Watching Shen Yimin's confused little face, Li Yue Shu raised an eyebrow, "Do you want to hear the truth or a lie?"
Shen Yimin was taken aback by her question. "Naturally, the truth."
Hearing this, Li Yue Shu looked at him with complex emotions for a moment, then finally shook her head. "Then let's not talk about it. I'm afraid you'll be unhappy."
"Wh...what?" Shen Yimin was completely bewildered.
Li Yue Shu patted his shoulder, said nothing, and turned to leave.
Shen Yimin looked at Mo Lian beside him in confusion. "What does she mean?"
Mo Lian also didn't understand, but seeing his friend's expression, he couldn't help but smile. "Perhaps because you saw Wei Ling's body last night, the madam wants you to take responsibility and meet her mother in advance?"
As soon as he said this, Shen Yimin's expression instantly darkened.
Just as he was about to say something, he saw Mo Lian quickly turn his head. "Oh, it looks like the madam is calling me."
With that, he ran off, leaving Shen Yimin standing there speechlessly.
Mo Lian had no idea that his words would actually come true.
The next day, after sending the children to the academy, Li Yue Shu went to town and bought many good things, then took Wei Ling to the dungeon.
Shen Wei looked at her actions in bewilderment, unable to figure out what she was doing, yet unable to speak due to his persona.
It wasn't until he sat in front of Wei Niang and heard Li Yue Shu mention, "The other child who came with me yesterday is my eldest son, Shen Yimin. He is a gentle and kind child, always first in all aspects at the academy. Even the teachers praise him. He will surely become the youngest scholar in Tong Mu County."
Listening to her words, Wei Niang was not stingy with her praise. "Madam is a blessed person. The young master is both talented and learned, and he will surely achieve great things in the future."
Li Yue Shu smiled. "Wei Niang, you also think my Ah Min is good, don't you?"
Wei Niang vaguely felt her words were a bit strange, but she still nodded.
Seeing this, Li Yue Shu's smile deepened. "Then Wei Niang, how about we arrange a child marriage for the two children?"
At these words, Shen Wei's eyes widened in shock, and he forgot to play dumb.
Has this woman gone mad?
Wei Niang was also stunned, looking as if she doubted she had heard correctly.
Li Yue Shu had already prepared her speech. "To be honest, I initially thought Ling'er was a boy, so I asked Ah Min to take her to bathe..."
Seeing Wei Niang's expression change, she quickly added, "Since ancient times, boys and girls at the age of three do not share the same mat. Although they are both children, Ah Min is a boy and must take responsibility. So, I thought we might as well arrange a child marriage for the two children."
Due to her illness, Wei Niang's complexion was always pale, but at this moment, whether from anger or something else, her cheeks were flushed.
Seeing this, Li Yue Shu thought for a moment and spoke again. "I want to write a marriage contract for the two children, but with an additional clause stating that if one party's heart belongs to someone else when they grow up, this marriage can be called off. At that time, I will adopt Ling'er as my goddaughter and ensure she has a glorious wedding."
Wei Niang did not speak for a long time, only holding her daughter tightly, her expression filled with hesitation and complexity.
Li Yue Shu had anticipated Wei Niang's reaction and did not rush her for an answer. "Wei Niang can take her time to consider. The decision is yours. You can tell me when you've made up your mind."
She could see that Wei Niang truly loved her daughter. With the child only five or six years old, arranging a child marriage with someone she had only met once would naturally make her cautious.
Li Yue Shu understood her feelings and did not urge her. Just as she was about to change the subject, she saw Wei Niang suddenly look up. "I believe Madam Shen. This marriage... I accept."
This caught Li Yue Shu by surprise, as she clearly hadn't expected her to agree so readily.
Seeing her astonished expression, Wei Niang smiled gently. "If Madam Shen hadn't said anything, I would never have known that the eldest young master discovered Ling'er was a girl. But Madam Shen told me the truth and only brought this up after I had met the eldest young master."
"Whether it's for me or for Ling'er, it's a form of respect."
Wei Niang looked at Wei Ling in her arms, her eyes filled with tenderness and guilt. "Because I was not careful enough, Ling'er's brain was damaged by the fever, and she became like this..."
"Given Ling'er's condition, it will be difficult for her to get married in the future, let alone marry into a family as prominent as Madam Shen's. But as a mother, I selfishly hope she can have a better life."
Therefore, even though she knew this child marriage was a stretch, she still wanted to shamelessly accept.
Li Yue Shu understood her meaning.
It was precisely because she understood Wei Niang's feelings as a mother that she brought this matter up so quickly.
Given Wei Niang's health, she would not live to see her sentence completed. Her daughter's future was probably her greatest concern.
Wei Niang looked at Li Yue Shu, her eyes reddening. "I want to beg Madam Shen. No matter what the outcome of the two children's future is, all I ask for is Ling'er's lifelong well-being."
Li Yue Shu looked directly at her, her gaze firm, and nodded. "I will do my best to cure Ling'er's intellectual disability and protect her from any worries for her entire life."
Shen Yimin and Wei Ling were a destined couple. As long as she changed the plot where Wei Ling killed Shen Zhiyu, their fate would naturally intertwine without her intervention.
Her words made Wei Niang's eyes widen. "This... Ling'er's intellectual disability can be cured?"
Li Yue Shu pursed her lips and hesitated, then finally told the truth. "There is a way, but it's not guaranteed to work."
"Is it dangerous?" Wei Niang asked nervously.
Li Yue Shu shook her head. "It's a conservative treatment method with no risk."
The heavy burden on Wei Niang's shoulders seemed to lift instantly, and tears flowed uncontrollably. "Thank you..."
Beyond these two words, she truly didn't know how to express her gratitude.
Shen Wei watched the conversation between the two from the side, feeling a myriad of emotions. He had wanted to speak several times but held back.
He knew Ah Min's identity, and he was indeed not quite suitable for Wei Ling.
It wasn't that he looked down on Wei Ling as a person, but Ah Min carried too many burdens, and Wei Ling would have a difficult life with him.
However, given his current situation, he didn't know how to broach the subject.
After leaving the dungeon, Li Yue Shu sensed his fluctuating emotions and proactively asked, "What's wrong?"
Shen Wei opened his mouth, but the words that came out changed, and he looked aggrieved. "You bought so many things today, but I didn't get to eat any of them."
The marriage contract stated that if either party was unwilling in the future, the engagement could be canceled, so he didn't need to worry too much.
Li Yue Shu immediately understood he was referring to the things he had bought for Wei Niang. She said with some helplessness, "Alright, I'll buy them for you now."
She reached out and took Shen Wei's hand, coaxing him like a child, and led him outside.
Shen Wei looked down at their clasped hands, his fingers instinctively tightening slightly.
Because of frequent manual labor, Li Yue Shu's hands had calluses, but they were small, seeming like they could be completely enveloped by his.
At that moment, Shen Wei felt something surge from the depths of his heart, an indescribable tingling sensation.