Chapter 12 Chapter 12 What does the child she gave birth to for Li Che count for?
"Okay, okay!" Luo agreed readily and asked people to prepare it that night.
Fortunately, Li Che is the only direct descendant of the Li family, and there are no elders in the capital. As for the side branches, the Luo family has never been willing to get in touch with them. There is no need to ask anyone from the side branches for the adoption, as the decision is made by the Luo family alone.
On the night of the second day of the New Year, the servants cleaned the ancestral hall and prepared incense, candles, paper money, wine, silk and livestock for offering sacrifices to the ancestors. Yuxiu also changed into a decent long gown and stood beside Zhao Qingyi with Li Jiao, waiting for dawn to report to the government and sign the document.
When the auspicious time arrived, Mrs. Luo did not dare to delay for a moment. With the witness of officials, she included Li Jiao's name in the family tree, burned incense and kowtowed. From then on, the seven-year-old Li Jiao became Zhao Qingyi's legitimate eldest son.
After Zhao Qingyi signed the document, he looked at Li Jiao bowing to him, and a stone in his heart finally fell to the ground.
The matter was done. It would be useless to say anything more when Li Che came back with Zhao Manyi's child. After all, it was his good mother Luo who took the initiative to arrange the adoption. If anyone was to be blamed, it could not be her.
Everyone present was overjoyed. Zhao Qingyi also allocated the last vacant courtyard in the mansion, Liulizhai, to Yuxiu. Li Jiao continued to live in the same courtyard with Yuxiu, and only had to pay his respects to Lanyue Pavilion on time every day.
After all the trivial matters were arranged, Zhao Qingyi did not return to his room, but sat in the front hall, as if waiting for someone.
Luo and Li Susu were in high spirits, so they simply sat with her and planned to discuss Li Jiao's early education, while Yuxiu served tea and water beside them.
Zhao Qingyi glanced at the sun and said nonchalantly, "There's no private school at home, and Jiao'er is the only young master. I think it would be better to send him to the Zhao family school and study with the other young men of the Zhao family. What do you think, mother-in-law?"
Being able to send him to the Zhao family to study would undoubtedly save the Li family the tuition fees for the teacher. How could the Luo family not want to do that?
He nodded repeatedly, "Now that you are managing the family more and more easily, you can make your own decisions on these matters."
Zhao Qingyi had a smile on her face. She was in a good mood and did not expose Luo's thoughts. She took the Jun kiln Tianqing cup handed to her by Yuxiu, pinched the tea lid with her slender fingers, gently skimmed off the foam, and sipped it with her sleeve covering her face.
Seeing her unhurried manner, Luo and Li Susu looked at each other, not daring to shout like before, but just waited patiently. After waiting for a long time, they did not hear Zhao Qingyi's follow-up words, but heard the voice of the doorman.
"Master is back! Master is back!"
Everyone in the hall, except Zhao Qingyi, stood up suddenly. Mrs. Luo was overjoyed. "My son is back? Oh, today is really a good day!"
Not only did the Li family have a legitimate eldest son, but Li Che was also back.
Li Susu was equally happy and was about to go to the door with Luo's support. However, Yuxiu didn't move when she saw that Zhao Qingyi didn't move.
She asked in a low voice, "Grandma, shouldn't we...go to the door to greet you?"
“No need.”
The next moment, a tall and slender figure walked around the corridor and strode towards the front hall. He was wearing a dark green silk gown with cloud pattern and round flowers, his black hair was tied up high, and his eyebrows and eyes were clear and elegant.
If it’s not Li Che, then who else could it be?
Almost the moment he came in, Li Che's eyes passed over his mother and sister and fell on the main seat.
Zhao Qingyi kept her eyes down while drinking tea. When she noticed someone looking at her, she raised her eyelids and met Li Che's gaze.
Her almond-shaped eyes were dark, like frost frozen in a deep well in winter, so cold that one glance could send shivers down one's spine.
Li Che's heart suddenly tightened, but when he looked again, the woman had withdrawn her gaze, put down the teacup, and raised her slender wrist slightly, showing the graceful and charming appearance of a lady from a noble family.
Is it his illusion?
Li Che couldn't help but slow down his pace, the corners of his lips drooping, a little unhappy.
He really didn't like the feeling of being looked down upon. His Li family had been prosperous in the past, so why did Zhao Qingyi have to act so condescending in front of him? Even when he returned home, she didn't even stand up to greet him.
Li Che was dissatisfied and stood ten steps away from Zhao Qingyi. Luo and Li Susu had been chattering in his ears, but he didn't hear a word.
Until his servant Qingshi caught up with him, holding a child about three years old in his arms.
The smiles on Luo and Li Susu's faces froze. They looked at the child and then at Li Che.
"Che'er, this...where did this child come from?"
Li Che came back to his senses and bowed slightly to Luo, "Mother, I came back this time to discuss something with you..."
Before he could say what was going on, the doorman came running in again, this time to Zhao Qingyi, "Grandma, there's a lady outside, she said it's your third sister."
Here it comes.
A hint of excitement flashed in Zhao Qingyi's eyes, and her red lips curled up beautifully, "That's a distinguished guest, why don't you invite him in?"
The doorman was dazzled by her smile, and immediately responded and ran out in a hurry.
This scene was exactly the same as in her previous life. Li Che came in, followed closely by a servant holding the illegitimate child. Then, her widowed illegitimate cousin Zhao Manyi came to visit under the pretext of reminiscing about the past.
She originally thought that everything was just a coincidence, but now it seems that there are flaws everywhere.
Zhao Manyi was still too impatient and couldn't wait to see her recognize the illegitimate child.
At this time, Li Che was explaining to Luo's Li Susu, "I was thinking that Qingyi was not in good health, and I didn't want her to suffer the pain of childbirth, so I brought a child from the Li family's side branch back and had him adopted into our family to continue the family line..."
"no!"
Luo's initial ecstasy suddenly turned into a furious roar, "Do you think my Li family is a charity? We won't raise other people's sons!"
Li Susu's expression was not very good either. "Brother, it's such a big deal. He made the decision on his own without informing mother in advance. How impulsive!"
The main reason is that her brother’s monthly salary is so little that it is not enough for her and her mother’s daily expenses. No one wants to waste money to raise a child for someone else.
Li Che didn't expect his mother and sister to react so strongly. The child seemed to have sensed Luo and Li Susu's displeasure, and started crying.
Zhao Manyi heard the crying from afar and trotted in. Fortunately, she still had some rationality and bowed to Zhao Qingyi and the others, "Big sister, aunt, Miss Li."
Because she was a widow, Zhao Manyi always wore plain long skirts and did not wear any makeup. She looked like a willow swaying in the wind, with a graceful and elegant appearance.
She quickly scanned the faces of the others and said awkwardly, "I didn't expect my brother-in-law to be back today. It turns out I came at the wrong time."
"How could that be?" Zhao Qingyi showed an extremely hypocritical smile, but did not show any intention of getting close to her.
Zhao Manyi had no choice but to look at Luo and Li Susu. They both looked away at the same time, seemingly angry.
She had been to the Li family in the past and had some friendship with Luo Shi's Li Susu, but they were not as cold as they are now.
Could it be that Luo and Li Susu were unhappy to see her son?
The child kept crying, and Li Che didn't know how to take care of him. He held the child in his arms and coaxed him for half a day but the child still didn't calm down. Zhao Manyi was almost heartbroken, but because of her status, she couldn't go forward.
Mrs. Luo waved her hands in annoyance. "Take it away! Take it away! Send it back to where it came from. My Li family doesn't support idle people!"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Manyi became anxious and hurriedly said, "Don't worry, Auntie, I'll try to coax the child." After that, she walked to Li Che and took the child, as if it was the first time she met the child, and held him aside and comforted him softly.
The child stopped crying in Zhao Manyi's arms. Li Che breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Luo, "Mother..."
"No room for negotiation." Luo's heart was harder than an iron pestle at this moment. Perhaps it was because she had just given birth to her eldest grandson, so she was full of confidence.
Li Che had no choice but to turn to Zhao Qingyi and slowed down his voice, "Qingyi, I've heard all these years in Heshan County that you've been in poor health since you got married. I don't want you to suffer too much and bear children for me, so I took a child..."
Zhao Manyi listened to the words she had heard in her previous life with a smile, without commenting.
Yuxiu took two steps forward at the right moment and bowed shyly, "My name is Yuxiu, and I greet you, sir."
The rest of Li Che's words were stuck in his throat. He looked at the jade sleeve carefully for a few times before he seemed to recognize it.
"Yu, Yuxiu? Why are you back?"
Yuxiu responded timidly, her cheeks flushed, "It was the eldest madam who took pity on me, so she took me back before the master came back, and took me in as her husband. Now, I am already the master's concubine."
After hearing this, Li Che was so shocked that he couldn't speak. He actually got a concubine without knowing it?
Even Zhao Manyi, who was standing aside coaxing the child, lost her composure. She was about to take a step forward, but then she remembered the idea she had discussed with Li Che and forced herself to hold back.
No, she couldn't be impulsive. Taking a concubine was not important. The most urgent thing was to persuade Zhao Qingyi to adopt her son Jun.
Zhao Qingyi silently watched the reactions of the two people and gave Yuxiu a look. Yuxiu understood and went to the backyard. Soon, she brought Li Jiao out.
"Master."
After being adopted, Li Jiao's biological mother was Zhao Qingyi. On the surface, Yuxiu, the concubine, could only address Li Jiao as "Young Master". She gestured for Li Jiao to look at Li Che, and said excitedly, "Young Master, look! That's your biological father, the one you've been thinking about for so many years!"
She deliberately emphasized the word "biological".
Upon hearing this, Li Jiao immediately stepped forward and knelt down in a proper manner, "My son, Li Jiao, greets my father!"
It was like a bolt from the blue falling on Li Che and Zhao Manyi's heads. They both exclaimed in unison, "What?"
As soon as these words came out, she felt that she had spoken out of turn. Li Che was fine, but why was Zhao Manyi, an outsider, so surprised? Luo Shi was already unhappy and glanced at Zhao Manyi.
Zhao Manyi hugged her son tightly in her arms, looked at Li Jiao in disbelief, and finally looked at Li Che with a questioning look.
We have been together for four years, and he has never told me that he has a son with another woman!
That son has grown up so much!
Then what about the Jun'er she secretly gave birth to for Li Che? He had promised her that her Jun'er would be the eldest son of the Li family!
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