Volume One, Chapter 17: Is the Daimyo Named Shen An'an or Shen Nian'an?

Her gaze fell upon Wen Lin and her daughter huddled on the ground. Turning to Mother Si, she said, “Mom, An’an didn’t push you, but she... tripped Linlin with her cane. Shouldn’t An’an apologize to Linlin?”

Su Wanhua frowned slightly.

She did not favor the mother and daughter, Sun Qian and Wen Lin, nor had she considered making Shen Nian’an apologize.

If Jin Yue hadn’t brought up the matter, it could have been overlooked.

But since it was mentioned, she couldn’t feign ignorance.

“An’an, since you were the one who pushed Linlin down, you should apologize to her. That will settle it.”

Hearing this, Shen Nian’an’s disappointment in Su Wanhua deepened.

She had pushed someone, yes, but only after they had insulted her first.

“I won’t apologize.”

“They slandered me without cause first. I just gave a light reprimand. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“Who cares if you apologize?” Wen Lin finally broke free from Sun Qian’s grip, freeing her gagged mouth. Her eyes blazed fiercely. “I’m reporting this. I’ll press charges against you for bullying a military family member. I want to see you rot in jail.”

Shen Nian’an stood her ground, a cold smile curling at the corner of her lips. “Bullying a military family member? I want to see whether you slandered them first or if I did.”

“Framing a military family member? What do you mean? What military family member are you? Just a leech trying to latch onto the island’s elite.”

The argument served no purpose; Shen Nian’an wasted no more words.

Leaving behind a final declaration, “No matter what, I, Shen Nian’an, will see this through!”

She nodded to Mother Si and, leaning on her cane, left.

That proud stance instantly made Wen Lin feel like an ugly duckling. She ground her teeth furiously, pointing at Shen Nian’an’s retreating figure.

“You... you... despicable—”

Muffled sounds escaped her as her mouth was covered again. Her fiery eyes shot daggers at her mother, Sun Qian.

Sun Qian, looking at her daughter who had inherited none of her sense, felt a headache coming on and desperately tried to signal her silently.

Following Sun Qian’s gaze, Wen Lin saw Su Wanhua’s pale face, and her reckless mind gradually calmed.

Aunt Si never liked her much to begin with; if she kept causing a scene, Aunt Si would like her even less.

Liu Jin Yue also noticed Mother Si’s unusual expression and asked with concern, “Mom! Mom! Are you alright? You look so pale.”

Su Wanhua came back to herself and shook her head.

It must have been her imagination...

---

How could she have picked up the wrong person?

“An’an” should be the nickname; “Nian’an” is the formal name.

Su Wanhua comforted herself with this thought, but the idea that she might have mistaken someone took root in her mind.

She was eager to call her close friend to confirm.

So she dismissed them, saying, “Linlin, An’an is young and ignorant. I, as an aunt, apologize to you on her behalf.”

Wen Lin was somewhat flattered. “Auntie, it’s all Shen Nian’an’s fault. What does it have to do with you? Auntie, if you ask me, you should report this and drive that scheming woman off the island.”

Su Wanhua frowned. “Linlin, it’s such a small thing; there’s no need to make it public. Let it go.”

“Auntie...” Wen Lin hesitated, but her mother quickly cut her off and agreed, “Wanhua, you’re right. It’s just children playing around; no need to report it.”

“Hmm.” Su Wanhua felt unsettled. She really didn’t have the mood to entertain Sun Qian and her daughter. “Anything else? If not, I’m feeling unwell today. You should head home, and we can talk another day.”

“Wanhua, then we’ll be going.”

Sun Qian was not insensitive; dragging a reluctant Wen Lin along, they left.

After they left, Su Wanhua had Liu Jin Yue finish her meal and wash the dishes, then eagerly went to her room to find the phone book and make a call.

Beep, beep, beep.

“Hello, comrade. I’m looking for Comrade Xu Qing.”

“She’s off duty today, not here.”

“Not here, huh?” Su Wanhua felt a bit disappointed but thought that since they all worked at the department store, someone might know about Xu Qing’s family.

She asked, “Does she have a daughter named Shen Nian’an?”

“She does have a daughter called An’an, fair-skinned and very charming.”

That certainly sounded like Nian’an... Had she been mistaken?

Still, Su Wanhua’s heart remained uneasy. She asked again, “Is her full name Shen An’an or Shen Nian’an?”

There was a pause on the other end, as if recalling, then, “I’m not sure, but I’ve always heard Xu Qing call her An’an.”

Su Wanhua responded with a hum.

“Please have her call me back when she returns to work tomorrow.”

Upon hearing confirmation, Su Wanhua finally hung up.

Tomorrow she would know.

Just as she set down the phone and breathed a sigh of relief, a loud clattering noise came from downstairs, causing her brow to twitch sharply.

She hurried to go downstairs.

Hearing the commotion, Liu Jin Yue, who had been avoiding work, also emerged from her room.

The mother and daughter met at the doorway.

The noise was clearer now—it was coming from the kitchen.

“Jin Yue, you weren’t in the kitchen? Then who is it?” Su Wanhua asked in confusion.

“Mom, An’an said she upset you and wanted to do something to make you happy, so she insisted on washing the dishes with me.”

“Then you let her?” Su Wanhua frowned deeply, pointing at Liu Jin Yue’s forehead with a hint of reproach. “I’ve really spoiled you. Besides, An’an is a guest, and her leg is hurt. Why would you let her do chores?”

Liu Jin Yue bit her lip, her eyes reddening as she painted a picture of reluctant consent.

“Mom, An’an insisted. I couldn’t stop her... And you know how sharp her tongue is. Yesterday, I made a casual joke, and she launched into a whole lecture. You believed her and scolded me. How could I dare to stop her?”

“If I had tried to stop her, she’d have told you, and you would have scolded me again.”

“Nonsense. Mom isn’t unreasonable, is she?” Su Wanhua’s irritation vanished completely after hearing Liu Jin Yue’s few words.

“I’m not complaining or refusing to help you. Just think about what you said—does it sound right?”

Liu Jin Yue linked her arm with Su Wanhua’s and pleaded pitifully, “Mom, I know I was wrong. If you scold me again, I won’t be able to sleep because I’ll be so upset.”

At that moment, Su Wanhua finally noticed the dark purple circles around Liu Jin Yue’s eyes and felt a pang of sympathy.

“How can you not sleep just because of this? You’re just making your mother worry and blame herself!”

Hearing this, Liu Jin Yue was annoyed.

She wasn’t upset; she had been waiting all night for her older brother to deal with that beguiling Shen Nian’an.

But that cunning woman had been sharp enough to notice the problem early on and had stealthily switched rooms, forcing Liu Jin Yue to endure a long wait before falling asleep at the door.

Moreover, because of that woman, Liu Jin Yue’s arms had been twisted and turned multiple times, especially the one maneuver by Wen Lin’s husband, which nearly killed her.

Even now, though nothing was seriously wrong, Liu Jin Yue still felt a strange ache whenever she moved her arms.

“I’d never want to make you sad, Mom. I just feel guilty for making you lose face in front of a junior.”

Liu Jin Yue urged Mother Si to come downstairs. “Alright, Mom. Enough of that. Let’s hurry down and see how An’an is doing. It’s fine if something got broken, but if someone’s hurt, that’s serious.”

With all that had happened, Su Wanhua couldn’t help feeling some resentment toward Shen Nian’an. Hearing Liu Jin Yue’s words, she immediately said, “If someone’s hurt, that’s her own doing. She should be more careful with that injured leg.”