Rebirth of an abandoned woman

Chapter 23: The Battle Between Two Ladies

"Yes." Sang Wan gently agreed. Turning to Mistress Zhuang, Sang Wan curtsied. "Sang Wan gives my greetings to Mistress Zhuang!"

"Good, good!" Mistress Zhuang grinned. Her glistening eyes observed Sang Wan from head to toe before gesturing to her. "Come, come, have a seat beside me! A good appearance and very lady-like. Nothing less of a missy from a literary family! But really, she's different from people like us!"

The latter sentence was meant directly for Wang Shi.

Wang Shi forced a smile and her face stiffened a little.

Sang Wan really wished she could zip Mistress Zhuang's mouth. That woman feared nothing but peace in this world. To have said something so strange, it was obvious that she wanted to witness a dispute between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Her heart was contented only by looking at others in disdain.

There were always people like her in this world. Something that looks ordinary may be distorted by her words! Once heard, the heart of others will definitely not be comfortable anymore.

Sang Wan did not move. Her gaze moved to the corner of her eye, where Wang Shi sat, displaying the obvious meaning of awaiting an approval. Now that she could only take a step at a time and Wang Shi was one of those whom she could rely on, she had to keep Wang Shi in mind and tread with care.

Sure enough, seeing that Sang Wan did not just follow Mistress Zhuang's words but waited for her approval, Wang Shi's expression loosened a little. Looking straight at Mistress Zhuang, as if nothing had happened, Wang Shi smiled at Sang Wan. "Mistress Zhuang calls for you. What are you doing just standing there?"

"Yes!" Sang Wan curtsied to Wang Shi before walking over to Mistress Zhuang and taking a seat next to her.

"You're too careful! Is your mother-in-law so terrible to the point that you've got to get her approval?" Mistress Zhuang smiled but was a little displeased. Smiling again at Wang Shi, she added, "But nevertheless, she's an honest child."

Wang Shi was so furious that she almost choked. Mistress Zhuang was just short of saying that she mistreated her daughter-in-law! But there was nowhere for her to throw her anger; all she could do was plainly endure.

"A daughter-in-law must be filial. Although Sang Wan may be young and knows little, Sang Wan knows to keep the elder in mind and to never act without consent." Sang Wan smiled shyly and spoke gently.

Wang Shi's anger subsided and she hurriedly smiled. "Mistress Zhuang is right, my daughter-in-law; you're too simple-minded! I may be an elder, but Mistress Zhuang is also an elder. If you're this careful, others may think that I am a very narrow-minded mother-in-law!"

Sang Wan gazed at Wang Shi and accepted with a gentle "Yes," but also caught a glimpse of Mistress Zhuang looking at them in disdain at the same time.

No wonder Mistress Zhuang looked at her mother-in-law in disdain. Her mother-in-law's standard of speech is not on the same level as Mistress Zhuang! Sang Wan thought deeply to herself.

Sang Wan could vaguely understand the reason why Mistress Zhuang loved to compete against her mother-in-law. The most important reason might perhaps be because her mother-in-law was not as great as Mistress Zhuang but sat with the position of being the "Richest Mistress in Qingzhou."

Mistress Zhuang directly ignored those words from Wang Shi, and smiled towards Sang Wan. "Words coming from a literary family sure are different, truly pleasant to the ears! Ai, though you've read many books, why do your hands have calluses?"

Sang Wan struggled slightly to hide her hands and her face flushed a little. In her parental home, she had to do the housework day after day, for she was not a child born with a golden spoon in her mouth. As such, her hands had calluses and would not even be as smooth as those of an ordinary girl like Shi Lian!