Young widow in her boudoir

After bidding farewell to Pei Zhiheng, Xie Rutang descended the mountain with a heavy heart. Sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves, casting a rosy blush on her cheeks, but her heart grew increasingly heavy.

Pei Zhiheng was too cold and sharp, with piercing eyes. Even if she had the slightest inappropriate thoughts, he could see through them at a glance.

She couldn't play any tricks on him, nor could she expect to gain any advantage from him, the head of the Pei family.

Xie Rutang was well aware that her mother-in-law's suggestion for her to attach herself to the Second Master was a scheme to get him, hoping to use this child as leverage to get a share of the Pei family's property, and also to have Pei Zhiheng secretly arrange her child's future.

The Shen family is already in decline and on the verge of ruin, while the Pei family is large and powerful, and at the height of its power.

But Madam Shen forgot that Pei Zhiheng, a cold-hearted and aloof man with a stern and solemn face, would never allow a woman like her to gain any advantage or affect his family.

Xie Rutang counted on her fingers.

If he stays at her place for two nights out of every ten days, they can have sex four times this month. With the addition of the herbal medicine, he should be able to get pregnant soon, right?

She could have sex with him a maximum of four more times.

It doesn't seem so acceptable. Just bear with it, and it will pass.

When they were in bed, the man was silent and didn't say anything unnecessary. They were just cooperating with the old lady's task, but their hearts were far apart. Sometimes his broad and strong arms would press down on her hair, and sometimes his firm and solid chest muscles would burn her.

Xie Rutang sighed. On the bright side, she would become pregnant in a month, and she would no longer have to deal with Pei Zhiheng. She would also have gained a child for free. With this "posthumous child," the Shen family would respect her and no longer look down on her.

From this perspective, she is not the one who suffered a loss.

If she were to give birth to a son, Pei Zhiheng would be a renowned genius in the capital from a young age, and an unparalleled talent after reaching adulthood. If her child inherited his talent, he could become an official, and perhaps even pass the imperial examination. She would then be set for life.

If she could just endure it for another twenty years and outlive the old lady, she would go from being a daughter-in-law to a mother-in-law, and then she would be the official's mother. In the future, she would be served by a bunch of people in the Shen family, and she would no longer have to be mindful of the old lady's feelings. No one would know that she and Pei Zhiheng had once had a secret affair.

If she were to give birth to a daughter, she would have to teach her by example and raise her well. She didn't ask her daughter to marry a wealthy man; what mattered was that she must be proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. The young girl should have her own opinions and not be swayed by the opinions of others, so that she wouldn't be manipulated like her mother.

The path is lined with trees, and the shadows of the trees sway beneath our feet.

Xie Rutang stroked her lower abdomen, her face softening, hoping the child would arrive soon so she could break up with Pei Zhiheng as soon as possible.

Even if this child is not legitimate, he will still be her and Shen Yuan's child, not someone else's. She will protect this child and gently welcome his arrival.

……

Xie Rutang had just returned to Dao'an Temple when she ran into Ye Wanyu, who had just come from the Pagoda Courtyard.

Ye Wanyu called out to her, "Sister-in-law."

His gaze fell on the food box beside her, and noticing the dew clinging to her skirt from the rocks, Ye Wanyu smiled, but her eyes were filled with a blatant scrutiny. "What are you doing up the mountain with that food box, sister-in-law?"

Ye Wanyu's makeup was exquisite, and she adjusted the Buddha-head lotus hairpin at her temple.

She didn’t believe that Xie Rutang, who was so flamboyant, could really remain a widow.

Xie Rutang said calmly, "I saw some pitiful-looking stray cats on the mountain just now, so I took some pastries to feed them."

If she said she was going to deliver food to the Second Master, Ye Wanyu would definitely become suspicious.

To her surprise, Ye Wanyu mocked her, saying, "Sister-in-law is indeed kind-hearted. When others go up the mountain to worship Buddha, they burn incense and chant scriptures, praying for the safety of their families. But you, sister-in-law, are so idle. You ignore the many mundane affairs in the mansion and instead go to the mountains to worry about the life and death of these beasts."

Xie Rutang raised her eyes and calmly retorted, "How come my sister-in-law has been going to the temple to worship Buddha these past few days, yet she hasn't shown any improvement in her compassion? Buddha teaches that all beings are equal. My sister-in-law burns incense and chants prayers in public, full of compassion and good deeds, but behind your back, you treat the lives of a few cats like dirt. Aren't you afraid that others will discover your two-faced, hypocritical and pretentious nature?"

"Besides, my sister-in-law also has children. As a mother, isn't she afraid of causing Jia-ge'er to have bad reputations?"

Ye Wanyu was so angry that she wanted to tear her face apart.

They actually brought up her child!

Perhaps because this was a temple, Ye Wanyu was genuinely frightened by Xie Rutang's words. She felt as if Buddha was watching from heaven, and a chill ran down her spine. She was filled with regret.

Xie Rutang ignored her and returned to his meditation room.

The next day, the women of the Shen family rode in a carriage down the mountain and returned to the capital.

The Shen family erected a memorial tablet for Shen Yuan at the temple, inscribed with his name. It received incense offerings and sutra chanting every day. Before leaving, Xie Rutang bowed to Shen Yuan's memorial tablet again, offered flowers and fruits, and then forced back her tears as she rode back in the carriage.

Pei Zhiheng's carriage was at the very front, a black-lacquered carriage with a gold roof, surrounded by servants.

In contrast, Xie Rutang, as the eldest daughter's sister-in-law, rode in the simplest and most plain carriage. The blue silk curtains were slightly worn from washing. Her carriage was placed at the very end of the procession, far away from Pei Zhiheng.

His affair with her was taboo and secret.

And that day will never be exposed to the public.

……

Back at Cuiwu Courtyard, her life returned to normal.

Five days have passed since she last slept with Pei Zhiheng. She wonders if he will come over tonight.

She was anxious to have a child, and there wasn't much time left, otherwise a posthumous child wouldn't be able to be born naturally. But if she really sent someone to invite him over, it would make her seem unreserved and dignified, which wouldn't be good either.

He had already said something about her once before.

Xie Rutang was clutching her skirt under the window of Cuiwu Courtyard.

Forget it, if I urge him, it will only displease him. Pei Zhiheng prefers to take the initiative and be in control, and doesn't like women to take the initiative.

Seeing that the weather outside was like springtime, Jin Yue suggested going outside to swing on the swings. She said that the lady had been living a very repressed life these days, and Xie Rutang readily agreed.

Because Pei Zhiheng had been staying at the Shen family's house for a month, Pei Rang paid a special visit to the mansion that day to find him.

This young master, who was originally a pampered and precious member of the Pei family, was found to be too cumbersome by the servants in the mansion to lead the way. He refused to have anyone accompany him and walked in alone. However, the Shen family mansion was full of twists and turns and interconnected corridors, and he got lost as he walked.

Xie Rutang was swinging on a swing in the backyard garden, with Jin Yue pushing her from behind. The woman's snow-white skirt fluttered in the air, and the soft sunlight fell on her slightly upturned face, making her look like a butterfly taking flight, radiant and beautiful.

Xie Rutang seemed to have rediscovered the vibrant life she had in her youth, her pink lips slightly pursed in a smile, emitting bursts of laughter like that of a nightingale.

As soon as Pei Rang appeared on the carved corridor, he saw a woman's figure on the swing surrounded by vines, her bright eyes sparkling, charming and captivating, like a fairy from heaven descending to earth.

Pei Rang stopped in his tracks, his gaze quickly settling on Xie Rutang's figure, thinking it was just his imagination.

At this moment, the servant who had been left behind caught up, sweating profusely and panting. "Young Master Pei, where have you been? I've finally found you!"

It turns out that the handsome man who mistakenly entered Shen Garden was Pei Zhiheng's nephew.