Cui Tingyue was such a beautiful girl, yet in the end, she was driven out of the mansion by Jiang Wei and met a tragic end—what a pity.
But if she were to marry into another family and escape her role as the malicious supporting female character, could she have a better outcome?
With this thought in mind, Zhao Xian waited for Jiang Wei.
However, when his duty ended and it was time for him to return, he was nowhere to be seen. Upon inquiry, she learned that he had gone to Zhuqin Yuan to check on Cui Tingyue.
“Go and call the eldest young master here,” Zhao Xian instructed. After a pause, she added, “Invite Miss Cui as well.”
Some things were better said face-to-face.
After finishing a cup of tea, a servant reported, “The eldest young master and Miss Cui have arrived.”
Jiang Wei and Cui Tingyue entered one after the other.
Seeing their attire, Zhao Xian instantly drew a sharp breath.
Jiang Wei was wearing a moon-white brocade robe with silver threads embroidered in an interwoven bamboo leaf pattern at the collar, shimmering as he moved. Around his waist was a jade-inlaid gold belt adorned with a cloud-patterned jade pendant.
Cui Tingyue’s dress was plain white, but she wore a sheer moon-white gauze outer robe over it. Her slender waist was tied with a light blue soft silk ribbon in an elegant bow. Her dark hair had no extra adornments—just a jade hairpin and a plain white silk flower.
If this perfectly matched couple’s attire were to appear before Li Lianniang!
Wasn’t this practically aimed at infuriating the legitimate wife?
When reading the book and the script, the actions of these two were already infuriating enough to give anyone a headache.
Now, being in the situation herself, her blood pressure soared even higher.
The two greeted Zhao Xian simultaneously, standing side by side, looking perfectly matched no matter how one looked at them.
“Hah,” Zhao Xian couldn’t help but laugh in anger.
Taking a deep breath and sipping some tea to calm herself, Zhao Xian turned to Cui Tingyue and said:
“Miss Cui, I have instructed Nanny He to retrieve a few porcelain vases from the storeroom and place them in the tea room. Since one of the vases in your room was broken by a cat, go and pick one or two to take back and display.”
As she spoke, she glanced at Nanny He.
Understanding her meaning, Nanny He said, “Please follow me, Miss.”
Nanny He led Cui Tingyue toward the tea room.
Now, only mother and son remained in the room.
“Kneel down. Your mother has something to ask you.”
Jiang Wei, who had been about to sit down after lifting his robe, paused and looked at his mother in surprise.
Zhao Xian sighed inwardly—how had she accidentally spoken her thoughts aloud? She corrected herself, “Sit.”
She hadn’t wanted Jiang Wei to sit in the first place. He didn’t deserve it, considering all the foolish things he had done.
Jiang Wei sat down.
Although Jiang Wei was also good-looking, Zhao Xian seemed to always view him through the filter of the scoundrel male lead from a tragic novel, making it impossible for her to be lenient with him. “Do you intend to take Miss Cui into your household as a concubine?”
Jiang Wei was still young and lacked the composure he would later develop in the book. He immediately sprang up from his seat.
“Mother, Tingyue is the daughter of my benefactor. How could I take her as a concubine? That would be repaying kindness with ingratitude! Moreover, Tingyue is still in mourning. What you said is truly disrespectful.”
Zhao Xian frowned slightly, displeased with Jiang Wei’s outburst.
“How much longer until she finishes her mourning period?”
Jiang Wei realized he had lost his composure and pretended to adjust his robe as he sat back down. “Two and a half years.”
“In two and a half years, how old will Tingyue be? Almost twenty, right?” Zhao Xian answered for him and continued, “Other girls start being considered for marriage at twelve or thirteen and are usually married by fifteen or sixteen. Those whose families cherish them may stay a bit longer and marry at seventeen or eighteen.”
Jiang Wei was momentarily stunned.
Zhao Xian went on:
“Tingyue will be nearly twenty once her mourning period ends. What kind of match should we find for her then? Younger men—would their families agree? Older men—how many are marrying for the first time? The rest are all widowers who have lost their wives… That might actually be fine. Even if she doesn’t bear children, it could work.”
“That won’t do.” Jiang Wei frowned deeply, clearly disapproving.
Zhao Xian smiled. “This won’t do, that won’t do—what do you propose? Repaying a debt of gratitude means giving someone a livelihood, but dragging her into her twenties without marrying her off and then abandoning her? Or perhaps you’ll generously take her as a concubine then?”
Jiang Wei’s already cold expression grew even frostier. Stiffly, he replied, “I am not that kind of person.”
Zhao Xian looked at him without speaking.
He claimed not to be that kind of person, but his actions had given plenty of cause for misunderstanding—just take today, for instance, with their perfectly matching outfits.
Zhao Xian didn’t want to speculate about whose intention it was. For some reason, she couldn’t treat these people as mere paper cutouts. The tragic heroine had appeared before her, flesh and blood, and the supporting female character, Cui Tingyue, stood before her, meek and obedient.
She couldn’t ignore it, nor could she allow the tragic plot to unfold unchecked.
Jiang Wei opened his mouth several times but said nothing.
Zhao Xian pressed him further. “What do you think should be done about this?”
They couldn’t all pretend not to see, wait until her mourning period ended, and leave her at a loss, clinging to Jiang Wei as her only lifeline.
The tragic plot would continue to play out until Li Lianniang, fed up with Jiang Wei’s attentiveness and favor toward the daughter of his benefactor, took their daughter and divorced him.
Only after the divorce would the scoundrel wake up, hastily drive the benefactor’s daughter out of the manor, and embark on a Chasing Wife Crematorium?
What, did the phrase “benefactor’s daughter” hold some magical power for all those years, making Jiang Wei biased and credulous?
And after the divorce, was the spell broken? Did it stop working?
What displeased Zhao Xian was that in this Chasing Wife Crematorium, the one sacrificed would be Jiang Shuxiu, only fourteen years old.
Lately, she had also been keeping a close eye on Cui Tingyue and noticed that she hardly ever sought out Jiang Wei, staying in Zhuqin Yuan day after day.
In daily life, she was a quiet and well-behaved girl.
Nanny He steadied the vase and reminded her, “Be careful, miss.”
Cui Tingyue gave an awkward smile, but her heart was pounding. The voices next door rose and fell, and though she could only catch fragments, she could piece together what they were discussing.
She hadn’t thought much about it before, focusing solely on praying for her father and brother. But hearing the conversation next door, she suddenly realized: after her mourning period, where would she go?
Her father and brother had died saving the eldest young master. Jiang Jia owed her a debt, but gratitude had its limits. She couldn’t stay in Jiang Jia forever.
Unless she became the eldest young master’s concubine.
Cui Tingyue lost interest in selecting porcelain vases, her hands unconsciously twisting her handkerchief.
Nanny He didn’t rush her, quietly stepping aside to wait.
On the other side of the wall.
Jiang Wei looked grave. “Then what does Mother think should be done?”
He threw the question back to Zhao Xian.
Jiang Wei had no ulterior motives toward Cui Tingyue. Because her father and brother had died saving him, he felt guilty and wanted to make it up to her.
But after hearing his mother’s words, he realized that his attempts to make amends might instead become a burden for Cui Tingyue in the future.
“Since it’s about repaying kindness, we cannot do something ungrateful like making her a concubine, nor can we ignore her and fail to plan for her future.” As she spoke, Zhao Xian paused. “What do you think—if I were to adopt her as my goddaughter, would Miss Cui agree? Then you could step into the role of her elder brother.”
Zhao Xian had been observing Jiang Wei’s expression and noticed no sign of objection, so she continued, “As the goddaughter of our Jiang family, I could, in my capacity as her godmother, go out and arrange a marriage prospect for her. Look at all these invitations—the finest young men from various families are likely among them. If we miss this opportunity, there may not be another like it.”
Zhao Xian pointed to the pile of invitations for flower-viewing and tea parties on the table.
“If she and I become mother and daughter, I can take charge of finding a suitable match for her. If a suitable candidate is found, we can discuss waiting until Tingyue has completed her mourning period before she marries. As the only goddaughter of the Jiang family, when she marries, the household will prepare a dowry for her. As her elder brother, and since her family showed you kindness, you should also contribute generously to her dowry, ensuring she can stand tall in her marital home without being mistreated.”
After saying so much, her mouth felt dry. As she picked up her teacup, Zhao Xian glanced toward the tea room.
She had laid out the stakes clearly: either become the Jiang family’s goddaughter and marry as a proper wife, or remain in the household as a concubine. The choice now rested with Cui Tingyue herself.
From what she had observed over these past days, Cui Tingyue did not seem deeply infatuated with Jiang Wei. She hoped the young woman had a clear head.
Jiang Wei pondered for a moment, neither agreeing outright nor opposing. Instead, he said, “This matter must be reported to Father. If she is to be adopted as a goddaughter, her name must be added to the family register, and Father must give his approval.”
Zhao Xian was more than willing to have her name added to the family register. Once that was done, they would be officially family, and any intimate actions between the two would be considered incest, punishable by death.
“There’s no rush to inform your father just yet. We should first ask Tingyue for her opinion.”
Cui Tingyue twisted her handkerchief in her fingers, biting her lower lip as she weighed her options.
If her name were added to the Jiang family register, would she have to change her surname?
Her father and brother were both gone, and she was the only one left in the Cui family. She had originally planned to have one of her future children adopted under her brother’s name to continue the Cui family line.
If she made this clear, would the Jiang family help her?
Before long, a maid came to invite Cui Tingyue.
“Please sit, Miss Cui. There is something we would like to discuss with you.” Zhao Xian glanced at Jiang Wei. “Wei, you explain.”
The tea room was right next door, and the walls, mostly made of wood, were not soundproof. Still, formalities had to be observed.
Zhao Xian simply did not want to repeat herself.
After Jiang Wei finished recounting the proposal, he asked, “Tingyue, what are your thoughts?”
Cui Tingyue slowly knelt before Zhao Xian. “Madam, Tingyue is willing to become your goddaughter. It would be a great honor. However, I have one presumptuous request—could I be allowed to keep my surname?”
“Don’t worry, that is absolutely out of the question.”
Repaying kindness by forcing someone to change their surname would be an act of vengeance.
Zhao Xian turned to Jiang Wei and said, “Send a letter to your father explaining this matter. Once he returns, we will add Tingyue’s name to the family register under my name.”
Cui Tingyue clenched her hands briefly. Being registered under the madam’s name would make her no different from a legitimate daughter.
The Jiang family had no daughters. As long as the madam did not deliberately sabotage her marriage prospects, the status of those seeking her hand would not be low.
Cui Tingyue’s voice trembled slightly. “Thank you, Madam.”
“Why call me Madam? From now on, you must call me Mother, just like the others.” Zhao Xian bent down and helped her up.
Glancing at the bracelets on both her wrists, Zhao Xian removed them and slipped them onto Cui Tingyue’s wrists.
“From now on, we are family.” As she spoke these words, Zhao Xian felt a sense of maternal warmth, as if she had truly stepped into the role of an elder.
“Even though the master is not in the residence at the moment, the news of me taking you as my adopted daughter must be spread. From now on, you will no longer be a guest in this household. Once the master returns, we will host a grand and splendid banquet to celebrate our new kinship.”