The carriage took the three of them to a remote countryside.
Looking at the modest three-section farmhouse courtyard before her, Su Wan smiled at Jin Tao and Can Yan. “See, it’s not too harsh. At least we have a decent place to live.”
The caretaker of the courtyard was an old woman whose eyes were nearly half-blind.
After Jin Tao and Can Yan tidied up, the three of them settled in.
“Miss, shall I go to town to buy a few more packets of saffron?”
After the lights were out, Jin Tao quietly approached Su Wan’s bedside and whispered.
“No need,” Su Wan replied, gently stroking her slightly swollen belly as she shook her head with a smile. “If it damages my health and I can’t conceive again in the future, that would be a real problem. Let this pregnancy take its course. At worst, I’ll just give birth.”
The child in Su Wan’s womb was resilient—a baby girl. Giving birth to her didn’t require much effort.
Su Wan named the child Qiong Zhi.
Qiong Zhi was very well-behaved, rarely crying or fussing. After each feeding, she would sleep soundly.
To protect her mistress’s reputation, Qiong Zhi was sent to Jin Tao’s distant cousin not long after her birth. The cousin had also given birth around the same time and had ample milk.
Along with the child, a pouch of silver was sent, enough to support Qiong Zhi until her teenage years.
It wasn’t that Su Wan was heartless, but her situation was awkward. To the outside world, she was still an unmarried young lady of the Su family, with no means to raise Qiong Zhi by her side.
However, with Su Wan’s capabilities, it wouldn’t be long before she climbed to greater heights. By then, she could bring Qiong Zhi back to enjoy a life of luxury.
Time flew by, with springs and autumns passing. Two years had already gone by.
Su Wan looked at her reflection in the mirror, quite satisfied with her figure.
After giving birth to Qiong Zhi, she strictly controlled her diet, drinking cow’s milk daily and bathing in goat’s milk.
Whenever she went outside, she made sure to carry an umbrella to protect herself from the sun.
Already fair-skinned, Su Wan had managed to lighten her complexion by another two shades over the past two years. What was more, her fairness carried a radiant, dewy glow.
Thanks to her daily persistence in running and yoga, along with meticulous care during her breastfeeding period, her chest was full and firm, while her waist remained slender as a willow. When she walked, there was an indescribable grace and elegance about her.
Whenever Jin Tao and Can Yan saw their mistress’s delicate, lotus-like face and her exquisite figure, they couldn’t help but bite their handkerchiefs in envy.
“Miss, with your looks and figure, staying hidden in the countryside is such a waste.”
“Exactly! Miss should go and show herself in front of Second Young Master Lu, make him regret it to death!”
Su Wan smiled gently. “No rush. By my calculations, the Su family should be sending someone to fetch me soon.”
Five days after she said this, a carriage from the Su family indeed arrived, led by a stewardess named Liu who claimed to be from the Su household.
The carriage rattled along, and just as Su Wan had been sent to the countryside years ago, she now returned to the Su residence in the same manner.
After two years apart, Madam Su appeared even more spirited than before. As soon as Su Wan appeared, the old madam, with tears in her eyes, took Su Wan’s hand and wept, “Child, your grandmother has been thinking of you day and night. Finally, I get to see you today. Come, sit. I’ve prepared your favorite barley cakes.”
Su Wan lowered her head slightly, her voice gentle. “Grandmother, please sit first. Wan’er would like to massage your shoulders, just like before.”
With that, she knelt halfway behind the old madam and extended her arms to massage her grandmother’s shoulders.
A flicker of awkwardness crossed the old madam’s face.While claiming to miss her granddaughter, she had left her in the countryside for two years without even sending a single letter. Such hypocrisy would likely be seen through by anyone who wasn’t a fool.
Yet this granddaughter still treated her as before, as if the two-year estrangement had never existed.
Old Madam sighed, took Su Wan’s hand, and examined her carefully before praising sincerely, “Wan Niang’s appearance is even more radiant and graceful than your mother’s.”
Su Wan smiled. “Wan Niang was raised by Grandmother. Whatever looks I have now are all thanks to Grandmother’s care.”
After a moment of contemplation, Old Madam dismissed everyone else, leaving only Su Wan behind. She spoke earnestly, “Two years ago, your elder sister married into the Lu Family in your place. That Second Young Master Lu is an excellent man and treats your sister very well. Moreover, he performed exceptionally well in last year’s palace examination and was transferred to the Ministry of Revenue. Although his position isn’t high, given his abilities, his future is bound to be bright.”
“Tell Grandmother honestly, have you ever resented Grandmother and your sister?”
Su Wan had long seen through Madam Su’s intentions. This old woman had no regard for her as a granddaughter—her only concern was the interests of the entire Su Family.
Back then, having Su Lin marry Second Young Master Lu in her place was also to help the Su Family climb the social ladder through the Lu Family—all driven by interests.
Now, bringing her back to the Su Family was similarly for the purpose of having her secure benefits for the family.
As for familial affection—utter nonsense.
Su Wan’s smile grew even gentler. “At first, I did feel some resentment. But later, I came to understand and realized Grandmother’s arrangement was right. I couldn’t have insisted on marrying over, only for Second Young Master Lu to discover on our wedding night that I was no longer a virgin. Who knows what would have become of me then.”
Old Madam didn’t miss a single expression on Su Wan’s face. Seeing nothing amiss, the heavy stone in her heart finally settled.
“You can understand Grandmother’s difficulties, which shows you’re not shortsighted.”
“The Su Family is your maternal home. Only a strong maternal home can give a woman confidence. So, whether it’s you or your sister, you must pave the way for our Su Family.”
Old Madam’s voice grew even more gentle. “Although your sister had minor disagreements with you in the past, those were just childish quarrels. Now that you’ve both grown up, let go of those past grievances.”
“As for your sister, she’s been married into the Lu Family for two years but still hasn’t conceived. Although she’s still young, the Lu Family is pressing her too urgently. They wrote to me, asking for advice, and that’s when Grandmother thought of you.”
Su Wan pursed her lips, looked up at Old Madam, and said, “Grandmother, just tell me what you have in mind. Wan Niang was raised by you—even this life of mine was given by you.”
When she looked up at someone, her eyes were moist and dewy, appearing utterly obedient.
Although this granddaughter was a concubine-born child, she had indeed been raised by her. After raising her for so many years, even a cat or a dog would evoke affection, let alone a living person.
Tears glistened in Old Madam’s eyes.
“Grandmother originally wanted to find you a good marriage, but then it occurred to me that you had met Second Young Master Lu several times before, and he was quite fond of you. There was mutual affection between the two of you.”
“Now, your sister’s health needs recuperation, and she cannot conceive for the time being.”Grandmother thought, why not have you go play at your sister’s place, and take this opportunity to rekindle your old connection with Lu Erlang.
If you can conceive a child, it would be natural for you to become Lu Erlang’s noble concubine. At that time, Grandmother will give you a corresponding dowry, and the ceremony won’t be any less grand than that of a principal wife.”
“Once you become Lu Erlang’s noble concubine, joining forces with your sister, won’t the entire Lu Family’s inner quarters be under the control of you sisters? Grandmother won’t have to worry about you suffering any grievances. What do you think?”
Even after experiencing the storms and bloodshed of the entertainment industry, hearing these words, Su Wan felt utterly disgusted.
This was her own grandmother, yet every word she spoke felt like a knife stabbing into her heart.
Pushing her granddaughter to become her brother-in-law’s concubine—how could this old hag speak of such a thing with such righteous indignation, all while pretending it was for her own good?
No matter how skilled Su Wan was at acting, she couldn’t keep up the pretense any longer. Besides, any young woman from a respectable family would surely cry and make a scene upon hearing she was to become her brother-in-law’s concubine.
Thus, Su Wan’s eyelashes trembled, and tears began to roll down her cheeks.
“Grandmother, deep down, you still resent Wan Niang.”
“I hate my sister. It was her who harmed me back then. Her position as the principal wife should have been mine. How could you ask me to bow down and serve as a concubine under her?”
Old Madam also knew that this matter had caused Su Wan great grievance.
She could only try to comfort her repeatedly: “You will be a noble concubine. There will be opportunities to be elevated to principal wife in the future.”
Su Wan’s tears still wouldn’t stop: “But I don’t want to see my sister’s face. She hates me too and will surely make things difficult for me.”
Madam Su gritted her teeth and said: “As long as you agree to Grandmother’s arrangement, Grandmother will let you take half of your dowry in advance. How about that?”
Su Wan’s crying and fussing were all for the sake of the silver in that old hag’s hands.
No matter the era, having money in hand makes things easier to handle.
With her nose red from crying, she nodded in grievance: “I’ll do as Grandmother says.”