Wrapping the pastries and snacks with cloth, Shen Han took them out of the central area.

"Uncle, Cailing, have a taste too."

Used to living a poor life, Shen Han didn't feel embarrassed at all about packing things up.

He didn't care about the looks from the people around him.

Seeing the snacks handed over by their young master, Cailing quickly accepted them, smiling while taking a bite.

"These are tastier than the pastries at Heyang Tavern~"

"Good to hear, don't waste them, finish them all."

As he spoke, Shen Han felt someone gently poking his back.

Turning around, he saw a stranger, a woman dressed in plain clothes, yet it was clear her attire was valuable.

"My lady wishes to speak with you."

Her tone was somewhat cold, with a hint of disdain.

"Who is your lady?"

"You'll know when you go, no need to ask too much."

The tone and attitude.

"With that kind of attitude, it doesn't feel like an invitation. Sorry, I'm not interested."

Hearing this response, the woman in front of him paused a moment.

"My lady's surname is Su."

"Regardless of her name, with such an attitude, I'm not inclined to accept."

Shen Han replied indifferently, then prepared to head back to the center of the gathering to view the paintings.

Seeing Shen Han leave, the woman became a bit flustered.

Stepping forward to block Shen Han, her tone softened slightly.

"My lady invites Young Master Shen Han to meet her in the attic..."

Watching Shen Han still looking at her coolly, she hesitated for a while, then bowed respectfully, "Please...Young Master Shen, grace us with your presence."

"Alright, lead the way."

The uncle from the Yun Family followed behind Shen Han, escorting him all the way to the attic door.

"Uncle will wait outside the door, if anything happens, just call out immediately."

Shen Han nodded, only then following the woman into the attic.

Surname Su, inviting him to meet.

No surprises, it should be the rumored prodigy, Su Jinyu.

The Imperial Family issued a marriage decree for him and Su Jinyu, yet he hadn't met her before.

Turning past a staircase, a spacious attic came into view.

A thin veil hung on the right, with a lady sitting inside, her face still obscured.

"From two generations above the old master of the Shen Family, no one attending the Thousand-Autumn Grand Gathering from the Shen Family ranked below the fiftieth tier.

You should forfeit the Stepping into the Thousand Autumns after noon."

Behind the veil, the woman's voice sounded.

The voice carried a hint of coldness, a sense of remoteness and rejection.

Shen Han furrowed his brow slightly: "If that's all you want to say, it's a waste of time."

"The Imperial Family's decree for us is a plot against Shen and Su's families. Can't you see that?"

"So to break this conspiracy, it must be me who sacrifices?

Why should I be the one to sacrifice, why not you, why not Shen Ye?

After all, it's because I am easy to bully, merely because I am not favored in the Shen Family."

Shen Han wore a faint smile.

Had thought meeting Su Jinyu she'd have some profound ideas, yet it was the same old rhetoric.

Behind the curtain, hearing Shen Han's words, Su Jinyu felt a tinge of anger.

Slowly rising, she gently pulled the curtain aside.

A stunning visage emerged, without the veil's cover, her pretty face possessed even more allure.

The rumors of Su Jinyu's beauty were not exaggerated at all.

She wore a light blue Immortal Robe, paired with elaborate makeup, seemingly exuding a touch of ethereal aura.

Shen Han was realistic enough not to lie and say Su Jinyu looked ugly.

Yet upon seeing her, he felt an even deeper disgust...

Stepping past the veil, Su Jinyu emerged with a slight frown.

"Do you really think you can surpass me?

There may be luck involved in Stepping into the Thousand Autumns, but in the face of absolute power, no amount of luck will help you."

Shen Han's expression remained unchanged: "Then let's try."

Shen Han's attitude made Su Jinyu more irate.

"Brother Ye was right, you really are ungrateful. The Shen Family raised you for so many years, naturally you should repay the family."

Being labeled as ungrateful, a clever tactic!

"I know very well who I owe gratitude to.

Those who truly helped me wish for my protection, that I never fall to ruin, never end up disgraced."

Shen Han's eyes held a faint smile.

"Many contemptible people, having never helped you, even oppressed and framed you, yet still demand your gratitude and sacrifice.

Is there such a good thing in the world?"

At Shen Mansion, Shen Han clearly remembered how he was treated.

This gratitude, it could certainly not be credited to the Shen Family.

Hearing Shen Han's words, Su Jinyu's face showed more disappointment.

"Stubborn and unreasonable, having you as a descendant is truly the Shen Family's misfortune."

"It's like someone would willingly choose to be born into the Shen Family; leaving it, I would be ten times better off."

Su Jinyu never imagined her advice would yield this response from Shen Han.

She had hoped he'd heed her advice, the Su Family trying to find ways to spare him.

But now it seemed, Shen Han was simply unreasonable.

Indifferent as he was, unwilling to sacrifice for the Shen Family's interests.

"Thinking how I earlier pleaded for him before Brother Ye, I should just adhere to Brother Ye's words, and arrange a strong man to disable him."

Hearing Su Jinyu's remark, Shen Han couldn't help but laugh: "With such words, do you truly think Shen Ye hasn't already arranged it?"

Wasn't that Yin Man on the west side of Yun'an City Shen Ye's person?

"No sense continuing; if there's nothing else, let's end here."

With that, Shen Han directly left the attic.

Shen Han's demeanor made Su Jinyu quite displeased.

She had invited him sincerely, yet received such a response.

"Miss, Shen Han really is irritating, no wonder Ao'Er always speaks poorly of him.

He has no skills, yet his temper is quite big."

Su Jinyu slowly sat on a long bench, calming her mind.

"Tell Brother Hongyi, I won't stop him anymore..."

Shen Han's attitude today deeply disappointed Su Jinyu.

Since she won't plead for him anymore.

Her elder brother Su Hongyi held unmatched military achievements; before, she felt urging Brother Ye to wait, not to act harshly.

But now, it seemed Shen Han simply wasn't worthy of sympathy.

In the end, she knew she couldn't marry him, with the wedding impending and no more time to delay.

The maid beside Su Jinyu smiled at her words.

She was friendly with Shen Ao, and hearing so many bad things about Shen Han, naturally felt some dislike towards him.

Moreover, Shen Han's tone when he spoke to her just now.

He was just an unfavored family outcast, yet exhibited more arrogance than Young Master Ye or Young Master Ao.

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