Lihoumen

Chapter 5 The Child Resembles Him
After Shen Han left, Grandma Sun, who had been standing outside the door, saw Qingqing's disappointment and came over to comfort her, saying, "The son-in-law went to war on the day of the wedding. You and him have spent too little time together, so it is inevitable that you are a little unfamiliar. In the future, you will spend more time together, and everything will be fine."

Maybe.

It's because the time they spent together was too short.

The relationship between people needs to be cultivated.

Qingqing comforted herself in this way, and then she cheered up again. She began to choose clothes and jewelry, and dressed up carefully, preparing to serve tea at noon.

After packing everything carefully, Qingqing took Lingzhi out of Lan Yaju early and went straight to the outer courtyard to meet Shen Han.

The weather was hot, and she sat in the pavilion at the door with Lingzhi, but her eyes were fixed on the hanging flower gate.

This pavilion is located on a high slope, giving her a commanding view of the surrounding area. If Shen Han comes back, she will be able to see him early in the morning.

Qingqing and Lingzhi waited for a long time, and when they heard the sound of horses and carriages outside the door, Qingqing guessed that Shen Han had returned, and she stood up subconsciously.

It was indeed Shen Han.

He was wearing a brown military officer's uniform and strode into the gate.

But next to him, there was a woman holding a child.

The two of them walked in together, with a distance of a shoulder between them, talking as they walked in.

They look very intimate.

This woman must be Lin Ruoqing whom Shen Han brought back yesterday.

Looking at the two of them together, Qingqing's eyes gradually dimmed.

The two were so busy talking that they didn't notice Qingqing waiting in the pavilion. Seeing that her master was ignored, Lingzhi couldn't help but call out to Shen Han with a cold face: "Third Young Master——"

Shen Han turned around and saw Qingqing and her servant, then he stopped his hurried steps.

Lingzhi said again: "Third Master, Madam has been waiting for you here for a while."

Upon hearing this, Shen Han turned around and walked a few steps towards Qingqing. He stopped in front of the stone steps outside the pavilion and said to Qingqing, "Sorry to have kept you waiting."

Qingqing replied calmly, "No problem." After that, she walked out of the pavilion, holding up her skirt and walked towards Shen Han along the stone steps. Her eyes unconsciously fell on Lin Ruoqing behind Shen Han.

The woman called Lin Ruoqing had a beautiful face, long willow-shaped eyebrows, and a pair of phoenix eyes. She looked like a lady from a noble family.

Seeing Qingqing looking at her, Lin Ruoqing handed the child in her arms to the wet nurse beside her, then slowly stepped forward, bowed slightly to Qingqing, then looked at Shen Han and asked, "This is my cousin's wife, right?"

Without waiting for Qingqing to say anything, Shen Han introduced her, "This is my wife." Then he turned to Qingqing and said, "Madam, this is my aunt's cousin Ruoqing."

Qingqing smiled faintly, and then returned the greeting to Lin Ruoqing according to the etiquette of noble ladies that the etiquette nanny had been teaching her, and replied in the manner of a hostess: "My cousin has just arrived at the mansion, and I haven't had time to visit you yet. It's really a bit rude."

"It's my turn to visit my cousin's wife." After saying that, Lin Ruoqing looked up at Shen Han and said to herself, "I've already caused a lot of trouble for my cousin by coming here."

Shen Han said politely: "You are not a stranger, why are you so polite?"

The three of them were chatting here when the baby in the nurse's arms started crying. Lin Ruoqing quickly took the baby and coaxed him, and then deliberately explained to Qingqing: "Hao'er has been making trouble these past two days. I took him to the south of the city to find Hua Yixian for treatment, and I happened to meet my third cousin when I came back."

Shen Han said: "It's hot outside, the child can't stand it, you should take him back quickly."

While the two were talking, Qingqing carefully looked at the child named Haoer.

At first glance, the child's face looked very familiar. After looking more closely, Qingqing felt that Hao'er's eyebrows and eyes were somewhat similar to Shen Han's.

Seeing Qingqing staring at Hao'er, Lin Ruoqing quickly put a gauze veil on the child to cover him up, and said, "Hao'er has been in a bad condition these days. I'll take him back first, and then visit my cousin's wife when I'm free." Qingqing indifferently shifted her gaze from the child, returned the greeting to Lin Ruoqing, and after watching Lin Ruoqing leave, the couple went to the front yard.

There was a long way from the door to the old lady's residence. Qingqing walked side by side with Shen Han. Shen Han seemed to be in a bad mood. He didn't say a word along the way. Although Qingqing had many questions in her mind, she found it difficult to ask them because of Shen Han's silence.

The couple walked in silence for a while, and Qingqing asked tentatively: "Is Hao'er my cousin's child?"

Shen Han was stunned for a moment when he heard this, then he replied: "Hao'er is of course my cousin's child."

"So, my cousin is married?" she asked again.

Shen Han nodded and said, "She married after we got married, but her husband passed away less than a month after the marriage."

She had been married to Shen Han for almost three years, and Lin Ruoqing married after they got married, so Lin Ruoqing's marriage could not have been more than three years at most. If the child was the flesh and blood of Lin Ruoqing's husband, after ten months of pregnancy, the child would not be more than two years old at most. However, from the appearance of the child she had just seen, it was obvious that the child was at least two and a half years old.

Her father is a doctor, and Qingqing has been studying medicine with her father since she was young, so her judgment of the age of young children is more accurate than that of ordinary people.

"How old is Haoer this year?" Qingqing asked.

"Not even two years old." Shen Han blurted out.

Sure enough, the child’s biological father was not Wang Ruoqing’s deceased husband.

So, whose child is this?
Such questions were like the dense vines of summer ivy, lingering gloomily in Qingqing's heart, but she was not in a position to ask them directly.

"After the Lin family got into trouble, I heard that my cousin went to the countryside." Qingqing asked in a roundabout way.

This time, Shen Han just nodded, but he didn't mean to talk in depth. He was silent for a while, then turned his head to look at Qingqing, and changed the subject: "On the day of the wedding, I was ordered to go to war. I neglected you. I'm really sorry."

Although the two have been married for three years, the time they have spent together is very limited. Qingqing is not familiar with her husband Shen Han. Now that he has changed the subject, she naturally does not want to ask about Lin Ruoqing anymore.

"The emperor's order is difficult to disobey. I won't blame you," she replied.

Shen Han seemed very satisfied with her sensible attitude. He smiled at her and said, "Thank you for your understanding. I have promised my benefactor that I will take good care of you. If you have any difficulties in the future, just tell me."

As they were talking, the two arrived at the front yard. A servant had already informed the old lady, who was now sitting in the main hall waiting.

Seeing her handsome and tall son coming in, the old lady's face immediately showed joy, but after seeing her son's daughter-in-law beside her, the joy subconsciously faded a bit.

The couple politely bowed to the old lady and greeted her. A maid had already brought tea. Qingqing followed the rules taught by the etiquette nanny of the Marquis's Mansion, took the teacup, and respectfully presented it to the mother-in-law in the upper seat, saying, "On the wedding day, my husband was ordered to go to war. I and my husband have not yet officially presented tea to you, mother. Please don't be offended."

On the second day of the wedding, the groom and his bride would offer tea to the elders, which was a great gift. In order to make up for this gift with Shen Han today, Qingqing dressed up like a bride.

Qingqing was born with a bright face, which was barely concealed by the dark and old-fashioned clothes she usually wore. But today, she wore a festive red dress, which made her face look even more charming and her figure even more graceful.

When the old lady saw Qingqing's appearance, she couldn't help but imagine the scene where her precious son was seduced by this woman.

The anger that had been suppressed in my heart suddenly came out unconsciously.

Qingqing held the teacup in both hands, but her mother-in-law was nowhere to be seen taking it. She couldn't help but raise her eyes slightly, only to see her mother-in-law staring at her with vicious eyes, as if she wanted to poke two holes in her body.

Qingqing quickly lowered her head. She didn't know how to deal with this embarrassing situation. A big warm hand touched her fingertips lightly and took the teacup.

Shen Han took the teacup and offered it to the gloomy old lady sitting at the head of the table: "Mother, please have some tea."

　Qingqing: Shen Han, please explain the matter of the child to me clearly.

　　Shen Han: It’s hard to explain in a few words. Don’t be upset, ma’am. I will give you a satisfactory answer sooner or later.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)