A cascade of laughter emojis and sharp observations filled Shi Ning’s vision.
[Hahaha, the female supporting role is really mean! So vicious!]
[Let Butler Xu write calligraphy, and write 100 pieces. It would be better to fire him and kill him!]
[Butler Xu’s hands can kill people and set fires, but they can’t be used to write. For him, it’s simply worse than death!]
Shi Ning winced. Oh, her past self really was too much. No wonder Xu Chang harbored such animosity. Firing him or docking his salary seemed too harsh. But then again, he had threatened to kill her, and she certainly wasn’t going to let that slide. This punishment, she thought, was perfect—interesting enough to be memorable, yet harmless, and a clear signal that she was serious about her commitment to Qin Heye. She never expected it would be a fate worse than death for the stoic butler.
Old Master Qin, too, was stunned. He cupped an ear, as if unsure he’d heard correctly. “How do you want to punish him?”
Shi Ning, with utmost seriousness, repeated, “Let Butler Xu write 100 pieces of calligraphy saying ‘Shi Ning is the Young Madam of the Qin Family,’ and post them in various conspicuous places in the old house!”
Xu Chang, who wouldn’t ordinarily write a single word unless absolutely necessary, suddenly became remarkably cooperative. His voice, for once, was quick and deferential. “Young Madam, just deduct my salary. It doesn’t matter if you deduct it for a year.” Anything but calligraphy!
Shi Ning, relishing his discomfort, was thoroughly satisfied. “No! This is the punishment. Who told you not to change your words, and even threatened me that you would kill me?”
“Young Madam…” Xu Chang began, his voice strained.
But Old Master Qin, finding the idea amusing, cut him off. “Since you call her Young Madam, you have to accept this punishment. Go and write it.”
Xu Chang, defeated, muttered a depressed “Yes.” Before he left with the other servants, he shot Shi Ning a warning glare.
Shi Ning glared right back. “If you don’t respect me again, write another 100 pieces!”
Xu Chang recoiled, abandoning his stare, and practically scurried out with the servants.
The door remained ajar, the windows open, offering glimpses of servants nearby, ensuring a sense of privacy while maintaining a polite distance.
In the study, only Grandpa Qin and Shi Ning remained. His face hardened, his voice stern. “There are no outsiders. You don’t have to pretend.”
The barrages replayed in Shi Ning’s mind: Grandpa Qin would be so angry today that he’d end up in the ICU, making her his indirect murderer. And the memory of her past self, blinded by greed, constantly seeking death, cursing him, forcing her way into the wedding despite his wishes—it all flooded back. After seeing those spoilers, Shi Ning knew she hadn’t been wronged; she’d deserved every bit of the animosity. But that was a past she was determined to change. She would be obedient now. She would change the plot.
Shi Ning adopted a serious expression, facing Grandpa Qin directly. “Grandpa, I’m not pretending.” She offered a sincere apology, her voice laced with genuine regret. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t good before. I spoke rudely to you, and I didn’t cherish a good man like Qin Heye, who’s hard to find even with a lantern.”
She raised her hand, extending two fingers, utterly serious. “I swear, I won’t divorce Qin Heye, and I won’t make you angry again! You must be healthy and live a long life!”
Old Master Qin watched Shi Ning, her face earnest, her oath heartfelt. Still, suspicion lingered in his eyes. “You suddenly changed so much… is it to give Shen Xizhou the piece of land in the west of the city?”
Shi Ning didn’t know how to respond. While it wasn’t the sole reason, she had intended to give the land to Shen Xizhou. Her silence confirmed his suspicions.
Old Mr. Qin’s face visibly lengthened, the powerful aura of a man long accustomed to authority emanating from him. “I can let you do whatever you want in the past, but this piece of land in the west of the city is absolutely not allowed! You were courting death before, and now you’re pretending to be good. It’s either for divorce or for cooperation with Shen Xizhou.” He paused, his gaze unyielding. “Now, I will fulfill your wish and allow you to divorce He Ye. We will directly apply for a divorce certificate in a while.”
Divorce? If she divorced Qin Heye, she’d be locked in a small attic, forced into a twisted “love”! Even if the chains were spun from gold, she didn’t want it!
“He Ye is not in the country,” Shi Ning quickly countered, “and today is not a working day, so we can’t get a divorce.”
Grandpa Qin simply glanced at her. “You can call the staff to your home. He Ye doesn’t need to be present. Just stamp and get the divorce certificate.”
Shi Ning was flabbergasted. “I’ve heard of moving the Civil Affairs Bureau to get married on the spot, but I’ve never heard of moving the Civil Affairs Bureau and getting divorced on the spot!”
Grandpa Qin took a sip of his tea, a faint smirk playing on his lips. “Now you have.”
“Then I will report Grandpa’s abuse of private power in my real name, report…”
Grandpa Qin chuckled at her naivety. “Don’t be too naive. Reporting is useless.”
Shi Ning sighed. Right, this was a world within a book, a place outside the usual laws. But how could she possibly convince Grandpa Qin? It was truly bizarre; when she wanted a divorce, no one would agree. Now that she didn’t, they were all forcing her hand!
Shi Ning looked at Grandpa Qin, speaking directly, her voice loud enough for the barrages to hear. “Grandpa, just tell me what I have to do to make you believe that I will not divorce Qin Heye or help Shen Xizhou to rob the Qin family’s property?”
Old Man Qin’s reply was immediate. “Divorce Heye and ask Heye to start construction of the land in the west of the city immediately.”
Shi Ning slumped. She couldn’t do either.
The barrages erupted with frantic advice:
[The female supporting role is too stupid. Old Man Qin is a “Son-control” (meaning he dotes on his son), and he must be the main villain. As long as you tell him about your marriage consummation, the old man will believe half of it!]
[Old Man Qin is also very traditional in his thinking. He thinks that if the couple has consummated their marriage, the man should be responsible. He will never ask them to divorce easily.]
[And when Old Man Qin was about to die, he lived for another three years because of Shi Ning’s wedding. He was also very indulgent to her. Just tell her directly.]
[The ultimate move: talk about the metaphysical problem of the land in the west of the city—whoever touches it will go bankrupt! Old Man Qin is very superstitious and absolutely believes it!]
[The female supporting role is really stupid, stupid to the extreme. Listen to me, don’t give the land to Shen Xizhou for free. Buy it at a higher price! Then, because of his aura as the protagonist, he’ll definitely win the land in the east of the city by bidding.]
[So, ask Shen Xizhou to pay 10 billion yuan, plus the land in the east of the city, before you’re willing to give him the land in the west of the city! When the east of the city becomes prosperous in the future, Shen Xizhou will definitely be suffocated to death!]
Shi Ning’s eyes gleamed as she read the last few comments. This divine reader! Was this person also a genius? The cunning of this abuser was on par with Butler Zhao’s! The thought alone filled her with satisfaction: in the future, when the east of the city flourished, Shen Xizhou would essentially hand it over to her on a silver platter. He’d regret it so much his intestines would twist into knots!
This idea was too good, too wonderful! She almost wanted to kneel down and worship the barrage!