Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“Grandmother.” The siblings stepped forward to greet the Dowager Duchess.
“You may sit.” Although the Dowager Duchess was puzzled, she did not let it show on her face.
The siblings greeted Lu Hetian as well, then sat down in their seats.
The old duke had married no one other than the Dowager Duchess his whole life and sired only one son, Lu Hetian.
Although Lu Hetian had married Madam Zheng after the passing of Madam Ling, his deceased wife, he did not have many children, only Lu Tingchen and two daughters, Lu Yunshuang and Lu Liangwei.
Therefore, the Lu family tree was essentially a very simple one.
That night, although the whole family gathered for a meal in the spacious dining hall, the atmosphere did not feel lively but instead rather deserted.
The Dowager Duchess’s heart was full of pensiveness.
When people reach their old age as she had, they would usually wish to be surrounded by their children and grandchildren.
During the meal, she intentionally brought up Lu Tingchen’s marriage in conversation.
Before Lu Hetian could say anything, Lu Tingchen frowned. “Grandmother, I don’t want to talk about marriage yet. Let’s discuss it in a few more years.”
Hearing this, the Dowager Duchess became rather worried. “You are already nineteen this year, and you will be twenty the next. Many people your age have already become fathers, yet you still refuse to discuss marriage?”
Lu Tingchen was very resentful of this topic. His brows knitted tightly together, he lowered his head to dig into his meal and stopped talking altogether.
Her grandson’s silent protest made the Dowager Duchess even more doleful.
Shifting her gaze, her eyes eventually fell on Lu Liangwei.
Seeing the girl sitting there, eating quietly with proper and graceful conduct, in stark contrast to how she used to be, utterly baffled the Dowager Duchess.
Although she was not pleased with this granddaughter of hers, she was her blood granddaughter nonetheless. Noting the girl’s apparent change, she asked with some concern, “Weiwei, why are you so quiet today?”
When the Dowager Duchess addressed her, Lu Liangwei could only put down her bowl and chopsticks and answer obediently, “The dishes today are so delicious, I am simply captivated. How embarrassing of me, behaving like this in front of Grandmother.” As she spoke, she stuck out her tongue playfully.
The coy behavior of the girl brought a hint of a smile on the Dowager Duchess’s face. “Since you find the food delicious, do have more.”
“Thank you, Grandmother,” Lu Liangwei said. Just when she was about to pick up her chopsticks again, another pair of chopsticks suddenly picked up a piece of chicken and placed it in her bowl.
“Weiwei got into quite some trouble this time, so she should eat more to nourish her body.” Aunt Zheng beamed, her voice extremely gentle, appearing as if she cared dearly for Lu Liangwei.
Eyeing the piece of chicken in her bowl, Lu Liangwei lost her appetite abruptly.
However, before she could take any action, the Dowager Duchess’s initially mild expression had already sunk. “Trouble? What trouble did Weiwei get into?”
Aunt Zheng immediately put on an uneasy expression as though she had unintentionally let the cat out of the bag, muttering anxiously, “Actually it’s nothing much. Don’t worry, Madam.”
The Dowager Duchess snorted heavily and shifted her gaze to Lu Hetian. “What happened here while I was away?”
Although the news of Lu Liangwei hanging herself for the Heir Apparent had already spread throughout the imperial capital, Lu Hetian continued to keep it a secret from the Dowager Duchess and did not pass the news to her.
Now, Aunt Zheng’s words had raised the Dowager Duchess’s speculation. Lu Hetian shot Aunt Zheng a look of mild displeasure.
The Dowager Duchess was already quite critical of Weiwei. If she were to learn about Weiwei hanging herself following her unrequited love for the Heir Apparent, she would probably dislike her even more.
He exhaled silently and was getting ready to explain when Lu Liangwei rose from her seat and knelt at the feet of the Dowager Duchess.