https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-1-The-Return-of-the-Deceased-Husband/12582309/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-3-Entangled-with-a-Great-Villain/12582311/
Chapter 2: Dining with Him
Chapter 2: Dining with Him
After Lu Lingxiao finished speaking, he waited for Meng Qianqian's response, but when it didn't come, he turned to look at her.
Only to find that Meng Qianqian was staring straight at his... behind.
Lu Lingxiao's brows furrowed, and he shifted slightly to the side, glancing at the spot where he had just been sitting. "Is there something unsightly there?" he asked.
Meng Qianqian paused before replying, "Husband, don't speak of yourself like that."
Lu Lingxiao was left speechless.
Suppressing his anger, he said, "Never mind. You're still young, and I won't hold it against you. While it's unacceptable for you to behave so inappropriately in front of me, you must never talk back to your mother."
"Why would I talk back to her when she treats me so well?" Meng Qianqian countered.
Once again, Lu Lingxiao found himself at a loss for words.
He looked at her and said earnestly, "As long as you behave and know your place, I will treat you well in the future as well."
"Oh," Meng Qianqian replied nonchalantly.
All of Meng Qianqian's reactions were completely different from what Lu Lingxiao had imagined.
He had expected her to cry and make a scene, but instead, he felt like he had punched a cotton ball.
Lu Lingxiao felt awkward and, glancing around, his eyes landed on the yellowing letters on the bedside table.
He immediately recognized them as the letters he had written to her during his absence.
One letter a month, a total of six.
They didn't contain much—just a word of reassurance, reminding her to eat well and respect her father, mother, and grandmothers.
As she couldn't read, the first few letters had been replied to with the help of her mother, but the last one was written by her, the characters slanted and messy, like a child's scribbles.
Turns out, she had started learning to write with her mother's help so she could reply to him.
In her letter, she asked when he would come home.
He replied that he would return when she grew up.
Now that she had truly grown up, he had returned as promised.
But things between them could never go back to the way they were.
He had found Wan'er, and for the first time in his life, he understood love. He wouldn't fall in love with another woman again.
Not even his own wife.
Lu Lingxiao looked at Meng Qianqian's youthful and innocent face, wanting to say something more, when a maid's anxious voice came from outside, "General! Are you there? Miss Wan'er suddenly feels unwell—"
Lu Lingxiao's expression changed, and he immediately got up and left without another word!
Ban Xia and Li Mama entered the room.
They were Meng Qianqian's companions and the people she trusted the most in the Lu family.
Meng Qianqian glanced at the letters deliberately left on the bedside table and said calmly, "Don't take such liberties in the future."
Ban Xia lowered her head guiltily. "Yes, Miss."
"Change the bedsheets," Meng Qianqian instructed.
"Yes!" Ban Xia hurried to comply.
After the sheets were changed, Meng Qianqian asked Ban Xia to bring out her carved box.
It was filled with letters—a hundred or so—that Meng Qianqian had written to her "late husband" over the past five years. Her handwriting had evolved from initially unpresentable to gradually displaying a sense of style, eventually becoming a pleasing and elegant small regular script.
Ban Xia asked excitedly, "Miss, do you want to send these letters to Young Master? Once he understands your intentions over the years, he will definitely have a change of heart!"
Without hesitation, Meng Qianqian said, "Burn them."
Love and loyalty were rare, but some people didn't deserve them.
When Meng Qianqian had married into the Lu family, it was not only to bring joy to the elderly matriarch, but also for a reason unknown to others—to resolve the Lu family's financial crisis.
Despite their seemingly prosperous appearance, the Lu family was already deeply in debt. It was Meng Qianqian's substantial dowry that had filled the gaps in the Lu family's finances.
The household expenses over the past few years had also been supported by her dowry.
Ban Xia choked back her tears and asked, "Miss, are you really going to burn them?
Li Mama walked over and frowned at Meng Qianqian, "Miss, didn't you hear me? I said to burn them."
Ban Xia could no longer hold back her tears and sobbed, "Master Lu is too much... How could he treat Miss like this... How will Miss be able to live in the Lu residence from now on..."
Li Mama turned to look at Meng Qianqian, who was sitting quietly in a chair, counting the fried pastries. She heaved a long sigh.
Indeed.
Miss Meng came from a humble background, and without any family members by her side, she had no one to confide in when she was wronged, let alone anyone to stand up for her.
Master Lu should have been Miss Meng's biggest support, but now he had found someone else and even brought her back to the residence.
How could this leave Miss Meng with any standing in the Lu family?
Li Mama suddenly thought of someone, "Miss, how about..."
"Mama," Meng Qianqian interrupted.
"Ah, Miss."
"I'm going to bed. Remember to close the door when you leave, and don't wake me up tomorrow morning. Also, there are five fewer fried pastries today."
Li Mama was taken aback.
Meng Qianqian climbed onto the bed and lowered the curtain.
The next day, Meng Qianqian slept in.
When she woke up, she was informed that Lu Lingxiao had come early in the morning and had been waiting for her in the warm pavilion.
This news rekindled a spark of hope in Ban Xia and Li Mama's hearts, which had long since given up.
The two maids dressed Meng Qianqian in a bright and delicate pink silk skirt with a waist belt and a pink and white fur cloak.
Meng Qianqian was naturally beautiful. Even without any makeup, her eyebrows resembled distant mountains, her nose was straight and delicate, and her lips were naturally red. She exuded the unique vibrancy and vitality of her age, as enchanting as the blooming peach and plum blossoms.
The little yellow-haired girl who used to cry to bring good fortune had now blossomed into a graceful young lady.
Lu Lingxiao was stunned.
"Why are you here?" Meng Qianqian asked.
Lu Lingxiao felt that this girl seemed to have two faces. She was well-behaved in front of his mother, but ever since he had told her about Wan'er yesterday, she had not shown him a good expression.
Averting his gaze, Lu Lingxiao said indifferently, "Mother asked me to come and call you to have breakfast together. I've been waiting for you for more than half an hour. Do you usually wake up this late?"
Without waiting for Meng Qianqian's reply, he continued, "Wake up earlier next time."
Meng Qianqian woke up earlier than the roosters every day. It was only because the matriarch and Madame Lu were not in the residence that Madame Lu had allowed her to rest a little longer.
Meng Qianqian did not bother to explain.
If a man's heart had strayed, no amount of words from her would make a difference.
The two of them went to Madame Lu's courtyard.
In Lu Lingxiao's impression, his grandmother would always have his mother standing by her side during meals.
However, Madame Lu did not treat Meng Qianqian the same way.
She pulled Meng Qianqian's hand and sat down, piling all the delicious dishes in front of her.
Looking at her own empty plate and then at Madame Lu, who kept serving dishes to Meng Qianqian, Lu Lingxiao suddenly wondered who the favored child really was.
"Osmanthus cake," Meng Qianqian said.
Madame Lu patted Meng Qianqian's hand and smiled, "Alright, alright, osmanthus cake. Chun Tao, go to the kitchen and hurry them up."
Chun Tao's face fell. "What's wrong?" Madame Lu asked.
Chun Tao hesitated, "The osmanthus cake was sent to Miss Lin."
Madame Lu frowned, "Wasn't it supposed to be made for the First Young Mistress?"
Chun Tao stole a glance at Lu Lingxiao, "It was... but..."
Lu Lingxiao put down his chopsticks, "I asked the kitchen to send it to Wan'er. She also wanted to eat the osmanthus cake."
As he spoke, he lifted his gaze to Meng Qianqian, "You wouldn't be so petty as to argue over a cake with Wan'er, would you?"
Villainous Minister: (ˉ▽￣～) Tsk tsk...
(End of Chapter)
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