Shi Che's voice was not loud, yet it carried a sharpness that made one's heart involuntarily tremble.
Ling Chuxia's joy and relief had not even had time to surface before they were harshly pushed back down.
She couldn't understand why Shi Che would reject Mrs. Shi's proposal. Shi Che had always disliked her, hated her, was it not precisely because she had taken her elder sister's place?
Not only did she find it strange, even Mrs. Shi felt it was odd. She raised her eyebrows in surprise, "Why? Didn't you always like Xiao Shu? Wasn't she the one you wanted to marry back then?"
After a pause, Mrs. Shi seemed to remember something, her face suddenly became serious, "Che'er, you wouldn't have fallen for those chaotic women outside, would you?"
As Mrs. Shi spoke, Ling Chuxia's heart instantly tightened again. Her large eyes stared intently at Shi Che, afraid he might nod and admit he had indeed fallen for another woman.
Perhaps Ling Chuxia's gaze was too intense and too anxious, for Shi Che seemed to sense it and lifted his eyes slightly in her direction.
Ling Chuxia was startled and, without caring about maintaining any semblance of grace, shrank back abruptly. Her head bumped against the wall with a dull thud, and though the pain forced a grimace, she could only press her mouth shut tightly to stifle any sound.
The corners of Shi Che's lips inadvertently curved into a barely noticeable arc, and his dark eyes rose slightly as he looked toward Mrs. Shi. The coldness in his voice surprisingly lessened, "Mom, don't worry, those are just trifling distractions."
It was only then that Mrs. Shi let out a huge sigh of relief. Those chaotic women outside were of no significance to her, and she was unwilling for her son to be infatuated with them.
Though she had various criticisms of Ling Chuxia and Ling Yunshu, they were ultimately cultivated by her from a young age and were guided to be a hundred times better than many aristocratic ladies.
It was just unfortunate that the daughter-in-law she chose for Shi Che could not win his heart, which truly made Mrs. Shi feel defeated.
In the end, she was just a mother who wanted her son to be happy.
Mrs. Shi sighed softly, thought for a moment, and then slowly spoke up, "Che'er, if you aren't satisfied with Xiaoxia or Xiao Shu, and you have your eye on another well-mannered lady, tell me. As long as she's a suitable match and has a good temperament, I won't oppose it."
Shi Che did not answer. His dark eyes glanced indifferently in the direction of the antique vase.
-
After dinner, Shi Che, despite Mrs. Shi's repeated attempts to keep him, made the excuse that there was work at the company and intended to leave.
Mrs. Shi accompanied Shi Che all the way to the mansion entrance, reminding him to come home more often, to which Shi Che agreed one by one.
Shi Che casually glanced at Ling Chuxia, seeing her respectfully standing aside, eyes lowered, as if she were merely a servant of the house and not his wife.
At any moment, she always managed to keep her distance from him. At any moment, she never spared him an extra glance.
The light in Shi Che's eyes darkened; his expression gradually cooled. He reached out, seized Ling Chuxia's wrist, and pulled her directly to his side.