CHAPTER 291: CHAPTER 146: SERIOUSLY INJURED (PART 2)

Shi Fengju knew she was afraid of causing trouble, preferring to suffer herself rather than make a fuss, and suddenly thought that this woman was also his sister from the same father, unlike his older sister who was simply incomparable. Shi Fengju suddenly felt a pang of heartache!

"Stop talking like that!" Sang Wan said with a smile, supporting her arm: "Look at you, making things sound worse! Seeing the doctor is what’s important right now!"

"Your sister-in-law is right! Don’t think too much!" Shi Fengju laughed.

Seeing that the two of them intended to let the matter go and not pursue it further, Shi Lian breathed a sigh of relief and nodded with a smile.

Soon, Chang Huan drove the carriage over, and the three of them got in, heading straight for the clinic.

Shi Lian’s foot injury was quite serious; her entire foot had lost strength, and it took quite a while for her to get into the carriage with Cai Yun and Xingzhi supporting her on either side. Shi Fengju’s brows furrowed even more—his older sister really went too far this time!

After seeing the doctor and getting the medicine, the three of them headed home together. Sang Wan ordered a sedan chair to be brought to the second gate to pick up Shi Lian, and called for a stout servant to carry Shi Lian back to her room to rest.

She and Shi Fengju followed to see Shi Lian lying down to rest, gave Cai Yun some instructions, and then left.

Sang Wan returned to Ningyuan, with Shi Fengju accompanying her.

Sitting down in the warm pavilion, Sang Wan felt physically and mentally exhausted. According to the doctor’s diagnosis, Shi Lian had fractured her finger bone and needed to rest in bed for two months before she could walk normally again. In the meantime, it would be best if she didn’t even leave her room and just rested in bed.

Shi Fengju hadn’t expected the injury to be so severe and, seeing Sang Wan not speaking, laughed and said, "Later, I’ll arrange for a couple more people to take care of her. The affairs of her room are all managed by Cai Yun; she’ll probably be too busy now!"

"I know," Sang Wan sighed, "This is all my fault. If I hadn’t insisted on taking her with me, this would not have happened!"

Shi Fengju then said, "Don’t blame yourself, who could have seen this coming! Next time, if my older sister calls you out again, tell me, and I’ll accompany you guys."

Sang Wan gave him a look and thought to herself that he had gone out early this morning, and even if she had wanted to find him, it would only have been possible if he were actually there to be found! Thinking about letting Shi Yumei off the hook just like that, Sang Wan felt uncomfortable again, and said resentfully, "Next time? Even if it means getting scolded by mother, I won’t accompany her again! By the way, today at Qiongfang Pavilion, your older sister took a fancy to a set of jewelry worth 80,000 taels. I picked out a bracelet with eighteen beads for Shi Lian, which was 800 taels, both noted on the account. Later, Mr. Sun the shopkeeper should bring you the bill."

Shi Fengju responded with an "Oh," not really concerned, and laughed, "The goods at Qiongfang Pavilion are not bad, how come you didn’t buy anything?"

"No need!" Sang Wan replied, somewhat displeased. She thought to herself that after she chose a bracelet for Shi Lian, her sister-in-law’s face turned so cold it almost froze, how could she possibly continue picking something? Who knows what pleasant things she would say then!

"Miss Wan," Shi Fengju sighed softly and then said with a wry smile after a while, "Why do I find it so hard to mediate between you all! Honestly Miss Wan, I’ve never felt something was so difficult in all my life! I really am at a loss this time!"

Glaring at him ungraciously, Sang Wan said, "You all spoil your older sister too much! She insists on having the whole world revolve around her! In her eyes, she’s never wrong—others are always to blame! If something displeases her, it’s also someone else’s fault, regardless of others, taking it out on someone is her way! What are you staring at me for, I’m just speaking my mind! I’m telling you, Shi Fengju, no matter what I do, she disapproves of me; in her eyes, I am not equal to your cousin in any way, so what have I got to worry about?"

"I didn’t say anything against you, why are you so irritable!" Shi Fengju, not only unperturbed but amused, moved closer to her side, speaking warmly with a smile: "Miss Wan, if you’re angry, take it out on me. Let’s keep these words behind closed doors. Please, don’t ever say such things in front of my mother, my sister. I don’t want to make my mother feel sad. You’ve seen what my brother-in-law is like. This marriage was strongly facilitated by my mother, and though she doesn’t say it, I know she must regret it tremendously, feeling guilty toward my sister, and it’s inevitable she indulges her more. I can’t be harsh without making my mother more upset! If you don’t like her, just avoid her and don’t deal with her. Can’t you just bear with it a bit, for my sake?"

Actually, Shi Fengju’s father was not very willing to make the marriage with Shi Yumei and Ren Zhixian happen at first, but Mrs. Wang, at that time, kept growing more and more fond of Ren Zhixian, thoroughly satisfied with the son-in-law and his family, insisting on making the marriage happen. Another reason, subconsciously, was that Mrs. Wang felt a need to compete—she could not decide her son’s marriage, and would she have no say in her daughter’s either? Regardless of her husband’s objections, she wouldn’t change her stance, and Shi Fengju’s father had no choice but to reluctantly agree.

Who would have thought that after six or seven years, the daughter would end up bringing her bankrupt husband back to her family’s door for refuge. Shi Fengju knew that his mother must be feeling terrible inside, and as a son, how could he bring himself to hurt his mother’s heart again?

Sang Wan was suddenly choked up, speechless all of a sudden. If it hadn’t been for running into Shi Fengju today, she and Shi Lian wouldn’t know how much more embarrassed they would’ve been. Now, after speaking angrily, with Shi Fengju being so good-natured, how could her grievances continue to be uttered?

A bit flustered, Sang Wan averted her gaze and said, "Should we mention this in front of mother later? I’m not really concerned, but I’m worried about Shi Lian—"

If Shi Yumei twists the story in front of Mrs. Wang, painting it in a false light, how is Shi Lian supposed to continue her days? If it comes to that point, it wouldn’t be appropriate for her to defend Shi Lian anymore.

An older sister and a younger sister, the older sister being closer than the younger, it would be out of place to support the younger sister against the older one.