After breakfast, they went to the front courtyard.
Many people came to the house today, including some villagers they didn't usually see.
Most of them were the clan elder and their immediate family. Ordinary villagers were not present.
Wang Yuanzhi's eyes were crinkled into a smile, and others offered their congratulations. Only Wang Tian shi wore a displeased expression but still forced a fake smile as she spoke to the visitors.
In contrast, Wang Hui on the side was genuine. If she was unhappy, she was unhappy. She couldn't bring herself to flatter or please others and sat aside, ignoring everyone.
After a few words with the village elder, Zhao Jiaqi went to find Wang Hui.
"What are you doing sitting here by yourself? Aren't you going to see your little brother?"
Wang Hui looked up and, seeing it was Zhao Jiaqi, pouted unhappily. "What's there to see? My father has hired two wet nurses to take turns looking after him. They're feeding him so carefully, I don't need to watch him at all."
Two wet nurses. Such treatment was indeed excellent in this village. It seemed Wang Yuanzhi valued this son greatly, showing such attention from birth. It was no wonder his daughter felt jealous.
"Let's go. It's too crowded here. Let's go to the back mountain for a chat."
Zhao Jiaqi disliked the people inside. They were too numerous and noisy, chattering about whose son was doing what and whose daughter was doing what, constantly comparing each other. It was truly pointless.
Wang Hui also disliked staying there, feeling like an unnecessary decoration. So, she pulled Zhao Jiaqi to play in the back mountain.
Fan Zehao, who was always keeping an eye on his wife, followed her as she headed out.
"Madam, where are you, a pregnant woman, going?" Fan Zehao chased after her, his first words being this.
Zhao Jiaqi pointed to the mountain in front of them. "It's too noisy in the courtyard. We're going for a stroll in the back mountain. Do you want to come?"
To the back mountain?
A fleeting look crossed Fan Zehao's eyes. "With your condition, climbing up and down, I can't rest assured. I must go with you."
Saying this, he linked arms with his wife and they ascended the mountain together, leaving Wang Hui behind. She pouted, her mood growing even more sullen.
At home, she had to compete with her little brother for affection, and now, even outside, her elder sister was being snatched away. It seemed she was truly all alone.
On the path up the mountain, Wang Hui picked everything she saw. Even the foxtail grass by the roadside was ruined, not to mention the colorful wildflowers.
Reaching the back mountain, Zhao Jiaqi pointed to the brightly colored flowers. "Aren't these flowers beautiful, especially when they're in bloom?"
Fan Zehao looked at the expanse of poppies, stretching as far as the eye could see. He trembled all over. So many, far beyond his imagination.
"There are more over there!"
Fan Zehao followed Zhao Jiaqi's gaze, a chill running down his spine. "It's shocking, too many. If all of this were to be made into Elixir Paste, the consequences..."
"What's so shocking about this? They plant these every year. The Elixir Paste produced each year is almost all sold out. After this year's harvest, they plan to expand the cultivation. Next year's output will definitely be more than this year's. By then, the silver you earn will fill your mansions."
Wang Hui had heard this from her father a few days ago. Once this business took off, the sales would be several times that of previous years. If production wasn't expedited and expanded, there might not be enough to sell.
Her casual remark made the couple's hearts race with fear. It seemed they had come to the right place this year; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
When they had wandered enough on the mountain and were heading home, an accident occurred. Wang Tian shi had dropped the newborn child, killing him.
The exact details of what happened were unclear, but when they returned, Wang Yuanzhi was furious and wanted to beat Wang Tian shi to death with his own hands.
Upon hearing this news, Wang Hui's mind went blank. Then she rushed out and threw herself onto Wang Tian shi, offering to take the punishment for her mother.
This was Zhao Jiaqi's first time encountering such a situation. Seeing the pool of blood on the ground made her feel unwell, nauseous and with a queasy stomach.
"This is their family matter. Let's go back."
Fan Zehao also found it difficult to accept. Such a good child, and then... He felt extreme reluctance in his heart.
Even as an outsider, he felt sorry for the child, let alone Wang Yuanzhi, who had found this child late in life. His rage was not something an ordinary person could quell.
Back in their room, Zhao Jiaqi felt unwell, lying on the bed, dizzy and nauseous. This greatly worried Fan Zehao. If he had known this would happen, they would have lingered on the mountain longer.
But it was too late for regrets. Now that this had happened, all he could do was try his best to make his wife feel more comfortable.
So, he placed some fragrant flowers they had bought in the bedroom and arranged visually appealing ones by the bedside, where she could see them at all times, hoping it would improve her mood.
Yet, even with these efforts, Zhao Jiaqi only gradually recovered two days later. During these two days, this small mountain village and the village elder's home had truly become the stage for a grand drama.
Wang Yuanzhi divorced his wife. Before Wang Tian shi left, she hanged herself in the bedroom. Wang Hui was also deeply affected by this, locking herself in her room and not eating or drinking for two days.
When Zhao Jiaqi heard this news, she worried greatly for Wang Hui. Despite her lingering weakness, she went with Fan Zehao to visit her.
She knocked on Wang Hui's door and saw her eyes were vacant, devoid of any spark, her expression desolate.
"You... please accept my condolences."
Zhao Jiaqi didn't know how to comfort someone. These three words felt awkward to say. Seeing Wang Hui's distress, she reached out and hugged her.
"Cry if you need to. Crying will make things better."
Wang Hui shook her head. Instead of crying, she was unusually calm, more so than Zhao Jiaqi had expected.
"Big sister, my mother absolutely did not drop and kill that child. My mother is such a kind person, how could she have done such a thing? I don't believe it, and I will never believe it."
Zhao Jiaqi was stunned when she heard these words. Was what happened a few days ago not true? Was there some trickery involved?
But no matter what, it had happened. Now, they could only look forward.
"Hui'er, if what you say is true, then you must pull yourself together and investigate. You must get justice for your mother."
Wang Hui leaned into Zhao Jiaqi's embrace for a long time before lifting her head and nodding heavily. "I will. Those who bullied my mother, framed my mother, and forced my mother to her death, I will not let any of them go."
The determined glint in Wang Hui's eyes startled even Zhao Jiaqi. She seemed to have changed, becoming a stranger.
"Big sister, don't worry, I'm fine. As you said, if I'm not capable myself, let alone protecting those I care about, I can't even protect myself."
This sudden change left Zhao Jiaqi speechless. While the thought was good, it had come at the cost of losing a loved one.
Zhao Jiaqi wanted to say more, but Wang Hui offered her a faint smile. "I'm fine, I'm strong. I still need to handle my mother's funeral arrangements. Once everything is settled, I'll come find you, big sister."
Saying this, she didn't give Zhao Jiaqi a chance to reply and ran off.
Seeing this, Fan Zehao put his arm around his wife's waist. "One learns from experience. She... has grown up. She knows she no longer has anyone to support her, so she will inevitably become stronger."
Zhao Jiaqi sighed softly. "I hope so. I just don't want her to do anything foolish."
Compared to the foolishness her father had committed, what foolishness could she do?