The wet nurse's daughter was also in the study.
She wore a moon-white, fitted, diagonally-buttoned nightgown, with a thick, long braid that hung from her neck and shoulders down her high breasts to her lower abdomen.
Her face was flushed, and she stood by the desk with her head down.
Qi Zhenheng, meanwhile, sat there reading a book under a small desk lamp.
Shen Qing knocked on the door.
Qi Zhenheng looked up at him but didn't say anything.
Shen Qing asked, "Are you free now? I need to discuss something with you."
Qi Zhenheng closed the book and whispered to the wet nurse's daughter, "Get out."
The young girl bowed slightly, blushed, and said "Hey" before leaving the study.
As she passed by Shen Qing, Shen Qing caught a faint scent emanating from her.
Shen Qing looked her over and said, "Stop."
The little girl stopped in her tracks, not daring to look up at her.
“Raise your head.”
The little girl timidly raised her head: "Madam."
"May I have your name?"
"My name is Xia Zhu."
Shen Qing nodded: "I understand, go and get back to work."
Xia Zhu bowed slightly and left the study.
Shen Qing coldly withdrew her gaze, closed the study door, walked to the desk, and sat down opposite Qi Zhenheng.
Qi Zhenheng also looked at her, his eyes still filled with lingering desire, making his gaze appear deep and intense.
Shen Qing coughed lightly and said, "Why don't you take a concubine?"
Qi Zhenheng stared at her in shock, speechless for a moment.
The air froze.
Shen Qing turned to look at the study door and said, "Xia Zhu seems alright. She's a young girl, but she looks quite well-behaved."
With a "snap," Shen Qing turned around to look.
Qi Zhenheng slammed the book onto the table, staring at Shen Qing with his big, red eyes: "You reject me that much? You'd rather I take a concubine than have a married life with me?"
This was the first time Qi Zhenheng had lost his temper with Shen Qing, but it wasn't the first time Shen Qing had seen him lose his temper.
Since they met again in Guangzhou, he has changed from being gentle and refined to having a volatile temper.
Even the smallest thing can make him lose his temper and start cursing.
Shen Qing felt a little uncomfortable, but still explained, "Taking a concubine is not for me, but for you. You are stationed at the garrison for most of the year and need a woman to take care of your life."
"Why isn't this woman you?" Qi Zhenheng was so angry that the veins on his forehead bulged. "Don't forget! You are my wife! You should be taking care of my life!"
Shen Qing closed his eyes briefly: "Let's wait a few more years, until the children are all grown up and the business is stable, then I'll go to Hengzhou with you."
Qi Zhenheng's complexion improved slightly.
His explosive emotions subsided somewhat, and his voice softened: "I will not take a concubine."
Shen Qing sighed.
She knew that he didn't take a concubine because he cared about her, but this care was really agonizing for her.
...
The next day, Qi Zhenheng did not rush back to his post.
He stayed at his home in Shanghai for a few more days this time.
Shen Qing didn't want to meet him, so she stayed at the silk shop until late at night every day before going home.
Every time I went back, the twins, a boy and a girl, were already fast asleep under the care of their wet nurse and Chunju.
Qi Zhenheng also fell asleep.
His daily routine was the same as most men in the Qing Dynasty: going to bed early and getting up early.
Shen Qing would tiptoe into the room each time, not wanting to wake him, and leave before dawn, just in time to make sure he woke up.
Because he's more persistent in the morning than at night.
On this day, Shen Qing was arranging the new autumn products on the second floor of the silk shop.
Mrs. Zhuang arrived with a friend and gave her an invitation to her husband's birthday party that evening.
Shen Qing was eager to make connections with powerful figures in Southeast Asia, so he accepted the invitation.
She carefully selected a top-quality silk shirt, meticulously packaged it in a gift box, and took it to the farmhouse.
Huangpu Street was brightly lit after nightfall, and several horse-drawn carriages were parked in front of the Zhuang family's house. A dance party was being held on the first floor of the villa.
Shen Qing entered the living room, found Zhuang Tai in the crowd, and waved to her.
Mrs. Zhuang then took her husband's arm and came forward to introduce them.
Shen Qing handed the gift to Zhuang Tai.
Mrs. Zhuang was surprised that she would bring a gift, so she hugged her in delight and took her arm to meet the other wealthy women.
After walking around for a while, Shen Qing realized that almost all the wives of Shanghai's celebrities had come.
She memorized everyone's name and drew a network of relationships in her mind. She would pay special attention to any line that touched upon Cheng Zhiwen's ideals.
Besides the wives, their husbands also attended the birthday party.
The women chatted downstairs, while the men drank on the second floor.
Mrs. Zhuang wanted to take Shen Qing upstairs to greet the men, but Shen Qing refused.
She already knew the identities of these men through their wives, so there was no need for her to get to know them personally.
The birthday party was finally coming to an end around 10 p.m.
Since Shen Qing did not bring a partner, she accompanied Zhuang Tai to see the guests off.
She was grateful to Mrs. Zhuang for introducing her to wealthy women, who not only took care of her business but also gave her the opportunity to build connections in Southeast Asia.
These connections greatly helped Cheng Zhiwen realize her ideals.
This was the last thing she could do for Cheng Zhiwen...
Thinking back to how much Cheng Zhiwen had done for her over the course of seven or eight years, yet in the end, she married another man while pregnant with his child.
He Fei said that the master saw Cheng Zhiwen's soul had entered their home in Shanghai to accompany her and her children.
Because of this, his soul will see the children's surname "Qi," calling Qi Zhenheng "Dad," and will also see her and Qi Zhenheng's never-successful married life...
Thinking about these things, Shen Qing felt even more upset. A heavy emotion rose from the bottom of her stomach to her throat, making her feel choked up.
My eyes were burning, and soon they became blurry.
Through her teary eyes, she thought she saw Cheng Zhiwen.
He had lost a lot of weight. He was wearing a white suit, black leather shoes, and a black cashmere top hat. He looked refined and elegant.
He looked at her with a wicked grin.
That smile seemed to melt away the eight years of separations and reunions, taking her back to that afternoon when they first met.
That year, she was nineteen years old, had no children, no lover, and had no weaknesses whatsoever.
She ran her business with great enthusiasm and fell in love with him in a carefree and uninhibited way.
She was unaware of the burdens he carried in his heart, never considering that her own situation could also become a threat to him, ultimately leading to her death by his blade...
If time could turn back, she would definitely leave him in London during the year they went to England together...
That way, at least his life could be saved.
“Cheng Zhiwen…” Shen Qing stumbled toward him, tears streaming down her face.
"Hey, Mr. Shen..." Mrs. Zhuang grabbed her, "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"
Shen Qing snapped out of her daze, raised her hand to wipe away her tears, and looked in that direction again—
The man in white hurriedly left the garden, his figure disappearing around the corner.
"I'm fine, I'll go back first." Shen Qing broke free from Zhuang Tai's hand and instinctively ran in the direction where the man in white had disappeared.
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