Chapter 736: Chapter 698: Are You Going to Drink or Not? (27 Updates)

Last night, Wen Wan asked Song Wei what he said to Lu Yanbin when they were alone at the restaurant. Song Wei said that it wasn’t his place to intervene, as it wouldn’t be appropriate. He merely told Lu Yanbin that the Lu Family had achieved its current status through numerous sacrifices by the old master. He hoped that Lu Yanbin would cherish the efforts of his predecessors and not allow internal strife to tarnish the family’s reputation or cut off future prospects for their descendants.

These words, Lu Yanbin possibly only listened to at the moment, and perhaps didn’t even understand them.

After all, he is young, lacking foresight and the awareness of potential dangers. He simply enjoys the immense wealth passed down by his forefathers, never considering that he is the sole heir to the Duke’s title, and that every word, action, and decision he makes can rewrite the Lu Family’s future.

From a broad perspective, Wen Wan doesn’t wish for Mrs. Xiao Liu and Lu Yanbin to divorce.

Firstly, Mrs. Xiao Liu already has the Lu family’s heir in her womb. This is the legitimate heir of Lu Yanbin, and the significance is extraordinary. Once the Lu Family knows, they would never consent to Mrs. Xiao Liu aborting the child.

Secondly, Wen Wan holds a conservative view. Such matters as abortion and divorce seem too extreme to her. There is still a possibility that Lu Yanbin can be set right, but he lacks a catalyst—a moment that can awaken him from his dream, compelling him to step up and take responsibility.

But from a personal standpoint, Wen Wan deeply sympathizes with Mrs. Xiao Liu’s ordeal.

She forgot who told her once: A man who hits a woman, having done it once, will likely do it again.

As long as Lu Yanbin doesn’t change his perspective on Mrs. Xiao Liu, the previous situation is very likely to recur.

"Shuyuan, have you really thought this through?" Wen Wan took her hand.

Mrs. Xiao Liu nodded solemnly, "When I previously mentioned divorce, I hadn’t thought it through and was speaking in anger, acting impulsively. From now on, I won’t say such things again."

Earlier, Wen Wan had said that no matter what decision Mrs. Xiao Liu made, she would not interfere and would support her unconditionally.

Now seeing Mrs. Xiao Liu having to endure this nominal marriage for the larger picture, Wen Wan felt upset inside.

But in the end, she did not try to dissuade her.

Mrs. Xiao Liu seemed to see through her thoughts and comforted, "Sister Wan, don’t worry. As long as I announce my pregnancy, with old Mrs. and my father-in-law supporting me, even if he resents me, he would likely take the family heir into consideration and be quiet for a while."

Wen Wan nodded, "You must take care of yourself, don’t let anything happen to the child."

"I know."

——

Having comforted Mrs. Xiao Liu, Wen Wan left Furong Courtyard with mixed feelings.

Upon returning to old Mrs.’s courtyard, she saw Jinbao holding a bamboo fruit basket filled with plump, red lychees.

Wen Wan was taken aback, "Lychees are quite rare here; where did Grandmother get them?"

Old Mrs. laughed and replied, "Just after you stepped out earlier today, your grandfather’s colleague, who is stationed in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, came visiting, and he brought with him two lychee trees. I had Rongrong pick some for us."

As she spoke, she smiled at Jinbao, "Look at this little guy, he finds them fascinating. He ate just one and already doesn’t care for cherries anymore."

Wen Wan glanced at her ever-changing son and felt a bit guilty, "Two lychee trees can only bear about two hundred lychees at best. Grandmother has picked so many for him, aren’t you afraid people here might complain?"

Old Mrs. huffed, "The trees are mine; I can pick for whoever I please. Who dares to have an opinion?"

Wen Wan’s mouth twitched slightly.

Upon leaving the Duke Mansion and boarding the carriage, the little guy was still peeling lychees, having eaten five or six in a row.

Wen Wan said to him, "I’ve never seen anyone like you, still small, not studying much, but having such an appetite. You eat everything and aren’t picky at all. You and Duobao are simply the two typical examples of the Song family."

Jinbao’s mouth was stuffed full with lychees, and he muttered something that Wen Wan couldn’t hear clearly.

Worried that eating too many would cause heatiness, Wen Wan took the basket out of his reach, "There are only about forty or fifty lychees in total, and you’ve eaten so many already. You should think of leaving some for others, or you’ll become stingy."

Jinbao seemed not to have had enough yet, smacking his little lips with yearning.

Wen Wan wiped him with a handkerchief.

The carriage passed by the Governor Mansion.

Just then, Lin Xiaoyue, accompanied by Ah Nuan, was returning from outside. As they were about to enter the mansion, they noticed Wen Wan’s carriage and greeted her through the curtain.

Wen Wan lifted the curtain and was met with Ah Nuan’s adorably sculpted face, smiling exceptionally sweetly.

Wen Wan asked her, "Where did you go just now?"

Ah Nuan said, "Shopping to buy thread for my brother’s clothes."

Wen Wan raised an eyebrow, her gaze shifting to Lin Xiaoyue, "A dignified First-rank Imperial Decree Lady, with over a hundred servants at your command, and you still go buy embroidery thread yourself?"

Lin Xiaoyue replied, "I just can’t sit still and wanted to go out for a walk. And you? From the direction you came, were you at the Duke Mansion?"

"Exactly." Wen Wan said, bending down to take out the basket of fruits she had hidden earlier, she nodded towards Jinbao, "Quick, offer some lychees to my sister."

Jinbao looked reluctant, sitting still and unmoving.

Wen Wan threatened, "If you don’t offer them, I’ll give her the whole basket."

This tactic worked. The little one immediately moved over, grabbing a handful of lychees with his chubby little hands and handing them out the car window, "Here, for you."

His hands were small, and the lychees were large, so although he called it a handful, there were actually only three.

Ah Nuan had never eaten lychees, but since Jinbao gave them, she was delighted, her cheeks forming dimples as she smiled, "Thank you, Brother Jinbao."

Wen Wan also grabbed a handful for Lin Xiaoyue, knowing she wouldn’t be upset, she said directly, "These are hard to come by, I only got a few dozen in total, I need to save some for the family, can’t offer you a whole basket, just a taste."

Lin Xiaoyue accepted them and smiled gently, "Did the Lu Family give these?"

"Yes."

"Having more relatives is indeed a blessing," Lin Xiaoyue said enviously, "This side cares for you, that side cares for you, you get a share of all the good things, it’s simply infuriating."

Wen Wan raised an eyebrow, "If you’re annoyed with me, but can’t hit me, what else can you do?"

Lin Xiaoyue looked enviously, "Get lost before I really can’t help myself and punch you a couple of times."

When Wen Wan returned home, she found two lychee trees in the courtyard, laden with full, red lychees, the branches sagging under their weight.

The servant girls and boys gathered around the lychee trees, drooling with desire.

Only after asking did Wen Wan learn that officials from Jiangsu and Zhejiang had come to the capital to report on their duties, bringing a batch of lychee trees with effort. Four trees were left in the Imperial Palace, two with Emperor Guangxi, two with the Crown Prince, and Emperor Guangxi immediately had Mr. Cui send one to Wen Wan, while the Crown Prince didn’t specify whom to send his tree to, but two lychee trees ended up with the Song family.

Happiness came so suddenly that Wen Wan felt like she was dreaming. She immediately had Linglong and Yun Cai bring baskets to pick lychees, keeping a basket for Qingteng Residence, one for Rong’an Hall, sending one to the second branch, and giving part to serve Xu Dengke and his servant. As for the remaining, Wen Wan had Yun Cai count heads to distribute, with over seventy or eighty servants, each person could only get one.

Lychees were rare, fresh lychees even rarer, other households’ servants could barely even see a shadow of them, let alone have the fortune to eat them.

Therefore, even if it was just one, the servant girls and boys’ gratitude towards Wen Wan, the household mistress, was imaginable.

——

Having decided to stay and continue living, Mrs. Xiao Liu did a lot of psychological preparation for herself, deciding to pick a day to tell Lu Yanbin that she was pregnant.

That evening, Mrs. Xiao Liu had a table of dishes prepared that Lu Yanbin loved, set the table with her own hands, and instructed Hong Xiang to invite him.

She had been imagining Lu Yanbin’s reaction upon learning of her pregnancy, feeling particularly anxious.

Hong Xiang had gone for a long time without returning, and Mrs. Xiao Liu began to worry. Just as she was about to go check, Lu Yanbin walked in, his face dark and scanning the lavish spread on the table, his gaze mocking, "What are you doing?"

"I..."

"Today is Daidai’s seventh day since passing, her body hasn’t even cooled, and you’re so eager to celebrate with a feast?"

The words Mrs. Xiao Liu had prepared were all stuck in her throat. Perhaps too much had happened recently, and with the initial pregnancy state not being great, she hadn’t remembered that today marked the seventh day since Aunt Su’s passing.

Now looking at the table of dishes, it all seemed especially ironic.

With a cold laugh, Lu Yanbin sat at the table, "Come on, didn’t you want to celebrate? I’ll join you, how about drinking until we’re both drunk?"

As he spoke, he poured a full cup of wine, seeing Mrs. Xiao Liu standing still, he simply brought it over, thrusting it to her, his voice heavy with anger, "Drink!"

Hong Xiang gritted her teeth and said angrily, "Young Madam put a lot of thought into preparing this table, if Young Master doesn’t appreciate it, fine, but why take it out on her?"

Lu Yanbin didn’t respond to her, only glaring coldly at Mrs. Xiao Liu, "Are you going to drink or not?"