Chapter 318: Chapter 318: Well... Would That Do as a Betrothal Gift?
On the way back, the girl held a jar of wild honey in her arms.
She pursed her lips, deep in thought.
Qiao Si also lost her mother when she was young, why didn’t Mr. Qiao arrange a marriage for her?
All these years, Shen Hua had actually been deceiving herself.
She told herself that Shen Wei was good.
She also told herself that Shen Wei was in his prime and it was proper for him to remarry.
But the girl looked up, her eyes filled with confusion: "Why can’t my Daddy do what other Daddies can?"
Shen Hua asked softly: "Does he truly love Mama, or did he love her but can easily give that love to someone else?"
Cui Yun paused. His throat tightened.
"What do you think?"
She looked bewildered, clutching tightly at Cui Yun’s sleeve, leaning towards him in slight panic, just to draw a bit of warmth. Her fingertips turned white: "I don’t know."
She was just late in realizing, it seemed like she never really understood Shen Wei.
The thoughts she suppressed in her memory were wildly swaying, trying to burst forth into daylight, exposing the matters she deliberately avoided thinking about.
"Back then, he didn’t say it, but he desired to have more children. Initially, he could grieve Mama with me, but later on, he would also go to Mrs. Xue’s house, and gradually, one year, he even forgot Mama’s death anniversary."
Because, during that period, something had happened to Mrs. Xue’s brother, and he was in a hurry to resolve it.
Shen Hua was very angry that time.
She went to the grave alone, burning the paper money she had folded into the shape of gold ingots which she had prepared over many days.
At sunset, when she returned home, Shen Wei had not yet returned. The girl, holding an empty bamboo basket, sat waiting at the front of the Shen Residence.
What she awaited was Shen Wei, drunk and being supported by Mrs. Xue.
At that time, Mrs. Xue really put on an act.
"Oh dear, Yangyang, your health isn’t good, why are you sitting outside?"
The girl glared fiercely at her, like a little beast ready to bite at any moment.
Upon seeing her, Shen Wei laughed, and turning to the newly wed Mrs. Xue, he said: "She has always been like this since she was young; every time she feels aggrieved, she sits at the threshold waiting to complain to me."
"Come, tell Daddy what’s wrong this time?"
How could he be like this.
How could he still laugh?
Shen Hua felt it was extremely glaring, she suddenly stood up, her eyes red: "I hate you! I hate you!"
Shen Wei was startled, rushing to explain.
"Is it because the smell of alcohol on Daddy is too strong, suffocating you?"
"It’s Daddy’s fault."
"The matter is resolved, I got a bit too happy today, unavoidably drank a few more glasses."
Having said that, Shen Hua grew more dejected.
Then, she heard the man beside her say.
"May 3rd is also almost here."
Shen Hua suddenly looked up.
Cui Yun looked down at her: "You won’t be alone again."
"On that day, I will accompany you to offer incense."
Shen Hua’s heart skipped a beat for a moment.
You won’t be alone again.
These simple eight words transcended her past life, and like an unavoidable lightning, struck directly into her heart, yet it did not hurt at all.
Instead, it felt like the soft, endless drizzle of the Jiangnan Water Town, somewhat itchy, and utterly captivating.
This was a feeling she had never experienced before.
The girl unnaturally jerked back, she pulled open the curtain, and tried to fan herself with her hand, trying to calm the sudden blush that had surged up.
The girl deliberately shifted the topic.
She asked: "Are you going back to the Ministry of Justice?"
"I’ll take you home first."
"Then, I need to stop by the cloth shop first. It’s just up ahead on that street. Drop me off there, and then you can head to the Ministry of Justice. I also want to stroll around outside and purchase a few more items."
"Okay."
It happened to be a familiar street, with the flag of First-tier Sky fluttering in the air.
"I wonder if First-tier Sky has added any new dishes recently?"
Cui Yun: "Do you like First-tier Sky that much?"
"Naturally."
"And what about Yifeng Hall?"
"The embroidery products of Yifeng Hall are top quality. I would certainly support them. Once I revitalize the embroidery workshop, Shen Family’s Su Embroidery will surely reach a new level and be showcased in Yifeng Hall."
Cui Yun looked at her; the girl’s eyes shone when talking about the embroidery workshop. He smiled and pulled her closer.
"Shen Hua."
"Hmm?"
Trying to maintain her composure, she smeared her lipstick; her lips turned bright red, making her complexion appear even more radiant.
He couldn’t help but chuckle softly and pulled her a bit closer into his embrace.
"You can hide."
The girl seemed to guess what he was about to do, her eyes trembling intensely. Perhaps it was the flutter of that moment, everything felt so natural.
Yet, the girl’s eyes were too clear and transparent. She didn’t understand anything.
Cui Yun sighed, holding her head to prevent her from escaping midway. He slightly leaned down, moving towards a spot.
The girl’s delicate fingers clenched the cushion beneath her fiercely.
Cui Yun still maintained a calm demeanor, softly caressing her back to soothe her. After patiently allowing her enough space to adjust, he continued to nibble at her earlobe.
She trembled lightly, her entire half-body going soft.
Then, she heard Cui Yun murmuring with a hoarse voice at her completely numb ear.
"Shall I give them to you as a betrothal gift?"
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The girl entered the cloth shop, her face flushed red like a blooming begonia.
This time, in addition to Yingwu, she brought Xiaoqi.
Seeing her pick up a piece of men’s fabric, Yingwu asked, "Madam, are you planning to tailor clothes for the master?"
Xiaoqi thoughtfully looked at the girl’s slightly swollen lips, guessing the nature of her intention, but skillfully complimented, "Madam is really good to the Marquis."
Shen Hua couldn’t bear to hear the phrase ’Cui Yun’ at the moment.
Her tongue ached, she was a bit incensed,
"Do I look like someone who has that much spare time?"
She was buying it for Xie Xun. She would need to purchase all sorts of materials later.
But not long afterward, the girl felt a slight pain in her lower abdomen. She bit her lower lip uncomfortably.
At that moment, she overheard a conversation of a woman buying fabric behind her.
—"Why haven’t we seen your daughter-in-law recently?"
—"Don’t mention it. That useless one had a miscarriage before. She just got pregnant again recently, and she complains about pain in her lower abdomen. I had no choice but to call the doctor from the pharmacy next door to come and check her pulse. The doctor said her body is weak, and if she wants to keep the baby stable, she shouldn’t get out of bed for the first three months. I also have to make her chicken soup every few days. Tell me, which woman is as delicate as her! She just knows how to waste silver! If she doesn’t give birth to a grandson, see how I scold her!"
Such a long sentence.
Shen Hua caught the words ’miscarriage’ and ’pain in the lower abdomen’.
Her face suddenly turned pale.
The slight discomfort in her abdomen seemed to intensify a hundredfold instantly.
Xiaoqi: "Where does it hurt? The pharmacy is right next door, shall I help you there?"
Fearing something might happen to Shen Hua, Ying Wusheng didn’t hesitate to scoop her up and rushed into the neighboring pharmacy urgently.
The doctor, seeing their urgency, immediately got up, even letting them skip the queue.
Shen Hua weakly extended her hand: "Doctor."
In that moment, the radiance of motherhood shone upon her: "I... want... to keep... the baby. "