Abandoned Wife? Her Starlight Shall Blind You!-Chapter 77 - 28: Time to Lay Your Cards on the Table

Chapter 77: Chapter 28: Time to Lay Your Cards on the Table

"You may leave now!" Old Mrs. Xu said to Nanny Hou.

Nanny Hou glanced at Old Mrs. Xu worriedly, but had to bow and withdraw.

Inside the room, only Shen Ruoxi and Old Mrs. Xu remained.

Old Mrs. Xu stared fiercely at Shen Ruoxi, her tone full of authority: "Shen Ruoxi, no matter what, I am the legitimate wife your grandfather married with grand ceremony, your rightful grandmother. Treating me like this, aren’t you afraid of divine retribution?"

"Haha," Shen Ruoxi sneered and replied, "I want to ask you, should I call you Xu Jinmian or call you Lan Fen’er?"

Upon hearing the name "Lan Fen’er," Old Mrs. Xu’s face instantly turned pale, as if the name was distant and almost unfamiliar to her.

At this moment, she felt as if she had been slapped hard, her blood surged, mind unsettled, and at a loss.

Once her identity was exposed, everything would be over.

She steadied herself and snarled in defense, "What, what nonsense are you spouting? I have no idea what you’re talking about!"

Shen Ruoxi remained unfazed and calmly said, "Those dozen people have already confessed, and Chen Gun’s wife and children have been rescued. I have both his and Cuicui’s testimonies in my hand, would you like to see them?"

Old Mrs. Xu broke out in cold sweat, not expecting her true identity had been exposed. She gritted her teeth and said, "Shen Ruoxi, fabricating charges is easy, don’t spout nonsense, I don’t know any Lan Fen’er!"

Even faced with solid evidence, Old Mrs. Xu kept arguing relentlessly.

Shen Ruoxi quietly watched her, this woman who was younger than her own mother, though nearly forty, still retained her charm.

Shen Ruoxi couldn’t help but wonder why those men who followed her, even when insulted, remained steadfastly loyal and devoted.

Shen Ruoxi suddenly lightly placed her hand on Old Mrs. Xu’s uninjured wrist, frightening Old Mrs. Xu who exclaimed, "What, what are you trying to do?"

Shen Ruoxi coldly replied, "What could I possibly do? If I wanted to take your life, why would I waste words with you? I merely want to see how much longer you can live."

Hearing that Shen Ruoxi didn’t intend to kill her, Old Mrs. Xu relaxed slightly.

She scoffed, "Don’t try to scare me, I’ve seen a doctor and I’m perfectly healthy!"

Shen Ruoxi sneered, "Have you forgotten who my master is? What can those mediocre doctors possibly diagnose? I know your lifespan.

But rest assured, since I’ve promised not to kill you, I’ll keep my word and let you die naturally."

These words made Old Mrs. Xu’s face even paler. Her medical skills were indeed impressive, and there was no need for her to deceive now. She trembled and asked, "W-How much longer can I live?"

Shen Ruoxi did not answer but calmly said, "That person is indeed named Xing Yuan, the son of the former Sect Hierarch of the Demon Sect. If you know his whereabouts, tell me soon to prevent him from harming others."

"Impossible!" Old Mrs. Xu still refused to believe.

Shen Ruoxi smirked, "Haven’t you noticed how sinister Tai’s martial arts seem?"

Old Mrs. Xu was stunned, her face suddenly turning pale as paper, as if all life had drained from her.

After a long pause, she finally said, "Having misidentified his identity, how could I possibly know his whereabouts."

Shen Ruoxi believed she wasn’t lying and said, "By not killing you now, I’m already showing you the greatest mercy. Additionally, I won’t be harsh with your food and drink. Once you die, I’ll ensure you’re properly buried."

After speaking, Shen Ruoxi turned to leave, but Old Mrs. Xu suddenly spoke up: "Shen Ruoxi, don’t look down on me. Why can men have multiple wives, yet we women must remain chaste for them? I refuse!

I haven’t committed murder or arson, I just like several men, and it hasn’t affected the Shen family’s livelihood. What have I done wrong? You can’t just lock me up like this! Let me go, I’ll disappear far away."

Shen Ruoxi coldly glanced at her, saying, "Marrying into the Shen family was your own choice. If your heart lies elsewhere, you could have told me outright. I would have created an opportunity for you to fake your death and pursue your own happiness.

But your current conduct is truly repugnant. I simply cannot condone your actions, take care of yourself!"

Shen Ruoxi finished speaking and again turned to leave.

Old Mrs. Xu suddenly shouted loudly, "Shen Ruoxi, you’re still a maiden, right? You’ve never experienced a man’s warmth, so you naturally don’t know their goodness.

You’re so beautiful, if only one man could have you, what a waste! You’re a Marquis anyway, why not find a few more men and have three husbands and four wives, which could be a pride for us women."

Shen Ruoxi sneered and retorted, "Do you really think having three husbands and four wives could bring a woman pride?"

"Why not? Why should us women endure oppression from men? I just want to stand up for us women, and you act like a coward!"

Shen Ruoxi shook her head inwardly, as the saying goes, different paths do not converge. Whether it’s men with multiple wives or women with multiple husbands, she considered such behavior disgraceful.

Her father, maternal grandfather, and uncles were all models of monogamous devotion. If she never encountered such a devoted man, she would rather spend her life alone.

Shen Ruoxi didn’t linger further, leaving directly, while Old Mrs. Xu’s muttering continued behind her, lamenting her like-flower-like-jade appearance being wasted.

Upon stepping out of the room, Shen Ruoxi encountered Shen Da with a worried expression. He inquired with concern, "Miss, how is the situation with Old Mrs. Xu?"

Shen Ruoxi coldly responded, "If she tries anything drastic again, ignore her. From now on, confine her here and have people closely guard her."

Shen Da looked troubled and hesitated, "Miss, you just returned to the manor, treating grandmother this way might not be proper. After all, she was once the mistress of the house, and outsiders might spread rumors that you’re confining her to seize power."

Shen Ruoxi smiled lightly, composedly saying, "No matter, let them talk. This is a private matter of the Shen family, outsiders shouldn’t interfere."

Seeing this, Shen Da had no choice but to nod in agreement, "If so, Miss, please be more cautious."

Shen Ruoxi nodded in response, "I know what I’m doing."

Returning to her Shaohua Courtyard, Shen Ruoxi sat in a chair, closed her eyes, and calmed her Inner Strength.

With nine days until the martial arts tournament, she must rest well and strive to excel in the competition.

Just as she closed her eyes and focused, hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside, followed by Xu Ji’s familiar and lively voice, "Cousin, I’m here!"