Mrs. Meng looked at her and did not seem surprised. So what if she dressed revealingly? In the end, she still wasn’t considered a beauty—at most, just a tool for men to vent their desires.
“You’re still not as good-looking as your eldest sister-in-law. It’s not strange that he has no interest in you. Even if you can’t serve Yunhuai, don’t forget to have the nourishing soup delivered to him every day.”
Chun Jiao glanced at the old madam.
What did that mean?
Could it be that the Third Master really had feelings for his sister-in-law?
Was he not afraid the Marquis would punish him when he returned?
“Yes,” Chun Jiao replied softly.
But inwardly, she was unwilling.
Why should that vile woman, Wen Jiushu, dare to seduce the Third Master just because the Marquis was away?
No wonder the Third Master had been protecting Wen Jiushu these past few days!
He even dismissed all the servants in the old madam’s courtyard.
Mrs. Meng waved her hand, and Chun Jiao left.
Just then, Chun Chan came to deliver food. The moment Mrs. Meng saw the dishes, she immediately flew into a rage.
“I’m still recovering, and this is what you’re serving me? Do you think that just because I handed over the household authority, you can ignore me now?!”
Crash.
She swept the food onto the floor.
In a bowl of rice porridge, there were only a few grains of rice.
Along with a small dish of greens.
Plain and thin—no oil, no meat at all.
This was food even dogs wouldn’t eat!
“Please calm down, Old Madam,” Chun Chan hurriedly knelt in fear. “The kitchen… this is all they have.”
“Those old women in the kitchen must think that Wen Jiushu is now in charge, so they’re trying to curry favor with her by humiliating me! They’d better weigh themselves—does Wen Jiushu even care about their measly bones? If they offend me, I’ll make sure they all die horribly!”
Chun Chan trembled.
“You, come here!”
Mrs. Meng was about to vent her anger on Chun Chan when a bright, delicate voice suddenly came from the doorway.
“Mother!”
Mrs. Meng froze for a moment, then her expression changed instantly. She weakly leaned back onto the bed.
Shortly after, a woman dressed in tight martial clothing, walking briskly and full of energy, entered the room.
“Mother, what happened here?” Shen Yunxi almost stepped on the spilled porridge but managed to stop in time.
“It’s Xi’er,” Mrs. Meng said gently, waving her over with a loving expression. “Come here, let Mother take a look. Have you suffered outside?”
Shen Yunxi smiled as she approached. “How could I suffer? I’ve been learning martial arts with my eldest brother’s masters at Yunling Mountain. I’m happy beyond words. But Mother, why are you lying in bed? Are you ill? Why does your face look so pale?”
Shen Yunxi had always liked weapons and martial arts, so the Marquis of Pingnan sent her to Yunling Mountain to learn some self-defense skills.
This was what the Marquis said: it’s good for a young lady to learn some martial arts for self-protection.
“I’m fine, just a bit of a cold. I just need to rest a few days…” Mrs. Meng said, glancing at Chun Chan. “This girl is clumsy—she accidentally spilled my meal. I didn’t even punish her. Why are you still kneeling? Get up.”
Chun Chan felt relieved. Luckily Shen Yunxi had arrived, or she would have been in trouble.
“Clean up the floor,” Mrs. Meng said.
“Yes…” Chun Chan understood from Mrs. Meng’s look that she was being used as a mouthpiece.
“Mother, is this all you’re eating?” Shen Yunxi noticed the spilled food. “Are you fasting again?”
Fasting?
Couldn’t this fool see she was being bullied?
“Fifth Miss,” Chun Chan suddenly spoke up, still kneeling. “While you were away, the Old Madam has suffered greatly. Even her authority over the household was taken away. The kitchen refuses to send proper food. You must stand up for her!”
“What?!” Shen Yunxi erupted in anger. “Who dares treat my mother like this?!”
“It—it was Madam.”
Shen Yunxi froze. “The new wife my eldest brother married? That merchant girl?”
Chun Chan lowered her head. “Yes, Madam.”
“She’s not a ‘madam’!” Shen Yunxi sneered. “A merchant girl dares to act so arrogantly in our household?”
Now it made sense.
So the servants had upgraded their address from “Madam” to “Old Madam.”
That woman really thought she could reach the heavens?
“Chun Chan, don’t speak nonsense,” Mrs. Meng said softly, maintaining her gentle facade. Then she turned to Shen Yunxi. “Xi’er, don’t listen to her. Your Third Brother is only thinking of me—now that your eldest brother has married, your sister-in-law is the true mistress of the Marquis household. I should rest after all these years of hard work.”
The more Shen Yunxi listened, the angrier she became.
“How could Third Brother be so foolish! Mother has worked so hard for the Marquis household—this family should still be under your control!”
Isn’t this just throwing away the old after using it up?
How could he side with outsiders?
Mrs. Meng’s eyes reddened slightly, as if deeply wronged.
Shen Yunxi felt her heart ache.
“Mother, you’re so weak. How can you not eat properly? I still have ginseng and bird’s nest from Yunling Mountain. I’ll have them sent over to you later.”
That’s more like it.
That’s the foolish daughter she raised.
Shen Yunxi would stand up for her.
With someone backing her now, Mrs. Meng felt reassured.
As expected, Shen Yunxi was reliable.
Shen Yunxi suddenly froze. “Wait… Sister-in-law is pregnant?”
Mrs. Meng hesitated. “This…”
Shen Yunxi’s expression darkened. “Three months pregnant?!”
“Mother… is it true?”
“I heard rumors on the way back—people said Third Brother and his sister-in-law were acting intimately…”
“Mother, is she really three months pregnant?”
“Don’t go cause trouble,” Mrs. Meng said weakly. “Wait until your eldest brother returns to handle it.”
“I can’t wait!”
Shen Yunxi sneered. “I’m going to kick that useless woman out of the Marquis household right now!”
How dare she cheat on her brother and bully Mother? That merchant girl really thinks she’s the mistress of this house?
Ridiculous.
Shen Yunxi stormed out.
Mrs. Meng smiled in satisfaction. “I hope Shen Yunxi won’t disappoint me.”
She then glanced at Chun Chan. “Get up. I’m in a good mood today, I’ll spare you.”
“Th-thank you… Old Madam…” Chun Chan said, holding back tears.
Cloud Flow Residence.
Yuanbao set out the dishes, just as Wen Jiushu was about to pick up her chopsticks.
Shen Yunxi stormed in.
Seeing the exquisite food on the table, she sneered.
“So you’re Wen Jiushu?”
Wen Jiushu looked up. “I am.”
Shen Yunxi froze.
She… was really beautiful.
Almost demonic.
Seductive in appearance, yet cold in temperament—just a single glance from those fox-like eyes felt chilling yet strangely captivating.
Shen Yunxi’s heart pounded.
Wen Jiushu looked like a fox spirit turned immortal.
No—she couldn’t be fooled. She was here to question her.
“You’re the one mistreating my mother?”
Wen Jiushu frowned slightly.
From those words, she immediately guessed her identity: the Fifth Miss of the Shen family, Shen Yunxi.
[So this is the younger sister-in-law who married a domestic abuser, suffered six miscarriages, and eventually became severely paralyzed?]