Er Niu looked at Madam Huang for a long moment before finally speaking, “I think perhaps we should let Da Bao take a concubine. After all, Yun Qi married into our family, and aside from being unable to bear children, she isn't a bad person, nor has she done anything wrong. It feels wrong to just send her away like this.”

Madam Huang considered this. It was true. Yun Qi had been a reasonably good daughter-in-law. While not particularly capable, she had good character, and her relationships with the family members were harmonious. In the year she had been married into their home, she never once spoke harshly, even when He Er was still around. After He Er married out, seeing Chen Er alone and lonely, Yun Qi often kept her company, whether embroidering or doing other tasks, and she got along quite well with Chen Er.

Over the past year, because of her barrenness, Madam Huang had, in moments of excess temper, spoken some harsh words to her. Yun Qi always endured them silently, never arguing back. Even when her mother-in-law, Madam Zhao, found out, she would occasionally come over and say pointed things, yet Yun Qi would pretend not to understand, never throwing a tantrum over the matter.

Regarding the household finances, although Yun Qi didn't manage the day-to-day affairs, she never voiced any objection to the family’s arrangements. Every month, she contentedly accepted her allotted allowance. No matter how the family spent money, she never asked questions or offered complaints, nor did she ever ponder the fate of the family inheritance. Back then, He Er was right: Yun Qi might not be competent, but she lacked guile, and such a daughter-in-law was certainly a good match.

When she looked at the daughters-in-law in other families, they were either constantly squabbling with their mothers-in-law, complaining about having too many sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, or lamenting the family's poverty, or perhaps sowing discord everywhere, turning their homes into a perpetual ruckus. Yun Qi possessed none of these flaws; she truly was a decent match.

But no matter how decent, if she couldn't bear children, it was a dead end. Children weren't just a significant matter for their family; it was vital for every family. Never mind requiring a male heir; they needed a child, period. Otherwise, what would Da Bao do when he grew old? His parents couldn't accompany him his entire life; eventually, he would rely on his children for his final rites.

As Madam Huang wrestled with these thoughts, Da Bao emerged from his room. He hadn't heard the doctor’s later pronouncements. Seeing his parents’ drawn faces in the courtyard, Da Bao tried to reassure Er Niu and Madam Huang not to worry, saying everything should be taken slowly.

Madam Huang and Er Niu exchanged a look, and then Madam Huang recounted everything the doctor had just said to Da Bao. Upon hearing it, Da Bao was momentarily stunned, then looked back at his parents in the courtyard with an expression full of distress.

Madam Huang thought for a moment and spoke, “Da Bao, your father and I were just discussing this. The fact that Yun Qi cannot conceive is immutable, and the doctor confirmed it. I absolutely cannot wait any longer. You’ve been married this long, and your wife has never conceived. People in the village have already been talking. I mentioned it to you before; I think perhaps letting you take a concubine is the only way.” Following this, Madam Huang laid out her and Er Niu’s shared plan to Da Bao.

Da Bao was not surprised by his mother’s words. She had mentioned this to him the last time he was home. However, that visit was busy with He Er’s return home, so the matter wasn't discussed in detail. Now that Yun Qi’s infertility was confirmed, Da Bao expected his mother to bring it up again.

Da Bao thought it over. If conception truly was impossible, taking a concubine was certainly better than divorcing Yun Qi. They had been married for quite some time; while their feelings weren't profoundly deep, there was a certain bond forged by shared life—a day as husband and wife creates a hundred days of grace. Once a woman is cast out, especially without children, her future life would be unbearable. Da Bao simply couldn't bring himself to do such a thing.

Yet, his parents were right: he absolutely needed an heir. He was the eldest son, and children were necessary to continue the Lin family line. Even if he didn't think for himself, he had to consider his parents.

On this matter, his parents had shown considerable restraint, even getting to this point. The importance of offspring was immense. In some families, he might have already been forced into a second marriage, and someone like Yun Qi would have long since lost any standing in the household. But his parents had held on for so long, and now that the infertility was confirmed, they were still considerate of so many things; this patience was truly rare.

However, Da Bao was a soft-hearted man. He didn't know how to broach the subject with Yun Qi, so he spoke hesitantly, “Mother, Father, I understand what you mean. Let me think about it first. Tomorrow, I will take Yun Qi to see a few other doctors. If they all say the same thing, I think I’ll wait for He Er to return, and we can discuss what to do with her then.”

“What’s the point of seeing more? He Er said this doctor in town is the best. The doctor also said…”

Madam Huang was cut off by Er Niu, who pulled her arm. Er Niu said, “Da Bao is right, too. It’s just spending some money. Maybe another doctor can cure her. Take Yun Qi tomorrow, and if things are still hopeless, He Er will be back in a couple of days, and we’ll see what happens then.”

Da Bao nodded. He sat in the courtyard for a while, feeling vexed, before returning to the pastry shop.

The next day, Da Bao took Yun Qi to several large medical halls in Tianxin Town. What the doctors there said was largely consistent with the physician who had visited their home. Some doctors were more tactful, suggesting Yun Qi take some medicine and see if things improved; others were blunt, stating there was little hope and advising them to accept fate.

After seeing several doctors, Da Bao still wanted to take Yun Qi elsewhere, but Yun Qi refused. From the looks on her family’s faces and Da Bao’s the night before, she had gathered a sense of what was happening. Normally, Da Bao slept deeply, and being busy at the pastry shop all day, he would collapse into bed and fall asleep immediately upon returning home. But last night, even after lying down in bed until the small hours, he hadn't slept, sighing restlessly.

Yun Qi lay beside him. Though silent, pretending to be asleep, she had observed Da Bao’s agitation. She had also noticed the atmosphere during their family meal the night before. Logically, after she had contradicted her mother-in-law yesterday, her mother-in-law should have given her the cold shoulder.

Yet, when she emerged yesterday, her mother-in-law hadn't said a single harsh word, only sighing as she looked at her. Even her usually unconcerned father-in-law looked troubled. Combined with the snippets of the doctor’s conversation she overheard in the courtyard, she knew her affliction was likely beyond cure.

Today, she had come to the medical halls with Da Bao clinging to a last thread of hope. Now that the doctors confirmed it, Yun Qi understood she had been definitively labeled barren. If she couldn't bear children, she couldn't, no matter how many doctors she saw. Further struggling would only deepen the burden weighing on her heart.