Dou Zhao playfully released Dou Ming’s hair and gently poked her cheek.
Wang Yingxue’s heart leaped to her throat. She hastily said, “The baby is still small. Don’t poke her face!” Her voice couldn’t help but sound a bit shrill.
Dou Zhao then began playing with her little sister’s hand.
She must be doing this on purpose! Wang Yingxue fumed inwardly.
Rather than harm the child behind everyone’s back and be scolded for being naughty, it’s better to act in front of everyone. A simple “she doesn’t know better” would absolve her of all responsibility…
Zhao Guqiu’s daughter is no child, but a demon in disguise!
As these thoughts flashed through her mind, Wang Yingxue struggled to maintain her composure. Her expression betrayed a hint of rigidity as she said, “Shou Gu, you shouldn’t play with your sister’s hand either!”
Dou Shiying felt a twinge of displeasure as he listened.
Shou Gu was merely trying to bond with her sister. If she was a bit rough due to her inexperience, the baby would naturally cry out in discomfort. But at the moment, the child was lying contentedly in her wet nurse’s arms, indicating that Shou Gu was being very careful.
He felt that Wang Yingxue was being overly protective of her child and somewhat harsh towards Shou Gu.
The Third Aunt and Aunt Ding shared similar sentiments. However, neither felt it was their place to speak up—the former was only temporarily overseeing the household affairs of the Western Dou family at Dou Duo’s request, and such family matters were not her place to interfere; the latter’s status precluded her from commenting. But this didn’t mean they didn’t have their thoughts and positions. Especially the Third Aunt, who was, after all, the principal wife. When facing the Zhao family, she naturally had to side with the Dou family. But behind closed doors, she utterly despised concubines like Wang Yingxue who entered the family through underhanded means.
She inwardly scoffed, then smiled warmly as she stepped forward to embrace Dou Zhao, subtly leading her away from Dou Ming. “Silly child, you mustn’t be naughty. Be careful not to hurt your little sister!”
Too much of anything is as bad as too little.
Wang Yingxue was already on edge today.
After all, Dou Zhao was only a three-year-old child. If Wang Yingxue was pushed too far, it wouldn’t be worth it if she lost control and used force against her!
Dou Zhao smiled and wrapped her arms around Third Aunt’s neck.
Third Aunt praised her, calling her “good girl,” then turned to Dou Shiying and said, “Now that Concubine Wang is settled, I’ll be heading back. If you need anything, just send someone to let me know.”
Wang Yingxue had gone into labor late last night, and Third Aunt and Aunt Ding had been busy until now.
Dou Shiying thanked her profusely and, along with Aunt Ding, saw Third Aunt to the door.
Wang Yingxue instructed her maid, Nanny Hu, “From now on, don’t let Shou Gu near the baby, and especially don’t leave them alone together.”
Nanny Hu was taken aback and hesitated before saying, “That doesn’t seem right. Fourth Young Miss is, after all, a legitimate daughter of the Dou family. It would be wonderful if she could play with the baby…”
“You don’t understand!” Wang Yingxue said, her heart still pounding. “That child… there’s something off about her. You should be wary of her too from now on.” Seeing Nanny Hu’s skepticism, and remembering that she helped manage her household affairs, Wang Yingxue pondered for a moment before revealing what Dou Zhao had said: “…How could a three-year-old child know such things?”
Nanny Hu mused, “Perhaps someone told her?”
“Impossible!” Wang Yingxue exclaimed. “Zhao Guqiu is gone, and who else in the family would be so bored?”
Her thoughts drifted to the past.
Her engagement had been called off, while Zhao Guqiu was about to be married.
Her family couldn’t afford to return the Zhao family’s gifts, and her mother was too embarrassed to attend. She had Wang Yingxue bring ten taels of silver as a wedding gift. Feeling it was too meager, Wang Yingxue selected two bolts of fine silk, one red and one yellow, from the Lei family’s betrothal gifts. She hurriedly embroidered two handkerchiefs to bring along.
Zhao Guqiu’s joy was evident in the corners of her eyes and the curves of her brows, without a trace of the worry or reluctance typical of a bride-to-be.
Everyone teased Zhao Guqiu.
But Zhao Guqiu, without a hint of shyness, said, “I’ve been wishing every day to marry him. Now that my wish has come true, I really can’t feel sad!” Her words sent everyone into fits of laughter, leaving Wang Yingxue feeling a mix of envy and curiosity.
When the Dou family came to pick up the bride, she secretly went to watch the ceremony.
The tall, red date-colored horse carried the groom dressed in red. His face was like white jade, his eyes like morning stars, and his joyful expression was impossible to conceal. The image etched itself deeply into her heart.
Later, as her family’s circumstances became increasingly difficult and her brother’s marriage prospects dimmed, the suitors who came for her were either widowers, unemployed ne’er-do-wells, or sickly men… She recalled the scene of Zhao Guqiu’s wedding day and felt increasingly unworthy, her heart growing heavier with sorrow.
Until one day, when the town’s Scholar He, seeking a match for his bed-wetting fool of a son who was already past twenty, sent the county magistrate as a matchmaker to propose to her, and she encountered Dou Shiying…
He was just as she had imagined: refined, elegant, and considerate.
Her heart began to race uncontrollably.
Rather than marry someone who made her sick to her stomach, why not follow Dou Shiying?
At least Dou Shiying was handsome and kind-hearted. If she followed him, she wouldn’t worry about being abandoned. Moreover, Zhao Guqiu, pampered by her brother and sister-in-law, was naive and inexperienced, not the cunning and vicious type. Given that the Western Dou family had few offspring and no experienced mother-in-law managing the inner courtyard, if she could bear a son and raise him well to attain an official rank, with her background and upbringing, she could stand on equal footing with Zhao Guqiu. By then, how would she be any different from a proper wife?
She had planned everything, calculated everything, but never anticipated Zhao Guqiu would be so unyielding!
Even more unexpected was that after Zhao Guqiu’s death, strange occurrences began to plague her, leaving her on edge and anxious daily. This led to her child’s premature birth and exposed her affair with Dou Shiying to everyone’s scrutiny…
What would happen next?
Thinking about all this, Wang Yingxue felt as if a thousand needles were pricking her temples.
Who could that person be?
Suddenly, Dou Zhao’s bright yet somewhat mocking eyes flashed in Wang Yingxue’s mind.
Could it be Shou Gu?
No, it couldn’t be, it couldn’t be!
Wang Yingxue shook her head.
She was still just a three-year-old child… Or perhaps Zhao Guqiu was manipulating the child to do these things?
Impossible, impossible!
Wang Yingxue muttered to herself.
Her father had once said that supernatural phenomena were merely delusions born of an unsettled mind.
Nanny Hu noticed that Wang Yingxue looked as if she had been frightened, her complexion somewhat pale. She quickly asked, “Concubine, have you remembered something? Do you know who might be trying to harm you?”
Wang Yingxue’s expression hardened.
Zhao Guqiu was already dead. How could she be scaring herself like this?
Realizing this, she quickly composed herself and said, “Don’t speak nonsense. In any case, remember what I’ve told you. Make sure Shou Gu and the baby don’t get mixed up together.”
Nanny Hu nodded, puzzled.
Dou Shiying returned.
Wang Yingxue put on a gentle smile and asked, “Have Third Madam and Aunt Ding left?”
Dou Shiying grunted in affirmation and said, “Shou Gu is still young. She only knows to touch and hug when she likes something. Don’t make such a fuss in the future.”
“I…” Wang Yingxue began, then stopped herself.
Dou Shiying had never faced much adversity in his life; such people could only be handled gently.
“It was just me being overly anxious,” she admitted graciously, then had the wet nurse bring her daughter over. “Seventh Lord, look, doesn’t our daughter’s eyebrows resemble yours?”
Dou Shiying looked carefully and smiled, “They do look a bit similar.”
Wang Yingxue sighed softly, gently stroking her daughter’s sparse hair. With reddened eyes, she said, “You don’t know how dangerous it was earlier… Our daughter almost didn’t make it! Thankfully, the Third Madam was here… Seventh Lord, please ask the Old Master to give our daughter a milk name. Let her share in the Old Master’s blessings.”
Dou Shiying nodded, his tone gentle: “I understand. You don’t need to worry about these things. Focus on resting and recovering; your health is paramount. We have people sent by the Third Aunt to look after our daughter, as well as Aunt Ding. Nothing will go wrong!”
Wang Yingxue nodded obediently.
Dou Shiying stood up. “You must be tired too. Get some rest now! I’m heading back to my study.”
Wang Yingxue was slightly taken aback. “You… you won’t stay a bit longer?”
“I still have some work to finish. I’ll come back to check on you later.”
Wang Yingxue had no choice but to have Nanny Hu see Dou Shiying out.
Standing at the entrance of Qixia Courtyard, Dou Shiying didn’t know where to go.
Seeing Wang Yingxue reminded him of how Guqiu had died.
He couldn’t bring himself to chat and laugh with Wang Yingxue as if nothing had happened.
He decided to go to his father to ask for a milk name for his second daughter.
Dou Shiying went to Heshou Hall.
Dou Duo was lying on the drunken old man’s chair in his study, holding a book and lost in thought.
Upon learning of Dou Shiying’s purpose, he dipped his brush in ink and wrote two large characters: “Let Shou Gu be named ‘Zhao’, and the little one ‘Ming’.” He said this with a deep sigh.
Dou Shiying remained silent. He had someone take the paper with “Ming” written on it to Qixia Courtyard, while he took the one with “Zhao” to the main house.
Dou Zhao wasn’t there.
Yuzhen said, “Fourth Young Miss went to the small Buddha hall.” Fearing Dou Shiying might scold her for not attending to Dou Zhao, she quickly explained, “Tuo Niang is with Fourth Young Miss.”
Dou Shiying went to the small Buddha hall.
Dou Zhao sat alone on the high threshold of the small Buddha hall, her chin resting on her hand as she gazed at her mother’s tablet.
The setting sun cast her shadow long into the room.
Dou Shiying’s eyes stung, and his chest felt as if it had been punched, both painful and tight.
“Shou Gu!” He sat down next to his daughter. “Why are you sitting here?”
Dou Shiying’s voice was as gentle as a spring breeze in March.
Dou Zhao turned her head and gazed at her father. “I miss Mother!”
She hadn’t understood before why her mother had taken her own life.
Perhaps her mother’s feelings when she saw her father and Wang Yingxue happily together were similar to how she felt when she heard Wei Tingyu praising Dou Ming?
His daughter’s clear, pure eyes reflected his image.
Dou Shiying suddenly felt ashamed and found it difficult to meet his daughter’s gaze.
Since her father remained silent, Dou Zhao had no interest in putting on a show to please him.
She felt deeply melancholic.
Seeing the newborn Dou Ming reminded her of Dou Xiao, who would be born in a couple of years.
Despite her efforts to save her, her mother still ended up taking her own life. Were the events of this world predetermined and impossible to change?
In her previous life, after her mother’s death, her father had immediately remarried and gone on to have children with Wang Yingxue. What had her mother’s death meant to him?
A gentle breeze blew, causing the bronze bells hanging under the eaves of the small Buddha hall to chime softly, creating a distant and peaceful atmosphere.
Thinking of what the man beside her had done in her previous life, Dou Zhao couldn’t bear to stay a moment longer.
She stood up, feeling agitated.
Then she heard her father’s low voice: “Shou Gu, I miss your mother too, very much… very much…”
She then saw her father bury his face in his knees, crying silently.