TRBDM -Chapter 50 Wei Zhaorong Cried

“It’s nothing, I just accidentally fell a few days ago.”

Xie Wanrou withdrew her hand and lowered her sleeve to cover the mark.

As her brother-in-law’s wife, Dou Shuyao knew there were some things she shouldn’t ask aloud. Since her mother insisted on bringing Xie Wanrou home, she must have already noticed something amiss.

This wasn’t the time to bring up Xie Wanrou’s private sorrow.

“You’re already grown, and you still fall when walking. You must be more careful from now on.”

Dou Shuyao smiled, brushing the matter aside.

“I’ll be careful in the future.”

The two exchanged a smile and stopped talking about the General’s Residence, turning instead to the Marquis’ Mansion.

“Mother has confined Xie Chuan?” Xie Wanrou covered her mouth in surprise.

“That’s right. So the fact that he can leave the Eastern Courtyard today is entirely thanks to you.”

Xie Chuan was sleeping like a dead pig, arranged by Dou Shuyao to ride in a servant’s carriage. When he woke, he would be back in the “cage” of the Eastern Courtyard—and who knew if he’d throw a tantrum.

Dou Shuyao had long stopped caring.

He had broken his rules today and drunk alcohol; tomorrow someone would have to consult Physician Xiao to see if it would have any consequences.

“Shuyao, Physician Xiao is skilled. As long as Xiaochuan cooperates with the treatment, he will surely recover. Then, you’ll finally be able to have a child as you wish.”

A child—Dou Shuyao’s deepest wound.

If these words had come from Shen Zhizhi, she would have only suspected ill intentions—pretending to comfort while actually mocking.

But she did not doubt Xie Wanrou’s sincerity for a moment.

Although Dou Shuyao and Xie Wanrou had very few interactions, she knew that Xie Wanrou was the kindest, most selfless person in the entire Marquis’ Mansion.

She gave without expecting anything in return, always quietly and gently standing there, accepting everything.

“Let’s hope it goes smoothly. And how about you, Big Sister? Any movements in your belly yet?”

Xie Wanrou had been married into the General’s Residence for years with no children. Dou Shuyao understood a woman’s heart very well.

“There was, but I had a miscarriage.”

Dou Shuyao immediately closed her mouth. She hadn’t meant to touch Xie Wanrou’s painful memory and felt at a loss.

“It’s nothing,” Xie Wanrou said, turning to comfort her. “No one in the Marquis’ Mansion knows, not even Mother. I’m only telling you. But you must keep it a secret—I don’t want Mother to worry.”

Perhaps sharing a kindred sorrow made it easier; the words Xie Wanrou had kept inside for so long slipped out naturally.

Dou Shuyao said, “Alright, I won’t tell anyone.”

“Big Sister, since you were able to conceive once, it means your body is fine. Rest a little more, and you’ll have another one soon.”

Xie Wanrou nodded, pursing her lips.

There was still some distance to the Marquis’ Mansion, so Dou Shuyao sent someone ahead to inform the household.

Xie Wanrou stopped her. “Why bother? We’ll be there soon; there’s no need to send word ahead.”

“The household is anxious, especially Mother. She’s been thinking about you constantly. If etiquette allowed it, she might have come to the General’s Residence herself to fetch you.”

Xie Wanrou froze. How could that be possible?

Her mother had never liked her. Since marrying into the General’s Residence, she had never replied to any letters Xie Wanrou sent home.

Sometimes when she returned to the Marquis’ Mansion with Lei Lieshan, her mother hardly looked at her, and they barely exchanged a few words the entire day.

“Shuyao, stop joking,” Xie Wanrou said, her smile tinged with bitterness.

Dou Shuyao didn’t argue further. Seeing was believing, after all.

If someone had told her over a month ago that her mother would confine Xie Chuan and hand the management of Ruixiang Courtyard to her, she would never have believed it.

Only when Xie Wanrou personally experienced it could Dou Shuyao understand that her mother had truly changed.

Whatever the reason, Dou Shuyao was grateful that everything was moving in a better direction.

“Big Sister, I’m never one to joke. Soon you’ll understand exactly what I mean.”

Dou Shuyao’s words stirred tiny ripples across Xie Wanrou’s otherwise calm heart lake.

Mother… does she really miss me?

With a trace of hope, the carriage swayed and came to a stop outside the gates of the Mingde Marquis Manor.

Xie Wanrou found herself unusually nervous.

Dou Shuyao boldly lifted the carriage curtain, and sure enough, she saw Wei Zhaorong standing at the gate, craning her neck in anticipation.

“Mother,” Dou Shuyao deliberately called out loudly, “Big Sister has returned.”

From atop the high steps of the marquis manor, Wei Zhaorong watched the carriage approach and stop before her. Her heart was a mix of emotions.

Her legs felt weak, her head buzzed, and she didn’t even hear Nanny Qi’s words.

“Madam, the eldest young lady has returned.”

Xie Wanrou stepped down from the carriage and stood still, gazing up at Wei Zhaorong.

She curled the corners of her mouth slightly and offered a delicate bow to Wei Zhaorong: “Greetings, Mother.”

The gesture was formal and distant, lacking the intimacy one would expect between mother and daughter.

Xie Wanyi would never have bowed like this; she would either have thrown herself into Wei Zhaorong’s arms or called out “Mother, Mother!” with all the familiarity and abandon that delighted Wei Zhaorong.

Looking at the gentle and virtuous Xie Wanrou, Wei Zhaorong’s eyes ached, tears filling her dry, parched gaze.

In her past life, Xie Wanrou had always silently loved this partial and unfair mother, but Wei Zhaorong had been blind and heartless, never noticing her goodness.

Now, Wei Zhaorong wanted to give Xie Wanrou the very best the world had to offer.

Finally, Wei Zhaorong moved, her steps faltering as if she might stumble, but her aim was steadfast.

“Wanrou—”

She wrapped Xie Wanrou tightly in her arms, trembling hands stroking her thin back.

So thin… so fragile that a gust of wind could topple her.

“Wanrou, I’m sorry… Mother is so sorry.”

Wei Zhaorong’s sudden and intimate gesture made Xie Wanrou’s body stiffen. She had never been held like this by her mother; the warmth of mother-daughter affection had always been reserved for Xie Wanyi.

It turned out that a mother’s embrace was so warm and encompassing, a thousand times warmer than any dreamt embrace.

It wasn’t until the warmth wet her neck that Xie Wanrou realized her mother was crying.

Worried, she asked, “Mother, what’s wrong? What happened?”

She tried to push Wei Zhaorong away, but her mother held on tightly, not letting her go.

Xie Wanrou stopped struggling, relaxing and leaning slightly into Wei Zhaorong’s embrace.

Her delicate, slender hands gently stroked her mother’s back as she whispered soothingly, “Mother… don’t cry…”

As she spoke, a tear slid down Xie Wanrou’s own cheek.

Her mother had always been stern and resilient, rarely showing vulnerability. For her to be moved to tears, it had to be something extraordinary.

Xie Wanrou felt a twinge of worry.

Wei Zhaorong’s emotions surged quickly, and she knew she had lost composure.

The eldest daughter-in-law and the household servants were all watching, startled by the sudden display.

Outside the manor, people came and went, but Wei Zhaorong releasing Xie Wanrou, wiping her eyes, and taking her hand was enough. “Let’s go home and talk there,” she said.

“Okay.”

They followed Wei Zhaorong toward Anhe Courtyard.

Along the way, Wei Zhaorong hardly took her eyes off Xie Wanrou.

Xie Wanrou felt her face warm under her mother’s gaze. “Mother… is there something on my face?”

“You’ve lost weight, so much weight. The Wei Yuan General Manor treated you harshly… and Lei Lieshan as well.”

Xie Wanrou’s heart sank. How could her mother possibly know?