Chapter 28: No Way

In the Eastern Flower Hall, Xu Jun Ying sat around a small round table with Meinang and Zheng Mei Yu, while the servant girls and maids waited quietly by their side. Bao Ju and Bai Zhan also stood nearby, waiting for the lord to finish eating before heading out.

Meinang picked up a dumpling with her chopsticks and gently placed it on a small dish in front of Xu Jun Ying, smiling sweetly as she said, “Husband, try this!”

Standing behind Xu Jun Ying, Rui Zhu quickly leaned in to check, nervously warning, “Madam, the lord doesn’t eat scallion dumplings!”

“Oh, really?” Meinang raised an eyebrow at Rui Zhu and asked, “How long have you and Rui Bao been serving him?”

Rui Zhu bowed and replied, “We’ve been in the East Garden for almost half a year, madam!”

“In that half a year, he’s been at home for less than two months, meaning you have quite the memory to remember his food preferences so quickly! Good girl! But try to be even sharper in the future not only must you have a keen sense of smell like a dog, but the eyesight of an owl as well. The dumpling’s steaming hot, if you can’t smell the scallions, you should at least be able to see that it’s a crystal dumpling!”

Rui Zhu kept her head down, murmuring, “But, madam, I could smell the scallions…”

Meinang’s gaze shifted slightly as she laughed, “Oh, very impressive your sense of smell must be well-trained! And here’s our cousin biting into none other than a scallion dumpling!”

The servants behind them dared not make a sound, while Bao Ju and Bai Zhan stifled their laughter, their faces displaying awkward expressions. Xu Jun Ying glanced at them, saying, “Rui zhu and Rui Bao can stay to serve; the rest of you, leave. Bao Ju and Bai Zhan, if you don’t hurry to eat now, what are you waiting for?”

The maids retreated to the hallway, and Bao Ju and Bai Zhan left as well. Zheng Mei Yu frowned slightly and asked, “Who made this breakfast? Why is it not uniform? I assumed all the dumplings were crystal, but when I bit in… I don’t eat scallions either!”

Meinang looked at her, thinking, “Isn’t she shamelessly lying? Just yesterday, during lunch at Lady Zheng’s courtyard, everyone’s dipping sauce had a bit of bright green scallion in it. Why didn’t she mind it then?”

With a smile, Meinang replied, “I had the kitchen make these twenty dumplings, ten different fillings: scallion, pork, beef, shrimp, mixed vegetables, half meat, and half vegetarian, two of each. Cousin, feel free to choose whichever you prefer!”

Zheng Mei Yu froze, while Rui Zhu and Rui Bao were stunned: making such an elaborate selection for just a few dumplings was the madam trying to keep the kitchen busy?

Xu Jun Ying passed his dish over to Zheng Mei Yu, “Since you don’t like scallions, have this crystal one.”

Compliantly, Zheng Mei Yu took it, then scooped another identical dumpling from the large plate, saying, “Cousin and I share the same taste, we don’t care for strong flavors. This must be a crystal dumpling, cousin. You have it.”

But Meinang had already placed a dish with two meat dumplings in front of Xu Jun Ying, saying, “After drinking last night, you didn’t eat anything. It’s best not to have something too strong on an empty stomach… Have some meat dumplings, they’ll give you energy for work later.”

Holding a spoon in mid-air, Zheng Mei Yu felt the frustration rise in her chest: If it’s bad to have crystal dumplings on an empty stomach, why did you offer him one first?

Meinang took a sip of porridge and, smiling sweetly, looked at Zheng Mei Yu, “Cousin, don’t just stand there. Sit and eat slowly no rush, there are plenty of dumplings!”

Zheng Mei Yu’s face flushed, but Xu Jun Ying didn’t look at her again. He lowered his head to eat, a hint of sharpness flickering in his gaze as he did.

Without paying further attention to Zheng Mei Yu, Meiniang continued eating her breakfast calmly. She mentioned to Xu Jun Ying that today she would formally begin managing the household affairs of the Xu residence under her mother in law’s guidance. She assured him that she would not cause trouble and would try to shorten her learning period, making time to return to the Qing Hua Courtyard daily to serve him. She ended her statement with a sigh, saying, “But I feel so sad… Mother took Heng Ge’er away, and it feels so hard to be without him by my side!”

Zheng Mei Yu’s expression grew alert, and she quickly looked at Xu Jun Ying, who met her gaze briefly before turning to Meinang, “So that’s why you were crying yesterday?”

Meinang pouted, “I thought you were drunk and wouldn’t notice anything! You saw me crying, and you still made things hard for me!”

Xu Jun Ying felt speechless: Even in drunkenness, his heart was clear, he remembered everything up to falling beside Meinang, then lost track of events. Later, he questioned Bai Zhan, learning that he had indeed asked to stay in the main hall.

Everyone in Qing Hua Courtyard knew that last night, the young lord, in his drunken state, went to the main hall and slept with the main madam on the daybed!

The thought gave Xu Jun Ying a headache. It wasn’t supposed to go this far. Trying to keep a distance only pulled them closer.

Since Meinang’s return from the dead, everything has been chaotic, and a humble-born lady of a marquis household has now become a legend across the capital. And that wasn’t all she’d grown ambitious, wanting to take control of household affairs. The matriarch, unaware of the full story, supported her, as did the first madam, Bai Jing Yu, who even handed over all the household records and keys, making her intentions obvious. As for Meinang, was she truly amnesic or just pretending?

If she’d really lost her memory, why would she immediately remember she was a mother and rush back to Qing Hua Courtyard to take Heng Ge’er? And if she were pretending, why would she openly express her desire to handle household finances and pursue wealth and power without fearing his objection?

Xu Jun Ying turned to look at Meinang but found her staring at Zheng Mei Yu, who was focused on her porridge, with a gaze both disdainful and wary.

Inwardly, Xu Jun Ying smiled bitterly, A woman’s heart is as unpredictable as the depths of the ocean. Meinang had no feelings for him as her husband, yet she guarded so vigilantly against Zheng Mei Yu.

Could she be faking her memory loss as a form of revenge for what had happened between him and Zheng Mei Yu?

Since Meinang’s resurrection, he felt oddly relaxed, even sleeping better.

On the battlefield, he’d faced countless enemies without remorse. So why did he feel as if he were the one who had wronged her, forcing her to her death?

It was Meinang who wronged him first, and he had staged his affection with Zheng Mei Yu by her sickbed to show her he was a man of feeling. If she had shown the slightest hint of regret, he’d have thought it worth marrying her.

But from beginning to end, Meinang never truly looked at him, let alone left any final words, convincing him she had no fate with him. Going against his grandmother’s advice was his greatest mistake, he’d misjudged her and humiliated himself.

He had stopped her precious ginseng soup, deciding not to prolong her life since she wished for death.

When Meinang passed, he let go of his resentment, all grievances and shame were buried, and from then on, they owed each other nothing.

Zheng Mei Yu’s intentions toward him were easy to see. He had no interest in women who threw themselves at him, but Zheng Mei Yu knew too much. If word of his secrets got out, it would bring disgrace to him and the entire Xu household. So, he kept her close, creating an illusion in everyone’s minds that, after Meinang, Zheng Mei Yu would take her place.

Zheng Mei Yu, feeling secure, moved into the main room, even audaciously embracing him in front of Meinang, scolding Meinang’s servants, and once even scolding Heng Ge’er for crying. When Meinang’s maid, Cui Ji, came to retrieve Heng Ge’er, he saw tears in Meinang’s eyes, but not hatred. Her lack of anger pained him even more.

Meinang set down her chopsticks and said to Xu Jun Ying, “I’m done eating. Since today is my first day at the Zi Yun Hall, I shouldn’t keep Mother waiting, so I must hurry. I’ll skip lunch with you, but in the evening…”

Xu Jun Ying replied indifferently, “Suit yourself. I’ll be dining with friends both at noon and in the evening.”

Meinang suddenly remembered, “Oh! Your friends wanted to meet me!”

Xu Jun Ying glanced at her, “No need. It was just a casual suggestion after a few drinks. You go ahead and take care of your own affairs.”

Unlike before, Meinang seemed capable of turning

around without insisting. After a polite farewell, she took her servant girls and maids and left. Zheng Mei Yu also made her excuses and departed.

Only Rui Zhu and Rui Bao remained in the hall, feeling slightly tense.