Chapter 55 "I just want you to be okay"
Duan's mother looked at Lu Zhenyu with a rare and kind expression.
“She comes from the Duan family, so if she said something wrong, it’s because I, as the head of the household, haven’t disciplined her properly. I apologize to Miss Beizhen on behalf of Zhang Mama.”
No one expected that Duan's mother would step forward and admit her mistake.
The cat in the kitchen, the dining room, and the servants upstairs were all terrified.
They like Duan Xi'er and serve her with genuine respect because she appeared out of nowhere and stayed by their side when the Shen family was in danger.
But as for this Duan mother... just like with his own master, he didn't like her.
Duan's mother then looked at Shen's mother, "It's mainly your mother-in-law who matters. We all understand the feelings of parents. Let's not let such a small matter cause any rift between our two families."
This time, Lu Zhenyu lowered her eyelids and avoided looking at people. Chen's mother quickly tried to smooth things over, saying, "My dear in-law, what are you saying? This matter will be over once it's been discussed. Our Zhenzhen is not a child who holds grudges."
Regardless of whether Duan's mother's apology was sincere or not, the phrase "Miss Beizhen" was enough to prove that she saw through Shen Jingsi's true purpose in insisting on his point of view, and after weighing the pros and cons, she still bowed to the Shen family.
Out of the corner of her eye, Lu Zhenyu glanced at Shen Jingsi, who was leaning back lazily on the sofa with a hint of satisfaction in his eyes, and smiled.
"As a junior, how could I accept your apology? You're too kind."
She turned her head slightly to Xiaomeng, whose body had been tense for a while, and said, "From now on, if you want to sneeze or cough, be more open about it. Everyone's hearing. Do you think you can hide it and others won't hear you? Stop being so clever, understand?"
Xiao Meng never imagined that her smile would trigger such a stalemate, but she understood the veiled criticism in the words.
The quick-witted girl immediately nodded, "Yes, young mistress. I'll remember that. From now on, I'll watch my mouth no matter where I am, so as not to embarrass you."
Then he looked at the old woman kneeling with her face almost touching the ground, "Aunt Zhang, regardless of whether this is a misunderstanding or not, I apologize to you. I am the junior, and you are the senior with more experience. Please give me more guidance in the future."
The old woman dared not offer any more advice; Shen Jingsi's fierce and sinister expression had truly frightened her.
People outside say that this Shen family boy is stingy and ruthless; if you touch his sore spot, you'll be either dead or badly injured.
But seeing how well he treated his young lady over the years, she didn't think much of it.
Having experienced it firsthand, he was truly terrified and quickly waved his hand at Xiaomeng, saying, "No, no, don't worry about it, miss."
Seeing this, Shen's mother moved to sit next to Duan's mother, took her hand, and had a conversation as if she were being sincere.
With the atmosphere already at this point, Lu Zhenyu felt there was no need to stay any longer and force a smile.
"Godmother, it's time for me to take my medicine."
Mother Shen immediately said, "That's a big deal, you should go quickly. We'll have dinner after your father finishes his work."
As soon as she left, Duan Xi'er silently looked at Shen Jingsi.
The man was leaning there unresponsive, his eyelids drooping, fiddling with the ring intermittently, which made her feel a little more at ease.
Duan Xi'er felt quite flustered when she saw him clearly speaking up for Lu Zhenyu.
She knew this man best. He would cause trouble for anyone, not just outsiders, but even his own parents if they offended him.
As soon as he had a moment to spare, he pulled his mother aside and whispered some instructions to her.
Duan's mother doted on this daughter, but it was also a helpless situation, knowing that her daughter was determined to marry into the Shen family.
But then again, among the prominent families in the capital nowadays, the Shen family is the most prosperous.
If it weren't for her appreciation of this son-in-law's abilities and the Shen family's current power, how could Duan's mother have possibly lowered herself to apologize to a lonely, orphaned man?
"It's good to cherish your relationship, but you're the woman, so you can't be too eager to please others, otherwise you'll look worthless."
Duan Xi'er also had her own explanation: "A Si is usually very good to me. It's all because of Zhang Mama's stupidity. You should take her out less often in the future, or get rid of her if necessary. She's a complete hindrance. If she really ruins my engagement with A Si today, see if I can let her off the hook."
Knowing her daughter's temperament, Duan's mother sighed, "You child, she was still your wet nurse, after all."
Duan Xi'er didn't care at all, "She only drank a few sips of milk. Hasn't the Duan family given her enough blessings over the years?"
If, after marriage, Shen Jingsi refuses to even go back to her parents' home with her because of this matter, then that old woman truly deserves to die.
"Can't you see how protective he is of that girl from the Lu family, and that he even dared to bring her to the Shen family?"
This was the confidence Shen Jingsi had given Duan Xi'er recently, which made her even angrier. "I hadn't been paying much attention to her before, and it was all Zhang Ma's fault."
But it doesn't matter, since they're getting engaged soon and Lu Zhenyu and Zheng Yaozong are also trying to have a child.
If Lu Zhenyu didn't personally witness her blissful moment in the capital, Duan Xi'er felt that this victory was ultimately incomplete.
Duan's mother really couldn't do anything with her daughter, so she found an opportunity to send the old nanny back first.
Not long after Lu Zhenyu left, Shen's father, who had finished his work, came downstairs.
When Duan's mother saw Shen's father, she became more humble and respectful, greeting him with a smile.
"I'm sorry, there was a sudden problem overseas, and I just finished dealing with it. Please forgive me, my dear in-laws."
Mrs. Duan smiled warmly, "Father-in-law, what are you saying? I know you two are busy managing such a large business, one abroad and one at home. My husband Duan is the same, otherwise he would definitely have come to have a few drinks with you today."
After exchanging pleasantries, the group entered the restaurant in a grand procession.
When Mr. Shen couldn't find his daughter, his expression darkened further when he saw Mrs. Shen. "Where's the child? Haven't you brought her back from the hospital yet?"
Madam Shen wanted to send a servant to fetch him, but when she heard that Shen Jingsi wanted to go upstairs to change his clothes, she entrusted the task to him.
Before Lu Zhenyu could even have a moment's peace, there was another knock on the door.
"Hold on."
She got up to open the door, and Shen Jingsi appeared in the doorway with his arms crossed. He had completely lost the brashness he had shown in public just moments before, and his expression was slightly serious.
Lu Zhenyu asked in a flat tone, "Is there something you need?"
Seeing the girl's pale face, Shen Jingsi unconsciously frowned. "I'm calling you down for dinner."
Lu Zhenyu had already guessed it. "Okay, I'll get a shawl. You can go down now."
Noticing the girl frown as she turned around, Shen Jingsi took two steps into the house. "Don't you want to go down?"
Before anyone could speak, he added, "Then we won't go down."
Don't be fooled by how simple he makes it sound; whether or not Lu Zhenyu can go on is entirely beyond his control.
"If I don't go down, won't it seem like someone in this family doesn't value your marriage?"
She went back to her bedroom, grabbed a shawl, and draped it over her beige knit dress.
Shen Jingsi stared intently at the retreating figure and called out, "Lu Zhenyu."
Thinking he was in a hurry, Lu Zhenyu could only fix her hair as she walked, her brow furrowed with annoyance. "Don't rush me, I'm already on my way."
As soon as I got close, my wrist was grabbed by a strong, distinct hand.
Shen Jingsi looked at her other arm, which was hidden in her sleeve. "Does it hurt?"
Lu Zhenyu paused for a moment, then immediately thought of the man who claimed to be his personal driver.
So no matter what she did, Master Li would tell him everything afterward.
Unable to describe her feelings, Lu Zhenyu pulled her hand back. "It's alright, the pain subsided and I don't feel anything anymore."
She walked around him, who was blocking the doorway, and went outside. Shen Jingsi, who had been standing still, suddenly asked:
Are you happier here or at the Zheng family's house?
Lu Zhenyu looked at him, puzzled. "What do you mean?"
Shen Jingsi took a deep breath, his expression gradually becoming serious.
Whether it was Lu Zhenyu's imagination or not, she felt that the man seemed somewhat dejected.
As she turned around to get a better look at him, she heard him say, "What I mean is, if you're happier at the Zheng family's place than here, I can send you back."
Should we take her back?
Seeing Shen Jingsi's serious expression, which didn't seem like a joke, Lu Zhenyu's heart clenched for no reason.
Her slender left hand mustered some strength and broke free from the large hand that held it captive.
Lu Zhenyu coldly withdrew her gaze. "Don't worry, I won't say anything that would affect your relationship with Duan Xi'er."
This means that she doesn't want to go back to the Zheng family.
Even if you're not happy here, don't go back to that cage.
It's not that she's shameless; she just stubbornly clings to this place even though she knows she's being looked down upon and humiliated.
In this vast capital city, and even in the whole country, the only place that could allow her to temporarily escape Zheng Yaozong's control was this Shen mansion.
Lu Zhenyu wasn't sure why Zheng's mother suddenly agreed to let her go back to her parents' home for a while, but she could guess that it was Duan Xi'er who was behind it.
Feeling that winning over Shen Jingsi wasn't enough, she had to let her former rival witness their daily happiness and affection.
The more upset and pained she was, the more triumphant and relieved she felt.
But in doing so, it could be considered as indirectly helping Lu Zhenyu.
As for Shen Jingsi's sudden offer to send her back to the Zheng family, it must be because what just happened made him feel that her existence was a problem for both families.
Thinking about all this, Lu Zhenyu really didn't want to be in the same room with this man anymore, so she stepped outside.
Before they had taken two steps, Shen Jingsi dragged them back into the room.
The door slammed shut, and he pressed the man against the wall, his breathing noticeably heavier.
Lu Zhenyu coldly lowered her eyes, letting him control her.
Like a puppet whose soul has been drained, it neither struggles, nor raises its eyes, nor displays any expression.
Staring intently at the person at close range, the man's cheeks puffed out several times, and his deep eyes seemed to hold a thousand unspoken words.
But it piled up there, not knowing where to begin, unable to express itself, and had no choice but to turn into a cloud of mist and dissipate silently.
He softened his tone, "If you don't want to go down, then don't. I'll have them bring dinner up."
Lu Zhenyu finally reacted, slowly raising her eyes to meet those deep, dark eyes.
For some reason, she felt that her eyes were filled with an indescribable yet profound sadness.
Seeing this, Lu Zhenyu felt a tightness in her chest, and many of the resentments she had accumulated before dissipated without her realizing it.
She took a deep breath and softened her tone, "If I don't go, my godparents will feel awkward in front of outsiders."
In fact, Lu Zhenyu could empathize with Shen's mother very much, even though such understanding would put her in a dilemma countless times.
The idea of wanting to preserve the family's future is not wrong, and sacrificing the small to save the big is not wrong.
For the sake of her son and husband, that mother and wife not only sacrificed her adopted daughter, but also themselves.
Because she was also a woman, no matter how painful Lu Zhenyu's situation was, she couldn't blame her mother.
At least when she learned that she had been tormented by Zheng Yaozong for five years, she felt genuinely guilty and remorseful, and she really wanted to help her get a divorce.
As long as she still has this heart, that's enough for Lu Zhenyu.
But at this moment, just when she was about to completely let go of him and give up on him, the man in front of her said:
"I can't care about whether other people are having a hard time or not, I just want you to be okay."
Lu Zhenyu's breath caught in her throat for a moment!
Shen Jingsi felt a pang of pain in his heart at the sudden look of her stunned face. His gaze fell on her right arm, which she had kept hidden in her sleeve all afternoon, and he reached out and gently pulled it out.
He stared at it for a long time, a look of heaviness he had never shown before appearing on his face.
He said, "You don't need to worry about anything else. Just rest in this room. No one will bother you anymore. I have something to tell you when I get back."
Once the door was closed, all the noise downstairs was shut out.
Lu Zhenyu stood there alone, her hand, which had just been held by the man, still suspended in mid-air.
She looked at the huge princess-style bedroom in front of her, and at that moment it seemed like she was thinking about a lot of things, yet also like she wasn't thinking about anything at all.
The fog was thick and chaotic, leaving her standing there, wondering when it would dissipate.
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