Mon premier mari après ma transmigration

Chapitre 26

"Grape blossoms? Grapes never have blossoms. Why have I never seen them?"

After a few clear laughs, the man from before continued, "Grapes do have flowers. It's just that their flowers are very small, and like the leaves, a tender green, which is why they are often overlooked. People even think that they bear fruit without flowers. But don't be fooled by their inconspicuous appearance; their fragrance is subtle and delightful, truly refreshing..."

Although Danmei hadn't seen him, she knew it was Prince Jing just from his voice. She was slightly surprised that he would notice such an inconspicuous flower as grapes. Taking a few more steps and turning a corner, she saw him in the distance, dressed in a blue robe, half-leaning, half-reclining under a grape trellis. He held a book in his hand, but wasn't reading it; it was just casually draped over his lap. He was talking while looking up at the grape trellis above. One leg of his trousers was loosely rolled up, revealing half of his slightly thin calf. A boy was fanning a clay stove beside him, and the aroma of medicine wafted from the clay pot on the stove; presumably, this was the boy who had spoken to her.

"Master Zhao, this lady has something to ask you."

The boy in front of Danmei started shouting. He sounded very friendly, so he probably didn't know her identity and just thought she was an ordinary person seeking medical treatment.

Prince Jing turned his head and looked over, startled. He hurriedly bent down and reached down to pull down one of his trouser legs before sitting up straight. He looked up and nodded at Danmei, a smile appearing on his face.

Danmei noticed that when he first saw her, his eyes had clearly shown great surprise, but now his expression was normal, and he didn't seem displeased at being disturbed. Because she was worried about her parents, she disregarded this and stepped into the courtyard, stopping a distance away from him. She gave a curtsy and said, "It is extremely impolite of me to come here so abruptly, and I hope Your Highness will forgive me. I just overheard the old physician mention that my father's health has been poor since the New Year, but I don't know his current condition. I thought that Your Highness had only left the capital last month, so perhaps you know something, which is why I dared to come here so rashly. I wonder if Your Highness knows how my father is doing now?"

Danmei was extremely anxious, so she spoke quickly. After she finished speaking, she looked at Prince Jing with some unease.

Prince Jing was slightly surprised. He saw her standing at a distance, a hint of worry in her eyes. He took the armrest of the chair and slowly stood up. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Madam, please don't be alarmed. Although the old master retired due to illness, His Majesty's favor has not diminished. He still sends imperial physicians to visit him from time to time. When I left the capital last month, I heard that the old master's health has stabilized somewhat, and it seems that he intends to return to his hometown to retire..."

Danmei breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, saying, "Thank you for informing me, Your Highness. I am now at ease. I will take my leave without disturbing Your Highness's peace." She then curtsied again.

Prince Jing gazed at Danmei, noticing her pale green spring dress and the single pair of filigree earrings adorning her ears. Though not strikingly beautiful, she possessed an exquisite elegance. He recalled the breathtakingly beautiful peonies he had seen during his garden stroll a few days prior, and imagined they must have been crafted by her slender, delicate hands. His eyes then fell upon her sleeves, where he glimpsed half-exposed, jade-white fingers. He slightly parted his lips, as if to speak, but ultimately remained silent, merely smiling and nodding gently at her. Watching her pale green figure turn past the blue brick wall and gradually disappear into the distance, he stood still, slightly lost in thought.

"My lord, you just said that the fragrance of grape blossoms is delightful. Pick one for me to smell. I can't reach it..."

When the boy preparing the medicine saw that Danmei had left, he stood up and jumped up to pick the flower, but he couldn't reach it. So he looked at King Jing and said with a grin.

King Jing looked up at the tiny green flowers hidden among the leaves, flicked the boy's forehead, shook his head and laughed, "Since the flowers are born on the branches, the branches are their best place. If you pick them, wouldn't that be a real eyesore?"

Danmei learned from Prince Jing that her father's health had stabilized somewhat and that he was returning to his hometown in Suzhou, Pingjiang Prefecture, to retire. She figured he was out of danger for the time being, so Madam Qin wouldn't be too worried, and she felt a sense of relief. Suddenly, she thought of Xu Jinrong. Although he wasn't in the capital, he couldn't possibly be unaware of such matters. Why had he kept it from her? A sudden unease arose in her heart. She took a few slow steps, then noticed Xiqing beside her had stopped. Curious, she looked up and asked, "What's wrong…" Before she could finish, she too was greatly surprised and stopped in her tracks.

Standing in the middle of the blue-brick road was a man in official robes, none other than Xu Jinrong, whom he had just thought of. He seemed to have just rushed over, and now, having bumped into him head-on, he was frowning slightly, staring straight at him with a somewhat unfriendly expression.

"you……"

Danmei suppressed her earlier displeasure and was about to ask him why he wasn't at the prefectural government office but instead appeared here when Xu Jinrong had already taken a few steps in front of her, grabbed her hand, and pulled her away without a word. Danmei struggled slightly, but her hand suddenly hurt; he had gripped her even tighter. She was even more annoyed, but remembering that they were in someone else's house, and Prince Jing and the boy who brewed medicine were standing next door, she was afraid of making a noise that would attract attention and embarrass her. So she held back and followed him hurriedly to a stone slab at a corner. Seeing that no one was around, and even Xiqing had fallen behind, she lowered her voice and said, "Let go of my hand. I can walk by myself!"

Xu Jinrong stopped, stared at her for a moment, then let go of her hand and strode forward.

Danmei rubbed her hand, which had been pinched so hard by him, and suppressed her anger as she followed him out. When they reached the courtyard outside, she saw him stop and turn to Xiqing, who had just realized what was happening and rushed over, saying, "Help Madam into the carriage, and wait for me to go back together."

Xiqing saw that although his tone was flat and sounded the same as usual, and his expression was indiscernible, she felt uneasy. She felt that something was wrong with him, so she didn't dare to look at him anymore. She quickly responded and went to Danmei's side.

Danmei didn't glance at Xu Jinrong again, nor did she need Xiqing's help. She turned and headed towards the door. Jiang Rui had already arrived outside and was standing by the carriage, looking somewhat uneasy. Seeing her come out, he hurriedly came to greet her.

Danmei settled into the carriage and ordered the driver to leave, but Jiang Rui hesitated. Seeing Danmei's urging, he whispered, "Madam, please wait a moment. The master just said to wait for him to return together..."

"His words are words, but mine are not?"

Danmei felt a surge of anger rising within her and sneered.

Jiang Rui remained silent outside the carriage, presumably feeling somewhat apprehensive.

Xiqing had followed Danmei for so long, and this was the first time he had seen her so fierce. He was quite surprised. After thinking for a moment, he looked at Danmei's face and said cautiously, "Guard Jiang has always been very respectful to Madam. He is only acting according to the master's orders. Madam..."

As soon as Danmei uttered those words, she realized she had lost control again. Jiang Rui was a steady and generally decent person; although he would report her whereabouts to Xu Jinrong, it was merely him fulfilling his duty as a servant. It was indeed inappropriate for her to vent her displeasure with Xu Jinrong on someone else. She sighed deeply and fell silent, simply closing her eyes and leaning against the carriage wall to wait.

Soon, footsteps were heard outside, indicating that Xu Jinrong had finished his farewell and come out. She felt a sudden movement, and the carriage was already moving forward. Upon arriving at the prefectural government office, Danmei alighted from the carriage and went straight inside to her room, ignoring Xu Jinrong's expression. She had expected him to follow her and question her about her private meeting with Prince Jing, but after waiting for half a day, he hadn't appeared, which was somewhat unexpected. She then spent half the day reading with Hui-jie, and seeing Hui-jie smiling and chatting with her, her earlier anger gradually subsided.

On her way back, she quickly realized why he had suddenly appeared. She recalled how he had held a grudge against Prince Jing for giving her a new bridal gown last year while they were still in the capital, and he must still harbor some resentment. After she was seen off in his carriage, he must have suddenly remembered Prince Jing's medical needs and, fearing they might have some interaction, rushed over without even changing out of his official robes. His guess was correct; she had indeed met Prince Jing by chance. Aside from exchanging a couple of questions about her father, they hadn't spoken further. Prince Jing was an upright gentleman, and she had a clear conscience. He had rushed to the outside of the flower wall and met her there; she wondered if he had overheard their conversation inside. If he had, all the better; if not, in his presence, she would at most be labeled as having improper behavior, but there was absolutely no grounds for him to smear her reputation. It's better if he doesn't come. If he had, she would have wanted to question him a few times about why he kept her father's illness a secret from her!

As usual, Danmei ate dinner with Sister Hui in the evening, and then drank the decoction made from the medicine she had gotten according to the new prescription for the day. She then went back to her room. This time, after taking the medicine, her stomach did not feel nauseous, but her eyelids slowly began to droop, and she felt sleepy. She yawned several times, and unable to stay awake any longer, she went to bed and fell asleep.

Danmei was sleeping soundly when she vaguely felt something slowly moving across her face, as if insects were crawling on her. She struggled to open her eyes and saw that Xu Jinrong had returned to his room sometime earlier and was sitting close to her. The feeling she had just experienced was his hand moving on her face.

Although Danmei had slept for a while, her drowsiness hadn't lessened at all; in fact, it had gotten even stronger. Opening her eyes and seeing only him, she immediately relaxed, closed her eyes again, rolled over to face him, brushed his hand away, and mumbled, "Sleepy...don't..."

Chapter Sixty-Three

Seeing that his actions hadn't moved her at all, and instead had elicited harsh words from her, Xu Jinrong felt truly frustrated and bitter. He felt a surge of anger and frustration, wishing he could roughly rub her head to see what was inside and why she was so stubborn.

Having spent so much time with her, he now had a pretty good grasp of her temperament, knowing that she was more responsive to gentle persuasion than force. If he were to lose his temper as he had in the past, she would likely not only fail to yield but would also distance herself from him even more. If he spoke to her kindly, perhaps he could win her back. Although he felt that such a humble approach was beneath him, he was so deeply in love that he couldn't care less about such things.

Thinking this through, she finally held back and said gently, "It wasn't that I deliberately kept it from you. At the beginning of the year, Steward Xu knew that my father-in-law wasn't feeling well, so when he went to inquire after him on my behalf, my mother-in-law instructed me not to tell you yet, lest you worry unnecessarily, which wouldn't help. After things stabilized a couple of months ago, the two elders started planning to return to their hometown in Suzhou, Pingjiang Prefecture. They're already on their way and will arrive in a few days. Pingjiang Prefecture is only half a month's journey from here, which is much more convenient than you having to make a special trip back to the capital. I was just thinking of mentioning this to you the other day. When I have some free time, I'll take you to Pingjiang Prefecture to visit them. However, I've been busy with matters in the prefecture and receiving the imperial envoy recently, and I don't know when I'll be able to get away, so I thought I'd postpone it for a few days until it's confirmed before letting you know, so you won't be waiting in vain."

Seeing the sincerity in his tone, Danmei realized he wasn't just making a fuss. She thought for a moment; Qin Shi had always doted on her, and probably feared that knowing this from afar would only cause her unnecessary worry, and even if she did rush back, she wouldn't be able to help, only enduring the hardship of travel. Was that why Xu Jinrong had kept it a secret? She felt both sad and touched. When she heard Xu Jinrong say he would take her to Suzhou, Jiangning Prefecture, to visit his parents, all she could say was a simple thank you.

Seeing her lower her head for a long time before raising it again, and realizing she had struggled to utter a single word of thanks, Xu Jinrong felt a pang of disappointment. But then he thought, this was much better than biting his own lip first; it seemed this method had indeed worked. He understood the importance of striking while the iron was hot, so he took her hand and pulled her closer to lie down. He gently embraced her waist and said, "I know you've been angry with me these past few days about having children, saying I insisted you give me a son. Of course, I want us to have a child, but if it really doesn't work out, that's fate, and that's fine. Why bring up crazy things like being divorced? It only makes you sad, and it upsets me too."

After Xu Jinrong finished speaking, he saw Danmei, who was lying on his shoulder, move her head slightly. He immediately pressed her down and whispered in her ear, "I already have children. If you really can't have any more, I will regret it, but I won't do what you think and take in more concubines to have more children for me. I've lived to this age, what haven't I seen? Having many beautiful concubines and maids in the household isn't necessarily a good thing. Being with you makes me feel comfortable, and that's enough. Have I touched another woman's hand in the past year or so? Besides, if you have a child, it's not entirely for my own sake. This way, you'll have someone to rely on in your old age. I'm much older than you. If I were to pass away before you, a delicate and weak woman like you, without a biological son to rely on, and even Liangge might not be reliable, and your family can't be relied on forever. Even if I leave you a lot of things, I'm afraid you won't be able to support the family and will suffer in the future."

Danmei stared in astonishment at Xu Jinrong's face so close to hers. He had begun by saying he would no longer take concubines, which was somewhat unexpected, but not enough to warrant such a reaction. What truly surprised her was that he was so young, yet he was already planning for things so far in the future, something she could hardly foresee—it was truly unbelievable.

Having roughly discerned Danmei's thoughts, Xu Jinrong smiled slightly and said, "My ability to think so far ahead is entirely due to a lingering problem from my youth. Back then, although I didn't live to see tomorrow, it was essential to plan for the future, which is why I developed this habit, and I still can't shake it now."

This man, despite his many flaws, had actually rushed to the old doctor's house today, practically catching her in the act, and dragged her back home – his behavior was truly infuriating. But was she herself perfect? She recalled his usual doting affection for her, the birthday celebration he'd given her at the beginning of the year. Though it was a lavish affair, it was ultimately a well-intentioned gesture, and the way they'd stood side-by-side, hand in hand, watching the fireworks – even now, it remained a beautiful memory…

Xu Jinrong had been paying attention to Danmei's expression. Seeing that her expression was gradually softening, he was overjoyed and tried to pull her into his arms with a little force.

Although his words had somewhat alleviated Danmei's recent annoyance, she still couldn't shake the feeling that he had said to her after their argument that day. She felt a little resentful that they had made up like this, so she forcefully resisted and snorted, "Don't be too good to me. I'm a greedy person. And the better you are to me, the more greedy I will become."

Xu Jinrong found the words familiar, paused for a moment, and then realized that they were the words she had angrily thrown out before leaving that day. Seeing that so many days had passed, and that she was still bringing them up as if they were stuck in her throat, it was clear that she had been holding a grudge for the past few days. She couldn't help but reach out and pinch her nose and shake it a couple of times before saying, "I was just confused by what you said that day. Don't worry, I will definitely treat you better from now on. Just be greedy. I will definitely give you anything I can afford."

Danmei felt a mix of emotions. Firstly, she was touched by his willingness to go to such lengths to win her back; secondly, she was struck by the seriousness of his promise—he only said he could afford to give her what he could, not just empty words. His earlier statement about not taking any more concubines must have meant what he meant by "what he could afford." As for what he "couldn't afford," she had never intended to force anything from the beginning of their marriage. Well, whatever the future held, to have received such a statement from him today was enough to make their marriage worthwhile.

As Danmei was thinking this, she felt his hand, which had just pinched her nose, slowly move down to her neck, gently unbuttoning her half-closed clothes and lightly touching the skin of her collarbone. It was a little itchy. When she looked up, she saw that he had propped himself up on his other arm and was looking down at her with a smile.

"The old doctor said that if you keep a cheerful mood, you'll naturally conceive. And if I ever see you looking worried again..."

Xu Jinrong spoke slowly, his tone carrying a hint of threat. His hand reached down a little further, hooking the edge of her moon-white bra and lifting it slightly.

Five days had passed since their argument. Although they had exchanged a few words, and even when they slept in the same bed at night, she would always turn her back to him. He probably knew she was unhappy, or perhaps he was unhappy himself, and he hadn't made a move on her. Now that they had talked things out and reconciled, seeing her lying there with her black hair loosely spread on the pillow, her eyes sparkling, her lips slightly parted, and smelling a faint, sweet scent of jasmine, he naturally felt a stirring in his heart. However, Danmei felt a little uncomfortable that just moments before he had been filled with annoyance, and now he wanted to be intimate with her. She grabbed his hand, wanting to say "no," but seeing him looking at her with a smile, the words "no" wouldn't come out.

Seeing her hands clasped tightly against her chest, her clothes crumpled in the process, and her hesitant expression, Xu Jinrong couldn't help but lean down and kiss her lips before whispering in her ear, "Silly girl, if you only take the old doctor's medicine and don't have my help, how can you manage to keep the nest all by yourself..."

Before Danmei could even chuckle, he kissed her again, sucking on her soft, fragrant red lips.

Danmei made two "uh-huh" sounds, then suddenly remembered that she had bitten his tongue earlier. She quickly pushed his face away and whispered, "Does it still hurt? Don't kiss me anymore."

Xu Jinrong chuckled, "Your lips are still slightly red, it's alright to bite again." As he spoke, he pressed down on her again, swallowing all her resistance.

Now that the two had reconciled, and Xu Jinrong was determined to please Danmei, he was naturally exceptionally tender. He waited until her face was flushed and radiant, her eyes misty and hazy, and her fingertips glistening with a slippery sheen before lifting her hips. Accompanied by her sweet, panting breaths, he slowly opened her up inch by inch until she was completely inside him. Stroke after stroke, after savoring the indescribable pleasure of being tightly enveloped by her, he began to thrust, penetrating her tender flesh. Watching his little wife beneath him arch her alluring eyes under his vigor, her cries as melodious as a spring nightingale's song, his heart overflowed with boundless excitement and satisfaction.

"Call me Ziqing, and say that you will never mention leaving again..."

Xu Jinrong kissed her round, pearly earlobe, whispering in her ear, urging her to speak again and again.

...

The next morning, Xiqing Miaoxia, who was serving her washing and dressing, and two maids carrying basins knocked on the door as usual. Hearing a response from inside, they pushed the door open. As soon as they entered, they immediately felt that the atmosphere was completely different from the gloomy atmosphere of the previous days. They saw the lady sitting in front of the dressing table wearing only a casual outer robe. The prefect, who had had a gloomy face just a few days ago, was standing behind her, bending down and whispering something in her ear, which earned a soft "Pah" from the lady.

Seeing the maids enter, Xu Jinrong straightened his expression, coughed, and stood up straight. After the two had finished washing up, he called Hui Jie to go to the dining hall for breakfast. The kitchen maid serving him knew that the master liked to eat pickled bamboo shoots with white porridge, so she specially placed a plate of pickled bamboo shoots in front of him. Unexpectedly, he picked up a piece and put it in his mouth, but suddenly hissed, his brows furrowed, and he stopped chewing. He was a little frightened, thinking that he hadn't cleaned it properly and had bitten on a stone. Just as he was feeling uneasy, he swallowed the pickled bamboo shoot in his mouth, and then looked up at his wife sitting opposite him. His wife glanced at him sideways, her face half-smiling, with a hint of schadenfreude, and then continued to put food in Hui Jie's bowl. The prefect raised an eyebrow, and didn't even eat any vegetables, only eating a white steamed bun with the white porridge, then smiling at his wife, patting his belly and saying that he was full.

Not to mention the maids in the kitchen, even Xiqing, who was standing by serving, didn't quite understand the meaning behind the silent act between her master and mistress this morning. Seeing that the two of them had made up as before, the atmosphere in the entire prefectural government office, which had been so tense for several days, relaxed considerably, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Xu Jinrong, dressed neatly and full of energy, headed towards the yamen. As he passed the entrance to Danmei's garden, his eyes caught sight of Xiaozhuangxin, the peony still blooming with large, bowl-sized white blossoms, and he slowed his pace. Recalling how she had been so alluring and breathless in the brocade tent last night, forced to comply with his words, he felt a surge of joy. All the pent-up frustration he had felt since Prince Jing's arrival vanished, and even this flower, which he had always disliked and wanted to pluck out, no longer seemed so irritating.

Chapter Sixty-Four

Although Danmei was cold and aloof, she was naturally moved by Xu Jinrong's sincerity towards her. From then on, she stopped thinking about anything else and even stopped treating her medicine as a chore. She planned to persevere for a while before going to see the old physician to check her pulse and see if there was any improvement. On the other hand, Xu Jinrong, seeing that she had to drink such unpleasant medicine every morning and evening without uttering a single complaint, felt sorry for her and became even more considerate and attentive to her. The two gradually returned to the sweet and harmonious relationship they had shared in the previous six months.

According to Steward Xu's previous letter, and calculating the days, he and Liang-ge would arrive in four or five days. Danmei had long ago arranged for someone to prepare a fine room for Liang-ge, with all the best necessities, and even the wet nurse and servants to take care of him were all prepared, just waiting for his arrival.

To be honest, Danmei felt she wasn't as close to Liang as she was to Hui. Perhaps Hui, having lost her mother at a young age, was naturally easier to get along with. Liang, however, did have a biological mother. Given her status, although she was addressed as "Mother" by him, keeping her too far away might be seen as neglecting her, while getting too close might breed resentment. Moreover, back in the capital, she had a vague feeling that this child didn't particularly like her, so now that he was here, figuring out how to get along with him was truly a dilemma.

Danmei admitted that although she was a bit harsh on Xu Jinrong, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call her narrow-minded, she wasn't so narrow-minded that she couldn't even tolerate a child. Now that Liang-ge had come, she would do her best to treat him well.

As expected, Steward Xu arrived with Brother Liang at the end of the month.

Liang Ge still looks the same as last year. More than half a year has passed, and he hasn't grown much taller. His complexion is still somewhat dark and yellow. When he saw Danmei, he was very distant. He just stood there looking at her with his eyes and his lips were tightly pursed.

Danmei knew he disliked her, but didn't mind. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Steward Xu, she personally escorted Liang Ge to his room. After he rested, she and Sister Hui accompanied him for a stroll around the back courtyard, so they knew the way. When they arrived at her peony garden, Liang Ge immediately spotted the several iridescent peonies. He walked over, squatted down, stared at them for a moment, then reached out and plucked a flower. He tore off several petals from another flower on a nearby branch, and the leaves trembled violently. Only after picking the flower did a slight smile appear on his face, the first smile he had shown since arriving at this place.

The lady of the house loved flowers more than anything and hated those who picked flowers without reason. The cheerful girls and the maids sweeping the garden knew this. When they saw that the young man had just arrived and the first thing he did was to reach out and pick flowers, and he picked the rarest kind of flowers. Before they could stop him, the flowers were already in his hands. They were all a little flustered and surprised and looked at Danmei.

Danmei was naturally a little heartbroken, but seeing a hint of joy on his face, she thought for a moment and then said gently, "Brother Liang, do you like this flower? If you do, you shouldn't pick it like this anymore. If you leave it on the branch, you can come and see it often when you remember. If you pick it like this, it will wither by tomorrow. Isn't that a pity?"

Liang Ge held the flower tightly in his hand, stared at Danmei for a moment, and remained silent, whether out of nervousness or something else. His other hand kept tearing at the petals, which fell to the ground one by one.

Sister Hui hurriedly stepped forward, snatched the broken flower from Brother Liang's hand, glanced at Danmei, then tugged at his sleeve and urged in a low voice, "Hurry up and apologize to Mother! This flower is extremely precious and cannot be picked!"

Liang Ge seemed a little scared, timidly glancing at Danmei before lowering his head even further. Hui Jie, furious, poked his forehead hard and cursed, "Stupid!" Liang Ge pouted and burst into tears, crying, "I don't want to be here! I want my aunt! I want my aunt!" This startled everyone, who were afraid of angering the madam. The newly arrived caregiver, Li Mama, was even more frightened and rushed forward to take Liang Ge back, only to have him spit on her clothes. He sobbed and pointed, saying, "You're all bad people! You're all trying to harm me!" Li Mama's face turned red and white, and she tried to wipe the spit off her clothes but dared not move.

Danmei sighed inwardly, never expecting things to turn out so badly. She was only used to being with well-behaved girls like Sister Hui, and she was a little flustered by Brother Liang, who was so difficult to deal with. After hesitating for a moment, she could only ask Mother Li and the maid to take him downstairs to wash his face first, and then they could have dinner.

Xu Jinrong had some free time these past few days, so he returned home earlier and had dinner with everyone. He sat with Danmei, while Huijie and Liangge sat together. During the meal, he noticed that Liangge was timid and hesitant, his eyes darting around, lacking any hint of handsomeness. He felt a surge of displeasure and couldn't help but test him on his studies. Liangge either gave irrelevant answers or couldn't answer at all. Suddenly, he became angry, slamming his chopsticks on the table and yelling, "You know nothing! All the things your teachers taught you have gone to waste! From tomorrow on, you'd better study properly. If you're this unpromising again, I'll give you a beating!"

His angry roar had spilled a bowl of soup, which dripped onto the table, startling Liang Ge so much that he was on the verge of tears, his head almost touching the table. Even Danmei was startled and quickly gave Li Mama a look, signaling her to take Liang Ge away.

Liang Ge was already afraid of his father, and when he was scolded like this and saw that he was being released, he hurriedly rushed out of the dining room.

"He's still young, his schoolwork can be taken slowly. If you're so fierce, you might scare away anything he's already got inside."

Danmei thought for a moment and then offered a word of advice.

"Hmph, I get so angry just looking at this good-for-nothing! If I don't discipline him properly, who knows what he'll become! Don't interfere, I have my own ideas!"

Xu Jinrong's expression had eased somewhat, but it was still very unpleasant.

Seeing his tone, which seemed to imply that she was meddling, Danmei felt slightly displeased. She put down her bowl and cup, got up, and left the table without a word. She felt somewhat wronged. In this situation, she had spoken up, and he thought she was being nosy. But if she remained silent, he might later think she was cold-hearted for not offering any advice at the time. She sighed deeply, thinking to herself, "It's truly difficult to be a stepmother."

When evening came and Xu Jinrong did not return, Xiqing came over in a panic, saying that the adults somehow found out what Liangge had done in the garden that day and locked him in the woodshed to reflect on his actions, saying that he was not allowed to sleep that night. Now the child was crying his heart out inside, shouting that he wanted to go back to the capital.

Danmei frowned slightly, then went to the woodshed with Xiqing. Sure enough, they could hear Liangge crying from afar. A servant was guarding the door, with Li Mama beside him. She looked anxious and hurriedly went to greet Danmei when she saw her coming.

Danmei ordered the servant to unlock the door. Inside, it was pitch black. Mama Li led Liangge out; the child's face was streaked with tears and his voice was hoarse. She told them to take him back inside. Seeing the servant's troubled expression, she said calmly, "I ordered it released. If you're going to blame someone, blame me. What are you worried about?"

Knowing how formidable the lady was, the servant quickly agreed with a smile.

Danmei returned to her room, feeling a bit annoyed. She sat alone, staring blankly at the candlelight for a while, when she heard footsteps outside. Knowing that Xu Jinrong had returned, she stood up and went to greet him.

"Did you order Liang Ge to be released?" Xu Jinrong said in a gruff voice, his face looking rather ugly. "He ruined your flowers as soon as he arrived, and at such a young age, he spewed out such outrageous and unreasonable words. If I don't take care of this, he'll really start a rebellion! Why did you let him out!"

“My flowers are fine, they’ll be past their blooming season in a few days anyway, so I can just pick them… Of course, you have to take care of them, but as you yourself said, he’s still so young, and this is only his first day here. For you to act like this is a bit…”

Danmei couldn't say anything for a moment, and then stopped.

Liang Ge is indeed unlikable. Judging from his words and actions today, he needs to be disciplined. However, if Danmei doesn't know about this method of raising him by locking him in a dark room, that's fine. But if she did know, considering that the reason for today's events is related to her, she really wouldn't be able to ignore it and let the child cry there all night. No matter what, she couldn't do it.

Xu Jinrong glanced at her, sat down in the chair she had just been sitting in, leaned back, and then sighed, saying, "My head hurts a little, come and rub it for me..."

Seeing that his brows were furrowed, he leaned back with his eyes closed, and his face looked tired, Danmei went behind him and began to massage his temples. After a while, just as she was about to ask him if the pressure was right, he grabbed one of her hands and placed it against his cheek, rubbing it.

His stubble grew quickly; he had just shaved that morning, and it was already starting to sprout again. Danmei's palms itched slightly, and she was about to pull her hand away when he pulled her around to sit on his lap. He then sighed and said in a low voice, "I want you to have a child for me..."

Danmei was taken aback, still wondering how to respond, when he suddenly changed his words, saying, "Look at me, I've talked too much again. Just pretend you didn't hear me. I have something to tell you, and I guarantee you'll be happy."

Danmei's heart skipped a beat. Could it be that he was going to take her to Suzhou in Pingjiang Prefecture? Sure enough, he continued, "I'm free next month. Everything in the prefecture has been arranged. I'll have someone pack our bags tomorrow, and we'll set off as soon as everything is ready. This time, Sister Hui doesn't need to come along; it'll just be the two of us. Firstly, we'll visit your parents, and secondly... it'll also be a way to take you out for a trip and have some fun, to make you happy, so you can get there sooner..." He stopped halfway through his sentence, then just smiled at her.