Liu Yunwan did not mention her divorce, nor did she say that she had fallen out with her family.
Instead, she gave the old woman an ambiguous answer.
Having witnessed these things since childhood, she knew that people are all bullies who prey on the weak and fear the strong.
The fact that this old woman could ask such a question shows that she is a snob, and the fact that she is sitting in this position means that she is most likely Lanlan's mother-in-law.
"Oh, so your in-laws are doing alright." The old woman's face remained expressionless, but her voice sounded less serious.
"Alright, sit down. Qiuling, go and pour the guest a cup of tea."
The old woman asked Liu Yunwan to sit down, and then called out to the maid who was guarding the door.
The maid was the one who had led Liu Yunwan the way.
"Yes, Madam, I'll go right away—"
After Liu Yunwan sat down, she glanced at the doorway and thought to herself, "So this maid knows how to speak properly."
She's an opportunist; if she were her maid, she'd sell her off in a heartbeat.
"Are you Lanlan's sister-in-law or...?" The atmosphere was a bit awkward. Seeing that her friend didn't dare to speak, Liu Yunwan started to flatter her.
"What sister-in-law? I'm her mother-in-law. Just call me Aunt Lu. Look at your eyes. Do I look that young?" No woman dislikes being praised for looking young, even if she is over fifty.
Mrs. Lu smiled, her eyes crinkling.
It's fine when she doesn't smile, but when she does, the wrinkles on her face are so deep they could trap a mosquito.
Liu Yunwan couldn't bear to look at it.
She lowered her head, suppressing a laugh, before raising it again.
"Oh my, so you're Lanlan's mother-in-law! Aunt Lu, you look so young. I didn't even recognize you. I thought you were Lanlan's sister-in-law. You look so young. You're only two or three years older than me at most. Lanlan and I are about the same age."
Liu Yunwan intensified her efforts.
When the maid Qiuling brought the tea, the main room was filled with laughter.
Qiu Ling looked completely bewildered.
What happened while she was away?
"Liu, what brings you here to see Feng?"
Lu choked on her saliva while laughing, coughed heavily twice, and then awkwardly changed the subject, asking Liu Yunwan.
“I came here specifically to see Lanlan. I haven’t seen her in a long time and wanted to see how she was doing. Now I’m relieved. With you here in the family, who would dare to bully Lanlan? Right, Auntie?”
Mrs. Lu was even more embarrassed and didn't respond.
Liu Yunwan gave Nan'er a meaningful look with a half-smile.
Nan'er stepped forward with the bamboo basket in her hand.
"I came in a hurry this time, and I don't know your preferences, so I have prepared some simple gifts. Please don't mind them. By the way, could Lanlan chat with me for a while? I have to go back to Jiashu County soon, and time is really tight." After saying that, Nan'er put the bamboo basket on the table.
Madam Lu initially wanted to refuse, but seeing the exquisite bamboo basket, she was really curious about what was inside. Seeing that Liu Yunwan was so sensible, she hesitated for a while and then agreed.
"You're so thoughtful. Oh dear, it seems like it's time for lunch. Here's what we'll do, Madam Feng, take your friend back inside. The kitchen will prepare the meal later, and then you can all come to the main room to eat together."
"I'm so sorry, I won't eat. I'll just say a few words to Lanlan and then leave." Liu Yunwan didn't dare to eat. Looking at the broken tea leaves in her cup, she knew how stingy the He family was. She didn't want to eat the He family's food and then cause Lanlan to get scolded after she left.
"You're such a sensible child. Alright, whatever you want. Madam Feng, take her to your room." Madam Lu breathed a sigh of relief. This morning she had instructed the kitchen to buy fish and chicken, thinking of nourishing her son's body. If Liu Yunwan stayed for dinner, she really wouldn't want her to.
I heard that she refused to eat.
Ms. Lu's attitude was even better.
They simply gave the time to the two of them.
"Yes, Mother." Feng Lanlan's voice was a little soft, and you could hear a hint of fear in her voice. She only breathed a sigh of relief after leaving with Liu Yunwan and Nan'er.
"Lanlan, your mother-in-law treats you..." Liu Yunwan wasn't stupid. From the moment she stepped into the main room, she could tell that her friend had no status in this family.
Otherwise, we'd be chatting for so long and still not even have a seat.
He stood right next to that old hag the whole time.
"Ah, the happiest times were before I got married. Yunwan, I'm so glad you came to see me. It's been so long since I've seen you, but you're still the same, you've never changed." Feng Lanlan's eyes were slightly red.
He seemed to want to complain, but fearing that Liu Yunwan would worry, he changed the subject.
"Where are Wei'er and Yu'er? Are they married yet?" Liu Yunwan remembered her friend's two children's names because she had stayed at Feng Lanlan's house for a while when Feng Lanlan came back last time.
"Wei'er has been married for two years, but Yu'er hasn't." The three of them walked through a corridor and into Feng Lanlan's room. She closed the door before answering Liu Yunwan.
The main room was bright and clean, but the room we were in was small and simple, and even the paint on the furniture had faded.
Liu Yunwan looked at her friend with some heartache.
"You are, after all, the young mistress of the He family. How could the room be like this..." She couldn't bring herself to say anything harsh, and the words caught in her throat halfway through.
“My husband doesn’t live with me. When Yu’er was five years old, he took a concubine. That woman was a singer in a brothel. Although she came from a filthy place, she gave her body to my husband. When my husband went out, he only took her with him, as if I was the superfluous one.”
Feng Lanlan pulled Liu Yunwan down to sit.
Her voice echoed in the small room, striking Liu Yunwan's heart heavily.
"What? Taking a concubine? He's just a merchant's son, what right does he have to take a concubine! It's outrageous! He's made a few coins, nobody even knows his own name anymore, and he dares to take a courtesan out in public like that! Where does he put you! Isn't he afraid of being laughed at and looked down upon by outsiders? No wonder you went back to your parents' home, it was because of this. Lanlan, why didn't you tell me, or your older brother? You should have found your older brother, made a scene at the He family, and asked him to stand up for you!"
Liu Yunwan's face turned red with anger.
"Yun Wan, I know you're worried about me, but... fine, I'll tell you anyway. My relationship with my older brother has never been very good. After all, there's a big age gap between us. My parents were already old when I was born, and my older brother wasn't happy about my birth. So before I got married, I always ran to your place because I was afraid of his gaze. He would always stare at me without saying a word, as if I were his enemy. My father was worried that my older brother wouldn't treat me well, so he entrusted me to the He family. But he didn't know that even a blood brother is like this. How could a casual friend treat me sincerely?"
When she got to the sad part, tears finally streamed down Feng Lanlan's face, and a few drops of water appeared on the blue brick floor.
Liu Yunwan felt extremely distressed. She took out a handkerchief from her waist and wiped away her friend's tears.
But the tears kept flowing even after being wiped away.
It's completely unstoppable.
"After I married into the family, I didn't have a good life. The He family had many rules, and my mother-in-law withheld my dowry. I could only rely on her for food, clothing, and other necessities. I moved into this room after my husband took a concubine. They took the original room. I could tolerate all of that, since my parents were gone and no one could help me. But that prostitute shouldn't have stirred up trouble for my son behind his back, making us like enemies. I haven't spoken to Wei'er for three years. When Wei'er got married, that prostitute locked me in a room. She lied and said I was sick, and since no one in the family cared about me, I was locked up for two whole days! Haha, on the wedding day, my daughter-in-law toasted her!"
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