Heaven-Sent Farm Girl Builds Her Fortune And Captures His Heart-Chapter 486 - 485: Second Miss Zhuang
"I warn you, if you dare do anything to wrong Qinghe, don’t bother coming back to this house."
Madam Jiang said coldly, "Hurry up and tell me, did you do something that Qinglan saw?"
Jiang Ming: ...
Shen Qinglan: ...Did she say something? No, right?
"Mother, what nonsense are you talking about?" Jiang Ming said helplessly, "How could I possibly do anything to wrong Qinghe?"
Shen Qinghe also smiled and said, "Mother, I trust Ah Ming!"
"Then what is it?" Madam Jiang calmed down and looked at Shen Qinglan, "Qinglan, just ask whatever you want. If he doesn’t want to answer, I’ll ask for you."
Jiang Ming’s heart skipped a beat, feeling that he might owe his second brother-in-law an apology.
"Alright then!" He gritted his teeth, sat back down beside Madam Jiang, and said seriously, "Third cousin, just ask whatever questions you have."
Shen Qinglan curled her lips, "Second cousin, which family’s girl have you taken a liking to?"
The others were taken aback upon hearing this.
After a moment of silence, Jiang Ming said, "The second daughter of Master Zhuang on West Street."
"What?" Madam Jiang was shocked, "The illegitimate second daughter of the Zhuang Family who isn’t favored?"
Jiang Ming nodded, "Back then, when working at Wangjiang Building, the second daughter of the Zhuang Family was harassed by some ruffians. It was Qingning who saved her, and that’s how they got to know each other."
So it’s a hero saving a damsel in distress!
Shen Qinglan raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
"What kind of person is this second daughter of the Zhuang Family?" Dong Yao asked Madam Jiang.
"There’s nothing wrong with her as a person, it’s just that her family doesn’t like her," Madam Jiang sighed softly, "To put it simply, she’s a pitiful person."
"Is it that girl who despises our Shen Family’s poverty and is unwilling to marry, or is it just one-sided affection from cousin?" Shen Qinghe asked with a frown.
"It’s not like that," Jiang Ming said, "The second daughter of the Zhuang Family is actually quite fond of Qingning. She often has someone send letters to Qingning, it’s just... Master Zhuang doesn’t agree."
"Master Zhuang?" Shen Qingju was puzzled, "What’s it got to do with him? It’s not like he’s the one getting married."
Jiang Ming hesitated, not knowing how to answer her.
Madam Jiang sighed lightly, "In those affluent families, illegitimate daughters can still be of some use, like becoming a concubine for another wealthy family to strengthen ties."
"What?" Shen Qingju’s face darkened, "After all, she’s his daughter, how can he do that?"
Madam Jiang sighed, "There are many dark things in this world, it’s just that you haven’t seen them yet."
In those affluent families, some illegitimate daughters are even worse off than low-status servants.
"Was it because the second daughter of the Zhuang Family sent letters to second cousin that Master Zhuang found out?" Shen Qinglan asked calmly.
"Yes," Jiang Ming said, "Qingning hadn’t received the second daughter of the Zhuang Family’s letter for a long time, so he asked me to find someone to inquire. I asked a friend’s sister to inquire, but who would have thought that Master Zhuang would say the second daughter was punished with confinement for having a tryst with a poor boy, and cannot see any guests."
Shen Qinghe couldn’t help but feel heartache, "No wonder second brother avoids talking about marriage, it turns out he already has someone in his heart."
Nearby, Dong Yao and Shen Qingju also frowned deeply.
Shen Qinglan glanced at her and asked Jiang Ming, "How long ago did this happen?"
"Is third cousin asking about the acquaintance between Qingning and the second daughter of the Zhuang Family, or the confinement of the second daughter?"
"The confinement."
Jiang Ming said, "The confinement issue wasn’t too long ago, it was two months ago, just after Qingning returned from the Capital."
"What about the girl’s biological mother? Does she not care?" Dong Yao asked.
Madam Jiang said, "The second daughter’s biological mother was a maid, who passed away shortly after she was born. The girl is despised by the main mistress at home, neglected by her father, and often bullied by siblings. Almost all of Jinxi Town knows that she’s not favored in the Zhuang Family."
