Chapter 6 "It's my daughter-in-law." Father He indeed...

"It's my daughter-in-law." Father He was indeed a womanizer. He was even happier to see his beautiful daughter-in-law than to see his son. He forced himself to sit up despite his weakness. "I wasn't feeling well, but seeing you, my daughter-in-law, makes me feel much better. If I had you by my side every day to talk to, I would die without regrets."

He Wenqing and his wife's faces darkened. His wife glared at her husband and said, "I think you're really delirious from your illness. What nonsense are you spouting!"

He's father ignored his wife's words, took a breath, and beckoned to Wei Yin: "Daughter-in-law, come and help me up to sit for a while... I haven't gotten up for half a month."

Wei Yin glanced at Madam He, who said nothing. Wei Yin then went over to help Madam He's father up. Madam He had been surviving on ginseng soup and liquid food for some time and was very thin. Even Wei Yin was able to help him up.

Wei Yin then took the ginseng soup bowl from Ninth Aunt's hands.

Mr. He waved his hand, indicating that he did not want to drink anymore.

Wei Yin had no choice but to put it down. He's father held her hand, looked at his son He Wenqing standing straight beside him, and then sighed heavily.

Wei Yin was confused by him. "Why is Father sighing? Is something wrong with you?"

"No." Father He shook his head: "It's just that the thought that once I close my eyes, I won't be able to see such a beautiful daughter-in-law anymore is a great pity."

"Father!"

He Wenqing, unable to bear it any longer, pulled Wei Weiyin behind him and said coldly to his father, "Your son thinks you are becoming more and more confused and improper. You should rest early. I will go with Yin'er to pay my respects to my grandfather."

He's father seemed oblivious to the disgust in He Wenqing's eyes. He continued to stare intently at Wei Yin and said, "Why are you going to see that old man? Come here and talk to your father some more."

Wei Yin's hand was being pulled tightly by He Wenqing. She smiled and said, "Father, please rest early. I will come to pay my respects to you again tomorrow."

Father He paused for a moment before nodding: "You must be tired from your journey. Go back and rest well."

So only Ninth Aunt was left to serve He's father, and everyone else went home first.

Madam He came out of the room with her son and daughter-in-law, and turned to comfort He Wenqing, saying, "Wenqing, your father has always been like this, talking nonsense, but he still knows his limits, so don't take it to heart."

He Wenqing nodded: "Your son understands."

Madam He then looked at Wei Yin and asked, "Still no sign of pregnancy this year?"

When Wei Yin heard Madam He bring up the matter again, she quickly nudged He Wenqing's waist. He Wenqing understood and said, "Mother, it's getting late. Let's go see Grandfather first."

"Your grandfather sent word that he is old and can't stay up any longer, so he has already gone to bed and wants you to pay your respects to him tomorrow morning."

Seeing this, He Wenqing had no choice but to say, "Since that's the case, Mother must be tired from taking care of Father these days. I'll take Mother back."

Seeing her son so protective of his wife, Madam He's anger flared up. She wondered what kind of spell Wei Yin had cast on him. How could her son have been like this before? He really was a vixen, how could he compare to Xuan Hua? Thinking of this, Madam He waved her hand, telling Wei Yin to go back. She wanted to have some private words with He Wenqing.

Wei Yin naturally didn't want to face Madam He, so she left immediately.

The servants were all gone from the courtyard, leaving only the mother and son. Madam He spoke earnestly, "Wenqing, your grandfather is old, and your father is like this now... he won't live much longer. You are the eldest grandson of the He family, you should think about the future of our He family."

Having learned from his father's experience, He Wenqing had no fondness for women. "I know that, but I truly despise the infighting and jealousy in the inner quarters that ruin one's future. It's not too late for me to take a concubine when I'm forty and childless..."

"Forty?!" Madam He clutched her chest. "Wenqing, are you confused? By the time you're forty, even if Wei Yin can have children, it's not certain you'll be able to!"

He Wenqing: "...Mother, what are you saying?"

Madam He realized what was happening and quickly spat out, "Mother is talking nonsense. My son is strong and healthy, so he can naturally have a child at forty. But your grandfather is too old to wait. You have to think about him."

He Wenqing could only vaguely agree, offering to take her back to her room to rest, and that he would stay here and watch over He's father tonight.

Madam He waved her hand: "Your father is in good spirits tonight and should be fine. You've been traveling for several days and should go back and rest tonight. You can come back with your wife tomorrow to keep watch."

Seeing that Madam He insisted, He Wenqing had no choice but to bow and leave.

As Madam He watched her son's departing figure, a maid brought her a bowl of vegetable porridge with minced meat. Madam He shook her head, waved for the maid to take it away, stood there for a moment to think, then turned around. However, instead of going back to her room to rest, she left the main room and headed towards her niece Chen Xuanhua's residence.

When she arrived, Chen Xuanhua was taking medicine in the room, occasionally coughing softly while holding a handkerchief.

"Xuanhua, you've been taking this medicine for so long, but it's still not working at all. I'll have Wenqing find you another famous doctor in the capital to take a look tomorrow."

Chen Xuanhua looked up and saw that it was her aunt. She quickly and obediently got up to greet her, saying, "Aunt, what brings you here?"

"Come and see you." Madam He pulled Chen Xuanhua to sit down beside her, looked her over carefully, and sighed, "Xuanhua, your mother entrusted you to my care before she passed away, but I haven't taken good care of you. Before, I always wanted Wenqing to marry you, so I didn't look for a husband for you. Who knew that old woman would refuse and make Wenqing marry Wei Yin, leaving you with no marriage prospects now..."

Chen Xuanhua felt a deep sorrow: "My aunt raised me for many years and treated me very well. It's just that I'm unlucky."

"Nonsense." Madam He paused, then suddenly asked, "Xuanhua, I know you've had feelings for Wenqing since you were little, haven't you?"

"aunt……"

"Xuanhua, you don't need to hide it from me. I know everything." Madam He sighed, "You've been with Wenqing since he was little. In the past, Wenqing would study late into the night, and you were afraid he would go hungry. No matter how cold or late it was, you would make him some food yourself. You were more meticulous and considerate than I was as his mother. If you didn't care about him, how could you have done this?"

Chen Xuanhua dared not listen any longer. "Aunt, please don't say any more. My cousin has a wife now. If she finds out, she'll worry."

"Don't be afraid of her." Madam He snorted coldly. Wei Yin was the granddaughter-in-law favored by Old Madam He, so she was naturally very dissatisfied with her. "I have something important to discuss with you this time."

Chen Xuanhua: "Important matter?"

"It's like this," Madam He said. "Your uncle is seriously ill, and the old master thought that if we could hold a happy event to ward off bad luck, things might get better. Well, Wenqing and Wei Yin have been married for five years without having a child. The old master is getting old and can't wait any longer. He thought of you, who have always served us elders so diligently at home, and you and Wenqing have a childhood friendship. So he asked me to ask your opinion. He wants to marry you into the family. I thought about it, and of course I would be happy to have you as my wife. Of course, your aunt would never let you, Xuanhua, be a concubine. The old master and I have already agreed that you will not be at a disadvantage. You will be a wife of equal rank as soon as you enter the family, just like Wei Yin..."

Chen Xuanhua was completely taken aback and almost didn't react.

The next moment, she remembered her kind cousin-in-law and quickly shook her head: "This won't do, Aunt... this won't do, I'm afraid my cousin-in-law won't agree..."

Madam He laughed and said, "It is only natural for a man to take a concubine and remarry. What wealthy family's master and son do not have two wives? This matter is decided by me, the mother-in-law, and the old master. It is not up to her whether she wants to or not."

“But…” Chen Xuanhua hesitated, “Even if my sister-in-law is willing, my cousin Wenqing and his wife are newly married, and I’m afraid they’re not willing…”

"I thought it was something else," Madam He laughed. "If we marry him a beautiful and pleasing wife who has been his child since childhood, what could he possibly object to? Wenqing is my own flesh and blood, how could I not know him? If it's about fame and official career, this child will never listen to me, but when it comes to marrying a wife, even if he's not happy that we're making the decision for him, he won't say anything. Besides, Wenqing has always been filial to his grandfather, and as long as the old master speaks up, he won't disobey."

Seeing that Madam He had made up her mind, which was obviously something she had planned in advance, Chen Xuanhua didn't know what to say. Before leaving, Madam He gave him a few more words of advice to take good care of his health.

However, Madam He's words left Chen Xuanhua feeling bewildered and at a loss.

She was an orphan who had no parents since childhood. Fortunately, she was raised by her aunt and the entire He family treated her very well.

Especially her cousin, the top scholar, Wenqing.

She remembered that when her parents had just passed away, she came to the He family mansion with her aunt. She was quite uneasy but dared not say anything. Her cousin Wenqing was intelligent and perceptive from a young age. Seeing that she always stayed in her room alone and timidly doing needlework during the day, he specially asked her aunt to let her accompany him to the study to read. Occasionally, when he was in a good mood, he would personally teach her to read poetry. Day by day, she finally settled down in the He family mansion.

She originally thought she would spend her whole life with her cousin Wenqing, even if it was just serving him with his writing materials.

Knowing that her aunt wanted her to be her daughter-in-law, she was secretly delighted and couldn't sleep for several nights.

Although things didn't go as planned, and Old Madam He arranged for He Wenqing to marry someone else, Chen Xuanhua didn't dare to feel any dissatisfaction or sadness. She simply suppressed her feelings deep inside.

Seeing He Wenqing and Wei Yin living a harmonious life together these past few years, she has become utterly desperate.

But now my aunt suddenly wants her again...

Chen Xuanhua was in a state of confusion. Wei Yin was an easy-going cousin-in-law. Although she was a bit strange and only dared to go out when she wore a safety charm, she took good care of Chen Xuanhua. Even though she knew that Chen Xuanhua was just a helpless young lady from the He family and that she was originally supposed to marry her cousin Wenqing, she never felt jealous or looked down on her.

But she really liked her cousin Wenqing...

Chen Xuanhua clutched his chest, staring painfully at the empty medicine bowl beside him.