Chapter 15

The Sheng family’s old residence wasn’t complicated in terms of people, but the relationships were shallow, and everyone was crafty. 

Someone had spread the rumor that the old lady had asked Ning Zhen to invite Sheng Changyu home for the Mid-Autumn Festival, but Ning Zhen couldn’t even get through the gate of the Governor’s mansion.  

Despite that, Ning Zhen exaggerated her importance by saying she had succeeded in inviting him.  

As the banquet was about to begin and Sheng Changyu still hadn’t shown up, it became clear that Ning Zhen had been bluffing. 

Some ill-intentioned people began provoking Ning Zhen, finding joy in her discomfort. 

The cousin’s wife, quick-witted, was the first to speak, playing the instigator. She never expected Sheng Changyu to overhear. 

Sheng Changyu was notorious for his bad temper, and he immediately mocked her. If she dared argue, he might’ve lashed her with his whip. 

“Brother Yu, mother is still getting ready. She’s been waiting for you,” the third concubine greeted Sheng Changyu with a bright smile. “Mother will be so happy to see you come home for the festival.” 

But Sheng Changyu’s expression didn’t change. His gaze moved past the concubine and landed on Ning Zhen. 

Since getting married, Ning Zhen had stopped wearing Western dresses and mostly wore cheongsams now.  

She was tall with a graceful figure, and the cheongsam accentuated her elegance and dignity. Her skin was fair, her lips small and full, like ripe cherries hanging from a branch. 

Sheng Changyu finished his appraisal and looked away indifferently. “Let’s go, invite mother to dinner.” 

“Alright,” replied the third concubine, Xu Fangdu. 

Sheng Changyu pushed her aside. “I wasn’t talking to you.” 

He looked directly at Ning Zhen. 

Everyone in the family had gathered in the banquet hall, and when Sheng Changyu arrived, all eyes were on him, listening intently. 

Ning Zhen was no exception. 

Unsure, she asked, “Me?” 

Sheng Changyu replied, “What are you waiting for?” 

Ning Zhen quickly stepped forward, hoping to walk alongside Sheng Changyu, but he had already strode out. He was tall and walked fast, but fortunately, Ning Zhen wasn’t a delicate lady and could keep up. 

They left the banquet hall, turned past a bamboo grove, crossed the long bridge over the artificial lake, and reached the old lady’s courtyard. 

Sheng Changyu walked ahead while Ning Zhen had to jog to keep up. 

“You usually aren’t this timid. When people speak against you, you almost point at their noses and curse them out. Why didn’t you fight back?” Sheng Changyu asked, clearly still irritated. 

His anger hadn’t fully subsided. 

Not wanting to provoke him further, but finding herself forced to respond, Ning Zhen patiently explained, “She didn’t insult me outright.” 

“So indirect insults are acceptable?”  

“As the saying goes, ‘The wise man feigns ignorance to keep the peace.’ I am the Governor’s wife, and this house will eventually be mine to manage. As the lady of the household, I need both authority and tolerance. Quarreling with the younger sisters-in-law only undermines my position. Even mother would think I’m being petty.” 

Sheng Changyu frowned slightly. “You studied abroad, yet you’re even more old-fashioned than these women stuck in the household.” 

“Etiquette is universal. It has nothing to do with new trends,” Ning Zhen replied calmly. 

Sheng Changyu’s expression remained unreadable. 

He didn’t say anything further to Ning Zhen, striding quickly across the long bridge until they reached the old lady’s courtyard. 

The old lady had already been informed of Sheng Changyu’s arrival and was waiting in the courtyard. 

“Mother.” 

When mother and son met, there was more formality than warmth. 

The old lady, still in her mid-forties, was a dignified beauty. However, she dressed in somber colors—deep blues and purples—that made her look older, as though trying to embody the role of a venerable matriarch. 

“… Have you been busy lately?” the old lady asked, seemingly wanting to complain a little. 

But when she saw the cold expression on her son’s face, she swallowed her words. 

Sheng Changyu lazily sat down on the sofa, his tone indifferent. “Busy, yes.” 

The old lady replied, “Then take care of yourself. Make sure to rest.” 

“You don’t really care, so why pretend? You called me here for dinner, and now I have to go out of my way to fetch you, wasting time.” Sheng Changyu said. 

He was truly sharp-tongued, accusing his own mother of being “fake.” 

The old lady’s face turned pale with anger. 

Ning Zhen quickly stepped in to smooth things over. “Mother just wanted a chance to talk to her son alone…” 

“I don’t really need another son,” Sheng Changyu continued to add fuel to the fire, not giving Ning Zhen a chance to smooth things over. 

The old lady did have another son, studying abroad—Sheng Changyu’s biological brother. 

Ning Zhen had heard from her brothers that the second Sheng son had always been doted on. His parents favored him, and his uncle supported him.  

Later, Sheng Changyu had clashed with his uncle, and against his parents’ objections, he had his uncle killed. Not long after his uncle’s death, Sheng’s younger brother went abroad to study. 

Perhaps the strained relationship between mother and son had something to do with this? 

“But the one here is the only son around,” Ning Zhen said. 

She wasn’t sure what Sheng Changyu might be sensitive about, so she avoided saying anything too sentimental, like “Both sons are equally important.” Overly emotional statements might hit a nerve. 

Instead, she spoke plainly, despite the old lady’s darkened expression and Sheng Changyu’s careless attitude. “You’re the head of the family, and without you here for the holiday, not just mother, but even we feel like we’ve lost our center.” 

The old lady’s face gradually softened. “I don’t usually call you over, but isn’t it the holiday?” 

“And here I am,” Sheng Changyu replied. 

Ning Zhen:  

Spending just one minute with this mother-son pair made Ning Zhen feel ten years older. 

If her future son ever dared to talk back like this, she would slap him. 

As they continued their conversation, the third concubine, Xu Fangdu, and Sheng Changyu’s younger sister, Sheng Changyin, arrived. 

Ning Zhen quietly sighed in relief. 

Xu Fangdu was skilled at diffusing tension. She understood both the old lady and Sheng Changyu, as well as the friction between them, making her a much better mediator than Ning Zhen. 

“Mother, shall we start the meal?” Xu Fangdu asked. 

The old lady stood up. “Let’s go.” 

The group stood and made their way to the dining hall. The old lady and Xu Fangdu walked in front, Sheng Changyin in the middle, and Ning Zhen followed behind. 

Unexpectedly, Sheng Changyu lingered behind with her. 

“You spoke quite well just now,” Sheng Changyu said in a low voice. 

Ning Zhen wasn’t sure if he was mocking or praising her. 

She decided to take it at face value. “Thank you, Governor.” 

“I’ll give you a reward. Later, I’ll leave early and drop you off at your family’s house. You don’t have to come back tonight.” Sheng Changyu said. 

Ning Zhen stopped in her tracks. 

Sheng Changyu also paused. “What, you don’t want to spend Mid-Autumn with your family?” 

Ning Zhen looked seriously into his eyes. 

The moonlight spilled over the lake, lighting up the night like daylight. His handsome face was highlighted by a silver glow from the moon, and his eyes were calm. 

He wasn’t angry, nor was he testing her. 

“Can I?” Ning Zhen asked. 

“You said I’m the head of the family. If I say you can, then you can. If mother isn’t happy about it, just tell her you’re staying at my villa tonight,” Sheng Changyu said. 

Ning Zhen was taken aback. 

His villa? The one where he kept FanFan? 

Sheng Changyu seemed to guess her thoughts and clicked his tongue. “You think I’m so broke I only have one villa?” 

Ning Zhen:  

At that moment, she felt much better. 

She really did want to go home. 

Especially on a beautiful Mid-Autumn night with the full moon overhead—she longed to be with her family. 

Sincerely, she said again, “Thank you, Governor.” 

This time, her gratitude was much more heartfelt than before. 

Sheng Changyu responded, “I believe in clear rewards and punishments. If you do something wrong, I’ll scold you. If you do something well, I’ll reward you. It’s about the matter, not the person. Don’t overthink it and waste your energy.” 

Ning Zhen:  

Last time, after a misunderstanding, he had assumed Ning Zhen was trying to seduce him and made it a point to clearly set boundaries, reminding her to give up on any hopes. 

She felt like banging her head against a wall. 

As they spoke, the old lady and the others had already crossed the long bridge. 

Standing at the bridge’s edge, Xu Fangdu stopped and called out from a distance, “Brother Yu?” 

Sheng Changyu nodded at her from afar and strode ahead. Ning Zhen hurried to keep up, her steps much lighter now.