her hands settled neatly on her knees, everything in perfect harmony.

“Brother, you have quite the perceptive eyes! I went three times and didn’t notice, yet you spotted it immediately upon entering. No wonder Grandfather praises your sharp intuition.” The girl’s cheerful voice echoed like the song of a lark.

“It’s not about having keen eyesight; it’s that your understanding is lacking. Those with even a bit of common sense know that a high-quality inkstone displays a deep blue-green shade. When you press your finger on it, the moisture doesn’t evaporate rapidly. This is why ancient scholars coined the phrase ‘moistening the inkstone with one’s breath’.” The mellifluous voice flowed gently, akin to a stream over smooth stones, imbuing an air of refined grace.

“So, you’re saying that I just need to exhale lightly to discern whether it’s a genuine inkstone?”

Moving through the entrance hall and stepping into the living room, the lingering warmth of the setting sun sent its angled beams through the westward-facing French windows. These rays wrapped around the seated form of a young girl on the couch.

Shen Qian’s steps paused, his eyes narrowing slightly.

The girl kept her head down, projecting a tranquil demeanor. Her long hair cascaded gently behind her, and her slender shoulders seemed fragile.

Sunlight bathed her, rendering her face invisible, but her skin was exceptionally fair.

Her complexion held a near-translucent quality, allowing the bluish veins beneath the surface to become visible.

The cotton-white dress draped somewhat loosely on her slender form, resulting in a somewhat delicate feeling of slight emptiness. However, the neckline, slightly lowered, traced a graceful curve that gleamed with porcelain-like radiance under the evening sun.

Gentle, fragile, and yet… enchanting.

Shen Qian found himself slightly entranced, a flicker of interest gleaming in his eyes.

Shen Yan bit her lip; she was all too familiar with her older brother’s gaze, the kind of look a man gives a woman.

“Second Lady, may I take your coat?” A servant approached, reaching out.

Shen Yan handed it over and raised her chin slightly. “Who’s that person?”

“Steward Zhou brought her back. He said… she’s the Third Lady.”

Shen Yan’s expression shifted slightly, a thin trace of irritation appearing on her pretty face, mixed with more embarrassment. “Who allowed her to enter the house? Was it you?”

The servant shook her head in a hurry, “N-no, it wasn’t…”

“Then who exactly is it?!”

“That’s enough.” Shen Qian’s voice lowered, his calm face showing no excess emotion. Other than a slight crease between his brows, which soon smoothed out, his expression remained composed. “Steward Zhou brought her here. Who do you think allowed it?”

Gritting her teeth, Shen Yan’s fair cheeks reddened with anger, making her look even more lovely. “Dad is being quite unreasonable! He clearly knows what Mom dislikes the most, yet he brought her home.”

While Shen Qian didn’t necessarily share the same viewpoint, he chose not to voice his disagreement either.

He didn’t have an issue with having another person join them at the dinner table, but that didn’t automatically imply he was ready to embrace an unexplained “sister”.

“Brother, I can’t simply ignore this feeling of injustice!”

Before Shen Qian could intervene, Shen Yan was already charging towards the couch like an unbridled wild horse.

He withdrew his hand, a faint smile touching his lips.

“Hey! Lift your head up!”

As the shadow fell over her, Shen Wan took a deep breath. Her eyelashes trembled lightly, resembling two delicate fans as they fluttered open and closed.

Her fingers clenched around the hem of her dress, and the joints revealed a slight tinge of blue, a manifestation of her unease and nervousness.