Springtime Affairs in a Noble Family

Jiang lost interest in the pavilion and left early.

Li didn't say a word from beginning to end, and neither did Aunt Zhang, so the room immediately quieted down.

After finishing the venison, everyone dispersed. Cui Lingrong had an old friend visiting, so she went to greet him.

Upon seeing her, Cui Lingrong was overjoyed and pulled You Shuyi to sit down. "Knowing you were coming to visit relatives, I shamelessly wrote a letter asking you to come. A guest room has already been prepared at home. I won't bother you today; we can have a proper get-together tomorrow."

She and Yu Shuyi were close friends before they got married, but after they got married, they had fewer opportunities to meet.

A few years ago, Yu Shuyi lost her husband. Instead of remarrying, she opened a pharmacy with the support of her husband's family.

This trip north was Yu Shuyi's way of visiting her parents' home with her child.

"Good, good, good, you always make proper arrangements." You Shuyi beckoned to her son, "Feng-ge'er, come and meet your Aunt Cui. She's a very considerate person. You should learn from her how to conduct yourself in society."

Luo Fengning was thirteen years old and taller than his mother. He had delicate features and bowed respectfully, saying, "Greetings, Aunt Cui. I hope you are well."

"That's right, it's been several years since we last met, Feng'er has grown so much." Cui Lingrong told You Shuyi and her son to get some rest.

The next morning, she asked Caixia to invite them over for dinner again. She also called Yu'er over, saying, "Brother Xuan went to the Imperial Academy, so I can't see him. I'll have Ershun make a trip later and ask them to come back for one night."

Yu Shuyi said her son didn't want to take the imperial examinations. "He and I both like herbal medicine, so I didn't force him. However, having a degree would make things much easier, so I still want him to try his best to pass the county-level examination."

Cui Lingrong said, "You are so open-minded and able to think things through."

"We only live once, there's no need to force ourselves to do things that make us unhappy." After dinner, You Shuyi saw the Jiang family mentioned in Cui Lingrong's letter.

The women went into the inner room and sent the children out to play.

Upon learning that You Shuyi had come to visit, Jiang rushed over, looking at You Shuyi anxiously. "How is it? Can I still get pregnant?"

"Grandma Song's body is too cold. Did you love eating ice when you were young, and did you not watch your diet when you were menstruating?" You Shuyi asked.

Jiang nodded in agreement, "But I've been paying attention to many things these past few years."

"Your body won't recover so easily," You Shuyi said. "I'll prescribe some medicine for you and do some acupuncture. After I finish visiting my family after the New Year, I'll make a detour to Bianjing. Also, your husband's health needs to be taken care of; having a child isn't just one person's responsibility."

Jiang asked curiously, "You haven't seen my husband, how do you know he also needs treatment?"

"Doesn't he have a harem? Indulging in lust is harmful to one's health, how can he be any better off?" Yu Shuyi said without even thinking.

Jiang blushed instantly, thinking to herself, "Why does my sister-in-law tell everyone everything? But for You's sake, I won't hold it against her."

While You Shuyi was receiving acupuncture, Cui Lingrong left and saw her daughter return with Luo Feng, asking Qiu's mother and the others to bring him some food.

"Mother, Brother Feng knows a lot about medicine, and he has been to many places." Song Yu was very envious. Since she was born, she had only left Bianjing twice, once to visit her maternal grandparents and once to attend a funeral in Suzhou.

In the hall, Cui Lingrong and a few others chatted casually. By the time You Shuyi finished her acupuncture, two hours had passed. Cui Lingrong didn't ask Jiang to stay for dinner and told her to go home first.

That night, Cui Lingrong and You Shuyi chatted together. When You Shuyi arrived at the Jiangyuan Marquis's residence, she learned that Song Shulan had taken a concubine. "If the Cui family cared about you, I would definitely advise you to divorce and return home."

But the Cui family didn't care about Cui Lingrong. Her biological father didn't love her, her stepmother didn't care for her, and she had no brothers. Returning to the Cui family would be a dead end for her.

"Fortunately, you're the smartest among us. Seeing that you're still in charge, I know you're not being bullied or oppressed." You Shuyi lives a carefree life. Her in-laws are good to her, and her own family values ​​her. Life isn't difficult for her, so she's quite open-minded.

Cui Lingrong smiled faintly, "Life is about overcoming one difficulty after another. Don't worry, I won't lose to anyone."

"And what about your heart? Do you still hold hope for Lord Song?"

The room fell silent. After more than ten years of marriage, during which they had shared a loving relationship and raised three children together, Cui Lingrong said, "I only hope that he can be a good father."

You Shuyi grabbed Cui Lingrong's hand. "Lingrong, don't be too hard on yourself. We're human, and it's impossible to be perfect in everything. Sometimes, you have to allow yourself to be less than perfect. Look at me. People say that practicing medicine affects my reputation, but I don't care. I just want to do what I love. And Mingzhu, that girl, after all these years, she probably hasn't changed at all."

Speaking of Yuan Mingzhu, Cui Lingrong smiled and said, "That's really true. You'll see when you meet her tomorrow."

The next day, Cui Lingrong took You Shuyi out to see Yuan Mingzhu. Before their marriages, the three of them were the closest of friends. Today, Cui Lingrong and Yuan Mingzhu hosted a dinner party for You Shuyi, taking her to a jewelry store and then to Fanlou for a banquet.

However, before all the dishes were served, Jiang Kun, worried about Yuan Mingzhu's health, arrived early to wait for her.

"Is Second Master Jiang afraid we'll eat her alive?" You Shuyi teased with a smile. "Look at your worried face. Of the three of us, Mingzhu is the best match to marry."

Jiang Kun was a rough man and said embarrassedly, "No, I won't bother you. I'll go wait next door and come back to pick up Mingzhu after you're done."

After Jiang Kun left, You Shuyi hooked Yuan Mingzhu's chin and said, "Tsk tsk, as expected, fools are lucky. Your husband is too cautious. With your physique, you could ride a horse without any problems."

Yuan Mingzhu retorted, "Who's stupid? I'm very smart, okay!"

"Really?" Yu Shuyi asked with a smile.

"Of course it's true!" Yuan Mingzhu slapped You Shuyi's hand away and scolded, "You're so annoying! You finally come all this way, and you still call me stupid. If I really wasn't smart, would Jiang Kun care about me so much?"

Yu Shuyi said, "Who knows where you got your seductive skills from? Why don't you tell the other ladies?"

As Cui Lingrong watched her girlfriends playfully bickering, a smile played on her lips, as if she had returned to the time before she got married.

After a few rounds of drinks, Cui Lingrong, in high spirits, drank a few more cups and became somewhat tipsy.

It just so happened that Cui Zeyu was nearby, and he was responsible for taking Cui Lingrong and You Shuyi back.

When getting off the carriage, Cui Zeyu was afraid that her sister would lose her balance, so she tentatively opened her arms to prevent her sister from falling.

Unexpectedly, Cui Lingrong's knees buckled, and she actually fell like Cui Zeyu.

A sweet fragrance entered his arms, and Cui Zeyu froze.

Soon, Qiu's mother came over to support her master, and Cui Zeyu's arms were empty again.

Cui Lingrong didn't forget to tell him, "Zeyu, hurry back and drive carefully."

Cui Zeyu was speechless, staring blankly as her sister and the others entered the mansion.

You Shuyi had a better alcohol tolerance. Seeing Cui Zeyu's flushed face, she found it amusing. After returning to Qiushuangzhai and drinking some hangover soup, she deliberately asked, "Your adopted brother is quite handsome. Isn't he of marriageable age?"

"Yes, he'll be twenty-two after the New Year." Cui Lingrong leaned back on the soft couch, closing her eyes to rest, so she didn't see You Shuyi's meaningful expression. "But every time I bring it up, he reacts very strongly, saying he's not in a hurry to get married. I really can't do anything about it."

"Maybe he has someone else in his heart," Yu Shuyi said, seemingly casually.

"I've thought about that too, but he won't say. The child is grown up; I can't understand his thoughts." At this point, Cui Lingrong finally opened her eyes and looked over. "Why are you so concerned about him?"

Yu Shuyi said she was just asking casually. She knew Cui Lingrong was a serious person and wouldn't joke about such things. "He's handsome, so I just wanted to ask him a few more questions."

Cui Lingrong couldn't help but scrutinize You Shuyi. "You wouldn't be...?"

"Stop, don't overthink it." You Shuyi quickly raised her hand. "I'm living a good life now. My mother-in-law is understanding that I lost my husband young, so I don't have to take care of her all the time. Feng-ge'er is also sensible and filial. Why should I bother finding another man to take care of me?"

At this point, she mentioned Yuan Yuzhu, asking, "Has Sister Yuan really thought this through?"

Cui Lingrong said, "The Duke of Dingguo's mansion is in a mess, and she wants to live a more comfortable life in her later years."

"That's right. Being a woman is already tough enough; we rarely get to be willful," Yu Shuyi said, yawning. "So I'd like to give you another piece of advice: life is short, so enjoy it while you can. Don't just think about the kids; think about what you want for yourself too."

She said she was going back to sleep, but after getting up, she came over and cupped Cui Lingrong's face in her hands. "Remember what I said, never mistreat yourself. Song Shulan isn't worth your sacrifice, understand?"

"You're still the same as when you were a child!" Cui Lingrong rubbed her face. She was such a quiet person, yet she had two lively and outgoing friends. Seeing You Shuyi staring at her, she could only nod, "Okay, I'll think of myself first in everything, alright?"

You Shuyi was finally satisfied and went to sleep.

She stayed at the Jiangyuan Marquis's residence for three days and had to get home before New Year's Eve. On the day she left, Yuan Mingzhu also came to see her off.

When Cui Lingrong returned to Qiushuangzhai, she felt empty inside. She felt a little better when Qiu's mother said that they could see each other again after the New Year.

"Huh, what's this?" Autumn's mother found a piece of paper under the pillow and handed it to her master.

Cui Lingrong opened it and saw that it was a prescription left by You Shuyi, telling her to use it when necessary.

She immediately understood what You Shuyi meant.