Bai Yujie pulled Shen Huaiyu, who was standing nearby, into his arms.
"Shen Huaishuang, the wedding will go ahead as planned, but the bride will be Shen Huaiyu."
Shen Huaiyu was overcome with excitement. "Brother Yujie, I am willing to marry you. I have dreamed of marrying you since I was a little girl."
Bai Yujie frowned slightly but said nothing.
Shen Huaishuang felt as though a hole had been torn in her heart; blood seemed to be gushing out endlessly. Three years of feelings... she hadn't let go as gracefully as she appeared to have on the surface. Her vision of the future had always included Bai Yujie—dreaming of marrying him, having children, and spending a happy life together. Now, everything had turned into this.
But wasn't this what she had wanted to see? She and Bai Yujie could no longer be together. She did not want to walk into a hopeless marriage.
Shen Huaiyu looked at Shen Huaishuang triumphantly. "Sister, Brother Yujie is my fiancé now. Please stay away from him in the future and stop pestering him."
"Don't worry," Shen Huaishuang replied. "I would never dream of it!"
Bai Yujie’s expression darkened even further.
"That’s good," Shen Huaiyu said. "Since you’re my sister, why don't you be my bridesmaid at the wedding?"
Just as Shen Huaishuang was about to refuse, Bai Yujie spoke up. "That's a good idea. It’s settled."
A radiant smile bloomed on Shen Huaiyu’s face. Having Shen Huaishuang as her bridesmaid, forcing her to watch with her own eyes as she married Bai Yujie—that scene would surely be amusing. Shen Huaishuang would undoubtedly feel a heart-wrenching pain. Everyone knew that Shen Huaishuang and Bai Yujie were a couple, yet in the end, it was she, Shen Huaiyu, who would marry into the Bai Family. Her sister had been overestimating her own strength by trying to compete with her for their father’s affection, the family inheritance, and a man. She would make sure she ended up with nothing.
Shen Huaishuang’s face turned pale. She clenched her fists so tightly that her fingernails dug into her palms. To ask her to be a bridesmaid? The audacity of them. She sneered and roared, "Get out of my room!"
Shen Huaiyu said, emboldened, "Sister, why are you being so fierce? You are my sister; what’s the harm in being my bridesmaid? Is that request really so unreasonable?"
"Shen Huaiyu, do you really want me to be your bridesmaid? Fine. But if I ruin your wedding, don’t blame me. I’m not in a right state of mind lately, so it’s quite possible I might do something crazy at the ceremony."
Thinking back to how Shen Huaishuang had brandished those scissors at her, Shen Huaiyu felt a chill of fear. "Forget it. If you don't want to do it, then don't. No one is forcing you."
Bai Yujie insisted, "No, she must do it!"
"Brother Yujie, if Sister doesn't want to, forget it."
"I said she must be the bridesmaid!" Bai Yujie said, enunciating every word. His expression was terrifying. Shen Huaiyu didn't dare to speak again.
Shen Huaishuang pushed them out of the door. "Get out!"
Shen Huaiyu walked downstairs, clinging to Bai Yujie’s arm. She immediately said to Shen Dong and Ye Xiaomin, "Dad, Mom, I’m going to marry Brother Yujie."
Ye Xiaomin was overjoyed. "Really?"
"Of course it’s true. Brother Yujie said so himself."
Ye Xiaomin looked at Bai Yujie. "Yujie, Huaishuang has wronged you. We had no idea she would do such a shameless thing. Don't worry, we won't let her pester you anymore. You and Huaiyu should just be happy together."
Shen Dong was pleasantly surprised. He had thought the marriage alliance with the Bai Family was falling through, but he hadn't expected such a sudden turnaround. It was all thanks to his younger daughter; she was truly capable. "Yujie, the wedding date..."
"As scheduled," Bai Yujie replied.
Shen Dong laughed heartily. "Good, good, good. As scheduled."
While laughter filled the downstairs, Shen Huaishuang felt only cold despair. This family had never had room for her; no matter how hard she tried, she could never fit in.
Bai Yujie sat there, appearing distracted, and soon found an excuse to leave the Shen Family. Shen Huaiyu saw him out and then took Ye Xiaomin’s arm to head out.
"Dad, Mom and I are going out for a walk."
"Fine, go ahead," Shen Dong replied.
Sensing that her daughter had something to say, Ye Xiaomin readily followed her. Once they were a good distance from the house, Shen Huaiyu said, "Mom, Shen Huaishuang has gone mad. She pointed scissors at me today. She knows it was us who drugged her, and now that I’m going to marry Brother Yujie, I’m afraid she’ll try to hurt me if she stays in the house."
People who have done wrong are always afraid of the truth coming to light. Shen Huaiyu was deeply worried.
"Don't be afraid," Ye Xiaomin said. "I’ll find a way to drive her out."
"Mom, that’s exactly what I mean. But how can we get her out?"
Ye Xiaomin thought for a moment. "I have a plan: marry her off. Since Shen Huaishuang has been messing around and isn't 'pure' anymore, your father will surely be eager to marry her off quickly to avoid gossip."
Shen Huaiyu thought this was a brilliant idea. "Mom, let’s find a man for her."
Ye Xiaomin smiled sinisterly. "I happen to have a suitable candidate in mind."
"Mom, what kind of person is he? Don't let her marry someone better than me—I couldn't stand that."
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. I’m not her real mother, so why would I find her a good match? As long as she’s married off, that’s enough."
Relieved, Shen Huaiyu hugged her mother’s arm and acted spoiled. "Mom, you’re the best to me!"
"Of course. If I’m not good to my own daughter, who would I be good to? By the way, since you’re marrying Yujie, I need to have a wedding dress custom-made for you so you can be married in style."
"Mom, I want one with diamonds."
"Fine, I’ll tell your father. He’ll certainly be willing to spend the money; he’s desperate for you to marry into the Bai Family."
The next morning, Shen Huaishuang got ready and went downstairs. Seeing that breakfast was already laid out on the table, she sat down and began to eat on her own.
Mama Wu disapproved. "Miss, your father and stepmother haven't gotten up yet. How can you start eating by yourself?"
Shen Huaishuang glanced at her with cold eyes. "Mama Wu, do I need you to lecture me on how to eat? Are you my mother? Your reach is getting a bit too long."
Mama Wu’s face turned sallow, and she didn't say another word. Shen Huaishuang ignored her. Mama Wu was in league with Ye Xiaomin and had never shown her any respect as the eldest daughter, often making snide remarks. She used to think that keeping the peace was better than creating trouble, so she hadn't bothered to argue. But from now on, no one would be allowed to bully her!
She used to be an early riser and would always wait for everyone to get up before touching her chopsticks. From now on, she wouldn't wait. If she was hungry, she would eat; if she was sleepy, she would sleep. She was starving, so she polished off more than half of the breakfast. She hadn't been downstairs since returning yesterday, had skipped both lunch and dinner, and was famished when she woke up.
When Ye Xiaomin came downstairs and saw that Shen Huaishuang had eaten without waiting for them, she roared in anger, "Shen Huaishuang, do you have any respect for us at all? Why didn't you wait for us to eat together?"
Shen Huaishuang wiped her mouth. "Who do you think you are? Why should I wait for you?"
"You!" Ye Xiaomin pointed a finger at her, trembling with rage.
Shen Dong came downstairs with a dark expression. "What’s going on? Screaming and shouting so early in the morning."
Shen Huaiyu followed him down. Ye Xiaomin hurriedly complained, "Husband, look at this. Huaishuang didn't wait for us and ate the breakfast, ruining it like this. How are we supposed to eat?"
Shen Dong glared at Shen Huaishuang and ordered Mama Wu, "Go and make another portion."
Shen Huaishuang picked up her bag, ready to head to work. Shen Dong called out to her, "Don't be in such a hurry to leave. I’ve found a man for you. He’s quite satisfied with you, and he’s coming over tonight to discuss the wedding."