HBWMA -Chapter 18 Shen Guiling

“Shanshan, I heard that a stock from the Zhou family is about to be listed in Country S. I see that Young Master Zhou seems quite attentive toward you. You should be more careful and try to perform well—be a little more proactive, understand?”

“Who cares about what’s a legal wife or a mistress? As long as a man’s heart is with you, isn’t that enough? I’m warning you, it was you who insisted on entering the Shen family genealogy and becoming a Shen daughter. If you want me to fulfill that wish, you must hook Zhou Yanheng. Do you hear me?”

“Shanshan, you have to save Mom, alright? I originally wanted to save up some dowry for you and Yiyi, but I lost it all in futures trading. The market is bad right now and I can’t raise the money at all. If we don’t add more margin, we’re completely finished. Please think of a way for Mom, okay? I see that Young Master Zhou hasn’t let you go. Go and ask him—if he’s willing to help, this little bit of money is nothing. We’re family, after all. For Mom, just endure this once, okay?”

“Shanshan…”

Her memory split apart, and Jiang Huashan snapped back to awareness. Following Shen Zhuang’s pointing hand, she looked at her own knee and murmured, “Grandpa, I just wanted to make you happy.”

Just like how she once wanted to make Fang Mei happy.

Shen Zhuang gently patted her knee. “Shanshan, remember this: someone who truly loves you will never have their happiness built on your self-sacrifice. They will only feel heartache for you. Anyone or anything that teaches you to yield and suffer is a form of plunder—they are stealing the most important quality from you. When you encounter them, you must stay away.”

Jiang Huashan understood immediately. She stared at him without blinking. “What about you, Grandpa?”

Shen Zhuang paused slightly, his expression turning kind yet serious. “If I were like that too, you should still stay away. Xiao Shan, did Grandma ever teach you this? The one true standard of love is that it leads you upward.”

Even if I am trapped in chaos and nightmare, I will still lead you toward the light.

Jiang Huashan lowered her eyes, staring at her knee in deep thought.

Thinking about it now, she really had done many things where she endured humiliation and compromise. No wonder she was later despised and discarded in Country A’s high society—her knee had already bent long ago.

Teaching cannot be rushed. Seeing her mood drop, Shen Zhuang changed the subject. “Shen Zhi.”

Shen Zhi had already finished the meal. When he returned, he was holding a stack of documents. At Shen Zhuang’s call, he immediately handed them over.

Shen Zhuang took a glance and then passed them to Jiang Huashan.

Little Shen Garden.

Jiang Huashan had still been thinking about being manipulated and brainwashed when the words on the documents suddenly pulled her attention back. Three characters made her freeze instantly.

“Grandpa, what is this?”

“This is Little Shen Garden. It’s a gift from Grandpa to you.”

Although she had already guessed it, she still couldn’t help feeling overwhelmed. In her previous life, Little Shen Garden was given to her as a wedding gift—but this time, it had been brought forward by a full seven years.

The value of Little Shen Garden was far more than just an estate.

“Why?” she asked, the question slipping out before she could control it.

Shen Zhuang did not tell her how expensive this gift was. He only smiled and explained, “You’ve suffered. This is just a little token of Grandpa’s care.”

No one knew that what happened in the Winter Garden today had planted a thorn in Shen Zhuang’s heart.

As long as he was still alive, Jiang Huashan could already be forced to kneel with a single sentence. If one day he was gone, how would she survive among all those wolves and tigers outside? So he had to give her more protection within the limited time he had. Wealth was only the most basic layer of security.

Looking at the black-and-white contract in front of her, Jiang Huashan’s vision blurred slightly.

Ever since her awakening, she had not felt this kind of warmth again. So there really was someone who could love her this much—so much that just seeing her suffer a little made them rush to give her the entire world.

“Grandpa…”

Seeing her eyes turn red as if she were about to cry, Shen Zhuang hurriedly comforted her, “When I’m free in a few days, I’ll take you to have a look. I remember there’s a spring behind that estate. We can have someone build a few pools there—soaking in hot springs from time to time would be nice. If you’re afraid of being lonely, Grandpa can have another building constructed and let your mother and sister stay with you.”

A sharp chill flashed through Jiang Huashan’s heart, and her expression cooled noticeably.

“No need, Grandpa. I don’t need them with me.”

Fang Mei clearly had problems. Before dealing with that trouble, she absolutely could not let her know about Xiao Shen Garden.

She wasn’t an adult yet, and many things would still be restricted. Fang Mei was her legal guardian—if she wanted to interfere, it would be effortless.

Shen Zhuang was a little surprised. The child used to think of Fang Mei in everything. Why was she acting so strangely today?

Jiang Huashan didn’t want her change to seem abrupt, so she explained, “Grandpa, my mother is biased. I don’t want to deal with her and my sister right now.”

The old man had never liked Fang Mei’s conduct in the first place. He had only tolerated it before for the sake of the child. Hearing this, he nodded.

“Alright! Grandpa will listen to you.”

After the sweet soup, Shen Zhuang kept Jiang Huashan in the courtyard for dinner as well. With company, the old man’s mood improved a lot, and he even ate half a bowl more rice than usual.

Shen Zhi, watching from the side, vaguely felt that this young girl from the Jiang family seemed somehow more spirited than before.

An old and a young person chatted across the courtyard about everything under the sun, asking and answering in turn. The atmosphere was unusually warm.

Shen Zhi tactfully withdrew from the courtyard.

Just as he stepped outside, he saw someone approaching from the corridor.

The man wore a sharply tailored suit. His brows and eyes were gentle yet full of energy, and every gesture carried the bearing of someone in a position of power.

Shen Zhi paused for a moment, then immediately stepped forward.

“Sir.”

Shen Qian stopped and nodded with a faint smile. “Steward Shen.”

Shen Qian came from the second branch of the family and was the eldest son of Shen Zhuang. He currently served as the Speaker of Parliament in Country A.

The Shen family was familiar with the old master’s routine; it was rare for anyone to visit at this hour of dinner. If someone came, it must be something important.

Shen Zhi was perceptive and immediately stepped aside to lead the way.

“Miss Jiang is in the flower hall accompanying the old master. Sir, do you need me to go in and announce you first?”

Shen Qian thought for a moment and waved it off.

“There’s no need for formalities between family. A-Ling, come with me to see Grandpa.”

Shen Zhi froze and only then noticed that behind Shen Qian, there was a tall, slender teenager.

“Yes.”

The boy called “A-Ling” walked out of the shadows. When Shen Zhi finally saw his face clearly, he couldn’t help but hold his breath.

The teenager had a pair of noble phoenix eyes—long, sharp, and bright. When he noticed Shen Zhi looking at him, he gave a slight nod. His eyelids lifted slightly, then lowered with a faint smile. In that moment, his eyes seemed to carry a sudden brilliance, like light breaking through clouds and revealing a clear sky.

Every child in the Shen household was striking in appearance. Among the girls, Jiang Huashan had beauty capable of toppling cities; among the boys, Shen Lanxi had the elegance of a moonlit laurel. Yet this young man’s appearance was so striking that even with jade-like beauties before him, Shen Zhi still couldn’t help but be drawn to him.

“Who is this?” Shen Zhi asked, looking at Shen Qian in confusion.

Shen Qian glanced at the boy beside him.

“My son, Shen Guiling.”