Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 34
Chapter 34: I Am So Jealous of Him
Yunchu looked at Tingyu, a complex expression crossing her features.
Tingyu and Tingshuang were born in the same year. At twenty years old, Tingyu was already the mother of a four-year-old child.
Ever since she could remember, Tingyu and Tingshuang had served by her side. Tingshuang was steadfast while Tingyu was meticulous, and both women had been like sisters to her.
When she was twelve years old, she accidentally slipped and fell into the water. It was Tingyu who had jumped in to save her, but because Tingyu failed to climb ashore in time, she remained unconscious for over half a month.
Tingyu had saved her life, which was why even when Tingyu went behind her back to climb into Xie Jingyu's bed, she had never truly blamed Tingyu.
It wasn't until the Yun family met with disaster later on that Tingyu chose to side with the Xie faction and even ordered Xie Shiyun to deliver that cup of poison right before her eyes.
She could never let go of what had happened in her past life.
Tingyu had saved her, but she had also betrayed her. The two debts canceled each other out, which was why she treated Tingyu with cold indifference.
Yet Tingyu kept approaching her time and time again.
A person consumed by greed would sooner or later meet their downfall because of it.
"Mother!"
Just as she was lost in thought, Xie Shiyun lunged directly into her embrace.
Ever since this child was born, he had been sent to stay by her side. Aside from letting Tingyu nurse him, he had spent all his other waking hours growing up right next to her.
It wasn't until Shiyun turned three that he moved out of her bedroom to live with Tingyu in the side courtyard.
"Mother, it's been so long since I've eaten with you, and so long since I've seen you." Xie Shiyun pouted aggrievedly. "Does Mother not like me anymore?"
Yunchu's smile did not reach her eyes. "Shiyun has simply grown older and needs to understand the rules."
Tingyu hurriedly pulled her son over. "This concubine will make sure to keep Shiyun properly disciplined from now on. Madam, please hurry up and eat while the soup is still hot."
"Since Concubine Yu is now half a mistress of the house, you shouldn't keep running to the kitchen to do such coarse labor," Yunchu said indifferently. "I am fatigued. You may withdraw."
Tingyu nodded and led Xie Shiyun outside.
"Yiniang, why is Mother ignoring me?" Xie Shiyun asked, looking profoundly wronged. "It clearly wasn't like this before..."
Tingyu didn't understand why either. Clearly, the Madam used to dote on Shiyun with her whole heart and soul, yet now she was unwilling to spare even a few extra words. Where on earth had things gone wrong...
Yunchu stepped into the side parlor. The moment the door closed behind her, Chu Hongyu rushed over from the corner and hugged her.
Lifting his little chin, the boy asked, "That child just now called you Mother. Is he the son you gave birth to?"
Yunchu chuckled despite herself. "Why do you ask that?"
"I'm jealous of him." Chu Hongyu bit his lower lip. "I'm jealous that he can openly call you Mother, and jealous that he gets to see you every single day. I want to turn into him."
Yunchu said softly, "You are simply yourself; you don't need to turn into anyone else."
"If my little sister weren't still back at home, I'd really wish I never had to go back." Chu Hongyu opened his dark, wide eyes. "Mommy, my younger sister is very pretty and very cute, but she can't speak. Would you like a child who cannot talk?"
Yunchu was somewhat surprised.
Everyone in the capital knew that the Prince of Pingxi had been blessed with a pair of children, but she had never heard anyone mention that the little princess of the Prince's Estate was mute.
Her voice grew even gentler. "If she is just as well-behaved and sensible as you, of course I would like her."
Being praised as well-behaved and sensible left Chu Hongyu so happy his mouth couldn't close.
Just then, Tingshuang arrived to report on several matters. The little fellow was exceptionally sensible, saying, "I'll go read a book over by the side so I don't disturb Mommy's work."
He walked over to the low table in the side parlor, retrieved a book from goodness knows where, and began studying it with utmost seriousness. His short legs couldn't reach the floor, so they swung back and forth in midair.
A smile surfaced on Yunchu's face—one she wasn't even aware of herself.
Turning her head, she instructed softly, "Arrange for someone to keep watch outside the Prince of Pingxi's Estate. The moment there is the slightest disturbance, report back immediately."
Tingfeng accepted the order and headed to the front courtyard to make arrangements.
Tingshuang picked up the ledger and meticulously reported the revenue from the outer shops and agricultural estates for the previous month.
Listening to the figures, Yunchu slowly began to frown.
Just like in her past life, those suburban estates of hers were performing worse and worse, gradually heading into a downward spiral before eventually being sold off.
She needed to think carefully: aside from ice, what other businesses could generate decent profits...
While she was discussing matters with Tingshuang, Chu Hongyu grew increasingly bored. He disliked reading; managing to sit quietly for a quarter of an hour was already a remarkable feat. Crucially, he didn't recognize many of the characters in the book and couldn't understand them anyway. Putting on an act was truly exhausting.
"Mommy, I need to pee."
The little fellow hopped down from the couch, and Tingsxue led him toward the privy in the back.
Because the Sheng Residence now housed a young child, Tingshuang had dispatched all the matrons and maidservants out into the courtyards to busy themselves with preparations for the birthday banquet. The entire courtyard was left with only the maidservants brought from the Yun family.
After relieving himself in the privy, Chu Hongyu noticed a trail of ants near the windowsill and, filled with intense curiosity, followed them toward the other side.
Without realizing how far he had wandered, he suddenly spotted a group of people approaching ahead. Remembering Yunchu's warning, he hurriedly ducked into the patch of bushes right beside him.
The people ahead were the Old Madam and Madam Yuan, who were strolling through the courtyard to admire the flowers.
"With you keeping an eye on things, Old Madam, all preparations for the birthday banquet are complete, and nothing is likely to go wrong," Madam Yuan said with a smile. "Jingyu mentioned that Chuchu will also attend the banquet to help receive guests. By then, the rumors in the streets and alleys will naturally disperse of their own accord, so the Old Madam needn't worry anymore."
The Old Madam said coldly, "What? For her, a junior, to attend an elder's birthday banquet is made to sound like some supreme favor. Am I supposed to be overwhelmed with gratitude?"
Madam Yuan didn't know what to say. The Old Madam used to quite like Chuchu, but after this series of successive incidents, she had developed a deep-seated prejudice against her, making it so that no matter what anyone said, it was useless.
"She failed to bear my Xie family a single son or daughter, which makes her guilty of the first of the seven grounds for divorce—childlessness. Being unfilial to her elders is the second. Claiming illness to shirk domestic duties is the third," the Old Madam stated in a heavy voice. "And slapping her husband makes the fourth. That is four out of the seven grounds violated right there. Tell me, how can my Xie family possibly tolerate her existence?"
Madam Yuan smiled bitterly. Why was it back to the topic of divorcing the wife again?
Chuchu had merely acted a bit willful recently, but for the past four or five years she had always strictly adhered to the rules, committing no faults either internally or externally. One couldn't completely write a person off just because of a temporary bout of self-will.
Yet she knew that if she offered persuasion at this moment, it would only fuel the Old Madam's fury even further, forcing her to swallow her words back down.
"She merely boasts a slightly higher pedigree; in what other aspect does she compare to our Jingyu?" the Old Madam said with bitter resentment. "Jingyu possesses scholarship, talent, and an outstanding appearance. Throughout the entire capital, you couldn't pick out a second man as brilliant and handsome as him. Matching him with this Yunchu is truly a grievance, and on top of that, he was slapped across the face. Given the chance in the future, I will definitely make Jingyu return that slap twofold..."
Hiding in the bushes, Chu Hongyu clenched his little fists tightly.
Mommy was superior to that man named Xie-whatever-yu in every single way. This old hag was completely blind in her old age to utter such preposterous nonsense.
She actually wanted to slap Mommy—what kind of pipe dream was she having?
Chu Hongyu desperately wanted to jump out and give the Old Xie Madam a fierce scolding.
However, he was afraid his presence would be exposed, and if that happened, Mommy would certainly never allow him to come to the Xie residence again.
What should he do?
A clever gleam flashed in the little fellow's eyes, and a plan instantly formed in his mind.
Wasn't the old hag about to celebrate a major birthday? Heh, then he would make sure she had a birthday celebration she would remember for the rest of her life.