Chapter 153: I Am Your Mother

Leng Qing Yu’s expression froze for a brief moment.

She quickly composed herself, reaching out to pat Lu Zhi Yi’s hair. “Mother and your father are just discussing something. You’re still young, so don’t get involved.”

“Mother, I’m already grown up. I understand everything. If Father is bullying you, I’ll stand up for you!”

“Alright!” Leng Qing Yu smiled.

During this trip to Yun Tong County, Zhi Yi seemed to have matured compared to before.

In the past, she only enjoyed attending gatherings with noblewomen from various families and rarely showed much affection toward her mother.

These past few days, however, marked the most harmonious period of interaction between mother and daughter since Zhi Yi had grown up.

“With such a considerate daughter, you’re still never satisfied. I don’t know what to say about you!”

Marquis Lu tossed this remark over his shoulder before turning and leaving the room.

Lu Zhi Yi, however, clung to her mother, continuing to ask, “Mother, what’s going on? Are you and Father arguing because of me?”

“No.” Leng Qing Yu sat down.

Looking at Lu Zhi Yi, she hesitated before asking, “Zhi Yi, would you mind if the family gained another sister?”

“Another sister?”

Zhi Yi blinked. “Mother, are you planning to have another baby with Father? I’d be thrilled!”

“No,” Leng Qing Yu explained with some embarrassment, “someone about your age.”

“You mean adopting a foster daughter?” Zhi Yi leaned on Leng Qing Yu’s shoulder. “Why are you asking this all of a sudden? Am I not doing enough as a daughter?”

“Not at all,” Leng Qing Yu said, unsure how to explain. She also feared that revealing the truth rashly might hurt Zhi Yi’s feelings.

“It’s fine, Mother,” Zhi Yi said suddenly, her tone understanding.

“Whoever you want to bring into the family, it’s fine by me. I know I’m your daughter, and you love me the most. If there’s another person in the family, it just means there’s someone else to share the duty of caring for you.”

Leng Qing Yu gently patted Zhi Yi’s hand, touched by her thoughtfulness. But it was precisely because of Zhi Yi’s understanding that she found it even harder to voice certain things.

At that moment, Lu Chang Qing walked in from outside.

Seeing Zhi Yi leaning against Leng Qing Yu, he immediately grabbed her by the collar and pulled her away.

“Lu Zhi Yi, didn’t I tell you before? Don’t lean so close to Mother!”

“Lu Chang Qing, let go!”

Lu Zhi Yi furiously tried to shake off Lu Chang Qing’s hand, but his grip was firm. No matter how much she struggled, she couldn’t break free.

“Mother, look at him!”

Dragged aside by Lu Chang Qing, her clothes were disheveled, and her hair had come loose on one side. She was furious and could only turn to Leng Qing Yu to complain.

Leng Qing Yu sighed helplessly, looking at Lu Chang Qing. “Chang Qing, how can you treat your sister like this? You’re not a child anymore!”

“She’s not my sister. Mother, I hate her.”

Lu Chang Qing’s attitude toward Lu Zhi Yi was as hostile as ever.

He had disliked her since they were children.

This person always seemed to take away the care and attention he wanted from their mother.

As he grew older, he began to notice how scheming Lu Zhi Yi could be, pretending to be pitiful in front of their father and even setting him up to make mistakes in front of the marquis. His dislike for her only deepened.

Because of her, Lu Chang Qing developed a distaste for the cunning nature he believed all girls had. He had no interest in marriage and avoided speaking with women.

That was, until he met Ye Xin Ran. She changed his perspective, at least slightly.

Leng Qing Yu knew it was pointless to argue with Lu Chang Qing, so she tried to comfort Lu Zhi Yi instead. “Zhi Yi, Chang Qing just has a bad temper. Don’t take it to heart. Go back to your room first. I’ll come to see you later.”

Although Lu Zhi Yi’s face was full of grievance, she didn’t say anything further. Holding back her emotions, she obediently left the room.

“Mother, she’s just pretending,” Lu Chang Qing huffed as he sat down angrily.

He had once seen Lu Zhi Yi use a hairpin to stab a maid on the head, drawing blood that soaked through the girl’s hair.

“Chang Qing, I know you don’t like her, but you two grew up together. She’s still your sister.”

“I don’t want her as my sister. I only want Ye Xin Ran to be my sister.”

“Then tomorrow, let’s go see her together and persuade her to come home with us. How about that?”

At the mention of Ye Xin Ran, Leng Qing Yu’s lips curled into a smile.

Lu Chang Qing nodded.

Although Ye Xin Ran wasn’t particularly kind to him and had even refused to let him stay at her house, Lu Chang Qing liked her.

He wanted Ye Xin Yan to live with him and be part of his family.

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The next day.

Leng Qing Yu got up early and instructed the servants to prepare a carriage. She brought Lu Chang Qing along as they headed for Yun Bian Village.

To avoid drawing too much attention, she chose a simple, plain dress to wear.

Standing next to Lu Chang Qing, their resemblance was undeniable, both had delicate and refined features.

From a distance, Lu Zhi Yi watched them secretly. Her expression, however, betrayed a sharpness and bitterness. Even after years of being nurtured in the marquis’s household, she still lacked half of Leng Qing Yu’s grace and poise.

The carriage traveled swiftly.

The morning chill gradually dispelled the restlessness in Leng Qing Yu’s heart, allowing her emotions to settle little by little.

It wasn’t that she didn’t care about the future of the Marquis’ household or the plans of the Marquis himself.

But what wrong had she committed? She simply wanted to reclaim her daughter, that was all.

When the carriage arrived at the Xiao family’s door, the gate was already locked.

Lu Chang Qing inquired about their where abouts and learned that they had gone to the new house early in the morning.

“They just raised the beams yesterday. The house isn’t ready to live in yet, why would they go there so early?”

Lu Chang Qing didn’t understand.

He climbed back into the carriage and urged the driver to head toward the new house.

They had visited this place just the day before.

Today, it wasn’t as lively, but the courtyard was still bustling with activity.

A pile of cabinets and a bed were placed in the yard, and everyone seemed to be figuring out how to arrange them.

Leng Qing Yu noticed Ye Xin Ran speaking with the workers and decided not to interrupt.

It was Xiao Huai’an who spotted the people outside the courtyard and alerted Ye Xin Ran.

Ye Xin Ran looked up and, surprised to see Lu Chang Qing, walked to the gate with a smile. “Chang Qing, what brings you here?”

“Sis, I missed you! And I’m not here alone.”

Lu Chang Qing stepped aside, revealing Leng Qing Yu standing behind him.

For the first time facing her daughter directly, Leng Qing Yu’s eyes instantly brimmed with tears.

This child, though dressed plainly, looked so beautiful, her snow-white skin and clear, bright eyes were striking.

Through Ye Xin Ran, Leng Qing Yu seemed to see her younger self.

But back then, she had never exuded the same vitality that Ye Xin Ran did.

“You are… Lady Marquis?”

Ye Xin Ran, noticing that the woman in front of her remained silent, decided to break the ice herself.

Finally, tears streamed down Leng Qing Yu’s face.

“Child, I’m your mother!”

Her voice was choked with emotion as she raised her hand, wanting to touch Ye Xin Ran’s head.

But just as she lifted it, she stopped midway.

She didn’t dare.

She was afraid Ye Xin Ran would step back or reject her outright.