Chapter 224: Chapter 224: One Should Learn to Be Content
It was five days later when they returned to Marquis Yangling Mansion.
The East Courtyard was still the same as always.
Cui Rong continued to go to school, catching up on the lessons he had missed during this period, while Shen Hua still skipped classes as usual.
Ni Kang continued his unalterable pulse diagnostics, persistently modifying prescriptions as before.
"Do you see anything different about me today?"
These recent nights, vomiting blood had become lighter in color. Thus, Shen Hua always posed this question during the pulse check.
Ni Kang gave her a glance.
Still the same as always, what could be different.
However, he didn’t want to dishearten Shen Hua, so he pretended to be confused.
"Miss Shen’s hairdo today is even more exquisite than yesterday’s, refreshing to the eyesight and making you appear even more gentle and amiable."
"Thank you, I am indeed gentle... but I’ve been wearing the same hairstyle for the past two days."
Ni Kang: "..."
Shen Hua deflated.
She thought, either Ni Kang is a mediocre doctor, or she is sick.
Well, she truly was sick.
The spitting blood matter, she just didn’t bother to talk about it.
The weather turned slightly warmer.
February 14th, a rare fine day with bright sunshine.
Shen Hua carefully picked a simple and elegant skirt from her wardrobe for the mourning period. She also retrieved silver loop accessories from the chest. Aside from a golden hairpin, a keepsake from Mama, the girl ventured to hang a pair of bright red and dazzling earrings for the first time.
The bracelet on her wrist was festive red too, yet hidden under her sleeves, seldom seen by others.
Before a prism, the girl meticulously applied rouge and gingerly touched up her lips with crimson lipstick.
Ruby lips and powdered face, her complexion was as fine as ice and jade – a rare beautiful sight.
Shen Hua was slightly stunned.
Yicui arose early and headed to the small kitchen. Ningzhu was stoking the fire, assisting her.
"Following Fengzhou’s customs, on one’s birthday, one should eat ’Yangchun’ noodles for breakfast," Yicui said softly while mixing and kneading the dough.
"In earlier years, when Madam was still with us, no matter how busy, she would always make time on this day, and the noodles Miss would eat were personally made by Madam."
"Later..., it was I who made them."
Ningzhu sadly bowed her head.
"The first year, I remember Miss lost her temper," Yicui slowed her hand movements.
At that time, Shen Hua hadn’t yet recovered from the grief of losing her mother. After eating a few bites of noodles, tears of frustration fell drop by drop. She threw the chopsticks.
——"This tastes awful."
——"It’s my fault. I will remake it for Miss right away," Yicui could only gently coax her.
The little girl cried intermittently at the time.
——"It’s just not as good as my Mama’s."
——"I will learn."
Seeing her like this, Shen Hua felt even worse. She was willful but not unreasonably so, and she knew she shouldn’t act this way.
Shen Yangyang buried her face in Yicui’s bosom, choking up.
——"Wuu, I didn’t mean to be harsh on you."
——"I know," said Yicui.
She patted Shen Hua’s back.
——"Yicui, will I never see Mama again?"
Thinking of this, Yicui’s heart clenched painfully. She couldn’t help but feel sentimental.
"When the master was still here, things were still good. Every year he would give a thick red envelope, but now that the master is also gone. Miss might not say it, but she must feel horrible inside."
Ningzhu whispered, "It’s Miss’s birthday, it should be celebrated properly. Even if we don’t invite the two cousins from the West Garden, we should at least talk to the little princess, to liven things up."
"Miss doesn’t want to. So she didn’t mention it to anyone else."
Yicui frowned: "No matter what, we should still have a bowl of ’Yangchun’ noodles."
A habit of more than a decade, it must not be broken.
After Shen Hua took her medicine, Yicui brought in the refreshing, fragrant onion-smelling noodles.
Shen Hua bit her lip and then gave Yicui a shallow smile. She said nothing and ate very slowly, but finished up the entire bowl of noodles.
"Miss Wei has sent several invitations, and you have not gone to any. Why not take this chance while the weather is nice to go for a walk with Yingwu?" Yicui suggested.
Shen Hua snorted, "Such people like her are petty-minded, and who knows what she says about me behind my back."
At midday, Wei Yingying was indeed cursing Shen Hua.
First-tier Sky Restaurant, private room on the third floor.
She slammed the table petulantly: "It’s been more than half a month now, she really has no loyalty, and I thought she was a good person. What airs she puts on!"
"Why doesn’t Shen Hua just ascend to heaven!"
The door was pushed open from the outside, and Shen Hua entered with a stern face.
Wei Yingying was not the least bit embarrassed. She was taken aback for a moment, then began to speak mockingly.
"Oh, Miss Shen is a rare visitor, I’ve invited over ten times in these days, I thought I would have to personally come to invite you."
Shen Hua looked at her briefly and then dismissively turned to sit beside Yan Mi.
"It’s enough to give you face just by coming here once."
Shen Hua: "One must be content in life."
Wei Yingying sneered.
"I won’t argue with you."
She couldn’t win anyway.
Wei Yingying leaned back, "Why has there been no news from you these days?"
Shen Hua: "Busy trying to ascend to heaven."
Wei Yingying: ...
"Before you came, I was discussing with Sister Yan about the Yongchang Marquis Mansion. It’s been more than half a month, but these days the matter is still simmering wildly. All of Quansheng is buzzing about it."
As she spoke, she paused, looking somewhat concerned at Shen Hua.
"Why are you looking at me?"
Shen Hua: "Is getting a divorce supposed to be a shameful thing?"
Isn’t it?
Wei Yingying: "..."
"Then Chong Bingwen knelt at Xuan Residence for three days and three nights, with blood-soaked wounds on his knees and calves. He fainted from the pain. It’s said he had not eaten a single grain of rice or a sip of water."
As she said this, she hurriedly added: "I’m not pleading for him, no matter what, I stand on your side."
Shen Yangyang couldn’t care less.
She looked at Yan Mi.
Yan Mi still wore her usual attire, but visibly, she had slimmed down a lot, even her chin had sharpened. The clothes on her appeared distinctly loose around her waist.
Yan Mi’s complexion was not good.
But still gentle.
Shen Hua pursed her lips, lowering her gaze.
"He knelt there on his own accord. Who forced him?"
"Some people just have a habit of kneeling in front of others’ doors, and you can’t shoo them away, even Xuan Family is in a difficult position."
"He abstained from food and drink merely to gain sympathy. Even the Old Madam Chong came several times but couldn’t persuade him to leave. Later, when he fainted, the Marquis pitied him, despite his busy official duties, but still took time to send him back affectionately."
At that time, Chong Bingwen was kneeling on sharp objects, his lips white, the blood from his wounds spilled all over.
The staff of Xuan Residence went in and out, no one had any pity for him, except Shen Yangyang!
Whenever the girl had free time, she would sit by the door. Supporting her chin, she would look at Chong Bingwen below the steps.
Yangyang was very friendly.
"Does it hurt? When there’s no one around, why not take a lazy break, get up first, and when someone comes, you can continue kneeling? After all, with so many wounds on the legs, how much more can a steadfast man fear?"
Latter, when Chong Bingwen fainted, Shen Hua saw it with her own eyes.
Girl: "How pitiful."
She said to Cui Yun: "You can’t just watch someone die."
Wei Yingying really started to believe Shen Hua was evil.
This woman could really make black sound white.
"Send?"
She couldn’t hold back anymore.
"Are you talking about the prison van for escorting prisoners?"