Chapter 435 - 427: Pouring Out Her Sorrows
Mrs. Dong looked coldly at her daughter. Right now, her daughter was her last straw for survival, which is why she revealed things she had kept hidden at the beginning. Although she didn’t elaborate on some matters, she believed her daughter would figure out what they were.
Who would have thought? Despite her actions, her daughter still refused. At this moment, Mrs. Dong suddenly felt a sense of being abandoned by the whole world.
"Sister Hui, mother has never asked anything of you. Now your brother is still young. Do you really want to watch your brother grow up without a mother’s affection? Your father no longer cares about us. If something happens to me, what will happen to you and your brother?" Mrs. Dong wanted to lose her temper but held it back, knowing her daughter had a soft heart. "Sister Hui, I’m begging you, just agree this once. If you marry into that family voluntarily, they are your maternal family and won’t mistreat you. Your grandmother has no other desires now; just think of it as accompanying her by marrying over there."
"Enough, mother need not say any more. I’ve said I won’t agree, no matter what mother says." Sister Hui turned her head away from her mother. "Mother, if you truly consider me your daughter, then leave me a way out."
Sister Hui said no more and walked away quickly, crying all the way back to Shi’an Garden. Upon hearing about it, Mrs. Gu Sr. only shook her head at Suyi without saying much.
After all, the Dong Mansion was holding a funeral, and Mrs. Gu Sr. believed there couldn’t be any other matters aside from this.
Back in her room, the more Sister Hui thought about it, the more upset she became, shivering uncontrollably. She hadn’t anticipated such actions from her mother, nor that her grandmother would use this matter as leverage. Bitterly biting her lip, Sister Hui stayed awake the entire night.
The Dong Mansion was hosting a funeral, and Mrs. Dong only attended the first day, never appearing again, naturally leading to gossip in the Capital. While Mrs. Dong remained sequestered in the mansion, never stepping out, she considered going over but was haunted by her mother’s words. Sister Hui also didn’t agree, and Mrs. Dong felt she could foresee what awaited her. Even when the nanny brought Brother Zong over, Mrs. Dong lacked the patience and waved the nanny away, not bothering to look at the child.
After a sleepless night of struggle, the next day, while serving Mrs. Gu Sr., Sister Hui spoke up, "Grandmother, with little to do today, I thought of going to the East Mansion for a visit as you’ve often worried about Aunt’s health. It’d be a good chance for me to check on her."
Noticing her grandmother’s gaze, Sister Hui lowered her head guiltily, "There are things I don’t understand and would like to discuss with Aunt."
Without asking further, Mrs. Gu Sr. smiled and nodded, "Though she is your aunt, she used to be your aunt besides being your mother-in-law when in the mansion. You two are close in age; I realize some matters you find hard to discuss with us elders, so you should go to your aunt."
Sister Hui smiled and thanked her, with Mrs. Gu Sr. not insisting on her remaining for prayers, simply telling her to prepare for a visit to the East Mansion.
Lin Youning found it odd when hearing Sister Hui was seeking her out. Glancing at her older brother, she laughed, "Sister Hui seeks me instead of our oldest brother. She must have something on her mind. Brother, you should head to the study in the front yard."
"I’ll hide in the warm pavilion," Gu Yifeng said, not leaving but skipping into the inner pavilion.
Without further word from Lin Youning, shortly, Sister Hui arrived. Upon seeing no one around, she asked, "Is father not home?"
Lin Youning gave a slight smile, "He’s out on business, left early in the morning."
Seeing Sister Hui’s demeanor, it was clear she came looking for her, not her brother. Lin Youning said no more, knowing Sister Hui didn’t want her brother aware.
Hearing this, Sister Hui visibly relaxed, her demeanor only confirming Lin Youning’s hunch.
Without Lin Youning needing to say anything, Shanmoi and Hailan led the maids out, leaving the room empty. Only then did Sister Hui lower her head and begin, "There’s something I don’t know whom else to discuss with. After thinking all night, I feel I should seek Aunt’s advice."
"Since you’ve come to me, speak directly. I’ll help however I can," Lin Youning said, if only for her brother’s sake, she wouldn’t refuse.
Sister Hui, feeling guilty towards her sister, let the marriage go to Sister Jian.
The boundless sea of suffering, turning back leads to the shore.
Although Lin Youning understood Sister Hui had ulterior motives for seeking her out initially, Sister Hui ultimately harmed no one, and even after being hurt, stepped back immediately, earning Lin Youning’s respect for her character.
"It’s mother; she wants me to enter the Dong Mansion as my cousin’s widow. I refused her then, but grandmother is using it against mother, saying if I don’t agree to the marriage, something will happen to mother. I refused mother back then, but seeing her desperate pleading, I spent all night not knowing what to do. In the end, I felt I could only tell Aunt, hoping for her guidance, since this can’t be discussed outside." Sister Hui looked up, "Aunt, please, help my mother and me."
After speaking, Sister Hui stood and knelt before Lin Youning, "Today’s visit, my mother will surely hear of it; there’s no other way. I can’t plead with father."
Without postponing further, Lin Youning frowned, urging her to rise, "Speak properly; no need to kneel. I’m with child and not well these days, so I won’t help you up; come sit by the couch, and we’ll talk it over."
Sister Hui nodded and rose without another word from Lin Youning, then sat by the soft couch, "Before my mother married my father, she made some mistakes, which grandmother now holds over her to force my marriage into Dong Mansion. On grandmother’s orders, it was originally Sister Jian who should have gone."