Soon it was the day for Lu Zhi to return home.
Chen Yuanshuo kept his word and sent people to Zhiyue Pavilion to check on Lu Yue the next day.
Lu Yue's condition was not much better. According to the maid, she looked haggard. When she saw her, her eyes were dull. She would cover her lower abdomen from time to time and hide nervously, muttering to herself -
"Don't... open my belly..." Shen Yuanshuo's low whisper was heard by Lu Zhi. She first glanced at the man's waist and abdomen, then raised her eyebrows.
Noticing her teasing gaze, Shen Yuanshuo helplessly held his forehead and said, "Azhi, I'll tell you later."
Shen Yuanshuo told her everything without changing a word.
The two of them washed up early, and Shen Yuanshuo changed into a bright red dress and tied a jade pendant around his waist. He was handsome and elegant.
Lu Zhi still needed to dress up, so Shen Yuanshuo sat quietly behind her and watched her.
While drawing his eyebrows, he stood up, squeezed past the maid, and took the pen from her hand.
Lifting the girl's chin with his long fingers, Shen Yuanshuo leaned forward.
...
...
The soft tip of the pen touched her dark eyebrows, and Lu Zhi felt the itch between her eyebrows spread to her heart, causing her heart to tremble.
The little wife in his eyes had pink cheeks and her cat-like pupils were shy, causing Shen Yuanshuo's hand holding the pen to tremble slightly.
Finally, Shen Yuanshuo did all the work of applying lip balm and putting on hairpins himself.
His fingertips brushed the tip of her ear under her black hair, feeling the scorching temperature, and the smile in his eyes was deep.
The two left after having breakfast.
"Let's go, Azhi." He put the plush cloak on her and tied the knot. He stretched out his hand, waiting for her to put her hand in his palm and then tighten her palm.
Shen Yuanshuo never concealed his affection for her.
The weather was very good on the day of returning home, and the warm winter sun shone on the dead branches in the courtyard.
The carriage drove all the way to Lu Mansion.
The hawkers' shops were crowded with people. Laughing children were running and playing in the streets and alleys, and the red tassels in their pigtails bounced as they ran.
The distance between Shen and Lu mansions is not far.
From a distance, Lu Zhi saw a group of people standing in front of the gate waiting. The couple in the lead were looking at their carriage expressionlessly.
Shen Yuanshuo got off the carriage first. He raised his hand and carefully helped Lu Zhi get off.
Madam Lu lingered back and forth between the two of them. She raised the corners of her lips stiffly and said, "I'm back. Let's go in first."
Mr. Lu and Shen Yuanshuo walked in front, while Lu Zhi and Madam Lu walked side by side behind.
Lu Zhi suppressed the disgust and throbbing in his heart. Just as he was about to speak, he heard the cold voice of his mother beside him: "You did not sleep with Shen Yuanshuo."
She did not use a question but an affirmative sentence. Lu Zhi looked embarrassed but doubted how she could tell.
Mrs. Lu suddenly stopped walking. She turned around and looked at Lu Zhi, who was also forced to stop. Her eyes were filled with coldness and a hint of barely perceptible boredom and greed.
Lu Zhi was not her favorite child. She was glad that the eldest son of the Shen family, her nominal son-in-law, had died, but she was also sad that the duck in her mouth flew away.
From the moment she made the decision, there was no turning back.
Thinking of this, Mrs. Lu glanced at the two figures that were gradually walking away.
I wonder what choice Mrs. Shen would make if she were in her former position...
"mother?"
Lu Zhi called out.
Mrs. Lu, who had broken free from her memories, responded calmly and told her, "Consummate the marriage as soon as possible. It will be good for me and...your father."
Lu Zhi concealed the deep meaning that flashed across his eyes and nodded obediently.
Mrs. Lu was very satisfied with her tact, and once again walked towards the two figures that were about to disappear around the corner.
The family had lunch. Lu Zhi was in a bad mood and didn't eat much.
Shen Yuanshuo saw this and thought about preparing some cakes after dinner.
Don't talk when eating, don't talk when sleeping, these six words seem to be engraved in the Lu family's bones. The sound of swallowing is almost gone.
The patriarch of the Lu family, who was sitting in the main seat, didn't show any concern for his youngest daughter at all, and the same was true for Mrs. Lu.
Thinking of Mr. Lu's intentional or unintentional probing when he was talking to him, Shen Yuanshuo gently hooked Lu Zhi's little finger with his hand hanging under the table.
After lunch, Mrs. Lu asked Lu Zhi to take Shen Yuanshuo to her boudoir to rest.
After leaving the front yard, before Lu Zhi could breathe a sigh of relief, Shen Yuanshuo sighed heavily, causing her to laugh.
When Shen Yuanshuo heard her teasing laughter, he pinched her cheek and twisted it indignantly: "Well, you dare to laugh at your husband, you should be punished."
Lu Zhi, who had already understood his personality, was not afraid of him: "Are my parents scary?"
She could feel that, unlike the loving relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Shen, the atmosphere between her father and mother was not that good.
But...
"My parents weren't like this before," Lu Zhi said with emotion, "After that trip to Dayin Temple, they had a fierce argument."
Later, things became like this between Mr. Lu and Mrs. Lu.
No matter how the young Lu Zhi and Lu Yue tried to ease the situation, it was of no avail.
Even later, after Lu Yue remained silent for a few days, she advised Lu Zhi not to interfere in the affairs of his father and mother anymore.
The memories of childhood were buried deep and covered in dust. It took Lu Zhi a long time to remember them.
Hearing her say this, Shen Yuanshuo tightened his grip on her hand until he heard Lu Zhi's cry of pain and then he let go.
Lu Zhi looked at Shen Yuanshuo: "Do you think..."
After getting his nod, the two looked at each other in silence.
On the way, when passing by the small garden, Lu Zhi spotted his elder brother standing in the garden pavilion quietly admiring the plum blossoms.
They happened to meet each other and went up to say hello.
Unexpectedly, Lu Zhi's body stiffened when he heard Brother Lu's words: "Little sister, I was unable to come to your wedding. I hope you don't blame me. I sent someone to send a gift..."
Lu Zhi couldn't hear what was said after that, and she felt dizzy.
Shen Yuanshuo beside her silently raised his hand to stop her so that she would not fall.
"How could I blame my elder brother?" Lu Zhi tried to smile and chatted with him calmly. "Since my elder brother is not here, do you know who will carry me to get married that day?"
The eldest brother of the Lu family thought about it and shook his head: "Everything is decided by my father. I'm sorry I really don't know."
Lu Zhi smiled and led out Shen Yuanshuo who was beside him.
Shen Yuanshuo and Brother Lu nodded, and after a brief conversation, they left.
"Who else could it be if not my eldest brother?" Lu Zhi blurted out the doubts in his heart. Shen Yuanshuo beside him understood what he meant and felt that everything in the Lu family was getting weird.
Lu Zhi's courtyard was not far from the front yard. As soon as he stepped into the yard, he saw a fat black cat jumping down from the beam and stretching lazily in front of the two of them.
The black cat spat out the paper ball in its mouth. When it heard a rustling sound in front of the courtyard gate, its fur stood on end. It meowed and quickly shuttled through the grass and disappeared.
Lu Zhi: "It's Xiaobai, who was raised by my sister."
Hearing the black cat's name, Shen Yuanshuo laughed hoarsely.
A black cat was named Baizi. Lu Yue was indeed as people said.
"Black cats are usually considered unlucky, but my father and mother dote on my sister-in-law."
Just by looking at the black cat's shiny fur glowing in the light, one can tell that the owner must have taken good care of it. Shen Yuanshuo raised his eyebrows in surprise.
Lu Zhi nodded perfunctorily and quickly picked up the paper ball that was about to be blown away by the wind.
After crumpling up the paper, a line of large characters came into view:
[My mother has told me that as the eldest sister, I should take responsibility. Besides, the eldest son of the Shen family is indeed handsome and is the best choice.]
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