Chapter 80 - 80: Luo Yu’s Invitation
At the Chengguo Residence.
In the hall of the east courtyard, a few exquisite dishes were already placed on the table.
There were even more dishes that were already being cooked in the kitchen.
Due to the cold weather and the guests having yet to arrive, the food was temporarily placed in another large pot at the side to warm up, waiting to be served at any time.
The hall was empty.
Under the eaves outside, Luo Yu was dressed in a white robe. He stood there with his hands behind his back as he silently looked at the snow outside. He had an expressionless face, no one knew what he was thinking.
At this moment, the sound of footsteps on the snow came from outside the door.
The maidservant held an umbrella and walked in with Madam Wang.
Luo Yu snapped back to reality and a gentle smile appeared on his face. He walked up to welcome her. “Mother, why are you here?”
First Madam glanced at her son and walked into the house without saying anything.
Looking at the dishes on the table, she was silent for a long time before saying softly, “Yu’er, is it worth wasting time on this?”
Luo Yu also looked at the dishes on the table. He still had a gentle smile on his face. “I don’t mean anything else. I haven’t seen Qingzhou for a long time. It’s just a meal and a chat.”
Madam Wang looked at him with a doting gaze that only a mother had when looking at her child. “Yu’er, he doesn’t have the right.’
After a pause, she added gently, “Of course, if you like it, no one will say anything. ”
Luo Yu avoided her gaze and looked at the falling snow outside.
Madam Wang turned around and stood beside him. She also looked outside and was silent for a while before saying in a low voice, “Yu’er, I’m sorry… I know about that matter… But don’t worry. A lowly thing that crawled up from the mud is not qualified to enjoy what originally belonged to you.”
The gentle smile on Luo Yu’s face had disappeared at some point in time. “Mother, he’s already enjoying himself.”
The muscles at the corner of Madam Wang’s eyes twitched. She slowly raised her hand, wanting to touch his face or back like when Luo Yu was young.
When he was young, she would always caress him gently and comfort him when he was wronged.
However, at this moment, after hesitating for a moment, she lowered her hand.
She looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar face in front of her and was silent for a moment. She said in a low voice, “Yu’er, don’t worry. No one can take away what belongs to you. I will definitely stand up for you, just like when you were a child…’
Luo Yu looked outside and did not speak.
Madam Wang stood for a while longer before turning to look at the maidservant beside her. Her expression returned to normal. “Go and call Second Madam over.”
“Yes, Madam.”
The maidservant left in a hurry.
Silence returned to the room.
Neither mother nor son spoke again.
Not long after, Second Madam Yang, who was wearing a purple dress and had a graceful figure, rushed over. She first greeted him with a smile, “Second Young Master.” Then, she greeted Madam Wang obsequiously. “Madam, what can I do for you today?”
In front of the servants, she was the Second Madam.
However, in front of Madam Wang, she was just a servant.
Madam Wang stared at her beautiful face expressionlessly for a while before saying calmly, “You should know that he’s coming over later. Stay here and talk to him for a while.’
After a pause, she narrowed her eyes and said, “Make him say everything that he needs to. Do you understand?”
Madam Yang hurriedly lowered her head and smiled. “Don’t worry, Madam. I understand. I’ll definitely ask that little thing to say everything that happened in the Qin residence later.”
Madam Wang stared at her for a while before suddenly saying, “Where’s
Xiaolou? Why haven’t I seen her for a long time?”
Madam Yang lowered her head even more. She was all smiles when she answered, “That girl hides in her room all day reading and drawing. She doesn’t come out often.’
Madam Wang thought for a moment. “Judging from her age, Xiaolou should be 11 or 12 years old, right?”
Madam Yang smiled and said, “She’s 12 years old this year.”
Madam Wang nodded slightly and was silent for a moment. She looked at her and said, “I remember that Xiaolou used to have a good relationship with him. Ever since he entered the residence, Xiaolou especially liked to play with him, right?”
Madam Yang’s expression changed and she hurriedly said, “Madam, you’ve misunderstood. Xiaolou actually hates that brat very much. Every time we met, she would scold him and even throw stones at him. It’s not that she likes to play with him. She simply thinks that he is lowly and easy to bully, so she treats him as a toy.”
Her voice was already trembling.
A faint smile appeared on Madam Wang’s face for the first time. “Ping’er, I don’t mean anything by that. I just feel that it’s not easy for him to come back. Naturally, he should find a few people who can talk to him to accompany him. Otherwise, wouldn’t it seem like the Chengguo Residence is not treating our guests well? Go, call Xiaolou over and accompany him.”
Madam Yang’s face turned pale and she said with a trembling voice, “Madam, but Xiaolou… she’s studying…”
Madam Wang turned around and looked at the maidservant beside her. “Bring Xiaolou over,” she ordered.
“Yes, Madam.”
The maidservant left in a hurry.
Madam Yang lowered her head with an ugly expression, not daring to make a sound.
Madam Wang turned around and looked at the snow outside. She did not say anything else.
After a while.
Luo Yu, who had been silent all this while, suddenly said, “Mother, do you think he came alone this time?”
Madam Wang was silent for a moment before saying, “He’s just a lowly son-in-law. At most, that maidservant will accompany him.”
At this moment, a servant hurried in and reported, “Madam, Second Young
Master, the carriage is already at the door.”
Madam Wang’s expression was calm. “He’s alone?”
The servant bowed and said, “And that… that maidservant who killed Guard Wang last time.”
Madam Wang’s eyelids twitched a few times before she slowly said, “Got it.”
The servants retreated.
The room fell silent.
After a while, Madam Wang said gently, “Yu’er, I’ll leave first. I’ll get Uncle
Zhang and the others to come over later and watch over them in the courtyard.”
Luo Yu shook his head. “No need. There’s no need.”
Madam Wang looked at him and her lips moved. She wanted to say something but hesitated. However, in the end, she did not say anything else. She nodded slightly and left surrounded by her servants.
It was not until she disappeared from the door that Madam Yang, who was bowing with her head lowered, slowly looked up, her face slightly pale.
Not long after, the maidservant brought a young girl in red into the small courtyard.
The girl was petite and had a delicate appearance. Her eyes were especially big and looked watery. She was lively and cute.
When she saw Madam Yang, she immediately walked past the maidservant happily and ran in. Her young face was filled with excitement. “Mother, I heard from Dong’er that Brother Qingzhou is coming back, right? The last time Brother Qingzhou returned, you didn’t let me go out. I didn’t even see him. I can finally see him this time!”
Madam Yang’s expression changed. She glanced at the Second Young Master beside her and hurriedly reprimanded her with a straight face. “What Brother
Qingzhou? How many times have I told you? That’s a b*stard and a lowly thing.
He’s not your brother! If you call him that again, I’ll rip your mouth apart!”
Then, she pointed at Luo Yu and said with a smile, “This is your biological brother. Quickly call him Second Brother.”
The excited smile on Luo Xiaolou’s face disappeared. She frowned and stopped in front of Luo Yu. With her head lowered, she bowed to him and called out timidly, “Second Brother.”
A gentle smile appeared on Luo Yu’s face. He looked at her and said, “Xiaolou, you’re so innocent and naive. Yes, you’re right, I’m your second brother. Second
Mother, don’t reprimand her like this next time.”
Madam Yang smiled obsequiously and said, “Second Young Master, don’t spoil this girl. This girl is just stupid and can’t be persuaded. She should frequently be taught a lesson. Xiaolou is thinking highly of him by calling him by his name. How is he worthy of being addressed as an elder brother? I despise him when I see his hideous face! He’s rude and doesn’t know the rules. After being married for so many days, he doesn’t even know to take the initiative to come back and pay his respects to Old Master and Madam, as well as you, Second
Young Master. He actually wants you to personally send someone to call him. Hmph, I might have to teach that ingrate a lesson today!”
Luo Xiaolou lowered her head and stood to the side, not daring to make another sound. The excitement she felt when she first arrived instantly turned cold.
Luo Yu smiled and did not say anything else.
Not long after.
Footsteps came from outside.
The maidservant led a young man in from the entrance.
Behind the youth was a beautiful sword-wielding girl.
As soon as the girl appeared, the snowstorm outside seemed to have become even colder.
Luo Yu unknowingly felt an itch on his neck.
Looking at the beautiful and cold sword-wielding girl, Luo Yu thought back to that day when she had killed their men. Moreover, he also thought of that beautiful figure with divine looks. At that thought, his heart, which had already calmed down, suddenly tightened again, as if it was pricked by needles.
All of this originally belonged to him..