"Ai!" Li's mother let out a long sigh and brought the food to Li Xiu Xin's side.

"You're my daughter, I know what you're thinking. Just eat. Even if you starve yourself, Yang Yongxian won't notice. What's hard is that it hurts your own body."

"You should still eat a few bites. Don't ruin your own body." Li Mother said again.

Li Xiuxin's nose felt sour, and she let out a few stubborn tears.

She turned her head to look at her mother, asking with a mixture of confusion and resentment: "Mother, what is this man's heart made of? Does he truly not care that the child can't breastfeed, or that he doesn't even consider our feelings for each other?"

In her lifetime, Li Xiu Xin married two men. The two corresponded through letters, pouring their hearts out and expressing their love for each other in writing.

Every word was filled with oaths of love, yet in the end, all that remained was this coldness and indifference.

This has been the thing that has troubled Li Xiuxin's heart these days.

Li Mu, having been through it herself, heard her daughter's question and chuckled wryly.

"His heart is made of iron! My foolish daughter, you are too concerned with this matter, too invested. The more you compete, the more problems you create." Let me know if you have any other text you'd like me to translate! ?

Besides, Yang Yongxian today is no longer the Yang Yongxian of before. He has his own legitimate wife, you are merely a concubine.

He goes back home from school every day, with hot meals waiting for him, and someone warms his bed at night. His child is also looked after. He lives a comfortable life, so how could he think of you? In their eyes, you are to blame for your own situation. It's what you deserve. Yang Yongxian doesn't come to pick you up, and no one else urges him either.

“Even, he had a little thought of coming to pick it up. Others probably would dissuade him.” Mother Li analyzed carefully.

>

Li Xiuxin gritted her teeth and said, “Short people don’t need knives to kill. It must be Liao Meiyng, that short and ugly woman, who has been whispering in Yongxian’s ear, trying to curry favor with him while I’m away, spreading bad things about me!”

"This is certain," said Li's mother, "One mountain cannot accommodate two tigers. One male and one female are alright, but if both were female tigers, it definitely wouldn't work."

“Xiùxin, that Liao Meiyng, she looks honest and kind to you, but I think that woman is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

She knows that whether it's her looks, her son, or the affection she has for Yongxian, none of it compares to you.

"She'll only have to work hard in these areas, embroidery and so on. You must be careful not to offend her!" Li's mother cautioned earnestly.

Li Xiu whispered, "Then what should I do now? That woman is smiling but hiding knives. She has deceived Yongxian not to mention my apprentice is still in her hands. I can't trust her."

Mrs. Li said, "If they don't come to pick us up, we'll just go back ourselves. Sometimes, being too concerned with face is not a good thing; it can cause you more suffering!"

"Listen to your mother, eat your meal, wash your face, and dress up nicely. Your mother will send you back!"

One carrot per hole, you have to keep this hole tight.

“After you go back, try to change your temper first. Don't always get angry and be more gentle and considerate towards Yongxian. Men are like children, they still need to be coaxed.”

“Don't confront Liao Meiying directly for now. Since you have one wife and she has multiple wives, she has the upper hand in this situation.”

“Right now, your only bargaining chip is mending things with Yongxian. Look after Xiu'er well. If you're able to produce some heirs, then maybe you can give Yongxian a few more children later. Then, you'll truly have established yourself in the Lao Yang family!”

Li Mu's words struck Li Xiu like a bolt from the blue.

She picked up the dish on the side and started shoveling it in, yes, she would definitely come back, Liao Meiying, you just wait for me!

After noon, in the backyard of Lao Yang's house, the sun slanted over from the west. The courtyard was surrounded by walls and houses on all sides, blocking the wind and making it very warm.

Mr. Jin and Mrs. Liu were both sunbathing in the courtyard.

Liao Meiying brought Xiu'er's cradle to the backyard. Xiu'er had just woken up, so Liao Meiying held him and let him bask in the sun while feeding him egg custard.

Then the blanket in the cradle was lifted, so that sunlight could shine on the little bed and pillow.

Even Tan Shi came out of the East House for the first time, sitting in the sun and chatting with Liao Meiying on and off.

Kangkang, Fu'er, Hong'er, and Gou Dan were playing chase in the yard, making quite a lively scene.

"Meiying, are you feeding Xiuer something delicious? I can hear the sound of his little mouth chewing, it's so delightful." Tan shi asked curiously.

Liao Meiying smiled knowingly. Before she could answer, Liu shi chimed in, "It's millet porridge, you know. Meiying made this millet porridge, it's so good—finely ground, white and fragrant. Look at Xiu'er, how cute he is eating it!"

>

Upon hearing this, Tan's expression softened somewhat.

"A child this big, some rice porridge would be good. They're strong enough to go hungry." Tán said.

“When Yongxian's son Xiu’er was this big, the Jin family’s breast milk wasn’t enough, and I also fed him rice porridge like this.” Tan continued.

“It’s just that our family was poor at the time. The rice was brown rice, and the porridge made from it was a bit gritty. It really did put young Yongxian through hardship…” Tan said, unable to help but feel some sadness.

Mrs. Liu smacked her lips, "Mother, what you say truly saddens me. Yongxian at least has a mouthful of coarse rice porridge to fill his belly, but what about my several children? They've never even tasted coarse rice porridge! At best, they can manage a bowl of rice soup!"

Tan's previous moment of sadness vanished instantly, replaced by disdain.

“You have so many daughters in your house, what are a few worthless girls eating so well for? Besides, you have so much milk, it's frightening! Why make rice porridge when milk is the best thing?” said Tan.

Liu shi did not like hearing this.

“How can you say that, mother? Am I not your granddaughter? Am I not a descendant of the Yang family? Am I supposed to just starve to death?” asked Liu.

Tan snorted, this attitude was tantamount to acquiescence.

Mrs. Liu was enraged and hurriedly sought reinforcements. Beside her, Mrs. Jin was deaf and mute, so she could only find Liao Meiyng.

"Maying, listen to what your grandmother is saying. She's a woman herself and looks down on us women! Are we women supposed to starve to death? Didn't she give all the good food to your aunt Meiling first when she was born? Is that right?" Liu asked.

This question really stumped Liao Meiying.

Li Meiyng was caught in the middle, glancing at Tan's family and then Liu's family. She really didn't know how to answer.

"Look, Mother, even Meiying doesn't agree with you!" Liu shi took Meiying's silence as support.

After all, these days she'd been spending every day by the main house, helping Liao Meiying take care of Xiu'er together. Liao Meiying hadn't been stingy with her food either.

When Tan heard Liu's words, she turned her head towards Liao Meiying and spoke with a hint of sternness in her voice.

"Well, are you like your aunt? Do you both think I'm being unreasonable?" asked Tan to Liao Meiying.

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