After listening, Shen Qing said without much emotion, "You know my temperament. I won't offend others unless they offend me. Just settle Xia Zhu in the camp and keep her away from me and the child. Just keep things peaceful. Also, Xia Zhu is pregnant now and needs to be taken care of. Go to her room and sleep with her."
Qi Zhenheng looked at Shen Qing with disappointment.
At that moment, he suddenly realized that his marital relationship with Shen Qing seemed to have taken a sharp turn for the worse after he had a relationship with the maid in a daze.
Previously, whenever he was home, he would sleep in the same bed with Shen Qing every night. Even though she was not willing to have marital relations with him, she could still accept him kissing her and holding her as she fell asleep.
Right now, she's actually sending him to sleep in the same room as the maid.
Although her reasons sounded respectable, and she seemed to be thinking of him in every way.
But in reality, she had grown to loathe him; she couldn't even stand sharing a room with him.
Today, with his departure from this room, their marital relationship is effectively over.
At that moment, Qi Zhenheng suddenly felt a huge emptiness in his heart.
Shen Qing was the wife he had loved for many years before marrying her, but he ruined their marriage because of a moment of confusion.
Qi Zhenheng closed his eyes in pain and said humbly, "I don't want to sleep in the maid's room. Can I stay here?"
Shen Qing stood up and refused, saying, "You go, I think she needs you."
Tears rolled down Qi Zhenheng's cheeks as he said softly, "Qing'er... I was confused for a moment. I shouldn't have had a relationship with that girl... I'll wait until she gives birth to the child, and then I'll send her away. Please don't be angry, okay?"
“That’s your first child. I advise you to let the child stay with his mother and grow up, like Cheng An and Cheng Xi, and have a happy and safe childhood.”
Qi Zhenheng gritted his teeth, his eyes reddening as he watched Shen Qing's retreating figure for a while before getting up and leaving the room.
Shen Qingsong breathed a sigh of relief.
...
The next day, Shen woke up and habitually looked out the window. Not seeing Qi Zhenheng's horse, he knew that Qi Zhenheng had left again.
Chunju came in with twins, a boy and a girl.
Shen Qing asked, "Did you rest on the third floor last night, sir?"
Chunju thought for a moment and said, "No! The master asked me to bring him new bedding to the study last night, and he slept there."
Shen Qing shook his head and said, "Last night I told him to go upstairs and sleep in the same room as Xia Zhu, but he actually slept in the study. Sleeping on the sofa in the bedroom will make your neck uncomfortable."
Chunju said honestly, "I think the master doesn't like Xiazhu. You see, every time he comes back from the camp, he doesn't go to see Xiazhu or talk to her."
Shen Qing sneered: "If you don't like it, why sleep with it in the first place?"
"Isn't that how men are? They go to brothels and sleep with prostitutes they've just met!"
Seeing Shen Qing's pale face, Chunju quickly added, "But I think Lord Qi definitely wouldn't do that; he's not that kind of person."
Shen Qing smiled but didn't say anything.
She wasn't thinking about Qi Zhenheng, but about Cheng Zhiwen.
...
Qi Zhenheng indeed stayed away for a whole month.
For the past month, Xia Zhu has been living in the villa, being cared for by her wet nurse, and she is increasingly taking on the airs of a mistress of the house.
Shen Qing thought that she would be going to the camp with Qi Zhenheng in a few days, so she didn't bother with her and let her go.
On this day, Mrs. Zhuang sent someone to deliver an invitation, inviting Qi Zhenheng and Shen Qing to her home for a banquet.
They were invited to Qi Zhenheng's birthday party last time, and they returned the favor.
When the invitation arrived, Shen Qing was having a meal in the restaurant. After opening the invitation, he asked the butler, "When you left, did you ask when you would return from your post?"
The steward said, "The master said it will take about a month. If there is anything urgent, you can send him a message, and he will return immediately."
Shen Qing casually replied, "It's nothing important, it's just that Mrs. Zhuang invited me to attend a banquet with him."
"Should we write a letter to the adults?"
Shen Qing shook her head: "No need."
He Danqing might show up at the banquet hosted by the landlord, and Qi Zhenheng might go too. Who knows what kind of trouble might arise?
The thought of He Danqing softened Shen Qing's heart, and she became happy.
"Sister..." Xia Zhu whispered, "Can I go with you?"
Shen Qing frowned: "You're pregnant, so it's not good for you to go to crowded places, is it?"
Xia Zhu immediately lowered her head and stammered, "I also want to see the world, so I won't embarrass you when I go to the garrison..."
Before Shen Qing could think about it, the wet nurse said from the side, "Isn't that right? If Xia Zhu embarrasses the master, it will also embarrass the madam!"
Shen Qing smiled, gracefully folded the invitation, and handed it to the butler.
"Losing face is nothing compared to the child in Xia Zhu's womb. Alright, Xia Zhu, you should rest well at home tonight. When the adults come back, they'll take you to the camp."
After Shen Qing finished speaking, she picked up a napkin and lightly wiped the corner of her lips before leading the twins upstairs.
The day for the banquet arrived quickly.
Shen Qing asked He Fei and Chunju to take care of the twins, while he himself rode in Old Xu's carriage to the farmhouse.
She was already an old friend of the Zhuang family, and the guards let her into the garden without checking her invitation.
She found Mrs. Zhuang, and the two chatted intimately for a while. Mrs. Zhuang then took her to meet her group of wealthy female friends.
One of the ladies, a concubine of a high-ranking official, flattered Shen Qing upon seeing her, saying, "Madam Qi, I've heard that Lord Qi will be taking office as governor next year! You'll soon be the governor's wife!"
Shen Qing was surprised, thinking that Qi Zhenheng's recent trip to Beijing might be because of this matter.
She didn't show that she was completely unaware of the matter, and humbly said, "Oh, it's all uncertain about next year's plans until I take office."
Another wealthy woman said enviously, "We are so envious of Madam Qi. Lord Qi is young and promising, elegant and charming, and so handsome!"
"Absolutely! Most importantly, Lord Qi doesn't take any concubines! He and Madam Qi are destined to be together for life!"
"Madam Qi gave birth to such clever twins for him, a boy and a girl, why would he still take a concubine..."
The wealthy women were all flattering Shen Qing.
Shen Qing smiled awkwardly, her gaze searching for He Danqing's figure in the banquet hall.
Suddenly a figure caught her eye, and she looked in surprise at Xia Zhu, who had just entered the banquet hall.
Xia Zhu also saw her and walked towards her shyly: "Sister, I'm here."
She wore a well-made, but oversized, modified jacket-style dress, which is the most common outfit worn by women on the streets of Shanghai these days.
The ladies in the banquet hall were all dressed in high-end cheongsams and fur shawls.
She seemed out of place in this environment.
Everyone looked at Zhuang Tai: "And who is this?"
Today's banquet is a private affair, and all the guests are influential people in Shanghai, with connections and capital, and who all belong to the same social circle.
Who is this girl, who looks like a little girl, calling "sister"?
Mrs. Zhuang stood up and asked, "Who are you? How did you get in?"
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