After Transmigrating into a Book, I Was Marked by the Beautiful Mad Villain - Chapter 33.1

Ren Yue loved watching little fish in flowing water and frequently sent photos of them to Su Mi.

She didn’t keep any herself, and Su Mi guessed she wanted to, but her mother likely disapproved, leaving her with no choice.

Su Mi leaned in curiously. “Are there actually fish in such a small stream?”

Ren Yue gave a soft hum of affirmation and pointed them out, her voice thin as she praised them. “They can swim so fast even in such a small current. They’re amazing.”

Su Mi agreed, “They really are!”

Xu Nanqiao also leaned in to watch with them.

The day Su Mi had been taken away by Shen Han, Xu Nanqiao had been called to the creek by Li Zhao.

Although Ren Yue had been pulled into the water by Su Mi and wasn’t injured, she had been at the bottom of the tumble, leaving her white dress completely soaked.

As Shen Han had noted, Li Zhao, being an Alpha, found it inconvenient to be alone with an Omega. After chasing the other students away, she had urgently summoned Xu Nanqiao.

Xu Nanqiao had accompanied Ren Yue back to the campsite to change. She had even invited Ren Yue to move her tent over to theirs so they could hang out together.

However, Ren Yue seemed startled and out of sorts; after a moment of daze, she had declined.

But whenever Su Mi chatted with her afterward to ask about that day, Ren Yue’s tone was perfectly normal, as if she hadn’t taken it to heart at all.

The three of them crouched side-by-side by the water, watching the little fish dart about.

A familiar voice came from behind them, Li Zhao’s tone teasing. “Oh, look at these three little radishes.”

Turning around, they saw Li Zhao wearing a simply styled short dress—a black tube-top design with a deep V-neckline. A simple diamond necklace rested on her collarbones, looking elegant yet true to her style.

As the three of them stood up, Li Zhao asked with interest, “What are you looking at?”

Xu Nanqiao explained plainly that they were watching the fish with Ren Yue.

Li Zhao smiled. “Interesting. It seems Miss Ren has a heart that is good at discovering natural beauty.”

Ren Yue didn’t speak, instead shuffling closer to Su Mi’s side.

Li Zhao didn’t mind, pointing in a certain direction. “When I was coming over, I thought I saw Mrs. Zhang looking for you. Is that alright?”

Ren Yue stiffened like a rabbit caught by its tail.

She pursed her lips apologetically at Su Mi and the others. “My mother is looking for me, so I’ll head over now.”

With that, she lifted her skirt and hurried off in the direction Li Zhao had pointed. On her way, she nearly collided with a waiter carrying a tray.

Watching her disappear into the bamboo shadows, Su Mi asked curiously, “Dr. Li, do you know her mother too?”

Li Zhao winked. “Of course. She’s quite famous. Haven’t you met her?”

Su Mi replied, “I saw her during the last parent-teacher meeting.”

Li Zhao asked with interest, “Did she come specifically to find you?”

Su Mi hesitated for a second. “No, my sister was at that meeting too.”

Li Zhao leaned in, her eyes widening. “Shen Han attended a parent-teacher meeting for you?”

Xu Nanqiao was also surprised. “I thought President Shen only came that time because of school business.”

Su Mi: “…”

She knew this would happen if she mentioned it.

Uncomfortably scratching her cheek, she said, “Maybe she had business too. Anyway, we just ran into each other. That was also the first time I met Ren Yue. That Mrs. Zhang even wanted Shen Han’s contact information…”

Li Zhao clicked her tongue knowingly. “I figured. Mrs. Zhang didn’t travel all the way to the Capital City with good intentions.”

Su Mi was curious. “Does this Mrs. Zhang have some sort of background?”

Li Zhao laughed. “What background could she have? She’s just someone in Guan City who’s practiced at coaxing Old Mrs. Shen to stay happy… Ah, there they are, over there.”

Su Mi followed her gaze toward the entrance of a pavilion beneath an ancient osmanthus tree. Several people were emerging.

Leading them was an elderly woman dressed in an elegant deep green silk jacket and a black horse-face skirt. Her silver hair was neatly pinned up with luxurious jewelry, making her look kind and dignified.

Beside her, Shen Han was rarely seen wearing a qipao—a white base adorned with ink-wash painting patterns. The rare form-fitting garment accentuated her exceptionally graceful figure.

Her long hair was held up by a wooden hairpin, and she wore several pieces of emerald jewelry, standing to the side with a cool, detached aura.

The moment they appeared, Su Mi and the others could see the socialites and wealthy businessmen scattered throughout the garden flocking toward them.

Some had already reached the pavilion, bowing with wide smiles to chat with the old lady.

Among the crowd, a familiar figure appeared: Ren Yue following a middle-aged couple. The woman in front was likely Mrs. Zhang, and the older man was presumably Ren Yue’s father.

Li Zhao leaned down beside Su Mi, saying with a smile, “Look, they’re heading over. Is this your first time seeing Shen Han’s grandmother?”

Warm breath brushed against Su Mi’s ear, making her lean uncomfortably toward Xu Nanqiao.

However, she wanted to hear some Shen family secrets, so she pursed her lips and said, “I’m watching.”

Their vantage point was quite good; being upstream, the ground was higher, allowing them to see exactly what was happening in front of the pavilion.

The Ren family approached the pavilion. As soon as Old Mrs. Shen saw Mrs. Zhang and her party, she waved them over with a bright smile.

The people crowded around moved aside to let the Ren family stand in front. After chatting happily for a while, Old Mrs. Shen even took Ren Yue’s hand and patted it with apparent satisfaction.

Then she turned and said something to Shen Han.

Being thrust into the spotlight, Ren Yue acted somewhat coy. After Old Mrs. Shen spoke a few words, Ren Yue reached out as if to shake Shen Han’s hand.

Li Zhao burst out laughing.

She pointed from afar. “Look at Shen Han’s expression.”

Xu Nanqiao was also curious. “Is this… a blind date?”

If it were only Li Zhao talking, Su Mi could ignore it, but she couldn’t let Xu Nanqiao misunderstand.

Su Mi immediately explained, “My sister has no interest in her. Last time Mrs. Zhang wanted them to exchange contact info, she refused.”

Before Xu Nanqiao could react, Li Zhao laughed again.

She teased, “But did her younger sister have an interest and add her contact info?”

Su Mi: “…”

Can you just stop talking!

She moved even further toward Xu Nanqiao, trying to distance herself from Li Zhao, who kept leaning over to talk.

Back at the pavilion, Ren Yue’s hand remained extended for a long time, but Shen Han didn’t move.

Her expression was as cold as ice. She glanced down at her optical computer, said a single sentence to Old Mrs. Shen, and then turned and walked away.

Her figure vanished behind the intricate branches of the osmanthus tree.

The group watching: “…”

Su Mi felt strange.

She knew Shen Han’s status gave her the confidence to not give anyone the time of day if she didn’t want to. But perhaps she shouldn’t be that cold toward Ren Yue?

She remembered Ren Yue calling her “Sister Xiao He” and saying they used to play together as children.

Coupled with Shen Han’s blunt behavior, that description felt a bit awkward.

Maybe Shen Han was dissatisfied with Mrs. Zhang’s “blind date” style of social introduction.

Su Mi habitually reached up to scratch her cheek, but as her fingers touched her skin, she remembered she was wearing makeup and quickly dropped her hand.

With the show over, they walked to a high round table stocked with drinks.

Li Zhao took a glass of champagne and marveled, “So blunt. Impressive.”

After chatting for a while, Su Mi’s optical computer suddenly vibrated.

She looked down; it was actually a message from Shen Han.

Shen Han: Where are you? If you have time, come to Shuxue Pavilion.

Shuxue Pavilion?

Su Mi looked around but couldn’t find it. She asked Li Zhao, “Where is Shuxue Pavilion?”

Li Zhao took a sip of her drink and pointed. “That one.”

It was the pavilion where Old Mrs. Shen had been standing. However, the old lady was no longer at the entrance.

Su Mi was confused but told the others Shen Han was looking for her and made her way over.

The door to Shuxue Pavilion was half-ajar. Su Mi looked around; no other guests were near the area.

She gathered her courage and pushed the door open, met immediately by a faint, ancient scent of wood.

The interior was covered in heavy carpets. Facing her was a hand-embroidered landscape screen. Rounding it, she entered the quiet first floor.

A female attendant in a qipao was inside. She wasn’t surprised to see Su Mi and bowed respectfully. “Miss Su, Miss Shen is waiting for you in the elegant room over here.”

“Miss Shen.”

Su Mi mulled over the term, feeling an odd sense that Shen Han had been placed on an equal footing with her.

The attendant led her into the side room.

Behind another screen near the door was a long, dark green sofa.

Shen Han sat leisurely at one end of the sofa, her long legs together beneath her qipao, holding a tea cup with her eyelids half-closed.

Dressed in white with her graceful silhouette and cool features, sitting on that velvet dark green sofa, she looked as beautiful as a Republic-era oil painting.

In front of the sofa, a middle-aged man was holding something, bowing humbly.

In a cold, slightly husky voice, Shen Han said calmly, “Mr. Wang, the jade Buddha is a fine item, but Grandmother’s birthday is still months away, and this return to the Capital isn’t for a celebration. If you…”

The cold trail of her voice paused as Shen Han looked up, noticing Su Mi standing by the screen.

“My sister is here,” Shen Han said. “Mr. Wang, please see to your business.”

With that, there was a crisp clink as the tea cup was set on the side table. Shen Han stood up, bypassed the man, and walked to Su Mi.

She briefly looked over Su Mi’s outfit and reached out to smooth down her skirt.

“Are there too many petticoats inside? It’s a bit puffy,” Shen Han said softly.

Su Mi blinked and looked down as well. “It seems okay.”

This question distracted her from the other person in the room as she followed Shen Han out of the suite.

The attendant at the door was gone. They walked up the wooden stairs together.

Su Mi asked curiously, “Where are we going?”

Shen Han replied, “To see my grandmother.”

Su Mi immediately thought of the scene with Ren Yue she had just witnessed. She reflexively wanted to ask, Is it my turn for a blind date?

The words reached her lips, but she slammed on the brakes.

Since the original host had been recognized as an adopted younger sister, she hadn’t met Old Mrs. Shen yet. It made sense to come for a visit.

Reaching the third-floor entrance, they pushed open an exquisitely carved wooden door. The scent of sandalwood was even stronger here.

The Old Mrs. Shen she had seen earlier was sitting in the central main seat, rolling a string of prayer beads in her hand with her eyes closed. Several attendants in qipaos stood beside her.

Shen Han led Su Mi forward and nodded. “Grandmother, this is Su Mi.”

Old Mrs. Shen opened her eyes and looked Su Mi over with a kind gaze. “A beautiful child… You are Su Ciyu’s daughter, aren’t you?”

Su Mi gave a slight bow and said obediently, “Yes, Su Ciyu is my mother.”

The old lady nodded with a chuckle. “I’m not often in the Capital City; it’s good that she has someone to keep her company. Come, Su Mi, come closer so I can see you.”

Su Mi took a few small steps forward and was pulled by the old lady to sit on a wooden chair beside her.

Her hand was grasped. Unlike the old lady’s face—which had few wrinkles and would hardly show her age if not for her white hair—her hands were dry and rough, almost scratchy to the touch.

Holding Su Mi’s hand, the old lady patted and rubbed it, saying, “You must visit the South Court often? Your mother used to come there all the time. She loved that swing in the back, and the fountain on the east side… every time I looked down from upstairs, I could see her reading there. She was a very hardworking student… How are your studies?”

Su Mi hadn’t heard these stories about Su Ciyu; they likely dated back to when her mother and Shen Han’s mother were playmates.