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âWhat did you say, Auntie Lin fainted?â
Daohua looked at Wang Manman with a face full of astonishment, then spoke somewhat speechlessly, âShe couldnât have chosen a worse time to faint. Father has already gotten into the carriage and left; who is she fainting for? She couldnât have mentioned it earlier?â
Wang Manman, seeing that Daohua thought Auntie Lin was pretending, immediately replied, âShe really fainted, her face was deathly pale, and Madam has already sent for a doctor.â
Daohua was taken aback, âReally fainted? Why on earth? Just because Father left in a hurry and didnât pay attention to her, she becomes so angry that she faints?â Daohua clicked her tongue twice, âSheâs really been pampered by Father to the point of being sickly. Her mental resilience is a bit lacking!â
Wang Manman, seeing that her young lady was still in the mood for jokes, was also speechless, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but then she swallowed her words back down.
Noticing her hesitancy, Daohua was puzzled, âWhatâs wrong? Speak up, donât beat around the bush.â
Wang Manman hesitantly said, âMiss, when I used to run with my father delivering goods, I saw women faint, and then they were diagnosed as being pregnant.â
Upon hearing this, Daohua was stunned, and it took her a long while to come back to her senses.
âNo⦠no way?â
Daohua felt her temples throbbing violently. She had just managed to see Father become a bit colder towards the people of Shuangxin Courtyard; could it be that everything was going to be turned on its head again?
âLetâs go, letâs go see in the main house.â
Daohua couldnât sit still any longer, and, taking Wang Manman with her, ran towards the main house.
Just as they reached the entrance of the main house, they saw Ping Xiao escorting the doctor away.
Daohua hurriedly asked, âSister Ping Xiao, is Auntie Lin alright?â
Ping Xiaoâs expression was complicated as she glanced at Daohua, âMiss, you better ask Madam yourself.â
Hearing this, Daohuaâs heart skipped a beat, and she turned around and entered the yard, âMother, what exactly is wrong with Auntie Lin?â
Madam Li raised her eyes to look at her daughter, her expression very calm, âCongratulations, youâre going to be a sister again.â
âShe really is pregnant?!â
Daohua immediately widened her eyes, her face unable to hide her mixed feelings.
Seeing her display of emotions, Madam Li glared at her, âClose that gaping mouth of yours. Itâs not a big deal; is it worth your shock?â
Daohua instantly sat down next to Madam Li, âMother, arenât you worried?â With Father showing favoritism to Auntie Lin above all, her pregnancy would surely make her even more smug.
Madam Li calmly said, âWhatâs the point of worrying? Sheâs your fatherâs concubine, and your father loves spending nights thereâ¦â At this, Madam Li immediately stopped, her daughter was still young, it was inappropriate to talk about such things.
Seeing that Madam Li had suddenly stopped speaking, Daohua shook her arm.
Madam Li: âAnyway, Auntie Lin being pregnant is a good thing for the Yan Family.â
âBut itâs not for us,â Daohua blurted out.
Madam Li quickly glanced at the people in the room, and, seeing that only Ping Tong and Wang Manman were present, she breathed a sigh of relief and then sternly said to Daohua, âYou can say this sort of thing in front of your mother, but not in front of others, including the old lady. You mustnât show even a trace of discontent.â
Adding to the family is a cause for celebration for any household. The old lady cherished her daughter, but that didnât mean she didnât wish for the flourishing of the Yan family.
Daohua, seeing how serious Madam Li was, shrank her neck and nodded.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
Madam Li sighed and stroked her head, âMother knows, youâre worried about me. Donât worry, I survived Auntie Lin giving birth to twins, and now that you and your siblings are so accomplished, Iâm even less afraid.â
â`
Daohua sighed and said, âWhat is this all about!â Just when things had finally calmed down, they were about to get tumultuous again.
â¦
During the Dragon Boat Festival, Governor Guo hosted a banquet for the officials of Zhongzhou Province, and Xiao Yeyang was naturally expected to be there. This time, the three Yan brothers, Yan Wenxiu included, were also invited.
As a result, this yearâs Dragon Boat Festival saw fewer members of the Yan Family present, and with Aunt Lin pregnant, each household harboring their own thoughts, the festival was somewhat subdued.
Yan Zhigao returned on the afternoon of the second day of the Dragon Boat Festival.
Upon receiving the news, everyone from the Yan Family went to the main entrance to welcome him.
Watching Aunt Lin and her two sons swagger towards them with hands on their hips and an air of triumph, Daohua felt a twinge of irritation, while Yan Zhiyuan and the others gave Madam Li a meaningful glance.
Ping Xiao snorted coldly and muttered, âSheâs only just pregnant and already so arrogant, she isnât afraid of throwing out her back!â
Madam Li glared at her, âDonât cause any trouble for me.â After saying that, she looked indifferently towards Aunt Lin, âYouâve just conceived, and your body isnât stable; itâs better not to come out without good reason.â
Aunt Lin smiled weakly, âThank you for your concern, Madam. I just wanted to inform the master at the earliest, that he is going to be a father again.â She finished speaking and affectionately rubbed her belly, a look of happiness on her face.
Seeing this, Daohua curled her lips. She knew that this woman, relying on her pregnancy, would surely be troublesome. Look, just on the second day, she was already so eager to flaunt her status.
At that moment, Yan Zhigaoâs carriage arrived.
Seeing Yan Zhigao alight from the carriage, Aunt Lin, with a joyous face, was about to approach him when unexpectedly, right after Yan Zhigao, a young and beautiful woman with a seductive figure descended from the carriage.
The stunning woman was no more than twenty-eight years old, her hair done up in a married womanâs style, standing beside Yan Zhigao with a coy face, the picture of a shy, dependent creature.
Witnessing this scene, not only was Aunt Lin taken aback, but the rest of the Yan Family was also stunned.
âAhem~â
Seeing his familyâs surprised faces, Yan Zhigao coughed awkwardly and, looking toward Madam Li with a smile, gestured to the beautiful woman, âMadam, this is from the Liao Family.â He then looked at the beauty, âLiao, you should hurry over and greet Madam.â
Having heard the command, the woman promptly made her way to Madam Li in small steps, then dropped to her knees with a âthudâ, kowtowing very respectfully, âLiao pays her respects to Madam.â
After Liao had finished her kowtow, Madam Li finally came to her senses, glanced at an slightly uneasy Yan Zhigao and hurriedly said, âPlease stand up.â Then, she gestured to Ping Tong beside her to help the woman up.
Once Liao stood, Madam Li steadied herself, mustered a slight smile, and said, âThe master has had a tiring journey; please go inside to wash up first.â
Yan Zhigao nodded without saying anything and went straight into the residence, during which he did not notice Aunt Lin standing to the side.
Madam Li tapped her nearly bulging-eyed daughter and quickly followed after him.
Once they left, the others gradually recovered, exchanged glances, and then hurriedly followed suit.
Daohua stood still, gazing blankly at everyoneâs retreating figures, âFather was only away for two days, and now thereâs a new concubine? He really doesnât lack for romantic fortune!â Having said that, she flipped her handkerchief and quickly chased after them.
At the front gate, Aunt Lin just stood there foolishly, until everyone had left, before she came to her senses.
âI havenât even told the master about my pregnancy yet!â
Yan Yishuang and Yan Wenbin were somewhat anxious; their father had not even noticed Aunt Lin just now.
âAunt, letâs hurry inside,â they urged.