Chapter 258: So He’s Actually Wearing a Green Hat (1st Update)

Despite her slight displeasure, Madam Yu didn’t stop Qiao Ni from hugging Ye Wenxin, and she stared at the two chatting.

Ye Wenxin felt extremely stressed out, but she still reluctantly talked about trivial matters with Qiao Ni.

After a short while, the majordomo who left earlier returned unhurriedly, informing Madam Yu deferentially, “Madam, dinner is ready.”

Seeing the slightly darkened sky, Ye Wenxin finally realized they had wasted another day like this.

Madam Yu gave a small nod, then asked, “Is the Master in?”

“Yes,” replied the majordomo.

Ye Wenxin wondered if it was her misconception, but she kept feeling that every time Madam Yu mentioned the old man, a touch of contempt would flash in the majordomo’s eyes.

It made her even more curious about what secrets lay within this Green Isle Manor.

The majordomo resumed leading the way. Qiao Ni wanted to pull Ye Wenxin along, but Madam Yu dragged her away. She could only stare sulkily at Ye Wenxin, walking alone behind them.

In fact, Madam Yu’s hostility relieved Ye Wenxin. At least it proved that her peach blossom luck didn’t affect everyone.

As long as the person had a luck strong enough to transform, they could avoid being corrupted by the peach blossom aura, but that also meant that most people would still be affected by it.

Ye Wenxin couldn’t help recalling Ling Jue, with peach blossom branches ensnaring her golden aura. Upon reflection, it might mean that Ling Jue had been marked by her, and would never choose anyone else but her.

“Sister, what are you thinking about?” Qiao Ni’s voice snapped Ye Wenxin back to the present. She looked up quickly and found they had already reached the vestibule.

It had simple furnishings, yet one could see the high quality of the architecture.

Dark green was the main color. It was unclear whether this was to highlight the name ‘Green Isle Manor’ or because the person who renovated the manor liked dark green.

However, when thinking about the color definition, dark green typically meant poison, which was indicative of this person’s personality.

Ye Wenxin examined everything around her inquisitively, and then saw a man dressed in green robes and a green hat appear.

He was in his forties, skinny as a stick, with a pair of incomparably shrewd eyes. Ye Wenxin immediately recognized him—it was Old Man Lü Dao himself.

His name actually meant Green Isle, and his background was a mystery. They didn’t know where he had come from or when he arrived. When everyone realized it, Old Man Lü Dao had already built this Green Isle Manor.

Needless to say, Old Man was Ye Wenxin’s designation for Lü Dao. People also liked calling him Old Man, Manor Lord, or various other elegant titles.

Ye Wenxin didn’t have a good impression of Old Man Lü Dao, so she didn’t treat Madam Yu as amiably as she treated other women. This led to her making that ‘lover’ remark, causing Madam Yu to feel personally insulted. (TL: Bad Wenxin)

But looking at Old Man Lü Dao now, Ye Wenxin somehow felt he resembled a eunuch. He was beardless, and despite being thin and weak, he had a fair complexion.

Upon seeing Ye Wenxin, he was only slightly polite with her, and didn’t show any warmth towards Madam Yu.

The couple exchanged a few words before entering the dining room to start their meal.

Ye Wenxin, as an honored guest, naturally dined at the same table as the family.

They were very quiet during the meal. From Ye Wenxin’s perspective, Old Man Lü Dao and Madam Yu didn’t seem like a married couple at all.

Halfway through, a handsome man seemingly in his thirties showed up. If Ye Wenxin hadn’t already met Old Man Lü Dao, she would have assumed this was Madam Yu’s real husband.

“This is Husband’s elder brother, Lü Mao.”

“Lü Mao¹?” Ye Wenxin almost spilled the food from her mouth, but remembering there was no such slang as ‘green hat’ in this world, she offered a greeting to this Big Brother Lü Mao.

Lü Mao was completely different from Old Man Lü Dao. He showed much enthusiasm towards Ye Wenxin, naturally sitting there, like he was the head of the family.

The more Ye Wenxin watched this family, the stranger they appeared, especially how Lü Mao was gazing at Madam Yu. Ye Wenxin felt like she was witnessing a major cheating scene.

However, Madam Yu remained distant. She didn’t reciprocate Lü Mao’s heated gaze in any way and was dutiful throughout the whole meal. It was unclear if she was truly being reserved, or if the two had long been engaged in adultery.

Of course, this was all just Ye Wenxin’s bored musings; she sensed that Madam Yu wasn’t much interested in men.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t be so open about Qiao Ni pursuing another girl. She would have given her daughter a thorough spanking, which was the usual parental reaction to same-sex relationships.

Lü Mao’s addition expanded more on this matter.

Old Man Lü Dao hadn’t spoken a word. Once he finished eating, he turned around and left.

He was still in his training robes as if he had just left the training room. Maybe he was going back there again.

As she watched that distant figure, Madam Yu couldn’t hold back from asking Lü Mao, “Another failed breakthrough?” 

Lü Mao shrugged helplessly. “Yeah, he failed again.”

They were probably referring to the old man’s cultivation. But from Ye Wenxin’s memory, Old Man Lü Dao had been at first-stage Nascent Soul a few decades ago, and presently had only leveled up to second-stage Nascent Soul, which was not much of an improvement.

“No wonder. You have to comfort your younger brother more.”

Madam Yu sighed. Although she wholeheartedly wanted to assist with Green Isle Manor, the Manor Lord hadn’t made any breakthroughs in his cultivation.

It was extremely troubling for her.

“Alright, Sister,” answered Lü Mao readily, with endless desire in his eyes.

Madam Yu turned a blind eye and served Qiao Ni some food, completely ignoring that passionate adoration.

Femme fatale—that was the feeling Ye Wenxin had gotten from Madam Yu. Why was the well-known Madam Yu not on the Unparalleled Beauties List, though?

The more Ye Wenxin thought about it, the less she understood. She still felt there was more behind this Green Isle Manor, but she couldn’t think of anything for the time being.

She could only eat obediently and later accompany Qiao Ni to make mischief.

Despite coming to Green Isle Manor to discuss business, Ye Wenxin felt more like a professional escort, accompanying Qiao Ni for meals and drinks, and having fun.

Qiao Ni always smiled. Even if she was exhausted from playing, she would hold on to Ye Wenxin, refusing to let go.

Ye Wenxin didn’t feel tired. She glanced at Madam Yu doing needlework in the distance and lowered her voice, asking Qiao Ni, “Doesn’t your father ever play with you?”

“Never.” Qiao Ni pouted dissatisfiedly. She also looked at Madam Yu in the distance and whispered, “Sometimes, I even suspect I’m not my father’s biological child. I don’t feel any closeness with him.”

Perhaps Madam Yu had scolded Qiao Ni for saying this before; the girl was a little cautious when talking about it now.

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Footnotes:

1. – The brother’s name is a pun of ‘green hat’, which is what Wenxin says here. The only difference is that his Mao means ‘luxury/luxuriant’. ↩︎