02-How Much Am I Worth?

As for that old lady of the Yin family, He Changning had no other feelings for her except hatred.

Ever since the day his mother got married into this Yin family, this old lady had been creating all kinds of difficulties for her. Because of the old lady’s own poor background, when facing his mother, whose family came with a literary reputation, the old lady always felt that she was inferior to her own daughter-in-law.

After getting together with Yin Zhinian, He Minglan fell out with her own family and had officially severed ties with the He family. Without her family as backup, He Minglan could only make progress with great difficulty in the Yin family. Yet Yin Zhinian was known to be a credulous and filial son. Whatever the old lady said then it should be what it was. Even knowing how his mother had been criticizing his wife harshly, he chose to close an eye on the situation, and only persuade his wife to tolerate more.

The old lady didn’t like her daughter-in-law’s pure and elegant behavior; it was as if she was doing that on purpose to make herself look horrible. So, the old lady showed her true colors and made things even more difficult for her. It didn’t matter what He Minglan did, she would always try to find fault with her. What’s right would be wrong, and the slightest mistake she made would always be highlighted and harped on. What made things worse was how, after so many years of marriage, there had not been a single child born.

This became the old lady’s excuse to pick on He Minglan.

Even the mistress that her son had been harboring outside was due to her instigation. The fact that there were children that were born outside from that marriage was also hidden with the help of the old lady. That was why, when He Changning was two years old, the mistress came knocking on the door. That was when He Minglan realize that Congmin and her own husband’s first child was already eight years old. The second one was five and there was still a third in her stomach.

The innumerable difficulties made by her mother-in-law and then her husband’s betrayal. All these pushed He Minglan to her limits mentally and physically – she could not handle the blows anymore.

She pushed away her son who was less than three years old, chose the most direct and desperate solution, and jumped off from the roof of the Yin family’s villa.

With such an ending was partly because of He Minglan’s addiction to her so-called love and her weak personality, but the main culprit that contributed to He Minglan’s suicide was clearly the Yin family’s old lady. The other was no doubt Yin Zhinian, whose responsibility and cowardice made him an accomplice.

He Changning had never intended to be calculative with this old lady – she was old; even if he took her life away, his mother would never be revived. But that didn’t mean they could take charge of his life at their own will.

The reason why He Changning was still staying with the Yin family was because of a letter his mother left behind, and that he had no intention to let these people off easily. While he still had the mood, it was a must to piss them off at every opportunity given.

Seeing how He Changning wasn’t replying, Elder Yin thought she had him at bay. So, she presented an expression that resembled what a loving elder would show and consoled with meaningful and heartfelt words, “Changning, Granny knows that you don’t feel good about this, but you must think for the Yin family. When your mother was still alive, she was such an educated and reasonable person, you can’t let down your mother’s good reputation.”

The hatred in He Changning’s heart could only amplify – So now you remember my mother’s reasonable personality? Why didn’t anyone notice that when she was still alive? Now I must sacrifice for the Yin family, so you bring out the honor that my mother cared about most to talk down on me? Can these people get even more shameless?

Putting a cold expression filled with sarcasm on his face, his contempt-filled gaze stared straight at the stingy, mean Elder Yin, “So based on what granny says, what should I do now? Marry a man and be his wife? In exchange, my dowry funds would be contributed to the Yin Establishment, and that would in return resolve the crisis that the Yin Establishment was facing right? Aren’t you speaking too highly of me, granny? Exactly how much does the Yin Establishment need to survive this ordeal, don’t you know? You really think I’m worth such a high dowry price for the Shang family to pay for me to get married into their family to be their first son’s male-wife?”

The whole string of questions had Elder Yin stumbling for words; she indeed had no idea how much funding the Yin Establishment needed to turn over. She turned towards her son, Yin Zhinian for answers.

Receiving the old lady’s questioning gaze, Yin Zhinian coughed awkwardly and tried to avoid the gaze, “Well, not too much, about twenty million.”

He Changning laughed sarcastically again. “Hah, dad, you really speak too highly of me. Do you really think I’m worth twenty million? Or should I say, do you think the Shang family would pay twenty million to buy a male-wife?

Yin Zhinian’s face darkened, Congmin had a disapproving look as she stared at Yin Zhinian, and Elder Yin seemed to be deep in her thoughts.

A simple sentence struck everyone’s sore spot, so He Changning continued without a care, “If the Shang family needs a man from the Yin family to marry over, why don’t Granny and Dad consider other candidates? Maybe that’ll fulfill Dad’s wish.” He gave a meaningless smile as he glanced over to the other two men of the Yin family.

Receiving Changning’s nonchalant gaze, Yin Hao and Yin Jun felt a cold air blowing on their back as a shiver went down their spine to their limbs. Especially for Yin Jun as he involuntarily slouched his shoulders together, trying his best to minimize his existence.

The old lady obviously knew what He Changning was trying to say, but Yin Hao and Yin Jun was her precious grandsons, the Yin family’s future and hope! Of course, she was not willing to let her own grandson marry another man as a wife, that would surely ruin their future. But that was not the most important thing now; the Yin family couldn’t afford to offend the Shang family. “What Changning says had his own points, but who the Shang family’s first son wants to marry isn’t up to us to decide.”

the Yin family’s future and hope! Of course, she was not willing to let her own grandson marry another man as a wife, that would surely ruin their future. But that was not the most important thing now; the Yin family couldn’t afford to offend the Shang family. “What Changning says had his own points, but who the Shang family’s first son wants to marry isn’t up to us to decide.”

Hearing what Elder Yin said, Yin Zhinian suddenly remembered something, “Right, this matter isn’t up to us to decide. The candidates are decided by the Shang family’s elder lady; it’s based on the Master’s calculation together with your eight characters. Initially we’re not the only ones who have sent the eight characters to the Shang family. After the Master’s calculation and selection, Changning’s eight characters happens to be most compatible to Shang young master’s eight characters. Thus, Elder Shang selected Changning to be her grandson-in-law.”

He Changning clenched his fists so tightly that his delicate fingers became even paler. He was using his all his might to suppress the raging fire in his chest. “Why were my eight characters sent for selection and I was not even aware of it?” His piercing, cold gaze once again pointed at his father who didn’t even give him notice before selling him.

Yin Zhinian looked away, “That… at that time we didn’t have any hopes over it, so we…”

Congmin couldn’t stand it any longer – to see Yin Zhinian go speechless after being pushed by He Changning, she really despised him from the bottom of her heart. But for their children’s future, she couldn’t just sit back and do nothing. “Whatever you say now makes no difference; the members of the Shang family are not those people like us can offend. The eight characters that were sent for selection was personally sent by your father. Now that you’ve been selected, if we should back out and anger the Shang family, not only will the company go bankrupt, none of us in this family can escape from their wrath. That outcome is not something that you can handle. So instead of arguing non-stop here, why not just accept it? Maybe there’ll be a turn for the better.”

“Aunty, you sound so generous, the one getting married isn’t your son; of course you’ll be relaxed.”

“Then how else? Your dad has no abilities to deal with the Shang family; we can’t escape either; should the whole family die together with you?”

“You have to ability to create this mess, then deal with it using your own means. When sending my eight characters to them you should have thought about the outcome. What’s wrong, did you people think that no matter what you do, I would obediently accept it?”

Up till this point, everyone suddenly realized a question: that the He Changning who was sitting on the couch was no longer the same obedient, never-say-no He Changning that they knew. The once obedient kitten was now revealing its sharp claws, scratching them into confusion, making them lost, until they would be drenched with blood.

To Be Continued...

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