Chapter 188 - 187: Compensation and Arrangement
For Diudiu Scissors+
Upon hearing the news, Mrs. Wang rationalized that a dying man certainly couldn’t take a wife. Thus, they might be more likely to accept the child in her belly. Not only could she safely give birth, but she could also provide her child with a legitimate identity...
So, Mrs. Wang secretly followed these people, offering them ten taels of silver notes, saying she would willingly marry into the Chen family. She explained she could do embroidery work to earn money for his medical expenses, but they must acknowledge the child in her womb...
The ten taels of silver were Mrs. Wang’s private stash, saved secretly by Chen Shiying. When she had returned to her mother’s house, she had taken it with her.
Mrs. Ding was overjoyed to hear that the Chens could indeed offer ten taels of silver. She could only get four or five strings of cash for selling off Wang Juanniang. For the prospect of getting an additional five to six taels of silver, she disregarded her kinsman Zhao’s admonition to send Mrs. Wang far away and sold her to Chen Ming in the neighboring town instead...
Mrs. Wang continued her story. Of course, there were many parts she felt too embarrassed to verbalize, but Chen Afu filled in the blanks.
Chen Afu’s tears flowed freely, as did Chen Shiying’s.
In the end, Mrs. Wang wiped her tears with a handkerchief. Once her emotions had settled, she began, "Heaven watches over us. My husband’s condition gradually improved, and we were graced with a son, Alu. My husband has always been good to Afu, treating him as his own. Even though Afu had been sickly since he was little, he’s never shown any repulsion. In order to get treatment for Afu, for Afu’s future care in old age, we lived frugally as a family. My husband never complained... Sometimes I would think back to the past, and in comparison, I am even more grateful that I was welcomed into this home. This family has offered me and Afu warmth and respect that no other family could have. Although we are not wealthy, our family is harmonious and content. We have endured the most grueling times and now live a comfortable life without worries." She shifted her gaze over to Chen Shiying and continued, "Ying Di, I am telling you all this today because I want you to understand. Only this family has given Afu and me the warmth and respect others couldn’t grant..."