Chapter 353: Flirting with the Daughter-in-Law
Chapter 353: Flirting with the Daughter-in-Law
The second snowfall in the capital city lasted for several days, covering the entire Duke's Manor in snow.
Bao Shu played with a little wolf cub, rolling around in the snow.
Bai Yuwei, who had never seen snow before, was having a snowball fight with Tan Er and Ban Xia.
Meng Qianqian sat in the pavilion, brewing tea and occasionally glancing at them.
At this time last year, she was at the Lu family.
She couldn't remember the exact day when Lu Lingxiao returned from the border.
She only remembered that it was after a heavy snowfall like this.
Stepping on the thick snow and braving the biting cold wind, she went to meet her nominal husband, only to encounter another woman.
At that time, her memory had not fully recovered, and she was unaware that her vengeance remained unfulfilled. Thus, she decided to live on as Meng Qianqian.
Sometimes, she would wonder what would have happened if Lu Lingxiao hadn't brought Lin Wan'er back.
Would she and Lu Lingxiao have become a real couple?
"You're daydreaming again."
The icy voice of someone above her made Meng Qianqian snap back to reality. She looked at the man who had been by her side through it all, and in that moment, she had her answer.
Whether Lin Wan'er was there or not, and regardless of whether Lu Lingxiao had betrayed her, she knew she would never be a real couple with Lu Lingxiao.
Swish!
A snowball flew towards the pavilion.
Lu Yuan reached out to catch it.
Meng Qianqian, quick as lightning, supported herself on the table with one hand and performed a spinning kick, sending the snowball flying while also pulling Lu Yuan behind her.
Lu Yuan's expression darkened.
"Little White, you're in trouble now!"
"I... I didn't mean to... Why did you dodge? Sister-in-law, are you okay?"
"We're fine, go play."
Meng Qianqian replied to Bai Yuwei and then said to Lu Yuan, "Little Sister didn't mean it, don't be angry."
Lu Yuan said coldly, "Is this what the Duke is angry about? How many times do I have to tell you? Stop blocking my way!"
Meng Qianqian: "You're welcome."
Lu Yuan: "Meng Xiaojiu!"
"I was worried you'd get covered in snow." Meng Qianqian looked at the shattered snowball on the ground, then turned to examine him, "You didn't get any snow on you, did you?"
As she carefully searched for scattered snowflakes, her pale fingertips inadvertently brushed against his chest.
Lu Yuan coughed lightly and said calmly, "My neck feels a little cold."
"Let me take a look!"
Meng Qianqian stood on her tiptoes, her fingertips hooked onto his inner robe's collar, and she leaned closer to look inside.
Her hair gently brushed against his cheek, and her soft breath fell into his neck.
His Adam's apple moved slightly.
Meng Qianqian took out a handkerchief and wiped his neck, "Is this the spot?"
Lu Yuan's expression remained unchanged as he said, "It seems so, a little lower."
Meng Qianqian pulled his collar open wider, bringing her face even closer, her nose filled with his body heat and scent.
"Is it here?"
"Lower, please."
"Where? If I go any lower, I'll have to take off my clothes..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Meng Qianqian's expression froze. She lowered her toes and looked at him seriously, "Grand Marshal!"
Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow, "You insist on asking."
Meng Qianqian threw the handkerchief into his embrace.
Lu Yuan caught it and glared at her, "Meng Xiaojiu, you're getting bolder, daring to throw a handkerchief at the Duke?"
"Brother-in-law, the carriage is ready!"
Wu Ge'er hurriedly walked up to the pavilion and was surprised to see Meng Qianqian there, "Miss, are you also going to pick up Young Master Liu?"
Meng Qianqian was taken aback, "Pick up Young Master Liu?"
Wu Ge'er explained, "Yes, the Imperial Academy is releasing students for a short break tomorrow."
Meng Qianqian was shocked, she had forgotten such an important matter.
Wu Ge'er realized what had happened and couldn't help but laugh, "Miss, your brother-in-law remembers everything about you. If he didn't know the truth, he would have thought Young Master Liu was his cousin."
Meng Qianqian smiled.
Imperial Academy.
Today's last class was about to end.
Yu Li finished his exam and handed in his paper. Seeing that there was still time, he decided to visit a nearby bookstore to buy some storybooks for the Elder Lady.
He spent half an hour browsing and only found one book that he liked.
After paying, he left the store, and the heavy snowfall continued.
He hurried towards the Imperial Academy and passed by a small alley when a cart suddenly emerged and collided with him.
Yu Li fell to the ground, and at the same time, he heard an elderly man's cry, "Ouch!"
Yu Li's expression changed, ignoring his own pain. He quickly got up and helped the fallen elderly man to his feet.
"I'm sorry, sir. Did I hurt you? Are you injured anywhere? Do you need to go to a medical clinic?"
The other party was a man in his sixties.
The old man held his waist and struggled to stand, saying with difficulty, "It's nothing serious. It's my fault for not paying attention. Young Master, did I dirty your clothes?"
Yu Li saw that the old man was poorly dressed, with patches all over his body and holes in his shoes, and knew that he was a poor commoner.
His gaze fell on the old man's cart, where there were four baskets covered with straw mats.
"Sir, what business are you in?"
He asked.
The old man replied, "I sell charcoal."
Yu Li lifted the straw mat and saw that the baskets were filled with charcoal.
The old man sighed, holding his aching waist, "Today, I'm afraid I won't be able to sell it."
Yu Li felt a twinge of guilt, "Sir, I'll buy all your charcoal."
"Ah..."
The old man looked at Yu Li in disbelief.
Yu Li opened the purse and took out two silver ingots, handing them to the old man, "Is this enough? If it's not enough, wait for me for a moment. My family will come to pick me up soon, and I'll have them pay you."
"No, no, no!"
The old man pushed the silver back towards Yu Li, "Young Master, you seem to be from a wealthy family. You must not be used to this kind of black charcoal. Today, I was reckless and offended you. You've already been kind enough not to hold it against me, how can I dare accept your money?"
Yu Li's expression turned serious, "Old man, please take it."
"This..."
The old man couldn't refuse him, so he reluctantly accepted it, "Young Master, where do you live? I'll deliver the charcoal to you. But today, I'm afraid I can't. I'm too tired to move. If you don't mind, tomorrow I'll have my old partner deliver it to your residence."
Yu Li furrowed his brows, "Old partner?"
The old man sighed, "Alas, my son froze to death last year. Only my partner and I are left at home."
Yu Li had a pure and kind heart. Seeing the old man's pitiful situation, he couldn't help but feel a sense of pity.
"Old man, where do you live? I'll take you home."
"How can I let you do that?"
"It's fine, it's fine! Old man, get on the cart!"
"I can't..."
Yu Li helped the old man onto the charcoal cart.
On the other side, Meng Qianqian and Lu Yuan arrived at the Imperial Academy.
"I'll go and call Young Master."
After parking the carriage, Wu Ge'er took the Duke's Manor token and went into the Imperial Academy to look for someone.
Soon, Wu Ge'er returned to the carriage alone, "I just met Lin Gongzi. He said that Young Master left half an hour ago."
"Didn't he just finish class?"
"The last class was an exam, and Young Master submitted his paper early."
Lu Yuan said, "Let's ask at the study across the street."
"Hmm?"
Meng Qianqian looked at him in confusion.
Lu Yuan explained, "Yu Li often goes there to buy storybooks for Great-Grandmother."
Meng Qianqian asked, "How do you know everything?"
Lu Yuan lazily replied, "This Duke is intelligent."
Wu Ge'er smiled, "Brother-in-law is very thoughtful about Great-Grandmother and Young Master's matters."
Lu Yuan lightly tapped his fingers on his leg.
Later, he would ask Cen Guan Shi to give Wu Ge'er a raise.
Wu Ge'er went to the study to inquire, and indeed, Yu Li had just been there and bought two books before leaving.
As for where he went after that, the shopkeeper of the study didn't know.
He was running a business and couldn't keep an eye on his customers' movements all the time.
"Young Master doesn't seem like someone who would wander around aimlessly."
Meng Qianqian finished speaking, then suddenly felt a bit uncertain, and asked Lu Yuan, "Would he wander around?"
Lu Yuan knew his cousin better than she did!
Lu Yuan's gaze intensified, "He wouldn't. Wait for me in the carriage."
Meng Qianqian's expression changed, and she said, "Let's go together."
The two of them went to the study.
Lu Yuan asked about the titles of the books Yu Li had bought.
Today was a holiday at the Imperial Academy, and the study had twice as many customers as usual. The snow-covered ground was filled with various footprints, all leading in different directions.
However, Lu Yuan only glanced at them before heading towards an alley to the east.
At the entrance of the alley, there were wheel tracks and charcoal mixed with snowflakes.
In the snow pile in the alley, Lu Yuan found a copy of "Heaven and Earth Immortal Journey," one of the storybooks Yu Li had bought.
Lu Yuan closed his eyes, and an image flashed through his mind: Yu Li rushing to the entrance of the Imperial Academy, only to be knocked down by a charcoal cart that suddenly emerged.
"The cart pusher is an old man, his clothes are tattered, his hair is white, business is bleak, he is injured and has difficulty walking, best, there are no children or daughters at home, and he relies on his old partner."
Meng Qianqian and Wu Ge'er looked at him in disbelief.
Lu Yuan opened his eyes, "Only this way could it stir Yu Li's guilt and compassion, selling the charcoal to Yu Li and also letting Yu Li send him home."
Wu Ge'er was stunned, "My goodness..."
Meng Qianqian suppressed her shock and said solemnly, "It seems someone intentionally lured Young Master away..."
Lu Yuan looked at the wheel tracks that were now covered with footprints, and his gaze intensified, "I hope we're in time."
---
"Young Master, you have a truly kind heart."
The old man on the cart said with a smile.
"I... I just did... what I should... old man... where is your home..."
Yu Li was a scholar, and although the Imperial Academy had archery classes that strengthened his physique, he was not a martial artist by nature. Pushing a cart of charcoal and walking with an old man for such a long distance was truly exhausting.
"We're almost there, it's not far ahead!"
"Good!"
Yu Li gritted his teeth and persevered.
---
"Old man, this alley is so dark, it seems like no one lives here. Are you sure your home is here?"
Yu Li had lived in "Ghost Alley" before, but this alley gave him an even more eerie feeling than Fengshui Hutong.
And although Fengshui Hutong looked eerie, it wasn't scary at all; the neighbors were all very friendly—Feng Po Po, Lei Bo Bo, Ji Li... they were all his cousin's friends.
The old man sighed, "This used to be an old street, but everyone moved away. My partner and I have no one to rely on, so where can we move to?"
Yu Li immediately felt guilty, "I'm sorry, old man. I didn't mean to mention your sad story."
"You really are a good person."
The old man, with his back to Yu Li, smiled faintly, "But sometimes, good people don't live long."
(End of Chapter)
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