Chapter 26 "Please, sister-in-law, love me."

“Mother…” Liu Rumei said tearfully, “That silver was meant for Hao’er. I didn’t mean to keep it for myself. Please don’t be angry.”

Madam Jia's face was as black as the bottom of a pot: "You're begging me? Who can I beg? I wanted to beg the old lady, but she wouldn't even let me into the courtyard! As for leaving it for Hao'er, that's so many years from now when he grows up. Let's get through this difficult time first!"

"Mother……"

"You must hand over the money today, or you can go back to the Liu family! You're only concerned about your son, haven't you thought about how the family is almost on the verge of collapse? If you don't take care of the family, how can Huai'an concentrate on his studies and help the family get back on its feet?!"

"But……"

"No buts!" Madam Jia's attitude was firm. Suddenly remembering something, she asked again, "I've been meaning to ask you, where did you get the Hetian jade pendant you wore at the Lotus Banquet? Did you steal Ye Mingzhu's dowry? It couldn't have been given to you by Huai'an, could it? I don't remember you having anything like that!"

This question not only startled Liu Rumei, but also made Sheng Huai'an, who was sitting silently to the side, feel as if he had been hit on the head with a stick.

Both of them had something to hide and didn't even dare to look at each other, remaining silent for a moment.

Madam Jia frowned: "Speak!"

Liu Rumei tried her best to remain calm and said in a trembling voice, "It was given to me by Qingping before he died, and I have always been reluctant to wear it. On the day I was going to attend the lotus banquet, I was afraid of losing face for the West Mansion, so I wore it when I went out, but I didn't expect to be mistaken for someone else by Madam Ye."

"Really?" Jia asked casually, then said, "That forbidden area is worth quite a bit of silver. You can give it to me along with it... Never mind, you can keep it as a memento."

Liu Rumei lowered her eyes and said meekly, "...Thank you, Mother."

“But you must hand over the silver,” Jia said again.

Left with no other choice, Liu Rumei finally took out one thousand taels of silver.

After she left, Madam Jia asked Sheng Huai'an, "Do you think your mother is too cruel?"

“…No.” Sheng Huai’an thought for a moment and said, “I just feel that my sister-in-law has had a hard time too.”

“She has it tough, but Huai’an, she refuses to use your brother’s pension, which is encroaching on your interests!” Jia said. “She lives and eats in the public treasury but doesn’t contribute a single penny. How can there be such a good thing? Qingping is her husband, my son, and your brother!”

Sheng Huai'an wanted to say something, but for a moment he didn't know how to say it.

Madam Jia pressed her temples and suddenly said, "I really regret it now. I should have argued with the East Mansion and taken Ye Mingzhu back."

Sheng Huai'an was surprised: "But didn't you look down on her before, saying that a merchant's daughter was not good enough for me and that you hoped I would marry a noblewoman from a high-ranking family who could help my career?"

He... is actually the same as Jia.

He admired women who could compose poems with him and who shared a soul connection with him.

It was only because the longevity gu in Ye Mingzhu's possession was too miraculous that he chose her despite Jia's objections, all for the sake of his sister-in-law's health.

But now, does Jia regret it?

"I regret it, but isn't it right to regret it?" Madam Jia was a little embarrassed, but quickly added matter-of-factly, "Although Ye Mingzhu is not good in every way, she has a lot of money. If you marry her, we won't have to be so stingy, and life will be so much more comfortable."

Sheng Huai'an remained silent.

"Alright, you don't need to worry about these things. Go back to your study and study." Madam Jia snorted coldly. "If we run out of money, I'll just go ask Madam Liu for more!"

“...Yes, Mother.” Sheng Huai’an felt a pang of heartache when he thought of Liu Rumei’s tearful eyes, but he dared not say anything more and took his leave from Rongshou Hall.

Walking in the night wind, he felt dizzy and lightheaded.

My mother used to like my sister-in-law so much and felt sorry for her. How come she's being so unreasonable now? It's just some money, and it's my brother's pension. What's wrong with leaving it to my sister-in-law?

My sister-in-law is being confined to her home by the old lady and being pressured by my mother to give her money. She'll probably be upset tonight... Should we go see her and comfort her?

But he was exhausted from both kneeling and pleading with Princess Ronghua and listening to Jia Shi.

Thinking about this, Sheng Huai'an hesitated.

It wasn't until he entered the study and saw a soft willow branch on the desk that he made up his mind to go and see Qinghui Garden.

...

Qinghui Garden.

As soon as Sheng Huai'an stepped into Liu Rumei's elegantly decorated inner room, before he could even see the scene inside clearly, a soft, delicate body threw itself into his arms.

Like fledglings returning to their nests, they are full of affection.

The first time he held a woman's soft, warm body in his arms, feeling her fullness and radiance, Sheng Huai'an froze completely.

It took him a while to realize what was happening. Not daring to be too abrupt, he gently pulled the woman in his arms away from his embrace by her shoulders, and called out to her in a hoarse voice, "Sister-in-law..."

Liu Rumei looked up at him with tears welling in her eyes: "Huai'an, do you think, like Mother, that Princess Ronghua is taking her anger out on me because of the Liu family's affairs, and that's why she made us move away?"

Sheng Huai'an immediately said, "Of course not! It's just that Princess Ronghua is too arrogant and doesn't even give the old lady any face."

"As long as you don't blame me, I won't feel so bad. Giving away your brother's compensation money is no big deal." Liu Rumei smiled through her tears.

Just as Sheng Huai'an was about to speak, a baby's cry suddenly came from the inner room.

The magpie came over carrying the baby, her face full of difficulty: "Grandma, it's time to feed the baby."

"Give it to me." Liu Rumei quickly turned around, took the child, and sat down on the low couch.

While gently soothing her wailing child, she skillfully unbuttoned her clothes to breastfeed him.

After the child had finished eating, she finally realized what had happened. Startled and embarrassed, she pulled up her clothes and looked helplessly at Sheng Huai'an standing in the room: "I... I was so worried about the child, I forgot you were here..."

Sheng Huai'an had already seen it.

I've seen everything I should and shouldn't have seen.

He felt his mouth was dry, as if a fire was burning inside him, but he tried to remain calm and said, "...It's nothing."

Liu Rumei looked at the magpie: "Magpie..."

"Grandma, leave the child to me. You and the Second Master should talk things out." Magpie smiled and took the child from Liu Rumei's hands.

As she passed by Sheng Huai'an, she glanced at him with a hint of shyness, almost unintentionally, before lowering her head and hurrying away.

With the third person gone, the room became even quieter.

Liu Rumei sat on the low couch with a flushed face and said awkwardly, "Originally, a wet nurse should be hired to breastfeed the child, but we only hired one wet nurse for Hao'er. She doesn't have enough milk and often doesn't feed Hao'er properly. I really feel sorry for the child..."

"Huai'an..." Liu Rumei seemed almost mortified, her eyes filled with tears as she asked, "You, you don't think I'm being inappropriate?"

"No! How could that be?" Sheng Huai'an strode to her side, almost swearing an oath, "This is what motherly love is all about, sister-in-law!"

Liu Rumei didn't believe it.

Sheng Huai'an held her and comforted her for several times before she finally smiled.

The two snuggled together for a while, when Liu Rumei suddenly blushed and said, "Actually, there's something I've always wanted to tell you."

"What?" Sheng Huai'an's heart tightened, and he subconsciously did not want to hear about trivial matters at this time.

Liu Rumei began, "I heard from the doctor that human milk is very nourishing and good for the body. I was just too embarrassed to tell you, so..."

Sheng Huai'an's heart skipped a beat. Thinking of something, he looked at her intently and said, "Sister-in-law..."

"I'll get you a bowl, would you like some..."

Before she could finish speaking, Sheng Huai'an immediately said, "I do!"

Liu Rumei was extremely embarrassed.

Sheng Huai'an grasped her hand and said in a hoarse voice, "Please, sister-in-law, be kind to me."

Urged on by him, Liu Rumei finally got up and hid in the inner room. After a while, she came out with a bowl of milky white stuff.

Sheng Huai'an smiled as he looked at her blushing face, took the bowl she was holding, and drank it all in one gulp.

Afterwards, Liu Rumei urged him to leave, but he was reluctant to go and promised to come again the next night and the night after that. He insisted on coming every night like tonight before he finally agreed to leave.

As soon as Sheng Huai'an left, Liu Rumei's expression turned cold.

A cold, murderous glint flashed in her eyes. She walked to the wardrobe, forcefully opened the door, and said coldly to the person inside, "Come out. He's gone."

The person who crawled out of the closet was none other than Liu Pinliang, who looked like a stray dog.

He had lost all his usual scholarly demeanor; his beard was unkempt, his clothes were dirty and disheveled, and he looked no different from a beggar on the street.

Liu Rumei threw a silver note at him and said angrily in a low voice, "I'll block the secret passage tomorrow, so don't come looking for me again! Sending letters and using my name to deliver Liu Zhi to Sheng Huai'an's study, are you trying to kill me?"

"How could I bear to harm you? We're siblings." Liu Pinliang picked up the silver note from the ground, glanced at the denomination, and scoffed, "Our sibling bond is only worth fifty taels of silver?"

"How much do you want?" Liu Rumei asked coldly.

Today, Jia forced her to hand over a thousand taels of silver. She has little silver left, and it's impossible for her to give Liu Pinliang more.

Besides, if she pampers Liu Pinliang's appetite, he'll keep bothering her in the future!

"I don't want the money anymore," Liu Pinliang said.

Liu Rumei was not pleased; instead, she became more wary and frowned as she asked, "What do you want?"