Chapter 44: Du Ruo (Part 1)

  Until after lunch, the three of them came out of Yanhui Zhai with Luo Shi. Ling Yuexun walked ahead and talked to Luo Shi, while Yuandai slowed down her pace and walked behind with Xiao Chengyan. After walking a few steps, Ling Yuexun came over again, saying that she wanted to go to Zhu Xiangyuan with Luo Shi, and would not return to Quanfang Zhai with the two of them. Yuandai and the others smiled and agreed.

  As soon as Ling Yuexian and her mother went far away, Xiao Chengyan let out a soft sigh and turned back to look at Yuan Dai with a somewhat helpless expression, saying: "I originally wanted to go with you all to Mount Guanyin to burn incense, but now it seems that's not possible!"

  Yuandai was thinking to herself that Old Lady Yu didn't know who she had sent to her house, and after hearing this, she simply said: "It's better you don't go, in my opinion, Third Aunt actually doesn't want you to go either, but it's not good to say so directly in front of you!"

  Xiao Chengxian was taken aback and hastily asked: "Sister, what do you mean by this?"

  Yan Dai saw her looking puzzled and couldn't help but laugh and shake her head: "So you really didn't see it?"

  She nodded at Xiao Xian, and then explained: "This third aunt of mine looks gentle and kind, but she's actually a very understanding person. For example, the matter between you and Sixth Brother, outsiders may not be able to see it clearly, but as an onlooker, she must have seen through it long ago. She just didn't want to pour cold water on Grandma and Mother's enthusiasm. Today's affair is obviously her way of not wanting you to go, so she deliberately pushed Mother and Sixth Brother out, and explicitly said that the Guanyin Temple matchmaker is the most effective, making you retreat on your own initiative!"

  Xiao Chengxian listened to these words, carefully thought for a moment, and suddenly said: "If you hadn't reminded me, I really wouldn't have noticed these things!" She said, but couldn't help but wonder: "But I still can't figure it out, even if I went, what would it have to do with her, why would she be like this?"

  Yan Dai's cherry lips slightly curved, wanting to smile but forcing herself to hold back, after a while she said: "Since she doesn't want you to go, then don't go, I think your temperament is not that of a good man or woman anyway. Besides, the incense in front of Guanyin's statue is already flourishing, it won't lack one stick of incense from you!"

  Xiao Cheng let out a soft hum, but said: "I was originally free to go or not go, but now that she doesn't want me to go, I must go on this trip! How unreasonable is this!" His tone showed great anger towards Luo's actions.

  Yan Dai looked at her expression and couldn't help but laugh even more, finally saying: "Alright! You don't have to make a fuss! Other people are going on this trip to meet their future son-in-law, why do you have to squeeze in and cause trouble?"

  Xiao Chengxian was taken aback by these words and couldn't help but take a big surprise: "Brother-in-law? Where did you know that from?"

  Yan Dai smiled and said, "Earlier, you saw how worried tenth sister was, didn't you? My aunt must be reluctant to part with her, so she used this incense-burning as an excuse to let the two of them meet, also to comfort tenth sister's heart."

  Xiao Chengxian listened to these words, and in her heart, she also felt that there was some truth to them. However, on the surface, she still pretended to be stubborn. She glanced at Yan Dai with a slanted gaze and sneered, "Your words are just your own speculation, how can you be sure they're true? No way, I must go take a look!"

  Yuan Dai saw her like this, and she couldn't help but feel a little regretful of her own hasty words. After hesitating for a moment, she finally spoke up: "I didn't think that much at first, it's just that later, seeing Third Aunt seemed unwilling to let you go, I roughly guessed a few things!"

  Xiao Chengxian thought for a moment, still feeling somewhat uneasy in her heart. She said discontentedly: "The more you say, the more I feel that this matter is not right! Since she brought her daughter to meet her son-in-law and didn't bring me along, how could she be willing to bring you? Could there be some hidden reason behind this?"

  Yuandai listened to a string of helplessness. Xiao Chengyan was originally an icy and elegant person, but unexpectedly today she had gotten herself into a predicament, and even though she had already said things had reached this point, she still couldn't understand what was going on. Shaking her head, Yuandai turned to look at Qiaolan who was standing behind Xiao Chengyan with a curious expression: "Qiaolan, I want to ask you, did your young mistress look in the mirror this morning?"

  Cao Lan was suddenly called out by her, and she blinked in confusion for a moment before saying, "Of course I need to take a look when I'm getting dressed in the morning!"

  Her distant eyes revealed a hint of a smile, and she nodded: "It's fine once it's taken! It's fine once it's taken!"

  The words were somewhat inexplicable at first, but when Xue Cheng heard them, she suddenly understood the meaning behind Yuandai's words.

  Luoshi intentionally used the name of Shangxiang to let Ling Yuexuan and Lu Weijie meet, hoping that this young couple would leave a good impression on each other. If they could fall in love at first sight, it would be even better. However, Luoshi did not want someone too outstanding to appear beside Ling Yuexuan, which might lead to stealing the spotlight. Therefore, he used Ling Yueqing as an excuse to dismiss his intention of going together. Suddenly, Xiao Chengyan realized that Luoshi wanted to bring Yuandai along precisely because she was plain-looking. The two sisters, one beautiful and one ordinary, complemented each other, making the ordinary one seem almost ugly, while the beautiful one became even more stunning by comparison.

  She rolled her eyes, and with a faint smile, she glanced at Daiyu and said: "It's all thanks to your crooked mind that you can think of so many things from just one sentence! Now that I think about it, it's no wonder my brother wanted me to stay away from you earlier, lest I suffer because of you in the future!"

  After understanding Luo's intention, Xiao Chengyan's first reaction was naturally anger. However, after the anger, in order not to make Yuan Dai embarrassed, she could only change the subject and talk about other things as if nothing had happened. Although Yuan Dai seemed to be unaware of this.

  Yu Dai smiled and said, "In the past, he tried to keep you away from me, but you didn't listen. Now you're complaining in front of me, is this reasonable?" She wasn't angry with Luo Shi, after all, she did everything for her daughter's sake.

  Xiao Chengyan smiled and let it go. The two walked a few more steps, and Xiao Chengyan suddenly sighed again: "I don't know which maid the old lady will give you." The matter of Guanyin Mountain was actually not painful for her, so she mentioned it just to tell Yuandai about her plan in advance, while the maid pointed out by Old Lady Xiao was what she really worried about.

  She went to Lü Yu Ling this time, but it wasn't just for admiring plum blossoms.

  Yuan Dai smiled wryly and sighed helplessly, feeling a deep sense of powerlessness.

  Xiao Chengxian bid farewell at the entrance of Qingfang Pavilion, and Yuandai returned to the west wing alone. Wenping followed closely behind her, step by step.

  The two returned to the house and sat down. Cui Yi saw them and had already brewed tea. Wen Ping looked at Yuan Dai, who was silently drinking tea, with a puzzled expression, and after a while, she finally asked in a soft voice: "Miss, what about Old Lady..."

  Yan Dai smiled faintly and said calmly: "The old lady's good intentions cannot be refused, it's just a matter of meeting force with force and water with earth."

  Wen Ping nodded to show she understood, but then asked again: "What about the things in Miss's room..."

  Yan Dai sighed after hearing this, and only spoke after a long while: "There's no need to bother with the things in this house! When the people from Old Lady's side arrive, you should be more careful and guard against her!" This house of hers had many precious items, such as the ice-blue jade pendant. However, aside from Yuan Zhen, she didn't trust anyone else with these things, not even Zhou Yiniang.

  Now that Yuan Zhen is outside the government office, for a short while, the snow has not melted yet. If someone sends it out, I'm afraid it will inevitably raise more suspicions.

  Wen Ping nodded silently, her expression not quite good. Yuan Dai waved at her to indicate that she didn't need to stay by her side, and after Wen Ping left, Yuan Dai lay down on the kang and lost herself in thought. As for Old Lady Xiao's actions today, she was actually quite perplexed, wondering why the old lady had chosen this particular time to place someone by her side.

  Could the old lady have guessed her plan? Far Dai thought, and then felt it was impossible. The only ones who truly knew her plan in the current Ling Mansion were Xiao Chengyan and Wen Ping, and she was certain that these two would never reveal her plan.

  But Yan Dai didn't think so. After Xiao Lao Tai Jun learned about this matter, she was willing to let Xiao Xian go to Lv E Ridge.

  After thinking about it, Yuandai suddenly felt a shock in her heart. If the old lady didn't know about this matter but still wanted to send a maid over to her side, then there was only one possibility left - that the old lady had other plans for the trip to Lüyè Ridge Villa.

  With a helpless shake of her head, Faraday gave up the idea of continuing to think deeply. At present, she had no clues in her hands, and even if she thought carefully, she was afraid that there would be no results. In this case, it's better to save some energy and just see how things develop later.

  Just as she had put down her thoughts, Yuandai felt a wave of drowsiness wash over her. She was too lazy to call for someone, so she simply lay down on the kang and fell asleep. In a haze, she vaguely felt someone cover her with a thin quilt, probably Wenshu. Yuandai thought to herself, but slept even more soundly.

  When she woke up from her dream, Yuandai lazily opened her eyes and called out softly: "Wenshu!"

  No sooner had she uttered these words than someone beside her responded and came forward to support her, smiling and saying: "Miss, you're awake!"

  Yan Dai heard the voice and felt it was somewhat familiar, but it wasn't Wen Ping's. She was startled and quickly opened her eyes to see the person supporting her. She couldn't help but be surprised, and the next moment, she laughed and said: "Wen Ping is also like this, how could she let sister take care of me? It's really deserving of a beating!" As soon as she saw Du Ruo, she immediately understood that Old Lady Xiao wanted to give her own maid, Du Ruo. Although she understood, her face still showed a surprised expression as if nothing was wrong.

  Unexpectedly, Du Ruo heard the sound and smiled as she pressed her lips together: "If Miss says so, then Du Ruo can't stay here!" She said, standing up straight and making a polite bow to Yuan Dai: "The old lady has now given me to serve you, miss!"

  Yan Dai listened and shook her head repeatedly, after all, she furrowed her brow and said: "Don't deceive sister, today no matter who the old lady sent, even if it was a rough maid who had only been serving the old lady for an hour, I would have only gratitude in my heart. But only to you, sister, I dare not stay!" Seeing Du Ruo seemed to have something to say, she hurriedly raised her hand to stop Du Ruo and said: "Sister's position in the old lady's heart, others don't know, but we granddaughters are extremely clear! Please ask sister to go back and tell this to the old lady. Beg the old lady to withdraw her order, don't shorten my life as a junior!"