Ling Lihua stroked Lu Liangwei’s hair and said in amusement, “Is it so important whether I forgive your Dad or not?”
Lu Liangwei replied gravely, “Of course it is. Dad loves you very much. If he’d really betrayed you, then I have nothing to say, but now that the truth is out, and we know that Lu Yunshuang is not his daughter, I really hope that you can forgive him and accept him again.”
The Dowager Duchess added, “That’s right, Lihua. If Shenzhi had really done something to betray your trust, I wouldn’t shamelessly ask you to forgive him either. But I know my son enough—he’s just a stubborn person. He’s already in love with you, so he’d never fancy another woman and have an affair with her. Well, I’m also to blame for handling the situation poorly back when Madam Zheng returned.”
Hearing the guilt in her tone, Ling Lihua hurriedly said, “Please don’t blame yourself, Madam. It’s not your fault; it’s just that I personally can’t let go of this grudge. Besides, even though Lu Yunshuang and Lu Hetian don’t share the same blood, what about that pair of underwear? Did Lu Hetian really not sleep with Zheng Yanran? I’m sorry, but I still can’t forgive him.”
The moment she uttered these words, the Dowager Duchess fell silent.
Lu Liangwei was at a loss for words too.
She wished fervently that her parents could get back together, but if her father had really slept with Madam Zheng, she could only respect her mother’s decision.
Most women in this era treated their husbands like gods, and they tended to stay silent in the face of their husband’s betrayal and pretend that nothing happened.
However, her mother was different. She could never tolerate anything that went against her principles, and she was an extremely assertive person. If she was not, she would not have disappeared for so many years.
She was a woman who refused to be mistreated.
Now that Madam Zheng was dead, what had happened between her and her father would forever be a mystery.
As Lu Liangwei had these sad thoughts, she heard the Dowager Duchess suddenly say, “Actually, we can ask Zeng Lunan if Madam Zheng and Shenzhi were ever together. He might have the answer.”
Lu Liangwei was stunned for a moment, but she quickly realized what her grandmother meant.
Ling Lihua had been thinking about the same thing for a while, and hearing this, she remained silent.
The Dowager Duchess stood up. “I’ll go and ask him now, and in the meantime, you two can catch up with each other.”
After glancing at Ling Lihua, Lu Liangwei grabbed the Dowager Duchess’s arm and said, “Grandmother, I think that we should let Mother ask him herself.”
The Dowager Duchess stopped in her tracks as a thought came to her, then she smiled and said, “Well, well, look at how muddle-headed I’ve become! It’s indeed more appropriate for your mother to ask him about this matter herself.”
Even if she was told that Madam Zheng had given away her virginity to Zeng Lunan, Lihua would probably not believe her if she was not there to hear it first-hand. In fact, Lihua would even think that the Dowager Duchess had colluded with Zeng Lunan, so she might as well let Lihua go and ask him herself.
As for Ling Lihua, even though she trusted the Dowager Duchess, she still wanted to confirm the truth herself for the sake of reassurance.
Right after Ling Lihua left, Long Yang walked in.
“Have you settled everything?” asked Lu Liangwei.
“Yes,” Long Yang replied briefly before asking, “Have you gotten to the bottom of your parents’ problem?”
Lu Liangwei shook her head. “Not yet. Mother’s gone to confirm with Zeng Lunan now.”
The Dowager Duchess looked at the two of them and said kindly, “If you’re not too busy, Your Majesty, why don’t you have lunch here before returning to the palace?”
Long Yang nodded. “I’d be delighted, Grandmother.”
The Dowager Duchess found it pleasant to hear him call her grandmother. She had indeed disapproved of this marriage before, but after some time, she came to realize how much the Emperor cared for Weiwei..