Chapter 589: Fainting (2)
“Do you think this is a scheme by Xiao Bojian, or something else?”
He Changdi narrowed his eyes a little. “Probably both. With Chu Yuan’s reputation in the dregs, the only lady of marriageable age in House Ying is your fifth sister.”
There was a hidden meaning behind He Sanlang’s words, but Chu Lian was able to understand what he meant.
Neither Miss Yuan nor Miss Su had pure motives. Back then, Chu Lian had even been worried for Miss Su, afraid that her Fifth Sister would miss the best time of her youth due to various delays. She had thought of helping Miss Su with finding a husband after she moved out of House Jing’an. However, if Miss Su had set her eyes on Xiao Bojian, then there was no need for her to do anything.
Honestly, it wasn’t as if Miss Su had betrayed her for her own interests, or had some devilish plot brewing.
Miss Su had to think for herself. Although Chu Lian had become a chess piece in her game, when one thought of things from a different angle, Miss Su hadn’t done any harm to Chu Lian at all. All Miss Su had done was to seize what she wanted with her own hands.
Only Miss Su herself knew whether it was good for her or not.
He Changdi patted Chu Lian’s shoulder.
Chu Lian knew that He Changdi meant to console her.
He probably knew that the only person she had a good impression of in the entire House Ying was their Fifth Miss, Chu Su. That was why he informed her about this in advance.
By the time the couple left the training room, it was already dinnertime. After dinner, Chu Lian informed He Changdi about the matter of Countess Jing’an managing the household and the estate lacking funds.
She then waved at Xiyan to have her and two servants bring in a box with the cloisonné vase.
“This is what Mother pawned away. I got one of the servants to buy it back in secret. You should return it to Mother later.”
He Changdi abruptly took a step forward and hugged Chu Lian tightly. This sudden action made all of the servants in the room lower their heads in fright.
He buried his face into Chu Lian’s fair neck and placed a kiss there. Next, he went up to her ear and whispered, “Lian’er, I’m so lucky to have you.”
Chu Lian was first shocked by his actions, then astonished. When she heard his smooth, deep voice right by her ear, her heart melted as well.
With a blush on her face, she grumbled, “You’ve only just realised how lucky you are?”
It was at this time that the tactful Senior Servant Gui chased all of the servants in the room out.
With only the two of them left in the room, He Changdi stooped over, his long arms hooked under her knees, and scooped her up. He then walked towards the bedroom with long strides.
Chu Lian cried out in alarm and put her arms around his neck in a panic. She glared at him with her beautiful, almond-shaped eyes and exclaimed, “What are you doing!”
He Sanlang lowered his head and blew at the top of her reddened ear. With a deep, enthralling voice, he replied, “Doing you…”
Chu Lian: …
Since when had He Changdi become an expert at teasing?!
Chu Lian was extremely vexed, but she couldn’t help the fact that she was weaker than him. She couldn’t fight him at all. Any attempts to protest were immediately smothered by his mouth, so all that was left was her feeble moans.
For some time, the bedroom was filled with the sounds of love.
By the time He Changdi was properly satiated, it was already late in the evening. It didn’t seem possible for him to return Countess Jing’an’s vase that night.
The next day, He Changdi personally brought the cloisonné vase to his mother’s courtyard before leaving to attend court.
Chu Lian headed to Qingxi Hall for greetings alongside her mother-in-law, Countess Jing’an. Although Countess Jing’an didn’t put a voice to her thoughts, the appreciative, loving look in her eyes gave her away.
Countess Jing’an held Chu Lian’s hand as they walked past the garden. It was now the beginning of March, so it was no longer chilly in the capital. Buds of green had begun to reveal themselves in the garden.
The winter jasmine, which acted as a herald of spring, was now at the peak of its blooming.
The pair of mother- and daughter-in-law were walking past shrubs of winter jasmine at this time.
“Lian’er, Sanlang has already spoken to me, so I won’t say anything else. You’re a good child, so spend your days happily with Sanlang. If he bullies you, let me know and I’ll punish him for you.”
Chu Lian hugged Countess Jing’an’s arm. “Mother, would you really be willing to? You spent ten months being pregnant to give birth to him!”
Countess Jing’an rolled her eyes at her. “His skin is so thick and sturdy, why wouldn’t I help you punish him? I gave birth to three sons, yet they all give me endless worries.”
Perhaps her words had reminded herself of the state of He Dalang and He Erlang’s marriages, so all traces of the happy expression on her face vanished.
Chu Lian noticed her mother-in-law’s mood souring, so she quickly tried to console her. “Mother, don’t think about it too much, just hang in there a little longer. Father will return soon; he definitely won’t allow the marriage between Eldest Brother and Miss Zhen.”
Countess Jing’an nodded, “That’s our only solution for now.”
Unfortunately, when they arrived at Qingxi Hall, He Ying mentioned the matter to Matriarch He and Countess Jing’an once again.
The matriarch had been persuaded by her daughter to see it her way. With the additional guilt she felt towards her daughter and granddaughter, she was really considering betrothing Pan Nianzhen to He Dalang as his second wife now.
The exchanges between the matriarch and He Ying immediately brought Countess Jing’an’s anger to its peak, and she fainted.
Chu Lian was seated by Countess Jing’an’s side at the time. She was shocked by this development and quickly called in servants to carry Countess Jing’an to the side room. She ordered another servant to look for Great Doctor Miao.
He Ying hadn’t expected her sister-in-law to be so fragile as to faint from anger in just two sentences.
At the same time, this made her apprehensive.
She tugged on Matriarch He’s sleeve and looked anxiously at the matriarch. Matriarch He hadn’t expected this to happen either, but there was no point in crying over spilt milk. She sent an indifferent glare at her daughter in response.
