"You didn't mistreat me? How could you say that? Back then, you swore that you'd only have me in this life. What was Concubine Chun then? She often provoked me in front of you. You knew about it, yet you not only didn't stop her but even secretly subsidized her with money to appease her." Speaking of this, Ren Jiajia was filled with grievances, feeling that a man's words were all lies, and anyone who believed them would be unlucky.
"She was an accident. For so many years, I haven't been involved with any other woman besides her. To prevent her from causing trouble, I even gave her medicine that would prevent her from bearing children. The Liu family will be our son's. Look at the merchants in the city who are similar to our family; which one doesn't have three wives and four concubines?" Liu Baishi felt he had done enough. She was in charge of the household, and she could spend money as she pleased. If they hadn't argued today, he wouldn't have known that Ren Jiajia's resentment towards him was so deep. He thought this woman was too ungrateful.
"If he were still here, he absolutely wouldn't treat me like you do. In the years we were married, he only had me as his wife. His heart and eyes were full of me. You are far from him." When she dreamt at midnight, Ren Jiajia also had some regrets. Although the living conditions weren't as good as here back then, the child's father was ambitious and astute. Perhaps after so many years, life would be much more comfortable than here. It was nothing like here, where she had to watch Liu Baishi's every move, be cautious, and weigh her words carefully.
"Fine, I knew why you've been growing distant from me all these years. You usually hide it well, but your eyes never lie. So, you're thinking of his goodness. Yes, I'm not as shrewd as him, nor as ambitious, but I have more money than him. It's useless to regret it now; he's already gone, and it was you who personally..."
"Stop talking!" Hearing him mention him, Ren Jiajia immediately clutched her head and screamed loudly.
Her reaction startled Liu Baishi. After so many years of marriage, how could there be no feelings? Seeing her in such pain for the first time, he immediately ordered someone to fetch a doctor.
He then carried Ren Jiajia to the bed, patting her chest while saying guiltily, "Don't be like this. I know what I said was excessive. I won't say it again. Please forgive me."
Whether it was his words or Liu Baishi's worried demeanor that made her feel more balanced, she slowly felt her chest less constricted and could breathe again.
The doctor examined her and advised Liu Baishi to pay attention to her emotions and not to anger her again, as she had signs of palpitations.
Liu Baishi nodded repeatedly, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a hint of lingering fear. The thought that his wife had almost lost her life because of him filled him with remorse.
Afterward, he tenderly coaxed his wife. Ren Jiajia also felt that what she had said that day was a bit too much. One was willing to coax, and the other was willing to cooperate. For a while, the couple seemed no different from before. However, once some rifts formed, they could never disappear completely. Thus, a temporary peace was restored to the mansion.
Previously, Wu Caiwei only had a few shops, and managing them alone was too much for her, so she didn't attract anyone's attention. After all, in the eyes of those wealthy families, she was just an inconspicuous young girl. But unexpectedly, with Zhang Changhe's recent involvement, not only did her business not falter, but the two of them cooperated flawlessly. In just over a month, they had opened two or three more shops.
Consequently, various families began to discuss how to deal with her. At this time, Zhang Dahe, after his persistent persuasion, finally agreed to accompany him to the shops. His brother had agreed without hesitation at first, but after a night's sleep, he started to regret it, feeling that he was clumsy and accustomed to manual labor, completely unsuitable for greeting customers and interacting with wealthy individuals. He thought he would embarrass them there. Although Zhang Changhe repeatedly assured him it was fine, he just didn't believe it.
But whether he believed it or not, he couldn't let go of his younger brother. He was torn, and finally, today, he mustered up the courage and came to the shops with his brother. This was the first time in his life he had entered such a high-end establishment. When people saw his younger brother, they started greeting him and even smiled at him, which made him feel flattered and honored. Once, he had mistakenly entered a high-end shop, and upon seeing his tattered clothes, the staff immediately put on a sullen face and looked at him with a sarcastic expression. At that moment, he trembled all over and fled. He never expected that today would be so different. His heart skipped a beat, and then he thought that the respect he received was all thanks to his younger brother, which made him feel immensely proud.
He imitated his brother, raising a smile, and nodded at them. This feeling was so novel and brought him great surprise. He followed his brother's side all day, never leaving him. Zhang Changhe seemed oblivious to his unease, continuing his work as usual without any special attention.
The more Zhang Changhe acted normally, the more comfortable Zhang Dahe felt, believing he wasn't a burden to his brother. He watched his brother calmly instruct others, quickly scan the account books, and explain the shop's business eloquently. Even the shopkeeper repeatedly sighed and looked at him with admiration. Zhang Dahe found it hard to believe. He thought his younger brother was definitely deceiving Miss Li this time, just trying to get by and would ruin her business. He never expected that when he took his work seriously, he would be so charming. His heart settled, and at the same time, he felt a pang of envy. Who said his younger brother's studies were useless back then? Wasn't this a slap in the face? Thinking of his own son, who was sent to a private school after his brother tutored him, he felt a deep sense of hope. Perhaps in the future, they could also be as dignified and as good at making money as his brother, instead of being looked down upon their entire lives like him, doing the dirtiest and hardest jobs for the lowest income.
When busy, time always passes quickly. Before he knew it, it was getting dark, and it was time to go home. Seeing his brother's pleased expression, knowing that he would no longer worry about him, Zhang Changhe couldn't help but smile. He was always exceptionally patient and cherished those who were kind to him.
"Brother, you've been with me all day. What do you think of the work in the shop?" Zhang Changhe casually asked his elder brother, seemingly discussing an unrelated topic.
"Naturally, it's good. At any rate, the clothes are clean, and the work is easy. Unlike me, who used to do hard labor for others, wearing ragged clothes all day, drenched in sweat, exhausted to death, and still not earning money." This was his greatest feeling today, and he blurted it out without thinking.
"Since Brother feels the shop's work is good, why don't you come and help Miss Li's shop?" Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Dahe looked at his brother in shock.