Chapter 2

With disdain evident in her gaze, Shen Yan’s eyes spoke of nothing but contempt.

Despite her timidity, she dared to dream of becoming the “Third Lady” of the Shen family?

“I told you to lift your head! Can’t you hear?!”

Shen Wan lifted her eyes in an instant, resembling a startled butterfly.

“…Unremarkable and bland, utterly lacking in allure.” After a discerning assessment, Shen Yan conveyed her judgment with a smile.

Within Ning City, the Shen family proudly presented pairs of accomplished daughters.

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The eldest daughter was capable, the second daughter mischievous. Though each possessed her own distinctiveness, their appearances were unmatched.

Yet, the slender form before her could be labeled as nothing more than “delicate,” lacking any notable attributes beyond fair skin and a tall stature.

Also, she acted so submissive that she couldn’t even look directly into someone’s eyes.

Suddenly, Shen Yan chuckled, her face flushed with a healthy pink hue, her voice clear, “Hey, does your mother look like this too?”

Her rosy, tender lips, naturally tinted like petals, spoke words that didn’t match her appearance in an appealing manner.

A flicker of embarrassment crossed Shen Wan’s eyes. She pursed her lips and didn’t respond, but her body involuntarily shifted slightly in the direction of Shen Qian.

The girl’s visage unexpectedly caught the man’s attention, and Shen Qian calmly scrutinized her.

With a delicate oval face and a pointed chin, he surmised that she might be too thin; otherwise, her features would appear fuller.

Her forehead was fair, her eyes naturally had double eyelids, and her nose was petite. This kind of delicate and slender beauty that could capture a man’s heart was evident in every moment.

He only heard her softly reply, “My mother is more beautiful than me.”

As expected, that soft voice was barely louder than a cat’s meow.

“True.” Shen Yan grinned, a clear maliciousness passing through her eyes, “If your mother looked like this, my father probably wouldn’t spare her a second glance, so you won’t even have existed.”

Shen Wan remained silent, her already fair complexion growing even paler.

“Oh dear, just a little joke, don’t take it to heart! I’m thirsty, go fetch me a glass of water.” Shen Yan settled onto the sofa, her arms crossed over her chest, exuding the demeanor of a proud and haughty princess.

Shen Wan didn’t move.

From Shen Qian’s perspective, he could clearly see her trembling eyelashes, her unease and panic, utterly defenseless.

“Why are you still sitting there? Move!”

She stood up, maintaining her stance, yet her body hinted at a hidden streak of stubbornness.

Shen Qian furrowed his brows.

Shen Yan was now extremely displeased.

As the atmosphere grew increasingly tense, a suffocating urgency permeated the air.

A servant stepped forward, “Second Lady, shall I…”

Smack!

A loud slap landed on the servant’s cheek.

“Ah…” Shen Yan exclaimed, a look of unease in her eyes, “I’m sorry, I accidentally swung… Should I have Uncle Zhou accompany you to the hospital for a check-up?”

The servant trembled, repeatedly waving their hands, and said, “No need! It was my own mistake!”

“I see…” Shen Yan pursed her lips, “Alright then, I’ll have Uncle Zhou give you a raise as compensation.”

“Thank you, Second Lady! Thank you, Second Lady!”

Shen Wan lowered her gaze, a cold smile forming within her heart. It was a familiar scene, a familiar person—everything was repeating itself, and Shen Yan’s pretentious behavior remained unchanged.

Clearly, she had hit someone, yet she insisted on being grateful.

“Hey! Why aren’t you going to fetch the water?”

“…Fine.” She forced a smile, lips quivering, eyes restless. She unexpectedly met Shen Qian’s gaze, flinched in surprise, and then avoided it.

In an instant as she turned, her smile crumbled, revealing a mournful hue on her exquisite face.

Suddenly lifting her gaze, she looked at the ceiling, stubbornly holding back her tears.

Shen Qian flicked his fingers, a deeper smile seeming to cross his lips.

Then, his attention shifted as he observed her move towards the water dispenser. She took a clean glass from the rack behind her, her white skirt shifting to expose the beauty of her fair knee bend.

She was tall, her two long legs slender and straight.

At the same time, she was thin; her calves hardly showed any muscle, just a smooth curve.

After obtaining the glass, she slightly bowed her body and turned on the tap.

The water level gradually rose.

To about eight-tenths full, then she turned it off.

During this process, the woman kept her gaze lowered and demure, her docile demeanor reminding Shen Qian of a British Shorthair cat he had once raised as a child.

Drip!

A glistening drop fell into the cup.

Did she… cry?

“The water you wanted.” Shen Wan extended the glass with both hands.

Shen Yan didn’t accept the glass and commented casually, “I’m seated, and you’re standing. Doesn’t that seem a bit awkward?”

Shen Wan remained speechless.

“If you’re aware, in ancient times, when servants served tea to their masters, they knelt with both knees on the ground, held the tray with both hands and presented it above their heads. Why not give it a shot?”

Shen Wan’s back tensed, showing a combination of surprise, resentment, and grievance in her expression. However, it lacked significant effect, still conveying a fragile and delicate stance.

At least, that’s how Shen Qian perceived it.

She was… too gentle.

Was she?

Catching a glimpse of the man’s expression from the corner of her eyes, Shen Wan didn’t find it remarkable.

It wasn’t even a surprise, because everything happening now was exactly like in her past life. Even Shen Yan’s way of speaking and her gestures were the same… the memories were still vivid.

Shen Wan fell silent for a moment, then suddenly bent her legs, without warning.

It looked like she was about to kneel.

Unexpectedly, a gentle pressure on her arm lifted her up. Confused, she raised her head and locked eyes with the man, as if his gaze held a comforting warmth.

“Brother!” Shen Yan couldn’t remain seated; she sprung up abruptly, exclaiming, “What are you doing?!”

“Ah Yan, this game isn’t fun.” There was an underlying warning.

“Why did you help her?!” Shen Yan’s cheeks reddened with anger.

As the man was about to speak, suddenly, the sound of an engine roared in the distance. “Grandfather, Mom, and Dad are back. Take responsibility for your own action.”

After saying that, he strode out.

Shen Yan glared fiercely at Shen Wan. “We’ll see how this turns out! Brother, wait for me…”

Watching the fading figures of the two departing in succession, Shen Wan lowered her head, a hidden and enigmatic smile curling at the corner of her lips.

It was different this time.

In her past life, she didn’t kneel, but she had splashed Shen Yan with water. In return, Shen Qian slapped her so forcefully that she ended up with a permanent hearing loss.

In this lifetime, she hadn’t knelt either, but this time it was Shen Qian who had personally helped her up.

A soft sigh escaped her lips, and Shen Wan looked up, surveying her surroundings—

The familiar Shen family, I’ve returned once again.

This time, I won’t back down, no matter what.