Mrs. Wang hesitated again after hearing this, pondering, "You are right! It's unreasonable for a young lady from our Shi family to be someone's concubine! With her mother gone, if someone is nosy and fussy, they'll think I, as her stepmother, am deliberately being harsh! But the Hong family has been so polite, it seems bad to refuse them, right?"
Sang Wan replied, "Matters of marriage should be mutual; even if we politely refuse, it's fine! Besides, they are asking for a concubine, not a wife! Even if we refuse, surely Mrs. Hong would understand."
Mrs. Wang nodded slowly but did not say a word.
Sang Wan dared not say more, so she smiled and said, "I'm just lacking in experience, mother; if I said anything wrong, please don't take it to heart! Otherwise, let's wait for the young master to return and discuss it with him!"
