The heavy wooden doors slowly swung open on both sides, and the warm, bright light from the main hall spilled along the corridor through the gap.
Lin Jianqing followed Shen Huaixue inside.
The main hall was more spacious than he had imagined, yet it lacked excessive ornate decoration.
Dark brown wooden furniture was neatly arranged on both sides, and along the walls stood several tall glass cabinets displaying aged antiques, old books, and silver instruments whose purposes he couldn’t discern. Facing the entrance, several large family portraits hung on the wall.
Most of the women in the portraits wore dark formal dresses, their expressions stern and gazes calm. As Lin Jianqing passed by, his eyes lingered briefly on the center portrait before quickly looking away.
At the center of the main hall sat a very long wooden table with a smooth, spotless surface. A few white teacups rested quietly on a tray.
The faint aroma of tea mixed with the distinct scent of wooden furniture slowly drifted through the still air.
Two servants stood near the entrance and lowered their heads simultaneously upon seeing Shen Huaixue.
Shen Huaixue didn’t pause. She simply took Lin Jianqing’s hand gently and led him forward.
At the head of the table sat a woman wearing a dark green long dress.
Her black hair was neatly pinned up, and a darker thin shawl rested on her shoulders.
Her features bore some resemblance to Shen Huaixue’s, yet they carried far more composure. She merely sat there quietly, and the noise around her naturally dimmed.
On the other side of the table sat a young woman.
She lounged lazily against the back of her chair, holding a teacup, her light gray hair cascading loosely over her shoulders. Noticing Lin Jianqing’s gaze, she lowered her head and took a sip of tea, as if suddenly fascinated by the leaves inside.
Lin Jianqing felt she looked familiar, but he couldn’t recall where he had seen her before.
Shen Huaixue stopped a few steps away from the head of the table. She released Lin Jianqing’s hand and looked forward with a calm expression.
“Mother.”
The woman at the head of the table set down her teacup.
The porcelain met the tray with a faint, crisp click.
She didn’t look at Shen Huaixue first. Instead, her gaze settled on Lin Jianqing, traveling slowly from his face to the collar that Shen Huaixue had straightened.
After a moment, her expression softened slightly.
“Come, have a seat. The journey must have been tiring.”
Lin Jianqing hesitated briefly, then followed Shen Huaixue to the long table.
The chair had already been pulled out by a servant, its dark wooden back carved with intricate patterns.
After sitting down, Lin Jianqing’s shoulders and back remained stiff, and he didn’t know where to place his hands, so he simply rested them lightly on his knees.
Shen Huaixue sat to his right.
Her movements were quieter than usual; her skirt barely made a sound as it settled, as if she had truly become the young lady of some wealthy household.
After sitting, she nudged the teacup on the table a little closer to Lin Jianqing, her fingertips lingering briefly on the smooth surface.
Warm white steam rose from the cup, carrying a faint floral fragrance.
Lin Jianqing glanced down but didn’t touch it right away.
The next second, Shen Huaixue’s voice echoed from the depths of his consciousness.
‘Don’t be so nervous.’
Lin Jianqing’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, but his outward expression remained unchanged.
‘Easy for you to say.’ Feeling the gazes of the people around him, Lin Jianqing grew instinctively tense.
He now deeply regretted agreeing to come with Shen Huaixue.
On the plane, he’d only felt mild regret; after entering the Shen family estate, he was completely regretful. As for now, he wished he could find a crack in the floor and crawl into it.
The people around them were most likely Shen Huaixue’s relatives, since their features all bore some resemblance to hers.
Shen Huaixue picked up her own teacup, lowered her eyes, and took a sip.
‘Don’t worry, they won’t eat you.’
“Is this how you talk about your family?”
‘I can hear every single thought you complain about.’
Lin Jianqing had forgotten that complaining about Shen Huaixue had become second nature to him.
Ending the topic, Lin Jianqing raised his hand and lightly touched the rim of his teacup.
The woman at the head of the table kept watching the two of them.
Her gaze wasn’t sharp, yet it gave one the feeling that it was hard to avoid. Lin Jianqing could tell she had noticed Shen Huaixue pushing the teacup closer, and she had also noticed the brief silence between them.
Shen Mu seemed to realize something, because as a mother, she knew all too well what her daughters were capable of.
She raised her hand, and the servant standing nearby placed several plates of delicate pastries on the table. The white porcelain plates were neatly arranged, the colors light and portions modest.
“The food on the plane probably didn’t suit your taste.” Shen Mu looked at Lin Jianqing. “Have a little something first. I’ll have the kitchen prepare dinner shortly.”
Her voice was steady, neither deliberately warm nor obviously distant.
Lin Jianqing nodded lightly.
“Thank you, Auntie.”
After his words fell, the main hall fell briefly silent.
The young woman sitting on the other side raised her eyes, peering over the rim of her teacup, and the corner of her mouth seemed to twitch.
Shen Huaixue’s fingertips also paused on the table. Lin Jianqing immediately felt he must have used the wrong form of address.
‘Ahhh, meeting the parents is such a hassle!’
‘You’re this stressed?’
Lin Jianqing was inwardly crumbling, and Shen Huaixue, who could read his mind, only felt that his stress levels were indeed quite high.
‘What should I call her?’
He asked inwardly, naturally seeking help from Shen Huaixue.
Shen Huaixue turned her face, her black eyes calmly resting on him.
‘Just call her Auntie, like that.’
Shen Mu didn’t seem to mind at all. Instead, she let out a gentle laugh.
“That’s perfectly fine. No need for anything too formal.” Looking at Lin Jianqing before her, Shen Mu only smiled faintly. She actually rather liked this young man who had managed to straighten out her daughter.
After speaking, she turned her gaze to Shen Huaixue.
“You’ve been in Linzhou for so long. I never expected you to actually change.”
Shen Huaixue set down her teacup, her expression unchanged.
“Mom… what exactly do you and the so-called ‘clan’ intend to do?” Shen Huaixue had no idea what her mother and the “clan” were planning.
Shen Mu didn’t answer. She simply adjusted her shawl slowly.
Her gaze landed on Lin Jianqing once more, her tone still gentle.
“Is the room comfortable?”
Lin Jianqing nodded.
“Yes, it’s great. Everything’s been prepared thoroughly.”
Shen Huaixue’s eyes shifted slightly. Lin Jianqing caught her gaze and immediately remembered those clothes and daily necessities that had just been removed.
‘Was my answer okay?’
‘No problem.’
Shen Huaixue answered quickly.
“Then why were you looking at me?”
‘No… I just glanced over.’ Shen Huaixue hadn’t expected Lin Jianqing to be so sensitive to her gaze.
He gently lifted his teacup and used the act of drinking to mask the subtle change on his face.
Across the table, Shen Yumian took it all in.
She leaned back in her chair, her teacup still in hand, as if observing something amusing.
Outside the main hall, the night breeze stirred the curtains, and the soft fabric swayed gently. Tree shadows fell into the bright room, drifting slowly across the dark wooden floor.
For Lin Jianqing, every second now could only be described as “torture.” He just wished it would end quickly… Right, end it, go home, back to the dorm, or anywhere else—anything at all.