tallest building

Chapter 100 Handsome Man

Liu Cuiyi was speechless for a long time after hearing this.

At this moment, Sang Er returned and said to Wen Mingqian, "Madam, I just took some silver to give to the abbot, but he said he didn't need that much and returned twenty taels."

"Even if there's extra, it's fine. Just leave it here!" Wen Mingqian wouldn't take back the silver he had taken out. "Besides, the incense fee is based on the worshippers' willingness, there's no fixed amount. If the abbot refuses to accept it, you can give it to someone else."

"I understand," Sang Er replied and went off again.

"That Song woman is really bold and ruthless," Liu Cuiyi said, finally recovering her composure. "Who is the child's father? Has she said anything?"

“She didn’t say it, and there was really no need for her to say it; it would only make things more disgusting,” Wen Mingqian said. “You agree, right?”

Liu Cuiyi nodded and said, "That's right! A despicable woman like her seduced some wild man, then abandoned him, and now she comes to your mansion to harm people."

Wen Mingqian only let Liu Cuiyi know why Song Shi killed her own son; as for the child's origins, she didn't really need to know.

Not only her, but no one else besides the Gong family should know.

“Song has done such a shameless thing, so the Gong family naturally cannot tolerate her.” Liu Cuiyi was not stupid either. Song died at this time, which clearly showed that the Gong family did not want her to live. “Fortunately, my sister’s grievances have finally been cleared. The Gong family will feel guilty and will definitely treat my sister even better.”

After Wen Mingqian and Liu Cuiyi had a vegetarian meal at Wuqiu Nunnery, they invited her to go shopping at a silk shop together.

“I’ve been frequenting a silk shop called Sangji lately; they have a wide variety of fabrics,” Wen Mingqian said. “Since you have nothing else to do, why don’t you come with me?”

"It's rare to go shopping with my sister, so I'm thinking I should get some new clothes made." Liu Cuiyi has gradually come to terms with things and is no longer as cautious as before. Everyone in this world can make things difficult for you, but you can't make things difficult for yourself.

Looking back now, I realize that she was not well-liked in her husband's family, partly because she had not given birth to a son, and partly because her mother-in-law and husband were not kind people.

Another reason is that you are too weak. Almost no one in this world is fair-weather friends. The weaker you are, the more unscrupulous they will be in taking advantage of you.

"What? Is your mother-in-law no longer so strict with you?" Wen Mingqian asked with a smile.

“I’ve come to terms with it. After all, I’m the rightful eldest daughter-in-law of the Zhou family. I haven’t done anything that would be intolerable, so what’s there to be ashamed of?” Liu Cuiyi said.

“That’s it,” Wen Mingqian said, giving her an approving look. “I’ll teach you another trick. When you go back, just let it slip that you plan to adopt one of the sons born to your concubines. That way, all the concubines in your household who have sons will be vying to flatter you.”

"Will this work? I don't really like any of those kids." Liu Cuiyi hesitated.

“You’re still too naive. Let me ask you, have you ever seen the donkey pulling the millstone in the flour mill? To make the donkey pull the millstone properly, a bundle of straw is hung in front of it. In reality, the donkey can only see it but can’t reach it, yet it willingly pulls the millstone round and round.” Wen Mingqian instructed her, “After all, you didn’t say it yourself. It’s just rumors, so why take them seriously? Those who fawn over you are doing so because they have greed in their hearts; you don’t need to pity them.”

In this inner quarters, kindness alone isn't enough; one also needs cunning.

"Yes, I know my sister is doing this for my own good. When I get back, I'll have Aunt Zhao and the others spread the word." The best thing about Liu Cuiyi is that she will do whatever Wen Mingqian teaches her.

The two left the temple, got into a carriage, and headed towards Sangji Silk Shop.

Sang Er sat in the car, pouting.

"What's wrong with going to see your uncle?" Wen Mingqian asked her, suppressing a laugh.

"I don't want to see that old geezer." Sang Er pouted even more.

“You! You say that, but you’re still thinking about him, aren’t you?” Wen Mingqian laughed. “Yesterday I heard you asking Yunying how to make shoes.”

"Making shoes for him is making shoes for him, and not wanting to see him is also truly not wanting to see him," Sang Er said, pursing her lips.

“You’re still so young! You always speak based on your stubbornness. If I don’t urge you to see him more often, you’ll definitely regret it in the future,” Wen Mingqian said. “When you get there, talk to your uncle properly, do you hear me?” “Yes, I hear you,” Sang Er said, hanging her head.

Wen Mingqian reached out and gently touched her hair: "Poor child, it's not that you don't want to see your uncle, but seeing him always reminds you of your mother."

Sanger's mother passed away when she was five years old, and her uncle looked very much like her mother.

“Yes, my uncle doesn’t want to see me because I look too much like that heartless man,” Sang Er said, feeling very annoyed.

Everyone says she is extremely beautiful, but she herself doesn't like to look in the mirror.

Her mother, along with her maternal grandparents, were all killed by her father.

Only Sang Er and her uncle escaped with their lives.

Therefore, her uncle hated her father intensely.

Unfortunately, Sang Er looks exactly like her father.

The two, uncle and niece, depended on each other for survival. Although her uncle took care of her and raised her, he couldn't help but feel angry whenever he saw her face.

Sang Er was also stubborn; seeing her uncle reminded her of her mother, so naturally she was also indignant.

The carriage arrived at the silk shop in no time.

Wen Mingqian got out of the car first, and waited for Liu Cuiyi to get out of the car as well before taking her hand and walking inside.

The silk shop is doing good business, with quite a few customers.

A man in a light blue robe greeted Wen Mingqian with a beaming smile as he entered.

Liu Cuiyi glanced at the man and immediately blushed.

The man was around thirty years old, with sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, and a tall, upright figure; he had a very respectable appearance.

If it weren't for that amiable expression, he wouldn't have a trace of a businessman's demeanor.

This man was Sang Er's uncle, Sang Sanyang.

"Please come this way, ladies. We have a dozen or so new fabrics in the shop. Please sit down and choose at your leisure." Sang Sanyang smiled warmly, though a hint of coldness appeared when he glanced at Sang Er.

"That old geezer!" Sang Er muttered under her breath, "He deserves to be a bachelor his whole life!"

"Mr. Sang, could you please tell me about this Cloud Shadow Gauze?" a woman adorned with jewels called out loudly from the other side.

“Boss Sang, why did you leave me behind? You haven’t finished talking about this see-through gauze yet!” A heavily made-up woman immediately called out to Sang Sanyang from the other side.

"Chun'er, Xiao Xian, go and greet the two of them quickly." Sang Sanyang called over two waiters, "Tell them to prepare carefully, and don't neglect the guests."

The two women were immediately disappointed. No matter how detailed the waiter's introduction was, as long as Sang Sanyang didn't go there in person, it would be considered a neglect to them.

Wen Mingqian smiled but remained silent, only looking seriously at the fabric in his hands.

(End of this chapter)