Chapter 123: Chapter 101

In the Xiao family’s courtyard, Mrs. Xiao of the Wen family was at her wit’s end watching her daughter’s tantrums.

“I’ve introduced you to so many excellent young men, and you refuse to even look at them. What’s so good about Zhao Minghua that you can’t get over him?”

“He’s good in every way!”

Previously, when they mistakenly thought he kept a mistress, Xiao Chunlan’s world crumbled, yet she still didn’t intend to give up on Zhao Minghua. She had loved Zhao Minghua since childhood, back when a group of boys and girls played together, and she immediately noticed that handsome young boy.

Upon knowing he was the third young master of Hundred Herbs Hall, she secretly gave her heart to him.

It was hard to wait until she came of age, then she hinted her thoughts to her mother. Little did she expect that the Zhao family stopped their marriage proposal after just one try.

Where was the rumored repeated proposal? Why didn’t they insist? Xiao Chunlan blamed her mother for refusing.

Afterwards, Wen mobilized all reliable resources, including seven aunts and eight uncles, and found a few young men, one of whom had even earned the Scholar title, but Xiao Chunlan just wouldn’t take a look.

When pushed to the limit, she went on a hunger strike, refusing to eat, crying, causing a scene, and threatening suicide, insisting she would marry none other than Zhao Minghua.

It stressed Wen to no end.

“Your aunt said Wen Hua is infatuated with you, Chunlan. Wen Hua is two years older than you, and he’s a cousin too, marrying him means you’ll go back to the Wen family…”

“What, the Xiao family is marrying one back only to send one back?” Xiao Chunlan dismissively said, “Do you not know what kind of person Wen Hua is? It’s not me he’s infatuated with, he’s infatuated with every young and pretty girl.”

“You child…”

“Isn’t it true? The four maids in his courtyard all behave coquettishly, with no decorum of a maid, and it’s all because he pampers them.”

“A man with many wives and concubines is capable,” Wen responded. “Only the incapable rural men stick to one wife, and might even fail to get one.”

“Mother, are you happy being married to my father?”

Xiao Chunlan was utterly speechless: “With so many concubines in the inner courtyard, so many illegitimate children, aren’t you mentally exhausted?”

These words pierced Wen’s heart like a sharp knife.

Married into the Xiao family at fifteen, the teenage couple was loving. Barely three months after their sweet marriage, she was pregnant, and the day she discovered her pregnancy, he took her dowry maid to bed.

By the time she gave birth after ten months of pregnancy, there were already two concubines in the husband’s quarters, one of whom was also pregnant.

In the following years, every couple of years, a new concubine was taken in, and Wen’s heart was long dead.

As long as she remained Mrs. Xiao, she cared little for the others.

Mrs. Xiao only wished for a well-situated marriage for her daughter, knowing well and trusting, marrying back into the Wen family was viable, as uncles and aunts loved her dearly.

However, Xiao Chunlan had no interest in Wen Hua.

“You’re so fixed on Zhao Minghua, is he really that good?”

“Why not, do you see any crowd of beauties in Zhao family’s backyard?” Xiao Chunlan said, “For three generations, the Zhao family hasn’t taken a concubine, which is quite honorable among the big families in Changzhou.”

“The Zhao family doesn’t count as a big family in Changzhou,” Wen pointed out. “Only the four great families are considered grand.”

“That still beats others.”

True, but the problem is, they don’t fancy you.

“Mother, you’re friendly with Mrs. Zhao, please visit her again, anyway, I will only marry Zhao Minghua; in life, I am his person, in death, his ghost…”

“Chunlan, can you stop being so unreasonable?”

Unfortunately, this little ancestor was spoiled since childhood, nothing would do.

Wen had no choice but to think of a way through Mrs. Zhao.

After confirming the rumor about Zhao Minghua keeping a mistress was false, Wen was embarrassed to approach Mrs. Zhao.

Some things, although done discreetly, were tacitly understood among adults.

Sending a visiting card would be a bit degrading, an accidental encounter was the only feasible way.

To coincidentally bump into Mrs. Zhao, Wen racked her brains, sending someone to watch every day, till finally one day, someone came and informed her: Mrs. Zhao left home, heading towards the silver shop at the Xiao Family Pier.

“Waiter, this pair of earrings…” She looked up with surprise: “Mrs. Zhao, what a coincidence…”

“Mrs. Xiao, what a coincidence…”

Mrs. Zhou of the Zhao family thought, coincidence my foot. Today was really unlucky.

How did I happen to run into her!

“Mrs. Zhao, did you fancy this silver necklace?”

This was something only kids wore, and there’s no news of the Zhao family having children, right?

Only one possibility, it was a gift.

“Yes, it’s exquisite and cute.” Mrs. Zhao had already paid for it, taking the necklace with the waiter packing it in a box: “Mrs. Xiao, I have some matters to attend to, I must leave first.”

“In such a hurry?”

No, how come she wants to leave right after meeting her?

“Yes, it’s urgent.” Mrs. Zhou smiled slightly, nodded to her: “We’ll chat when there’s time.”

“Sure, I’m free tomorrow, let’s have tea together, I heard there’s a women’s teahouse in Changzhou with particularly good pastries. My treat, let’s go to Changzhou for tea.”

“Thank you, but I’m quite busy lately, let’s do it another day, when I have free time, I’ll arrange.”

Mrs. Zhou was indeed a straightforward person, but it didn’t mean she was easy-going.

Mrs. Zhao hurriedly looking for her only implied one possibility.

However, the husband had already issued a clear ultimatum: no marriage negotiations with the Xiao family.

Besides, she had already set her sights on a better match, there’s no pain without comparison, though both were descendants of the Xiao family, it was literally a world of difference.

Only through comparison, can one discern good from bad.

Take Mrs. Xiao before her, compared to the three Mrs. Chun Nuan, the difference was massive.

Wen’s smile never reached her eyes, it felt uncomfortable just looking, clear calculative intentions.

Whereas conversing with the three Mrs. Chun Nuan, one felt delighted, their gentle, soft-toned speech very pleasant.

This is the veritable difference between a true lady and a commoner.

Mrs. Zhou herself wasn’t very genteel but particularly admired the Xiao family’s three Missus for their gentility and grace.

That kind of demeanor she couldn’t learn if she tried.

She was out choosing a necklace today, actually as a celebratory gift for Xiao Muyang’s first anniversary.

Tomorrow, she’ll be heading to the Xiao family’s new house in Shuikou Village, where she’ll also get to see her beloved daughter-in-law-to-be.

As she left the silver shop and got into the carriage, she only relaxed greatly after seeing Wen hadn’t chased after her: That was close, almost gave away her son.

“Nanny Wu, what do you think Mrs. Zhao meant?” From the upstairs window of the silver shop, watching the Zhao family’s carriage depart, Wen wore a somber expression.

“Perhaps Mrs. Zhao truly had something urgent?” Nanny Wu hurriedly said, “Mistress, don’t be angered.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep