Chapter 10: Is This Still Lu Yuan?

Lu Yuan had not yet spoken.

As soon as Xu Chunhua heard Father Xu's words, she grew anxious.

She felt that no one understood Lu Yuan better than she did.

No wonder Lu Yuan was being so kind as to follow Xu Qiuyue back to her maiden home.

It turned out he wanted to come and demand the bride price back.

Lu Yuan was being far too stingy.

Xu Chunhua immediately shouted loudly, "Father, a married daughter is like spilled water. Xu Qiuyue has already married out; what right does she have to come back to her maiden home to demand money?"

"Qiuyue, you can't be so heartless! Now that you've become a young mistress and are living a life of luxury, you still come back to ask the family for money."

At this moment, Mother Xu cried out toward Xu Qiuyue.

Seeing Mother Xu in this state, Xu Qiuyue's mind drifted to how Mother Xu had been in her previous life—consistently biased.

Xu Qiuyue merely said calmly to Lu Yuan, "Husband, since I have married into the Lu family, I fear I will not be able to take care of my parents in the future. Give both the bride price and the dowry to Chunhua! In the future, when my parents face old age, sickness, or death, they will have to rely on Chunhua to care for them."

"That is only right."

Taking advantage of the fact that Lu Yuan had not yet spoken, Xu Chunhua hurriedly replied.

This money could not be given to Xu Qiuyue.

It all belonged to her and Xuan Jiuqing.

Otherwise, how could Xuan Jiuqing recover his health and return to the capital!

Lu Yuan had already accepted Xu Qiuyue's ginseng, so naturally, he would not go on to demand money; he had only said it intentionally.

He was not so shameless as to reach that level.

Lu Yuan clapped his hands.

The servants carried up two large chests of gifts, containing things like brocade and fabrics.

"Mother-in-law must be joking. How could I truly let Qiuyue return with only these things? These were all carefully selected by Qiuyue to show her filial piety to you."

Xu Chunhua looked at Lu Yuan in disbelief.

He actually brought gifts.

How was this possible!

Was this really Lu Yuan?

Although these things were for the Xu family—which basically meant they belonged to Xu Chunhua—Xu Chunhua was not happy in her heart at all.

How could Lu Yuan be so generous?

Did Lu Yuan actually like Xu Qiuyue's mediocre looks?

Right, Xu Qiuyue liked to work and was good at working; Lu Yuan probably liked that kind of hardworking and uncomplaining type.

She hadn't expected that she had actually helped Xu Qiuyue marry the right person.

Xu Chunhua lowered her head to glance at Xuan Jiuqing. He would become a Prince in the future, and his life would be thousands or even ten thousand times better than Xu Qiuyue's. When that time came, Lu Yuan would surely be bewitched by that woman from the brothel, and perhaps even receive a letter of divorce from Lu Yuan.

When that happened, she would reluctantly help Xu Qiuyue once, so that Xu Qiuyue wouldn't be abandoned by Lu Yuan.

Furthermore, she would certainly not let that brothel woman come into contact with Xuan Jiuqing.

She was not like Xu Qiuyue, who would let Xuan Jiuqing be bewitched by a woman from a brothel.

Xu Chunhua completely failed to notice that Xuan Jiuqing's gaze had fallen upon Xu Qiuyue.

Lu Yuan noticed.

Xu Qiuyue was his wife, whom he had married through the formal process of three matchmakers and six rites.

Lu Yuan took a slight step forward, blocking Xuan Jiuqing's line of sight, and asked Father Xu, "Father-in-law, who is this person? I heard that there are no other men in your Xu family! He doesn't look like Qiuyue's cousin either. This person is quite rude! How can he look at Qiuyue like that!"

"You're talking nonsense! Only Brother Xuan would look down on Xu Qiuyue. Don't slander Brother Xuan."

Xu Chunhua said to Lu Yuan huffily.

How could Xuan Jiuqing possibly take an interest in Xu Qiuyue?

But thinking of how Xu Qiuyue had been Xuan Jiuqing's wife in her previous life, Xu Chunhua still felt a wave of lingering fear in her heart.

Therefore, she proactively stood in front of Xuan Jiuqing.

She had been preventing Xu Qiuyue and Xuan Jiuqing from meeting all this time, fearing that Xu Qiuyue would seduce him.

Looking at Xu Qiuyue's current attire, she was radiant.

She had not yet shared a bed with Xuan Jiuqing, as his body had not yet recovered.

She and Xuan Jiuqing merely slept in the same bed every day.

"Xu Chunhua, how can you speak to your brother-in-law like that? He is nothing more than a lame beggar. Which man in our Xu Village is not stronger than him! Hurry up and push him inside; don't stand out here making a scene."

Father Xu immediately scolded Xu Chunhua.

He had originally thought Xu Chunhua was a promising girl who would marry into a good family in the future.

He hadn't expected that Xu Chunhua would actually sleep in the same bed as a beggar ahead of time.

Truly shameless.

He could only let Xu Chunhua marry a beggar like this.

He hadn't expected that Xu Chunhua, as if possessed, would treat this beggar like a treasure and even embezzle Xu Qiuyue's bride price.

This was the Lu family's bride price.

In the entire Peach Blossom Town, who didn't know of the Lu family's wealth? Moreover, Lu Yuan's father, Lu Changqing, was the County Magistrate of Peach Blossom Town.

For the Xu family to form a marriage alliance with the Lu family could be said to be a stroke of immense luck, as if their ancestral graves had emitted green smoke.

Yet Xu Chunhua did not even cherish it.

Fortunately, he had two daughters; by letting Xu Qiuyue marry Lu Yuan, his later years would still depend on Xu Qiuyue.

If he had known, he would have been kinder to Xu Qiuyue back then.

It wasn't too late now.

Xu Chunhua wanted to say something more, but she was pushed inside by Mother Xu.

Mother Xu sighed inwardly.

Back then, when she asked Xu Chunhua to marry, Xu Chunhua refused; now, fine, Xu Qiuyue had married.

Not only was Lu Yuan handsome and elegant, but his character was also good.

Even with such a dowry, Lu Yuan hadn't complained about Xu Qiuyue, which showed how good of a man he was.

And today, upon returning to the maiden home, he had brought so many gifts.

It was a pity that Xu Chunhua was unwilling.

Such a good man was simply missed.

If it weren't for the fact that Xu Chunhua had shared physical intimacy with Xuan Jiuqing, Mother Xu wouldn't have spent so much money to hire a doctor to treat him.

If Xuan Jiuqing truly were a noble son in distress...

It wasn't that there were no messengers in Xu Village; one could ask someone to deliver a letter to his home.

But Xuan Jiuqing had none.

Mother Xu couldn't help but doubt Xuan Jiuqing's identity, but since Xu Chunhua liked him, Mother Xu could only accept it.

This was also the main reason she had pocketed all of Xu Qiuyue's bride price.

With this money, Xu Chunhua's future life would not be too difficult.

This meal was tasteless.

In the kitchen, Xu Chunhua cursed loudly, "How long has she been married? She already thinks she's a young mistress, actually sitting in the main room drinking tea and eating pastries. Where does she get the nerve!"

"Chunhua, keep your voice down. If your father hears you, he'll be unhappy again."

Mother Xu was still somewhat fearful of Father Xu; he was the head of the household.

If he got angry, the whole family would suffer.

"He's just a sycophant. Once my Brother Xuan finds his family, my life will definitely be thousands of times better than Xu Qiuyue's."

Seeing Xu Chunhua's face full of longing, Mother Xu couldn't bring herself to discourage her.

No matter how you looked at it, Lu Yuan was better than Xuan Jiuqing.

"Mother, remember, you must take Xu Qiuyue's bride price to the town to buy a house. Do not let Father give it to those other relatives of his."

Xu Chunhua instructed her mother.

She used to think Xu Qiuyue was too stingy.

Now she felt that Father Xu was truly a spendthrift.

(End of Chapter)