Chapter 9: Giving Someone the Cold Shoulder

By evening, Old Madam Liang was eating dinner while asking Nanny Xu.

"Were the meat swallows delivered?"

Nanny Xu replied, "They were delivered, and the Young Mistress ate them all."

Old Madam Liang assumed that since her daughter-in-law had eaten the meat swallows, her anger must have dissipated, and she began to feel smug again.

"Those meat swallows were sent to me by my eldest daughter; they’re very expensive. I let her off easy this time."

Originally, she had intended to freeze the meat swallows and save them for when her son returned.

But it was her own oversight today that had left that little wench out in the cold, so she had no choice but to take a small loss.

Nanny Xu felt ashamed, thinking to herself: The Young Mistress did eat them, but her anger clearly hasn't faded. Only the Old Madam would be so self-deluded as to think the other party has no temper.

The next day.

As expected, Madam Wu did not come to Old Madam Liang’s room.

Old Madam Liang didn't call for her, and she didn't come over, choosing instead to stay in her room and look after the child.

Old Madam Liang assumed she was sleeping in again, so she sent Nanny Xu to fetch her.

When Nanny Xu came to call her, Madam Wu followed with a cold face.

Upon arriving at Old Madam Liang’s room, Madam Wu kept her head down, her expression icy, and gave a stiff greeting: "Good morning, Mother-in-law."

As soon as Old Madam Liang heard that cold tone, she knew she was still angry.

Therefore, she wasn't as stern as usual. She gave a cough and handed her the list and the money.

"You will continue to do the shopping today. Everything on the list is in the back alley. Take Xiao Hong with you so she can carry the things."

Madam Wu gave a cold "oh," took the silver and the shopping list, and turned to leave without even sparing her a glance.

Seeing her act this way, Old Madam Liang gasped, clearly becoming angry herself.

"Who does she think she’s giving that attitude to?"

Didn't she eat the meat swallows? She even gave her the fabric, so why is she still giving her the cold shoulder?

Nanny Xu laughed, "If it were the Young Master who had his blanket ripped off and was thrown into a room to catch a draft until his back was chilled to the bone, you’d be even angrier than the Young Mistress."

Old Madam Liang clicked her tongue, refusing to admit her mistake.

"It wasn't intentional, was it? Who knew she would come back so soon?"

If Madam Wu had returned later, she might have had Nanny Xu change that little wench’s diaper.

Nanny Xu:...

With this unrepentant nature, there would be plenty more arguments in the future.

Back in her room, Madam Wu picked up the bamboo basket specially made for the baby, put a hat on the child, tucked her in, and prepared to take the baby with her to do the shopping.

Seeing this, Xiao Hong advised, "Young Mistress, the sun isn't warm today. Why don't we leave Ying-jie at home?"

It was a snowy day in the twelfth lunar month, and it was very cold.

The baby had a heated floor at home, but she would be exposed to the wind if they went out.

Madam Wu didn't want to either, but she was even more worried leaving the child at home.

She had only been out for a little while yesterday, and her daughter’s little bottom had almost turned into a frozen pear.

The shops she was going to today were quite far away. If she came back later and the child’s diaper was frozen solid, she would be furious.

Xiao Hong felt embarrassed and hurriedly said, "That won't happen. After what happened yesterday, the Old Madam must know she was wrong. How about this: we leave Ying-jie with Nanny Xu. Nanny Xu is still someone we can rely on."

Madam Wu looked down at the sleeping child, then at the cold wind outside the door, and after a moment of thought, she compromised.

"Fine. Then you take the child to Nanny Xu, and slip her some money while you're at it. Tell her she must take good care of the child, or I’ll be heartbroken."

Xiao Hong quickly agreed, "I'll go take her over now."

Madam Wu nodded and watched as she carried the child to Old Madam Liang’s courtyard.

Old Madam Liang was currently in her room selecting clothes for the New Year, opening chests with Nanny Xu.

When Xiao Hong brought the child over, she bowed to Old Madam Liang and said, "Madam, it’s cold today, so we’ll leave the child with you for now. But I see you’re busy, so I’ll let Nanny Xu hold Ying-jie."

With that, she handed the sleeping Ying-jie to Nanny Xu.

She also secretly slipped a small piece of silver to Nanny Xu.

"Nanny, I’ll leave Ying-jie to you. We’ll be back as soon as possible. In this basket are the Young Miss’s diapers and her change of clothes. It’s cold today, so please don't take her outside, and remember to close the door when you go out."

"Also, also, when the Young Miss needs to pee, her little eyebrows will wrinkle. You must watch her carefully."

The more she instructed, the more Old Madam Liang frowned.

She finally saw it.

Madam Wu didn't trust her with the child at all; she was clearly entrusting the child to Nanny Xu!

Don't think she didn't see Xiao Hong slipping money to Nanny Xu just now!

Xiao Hong finished her instructions and hurried away.

Nanny Xu held the soundly sleeping Ying-jie, and with a wry smile, placed the child on Old Madam Liang’s bed.

Seeing that the person had gone far away, Old Madam Liang slapped the table in anger.

"What does she mean by that! Huh? Was she just making veiled criticisms of me to my face? 'Don't open the door,' 'don't forget the child'—isn't she just blaming me!"

Nanny Xu advised, "Well, you did indeed forget Ying-jie yesterday."

Old Madam Liang couldn't take it and glared at her, "Isn't it your fault? Why did you have to make me eat rice cakes for no reason!"

The impression of a wicked grandmother had been firmly established.

Nanny Xu saw that she was still concerned about her image and smiled.

"It won't be. As long as you look after the child well this time, the Young Mistress will surely be grateful to you."

Old Madam Liang hummed, lifting her chin haughtily, "Who cares!"

Though she said that, she was a bit more attentive to the child this time.

She was afraid that if she didn't watch her well, that vixen would give her the cold shoulder again.

Ying-jie woke up after sleeping for a while.

As soon as she opened her eyes and found her mother missing again, she cried loudly.

They had agreed last night that she would be taken out to play, so why was she sent to her grandmother’s place again?

Old Madam Liang had been organizing her clothes, but seeing her wake up, she came over to look at her, "What are you crying for? Did you wet yourself again?"

She reached out to check the diaper.

Fortunately, the diaper wasn't wet, but she was definitely hungry.

Before leaving, Madam Wu had expressed a bowl of breast milk, which could now be warmed up in warm water for Ying-jie to drink.

Nanny Xu brought the warmed milk over to feed her, and after she was full, she patted her back.

Seeing that Nanny Xu was quite kind to her, Ying-jie smiled and played with her fingers.

Nanny Xu had lost her husband early in life and had been bullied by her in-laws, so she returned to work for Old Madam Liang, staying for over a dozen years.

She had given birth to two sons in the past, but both had died in infancy.

She had been very fond of the three children Old Madam Liang had given birth to. Now, she was just as fond of Ying-jie.

Originally, Madam Wu had wanted to leave the child with her sister-in-law, but her sister-in-law, Qing-jie, had developed bumps on her face over the past two days. The doctor said it was an allergy to something, so she was told not to touch anything else, which was why Madam Wu hadn't left the child with her.

However, with Nanny Xu there and the money she had slipped her, she should be able to rest a little easier.

But Nanny Xu wanted the child to get closer to Old Madam Liang, so she smiled and handed Ying-jie to her.

"Madam, hold her. It’s been so many years since you’ve held a baby."

Old Madam Liang pouted and hummed, "I won't."

Her mother gave me a cold look this morning, so I won't hold her.