Scumbag Forcing Me to Divorce? Watch Me Turn Around and Marry a Powerful Capital Tycoon! - Chapter 66

Old Madam Shen froze on the spot, staring straight at Jiang Ning.

For a long moment, she simply couldn’t react.

Was she… was she not dreaming?

She was here.

Her precious daughter-in-law… standing right inside her own home!

Seeing her mother’s unusual behavior, Shen Jingshu felt puzzled.

Her mother was always a woman of strict manners and etiquette.

She had rarely—if ever—lost composure like this.

At least, not in Jingshu’s memory.

So, what was going on today?

Why was she looking at Jiang Ning that way?

Could it be… that she didn’t like Jiang Ning?

If that was the case—what terrible taste!

How could her mother not like Jiang Ning, who was practically flawless?

Frowning ever so slightly, Shen Jingshu worried that Ningning might feel awkward, so she nudged her mother gently with an elbow and whispered, “Mom, Ningning is greeting you.”

Only then did Old Madam Shen snap back to her senses. For a second, she almost wanted to slap herself just to confirm if she was dreaming.

But her precious daughter-in-law was still right here. Even if this was a dream, she couldn’t possibly lose face in front of her.

She had to remember—she was the world’s number one, most perfect, most loving mother-in-law!

At that thought, Old Madam Shen instantly curved her lips into a warm, benevolent smile. She reached out and clasped Jiang Ning’s hand.

“What’s with this ‘Old Madam’? That’s far too distant! Ningning, just call me Mom—”

The word “Mom” slipped out before she realized her mistake.

Quickly, she corrected herself, stumbling over her own words: “Ah—no, no! Call me Auntie. Yes, that’s right, Auntie! Haha, I was only joking. Ningning, just call me Aunt Shen.”

She let out a small breath of relief after smoothing it over.

Thank goodness.

Thank goodness she was witty enough not to scare off her darling daughter-in-law. A perfect recovery!

“Aunt Shen.”

Jiang Ning hadn’t expected this stern-looking old lady to have such a humorous soul.

Seeing the scene, Shen Jingshu finally relaxed.

So she had been overthinking.

Her mother clearly liked Jiang Ning very much.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been joking with her like that.

Smiling brightly, Shen Jingshu slipped her arm naturally through Jiang Ning’s. “Mom, Ningning, let’s not stand out here in the yard. Let’s go inside to talk.”

“Yes, yes, let’s go in.”

Old Madam Shen eagerly looped her arm through Jiang Ning’s other side, holding her protectively as if she were already family. While walking, she glanced back at Yun Haotian.

“Haotian, go check if your little uncle is ready yet.”

“Got it, Grandma.”

The boy responded quickly and hurried off.

“Ningning, do you like tea?” Old Madam Shen asked as they walked.

“I do,” Jiang Ning nodded slightly. Compared to Western coffee, she preferred Huaguo’s tea. It was more refreshing and invigorating.

At once, Old Madam Shen turned to the butler. “Uncle Liu, bring out my Wuyi Mountain Mother Tree Dahongpao.”

Shen Jingshu nearly tripped over her own feet.

What?!

Wuyi Mountain Mother Tree Dahongpao?

Had she heard correctly?

Was this still her mother?

That tea had been banned from picking over twenty years ago making it priceless, rarer than gold. Normally, Old Madam Shen guarded it like her own life. Even as her daughter, Jingshu had never been allowed to touch it.

And now she was offering it to Jiang Ning?!

This was rarer than the sun rising in the west!

—

Upstairs.

Shen Jingnian had been paying attention to everything happening below.

The moment he heard Yun Haotian’s footsteps approaching, he swiftly rolled up his sleeves, exposing a firm, lean forearm, then sat back at his desk and flipped open some files—posing like he was far too busy to be disturbed.

The door opened.

Yun Haotian saw him sitting there, calm and serious, reading papers.

“Little Uncle, she’s here. Jiang Ning is here.”

“Mm.” Shen Jingnian’s tone was faint, as if it hardly mattered.

Yun Haotian tugged on his sleeve. “Little Uncle, how can you still be reading files when Jiang Ning is downstairs? Come on, let’s go!”

He was about to drag him out when suddenly, he paused, sniffing the air suspiciously.

“Little Uncle… did you put on cologne?”

The Shen family’s laundry rooms always smelled of pine incense, so Shen Jingnian usually carried a subtle trace of pine on him. But today, mingled with that, there was something else—an elegant, woody fragrance.

Fresh. Refined. Expensive.

Completely different from cheap, chemical perfumes.

“No.” Shen Jingnian denied it flatly, his cold, sharp face utterly composed. “You’re imagining things. Why would I wear cologne?”

“Must’ve been my mistake then.” Yun Haotian scratched his head, quickly shifting topics. “By the way, in three days, Jidong is releasing their new game, Glory of Splendor. Do you think they’ll really surpass the Cheng Group and win the Skyward Award with the country’s first true AAA title?”

“…If the game actually maintains the level of quality shown in those official screenshots, then they’ll have no problem.”

“But people only ever show their best moments. Screenshots are the most polished slices of a game. Maintaining that quality throughout is impossible, right?”

Shen Jingnian’s thin lips curved slightly. “Then let’s wait and see. I’m very much looking forward to Miss Jiang’s masterpiece.”

Even more than the masterpiece… he was looking forward to Miss Jiang herself.

—

Downstairs.

Jiang Ning was seated with Shen Jingshu and Old Madam Shen, the three of them chatting happily over tea.

She was like a hidden treasure chest—young, but with a strong core and a wealth of knowledge. Whatever topic arose, she always had a unique perspective. She wasn’t just flattering others; she was genuinely insightful. Talking to her was like constantly uncovering new gems of wisdom.

Old Madam Shen, who had already liked Jiang Ning at first sight, was now utterly smitten. Her eyes sparkled as she gazed at the girl.

Ahhh!

How could the world contain such a beautiful and capable young woman?!

If Jiang Ning became her daughter-in-law, then the Shen family must have blessed ancestors smiling down on them!

That useless son of her better work hard!

“Grandma, I brought Little Uncle,” Yun Haotian announced just then.

“Jingnian, Haotian, come here.”

The two men approached.

Shen Jingnian walked in front, his voice low and magnetic: “Miss Jiang.”

Both happened to be wearing crisp white shirts that day. Standing opposite each other, the picture was unexpectedly harmonious, dazzlingly pleasing to the eye.

Shen Jingnian’s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly.

So that idiotic book did have a point.

Miss Jiang and he really did share the same taste.

“Mr. Shen.” Jiang Ning lifted her gaze, calmly meeting his eyes. “Have you felt any discomfort recently?”

“Not particularly.” He shook his head.

“Let me check your pulse first.” She opened her medical kit and set out the pillow.

Shen Jingnian sat across from her, placing his hand on it.

His hands were striking—long, slender fingers, nails neatly trimmed, the faint sheen of health in his skin. Pale like jade, with veins faintly visible beneath the surface. Hands that anyone would want to touch.

Jiang Ning, being a self-professed hand connoisseur, felt her mood inexplicably brighten the moment she laid eyes on them. She placed her warm fingertips lightly on his wrist.

The sensation was like polished jade—smooth, gentle, and tinged with a subtle current of electricity.

They were close. Close enough for him to see the fine sweep of her eyelashes, the flawless porcelain of her skin.

And suddenly, he heard it—his own heartbeat.

Thump. Thump.

Like a drum, loud and insistent.

“How is it?” He kept his voice low, masking the strange heat rising inside.

Both Old Madam Shen and Shen Jingshu stared at Jiang Ning anxiously, awaiting her verdict.

“No issues. Recovery is very good.” Jiang Ning withdrew her hand.

The women both exhaled in relief.

No issues.

But Shen Jingnian’s phoenix eyes narrowed faintly.

No issues?

If so, then why… why was his heart pounding so violently?

So restless.

So frantic.

Like a drowning fish, gasping for breath.

Jiang Ning noticed the faint doubt in his gaze and asked gently, “Mr. Shen, do you have any other questions?”

He shook his head. “No.”

Perhaps… the panic was only an illusion.

After all, it only seemed to happen when she touched him.

Maybe he just needed more time to observe.

“Meow!”

Right then, a chubby black cat suddenly leapt into Jiang Ning’s lap, purring loudly.

Surprised, she scooped it up with delight. “What an adorable little baby!”

Yun Haotian’s eyes went wide. “No way! Jiang Ning, it actually let you hold it?!”

Everyone else was equally stunned, as if they had just witnessed a miracle.

Even Shen Jingnian, usually unreadable, looked a little shocked.

Puzzled, Jiang Ning asked, “Doesn’t it usually let people hold it?”

“No!” Yun Haotian shook his head vigorously. “This guy’s got a terrible temper—scratches and bites everyone like a dog!”

“A double-faced kitty, huh?” Jiang Ning laughed, unable to resist planting a kiss on its chubby cheek. “What’s its name?”

“Xiaobai,” Shen Jingshu replied.

“Xiaobai?” Jiang Ning blinked at the big black cat. “…Who on earth named it that?”

A black cat named Little White?

That was… abstract.

Old Madam Shen chuckled. “Jingnian named it. He found Xiaobai in a dumpster when it was a newborn, still with its umbilical cord. It was winter too—we all thought it wouldn’t survive. But thanks to him, it did. That’s why Xiaobai is closest to him. Apart from Jingnian, you’re the first person it’s ever allowed to hold it. Not even I can! Ningning, you and Xiaobai must be truly fated!”