My Lady Always Lacks Ambition
Chapter 335 - 332 Aunt Wan: Bitter in Heart but Dare Not Speak_2

Chapter 335: Chapter 332 Aunt Wan: Bitter in Heart but Dare Not Speak_2

Mrs. Wang chided with a smile: "Child, where do you come up with all these grand principles?"

"I just hope you think more about yourself. No one in this family is worth dedicating your life to, except for Qin Mingyan." Qin Liuxi said indifferently: "You should keep yourself healthy and wait for his return."

Mrs. Wang’s fingertips trembled, and tears fell.

Qin Liuxi reached for the writing brush, without the slightest hesitation, swiftly wrote down a prescription, and handed it over: "Have Chief Li pick up the herbs and brew this into two doses."

"Alright."

Qin Liuxi asked her to wait for a moment, limped into the bedroom, retrieved a bottle of Yangrong Pills, and pressed it into her hands: "Take one pill each day, tell me when you run out."

Mrs. Wang looked down and instantly felt the heat in her hands, saying: "No need, no need, you have already given one bottle to your maternal grandmother, I can’t ask for more."

"Just take it, it’s just a small pill for nourishment. If it’s useful, then it’s a good thing; if it’s not, then it’s merely a trinket." Qin Liuxi was unconcerned.

Mrs. Wang laughed helplessly: "Only you would say so. Such a bottle would sell for a high price outside, and sometimes it’s not even available."

"It’s just medicine. Although it’s good, one still has to cultivate their persona. Do you know the Five Animals Qigong and Eight Pieces of Brocade? Practicing them daily would be more beneficial than taking this pill." Qin Liuxi thought about it, then added: "But still, hide and use it discreetly, lest Second Madam and the others see it and accuse you of misappropriating public funds to buy them."

"Don’t worry." Mrs. Wang pocketed the bottle and teased: "Later, we mothers will secretly take it."

Qin Liuxi was indifferent; after all, it was her gift; if Mrs. Wang wanted to share it with someone, that was her own business. However, Qin Liuxi estimated she would not be foolish enough to share with the gossipy Second Madam and thus make trouble for herself.

This legitimate mother was clever.

After some conversation with Mrs. Wang, she seemed more relaxed as she left, returning to her own room. She then took that bottle of Yangrong Pills and transferred the greater portion into a small jade bottle and went to Aunt Wan’s room.

Aunt Wan was massaging her sore wrists. Seeing her arrive, she quickly picked up the writing brush and said, "I wasn’t being lazy."

"No rush." Mrs. Wang approached, glanced at the messy handwriting, her mouth twitching slightly, and said: "Practice more when you’re free. You should learn to read numbers, too; when Chun’er returns, have him teach you arithmetic. You should start managing our household’s accounts."

Aunt Wan looked panic-stricken: "You... you finally find me disagreeable and want to make a move against me?"

Good heavens, with the master of the house gone, there was no competition for favor. Why couldn’t she be let off the hook?

Mrs. Wang: "..."

Such a blockhead; if she had any other madam, she wouldn’t have survived three days!

Feeling scorned by Mrs. Wang’s eyes, Aunt Wan felt utterly wronged. Born beautiful, her parents always treasured her like a rare commodity, never allowing her to work to avoid roughening her hands and face. They also seldom let her appear in public to avoid getting tanned and attracting loafers. All they thought about was selling her for a good price once she came of age.

Indeed, she had some luck; once she reached the right age, she met Qin Bohong, who said that following him, being beautiful was all that was required.

Thus, she was carried into the Qin family and indeed spent several years responsible only for beauty and childbirth. But now?

The Qin family was in decline; life wasn’t as good as before, but she didn’t feel much hardship—as long as she had something to eat. If Mrs. Wang became unhappy, she could write a divorce paper to replace her husband, and Aunt Wan could find another place; faithfulness to Qin Bohong?

What was that?

But instead of writing the divorce paper, Mrs. Wang wanted her to learn arithmetic and manage accounts?

Aunt Wan was horrified.

"Writing is already hard enough, and now arithmetic. Lady, I am just a concubine." Aunt Wan cried pitifully, wondering why she, a concubine, should learn the ways of the madam, feeling very bitter inside.

A beautiful woman in tears is always a sight to behold. If it had been in the past, Mrs. Wang would have turned a blind eye.

"You are Xixi’s mother. Even if you are illiterate, not being able to read big characters or manage accounts—if word got out, where would she have any dignity?"

Aunt Wan contested: "Dignity is something you and the master create for her, isn’t it? In the future when she marries, her dignity will come from her husband. How could I, a mere concubine, be responsible for that? It’s absurd."

Mrs. Wang: "..."

Alright, she was at a loss for words.

"You are her mother."

"I know, but I am still a concubine. I even have to address her as Miss, that’s the rule."

Mrs. Wang, at a loss for words, poked Aunt Wan’s forehead somewhat resentfully: "Can’t you be a bit more ambitious, learn something useful?"

"Isn’t my beauty enough?" Aunt Wan lowered her gaze to her cloth dress and looked at her hands. Her writing practice had roughened them slightly.

Mrs. Wang closed her eyes; truly, a one-in-a-million blockhead, a single track mind, impossible to reason with.

So be it.

She took out the small jade bottle and handed it over.

"What’s this?" Aunt Wan shook it curiously, hearing the pills rattle against the bottle. She couldn’t help but pull out the stopper and smell the fragrant medicinal scent, before pouring out one: "It smells good."

Mrs. Wang sat down, speaking softly: "These are the Yangrong Pills."

Aunt Wan’s eyes widened: "The same Yangrong Pills that money can’t buy?"

Mrs. Wang nodded: "Given by Xixi, only we have them. You and Chun’er divide them between you. But let me warn you, no matter how foolish you are, you must never let anyone see you taking these, otherwise, you’ll cause trouble for Xixi."

Aunt Wan, looking cautious, pointed outside: "Are you talking about the Old Lady and Second Madam?"

Mrs. Wang blinked: "What do you think? If you tell, and they demand them from you, I can’t stop them, especially the Old Lady." She paused, then added: "These pills are very nourishing. If you don’t care about remaining beautiful, then feel free to spread the word!"

"Rest assured, I won’t speak of it, even if it kills me!" Beauty matters must be taken seriously; she decided to honor the occasion by swallowing a pill first.

Watching her swallow the pill in her palm, Mrs. Wang couldn’t help but chuckle and flicked Aunt Wan’s hair by her ear—there’s a certain advantage in being a fool, living purely and simply.