Chapter 263: Chapter 263: Must You Marry the One Who Saved You from Drowning? (34)

Shi Wen cried miserably. She was being dragged to the cell, and when she saw Ah Chen not saying a word with no expression on her face, she suddenly calmed down.

“Lin Chen, is there nothing you want to say to me?”

Ah Chen’s gaze fell on her: “What do you want to hear? To scold you, or to pity you? You’ve schemed against me so many times, I won’t pity you. You are about to receive the punishment you deserve, so there’s no need to scold you anymore.”

“You’ve been spoiled since childhood and won’t understand my hardships. You don’t understand and never will understand.” Shi Wen cried and laughed, “You don’t know how much I envy you, how much I am jealous of you. You are the daughter of Lin Daming, growing up loved, and will never understand my situation.”

Ah Chen asked, “Have I ever treated you poorly before?”

Even if the commissioner wasn’t smart, she genuinely treated Shi Wen well, never looked down on her, and considered her a close friend. Since her family ran a butcher shop, she often gave things to Shi Wen. The Shi Family would get more than others when they visited the butcher shop.

The commissioner often invited Shi Wen to her home for meals. Perhaps Shi Wen’s family did not cherish her as much, but they never truly mistreated her, and with the commissioner as a friend, her life wasn’t bad.

“Look at you, with your rosy complexion and well-proportioned figure, not at all like those skinny and sallow girls your age, clearly indicating you’ve never truly suffered. Maybe your experiences are inferior to mine, and your parents treat you worse than my father treats me, but what does that have to do with me? That’s not a reason for you to harm me.”

“And why should I understand you? Why should I comprehend your situation? Am I responsible for your life?” Ah Chen asked with a smile.

“You can lament the unfairness of fate, you can bemoan how difficult life is for women, but you shouldn’t harm me. If your schemes hadn’t failed today, both Ying Xiucai and I would have been ruined by you. At that time, would you still cry to me about these things? You would probably be cursing me for being stupid, wouldn’t you?”

Shi Wen stared at Ah Chen, unwillingly shouting, “If I didn’t scheme, my mother would marry me off to Landlord Chen, who is even older than my father. I had no choice, Lin Chen, I really had no choice.”

“Really? If Aunt Qin was truly intent on exchanging you for silver, would you even have a chance to scheme? If you married someone else, she might be somewhat regretful but wouldn’t insist on marrying you to Landlord Chen.”

Shi Wen’s face twisted with fury. Why? Why did Lin Chen have to expose her?

Why did it all get revealed?

Qu Shao was truly useless.

She was his lifesaver, yet he caused her such great harm, unable to handle even such a small task.

Wasn’t he supposed to be highly skilled in martial arts?

Wasn’t he saying that County Magistrate Shen’s whole family would be finished? How did he get caught first?

For a moment, Shi Wen almost wanted to reveal what Qu Shao had once told her. But she knew that even if she did, County Magistrate Shen wouldn’t spare her or help conceal her crime, instead wiping out her last hope.

Qu Shao had someone behind him. As long as she didn’t reveal that, she might still have a chance to turn things around.

If she revealed it, who knows if the people behind Qu Shao would be furious and take her life.

“Before, Aunt Qin was so panicked about your situation that she even knelt to me,” Ah Chen said and then left.

Shi Wen had harmed the commissioner, so naturally, the commissioner’s actions had to be exposed.

As for whether the other party was pitiful, miserable, or lamentable, that had nothing to do with her, as she had no interest in sympathizing with the other party.

Among all things, there are too many that are pitiful and miserable.

“Don’t take Shi Wen’s words to heart,” outside the cell, Shen Xuan said softly to Ah Chen, “No matter how pitiful someone who did evil deeds is, it won’t wash away their sins. You owe her nothing, and you’ve never wronged her. Her treatment of you is purely malicious.”

Ah Chen smiled and tilted her head: “Does Second Young Master Shen think I would take this to heart?”

“Actually, I did take something to heart.” She suddenly leaned closer, and as Shen Xuan leaned in to listen carefully, she whispered, “A person, someone named Shen Xuan.”

After speaking, she walked forward briskly.

Shen Xuan was momentarily dumbfounded, then quickly caught up.

[She flirted with me!]

[Why is this an ancient society?] Shen Xuan grumbled internally, [If only it were modern times.]

System reminder: [What are you planning? In modern society, it would be a felony, as she’s only just over a year from turning eighteen.]

Shen Xuan: …

[I’m not eighteen now.] Shen Xuan spoke loudly in his mind, [When I died in my previous life, I was only in my twenties, never living a full life like most people, so my maturity is at most in my twenties.]

[Your system is so corrupt. I’m not planning anything, just want to hold hands. Can’t I? Even if we marry by the end of the year, I’ll tell her to wait until eighteen. Don’t think so poorly of me.]

This is the girl he likes.

He’s deeply influenced by the education from another world, so there are some burdens he can’t let go of.

System: [She’s already gone out, go catch up quickly.]

[It’s all your fault for being so talkative, system.] Shen Xuan complained and hurriedly chased after her.

System: …

Shen Xuan quickly caught up, not that Ah Chen intended to leave him behind.

She smiled, while Shen Xuan felt his face heat up, sneaking a glance at her and berating himself, he couldn’t even compare to a girl from ancient times.

He gritted his teeth and moved closer, whispering in Ah Chen’s ear: “You’re in my heart too.”

“Got it.” Ah Chen smiled at him, making Shen Xuan’s heart warm, really wanting to hold her little hand, but societal norms didn’t allow it, sigh.

“Let me escort you back, otherwise Uncle Lin might be worried.” Shen Xuan said, as the sky gradually darkened.

As they walked out of the County Government, they saw Liu Chunqin rushing over.

Liu Chunqin recognized Ah Chen, her eyes lighting up upon seeing her, and quickly approached like grasping at a life-saving straw: “Miss Lin, do you know what’s going on with my Qin Cheng?”

She wanted to find out the situation first, so she could be prepared.

Ah Chen said, “The interrogation of Scholar Qin inside has ended. Aunt Liu can go in and ask; you should be able to find out.”

She wasn’t interested in saying much to her.

Liu Chunqin was indeed a capable person, supporting the entire Qin Family on her own, which wasn’t easy. She was hoping for Qin Cheng’s success. Unfortunately, Qin Cheng had ill intentions, got caught, and would likely be stripped of his scholarly title, never able to pursue official rank again.

Liu Chunqin dared not stop her, so she went inside.

Soon after, as she learned the truth, Liu Chunqin cried heart-wrenchingly: “Ah Cheng, how could you be so foolish.”

It’s all over now, completely over.

Liu Chunqin sat on the ground, face filled with sorrow and despair.

Once this matter is public, Ah Cheng’s scholarly title can’t be preserved, his reputation will be ruined, he’ll be unable to hold his head up in the village, and even the newly arranged marriage might fall through.

How can she go on like this?

She initially hoped Ah Cheng would marry Lin Chen, but she never imagined Ah Cheng would get involved in schemes, now associated with mountain bandits.

Qin Cheng squatted in the cell, face full of confusion. He really didn’t expect it to end up this way.

He held his face: “Mother, I’m sorry, I was just momentarily foolish. When cousin said so, I agreed.”

Liu Chunqin suddenly raised her head, yes, it was all Shi Wen’s fault that her son suffered so greatly.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep