Chapter 4

On her wedding night, Ning Zhen slept alone. 

She neither caused a fuss nor made any complaints, which disappointed those who were waiting to see her lose composure. 

“She’s keeping her cool.” 

“Probably just pretending. Let’s see how long she can keep up the act.” 

The explosion at the docks was real; Ning Zhen read about it in the morning paper the next day. 

A special envoy from the northern government had been killed, and the incident involved tensions between the military government and the presidential office—this was a major political event. 

One wrong move could spark a war, so it was understandable that Sheng Changyu was too busy to consummate the marriage. 

Not only did Sheng Changyu not come on their wedding night, but he remained absent afterward. 

Ning Zhen didn’t mind. 

On the third day, when she was supposed to return to her family, Sheng Changyu was still absent. 

The old lady of the Sheng family prepared lavish and grand gifts for Ning Zhen’s return visit, making up for Sheng Changyu’s absence. 

When Ning Zhen returned home alone without Sheng Changyu, her entire family—from her grandmother to the rest—looked displeased. 

Only Ning Zhen remained calm and quiet. 

She wore a red cheongsam embroidered with golden phoenixes, extravagant and bold. Her eyes were composed, and no matter how opulent the outfit, she carried it with ease, exuding a strong presence. 

“Zhen’er, two thousand reinforcements have already set off with supplies.” 

Upon her return to the Sheng family’s old residence, her mother-in-law took her hand and shared the news. 

“Thank you, Mother,” Ning Zhen finally smiled. 

After waiting for a month, good news arrived from the southern front. The reinforcements weren’t timely, but they were well-equipped and had helped quell the unrest. 

Her father and brothers were soon to return home. 

Ning Zhen was the first to receive the good news from her mother-in-law, and she immediately returned to her family to share the joy. 

Her grandmother, mother, and sisters-in-law were all overjoyed. 

“This crisis has finally been resolved,” her grandmother recited a prayer of thanks. 

Her mother couldn’t hold back and said, “It was at the cost of Zhen’er’s happiness.” 

The room fell silent. 

Neither of her sisters-in-law dared to speak, and her grandmother’s expression turned sorrowful. 

The Ning family’s precious daughter was only worth two thousand reinforcements in the eyes of the Sheng family. But in the face of life and death, their fate was in the Sheng family’s hands. 

“Mother, when I was in London, I fell in love once,” Ning Zhen suddenly said. 

Everyone looked at her. 

Her mother was surprised. “Really?” 

“I’ve already experienced the taste of a free love relationship. Now, with the country’s decline and foreign powers circling, there’s no future in academic pursuits. 

Before going abroad, I always thought I could change the country’s fate, but now I’ve lost hope. I don’t want to live idealistically anymore, I just want to go with the flow. 

I’m already twenty-one, and I have to marry someone. Instead of marrying into an ordinary family and needing to develop feelings for my husband—accepting someone I don’t love—I’d rather become the wife of a powerful household. 

Managing the household, overseeing concubines, raising children, and handling social affairs is far easier than falling in love. This marriage isn’t bad for me,” Ning Zhen explained. 

Then she added, “My personality isn’t suited for currying favor. As the governor’s wife, if I can establish myself, both he and the old lady will respect me, and the whole city will have to consider my opinion. Mother, this is what I want.” 

The room fell silent. 

The Ning family had never planned to shape Ning Zhen into anyone in particular. 

She was their only daughter, and no matter how things turned out, the Ning family would always support her future. 

Her elders had hoped her marriage would be one of mutual affection, that her husband’s family would be wealthy, her mother-in-law kind, and her life peaceful and simple. 

But they hadn’t expected Ning Zhen to be indifferent to romance. In fact, she found it bothersome. 

All she wanted was power. 

Her grandmother and mother exchanged a glance, both shocked. 

“…Fourth Sister has finally returned, let’s take her out to relax,” her eldest sister-in-law suggested, trying to lighten the mood. 

Her grandmother nodded. “Go ahead.” 

The two sisters-in-law accompanied Ning Zhen out to the streets. 

The eldest had married into the family early and had watched Ning Zhen grow up, while the second was her close friend. The three of them were comfortable together. 

After buying jewelry, the three of them sat in a café to rest. 

The eldest sister-in-law went to the front to make a phone call. 

“Ning Zhen, there’s a really handsome man over there. He keeps looking at you,” the second sister-in-law whispered to Ning Zhen. 

Following her words, Ning Zhen turned her head. 

The man sat near the wall, with only a sliver of light falling on the side of his face. His skin was pale, his hair jet black, and his lips naturally red. The contrast of black and white gave him an enchanting yet cold and stern aura. 

His eyes, with light-colored pupils, were as clear and bright as the finest amber. 

Ning Zhen’s expression subtly shifted. 

“Do you know him?” the second sister-in-law asked. 

“I do. He was my classmate when I was in London,” Ning Zhen replied, her expression unreadable, even for her sister-in-law, who knew her well. 

The second sister-in-law glanced back at the man. 

He glanced at Ning Zhen repeatedly, his intentions unclear. 

His face was so strikingly handsome, with a hint of something almost sinister, that the second sister-in-law couldn’t help but speculate, “Is he the one who gave you that gold ring?” 

Ning Zhen almost choked on her coffee. 

“N-no, he’s not,” Ning Zhen hurriedly tried to hide her emotions. “Shall we go back? I’m feeling a bit tired.” 

The second sister-in-law fell silent. 

When the eldest sister-in-law finished her call and returned, Ning Zhen mentioned that she wanted to return to the Sheng family’s old residence. 

The three of them left the café. 

Standing at the entrance, waiting for the driver to bring the car around, someone called out, “Ning Zhen.” 

It was May, and the plum rains were about to start. The weather was stiflingly hot and humid, filled with the unpleasant scent of viburnum flowers. 

Ning Zhen froze, her back stiffening. 

Her expression wasn’t quite right. 

“It’s been a while,” the man, tall and imposing, stood in front of them, his gaze cold. 

He wore dark blue trousers and a matching shirt, with the sleeves rolled up, revealing his lean, strong forearms. His cufflinks were made of obsidian, faintly gleaming in the sunlight. 

Ning Zhen steadied herself. “It’s been a while, Mr. Wen.” 

The man looked her up and down. “You seem to be doing well. You’re glowing, eating and sleeping well?” 

Ning Zhen bit down lightly on her back teeth and said nothing. 

The second sister-in-law was displeased. “Sir, has my sister wronged you in some way?” 

The man’s expression was stern. “You can ask Ning Zhen that question, ma’am.” 

The second sister-in-law was at a loss for words. 

“Mr. Wen, if you have an issue, address it with me,” Ning Zhen said firmly. 

The eldest sister-in-law gently pulled the second sister-in-law aside, taking a few steps forward. 

Ning Zhen’s car arrived, and after bidding farewell to her two sisters-in-law, she got in the car and left. 

The man stood in place for a moment, his lips pressed tightly together, his gaze deep like a bottomless pool, watching as Ning Zhen’s car disappeared into the distance. 

The two Ning sisters-in-law also headed home. 

On the way, the eldest sister-in-law said to the second sister-in-law, Jin Nuan, “It seems like that man holds a grudge against Fourth Sister. How could our carefree sister have made an enemy?” 

Not only did it seem like there was a grudge, but Ning Zhen also seemed to be feeling guilty. 

Ning Zhen had always been resolute, rarely making mistakes. When had she ever shown guilt in front of others? 

When their family was in trouble, she had been bold enough to confront the Sheng family’s wife alone to request reinforcements. 

Why was she afraid now? 

Jin Nuan mused, “I don’t know, but that man is really handsome!” 

She had never seen a man more handsome. 

Tall, slender, pale, and cold, with eyes that were icy and distant, he exuded a rare kind of nobility. 

…He looked like a perfect match for Ning Zhen. 

The Ning family was blessed with naturally good looks. In Jin Nuan’s eyes, no one was more beautiful than her little sister-in-law. 

“Calm down. If Second Brother, that jealous pot, hears you say another man is ‘handsome,’ you’ll have to coax him later,” the eldest sister-in-law teased. 

She added, “I’ve never seen anyone more jealous than him. You’ve spoiled him.” 

Jin Nuan: