Hello, Mr. Shen - Chapter 2

“Dad! What are you doing?”

I turned toward the furious voice. Shen Zhao stood in the doorway, pale-faced and incredulous. He was thinner than I remembered, as though a gust of wind might knock him over.

How had I ever thought a man like that was someone I could entrust my life to?

“She’s my fiancée!” He rushed into the room, only to be pinned in place by a look from his father.

“From today onward, she’s your mother,” Shen Nanlang said, allowing no argument. “Miss Jiang is right. What the Shen family needs is healthy descendants.”

Watching Shen Zhao’s face contort, I felt a surge of satisfaction.

The game had only just begun.

This time, I would repay the suffering he had inflicted on me a hundredfold.

That afternoon, Shen Nanlang and I went to the civil affairs office. The moment our marriage certificate was in my hands, I knew fate had turned onto an entirely different course.

On my first day in the Shen villa, I summoned the butler to the study.

Butler Lin was in his early fifties and had worked for the family for nearly twenty years. His eyes held a barely concealed contempt as he looked at me. When I had married Shen Zhao in my previous life, he had made things difficult for me at every opportunity.

“Butler Lin, from now on, bring me all the servants’ work schedules and payroll records every Monday.” Seated in the leather swivel chair, I tapped a finger against the desk. “And compile an itemized account of the household expenses for the past six months. I want to review them.”

His brow tightened almost imperceptibly. “Madam, I’ve always handled those matters. Mr. Shen never concerns himself with such trifles.”

I smiled. “I’m running the household now. Is there a problem?”

“Of course not.” He lowered his head, though I caught a twitch at the corner of his mouth.

“Oh, and one more thing,” I added as he turned to leave. “Change the sheets in the master bedroom to silk. Mr. Shen prefers them.”

His back stiffened. He bowed his head in acknowledgment.

I knew the news would spread like wildfire: the new mistress wasn’t merely taking control. She was already sharing the master’s bed.

After he left, I surveyed the study. In my previous life, I had rarely been allowed inside. Now it was my center of power.

I turned on the computer and opened the household management system. The password was unchanged: Shen Zhao’s birthday. Beneath his stern exterior, Shen Nanlang still adored his only son.

The figures on the screen made me raise an eyebrow. Fifty thousand yuan on flowers in a single month, never mind the expensive wines and ingredients.

I had once thought that was simply how extravagantly the Shens lived. Now I understood. Someone was lining his pockets.

I was noting down suspicious transactions when the door suddenly swung open.

Shen Zhao stood there, his face dark.

“Did you need something?” I kept my eyes on the screen.

“You think marrying my father lets you do whatever you want in this house?” His voice was low and threatening.

Only then did I look up. “Knocking is basic courtesy, Shen Zhao. And you should call me Mom. Or at least Auntie.”

His face turned livid. He strode to the desk and planted both hands on it. “Keep dreaming! You’re nothing but a breeding machine we bought!”

I met his eyes calmly. “And what does that make you? A useless man who can’t even father a child?”

His pupils contracted. He raised his right hand to slap me.

I didn’t move. I merely raised my voice.

“Mr. Shen, your son is about to hit your wife.”

His hand froze. He turned toward the doorway.

At some point, Shen Nanlang had appeared there. His expression was terrifying.

“Get out,” he told his son, his voice ice-cold.

Shen Zhao lowered his hand. “Dad, she’s investigating our accounts!” he said through clenched teeth. “She must have an ulterior motive!”

“I told her to.” Shen Nanlang came to stand beside me. “Your mother is in charge of the household now. Is there a problem?”

“Mother?” Shen Zhao gave a shrill laugh. “She’s only three years older than me!”

His father’s gaze sharpened. “Age has nothing to do with it. She’s my lawfully wedded wife, which makes her your mother. Let me hear you disrespect her again and I’ll freeze your credit cards.”

Shen Zhao opened his mouth, then shut it without a word. He stormed out, slamming the door.

“Don’t let him upset you,” Shen Nanlang told me. “He’s been spoiled.”

I smiled. “It’s all right. I’ll be a good stepmother.”

Especially when being a good stepmother meant pushing him straight into hell.