The Daily Life of a Down-on-Hard-Life Medicine Girl Supporting Her Family

Chapter 332

Zhong Xiuxiu personally delivered Zhong Huimin's baby, and both mother and child are safe.

Madam Zhong was overjoyed and gave her a set of fine jewelry, even inquiring about her marriage prospects.

"Fifth girl, you've come of age now. Have you thought about what kind of family you want to marry into?"

"Mother……"

Zhong Xiuxiu was in a dilemma. Was she still destined to be controlled by others?
Since ancient times, marriages have been arranged by parents and matchmakers. How could a concubine's daughter possibly rise to power?

"Don't worry, just talk to your mother." Madam Zhong gently held her hand and said, "A woman's life is like this: being born is one time, and getting married is another. You must choose a good family to marry into so that you can live a comfortable life."

"Mother knows you are a good and intelligent child," Madam Zhong said. "A blessed girl doesn't enter a door of misfortune, and ordinary men are not good enough for our fifth daughter."

"Think carefully about what kind of family you want. Or, if you have someone in mind, your mother will help you decide, and then we'll marry you off in a grand and glorious way."

"Mother……"

These words made Zhong Xiuxiu truly feel her mother's love.

Honestly, how many legal mothers would treat their illegitimate daughters like this?

“I’ve told your father that we’ll choose an auspicious day to register you under my name.”

"Xiuxiu thanks Mother."

Madam Zhong had two sons and two daughters, truly a blessed family with both sons and daughters.

Moreover, her sons are all outstanding, her daughters are beautiful, her eldest daughter married into the Minister's household, and her second eldest daughter, who is the sixth in line, is also very well-educated.

She has no shortage of daughters, yet she eagerly registered a concubine's daughter under her own name; this definitely shows she has her eye on her.

Zhong Xiuxiu understood that there is no love without a reason in this world.

He believed that he was favored and valued by the mistress because he possessed qualities that she coveted, and also because she intended to exploit him.

So what?

Isn't the reason people interact with each other only because you are useful to them?
Only your own mother will truly love you.

If you are useless to her, why should she care about someone who is useless to her?

This is human nature, this is reality, and this is perfectly normal.

Zhong Xiuxiu accepted Mrs. Zhong's kindness with equanimity.

After all, often the use of others is mutual.

Registered under Madam Zhong's name, her status as a legitimate daughter would be recognized in public. In an era where the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children, and superior and inferior, having a good status would make her future path more stable and secure.

Moreover, if she is registered under Madam Zhong's name, Madam Zhong will be more attentive to her marriage.

Anyone who wants their daughter to marry poorly is slapping themselves in the face.

When Gu learned that his daughter would be registered under his wife's name, he was very happy for Zhong Xiuxiu.

"Auntie, aren't you afraid I'll disown you?"

Zhong Xiuxiu felt that her aunt was the truly honest one.

“Silly child, I gave birth to her and raised her myself, how could I not know her character?” Madam Gu gently stroked her daughter’s hair: “You are better than your aunt, you have carved out a path for yourself in this inner courtyard.”

"My aunt often prayed to the Buddha for blessings: 'I have no great abilities in this life, but my greatest ability is giving birth to you; I have no great wishes in this life, but my greatest wish is for you to live a better life than me.'" Madam Gu smiled with relief, "Now the Buddha has answered your prayers, and you really are living a better life than me. You are now registered under Madam's name, so you must be even more filial and respectful to Madam in the future..."

Look, this is my aunt.

She was a thousand times better than my fourth sister's aunt.

Both were concubines, but what kind of education did she give her own daughter? After the affair was exposed, she selfishly and callously pushed her own daughter out to shield her while she herself shrank back.

Thinking about how her fourth sister ended up marrying the shopkeeper's son far away, Zhong Xiuxiu felt a deep sense of sorrow.

Therefore, not all concubines are the same.

"Auntie, I remember everything."

Zhong Xiuxiu smiled slightly as she looked at Gu Shi's increasingly plump and rosy face: "Auntie, you still need to be careful. Don't be greedy and eat too much. It's hard to be thin in old age. You can't be too fat when you get older."

"You silly child, you're even making fun of your aunt."

Gu smiled sheepishly: "I have indeed been indulging in a bit of food lately, and not only food, but also sleep. I never seem to get enough sleep..."

"Auntie, let me take your pulse."

After taking her pulse, Zhong Xiuxiu was left speechless, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"Auntie, am I really your child?"

"Of course! She carried the baby for ten months and gave birth with great difficulty. What, do you think Auntie went outside and brought back a different child?" Madam Gu looked at her shrewd and capable daughter: "If I had such abilities, what would I be capable of? Do you think everyone in the Zhong family is deaf, blind, and blind?"

"But then again, sometimes I wonder how I'm so lucky. Is it really me who gave birth to such a smart daughter?"

"You've given birth before, how could you not know you were pregnant?"

what?
When Gu found out she was pregnant, she couldn't believe it.

“I entered the manor at sixteen, became pregnant with you at nineteen, gave birth to you at twenty, and am thirty-six this year, how could this be…?”

The reason why Mrs. Gu did not believe that she could get pregnant again was that her husband rarely came to her room.

After the arrival of his concubine, she hardly ever served the master anymore.

Two months ago, the old man suddenly appeared in her yard for some reason. That night, she felt like she was dreaming, and he seemed a little unfamiliar with her. After that, the old man came three more times. After hearing what her daughter said, she felt even more like she was dreaming.

Last year, a new concubine was added to the household. She was a beautiful sixteen-year-old girl, and the master doted on her very much.

Aside from spending the first and fifteenth of each lunar month in the madam's courtyard, he spent most of his time in the courtyard of his beautiful new concubine.

The others in the backyard were filled with envy and jealousy, secretly saying that another young lady or young master might be born in the manor. Who knew that while she remained silent, they themselves had become pregnant.

"It's absolutely true, she's almost two months pregnant."

Zhong Xiuxiu felt a little guilty, realizing she had been careless and hadn't noticed her aunt's change.

Wouldn't it be too late to regret it if something went wrong?
“Aunt, the people serving you are also negligent.”

Zhong Xiuxiu was dissatisfied with these maids and servants; they even reminded her that her aunt hadn't changed her clothes.

“Chen Ma is old and has difficulty walking, so I didn’t let her serve me closely.” Aunt Gu was very considerate. “Ling’er is still a maid herself, how would she know these things? It’s not their fault, and Fifth Miss, please don’t punish them either. It was Aunt Gu’s own oversight.”

Madam Gu was still somewhat worried: would the lady of the house be happy to see another illegitimate son emerge from the family?

Yes, no matter how good-natured the matriarch is, she would not want a son born out of wedlock to compete with her legitimate son for favor and inheritance.

It doesn't matter if it's a concubine's daughter. With so many people to support, it doesn't matter if we raise another girl. When she grows up, she can bring a dowry and add some help to the household.

Just like the Third Miss, sending her directly to Lord Lin as a dowry would ensure the safety of the whole family.
Although Madam Gu was in the inner courtyard, she was fully aware of this matter.

"Does Auntie think this is a younger brother?"

Noticing her aunt's unease, Zhong Xiuxiu asked her softly.

"Auntie doesn't understand, Auntie is just worried..."