You're the one who wants to marry a mistress, and I'm marrying someone else, yet you still

Shen Mo also didn't quite understand what Shen Nian'an meant. He had also studied at the school before, but the teacher was old and didn't teach much. He often didn't recognize many words when reading and could only understand the general idea.

But he didn't dare ask, knowing that Shen Nian'an didn't like him.

"It means exactly what you just said. If you want to understand, you have to be serious once you're in school," Shen Nian'an explained. He had already found a school for Shen Yanzhi. "Mo'er can go to Beifu Academy with Yanzhi. I've already spoken to their headmaster."

The Beifu Academy in Xuancheng is neither particularly good nor particularly bad. It's just that if you spend some money, it will accept children from wealthy families, but children from poor families can't go there.

Shen Mo suddenly felt that he had a sense of presence in this family.

"No need. We already found a place for Mo'er earlier. We'll just make do with the old place. She can go there once she's healed."

Xie Wanru said casually, as if the academy she was talking about was just an ordinary place.

Since Xie Wanru said it wasn't necessary, Shen Nian'an wouldn't insist, as the tuition fees at Beifu Academy weren't cheap.

Shen Yanzhi became even more smug. He didn't want to be in the same school as someone like Shen Mo; it would be embarrassing.

Xie Wanru put down her chopsticks after eating very little. She found it difficult to swallow food when eating with the Shen family, except, of course, with Shen Mo.

The next day, Shen Yanzhi went to school. Since it was his first day of school, he got up very early. He was also a heavy sleeper, and it was only with great difficulty that he managed to get into the mansion's carriage. He didn't come to pay his respects.

Shen Mo stood obediently as usual, while Xu Jing beside him yawned. Who would be so kind as to deliver roast chicken to someone in the middle of the night?

Xie Wanru lost his chicken leg yesterday, so in the middle of the night she had someone deliver a whole, fragrant roasted chicken to him, and it was huge.

He ate with Shen Mo and Xiao Zhuang. The two younger ones couldn't eat much each, but he finished it all and was so full that he felt like he hadn't digested it yet.

Xie Wanru had nothing to do today, so she planned to take Shen Mo out for a stroll, visit Doctor Huo, and then go to Bailu Academy to let Shen Mo get familiar with the environment.

Before leaving, the servants treated Shen Mo's burns, which were already almost healed, but Xu Jing still grimaced at the sight.

"You're unlucky, kid."

Xu Jing clasped his hands in greeting. He was initially reluctant to go down the mountain, but his senior sister actually asked him to protect a little kid. After arriving at the Shen residence and spending a few days with Shen Mo, he gradually grew to like the boy.

If he had been there that day, he would have stuffed that candlestick into that brat Shen Yanzhi's clothes.

"Junior Uncle, I'm not unlucky, I'm almost better."

Shen Mo looked up, a smile on his face.

He was so happy to be going out today; it's just his nature as a child.

Xie Wanru and Xu Jing shook their heads in unison. This kid was just optimistic, unusually optimistic.

No sooner had they left than Old Madam Shen's trusted servant came to inquire about their whereabouts. At first, the servants who were sweeping and cleaning were unwilling to speak, but after the servant gave them some silver, they immediately told her everything.

"She actually got Shen Mo into Bailu Academy? If she has such connections, why didn't she let Yan Zhi go there?"

Shen Nian'an returned from escorting Shen Yanzhi to the academy today.

He thought he had done his best to give Shen Yanzhi the best, but he never expected that Xie Wanru would be able to send Shen Mo to the prestigious Bailu Academy.

"They really feel sorry for that country bumpkin."

Shen Nianqing held a melon seed in her hand, casually cracking it open.

Madam Shen pondered for a moment, "Didn't she say that day that the academy for Mo'er had already been found before? She went to such lengths to raise a good son for your elder brother so that he can be taken care of in his old age. It's alright."

Deep down, Madam Shen still felt somewhat guilty towards Shen Cong'an. After all, Shen Nian'an was the second son, and his future succession to the title would be due to Shen Cong'an's illness.

“No! Yan Zhi is my son. He should receive all the support of the Shen family. As for Shen Mo… I should have just let him starve to death instead of bringing him back.”

Shen Nian'an sat down in a fit of anger and kicked the table leg next to her.

Madam Shen was startled.

“An’er, how could you say such a thing? Even if you don’t like Mo’er, he is still your eldest brother’s son. As his second uncle, you should do your best to teach him. You must not say such unpleasant things again.”

Although Madam Shen loves acting, it's all for the future of the Shen family, so she can't be considered to have bad intentions.

"The son knows he was wrong."

Shen Nian'an didn't want the old lady to get entangled in this matter, so he immediately admitted his mistake. However, he was also thinking about what to do if Xie Wanru sent Yan Zhi to Bailu Academy.

"You still haven't grown up."

Madam Shen sighed.

"When Wanru and the others come back, you can soften your stance and go have a meal with her or have a chat. Don't refuse to get close to Wanru just because you care about your wife. If she can't stand you being with other women, and is jealous and unreasonable, then she can forget about entering the Shen family."

Madam Shen snorted coldly.

No sooner had Shen Yanzhi been adopted than that woman wanted to see her son every day. Every few days, she would sneak into the Shen residence and hang out with Shen Nian'an. She then said she would find an opportunity to bring him into the mansion as a concubine.

She was afraid that Xie Wanru would find out that Shen Nian'an was flirting with a woman, which would make things even worse, so she had no choice but to make this suggestion.

Then she learned that the reason Shen Nian'an had been unwilling to share a room with Xie Wanru for the past two years was because that woman was unwilling for Shen Nian'an to be close to Xie Wanru.

She feared that Shen Nian'an would then give her affections to Xie Wanru. Other women couldn't learn her methods, but if Shen Nian'an became close to the principal wife, it would be difficult for her, as a concubine, to rise in status.

"Mother, Rou'er is only like this because she likes me too much and is too worried about me. I will definitely bring her into the manor next month."

Shen Nian'an panicked.

He'd do anything he wanted, except for anything that would upset Fu Rou. He couldn't bear to see Fu Rou shed a single tear; it would break his heart.

"I will find a way to handle the academy matter myself, and I will also find a way to get rid of the person she placed by Shen Mo's side."

To reassure Madam Shen and gain her acceptance of Fu Rou, Shen Nian'an readily agreed. However, he was a vengeful person, and he remembered Shen Yanzhi's recounting of what he had done to An Xujing that day.

He couldn't tolerate someone daring to lay a hand on his son; he simply couldn't stand such a person under his nose.

After leaving Madam Shen's courtyard, Shen Nian'an asked someone to inquire whether Shen Mo and the others had gone to Bailu Academy that day.

As a result, Doctor Huo said he needed to treat Shen Mo's body and left him at the Medicine King Hall for a medicinal bath. Only Xie Wanru went to Bailu Academy.

"Hehe, heaven is helping me."

Shen Nian'an smiled.

That night, he did not set foot in the Plum Garden, but secretly went to a small courtyard in the suburbs.

He left home at night, and when he arrived, Fu Rou had just put her daughter to sleep when there was a knock on the courtyard gate.