Springtime Affairs in a Noble Family

Song Shulan was displeased, but he didn't move. "Lingrong, I haven't been here for a long time. Don't you want me to keep you company?"

To be honest, Song Shulan hadn't been here for a long time, and seeing that Cui Lingrong was still as beautiful and charming as ever, he had some thoughts about her.

Cui Lingrong replied, "How could the Marquis not have come for so long? You've come to sit for a while, it's all the same. Besides, I'm not the kind of person who's jealous; after all, I can tolerate a lot."

Song Shulan's face was extremely pale. "If you... if you have any complaints, you can just tell me directly. We've been married for over ten years. What could be more important than you and me? Or is there anyone who could surpass me in your heart?"

Husband is Heaven.

Song Shulan's eyes were fixed on Cui Lingrong. In the past, Cui Lingrong had always treated him like her own god, and he had become accustomed to Cui Lingrong's unwavering devotion to him.

Now he asks Cui Lingrong who is more important to her than him.

Cui Lingrong hesitated.

Seeing that Cui Lingrong did not answer, Song Shulan turned and left.

No one dared to utter a sound inside. After Qiu Mama glanced at Caixia and the other girl and they both left, Qiu Mama whispered, "This old servant knows that Madam is disheartened with the Marquis, but you still have to live in the Marquis's mansion. We should still give you face. Since the Marquis is here today, no one else in the Marquis's mansion will dare to underestimate Qiu Shuangzhai."

"Aunt Qiu, I know that. But do you know, last time the Marquis stayed overnight, we slept back to back all night." Cui Lingrong laughed self-deprecatingly, "I just can't bring myself to be intimate with him."

Since returning home, Song Shulan has not shown an attitude that satisfies her.

Although Song Shulan said that marrying a concubine was not his wish, he showed concern for Princess Rongjia in every way.

As for Cui Lingrong, Song Shulan would only contact her when needed.

They had once shared loving times; she stayed home while Song Shulan lived elsewhere, and the family lived a warm and happy life.

She knew some of Song Shulan's shortcomings and was willing to be tolerant and forgiving, but now, she only felt that the distance between the two of them was growing further and further apart.

"What should we do then?" Qiu's mother couldn't help but worry. "You can't just push the Marquis away as soon as he arrives."

"Aunt Qiu, the Marquis said I've changed, and I really have." Cui Lingrong thought of her former self. "Before I got married, my aunt was strict, but she was very kind to me. My uncle was also a kind man. I never suffered any disdain while living in my aunt's house. Back then, I had expectations and aspirations for many things."

"Yes, Auntie is a very good person." Mother Qiu also misses those days. Although the eldest mistress was quiet, the second mistress Jiang and the eldest mistress Luo were lively. With them taking the eldest mistress out in spring, fishing in summer, and picking osmanthus flowers in autumn, there were happy days all year round.

Autumn's mother suddenly thought of a word.

How so?

It's...it's vitality!

Even after she married, despite the Jiangyuan Marquis's mansion being a mess, the eldest mistress remained hopeful for life. Step by step, through her planning, life seemed to be getting better and better, until Princess Rongjia appeared out of nowhere.

Over the past few months, Qiu's mother has been stunned several times when she sees her great-grandmother.

Her great-grandmother is truly a very good and capable person.

In fact, if the eldest mistress were to leave the Jiangyuan Marquis's mansion and abandon her three children, just as Young Master Yu said, and go to a place where no one knew them, she could live a very good life with her abilities.

But Grandma couldn't do that.

"My aunt also said that there is no problem in the world that cannot be solved, it is just a matter of time." Cui Lingrong missed her aunt. She wanted to sit in front of her aunt's grave and tell her that some things seem to be useless no matter how much time passes. She could never go back to the way she was before and still have love for Song Shulan.

It was late at night, and Qiu's mother said, "Let's set the table first. No matter what, you can't go hungry."

"Okay, I'll eat more." Cui Lingrong and Qiu's mother forced a smile. "I need to eat and drink my fill so I have the strength to fight against Princess Rongjia and her people."

Autumn's mother said yes.

Cui Lingrong told herself not to think about the pain, and even less to dwell on it.

She is resilient and will never lose.

The night passed, and You Shuyi came to Jiang's house to give her acupuncture. This time, she did not stay.

Before leaving, he specifically told Cui Lingrong to cherish herself.

Two days after You Shuyi left, Song Zhizhi returned with her children.

She returned to her husband's family home first, and then came to the Jiangyuan Marquis's residence with her son and daughter the next day.

It had been three years since they last met, and Song Zhizhi had lost some weight, which made Old Madam Song feel particularly sorry for her. "Life outside the capital is tough, it's definitely not as good as Bianjing. I've already told your sister-in-law to prepare your favorite foods in advance. This time you're back, stay with your mother for a while longer and take good care of yourself."

Song Zhizhi nestled in her mother's arms, whining and acting coquettishly, "I would like to spend every day with you, Mother, but there are still a lot of things to take care of at the Sun family. I'll come and spend time with you after I've finished dealing with those matters."

Grandma Song couldn't bear to see her daughter working so hard. "Let your younger brother and sister-in-law continue managing the Sun family's affairs. Why are you taking on this burden?"

"It was Dalang's idea. He said that I am the eldest daughter-in-law of the Sun family and that I should come back to take over the Sun family's affairs. Mother is reluctant to part with me, so let Qin'er accompany you. She keeps telling me that she misses you." Song Zhizhi beckoned to her daughter, and a girl in her teens came to the old lady Song's side.

The mother and daughter looked very alike. Sun Zhiqin sweetly called out "Grandmother," and Grandma Song immediately hugged her and called her "Baby" and "Good boy."

Only then did Song Zhizhi go to look at the other people in the room.

Before returning home, she received a letter from her mother informing her that her elder brother had taken a concubine.

She and Princess Rongjia had known each other since childhood, but Princess Rongjia was of noble status, and she was always the one following Princess Rongjia around. Now that Princess Rongjia had become her sister-in-law, she went over to greet her warmly, "Knowing that the princess has become my sister-in-law, I am very happy. I always thought that you would definitely become my..."

"Zhizhi, don't just focus on greeting the princess, there are other people too!" Old Madam Song interrupted her daughter.

Song Zhizhi then went to see Cui Lingrong. Three years had passed, and Cui Lingrong's appearance was as beautiful as ever, something Song Zhizhi particularly envied. "Sister-in-law, it's been three years! I wonder what skincare products you use to remain so beautiful?"

Cui Lingrong didn't look into Song Zhizhi's eyes. She sat upright and said, "It's just the same grains as you."

"Does Sister-in-law mean that if we eat the same things, you're naturally beautiful while I'm just ordinary?" Song Zhizhi had always been at odds with Cui Lingrong. She had asked Cui Lingrong for many things, but Cui Lingrong was unwilling to give them to her willingly, which made her resentful for a long time.

Moreover, Cui Lingrong has a good temper. No matter how much Song Zhizhi provoked her in the past, Cui Lingrong would never argue with her.

This time, Song Zhizhi naturally assumed the same thing.

"If that's what you mean, then that's the case." Cui Lingrong finally looked up, her thin lips curving into a smile. "After all, the old lady also said that in terms of looks, you are not as good as me."

"you!"

"Zhizhi!"

Song Shulan came in and, seeing her sister pointing at Cui Lingrong, frowned and reminded her, "How dare you speak to your sister-in-law like that?"

His younger sister always liked to compete with Cui Lingrong for things, but Cui Lingrong didn't like to argue. Song Shulan subconsciously assumed that it was his sister bullying Cui Lingrong again.

Cui Lingrong chimed in, "Yes, Zhizhi, you've been away from home with your husband for so many years, how come you haven't improved at all?"

She rarely stirred up trouble, but before Song Zhizhi could get angry, she called Qiu's mother to the kitchen, too lazy to watch the mother-daughter harmony.

As soon as Cui Lingrong left, Song Zhizhi's expression changed immediately. "What's so great about her? Now that you have Princess Rongjia, you definitely don't like Cui anymore, right?"

Song Shulan frowned. "What nonsense are you spouting now?"

"How did I say anything wrong?" Song Zhizhi had watched her elder brother, Princess Rongjia, grow up together. If it weren't for their argument later, there wouldn't have been any Cui family involved. "You used to..."

"Zhizhi, the children are all here!" Song Shulan reminded her.

Song Zhizhi then looked at Song Yu and the two children from the third branch of the family inside the house. Her gaze finally settled on Song Yu. "Oh, Yu-jie, you truly are Cui's precious darling. Are you wearing brocade?"

Song Yu disliked this aunt and said yes with a stern face.

"Look, it's all thanks to a merchant uncle, otherwise who in the Marquis's mansion could afford brocade? Your mother is really unfilial, only thinking of you to wear such fine fabric, never even thinking of your grandmother." As she spoke, Song Zhizhi had already walked up to Song Yu.

Under everyone's gaze, Song Zhizhi removed the turquoise hairpin from Song Yu's hair. "This hairpin is nice, it suits Sister Qin very well. Consider it a gift from you to Sister Qin."

Song Yu was caught off guard and stood there stunned for a while before rushing over to grab it. As a result, the hairpin fell to the ground and shattered into several pieces.

Song Zhizhi, feigning malice, accused him first, "You child, how can you be so ill-mannered? Look, a perfectly good hairpin, now it's broken, nobody can have it."

"Father!" Song Yu's eyes reddened. "What you saw was that Aunt went too far, actually snatching her daughter's hairpin in public!"

Song Shulan also felt that his sister had gone too far, but today was her first day back, and his mother was in a good mood. He didn't want things to get ugly. "Don't cry. It's just a hairpin. You can have your mother buy another one."

Song Yu was stunned. She felt wronged and wanted to cry, but when she realized that everyone was looking at her, especially her aunt who looked at her with amusement, she stubbornly held back her tears.

At this moment, Princess Rongjia presented Song Zhizhi with the jewelry she had prepared. Song Zhizhi then looked at Song Yu and asked, "Did your mother prepare a gift for me?"

Song Yu didn't want to talk to her aunt and turned to leave, but her aunt stopped her.

"You turn around and leave when your elders are talking to you? Is this the manners your mother taught you?" Song Zhizhi looked up to reprimand Song Yu, just as Cui Lingrong walked in.

Cui Lingrong reacted quickly, raising her hand to block Song Zhizhi's hand and forcefully throwing it backward. Then, looking at her daughter's disheveled hair and the hairpin on the ground, she slapped her across the face.

"Snapped!"

It stunned everyone.