Chapter 289: Mother and Daughter - Rebirth of the Noble Daughter

 Chapter 289: Mother and Daughter

With a glance at Wen Shi, who nodded, Aunt Wen finally eased up and cheerfully said, “Alright, then I’ll call you Xiao Er as you suggested.”

Using 'Xiao Er' made the atmosphere feel much more intimate. The Wen family stayed in the Yunhai Courtyard for a while before being guided by servants to Yanle Courtyard.

The courtyard had been prepared in advance by Wen Shi, with arrangements similar to those in her home in Shuzhou, especially the fragrant incense on the bright window table, which was a scent from Shuzhou and Aunt Wen’s favorite.

The moment she entered and smelled the fragrance, the hardships and bumps of the journey vanished.

“You really know my preferences. I hadn’t smelled this scent during the journey, and it made me long for home. Now, it feels so comforting, like returning home.”

“Mother…”

Wen Shi’s eyes welled up with tears instantly. If her belly hadn’t grown so large, she might have immediately thrown herself into Aunt Wen’s arms to ease her longing.

“Yun Niang…”

Since Wen Shi arrived in the capital, she hadn’t heard her childhood name.

In the past, her mother always called her Yun Niang, but now she was either a young mistress or a sister-in-law.

Hearing this name brought her back to her childhood, when she could still nestle in her mother’s arms and act spoiled.

Zhu Jin also wiped her tears, saying, “Madam, it’s good you’re here. The young mistress missed you a lot. If it weren’t for the baby, she might have cried her eyes out.”

Hearing this, Aunt Wen quickly patted her back and comforted her, “Don’t be too emotional. Be careful not to harm the baby. Your belly seems quite large, so the baby might be big. Childbirth might be tough.”

After speaking, she gently placed her hand on Wen Shi’s belly. Perhaps sensing the familial love, the baby inside kicked suddenly, causing Wen Shi to wince in pain but feel very happy.

“Mother, see, she recognizes you.”

“Yes, my little sweet grandchild. When you’re out, Grandmother will bring the prepared gifts for you to play with.”

Wen Shi was puzzled, wondering what a tiny baby could play with. Aunt Wen smiled and said, “You don’t know, Shuzhou has developed greatly over the years, with many merchants. So, there are all sorts of new and interesting toys. I brought some clever toys for the children. When the baby grows up, they will certainly be enjoyable.”

Wen Shi was amused, thinking the large wooden box was filled with their clothes and luggage, not realizing it was packed with gifts for the grandchildren.

It was clear that Aunt Wen was always thinking of them.

Realizing this, Wen Shi wanted to speak privately with Aunt Wen, so she asked Zhu Jin to take Huige’er and Mengjie to her guest room to check if there was anything they needed. After Huige’er respectfully greeted her and left, Mengjie, being more lively, hurried out the door.

Aunt Wen understood that mother and daughter wanted to have a private conversation, so she turned to her maid, Ge Mama, and said, “Ge Mama, please tidy up the courtyard. We will be staying here for some time, so make it comfortable.”

Ge Mama complied, knowing that the two women wanted to have a heart-to-heart. She and the other maids left the room, closing the door behind them to ensure they couldn’t overhear the conversation, while also organizing their luggage efficiently.

“Yun Niang, what do you want to say?”

Wen Shi hesitated, which made Aunt Wen anxious. “Just say what you need to say. Don’t be afraid.”

Encouraged by her mother’s words, Wen Shi finally spoke about Lin Lang and the events over the past few years at the Feng family.

While many things could be hidden when her mother wasn’t around, it would be difficult to keep them from her now that she was here.

Wen Shi would rather her mother hear it directly from her than learn about it from others.

After listening, Aunt Wen was silent for a long time. When she looked at Wen Shi again, her heart was filled with pain and guilt.

“It’s all my fault. I should have opposed this marriage back then. If I had, you wouldn’t have had to come so far. If it weren’t for your good fortune and the protection of that Third Miss, you might never have been able to see me again.”

As she spoke, she began to cry. Her voice was quiet but full of sadness.

“Mother… don’t worry. Now that I can speak about it openly, it means it’s in the past. My husband treats me well now, and he also cares for Yunhe. He even brought you from Shuzhou to help me during childbirth. He’s making amends.”

“Making amends? Did he say that himself? My good daughter was almost driven to death by people in his household. My dear grandchild was oppressed by others. That’s a huge sin. If you can forgive him, it’s because of your kindness, but I can’t. If I had known you would live such a life, even if it meant ruining the reputation of our Wen family, I would have made sure you divorced him!”

“Mother…”

“Mother-in-law…”

Before Wen Shi could say more, they heard Feng Jinxu’s voice from outside.

It was obvious he had returned early today, likely because someone from the family had informed him, so he arrived quickly.

“Ah, just as we were talking about him, here he comes. I want to see how he will explain himself. Does he think our Wen family is nothing? How dare he bully you like this!”

With these words, all the previous sadness vanished, replaced by a protective expression. Her eyes showed clear dissatisfaction as she looked at Feng Jinxu striding in.

Wen Shi looked at Feng Jinxu with some concern, thinking that she shouldn’t have let her husband reveal these things to her mother beforehand.

Now her mother had a strong opinion of him, and she wondered if he could handle it.

Feng Jinxu looked at Wen Shi for a moment, saw her nod, and understood.

He respectfully performed a kneeling salute to his mother-in-law but did not rise.

Wen Shi felt a pang of sympathy and wanted to help him up, but her mother stopped her.

“Sit still and don’t interrupt.”

Her mother, usually not stern, had a serious expression today that Wen Shi had never seen before, startling her.

Feng Jinxu, however, remained calm, as if he was prepared for this.

“Mother-in-law, I deeply understand that all past mistakes are mine. I indulged concubines and neglected my wife. I mistreated my legitimate son and allowed concubines to act recklessly in the backyard, almost causing harm to them both. I make no excuses for myself. If you need to vent your anger, feel free to beat or scold me. I will bear it all.”

“Ah, beating or scolding a court official? I don’t have that much power. But, Feng Jinxu, let me ask you, how did you promise us when you proposed? You said you admired Yun Niang and would never regret it, which is why I reluctantly agreed to the marriage. But how have you treated her? If it weren’t for Third Miss, I might be looking at her grave now!”