Marry by Relying on Favor: Chapter 85 - Which One is Wen Shuchen’s Real Partner?

December 09, 2025 Oyen 0 Comments

Happy Reading~

Chapter 85: Which One is Wen Shuchen’s Real Partner?

 

The two of them stayed in the office for over an hour, until the secretary outside tapped twice on the door as a reminder, without saying a word.

 

Wen Shuchen slowly lifted his hand, glanced at the time on his wristwatch, then patted He Qingchi’s back, his thin lips letting out a low, gentle voice: “Tonight I still have a charity auction gala. Want to come with me?”

 

Their marriage hadn’t been made public, and He Qingchi had almost never appeared with Wen Shuchen in public. Adding to that his naturally low-key and mysterious behavior, he usually didn’t need a female companion—only a male secretary followed him.

 

So when she heard the word “gala,” He Qingchi looked at his warm, smiling expression and instinctively asked, “Is it appropriate?”

 

“What’s inappropriate about it?” Wen Shuchen brushed the strands of hair from her cheek behind her ear with the warmth of his fingertips, gazing down at her. His voice suddenly lowered: “Just think of it as keeping me company…”

 

He Qingchi could never handle him speaking like this—her ears warmed, though she tried to keep a composed expression.

 

“Alright then…” she replied, but the corners of her lips had already curved up without her realizing it.

 

At once, Wen Shuchen instructed the secretary to prepare an evening gown for her, pearl-white in color, along with matching jewelry.

 

She changed into them in the lounge next door, which was spotless, with two of Wen Shuchen’s spare luxury suits neatly hanging in the wardrobe, accompanied by perfectly paired jewelry, cufflinks, and watches.

 

When a man lives in luxury, he can be even more indulgent than women.

 

He Qingchi left her face lightly made up, only touching up her lipstick. Once she slipped into the evening gown, she realized how perfectly the tailoring hugged her figure. It was a modernized qipao style that highlighted her slender waistline, leaving no room for the slightest flaw—any extra flesh would have been immediately noticeable.

 

This was the kind of gown that demanded an exquisite figure, and luckily He Qingchi’s delicate frame and slim build carried it flawlessly.

 

She let her long black hair fall naturally over her shoulders, soft waves adding a gentle curve.

 

She stepped out the room after getting ready.

 

The secretary had just delivered a pair of silver-white stiletto heels. Wen Shuchen held them in his hand, making them look all the more delicate and fine.

 

“Come here.”

 

He beckoned to her, his expression showing a certain interest in women’s heels.

 

He Qingchi sat on the sofa as he guided her, lowering her lashes as she watched him kneel on one knee to put the shoes on for her. Something stirred in her heart at the sight.

 

Aside from her father, when she was a child, this was only the second man who had ever done such a thing for her.

 

And this man was none other than Wen Shuchen—the figure once shrouded in rumors.

 

Never had she imagined, even at the start of this year, that she would one day share such intimacy with Wen Shuchen. As his palm held her arch, warmth transferred directly into her skin.

 

Men’s body temperatures naturally run hotter, and it made He Qingchi curl her pale toes shyly.

 

“Nervous?” Wen Shuchen asked. Though his tone teased, his eyes had already caught her unease, yet he didn’t let go.

 

He Qingchi parted her lips but couldn’t utter a word. Staring at his handsome, refined face, she was just about to speak when she heard him ask in a lowered, ambiguous voice: “I seem to have kissed it once.”

 

Her mind went blank for a moment, then she blurted out without thinking: “No, you haven’t!”

 

“You remember that clearly?” Wen Shuchen pressed gently on her arch, his long fingers applying a steady force.

 

He Qingchi tried to slip her feet into the heels, but he wouldn’t allow it.

 

And outwardly, he still put on the act of being perfectly proper.

 

Embarrassed and a little annoyed, she muttered: “How are you getting worse and worse lately?”

 

When they first met, she had thought him distant, restrained, and full of gentlemanly decorum—surely a man of impeccable propriety. But after deeper interaction, she began realizing that beneath his ambiguous teasing, he was no different from any ordinary man.

 

Now that they were familiar, Wen Shuchen no longer bothered to maintain his gentlemanly facade in front of her.

 

When a reserved, aloof man shows his true colors, he loses to no one.

 

Her little accusation only drew a few low chuckles from him.

 

Seeing her pale toes curl nervously, he refrained from taking things further.

 

His fingers lingered across her sole, before he finally picked up the delicate stiletto and slipped it gently, patiently onto her foot.

 

He Qingchi’s lashes quivered. Every detail of her time with Wen Shuchen, she felt, would stay in her memory for life.

 

After eight o’clock that evening, the charity auction began.

 

This was an event for high society—not a place for ordinary celebrities. The hosts had invited wealthy elites of status, all of whom brought along socialites or distinguished ladies as companions.

 

And tonight, for the first time, Jiangcheng’s most prominent figure publicly appeared with a female partner at his side, stealing all the spotlight.

 

Reporters were blocked at the entrance by security; not even a blurry shot of their backs got out.

 

Wen Shuchen entered the grand hall with one arm loosely around He Qingchi’s waist. From his manner, there was no attempt to keep distance—it was an unmistakably intimate posture.

 

Within half a minute, the entire room’s attention had shifted to them.

 

Some were curious about the woman’s identity, others whispered speculations with varying degrees of truth.

 

—“Who is that woman? She’s not one of Jiangcheng’s usual socialites.”

 

—“If the Wen family’s head brings her out openly, whatever she was before, she definitely has status now.”

 

—“Didn’t rumors say Wen Shuchen bankrupted Shen Fu’s company over a woman, even fought in the hospital over it? Could this be her?”

 

——“Not her. That one is the cellist, a woman from a humble background. First, she ruined the marriage of a Qu family socialite, even made the papers for it. Later, no one knows how, but she latched onto Wen Shuchen. Two men were even willing to throw away all dignity for her.”

 

——“So then who’s the real one?”

 

——“Maybe Wen Shuchen lost interest in the cellist and, in the short term, found himself a new beauty?”

 

——“Stop guessing. My family’s matriarch has some ties with the old Wen estate. Word has long spread that Wen Shuchen secretly got married. If I’m not mistaken, the woman he’s openly bringing out tonight must be a socialite from the He family of Yancheng.”

 

——“You all know the He family of Yancheng, right? The heiresses they raise are the most sought after brides by wealthy heirs there, with spotless reputations. They’re the benchmark of the socialite circle.”

 

——“No wonder he’s the leader of high society—he’s this picky even in choosing a wife.”

 

——“This one must be the real deal. Have you ever seen Wen Shuchen publicly put his arm around a woman’s waist?”

 

One after another, voices of discussion rose, and those quietly listening nodded in agreement. Their gazes swept up and down Wen Shuchen’s companion.

 

Wanting to pick at her looks, they found her face flawless—nose, eyes, mouth, not a single flaw to be spotted.

 

Turning to her figure, they saw her body and legs were equally impeccable.

 

A woman this exquisite, like a porcelain doll, had already won at the peak of beauty. Add her background as a daughter of a prestigious family, and she had all the qualifications to stand beside Wen Shuchen, to bear the scrutiny of countless eyes.

 

Supported by the man, He Qingchi sat down. Her posture was upright and poised, her demeanor graceful and unflappable. Even her faint smile was natural without stiffness.

 

This was a habit ingrained since childhood under the He family’s training—never let the family’s reputation be disgraced in public.

 

The crowd’s gossip didn’t trouble her.

 

She quietly watched as a gentleman approached Wen Shuchen for small talk. After a few words, the man politely asked about her.

 

Wen Shuchen turned his face toward her, gazed for two seconds, then back again. His tone was warm: “My wife.”

 

The other man immediately extended a hand to her: “Mrs. Wen.”

 

He Qingchi returned the greeting politely, her fingertips brushing his.

 

Once fewer ears were around to listen in, she leaned close to Wen Shuchen and whispered: “A month ago everyone was saying you crushed Shen Fu because you were taken with Shen Tingji’s looks. Now you’re bringing me out publicly—aren’t you afraid of the rumors?”

 

In a setting like this, a few words spread by a few people could shift all of Jiangcheng’s gossip overnight.

 

Wen Shuchen only held her soft hand, keeping the mystery without explanation.

 

Lowering her gaze, He Qingchi noticed the wedding ring on her finger. In that moment, she recognized even more clearly her identity as his wife.

 

The atmosphere, once quiet, soon grew lively again.

 

Looking over, she saw the new arrivals were Wen Yue—

 

He appeared publicly with Wen Shuchen for the first time—and by his side, Shen Fu, whose company had already gone bankrupt. Both men wore impeccably tailored suits as they entered the hall, immediately drawing every gaze.

 

Since Wen Jingchun had been rushed into emergency care multiple times, the old estate had deliberately begun to make Wen Yue’s identity public, even arranging media coverage. The carefully laid message was simple: Wen Shuchen wasn’t the only one who could inherit the Wen family name.

 

The former chairman’s critical health was already a widely discussed topic.

 

Now, seeing Wen Yue—whose build and temperament even resembled Wen Shuchen’s—

 

Everyone became more convinced of their brotherhood.

 

At the sight of Shen Fu, He Qingchi’s gaze flickered to Wen Shuchen.

 

His expression was calm, composed—as if he had expected this.

 

The auction officially began.

 

The entire charity gala turned into a silent battle between the Wen brothers. No one dared outspend them or steal the spotlight. With each bid, the amount climbed higher, soon breaking the hundred-million mark.

 

He Qingchi kept her eyes on the stage as the auctioneer’s excited voice rang through the hall:

 

“150 million, 200 million… 220 million, 250 million.”

 

The numbers echoed in the otherwise silent hall. Everyone’s eyes were on the few seated at the front center.

 

To He Qingchi’s left, a few rows back, sat Wen Yue and Shen Fu, though several suited men blocked her view. She caught only a faint glimpse of one side profile.

 

Feeling a weight settle lightly on her shoulder, she turned and saw Wen Shuchen’s composed face.

 

After a pause, she softly asked: “Did Wen Yue come just to embarrass you?”

 

At such occasions, whenever Wen Shuchen appeared, as the leading figure of society, he was bound to dominate the spotlight—his status demanded it.

 

Yet Wen Yue was openly challenging him in front of everyone, playing a game of wealth.

 

Win or lose, the event’s organizers would be laughing themselves silly behind the scenes.

 

With his immense resources, Wen Shuchen handled it effortlessly, answering with serene confidence: “By making such a high-profile move against me, he’s signaling to the outside world that, with my father critically ill, the Wen family’s internal struggle has officially begun.”

 

On one side, the young, rightful heir already in power. On the other, the illegitimate son once favored by the former patriarch. Who would prevail depended on the battles ahead.

 

Besides, Wen Jingchun still held cards up his sleeve—and he would never take them into the coffin. 

 

As expected, once tonight’s auction ended…

 

Wen Yue would already have secured himself a foothold in Jiangcheng’s circle of elites.

 

Both men’s secretaries were still raising their paddles.

 

The bidding had already climbed from two billion to five billion, and the auction on stage continued.

 

Because someone near her left their seat, He Qingchi happened to turn her head and caught a clear view of Wen Yue’s face.

 

His brows were cool and stern, yet he curved his lips in a faint smile toward her and gestured for her to check her phone.

 

Only then did she notice a text from an unfamiliar number: [When are you going to pay me back for that suit jacket?]

 

She frowned, immediately deleted the message, and blocked the number.

 

Wen Shuchen seemed to sense her mood shift. He leaned close and asked softly, “What is it?”

 

He Qingchi tucked her phone away and shook her head faintly.

 

She didn’t tell him about the text—better to avoid provoking a public clash between him and Wen Yue in front of everyone.

 

Wen Yue clearly intended to make a spectacle tonight, bidding higher and higher—up to eight billion without backing down.

 

Wen Shuchen calmly signaled for his secretary to keep raising the paddle, showing no concern at all.

 

He Qingchi kept her expression fixed on the stage, but inwardly thought that Wen Yue wasn’t even sparing money—after all, he was using the Wen family’s wealth.

 

“Nine point nine billion… once!”

 

The auctioneer suddenly raised his voice, startling everyone present.

 

Ordinarily, this kind of auction item would settle at fifty or sixty million at most. Tonight, however, the price had soared to nine billion!

 

Still keeping his composure, the auctioneer cast his gaze at Wen Yue, who had just bid, and called out again: “Nine point nine billion, twice!”

 

The whole hall seemed to hold its breath, eyes locked on the two Wen brothers seated front and center.

 

Under the lights, Wen Shuchen turned his head calmly, his deep gaze meeting Wen Yue’s across the room for a second.

 

Their battle was silent, invisible—He Qingchi sitting between them as the divide.

 

The tension pressed in. She pressed her lips together tightly.

 

The next second, Wen Shuchen personally raised his paddle, upping the bid to ten billion.

 

The auctioneer immediately turned toward him, raising his voice: “Ten billion, once! Ten billion, twice…”

 

He paused slightly, waiting to see if Wen Yue would continue.

 

Wen Yue shifted into a leisurely posture in his seat. Even in defeat, he had already stolen the spotlight. With a gesture, he indicated that he would yield.

 

“Ten billion, three times—sold!”

 

Thud!

 

The gavel fell.

 

The auctioneer congratulated Wen Shuchen in front of everyone: “Congratulations, Mr. Wen.”

 

The next moment, he announced once more the final hammer price, along with Wen Shuchen’s declaration that all the charity funds were donated in He Qingchi’s name.

 

Thunderous applause filled the hall.

 

Yet Wen Shuchen, He Qingchi, and also Wen Yue and Shen Fu remained expressionless, their gazes fixed on the stage.

 

After the first auction lot ended, Wen Shuchen escorted He Qingchi out of the hall ahead of time.

 

As for Wen Yue, he donated the entire nine-plus billion he hadn’t managed to bid through—lavishly generous. With a slight nod to the crowd, he too left the hall with Shen Fu.

 

Once the two stars of the night departed, the atmosphere in the room finally began to normalize.

 

By nine thirty, several black private cars pulled up at the hall’s entrance.

 

Wen Shuchen shielded He Qingchi as she got into the car. Sitting in the back seat, she finally broke the silence she had kept almost the entire evening: “Looks like your father’s private coffers are pretty deep, letting Wen Yue squander like that.”

 

Her tone carried clear sarcasm—after all, Wen Yue’s whole purpose tonight had been to ruin Wen Shuchen’s stage.

 

Ten billion, given away in the blink of an eye.

 

Wen Shuchen, however, was calm as ever, even with the mood to tease her: “Mm. My father not setting aside a share for his daughter-in-law—truly, that was remiss of him.”

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