Refused to Marry the Heir,Ended up with His Billionaire Uncle

“Tonight, Han Han’s future in-laws are coming to formally propose. Stay in your room and don’t wander around. Don’t offend any important guests, understand?” Chen Lingxi looked at her daughter with disdain. Luo Qiu lowered her gaze, her expression calm. “Got it, Mom.” Chenlingxi felt a wave of irritation in her chest. If outsiders knew she had a daughter who had just been released from prison, they would surely mock her to death. But thinking that the stepdaughter she had raised single-handedly was about to marry into the wealthy Shen family, the richest in the city, she felt a lot better. “I’ll have dinner sent to your room. Do not go wandering around. Remember that.” Seeing Luo Qiu nod obediently, Chen Lingxi finally left, reassured. Once the door closed, Luo Qiu stood in place for a while before taking in the room. It was the Qin family’s servant dormitory—not large, but fully equipped with appliances, furniture, and a private bathroom. Luo qiu had grown up without a father. Her mother, Chen Lingxi, remarried the wealthy businessman Qin Anxu from Haicheng when Luo qiu was five, living a comfortable life. Luo qiu, however, had been raised with hardship by her grandmother. The dormitory building was located behind the main house. Through the window, one could see the luxurious, golden-hued mansion. Tonight was the day the Qin family’s eldest daughter would receive the formal proposal from her future in-laws, so the entire Qin household was unusually busy. Judging from Chen Lingxi’s careful attitude, it was easy to guess that the guests were highly distinguished. Soon, evening arrived. Luo qiu sat at the table, holding a well-worn high school English notebook. Even with the windows closed, she could hear elegant piano music drifting from the main house. The rumbling in her stomach was completely out of place. Chen Lingxi had probably been too busy and had forgotten to send her food—she hadn’t eaten a single bite since morning. “Milo, go on!” Suddenly, the sounds of children playing outside came through, accompanied by excited barking. Under the dim light, Luo Qiu saw in the garden behind the main building several children teasing a large German Shepherd with a chicken drumstick. Perhaps it had eaten too much, because in the end, the dog refused to take it. The drumstick fell to the ground, and it sniffed it briefly before walking away indifferently. The children, bored, tossed the leftover drumstick aside and ran off with the dog to play elsewhere. Luo Qiu pressed her lips together and stared at the scene downstairs for a moment before quietly opening the door and tiptoeing out. The chicken drumstick had very little smell, almost no saltiness—the food was probably specially prepared for the German Shepherd, since pets shouldn’t eat salt. Sometimes, living felt even worse than being a dog, Luo Qiu thought calmly, her face expressionless. Suddenly. A black shadow shot out from the nearby bushes. The German Shepherd from before sprinted toward Luo Qiu, startling her. Just as the German Shepherd was about to pounce on her— “Come back.” A low, calm command sounded. The tone wasn’t harsh, yet it immediately quieted the overly excited dog. Luo Qiu’s heart jumped again—she hadn’t expected anyone to be there. Following the sound, she looked over and saw— A tall, imposing figure casually walking out from behind the bushes. As the darkness gave way to light, the man’s features became clear. He wore a black shirt and dress pants, the collar of the shirt secured neatly with a delicate silver pin. Crisp and precise, he exuded a restrained, commanding masculinity. His gaze was calm and steady, yet that very calm carried an unspoken authority, making one dare not act recklessly in front of him. “Scared?” The man stopped in front of Luo Qiu and spoke in a low, magnetic voice. He slightly leaned forward, extending his hand toward the girl. “Get up.” It was then that Luo Qiu realized she had been so frightened she had fallen to the ground. She looked at the man’s hand—large, with well-defined knuckles and long, strong fingers. Lowering her eyes, she didn’t reach out to take the stranger’s hand. Instead, she pushed herself up using the ground. The man’s kind gesture was ignored, but he showed no displeasure. Casually withdrawing his hand, he looked at the little pitiable figure in front of him. The girl was very young, with delicate brows and bright eyes, fair skin, and red lips. Her figure was extremely slender, especially her waist, so tiny it seemed it could be snapped with a pinch. Despite her thinness, her face was full of youthful plumpness, and the parts that should be curvy were indeed full and soft. “You’re the new maid from the Qin family?” The man’s voice was magnetic, and in the darkness, it sounded casual yet commanding. “Go that way, turn left, and at the end is the staff canteen.” He paused for a moment, then added, “Don’t eat what’s on the ground—it’s dirty.” From his tone, Luo Qiu could tell he wasn’t from the Qin family. He must be the distinguished guest her mother had repeatedly warned her not to offend. Not wanting to upset her mother, she said nothing and turned to leave. Shen Yiqing’s gaze fell on her—not harsh, not light—but its weight pressed on her like a thousand pounds, making her spine tense. Luo Qiu quickened her pace. Shen Yiqing stood in place, watching the little girl flee, letting out a faint, amused smile. Rarely had he tried to be kind, only to be ignored. … Shen Yiqing returned to the guest hall, with the German Shepherd obediently following at his feet. Chen Lingxi’s smile was full of flattery. “Mr. Shen, it’s just in time that you’re back. We were just talking about where to hold the wedding. Hanhan wants to go to New Zealand, Zhiyan wants to go to France. What do you think? Whose choice should we follow？” Originally, it should have been Shen Zhiyan’s parents coming to the Qin family to propose, but they had urgent matters and couldn’t make it. That was why Shen Yiqing was sent in their place. As Shen Zhiyan’s paternal uncle and the one in charge of the Shen family, Shen Yiqing’s presence carried even more prestige than his parents would have. The Qin family’s guest hall had a round table five meters in diameter, filled with people, all hoping to speak with Shen Yiqing today. Hearing Chen Lingxi’s words, Shen Yiqing let out a light chuckle, his tone neither cold nor warm. “Children can decide such matters themselves. At my age, I shouldn’t interfere.” Chen Lingxi detected the subtle indifference in his voice and forced a polite smile. Noticing the mocking glances others were sending her way, she clenched her teeth. At 9:30, Shen Yiqing and Shen Zhiyan left the Qin family residence. In the Maybach, Shen Zhiyan’s face was clouded over; he was absent-minded, showing none of the joy that should accompany an engagement. Shen Yiqing glanced at him calmly. “Frowning all night. What’s the matter? Something on your mind?” Shen Zhiyan glanced at his uncle’s imposing expression and fell silent for a moment before speaking. “I… I kind of regret it. Could I…?” “No.” Shen Yiqing interrupted sternly, taking on the elder’s authority to lecture him. “Breaking off an engagement right after it’s made—do you think marriage is a game?” Shen Zhiyan sensed his uncle’s displeasure and realized he had been acting recklessly. He dared not say more. After a while, he muttered gloomily, “But I can’t forget her…” Shen Yiqing knew that the ‘her’ Shen Zhiyan was talking about was his ex-girlfriend, from whom he had been separated for four years. “A woman who has been to prison, and you still dwell on her after all this time?” Shen Yiqing lit a cigarette, exhaling the smoke casually, his eyes narrowing slightly. There was a hint of frustration in his tone, as if scolding him for being stubborn. Extending his hand out the window, he tapped the ash slowly, his words calm to the point of coldness: “She will never set foot in the Shen family in this lifetime. You must let go of her completely.” Not even Shen Zhiyan’s parents, let alone himself, would allow a woman who had been in prison to tarnish his nephew’s reputation.