"I can guarantee that nothing like that will ever happen again. I'm better, really. I'll keep taking my medication." Seeing that Hong Xiaoduo didn't respond, Hua Shi spoke up again to assure her.
The incident she was referring to was probably the first time she met Kaiyang on the street and hugged him, and the time she threatened to kill herself outside the inn at midnight to see Kaiyang.
“Madam, if you are truly convinced that Kaiyang is your son, you can certainly find a way to keep him by your side. After all, the Wei family’s status and your family’s strength are undeniable,” Hong Xiaoduo said, sensing that Madam Hua’s emotions were quite stable.
Hong Xiaoduo remembered clearly that when Lord Wei Junpei said it himself that day, Hua Shi had always been very resistant to adopting some children who looked similar to Tong'er and were of similar age.
Upon encountering Kaiyang, Hua was so excited that she couldn't control her emotions and even threatened to kill herself to see Kaiyang. But now, she is cautiously discussing taking her with her when she leaves the capital.
Hearing Hong Xiaoduo's words, Madam Hua waved her hands repeatedly and said, "Young Madam Hong, please don't misunderstand. As long as I can be with you and see him every day, I am already very content. As for anything else, I dare not ask for anything more." As she spoke, Madam Hua's voice gradually weakened.
After calming down these past few days, I've thought about many, many things, and I simply don't dare to think about whether that child named Kaiyang is really my biological son.
However, when she sees the child laughing, she can't help but laugh along.
Suddenly a thought popped into my head: why bother with so much? As long as I think he is right, that's enough.
After Tong'er's accident, the wet nurse, filled with remorse, attempted suicide. She herself had also considered ending her own life.
As the child's biological mother, failing to protect her child and causing the accident is a dereliction of maternal duty. Why didn't she have breast milk and had to hire a wet nurse?
Otherwise, if the child sleeps in their own room next to them, wouldn't everything be fine?
After the child's accident, she went out and overheard women on the street talking about her, saying that she had a weak connection with her child. Although they spoke with sympathy, not gloating, it felt like a sharp blade cutting into her heart. That feeling kept her from leaving the house for a long time.
Her in-laws and husband were worried about her health, so they looked for a suitable child for her to adopt, thinking that it would gradually heal her emotional distress.
However, no matter how much the children she found resembled Tong'er, she never agreed to adopt them. She was very resistant and emotional at the time because if she adopted them, it would mean that she herself had acknowledged that Tong'er was truly no longer alive.
So how could she allow such a thing to happen?
She was not unreasonable, and she clearly expressed to her parents-in-law and husband that she hoped her husband would take a concubine, so that the bloodline of their already few children would not be cut off!
She even asked to step down and give up her position as the legal wife. However, although her mother-in-law also had such thoughts, her husband firmly disagreed. Her father-in-law also said that if this lineage really ended, then it was fate.
She knew this was wrong, and felt very sorry for her parents-in-law and husband. She wanted to put Tong'er aside, recover her health, and find a way to have another child.
But she really couldn't do it.
She felt guilty whenever she saw her parents-in-law and husband at home. After the beginning of spring this year, she discussed with her husband that she wanted to go out for a walk. Although the whole family was worried, they still agreed.
When she arrived in Baihe Town, everything was fine until one day she walked alone outside the town and accidentally saw several wild dogs tearing apart a tiger-head hat worn by a child. She suddenly had a mental breakdown and fell ill.
The servants and guards didn't keep an eye on her and she ran into the street. Unexpectedly, she ran into the child. In just one glance in the street, she felt her heart was about to jump out of her chest.
After calming down these past few days, she realized that what cured her was not the medicine that her mother and others had been patiently urging her to take every day, but the child named Kaiyang.
After calming down, she told herself, "There's no such thing as a free lunch!"
She didn't want everyone to believe that Kaiyang was her biological son, Tong'er; she just wanted to believe that he was him.
In this way, there will be no disappointment.
This disappointment was tantamount to despair for her. Once it was confirmed that Kaiyang was not her Tong'er, then her only attachment to this world would cease to exist.
Therefore, as long as she doesn't take it too seriously to verify the results and just stays in this state, even if it's just a beautiful but unreal dream, she'd rather stay in this dream forever and never wake up.
“Young Madam Hong, I can even write a contract stating that if anything happens to me while we are out together, I will take full responsibility and will not blame you. My parents-in-law, husband, and my family are all reasonable people and will not hold a grudge against you.” Madam Hua raised her head and added very seriously.
“Okay, I agree. But since Madam is going to stay with us, she needs to take good care of her health. After all, traveling around outside is tiring.” Hong Xiaoduo said with a smile.
Upon hearing that she had actually agreed, Madam Hua looked at Hong Xiaoduo in disbelief and murmured, "Aren't you just trying to fool me? I know you suddenly decided to go to the capital, saying you had business there, but you probably just wanted to get me safely back to the Wei residence."
“Why would I lie to you, Madam? It’s alright if you don’t believe me. Anyway, if I break my promise and don’t take you with me, there will be a way if you really want to come along.” Hong Xiaoduo didn’t expect that the reason she made up on the spot when she decided to go to the capital would not be able to fool Hua Shi.
I thought she was preoccupied with Kaiyang and wouldn't notice such things.
Hua stared blankly at Hong Xiaoduo for a while, then suddenly stood up and walked towards her own carriage.
The maid and guard Yan, who had been keeping an eye on things, were both very curious when they saw their mistress walking back excitedly.
"From today onwards, I need to take care of my health and nourish myself. When we reach a place with a clinic, remember to find a doctor for me." As she spoke, Madam Hua got into the carriage and looked out the window at Kaiyang.
The maidservant realized what was happening and quickly responded. She then looked at Guard Yan, her eyes asking, "What's wrong with Madam? Why are you suddenly so concerned about your health?"
Guard Yan gestured towards Hong Xiaoduo with his lips, as if to say, "Is there even a question? It must have been that young lady who comforted her!"
"Madam, when we left the manor, the old lady asked us to take the health-preserving pills prescribed by Physician Quan. Shall we take one now?" Ruanniang quickly asked.
“Okay,” Hua Shi immediately agreed.
The maidservant hurriedly boarded the carriage, took out the gourd containing the pills from her bundle, suppressed her excitement, poured out one pill and handed it over. Seeing that her mistress took it without hesitation and swallowed it, she quickly handed her some water.
Ruan Niang was overjoyed, thinking that when she returned to the capital, she would speak highly of Miss Hong and ask the head of the household to reward her properly. This Miss Hong was simply like Guanyin Bodhisattva.
Hong Xiaoduo, who had already boarded the carriage, heard Old Man Luo calling her. She quickly closed her eyes to rest and entered her spatial dimension in her mind...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
