Chapter 3

“So, Mother, you also believe that it was my doing back then,” Lu Minghua said, swaying slightly.

Madam Qin avoided her eyes, not seeing this reaction.

Lu Minghua’s hand in her sleeve tightened. She stared hard at Madam Qin, and then she closed her stinging eyes.

Clearly, she had no interaction with Wei Yuntai before he came to propose. She hadn’t even spoken to him once. So why did everyone think she had schemed in secret to steal the marriage that should have belonged to her sister?

Even her mother thought so.

Lu Minghua wanted to shout and confront Lu Mingxi, but she knew it was useless because she had no evidence.

“Mother didn’t think that way,” Madam Qin replied dryly.

The mother and daughter parted unhappily.

In the front courtyard, Lu Minghua followed Madam Qin. As soon as they entered the room, she met Wei Yuntai’s direct gaze. His eyes shifted slightly, and then he frowned.

Lu Chengsong glanced casually and noticed something was wrong. He knew his wife well; this look clearly meant she had messed something up. His mind turned, vaguely guessing a bit, but he didn’t care and continued talking with Wei Yuntai. As a second son of an earl’s family, who knew him before? But ever since he had Wei Yuntai as a son-in-law, everyone looked up to him when he went out.

Lu Minghua was long used to her father’s behavior. She just tugged at the corners of her mouth and sat down.

Wei Yuntai, slightly frowning, chatted with his father-in-law for a while longer, glancing outside several times before finally taking his leave.

Lu Chengsong tried to persuade him to stay but failed. He personally escorted him to the courtyard gate before giving up, still regretting, “Qi’er went to school today. He admires you the most. If he knew you came and he missed you, he would be very upset.”

Qi’er, his illegitimate second son, Lu Xunqi, was seventeen this year and his favorite.

“That’s truly a pity,” Wei Yuntai, always gentle and kind, sighed and said, “If Qi’er wishes, he can come to the mansion to find me next time.”

Hearing this, Lu Chengsong was overjoyed and repeatedly agreed.

Seeing the bitterness on her mother’s face, Lu Minghua lowered her eyes.

Having given birth to her and Lu Mingxi, Madam Qin had damaged her body and could no longer conceive. The next year, the family had an illegitimate son. Therefore, she had been considerate and sensible since childhood, but she never expected to hear such words today…

Madam Qin looked at her, wanting to speak but hesitating. Finally, she stepped forward, took Lu Minghua’s hand, and carefully gave her some advice.

Usually, Lu Minghua would be very happy, but today, she looked lightly into Madam Qin’s eyes, her mind constantly replaying the earlier conversation. After listening quietly for a while, she nodded and smiled lightly, agreeing.

Visibly, Madam Qin breathed a sigh of relief.

Lu Minghua lowered her eyes, suddenly finding it hard to maintain her smile.

So tired.

As she turned, she sighed silently.

Even as they got into the carriage, Wei Yuntai couldn’t help but look back at the Earl of Wen’an’s residence.

“How is Mingxi?” After hesitating for a moment, he asked Lu Minghua.

“She’s sick. Didn’t you invite a famous doctor? Let him come to the capital as soon as possible,” Lu Minghua replied, not wanting to discuss further with Wei Yuntai, and changed the topic directly.

“The message said he reached Jizhou the day before yesterday,” Wei Yuntai muttered softly, frowning slightly.

Lu Minghua closed her eyes. After the uncontrollable anger dissipated, she felt an overwhelming sense of powerlessness.

It was as if she were utterly exhausted.

On the way back to the Marquis of Ningguo’s residence, Wei Yuntai went straight to the study in the front courtyard. Lu Minghua, with a faint smile, watched him leave and then returned to Chunshan Courtyard.

Mama Li hurried out to meet her. Seeing her expression, her face tightened, and she dismissed the servants, personally helping Lu Minghua undo her hair.

Sitting at the dressing table, no one spoke. Mama Li took the jade comb and gently combed Lu Minghua’s hair.

Feeling the coolness pass through her hair, stroke after stroke, the smile that had been fixed on Lu Minghua’s face finally faded. Her stiff body gradually relaxed, becoming expressionless.

Seeing this, Mama Li felt a pang of sorrow. Her young mistress used to cry and make a fuss when she was little, but after her mother scolded her several times for being troublesome while her sister was ill, she rarely showed her emotions in front of others. She was so young back then.

“Miss, if you’re sad, just cry. You’ll feel better after crying. Mama is here, Mama is here,” Mama Li said, her eyes welling up as she hugged Lu Minghua.

Lu Minghua closed her eyes, holding back her emotions.

“I’m not sad,” she said, word by word. “I’m not sad.”

If they didn’t care about her, she wouldn’t care about them anymore. Lu Minghua told herself this in her heart.

The weather remained gloomy for another day. In the afternoon, a sliver of sunlight appeared, but by evening, it started raining heavily again.

“I wonder when you’ll have good news, Sister-in-law. Mother has been waiting for a long time,” Sun Miaotong’s smug words echoed in Lu Minghua’s ears as she returned to Chunshan Courtyard before the rain. Her already bad mood worsened.

Children…

Unconsciously, she covered her stomach, bitterness flashing in her eyes.

Would she ever have her own children in this lifetime?

*

After several days of continuous rain, the weather finally cleared.

The ground was covered with water vapor, which evaporated cleanly by noon. Ice basins were placed around the house, and the cool air spread, allowing Lu Minghua to finally breathe a sigh of relief.

After lunch, she was about to rest when someone from the outer courtyard requested to see her, saying that the famous doctor from Jiangnan had arrived and asked if she would like to go to the Earl of Wen’an’s residence now.

Lu Minghua agreed, and the servant left immediately. Shortly after, a young maid hurriedly reported that the heir had returned and was talking with the doctor.

Lu Minghua’s heart turned cold.

He returned so quickly.

Wei Yuntai came and went quickly, not even entering the back courtyard. After a brief stop, he left with the doctor, saying he would take him to the Earl of Wen’an’s residence.

Everyone in the mansion couldn’t help but sigh, thinking the heir was truly attentive to his wife.

Even when she went to pay respects to Madam Sun in the evening, Sun Miaotong’s taunts were absent. Lu Minghua could only respond to this with a cold smile.

The next day, seeing that Wei Yuntai hadn’t returned to Chunshan Courtyard at night, Sun Miaotong, who had been listless the previous day, was refreshed and lively again. Her clever mouth never stopped, and she occasionally touched her belly, taking every opportunity to mock Lu Minghua.

Madam Sun merely observed from the sidelines, saying nothing. After everyone left, she frowned and complained to the elderly servant beside her, unable to understand what her son was thinking.

If he didn’t like Lu Minghua, why did he personally propose to her and insist on marrying her, even arguing with her for a long time? He was also very attentive to any matters concerning the Lu family. But if he liked her, why did he treat her like a stranger and never return to Chunshan Courtyard?

The servants racked their brains and finally found an excuse, saying that the heir was busy building his career and handling court affairs, which caused him to neglect his wife. They assured her that things would improve in time, as the heir and his wife were still young.

Madam Sun shook her head, feeling it wasn’t just that, but said nothing more.

Days passed, neither good nor bad, and for Lu Minghua, they were no different from the past three years.

Unknowingly, another three months passed.

The weather transitioned from summer to autumn.

Until one day, Madam Qin’s maid came, joyfully announcing that after the famous doctor’s treatment, the second young lady’s health had improved significantly. The doctor said that as long as she took good care of herself, living a long and healthy life wouldn’t be difficult.

Outside, the birds chirped melodiously, but for some reason, Lu Minghua suddenly felt a sense of panic, as if something she didn’t want to face was about to happen.

“Really?” Before Lu Minghua could speak, Wei Yuntai, who was home on leave, had already arrived and blurted out.

“Of course, it’s true. Before coming, the master and madam instructed me to thank the heir on their behalf,” the maid said, kneeling on the ground.

Wei Yuntai casually told her to rise, his eyes filled with joy.

Lu Minghua’s smile faded slightly as she took a sip of tea.

The maid stood up with a smile, and Wei Yuntai rewarded her, ordering someone to escort her out. His smile was undisguised.

Lu Minghua had nothing to say, so she casually picked up a book and looked down at it.

After a while, when Wei Yuntai finally came back to his senses from the surprise, he noticed the odd atmosphere in the room.

He quietly looked at Lu Minghua, his smile fading.

“You’re not happy?” he asked lightly.

“Mingxi’s health has improved, so I’m naturally happy,” Lu Minghua said, meeting his gaze without flinching, a hint of sarcasm flashing at the corner of her mouth. “Just not as happy as the heir.”

“Lu Minghua!” Wei Yuntai’s tone was flat, his eyes dark with warning.

That remark was indeed inappropriate. If someone heard it, who knows what trouble it would cause?

Lu Minghua didn’t want to deal with him and lowered her head.

Watching her straight shoulders and slightly tense jaw, Wei Yuntai’s lips moved, but he silently looked at her for a few moments before getting up and leaving.

With no one else in the room, Lu Minghua became lost in thought, unconsciously crumpling the book.

Mingxi’s health had improved. What would happen next?

What really happened back then? Why did Wei Yuntai mistake her for Mingxi? What had happened?

A fog of confusion clouded her mind, with countless thoughts she couldn’t sort out. She had a thousand things to explain, but everyone had silently judged her guilty, not even giving her a chance to defend herself.

With such good news, it was only right for Lu Minghua to visit. So, the next day, she and Wei Yuntai went to the Earl of Wen’an’s residence again.

“Sister, Brother-in-law.” As soon as they entered the residence, a gentle voice sounded. Lu Minghua looked up to see Lu Mingxi in a moon-white dress approaching gracefully. Her still somewhat pale skin was almost translucent in the clear early autumn sunlight, as delicate and beautiful as the orchid embroidered on her collar. Her gaze naturally fell on Wei Yuntai.

Wei Yuntai looked up, his gentle, smiling face suddenly filled with tenderness.

Although it was early autumn, it felt like a spring breeze, bringing joy and delight.

Lu Minghua stood aside, coldly watching this absurd and laughable scene.