Transmigration; Married to My Ex-Fiancé's Uncle-Chapter 217; Shopping 1

That’s when you come out, people will judge you and doubt you and try to keep you in that box they’ve built for you in their minds. But you don’t have to stay there. You can rebuild. You can be more than your worst moment."

She paused, her voice strengthening. "And I would tell them to find people who believe in them. Family, friends, partners, whoever sees past the conviction to the person underneath. Those people are invaluable. Hold onto them."

Several reporters looked momentarily taken aback by the sincerity. Even if everything else had been calculated, that answer had carried genuine weight.

"Miss Lin, one more question...."

"No." Shuyin’s tone was final. "I’ve been generous with my time and my answers. I’ve given you more than enough material for your stories. Now, as I said at the beginning, I want to live a private life. I want to take these children shopping. I want to adjust to freedom without cameras in my face."

She looked directly at the cameras still filming, her expression pleasant but immovable. "I appreciate your interest in my story. I understand you have jobs to do. But this interview is over. I won’t be taking any more questions today, or any day in the near future. If something newsworthy happens, you’ll hear about it through proper channels. Until then, please respect my privacy and the privacy of my family."

"But Miss Lin...."

"The interview," Shuyin repeated, her voice dropping to something colder, "is over."

Ting Fei moved forward smoothly, creating a physical barrier between Shuyin and the press. The security detail closed ranks, forming a protective corridor toward the waiting vehicles.

"Thank you for your time," Shuyin added, softening her dismissal with a slight smile. "I’m sure we’ll all see each other again eventually. But for now, I have a life to live."

She turned away from the cameras, placing a hand on Chen Xiao’s shoulder and gesturing for Yuyan to follow. They moved toward the van as a unit, Shuyin in the center, children flanking her, security surrounding them.

The reporters continued shouting questions, but they were background noise now. Dismissed. Irrelevant.

"Miss Lin!"

"Just one more....."

"Please, Miss Lin...."

Shuyin ignored them all, her focus on reaching the vehicle. On putting distance between herself and their invasive curiosity. On maintaining the image she’d just constructed, wronged woman making a comeback, adoptive mother seeking redemption, reasonable person just trying to move forward.

All lies wrapped in just enough truth to be believable.

The van door opened. Chen Xiao climbed in first, followed by Yuyan. Shuyin paused at the door, turning back to the press one final time.

"Go write your stories," she said, her voice carrying clearly despite the distance. "Make them interesting. But make them fair. I’ve given you the truth today. What you do with it is up to you."

Then she stepped into the van and she hadn’t even sat down when a woman surrounded by bodyguards came forward, approaching rapidly.

"Lin Shuyin... We need to talk!" The woman walked over and got closer to the van, her voice sharp and commanding.

Shuyin paused, one foot still on the running board, and looked at her. She combed through the original owner’s memories, pieces clicking into place. This was Lu Zeyan’s biological mother, Madam Lu. The woman who had welcomed Lin Shuyin into family gatherings with false warmth, who had praised her gentleness and obedience, who had approved of the engagement because Shuyin was so perfectly malleable.

The woman who had abandoned her the moment the scandal broke.

Shuyin’s expression didn’t change. She straightened slowly, meeting Madam Lu’s gaze with cool detachment.

"To talk to me, you need to book an appointment." Her voice was pleasant, almost polite. "Ting Fei, let’s go."

She moved to step fully into the van.

"You!" Madam Lu’s voice cracked with surprise and indignation. "How dare you...."

But Shuyin was already settling into her seat, her attention already turning away as if the woman before her was nothing more than a stranger on the street.

These creatures. The ones the original Shuyin had sacrificed her youth and years for. The ones who had treated her like family, or so she’d believed. She’d attended their dinners, respected their traditions, and molded herself into the perfect daughter-in-law for them.

And when everything fell apart, when she’d needed them most, they had openly abandoned her to the world. Cast her aside like garbage. Refused to even visit her in prison or acknowledge her existence.

The original Shuyin had thought they were family even before the marriage happened. She’d believed in their warmth, their acceptance, their promises.

But when the wedding was annulled and they were out there on some island vacation while she rotted in a cell, she’d finally understood. They were just writhing snakes. All of them.

Madam Lu stood frozen outside the van, her face cycling through shock and fury. "You dare dismiss me? After everything my family...."

"Your family did nothing for me," Shuyin interrupted, her voice still calm but carrying an edge now. "Except make promises you never intended to keep. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have children to care for and a life to rebuild. Without your involvement."

The van door began to close.

"You!" Madam Lu spluttered, her composure finally cracking completely. She was genuinely surprised, shocked even, that Shuyin had changed so much.

Not only were her eyes scary with that color, cold where they’d once been warm and eager to please, but her overall attitude had transformed. The previous Shuyin had been kind and gentle, soft-spoken and deferential, always seeking approval.

But this one in front of her was totally different. Scheming. Aggressive. Calculative.

There was something dangerous in those eyes now, something that made even Madam Lu, with all her wealth and status and years of social dominance, feel suddenly uncertain.

This wasn’t the girl she remembered. This wasn’t the malleable, desperate-to-please woman who’d accepted every slight and insult with graceful apologies.

This was someone else entirely.

And that realization sent a chill down Madam Lu’s spine.

"Wait...." Madam Lu reached for the van door, but Ting Fei was already there, his body a polite but immovable barrier.

"Mrs. Lu is no longer available," he said smoothly, his tone professional but final. "If you wish to schedule a meeting, you may contact her office through proper channels."

"Office?" Madam Lu’s voice rose, drawing the attention of the remaining reporters who hadn’t yet dispersed. Cameras swiveled back toward the commotion, sensing fresh drama. "She doesn’t have an office! She’s a convicted criminal who just..."

"Special Advisor to the President of Lu South Group," Ting Fei corrected calmly. "Mrs. Lu’s position was confirmed this morning. All appointment requests should go through official channels."

Madam Lu’s face went pale, then flushed dark red. "That’s impossible. The family would never...."

But she didn’t know what had transpired earlier on in the boardroom, and her husband, with her son, had to take a step back.

And she hadn’t noticed that Ting Fei addressed Shuyin as Mrs Lu, now, not only was Shuyin Mrs Lu, but they were sister in laws.

Shuyin loudly giggled... Things were getting more interesting....

And the van was already pulling away from the curb, smooth and unhurried. Through the tinted window, Shuyin could see Madam Lu standing on the sidewalk, surrounded by her bodyguards and now encircled by curious reporters, her mouth still moving in protests no one inside could hear anymore.

Chen Xiao pressed against Shuyin’s side, his small body tense. "Was that lady mean to you before?"

"Very mean," Yuyan answered before Shuyin could, her silver eyes still fixed on the receding figure. "Her whole family was."

"Then I’m glad you left," Chen Xiao declared with the simple moral certainty of a five-year-old. "Mean people don’t deserve your time, Momma."

Shuyin felt something warm settle in her chest. She wrapped an arm around Chen Xiao’s shoulders. "No, they don’t. Now, shall we go shopping? I believe we have a Pearl District to conquer."

"And a reasonable spending limit to ignore," Yuyan added dryly.

"I said I’d be responsible," Shuyin protested.

"You said a lot of things to those reporters too," Yuyan pointed out. "Doesn’t mean any of it was true."

Shuyin laughed, genuine and bright. "You’re learning so well... Mnnnh." After all, in this life, being too honest can cost your life.