A man's voice suddenly sounded by her ear, causing Ye Yunniang's body to shudder. She lost her footing and stumbled backward.
The man behind her caught Ye Yunniang, lowering his head to murmur by her ear, "Be careful. I'd be heartbroken if you fell."
Using the man's arm for support, Ye Yunniang steadied herself. Then she stomped hard on his foot and pushed the person behind her away.
"Tong Mo, stop learning all that nonsense from your uncle."
Ye Yunniang cursed inwardly; the Bao family men were all insane.
Bao Min pestering Cai Damei daily was annoying enough. But this Tong Mo, lately, who knew what madness had come over him or what was wrong with his brain? His words were completely off.
Ye Yunniang closed the courtyard gate and went inside to check on the two children.
Tong Mo, who had followed her, muttered, "I think my uncle's approach is quite right." Otherwise, how could one win the beauty's heart?
Inside, Li Ping and Xu Erlei were already asleep.
Ye Yunniang fetched a small quilt and covered them both.
"Ye—" Tong Mo wanted to say something, but Ye Yunniang cut him off, gesturing for him to go to the backyard to talk.
Backyard, pavilion.
"Ye Yunniang, answer me honestly. Are you still thinking about Jiang Mingzhe in your heart?"
"That is a matter between him and me, none of your concern," Ye Yunniang refused to answer.
"It is very much my concern," Tong Mo retorted. "You've mourned Jiang Mingzhe for three years; that's enough. You could consider finding another man."
As he spoke, Tong Mo straightened his chest.
"Stop fooling around," Ye Yunniang's tone was helpless; she felt Tong Mo was just bored and using her for amusement.
"Can't you see I'm sincere?" Tong Mo felt he had been making himself quite obvious.
"Tong Mo, I have three sons to raise," Ye Yunniang had no time for romantic games.
"You look down on me for having no money?" Tong Mo touched his empty wallet. He began planning to write to the capital, to ask his stepmother and stepfather for money.
"If you want to think of it that way, fine," Ye Yunniang did not argue.
Cai Damei pushed open the gate from Courtyard No. 3 and entered the backyard of Courtyard No. 4.
"What are you two talking about?"
"Mother." Ye Yunniang stood up and went forward to support Cai Damei. "Is the morning sickness still severe today?"
Mentioning morning sickness, Cai Damei's old face flushed red.
Three years ago, Courtyard No. 3 was bought at a high price by Bao Min.
After some renovations, Bao Min and Tong Mo moved in. At Cai Damei's strong insistence, they were presented to outsiders as uncle and nephew, making a living by selling paintings.
Cai Damei's initial idea was to accompany Bao Min for a while. Once his interest faded, she could peacefully live with her daughter-in-law and three grandsons.
But she never expected that what she thought would be "a while" had lasted three years.
Not only had Bao Min not grown tired, he became more and more addicted. Initially, they were intimate once a month, then later every three days. Recently, it was even more excessive; his words hinted that he wanted Cai Damei to give him a proper status.
How could that be?
She, Cai Damei, was a Li family wife in life, and would be a Li family woman in death. Besides, having the same plant for three years, one gets a bit tired of it.
Cai Damei tactfully expressed to Bao Min that their relationship should come to an appropriate end.
"Madam, you wish to end this?" Bao Min, who had been stroking Cai Damei's back, stopped his hand.
"Yes," Cai Damei had made her decision and admitted it frankly.
Bao Min flipped over, pinning Cai Damei beneath him. "Madam, stay with me for three more days."
Thinking that the three-year relationship was about to end, a trace of reluctance rose in Cai Damei's heart.
"Alright."
For the next three days, Cai Damei indulged Bao Min's antics.
Cai Damei woke up in bed; Bao Min was no longer in the room.
After a moment of silence, Cai Damei composed herself, packed her belongings into a bundle, and carried it back to Courtyard No. 4.
"Yunniang, please take more care of the household from now on. I need to focus fully on finding a shop."
Over three years, Cai Damei's pickled vegetable stall had grown from a corner of the Xu family noodle stall into a separate stall of its own.
The varieties of side dishes had also increased from two to six.
Cai Damei planned to buy a shop dedicated to selling side dishes.
"Alright, I'll handle the household. Mother, you should do whatever you want to do," Ye Yunniang fully supported Cai Damei's plans.
Led by an agent, Cai Damei scoured all of Jiangcheng and took a liking to a shop.
The shop was located in the latter half of Big Willow Street, a bit off the main path and not very large. But it had a front and back courtyard. The backyard had a well and was very spacious, perfect for washing and pickling vegetables.
After two months of renovations, "Little Dish Record" opened for business.
The shop's name was decided after a family discussion among the five of them — Little Dish Record.
Within a month, the business stabilized.
Cai Damei relaxed and then realized something was off with her stomach. She went to the doctor, who took her pulse and announced she was pregnant.
For Cai Damei, this was a bolt from the blue.
Cai Damei quickly decided what to do. "Doctor, please prescribe an abortion medicine."
"Madam, won't you reconsider?" the doctor advised.
"No need," Cai Damei replied firmly; the child in her belly could not stay.
The doctor did not persuade further and promptly wrote the prescription for the abortion medicine.
Cai Damei carried the medicine home.
Seeing the packet of medicine in Cai Damei's hand, Ye Yunniang stepped forward with concern.
"Mother, where are you unwell?"
"Yunniang, I'll rest in my room for a while. Go and brew this medicine," Cai Damei handed the packet to Ye Yunniang.
"Mother, let me help you to your room to rest first." Ye Yunniang took the medicine packet, helped Cai Damei to her room to rest, and then went to the kitchen to brew the medicine.
The medicine was brewed. Ye Yunniang carried it into the room.
"Mother, the medicine is ready. Drink it."
Cai Damei sat up, reached out to take the medicine bowl, and without a moment's hesitation, brought it to her lips to drink.
Smash!
The medicine bowl in Cai Damei's hand was shattered. Tong Mo, carrying Bao Min on his shoulder, jumped in through the window.
"Cai Damei, you are not to abort our child."
Bao Min, who had always been calm and composed in the face of anything, now had panic in his voice and a look of fearful hindsight on his face.
Ye Yunniang looked at Cai Damei in shock. "Mother, you're pregnant!"
Cai Damei remained silent.
Ye Yunniang wanted to say more but was abruptly pulled up by Tong Mo and dragged toward the door.
"Let go of me!" Ye Yunniang struggled, but her strength was no match for the highly skilled Tong Mo. She was pulled outside.
Tong Mo raised a finger to his lips in a shushing motion and pulled Ye Yunniang under the windowsill to eavesdrop.
Bao Min sat by Cai Damei's bedside. "Madam, I won't force you. Just don't abort my child."
"She shouldn't exist," Cai Damei shook her head. "I cannot carry your child."
"Madam, the doors of my Bao family are always open for you," Bao Min had said he wanted to marry Cai Damei three years ago. But until now, Cai Damei still would not agree.
"Sir, I am a Li family wife," Cai Damei was unwilling to remarry.
