Chapter 4 — On the night of the wedding, he said we were just husband and wife in name, I quietly wrote a letter of separation

When shopkeeper Tran walked in, she looked at me from top to bottom and said the first thing she said:

“This lady doesn't look like someone lacking money.”

“You don't look like someone who loses money.”

I poured her a cup of tea.

"My silk is good, the price you give is fair, cooperation is mutually beneficial."

She burst out laughing, a quick, cheerful look appearing between her eyebrows.

“So it's decided.”

Later, the embroidery guild expanded its scale, lacking a sum of money to turn around. Treasurer Tran found several money houses, but the interest rates were not low. I took out a hundred taels of checks and gave them to her, telling her that it would be considered a capital contribution and a commission at the end of the year. She stared at me for three seconds, then suddenly asked:

“Young lady of the Chu family?”

My movement of lifting the teacup was slightly halted.

“In Minh Chau city, there are not many young ladies who can do this business.” The smile at the corner of her lips became deeper. "I know the lady Qin of the silk shop, and the Ngo family of the jewelry shop is my sister-in-law. The fake name you use on the outside can be hidden from the Chu residence, but it cannot be hidden from business people."

I put down the tea cup.

"Then let's open the door and talk frankly. I invested this money, the embroidery department's affairs are managed by you. Divide the profits according to the ratio of three to seven."

“Successful communication.”

She held out her hand. Two hands gently clapped together amid the faint scent of tea. The day the sign "Uan Ky Tu Phuong" was hung, I stood on the opposite side of the street and took a look. The needlework is delicate and tight, the color combination is elegant, the beautiful ladies in the shop are all selected by the shopkeeper Tran himself, and their skills are not inferior to the handsome mandarins. My dowry silver flowed out like water, then silently returned piece by piece, the amount increased threefold. No one above or below Chu Palace knew about these things. People in the palace only know that the mother-in-law in the main courtyard is at peace and has never caused trouble before. The maid next to Lieu Nhu Hue's name is Thuy Kieu. Every few days she goes around the palace gossiping. One time, Thu Hoa caught her standing by the well chatting with the lady of the second room:

"As Princess Lieu said, young lady has blessings but doesn't know how to enjoy them, so she insists on living like a widow."

When Thu Hoa returned and told me, her eyes were so angry that her eyes turned red. I still bowed my head and played the abacus, the sound of beads clicking together echoed continuously.

“Let her say it.”

The numbers in the books won't bite you. But they are strong enough to crush those three words "living widow". Having finished speaking, I stood up, walked to the window, and raised my hand to push the door frame open. The tree in the corner of the hospital is taller than me. That year, as soon as I got married here, I planted it myself, and now it's as lush and green as a canopy. After three years of living like a widow, I finally got over it. But it's not about suffering to get by... It's about accumulating support for yourself. Every acre of field, every deed, every penny of money collected, little by little, is turning that yellowing peace note from a moment of anger into my true support. The leaves were rustled by the wind, the sound was like the sound of an abacus resonating. I closed the window and went back to sit at the table again. LIVE In the deepest layer of the jewelry box, the book of peace and harmony has been copied again. This time the ink was firm and dry, not even a single tear was attached. But on second thought, I still prefer the old letter of reconciliation.

“Young lady.”

Thu Hoa knocked on the door in the outer room.

"Tomorrow is your mother's birthday party. All two and three rooms will be here. You should rest early tonight."

“I know.”

I put down my pen and blew out the light. The moon outside the window is round again. For three years now, every month there has been a full moon, it's really very routine. The mother's birthday party is displayed in the flower hall. The red wooden Eight Immortals table was placed next to the window, and the women were divided into two tables to sit. I sat at the main table, right next to the mother. The second aunt sat diagonally opposite, and the third lady held the child sitting next to her. Lieu Nhu Hue was arranged to sit at the last table, the smile on her face was somewhat forced.