Blossom In Adversity - Vol. 2

C389. Hua Rong's Marriage.

Chapter 389: Hua Rong's Marriage

Hua Rong returned to her room, collapsed onto her bed, and wept into the sheets. It wasn’t just about worrying over her future—it was fear, raw and unrelenting. She had always dreaded the possibility that their grandmother might use marriage as a bargaining chip to salvage the Hua family’s fortunes. And just when she’d thought she was safe from that fate, life threw her another curveball.

Her fear now wasn’t about the idea of marriage itself; it was about marrying wrong. Given the Hua family’s precarious standing, any prospective in-laws would hold all the cards, leaving her powerless to push back. And yet, she never thought her own mother would sink so low as to suggest she become a secondary wife.

Yes, technically, a secondary wife was still a legitimate wife on paper. But the reality was much darker—she would spend her entire life bowing to the memory of another woman, a deceased first wife she could never outrank. No matter what, someone would always loom above her, haunting her days. A true mother, one who truly cared for her daughter’s happiness, would rather marry her off to a less prestigious match than force her to endure this kind of humiliation. Especially since she was a daughter of the Hua family—a name that still carried some weight.

How could her birth mother, Concubine Qin, stoop so low?

How could she be so cruel?

The news traveled fast, and it wasn’t long before it reached Wu Shi. Ever the pragmatic one, she had no intention of letting such distractions unsettle Zhi’er’s focus. Reputation be damned—she poured all her energy into managing the affairs of the inner courtyard. She knew of the matter, of course, but dealing with it required a delicate touch. After all, Qin Shi belonged to the main branch, and while the eldest sister might not concern herself with the details, someone had to protect the family’s face.

“Is the eldest miss still in the front yard?” Wu Shi asked, her tone calm but pensive.

“Yes, Madam,” a servant confirmed.

Wu Shi tapped her fingers against the table thoughtfully. “If I recall correctly, didn’t a maid from Qin Shi’s maternal family visit her a few days ago?”

Song Mama entered the room with a steaming pot of tea, setting it down gently. “Yes, Madam,” she replied. “It was four or five days ago. She claimed to be from Qin Shi’s family.”

Qin Family?

Wu Shi sipped her tea slowly, her mind running through the implications. If things were indeed as they seemed, Zhi’er needed to be informed. The Qin family, though barely in touch with the Hua family in recent years, had still paid their respects at the old lady’s funeral. It was a distant relationship, true, especially since Qin Shi’s maternal ties with the Qin family were tenuous at best. But if the Qin family was pulling the strings behind this mess...

The thought made her restless. Without hesitation, she locked the account book securely in its box and stepped out.

Hua Zhi, meanwhile, was poring over the autumn report, carefully tallying the dispatched goods and the expenses incurred. When she saw Wu Shi approach, she waved her hand, signaling her to speak. "What brings you here, Fourth Aunt?"

Wu Shi wasn’t surprised to see Hua Ling lingering nearby, attending to the eldest miss. "I need a word with you," she said, keeping her tone measured.

Hua Ling rose from her seat with a quick bow. "Eldest Sister, I’ll go check on the storeroom."

As the younger girl left, Wu Shi’s lips curved into a knowing smile. "Training a little helper, are we?"