After Marrying the Cold and Elegant Beauty, I Fell in Love (GL) - Chapter 24.1

Shi Nianxue’s exquisite doll-like face was currently furrowed. Grabbing Han Shuangshuang’s hand, she walked toward the second floor, pushed open a room, shoved Han Shuangshuang inside, then shut the door behind them.

“Didn’t you say you knew the way home? If you know the way home, then how could you not remember which room is yours? Did you have to run so eagerly to Shen Yuru’s side like you were throwing yourself at her and embarrass yourself in front of the Shen family?”

Han Shuangshuang did not know where Shi Nianxue had gotten such a huge temper from, flying into a rage at her the moment she saw her.

Usually, Han Shuangshuang was kind to others and always smiled.

But when facing Shi Nianxue, her body still instinctively surged with anger, as though she had to oppose Shi Nianxue no matter what.

Han Shuangshuang felt uncomfortable all over. That unwillingness made her feel as if her heart were being scratched, always wanting to find someone to fight. “I already said you don’t need to care about me. Who I like, whose side I love to run to—what does that have to do with you? Back then, you chose to go abroad. That meant you gave up on me. So what are you pretending to care for now?”

When she said the words “go abroad,” Han Shuangshuang paused. Many memories that did not belong to her surged into her mind.

[System: Warm reminder to Host. This is the plot between the original owner and Shi Nianxue. Please receive it properly.]

In Han Shuangshuang’s mind, those fragments passed like a revolving lantern. She was not affected by those memories. Instead, it was more like watching a movie.

The original owner’s father and his mistress had long been fooling around together, but at that time, the original owner’s mother was still alive, though her health was not very good.

Back then, in order to find the original owner a companion, the original owner’s mother adopted Shi Nianxue from an orphanage. But after the original owner’s mother passed away, the original owner’s father and the mistress remarried, and the original owner’s days became increasingly difficult.

The original owner placed her hopes on Shi Nianxue, but Shi Nianxue chose to stand on the side of the original owner’s father and that mistress. She took the father’s money and went abroad to study, then disappeared without a word.

Only recently had she suddenly appeared on the university campus again, saying that she had returned as an exchange student and was studying as a sophomore at the same university.

Han Shuangshuang sighed. No wonder the original owner’s body instinctively rejected Shi Nianxue. To the original owner back in high school, Shi Nianxue had been her only spiritual support, her final straw.

Yet at that time, Shi Nianxue had abandoned her without mercy.

Without anyone to rely on, the original owner could only be bullied by her stepmother and stepsister. Then those bad rumors were spread, she became more and more rebellious, and that led to her tragic ending.

Shi Nianxue looked at Han Shuangshuang with an expression of hating iron for not becoming steel. “When will you become a little more sensible? You’re already in university. You can change your own fate now, so why are you still fooling around? If Auntie’s spirit in heaven saw you like this, do you think she would feel at ease?”

After learning all the entanglements between Shi Nianxue and the original owner, Han Shuangshuang felt that Shi Nianxue had even less right to criticize her.

“In terms of identity, you were only a child adopted by my mother. The two of us aren’t related by blood, so you can’t be considered my older sister at all. In terms of affection, back when I was at my lowest and darkest point, you abandoned me and left, running toward a better life. That makes you even less qualified to point fingers at me now.”

Shi Nianxue sighed and softened her tone a little, as though changing her attitude and wanting to guide Han Shuangshuang patiently so she would finally understand. “You’re the one who keeps clinging to the past. Auntie has already passed away, and Uncle has a new life too. Why can’t you accept that? Look at your room. It’s completely new. No one has mistreated you. Why can’t you think in a better direction?”

Han Shuangshuang looked toward where Shi Nianxue pointed. Indeed, this room had been decorated in a very princess-like style. The walls were painted pink, the curtains were pink, and even the mosquito net hanging over the bed was pink.

The room was spotless. In the corner, there was a fluffy rug, and several cartoon dolls were placed on top of it.

The room was very large and had its own independent bathroom and walk-in closet. The closet was filled with all kinds of clothes, and on the dressing table inside, expensive cosmetics were arranged neatly.

But Han Shuangshuang suddenly laughed self-mockingly a few times.

If she had not lived under someone else’s roof in her original world, perhaps she would not have been able to see it.

Because this room was thoroughly and completely the original owner’s stepmother’s hypocrisy and mask.

Han Shuangshuang looked at Shi Nianxue, her expression changing slightly. She looked at her with pity. “When I was little, I thought that even if everyone else didn’t believe me, you would still believe me. But I never expected that you’d be just as stupid and ignorant as that group of people.”

Han Shuangshuang automatically entered the original owner’s emotions and slowly spoke to Shi Nianxue. Her voice was so calm there was not the slightest ripple, as though that pain had already passed.

Now, to her, she was only an outsider who found this matter ridiculous, using an extremely calm narrative tone to slowly tell Shi Nianxue, “This room is indeed very nice. But don’t you think… something is missing? It’s missing a bit of the feeling that I actually live here. The tissue on the bedside table was just opened, and the first sheet is still lying on top, completely unused. The cosmetics on the vanity are all brand new. Only the packaging was opened, but none of them have ever been used. The clothes hanging in the walk-in closet don’t match my style at all. They’re just old clothes Han Ruhua wore before, stuffed inside to put on a show. The room is so clean, but the toilet plunger beside the toilet in the bathroom is covered in dust. If you looked even more carefully, you’d notice the tags on the four-piece bedding set haven’t even been removed. She set this up to put on a show for all of you. But every single one of you believed it. Every single one of you kept telling me that my life was already good enough, that after having a stepmother, being treated like this was already not bad. But who ever thought about the fact that this woman was a mistress who climbed into power? Everything she owns now originally belonged to me and my mother. Even this family business my father built originally belonged to my mother. They stole what belonged to my mother and still pretend to be kind here. Even you’re the same. You’re clearly also one of the people who benefited, yet you turned around to criticize me, the person who lost everything. Isn’t that too much?”

For the first time, Han Shuangshuang said such a long string of words in front of Shi Nianxue.

Shi Nianxue looked at Han Shuangshuang’s extremely distant eyes and suddenly froze. Her gaze was filled with astonishment, as though she had never expected Han Shuangshuang to think this way.

She felt that everything she had done had been for Han Shuangshuang’s sake.

A few years ago, they had still been too young. She knew Han Shuangshuang was unhappy, but she knew even more clearly that she, at that time, could not bring Han Shuangshuang any change. She did not even have the ability to protect Han Shuangshuang properly.

So she had no choice but to endure. She had also wanted to teach Han Shuangshuang to endure, to tell Han Shuangshuang that as long as she endured for a while, better days would come later.

That was why she chose to study abroad. She wanted to grow as much as possible in the shortest amount of time, to gain the ability to let Han Shuangshuang live well. At the very least, she wanted them to be able to escape this family.

But she had not expected that in three years, Han Shuangshuang would change so much.

Han Shuangshuang used to rely on her very much. Every day, she followed behind her and called her Xuexue. Shi Nianxue asked her to call her older sister, but Han Shuangshuang never agreed to change it, saying that older sisters and younger sisters could not be together.

In the past, Shi Nianxue had always treated Han Shuangshuang like a child, treating her as her own younger sister to dote on and indulge.

But after she went abroad, she realized how much she missed Han Shuangshuang. Only then did she understand her feelings for Han Shuangshuang.

However, after returning to the country, the first thing she did was go back to the Han family, only to discover that Han Shuangshuang was not home at all.

After she finally finished the enrollment procedures and arrived on campus, she saw Han Shuangshuang together with Shen Yuru. The campus rumors were boiling over, saying Han Shuangshuang was pursuing Shen Yuru.

Her remaining rationality instantly collapsed. All her longing and jealousy surged together, and she only wanted Han Shuangshuang to immediately return to her side, to follow behind her like before.

But a grown child could not be controlled at all. The more she wanted to hold on tightly, the further Han Shuangshuang was pushed away by her.

“Shuangshuang…” Shi Nianxue’s throat suddenly became very dry. So many things had happened in three years. She wanted to explain all of it to Han Shuangshuang, but she did not know where to begin. All her words stuck in her throat, and not a single sentence came out.

After going abroad, aside from studying every day, she had missed Han Shuangshuang. She did not dare spend too much money, because she had to save it for her and Han Shuangshuang’s future life.

Every day, when she opened her eyes and found that Han Shuangshuang was not beside her, she could only walk outside and look up at the sky, thinking about whether Han Shuangshuang was also on the other side, looking up at the sky and missing her. Only then could her lonely and irritable emotions be soothed a little.

Han Shuangshuang sighed. After saying such a long string of words, the original owner’s emotions had finally been vented through her. Now, she could finally face Shi Nianxue rationally. “Forget it. It’s all in the past. Telling you so much is useless. I already have a new life now.”

The moment she heard Han Shuangshuang say “new life,” Shi Nianxue instantly felt dizzy, as though something exploded with a boom in her head.

Shi Nianxue’s eyes were red as she grabbed Han Shuangshuang’s wrist with some force. “What is this new life you’re talking about? Being with Shen Yuru? Shen Yuru’s parents are already dead. She herself is a puppet. What good life can you possibly have with her?”

Hearing Shi Nianxue say this, Han Shuangshuang frowned. She did not like other people slandering Shen Yuru.

“What happens between Shen Yuru and me is between us. Three years ago, we already cut off all ties and went our separate ways. Three years later, you have even less right to interfere in my business. In the future, don’t casually point fingers at me and Shen Yuru either. I especially don’t want to hear slander about Sister Shen from your mouth.”

Han Shuangshuang did not want to keep entangling herself with Shi Nianxue. She wanted to see how Shen Yuru was doing.

Even Shi Nianxue, who had been abroad for three years, knew Shen Yuru was a puppet of the Shen family.

One could imagine how Shen Yuru’s life was like walking on thin ice.

She absolutely could not let Shen Yuru’s blackening value increase because she had left.

Just as Han Shuangshuang intended to open the door and leave, Shi Nianxue subconsciously tried to stop her, but failed.

Because Shi Nianxue remembered the reason she had come looking for Han Shuangshuang.

After what happened to Han Ruhua, Han Shuangshuang’s father had flown into a rage, and Han Shuangshuang’s stepmother was also looking for Han Shuangshuang, pushing all the blame onto her.

And today’s so-called banquet was arranged because Han Shuangshuang’s stepmother wanted Han Shuangshuang to show herself.

Shi Nianxue had come looking for Han Shuangshuang precisely to make her hide and avoid showing herself too much.

But before Shi Nianxue could speak, Han Shuangshuang had already disappeared from her sight.

……

The Han family lived in a detached villa with a very large garden.

Many servants were bustling about, preparing food for the banquet.

Shen Yuru was still sitting in the room where the Shen family was being received.

After Han Shuangshuang left, the Shen family members also began speaking noisily, their words carrying hidden sarcasm.

“Yuru really is capable. She can even befriend a daughter of the Han family at school. It’s just that I heard this Han Shuangshuang’s character doesn’t seem very good…”

The one who spoke was Shen Yuru’s eldest aunt, her voice somewhat sharp.

As she spoke, her eyes carried a mean and mocking sneer.

Someone from the countryside, once she had money, would become the tackiest kind of nouveau riche, because this money had not been obtained through her own efforts.

“That’s right. The Han family’s position in the business world right now is no small matter. If we can obtain cooperation with the Han family, our Shen family’s status will also rise along with the tide. The profit for this year alone could be tens of millions.”

Shen Yuru’s second uncle also echoed along.

The company Shen Yuru’s parents had painstakingly managed was gradually weakening because these relatives did not understand business management. But a starving camel was still bigger than a horse, so those people could just barely keep it going.

Moreover, ever since Shen Yuru entered university, she had quietly stretched her hand into the company’s internal affairs. One day, she would take back the right to manage it.

“If Han Shuangshuang likes our Yuru this much, it would be wonderful if the Han family and Shen family could form a marriage alliance.”

A cold light instantly appeared in Shen Yuru’s lowered phoenix eyes. However, those people were all discussing among themselves and immersed in their own fantasies, so no one noticed.

Old Madam Shen struck her cane against the floor, and the room instantly quieted down considerably. “All right, stop talking. What matters most for Yuru right now is finishing her studies. After all, this is her parents’ company. Once she graduates, she still has to enter the company to help and take over as soon as possible.”

Shen Yuru slowly stood and said to Old Madam Shen, “Grandmother, I feel a little stuffy. I want to go out for some air.”

Old Madam Shen looked at Shen Yuru’s slightly pale complexion and nodded. “Go take a walk outside. If you run into that child Han Shuangshuang, interact with her more. It won’t do you any harm.”