218 Did you Kick out my Son-in-Law?
Lu Jiao then thought, if Lu An and Lu Gui both leave, then only her first brother’s family would remain. Wouldn’t her mother be too busy then?
“Mom, if they all leave, you would get even busier.”
Lu An and Lu Gui both glanced towards Lady Tian. Lady Tian wasn’t a fan of the idea of her sons leaving. As a mother, she wanted her sons to stay by her side so she didn’t have to worry about their safety. However, they were adults now with their own ideas and she wasn’t about to hinder her sons’ growth.
Lady Tian nodded, “If I can’t handle it, we’ll hire someone.”
Lady Tian then added in a serious tone, “However, if you both leave here, you must understand that that makes your eldest brother the man of the family. You can come home and stay here, but once your father and I are old, we are going to give everything we have to your eldest brother.”
She had to make sure this was clear so there was no conflict in the future.
Just then, Lu Ping spoke up, “Mom, you don’t have to give me everything.”
Lady Tian ignored him and only looked at Lu An and Lu Gui. They both nodded.
Those two brothers spent a lot of time mumbling ideas to each other. Lu Gui told Lu An again and again about how Lu Jiao was a person with great fortune and luck. This made Lu An obsessively confident about Lu Jiao. He, too, thought that if he followed Lu Jiao, he’d be able to make way more money than what this family can offer. Therefore, the two of them nodded without hesitation.
“Mother, we understand.”
Lady Tian stared at Lu An angrily, “You better talk about this with your wife first. Or else she may fight you later.”
Lady Tian then ignored these worrisome sons and asked them to leave so she could talk to Lu Jiao privately.
Inside the bedroom, the mother and daughter started to whisper. Lady Tian asked Lu Jiao if her relationship with Xie Yunjin had improved.
Lu Jiao didn’t know how to answer. Should she tell Lady Tian that she was basically a divorced woman now?
“Mom, everything’s good. Don’t worry.”
Lu Jiao then asked Lady Tian about the tofu business. Lady Tian was excited to talk about it. Once she was done talking, she even took out the silver she earned to show Lu Jiao. She had around 30 taels of silver with her – all profits.
Lady Tian shoved the money into Lu Jiao’s hands, “We made all this money all thanks to you. I’m going to give it to you. When we make more, I’ll give it to your first brother. Lu Gui and Lu An can make their money.”
Lu Jiao was touched as she stared at the 30 taels of silver. She had a lot of silver herself and didn’t need that 30. She originally wanted to give Lady Tian some silver.
Now, she knew that even if she tried to give Lady Tian anything, she wouldn’t take it. If Lady Tian ever needed money, she’d give it to her then.
Lu Jiao shoved the money back to Lady Tian, “Mom, I earned some money seeing patients. I don’t need this. Save all this for your retirement.”
Lady Tian whispered, “You really made money?”
Lu Jiao nodded and told Lady Tian about the hundreds of taels of silver she earned. She didn’t dare to tell her the true amount. Despite so, Lady Tian became so proud of her daughter.
After they chatted some more, Lady Tian got up to make dinner. It was the first time her son-in-law visited, she had to make sure lots of food was served for dinner.
Lu Jiao wanted to help but Lady Tian pushed her to the west bedroom, where Lu Jiao used to stay.
“Go and take a nap. I don’t need you to help out around here. At home, you’re a valued guest!”
Lu Jiao went to the west bedroom. She thought Xie Yunjin was resting, but he wasn’t. He was looking into the yard with his hands behind his back.
Lu Jiao asked in surprise, “How come you’re not napping?”
Xie Yunjin turned around, “Is this where the old Lu… where you used to live?”
Thinking that this was the bedroom of that woman exasperated Xie Yunjin. Sleeping here? He didn’t even want to stay here.
However, he couldn’t say that to anyone so he could only endure the negative emotion he felt.
Though he no longer hated that woman, the thought of her put him in a bad mood.
Xie Yunjin truly detested the old Lu Jiao. He hated her appearance, her aura, and her way of treating the kids.
Inside the room, Lu Jiao naturally didn’t know what was going on inside Xie Yunjin’s head. She nodded, “Yes, I used to live here. Then, I got married. But my mother never let anyone else take over this room.”
Lu Jiao sat on the bed. When she saw Xie Yunjin continue to stand, she couldn’t help but ask, “Why don’t you sit? Standing so long isn’t good for your legs.”
Though he could walk now, he needed lots of rest.
Xie Yunjin also couldn’t stop himself and responded, “I don’t want to stay here. Can you let me stay in Lu Gui’s room?”
Lu Jiao understood. They’ve separated so he didn’t feel comfortable staying in her room.
Lu Jiao smiled. Suddenly, she felt like Xie Yunjin had much self-awareness.
It was her bad this time. She had forgotten.
“Sure, I’ll take you to Lu Gui’s room.”
The look in her eyes as she looked at Xie Yunjin was now almost praisingly.
Xie Yunjin found her strange. Just what was this woman thinking now?
The two of them left the room. Inside the yard, Lady Tian was trying to catch a chicken. When she saw them, she asked, “Jiaojiao, why aren’t you resting? Why are you taking my son-in-law out here?”
Lu Jiao pointed at Lu Gui’s room, “I’m taking him to Lu Gui’s room. I don’t like to share a bed. Too hot.”
Lady Tian’s eyes widened at her, “You’re high maintenance.”
She then turned to Xie Yunjin, “Don’t blame her. She’s always been picky like this.”
Xie Yunjin looked at Lu Jiao. He was the one who didn’t want to sleep in that room yet she took the blame.
This time, Xie Yunjin didn’t flatter himself and think that it was because Lu Jiao liked him.
The memory of Lu Jiao’s decision to divorce made him cold again. He went into Lu Gui’s room.
Lu Jiao didn’t think much of it but Lady Tian noticed the change. What happened?
Lady Tian grabbed Lu Jiao’s hand, “Did you kick him out?”
Was that why he appeared to be in a bad mood? Lu Jiao laughed and yawned, “Mom, I’m going to nap.”
She then left and went back to her room. Behind her, Lady Tian helplessly sighed.
For dinner, the Lu family cooked two tables full of food. They invited the Apricot Flower Village’s leader, the Lu family Clan Leader, Lu Jiao’s grandparents’ family, and her second uncle’s family.
The men sat at one table and the women sat at another. The four little ones sat with Lu Jiao and the women.
At the men’s table, the Clan and Village Leaders, Lu Jiao’s grandpa, and second uncle were all very respectful towards Xie Yunjin.
This scholar was famous in the entire Qinghe District. During the prefectural examination, he placed first. The magistrate personally praised him and even rewarded him with 100 taels of silver.
218 Did you Kick out my Son-in-Law?
Lu Jiao then thought, if Lu An and Lu Gui both leave, then only her first brother’s family would remain. Wouldn’t her mother be too busy then?
“Mom, if they all leave, you would get even busier.”
Lu An and Lu Gui both glanced towards Lady Tian. Lady Tian wasn’t a fan of the idea of her sons leaving. As a mother, she wanted her sons to stay by her side so she didn’t have to worry about their safety. However, they were adults now with their own ideas and she wasn’t about to hinder her sons’ growth.
Lady Tian nodded, “If I can’t handle it, we’ll hire someone.”
Lady Tian then added in a serious tone, “However, if you both leave here, you must understand that that makes your eldest brother the man of the family. You can come home and stay here, but once your father and I are old, we are going to give everything we have to your eldest brother.”
She had to make sure this was clear so there was no conflict in the future.
Just then, Lu Ping spoke up, “Mom, you don’t have to give me everything.”
Lady Tian ignored him and only looked at Lu An and Lu Gui. They both nodded.
Those two brothers spent a lot of time mumbling ideas to each other. Lu Gui told Lu An again and again about how Lu Jiao was a person with great fortune and luck. This made Lu An obsessively confident about Lu Jiao. He, too, thought that if he followed Lu Jiao, he’d be able to make way more money than what this family can offer. Therefore, the two of them nodded without hesitation.
“Mother, we understand.”
Lady Tian stared at Lu An angrily, “You better talk about this with your wife first. Or else she may fight you later.”
Lady Tian then ignored these worrisome sons and asked them to leave so she could talk to Lu Jiao privately.
Inside the bedroom, the mother and daughter started to whisper. Lady Tian asked Lu Jiao if her relationship with Xie Yunjin had improved.
Lu Jiao didn’t know how to answer. Should she tell Lady Tian that she was basically a divorced woman now?
“Mom, everything’s good. Don’t worry.”
Lu Jiao then asked Lady Tian about the tofu business. Lady Tian was excited to talk about it. Once she was done talking, she even took out the silver she earned to show Lu Jiao. She had around 30 taels of silver with her – all profits.
Lady Tian shoved the money into Lu Jiao’s hands, “We made all this money all thanks to you. I’m going to give it to you. When we make more, I’ll give it to your first brother. Lu Gui and Lu An can make their money.”
Lu Jiao was touched as she stared at the 30 taels of silver. She had a lot of silver herself and didn’t need that 30. She originally wanted to give Lady Tian some silver.
Now, she knew that even if she tried to give Lady Tian anything, she wouldn’t take it. If Lady Tian ever needed money, she’d give it to her then.
Lu Jiao shoved the money back to Lady Tian, “Mom, I earned some money seeing patients. I don’t need this. Save all this for your retirement.”
Lady Tian whispered, “You really made money?”
Lu Jiao nodded and told Lady Tian about the hundreds of taels of silver she earned. She didn’t dare to tell her the true amount. Despite so, Lady Tian became so proud of her daughter.
After they chatted some more, Lady Tian got up to make dinner. It was the first time her son-in-law visited, she had to make sure lots of food was served for dinner.
Lu Jiao wanted to help but Lady Tian pushed her to the west bedroom, where Lu Jiao used to stay.
“Go and take a nap. I don’t need you to help out around here. At home, you’re a valued guest!”
Lu Jiao went to the west bedroom. She thought Xie Yunjin was resting, but he wasn’t. He was looking into the yard with his hands behind his back.
Lu Jiao asked in surprise, “How come you’re not napping?”
Xie Yunjin turned around, “Is this where the old Lu… where you used to live?”
Thinking that this was the bedroom of that woman exasperated Xie Yunjin. Sleeping here? He didn’t even want to stay here.
However, he couldn’t say that to anyone so he could only endure the negative emotion he felt.
Though he no longer hated that woman, the thought of her put him in a bad mood.
Xie Yunjin truly detested the old Lu Jiao. He hated her appearance, her aura, and her way of treating the kids.
Inside the room, Lu Jiao naturally didn’t know what was going on inside Xie Yunjin’s head. She nodded, “Yes, I used to live here. Then, I got married. But my mother never let anyone else take over this room.”
Lu Jiao sat on the bed. When she saw Xie Yunjin continue to stand, she couldn’t help but ask, “Why don’t you sit? Standing so long isn’t good for your legs.”
Though he could walk now, he needed lots of rest.
Xie Yunjin also couldn’t stop himself and responded, “I don’t want to stay here. Can you let me stay in Lu Gui’s room?”
Lu Jiao understood. They’ve separated so he didn’t feel comfortable staying in her room.
Lu Jiao smiled. Suddenly, she felt like Xie Yunjin had much self-awareness.
It was her bad this time. She had forgotten.
“Sure, I’ll take you to Lu Gui’s room.”
The look in her eyes as she looked at Xie Yunjin was now almost praisingly.
Xie Yunjin found her strange. Just what was this woman thinking now?
The two of them left the room. Inside the yard, Lady Tian was trying to catch a chicken. When she saw them, she asked, “Jiaojiao, why aren’t you resting? Why are you taking my son-in-law out here?”
Lu Jiao pointed at Lu Gui’s room, “I’m taking him to Lu Gui’s room. I don’t like to share a bed. Too hot.”
Lady Tian’s eyes widened at her, “You’re high maintenance.”
She then turned to Xie Yunjin, “Don’t blame her. She’s always been picky like this.”
Xie Yunjin looked at Lu Jiao. He was the one who didn’t want to sleep in that room yet she took the blame.
This time, Xie Yunjin didn’t flatter himself and think that it was because Lu Jiao liked him.
The memory of Lu Jiao’s decision to divorce made him cold again. He went into Lu Gui’s room.
Lu Jiao didn’t think much of it but Lady Tian noticed the change. What happened?
Lady Tian grabbed Lu Jiao’s hand, “Did you kick him out?”
Was that why he appeared to be in a bad mood? Lu Jiao laughed and yawned, “Mom, I’m going to nap.”
She then left and went back to her room. Behind her, Lady Tian helplessly sighed.
For dinner, the Lu family cooked two tables full of food. They invited the Apricot Flower Village’s leader, the Lu family Clan Leader, Lu Jiao’s grandparents’ family, and her second uncle’s family.
The men sat at one table and the women sat at another. The four little ones sat with Lu Jiao and the women.
At the men’s table, the Clan and Village Leaders, Lu Jiao’s grandpa, and second uncle were all very respectful towards Xie Yunjin.
This scholar was famous in the entire Qinghe District. During the prefectural examination, he placed first. The magistrate personally praised him and even rewarded him with 100 taels of silver.
