Chapter 003: Grandfather

Old Madam Xu, having been reprimanded, did not feel angry. Instead, she smiled in a pleasing manner and replied, "The kitchen is currently preparing the meals that the young lady usually enjoys. I see that it won't be ready for a while, so I came back to take a look. Moreover, since the Duke has returned, it is now noon; I wonder if the Duke has had his meal yet"

Old Madam Zhang saw that she was about to cry and quickly advised, "Madam, please do not be sad. Your health is of utmost importance now"

"Father, eat this." Shen Changle had never been this close to her father before. Now, if she could make up for this regret in her dreams, it would be a form of comfort for her

Upon hearing this, Shen Changle became even more sorrowful. In her heart, her father had always been a man of refined demeanor and graceful bearing, who had always remained calm and composed in her presence. Why, then, was the father in her dream so different?

At that moment, Granny Xu returned from the kitchen and happened to encounter Aunt Shun coming out. She carefully looked around the courtyard and asked, "Has the Duke returned?"

Due to her young age, Shen Lingcheng was concerned that she would not be able to endure the journey back home, so he decided to keep her at home and entrusted her care to Lin, who was unable to go due to her impending childbirth

Shen Changle was overwhelmed with joy upon seeing Shen Lingcheng, disregarding everything else, she embraced his neck and began to cry uncontrollably

"Father, it smells so bad," Shen Changle said deliberately, noticing the odor on Shen Lingcheng.

"You go and bring me the prescription that the doctor wrote earlier so I can take a look at it," instructed Shen Lingcheng

She was raised by her stepmother, and what the Lin family often taught her was that she was a young lady of the Duke's residence, and in her actions and speech, she must always exhibit the demeanor of a noble family, never engaging in petty behaviors that would be looked down upon by others

Upon seeing her cry, Shen Lingcheng's expression turned cold, as if he were about to explode with anger. However, Shen Changle's tears fell like pearls from a broken string, cascading down her small, palm-sized face, which had turned red from holding back her emotions. Her bright, large eyes were also red at this moment, yet despite her intense crying, she made not a single sound.

Since she could remember, Shen Lingcheng would occasionally hold his daughter, but it was always Shen Jin he embraced. She would stand quietly by, watching silently. Although she felt envious, she could not be as carefree as Shen Jin in her affection towards their father, nor could she openly ask for jewelry or clothing.

Shen Lingcheng was also startled, and he quickly reached out to touch her little face, admitting his mistake: "Chang Le, don't cry. Daddy won't pinch your face anymore."

Shen Lingcheng hurried back upon hearing that his daughter was ill. However, upon his return, he saw Shen Changle crying pitifully. He was about to lose his temper but was afraid of frightening Shen Changle. He could only pick her up and, while holding her, comforted her, saying: "Changle, what happened?"

Upon hearing that the Lin family had arrived, Shen Changle instinctively stopped her crying, and even wiped her tears with her small hand. Although this was merely a dream, she could not allow Lin to see her in such a humiliating state.

Shen Changle scrutinized the person in front of her carefully. It had been six months since she last saw her father. Since returning to the Duke of Wei's residence, she felt like a widow, rarely even stepping out of the courtyard. Although she lived in the same house as her father and brothers, their encounters were exceedingly few.

Upon being reminded by her, Aunt Shun finally came to her senses. She quickly said, "I will go in and ask, you stay here and keep watch."

Now it is good, the child is ill, yet she, as a biological mother, is not present to take care of him

The last meeting was when she was to enter the palace, bidding farewell to her father in the residence

Shen Mhetushu.comcom gently patted his daughter's back while turning in circles within the room. Nearby, Aunt Shun and the maid stood respectfully, their heads bowed, not daring to make a sound

Her reputation is not good, as she is known to bring misfortune to her husband, yet the Emperor insists on bringing her into the palace. This decision sparked considerable debate in the court, and even her father, who is usually highly respected, was affected by her notoriety

Upon hearing this, Shen Lingcheng laughed heartily, gently patted her back, and asked, "Are you tired from crying, so you have started to tease your father again?"

Shen Lingcheng took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped her tears, asking the nearby Shun Gu, "Miss, what illness has she contracted?"

After Zhang Mama had persuaded her several times, Lin finally managed to suppress the resentment in her heart. She listened to her advice and personally went to the third young lady's courtyard. Seeing that her attitude had softened, Zhang Mama had the maidservants bring in hot water and reapply the facial mask for her, and only then did she have someone bring the sedan chair over.

Looking back now, it was not that her father did not treat her well, but rather that she always kept her distance from him and never took the initiative to get closer to him

Father's shoulders were broad and sturdy, even holding her with such strength. In Shen Changle's memory, this was the first time he had been so intimate with Shen Lingcheng.

Although she initially intended to pretend to cry to scare her father, she was startled herself when the golden bean fell. It turns out that a child's tears can come so easily.

Aunt Shun looked at the mess on the table and was about to apologize, but unexpectedly, Shen Lingcheng, without a care, reached out and pinched his daughter's cheek. After the first pinch, he found the soft, round, and fair texture of her little face quite pleasant, and surprisingly, he pinched it two more times with more force.

In the courtyard on the other side, Zhang Momo was standing cautiously to the side. After a long while of contemplation, she finally advised: "Madam, the Duke will be returning shortly, and it must be regarding the illness of the Third Young Lady. I think it would be best for you to go and take a look, lest the Duke think you are indifferent to the matter"

"On such a hot day, how did you come here?" After Lin Shi gently paid her respects to Shen Lingcheng, he said in a nonchalant manner

Shen Lingcheng naturally had not taken lunch. Upon hearing this, Shen Changle hugged his arm, shaking it repeatedly, and said in a spoiled tone: "Father, have lunch with me"

Shen Changle pouted and cried

However, Zhang Mama did not dare to speak in such a manner in front of her and could only carefully coax her.

Lin's originally tender feelings were instantly doused by these indifferent words, as if a bucket of cold water had been thrown over her. The smile on her face froze, and she seemed at a loss for words.

Madam Zhang felt a tingling sensation on her scalp; Lin's words not only complained about the Duke but also implicated the old lady. If these words were to spread, it would likely cause a great uproar. She quickly waved her hand, signaling the maidservants to leave. It must be said that when this lady first married in, she was quite gentle in nature. However, ever since she became pregnant, she has completely changed, and her temperament is no longer as generous.

"Father, Father." Her small hands tightly clung to Shen Lingcheng's neck

It truly appears to be quite pitiful

Originally, Xu Momo intended to make an appearance before the Duke. The reason why Shun Gu Gu can speak so authoritatively in the young lady's courtyard is precisely because she relies on the Duke's trust.

At this moment, lying in her father's arms and crying freely feels to her like a dream

I see that I am the only one in this household who cares for this child. I could give birth at any moment, yet no one has ever considered my feelings. Lin felt a wave of sadness wash over her, and her eyes instantly turned red.

"Why are you back? Why didn't you bring any food? The young lady is still waiting to dine?" Upon seeing Xu Momo return empty-handed, Shun Gu expressed her displeasure with these words

Before Shen Changle finished crying, a maid came in to announce that the lady had arrived

"Look, look at this." Lin was so angry that she nearly shed tears. She had to consider the old lady's feelings, and as a daughter-in-law, she naturally did not dare to voice any complaints. However, now that everyone had returned to the residence, it was within a moment's reach, yet he actually had the heart to not come and see her, who was carrying a pregnancy of nine months.

Shen Changle held onto the hem of her clothes while listening to Aunt Shun and her father converse, but she carefully observed her father's expression, which seemed somewhat displeased

As a result, the maid she sent to gather information returned. Upon entering the room, she said: "Madam, the Duke has already had his meal in the Third Miss's courtyard, so it seems he will be having lunch there today"

He carried Shen Changle to the outer room and, after placing her on the couch, carefully examined her face before asking: "Tell Father, why are you crying?"

Aunt Shun, the stewardess of the courtyard, naturally stepped forward. After respectfully bowing to Lord Shen Lingcheng, she said: "Your Excellency, the young lady has had a fever since the day before yesterday. We called a doctor to examine her, and he prescribed some medicine. However, after taking a few doses, there has been no improvement."

When Lin entered, he saw the father and daughter sitting on the luohan bed, with a few bowls and dishes placed on the small table, which were not particularly lavish dishes

Shen Lingcheng turned back to glance at his daughter's small face, which was originally rosy and tender, but now appeared somewhat sallow. Even the chubby cheeks seemed less plump than before he left, and her expression was listless, clearly lacking in vitality. Furthermore, she was only wearing a pink undershirt, and at that moment, one small hand was clutching the hem of her garment, incessantly tugging at it.

When Shen Changle cried herself out, she leaned her little face against her father's shoulder. However, it was summer, and Shen Lingcheng had just returned by carriage, so he inevitably had a body full of sweat.

"I am not concerned? For our precious Third Miss, I have been busy running around." Lin could not help but complain, but halfway through, she also felt deflated. In front of Shen Lingcheng, she had never dared to speak this way; now, it was only in her own courtyard that she felt bold enough to voice such grievances.

"Where is the madam? The young lady is so seriously ill, yet she hasn't come to check on her at all," Shen Lingcheng asked, unable to contain his curiosity as he looked around.

However, she is still quite young, and with her small hands, despite their chubby appearance, they lack strength. Thus, she struggled several times with the chopsticks before finally managing to pick the glutinous rice lotus root into the small white porcelain bowl in front of Shen Lingcheng. Indeed, she can only poke the holes in the lotus slices with the chopsticks to transfer the lotus root into Shen Lingcheng's bowl. Moreover, several grains of glutinous rice from the holes in the lotus root have been dislodged by her efforts.

Shen Changle nodded and obediently said, "Changle wants to have dinner with Father."

Shen Changle looked at Lin Shi across from him, suddenly his eyes shifted, and a sly smile appeared at the corner of his mouth

Shen Lingcheng also rarely dined alone with his daughter, so he naturally agreed with pleasure. Seeing him nod in agreement made Shen Changle break into a wide smile, revealing her tiny, grain-like teeth, which in turn lifted his spirits. "Changsheng, would you like to have a meal with your father?"

If this is just a dream, then she is willing to remain in the dream forever

Thus, she constantly reminded herself, fearing that her actions might not be sufficiently dignified and would bring shame to her family, to the extent that she did not even dare to act coyly towards her own father, ultimately transforming into a wooden beauty.

He thought for a moment and added, "Don't squeeze so hard."