Liang Jue didn’t speak at first. He carefully observed Shen Meng’s expression and, seeing that she didn’t seem to have come to reprimand him, cautiously spoke, “Father did come, but he didn’t stay long.”

There was no such conversation in Shen Meng’s memory. In her past life, when the other party had just married in, he hadn’t cared about her at all, let alone talked to her about Shen Li’s situation.

Later on, when Liang Jue had established himself in this family and could contend with Shen Li, he no longer needed to worry too much about it.

The slightly nervous and shy face in front of her seemed to overlap with the Liang Jue in her memory. After hesitating for a moment, she finally said a few more words, “You don’t need to take his words too seriously.”

Shen Meng’s mother was a fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Rites, and although her position wasn’t very high, she held real power. Shen Li’s family background was slightly higher, and he had a domineering temperament. After giving birth to two legitimate daughters and one legitimate son for Shen Meng’s mother, his waist became even more straight.

As a stepfather, Shen Li’s character wasn’t particularly good. However, Shen Meng was not young at this time, and because of her intelligence and resemblance to her mother, it wasn’t easy for Shen Li to mislead her.

Though Shen Li’s character wasn’t great, he wasn’t stupid either. Their relationship had never been harmonious, and while he could unite against external threats, most of the time, he was quite willing to cause trouble for Shen Meng.

Liang Jue nodded in response and couldn’t help but ask again, “But will this affect you negatively?”

When Shen Li entered the family, Shen Meng was only two years away from adulthood. Now, she had not only established herself but also started a family. She wasn’t keen on being controlled by this stepfather with whom she had no emotional connection. However, if Liang Jue didn’t perform well, it might inevitably lead to gossip about Shen Meng as well.

In a merchant’s or trader’s family, criticism about filial piety might not matter much, but in political circles, besides talent, moral conduct was equally important. Since she married Shen Meng, she couldn’t just act according to her own temper; she had to consider him.

Recalling some unpleasant things, Shen Meng’s expression changed slightly as she continued, “Next time you encounter him, don’t be confrontational, and don’t let yourself be wronged. You’re not taking his money, so why bother caring about his opinions?”

Shen Meng’s attitude this time was very clear: “You are my husband. If there’s anything you can’t solve, feel free to seek my help, and I’ll naturally resolve it for you.”

Liang Jue felt as if his heart was coated in sweetness as he agreed, thinking to himself that if it was truly for Shen Meng’s benefit, enduring some grievances was nothing.

As they were about to change  clothes, Shen Meng asked Liang Jue, “Are you feeling comfortable?”

Liang Jue didn’t react at first, but when he came to his senses, his face turned red. He nodded and shook his head, his voice becoming almost as soft as a mosquito’s buzz, “Just a little discomfort, but I think it’s okay.”

Shen Meng knew his temperament better than anyone else. In front of her, he seldom acted coquettish and rarely showed his true emotions, especially in their past life. By then, he might have been so disappointed, perhaps even to the point of despair, that he endured many things silently, swallowing his bitterness without complaint.

In this lifetime, he was still a hopeful young man, full of fantasies and longing for love and marriage, but he was always cautious in front of his beloved.

If he said he wasn’t feeling well, he truly wasn’t feeling well. Considering Liang Jue’s health, Shen Meng stopped thinking about ‘eating meat’ and pulled Liang Jue to lie down with her.

Liang Jue was indeed a bit uncomfortable, but forcing himself to do this wasn’t impossible. Shen Meng didn’t take the initiative, and he breathed a sigh of relief. But after that relief, he felt a bit depressed. Was he really so unattractive that he lost his appeal to Shen Meng after just one day?

Thinking this, he couldn’t help but reach out and tease Shen Meng, but she remained motionless, giving no response.

Liang Jue, disappointed, persisted and touch her. Shen Meng remained stiff, still not responding.

Liang Jue tried a third time, using not only his arms but also his legs. This time, Shen Meng finally moved. Liang Jue was delighted and continued to tease her persistently. Shen Meng, unable to bear it any longer, flipped over and pinned Liang Jue underneath.

The room was quite dark, but Liang Jue could still see the other person’s face clearly and feel her warm breath on his face, close at hand.

He subconsciously held his breath, but Shen Meng lightly patted his bottom and that was the end of it. With a helpless look, she lay back down, her voice slightly hoarse from restraint: “Stop fooling around. Today, I’m sticking to a ‘vegetarian diet’.”

—

¹”His waist became even more straight” – It means that after Shen Li gave birth to two legitimate daughters and a son, he felt even more proud and confident in his family’s status and lineage.