Xiao Cao motioned for the others to step aside and sat down by the bed. She picked up the medicine and spooned it slowly to cool it down before offering it to Second Aunt. Her tone was indifferent, and her words weren’t exactly kind. “Second Aunt, do you really not want to live?” she asked. “If you die, sure, you might spite Second Uncle. Perhaps damaging his reputation could be a form of revenge. But Second Uncle’s reputation aside, the Wenren family is still prominent, and there are plenty of families willing to send their daughters to be his second wife. What about Tenth Sister? She’s still young, at an age where she needs her mother’s care. If she’s unlucky and a malicious stepmother arrives, who knows what might happen behind closed doors? Even if she tries to complain to Grandmother or Aunt, could a child outwit an adult? And if the stepmother is good at pretending, Tenth Sister’s reputation could be ruined before her life even begins.

If you die, your dowry won’t be sent back to your family. Are you certain the new wife won’t be tempted by it? Living in your house, disciplining your child, and scheming for your dowry—Second Aunt, would you really rest in peace?”

Xiao Cao spoke slowly. Her words left some onlookers stunned, and Du Shi began to grow agitated.

But Xiao Cao didn’t seem to notice and continued, purposefully provoking her further. “My mother told me that Seventh Sister is due to marry in August next year. Fifth Sister’s marriage will naturally happen before that, but if you die now, wouldn’t Fifth Sister have to mourn for three years, delaying her marriage? Even if the man continues to stay engaged out of ‘honor’, by the time Fifth Sister is married off, how many children might already be in that household? It could be said that delaying the marriage compromised them, and what more natural reason is there for him to sire more heirs?

If he’s less ‘honorable’, he might simply break off the engagement. By the time Fifth Sister completes her mourning, would you still expect to find her another good husband?

Also, men in their sixties can still father children. Are you certain that, in the next twenty years, Second Uncle won’t father a legitimate heir? So what will your death achieve in terms of revenge? It’s not you who’s in the wrong—Second Uncle is. You would die; your daughters would suffer. Meanwhile, Second Uncle will be living happily with a young wife and children. Calculate the cost, and tell me, is it really worth it?”

Seeing how agitated Du Shi had become—her face flushed with anger and resentment, practically oozing a desire to live—Xiao Cao offered her the medicine. This time, Du Shi drank it without hesitation.

As Xiao Cao continued to feed her the medicine, she spoke again, “In my opinion, women who use their lives to take revenge on those who’ve wronged them or hurt them are the most foolish. If you die, what about those enduring truly hopeless situations with no way out? Shouldn’t they have already all died? The best revenge is to live a good, carefree life, to make those who hurt you ache with regret, to never let them have what they want.

Sit firmly in your rightful position as the Madam. Once your health is restored, Second Uncle will barely bother with you, and you can enjoy a leisurely life. Invite some friends over, play cards, admire the flowers, sip tea. Now, doesn’t that sound like a better plan?”

The onlookers around Xiao Cao began viewing her differently. Although she had just returned, they had a deep impression of her. She came across as mild-mannered and likable to those who didn’t look at her with prejudice. But now, after hearing her words, it was clear that, while her tone was gentle, her logic was sharp and even a bit rebellious. Still, any woman who wasn’t deeply conditioned by traditional norms would likely find her arguments quite agreeable.

Just look at Wenren Xi—she was practically gazing at Xiao Cao with stars in her eyes.

Once Du Shi finished drinking the medicine, her agitation gradually subsided. Xiao Cao took a handkerchief from one of the maids and gently wiped Du Shi’s mouth, smiling as she spoke. “Second Aunt, those who care about you are far more than those who hurt you. So why let those few drag you down, making life difficult for yourself and others? Is it really worth it? Frankly, what is Second Uncle to you besides a husband and a father to your children? If he doesn’t even fulfill his duties as a husband and father, what significance is there in holding onto those titles? They’re just empty words.

The fact that you didn’t give birth to a son is not your fault—it’s the man’s genes that determine that. If fate hasn’t given you a son, it’s not something you have any control over. So why blame yourself and fall into despair?

Straighten your back when others criticize you, face them without fear. Because you’re not in the wrong.

Since you didn’t do anything wrong, you can hold your head high and face anyone with confidence.”

Understanding flooded Du Shi’s heart as tears began to fall again. She gripped Xiao Cao’s hand tightly, sobbing, “Fourth Girl, all these years, you’re the only one who believes I’m not in the wrong.” Du Shi had endured so much hardship, so many grievances, without anyone truly knowing. Even if someone comforted her, it always came with an implicit blame—always implying it was her fault for not being strong enough. No one, not once, had ever outright told her that she wasn’t at fault. Never!

In that moment, Xiao Cao’s words opened the floodgates of grief she had kept bottled up for so long.

“It’s not just me who believes it. The fact is, Second Aunt, you were never at fault.”

Wenren Xi, with tears in her eyes, wanted to comfort her mother, but Xiao Cao waved her hand, gesturing for her not to worry. A good cry was healthy. Afterward, Du Shi would heal both emotionally and physically.

Du Shi cried for a long time. Eventually, she calmed down, exhausted from all the emotions, aided by the soothing medicine Xiao Cao had administered. This time, when she slept, she was peaceful, without the usual wrinkles of worry between her brows.

Convincing Du Shi to abandon her death wish hadn’t been particularly difficult. Anyone could have done it. Simply laying out the situation with her daughters would have kept her hanging on. Her earlier suicidal thoughts were merely the product of overwhelming, bitter hatred that clouded her judgment. But helping her to truly live again—this was the hard part, because without resolving the knots in her heart, true peace and happiness weren’t possible. For Xiao Cao, though, it was easy to address: Three simple words—“You weren’t wrong.”

Words that no one else thought, much less dared, to say, were the most obvious truth to Xiao Cao.

Xiao Cao prescribed more medicine. Since Du Shi had lost the baby, she needed treatment to cleanse her body and quickly recover. Her health had always been poor, and conceiving had been nothing short of a miracle. While losing the baby was no surprise, it had driven her health to an even worse state. Xiao Cao’s goal was to minimize the damage and help her heal.

She carefully collected the silver needles that Du Shi had thrown to the ground; she would need to disinfect them later.

Wenren Xi had always been keenly aware of her mother’s suffering. She could sense the subtle but undeniable changes in her now, despite her bitterness toward society. Wenren Xi was tough and rarely succumbed to sorrow. But today, she had cried a lot. Unable to stop her tears, although now they flowed with relief and joy, she clung to Xiao Cao’s hand in gratitude, almost as if she wished to place her on a pedestal and worship her.