Chapter 123 The Truth Behind the Second Drugging

Chapter 123 The Truth Behind the Second Drugging

As Su Yufu watched Shen Tang's departing figure, she couldn't help but recall the subtle look in Shen Tang's eyes when she looked at her earlier.

Does she know her?

Su Yufu felt a little strange and asked the maid from the Meng family behind her, "Who was that just now?"

Upon hearing the question, the maidservant bowed respectfully and said, "Miss Su, that is the young master's wife, Shen Tang."

Upon hearing this, Su Yufu unconsciously clenched her handkerchief, staring intently in the direction Shen Tang had left, a hint of jealousy flashing in her eyes.

Shen Tang? So it was her all along.

*

It wasn't until she returned to the courtyard that Shen Tang's turbulent emotions finally calmed down a bit.

She rarely thought about her past life anymore, but she never expected to suddenly run into Su Yufu today.

Those memories she had deliberately buried and forgotten were suddenly unearthed and reappeared before her eyes.

Su Yufu was the youngest daughter of Su Desheng, the governor of Shanxi. Her mother was the cousin of the Duke, and they were related by marriage.

Su Yufu came from a prestigious family and was exceptionally talented, enjoying a good reputation in the capital.

In her previous life, just a few months after she married Meng Huaiyan, she suddenly moved to live in the Duke's mansion.

At that time, her relationship with Meng Huaiyan was very cold. Although they were husband and wife, they were not even as close as strangers.

Apart from Wang Xi, everyone in the capital looked at her with disdain and contempt, and treated her with little kindness.

She gradually became less willing to go out and stayed in her small courtyard. She didn't have many friends, and Meng Huaiyan ignored her.

She always felt somewhat lonely.

Su Yufu appeared at this time. She was gentle and quiet, and her every move exuded the demeanor and style of a young lady from a prestigious family.

She is a completely different person from him.

At that time, when she looked at Su Yufu, she couldn't help but feel inferior. She couldn't help but wonder if Meng Huaiyan would give her a second glance if she had Su Yufu's talent and family background.

Everyone in the capital knew about her drugging her, and she thought that the other woman would look at her with disdain and contempt, but she didn't.

Su Yufu would often come to her courtyard. She would affectionately call her Sister Chen and teach her to play the zither, write, and paint.

They quickly became friends, sharing everything with each other as if they were sisters.

She always seemed to lack the knack for ingratiating herself with Meng Huaiyan, so Su Yufu would offer her advice and teach her how to do it.

During that time, following her method, she clearly felt Meng Huaiyan's attitude towards her soften.

She was overjoyed and became even more grateful and trusting of her.

For a period of time afterward, Meng Huaiyan was very busy with official duties and was not at home for most of the month.

When he finally finished his work, Shen Tang looked at his noticeably thinner face and couldn't help but feel heartache. Every day, she would cook some nourishing soups and send them to him.

By then, Meng Huaiyan's relationship with her had improved considerably, and they seemed to have reached a delicate balance.

He remained indifferent to her, but he no longer seemed as disgusted with her as before. Shen Tang dared not ask for too much; she was already quite content.

But this delicate peace was completely shattered by the soup laced with medicine.

Meng Huaiyan's cold, ruthless gaze pierced her heart like a knife, but the bloody truth of the drugging incident was laid bare before them both. No matter how Chen Tang explained, Meng Huaiyan would not believe her.

While she was under house arrest in the small courtyard, she was grief-stricken and stubbornly refused to believe that Su Yufu would betray her and stab her in the back.

But reality was right in front of her, forcing her to believe it.

She had personally prepared that soup, and there had been no problems before. The only change was that Su Yufu brought her a porcelain bottle that day and told her that it contained a nourishing medicine that was extremely beneficial for health.

She trusted Su Yufu so much that she put the "medicine" in without the slightest hesitation.

This trust, however, ultimately turned into a sharp, poisoned knife that pierced the deepest part of her body, leaving her heartbroken.

The feeling of grief still makes Shen Tang shudder whenever she thinks about it.

Compared to the overt evil of Shen Li and Chen Ying, this kind of cold knife comes from the back of the person you trust most.

It is even more chilling and terrifying.

*

The news that Shen Tang had "come back to life" with a child caused a huge uproar in the capital, and invitations from all over the country poured into the Duke's mansion like snowflakes.

Shen Tang didn't think it was because she was so popular; it was just that everyone was curious and wanted to see what was going on.

Shen Tang didn't want to be the monkey being watched, and she was also tired of dealing with all kinds of banquets in the capital, so she declined invitations whenever possible.

That day, Meng Caiwei unexpectedly came to her courtyard. Shen Tang was slightly surprised and asked A Yun to invite her in.

In the five years since she left, Meng Caiwei has also gotten married to the eldest son of the Yuan family, the Grand Councilor of the Secretariat. I heard that she gave birth to her eldest son last year.

The two of them hadn't seen each other for a long time, and when Shen Tang looked at Meng Caiwei in front of her, she felt a little unfamiliar with her.

Now that she's married and a mother, the willfulness, domineering nature, and arrogance she had in her youth seem to have faded away. Meng Caiwei now appears much more composed and mature.

The two sat facing each other, neither speaking for a moment.

In the end, Shen Tang spoke first: "I heard from your brother that you had a baby boy last year?"

Meng Caiwei laughed and said, "Yes, it was really noisy. Luckily, the wet nurse was there, otherwise I would have collapsed."

"Kids are all like that; they get easier to take care of when they get older."

Meng Caiwei couldn't help but sigh, "I hope so."

Thinking back to the five years Shen Tang disappeared, living alone with her child, she couldn't help but sigh.

"It must have been really tough for you to raise Manman all by yourself."

Shen Tang smiled and said, "It's alright, it's all in the past."

When the two started talking about children, it was as if they had opened a floodgate of conversation, and the atmosphere suddenly became lively, without the awkwardness from before.

Before they knew it, it was almost noon. Shen Tang invited her to stay for lunch, but Meng Caiwei declined, saying she had to go to her mother's place to keep her company.

Hearing her say that, Shen Tang naturally couldn't try to persuade her to stay any longer.

Meng Caiwei got up and walked out, but just as she reached the door, she suddenly turned back to Shen Tang and said solemnly, "Shen Tang, I'm sorry."

She paused for a moment, then said, "I was too willful back then. I said many hurtful things to you and did a lot of wrong things. In the five years since you left, I always feel guilty when I think about what I did to you."

“Back then I was young and felt that your sudden liking for my brother was a betrayal and a way of using me, which I couldn’t stand. Now that I’m older, I find my past self absurd and ridiculous.”

Meng Caiwei choked up a little: "When I heard that you were still alive, I was really happy. I struggled for a long time before I finally made up my mind to come and see you."

“I know that once the damage is done, it can’t be erased with just an apology. I’m not here to ask for your forgiveness. I just feel that I should say sorry to you.”

Even if you don't forgive me.

Looking at Meng Caiwei, who was crying with guilt, Shen Tang felt a pang of sadness and a surge of bitterness welled up in her heart. She stepped forward, gently wiped away Meng Caiwei's tears with a handkerchief, and said to her.

“Caiwei, do you know? I have never actually resented you in my heart.”