Chapter 423 - 220: Who Will You Choose, Me or My Sister?

Chapter 423: Chapter 220: Who Will You Choose, Me or My Sister?

"Chen Zhenfu, please have some tea."

"Thank you."

Chen Sheng nodded his thanks.

Their initial conversation was filled with pleasantries and probing, the atmosphere a bit stiff.

But soon, as the discussion unfolded, the atmosphere naturally warmed up.

One was a well-read and eloquent young lady from a Noble Family, the other a sharp-witted young prodigy with a wealth of experience. Despite their vastly different backgrounds, they found plenty of common ground, and there were no awkward silences in their conversation.

Chen Sheng shared some interesting stories and local customs from Ning’an Prefecture, occasionally mentioning one or two of his less perilous experiences.

Nie Lingshan listened with great interest, occasionally covering her mouth to let out a light laugh.

Nie Lingxi, on the other hand, appeared more composed, but she would chime in with a few words of agreement or praise at the right moments.

Of course, Chen Sheng wasn’t deliberately trying to flatter them or show off.

In his view, the marriage alliance was a foregone conclusion. All he had to do was be himself.

Whether it ended up being the lively, spirited young woman in the blue dress or the quiet, gentle one in the green blouse, he felt either would be a fine choice.

"I heard that while you were in Ning’an, Chen Zhenfu, you... crashed a wedding for a young woman’s sake?"

Nie Lingxi’s line of questioning suddenly shifted. Her clear eyes looked directly at Chen Sheng, filled with a hint of inquiry.

"That is true."

Chen Sheng admitted it frankly.

"In that case, Chen Zhenfu, you must have had very deep feelings for that young lady from the Ning’an Wang Clan?"

Nie Lingxi pressed, her tone calm, but her gaze never wavered.

Chen Sheng smiled, pondered for a moment, and then gave a frank nod.

"Then... what about Vice Envoy Sun Yuzhi of the Ning’an Jingwu Bureau?"

Nie Lingxi’s questions came one after another.

"Vice Envoy Sun and I met when we had nothing. We’ve been through thick and thin together. She is also an extremely important person to me."

Chen Sheng didn’t shy away from the topic at all. These matters were public knowledge; being evasive would only make him look petty.

"Chen Zhenfu... you truly are a man of deep passions."

Although Nie Lingxi had already heard all this from her aunt and believed she was mentally prepared, seeing Chen Sheng admit to it all so frankly—almost as if it were a matter of course—still stirred a faint, indescribable displeasure in her heart.

"Now, little sister, that’s not quite right."

Nie Lingshan’s eyes danced as she suddenly interjected, a knowing, understanding smile on her face:

"Chen Zhenfu is young, successful, and he values relationships and loyalty—a true hero. What’s it matter if a great man has a confidante or two by his side? In fact, I think it just goes to show that Chen Zhenfu is a man of responsibility."

Her words were quite clever, simultaneously flattering Chen Sheng and appearing to console her sister.

"Then after the marriage alliance..."

Nie Lingxi ignored her sister’s meddling, her gaze still fixed on Chen Sheng’s face as she continued to ask:

"How does Chen Zhenfu plan to accommodate those two young women? Will you keep them by your side, or will you make other arrangements?"

Chen Sheng set down his teacup, his expression serious.

"I hope to give them an official status."

"And what if... your wife from this alliance is vehemently opposed and cannot accept it?"

Nie Lingxi’s questions were becoming more and more direct.

"I have already made this clear to Daoist Xiangjun."

Chen Sheng’s reply was just as direct:

"If the Nie Family as a whole finds this unacceptable, the marriage alliance can be called off. If it is only the young lady marrying me who cannot accept it...

...then perhaps we can consider a different candidate for the marriage."

Upon hearing this, Nie Lingxi’s lips tightened for an almost imperceptible moment before slowly relaxing. She lowered her gaze as if in thought, then raised it again a moment later, that faint, proper smile reappearing on her face.

"It seems that in Chen Zhenfu’s heart, the position of those two confidantes... is even more important than that of your future principal wife?"

"They have shown me kindness and love. I cannot and will not fail them."

Chen Sheng’s tone was steady, yet resolute:

"As for their weight in my heart... that is indeed the case at this stage. After all, the young lady I am to marry is currently a stranger to me. What the future holds will depend on fate and how we get along."

Nie Lingxi tilted her head slightly, her gaze clear and bright:

"Will Chen Zhenfu seek out other women in the future?"

"Well..."

Chen Sheng paused for a moment, his gaze frank.

"That is something I cannot guarantee."

Listening to this exchange—so confrontational yet so brutally honest—Nie Lingshan, who was sitting to the side, almost burst out laughing. She found it all incredibly amusing.

’This Chen Sheng, talking about women and his future without the slightest bit of coyness or pretense. So frank... he really is... one of a kind.’

"Lingxi."

Nie Lingshan, suppressing her laughter, intentionally adopted a conciliatory tone with her sister:

"I think it’s perfectly normal for a great man to have three wives and four concubines. Why be so demanding? As women, we sometimes need to be more understanding and tolerant of our husbands."

After speaking, Nie Lingshan turned to Chen Sheng, blinking her big, beautiful, lively eyes with a mix of curiosity and mischief.

"Chen Zhenfu, you must be aware that the one to marry you will be either my sister or myself. Now that you’ve met us both, why don’t we... be a little more open about it?

Between Lingxi and me, who... is more to your liking?"

Hearing this, Nie Lingxi said nothing, merely casting a cool glance at her sister before turning her gaze to Chen Sheng as well, awaiting his answer.

The pavilion fell silent for a moment, the only sound the soft RUSTLE of the breeze through the leaves and flowers.

Chen Sheng’s gaze swept slowly from Nie Lingshan’s bright, flirtatious face to Nie Lingxi’s calm, gentle features, as if he were carefully deliberating.

Finally, his gaze settled on Nie Lingxi’s clear, tranquil eyes. His tone was even, yet clear and distinct:

"If Lady Lingxi... does not mind my past and is willing to join with me in marriage, then I... hope to form this alliance with you."

The smile on Nie Lingshan’s face froze instantly. A flash of shock and subtle indignation crossed her eyes.

’So, my display of being so understanding and magnanimous was worth less than my sister’s aggressive, almost overbearing interrogation?’

As for Nie Lingxi, who was standing to the side, though she maintained her calm expression upon hearing his answer, a faint glimmer that even she didn’t notice bloomed deep within her eyes.

The displeasure that had arisen from Chen Sheng’s frank admission about his other women seemed to be diluted somewhat by this clear choice.

"Chen Sheng!"

Nie Lingshan could finally hold it in no longer. She leaned forward slightly, her beautiful eyes fixed on Chen Sheng, her tone laced with obvious indignation and a hint of coquettish anger:

"What do you mean by that? In your eyes, am I, Nie Lingshan... inferior to Lingxi?"