Shi Fengju left and did not return until dusk.
At Yuhe Building located in Qingzhou’s commercial center, Shi Fengju was drinking with a man wearing a dark jade robe in a stylish pavilion on the third floor. That man was tall with pretty eyes and trimmed eyebrows, and had a smile on his face as he sat opposite of Shi Fengju. That man was Zhuang Weixian.
It might have been destiny that their mothers never lived in harmony with each other, but for those two, they were like good brothers. This time around when Shi Fengju left on a business trip, if not for Old Mistress Zhuang forcing him to remain for the arranged date she had prepared, Zhuang Weixian would have definitely followed along with the trip like the years before.
“What? Haven’t you drank enough yesterday? Yet you still want to drink! You aren’t like this before, is it because your wish is almost fulfilled and you’re extremely happy about it?” Zhuang Weixian laughed and patted the table before sighing, “Seems it’s not a lie that a person becomes high in spirits when there’s a joyous occasion!”
His mind subconsciously flashed a figure; refined and elegant, light and gentle, that inexpressible resilience, and that mesmerizing hands as they used the abacus!
Such a woman, to think she would have to endure such hardships and be destined to spend her life with someone who never had her in his heart. Her life was almost predictable, destined to sit quietly in a beautiful cage as time gently passes until the fresh flowers withered and so will she.
“Joyous occasion?” Shi Fengju was already slightly drunk and he smiled, “What joyous occasion? Hm? The date your mother arranged? Which girl is it?”
“What has it got to do with me!” Zhuang Weixian remained cheerful as he rolled his eyes, “Aren’t you about to marry your childhood cousin?”
“Cousin? Fang’er?” Shi Fengju gazed blankly before a ridiculous smile emerged on his face, “If you hadn’t said it, I would have almost forgotten! Yes, her wish is almost fulfilled!”
“I think you’re really drunk, so drunk that you’re not yourself anymore!” Zhuang Weixian said with certainty. “Either that, or you’re experiencing too much joy until you’re speaking nonsense!”
Shi Fengju just shook his head and played with the jade cup while admiring its fine engravings.
Zhuang Weixian finally realized that something was not right. Curious, he asked, “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
Shi Fengju slowly placed the cup down before looking at Zhuang Weixian in the eye, “You’re also quite familiar with Fangzi. Tell me, what do you think of her?”
“What?”
Shi Fengju waved his hand and smiled, “We’re brothers. When the doors are closed, there’s nothing we can’t say to each other! Don’t lie to me, just tell me, what kind of a person do you think she is?”
How should he put it? Zhuang Weixian remained confused. Even though they were like brothers, but criticizing the woman in his presence was ungentlemanly. Only a fool would answer!
Moreover, this man was definitely drunk and was speaking incoherently. Once he became sober, he would definitely find trouble for him. When that happens, there would be no place for him to hide!
Seeing that he remained silent, Shi Fengju chuckled and asked again, “Then if I were to let you marry her as your wife, will you do so?”
“Of course not!” That immediately scared Zhuang Weixian and he blurted out. His mind subconsciously flashed the image of an elegant figure and his heart felt a sense of unfairness as he stared at Shi Fengju. “Don’t you already have a wife? So will your cousin become your second?”
Shi Fengju smiled slightly and shook his head, “No.”
“Why not? Fangzi isn’t bad.”
Zhuang Weixian sighed and smiled bitterly, “Not my cup of tea. Does that satisfy your question?” But in his heart, he thought to himself: She already knew that you have an arranged marriage but instead of avoiding any suspicions, she actively took the initiative to get to you. Such a woman has got no morals, how is she any worth liking? From the way she behaves, if she said she was willing to become a concubine, keke, it is all just a lie! Your view of the bigger picture is blocked by a smaller picture! Only when the Shi family becomes a mess will you finally come to a realization. Oh, that poor Sang Missy…
Damn, why do I keep thinking of her again! Zhuang Weixian secretly pinched his own palm.
Shi Fengju knew he could not force him to say anything more and chuckled, “You’re so much better than me. At least you know what you want! Unlike me…”
“But I don’t have anything!” Zhuang Weixian also jest, “You’ve got a good wife and a beautiful concubine!”
“Let’s not talk about this any further!” Shi Fengju smiled bitterly and shook his head. Pouring a cup of wine, he asked, “If, if there comes a time when you suddenly discovered that the person you liked for many years is actually not the type of person you like, then what will you do?”
“Easy, I’ll just call it quits! We merchants don’t have so many stinky rules to follow!” Zhuang Weixian spoke freely. But once the word got out, he realized that something was wrong and could not help but examined Shi Fengju strangely with his eyes, “If I may say, what’s wrong with you today? Don’t tell me you’re speaking about yourself? You and Miss Gu——”
Shi Fengju remained quiet, and that confirmed Zhuang Weixian’s words.
Zhuang Weixian laughed, “If so, then why do you still agree to marry her? After all, she’s still your cousin; can you bear to see her suffer?”
Shi Fengju shook his head, “She insisted on it, and there’s nothing more I can say to it!” Thinking about how aggressive Gu Fangzi was as she cried and made a scene, Shi Fengju could not help but feel a little disgusted.
Although Zhuang Weixian had a lot of curiosity trapped in his heart, he knew he should not seek any further and he smiled, “Enough, since it was she who insisted, then what’s there to hold back for? Just welcome her in and support her needs. After all, even if there were another hundred, your Shi family can support them all!”
“Rubbish!” Shi Fengju snapped and glared at him, but he had a smile on his face. It was true, just supporting her needs would be enough. Just that, Sang Wan——
Thinking of how Sang Wan was determined to leave, Shi Fengju’s mind felt even more chaotic. But that matter could not be let known by any outsiders, even if it were Zhuang Weixian. Pouring a pear blossom wine down his throat, he secretly made a decision: He will not let her leave so easily.
Drunk again, Shi Fengju returned late at night. At any rate, it was all thanks to Zhuang Weixian persuading him to stop else he would have ended up in a state like last night. Although drowsy, his mind still had a trace of being conscious.
Shi Fengju did not wish to disturb Sang Wan and he ordered Zhan Huan to help him to the study room. Zhuan Huan did not dare to disobey but seeing how drunk his master was, he did not dare to turn a blind eye and quickly sent someone to notify . At Ning Garden1Ning GardenSang Wan & Shi Fengju's place of residencet. This time, Sang Wan was already asleep so Nanny Li brought a few others and hurried over to the study room. Seeing him in such a state, she felt distressed and busily went to brew a bowl of hangover soup before instructing Liu Ya to stay to serve in the study room.
And with that, the matter ended.
However, Wang Shi came to know of the matter on the next day and immediately turned unhappy. Her son had always been sensible and rarely returns home drunk. However, to be drunk for two consecutive nights, that was unheard of! Moreover, he went directly to sleep in the study room on the second night!
Associating it with Gu Fangzi marrying into the family, Wang Shi naturally thought of Sang Wan and believed that she was displeased and had a quarrel with Shi Fengju. The quarrel must have made him upset which made him go out to drink.
The more Wang Shi thought, the angrier she got. And the angrier she got, the more she felt sorry for her son. And the sorrier she felt, the more unhappy she was at Sang Wan. Isn’t he just getting a concubine? She had clearly agreed to it, but to think that she would actually vent all her unhappiness at Shi Fengju; to say one thing then do another, absolutely outrageous!
And so, early in the morning, Wang Shi called for Sang Wan to reprimand her.
“What did Shi Fengju do last night?” Wang Shi asked.
Wang Shi’s had always been one to expose her feelings, and although she was doing her best to keep a calm face, Sang Wan was able to see the stiffness of her face and the bluntness in her tone. However, it was all too sudden and Sang Wan was not sure why she was called over. With a smile, she said, “He said he was going to eat out with a friend.”
“Then what time did he come home?” Wang Shi did her best to prevent her anger from exploding.
Sang Wan sensed an unpleasant hunch and she shook her head, “I, I was already asleep and don’t know… Lord returned to the study room last night…”
“Don’t know?!” Wang Shi slammed her hand on the table and scolded, “He’s your husband, not someone else. As his wife, how can you not care for your own husband! Regardless whether he’s dead or alive outside, how can you still sleep first? To think you can still sleep! And even let him rest in the study room? The servants are careless and does not know how to serve! Oh my poor son, married yet as if never married, with no one to greatly care for him! If not for Nanny Li last night, just think about it, he would be suffering for a night! If he were to catch a cold and fall sick, how will you feel!”
The more Wang Shi spoke, the more she felt sorry for her son and her expression turned even more ugly.
“Mother, your daughter-in-law recognizes the mistake and will gladly accept the punishment!” Sang Wan, like a bolt, immediately kneeled in front of Wang Shi. She finally understood that she truly was not in the position to lose her temper or throw a tantrum! Could he have been too tolerant towards her and become muddled after being exposed to her temperament for a long time? Sang Wan joked to herself, was he being tolerant towards her?
Wang Shi was maddened and she continued, “In these two days, he was drunk outside on two consecutive nights. To think I do not know that my child has become an alcoholic! Sang Wan, I know you’re angry deep down, your mouth might not say it but your heart might be thinking otherwise! However, you can’t keep on making him suffer! Fengju was out working hard for the few months, not only did you not serve him well when he returned home, you vented your frustrations at him and made him upset. How can you do that! How can you not show any concern for your own husband!”
Sang Wan felt embarrassed and angry. Her mother-in-law’s words were too severe and it was not something she could bear. But Sang Wan knew if she were to defend herself, her mother-in-law would definitely get even more angrier. But if she did not do so, it would mean accepting those words which would be more disadvantageous for her.
“Mother, Sang Wan doesn’t dare. Sang Wan didn’t throw a tantrum! Sang Wan really didn’t!”
“Didn’t?” Sure enough, Wang Shi became even more annoyed, “I know my son best. If he isn’t feeling upset, then why would he go out to drink to such a state for two nights in a row!”
“A wife doesn’t dare to manage what the husband does. What he said, Sang Wan only listened. What he doesn’t say, Sang Wan doesn’t dare to ask! Whether his heart is troubled or not, Sang Wan really doesn’t know! All he said was that he would be eating out, as for everything else, Sang Wan really doesn’t know! After Mother’s teaching, Sang Wan will keep it to heart. In the future, Sang Wan will ask more questions!”
“You!” Wang Shi hesitated for a moment. Although she was furious at Sang Wan for talking back at her, she had actually calmed down a little and absorbed her words.
Seizing the opportunity, Sang Wan redoubled her efforts, “Mother, Sang Wan really has no objection towards Cousin-In-Law marrying in! Being the first wife, how can Sang Wan not endure that? What’s more, this matter will happen sooner or later, a little earlier or a little later, what difference does it make? If Sang Wan really did feel upset, then Sang Wan would have already made a tantrum, why wait until now!”
Wang Shi became silent. Her face relaxed a little and she asked, “Is that how you really think so?”
