After finishing her account book, Li Yuxin went to look for her two daughters and started doing needlework with them. At 3:30 PM, Wei'er came from the front yard to the main courtyard. Li Yuxin looked at the tall and handsome young man in front of her and nodded secretly. Wei'er had also been harmed by his father Sheng Huaizhong in his previous life. If Sheng Huaizhong had not squandered the family's wealth, Wei'er would have been able to pass the imperial examinations instead of ending up as a merchant to support his family. In this era of scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans, no amount of money can compare to the glory of fame and fortune. Old Lady Sheng Da secretly made up her mind to support Wei'er by making him a juren.
Madam Liu announced that dinner was ready, and the four of them went to the side room together. Just as they sat down and hadn't even picked up their bowls, they heard the voice of a maid outside greeting them. With each "Master," Old Madam Sheng knew it was Sheng Huaizhong who had arrived.
Li Yuxin did not stand up to greet him as usual. Instead, she lowered her head and pinched her palms to calm herself down.
"Dad, Dad, Dad."
When the three children saw their father who had not been seen for a long time, they all smiled and bowed to Sheng Huaizhong to greet him. Sheng Huaizhong smiled faintly and gestured for the children to take a seat.
Sheng Huaizhong looked at the lady and found that she was ignoring him with her head down. Thinking she was still angry, Sheng Huaizhong sat down next to Li Yuxin and reached out to hold her hand. Li Yuxin looked at the hand that was extended, dodged it, and held the soup bowl with both hands. Sheng Huaizhong withdrew his hand in dismay.
Sheng Huaizhong smiled apologetically and said, "Xin Niang, I'm so lucky to have the time to come and see you today. How have you been lately?"
Li Yuxin drank the soup by herself, trying her best to be patient for fear of spilling the soup on his face.
Wei'er watched his parents' actions and couldn't help but say, "Dad, I haven't seen you for several months. Why don't you test my studies?"
Sheng Huaizhong scolded impatiently: "You don't talk while eating and don't talk while sleeping. Have you learned so much from books that you've become a dog's stomach?"
Wei'er lowered her head, her face flushed with pain after being scolded by her father. Li Yuxin, seeing Sheng Huaizhong treating Wei'er so badly, slammed the soup bowl down on the table. She looked at Sheng Huaizhong coldly, "It's said that a father is kind and a son is filial. A father hasn't seen his child for months, and as soon as he shows up, he starts scolding him. He's completely forgotten the words of the sage. You should leave now. The four of us, mother and children, are a nuisance to you. We will all go home tomorrow."
Sheng Huaizhong looked at her, her voice harsh and stern, unlike her usual gentleness. He was filled with impatience, thinking of how Concubine Liu had endured it. He forced a hard smile and said, "Madam, why do you say such harsh words? I am only doing this for Wei'er's own good. If you don't like to hear it, I won't say it."
Li Yuxin looked at Mother Liu and said, "Take Wei Ge'er and the two girls downstairs to have dinner." The three children said goodbye to Li Yuxin together, and then were led by Mother Liu to the flower hall to have dinner.
When only Sheng Huaizhong and herself were left in the inner room, Li Yuxin threw the chopsticks on the table. She stretched out her long nails and scratched Sheng Huaizhong's face. Sheng Huaizhong had not expected his wife to act like this, and he dodged hastily, but was repeatedly struck by the old lady Sheng Da. Sheng Huaizhong only stopped when she used all her strength to restrain the old lady Sheng Da.
Li Yuxin had wanted to do this for a long time, but she didn't dare to do so when she was young and weak in her previous life. Later, her family fell into poverty and her temperament changed, but she had no time at all. After the eldest branch of the Sheng family rose again, Sheng Huaizhong was already old and was bedridden, so Li Yuxin let him go.
Li Yuxin bit Sheng Huaizhong's arm hard, and Sheng Huaizhong finally let go of his hand. Sheng Huaizhong looked at his wife in disbelief: "Madam, when did you become such a shrew!"
Li Yuxin felt extremely happy. Seeing Sheng Huaizhong's handsome face bleeding from being scratched, she smiled inwardly, but didn't show it on her face. With a cold face, she said, "There are so many things you don't know. Don't come to the main courtyard unless you have something to do in the future."
Li Yuxin thought of her past life as incompetent and weak. She hadn't been able to avenge Hong'er's death, and instead, was forced by Sheng Huaizhong and Concubine Liu to retreat to the countryside with Wei'er and Yun'er. In her next life, she didn't want to be more reserved. She had lived for so many years and was no longer the same person she once was.
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