Reborn in Each Other’s Bodies: A Mother and Daughter’s Deadly Revenge - Chapter 40

Peony Courtyard

Seated at the dining table were Sheng Minmin, Sheng Yong, and the three Sheng brothers.

Sheng Yong wore a smile on his face.

In Huang Yaning’s memories, Sheng Yong had smiled less and less in recent years. At Peony Courtyard, he only ever showed warmth when Sheng Mingzhu was present.

If Sheng Mingzhu wasn’t around, Sheng Yong usually carried himself with an air of superiority. Only when Huang Yaning had done something particularly beneficial for him would he deign to grant her a smile.

And in her past life, Sheng Yong had never once shown Sheng Minmin a kind expression.

So when Sheng Minmin suddenly saw Sheng Yong looking at her with an amiable expression—even a hint of something like a man’s gaze toward a woman—she felt as though she had swallowed a fly. Disgusted, she quickly averted her eyes.

Damn it, my eyes are contaminated!

“Madam, this is the crispy silverfish you like.” Sheng Yong picked up a piece of fried silverfish with his chopsticks and placed it in Sheng Minmin’s bowl.

Those were his personal chopsticks, not serving chopsticks!

Did he think he was the Jade Emperor, expecting her to eat his saliva?!

The audacity!!

Sheng Minmin’s chest burned with suppressed fury. She wanted nothing more than to slap Sheng Yong across the face.

Clenching her fists, she reminded herself not to act rashly.

The Sheng men must have found her recent behavior too unusual, which was why they had all come together to keep an eye on her.

She couldn’t afford to slip up. Forcing a smile, she kept her composure.

Beside her, Sheng Mingjian and Sheng Mingyi also piled food onto her plate. At least they used serving chopsticks—but by now, Sheng Minmin had completely lost her appetite. She didn’t touch a single bite.

All she wanted was to wash up and go to bed—and maybe scrub her eyes clean while she was at it.

Perhaps noticing her visibly poor mood, Sheng Mingjian and Sheng Mingyi fussed over her with exaggerated concern.

Sheng Mingbo, too, wore a worried expression—but unlike the others’ performative concern, his seemed genuine, as if he truly cared for his “mother.”

Sheng Minmin actually saw sincere affection in Sheng Mingbo’s demeanor…

The realization triggered a wave of revulsion, both emotional and physical. Her stomach churned, and she struggled to keep herself from retching.

She could endure the Sheng men’s cold words, false niceties, schemes, hatred, and abuse…

Because she knew—none of them were decent human beings!

But what she couldn’t stomach was the idea of any of them genuinely caring for her. That disgusted her.

Instinctively, Sheng Minmin pressed a handkerchief to her mouth, holding her breath to suppress the nausea.

“Madam, I’ll stay in Peony Courtyard tonight to look after you…”

Sheng Yong spoke with a faint smile, his eyes carrying a trace of condescension.

As if gracing Peony Courtyard with his presence was some grand favor—as if she should be grateful for his attention…

“Blergh—”

Sheng Minmin couldn’t hold back any longer. She vomited on the spot.

Sheng Yong’s face cycled between red and black. Everyone else in the room froze in shock, some even gaping in disbelief.

In the end, Xiangxiang was the one who sent for the household physician. After taking Sheng Minmin’s pulse, he diagnosed, “Madam has been overworked and has caught a chill…”

Only then did Sheng Minmin realize she truly felt unwell—her forehead burned with fever, and her body ached with exhaustion.

Medicine for chills was always kept in stock, and it was soon brought to her.

The three Sheng brothers wanted to stay and attend to her, but Sheng Minmin shooed them away.

Sheng Yong, stiff-faced, muttered a few obligatory words before leaving as well.

Ever since Sheng Minmin had publicly revealed how her dowry had been used to fill the Sheng family’s financial gaps, Sheng Yong had suffered a massive blow to his pride.

His visit to Peony Courtyard today had been an attempt to mend relations—only for Sheng Minmin to vomit in his presence.

Even if it was due to illness, Sheng Yong still stormed back to his own courtyard in a rage. That very night, he “took in” a young maidservant.

By the next morning, the girl was covered in bruises, unable to even crawl out of bed—barely clinging to life.

Fearing a death on their hands, the matron in charge reported the matter to Xiangxiang, who immediately summoned the physician.

Once back inside, seeing that her mistress seemed calmer and her complexion had improved, Xiangxiang relayed the incident.

Xiangxiang was perceptive. The old Huang Yaning would have been jealous and aggrieved upon hearing that the master had taken a maidservant to bed.

But the current madam? She doubted it…

Sure enough, after hearing the report, Sheng Minmin’s eyes only flashed with disgust and anger.

“Was the physician called? Was she born into the household or bought? What’s her name?”

“The physician has already been summoned. The girl’s name is Shiliu (Pomegranate). She was bought from outside when she was seven or eight.

“She’s timid by nature. A former servant—one of those recently dismissed—forced her into a foster-daughter arrangement. For years, that woman took all her wages. She’s a pitiful thing…”

Xiangxiang, sympathetic, added a few extra details.

Sheng Minmin’s heart grew heavy.

If she hadn’t provoked Sheng Yong last night, this girl wouldn’t have suffered such a fate.

Guilt gnawed at her. Worse, she knew conflicts with Sheng Yong would only escalate from here.

If he reacted like this every time, how many more maids would suffer?

In the past, Huang Yaning had been obsessed with Sheng Yong, funding and laboring for his sake. When he wanted concubines, she had set one condition:

They could only be low-status concubines, and their contracts must remain in her hands.

Sheng Yong had agreed.

Currently, there were five concubines in the household—two promoted from maidservants, one gifted by a minor official, and the two most favored, Concubine Hong and Concubine Bai, whom Sheng Yong had bought from a brothel.

All five concubines’ contracts were in Huang Yaning’s—now Sheng Minmin’s—possession.

Recently, Sheng Minmin had only interacted with Concubine Hong and Concubine Bai.

From what she observed, neither harbored any real affection for Sheng Yong. To them, he was just a tool.

Moreover, neither had borne children despite years in the household. If offered generous rewards—perhaps even their contracts upon successful cooperation—Sheng Minmin believed they would assist her.

Of course, she couldn’t rush this.

Huang Yaning’s former “lovestruck” persona was too deeply ingrained. Now wasn’t the time to approach the concubines.

After a moment’s thought, she said:

“Assign two maids to care for her properly. If any medicine is needed, take it from the shops. Once she’s recovered, ask her what she wants. If she wishes to stay as the master’s woman, I’ll grant her concubine status.

“If she wants to leave, I’ll prepare a generous dowry and return her contract to her.”

Xiangxiang bowed in acknowledgment. Then Sheng Minmin added:

“I need to rest these days. Tell the young masters and miss not to visit unless necessary…”