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Chapter 637: Reunion with Family
Chapter 637: Reunion with Family
The Meng Family.
Meng Laoye was in the room, listening to his son Meng Tianlan report on the accounts.
"That’s all, Father. Please review them."
Meng Tianlan finished reciting and respectfully handed over the ledger to Meng Laoye.
Meng Laoye took it with a look of disdain, furrowing his brow as he carefully went through it.
Ever since Meng Tianlan, the youngest son, had arranged for Meng Qianqian to marry the Grand Marshal in the Imperial Capital, he had thoroughly infuriated Meng Laoye.
Meng Laoye had scolded him for making such a rash decision, accusing him of pushing his niece from one fire into another, and for acting without informing the family first.
Not only did he lock Meng Tianlan up and mete out severe family punishment, but he also placed him under house arrest for a month.
If it weren’t for the earnest pleas of his two daughters-in-law, Meng Laoye might have gone as far as to disown him.
Meng Tianlan, knowing he was in the wrong, dared not argue with the old man and had to keep a low profile.
He had been lying low for a long time. Recently, one of the family’s shops had run into trouble, resulting in significant losses and a plummeting reputation.
Meng Tianlan had volunteered to take over the shop and managed to turn it around under immense family pressure.
Today, he came with confidence.
Sure enough, after reviewing the ledger, Meng Laoye fell silent.
Meng Tianlan glanced at his father, feeling a weight lift from his chest.
"Father, this is just the beginning. Business will thrive even more in the future."
He patted his chest, making a solemn promise.
Meng Laoye placed the ledger on the table.
Meng Tianlan asked with a smile, "Father, you see, I have to go to the shop every day to oversee the business. It’s quite a hassle. What if we move into the house on Changliu Lane?"
He had been eyeing it for a long time.
Today, he was determined to secure it!
The house was secondary; what mattered most was that if the old man agreed, it would mean he had finally regained his standing in the Meng Family, and the old man had put the matter of the forced marriage behind him.
Meng Laoye’s expression showed signs of softening.
Meng Tianlan’s eyes gleamed with excitement.
However, at that moment, a servant burst in, interrupting the good mood. "Grandfather! Grandfather!"
Meng Tianlan was irritated. "What’s the rush? Can’t you see the old man and I are in the middle of a discussion?"
The servant, agitated, replied, "Third Young Master, Grandfather, Third Miss is back!"
Both father and son were taken aback.
Meng Tianlan quickly stepped forward, staring at the servant. "Who’s back?"
The servant smiled. "Third Miss!"
The Meng Family had three branches, each with one daughter. The only one who could be called Third Miss was Meng Qianqian from the main branch.
Meng Tianlan was incredulous. "No way... Qianqian is back in Youzhou? Where is she?"
The servant answered, "In the Flower Hall!"
Meng Laoye clenched the ledger tightly.
Meng Tianlan, no longer concerned about the house, dashed out.
When he reached the Flower Hall, he indeed saw Meng Qianqian, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time.
Meng Qianqian was dressed in a blue waist-tied silk dress and a simple white cloud-weave gauze robe. Her hair was loosely tied back with a pair of azure kingfisher hairpins, making her look elegant and refined, with a natural aura of nobility.
It had been a year since they last met in the Imperial Capital.
Meng Tianlan felt that his young niece had grown up, no longer the crying, snack-loving little girl he remembered.
"Qianqian..."
He spoke in a daze.
Meng Qianqian looked up, her eyes brightening as she stood and called out, "Third Uncle."
She had thought they might feel distant.
But the familiarity etched in her bones gradually awakened as she stepped into the Meng Family estate.
No matter how much she missed her past life, she had to admit that after rebirth, she was now Meng Qianqian.
She had long fused with this body’s destiny.
Meng Tianlan walked up to her, holding her shoulders and examining her. "Weren’t you in the Imperial Capital? Why did you come all the way back to Youzhou? Let me take a look, have you lost weight?"
Meng Qianqian smiled. "I missed home, so I came back to visit. Third Uncle, take a good look."
The story of her trip to the Wushan Mountains and the Kingdom of Liang couldn’t be told in a few words.
Meng Tianlan nodded excitedly. "It’s good to have you back, it’s good to have you back! You look better than when you were in the Imperial Capital."
That was natural.
When Meng Tianlan went to the Imperial Capital, she had just returned from the border, tired and thin from the journey.
Now, being pregnant, and with the slow, comfortable journey from the Kingdom of Liang to Youzhou, she had gained weight and looked more plump.
"Did you come back alone?"
Meng Tianlan asked.
"Third Young Master, there’s also me!"
Banxia entered, carrying a bundle, followed by Tan'er, who was eating a candied hawthorn skewer.
Tan'er called out sweetly, "Third Uncle!"
Meng Tianlan smiled. "It’s Tan'er!"
Tan'er tilted her head. "Third Uncle, do you remember me?"
Meng Tianlan replied, "Of course, candied hawthorn skewer, red-cooked pork, right? I’ll have the kitchen prepare some for you!"
Tan'er flapped her little arms behind her. "Third Uncle is the best!"
Meng Tianlan laughed heartily. "You’ve grown taller!"
Tan'er giggled. "Yes, I have!"
Meng Tianlan liked this mischievous little girl a lot. He knew she wasn’t an ordinary servant and that Meng Qianqian treated her like a sister, so he never acted like a master when dealing with Tan'er.
He then turned to Banxia. "Banxia, where’s Nanny Li?"
Banxia replied, "Nanny Li is in the Imperial Capital."
Meng Tianlan was puzzled. "She didn’t come with you?"
Banxia glanced at Meng Qianqian, unsure how to answer.
Meng Qianqian said, "Third Uncle, we’ll talk about it later."
"Right, right, you must be exhausted from the long journey! Hey, where’s your husband?"
Meng Tianlan looked around.
Since entering the Flower Hall, he hadn’t seen Lu Yuan. "Didn’t he come back with you?"
He then grew serious. "Qianqian, you must tell me, has he been mistreating you? Ah, I’m to blame. I let my judgment be clouded, and after a few drinks, I rashly arranged your marriage..."
When the old man punished him, he didn’t feel guilty.
When his second brother scolded him, he didn’t regret it.
But when he realized his beloved niece might have suffered at the Grand Marshal’s residence, he truly regretted his actions and felt immense guilt!
Meng Qianqian smiled. "Lu Yuan went to visit Grandfather."
"I just came from Grandfather’s place and didn’t see him..."
Meng Tianlan slapped his thigh. "Ah! I took a shortcut! Is he crazy? Going to see Grandfather on his own, doesn’t he fear a beating from the old man? Grandfather won’t care that he’s a high-ranking official!"
"Wait, he won’t do anything rash, will he?"
Meng Tianlan was in a panic.
On one side was the old man, who disapproved of the marriage, and on the other was the Grand Marshal, who held the power of life and death.
If things went wrong, it could end in bloodshed!
"I have to go check!"
He took a few steps, then remembered something and instructed Meng Qianqian, "Qianqian, you should stay out of sight. Grandfather is in a bad mood and might take it out on you... I’ll call Third Aunt and Second Aunt over."
Meng Qianqian didn’t object.
Meng Tianlan sent a servant to inform Third Lady Yan and Second Lady Ji, then quickly rushed to Grandfather’s courtyard.
He was afraid that if he was late, the old man and the young one might come to blows. (End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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