CHAPTER 281: CHAPTER 281: I CAN BEAR CHILDREN FOR BROTHER JIANG

Zhao Dahe told Wen Nuan to take Xiaofeng back to the room, while he pulled Zhao Dajiang aside, "Big brother, we haven’t seen each other in ages, I’ve missed you. Come, let’s go to my room and chat for a bit. Sister-in-law, can I borrow big brother for a while?"

Song Xiu’er nodded and turned to go inside.

In Zhao Dajiang’s memory, his second brother was close to him only when they were young. After they started studying, the relationship between the brothers became a bit distant.

So, when his second brother suddenly sought him out to talk, he felt a bit nervous.

"Big brother, what’s up?" Zhao Dahe put his arm around Zhao Dajiang’s shoulder.

"What, about what?" Zhao Dajiang asked instinctively.

"About that girl, Xiaofeng." Zhao Dahe asked, "Did you find a maid to take care of sister-in-law?"

"No, no, she’s not a maid." Zhao Dajiang stammered.

"Then what is she? Big brother, mom specifically told you to treat sister-in-law well. What do you mean by having a girl by your side now? And she calls you Brother Jiang so affectionately, it gives me goosebumps." Zhao Dahe, knowing his big brother was a bit slow-witted, didn’t want to beat around the bush and got straight to the point.

"I treat Xiu’er very well. That girl, that girl..." Zhao Dajiang was somewhat at a loss for words, because he himself didn’t quite understand the situation.

"What about that girl, just say it!" Zhao Dahe urged him.

Given that he had brought her to the capital city, it certainly meant she wasn’t just a nobody.

"That, that I really don’t know." Zhao Dajiang said anxiously.

Just as they spoke, Meng Yao returned.

In the courtyard, she heard from Zhao Ting that Zhao Dajiang and Song Xiu’er had brought a girl with them, and Zhao Dahe had taken Zhao Dajiang to question him, so Meng Yao directly entered Zhao Dahe’s room.

When Meng Yao entered the room, Zhao Dajiang looked at her as if she’d come to his rescue, and pitifully called out, "Mom."

"Was the journey smooth?" Meng Yao asked Zhao Dajiang.

Zhao Dajiang quickly nodded, "Smooth, very smooth. The arrangements by the people who came to fetch us were excellent, the food, drink, and accommodations along the way were all very well taken care of."

"And during the months you stayed at home, how was everything? No problems, I hope? Did Xiu’er follow my instructions to eat well and take her medicine?" Meng Yao inquired further.

"Everything was fine, I made sure Xiu’er ate her meals and took her medicine every day, just like you instructed. We didn’t skimp on anything, rice, flour, eggs, meat, none of it. Even Xiu’er herself said she feels stronger." Zhao Dajiang obediently replied.

"Mom is asking you, that Xiaofeng, whose family is she from?"

"She is a girl from a distant relative of Xiu’er’s family. Mom, when you and Dad weren’t home, Xiu’er’s mom fell seriously ill, so Xiu’er went back to take care of her for a few days. It wasn’t Xiu’er’s idea; many people in the village were gossiping about second brother, so Xiu’er was worried it would ruin his reputation, and she went back." Zhao Dajiang explained.

Meng Yao could almost imagine what they were saying, nothing more than irrelevant comments like Dahe’s success has made Xiu’er’s backbone straighter.

Even though Song Xiu’er had severed ties with the Song family, in the eyes of the villagers, no matter how problematic Mrs. Li was, she raised Xiu’er.

"Go on, and then?"

Zhao Dajiang scratched his head, "Well, Xiu’er came back at night. Initially, Xiu’er said in the evening that she wouldn’t return that night. But, but then she came back in the middle of the night."

After saying this, Zhao Dajiang waved his hands, "No, no, that’s not right, it wasn’t Xiu’er who came back, it was Xiaofeng. Xiu’er only came back the next morning, and then found that Xiaofeng and I were sleeping on the same bed."

Meng Yao understood; this was clearly a setup by the Li family.

"What did you do?" Meng Yao asked.

"Nothing, nothing at all, just during the night I thought it was Xiu’er, so I hugged her like usual, even, even touched a couple of times. Xiaofeng leaned towards me, but I remembered what mom said, that Xiu’er’s health isn’t good now and, so, I held back." Zhao Dajiang explained with a flushed face, "I really thought it was Xiu’er."

"What did Xiu’er say?" Meng Yao asked.

"Xiu’er asked Xiaofeng whose idea this was. Xiaofeng said it was Xiu’er’s mother’s idea. Then Xiu’er asked Xiaofeng what she planned to do next. Xiaofeng said since they had slept on the same bed, her reputation was ruined, so she naturally had to stay with me." Zhao Dajiang said, "Then the Li family caused a scene, bringing many people from the village along with them. They wouldn’t listen to me, assuming I had slept with Xiaofeng and should take responsibility. But, but I didn’t even know it was Xiaofeng at all."

Zhao Dajiang was so frustrated, he kept grabbing his hair; why didn’t he get up to light the lamp that night? How could he be so foolish as to mistake his own wife?

Whether anything happened was secondary; being on the same bed, Xiaofeng was determined to hold onto Zhao Dajiang. No need to elaborate, just insisting it was about her reputation would make Zhao Dajiang feel guilty and obligated.

If Zhao Dajiang and Song Xiu’er took a firm stance, it would then involve Zhao Dahe’s reputation, and in the future, when Dahe became an official, this could become a stain.

Meng Yao patted Zhao Dajiang on the shoulder, "Alright, mom knows, although you are wrongfully accused in this matter, you are also at fault. If you weren’t careless, there wouldn’t have been an opportunity for others to take advantage."

Zhao Dajiang hung his head dejectedly, acknowledging his mistake with a response.

"Alright now, you’ve had a long journey; go back to your room and rest." Meng Yao said.

With Meng Yao’s words, Zhao Dajiang obediently returned to his room.

"Mom, what should we do about that Xiaofeng?" Zhao Dahe asked, "I’ve never seen anyone sillier than big brother, mistaking his own wife."

"She first said she wouldn’t come back, then returned in the middle of the night while he was half-asleep. How could your big brother have expected there to be such trickery in that?" Meng Yao said, "Alright, you don’t need to worry about this matter. I’ll meet with that Xiaofeng and then decide."

Zhao Dahe nodded, "Then I’ll go back to my room first."

Meng Yao knocked on Xiaofeng’s door, "I am Dajiang’s mother."

Xiaofeng was a bit flustered, "Auntie, auntie, I’m, I’m Xiaofeng."

"Dajiang has told me everything he needed to say, what are you thinking?" Meng Yao didn’t bother to cater to Xiaofeng’s feelings and went straight to the point.

"I, I slept on the same bed with Brother Jiang, th-then I’m Brother Jiang’s person now. If you don’t take responsibility for me, I’ll report it to the authorities, saying he ruined my reputation. The second young master is a scholar, and Brother Jiang is his elder brother. If Brother Jiang’s reputation is harmed, the second young master will be implicated too!" Xiaofeng stammered.

Clearly, someone had coached her beforehand.

"Ruined your reputation? Miss Xiaofeng, it was you who entered our home and got on Dajiang’s bed by yourself. Is this Dajiang ruining your reputation or you ruining your own? You entered our house without Dajiang and Xiu’er’s consent, so I could report you for trespassing. Besides, merely sleeping on the same bed — whether anything happened, you know that better than anyone." Meng Yao’s tone was cold.

"I-I’m healthy and can bear children, right, I can give Brother Jiang a child." Xiaofeng blurted out, fear gripping her heart.

Her aunt had said that Sister Xiu’er’s health was ruined and she couldn’t bear children anymore, so having a child for Zhao Dajiang was also helping Sister Xiu’er.