Stop pretending, the fake heiress is actually a master of metaphysics.

Shen Yingwei's face stiffened: "That's not what I meant... Xiao Jia, you've misunderstood me."

Song Daiqing frowned and said, "Isn't this too hasty? Niannian just returned to the Shen family..."

Shen Zhaozhang chuckled: "It's alright."

"Niannian has probably spent more time with President Gu than you and I have. Since Niannian has agreed, let's decide on this for now."

"It's just confirming that the engagement will continue, not that they'll get married right away. Nian Nian is only eighteen; we should wait until she finishes her studies before making any decisions."

The phrase "We've spent more time together than you and I" stung Song Daiqing for a moment.

She suddenly regained consciousness.

Putting aside their blood relation, she and Shen Nian were nothing more than strangers who had only known each other for a few days.

What did Shen Nian gain when she came to the huge Shen family all alone?

It was the contempt of several families, her repeated distrust, and her bias towards Shen Yingwei.

That was her own daughter; she should care for her meticulously and eliminate any distance or resentment.

Both palms and backs of hands are fleshy, that's nice...

But Shen Nian did nothing wrong.

It was Shen Yingwei who made the mistake.

How could she so indiscriminately side with and defend her?

Song Daiqing suddenly felt a little confused.

At the same time, several pieces of birthwood that Shen Yingwei had hidden in the room all silently developed a tiny crack.

The pieces with the most obvious cracks came from Song Daiqing, Shen Yingchuan, and Shen Yingjia, respectively.

Shen Nian did not notice the change in Song Daiqing's expression.

She carefully put away the antique hairpin, nodded slightly to Song Daiqing and Shen Zhaozhang, and said, "Since there's nothing else, I'll be going now."

Where are you going?

Shen Zhaozhang asked, unaware of the morning's conflict: "If you're missing anything, just have the butler buy it."

Shen Nian said calmly, "I will not be staying at the Shen family's residence permanently."

She glanced at Shen Yingwei and Song Daiqing, and said with a half-smile, "Besides, if I stay in the Shen family, I don't know how many traps I'll face. I have very limited patience, and who knows, if I push you too far one day, I might take action—for the sake of some people's safety, I'd better leave first."

Song Daiqing hurriedly said, "No, Niannian, Mom was wrong just now. I shouldn't have said that to you. Please don't go... okay?"

We should at least give her a chance to make amends.

"No, you're not wrong. You're just biased towards Shen Yingwei. People are all biased, I understand."

After Shen Nian finished speaking, she was too lazy to argue with him any further and turned to leave the tea room.

Gu Qiwen then stood up: "In that case, I won't bother you any longer. I will discuss the marriage with my grandmother."

"No need to send it."

Shen Yingjia said, "Then I'll be going now."

Then he slipped away and ran off.

Shen Zhaozhang glanced at Song Daiqing, then at Shen Yingwei, and said in a deep voice, "What exactly is going on? What did Shen Nian mean by what she just said?"

So Shen Yingchuan, who had just returned home at noon, received two pieces of news that were like bolts from the blue.

First, his sister, whom he had recently found, was to be married into the Gu family.

Secondly, her younger sister (suspected) ran away from home with her fiancé.

But that's a story for another time.

Shen Nian and Gu Qiwen finally let out a slow breath after leaving the mansion.

"Feel sorry."

Unexpectedly, Shen Nian spoke.

Gu Qiwen nodded: "Let's talk in the car."

In the car.

Holding the brocade box, Shen Nian asked, "Aren't you going to ask me why I agreed to the marriage?"

"You must have had to do this. But I don't think it's because you have any special feelings for me."

Shen Nian lowered her eyes and hummed in agreement: "I really can't reciprocate your feelings, I'm sorry."

"I agreed to the marriage because I needed it."

"I must get it; there's no room for error."

She opened the brocade box, revealing a simple hairpin inside. After examining it for a moment, she softly uttered a spell.

As she chanted the incantation, the hairpin began to emit a soft, white light.

Then, a fragment of indescribable shape, about the size of a palm, rose into the air and entered Shen Nian's brow.

It's truly a book written in the heavens.

Shen Nian let out a breath.

Although it was only a small part, it still gave her hope.

"Remember the pen I used when I drew the array for you? That was the Heavenly Secret Pen. The divine artifact that comes with the Heavenly Secret Pen is the Wordless Heavenly Book."

"This hairpin contains a part of a wordless book, but because it is a family heirloom of the Shen family, I have no choice but to resort to this tactic."

Shen Nian said, "I really don't like you—to be precise, I don't like anyone."

Inside the Rolls-Royce, the partition was lowered, separating the back seat into a private space where only Shen Nian and Gu Qiwen were present.

"The path I cultivate is the path of ruthlessness."

Gu Qi was stunned upon hearing this.

"I've read the storybooks of your time—you call them novels—and they contain a lot of accounts of the ruthless way, but I won't go into too much detail. In short, I won't be moved by emotions, so I won't like you."

"But since I have agreed to the marriage, I will do my best to be a suitable match. I will live with you for the rest of my life, and of course, I will not change my mind or leave, unless you wish to."

In other words, Shen Nian will accompany him for life and fulfill the duties of a partner.

However, she will not love him.

She was far removed from the seven emotions and six desires. The first time she knew what hatred was, it was because of the deaths of her master and senior brother.

Shen Nian's Dao heart shattered overnight, his spiritual platform became unstable, and almost all of his cultivation was dissipated.

Aside from "hatred," she may never have any other emotions in her life.

"I see."

Gu Qiwen comprehended the Dao.

He seemed to understand what Shen Nian meant by those words.

She was no ordinary person, nor was she truly "Shen Nian".

The real Shen Nian may have died long ago beneath that vast and complex tomb.

Sure enough, the next moment, Shen Nian paused and said, "My name is 'Shen Nian,' but I am not the original owner of this body, 'Shen Nian.'"

"In terms of age, I've probably lived for thousands of years, older than the antiques in museums. If the heavenly lightning during my tribulation hadn't killed me, I should have lived for at least several hundred more years. Compared to mortals, my life is indescribably long. So, I can only accompany you for this one lifetime."

Once this karmic debt is repaid in this life, Gu Qiwen's whereabouts in the next life will have nothing to do with Shen Nian anymore.

"I'm telling you this because we might be getting married, establishing a karmic connection. As my partner, you should know this. You can reconsider whether you really want to be my partner."

Sometimes, an excessively long life can be a painful curse for the friends and partners of an immortal.

If Gu Qiwen is unwilling—

"I do."

The next moment, Gu Qiwen spoke.

Gu Qiwen looked at Shen Nian without fear or doubt.

"To grow old with an immortal is my greatest fortune."

Before today, he had never dared to hope that he could become a partner with Shen Nian in the conventional sense.

"But is it worth sacrificing your entire mortal life for this scroll?"