Chapter Eighty-five: Lovely Wife and Beautiful Concubine (Part Two)

Ruoruo protested, “Then why does everyone else have concubines? I want one too!”
Tao Ming couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time.

As the noise outside gradually subsided, Tao Ming coaxed the two little ones to wash up, hesitating over whether or not to go out and have a look. The thought of her father sleeping in Lady Doukou’s room made her dread running into them and sparking unnecessary awkwardness.

While she was still uncertain, she heard Tao Sisi’s voice from outside, “Mingming, are you awake? Would you like something to eat?”

Tao Ming had no choice but to get up and go out, with Su Nanxing carrying the two little ones behind her.

Tao Sisi was clearly done pretending to be ill, standing at the door full of energy. When she saw Tao Ming come out, her eyes sparkled with excitement, “Mingming, you should have seen it! You have no idea how amazing your mother was! The blaze was truly spectacular, the flames shot straight up to the sky! Then I stepped forward, waved my hand, and, with torrents of water pouring down, I put it out in an instant!”

Looking at Tao Sisi’s beaming, triumphant face, Tao Ming replied in agreement, “What a pity I didn’t get to witness Mother’s heroic moment.”

Tao Sisi took Tao Ming by the arm, pulling her toward the main hall as she spoke, “You must be hungry by now, come eat something.”

Tao Ming could only follow her into the main room. Inside, she saw a large round table set in the center, covered with all kinds of dishes, both meat and vegetable.

Qin Siyu was already seated, with Doukou standing behind him. There was no sign of Dingxiang or Qingdai.

When he saw Tao Sisi come in, Qin Siyu invited her to sit beside him.

Ruoruo cheered, wriggled out of Su Nanxing’s arms, scrambled up onto a chair, and sat waiting eagerly for her meal.

Tao Ming smiled and sat down to Ruoruo’s right. Su Nanxing placed Nuonuo on the chair to Ruoruo’s left and sat beside her.

Once everyone was seated, Qin Siyu spoke, “Let’s eat.”

After the meal, Doukou cleared the dishes. Qin Siyu told her, “I’ll wait for you in our room,” and then left.

Tao Ming told Su Nanxing to take the two little ones back first, then pulled Tao Sisi into the bedroom.

Tao Sisi looked confused, “Mingming, do you need something?”

Tao Ming didn’t quite know how to broach the subject. After a moment, she asked, “Why don’t I see Aunt Dingxiang and Aunt Qingdai?”

Tao Sisi grinned, “That’s what you wanted to ask? The two of them have married, of course they’re with their own husbands at night!”

“So, Aunt Doukou didn’t get married?”

Tao Sisi kept grinning, “She’s become your father’s concubine.”

Tao Ming thought to herself, is her mother just incredibly broad-minded, or what?

She probed, “Mother, Aunt Doukou became Father’s concubine—doesn’t that bother you?”

Tao Sisi’s confusion deepened, “Bother me? Why?”

Tao Ming was at a loss for words. Bother you? Your own husband is spending the night with another woman, and you ask why that should bother you?

Finally, Tao Sisi seemed to catch on and laughed, “It’s perfectly normal for men in Weishui to take several concubines. Your father only has Doukou, after all.”

Tao Ming was exasperated. Only one? And you say it as if it’s nothing?

If Su Nanxing so much as entertained the idea of taking a concubine, she’d break all five of his legs!

She thought for a moment and asked, “Mother, Father is sharing a bed with Aunt Doukou. Don’t you get lonely sleeping by yourself?”

Tao Sisi frowned and thought it over, “Sometimes it does get a little lonely, but your father spends most nights with me anyway.”

Tao Ming wanted to pry open her mother’s head to see what exactly was inside—it was like they weren’t even living in the same reality!

She sighed, “Looks like I was worrying for nothing.”

Tao Sisi patted Tao Ming’s hand gently, “I know what you’re worried about. Doukou has served me for so many years, and she has feelings for your father. I’m happy for her, honestly. It’s much better than bringing in some stranger from outside.”

Tao Ming opened her mouth but finally just said, “As long as you’re happy, Mother.”

Tao Sisi laughed, “I was a bit upset at first, but then I realized that if I ever have a fight with your father and really don’t want to sleep with him, I can just send him off to Doukou and feel much better.”

Tao Ming admitted defeat. Her mother’s way of thinking really was unique!

But hadn’t her parents seemed to get along fine during the day? Did they argue after all? She asked, “So did you and Father have a fight today?”

Tao Sisi shook her head, “No, but tonight is just his turn to be in Doukou’s room.”

Tao Ming wanted to say more, but Tao Sisi stopped her, “Mingming, if you and Nanxing ever have a fight and you don’t want to sleep with him, you can do the same!”

Tao Ming ground her teeth and said fiercely, “He can sleep on the floor!”

Tao Sisi was shocked, “How can you let your own husband sleep on the floor? If word got out, you’d be punished!”

Tao Ming snorted, “If he doesn’t say anything and neither do I, who will know?”

Tao Sisi patted Tao Ming’s hand again, “If Nanxing ever does want to take a concubine, you must be generous about it.”

Tao Ming felt utterly powerless. She replied earnestly, “Mother, I just worry about you. As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters.”

They chatted a while longer about this and that, and then Tao Ming took her leave and returned to her own room.

Su Nanxing was playing with the two little ones, his face a chaotic canvas of colorful scribbles. When Ruoruo saw Tao Ming come in, she called out, “Mommy, I’m putting makeup on Daddy! Isn’t he pretty?”

Tao Ming looked at the mess on Su Nanxing’s face and her mood lifted. She smiled, “Very pretty, you did a great job.”

Ruoruo puffed up with pride and beckoned her mother over, “Come on, Mommy, let me paint yours too!”

Well, she’d dug her own pit and now she had to jump in! Tao Ming cheerfully sat down on the bed, letting the two little ones scribble all over her face.

When they tired of painting, they moved on to playing house. Tao Ming and Su Nanxing exchanged a look and went to wash their faces together.

Afterward, the two sat by the bed, watching the little ones play. Su Nanxing whispered, “Did you ask your mother about Doukou?”

Tao Ming looked troubled, “Can you figure out what she’s thinking? My father took Doukou as a concubine and she’s actually happy about it?”

Su Nanxing pulled Tao Ming onto the bed, letting her lean against him. “I told you, it’s completely normal for men in Weishui to have several concubines. Probably ninety-nine percent of women don’t mind.”

Tao Ming shot him a sidelong look, “Doesn’t that mean you’re missing out?”

Su Nanxing was momentarily confused, “Missing out on what?”

“Missing out on a bevy of beautiful wives and concubines, being surrounded by them on all sides—don’t you feel deprived?”

Su Nanxing glanced at the two little ones, saw they were happily engrossed in their play and not paying attention, then kissed Tao Ming and whispered in her ear, “You alone are worth ten other women.”

Tao Ming shook her head, “Right now you just find me novel, but once you get bored, your mind will wander.”

Su Nanxing hurried to declare his loyalty, “Wife, I love only you.”

Suddenly, Tao Ming had a thought and said, “If you’d met my mother earlier, you two would have been a perfect match! After all, I look so much like her.”

Su Nanxing was dumbfounded. He took a deep breath and said, “What kind of nonsense is going on in your head? How many times have I told you, I love your soul! Do you understand? Your mother can’t compare to you.”

Tao Ming frowned and smacked her lips, “But if you’d met her before you met me, and gotten to know her…”

Su Nanxing was so exasperated he wanted to give her a spanking, “Be serious! I just want to be your husband, not your father!”

His voice was a bit loud, and Ruoruo looked up and asked, “Daddy, what are you talking about?”

Su Nanxing quickly seized the opportunity, “Ruoruo, what if Mommy doesn’t want me anymore?”

Ruoruo just lowered her head and went back to playing, tossing back, “Mommy’s just teasing you!”