Through the Du family's own efforts, all the prominent families in the city learned that they had established a connection with the warlord Yan family.
After Xu Keke kicked Du Jue and the other two out, she didn't see them again.
The Du family members were extremely busy. Suddenly, even people they had only met once were sending people to their door under the guise of friendship, trying to establish a connection.
Xu Keke hid upstairs and didn't come downstairs all day.
In the afternoon, she asked Xibao to run errands for her and go to see Kang Quan to reschedule the meeting.
Knowing everything was alright, she went to Du Wei's room to tell him. Standing at his door, she heard Lin Meijuan's voice coming from inside.
"...Your father hit me, and now she's instigated him to take away my control of the household. Are you two brothers just going to stand by and watch?"
Xu Keke paused, her raised hand still. She had actually thought about it; from the moment she decided to take action against Lin Meijuan, her first thought was of the brothers. She wasn't conflicted because she felt somewhat apologetic for potentially hurting their relationship.
"You don't need to say anything, I know. The reason you relinquished your management rights was because my eldest sister deliberately used the matter of apologizing to the Sun family to get Father's approval." It was Du Jue's voice. Xu Keke raised an eyebrow.
"On the day my eldest sister arrived, everyone in the family except my father probably knew what my third sister did in her room that night. Afterwards, you didn't discipline my third sister or apologize to my eldest sister. Instead, you were thinking of marrying my eldest sister off to the Sun family."
Your idea of marrying your eldest sister off to the Sun family is wrong in itself. A girl's marriage is a lifelong commitment. Now that people have treated your second and third sisters this way, will you just let it go...?
Xu Keke laughed pathetically, put her hand down, turned around and faced away from the room towards the corridor.
"And you listened to Third Madam and wanted Eldest Sister to go to the Sun family to apologize. Eldest Sister is still a young girl. If she goes to the Sun family, do you think they will treat her well?"
My older sister isn't a good-natured person; how could she let you bully her like this?
I've already spoken to Awei. Even if you hadn't come, we were planning to go find you anyway. We're all family. You hit me first; how can you expect others not to retaliate? Besides, it's just a matter of managing the household; letting the second concubine manage it is the same as letting you manage it. If you show more concern for your eldest sister later, we'll all be together eventually, and she'll forgive you and your third sister sooner or later.”
Xu Keke didn't listen and turned back to her room.
When Du Bingtian returned home that evening, his whole family could see that he was in a good mood.
Du Shan nestled close to him, acting coquettishly and telling him how many people she had met and what she had said that day. Du Bingtian looked at her affectionately, occasionally offering a few words of advice with a smile. It seemed as if everything had returned to how it used to be.
But Du Shan felt something was different. She knew in her heart that her father's good mood was no longer because of her and her siblings, but because of her eldest sister, whom she disliked.
Xu Keke didn't come downstairs until it was almost time to eat.
I happened to run into Lin Meijuan at the stairwell. She wasn't a particularly beautiful woman to begin with. She might have been considered pretty in her youth, but in her later years, she lived a comfortable life, her son was successful, and she managed the household affairs well. Her strength lay in her mindset. The natural contentment on her face made people overlook her physical flaws.
After these past few days of setbacks, she not only looked haggard, but also appeared defeated. Her loose skin, sunken eye sockets, and heavy makeup completely betrayed her age.
Xu Keke merely observed her without greeting her directly. She found it amusing to watch Lin Meijuan's face shift from stunned to contorted, then to a forced smile, a rapid series of expressions.
The look in Xu Keke's eyes enraged Lin Meijuan, who said fiercely, "Don't be so smug, you'll regret it someday."
After saying this, Lin Meijuan stepped aside at the top of the stairs. Xu Keke looked at her questioningly, as if she were being told to go first. She then noticed Lin Meijuan's hand gripping the handrail tightly, her fingers even trembling slightly.
"Madam, Miss? Dinner is about to start downstairs." Xi Bao looked at the two of them hesitantly. Her voice interrupted Xu Keke's thoughts.
Seeing that Lin Meijuan showed no sign of moving, Xu Keke went downstairs first. She glanced behind her. Lin Meijuan had actually let Xibao go in front of her as well.
Xu Keke laughed. Just now she thought Lin Meijuan was going to do something to her, but now it seemed she was afraid of what others might do to her. Why would she think someone would harm her on the stairs?
Upon arriving at the restaurant, Xu Keke put these thoughts aside for the time being.
Du Bingtian warmly invited her over, glancing around to see that only Lin Meijuan's seat was empty. Pointing to the empty seat, he said, "Ajin, you sit here!"
The previously laughing and joking dining table suddenly fell silent. Lin Meijuan, who followed Xu Keke in, was also stunned.
"Please let the young lady sit here," the second concubine said sensibly, getting up to give up her seat.
Xu Keke turned around and glanced at Lin Meijuan. Her face was deathly pale, and she really didn't need to wear such thick makeup.
"No, let's not. Just sit where you always have. Right, madam?"
After saying this, Xu Keke smiled at her. This reminded Lin Meijuan of what she had just said to her, and she gritted her teeth in anger. However, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't manage a smile.
After Xu Keke sat down, Du Bingtian mentioned that Li Dakang had come to the bureau to see him during the day, wanting to come and visit. Because of the Young Marshal's influence, he hadn't dared to agree rashly. So he wanted to ask her opinion.
Upon hearing Du Bingtian's words, Du Yuan was so shocked that she knocked over her rice bowl. She already had a young marshal, and Li Dakang was also interested in her, so why did he still need to see her? Did Li Dakang also want to use her to establish a connection with the Commander's Mansion?
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