Chapter 725: Chapter 687: Chilled Cherries

Wen Wan paused and listened to the conversation. It seemed that ever since Aunt Su had a miscarriage, she had been bleeding continuously. Lu Yanbin had sought medical help with no improvement, so he insisted that Mrs. Liu, who was familiar with menstrual issues, from Mrs. Xiao Liu’s quarters, should serve Aunt Su. However, her condition worsened, and Aunt Su passed away. Lu Yanbin suspected that Mrs. Xiao Liu had instructed Mrs. Liu to tamper with Aunt Su’s herbal medicine to harm her life, and now he was demanding an explanation.

Wen Wan glanced at Mrs. Lin beside her. Mrs. Lin sighed and lowered her head.

The maid Rongrong, standing outside the door, saw Wen Wan and happily called out "Commandery Princess," then went inside to report, "Old Madam, the Commandery Princess is here."

Old Mrs. Lu did not expect Wen Wan to visit at this time. She was taken aback and then glanced at Lu Yanbin and Mrs. Xiao Liu, who were at a standoff below, and scolded, "If things have to be put on a show later, so be it. Don’t let Wan see a joke about your household affairs."

Lu Yanbin, still angry, kept his face taut and said nothing.

Mrs. Xiao Liu responded softly, her voice as faint as a mosquito’s, but on closer listen, it carried a hint of stubborn grievance.

Soon, Wen Wan lifted the curtain and entered as if unaware of the situation. She smiled and said, "Brother Bin and Shuyuan are both with the Old Madam, no wonder I couldn’t find anyone in Furong Courtyard."

Mrs. Xiao Liu turned her head to look at Wen Wan, forcing a smile and curtsying, "Sister Wan."

The old madam at the head of the room also smiled, "What brings Wan here?"

"Isn’t the Dragon Boat Festival soon? We’re planning to go by the moat to watch the dragon boat race and wanted to see if you were free, Grandmother?"

Old Mrs. Lu smiled kindly, "We’ve mentioned before, let’s spend this year’s Duan Yang together. It’s rare that you’re interested, so I’ll take these old bones out to join the fun."

"All right then," Wen Wan replied, "Our family is making zongzi right now. I had some extra made, so everyone will have a share when the time comes."

"Good, good, good." Old Mrs. Lu beckoned her to come forward, "It’s thoughtful of you to remember this place during Duan Yang."

Wen Wan smiled before turning her attention to Mrs. Xiao Liu and Lu Yanbin, "So, was Grandmother just discussing how to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival with them?"

"Indeed!" Old Mrs. Lu conveniently replied, nodding, "It’s a coincidence you came just in time."

Wen Wan looked at Lu Yanbin with bafflement, "On a festive occasion, why does it look like Brother Bin is not in a good mood? Could it be he’s upset by my sudden visit to your house?"

"No such thing," Lu Yanbin hurriedly responded, "Sister coming here is what I’ve been hoping for!"

"In that case, everyone should go. I’ve already reserved a private room at the largest restaurant by the moat. The location is nice, and it’s lively."

After she finished speaking, Wen Wan thought of something, "Oh yes, bring your concubine as well. I’ve heard she’s been cooped up indoors due to illness. It’s time she got some fresh air. Otherwise, she’ll fall ill from being stifled."

As Wen Wan said this, she noticed the darkening of Lu Yanbin’s expression. He lowered his voice and said, "Dear Sister, Aunt Su is already gone."

"Ah?" Wen Wan exclaimed in surprise, covering her mouth, "How... how did she pass away?"

Lu Yanbin’s forehead veins bulged as he glared at Mrs. Xiao Liu, seemingly at a loss for words.

When the conversation turned again to Aunt Su, the old madam’s expression was unpleasant, "She fell ill after a miscarriage earlier this year and couldn’t make it through."

"When did she pass away?" Wen Wan asked again.

"Last night."

Possibly stemming from her dislike for Su Yi, Wen Wan also felt little fondness for the Su Family. Although she had never met Aunt Su, her intuition was not favorable.

It might also be partly because she herself was a primary wife, and in such situations, it was natural for her to side with the legitimate wife, standing up for Mrs. Xiao Liu.

Therefore, Aunt Su’s death left Wen Wan feeling no regret. She merely expressed verbally, "It’s probably fate. Brother Bin, you should come to terms with it soon. You and your wife are still young and will have plenty of opportunities to have children in the future."

Whether Lu Yanbin took it in was uncertain. He remained silent, standing there dazedly like a wooden post.

The old madam, fearing he would go into a frenzy again, waved him away, "Alright, you go out first and let us grandmother and granddaughter have a proper talk."

"Grandson asks to be excused." Lu Yanbin replied stiffly, not even glancing at Mrs. Xiao Liu before retreating.

Once Lu Yanbin was far away, Old Mrs. Lu beckoned Mrs. Xiao Liu over, "Come sit over here. You and your sister-in-law haven’t seen each other in a while and should have a lot of personal things to talk about."

Mrs. Xiao Liu had no choice but to step forward, bringing over an embroidered stool to sit by the old madam. However, she appeared somewhat distracted.

Wen Wan noticed but did not expose it.

Realizing Mrs. Xiao Liu’s heart was heavy, the old madam did not force her to put on a brave face, instead focusing her attention on Wen Wan, inquiring about the health of Wen Wan’s grandparents.

Wen Wan replied, "They spent the previous days helping the tenants on the estate for more than half a month. They came back with a bit of a tan, but staying active has kept them rather healthy."

The old madam sighed, "At their age, being able to work on the estate is rare. I can’t do that anymore. With these old bones of mine, I get winded just taking a few more steps. If I were to work in the fields, I’d have to starve myself first."

Wen Wan said, "My father-in-law and mother-in-law came from a rural background. They were used to it in the past, and moving to the Capital was actually something they weren’t suited for. Coming from a privileged family, how could Grandmother compare to them?"

While they were chatting, Rongrong came in with a plate of iced cherries and ice cream.

In the scorching summer heat, after such a long conversation with the old madam, Wen Wan had already started to feel parched. Her Xiangfei hand fan seemed insufficient, and seeing the iced cherries instantly made her mouth water.

Old Mrs. Lu, immediately noticing her craving, had Rongrong set it up quickly, especially moving it closer to Wen Wan, "These arrived from the estate this morning. The men don’t eat them, so they’re all brought to the inner courtyard. I asked to have them iced, and now it’s just right. Have a taste."

Wen Wan placed her fan on the long table, picked a plump, ruby-red cherry from the plate, and popped it into her mouth. A delicious, cool, and fruity aroma spread through her lips and teeth, refreshing and soothing in the summer heat.

"So sweet." Fearing she’d feel awkward eating alone, Wen Wan looked at the old madam and the nearby Mrs. Xiao Liu sitting on the embroidered stool, "Grandmother, Shuyuan, you should eat too. It feels awkward eating alone."

Old Mrs. Lu laughed, "At my age, I can’t handle cold foods. Shu’s courtyard has some, so these are all for you. Take your time. There’s still half a basket left from this morning. If you like them, you can take them all back later to let the little ones taste them too."

Wen Wan loved cherries the most. During her pregnancy with Jinbao, on a trip back to Ningzhou, Song Wei had bought some for her. However, they were too expensive, and just a handful cost several copper coins, not even enough to fill a tooth gap. Back then, with challenging family finances, Wen Wan enjoyed them once but didn’t dare ask Song Wei to buy more.

After moving to the Capital, the estate would sporadically send fruit, but cherries were rare. Unexpectedly, today she had the chance to eat them at the Lu’s.

Popping another cherry into her mouth, Wen Wan felt completely relaxed. After spitting out the pit, she smiled at the old madam, "Since Grandmother insisted, I won’t be polite later."

The old madam, seeing her cheerful smile, felt the discomfort brought on by Lu Yanbin and Mrs. Xiao Liu dissipate, instructing Rongrong to pack the basket of cherries in a container to bring with Wen Wan when she leaves.

Wen Wan thanked her again and, noticing Mrs. Xiao Liu’s lack of energy, excused herself, "Grandmother, it’s rare for me to visit, and I have some personal things I want to discuss privately with Shuyuan."

The old madam patted her hand, "Very well, be sure to have a good chat and talk things through."

Wen Wan stood up and bent over to take Mrs. Xiao Liu’s hand.

Mrs. Xiao Liu felt uncomfortable about it, stood up on her own, forcing a smile, "Sister Wan, this way please."

The two left the old madam’s courtyard. Seeing Mrs. Xiao Liu’s miserable demeanor, Wen Wan asked her, "Are you alright?"

"I’m fine." Mrs. Xiao Liu couldn’t bring herself to say she had a falling out with Lu Yanbin, though at the moment her mind was unsettled. Trying to maintain a calm tone, she said to Wen Wan, "There are still some cherries left from this morning. I noticed you liked them, so take them back as well."

"Won’t you keep some for yourself?" Wen Wan asked. The old madam already gave her half a basket, and taking more would seem greedy.

Mrs. Xiao Liu shook her head, "It’s probably because of the heat; I haven’t had much of an appetite these days. If I keep them, they’d just go to waste."