Please Marry Me (GL) - Chapter 23

Shen Siyun came downstairs from the second floor, originally intending to grab the bag she had left in the living room.

Xin Wenyue was leaning against the jade pillar railing on the second floor, watching the lively scene in the lobby below. “Shen Siyun, I heard from Xie Fulan that your little mistress ran away recently. Apparently, she even got married to someone else in a heartbeat.”

Shen Siyun’s footsteps faltered. Like a cat whose sore spot had been poked, her gaze turned unfriendly. “If you don’t speak, no one will think you’re a mute.”

Seeing her head down, Xin Wenyue’s mind whirred, and she followed, eager to watch the drama unfold.

The aunt spotted Shen Siyun coming down the stairs. “Come, come! Let me introduce the groom’s cousin, Shen Siyun. Her family runs a company.”

The aunt greeted them enthusiastically, then frowned deeply as she thought about the titles. “You two should follow the groom’s side and call her ‘Auntie’.”

The elderly lady pursed her aged lips and nodded. “Yes, call her Auntie.”

Shen Siyun’s gaze fell on Jiang Yi’s arm, which was hooked into Song Rao’s. She let out a soft, unreadable laugh. “She’s my niece?”

“Auntie Shen,” Jiang Yi called out stiffly with a stoic face.

The gloom in Shen Siyun’s heart vanished instantly.

“What a polite girl,” Xin Wenyue chimed in from the side.

“And this is the friend who came with your Auntie Shen, Xin Wenyue,” the aunt added.

Song Rao reached out her hand. “Hello.”

Xin Wenyue shook it, glancing at the Wangzai Milk Song Rao was carrying. “Is this for us?”

“It’s for the children.” Song Rao stood beside Jiang Yi; truth be told, she didn’t enjoy calling anyone “Auntie” either.

Xin Wenyue gave an “Oh,” then glanced back at Shen Siyun. “We quite like drinking it.”

“Song Rao, they wouldn’t actually steal a child’s snacks, would they?” Jiang Yi felt incredulous. The Wangzai Milk was meant for relatives with kids; neither of these two looked like children.

Song Rao mused, “I wouldn’t rule out the possibility.”

But since they had asked, they couldn’t exactly hide it, especially with the aunt and great-aunt watching. “If you like it, take some. It might help you… grow a bit.”

The other woman unceremoniously took it.

Shen Siyun had never seen anything as embarrassing as Xin Wenyue. Unable to watch any longer, she made an excuse to leave.

“It’s getting late. You two take the second room on the left on the second floor. You wives will sleep there tonight. Drop your bags and come down for dinner; the food in the hall is almost ready.”

“Alright, Auntie. We’ll head up now.”

Since the gifts were handed out, Song Rao led Jiang Yi and their luggage upstairs.

After setting their things down, Jiang Yi sat on the edge of the bed and massaged her knees. “Song Rao, today has completely exhausted me.”

“Rest for a bit. We have to go down to eat soon.” Song Rao took out their pajamas, thinking they should shower after dinner.

“I don’t want to go down to eat.” Jiang Yi rubbed her temples. She had thought she could handle all the relatives, but she hadn’t expected Shen Siyun to be among them.

Song Rao paused while organizing the clothes. “There are so many elders; we probably can’t skip it. Besides, think about it—with this new ‘aunt’ relationship, she probably won’t trouble you as much.”

“I hope you’re right.”

Knock, knock, knock.

“I’ll get it.” Song Rao put down the clothes and opened the door.

Outside stood the woman who had just asked for the milk, currently sipping from a can with a straw. “I heard you’re a professor?”

Song Rao frowned. She actually drank the kid’s drink? Wasn’t it too sweet? “Mhm.”

“My aunt’s daughter is a high school senior. She heard you teach chemistry and asked if you could help her with a few problems.”

“Why didn’t she come herself?” Song Rao asked, puzzled.

Xin Wenyue leaned against the doorframe. “She’s shy.”

“I can do it, but let’s talk after dinner. My wife and I just arrived and need to rest.”

Xin Wenyue disagreed. “Dinner is at least half an hour away. You don’t want to spend your post-dinner relaxation time tutoring a kid, do you?”

Song Rao considered it. True, she didn’t want to carve out her evening time for tutoring; that was too taxing.

“I’ll go with you.” Song Rao turned to give Jiang Yi a quick update, then left with Xin Wenyue.

Jiang Yi sighed in the room. As expected, Song Rao’s status meant she was destined to be a “tool” for teaching children. A high-quality tutor like her in Haizhe City would cost thousands per hour, and even then, she’d be hard to book.

If Jiang Yi had kids, she’d be exploiting Song Rao’s brain too.

Shen Siyun had been called away by her cousin to discuss the wedding procession for the next day. After finalizing the plan, it was nearly dinner time.

Shen Siyun used a “stomach upset” as an excuse to decline dinner. As she was leaving, Jiang Yi’s aunt stopped her. “Oh, Little Auntie, when you go upstairs, could you call Jiang Yi for me? Tell her and her wife to come down for dinner. She’s staying right next to you.”

Hearing the title “Little Auntie,” Shen Siyun felt a daze. She finally felt the sheer weight of the seniority gap.

“Alright.”

She turned and headed to the second floor. Stopping before a door that wasn’t fully closed, Shen Siyun raised her hand to knock.

The person inside was on the phone.

“Mom, I know. Auntie asked why you didn’t come today, and I told her you couldn’t handle the long drive… Yes, I greeted everyone. Don’t you trust me? Song Rao? She went to tutor someone’s daughter; she’ll be back in a bit.”

Jiang Yi heard the knock but didn’t look back, assuming it was Song Rao. “Song Rao, you’re back just in time. Come help me re-fasten my bra strap. One of the hooks seems to have come loose, and it’s hurting like crazy.”

“Mom, let me tell you, I am never doing these banquets for you again. You have no idea how bumpy the road was; I threw up bile.”

The sound of high heels approached from behind, stopping at her back.

Jiang Yi felt a hand reach for the zipper of her dress, slowly pulling it down. Cold fingertips slid across her skin, making her shudder.

“Song Rao, why are your hands so cold?” Jiang Yi frowned, about to turn around, but her mother, Zhong Zhilan, started another topic on the phone.

“Song Rao’s hands and feet are cold? Is she physically weak? Buy some supplements when you get back and brew some tonic for her.”

Jiang Yi turned her head back and continued chatting with her mother. “I know, I’ll ask a Chinese medicine doctor when I get back and get her some supplements.”

Just as the words left her mouth, Jiang Yi realized something was wrong. High heels? Song Rao didn’t wear heels.

The bra strap at her back tightened suddenly. She whipped around, slamming right into Shen Siyun’s mocking gaze.

Jiang Yi’s scalp went numb. She was about to demand what she was doing when she realized the phone was still on. She hung up immediately, clutching her chest as she backed away until she hit the edge of the desk.

She nearly knocked over the chair by her feet.

“Shen Siyun, what is wrong with you?” Jiang Yi slammed the phone face down on the desk and reached back to pull up her zipper, but forgot that from her angle, she couldn’t do it alone.

“Why is my niece so guarded?” Shen Siyun noted her defensive stance and let out a cold laugh. “As your Auntie, would I really trouble you?”

“Auntie Shen, have you ever not troubled me?” Jiang Yi retorted with a sour face.

“Jiang Yi, when are you getting a divorce?” Shen Siyun was becoming impatient. This woman used to be utterly dependent on her, always calling her “Sister” with joy whenever she was touched. Now, just because she was married to someone else, she looked at her with pure disgust.

The massive drop in status was something Shen Siyun still couldn’t accept.

“I won’t trouble Auntie to worry about it; Jiang Yi and I are not getting a divorce.” Song Rao appeared between them at some point, looking at Shen Siyun with a cold expression before turning to Jiang Yi.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

Jiang Yi shook her head.

“Let me fasten it for you.”

Jiang Yi turned around, trustingly exposing her slender, white back to her. “Help me check it. A hook came loose earlier, and it hurts.”

Song Rao looked at the hooks, which were already fastened perfectly. She adjusted her glasses and reached out, pretending to fasten them while speaking with a pointed tone. “Three of them were unfastened; only one was still holding. Are you sure only one came loose?”

The moment she said it, both Shen Siyun’s and Jiang Yi’s expressions changed.

“What?” Jiang Yi’s fingers tightened. Her opinion of Shen Siyun plummeted. This woman actually tried to molest her while her guard was down?

She had thought that with the new “Auntie and Niece” titles, Shen Siyun would have enough restraint not to cross the line.

Who would have thought she’d dare to unfasten her bra right under the noses of so many relatives and Song Rao?

“Auntie Shen, if there’s nothing else, please leave.” Jiang Yi kept her back turned, her voice cold as she ordered her out.

Shen Siyun looked at the two of them, her eyes narrowing as she let out a sharp, frustrated laugh. “Jiang Yi, you believe her? I was clearly fastening it—”

“Whether you were fastening it or unfastening it, Auntie Shen knows best in her heart.”