CHAPTER 521: CHAPTER 511: I DID A BACKFLIP THIS MORNING

The minds of the master and servant constantly fluctuated.

Shen Hua felt lost, her fingertips turning white as she curled up, only remembering to bite her lip tightly. She lowered her head, and her eyes quickly filled with a layer of mist.

In contrast, Yingwu. She pondered long and hard with the simplicity of a mallet, her expression gradually becoming calm.

Without consolation or soothing, she ended up feeling envious.

Each time her menses came, the dragging pain in her lower abdomen was truly burdensome, inconvenient for practicing martial arts.

She too was often troubled and frustrated, wishing she were a man.

Yingwu couldn’t help but exclaim, "This is truly a great blessing."

After hearing this, Shen Hua completely broke down. Stubborn tears swirled in her eyes, and after they gathered enough, they couldn’t be held back and finally fell, rolling down her delicate and beautiful face.

She turned over and climbed onto the couch, helplessly curling herself into the bedding.

Yingwu didn’t understand her at all!

She simply wasn’t qualified to talk to her about personal matters.

Shen Hua’s emotions were complex, she thought she would dwell on it, yet half an incense stick later her red lids grew heavier, and with a tilt of her head, she fell into a deep sleep.

When she woke up, she didn’t go outside, even when the sounds of opera with gongs and drums rose from the front yard, she didn’t run over to take a look.

She was downcast and dejected.

Yingwu saw this and felt distressed. She went out and charged into the kitchen with a murderous air.

"Prepare today’s lunch well! Madam only had a bite of yesterday’s fish and didn’t touch it again, saying it was too fishy. Come up with some fresh dishes, don’t be negligent! Do I really need to come here specifically to tell you this?"

Didn’t they see that her Madam’s appetite was poor and her mood was down!

The cooks became anxious and fearful upon hearing this.

It so happened that an old woman serving Qiao Si came over to get some pastries. Upon returning, she reported this matter.

"This servant feels something is not right, the young Madam recently hasn’t been eating much, and she seems lethargic and spiritless."

Upon hearing this, Qiao Si became concerned.

Back when she was carrying Rong, she too couldn’t stand the smell of fish. Of course, this was just her speculation.

This time Ni Kang didn’t come, and unfortunately, no physician had accompanied them.

If Nanny Cheng or Yicui were closely attending to her, if there really was something wrong, they probably would have noticed the trickery long ago.

Qiao Si stood up, feeling uneasy and decided to go have a look.

Yes, she wasn’t just worried about Shen Hua, but also about Yingwu.

The latter was stubborn. The former too troublesome; just after arriving, she was chasing after Cui Rong. Thinking of this, Qiao Si’s eyelids twitched.

By the time she hurriedly made her way over, Shen Hua had been woken up by someone.

She turned over irritably, and the not-so-delicate little Cui Rong crawled over excitedly.

"The trap we set on the mountain last time caught a wild chicken, let’s go roast and eat it."

Shen Hua had no appetite.

"Not going."

"Can’t you just give me some face!"

Cui Rong was displeased: "When I came over, the maids had already started roasting it at the foot of the mountain, sprinkled with spices, roasted until crispy, sizzling and oozing with fat, it smells delicious."

Shen Hua inexplicably became very hungry. After all, she had thrown up everything she ate for breakfast.

She slowly sat up straight.

No matter how bad she felt, she still needed to eat her fill to continue feeling bad, didn’t she?

Mama always said, Yangyang should cherish her body. Being alive is the greatest fortune.

When Qiao Si found Shen Hua and Cui Rong by the creek, the big and the small were eagerly staring at the not-yet-cooked roast meat.

Cui Rong was good at sharing: "Chicken legs, one for you, one for me."

The older one clearly wouldn’t yield: "No way, I want them both."

Not a hint of loss of appetite.

Cui Rong held back her urge to scold Yicui and couldn’t stop herself from boasting: "Today I learned how to skip stones, you can’t do that, can you?"

Shen Hua, always the toughest when it came to words, was even less willing to admit defeat, she retorted: "I was doing backflips earlier this morning."

Yingwu swore to defend Shen Hua to the death: "That’s right!"

Qiao Si began to feel that she was perhaps worrying too much.

————

This time Shen Hua was eating chicken and didn’t feel like vomiting. She felt uneasy and sent Yingwu to find a doctor immediately.

Just as her mood was starting to improve with the roasted meat, she heard merciless cursing coming from deep in the mountains.

"Hurry up, we still need to go back and cook! Don’t even think about having me serve you! Spit, you’re useless! I told you to gather some firewood. All you do is dawdle! You must be thinking of slacking off!"

Shen Hua looked over in that direction and soon saw an old woman in coarse skirt with a sturdy build, hands on her hips emerging from the mountain.

Following her was a woman carrying a large basket on her back, filled with firewood, so heavy that she couldn’t straighten up; she didn’t even dare to make a sound, swallowing her grievances.

"I knew you were barren, I would never have let Ling marry you! You’ve always been stupid and inefficient in your work. It was such a loss that we spent seven taels of silver as your bride price. Do you even deserve that amount?"

"Three years and not a stir in your belly to produce a grandson. Dammit, you’re going to extinguish the Ge Family’s lineage! Better off dead earlier."

Shen Hua sat motionless at her spot.

There was a tremor in her eyes as she lowered her head to continue eating the meat, but it no longer tasted as good as before.

Cui Rong, brimming with righteous indignation, rushed over to stand up for the little girl without a second word.

"Can’t you see she can’t carry it?! She’s not a beast of burden, how can you treat her like this!"

"Blaming others now, with your venomous nature, who would dare to be reincarnated into your family to be your grandson."

The old woman became infuriated.

She was well-known in the area for her nastiness, and most would choose to walk around her rather than provoke her.

How dared a young girl criticize her like this? She was just about to roll up her sleeves when she hesitated.

Cui Rong’s attire was unmistakably opulent. Around her neck hung a gold collar, thick and shimmering in the light.

Not far away, she could see the young woman sitting upright on a chair, with only her snow-white profile visible.

That was it, she recalled hearing that the summer resort had been occupied a few days ago, with rumors that even the maids and servants numbered over twenty. It was evident that whoever lived there was of no small consequence and high status.

She dared not offend and could only glare venomously at her daughter-in-law who was gasping for breath, too exhausted to stand.

"You dare glare? Be careful or I, the Commandery Princess, will pluck your eyeballs out!"

The old woman’s legs turned to jelly.

Comman...dery Princess?

Cui Rong turned to the woman: "Why are there still injuries on your face? Tell me, I will make things right for you."

The woman set down the basket and hurriedly went to help the thoroughly frightened old woman.

She spoke a sentence that dramatically changed Cui Rong’s expression.

"The injuries are from my own carelessness, I fell accidentally. My mother-in-law treats me very well."

"But she told you to go die!"

"That’s also because I’m disappointing. Mother-in-law is right. Carrying firewood is also my choice to make, a woman should serve her husband’s family like an ox or horse after marriage."

Cui Rong began to question life. She witnessed the mother and daughter-in-law leaving, the woman getting scolded again. Yet she tried hard to carry the firewood, stupidly catching up to please.

Shen Hua sat still, waiting for Cui Rong to approach.

"What’s wrong, feeling overwhelmed?"

Cui Rong nodded: "That person doesn’t know any better."

"Don’t try to wake someone who is pretending to be asleep."

Shen Hua: "Nor should you play the saint to excess."

Cui Rong listened, confused: "Then how should I distinguish?"

Shen Hua raised her hand and placed it on her chest: "With this."