Chapter 8: Returning to the Bride's Home

Xu Qiuyue hadn't expected that Lu Yuan would actually accompany her on the return visit to her natal home.

However, Lu Yuan took away the gifts Madam Lu had prepared.

He had all of Xu Qiuyue's dowry organized and planned to bring these gifts back to her natal home along with her.

Xu Qiuyue's expression remained calm, showing no dissatisfaction whatsoever.

Since the Xu family had been willing to offer these things as her dowry, it was only right and proper for her to take them back.

As for those natal relatives, the current Xu Qiuyue held not a shred of attachment for them.

In her previous life, if it hadn't been for their betrayal, Xu Qiuyue wouldn't have lost so miserably.

She searched her conscience; she had treated her family with utter devotion. Just where had she failed them?

Yet that converging hatred chilled her heart.

If they hadn't separated the household, how could the Xu family have lived such a good life?

Even now, they were still supporting her great-uncle, second uncle, and those people.

And after Xu Chunhua married Lu Yuan, although she disliked Xu Chunhua, for the sake of her family, she had always shown Xu Chunhua considerable care.

In truth, Xu Qiuyue didn't want to make this return visit at all.

She didn't want to see these family members again.

Recalling the past, it was all bitterness.

The Xu family was heartless, but Xu Qiuyue ultimately couldn't bring herself to be exactly like them.

It was just that Xu Qiuyue would no longer prop up the Xu family.

In her previous life, because Xu's father and mother had poisoned her, upon learning of Xu Chunhua's accidental death, she chose to turn a blind eye to the matter and didn't send anyone to investigate.

Even knowing Lu Yuan might have been involved, because Lu Yuan was useful to her, she pretended not to know.

It wasn't just for profit; more importantly, Xu Qiuyue's heart had turned cold.

When she was at home, Madam Xu always favored Xu Chunhua; Xu Qiuyue wasn't unaware.

She was unhappy about it too.

But for the sake of family harmony, she endured.

Later, she frequently looked after Xu Chunhua.

Saying Lu Yuan was stingy, she sent a continuous stream of precious jewelry, gems, silks, gold, and silver to Xu Chunhua.

She never thought to ask Xu Chunhua to repay her or be grateful.

But she never expected that this would instead increase Xu Chunhua's hatred toward her.

Xu Qiuyue simply hadn't realized Xu Chunhua could dislike her so much—that no matter what she did, it was met with weariness.

As if her mere existence was a mistake.

Xu Qiuyue knew Xu Chunhua liked to suppress her at every turn.

She didn't want to make Xu Chunhua angry. Xu Chunhua liked to flaunt her beauty and dress up, so she didn't dress up.

She even secretly smeared dust on her face, just to curry favor with Xu Chunhua.

But today, Xu Qiuyue had deliberately dressed up a little. She didn't want to please Xu Chunhua anymore.

There was no need.

Madam Lu had bestowed several sets of clothes and some jewelry.

Xu Qiuyue wore a light purple, high-waisted Confucian-style skirt embroidered with lotus leaves. The faint purple fabric bore a white rose, and at the hem, a butterfly danced as if about to fly toward the rose.

A simple jade hairpin adorned her hair. Though she wore only this single pin, the hairstyle was exquisite; any discerning eye could tell the hairpin was invaluable.

Matching jade earrings hung from her earlobes, white as jade.

Plus the jade necklace at her throat.

Xu Qiuyue looked magnificent and noble, her bearing extraordinary.

Having been a Princess Consort for many years, no matter who looked at her, she didn't resemble a peasant girl at all, but rather a noble daughter from a high-ranking family in the capital.

Lu Yuan was stunned when he saw Xu Qiuyue like this.

He hadn't expected that when Xu Qiuyue seriously dressed up, she would be this beautiful.

Most importantly, he could feel that Xu Qiuyue's whole person was radiant, dazzlingly so.

To speak frankly, Lu Yuan had also stayed in the capital before.

But few noble ladies in the capital possessed such an aura.

Lu Yuan grew even more curious about Xu Qiuyue's identity.

She was worlds apart from those sallow, emaciated peasant girls.

Most importantly, Xu Qiuyue sat in the carriage with eyes closed, silent, exuding a pressure that was almost overwhelming.

He had only seen such imposing manner in members of the imperial family who held high positions.

And the moment Xu Qiuyue entered the carriage, she unceremoniously took the seat of honor, her back ramrod straight, her etiquette and posture impeccable.

Compared to Lu Yuan's slouching demeanor, Xu Qiuyue looked more like the one with status.

Lu Yuan unexpectedly felt a sense of oppression.

He involuntarily straightened his back, but felt it ruined his image, so he adopted a feigned casual posture, trying to project a carefree, unruly air.

But the journey was long, and the mountain roads in the village were rough.

Before long, his back and waist ached.

But seeing Xu Qiuyue sitting upright and proper, seemingly not tired at all, he felt too embarrassed to complain.

Lu Yuan couldn't help but say to Xu Qiuyue, "Aren't you bored? Sitting in the carriage this long without saying a word."

Seeing Lu Yuan secretly rubbing his waist, Xu Qiuyue felt a bit amused.

The current Lu Yuan was just a young man, not very old.

A far cry from the cunning old fox he would become.

In her previous life, Xu Qiuyue had suffered a few hidden losses at Lu Yuan's hands.

She was just a woman; though a Princess Consort, Xuan Jiuqing was not of one mind with her.

Lu Yuan even sent a strange, alluring woman to Xuan Jiuqing, who quickly gained his favor.

Actually, in her previous life, Lu Yuan had once given Xu Chunhua a divorce letter.

But Xu Chunhua was stubborn.

At that time, Xu Qiuyue and the Xu family hadn't fallen out completely. Xu Chunhua begged her to intervene and force Lu Yuan to take back the divorce letter.

So Lu Yuan took it back, and as a "return gift," he sent a woman to Xuan Jiuqing.

Xu Qiuyue had actually wanted Xu Chunhua and Lu Yuan to divorce.

Because she felt Lu Yuan treated Xu Chunhua poorly, and Xu Chunhua could find someone better later.

But Xu Chunhua and Madam Xu thought a woman being divorced was a great disgrace.

Xu Qiuyue chose to respect their wishes.

But this became a reason for Xu Chunhua and Madam Xu to resent her.

They blamed Xu Qiuyue for not being forceful enough, for not forcing Xu Chunhua and Lu Yuan to divorce.

Otherwise, Xu Chunhua might have become a Princess Consort or a Concubine.

They accused her of being jealous of her sister's good fortune, of envying her.

In fact, Xu Chunhua had tried to seduce Xuan Jiuqing back then. Unfortunately, Xu Chunhua was full of resentment then, her skin poorly maintained, not as enchanting as in her youth. Xuan Jiuqing was unmoved, turned around and told Xu Qiuyue about it, incidentally expressing his own loyalty.

But Xu Qiuyue knew clearly that Xuan Jiuqing simply found Xu Chunhua not to his taste.

Xu Qiuyue collected her thoughts, looking at Lu Yuan sitting bored in the carriage, and said softly, "Husband, we're almost there. You've had a hard journey."