Chapter 16: What is Your Status, What is Yangyang's Status?

```html

The Shen Residence is long from north to south and narrow from east to west, both long and square. It seems clear that great effort has been put into ensuring its prosperity and fortune.

Shen Hua's courtyard, aside from the main courtyard, boasts the best feng shui in the residence.

The snow on the main road has long been cleared. Just as they pass by the rockery near the Qu Shui Pavilion, an ill-timed voice rings out, lecherously.

"Cousin Shen."

Yicui's face darkens upon recognizing the voice.

Xue Muliang, unattractive and plump, quickly makes his way towards Shen Hua. His eyes narrow to slits on his large, flabby face. As he approaches, Shua Hua seems to sense the ground trembling.

Xue Muliang comes to a stop. On his thick, short fingers, he wears three glittering gold rings.

"I've been staying at the Shen Residence recently, and I've been wanting to visit you. But Aunt said you were gravely ill a few days ago, and I feared cousin you might infect me, so after some thought, I had to give up the idea."

The "Aunt" he speaks of is none other than Shen Xue-shi.

Xue Muliang scrutinizes Shen Hua's bloodless face carefully.

"Seeing you now, you must be much better."

Shen Hua looks at him silently.

Not getting a response, Xue Muliang does not lose heart.

He's used to it.

In the past, when he stayed at the Shen Residence for short visits, he always watched Shen Hua's expressions carefully, complying obediently. When met with a cold reception, he had no choice but to swallow his anger, fearing this ancestor might get displeased and drive him away.

Back then, Shen Hua was indeed difficult, always speaking with sharpness.

— "And you think you deserve to call me sister?"

— "Who allowed you to enter my brother's room? Did the stepmother decide that for you? Ridiculous, she's just a second wife, living in my mother's courtyard, using my mother's bed, pretending to be my mother every day, utterly shameless, I hate her, and I hate you even more, put it down, that's my brother's book, no matter how good a book is, it's not yours if it's hard to come by, you're not allowed to touch it."

He always had to apologize quietly, but today is not like those times.

Xue Muliang now adopts a superior stance.

"To see cousin recovering from such a serious illness makes my heart ache."

Perhaps because she has endured enough recently, Shen Hua can actually remain calm facing Xue Muliang.

"What do you want?"

"In these days, you must have learned your lesson. Cousin Shen used to humiliate me, but no amount of love from brother is enough, of course, I can't bear to blame you. The day the He Family backed out of the marriage, what did you think about what I said?"

Shen Hua's tone is indifferent: "You want to marry me?"

Xue Muliang raises his thumb, pointing at himself: "Though the Xue Family is small, I consider myself a dragon among men. To marry, it should naturally be a kind and virtuous good girl. With cousin being like this, being a noble concubine would be more than enough."

Shen Hua laughs angrily: "Illiterate, immoral, utterly useless in every way."

Xue Muliang doesn't understand.

Shen Hua: "The Xue Family is small, and so is the He Family, neither is nobler than the other. But with such shameless antics, it's likely the two residences could compete in a fight to the death."

Yicui spits: "Truly a toad wanting to eat swan meat, even a maid wouldn't look favorably upon it."

"Daring to propose marriage to the lady, truly shameless."

Xue Muliang: ???

He flies into a rage.

"Shen Hua! You can barely take care of yourself and still try to show off? Accepting you as a concubine is already elevating you. Otherwise..."

His laughter becomes ambiguous, his plump body closing in.

What he wants, he's never failed to get.

Shen Xue-shi treats him like a son, granting all his requests. In the past, he refrained out of fear of Shen Wei, but now, it only takes a word from Aunt. Yet Shen Hua refuses to cooperate.

With such beauty, dying a virgin would indeed be a waste.

His gaze turns dark and leering.

"If you're really unwilling, there's another easy way: you and this impudent maid can both accompany brother for a night, and this matter can be forgotten."

He laughs sinisterly and reaches out to touch Shen Hua.

"Stop!" The voice of Shen Xue-shi comes urgently, as she hastens over.

Shen Hua is in Shen Qu's service, and while Shen Xue-shi may not be pleased, she is aware of the significance.

Though she cherishes Xue Muliang, her real investment is in Shen Qu for her future security.

She hopes Shen Qu will promote Xue Muliang and share some of the Shen Family's Embroidery Workshop profits.

However, the maternal bond is weak; if Shen Hua were to be taken advantage of under her guardianship, not only Shen Qu but also Second Uncle Shen He Wen wouldn't forgive it.

Shen Hua simply cannot be touched.

And the same goes for Xue Muliang.

Xue Muliang, seeing his backer arrive, immediately complains, "Aunt, you came just in time, this little bitch..."

"Shut up!" Shen Xue-shi interrupts, infuriated.

"Consider your status, consider Yangyang's status!"

Shen Hua: Wow.

Xue Muliang: ?

Weren't you the one who called her a little bitch first!

"Liang, though I am your aunt, I am primarily Yangyang's mama."

Shen Hua: Who cares.

Xue Muliang: ??

She's not even your own daughter!

"Yes, the He Family has withdrawn the proposal, but so what? With such a good girl as Yangyang, is there any fear of not finding a good husband? Her brother will naturally worry about it. What does it have to do with you?"

Xue Muliang: ???

Just a few days ago, you said Shen Hua could be played with as he pleases!

Aunt! Are you possessed?

Housekeeper Cheng watches from a distance, serving as Shen Qu's eyes and ears. Shen Xue-shi's words are expressly meant for Shen Qu to hear.

"I'll leave it at that: if you speak recklessly again, spare me having to remember our relationship as family, as I will see you out of the residence."

Xue Muliang stands dumbfounded, like a defeated, plump rooster. No trace of his previous arrogance remains.

Shen Xue-shi turns to face Shen Hua, who watches the scene unfold with a leisurely gaze.

"Good child, sorry to have alarmed you. Everything..."

"Stop."

All Shen Hua can think about is Shen Zhui, and she interrupts without a hint of warmth.

"Stepmother, spare me your fake kindness."

"You know well who I am, just as I understand your little games. However, I am admittedly delicate and thin-skinned, and can hardly pretend not to dislike you while dealing with you superficially."

Shen Xue-shi chokes on her words.

She offered Shen Hua an out, only to be slapped in return?

"And you, Xue Muliang."

Shen Hua lets out a sigh.

After all, in a previous life, Xue Muliang was infamous throughout Fengzhou City.

Three months later, he harassed a good family's daughter in a narrow alley. Bare as he was, he wore a menacing grin.

Yet, it didn't go as planned.

Instead, he was pecked mercilessly by a goose, raised plump and loyal to its owner, damaging his exposed vital parts. Yes, vital parts.

The goose clamped its beak tight and wouldn't let go.

He dared not tug for fear of breaking it; the pain made him wince terribly.

Amidst earth-shattering cries, he kicked the goose away, but his rough actions only backfired. The goose, insulted, fanned its wings in fiery anger and pursued him relentlessly.

"Honk!"

"Get away!"

Feathers flew everywhere as the goose pecked at nothing but his vital parts.

In his haste, Xue Muliang tripped on a pebble, stumbled, and could only cover his loins, hide his pain, and grimace while running for dear life.

It's said that everyone on the street saw it.

Shen Hua's lips curl up in delight: "You are yet to have offspring, so you'd better take care."

```