Transmigration: The Evil Mother-In-Law Is Actually Innocent!-Chapter 687 Wanting to Get Married_1

Lady Dong passed Yu Yi to the maid and, supporting her mother-in-law, said, "This morning, the elder brother of Master Yuan the second took a leave, and Master Yuan the second invited my husband to the teahouse for tea and to introduce Elder Master Yuan, so my husband went to the teahouse."

Zhulan arrived three days late and asked, "How have you all been these past few days?"

Lady Dong felt especially reassured seeing her mother-in-law today and responded while walking, "The last two days we were busy packing up luggage, and just yesterday we received invitations, my husband wants me to host a banquet because he wishes to invite acquaintances with whom he shares good relations to our home."

Zhulan said, "Indeed, our residence should prepare for a banquet. Do you have any plans in mind?"

Lady Dong knew in her heart that even if she told her mother-in-law, she would not interfere, at most she would just offer suggestions. She shared her well-thought ideas, "I was thinking, since my husband has yet to report for duty, the banquet need not be too solemn. Now that spring has arrived and the scenery in our garden is quite lovely, I’d like to hold a spring-themed banquet, preparing some special spring delicacies and desserts to be enjoyed while admiring the view and sipping wine."

Zhulan found the idea agreeable, "You start preparing, and if there’s anything you don’t understand, come and talk to me about it."

Lady Dong’s brows unfolded with relief, her mother-in-law had approved her idea, "Mother, this is my first time hosting a banquet. I’ve been feeling uneasy without you here. It’s like my feet were never on the ground. Now that you’ve come, my feet feel firmly planted. Mother, thank you for being here."

Zhulan could feel the sincerity in Lady Dong’s tone, and it warmed her heart, "Talking about thanks makes us strangers. I’m your mother; this is what I am supposed to do. Now that I’m here, go ahead and do it. I’ve got your back."

Lady Dong affectionately supported her mother-in-law who was truly kind to her, thinking to herself how not every mother-in-law is so kind to their daughter-in-law, "Mother, if there’s a next life, I still want to be your daughter-in-law."

Zhulan thought to herself, talking about the next life when this one isn’t even over yet, "Nonsense, your life has only just begun. There’s still a long way to go."

Lady Dong knew that she had said something taboo, "Mother, I spoke out of turn."

Zhulan had arrived at the main courtyard and now returned, bringing with her quite a bit of luggage, mainly some clothes and such she no longer used. Chang Lian’s thinking was correct; after speaking with Zhou Shuren, they both knew they wouldn’t be in Jinzhou for much longer.

Old Madam Song was already directing the young servants and maids to move the luggage.

After washing up, Zhulan changed clothes and came out as the meal prepared by Lady Dong was served, "I was thinking something was missing. Where has Xue Han gone?"

Lady Dong pointed outside the window, "Your younger sister and Rongchuan are chatting by the stone table in the courtyard!"

Zhulan didn’t go to the door but instead opened the window to look outside. Xue Han’s cheeks were a bit red, Rongchuan must have said something again, as Xue Han was about to lay hands on him.

Rongchuan dodged and they looked at each other, laughing; Rongchuan’s face turned red too, his long arms uncertain where to place them, clenched behind his back, showing how nervous he was.

Zhulan sighed with a sense of reflection, "Being young is wonderful indeed."

Lady Dong giggled, "Childhood sweethearts really are different."

Zhulan’s eyes curved into a smile, "That’s why, in the future when Yu Yi grows up, when you select a husband for her, you must carefully check if she has any childhood sweethearts, like cousins or something."

Lady Dong, who had been chatting with her younger sister-in-law, laughed out loud after hearing from her sister-in-law how she had investigated He Shu, "Mother, you really see through to the heart of things."

Zhulan saw her daughter and Rongchuan looking towards them and closed the window, "These are all lessons learned from experience. There’s a lot to understand here; a single lapse can dig a pit for our own girl."

Lady Dong mentally noted this point, and then felt something amiss, "Mother, why did you say ’we’ will choose a husband for Yu Yi?"

Zhulan replied with a smile, "I was just saying it in passing."

Lady Dong didn’t overthink it; her mother-in-law was always straightforward.

Xue Han and Rongchuan entered the room, and Zhulan wasn’t watching her daughter closely. This girl and Rongchuan still had a thin skin, "Come over and eat."

Xue Han had been so preoccupied chatting with Rongchuan that she hadn’t changed her clothes. It would be too obvious to say she was going back to change now, so she quickly washed her hands and took her seat, gazing at the dining table, which bore many dishes she enjoyed, "Sister-in-law has worked hard."

Lady Dong smiled, "It’s no trouble, little sister. Try the chef’s cooking and see if it suits your taste."

Xue Han waited for her mother to start eating before she took some dishes. After tasting them, she commented, "The chef’s skills in our home in the capital are indeed excellent, better than those in our Jinzhou house."

Lady Dong explained, "The chef in the kitchen used to run a restaurant, so they’ve been practicing cooking since they were young."

While eating her food, Zhulan thought, hmm, the taste was just right, but she was about to share something somewhat sad; she’d noticed her taste for stronger flavors, which was distressing. Her body was slowly aging.

Rongchuan found the lunch unusually delicious today. He sat only one person away from Xue Han. Even when they had meals with the whole family back at the Jinzhou house, they used to sit at separate tables and rarely had the chance to eat at the same table.

Rongchuan pressed the corners of his mouth, trying not to be too obvious, yet the joy in his heart seemed about to burst forth. Xue Han’s arrival in the capital was something he had looked forward to for days.

Suddenly, Rongchuan thought about getting married. He was becoming a little greedy, especially since he had grown even closer to Xue Han after mentioning marriage to the Emperor. In the two months since returning to Jinzhou Province, he wasn’t preoccupied with the imperial examinations anymore. They saw each other more often than before, often chatting together, and he even listened to Xue Han playing the zither.

Zhulan saw Rongchuan just eating and asked, "Rongchuan, what are you thinking about? Why are you only eating?"

Rongchuan felt unnatural inside. He couldn’t say that he was thinking about marriage. Now, he also felt as if his thoughts were transparent, his face burning as if on fire, "I was just thinking that I have to start my new position the day after tomorrow, considering matters of the Hanlin Academy."

Zhulan didn’t expose Rongchuan’s fib, "Don’t think about it now during the meal, lest it upsets your stomach."

Rongchuan cooled the heat on his face, "Mhm."

Xue Han noticed Rongchuan glance at her and now her face turned red as well.

Zhulan’s seat was particularly good, positioned in such a way that she could observe the entire table’s activity. With only four people sitting there, she watched the little couple occasionally exchange glances and felt that even the delicious food on the table had lost its flavor.

Zhulan, only having eaten enough to be sixty percent full, put down her chopsticks, "I’ll go out for a walk to digest the food a bit, then come back to rest."

Lady Dong didn’t feel like staying at the dining table either. It had been fine with her mother there, but now that she was alone, she lost her appetite, "Mother, shall I accompany you to the garden for a walk?"

Zhulan looked at Rongchuan and Xue Han, whose heads were inclined toward each other and whose eyes were filled with smiles, "Sure, when I walked by the garden earlier, there was still ice on the lake. Now that it’s all melted, I wonder if there are any fish in the lake."

In the past few days, Lady Dong had been busy packing and preparing her younger sister-in-law’s quarters, as well as thinking about invitations. She hadn’t had a chance to stroll in the garden either, "Mother, I don’t know either, let’s go and see."

Zhulan, smiling, "Alright, it’ll just be right to see which place in the garden is suitable for holding a banquet." ƒreewebɳovel.com

Lady Dong, "Mhm."

Zhulan reached the door, one foot already stepping out, then paused, "You two take your time eating, alright!"