Chapter 92 - Birthday Banquet

After Shen Ziqiao experienced Chen Xueling’s coldness and nobleness, she was strictly against Shen Xiao marrying such a woman. After that, she planned on going to look for Shen Xiao.

However, she was stopped by Shen Zikai.

“How can us children get involved in father’s marriage? When our father finds out about Young Miss Chen’s personality, he naturally wouldn’t agree to this.” Shen Zikai said. Although he hadn’t seen Chen Xueling, he was sure that with father’s taste, he naturally wouldn’t be interested in her.

Shen Ziqiao thought that his words were reasonable, so she gave up on looking for Shen Xiao.

After countless days, Chen Xueling had been going between the Second Household and Old Madam Shen’s De’an Courtyard. She didn’t go anywhere else. Don’t mention seeing Shen Xiao. Even Shen Ziqiao hadn’t seen her since.

This lasted until Old Madam Shen’s birthday.

It was Old Madam Shen’s sixtieth birthday, so the birthday banquet was naturally much more livelier and luxurious than last year’s. Mama Cui wanted to take advantage of old madam’s birthday banquet to humiliate Shen Ziqiao in the past.

Back then, Shen Ziqiao said to arrange Old Madam Shen’s birthday banquet like past years. Indeed, many were waiting to watch Shen Ziqiao’s joke. Thankfully, Lady Meng was meticulous. After Mama Cui was driven away, she summoned the mamas and ladies within the household, and asked them all over.

Then, they found out that Old Madam wanted to host a huge and luxurious birthday banquet this year. For the past years, it had been low-profile.

Today, it was rare but Shen Ziqiao woke up early in the morning. No matter how much she disliked the old woman, guests were coming to congratulate the latter today. She needed to pretend at the very least.

She first went to pay respects to Old Madam Shen at De’an Courtyard. Yesterday, she had been lying weakly in bed, but now she was sitting on the kang stove bed near the window in high spirits as she listened to Madam Zhou and the rest congratulated her.

Chen Xueling was next to the Old Madam, wearing a noble and reserved expression. Seeing Shen Ziqiao walking in, she even acted like a senior who had just seen their junior. Shen Ziqiao really wanted to slam her with a chair.

Old Madam Shen was originally smiling happily, but after she saw Shen Ziqiao, her smile faded. With a taut expression, she lazily answered. Shen Ziqiao was about to congratulate her, but she swallowed her words. “It’s about time. I’m going out to see if the guests are here yet.”

Chen Xueling knitted her brows as she looked at Shen Ziqiao. She didn’t like a young miss at all. She even dared to be disrespectful towards her own grandmother, don’t mention other people.

“Go ahead.” Old Madam Shen was unwilling to let Shen Ziqiao continue to stay and be an eyesore to her. Therefore, she waved her hands for her to leave.

Shen Ziqiao was about to turn and leave when the father and son arrived.

She subconsciously looked at Chen Xueling. That cold and noble woman’s eyes brightened right then. She then lowered her head shyly.

The arrogant Mudan flower became a pitiful little white lotus.

Shen Xiao’s loud and clear voice boomed. Behind him was the tall and mighty Shen Zikai. Both father and son had been on battlefields before, so they carried a soldier’s heroic aura.

“Mother.”

“Grandmother.”

Father and son both exclaimed auspicious words before sitting down by the side.

Shen Ziqiao smiled as she greeted Shen Xiao.

“There are lots of guests at home today. You need to pay more attention and make sure you don’t lack manners.” Shen Xiao looked gently at his maturing daughter. There was a gratified glint in his eyes. He hoped to change Old Madam’s views of Jiao Jiao using this opportunity.

“I understand. I won’t let father lose face.” Shen Ziqiao smiled as she exclaimed this.

Shen Zikai helped add, “Father, don’t worry. Jiao Jiao put a lot of thought into today.”

“This is Old Madam’s sixtieth birthday. I naturally need to put in more effort.” Shen Ziqiao responded crispily. In front of Shen Xiao, she would never express her dislike for Old Madam.

No matter what, Shen Xiao and the old women were mother and son.

Shen Zikai smiled faintly at his sister and shifted his gaze to Chen Xueling by Old Madam’s side. However, he was stunned just after one look.

Who was this woman? Chen Xueling?

Detecting Shen Zikai’s strangeness, Shen Ziqiao looked at him confusedly. Following his gaze, she looked at Chen Xueling. She didn’t understand his reaction. That Chen Xueling wasn’t extremely beautiful. She shouldn’t have put Shen Zikai into a trance just like that.

She turned around to look at Shen Xiao to see him shocked as well.

No! Shen Ziqiao was alarmed inside. Could it be that she neglected something? How come both father and son revealed such shocking expressions after seeing Chen Xueling?

Shen Ziqiao looked confusedly at Shen Zikai only to see him shifting his gaze and recovering a normal expression. However, he couldn’t hide the sorrow inside his eyes. Shen Zikai smiled faintly at Shen Ziqiao before shifting to look at Shen Xiao, his dashing eyebrows knitted tightly.

Madam Zhou was pleased with the father and son’s reaction.

“This is my maiden home’s cousin. In earlier years, the Old Madam had liked her at first glance. She specially came to congratulate Old Madam on her birthday.” Madam Zhou exclaimed happily.

Rubbish! Shen Ziqiao sneered. This explanation was quite far-fetched and hilarious.

Shen Xiao placed away the shock in his eyes and politely nodded at Chen Xueling. He naturally knew why she was in Shen Family. This was the first time he had seen her, but who knew...

“Xueling is educated and reasonable, gentle and respectful. I like her very much.” Old Madam Shen said with a smile, but she didn’t look at Chen Xueling.

It was too strange! The more Shen Ziqiao thought about it, the more she thought it was fishy. However, she couldn’t ask any questions right here. Therefore, she gave Shen Zikai a look and then greeted Old Madam Shen and Shen Xiao. She said that she was going to look after the arrangements of the banquet before retreating.

She left De’an Courtyard, but didn’t immediately leave. She waited outside for a while before Shen Zikai followed her out.

“Elder Brother.” Shen Ziqiao walked over to see Shen Zikai in a bit of a daze.

“Jiao Jiao? Why are you still here?” Shen Zikai snapped out of his trance to see his sister still confused.

Shen Ziqiao almost rolled her eyes. She thought that he had come out because he saw her hint. “Elder Brother, is there something wrong with Chen Xueling? How come you look like you’ve seen a ghost when you saw her?”

“Jiao Jiao, do you still remember mother’s appearance?” Shen Zikai asked.

Don’t mention that she wasn’t the original Shen Ziqiao, but even the original body might not remember what Pan Madam looked like.

“Follow me.” Shen Zikai had Shen Ziqiao follow him into his room.

“Elder Brother, what exactly is going on?” Shen Zikai’s expression was solemn. Shen Ziqiao felt a bad omen.

Shen Zikai tugged Shen Ziqiao into his study, and took out a scroll from his drawer, unfolding it in front of Shen Ziqiao.

There was a woman clad in red on the drawing. She was holding a rattan cane in her hands wearing a serious expression, but there was a pampering smile in her eyes. Her clothes were red like fire, and it looked extremely suitable on the woman as if she was naturally made to wear such beautiful colors.

Such a handsome and heroic-looking woman! This was Shen Ziqiao’s first thought.

But when her gaze landed on the woman’s features, her expression changed.

“Chen Xueling?” Shen Ziqiao suddenly raised her voice before realizing that the drawing was at least a few years old. Even more, the woman’s features looked even more lively than Chen Xueling. She understood right then. Sorrow and hatred rose in her heart at the same time. “It’s mother…”

Beside Pan Madam, who else could make Shen Zikai treasure a portrait like that?

She finally understood why Madam Zhou wore such a confident smile. Did she think that as long as Shen Xiao saw Chen Xueling, he would marry her without Old Madam Shen forcing him?

“I didn’t think they’d look so alike.” Shen Zikai carefully placed the portrait on the table and looked solemnly.

“There are countless people in the world with similar appearances. How could she compare to mother?” Shen Ziqiao exclaimed angrily. Pan Madam was beautiful inside her heart. She refused to let a manipulative person replace this beautiful memory.

No matter how similar and outstanding Chen Xueling was, she couldn’t compare to Pan Madam. She couldn’t replace the existence in the three’s hearts.

If Shen Xiao really married Chen Xueling because of her appearance… Shen Ziqiao felt upset and bitter for some unknown reason.

No matter what, she refused.

“Jiao Jiao…” Shen Zikai responded with difficulty. “If father really likes her, how can we stop him?”

Shen Zikai knew that they lost the moment he saw Chen Xueling.

Old Madam and Madam Zhou really put a lot of effort into this!

Shen Ziqiao looked at the woman clad in red deeply before turning to walk out.

“Jiao Jiao!” Shen Zikai stopped her. “Don’t be impulsive!”

“I won’t.” Shen Ziqiao responded with a smile as she disappeared by the door.

She naturally wouldn’t run to Shen Xiao and tell him not to marry Chen Xueling like a moron. Since she and Shen Zikai could see through Old Madam and Madam Zhou’s plan, she didn’t believe that Shen Xiao couldn’t see through it. If he really wanted to marry Chen Xueling, then something must be wrong with his brain.

Shen Ziqiao returned to Qiao Xin Courtyard and called Lady Meng over.

“There are lots of people here today. We have to be careful. Find two reliable servants to follow the Lord and Eldest Master. Don’t let anyone have a chance to be near them. Also, pay close attention to Chen Xueling.” She treated this like a conspiracy theory. There were many youngsters that suffered from the hands of manipulative people on banquets and whatnot. She refused to give anyone a chance to do something to the father and son.

When Lady Meng heard Shen Ziqiao’s order, she asked shockingly, “Third Miss, did something happen?”

“I’m just doing this as a precaution.” Shen Ziqiao said. She sighed softly. “Lady Meng, that Chen Xueling...looks so similar to mother.”

Lady Meng widened her eyes and froze before processing what Shen Ziqiao was saying.

“Let’s not worry about this for now. Let’s make sure Old Madam’s birthday banquet goes well in case she finds an excuse to nitpick and blame it on us.” Shen Ziqiao was unwilling to talk about that woman anymore, so she had Lady Meng go to work.

“Third Miss, not anyone can replace the madam.” Before leaving, Lady Meng said in a low voice.

Shen Ziqiao humphed. “Of course!”

Not long later, a maid came to report the guests’ arrivals.

Shen Ziqiao personally went out to welcome them. Princess Nihong and her daughter, Luo Zhaohua arrived first. Princess Nihong had the intention of bringing face for Shen Ziqiao so she brought her daughter over early. Shen Ziqiao led them to De’an Courtyard. When Old Madam Shen saw Princess Nihong had come to congratulate her, her vanity was satisfied. She smiled happily.

Following Princess Nihong was Sheng Peiyin.