Chapter 270 A Bao's Self-Reproach
Only Lu Zhaoruo and her servant Dong Rou remained in the room.
Dongrou immediately stepped forward and carefully supported her wife, her voice choked with sobs: "Wife, if you're feeling unwell, please don't hold it in..."
Lu Zhaoruo gently brushed her hand away, a faint smile even appearing on her lips, and asked in return, "Feeling uncomfortable? What's there to feel uncomfortable about?"
She turned around and her gaze fell on the unfinished "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix" painting on the embroidery frame. The intricate flowers and silk fabric on it were as brilliant as brocade, as if they were separated from her current state of mind by thousands of miles.
She spoke each word calmly, as if admonishing herself: "I, Lu Zhaoruo, can stand on my own two feet in the capital, so why should I entrust my life to a man?"
"Not getting married... is peaceful and carefree, and that's not necessarily a bad thing."
After he finished speaking, the room fell silent.
Only her unconsciously trembling fingertips and the single tear that finally slipped down her cheek revealed the desolate mess in her heart.
Outside the window.
A pair of cat-like eyes, as green as a deep pool, took in everything inside the room.
Abao squatted silently on the windowsill, her glistening tears already wetting the downy hair on her cheeks.
After Dong Rou left with red eyes, it lightly leaped into the room, like a snow-white cloud, and precisely darted into Lu Zhaoruo's slightly cool embrace.
It nuzzled Lu Zhaoruo's chin with its fluffy head, sobbing and whimpering, its voice thick with emotion: "Mother... don't cry... Mother isn't sad... Abao feels sorry for you..."
Lu Zhaoruo hugged the small, warm body, gently stroking the soft fur on its back with her fingertips, forcing a reassuring smile on her face, and said softly, "Mother is alright, really."
But Abao trembled violently in her arms, its large, bright green eyes filled with immense pain and self-reproach. It looked up and cried, "It's Abao's fault, Mother! It's all Abao's fault! If... if it weren't for Abao... Mother wouldn't have had an abortion, wouldn't have suffered so much, wouldn't have been scolded..."
It was incoherent.
Anyway, it felt that it was its own fault, that it shouldn't have been born into its mother's womb.
Upon hearing this, Lu Zhaoruo felt as if the softest feather had brushed against her heart, leaving her with an unbearable bitterness.
She held Abao close to her eyes, gently wiping away the tears from the corners of its eyes with her fingertips. Her gaze was tender yet firm as she said clearly, word by word, "Silly Abao, you have never wronged your mother."
“In my past life, you stayed by my side for thirty years, through thick and thin. In this life, you have come to my side again. You are my dearest person and my blessing. I am grateful to you, I love you, and I have never blamed you or disliked you for a moment.”
Ah Bao buried his wet face in her palm, and his sobbing gradually subsided, leaving only a gentle, dependent nuzzling.
After a while, it raised its head again, its blue eyes full of confusion and grievance, and muttered softly, "But... Abao really likes Brother Xiao Yeming so much... His scent makes Abao feel so safe... Why... why won't he marry Mother? Does he... not like Abao?"
Lu Zhaoruo also couldn't answer this question.
She could only hug Abao tightly again, gently rest her chin on its warm head, look out the window, and let out a sigh.
The rumor that "Lady Lu lost her virginity and had an abortion in her early years" spread like wildfire in the capital, becoming the hottest topic of conversation on the streets.
The praise that once hailed her as a "heroine among women" was instantly replaced by all sorts of unbearable speculation, contempt, and malicious ridicule.
The most proud of them were Jiang and Wan Ningniang.
The Qi family residence.
Unable to hide her excitement, Wan Ningniang walked briskly into the room and addressed Jiang Shi, who was resting with her eyes closed, her voice filled with flattery and smugness: "Madam! Have you heard? It's all over the place now! Every word hits Lu Zhaoruo where it hurts the most! The Duke of Di's family went to propose marriage with such a grand display, but they left in a humiliating defeat. Now they're the laughingstock of the whole city!"
She leaned closer, lowered her voice, and said viciously, "This time, no matter how powerful she is, she won't be able to wash away the stigma of 'loss of virginity and abortion'!"
Jiang slowly opened her eyes, but did not answer immediately. Instead, she leisurely picked up the teacup on the table beside her, took a sip, and then said slowly, "Hmm, this tea tastes especially fragrant today."
She put down her teacup and glanced at Wan Ningniang: "You handled this matter quite well. You didn't leave any loose ends, did you?"
"Don't worry, Madam!"
Wan Ning's mother quickly assured them, "That scoundrel who spread the message has already taken the money and fled far away. No one can find out about our household!"
Jiang nodded slightly, a calculating glint in her eyes: "After this incident, the Duke of Di's mansion will never want such a tainted woman again. As for Xiao Yeming... hmph, indecisive and not worth worrying about."
Her tone turned cold, carrying a hint of warning: "From now on, you better behave yourself and don't do anything unnecessary. Let Lu Zhaoruo taste what it's like to be pointed at by a thousand people and spat on by ten thousand."
"Yes, yes, I understand!"
Wan Ning's mother responded repeatedly, her face revealing undisguised pleasure and pride.
The Buddhist hall in the Xiao residence.
The hall was filled with the tranquil fragrance of sandalwood. Madam Xiao held a string of smooth, oily sandalwood prayer beads in her hand, slowly turning each bead with her fingertips as she closed her eyes to rest.
Madam He walked in lightly, her face showing just the right amount of worry. When she got closer, she whispered, "Aunt, there are some rumors circulating outside... about Madam Lu of Yunshang Pavilion. They're saying... very unpleasant things."
Without even raising her eyelids, Madam Xiao said indifferently, "What trouble has arisen this time?"
Madam He sighed before cautiously saying, "It's not just about the things I sued my husband's family about. Now someone is saying... that she lost her chastity in Jizhou, and later... that she even had an abortion. If that's true, her reputation will be completely ruined..."
She hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped.
Madam Xiao paused almost imperceptibly as she moved the prayer beads, then resumed her steady rotation.
She slowly opened her eyes, her gaze sweeping over Madam He's feigned compassionate face: "Is this true? Is the source clear? Don't believe the slanderous words of a villain."
Madam He hurriedly said, "I've only heard about it. It's all over the streets and alleys now, and they're saying it in great detail. The Duke of Di's family went to propose marriage early this morning, but they came out looking disheveled in no time. I suppose that's why... Alas, people's words can be a real fearsome thing."
Her tone was regretful, but a hint of smugness flashed across her eyes.
A knowing glint flashed in Madam Xiao's eyes, and she snorted coldly, "Fortunately, we didn't follow Lei Jingyun's foolish idea back then. If we had really welcomed such a person with a tarnished reputation into our family, wouldn't our Xiao family's century-old reputation have been ruined in an instant?"
She changed the subject, her gaze sharp as she looked at Madam He, her tone carrying a warning: "You must remember your place, behave yourself, and maintain the dignity of the household. That is the right thing to do."
She paused deliberately, emphasizing her words: "Don't do what you did last time, going to the Grand Princess's residence to look for the County Princess without permission. It only causes trouble and makes people look down on the reputation of my Xiao family."
Madam He's heart skipped a beat, realizing that her aunt had found out that she had secretly told Lady Yunxiu about Xiao Yeming's relationship with Lu Zhaoruo. She quickly composed herself and respectfully replied, "Aunt's teachings are right. I know I was wrong and will definitely keep to my place and never cause trouble for the household again."
Madam Xiao nodded slightly, said no more, and lowered her eyes to fiddle with her prayer beads.
Lu Zhaoruo's current predicament has saved the Xiao family a lot of trouble.
That child Ye Ming, surely he should give up now.
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