Chapter 140: Extra: If Line 04

In the massive living room, An Ling leaned against the sofa, looking entirely uninterested.

Mother Shen's voice buzzed in her ears.

"Lingling, Jingshen was just bewitched by that woman the other night. Don't take it to heart. Auntie has already scolded that boy for you."

Given how the dinner ended last night, logically speaking, this engagement should have been null and void.

But An Ling hadn't expected Mother Shen to call her and offer to explain what happened that night all over again.

She had just been about to head out when she received the call, and she couldn't exactly refuse to come.

Yet after arriving, it turned out to be the same old tune.

An explanation? An apology?

An Ling pressed her temples, feeling a headache coming on.

This was nothing but pure sophistry.

And because she came here, she had to push back her scheduled meeting with Shen Linyan.

Right now, she just wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible so she could leave.

"Auntie Lu, I've heard your explanation. If there's nothing else, I'll be taking my leave."

Just as she stood up, Mother Shen grabbed her wrist, a smile plastered on her face. "Lingling, Auntie isn't finished yet. Since the matter has been resolved, shall we proceed with your engagement to Jingshen as planned?"

An Ling: ?

She pulled her wrist away with a slight tug, frowning. "Proceed? You mean to say that even after such a thing happened, I'm still supposed to marry Lu Jingshen?"

How could these people even say such things?

As soon as she finished speaking, the sudden sound of the front door opening caught them off guard.

"Beep—"

The living room fell silent for a moment as everyone instinctively looked toward the door.

The sound of steady footsteps slowly echoed through the room.

A tall man walked in, his eyes lowered. His fingers were loosely tugging at his tie. With refined and elegant features, he exuded a sense of aloofness under the light.

Noticing the commotion in the living room, he lifted his eyelids and glanced over.

"Mother."

"...Miss An." His voice was deep. His gaze lingered on An Ling for a moment, and his words were imperceptibly slower by a few seconds.

Memories of last night flooded back, and An Ling's face faintly began to burn again. She gave a soft "Mm," averting her gaze somewhat unnaturally, before sneaking another peek at the man.

It was a bit strange; she had actually recognized at a glance that this was Shen Linyan.

Just as she was thinking this, Mother Shen's slightly displeased voice rang in her ears.

"Why are you back?"

It was like looking at a completely different person from the one who was just lovingly offering explanations.

An Ling paused slightly, raised an eyebrow, and turned to look.

Shen Linyan's tone remained unchanged. "I needed to see Father about something. I'll head upstairs first then."

With Shen Linyan present, An Ling's headache actually eased a bit.

Just as she was about to find an excuse to leave, she heard Mother Shen suddenly speak up in a slow drawl.

"Lingling, Auntie knows that what happened wasn't great, but Auntie still wants you and Jingshen to go through with the marriage. Do you know why?"

"You're still young and don't understand the twists and turns of our social circle. Honestly, this isn't a big deal. Some women will do absolutely anything to marry into the Shen family. Later on, when you become the Second Madam of the Shen family, you'll see that illegitimate children and mistresses are everywhere in this circle. These people are as disgusting as rats hiding in the house."

In wealthy families, there was never a shortage of mistresses; infidelity had long become the norm.

Hearing this, Shen Linyan, who was heading upstairs, turned his head and cast a faint glance over.

Mother Shen met his gaze, a barely detectable hatred flashing in her eyes as she forced a smile.

"I used to hate it too, but now I realize that sometimes rats just can't be exterminated. You can only ignore them as long as they don't affect your life."

"So, you know how men are. The ones on the outside are just for novelty; they can never compare to the one at home. Besides, Jingshen was completely tricked by that woman. Auntie has already taken care of it for you, so you don't need to worry."

She withdrew her gaze and turned to look at Lu Jingshen beside her.

"Hurry up and come over here to apologize and explain things clearly to Lingling. Tell her you've broken up with that woman now."

Lu Jingshen fell into a brief silence.

After a long while, he slowly nodded, his voice hoarse. "I'm sorry... An Ling. I really was deceived by that woman that day. Let's just continue with our engagement..."

An Ling's face was completely devoid of expression now.

At this very moment, she only had one thought—

Are these people crazy?

Did they think she was simple-minded and easy to fool?

Or was Lu Jingshen some kind of hot commodity that she just had to marry?

She furrowed her brows, her gaze shifting between Mother Shen and Lu Jingshen before she slowly spoke, "Deceived? But wasn't that girl your girlfriend? You were seeing me while you had a girlfriend. That was wrong from the very beginning, wasn't it?"

"And if I remember correctly, that girl's name is... Zhou Wen?"

As soon as she said this, the expressions on Mother Shen and Lu Jingshen's faces shifted slightly.

Mother Shen quickly squeezed out another smile. "Nothing of the sort, Lingling. That girl and Lu Jingshen just had an ambiguous relationship; they weren't actually together. I don't know who told you these things, but it's absolutely a rumor. If you don't believe me, I can bring that Zhou Wen—"

"I was the one who said it."

The man's flat voice cut her off.

"Is that not the case?"

Stepping down the stairs, his eyes remained completely unchanged from start to finish—calm and indifferent. "Do I need to be clearer? Didn't you also give Zhou Wen a few million?"

"What!"

Lu Jingshen stood up abruptly. "Mom! You gave Wenwen money!"

No wonder she asked for a breakup! He knew it was too sudden!

"Didn't I tell you not to interfere in this? I would have—"

"You shut up!!"

Mother Shen's face darkened as she roared at Lu Jingshen, "I told you to break it off with her ages ago! What is wrong with you!"

Lu Jingshen, however, kept a dark expression. Without saying a word, he grabbed his jacket from the sofa and stormed out the door.

"You come back here!!" Mother Shen's tone grew even more furious.

The only response she got was the sound of a slamming door.

An Ling, who was standing on the sidelines overdosing on the drama: "..."

She felt like some sort of supporting female character. Lu Jingshen and Zhou Wen were acting out some melodramatic soap opera, and she was just the cannon fodder being used.

Mother Shen was burning with rage. She had gone through so much trouble to settle the matter between Lu Jingshen and Zhou Wen, and now it was all ruined!

She didn't even care that An Ling was still present and turned her glare to Shen Linyan.

"Shen Linyan! I knew you never liked your brother! Are you satisfied now! Using any means necessary to destroy Lu Jingshen's engagement! Is this all you're capable of!"

"You're a bastard selfish to the bone. Just to satisfy your own filthy desires, you didn't hesitate to ruin your brother's happiness. Your conscience has truly been eaten by dogs!"

An Ling furrowed her brows.

What was going on?

The man, on the other hand, calmly lowered his eyes. Even after being scolded so viciously by his own mother, his expression remained normal, as if he had long grown accustomed to it.

She tentatively spoke up, "Um..."

Mother Shen's chest heaved violently with anger. Although she looked terrible, she still tried her best to control her tone.

"Lingling, you absolutely must not believe what Shen Linyan says. Everything he told you is false. I will handle Jingshen's matters properly. I'll have the driver take you home now, and we can discuss the engagement again another time."

An Ling's mouth twitched.

She was still thinking about the engagement?

Just for an engagement, wasn't she cursing her eldest son a bit too harshly?

Is Shen Linyan really this unwelcome in his own home?

She looked up at Shen Linyan. The man paused slightly, then his eyes curved into a gentle smile, as if comforting her that it was alright.

An Ling paused.

"Um, Auntie, please don't get worked up..."

When Mother Shen looked over, she met her gaze with sincere eyes and spoke slowly,

"I will marry Shen Linyan. That way, the engagement can still continue."

As soon as the words left her mouth, the entire living room fell into dead silence.

Mother Shen's face was filled with utter disbelief.

"What did you say? Marry Shen Linyan!?"

As if oblivious to her shock, An Ling smiled, her eyes curving. "Yes. The engagement agreement didn't specify exactly who I have to marry, right? I can spend some time with Shen Linyan first; we might just be a perfect match."

After saying that, ignoring whatever reaction Mother Shen might have,

she turned and walked over to the man's side.

"What do you think? If you're okay with it, we can get to know each other."

She gave him a stealthy wink and, hidden from view, gave the corner of his shirt a little tug.

A hint of amusement flashed in Shen Linyan's eyes. He discreetly covered the back of the girl's hand with his palm and said gently, "I am okay with it."

An Ling looked at Mother Shen with an obedient smile. "Alright, alright, the problem is solved. Let's leave it at that. Auntie, we'll be taking our leave now."

Just as they reached the door, the woman's icy voice suddenly rang out behind them.

"You two, wait right there!"

Mother Shen was no fool. How could two people who originally had no interest in an arranged marriage so coincidentally reach an agreement in an instant?

Coupled with the fact that the matter regarding Zhou Wen had been leaked, she realized what was going on.

Gritting her back teeth, she seethed, "You two are really something! You actually got together behind my back!"

"No, no, no."

An Ling turned around, having long since dropped her docile act.

She slowly wagged her index finger. "This isn't called 'behind your back,' nor is it 'getting together.' It's called making a choice, getting to know each other. I'm supposed to choose someone I like for an arranged marriage anyway. I didn't fancy your second son, so can't I take the eldest son? They both belong to the Shen family anyway, so what's the problem?"

The girl's beautiful face was completely serious. Her soft lips parted and closed as she spoke, and every single word she said was in his defense.

This was the first time someone in this house had spoken up for him.

Shen Linyan's eyes widened slightly in a daze. An indescribable emotion gradually spread through his heart. The corners of his eyes lowered slightly, and the corners of his lips curled up into a faint smile.

As An Ling was speaking, she suddenly felt her fingers being hooked. Her body stiffened, and she instantly forgot what she was about to say.

The man's strong, warm fingers grasped her knuckles, gently and slowly caressing them from top to bottom, bit by bit.

It was an extremely intimate touch. She turned to look at him, didn't say anything, and silently consented with reddened ears.

The noisy commotion finally attracted Father Shen, who was practicing calligraphy upstairs.

He came out of his study, frowning at the scene downstairs.

"What are you doing!? Why is it so noisy!"

Mother Shen said in an agitated tone, "Shen Zhong, look at this! Shen Linyan stole your youngest son's engagement! You promised this engagement to Jingshen!"

Father Shen's gaze swept over the two of them. "Shen Linyan, what is going on here?"

Shen Linyan pulled the girl behind him. "It is exactly as you see it, Father."

Father Shen choked on his words. "You, this was originally..."

But when the man looked up at him, he paused again.

Holding An Ling's hand, Shen Linyan turned and prepared to leave the villa.

However, Mother Shen's cold, sinister voice suddenly rang out behind them.

"An Ling, are you really comfortable marrying Shen Linyan? You've only known each other for a few days. Aren't you afraid he'll cheat on you? I can guarantee that Shen Linyan will cheat."

An Ling stopped in her tracks and turned her head to look at her. "Why would you say that?"

"Why?"

The smile on Mother Shen's lips twisted slightly.

"The son of a mistress. With a mother like that, how good could his genes possibly be?"

As soon as the words fell, the atmosphere in the living room suddenly froze.

"Lu Jincai!!" Even Father Shen hadn't expected her to suddenly blurt that out.

An Ling felt the man's grip on her hand suddenly tighten.

She glanced down, then looked up at Mother Shen. After a few seconds, she blinked and spoke slowly,

"If you want to put it that way, I actually feel..."

"The genes you passed down to Lu Jingshen seem to be even worse."

Mother Shen's face stiffened. "What did you say? How dare you say that?! An Ling, if you marry an illegitimate child, just wait for the An family to become a laughingstock!!"

But as the sound of the door closing echoed, the sharp fury was completely shut inside the villa.

After leaving the villa, An Ling got into the car.

She buckled her seatbelt. Once the sound of the car door shutting faded, the cabin fell into complete silence. Neither of them spoke for a while.

An Ling fidgeted with her seatbelt, not knowing what to say to comfort Shen Linyan.

Even she had been momentarily stunned.

Suddenly finding out that he was an illegitimate child, Shen Linyan must be having an even harder time accepting it, right?

She pursed her lips, still trying to organize her words.

The man suddenly spoke softly, "I won't cheat, and I won't let the An family become a laughingstock."

An Ling was taken aback.

She blinked, then her eyes curved into a smile as she reached out and touched his chin.

"Why are you only focusing on that? I didn't even listen to all the other things she said."

The moment the girl's soft fingers touched him, Shen Linyan's body paused, and he caught her hand.

Hesitating for a moment, he gently kissed her fingertips, his voice soft. "Because I already knew about my identity."

He had known about it since he was abroad.

Shen Linyan kissed her fingertips again. "I'll take you home."

The girl suddenly spoke up, "Did you only want to see me for such a short amount of time?"

Shen Linyan froze, then reacted and turned to look at her.

An Ling leaned against the back of the seat, looking down and playing with her hair. "Someone said such sweet words yesterday, but today, after seeing me for barely a few minutes, he wants to send me home."

It was quiet for a few seconds. Not hearing the man's reply, she was just about to sneak a glance at him.

Suddenly, a crisp "click" sounded in the air.

The seatbelt was unbuckled.

Her eyelashes fluttered. She slowly raised her eyes and met the man's gaze.

In their silent exchange of glances, Shen Linyan propped his arm against the seat and gradually leaned closer, as if constantly testing the waters. The crisp scent of cedar wrapped in a burning heat pressed down on her, leaving An Ling with nowhere to hide.

"Lingling said you chose me because you like me. Is that true?" he asked in a slow, gentle tone. His deep voice brushed against her ear, carrying a hint of bewitchment.

Her face flushed red. Leaning back against the seat, she whispered, "Guess."

The man's chest vibrated slightly as he let out a low chuckle.

He slowly lowered his head, his nose almost brushing against her cheek. There were only a few centimeters left between them, close enough to see the fluttering of each other's eyelashes. Just a little closer, and they would completely touch.

But in the next second, Shen Linyan turned his head and pressed a very light and restrained kiss to the hair by her ear.

"It's okay if it isn't. I will work hard to make Lingling like me."

Looking down into the girl's wide, staring eyes, his own eyes slowly curved into a smile. He kissed her hair again and again, as if deliberately flirting. "Do you still want to hear me say sweet things today, hmm?"

With the man's scent lingering at the tip of her nose and his magnified, handsome face right in front of her, An Ling's heart skipped a beat. "Haven't you already said them today?"

Shen Linyan's eyes curved as he laughed aloud. He lowered his head and nuzzled her cheek. "Will you come out and spend time with me tomorrow too?"

He was just about to get up and go back when his arm was suddenly tugged gently.

Just as he was about to look down.

Soft lips suddenly pressed against his.

His movements came to an abrupt halt. He lowered his head, meeting the girl's pretty, eager eyes.

"I haven't even told you if your guess was right," An Ling turned her head away, her ears flushed red.

The next second, her cheeks were cupped by his hands.

A familiar scent slowly drew near, and his hot, thin lips gently pressed against hers. As their breaths intertwined, the man let out a heavy, ragged exhale.

"Can I kiss you, baby?"

Her eyelashes fluttered. She didn't speak, merely closing her eyes.

The man kissed her deeply and thoroughly, gently licking her lower lip. With his nose pressed against her cheek, he slowly and methodically tasted every inch of her.

The air inside the small, intimate space of the car grew warm and humid.

An Ling felt dizzy, dazedly touching her own lips.

She pushed at the man who was still kissing her lips. "Alright, stop kissing me."

They were completely numb.

"Okay," Shen Linyan smiled and kissed her cheek.

Just as he buckled his seatbelt, the girl's voice suddenly rang in his ear.

"When we get back, I'll talk to my mom about our marriage."

His eyes instantly froze in shock.

An Ling was touching up her lipstick in the mirror. She turned to see the man staring at her and blinked.

"Why are you looking at me? ...You don't think I was joking just now, do you?"

She capped her lipstick, raised an eyebrow, and said seriously, "If she doesn't want you to get married, then you should do it anyway. And after we marry, we have to announce it publicly. If we don't get married now, she'll definitely be thrilled... Why are you unbuckling your seatbelt?"

Seeing the man lean in, An Ling's eyelid twitched.

"Wait a minute, I just touched up my lipstick. Shen Linyan, my mouth is still..."

Her chin was gently lifted, and her unfinished words were instantly swallowed by hot lips and teeth. Only the man's low chuckle remained in her ears.

"Wife, shall we go get our marriage certificate tomorrow?"

[End of IF route]

The main plot of the IF route is whether Chairman Shen and Lingling will get married. If there were no system, Lingling wouldn't agree to a marriage of convenience with Chairman Shen if she didn't like him, hahaha. Because it's an extra chapter, the romance progresses relatively fast. If we took it slow, it would be way too long (horrified). But they really do love each other a lot, after all, one is superficial about looks and the other fell in love at first sight without realizing it (nodding affirmatively).

Alright, I'll update the extra chapter for the brother's romance line tonight~