After all, it would be embarrassing for anyone to be asked about this in front of so many people at the dinner table.
"I'll give you another six months. If you still can't get pregnant after six months, I'll let Chu Wei take a concubine. Look at other people's wives, which one hasn't gotten pregnant after being married for so long? Chu Wei will be nineteen next year. When I was nineteen, Wan Jiang could already walk!"
He Shanhu's tone was very unfriendly.
It's less about encouraging childbirth and more about threatening it.
Taking a concubine is not something to be taken lightly.
This proves that He Shanhu had already considered this idea.
Wan's eyes immediately reddened, and she looked at He Chuwei for help.
But He Chuwei acted as if nothing had happened and continued eating the rice in his bowl.
“Wan Shi, your grandfather is right. You’ve been married into the family for so long and still haven’t conceived a child. If this were any other family, they would have divorced you long ago. It’s only because our family is kind that we’ve tolerated you for so long. Look, we’ve even handed over the management of the household to you. You better live up to your potential!”
He Wanjiang echoed his father's words, mentioning the Wan family.
"If you ask me, let's not wait even half a year. We've waited so long and still haven't gotten her. Why not take advantage of the good business at the shop and use this good fortune to quickly find Chu Wei a concubine? Who knows, she might be pregnant by the end of the year. Wan Shi, don't be sad. A concubine is just a concubine, only half a mistress. She can't climb over you. After she gives birth, we'll give the child to you to raise. She'll be raised under your name, and it'll be no different from your own child."
Lu tried to persuade her earnestly, but her words were like sharp knives piercing Wan.
These words not only broke Wan's defenses, causing her to cover her face and run out of the main room, but also made Liu's face turn as black as the bottom of a pot.
Even she, a concubine, was being verbally abused.
Half a master.
Doesn't that mean she's only half a servant, and not worthy of being compared to her master?
Coupled with the fact that she had no children after so many years of marriage, Lady Liu panicked.
Only the He family was happy during this meal.
Both Liu and Wan, being outsiders, felt their spirits sink to rock bottom.
After returning to their respective rooms, Liu pulled He Wanjiang aside and, in the most tender and affectionate tone she had ever used, began to coax him.
"My lord~"
"Do you hurt me? Hmm?"
He Wanjiang thought that Liu wanted it again, so he waved his hands repeatedly. "No, I'm tired today, let's do it another day."
"What? People are asking you if you love me or not, just say it~" Liu continued to shake his arm, just like a young girl in her late teens. And to be honest, apart from a few fine lines on her face, her figure was exactly the same as that of an unmarried girl. After all, she had never given birth, so she aged slowly, and she took good care of herself.
Liu's waist was so slender that it could be encircled by one hand.
Her chest was also high and firm.
However, He Wanjiang was getting old, and after many years, he had been almost drained by Liu Shi. He couldn't take it anymore and stayed in the same room with her every day. He pushed Liu Shi away and left the bedside to sit far away.
"Husband, what's wrong? Don't you want me anymore?" Madam Liu was flustered. She pretended to wipe away tears and cried.
"How could I not want you? Ever since I brought you into the family, have you ever seen Feng? I even divorced her for you. How could I say I don't love you? Other people's concubines don't even have the right to sit at the table! Look at you, you're no different from my legal wife." After all, they had loved each other passionately, and even though He Wanjiang often went to brothels, he never had the idea of driving Liu away.
In his heart, Liu was his wife.
"Then, my husband, will you marry me? I don't want to be a concubine anymore. What if, what if I have a child in the future, would you be willing to let him have a child as a concubine?" As Liu spoke, her eyes were still brimming with tears as she looked at He Wanjiang.
She's used that look in her eyes for years.
Never failed.
"You? Pregnant? Don't be ridiculous. If you were really pregnant, why haven't we heard anything for so many years? Besides, I haven't treated you badly as a concubine. Why bring this up out of the blue? In my He family, you've already been treated the same as the principal wife, you know? There's no need to waste my time marrying you again."
He Wanjiang refused Liu's offer for the first time.
"Why? Why won't you marry me? You've already divorced Feng, why can't you marry me? I don't want to be a concubine, I want to be buried with you after we die, my husband, I beg you~"
Liu knelt on the ground, leaning her head against He Wanjiang's knee. She raised her head, her lips trembling, and wept, tears streaming down her face.
"No means no. Stop messing around. I'm not coming back tonight. You should reflect on your actions!"
He Wanjiang was somewhat annoyed. He got up, walked to the table, took Liu's last gold hairpin from the jewelry box, and left the room.
Before leaving, he uttered a harsh remark to Liu.
It's not that he didn't love Lady Liu.
However, Liu's status was simply not respectable.
His close friends all knew that Liu was a courtesan. If he were to make her his legal wife, people would only laugh at him for being foolish! Taking a concubine was fine, even if Liu had truly lost her virginity and was promiscuous, he didn't care.
A concubine is nothing more than a plaything.
But his legal wife was not an option; she had to come from a respectable family.
Moreover, for the sake of his son, he would not make Liu his wife.
Having a mother who came from a brothel will only make her son lose face and disgrace!
Even if He Wanjiang was a fool, he could clearly distinguish between his wife and concubine.
He could pamper Liu, love her, and even spoil her, letting her ride on Feng's head, but when it came to important matters, he would absolutely not agree to it.
He Wanjiang plans to spend the night at a brothel.
Recently, several girls have come to the brothel. They are very pretty, and one of them has the charm of Liu Shi when she was young.
And it only costs three ounces a night.
Including food, drinks, lodging, and entertaining friends, it will cost at least eight taels.
He weighed the gold hairpin in his hand; he was sure it could fetch ten taels.
He Wanjiang tiptoed out of the front door, a habit the gatekeeper was already used to.
He closed the door expressionlessly.
Continue dozing off.
"Damn it, damn it—"
Inside the room, Liu sat on the edge of the bed, venting her frustration by hitting a pillow.
She had just looked at the jewelry box, and all that was left were worthless hairpins and jade bracelets. He Wanjiang had almost emptied her jewelry collection accumulated over the years.
Judging from what he just said, he's not coming back tonight; he's gone to a brothel again.
No wonder they didn't want to make her their legal wife.
While enjoying the tender grass outside, they forget all about the withered leaves at home!
Liu was so angry that she lay on the bed and cried loudly.
"Knock knock knock—"
"Mother, what's wrong?"
The next second, there was a knock on the door. Since Liu hadn't locked the door when He Wanjiang left, He Chuwei, who was passing by, knocked on it. When Liu didn't answer him and the door opened a crack by itself, he simply pushed the door open and came in.
"Creak—"
Hearing the door open, Liu sat up with tears in her eyes.
She froze when she saw He Chuwei.
How did this adopted son end up here?
No, what kind of son is she? She's not even the mistress of the house.
Where did this son come from?
"Mom, what's wrong? Why are you crying? Where's Dad? Did he bully you?"
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