The rain has stopped, and the air is filled with a hint of coolness, making people feel refreshed. Hua Ruchu, who had been sleep-deprived, finally felt a bit more alert.

  Yun Shu supported her as she slowly walked forward, whispering, "The people in the other courtyards are all taking sedan chairs, why must you be an exception, and still catch a chill."

  "If I had a horse to ride, I would be delighted."

  Knowing that the young lady at home never liked to sit in that slow sedan chair, Yun Shu stopped talking. Fortunately, there were servants who had cleaned up along the way, so only a bit of dampness remained.

  "Grandfather and grandmother are well."

  "All right, all right. But did you come in a sedan chair?" The old lady looked over with a smile, she still had some affection for this easily embarrassed daughter-in-law.

  Hua Ru smiled slightly and shook her head, "Thinking that this road is not far, Sun's daughter-in-law has walked here before."

  "It's good to take a walk, unlike those lazy guys who don't even want to take a step."

  "Mother, you can't wrong my wife, she's also been through a lot, don't believe me? Just look at my shoes, they're all wet." Qi Lin's voice came in before he did, with a hint of petulance.

  The old lady was taken in by this, and her eyes indeed shifted away, chatting and laughing with the second daughter-in-law, "You've grown a thousand-mile ear, haven't you? You heard every word I said."

  "My wife is heartbroken, Mother, you can't forget old people just because there's a new one."

  "This remark is used here, you shameless one." The old lady glared at her with a bad temper, then immediately smiled again, "Only you dare to speak nonsense like this."

  Qilin was covering her mouth with a handkerchief, laughing, and the corners of her eyes revealed a subtle wrinkle. Her half-covered face looked even more charming. When Second Master Qifeng entered, he couldn't help but take a few extra glances at her.

  Qilin seemed to have sensed that gaze and looked over with a flirtatious glance at her husband's eyes.

  "Wow, Second Aunt looks really young today. Standing next to Minmin, they look like sisters, not mother and daughter at all."

  She withdrew her gaze, and Qi Lin's chest was slightly puffed out with satisfaction. Her husband hadn't entered her room for several days now, so this outfit had indeed been worth the effort - and the silver spent to catch his attention.

  Qī Mǐn smiled and helped her mother sit down, then sweetly greeted the old lady and politely bowed to Huá Rú Chū, "Sister-in-law is well."

  Hua Ru Chu originally stood beside the old lady, motionless, with her head half lowered. Since early morning, she had been listening to their chatter, which made her headache even worse due to lack of sleep, and yet she still had to continue enduring it.

  At the sound of a young and sweet voice calling her "sister-in-law", she quickly suppressed the turmoil in her heart, looked up and said, "Qī Mǐn little sister?"

  "Sister-in-law has a great memory, she remembered me after just one meeting."

  "Qī Mǐn's younger sister is so beautiful, one glance and she's etched in your memory; even if Auntie has a bad memory, she can't forget."

  Everyone loves to hear pleasant words. Even Qi Min, who was full of schemes, couldn't help but smile and blush when he heard this, "Sister-in-law is always teasing people."

  Hua Ru smiled and didn't continue the conversation, praying in her heart that they would hurry up and finish so she could go back to rest.

  Hearing a noise outside, she looked up to see the person who had just entered, and Hua Ruochu hastily came out from behind Old Madam to pay her respects, "Father, Mother."

  "Come on, there's no need for so much courtesy among family members." Qi Zhongyan helped him up with a virtual hand, and although he said so, his eyes were full of satisfaction.

  Hua stood up and naturally supported Qi Wu's hand as they walked forward. Qi Wu smiled and patted her hand, not refusing.

  "Dad, mom, I wasn't careful when going out and slipped, my clothes got dirty, so I had to go back and change, which delayed me for a bit, sorry to keep you waiting."

  The old lady looked her up and down, concern etched on her face, "Are you hurt?"

  "No, fortunately Xiaotao supported her quickly."

  The old man who had been keeping his eyes closed finally opened them and swept a glance around the room, "Now that everyone is here, let's have dinner."

  "As you wish, Shuang Ji."

  "Yes."

  Repeated the same thing as in the past few days, and after giving the old lady a massage on her fingers, I was finally allowed to leave after listening to a room full of women gossiping about family matters.

  Qī Wǔ followed suit and stood up to bid farewell, "It's just as well that I have something to discuss with my wife. Mother, I'll come back later to keep you company."

  "Hurry up, my wife wants you to accompany her somewhere."

  "You think I'm useless because I don't know how to speak nicely, but one day I'll master it all, and when that day comes, you'd better not find it annoying when I shower you with sweet talk."

  The old lady patted her lightly and said, "Hurry up, hurry up, you're making a nuisance of yourself."

  Such a harmonious and joyful family, if one were to look at them with a simple mind, they would really think they are a loving family. They might even be foolish enough to tell them the truth, but unfortunately, she is no longer so simple-minded, all she sees is the needle-like opposition behind their warmth.

  "You looked a bit off today, what's wrong? Are you sick?" Qi Wu finally asked after walking out of the main courtyard for a while.

  Hua had been waiting for her to speak up early on, originally thinking it was something else, but unexpectedly she asked this, however, she wouldn't mistakenly think this is concern.

  It's easier to find a clean stone in a stinky ditch, wash it and maybe the smell will be gone, than to find a conscience in a big mansion.

  "Mom, don't worry about me, I'm fine, it's just... " The speaker trailed off, but the blush on her face completed the sentence.

  Qiwu said with a smile, "That little scoundrel You'er doesn't know how to take care of you. He's been making trouble for you since the wedding day. How can you stand it?"

  Hua Ru's face turned red as she avoided talking, and played the role of a new daughter-in-law perfectly.

  Qī Wǔ's wife patted her hand, "It's a good thing that your husband values you. Since Yòu'ér treats you this way, you should be more diligent and take care of the people in those few rooms at home, so as not to trouble Yòu'ér with household matters."

  "Yes, mother, I will try my best to fulfill my duties as a daughter-in-law."

  "Mother knows you're a sensible person, but some things still need to be let go of. Men are meant for great deeds, especially Yu'er. Not coming back is a common occurrence. The several rooms in the house also need to be taken care of every day, it's not possible to only stay in your courtyard, otherwise the inner quarters would be difficult to keep peaceful. Do you understand what mother is saying?"

  Hua Ru's face quickly lost its redness, her eyelashes trembled, and she moved her mouth a few times before responding stiffly: "Yes, Mother, I understand."

  "It's hard for you, don't worry, Yu'er won't be a man who favors his concubine over his wife. You're sensible and he'll only treat you better." Qi Wushi was very pleased with her daughter-in-law's obedience. Which daughter-in-law wasn't like this? From the moment they lifted their red veil, men became their heaven. Who wouldn't want their husband to have eyes and heart only for them? But it could only be a thought, after all, how many men in this world could actually do that.

  She also cried for several times back then before accepting it, even if she couldn't accept it, what could she do? Could she tie the man to her side?

  Watching Huaruchu leave unsteadily with Yiniang's support, Qi Wushi thought of her own past.

  Since everyone else has been through this, how can you be an exception?

  P.S: The code is a bit slow, double update tomorrow, collecting recommendation tickets!