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Chapter 10 Calling Off The Engagement

  • Her engagement to Feng Kaize was an agreement between her late mother and Li Wanying when they were babies. The two ladies were the best of friends, and after Li Wanying had married up, she wanted to help her best friend as much as possible. Even after Shang Qing’s mother passed away, Li Wanying insisted on keeping this engagement, otherwise Master Feng would not have agreed to let his son marry her.
  • In her previous life, after her reputation was left in tatters by those two men the night before, Li Wanying initially refused to call off the engagement, but after tremendous pressure from the family, she had no choice but to take back the jade thumb ring.
  • After that, whenever she was in trouble, Li Wanying would come to her rescue. Unfortunately she was a weak person in her previous life and felt that she had let Li Wanying down, so she eventually let herself be bullied to death and did not call for help.
  • “Qingqing, you’re here so early?”
  • Shang Qing smiled, “I have to come in person to settle something, sorry to disturb you, Auntie.”
  • Feng Kaize lifted his head from behind the computer when he heard what the servant said.
  • He had a pair of beautiful but extremely sharp eyes, black yet slightly purplish. Each time he shot someone a stare, that person would feel under extreme pressure. “What’s she here for?”
  • Feng Kaize thought that she had come to harass him and furrowed his brows.
  • She did say that she would come to call off the engagement, but Feng Kaize did not take those words seriously – if this woman is so obedient, I’ll thank her instead.
  • The servant stuttered, “Young Master, she’s here to call off the engagement…”
  • “What?!” Li Wanying got up with a start. “I will not agree to this!”
  • Shang Qing already predicted that she would respond like this, so she smiled gently and tried to explain, “Auntie, listen to me…”
  • “Did Kaize say something to you last night? Or perhaps last night…”
  • Li Wanying thought to herself, could it be that those two scoundrels did something to Qingqing? But she had asked her son last night, and even though he was annoyed by the question, he still said that she hadn’t been defiled…
  • So her son must have done something!
  • Shang Qing shook her head. Her tone of voice was still pleasant and lovely as ever, but it was missing weakness, carrying confidence instead.
  • “I am very grateful that Young Master spoke up for me and cleared the misunderstanding last night. However, calling off the engagement is my own choice.” Li Wanying was even more confused – didn’t Qingqing like her son very much? Kaize must have done something behind her back!
  • “Qingqing, be honest with me. Did Kaize say something to you last night? You’ve had…relations with Kaize, did he say he didn’t want to be responsible for what had happened?!”
  • Shang Qing gave a wry smile – Li Wanying was so angry, as if someone else’s son had bullied her daughter.
  • It filled her heart with warmth and much patience.
  • She saw that Li Wanying was about to speak, and quickly interrupted her, “Auntie, that was an accident and I was a willing party, so there’s no need for Young Master to be responsible for anything. As for today, it is because I’ve straightened out my thoughts.”
  • “Look over there…”
  • Shang Qing pointed to the painting in the middle of the living room. Li Wanying didn’t understand why she was pointing at the painting, and continued staring at her. Shang Qing smiled and continued, “This is a genuine landscape painting by the great Yuan Dynasty artist, Po Daozi, right? Anywhere else it would be considered a great treasure, but in the Feng house this is just another ordinary item.”
  • Li Wanying still did not understand what she was getting at.
  • Shang Qing picked up the cup in her hand, “And this golden enamel cup was used solely by French royalty – each set costs more than ten million, and is now valued at a much higher price than its original value.”
  • Not only that – the sofa she sat on, the tea she drank and everything else she could see, were not things that just any normal wealthy family owned, much less the Shang family who couldn’t even be considered wealthy.
  • Li Wanying suddenly understood what she was driving at.
  • She frowned deeply, “Qingqing, these are all material things!”
  • She looked at Shang Qing and said with a serious voice, “As long as both of you get along, who cares what sort of family you’re from?”
  • The Feng family had more than enough material wealth for themselves already and didn’t need more from another family.
  • Shang Qing laughed at her naivety – but how could she get her point across? She used to be equally na?ve herself.
  • “That’s too bad – he doesn’t like me.”
  • She never thought that the day would come when she could say this plainly. She remembered that in her previous life, her reputation was tarnished and she was locked in the house by her father, but she managed to escape with much effort just so that she could explain things to Feng Kaize. Yet he had looked at her with such disdain…It was a pity that she did not understand this look back then, and she thought that Feng Kaize had merely misunderstood her.
  • Shang Qing’s calm voice made Li Wanying even more anxious. She knew that her son had no feelings for Qingqing, but still…
  • Shang Qing continued, “Also, Uncle Feng doesn’t really want me as his daughter-in-law, right? The Shangs were a family of doctors, but my father failed to carry on this tradition. And even if he continued, the Shang family would never be good enough for the Feng family, so you should go and look for a girl with a truly rich and powerful background, and not someone like me…”
  • At this point Shang Qing let out a small laugh, and said in a more relaxed manner, “Whenever I sat here I always felt like I didn’t belong here – every item here is too beautiful, too elegant, with an opulence I can’t find anywhere else. I know you want me to marry into the Feng family so that you can take good care of me, but Young Master Feng hates me, and I should take the hint.”
  • Shang Qing’s words made Li Wanying sad because it was true that her husband was not happy with Shang Qing as their daughter-in-law. But she felt that Qingqing was a good match – someone who was gentle and kind, genuine and honest.
  • She was a little weak and timid, but that was the fault of her stepmother, and she could relax after getting married.
  • “Qingqing, are you sure about this? Your stepmother and sister are not going to sit by and do nothing. If you call off this engagement, I don’t know how they’re going to mistreat you.”
  • Shang Qing smiled a little and said, “That would be considered our family issue, and so in the future no matter how crazy it gets in our family, it will not affect the Fengs. Auntie, I know you mean well, but please don’t risk the love Uncle Feng has for you for my sake. I will still continue to live well.”
  • Li Wanying was very disappointed – seeing how serious Qingqing looked, it seemed like there was no other way but to call the engagement off.
  • Shang Qing quietly waited for her to think this through. She knew that Li Wanying would understand that it was pointless to force two incompatible people together.
  • For some reason, as she sat there quietly, she emanated a sort of calming beauty. Even though the thick fringe covered her eyes, there was a peace that surrounded her as she accepted her reality.
  • The servants standing at the side held their breath, as if they were afraid to disrupt her.
  • If Shang Qing used to have the air of a stingy person, today it was as if she had the air of someone generously giving away pearls – just by sitting there, she looked like the daughter of an upper class family from ancient times, and it was hard to take your eyes away from her.
  • Every item in the Feng Manor was priceless to the average person on the street. But with Shang Qing in their midst, no matter how valuable they were, they were merely a backdrop for her.
  • Li Wanying was too preoccupied with other thoughts to notice this, but Feng Kaize noticed this as he watched from the top of the stairs.
  • He was stunned by this breathtaking sight, but he stopped himself with a click of his tongue. Since she’s so aware of her situation and she’s called off the engagement, what is there left for me to say?
  • Something tugged at his heartstrings, but he decided to ignore it, instead turning and going back upstairs.
  • Finally, Li Wanying let out a sigh.