Chapter 2
Su Xiaole felt like the world had turned completely surreal, but then again, maybe it was just brutally realistic—it was just that when reality exceeded your expectations, it took a while to process.
Hearing Shen Yu say “it doesn’t matter” made his chest feel tight and uncomfortable. He stirred his long-forgotten coffee absently. “What about Uncle Shen? How is he… how’s he handling this news?”
Uncle Shen was Shen Yu’s father, Shen Mo—the younger son of Old Master Shen. Shen Yu’s dad had never been involved in business matters and didn’t understand them, but he was well-known for different reasons. Specifically, he was known for nearly causing a family crisis due to his mental health struggles.
Old Master Shen’s capable and brilliant eldest son had died young, and his younger son battled psychological problems. Behind closed doors, people loved to gossip about this, treating the Shen family’s misfortunes like entertainment—as if laughing at their pain somehow elevated their own status.
Shen Mo had already been barely holding on after losing both his wife and his brother. A few years ago, some incident became the final straw—he’d collapsed completely, falling so ill he’d nearly succeeded in ending his own life. Su Xiaole couldn’t imagine what Uncle Shen would think upon learning that his son was sacrificing his marriage for the company, or what might happen if his mental state collapsed again.
“I haven’t mentioned Yan Jin to him,” Shen Yu said quietly. “His social circle is small—mostly university colleagues and fellow musicians. They have nothing to do with our world, so he doesn’t know about my… situation with Yan Jin.”
Bai Qingxian understood immediately. “So you’re lying to him.” Probably telling him the marriage was to someone he actually cared about.
Shen Yu neither confirmed nor denied it, which Su Xiaole and Bai Qingxian took as confirmation.
A friend’s marriage should normally be cause for celebration, but neither of them could manage to smile. Even a simple “congratulations” stuck in their throats. The usually cheerful Su Xiaole visibly deflated, sighing dramatically. “God, what a mess! I can already see the chaos waiting for you two!”
He wasn’t finished—his imagination was running wild. “And when you both eventually find your true loves, it’ll turn into a full-blown wealthy family soap opera—affairs, love triangles, corporate backstabbing, fighting over assets, or even worse… The more I think about it, the more terrifying it gets!”
Su Xiaole was spiraling. Shen Yu said earnestly, “You need to stop watching so many melodramas. I would never cheat during marriage. Grandfather cares too much about the family’s reputation—if I did anything to tarnish the Shen name, he’d literally break my legs.”
“We trust your character,” Bai Qingxian said, “but what about Yan Jin? I hear he’s quite popular with people.”
“He won’t either,” Shen Yu said with certainty.
Bai Qingxian raised an eyebrow, looking Shen Yu up and down. “You can be that sure?”
“We’ve been enemies for years—I at least understand him that well.” Shen Yu’s confidence was absolute. “He won’t, and he wouldn’t dare.”
Su Xiaole and Bai Qingxian exchanged a meaningful glance.
Shen Yu checked his watch. “In a few days, news of my marriage to Yan Jin will break. Everyone who needs to know will know. I came today because I felt you two deserved to hear it from me personally.”
“Wuwu,” Su Xiaole mock-sobbed. “I understand, dear friend. My poor Yu!”
“Who’s poor?” Shen Yu lowered his wrist. “I have things to do this afternoon. I’m heading out.”
“Is it urgent?” Su Xiaole asked hopefully. “Can’t we talk a bit longer?”
“According to the schedule, we need to exchange wedding gifts today. Time’s almost up—we have to finalize everything.”
Su Xiaole looked confused. “Schedule?”
“Didn’t I mention there was professional planning involved? From gift exchanges to public displays of affection for the media to the actual wedding ceremony—it’s a complete package with scripts for everything.”
Scripts! Even professional actor Bai Qingxian didn’t know how to react to that. “You two really have the most businesslike, crystal-clear marriage I’ve ever heard of!”
Bai Qingxian came from an entertainment industry family and owned part of an entertainment company. The coffee shop Shen Yu had chosen offered good privacy, so he didn’t need to wear his usual disguise of masks and sunglasses.
“Exactly.” Shen Yu smiled with complete indifference. “I’m off.”
After Shen Yu left and paid the bill, Su Xiaole and Bai Qingxian remained at their table. Having heard about Shen Yu’s situation, Su Xiaole had completely lost his appetite for the coffee and pastries. “How are we supposed to phrase wedding congratulations? What is any of this?”
Bai Qingxian sighed. “He’s always been like this—burying everything deep inside. The more something hurts, the less he talks about it. Everyone says he’s scheming and impossible to read, but they’re just not looking carefully enough. I’m going out of town soon, so you should spend more time with him.”
Su Xiaole nodded. “I was thinking the same thing. I hope it helps, at least a little.”
They patted each other’s shoulders in mutual support.
Three days later, Shen Yu and Yan Jin received their respective wedding gifts. The Shen family had gifted a winery; the Yan family, a small island. What lay before them were stacks of certificates and legal documents, all carefully packaged as presents.
Shen Yu held the paperwork and muttered to himself, “Tell me, is he insulting me, insulting me, or insulting me?”
Su Xiaole, the only other person in the room, looked completely lost. “Huh? What do you mean?”
“Look,” Shen Yu showed him the island’s aerial photo. “The way it sticks out around the edges—doesn’t the whole shape look like a turtle no matter how you look at it?”
Su Xiaole squinted at it. “…Why don’t you say it looks like a star?”
“Stars don’t look like this.” Shen Yu traced his finger around the photo. “Head, four limbs, and a tail.”
Su Xiaole hadn’t seen it at first, but with Shen Yu’s guidance, he was almost convinced. He sat down next to him, chin in his hands. “I think you just hate everything about him. As long as it’s from Yan Jin, you can find something wrong with it.”
Shen Yu made a noncommittal “mm” sound. Su Xiaole continued, “You’re not seriously planning to name it something like ‘Turtle Island,’ are you?”
The island was located overseas, and buyers had full naming rights after purchase. Shen Yu closed the folder. “I’m not naming it anything. I’m planning to sell it.”
“What?” Su Xiaole was shocked. “A wedding gift—can you even sell it?”
“Of course I can. It’s just for show according to the schedule, all about appearances. Same thing on my end—they prepared several options and I chose one. It has no real meaning, so keeping it would be pointless.”
Shen Yu thought to himself that if Yan Jin had personally chosen everything, sending an island wouldn’t be his style at all.
Su Xiaole clicked his tongue. “Alright… Now I’m genuinely curious how long this marriage of yours can possibly last with such an outrageous beginning.”
“Who knows,” Shen Yu said.
At the same time, across town, Yan Jin held his own documents and muttered, “Tell me, is he insulting me, insulting me, or insulting me?”
Only his sister Yan An’an was with him. She looked up, completely confused. “Huh?”
“Look at the winery’s location.” Yan Jin showed her the papers. “Just two hills over is an old crematorium.”
Yan An’an didn’t see the problem. “I know that place. Two hills away is pretty far!”
“The straight-line distance really isn’t that far,” Yan Jin insisted.
“That’s not how you measure it,” Yan An’an said helplessly. “The road there isn’t even a straight mountain tunnel—it winds all over the place. Besides, that crematorium moved away years ago. They’ve built residential complexes on the old site now.”
She gave him a look. “I think the location isn’t the real issue here—the problem is that the gift-giver’s name is Shen Yu, right?”
“Forget it.” Yan Jin set the documents aside. “I’ll sell it.”
Yan An’an was stunned. “A wedding gift—is that… appropriate?”
“It’s obviously a plan someone else prepared, and he just picked one to approve and sign off on. No heart, no meaning—what’s the point of keeping it?”
Yan Jin thought that if Shen Yu had personally decided everything himself, he definitely wouldn’t have chosen this location.
“Gege,” Yan An’an sat across from him seriously, “you’ve been fighting with Uncle for years. For something as major as marriage, how could you just let him make all the decisions?”
Yan Jin and Yan An’an had lost their parents in childhood and lived with their grandfather until he too passed away, leaving only their father’s brother as their remaining elder. Fortunately, the old master’s will had been clear and protected the siblings’ interests. Even so, it hadn’t been easy for Yan Jin to reclaim what was rightfully theirs from their uncle. His current position in the company had been hard-fought. With such a capable nephew, and their uncle being naturally narrow-minded, their relationship was predictably tense.
Currently, their uncle still held the top leadership position, and from that perspective, the heir apparent was his son, not Yan Jin.
“It’s not that I’m letting him decide,” Yan Jin explained. “Shen Yu is the heir to Shen Group. Uncle certainly doesn’t want me to have the Shen family’s backing, but when Old Master Shen makes a request, he has to agree whether he likes it or not. He definitely wanted his own son to marry Shen Yu,” Yan Jin smiled disdainfully, “but he should take a good look at what his son is actually like.”
Yan An’an blinked. “Are you praising Shen Yu in a roundabout way?”
“Am I? Don’t be ridiculous.”
Well, that would be impossible. Yan An’an bit her lip, her brow creasing with worry. “But you and Shen Yu can’t stand each other! I’ve always hoped you’d have a happy, harmonious family life.”
Yan An’an felt genuinely hurt. Having grown up without that stability made her crave it even more—she had a bone-deep longing for a warm, loving family. Yan Jin ruffled her hair comfortingly. “It’s fine. As far as marriage candidates go, he’s quite suitable.”
“Suitable how—just background and status?” Yan An’an pouted. “The most important thing—actually liking each other—you clearly don’t have!”
Yan Jin touched his chin thoughtfully. “And looks.”
Yan An’an was confused by his response. A few seconds later, she realized he was continuing his answer about suitability—he was saying Shen Yu’s looks were also suitable.
Yan An’an didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Are you trying to drive me insane? You haven’t seemed worried at all since hearing this news! Anyone who didn’t know better might think you’re marrying someone you actually like!”
Yan Jin changed the subject smoothly. “Stress less and sleep more—it’s better for your skin. I know what I’m doing. Don’t worry about me.”
Yan An’an huffed in frustration. “The things you do make it impossible not to worry! You promised to find me the world’s best sister-in-law, but you ended up marrying your mortal enemy instead.”
The more she thought about it, the more anxious she became. “It’s a business marriage—you’ll definitely end up using each other. What if the divorce proceedings get really ugly? After that, you’ll be a divorced man. What if your true love minds that baggage?”
His sister was wonderful in every way except for her overactive imagination and tendency to worry about everything. Yan Jin flicked her forehead gently. “Your brother just got married, and you’re already planning his divorce and second marriage. Read fewer melodramatic novels and spend more time on self-improvement instead.”
“I think reality is more melodramatic than any novel. You can marry Shen Yu—what’s impossible after that?” Yan An’an unconsciously rubbed her forehead, which didn’t actually hurt, and picked up her bag to leave. “I’m not staying here anymore. Being around you just makes me worry for no reason. You’ve already gotten the marriage certificate and planned a wedding—this train has left the station.”
She walked to the door but turned back with concern. “If you ever meet someone you truly love in the future, you have to speak up. If divorce ends up bankrupting you, worst case scenario, I’ll support you!”
“It won’t come to that. Now go pick out something beautiful to wear to my wedding.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
