Chapter 733: Chapter 695: Returning Home (24th Update)

Wen Wan simply refused to let him see her, "Tell me, what did you do wrong?"

Lu Yanbin sat down on his own, wearing a grim expression, "Regarding Aunt Su, I wronged her unjustly; I shouldn’t have acted so rashly and hit her. It’s only been a few days since she left home, and things have already fallen into chaos. I’m here to ask her to return and take charge of the situation."

Wen Wan asked, "Are you asking her to come back to help you with household affairs or to live together with you?"

Lu Yanbin was somewhat bewildered, "Is there a difference between the two?"

Wen Wan directly issued an eviction order, "Come back to get her once you figure out the difference."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yanbin’s face gradually clouded, but given her status, he had to lower his posture, "My good sister, just tell me, what do I need to do to make her come back with me?"

Wen Wan laughed scornfully, "You keep saying you know you were wrong, yet you don’t even know what to do. Are you trying to appease me, or are you trying to appease the old lady?"

Lu Yanbin’s face turned slightly pale, "That’s not what I meant."

After being married for three years, he had never paid attention to Mrs. Xiao Liu. Let alone winning her favor, he didn’t even know what she liked or disliked.

In the end, Lu Yanbin was driven out by Wen Wan. Unwilling to leave empty-handed, he paid a cleaning maid for information about Mrs. Xiao Liu’s courtyard and strode over.

Mrs. Xiao Liu was still sleeping, and Liuli, who was fanning her, was starting to feel drowsy too. As she was about to take a nap while Mrs. Xiao Liu was still asleep, a tall shadow passed through the doorway. It was Lu Yanbin.

The gloomy face instantly chilled the room considerably.

Liuli shivered, stammering, "Lu... Young Master Lu."

Lu Yanbin ignored her and set his eyes on Mrs. Xiao Liu lying on the bed.

She was lying on her side in clothes on the carved canopy bed, uncovered due to the heat. Her long, thick, black hair was spread out, with a few strands pressed under her face.

The collar of her clothes was slightly loose due to the side-lying position, revealing a section of her snow-white neck and a gracefully curved collarbone.

Every time Lu Yanqing visited Mrs. Xiao Liu’s courtyard, he would turn off the lights to do his business, never having carefully appreciated her appearance. Seeing her today, he surprisingly found her vivid and alluring, causing his mouth to go dry.

However, her face appeared unusually pale, possibly due to illness.

Swiftly dismissing intrusive thoughts, Lu Yanbin turned to Liuli and asked, "Has the young madam ever invited a doctor to your household? What did they say?"

Only Mrs. Xiao Liu and Wen Wan knew about her pregnancy; even Song Wei was unaware, let alone the servants.

Faced with Lu Yanbin’s question, Liuli responded, "Yes, a doctor was called. They only mentioned a deficiency in vital energy and blood."

Lu Yanbin frowned deeply, "Did you prepare any tonic for her?"

"Where could we find so many tonics?" A voice suddenly came from the doorway, and it was Wen Wan.

She already knew Lu Yanbin wouldn’t just leave it be, so she timed her arrival.

"Her deficiency in vital energy and blood is not a new issue. If you’d redirected even a little of the silver you spent on your concubine to buy her a few ginseng roots, she wouldn’t be this weak."

Lu Yanbin’s eyes darkened.

Back when he was fond of Su Dai, there was no Mrs. Xiao Liu or any main wife to speak of.

Later, marrying Mrs. Xiao Liu was merely to placate the old lady; he felt he fulfilled his duties by visiting her courtyard every so often. He believed he had nothing to apologize for.

No matter how the child in Su Dai’s belly was lost, no matter whether Su Dai had deceived him, the fact was that she was no longer there. So what was there left to discuss?

He was tired of being criticized for favoring the concubine over the main wife, for being told what he should or shouldn’t do.

What does ’should not’ mean?

Clearly, it was Mrs. Xiao Liu who came between him and Su Dai. In the end, just because Su Dai’s status was lowly, everything became her fault?

Was she supposed to endure all those undeserved penalties?

Upon thinking this, Lu Yanbin cast a cold glance at Wen Wan, scoffed, and with a flick of his sleeve, he left.

Only after he left did Mrs. Xiao Liu slowly open her eyes.

Wen Wan gestured for Liuli to leave, then pulled a chair to the side of the bed, asking, "When did you wake up?"

Mrs. Xiao Liu said, "When he first came in, I woke up," she just wasn’t willing to open her eyes and face Lu Yanbin.

"Then you heard everything he said?"

"Mm." Mrs. Xiao Liu nodded.

Lu Yanbin had said only a few words, but Mrs. Xiao Liu, without opening her eyes, could imagine his expression, especially after Wen Wan’s admonitions. He wasn’t silent; he was unable to express his anger.

Anything related to Su Dai, anything negative said about that woman, was touching his reverse scale. It was as if it was life-threatening to him.

Smoothing her face, Mrs. Xiao Liu said, "I plan to go back."

"What?" Wen Wan was taken aback.

"The issues between him and me need to be resolved sooner or later." Taking a deep breath, Mrs. Xiao Liu said calmly, "My persistent absence is merely avoidance. Avoidance only exacerbates our conflicts and resolves nothing. There’s no place for me in his heart, so no matter how far I run, he won’t sincerely come to take me back. To prevent stretched-out disputes and face-saving embarrassment, I’ll pack up and return tomorrow to explain everything to the old lady. If it doesn’t work out, so be it—to stop forcing him and stop hurting myself."

In this marriage, Mrs. Xiao Liu has always been in a passive position, becoming a victim passively. However, Lu Yanbin didn’t see it that way; he thought Mrs. Xiao Liu’s coming ruined Su Dai’s chances of becoming the main wife. He didn’t believe he owed anything to Mrs. Xiao Liu.

Wen Wan didn’t know how to persuade her.

Persuade her to divorce, but she’s carrying a child. Persuade her to make things work, but clearly, this life isn’t sustainable.

Taking hold of Mrs. Xiao Liu’s hand, Wen Wan said, "Whatever decision you make this time, I won’t stop you. But there’s one thing—you must think clearly about some words before you say them. I don’t want you to regret it in the future."

Mrs. Xiao Liu nodded, "I understand. Thank you, Sister Wan."

"Do you want me to accompany you tomorrow?" Wen Wan was still a bit worried.

"No need." Mrs. Xiao Liu shook her head, "This is something no one can help me with. I must stand up and face it alone."

...

Song Wei and others returned in the afternoon, and as soon as Jinbao entered, he clamored for iced cherries.

Wen Wan scolded him with a smile, "Little glutton, didn’t you polish off most of what we brought back the other day? Still not enough?"

Jinbao clung to Wen Wan’s arm, "Cherries are delicious, Mother. Jinbao wants more."

"There are no more," Wen Wan said. "There was only so much to begin with, and there’s not even a seed left today. Where am I supposed to find cherries for you?"

Jinbao looked pitifully at Song Wei.

Song Wei had just finished washing his hands and sat down on a round chair, speaking slowly, "Do you want some iced watermelon?"

Earlier, at the restaurant, they’d already had watermelon, so Jinbao wasn’t interested. He said to Wen Wan, "Mother, let’s visit Great-Grandmother tomorrow. She has cherries, lots and lots of cherries."

As he spoke, he even gestured with his hands to Wen Wan.

Song Duobao, who came in with Jinbao, started salivating upon hearing this and expressed his desire to eat as well.

The cherries Wen Wan brought back from the Lu family the other day were almost all eaten up by these kids. Her parents-in-law didn’t want any, and neither she nor Song Wei got many.

Wen Wan was grateful, in a way, that she had a plateful at the Lu family beforehand.

She had thought she had a craving for cherries, but didn’t expect the kids to crave them even more.

The little ones kept clinging to her arm, and Wen Wan, a bit exasperated, had to agree, "Fine, I’ll take you to Great-Grandmother’s tomorrow. Whatever you want, you ask her yourself."

Jinbao’s eyes lit up, a wide smile spreading across his face. He generously gave Wen Wan a big kiss.

Song Duobao didn’t understand why but decided to imitate his older brother by kissing Wen Wan on the cheek as well.

Wen Wan squatted down to let him kiss her, but ended up with her face covered in drool.

——

The next morning, after Mrs. Xiao Liu finished packing, Wen Wan personally escorted her to outside the hanging flower gate, instructing Kankan to safely escort her back.

She, too, had plans to visit the Lu family today, but in the afternoon.

Yesterday, Mrs. Xiao Liu had made her feelings clear and didn’t want her to intervene any further. Going now would only make things awkward for Wen Wan.

...

Mrs. Xiao Liu hadn’t informed them of her return, so no one in the Lu family knew. When they saw her, the gatekeeper ran off immediately to report it.

Upon hearing that Mrs. Xiao Liu returned by herself, the old lady’s face lit up with delight, "Quickly, invite her to come to my room."

As soon as Mrs. Xiao Liu took a few steps into the residence, she was greeted by people from the old lady’s quarters, each with warm smiles and inquiries about her well-being.

Mrs. Xiao Liu wasn’t in the mood for laughing and answered perfunctorily.