Chapter 106. What do they mean? Are they talking about me...?
Mrs. Wu followed the maid into the small villa. Looking left and right, Mrs. Chen came out to greet her.
"Aren't you afraid of straining your neck? I'll personally accompany you to see it later."
Mrs. Wu rushed over, looking quite excited: "Cousin, you've finally arrived."
The two hadn't seen each other for many years, and they never expected to have the chance to meet in Jincheng.
"Aqing, you've changed so much." Mrs. Chen looked at the person in front of her with some pity. She had heard that she hadn't been doing well over the years, but she never expected that she had been wasted like this.
When she was young, Aqing was a beautiful girl. Wu Yong went too far.
She was seven or eight years older than her, but now that the two of them were standing together, Mrs. Wu looked more like the older one.
How could Mrs. Wu hide the grievances and hardships she had suffered over the years from her family? When Mrs. Chen called out "Aqing," she could no longer hold back her tears and hugged her cousin, crying.
Cao Jingyi stepped forward to help her aunt comfort the guest: "Auntie, it's a good thing that you cousins are seeing each other. You should be happy. Let me accompany you to wash your face before we catch up."
Mrs. Chen took out a handkerchief to wipe the corner of her eyes and introduced her to Mrs. Wu: "This is my niece."
Then she added, "Like you, I'm a pitiful person too." Mrs. Chen sighed.
Mrs. Wu glanced at Cao Jingyi, somewhat surprised. This child looked so young, how could she...?
Mrs. Chen noticed that her eyes were red and swollen and her makeup was a bit smudged, so she told her to go wash her face first: "It can't be explained in a few words. If a man becomes heartless and ungrateful, it won't matter if you're a good person."
Cao Jingyi smiled somewhat awkwardly. She helped Mrs. Wu wash her face and then took out her own rouge and other cosmetics for her to use.
By the time Mrs. Wu came out, she had regained her composure and was past the initial excitement.
"Cousin, is this house rented or owned?"
Mrs. Chen said with a hint of pride, "Eun-ji can't keep renting a place to live after getting married. Her father paid for it. What do you think?"
Mrs. Wu looked at the decorations in the room and said, "This is so beautiful, it must have cost a lot of money!"
The place they rented was much worse than this, costing thirty yuan a month.
Mrs. Chen said with a touch of modesty, "It didn't cost much. Enzhi took care of it, and I didn't even ask." As she thought of something, the smile on her face faded a little.
"You haven't seen the Shen Mansion. Our little house is far inferior to theirs."
Mrs. Chen just visited the Shen family yesterday to meet her future in-laws. It was the first time she had ever encountered such a situation—visiting her future in-laws' home to discuss marriage arrangements.
However, considering that Lu's parents had not yet arrived and that her brother and sister-in-law were in charge at home, she didn't say anything on the spot, but she couldn't help but complain to her son when she got back.
Who knew that Chen Enzhi would actually speak well of the Lu family? This daughter-in-law hasn't even entered the family yet, and her heart is already biased. This makes Mrs. Chen feel very complicated.
They said the Shen and Lu families were old friends, and Shen Rong was the eldest daughter-in-law of the Lu family. The marriage was arranged by the couple, and it would be nice for them to meet at the Shen family home.
Mrs. Chen didn't think so. She always felt that the grandeur of the Shen Mansion was Shen Rong's way of putting her in a difficult position.
The eldest daughter-in-law of the Lu family had a very high-and-mighty attitude; she seemed a bit difficult to deal with. On the other hand, the second daughter-in-law of the Lu family was gentle, refined, and kind.
Unfortunately, she's the second son's wife, so her words don't carry much weight.
Fortunately, when Chen's father heard that it was a marriage alliance with the Lu family, he was overjoyed and bought property for his son here, which saved her some face.
However, compared to the Shen family's large house, it still seems somewhat inadequate.
Mrs. Wu had no idea what her cousin was thinking. She asked how the marriage negotiations were going.
Mrs. Chen smiled. The Lu family was quite understanding and didn't make things difficult for her. In addition, Chen Enzhi and his family insisted on holding a Western-style wedding, so the process was not complicated.
"Everything has been discussed and the wedding date has been set. The Lu family will be sending people to measure the house and move the dowry in the next couple of days."
Mrs. Chen said the time.
Mrs. Wu exclaimed in surprise, "So fast!" That means there are less than two weeks left to prepare.
Back in my hometown, completing the six traditional wedding rites would take at least half a year and feel rushed. Even a Western-style wedding doesn't need to be this rushed.
Mrs. Chen seemed to have found a kindred spirit: "You also think it's fast, right?" This was completely unlike the way people like them acted.
The Lu family is a prestigious family, and they only have this one daughter. Why do they seem to be in a hurry to marry her off? It's not like they're selling their daughter.
"Don't you think there's something fishy going on here?" Madam Chen asked in a low voice.
There must be something fishy going on when things are out of the ordinary. She had her concerns, but her son just didn't want to hear them.
Seeing that their conversation was getting more and more outrageous, Cao Jingyi's heart skipped a beat. Her uncle was very satisfied with this marriage, and she couldn't afford any mishaps, so she quickly steered the conversation back on track.
"Didn't my cousin say that he requested this Western-style wedding? His new post is coming to an end soon, and he might have to go to another city. He wants to get the wedding done as soon as possible. He specifically discussed it with the Lu family. Didn't you say before that your older brother is getting old and that you couldn't sleep because you were worried about not having a grandchild? Now you're complaining that it's too soon. The Lu family doesn't have any objections."
Madam Chen looked somewhat embarrassed. Indeed, it was a good thing to be able to form a marriage alliance with the Lu family. Before coming here, her husband had also instructed that no matter what conditions the Lu family proposed, they would agree to them, and the marriage should be successfully completed.
Lu Lin is currently very popular, and there are many people waiting to marry into the Lu family.
Mrs. Wu also said, "Young people nowadays prefer Western-style weddings, which is different from what we used to do. They find the old wedding procession too troublesome. As long as they can bring their daughter-in-law home, that's all that matters. Isn't it better to be fast? You can hold your grandson sooner."
As soon as she finished speaking, she suddenly remembered the scene when she met the Lu family sisters-in-law at the hospital, and her heart suddenly started pounding.
"Is Mrs. Lu pregnant again?" she asked tentatively.
Mrs. Chen looked at Cao Jingyi: "I haven't heard of this. Have you?"
Cao Jingyi laughed: "How could that be? Mrs. Lu accompanied Commander Lu to another city a few days ago. If she were pregnant, we wouldn't dare let her travel. Where did you hear that, Aunt?"
Mrs. Wu's eyes lit up, and she casually made up an excuse: "I don't know who told me this, I might be mistaken."
The doctor only said she was pregnant, but didn't say whether it was her sister-in-law or her husband's younger sister who was pregnant. Could it be...? Thinking back to that day, Shen Rong and her sister-in-law were indeed acting very strangely, especially Miss Lu, whose face was so pale that she could barely walk.
Mrs. Wu looked at her cousin, wanting to tell her her suspicions.
Being pregnant out of wedlock is a big deal. Judging from the looks of it, the Chen family doesn't know. But she swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue.
This marriage was arranged by her nephew himself. He may have known about Miss Lu's situation for a long time, or perhaps the child was his.
If I were to expose this matter, regardless of whether it turned out to be a misunderstanding, it would damage the relationship between the two families. Even if the marriage proceeded as planned, with this rift, would the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law still be able to get along well?
Besides, being a daughter-in-law is already difficult enough; her loose tongue might harm an innocent woman.
She glanced at Cao Jingyi. There were already two pitiful women in the room; why add another one?
"What are you trying to say with all this stammering?" Mrs. Chen urged her.
A few thoughts flashed through Mrs. Wu's mind, but she swallowed her words back.
"I hear that my niece is quite familiar with the Lu family. If you really have any doubts, you might as well ask the younger generation to inquire about it."
Mrs. Chen chuckled upon hearing this: "She's so superstitious. She says she's a divorced woman, which is unlucky. She doesn't interfere at all in Enzhi's marriage. I don't know why I brought her here. She can't help at all." At the end, she glared at Cao Jingyi reproachfully.
Cao Jingyi just smiled, but she knew in her heart that her aunt was very satisfied with her knowing when to advance and when to retreat.
Every family wants good fortune for their wedding.
As the group was talking, the gatekeeper announced that the two young mistresses of the Lu family had arrived.
Madam Chen greeted them with a smile.
Shen Rong and Jiang Yufen walked in.
"Auntie, do you have guests here? We've come at an inopportune time, we hope we haven't disturbed you?" Shen Rong greeted Mrs. Wu and Cao Jingyi.
Madam Chen smiled and said, "We're all family. This is my cousin. We haven't seen each other for many years. We're both in Jincheng this time, so I invited her to come and sit at my house."
Shen Rong was surprised: "So Mrs. Wu and you are relatives. It turns out we're all family after all."
Mrs. Chen looked at the two of them in surprise: "You know each other too?"
After the group entered the house, Shen Rong pointed to the craftsmen behind her and said, "They need to go to the new house to take measurements. They've already looked at the furniture and everything; they just need to see if the dimensions are suitable."
Mrs. Chen instructed the maid to take them upstairs.
The dowry for the Lu family's daughter was naturally not meager.
Cao Jingyi personally brought tea, and the group sat down on the sofa and exchanged pleasantries.
They started by talking about the wedding and dowry, but somehow the conversation drifted to Mrs. Wu.
"Now that the wedding date is set, I'll send a telegram to my husband later and tell him to come back for the wedding as soon as possible," Mrs. Wu said with a smile.
Mrs. Chen asked in surprise, "Why isn't Wu Yong in Jincheng? Did he leave you here alone again?"
They abandoned her alone in the countryside for over a decade without ever caring about her, and it's still the same now.
Only Ah Qing is honest; if it were me, I'd never let him off the hook.
"Don't be too obedient and listen to everything he says, or he'll become unruly."
After saying this, Mrs. Chen realized that her in-laws were also involved, and awkwardly explained, "My sister has a hard life."
She recounted Mrs. Wu's plight. Stories of wives being abandoned in the countryside have become commonplace over the years, but Jiang Yufen and the others still felt great sympathy for her.
"You should have cut off his money so he couldn't go anywhere. Where did he go this time?"
Shen Rong felt somewhat embarrassed, realizing that the vixen Mrs. Chen was referring to as the one who ruined Mrs. Wu's family was most likely Hu Peifang.
What a mess these relationships are! Who would have thought she'd end up being related to Mrs. Wu? But speaking of which, her relationship with Cao Jingyi is also quite awkward, with Kang Wenbai in between, and now they're all relatives.
It really tests one's social skills! Luckily, she has a thick skin.
She looked at Mrs. Wu, and surprisingly, Mrs. Wu didn't react much this time, her tone remaining calm.
"He went to Shanghai, saying he was visiting some friends."
Madam Chen reacted strongly. She remembered that Aqing had mentioned that Wu Yong's man outside had gone to Shanghai. Could it be that the two of them had gotten involved again?
Mrs. Chen was somewhat exasperated; her cousin was utterly useless. Even if she couldn't stop her, she should have gone over and kept a close eye on her.
Mrs. Wu took a sip of tea, glanced at Shen Rong discreetly, and then smiled and said, "Cousin, don't worry, they won't make it!"
In the past, she might have been a little afraid, but now that she knows the Wu family's gate, that woman is unwilling to enter.
"That Miss Hu has gone to become a movie star. I heard she's going to make a movie soon. Once she becomes a household name, my old Wu won't be good enough for her."
Mrs. Chen's expression froze for a moment. These days, movie stars only have a nicer name; in reality, they're no different from actors, and they all need to be promoted.
No wonder Aqing felt the two of them were doomed; Wu Yong couldn't afford to support this woman if she wanted to make a name for herself!
The Wu family would not allow such a woman to enter their home.
"You finally have something to look forward to. It's good that she's a big star. Maybe she can find a more suitable person to marry in Shanghai."
Shen Rong frowned. "Hu Peifang has gone to become a movie star?"
She received a letter when she first arrived in Jincheng, which only said that she had changed to a new job. She never expected that she would be making a movie.
Judging from the disdainful tone of Mrs. Wu and Mrs. Chen, one can tell that even movie stars like this are viewed with prejudice in this day and age.
However, this is indeed like Hu Peifang's style: bold in trying new things, fond of adventure, and unafraid of others' strange looks.
The group stopped talking about Wu Yong and Hu Peifang and started discussing Shanghai instead.
Many of Lu Xuan's dowry items were purchased in Shanghai, and the Chen family also bought many things from Shanghai, which made Mrs. Chen somewhat curious about Shanghai.
"I'd like to go and see for myself. I've heard it's much more prosperous than Jincheng," Mrs. Chen said with a hint of pride.
Cao Jingyi smiled and said, "If Aunt wants to go, it's easy. My second cousin is in Shanghai, so you can go anytime. The only problem is that you might not want to leave your uncle."
Mrs. Chen slapped her: "What nonsense are you spouting? You have a ton of things to do at home. Do you think I'm as free as you? You should be taking care of your own business."
They chatted and laughed, and time flew by. Mrs. Chen originally wanted to invite Shen Rong and the others to stay for dinner, but the two politely declined.
Mrs. Wu smiled and said, "The wedding preparations are in a hurry. I'm afraid Mrs. Lu is also very busy. My cousin just said that the wedding was a bit rushed, which is a bit impolite."
Shen Rong glanced at Mrs. Wu, feeling that there was some kind of warning in her words.
I'm afraid Mrs. Chen wasn't being rude, but rather suspecting something was going on, given the considerable uproar surrounding Lu Xuan's disappearance.
It's not surprising that Mrs. Chen heard some rumors from somewhere; with the wedding being rushed, it would be strange if they didn't speculate.
I'll take this opportunity to explain it to everyone.
Shen Rong smiled and said, "Isn't that right? We also felt it was too rushed. We didn't even have time to transport the dowry from our hometown. But my husband said that Enzhi's job has already been arranged, and Enzhi is preparing to take his younger sister to his post. He said that the wedding is just a ceremony and it's fine to keep it simple. We think that makes sense too. It's more important for the young couple to be happy than any grand ceremony."
Mrs. Chen was completely captivated by the words "the job has been arranged." Since Lu Lin could say that, he must have some definite inside information.
"Where did you book?" she asked anxiously, as this concerned her son's future.
Shen Rong: "Go to Guangfu."
Mrs. Wu exclaimed, "This is also a big city. Compared to staying in Jincheng, Guangfu is much better." Mrs. Chen couldn't hide the smile on her face.
She knew that her husband and son had been planning to move to a big city, with Guangzhou being their first choice, but she hadn't expected it to go so smoothly.
She looked at Shen Rong with particularly eager eyes, knowing that Lu Lin's help would be indispensable for her trip to Guangfu.
"Cousin, this is wonderful news! It's double happiness!" Mrs. Wu congratulated her.
That's right. Mrs. Chen no longer suspects anything amiss with the marriage. If her son is going to Guangzhou, then the marriage really can't be delayed!
She happily saw off the Lu family's sisters-in-law and then insisted that Mrs. Wu stay at her home so they could have a good drink to celebrate.
She was happy, and Mrs. Wu was happy to keep her company. Anyway, Wu Yong wasn't home, so it didn't matter if she didn't go back.
Jiang Yufen was unaware that Lu Xuan was pregnant, and even felt that the Chen family's statement was disrespectful to Lu Xuan.
"What do they mean? Are they saying we're too eager for them?"
Shen Rong patted her hand to comfort her: "It's alright, as long as the wedding goes smoothly, that's fine. Anyway, my little sister is going to Guangzhou with Chen Enzhi, so she won't have many opportunities to deal with her mother-in-law."
But they always had to go home. A difficult mother-in-law can easily cause trouble for her daughter-in-law. But seeing that her sister-in-law didn't seem to care at all, her anger subsided.
That's true. As long as the eldest brother's career goes smoothly and the Lu family suppresses the Chen family, Mrs. Chen will have to dote on her younger sister.
Upon arriving at the Shen family's residence, they ran into Lu You and Lu Lin, who had also returned, just as they got out of the car.
They've been staying at the Shen family's house for days, but Lu Xuan is getting married soon, and Lu's parents will be coming too. They can't let the whole Lu family stay at their in-laws' house and marry off their daughter to the Shen family, can they?
Although the Shen family didn't mind, Mr. Lu still told his sons to find another house.
So Lu You has been looking at houses for the past few days, thinking that if he can't buy a suitable one right away, he can rent one as a temporary solution.
Lu Lin walked over, took his wife's hand, and asked her how things were going with the Chen family.
"Everything's almost ready. How about your side?" The two held hands and walked into the house. "We've looked at a few places, and there's one that seems pretty suitable." However, the owner of that house only rents out, not sells.
Jiang Yufen watched the couple's retreating figures with envy when Lu Youzheng, who was looking at her, reached out and grabbed her wrist. Startled, she quickly looked around.
"What are you afraid of? Your older brother and sister-in-law are the same."
Jiang Yufen ran off, saying, "I'm going to check on my daughter."
The eldest brother and sister-in-law aren't afraid of what people say, but she doesn't believe it; she's shy!
As soon as Shen Rong entered the house, she saw two suitcases in the corner. Lu Chang, who had been missing for many days, had finally appeared.
"I want to move in with you, sister-in-law, is that alright?" He smiled at Shen Rong.
“Of course.” Shen Rong immediately arranged for someone to send his suitcase back to the room he had stayed in before.
Lu Lin's face was grim, and Lu Chang's eyes were also blazing with fire. The two brothers stared at each other, their eyes exchanging sharp, intense glances.
"Come here!" Lu Lin said coldly as he entered the study.
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