Chapter 24 She Admires a Woman's Ambition

Tang Yuan’s hands paused. Had this happened before, she would have found it deeply hurtful, but she had since learned the art of self-consolation.

"Grandmother, whether or not I can conceive depends on Shen Zhou’s attitude. I follow his lead in everything."

Her submissive posture brought a measure of comfort to the old lady. "It is good that you understand. Just take good care of Xiao Zhou, and the Shen family will not treat you unfairly."

Tang Yuan said nothing, returning to her diligent massage of the old lady’s legs. After half an hour, she moved on to the back and shoulders. To win the old lady’s favor, she had spent the past two years specifically studying Traditional Chinese Medicine techniques.

With her eyes lowered and a docile expression, she continued her work. Pleased, the old lady slowly stood up. "Your technique is getting better and better; I don't know where you learned it. You’ve worked hard. Come, let’s go downstairs and see what’s going on."

Tang Yuan bent down, retrieved the shoes from beside the bed, and followed the old lady downstairs. Upon arriving, the old lady’s brows furrowed. "Xiao Zhou isn't here yet?"

Tang Yuan thought to herself that the man was likely busy dying for Song Qianqian.

The old lady turned, her tone chiding. "Why didn't you come with him?"

"Grandmother, he has been very busy with work lately. I cannot disturb him with matters regarding his business."

Having said this much, the old lady found little room to argue. She simply pursed her lips and went to sit down. Tang Yuan’s gaze fell upon Shen Tingshui, who was currently in the courtyard admiring the flowers. She seized the opportunity and walked over.

"Auntie."

Shen Tingshui nodded, looking through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the two elders sitting inside. Her mother was a woman herself, yet she was the most misogynistic of them all; she could only imagine how much grievance Tang Yuan must have endured. Still, it seemed the women of the Tang family had long been accustomed to bowing their heads and playing the subordinate.

"Auntie, I heard you are preparing to film a new drama. Has the lead actor been cast yet?"

Shen Tingshui was surprised by her directness and narrowed her eyes. "Aren't you a full-time housewife? Do you have a recommendation?"

"A full-time housewife can only rely on her husband to survive. I want to invest in a studio myself. I currently have an artist on hand who is very suitable for this role. Would you be willing to give this opportunity?"

Tang Yuan was an excellent judge of character. Among the Shen family, although Shen Tingshui was proud, she was undoubtedly the person least likely to wish for a capable woman to be a mere housewife. Before coming, Tang Yuan had read all of Shen Tingshui’s interviews, where she expressed her hope that more women would shine in the industry.

Shen Tingshui was different from the rest of the Shen family—or perhaps, different from most women. In the business circles within the industry and the world outside it, it was mostly men who sat at the table. For a woman to break through, she had to endure all sorts of gender-based treatment.

Shen Tingshui was the youngest child of the old lady. Because she was not a son, she had been neglected in her youth, which fostered her rather individualistic personality. When asking her for a role, it was better to be straightforward.

Shen Tingshui did not like girls who were overly docile or submissive; on the contrary, she appreciated ambition. A woman with ambition proved she was still worth saving. If she only pinned her hopes on her husband to survive, then she was truly beyond help.

Previously, Shen Tingshui had little contact with Tang Yuan and had no interest in getting to know her, but now, she suddenly smiled. "Do you realize that if others heard those words, the Tang family would likely force you to kneel in the ancestral hall immediately?"

Tang Yuan lowered her lashes. "I dared to say this to you because I read your interviews. You said that a woman’s world can be vast, and I want to try."

Shen Tingshui was a rebel within the Shen family. The upper circles looked down on the entertainment industry, but she insisted on delving into it. Shen Tingshui was surprised once more; she had previously thought Tang Yuan was just meek and obedient, never imagining she would bother reading her unconventional interviews.

She suddenly reached out and patted Tang Yuan on the shoulder. "For the sake of what you just said, I’ll give you this opportunity. You have my number; next time, bring your artist to see me. But keep this quiet—especially in front of the elders. Keep it under wraps, or you won't have a good end."

The women of the Tang family were married solely to be full-time housewives.

"I know."

"Does Xiao Zhou agree to you going out to work?"

"He is cheating on me, so he doesn't care what I do."

"Cough, cough, cough."

Shen Tingshui couldn't help but cough, her emotions subtle. As his aunt, she had long known about Shen Zhou’s infidelity, but Tang Yuan had always been head-over-heels in love with him. Every time she came to the Shen household, her eyes seemed glued to him alone. Besides, hadn't Shen Zhou hidden his mistress quite well? How did this fool, Tang Yuan, find out?

"Auntie, you won't go and say anything to him, will you?"

Shen Tingshui found it amusing and quite intriguing. Xiao Zhou thought he was hiding everything perfectly, never realizing that Tang Yuan had known all along and was even quite calm about it. Was it that she no longer loved him? Xiao Zhou assumed he could play Tang Yuan like a fiddle, but it was unclear who would be playing whom from here on out. She was more than happy to watch the show.

"I won't."

As she finished, the living room door opened. It was Shen Zhou.

Dressed in a sharp suit, Shen Zhou first went to the old lady. "Grandmother, are you feeling better?"

Seeing a trace of lipstick on his cuff, the old lady patted his hand. "You can fool around outside, but don't bring these traces home. Tang Yuan loves you so much; save us the trouble of her knowing and turning the house upside down. While I like her massage techniques, I don't want to hear her nagging about your affairs."

Shen Zhou smiled and handed her a cup of tea. "Grandmother, she rarely goes out, how would she know? Even if she did, she would only cry to herself and beg me not to leave. A little comfort from me is all it takes."

The old lady took the tea and sighed. He was so affectionate yet so heartless—it was hard to say if that was a blessing or a curse. It would be fine if he remained this way, but she feared the day he truly fell for a woman, loving her with the same intensity Tang Yuan had for him; that would spell disaster for the Shen family.

Shen Zhou was a favored son of heaven who had never stumbled. Even when his 'white moonlight' ran off with someone else years ago, his pride had kept him from ever chasing after her. A young master born with a silver spoon in his mouth would never bow his head for a woman, no matter how much he loved her.

"Just keep it under control. I’m only reminding you."

As they spoke, Tang Yuan and Shen Tingshui walked in from the courtyard. Seeing Shen Zhou, Tang Yuan’s eyes lit up. "Husband, you're here."

Shen Zhou glanced at her, smiled without any real emotion, and patted her head. "Mm," he replied, before sitting down to send a flirtatious message to Song Qianqian.