"Er Jie, how is the master doing?" At this moment, another charming voice came from behind. The mother and son turned around to see two people, two beautiful women, or more accurately, one gorgeous woman and one delicate girl.
The gorgeous woman was leading the delicate girl. This pair, a woman and a girl of different charms, looked like a pair of sister flowers in the eyes of the young master or many others. Yes, sister flowers. It's often said that women are like flowers, and the owner of that charming voice was undoubtedly the gorgeous woman among these two beautiful flowers.
The young master smiled, knowing who had arrived. "Aunt Yue, Xiao Mei. You've come to see father," he said, not waiting for the 'sister flowers' to respond before adding somewhat to himself, "Unfortunately, father has just fallen asleep."
"Oh, I see!" Aunt Yue replied. "Er Niang, Er Ge," the other flower of the 'sister flowers,' the delicate girl named 'Xiao Mei,' spoke with the clear and shy voice characteristic of a young girl.
Madame Wang nodded slightly with her jade-like head, responding with a simple "Hmm" as an elder's acknowledgment to the young girl. She said nothing to her third sister, San Mei. The young master, standing by, also noticed that his mother, especially since his father fell ill, had been somewhat indifferent and even deliberately wary and distant towards Aunt Yue. Of course, Aunt Yue was well aware of Madame Wang's attitude towards her. A flicker of displeasure flashed in her bright eyes, but it was well concealed behind her ever-smiling face. It's often said that women are born politicians, or perhaps actors. But as the old saying goes, no one knows who said it: women also understand women best. Watching this scene, the young master couldn't help but feel a wry smile inside. Before him was Aunt Yue, also known as the third wife of his father, Master Wang, whom he had called Aunt Yue since childhood. This Aunt Yue was 37 years old, three years younger than his mother. And Xiao Mei, after the New Year, would be of age (16 years old). Time flies, he thought with a chuckle. The little snot-nosed kid before him had grown into a young lady.
Alas! Second Young Master randomly recalled some things his mother had mentioned about San Yiniang, which was a long time ago. He hadn't paid much attention to it at the time, only vaguely knowing that before Yue Yiniang came to the Wang family, she was quite poor and had a fiancé. Somehow, she ended up selling herself into the Wang residence as a cook, and then was taken by his father through less than honorable means. Yes, it seemed like 'taken' was the right word, after all, his father's disgraceful deeds were only mentioned in passing by his mother during a spat with his father. He had inadvertently overheard some fragments from the servants' mouths, and some were from his so-called 'friends' who spilled the beans while drunk at some banquet.
The Wang family's master has now married three times. His first wife, Da Furen, died early due to complications during childbirth, leaving behind a daughter. Not long after the first wife's seventh-day memorial, under the pretext that the daughter couldn't be without a mother, he spent a fortune to marry the first wife's sworn sister, who is now the Wang family's matriarch, Madame Wang, also known as Second Young Master's mother, as his second wife. Da Furen had been particularly fond of Second Young Master's mother during her lifetime, and the two got along very well, sometimes calling each other 'Xiao Mei' or 'Er Mei', but more often 'Er Mei' as it rolled off the tongue more easily. Although Yue Yiniang entered the Wang family earlier than the current Madame Wang, it was because she was pregnant that she was taken into the household. Since they had gotten along well before, Yue Yiniang changed her address from 'Second Young Miss' to 'Second Sister' when referring to the current Madame Wang.
"The eldest young lady is truly filial. I, your younger sister, only heard others mention it in passing, and so I casually brought it up in front of her. Today, the eldest young lady went to the Jinhua Temple to pray for the master's blessings, saying she would also ask for peace for the old madam, Second Sister, me, and our Second Young Master, Xiao Mei."
"Alas, what can't be sought on earth? Our family also has a Buddhist hall. Qing'er has suffered so much over the years." Hearing the name of the 'eldest daughter' who had been by her side since childhood, Madame Wang's face showed a trace of sorrow. Alas! Upon hearing this, Er Shao felt an indescribable emotion. His elder sister was very good, truly very good. Since she had been in the Wang family these years, seeing her elder sister's lonely and self-pitying expression, Er Shao felt a pang of heartache and helplessness. The eldest daughter of the Wang family was four years older than the second young master of the Wang family. She had been married for less than two years when her husband was killed outside for fighting over a prostitute while drinking. By the time he was found on the street the next day, he was already cold, and the murderer had long since fled upon hearing the news and had not been found to this day. Not even a week after her husband's death, the elder sister was labeled a 'jinx' by her husband's family and driven out. With nowhere to go, she returned to the Wang family. In the Wang family, she rarely went out, almost never stepping beyond the inner gates. But some things are unavoidable even if you don't go out, and there were still some rumors spreading in the town.
Er Shao smiled helplessly and then said to his younger sister, 'Xiao Mei is almost a grown woman now, just two years shy of eighteen. Why not find a suitable family to arrange a marriage? Maybe father's illness will suddenly get better.' It's said that a maiden's age is like a flower's bloom, and what maiden doesn't harbor spring feelings? Upon hearing this, Xiao Mei's face turned red, like a ripe little cherry, utterly adorable.
She lowered her head in shyness behind her mother, but then Yue Yiniang took over the conversation, 'Oh, my second young master, don't talk about your younger sister first. It's said that the elder should go before the younger. How can a younger sister marry before her elder brother has a wife? Er Lang! Yue Yiniang knows many nice unmarried young ladies. Would you like me to introduce you to a few? This way, wouldn't it make the master's illness...'
"Hmph, there's no need for San Mei to be like this. I've had a fortune teller read my fortune this year, and it's said that the Wang family should avoid weddings and marriages this year. If there's nothing else, you can just... go back." Wang Furen interrupted Yue Yiniang somewhat forcefully, dropping the term 'San Mei' and directly addressing her as 'you', adopting the demeanor of the mistress of the house. San Yiniang, being cut off by her Er Jie in front of the younger generation, naturally felt a mix of displeasure and helplessness in her heart, but due to her lower status—after all, the other was the wife and she was merely a concubine—Yue Yiniang could only mask her frustration with a smile and silently leave with her daughter. The woman's uniquely graceful figure stirred a natural youthful reaction in the already grown-up second young master of the Wang family, as if he had suddenly come to a realization. He felt that Yue Yiniang had recently seemed much more vibrant and cheerful than before, and even more beautiful. In contrast, his mother had visibly aged and her once lustrous black hair had noticeably dried out due to his father's illness. However, the second young master failed to notice the flicker of vigilance in Wang Furen's eyes as she watched the alluring figure walk away.