Chapter 79 The more I hear this, the more it sounds like Lu Lin from outside…
Lu Chang said he came to see his brother and sister-in-law, but he was quite different from Lu You. He could hardly stay at home and was rarely seen.
When asked, he said he went out with friends, but Lu Xuan still had objections, feeling that her third brother had too many friends and didn't value his family. She had been going home early after school these past few days, only to find that the person in question wasn't home.
Shen Rong smiled without saying a word. When Lu You first came to Bincheng, he rarely went out and Shen Jiashi had to take him out for walks.
"Does Third Brother have many friends here?" Shen Rong asked Lu You curiously.
Lu You shook his head: "I don't know, maybe it's a classmate he knew before."
When Lu Chang returned in the evening, Shen Rong pretended to be curious and asked him where he had been playing these past few days.
Lu Chang counted on his fingers all the places to visit in Bincheng, some of which they had never been to before.
Lu Xuan: "Third Brother really knows how to have fun. Take me with you tomorrow."
To everyone's surprise, Lu Chang immediately shook his head: "No, no, I need to rest properly now."
Shen Rong asked him which friends he had met.
Shen Chang laughed and said, "I don't have that many friends. They are all classmates of classmates and friends of friends. They asked me to say hello when they heard I was coming to Bincheng."
"I'm so tired these past few days." She looked pitiful.
Lu You laughed at him, "If you're tired, just stay home and rest for a few days, loosen up your muscles and wait for your older brother to come back."
Lu Chang wailed, "Second brother, you have no humanity! I'm your own brother!"
“My older brother is also my own brother.” Lu You and Lu Xuan said in unison.
Lu Chang reached out to his two sisters-in-law: "Eldest sister-in-law, second sister-in-law, please save your brother."
Jiang Yufen withdrew her hand: "Third brother, you should beg your sister-in-law." Only your sister-in-law dared to stand up to your eldest brother.
Lu Chang looked at Shen Rong with a pitiful expression.
"Be good!" Shen Rong suppressed a laugh and patted his shoulder like a child.
The next day, Shen Rong prepared to take her son to the Marshal's Mansion. When Lu Chang found out, he was eager to go.
"Sister-in-law, let me help you carry your nephew. I also want to go to the Marshal's Mansion for a visit."
"Please, sister-in-law." If he could visit the Marshal's Mansion during his trip to Bincheng, how many people would envy him!
Shen Rong glanced at him and nodded reluctantly: "Alright, but don't wander off!"
He took Xiaoming from his arms and got into the car from the other side: "Sister-in-law, I will definitely be more obedient than my nephew."
When Cao Fengyi heard that her brother-in-law had arrived, she greeted him warmly and instructed someone to show him around the mansion. She also asked someone to see if the young marshal was free and to take Lu Chang to meet him if he was.
"No need, Young Marshal is very busy with official duties," Shen Rong politely declined.
Cao Fengyi said with a smile, "Our two families don't need to be so polite. He is Tianming's younger brother, and Wenliang has to meet him."
"Your eldest brother's courtesy name is Tianming, your second brother's courtesy name is Tianyou, and you are also named Tian?" Cao Fengyi asked curiously.
Lu Chang scratched his head, embarrassed: "No, my courtesy name is Chunshan."
That year, Lu's father happened to acquire a painting called "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains," and he commissioned his son to write the inscription.
Why not just call it Fuchun? (Chen Rong quipped.)
A short while later, a message came from the young marshal's side, asking Lu Chang to come over.
"See, I told you he definitely wanted to see Chunshan."
Shen Rong glanced at Lu Chang: "Then go ahead, but don't be naughty."
After Lu Chang left, she turned to Cao Fengyi and complained, half-jokingly, "He's so playful. He's been here for a few days and hasn't been home much. He's like a child. Even at home, he's still playing around with his little sister." She shook her head as she spoke.
Cao Fengyi: "Alright, I think your brother-in-law is alright. It's normal for young people to be playful."
She thought of her own family: "My brother-in-law is alright, I don't have to worry about him, but one cousin is worth ten of your brothers-in-law."
Shen Rong asked curiously, "What's wrong with Mrs. Han?"
Cao Fengyi sighed: "Her son from her previous marriage came looking for us, but she, as a mother, is heartless and won't let him in. There was nothing we could do, so the young marshal had to send someone to bring him to our house."
She gets annoyed just talking about these things. "I'm not going to talk about it anymore, it's ruining my mood. Let's go play cards, they must be getting impatient."
Shen Rong glanced at the office building where Lu Chang had gone, feeling somewhat worried.
***
After the cards had been played three times, someone came back and said that Mrs. Han had arrived. Cao Fengyi frowned slightly, her eyes showing some annoyance.
"Take the young master to see her."
This means he doesn't want to see Ma Langhua anymore.
After the servants left, Cao Fengyi lost interest in playing cards. Everyone noticed this, and one of the officials' wives, being clever, claimed that she was tired and begged to stop playing and continue another day.
Cao Fengyi tugged at Shen Rong: "The young marshal wants to keep the third young master of Lu, so we'll have to trouble Mrs. Lu to wait a bit."
Everyone smiled and took their leave.
Once the outsiders were gone, Cao Fengyi reclined on the sofa, and Shen Rong took her son from the maid and played with him.
Cao Fengyi also came over and took a tassel hairpin from her hair to tease him. Xiaoming reached out to grab it but missed.
She put the hairpin away and smiled as she asked the servant to find the rattle drum that the young master used to play with when he was a child.
The servant brought it in shortly afterward, and Cao Fengyi used it to amuse the child.
Xiao Ming kept thrashing about trying to catch it, but he didn't get angry every time he missed. Instead, he got even more excited and his little face turned red from all the effort.
Cao Fengyi stuffed the toy into his hand and said to Shen Rong with a smile, "This child will be extraordinary when he grows up. He'll be a remarkable person, and he's very composed."
Shen Rong played cards with them and left him with the maid, and he neither cried nor made a fuss.
Shen Rong chuckled: "He has a terrible temper. He's just curious because he's in a new place and wants someone to play with him."
The servants brought up the freshly stewed bird's nest. Cao Fengyi took a sip and said, "It's good that he's not shy. My son was so spoiled when he was little. He didn't want to be held by the wet nurse. It almost killed me."
She gestured for Shen Rong to try it: "This is bird's nest that a friend gave me. He said it's top-quality from Java. You should try it."
Shen Rong took two bites and said with a smile, "It melts in your mouth; it's good stuff."
Cao Fengyi: "I'll have someone pack a few for you."
Shen Rong refused: "No, I don't eat these much. It would be a waste if I ate them. You keep them and eat them."
Cao Fengyi laughed at her, "If you think I'm eating it, then it's not a waste. People sent so much over; I'm just being generous with other people's money."
"I don't really like eating these things; they're so slippery."
Shen Rong still politely declined: "Then you can keep it as a gift later."
Cao Fengyi pretended to be angry: "Why are you making excuses? I'm just giving you something, and you're being so polite."
Shen Rong could only smile and accept it: "Thank you, sister-in-law, for remembering me with such good things."
Bird's nest is a highly nutritious tonic. Jiang Yufen is pregnant and has been experiencing morning sickness recently, so bringing some home is a good idea for her to eat.
"It's good that you know."
Xiao Ming's mouth watered as he watched them eat. He squirmed in his mother's arms, his little mouth agape as he made "ah ah ah" noises.
"You little glutton, it's not time for you to eat yet!" Cao Fengyi gently pinched his little nose.
Shen Rong turned his head to look behind him, telling him not to stare at other people's food and drool. She laughed and complained, "You're such a little foodie, you want to eat everything other people are eating."
Cao Fengyi had finished eating the bird's nest, clapped her hands, took the bird's nest from Xiaoming, and urged Shen Rong to eat it quickly so it wouldn't get cold.
She chatted casually with Shen Rong: "Do you take care of the children most of the time at home?"
Shen Rong nodded. That must be it. Lu Lin was too busy, but if he had free time, he would definitely be there.
She wasn't as patient as Lu Lin, and could only be affectionate with her son briefly. If it went on for too long, she would start to get impatient. Luckily, there were many people in her family who could help her take care of him. If she were really on her own, she would have collapsed long ago!
"You shouldn't put all your attention on the child. Many couples' relationships have faded because after having children, the woman's mind is focused on the child, and she cares less about her husband, which causes a lot of trouble."
Shen Rong stopped what she was doing and looked at Cao Fengyi, sensing a hidden meaning in her words.
"Sister-in-law is right. Isn't Lu Lin often away from home because he's busy with official duties?"
Seeing that she understood her reminder, Cao Fengyi said earnestly, "Then you should also pay more attention to him. I heard that you two seem to be having a fight lately."
Shen Rong smiled wryly: "Sister-in-law, who told you that? It's not true. He always has a stern face, and he always looks like he doesn't want to be approached."
Cao Fengyi nodded: "That's good. Lu Lin is a good person. Now that you have a child, as long as you pay a little attention, those people and things outside won't amount to anything."
No, the more I hear this, the more it sounds like Lu Lin is having an affair!
"Does your sister-in-law know something? Lu Lin is having an affair behind my back." Shen Rong's pretty face tightened, and she raised her eyebrows.
Cao Fengyi probably didn't expect her to be so direct, and her face turned a little embarrassed: "What are you talking about? Tianming doesn't seem like that kind of person, but someone is keeping an eye on him. I'm just giving you a heads-up."
Shen Rong breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good, you scared me to death. But sister-in-law, if you really heard something, you can't hide it from me. In Bincheng, you are the closest and most trusted person to me."
Cao Fengyi looked somewhat embarrassed: "That's for sure."
That's what she said, but she couldn't very well tell Shen Rong about these baseless rumors. What if they were false? Wouldn't that be sowing discord between the couple? She'd better wait until she found out the truth before making a move.
***
Lu Lin finally returned, looking travel-worn. As soon as he got home, he dragged Lu Chang into the study.
Lu Xuan listened at the door for a while but couldn't hear anything, so she went out to call Shen Rong.
"Sister-in-law, do you think my eldest brother will pull out his belt and beat my third brother?"
What kind of image does Lu Lin have in her mind? Does he hit people at the drop of a hat?
"It shouldn't be that bad," Shen Rong said softly.
Lu Xuan nudged her, "Sister-in-law, why don't you go check on him? What if Third Brother has been knocked unconscious?"
Your older brother shouldn't be that ruthless!
Shen Rong was pushed to the door of the study by her. Lu Xuan ran to the corner and hid, gesturing for her to quickly knock on the door and go in to take a look.
Shen Rong listened intently for a while, but there was no sound; they must have just been talking.
Lu Xuan stopped her from leaving, clasping her hands together in a pleading gesture.
Shen Rong wondered how much Lu Chang had given her younger sister to make her work so hard.
"Fine, I'll take a look. You better hide." Before Shen Rong could finish speaking, Lu Xuan shrank back.
She knocked three times and gently pushed the door open.
Lu Lin looked over expressionlessly: "What is it?"
Shen Rong looked at Lu Chang, who was sitting carefully to the side, his clothes were neat and his face was unharmed, so he should not have been subjected to violence.
"Sister-in-law, I didn't hit her," Lu Chang said shamelessly.
Seeing that he was alright, Shen Rong shrugged and said, "You can continue. Sorry to bother you." Then she gently closed the door.
Turning to Lu Xuan, he said, "They didn't do anything, they must have just been talking. Are you relieved now?"
Lu Xuan smiled shyly and hugged her arm.
"Sister-in-law, I was just doing this for someone. Since there's nothing else, I'm going out to play with my friends."
"Is it with that Wu classmate again?"
Lu Xuan nodded shyly.
"Go back soon."
Lu Lin sent people to investigate Wu Xinbai. He came from a respectable family, was from Wu County, and was born into a wealthy family of gentry and landlords. Wu Xinbai was the only son in his family and had no other bad habits. He was well-regarded among his classmates and was kind and warm-hearted.
Unable to find anything wrong with them, Lu Lin said not to worry about it. Since they claimed to be friends, they should just treat them as friends to avoid strong opposition from their families. Lu Xuan, on the other hand, became even more enthusiastic.
Seeing that Lu Xuan was about to leave, Shen Rong remembered something and called her back: "This classmate Wu has helped you a lot. See if you have time to bring him home for a casual meal sometime, so we can thank him."
Lu Xuan's cheeks were slightly pink, and her voice was muffled: "Then I'll ask him."
This guy acts like his sweetheart has come to visit, yet he claims to be just a friend. Who would believe that!
I don't know what Lu Lin's plans are. Should we really just ignore it?
She felt that Lu Xuan hadn't quite figured it out yet; if she were to break through that barrier, the two of them would truly fall in love.
Could it be that Lu Lin thinks Wu Xinbai would be a good brother-in-law?
Isn't it a bit too far to marry? He's an only child, so he'll definitely have to go back to Wu County sooner or later.
Shen Rong glanced at the study, truly worried sick.
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