Chapter 3 She was quite generous on her behalf.
Zhou Zhining's voice was filled with regret and sorrow, and tears streamed down her face, landing on Qingling's hand.
Yao Qingling's heart skipped a beat. She felt as if the back of her hand was being corroded by acid, stinging her skin.
He is upright and respectful, and only treats her well?
It's as if she stole her happiness, making her envious and jealous, so she comes here to bother her with such a self-righteous attitude?
But Yao Qingling did nothing wrong. She didn't steal her man. Back then, it was Princess Deyang who asked someone to propose marriage to the Marquis of Zhongyong's family.
Yao Qingling withdrew her hand, took a handkerchief to wipe the tears from the back of her hand, her expression indifferent.
Zhou Zhining seemed to realize she had said the wrong thing, and flustered, she shook her head frantically: "Qingling, I didn't mean anything by it, I'm just bad with words... I meant you're very happy... I, Xingzhuo and I are just like brother and sister..."
"Since we are siblings, you should call me sister-in-law." Yao Qingling's voice was calm. She looked away, opened the medicine bottle, and applied medicine to Zhou Zhining.
If she sheds a few more tears and Zhan Xingzhuo sees them, he'll think she's disgusted with him.
The medicine was leftover from the last use.
Zhou Zhining was always getting beaten up, so these liniments for bruises and sprains had become a staple medicine in the mansion.
Zhou Zhining felt embarrassed, but she didn't change her form of address.
She bit her lip awkwardly: "You're younger than me, I always think of you as a little sister..."
Yao Qingling didn't bother arguing with her about the form of address and said indifferently, "Since you can't stand Wang Xuan marrying another woman, haven't you thought about divorcing him?"
With her eyes lowered, she expressionlessly applied the ointment to her shoulders and back from behind.
Even being divorced by Wang Xuan is better than staying in that mansion and being beaten to death by him.
Zhou Zhining winced in pain, her body shrank back, and she asked in a tearful and angry voice, "Divorce? He'll let me go?"
Yao Qingling thought, why not?
Wang Xuan had long since lost interest in the toy. If Zhou Zhining hadn't constantly bothered him, he might have forgotten about her long ago.
This time, he wants to marry a second wife because he has met another woman who has captured his heart.
Moreover, this woman is more capable than any of his other concubines; otherwise, she wouldn't have received Wang Xuan's promise.
Yao Qingling calmly analyzed the pros and cons with Zhou Zhining. If she stayed in the Wang family, the new woman wouldn't let her have an easy time. After all, the Zhan family were outsiders; even if they could protect her, to what extent could they?
"...There are many rumors circulating outside. Zhan Xingzhuo is taking care of you in the name of his brother, but you two were once engaged. The Wang family cares about their reputation, and so does the Zhan family, Your Excellency..."
Yao Qingling was only halfway through her sentence when a deep, stern voice suddenly came from outside the door: "Qingling, I called you here to take care of her, what nonsense are you spouting!"
Zhan Xingzhuo came with Doctor Li and happened to overhear Yao Qingling's words of advice to break up.
He also heard Zhou Zhining's trembling sob: "What will happen to Xiao'er if I leave the Wang family?"
The more he listened, the tighter his heart clenched, and the more he felt that Yao Qingling was cold-hearted and had a heart of stone.
"Yao Qingling, Zhi Ning has already had it hard enough, are you going to rub salt into her wounds?!" The man used his full name this time, his voice cold and sharp.
Yao Qingling chuckled inwardly. Wasn't Zhou Zhining's divorce a way to escape her misery and stop him from running back and forth to the Wang family?
She didn't say anything more.
Outside, Zhan Xingzhuo said again, "Doctor Li has arrived. Zhi Ning, put on your clothes and let the doctor take a look at you so I can be at ease."
This time, his tone was as gentle as a warm breeze, as if he was afraid that even a hint of sharpness would hurt the battered woman inside.
Yao Qingling gave a self-deprecating smile.
After Zhou Zhining finished dressing, she went to open the door.
Without even glancing at Zhan Xingzhuo, he walked straight out.
She stopped caring.
Dr. Li examined Zhou Zhining's pulse and wounds.
As usual, he prescribed the same old medicine and instructed, "Young mistress, you have something on your mind. You should think about happy things."
Zhan Xingzhuo nodded and told Minglu to deliver the medicine to Doctor Li and bring it back as well.
Only two people and a sleeping child remained in the house; the only sound was the wind and rain outside.
Zhou Zhining pursed her lips and wiped away her tears with a handkerchief.
The tears seemed endless, and Zhan Xingzhuo's eyebrows seemed perpetually furrowed.
He poured her a cup of tea and handed it to her, saying, "Didn't the doctor say you should think about happy things? Don't go back until Wang Xuan comes to apologize this time."
Zhou Zhining nodded slightly, then shook her head, her gaze hesitant and conflicted, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't.
Zhan Xingzhuo looked at her eyes and assumed she was afraid that if she didn't go back, she might get an even more severe beating from Wang Xuan.
Ha, what is Wang Xuan? No matter how favored his concubine is, he is still just a son of a concubine.
Zhan Xingzhuo is the second legitimate son of the Duke's mansion, and therefore has the right to look down on others.
He glanced out the window at the relentless rain and said, "Once the rain stops, I'll have Qingling accompany you on a spring outing in the countryside."
Zhou Zhining sniffed, looked at Zhan Xingzhuo with a pitiful expression, and frowned: "Brother Xingzhuo, I think Qingling is probably annoyed with me."
As she spoke, she bit her lip and lowered her eyes, looking sad as if she had been rejected.
Zhan Xingzhuo immediately recalled what Yao Qingling had said outside the door.
So that's what she dared not say.
He smiled gently and reassured her, "Qingling isn't a petty person, I'll try to persuade her."
"Hmm..." Zhou Zhining seemed to be comforted and smiled.
Taoye came to inform them of dinner. Listening to the two talking at the door, she was furious, thinking to herself: "They're being generous on behalf of Miss."
She raised her voice and relayed the message respectfully: "Second Master, Madam asked me to inquire whether Young Madam Wang is feeling better. Dinner has been prepared in the kitchen, and it will get cold if we wait any longer."
As a maid who accompanied the bride, Taoye had witnessed the way the young couple got along for three years. She didn't approve of the son-in-law in her heart, and secretly still addressed Qingling as "Miss".
The address of "Madam" in public was a reminder to the two men that there was a legitimate Mrs. Zhan in this mansion.
Zhou Zhining glanced at the man in front of her apologetically: "Brother Xingzhuo, I've taken up your time again."
"It's alright."
Dinner was eaten sitting at a table.
Zhan Xingzhuo looked at the river shrimp on the table, his expression so calm that one could tell he was displeased: "Shrimp is considered a 'heating' food. Zhi Ning is injured, why serve this dish?"
Tao Ye was furious and took a step forward to speak, but Yao Qingling stopped her with a glance.
Tao Ye pouted and picked up a shrimp for Yao Qingling to peel.
Yao Qingling looked at Tao Ye's nimble fingers and said calmly, "If Madam Wang can't eat shrimp, does that mean I can't eat it either?"
Zhan Xingzhuo was taken aback, frowned, and pursed his lips.
The atmosphere changed abruptly.
The dishes on the table were already cold, and there was no warmth left. A layer of oil gradually condensed on the chicken soup that had been simmering until it was oozing oil.
No one spoke.
Zhou Zhining glanced at the two of them. As a woman, she knew best what women were thinking.
Her eyes twitched slightly, and her eyes reddened a little. She timidly said to Yao Qingling, "Qingling, you're angry with me, aren't you? I'm sorry, I always trouble Brother Xingzhuo and you like this."
She bit her lip and made an important decision: "I'll find an inn to stay in."
She got up with red eyes.
Zhan Xingzhuo grabbed Zhou Zhining and said, "It's so late, where are you going? Since you call me brother, how can I not care about you?"
He held her down, then turned to Yao Qingling: "I was wrong about the shrimp; I misspoke. But if something happens to Zhi Ning and Xiao'er after they leave here, can you be at ease?"
She did everything perfectly; it was them who couldn't distinguish boundaries, yet it seemed as if she was throwing a tantrum and showing no sympathy for the weak over trivial matters.
Yao Qingling felt a tightness in her chest, a feeling of unease that lingered between her emotions.
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