Mrs. Zhou, her mother-in-law, leaned close to Ruan Qingli’s ear and whispered a few words that made her blush from head to toe.
Ruan Qingli had been married to her husband for more than two years, yet she still hadn’t conceived. Anxious beyond measure, Mrs. Zhou had taken it upon herself to personally instruct her daughter-in-law.
The candles in the bedroom had already burned out. After entering, Ruan Qingli lit them again.
Fang Shubai lay on the bed. The sudden glow of candlelight made his eyelids twitch before he slowly opened his eyes.
“Ali, it’s so late. Why aren’t you asleep yet?”
A rosy flush spread across Ruan Qingli’s face. She had just finished bathing, and a faint fragrance of flower petals still lingered on her skin.
She slipped off her thin outer robe, revealing the pale pink dudou beneath.
“Husband, Mother bought me two chi of cloth today. I made this new dudou from it. Do you think it looks nice?”
The candlelight was dim, casting a soft glow over her shoulders, making her skin appear as smooth and fair as jade.
The atmosphere was perfect—the moonlight was hazy, the night was hazy, and so were the people. Yet Fang Shubai only glanced at her once before turning over.
“Ali, put your clothes back on and go to sleep. I’ve been studying all day, and I’m tired.”
His words instantly reddened her face with embarrassment. Seeing that Fang Shubai had already turned away to sleep, she quietly put her clothes back on, climbed into bed beside him, and extinguished the candle.
In the darkness, she listened to his steady breathing, but she couldn’t fall asleep.
She didn’t know whether the room was too warm or whether something was wrong with her body, but she felt unusually restless. It was as though tiny flames were flickering inside her, leaving her parched and unable to calm down.
She had been only sixteen when she married Fang Shubai. Now she was eighteen. The neighboring girls who had married at the same time already had children old enough to walk, yet her own womb remained silent.
Her mother-in-law constantly urged her to have a child, and the pressure weighed on her every day.
“Shubai… are you asleep?”
Ruan Qingli asked softly.
She waited a long time, but the only reply was the chirping of birds outside the window.
The next morning, as soon as she stepped outside, her mother-in-law pulled her into her room.
Unable to hide her anxiety, Mrs. Zhou asked,
“Qingli, did it happen?”
Ruan Qingli nodded.
“Yes.”
Hearing that, Mrs. Zhou finally relaxed, the worry she’d been carrying at last easing.
What she didn’t know was that Ruan Qingli’s idea of “it happened” was simply that Fang Shubai had looked at her newly made dudou.
Mrs. Zhou clasped her hands together and murmured,
“Bodhisattva, please bless us.”
She had stood outside their room all night and hadn’t heard a single sound, thinking nothing had happened between them. Apparently, the room’s soundproofing was simply too good.
She knew her son well. He was a scholar, thin-skinned and reserved, so matters like that required his wife to take the initiative.
“Come here, Ali. Let Mother teach you a few more tricks. Use them on Shubai several times, and I guarantee you’ll be pregnant by next month.”
But Mrs. Zhou’s confidence completely crumbled when another three months passed without any sign of pregnancy.
The Fang family owned several hundred mu of fertile farmland in Liu Town and was known as one of its wealthiest households. Mrs. Zhou had given birth to four daughters but only one son—Fang Shubai—so the responsibility of carrying on the family line rested entirely on his shoulders.
Her son had been married for over two years without producing an heir, and Mrs. Zhou had long since become frantic.
She summoned her son into the room and asked bluntly,
“Shubai, what’s going on between you and Qingli? Why hasn’t she gotten pregnant after all this time?”
Fang Shubai was a handsome young man. Looking at his mother, his gentle eyes reflected quiet restraint.
He bowed respectfully.
“Mother, there are some things I never wanted to tell you because I didn’t want to worry you. But at this point, I’m afraid I can’t keep them hidden anymore…”
He stopped there, making Mrs. Zhou so anxious that she tapped the table impatiently.
“You child! What is there that you can’t tell your own mother? We’re family. Whatever it is, I’ll stand up for you.”
Only then did Fang Shubai speak hesitantly.
“Mother… Ali is ill. She nearly drowned as a child, and it damaged her body. I’m afraid she’ll never be able to bear children.”
Mrs. Zhou was utterly shocked. She had never imagined that someone as healthy-looking as Ruan Qingli could suffer from such a serious condition.
She hurriedly stood up.
“Shubai, how do you know this? Did you take her to see a doctor?”
Fang Shubai silently nodded.
“I did. Mother, do you remember when I took her away for a while last year? It was because of this.”
Hearing that, Mrs. Zhou collapsed back into her chair, her heart sinking.
Why did ordinary people marry daughters-in-law? Wasn’t it to continue the family line? If a woman couldn’t bear children, what use was she? Were they supposed to keep her at home like a Buddha statue and worship her?
With that thought, she immediately made her decision.
“Shubai, if Ruan Qingli can’t have children, divorce her. I’ll find you another wife. With your qualifications, what kind of woman couldn’t you marry?”
To her surprise, Fang Shubai objected.
“Mother, although Ali can’t bear children, she hasn’t done anything wrong since marrying into our family. If I divorce her now and send her back, who would ever marry her? I can’t bear to do that.”
Mrs. Zhou sighed.
“I never agreed to this marriage in the first place. There were so many girls from families of equal standing, yet you insisted on marrying the foster daughter of an old village teacher. Other than being pretty, she’s of no use at all. I truly don’t know what you were thinking.”
Just then, the sound of a teacup shattering echoed outside the door.
The loud crash immediately drew the attention of both mother and son.
Standing outside was Ruan Qingli, her body trembling slightly…
Liu Town wasn’t large, and any piece of gossip spread quickly.
Over the next few days, wherever Ruan Qingli went, people pointed and whispered behind her back.
“See her? That’s the Fang family’s daughter-in-law. I heard she can’t have children.”
Another woman chimed in.
“That’s why a pretty face alone is useless. Men may like beauty, but once the lights are out, everyone’s the same. Being able to bear children—that’s what really matters.”
Their words pierced Ruan Qingli’s heart, leaving her hurt and unable to defend herself.
Seeing this, Fang Shubai took her hand and deliberately raised his voice.
“Ali, don’t listen to their nonsense. Even if you never have children for the rest of your life, I’ll never abandon you. I’ll treat you well forever.”
His declaration sounded noble and deeply affectionate. It moved not only Ruan Qingli but also many of the people listening nearby.
“Young Master Fang is handsome, comes from a wealthy family, studies at the academy, and treats his wife so well. A man like him is impossible to find.”
“Exactly. If I had a daughter, I’d gladly let her become his concubine. Since his wife can’t bear children, it doesn’t matter whether the heir is born to the principal wife or a concubine. And if he later passes the imperial examinations and earns official rank, just imagine…”
Those casual words awakened everyone around them.
The speaker hadn’t meant anything by it, but the listeners certainly did.
In an instant, everyone with an unmarried daughter surrounded Fang Shubai.
“Young Master Fang, my youngest daughter just turned seventeen this year. Would you consider taking her as a concubine?”