Later that evening, Shen Yelan was called down for dinner. When she was pushed into the dining hall, the family of four was already eating.
Shen Wanwan was happily telling them about her school exam, where she had scored third in her class and was even appreciated by her teacher.
Shen Chengwei sat at the head of the table, nodding along to his daughter's story with a pleased expression on his face.
Shen Wei, Shen Wanwan's twin brother, rolled his eyes and kept his head down, shoveling rice into his mouth. He was a pudgy teenage boy with soft features and perpetually messy hair.
Feng Xin, who sat beside her husband, kept reaching over to pile more food into Shen Qian's bowl. "Eat more, darling. You've gotten so thin from all that studying. You need to keep your strength up."
Shen Qian grunted in response, his mouth full.
Old Master Shen was not present, but it did not seem like he was needed here. They had already adjusted to his absence even though he was still technically alive somewhere upstairs.
Shen Yelan sat in her wheelchair just inside the doorway, taking in the scene. Behind her, Sun Lili gazed at them coldly but it was gone before anyone could see it.
"Shen Yelan is here," Feng Xin was the first one to notice them. She smiled at her as if she was really happy to see her.
Shen Wanwan turned to look, and her chopsticks froze halfway to her mouth. Her eyes went wide, and for just a second, something ugly flickered across her features.
This was Shen Yelan?
She knew Shen Yelan was crippled and had spent the last decade rotting away in some backward village. When she heard that Shen Yelan was returning, she was expecting her to look rough and ugly. Instead, she now looked even more beautiful now that she had lost the childhood immaturity. A hot spike of jealousy shot through her. Even though she was sick, it did not affect her appearance at all. Rather, it made her look even more delicate.
Shen Wanwan's grip tightened on her chopsticks. A hot spike of jealousy shot through her chest.
Shen Wei also looked at her, surprised. Was this the same crippled girl he had seen years ago? Was living in a living so good that it would transform one into a fairy?
Shen Chengwei was also surprised to see her appearance. But rather than seeing her beauty, his focus was more on her sickly look and the wheelchair she was sitting on. A flash of guilt appeared in his gaze but it was gone before he could even recognize that emotion. Instead, he stared at her with disdain.
"It seems that after living in the countryside, you have forgotten basic manners. You even make others wait for you at the table." He snapped at her.
Shen Yelan stared at him for a second and then at the half-eaten dishes on the table. The meal had clearly been going on for a while.
She internally rolled her eyes and, without even uttering a word, she pushed her wheelchair to the empty space, which was clearly arranged for her.
Shen Chengwei slammed his chopsticks down.
"You ungrateful thing! You don't even have the courtesy to greet your father now? I shouldn't have brought you back!"
Shen Yelan looked up slowly, meeting his angry glare. She tilted her head slightly, a tiny spark of amusement flickering with amusement that he did not notice.
"You are right. You should not have brought me back," Shen Yelan agreed, catching them off guard.
"But what can we do?" She smiled sadly. "Grandpa is sick, and he wants me to be present by his side. As the patriarch of this family, we have no choice but to obey his commands, do we?"
The air around them stilled as everyone stared at Shen Yelan. Even the maids standing along the wall looked horrified as if they couldn't believe what they were hearing.
She was clearly challenging his right to sit at the head of the table. She'd reminded everyone at this table that he wasn't actually the patriarch yet. That Old Master Shen was still alive, still technically in charge, and that she was here because of him, not because Shen Chengwei had graciously allowed it.
In the corner, Sun Lili had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling.
They were scared just by this? But Young Miss hadn't even started yet.
Sun Lili had met Shen Yelan three years ago. Back then, she was sold by her parents, who had gambling debts, and was saved by Shen Yelan. From then on, she was personally taught by Shen Yelan and had witnessed what this girl who was years younger than her was capable of.
These people had no idea what was coming.
Shen Chengwei's face went from red to purple. "Yo-you..." He could barely get the words out.
"Which reminds me... why isn't Grandfather here for dinner? Is he so sick that he can't even leave his room anymore?" She asked worriedly. The way she said this made Shen Chegwei and Feng Xie panic. Why did it feel like this girl knew something? But then, thinking about how she was just a girl who had lived in the countryside, they thought they must be overthinking things.
"No...I should go and visit him myself."
She actually started to push her wheelchair back from the table.
"Stop right there!" Feng Xin exclaimed.
Shen Yelan looked at her, clearly startled. Shen Wanwan and Shen Wei also looked surprised at her mother.
Feng Xin seemed to realize how she must look. She cleared her throat and smiled, "I mean... Father gets his meals sent to his room now. The doctor has been very specific about his rest schedule. Unless it's truly urgent, it's better not to disturb him."
The twins immeditly understood what their mother was trying to do since she had never stopped them from visiting Old Master Shen. In fact, she was the one who encouraged them to spend time with him.
"Oh, that's understandable," Shen Yelan said, nodding her head. She rolled back to the table. "I wouldn't want to disturb his rest."
Feng Xin's smile relaxed slightly. "I'm glad you understand." She gestured to one of the maids standing nearby. " I knew that your health was not good, so I had the kitchen prepare seperate meal for you."
The maid stepped forward and placed a bowl in front of Shen Yelan. Inside was plain white rice porridge. Compared to the feast on the table, it looked quite pitiful.
She smiled. "Thank you, Aunt Feng."
"It's nothing at all. We're family, after all. Eat it before it gets cold."
Shen Yelan picked up a spoon and put it in her mouth. She lowered her gaze, and something old flashed in them which went unnoticed by others.
It was one thing to serve her plain porridge while everyone else ate a feast, to lace that porridge with the same slow-acting poison they'd been using on Old Master Shen? These people really did have a death wish.
Shen Yelan continued eating as if everything was perfectly normal. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Shen Chengwei and Feng Xin exchange a satisfied glance before they both returned to their own meals.
"I am so glad you are back, sister. I would often think about you and wonder how you were doing. If it weren't for that accident..." Shen Wanwan suddenly paused, her eyes going wide as if she'd just realized something. "Oh! But I probably shouldn't bring up the past. I hope you won't get mad at me."
Shen Yelan waved her hand, "It's fine. I don't remember it anyway."
That was what Shen Yelan had initially told everyone when she woke up in this body. It was a way to protect herself and stop others from asking questions.
"You still don't remember anything?" Shen Wei asked, suddenly looking interested. Is it like the memory loss they show in movies? Do you get nightmares about things, but then you can't quite remember when you wake up?"
"A-Wei, don't be impolite," Feng Xin chided, though she did not sound like she was actually scolding him. "Don't mind him. He is still young. I hope you understand."
"Of course, Aunt Feng. I understand." I understood that he is still young, just two months younger than her.
Feng Xin smiled, but her hand clenched under the table. Why wasn't this going the way it was supposed to? This girl used to be so easy to provoke. She would explode at anything they used to say to her that would make Shen Chengwei furious, which would lead to shouting and punishment and everyone being reminded that Shen Yelan was nothing but trouble.
But now, she was taking everything with a smile. Or maybe she was indeed angry but was just pretending to put a positive image before her father. Ha! That should be it. She realized that this girl had learned how to wear a mask. But what to do? It was no use. Shen Chengwe hated her from the core. And more importantly, she wasn't going to live long enough for any of it to matter.
What she did not realize was that she was only partially correct. Shen Yelan was indeed wearing a mask. But it was not her who was going to die.
"But everything else aside, we really are so happy to have you back home. Like Wanwan said, we've missed you. Now that you're here, our family is finally complete again." Feng Xin said.
Shen Yelan tilted her head, a small frown appearing on her face. "That can't be right, Aunt Feng. The family won't truly be complete until the elder brother is back."
Feng Xin's smile stiffened. One bastard had just walked back through the door, and now she was already talking about bringing back the other one.
She stole a glance towards her husband, and sure enough, she saw the distant look on his face. She mentally cursed.
Shen Chengwei might hate Shen Yelan because of her mother, but he actually cared about his eldest son born from his first marriage. When that boy had left to live with his maternal family, Shen Chengwei had done everything he could to bring him back. But that family was too powerful compared to them, and there was an unknown grudge that she had never been able to uncover. But she knew it was the reason why the father and son had become estranged. Feng Xin had been grateful for it, because as long as that boy stayed away, her own son's position as heir was secure.
But she knew that Shen Chengwei would still sometimes think of him. There was no way she could let that boy come back, or else everything she'd worked for would be threatened.
Shen Yelan enjoyed the myriad of emotions on their faces and continued eating. She had already sown the seed of chaos. Now all she had to do was sit back and watch it grow.