Chapter 6 My Lord

The man paused slightly, then gently kneaded her waist with his palm, feeling her delicate and smooth texture, his voice becoming even hoarse.

"What's wrong? Why don't you want to today?"

Sexual activity can enhance a couple's relationship, but their marriage has developed cracks because of Zhou Zhining.

The man chose to use the most primitive and simple method to appease his wife.

He kissed Qingling's neck and behind her ears, trying to arouse her emotions.

She didn't cooperate with him, raising her hand to cover his lips while stepping back.

"Didn't you say you were tired? Get some rest. You have a lot to do tomorrow."

After she finished speaking, she turned her back to him, closed her eyes, and went to sleep.

Zhan Xingzhuo remained silent.

Minglu had just reminded him that his wife might be angry because of Zhou Zhining.

He reached out and hugged Yao Qingling, pulling her into his arms.

"Qingling, don't be angry with Zhining, thinking she's hopeless and willing to stay in that mud. She stayed in the Wang family not entirely for Xiao'er. That corruption case involved a huge amount of money, and people still bring it up to this day. If it weren't for her parents and brothers who were exiled, would she be willing to be so hurt?"

Yao Qingling opened her eyes.

His chest vibrated as he spoke, but this vibration failed to evoke any resonance in her.

She was already tired of those kinds of words.

“Qingling…” Zhan Xingzhuo stroked her long, smooth hair. “After you married me, your skin became rosy, your cheeks full, and your hair grew so black and smooth. But look at Zhining. There’s not a single good spot on her body. When I held her today, it felt like I was touching bones. And look at her hair, it’s all dry and yellow, she doesn’t even have a pretty hairpin. And look at Xiao’er, she’s three years old, so thin and small…”

Zhan Xingzhuo said a lot, hoping that Qingling would allow him to give some of her to Zhou Zhining, considering how well he had taken care of her, and not to be angry or jealous.

But he almost made Qingling laugh out loud.

Those days at the Duke's mansion were indeed wonderful.

The couple lived in harmony and were carefree.

Besides Zhan Xingzhuo, the Duke and the Grand Princess of Deyang also treated her very well.

Love can nourish people.

Qingling felt that she had made the right choice in marrying him, and she finally had a complete family.

But after moving to this Calabash Alley, things changed.

Qingling took good care of herself on her own, not because he took such good care of her.

She didn't speak, her fingernails digging into the blanket, trying to think of something else.

For example, she showed her pregnancy when she was a few months pregnant.

It's only early spring now, so we're wearing a lot of clothes. But once it gets warmer, it'll be harder to cover up our bellies when we wear thinner clothes...

But his attention had been diverted from hers.

My heart was trembling slightly, and my nose was sore and blocked that I couldn't breathe properly.

She suppressed her emotions, and her nasal tone made her sound extremely sleepy: "I understand, my lord, I will treat Madam Wang and her son well. Go to sleep."

Zhan Xingzhuo was working as a secretary in the Ministry of Personnel. He didn't notice that Yao Qingling's way of addressing him had changed from "Young Master" to the distant "Lord Young Master".

...

Zhou Zhining was recuperating and stayed in the mansion every day, not even leaving the courtyard. It wasn't her first time living in the mansion; she had Zhan Xingzhuo's instructions, and the servants knew how to read the room and acted even more attentively than they did for the madam.

Yao Qingling didn't need to worry about her at all; she went out every day.

She checked all the shops under her name, noting which ones were profitable and which weren't, and made a plan accordingly.

She plans to sell unprofitable shops in poor locations and use the proceeds to improve the quality of goods in other shops, thereby increasing their profits.

Tao Ye's second cousin was reliable and quickly bought a house that met the requirements in Tongluo Lane. After looking at the shop, Yao Qingling went to see the house and gave her second cousin a tip.

Taoye thanked the young lady on behalf of her second cousin, but hesitated to speak.

She felt that the young lady seemed to have changed.

Previously, the young lady would only visit the shops once every ten days or half a month, and she would visit several shops in rotation. Now, however, she visited all of them within three days and even tested all the head managers. She ignored the affairs of the mansion and would only say a few words when servants came to ask her for instructions. She was also indifferent to the young master.

Tao Ye was a little scared and didn't dare to mention the matter of the young master and Zhou Zhining in front of her young lady anymore—she had mentioned it a few times last time, and her young lady suddenly said they should get a divorce.

At the wonton stall, Tao Ye stirred the soup, too distressed to eat, glancing at Yao Qingling every now and then.

Qingling had a good appetite; she finished a large wonton in just a few bites.

Zhou Zhining eats at the same table with them every day; she doesn't have a good appetite when she eats at home.

“Miss, about your pregnancy…” Tao Ye began hesitantly, but before she could finish, Yao Qingling suddenly said, “By the way, my pregnancy must be kept a secret. No one can be told. You should also tell Doctor He that he must not let the news leak out.”

Dr. He is Yao Qingling's usual doctor; she doesn't share a doctor with Zhou Zhining.

Tao Ye's eyes widened: "Miss, you don't want the young master to know?"

"Hmm." Yao Qingling lowered her eyelashes, slowly took a bite of wonton, and was not keen on mentioning this man.

Tao Ye panicked even more and asked urgently, "Why?"

You don't want to abort the child, do you?

Tao Ye heard that the pregnant woman's mood was very volatile, which must be because the son-in-law was biased towards Zhou Zhining and her child, and the young lady was heartbroken and didn't want the child anymore.

Tao Ye was so anxious that tears streamed down her face: "Miss, please don't do anything foolish. You've finally gotten pregnant after marrying into the Duke's mansion, which will give you more confidence. No matter what Zhou Zhining is like, she's just an outsider. You and your husband are the real couple."

"If you don't want to see Zhou Zhining, go and talk to the Grand Princess Deyang. For the sake of the future young master, she should step in and drive her away this time!"

Yao Qingling smiled.

Zhan Xingzhuo dared to cause trouble for the Duke's mansion for Zhou Zhining. He didn't even care about his parents' face, so how could he give face to the baby in her belly that was not even a bean sprout?

Now, she no longer cares whether Zhou Zhining and her son stay in the mansion; it is she who has decided to leave the Zhan family.

Yao Qingling straightened her face and said seriously, "Taoye, I'm determined to get a divorce."

Rather than letting Tao Ye do something rash while she's worried, it's better to let her prepare; secondly, there are some things that Qing Ling can't do herself, so she needs Tao Ye to handle.

Tao Ye's eyes widened even more, and she almost couldn't catch her breath. She wanted to persuade her again, but she didn't have time to speak.

A carriage came galloping by, and she asked in confusion, "Minglu? Where did he go so fast? Is he off doing errands for that woman again?"

Zhou Zhining was very troublesome; one minute she would complain of a headache, the next she would say she couldn't eat anything.

When she was a young woman, she loved the incense from Qinhezhai, the food from Yongfulou, and the clothes from Huamanlou... Originally, only her husband knew about her preferences, but now even the servants in the mansion know about them.

Passersby scrambled to avoid the carriage, causing a commotion, but Minglu's booming voice cut through the crowd: "Madam, I've finally found you!"

He jumped down from the carriage and ran to the stall in a few steps: "Madam, something terrible has happened...something terrible has happened!"

Taoye stood up, hands on her hips, glaring and scolding, "How dare you be so reckless! Who are you calling a bad omen? The lady is right here, what bad luck!"

"Stop cursing..." Minglu waved his hand, not in the mood to argue with her. He was already in deep trouble and didn't even know it.

He looked at Yao Qingling and saw that she was still sitting, slowly drinking the wonton soup.

He said urgently, "Madam, how can you still be eating wontons here? The young master has broken his head, and the master is very angry. He wants to take you back!"