Ren Yaoqi asked: “So Father, did you agree?”

Seeing that Ren Yaoqi was about to start her persistent questioning again, Ren Shimin helplessly put down his paint-stained brush and decided to talk to her properly: “I said I needed to ask your eldest uncle first.”

Ren Shimin didn’t feel there was anything wrong with admitting in front of others that he was just someone who lived off the family in the Ren household. He rarely managed any family affairs.

Last time when Ren Yaoqi said she wanted to promote Yuan Dayong back to Baihe Town as deputy manager, Ren Shimin also mentioned it to First Master Ren. Since Ren Shimin rarely made requests, First Master Ren readily agreed. After all, the Yuan family were all servants of the Ren family, and Ren Shimin was only asking for a deputy manager position – Third Master Ren still had that much face.

However, now that Sun Shiniang’s husband wanted to work for the Ren family would be more troublesome, because neither Sun Shiniang nor her husband were Ren family people. Moreover, he was said to have some education and might not agree to sign a bond of servitude, not to mention that he was disabled. Even if First Master Ren said nothing, if Old Master Ren found out, he would scold them.

Knowing that Ren Shimin hadn’t immediately agreed, Ren Yaoqi breathed a sigh of relief. However, she guessed that perhaps in her previous life, Ren Shimin eventually did help Sun Shiniang’s husband get a position in the Ren family, and he even went to one of the coal yards that Ren Shimin nominally managed, where he could access the accounts. Concubine Fang probably wanted to use Sun Shiniang and her husband to interfere with the several coal yards under Third Master Ren’s control, and Ren Yaohua came to believe that Sun Shiniang was sent by Concubine Fang to seduce their father after learning about this.

Having Sun Shiniang’s husband come work for the Ren family was probably a step that Concubine Fang had discussed with her before Sun Shiniang entered the household. Now, although Concubine Fang couldn’t appear in public due to her injuries, Sun Shiniang was still taking this step before leaving.

“Father, I think having Manager Sun’s husband come work for the Ren family might not be good.”

“Why?” Ren Shimin just felt that his father might not agree, so he wanted to ask his elder brother. He was indifferent about whether Sun Shiniang’s husband could come or not.

Ren Yaoqi said, “Didn’t she say she wanted the family to reunite? If her husband comes to work for the Ren family, how can they have a family reunion? Besides, Grandfather definitely won’t agree.” Ren Yaoqi thought slyly that if her father insisted on pitying that family of three, she would use Old Master Ren’s cruel ruthlessness to let her father know what unreasonable behavior meant.

Fortunately, Ren Shimin always listened to his daughter. Hearing this, he didn’t even argue, just nodded: “You’re right. What do you think we should do?”

Ren Shimin just wanted to quickly dismiss his chattering daughter.

Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment: “Manager Sun has helped us quite a bit recently. Since she asked you, Father, we can’t very well refuse her completely. How about Father gives her a sum of money so their family can take over a small shop and do some small business? Although it might be a bit hard work and they won’t become wealthy, it would be enough to support the family.”

Ren Shimin quickly nodded: “Yaoyao is right! Let’s do that!”

Ren Yaoqi smiled: “There’s still quite a bit left from the money Father gave me to buy paints. Let me handle this matter. Father never manages these things anyway. In the future, if you encounter such situations, just tell me or hand it over to Mother, so you won’t be troubled.”

Ren Shimin felt that his daughter was indeed very considerate. He was too embarrassed to find her annoying anymore, reached out to pat her head, and agreed.

Ren Yaoqi gritted her teeth and endured the smell of paint all over Ren Shimin’s hands.

Sun Shiniang returned shortly after. Ren Shimin had already gone back to working on his painting.

Ren Yaoqi smiled at Sun Shiniang: “Manager Sun, I heard you want to reunite with your husband and daughter?”

Sun Shiniang glanced at Ren Shimin. Ren Shimin was completely focused on his painting and hadn’t noticed this side at all. Having said he’d leave it to Ren Yaoqi, he truly became a hands-off manager.

Ren Yaoqi noticed her expression and slightly restrained the smile on her face: “Manager Sun, you’ve worked hard recently, but making such a request to your employer does put us in a difficult position.”

Sun Shiniang’s face couldn’t help but show some embarrassment.

Ren Yaoqi smiled again, looking at her: “However, I’ll help you this once. When you leave the Ren family, I’ll give you fifty taels of silver. That money should be enough for you and your husband to open a small shop in Yanzhou.”

What could fifty taels of silver do? It couldn’t even buy a shop.

Sun Shiniang frowned: “Thank you for Fifth Miss’s kind intention. If it’s inconvenient, forget about it.”

Ren Yaoqi nodded readily: “Then whenever Manager Sun wants it, just come find me. However, I need to remind Manager Sun of something. My father never concerns himself with the Ren family’s outside businesses and doesn’t manage trivial matters. It’s quite improper for you to make requests to him. I hope this is the last time. From now on, if you need anything, you can come find me or my mother. Manager Sun might not know that our family has many rules, and there are differences between men and women. It wouldn’t be good if people started gossiping.”

If Sun Shiniang still didn’t realize that she was being lectured and looked down upon by a young girl, she would have lived all these years for nothing. However, Ren Yaoqi spoke with a smile and was very amiable, making anyone who wanted to get angry feel like they were being unreasonable.

Sun Shiniang suppressed her anger: “This humble woman understands. Thank you for Fifth Miss’s guidance.”

Ren Yaoqi nodded: “Very good. I knew Manager Sun was a smart person.”

With that, Ren Yaoqi called over the little maid that Zhou Nanny had sent to serve Sun Shiniang, and instructed in front of Sun Shiniang: “You must serve Manager Sun well before she leaves the Ren family. If she needs anything, come report to me, or you can have someone tell Zhou Nanny. If you let Manager Sun approach the wrong person again, go to Zhou Nanny yourself to receive punishment.”

The little maid glanced at Sun Shiniang with some resentment. Who knew this Manager Sun would catch the opportunity when she had diarrhea and went to the toilet to talk with Third Master, causing Fifth Miss to scold her! The little maid secretly vowed that even if she had diarrhea in the future, she would have someone trustworthy watch over her!

Sun Shiniang was angry but dared not speak, only claiming she felt unwell and left.

Third Master Ren never mentioned Sun Shiniang’s matter again.

After Ren Yaoqi returned to Ziwei Courtyard, Nanny Xu came over on her initiative.

Ren Yaoqi smiled and glanced at her: “Does Nanny Xu have something to say?”

Nanny Xu lowered her head: “Yes, Miss. This servant came to tell Miss about Madam Sun.”

Ren Yaoqi raised an eyebrow, waiting for Nanny Xu’s next words.

Nanny Xu said thoughtfully, “This servant once owed Madam Sun’s husband a great favor. My son got a strange illness back then and was sick for several days without improvement. Later, fortunately, we met an old physician who prescribed an ancient remedy. Unfortunately, one of the medicinal ingredients used as a catalyst was uncommon. This servant searched all the large and small pharmacies in Yanzhou but couldn’t find it. Later, I met Madam Sun’s husband, who was just about to collect herbs, and he said he would help me look for it.”

At this point, Nanny Xu sighed, her expression somewhat gloomy: “Later, that medicine was found, but Mr. Yu fell down a mountain while helping me gather herbs. His leg was broken…”

Ren Yaoqi remembered that Sun Shiniang’s look at Nanny Xu had seemed strange, and connecting it with what Nanny Xu was saying, she couldn’t help but ask: “You knew that Mr. Yu from early on?”

Nanny Xu looked somewhat embarrassed: “Yes, we’ve known each other since childhood.”

Seeing Nanny Xu’s expression, Ren Yaoqi thought there might be some story between her and the Sun couple, but Ren Yaoqi wasn’t interested in these stories. She thought of another matter.

“Sun Shiniang has a daughter? How old is she? What’s her name?”

Nanny Xu thought for a moment: “She should be twelve this year, called Qingniang, Yu Qingniang.”

Ren Yaoqi was startled, and then in a flash of insight, something became crystal clear.

In her previous life, the girl who became Ren Yaohua’s dowry maid under the identity of Nanny Xu’s daughter was called Qing’er.

Sun Shiniang was indeed the woman that Ren Yaohua had mistaken for a mistress, and her daughter entered the Ren family as a maid to seek revenge for her. No wonder Ren Yaohua was eventually betrayed by her own maid – the cause and effect had been planted by Concubine Fang long ago.

Because of her past relationship with Sun Shiniang’s husband and her guilt toward him, Nanny Xu let Sun Shiniang’s daughter become Ren Yaohua’s dowry maid under the identity of her daughter, following Ren Yaohua when she married into the Zeng family.

She just didn’t know what role Nanny Xu played in this revenge. Did she know nothing about Yu Qingniang’s revenge plan and only brought her into the Ren family because she wanted to give the deceased man’s daughter a good future, or did she participate in Yu Qingniang’s plan?

This was from her previous life, and Ren Yaoqi had no way of knowing now. But regarding Nanny Xu, she inevitably had some misgivings in her heart. As for how to handle these misgivings, she still needed to think carefully.

Thinking of Concubine Fang’s scheming, Ren Yaoqi had never felt as strongly as she did now that Concubine Fang truly deserved to die.

Two days later, Fifth Master Ren’s painting restoration was completed, and Sun Shiniang no longer had any reason to stay in the Ren family.

During this period, Sun Shiniang had tried to find opportunities to talk with Ren Shimin, but each time she was interrupted by the maid. The little maid was angry in her heart and, when Third Master Ren wasn’t around, often muttered in front of Sun Shiniang, openly and secretly calling her shameless.

Sun Shiniang was furious but could only helplessly pack up and leave the Ren family. When she left, she didn’t even see Third Master Ren’s face. Li Shi did have someone send her some reward money.

Ren Yaoqi secretly warned the servants around Third Master Ren that if they encountered Sun Shiniang approaching them outside in the future, they must keep a close watch. Fortunately, Third Master Ren rarely went out except for occasionally meeting friends.