Chapter Fifteen Unexpected

  At the end of the month, it was time for Madame Cheng to settle accounts. She had been doing this for many years and could tell roughly how much just by listening with her eyes closed.

  "How come this month's expenses are a lot more than last month?" she asked, opening her eyes.

  In front of them, a row of servant girls knelt down and busily flipped through account books.

  "Madam, it's an extra serving of cooling soup from the kitchen on the second madam's side." a maid said.

  A bowl of cooling noodles doesn't cost much money.

  Madam Cheng nodded, but Second Madam had never used it before, so why was she using it suddenly?

  Another woman over there spoke up.

  "The second mistress is having new clothes made for the season," she said.

  Madam Cheng slightly furrowed her brow. The clothes for the four seasons at home were all made to order, so why was she buying out-of-season clothes this time?

  But in front of her husband's wife, she couldn't raise a single question, otherwise this conversation would change.

  Especially between sisters-in-law.

  "I had forgotten, this is still what I said." She smiled.

  The housewives laughed and said that Madam had too many things on her mind and couldn't remember everything, but in their hearts, they were as clear as a mirror.

  For so many years, the second house, which had always been overshadowed by the first house, has finally changed.

  Don't underestimate that bowl of soup and a set of clothes.

  For women, the subtlest reaction is often the truest one.

  All sorts of rumors slowly spread quietly in the Cheng family's large courtyard.

  Mrs. Cheng felt relieved after settling the accounts, feeling that this month was finally going to pass, and only felt a bit physically and mentally exhausted.

  Somehow I always feel a sense of heaviness in my heart, one thing after another, it seems like there's never a moment to relax.

  It wasn't like this before, when did it start?

  "Mother, mother." Cheng Liu's voice came from outside, "I don't want that fool living in our house!"

  Oh, right, idiot!

  Madam Cheng was somewhat taken aback.

  Since that fool entered our home.

  Think carefully, whenever that fool is around, the Cheng family never has a smooth time.

  When he was young, his home was filled with gloom, the old grandfather died of suffocation, and his mother was tortured to death. The people in Cheng's family did not dare to go out.

  After sending it out, the days at home suddenly became better. The first house's business was booming, the second house's career was smooth and safe, the continued marriage was warm and pure, and both sons and daughters were complete. The Cheng family's days were prosperous and harmonious, everything went smoothly inside and outside the house, and everyone was satisfied with their life.

  This idiot is back again.

  That night when they returned, the usually gentle and harmonious couple in the second house had a fight right in front of them, letting her know for the first time that her normally gentle younger brother and sister-in-law also had such tempers.

  Madam Cheng let out a long sigh again.

  "Mother, don't just sigh, hurry up and get rid of that fool!" Cheng Liu's mother shouted while shaking her arm.

  Madam Cheng came back to her senses.

  "What's wrong?" she asked, her voice somewhat weak.

  "Mother, with her around, I can't even go out the door." said Cheng Liu Niang, both wronged and annoyed. "Today I went to Dong Niang Zi's house to admire the flowers, but was teased by someone who grabbed me, now everyone in the city knows that our family's fool has returned."

  In Jiangzhou Prefecture, with such a small piece of land, any wind blowing through the grass can spread from the east of the city to the west in an instant. Not to mention it's the Cheng family, who knows how many eyes are staring at them? It's not surprising if they know.

  "They're not just finding out about our family's situation for the first time," said Mrs. Cheng, "Don't bother with them, it's a hassle, just stay home these days and wait for them to get tired of talking."

  It's simply too humiliating for Cheng Liu Niang to have to hide like a turtle.

  "Mother, then I'll never leave the house for my whole life! And I won't get married either! Who would want to marry a sister of an idiot!" She said, and ran off with a flick of her sleeve.

  Madam Cheng called out twice but couldn't get a response, and could only shake her head in frustration.

  "Sixth Sister's arrogant and domineering nature is really unbearable," she said.

  "Madam, Liu Niang's worries are also reasonable," a servant said.

  "Are you also following a child home?" Madame Cheng said to the servant woman.

  "Although it's just laughter among girls outside," the servant woman said, "too much laughter is not good after all, especially since our family's daughters are already at an age to be married off."

  Madam Cheng sat up straight and stopped fanning herself with the hand-held fan.

  Having a foolish sister is indeed nothing glorious, especially for those big families who avoid talking about it.

  In the evening, Madame Cheng told Old Master Cheng about this matter.

  "But what can be done? Just because this person exists, it's not like we can just say they don't exist. Let's not talk about what outsiders might say for now, but what about the Zhou family?" Old Master Cheng said gruffly.

  "Why don't we just send it out then?" said Madame Cheng. "It's not only Pingzhou that has a Taoist temple, our own family does too."

  "It's still the same person, what's the difference." Mr. Cheng said, taking a sip of brewed tea and repeatedly praising, "The brewed tea from southern Yunnan is just good, it's just a pity that it's too expensive."

  "How expensive can it be, our family still lacks a mouth to drink tea?" Madam Cheng said with a smile, "Let's do this, I'll discuss it with my sister again and choose a day to send her over. The Taoist priest also said that keeping her in the temple is good for her."

  It's not worth Master Cheng's attention for a fool like him, so he just nodded slightly and ignored him.

  But when Madam Cheng went to discuss with Second Madam Cheng, Second Madam Cheng did not say as usual that everything would be decided by Elder Sister-in-law.

  "Why don't we wait a bit longer?" she said, "It's probably not good to send it now."

  Madam Cheng was very surprised.

  "What's going on?" she asked.

  "Hasn't there been any news from the Zhou family yet?" said Madame Cheng, "Since they've gone to so much trouble to send someone over, if we were to directly send them to the Taoist temple, what if they use this as leverage to cause more trouble? It's better to wait for them to speak before sending them off."

  Madam Cheng suddenly came to herself and hastily nodded in agreement.

  This week, they sent someone back home and still don't know what they are going to do. They'd better be careful.

  Watching Madame Cheng leave, Madame Cheng II pursed her lips.

  "Send it out, after all, it's our second house's person. I'm her nominal mother. When the time comes and outsiders talk about it, won't they still be pointing at my back and muttering? What right do you have to reap benefits and gain a good name?" She said in a low voice, slapping the fan on the table, looking at the maid, "This fan is no good. I heard that Zhenbao Fang has new fans. Go pick a few for me."

  Although sending her to the Taoist temple was temporarily put on hold, Madam Cheng still changed Cheng Jiaoniang's residence.

  Because her daughter Cheng Liu Niang didn't even come out of the house, Cheng Qi Niang also came to say that they couldn't stroll in the garden anymore, because the fool living in the garden would scare them.

  Jiang Nang didn't care where she lived and moved house very obediently.

  Changing houses might be nothing for the Cheng family, but if someone gets sick, that's a big deal.

  Master Cheng hurriedly entered the courtyard of Cheng Si Lang, where many people were already standing inside the house. Cheng Si Lang's wet nurse was crying so hard that she couldn't get up.

  "How did you fall ill all of a sudden?" asked Old Master Cheng.

  Looking at the couch, Cheng Si Lang was lying on his back, his face pale, sweating profusely, and surprisingly, he was already breathing more out than in.

  "Father, the doctor says that Fourth Brother has contracted lovesickness." Ch. Liu Niang spoke up first, her voice still carrying a hint of suppressed laughter.

  As soon as these words came out, everyone in the room looked embarrassed.

  Madam Cheng sat down at the bedside with a pale face.

  "Sixth daughter-in-law, no, Fourth Son is a guest who has been struck," cried Chang Si-lang's wet nurse.

  What a mess! Master Cheng's eyebrows rose and his face grew even longer.

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  Yesterday was impulsive, after all, the double October was missed, and the guaranteed November and December powder tickets were not enough to compete for the list, it's no longer realistic, and it's no longer happy. The famous doctor girl has ended, no matter how regrettable, it has ended, so I have to let go.

  If everyone has the spare energy, please give your pink tickets to Ming Men Yi Nu, I won't update new books to beg for votes anymore, thank you, ashamed, being mercenary and forgetting one's original intention, laughable.