Severing ties with family to marry the young marshal, his whole family chases me to the crematorium.

Seeing Liu Shuyi like this, Shen Qingyao felt not sympathy, but disgust.

Even though she already knew what Shen Yuanyuan was like, she still couldn't bear to part with her adopted daughter, Shen Yuanyuan.

If she had been more decisive and sided entirely with Shen Yuanyuan, she might not have felt disgusted.

But while she couldn't bear to part with Shen Yuanyuan, she also wanted to hold onto her, fantasizing that she could be like Shen Yuanyuan, sharing a loving and filial relationship with her.

Liu Shuyi is a huge contradiction, wavering between Shen Yuanyuan and herself, yet leaning more towards Shen Yuanyuan.

"Qingyao, this is the soup I made for you, you..."

With tears streaming down her face, Liu Shuyi placed the insulated food container on Shen Qingyao's bedside table, then turned and walked out without daring to linger.

However, before she could even leave the ward, she heard a series of crashing sounds. She instinctively turned around and discovered that Shen Qingyao had smashed the insulated food container she had brought.

At this moment, Liu Shuyi could no longer contain her immense pain. She covered her face and ran away crying, not even caring about Shen Yuanyuan lying on the ground by the door.

Shen Yuanyuan called out to Liu Shuyi loudly from behind, but she seemed not to hear her and stumbled out of the hospital.

……

Shen Qingyao took more than half a month to fully recover after being discharged from the hospital.

Meng Shuqin looked at Shen Qingyao, who had gained several pounds from being fattened up, and nodded in satisfaction.

“Ah Yao, you were too thin before, you could almost fall over in the wind. You look much better now, you look healthy and energetic.”

Shen Qingyao felt ashamed. With Meng Shuqin's feeding method, which included chicken soup, duck soup, fish, pig's trotters, or pigeon soup, along with various highly nourishing medicinal herbs and supplements, it was no wonder that she was gaining weight.

"Mom, being too fat isn't healthy either."

Shen Qingyao felt helpless about Meng Shuqin. She had made it clear many times that she didn't need to supplement herself with so much, but Meng Shuqin kept doing her own thing while agreeing.

She understood that Meng Shuqin was worried about her injuries and feared she might suffer some long-term effects, which was why she was giving her this nourishing treatment. So even though she felt helpless, she couldn't get angry.

Moreover, she herself secretly longed for this feeling of being cared for and watched over, so she was even less likely to blame Meng Shuqin for ignoring her words.

Meng Shuqin also figured out Shen Qingyao's cold exterior but warm heart, and became more and more open, treating her almost like her own daughter.

"Ayao, you're not fat at all. Just stay this way. You can't lose any more weight, okay? Here, this is a red date and chicken soup that Mom specially asked the kitchen to make for you. It has astragalus, ginseng, and angelica in it. It's the best for replenishing qi and blood."

"The most important thing for a woman is her Qi and blood. If you don't have enough Qi and blood, you will age quickly and become forgetful. So we must replenish our Qi and blood."

As Meng Shuqin spoke, she gestured to the maid to place a very appetizing bowl of chicken soup in front of Shen Qingyao.

Shen Qingyao admitted that Meng Shu's words had indeed moved her. What is a woman most afraid of? Naturally, it's becoming ugly and old.

So even though Shen Qingyao knew that Meng Shuqin was just trying to coax her into drinking the soup, she still drank it all in one gulp without hesitation.

“That’s right! By the way, Ayao, you’ve been married into the young marshal’s mansion for so long, but you don’t have anyone to serve you. I’m planning to buy you two maids to serve you. Granny Wang will bring them to the young marshal’s mansion in a little while. You can go and choose for yourself.”

Before Shen Qingyao could even put down her bowl, she heard Meng Shuqin say that she wanted to buy her a maid. She immediately put down her bowl and refused repeatedly.

"Mom, no need! I'm not used to being waited on. I can manage on my own."

Meng Shuqin assumed that Shen Qingyao was trying to save her money, so she looked at Shen Qingyao with even more satisfaction.

But her plan to buy a maid for Shen Qingyao was not just a thought.

“Ayao, the young marshal’s mansion is already short of manpower. You don’t need to save money for your mother. You should pick a couple more to stay in the mansion and help out. Your mother trusts your judgment in people.”

Since Meng Shuqin had already said that, Shen Qingyao naturally couldn't refuse anymore, otherwise she would seem ungrateful.

"it is good."

Just as Meng Shuqin said, Wang Po arrived with more than a dozen girls right after they had lunch.

Meng Shuqin quickly pulled Shen Qingyao over and looked them over one by one.

"Oh my! Mrs. Si, please take a look. These dozen or so maids are the best I have. They are beautiful, skillful and capable. Take a look and make sure to pick a few that you like."

Granny Wang bowed slightly and introduced the girls' names and backgrounds to Meng Shuqin in a flattering manner.

Shen Qingyao glanced over and had already made up her mind.

Just then, Si Jingnian returned from outside the mansion, his face terribly gloomy.

"Jingnian, you're back! What's wrong? Who upset you?"

Meng Shuqin immediately noticed that her son's expression was off, and her eyes were full of worry.

"I'm fine, Mom. Do you want to buy someone?"

"Yes, A-Yao has been married into the young marshal's mansion for so long, but she has no one to serve her. Moreover, the mansion is short of manpower, so we want to buy a few maids."

Si Jingnian nodded in agreement, and when he looked up and saw Shen Qingyao, his eyes flickered slightly.

“Mom, Ayao doesn’t need servants to take care of her; she can manage on her own.”

Upon hearing Si Jingnian's words, Shen Qingyao turned to look at him and gave him a grateful look.

She really wasn't used to having someone always by her side. Even at the Shen residence, Amei was often sent away by her and rarely allowed to follow her.

Meng Shuqin, however, was unaware of Shen Qingyao's thoughts and glared at Si Jingnian reproachfully.

“What do you know, you big man? Ayao is a girl, so naturally she has to be pampered. Do you think she’s like you, a big man who does everything herself?”

Si Jingnian didn't dare to utter a single word in response to the insults, and could only give Shen Qingyao a helpless look.

However, the interaction between this family of three took on a different meaning when observed by a dozen or so onlookers.

They all thought that Shen Qingyao, the young marshal's wife, was not favored, and that the young marshal was unwilling to even buy her a maid.

Several of the seemingly clever girls had a hidden glint in their eyes.

Shen Qingyao caught the eager looks in their eyes and couldn't help but smile helplessly.

She didn't think they were wrong; they were all trying to make their lives a little easier, and it was normal that no one wanted to miss this rare opportunity.

"Since Mom insists on buying it for me, why don't you come over and help me choose one?"

Shen Qingyao extended an invitation, and Si Jingnian was slightly taken aback. When he saw the hint of teasing on Shen Qingyao's face, his troubles seemed to find a way to be resolved.

"Of course, I have no problem with your invitation, Madam."

Meng Shuqin then patted Si Jingnian on the shoulder with satisfaction, as if to say, "My son has grown up."

Si Jingnian walked to Shen Qingyao's side and glanced at the dozen or so girls present.

Two of the girls deliberately loosened the buttons on their collars, revealing their slender, fair necks.

This scene did not escape Meng Shuqin's eyes, and her face instantly turned gloomy and ugly.