Everyone quieted down upon hearing this, their gazes shifting upwards.
An elder slowly descended from upstairs. His hair was white, and he leaned on a dragon-headed cane. His steps were faltering, but his spirit was strong.
His face was ruddy, and his eyes sparkled with a smile, indicating he was in excellent spirits.
The crowd surged forward to congratulate Old Master Shen on his birthday.
Old Master Shen responded to them all, unable to hide his joy.
"Zhou Youde of the Zhou family in Haicheng, on behalf of the Zhou family, wishes Grandpa Shen longevity as boundless as the East Sea and as enduring as the South Mountain. This is the birthday gift from the Zhou family to Grandpa Shen; I hope Grandpa Shen will accept it."
Zhou Youde stepped forward first, holding a box, and respectfully said to Old Master Shen.
Old Master Shen beamed with pleasure, "Youde, you are a dragon among men, personally coming to celebrate my old man's birthday. This gesture touches me. Come, take the gift."
A servant quickly came to receive the box and opened it in front of everyone.
The old master glanced at it and was slightly taken aback. The box contained a check, and the amount made Old Master Shen visibly moved.
Zhou Youde's thinking was simple: anything that could be solved with money was not a problem.
"Good, Youde has put thought into this."
This sum of money was crucial for the Shen family, so how could the old master not be pleased?
Then, Zhou Youde, with a face full of joy, said, "Grandpa Shen, today Youde has a request, and I hope Grandpa Shen can grant it."
The old master paused, "Oh? Tell me, what is it that requires my old bones?"
The shift in address from "Grandpa" to "old man" reflected Old Master Shen lowering his stance, no longer addressing Zhou Youde as an elder would.
Zhou Youde quickly said with a smile, "Grandpa Shen, I fell in love at first sight with your second young lady, Shen Tianyin. Furthermore, I have informed my family that I will marry no one but Miss Shen in this lifetime. I implore Grandpa Shen to act as my matchmaker and betroth Shen Tianyin to me."
Not only was he proposing, but he had also brought his family into it. Zhou Youde had planned this beforehand.
Before the old master could respond, Shen Shiyun, who was standing nearby, spoke up, "Grandpa, if my sister can be happily married to Young Master Zhou, our Shen family and the Zhou family will become in-laws. This will be immensely beneficial for the development of both families. Moreover, with Young Master Zhou's character, he will not mistreat my sister. They are a perfect match, a talented man and a beautiful woman."
Shen Shiyun held significant sway with the old master, and he naturally considered her words.
After a moment of thought, it was evident that the old master did not disregard Shen Tianyin entirely; after all, she was his own granddaughter, with the Shen family blood flowing through her.
"Since Sister Shiyun has such a good impression of Young Master Zhou, why doesn't Sister Shiyun marry Young Master Zhou? If Sister Shiyun marries into the Zhou family, then both the Shen family and the Zhou family will be under Sister Shiyun's control, wouldn't that elevate her to the pinnacle of life?"
Shen Tianyin spoke angrily, her face chillingly stern, and her beautiful eyes burning with rage.
She hadn't expected Zhou Youde to be so shameless as to propose in front of her grandfather, leaving her no room to retreat. His actions were incredibly insidious.
If Old Master Shen refused, it would be a direct insult to the Zhou family, and the two families would inevitably fall out. The Shen family could not afford such consequences.
Therefore, regardless of his feelings, the old master could only agree under pressure.
Ultimately, she would have no recourse.
Upon hearing Shen Tianyin's words, Shen Shiyun did not appear angered. Instead, a gentle smile graced her face.
"Sister, as members of the Shen family, we must prioritize the family's interests. If Young Master Zhou were to fall in love with me at first sight, I would marry him without hesitation, creating a beautiful tale. The family's interests are paramount. Why can't Sister consider the family's interests?"
These words pushed Shen Tianyin further into a corner.
If she refused, it would mean she didn't care about the family's interests, which was a grave offense in a large family.
With a cold snort, Shen Tianyin looked at the old master.
"Grandpa, I already have someone I love. In this life, I am with him and him alone. I will discuss no other man romantically."
Shen Tianyin's words were icy, her gaze resolute.
"Sister, why must you do this? As far as I know, you have only known Mr. Ye Fan for a few days; there's no deep affection. This excuse today is merely to reject Young Master Zhou. Such deceit and falsity will likely make the Shen family a laughingstock in all of Jiangcheng."
Shen Shiyun spoke again, but this time her words directly exposed the relationship between Shen Tianyin and Ye Fan.
Old Master Shen's face darkened, and he looked up at Ye Fan, "Who is he? Where is he from?"
His voice was stern, and a powerful pressure suddenly erupted, engulfing Ye Fan.
However, Ye Fan seemed utterly unfazed, even calm, with a faint smile playing on his lips.
This sight caused Old Master Shen to pause. This young man possessed considerable courage. Facing his oppressive aura, he showed no signs of panic. Without a strong inner fortitude, such composure would be impossible.
His estimation of Ye Fan rose a notch.
Shen Shiyun, standing beside him, quickly interjected, "Grandpa, this person's name is Ye Fan. He lives in the slums. A few days ago, our home was almost forcibly demolished, and Sister happened to pass by and helped him. Since then, he has clung to Sister by some unknown means. I highly suspect this person has impure motives and an ulterior purpose by Sister's side."
Skillfully avoiding the core issue, Shen Shiyun briefly explained Ye Fan's situation to the old master.
Slums, forced demolition, impure motives?
The old master's face gradually showed anger.
Setting aside Ye Fan's reasons for being by Shen Tianyin's side, his identity and background alone were worlds apart from Zhou Youde's. Anyone with a shred of sense would know who to choose.
"Grandpa, Ye Fan is not as bad as Sister says. His appraisal skills are extremely strong. Currently, he is well-known in Jiangcheng's antique circle, and it won't be long before he becomes a person of great standing." Shen Tianyin's eyes were filled with determination!
As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Zhitao slowly stepped forward.
"Grandpa Shen, Second Miss is correct. Brother Ye indeed has a unique talent in appraisal. He is now a distinguished guest of our Jiang family, with a status second only to my grandfather and father."
If it were only Shen Tianyin speaking, Old Master Shen might not have believed her. But with Jiang Zhitao stepping forward, the situation changed completely.
The Jiang family was no less influential than the Shen family. Being a distinguished guest in the Jiang family, with such a high status, was no small matter.
Once again, the old master found himself in a dilemma.
Seeing this, Shen Tianyin seemed to have made up her mind. She took a step forward and raised her right hand.
"I, Shen Tianyin, swear to the heavens, I will marry no one but Ye Fan in this life. If I go against this oath, may the heavens strike me down and demons devour me."