After being forced to leave the marriage, I became the wife of a top scholar.

Chapter 10 Centennial Medical Hall
Bai Wanqing followed her father to the study. She knew that she hadn't informed him in advance, and her father was probably very angry right now.

"Father!" Bai Wanqing lowered her head as soon as she entered the study, not daring to look at her father.

"You still know I'm your father? I was the last to know about such a big thing! If I hadn't made it back today, were you planning to set up your own household outside before informing me?" Bai Chenming was indeed angry, but his eyes showed more heartache than anger.

Bai Wanqing lowered her head and remained silent; she had indeed done something wrong.

Seeing his daughter remain silent and let him scold her, Bai Chenming felt terrible.

"That's enough! Now that this matter is over, let's not mention it again. You can just stay at home and relax."

Bai Wanqing nodded obediently.

Bai Chenming was usually a man of few words, and after saying these words, he couldn't bring himself to offer any more words of comfort.

He simply took a wooden box from the bookshelf behind him and handed it to Bai Wanqing.

"Here, you can take this!"

Bai Wanqing took the box, opened it, and inside was the contract for the century-old medical clinic. "Father, what is this?"

“When you married into the Meng family, I thought about giving it to you, but after learning that Meng Zhan did not allow you to show your face in public, I gave up the idea.”

"Now that you have returned to the Bai family, it is natural for you to take over your mother's mantle, and this century-old medical hall will naturally be handed over to you."

Bai Wanqing's vision blurred. As she gently brushed over each word on the contract, she felt as if she could see her mother's figure.

This century-old medical clinic is the culmination of my mother's life's work. Now that my father has handed it over to her, she naturally cannot let it fail.

"Father, thank you!" Bai Wanqing said with tears in her eyes.

Bai Chenming sighed, "I am your father, and she is your mother. It is only natural for us to give you our things. There is nothing to thank me for. But Qing'er, do you still remember your mother's grand ambition to establish a century-old medical clinic?"

Bai Wanqing nodded, "Father, I remember. He practiced medicine to help the world and spread benevolence."

"It's good that you remember! It's good that you remember!" Bai Chenming waved his hand, indicating that Bai Wanqing could leave.

After Bai Wanqing bowed to Bai Chenming again while holding the wooden box, she prepared to leave.

Before she could even leave the study, she heard her father behind her say, "Qing'er, don't blame your mother. She only wanted you to be happy."

As if relieved of something, Bai Wanqing replied crisply, "There was never any blame, only love!"

Bai Chenming looked at the portrait of Madam Kou on the wall with his hands behind his back and murmured, "Zirou, don't worry, our daughter is very sensible. She doesn't blame us!"

When Bai Wanqing returned to the courtyard, Ruixin had just unloaded all the luggage from the carriage.

They hadn't been back for almost half a year, and their house was covered in a thick layer of dust. She didn't fuss and started cleaning with Ruixin, including her mother's and brother's courtyards.

After everything was tidied up, Bai Wanqing took out the herbal manuscripts her mother had left her and began to look through them page by page.

"Miss, are we going back to the century-old medical hall?" Ruixin hadn't seen her mistress looking at medical books in a long time, so she asked curiously.

"Yes, my father has entrusted the century-old medical clinic to me. We will go and take a look after everything is settled here in a couple of days."

"Speaking of which, it's been a long time since I've seen Dr. Xu. I wonder how he is doing now!" Bai Wanqing smiled, a rare occurrence, when she mentioned the medical clinic.

"Then we'll go over and see in a couple of days and we'll know!" Seeing her young mistress so happy, Ruixin was happy too.

As the two women, mistress and servant, were talking, a soft knock came at the door. Ruixin got up to open it and saw that it was the second young lady, Bai Furong.

"It's Second Sister! Ruixin, please invite her in!" Bai Wanqing put down the manuscript and contract in her hands before coming out to greet her.

Bai Furong's face was red from the cold, perhaps from standing outside for a long time. She was holding two empty hot water bottles in her arms and carrying a basket of charcoal. She had come to bring them warmth.

"Big sister!" Bai Furong called out shyly and lowered her head.

"Second sister, please have a seat!" Bai Wanqing took the things Bai Furong brought from her hands. "Are these for me?"

Bai Furong nodded. "It's cold, and the house has been uninhabited for a long time. It's freezing, so we need a hot water bottle and charcoal."

After a busy day, Bai Wanqing finally noticed that her room was indeed very cold, but she hadn't noticed because she had been working.

"Thank you, Second Sister! You're so kind," Bai Wanqing said with a smile.

Bai Furong blushed. Growing up at home, she was rarely thanked or praised. Everyone thought she was stupid and not as smart as her younger sister Qinglian, so they didn't like her, including her mother.

"No, you're welcome." Bai Furong nervously rubbed her hands together.

Bai Wanqing brought Bai Furong a cup of tea and watched her sit there, sipping it slowly and reservedly.

Before she got married, she didn't have much contact with her younger siblings because of her mother's illness, so she mostly only heard about Furong and didn't actually know anything about her.

Looking at Bai Furong now, I feel a warmth in my heart; perhaps her family isn't just her father.

"Aren't you angry with me?" Bai Wanqing asked with a smile.

Bai Furong didn't react for a moment, her doe-like eyes looking blankly at Bai Wanqing.

"I mean, my divorce will affect your marriage prospects. Aren't you upset with me?"

Bai Furong quickly shook her head, "It's the Meng family's fault, it has nothing to do with eldest sister, why blame eldest sister."

Bai Wanqing thought Bai Furong was naive. "Your husband's family might think that the Bai family's daughter is too fierce, and they might not treat you well. Won't you blame your older sister for that?"

Bai Furong thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Furong's husband is the best person in the world. He would never treat Furong badly."

Bai Wanqing had heard of Furong's husband before. He was the second son of the Zhang family's winery. He was said to be a down-to-earth and hardworking man. It was also said that he took a liking to Furong at first sight and promised that he could accept Furong as she was. That's why Madam Chen arranged the marriage.

Seeing that Bai Wanqing remained silent, Bai Furong assumed that she had spoken out of turn. "Big sister, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have talked about my fiancé."

Bai Wanqing smiled and tapped her forehead. "Of course you can talk about your fiancé, second sister. How about your eldest sister prepares a gift for you on your wedding day?"

"A gift? There really is a gift?" Bai Furong laughed happily. "Then Furong must get married as soon as possible so that I can receive the gift from my eldest sister."

Bai Wanqing was amused by her words and nodded solemnly, "There will be a gift. On the day of Furong's wedding, your eldest sister will definitely give you a big gift."

Bai Furong stayed with Bai Wanqing until late at night before being forcibly taken back by her maid.

After seeing Bai Furong off, Ruixin returned and said, "Eldest Miss, can Second Miss really live well in her husband's family with her temperament?"

Bai Wanqing picked up the perfectly heated hot water bottle, saying, "I hope the Zhang family's son can understand the preciousness of Furong and not let her down."

(End of this chapter)