"My little aunt used to be a maid in the Guo family. After she came back, she was jealous of my good marriage and secretly took my place in the Pei family's sedan chair. If it weren't for her, how could I have ended up like this?"
"Pei Xia was bewitched by her, and the Pei family always puts her first. I really can't swallow this bitter pill. Dear elder sister, it's great that you're back. Pei Xia has an old acquaintance with you. He will surely take pity on you..."
Qi Fu's plaintive words still echoed in Xuan Niang's ears.
According to Qi Fu, Qi Jiao was a venomous woman who would even snatch her niece's marriage.
Xuan Niang no longer felt any psychological burden.
This time, she was determined to return to A Xia's side.
Xuan Niang sat at the table, eating absent - mindedly.
Seeing this, Mrs. Qi called her twice in succession. "What's wrong with you? Did you see him? How's Young Master Pei?"
Xuan Niang came back to her senses. "I saw him. He's still the same as before, but he's already married."
Mrs. Qi sat down next to her and whispered in her ear, "In my opinion, why are you bothering yourself like this? He's already married. He can't just abandon his wife and marry you again..."
Unexpectedly, Xuan Niang slapped her chopsticks on the table. "Auntie, how do you know he can't?"
She sneered. "Ten years ago, to treat Father's injury and to help your family, I've sold myself once. Does Auntie still want to sell me a second time?"
Mrs. Qi looked embarrassed, but she was secretly annoyed with this unruly niece.
As a widow, she should just find an honest man and get married quietly. Instead, she insisted on pestering a married man. It was really annoying.
Mrs. Qi knew that Xuan Niang had money.
Since she came back, she often bought meat and vegetables with her own money. The family had a better diet, and the children all benefited.
Now, Mrs. Qi still had to flatter and coax Xuan Niang well.
She was afraid that if Xuan Niang got angry and left, her family would be in a bad situation.
Moreover, since Xuan Niang's parents had passed away, Mrs. Qi was her only aunt.
Mrs. Qi was still counting on getting a generous betrothal gift when Xuan Niang got remarried.
Mrs. Qi was secretly scheming, but Xuan Niang saw through her intentions clearly.
She had a hundred taels of silver in her hand, but she only showed a little over ten taels.
Xuan Niang knew that her aunt was eyeing her money. Before she returned to Yinwan, she had exchanged her valuable jewelry for cash and deposited most of it in the bank.
If it weren't for the fact that her aunt lived in Yinwan and it was convenient for her to stay there, Xuan Niang would never have lived in her house.
One cousin and two younger female cousins were all ungrateful people. They were always thinking about getting money from her.
If she hadn't complained about being poor as soon as she came back, saying that the Yuan family only looked prosperous on the surface and that the second branch had taken all the family property while she got nothing, she might have had to support the lazy Pang family.
Seeing Xuan Niang's sullen face, Mrs. Qi quickly picked up a piece of crispy meat for her. Then she turned to scold her gluttonous youngest son and said to Xuan Niang with a smile, "Eat slowly. In my opinion, the Pei family has risen now. Their family fortune is not much worse than the Yuan family's. Young Master Pei is young and strong. He's only one year older than you. He's a rare good husband. It's just a bit troublesome to deal with his wife..."
Mrs. Qi's eyes darted around. She glanced at the big brick - tiled house of Second Brother Pang's family opposite and couldn't help feeling envious. "Look, Qi Yong and Mrs. Qian are notoriously shameless, but the daughters of the Qi family have all married well. Aunt Qi Jiao married Pei Xia from Baiyun Village, and niece Qi Fu... Although she was once a concubine of the young master of the Guo family in the county, she's very charming. Since Second Brother Pang got her, he can't wait to go to bed with her before it gets dark. Second Brother is a widower, but he's good at woodworking and can make money. He's much better than your uncle, who never cares about the family..."
Although Second Brother Pang and Uncle Pang were distant relatives, they were about ten years apart in age, and their houses were just opposite each other.
After Xuan Niang came back, Qi Fu, who had already married Second Brother Pang, came to visit. By chance, she heard the big - mouthed Mrs. Qi mention the past relationship between Pei Xia and Xuan Niang. So she deliberately said something to Xuan Niang.
"Alas, Xuan Niang, your aunt has had a hard life... I was blind at that time and married such a useless man..."
When talking about her husband, Mrs. Qi complained non - stop.
Xuan Niang just ignored her and ate her meat slowly.
She didn't feel the slightest bit of sympathy for Mrs. Qi.
If you can't meet a good man, you should stop the loss in time.
Auntie knew that Uncle Pang had an affair with other women and would go to the brothel whenever he had some spare money.
Even so, Auntie still stubbornly gave birth to children for him, determined to have a son.
There were originally four younger female cousins, but the family couldn't afford to raise them, so two were given away. Finally, she had a son.
Did she think that having a son would win her husband's heart? It was simply ridiculous.
Looking at her cousin's greedy eating, Xuan Niang felt extremely annoyed. Ignoring Mrs. Qi's sighs, she put down her chopsticks and went back to the west room.
On the other side, Qi Jiao and Pei Xia were on their way back.
Qi Jiao had a gloomy face. She walked ahead on her own, quickly and impatiently.
Pei Xia knew she was angry and said anxiously, "Jiao Niang, wait for me. Listen to me."
Qi Jiao didn't stop and sneered, "Listen to what? How you 'accidentally' ran into Xuan Niang?"
Pei Xia gave a bitter smile. He looked down at his palm and silently retracted his outstretched hand.
He didn't want Jiao Niang to worry, but it seemed that he had made things worse.
"Jiao Niang, I accidentally touched raw lacquer today and had an allergic reaction. Xuan Niang just came to bring me medicine. I also said in public that she was just an old neighbor. Moreover, Xuan Niang is already married. There will never be any connection between us."
Hearing that he was allergic, Qi Jiao paused.
"You may think so, but she may not. What a kind - hearted act of bringing medicine. There are so many people in the Qu family. Why was it only her who brought you medicine?"
Pei Xia had never seen Jiao Niang like this before. Her cheeks were flushed with pent - up anger, directed at him and another woman.
Pei Xia felt both happy and heart - broken. He kept begging for forgiveness. "You don't know. I've been counting the days, looking forward to your return. I wanted to go back early to pick you up today. But I had an allergic reaction. I was itchy and in pain all over. I had to stay in the Qu family and wait until I got better before I dared to see you."
Qi Jiao was half - appeased by his words.
She looked at the part of Pei Xia's arm that was exposed. There were indeed light red scars on it. She knew that Pei Xia wasn't lying to her, but she was still very angry.
She felt so conflicted and bitter in her heart.
Xuan Niang had brought the ointment to A Xia in time and saved him. She should be grateful to Xuan Niang.
But why did she feel so uncomfortable?
Qi Jiao didn't say a word and turned around to continue walking.
Pei Xia sighed and followed her back, silent all the way...
When they reached the door of the Pei family's small courtyard, Qi Jiao finally stopped.
She took a couple of light breaths and said to Pei Xia, "When we go in for dinner later, let's act like before." Don't let Mother notice that they had an argument.
Seeing that Qi Jiao was talking to him again, Pei Xia showed a smile on his lips. But then, it was like a bucket of cold water was poured on him, and he felt like he was falling into an abyss.
After entering the house, the whole family was about to have dinner. Qi Jiao came back looking exactly the same as when she left.
Tang Guiniang couldn't help scolding Pei Xia. "Didn't you know that Jiao Niang was coming back today? You made her go looking for you. Shame on you."
Qi Jiao smiled and tried to excuse Pei Xia. "He accidentally touched raw lacquer at the Qu family's and had an allergic reaction. That's why he was delayed."