Since she started having work to do, Sun Caiping no longer clung to those trivial household chores. She would get up early every day, stay in her room embroidering, and not come out to see anyone.

Sun Miao'er delivered all three meals to her room, occasionally glancing at her cooking.

By the third day, she had finished embroidering seven or eight pieces. Sun Caiping was so engrossed in her work that she didn't notice anyone coming in.

Sun Miao'er moved very quietly, afraid of disturbing her. She went around behind her and casually picked up the top piece. The mandarin ducks were embroidered so lifelike that one could see how affectionate the two mandarin ducks were even through the fabric. The emerald green eyes were vivid and expressive, and the stitches of the feathers were handled with extreme care, without the slightest flaw.

She never expected Sun Caiping's embroidery skills to be so exquisite. Not only was her skill profound, but her efficiency was also high. If she could hurry up and put everything together, she should be able to deliver the goods on the designated date.

"Miao'er?" Sun Caiping turned around abruptly upon hearing the noise behind her.

Sun Miao'er was startled by her voice and put down the things she was holding. "Auntie, let's eat. It'll get cold if we leave it any longer."

Grandma Sun had come to the house to call her once before, but Sun Caiping was too engrossed in her work and was afraid she wouldn't have enough time, so she missed the meal.

Sun Caiping finished the last stitch, the ninth one. She took a deep breath. Her hands were sweating from holding the needle for so long, and her arms were sore and numb. But these things were nothing compared to earning money.

She picked up the rice bowl, took a bite, and was surprised. She looked up and asked, "Miao'er, did you make this?"

"kindness."

A rare expression appeared on Sun Caiping's numb and stiff face. "Miao'er's cooking is excellent."

What she was thinking about was the day Yu Tao came. Her niece's dishes were usually salty and overly salty, so why did they seem like a completely different person today? Back when the Jiang family hadn't fallen from grace, even that cook's skills were a bit inferior to hers.

But she had no time to think about these things, and simply let them pass through her mind. She quickly ate a couple of bites of food, then picked up the embroidery stand to prepare for the next one.

Sun Miao'er noticed that Sun Caiping's appetite had increased significantly in the past few days, probably because Jiang Yutao was not around, so no one was restricting her eating, and she didn't have to serve the whole family before meals, giving her more time to herself.

"Auntie, are you getting used to living at home?" Sun Miao'er tried to get some information out of her. If her auntie could open up to her, she could follow the clues to untangle her knot in her heart.

A few days ago, when Jiang Yutao was around, Sun Caiping refused to utter a single word, becoming a completely emotionless puppet. Now, she is able to take the initiative to speak to him.

Sun Caiping continued embroidering without looking up, and after a long while, she finally said, "Yes, it's just too thoughtful; I'm not used to it."

"Is there anything you're not used to?" Sun Miao'er continued, "Auntie, this is your own home. You are a daughter of the Sun family once and for life. You can come back whenever you want and stay as long as you want."

Sun Caiping's needle and thread froze, almost veering off course as she put the needle down. She said, "They say a married daughter is like water spilled from a bowl, but I'm a member of the Jiang family now, sigh..."

Her voice trailed off with a soft sigh, as if mourning her painful days.

“You’re wrong.” Sun Miao’er stepped forward and grasped the back of her hand, stopping her embroidery. Her dark eyes met the empty pupils. “Aunt, you are surnamed Sun, and so am I. When you get old, in pain, or sick, I will take care of you myself. You don’t need the Jiang family.”

A look of emotion crossed Sun Caiping's face. She hadn't heard anyone coax her like this in a long time, even though she knew in her heart that these words didn't count. Back when she was newly married to Jiang Yutao, she had heard so many sweet words that her ears were practically calloused.

But what happened later? She only talked back to Master Jiang, and Jiang Yutao punished her by not letting her eat for three days. When she was finally carried out of the room, she was already on the verge of death.

She was certainly disheartened at that time, but it was a path she had chosen herself, so how could she turn back?

As time went on, the couple grew increasingly estranged. The more stubborn she became, the less Jiang Yutao wanted to talk to her. In the end, he even hit her. The last glimmer of light in her heart was extinguished the moment Jiang Yutao laid a hand on her.

She even began to try to awaken the man's remaining conscience by using her pitiful state, working day and night to win his sympathy, but Jiang Yutao's heart was as hard as stone. The more she did this, the more the man felt it was only natural.

Sun Caiping's thoughts wandered through the years after her marriage, and her hands slowed down. Looking back on the past, she couldn't help but feel a lump in her throat. She stopped and said, "Miao'er, your aunt only has one thing to say to you: you must marry a good man, and don't end up like your aunt. If you can't find a good one, then don't get married."

“Aunt, let’s not talk about this anymore.” Sun Miao’er held up the veil in front of her eyes. “Look at the mandarin ducks you embroidered, they look like they’re about to take flight.”

"It's not as amazing as you make it out to be." Sun Caiping has lost the arrogance she once had. She no longer thinks her things are so great and is afraid that others will laugh at her.

Sun Miao'er laughed and said, "If Aunt doesn't believe it, then let Granny Chang be the judge!"

Sure enough, seven days later, Granny Chang came to pick up the goods. Twenty veils were neatly arranged in front of her. Granny Chang was delighted with them. "Oh my, Caiping is still the same Caiping as before, not changed at all. Look at this craftsmanship. It seems that I did not choose the wrong person."

Sun Caiping was praised and held the hundred coins in her hand. They felt heavy. She realized that this was what it felt like to earn money. Before, she would only ask Jiang Yutao for money, and every time she asked, she would be scolded first. It was also common for her not to get the money she wanted.

However, she had to manage everything in the household, big and small, and the family was already struggling to make ends meet, having already spent all of her dowry.

"Caiping, I'm leaving now. If you want to do some side jobs next time, just come find me." Granny Chang was overjoyed to have received the goods.

Sun Caiping held a hundred taels of silver in her hand, which was still red and swollen from being pricked by needles several times. She hadn't noticed how quickly time had passed in the past few days. "Miao'er, has the doctor returned yet?"

"Soon, soon," Sun Miao'er replied perfunctorily.

Sun Caiping frowned and sighed, "Why hasn't Yutao come to pick me up yet? It's been seven days."

Jiang Yutao didn't come to pick her up, and she didn't dare to go to the Jiang family on her own. There was never anything Jiang Yutao agreed to that she dared not do.

But at this moment, she didn't seem to be so looking forward to Jiang Yutao coming to pick her up and take her home.

For the first few days, she would get up early and look out along the road at the edge of the village for a short while, but over the past few days she has gradually forgotten, only occasionally mentioning it a couple of times.