Chapter 59

“I said, I want to marry Yan Shiqing,” Shen Qiaoyu declared.

Seemingly afraid her mother might misunderstand, she hastily added, “In simpler terms, I want to get a marriage certificate with Yan Shiqing. I want to start a family with her, live with her, and…”

“Okay, okay!” Mrs. Shen interrupted her daughter before she could finish. “Are you trying to scare me to death?”

“Don’t you have a girlfriend? Why are you spouting such nonsense?”

“That’s your future daughter-in-law!”

“The wedding date hasn’t even been set yet. What do you mean by ‘daughter-in-law’?” Shen Qiaoyu retorted nonchalantly, grinning at her mother. “Mom~ Regardless, aren’t we forming a marriage alliance with the Yan Family? Whether it’s my brother or me, it doesn’t matter. We’re all part of Shen’s Family, right?”

“Moreover, I’m not afraid to admit it, I like Yan Shiqing. I want to marry her, so please give us your blessing~”

“You really have no shame,” Mrs. Shen dismissed, rambling on, “What about your girlfriend?”

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“Gal usw eskdt vbkp qsa uswa casvbla? Mlzz xl vbl vawvb.”

“Gcpszwvlzu dsv,” Fbld Ckysuw alrzkle, pswdekdt lmyprlayvle. “R casjl wr okvb xu tkazqaklde. R’x qwakswp, kd qynv. R lhld ‘clyv’ bla zypv dktbv.”

“Ebyv?” Yap. Fbld lmnzykxle, pbsnjle. “Zsw eked’v plakswpzu bwav bla, eke usw?”

“Nssj yv usw, alpsavkdt vs hkszldnl. Ekvb uswa vlxrla, ds osdela rlsrzl qkde kv byae vs vszlayvl usw!”

Gv vblpl osaep, Fbld Ckysuw pxkajle, “Rv’p fwpv y xkdsa kdfwau. Lsvbkdt plakswp.”

“Gduoyu, rzlypl ytall vs vbkp, Ysx. R alyzzu zkjl bla~”

Ekvb bla eywtbvla’p zso yde nsiwlvvkpb hsknl, Yap. Fbld nswze byaezu clya vs zkpvld yduxsal. Wkdyzzu, pbl nsdnlele, “Gzaktbv, yzaktbv. R’zz ypj qsa usw. El’zz ekpnwpp kv obld ol tlv cynj.”

“Zsw pbswze yrszstkgl vs uswa lm-tkazqaklde. Zsw byhl ds aktbv vs bkv rlsrzl!”

“Yes, yes, yes, mom. You’re the best~”

…

After ending the call, Shen Qiaoyu’s eyes glazed over. She began tidying up her room, gritting her teeth, and making up her mind.

Once the marriage certificate is obtained, she won’t let her get away with it!

Liar!

What about the one-night stand in a hotel, online dating, and participating in reality shows? Deceiving her to carry her luggage, to carry her, to hug her, to coax her into joining her group.

No wonder she occasionally says some explicit things to her, boasting about how great her partner is, and spending her nights restlessly dreaming about her.

Shen Qiaoyu was busily tidying up, all the while murmuring to herself, her face gradually flushing and her anger escalating.

She found it unfair that she had been let off so easily, even a week’s worth of venting would not suffice for her wrath!

She pledged to make her beg to the point of tears!

…

Meanwhile, Shen Qiaoyu had no idea that her mother was actually dining with the Yan Family. After she completed a phone call and returned to her seat, Shen Yuchuan, who sat beside her, asked, “Was that Qiao Qiao?”

“How did you know?” Her mother eyed him suspiciously.

To this point, she remained skeptical of Shen Qiaoyu’s words.

Shen Qiaoyu is interested in Shiqing?

That seemed as preposterous as a pig climbing a tree.

She was more inclined to believe that Shen Yuchuan had feelings for Shiqing than to accept that her own daughter could harbor affection for Shiqing.

It wasn’t that Shiqing was not good enough, but her daughter had made her dislike and rejection of her abundantly clear over the years.

Although she was polite, it was unthinkable for her to take the next step and genuinely like her.

Her daughter had always been headstrong from a young age, transparent and direct about her preferences.

The drama of today must be a stratagem to help her brother escape a difficult predicament.

Yet if she persisted, what could they possibly do?

Pondering this, Mrs. Shen couldn’t help but sigh, turning to Shen Yuchuan and saying, “Your sister truly cares about you, to the extent that she’s willing to sacrifice her own happiness.”

Shen Yuchuan: “???”

He promptly asked, “What do you mean?”

“Also, I guess it was Qiao Qiao because she’s the only one who could make you so agitated over a phone call. She’s the most lively one in our family~”

Mrs. Shen was infuriated. She pinched his ear, threatening him, ‘Say ‘your sister’ one more time! She’s the one who loves you the most in this family, willing to shoulder the blame for things like this. If you mention her again, you’ll receive a beating when we get home.'”

Mr. Shen was enjoying the unfolding drama from the side, sipping his tea, barely containing his laughter.

Shen Yuchuan couldn’t hold back any longer, feeling wronged, he said, “Is my life easy? I finally get a break, and then I’m dragged over here for a meal. Sigh, life is so hard for me.”

“Wait,” he suddenly reacted, asking, “Are you saying Qiao Qiao is going to take the blame for me?”

However, just as Mrs. Shen was about to reply, there was a sound at the door of the private room. Mrs. Shen quickly stood up and enthusiastically went to greet the guest, leaving Shen Yuchuan both curious and anxious.

Indeed, Mr. and Mrs. Yan had already chatted with them. However, the deal wasn’t finalized yet. Later, when Mrs. Shen stepped out to answer her phone, the other party mentioned they were going to pick up their daughter at the door.

The Shen Family assumed they were picking up Yan Shiqing, but to their surprise, it was Yan Yi, their goddaughter. This encounter instantly sparked their curiosity.

However, the outcome of the dinner was similar to the previous time. Mr. Yan and Mrs. Yan were desperately introducing Yan Yi to them, leading Mr. Shen to ask, “Isn’t Yan Shiqing the one who is supposed to marry into our family?”

“Look at what you’re saying,” Mr. Yan toasted him, adding, “Of course it’s Shiqing, but this is the union of our Shen and Yan Family. Regardless of which child it is, as long as they love each other, it’s a good match!”

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Shen’s eyes lit up. She quickly agreed, “That’s right! Regardless of which child it is, it’s a great joy for the Shen and Yan Family!”

“Furthermore, we’ve been discussing this for quite some time, and we’ve decided; we accept this union.”

She continued, “We’ll follow your lead, we can hold the engagement this month~”

Wait, they agreed?

Mr. and Mrs. Yan were a bit taken aback, but soon their surprise turned into delight. Even Yan Yi lowered her head and smiled.

On the other hand, Shen Yuchuan was shocked.

How did they agree so quickly?

Could it be… Shen Qiaoyu just called and said something?

Unable to resist, he pulled his mother aside for a chat. After learning the truth, his eyes widened in shock.

“Good heavens! Has Shen Qiaoyu finally come to her senses?”

Regardless, Yan Shiqing was really about to become a member of their family.

He quickly sent a text message to Yan Shiqing.

Simultaneously, Yan Shiqing, who was on her way, received a call from Shen Qiaoyu.

“Qingning…” Shen Qiaoyu’s voice was very low, almost bewitching.

Yan Shiqing subconsciously swallowed. As she was about to respond, she luckily glanced at the caller ID and quickly said, “You’ve called the wrong number. How did you end up calling me?”

“Oh~ It seems like I dialed the wrong number~” Shen Qiaoyu chuckled softly on the other end, then casually said as if joking, “Right, there’s something I need to tell you.”

“What is it?”

Shen Qiaoyu continued, “I’ve thought about it for a long time and have finally made up my mind. It’s only a sham marriage, but I agreed to it. I even talked to my mom about it just now…”

Hearing this, Yan Shiqing’s heart skipped a beat. As if swept over by a sudden wave of surprise, her heart pounded. She couldn’t help but ask, “Really? Why?”

“Really,” replied Shen Qiaoyu. “What else could it be for? To prevent my family from going bankrupt, of course. And… to repay Qingning, you better stop bothering her from now on. She’s my girlfriend.”

“When have I ever bothered her?”

…

At this moment, Yan Shiqing’s phone pinged. A message from Shen Yuchuan appeared on her screen.

“Do you know? My sister told my mom that she wants to marry you!”

“Um, I know,” she typed back, her lips curving up uncontrollably. She wasn’t thinking of any flaws in Shen Qiaoyu’s reasoning… but sweetly said to Shen Qiaoyu, “Once it’s decided, you can’t go back on your word.”

“Sure, definitely,” Shen Qiaoyu responded, then added, “I’m going to hang up now. I haven’t told Qingning about this yet. I need to soothe her a bit.”

“Okay~”

…

The call disconnected, and after a few seconds, Yan Shiqing’s phone rang again. This time, it was a voice call.

She hurriedly coughed a few times, changed her voice, and answered the call.

On the other end, Shen Qiaoyu’s voice sounded a bit tense. “Qingning, have you arrived yet?” she asked.

“Not yet,” Yan Shiqing replied, a smile tugging at her lips as she waited for the next sentence.

Sure enough, Shen Qiaoyu said directly, “I wanted to tell you, I’ve thought for a long time and finally agreed to a fake marriage with Yan Shiqing…”

“Huh? You…” Yan Shiqing pretended to be surprised, suppressing her excitement. She said, seemingly disappointed, “Why didn’t you discuss it with me…”

She asked again, “Why did you agree?”

Shen Qiaoyu replied, “Because… anyway, it’s not because of you, it’s for my family…”

She added, “Anyway, once we’re divorced in the future, it will be as if you don’t owe Yan Shiqing any favors, you know?”

“Then you say it’s not because of me, and then you say I won’t owe Yan Shiqing any favors. Don’t you think it’s contradictory?”

At this moment, Yan Shiqing’s eyes were somewhat heated, and a mist appeared in her sight. Thinking about how Shen Qiaoyu was actually doing this for her, and that she would agree to whatever she said, she couldn’t help but cry. Her voice choked as she said softly, “No matter what your reasons are, I respect you, and I’ll wait for you…”

“Mm, you’re so kind…”

Shen Qiaoyu’s voice also sounded moved, but then she suddenly asked, “Would you come on the day I get engaged to her? Or on the day we get married?”

Yan Shiqing: “…”

“Please, who invites their girlfriend to a sham wedding?” She burst into laughter and said, “I won’t go~”

Ha, little liar, you don’t want to go because you can’t, right?!

Shen Qiaoyu immediately teased her, “Actually, I want to steal a moment with you in the makeup room on our wedding day…”

“Don’t you think that would be thrilling?”

Yan Shiqing exclaimed, “!!!”

Shen Qiaoyu’s voice on the other end was low and husky as if she was joking. Upon hearing this, Yan Shiqing’s ears turned red, and she hurriedly replied, “What are you talking about? How can you say that?!”

To her, it was unbelievable. How could Qiao Qiao say such a thing? It was simply… simply insane. Yet, she was drawn to her words, and she couldn’t help but squeeze her legs together at the thought of such a scene.

She imagined the front desk filled with distinguished guests and her meeting with Shen Qiaoyu in the makeup room. Would she press her against the makeup table, or behind the door, listening to the lively sounds outside, and silence her lips… If that were the case, she would certainly be endlessly flustered…

Most importantly, that would mean cheating with her other identity. Her face was completely red.

At this time, Shen Qiaoyu’s voice came from the phone again: “How about it? Want to come?”

Yan Shiqing hesitated for a while, her heart trembling, and finally agreed with trembling lashes: “I’ll come…”

“Great, it’s a deal~” Upon hearing her reply, Shen Qiaoyu couldn’t help but chuckle and thought to herself, “Little liar, it’s my turn now.”

They talked for a while, and after reaching the dinner venue, Yan Shiqing hung up the phone. That’s when she started thinking. Although Shen Qiaoyu agreed, and perhaps the Shen Family also agreed, her father would never agree once he knew it was Shen Qiaoyu who wanted to marry her.

That’s a bit difficult, she thought, I need to negotiate terms with my father. As she thought, she had already arrived in the private room. Her legs were still a bit sore, but she had to attend this gathering.

To her surprise, the room was full of joy, everyone was chatting happily. Her father was a bit drunk, and he kept saying to Mr. Shen, “My dear relative, we are family from now on.”

Yan Shiqing was stunned, “???”

What was strange was that she noticed Yan Yi was also exceptionally happy. Anyone who didn’t know better would think she was the one getting married. So after sitting down, she hurriedly texted Shen Yuchuan to ask.

Unexpectedly, Shen Yuchuan replied to her, “Your dad said that no matter which child it is, it would be a joyous occasion for both the Yan and Shen Family. Hence, my mom assumed it was a union with Shen Qiaoyu. Sorry for the misunderstanding…”

“Is this even possible???”

“Yes, these were your dad’s words. I even recorded them.”

Yan Shiqing was speechless, “…”

“Crazy.”

She could already imagine the shock when the groom suddenly turns out to be Shen Qiaoyu. The Yan Family would probably be outraged. However, there was no other way out. She wanted to marry Shen Qiaoyu. She had dreamt of it, no matter if it was a lie or by any means necessary. Even if the truth came out in the future, she would never regret it.

At least she had owned her once.

At this moment, Yan Shiqing buried her worries deep within her heart. She fondly recalled the words of Shen Qiaoyu, and a smile gently spread across her face, filling her heart with a sweet warmth.

Even if this was a mere sham wedding, even if she continually switched between two identities throughout the entire wedding process, living in constant fear of being discovered, she was willing to embrace it all.

…

Meanwhile, the two families engaged in a congenial discussion, finalizing the wedding date.

“Yes, the wedding,” Shen Yuchuan chimed in. He suggested that an engagement followed by a wedding was a lengthy and tedious process, so they might as well proceed directly to the wedding.

Mr. Yan humorously teased him for his eagerness. However, in the end, both families agreed to this unconventional proposal.

The wedding date was scheduled for the middle of this month, shortly following the conclusion of the variety show.

The timeline was tight, and there was a great deal to prepare.

As both families said their goodbyes, Mrs. Shen held Yan Shiqing’s hand, tenderly apologizing, “Child, I’m sorry for any inconvenience.”

“It’s not an issue,” Yan Shiqing responded with a faint smile. She hugged Mrs. Shen and whispered, “Actually, I’ve liked her for a long time, so this is fulfilling my wish…”

Mrs. Shen was taken aback, “!!!”

The complexities of young people’s affections were beyond her comprehension.

Following her initial shock, Mrs. Shen’s eyes softened. She gently stroked Yan Shiqing’s hair and chuckled, “Silly child.”

Indeed, being in love with Qiao Qiao was a long journey.

That child just doesn’t understand.

…

In the afternoon, Shen Qiaoyu arrived early at the cabin and collected her parcels. They contained small toys and intimate apparel she had ordered online.

She concealed these items, feeling a bit uneasy.

Her original intent was to get back at Yan Shiqing. How did she get sidetracked?

No, she must retaliate in other ways. She can’t always be preoccupied with these thoughts.

While she was lost in her thoughts, Yan Shiqing called. As soon as she answered, she heard a woman panting on the other end.

In a soft voice, Yan Shiqing said, “I’m on the stone road. Could you come and pick me up? I can’t walk anymore.”

Hmph, such a delicate princess.

Now that she knows Qingning is Yan Shiqing, she can brazenly argue and bicker with her.

Moreover, there’s no way she’s going to pick her up!

Shen Qiao Yu responded, “I won’t.”

She promptly hung up the phone.

Yan Shiqing, who was abruptly hung up on, sat on the side of the stone road. Her long eyelashes drooped as she discretely wiped the sweat from her forehead, her eyes filled with disappointment.

She genuinely couldn’t walk anymore. Her legs were sore, and so was the wound in her private area.

She sat in the sunlight, deciding to rest for a while before attempting to walk again.

However, to her surprise, a tall woman appeared at the end of the stone road shortly after. Yan Shiqing immediately brightened up, her eyes sparkling as she called out, “Qiao Qiao~”