Across the doorway, a girl around fifteen or sixteen was fighting with Huang Xue Mei, constantly cursing as she did so.
Next to them, Lu Rong stood watching with a cold eye, holding a little boy, with a middle-aged woman standing beside them.
On the other side, Yu Bingliang wanted to intervene but didn’t know how to begin.
"Is that Lu Rong’s mother and sister?" Zhu Huihui couldn’t help but ask aloud.
Hearing her voice, the three elders turned around, and Luo Yufang immediately exclaimed, "Wanwan, why aren’t you resting in the house?"
"I heard some noise and came out to check."
Luo Yufang wanted her to go back inside, but considering that her granddaughter-in-law hadn’t left the house for quite a while and rarely saw such lively scenes, she swallowed the words she was about to say since it seemed harmlessly entertaining from behind the door.
Seeing that Luo Yufang had no objections, both Shen Zhangming and Shen Mincheng also stayed silent.
"It should be," Lin Xiaoguai replied to Zhu Huixi’s earlier question.
"Her mother is so beautiful."
Upon hearing Zhu Huixi’s remark, Lin Xiaoguai, who hadn’t paid much attention to the middle-aged woman, took a look and was immediately surprised.
Lu Rong didn’t look at all like that woman!
Not to speak of the woman’s graceful features and elegant figure—women who became the other woman in someone’s marriage usually had some assets to start with—but her demeanor was especially eye-catching, gentle and intellectual. And to the discerning eye, it was evident that it wasn’t an act. To be honest, standing next to Huang Xue Mei, she completely overshadowed her.
Moreover, perhaps due to her aura, she appeared very young; claiming she was in her thirties might convince someone.
"Alright, Leilei, come back," said the woman, calmly and unhurriedly, as Huang Xue Mei’s face was about to be scratched.
Lin Xiaoguai found it strange; she didn’t hear any satisfaction in the woman’s tone, only calm and indifference.
"Her voice sounds pretty, not at all like Lu Rong," commented Zhu Huixi, her attention seemingly different.
Reluctantly, Lu Lei let go of Huang Xue Mei and stood up, walking to the woman and Lu Rong’s side.
Huang Xue Mei scrambled up from the ground, her face burning with pain, a bit angrily said, "Lu Xiao, please control your daughter!"
"I may not have done the best job of controlling my daughter, but it’s certainly not your place to take advantage of her," said Lu Xiao, her voice faint and pointed.
"What advantage? Lu Rong’s marriage was clearly decided by Yu Bingliang, what does it have to do with me?" Huang Xue Mei retorted angrily.
"You know very well what it has to do with you," Lu Xiao replied, not even looking at her but directly addressing Yu Bingliang, "Rongrong’s temperament is like yours, she’s foolish, and Mrs. Huang schemed to have her marry such a good-for-nothing. I agreed because I thought a fool and a good-for-nothing matched each other well. But since Huang Xue Mei has benefited from the marriage, then if Rongrong faces difficulties in her husband’s family, you and your son must support her."
Lin Xiaoguai and Zhu Huixi exchanged perplexed glances. Who describes their daughter like that?
And to directly say that Lu Rong was as foolish as Yu Bingliang—was it really okay to be so frank?
However, seeing that neither Yu Bingliang nor the Lu sisters, and even Huang Xue Mei, seemed rather unsurprised, it was evident that this was typical of Lu Xiao.
"Lu Rong’s mother is really impressive," Zhu Huixi whispered.
Lin Xiaoguai nodded; she had thought that Lu Rong’s mother stood no chance against Huang Xue Mei, who had a son. Despite having favor, she wouldn’t be able to hold sway, but now it seemed...
Lu Xiao wasn’t just favored; looking at Yu Bingliang, he was completely obedient in her presence.
"Why should I?" Huang Xue Mei exploded in anger; she admitted that she had deliberately schemed to have Lu Rong marry that worthless son-in-law. Despite there being other potential in-laws who could have helped her own son’s career, that Mr. Guo was most to her liking.
She had no wish for Lu Rong to marry well!
Lu Rong was just an illegitimate daughter, and if not for her help, let alone Mr. Guo, not even a farmhand would have wanted to marry her.
What right did Lu Xiao have to demand her son support Lu Rong now?
Huang Xue Mei thought Lu Xiao would say "because Lu Rong is Yu Bingliang’s daughter," but instead, she heard her say with a faint smile, "Because you have a son, and I don’t."
She looked at a bewildered Huang Xue Mei, "Do you believe I could expose Yu Bingliang’s affair right now? If I did, not only would Yu lose his military rank, but your son would probably be dismissed from his government position, right?"
"You wouldn’t dare," Huang Xue Mei said, frightened but trying to appear calm.
"Why wouldn’t I dare? Once the Yu Family falls from grace, I’ll just take Rongrong and Leilei back to the Capital. It’s so far from here, and without a son to hold office or join the military, what do I have to fear?" Lu Rong said indifferently.
"And what about Lu Rong? Aren’t you afraid the Guo Family would not want her as their daughter-in-law?" Huang Xue Mei asked through clenched teeth.
"So they’ll divorce? Then I’ll just tell people her husband died early," replied Lu Xiao, looking at her, "Do you believe that if I want to, it will be no problem for Rongrong to remarry?"
How could she not believe?
Huang Xue Mei used every ounce of her strength to keep her teeth from chattering. If she hadn’t had a son, with Lu Xiao’s capabilities, the Yu Family would have no place for her.
Even so, over the years, the wealth Yu Bingliang had accumulated was mostly in Lu Xiao’s hands, with her and her son unable to attain even half.
Throughout the years, due to the Cultural Revolution, countless innocent people suffered, let alone a woman like Lu Xiao who had borne two illegitimate daughters.
—Yet, she lived comfortably, never once captured for public denunciation, and even had a stable job as a teacher!
She reluctantly admitted to herself that she was afraid of Lu Xiao, very, very afraid. (To be continued... If you work, you are welcome to vote for it with a recommendation ticket or monthly ticket at Qidian. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)