Chapter Fourteen: A Thorn in the Heart

  These two days have been a bit stuck, writing and deleting, yesterday wrote until 2 am to finish this chapter, but didn't dare to post because I wanted to wait until today when my head is clearer to check again. As expected, still found some problems, now just fixed them. So... Doudou really wants to write well this book, also hopes to update continuously, but doesn't hope the written text has no content. Will try to update continuously, so for now temporarily posting this chapter first, when writing is smooth will add more updates to make up for it.

  The meal was eaten without any further trouble from Hu Xiaoyan, and afterwards Shen Shi Yi took Shen Zi An out to clear his head. Meanwhile, Shen Yi Feng also excused himself and his wife, taking her back to their room, leaving the space for his mother and sister.

  Shen Huan first accompanied Li to let her rest in her own room, and then went to Fang's place. After all, his mother-in-law was leaving tomorrow, and he didn't know how long he would be kept at home. Even if it was hard to speak up, he still had to muster the courage to get the money first.

  "Mom, I also have something to discuss with you."

  As soon as Shen Huan stepped out of the door, she saw Fang Shi standing in the courtyard. She had a feeling that Fang Shi was deliberately waiting for her here, so she directly expressed her difficulties.

  "What's up?"

  "It's not very convenient to talk here, let's go to your room"

  Looking back, Shen Huan still spoke with some caution, not because she was afraid that Li would hear something, but because she was worried that Hu Xiaoyan was eavesdropping. This sister's ability to stir up trouble she had also experienced a few times, and didn't want the money, instead causing her family to be in an uproar.

  Mr. Fang saw Shen Han's face was heavy and careful, so he didn't say anything else, went back to the room with her, closed the door, sat down and looked at his daughter, waiting for her to speak.

  Shen Han fell silent for a while, and finally took a deep breath and said: "Mother, to be honest with you, I have come back this time with something to ask of you."

  "If there's something on your mind, just speak up and ask for it?"

  "I don't want to trouble Mother, Mother listen to me first, if you can help your daughter will remember in her heart, if not, then she can only think of another way with her mother-in-law."

  When Shen Huan mentioned her mother-in-law's family, Fang Shi felt a bit tense and grabbed her hand to ask: "Is it because your mother-in-law is being mean to you?"

  "Of course not, it's just that something has indeed happened, so I won't hide it from you. Mother, can you lend me twenty taels of silver first?"

  Anyway, sooner or later there will be such a talk, at this moment it has already proceeded to here, Shen Huan can't retreat anymore, so she might as well take the plunge and say it lightly. Before Fang Shi could ask her why she needed money, Shen Huan had already begun to explain, recounting the course of events in detail, of course also concealing her own special ability.

  "Actually, our family had also heard about this matter, after all, it's not far away, and the news had already spread over. It's just that we couldn't be sure whether it was true or false."

  "Your father's side..."

  "Don't worry, your father is just a hard-mouthed soft-hearted person. He had actually prepared the silver long ago and originally wanted your younger brother to deliver it, but unexpectedly you returned before the silver was sent."

  At this point, Fang's eyes couldn't help but get a little moist, and he touched Shen Han's slightly pointed chin, feeling heartbroken to the point where he couldn't say anything, only muttering: "My poor daughter has really suffered, why is your fate so bitter..."

  "Mom, you have to believe me. I'm really not suffering or feeling wronged now. My mother-in-law is really good to me. Otherwise, I would also go home with her. You say it's right, isn't it?"

  Mr. Fang thought for a moment about the interaction between his daughter and Mrs. Li, which didn't seem too bad, so he felt slightly reassured, but as a mother, she couldn't help but still have some worries.

  After being persuaded by Shen Huan for a while, Fang Shi's emotions finally eased up, and the matter of taking money couldn't be delayed any longer. She immediately went with Shen Huan to the shop, and when Shen Shiyu learned that the rumor was true, he didn't say another word and let Shen Zian take the money and hand it over to her.

  "Dad... actually, there's no need to rush..."

  "Your father's medicine can be put on account first, but now there is only your younger uncle at home in your wife's family. If the Yuan family really wants to do something, how can it be good? Don't say anything for now, hurry up and give the silver to your mother-in-law, so that she can rest assured."

  She nodded slightly, she had never thought that what was originally thought to be very difficult would go so smoothly in front of her parents. Feeling the sourness coming from the tip of her nose, she immediately sniffled and turned around, but then heard Shen Shi's voice: "Hanyu, remember not to let your older brother and sister-in-law know about this."

  "Dad, don't worry, I understand."

  When Shen Huan handed the silver to Li, Li was also so excited that she couldn't speak. Twenty taels of silver were a huge sum for her, and the Shen family didn't even ask questions before taking it out to help themselves in an emergency. She couldn't help but turn around, wiping away the moisture from the corners of her eyes.

  "Han Er, this time it's really..."

  "If you're just going to give me empty words, I won't be happy. Besides, I have something important to discuss with you too."

  When the mother-in-law got the money, she relaxed completely. Shen Huan also thought of mentioning to her mother-in-law about Da Shu's brother wanting to follow Xiao Shu to learn things. Li Shi will return home at the latest tomorrow. If she doesn't bring it up now, when Hu Youxuan comes home, the peace in the house will be suddenly broken, and the mother-in-law and Xiao Shu might not be happy either.

  "If there's something on your mind, just say it. We're family, no need to be so formal."

  For Li, Shen Huan's initiative to propose gathering money at her maternal home to help with the emergency was already beyond her expectations. Now that Shen Huan knew it was a difficult matter and wanted to discuss it with herself, she couldn't just refuse to listen!

  Just now, Niang mentioned that Daxiong's younger brother, Youxuan, found out about Shu's situation and wanted to study with him. He also hopes to obtain a good title.

  When she heard this, Li's face suddenly showed some hesitation, and her heart seemed to have been hit by something, feeling uncomfortable. It turned out that they had taken advantage of the fact that she needed them and couldn't refuse, so they proposed such a condition. However, she still suppressed it, if it were an ordinary day, she would definitely frown upon hearing such news.

  It's not easy for Qiao Er to study up to now, and the family conditions are not good. Now they have to take care of a stranger who doesn't even know what kind of person he is, how can they be at ease? If it affects Qiao Er's future prospects, that would be a lifelong matter!

  She thought her daughter-in-law was helping herself and the family from the bottom of her heart, but she didn't expect it to be like this. She is an outsider after all, and doesn't have the same blood ties as the Shen family. No matter how much she tries to be a good daughter-in-law, her heart will always lean towards her own family. What can she do about her mother-in-law anyway? Thinking of this, she could only force out a faint smile.

  "Then I'll go home and say hello to Qiao Ge first, let's recite it together for now, if we can help, that's good."

  "Thank you, mom. Later we'll go out together and take a look around to see if there's anything we need, and buy it for you to bring back."

  Upon hearing this, Li's heart couldn't help but let out a cold snort, and she flatly refused: "No way, after dinner I'll head back first. Now that I've gotten the money, my heart is even more anxious, wanting to hurry back and shut up the Yuan family's side, only then can I truly feel at ease. Besides, I've never been away from Qiao Ge for so long, you know he's always been taken care of by me, I'm really worried that if we leave, will he be able to eat properly?"

  Seeing Li's persistence, Shen said with a hint of concern that she was worried about her son, and perhaps didn't want to stay here and see some embarrassing things, so it wasn't good to persuade her anymore. She nodded and went with Li to the hall for dinner.

  After lunch, the Shen family sent Li off to the door, and Shen Shiyu asked his youngest son to go to the end of the street to find a sedan chair for his relatives. Meanwhile, Fang Shi tried to persuade them to stay: "You said you'd rest here for the night just now, why are you leaving in such a hurry?"

  "Alas, having been out for almost half a day, I'm worried about my son and won't be at ease if I don't go back."

  They are all parents, and Zhao Xiuzao is the only scholar in several towns around, although he doesn't usually spread his stories. As a mother, she naturally worries about it. Thinking of this, Fang Shi didn't say much anymore, casually chatting with her family for a few sentences, and they stood at the east street corner waiting for the sedan chair.

  The waiting time is always boring, Fang Shi was thinking of finding something to chat with his family, and then he saw a familiar person not far away, and said: "Hanyu, do you remember Wang Shu's daughter Xiao Ran? She got married last year and gave birth to a big fat boy this year. It's really enviable, I don't know when your sister-in-law can add a new member to the Shen family."

  Fang looked at Hu Xiangyan with a few unhidden disappointments in her eyes, and when her gaze shifted to Shen Han's body, it had already turned from disappointment to heartache. The expression of a mother who couldn't bear to see her daughter suffer was evident.

  Shen Huan also felt a bit embarrassed, fortunately, there was Da Ge to take the lead. After all, he and Da Sao had been married for many years, but they still didn't have any children, which was also the most regrettable thing in the family. However, this child's matter, after all, still had some fate here.

  "It's up to you and your wife now, brother, you two must work harder."

  Hu Xiayan had been warned by Shen Yifeng before, so now hearing Shen Han use her as a shield, she just nodded slightly and didn't say anything out of place.

  Although this remark was unintentional, it still made Shen Huan feel a bit uncomfortable. Seeing Li's expression on her face wasn't quite right, she quickly changed the subject by teasing the eldest son, hoping not to leave any discomfort in her mother-in-law's heart. However, the speaker was unintentional, but the listener had a mind of their own. Li's heart was still pierced by a thorn, for everyone knew that her eldest son was no longer around, so how could he bring her a grandson?

  Although Li's face still had a forced smile, the pain of being pierced by others was still very obvious in her heart. No matter how she thought about it, she felt that this was a veiled attack on herself.

  At first, it was your family that insisted on marrying your daughter to my son. Now that my son is gone, do you think I want to mistreat your daughter? What does it mean now when you say such things? Hold a grandson? Who doesn't want to hold a grandson? Do you think grandsons are easy to hold? Otherwise, your eldest daughter-in-law would have given birth to a chubby little boy for you long ago!

  Mr. Fang also understood that his words had put everyone in an awkward situation, worried that there was a rift between the families, so he opened his mouth and laughed: "Relatives have time to come and play more, if there is anything that needs help, can also speak directly, everyone is a family, don't be polite."

  A family? You are the one who is a family! Although there is some resentment in my heart, I have to pretend that nothing is wrong. After all, this time sending Shen Huan back home, on the surface, it shows that I am a good mother-in-law, but Li Shi herself is very clear about what the real purpose of sending her daughter-in-law back home is. And for now, it seems that this choice is not wrong either. The Shen family still loves their daughter very much, and in order to get 20 taels of silver and not let my daughter-in-law have a hard time, I can only endure it for now, after all, we are the ones who need them.

  Thinking of Shen Huan, Li couldn't help but feel a little moved. Borrowing money from her natal family to help her husband's family in their time of need would indeed put her in a difficult position. Perhaps giving Qiao Er a troublesome task was also something she couldn't avoid. Thinking this way, Li couldn't help but feel a little reluctant. She patted Shen Huan's hand and said: "Huan'er, just stay at home for a few more days to accompany your parents. With me here, nothing will go wrong."

  "Got it, be careful on your way, mom."

  As she watched the sedan disappear, Shen Huan felt a faint sense of reluctance in her heart. She thought that she had been in this world for over a month, and Li had always been by her side. They had never been apart like this before, and she couldn't help but feel a little sentimental. She only hoped that this time when Li returned, she would be able to thoroughly suppress the incident of giving birth.