Chapter 95 The Outer Room

Jiang Qiuyue visited Song Yushu's restaurant a few more times, and the two got along quite well after a few encounters.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to come over in a few more days. I wish I had gotten to know Boss Wei sooner," Jiang Qiuyue said. She would be staying at home to prepare for her wedding soon, so this trip was just to say goodbye to Song Yushu.

"If you like the food here, you can come again after you get married," Song Yushu said. He saw that she had a good personality and that the family she married was from the town, so it wouldn't be difficult for them to visit each other in the future.

"I'm afraid that won't work. After the wedding, I will go with him to the prefectural city to study," Jiang Qiuyue said shyly when talking about Meng Sanlang. After saying goodbye to Song Yushu, she left.

Seeing her like this, Song Yushu knew that she had taken a liking to Meng Sanlang, and he also hoped that she could find a good home.

But some things just can't stand being talked about.

"Meng Sanlang has a mistress who is six months pregnant," the news Xue Huai'an brought back was like a bolt from the blue. The wedding was only two months away, and this happened. Lin Shi was so angry that she fell ill.

"Does the Meng family really think the Jiang family is easy to bully? I naively thought that Meng Sanlang was still infatuated with my Qiuyue, which is why the marriage was so rushed. It turns out that his mistress is six months pregnant and he was afraid he couldn't hide it!"

Lin was so angry that her heart ached. Jiang Qiuyue, who was standing next to her, handed her tea and patted her back to calm her down.

“Mother, look on the bright side. After all, I knew about this when I got married. It’s better than having a child out of nowhere after I married into the family,” Jiang Qiuyue said. Although she was a little hurt, she was stronger than Lin Shi.

"No, the Meng family must give us an explanation!" Madam Lin couldn't swallow this insult. If her daughter hadn't conceived in three years, and the Meng family had arranged for her to take a concubine, she would have no objection. But before her daughter had even married into the family, Meng Sanlang already had a mistress who was pregnant. Even in other families, it would be extremely shameful for a concubine to have a child before marrying a wife.

However, the Meng family did not show any remorse. The old lady of the Meng family bluntly stated that it was because the third son of the Meng family had failed to marry Jiang Qiuyue that he lost his temper and drank alcohol, which led to his loss of composure.

"There's no way to change things now. I know I'm sorry to Qiuyue, but Sanlang only loves you. From now on, I will never allow that mistress to marry into the family. After the child is born, we will raise it under your care, how about that?"

Mencius' mother held Jiang Qiuyue's hand, her words earnest.

Jiang Qiuyue and Madam Lin had been at the Meng residence for half an hour, but had not seen Meng Sanlang at all. Disappointed, they did not believe Meng's mother's sweet words at all, and left the Meng family without giving her an answer.

"Do you really think we care about Jiang Qiuyue? Sanlang is already nineteen. If it weren't for her, he would have been married and had children long ago. Why would I, as his mother, have to lower myself in front of the Jiang family?"

Meng's mother thought Jiang Qiuyue was ungrateful. Her son, Sanlang, was already a scholar at a young age, and the teachers at the academy praised him highly. It would only be a year or two before he passed the provincial examination. By then, Jiang Qiuyue would just be a merchant's daughter and be too old to be worthy of her son.

"Mother! What did the Jiang family say? They're not going to break off the engagement, are they?" Meng Sanlang hurriedly asked his mother as he came out.

"What's the rush, child? You're getting married in just two months. If Jiang Qiuyue doesn't marry, where will she find such a good husband as you? I think we shouldn't give them too much face. A mistress won't cause any trouble for her, yet she acts like our Meng family owes her something!"

Mencius' mother couldn't bear to scold her son, so she naturally blamed Jiang Qiuyue for all the mistakes.

“Mother, you don’t understand. Qiuyue is strong-willed. I’m afraid she will harbor resentment towards me. That mistress was just an accident. You must help me explain. Once Qiuyue marries into the family, I will definitely treat her with all my heart.” Meng Sanlang couldn’t listen to his mother’s words. Now he was too ashamed to explain to Jiang Qiuyue, so he could only rely on his own mother to mediate.

"Alright! I must have owed you something in my past life. Jiang Qiuyue is already an old maid, and you still care about her so much! Go and go read your book. With your mother here, we won't let this cooked duck fly away." Meng's mother had no choice but to persuade Meng Sanlang to leave.

When she visited the Jiang family again, she brought generous gifts and immediately began to tell Jiang Qiuyue about the hardships her third son had endured.

"Qiuyue, Sanlang is too ashamed to face you right now. He specifically asked me to tell you that he will be devoted to you from now on. The child is also raised in your name. The wedding is only two months away. Why bother with these things?"

"It's your Meng family's fault for doing this. If you had told us earlier, we might have understood. But you deliberately kept it from us, waiting until Qiuyue was married before forcing her to compromise. What are you up to?" Lin couldn't stand seeing Meng's mother shifting the blame onto her daughter, so she directly and mercilessly exposed Meng's mother's scheme.

"It's all because Sanlang values ​​Jiang Qiuyue. If you had said it earlier, would your Jiang family have agreed to this marriage? If you ask me, Qiuyue is already eighteen. How many more years can you wait? There probably isn't a better choice in this town than my Sanlang. Why keep pressing this matter?"

Mencius' mother was also provoked by Lin's words and didn't bother to hide her true thoughts.

"So it's all the Jiang family's fault now? Meng Sanlang hasn't shown his face since this happened. He's completely irresponsible. What kind of man is he? Our Jiang family doesn't need him at all!" Madam Lin said, and then had someone invite Meng's mother out.

"Fine! Your Jiang family is truly remarkable! With my son being so outstanding, how could he not marry a better girl? We'll just wait and see!" Mother Meng said harshly, then stormed off in a huff.

After Meng's mother left, Lin's face fell, and she hugged Jiang Qiuyue and cried again.

"Is Mother still hoping this marriage can go through?"

"What else can we do? You heard it yourself. She was right about one thing: where can I find someone better?"

"Since that's the case, why did Mother have to make such harsh remarks to the Meng family? If we really become in-laws in the future, there will probably be some discord between us. Aren't you afraid that your daughter will be mistreated by them after she marries into the family?" Jiang Qiuyue asked Lin Shi with some helplessness.

"Alas, it was my fault for not thinking things through. How about we go to the Meng family in a few days?" Lin regretted her words. She should have known better than to be so quick-witted. In the end, it was her own daughter who suffered.

“No need. I think it’s better to call off this marriage. Although Meng Sanlang is talented, he is indecisive and always lets Old Madam Meng take the lead. This shows how powerful Old Madam Meng is in the Meng family. From what she said today, it’s not hard to see that Old Madam Meng has been holding a grudge against me for a long time. Even if I marry into the family, I won’t have a good life. It’s better to break off the engagement.”

Jiang Qiuyue has now come to terms with it. Even if she marries into an ordinary family, with the support of the Jiang family, her life won't be too bad. But if she marries into the Meng family, which is of equal social standing, she will only have a husband who listens to his mother in everything and already has a son born out of wedlock, as well as a domineering mother-in-law. Her life will definitely not be easy.