Chapter 2: Pearl Powder

Beauty Mirror

The two of them reached an agreement, and the next day, Pei went to inform Old Lady Shen about this matter. Old Lady Shen, who already felt that her energy was insufficient and feared it would delay the child, quickly relented upon hearing her highly trusted daughter-in-law, Song, supporting her.

Pei's affection extends even to the crows, as he called over Shen Caiwei, who was nearby, and said, "I noticed that the old lady has not been feeling well lately and is worried about the second madam, so I specifically requested permission to bring the second madam here to our courtyard for her care. What does the third master think of this?"

She had initially thought that since Erniang and Pei's biological daughter, Sanniang, were of similar ages, she should remind Pei to treat both children fairly, so as not to cause discord among the sisters and damage their relationship. However, after a moment's hesitation, she ultimately refrained from voicing her thoughts. Not to mention that Pei's willingness to take on responsibility this time was a significant improvement; moreover, human nature is inherently biased, and even biological parents cannot achieve perfect fairness. It is sufficient to maintain the general direction.

Pei recalled the kindness that the Lin family and the old lady had shown her in the past, gritted her teeth, and reluctantly agreed: "I understand, sister-in-law. Tomorrow, I will go to find the old lady to discuss this matter and bring Second Miss here."

Shen Caiwei was naturally unaware of the conversation between the Pei family and Master Shen San; at this moment, she was nestled on the couch, gazing at her own hands

Coming from the Pei family, they have always been particular about their clothing, food, housing, and transportation, even choosing large pearls for their earrings and the beads sewn onto their embroidered shoes. Those small pearls are often disregarded and ground into pearl powder, which they consume daily mixed with milk, taking a teaspoon of pearl powder, and occasionally applying it to their faces. Initially, Master Shen joked about this—usually, he would even disdain the taste of a bowl of Baoyuan soup, yet now he is consuming pearl powder.

Indeed, it was Master Shen San, Shen Angge, who entered. He casually removed his outer garment and handed it to the maid, then took Madam Pei's hand and walked into the room, saying: "Since Brother Rong did not come to this discussion at the Qiyuan, it was rather uninteresting. I merely wrote a few characters and returned." He sat down, smiled at Madam Pei, and continued, "I obtained a box of pearls; they are not large, but of good quality. I thought it would be just right for Madam to grind into pearl powder."

These three delicate characters are carved with precision, yet they exude an indescribable charm and artistic flair, embodying a natural elegance, much like a beauty by the water's edge, evoking a cascade of thoughts and imaginations

But how could he not feel even a trace of regret? Master Shen San had never walked the path of officialdom and did not understand such an obsessive mindset; he could only lament: "Second Sister-in-law treats others with utmost kindness, sincerely and thoughtfully in every matter. We played together when we were young. Just thinking of her makes me feel a sense of guilt in my heart"

Thus, adhering to the principle of pleasing the guardians and clinging to the golden thigh, Shen Caiwei grinned, nearly drooling, completely disregarding her dignity

"Third Master has returned?" Pei adjusted her perfectly arranged hair bun, the East Pearl earrings strung with five-colored threads swaying gently by her ears. Her voice softened instantly, and she appeared radiant.

Song held her hand, sighed in relief, and said: "You are right to think this way; you will need to take charge in the future. You must stand on your own, only then can you live well in the days to come"

However, at this moment, Pei did not have the time to observe Shen Caiwei's expression. As soon as she heard the sound from outside the door, she immediately handed the child in her arms to Mama Wang, who was still waiting there, and personally went to the door.

When Wang Mama and the others carried Shen Caiwei down, Master Shen finally put away the expression on his face. He held Pei's hand and sighed: "Second Brother is so eager for quick success that he has completely disregarded the duties of a husband and wife, as well as the bonds of kinship. With such a father, it is likely that Second Lady will have a difficult time in the future"

"What you said truly overwhelms me," said Pei, her beautiful face blooming with spring-like delight, though she feigned indifference on the surface: "After all, there are already two little monkeys; having one more wouldn't matter. As the younger generation, we must alleviate the worries of our elders"

Master Shen San was well aware of the Pei family's intentions. He did not say much, only instructing someone to bring Shen Caiwei to him. After examining her carefully, he smiled slightly and said, "She does resemble Second Sister-in-law a bit." He gently closed his eyes, pondered for a moment, and then commanded, "Take her down and take good care of her."

Shen Caiwei is even more despondent—if she were truly a top student, she wouldn't have been stuck in this situation for so long, merely serving as a decorative figure. Every field has its own expertise; can't she just be a quietly beautiful girl?

Pei has always been open-minded, smiling as she said, "You are just worrying too much." She was also raised with family teachings; although she often fell behind or even failed in the household competition due to negligence and laziness, she could still articulate a few points at this moment, "This time, the position of the Deputy Minister of Personnel is vacant, and it is only a short distance from Second Uncle. Naturally, he is unwilling to let go so easily, seeking assistance from the Yue family is not unreasonable."

He rarely spoke in such a serious tone, causing those below to feel a sense of unease, putting away their smiles and responding cautiously

Song sighed with a bitter smile: "Only you would understand. I certainly wish to bring Erniang to stay by my side, but the old lady would definitely not allow it." Nowadays, Song mostly accompanied Master Shen living near the academy, only coming to inquire about the household once a day and handling some family matters. Although it is not far, if I were to take Erniang out to raise her, the old lady would surely be reluctant to part with her.

Although virtue precedes appearance, society and literature often impose harsh expectations on women. With such a face, Shen Erniang is likely to face some difficulties in the future

The reason it is called "Return the Mirror" is that although it is just a small and illusory thing, Shen Caiwei can still see the sorrowful birthmark on her face as if she were looking into a mirror

Upon waking from her slumber, Shen Caiwei suddenly felt as if the world had transformed, having changed guardians—she had swiftly transitioned from the bleak and sorrowful existence of a lonely girl to the carefree and naive demeanor of a sweet girl.

Pei noticed that the child in her arms was also frowning, looking as tender and appetizing as a green orange peel, with round, glistening eyes like grape seeds gazing at her. Unable to help herself, she smiled and said, "Oh dear, is my little one already sharing my worries?" Although she had become a mother, she still retained a bit of childlike spirit. At this moment, she couldn't resist teasing the baby, Shen Caiwei, saying, "It's alright, it's alright. When you enter the girls' school in the future and become a talented young lady, surely no one will dare to speak ill of you."

The items haven't been moved yet? Get new ones. Do we have to wait? Have someone rush the delivery. Do we need to pay extra? Give it to him. What did the accountant say? She will just pay! It's all about that buy, buy, buy attitude

Master Shen was indeed waiting for the Pei family's statement. At this moment, he smiled slightly, intertwined his fingers, and said gently, "Then I thank you, madam." As he spoke, he leaned closer to Madam Pei's ear and softly added, "I will reward you properly tonight."

Master Shen, having been cared for by his two sisters-in-law for many years, had long felt compassion for the second lady who lost her mother at a young age. Moreover, it seemed that there was nothing his wife could keep from him. He raised his long eyebrows, smiled, and, in response to the conversation, performed a cupped-hand salute, saying: "With a virtuous wife at home, I truly have no worries."

Master Shen San took the tea and sipped it, his expression revealing a sense of relaxation

Then, she saw a small mirror. It rose slowly like a birthmark resembling a flower and a petal from a picture book, transforming into a little mirror that only she could see. As if destined by fate, she just knew that this mirror could only be seen by her alone

Logically, such a significant matter should have been discussed with Master Shen first, and the couple should have deliberated together. However, Pei has always taken an unconventional path, thinking beyond what ordinary people can conceive. Yesterday, as she pondered, she concluded that this was undoubtedly a good thing. Her sudden capability must surely be a great surprise for Master Shen. Therefore, she held back from mentioning it until she received the old lady's promise and had taken the child in her arms, at which point she revealed the matter as if presenting a flower to offer to the Buddha.

Pei finally understood and whispered, "But I already have two children, and with an additional second wife, it wouldn't really be a matter of causing a huge uproar... ?" The important thing is that with just two, she already felt somewhat overwhelmed.

Pei, seeing her husband distressed, could only comfort him, saying: "Alright, alright, I understand your loyalty. Sanlang is a male and is doing well, studying at the academy with his uncle. As long as he has the determination, he will surely achieve success in the future. As for Erniang, since she has come to our courtyard, I will naturally treat her like Sanniang. Although her appearance may not be as good, there are families of scholars who do not place much importance on looks. When she grows up, she can attend a girls' school to study, build a good reputation, and after graduation, the old lady can help find a suitable family for her. Even Erbo would have nothing to say about it."

"You..." Song was at a loss for how to deal with her, so she reached out and poked her forehead, unable to resist her infatuation and started laughing along.

In her previous life, she had encountered many people, and upon seeing someone from the Pei family, she immediately recognized that this was a typical naive and sweet person, especially considering the way she lavishly spent money.

The birthmark on the palm is very small, and the mirror that emerged from it is even smaller. Shen Caiwei squinted her eyes, exerting great effort to recognize the characters engraved on this mirror.

Pei had just made a significant decision, feeling as if she had exerted herself to swing higher on a swing, only to soon fall back down, her heart relaxing. She clung to Song's arm and playfully said, "With my sister-in-law here, let me steal a little more time to be lazy..." Although she was already the mother of two children, her daily care was meticulous, and she still looked like a charming beauty with almond-shaped eyes and a delicate face, exuding a youthful innocence and cunning in her gaze, making her all the more endearing.

In her palm, there was also a small birthmark, very faint, resembling a petal. However, this birthmark was unlike the ones on her face; it occasionally felt warm to the touch. Shen Caiwei quietly glanced at Shen Caiheng and Shen Huaijing, who were lying beside her, and seeing that they were still obediently sleeping, she twisted her body and stretched out her hand, which resembled a lotus root, from under the silk quilt, unable to resist her curiosity as she poked at the birthmark.

Pei cast him a glance, her eyes shimmering like water, her face adorned with a rosy glow. Her eyelashes fell, concealing those eyes that sparkled like flames, yet her gaze flowed towards him like autumn waters, tender and lingering, reminiscent of the afterglow at the horizon.

Pei could not help but blush, casting a sidelong glance as she softly said, "Third Master only knows how to tease me..." Despite her words, her expression was quite cheerful, as she deliberately twisted a handkerchief to wipe Third Master Shen's face and personally brought over tea to offer him.

The adorable little baby, with such a smile, is indeed endearing. Moreover, as Pei herself is a mother, her heart naturally softens even more. She reached out to take Shen Caiwei from Mama Wang's hands, gently poking the birthmark on Shen Caiwei's face with her finger, and whispered, "What a pity..."

Even the onlooker, Wang's mother, received a reward, and she was so delighted that she exclaimed, "Thank you for your gracious favor, madam"

Upon hearing this, Shen Caiwei felt a deep sense of understanding and could not help but wear a look of melancholy as well