Being a Lady of an Influential Family

Zhuo Lin rarely felt a little bored on days when Fu Zheng didn't show up.

Of course, this boredom doesn't matter, after all, she is really busy.

In this era, if a young girl wants to gain a foothold in society on her own, she cannot always allow herself to live too leisurely. She was so busy with both studies and work that she had no time to think about anything else. For her now, romantic affairs would only add to her troubles.

But she didn't want to ask for trouble, but trouble would come to her.

The moment she saw someone she hadn't seen for a long time at the gate of Beijing University, Zhuo Lin knew that her leisurely days were over.

"Find a place where no one is around." The person who spoke to her was a graceful and dignified woman in her forties. She wore luxurious clothes and her hair was perfectly combed. But the way she looked at Zhuo Lin was very cold, as if she was looking at a low-quality product that she was very dissatisfied with.

There were two young men following her, who also frowned at Zhuo Lin, obviously not very happy either.

Zhuo Lin was silent for a moment and then said calmly: "Come with me."

Zhuo Lin knew her mother well and would never argue with her in public. After all, the reputation of the Sheng family was above all else.

Zhuo Lin did not take them to her dormitory, but to a teahouse near the school that she often went to.

I asked for a private room and went in. When the guy who brought tea came down, the woman said coldly, "Kneel down!"

Zhuo Lin was slightly startled, but she did not kneel down as Mrs. Sheng said. Instead, she asked calmly, "Mom, if you have anything to say, just tell me."

boom!

Mrs. Sheng slapped the table and said coldly, "How dare you say that! Do you know how much trouble you have caused for the Sheng family!"

Zhuo Lin didn't take it seriously and said with a faint smile, "I didn't cause any trouble. I settled the engagement with the Zhang family in advance. Outsiders didn't even know that we had negotiated a marriage with the Zhang family. I didn't run away from the marriage. There was no influence on the girls of the Sheng family. Regarding the issue of reputation, given Prime Minister Zhang's character, he will not embarrass the Sheng family. By trouble, you probably mean that the Sheng family cannot benefit from this marriage?"

"presumptuous!"

"Little sister!" The young man standing next to Mrs. Sheng also looked a little ugly, "You went too far this time, and you still haven't apologized to my mother!"

Zhuo Lin shook her head and looked at the young man with some regret, "Brother, I understand that you want to be an official. The examination room is right there. Even though the Sheng family is in decline, it won't be able to afford a few scholars."

Hearing this, the young man suddenly blushed. He glared at Zhuo Lin and said angrily, "What nonsense are you talking about!"

Zhuo Lin's voice was calm and cold, "Am I talking nonsense? Brother, you know very well. We all know why you married your eldest sister into the Wei family."

Mrs. Sheng said sternly, "I am doing it for Ayan's own good!"

Zhuo Lin smiled lightly, "Have you asked the eldest sister? Does she want to marry into the Wei family? Is she living comfortably in the Wei family now?"

"..."

Zhuo Lin raised her eyes and looked at Mrs. Sheng without hesitation, "Mother, you already know that you can't control me, so why force it."

Mrs. Sheng sneered and said, "It's natural for parents to order a matchmaker for their children's marriage. What if I insist on it?"

Zhuo Lin said, "Last time I took care of the Zhang family's affairs in advance, but that doesn't mean I dare not escape from the wedding or see blood during the wedding night. If my mother wants to bet on whether I dare, she might as well give it a try. Do you care about Sheng I don’t care about my family’s reputation.”

"Evil!" Mrs. Sheng turned livid with anger and pointed at Zhuo Lin, "You really think I can't do anything to you, do you? We might as well give it a try."

Zhuo Lin felt helpless, but her biological mother and daughter were treated like enemies.

Unfortunately, no matter what, she couldn't fulfill her mother's wishes.

The Sheng family was indeed in decline, but a skinny camel was bigger than a horse, and Mrs. Sheng's revenge came quickly.

The next day Zhuo Lin received a notice that she was fired from the publishing house where she worked.

In this regard, Zhuo Lin felt that it was not surprising that she couldn't laugh or cry.

Since ancient times, there have been many scribes in Jiangnan, and the Sheng family's influence in Jiangnan is still considerable. Most of the publishing houses in the capital were from Jiangnan, so it was only natural that Mrs. Sheng could persuade them to fire her.

After all, in the eyes of most people, this is a conflict within the Sheng family. Ordinary people understand the principle of not meddling in other people's family affairs. After all, it is thankless, so it is natural to give Mrs. Sheng family some face.

But as a result, Zhuo Lin had to find another job.

She lives in the school dormitory, and although it doesn't cost much, she can't just sit back and have nothing. However, Zhuo Lin was not very worried about her situation. Mrs. Sheng could not stay in the capital forever, she would always have to leave.

It was even more impossible for her to follow him everywhere. If she couldn't stay in Beijing any longer, wouldn't she leave?

But Mrs. Sheng obviously thought that her actions had stumped Zhuo Lin, especially after knowing that Zhuo Lin had been declined twice in a row when she applied for a job, she even appeared in front of Zhuo Lin with aloofness and arrogance and asked her again. It was a sarcastic comment.

Zhuo Lin was sitting in a somewhat narrow room, flipping through a book, with Mrs. Sheng's chattering voice in her ears.

"Look at this shabby house of yours. It's not as big as the room that the lowly girls in our family live in." Mrs. Sheng mocked her daughter and then began to pick on her residence. "And these clothes... If you behave yourself How can I be the second young lady of the Sheng family wearing clothes made of such low-quality fabrics? Ayan has never touched such low-quality things in her life."

Zhuo Lin looked down at the clothes she was wearing. The poor quality was not considered ordinary.

Of course, compared with Mrs. Sheng's exquisite and embroidered clothes, it can only be called inferior quality.

Zhuo Lin raised her head and asked calmly, "How many years will the Sheng family's wealth be enough for you to wear clothes like this?"

"You!" Mrs. Sheng's face suddenly changed. The Sheng family had been in a situation where they were sitting on nothing many years ago. If Sheng Zhuoyan hadn't received a large betrothal gift from the Wei family when she got married, the Sheng family probably wouldn't be able to maintain the show they are now.

Mrs. Sheng stared at Zhuo Lin for a while, then snorted and said: "I have found a good marriage for you, and you will come with me to meet her tomorrow. It's not like your stay in the capital has been in vain these days, either. There are many people who are willing to marry you. Don’t you want to go back to Jiangnan? You can stay in the capital from now on. "

"I'm not going." Zhuo Lin responded lightly as she picked up the book on the table, opened it, and continued reading.

Mrs. Sheng said coldly, "If you don't want to go, you have to go!"

Zhuo Lin was a little funny, "You know I won't listen to you, so why bother yourself?"

Mrs. Sheng said: "If you don't go, I will bring people to the school to find you, the same thing."

Zhuo Lin was silent, and Mrs. Sheng looked at her and suddenly said: "I heard that there were rumors in the capital that you have a special relationship with His Majesty? If you can enter the palace and become a concubine, I will naturally not force you, but it is a pity..." Mrs. Sheng's face There was a bit of sarcasm on his face, "These days in the capital, I don't think the royal family has that interest in you. I've told you a long time ago that the reputation of a girl's family is the most important, and the powerful people value it especially. Do you think that others will praise you?" Is it good to be with you? Those young masters are just coaxing you for fun. Who is really willing to marry you back to be the first wife? You should listen to me and follow me to meet someone. At least they are willing to marry openly. Come in, so as not to cause any trouble in the future and embarrass my Sheng family."

Zhuo Lin said calmly: "If you didn't come here, who would know that my surname is Sheng?"

Mrs. Sheng became a little impatient, stood up and said coldly: "Anyway, you have to go tomorrow. Now that you can still stay in school safely, that's because I want to leave you with a good reputation and find a husband. If you insist, Disobey me...you might as well try and see if I can make it impossible for you to stay in the capital!" After saying that, he turned around and walked out.

She felt that her dignity had been tarnished by staying in this cramped and small room for more than a quarter of an hour.

Zhuo Lin took a deep breath and said, "You are really my mother."

Madam Sheng sneered, "I am not only your mother, but also Madam Sheng. As long as I live for one day, no one can ruin the reputation of the Sheng family."

Ruined the reputation of the Sheng family? Is it against your wishes so that the Sheng family cannot profit from it?

Zhuo Lin looked at her back as she walked out of the room and murmured: "What I mean is...you are not the only one who can be cruel and vicious. You can do it, and I can do it."

The tricks Zhuo Lin prepared to use to deal with Mrs. Sheng's forced blind date were not used because the other party on the blind date regretted it first.

Zhuo Lin didn't feel ashamed about this, nor did she think there was anything wrong with the other party's refusal to go on a blind date with her.

However, a few days later, Mrs. Sheng once again led people to stop Zhuo Lin outside the school. The look on her face was a rare one of frustration.

"What on earth did you do?!" Mrs. Sheng asked sharply.

Zhuo Lin blinked, she seemed to have done nothing.

"What's the matter?" Zhuo Lin asked.

Mrs. Sheng gritted her teeth and said, "You just have to go against me, don't you? Isn't it for your own good that I arrange a blind date for you?"

Zhuo Lin said lightly: "Thank you, there's no need for that."

Mrs. Sheng sneered, "I don't know what you did to make no one in the entire capital want to marry you. But since you are shameless, don't blame me for being cruel! Take her away!"

Mrs. Sheng winked at the people around her, and several men accompanying her, including Zhuo Lin's eldest brother, immediately stepped forward to block her way.

"Little sister, please stop making trouble and don't make me angry. We are also doing this for your own good." Brother Shanda persuaded in a good voice.

Zhuo Lin looked at this eldest brother coldly and did not reply. Brother Shanda was a little annoyed by her and said: "What's the benefit of you making such a fuss? After all, you are still the daughter of the Sheng family. Even if the Sheng family really kidnaps you back, who will What else do you dare to say?"

Zhuo Lin said: "Is this why you dare to bring so many people here to block me?"

As the saying goes, an upright official cannot handle household affairs. If the Sheng family had to take her back, no one else would be able to control her.

On the contrary, if she makes too much noise, others will only think that she is unfilial and rebellious. But Mrs. Sheng would not want to go to that point unless she had to. After all, the Sheng family's face was more important than anything else.

"Are you going to get in the car by yourself, or should I have someone escort you to the car?" Mrs. Sheng looked at Zhuo Lin with a rare look of pride.

This little daughter has not been allowed to worry about her since she was a child, but no matter how much she makes a fuss, she is still her mother, and no matter what, she cannot turn the palm of her hand.

Zhuo Lin asked: "Where do you want to take me?"

Mrs. Sheng said: "Don't make it seem like I, the mother-in-law, want to harm you. That boy from the Long family is getting married. Let's go and congratulate him. You should go too. Since no one in the capital is willing to marry you, let's look at what's going on in the Northeast. Can you find a good home for you?"

At this point, Mrs. Sheng glanced at Zhuo Lin with some disgust, "Do you understand now? What good will those means do to you? You could have found a family to marry in the capital, but now you can only marry your cousin. Just like that, I went to that remote place in the Northeast."

In Mrs. Sheng's opinion, the best place is naturally Jiangnan, followed by the capital, and places like the northwest and northeast are purely backwaters, where unruly people come from poor mountains and rivers. Therefore, she has always looked down upon Mrs. Long who was married to the four northern provinces.

Going to the four northern provinces? Zhuo Lin raised her eyebrows slightly and said calmly, "Okay, I'll go clean up and bow."

"No need, I have already prepared your luggage for you, and the school has also asked the teacher for leave for you," Mrs. Sheng said.

Zhuo Lin looked gloomy, and Mrs. Sheng didn't care what she was thinking, "Let's go, don't try to play tricks, you have to go whether you go or not. If you are still restless this time, you won't come next time." It’s just that I still have your father.”

Zhuo Lin frowned, thinking of her father who had been reading books all his life.

Her father was a weak man. When he was young, he listened to his grandparents and his wife. After getting married, he listened to his wife. He never made any decisions on his own in his life.

He loved his children very much, and treated them equally whether they were sons or daughters. But his weak character is destined to make him unable to do anything for his daughters when they need him.

Zhuo Lin only fully understood this truth when her sister got married. Before that, she had always thought that her father was their support.

That day, she was hiding behind the bookshelf to read, but accidentally overheard the conversation between her sister and her father. Her sister cried and begged her father that she didn't want to marry into the Wei family. The Wei family is indeed very wealthy, but apart from the complicated family relationships, the eldest son of the Wei family is not in good health and is not likely to live a long life. The most important thing is that the eldest young master of the Wei family has several concubines and girls around him.

My sister has read poetry and books since she was a child, but she has no interest in businessmen. How can such a person be a good match?

At that time, her father had clearly promised her sister to reject the marriage, and Zhuo Lin was very happy to see her sister bursting into tears and smiling.

But things changed the next day. My sister only saw her father's guilty look amidst her mother's severe reprimand.

The mother punished the sister severely, and their father just watched from the side from beginning to end. Even if he tried to persuade his wife to glare at her, he could only lower his head in despair.

If Zhuo Lin hadn't rushed over and pushed away the mother-in-law who was holding the board, her sister would have been beaten to the point of being bedridden.

Afterwards, my father quietly came to visit my sister and told her he was sorry. Said he mentioned rejecting the marriage, but their mother disagreed.

The Wei family is actually not bad. My sister is the eldest daughter of the Sheng family, and the Wei family dare not wrong her. My father said a lot, and my sister only responded lightly, but her eyes no longer had the brilliance they used to have when she looked at her father.

Two months later, my sister sadly married into the Wei family.

On the day of her sister's wedding, she saw a young man dressed simply being kicked out of the back door by members of the Sheng family. She knew that man. He was the son of her father's old friend and his student. He was one year older than her sister. She would call him brother when she met him occasionally.

But she didn't know until that day that the man and her sister were engaged to be married from the tip of their little finger. It was just that the family fell into decline when Zhuo Lin was still relatively young, and the Sheng family never mentioned the marriage again.

After that day, Zhuo Lin never saw the young man again.

Until a long, long time later... When Zhuo Lin went abroad for a visit, she met a middle-aged man abroad. The other party is still alone. Although he looks bright, he can't hide the desolation and vicissitudes of life.

At that time, her sister, Sheng Zhuoyan, the eldest daughter of the Sheng family in Jiangnan, had passed away for a long time.