"Shen Hanxing, I'm telling you right now, you have to get married, whether you want to or not!"
The girl stood arrogantly in her original spot without saying a word.
"Shen Hanxing, can't you hear me when I'm talking to you?" The man tugged at her collar and cursed in exasperation. "I sent you overseas to study all these years yet you learned nothing! Where's your manners?"
"Father, don't be angry. Sister might still have some resentment after coming back from abroad. Let's talk with her calmly..." a thin and weak young girl held onto the man's arm and gently persuaded him.
Shen Hanxing's eyes darkened as she said sarcastically, "Manners? How could I have any manners? For a child who lost her mother at birth and a father who never raised her, it's good enough that she could survive till this point. Don't you agree, my dear father?"
The middle-aged man in front of her was her biological father, Shen Yong. The girl next to him was her stepsister, Shen Sisi, who was only two months younger than her.
Shen Yong had an affair while Shen Hanxing's mother, Qiao Wei, was pregnant. His mistress, Jiang Jingqiu, viciously came knocking on the door right when Qiao Wei was about to give birth. Qiao Wei was so angry that she haemorrhaged while in labor and died giving birth.
His wife who stuck by him during their most difficult times died, yet Shen Yong turned around and married his mistress without a second thought. He dumped Shen Hanxing with his mother-in-law who was living abroad.
Shen Hanxing lived in poverty with her grandmother. When she was 19, her so-called father came knocking on her door. Ironically, the reason why he sought her out was that his precious daughter's fiancé was in a car accident. His legs were crippled and someone else took over his company. Shen Yong's outstanding fiancé suddenly collapsed and became a piece of trash that everyone despised.
How could Shen Yong and Jiang Jingqiu bear to see their precious daughter suffer? However, her fiancé's family was very powerful and they did not dare to offend them. Therefore, they turned their attention to Shen Hanxing.
"Bastard, who told you to talk to me like that!"
Shen Yong was furious. Without thinking, he raised his hand and wanted to hit her. However, his hand fell halfway before he couldn't move it anymore.
Shen Hanxing gripped his hand and curled her lips mockingly. "Dad, didn't you investigate me before you came to me? Growing up, the people around grandma and me often bullied us. After so long, we naturally developed some abilities to protect ourselves. Compared to your body that has been emptied by alcohol and sex, it's better if you don't fight me."
"Shen Hanxing, stop it! How can you hit your father?"Jiang Jingqiu saw that the situation was getting out of control, so she pretended to persuade her, "We haven't seen you in so many years, and your father misses you very much. He often whispers in my ear, wondering how you are abroad, whether you have enough to eat... you can't believe your grandmother's lies and misunderstand your father."
Slap.
Shen Hanxing slapped Jiang Jingqiu, and the smile on her lips became wider and wider. "Jiang Jingqiu, a mistress should have some self-awareness as a mistress. Don't wander around in front of me. After all, I have no father and no manners. If you anger me, I will beat you up regardless of who you are. When that time comes, don't blame me for your hurt pride."
"Sister, how can you be like this?" Shen Sisi widened her eyes in disbelief. "Father and mother are our seniors. Even if you have resentment in your heart, you can't raise your fist at them..."
"Who do you think you are?" Shen Hanxing sneered. "So typical of a mistress' child. Your hypocritical performance makes me sick. I give you the same piece of advice I gave your mother-- don't provoke me."
Shen Sisi clenched her fists and her nails dug into her palms.
So what if her mother was no longer a mistress? She could never rid herself of the stain of once being a mistress, and consequently, as her daughter, she was also looked down upon by others.
Jiang Jingqiu also gritted her teeth in hatred. If it wasn't for the fact that she still needed to use Shen Hanxing, she would teach her a lesson.
Shen Yong did not like the way Shen Hanxing bared her fangs and brandished her claws towards him, so he berated her, "Look at your vulgar appearance. You don't look like my daughter at all!" He glared at Shen Hanxing. "But no matter what, I'm still your father. I still have to worry about your marriage. Since you're not going to school anymore, hurry up and pack your things. We're marrying you off in two days."
The corners of Shen Hanxing's mouth twitched impatiently. "I can get married if you want me to."
Shen Yong thought that Shen Hanxing did not agree, so he continued to persuade her. Suddenly realizing what she said, his eyes widened. "What did you say? !"
"Give me a break. If the Ji family is really as good as you say it is, there's no way you would have given this opportunity to me. You would have let Shen Sisi marry him long ago." Shen Hanxing sneered. "I can marry him in her stead. I want a house on East Street and a card with $2 million. Anything less, no deal."
"You ungrateful brat! You dare to negotiate with me? !"
Shen Yong wanted to scold her again, but Jiang Jingqiu stopped him. "Hanxing's life abroad had been hard. It's normal for her to want something to survive on. Just treat Hanxing's requirements as her dowry." Jiang Jingqiu pushed down her bleeding heart and pretended to be magnanimous as she said, "Honey, I know you also feel sorry for Hanxing. Don't get angry with her. If she wants it, let's give it to her."