Chapter 188: Compensation and Arrangements

Upon hearing this news, Mrs. Wang thought that a critically ill person wouldn’t be able to consummate a marriage, so his family was more likely to accept the child in her womb. If she married into his family, she would not only safely give birth to the child but also provide a legitimate status for him or her…

Subsequently, Mrs. Wang secretly caught up with the family and gave them the ten taels of silver, stating her willingness to marry into the Chen family. She also mentioned that she could do embroidery work to earn money for the man’s medical treatment, but she insisted that he must acknowledge her unborn child…

The ten taels of silver were the private savings that Chen Shiying had quietly accumulated and asked Mrs. Wang to keep safe. She took it with her when she went back to her mother’s house.

Upon hearing that the Chen family could indeed produce ten taels of silver, Mrs. Ding was overjoyed. She could only sell Wang Juan for a maximum of four to five taels. For the extra five to six taels of silver, she didn’t hesitate to go against Zhao’s imperative to send Mrs. Wang to a distant place and sold her to Chen Ming in the neighboring town…

Mrs. Wang continued to recount the story, leaving out many details out of embarrassment, but Chen Feng could piece them together.

Chen Feng shed tears, and Chen Shiying also wept, covering his face with his hands.

Finally, Mrs. Wang wiped her tears with a handkerchief and, once composed, said, “Heaven has eyes. My husband’s illness gradually improved, and we also had a son, A’Lu. My husband has been very good to A’Feng, treating her like his own. Even though A’Feng has been sickly since childhood, he has never shown any disgust. To provide for A’Feng’s treatment and care in the future, our family has lived frugally, and he has never complained… Sometimes, I think about the past and compare it to now, I feel that entering this family was Heaven’s favor to me and A’Feng. Although we are not wealthy, we are a happy family. We not only survived the most difficult times but now have a life free from want.” She looked at Chen Shiying and continued, “Younger brother, the reason I have laid everything bare today is to tell you that only this family can give me and A’Feng the warmth and respect that no other family can provide…”

Chen Shiying had tears streaming down his face, and he wiped them away with a handkerchief, saying, “Sister, hearing your words makes me feel utterly ashamed. I never expected that my mother, as well as the Tang family, including your stepmother, could hurt you in such a way. It’s my fault. I was young and ignorant at that time, without the ability to protect you, allowing you to leave my home while pregnant. I’ve let down little Feng too. She should have been held and cherished as my legitimate firstborn daughter, but she grew up in someone else’s home as their daughter… Before my father passed away, he held my hand and entrusted me with two things. He insisted that I must stay away from the Zhao family and return to our homeland in Huan to settle down. He also urged me to treat you well, saying that it would be my good fortune if you could always be by my side. However, I failed to fulfill my father’s two wishes.” Tears flowed again as he continued, “Looking back now, perhaps he had some foresight, fearing that I might lose you. But he never expected that I truly would lose you… I’m sorry to my father, to you and little Feng… I also want to thank my brother-in-law for treating you so well, I can’t compare to his kindness.” With that, he covered his face with the handkerchief and wept.

Seeing Chen Shiying like this, both Chen Feng and Mrs. Wang also embraced and wept.

After hearing those words, Chen Feng no longer held the same animosity towards Chen Shiying. At that time, he was just a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy, still a high school student in his previous life. Although he had been negligent and failed to protect Mrs. Wang, and despite not being able to prevent his early relationship with her, leading to the birth of little Feng, and not being able to protect her, leading to her premature death…

If blame was to be assigned, it would only be to his father’s early passing and to his devious birth mother, Mrs. Wang’s wicked stepmother, the Tang family’s greed, and Zhao Lizheng’s complicity in the wrongdoing.

It wasn’t entirely his fault.

He wasn’t a suitable match for Mrs. Wang, and it was fortunate that she left his family. She is not the true little Feng either, so she didn’t want much to do with him.

Chen Feng wiped away her tears and advised, “Mr. Chen, it has been many years since those events. Thankfully, my mother married my father, and both she and I have lived in peace. Now, our lives are getting better, and our home is filled with peace and joy. You are also enjoying success in your career, with a beautiful wife, concubines, and children. Everyone is living well, so let’s not disturb one another.”

When Chen Shiying heard “a beautiful wife and concubines,” his face reddened. He wiped away his tears and was about to speak when he heard a knocking at the door. Auntie Mu called out, “Young Miss, the noodles are ready.”

Chen Feng got up to open the door and took the noodles. They were already half-cold and stuck together. Perhaps Auntie Mu couldn’t enter and had been waiting for Chen Feng to pick them up in the kitchen. Unable to wait any longer, she brought them over.

Chen Feng placed the noodles on the table in front of Chen Shiying and said, “Mr. Chen, please.”

Hearing this address and recalling how Chen Feng had just called another man “father,” Chen Shiying felt emotional and affectionately called out, “Little Feng.”

Your little Feng has already passed away.

Thinking of the deceased foolish Feng, Chen Feng’s eyes reddened, and she lowered her head, sitting next to Mrs. Wang.

Chen Shiying had not eaten since the morning, and with the aroma of the noodles and eggs, he grew hungrier. He picked up the bowl and began to eat.

Chen Feng had to admit, this man was truly elegant, even when eating noodles.

After Chen Shiying finished the noodles, Mrs. Wang stood up and said, “The conversation is over, and the noodles have been eaten. You can leave.”

Chen Shiying didn’t move and said, “Sister, our conversation may be over, but the issue isn’t resolved. I still need to figure out how to compensate you and arrange for little Feng.”

“I don’t need your compensation!”

“I don’t need you to arrange anything!”

Chen Feng and Mrs. Wang both spoke at the same time.

Chen Shiying shook his head, smiled awkwardly, and said, “Sister, little Feng, listen to me. I am a man and a father. I must compensate and arrange. You took care of me for ten years, and your influence on my life and character has been significant. I have benefited greatly from your kindness. I will always remember and appreciate the care you gave my sister. I hope that your future days will be better. I don’t want little Feng to have to show her face to earn money and I want her to live well. Little Feng is my firstborn daughter, and she should live a life of luxury. I don’t want to see her struggling to make a living.”

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Wang became even more upset and tearfully said, “Are you blaming me for letting A’Feng struggle to make a living? Are you blaming me for not providing her with a life of luxury? I am just a rural woman, and our family is the poorest in the countryside. I do not have that ability…”

Seeing Mrs. Wang cry so heartbrokenly, Chen Shiying hurriedly explained, “Sister, you misunderstand. I didn’t mean that. I just want you to accept my good intentions…”

Chen Feng said, “Mr. Chen, it seems you don’t know what kind of life our family had before. If you did, you wouldn’t say that…”