Chapter 3: No One Escaped Unscathed

For a fleeting moment, Lady Cen wished she could take a blade to Lu Nian.

This stepdaughter was born to be her bane!

From the very first day she entered the household, Lu Nian had never given her a pleasant look or a kind word. Even at such a young age, she possessed an inexplicable sense of wariness; no matter how much Lady Cen tried to curry favor, it was to no avail, and the girl would go around spreading rumors that her stepmother was harsh.

Fortunately, a stepmother was still a mother, and there was an order of seniority. Lady Cen had managed to coax the Marquis of Dingxi and win over Lu Jun; Lu Nian, fighting a lone battle, was simply not worth mentioning.

Lady Cen had treated Lu Nian as a chess piece.

The more recklessly Lu Nian acted, the more it highlighted Lady Cen’s own hardships, patience, and restraint, making the Marquis and Lu Jun all the more sympathetic and trusting toward her.

In the end, she would marry the girl off to some far-off place, and she would never have to be an eyesore again.

Unexpectedly, after nearly twenty years, Lu Nian had actually returned.

Lady Cen gritted her teeth in secret.

She had spent so long painstakingly building this life; her family’s legacy and the future of the Cen clan must not be ruined by Lu Nian.

However, looking at Lu Nian’s current behavior, it was clear she hadn't grown an ounce in all these years!

If she could make Lu Nian play the mute and swallow bitter herbs once, she could make this brute-force, brainless stepdaughter swallow them a second time!

As for that little tagalong...

Lady Cen felt a surge of disdain.

What kind of clever thing could Lu Nian possibly raise? She would deal with them both together later!

For now, let Lu Nian make a scene; the more unruly she acted, the better.

Thinking of this, Lady Cen said in a tone of earnest concern, "A-Nian, no matter how much resentment you hold, do not cause a scene in the mourning hall on your mother’s death anniversary."

Lu Nian let out a scoffing laugh. "If I don't speak up for her in front of her own face, she might think that after living for over twenty years, she ended up a lonely soul!"

As she spoke, she raised her hand and pointed at the Marquis of Dingxi.

"Husband."

She tilted her arm and pointed at Lu Jun.

"Son."

Lu Jun, his face pale, tried to swat her hand away, but Lu Nian dodged him, and her fingertip landed on a young man.

"Grandson," Lu Nian said. "That is a grandson, right? He looks just as useless as A-Jun!"

The useless golden grandson couldn't handle the provocation, but before he could speak, Lady Sang grabbed him and covered his mouth, preventing him from getting involved in the dispute.

Lu Nian then pointed at another group of people in the courtyard. "Elder brother, maternal relatives. Tsk! So many living, breathing people, yet if even one of you had a conscience, would my mother have gone all these years without a single bite of osmanthus cake?"

"Are you finished yet?" Lu Jun said angrily. "From the old to the young, you’ve insulted everyone who has even the slightest connection to this!"

He knew his elder sister’s foul temper all too well.

She had been like this since childhood. When others sought trouble, they at least looked for the source of the grievance, but Lu Nian was different.

Lu Nian was a firecracker; once she exploded, she didn't care about anything. Anyone passing by would get covered in red paper scraps and stained with the scent of gunpowder.

She would walk through the door and light the fuse immediately; no one in this courtyard was spared.

And today, it wasn't just the uncle’s family; there were other in-laws, guests, many juniors, and over a dozen monks chanting scriptures, all standing right here.

It was truly shameful!

Lu Jun cared about his reputation. Angry as he was, he offered a ladder to climb down. "You and your niece have traveled over mountains and rivers to return to the capital; the journey was hard. I will light the incense for you. You two should kowtow to Mother first, then settle down and get some rest..."

Lu Nian looked at him with a smile that didn't reach her eyes and said nothing.

Lu Jun felt a chill run down his neck from her gaze, so he turned to coax Yu Ruwei. "Niece, niece..."

The words died on his lips as he watched his niece walk away.

A-Wei walked over to the "maternal relatives" group and bowed to the stern-faced old man standing at the front. "Great-uncle, today’s offerings must include osmanthus cake. I fear the Marquis’s kitchen hasn't made it in years. I wonder which shop in the capital produces a flavor that would suit Grandmother’s taste?"

The old man looked A-Wei up and down.

A-Nian’s nature was hard to change, and it was clear she was just looking for an excuse to vent, but the Yu family’s granddaughter seemed sensible and appeared to want to smooth things over.

Thinking this, the annoyance caused by Lu Nian’s tantrum dissipated somewhat. The expression in the old man’s eyes softened, and he gave a look to his wife beside him.

"Good child, if your great-aunt remembers correctly, I once ate osmanthus cake from Fangke-lai with your grandmother, and she quite liked it," the great-aunt said, holding A-Wei’s hand before urging someone, "Why haven't you sent someone to buy it yet?"

Steward Liu quickly agreed and left.

A-Wei smiled and thanked her great-aunt, pulled her hand away, and pursed her lips as she turned her back.

Truly, when a person dies, it’s like a lamp going out.

The father’s side was unreliable, and the maternal side was talking nonsense.

Although she had only lived in the capital until she was four, A-Wei still remembered that the osmanthus cake from Fangke-lai tasted absolutely terrible!

Its only merit was that it wasn't far from the Marquis of Dingxi’s estate; a round trip took less than half an hour.

Fortunately, half an hour was enough.

Lu Nian wouldn't allow the memorial service to continue. After the monks consulted the Marquis, they stepped aside to wait for the osmanthus cake to arrive.

With dozens of gazes fixed on them, A-Wei calmly signaled to Nanny Wen, and the two of them walked to the side hall on the west, carrying out a grand armchair.

Lu Jun stared in confusion. "What is the meaning of this?"

The chair was placed directly in front of the offering table. A-Wei patted the cushion and helped Lu Nian sit down.

Then, she replied, "Uncle, you were quite right earlier. We have traveled from afar, and the journey was exhausting. Mother is very tired. Since the offerings haven't arrived yet, Mother will sit and rest her feet."

Lu Jun’s mouth twitched; he couldn't tell if his niece was being overly blunt or if this was another form of sarcasm.

"This is improper," the Marquis of Dingxi complained, though he felt a twinge of pity for Lu Nian. "If you want to rest, go to the side hall; there are lounge chairs that are more comfortable. Don't worry, I will have you woken up once the osmanthus cake is bought."

Lu Nian leaned against the armrest, closed her eyes, and did not answer.

A-Wei understood her intent perfectly and said, "Grandfather, Mother has fallen asleep, so we won't move her."

Not only did they not move her, but Nanny Wen also brought out a thin blanket and covered Lu Nian with it, moving with light, careful steps.

Lady Cen watched this, her heart burning with rage.

She’s asleep?

Who is she trying to fool!

"Calm yourself, calm yourself," the nanny beside her whispered. "Let them put on their show. This old servant doesn't believe they can conjure anything out of it."

Lu Jun didn't believe it either, muttering, "Falling asleep just like that? How is that possible?"

"Uncle," A-Wei said, her voice low as if afraid to disturb Lu Nian, though her tone was firm, "Mother has suffered a great deal; it has not been easy for her. We traveled day and night, not daring to delay on the road, all because we feared missing Grandmother’s death anniversary.

You should know what kind of life we led in Shu. If it weren't for the thought that Mother still had family in the capital, she would have given up long ago."

Lu Jun said, "Why would you say that about your own family?"

"I am merely speaking the truth. The Yu family must have offended some unclean thing; I was born with a very weak constitution. If it weren't for Mother taking care of everything herself and watching over me carefully, I likely would have died in infancy. I was lucky to survive, but the others in the family were not so fortunate. Over the past two years, one after another, they either met with accidents or died of illness. The whole family was left in tatters, and life was difficult."

A-Wei paused here, her gaze sweeping slowly over everyone’s faces, and she gave a light hum. "I had originally thought that once the capital knew of our situation, even if they didn't bring Mother back, they would have offered some support or help. I never expected only a single, thin letter in return."

As soon as she finished speaking, the Marquis of Dingxi’s brows furrowed sharply, and he looked at Lady Cen with suspicion.