“Which woman?” Wang Chunyan pressed, needing to know whether it was Song Huixin or Lin Wanqing. This question was very important to her!
“Just… the pretty one!”
“They’re both pretty. Which one exactly?” Wang Chunyan furrowed her brow and clicked her tongue in annoyance. “Can’t you speak clearly?”
Wang Xiangdong was a bit confused. “Does it matter who it is?”
“Nonsense! Of course it matters! One is my future sister-in-law, and the other is my future daughter-in-law,” Wang Chunyan said, glaring. “I don’t care about the future sister-in-law—whatever she does has nothing to do with me. But the person you’re talking about absolutely cannot be my future daughter-in-law. Chongli’s wife must be someone sensible!”
“I don’t know her name…” Wang Xiangdong looked troubled.
“Just describe what she looked like, then?”
Wang Chunyan rolled her eyes. “Hurry up and say it.”
“Oh right, that day she was wearing light-colored clothes,” Wang Xiangdong described. Wang Chunyan determined that the improper person her nephew was talking about was Lin Wanqing, and her heart sank.
“This is bad.”
“What’s bad?” Wang Xiangdong muttered in confusion, repeating after her.
“The person you’re talking about is Chongli’s fiancée,” Wang Chunyan said. It felt like a huge boulder had suddenly lodged in her chest, pressing down so hard she could barely breathe. She felt dizzy for a moment. Wang Xiangdong, quick as a flash, hurriedly steadied her. “Aunt, Aunt, are you alright?”
“No, I’m not.”
Wang Chunyan was furious and vented bitterly. “This marriage of Chongli’s was arranged by the old man. I never approved of Lin Wanqing’s family being capitalists to begin with. Now that the Lin family has been sent down, a wife like this will only be a burden to Chongli—she can’t help him at all. And on top of that, she’s such a restless, improper person. How are they supposed to get through life together?
Ugh, the old man is old and his mind is muddled after all. Even his own grandson’s marriage has to be decided by him. Why should it be that way!”
Hearing this, Wang Xiangdong’s eyes flickered. “Aunt… you’re not satisfied with this daughter-in-law?”
“Hmph, my son is outstanding. At such a young age, he already holds a prominent position in the military district. He has boundless prospects. A wife like this doesn’t deserve him!”
Wang Chunyan hated that she had no status or say in the matter, watching helplessly as her son walked straight into a pit of fire.
Wang Xiangdong seemed to think of something and swallowed hard. “Aunt, since you’re so dissatisfied with this marriage, I have a good idea.”
Wang Chunyan was taken aback. “You?”
“Yeah!” Wang Xiangdong leaned in close and whispered a few words into Wang Chunyan’s ear.
Wang Chunyan’s expression suddenly changed, and even her voice sounded noticeably weaker. “Huh? That’s not good, is it…”
Although she said she didn’t like Lin Wanqing, she wouldn’t go that far.
“Aunt, as long as their marriage falls through, won’t you be able to find a good daughter-in-law?”
Wang Xiangdong raised an eyebrow. “I know you’re soft-hearted. Don’t worry, I’ll handle all of this. You don’t need to do anything.”
Wang Chunyan hesitated repeatedly, but in the end, she chose to silently give her consent.
But she had never done anything bad before, and for the next few days, she was distracted and absent-minded.
…
Lin Wanqing and Song Huixin were enjoying a rare moment of peace at home. On the day Shen Yunfeng was discharged from the hospital and returned home, Wang Chunyan suddenly made up an excuse for Lin Wanqing to go back to the hospital.
“I think I left my medicine in the ward. Go and get it back.”
Wang Chunyan’s eyes flickered. “I need to take it at noon.”
“You left your medicine at the hospital? What kind of memory do you have!” Elder Shen said with disdain. Such a trivial matter still required his granddaughter-in-law to make another trip!
“I was busy this morning and forgot again.” Wang Chunyan made up a casual excuse, her expression slightly stiff.
“I’ll go.” Lin Wanqing happened to have nothing to do at home anyway.
“I’ll go too.” Song Huixin immediately wanted to go along.
Before Lin Wanqing could say anything, Wang Chunyan objected first. “Huixin, you don’t need to go. Why would the two of you need to go together for such a small matter? Besides, I’d feel bad putting you to the trouble.”
“It’s no trouble.” Song Huixin felt that as long as she was with Lin Wanqing, nothing would ever feel like trouble.
“Better not. We need to prepare lunch at noon, and you’ll have to help me.” Wang Chunyan hastily found another excuse.
Lin Wanqing’s eyes deepened slightly. She raised her hand and gently patted the back of Song Huixin’s hand. “I’ll go by myself.”
“Alright.” Song Huixin reluctantly nodded in agreement. “Come back early, and be careful on the road.”
Lin Wanqing smiled and turned to leave.
“Ow! That hurts!”
Wang Chunyan stared at Lin Wanqing’s retreating figure, her heart pounding even harder—”thump, thump”—as if it were about to leap out of her throat.
She hadn’t even noticed the force in her hands and directly squeezed Shen Yunfeng’s arm painfully.
“Are you alright? I didn’t mean to—”
“What are you brooding about? You’ve been like you’ve lost your soul these past few days!” Shen Yunfeng glanced at her. “Alright, you don’t need to attend to me. Go make lunch! I’m hungry.”
“I’m going now…”
Wang Chunyan hurriedly turned and left, and Song Huixin followed right behind her.
“Father, your son has been unfilial and made you worry, hasn’t he?” Shen Yunfeng had recovered quite well over the past few days without any lingering aftereffects. From now on, he would need to watch his diet and make sure to exercise more.
Only the father and son remained in the room. Elder Shen looked at him with helplessness. “You’re a grown man now—how can you still not know how to take care of yourself? From now on, no smoking or drinking! Unless you want to die early.”
“Yes, yes, I won’t touch them anymore.”
“And another thing.” Elder Shen brought up the matter of Wang Chunyan’s nephew, his expression turning serious. “I don’t care that your wife favors her own family, but this matter must be settled properly for Wanqing and Huixin. I couldn’t discuss it with you while you were in the hospital these past few days. Since you’re being discharged today, let’s hear your stance.”
“That bastard! No wonder that little brat was fawning over me in the hospital—so he’d done something wrong!”
Shen Yunfeng cursed, and a sudden wave of dizziness hit him. He closed his eyes to steady himself. “Father, I will handle this matter strictly according to the rules. I absolutely will not show any favoritism. You can rest assured!”
“Mm.” Elder Shen still trusted the eldest son’s integrity. The children he had raised would not go wrong.
“Also, there’s Yunzheng and Chongli. What’s the difference between those uncle and nephew leaving their wives at home and the women being widows? Get them back here to marry and settle down!”
“Father, I’ve had people look into this. They really are quite busy—the more capable, the more work, after all.” Shen Yunfeng said in a low voice. “If they weren’t busy with work, wouldn’t that just mean we Shen men are foolish and useless!”
“Even if what you say is true, work is work—they still need personal space.” The uncle and nephew both took marriage so lightly; it was truly worrying. Seeing that his son’s face was still pale, Elder Shen didn’t delay his rest any further and rose to leave. “You rest well. Focus on recovering your health first.”
Shen Yunfeng had already rested plenty in the hospital these past few days. He’d slept well last night, and lying in bed now, he felt not the slightest bit sleepy.
“…In the kitchen, Song Huixin had never so much as lifted a finger in the kitchen before. She couldn’t tell one vegetable from another and was of no help to Wang Chunyan at all.