My wife wants a divorce; if she ruins my life, I'll leave.

Song Chen'an's study.

Pearl arrived gracefully carrying a bowl of Angelica and Black Chicken Soup. Mo Yu, the servant guarding the door, saw it from afar and went inside to announce her arrival.

As Pearl approached, Mo Yu hurriedly stepped forward and lifted the curtain, saying, "Sister Pearl, you must be tired."

Every time Sister Pearl comes, Second Master is in an exceptionally good mood, not to mention that Sister Pearl always brings soup, porridge, and snacks, which Second Master gives away to those he can't finish. To be honest, they taste much better than the snacks served in the mansion.

Not only is Sister Pearl beautiful, but her cooking skills are also top-notch!

Inside the room, Song Chen'an heard footsteps, wrote the last word, and then put down his pen.

"Second Master." Her slender, pale fingers held the white porcelain cup, and in the candlelight, it was impossible to tell which one was whiter and more translucent.

After Pearl placed the soup bowl on the table, Song Chen'an had a sudden thought and reached out to hold her delicate hand.

"Second Master~"

The candle on the table burst into flame, brightening for a moment before dimming again.

Song Chen'an looked up and saw that her eyes were filled with affection like flowing spring water, her smile was as beautiful as a lotus flower, and her red lips and jade teeth seemed to be parted but not quite, truly as if she wanted to say something but held back.

"What's there to be shy about? One day I'll take you in, and you can serve Second Master for a long, long time, okay?"

It's good!

Pearl considered herself to be one of the most beautiful women in the household, even surpassing Aunt Lü by a third.

If it weren't for the Second Young Mistress constantly suppressing them, she would have been the Second Master's concubine long ago!

She nodded very slightly, pulled her hand away, and ran outside with light, quick steps.

As the evening breeze blew, her dress fluttered in the wind, the purplish-red gauze outlining her graceful figure. As she stepped over the threshold, Pearl turned back and smiled, "I am the Second Young Mistress's person. Second Master, you should go and talk to the Second Young Mistress first."

Song Chen'an's Adam's apple bobbed, and he felt an itch in his heart, wishing he could grab the person back and give them a good squeeze.

Madam Meng is also ignorant. He, the second master of the Song family, only has one concubine, Ning Shuang. Since she became pregnant, he has spent most of his time in the study. Madam Meng, as the legal wife, has not even suggested arranging someone to serve him!

Pearl and Coral in her courtyard were exceptionally beautiful and had slender figures; they were clearly not ordinary maids. Yet, she managed to suppress them for three years!

We'll find an opportunity to make things clear one of these days!

Meng Ruohua of Qingfeng Academy was unaware of Song Chen'an's plans, and even if she had, she would probably have just sneered.

This is utterly shameless!

The next day, as usual, he first went to pay his respects to the second wife.

As soon as Meng Ruohua entered the room, she sensed that something was wrong. Aunt Sun and her two half-sisters-in-law were standing in the courtyard, and all the maids were holding their breath and moving slowly, not daring to make a sound.

Meng Ruohua remained calm and asked the second-class maid Tuanfu, who was guarding the gate, with a smile, "Has Madam not gotten up yet?"

Tuanfu looked up at the room and replied politely in a low voice, "Get up."

Unaware of what had happened, Granny Li rushed over early in the morning, and then heard the Second Madam angrily smashing things. Hearing the shouts and curses coming from inside the room, Tuanfu was thankful that she was only a second-class maid and didn't have to serve at his side.

Lately, the Second Madam had been in a bad mood. Her two well-behaved older sisters, Jixiang and Ruyi, had been scolded several times. She stole a glance at Concubine Sun, who was bowing her head meekly at the bottom of the steps, and felt a pang of pity. So what if she was a concubine? She was supposed to be half a mistress, but wasn't she still being punished at the master's whim?

This Aunt Sun is a fool. She's constantly being made to stand and follow the rules by the Second Madam. She's always standing there all day, and when she goes home in the evening, her legs are limping. Yet she still comes early every day. She doesn't know how to learn from Aunt Hu, who uses her illness as an excuse to not come to pay her respects for eight out of ten days.

Tuanfu's gaze shifted to Meng Ruohua's side, thinking to himself, "The second young mistress is the most clever one in the mansion!"

Before long, Ruyi came out expressionlessly to deliver the message, "Auntie, Fourth Master, and Fourth Miss, please go back first."

Aunt Sun secretly breathed a sigh of relief, silently bowed towards the house, and then left with the two children.

"Second Young Madam, Madam requests your presence."

Meng Ruohua nodded, her steps light and unhurried.

She gracefully curtsied to the person seated above her and asked, "Did you sleep well, Madam?"

Without waiting for the second wife's reply, he got up on his own.

The second wife was already used to her ways and didn't bother to argue with her. She simply asked, "Meng, did you go to the cloth shop to get money yesterday?"

Meng Ruohua walked to her usual seat, sat down gracefully, and said, "Yes."

Under Jixiang's soothing words, the Second Madam's anger had subsided considerably. However, upon seeing Meng Ruohua's composed and fearless demeanor, she felt her authority was challenged, and the fire in her heart, which had not yet been extinguished, suddenly blazed up again.

She slammed her hand on the table, making the teacup rattle. "Who told you to go to the shop to get money?"

Oh dear! Why are you so irritable first thing in the morning!

Meng Ruohua's gaze fell on the second madam's palm, and she rubbed her hand, which hurt a little.

Only when the second madam scrutinized her with her sharp, knife-like gaze, and it seemed she was about to explode again, did she feign ignorance and ask, "Madam, have you forgotten?"

"What Madam said yesterday was to bring some over from anywhere to put in place first." After saying that, she turned to Granny Li and asked, "Granny, you were here yesterday too, did Madam say that?"

One sentence left the two of them speechless, holding their breath for a long time without being able to exhale.

Of course, Granny Li remembered, but Madam didn't tell you to go to the shop to get the money!

Seeing that the two women remained silent, he assumed they had forgotten and turned to ask, "Yes, Jixiang is here too. Did you say that yesterday, Madam? What about Ruyi? Does she remember?"

Of course, she wouldn't let any witnesses go!

“The Third Miss is also here. She’s young but quick-witted and intelligent, so she’ll definitely remember.”

……

Why are they even swearing? Doesn't that mean they're old, have bad memories, and aren't clear-headed?

But neither Jixiang, Ruyi, nor Granny Li dared to talk back.

If I were to show my face now, the second young mistress would surely press me for an answer. Would I admit it or not?

They admitted to undermining the second wife, but they didn't? They couldn't just lie through their teeth in front of so many people!

The three of them had no choice but to swallow their anger and watch the Second Madam's reaction. Jixiang shrank back even more quietly, trying to minimize her presence.

It took the second wife a long time to catch her breath. She glared at Meng Ruohua with icy eyes and questioned her in a fiery voice, "I told you to find a way, not to go to the shop to get the money! Is the shop your responsibility? I'm not dead yet!"

"Ah? Why is Madam cursing herself like this?" Meng Ruohua seemed frightened by the Second Madam's appearance, blinking her innocent and pure eyes as she asked, "Madam asked me to find a way. Isn't going to the shop to get the money a solution? Anyway, they have to pay at the beginning of next month. What's wrong with me taking it in advance? Does Madam have a better solution?"

Of course, you can use your own money!

No matter how many times the second wife thought about it, she couldn't say it out loud. No family would openly scheme to take advantage of their daughter-in-law's dowry!

Seeing Meng's pretentious questioning, her anger flared up again.

They used to be quite sensible, how did they become so stupid now? We're all respectable people, we always speak in veiled terms, everyone just understands their own thoughts, who needs to spell everything out?

They say military generals are crude and brainless, and they're right!

Seeing her confident and unhurried demeanor, the second wife's anger intensified. Other wives would stand up in fear and listen to the scolding when they saw their mother-in-law was angry, but she sat more calmly than anyone else!