Chapter 65

Chapter 65

“Enough. Stop arguing!” Listening to the mother and daughter bicker back and forth, Xia Yanzhi felt as if his head were about to split in two. He couldn’t help but scold Xia Zhiruo. “When all is said and done, this is your fault. You tried to frame someone else and ended up ruining yourself instead. I’ve never seen anyone as stupid as you!”

Xia Zhiruo said aggrievedly, “How can you blame me for this? If Xia Sheng hadn’t switched my glass, things never would have turned out like this. She even had someone upload last night’s video online. She clearly doesn’t want our family to have a single day of peace!

“Dad, Xia Sheng made our family lose so much face. You have to punish her properly!”

Xia Yanzhi snapped, “Didn’t you see who she came with last night? The young master of the Shen Family. She’s under the Shen Family’s protection now. If you touch her, are you tired of living?”

Xia Zhiruo clenched her teeth, still unwilling to let it go.

Not long ago, she had been secretly delighted that she could marry into the Shi Family, thinking that a useless country bumpkin like Xia Sheng was only fit for an idiot like Zhou Yichuan.

Who would have thought that not much time had passed before she ended up in Zhou Yichuan’s bed, while Xia Sheng had latched onto the Shen Family, who stood at the very top of Capital City’s hierarchy?

Xia Sheng had humiliated her so badly. How could she possibly swallow this insult?

Xia Yanzhi could tell his daughter was still angry, but he had no time to care about that now. He said, “Forget it. There’s no point discussing these things anymore. The most important thing now is to find out what the Shi Family’s attitude is. Even if they don’t want Zhiruo anymore, we still have to go over and apologize.

“Otherwise, if the Shi Family really takes this matter to heart, the Xia Family can forget about surviving in Capital City from now on!”

The Xia Family was only a small household to begin with. If Shi Chen, the eldest young master of the Shi Family, hadn’t fallen in love with Xia Zhiruo at first sight at a banquet, a marriage alliance with the Shi Family would never have fallen into the Xia Family’s lap.

The entire Xia Family had been overjoyed that Shi Chen had taken a liking to Xia Zhiruo. All of them had been waiting eagerly for Xia Zhiruo to reach the legal age for marriage so she could marry into the Shi Family and enjoy a life of luxury.

Who could have known that before she even reached marriageable age, the scandal between Xia Zhiruo and Zhou Yichuan would be exposed?

The duck that was already cooked had flown away right before it reached his mouth. Xia Yanzhi was so furious he could barely breathe.

At this point, he no longer hoped his daughter could still marry into the Shi Family. As long as the Shi Family didn’t retaliate against the Xia Family out of anger that his daughter was no longer chaste and had toyed with Shi Chen’s feelings, he would already be burning incense in gratitude.

After the family of three discussed it, they prepared to go to the Shi Family and apologize first.

The Xia Family got out of the car at the villa entrance and followed a servant inside with uneasy hearts.

It was the weekend, so the elder couple of the Shi Family and Shi Chen were all at home, sitting in the living room and chatting.

Xia Yanzhi entered with gifts in hand, an ingratiating smile on his face.

“Mr. Shi, Madam Shi, it’s been a long time. I specially asked someone to purchase these tea leaves from abroad. Please accept them.”

He had thought that after such a huge scandal involving Xia Zhiruo, the Shi Family would be extremely displeased with them. Giving them the cold shoulder would be getting off lightly; in a more serious case, they might even throw the entire family out on the spot.

Unexpectedly, Mr. Shi personally took the items from Xia Yanzhi with a smile and said, “Future in-law, you came all this way. What need was there to bring gifts?”

Hearing Mr. Shi still address Xia Yanzhi as his future in-law, Xia Yanzhi and Yu He exchanged a look, unable to figure out what Mr. Shi meant.

Was he mocking them?

Before the two of them could work it out, Madam Shi also stood up, took Yu He by the hand, and led her over to sit down. Beaming, she said, “Yu He, you haven’t come over to play cards with me much lately. After we finish eating, we must have a proper catch-up.”
At first, Yu He’s expression and movements were somewhat stiff. Only after realizing that Madam Shi truly wasn’t angry did she finally relax. Tentatively, she said, “Madam Shi, the reason we came today was actually to explain what happened on the trending searches…”

“There’s no need to explain,” Shi Chen said gently. Holding Xia Zhiruo’s hand, he drew her down to sit beside him. “I believe Zhiruo would never betray me. Everything in the news must be false.

“Our marriage arrangement can continue as planned. If you’re worried I might go back on my word, Zhiruo and I can get engaged first, then register the marriage once she reaches the legal age.”

Shi Chen was on the slender side, with gold-rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. He had the refined, gentle air of a scholar, and his voice was soft and accommodating.

Xia Zhiruo had always thought Shi Chen had a good temperament, but she never expected him to remain so calm even after such a huge incident-and to still firmly believe she hadn’t betrayed him.

Looking at such a saintly Shi Chen, even someone as selfish and arrogant as Xia Zhiruo felt a flicker of guilt.

Xia Yanzhi and Yu He, meanwhile, were overjoyed when they heard Shi Chen’s words.

They had already braced themselves for the marriage to fall through. Who would have thought the Shi Family had no intention of pursuing the matter, and had even taken the initiative to suggest an engagement? This was a blessing beyond anything they could have hoped for!

After all, a marriage arrangement could still be annulled. But once they were engaged, the nature of the matter would be entirely different.

By then, everyone in Capital City would know the Xia Family and the Shi Family had a marriage agreement. If the Shi Family wanted to cancel it in the future, they would have to weigh the decision from every angle.

More importantly, once people knew the Xia Family and the Shi Family had become in-laws, the Xia Family would have a much easier time in business going forward.

With that in mind, Xia Yanzhi hurriedly agreed. “Getting engaged first is workable. Once this matter is completely settled, you’ll be reassured, and so will we.”

“Good. Then it’s settled.” Shi Chen smiled warmly and continued, “I’ve already had someone calculate the dates. The twenty-ninth of this month is an auspicious day, so let’s set the engagement for then.”

Xia Yanzhi counted the days and realized there was only one week left until the twenty-ninth.

He hesitated. “Getting engaged in just a week… won’t that be too rushed?”

Shi Chen exchanged a look with Madam Shi, then sighed and said with feigned regret, “Since you feel it’s too soon, then let’s forget it. It’s just that engagement dates aren’t easy to choose. I waited a long time for this day.

“If the twenty-ninth doesn’t work, we’ll have to wait until spring next year.”

The moment Xia Zhiruo heard Shi Chen say he would push the date back, she panicked.

Of course, the engagement had to happen as soon as possible. Otherwise, if Shi Chen suddenly came to his senses later and realized that what had happened between her and Zhou Yichuan was true, everything would fall apart.

But as a young woman, it wouldn’t be appropriate for her to seem too eager at a time like this, so she could only keep shooting frantic looks at Xia Yanzhi.

Xia Yanzhi was also terrified of missing this opportunity and quickly agreed. “Next week it is, then. I also think it’s better to settle this as soon as possible.”

A smile lifted the corners of Shi Chen’s lips. “All right. Then when you get back, send me Zhiruo’s Eight Characters. I’ll have a master match them for us.”

At that, Xia Zhiruo frowned slightly.

Why was Shi Chen unconcerned about everything else, yet the first thing he asked for was her Eight Characters?

For some reason, she suddenly remembered what Xia Sheng had said before-that the Shi Family wanted her life-and couldn’t help shivering.

Could it be that Xia Sheng, that little fraud, had actually been right?

Did Shi Chen really want to take her life?