Chapter 9

Chapter 9

I slept fitfully that night.

In my dreams, everything was a blur of illusory, hazy light and shadow.

I stood in a void of pure white, surrounded by soft, transparent threads floating in the air.

A woman dressed in white stood beside me. She leaned down and whispered into my ear:

“Huaiyi, you have never had a name…”

I snapped my eyes open, my forehead drenched in a cold sweat.

The spot beside me on the carved wooden bed was empty.

Where had Shen Yanlan gone?

Unable to fall back asleep, I got out of bed, intending to step outside for some fresh air.

Just as I walked out of the room, I noticed the lights in the front hall were still burning.

Low voices drifted from the room, carrying a tone of suppressed fury.

I approached with light steps and heard my mother-in-law’s aged voice:

“Shen Yanlan, Lin Huaiyi doesn’t have much time left. You must get her pregnant as soon as possible. You’re spoiling her, letting her wander all over town. The more people she knows, the more trouble it will be later!”

My fingertips trembled. I quickly pressed myself against the wall and stood still.

Shen Yanlan’s voice was cold. “I know what I’m doing. You don’t need to interfere.”

My mother-in-law gave an ambiguous chuckle.

“If you can’t get it done, perhaps we should let Hengzhi try. If that doesn’t work, there are men from the other branches of the family. Regardless, as long as she gives birth to the Shen Family bloodline…”

Shen Yanlan abruptly cut her off.

“Enough! I am not my father. I will protect my own woman! Furthermore, you are not my biological mother. You have no right to tell me what to do.”

My mother-in-law fell silent for a moment before saying, “I am your mother in name, and I must remind you-if you try to protect that thing, you will be violating the rules set by the ancestors!”

After saying this, she left the front hall.

I didn’t dare move a muscle.

A moment later, I heard light footsteps approaching from the hall.

I was about to sneak away when Shen Yanlan walked toward me with quick strides.

His face was pale as he whispered, “Huaiyi, when did you get here?”

“I… I just arrived,” I stammered, trying to hide my panic. “I had a nightmare. When I woke up, you weren’t there…”

He sighed and gently pulled me into his arms.

“Don’t be afraid. I’m coming back to bed with you now.”

I used every ounce of strength I had to keep from shaking.

So, my mother-in-law wasn’t Shen Yanlan’s biological mother? Then where was his real mother?

And why did she refer to me as… “that thing”?