Chapter 287 Lu Ji is here

Glancing at Juxian's shy look, Qin Xiaoning said slowly, "There's nothing wrong with liking someone. Young Master Zhao has a kind personality and is a trustworthy person. You two grew up together as childhood sweethearts, so it's normal for you to have feelings for him."

These words touched Juxian's heart. She looked depressed and couldn't help complaining to Qin Xiaoning, "I do like you, but he doesn't have any interest in me."

After a pause, she couldn't help but blushing, and looked up at Qin Xiaoning: "Madam, I know you are a good person, and I also know that the young master likes you. Now that I see the young master suffering, I have also figured it out. I shouldn't be stuck between you two."

Qin Xiaoning laughed: "What do you mean? Although your young master likes me, I don't have any romantic feelings for him. How come you are stuck between us?"

"Aju." She called Juxian's name affectionately, and then analyzed with her: "You can't force feelings. I don't like him, I just don't like him. But if you have determined your heart, you should fight for it bravely."

"But I don't know how to fight for it." Juxian wiped away her tears: "He has decided on you. He told me personally that he doesn't like anyone else except you."

Qin Xiaoning said: "Although his feelings for me are strong, I have no interest in him. As time goes by, his feelings will fade sooner or later. If you really like him, just treat him well. Sooner or later, he will know who is truly worthy of his love."

Seeing that Juxian's originally sad face had eased, Qin Xiaoning continued, "It's just that even if you treat him well, you must have your own principles and bottom line. Just like today, in order to please him, you didn't hesitate to endure the grievances and beg me to see him."

Before Qin Xiaoning could finish, Juxian interrupted and said, "I'm not trying to please him, I just can't bear to see him suffer like this."

"You can't let yourself down." Qin Xiaoning said, "You have no principles and bottom line. He will think your feelings are cheap and can be hurt at will, and he won't cherish them."

Juxian pondered Qin Xiaoning's words seriously. She sighed slightly and said, "I also know this truth, but I just can't help myself."

"Then change yourself." Qin Xiaoning advised: "You must learn to love yourself first, then you can love others better. It's not worth it to sacrifice yourself for a man."

Because she herself had once been trapped in love, Qin Xiaoning could better understand Juxian's distress. After enthusiastically counseling her, Qin Xiaoning returned home.

Passing by the alley, she bought a copy of the official newspaper as usual.

It would be a lie to say that I don't miss Lu Ji. He is now the regent and I often see news about him in the palace bulletin.

For example, the Regent is about to marry a daughter of Wang from Langya.

Their wedding date is this autumn. Now that autumn is almost here, the news will be announced sooner or later.

Qin Xiaoning took the court bulletin in his hand and read it over and over again. Like the previous ones, it was all about the Regent's reform measures, and there was not a single item about his personal marriage.

Maybe I have to wait until the wedding date is closer before I can write it down.

After all, the Wang family of Langya is a prestigious family with a history of hundreds of years. The marriage of a daughter of the Wang family to the regent is such a major event that it is bound to be announced to the world.

After a few days of renovation, the dim sum shop in which Qin Xiaoning invested as a shareholder of Madam Wei was already open for business. Songzhi went to the shop to busy herself. When Qin Xiaoning returned to the house, Sister Wang, who she had sent out early in the morning to find a wet nurse for her child, had just returned.

Sister Wang brought back two women. When she learned that Qin Xiaoning had returned, she placed the people she brought back in the outer courtyard and walked into the house to explain the situation to Qin Xiaoning. "I walked around West Street for half a day and found a woman according to my wife's instructions. This woman had just given birth to a child a month ago, but the child died due to congenital deficiency. This woman wanted to be a wet nurse while her milk supply was good, but she couldn't sell the death contract."

She paused, then continued, "But there was another woman who heard that I was looking for a wet nurse, and she cried and begged me to let her come to see you, saying that she could sell herself for no money."

Qin Xiaoning was puzzled when she heard this: "How can there be such a thing? How can you sell your body without money?"

Sister Wang said ramblingly, "That woman has a secret. She is pregnant and is already five or six months pregnant. Her husband ran away with his mistress. She is all alone and helpless, so she has no choice but to sell her body."

As he spoke, he sighed again, "She is pregnant. Even if the rich families want to sell their servants, they don't want to buy someone like her. When she learned that you were looking for a wet nurse, she begged me to bring her here. She promised that after your baby is born, she will focus on breastfeeding your child. Her own child can drink rice soup."

Qin Xiaoning also had no one to rely on. Because she had learned skills in the mansion, she could live a decent life with those skills even if she was released. A woman like this who had no skills would naturally have no way to survive after being abandoned by a man.

After hearing about the woman's experience, Qin Xiaoning was even more grateful for her foresight when she was in the mansion.

Once she has learned real skills, she will never have to worry about making a living.

"Bring her in, I'll take a look." Qin Xiaoning said, "If she's a good person, let her stay. She's pregnant, and I can't bear to watch her die."

Sister Wang echoed, "I had already inquired before bringing her here. This woman is a good person. Otherwise, I wouldn't have rashly brought her back just because I felt sorry for her."

Qin Xiaoning knew that what Sister Wang said was reliable, so she said, "Since you have already found out about her background, you can keep her here. When she gives birth to a child in the future, she can keep my child company."

"That's fine." Sister Wang said, "Then I'll keep this woman and send that one away."

"Why not just leave them both here?" Qin Xiaoning said, "Since she is pregnant, it would be bad to let her child only eat rice soup in the future. Why not leave two wet nurses here? Then we don't have to worry about the children not having enough milk in the future."

Sister Wang took the order and left. After a while, she brought the two of them to see Qin Xiaoning. The pregnant woman's surname was Gu. When she heard that she was taken in, she was extremely grateful to Qin Xiaoning. She wiped her tears aggrievedly and said that Qin Xiaoning was the savior of them and their child.

Glancing at the thin woman, Qin Xiaoning consoled her: "Since your husband has cruelly abandoned you, don't give up on yourself. Just give birth to the baby with me."

Speaking of her cruel husband, Mrs. Gu gritted her teeth and said, "I won't miss him. Now, I only live for my children."

"Take care of yourself first." Qin Xiaoning said, "Only when you are well can your child be well."

He also ordered Sister Wang to settle the two of them. Mrs. Gu followed Sister Wang with gratitude. After a while, Hong'er and Qing'er came over to report that dinner was ready.

Qin Xiaoning glanced at the sun that was about to set and said, "Put it up first. We'll use it when the pine branches come back."

Just as he finished speaking, he heard a scream from Brother Li who was guarding the gate outside. Qin Xiaoning was about to order someone to go and see, when he saw a tall figure striding in from the outer courtyard.

"Lu Ji——" Qin Xiaoning exclaimed.