Su Xiaoqi leaned against the wall of the mule cart, casting sideways glances at Su Yuru, who stood to its left.
Su Yuru looked at her with a wronged expression, like a white lotus blooming on a lake.
Su Xiaoqi, however, offered a faint smile, her face radiating an unyielding spirit that immediately stunned Su Yuru.
Su Yuru opened her mouth, intending to say something, but Su Xiaoqi spoke first, "I didn't want to say so much in public, but since you insist on forcing my hand with this matter, I can only air it out here."
Su Xiaoqi felt that the identity of a Su family daughter she currently bore was of no use to her.
She was fed up.
Initially, she was focused solely on making money and had no interest in their schemes and tricks.
That's why she had tolerated them time and again.
She only fought back when attacked, and even after the moldy rice incident at the Heaven's Granary, she had already sent people to investigate.
However, due to hesitation, she had delayed taking action.
It would be better to clarify everything at once.
Su Xiaoqi truly felt there was no need to continue entangled with her.
She was never one to pick fights, but she also wasn't one to shy away from trouble.
She glanced at Shen Yun, gritted her teeth, and said, "There are some things you should know."
She had come to terms with it; what was fake was fake.
It could never become real.
If Shen Yun had different thoughts because she told the truth, she wouldn't mind.
Then their relationship would have to end prematurely.
The thought of parting ways with Shen Yun because of her background made Su Xiaoqi's heart clench, as if something was gripping it, ready to shatter at the slightest touch.
But upon deeper reflection, if she truly left Shen Yun at this point, she would be safe in the future, and definitely wouldn't repeat the original owner's mistakes.
It was just that she felt a pang of regret, glancing at Shen Yun with a hint of reluctance.
"I'll do it," Shen Yun stopped her.
He saw Su Xiaoqi's hesitation; he didn't want her to be forced to do things she didn't want to do.
Su Xiaoqi, however, shook her head, which was rare, "I'll just be myself." Deceiving people was exhausting.
She thought about how Shen Yun, apart from when he didn't understand her earlier, had always treated her well.
He was gentle, considerate, and thought of her in all things.
But Su Xiaoqi believed all this was simply because she wore the guise of his wife.
She felt she didn't deserve it.
Her dedication to opening shops was partly to make money, to ensure she could live well in the future with sufficient capital.
But it was also because if she had free time, she wouldn't know how to face the Shen family.
Especially Shen Yun.
In fact, she had long wanted to tell them about her background.
This secret was too heavy for her.
Therefore, when she met Yu Shi and Mr. Gu, she had stated her background immediately.
She wasn't an ancient person and wouldn't shy away from the original owner's past.
After all, everyone had their own way of living.
"Sister, what nonsense are you talking? Don't speak carelessly, or it won't sound good if brother-in-law hears," Su Yuru's concern was feigned, her words a veiled threat.
The implication was that if she exposed her identity, Shen Yun would probably reject her.
Although Su Yuru had fallen for Shen Yun and constantly wished to expose Su Xiaoqi's identity, making Shen Yun dislike her, even divorce her.
Su Xiaoqi revealing her identity now was likely what she wanted to see.
But not in front of so many people.
This would disrupt the plan her father had set, which was not good.
Su Yuru looked at her with some annoyance.
Su Xiaoqi glanced at her sideways, got out of the mule cart, stood straight, and announced loudly, "The Su family has only ever had two daughters.
One is her, and the other is not me, so I cannot accept your address of 'sister' as Miss Su."
"Ah, what does that mean?"
"What is she saying?"
Hearing the crowd's confusion, Su Xiaoqi kindly enlightened them, "It means exactly what it says. Although my surname is Su, I am not part of your Su family."
After Su Xiaoqi started, she instinctively glanced at Shen Yun, who was sitting in the cart.
Apart from the one time he had advised her, he hadn't said a word upon hearing this, and his expression hadn't changed.
He looked at her with a smile, his handsome face showing no surprise.
Su Xiaoqi felt strange, and a suspicion suddenly dawned on her.
But without confirmation, she dared not ask.
It was Su Yuru, however, who was surrounded by some gossips. Everyone turned to her, asking if Su Xiaoqi was telling the truth.
And some had already begun to speculate about why Su Xiaoqi, not being a Su family member, had married Shen Jiyuan, who was betrothed to a Su family daughter.
"Tch, what are you thinking? When my Sister Xiaoqi married Shen Yun, he wasn't Jiyuan yet," Du Yiyi had been standing by Su Xiaoqi's side.
She had remained silent while Su Xiaoqi spoke, but when others started discussing, she stepped in to clarify matters for them.
"That's right, I remember that. Let alone Jiyuan, Young Master Shen wasn't even a Xiucai back then."
"Ah… then it can't be, it can't be that the Su family looked down on the then Young Master Shen, so they found this one..."
"Don't speak carelessly. Our Xiaoqi's father is Su Bāichéng, the great philanthropist. How could he be snobbish?"
"Shush, don't speak carelessly. Be careful that one of your relatives doesn't lose their job."
The Su family, known as Su Bāichéng, was not to be underestimated.
A significant portion of the marketplaces belonged to their businesses.
Grain stores made up more than half, but there were many other shops as well.
Among the onlookers on the street, there was bound to be someone whose relatives worked in the Su family's establishments.
Upon hearing this, several people immediately fell silent.
"Su Xiaoqi, you've gone mad! Quickly tell them you were talking nonsense.
Otherwise, otherwise, this will eventually reach Young Master Shen's ears, and without the backing of the Su family, do you think he'll still want you?"
Su Yuru weighed the situation, finding her own matters important, but ultimately, family interests took precedence.
Her father often told them that a single plank cannot support a collapsing house, and no matter how capable one person is, they cannot have all the good things or accomplish everything.
Without the family, they would cease to exist.
Therefore, at a critical moment, she naturally had to protect the family's reputation.
She was extremely anxious, repeatedly trying to persuade Su Xiaoqi.
However, not only did Su Xiaoqi ignore her, but she deliberately lifted the carriage curtain, revealing Shen Yun's partially obscured face.
"Ah… Sister, Young Master Shen, you, why are you here?" Su Yuru exclaimed in surprise.
Her thought was that Su Xiaoqi must have dared to confront her because Shen Yun was not present.
But she hadn't expected Shen Yun to be in the carriage all along, that she just hadn't seen him.
Su Yuru felt flustered but couldn't help but want to know Shen Yun's thoughts.
Soon, she got her answer:
"I married Su Xiaoqi, not the Su family," Shen Yun said calmly as he stepped down from the carriage.
His voice was not loud but was very clear, enunciated word by word, so that everyone present could hear it clearly.
"What, no, impossible! Without my Su family, she's just a beggar from the streets," Su Yuru, in her panic, directly revealed Su Xiaoqi's identity.
Su Xiaoqi didn't care; she couldn't choose the original owner's background.
She was doing her best to live well herself and ensure those around her lived well.
At this point, she wouldn't claim to have achieved perfection, but those who followed her could eat their fill, stay warm, and pursue their passions, which she felt was a barely passing grade.