Before she met Yan Xianjue—or rather, before she could hear Yan Xianjue's thoughts—
Shen Fangli truly had not minded an arranged marriage.
After all, she had not liked anyone at the time, nor could she imagine who she might like in the future.
And living in this circle, she had seen plenty of business marriages between powerful families.
Marriage bound interests together, making cooperation between the two families especially secure.
Entrepreneurs like her father, who had built their fortunes from nothing, naturally had fewer resources than those long-established wealthy families.
As her father's only child and the future heir of the Shen Household,
she naturally did not reject an arranged marriage, provided the other party was also a normal person and shared her views.
Not someone like Lin Shi, an obvious lunatic and a walking pit of fire.
With her family's standing, could a marriage alliance with the Lin Household possibly be equal?
"What exactly are you upset about?" Shen Fangli's mother wore an expression of blatant confusion.
"The Lin Household is only one option. I looked at several families with sons of a suitable age. Their family has the best background, and he's close to your age, so of course I paid more attention to them."
"But I didn't go over your head and settle it with their family without asking for your opinion."
Shen Fangli closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. "Can you honestly say that if I hadn't ruined Second Aunt's dinner that day, and if I hadn't exposed this in front of Dad, you wouldn't have been persuaded by Second Aunt?"
Her mother darkened. "Lili, what do you mean by that?"
"I'm your biological mother. Would I harm you?"
"You're still young. You don't understand what an arranged marriage is. A woman marrying up