It's hard to be a daughter-in-law in the Pei family

  Pei Li's gaze was faintly discerning, Shen Xuan raised her head and happened to meet his eyes. The old man's eyes were deep and unfathomable, she couldn't guess what he was thinking, but felt that this meal was not simple at all.

  Jinyue has always maintained her innocence, but does this statement have another meaning?

  Wen Zhu said, the daughter-in-law of Pei's family should always be magnanimous.

  Xu Shen took a deep breath, in this family there was another rule, to prevent the men from getting into trouble outside and having unnecessary debts, it was allowed to take concubines, raise them in the house, and children born by concubines could also inherit the property of the main house, but the position of head of household and heir could not be taken, unless the legitimate wife had no offspring.

  In fact, the three branches of the Pei family only have Pei Xianwen now without a concubine. It's not that there isn't one, but five years ago, she passed away unexpectedly and left no children. Afterwards, Pei Xianwen was too grief-stricken and decided not to take another concubine again.

  The concubines of the second and third houses usually eat at a separate table next to their wives when they are having meals. This has been the rule for a long time.

  I am not allowed to climb over the head of the legitimate wife, this is a rule set by the master of the house for the benefit of the legitimate wife.

  It sounds unbelievable when heard from outside, but many wealthy families have such an unwritten rule. Who doesn't know that it's a man's nature to keep one at home and not go out and flirt around?

  But after all, this is a matter of the older generation. Several decades ago, people's thinking was still conservative and patriarchal, and having a concubine was considered justified, but what era are we in now?

  In this family, among the grandchildren of this generation, Pei Jin Cheng is the eldest grandson. At the age of 26, he became a vegetable and got married, which was the earliest marriage, so there has been no concubine in the grandchildren's generation until now.

  Although this is not said, everyone knows that people who have lived in this house for decades are always prepared for the possibility of it happening at any time.

  Jin Yue obviously knew, otherwise he wouldn't have such a big reaction.

  Xin's heart was shaking uncontrollably, chilled to the bone.

  What was she arguing with Pei Jin Cheng about that night?

  She said he could bring Bai Su to Wutongyuan, she could let the house for them to live in, and she could even move to the backyard of Wutongyuan. She said he could have his family call Bai Su "Young Madam".

  How did she say such things at that time?

  Heaven!

  How did she say it?

  He remembered her saying at the time that she was really generous and a model of a wealthy lady.

  Xu suddenly felt that her stomach was full of air, although it was just air, but she wasn't hungry anymore. It was so full that she couldn't eat dinner.

  Is this considered self-inflicted harm?

  He must have thought what she said that night was true, so...

  Pei Jin Cheng slipped a small piece of hot pepper into Shen Xuan's private dish, "I found that you seem to like spicy food, right?"

  Xu Xuan was taken aback for a moment, then turned her head to look at Pei Jin Cheng. She hadn't expected that at this time, he would serve her dishes, but she never ate spicy food in this house because the southern weather made her feel like it was too easy to get hot and bothered, and southerners' eating habits were all inclined towards bland flavors.

  She never makes demands in this house and won't say that she wants chili peppers in her dishes, so the cook doesn't know that she eats spicy food.

  Sometimes there are some slightly spicy dishes on the table, just to adjust the flavor.

  So she's already gotten used to it, although the taste has changed a bit. Occasionally, she still can't help but eat some spicy dishes, but anything too spicy is no longer edible for her.

  How was he discovered?

  He looked at her puzzled eyes, smiled, "I found that the dishes you ordered have a bit of chili peppers, but no one in our family eats spicy food." Pei Jin Cheng looked at the cook standing behind Pei Li, "In the future, Madam usually eats dishes with some chili peppers."

  The chef's face turned red with anxiety, feeling that he had failed in his duty. He immediately replied, "Yes, young master."

  Pei Jin Cheng sat on Shen Xuan's right side, his left hand under the table holding onto Shen Xuan's left hand that wasn't holding chopsticks. He gave it a light squeeze, but it was full of meaning. "I tried this chili pepper and it's a bit spicy. If you like eating even spicier ones, I'll tell the kitchen later. You should eat what you like, right? Like Jin Yue said, even quail eggs need to be marinated in five-spice water and salt water, everyone can make requests, why don't you?"

  "I think it's all delicious."

  Pei Jin Cheng just smiled and didn't say anything else, slowly eating his favorite pancake. Shen Xuan lowered her head, her hand still in his, and she also started eating.

  Xin's heart was filled with emotions that she couldn't describe, having lived in this house for over three years without anyone noticing her eating spicy food, but her husband, who had only been awake for a few months, somehow knew, and it turned out he had been paying attention to her all along.

  But what if his family wants him to take a concubine?

  And that concubine was none other than his girlfriend of over ten years, what could she do?

  Isn't everyone who has ever dreamed of divorcing her and marrying Bai Shan? She's very law-abiding.

  Now there's no need for a divorce, the Bai family is willing to take the initiative to send their daughter over to be a concubine.

  How could she have forgotten that even marrying into the Pei family as a concubine is better than marrying into another wealthy family? This wealthy family has so many people clamoring to get in, what's wrong with being a concubine? It's not like being a concubine is worse than being someone's secret lover on the outside, there are still people who would be thrilled about that.

  But what can she do?

  The meal ended with Shen Xuan unable to hear anything.

  Pei got up, looking at Shen Xuan, "You all go to work, Ah Xuan, you come a bit later to the company, accompany Grandpa to the study to draw something. I think you still understand some calligraphy and painting."

  Wen Zhu's face lit up with joy, and she pulled Bai Shan up to pay respects to Pei Li.

  Bai Shan bowed slightly and said, "Grandfather Pei, let's go back."

  Pei Li nodded and said warmly, "Go back and rest well, let your mood get better."

  "Thank you, Grandpa Pei."

  Bai Liwei also stood up, "Old man, let's go back, keep in touch."

  "Alright, Ah Shan, send Li Wei and Wen Zhu off."

  "Ashan nodded and made a gesture of invitation beside Bái Lìwěi, 'Mr. White, Mrs. White, Miss White, let's go.'"

  Bai Liwei was refreshed and spirited, with an extraordinary energy that even made Wen Zhu excited.

  Bai Shan was a bit desolate, but the light in his eyes still had some hopeful colors.

  Xuān followed Péi Lì, the electric car was outside. Péi Lì said to Xuān, "ā Xuān, let's walk to Qīn Yuán, it's not too far, and we can exercise with Grandpa, okay?"

  "Uh-huh." Shen Xuan, wearing high heels, stood beside Pei Li, her professional attire looking stiff and formal, but her demeanor was polite and elegant. Pei Li then turned to Ah Shan beside him and said, "Ah Shan, call the Wu Tong Garden and have them bring over a pair of flat shoes for Ah Xuan. This road has many gravel paths, it won't be comfortable for Ah Xuan to walk on in those shoes."

  Xun suddenly had a bad premonition, today everyone took care of her feelings like this, first her husband, now her grandfather, each and every one of them was meticulous, what's going on?

  Give some sugar first, then... is it convenient to feed her bitter medicine?

  It must be so, otherwise why would Pei Jin Cheng treat her with such unprecedented kindness?

  Pei Li turned around and looked at Shen Xuan, who had been silent all along. As he moved the Buddhist beads in his hand, he smiled meaningfully.

  Xin Xuan didn't dare speak, fearing that one misstep in her words would land her in a precarious situation.

  The shoes were delivered quickly, Shen Xuan changed into them, Xiao Ying packed up Shen Xuan's original shoes, and Shen Xuan handed the car keys to Xiao Ying. "Xiao Ying, put the shoes in my car, I'll change into them when I go to work later."

  "Alright, young lady. Sir, I'll leave first." Xiang took the car key and bowed to Pei Li, who nodded, "Go ahead."

  Xiao Ying took Shen Xuan's shoes and got on an electric vehicle, heading to the parking lot.

  Pei Jin took a step forward, and Shen Xuan followed suit.

  She was wearing a professional suit and stockings, but on her feet were a pair of flat canvas shoes, a strange outfit, yet some people, the stranger she dressed, you would only think she had personality.

  Pei Li had one hand behind his back and the other hand holding a Buddhist rosary in front of him, strolling slowly. The summer heat wasn't so unbearable in this mansion either. Walking along the riverbank, under the shade of large trees, it was quite cool. Pei Li sighed, "Ah Xuan, look at our mansion, it's like another world. Outside, the temperature is so high that as soon as you go out, you feel like people are being steamed to death. But here, it's like a paradise on earth."

  "Uh, the water here is especially cool, walking by the river, you can't feel any heat at all."

  Pei nodded, "Yes, I'm a superstitious person, and I think water is particularly important. Water is a very spiritual thing, it has no roots but can nourish all things. Both Buddhism and Taoism have high regards for water. As a businessman, I believe in wealth, so my requirements for the water in the Huoju River are also very high."

  Pai Li's footsteps didn't stop, his gaze looked towards the mountain behind the Pai mansion. "This water, I diverted it from the mountain canal, and the water in the canal is from the snowy mountains, very good water. However, the canal belongs to the country, diverting water from there is against the law. If someone saw that water rushing down from the mountain and flowing into our Pai family's mansion, who knows what a big deal it would be? So I made connections, took an opening at the path where the canal passes through, and then spent money to build a hidden passage, so the water flows in from a place people can't see. Ah, decades have passed, now no one remembers those things."

  "Look at our Pei family's mansion, it's not just nearly twenty pavilions, but also a horse arena, an archery range, a gym, and many more... However, some things are not allowed, yet they were tacitly permitted to be built."

  Not allowed, yet tacitly permitted? Shen Xuan's heart tightened and her body trembled slightly as she had already guessed what Pei Li wanted to talk to her about. "Grandfather."

  "Ah Xun, being a daughter-in-law of the Pei family has never been an easy task..."

  Everyone, today's third update is over, see you tomorrow! Today is really early. If there's time tomorrow, 99 will make up for the other update owed from yesterday; if not, it'll be made up the day after tomorrow.