Chapter 332: Chapter 332: Speaking of His Sweetheart, I’m Punished Again
Yesteryear’s events inundate Shen Hua, who is tightly biting handkerchief within her memories.
One two-hour period passes.
Another two-hour period passes.
Yicui steps lightly forward, she tugged at the quilt wrapped around Shen Hua, which wouldn’t budge.
"Doctor Ni has returned from Qingtong Alley."
Upon hearing the serious matter, Shen Hua immediately turns around.
"How is it?"
"Doctor Ni said that Aunt You had been pregnant many years ago, her pulse suggests that there was a hemorrhage during childbirth, surviving it was already no small feat. Having damaged her body from it, recuperating would likely be troublesome."
Shen Hua suddenly grasped Yicui’s hand: "She was pregnant?"
This was unforeseen to her.
Yicui hastily revealed.
"Initially, Aunt You, upon learning that Doctor Ni claimed to visit on behalf of Miss Shen during his self-introduction, was very resistant and did not wish to let him take her pulse. It was only after her mother-in-law learned of Doctor Ni’s identity that she persuaded her to agree."
"Doctor Ni might have noticed something odd and further inquired about the miscarriage and hemorrhage back then. He asked in detail, even inquiring about the prescription Aunt You took back then, presumably to better prescribe the right medicine. When asked the critical questions, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law both kept silent, though they did hand over the prescription. They cooperated in other matters, but largely remained silent about others, possibly hiding something."
Shen Hua knits her brows.
The first time she visited Qingtong Alley, she had secretly handed over some silver to the neighbors of the Fang Family to inquire about You Qing.
At that time, she was carrying resentments and narrow-mindedness, as if only satisfied by hearing that You Qing had been suffering over the years.
However,
what she received was.
——"Miss You is the most filial daughter-in-law, and her mother-in-law is also very kind, treating her as if her own dear daughter. These years, there have never been disputes between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law."
——"Her husband is also an honest man, not frivolously spending the silver he earns; he does not even visit brothels or drink excessively."
Shen Hua was quite displeased back then.
The person was clever enough to presume Shen Hua had a grudge against the Fang Family, his eyes craftily shifting.
——"But no matter how good, I still told the Madam about this. This matter isn’t a secret anyway. Miss You cannot bear children ah, for so many years, there’s been no sign of pregnancy. Who knows what sins the Fang Family has committed. If my daughter-in-law were this useless, I’d have divorced her long ago, only eating without laying eggs, what use is there in keeping her?"
Shen Hua thought she would be happy upon hearing this, but she gave a cold look instantly.
—— "Why don’t you just marry your son to a coop of hens, then he can have eggs every day."
—— "Did I ask you to talk about her? Who says a woman’s life is only for continuing the family line? Is being childless her fault? Does she not wish for it? Is this even something that can incur divine punishment? Fortunately, the family she married into is reasonable. If she had a poisonous woman like you for a mother-in-law, I’d be the first to deal with you."
Later, Shen Hua felt this was You Qing’s retribution for not wanting her. She deserved it.
Yet, after yesterday’s event, after sending Cui Yun away, she lay tossing and turning on the bed, unable to sleep, prompting Ningzhu to make a trip to Ni Kang.
She suppressed those turbulent emotions. Yet, in her heart, she faintly realized an answer.
Could it be that You Qing truly had no intentions of coming to Fengzhou after receiving news of Mama’s death?
Her mother-in-law initially was smiling and pleasant towards her, but after guessing her identity, her face turned sour. There might also be implications.
Some matters can’t withstand scrutiny.
Shen Hua’s eyelashes tremble slightly: "Not saying it probably means not wanting me to know. She has her pride too. No need to investigate further, I should fulfill her wish this once."
"You go and pass a message to Ni Kang."
"As long as it can be cured, whatever expensive medicine is needed, use it, and let me know whatever is needed."
"Yes."
She looked at the bright, beautiful sky outside, with voices carrying over from outside.
The girl’s mood shifts bit by bit for the better.
"Yicui." She softly calls. Her eyes flickering brilliantly.
"Everything will get better and better."
She has stepped through the mud and grasped the bright moon, with no thorns ahead.
Just then, from outside Ningzhu’s puzzled voice was heard: "Little Princess, why are you here? Not coming in, what are you doing here?"
Cui Rong didn’t know when she had arrived, a small figure leaned against the corner of the wall.
Upon hearing this, Shen Hua, unusually moved by compassion, got up from the couch to check on her future little niece.
Just as she stepped out of the doorway, she saw what seemed like the little baby punished and made to stand. Her tousled hair drooping drearily.
From afar, she watched her, her lips suddenly curving into a smile.
"What good news has happened? Come, tell me a bit, so I can be happy with you."
The little tousled hair drooped even more.
Cui Rong, annoyed, threatened fiercely, "Just you wait! Sooner or later, I’m going to sew your mouth shut!"
Shen Hua locked eyes with her. She ordered Ningzhu.
"Kick her out."
Cui Rong felt even worse.
She rushed over, grabbed onto Shen Hua’s legs, her voice carrying a sobbing tone: "I’m already like this, how can you still be mad at me!"
Shen Hua pushed her away saying, "If you want to talk, talk, but keep your tears off me."
The little girl’s eyes were red: "Do you know! My uncle has been bewitched by a glamorous cheap woman!"
Glamorous cheap woman· Lingering in Shen Hua’s thoughts: ...
She pulled out a small copper mirror, and admired her own gelid skin reflected in it.
Another day, knocked out by her own charm.
Glamorous cheap woman! She could be!
She asked, restrained and unflustered, "What makes you say that?"
"In uncle’s room, there’s a peacock feather woven Cuiyu Fox Fur and a raccoon fur cloak. Both brand new, just personally delivered to the mansion by the Shopkeeper from Yunxiang Pavilion. And yet he won’t give them to me!"
Cui Rong fumed, "Damn it! That woman hasn’t even married into the family yet and she’s already fighting with me over them, what if she gets married in, then what?"
"I originally thought having a second aunt was a good thing, now it seems, I am the one who’s going to suffer!"
Shen Hua caught onto the key details: "Peacock feathers? Raccoon fur?"
Her eyes lit up.
"How beautiful that must be!"
"Exactly, they were secretly hunted by uncle during the last spring hunt! One would have been fine, but clearly there are two, and that cheap woman wants them all. He might have already gone out to deliver them. How can my uncle change like this!"
Shen Hua narrowed her eyes: "Add the word ’glamorous’ too."
Cui Rong, immersed in her own sorrow: "Sister Shen, do you know who that woman is?"
She stomped her foot: "I want her dead!"
"Cui Rong."
A light voice came from behind.
A man in casual attire stood at the archway of the East Courtyard.
Cui Rong’s body stiffened.
She continued to stand punished, murmuring complaints, "Look, just mentioning his darling and now I’m being punished."
Cui Yun stepped closer, followed by the Shopkeeper from Yunxiang Pavilion. The Shopkeeper was holding exactly what Cui Rong mentioned – the Cuiyu Fox Fur and the raccoon fur cloak.
Cui Yun’s gaze shifted from Cui Rong and finally settled on Shen Hua.
"Try them on, see if they fit."
The Shopkeeper smiled, "Originally meant for Miss Shen to wear, I just wondered which girl it could be. They say fine fur suits a beauty best, and it suits you the most. If there’s anything to alter, just let me know."
Cui Rong looked on as Shen Hua, beside her, eagerly embraced the cloak.
When Shen Hua spoke to Cui Yun, she nailed the phrase ’glamorous cheap woman’ with both precision and poise.
"You went to so much trouble, is this solely for me? Does the little princess truly have none?"
The little baby felt as though struck by thunder, split in two.
Save... save me.