Chapter Twenty: You Blame Me for Your Lack of Sense?

It must be said, Klein blue truly does make one’s skin look fair. The dress was form-fitting without being tight, perfectly accentuating her figure. As Xie Jinchuan gazed at the dazzlingly radiant Shen Qingli, a flicker of some unreadable emotion swept through his eyes. Then, he strode forward at a measured pace.

“Why not change into this one instead?”

Shen Qingli followed his voice and looked over. When she saw what he held, her lips twitched. It was an extremely simple white dress, though there was a large bow at the back.

“If you want to give them a fright, white is far more appropriate,” Xie Jinchuan said with a faint smile. Their eyes met, and in that instant, they understood each other perfectly.

Elsewhere, at the Shen family residence.

The Lu family banquet was scheduled for the evening, but Mr. Lu and Shen Jingrong had begun preparing early that morning. Shen Jingrong wore a bright, eye-catching dress—clearly, neither of them was troubled in the slightest by the news of Shen Qingli’s death.

“Jingrong, tonight’s banquet is your chance to secure a place in the Lu family. It would be best if you could finalize your marriage with Lu Ziyi!” Mr. Lu spoke cheerily, already calculating in his heart what connections he could make once he latched onto the Lu family’s power.

Shen Jingrong admired her own beautiful reflection in the mirror, her face full of confidence and determination. “Don’t worry, Dad. I will marry into the Lu family and keep Lu Ziyi firmly in my grasp!”

Hearing this, Mr. Lu nodded approvingly. “That’s my good daughter! If our Shen family can join with the Lus by marriage, our status will soar overnight!”

Seeing that it was getting late, the two hurried off to the banquet.

Old Master Lu looked around at the decorations, all in somber colors. “Grandpa, is it really necessary to make everything so drab?” Lu Ziyi complained, glancing at the black and white decor that drained all vitality from the room.

Old Master Lu glared at him. “Your third uncle is coming back today. Don’t provoke me with your nonsense!”

“It’s just because Shen Qingli died, isn’t it? Is all this really necessary…” Lu Ziyi grumbled, only to be rapped sharply with the old man’s cane.

“Don’t say such things in front of others,” Old Master Lu scolded, his tone harsh enough to make Lu Ziyi shrink back and fall silent.

“Yes, yes, whatever you say.”

Seeing his grandson’s lack of backbone, Old Master Lu snorted and walked away. It wasn’t that he was especially partial, but there were outsiders present today, and appearances had to be maintained for the sake of the Lu family’s reputation.

Once everything was ready, Mr. Shen arrived with Shen Jingrong in tow. On seeing Shen Jingrong’s gaudy dress, Old Master Lu frowned deeply. This girl had no sense at all.

Mr. Shen, meanwhile, looked around at the monochrome decorations in confusion. “Old Master Lu, about the decorations…”

At his words, Old Master Lu’s frown deepened. “Old Shen, have you forgotten? It’s been less than three days since your daughter Shen Qingli passed away.”

Mr. Shen’s expression froze. Shen Jingrong, too, glanced down at her own dress, her smile stiffening.

An awkward silence descended.

Lu Ziyi tried to break the tension. “Why hasn’t my third uncle arrived yet?”

Old Master Lu checked the time. “Go see if Jinchuan is here.”

The butler nodded and went to open the door. The moment he saw the pair standing outside, he was startled—especially by the woman at the man’s side.

“Miss… Miss Shen!” he stammered, his voice loud enough to draw everyone’s attention.

Shen Qingli walked in on Xie Jinchuan’s arm, her smile gentle. “Old Master Lu.” She nodded respectfully to him, then turned to the shocked Mr. Shen and Shen Jingrong.

“Father, sister, why did you come without waiting for me?” she asked with a light smile, though a cold glint flashed in her eyes.

Old Master Lu stared at Shen Qingli in disbelief. He pinched himself to make sure he wasn’t seeing things, then steadied his nerves.

“You—are you a ghost or a human? Weren’t you supposed to be dead?” Lu Ziyi exclaimed, leaping to his feet.

Shen Qingli blinked innocently. “Who told you I was dead? Did you see the hospital officially announce my death?”

Lu Ziyi’s eyes widened as realization dawned. Pointing at her, he accused, “So that’s it, Shen Qingli! You’re truly devious—pretending to be dead just to frighten us, or maybe you’re trying to scam money out of our family! How shameless can you get?”

“Calamities live a thousand years—women like you who cling to the powerful are just a waste of air!” As soon as he finished, he felt a chilling gaze upon him.

Following that gaze, Lu Ziyi met Xie Jinchuan’s cold eyes.

“Watch your mouth,” Xie Jinchuan warned icily. But as soon as Lu Ziyi caught sight of Shen Qingli’s proud expression beside him, his anger boiled over.

“Shen Qingli, why did you pretend to be dead just to scare us?”

“Pretend to be dead?” She smiled, propping her chin in her hands with a cold smirk. “That was called cardiac arrest. If I really died, the hospital would have notified everyone. It’s your own lack of sense that led you to such conclusions, and now you want to blame me?”

Lu Ziyi drew a deep breath, ready to retort, only to be cut off by Old Master Lu.

“That’s enough. Sit down and eat. Stop making a spectacle of yourself!”

Reluctantly, Lu Ziyi sat, though he continued to glare at Shen Qingli.

At last, Shen Jingrong and Mr. Shen snapped out of their shock. Remembering that night at the hospital, Shen Jingrong forced a smile.

“It’s wonderful that you’re alive, sister. I even visited you that day…”

Before she could finish, Shen Qingli’s voice drifted over, cool and mocking.

“Oh, I remember.”

Her lips curled as she looked at Shen Jingrong, her gaze tinged with irony.

“Are you talking about that night when I’d just woken up and wanted to say a few words to you? When you mistook me for a ghost, panicked, and nearly fainted from fright?”

As she spoke, Shen Qingli’s eyes landed on the bright dress her sister wore.

“So it seems you knew I wasn’t dead and wore something so vibrant especially to welcome me back?”