The cold husband can't warm me up, I don't love him anymore

"Look at you, kid, how are you talking!" Second aunt Liang was displeased on the spot.

"When you were little, you competed with your brothers in abacus, and you were better than them all. You could even use both hands! If you come to help your second uncle, our business will be able to reach a higher level!"

"That's right. I didn't get involved in business before because Ah Li said she wanted to marry into the Shen family. Now that you're not getting married, it's good for you to learn some skills. In the future, your aunt will find you a rich man, whose wealth and glory will be no less than that of a marquisate!" Aunt Qiu speaks bluntly and always brings up things that are not related to the topic.

"..."

The family comforted Cui Lingyi with every word and soon the matter was settled.

Uncle Li Jingtian, who had been silent the whole time, raised the most important question.

"Ali, if you want to learn a skill, your uncle has no objection, but will your father agree?"

Cui Zizhen was the Minister of Rites, and he talked about etiquette every day.

Although the current emperor attaches great importance to business and there are many women who are shopkeepers, it is still rare for her, as a daughter of an official family, to show her face in public.

Her father might not agree.

Cui Lingyi narrowed her eyes.

"Don't worry, uncle. I have my own way to deal with this matter. My father will agree."

If she had a new life to live, she wanted to be the master of her own life.

That day, she followed her second uncle Li Changqing to the Xiancao Restaurant and familiarized herself with the operation of the medicine cabinet.

Originally, she wanted to stay at her uncle's house at night, but Liu suddenly sent someone to call her, saying that there was something important.

Cui Lingyi had no choice but to return home. As soon as she entered the door, a teacup was thrown at her feet and broke with a clang.

"Asshole, who allowed you to show your face out there?!"

Cui Zizhen sat in the main seat above, his face almost distorted with anger.

Cui Lingyi slowly moved away from the broken pieces of the cup and said calmly, "The Dajing Commercial Law states that as long as you are a Dajing citizen, regardless of gender, you can legally engage in business. Your daughter's appearance in public is naturally approved by the current emperor. Does your father want to go against the emperor's will?"

"You, you rebellious girl!"

If they disagree, Cui Zizhen will resort to family discipline.

Stepmother Liu immediately stepped forward to dissuade him.

"Master, Lingyi doesn't want to marry into the Marquis's Mansion. So let's just show up in public. Let's talk about the engagement first!"

Cui Lingyi lowered her eyes and sneered in her heart.

As a stepmother, she is very clear about the relationship between relatives and strangers.

If her daughter Cui Fangyi were to show up in public, her reaction would be even greater than Cui Zizhen's.

"Lingyi, you have heard all the rumors outside, right?" Liu stepped forward and held her hand affectionately.

"What rumors?" Cui Lingyi pretended to be ignorant.

"What else could it be?" Liu was anxious. "It's your engagement! Now everyone on the street is saying that your engagement with the young marquis is a joke!"

"It was just a joke."

"How is that possible? I clearly..." Liu was halfway through her words when she suddenly got stuck.

"Mingming what?" Cui Lingyi didn't believe that Liu had seen the marriage certificate.

That year, my mother passed away in the middle of the night, and there was no one else around her.

For five years, she hid the box under her bed and no one else ever knew about it.

Liu's eyes flashed.

"I heard your mother say that you and Shen Du were born to be together, destined to be together. If there was no marriage certificate, how could she be so sure?"

Fated marriage?

Resentful couple!

Cui Lingyi sneered, "Really not. If there was, why would Mrs. Shen say it was a verbal engagement?"

Seeing her so sure, Liu was at a loss. She turned around and whispered a few words to Cui Zizhen, and soon spoke with a sad look on her face.

"Lingyi, mother still says the same thing. Although I am your stepmother, Fangyi is your biological sister. You have to help her!"

"Even if you and Shen Du don't have a marriage certificate, you are still close after all. After so many years, you are the only one who can say a few words to him."

"You should take your sister to the Shen family's banquet this time and say a few good things to Shen Du and Madam Shen. You're not getting married anyway, so bringing your sister along will be a good thing for your father and our Shen family. What do you think?"

Shen family banquet?

I'm afraid it's a blind date.

She won't go again.

He immediately shook his head and said, "I said I will never visit the Shen family again."

"That won't do," Liu took out a piece of flowery note from her sleeve, her saliva almost spraying on her face with anxiety.

"Mrs. Shen sent an invitation specifically for you to go."

Cui Zizhen also stood up with an anxious look on his face.

"Lingyi, if you can accomplish this, Dad won't mind you showing up in public."

Cui Lingyi stepped away calmly and held the invitation in her hand.

It was indeed given to her by Mrs. Shen, and it clearly stated that she must come.

She immediately understood what Mrs. Shen meant.

Although her engagement with Shen Du had become a joke among the public, this was not enough.

Madam Shen wanted her to completely sever her relationship with Shen Du in front of the noble ladies from the capital.

Who made her stick to Shen Du as soon as she saw him?

Now that she suddenly says she doesn’t want to get married, no one will believe her.

"I can take Fangyi with me, and I can also speak well of her in front of Madam Shen, and even tell her that Madam Shen and Shen..."

She wanted to say Shen Du, but when she got to the point, she found it extremely difficult to say.

"...The young marquis likes it, but you have to agree to a few of my conditions."

Liu's face was filled with joy and she exchanged glances quickly with Shen Zizhen.

"You said, as long as your father and I can do it, we will agree to it."

Cui Lingyi frowned, "First, give me my mother's dowry. Second, do not interfere with my marriage in the future. Third, do not stop me from running the medicine cabinet."

Cui Zizhen was about to jump up and grab the family rules.

"You rebellious girl, do you know what you are saying?"

Cui Lingyi's fair little face was extremely calm.

"As for the management of the medicine cabinet, even if your father is the Minister of Rites, he cannot violate the holy order issued by His Majesty. You can't interfere even if you want to. I am just making an agreement with you because of the relationship between father and daughter."

"My mother died a long time ago, and the dowry originally belonged to me, her daughter. It is reasonable and legal to give it to me now."

"As for my future marriage," she smiled, her eyes full of ridicule.

"I can't marry into a marquis' mansion. My reputation is already ruined. With my father's current official rank, I can't find a good family. Instead of waiting for my father to do me a favor, it's better to give Fangyi a good future."

"If Fangyi really marries into the Marquis's Mansion, father's dream will come true, right?"

What she said was so logical and sensible that Cui Zizhen was speechless for a moment and could only think that it made a lot of sense.

"Are you sure you will help Fangyi?" Liu was also a little impatient.