Shen Ning gave her family the cold shoulder, but it still didn't change their decision.
Damn it!
On the day they registered their marriage, Shen Ning finally understood her father's cold decision.
She tried to persuade the man, but he ignored her every word. This was too much!
She stared at him, feeling a bitter surge. "You helped my father with my surgery, and now you're demanding to marry me?"
He nodded, unbothered. "Yes."
Shen Ning frowned. "Why?"
He didn't respond right away. She waited, watching his indifference before something clicked in her mind, her eyes widening in realization.
"Wait... You didn't marry me as a substitute for someone else, did you?"
He met her gaze calmly. "Don't read too many novels. Believe it or not, you're the only woman I, Qin Yuheng, have ever pursued willingly."
She didn't answer, the words hanging between them.
"I have no ill intentions, either." For someone who rarely explained himself, this was practically a lecture. But it didn't seem to bother him.
---
At the Shen family's house, her aunt's family had gathered, clearly aware of the marriage. Shen Ning, still resentful, greeted them stiffly before retreating to her room to escape the tension.
Shi Fu, who had been sitting on the sofa, glared at Qin Yuheng. His thoughts were obvious: He had thought that if Shen Ning rejected him, he would pursue her until she agreed—but now, the marriage was a done deal.
As soon as her uncle left to take a call, Shi Fu stood up and beckoned Qin Yuheng to a quieter corner.
"You were the one who called my uncle before Ning's surgery, weren't you?" He went straight to the point as they sat down.
"Yes," Qin Yuheng answered, his tone neutral.
Shi Fu clicked his tongue. So, that was the reason his uncle had been so eager to approve of the marriage.
"You should've known that I proposed to her once—and she rejected me." He added, the bitterness clear in his voice.
Qin Yuheng's gaze turned sharper, though not surprised.
"You don't have to look at me like that. Your real opponent isn't me, if you want her heart." After that, Shi Fu stood up abruptly, leaving the comment hanging. Why give Qin Yuheng any more of a heads-up?
When he heard the last sentence, he frowned uneasily. This can't be right? Someone actual opponent? But the information said that she was never close to any other man...
Later that evening, after dinner, Shen Ning fled to her room. Her intentions were clear—she didn't want to sleep in the same bed as him.
He didn't say anything. They were married, and it seemed like a long road ahead. One day, she would come to accept him.
So, he slept in the guest room alone.
---
The next morning, at breakfast, Qin Yuheng spoke up, his voice calm but laced with concern.
"We'll leave in the afternoon. Beijing is far from here." He glanced at her, noticing the red in the corner of her eyes. He wanted to comfort her, but his words got stuck.
At noon, everyone expected Shen Ning to cry or make a scene about leaving, but instead, she was unnervingly calm. A calm that felt more like the quiet before a storm.
"I'm leaving," she said flatly. Her indifference stung. Her parents hadn't even tried to comfort her.
Shi Fu stepped forward, his voice soft. "Can we at least stay in touch over the phone?"
Before Shen Ning could respond, Qin Yuheng reached out and took her hand. "Uncle, Auntie, don't worry. I'll take care of her. We'll visit when we can." Then, turning to her, he added, "Let's go."
As they reached the car, Shen Ning suddenly pulled her hand away and climbed into the back seat, her expression dark.
Qin Yuheng pursed his lips. She was angry with him. He could feel the tension in the air, but he remained silent, knowing that she needed time.