The husband I snatched halfway through his life is strange.

The house was packed with guests, making the Shen family exceptionally lively.

Jia Shan arrived early, found a pavilion to sit down, and was surrounded by many ladies from prominent families trying to get close to him.

She just couldn't be bothered to pay attention.

Until someone came in and mentioned something that interested her.

"Madam Gu, I just came over and saw your daughter. Oh my, she's so gentle and sweet, I like her very much."

Jiashan glanced at the other person's fawning face but didn't recognize him.

But she smiled.

"Where are people?"

"They're training tigers over in the garden."

Jiashan: ?
Gu Wu: ?

Everyone: ? ? Gentle and soft? ?
Seeing that Jiashan was interested, the round-faced lady quickly explained in more detail.

"That white tiger of the general, with its shameless swagger, insisted on snatching the swing from the illegitimate daughter of the Shen family, but it collapsed as soon as it sat on it."

"It probably felt ashamed. So it covered its face and refused to get up, thinking that it was the illegitimate daughter of the Shen family in front who had broken it, and that the illegitimate daughter should apologize."

"Then I thought it was because the craftsman hadn't made the swing sturdy enough."

"The general's wife wants it to be reasonable."

The man paused for a moment.

"Then the general's wife thought about it and felt that what the tiger thought made some sense."

The principle of proximity makes it difficult to find craftsmen.

"So he helped Baihu extort ten taels of silver from the illegitimate daughter of the Shen family."

Then he praised the illegitimate daughter for being rich and generous! She liked it.

Jiashan: ...

Gu Wu: ...

Everyone:...

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Before the mirror, Shen Zhiyi painted a hibiscus flower on her forehead and dipped her fingertips in rouge, which she then spread across her lips.

A maid brought over a gilded jewelry box with a lotus scroll pattern, and Sister-in-law Shen stood aside, carefully selecting jewelry from it.

"There's no need for such trouble. I'm good-looking, so I look good in anything."

Shen Zhi noticed that she had been choosing a bracelet for a long time and couldn't help but speak up.

"We can't be careless."

Sister-in-law Shen gave her a reproachful look: "Not to mention that there are too many guests today, the groom will be coming to present the betrothal gifts later."

Shen Zhiyi's eyes flashed with unease. She casually picked up a red agate bracelet and put it on her wrist: "I went through so much trouble, did you expect me to dress up especially for him?"

"Sister-in-law, you've just finished your postpartum confinement period, don't overwork yourself."

"You're talking nonsense again."

Her skin was fair, and the bracelet looked bright on her. Sister-in-law Shen nodded secretly, her gaze gentle. She picked up a pair of agate teardrop earrings of the same color and put them on her.

"Am I that delicate?"

“Your brother has been married into the family for three years. He’s a good-for-nothing, addicted to gambling and incompetent. He can’t make up his mind about anything and is also despised and suppressed by his father as an illegitimate son. But he’s not a bad person at heart.”

"Don't be fooled by his complaints that you're too strict with him and don't act like a proper younger sister. You two can still argue when you meet. When he found out that Prince Xiao was going to marry you, he was overjoyed. He said he'd climbed the social ladder and no one would be able to look down on him anymore."

Shen Zhiyi gave a half-smile.

Not surprisingly.

“But last night your brother tossed and turned, and even got up in the middle of the night, saying he was worried that the Marquis of Zhongyong’s family was too prestigious and that you might be wronged.”

Shen Zhiyi paused slightly.

It left a somewhat unpleasant feeling.

It's true that she dislikes her brother.

A real man should stand tall and protect his mother and sister, but all these years, the brother has been asking her to protect him.

She has absolutely no ambition. And because she was too close to Shen's father, she's picked up some of his traits. To the point that her brother thinks the girls of the Shen family should sacrifice themselves like their aunt, which is despicable.

But in the end... they are siblings from the same mother.

"You know how much the family favors concubines over wives. If it weren't for your kind mother-in-law, your tendency to always put me first and think of me in everything, and your willingness to stand up to your mother-in-law, brother, and father-in-law, and to discipline the illegitimate children, we probably wouldn't be able to live like this."

“We’re doing well now, but it’s made my sister known for being fierce. I’ll always remember how good she is to me.”

"There's not much I can do as your sister-in-law, but I just want to dress you up nicely and make you look your best." If things go well in the beginning, they won't go badly in the end either.

She hoped that Shen Zhiyi's future would be smooth.

Many people outside are gossiping.

It is said that Shen Zhiyi must have given Xiao Huaiyan some kind of bewitching drug to secure this marriage.

Despite the large number of guests present today, how many truly offer their blessings? Most harbor ulterior motives.

Sister-in-law Shen wanted to show those people that her younger sister had caught the eye of the Marquis of Zhongyong's household; she was outstanding and blessed.

However, the necessary reminders still need to be given.

“Now that we’re engaged, things will be different from before. You should also restrain your temper in front of Prince Xiao.”

Shen Zhiyi felt that she might not be able to do it.

Sister-in-law Shen: "The wedding date is too rushed, but your dowry is something not only your mother is worried about, but even your father-in-law wouldn't dare to be careless. I've seen the list, and he paid for it out of his own pocket... This is your support, so don't be shy about accepting it."

Shen Zhiyi: ...

Will she feel embarrassed?

She actually felt it wasn't enough.

She felt she should drain Shen's father dry.

"Sister Yi".

A commotion could be heard outside.

Upon hearing the sound, Sister-in-law Shen's expression turned pale.

Shen Zhiyi didn't even lift her eyelids, and lowered her head to play with her folding fan.

"Someone who doesn't know their place has arrived."

As soon as the words were spoken, the door was pushed open, and an elderly woman wearing a headband and a deep purple silk skirt embroidered with auspicious and longevity patterns was seen being ushered in by a crowd.

Soon, the room became crowded.

"Oh my, Yi-jie looks really beautiful today."

Seeing that she remained motionless and did not rise to greet her, the old lady's eyes showed displeasure, but she quickly smiled. She stepped forward and took Shen Zhiyi's hand affectionately.

"What, don't you recognize me?"

"I always thought you were the luckiest among these younger generation."

Grandma Ge wiped away the tears that hadn't yet fallen from the corners of her eyes.

“It’s a pity your grandparents passed away early. There’s no old sage to help out at home, and I was really worried that your mother wouldn’t be able to manage, so I came over early this morning to help.”

“Yi-jie, I am your elder, and you should also call these people aunt and uncle. They all said they wanted to come and see.”

She then gestured for Shen Zhiyi to look at the people on the left.

"These people are from the Shen family's hometown. They came all the way here to pay their respects."

Before Shen Zhiyi could even respond, someone hurriedly said, "No, no, no. Miss, please do your hair first. We're not outsiders; it's good for us to chat here. There's no need for so many formalities."

Some people beamed and tried to get closer to him.

"The last time I saw Yi-jie was six years ago, and now, in the blink of an eye, she's about to get engaged."

Grandma Shen smiled, invited everyone to sit down, and instructed the servants to bring tea and water: "Who says otherwise? To be honest, I am also reluctant to let her go. Fortunately, the two families live close by, so even if the child marries into the family, she can still come back to visit during festivals."

After she finished speaking, her eyes darted around shrewdly.

"Yi-jie, I've watched you grow up, and I know my children are good-for-nothings, having accomplished nothing all these years. How about we ask your son-in-law to help us smooth things over?"

As soon as she spoke, the elders who were not very familiar with Shen Zhiyi also chimed in.

"Yes, it's good to help family members out. My master, you should call him uncle, his official rank hasn't been promoted in years..."

"Sister Yi, although my son failed the imperial examination, I still want to find him a government position. Do you think you could help me find a way out?"

Not a single word of it was coherent.

Sister-in-law Shen stepped forward: "We welcome everyone to our home today. But if you continue to say such nonsense, don't blame me for being impolite."

"My sister is busy here. If you don't want to lose face, why don't you go outside and sit down?"

Everyone looked at each other.

"This……"

Upon seeing it was her, Old Mrs. Ge curled her lip in disdain. She was taking advantage of her age to act like a spoiled brat.

"What are you saying? You've just had a son, and now he's putting on airs? That's outrageous."

(End of this chapter)