青春期撞上更年期第1部

His words sounded unimaginably queer, but Wen Xichi said them matter-of-factly without hesitation: he must be earnest about it.

The Huaguang Temple’s abbot knitted his long eyebrows. “If there is the previous life, which one do you think is better: the previous life or this life?”

Wen Xichi pursed his lips. In his last life, he died of illness on the bed, and in this life, he had a successful life. In this respect, this life was certainly better. But in this life, why did he barely have any connections with the desire of his heart? In his previous life, he was unable to protect her, but in this life, he could do it.

However, it was too late for him to realize the truth. All of a sudden, his heart ached as if being stabbed.

“Master, there are sufferings in my previous life and distress in this life. It’s really difficult to tell which one is better!” Wen Xichi said with a bitter smile.

Which one did he prefer? With all kinds of feelings welling up in his heart, he couldn’t come up with an answer.

In silence, the Huaguang Temple’s abbot studied him for a long time. Finally, he opened his mouth. “Third Young Master Wen, you’ve been misled by externals!”

Wen Xichi touched his head and said with a wry smile, “I lost my way among superficial things. Master, what should I do?”

“The last life has passed; you can never get it back. In this life, your favorable fate makes your regrets less regretful!” The Huaguang Temple’s abbot said with a chuckle.

Like a wake-up call, his words jolted Wen Xichi’s heart wide awake, and he came to a sudden realization. He stood up, bowed deeply to the Huaguang Temple’s abbot, and said, “Many thanks, Master!”

“This is the answer in your heart. You don’t have to thank me!” The Huaguang Temple’s abbot also got up. His face creased into a smile.

Wen Xichi shook his head and soon nodded. Then he said goodbye to the abbot.

The Huaguang Temple’s abbot sent him to the Zen room’s door, bidding farewell to him with a cupped-hand salute.

In return, Wen Xichi turned around and bowed again. He turned around and walked out of the Zen room. His servant had been waiting outside. When he saw Wen Xichi coming out, he hurriedly kept up with him.

Outside the gate in the mountain, Wen Xichi got in the carriage and went all the way down the mountain. He sat in it and bowed his head with his eyes looking down. In his servant’s eyes, though his master appeared as calm as he had been when they went up the mountain, he looked slightly different. His master looked much more energetic, as if he had put down something heavy in his heart. Seeing his master no longer in low spirits, the servant breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.

Upon arriving at the Mansion of the Prime Minister, he got out of the carriage. Then, he saw a young male servant running over and handing over a letter. When Third Young Master Wen took it and looked at it, he couldn’t help showing a hint of joy on his face. Then, waving the letter in his hand, he said. “Reply to the letter for me and say I will be there tomorrow!”

“Yes, I’ll deliver the message!” the servant said and left.

“Third Cousin!” An affectedly sweet voice came from the corridor on one side. Wen Xichi frowned darkly and looked up, his eyes on Gu Xishu. She ran over from a few steps away, her hands lifting the edge of her skirt.

“Third Cousin, I’ve been looking for you for a long time. Why did you come back so late?” Gu Xishu was a little breathless because of running, and her large and round breasts looked more and more inviting. She reached out to pull Wen Xichi’s sleeve.

Wen Xichi took a step back and avoided her hand, reproaching bluntly. “Watch out! We have grown up, not children anymore. We should keep a certain distance!

“I…” Gu Xishu’s eyes turned red. “In my heart, we can always be as close as when we were children. We can play and talk together!”

“But we’re grown-ups now!” Wen Xichi, unmoved, looked at Gu Xishu and said.

“We have grown up, but so what? Aren’t we dear cousins?” Gu Xishu said, seemingly a little annoyed. Once again, she was about to pull Wen Xichi’s sleeve.

Wen Xichi took another step back and said, “If you have nothing serious to say, go back now!”

After saying that, he ignored Gu Xishu, turned around, and strode inside. Gu Xishu was left behind and gazed pitifully after his receding figure.

After taking a few steps, Wen Xichi turned at an intersection and happened to meet her second brother, Wen Shian. They almost bumped into each other.

They both took a step back before regaining their balance.

“Third Brother, where did you come from? Why are you in such a hurry?” Wen Shian looked at Wen Xichi and asked with a smile, but his smile seemed a bit far-fetched.

However, he reacted very quickly. Just after he forced a smile, it looked a little unreal, but in a short time, he managed to smile sincerely.

“I came back from the Huaguang Temple. Is there something urgent outside for you to deal with?” Wen Xichi stepped aside and let Wen Shian go first.

“I’m in no particular hurry. I have something to tell my cousin. Just now, I saw her, but why can’t I find her in the blink of an eye?” Wen Shian said with a trace of gloom across his eyes. Actually, he had seen Gu Xishu talking to Wen Xichi.

Gu Xishu would be with him, and Wen Xichi knew it. However, he deliberately got so close to her with no intention of avoiding arousing suspicion. In this case, how could Wen Shian smile genuinely? He was enraged by Wen Xichi’s conduct.

However, Wen Xichi, his younger brother, had always been doted on by his parents. If he argued with him about that, his beloved cousin might marry Wen Xichi instead. How could Wen Shian accept that?

His marriage with Gu Xishu should have been placed on the agenda. To his dismay, she told him that Wen Xichi went to fawn over his father and tried every means to show that only he was a good match for her. At the thought of this, Wen Shian wanted Wen Xichi dead.

When he was a child, Wen Xichi competed with him for toys. And now, he even wanted to take away the woman he loved the most. Everyone in the mansion knew that Gu Xishu was his favorite. How could Wen Xichi shamelessly covet his woman?

“She was at the gate just now, but I don’t know if she is still there. You can go and look for her!” Wen Xichi said with a smile.

“Okay. Then, I’ll go first. I’ll talk to you when I’m free!” Wen Shian nodded, smiled friendly, and walked to the door.

Wen Xichi continued to go inside with the same peaceable smile, but there was a trace of deepness in his eyes.

“Wen Shian, Gu Xishu, I won’t let you off…”

This life was different from the previous one, but he wouldn’t leave any regrets behind…

“What? She invited me over?” Wei Dahai was stunned and asked the servant in sheer astonishment.

“Yes. Madam Dong asked you to go there tomorrow, saying that the matter of Butterfly Clothing Shop must be settled!” The servant nodded and said.

Wei Dahai turned to his wife, Madam Ouyang, who was sitting next to him, and asked in confusion, “What… what is she up to?”

He knew Lady Ming pretty well. So, was it possible that she gave in at this time? It didn’t seem like what she would do. Even when she was pregnant, she chose to leave him. At present, she hadn’t yet come to a dead end. Then, how could she bow down to him? This invitation came as a total surprise to them.

“My Lord, go and have a look tomorrow. Since she is bold enough to send out the invitation, I dare to take my people to make trouble. As your mistress, where does her property come from? It all belongs to you!” Madam Ouyang sneered, put the teacup on the table, and squinted at Wei Dahai. “But I don’t know if you are willing to do that!”

Wei Dahai shook his hand and said indifferently, “Don’t you know what I’m thinking? We’ve been husband and wife with one heart and one mind for many years. How could I worry about her? Besides, she just gave birth to a daughter. Do I lack a daughter?”

“Are you sure of it? I heard you had been missing this old lover for many years!” Madam Ouyang said with sarcasm.

Wei Dahai reached out and held her hand to comfort her. “Dear, I’ve treated you well for so many years. Don’t tell me you don’t know what I’ve done for you. We can gain a better future if we are of the same mind. At this critical point, I won’t make a mistake. I know there is a saying that an ant may well destroy a whole dam.”

Hearing what he said, Madam Ouyang snorted, and her face softened. “It’s best that you think so. Keep our plan in mind. In the future, you’ll reach the highest rank possible. You’re of great talent but only a fourth-rank official. It’s unfair!”

As he heard all of this, Wei Dahai felt very depressed and sighed heavily before putting down Madam Ouyang’s hand. Indeed, it was the most unpleasant thing in his heart. He thought he was endowed with extraordinary talents. In his mind, because no powerful officials in the imperial court backed him up, he accomplished nothing. Without his father-in-law’s help, he couldn’t have become a fourth-rank official and might have fallen into a more disgraceful situation.

It was a pity that Madam Ouyang’s father had passed away early. Afterward, there was no one in the court supporting him.

Later on, since he got in touch with Nanny Wei, he had expected to make rapid advances in his official career. However, he merely made a tiny process and turned from a fourth-rank official with no power to a fourth-rank official with real power. His official ranking didn’t rise at all. Thinking of this, Wei Dahai was full of complaints about Nanny Wei.

Nanny Wei was said to be a favorite with the Empress Dowager, but she couldn’t even help her nephew.

...

“My Lord, calm down. We have opportunities, right? And there is one chance right before us. Everything was fine at first, but because of what happened to Qiuyi…” Madam Ouyang sighed, waved her hand with a headache, and said to the servant who delivered the message, “Tell her that His Lord will go there tomorrow!”

At the mention of Mo Qiuyi, Wei Dahai felt quite frustrated. Initially, she was supposed to be Commandery Prince Qing’s wife, but now her future became uncertain because the princess from the Xu State would marry Commandery Prince Qing. Mo Qiuyi was determined to be Commandery Prince Qing’s legal wife for a bright future. Once her husband ascended to the throne, she would be the empress. How could she give away the position as Commandery Prince Qing’s legal wife?

However, her opponent was a Xu State princess who came here to get married. How could Mo Qiuyi compete with a princess with a much higher status? Even if Commandery Prince Qing’s mother went all out to fight for Qiuyi, she wouldn’t make it. Moreover, according to the news from the Commandery Prince Qing’s Mansion, Consort Dowager Qing seemed satisfied with Princess Yuyan and had no objection to this marriage.

Well, she didn’t oppose it, but Wei’s Mansion strongly disapproved of this arrangement. They had plotted for so long and put in a lot of effort. If they gained nothing, how could they take this lying down?

As such, Madam Dong’s shop became a crucial thing. Even if he and Nanny Wei had suffered because of it, he didn’t intend to give up the shop. At present, money was the most important thing, and he was determined to get the Butterfly Clothing Shop.

“Okay, I’ll meet her there tomorrow. Join me at the right time.” When the servant withdrew, Wei Dahai said through gritted teeth. At this time, he couldn’t be defeated. “Let’s think everything over and take down the Butterfly Clothing Shop in one fell swoop!”