Chapter 44

Pei Yuning looked up at him and said calmly, “What, did you just treat your uncle’s words last night as empty air?”

Shang Heng said, “Do you really think he loves you? He’s only using your Pei family’s background to seize power from my father!”

Pei Yuning let out a soft laugh. “I know. So what? Didn’t you also want to marry me for the Pei family’s status?”

Shang Heng’s eyes reddened. “You know he’s using you, yet you still agreed to get the marriage certificate with him. Why? Just because of what happened with Xu Wei? Are you really going to sacrifice your whole future happiness over that? We grew up together—do you think Shang Yanci can compare to the feelings I have for you? You two have only known each other for a few days!”

Pei Yuning replied, “I married A-Yan because of who he is—not because he’s your uncle, and not as revenge for your affair with Xu Wei.”

Shang Heng, losing control, stepped forward and grabbed her shoulders. “That’s not true, Ningning. You don’t have feelings for him. Stop lying to yourself, okay? Let’s start over. Please give me another chance.”

Pei Yuning lifted her foot and kicked him right in his swollen knee.

Shang Heng instantly broke into a cold sweat, and the hand gripping her shoulder weakened and let go. His leg trembled.

Pei Yuning took the chance to push him away and walked toward the gym on the second floor where Shang Yanci was.

Shang Heng watched her silhouette grow smaller as she disappeared around the corner. He collapsed on the spot, tears from his eyes seeping into his mouth, bitter and salty.

At the gym entrance, Pei Yuning composed herself, knocked, and opened the door. “A-Yan.”

Shang Yanci paused the treadmill and turned to look at her. “Wife.”

He stepped off the treadmill, used the white towel hanging around his neck to wipe the sweat from his face, unscrewed a water bottle, and while lifting his damp hair to reveal his brow, he tilted his head back and took a drink, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

Pei Yuning walked closer and gently pressed a finger against his sharp Adam’s apple.

Shang Yanci’s drinking motion paused, then he slowly swallowed the water in his mouth.

Pei Yuning could feel the movement of his Adam’s apple beneath her fingertip—it was a subtle sensation.

After drinking half the bottle, Shang Yanci raised his hand, lightly pushed away her finger, and looked down at her. “Interested in my Adam’s apple?”

Pei Yuning said, “A little.”

Shang Yanci chuckled softly. “Why’d you come down just now?”

Pei Yuning didn’t intend to tell him about Shang Heng’s incident earlier. What had already happened didn’t matter anymore. Even though they were legally married now, she knew that Shang Yanci and Shang Heng were still uncle and nephew. His feelings for her hadn’t yet reached the point where he’d turn against his family—she understood her position.

Pei Yuning said, “I was still doing my makeup when I messaged you. Didn’t expect you to reply so fast.”

Shang Yanci replied, “I was worried you’d wake up and not find me, so I kept my phone nearby.”

Pei Yuning said, “You keep running. Breakfast isn’t ready yet downstairs. I’ll sit here and keep you company.”

Shang Yanci said, “Okay.”

After running for another half hour, Shang Yanci stepped off the treadmill and went into the gym’s attached bathroom to shower and change.

When they came down to the first floor, breakfast was already laid out. Sitting at the dining table were Old Master Shang, and on the left, Shang Xuan and his family of three—they hadn’t started eating yet.

Shang Yanci said, “Father, eldest brother, sister-in-law.”

Pei Yuning followed nervously, also greeting them.

Shang Yanci pulled out the main seat beside him and let Pei Yuning sit.

Even though Shang Xuan thought Shang Yanci was hypocritical, he had no choice but to keep a smiling face.

Under the table, Yi Huan nudged Shang Heng’s foot, signaling him to greet them. Since Shang Yanci had shown proper manners, they couldn’t afford to fall short and be talked about.

Shang Heng, extremely irritated inside, said with a calm surface, “Uncle… Aunt.”

Shang Yanci responded with a soft “Mm.”

His politeness and manners were always impeccable.

Old Master Shang let out a sigh of relief internally, then turned to Pei Yuning with a kind smile. “Ningning, did you sleep well last night?”

Pei Yuning had just taken a small bite of a custard bun and was about to set it down.

Shang Yanci casually added, “With me coaxing her to sleep, of course she slept well.”

Upon hearing this, Shang Heng gripped his chopsticks tightly.

Yi Huan was terrified and kept a close eye on Shang Heng.

Pei Yuning’s ears slowly turned red. Wasn’t Shang Yanci always the one who knew his boundaries? Yet here he was, saying such things in front of everyone.

Old Master Shang smiled. “It’s good to see you two getting along so well.”

Shang Yanci smiled and placed a crystal shrimp dumpling onto Pei Yuning’s plate.

After breakfast, the two got into the car and headed to Wentang Palace.

The driver was just about to drive off.

Shang Yanci stopped him, then turned to Pei Yuning and said, “Wife, I forgot my brooch. I’ll run up and get it.”

Pei Yuning was opening a game of Dou Dizhu and nodded. “Alright.”

Shang Yanci entered the main house but didn’t go up to the third floor. Instead, he went to the surveillance room on the first floor and pulled up the footage from the third floor that morning.

He watched the entire scene of Shang Heng pestering Pei Yuning. With a cold expression, he scrubbed through the footage, recorded it with his phone, deleted the video from the system, and left.

He took the brooch from his jacket pocket and pinned it to his suit lapel. Then, opening the rear car door, he got in and instructed the driver to drive.

He looked down at Pei Yuning.

Pei Yuning, sensing his gaze, let him look as she tapped the screen, throwing out a pair of jokers.

When they arrived at Wentang Palace, Pei Yuning went upstairs to pack her suitcase.

Shang Yanci followed her, helping hand her items and asking gently, “How long will the business trip to City A be?”

Pei Yuning replied, “Around five days, depending on the workflow.”

Shang Yanci said, “Just married, and already sleeping in separate places.”

Thinking about his past habit of skipping work, Pei Yuning reminded him, “Do your job properly. I’ll be back soon.”

Shang Yanci hugged her from behind, leaned down, and kissed her cheek. “I’ll listen to you.”

At noon, after Pei Yuning fell asleep, Shang Yanci got up and went into the study. He sent the surveillance video he had recorded that morning to Yi Huan.

Yi Huan quickly called back and explained, “Uncle, Shang Heng fainted while kneeling in the ancestral hall a few days ago. He hasn’t fully recovered. He definitely didn’t mean to act improperly toward sister-in-law.”

Shang Yanci’s voice was calm and slow. “I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors in City A about Shang Xuan. To him, you and your son are just optional now. As for who will lead the Shang family and the Shang Group in the future—you’re a smart woman, I’m sure you can see the situation clearly.”

Only now did Yi Huan realize—at breakfast, Shang Yanci’s polite behavior wasn’t really about maintaining harmony with the first household. It was to force Shang Heng to call Pei Yuning “aunt.”

Yi Huan cautiously asked, “What do you want me to do?”