Beneath the Marriage Pact

Chapter 8: Engagement Invitations, Hidden Dangers (1)

The draft of the engagement invitation was spread out on the long table in the living room of the Ling family. Shen Yuwei circled the "floral details" column with a fluorescent pen, and the fine gold bracelet on her wrist rustled against the paper. "Sister, do you think this champagne-colored rose is okay? Mr. Ling said it should be low-key. I'm afraid the old man won't like it too bright."

Shen Zhixia had just come down from upstairs, holding a cup of warm water in her hand, and glanced at the names on the draft - "Groom: Ling Xu 'an Bride: Shen Zhixia", the handwriting was specially written by Ling Xu 'an with a calligraphy teacher, and the ink color was warm. "Pretty good, you'll do it." She has been so busy with the mass production tests of the Starlight Project that she has largely left the trivial matters of the engagement party to Shen Yuwei - after all, she is the nominal sister, and it's not right for her not to be able to distinguish any work.

"Shall I save the electronic version first? Shen Yuwei picked up the tablet and tapped the screen quickly with her fingertips. "The print shop is urging for the final version. Shall I send it directly to their email?"

"Send it." Shen Zhixia didn't think much of it and went to the window to look at the gardenias in the yard - the ones Ling Xu 'an had had transplanted yesterday, saying they would be placed at the main table on the day of the engagement.

Shen Yuwei looked up and glanced at her, seeing that she didn't turn back, her finger paused in the "bride" column, pulled up the associative word of the input method and changed "Zhixia" to "Yuwei". The screen light reflected the smile at the corner of her mouth, as fast as an illusion. "By the way, sister," she pretended to ask casually, "your phone just rang. It seems to be Assistant Chen. Do you want a call back?"

"No need. It's probably about the laboratory. Let's talk about it later." " When Shen Zhixia turned back, she had already put away her tablet and was lowering her head to sort out the list of flowers on the table. Her profile looked quite obedient.

At three o 'clock in the afternoon, Shen Zhixia's phone suddenly exploded - wechat group message alerts sounded like machine guns, and the top "college best friends group" was 99+ red. She casually clicked on it, and the first one was a screenshot: "Ling's CEO Engagement invitation Leaked, the Bride Turned Out to be Shen's adopted daughter Shen Yuwei!" The illustration was the electronic version of the invitation sent by Shen Yuwei to the print shop, with the word "Shen Yuwei" in bold and red, stinging the eyes.

Followed by the voice of the best friend, fuming: "Zhixia, look at the hot search! # Shen's adopted daughter takes over # has jumped to second place! Which damn thing is doing it? !"

Shen Zhixia's hand gave a sudden jolt, and warm water splashed onto the phone screen. She quickly wiped her hands clean and clicked on the trending topics, followed by a bright red word "blast". It was full of press releases from the media, each with a more heart-wrenching headline: "The legitimate daughter Shen Zhixia is abandoned, Ling Xu 'an turns to marry Shen Yuwei" "Insiders: Shen Yuwei and Ling Xu 'an have been in contact for a long time, Shen Zhixia is just a shield".

The comment section was even more chaotic, with some criticizing her for "occupying a latrine and not defecating", some sympathizing with her for "finally making it", and others digging up photos of her in an orphanage as a child and saying "No one wants her".

With trembling fingertips, she flipped to the bottom and saw a Weibo post from two minutes ago - it was Shen Yuwei's own account, and the content was very "innocent" : "Don't guess, it's a typographic error ~ The name on the invitation is sister Shen Zhixia, I'm just running errands ~ attached: paper copy of the invitation (P.S.) Sister's name is so nice ~)"

Shen Zhixia clicked on the "paper sample" she had attached, her pupils suddenly constricted - it was not the original version written by the calligraphy teacher at all, it was modified by Shen Yuwei with PS! The strokes of the original "Shen Zhixia" were a bit whitish, and her photoshopped handwriting was so stiff that it was obvious it was fake.

It was intentional. It wasn't a "typesetting error" at all. She wanted to release the electronic version to stir up public opinion first and then send out a fake paper version "clarification" to confirm the illusion that "she is the main one and Shen Zhixia has been replaced"!

"Shen Yuwei!" Shen Zhixia, clutching her phone, rushed downstairs. The living room was empty except for the list of flowers on the table, with a note beside it: "Sister, I'm going to the print shop to look at the paper version. I'll be back soon ~"

Hypocritical! Shen Zhixia slammed her phone hard on the sofa and was about to call Ling Xu 'an when the phone rang first - it was Shen's father.

She took a deep breath and picked up the phone, and before she could speak, she heard her father shout, "What the hell are you doing, Shen Zhixia?" ! Yuwei kindly helped you with your engagement party, but you're getting the media to accuse her of taking over? Can't you give in to her?"

Shen Zhixia was stunned for a moment, a chill ran up from the soles of her feet: "Dad, she changed the name on the invitation..."

"What's wrong with changing the name? It must be a slip of the hand!" Mr. Shen interrupted her, with the crisp sound of mahjong tiles clashing in the background, "Yuwei told me, she has clarified, you're making a fuss over nothing! I tell you, delete those messy comments immediately and don't affect the Ling family's opinion of the Shen family!

"Give way to her?" Shen Zhixia laughed, laughing until tears were about to come out, "Then shall I give way to my name? Shall I give up my engagement? Should the things my mother left me also be given to her?"

"How unyielding you are!" "Shen's father raised his voice by an octave," The Shen family has grown up to you. What's wrong with you giving in to your sister? If you dare to make a big fuss, don't recognize me as your father in the future!"

The phone was hung up with a "pop". Shen Zhixia held her phone in the middle of the living room. The sunlight outside the window was just right and fell at her feet, but it didn't warm her up.

It turned out that in her father's eyes, she was always the outsider who "should give way to her younger sister".

"What are you angry about?"

Ling Xu 'an's voice suddenly came from behind. Shen Zhixia turned her head sharply and saw him standing at the entrance hall with a document in his hand, presumably just coming back from the company. His eyes fell on her red-rimmed eyes and his brows knitted tightly in an instant.

"Nothing." Shen Zhixia turned her head away and wiped her face, not wanting him to see her like this.

Ling Xu 'an didn't say a word. He came over, picked up the phone on the sofa, clicked on the hot search and glanced twice. His face darkened little by little, the knuckles of his fingers that held the phone turned pale, but he didn't curse. He just pushed the phone back into her hand and said in a hoarse voice, "How do you want to solve it?"

Looking at his stern profile, Shen Zhixia suddenly recalled Shen Yuwei's "innocent" Weibo post just now, the unpleasant words in the comment section, and Shen's father's words, "Don't recognize me as dad."

She took a deep breath and looked up at Ling Xu 'an. There was no more grievance in her eyes, only a hint of coldness: "Do you need General Manager Ling to act in a scene?"

Ling Xu 'an was stunned for a moment, then laughed, reached out to rub her hair, and rubbed his fingertip against her reddened earlobe: "I'll do whatever you want." He paused and pulled out a USB drive from his pocket and handed it over, "the record of Shen Yuwei changing her name that Chen Mo had just restored, and the chat record of her contacting Lin's vice president - she wanted to use public opinion to force me to call off the engagement and let Lin's people take over the 'Starlight Project'."

Shen Zhixia took the USB drive, his fingertips touching the cold metal, but his heart was at ease. It turned out he had checked it long ago.

"That's how the play goes..." She leaned close to Ling Xu 'an's ear and whispered a few words. Sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling window and fell on their overlapping shadows, warm as if they were about to burn.

Shen Yuwei came back from the print shop with a bag of freshly bought strawberries in her hand and a sweet smile on her face: "Sister, the paper version of the invitation is printed! Look..."

Before he could finish speaking, Ling Xu 'an sat on the sofa, his face as cold as ice, and Shen Zhixia stood beside him, her eyes red as if she had just cried.

"Mr. Ling? Why are you back?" Shen Yuwei felt a jolt in her heart and quickly placed the strawberry on the table. "Could it be from the media..."

"The media are right." Ling Xu 'an suddenly spoke, his voice cold, "The bride at the engagement party really should be changed."

Shen Yuwei's heart skipped a beat in an instant and forced her composure to ask, "Mr. Ling, what are you saying... It was a typesetting error, I've already clarified..."

"I didn't say it was a typographical error." Ling Xu 'an looked up at her, his eyes as cold as ice. "I mean Shen Zhixia is too preoccupied and doesn't deserve the position of the young lady of the Ling family. You, on the other hand, look honest and decent."

Shen Zhixia suddenly raised her head, her eyes brimming with "disbelief", and reached out to pull his arm: "Ling Xu 'an, you can't..."

"Don't touch me." Ling Xu 'an shook off her hand in a disgusted tone, "If it weren't for the friendship your mother had with my grandfather back then, I wouldn't have engaged you at all. Now that this is happening, it's just right - the engagement is called off."

Tears streamed down Shen Zhixia's face as she ran out: "I don't believe it! You must have been tricked by her!"

Shen Yuwei watched her back as she ran away, suppressing the smile at the corner of her mouth, and walked up to Ling Xu 'an, her voice so soft it could pinch out water: "Mr. Ling, don't be angry... Actually, Sister didn't mean it..."

"Don't speak for her." Ling Xu 'an stood up, fished out a velvet box from his pocket and handed it to her. "This is compensation for you."

It was a diamond ring, larger than the one given to Shen Zhixia before. Shen Yuwei's fingers were shaking. Just as she was about to take it, she heard Ling Xu 'an coldly add, "But don't be too happy too early - to marry into the Ling family, you have to get past my grandfather first. Come with me to the old house tomorrow and let him have a look."

"All right! I will do my best!" Shen Yuwei clutched the velvet box, her heart beaming with joy - sure enough! As long as Shen Zhixia is driven away, Ling Xu 'an is hers!

Ling Xu 'an paid no more attention to her and turned away. When he reached the door, he looked back at the diamond ring in Shen Yuwei's hand and a sneer curled at the corner of his mouth, as fast as an illusion.

The next morning, Shen Yuwei deliberately wore a white dress, put on light makeup, and followed Ling Xu 'an to the Ling family's old house. On the way, she secretly posted on Moments: "Everything is the best arrangement ~" with a close-up of a diamond ring, not explicitly stated but everyone could understand.

When they reached the old house, Grandpa Ling was sitting in the yard drinking tea with a string of beads in his hand. Seeing Shen Yuwei, he raised his eyelids and said nothing.

"Grandpa, this is Shen Yuwei." Ling Xu 'an said in a flat tone, "My previous engagement with Zhi Xia was broken. I think Yuwei is nice."

Shen Yuwei rushed forward and sweetly called out, "Grandpa, hello!" I've brought you your favorite osmanthus cake ~"

Grandpa Ling didn't take the pastry box from her hand and pointed to the tablet on the table: "Look for yourself."

Shen Yuwei picked up the tablet in puzzlement and clicked on the video on it - it was the surveillance footage of her changing the names of invitations at the print shop yesterday! She smiled at the screen and said to the print shop owner, "Just press this print. If anything goes wrong, I'll take responsibility."

Next to it was a screenshot of a chat record, a conversation between her and Vice President Lin: "Just get the engagement between Huang Shen Zhixia and Ling Xu 'an, give me the agency rights for the 'Starlight Project'" "Don't worry, I've already had the media write the press release."

Shen Yuwei's face turned pale in an instant and the tablet in her hand clanged to the ground: "No! It's a fake! It was Shen Zhixia who framed me!"

"Framing you?" " Ling Xu 'an crouched down and picked up the tablet with a mocking tone, "The surveillance was from the print shop, and the chat records were retrieved by Chen Mo from Lin's server. Tell me, how did you frame him?"

Grandpa Ling finally spoke, his voice as deep as a bell: "You've ruined the face of the Shen family." He looked at Ling Xu 'an and said, "Clean it up."

"Yes." Ling Xu 'an took out his phone and dialed a number. "Chen Mo, send something to the media."

Shen Yuwei slumped to the ground, watching Ling Xu 'an's back as he walked out, and suddenly realized that he had said yesterday that "the engagement was called off" was a lie! He was putting on an act!

"Ling Xu 'an, you're lying to me!" She screamed and tried to grab his leg, but was stopped by the housekeeper of the old house.

Ling Xu 'an did not look back and walked straight out of the courtyard gate. The sun fell on him, just warm.

At 3 p.m., the hashtags # Shen Yuwei Forged Invitations # and # Ling Xu 'an supported Shen Zhixia # both topped the hot search list. The official Weibo account of Ling's Group posted a long article, along with surveillance video and screenshots of chat records, and the last sentence: "The engagement between Ling's president Ling Xu 'an and Miss Shen Zhixia is valid, and the rumor-slayer will be held legally responsible."

Shen Zhixia reposted the post with a simple caption: "Thank you all for your concern ~ Attached: the original invitation written by the calligraphy teacher (P.S.) The name was given by my mother and I like it ~)

The comment section instantly reversed, and those who had previously scolded her began to apologize. Some dug up the black story of Shen Yuwei bullying her classmates in the past, and others praised her as "calm and magnanimous."

Shen's father called again, in a softer tone: "Zhixia, it's your father who wrongly accused you... Yuwei is a naughty child. Don't hold it against her..."

Shen Zhixia said nothing and hung up the phone, blocking it.

Ling Xu 'an hugged her from behind, his chin resting on the top of her hair: "Relieved?"

"HMM." Shen Zhixia leaned in his arms and laughed, "It's just a pity that diamond ring - it's quite nice."

"Want it?" Ling Xu 'an pinched her face. "When the engagement is over, I'll buy you a bigger one."

"Not at all." Shen Zhixia turned and hugged him. "This is enough for me." She raised her hand and waved it, the plain silver ring on her ring finger shining in the sunlight.

Ling Xu 'an lowered his head and kissed the top of her hair, saying softly, "Well, that's enough."

Shen Yuwei's ending came very quickly. The Ling family did not send her directly to the police station, but when they handed the evidence to the Shen family, Shen's father slapped her on the spot - it was said that she had been making a fuss in the old Shen house for half the night, and finally Shen Yuwei, crying, packed her bags and slurred to her grandmother's house in the countryside, never showing up in the city again.

Shen Zhixia heard this from Lin Yue when she was picking out table flowers for the engagement party with Ling Xu 'an at the flower shop. Lin Yue was amazed on the other end of the phone: "You haven't seen your father's face, so pale and blue, nodding and bowing to the people sent by the Ling family, looking like a pug."

"Let's not mention him." Shen Zhixia held a champagne rose and smiled, "Let's get to the point. What color dress did you wear on your engagement day? I'll ask the florist to arrange the bouquet."

After hanging up the phone, Ling Xu 'an was lowering his head to peel an orange for her, with a hint of orange on his fingertips: "Do you want to deal with the Shen family?"

"No." Shen Zhixia took a bite of the orange, sweet juice trickling down the corner of her mouth. "Anyway, I don't consider them family anymore." She paused and moved closer to Ling Xu 'an, "But Grandpa Ling... Do you think I'm being too cruel?"

"He will only think you did the right thing." " Ling Xu 'an wiped the juice from the corner of her mouth with the pads of his fingers, very naturally. "My grandpa told me yesterday that Shen Yuwei looks so scheming and should have dealt with it long ago."

Shen Zhixia finally let out a sigh of relief and lowered her head to continue picking flowers. The florist laughed beside him and said, "Mr. Ling and Miss Shen are a perfect match. They pick the same kind of flowers."

That's true. Just as she reached out to take the dewdrop white rose, Ling Xu 'an's fingertip landed on the petal. They looked at each other and laughed.