The husband I snatched halfway through his life is strange.

Chapter 387 I didn't want to put her in a difficult position, nor did I want her to pity me.
At the street corner, a horse-drawn carriage stood quietly for a long time.

With well-maintained hands, she lifted the curtain and took in everything that was happening over there.

Jiashan was slightly stunned, his eyes swirling with emotion.

This child is far more clear-headed and understanding than she thought.

"She was taught extremely well."

"Although the Yu family is not from a prestigious family, I am ashamed to admit that I am inferior to them in terms of teaching, insight, and way of dealing with people."

"If she were alive..."

The old woman beside him thought Jiashan would speak.

"If they were alive, the two families could visit each other closely and spend time together with the children."

Either or.

"If she were alive, the child wouldn't have any worries, and I could hear her call me 'Mother' once again."

But she heard Jiashan say...

"Yaoyao will probably be especially happy."

The old woman sighed inwardly and whispered, "The young lady loves snacks. She ate most of the ones at the teahouse and peeled a lot of peanuts. Her mouth just wouldn't stop."

"Don't worry, Mistress, this old servant has already spoken with the teahouse manager."

The old woman thought of how Jiashan had made several batches of pastries, carefully selecting only a small plate of perfectly intact ones, and eagerly brought them over. She was worried that Yu Tingwan wouldn't accept them, and that made her feel sad.

Jiashan nodded and continued to look at the girl standing gracefully on the street in the distance. She was wearing a crimson double-breasted ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) with layers of skirts embroidered with silver cloud patterns, and an overcoat of lychee-fleshed embroidered jacket that went past her knees.

These amber earrings are lightweight and have a warm, soft luster. Like two drops of solidified cream, they sway gently at the ear.

"Wei Zhao also took excellent care of her."

The old woman urged softly, "Madam, would you like to go down and see her?"

When Jia Shan saw Yu Tingwan return to the teahouse, he slowly lowered the curtain: "You should know from what she just said that this child is more thoughtful than anyone else."

“I was still young when my mother passed away. If it weren’t for my aunt treating me like her own daughter, I…”

She said, "I know better than anyone how important the role of a mother is in the eyes of a child."

“Fu Ju and I couldn’t sleep for nights on end for a while. We can’t imagine how deep the shadow the fire left on her.”

"Her closest loved ones were burned to ashes in front of her. She is no longer afraid of fire. How did she force herself to overcome this?"

“She knows I miss her, and she knows I almost went crazy when I lost her. But Fu Ju and I are just her biological parents; we never raised her for a single day.”

The old woman was someone who had taken care of her; she was there when she gave birth.

Hearing this, I felt even more distressed.

"Mistress".

Jiashan lowered her eyes: "I don't want to make things difficult for her, nor do I want her to... pity me."

She said no more.

The carriage fell into a deathly silence.

Jiashan rested her hands on her knees, but the hand gripping the hem of her clothes tightened and tightened.

Upon closer inspection, there was a newly added scar on the fingertip.

These are the results of my pastry-making experience over the past few days.

She rarely cooks.

Actually... Yu Tingwan is very similar to her.

It's not just about appearance, but also about other things.

Jiashan closed his eyes, feeling a tightness in his chest.

"Go back."

The old woman agreed and was about to instruct the driver.

Then Jia Shan said in a low voice, "If you were in the same situation as Madam Cao, what would you do?" Even though the old woman had served by her side for many years and could guess Jia Shan's thoughts, she was still at a loss for words when asked this question.

However, after a moment of contemplation, she dared not be perfunctory in the slightest.

“This old servant is innocent, but I am unwilling to die for some scoundrels. My family is willing to support me for the rest of my life, but if my reputation is ruined, I will never be able to hold my head up again, and I will never be able to get over this mental hurdle. I will only dare to live like a rat or ant in a ditch that cannot see the light of day, and I will not dare to go out unless necessary.”

Jiashan was not surprised at all.

"You are someone close to me."

"I've seen many grand occasions since I've been with you, and I don't even flinch when I meet noble people in the palace."

Jiashan: "You're always like this."

The old woman was stunned.

Yes.

When can't I buy rouge? Then why did Madam Cao still go out?

Is it still shortly after the incident, before the case has been fully closed and the guilt determined?

This is obviously not normal.

An ordinary woman would probably have no heart to dress up and would be hiding in her room crying right now.

The old woman exclaimed in surprise, "This...this old servant is puzzled."

Yang Weiwen is now working for He Xuran. He visited the family before he went to the capital. Later, because of the fact that the young lady knew him, he was summoned to the mansion by the mistress and the master for a thorough interrogation.

The old woman naturally recognized her.

She also knew that he was engaged, and that the woman who had been with Madam Cao was Yang Weiwen's fiancée.

Therefore, she had inquired about some things.

“Miss Chun’s birth mother died early. In that year, the Chun family held two funerals in one month. Censor Chun’s hair turned white overnight because of this. Even though he felt sorry for his daughter, the Censorate was busy and the affairs of the court could not be delayed. After all, he was a man and was afraid that he would not take good care of her, so he often sent Miss Chun to the Shu family.”

"Miss Chun and Madam Cao grew up under the same roof, and their relationship is even closer than that of sisters."

"Madam Cao is a few years older than her. Although she is called the older sister, she has a lot to worry about. When the Chun family had their troubles, I heard that she slept with her cousin every night and stayed with her every day. She can be considered half a mother to her."

"I'm afraid it's for Miss Chun to buy rouge."

After all, Chunyao was a bride-to-be, so her attire was indeed rather plain.

The old woman was puzzled and said, "But even if it's for Miss Chun, there's no need to rush."

Chunyao won't get married until next year.

The old woman suddenly remembered something: "Oh, right, yesterday the mistress's cloth shop received a new batch of goods, and you asked me to go and take stock of them. That's when I ran into Madam Cao Er with Miss Chun going there to select materials."

The fabric was naturally for the wedding attire.

In the capital, if a woman is skilled in embroidery, she will make her own wedding dress.

"This old servant heard Madam Cao occasionally giving Chun a few words of advice."

"The color of this fabric is just right, and my cousin thinks it suits A-Yao perfectly. In the blink of an eye, the little sister who was crying in my arms has become someone else's love."

"Don't blame your father. He's worried sick about you too."

"My son-in-law works in the Censorate, so he must be a self-disciplined and upright gentleman. I just don't know if he takes care of his family."

"Without in-laws, you can take charge of the household once you get married. If your husband is considerate and treats you well, don't act like a child. You must live well with him. Only with harmony between husband and wife can the marriage last."

"The Censorate's salary isn't much, but your son-in-law is short of money since he just arrived in the capital. He borrowed money from Censor He to buy a house to settle down in. It's not big, but it's enough for the two of you. If he does well, you'll have a good life ahead of you. You need to be thrifty and manage the household affairs carefully. You need to have children to continue the Yang family line."

"After we've chosen the materials, let's go to Jinluxuan to look at some jewelry. My cousin is worried that we might forget something and not have time to add more later. It's better to get everything we need in advance so we won't be caught off guard later. I just hope you're all doing well."

At the time, she didn't think much of it, but now that Jiashan has pointed it out, the old woman feels something is off.

Putting everything else aside, this is going out a bit too often.

His words sounded like...he was making his final arrangements.

Old woman: "This..."

"Don't think you're doing something rash."