How can you love if you don’t know how to love him?
Of course, Shi Nuan preferred to consider Song Yansheng’s words as a momentary jest.
They had agreed on a marriage of convenience, using each other for mutual benefits. Talking about love seemed too unrealistic.
Shi Nuan never really believed in love. Her mother believed in love, married her self-proclaimed love, and what did she get in the end?
But after all, she was still young, and after her mother passed away, the young her was indeed too exhausted to bear it all alone.
So when Shen Zui appeared, she was pleasantly surprised.
She felt that her mother had met the wrong person, but perhaps not everyone in the world was as unfortunate as her mother.
Her grandmother married her grandfather and was cherished and protected by him all her life, until he passed away.
She thought Shen Zui might be different too.
But who would have thought Shen Zui would leave in the end and break up with her.
She was hurt and wanted to question him, but she didn’t.
Love can’t be forced. The so-called love that humbles oneself to dust just to bloom a flower is not what she wanted.
In her eyes, love should be equal and sincere.
He left, she didn’t stop him.
He ended it, she didn’t beg.
She wanted to love with dignity and be loved with dignity.
But she had to admit that Shen Zui’s departure shattered her hopes of having a different love from her mother’s.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have gotten engaged to Song Yichuan just because he saved her life and for that ten percent stake in the Shi Family.
If love is unreliable, then familial bonds should be more dependable, right?
But even familial bonds are unreliable, with life, illness, and death being so unpreventable.
She thought that love would no longer matter to her from then on.
But just as Song Yichuan left, Song Yansheng forcefully entered her life.
He became her first man, became her husband, and also became the only person in this world she could rely on.
Although this reliance came with conditions.
She couldn’t imagine what it would be like to fall in love with each other, nor did she think it was likely.
She even found it a bit frightening.
She dared not have expectations from anyone anymore, nor dared to hope for a lifelong commitment with anyone.
Do what she can and accept what life gives, she thought. What she should do now is fulfill the wishes of her mother and grandfather, so they may rest in peace above.
Yu Yao arrived home around four fifty in the afternoon when Song Yansheng was taking a stroll with Shi Nuan in the garden.
The two of them had walked to the back garden, so they didn’t encounter Yu Yao.
The servant was about to call them but was stopped by Yu Yao.
Yu Yao said, "Young couples wandering in the garden, it’s warm and romantic, please don’t disturb them!"
The servant chuckled and obliged, opting not to interrupt.
As Yu Yao walked further inside, supported by the servant, she asked, "How did you handle that Xiao Yun?"
The servant said, "She was brought in by Aunt Tong nearly two years ago. Ordinarily, she is quite efficient, but this time she really shouldn’t have... I’ve already introduced her to another household, so don’t worry, madam!"
Yu Yao’s eyes flickered slightly. She originally thought that this servant named Xiao Yun made an honest mistake.
Without delving too deeply, she only wanted her son to feel better, so she dismissed her.
But now hearing Aunt Tong’s name, she was taken aback.
If Aunt Tong was involved, then today’s incident might warrant further consideration.
She sighed slightly, but she usually preferred not to get involved in such matters.
Dismissing her was better, less hassle.