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“Madam, why are you stopping me?!” Chen Xiaolian was flustered.
This wretched woman Shen, who usually acted like she didn’t fight or compete for favor, actually dared to push her? Tonight, she would definitely whisper sweet nothings to the master and have him cold-shoulder Shen.
Her inner voice made Shen Peirong very displeased.
With firm resolve, Shen Peirong turned to Jiang Wei and said, “Xiaowei, go on. I want to see just who the insider is—who dares to steal from Jiang Yan again and again.”
Jiang Yan, who was just preparing to throw all the blame on Jiang Wei, froze. Shen Peirong had just called her full name?
Why? Could it be she had already realized Jiang Yan wasn’t her biological daughter?
“Alright, Mother~” Jiang Wei smiled. It seemed Shen Peirong, after drinking the gossip tea, had started to hear Chen Xiaolian’s inner voice.
Jiang Wei continued, “Paper can’t wrap fire forever. To avoid future troubles, the second concubine and Butler Zhao likely conspired to frame a robbery against Sister, using it as a cover to loot what Grandfather left my mother. That’s all I have to say, Father, Mother.”
The second concubine was the first to react, bursting into sobs. “Master, I have no face left to live if Miss Wei is going to slander me like this. If I die, you must avenge me!”
Jiang Dahai hurried to console her. “This is just Wei girl’s speculation. I trust you and Butler Zhao. You two would never betray me like that.”
Chen Xiaolian wiped her tears. “Master, thank you for believing in me.”
Shen Peirong could no longer stomach the concubine’s seductive charm. “Master, I don’t believe Wei girl would speak without cause. I suggest we report this to the authorities and thoroughly investigate both the second concubine and Butler Zhao.
Also, please send someone to find the midwife who delivered my child years ago. I must figure out once and for all—who is truly my child: Xiaoyan or Yunhe?”
“Nonsense! You’re the main wife and Xiaoyan’s mother. Instead of comforting her, you act like a jealous fishwife fighting over favor with a concubine. Do you even respect me as the head of this family?!”
Shen Peirong was confused. “Master, don’t you want to know if Yunhe is really my son?”
“Enough! Shen Peirong, how many times must I tell you—back then when you gave birth, I was right outside the door. Are you accusing me of switching our child on purpose?!” Jiang Dahai slammed the table furiously.
“I’ve tolerated you long enough. If it weren’t for your wealthy and powerful father forcing me to marry you back then, would Xiaolian have ended up as a concubine?! You stole her man. And now you want to steal her son too?!”
“I didn’t—I just…” The timid Shen Peirong held back her tears.
“Enough. I understand your longing for a son. From now on, Yunhe will be under your name. But stop being jealous of Xiaolian. Isn’t having me enough for you?
Or is it that if Xiaoyan isn’t your daughter, you’d rather not have her at all?”
Jiang Yan seized the chance to cling to Shen Peirong. “Mother, do you really not want me, like Father says?”
“No, Xiaoyan. I just want the truth,” Shen Peirong murmured. She couldn’t understand why neither her husband nor the daughter she raised could empathize with her.
[Stupid woman, still wanting the truth? Did you think I switched your child on my own? Of course the master did it himself—he would never let your son inherit the Jiang family estate.]
That was Chen Xiaolian’s inner voice.
Shen Peirong froze. So that’s how it is…
“Mother, whether or not I’m truly your daughter, I only have one mother, and that’s you. Please don’t abandon me.”
Shen Peirong’s heart ached. “I never wanted to abandon you.”
Why couldn’t the men or the daughter she raised understand her?
Jiang Yan, seeing her mother’s expression growing strange, tried to secretly absorb her luck to cloud her judgment. But to her horror, she discovered she couldn’t draw any of Shen Peirong’s fortune anymore.
Jiang Yan panicked.
“Ugh.” Just then, Jiang Wei suddenly gagged.
Shen Peirong glanced at her youngest daughter, who had just returned from the countryside, and felt even more despair.
Jiang Dahai glared at her. “What are you throwing up for? The master was right—you’re a cursed thing! Ever since you came back, nothing good has happened. You’re a jinx!”
He finally saw her for what she was: a troublemaker. So long as she remained in this house, there would be no peace.
“Father, what you said doesn’t make sense. What’s all this about the second concubine being wronged by becoming a concubine?
If she felt wronged, she didn’t have to accept it. It’s not like my mother begged her on her knees to become your mistress, right?”
“You ungrateful brat!”
“Father, I told you—only animals are called ungrateful brats. If you keep calling me that, aren’t you basically saying our whole family are animals?”
“Someone! Take the Second Miss and apply the family punishment!”
This was outrageous! A daughter who showed no respect for her elders should be drowned in a pig cage.
“Do it, beat me to death. Then you can send me off in a ghost marriage to that sickly guy from the Gu family. The only question is—will the Gu family even want a ghost bride?
Who knows, maybe you’ll have to marry off your eldest daughter and her mother as concubines instead.”
“Shut up! Shut up right now! Madam, get this damned girl to shut up!” The second concubine was about to explode—every word out of Jiang Wei’s mouth was about concubines.
Jiang Wei raised her voice. “Mother, doesn’t the second concubine love being a concubine? You’re the lady of the house—act like it! I don’t think Father wants the world to think he favors his concubine and suppresses his wife. Don’t you agree, Father?”
Agree your ass.
Jiang Dahai was scared of her now. “Go lie down—right now!”
“Sure, I can lie down. But I haven’t finished speaking.”
Jiang Dahai’s eye twitched. “What else do you want?!”
“Oh, there’s plenty. Like—have you prepared the dowry you promised my grandfather?
And… do you really not suspect the relationship between the second concubine and Butler Zhao?
Or maybe, you’re just pretending not to care because deep down you’re already thinking of killing Butler Zhao?
Oh dear, Butler Zhao, you better watch out. My father has guns, you know. He might take your woman, your property, and maybe even your life.”
Cough cough cough. “Jiang Wei, you ungrateful little—shameless brat! I’ll beat you to death!” Jiang Dahai jumped to his feet—she’d hit the nail on the head.
Though Butler Zhao’s face didn’t show it, he knew Jiang Dahai too well.
After this… the master probably would start plotting against him.
Jiang Wei smirked and kept skipping away as she spoke. “Father, just one last thing. The person who needs to be most careful… is you.”
“Me? Careful of what?” With guns and power, what was there to fear?
“Exactly you. You’re the one who has it worst. You not only have to face my late grandfather in your dreams—him, constantly asking you for your life—but also in real life, you have to deal with Butler Zhao, who might snatch your wealth and your woman.
Sigh… Rich old men sure are pitiful.”
After saying that, she grabbed the stunned Shen Peirong and sprinted back to her shabby little room, slamming and locking the door behind them.
“Mother, did you see Father’s ugly grimace just now? How could you have been so blind back then?
How is your vision still not cured? You actually believed he was honest and reliable? An honest man who has three wives and four concubines? Who sends his own daughter to the countryside to eat dirt? Who lets a concubine raise his wife’s son until he’s half an idiot?”
Every word pierced Shen Peirong’s heart.
“Xiaowei… your father wasn’t like this before.”