Things Have Come to This

The moment these words were spoken, an awkward silence fell over the room.

Becoming Shen Yi’s girlfriend—or even his wife—was something they were all more than willing to do. Otherwise, why would they be here?

If Shen's Mother had asked them individually at another time, any one of them would have been overjoyed.

Being Shen Yi’s girlfriend was certainly a wonderful prospect, but adding the word "all" to the equation made it far less appealing.

How could such a thing be discussed with all three of them at once? It was downright uncomfortable.

But then again, Shen's Mother had just apologized and laid out the pros and cons clearly, without forcing any of them to make a choice.

Besides, they hadn’t even gotten started yet—how could they just admit defeat so easily?

Unless they chose to back out now, it seemed the only option was to grit their teeth and accept it.

"Yes, Auntie, I’m willing."

Fu Nanzhi was the first to react and agree.

Not only was she the least resistant to the idea, but she also refused to fall behind in front of Shen's Mother.

"I’m willing!"

"Auntie, I... I’m willing too."

Shu Yunyi and Cheng Jun answered almost simultaneously.

What else could they do? Cheng Jun’s reasoning was simple—no matter what, securing the title of "girlfriend" was better than nothing.

As for Shu Yunyi, she simply didn’t want to lose to Fu Nanzhi, whom she saw as the biggest threat.

With all three women agreeing, Shen's Mother’s lips trembled, barely able to contain her delight.

But on the surface, she still sighed with feigned sorrow:

"Ah..."

"You girls... why must you do this?"

Beside her, Shen's Father’s eyes widened in disbelief. He couldn’t believe his wife’s maneuvering had actually convinced all three women to agree.

‘What kind of sorcery is this? Is this even Chinese anymore?’

Not just Shen's Father—even Shen Yi, who had been eavesdropping from upstairs, clenched his fists in excitement.

"Nice! Mom really knows how to handle things!"

As expected, a mother’s love for her son runs deep. No matter how harsh her words, her heart was always on his side.

Watching the scene unfold, Shen Yi felt even more encouraged. His earlier warnings to Shen's Mother hadn’t been in vain.

Not only had she remained impartial toward the three women, but she had also gone above and beyond—balancing things fairly among all three. How could he not be thrilled?

The scene continued, and Shen Yi quickly suppressed his grin to keep watching.

In the living room, Shen's Mother spoke earnestly:

"Forgive me for saying this, but our Shen family is just ordinary folks—we’ve never seen anything like this before..."

"It’s always been one girl pursued by a hundred suitors. For Shen Yi to earn the favor of all of you is a blessing from eight lifetimes of good karma."

Then she turned to Cheng Jun and asked,

"This young lady is Cheng Jun... right?"

Cheng Jun sat primly with her hands on her knees and immediately replied,

"Yes, Auntie. You can call me Zhu Yun—it’s my nickname."

"Good, good. Zhu Yun... how old are you?"

Shen's Mother couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy about this sudden newcomer.

She had thought Fu Nanzhi and Shu Yunyi were already once-in-a-lifetime beauties, but this one was even more stunning—and younger.

"Auntie, I’m 26 this year," Cheng Jun answered gracefully, meeting Shen's Mother’s gaze.

‘26... just the right age, not too young, not too old...’

Shen's Mother mused to herself. After Shu Yunyi’s age revelation, she wasn’t sure what to expect anymore.

But outwardly, she praised:

"Really? Zhu Yun, you look so young!"

"I would’ve guessed you were just 21 or 22..."

Cheng Jun covered her mouth with a modest laugh.

"You flatter me, Auntie. I’m not that young."

Where there was joy, there was also discontent.

Age was Shu Yunyi’s sore spot, and she was extremely sensitive about it. Now, her gaze toward Cheng Jun was anything but friendly.

No matter how youthful her face appeared, the fact remained—she was already past thirty. In a direct comparison, it was indeed a disadvantage.

After exchanging a few pleasantries to learn more about Cheng Jun, Shen's Mother shifted the conversation:

"I know all of you are at the age where marriage is a serious consideration."

At this, the three women immediately straightened up. This was the crux of the matter—the unavoidable topic.

What were they competing for, if not this? Being a girlfriend was temporary; the real battle was over who would last till the end.

"But marriage is a lifelong commitment—you can never be too careful."

Then Shen's Mother’s tone changed:

"Your uncle often reminds me..."

"‘Kids these days have their own ideas. It’s not like our generation anymore. Why not just pick one quickly so Shen Yi can settle down?’"

"I disagreed immediately. Each of you is a wonderful girl—how could this be a hasty decision? I’d hate to see any of you hurt."

‘When did I ever say that?!’

Shen's Father looked up in shock, ready to argue, but a warning glance from Shen's Mother made him swallow his words.

Fu Nanzhi, Shu Yunyi, and Cheng Jun’s hearts rose and fell with Shen's Mother’s words, as if riding a rollercoaster.

Her speech was full of pauses, clearly indicating there had been plenty of behind-the-scenes debates about their situation.

Before Shen's Father could protest further, Liu Huijuan continued:

"Besides, that rascal’s behavior today is downright unacceptable."

"So as his mother, I’m taking charge this once—I insist on making this decision for him."

"These days, people emphasize free love. How could I bear to disappoint any of you?"

Liu Huijuan waved her hand decisively.

"From now on, if he dares to mistreat or bully any of you, come straight to me."

"I’ll make sure he gets a proper scolding!"

"And as for you girls, your uncle and I will treat you all fairly—no favoritism!"

As her words landed, the women reacted differently, their expressions varied.

No one spoke, and the living room fell into another tense silence.

Sensing the heaviness in the air, Shen's Father broke the stalemate:

"It’s getting late—the girls must be hungry."

"Let’s eat first..."