The sickly son died young? After the marriage exchange, I will bring prosperity to his entire clan f

Liu Ya didn't like talking to Lin Guixiang, feeling that the person was dishonest. "That's perfect. Actually, the back room hasn't been cleaned up yet. The one I'm giving up is clean and tidy. If you want to rent it too, hurry up and find the landlord to rent it."

Did she mean it?

This person seems not to understand what I'm saying.

Before Lin Guixiang could say anything more, Liu Ya had already arrived at Du Mingxian's door and knocked.

Du Mingxian opened the door, and Liu Ya stuffed the money into her hand, saying, "It was my oversight. This is the money you paid for me."

"Oh, okay." Du Mingxian accepted the money. "Sister Liu, I won't keep you any longer. You've just finished moving in, haven't you eaten yet?"

"No, I'll go back and do it now."

Liu Ya walked back, and Lin Guixiang was glaring angrily in the courtyard, as if she were looking at an enemy. Du Mingxian happened to see this scene when she lowered the curtain, and she was quite surprised.

Hearing Liu Ya return to her room, Du Mingxian also lowered the curtain.

Back in her room, she complained, "Is there something wrong with Lin Guixiang? We didn't even know each other before, but why does she look at Sister Liu Ya like she's an enemy?"

Ling Silang has a say in this matter: "She just has some mental issues."

“You’ve been leaving early and coming home late these past few days, you don’t know. A few days ago, when she was about to go out, she went to find Guo Chen and asked him to watch the child for her.”

"Guo Chen didn't eat that day because he was looking after the child. They said they went out to eat and didn't bring the child with them. When they came back, they didn't bring anything and didn't even say thank you to Guo Chen."

"She made her request, but Guo Chen refused outright, which stirred up a hornet's nest. Lin Guixiang said a lot of nasty things in the yard, and Guo Chen was so angry that he wanted to hit her."

"Just then, Sun Tao returned from his outing. Sun Tao even said... Guo Chen is petty and likes to argue with women."

"In front of Sun Tao, Lin Guixiang immediately became weak and helpless. This couple is really something else."

Du Mingxian was stunned. "They... Lin Guixiang said she was a stepmother." Suddenly, she thought of something. "I only saw that child on the first day after they moved in, and I haven't seen him since."

“He comes out twice a day, both times to the outhouse. He’s only wearing a thin shirt, and he’s so small and thin. It’s like he’s been suffering in Lin Guixiang’s care,” Ling Silang said calmly. He’s spent a lot of time in the courtyard and knows all this.

Du Mingxian didn't know what to say, "Does Sun Tao know that Lin Guixiang is abusing her child?"

“They lived in the same room, do you think he knew that? He probably didn’t care about that child at all, which is why he let Lin Guixiang run rampant.”

Even though she was already a mother herself, Du Mingxian still felt sorry for that child.

"Keep an eye on it. If that child needs help, you can quietly lend a hand."

"Ah."

The two of them didn't take it seriously after they finished talking and went about their business.

On the other side, Lin Guixiang, who had been brought up by them, was so angry that after returning to her room, she pinched Sun Chengbao hard twice. Seeing Sun Chengbao crying silently and not daring to make a sound, she felt extremely relieved.

Lin Guixiang then went to cook. Sun Tao was reading a book when he heard Lin Guixiang's movements. He turned around and said, "I just heard the woman across the hall say something. They've cleaned up the back room. Why don't we rent it?"

Lin Guixiang's words were just meant to strike up a conversation with Liu Ya; she hadn't really thought about renting another room. "The back room they cleaned up is too far from here. In the dead of winter, I have to walk all the way across the street to cook, which is inconvenient."

“Then rent the room right outside our door. We’ll have to trouble you to tidy it up.” Sun Tao said gently, not giving Lin Guixiang a chance to refuse. “Once we have a back room, let Da Bao stay there. It will be more convenient for us at night.”

Adults instantly understood what he meant when they said that. Lin Guixiang was tempted, and the two of them wanted to be intimate that night, but they had to suppress it.

But... renting a place costs money.

“Husband, it’s not that I’m reluctant to spend the money, but isn’t it too extravagant for us to rent a back room just so we can cook a meal? Besides, we can save the money and put it somewhere else.”

Sun Tao frowned. "It was my oversight, but the money your family gave you wasn't much?"

"No, not at all. It's enough for our expenses in the capital." Lin Guixiang dared not tell the truth.

The Lin family was quite wealthy, and Sun Tao was a renowned talent in their area. Later, Sun Tao's wife died, and her husband also died. At that time, she wondered if she could marry Sun Tao directly, and wait for him to become successful so that she could become an official's wife.

Given Sun Tao's circumstances, he could easily marry someone who has never been married; she has no competitive advantage whatsoever.

Seeing that more and more members of the Sun family wanted to marry into the family, she had no choice but to discuss it with her own family. In the end, her family only agreed to let her marry into the Sun family because they saw Sun Tao's potential.

Her family also agreed to cover all of Sun Tao's expenses for going to the capital for the imperial examination.

And so she married into the Sun family. She married into the Sun family with money in her pocket, so when Sun Tao came to the capital to take the imperial examination, she naturally had to go with him.

But... she has older and younger brothers in her family, so even if her parents are generous, they can't give her too much.

But she dared not say this to Sun Tao, and could only pretend that she always had money.

These days she has thought of many ways to get closer to the other two women in the yard. They go out to work every day and she heard that their wages are quite high.

If I can build a good relationship with them, then I can also do some work with them. If I have work to do, I can earn some income, which is also a form of income.

But those two people have some kind of problem; they just won't talk to me. It's so annoying.

"Then let's rent another room in the back row and let Da Bao live there, so you won't keep complaining that he's in the way of this room."

Lin Guixiang did show signs of disgust whenever the two wanted to be intimate.

Lin Guixiang was reluctant, but when she met Sun Tao's gaze, she could only nod in agreement, "Okay, I'll go ask the landlord tomorrow."

"it is good."

Du Mingxian and Liu Ya were unaware of Lin Guixiang's thoughts, and the two continued their monotonous lives.

Every day, Du Mingxian worked herself to the bone trying to perform well, but she still hadn't received any news about going to the inner courtyard.

Five days later, Lin Guixiang did not rent a room in the back building, but instead went to the garment workshop.

The person who introduced Lin Guixiang was the woman who had competed with Du Mingxian for a seat that day. This woman's family did not have any examinees, but her family lived in the capital. Her daughters had all been sold to wealthy families, and now she only had two sons by her side.

Lin Guixiang entered the place as she wished. As soon as she entered, she saw Du Mingxian and Liu Ya working with their heads down. She deliberately went up to them with delight and said, "Sister Liu Ya, Mingxian, you two are here too."

Du Mingxian and Liu Ya looked up and were quite surprised to see Lin Guixiang, but they didn't ask any questions and just silently lowered their heads to continue doing their own things.