Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 382 Busy and Chaotic
At the third watch, the phoenix soars; at the fifth watch, the pavilion stands tall.

After much tenderness and gentle coaxing, Baochai, with her slender fingers and delicate posture, reluctantly gave in to Chen Siyuan's wishes, but ended up coughing repeatedly.

Seeing that Baochai's face was showing displeasure and she was somewhat annoyed, Chen Siyuan patted her back and said, "Alright, alright, there's plenty of time in the future. I'll definitely marry you next year."

Baochai's expression softened slightly, and she obediently pressed herself against Chen Siyuan's chest, lost in thought, and said, "That will have to wait until next year."

The two were deeply in love, and Baochai was naturally eager to marry him immediately, so that they could live together in harmony and happiness.

With a slight shift of her body, Baochai was bumped right into. She glanced down and her pretty face immediately flushed red. Looking up, she saw Chen Siyuan's embarrassed expression, and she couldn't bring herself to say the teasing words. After a moment of hesitation, she suddenly said, "If you're really feeling really stifled... perhaps, perhaps I should call Ying'er over?"

Ying'er?

Chen Siyuan was in the throes of passion at that moment, and although he did not dislike the old, he also liked the new. Hearing what Baochai said, he was naturally very moved.

However, after a moment's thought, Chen Siyuan suppressed his thoughts. Baochai was speaking from the heart, but he and Ying'er were already deeply in love, and leaving Baochai in the study to eavesdrop... No normal person would do such a foolish thing before marriage, and he was afraid that Baochai would quarrel with him afterwards.

So Chen Siyuan pretended to be annoyed and frowned, saying, "What are you talking about? I came to find my sister, not just for something like that in bed."

As soon as Baochai spoke, she realized her mistake. Seeing Chen Siyuan's refusal, she couldn't help but laugh and say angrily, "I misspoke. I won't do it again." She reached into her clothes and stroked Chen Siyuan's firm chest. Baochai then said, "I saw Hongyu go to Second Sister's place? Does this mean Xiangling and Wu'er will be treated the same way in the future?"

According to the rules at the time, if Hongyu and the others stayed by Chen Siyuan's side, they would only be considered concubines, a rank slightly lower than those of maids. Chen Siyuan was a man of many hearts; he had many women around him, each one the apple of his eye, and naturally he was unwilling to wrong Hongyu, Qingwen, and the others.

Chen Siyuan then said, "You know Second Sister's situation. With Siqi gone, there's really no one else available. So I simply sent Hongyu to Zhuijin Tower."

Having just lost one person after another, Baochai was now in a good mood and was naturally thinking of Chen Siyuan. Upon hearing this, she said, "Second Sister can only accommodate one more at most. With Yuanyang by Lin's side, I'm afraid it will be too crowded. If you don't have a good place to settle them, just send Qingwen and Wu'er to my place."

According to custom, Baochai should have had four maids accompanying her when she got married. Now she only has two maids, Ying'er and Wenxing. Wenxing is too young and not very useful. She doesn't usually stay in the room and only manages Baochai's personal clothing.

Chen Siyuan smiled, lifted Baochai's chin, and gently kissed her forehead, saying, "There's still a year to go, let's talk about this later."

Xiangling, with her easygoing and unassuming nature, will be perfectly fine with Baochai. But Qingwen and Wu'er... one has a fiery temper, the other is very sensitive; they'll likely suffer a lot with Baochai.

Lin Daiyu already has four maids, including the young actresses, while Yingchun only has two. Chen Siyuan then considered sending Qingwen and Wu'er to Yingchun's side before Yingchun's marriage.

The faint sound of the night watchman's clapper echoed from the back alley, and only then did Baochai belatedly realize what was happening and abruptly sit up, exclaiming in surprise, "It's so late, and you—"

Unexpectedly, Chen Siyuan reneged on his promise, lay down with his arm as a pillow, and said lazily, "Why don't I just rest in your room tonight?"

Baochai panicked and shoved Chen Siyuan, saying, "What will people say if they see this? You, you go back now."

Chen Siyuan, intending to tease her, chuckled and whispered a few words in her ear. Baochai rolled her eyes in anger, but couldn't resist Chen Siyuan's advances, and finally leaned over and said, "Good brother, you should go back quickly."

The sound of "Good brother" made Chen Siyuan's heart flutter, and he almost lost his composure. He took a few deep breaths, and after taking a good look at Baochai, he finally got up, slipped on his shoes, and said, "I'll let you off this time, but next time... hmph!"

Baochai chuckled and was about to get up to see him off, but Chen Siyuan stopped her.

"The dew is heavy as the night deepens; you should rest now."

Baochai was reluctant to get up, but her legs felt weak. Remembering the intimate moments they had just shared, she pouted and glared at Chen Siyuan. But she was still worried, so she quietly called Ying'er over and ordered her to see Chen Siyuan off.

When Ying'er entered with her head bowed, her pretty face was flushed. Although Hengwu Garden was a complex structure, in the dead of night, with only a beaded curtain separating the bedroom from the main hall, any noise inside could be heard by Ying'er without missing a single detail.

Whether it was the warbling of orioles and the soft murmurs of swallows, or the intimate whispers between two people, even if one didn't want to listen, Ying'er heard it all. She naturally also heard the phrase, "Why don't I call Ying'er here?"

So the plum blossom knot in her hand became a tangled mess, her cheeks flushed, and her mind was in turmoil. Having never experienced such things before, Ying'er wondered, "Will it hurt a lot?" and then hoped that her mistress would call her over soon.

But after a while, they started talking about something else, leaving her aside. Ying'er felt disappointed but also secretly relieved—if she had been pregnant before the young lady got married, she probably wouldn't have been able to be a maidservant.

She lowered her head and entered the bedroom, but she couldn't help herself. She first glanced at the bed and saw that her mistress's hair was disheveled and her shoulders were half exposed. The green silk bodice that had been made a few days ago could not cover her inner curves. When she looked up at Chen Siyuan, Ying'er's heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly lowered her eyes in a panic.

She was turned away from Baochai, and Baochai was only staring at Chen Siyuan giving instructions. Naturally, Baochai did not see this situation, but Chen Siyuan saw it all.

A thought flashed through his mind, and he vaguely sensed Ying'er's little scheme. Without showing any emotion, he said a few words of farewell to Sister Bao, and then followed Ying'er towards the back door.

Because it was a secret rendezvous, Ying'er didn't dare to carry a lantern. Fortunately, the moon was high in the sky, and there was still some light in the backyard. Normally, Ying'er would have escorted him to the back door and watched him climb over the wall, but this time Ying'er had other plans. So she closed the door and led Chen Siyuan to the back wall.

Just as Chen Siyuan was about to climb over the wall, Ying'er suddenly whispered, "Master Yuan... should I find a stool?"

Chen Siyuan stopped and looked at Ying'er. The moonlight was dim, and Ying'er's appearance was indistinct. He could only make out that Ying'er's hands were clasped together, which showed that she was somewhat uneasy.

Chen Siyuan chuckled inwardly. Ying'er was usually the most audacious and reckless, but she was still a young girl after all... This was probably the first time she had ever thrown herself into someone's arms like this.

"No need to trouble yourself, I'll be extra careful."

Ying'er looked up, seemingly wanting to speak but ultimately saying nothing. Chen Siyuan found this amusing, and suddenly remembered that there was an object in his sleeve pocket. He took it out and placed Ying'er's hand in his palm.

"I just happened to buy some combs for the new house, and I kept two because they looked interesting. You can keep this one."

"Uncle Yuan—" Ying'er was overjoyed. As soon as she raised her head, she exclaimed in surprise and was pulled into Chen Siyuan's arms.

Ying'er couldn't help but pant, but she let a pair of hands slide down her back. When she looked up, her cherry lips were kissed. She stammered for a long time, and just when she was confused and infatuated, Chen Siyuan suddenly let go of her.

"It's late, I'll be going now."

After saying that, Chen Siyuan climbed over the wall and walked quickly, disappearing into the moonlight in a short while.

Ying'er stood behind the wall, lost in thought. She reached out and touched her lips, only to realize with a start that she was still clutching the comb tightly in her hand.

Before her turbulent emotions had subsided, Ying'er suddenly remembered Baochai. She hurriedly tidied her clothes, hid her comb in her handkerchief, and then quickly returned to Hengwu Garden.

Upon entering the bedroom, Ying'er blushed. Fortunately, the candlelight was dim, otherwise Baochai would surely have discovered her secret.

"Young lady, Grandpa Yuan has left."

Baochai, lounging lazily on the bed, her clothes already neatly arranged, casually asked upon hearing this, "Why did it take so long?"

Ying'er lied and said, "I was afraid that Master Yuan would twist his ankle again, so I found a stool, which is why I was delayed for a while."

Baochai casually agreed, clearly still savoring the intimacy and romance of the moment. Upon hearing this, she waved her hand and said, "I'm tired, you should rest too."

"Yes," Ying'er replied, taking the candlestick and going to the outer room to wash and dress.

Once inside the main hall, she quietly pulled the comb from under her handkerchief. Examining it by candlelight, she saw it was a butterfly-shaped comb with intertwined flowers, its material a dark red, though she couldn't tell if it was made of rosewood or jujube wood. A smile appeared on Ying'er's face. She found a mirror, placed the comb on her forehead and hair bun, then turned her head to look at herself from left to right, feeling an indescribable joy.

Suddenly, his face stiffened, and he thought to himself: Oh no, I forgot to tell the girl about this comb. It's not appropriate to wear it on my head tomorrow... Otherwise, how will I explain myself if the girl asks?

Ying'er was filled with anxiety and uncertainty. After a hasty wash, she finally went to sleep, lost in thought.

............................................................

The next day arrived in the blink of an eye. Chen Siyuan got up early to practice his stance training. After having breakfast, he went to his study to study books. Qingwen, on the other hand, stayed in bed late again and didn't get up until 7 a.m.

Xiangling became familiar with Qingwen and teased her quite a bit, which made Qingwen unleash her fierce temper and pin Xiangling down on the bed, tickling her until she finally stopped.

Just as they were playing around, Tan Chun and Xi Chun came to visit. Qing Wen and Xiang Ling quickly tidied themselves up and came to greet them, while Chen Siyuan also put down his book and moved into the hall.

As summer was approaching, the screen had long been removed, and from afar, the sisters Tan Chun and Xi Chun could be seen arriving together. Xiang Ling and Qing Wen greeted them with smiles, and only then did Chen Siyuan realize that Tan Chun seemed to have grown taller over the past year, and now she even looked a bit taller than Qing Wen.

Soon, two maids led the third and fourth young ladies inside. After exchanging greetings, Chen Siyuan said with a smile, "Third sister looks like she's grown even taller."

Tan Chun laughed and said, "Where? I just compared myself with Fourth Sister yesterday, and I'm still only half a head shorter."

Qingwen complained, "Fourth Miss is growing too! Third Miss is already a full inch taller than me!"

Tan Chun blinked, then smiled and said with Xi Chun, "It turns out we sisters have grown taller together."

Amidst laughter and conversation, the three took their seats as host and guest. Fragrant tea was served, and Xiao Xichun chased after Chen Siyuan, asking about the events of the previous day. After a flurry of excited chatter, she felt satisfied and then pulled Xiangling aside, saying she wanted to learn how to make knots.

After Xichun left, Tanchun gave Shishu a wink, and the latter quietly withdrew. Then Tanchun stood up and gave a solemn bow: "Thank you, Brother Yuan, for speaking up for me."

Chen Siyuan was taken aback, then smiled and said, "Third sister, you're being too polite."

Tan Chun, however, said solemnly, "I know deeply about Brother Yuan's kindness. Since he came to our mansion, he has treated us sisters with great kindness and care. Everyone says that nothing in this world is closer than blood ties, but alas... sometimes blood ties cannot compare to selfishness."

Chen Siyuan's mind raced, and he realized that Tan Chun was referring to Bao Yu. Tan Chun had narrowly escaped death the previous time; even if Bao Yu didn't know at the time, the news had spread like wildfire throughout the mansion, so how could he not know afterward? Yet this fellow hadn't said a word… Perhaps he was closer to his maternal brother Li Gui than his half-sister Tan Chun?

Chen Siyuan had already stood up by then. Seeing Tan Chun pursing her lips and giving another graceful curtsy, Chen Siyuan quickly stepped forward and reached out to help her up. Unexpectedly, Tan Chun's curtsy was very firm, so their arms crossed. Chen Siyuan hesitated for a moment, but finally helped Tan Chun up.

Tan Chun, who already harbored feelings for Chen Siyuan, felt a sudden tremor in her heart at their physical intimacy. As she rose to look up, her eyes revealed a tender affection, and her voice trembled as she spoke, "Brother Yuan..." Chen Siyuan was startled, then overjoyed. Having been reborn, he had indulged in unrestrained pleasures for several years, and now, surrounded by countless beautiful wives and concubines, he was even considering a period of self-cultivation. But how could he possibly leave such wonderful girls as Tan Chun and Xi Chun aside?
Previously, Chen Siyuan had made a betrothal with his second sister Yingchun, and they were to get married the following year. Chen Siyuan often thought that it would be inappropriate to stay in the Jia family after the wedding, and he didn't know how to plot against Tanchun and Xichun. Just when he was at his wit's end, Tanchun's call of "Brother Yuan" made Chen Siyuan overjoyed.

So... the Third Miss already had feelings for me all along!

Chen Siyuan suppressed his joy and kept a straight face. He pulled Tan Chun to sit down, then sat down beside her and said gently, "I thought that relatives were not a choice, but friends were."

"Yes," Tan Chun nodded with a wry smile.

Just as Chen Siyuan was about to drink a few bowls of chicken soup, he suddenly heard hurried footsteps outside. Soon after, a young maid named Yunxiang rushed in, bowed, and said, "Master, Master Zhen from the East Mansion has returned. He sent the steward to invite you to come to the mansion for a chat."

Has Jia Zhen returned?
Chen Siyuan and Tan Chun exchanged a glance and hurriedly asked, "Is it just Brother Zhen by himself? Have Brother Lian and Sister-in-law returned?"

Yunxiang shook her head and said, "Only Master Zhen came back by himself."

Tan Chun said, "The old lady, the first lady, and the lady are all in Cixi County. Counting the days, it will be a few more before the old lady's coffin is placed in the underground palace. We must leave someone to serve her."

Chen Siyuan thought about it and agreed. Besides, the trouble was with the Ningguo Mansion, so it was enough that only Jia Zhen had returned.

Tan Chun frowned and asked with concern, "Brother Yuan, what are you planning to say later?"

Tan Chun was naturally referring to Jia Rong's matter. Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "Of course, I'm just telling the truth. How to hold it against him is a matter for the East Mansion."

Tan Chun breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Brother Zhen always keeps his word. Brother Yuan, just tell the truth and don't get too involved."

Chen Siyuan was puzzled. Tan Chun's words were not entirely true; she clearly knew some inside information but was unwilling to speak of it. Now was not the time for conversation. Chen Siyuan dismissed Yunxiang, and then saw Tan Chun and Xi Chun off before quickly passing through the east corner gate and turning towards the inner hall.

After a while, they arrived at the place, where a stewardess led him inside. Chen Siyuan stepped inside and looked around. He saw You Shi sitting to one side with red eyes, while Jia Zhen sat at the head of the table with his brows furrowed and face sullen, his hands supporting his knees.

Madam You secretly winked at Chen Siyuan, but Chen Siyuan pretended not to notice. He stepped forward to greet him, but Jia Zhen quickly stood up to help him, saying, "Brother Yuan, please don't stand on ceremony. If it weren't for your help, my wife and children would probably have met with misfortune. Please, Brother Yuan, take a seat!"

Chen Siyuan readily agreed, lifting his robes and taking a seat.

Jia Zhen returned to his seat and pondered for a while before recounting how he had received the news the previous afternoon. He had hurriedly asked for leave and rushed to the capital overnight. On the way, he lost a horse and had to find a village to stay in, only now managing to return to the capital.

Then, when the topic turned to the events of the previous day, Chen Siyuan had nothing to hide and recounted the whole story.

Jia Zhen had obviously heard about this from You Shi, so he didn't show it on his face, but thanked her profusely. He then formally presented her with a brocade box containing four rare Ming and Song dynasty books.

Chen Siyuan could not refuse, so he accepted the brocade box. Ignoring You Shi's repeated winks, he took his leave and bid farewell to Jia Zhen.

After having lunch at Qingtang Thatched Cottage, Chen Siyuan remembered that Siqi was still waiting, so in the afternoon he rode off to find her. Liu Xianglian had already been brought to justice, and Jia Rong had probably already fled. Chen Siyuan figured he had no other enemies, so he didn't even bring Qingyu with him and went to Siqi's house alone.

As luck would have it, Wang Shanbao's wife was also there. Upon hearing that Chen Siyuan was going to take Siqi away, the old woman immediately grinned from ear to ear, showering him with flattery, hoping that Chen Siyuan would say some good things about her in front of Madam Xing and Yingchun.

Chen Siyuan gave a vague reply. After Siqi packed a small bundle, he led her out, hired a carriage, and leisurely headed north of Nengren Temple.

Siqi already knew the location of Chen Siyuan's new residence. Sitting in the carriage, she lifted the curtain to look around. Seeing that they had already passed Nengren Temple and it didn't seem like they were heading towards Dagezi Alley, she couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Sir, where are we going?"

“Yudai Hutong,” Chen Siyuan replied, then reined in his horse and paused briefly until it was parallel to the carriage window before whispering, “Do you still remember Miaoyu? I’ve temporarily settled her here. You know she’s aloof; once she’s here, you can make the decisions about anything outside.”

Siqi immediately frowned and said with displeasure, "Does Master want me to serve his mistress?"

Chen Siyuan hurriedly said, "It's just a temporary measure... After my wedding, if you want, I'll find an opportunity to bring you into my home."

Siqi persisted, "If I had a disagreement with her, whose orders should the servants listen to?"

Chen Siyuan said, "You make the decisions about things outside, but she will make the decisions about things inside the house."

Siqi laughed and said, "So you're saying that nobody can control anyone else?"

Chen Siyuan pondered that although Siqi was a bit arrogant, she was completely devoted to him, so he could trust her. But Miaoyu was a different story. This woman had schemed her way to the top, practically seizing him by trickery. Furthermore, Miaoyu had frequently visited the palace and the inner quarters, showing a haughty and arrogant attitude; it was hard to guarantee that she wouldn't harbor ulterior motives.

Now that Miaoyu has nothing to do, if Siqi goes over there, she'll definitely start a fight with her. That way, firstly, it will prevent Miaoyu from having any other thoughts, and secondly, Siqi can mediate between them, and who knows, she might even enjoy the blessings of having two wives.

Then, after a moment's thought, he said, "That's right, I can't let you down."

Siqi was immediately delighted, gave Chen Siyuan a flirtatious wink, and then smiled as she drew back the curtains. A moment later, they arrived at their destination, where Chen Siyuan knocked on the door and entered, settling Siqi in the west wing.

As the saying goes, "He who eats another's food is bound to him, and he who takes another's money is bound to him." Miaoyu and her two servants are now living off Chen Siyuan. Qingfan and Granny Han dare not say anything, and although Miaoyu's expression is not good, she tacitly approves of Siqi's move-in.

Chen Siyuan never indulged Miaoyu; he gave her a few instructions and then left leisurely.

When they arrived at their new house, Sister You Er and Sister You San quickly greeted them as soon as they entered.

Sister You stepped forward and pulled Chen Siyuan aside, scrutinizing him from head to toe. Only then did she feel relieved and said, "I only heard yesterday afternoon that the Ningguo Mansion had been robbed. Second Sister went there and came back saying that Brother was also involved. I just sent a maid to invite him, but who knew that Brother had already left the mansion."

Chen Siyuan smiled and said, "I'm always cautious. I wouldn't have led my men to chase after them unless they had shown a weakness. Don't worry, I'm fine."

Second Sister You lowered her head meekly, while Third Sister You was full of admiration. With a beaming smile, she pulled Chen Siyuan inside. Soon they entered the main room. One of them massaged Chen Siyuan's shoulders, while the other served him fragrant tea. After chatting for a while, Third Sister You said, "I have some good news to tell you, brother. This morning, the broker sent word that the General of the State's Mansion has finally relented. Thirty-four thousand five hundred taels of silver, and the contract can be completed tomorrow."

Chen Siyuan raised an eyebrow and said happily, "We've saved another five hundred taels. My sister is so capable. I think I won't need to help her in the future; she can manage her business all by herself."

Sister You Sanjie readily agreed.

Chen Siyuan, remembering the glass workshop, said, "I will bring silver notes tomorrow to complete the contract first, and then give my sister two thousand taels of personal savings. You should also take over the glass workshop as soon as possible."

Sister You smiled and said, "That's fine. I'm also afraid that things might change if I delay. If the workshop falls into the hands of someone else, I won't be able to rebuild it from scratch."

Sister You, standing to the side, asked, "Master, has Qingwen had any free time lately?"

This was all for the sake of the wedding. Chen Siyuan said, "You can go find Qingwen anytime... but there's one thing: in the future, have less contact with the Ningguo Mansion."

Sister You hesitated for a moment, then finally obediently agreed. Yesterday, Madam You had talked to her for a long time, implying that she wanted to rekindle her relationship with Chen Siyuan. Sister You couldn't refuse, and she had already accepted the benefits. Now that Chen Siyuan's attitude was firm, she had no choice but to suffer in silence and couldn't say anything more.

She thought to herself, since her eldest daughter is at home now, no matter how determined Chen Siyuan is, he can't just not let his own mother come to see her, right? She didn't care whether the two of them could rekindle their relationship when they met, since she had already given them a chance.

Because the two sisters still had to observe mourning, Chen Siyuan only had dinner with the two women and then teased Luan'er for a while before returning to the Rongguo Mansion.

............................................................

A few days later, with Jia Zhen's return, the case of the attack on Ningguo Mansion was handled by Jia Zhen himself.

Chen Siyuan became anxious again, reading every day without ceasing. In his spare time, he would either go to find Lin Daiyu or Baochai, and occasionally he would sneak off to see Aunt Xue at night.

That day, Jia Zhen sent someone with a message saying that Liu Xianglian had suffered a severe neck injury, leaving him paralyzed in all four limbs and unable to speak, and that he was on the verge of death.

Aunt Xue was immediately furious! Liu Xianglian had harmed Xue Pan, how could Aunt Xue allow him to die so peacefully?
They then led Baochai to find Chen Siyuan, and then consulted with Jia Zhen. Jia Zhen made some arrangements with the Shuntian Prefecture and reported to the Ministry of Justice that Liu Xianglian had died from a serious injury that was difficult to heal. In reality, they secretly found an executioner to behead Liu Xianglian and placed his head in front of Xue Pan's memorial tablet at the Xue family's old residence for three days before throwing it, along with the body, into a mass grave.

Having avenged their great wrong, Aunt Xue and her daughter Baochai embraced and wept bitterly, feeling that this was enough to comfort Xue Pan's spirit in heaven. Afterwards, their mood gradually improved.

Another day, Lady Wang returned by carriage. However, Grandmother Jia was truly worried about her, so she stepped forward to plead for Lady Wang's return to oversee the two mansions.

Upon returning to the mansion, Madam Wang first summoned Madam You, inquired about the situation, and comforted her. Seeing that the affairs of the East Mansion were being handled properly, she gradually felt relieved.

Soon after, Aunt Xue, along with Baochai, Daiyu, and others, came to see her. After exchanging pleasantries, Lady Wang sent all the younger generation away, leaving only Aunt Xue to continue the conversation.

Lady Wang originally intended for Liu Xianglian to be executed, so she wanted to comfort Aunt Xue.

However, Aunt Xue had recently been suffering from severe morning sickness again. Fearing that Madam Wang would discover her secret, she spoke evasively and perfunctorily, hoping to return to Longcui Nunnery as soon as possible.

As the saying goes, what you fear most is what happens. For some reason, Yu Chuan brought out a plate of rose pastries, and Aunt Xue covered her mouth and gagged after just one sniff.

Madam Wang hurriedly said, "What's wrong? Quickly drink some tea to calm down."

Aunt Xue waved her hands frantically, saying, "I... I guess I'm used to eating vegetarian food, and I can't stand the smell of oil... Ugh—"

Just as Madam Wang was about to speak again, she suddenly felt a chill and remembered that she had personally witnessed her beloved younger sister's undulating movements on Chen Siyuan's body that day. Seeing Aunt Xue's evasive and retching appearance, she immediately became suspicious.

We're sisters, after all. How can we publicize such a shameful thing?
Madam Wang then dismissed Tanxin and Yuchuan, and after Aunt Xue's nausea subsided, she asked in a low voice with a serious expression, "Are you... pregnant?"

Aunt Xue had no words to express her suffering, and knowing she couldn't hide it from everyone, she simply bit her lower lip and remained silent.

Madam Wang frowned and sighed, "What a tragedy! How many months has it been? How do you plan to cover this up?"

Aunt Xue figured that Madam Wang had already discovered her shameful affair, so she decided to throw caution to the wind and said, "It's almost been three months... I plan to head south in a few days and come back after I give birth to the child."

"It's good that you have an idea... What can I say?" Madam Wang appeared concerned, but inwardly she was overjoyed. Ever since the marriage proposal fell through, the two sisters had drifted further and further apart. Now that she had something on her younger sister, wouldn't she be able to manipulate her in the future?
(End of this chapter)