Chapter 9 Marrying Chu Qingxue into the Lu Family
Jiang Ning caught the apron.
She was so skilled at this action that it was completely subconscious.
However, when she held the dirty apron in her hand, she didn't immediately tie it on herself as she used to.
In the past, Jiang Ning was always the busiest person at every family gathering.
There were more than thirty dishes in total, and every step of the process, from washing and preparing the vegetables to cooking and plating, was done by people from Jiangning.
Grandpa felt sorry for her and told her not to work so hard, since there were professional chefs and housekeepers at the old house.
But Jiang Ning knew that her grandfather preferred the food she cooked, so she always volunteered to do the chores.
Other relatives, out of respect for her grandfather, would also offer a few words of praise, albeit lukewarm ones.
After that, Jiang Ning was also responsible for washing the dishes and cleaning the house for the whole family.
Because her mother-in-law said that a woman should know how to manage household chores to be considered virtuous.
Although Jiang Ning was tired, Lu Junyan would still thank her after a long day of work.
Hearing that thank you made her feel less tired at all.
That's just plain stupid.
"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and go!"
Urged by Wang Lu, Jiang Ning didn't move and even threw the dirty apron aside.
"There are chefs and housekeepers in the kitchen. If I go there, I will only get in the way."
Wang Lu was taken aback.
"What are you saying? What kind of wife in the Lu family doesn't do housework?"
"Second Aunt, aren't you also a member of the Lu family? Why don't you do it?"
Jiang Ning's rhetorical question almost made Wang Lu bite her tongue.
"How dare you speak so disrespectfully? You're the junior; how can you compare to me?"
"As the elder, you should be more considerate and give way to me, the younger generation. You should also take the initiative to do chores and set a good example for the younger generation!"
Jiang Ning's words stunned Wang Lu.
She had known Jiang Ning for so long and never knew he could be so sharp-tongued.
"Have you taken the wrong medicine today? Xiaoyun, come here, come here, come and see your good daughter-in-law!"
Wang Lu called Yang Liyun over.
Yang Liyun is Jiang Ning's mother-in-law.
Their argument also attracted the attention of others.
Jiang Ning glanced at Lu Junyan out of the corner of her eye and caught a glimpse of deep disappointment in his eyes.
"What's all the noise about!"
The voice coming from the second floor was very authoritative. Jiang Ning looked up and, as expected, saw Lu Junyan's grandfather, Lu Lifeng.
If there's anything to worry about regarding divorcing Lu Junyan, it's his grandfather.
Jiang Ning felt a little guilty, always feeling that he had let his grandfather down.
"Xiao Ning is here! Come on, come and talk to Grandpa."
Lu Lifeng waved to Jiang Ning.
In the entire Lu family, only Jiang Ning could bring a kind smile to Lu Lifeng's stern face.
After speaking with Jiang Ning, Lu Lifeng said to Wang Lu, "If the kitchen is short-staffed, hire two more servants."
Wang Lu didn't dare to talk back, and Yang Liyun lost her arrogance.
After that, none of the Lu family members dared to order Jiang Ning around anymore.
Chu Qingxue came to Lu Junyan's side and asked in a low voice, "I didn't expect Jiang Ning to be so authoritative in the Lu family. Even the elders have to be careful around her."
After she finished speaking, seeing Lu Junyan's already serious brows furrowed into a knot, her joy was evident in her eyes.
Jiang Ning chatted with Lu Lifeng for a while, and then it was time to eat.
The whole family sat around an extra-long table. Jiang Ning sat to Lu Junyan's left, and Chu Qingxue sat to his right.
At the dinner table, which had at least several dozen people, Jiang Ning was as invisible as air, with everyone asking about Chu Qingxue.
From the psychology PhD to FY's work, Chu Qingxue patiently answered each question.
Jiang Ning's understanding of Chu Qingxue was basically based on comparisons with Lu Junyan.
Chu Qingxue is a highly educated returnee from overseas, a rising star in the jewelry design industry, a piano master, and so on, while she is just a housewife who did not graduate from university.
Therefore, Jiang Ning felt that Chu Qingxue must be very outstanding.
"The paper I wrote at the time was about Jung's collective unconscious. Jung proposed the iceberg theory in his 1923 paper 'On the Relationship between Analytical Psychology and Poetry,' dividing the iceberg into three parts: consciousness, preconsciousness, and unconsciousness..."
Chu Qingxue continued to boast.
"Wow, psychology is so profound! Qingxue is truly amazing."
"What's so special about this? Qingxue is learned and knowledgeable, quite different from that parasite who never leaves the house and only knows how to suck blood."
Jiang Ning knew that Wang Lu was talking about him.
"Second Aunt, actually... there's a psychological explanation for why someone might not want to be self-reliant!" Chu Qingxue said mysteriously, then launched into a long analysis, leaving Wang Lu in awe.
"Xiaoyun, don't you think it would have been so much better if Qingxue had married into our Lu family back then? At least we would have been presentable! Look at us now..."
As Wang Lu spoke, she glanced at Jiang Ning with disdain.
Yang Liyun was also embarrassed. She cleared her throat and said, "A woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent..."
“That’s right, Jiang Ning did a good job in this regard.”
Lu Junyan casually picked up the conversation, his tone neither praising nor mocking Jiang Ning.
Jiang Ning didn't care what Wang Lu and Yang Liyun thought of her.
But Lu Junyan's words aroused her rebellious nature.
"Jung proposed the theory of the collective unconscious in 1922, not 1923. Fechner first proposed the iceberg analogy theory, which was then borrowed by Freud. Jung was a student of Freud, and he further subdivided Freud's concept of the unconscious into the collective unconscious and the personal unconscious..."
As Jiang Ning spoke, Chu Qingxue's face turned pale.
"You can't even get such basic things wrong? Did you have someone take your psychology PhD exam for you?"
"Jiang Ning, don't talk nonsense!" Wang Lu saw that Chu Qingxue's eyes were red.
"Whether I'm lying or not, you can just check it on your phone and you'll know."
Wang Lu immediately picked up her phone and started searching, intending to prove that Jiang Ning was making things up, but the search went silent.
Chu Qingxue immediately tried to smooth things over, saying that she had been so busy with design lately that she had completely forgotten about psychology.
"You've forgotten everything, yet you still bring it up to show off..."
"Jiang Ning, shut up. Qingxue is a guest of the Lu family today." Yang Liyun was very displeased with Jiang Ning today. He was acting like he was on fire, completely unlike his usual virtuous and obedient self.
"Why didn't you tell Xiao Ning to shut up when Wang Lu was mocking her?" Of all the people at the table, only Lu Lifeng spoke up for Jiang Ning.
Lu Lifeng was clearly pleased because he had discovered new advantages of Jiangning today.
"As expected of my chosen granddaughter-in-law, she cooks delicious food and has a wide range of knowledge. Junyan, if you dare to treat Xiaoning badly, such as being seduced by a pretty but frivolous vixen, I, as her grandfather, will be the first to stop you." When Lu Lifeng said this, he was not looking at Lu Junyan, but at Chu Qingxue.
Chu Qingxue lowered her head, pretending not to know anything.
"Don't worry, Grandpa." Lu Junyan glanced at Jiang Ning out of the corner of his eye, his charming smile enigmatic. "I treat her very well."
Jiang Ning looked up at Lu Junyan and saw the barbed smile in Lu Junyan's eyes.
Perhaps in Lu Junyan's opinion, what he gave her was indeed more than enough!
After finishing their meal, Lu Junyan left with Jiang Ning and Chu Qingxue.
Chu Qingxue was clearly in low spirits, and even started to shed tears as she walked to the car.
"Qingxue, Grandpa wasn't targeting you," Lu Junyan comforted her.
"Yes, I know... I just... I just wanted to make a good impression on your relatives, since we haven't seen each other for so many years, but I didn't expect... I'm sorry, Junyan, I've embarrassed you..."
Chu Qingxue cried harder and harder as she spoke, her face streaked with tears.
Jiang Ning saw Lu Junyan considerately put his arm around Chu Qingxue's shoulder and help her into the car.
She wanted to go up to Lu Junyan and tell him that he didn't need to take her home and that she could walk by herself, but Lu Junyan beat her to it.
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