After all, who would complain about having too much money? Especially when it belonged to her own husband.
Mu Tingshen said, "We are husband and wife, there is no 'yours' and 'mine' between us. Although we don't have romantic feelings for each other yet, I will do my best to fulfill the duties of a husband. If there is anything I do not do well, please feel free to point it out."
With that, Mu Tingshen took a black card from his wallet and handed it to Shen Xingling.
"This card has no limit, you can spend whatever you like. Also, this dress of yours looks quite nice."
Since money was being offered, it would be foolish not to take it. Her husband's money was certainly fine to accept, even if they were not very familiar with each other yet.
Shen Xingling took the red packet and the card.
"Well, thank you. I will also do my best to be a good wife to you."
"Wearing that dress made me look too young, so since we were going to register our marriage, I thought I'd change into something a bit more mature."
Mu Tingshen said, "Just be yourself."
Shen Xingling did not expect him to say that. "Then I won't change after all. I actually quite like this puff-sleeve floral dress."
Shen Xingling was not short to begin with, and this light blue puff-sleeve floral dress featured a high-waisted A-line cut, making her straight, fair legs appear even longer.
Mu Tingshen walked over to Shen Xingling's side, casually took her bag, and then raised his other arm.
*Tsk, tsk, tsk!* Shen Xingling thought, *this man radiates husband-material energy every single second. Not bad at all!*
Naturally and smoothly, Shen Xingling slipped her arm through his.
Shen Xingling said, "Let's go."
Mu Tingshen said, "Mm."
...
Shen Xingling asked with a puzzled look, "Mu Tingshen, this isn't the way to the civil affairs bureau, is it?"
Mu Tingshen raised an eyebrow in a teasing tone. "What? Is Mrs. Mu in such a rush? Even if you're in a hurry, we still need to pick up the household register from my father-in-law and mother-in-law first."
The household register? For a moment, Shen Xingling did not process what he meant.
A few seconds later, it finally dawned on her.
*Shen Xingling, oh Shen Xingling!* she scolded herself.
*You've lived twenty-one years for nothing!*
*How on earth do you expect to register a marriage without the household register?!*
*And who's in a rush?! Who's in a rush?!*
*If anyone's in a hurry, it's you! Impatient monkey!*
After all, she was such an ethereal fairy—gorgeous enough to shame the flowers and drop fish from the water, possessed of a peerless beauty that could topple cities and kingdoms, naturally exquisite, graceful and slender, with a heart as pure as an orchid!
*Miss Shen, aren't you being a bit too narcissistic?*
Of course, Shen Xingling did not dare to say these words out loud; she only thought them to satisfy her own ego. What if he got annoyed and wrecked her family's company? What would she do then?
Shen Xingling immediately changed the subject. "Oh right, we need to get the household register from my mom and dad first."
Twenty minutes later.
At the gates of the Shen Family estate.
A Rolls-Royce Phantom with a sequence of matching license plate numbers pulled up outside the Shen Family home.
Mu Tingshen got out first, walked around to the other side, used one hand to open the door for Shen Xingling, and placed his other hand against the door frame to protect her head.
Shen Xingling smiled and said, "Thank you."
Mu Tingshen replied, "It's only right."
Shen Xingling called out, "Dad! Mom! I'm back!"
Afterward, Mu Tingshen walked to the trunk and picked up the items they had prepared.
Seeing this, Shen Xingling walked over and raised her hand to help him carry some of the things.
Mu Tingshen said, "No need, I've got it."
Hearing their daughter's voice, Father Shen and Mother Shen hurried to the entrance.
Shen Qingwen wore a smile the entire way out upon hearing his daughter's voice.
Xia Lan was also happy that her daughter had returned, but she felt somewhat surprised.
Why were they back just one day after the wedding? Had she been wronged at her husband's family home?
When they reached the entrance, they saw the newlywed couple walking toward them with large strides. Seeing his son-in-law carrying things, Shen Qingwen stepped forward to take them from his hands, but Mu Tingshen sidestepped to avoid him.
Shen Qingwen said, "Tingshen, you shouldn't have brought so many things just to visit."
Mu Tingshen replied, "Dad, this is what I ought to do. I can carry them easily."
Xia Lan looked at her headache-inducing daughter and said, "Xingling, can't you help Tingshen? You're just standing there doing nothing."
Shen Xingling trotted over to her mother's side. "Ms. Xia Lan, I haven't even stepped inside to have a drink of water yet, and you're already picking on your precious daughter!"
Xia Lan retorted, "I can't be bothered with you."
With that, the family entered the living room, and Uncle Lin, the housekeeper, stepped forward to take the items from Mu Tingshen's hands.
Uncle Lin said, "Young master-in-law, let me take those."
Mu Tingshen replied, "Mm."
Mu Tingshen walked over to the sofa, sitting right beside Shen Xingling. Shen Qingwen and Xia Lan sat together opposite them.
Xia Lan took the initiative to ask what was on her mind. "Tingshen, why did you two come today? Isn't Xingling supposed to return home for a visit tomorrow?"
Then she looked at her daughter. "Did you miss home so much that you made a fuss to come back early?"
Shen Xingling was stunned for a moment.
She immediately resumed her bantering mode with Xia Lan. "Ms. Xia Lan, am I really that unreasonable in your eyes? Besides, I'm a married woman now; can't you at least leave me a little dignity?"
Seeing that her son-in-law was present, Xia Lan held back from delivering a merciless comeback. "You child!"
Mu Tingshen explained to his mother-in-law, "Mom, Xingling is very sensible at home. The reason we came today is because we were hoping Mom and Dad could lend us the household register so we can register our marriage first. Although Xingling and I have already held the wedding ceremony, we haven't officially registered our marriage yet. This is entirely my fault for being too busy with work previously and neglecting Xingling. It's all my mistake."
Looking at the man who was so fiercely defending her daughter, Xia Lan smiled and said, "What's in the past is in the past. Just live a good life with Xingling from now on, and the two of you can give your father and me a little grandson or granddaughter to look after."
Hearing this, Shen Xingling's face instantly flushed red, and she interrupted her mother.
Shen Xingling said shyly, "Mom, what are you talking about?!"
Xia Lan asked, "What? Is Mom saying something wrong?"
Looking at his blushing wife, Mu Tingshen smiled and said, "Mom, Xingling and I will work hard!"
Xia Lan exclaimed, "Good, good, good! I'll be waiting, then!"
Then she turned to Shen Qingwen. "Darling, go upstairs and get the household register for Tingshen. We'll just wait to hold our grandchildren!"
Shen Qingwen went upstairs to retrieve the household register.
Hearing her mother continuously urging them to have children left Shen Xingling feeling both embarrassed and shy.
*He and I don't even sleep in the same bed,* Shen Xingling thought to herself. *Ms. Xia Lan, you can forget about getting a grandson or granddaughter from us—though a grandson and granddaughter in the plural might happen if we adopt, I suppose.*
She had long known that her older brother had a girl he liked, she just didn't know yet whether her brother had succeeded in winning her over.
After coming down from upstairs, Shen Qingwen walked toward Mu Tingshen, who stepped forward to meet his father-in-law.
Holding the household register, Shen Qingwen did not hand it over immediately; instead, he reminded Mu Tingshen of what he had said at the wedding.
Shen Qingwen said, "Tingshen, don't forget what you promised."
Naturally, Mu Tingshen knew what Shen Qingwen was referring to. "Dad, I won't forget."
Receiving this affirmative answer, Shen Qingwen was reassured and handed the household register to him.
Having long forgotten what Mu Tingshen had said to Shen Qingwen at the wedding, Shen Xingling did not understand their exchange, but she chose not to press further.
Although Xia Lan did not know the specifics, having walked hand in hand with her husband through nearly thirty years of life's storms, she naturally understood Shen Qingwen.
Looking at her talented, handsome, and articulate son-in-law, Xia Lan felt more and more satisfied the longer she looked at him. Although the two of them did not yet have romantic feelings for each other, from his previous words and actions toward Shen Xingling, it was clear that Mu Tingshen still deeply respected her.