Tiger Owl

Chapter 261 Integrating into the Small Family
At dinner, Sun Shangxiang finally met the male owner of the mansion. Despite her deep friendship with Xu Wei and the sincere welcome from Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao, the true owner of the mansion was Gan Ning, and Sun Shangxiang could not get around him no matter what.

Looking at Gan Ning's tall and upright figure, mature and gentle gaze, faint smile on his face, and concern for his three wives, Sun Shangxiang's gaze became somewhat dazed. She recalled the humiliation she had inflicted on Gan Ning years ago at Grand Commandant Yang Biao's residence, where she had repeatedly called him a traitor and slandered him for having three hundred wives. That was their only interaction, yet it was so unbearable.

Although she could excuse herself by saying she was young and naive, the damage was still there. Did he really not care?

Sun Shangxiang, her heart pounding with nervousness, performed a full curtsy to Gan Ning, saying, "Greetings, General Gan!"

Gan Ning smiled gently and said, "Just make yourself at home here. Don't have any worries. Our whole family sincerely welcomes you!"

Gan Ning's gentle smile and sincere attitude put Sun Shangxiang at ease. While eating, she secretly observed Gan Ning, noticing his consistently gentle smile, and thought to herself, 'Perhaps he has already forgotten about that matter.'

As night fell, Xu Wei and Sun Shangxiang slept together and talked all night long.

Xu Wei told her about her life here, from being treated like a guest at first, to being gradually accepted, to becoming a member of the family, and finally becoming his wife. She told her about all the twists and turns, her father's opposition, and her own unwavering commitment.

Sun Shangxiang listened quietly, then suddenly asked, "Has your father never agreed to your marriage?"

Xu Wei nodded gently. "He has always been against it. I wrote to him, but he didn't reply. My husband sent someone to propose marriage, but he ignored it. He has always been resentful that I gave up my position as the principal wife."

"Then why did you give up your position as the principal wife?" Sun Shangxiang asked again in a low voice.

"Because I know that it doesn't belong to me, not because of my status, not because of my family background, and not because of the so-called matching social status. In our family, there is only one rule regarding who is senior and who is junior: the order of seniority and age."

My eldest sister is tolerant, gentle, and kind. She truly considers me her younger sister, and I, in turn, deeply acknowledge her as my eldest sister.

At this point, Xu Wei grasped Sun Shangxiang's hand again and said, "Shangxiang, I know I am the eldest daughter of the Xu family, and the Xu family has a very high status in Jiangdong. But if Cao Cao's daughter marries into the family, what am I, a daughter of the Xu family? Perhaps one day, the emperor's daughter will also marry into the family. What will Cao Cao's daughter be then? So it is a foolish thing to judge people by their status. I am very fortunate that our family is not like that. Our family may seem unequal, but in fact, it is the only true equality."

"True equality!"

Sun Shangxiang muttered to herself, clearly this was beyond her comprehension, and she needed time to understand it. After a long while, she sighed softly, "Then what about your father? He has always been against it, doesn't that make you sad?"

Xu Wei gazed at the roof and said softly, "I often think that our lives are like a quietly flowing stream. It is so short, it will never turn back, and it will never give you a perfect ending. All the regrets and sorrows are like sand and gravel, which will eventually settle at the bottom of the water. I just want to cherish every day now. I don't care about what other people think, not even my father."

Sun Shangxiang was deeply moved. No one had ever told her these life lessons before. Over the years, she had been living in a daze, either talking about superficial status, wealth, clothes, and jewelry with her aristocratic girlfriends. But with her friend, she saw a completely different life, which completely overturned her understanding. It was like a gentle breeze that dispelled the fog of confusion she had been living for so many years, allowing her to see another path in life.

"Yunqing, you have to teach me more in the future!"

Xu Wei gently squeezed her hand. "Take it slow! Stay here with me for a year or two, and I believe you will find your true self."

Sun Shangxiang settled down in the Sun Shangxiang Mansion. She concealed her real name and changed it to Aren, which was actually her nickname. Her name was Sun Ren, and her courtesy name was Shangxiang.

A few days later, the New Year arrived, marking the tenth year of Jian'an. On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, as she did every year, Da Qiao distributed New Year's bonuses to the servants in her household, a moment that everyone looked forward to the most each year.

Every year, Xiao Qiao and Xu Wei help out, and this year Sun Shangxiang is also helping out.

Sun Shangxiang was a little uneasy because yesterday afternoon, when Gan Ning gave Xu Weinian a gift, he also gave her a small red envelope containing a gold ingot of twenty taels.

The twenty taels were far less than the gifts Xu Wei received, but the sentiment touched Sun Shangxiang deeply. This family did not isolate her because she was a guest, but gave her a small space, which, though small, was invaluable.

"Ah Ren, what are you thinking about?" Xiao Qiao asked with a smile beside her.

"I--"

Sun Shangxiang lowered her head a little embarrassedly, "It's nothing, it's just that it's the first day of the Lunar New Year this year, I wonder if my mother will miss me?"

Xiao Qiao scratched her head. "That's true! Why don't we ask our husbands if they know of any way to send a message?"

Sun Shangxiang shook her head, "I'm fine, no need to trouble General Gan."

Xiao Qiao is a kind-hearted person. She didn't forget that after lunch, it was their rule to eat lunch, even if it was simple.

Xiao Qiao found Da Qiao, who was changing her child's diaper. "Sister, A Ren misses his mother a little. Should we think of a way to send a message to his mother so that she can rest assured?"

Da Qiao thought for a moment and nodded, "I understand. I'll talk to my husband about it later. You and Yun Qing should spend more time with her these next few days."

In the afternoon, Gan Ning returned from the army banquet as usual. He was no longer drunk, only slightly tipsy. He went straight to his study to rest and sat down in a wide chair.

The wide chair was invented by Gan Ning himself. He raised the seat to two feet and installed a wide and tall backrest that was slightly tilted back, making it very suitable for reclining. Armrests were installed on both sides, and because the chair was wide, it also had thick cushions.

This wide chair has become popular in various prefectures and counties of Western Chu. Officials followed suit, which also inspired the common people to follow suit. They even gave it a very nice name: the Chu Marquis Chair.

As soon as Gan Ning sat down, Da Qiao brought in a hangover-relieving and stomach-soothing soup.

"You're in great shape today!" Da Qiao laughed. "Better than I expected!"

"It's alright, I only drank a dozen or so glasses of wine. The rules are different from before. We now have a group toasting system instead of the previous rounds of toasting."

Gan Ning took the stomach-soothing soup, drank a few sips, and felt much better after the hot soup went down his throat. Seeing that his wife seemed hesitant to speak, he smiled and asked, "Is there something you need?"

(End of this chapter)