Zhong Xiuxiu personally delivered Zhong Huimin, mother and child were safe.

Madam Zhong was very happy, and gave her a set of exquisite jewelry, even asking about her marriage prospects.

"Fifth Girl, you have come of age, have you thought about what kind of family you want to marry into?"

"Mother..."

Zhong Xiuxiu felt a bit troubled, would she never escape a fate controlled by others?

Since ancient times, marriage decreed by parents and matchmakers, how could a concubine like her have any say?

"Don’t worry, I’m just talking with you." Madam Zhong gently held her hand and said, "A woman’s life, being born is one chance, marriage is another rebirth; you must choose a good family to marry into, so life will be comfortable."

"Mother knows you are a good child, also smart." Madam Zhong stated, "A blessed girl won’t enter an unblessed family, ordinary men aren’t worthy of our Fifth Girl."

"Think carefully, what kind of family you want, or if there is someone you fancy, tell mother, and she will help you assess, and then we’ll marry you off with great pomp."

"Mother..."

These words made Zhong Xiuxiu truly feel motherly love.

Honestly, how many legitimate mothers would treat a concubine daughter this way?

"I have talked to your father, we’ll choose an auspicious date to officially record you under my name."

"Xiuxiu thanks mother very much."

Madam Zhong had two sons and two daughters, truly having both sons and daughters.

Moreover, the sons were outstanding, the daughters beautiful, the eldest legitimate daughter married into the Minister’s Mansion, and the sixth child was also well groomed.

She did not lack daughters, yet eagerly officially recognized a concubine daughter, surely she saw something in her.

Zhong Xiuxiu understood, there’s no love without reason in the world.

The favor and importance shown by the head of the family were due to something she valued about her, and also with utility in mind.

So what?

Isn’t social interaction often based on mutual utility?

Only one’s biological mother would be genuinely kind to you.

If you had no utility to her, why should she care about someone who isn’t useful to her?

This is human nature, this is reality, and this is very normal.

Zhong Xiuxiu calmly accepted Madam Zhong’s kindness.

After all, often utility is mutual as well.

Being recorded under Madam Zhong, outwardly her identity could change to that of a legitimate daughter, in this era of clear distinctions in hierarchy between legitimate and concubine, having a good identity would make the path forward steadier.

Moreover, being recorded under Madam Zhong, she would be more invested in her marriage arrangements.

Who would want a daughter under their name to get married poorly? It would be a slap to one’s own face.

Mrs. Gu was also happy for Zhong Xiuxiu to be recognized under the Madam’s name.

"Aunt, aren’t you afraid that I won’t acknowledge you?"

Zhong Xiuxiu thought her aunt was truly simple-minded.

"Silly child, I know my own child, how can I not understand their nature?" Mrs. Gu gently brushed her daughter’s hair, "You are stronger than Aunt; you found a path for yourself in this difficult back house."

"Aunt always prays to Bodhisattva: I have no great capabilities, my greatest achievement is giving birth to you; my greatest wish is for you to live better than me." Mrs. Gu smiled contentedly, "Now the Bodhisattva has blessed us, you’re truly living better than me, being recorded under the Madam, you must honor and respect her..."

See, that’s her Aunt.

Truly better than Fourth Sister’s Aunt by a thousandfold.

The same as an aunt, what did her aunt teach her own daughter?

When things went wrong, she selfishly pushed her biological daughter to take the fall, retreating herself.

Thinking of Fourth Sister’s fate, marrying far away to a shopkeeper’s son, Zhong Xiuxiu sighed deeply.

So, aunts are different.

"Aunt, I remember everything."

Zhong Xiuxiu gazed at Mrs. Gu’s increasingly vibrant face and smiled slightly, "Aunt should still be careful, don’t indulge too much in eating, it’s said that an aging body shouldn’t be too fat." 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"You child, teasing your aunt now." Mrs. Gu smiled awkwardly, "Lately, I’ve been indulgent in eating and sleeping as if never having enough..."

"Aunt, let me take your pulse."

After checking, Zhong Xiuxiu found it amusing.

"Aunt, am I really your child?"

"Of course, ten months of hard pregnancy and childbirth, what, you think I swapped a kid elsewhere?" Mrs. Gu looked at her capable daughter, "If I had such skills, wouldn’t that be something, do you think everyone in Zhong Mansion is deaf and blind?"

"But talking about it, sometimes even I question if I’m truly this lucky to have given birth to such a smart daughter."

"You’ve experienced childbirth, didn’t you know you were pregnant?"

What?

Mrs. Gu herself couldn’t believe it when she learned she was pregnant.

"I entered the mansion at sixteen, was pregnant at nineteen, gave birth to you at twenty, and now I’m thirty-six, how could...?"

Mrs. Gu found it hard to believe due to the Master’s rare visits to her chambers.

Since later aunts came, she practically hadn’t served the Master.

A couple of months ago, the Master suddenly came to her courtyard, that night felt like a dream, a bit unfamiliar, after that the Master came a few more times, hearing her daughter, she felt more dreamlike.

Last year, a new aunt, at sixteen, like a tender flower, was greatly favored by the Master.

Except for the first and fifteenth which were obligatory in the Madam’s courtyard, most times were spent in that new aunt’s courtyard like a flower.

The few in the rear courtyard were filled with envy and jealousy, and they whispered that another young master or miss might be added to the family, who knew, nothing happened to her, it was her instead.

"Absolutely true, already nearly two months pregnant."

Zhong Xiuxiu felt a bit guilty, she was a bit negligent not to notice her aunt’s changes.

If something were to happen, wouldn’t it be a matter of great regret?

"Aunt, the servants around you are not attentive."

Zhong Xiuxiu was displeased with the maids and servants; her aunt had no change of service, they didn’t even remind her.

"Nanny Chen is old, her legs are often inconvenient, so I haven’t allowed her to serve closely." Aunt Gu was very considerate, "Ling’er is still a maid herself, how would she understand this, don’t blame them, Five Miss, it’s I who wasn’t attentive."

Mrs. Gu worried whether the Madam would like to see another concubine son arising in the house?

Yes, no matter how good-natured the head of the family is, she would not be pleased to see a concubine son competing with her legitimate son for favor and inheritance.

Concubine daughters don’t matter, raising another girl in a large family doesn’t matter, growing up she could be married off with a dowry to strengthen the family.

Just like the Third Miss, directly sent to marry Lord Lin, ensuring the safety of the whole family?

Though always in the inner chambers, Mrs. Gu fully understood these matters.

"Aunt thinks it’s a brother?"

Detecting her aunt’s anxiety, Zhong Xiuxiu gently asked.

"Aunt doesn’t know, Aunt is just worried..."