Chapter 523 - Sowing Discord

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Ever since Ning Shuqian returned to the Wen Family after getting pregnant, she had been truly living the life of Mrs. Wen—doing nothing all day besides eating and sleeping, being treated amicably by Old Mrs. Wen, and served by the helpers to the best of their abilities.

Despite having been married into the Wen Family for fifteen years, only now did she feel that she had truly become Mrs. Wen.

Upon waking up from her afternoon nap, Ning Shuqian felt dryness in her throat. Suddenly, she recalled that she had previously instructed Mother Wang to buy some seasonal fresh fruits for her.

Ning Shuqian got down the stairs slowly. Seeing that there was no one downstairs, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of anger rising within her. “Mother Wang, Mother Wang…”

A female helper hurriedly rushed into the living room. “Madam, Mother Wang went out just now and has yet to return.”

“What, she’s not back yet?” Hearing which, Ning Shuqian’s face darkened instantly. “It’s already almost 3 P.M.—why isn’t she back yet?”

The female helper couldn’t help but recall how a few days ago, Mother Zhou had been kicked out of the Wen Family, hurriedly hung her head, shook her head in a panic, and said, “I don’t know why either.”

This old fool!

Ning Shuqian gritted her teeth. Mother Wang was an old helper in the mansion—among the helpers of the Wen Family, Butler Yu and Mother Wang were the most senior. Even Old Mr. Wen relied heavily on her, the helpers under her followed her lead, and even she had to show her some respect. Previously, when she just married into the Wen Family, she had wanted to bribe this old fool. However, this old fool didn’t buy it and always treated her well yet with distance. Due to her attitude, it even implicated the other servants in the Wen Family treating her poorly.

It was only later that she realized that this old fool had once served Mo Yunyao and respected her very much all along, which explained her cold treatment towards her. After Wen Xinya returned, she had also treated Wen Xinya extremely well.

Thinking of which, her heart was filled with hatred. She was determined to drive this old fool out of the Wen Mansion.

In the middle of her thoughts, Old Mrs. Wen walked into the living room with her handbag.

“Mother, are you going out to play mahjong with your buddies?” Ning Shuqian greeted Old Mrs. Wen. However, her eyes reddened suddenly as tears welled up in them. Coupled with her slightly pale face, she looked even weaker and more pitiful.

Seeing Ning Shuqian behaving like this, Old Mrs. Wen hurriedly walked over and asked with concern, “What’s wrong, are you not feeling well?”

Ning Shuqian rubbed her belly gently, hung her head, and spoke with a hoarse and pitiful voice, “No… nothing, just that I didn’t eat much due to poor appetite at lunch just now, just woke up from an afternoon nap feeling terribly hungry, and felt panicky.”

Old Mrs. Wen instantly said anxiously, “Since you’re hungry, quickly get Mother Wang to make you something you want to eat?”

She recalled that Ning Shuqian had indeed not eaten much at lunch just now. Previously, she had heard from Haowen that babies that were conceived through fertility treatments affected the health of their mothers and themselves greatly and were easily miscarried. Thus, since Ning Shuqian returned to the Wen Family, she had almost given in all the time, fearing that any mishap would cause her to lose the grandson that she had longed so much for.

“As I had a poor appetite, I’ve gotten Mother Wang to buy some fresh fruits for me just now. Who knew that she’d be gone for more than two hours and has yet to return.” Ning Shuqian sounded like she was being treated unfairly. However, her gaze looked hazily towards the female helper aside who didn’t know whether to stay or leave as her pair of deep black eyes glowed with sharpness for some reason.

Glared by her in this manner, that female helper couldn’t help but shiver all over as she said, “Old Madam. Since Madam moved back in, Mother Wang… Mother Wang… has been taking advantage of you and Old Master’s trust and neglecting Madam…”

Thinking of how Mother Wang took care of everyone usually, the female helper’s words trailed off as the guilt in her heart intensified.

“Is there some misunderstanding?” Old Mrs. Wen asked with hesitation. Mother Wang had served three generations of the Wen Family and had done her best all along without making any mistakes. How could she have neglected the pregnant Ning Shuqian?

Hearing Old Mrs. Wen’s words of hesitation, Ning Shuqian hung her head and started sobbing. “Mother, the doctor said that the prolonged fertility treatments and ovulation jabs have hurt my body, and now that I managed to get pregnant at a mature age, my body isn’t reacting well. Thus, this pregnancy isn’t stable and hasn’t been looking optimistic. When I was discharged from the hospital, the doctor has reminded me to take care of my diet, ingest more nutrition, and nourish my body well. Only when my body is well-nourished will the baby in my belly develop well…”

The last statement totally hit the spot for Old Mrs. Wen. As the side effects of ovulation jabs were too prominent, Old Mrs. Wen’s greatest worry was if the baby developed well. Right now, Old Mrs. Wen’s biggest wish was none other than for Ning Shuqian to give birth to a healthy baby.

Ning Shuqian started sobbing, tears falling non-stop from her eyes. “Father and Mother took pity on me and allowed me to move back into the Wen Family to care for me, but… Previously, Mother Zhou…”

She stopped short of completing her words and only looked even more pitiful and wronged.

“Be honest with your sufferings to me.” Old Mrs. Wen’s face became twisted with anger. In her heart, there was nothing more important than the baby in Ning Shuqian’s belly now. She couldn’t help but recall Mother Zhou who had been kicked out of the Wen Family a few days ago—she had exactly taken advantage of being a senior helper at the Wen Mansion, neglected her care for Ning Shuqian, and caused Ning Shuqian’s belly to hurt.

A coldness flashed past Ning Shuqian’s eyes, yet more tears fell from them. “Mother, I know that Mother Wang is a senior helper of the Wen Family and is highly depended on by you and Father. However, given that I have the Wen Family’s flesh and blood in my belly, even if she looks down at me, the step-madam unacknowledged by the Wen Family, she should still serve me well on account of my baby. If… if something untoward were to happen to the baby in my belly, how can she answer for it, and how can I face the ancestors of the Wen Family?”

The fact Wen Xinya had gotten the Old Man’s approval upon returning to the Wen Family and managed to build a foundation at the Wen Family must have had something to do with this old fool secretly. This old fool had prestige before the servants and had also served three generations of the Wen Family—naturally, the sentiments between the Old Man and her were extraordinary.

Even the Old Man would give some thoughts into the things that she said. With her being on Wen Xinya’s side, she merely had to put in a few good words for Wen Xinya, and, with time, it would confuse and influence him.

Now, with the excuse of her pregnancy, Old Mrs. Wen and Wen Haowen obeyed whatever she said, and even the Old Man had relented on her, she must get rid of this effective aide of Wen Xinya so that she would be alone and without help in the Wen Family. Given the many years of kinship between Haowen and the Old Man, they could definitely make the Old Man stand on their side once again.

It was also a good opportunity to clean up the helpers of the Wen Family and to let this bunch of snobbish fools know her power.