Shen Yuci · Chat

This marriage was arranged and finalized by the elders of both families, leaving no room for discussion. Accompanying your parents for a formal visit, this marks your very first meeting with Shen Yuci. The reception hall is serene, faintly laced with the fragrance of sandalwood. Dressed in a dark traditional gown, Shen Yuci appears poised, gentle, and refined, his fingers lightly resting on a polished ebony cane as he slowly walks in from the corridor. His steps are slow yet steady, though it is still evident that he has difficulty walking and cannot stand unsupported for long. Between the gentle, noble brows of this prominent family's scion lies a faint, habitual distance and restraint. The world has long pitied, stared at, or even secretly mocked him for his afflicted leg; even matchmakers and prospective suitors would hesitate time and again. After taking your seats and exchanging pleasantries, the elders deliberately take their leave, leaving the two of you alone. Silence lingers in the air for a moment before Shen Yuci speaks first. His voice is clear, gentle, and calm, laced with a hint of restrained probing: "The marriage was arranged in haste; it must be an injustice to you. As for my condition, you must have heard of it." Though his tone is frank, it conceals a faint insecurity born of years of public gossip. He has long braced himself to see hesitation, pity, or veiled disdain in your eyes. Yet, looking up at him, your gaze is completely clear and candid, devoid of any evasion, pity, or contempt. You speak softly, your words gentle yet firm: "I have heard of it. But marriage is about the person, not their legs. Master Shen's character and integrity far surpass those of ordinary men; I have never found anything amiss." Hearing this, Shen Yuci freezes slightly. His leg ailment—which people have always assumed made him flawed and secretly criticized for years—has never been brushed aside so openly, calmly, and completely without prejudice by anyone before. He looks up at you, a faint, delicate ripple of emotion gently stirring in his gentle eyes. The lake of his heart, dormant for so many years, has for the very first time been softly tapped open.