Reborn in Each Other’s Bodies: A Mother and Daughter’s Deadly Revenge - Chapter 151

Gao Shan escorted Qingxin into the room and once again took up his post outside the door.

This time, he pressed his ear right against it, straining to catch any sound from within.

It wasn’t that he was being nosy; he was genuinely worried. If even Qingxin couldn’t manage…

What was he supposed to do then?

However, the situation he feared did not come to pass.

As he listened, Gao Shan’s worries gradually eased. After nearly another quarter of an hour, his initial concern had turned into envy.

Yet another quarter of an hour later, that envy twisted back into worry—

He even secretly went and woke Jing Xing up.

The two of them stood guard outside. Inside, Qingxin had long since lost the voice to cry out, but the persistent creaking of the bed could still be heard.

The longer it went on, the more their dread grew—

Gao Shan felt his own legs beginning to go weak. He wanted to tell Jing Xing to fetch the manor physician immediately—

Even though the Young Master would surely punish him afterward, it was better than letting the Young Master come to harm…

Just as Gao Shan was about to snap and send for the physician, the commotion inside finally ceased.

Gao Shan and Jing Xing exchanged a look, seeing sheer relief at having survived a brush with death mirrored in each other’s eyes. They wiped the cold sweat from their foreheads…

Simultaneously, their admiration for the Young Master reached its peak!

The Young Master was a real man, indeed!

Soon after, Qingxin emerged, one hand supporting her lower back.

Gao Shan and Jing Xing hurried inside to clean up and tend to the Young Master.

Qingxin wasn’t upset that no one attended to her.

That previous night, she had been tense, treating it like a gamble, focused only on pleasing Sheng Mingjian, so the experience hadn’t been particularly enjoyable.

But tonight was different…

Now her legs felt like jelly, yet her heart was also filled with joy.

Moreover, perhaps tonight she had conceived—

Then she could rely on the child to elevate her status, ascending to the heavens in a single step—

Leaning against the wall, Qingxin slowly made her way back to her own courtyard. The Sheng household had many lanterns lit at night, and the moon was bright, so she had no trouble seeing the path.

As she turned a corner, she accidentally bumped into someone. Unable to avoid it in time, she stumbled backward…

She closed her eyes in fright, bracing for impact with the ground, but unexpectedly, an arm wrapped around her waist, catching her…

Opening her eyes, Qingxin found herself looking at a face.

A very familiar face.

She had been facing this very face just moments ago…

Qingxin froze for a second before realizing the man before her was not the Eldest Young Master.

The Eldest Young Master was young, vigorous…

Whereas the man before her exuded the charm of a mature gentleman.

“Master…”

Qingxin called out, only then noticing how unusually soft and sweet her own voice sounded. Blushing, she took a step back and curtsied.

That single word sent a tingling sensation through half of Sheng Yong’s ear.

He had just come from Bai Yiren’s courtyard.

Although Bai Yiren was still beautiful, after so many years, Sheng Yong had grown somewhat weary of her and hadn’t stayed the night, intending to return to his study…

He hadn’t expected to run into Qingxin.

One look at Qingxin’s disheveled state and the direction she came from told Sheng Yong that his eldest son had summoned her.

His eldest son’s attitude towards Qingxin was peculiar.

If he liked her, he showed her no tenderness or care; the murderous intent Sheng Yong had seen radiating from his son that night was crystal clear.

If he didn’t like her, why did he ignore all the other maids in his courtyard, singling out only Qingxin…

Sheng Yong couldn’t help but recall Lady Huang’s words, feeling a headache coming on—

But regardless, at least his eldest son was willing to be with a woman. Once he achieved good results in the imperial examinations, they would find him a wife from a reputable family.

He gave Qingxin a deep look before walking away.

Qingxin returned to her own courtyard with her heart pounding like a drum.

It was inappropriate for her to call for bath water, so she had Xiao Que help her wipe down as best she could.

The night was now extremely late. After changing into fresh undergarments, she sat before her bronze mirror, studying her reflection.

The longer she looked, the more astonished she became.

Her hand involuntarily rose to touch her face. She felt dazed, thinking it was still the same face, yet somehow it seemed much more beautiful than before…

“Xiao Que, do you think I’m beautiful?” she murmured.

“Sister Qingxin was always pretty, but now you’re even more beautiful…”

Qingxin couldn’t help but recall the Eldest Young Master’s “obsession” with her, and the look in the Master’s eyes when they had met.

Suddenly, a surge of intense confidence welled up from the depths of Qingxin’s heart!

All at once, she felt completely fearless! The anxiety that had built up over days was instantly released!

She no longer had to worry about being sent back to being a lowly maid, subjected to endless ridicule and humiliation.

She no longer had to worry about food and shelter, because with this face, she would never have to live a hard life again!

If one day the Eldest Young Master grew tired of her, weren’t there other opportunities…

Qingxin lay down, her emotions still running high, and only fell asleep just before dawn.

The head maids in Sheng Mingjian’s and Qingxin’s courtyards were all sharp-eyed, keen-eared, greedy for money, and swift on their feet.

Therefore, by the time Sheng Minmin got up, she had already heard about the previous night’s events. Upon hearing the news, a smile didn’t leave her face for a long while.

She instructed Qingying to give out generous rewards and even tipped the entire kitchen staff.

She also told Qingying to secretly send some silver pieces, fine clothing fabric, and jewelry to Qingxin.

Now that Qingxin was so beautiful, she naturally needed to dress well, to keep Sheng Mingjian “hooked” and drain his vitality as soon as possible.

“Madam, you look so lovely when you smile. You should smile more often—” Qingxiang suddenly offered flattery.

“Such a sweet talker you are!” Sheng Minmin laughed.

Seeing her mistress in a good mood, Qingxiang couldn’t help but speak up again.

“Madam, the banquet at the Third Princess’s estate is coming up soon. I heard the Third Princess intends to use this occasion to seek potential matches for her son, the Commandery Prince, and her daughter, the County Princess…”

“That’s probably true…”

Qingxiang twisted the handkerchief in her hands, her fingertips turning pale.

“I heard that Commandery Prince Murong is in poor health. But with his high status, there are surely many girls from good families wanting to marry him…

“But as for the County Princess, who knows what kind of husband the Third Princess is looking for…”

“Surely there will be many excellent young gentlemen at this banquet…

“Madam, our household’s three young ladies, shouldn’t they…”

Sheng Minmin set down her teacup and looked up at Qingxiang, whose face instantly paled.

“Madam, this servant only meant to…” Qingxiang stammered, unable to finish.

“Look how frightened you are. I’m not blaming you—” Sheng Minmin knew exactly what Qingxiang was trying to find out.

Among ordinary families in the capital, it was common to start discreetly screening potential husbands for daughters around the ages of twelve or thirteen.

Normally, the selection process would take two to three years, followed by about a year for formal procedures once a match was decided.

By then, the daughter would be fifteen or sixteen, just the right age to marry.

However, a few families of high status, not worried about finding matches and particularly doting on their daughters, might keep them at home until seventeen or eighteen.

For example, the Princess Royal’s daughter, the Commandery Princess, still hadn’t started looking.

Of course, such families were extremely rare. Given the Sheng family’s standing, it was indeed time to start considering matches for their daughters.

“Speaking of which, our three girls really are at the age where we should start paying attention to marriage prospects…

“With the Sixth Young Lady, the Master and her master will take care of it. It’s not my place.

“As for Xian’er, I will certainly find her a good match—”

“And the Seventh Young Lady? As the legitimate daughter, she must marry into a high-ranking and powerful family, right…”

“As for her, with her lively and impulsive temperament, if she really married into a prominent family, she’d likely be constrained by the elders every day, or be the subject of gossip.

“She’s not one to suffer grievances or swallow her anger silently; she’d surely stir up endless trouble—

“Then it wouldn’t be forging a marriage alliance, it would be making an enemy!

“So, I only hope she finds a match from a modest, less prominent family, one the Sheng family can manage.

“A husband with good looks, excellent character and learning, and one she herself likes—

“Then I will happily prepare her dowry and marry her off—”